《CEO’s Seduction Trap》 Chapter 1 In the Car When the assistant called, Le was pinned in the car by Mason, her waist was gripped tightly. Outside, the rain poured heavily. Le, overwhelmed by desire, unconsciously kissed Mason¡¯s throat. Mason¡¯s handsy naturally on the armrest. His neck tilted slightly back, his eyes half-closed. With each kiss from Le, his sexy Adam¡¯s apple moved up and down. After a while, Mason spoke in a deep, husky voice, ¡°Wanna?¡± Le¡¯s eyes reddened, her gaze unfocused, ¡°Yeah.¡± Mason casually lifted her onto hisp, chuckling, ¡°You agreed, don¡¯t me me afterward.¡± He ran his hand over her waist, while the other lightly rested on her firm, round buttocks, gently massaging them¡­ Even through the fabric, he could still feel the amazing sticity of her full hips. Her red dress was hiked up, one hand slipped between her legs¡­ As the rain outside intensified, the car shook more violently¡­ At the climax, Le lowered her head and bit Mason¡¯s shoulder. Mason grunted and lifted her a bit higher, ¡°You¡¯re too tight, rx¡­¡± ¡­ Le was drenched in sweat, her spaghetti strap dress in disarray. She bent down to retrieve her high heels. Mason¡¯s shirt was fully open, his gaze fixed on her waist. ¡°Be drugged at the celebration?¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Le didn¡¯t respond. After a while, she spoke, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°Thank you? You sleep with me, and all I get is a thank you? This was my first time¡­¡± Le froze, then turned to open the car door, ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to dinner another day.¡± Mason pulled her back, whispering in her ear, ¡°Miss Patel, you¡¯re new to Nova Group,ing on strong. It¡¯s natural for some folks to resist. Tonight was just those old farts trying to put you in your ce.¡± ¡°No need to worry about me,¡± Le didn¡¯t wait for Mason¡¯s reaction and pushed open the car door and left. Le struggled to maintain her bnce, avoiding revealing any ws to others¡­ On the other side, Mason looked at the bloodstains on his white shirt and murmured, ¡°Long time no see, Le.¡± The car window was suddenly knocked on. In the next second, the door was opened from the outside. His buddy Caleb Mitchell propped up the door with one hand, teasingly saying, ¡°Hey, Man, you even shook this big car.''¡± Mason nced at him but didn¡¯t respond. ¡°I know that girl. Le, the project manager recently hired by Nova Group from Yort city. By the way, doesn¡¯t that girl have a boyfriend? What¡¯s his name? Seems like he¡¯s the vice president of a listedpany. Let me think¡­¡± Mason replied casually, ¡°Is that so?¡± Chapter 2 Bra Lost Le sat in the bathtub, reying the events of the evening in her mind. From every drink she had at the celebration banquet, every person she interacted with, to meeting Masonter on. Finally, she narrowed her suspicions down to the waiter who handed her the juice. All the drinks she had tonight were taken from the table, so it couldn¡¯t have been drugged. After all, the person who drugged couldn¡¯t be sure she¡¯d choose that specific ss. The only exception was the juice from that waiter. Now that she thought about it, she realized she¡¯d been too careless. But it was toote for her to react now. Those cunning old farts wouldn¡¯t leave any evidence for her to investigate. Thankfully, she ran into Mason¡­ Thinking of Mason, Le involuntarily furrowed her brows slightly. Le had actually crossed paths with Mason before. The memory of that encounter was still vivid in her mind. It was quite humiliating¡­ At that time, she was still the fiancee of Hunter Brooks, the Vice President of Ascend Group. Hunter, in his pursuit of climbing the socialdder, had shamelessly pushed her to go drink with Mason. Le didn¡¯t confront him on the spot, but her expression must have been quite telling at the time. Mason had reached out to her then, leaning in close to whisper in her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a drink. I¡¯m not that kind of guy¡­¡± Lost in her memories, Le¡¯s phone suddenly rang from the shelf nearby. Seeing her mother¡¯s name on the caller ID, she answered, ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Le, are you home?¡± Mrs. Patel¡¯s concerned voice came through the phone. Le said, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m home, in the bath. Mom, how have you beentely?¡± Mrs. Patel hesitated briefly at Le¡¯s words, then chuckled as she replied, ¡°I¡¯m doing fine. It¡¯s all my fault, I¡¯m sorry, dear. Your dad¡¯s disappearance left behind so much debt, and it¡¯s all on you now.¡± As Le listened to her mother¡¯s words, memories from a few years ago shed through her mind-thugs barging into their home, brandishing sticks and shouting threats. ¡°Your dad went bankrupt, he ran away. He mortgaged everything to us. There¡¯s still seventy million in debt left, and it¡¯s on both of you to pay it off¡­¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The recollection,bined with tonight¡¯s ordeal, caused Le¡¯s eyes to suddenly well up with tears. ¡°And there¡¯s still no news about Dad?¡± This time, Mrs. Patel remained silent for a while, obviously not wanting to address the question. After a few diversionary remarks, she finally said, ¡°Have an early night. Take care of yourself.¡± After the reminder, Mrs. Patel hurriedly hung up the phone. Staring at the screen, Le¡¯s grip on it tightened suddenly. The next moment, there was a ¡®ding¡¯ from her phone. It was from an unknown number: ¡°Miss Patel, your bra was left in my car.¡± Chapter 3 Steamy Gossip It was obvious who sent the message. Just a few in words, but they were filled with ambiguity. Le replied, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, please throw it away for me. Thanks.¡± After sending the message, Le transferred $10, 000 to Mrs. Patel. Then she put her phone on silent and closed her eyes. Five years ago, The Patel Group went bankrupt. Mr. Patel ran off with thest bit of money and hasn¡¯t been heard from since. No one knows if he¡¯s dead or alive. Over the past five years, creditors have been knocking on the door every day demanding payment, Le and Mrs. Patel haven¡¯t had a single night of peaceful sleep. People in the industry said she worked too hard, but no one knew she was working so hard just to pay off the debts sooner. The next morning, as soon as Le entered thepany, she heard two receptionists whispering. ¡°Do you think those photos are real or fake?¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°The photos are so clear, how could they be fake?¡± ¡°Ugh, I never would¡¯ve guessed. ¡± ¡°She usually looks so innocent.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just pretending. Any woman who can have sex with a man in a car¡­¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the guy? His face was not clear in the photos.¡± As soon as she got to her office, her assistant showed her the so-called scandalous photos. ¡°These photos were sent to the work group chat in the early hours of the morning. Not only were they in the lower-level group chats, but every executive also received them in their emails.¡± Le¡¯s eyes fell on the photo of her pinning Mason against the hallway wall. In the photo, her shoulders was exposed, and she was standing on tiptoe, kissing Mason¡¯s jawline. It was clear Mason was trying to avoid it; his face was turned to the side. The person who took the photo was obviously a professional. The photo was well taken: she was fully exposed, while Mason¡¯s face was just a blurry side profile. The assistant waited a long time without getting a response from Le, and cautiously spoke again, ¡°Miss Patel, Mr. Lee just said he wants to see you in his office as soon as you arrive.¡± Le frowned, ¡°Got it. Notify everyone that we¡¯ll have a morning meeting in ten minutes.¡± The assistant was stunned for a second, then responded, ¡°Yes, Miss Patel.¡± Ten minutester, Le gathered everyone from the project department for a meeting. Throughout the meeting, she remained calm andposed, handling everything with her usual efficiency. After the meeting ended, Le left the room, and a buzz of conversation broke out among the attendees. ¡°Miss Patel is so brave!¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought she¡¯d at least lose herposure today.¡± ¡°As expected, a sessful woman must be able to endure what others cannot.¡± Meanwhile, Le took the elevator upstairs to her superior Mr. Lee¡¯s office. As she approached his office, she was about to knock when she heard a ttering voice from inside, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, are you here for the Southside project?¡± Mason replied indirectly, ¡°I heard the manager in charge of this project had a scandalst night?¡± Le¡¯s hand froze mid-air. Inside, Mr. Lee¡¯sugh could be heard, ¡°Who told you that? There¡¯s no such thing¡­¡± Mason, lounging on the sofa, said, ¡°Really? I heard there are photos to prove it.¡± Mr. Lee quickly lied, ¡°That¡¯s just a bit of fun between a couple. We can¡¯t really get involved in that.¡± Mason questioned, ¡°A couple?¡± Mr. Lee kept hisposure under Mason¡¯s probing, ¡°From what I know, the person with Le in the carst night was her boyfriend. You know, it¡¯s a personal matter between them¡­¡± Mason smiled, ¡°Oh?¡± A knock sounded at the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Mr. Lee quickly said. Le entered, and as their eyes met, Mr. Lee gave her a look. He turned to Mason, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Le¡± Having overheard their conversation outside, Le met Mason¡¯s gaze, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, what do you want to know?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Seeing Mason drop the subject, Mr. Lee seized the opportunity to bring up the coboration. Mason, loungingzily on the sofa, remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details.¡± Mr. Lee caught Mason¡¯s hint and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a meeting right now and personally give you a detailed introduction to our project.¡± Mason looked up at him, ¡°Mr. Lee, aren¡¯t you busy? Do you have time to apany me?¡± Mr. Lee stammered, ¡°I¡­¡± Noticing Mason¡¯s gaze on Le, Mr. Lee suddenly understood, ¡°I am a bit busy. Mr. Ramirez, if you don¡¯t mind, how about having Miss Patel apany you?¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡­ Chapter 4 Shameless Ex In the conference room, Le held a file in her hands, flipping through it while professionally updating Mason on the project¡¯s current progress. Mason tugged at his shirt cor, revealing a string of ambiguous kiss marks on his neck. When Le finished speaking and looked up, she saw them, and her mind shed back to the image of them entangled togetherst night. Mason gave her a yful look, ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± Le straightened her back and smiled lightly, ¡°No.¡± Mason¡¯s deep eyes glinted with amusement, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re all adults. I won¡¯t cling to you or make you take responsibility just because of one night.¡± Though Mason seemed gentlemanly, his words were anything but refined. A word shed through Le¡¯s mind: scoundrel. Mason took the file from her, flipping through a couple of pages, and said mockingly, ¡°This project, as it stands, has far more drawbacks than benefits.¡± Le quicklyposed herself, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, this project was never meant to be a high-profit venture. The initial returns won¡¯t be as high as other projects, but the long-term gains are stable and substantial.¡± ¡°And how do you n to guarantee that?¡± Le replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a detailed proposal for you. The data will speak for itself.¡± Mason closed the file in his hands, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± Suddenly, a man burst in, grabbing Le¡¯s hands. It was Hunter Brooks, her ex-boyfriend. ¡°Are you okay? Mr. Lee just called me. I told him I was the guy with youst night.¡± Seeing Hunter made Le feel nauseous. Mason sat there with his hands in his pockets, a cold glint in his eyes. ¡°Miss Patel, your boyfriend is quite generous.¡± Hunter finally noticed Mason, ¡°Mr. Ramirez?¡± Le broke away from him and, apologizing to Mason, then dragged him to the stairwell. ¡°Hunter, we already broke up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking who the guy wasst night, and let¡¯s just forget our past issues, alright? We¡¯re adults now, Don¡¯t let our parent worry about us.¡± ¡°Is my words hard to understand? You slept with your boss¡¯s wife and still want to marry me? You want to use me to cover up your affair with her? Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll expose you?¡± Hunter¡¯s words hit Le¡¯s nerve. She had never seen anyone handle a rtionship so disgustingly. He approached her with ulterior motives, used her in every way, and now wanted to use her as a stepping stone. Hunter continued, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to get back together? Have you thought about how to exin this to your mom? She has a heart condition. The wedding date was already set. If you call it off, what if she has another episode¡­¡± Le coldly interrupted, ¡°If you say one more word, I¡¯ll call your boss right now.¡± Hunter quickly changed his tone, ¡°Le, just help me onest time. If you do, I promise I¡¯ll never bother you again. I¡¯ll personally exin to your mom that we¡¯re canceling the wedding because I¡¯m going away for a few years for further studies. Later, you can tell her we broke up due to the long distance¡­¡± Hunter was smart, Le had to admit. Otherwise, without connections or a background, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten to his current position. Seeing Le¡¯s hesitation, Hunter pressed on, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been easy for either of us to get where we are in our careers. I know you¡¯re dealing with the scandal fromst night. If you attend ourpany dinner tonight as my fiancee, you can use me as a shield. That way, the rumors will die down, killing two birds with one stone.¡± Le thought it over, ¡°You want to use me as a shield.¡± ¡°Le, do you really want to burn bridges with me?¡± Le remained silent.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Suddenly, Mason appeared on the stairs, waving a file. ¡°Miss Patel, I¡¯ve reviewed the proposal. Are you sure this n is suitable?¡± Le turned to him, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, despite the rush, I hope you can trust us.¡± ¡°Miss Patel, I hope your personal issues won¡¯t affect the project.¡± With that, he tossed the file at Hunter and walked away. Hunter caught the file and hurriedly asked Le, ¡°You know Mr. Ramirez? Can you introduce me to him?¡±¡­ Meanwhile, at the elevator, Mason called his assistant, ¡°Is the Ascend Group having an event tonight?¡± ¡°Yes, you declined it earlier.¡± ¡°Tell them I¡¯ll be there on time.¡± ¡­ Chapter 5 He Touched You? At eight o¡¯clock, Le drove to the ce Hunter had specified. The adult world is often like this-some things are disgusting, but you have to do them anyway. As soon as she arrived, her phone buzzed. Le nced at the screen and saw a message pop up: [Le, is Hunter seeing someone behind your back?!] The message was from Shirley Garcia, Le¡¯s college friend and close confidante. Before Le could reply, Shirley sent another message, this time with a photo. The photo showed Hunter kissing a woman in a parking lot. The lighting was dim, but the picture was clear enough. Le opened the photo, zoomed in, and then sent a voice message to Shirley: [We¡¯ve already broken up.] Shirley responded with two question marks: [??] Le: [It¡¯splicated. I¡¯ll exinter.] Shirley: [Wait, you broke up but were in a car togetherst night??] Le: [That wasn¡¯t himst night.] Shirley: [¡­] Without meeting her, Le could easily imagine Shirley¡¯s shocked expression.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Le smirked and sent a final voice message: [I have something to do now. I¡¯ll exin tonight.] After sending the message, Shirley didn¡¯t ask further and simply replied with an ¡°OK¡± emoji¡­ As Le stepped out of the elevator, she saw Hunter chatting with his boss, Mr. Brown, and Mrs. Brown. Hunter walked over, cing his arm around her shoulders, and asked, ¡°Why did you get off work sote today?¡± Le yed along, ¡°I was held up by a project.¡± Mrs. Brown, seeing their closeness, couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous. ¡°Mr. Brooks, you and your fiancee seem to have a great rtionship.¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re even nning our wedding soon,¡± Hunter said, perfectly ying the part of a devoted fiance. At that moment, the elevator doors opened again, and Mason walked in with his entourage. Mr. Brown immediately fawned, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, wee! We¡¯re honored to have you here.¡± Hunter quickly stepped forward, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, we met this afternoon, remember? I¡¯m Le¡¯s fiance.¡± Mason ignored him, his gaze briefly sweeping over Le before he walked in. Taking his seat, Mason pulled out the chair next to him and said, ¡°Miss Patel, sit here.¡± Mr. Brown was surprised, ¡°Miss Patel, you know Mr. Ramirez?¡± Le nodded slightly, ¡°Yes, we discussed a project today. Mr. Ramirez might have some questions for me.¡± She reluctantly sat down next to Mason. Mr. Brown personally poured wine for Le, ¡°Miss Patel, please take care of Mr. Ramirez tonight. He¡¯s not familiar with my team.¡± Le stood up to ept the wine, smiling, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± As the dinner began, people frequently stood to toast Mason. Perhaps out of respect for Le, Mason leaned backzily in his chair, epting every toast. After a few drinks, Mr. Brown started to set Mason up. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, the project I mentioned before is highly profitable.¡± ¡°How about we sign the contract today if you have no objections?¡± ¡°I even brought the contract with me.¡± Mr. Brown stared intently at Mason after speaking. Mason looked back at him, his long arm naturally resting on the back of Le¡¯s chair, ¡°Mr. Brown, are you trying to trick me to sign a contract while I¡¯m drunk?¡± Mr. Brown was taken aback by Mason¡¯s directness, hesitating for a moment before responding with a smile, ¡°Of course not!¡± Mason, looking tipsy but with sharp eyes, said, ¡°I might consider the project Mr. Brown mentioned.¡± The conversation then shifted to confidential business matters. Le excused herself, not wanting to get involved. Feeling frustrated, she decided to get some air in the stairwell. Upon entering, she immediately heard a burst of intimate and ambiguous voicesing from downstairs. A woman panted softly, ¡°Be gentle.¡± The man¡¯s voice was deliberately low, ¡°Gentle? Does that make you feel good?¡± The woman¡¯s voice became even more coquettish, ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡± The man, breathing heavily, asked, ¡°Tell me, does that old guy touch you?¡± Both of their voices were distorted by desire. Le frowned, having no interest in eavesdropping, and turned to leave. Just as she opened the door, she bumped into Mason, who reeked of alcohol and had a cigarette hanging from his mouth. The two locked eyes, but before they could speak, a moan broke the silence from downstairs. ¨C¡°Didn¡¯t you say you broke up with Le?¡± ¨C¡°Why is she here today?¡± Le. Broke up. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess who was having an affair downstairs. Hearing this, Le kept her hand on the door handle, pretending to stay calm. Mason flicked ash from his cigarette and let out a coldugh, ¡°Broke up? Miss Patel, I didn¡¯t know you had a hobby of spying on your ex¡¯s affairs.¡± Chapter 6 You Like This Kind Of Thing? Le was about to exin when a group of people appeared nearby, looking for Mason. ¡°Mr. Ramirez?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Mr. Ramirez?¡± ¡°Hurry, find Mr. Ramirez. We¡¯ve got the evening¡¯s events all set up.¡± Despite the calls, Mason stood still. Le, hearing the voices getting closer, made a split-second decision and pulled him into the stairwell. Le¡¯s hand was cool, Mason¡¯s hand was hot. The contrast was striking. As the door closed, Mason dropped his cigarette. Before Le could exin, Mason grabbed her chin and kissed her. Le was momentarily stunned, then struggled. Mason pressed her against the wall, pinning her legs with his, deepening the kiss. Le had also been drinking tonight. Not much, but enough for the alcohol to make her feel a bit weak. Mason, one hand on her waist, the other brushing her hair aside, murmured, ¡°Miss Patel, wanna?¡± Le looked up at him, ¡°If I say no, will you let me go?¡± Mason¡¯s smile grew wider, ¡°Your boyfriend is cheating on you, don¡¯t you want to get back at him?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. They remained in a tense, intimate standoff. Downstairs, the couple continued their affair, their actions bing more brazen. Hunter¡¯s voice was tinged with excitement, ¡°Baby, why are you getting so sensitive? You¡¯re so wet, so tight¡­¡± Mrs. Brown teased, ¡°Stop, someone might hear us from upstairs.¡± Hunter mocked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make it more exciting? I know-you love being heard, the more people the better.¡± Mrs. Brown moaned, pushing at Hunter, ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Hunter, ¡°You do.¡± Hunter¡¯s movements intensified, his words bing filthier, ¡°What if the people upstairs hear you and can¡¯t resisting down to join us?¡± Mrs. Brown panted, ¡°No, I only want you¡­¡± Hunter, ¡°Slut, you say no but your body is more honest Just touch yourself and see how wet you are when hearing someone might join us.¡± Le had known Hunter for a long time, but she had never seen this side of him. Under Mason¡¯s amused gaze, she turned her head to the side. Mason chuckled, his grip tightening on her waist. ¡°So, you like this kind of thing?¡± Le red at him, her expression a mix of anger and embarrassment. Mason, eyes full of amusement, said in a low voice, ¡°Well, what should we do? I don¡¯t like being watched or heard. But if you really like this kind of excitement, I can try to amodate you.¡± There was a breeze in the stairwell. It wasn¡¯t harsh, but enough to clear one¡¯s mind. Le didn¡¯t know how Mason managed to maintain aposed and serious expression while saying such provocative things, each word tempting her to make a mistake. Le tried to stay calm, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, you should drink less.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Le coldly replied, ¡°Too much alcohol can damage the brain, leading to delusions.¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°Miss Patel, you know so much.¡± Then, Mason leaned close to Le¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Your boyfriend is impotent. I saw him take two pills in the room earlier.¡± Le¡¯s ears turned red at his words. As soon as Mason finished speaking, the two people downstairs stopped their activities. Hunter adjusted his suit pants and asked in a low voice, ¡°Did he mention who¡¯s up for promotion next quarter?¡± Mrs. Brown replied, ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡± Hunter sounded impatient, ¡°If he didn¡¯t say, couldn¡¯t you ask?¡± Mrs. Brown tugged at Hunter¡¯s tie, ¡°Do you think I dare to ask? He already suspects I¡¯m having an affair.¡± Hunter scoffed, ¡°He can¡¯t satisfy you and he doesn¡¯t let you find someone who can?¡± Mrs. Brown leaned into Hunter, clearly wanting more. Hunter, noticing her intent, slid his hand under her skirt. ¡°Find out who¡¯s on the promotion list when you go back.¡± ¡°What? You want a promotion?¡± Hunter had risen from a regr employee to vice president in just five years at Ascend Group. This was a position most of his peers couldn¡¯t even dream of. But human desire is endless. Hunter¡¯s hand moved between her legs, rubbing her intimately. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be promoted? I help the boss at work and the boss¡¯s wife in private¡­ Such an excellent employee like me deserves to be a general manager, right?¡± Mrs. Brown panted, ¡°If that old man finds out you slept with his wife, you¡¯ll be fired, let alone promoted¡­¡± The stairwell was empty, and the voices of the couple downstairs weren¡¯t particrly hushed, so their conversation reached Le and Mason¡¯s ears clearly. Mason looked at Le with interest. ¡°The woman with your boyfriend is Mr. Brown¡¯s wife?¡± Le saw the mockery in his eyes and met his gaze calmly. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, if you¡¯re so curious, why don¡¯t you go down and see for yourself?¡± Chapter 7 Stay Away From Him The woman with Hunter was indeed Mrs. Brown. Le had caught them red-handed on Hunter¡¯s couch before. It was Hunter¡¯s birthday, and Le had been visiting Mrs. Patel in Yort City. She rushed back to surprise him with a birthday cake. The surprise turned into a shock when she opened the door to see them in the passion on the sofa. Who noticed her first, she couldn¡¯t remember¡­ Amidst the chaos, Hunter had knelt, apologized, and shamelessly imed he did it for their future happiness. For their happiness, he slept with another woman? Le drifted into her memories¡­ Suddenly, her arm was grabbed, and Mason pulled her out of the stairwell. Le looked up at him in surprise. Before she could ask, the stairwell door opened behind them, and Hunter and Mrs. Brown emerged. Le turned at the sound, and Hunter¡¯s face turned pale when he saw her. ¡°Le.¡± Unlike Hunter¡¯s panic, Le remained calm andposed. ¡°Mr. Brown was just looking for Mrs. Brown.¡± Hunter¡¯s face turned even paler, and he pushed the woman beside him. Mrs. Brown scoffed and walked away. As Mrs. Brown walked away, Hunter tried to reach for Le¡¯s hand. Le stepped back, her voice cold, ¡°I have an early meeting tomorrow. I need to leave soon.¡± Hunter stepped forward again, ¡°Le, it¡¯s not what you think. She and I¡­¡± As Hunter was about to exin, a loud click from a lighter interrupted him. He looked up instinctively to see Mason, not far behind Le, lighting a cigarette. A cold sweat broke out on Hunter¡¯s forehead. ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Ramirez¡­¡± Mason leaned against the wall, smoking. ¡°Hmm? go on.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Go on? How could they possibly continue now? Hunter had been startled by Le as soon as he stepped out, not noticing the man behind her. The atmosphere was tense. Le broke the silence, ¡°I¡¯m off now.¡± With that, she walked away first. Le reached into her bag for her car keys as she left the hotel, then realized she had been drinking. .. She sighed resignedly and decided to hail a cab by the roadside. It was a hot midsummer night, making people feel restless. Le was looking down at her phone when a ck SUV pulled up in front of her. She looked up to see Mason¡¯s assistant, Daniel. ¡°Miss Patel.¡± Le paused for a moment, then smiled. ¡°Mr. Daniel.¡± Daniel nodded at her. ¡°It¡¯s not easy to get a cab around here. Mr. Ramirez asked me to take you home.¡± Le, ¡°¡­¡± Daniel¡¯s words fell, and saw she didn¡¯t move, he added, ¡°It just so happens that I have a bit of work-rted business I¡¯d like to ask you about.¡± At the mention of work, Le hesitated for a moment but then relented. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Daniel ask Le some work-rted questions during the ride, even though Le knew he was just making excuses. Despite this, she smiled and answered each question patiently. Over an hourter, they arrived at Le¡¯s apartment. After seeing her safely inside theplex, Daniel sent a message to Mason: [Boss, she¡¯s home.] Mason replied simply, [Good.] Meanwhile, as Le arrived home, she received a call from Hunter. ¡°Le, let me exin. When I asked her to meet me in the stairwell today, it was to end things with her, not what you think¡­¡± Le took a deep breath and interrupted him. ¡°Hunter, men can be heartless, but they shouldn¡¯t be shameless.¡± There was silence on the other end of the phone. Then, Hunter¡¯s voice sounded tense. ¡°Can I ask who that man was?¡± Le wasn¡¯t one for longsting rtionships. In her view, when two adults love each other, they should be together. When they break up, there¡¯s no need for disys of affection. After the question, Le was silence. Hunter suddenly choked up. ¡°Le, do you think I¡¯m really in the wrong?¡± Le didn¡¯t answer; she just hung up. Shirley¡¯s video call came in shortly afterward. Le briefly exined her situation with Hunter to Shirley. Shirley scoffed, ¡°He has the nerve to ask if he¡¯s in the wrong? How shameless.¡± Le washed her face, ¡°I can save on the wedding expenses next month. The wedding¡¯s off.¡± Shirley remarked, ¡°So, who was the man you were withst night?¡± Le paused as she applied a face mask, then replied, ¡°Mason.¡± Shirley was sitting on the sofa, sipping water when she heard Le¡¯s revtion. The ss slipped from her hand, sshing water all over the sofa. She didn¡¯t bother to clean it up, instead raising her voice, ¡°Who? Who did you say?¡± ¡°Mason¡­¡± Shirley fell silent for a long time. Then, in a low voice, she said, ¡°Stay away from him.¡± Chapter 8 Kidnapping After a pause, seeing Le unmoved, Shirley added with a troubled expression, ¡°Seriously, listen to me. Stay away from him. You¡¯re not from Neo City, you don¡¯t know about his reputation¡­¡± Shirley¡¯s words were cryptic, but Le smoothed out every edge of the face mask on her face and replied calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t have feelings for someone who¡¯s not even from the same world as me.¡± Hearing Le¡¯s response, Shirley realized there was a misunderstanding. She decided to be more direct. ¡°A few years ago, there was a kidnapping case in Neo City. It caused a huge sensation because the kidnappers directly targeted the four grandsons of The Ramirez Family.¡± Le, now interested, washed her hands and asked, ¡°And Mason was one of them?¡± Shirley nodded, ¡°Yes, Mason is the youngest one. He has an older brother who is second in line. The other two, from his uncle¡¯s family, are the eldest and the third.¡± ¡°No one knows exactly what happened during the kidnapping. But when the four kidnapped sons returned, the eldest went insane, the second died, and the third fell seriously ill¡­¡± ¡°What about Mason?¡± Shirley looked eerie, ¡°He was the only one who came back unscathed, physically and mentally. Not only that, but he also managed to force his uncle to death five yearster and inherited The Ramirez Group. People say he orchestrated the kidnapping case in the first ce.¡± ¡°High society is full of scandals.¡± Le had heard about this before, but hearing about The Ramirez Family¡¯s situation was still shocking. Shirley sighed as Le seemed lost in thought. ¡°Do you know why I told you to stay away from him? Think about it, a man who¡¯s ruthless enough to go after his own family for power, how could he treat women well?¡± After chatting for almost an hour, Shirley yawned and ended the video call. Le picked up her tablet and checked her work emails, intending to check today¡¯s meeting minutes. However, she noticed an additional email in her inbox, sent anonymously. The email revealed a video clip. In the video, a man was seen handing money to a waitress, along with a small bottle of pills¡­ Seeing the scene in the video, Le¡¯s expression turned colder. The waitress seemed reluctant, but the man pulled out his wallet and offered her more money. Eventually, the waitress hesitantly epted the money and pocketed it.Original from N?velDrama.Org. The video had no sound, but Le understood what was happening. Towards the end, the waitress discreetly dropped one of the pills into a ss of juice before serving it to Le¡¯s booth. Le initially thought the video ended there, but it transitioned to footage from inside the booth. In the booth, the waitress approached Le and quietly handed her the juice. Le epted it and tipped the waitress before taking a sip of the juice¡­. The video paused. She¡¯s not sure who sent the video. But the man in the video bribing the waitress was someone Le knew. He was one of the few ¡®friends¡¯ she has made since joining Nova Group. Ever since she started at Nova Group, many people have given her trouble, both openly and secretly. But the man in the video has always been good to her. Being new and in a strange ce, she was easily blinded by such kindness. After watching the entire video, Le took a moment to calm down. She downloaded and saved the video, then closed her tablet¡­ The next morning, Le woke up early and went to the police station. The video was clear and unedited, and since Le was directly involved, the case was swiftly epted by the authorities. By 9:30 AM, Le arrived at the office, apanied by four police officers. As soon as they entered the lobby, they attracted the attention of everyone passing by. News of Le bringing the police to thepany quickly spread throughout the entire building, causing a stir in the office chat groups. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Are you saying Miss Patel brought the police to thepany?¡± ¡°I saw it too, four police officers.¡± ¡°Is it because of that video?¡± ¡°Did anyone forward it? Did Miss Patel call the police because someone forwarded it?¡± Every person who had forwarded the video was now nervously on edge. Chapter 9 Arrest After riding the elevator upstairs, Le, apanied by the police, went straight to the nning Department. Amid the stares of the department members, she knocked on the door of the manager¡¯s office. As the door opened, the man inside first looked puzzled, then smiled at Le. ¡°Miss Patel, what¡¯s this about?¡± Le remainedposed. ¡°Mr. Knox, there¡¯s a case about a video. I hope you can cooperate with the investigation.¡± Mr. Knox¡¯s expression tensed slightly. ¡°That matter¡­ Alright,e in.¡± He stepped aside to let Le and the police enter. ¡°I¡¯m not quite clear about that incident either. I saw it in the work group chat. But I¡¯ve already instructed everyone in our department to delete the video and ensure it doesn¡¯t spread¡­¡± ¡°I may not have been clear enough. I¡¯m referring not to the gossip video, but to the video of you bribing a waitress at the hotel to drug me.¡± As Le spoke, Mr. Knox¡¯s face turned pale. Le spoke openly in the nning Department¡¯s office area. This caused a stir among the people, and discussions broke out. ¡°Is what Miss Patel said true or false? Did Mr. Knox drug her?¡± ¡°Impossible, right? Mr. Knox and Miss Patel seemed to have a good private rtionship. They even went out to dinner together a few days ago. I thought Mr. Knox was pursuing Miss Patel.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s fake. Miss Patel brought the police with her.¡± Hearing the discussions, Mr. Knox staggered slightly. ¡°Miss Patel, is there some misunderstanding here? What waitress? What drugging? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Facing this, Le turned to the police behind her. ¡°Sir, I need your assistance.¡± The leading police officer nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re here for.¡± He then focused his gaze on Mr. Knox, showing his police badge and saying sternly, ¡°Sir, any further discussion should take ce at the police station.¡± Mr. Knox recoiled. ¡°I haven¡¯tmitted any crimes, why should you take me to the police station?¡± ¡°I can sue you for this. Just because you¡¯re police officers doesn¡¯t mean you can act recklessly.¡± ¡°You took me away like this and ruined my reputation in thepany. How will I continue to work in thepany in the future?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The leading officer signaled to the other three officers, who stepped forward to stop Mr. Knox and escort him away. Watching the police escort the man into the elevator, Le tightened her hand slightly at her side and then turned to walk towards her office. Her assistant rushed over. ¡°Miss Patel, Miss Patel!¡± Le halted. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Mr. Lee is looking for you.¡± Le frowned. ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± With that, she handed her bag to the assistant and took the elevator to Mr. Lee¡¯s office. Mr. Lee was furious. He mmed his hand on the desk, making a loud ¡®thud¡¯ sound. Observing this, Le couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the quality of the desks at Nova Group. After pounding the desk, Mr. Lee pointed at Le. ¡°You, you¡­¡± Realizing his rudeness, he withdrew his hand, crossed his arms, and seethed, ¡°Le, you¡­ Thepany hired you with a high sry to create value, not to cause trouble.¡± ¡°Yes, I admit you¡¯re capable. You¡¯ve closed several major deals in just a few months, but even so, you can¡¯t turn thepany upside down just because you¡¯ve done some good work.¡± Mr. Lee had just heard about Le bringing the police to thepany. Before he could inquire, he received reports of the nning department manager being arrested. He hadn¡¯t even finished exining yesterday¡¯s video scandal to his boss, and now there was an even bigger problem. ¡°Exin!¡± Le had anticipated this when she reported to the police, so she remained quiteposed. She took out a USB drive from her pocket and ced it on Mr. Lee¡¯s desk. ¡°Mr. Lee, you should take a look at this first.¡± Mr. Lee nced at the USB drive with a furrowed brow. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Seeing his hesitation, Le took the USB drive and plugged it into hisputer. She opened it and turned the screen towards him. As the video yed, Mr. Lee¡¯s expression grew darker and darker. Once the video ended, Mr. Lee¡¯s anger subsided, leaving only a grim expression on his face. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you report this to me when it happened?¡± Le remainedposed. ¡°Mr. Lee, this is my personal matter. I believe I have the right to handle it as I see fit.¡± Mr. Lee. ¡°¡­¡± Le continued, ¡°I admit I¡¯ve caused you a lot of trouble recently, and I¡¯m sorry for that. But ultimately, the fault lies not with me.¡± Chapter 10 Are You Close With Mr. Ramirez? Mr. Lee paused, his hand still on the desk, silent. He hadn¡¯t expected Le, who was usually so efficient, to confront him like this. Thinking of the projects Le had in her hands, he suppressed his displeasure and softened his tone slightly. ¡°Ultimately, this kind of incident being spread outside isn¡¯t good for thepany.¡± Le responded, ¡°That¡¯s why thepany should issue a statement condemning Mr. Knox¡¯s misconduct, sounding the rm for other colleagues with simr intentions, and preventing such incidents from happening again.¡± It was interrupted by a phone call. ncing at the iing call notification on his phone screen, Mr. Lee¡¯s eyes flickered as he answered, ¡°Mr. Brown, what brings you to call me?¡± As the conversation unfolded, Mr. Lee nced at Le and chuckled, ¡°Yes, yes, Le is under my leadership.¡± After hanging up, Mr. Lee turned to Le. He remained silent for a moment before asking with a meaningful smile, ¡°Le, are you close with Mr. Ramirez?¡± From banging the table and ring moments ago, Mr. Lee now wore a pleasant expression, but there was something behind his words. Le hesitated for a moment, not understanding how Mr. Brown¡¯s call could be rted to Mason. Seeing her silence, Mr. Lee didn¡¯t press further. He smiled and walked over to the water dispenser, pouring a ss for Le. He handed it to her and said, ¡°You need to change your approach. You¡¯re too impulsive.¡± Le reached for the ss. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Lee.¡± ¡°If you encounter simr situations in the future, let me know. I don¡¯t mind the trouble, but it¡¯s hard to exin to the higher-ups.¡± Le nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble.¡± Mr. Lee waved his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve been wronged in this matter. Don¡¯t worry, thepany will give you an exnation.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Mr. Lee nodded. ¡°Alright, get back to work.¡± As Le reached the door, Mr. Lee called out, ¡°Le.¡± She turned back. ¡°Yes, Mr. Lee, is there anything else?¡± Mr. Lee grinned. ¡°Mr. Brown just mentioned that he has a project he wants to hand over to us. It¡¯s in East City. Coordinate with them to finalize the details and make the trip.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Back at the project department, Le first made a call to Ascend Group to coordinate and confirm the travel time for Friday. After a moment of thought, she dialed Mr. Brown¡¯s number to express her gratitude. Mr. Brown didn¡¯t seem surprised at all to receive her call. ¡°You are wee, you help mest night.¡± He was referring to her apanying Mason to the drinking session.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Le chuckled, ¡°Thank you, nheless.¡± Mr. Brown replied casually, ¡°No big deal. Le, I have a meeting to attend now. Let¡¯s catch up another time when you¡¯re free.¡± ¡°Sure, Mr. Brown.¡± Le thought to herself that Mr. Brown didn¡¯t mention Mason, perhaps she was just overthinking? But reality proved otherwise. Because when she went on her business trip on Friday, she encountered Mason again. In the meeting room, he lounged with his legs crossed, leaning back in his chair, appearing nonchnt. However, everyone present couldn¡¯t ignore his presence. Perhaps sensing Le¡¯s confusion, the person sitting next to her, one of the Ascend Group project department, whispered, ¡°Mr. Ramirez is the main investor for our project.¡± Le was surprised by the exnation. Extending a friendly hand under the table, the person introduced herself, ¡°I¡¯m Cindy, Shirley¡¯s neighbor.¡± Upon hearing that Cindy knew Shirley, Le smiled and shook hands with her. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Cindy, one of the heads of the project department for this assignment, was in her early thirties. After a meeting, several responsible persons from the East City project were thoroughly intimidated by Mason¡¯s unreasonable demands. Especially the head of the project. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, do you have any good suggestions?¡± Mason remained expressionless, his voice cold. ¡°I¡¯m the investor. Are you asking me for suggestions?¡± The head of the project awkwardly chuckled, not daring to speak again. The meeting reached an impasse. Mason tossed the documents he was holding onto the conference table. ¡°By this time tomorrow, I want to see a satisfactory n.¡± With that, he stood up and strode out of the room. After a brief silence in the conference room, the head of the project turned to Le with a smile, ¡°Miss Patel, looks like we¡¯ll need you to stay a bit longer.¡± With the first and second parties noting to an agreement, the third party like her would have to wait, naturally. Le smirked and replied, ¡°No problem. Gives me a chance to explore East City.¡± Chapter 11 Your Room Or Mine? Exiting the conference room, Le took the elevator back up to the hotel room. Her assistant followed closely, murmuring in a low voice, ¡°Nothing¡¯s settled yet, and they¡¯re sending us on a business trip?¡± With no one else in the elevator, Le kept her gaze straight ahead, pretending not to hear. Seeing Le¡¯s silence, her assistant pursed her lips and remained quiet. Arriving at the door of her room, Le was about to unlock it when she heard a very low chuckle behind her. ¡°Do you like me? Too bad, I don¡¯t like women.¡± Le turned around at the sound. Mason stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in the corridor, hands in his pockets. Catching her nce, he narrowed his eyes, his expression both teasing and meaningful. The assistant had clearly heard Mason¡¯s phone call and was now blushing and peeking nervously in his direction. Le nced at her assistant, then lowered her head to enter the security code. ¡°Book your flight back to Neo Cityter.¡± Her assistant hesitated for a moment, looking incredulous. ¡°Miss Patel¡­¡± Ignoring her, Le opened the door and stepped inside. In the workce, someone who couldn¡¯t control their emotions, mouth, or eyes was a big no-no. This assistant of hers was all of that. The assistant watched Le enter the door and stood still for a moment without reacting. Half an hourter, she received a transfer notice from the personnel department. The assistant looked at the transfer notice on her mobile phone, she wanted to find Le to argue, but did not dare, and finally angrily mmed the door and left with her own suitcase. Inside her room, Le pretended not to hear themotion outside and focused on reviewing the project on her tablet. It was indeed a promising project, targeting wealthy clients in the vi area. Located at the border between East City and Neo City, it was prime real estate for the affluent. However, judging from the meeting just now, Ascend Group seemed to have rushed things a bit, and their proposed n was subpar. But in this line of work, such situations weren¡¯t umon. Projects finalized in haste to impress potential investors often resulted in rushed nning and lower quality. Le quickly went through the project and roughly calcted Nova Group¡¯s potential earnings. It was no wonder Mr. Lee was so pleased that day. Once this project waspleted, their performance for the year would meet the standards. Her phone buzzed. Mason¡¯s message popped up: [You said you¡¯d invite me out for dinner sometime.] Le froze, reluctant to respond. After a while, another message from Mason came through: [Does raping a man count as rape?] Le¡¯s fingers, curled around her phone, stiffened. Staring at Mason¡¯s two messages, Le pondered for five minutes before replying: [It¡¯s crowded here. I¡¯m worried about your reputation. If you don¡¯t mind, shall I order takeout?] Mason; [ ¡°Your room or mine?] Le: [What would you like to eat? I¡¯ll order it for you separately.] Le sent the message and waited for Mason¡¯s reply, but there was no immediate response. After a while, Mason replied: [Le, did you really think I wanted to have dinner with you? Do you think I need this meal from you?] In the adjacent room, Mason burst intoughter upon seeing Le¡¯s message. After a pause, Mason stood up and dialed Le¡¯s number directly. The phone rang, and Le frowned as she answered, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason has a deep and smiling voice. ¡°Le, I¡¯m curious about something and I need you to help me understand.¡± Le leaned back on the sofa. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Mason asked, ¡°Are you and Hunter really dating?¡± Le fell silent, instinctively not wanting Mason to know the truth. As adults, Le wasn¡¯t naive. Given their sexual history and Mason¡¯s asional contact, his intentions were obvious. After Mason finished speaking and didn¡¯t hear a response from Le, he chuckled, ¡°I see.¡± Le pursed her lips, feeling inexplicably annoyed at Mason¡¯sughter. There was a long silence on the phone. About a minuteter, Mason tapped the ashtray and said, ¡°Le, spend a night with me, and we¡¯ll call it even. What do you say?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Mason¡¯s change of topic caught Le off guard for a moment. Seven or eight secondster, Le tightened her grip on the phone and asked, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, do you mean what you say?¡± ¡°Le, I¡¯m not about to cling onto a woman, especially one who doesn¡¯t want anything to do with me.¡± Chapter 12 Her Fault ¡°Then what¡¯s with your recent abnormal behavior?¡± Mason teased, ¡°Le, you slept with me for no reason and then avoided me like the gue. If you were in my shoes, what would you think?¡± Le suddenly understood. So that¡¯s it. As proud as Mason was, ruling over Neo City with an iron fist, it must have been hard for him to swallow being slept with by a nobody like her and then acting like it never happened. Having figured things out, Le felt relieved. ¡°Sorry.¡± With just a ¡°sorry¡± from Le, Mason burst intoughter. After a few seconds, Mason¡¯s voice lowered as he asked, ¡°What time tonight?¡± Le¡¯s face flushed at his question. ¡°Eleven?¡± Mason replied, ¡°Okay.¡± The call ended, and Le closed her phone, sitting on the sofa and absentmindedly running her fingers through her hair. She realized that the situation was her fault in the first ce. While it might be awkward to resolve it in this manner, it was better to find a solution than to let it linger. If she wanted to establish herself in Neo City, she couldn¡¯t afford to offend the powerful. Le wasn¡¯t indifferent to giving her first time to someone she didn¡¯t like, but what was done was done. There was no use dwelling on it. Instead of grieving over her lost innocence, it was better to be strong and move on. Le got up to drink a ss of water and checked the time: five o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Six long hours until eleven. Even though Le tried to reassure herself that it didn¡¯t matter, she couldn¡¯t help feeling nervous. To relieve her stress, Le left the hotel to wander nearby. Walking into a quaint Chinatown, Le entered a small shop and picked out a few small gifts. After wandering around for a while, it was 8:40 PM. Carrying the purchased gifts back to the hotel, Le had just crossed the lobby when she saw Mason and Daniel waiting for the elevator. Thinking about what would happen tonight, Le instinctively hesitated. As she debated whether to approach them, Daniel spotted her first and politely greeted her, ¡°Miss Patel.¡± Now she had no choice but to go over. She pretended to be calm. ¡°Hello.¡± Mason, hands in pockets, looked down at her. ¡°What did Miss Patel buy?¡± Le lifted the items in her hand. ¡°Just some small things.¡± Mason asked, ¡°For someone?¡± Le nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Mason then inquired, ¡°Your boyfriend?¡± Le¡¯s smile stiffened, but she didn¡¯t respond. The elevator doors opened. Mason strode into the elevator, followed closely by Le and Daniel. Daniel stood by the elevator buttons, pressed the appropriate floor. Le stood behind him, holding the small gifts. One floor, two floors, three floors¡­ Le was silently counting the floors disyed on the elevator screen when suddenly her hand, holding the gifts, was lightly scratched. Her hand trembled. Before she could turn around, Mason leaned in, his lips close to her ear as he whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll take the gifts.¡± The elevator space wasn¡¯t small, but Le felt suffocated. Mason¡¯s sudden proximity was unexpected, and his departure was silent. As Le stepped off the elevator, she couldn¡¯t help but tighten her grip on the gifts in her hand. Inside the gift bag were bracelets, one sky blue and the other burgundy. The sky blue one was Shirley¡¯s lucky color, while the burgundy was her favorite. Mason said he wanted them, so she couldn¡¯t refuse.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. At eleven o¡¯clock that night, Le knocked on Mason¡¯s door. He answered wearing a deep blue bathrobe. One hand leaned on the door frame while the other towel-dried his wet hair. ¡°Come in?¡± he said in his low, maic voice. Le nodded slightly, stepping inside quickly to avoid being seen by anyone else. Mason¡¯s room was muchrger than Le¡¯s, a presidential suite on the same floor. As Le entered, she took a few steps toward the sofa and ced the gift box on the coffee table. Mason approached,ing up behind her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and reached for the gift box, his movements so smooth and natural that Le began to doubt herself, wondering if they were really just a couple in love. ¡°What did you buy?¡± he asked. ¡°Bracelets,¡± she replied. Mason had taken a cold shower, and the chill emanating from his body made Le shiver when he got close. Mason handed her the gift box. ¡°Open it, let me see.¡± Le took it, opening the box to reveal the two bracelets lying inside. ¡°Handmade?¡± he scoffed. ¡°I chose the cords, and the shop owner helped with the weaving,¡± Le exined. Mason picked up the blue bracelet, his lips curling into a smirk. ¡°Quite yful,¡± he remarked before leaning in to kiss her neck. His voice was low and seductive as he asked, ¡°Help me put it on?¡± Chapter 13 Wanna? Le, inexperienced and unable to resist Mason¡¯s teasing, felt her body tremble slightly. Seeing her reaction, Mason chuckled softly, then moved to kiss her earlobe. Starting with a gentle bite, he then used his tongue to caress and suck. ¡°Mr. Ramirez¡­¡± Le couldn¡¯t help but moan. Chuckling lowly, Mason teased, ¡°Can¡¯t endure it? What aboutter?¡± Le pursed her lips. ¡°Just this once.¡± Mason chuckled lightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t say once. I said you¡¯ll apany me for a night, and then we¡¯ll call it even.¡± There¡¯s still a big difference between one night and one time¡­ When Mason¡¯s kisses descended again, Le didn¡¯t evade. In fact, she had nowhere to go. Mason held her jaw as they kissed, then pressed her down onto the sofa. The couch was soft, and Le practically sank into it. She thought Mason would move quickly, but he was unexpectedly patient. While kissing her, his rough fingers explored under her skirt, from her calves, knees, thighs, until they reached between her legs. His rough fingers, separated by her underwear, slid back and forth along the crevice of her entrance. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Le¡¯s body was sensitive, and she couldn¡¯t help but arch her waist. Her slender waist looked particrly beautiful when arched. Seeing her eyes reddened and filled with moisture, Mason supported himself to get a better view of her. ¡°Wanna?¡± he asked. Le looked at him, biting her lip tightly, unable to speak. ¡°Don¡¯t want?¡± ¡°Mr. Ramirez¡­¡± His voice husky, asked, ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Mason chuckled lowly. Before Le could curse again, he hooked her around the waist and made her kneel on the sofa. He leaned in, hisrge hand pulling down the zipper of her dress from behind, stripping it off her. He unhooked her bra, his hands caressing her full breasts, one in each hand, squeezing firmly. Le felt dazed, her body trembling involuntarily. Mason had already removed his robe at some point, his hot body pressing against her smooth back, his erection rubbing against her buttocks. Even through her underwear, Le could feel its size, its heat, pushing her body forward involuntarily. He kissed her shoulder, one hand sliding down her panties. ¡°If it¡¯s ufortable, let me know,¡± he murmured. Le¡¯s waist curved inward, her skin glowing with a hint of pink. His breathing was heavy. ¡°Baby¡­¡± His fingers began stroking her slit until it parted her folds, making the muscles of her cunt pulse. He began rubbing her clit with the thumb of his fingers. Le wiggled below him as she screamed. She want to make him stop but he held her hand tightly so she wouldn¡¯t move. He continued until she release more fluid. ¡°Comfortable?¡± With that, he licked his hand clean and pulled Le to switch positions. Hey on his back on the couch and Le sat on his shoulders. ¡°Sit up a little and I¡¯ll make you morefortable.¡± Without waiting for Le to respond, he pulled her upward as he pressed her against his face, his tongue slipping inside her. ¡°Oh¡­¡±. Le squirmed above him, moving her hand all over the sofa and moaning. She couldn¡¯t think straight as thrills of pleasure ran all over body. He nibbled on her clit and started giving them soft bites, sending tons of wanton excitement down to her limb that she couldn¡¯t help but moan.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh God¡­¡± Thinking of thest time, the blood on his shirt, he licked harder, this woman was his, had to be his. With that thought, he got up, rolled over and pinned her down, impaling her hard. ¡°You are so wet and fucking tight¡­¡±. ¡­ Mason said a night was just a night. Not a moment wasted. The sofa, the bathroom, the floor-to-ceiling window. Tongues, neckties, red wine, and¡­ hands. Le never knew a night of passion could involve so many variations. 5:30 in the morning. She was covered in red wine, her hands bound with his necktie. He had taken her from behind against the cold floor-to-ceiling window, the juxtaposition of the cold ss against her heated body, along with the intense pleasure and the rising sun, created an indescribable romantic atmosphere. Afterwards, Mason helped with the shower. When he carried her back to bed, she was utterly exhausted. She had intended to return to her own room to sleep, but shecked the energy. As soon as shey down, she fell asleep. Once she was asleep, Mason was about to rest when his phone, ced on the bedside table, suddenly lit up. A message from Caleb appeared on the screen. Caleb: [Damn, Mason, I just remembered who Le is. She¡¯s that college student you sponsored five years ago. Tsk tsk tsk, you little rascal actually yed the nurturing game.] Reading Caleb¡¯s words ¡°yed the nurturing game,¡± Mason narrowed his eyes. After a while, he picked up his phone and replied to Caleb: [Fuck off.] Caleb: [???] Mason: [Shut your mouth.] Caleb: [I can shut my mouth, but¡­ Listen to me, being a third party has no future.] Chapter 14 Caught Red-handed After sending the message, Caleb waited but received no reply from Mason. Caleb hesitated as he stared at the screen for a while, then typed a question mark in their chat box: [?] System prompt: [Message sent, but rejected by the recipient.] ¡­ The next day, when Le woke up, Mason was nowhere to be found. Le looked around and couldn¡¯t find her clothes. Finally, her gaze fell on Mason¡¯s shirt. Though Mason¡¯s shirt wasn¡¯t exactly long on her, it covered what needed to be covered. Le buttoned up the shirt and checked herself in the mirror to make sure everything was in ce before opening the door and stepping out of the bedroom. As soon as the door opened, she was met with Mason¡¯s cold and menacing voice and the gaze of several Ascend Group executives. ¡°Let¡¯s just change the nning team altogether. Don¡¯t waste my time. If even a new team doesn¡¯t work, then let¡¯s forget about this deal altogether.¡± Mason was sitting with his back to Le, his voice dripping with coldness. Upon hearing the door move, the several executives nced up and their surprise was evident. Le met their gaze, her hand clenched, unconsciously taking a deep breath. This was a scene she couldn¡¯t exin¡­ Daniel was the first to notice the executives¡¯ unusual reaction. He nced back and, though surprised, he wasn¡¯t exactly shocked. He leaned in towards Mason¡¯s ear and murmured, ¡°Boss, Miss Patel is here.¡± Mason turned his head, and when he saw what Le was wearing, his voice sank. ¡°Go back.¡± At Mason¡¯smand, Le looked at him, and after about seven or eight seconds, she left the room under the watchful eyes of everyone present.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. With the door closing behind her with a loud thud, Mason scratched his brow with his fingertips. The room fell silent for a moment. After a full three minutes, Mason spoke in a cold tone, ¡°You have one week to submit the new proposal to me.¡± The deadline was more than generous. Everyone present understood why Mason was acting this way. The project lead wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, you can trust us. We¡¯re not ones to gossip.¡± Mason remained silent. On the other side, Le returned to her room, her cheeks flushed, leaning against the door to catch her breath. Her phone vibrated. She looked down to see a message from Mason: [It was an ident. I¡¯ll handle it.] Le read it and didn¡¯t reply, gripping her phone even tighter. This incident¡­ she was caught red-handed, and there was no way to exin it. Especially when facing the Ascend Group people. In their eyes, she was still Hunter¡¯s fiancee¡­ For the next week, Mason didn¡¯t show up again. With the proposal still pending, Le spent her days remotely managing thepany¡¯s work and the rest of the time stuck in the hotel. Her neighbor Shirley¡¯s friend Cindy had invited her to dinner a few times, subtly trying to pry some private information about Mason from her. During one dinner, when Cindy brought it up again, Le set down her fork and wiped her mouth. ¡°I really don¡¯t know him that well.¡± Cindy looked at her with a smirk, squinting her eyes. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯ve heard something, and yes, it happened, but it was an ident,¡± Le replied bluntly. Cindy didn¡¯t expect Le to be so straightforward. Her smile froze for a moment. ¡°Miss Patel, don¡¯t overthink it, I was just being nosy.¡± Le motioned for the waiter to bring the bill. ¡°I¡¯m done, take your time.¡± With that, Le paid and got up to leave. Cindy threw down her knife and fork, a look of disdain in her eyes. ¡°So arrogant! If it weren¡¯t for Mason¡¯s backing, would you even be in this position?¡± As Le rode the elevator up, she sent a message to Shirley: [Is that Cindy your neighbor?] Shirley, the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine, had just finished supervising a cover shoot and was taking a break. [Yes, have you met her?] Le: [Yes, I¡¯m on a business trip to East City, and she¡¯s in charge of Ascend Group¡¯s project department.] Shirley: [That woman is not a good person.] Le: [Just found out.] Shirley: [She¡¯s been trying to pursue Mason.] No wonder. Someone approached from behind. When Le heard the footsteps and turned to found out who it was¡­ she subtly moved to the other side of the elevator doors. Daniel had intended to greet Le, but seeing the situation, he couldn¡¯t quite figure out what was going on. He whispered to Mason, ¡°Boss, Miss Patel is over there.¡± Mason seemed indifferent, as if they wereplete strangers. The elevator doors almost opened simultaneously, and they both got on, one on the left and one on the right. As the elevators ascended slowly, the slight turbulence in Le¡¯s eyes gradually subsided. When the elevator doors opened, Le stepped out faster than Mason. She reached the door and entered the ess code, with Mason stopping behind her. He was dressed in a shirt and trousers today, looking rather conventional, but he still couldn¡¯t hide his innate charm. ¡°Miss Patel,¡± he spoke in a deep voice. Chapter 15 I Just Played Him Le¡¯s hand on the ess code pad paused, and she turned around. Mason looked down at her from his taller position. ¡°Didn¡¯t we settle things?¡± he said, his tone carrying a hint of mockery. Le raised her eyes to meet his, as if assessing the truth behind his words. After a moment, she curved her lips. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, hello.¡± Mason smirked. ¡°Hello.¡± Le maintained the demeanor of a subordinate, watching Mason enter his room before turning to open her own door. Walking into her room, Le grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the fridge and took a few sips, lost in thought. Maybe Mason was indeed letting her off the hook, as he said. With his status, he didn¡¯t need to cling onto her. Thinking this through, Le gradually eased the tension in her heart. Finally, life returned to normal. Both parties signed the contract smoothly, and to celebrate the sessful signing, the head of Ascend Group in East City organized a celebration dinner. It was obvious who the main guest was supposed to be. Unfortunately, after signing the contract, Mason left East City overnight. With Mason gone, the head of Ascend Group also skipped the celebration dinner, leaving it all to Cindy. As the celebration ended, everyone gradually returned to their respective floors. Cindy and Le were on the same floor, so they rode the elevator together. Cindy leaned against the elevator wall, looking at Le provocatively. ¡°Do you know about Mr. Ramirez¡¯s fiancee?¡± As Cindy spoke, Le nced at her but remained silent. Seeing her silence, Cindy assumed she was feeling guilty and sneered, ¡°People like him are never short of women around them. I hope you understand that.¡± As the elevator door open, Le stepped out, brushing past Cindy. ¡°You should understand it yourself, no need to tell me.¡± At Le¡¯s words, Cindy¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Le stopped and turned around, her eyes sending a cold chill that made Cindy shiver. ¡°I don¡¯t like Mason, and I¡¯m not interested in him. You don¡¯t need to treat me as your imaginary enemy.¡± Cindy¡¯s hidden agenda was exposed, and she became furious. ¡°You¡¯re not interested, yet you slept with him.¡± Le sneered, ¡°I¡¯m just toying with him.¡± At that moment, Mason, who had returned, stood not far away. Caleb stood beside him, amused by the scene. Caleb elbowed Mason, ¡°Mason, did you hear that? She¡¯s just toying with you..¡± As Le spoke, she met Mason¡¯s eyes. His gaze was heavy and cold. In Le¡¯s mind, there was only one thought: she was in trouble. The three of them in the hallway each felt their own awkwardness. Cindy, standing at the elevator, saw Mason and blushed deeply, wishing she could disappear on the spot. She had feelings for Mason, which many people knew, including Mason himself. Mason had praised her before, not in a romantic sense, but for being cautious and not gossiping like some young female employees. It was this praise from Mason that had helped Cindy reach her current position. But now, she had lost even that small advantage in Mason¡¯s eyes. The tensionsted for about four or five seconds. Mason strode towards the elevator, and as he passed by Le, he paused and chuckled, ¡°Was it fun? Do you want to continue?¡± Without waiting for Le¡¯s response, he continued walking. Le hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°¡­¡± Cindy¡¯splexion was even worse than Le¡¯s. She didn¡¯t dare to provoke Le further and hurried back to her room. Le¡¯s expression remained calm, but she regretted her words. She realized the truth of the saying ¡®ill words are like arrows shot from a bow¡¯. After returning to her room, she took a shower and pondered for a while before deciding to send a message to Mason. [Mr. Ramirez, regarding what happened in the hallway just now, I feel like I need to exin. I absolutely didn¡¯t mean to speak ill of you behind your back. I¡¯m sorry. I hope you can forgive me.] Outside the hotel in the VIP car, Mason was twirling his phone between his fingers. Caleb sat beside him, teasing, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you replying to the message?¡± Mason nced at him and retorted, ¡°Do you have to meddle in everything?¡± Caleb teased, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, being a third party has no future.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Mason¡¯s hand paused as he spun the phone, and he looked at Caleb, ¡°Do you think she seems like someone who would allow her boyfriend to cheat?¡± Chapter 16 Do you think he might like you? Caleb, confused by Mason¡¯s question, answered truthfully, ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± Then, Caleb added, ¡°I heard something before, not sure if it¡¯s true. Half a year ago, a CEO of a listedpany tried to sponsor Le, but she directly rejected him.¡± Mason raised a smile at Caleb¡¯s words. Caleb chuckled, ¡°A girl who¡¯s in financial trouble but still refuses topromise for money. Do you think she would allow her boyfriend to cheat? Someone who is so strict about her own privacy, how could she tolerate her partner being a scumbag?¡± Facing Caleb¡¯s question, Mason fell into deep thought. What was Le¡¯s rtionship with Hunter, after all? Cooperation? What could Hunter offer her? Mason was lost in thought when Caleb, driven by curiosity, asked, ¡°Does Le know that you were the one who sponsored her in the past?¡± ¡°You guess,¡± Mason replied.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°She probably has no idea. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t treat you like that.¡± Mason remained silent. ¡­ The next day, when Le signed the contract, everything went exceptionally smoothly. Cindy didn¡¯t give her any trouble at all. After signing the contract, they shook hands and exchanged a polite ¡°Nice working with you¡± before leaving the meeting room. Le went back to her room to pack her suitcase. Her flight was scheduled for today, and after spending almost a week in East City, she had a pile of work waiting for her back at thepany. As she finished packing, she headed for the elevator. Just as she got in, two Ascend Group employees squeezed in as well. They were too preupied with their conversation to notice Le. ¡°Did Miss Cindy get promoted?¡± ¡°Promoted? More like demoted.¡± ¡°Why? Wasn¡¯t she doing well? I heard she signed several major projects for The Ramirez Group.¡± ¡°She must have offended someone, but I don¡¯t know which big shot she pissed off.¡± Listening to their conversation, Le couldn¡¯t help but think more deeply. While others didn¡¯t know who Cindy had offended, Le understood it all too well. She had also offended someone¡­ When the elevator doors opened, Le got out after the two Ascend Group employees. She took out her phone from her pocket and nced at the message she had sent to Masonst night. There was no reply from Mason. Perhaps it was because of what she had heard in the elevator about Cindy, but Le couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of unease. Honestly, she couldn¡¯t figure Mason out. He was ruthless and cunning, yet surprisingly tender and considerate at times¡­ Thinking about that aspect made Le blush involuntarily. When the nended in Neo City at noon, Le saw Shirley waving at her from a distance. She walked over with her suitcase, and Shirley took her arm, speaking in a hushed tone, ¡°Did you see Mason again in East City?¡± Le chuckled as Shirley helped her into the car, ¡°He¡¯s the client.¡± Le got into the passenger seat, leaving her suitcase outside. Shirley took it and ced it in the trunk before leaning in to ask, ¡°You two¡­ again?¡± Shirley¡¯s question was cryptic, but Le knew exactly what she meant. Le didn¡¯t answer, but her cheeks flushed slightly. Shirley, understanding Le¡¯s situation, leaned against the car door and said, ¡°Come on, you haven¡¯t taken my words seriously at all? Aren¡¯t you afraid that he¡­¡± Le raised her hand and gestured for her to stop, ¡°Hold on, can I have a chance to exin?¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Shirley replied as she got into the car. Le began to exin proactively. From how she was manipted by her colleagues into being drugged with Mason, to Mason¡¯s indignation and demand for repayment. Le talked all the way, and Shirley listened attentively. Finally, Shirley couldn¡¯t help but curse, ¡°Is your boss out of his mind? ming you for something like this?¡± Le, however, didn¡¯t share Shirley¡¯s anger, ¡°He was just handling business affairs. In the corporate world, can you really expect personal considerations?¡± Shirley shrugged, ¡°So, are you just going to let it go like this?¡± ¡°The person responsible has faced legal consequences. Delving further into it would only be punishing ourselves.¡± Le¡¯s perspective was unique, and Shirley agreed upon hearing it, ¡°Indeed, punishing oneself for others¡¯ mistakes only leads to more harm.¡± Being drugged and forced into intimacy with someone she didn¡¯t like was already a great harm. If she couldn¡¯te to terms with it and remained trapped in those emotions, she would only hurt herself in the end. As they conversed, the car arrived at a restaurant in the city center. After parking the car, Shirley asked, ¡°Do you think Mason will let you off so easily?¡± Le replied, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡± Shirley lowered her voice, ¡°Do you think he might like you?¡± Chapter 17 Getting married? Le chuckled, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± After ordering their food, Shirley lowered her voice and said, ¡°Hunter get involved with his boss¡¯s wife?¡± Le nodded. Shirley¡¯s eyes filled with disdain, ¡°People are really not what they seem.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Le was briefly lost in thought and then said, ¡°Yeah, I really didn¡¯t expect that.¡± Suddenly, her phone rang. Le nced at the screen, saw the caller ID showing ¡°Mom,¡± and her smile deepened as she answered the call, ¡°Hey, Mom.¡± Mrs. Patel¡¯s voice came through with reproach, ¡°Le, why haven¡¯t youe back yet? Hunter and his parents are already here.¡± Le furrowed her brows, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m still at the office.¡± Mrs. Patel sounded surprised, ¡°Why are you still at the office? Didn¡¯t we agree to have dinner together with both families today?¡± Without hearing Le¡¯s response, she lowered her voice and asked, ¡°Did you and Hunter have a fight? He seemed quite nervous when he arrived today.¡± Le took a deep breath over the phone, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll be home in an hour.¡± Hearing Le¡¯s words, Mrs. Patel didn¡¯t inquire further, ¡°Okay, just drive safely.¡± Then, Mrs. Patel paused for a moment before adding in a softer voice, ¡°Whatever happens, don¡¯t be afraid. Mom¡¯s here for you.¡± Le felt warm inside at her mother¡¯s words, ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up the phone, Le wiped her mouth with a napkin, ¡°I need to go back to Yort city.¡± Shirley was taken aback, ¡°Now?¡± Le nodded, ¡°Hunter took his parents to my house.¡± ¡°What? Is he crazy? Didn¡¯t you already clear things up with him? What¡¯s he trying to do now?¡± Le thought for a moment before saying, ¡°I suspect he¡¯s so insistent on marrying me because he wants to use the guise of being married to have an affair with his boss¡¯s wife more easily.¡± ¡°He¡¯s really shameless.¡± Shirley handed her the car keys from the table, ¡°Take my car.¡± Le didn¡¯t take them, ¡°I don¡¯t lend my car to anyone, and I don¡¯t borrow from others.¡± Shirley chuckled at her stubbornness, ¡°Even at a time like this, you¡¯re still sticking to your principles.¡± Le lifted her hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, ¡°Especially at times like this, I need to keep my cool.¡± Leaving the restaurant, Le hailed a cab to her ce. She dropped off her luggage, changed clothes, and then drove to Yort city. Yort city was about an hour¡¯s drive from Neo city, so it wasn¡¯t too far. On the way, Le called Hunter three times. The calls went through, but Hunter didn¡¯t answer. After hanging up on the third call, Le sent Hunter a voice message: ¡°Hunter, if anything happens in front of your parentster, it¡¯s all on you.¡± After sending it, Le focused on driving. Le arrived in Yort city about an hourter. The vi of her family had been seized, so they now lived in a rundown apartment. The house was dpidated, an inheritance from Le¡¯s grandfather. Le parked the car in the yard and headed upstairs. As she approached the door, she heard Mrs. Brooks¡¯s arrogant voice from inside. ¡°Le is so lucky to marry into our family¡± Le stood at the door, feeling a surge of disgust. She remembered Mrs. Brooks didn¡¯t have this attitude before The Patel Group went bankrupt. Le was about to push the door open when her phone started ringing. Seeing Mason¡¯s name, she hesitated. ¡°Mr. Ramirez?¡± Mason¡¯s deep, maic voice came through, ¡°You¡¯re getting married?¡± Mason¡¯s question was sudden and intrusive. After his question, there was over a minute of silence on the line. Just as Le was about to respond, Mason hung up. Le frowned at her darkened phone screen. ¡®Did he dial the wrong number?¡¯ Before Le could ponder further, the door in front of her suddenly swung open, revealing Hunter smiling warmly. ¡°Le, you¡¯re back.¡± As he reached out to take her bag, Le stepped back conspicuously, avoiding his hand. Hunter lowered his voice and said, ¡°Le, don¡¯t embarrass your mother.¡± Le stared coldly at him. The standoff at the doorsted so long that their parents noticed something was off. Mrs. Patel spoke up first, ¡°Le,e in.¡± Le pushed past Hunter and stepped inside. Hunter stumbled back a few steps from the push. Mrs. Brooks stood up, displeased. ¡°Le, we¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time. Where have you been?¡± Le¡¯s voice was t, ¡°There was something going on at work.¡± Mrs. Brooks sneered, ¡°Work? How busy can you be as a department manager? Are you busier than Hunter, a vice president? Besides, today¡¯s date was set in advance. It¡¯s not ast-minute decision. Don¡¯t you know¡­¡± Mrs. Brooks¡¯s words were cut off by Hunter, ¡°Mom, maybe you should calm down. Le just came back from a business trip today.¡± Hearing Hunter speak up for Le, Mrs. Brooks¡¯s expression darkened even more, she wanted to say more. Le interrupted her, putting down her bag, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s thest time we meet. Because¡­ we¡¯re not getting married, anyway.¡± Chapter 18 Why did you sponsor Leila? The living room fell into a brief silence. Mrs. Brooks looked at Le before turning to Hunter, ¡°What did she say?¡± Hunter was too preupied with rumors spreading at hispany about him and Mrs. Brown. He needed to marry Le quickly to dispel these rumors. Otherwise, if they reached Mr. Brown¡¯s ears, he would lose his position as vice president. Taking a deep breath, Hunter stepped forward to grasp Le¡¯s hand. ¡°Le, I know you¡¯re still upset with me, but we¡¯re adults now. You can¡¯t act impulsively. The invitations have been sent out. If you cancel the wedding now, your mother will beughed at¡­.¡± Hunter¡¯s words sounded like pleading for forgiveness, but they were veiled threats. He knew Le cared deeply about Mrs. Patel. So he repeatedly reminded her, using her soft spot as leverage. Le¡¯s voice was icy, ¡°Hunter, did you receive the message I just sent you?¡± Hunter froze. Le turned to Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, ¡°Hunter probably didn¡¯t tell you two, but we broke up a month ago. The reason? I caught him cheating with another woman.¡± Everyone present was shocked, especially Mrs. Brooks. She had been assertive just moments ago, but now she was left in disbelief. She grabbed Hunter¡¯s arm and demanded, ¡°Is what she¡¯s saying true?¡± Hunter¡¯s face flushed red as he tightened his grip on Le¡¯s hand. Le looked at him and said calmly, ¡°Hunter, you¡¯re hurting me.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Hunter took a deep breath, then suddenly let go and sneered, ¡°Le, you use me of cheating. But do you dare to tell them who you were with on the night of the seventeenth?¡± Le had anticipated that Hunter would turn the tables on her with this usation. She gently massaged her sore wrist and said calmly, ¡°Hunter, do you even listen to yourself? We broke upst month. What does my being with someone else on the seventeenth have to do with you?¡± Hunter was at a loss for words. ¡°If you really want to know,¡± Le continued with a mocking tone, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. I was with my new boyfriend that night.¡± Hunter red at Le, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Le scoffed, ¡°Believe it or not, does it matter?¡± Mrs. Brooks took a deep breath, ¡°Cheating is not something that can be med on just one person.¡± Mrs. Patel chuckled at her statement, ¡°So you mean Hunter cheated, and Le shares the me?¡± Mrs. Brooks twisted the truth, ¡°Of course.¡± Before Mrs. Brooks could finish her sentence, Mrs. Patel grabbed a ss of water from the coffee table and sshed it directly onto her face. Then, without waiting for Mrs. Brooks to react, Mrs. Patel stormed into the kitchen and came out with a broom, ready to strike. The living room descended into chaos. A few minutester, The Brooks Family was kicked out of the house by Mrs. Patel. With a loud bang, Mrs. Patel mmed the door shut and leaned against it, trembling with anger. ¡°Mom.¡± Mrs. Patel took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry. There are plenty of men in the world. Don¡¯t bother with that jerk.¡± Le remained silent, tears streaming down her face. ¡°I know you were trying to spare my feelings, afraid I would be upset and embarrassed in front of our rtives, that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t tell me.¡± ¡­ Meanwhile, in the CEO¡¯s office of The Ramirez Group. Mason stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, smoking. Caleb sat on the nearby sofa, tapping his fingers on the armrest. ¡°Mason, I¡¯m actually curious. Le doesn¡¯t seem like your type. How did you fall for her?¡± Mason remained silent, facing away from him. Seeing hisck of response, Caleb tried a different approach. ¡°Did you have ulterior motives when you sponsored her initially?¡± Finally turning around, Mason walked to his desk and extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray. ¡°No.¡± ¡°When did it start then?¡± Mason nced at him, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. ¡°It wasn¡¯t nned. That night, she was drugged.¡± Caleb teased, ¡°What about the second night?¡± Mason frowned, ¡°Are you looking for trouble?¡± Locking eyes with Mason, Caleb chuckled. ¡°Mason, I won¡¯t pry further. Just answer me one question. Why did you sponsor Le in the first ce?¡± Chapter 19 New Boyfriend Five years ago, Mason, even with his own troubles, insisted on sponsoring Le, despite the turmoil in The Ramirez Family. Four children were kidnapped, one died, one went insane, and one fell ill. The only one unharmed was Mason, yet he still insisted on sponsoring aplete stranger. For this, the old Mr. Ramirez scolded him endlessly. Reflecting on those days, Caleb still feels a sense of mncholy. After Caleb finished speaking, Mason didn¡¯t respond immediately. After about half a minute, Mason looked up and said, ¡°Do you remember where we were kidnapped?¡± Caleb replied, ¡°Yort city, why?¡± As Caleb realized something, he pped his thigh abruptly. ¡°That¡¯s where you met Le!¡± Mason leaned back in his chair. ¡°It was just a chance encounter.¡± He picked up the lighter from the table and yed with it in his hand. ¡°While I was being rescued, I happened toe across The Patel Group going bankrupt. A group of debt collectors was threatening and intimidating her outside her house.¡± Caleb was taken aback. ¡°At that time, my brother had just died. To be honest, I even contemted suicide. But the moment I saw Le, I suddenly felt something inside me awaken, as if I came back to life¡­¡± Caleb had heard about The Patel Group¡¯s bankruptcy back then. The rumor was that The Patel Group¡¯s president had fled with the money, leaving behind an empty shell of apany. Le was still in college at the time. A pampered girl since childhood, Caleb couldn¡¯t imagine how she managed to cope with so many creditors. After hearing Mason¡¯s words, Caleb was at a loss for words. Mason chuckled softly. ¡°I remember it vividly. There was a man in his forties shouting about jumping off a building. Le, dressed in a white dress, looked at him with unwavering determination and said, ¡®Your death won¡¯t solve anything. If you trust me, wait a few years. My father¡¯s debts to you will be repaid in full.''¡± Caleb remarked, ¡°Her words sound naive, and her promise seems empty.¡± ¡°But she spoke the truth. She kept her promise. Over the next few years, she worked tirelessly to repay the debts. She was like a resilient wildflower on the edge of a cliff, striving to live her life to the fullest.¡± The office fell into a brief silence. After a moment, Caleb cleared his throat. ¡°So, what are you nning to do now?¡± Mason¡¯s slender fingers flicked the gears of the lighter. With a snap, the me ignited. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ns regarding her.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Caleb sounded somewhat skeptical. ¡°Really?¡± Mason mocked, ¡°Do you think, with my status, I would stoop to being a homewrecker?¡± Caleb countered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you already? Knowing she has a boyfriend and still eager to sleep with her. Not just once, but twice.¡±¡­ Meanwhile, Mrs. Patel and Le were having dinner. ¡°You tell Hunter you have a new boyfriend? Is it true or false?¡± Mrs. Patel asked. Le hesitated, then replied vaguely, ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Mrs. Patel looked straight at her. ¡°Is it true?¡± Le reached for her juice, wanting to deny it. But she realized she had many things to exin afterward. If she told Mrs. Patel the new boyfriend was fake, Mrs. Patel would inevitably ask about the man Hunter mentioned that night. And talking about that night would bring up being drugged, which would likely prompt Mrs. Patel to advise her to return to Yort city. Thinking about all this, Le reluctantly said, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Mrs. Patel, still concerned, asked, ¡°How is he?¡± ¡°Pretty good.¡± ¡°What does he do for a living?¡± ¡°Simr to me.¡± ¡°Is he from Nova Group too?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then where is he from?¡± Feeling flustered, Le identally bit her lip. ¡°The Ramirez Group.¡± There were only a few real estatepanies in Neo city. She couldn¡¯t say Nova Group, in case Mrs. Patel moved to Neo cityter and her colleagues slipped up. She definitely couldn¡¯t say Ascend Group, or Hunter would ruin her. She wasn¡¯t familiar with otherpanies, so only Mason¡¯s The Ramirez Group remained. Hearing Le mention The Ramirez Group, Mrs. Patel nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it. Seen it on TV often, seems like a bigpany.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Mrs. Patel continued, ¡°Your father was considering coborating with The Ramirez Group before, had several meetings, but then¡­¡± As she trailed off, Mrs. Patel fell silent for a moment before regaining herposure and saying, ¡°When do you have time to bring your boyfriend home? Next weekend, perhaps, it¡¯s a good time.¡± ¡­ Chapter 20 Breaking News At night. Ley in bed after taking a shower, chatting with Shirley over video call. ¡°Haha, where are you going to find a boyfriend to introduce to your mom?¡± Le leaned back against the bedhead, feeling annoyed. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Although I¡¯ve always been against you getting involved with Mason, given the current situation, it seems like there¡¯s no one else but him. If worsees to worst, why not consider him?¡± Shirley leaned closer to the screen. ¡°I¡¯m serious. You might want to think about it.¡± Le sighed. ¡± Who do you think the Mason is?¡± Shirleyughed at Le¡¯s response. ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Besides, even if you¡¯re willing, with his status and position, it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯d cooperate in ying along with a woman.¡± ¡°By the way, I have a cousin at The Ramirez Group. He¡¯s single. How about I ask him to help you out?¡± Le furrowed. ¡°Is that appropriate?¡± ¡°Letting him help a beautiful woman is his greatest honor.¡± Before ending the call, the two decided to enlist Shirley¡¯s cousin¡¯s help. In the wee hours of the night, Le was almost asleep when her phone, ced on the bedside table, vibrated twice with a text message from an unknown number. ¡°Tonight, Hunter is having a date with Mrs. Brown at the ¡®SW hotel¡¯, did you know?¡± Le didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. That night, Le slept very restlessly. She had many dreams, all chaotic and suffocating. First, she dreamed of the day The Patel Group went bankrupt, when she and Mrs. Patel were trapped in The Patel Group¡¯s office building. Those shareholders and rtives who used to be friendly with them now seemed eager to tear them apart. Mrs. Patel, ustomed to a life of luxury, didn¡¯t know what to do besides crying. Le stood in front of her, seemingly calm but actually helpless and nervous. Then, the scene shifted to Hunter¡¯s affair. Even though he was the one at fault, he pointed fingers at her and used her of being involved with someone else. They argued relentlessly by the floor-to-ceiling window. Suddenly, Hunter sneered at her, reached out, and gave her a hard shove, pushing her out of the window. Le jolted awake from the dream. She got up and went to the water dispenser for a half cup of water. Just as she took a few sips, she suddenly remembered the text message fromst night before she fell asleep. Who could the sender be? One of Hunter¡¯s colleagues? Apetitor? Lost in thought, she unconsciously finished the ss of water. Le finished her water and turned back to her bedroom. She sat on the edge of the bed and picked up her phone, noticing a new contact on WhatsApp, Daniel. Daniel messaged: [Miss Patel, did you know that Mr. Brooks was on a date with Mrs. Brown at ¡®SW hotel¡¯st night?] Le replied: [Mr. Daniel, was it you who sent the messagest night?] Facing Le¡¯s question, Daniel remained silent for a while. After a few minutes, he responded: [Miss Patel, I was just trying to help. Do you believe me?] Le knew Daniel¡¯s position as an assistant, he wouldn¡¯t meddle without a reason. His actions were undoubtedly influenced by someone else¡¯s instructions. Le didn¡¯t expose his lie and replied: [Thank you.] Daniel asked: [Miss Patel, aren¡¯t you angry?] Le replied: [Sorry, Mr. Daniel, this is my privacy, and I¡¯d rather not discuss it in detail.] Daniel was speechless at Le¡¯s response. After a while, he replied: [Sorry for bothering.] ¡­ Le had breakfast and packed her things to return to Neo city.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. As Mrs. Patel watched Le leave, her phone rang. She hesitated for a while before answering, ¡°Hello, Dr. Hans.¡± ¡°Ms. Gng, It¡¯s been a week, have you made a decision?¡± Dr. Hans inquired. Mrs. Patel nced in the direction Le had left and smiled as she spoke, ¡°Dr. Hans, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I won¡¯t undergo the surgery.¡± ¡°Ms. Gng, this is being irresponsible to yourself. Your condition¡­¡± Dr. Hans tried to interject. Mrs. Patel interrupted, ¡°Dr. Hans, thank you for your concern,¡± and hung up the phone. She wiped away the tears on her face, determined not to be a burden to her daughter¡­ Chapter 21 Trapped In the Hotel Forty minutester, Le arrived in Neo city. She was about to get out of the car when a gossip news alert popped up on her screen. [Breaking News!! The Ramirez Group CEO Spotted with Two Beauties at Hotel Overnight!!] Driven by curiosity, Le clicked on it. The content was startling to say the least. Mason had spent the night with two models at a hotel, not leaving until 10 a. m. the next day. What exactly happened between the three in the hotel was unclear. But they were all adults, and no one believed they were just chatting in the hotel. Thements section was buzzing. [Mr. Ramirez is quite physically fit, handling two at once.] [The handsome CEO and the model beauties, it¡¯s hard to tell who took advantage of whom.] [Didn¡¯t Mr. Ramirez have a fiancee? I wonder how she feels about this.] After scrolling through, Le suddenly found it boring. She pocketed her phone and got out of the car to fetch the things Mrs. Patel had asked her to bring. At 7 PM, Shirley came over to share some food with Le. ¡°Neither of the two men you¡¯re involved with are any good.¡± Le wasn¡¯t interested in talking about Hunter at all, so she changed the subject to Mason. ¡°Are the rumors about Mason true?¡± Shirley pouted and then nodded emphatically. ¡°Yes, they are.¡± Le couldn¡¯t help butugh at how certain Shirley was. ¡°Did you see it?¡± Shirley said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see it myself, but it¡¯s almost as if I did. I shot three sets of models today, and one of them was with Masonst night. ording to the makeup artist, those marks on her body¡­ tsk tsk tsk¡­¡± Leughed quietly, but she felt a bit disgusted inside. It wasn¡¯t just anything; she was worried about getting sick. Thinking about Mason¡¯s proficiency in certain areas, it did seem very practiced. Shirley¡¯s expression turned serious as she patted Le on the arm. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to scare you, but you should get checked at the hospital. Better safe than sorry.¡± Le frowned but didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shirley was right; she definitely needed to get checked. She was still young and would rather die working hard at her job than from a one-night stand. Le went to the kitchen to grab something, and her phone, which she had left on the coffee table in the living room, suddenly rang. Shirley saw Hunter¡¯s name on the screen and answered it immediately, mocking, ¡°Mr. Brooks, not spending time with your boss¡¯s wife? Still have time to call Le?¡± Hunter didn¡¯t respond right away upon hearing Shirley¡¯s voice. After a moment, he took a deep breath and said, ¡°Shirley, give the phone to Le. I need to talk to her.¡± Shirley nced towards the kitchen and walked a bit farther away with the phone. ¡°If you have something to say, say it to me. Le doesn¡¯t have time for your call.¡± Hunter sounded anxious. ¡°What is she doing?¡± Shirley lied effortlessly, ¡°On a date with her new boyfriend, of course!¡± ¡°Shirley, I know you have issues with me, but this is urgent. Can you please give the phone to Le?¡± ¡°Whatever you need to say, say it to me. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll just hang up.¡± Hearing her words, Hunter gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Shirley, ask Le if she has time to help me with something urgent.¡± Shirley asked, ¡°What do you need help with?¡± ¡°Hotel, SW hotel, I¡¯m trapped by Mr. Brown.¡± Shirley was stunned for a few seconds, then burst intoughter. ¡°Serves you right!¡± With that, she hung up immediately. When Le came out with the heated food, Shirley still had a grin on her face. Curious, Le asked, ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Hunter. Hunter¡¯s trapped in a hotel by Mr. Brown.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Shirley waved her phone. ¡°He just called you for help. I answered. Unbelievable. How did he have the nerve to say that?¡± ¡°You can never understand a scoundrel with a normal person¡¯s logic. They have no boundaries and no limits.¡± Le¡¯s words were met with a nod of agreement from Shirley. ¡°Absolutely.¡± Le walked to the couch and picked up her phone, finding several messages from Hunter. The first few were pleas for help, filled withints and sob stories about how tough his situation was, mixed with some nostalgic memories. When Le didn¡¯t reply, hisst message turned into threats. [Le, you¡¯re not helping me this time, are you? I¡¯m telling you, if you don¡¯t help me, I won¡¯t let you off easy. We¡¯ll see who suffers more!] Reading Hunter¡¯s final message, Le scoffed and blocked all his contact information. The next morning, as soon as Le arrived at the project office, she overheard some young employees gossiping. ¡°SW hotel doesn¡¯t even need to advertise now; everyone in Neo City knows about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hrious. Yesterday, a bunch of paparazzi went to catch Mason with two young models but ended up catching Mrs. Brown cheating with theirpany¡¯s VP, Hunter.¡± Talking about Hunter, their voices lowered. ¡°Isn¡¯t Hunter Miss Patel¡¯s boyfriend?¡± ¡°Shh, stop talking.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Miss Patel! Morning!¡± ¡°Morning.¡± The gossiping employees froze. Le nced at them with a calm expression. ¡°I¡¯ve broken up with him.¡± Were Mason and Hunter caught at the same hotel? Small world. With that thought, Le stepped into her office. Chapter 22 What do you really want? Meanwhile, Mason, the subject of the gossip, had just left The Ramirez Family estate. He was walking with difficulty, his white shirt covered in blood. Daniel hurried over to support him, taking off his suit jacket to drape over Mason. Mason pushed him away, his gaze icy. He took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, asking, ¡°Is Le back?¡± Mentioning Le made Daniel look awkward, and he didn¡¯t respond immediately. Mason turned to look at him, his impatience evident. ¡°She¡¯s not back?¡± Seeing that Mason was about to lose his temper, Daniel quickly replied, ¡°She¡¯s back.¡± ¡°Then?¡± Daniel said, ¡°I sent the message you asked me to send earlier. Miss Patel also added me on WhatsApp.¡± Mason, about to get into the car with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, turned back. ¡°Give me that ount. You go create a new WhatsApp ount.¡± Daniel was stunned. ¡°Huh?¡± He didn¡¯t want toply but didn¡¯t dare refuse. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± A few minutester, Daniel got in the car and drove towards Mason¡¯s vi. After driving for a while, Daniel nced at Mason through the rearview mirror. ¡°Boss, should I buy you some medicine?¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Boss, you¡¯re pretty badly hurt. I think you should have those wounds treated, just in case¡­¡± As he met Mason¡¯s warning gaze, Daniel immediately shut his mouth and focused on driving. A few minutester, Mason suddenly spoke, ¡°Daniel, find a pharmacy and buy some medicine.¡± Daniel thought Mason had changed his mind and replied with a smile, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After a while, the car stopped at a pharmacy, and Daniel got out to buy medicine. Mason took out his phone and sent a message to Le: [What are you doing?] No response from Le. He sent another one: [Le, I¡¯m hurt.] Still no response. Mason: [Is the nursing home proposal ready? How long does it take?] Le replied instantly: [Should I send it to your email?] Mason: [Good.] With a ¡®ding¡¯, an email arrived in his inbox. Masonughed, closed their chat, and opened the email. Besides the nursing home proposal, Le had included a feasibility report. To be honest, it was well-done and exceeded his expectations. But that didn¡¯t stop him from finding fault. Mason switched back to their chat: [There are some issues with the proposal.] Le: [If it¡¯s convenient, could you give me the project manager¡¯s contact? I¡¯ll discuss the changes directly.] Mason: [I¡¯m in charge of this. Be downstairs in half an hour. I¡¯ll be waiting.] At that moment, Le was sipping her coffee. The phrase ¡°The coffee isn¡¯t bitter, life is¡± shed through her mind. Half an hourter, Le appeared outside the office building with the nursing home proposal and feasibility report. Seeing Daniel standing outside the car, she walked up. ¡°Mr. Daniel, is Mr. Ramirez in the car?¡± Daniel replied, ¡°Yes.¡± He then opened the car door for her.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. As soon as Le got in, she was hit by a strong smell of blood. She looked towards Mason. Mason held a bag of wound care supplies. ¡°Miss Patel, can you help me treat my wounds first? Then I¡¯ll look at your proposal.¡± Through their interactions, Le found Mason to bepletely unpredictable. Hearing Mason¡¯s request, Le remained still. Mason noticed her wariness. ¡°I¡¯m really hurt.¡± Le looked at him calmly, not saying anything. Seeing she wasn¡¯t budging, Mason smiled and turned around to show his back. When Le saw his bloodstained shirt, her breath caught. He was wearing a white shirt, making the blood even more noticeable. Le frowned. ¡°You got beaten up?¡± The bloodstains on Mason¡¯s shirt were from whip marks, clearly visible in lines. He turned back to face her, ignoring her question, and smiled, ¡°Miss Patel, can you drop your guard now?¡± ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I can take you to a hospital to get your wounds treated.¡± Mason scoffed, ¡°Do you think someone like me can show up at a hospital in this condition?¡± Le paused. Given Mason¡¯s status, going to a hospital like this wasn¡¯t a good idea. If someone recognized him, rumors could start flying. Seeing she didn¡¯t respond, Mason leaned closer, teasing, ¡°Miss Patel, is this how you treat your benefactor?¡± Le frowned. ¡°What benefactor?¡± Mason replied, ¡°The video in your email. Mr. Brown helped you out when you were in trouble, and yesterday your lousy boyfriend got caught¡­¡± The more Mason talked, the worse Le¡¯s expression became. Finally, she grabbed the bag of medicine from Mason¡¯s hand. ¡°Take off your shirt and turn around.¡± ¡°Trust me that easily? Not even gonna ask me a few questions?¡± Le sighed, ¡°No need.¡± Mason¡¯s status meant he wouldn¡¯t boast about something so trivial. But she couldn¡¯t understand why he came to her for wound treatment. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient to treat the wound in the car. Also, my car is parked in front of your office. If someone sees us ¡­¡± Le stared at him, feeling an unexpected surge of frustration. It was the kind of frustration that came from not being in control. She suddenly realized that ever since she got involved with Mason, her rationality and careful nning had all fallen apart. Thinking it over, Le remembered a saying: when dealing with a smart person, you can¡¯t outy them or escape them, so you might as well straightforwardly ask what they want. Coming to this conclusion, Le rxed and looked at Mason sincerely. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, what do you really want?¡± Chapter 23 I’m not a backup plan ¡°What do I want?¡± Le asked directly, ¡°Or let me rephrase. Mr. Ramirez, are you interested in me? Do you want to sleep with me?¡± Mason¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°And if I say yes?¡± The atmosphere in the car suddenly became tense.Original from N?velDrama.Org. After a moment, Le tightened her grip on the proposal in her hand. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, you don¡¯tck women.¡± Mason didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°True.¡± Le looked straight at Mason. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll cling to you?¡± Mason didn¡¯t show any fear. Instead, he looked more intrigued. ¡°Try?¡± Le seemed to make a decision. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, how about marriage?¡± Mason was taken aback, a noticeable reaction in his eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You must have looked into my situation. I need money. I¡¯ve only had one boyfriend, and he cheated on me. So, whether it¡¯s because of financial struggles or emotional setbacks, I¡¯m not in the mood to y games with a man.¡± ¡°So, you want to get married?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mason fell silent. After a few minutes, he said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m not a backup n.¡± Le didn¡¯t understand hisment. She thought he was making excuses to back out. She smiled and shifted back to business. ¡°Do you want to look at the proposal?¡± Mason ignored her question. ¡°Do you really like him that much?¡± Le knew who Mason was referring to. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, that¡¯s my personal matter.¡± Mason sneered, ¡°Got it.¡± He took the proposal and feasibility report from her and carefully read through them, giving a genuine assessment. ¡°Well done. Bring it to The Ramirez Group tomorrow to sign the contract.¡± Mason¡¯s straightforwardness was beyond Le¡¯s expectations. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ramirez.¡± ¡°Go back to work.¡± ¡°Alright, goodbye.¡± Le smiled at Mason, then opened the door and got out of the car. Today, Le was wearing a ck business suit, a very conservative style, but on her, it had an inexplicable charm. It wasn¡¯t until Le entered thepany that Daniel got into the driver¡¯s seat. Mason nced at the bag of wound care supplies Le had left behind and said in a low voice, ¡°Drive.¡± Daniel looked back briefly. Seeing Mason¡¯s not-so-good expression, he didn¡¯t dare ask any questions. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After driving for a while, Mason suddenly asked, ¡°Daniel, have you ever been in a rtionship?¡± Daniel replied, ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Mason, knowing Daniel was currently single, scoffed. ¡°Why did it end?¡± ¡°She thought I was a poor guy with no future and forced me to break up with her.¡± ¡°Your first love?¡± Daniel nodded, ¡°Yes, my first love.¡± Mason was silent for a moment. He rubbed his temples and asked in a cold, deep voice, ¡°Is first love hard to forget?¡± Daniel was taken aback by the chill in Mason¡¯s voice. ¡°Generally, yes. It¡¯s the purest form of love when you¡¯re first experiencing those feelings, so¡­¡± The more Daniel spoke, the darker Mason¡¯s expression became. Before Daniel could finish, Mason cut him off sharply. ¡°Daniel, you¡¯re talking a lot today¡­ What¡¯s going on with The Powers Family?¡± Daniel tightened his grip on the steering wheel. ¡°I heard the old Mr. Powers was furious and demanded that Miss Powers break off the engagement with you.¡± ¡°Then go ahead and break it off.¡± Daniel replied quietly, ¡°But it seems Miss Powers is unwilling.¡± Mason didn¡¯t hear him clearly. ¡°What?¡± Daniel repeated, ¡°Miss Powers called me this morning. She questioned me about the hotel incident. I couldn¡¯t exin it. She said if you were trying to end the engagement this way, it wouldn¡¯t work.¡± Mason sneered¡­ After returning to the office, Le reported the progress of The Ramirez Group project to Mr. Lee. Mr. Lee praised her and, right in front of her, called the finance department to allocate a special quarterly bonus for her. After hanging up, Mr. Lee turned to Le and said, ¡°This bonus will be paid with next month¡¯s sry.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Lee.¡± Mr. Lee smiled. ¡°No need to thank me. You¡¯ve earned it. Le, you truly are a blessing to our division. Since you joined, our performance has been skyrocketing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of your excellent management.¡± Leaving Mr. Lee¡¯s office, Le took the elevator back to the project department. As she walked in, she noticed a package on her desk. The moment she saw what was inside, Le gasped and stumbled back, nearly screaming. Inside the box was a dead cat, covered in blood, with a rope tightly wrapped around its neck. It was clear the cat had suffered severe abuse before it died. Le¡¯s hands trembled as she looked at it. It took Le a long time topose herself. She walked over, closed the box, and left the office. ¡°Who brought the package to me?¡± A male colleague stood up. ¡°Miss Patel, it was me.¡± ¡°Did you see the person who delivered it?¡± ¡°No, it was just left at the front desk.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Le turned back into the office and examined the box closely, hoping to find some clues, but found nothing. As she was about to pick up the box to throw it out, her phone vibrated. Frowning, she pulled out her phone and saw a message: [Le, do you like the cat I sent you?] Chapter 24 Blood Gift Le replied: [Who are you?] The response came quickly: [Your dad deserved to die, and so do you.] Le¡¯s breath quickened, and she immediately dialed the number, but it was cut off after a few rings. Another message followed: [Don¡¯t call the police, or you¡¯ll never know what happened to your dad.] [Why should I believe what you¡¯re saying is true?] [Did your dad wear a blue jacket when he left that year?] Le: ¡­ Memories from the past suddenly flooded back. Le¡¯s mind shed back to the day her dad left. That day, Mr. Patel was indeed wearing a blue jacket. As usual, he was carrying his briefcase, and his driver was waiting at the door. Before leaving, he hugged Mrs. Patel and bent down to kiss Le. Everything seemed normal, just like any other day, without any signs of trouble. If it hadn¡¯t been for the call Mr. Patel made to Mrs. Patelter, and if Le hadn¡¯t overheard it, she might have never suspected that Mr. Patel hadn¡¯t run off withpany funds but had been kidnapped. Shortly after Mr. Patel left, he called Mrs. Patel. On the call, Mr. Patel told her that thepany owed a lot of money and was facing bankruptcy. He couldn¡¯t bear the pressure anymore and needed to hide for a while. He told them not to worry and urged Mrs. Patel to take Le and hide as well. Mrs. Patel, used to living a luxurious life, didn¡¯t think to run when she heard Mr. Patel¡¯s words. Instead, she burst into tears. By the time she was done crying, debt collectors from thepany had alreadye to their door and took both of them to thepany. Le was lost in her memories when her phone suddenly rang. Seeing Shirley¡¯s name on the screen, she took a deep breath and answered, ¡°Shirley.¡± Shirley sounded cheerful, ¡°My cousin agreed. When are you free? I¡¯ll set up a meeting for you two.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time today. How about tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do tomorrow evening then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up with Shirley, Le sent a message to the unknown number: [I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re trying to pull. If it happens again, I will call the police.] There was no reply. She waited for a while and then blocked the number. After a few minutes of contemtion, she sent a message to Mrs. Patel: [Mom, any news about Dad?] Mrs. Patel replied instantly: [No.] Le closed her phone, got up, poured herself a cup of coffee, and began preparing for the contract signing at The Ramirez Group tomorrow. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to call the police about today¡¯s incident; she just had too many concerns. Firstly, she worried that the person might really have information about Mr. Patel. Secondly, since joining Nova Group, she had already caused a lot of trouble. Even though she was the victim in all these situations, her colleagues wouldn¡¯t see it that way. They¡¯d just think she was a trouble ma. Later that night, Le was asleep when her phone on the bedside table rang suddenly. Startled awake, she reached out and answered it. Mason¡¯s raspy voice came through, ¡°Daniel,e over. I have a high fever.¡± He sounded extremely unwell. Before Le could respond, he broke into a severe cough. Hearing Mason¡¯s coughing, any remaining sleepiness vanished from Le. After a few seconds, she spoke, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, it¡¯s Le.¡± Mason didn¡¯t seem to hear her and continued, ¡°Bring some fever medicine.¡± He coughed a few more times and then hung up. Tossing her phone aside, Le sat up and scratched her hair in annoyance. After a moment, she picked up her phone and called Daniel. She called three times, but although the phone rang, no one answered.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Finally, Le rummaged through her home medicine cab for some fever medication and headed out. Mason was not someone she could afford to offend. Mason has a coboration with Nova Group, and she knew his address. About an hour and a halfter, Le arrived at Mason¡¯s vi. She parked her car, got out, and rang the doorbell. After pressing it seven or eight times without any response, she was about to take a photo to prove she had been there and leave when Daniel suddenly called. Le hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°Hello, Mr. Daniel.¡± Daniel sounded groggy, ¡°Miss Patel, did you call me earlier? Sorry, I was asleep.¡± Le didn¡¯t want to ask why he was awake now. She quickly exined, ¡°Mr. Ramirez called you earlier about being sick, but he called me by mistake.¡± Daniel was surprised, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m at his vi now. I¡¯ve been ringing the doorbell, but no one is answering. Mr. Daniel, maybe you should¡­¡± Before she could finish, Daniel interrupted, ¡°Miss Patel. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll give you the code to get in.¡± The remaining words were interrupted, and she had to say ¡°thank you¡± Daniel continued, ¡°I should be thanking you. This is something I should be handling. The code is 241688.¡± Le replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± She entered the code, and the door clicked open. She walked in, still on the phone with Daniel, ¡°Mr. Daniel, I¡¯m inside.¡± Daniel instructed, ¡°Follow the cobblestone path straight ahead to the main building.¡± Le responded, ¡°Got it.¡± Daniel added, ¡°Miss Patel, sorry for the trouble.¡± Once inside the main building, Le hung up the phone and made her way to the third floor, to Mason¡¯s master bedroom. The door was closed, and she could hear Mason coughing heavily. Le knocked, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, it¡¯s Le.¡± No response came except for more coughing. Realizing she couldn¡¯t expect much from a feverish patient, she pushed the door open. The bedroom was dimly lit. Mason was lying on the bed, half propped up, with the nket covering his waist. His upper body was bare. Le approached, cing the medicine on the nightstand. She reached out to feel Mason¡¯s forehead; it was burning hot. Likely due to his illness, Mason seemed much less intimidating. His bangs were damp and stered to his forehead, making him look¡­ vulnerable. Vulnerable? The idea of associating that word with Mason made Le quickly dismiss the thought. ¡°Water.¡± Le was lost in thought when Mason¡¯s hoarse voice interrupted her. Quickly, she went downstairs to fetch a ss of water, and she also poured the fever-reducing medicine into it. Le leaned over to ask Mason, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, can you sit up?¡± Mason opened his eyes and stared at Le for a moment. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed her by the back of her neck, pulling her forcefully towards him. Caught off guard, Le stumbled and ended up kneeling on the floor, spilling most of the water from her hand. Without giving her a chance to struggle, Mason lifted his head slightly and pressed his forehead against hers, saying, ¡°Le, did you think I wouldn¡¯t dare?¡± Dare what? Le didn¡¯t understand. Feeling the heat from his forehead, she furrowed her brows, ¡°Mr. Ramirez?¡± Mason didn¡¯t say anything. His grip on the back of her neck tightened, and finally, he kissed her on the lips. Le was stunned. By the time she realized what was happening, Mason¡¯s tongue had already invaded her tightly closed lips. Sometimes, things couldn¡¯t be exined. Like now, Le felt like she was in a dream, but she couldn¡¯t exin why Mason would be in her dreams. When the kiss ended, there was no medicine left in Le¡¯s hand. Mason chuckled softly as he rested his forehead against hers, his smile tinged with bitterness, ¡°That night, I was going to hide, but you insisted on provoking me.¡± Le knew which night Mason was referring to, but she remained silent, pursing her lips. Mason continued, ¡°Ungrateful person. I¡¯ve raised you for so many years for nothing.¡± Chapter 25 Fever Le still didn¡¯t say anything, thinking he must be delirious from the fever. After saying these two sentences, Mason seemed to have exhausted all his strength. He released Le and fell back onto the bed. Le nced at him and then got up, heading downstairs to continue preparing water and medicine. This time, Le didn¡¯t get close to Mason again. Instead, she grabbed a straw from the fridge and ced it in the ss. Perhaps out of survival instinct, Mason bit down on the straw when it approached his lips. Watching Mason drink most of the medicine, Le put the water ss back on the bedside table. Le stared at Mason for a while, making sure he wouldn¡¯t have another outburst or any idents. Then, she got up and walked towards the door, sending a message to Daniel as she went. [Mr. Daniel, Mr. Ramirez has taken his medicine. I¡¯m heading back now.] Daniel responded immediately this time, [Miss Patel, could you please help take care of Mr. Ramirez for the night?] Looking at Daniel¡¯s message, Le hesitated for a moment. Daniel sent another message right after, [Miss Patel, I¡¯m sorry to trouble you. I have some urgent matters to attend to.] Perhaps sensing Le¡¯s reluctance to respond, Daniel¡¯s third message left her no way out, ¡°Miss Patel, thank you. Please get some rest. Good night.¡± Le: ¡­ Mason¡¯s mansion wasrge, but Le didn¡¯t dare to enter any of the guest rooms to rest. Instead, she ended up sleeping on the sofa in the living room. Perhaps due to the change of environment, Le couldn¡¯t fall asleep no matter how hard she tried. Eventually, she took out her phone and sent a message to Shirley: [What are you up to?] At 3 a. m., Shirley replied instantly: [Being paparazzi. Helping a colleague spy on her boyfriend.] Le: [Sounds exciting?] Shirley: [We went to a restaurant tonight, and she saw a guy feeding another girl and wiping her mouth. She said, ¡®I wish my boyfriend was like that.¡¯ Can you guess what happened next? When we got closer, it turned out to be her boyfriend!!] Le: [¡­]Original from N?velDrama.Org. Shirley: [Guess who I¡¯m stalking?] Le: [Just say it.] Shirley: [Caleb, Mason¡¯s childhood friend.] After a pause, Le replied to Shirley: [I¡¯m currently lying on the sofa in Mason¡¯s living room.] Le intended to share her experience of the night with Shirley, but Shirley¡¯s response was unexpected: [Living room sofa?? Are you guys so crazy??] Le didn¡¯t want to chat with Shirley anymore, not even half a sentence. She didn¡¯t sleep soundly that night. When she woke up, she saw Mason sitting on the sofa opposite her, scrolling through his phone. Le was startled for a moment before quickly getting up, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason nced at her, ¡°Awake? I called youst night?¡± Le told the truth, ¡°Yes.¡± Mason said, ¡°I was supposed to call Daniel.¡± Le nodded, ¡°I know, you called for Daniel when you called me.¡± Then, Le suddenly noticed the phone in Mason¡¯s hand¡­ It was her phone!! Just as Le was about to say something, Mason ced her phone on the coffee table, ¡°Who¡¯s the one sending you threatening messages?¡± Le was stunned for a few seconds, then she lowered her head. On the screen of her phone was a message from an unknown sender: ¡°You think blocking me will make everything okay? Le, you¡¯re asking for trouble.¡± Seeing her silent, Mason tapped the screen twice, ¡°Do you know who it is?¡± Le looked up and met Mason¡¯s gaze, unable to fathom his thoughts. She replied truthfully, ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is, but this person sent me a message from another number yesterday, and I blocked them.¡± ¡°You encounter something like this and you don¡¯t think to call the police? Does blocking them work?¡± Mason was dressed in a blue robe, appearing rxed yet exuding a strong presence. Le fell silent for a moment. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, for someone like you, when faced with threats, you only need to consider two options: either call the police or have someone deal with the other party. But for ordinary people like me, when confronted with threats, the first thing to consider is weighing the pros and cons.¡± Since yesterday, Le hade to terms with many things. If she couldn¡¯t avoid or escape from Mason, then she would just deal with him calmly. Mason seemed somewhat displeased at Le¡¯s words. Le reached out to put her phone away. ¡°They say life is more important than money, but for people in the lower strata of society, the two are iparable.¡± Mason¡¯s voice was deep as he stared at her. ¡°Are you saying that money is more important than safety?¡± After about a minute, Mason picked up his phone and made a call. ¡°Help me look up someone,¡± he said before walking out the door. Mason was on the phone for over ten minutes. During that time, a maid came over to ask her what she wanted for breakfast. She politely declined, ¡°No thanks, I¡¯ll eatter.¡± The maid, a woman in her fifties, smiled kindly. ¡°Have something to eat. Otherwise, Mason won¡¯t be happy.¡± Le felt awkward. ¡°I¡¯m not a picky eater.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll prepare something.¡± When Mason returned, he asked, ¡°Do you have the contract?¡± Le knew which contract Mason was referring to. She replied, ¡°No, the contract is at thepany.¡± Mason nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll ride with youter. We¡¯ll first go to Nova Group to pick up the contract, then to The Ramirez Group to sign it.¡± Le dared not be careless about business matters. ¡°Okay, Mr. Ramirez.¡± ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll go change clothes.¡± Mason headed upstairs, and Le couldn¡¯t help but nce at him a few more times. She couldn¡¯t tell if Mason had an exceptionally good physical condition or if the medicine fromst night worked wonders because he didn¡¯t show any signs of illness now. Just as she was thinking about this, Mason stopped and turned back. ¡°Le.¡± Le instinctively responded, ¡°Yes?¡± Mason frowned. ¡°Did I do anything to youst night?¡± Le froze for a second. She tried to maintain herposure, but her face and ears betrayed her by turning red. ¡°No.¡± Seeing Le¡¯s expression, Mason seemed to have guessed that she was lying. He didn¡¯t say anything and turned to go upstairs. Le sighed¡­ During breakfast, Le noticed several dishes from Yort City on the table. Le ended up having a few extra bites. The maid, Esther, couldn¡¯t contain her smile as she watched Le. After breakfast, Mason instructed Le to drive while he had another ss of milk. Once Le left, Mason nced at Esther standing by the table. ¡°Esther, you¡¯re being too obvious.¡± Having cared for Mason for many years, Esther wasn¡¯t afraid to speak her mind. ¡°She looks prettier than when she was in school.¡± Chapter 26 Who had sponsored Leila Mason lowered his head to drink his milk, a hint of a smile shing. ¡°Hmm.¡± Esther was familiar with Le. The whole incident with Mason sponsoring Le had caused quite a stir in The Ramirez Family, and everyone knew about it. The old Mr. Ramirez had thoroughly investigated Le¡¯s background, and there were photos of her. Esther had seen her a couple of times. At first, they thought Mason, being young, wanted to keep her as his mistress, butter, it seemed he had no such intentions. After finishing his ss of milk, Mason headed towards the door. It was midsummer, and the weather is scorching hot in the early morning. As Mason opened the front passenger door, Le nced at him, a hint of surprise in her eyes. ¡°A seat reserved for boyfriend?¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Le smiled. ¡°No, I thought Mr. Ramirez would sit in the back.¡± After all, bosses usually chose to sit in the back of the car. As Mason got into the car, he tossed his suit jacket onto the back seat and adjusted the seat space before fastening his seatbelt. Just as he was about to buckle up, his phone, tucked in his pocket, rang. Upon seeing the message on the screen, Mason turned to Le. ¡°Do you know where Hunter lives? The person who threatened you has been identified. It¡¯s Hunter.¡± Mason saw her silence and sneered, ¡°Are you still thinking about him?¡± ¡°No¡­ Mr. Ramirez, are you sure this investigation result is urate?¡± Mason¡¯s expression turned stern. ¡°Do you think I would keep ipetents around me?¡± ¡°Thank you for helping me.¡± Mason¡¯s expression softened slightly as he asked in a low voice, ¡°What are you going to do next?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± ¡°I can help you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already helped me a lot.¡± Le¡¯s refusal was firm, leaving no room for negotiation. ¡°Okay.¡± Mason¡¯s tone turned cold. Following their previously agreed n, they went to Nova Group to retrieve the contract and then to The Ramirez Group to sign it. As the car arrived at The Ramirez Group, Le followed behind Mason. She couldn¡¯t see his expression as she followed him, but judging from the cautious attitude of his subordinates, his mood wasn¡¯t great. The two of them walked into the CEO¡¯s office, one after the other. After signing the contract, Mason pushed it toward Le. ¡°Why did you choose toe to this city in the first ce? Was it because of Hunter?¡± Le picked up the contract to check if Mason had missed signing any parts. While looking at the contract, she replied, ¡°No.¡± Mason asked, ¡°Then why?¡± As Le checked the contract for any errors, she nced up at Mason and replied, ¡°For money. Nova Group offered a high price.¡± Mason chuckled lightly. ¡°Just for that?¡± Le finished checking the contract and met Mason¡¯s gaze. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I believe in love, but I¡¯m not someone driven by romantic feelings.¡± ¡°If The Ramirez Group offered you a higher price than Nova Group, would youe?¡± Le replied earnestly, ¡°If what you said is true, I would consider it carefully.¡± Le was sincere, and her sincerity tugged at Mason¡¯s heartstrings. He looked at her, feeling strangely ufortable. In a low voice, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your current annual sry?¡± Le answered, ¡°Six hundred thousand.¡± Mason remained impassive. ¡°I¡¯ll offer you one million two hundred thousand. Finish up your work and report to The Ramirez Group.¡± Le had always known that The Ramirez Group offered top-tier sries in the industry. However, she also knew that Mason¡¯s offer didn¡¯t match her actual value. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I¡¯m not worth that price at the moment.¡± ¡°Is there anyone whoins about earning too much?¡± ¡°No oneins about earning too much, butpensation should be proportional to effort andbor. If ability and sry don¡¯t match, money bes a death knell.¡± Mason wasn¡¯t sure where Le got all these theories from. It seemed like she had her own set of principles since he first met her. As the two locked eyes, Mason was about to respond when Le¡¯s phone suddenly rang. ¡°Sorry, Mr. Ramirez, I need to take this call.¡± Mason nodded, indicating it was fine. Le thought it might be something urgent from thepany, but when she checked her phone, it was Shirley. ¡°Hey, Shirley.¡± As Le spoke, Shirley¡¯s voice sounded pitiful on the other end of the line. ¡°Le, do you have time right now? Can youe to the police station? I¡¯ve been arrested.¡± Le couldn¡¯t fathom why Shirley would be arrested and didn¡¯t want to ask in front of Mason. She simply replied, ¡°Okay,¡± and quickly ended the call. After hanging up, Le put her phone away and looked at Mason. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, do you have any other matters to attend to? Something hase up, and I need to deal with it.¡± Mason had heard every word of Le¡¯s conversation just now, though he didn¡¯t know what the person on the other end of the line had said. However, he knew who Shirley was. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Okay. Goodbye, Mr. Ramirez.¡± ¡°Le, are you really not considering joining The Ramirez Group?¡± Le replied with a serious expression, ¡°I am considering it, provided that the sry you offer matches my abilities, and also¡­¡± She hesitated, and Mason finished her sentence, ¡°¡­ and that I don¡¯t harass you.¡± The term ¡°harass¡± was well chosen, but Le didn¡¯t dare to respond. Seeing her silence, he suddenly smiled, ¡°Go ahead and attend to your business.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± With that, Le didn¡¯t dare linger and turned to leave. An hourter, the car arrived at the police station. Shirley was sitting in the lobby, on the verge of tears when she saw Le. Le quickly approached her, bending down to ask, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Shirley looked up, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°I tracked the wrong person.¡± ¡°What??¡± Le eximed. ¡°My colleague told me it was Aiden, but I thought it was his brother Caleb.¡± Le furrowed her brow. ¡°Then why are you at the police station? What did you do?¡± Facing Le¡¯s questioning, Shirley cried, ¡°I sshed paint on his car.¡± ¡°What car?¡± Le asked. Shirley replied, ¡°Purosangue.¡± Le sighed inwardly. A Ferrari model, worth over five million¡­ Just then, a teasing voice came from not far away, ¡°I just picked up this car yesterday, and all the paperwork is in order. Since she¡¯s a young girl, I¡¯ll give her a discount. Four million, and the car is hers.¡± Le turned to see the man¡¯s back, unable to see his face. The police officer sitting across from Caleb looked uneasy. ¡°Mr. Mitchell, four million, she¡¯s just a fashion magazine editor¡­¡± Caleb teased, ¡°Officer, are you trying to make me take the loss?¡± ¡°Well, I just mean, is there any other way, like repairing¡­¡± Suddenly, a shadow fell beside Caleb. Turning his head, Caleb saw Le and called out in surprise. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Le didn¡¯t recognize Caleb at all, her expression puzzled. ¡°Do you know me?¡± Seeing Le¡¯s puzzled expression, Caleb pinched his thigh hard. He had let slip¡­ Under Le¡¯s gaze, Caleb pretended to be calm. ¡°You don¡¯t know me? Hawke, does that ring a bell?¡± Le¡¯s expression changed from confusion to pleasant surprise. ¡°Is it you?¡± Hawke. The alias used by the person who had sponsored Le in the past. Only she knew this name, not even her mom. So when Caleb mentioned these two words, she believed without a doubt. Caleb was just testing, but he didn¡¯t expect Le to believe him. Chapter 27 Such A Daughter-in-law Seeing the joy on Le¡¯s face, Caleb inexplicably felt a sense of guilt. He chuckled awkwardly and changed the subject, ¡°Is that your friend?¡± Le replied truthfully, ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my best friend.¡± ¡°Your friend¡­¡± Caleb originally wanted to say ¡°pretty foolish,¡± but considering the lofty image he held in Le¡¯s mind now, he phrased it differently, ¡°She¡¯s pretty loyal to her friend.¡± Le could tell Caleb¡¯s pliment¡± was insincere and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Mitchell, she didn¡¯t mean to.¡± After a pause, Le added, ¡°Rest assured, we will fullypensate for the damages, although it might take some time¡­¡± Whether it was the four million Caleb mentioned or the actual price of the car, five million, it was a substantial sum for both Shirley and her. Caleb, being straightforward, turned to the police officer taking notes and said, ¡°Officer, I¡¯m dropping the charges for this case.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Caleb joked, ¡°Do you want me to send her straight to jail?¡± The officer put down his pen. ¡°Don¡¯t wrong me. Come on, sign here and get out.¡± Caleb withdrew the case, and Le and Shirley followed him out of the police station. Once outside, Caleb turned to Le and said, ¡°Let¡¯s forget about thepensation; it¡¯s not much money.¡± Le objected firmly, ¡°No, it¡¯s still a substantial amount.¡± Caleb chuckled lightly, looking at Shirley, ¡°How about this? You work as my maid for two months, and we call it even.¡± Shirley trembled nervously, ¡°Two months seems too short?¡± Four million for two months¡¯ work; she had never earned such a high sry in her twenty-six years. Amused by their reactions, Caleb suggested, ¡°How about six months?¡± Shirley earnestly replied, ¡°I still have to work during the day. Mr. Mitchell, can I just take care of your meals and cleaning duties?¡± Caleb nodded with a smile, ¡°Sure.¡± As Caleb finished speaking, a Bentley pulled up in front of him. Caleb waved to the two of them to get in the car. Just as the car was about to drive off, Le suddenly approached and knocked on the window. ¡°Mr. Mitchell, may I have your contact information?¡± Caleb felt guilty and pretended to be surprised, ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I want to repay you.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Upon hearing ¡°repay,¡± Caleb felt even more guilty. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Le thought Caleb was worried that she might have been bothering him, and exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t bother you unless it¡¯s necessary.¡± Caleb looked embarrassed and wanted to refuse, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so. ¡°Okay,¡± he relented, adding, ¡°Let¡¯s get this straight. You don¡¯t have to pay me back.¡± Knowing Caleb wasn¡¯t short of money, Le agreed, ¡°Alright. If you ever need anything from me in the future, just let me know.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± They exchanged contact information, and Caleb wasted no time, urging the driver to start the car by kicking the back of the driver¡¯s seat repeatedly. The driver looked bewildered. ¡°Boss?¡± ¡°Drive!!¡± The driver stepped on the gas pedal, and the car sped away. It took Shirley a while to regain herposure as she stared at the departing car. ¡°Is that guy mentally stable?¡± ¡°No,¡± Le replied. Then, realizing she didn¡¯t know Caleb very well herself, she added, ¡°At least, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Le¡¯s mind was still consumed by the fact that Caleb was her benefactor. After the initial excitement wore off, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something wasn¡¯t quite right. Shirley rambled on, but when she noticed Le wasn¡¯t responding, she nudged her. ¡°Why are you ignoring me?¡± Le turned to Shirley, saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t you sayst night that you and your colleague saw him having dinner with a girl? How could you make a mistake?¡± Embarrassed, Shirley exined, ¡°She pointed to the right, and I looked at the person next to where she was pointing. Who would have thought, the two brothers were on a date in the same ce¡­¡± Le sighed, ¡°Just be more careful in the future.¡± Shirley breathed a sigh of relief. If it weren¡¯t for Le today, she might have ended up in jail. Curious, Shirley asked, ¡°How do you know Caleb?¡± ¡°Do you remember my benefactor from my school days?¡± ¡°Yeah, I heard he was a young handsome guy who used to write you letters. I even teased you about it, saying, why bother writing letters when you could just call¡­ It¡¯s like¡­¡± Le interrupted her, ¡°That person is Caleb.¡± Shirley was astonished, ¡°What?¡± ¡°He used the alias ¡®Hawke¡¯ when corresponding with me.¡± Shirley was so shocked. She had indeed heard Caleb ask Le if she remembered ¡®Hawke¡¯ today. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Le told her the truth, ¡°Notpletely, but hardly anyone knows that name.¡± Shirley still found it hard to believe, ¡°But Caleb¡­ He doesn¡¯t seem like the type who can sit down and write letters. He¡¯s so mboyant. I mean, just look at his shy attire. I¡¯d believe he¡¯s a regr at nightclubs, but a refined gentleman writing letters? I don¡¯t buy it.¡± At this moment, Caleb was sitting in the car, talking to Mason on the phone. ¡°Mason, if, if you did a good deed but someone else took credit for it, how would you react?¡± Mason responded coldly, ¡°It depends on the nature of thing.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s something like being a benefactor?¡± Mason froze as he looked at the contract in his hand. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want this either. It¡¯s just a misunderstanding¡­¡± ¡°What happened exactly?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t exin it in a few words. I¡¯m on my way to your office now, I¡¯ll exin it in person.¡± ¡­ On the other end, Shirley had shifted the conversation from Caleb to Mason. ¡°Were you really at Mason¡¯s housest night?¡± ¡°Yeah, he had a high fever and dialed the wrong number. He meant to call Daniel, but ended up calling me.¡± ¡°Do you really believe such ame excuse?¡± Le said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not fake. When I got there, he was delirious.¡± Speaking of Mason, Le suddenly remembered the inexplicable kiss fromst night. Mason had said, ¡°Le, did you think I wouldn¡¯t dare??¡± Even now, Le hadn¡¯t figured out what he meant by that. Le made a call to the office, gave a few instructions, and then drove on the way home. ¡°What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll cook for you today.¡± Shirley leaned on Le¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you were a man, I¡¯d marry you.¡± ¡°Too bad there are no ¡®ifs¡¯.¡± They parked the car in the neighborhood and walked to the supermarket. Suddenly, a chill breeze hit them, carrying a strong stench. Before Le could look up, Shirley screamed, ¡°Le!!¡± It¡¯s Mrs. Brooks. She dumped a bucket of rotten eggs on Le. Le pursed her lips and wiped her face with her hand. Mrs. Brooks stood in front of Le, looking furious, holding a bucket with remnants of rotten eggs inside. She started cursing at Le. ¡°You jinx, my son was doing fine before he got involved with you. Since he¡¯s been with you, nothing has gone right for him. And now he¡¯s been fired.¡± ¡°You¡¯re cheating on him, and then you falsely use my son. Is there no justice left in this world?¡± Mrs. Brooks kept on yelling, and more and more people gathered. Shirley took off her suit jacket and put it on Le, then pulled out a wet wipe from her bag to help Le clean her face. Le pushed Shirley¡¯s hand away and took a deep breath before walking up to Mrs. Brooks. ¡°What do you want?¡± Mrs. Brooks stepped back a few steps nervously. Le¡¯s expression was icy as she raised her hand and delivered a p to Mrs. Brooks¡¯s face. ¡°Nonsense, you are twisting the truth.¡± Mrs. Brooks, still reeling from the p, was momentarily stunned by Le¡¯s words. When she finally regained her senses, she fell down on the ground, bursting into tears. ¡°How could I have such a daughter-inw?¡± ¡°Come and see! Daughter-inw is hitting her mother-inw!¡± ¡°My son was a young vice president in a bigpany. Who knew she was fooling around with other men and conspiring against my son, causing him to be fired.¡± Chapter 28 Call the Police ¡°This woman is nothing but trouble.¡± Mrs. Brooks was definitely a skilled actress. As the crowd began to gossip about Le, Shirley stepped forward angrily. ¡°Are you all insane? You¡­¡± But Shirley¡¯s rant was interrupted by someone in the crowd. ¡°Youngdy, you¡¯ll be old someday too. Is it right to speak to an elderly person like this?¡± The speaker was a man in his thirties. After speaking, he cast a disdainful nce at Shirley. Shirley was livid and rolled up her sleeves, ready to confront the man, but Le stopped her. Others in the crowd chimed in. ¡°Everyone will grow old someday. Bullying an old person like this seems a bit too much.¡± ¡°Like attracts like, birds of a feather flock together. Just now that girl attacked the elderly person, now she wants to attack the bystanders who can¡¯t stand it anymore.¡± The onlookers continued toment one after another. Shirley looked at the people and was so enraged that she tried to push Le away. ¡°Let me through.¡± ¡°Not worth it,¡± Le said calmly. Le then looked down at Mrs. Brooks, who was sitting on the ground, and spoke in a cold tone, ¡°You just said I caused your son to lose his job, right?¡± Mrs. Brooks nodded, ¡°Yes, it was you who caused my son to lose his job.¡± Le nodded in response. ¡°Since you want to make a big deal out of this, I won¡¯t stop you. After all, it¡¯s not my loss.¡± With that, Le looked at the group of people surrounding them. ¡°Would you mind calling the police? So this elderlydy won¡¯t be bullied¡± At Le¡¯s request, someone immediately pulled out their phone to call the police. Mrs. Brooks froze. Seeing this, Le spoke softly, ¡°Before the police arrive, let¡¯s continue our conversation from earlier.¡± Mrs. Brooks red at her. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to talk about, jinx.¡± ¡°You just said it was me who caused your son Hunter to lose his job, but didn¡¯t he lose it because he slept with his boss¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Whether I¡¯m talking nonsense, you know better than anyone. And you also used me of cheating on Hunter. Mrs. Brooks,st week when you were at my ce, I made it clear to you. Hunter and I broke up a month ago because I caught him in bed with his boss¡¯s wife in his rented apartment.¡± Mrs. Brooks¡¯s face turned red. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°Whether I¡¯m lying or not, you know better than anyone.¡± Le¡¯s words silenced the previously chattering crowdpletely. After a few minutes, a police car pulled up outside the crowd, followed by four officers who made their way through the crowd. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The leading officer was the same one Le had encountered during her previous visit to the police station. Seeing Le, he paused for a moment. ¡°Youngdy, it¡¯s you again?¡± Le hadn¡¯t expected to encounter a familiar person again and looked somewhat embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to trouble you again.¡± The leading officer nced at Le, taking in her disheveled appearance, and furrowed his brow. ¡°What happened this time?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the mother of my ex-boyfriend. We broke up a month ago because he cheated on me with their boss¡¯s wife. Now he¡¯s been fired because of his affair, and they¡¯re ming me for it.¡± The officer remained silent for a moment. In the end, both parties involved were taken to the police station for further investigation. Before getting into the police car, Shirley looked at the crowd with a mocking expression. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to the police station and testify for this olddy?¡± ¡°We, we don¡¯t know what happened between you, how can we testify?¡± ¡°We just couldn¡¯t stand the way you were talking to an elderly person.¡± ¡°The police are here, and there are security cameras here. Why do we need to go to the police station?¡± Shirley¡¯s eyes were filled with sarcasm. ¡°Now you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t know what happened? Just now, based on your behavior, I thought you were all involved.¡± Shirley vented her frustration and reached out to take Le¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll apany you to the police station.¡± Le, covered in dirt, avoided Shirley¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°It¡¯s dirty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Shirley insisted. Le turned to the police officer standing nearby. ¡°Can I drive my own car?¡± The police officer looked at Le with resignation. ¡°Fine.¡± With that, he turned and signaled for the other officers to escort Mrs. Brooks to the police car. Mrs. Brooks¡¯s legs went weak at the mention of going to the police station, and she started to cry. ¡°Officer, I haven¡¯t done anything wrong. It¡¯s that woman, she¡¯s a bad woman. She was about to marry my son, but she was fooling around with other men, she¡­¡± Mrs. Brooks¡¯s sobbing stopped abruptly when the lead officer ordered one young officer. ¡°You go find the security guard in thismunity and get the surveince footage. Say it¡¯s for investigation purposes.¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Mrs. Brooks fell silent. Meanwhile, Le grabbed two bottles of mineral water from the car and a pack of wet wipes to quickly clean herself up. Sitting in the passenger seat, Shirley watched Le¡¯s disheveled appearance, her eyes turned red with anger. ¡°I¡¯m really fed up. What¡¯s wrong with Hunter and his family?¡± Upon arriving at the police station, Shirley suddenly remembered something and said to Le, ¡°By the way, send me Caleb¡¯s contact information.¡± Le looked puzzled. ¡°Huh?¡± Shirley replied, ¡°I¡¯ll ask him for a day off.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After Le sent Caleb¡¯s phone number to Shirley, she entered the police station first, with Shirley following behind. As Shirley walked, she dialed Caleb¡¯s number. ¡°Mr. Mitchell, hello, it¡¯s Shirley. I¡¯m the one who had sshed paint on your car, but you graciously forgave me,¡± she said. Caleb, who had never heard such a long and detailed self-introduction, remained silent for a moment before asking, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Lowering her voice slightly, Shirley said, ¡°Can I take a day off today?¡± She quickly added, fearing that Caleb might suspect her of trying to avoid responsibility, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to avoid paying, it¡¯s just that my friend Le is in some trouble. We¡¯re at the police station right now.¡± Upon hearing this, Caleb looked up at Mason and raised his voice to ask, ¡°What happened to Le? Why did she end up at the police station?¡± Mason, sitting across from him with a stern expression, looked up at Caleb. Caleb continued, ¡°Why are you silent? Is it inconvenient?¡± Shirley had already entered the police station lobby by now. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay. You go ahead. Call me backter after you¡¯re done at the police station.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Mitchell.¡± Caleb pretended to be magnanimous. ¡°No need to thank me. We¡¯re friends.¡± Hearing Caleb¡¯s words, Shirley was pleasantly surprised. After ending the call, Caleb tossed his phone aside and leaned back on the sofa, crossing his legs casually. Mason immediately spoke up, ¡°What happened to her?¡± Caleb looked at Mason, his tone firm. ¡°You like Le.¡± Mason scoffed lightly. ¡°Are you delusional?¡± Caleb ced one hand on the armrest of the sofa and tapped lightly. ¡°Fine, maybe I¡¯m overthinking.¡± The two locked eyes, falling into a strange silence. After a few minutes, Caleb leisurely tapped the sofa with his slender fingers and muttered to himself, ¡°Le is also pitiful, always getting into trouble.¡± Mason¡¯s gaze was deep, but he didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Mason, I used to hear people say that one can¡¯t hide feelings¡­¡± Before Caleb could finish, his phone rang. Caleb chuckled and, under Mason¡¯s gaze, answered the phone slowly, ¡°Hello, Shirley.¡± ¡°Mr. Mitchell, Le and I have finished making statements,¡± Shirley said. ¡°So soon?¡± Caleb replied. ¡°There¡¯s surveince footage, witnesses, and solid evidence. We just made statements based on that,¡± Shirley exined. Upon hearing Shirley¡¯s words, Caleb nced at Mason, about to ask a few more questions, when he heard Le¡¯s deliberately lowered voice from the other end of the line, ¡°Let¡¯s buy some barbecueter.¡± Caleb lightlyughed and asked, ¡°Are you having barbecue tonight?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Shirley replied without realizing she was falling into Caleb¡¯s trap. ¡°Where?¡± Caleb inquired. ¡°At Le¡¯s ce.¡± Caleb¡¯s tone was sincere as he offered, ¡°Do you mind if two more people join? I¡¯ll bring the ingredients, and Le can handle the cooking.¡± Caleb¡¯s sincerity momentarily left Shirley unsure of how to refuse. But since Le was the one hosting, she couldn¡¯t make decisions on her own. Shirley mouthed to Le, ¡°Caleb will be joining us for dinner.¡± Le looked puzzled. ¡°??¡± Chapter 29 The third party? She didn¡¯t mind Caleb joining them for dinner; after all, in her mind, Caleb was the person who had once supported her financially. She was just curious as to why he suddenly wanted toe for dinner. Just today at the police station entrance, he had seemed like he wanted to avoid her. Shirley handed the phone to Le, allowing them to talk directly. Taking the phone, Le spoke softly, ¡°Mr. Mitchell.¡± Hearing Le¡¯s voice, Caleb paused for a moment, then switched to speakerphone. ¡°Is everything sorted out at the police station?¡± Le replied, ¡°Yes, just finished.¡± Caleb didn¡¯t directly ask Le what had happened on the phone. It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid Le wouldn¡¯t tell him; he was intentionally keeping Mason on hold. ¡°Is it okay? Shirley said you guys are having a barbecue tonight, I can buy the ingredients and you can cook.¡± Le responded, ¡°My cooking skills are just average. If you don¡¯t mind, you cane over. I¡¯ll buy the ingredients.¡± Caleb chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t show up empty-handed.¡± Le replied, ¡°I already owe you a lot.¡± With Le saying that, Caleb couldn¡¯t refuse anymore. He smiled and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring some drinks.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll send you the addresster.¡± After hanging up, Le sent the address to Caleb. Shirley leaned in, ¡°Is Caleb reallying for dinner?¡± Le nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± Shirley wondered, ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± Le couldn¡¯t figure out the answer to Shirley¡¯s question either. She lowered her voice and pretended to scare her, ¡°Maybe he regrets not charging you for the car?¡± Shirley jumped, stammering, ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s impossible, right?¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯te to your ce for dinner today. Let¡¯s do it another day¡­¡± Thinking about the four to five million in damages, Shirley couldn¡¯t finish her sentence properly. Seeing that Shirley was genuinely scared, Le gently flicked her forehead. ¡°You really believe that?¡± Shirley realized Le was teasing her and pretended to scratch her. As theyughed and prepared to get into the car, a familiar male voice came from behind, ¡°Le.¡± It was Hunter. Hunter looked extremely disheveled. The neatly pressed suit he used to wear was now wrinkled, and even his chin was covered in stubble. The once confident young man had be a mediocre man who had lost both in his career and in love. ¡°Le, what happened today was my mom¡¯s fault. I¡¯ll make her apologize to youter.¡± As Hunter spoke, he looked guilty and took out a pack of tissues from his pocket, trying to wipe Le¡¯s face. Le stepped back, her back against the car door. ¡°No need.¡± Seeing Le avoiding him, Hunter tightened his grip on the tissues in his hand. After about seven or eight seconds, he took a step forward, avoiding Shirley, and whispered with a voice only the two of them could hear, ¡°Is that Mason your lover? Acting innocent in front of me, saying that you must wait until marriage to have sex. But with Mason, you¡¯re having car sex?¡± Hunter thought those two sentences would intimidate Le. He knew she cared about her reputation and would never allow such a thing to be spread. Although he knew Le had sex with Mason against her will and heard about her being drugged, those were not his focus now. He wanted to use Le¡¯s vulnerability to make her submit. But he never expected that after he finished speaking, she would just casually nce at him and say, ¡°Are you done?¡± Le continued, ¡°You¡¯re right. Mason is my lover. I didn¡¯t want to have sex with you before marriage, but with him, I didn¡¯t even need a room, just the car. So what¡¯s your point?¡± Hunter gritted his teeth. ¡°Say that again.¡± He never imagined Le¡¯s response would be like this. Le looked at Hunter, who was about to explode in anger, mockingly. ¡°Even if I say it a thousand times, it won¡¯t change. What? Are you going to hit me?¡± She then lifted her chin at him. ¡°Remember, the police station is right behind you. I¡¯ve already sent two people there recently, and I wouldn¡¯t mind adding one more.¡± Hunter was furious. ¡°Just wait and see.¡± Le replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± As Hunter trembled with anger, his phone rang. He took a step back, pulled out his phone from his pocket, and answered the call. The person on the other end said something, and Hunter impatiently replied, ¡°I¡¯m already here. Stop rushing me¡­¡± With that, Hunter gave Le a fierce look and walked away. Shirley approached. ¡°What did he say just now?¡± Le replied coldly, ¡°He is crazy.¡± Shirley said, ¡°I almost couldn¡¯t hold back from hitting him just now.¡± Le turned to open the car door. ¡°People like him aren¡¯t worth your time.¡± Shirley circled around the car and got into the passenger seat. ¡°So, are you just going to let him off like this?¡± Le calmly replied, ¡°The best way to get revenge on someone isn¡¯t to get back at him by the means you find most underhanded, but by the means he finds most underhanded. After all, a good man can¡¯t think of dirty tricks.¡±¡± ¡°Good point.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. As the car drove off, Shirley asked again, ¡°Have you figured out how you¡¯re going to get back at him?¡± Le responded, ¡°He cares most about power. When we were together, he hated it when people mentioned his background, talked about his hometown¡­ I want to see him ruined and his reputation destroyed.¡± Shirley nodded approvingly. ¡°Impressive. You can¡¯t be soft on people like him.¡± An hourter, they arrived home carrying the groceries they bought. Le took a quick shower, not even bothering to blow dry her hair, and immediately started marinating the meat for barbecue. The doorbell rang. Shirley went to answer it, and as soon as she opened the door, her smile froze on her face. ¡°Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Ramirez¡­¡± Caleb looked at her. ¡°Can wee in??¡± Shirley forced a smile and reluctantly stepped aside. ¡°Pleasee in¡­¡± Shirley hurried into the kitchen and discreetly pinched Le¡¯s waist, lowering her voice. ¡°Mason.¡± Le didn¡¯t catch what she said and turned around. ¡°What?¡± By now, Mason had already reached the kitchen doorway. Unable to speak directly, Shirley just kept signaling desperately to Le. Just as Le was about to ask again, Mason, standing at the doorway, spoke in a low voice, ¡°Need any help?¡± After about half a minute, Le took a deep breath and turned around. ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason rolled up his shirt sleeves, revealing muscr forearms. ¡°Need a hand?¡± Le smiled gently. ¡°No, thank you for your offer. You and Mr. Mitchell can sit for a while. It¡¯ll be ready soon.¡± Mason¡¯s gaze fell on her slightly damp hair. ¡°Let me handle this, why don¡¯t you go blow-dry your hair?¡± Le politely declined, ¡°It¡¯s really not necessary. Thank you for your kindness.¡± Le¡¯s refusal was firm, fearing any deeper involvement with Mason. Seeing this, Mason didn¡¯t insist further and nodded before turning to leave for the living room. Caleb chuckled and nced at Mason. His voice lowered a bit. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like her? Why so eager to see her?¡± ¡°That was just being polite.¡± ¡°Polite? Or listening to your heart?¡± Mason shot Caleb a look, his expression unreadable. ¡°I still haven¡¯t settled the score with you for impersonating me.¡± Caleb was guilty of that. He rubbed his nose and changed the subject. ¡°This apartment might be small, but it¡¯s cozy.¡±¡­ In less than twenty minutes, they were all enjoying the barbecue. Caleb praised the food incessantly after a few bites. ¡°This is so yummy.¡± Le, upon hearing this, willingly served Caleb some beef she had just grilled. ¡°Beef might taste even better.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll try it,¡± Caleb said as he forked a piece of beef toward his mouth. Suddenly, he sensed a cold, sharp gaze on him. Turning his head, Caleb handed the meat to Mason instead. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not a big fan of beef. Mason, why don¡¯t you try it?¡± Mason¡¯s expression remained neutral as he took the beef and tasted it. ¡°Tastes good.¡± Le and Shirley across the table observed their interaction clearly. Shirley knew Le wanted to distance herself from Mason. She said, ¡°Le, don¡¯t forget to bring my brother home this Saturday.¡± Le¡¯s hand paused mid-grill, meeting Shirley¡¯s gaze. ¡°Okay.¡± Under the table, Caleb nudged Mason¡¯s leg with his knee, silently asking: [What¡¯s going on? You turned into the third party, again?] Chapter 30 I’m the third party? Mason red coldly at him: [Mind your own business.] After a while, Caleb looked up at Le. ¡°I brought some alcohol, do you two want some?¡± Le smiled, ¡°Shirley ad I aren¡¯t great with alcohol.¡±nd I aren¡¯t great with alcohol.¡± Caleb didn¡¯t insist. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± As they drank and chatted, they unconsciously overindulged. Le flipped the meat a few times before suddenly looking up at Caleb. ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious, what does ¡®Hawke¡¯ mean?¡± Caleb turned to Mason for help. Mason kept his eyes lowered, ying with his ss. Seeing Mason¡¯s reluctance, Caleb whispered, ¡°Bro.¡± ¡°Is it not convenient to say?¡± Le asked. Mason answered on Caleb¡¯s behalf, ¡°Not convenient.¡± Upon hearing Mason¡¯s response, Le couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. She didn¡¯t ask him, so why was he answering for Caleb? What did it mean? The atmosphere became tense. Shirley, who had drunk too much, mmed her hand on the table and spoke up, ¡°Le didn¡¯t ask you, why are you answering?¡± Seeing this, Caleb tried to diffuse the situation. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s call it a night here.¡± With that, Caleb pushed Mason lightly. ¡°Let¡¯s head back, Mason.¡± Mason looked at Le, swallowing hard. ¡°I¡¯ll stay a little longer to sober up before I go.¡± Caleb hadn¡¯t been in a serious rtionship before, so he didn¡¯t understand Mason¡¯s current state of mind. But as his good friend, he knew what he should do now. Caleb scratched his head and bent down to help Shirley, who was drunk. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Shirley looked up at him, initially confused, then her eyes widened. ¡°Are you trying to scam me?¡± Caleb replied, ¡°No, I¡¯m taking you home. My driver is waiting in the car.¡± Shirley didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°No need, I¡¯m staying at Le¡¯s tonight.¡± Upon hearing this, Caleb nced at Mason. When the other two weren¡¯t paying attention, he lifted Shirley up and left. Shirley struggled on Caleb¡¯s shoulder. Caleb gritted his teeth and, after changing his shoes, even helped Shirley carry her high heels before rushing out the door. With a loud ¡®bang¡¯, the door closed, and the small apartment fell into silence. The first to speak was Mason. He casually adjusted his shirt cor and asked Le across the table, ¡°Tea? It¡¯ll help with the hangover.¡± Le, still feeling a bit dazed from the alcohol, asked btedly, ¡°What about Shirley?¡± Mason walked towards the kitchen without changing expression. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± Le, puzzled, asked, ¡°But she was drunk, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Mason replied, ¡°She was. Caleb¡¯s driver was here, so he took her home.¡± After a while, Mason came back with two tea cups, handing one to Le and keeping the other for himself. Le took a sip and then looked up, suddenly remembering something. ¡°They¡¯ve all left. Why are you still here?¡± Mason¡¯s eyes held an indistinct emotion as he replied, ¡°Why did you go to the police station today?¡± Mason¡¯s question caught Le off guard. She blinked, feeling a bit confused. ¡°Hunter¡¯s mother cornered me at the entrancetoday and threw rotten eggs at me. I called the police¡­¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Mason¡¯s face darkened at her words. Le, still quite drunk, continued, ¡°Oh, by the way, Hunter found out that you¡¯re my lover. He threatened me.¡± If it were any other time, Mason would have asked Le what he threatened her with first. But now, he chuckled lightly and said, ¡°Lover?¡± Thinking he didn¡¯t hear clearly, Le repeated, ¡°Hunter found out that you¡¯re my lover, and he threatened me.¡± In any other circumstance, Mason would have first asked what the threat was about, but now he smirked and said, ¡°Lover?¡± Le looked at him. ¡°Not?¡± Mason chuckled suddenly. ¡°If I am, can you afford me?¡± Le looked Mason in the eye and always felt something in his eyespelling her, ¡°Is it expensive?¡± Mason, ¡°You want to know?¡± Le always felt which part was wrong, but she couldn¡¯t react for a while, so she could only remain silent. Mason, holding her waist, pulled her onto hisp. Their eyes met, and Mason¡¯s hand brushed her neck, teasingly pressing down. Le¡¯s nose touched Mason¡¯s. ¡°Mason.¡± Mason lightly pinched her nape. ¡°Why did youe here after finishing college? Are you stupid? A sheep among wolves?¡± Le didn¡¯t understand Mason¡¯s words and just breathed slightly heavier. Seeing this, Mason tilted his head slightly and leaned in to kiss the corner of her lips, then stood up, carrying her towards the sofa¡­ Le¡¯s apartment was small, with only seven or eight steps from the dining table to the sofa. As Mason lifted her, her legs wrapped around his waist, and with each step, their kisses grew deeper. When he set her down on the arm of the sofa, Le¡¯s hands gripped Mason¡¯s cor tightly. Mason leaned in, his hands bracing against her sides, his eyes darkening, but he didn¡¯t kiss her again. His throat moved as he spoke in a low voice, ¡°I won¡¯t take advantage.¡± Le wanted to say something, but in the end, she just pressed her lips together in silence. As adults, they both understood desire without needing to articte it. Seeing Le¡¯s silence, Mason remained patient, content to wait. After a full minute, Le¡¯s dangling foot lightly brushed against Mason¡¯s calf. Mason, patient as ever, murmured, ¡°Hmm?¡± Le¡¯s fingertips tightened on the armrest, an unnamed emotion surging within her along with the heat in her body. Mason lowered his head to lightly suck on her lips, his voice husky as he said, ¡°Are you really drunk or not?¡± With that, he didn¡¯t give Le a chance to reconsider, holding her tightly as they moved together. When Mason¡¯s shirt came off, thest remnants of Le¡¯s intoxication faded awaypletely. As Mason looked into her clear eyes, he lifted her up and carried her back to the bedroom. He mmed the door shut with his foot while they moved to the bed. He kissed her so rough and hard till they copsed on the bed then he took his hand out from her waist and slid it up to her breast and squeezed it hard. She muffled out a moan with her eyes closed. Mason slowly trailed his lips down to her left breast then mouthed her nipple and began suckling it hard. She gasped so deep, feeling his mouth tighten around her nipples. She grasped his hair and pressed his face against her chest while he squeezed and sucked her breast fast and hard. Slowly, he slid his hand across her stomach then reaching into her underwear, downward towards her clit. Le let out a moan and sped her legs as immense pleasure surged through her when his finger suddenly touched her clit and with his hand still in between her thigh, he began to rub her clit in slow circles. ¡°Ahhh¡­ oh my Gosh ¡±Le moaned out as she slid her hand downward and tried to take his hand out. ¡°It¡¯s too much¡­¡±. Her eyes moist in pleasure, ¡°Please stop¡­¡±. She tried to push his hand away. ¡°Say it¡±. Mason ordered as he stopped sucking her and lifted up his head to look at her face. ¡°Say you want me, Le!!!¡± He ordered, with his pace getting faster and faster. ¡°No¡­¡± She retorted as her eyes moist in intense pleasure. she knows that he isn¡¯t going stop until she gives in. ¡°Then I will make you cum in my finger¡± With that, his stroke became faster and faster as her pussy began making soft wet sucking sounds due to his speed. Just like he knew she was over the edge, he pulled his finger out and she screamed out as she finally let go of her orgasm out in a gush of fluid, rolling out of her core and down to the bed. Her legs trembled and she breathed hard due to the force of her climax. she knew she had made a huge mess on the bed but she wasn¡¯t bothered about it. Chapter 31 Crazy Night Mason dipped his hand into his pants and brought out his cock. The head of his cock was swollen and red. He had veins over the length of his cock which showed how hard he was. He took off her underwear, grabbed her thigh then drew her down towards him and spread her legs apart. Then he lowered his hip and directed his cock to her opening. ¡°Fuck¡±. He groaned when he felt her moistness in his tip. He moans slowly while closing his eyes as he slides his cock into her wet soaking core. Le moaned aloud as her tight walls clenched around his hard cock, She could feel every veins and length of his cock, sank into her , inch by inch and it was obvious he was taking it easy to delve into her just to not hurt her. He pressed hard and slide his full length into her core while she quivered below him, ¡°Fuck me hard now!!! I want more¡±. She demanded and he began to rock his hip, slowly sliding his cock in and out of her. Her eyes rolled as he didn¡¯t stop moving his cock inside her, ¡°Please fuck me harder¡±. She begged. Mason groaned as he moved his hip backward then rammed back into her. ¡°YES¡­ YES ¡±, She wrapped her leg around his ass and lifted her hip closer to him to enable him to go deeper. He suddenly slid his hand underneath her and grabbed her ass and pulled her up against him as he began pounding into her hard. ¡­ The next day. After a night of sex, Le found it difficult to even turn over. A hand on her waist pulled her into an embrace, and Mason¡¯s low, maic voice sounded in her ear, ¡°Awake?¡± Hearing Mason¡¯s voice, Le regretted the indulgencest night. As if sensing her thoughts, Mason chuckled softly, teasing, ¡°Are you not going to own up?¡± Le didn¡¯t respond, just closed her still sleepy eyes. Some things couldn¡¯t be said, and some things couldn¡¯t be exined. Just as Le was debating whether to pretend to still be asleep, her phone, ced on the bedside table, suddenly rang. On the other end of the line was Shirley, her voice choked with sobs. ¡°Le.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Shirley, her voice trembling, said, ¡°I messed up again.¡± ¡°Get to the point,¡± Shirley sobbed, ¡°I put Caleb in the hospital, he has a broken bone¡­¡± Le didn¡¯t know how to describe her mind. She hesitated for a few seconds before asking, ¡°What happened exactly?¡± Shirley continued crying, ¡°Can youe to the hospital? The nurse said he¡¯ll wake up in half an hour, I¡¯m scared¡­¡± Shirley¡¯s sobs grew louder as she spoke. Leforted Shirley over the phone for a few moments before hanging up and adjusting her mood to look at the man behind her. Their eyes met, and Mason¡¯s thin lips curved slightly. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± ¡°Aboutst night¡­¡± Le hesitated. Mason finished her sentence, teasing, ¡°Another thanks ? Invite me for dinner another day?¡± Le¡¯s face turned red. She couldn¡¯t say such words cause she wasn¡¯t druggedst night. Le gripped the nket tightly. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, we are both adults. What happnedst night cannot be entirely med on me. We share equal responsibility, so let¡¯s¡­ Let¡¯s forget¡­ about it¡­ ¡± Mason raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°What?¡± Le was already feeling guilty. Hearing Mason¡¯s question, her heart raced a bit faster. She knew that she couldn¡¯t just brush off the situation, but apart from this, she couldn¡¯t think of a better excuse. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, so what do you want to do?¡± Mason¡¯s response was uncertain. ¡°What do I want to do? Can I do whatever I want?¡± Le hesitated to agree. She believed that with Mason¡¯s status, he wouldn¡¯t ask her to do anything extreme, but she still felt uneasy.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Seeing her silence, Mason chuckled lightly and got up to get dressed. Le didn¡¯t expect Mason to suddenly stand up. She saw his muscr back, and the memories ofst night flooded back, making her face instantly flush red¡­ Mason¡¯s voice was deep as he said, ¡°I haven¡¯t figured out what to do about this yet. Consider it a favor you owe me. I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯ve decided how you can repay it.¡± Le couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, this situation is not entirely my fault, so how does it be me owing you a favor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still single at the moment, and you have a boyfriend. In this scenario, who¡¯s at a disadvantage?¡± Le remained silent. If she hadn¡¯t pretended to have a boyfriend in front of Mason yesterday, she wouldn¡¯t be tongue-tied now. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be doing something else? Not getting up?¡± Speaking of doing something else, Le suddenly remembered Caleb, who was hospitalized with a broken bone after Shirley assaulted him. After careful consideration, she decided to tell Mason, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, Mr. Mitchell is at the hospital right now. Do you want to go check on him?¡± Mason fastened his belt and turned around, ¡°Hmm?¡± Hearing the sound of the belt buckle, Le felt relieved and honestly told him, ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure what happened. All I know is that Mr. Mitchell has a broken bone and Shirley was the one who hit him.¡± Mason smiled with interest. Seeing his expression, Le breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Mason would cause trouble for Shirley after learning about the incident, but it seemed that she had overthought it. The friendship between men couldn¡¯t be measured by female standards. Just as Le was thinking this, she heard Mason say, ¡°You¡¯re going to the hospitalter?¡± Le replied truthfully, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside and we¡¯ll go together.¡± When they arrived at the hospital and stepped out of the elevator, they saw Shirley sitting on a bench in the corridor, crying. Tissues stained with tears and snot littered the area around her feet. As soon as Shirley saw Le, she rushed into her arms, crying even louder. ¡°Le, I feel like I¡¯m about to die. Who would¡¯ve thought that the man could be so fragile? I only hit him lightly, and he ended up with a broken bone.¡± Shirley didn¡¯t even notice the person standing behind Le. Le was too busyforting her to remind her. Shirley cried in Le¡¯s arms for a while, continuing toin. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault at all. He insisted on escorting me upstairs, and I thought he had ulterior motives, so I acted. And I really didn¡¯t hit him hard. I just did a light shoulder throw and then gently stepped on his ribs.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry for now. Let¡¯s see how things turn outter.¡± Shirley sniffled and looked up, ¡°We don¡¯t need to wait to see how things turn out. I already have the answer. The nurse told me he¡¯s seriously injured.¡± Le couldn¡¯t help butugh at the situation, although she didn¡¯t want to. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t hit him hard?¡± Seeing Le¡¯s smiling face, Shirley burst intoughter through her tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t hit him hard, but that rich boy is too fragile, I¡­¡± As Shirley was talking, she suddenly noticed Mason behind Le. She paused, and froze. To be honest, Shirley looked pretty pitiful right now. With snot bubbles, tear streaks, and still wearingst night¡¯s outfit, she didn¡¯t resemble a fashion magazine editor at all. Mason averted his gaze and walked towards the ward. Passing by Le, he said, ¡°Give her a wipe.¡± Le couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She took out a pack of tissues from her bag and wiped away Shirley¡¯s tears. ¡°You, you two¡­?¡± Shirley hesitated, insinuating something. Le didn¡¯t know how to exin, so she simply admitted, ¡°Yeah.¡± Shirley¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Chapter 32 Let Mr. Ramirez Help You Le quietly responded, ¡°I didn¡¯t think muchst night, but right now, I¡¯m pretty regretful.¡± ¡°What happened between you two?¡± Shirley asked, feeling confused. Realizing her question wasn¡¯t quite urate, Shirley rephrased it, ¡°What do you think?¡± Le was annoyed by the situation and couldn¡¯t give Shirley a definite answer. She vaguely said, ¡°Let¡¯s take it one step at a time.¡± Shirley worriedly said, ¡°You¡¯re not nning to be with Mason, are you? Have you forgotten what I told you?¡± Le shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have that n.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Mason is the kind of person we can¡¯t afford to mess with.¡± Le nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your situation first.¡± Thinking about her own situation, Shirley couldn¡¯t muster any enthusiasm. She felt like a prisoner on death row, doomed to die. As they were talking, Mason emerged from the ward and said in a low voice, ¡°He¡¯s awake.¡±¡­ Le and Shirley appeared in Caleb¡¯s ward a few minutester. The moment she saw Caleb, Le just couldn¡¯t make the connection between the man in the hospital bed, bandaged up like a mummy, and Caleb, who Shirley had just said was only lightly beaten. Caleb was wrapped up like a mummy, with only his eyes visible. But even from those eyes, his overflowing anger was evident. Shirley met Caleb¡¯s gaze and shrunk back behind Le. Le, ¡°Mr. Mitchell.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Caleb blinked but didn¡¯t speak. Le saw his reaction and tightened her lips, refraining fromughing. Mason nced at Le, walked over to Caleb¡¯s bed, and grabbed a chair to sit down. He casually remarked, ¡°Are you sure you just got beaten up and didn¡¯t get in a car ident?¡± As soon as Mason spoke, the two women in the ward couldn¡¯t hold back and burst intoughter. Caleb blinked, feeling increasingly annoyed. Unable to swear at them, he simply closed his eyes. The more Caleb thought about it, the angrier he became, but he couldn¡¯t vent. All his thoughts boiled down to one word: Damn woman! Seeing Caleb close his eyes, Le turned to Shirley and whispered, ¡°You said it was just a light hit?¡± Shirley replied in an even smaller voice, afraid of Caleb hearing, ¡°It looked serious, but it¡¯s not that bad.¡± Le couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°This isn¡¯t considered serious?¡± Shirley exined, ¡°He wrapped his head because his jaw is dislocated. The nurses were worried he might move around in hisa, so they did that. As for his body, it¡¯s his ribs and shoulder¡­¡± After finishing her exnation, Shirley raised her chin and said, ¡°You only saw the upper body, the lower half under the nket isn¡¯t bandaged, no injuries there.¡± Le was speechless. The two exchanged nces, and Shirley gave Le a pleading look. Le felt embarrassed but also felt sorry for Caleb. After a moment of silence, she sighed softly and walked up to Caleb¡¯s bed, speaking sincerely, ¡°Mr. Mitchell.¡± Caleb kept his eyes closed and didn¡¯t respond. Le knew Shirley was at fault, but she didn¡¯t expect Caleb to respond right away. It wasn¡¯t easy to forgive someone who had caused trouble both during the day and at night. Le continued, ¡°This is indeed Shirley¡¯s fault. She realizes her mistake, and I was wondering if you could¡­ could forgive her again.¡± With that, Le turned her head and gestured to Shirley to apologize. Without dy, Shirley stepped forward and bowed towards Caleb¡¯s bed, ¡°Mr. Mitchell, I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re a big man, please spare me.¡± Caleb, lying on the bed, remained silent as expected, with his eyes closed. After a few seconds, Mason kicked Caleb¡¯s bed with his foot, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Caleb red at him, probably cursing him in his mind. Ignoring Caleb¡¯s reaction, Mason turned to Le, ¡°Your friend has been up all night, take her home to rest.¡± Le understood Mason was giving her a way out, but being wrong meant being wrong. Whether or not Caleb forgave her was Caleb¡¯s business, and whether or not Shirley apologized was Shirley¡¯s business. It¡¯s normal for others not to forgive you if you hurt them. But if you don¡¯t apologize, then that¡¯s your question. Mason saw she was stubborn, leaned back, and said nothing. Caleb impatiently signaled Mason with his eyes. Mason teased, ¡°We¡¯re not that telepathic. I¡¯m afraid I might misunderstand you.¡± Caleb cursed Mason silently in his mind. Mason chuckled, ¡°How about this? If I guess right, you blink twice. If I guess wrong, you blink once. If you agree, blink three times.¡± Caleb, annoyed, blinked three times. Masonughed, ¡°Shall I let them go now?¡± Caleb blinked twice. Mason turned to Le, raising an eyebrow, ¡°Can you go now?¡± Le also noticed Caleb¡¯s reaction. She apologized to him again with Shirley, then took out some cash from her bag and ced it on the bedside table. ¡°Mr. Mitchell, this money may not be enough for the hospital bills, but it¡¯s all I have with me now. Tomorrow, Shirley and I will bring the rest of the money to you.¡± After saying that, she led Shirley out of the room. Once they were out of the room, Shirley could hardly walk. Le stood with her against the hallway wall for a moment. ¡°Your dad shouldn¡¯t have let you learn Taekwondo. He thought you¡¯d be a righteous hero, but instead, you¡¯ve be a bully.¡± ¡°Really, just¡­¡± Shirley¡¯s words trailed off as Le¡¯s phone suddenly buzzed twice. Le took out her phone and nced at it. It was a text from an unknown number: [Prepare fifty thousand, and I¡¯ll tell you about your dad.] Le didn¡¯t need to guess who the sender was. Seeing a hint of mockery on Le¡¯s face, Shirley couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Who¡¯s texting you?¡± Le didn¡¯t hide it and handed her the phone. Shirley took the phone, nced at it, then looked up. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Hunter.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s words, Shirley gritted her teeth. ¡°He even used a different number to text you?¡± Le didn¡¯t mention that Hunter had sent her a dead cat a couple of days ago. ¡°I was nning to deal with him after this, but it seems I can¡¯t wait any longer.¡± ¡°You have to deal with scumbags quickly. What are you waiting for?¡± Seeing Shirley¡¯s reaction, Le couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it¡± Shirley replied without changing her expression, ¡°Let me help you.¡± Le hadn¡¯t really intended for Shirley to help. After dropping Shirley off, Le parked her car on the roadside and called Mr. Brown. When Mr. Brown answered the phone, his tone wasn¡¯t friendly. ¡°Le, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Le could guess how Mr Brown was feeling at the moment, he must have thought she was conspiring with Hunter to lie to him. Le began with sincere apologies, then got straight to the point. ¡°Mr. Brown, I¡¯m calling to let you know that I¡¯m nning to deal with Hunter, and it might involve your wife.¡± Mr. Brown, who initially thought Le and Hunter were on the same side, was skeptical. ¡°You¡¯re going to deal with Hunter?¡± ¡°I know it might sound surprising, but I¡¯ve thought it over and I can¡¯t just let it go.¡± Le didn¡¯t want to go into specifics of what happened, and it seemed he didn¡¯t want to hear them either. ¡°How do you n to deal with him?¡± Le was partially honest. ¡°I may not have much influence, but I¡¯m pretty sure, with your connections, he won¡¯t be able to survive in Neo City. If he can¡¯t stay in Neo City, his only option is to return home. I n to pay a visit to his hometown and let everyone know about his doing in advance.¡± Mr. Brown hadn¡¯t expected Le to have this kind of courage. Nowadays, young women cared a lot about their image, especially someone like Le, who was a leader. Doing something embarrassing like this was something most women wouldn¡¯t dare. After Le spoke, Mr. Brown¡¯s tone carried a hint of amusement. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s embarrassing?¡± Le replied with a smile, ¡°Not at all.¡± She was more worried about having a ticking time bomb like Hunter around than being embarrassed. Le¡¯s confident response prompted Mr. Brown to be honest. ¡°Go ahead with your n. I¡¯ve already instructed thewyers to start divorce proceedings, and we¡¯ll announce the divorce publicly in a couple of days.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Brown, for your understanding. I won¡¯t take up any more of your time.¡± Mr. Brown chuckled before hanging up. ¡°Le, why didn¡¯t you let Mr. Ramirez handle this for you?¡± Chapter 33 Leila’s Revenge Le replied calmly, ¡°My rtionship with Mr. Ramirez isn¡¯t at that level.¡± She couldn¡¯t deny her rtionship with Mason. Many people had seen them together on that business trip, and Mason had even intervened to help her with Mr. Brown. Mr. Brown chuckled knowingly. ¡°I see.¡± After ending the call, Le called thepany to request time off. With everything prepared, she opened the navigation and headed towards Hunter¡¯s hometown. As she drove, Le texted the unknown number Hunter had used: [Do you really have information about my dad?] Hunter replied instantly: [Why would I lie to you?] Le responded: [Okay. But fifty thousand isn¡¯t a small amount. Give me two days to prepare.] Hunter, thinking Le had fallen for his trick, readily agreed: [Sure.] Closing her phone, Le¡¯s expression remained indifferent. Hunter¡¯s hometown was a small county town located several tens of kilometers away from the center of the county. Upon arrival, Le first found a printing shop and had all the scandalous details about Hunter printed,plete with images and text. She then ced these materials in the trunk of her car and went to a small restaurant to have a meal. After replenishing her energy, Le waited until 2 a. m. When she saw that the few households in the vige had all turned off their lights, she took out the printed materials from the trunk and stuffed them into the door cracks of Hunter¡¯s rtives¡¯ homes. With everything done, Le got back into her car and headed back to Neo City. Le thought she had executed her n without anyone noticing, but little did she know that Mason had already received the news. At 2 a. m., Mason, who hadn¡¯t slept either, sat by the hospital bed, peeling an apple for the ¡°disabled¡± Caleb. Caleb¡¯s head was no longer bandaged, so he could speak, but his upper body still couldn¡¯t move freely. ¡°Your woman seems to have quite the ruthless methods. Eye for an eye, huh?¡± Caleb remarked. Mason remained expressionless. ¡°Is it wrong to seek justice? Should she just let others bully her?¡± ¡°Admit it, she¡¯s your woman now?¡± Mason paused his apple peeling. ¡°Someone stabbed you. Do you want to retaliate yourself, or do you want me to do it for you?¡± Mason¡¯s analogy hit close to home, and Caleb took a bite of the apple Mason offered. ¡°I get it.¡± ¡°What do you understand?¡± ¡°I get it. You seem naive, but you¡¯re actually quite cunning.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t Shirley kill you?¡± At the mention of Shirley, Caleb grew furious. ¡°I¡¯d be fine if you didn¡¯t bring her up. The moment you mention her, I can¡¯t help but get angry. ¡± ¡°She¡¯s just too cautious.¡± ¡°Cautious of me? If anything were to happen between us, it would definitely be her forcing on me.¡± Mason teased, ¡°I advise you not to have such dangerous thoughts. Judging by your injuries this time, if she really forced herself on you, you¡¯ll die.¡± Caleb choked at the remark, shivering all over. When Le returned to Neo City, the sky was already bright. After a night of turmoil, she should have been physically and mentally exhausted, but perhaps because she had never done anything like this before, she felt strangely energized. She took a bath, relieving her fatigue, and as she rxed, drowsiness crept in. She fell asleep straight through until the afternoon. When Le woke up, she found over forty missed calls on her phone. Eight of them were from Shirley, while the rest were from Hunter. Le decided to call Shirley back. As soon as Shirley answered, she eagerly asked, ¡°Le, was it you? Did you do it?¡± Still groggy from just waking up, Le replied, ¡°Do what?¡± Shirley eximed, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Hunter got beaten up today. Not only that, he also got fired from his newly hiredpany, and his scandal has spread to all his rtives in his hometown. Tsk tsk tsk, their family¡¯s reputation is in tatters now.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Shirley¡¯s excitement left Le feeling perplexed. She knew about what happened in Hunter¡¯s hometown, but she had no idea about the other two incidents Shirley mentioned. Seeing Le¡¯sck of response, Shirley teasingly said, ¡°Are you so happy that you¡¯re speechless?¡± Le snapped back to reality and asked, ¡°How did you find out about all this?¡± ¡°In this world, there are no secrets that can¡¯t be uncovered. Let me tell you, my cousin, you know him, right? The one who works at The Ramirez Group and is about to be the one impersonated as your boyfriend.¡± Le suppressed augh. ¡°I remember.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s response, Shirley continued, ¡°Hunter has a distant cousin who is interning at The Ramirez Group. It turns out that this girl wanted to join the Ascend Group with Hunter before, but Hunter¡¯s mom bullied her. Now that Hunter¡¯s incident has spread throughout the family, this girl told a few friends about it, and it just so happens that my cousin is one of her close male friends¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a coincidence.¡± ¡°Indeed, truth is stranger than fiction.¡± Le vividly remembered how Hunter looked when she first met him. He was wearing an old yet neatly ironed white shirt and a pair of faded jeans. She never imagined that in just a few years, Hunter would be the person he is today. As Shirley was exining, her office door was knocked. She excused herself and promised to send Le some photos of Hunter¡¯s beatingter. A minuteter, Shirley had already sent the photos. Among the dozens of pictures, Le recognized a familiar face in the seventh one ¨C Daniel. In the photo, Daniel stood at the mouth of an alley, wearing sunsses and covering his mouth with a handkerchief, his expression clearly showing disgust. Le zoomed in on the photo to confirm her suspicions. It was indeed Daniel. Recognizing Daniel and realizing that the alley was in front of her residential area, Le knew that some things were happened when she was out. Le took a sharp breath as she looked at the photo, pondering for a moment before sending a message to Mason: [Did you beat up Hunter?] Mason replied: [Awake?] Le was puzzled by how Mason knew she was sleeping. She was about to ask when his next message came through: [Hungry? Let¡¯s grab dinner together?] Le wanted to confront Mason face to face about this: [Where are you?] Mason replied: [Downstairs, I¡¯m outside your house.] Seeing Mason¡¯s response, Le was momentarily stunned. After a moment, Mason sent a voice message. His deep, maic voice resonated through her phone: ¡°Come to the window and wave to me?¡± Normally, Le wouldn¡¯t listen to Mason¡¯s request to wave to him. But today was different. She had so many questions and needed answers. Le walked to the window and looked down. In the courtyard, Mason, in his blue shirt and suit pants, leaned against the car door, smoking. Perhaps sensing something, as Le looked down, Mason happened to look up. Their eyes met through the window. Le came down to the courtyard about ten minutester. She hadn¡¯t put on makeup, just tied her hair back casually. Mason nced at her, seemingly unconcerned whether she wore makeup or not. He closed his phone, flicked the cigarette ash from his lips, and asked in his deep voice, ¡°What do you feel like eating tonight?¡± Mason¡¯s tone was so familiar as if they were old friends. Le rxed a bit and took a shallow breath before saying, ¡°There¡¯s a noodle shop across the street that¡¯s pretty good.¡± Mason raised an eyebrow. ¡°Noodles?¡± Le replied, ¡°There¡¯s only that noodle shop nearby that tastes good.¡± Mason said, ¡°Can¡¯t we pick a restaurant further away?¡± Le nced at the time. ¡°It¡¯ste, and I still have a project proposal to work on tonight. If we go too far¡­¡± Before Le could finish her sentence, Mason chuckled lightly and got into the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Watching him get into the car, Le spoke up, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, the noodle shop is just across the street. We don¡¯t need to drive.¡± Mason turned back, ¡°Walk there?¡± Le spoke truthfully, ¡°Driving would actually be further.¡± Mason chuckled at her words. ¡°Let¡¯s walk.¡± Five minutester, the two of them appeared in the noodle shop across the street. Mason, who had been smiling just moments ago, now had a serious expression on his face. Le often came here for meals, and the owner recognized her, so he greeted her with a smile. ¡°The usual?¡± ¡°Yeah, but two bowls this time,¡± Le replied. ¡°Sure thing,¡± the owner nodded. After talking to the owner, Le turned to Mason. Upon seeing his expression, she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Mason, not showing any emotion, asked, ¡°Is the treatment at Nova Group that bad?¡± Le understood what he meant, but she didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she grabbed a tissue from the nearby box and began wiping the table. It was evident that Mason wasn¡¯t satisfied with the environment here. After just a couple of wipes, Mason reached out and held her hand, taking the tissue from her. Le withdrew her hand and asked, ¡°Did you send someone to beat up Hunter?¡± Chapter 34 New Boyfriend Mason lowered his head to wipe the stains on the table, not denying it. ¡°Yeah.¡± There was no feud between Mason and Hunter, so his actions were clearly deliberate. ¡°Thank you,¡± Le said. Mason looked up. ¡°So, you invited me for noodles?¡± Le met his gaze, a hint of sincerity in her smile. ¡°Not exactly.¡± Mason¡¯s mood eased slightly. ¡°Then what for?¡± ¡°Regardless of what your intentions are, I just wanted to say thank you,¡± Le replied honestly. Mason tossed the tissue aside and asked with a smile, ¡°What do you think my intentions are?¡± Both of them were adults, and at this point, the meaning was obvious. Le knew it but remained silent. Mason chuckled. ¡°Are you afraid to say it, or do you just not want to face it?¡± As Mason pressed her with his question, Le¡¯s hand, which had been resting on the table, tightened suddenly. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, as you should know, I have a boyfriend. He¡¯s Shirley¡¯s cousin and he loves me very much. I love him too, and I don¡¯t want to do anything to betray him.¡± Mason leaned back, exuding azy, sexy vibe. ¡°You love your boyfriend so much, yet you slept with me?¡± Le hesitated. Loving her boyfriend deeply on one hand, yet turning around and sleeping with another man. It didn¡¯t seem like something a decent woman would do. Just as Le was struggling with how to respond, the noodle shop owner approached with two bowls of noodles. ncing at Mason, the owner asked Le, ¡°Your boyfriend?¡± Le replied, ¡°No, he¡¯s my boss.¡± Although they weren¡¯t from the samepany, they had some interaction in their work, so technically, he was her boss, right? It wasn¡¯t a lie. The owner didn¡¯t seem to believe it. Who would apany a subordinate to a small noodle shop? Especially when this noodle shop was right outside the subordinate¡¯s residential area¡­ Back in the neighborhood, Mason stood at the door and lit a cigarette, taking a few puffs. He looked down at Le and said, ¡°Hunter won¡¯t bother you anymore. Just focus on your work. The past is the past; let it go.¡± Le couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Mason was trying tofort her. She nodded. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason got into his car, while Le headed upstairs. As soon as Le entered her apartment, she received a message from Shirley. It contained three screenshots of chat records. They were chat records from Hunter¡¯s family group chat, probably leaked by his cousin. The first screenshot showed rtives condemning Hunter for bringing shame upon the family and embarrassing them in front of theirmunity. The second screenshot depicted some rtives demanding Hunter to repay money, threatening to report him to the police if he didn¡¯t do so within a week. The third screenshot featured a message from Mrs. Brooks, rebuking those rtives for their ingratitude. After reviewing the screenshots, Shirley sent another message: [It¡¯s almost Friday. Are you nning to bring my cousin back tomorrow night, or Saturday?] Le pondered for a moment. Bringing him back on Saturday morning would be better. Le: [Can we make it Saturday morning at 8?] Shirley: [No problem.] Le: [Please thank your cousin for me.] Shirley replied with a simple ¡°OK.¡± With some rare free time on her hands, Le lounged on the sofa and watch aedy. She hadn¡¯t actually had any project proposals to work on today; that was just an excuse she had given Mason. She didn¡¯t want to spend too much alone time with him. Thinking of Mason, Le suddenly remembered the drunken incident from the other night. She had indeed been a bit tipsy at first, but afterward, she had sobered up¡­ On Saturday morning, Le received a call from Shirley¡¯s cousin, Samuel. They agreed to meet at the entrance of Le¡¯s neighborhood. Samuel, being the gentleman he was, offered to pick her up in his car. Le felt a bit embarrassed to let him drive, so she suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s take my car. Just tell me your address, and I¡¯lle pick you up.¡± ¡°A boyfriend should act like a boyfriend, even if it¡¯s fake. Gotta y the part convincingly,¡± Samuel joked. Le couldn¡¯t refuse anymore and thanked him with a smile. After ending the call with Samuel, Le was about to change clothes when she received a message from Daniel: [Miss Patel, good morning.] Le was taken aback for a moment before replying, [Mr. Daniel, good morning.] Daniel: [Miss Patel, any ns for the weekend?] Le: [Did something happen?] Daniel¡¯s messages seemed a bit odd to Le. She didn¡¯t think they were close enough to inquire about each other¡¯s weekend ns. After sending her reply, Le received an instant response from Daniel: [Nothing special, just curious.] Le: [Going home with my boyfriend to visit my mom.] Le waited for about a minute, confirming that Daniel probably wouldn¡¯t reply anymore, before heading to the bedroom to change clothes. Samuel has a gentle and trustworthy appearance, giving off a sense of reliability. When they met, Samuel extended his hand for a handshake, saying, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Samuel.¡± Le smiled and shook his hand, replying, ¡°I¡¯m Le.¡± Samuel took the luggage from Le¡¯s hand and opened the passenger door for her. As they headed to Yort City, they exchanged basic information. For example, Samuel was the Sales Department Manager at The Ramirez Group, and they also shared details about their family and educational backgrounds. An hourter, they arrived in Yort City, having exchanged quite a bit of information about each other along the way. As they passed by a supermarket, Le suggested stopping to buy something, but Samuel informed her that the gifts were already prepared. Le didn¡¯t like owing favors, especially if it involved someone spending money. Samuel chuckled and exined, ¡°Didn¡¯t Shirley tell you? I go on blind dates every weekend. The first step in a blind date is to give the other person a gift. My mom prepared a bunch for me. She¡¯s more worried that I won¡¯t give them away than anything else.¡± Although Samuel said this, Le still felt ufortable epting his gifts. Sensing her hesitation, Samuel joked, ¡°How about this? If you feel guilty about epting my gifts, next time my parents insist on me bringing a girlfriend home, you can pretend to be my girlfriend.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll prepare the gifts for that asion.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Their conversation continued pleasantly. Le asked, ¡°You¡¯re so outstanding, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult for you to find a girlfriend. Why do you keep going on blind dates?¡± Samuel smiled and replied, ¡°Guess.¡± ¡°Are you gay?¡± Le asked jokingly. Samuel turned his head in mock surprise. ¡°Do I look like a gay man?¡± As they chatted, they arrived at Mrs. Patel¡¯s neighborhood. Samuel had prepared quite a few gifts and even helped Le carry her luggage. Le wanted to carry her luggage herself, but Samuel took a step back and said, ¡°No need. Let me leave a good impression on your mom. If we ever ¡®break up¡¯ in the future, I want her to think it was your fault, not mine.¡± Through their conversation, Le realized that despite Samuel¡¯s more mature appearance, he was actually quite simr to Shirley in character. As they reached the apartment, Le took out her keys to open the door, and Mrs. Patel appeared from the kitchen, wearing an apron. Upon seeing Mrs. Patel, Samuel took the initiative to greet her, saying, ¡°Hello, Auntie. I¡¯m Samuel Garcia.¡± Samuel was friendly and likable, and it didn¡¯t take long for him to be acquainted with Mrs. Patel. Eventually, he even went into the kitchen to help her.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Seeing this, Le took out her phone and sent a message to Shirley: [Your cousin¡¯s amazing, he¡¯s winning my mom over in no time.] Shirley replied: [How about turning this fake rtionship into a real one?] Le: [Not a chance.] ¡­ The harmonious atmospherested until noon. Just as the three were about to eat, someone knocked on the door. When Le opened it and saw who was outside, she was momentarily stunned. Daniel stood at the door, his expression a mix of awkwardness and something else. He gave Le an awkward smile and said, ¡°Miss Patel, do you have a moment? Mr. Ramirez needs to discuss some business with you.¡± Being approached by a client for business matters at her home, and from another city at that, was a first for Le in all her years in the industry. She furrowed her brow slightly. ¡°Now?¡± Chapter 35 An inconsiderate client ¡°Yes, now,¡± Daniel confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s a bit urgent.¡± Le inquired further, ¡°Is Mr. Ramirez downstairs?¡± ¡°Yes, he is. It¡¯s quite urgent,¡± Daniel reiterated. After a brief pause of consideration, Le replied, ¡°Okay, Mr. Daniel, please wait a moment. Let me inform my family.¡± With an apologetic smile towards Daniel, Le turned and headed back into the room. Mrs. Patel was curious. ¡°Who was it?¡± she asked. Le told her the truth. ¡°It¡¯s a partnerpany. There¡¯s an issue with the project we¡¯re working on, and they need me to go out for a bit.¡± Turning to Samuel, Le assured him, ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Samuel understood. Perhaps to appear more genuine in front of Mrs. Patel, he even got up to escort Le out. Taking advantage of the moment, Le whispered to him, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll have to leave you alone with my mom for a while.¡± Samuel whispered back, ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t worry.¡± As they approached the door, Samuel was taken aback when he saw it was Daniel. ¡°Mr. Daniel.¡± Seeing Samuel here, Daniel was equally surprised. ¡°Manager Garcia?¡± ¡°Is there an issue with the project?¡± Samuel asked. They knew each other when they first joined The Ramirez Group, they even interned in a department for a few days. Daniel, maintaining hisposure, replied with a smile, ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a small problem.¡± After exchanging a few pleasantries, Le descended the stairs with Daniel. Thinking about his task, Daniel plucked up the courage to ask, ¡°Is Miss Patel dating Manager Garcia?¡± Faced with Daniel¡¯s question, Le pondered for a moment. ¡°Yeah,¡± she finally replied. Daniel smiled and remarked, ¡°He¡¯s a good guy. Knowledgeable, assertive, and humorous.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Le thought back to her earlier misconception about him being gay and couldn¡¯t help butugh. Observing Le¡¯s genuine smile, Daniel felt sorry for his boss. It seemed he had no chance. As they approached the car, Daniel opened the door for Le and waited outside himself. Le bent down and got into the car. Today, Mason was not dressed in his usual formal attire but instead wore casual clothes, giving off a more rxed vibe. Le sat inside the car and turned to him, asking, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, is there an issue with the project?¡± Mason tapped his fingers on the armrest before replying, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Le inquired further. Mason pinched his nose slightly. ¡°The wound behind me has scabbed over, and it¡¯s itchy. But I can¡¯t scratch it, or it¡¯ll start bleeding again.¡± Le looked puzzled by his response. Mason asked casually, ¡°What do you do when you want to touch something you know you shouldn¡¯t?¡± Mason used a metaphor.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Le took a shallow breath, afraid of either overthinking or underthinking the situation. ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s best not to touch something you know you shouldn¡¯t. Knowing what is wrong and still doing is not bravery; it¡¯s utter foolishness.¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to advise me,¡± Mason noted. ¡°Yes,¡± Le confirmed. ¡°What if I don¡¯t take your advice?¡± ¡°Mr. Ramirez, you are not a foolish person.¡± ¡°Correct, I¡¯m not foolish.¡± After Mason¡¯s statement, the car fell into a brief silence. After the silence, Mason said, ¡°I need you to revise the project proposal we discussed a few days ago.¡± ¡°How do you want it revised?¡± Le asked. ¡°Some minor adjustments, make it more detailed. For example, your feasibility n looks fine on the surface, but it¡¯s full of loopholes.¡± Le pondered. Mason¡¯s proposed changes were ambiguous. ¨C We need it to be more stylish. ¨C We need a bit more substance. ¨C We need to elevate the style. Did he make requests? Yes. Did he ask what requests specifically? Nothing. ¡°Okay, when do you need the revised proposal?¡± Le inquired. Mason looked at her intently and asked in a deep voice, ¡°When is the earliest you can get it done?¡± ¡°By next Monday?¡± Le suggested. Mason frowned. ¡°Too slow.¡± Le tried again, ¡°How about tomorrow night?¡± ¡°Why not tonight?¡± Mason challenged. Le hesitated. Le asked herself honestly; she wasn¡¯t someone who would maliciously specte about others¡¯ intentions. But right now, she was certain that Mason was deliberately picking a fight. ¡°Is it difficult?¡± Mason pressed. ¡°Not difficult,¡± Le responded. The challenge wasn¡¯t the revision itself, but the tight deadline. But she couldn¡¯t say that directly to Mason. When Le got out of Mason¡¯s car, her expression was grim. A few minutester, Daniel returned to the car. He thought for a moment and decided to truthfully disclose the information he had gathered. ¡°Boss, I just ran into Samuel Garcia at Miss Patel¡¯s house.¡± Samuel. Shirley. Le mentioned that her new boyfriend is Shirley¡¯s cousin. Mason¡¯s face darkened as he asked, ¡°The Samuel who joined thepany with you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are they dating?¡± ¡°They should be,¡± Daniel replied. Mason sneered, ¡°Should be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. When I was leaving the house just now, I asked Miss Patel if she was dating Samuel, and she said yes. And¡­¡± ¡°And what?¡± Daniel paused, hesitant to continue. Mason pressed, ¡°And what?¡± Faced with Mason¡¯s interrogation, Daniel regretted being too talkative a moment ago. ¡°And I¡¯ve known Miss Patel for a long time, but it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen her show such a girlish attitude when talking about someone. I think Miss Patel must really like Samuel.¡± Daniel said everything he wanted to say in one go, then mped his mouth shut. Meanwhile, back at home, Le had a quick meal and then immersed herself in work. There wasn¡¯t much to revise in the project proposal; it was just Mason nitpicking. But the less there was to revise, the more mentally taxing it became because you couldn¡¯t find any faults. Le worked on the project proposal in her room while Samuel chatted with Mrs. Patel in the living room. They seemed to be having a good conversation, as Mrs. Patelughed heartily. Le had to admit that Samuel was quite skilled in charming the elders. At three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Samuel walked in and asked in a low voice, ¡°Are we still going back?¡± Le pointed to theputer screen and said truthfully, ¡°Not finished with the revisions yet. It needs to be submitted tonight.¡± Samuelmented sympathetically, ¡°I feel for you.¡± Le didn¡¯t know when she would finish the project proposal, and she couldn¡¯t afford to spend time on the road. She apologized, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back first?¡± Samuel smiled, ¡°I¡¯m not really in a rush to go back. Mainly, I¡¯m afraid if it gets toote, your mom will insist I stay over. Then¡­¡± There were only two bedrooms here. If Mrs. Patel asked them to share a room¡­ Le understood what Samuel meant. She reluctantly said, ¡°Indeed. Looks like you should go back first.¡± Samuel agreed, ¡°Alright. If you need, I¡¯ll be staying at a hotel nearby. I¡¯ll take you back tomorrow.¡± Le didn¡¯t want Samuel to stay another night because of her, so she quickly declined, ¡°No need. I¡¯ll take a taxi back tomorrow. You¡¯ve already been a big help today.¡± Seeing that Le was genuinely refusing, Samuel didn¡¯t insist on making things difficult for her. ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing off Samuel, Le went back to her room to continue working. Mrs. Patel walked in with a fruit tter and remarked, ¡°What kind of client bothers you to revise a project proposal on a big weekend like this?¡± Le took a bite of an apple and replied casually, ¡°An inconsiderate client.¡± As the sun set, Le¡¯s room was bathed in warm light. They sat there, Le working while Mrs. Patel silently apanied her. Le worked on the project proposal until 8 p. m. When she finished and sent the revised proposal to Mason¡¯s email, she looked up to see Mrs. Patel staring at her intently. ¡°What are you looking at, Mom?¡± Le asked. Mrs. Patel reached out to touch Le¡¯s head. ¡°Nothing. Just feeling that my Le has grown up.¡± Le smiled. ¡°Am I pretty?¡± Mrs. Patel smiled back lovingly. ¡°Very.¡± Le chuckled. ¡°Then wait until I¡­¡± Before Le could finish her sentence, Mrs. Patel suddenly turned pale and bent over, copsing to the floor. Le quickly rushed to her side, ¡°Mom!¡± Chapter 36 Uremia Mrs. Patel forced a smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just ate too much at lunch. I¡¯ll take some medicine.¡± As she tried to reassure Le, she suddenly began vomiting. Le panicked, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Seeing Le¡¯s panic, Mrs. Patel grabbed her hand and tried to say something, but before she could, she passed out. Le looked at her mother, now unconscious in her arms. After a moment of confusion, she forced herself to stay calm and called emergency services. After making the call, Le realized they were in an old-style apartmentplex. Worried that a stretcher might not fit in the narrow hallway, she fought back tears and ran out to ask the neighbor next door for help. ¡°Auntie, are you home?¡± Le kept calling out, tears streaming down her face uncontrobly. As she called out, she heard a familiar deep voice from downstairs, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Le turned around to see Mason looking at her with deep concern. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡± The only reason Mason came up was because Le didn¡¯t answer the phone. He had no idea Samuel had left. Fueled by Daniel¡¯s gossip, he imagined a romantic scenario out of thin air. He couldn¡¯t take it anymore and was ready toe upstairs to her. He regretteding up the stairs the moment he did, but he couldn¡¯t control his legs. Then, he heard Le crying. The two of them, one looking up, the other looking down, faced each other in the dimly lit stairwell. Le¡¯s eyes were red from crying too hard, even her nose was red. Seeing her silent, Mason frowned, ¡°Speak.¡± Le¡¯s mind was in chaos. ¡°My mom fainted. I called an ambnce. But the stairs in the hallway are too narrow. I¡¯m worried the stretcher won¡¯t be able toe up. I¡­¡± Before Le could finish her sentence, Mason strode up the stairs under her gaze. ¡°Take me in.¡± They returned home. Mason squatted down to lift Mrs. Patel, then stood up and turned to Le. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Daniel is downstairs.¡± With that, Mason took the lead. Twenty minutester, they arrived at the hospital. From entering the emergency room topleting the admission procedures, Mason personally handled everything. After everything was done, he arranged for Daniel to buy the necessary items for the hospital stay. Le stayed in the emergency room with Mrs. Patel for the examination. The doctor examined and made a phone call, ¡°Dr. Hans, did you receive a patient named Dasha Gng before?¡± Le couldn¡¯t hear the other end of the conversation, but she saw the emergency room doctor¡¯s face darken more and more. ¡°Yes, the patient is in the emergency room now. Come over.¡± After hanging up the phone, the doctor looked at Le. ¡°Your mother has been admitted to our hospital before. She has her own long-term attending physician. I¡¯ve contacted him, and he¡¯s on his way.¡± Le felt a surge of unease. ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s wrong with my mom?¡± Seeing her alone, the doctor couldn¡¯t bear to tell her the truth. ¡°Wait until Dr. Hans arrives. He will tell you about the patient¡¯s condition in detail.¡± Mrs. Patel¡¯s sudden illness caught Lepletely off guard. Not only was she emotionally unprepared, but she also wasn¡¯t financially prepared. Most of the money she earned over the years went to paying off debts, and what was left was barely enough to cover her and Mrs. Patel¡¯s daily expenses. It wasn¡¯t that shecked crisis awareness, but the debts were too much, and she wanted to pay them off as soon as possible. Mason and the Dr. Hans almost entered the room at the same time. Mason walked to Le¡¯s side with the paperwork, while Dr. Hans went to check Mrs. Patel¡¯s condition. A few minutester, Dr. Hans took off his stethoscope and looked at Le. ¡°You¡¯re Ms. Gng¡¯s daughter?¡± Le replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Dr. Hans smiled wryly, ¡°Seeing is believing.¡± Dr. Hans¡¯s remark was mocking Le. ¡°Dr. Hans, what¡¯s wrong with my mom?¡± ¡°You¡¯re her daughter, and you don¡¯t even know what illness your mother has?¡± Le was about to exin when Mason interjected coldly, ¡°As a doctor, you can¡¯t even adhere to basic professional ethics. Is it a problem with the overall professionalism of your hospital¡¯s doctors, or is it a personal issue with your professional ethics?¡± Mason¡¯s aura was imposing, especially when he wasn¡¯t smiling, it made people around him involuntarily feel intimidated. Dr. Hans looked up, about to get angry, but was pulled back by the older doctor behind him. ¡°Dr. Hans.¡± Taking a deep breath, Dr. Hans steadied his emotions and said, ¡°She has uremia and needs surgery urgently.¡± Upon hearing Dr. Hans¡¯s words, Le¡¯s mind went nk. She felt dizzy, almost unable to stand steadily. Fortunately, Mason was right behind her. He reached out and supported her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t panic.¡± Le didn¡¯t know how to describe her current feelings. She wasn¡¯t the type to give up easily when faced with difficulties, but at this moment, she suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness. It was the kind of feeling that no matter how hard you tried, how much you progressed, you couldn¡¯t resist the powerlessness of fate. The doctor¡¯s words made Le feel like her efforts over the years were a joke. She had been striving to live, giving her all to live, but in the end, she was repeatedly defeated by fate. Dr. Hans had originally thought that Le was someone who didn¡¯t care for her elders, but now, looking at her pale face, he suddenly understood something. Compared to Le, Mason was much calmer. He supported Le¡¯s waist and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Is it in the early stage orte stage?¡± Dr. Hans felt somewhat guilty for embarrassing Le without understanding the situation. ¡°Early stage.¡± Mason asked, ¡°What¡¯s the survival rate?¡± Dr. Hans replied, ¡°Around ten percent.¡± Ten percent, a slim chance. There was silence for a moment before Dr. Hans continued, ¡°The most important issue now is not the survival rate, but the issue of kidney source. A few days ago, there was a matched kidney source, but Ms. Gng refused the surgery.¡± Le couldn¡¯t help but tremble, and Mason¡¯s hand around her waist tightened slightly, as if tofort her. ¡°I¡¯ll figure out the kidney source issue.¡± Le pursed her lips and didn¡¯t respond. Until Mrs. Patel was settled in the hospital room, Le didn¡¯t say another word. When Daniel entered the hospital room with bags of supplies, Mason was standing by the French windows, making a phone call. Mason¡¯s voice was low and deep, ¡°Yeah, as soon as possible.¡± As Daniel ced the items down and approached, he spoke softly to Mason, ¡°Boss, all the supplies have been bought.¡± Mason ended the call just in time and turned to Daniel, ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing, sir. Your grandfather wants you toe back. Miss Powers is causing a scene,¡± Daniel continued, expressing his concern. Mason casually closed his phone, his expression unchanged, ¡°Let her be.¡± Daniel still had his reservations, ¡°But sir, the old¡­¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Mason diverted the topic dispassionately, ¡°Go hire a caregiver, find someone experienced, preferably with over ten years of nursing experience.¡± Daniel sensed that Mason wasn¡¯t concerned about Miss Powers at all. He sighed inwardly, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go handle it right away.¡± As Daniel left once again, the hospital room was left with only Mason and Le. Mason walked over to her and pulled up a chair, sitting down beside her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked. Le nodded, ¡°I¡¯m much better now.¡± After a moment of silence, Le looked up at Mason and said, ¡°Thank you for today.¡± Normally, Mason would have seized the opportunity to tease her, but not today. He simply nodded, ¡°You¡¯re wee. Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± Thinking he wanted to discuss work, Le mentioned, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent the revised proposal to your email.¡± Mason nced down at her, not arguing. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen it. Well done. It¡¯s approved. What I wanted to say is, I¡¯ve already arranged to find a kidney source. We should have an answer within a week.¡± Le didn¡¯t expect Mason to bring this up again. She thought his reassurance in the emergency room was just a casual remark. Clenching her hands on herp, she said, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, what do you want from me?¡± Chapter 37 Employee or mistress? Le didn¡¯t believe he would be so kind to her without reason. ¡°I want you to work for me. That¡¯s the rewards,¡± Mason replied straightforwardly. Le¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise at his response. Mason noticed her reaction but pretended not to. He took out a cigarette from his pocket, tapped it lightly, nced at Mrs. Patel lying on the bed, and then quietly put it away. ¡°I prefer having a reliable right-hand person by my side over femalepanionship.¡± Though his actions werezy, his words were serious and business-like.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Le stared at him, trying to find any ws in his expression. Mason reclined in the chair, holding the cigarette, and let her look as much as she wanted. After a while, Le said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°Le, life needs cracks for light to shine through. You don¡¯t have to be so wary of me. I may not be a gentleman, but I¡¯m not a viin either.¡± Mason paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°The Ramirez Group has been wanting to invest in real estate for the past two years, but I¡¯ve beencking a reliable person by my side.¡± Le remained silent. Mason smiled and added, ¡°Between women and power, I prefer thetter.¡± Seeing the atmosphere in the hospital room bing tense again, Mason stood up and said in a deep voice, ¡°Take your time to consider. No rush.¡± With that, Mason left the room. As the door closed with a ¡®bang¡¯, Le¡¯s eyes became red with tears. As Mason exited the hospital room, he collided with Daniel, who had just arranged for a caregiver. Daniel reported back to Mason, ¡°I found one who meets all the requirements you mentioned.¡± With the tip of his cigarette between his lips, Mason replied, ¡°Let her give it a try.¡± Daniel asked, ¡°Should she start today?¡± Mason grunted in agreement. Then, as if remembering something, he furrowed his brow and said, ¡°When Le mentions wanting to find a caregiver, introduce this person to her.¡± Daniel nodded, ¡°Got it.¡± Mason inquired further, ¡°How much is the sry?¡± Daniel replied, ¡°Five hundred a day.¡± Mason nodded and took a drag of his cigarette, ¡°Make sure to exin to the caregiver that I¡¯ll give her a three hundred subsidy per day, but she should tell Le it¡¯s only two hundred.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Daniel responded. Daniel was deeply moved. After following Mason for so long, this was the first time he had seen this caring side of him. After dealing with the caregiver arrangements, Mason briefed Daniel on his ns to recruit Le for The Ramirez Group. Listening intently, Daniel felt increasingly convinced of Mason¡¯s unusual feelings towards Le. If he had any doubts before, they were confirmed tonight. Daniel couldn¡¯t quite describe his current feelings. He couldn¡¯t help but feel sympathetic towards his boss¡­ Mrs. Patel woke up in the early hours of the morning. Looking at Le sitting by her bedside, she spoke softly, ¡°Le¡­¡± Le hadn¡¯t slept, just lost in thought. Hearing Mrs. Patel¡¯s voice, she snapped out of it and gently held her hand, asking, ¡°Mom, how are you feeling?¡± Mrs. Patel shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Le had cried all night, but now she waspletely calm. Forcing a smile, she reassured Mrs. Patel, ¡°Mom, I just asked Dr. Hans, and he said your condition isn¡¯t serious. It¡¯s treatable.¡± Mrs. Patel teared up, ¡°Le, I can¡¯t be a burden to you anymore. If it wasn¡¯t for your father, if it wasn¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have to live like this.¡± After a moment, Mrs. Patel grasped Le¡¯s hand tightly and said, ¡°Le, listen to me about this. I won¡¯t seek treatment for this illness. You keep the money and live your life well. You¡­¡± Mrs. Patel¡¯s words were cut off by Le¡¯s tearful voice, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re my only family in this world. Have you ever thought about what would happen to me if you pass away?¡± Mrs. Patel fell silent. It was 2 a. m. when Mason finished his work and stepped out of the bathroom after taking a cold shower, the doorbell ringing. Seeing who it was, he raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Le looked up at him, her eyes slightly red. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I just want to confirm something with you. Are you intending to sponsor me, or are you considering hiring me?¡± They locked eyes, water droplets from his just-washed hair dripping down. Mason didn¡¯t answer directly. Instead, he countered, ¡°Do you want to be an employee or a mistress??¡± ¡°Employee.¡± ¡°Then employee it is.¡± Tonight, Yort city was hit by a heavy rainstorm, with loud thunder andrge raindrops. Mason didn¡¯t know how Le had made her way here, but she was already quite wet. Upon hearing Mason¡¯s decision to hire her, Le bowed in gratitude and turn to leave. Mason reached out, grasping her wrist. ¡°Did you drive here?¡± Le answered truthfully, ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drive you,¡± Mason said. With that, he turned and headed back to the bedroom to change clothes. After about five minutes, Mason emerged from the bedroom in a suit, carrying an extra suit jacket. He strode out of the door, tossing the spare jacket to Le. Le instinctively caught it. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I feel that considering our superior-subordinate rtionship, your behavior is a bit inappropriate.¡± Mason stopped in his tracks and turned back. ¡°Considering our superior-subordinate rtionship, I think your way of speaking is a bit inappropriate.¡± Le apologised, and Mason was already striding forward again. A few minutester, Le sat in the passenger seat, with Mason¡¯s spare jacket to keep warm. Mason turned on the car¡¯s air conditioning and yed a soothing music track. As they arrived at the hospital, Mason leaned against the steering wheel, lit a cigarette, and spoke in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a week off and help with the handover.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Le responded. ¡°I¡¯m a businessman. I don¡¯t make bad deals. Show me your sincerity,¡± Mason said, his tone as indifferent as his expression. But the more indifferent he seemed, the more reassured Le felt. Mason watched her enter the lobby through the car window before driving off,pletely unaware that a woman wearing sunsses and a ck coat had captured a photo of him and Le in the corner of the parking lot. ¡°Jennifer, is that Mason? What¡¯s he doing in Yort city?¡± ¡°I saw a woman getting out of his car. At this hour, probably spent the night, huh?¡± ¡­ On the other side, as Le stepped out of the elevator, she locked eyes with Daniel, who was sitting on a bench in the hallway, eating instant noodles. Daniel quickly swallowed his mouthful of noodles and greeted Le, ¡°Miss Patel.¡± Le apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Daniel. You¡¯ve helped me so much today, and I didn¡¯t even manage to get you a proper dinner.¡± Daniel smiled and replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I travel a lot, so it ismon for me.¡± Then, Daniel asked Le, ¡°Is your mom doing okay?¡± Le nodded, ¡°She¡¯s okay.¡± Daniel reassured her, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much. Mr. Ramirez said he¡¯ll help find a kidney donor, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± Lemented, ¡°He¡¯s very kind.¡± Daniel replied casually, ¡°Yes, Mr. Ramirez has always been good.¡± Le suggested that Daniel go back to the hotel to rest. Daniel took the opportunity to propose, ¡°Your mom seems like she¡¯ll need to stay in the hospital for a while longer, and you can¡¯t be with her every day. Have you thought about hiring a caregiver?¡± This suggestion hit close to home for Le. She admitted honestly, ¡°I have considered it, but I¡¯m not sure about the sry.¡± She had heard that caregivers in hospitals charged high fees. With her mom in the hospital needing surgery, she needed to budget every penny carefully. Daniel added, ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, but today I saw a caregiver at the nursing station asking the nurses to help find work for her. It seems like the sry is around two hundred a day.¡± ¡°Two hundred a day?¡± ¡°Yeah, if you need it, I can ask about it tomorrow.¡± Le expressed her gratitude, ¡°That would be great. Thank you.¡± Daniel replied, ¡°No problem.¡± Le returned to the hospital room, while Daniel took out his phone to send a message to Mason: [Boss, mission aplished.] Mason replied: [Well done.] Chapter 38 If she failed, she’d be out Over the next week, Mason didn¡¯t visit the hospital or contact Le. In contrast, Daniel came to the hospital every day. Le thought he was just being kind-hearted, and over time, they started to get along pretty well. That evening, when Daniel left, Le personally apanied him downstairs to thank him for his help over the past week.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Let me treat you to a meal sometime.¡± Daniel didn¡¯t dare to refuse but also didn¡¯t dare to ept outright. He responded vaguely, ¡°I¡¯ve taken a week off, but when I go back, I¡¯ll probably have a mountain of work waiting for me.¡± Le understood, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll see then.¡± After seeing Daniel off, Le took the elevator back upstairs. When she walked to the door of the ward she suddenly thought of something and took out her mobile phone to send a message to Daniel: [Mr Daniel, I just forgot to ask you. What kind of food do you like? ¡®Daniel¡¯: [????] Le: [When I get back to Neo City, I can make it for you and bring it to the office.] At that moment, Daniel was on his way back to the hotel, unaware that danger was slowly closing in. Just as he stepped out of the car, his phone buzzed. Mason: [Le asked what dishes you like. She¡¯ll make it for you and bring it to the office when she returns to Neo City.] Daniel was scared and dialed Mason¡¯s number directly. ¡°Boss, please let me exin.¡± Mason chuckled coldly, ¡°Go ahead, let me know your excuses.¡± Daniel hurriedly continued, ¡°Boss, I swear I have absolutely no inappropriate thoughts about Miss Patel.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Boss, Miss Patel is a good woman.¡± Mason¡¯s voice turned icy, ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Boss, Miss Patel has a good rtionship with Samuel. I believe that interfering in someone else¡¯s rtionship is morally wrong.¡± Mason chuckled in disbelief, ¡°Well, well. Daniel, you¡¯ve only been there for a short week, while you¡¯re getting bolder.¡± Hanging up the call, Mason impatiently tugged at his tie and tossed his phone onto the coffee table. After a moment, he leaned down to pick up the phone and replied to Le¡¯s message: [Thanks, but don¡¯t bother.] Le: [I just want to thank you for all your help this week.] Mason: [I heard from Mr. Ramirez that a kidney donor has been found. Aren¡¯t you going to thank him?] Le: [I do want to thank him. I¡¯m prepared to work hard to repay Mr. Ramirez.] Seeing Le¡¯s message, Mason got anger. Her way of thanking Daniel was by cooking for him, and her way of thanking Mason was by working hard? Seeing that he didn¡¯t respond, Le sent another message: [No rush, take your time to think about it. Thank you again for all your help this week.] Mason¡¯s slender fingers typed out a response on the screen, but then he deleted it all and replied with just one word: ¡°Hmm.¡± After finishing the text exchange with ¡®Daniel¡¯, Le returned to the hospital room to chat with Mrs. Patel. Mrs. Patel gently stroked her hair and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear. I¡¯ll listen to the doctor and cooperate with the treatment.¡± ¡°Mom, you¡¯re my entire emotional support. You have to be well.¡± Le nestled against Mrs. Patel¡¯sp and muttered. After this experience, Mrs. Patel had alsoe to realize many things. She couldn¡¯t stubbornly love Le in the way she thought was best. ¡°Hmm, I will.¡± The next day, Le went to Neo City early in the morning. She first went to Nova Group for handover and then reported to work at The Ramirez Group. Perhaps due to Mason¡¯s prior notice, everything went smoothly and efficiently. Once all the formalities were done, Le was escorted to the project department by someone from HR. Her position remained the same, still the project manager. As soon as Le entered the office, she received an internal call from Mason. ¡°Le,e to my office.¡± ¡°Sure, Mr. Ramirez.¡± She took the elevator straight to the top floor, and as soon as she stepped out, she saw Daniel leading a group of executives, all with troubled expressions, standing in the hallway. Passing by Daniel, she heard him mutter softly, ¡°The old Mr. Ramirez is in there, be careful.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez? Mason¡¯s grandfather? Le hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at Daniel. Seeing her confusion, Daniel lowered his voice to exin, ¡°Mr. Ramirez¡¯s grandfather.¡± Le asked, ¡°Is he waiting for me?¡± With so many people around, Daniel couldn¡¯t speak directly. Instead, he blinked at her a few times urgently. Le understood and realized that this wasn¡¯t the ce for conversation. She nodded subtly and raised her hand to knock on the door. After hearing a e in¡¯ from inside, she pushed the door open and entered. Mason¡¯s office was decorated mainly in shades of brown, not overly dull but not lively either. ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason, sitting in his chair, looked slightly solemn. ¡°Have you heard of the Premier Construction project?¡± ¡°Yes, I have.¡± ¡°What are your thoughts on this project?¡± Le calmly replied, ¡°The investor behind Premier Construction is a foreignpany. They initially intended to develop the project into a water park. However, afterpleting the foundation, they found it unsuitable and decided to turn it into an amusement park instead. But halfway through construction, the permits were not approved, and the project ended up being a mess with no way to wrap it up.¡± Mason asked, ¡°Do you think this project is worth investing in?¡± Le pondered for about ten seconds before responding, ¡°It depends.¡± Mason remained expressionless, tilting his chin slightly to indicate that she should continue. ¡°If it¡¯s for equity investment, it¡¯spletely unnecessary. There are too many decision-makers involved, and the drawbacks outweigh the benefits, leading to endless troubles. However, if it¡¯s for acquiring the project at a price lower than 35% of the market value, it might be worth considering.¡± Le locked eyes with Mason across the desk, providing a well-reasoned analysis of the situation. Mason listened to her analysis whilezily tapping his slender fingers on the armrest of his chair. ¡°Do you think Premier Construction would be willing to transfer the project at a price lower than 35% of the market value?¡± Le spoke honestly, ¡°It¡¯s unlikely.¡± Mason inquired further, ¡°Is there a way?¡± Le considered for a moment before responding, ¡°There¡¯s a 40% chance.¡± ¡°Only 40% chance?¡± Le remainedposed, ¡°I don¡¯t want to overpromise.¡± As a neer, if she were to boast about being able to handle this project and it ended in failure, her future at The Ramirez Group would be difficult. Mason stared at her for a while, then shifted his gaze to the old Mr. Ramirez sitting on the sofa. ¡°Grandfather.¡± Since entering the office, Le had noticed the elderly man sitting on the sofa. He held a cane with an eagle carved on the armrest. Le didn¡¯t intend to scrutinize the old Mr. Ramirez, but his gaze fell squarely on her, scrutinizing her. After a while, the old Mr. Ramirez said something unrted to the Premier Construction project, ¡°He went to Yort Cityst week because of you?¡± Le knew what he was asking and replied frankly, ¡°Yes, at that time, I was still at Nova Group. There was an issue with a project Mr. Ramirez was coborating on, and he asked me to revise the proposal.¡± ¡°Just because of the project?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez sneered as he leaned on his cane and turned to Mason. ¡°Since you think she¡¯s capable, let her handle this project. If she seeds, she stays at The Ramirez Group. If not¡­¡± Le wasn¡¯t foolish; she could tell he meant if she failed, she¡¯d be out. Mason tapped his fingers on the armrest of his chair. ¡°If she seeds, is staying at The Ramirez Group the only reward?¡± Chapter 39 The kidney donor has been found The old Mr. Ramirez asked, ¡°What do you propose?¡± Mason replied, ¡°Reward and punishment. If she seeds, give her a 1%mission on the project.¡± A project worth three billion, one percent is three million. Le trembled slightly as she raised eyes. Without looking at her, Mason smiled slyly at his grandfather. ¡°What do you think, Grandfather?¡± The grandfather and grandson faced each other in silence. Seeing this, Le realized: these two don¡¯t get along. Just as Le worried they might have a falling out on the spot, the old Mr. Ramirez, in a cold and solemn tone, spoke, ¡°Alright, do as you suggested.¡± Mason turned to Le. ¡°Miss Patel, did you hear that? It¡¯s either three million as a bonus or packing up and leaving. It all depends on whether you can negotiate the Premier Construction project.¡± Le couldn¡¯t argue; she could only obediently respond, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡­ Le sat at her desk, sipping her coffee and delving into the Premier Construction project files. The more she delved, the more she fretted. Indeed, there are no free lunches in the world. Do well, get three million, which would not only cover Mrs. Patel¡¯s surgery costs but also pay off some of the debts. Fail¡­ no, she would definitely seed. ¡­ CEO¡¯s office. Mason leaned back in his chair, sipping tea as he made a phone call. ¡°I can¡¯t handle this personally. Can you find out some information from Premier Construction?¡± Caleb teased over the phone, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t like meddling?¡± Mason remainedposed. ¡°Tonight, why don¡¯t you take the CEO of Premier Construction out for dinner and gather some information?¡± Mason¡¯s words turned so quickly that Caleb didn¡¯t react for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll help with it directly?¡± Mason, ¡°No, you just need to directly intervene; just find out. She has the ability to handle it herself.¡± Mason toyed with the idea, his fingers tapping on the tea cup. ¡°As the saying goes, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.¡± Caleb paused for a moment before scoffing, ¡°Sneaky.¡± Mason said, ¡°After you gather the information, don¡¯t tell her directly. Find a way to have Shirley ry it.¡± ¡­ For Le, apart from the mess with Premier Construction, there¡¯s also the mess left behind by the previous project manager. The assistant, Joshua, is a man in his early thirties, rumored to be the right-hand man of the previous project manager. He sees Le swamped with work and deliberately brings her another pile of documents to bother her. Le didn¡¯t realize he was intentionally making things difficult until he said all these documents must be resolved before the end of the day. ¡°Miss Patel, these are all lingering issues that have been dragging on for too long. They must be resolved before the end of the day, or else I won¡¯t be able to exin to the boss.¡± Le looked at the stack of files on the desk and raised her head. ¡°They must be resolved today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Le nced at him, stood up, walked to the water cooler, poured herself a ss of water, took a sip, and asked with her back to him, ¡°Did the previous project manager get promoted or resign?¡± Joshua didn¡¯t understand the significance of Le¡¯s question and answered truthfully, ¡°Resigned.¡± Le didn¡¯t ask about the reason for the previous manager¡¯s resignation. She turned around, lightly smiling, and said, ¡°When did heplete the resignation procedures?¡± ¡°Yesterday.¡± Le nodded slightly with the ss in her hand. ¡°Hepleted the resignation procedures yesterday, but the files you brought me, the oldest ones have been piled up for over three months. Joshua, are you joking with me or trying to test my capabilities?¡± Le was straightforward. Joshua¡¯s face turned red, and he hurriedly exined, ¡°No, Miss Patel, you¡¯ve misunderstood me. These files have indeed been piled up for over three months, but I absolutely didn¡¯t mean to test you. I¡­¡± Seeing him still trying to make excuses, Le raised her hand in a calming gesture. ¡°No need to exin. I¡¯ve been in this industry for a while.¡± The assistant faltered. Le walked back to her desk with the ss, sat down, and pushed the files forward. ¡°I can¡¯t resolve these files before I leave today. Not only today, but I won¡¯t be able to resolve them within the next month.¡± Seeing Le¡¯s firm attitude, Joshua¡¯s tone also started to turn unfriendly. ¡°Miss Patel, I¡¯m just an assistant. Your words won¡¯t do anything to me. You¡¯d better talk to the boss about this.¡± ¡°You can trust me; I will definitely talk to him about it.¡± Joshua choked. Le continued, ¡°Before that, I need to confirm something with you. Are you here at The Ramirez Group to work and earn money to support your family, or are you here to y politics and take sides?¡± His expression changed slightly. ¡°Miss Patel, what do you mean by that?¡± ¡°The project department is not like other departments, nning proposals, signing contracts, follow-up, things areplicated and need to be careful and prudent. I¡¯m new here, I want to work well with you all, at least, we have to reach a level of harmonious coexistence. If it can¡¯t be achieved, then there are only two results, first, I get out, second, you guys get out.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Le watched as he heaved the ss of water in his hand down, ¡°Obviously, the chances of me being told to fuck off are slim.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Le said as she tapped the stack of papers on her desk, ¡°I have an important project I need to follow up on in the near future, don¡¯t interfere with my progress with this shit. If the project gets held up, I¡¯ll fuck off, but I¡¯ll be sure to let whoever¡¯s causing me trouble fuck off before I do.¡± Joshua hadn¡¯t realized that Le, being a woman, would be so tough in her tactics and speak so harshly. He stood in front of her for a long time, unable to catch his words. After half a minute or so, he adjusted his breathing and went forward to pick up the file and said, ¡°Miss Patel, I¡¯m sorry, I handled this matter improperly.¡± ¡°Go out if there¡¯s nothing else.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The cell phone ced on the table vibrated. Le nced at the message on her phone screen. Mason: [The kidney donor has been found. Can you contact me when you have time?] She hurriedly replied: [Is it a donation? Or¡­?] Mason: [It¡¯s a donation.] Le: [When can the donor undergo the surgery?] Mason: [Anytime. It depends mainly on Dr. Hans.] Le: [I¡¯ll contact Dr. Hans after work to inquire about my mom¡¯s current condition.] When Le was at the hospital, she had asked Dr. Hans about the precautions for the surgery. He told her that the main preparation before the surgery was dialysis. Dialysis could effectively remove excess fluids and uremic toxins, correct electrolyte imbnce and acidosis, and keep the body in good condition. This would greatly help with the kidney transnt surgery and the treatment with immunosuppressive agents. Mrs. Patel had indeed been cooperating with dialysis for a period of time, butter, probably to save money, she stopped going. After sending this message, there was no immediate reply from Mason. After a while, he replied with just one word: [Okay.] Le stared at the message for a while, then pursed her lips slightly and typed out a few words: [Mr. Ramirez, thank you. I appreciate your help.] At 6:30, Le left the office. Since she hade to work in Daniel¡¯s car today, she had to hail a taxi now. It was rush hour, so getting a cab wasn¡¯t easy. A message from Shirley: [Back yet?] Le: [Yeah.] Shirley: [Wanna grab dinner?]Original from N?velDrama.Org. Le knew Shirley had been worrying about her, as she had been calling her every day while she was in Yort city. Le replied: [7:30?] Shirley: [What are you doing at 6:30?] Le: [Traffic.] Shirley: [Want to eat at your ce?] Le: [Sure.] Just as Le was considering whether to call Shirley to ask her toe and pick her up on the way, a car pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing Daniel¡¯s face. ¡°Having trouble getting a cab?¡± Chapter 40 Strange Daniel ¡°It¡¯s rush hour, indeed hard to get one. Can I give you a ride?¡± Le sensed something off about him and nced at the back seat of the car. Daniel¡¯s sudden offer to give her a ride was likely at Mason¡¯s behest. Awkward. As Le pondered, a car honked nearby.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Le looked up to see Samuel waving at her from the car. Without hesitation, Le smiled at Daniel and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll take a ride with my boyfriend.¡± Le made sure to emphasize the words ¡®my boyfriend¡¯ quite clearly. Relieved, Daniel said, ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll head off.¡± To prove she wasn¡¯t lying, Le didn¡¯t wait for Daniel to drive away but simply walked off. Daniel didn¡¯t immediately leave. Through the rearview mirror, he watched as Le got into Samuel¡¯s car. He awkwardly touched his nose and said, ¡°Le and Samuel seem to have a great rtionship.¡± As Daniel spoke, he cautiously nced at Mason in the backseat. Mason¡¯s voice was cold as ice. ¡°Is that so?¡± Daniel didn¡¯t dare to respond. On the other side, Samuel had no clue what was going on. ¡°You and Shirley have dinner ns tonight?¡± he asked. Le, distracted by Daniel¡¯s passing car, replied absentmindedly, ¡°Yeah.¡± Unaware of her distraction, Samuel continued, ¡°What are you guys having for dinner tonight?¡± Le remained silent, not responding. Samuel, noticing herck of response, tilted his head and joked, ¡°What? Afraid I¡¯ll crash your dinner?¡± It took Le a moment to snap out of her reverie. ¡°What?¡± Samuel chuckled and tapped the steering wheel. ¡°Seems like I¡¯m the only one here talking to myself. You didn¡¯t even hear what I said, did you?¡± Feeling embarrassed for being caught off guard, Le replied, ¡°Sorry, I was lost in thought.¡± Samuel teased, ¡°Work stuff?¡± Le lied, ¡°Yeah.¡± Samuel chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t be so diligent.¡± Le smiled at hisment. ¡°Would you dare say that at the office?¡± As they chatted, the car arrived at Le¡¯s apartmentplex. Out of hospitality, Le invited Samuel to join her for dinner. She expected him to decline, but to her surprise, he readily epted. As they headed upstairs, he even grabbed two boxes of gifts from the trunk for her. Seeing this, Le remembered what he had saidst time: ¡°I go on blind dates every weekend. The first step in dating is giving gifts. My mom prepared a bunch for me.¡± It seemed he had indeed prepared quite a lot. Just as they got upstairs, they spotted Shirley standing in the hallway. Upon seeing theme up together, Shirley¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you two together?¡± Le replied, ¡°No.¡± Samuel chimed in, ¡°Yep.¡± Samuel teased, ¡°We¡¯ve pretended to be a couple before, but howe there¡¯s no telepathy between us?¡± Le felt a bit embarrassed by hisment, ¡°I¡¯m not good at lying.¡± With that, Le unlocked the door and let Shirley and Samuel enter first. Avoiding Samuel¡¯s gaze, Shirley asked Le in a hushed tone, ¡°How¡¯s your mom doing?¡± Le whispered back, ¡°She¡¯s doing alright. The situation is currently stable.¡± Shirley grumbled, ¡°My boss refused to give me time off. Otherwise, I would¡¯vee to be with you.¡± Le chuckled softly, ¡°I know. I could tell from your phone callst week.¡± Shirley paused for a few seconds before asking, ¡°Did you find a suitable kidney donor?¡± Le didn¡¯t hide anything and replied honestly, ¡°Yes, we found one.¡± After saying that, she added, ¡°It was Mason who helped.¡± At the mention of Mason, Shirley was momentarily speechless. After a moment, she leaned closer to Le and said, ¡°Le, I can¡¯t help but feel that Mason¡¯s feelings for you¡­ are not ordinary.¡± Some things, even if others don¡¯t say them, the person involved knows. They were all adults, and no man would go out of his way to help a woman without some kind of goodwill. Le had thought about ignoring the question, but faced with Shirley¡¯s inquiry, she couldn¡¯t stay silent. ¡°I know,¡± she admitted. Shirley pressed further, ¡°So, what are your thoughts?¡± Le uttered words even she couldn¡¯t fully convince herself of, ¡°I¡¯ve already made it clear to him that from now on, we¡¯re just boss and employee. I joined The Ramirez Group to work hard and repay the opportunity.¡± Shirley also understood Le¡¯s current situation and dilemma; she was at her wit¡¯s end with no other choice. With four dishes and a soup on the table, Samuel stepped forward to snap a photo with his phone and posted it on his social media. In the back seat of the car, Mason initially nned to send a message to Le using Daniel¡¯s name. But upon seeing Samuel¡¯s social media post, he leaned back in his seat, squinted his narrow eyes, and liked the post. As Le was in the kitchen, she sent a message to Dr. Hans, inquiring about Mrs. Patel¡¯s current condition. After a few minutes, Dr. Hans replied, [Currently, the situation seems stable.] Le asked, [If there¡¯s a matching kidney donor now, when can the surgery be performed?] [At least three months from now. She¡¯ll need three months of dialysis,] Dr. Hans replied. Le acknowledged, [Okay, I understand.] [Was there someone who donated the kidney?] Dr. Hans asked. [Yes,] Le confirmed. [About three months from now, I¡¯ll send you some instructions for the donor to review,] Dr. Hans said. [Thank you, Dr. Hans. I appreciate it,] Le responded. After finishing the conversation with Dr. Hans, Le headed out of the kitchen and saw Samuel¡¯s social media post. The first post was the photo of the four dishes and soup that Samuel had shared, with only one like from Daniel. Le nced at it and suddenly remembered her previous promise to invite Daniel for a meal in Yort city. She found Daniel¡¯s profile and sent him a message: [Have you had dinner?] Daniel replied instantly, [?] Le rephrased her question, [Have you dropped off Mr. Ramirez?] Reading Le¡¯s message, Mason, sitting in the back seat of the car, stretched his legs. [What¡¯s up?] he responded. Le: [Do you have any other ns tonight? If not, would you like toe over for dinner at my ce?] Mason¡¯s face softened slightly, but he still seemed guarded. [I just saw Samuel¡¯s social media post. Wouldn¡¯t it be inappropriate for me toe over?] Le reassured him, [It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not just the two of us; Shirley is here too.] Mason rified, [Isn¡¯t it just you and Samuel?] Le countered, [Nope.] Mason¡¯s expression eased a bit. After about half a minute, he replied, [No, it¡¯s not appropriate for me to intrude on your family dinner.] Receiving Mason¡¯s message, Le had just taken a sip of water and almost choked withughter. Le was about to reply when another message popped up on the screen: [Mr. Ramirez called me at thest minute to work overtime.] It implied that he couldn¡¯te even if he wanted to. Le didn¡¯t know if it was true or not, but she replied, ¡°Then let¡¯s reschedule for another day.¡± Mason responded, ¡°Sure. I think, considering how much Mr. Ramirez has helped you, it¡¯s only right for you to treat him to a meal.¡± Le hesitated before replying. The next message from ¡®Daniel¡¯ quickly followed: [I¡¯m just suggesting; the decision is yours.] After some consideration, Le thought Daniel made a valid point. Mason had done her a huge favor, and she should express her gratitude. After all, finding a kidney donor wasn¡¯t something money could buy. Many patients spent three to five years waiting for a match. Since Mason was influential, simply giving a gift wouldn¡¯t suffice, making a dinner invitation the best choice. After about a minute of contemtion, Le sent a message to ¡®Daniel¡¯: [Okay, sure. Then when you both are free and Let¡¯s have a dinner together.] On the other end, Mason¡¯s expression remained inscrutable. After a while, he replied, [Just treat Mr. Ramirez. I¡¯ve been busytely.] Seeing the message from ¡®Daniel¡¯, Le wasn¡¯t sure what to reply. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off about today¡¯s Daniel, but she couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on it. Before she could dwell on it further, Shirley brought up another topic. ¡°Has Hunter been in touch with you?¡± ¡°No, why?¡± Le asked. Chapter 41 Wrong call Shirley scoffed, ¡°I heard he¡¯s been having a tough timetely.¡± Le was curious, ¡°What?¡± Samuel chimed in with a smirk, ¡°Mr. Brown¡¯s wife.¡± Le raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are they together now?¡± Le had heard Mr. Brown mention that he was in the process of divorcing his wife, but she hadn¡¯t followed up on the details. Shirley sarcastically remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re officially together, but I heard that Mrs. Brown has basically attached herself to him. She barges into his house, picks fights with Hunter¡¯s mom all day long.¡± With just a few words from Shirley, Le could imagine the chaotic life The Brooks Family must be leading now¡­ After dinner, as Le was clearing the table, her phone on the table suddenly rang. Le nced down and saw Mason¡¯s name on the caller ID. After hesitating for a few seconds, she swiped the screen and answered the call. ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± There was no response from the other end. Then, a stern and authoritative voice came through the phone, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. You don¡¯t want this union; you want to break free from The Ramirez Family, from my control. But have you even considered whether you have the capability for that?¡± Le recognized the voice immediately. She had just heard it in Mason¡¯s office today. It was the old Mr. Ramirez. Not knowing what the situation was on the other end, Le didn¡¯t dare to speak or hang up. So, she just listened in silence. Seemingly irritated by Mason¡¯sck of response, the old Mr. Ramirez suppressed his anger and demanded, ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one thing today: will you marry or not?¡± Mason¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°Not marrying.¡± ¡°Not marrying? Let me tell you, whether you want to or not, you will. Do you even realize the benefits of the alliance between The Powers Family and The Ramirez Family?¡± Mockingly, Mason replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. And frankly, I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Mason!!¡± With a contemptuousugh, Mason retorted, ¡°There¡¯s no need to get so worked up. The Ramirez Family has more than one grandson; my uncles have two sons, both older than me.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez was thoroughly infuriated, ¡°But you are the head of The Ramirez Family now!¡± ¡°Should I step down then?¡± Le couldn¡¯t see the scene on the other end of the call, but just listening to this tense exchange was enough to make her heart race. For some reason, Le suddenly recalled something Shirley had mentioned before. Shirley had said that years ago, The Ramirez Family had experienced a kidnapping incident. What exactly happened during that kidnapping was unclear, but it was known that after the grandsons of The Ramirez Family were rescued, some died, some went insane, some fell ill, and the only one who remained unscathed was Mason¡­ Lost in thought, Le was brought back to reality by the sudden outburst from the old Mr. Ramirez, ¡°You were the one who should¡¯ve died in that kidnapping incident!¡± With a cold chuckle, Mason replied, ¡°The ones who should¡¯ve died didn¡¯t, and the ones who shouldn¡¯t have died did. The ones who should¡¯ve gone mad didn¡¯t, and the ones who shouldn¡¯t have gone mad did. It seems that God isn¡¯t favoring The Ramirez Family.¡± After Mason¡¯s words, there was a crisp sound of a p over the phone. Le sucked in a breath through the phone¡¯s receiver, instinctively gripping the phone tighter. After a while, Mason¡¯s deep voice resounded, ¡°Is it over? If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°Get out, just get out, now!¡± After a while, Le heard the sound of a car engine starting through the phone. Le pursed her lips and tentatively spoke, ¡°Mr. Ramirez?¡± There was no response from Mason¡¯s end. Le paused for a moment before speaking again, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, can you hear me?¡± With the sound of a lighter igniting a cigarette, Mason¡¯s low voice responded, ¡°Hmm.¡± Le had been waiting for Mason to respond all along, but now that he had, she suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say. After a long pause, Le asked, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, did you call me for something?¡± Mason¡¯s voice carried a hint of suspicion, ¡°I called you?¡± Le was momentarily taken aback, and it dawned on her what had happened. Could it be that Mason identally pressed the dial button? The thought made Le feel suddenly embarrassed. If Mason really did identally press the dial button, then she had been eavesdropping on this call for so long¡­ Le was contemting how to exin when Mason¡¯s voice came through the phone, low and tired, ¡°Is dinner still on? I haven¡¯t eaten yet, and I¡¯m starving.¡± The sudden change in topic caught Le off guard. Instinctively, she wanted to refuse, but then she remembered Daniel¡¯s message from earlier today and replied, pursing her lips, ¡°Yes, are youing over now?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± came Mason¡¯s weary response, sounding drained. ¡°Is it convenient?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Le replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in about an hour,¡± Mason said. Le asked, ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± After a few seconds of silence, Mason responded, ¡°Anything is fine.¡± After hanging up with Mason, Le sighed as she held onto her phone. She had never imagined that someone as dominant as Mason would have such a side to him. After her moment of reflection, Le turned and headed into the kitchen. Scouring through the few remaining ingredients, Le managed to put together a couple of dishes and soup. As she heard the door ring, Le turned to open it. Mason stood outside in a white shirt and suit pants, holding a bottle of wine, with a visible handprint on his left cheek. The p had clearly been forceful, and his left cheek was showing signs of swelling.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Le looked up at him, took a quick nce, and then looked away. She stepped aside to let him in. ¡°Come in.¡± As Mason changed his shoes, he handed the bottle to Le and asked in a low voice, ¡°Do you have a decanter?¡± Le replied, ¡°Yes, but it hasn¡¯t been used in a long time. Let me find it.¡± With that, Le took the wine and turned to search for the decanter in the TV cab. As Mason put on the slippers, he nced up and caught a glimpse of Le¡¯s slim waist. Le had fair skin and a slender waist. Mason¡¯s narrow eyes squinted as he suddenly remembered the feeling of his hands resting on it: delicate and soft. As Le found the decanter and stood up, Mason¡¯s gaze shifted downward, his eyes hiding the surging emotions. Le asked, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, how long does the wine need to breathe?¡± Mason stepped forward, ¡°Half an hour is enough.¡± Le nodded, cleaned the decanter, and poured a third of the wine into it. With everything ready for dinner, Le walked into the kitchen to serve the food. Perhaps because of their recent phone conversation, Le was a bit less guarded around Mason tonight. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, are you waiting for the wine to breathe before dinner, or do you want to eat now?¡± Mason rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll go wash up.¡± The mealsted less than ten minutes. After dinner, Le cleared the table while Mason stood up and went to the window to smoke. Twenty minutester, Le finished clearing the table. Mason stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing out the window. As Le approached, he asked in a low voice, ¡°Care to join me for a drink?¡± Mason¡¯s words sounded natural and calm, as if it were a normal conversation between two old friends. Le¡¯s internal rm bells were ringing loudly. She hadn¡¯t forgotten their previous drunken encounter, and she didn¡¯t want to make the same mistake again. When Mason finished speaking and saw her silence, he turned back, ¡°Hmm?¡± Chapter 42 Fake marriage Le improvised, ¡°My throat hasn¡¯t been feeling welltely. I just took some medicine before you arrived, so I can¡¯t drink.¡± She didn¡¯t believe Mason would be so cruel as to risk her health just to have a drink with him. As expected, after she said this, Mason didn¡¯t insist further. ¡°Forget it,¡± he said, then went to the dining table, picked up the decanter, and sat on the sofa in the living room. As Mason drank and looked at his phone, his expression darkened. When he finished his ss, he asked Le, ¡°Do we have any fruit at home?¡± Le got up to cut some fruit in the kitchen. Mason was texting Caleb. Caleb had news about tonight¡¯s dinner with the Premier Construction CEO. Caleb: [The old man is cunning as ever, never got to the point.] Mason: [Just tell me the oue.] Mason: [Cut the crap.] Caleb: [Why so aggressive? Unsatisfied?]Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Seeing Caleb¡¯s message, Mason didn¡¯t reply immediately. Caleb quickly caught on to his mood and said, [Did I hit the nail on the head? Really unsatisfied?] Mason¡¯s long fingers hooked a cigarette from the table, but he didn¡¯t light it. He rolled the end between his fingers. Caleb¡¯s next message came swiftly, [Where are you now?] Mason: [At Le¡¯s.] Caleb: [What¡¯s that supposed to mean??] Mason: [Just having a meal.] Caleb scoffed, [Dinner, now? I look like a fool?] Mason¡¯s lips curved slightly as he typed, ¡°Have some confidence, turn your questions into affirmations.¡± Seeing Mason¡¯s message, Calebughed on the other end, [Don¡¯t want to know the oue anymore?] Caleb¡¯s curiosity peaked, and he asked, ¡°Tell me the truth. What are your intentions with Le? Are you interested? Do you have feelings? ¡± Caleb¡¯s message struck a nerve with Mason. He shifted his posture, leaning back, his jaw tensing. Caleb continued, [If you really like her, go for it. Love is unpredictable; don¡¯t wait until it¡¯s toote to regret.] [Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t feel anything for her. If you had no feelings, the two of you wouldn¡¯t have had that first encounter.] ]Mason, are you chickening out?] The cigarette Mason held in his hand snapped in half. Le walked over with the fruit and happened to see the broken cigarette in Mason¡¯s fingers. She said softly, ¡°Having something sweet might lighten your mood.¡± Mason looked up at her voice, meeting her clear eyes with aplex expression. Did he like her? In his reckless youth, he might have entertained such thoughts. Butter on, he restrained himself. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t like her; it was that he couldn¡¯t. If it weren¡¯t for that night when she was drugged¡­ Mason¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his phone in his hand. He looked down to see another message from Caleb: [Are you thinking about getting someone else drunk again?] Mason: [Get lost.] After a while, Caleb sent one final message. Caleb: [Back to business, that old guy at Premier Construction does want to sell the project, but he won¡¯t budge easily. He¡¯s poured too much money into it already and wants to make a hefty profit.] Mason: [Got it.] Caleb: [Mason, I¡¯m really curious. What are you afraid of?] Seeing Caleb¡¯s messages, Mason didn¡¯t respond further. The affairs of the Ramirez Family were too intricate to delve into; they could go on for days. Mason closed his phone and looked up to see Le holding hers, focused on something. Mason pursed his lips, thinking about what Caleb had said earlier. -Are you thinking about getting someone else drunk again? Was he? It seemed so. Le was checking her email on her phone, and she noticed Mason¡¯s gaze, looking up. ¡°Still don¡¯t want to drink?¡± ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I¡¯ve taken medication.¡± Mason broke the half-broken cigarette in his fingers again, chuckling wryly. ¡°I know you¡¯re keeping your guard up against me.¡± Le hesitated for a moment, then tightened her grip on her phone. She admitted, ¡°Yes¡­¡± Some things were understood between them, but being exposed was another matter. Just like now, when they could have remained silent and safe, but instead, the atmosphere turned awkward and tense. After a while, Le clenched her hand around the phone and spoke honestly, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m on my guard.¡± Mason chuckled at her words, ¡°If you¡¯re so afraid of me, why did you let mee over for dinner? Pity me? Feel sorry for me? Or because I helped you find a kidney source?¡± Each word from Mason was sharp, leaving Le no choice but to respond, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, we agreed back in Yort City that from now on, we¡¯re just employer and employee.¡± As Le finished speaking, Mason¡¯s voice turned solemn, ¡°What if I said I regretted it? Le, I want to be friends with you.¡± Le hesitated, ¡°¡­¡± Under Le¡¯s gaze, Mason forced a bitter smile, ¡°Forget it, just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯m just not in the best mood tonight because of some things that happened¡­¡± Mason stopped himself from saying more, his lowered eyes filled with loneliness. Seeing this, Le¡¯s mind shed back to the contents of their phone conversation tonight. His grandfather forcing him into marriage, using him of being the one who deserved to die in the kidnapping case, even hitting him¡­ Thinking of all this, Le¡¯s mouth moved faster than her brain, ¡°Friends are fine.¡± Mason looked up, ¡°Really?¡± A pang of regret hit Le as she realized what she had said, but it was toote to take it back. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± All of Le¡¯s reactions were noticed by Mason. He reached for two sses, pouring wine into them. He pushed one toward Le. ¡°This wine is from a friend¡¯s own brand. Give it a try.¡± Le took the ss, ¡°I¡¯ll drink a little less tonight. I¡¯m really not feeling well.¡± Mason nodded faintly, ¡°Sure.¡± After a few drinks, Mason brought up the topic of their phone conversation tonight. When he mentioned the marriage alliance, Le couldn¡¯t help but interject, ¡°With the foundation of The Ramirez Group, do you really need a marriage alliance?¡± Mason clinked his ss with hers, ¡°Technically, no. But human desires are insatiable. Once you have bread, you want milk; once you have milk, you want fruit¡­¡± ¡°Understood. Greed knows no bounds, and old habits die hard.¡± Mason nodded in agreement. Le asked, ¡°So what will you do? Do you have to enter into a marriage alliance?¡± Mason lowered his head to drink, finishing half a ss of wine in one gulp. Putting down the ss, he looked at Le, who seemed slightly tipsy. ¡°Have you had too much to drink?¡± Le shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Mason toyed with the wine ss, his emotions unreadable. ¡°There is a way to avoid a marriage alliance.¡± Le inquired, ¡°What?¡± Mason looked up at her, a hint of seduction in hiszy demeanor. ¡°For example, I could marry someone else right now.¡± Marry someone else? With whom? Le¡¯s mindgged for a moment. In her understanding, two people who got married were supposed to love each other, willing to face all the ups and downs of the future together. As Mason finished speaking, he saw Le looking bewildered and reached out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. ¡°Are you sure you are not drunk?¡± Le instinctively leaned back, ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± Seeing her reaction, Mason¡¯s hand hesitated in mid-air. After a few seconds, he lowered his hand to pick up the ss, his voice low, ¡°Sorry.¡± Le remained silent. She hadn¡¯t actually drunk much tonight. Though her reactions were slow, her mind was clear. As the atmosphere became awkward again, Mason stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, I¡¯m gonna leave.¡± ¡°Is Daniel picking you up? Or are you taking a cab?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a cab.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Le sighed lightly as she watched him enter the elevator. When the elevator door opened, she gave him a faint smile, ¡°Goodnight.¡± Mason responded in a low voice, ¡°Le, do you know any suitable women?¡± Le looked puzzled, ¡°What?¡± ¡°I need a marriage partner. I don¡¯t have anyone suitable around me. Do you know anyone?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mason¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°What about you?¡± Chapter 43 Tempted by Mason Le was stunned. Mason smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m not talking about a real marriage, but a fake one. Just think of it as doing me a favor. After the storm blows over, we can secretly divorce.¡± Le looked at him, unable to discern whether he was serious or not. She stared at him nkly for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think I can help you with that favor. As you know, I have a boyfriend.¡± As their eyes met, Le could clearly see the disappointment pass over Mason¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hmm.¡± She couldn¡¯t quite describe the feeling, but it was ufortable. ¡­ Mason stepped out of the elevator, he pulled out his phone and dialed Caleb¡¯s number. Caleb answered, ¡°Mason, are you insane? Do you know what time it is?¡± Mason asked, ¡°Did you tell Shirley?¡± ¡°Do I have to do it tonight?¡± ¡°She¡¯s going to Premier Construction tomorrow. When else are you going to tell her?¡± Caleb nced at the time on his phone, ¡°2 in the morning, are you sure?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t waste time.¡± Caleb was about to hang up and call Shirley when he paused and asked, ¡°Tonight¡­ Did you ?¡± Mason knew what he was asking, replied coldly, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you just chatted.¡± ¡°Making friends, just chatting.¡± Caleb burst intoughter, ¡°Making friends? Just chatting?¡± After a while, Caleb finishedughing, sat up in bed, leaned against the headboard, and took a sip of water. ¡°Mason, I won¡¯t ask if you like Le or not. Let me rephrase my question out of curiosity. If you had a woman you really liked, would you be with her?¡± Mason didn¡¯t hesitate to answer, ¡°No.¡± Curious, Caleb asked, ¡°Why not?¡± Mason replied in a deep voice, ¡°To love someone is to shield them from storms, not to bring storms upon them.¡± Though neither mentioned Le explicitly, every word was about her. Caleb blurted out, ¡°What storms can you bring to Le? If she were with you, she¡­¡± Caleb suddenly realized something, sucked in a breath, and said, ¡°Are you worried about The Ramirez Family?¡± He wanted to ask more, but Mason hung up the phone.. Caleb cursed under his breath, then after a moment of distraction, he looked down and dialed Shirley¡¯s number¡­ It took Caleb seven attempts to finally get through to her. When Shirley answered, her voice sounded groggy, ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Caleb gritted his teeth, ¡°Me.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Caleb, frustrated, said, ¡°It¡¯s Caleb. The one whose car you sshed with paint, and the one you turned into a mummy and hospitalized!!¡± At Caleb¡¯s words, Shirley suddenly woke up, any remnants of sleepiness gone. After about seven or eight seconds, Shirley¡¯s voice turned to exceptionally polite, ¡°Mr. Mitchell, may I ask what¡¯s the matter for you to call me sote?¡± ¡°Do you know about Premier Construction?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I had dinner with the CEO of Premier Construction tonight.¡± ¡°Is there something rted to me?¡± ¡°I casually asked about their stalled project. He hinted at the possibility of selling it off, but he wants a hefty price¡­¡± Shirley suspected she had gone mad. ¡°Mr. Mitchell, is this¡­ is this rted to me?¡± Caleb replied, ¡°It¡¯s not rted to you. Can you help me analyze whether this project can be acquired?¡± Shirley gently reminded him, ¡°Mr. Mitchell, I¡¯m a fashion magazine editor.¡± After Shirley¡¯s remark, Caleb sneered, ¡°You can¡¯t analyze it? Can¡¯t you find someone else to help? You have to give me an answer by tomorrow morning at thetest.¡± Without waiting for Shirley¡¯s response, he hung up. Listening to the dial tone on her phone, Shirley pounded the bed in frustration. What was wrong with him? Calling her up in the middle of the night to help analyze an acquisition project? Not to mention she had no clue about it, even if she did, it wasn¡¯t right to disturb her like this. Shirley reluctantly sent a message to Le: [Are you asleep?] Sending the message, Shirley didn¡¯t really expect a response. Who wouldn¡¯t be asleep at this hour apart from freaks like Caleb? As Shirley was about to lie back and sulk, she suddenly saw that Le was typing in their conversation window. Without hesitation, Shirley quickly made a voice call to Le. Le picked up promptly, and from her tone, she didn¡¯t sound any better than Shirley. Both of them said in unison, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± There was a brief silence on the call. Again, they said simultaneously, ¡°I was just about to say¡­¡± Another moment of silence ensued. Finally, Leughed first and said, ¡°You go first.¡± Shirleyughed too, took a deep breath, ¡°Let me tell you, I was already asleep, but then that lunatic called me in the middle of the night to analyze a project for him.¡± Le teased, ¡°Samuel?¡± Apart from Samuel, Le couldn¡¯t think of anyone else Shirley would call a lunatic. ¡°Not my brother, even crazier than him. Anyway, what do you think about that project from Premier Construction?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about this?¡± As far as she knew, Shirley had never been interested in project-rted matters. Shirley replied honestly, ¡°It¡¯s not me asking, it¡¯s that lunatic Caleb. He called me, asking me to analyze whether Premier Construction¡¯s stalled project is worth acquiring.¡± Le was skeptical, ¡°Why would he suddenly think about acquiring real estate projects?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, probably gone mad.¡± Upon hearing Shirley¡¯s exnation, Le thought for a moment before asking, ¡°How did he bring it up to you?¡± Shirley paused for a moment, then recounted Caleb¡¯s words verbatim to Le. Le paused for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Technically, I shouldn¡¯t be telling you this, but a few things you just told me could be useful to me. Tell Mr. Mitchell that the project isn¡¯t out of reach for acquisition, but he needs to lower the price. I can¡¯t reveal how much lower it should be, because The Ramirez Group is also nning to acquire this project.¡± Shirley asked, ¡°Will it cause you any trouble if I tell him these things?¡± Le smiled and replied, ¡°No, I gave ambiguous information. When you tell him, just say you got the information from me. I extracted useful value from his words, so I¡¯m providing him with useful information in return. Think of it as an exchange of information.¡± ¡°Are you sure nothing will happen? I¡¯ve seen those business battles on TV¡­¡± Shirley didn¡¯t know how to describe that kind of excitement. Le smirked, ¡°Business battles on TV: ignore thew and ruthless; business battles in reality:cking in manners and shameless.¡± Shirley didn¡¯t quite understand, ¡°Huh?¡± After chatting about Premier Construction for a bit, Shirley asked Le, ¡°What¡¯s up with you tonight? Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± Le¡¯s smile froze, and she furrowed her brow, ¡°Mason just came to see me tonight.¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh?¡± Le said, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, he just came to mooch a meal.¡± The more Le told Shirley not to think too much, the more Shirley couldn¡¯t help but specte. In a city as big as Neo City, with restaurants everywhere, did Mason really need toe all the way here just to mooch a meal? Was he really here for the food, or was he here for someone? Le couldn¡¯t disclose the incident where Mason got beaten up, so she brought up another matter, ¡°Mason wants to find someone for a fake marriage, asked if I knew anyone suitable.¡± Shirley suddenly chuckled mischievously, ¡°Isn¡¯t this straight out of a CEO romance novel? Pretending to get married but actually¡­¡± ¡°So, did you agree?¡± Le replied, ¡°What does it have to do with me? I¡¯m currently in a rtionship. He just asked if I knew anyone suitable, and I told him there¡¯s no one suitable around me.¡± Shirley curiously asked Le, ¡°You¡¯re not even slightly tempted by Mason?¡± Facing Shirley¡¯s question, Le didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment and answered decisively. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Not even a tiny bit?¡± Chapter 44 Miss Powers’ birthday Le reaffirmed confidently, ¡°Not at all.¡± Shirley asked, ¡°Why? Mason may have a bit of a bad reputation, but he¡¯s handsome and wealthy. Why aren¡¯t you even slightly tempted?¡± Leughed, ¡°Neo City is full of handsome and wealthy men. Do I have to be tempted by all of them?¡± Unsatisfied, Shirley said, ¡°But he¡¯s within your reach.¡± Le chuckled, ¡°Where did you get the idea that he¡¯s within my reach? Men like him¡­¡± Le wanted to say that men like him may appearzy and carefree, but they¡¯re actually strategic and cunning, beyond the understanding of ordinary people. But to prevent Shirley from overthinking, she paused and said, ¡°Men like him are out of reach.¡± The words ¡°out of reach¡± struck a nerve with Shirley. Through the phone, Shirley nodded in agreement, ¡°Indeed.¡± The love story of Cindere and the Prince is just a fairy tale. In reality, it¡¯s mostly idents. Setting aside whether the Prince¡¯s family would oppose the marriage, whether Cindere could even meet the Prince is a question. With different social circles, how can you expect any Prince to be genuine? They¡¯re all just looking for entertainment. Thinking about this, Shirley once again warned Le, ¡°Stay away from someone like Mason, he¡¯s trouble.¡± Le had no intention of getting involved in the first ce, and she responded with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know.¡± After hanging up with Le, Shirley sat on the edge of her bed and couldn¡¯t sleep. ncing at the clock, it was 3:40 AM. Caleb should be fast asleep by now, she dialed his number¡­ This night was destined to be sleepless. At least for Caleb¡­ ¡­ At 8:10 AM, Le arrived at the office on time. She dialed the internal line to ask her assistant to check the schedule of the CEO of Premier Construction. Her assistant was the same one from yesterday, Joshua. After yesterday¡¯s setback, he quickly provided a clear rundown of the CEO¡¯s schedule in less than ten minutes. Le patiently listened and then asked, ¡°Most of the day is filled with meetings?¡± Joshua nodded, ¡°Yes, the only free time is tonight. The CEO of Premier Construction will be attending Miss Powers¡¯ birthday party.¡± Seeing her silent, Joshua continued, ¡°After tonight, Mr. Moore has booked a flight to S City tomorrow morning for a week-long business trip.¡± Hearing Joshua¡¯s words, Le furrowed her brow slightly. A week was too long, she couldn¡¯t afford to wait. She was also worried about otherpanies beating them to it. Despite Premier Construction being in a mess, there were still plenty of eyes watching. After all, the profit-making methods she could think of, others could think of too. Le asked Joshua, ¡°Is there a way to get an invitation to Miss Powers¡¯ birthday?¡± Joshua looked hesitant, ¡°I¡¯ll try to figure something out.¡± Le, seasoned in the business world, understood the importance of both kindness and authority. ¡°If it works out, dinner¡¯s on me.¡± Joshua was momentarily stunned, reconsidering Le¡¯s capabilities. She knew when to be cold face to discipline people, but also can smile to coax people. It was no wonder a woman her age could rise to her position. Still in a daze, Joshua heard Le continue, ¡°Go ahead, and try to get it done before 3 PM.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Miss Patel,¡± Joshua replied. Joshua¡¯s efficiency surpassed Le¡¯s expectations. In just two hours, he ced the invitation to Miss Powers¡¯ birthday on her desk. Le casually pulled out a box of cigarettes from her drawer and offered it to Joshua. ¡°Thanks.¡± Joshua hesitated to ept, ¡°Miss Patel, I¡­¡± Le pushed the cigarette a bit forward, ¡°Take it. This is outside of official business.¡± Hearing Le¡¯s insistence, Joshua awkwardly smiled. ¡°Thank you, Miss Patel.¡± At 6:30 PM, after leaving the office, Le didn¡¯t go straight to Miss Powers¡¯ birthday party. Instead, she made a trip to the mall to pick out an outfit suitable for the event. At 8 PM, Le appeared at Miss Powers¡¯ birthday party in a champagne-colored evening gown. Miss Powers, the darling of the Powers Family, lived up to her reputation. Although it was just a small birthday party, at least half of Neo City¡¯s business elite were in attendance. While it seemed like they were there to celebrate Miss Powers, in reality, they were seizing the opportunity to expand theirwork. Le casually grabbed a drink from a waiter and navigated through the crowd for almost twenty minutes until she finally spotted Mr. Moore, the CEO of Premier Construction, in a corner. Mr. Moore, in his early fifties, seemed engrossed in conversation with two other men across from him, appearing to enjoy himself. Le stood nearby, observing without approaching. When she saw the two men chatting with Mr. Moore walk away, Le approached and introduced herself, ¡°Mr. Moore, hello, I¡¯m Le, the project manager at The Ramirez Group.¡± Upon hearing ¡°The Ramirez Group,¡± Mr. Moore nced at Le. Le knew it was a good reputation, so she continued with a smile, ¡°I heard you have a project that you¡¯re considering selling. I wonder if we have the opportunity to coborate.¡± Mr. Moore clinked his ss with Le¡¯s, his true emotions hidden, ¡°Today is a private event. Let¡¯s not discuss business.¡± Le didn¡¯t want to push too hard, so she replied with a smile, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll just take this opportunity to get acquainted with you.¡± Having witnessed too many people insistently pursuing their goals, Mr. Moore appreciated Le¡¯s tactful approach. ¡°You¡¯re an interesting girl.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m intruding on your personal time, and you¡¯re still polite and chatting with me. I really appreciate it.¡± Le replied graciously. ¡°You¡¯re quite clever,¡± Mr. Moore remarked. Le epted thepliment graciously, ¡°Thank you for your praise.¡± As Le and Mr. Moore conversed, the crowd suddenly became agitated. They both turned to see Jennifer, wearing a white evening gown, shyly holding onto Mason¡¯s arm as they entered the party. Her grip on Mason¡¯s arm seemed tight, as if she feared he might slip away. Mason stood with his hands in his pocket. Mr. Moore remarked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Miss Powers, the fiancee of Mr. Ramirez?¡± Le appeared sincere, ¡°Mr. Moore, I¡¯m new here and not clear about it.¡± While Le said, two images shed through her mind: Cindy¡¯s warning during her business trip and Mason¡¯s phone call the previous night. In the call, the old Mr. Ramirez had demanded of Mason, ¡°I¡¯m asking you one thing today: Are you marrying Jennifer or not?¡± Was this apromise? Was he going to marry her? Meanwhile, the crowd clustered around Mason and Jennifer, trying to get their attention. ¡°Mason, Jennifer looks stunning in this dress. Is it custom-made?¡± ¡°I saw this ne at an auction before, worth twenty million, right? Your grandfather really spoils you, Jennifer.¡± ¡°Jennifer, what skincare routine have you been usingtely? Your skin looks amazing.¡± ¡°Jennifer¡¯s skin has always been wless. What more could she possibly need?¡± The people surrounding Jennifer chattered incessantly. Jennifer seemed to be smiling, but all her thoughts were focused on Mason. Mason had been forced toe today by the old Mr. Ramirez, but it was better than him not showing up at all. Jennifer noticed Mason¡¯s patience wearing thin and forced a smile. ¡°You guys carry on; we¡¯ll take a break for a while.¡± A few minutester, Jennifer and Mason were in the lounge of the birthday party. Mason sat on the sofa with a solemn expression, smoking a cigarette, while Jennifer, her eyes reddened, questioned him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with marrying me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to string you along, or use you.¡± ¡°What if I¡¯m willing to be used by you?¡± Jennifer asked. Mason chuckled. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Jennifer couldn¡¯t give up. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy. Our marriage has been arranged for a long time, and everyone knows we¡¯re getting married. If you break it off, what about me?¡± As Jennifer spoke, her eyes grew even redder, as if tears were about to fall any second. Mason stared at her for about three or four seconds, then extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray. ¡°Jennifer, do you really think those people outside don¡¯t know that I don¡¯t like you?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Jennifer¡¯s face flushed instantly. Mason sneered. ¡°You can deceive yourself, but don¡¯t try to deceive others.¡± Chapter 45 Leila, do you look down on me? Watching Mason¡¯s smirk, Jennifer suddenly understood why she liked him. It was because although he was bad and rotten, he never used anyone. Clutching the hand, Jennifer asked, ¡°Did you sleep with a woman recently?¡± Mason smirked teasingly. ¡°Which one are you talking about?¡± Jennifer¡¯s face turned red with anger. ¡°How many women did you sleep with recently?¡± Mason repliedzily, ¡°Many. There were celebrities, models, and even some of my subordinates who got ahead through special means.¡± Jennifer was on the verge of tears. Seeing her reaction, Mason said casually, ¡°Jennifer, we¡¯re notpatible. Our families won¡¯t always get along. When that happens, you¡¯ll be the expendable pawn. You know better than me how expendable pawns end up.¡± Jennifer remained silent as Mason finished what needed to be said and got up. Seeing him about to leave, Jennifer blurted out, ¡°That woman¡¯s name is Le, right? Not only did you find a kidney donor for her mother, but you also transferred her to work under you¡­¡± Jennifer¡¯s voice had a hint of hysteria when she shouted this out. Mason¡¯s steps faltered briefly at Jennifer¡¯s words, a hint of malice shing in his eyes. However, it was just a momentary flicker, and when he turned around, his face had returned to its calm demeanor, a cold smile ying on his lips as he asked, ¡°You investigated me?¡± Jennifer was startled by Mason¡¯s icy tone. ¡°If you don¡¯t want others to know, don¡¯t do it.¡± Jennifer thought Mason would retort, but to her surprise, he only chuckled lightly, admitting, ¡°Indeed, I slept with the woman you mentioned.¡± Jennifer asked anxiously, ¡°Do you have feelings for her?¡± Mason casually adjusted the cor of his shirt. ¡°I have feelings for every woman I¡¯m interested in but haven¡¯t slept with. Since you love investigating so much, why didn¡¯t you find out about the seven-million-dor vi I bought for a former car model who followed me?¡± Jennifer was stunned. A seven-million-dor vi was obviously more meaningful than a kidney or a job. As the saying goes, a man who is willing to spend money on you may not necessarily love you, but a man who is unwilling to spend money on you definitely doesn¡¯t love you. However, Jennifer forgot one thing: this theory doesn¡¯t always apply to wealthy people. For them, it¡¯s not about where they spend their money but where they spend their time. After all, time is much more valuable to them than money. Jennifer looked at Mason¡¯s mocking face, unable to determine if what he said was true or false. Finally, she tried to test him with what she thought was a clever move, ¡°Regardless of whether you have feelings for her or not, I won¡¯t let her off.¡± Mason shrugged indifferently. ¡°Suit yourself. But you¡¯re not allowed to touch her for a month. Mypany has an important project that needs her attention. After a month, what you do with her is up to you.¡± With that, Mason turned and walked away. After leaving the lounge, he roughly tore off his tie and dialed a number on his phone. ¡°Daniel, assign a few people to follow Le closely.¡± Hearing Mason¡¯s anger, Daniel didn¡¯t dare to ask questions. ¡°Understood, Boss.¡± Mason added, ¡°Pick some skilled individuals. And make sure she doesn¡¯t notice.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Daniel confirmed, ¡°Got it.¡± Ending the call, Mason strode out of the lobby, holding his tie tightly in his hand. As he prepared to get into his car, he saw Le chatting with Mr. Moore not far away. They seemed to be enjoying each other¡¯spany, with Mr. Moore even leaning down slightly to amodate Le¡¯s height. Seeing this, Mason narrowed his eyes. Mr. Moore was smiling as he discussed a project fromst year. ¡°You were in charge of that project?¡± Le replied calmly, ¡°Yes.¡± Mr. Moore chuckled, ¡°That project caused me quite a bit of loss. I¡¯ve been trying to figure out who I lost to, and it turns out it was to a youngdy like you.¡± ¡°If we coborate this time, I¡¯ll find a way to make up for your losses fromst year.¡± Mr. Moore raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you trying to trick me?¡± Le responded, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare. I genuinely want to coborate with you.¡± As Le finished speaking, a phone call interrupted them. Le apologized to Mr. Moore and took out her phone from her pocket. ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± ¡°Le, do you have time right now?¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in a good mood. I want to talk to you.¡± Le had only seen Mason and Jennifer leaving the event, unaware that he had also left. Hearing his request, she nced around and lowered her voice. ¡°You¡¯re out?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®out¡¯?¡± Le realized Mason didn¡¯t know she was at the birthday party and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m at Miss Powers¡¯ birthday party. I just saw you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Le asked, ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°In my car. Where are you?¡± Le looked towards the direction of the parking lot and spotted Mason¡¯s car. She whispered, ¡°Can you wait for me a few more minutes?¡± Mason leaned over to look at her through the car window, his lips curved into a slight smile. ¡°How long?¡± ¡°Ten minutes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After ending the call with Mason, Le turned back to continue her conversation with Mr. Moore. Mr. Moore had a favorable impression of Le, especially with the sess of the project fromst year. A beautiful and intelligent woman who could both charm and discuss business there weren¡¯t many people who wouldn¡¯t like that. If there were any, it was likely due topetitive reasons. After chatting for a while, Le bid farewell to Mr. Moore. ¡°Mr. Moore, I apologize for taking up so much of your personal time. If you are interested in coborating, I¡¯ll visit you another day.¡± Mr. Moore half-jokingly replied, ¡°If I¡¯m not interested, will you give up?¡± Le smiled and responded, ¡°No, I¡¯ll keep trying.¡± Mr. Moore said, ¡°I¡¯m going on a business trip tomorrow. Let¡¯s meet next week. Bring your proposal then.¡± ¡°Thank you for giving me this opportunity.¡± Le left the party but didn¡¯t dare to go directly to Mason¡¯s car. She walked out of the banquet hall, crossed a street, and then dialed Mason¡¯s number. Mason answered, and Le gently said, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, why don¡¯t you drive directly to my ce? I¡¯ll grab some groceries and take a taxi back.¡± Having had a drink, even just a few sips, she couldn¡¯t risk driving. Mason, who was following her, didn¡¯t respond but honked the horn. Hearing the sound behind her, Le instinctively turned around. When she saw Mason, her expression stiffened for a moment. Then, after looking around, she hurriedly ran to the back seat of his car, afraid of being seen by others if she took too long. As Le opened the car door, Mason lifted his eyelids and looked at her through the rearview mirror, a smile ying on his lips. ¡°Treating me as your chauffeur?¡± Le, halfway into the car, hesitated and then retreated, ¡°Then I¡¯ll sit in the passenger seat?¡± Mason unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt cor with one hand. ¡°Sure.¡± Le closed the back door and walked to the front passenger seat. In this short distance, she pondered a lot. Firstly, Mason¡¯s mood must be very bad right now, and secondly, he seemed to genuinely consider her a friend. Mason calmly turned the steering wheel. ¡°How did it go?¡± Knowing he was referring to the project, she answered truthfully, ¡°Just met him.¡± Mason asked in a deep voice, ¡°Did you make progress?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Mason nced at her. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Le hesitated for a second, only to hear Mason say naturally, ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends now? It¡¯s normal for friends to help each other.¡± Le paused. She wasn¡¯t great at making friends. Since her family went bankrupt, she had seen through the superficiality of human rtionships. Compared to genuine friendships, she believed in mutually beneficial rtionships. Though it might sound heartless, it was more reliable. Seeing her silence, Mason lowered his voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Le felt embarrassed to speak the truth. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I can handle it myself.¡± ¡°Alright. If you have any problems, tell me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that topic concluded, silence filled the car for a moment. After a while, when they reached a crossroads and stopped at a red light, Mason lit a cigarette and spoke hoarsely, ¡°Le, do you look down on me?¡± Chapter 46 Homeless Le didn¡¯t understand his meaning. ¡°What?¡± Mason flicked the ash from his cigarette into the car ashtray, his brows furrowed. ¡°Despite the appearance of sess, I¡¯m actually being manipted¡­¡± There was a moment of quiet in the car after Mason¡¯s words. Over the years, life¡¯s burdens had weighed heavily on Le. She rarelyined to others, nor did she often hear others talk about their hardships. Because she was too rational and clear-headed, she understood that it was all useless. If you told others, if they were truly sincere friends, maybe they would pity you, but if they were originally fake friends, they might evenugh at you behind your back. After a few seconds, Le¡¯s fingers curled slightly as she gathered her thoughts and spoke, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± After speaking, worried that Mason might not believe her, she took a deep breath and added, ¡°A person¡¯s sess is somewhat rted to family support, but it¡¯s not a definitive factor.¡± Many second-generation rich kids use their family¡¯s foundation as a stepping stone, only to end up failing miserably in the end. So Le truly believed that Mason¡¯s achievements were primarily due to his own abilities. Le spoke sincerely. Mason smiled and said, ¡°Hmm.¡± When the car arrived at Le¡¯s neighborhood, Le went to the supermarket to buy groceries while Mason stood outside the car making a phone call. The person on the other end was Daniel, who said that Jennifer had thrown a huge tantrum at the birthday party and even hit someone. Mason¡¯s expression was indifferent, ¡°How did the Powers Family react?¡± Daniel reported truthfully, ¡°The old Mr. Powers has always spoiled Jennifer, so he didn¡¯t react much. But her half-brother was embarrassed by her behavior and scolded her in front of everyone at the party.¡± Jennifer¡¯s half-brother, Alvin, had many business dealings with Mason, and their rtionship was decent. Hearing this, Mason sneered and said, ¡°Alvin is usually calm. He must be really angry.¡± Daniel replied, ¡°He is indeed very angry. The person Jennifer hit at the birthday party was the darling of Alvin¡¯s recent business partner.¡± ¡°Stupid.¡± Daniel paused briefly, then continued, ¡°Just now, old Mr. Ramirez called me, asking where you were. I said I didn¡¯t know.¡± Mason responded, ¡°Hmm.¡± Daniel asked, ¡°Are you going back to the old house tonight, or¡­?¡± Mason¡¯s gaze shifted to the entrance of the supermarket not far away. Le¡¯s skirt was swaying in the wind, highlighting her slender waist. He replied in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Daniel was curious, ¡°So where are you staying tonight?¡± Mason replied, ¡°At Le¡¯s ce.¡± Daniel, ¡°¡­¡± Before Daniel could react, Mason had already hung up. Hearing the silence on the phone, Daniel suddenly had a bted realization. Samuel has been cheated on!! Meanwhile, after hanging up, Mason took the groceries from Le¡¯s hands. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Would you say thank you to Shirley for such a small thing?¡± Le was slightly stunned, realizing he meant that they were now friends and didn¡¯t need to say thank you for such trivial things. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± They carried the groceries upstairs. In the elevator, Le suddenly felt that Mason wasn¡¯t so unapproachable after all. He was very easy-going and gentlemanly. When they got out of the elevator, Le took out her keys and was about to unlock the door when Mason¡¯s phone suddenly rang. Le turned her head at the sound, ready to take the bags from Mason, but she heard him say, ¡°Can you take my phone for me?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Le looked up, slightly puzzled. Mason lowered his head to meet her gaze, his expression calm and his voice low, ¡°In the right pocket of my suit pants.¡± Seeing that Le didn¡¯t move, Mason took a step forward and, without breaking eye contact, frowned and said, ¡°Le, do you not consider me a friend at all?¡± Maybe it was because Mason¡¯s expression was so serious that Le found herself momentarily stunned, staring at his face for a few seconds. The next moment, under her gaze, Mason put down the bags he was holding and took out his phone from his pocket to answer it. ¡°grandfather.¡± A stern voice came from the other end, ¡°You still remember you have a grandfather?¡± Mason nced at Le, then turned away to stand by the hallway window. ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez was furious, ¡°If you really didn¡¯t want to argue with me today, you wouldn¡¯t have done what you did. You know how much Jennifer was looking forward to you attending her birthday party, yet you¡­¡± Mason interrupted coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve made it very clear to you before that Jennifer and I are not suited for each other.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not up to you to decide whether you¡¯re suited or not!¡± Mason scoffed, ¡°Then who gets to decide? You?¡± Hearing Mason¡¯s words, the old Mr. Ramirez tried to suppress his anger, ¡°Youe back here right now.¡± Mason, ¡°No way.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez was furious, ¡°Mason!! What will it take for you to stop turning the Ramirez Family upside down?!¡± Facing his grandfather¡¯s rage, Mason¡¯s stern voice suddenly turned restrained and low, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me toe back, then I won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t return to the vi you bought for me either.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez, who was in the midst of his anger, suddenly looked bewildered upon hearing Mason¡¯s words. When did he ever say he didn¡¯t want him toe back? Didn¡¯t he just tell him toe back right now? And when did he buy him a vi? Isn¡¯t the vi Mason is living in the one he bought himself? Before the old Mr. Ramirez could figure out what was going on, Mason had already hung up. By the time the old Mr. Ramirez tried to call back, the phone indicated that the other party had turned off their phone. Mason, having hung up, put his now-turned-off phone back into his pocket, stood by the window for a moment, then turned and walked back. Le stood at the door watching him, not sure what to say. She hadn¡¯t heard what the old Mr. Ramirez said to Mason. But she had heard Mason¡¯s words clearly. He had been kicked out by the old Mr. Ramirez. He was homeless. Seeing Le looking at him, Mason remained silent, bending down to pick up the items from the floor. Le spoke up, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason straightened up with the bags in hand, not continuing the previous topic about whether she considered him a friend. In a low voice, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Le hesitated, ¡°¡­¡± Perhaps out of guilt, Le felt very uneasy even as she walked into the kitchen to cook. While Le cooked in the kitchen, Mason sat on the sofa in the living room. He turned on his phone, first blocking the old Mr. Ramirez, then sending a message to Caleb: [What are you up to?] Caleb replied instantly: [Thinking about life.] Mason: [I just had a fight with my grandfather.] Caleb: [Because of Jennifer¡¯s birthday party?] Mason didn¡¯t hide it: [Yeah.] Caleb: [Honestly, I¡¯m curious. With The Ramirez Family¡¯s current power, there¡¯s no need for an arranged marriage. What¡¯s on his mind?] Mason: [Doesn¡¯t matter. Call me in a bit.] Caleb didn¡¯t understand: [??] Mason didn¡¯t exin, mainly because he didn¡¯t feel like typing: [Just call me, stop asking so many questions.] Caleb: [Now?] Mason: [In half an hour.]¡­ Half an hourter, Le brought the cooked dishes to the table, just about to call Mason for dinner when his phone rang on the coffee table. Mason picked it up and answered, ¡°Hello.¡± Caleb, hearing his serious tone, joked, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Mason, keeping a serious face, replied, ¡°Yeah, the old man had a fight with me and kicked me out.¡± Caleb, confused and mocking, asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Mason asked in a low voice, ¡°Can you lend me some money? I don¡¯t have a ce to stay tonight.¡± At this, Caleb realized what was going on, ¡°Damn, are you at Le¡¯s ce?¡± Mason, sitting with his back to Le, almostughed, ¡°If it¡¯s inconvenient, forget it. I understand.¡± Caleb swore over the phone, ¡°Mason, you just taught me one thing: the world is simple, but people areplicated.¡± Mason kept a straight face, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry about me. Bye.¡± Hanging up, Mason put away his phone and turned to face Le, ¡°Le, can I stay with you for a few days?¡± Chapter 47 Wanna? This sounded unbelievable. Le could believe Mason and the old Mr. Ramirez didn¡¯t get along, and that he was being forced into an arranged marriage. She might even believe Mason only had one vi and was technically homeless. But she couldn¡¯t believe that the president of The Ramirez Group would be broke and unable to afford a hotel. As Mason finished speaking, Le was about to say something, but Mason¡¯s ¡®hurt¡¯ expression made her swallow her words. Le didn¡¯t need to think hard to guess Mason¡¯s next line: ¡°Le, you don¡¯t consider me a friend.¡± Friend? That word was really¡­ Le was pondering how to respond when Mason, in a low voice, spoke again, ¡°Am I making things difficult for you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Mason pocketed his phone, ¡°It¡¯s okay, It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Le started, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I¡­¡± Mason interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t feel like you owe me just because I found a kidney donor for your mom.¡± Le choked on his words. Mason continued, ¡°And don¡¯t feel bad about turning me down because I helped you a few times when you were at Nova Group.¡± Le, ¡°¡­¡± Mason went on, ¡°And about the Premier Construction project, you¡­¡± Le took a deep breath, ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s have dinner first.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Le forced herself to stay calm and turned towards the kitchen, ¡°After dinner, I¡¯ll go to the supermarket to buy you some toiletries. Do you have any specific preferences?¡± Mason smiled, ¡°No, nothing specific.¡± ¡°The supermarket at the corner is small, but I¡¯ll try to get good stuff. If you have any special requests, text me, and I¡¯ll go to a bigger store when I have time.¡± Mason, achieving his goal, walked into the kitchen to help Le with the tableware, ¡°Thank you. Sorry for the trouble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Compared to what you¡¯ve done for me, this is nothing.¡± Le¡¯s apartment wasn¡¯trge, and the kitchen was especially cramped. With Mason standing behind her, any slight misstep could result in them touching. Le tried to avoid him, picking up two bowls and handing them to him, subtly pushing him towards the door, ¡°Take these to the table.¡± Mason took them naturally, ¡°Okay.¡± After dinner, Mason insisted to do the dishes. Le tried to dissuade him but gave up in the end. She left him to it and went to the corner supermarket. At this hour, there weren¡¯t many people shopping in the supermarket. Le pushed a cart, selecting toothbrushes, toothpaste, and towels, while pulling out her phone to call Shirley. When the call connected, Le briefly exined the situation. Shirley eximed in surprise, ¡°What¡¯s Mason up to?¡± Le stood in the men¡¯s towel section, ¡°I wish I knew.¡± Shirley suggested, ¡°Maybe he¡­ really doesn¡¯t have any money?¡± Le grabbed a dark blue towel, ¡°That¡¯s a silly question.¡± Hearing Le¡¯s response, Shirley couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you. What are you going to do?¡± Le moved to the slipper section, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with whateveres my way.¡± Anyway, she was going on a business trip for a week starting tomorrow. She didn¡¯t believe that when she came back after a week, Mason would still be sticking around at her ce.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Shirley, unaware of Le¡¯s business trip, was curious, ¡°Do you think Mason knows you figured something out?¡± Le tapped her fingers on the shopping cart, recalling his earlier words, ¡°He knows.¡± Shirleyughed, ¡°You two really are a match for each other.¡± Le admitted, ¡°Honestly, I initially believed Mason¡¯s story.¡± Shirleyughed heartily, ¡°Haha¡­ Mason¡¯s performance was very convincing.¡± Le sighed, ¡°Men¡¯s words are always hard to trust.¡± After finishing the call with Shirley, Le headed to the checkout. As she was leaving the supermarket with her bags, she suddenly spotted Mason crossing the street. Mason¡¯s shirt cor was slightly open, and she could see he was holding a box of something. Looking past Mason, she noticed a brightly lit 24-hour adult store behind him. Le stared at Mason¡¯s figure and then called out, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason paused, expecting her to be upset, but she simply smiled and asked, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, were you out shopping?¡± He clutched the box in his hand, ¡°Yeah.¡± Le asked, ¡°Did you get what you needed?¡± ¡°No.¡± Le nodded, ¡°It¡¯ste now. Try again tomorrow.¡± With that, she turned and walked towards her apartmentplex¡­ As soon as the door opened, Le reached to turn on the light, but Mason pulled her back, pressing her against the wall. Le¡¯s breath hitched as she looked up. Mason gave a wicked smile, ¡°Did you see it?¡± ¡°See what?¡± Mason¡¯s smile deepened, ¡°What do you think?¡± Le¡¯s hands clenched at her sides, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Mason leaned down, whispering in her ear, ¡°Condoms.¡± ¡°Shameless.¡± Mason replied, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You.¡± Masonughed softly, ¡°You were feeling sorry for me just yesterday.¡± Le turned her head, ¡°I was stupid¡­¡± Before she could finish saying ¡®stupid¡¯ Mason kissed the corner of her lips. Le instinctively struggled. Mason grabbed her wrists, making her drop her bags, and intertwined their fingers. The kisssted as long as Le struggled. Finally, Mason rested his chin on her shoulder,ughing, ¡°Alright, I was wrong.¡± Le took deep breaths. Mason pressed against her, one leg slipping between hers, his hand caressing her waist, ¡°Le¡­¡± Le¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°You¡¯re not keeping your promises.¡± Mason askedzily, ¡°Which one did I break?¡± Le inhaled, ¡°You promised me in Yort City that we would only have a professional rtionship.¡± Mason teased, ¡°You said that, not me.¡± Le was speechless. He hadn¡¯t actually said it; he had just agreed with her. Mason, seeing her silent, bit her corbone, ¡°Le, you¡¯re so smart. I don¡¯t believe you can¡¯t see my feelings for you.¡± Le blushed at being called out. Mason¡¯s hand slipped under her shirt, ¡°Wanna?¡± ¡°Mason, can you be any more shameless?¡± Mason, ¡°I can, but it¡¯s up to you.¡± Le¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± When Mason carried her to the bed, Le bit his shoulder hard. Mason propped himself up on either side of her, his dark eyes even deeper. He took off their clothes and threw it away. He sped his strong hand around her waist and pulled her close against his body then mmed his lips against hers without any warning. He kissed her so rough and hard then he took his hand out from her waist and slid it up to her breast and squeezed it hard. Mason slowly trailed his lips down to her left breast then mouthed her nipple and began suckling it hard. She gasped so deep, feeling his mouth tighten around her nipples. She grasped his hair and pressed his face against her chest while he squeezed and sucked her breast fast and hard. ¡°Oh¡­¡± She muffled out a moan. Slowly, he slid his hand across her stomach then downward towards her clit. Le let out a moan and sped her legs as immense pleasure surged through her when his finger suddenly touched her clit and with his hand still in between her thigh, he began to rub her clit in slow circles. ¡°Ahhh oh my Gosh ¡±. She moaned out as she slid her hand downward and tried to take his hand out. ¡°It¡¯s too much¡­¡±. Her eyes moist in pleasure as he didn¡¯t stop teasing her clit with his slow touch. ¡°Please stop¡­. we can¡¯t do this¡­¡±. She tried to push his hand away. ¡°Trust me, you¡¯ll like it¡± Mason said while leaned down and slid between her legs. Chapter 48 What kind of man do you like? He stuck out his tongue and stroked it against her folds, licking her as he stretched his tongue forward to her clit. With his eyes closed, he circled her clit with his tongue and she moaned. She could barely stand on her feet as her legs were trembling erratically. ¡°That¡¯s it, keep moaning ¡°. He spanked her ass then dragged his tongue down the length of her slit before he pulled away from her. ¡°Fuck! !¡±. She mewled loud when his middle finger dived in between her folds. He rubs her clit gently while stroking her folds. Le spread her legs open. She felt as if his fingers were controlling her whole body, making her fall into submission as he stroked her folds a little faster. ¡°GOD YES!!!¡±. She screamed out as she let out her orgasm and it coated his finger. ¡°Yes, keep iting¡±. He growled at her and immediately pushed his finger forward to her clit and began rubbing them faster, harder, making her legs tremble so hard while she screamed out. ¡°No!!!¡±. He didn¡¯t stop despite her scream but instead he increased his speed and added more pressure, smearing his finger around her clit. At the climax, Le arched her back, her fingers curling against the bed sheets. Mason, gripping her thigh, asked hoarsely, ¡°Do you like it this way?¡± Le¡¯s legs trembled, unable to respond. It wasn¡¯t about liking or disliking. The visual impact was overwhelming, making her acutely aware of her heightened senses. Each thrust from Mason sent shivers through her entire body¡­ In the early morning, Mason carried her to the bathroom to clean up. Le, her eyes red, leaned against the wall. Mason looked down at her, his expression a mix of mischief andziness, ¡°Enjoyed it?¡± When he was kicked out of the master bedroom, he leaned against the doorframe, trying to negotiate with Le. Le met his gaze and said just two word, ¡°Get lost.¡±¡­ At 2 a. m., Ley in the master bed, tossing and turning. Frustrated and confused, she pulled the nket over her head. How did things escte to this point? She¡­ couldn¡¯t understand. In the guest room, Mason, feeling refreshed, sat on the bed smoking. Caleb texted him: [Are you awake?] Mason, in a good mood, replied: [Say what you want.] Caleb: [Awake at this hour?] Mason checked the time on his phone and replied: [Why are you up at 2 a. m.?] Caleb: [Don¡¯t change the subject. Did you take advantage of Le again?] Mason didn¡¯t reply. He tossed the phone aside, thinking about what had happened that night, a smile spreading across his face. ¡­ The next day. Le woke up early, made breakfast, and left before Mason got up. By the time Mason called her, her phone was off as she boarded a flight to S city. Two hours and forty minutester, Le arrived at S city. As she was checking into the hotel with her luggage, Mason called. He called twice, and Le declined both times. On the third call, Le answered, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± After a moment of silence, Mason chuckled, ¡°Did you run away?¡± Le responded coolly, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing work-rted, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Mason paused for a few seconds before saying, ¡°Le, you can¡¯t just do this.¡± Le didn¡¯t hesitate for half a second before hanging up. Hearing the silence from the phone, Mason looked at it, scratched his brow with his finger, andughed softly. Le checked into the hotel in S city, while Mason got into the car driven by Daniel. Daniel hadn¡¯t slept much sincest night, evident from the two dark circles under his eyes as he met Mason¡¯s gaze in the rearview mirror. ¡°Not a good night¡¯s sleep?¡± Mason asked. Daniel, with dark circles and a hoarse voice, replied, ¡°Yeah.¡± Mason inquired, ¡°Work or personal matters?¡± Daniel looked serious. ¡°A mix of business and personal.¡± Mason squinted. ¡°Care to borate?¡± Daniel hesitated, struggling to find the words. ¡°Um, maybe I¡¯d better not.¡± Mason¡¯s tone waszy. ¡°Come on, spill it. With you in this wandering state, I fear for my life riding in your car.¡± Daniel had been with Mason for years. Though they were boss and employee, their rtionship was closer than typical. Daniel had known Mason well. Mason wasn¡¯t the type to nitpick without reason. As long as you didn¡¯tmit a fundamental mistake, he¡¯d turn a blind eye. Upon hearing Mason¡¯s urging, he paused, then turned to him. ¡°Boss, may I ask you something personal?¡± ¡°What about?¡± ¡°Regarding rtionships.¡± Mason chuckled lightly. ¡°That¡¯s quite bold of you.¡± Daniel was taken aback, his expressionplicated. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Daniel looked conflicted, pondering how to phrase the question. After about half a minute, he asked, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, do you have feelings for Miss Patel?¡± Daniel expected Mason to refute as before, but this time he ambiguously responded, ¡°Why ask? I don¡¯t deserve her?¡± Daniel paused¡­ If Mason wasn¡¯t his employer, he would have eximed, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a bold third party!¡± Finally, under Mason¡¯s gaze, he gathered his courage and said, ¡°Boss, I think¡­¡± Before Daniel could finish his sentence, Mason calmly interrupted, ¡°Daniel, if you¡¯re tired of being in this position, you can be straightforward. The Ramirez Group isn¡¯t short of talent.¡± With that, Daniel immediately shrunk back, and quickly changed his approach. ¡°I think you and Miss Patel make a great match.¡± Mason, leaning back with his eyes closed, simply said, ¡°Drive.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Daniel replied obediently. The car cruised along the road. Mason took out his phone and send a message in Daniel¡¯s name: [Busy?] Le replied instantly: [Not too busy. I¡¯m on a business trip today, just arrived in S city and checked into the hotel. What¡¯s up?] Mason: [Nothing much. I thought I¡¯de over for dinner after work today.] Le: [Today¡¯s not possible. Let¡¯s catch up when I get back. I¡¯ll call you after I return.] Mason:[Okay.] After a while, Mason messaged again: [Le, what do you usually like to eat?] Le paused upon seeing the message, then replied: [I¡¯m not picky. I generally prefer sweet and sour or sweet and spicy vors.] Mason: [No sweets, no joy?] Le: [Something like that.] Typically, casual friends would end the conversation here. But unexpectedly, ¡®Daniel¡¯ sent another message: [Le, what kind of man do you like?] After staring at ¡®Daniel¡±s message for a while, Le had to reply: [Someone more gentlemanly.] Mason: [Like who?] Le: [Samuel.]T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Le¡¯s response was firm, causing Mason¡¯s slender fingers on the screen to pause. Le: [Mr. Daniel, I have something else to attend to here. Let¡¯s chatter.] Mason: [Okay.] Closing his phone, Mason spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Daniel.¡± Startled, Daniel replied, ¡°Boss?¡± Mason asked expressionlessly, ¡°Do you think Samuel is a gentleman?¡± Having learned from previous experiences, Daniel didn¡¯t dare to answer recklessly. ¡°Um, he¡¯s, he¡¯s okay.¡± Mason raised an eyebrow. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s, not gentlemanly¡­¡± Meanwhile, after putting down her phone, Le briefly organized the items in her suitcase, then picked up her phone to check Mr. Moore¡¯s schedule in S city from her email. Mr. Moore had arrived this morning, supposedly for a real estate project. However, after researching several major projects in S city, Le found no investment from Premier Construction in any of them. After double-checking, she dialed Joshua¡¯s number. When Joshua answered the call, Le didn¡¯t beat around the bush and asked directly, ¡°Joshua, are you sure Mr. Moore is here in S city to invest in a project?¡± Chapter 49 He Was There Joshua hesitated in his response. ¡°Miss Patel, the result of my investigation is as I mentioned, but if you ask me to be sure, I really can¡¯t be certain.¡± Le furrowed her brow at his words. ¡°Who did you conduct these inquiries with?¡± Joshua exined, ¡°I have a friend in a minor leadership position at Premier Construction. I heard it from him.¡± Le nodded. ¡°Okay, I see.¡± Joshua pressed further. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Miss Patel, did I investigate incorrectly?¡± Le replied calmly, ¡°No, carry on with your work.¡± After ending the call, Le went over these matters in her mind before picking up her phone and dialing a number. The call was to a former colleague from Yort city named Susan. Le remembered Susan had some contact with Mr. Moore during theirpetition with Premier Construction for the projectst year. When Susan answered the call, her voice sounded surprised yet amused. ¡°Well, well, Miss Patel, what brings you to call me?¡± Le smiled as she spoke. ¡°I have an urgent matter to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Go on, as long as I can help, I won¡¯t hold back.¡± Le got straight to the point. ¡°Do you still remember Mr. Moore?¡± Susan replied, ¡°Of course, the CEO of Premier Construction wepeted againstst year.¡± Le continued, ¡°Right. When you had contact with himst year, did he have anyone special around him, or¡­¡± Before Le could finish her sentence, Susan interrupted, ¡°Are you asking if there¡¯s any scandal involving this Mr. Moore?¡± Le admitted, ¡°There¡¯s some indication in that direction.¡± Susan asked curiously, ¡°What made you suddenly inquire about this?¡± Having worked together for years, Susan knew Le wasn¡¯t one to gossip. Le exined frankly, ¡°Thepany I¡¯m currently with is interested in acquiring Premier Construction. I followed him to S city, but now I¡¯ve discovered there¡¯s no project he¡¯s invested in here, so I thought¡­¡± Coming to S city under the guise of a business trip without any actual business meant there must be some shady private matters involved. Susan¡¯s voice lowered slightly. ¡°There is indeed something, but I¡¯m not sure if that woman is Mr. Moore¡¯s lover. Nevertheless, Mr. Moore is very attentive to her.¡± Le inquired further, ¡°What kind of woman is she?¡± Susan replied, ¡°A woman in S city who¡¯s seven or eight months pregnant, supposedly Mr. Moore¡¯s secretary¡­¡± Secretary¡­ After ending the call with Susan, Le stood by the window and looked outside for a moment. In this society, people¡¯s hearts are fickle. Le was contemting when her phone chimed with a notification. She nced down to see a news alert: ¡°The Ramirez Group CEO to Get Engaged!!¡± Seeing the notification, Le instinctively tapped on it to open the news article. However, she quickly thought better of it and hit the back button. It didn¡¯t concern her anyway. Deciding to focus on her investigation regarding Mr. Moore¡¯s secretary, Le used her connections to gather information about the secretary. She discovered that woman, called Linda, aged thirty-two, had a son and was unmarried. With Linda¡¯s current address in hand, Le hailed a taxi and headed to the residentialplex where she lived. She had expected Linda to reside in a luxurious upscale neighborhood, but upon arrival, she found it to be a rather ordinary residential building, even somewhat old-fashioned. There wasn¡¯t even a security guard present. Le exited the taxi and entered theplex, spotting two elderly people ying chess and enjoying the cool breeze by the roadside. Le observed them for a moment before politely approaching and inquiring, ¡°Excuse me, do you happen to know Linda?¡± One of the elderly men looked up at her, shook his head, and replied, ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Le nodded understandingly. Just as she was about to leave, the other elderly man who had remained silent suddenly spoke up, ¡°Linda? She used to work in Neo city, I remember.¡± ¡°Yes, do you know her?¡± The old man nodded. ¡°Yes, we ¡®re neighbours.¡± He then looked up at Le and asked, ¡°Are you her friend?¡± Le didn¡¯t dare to tell the truth, so she simply nodded and said, ¡°Yes, a friend.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not at home right now; her child is sick, and she¡¯s staying at the maternal and child health hospital,¡± the old man exined. Le nodded gratefully and thanked him before leaving. As she walked away, she overheard the old man speaking in a lowered voice to the other, ¡°You don¡¯t know Linda? She¡¯s the girl from our neighborhood who was the only one to get into graduate school. Ah, such a good girl, having a child before marriage¡­¡± The other old man chimed in, ¡°Young girls these days. It¡¯s really, ah, hard to say¡­¡± Half an hourter, Le arrived at the maternal and child health hospital. After some inquiries, she learned which room Linda was in. Instead of entering immediately, Le went to a nearby supermarket and bought some fruits. Once she had the items, she returned to the hospital and knocked on the ward door. There was no response from inside, but Le could hear a muffled argument. She pressed her ear to the door and listened. ¡°I told you to stay with the child in Neo city, but you insisted oning back.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t think for yourself, you should think about the child.¡± ¡°Look at you now, all alone, without anyone to help.¡± Through the door, Mr. Moore¡¯s deep voice carried a hint of anger. After a moment, a woman¡¯s voice responded from inside, ¡°Mr. Moore, I¡¯ve caused you enough trouble already. I can¡¯t afford to cause you any more trouble.¡± ¡°What do you mean? We¡¯ve worked together for so many years, and I also have a responsibility for this child,¡± Mr. Moore retorted. As the two inside continued to argue, Le felt hesitant to directly intervene by pushing open the door. Instead, she walked over to a bench in thecorridor and sat down, nning to wait until their argument subsided. Unexpectedly, as soon as she sat down, she saw a familiar figure. The person was bent over, pushing a cart filled with bedsheets that needed cleaning, passing right in front of her. Le froze for a moment, then quickly stood up. The person,pletely oblivious to her presence, continued walking with his head down, asionally exchanging a few words with a middle-aged woman nearby. ¡°I can handle it alone; you take a break.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you want for lunch? I¡¯ll go buy groceriester and cook for you when I get home.¡± For some people, absence brings longing, but upon seeing them again, all that remains is endless hatred. Le gazed at the figure before her, lost in thought. Her hand clenched involuntarily at her side, fingertips digging harshly into her palm. Suddenly, the door opened, and Mr. Moore strode out. Spotting Le, he paused for a moment before speaking, ¡°Le, what are you doing here?¡± Startled back to reality by his words, Le took a deep breath and replied, ¡°Mr. Moore.¡± Le spoke softly, her voice easily drowned out in the bustling corridor of the hospital. However, the middle-aged man who had just passed by her with the cart seemed surprisingly sensitive to her voice. Upon hearing it, he stumbled and almost fell. The middle-aged woman hurriedly reached out to steady him. ¡°Watch your step.¡± With her hand tightened on his arm, the man regained his bnce, but his eyes flickered back to Le¡¯s profile. Then, with hurried steps, he fled. Le caught sight of the man¡¯s reaction, and her already clenched hand tightened even more. Chapter 50 Why did you betray Mom? Mr. Moore seemed to immediately grasp Le¡¯s intentions. He looked at her with amusement rather than anger. ¡°You¡¯re quite crafty, girl.¡± With that, he nodded towards Le. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s talk outside.¡± A few minutester, Le found herself in Mr. Moore¡¯s car. Mr. Moore reached for the mineral water in the cup holder, unscrewed the cap, and took a few sips without hesitation. He then openly asked, ¡°Were you here to catch me in the act? Hoping to catch me red-handed and force me to sell the project to The Ramirez Group at a discounted price?¡± Dealing with smart people, the worst thing you can do is y dumb. Since she was caught, Le didn¡¯t lie and simply said, ¡°Sorry.¡± Mr. Moore mocked lightly, ¡°Hoping for my forgiveness?¡± Le replied frankly, ¡°I know it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t want my forgiveness, why apologize?¡±. Le smiled awkwardly and said, ¡°Apologizing because I was indeed wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have intruded into your privacy.¡± ¡°So if you had the chance to choose again, would you still do it?¡± Le answered honestly, ¡°Yes. For survival, you know.¡± Being kind is important, but being tough is crucial. Kindness is the bottom line, but it won¡¯t solve problems. As Le finished speaking, Mr. Moore stared at her for a moment with a serious expression, then suddenlyughed, ¡°I knew I didn¡¯t misjudge you. You¡¯re quite something, kid.¡± Le remained silent. Seeing her silence, Mr. Moore leaned back and looked at her, ¡°Come on, tell me, what were you nning to do after catching me in the act?¡± While Mr. Moore spoke, Le kept observing his mood. Seeing no signs of anger, she paused and spoke honestly, ¡°I brought the acquisition proposal with me. I hope you can give me a chance.¡± Mr. Moore was skeptical, ¡°Just that?¡± Le calmly responded, ¡°Just that. Thepetition for your project is fierce, and I¡¯m confident in my acquisition proposal. But I need a ¡®reason¡¯ for you to look at me differently.¡± Mr. Moore chuckled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you thinking of threatening me with something? Like forcing me to sign this acquisition agreement?¡± Le exined, ¡°Business is about fairness. I resorted to this as ast resort. I¡¯m not hiding it from you. I¡¯ve just joined The Ramirez Group and urgently need a solid project to establish myself there.¡± Mr. Moore smiled, ¡°So shouldn¡¯t you be trying to force me to sign this acquisition agreement?¡± Le replied, ¡°I just hope you can ¡®look at me differently.¡¯ You give others one chance; I hope you can give me two. Ultimately, I am in need of your help.¡± After listening to Le¡¯s words, Mr. Moore¡¯s appreciation for her grew even more. After a few moments, Mr. Moore looked at Le and asked, ¡°What do you think about me having another woman and a child outside?¡± Le didn¡¯t expect Mr. Moore to ask this and was slightly taken aback. After a moment, she calmly replied, ¡°I don¡¯t understand it, I don¡¯t respect it, but I¡¯ll keep it to myself.¡± With that said, Mr. Moore chuckled and pulled out his phone from his pocket, dialing a number. When the call connected, he teased, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, where did you find this girl?¡± The next second, Mason¡¯s low, amused voice came through the phone, ¡°You¡¯repromising?¡± When Mason finished, Mr. Moore looked at Le with a smile and said, ¡°Have Le leave me the acquisition nnerter. I¡¯ll give you an answer in two days.¡± Mason said in a deep voice, ¡°She is in charge of this project, you give her an answer directly.¡± Hearing Mason¡¯s intention to help Le, Mr. Moore quickly picked up, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell Le the results directly at that time.¡± After discussing the project, Mr. Moore and Mason exchanged pleasantries on the phone. As they ended the call, Mr. Moore turned to Le and said, ¡°Alright, let me see your acquisition proposal.¡± Le quickly retrieved the prepared acquisition proposal from her bag and handed it to Mr. Moore. Taking it, Mr. Moore didn¡¯t immediately open it. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a result in two days.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Moore.¡± Mr. Moore chuckled, ¡°You should thank yourself. You fought for this opportunity.¡± Their conversation in the car didn¡¯tst long before Mr. Moore was called away by another phone call¡­ As Le headed back to the hotel, her mind was filled with personal matters. The person she had encountered at the hospital seemed to be her biological father, Keith Patel, who had disappeared five years ago after taking thest of their money and fleeing. Sitting in the taxi, Le leaned her head against the window, her thoughts in turmoil. She couldn¡¯t quite describe her feelings at the moment. She had imagined many scenarios for meeting Keith again-sad, happy, tearful-but never this. The reunion felt like two strangers pretending not to recognize each other, as if they were from different worlds. Lost in her thoughts for the entire journey, Le hadn¡¯t snapped out of it even when the car arrived at the hotel. The driver noticed that Le wasn¡¯t herself and kindly asked, ¡°Miss, are you okay?¡± Le forced a smile on her face. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She turned and walked towards the hotel. Suddenly, a trembling voice came from behind, ¡°Le.¡± Le¡¯s steps halted at the sound without turning back. ¡°Le, is that you?¡± Le¡¯s eyes turn red. After a moment, she turned around and spoke, ¡°Dad.¡± Hearing Le call him ¡®dad¡¯, Keith burst into tears. He stepped forward and embraced her tightly, choking back tears as he said, ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again in this lifetime.¡± After five years, Le couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this embrace was unfamiliar. After the hug, Keith looked her up and down. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up and taller.¡± ¡°You seem thinner.¡± ¡°How have you been all these years?¡± Keith rambled on with concern. Le interrupted, ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t you ask about Mom?¡± At the mention of his wife, Keith¡¯s eyes flickered, clearly wanting to avoid the topic. ¡°I¡­¡± Keith stammered for a while withoutpleting a sentence. Forcing herself to stay calm, Le looked at him calmly and asked, ¡°Who was thedy you were with just now? Is she your friend?¡± Faced with Le¡¯s question, Keith¡¯s face turned red. Le asked again, ¡°Have you been doing well these years?¡± Keith looked embarrassed and flustered. ¡°Le, let me exin¡­¡± The reunion between father and daughter, which should have been warm, was unexpectedly tense. Not far away, in a ck business car, a bodyguard observed the two for a while before pulling out his phone and dialing Mason¡¯s number. When the call connected, the bodyguard said, ¡°Boss, Miss Patel met a middle-aged man, and she seems very emotional.¡± As the bodyguard spoke, Mason furrowed his brows. ¡°Have you seen the man before in Neo city?¡± The bodyguard replied truthfully, ¡°No, judging by his attire, he seems to be a hospital orderly or some kind of support staff.¡± Mason frowned. ¡°Investigate his identity and report back to me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. After hanging up, the bodyguard instructed his colleague to investigate Keith¡¯s identity. An hourter, he sent the investigation results to Mason¡¯s email. The moment Mason received the email, he picked up his phone and dialed Daniel¡¯s number. ¡°Daniel, book a flight to S city.¡± Daniel was ustomed to Mason¡¯s sudden arrangements and promptly responded, ¡°Alright, Boss.¡± On the other side, Keith spent a full hour exining to Le. From the time he left Yort city with thepany¡¯sst bit of money to being deceived and losing everything, to his various struggles leading him to S city¡­ ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to cut off contact with you and your mom. It¡¯s just that I couldn¡¯t face you.¡± ¡°I had hoped that once I got back on my feet, I could repay the money and ensure you and your mom had a good life. But who knew I¡¯d run into scammers, not only failing to make money but also losing everything I had.¡± Le stood on the steps, staring down at him. ¡°And then?¡± Keith hesitated at her question. ¡°And then?¡± Le continued, ¡°Why did you betray Mom?¡± The word ¡®betray¡¯ hung heavily in the air. Keith¡¯s body froze, his lips trembling as he attempted to exin, ¡°It wasn¡¯t a betrayal, Le. I, I just couldn¡¯t face returning to you and your mom, so¡­¡± Le calmly interrupted, ¡°So you chose to start a new family with another woman in this ce?¡± Keith fell silent. ¡®Excuses¡¯ seemed like a shield, covering up the ugly truths of human nature in this world. Chapter 51 Running away from marriage Seeing Keith¡¯s silence, Le asked, ¡°Dad, you¡¯ve talked so much about how difficult these years have been for you. Have you ever thought about how Mom and I have been living these years?¡± Keith still tried to evade responsibility. ¡°You, you had the house left by your grandfather, right? And, I also gave your uncle some money, although not much, it should have been enough for you and your mom to get by.¡± Le furrowed. ¡°What money?¡± She hadn¡¯t seen any money left behind by him all these years. Upon hearing Le¡¯s question, Keith seemed to find a loophole in which he wasn¡¯t entirely irresponsible. He widened his eyes. ¡°Before I left, I gave your uncle five hundred thousand. Didn¡¯t he give you the money?¡± Le shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Not only did he not give her any money, but during Le¡¯s toughest times in college, she had borrowed twenty thousand from him. Her aunt came demanding repayment in less than six months. Keith started to speak again, ¡°Le, I¡­¡± But before Keith could finish his sentence, his phone, tucked in his pocket, suddenly rang. Retrieving it, he nced at the iing call notification, his face stiffening. He turned away from Le and answered the call. Le couldn¡¯t hear what the person on the other end of the line was saying, only catching Keith¡¯s side of the conversation. ¡°Okay, I got it. Sd dressing, right?¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll pick up some ribs on my way back. You don¡¯t have to cook; I¡¯ll handle lunch today.¡± Perhaps it was Keith¡¯s unexpectedly gentle tone that reminded Le of her mother suffering in the hospital. Without waiting for him to finish the call, Le clenched the object in her hand and turned back to the hotel. By the time Keith finished his call and turned around, there was no one behind him¡­ Back at the hotel, Ley on the bed, staring nkly at the ceiling for hours. In her memory, Keith had never cooked before, even the water for his bath was always prepared by her mother in advance¡­ Ley there for over four hours, lost in thought. Eventually, she drifted into a half-asleep state, burying her face in the pillow to avoid reality. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. She buried her face deeper, not wanting to get up, but the knocking grew louder and more insistent. Minutester, Le reluctantly slipped on her slippers and went to open the door. It was Mason, standing there. One arm was draped over a suit jacket, the other was loosening his tie. ¡°Have you seen the news about my engagement?¡± he asked. ¡°What?¡± Le was taken aback. Mason teased, ¡°How do you feel about me running away from marriage?¡± Le thought Mason was insane, and not in a good way. She red at him, while he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. After a few seconds, Le pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m currently low on funds.¡± ¡°What?¡± Le continued, ¡°If I had enough money, I¡¯d book you a VIP suite at the mental hospital no matter what.¡± Mason chuckled. ¡°Being so nice to me?¡± Le wanted to curse him out but ended up choking on her words, saying nothing at all. She walked over to the coffee table, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, took a few sips, then sat on the couch, picking up a throw pillow and hugging it to her chest as she leaned back. Mason stepped forward, not taking a seat beside her but sitting on the coffee table across from her instead. He picked up the bottle of mineral water she had been drinking from, took a sip, and looked down at her. ¡°Feeling upset?¡± Le¡¯s gaze remained calm. ¡°Not really.¡± Mason nodded, not pressing further. ¡°The rumors outside im that my parents died in a ne crash when I was young, but that¡¯s not the truth.¡± Le asked, ¡°Then what happened?¡± Seeing her interest in the topic, Mason set down the water bottle, one hand resting on the table, the other unbuttoning his shirt cor. He said with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°My father did die in a ne crash, but he wasn¡¯t with my mother. He was with his mistress, whom he had been seeing for five years.¡± Le was stunned. ¡°¡­¡± Mason lowered his head to meet Le¡¯s gaze. ¡°My mother didn¡¯t die; she left one week after my father¡¯s death, one night while my brother and I were asleep.¡± ¡°Left?¡± Le asked. Mason scoffed lightly. ¡°Yes. But ording to her, she didn¡¯t leave; she just went to pursue her own happiness.¡± Le couldn¡¯t verify the truth of what Mason said. But perhaps human nature was truly ¡®evil¡¯ at times, because after hearing Mason¡¯s words, the frustration that had weighed on her all afternoon miraculously eased. Human joys and sorrows were unique to each individual. Yet the tragic experiences of one could heal the tragic experiences of another. As Mason finished speaking, a brief silence filled the living room. After a moment, Le asked, ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Mason turned his head under her gaze and lit a cigarette. ¡°Probably just feeling inspired, reminding myself never to marry someone I don¡¯t love. It harms both parties.¡± Le was about to respond when Mason¡¯s phone suddenly rang. ¡°Mr. Moore.¡± He switched on the speaker, ¡°How has Linda beentely?¡± ¡°The child is sick, so she¡¯s at the hospital taking care of him.¡± Mason remarked, ¡°Linda has had a tough couple of years.¡± Mr. Moore sighed, ¡°She¡¯s chosen her path. We can only offer help; we can¡¯t interfere.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a woman worthy of admiration.¡± ¡°That girl, stubbornness¡­¡± ¡°You know, Le reminds me of her back in the day.¡± Mason didn¡¯t engage with Mr. Moore¡¯s remark, smoothly shifting the topic. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been taking care of her these past few years. Didn¡¯t she get any government assistance after her husband died?¡± Mr. Moore replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. I only take care of people; I don¡¯t inquire about anything else.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Mason remarked, ¡°I admire you just the same.¡± ¡°In people¡¯s eyes, there¡¯s no such thing as righteousness. As long as there¡¯s any involvement between men and women, they always see it as an illicit affair.¡± Mason chuckled softly. Mr. Moore burst intoughter. ¡°I wasn¡¯t referring to Le.¡± ¡°I was, I¡¯ll personally teach her.¡± ¡°Mr. Mitchell invited me to dinner that day, because¡­¡± Mr. Moore had just started a new topic when Mason interrupted, ¡°He¡¯s also interested in your project.¡± Hearing Mason¡¯s words, Mr. Moore paused for a moment, then reacted and chuckled lightly, ¡°I never expected that my failed project would be so popr.¡± Mason¡¯s voice turned serious, ¡°The failure of your project has its reasons. Outsiders might not know, but insiders are well aware.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on it; it¡¯s fate,¡± Mr. Moore replied. Next, Mason and Mr. Moore discussed a bidding project. Mr. Moore mentioned that Premier Construction could handle the project but didn¡¯t want to monopolize it. ¡°I¡¯ve been through too much loss before, so I need to be cautious,¡± he said. Mason pondered for a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll consider it. Let¡¯s discuss it privately.¡± Hanging up the phone, Mason leaned down with his hand on the armrest of the sofa, ¡°You see, sometimes the truth isn¡¯t what you see.¡± Le lowered her head, he was right, she still had a lot to learn. ¡°Le, why have you been working so hard these years?¡± ¡°To pay off my debts as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Mason prodded. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, dreams may sound ordinary, but they¡¯re not something ordinary people can afford to indulge in. When you¡¯re struggling for basic necessities, what¡¯s the point of dreaming?¡± Hearing her words, Mason spoke with a grave tone, ¡°Le, your biggest w is being too rational.¡± ¡°Impulsiveness isn¡¯t something ordinary people can afford to indulge in either.¡± Impulsiveness always came with a cost. After one impulse, there might be ten consequences to deal with. Ordinary people didn¡¯t have the time or energy for that. So, gradually, they developed a habit of not daring to be impulsive because they couldn¡¯t afford the consequences. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right,¡± Mason conceded. ¡°Not perhaps, definitely,¡± Le asserted. ¡°Just like now, I know your intentions towards me aren¡¯t pure, and I know there will be things happening under yourmand that shouldn¡¯t, but I still haven¡¯t chosen to resign. That¡¯s¡­ not daring to be impulsive.¡± Le¡¯s voice was icy, and Mason narrowed his eyes for a moment. ¡°So, if I were reced by someone else, would you still act the same way?¡± Chapter 52 You want to marry me? Le didn¡¯t answer. Mason looked at her, recalling a remark Caleb had made before: ¡°I heard something before, not sure if it¡¯s true or not, but I heard that about six months ago, the CEO of a listedpany wanted to keep Le as his mistress, and Le nearly knocked his head off. Mason stood in front of her, his tall figure looming over her. ¡°Le, do we have to be like this?¡± Le retorted, ¡°For someone like you, you can have any kind of woman you want.¡± Mason looked at her, his voice low, ¡°Indeed.¡± Le asked, ¡°So¡­¡± Mason smiled, ¡°So, since you see me as so outstanding, why aren¡¯t you even a little touched?¡± Mason pressed against her from behind, hisrge hands around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder as he chuckled softly, ¡°Le.¡± ¡°Mr. Ramirez, honestly, if I hadn¡¯t read so many gossip news reports about you before, I really wouldn¡¯t believe that you¡¯ve had so many affairs.¡± Le¡¯s words wereced with sarcasm. Mason didn¡¯t refute as he held her, his voice low as he chuckled, ¡°Well. I don¡¯t need to have had countless affairs, but if I¡¯ve had a few more girlfriends, I shouldn¡¯t be so fixated on you.¡± Finishing his sentence, Mason lowered his head and lightly nibbled on Le¡¯s crimson earlobe, his voice husky, ¡°Le, do you think I¡¯ll ever fall in love with you?¡± Le could clearly feel her skin shiver under his touch. ¡°I think you have a sense of humor.¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t provoked me that night, I wouldn¡¯t have be so infatuated with you.¡± His expression was quite meaningful. Le looked at him calmly, ¡°You just said you wouldn¡¯t marry a woman you don¡¯t love because that would hurt both parties.¡± Mason deliberately twisted her words, ¡°So, you want to marry me?¡± Le took a deep breath, the anger in her chest having nowhere to go, ¡°If I wanted to marry you, would you actually do it?¡± ¡°You could try.¡± Le¡¯s phone suddenly rang from her pocket. ¡°Let go,¡± Le demanded. Mason tightened his hold on her hand instead of releasing it. He leaned closer and reached into her pocket, retrieving her phone and answering the call. As the call connected, Shirley¡¯s excited voice came through the phone, ¡°Le, guess where I am right now?¡± Le tried to maintain herposure. ¡°Where are you?¡± Shirley giggled, ¡°S city!!¡± Then she asked triumphantly, ¡°Surprised? Unexpected? We have a shoot scheduled in S city tomorrow morning.¡± Le remained silent. Mason, who was holding her from behind, chuckled softly. Sharp as ever, Shirley noticed something. ¡°Le, why do I hear a man¡¯s voice on your end?¡± Le shot Mason a re and replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s the TV.¡± Shirley teased, ¡°Hmm, I thought it was that bastard Mason chasing after you to S city.¡± Shirley continued to badmouth Mason on the phone. Meanwhile, Mason leaned closer to Le¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Badmouthing behind my back, hmm?¡± Le wanted to deny it, but she couldn¡¯t argue. Shirley kept talking, not hearing Le¡¯s response, and lowered her voice a bit, saying, ¡°Le, do you know about Mason¡¯s fiancee?¡± Worried that Shirley might say something shocking, Le hurriedly interrupted, ¡°Where are you?¡± Shirley replied, ¡°On my way to your hotel.¡± Le said, ¡°I have some things to take care of here. Let¡¯s talk when you get here.¡± Shirley didn¡¯t detect the unease in Le¡¯s tone and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll give you all the details when I arrive. But let me tell you one thing now. Mason¡¯s fiancee is head over heels for him. You know that model who was rumored to be with him recently? I heard Jennifer went straight to her shoot location today and got into a big fight with her.¡± Le remained silent. Whenever Mason¡¯s name came up, Shirley hardly had anything good to say about him. While Mason appearedposed on the surface, in reality, hisrge hand had already slid from the edge of Le¡¯s clothes over her stomach, pushing upward. Le struggled a few times but couldn¡¯t break free, so she clenched her teeth, afraid of making any unusual sounds that Shirley might pick up on. Mason became even more audacious, his hand covering her soft, full chest, as he whispered seductively in her ear, ¡°Le.¡± Le pressed her lips together and remained silent. With a mischievous grin, Mason continued, ¡°Why not break up with Samuel and be with me?¡± Le squeezed out two words, ¡°Dream on.¡± Mason made a nomittal sound and chuckled even more, ¡°I understand. You just love the joy of cheating.¡± The call with Shirley still ongoing, Le found it increasingly difficult to stand next to the door. Just as Le was about to hang up the call and give Mason a piece of her mind, the doorbell suddenly rang. Both Le and Mason froze. The next moment, Shirley¡¯s cheerful voice came from outside the door, ¡°Le, open up, surprise!!¡± Le and Mason exchanged a nce of panic. Secondster, Mason found himself pushed into the bathroom by Le. The door opened, and Shirley hugged Le triumphantly, saying, ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy to see me in a different city?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shirley continued, ¡°I¡¯ll make you even happier!¡± With that, Shirley let go of Le and pulled someone over from the wall. It was Samuel! Shirley eximed, ¡°Even happier now, my brother¡¯s here too!¡± Le was stunned on the spot. Inside the bathroom, Mason, infamous as the ¡®third party¡¯ and ¡®home-wrecker,¡¯ listened to themotion outside, feeling very unhappy. A few minutester, Shirley and Samuel sat on the sofa with Le, continuing their conversation from the phone call. As they discussed Jennifer, the daughter of The Powers Family, Shirley couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°You know that girl, she¡¯s got the looks, the figure, andes from such a good family. Why does she have to like Mason?¡± Le waspletely calm by now. She sat on the single sofa on the side and opened a food delivery app. ¡°Have you two had dinner?¡± Bringing up food, Shirley immediately switched from talking about Jennifer. ¡°Not yet. Have you eaten?¡± ¡°A little bit, but not enough,¡± Le replied. ¡°With whom?¡± Shirley inquired. Without looking up and intentionally ignoring Mason, Le replied, ¡°Mr. Moore.¡± Shirley nodded in understanding. ¡°No wonder you couldn¡¯t enjoy your meal. Dining with such a big shot is stressful. Who has the mood to savor the food?¡± ¡°What do you guys want to eat?¡± Shirley hopped off the sofa and leaned in next to Le, sitting on the armrest. ¡°What are the specialty dishes?¡± Le handed her the phone. ¡°Take a look yourself.¡± Shirley naturally took the phone and scrolled through it for about seven or eight minutes before handing it back to Le. ¡°I¡¯ve made my selection.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Looking at the items in the cart, Le nced at Shirley uncertainly. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Shirley affirmed. ¡°You don¡¯t want to try any of S city¡¯s specialties?¡± Le inquired skeptically, ¡°Fried chicken and skewers with beer-how is that not a specialty of S city?¡± Shirley replied earnestly. ¡°Every ce has its own unique style of fried chicken and skewers, right?¡± Le was at a loss for words. After settling Shirley¡¯s order, Le handed the phone to Samuel. ¡°Take a look and see what you want.¡± Samuel, who had been leaning over to text a colleague, looked up at Le¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯m not picky. I¡¯ll eat whatever you two are having.¡± The takeaway arrived. As the three of them ate and chatted, Le and Samuel talked about work, ¡°I heard that if you secure the Premier Construction project, themission will be substantial.¡± Le smiled, ¡°Well, it seems news travels fast.¡± Samuel raised his beer bottle for a toast. ¡°That¡¯s good news. You¡¯re earning yourmission based on merit.¡± Shirley chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s true, but in this society, there are plenty of people who envy you.¡± After downing two bottles of beer, Samuel stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the restroom.¡± Le had already forgotten about the person in the bathroom and continued chatting with Shirley. A minuteter, there was a loud ¡°thud¡± from the bathroom. Le and Shirley froze simultaneously. Le suddenly remembered something, and the skewer in her hand slipped through her fingers¡­ Chapter 53 Bathroom Meeting Inside the bathroom, Samuel was startled by Mason and knocked over the toiletries on the sink. His faces filled with shock, his breath held. With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, Mason stared at Samuel, his eyes deep. The two men locked eyes, the atmosphere ufortably awkward. ¡°Bro, are you okay?¡± Shirley¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside the door. Taking a deep breath, Samuel reached out to pick up the fallen toiletries, trying to sound calm. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just identally knocked over Le¡¯s toiletries.¡± Hearing Samuel¡¯s response, Shirley teased, ¡°Well, it seems that as men get older, their tolerance for alcohol decreases.¡± Normally, Samuel would retort, but at this moment, he was barely keeping himself steady. He didn¡¯t have the energy to argue with Shirley¡¯s banter. Samuel adjusted his emotions for a moment before addressing Mason, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°Hmm.¡± Samuel forced a smile, ¡°Did you¡­ Did you alsoe to the restroom?¡± Samuel regretted saying that as soon as the words left his mouth. ¡°What do you think?¡± The atmosphere in the bathroom became increasingly tense. After a few minutes, Shirley¡¯s voice rang out again, ¡°Bro, are you really okay? Did you drink too much?¡± Samuel had never found Shirley¡¯s voice so pleasant before. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll be out in a moment.¡± With that, Samuel looked at Mason and reluctantly spoke, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I, I¡¯ll go out first.¡± Mason¡¯s voice was chilly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to pee?¡± Samuel stuttered, ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Mason took two steps forward, extinguished the cigarette butt in the sink, then turned his back to Samuel. ¡°Pee.¡± Samuel hesitated. For the first time in his life, Samuel feltpelled to pee. He trembled, nearly missing the toilet several times. Trying to maintainposure, Samuel finally came out of the bathroom, feeling like he had developed a serious psychological issue. Upon seeing him, Shirley, holding a beer bottle, couldn¡¯t hold back herughter as she leaned against the sofa. ¡°Why do you look so awful after a trip to the bathroom?¡± Samuel didn¡¯t respond to Shirley but exchanged a nce with Le. Both of them shared an unspeakable awkwardness. There were some things they couldn¡¯t say directly and could only pretend that nothing had happened. As they sat back down, Samuel didn¡¯t dare to drink like before. It wasn¡¯t because of anything else; he really didn¡¯t want to go back to the bathroom. But he didn¡¯t expect that just because he didn¡¯t go, it didn¡¯t mean others wouldn¡¯t. After a while, Shirley stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the bathroom.¡± As Shirley spoke, she headed straight for the restroom. Le and Samuel both tensed up, blurting out simultaneously, ¡°No!!¡± Shirley was taken aback. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you two?¡± Samuel cleared his throat and said, ¡°The bathroom is broken.¡± Perplexed, Shirley asked, ¡°But didn¡¯t you just use it?¡± Samuel replied, ¡°I used it, and it broke. It hasn¡¯t been fixed yet.¡± Without waiting for Shirley to argue, he took out his room key from his pocket and handed it to her. ¡°Go next door.¡± They had booked a room next to Le¡¯s when they arrived. Shirley didn¡¯t think much of it and took the key from him. ¡°I¡¯m truly amazed that you manage to break the bathroom? No wonder you took so long in there; you were fixing the toilet?¡± Samuel remained silent. As Shirley left, the living room was left with only Samuel and Le. Samuel held his beer silently for a moment before speaking softly, ¡°Mr. Ramirez and you¡­¡± He had actually heard rumors about Mason and Le before. However, he was someone who valued truth and disliked spreading rumors, so he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to them. If it weren¡¯t for meeting Mason here today, he would have thought those rumors were baseless. In response to Samuel¡¯s question, Le didn¡¯t reply immediately. After about half a minute, she whispered, ¡°Can you keep this between us?¡± Samuel, concerned that Le might be coerced, asked, ¡°Is he threatening you?¡± Le said, ¡°No.¡± Samuel then asked, ¡°Are you two in a rtionship?¡± As both of them were unmarried, it wouldn¡¯t be unusual if they were in a rtionship. Le replied, ¡°No.¡± Understanding that he shouldn¡¯t delve deeper, Samuel said, ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After a moment of thought, Samuel said, ¡°If you need any help, just let me know. I won¡¯t stand by and watch my friend being bullied.¡± ¡°Samuel, thank you.¡± Samuel suddenly smiled and nced towards the direction of the bathroom, saying quietly, ¡°No need to thank me. Just treat me to a meal next time.¡± Samuel¡¯s tone was light-hearted, and he seemed unaffected by Mason¡¯s influence. But Le knew he was just trying to spare her embarrassment. Despite that, Le couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved. Shirley returned about fifteen minutester. The three of them drank until the early hours of the morning, and in the end, Shirley had to be dragged away by Samuel. As they reached the door, Shirley clung to the doorframe and refused to let go. ¡°Let me go, I want to sleep with Le tonight!¡± Shirley was hysterically yelling, and Samuel reached out to close the door. With the door mming shut, Shirley¡¯s voice was cut off outside. Le couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Just as she turned her head, she saw Mason leaning against the wall with a smirk. He raised an eyebrow at her and saidzily, ¡°Le, what now? Your boyfriend found out you¡¯re cheating on him.¡± Mason deliberately emphasized the phrase ¡®cheating on him.¡¯ Le looked up at him and said, ¡°You seem quite proud.¡± Mason¡¯s smirk deepened, ¡°Indeed.¡± Le said, ¡°You really have no shame.¡± Mason¡¯s voice was low with a hint of augh, ¡°If I had any shame, would I repeatedly¡­ sleep with you, knowing you have a boyfriend?¡± ¡°True.¡± Mason¡¯s phone suddenly rang. After seeing the caller ID, he impatiently pressed the end call button. The phone rang again. Irritated, Mason answered with a cold tone, ¡°Speak.¡± His cold demeanor caused a pause on the other end of the line. After a moment, the person on the phone asked with a hint of resentment, ¡°Where have you been?¡± Mason replied curtly, ¡°None of your business.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The caller persisted, ¡°I¡¯m your fiancee. How can it not be my business? Are you with that new project manager again? Did you go to S city with her?¡± The caller was Jennifer, who had caused a scene at a birthday party andter went to a shoot to confront the model rumored to have been involved with Mason. With the room so quiet, Le and Mason were close to each other again. Even with his phone¡¯s soundproofing, secrets couldn¡¯t be hidden at such a distance. Facing Jennifer¡¯s interrogation, Mason nced at Le and saw disdain in her eyes. Before Mason could respond, Jennifer continued, ¡°Mason, do I have to resort to drastic measures to deal with her?¡± Mason¡¯s gaze turned colder at her words. ¡°If you¡¯re so good at finding out things, why didn¡¯t you find out that Mr. Moore is also here?¡± Jennifer bit her lip on the other end of the line, then chuckled through her tears. ¡°You went to S city with her for the Premier Construction project, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ignoring her, Mason hung up the phone and added Jennifer¡¯s number to the cklist. He then messaged Alvin: [Take care of your sister, don¡¯t let her go crazy.] Alvin: [What¡¯s going on?] Mason: [Find out for yourself.] After sending the message, Mason was about to put away his phone when Le spoke up, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, Miss Powers loves you deeply.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Le continued, ¡°Women often lose their rationality when deeply in love with a man. I¡¯m alone in Neo city, with little influence. I know I¡¯m not qualified to be anyone¡¯s obstacle, but I also don¡¯t want to be a thorn in anyone¡¯s side. Mr. Ramirez, I understand you don¡¯t want a business marriage, don¡¯t want to marry someone you don¡¯t love, but could you please also try to sympathize with me?¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°Why should I sympathize with you?¡± Le said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s simple. Don¡¯t let me be a stumbling block on your path to opposing the families.¡± Mason caught the undertone of her words and mocked, ¡°Do you think I want to use you to create a false impression for The Ramirez Family and The Powers Family, making you a shield for me to cancel the engagement?¡± Le asked straightforwardly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± Whether it was or not, Mason didn¡¯t say. Mason lowered his gaze to look at her for a moment, then smiled. ¡°Le, do you really have so little confidence in yourself? What if I fell for you at first sight?¡± Chapter 54 Do you want to see my mom? Le remained expressionless. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I¡¯ve outgrown the age of dreaming and have endured the harsh realities of society.¡± Their conversation was interrupted by a call from Mr. Moore, again. On the phone, Mr. Moore expressed his hope that they could finalize the deal tonight. Mason smirked as he held his phone, ¡°Mr. Moore, there¡¯s no rush on finalizing the deal. I know there are manypanies you want to cooperate with. You can take your time.¡± Mr. Moore admitted that there were indeed manypanies interested in partnering with Premier Construction. However, he had received a call from his assistant informing him that all thepanies that couldpete with The Ramirez Group had suddenly withdrawn their intention to coborate. Both of them were smart negotiators, adept at ying dumb in negotiations. ¡°Thank you for your high regard for The Ramirez Group,¡± Mason said. Mr. Moore frowned slightly and lowered his voice. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, even if you want to pave the way for the beauty, you can¡¯t cut off my retreat.¡± Mason nced at Le, who was still confronting him, and smirked. ¡°Someone might not appreciate it.¡± Le indeed did not appreciate it. In fact, upon realizing that Mason and Mr. Moore were discussing her, her expression turned colder. Unaware of Mason¡¯s situation, Mr. Moore chuckled at his remark. ¡°Regarding the acquisition price, I hope Mr. Ramirez will show some mercy.¡± Mason replied, ¡°I¡¯ll have Miss Patel work overtime tonight to draft a new acquisition n and send it to your emailter.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up with Mr. Moore, Mason lifted his chin towards Le. ¡°Heard everything on the phone?¡± Le nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Then, she furrowed her brows and asked, ¡°Is there something wrong with Premier Construction?¡± Mr. Moore¡¯s sudden change in attitude couldn¡¯t have happened for no reason. Facing Le¡¯s inquiry, Mason took a half-step forward, wearing a mischievous grin. ¡°Curious?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± she responded. Mason chuckled abruptly. ¡°If you¡¯re not curious, don¡¯t ask. Go edit the acquisition n.¡± Le had left flexibility in the acquisition n she proposed to Mr. Moore, aiming to leave room for negotiation. Now that the cooperation was almost set in stone, there was no need to keep a bottom line. Le walked into the bedroom and retrieved herptop from the suitcase. She opened it and asked Mason, ¡°Is the acquisition price based on the price I proposed earlier?¡± Mason nced down at his phone. ¡°Yeah.¡± Le followed up, ¡°Do you want to review it after I¡¯m done editing?¡± Mason didn¡¯t immediately respond to Le¡¯s words, seemingly preupied with texting someone. After about a minute, he looked up at her and said, ¡°Le, Samuel¡¯s expression in the restroom was quite strange.¡± Le was taken aback by his words. Mason¡¯s intense gaze bore into her, carrying a hint of scrutiny. ¡°After seeing me, he didn¡¯t show any anger at being cuckolded by his girlfriend, just panic.¡± Le remained silent.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Their eyes locked, and Le struggled to maintain herposure. After a moment, Mason chuckled and said, ¡°Are you two putting on a show for me?¡± Le still didn¡¯t respond. Their gaze lingered, Mason¡¯s eyes filled with amusement while Le forced herself to appear calm. Eventually, Mason smirked and said, ¡°After you finish editing, send it directly to Mr. Moore¡¯s email. No need to show it to me.¡± Seeing Mason steer the conversation back to business, Le breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Mason left Le¡¯s room, grabbing his suit jacket before stepping out. Sensing him open the door, Le didn¡¯t even dare to lift her head, afraid that he might change his mind and stay. At three in the morning, Le sent thetest acquisition proposal to Mr. Moore¡¯s email. She then stretched, tired from both dealing with Mason and revising the acquisition n, and went to wash up before resting. Le didn¡¯t have the energy to think about Keith¡¯s situation. After taking a hot shower, she climbed into bed and fell asleep. She had a dream. In her dream, she was in college and unable to afford tuition. Her mom was helping her borrow money from various sources. The dream was filled with coldness and ridicule, culminating in a failed attempt to borrow money from her uncle, Darren Gng. In the dream, her mom tried to exin their financial situation, but they were met with disdain and criticism from her uncle and aunt. The dream ended with a phone call from the school¡¯s dean, informing her of a generous donation that would cover her tuition fees. In the middle of her dream, the hotel¡¯sndline suddenly rang. Le frowned, blinked her eyes, took a deep breath, and after a few seconds, got up to answer the phone. ¡°Miss Patel, there¡¯s a man named Keith Patel iming to be your father who wants to see you,¡± the front desk staff said on the other end of the line. Le furrowed her brows slightly and, after a moment, replied calmly, ¡°Let hime up.¡± ¡°Okay, Miss Patel.¡± After hanging up the phone, Le walked into the bathroom to wash her face. As the doorbell rang, she stepped out of the bathroom to answer the door. Keith had changed into a different outfit today. When their eyes met, Keith¡¯s face was filled with embarrassment as he extended the breakfast he had bought towards Le, speaking in a conciliatory tone, ¡°Haven¡¯t had breakfast yet? I bought you breakfast, it¡¯s the porridge you used to love.¡± Having calmed down from the events of the previous night, Le¡¯s mood was rtively calm. She reached out to take the porridge from him, stepping aside to let him into the room without mentioning that she hadn¡¯t liked this particr porridge for years. From the moment Keith entered until he sat down, he appeared to be very restrained. Once seated, he nervously rubbed his hands on hisp before taking the initiative to speak to Le, ¡°Yesterday, the meeting was too short. I didn¡¯t get a chance to ask you, how is your mother now?¡± The rtionship between father and daughter was sometimes subtle. When the rtionship was good, they were closer than kin, but when it soured, they could feel like strangers, or even enemies. Le was no longer a child and could tell whether Keith¡¯s inquiry was sincere or not. She picked up a bottle of mineral water from the table and handed it to him. ¡°She¡¯s sick, in the hospital.¡± Keith took the bottle and, perhaps to mask his nervousness, took a big gulp before asking, ¡°What illness?¡± Before Le could respond, he continued, ¡°Getting old brings about a lot of health problems. I¡¯ve been experiencing a lot of back pain and leg aches these past few years. Your mother should be better off than me. With your grandparents spoiling her when she was young and living a pampered life after marrying me, she¡­¡± Le interjected coldly, ¡°Uremia.¡± Keith¡¯s words caught in his throat, and he looked at Le in shock. Compared to Keith¡¯s surprise, Le remained calm. She continued to stir the porridge he brought while speaking calmly, ¡°When you had your ident, those creditors brought my mother and me to thepany, forcing us to pay off your debts. My mother was scared.¡± Keith remained silent. Le leaned forward and took a sip of the porridge, the sweetness of the red dates overwhelming. ¡°You said yesterday that you left us five hundred thousand, but we never received it. And even if we did, five hundred thousand wouldn¡¯t be enough to cover your debts.¡± Le took a sip of the porridge and then set it down without taking another. She looked up at Keith and asked, ¡°Do you want to see my mom?¡± Chapter 55 Take over the debts Keith was stunned by Le¡¯s consecutive remarks and couldn¡¯t find words to respond. After a while, his voice trembled as he asked, ¡°Where is your mom hospitalized?¡± Le replied calmly, ¡°Yort City, she hasn¡¯t left.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t want to leave, it¡¯s that those creditors won¡¯t let her. They¡¯re afraid that if she and I both leave, there will be no one left to pay the debts.¡± Le¡¯s demeanor remained indifferent as she spoke, neither angry nor mocking. But the moreposed she appeared, the more anxious Keith felt. Le hated him, that was Keith¡¯s first thought. While he was living afortable life in S City, she and her mother were struggling in Yort City. He thought he was having a hard time, but what they were going through was thousands of times harder. After a long while, Keith took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯ll find a chance to go back and see her.¡± Le responded with a simple ¡°Okay¡± and continued, ¡°If possible, discuss with your current wife and take over the debts you owe. I¡¯ve already paid off most of it, there¡¯s only a small portion left.¡± Mentioning the debts, Keith clenched his jaw tightly and remained silent. Le continued, ¡°Even if this debt is considered joint debt between spouses, my mother has already fulfilled her part. It¡¯s time for you to take responsibility for the rest.¡± Keith replied hoarsely, ¡°I know.¡± As Keith finished speaking, his face visibly darkened. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Keith, who had been avoiding creditors for years, became extremely nervous at the slightest sound. Le nced at him and then stood up from the sofa. ¡°It should be my friends,¡± she said. At this hour, she guessed it was Shirley and Samuel. Opening the door, Le was momentarily stunned by the sight of Mason standing outside. He didn¡¯t look at her, but instead cast a cold gaze directly at Keith, asking, ¡°Gotpany?¡± The phrase ¡°gotpany¡± from Mason made Keith tense up instantly, feeling inexplicably ashamed. Le leaned against the door frame, not denying it. ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied. Mason withdrew his gaze from Keith and looked down at Le. ¡°Need to talk to you, is that okay?¡± Le bit her lip slightly, about to suggest talkingter, but then heard Mason say, ¡°About your mom¡¯s surgery, just a few minutes.¡± Concerning Dasha¡¯s surgery, Le couldn¡¯t afford to dy for even a moment. Le stepped aside to let Mason in, casually asking, ¡°Water or coffee?¡± Mason stepped inside. ¡°Water will do,¡± He took a seat without sparing a nce at Keith. Despite not looking at him, Keith still felt a strong sense of oppression emanating from Mason. After a while, Le handed Mason a bottle of mineral water. ¡°Have you been in touch with Dr. Hans recently? How¡¯s your mom¡¯s health?¡± Le replied truthfully, ¡°I contacted him a couple of days ago. He said my mom¡¯s condition has been stable.¡± Mason nodded. ¡°Good to hear. Once this acquisition project goes through, I¡¯ll have the finance department transfer yourmission.¡± Le felt grateful. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Ramirez.¡± Normally,missions like this are distributed with quarterly bonuses. Mason was clearly giving her preferential treatment in this matter. Le¡¯s subtle reaction didn¡¯t escape Mason¡¯s notice, and for some reason, it made him feel ufortable. He irritably adjusted his shirt cor and was about to say something else when Keith, sitting beside him, suddenly spoke up. ¡°Le, there¡¯s still something at the hospital. I¡¯lle back another day.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Le stood up to see Keith out. As they reached the door, Le spoke in a cool tone, audible only to them, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving S City in the next two days. There¡¯s no need for you toe again.¡± Keith looked embarrassed. ¡°Le.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯ll consider what I just said. My mom is having surgery, and money is tight for me,¡± Le continued softly, ignoring Keith¡¯s plea. Keith¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment, and he clenched his fists at his side. ¡°I understand,¡± he muttered. As Keith turned to leave, Le watched his aged figure and murmured, ¡°Dad.¡± Keith paused mid-step, his shoulders trembling involuntarily. Le continued, ¡°I wish you happiness.¡± With that, before Keith could turn around, Le retreated into the room and closed the door behind her. As the door closed, Le leaned against it and took a deep breath. The next moment, she felt her waist being hugged from behind. Mason¡¯s chin rested on her shoulder as he spoke in a low voice, ¡°Your dad?¡± Le didn¡¯t answer or move. Mason straightened up, released his hold on her waist, turned her around, and pulled her into his arms. Sensing her resistance, Mason ced a firm hand on the back of her neck, pressing her face against his chest. ¡°It¡¯s okay to cry in front of me,¡± he said firmly. Le remained silent at Mason¡¯s words. After a while, her face buried in his chest moved slightly, and she asked in a muffled voice, ¡°Mason, after all these years of hardship in The Ramirez Family, have you ever med your mom?¡± Mason chuckled softly, ¡°Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?¡± Le said, ¡°The truth.¡± Mason chuckled lightly, his hand on the back of Le¡¯s neck gently squeezing as he spoke in a lowered voice, ¡°Yes, I med her, especially in the year my brother died. My resentment towards her had escted to the point of hatred. I couldn¡¯t understand how her attraction to love could be so strong that she abandoned two young sons.¡± Le¡¯s hand clenched tightly onto his shirt, and she cried silently, hot tears wetting his chest through his shirt. Mason lowered his head to kiss her forehead and said hoarsely, ¡°Le, why don¡¯t you be with me?¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Le shrank back, her grip on his shirt tightening even more. Furrowing his brows, Mason, for the first time in twenty-eight years, felt what it was like to be heartbroken. Outside the hotel, as soon as Keith stepped out, two men in ck suits forcibly shoved him into a business car. At first, Keith thought they were the debtors he owed, and he sat in the car, trembling, not daring to breathe. Later, a man in sunsses sitting in the passenger seat turned to look at him, ¡°Mr. Patel, hello, I¡¯m Ryan.¡± Keith looked at him awkwardly, running through all the debtors he owed in his mind but couldn¡¯t remember him. Ryan, in his early twenties with a neat crew cut, wearing a ck short-sleeved shirt with a skull emblem on the chest, chuckled, ¡°You don¡¯t need to think. I¡¯m not one of your old creditors.¡± Keith¡¯s tense nerves rxed slightly at Ryan¡¯s words. ¡°Then who are you? How do you know me?¡± Ryan said, ¡°Have you heard of The Ramirez Group?¡± Keith nodded cautiously, ¡°Yes.¡± Ryan continued, ¡°And Mason, have you heard of him? I¡¯m one of his subordinates.¡± Keith said, ¡°I have no connection with Mr. Ramirez.¡± Ryan nodded, ¡°I know you have no connection with Mr. Ramirez, but your daughter does. She¡¯s currently the project manager in our The Ramirez Group.¡± Keith looked puzzled. Ryan pulled out a nk check from his pocket and handed it to him. ¡°Go contact your old creditors in Yort City, find out how much you owe, and clear your debts.¡± Looking at the check in Ryan¡¯s hand, Keith dared not ept it. ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Ryan shook the check in his hand and raised an eyebrow sarcastically, ¡°How can you say we¡¯re helping you?¡± Keith blushed, then thought of something and blurted out, ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between Mr. Ramirez and Le?¡± Ryan smirked, ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡± Keith¡¯s face turned pale as he thought about what Le had just said about clearing most of the debts. His mind was filled with the dirty deeds of this circle. As Ryan finished speaking and saw Keith¡¯s silence, he spoke again, ¡°The amount on this check is only for the debts you owe in Yort City. You are not allowed to fill in even one more penny.¡± Seeing the disdain in Ryan¡¯s eyes only confirmed Keith¡¯s suspicions. Keith¡¯s face turned red with anger and embarrassment, and he growled, ¡°Is Le having an affair with Mr. Ramirez?!¡± Chapter 56 It’s messed up Ryan was taken aback by Keith¡¯s outburst. He hadn¡¯t expected Keith¡¯s thoughts to take such an unusual turn. He was about to exin when Keith pushed the door open, got out of the car, and quickly disappeared into the crowd. Cursing under his breath, Ryan muttered, ¡°Is he out of his mind?!¡± With that, Ryan took out his phone and dialed Daniel¡¯s number. Daniel answered with a smile, ¡°Is it done?¡± Ryan replied grumpily, ¡°It¡¯s messed up.¡± Daniel thought there was something wrong with his ears. ¡°Messed up? How can you mess up something as simple as delivering money?¡± Ryan, who had been a street thug never went to school. He had followed Mason after getting beaten up by him in a fight one day. ¡°Yeah, messed up,¡± Ryan said. Daniel cautiously asked, ¡°Bro, may I ask how exactly things got messed up?¡± Ryan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I gave him the check, and he asked me if Le was having an affair with Mr. Ramirez. Before I could exin, he pushed the door open and got out of the car. I think he¡¯s sick. What kind of father suspects his own daughter¡¯s innocence like that¡­¡± In the hotel, Shirley stood at Le¡¯s door, knocking frantically. Inside the room, Le, holding onto Mason¡¯s shirt cor, remained silent, looking embarrassed. ¡°Need another hug?¡± Le suddenly let go of his shirt. ¡°No need.¡± Then, she added awkwardly, ¡°Thank you.¡± Before Mason could respond, she turned around and opened the door. Mason was taken aback by Le¡¯s sudden action. Before he could react, his gaze met Shirley and Samuel¡¯s outside the door. While Shirley and Samuel seemed uneasy, Mason remained calm. In a low voice, he greeted them, ¡°Morning.¡± Shirley chuckled nervously, ¡°Morning.¡± Samuel felt a little difort in his urinary system. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, morning.¡± Hearing Samuel¡¯s less than confident tone, Shirley pinched his waist behind him, then said to Mason, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, my brother also works at The Ramirez Group. You know him, right?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Mason replied. Shirley continued, ¡°You might not know this, but my brother and Le are actually in a romantic rtionship.¡± Watching Shirley¡¯s enthusiastic performance, Mason chuckled, ¡°Is that so?¡± Shirley: ¡°You forgot? I mentioned it when we had dinner at Le¡¯s house.¡± Mason¡¯s smirk deepened. ¡°My memory isn¡¯t that great, I forgot.¡± Shirley was making it clear today that she wanted Mason to give up on Lepletely. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, you don¡¯t know, they love each other very much..¡± Mason scoffed. ¡°Oh?¡± Samuel chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, don¡¯t take her seriously.¡± Thinking Samuel might be feeling embarrassed, Shirley cleared her throat and said intentionally, ¡°Bro, what are you shy about? Mr. Ramirez is also a young man; he won¡¯t make fun of you.¡± With a smile, Shirley looked at Mason. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I heard your rtionship with your fiancee is also very good, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mason smiled yfully. ¡°Not as good as your brother¡¯s rtionship with Miss Patel.¡± The awkward conversation continued for a while at the door, until Mason received a call and left. As Mason took a few steps out of the door, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Shirley. ¡°Are you still paying off your debt to Caleb recently??¡± Shirley, who had been smiling triumphantly with her back to Mason, froze at his question. Mason was satisfied with her reaction and chuckled, ¡°Keep up the good work.¡± Shirley remained speechless. Mason got into the elevator and left. Shirley, seething with anger, reached out to pinch Samuel¡¯s neck, angrily asking, ¡°Do you think he¡¯s provoking me?¡± Le was genuinely annoyed now, not with Shirley and Samuel, but with herself. Why couldn¡¯t she control herself from crying in front of him just now? Meanwhile, Mason got into the waiting business car. Mason casually adjusted his tie, ncing at Ryan, ¡°How did things go?¡± Ryan, facing Mason¡¯s question, pretended not to hear and looked out the window. Seeing this, Mason narrowed his eyes. ¡°Ryan.¡± Ryan¡¯s body tensed up, and he quickly turned his head. ¡°Yes?¡± Seeing Ryan turn around, Mason stretched his legs and leaned backzily. ¡°How did things go? Don¡¯t make me ask a third time.¡± Realizing Mason had lost patience, Ryan nervously replied, ¡°It¡­ it messed up.¡± ¡°How did it mess up?¡± Ryan started to exin, repeating what he had just told Daniel. Finally, he said, ¡°Boss, that Keith is just ungrateful. And he even suspected his own daughter of having an affair with you¡­¡± ¡°Send two men to keep an eye on Keith for me. Don¡¯t let him leave S city, and don¡¯t let him near Le again.¡± Ryan nodded. ¡°Got it.¡± In the hotel room. After breakfast, Shirley had several cover shoots to attend to, so she quickly said her goodbyes and left with Samuel.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Left alone in the hotel room, Le sat on the couch lost in thought. So many things had happened recently, throwing her life off course. Hunter¡¯s betrayal, Mason¡¯s persistence, her mother falling ill, and now her father sudden appearance¡­ Thinking of Keith, Le hugged her knees tightly. Her feelings for Keith wereplicated. She resented him for leaving them behind, but she also couldn¡¯t forget how loving he was before everything went wrong¡­ It was like realizing that the world wasn¡¯t just ck and white, but also gray. Lost in her thoughts, her phone suddenly buzzed. Le looked down to see a message from Mason: [Return to Neo city to sign the contract. Book your flight this afternoon.] Seeing Mason¡¯s name on the screen, Le couldn¡¯t help but furrow . [Mr. Ramirez, can I take two days off after I return?] Mason replied, [Is there something wrong?] Le answered, [I want to go back to Yort City.] Mason simply responded, [Okay.] Le sighed in relief and replied, [Thank you.] After sending the message, Le leaned back, clutching her phone. One wrong step led to another, and now she was entangled with Mason. She had thought about leaving The Ramirez Group, but reality wasn¡¯t a romantic drama. Faced with massive debts and her mother¡¯s serious illness, she had no other choice¡­ Flying from S city to Yort city, Le arrived in the afternoon. It was a gloomy day in Yort city, much cooler than S city. Instead of going home, Le went straight to the hospital. When her mom Dasha saw her, she was first surprised, then delighted, and finally tears welled up in her eyes. Le set down her suitcase and hugged her. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Dr. Hans said you can¡¯t get too emotional right now.¡± Dasha tried to act tough. ¡°Who said I¡¯m emotional?¡± ¡°Alright, you¡¯re not emotional, I am.¡± Le hugged Dasha for a while, then went to wash her hands in the bathroom before sitting by the bedside to peel an apple. Dasha smiled and whispered to Le, ¡°The caretaker you hired is really diligent, much more so than the one in the room next door who charges three hundred.¡± Le chuckled, ¡°How do you know the one next door isn¡¯t diligent?¡± Dasha replied, ¡°I often hear them arguing.¡± Le asked, amused, ¡°Do caretakers argue with patients?¡± Dasha scoffed, ¡°Especially when the children aren¡¯t around, they argue every now and then¡­¡± Realizing her mistake, Dasha quickly added, ¡°But the caretaker you hired is different, she never argues with me.¡± Dasha reached out to hold Le¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Le replied, but when she left the room, she discreetly slipped five hundred bucks to the caretaker, Tessa. Tessa, holding a bag of oranges she had just bought, refused the money. ¡°Miss Patel, I can¡¯t ept this. You¡¯re already paying me my wages.¡± Le insisted, ¡°I¡¯m often not around, so I really appreciate you taking care of my mom.¡± Tessa firmly returned the money. ¡°You hired me to do this job, so it¡¯s my duty¡­ My child is the same age as you. I understand, it¡¯s not easy for you to earn money.¡± Tessa¡¯s words were heartfelt, and she even patted Le¡¯s hand before leaving. ¡°Thank you, Tessa,¡± Le said. ¡°No need to thank me, it¡¯s what I should do.¡± Later that evening, Le had dinner with Dasha in the hospital room, along with Tessa. Tessa was exceptionally attentive, knowing exactly what Dasha could and couldn¡¯t eat. After dinner, when Tessa went to clean up, Dasha held Le¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°Now you can finally trust me, right? Tessa is really nice.¡± Le replied, ¡°Yeah, I trust her.¡± Although Le said she trusted Tessa, she still had some concerns. She nned to bring Dasha to Neo city once the projectmission came through and Dasha had undergone surgery. Upon hearing Le¡¯s response, Dasha¡¯s smile widened. ¡°You¡¯ve had a long day. You should go home and take a rest. Tomorrow morning, make a few dishes for me. I¡¯m tired of takeout every day.¡± Dasha¡¯s tired-of-takeout excuse was false; the truth was she wanted Le to rest at home. Le understood her intention and knew that even if they argued, the oue would be the same. So she simply agreed, ¡°Okay, I¡¯lle back tomorrow to keep youpany and give Tessa a day off.¡± Dasha nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± Le took a taxi home from the hospital. As she arrived at her apartmentplex and was about to grab her suitcase from the trunk, her phone rang. ncing at the caller ID reminder, she hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Chapter 57 Do you have feelings for me? Mason¡¯s voice came through the phone, low and slightly weary, ¡°Are you home?¡± Le replied softly, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Mm, spend some time with your mom, and get some rest,¡± Mason said. Before he could hang up, Le, in a barely audible voice, called out, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason almost froze, his finger hovering over the screen to end the call. ¡°Yes?¡± Taking a deep breath, Le said, ¡°We need to talk.¡± There was a brief silence on the line. Mason didn¡¯t say whether they would talk or not, nor did he hang up. Afterposing herself, Le addressed her unease, ¡°I¡¯ve been dealing with a lottely, things that caught me off guard.¡± Mason had just finished a video conference and was feeling tired. He pinched the bridge of his nose and took a sip of his coffee, ¡°Mm.¡± Encouraged by his response, Le continued, ¡°As you know, I¡¯m in a difficult financial situation. My mother¡¯s treatment for kidney disease requires a lot of money.¡± In a deep voice, Mason interjected, ¡°So?¡± Le continued, ¡°So, right now, my priority is to focus on making money.¡± Realizing what she was about to say, Mason lowered his voice and said, ¡°Get to the point.¡± Le spoke calmly, ¡°The recent challenges I¡¯ve faced have seriously affected my ability to concentrate at work. So, I want to take advantage of these two days off to resolve these issues. You¡¯re the first.¡± Le¡¯s tone was serious and earnest. Mason set down his coffee cup on the table and chuckled, scratching his brow with his fingertips, ¡°Go on.¡± Le went on, ¡°You¡¯ve helped me a lot recently, but you¡¯ve also been persistent in pursuing me. I don¡¯t know your true intentions, whether you genuinely have feelings for me or if it¡¯s just physical desire.¡± Mason teased, ¡°Exin the difference.¡± Carrying her suitcase across the courtyard of the apartmentplex, Le replied, ¡°If it¡¯s genuine feelings, I¡¯ll give you an answer. If it¡¯s just physical desire, I hope you¡¯ll respect my wishes and let me go. I really don¡¯t have the time or energy for anything extra.¡± Le finished saying what she needed to say and proceeded to carry her suitcase upstairs. Mason fell silent for a moment before spoke in a low, solemn voice, ¡°Le, do you think I have genuine feelings for you, or is it just physical desire?¡± When Mason asked that question, Le had just reached her apartment and was taking out her keys to open the door. She replied truthfully, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± After saying that, Le carried her suitcase into the apartment and reached out to switch on the living room light. Just as her fingertips touched the switch, she heard Mason¡¯s voice on the phone, ¡°Le, I have feelings for you.¡± Le¡¯s breath caught, and her hand paused on the switch. Not hearing a response from her, Mason chuckled softly, ¡°I have feelings for you. Give me your answer.¡±Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Le was speechless. Mason teased, ¡°You said you would give me an answer, didn¡¯t you? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything now?¡± Le pressed her lips together, and her finger hovered over the switch. With a click, the light turned on. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t like you. We¡¯re not from the same world. I don¡¯t want to climb up, and I don¡¯t want you to stoop down.¡± With her words spoken, there was a long silence from Mason¡¯s end of the line. After more than a minute passed, Mason¡¯s maic voice sounded through the phone,ced with a smile, ¡°Le, are you kidding me?¡± Le replied softly, ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Then, there was another brief silence between them. Le expected Mason to be persistent or pushy after saying such things, but she didn¡¯t anticipate his response. ¡°If you¡¯re sure you don¡¯t want anything to do with me, then next time, remember to turn me down.¡± Le simply replied, ¡°Okay.¡± Mason continued, ¡°And as for the favors I¡¯ve done for you, you don¡¯t need to worry about them. Helping you with your difficult situations is a piece of cake for me. It¡¯s not just you; I treat everyone around me well.¡± Hearing Mason¡¯s words, Le suddenly remembered what Shirley had said before about him being generous to women. Giving houses, cars, arranging jobs, and household registrations were all normal for him. Le responded, ¡°Okay, got it.¡± With their private conversation reaching this point, there wasn¡¯t much left to say between them. Le pursed her lips, intending to bid him goodnight and end the call when suddenly Mason asked, ¡°Le, can I know what makes me inferior to Hunter and Samuel?¡± There was a hint of confusion in Mason¡¯s tone. It was clear he wasn¡¯t pressing her; he was simply curious. Le sat down on her suitcase, thinking for a moment before replying sincerely, ¡°You¡¯re not inferior, you¡¯re excellent.¡± Le¡¯s answer was genuine. Mason couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Then why I can¡¯t?¡± Le fell silent. Mason continued, ¡°Le, do you have ss prejudices against me?¡± ¡°Mason, I rejected you. You can¡¯t keep bothering me.¡± She referred to him as Mason, not Mr. Ramirez, which showed equality, not ss prejudice. With that said, without waiting for Mason¡¯s response, she hung up the phone. Seeing the ckened screen, Mason smirked and pinched the bridge of his nose. His face became serious again as he leaned back in his chair, with a hint of self-mockery in his tone, ¡°Indeed, people always trip over the same old paths¡­¡± The first time he fell for her and now the second time. ¡°An ungrateful woman.¡± ¡­ Le thought she had made herself clear to Mason. After staring at her suitcase for a while, she got up and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Later, lying on her bed, Mason¡¯s words from the phone call shed through her mind. ¡°Le, I have feelings for you.¡± ¡°I have feelings for you, give me your answer.¡± That night, Le slept less soundly than the night she met Keith in S city. In her dream, Mason was digging something on a vastwn with a shovel. Le watched him from afar for a while before curiously walking closer and asking, ¡°What are you digging?¡± Mason nced at her and said with a smirk, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I¡¯m digging a hole.¡± Le asked again, ¡°What are you digging the hole for?¡± With a smirk, Mason replied, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m waiting for you to jump in.¡± Before Le could react, he threw down the shovel, reached out, and pulled her into the hole. Le screamed in her dream. When she opened her eyes, it was six ten in the morning. Ley on her bed, staring at the ceiling for a while, before getting up to freshen up and then heading to the market to buy groceries. After wandering around for a while, she bought a lot of groceries and fruits that Dasha liked to eat. By the time she finished shopping and packing everything, it was eight thirty in the morning. Le took a taxi to the hospital. As soon as she arrived at the ward after getting off the elevator, she heard a conversationing from Dasha¡¯s hospital room. ¡°Sis, as the saying goes, better safe than sorry. What if something unexpected happens to you? You should make some ns for the future. There are some things Darren feels awkward saying, so I have to say them for him. You know, my son Max recently got a girlfriend. If everything goes well, they n to get married by the end of the year. But the problem is the wedding house¡­¡± It¡¯s her aunt Elsa. Elsa hesitated, her eyes fixed on Dasha, waiting for her response. Dasha sat on the hospital bed, visibly trembling with anger, even though she hadn¡¯t spoken a word. Just as Dasha was about to speak up, Le¡¯s cold voice sounded from the doorway, ¡°You¡¯re already talking about getting married, but you haven¡¯t prepared the wedding house yet? If the bride finds out about this, the wedding is as good as doomed.¡± With Le¡¯s words, the room fell into instant silence. Elsa didn¡¯t expect Le to return, and her expression froze for a moment before she forced a smile and said, ¡°Le, you¡¯re back? When did you get back?¡± Le handed the things she was carrying to Tessa and said in a t tone, ¡°Last night.¡± Taking the items, Tessa whispered in a voice only they could hear, ¡°Your mom hasn¡¯t taken her medicine yet.¡± Le responded with a simple ¡°Okay¡± and walked to the bedside to get the medication for Dasha. As she handed it over, she said, ¡°Aunt, what were you talking to my mom about just now? Go ahead.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s words, Elsa nced at Dasha but remained silent. She dared to bully Dasha but didn¡¯t dare to cause trouble in front of Le. When Keith had just had his ident, and Le and Dasha had moved back to the old house, she had instigated Darren to evict the mother and daughter. However, they ended up being threatened with a knife against Darren¡¯s neck by Le and forced out. Chapter 58 Shameless Aunt Even now, Elsa remembered the words Le had said that day. She said, ¡°My mom and I are at our wits¡¯ end now, with nothing left. I don¡¯t expect you to have any sympathy, but I hope you won¡¯t kick us when we¡¯re down. Don¡¯t push me.¡± That day, Darren¡¯s neck had been scratched, and they threatened to call the police. Le had stared at them coldly, unafraid, saying, ¡°Go ahead, call the police. You better do it now. It¡¯d be best if it caused a big scene, so that all our rtives and friends can see how you and your husband bully us.¡± In the end, Darren had dragged her away. Thinking back on this incident, Elsa still felt humiliated. The two of them, elders in the family, had been dominated by a mere girl. Watching Dasha finish taking her medicine and seeing Elsa remain silent, Le turned her head back and continued, ¡°Aunt, why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Were you just talking about the house?¡± Elsa forced a smile and said, ¡°Hehe, well, your brother is getting married? He needs a wedding house, so I was thinking about the house¡­¡± Before Elsa could finish, Le interrupted in a cold voice, ¡°Since when did a nephew need his aunt to provide a wedding house?¡± Elsa was speechless. Le continued, ¡°If the family can¡¯t afford to buy a wedding house, just let Max tell the girl early on. Don¡¯t wait until they¡¯ve developed feelings, only to break up over a house.¡± Elsa wasn¡¯t exactly a good person herself, now, hearing Le speak like this, the anger couldn¡¯t be suppressed any longer. ¡°Le, you can¡¯t say things like that. The house you are living in was originally your grandfather¡¯s. Letting you live there for so many years is already more than generous.¡± Le leaned against the bedside table and sneered, ¡°That house was transferred to my mom by my grandfather before he passed away. What does it have to do with you? Using the term ¡®more than generous¡¯ here is inappropriate, don¡¯t you think?¡± Elsa fell silentpletely. Seeing Elsa stop talking, Le didn¡¯t bother to engage with her anymore. She turned around and opened the food container for Dasha to eat. After a few minutes, unable to sit still any longer, Elsa stood up with a stern face. ¡°Sis, there¡¯s still something at home I need to attend to. I¡¯lle see you next time.¡± Without waiting for Dasha to respond, she turned and left directly. Hearing Elsa¡¯s intention to leave, Le called out to her, ¡°Aunt, let me walk you out.¡± Le¡¯s words made both Dasha and Elsa stiffen. Dasha pulled Le¡¯s hand and shook her head, signaling her not to make trouble. Le didn¡¯t say anything, but she gently patted Dasha¡¯s hand to reassure her. When they left the ward, Le stopped and looked at Elsa coldly. ¡°Aunt, when are you nning to return the five hundred thousand?¡± Le¡¯s question sounded casual, but Elsa was first stunned, then shocked. Le met Elsa¡¯s gaze calmly. ¡°Don¡¯t want to return it? Want to keep it for yourself?¡± Elsa didn¡¯t understand how Le knew about the five hundred thousand. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know?¡± Elsa was internally panicking but tried to maintainposure. ¡°Max is getting off work soon, and I need to hurry home to cook for him. I don¡¯t have time to chat with you here.¡± Saying that, Elsa turned to leave. Elsa thought Le would chase after her and argue, but Le stood still and calmly said, ¡°One week. If I don¡¯t see that five hundred thousand deposited into my ount, I¡¯ll get awyer involved.¡± Elsa paused in her steps, then turned around abruptly. ¡°Le, are you crazy?!¡± Le remained expressionless. ¡°Five hundred thousand, not a penny less.¡± Elsa hurriedly approached, grabbing Le¡¯s arm. ¡°Where am I supposed to get so much money in a week?¡± Le looked down at her, devoid of any extra emotion in her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s words, Elsa¡¯s face changed. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Fine, we won¡¯t fight over that house anymore.¡± Having witnessed the deceit and trickery in the business world, Le suddenly found the petty behavior of family members even more shameful. ¡°I already made it clear in the ward just now. That house was originally left to my mom by my grandfather, and it has nothing to do with you and my uncle. Don¡¯t even think about trying to im that house, or using it to cover the five hundred thousand debt.¡± As Le spoke, she pulled her arm out of Elsa¡¯s grasp. Elsa¡¯s panic was evident on her face. ¡°Did you see your dad? Does your mom know?¡± Le squinted her beautiful eyes. ¡°Are you trying to tell my mom?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t ask me for the five hundred thousand, then I¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re dreaming.¡± ¡°¡­,¡± Elsa was left speechless. Le¡¯s gaze was icy. ¡°Three days. If the five hundred thousand doesn¡¯t show up, we¡¯ll meet in court.¡± Elsa was dumbfounded. Le continued, ¡°And if my mom finds out about me meeting my dad, regardless of whether it¡¯s your doing or not, I¡¯ll hold you ountable. If our family is restless, yours won¡¯t be peaceful either.¡± Without sparing Elsa another nce, Le turned and walked back to the ward. Standing at the ward¡¯s entrance, Elsa was filled with both anger and fear. Several times she wanted to rush in and tell Dasha the truth, but the memory of Le holding a knife to Darren¡¯s throat stopped her. Back in the ward, Dasha quickly asked, ¡°What did you talk about outside? Why did it take so long?¡± Le approached and took a cup to fetch water from the bedside table. ¡°Nothing much. Just told her not toe to the hospital and cause trouble. Can¡¯t let her keep making a scene.¡± Dasha sighed as she reached for the nket covering her legs. ¡°Your aunt has always been calcting. Back when our family hadn¡¯t gone bankrupt, she used toe by with gifts every now and then, butter¡­¡± Dasha rambled on about the past for about ten minutes. Le didn¡¯t really listen; she was more grounded in reality than Dasha. She didn¡¯t want to dwell on the past. After Dasha spoke for a while, Le didn¡¯t respond, so Dasha thought she was still angry. She reached out and patted Le¡¯s hand. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t be mad. Getting angry over her isn¡¯t worth it. She¡¯s always been like that, and you know it.¡± Le raised her eyes and lightly chuckled. ¡°Hmm.¡± Le was with Dasha at the hospital today, so she gave Tessa a day off. After seeing Tessa off, Le returned to the ward to be with Dasha. As soon as she left, Tessa made a phone call. Once the call connected, she lowered her voice and said, ¡°Daniel, I just saw the message you sent me. Miss Patel¡¯s condition seems pretty good today. Yeah, nothing out of the ordinary, but there was an unexpected visitor in the ward today, her aunt¡­¡± Tessa looked around as she spoke, showing potential as a spy. Daniel, on the other end of the line, asked skeptically, ¡°Aunt?¡± Having spent a week with Le in the hospital, he had never heard of any aunt. For a close rtive like an aunt, shouldn¡¯t she havee to visit as soon as Dasha was diagnosed with such a serious illness? Tessa continued, ¡°Yes, Miss Patel¡¯s aunt. She came up and cursed Mrs. Patel, saying she won¡¯t live long, and started talking about their family¡¯s house¡­¡± Tessa detailed everything that happened in the ward earlier that morning to Daniel. After a moment of thought, Daniel said, ¡°Okay, got it. Thanks, Tessa.¡± Tessa thought Daniel was doing all this because he secretly liked Le and smiled as she continued, ¡°No trouble at all. Good guys like you are hard toe by nowadays. If Miss Patel knew, she would definitely be touched.¡± Daniel: ¡°¡­¡± The call ended, and Daniel breathed a sigh of relief before walking towards the CEO¡¯s office.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Boss.¡± Mason, who had barely slept the previous night, had a dark expression on his face. ¡°Speak.¡± The sharpness in Mason¡¯s tone sent a chill down Daniel¡¯s spine. He recounted exactly what Tessa had told him to Mason. ¡°Aunt?¡± Mason closed his pen. Daniel nodded. ¡°Yes, her aunt. ording to Tessa, Miss Patel¡¯s aunt is not someone to be trifled with.¡± Mason had heard about Le¡¯s aunt when he was sponsoring her. It wasn¡¯t intentional; the whole family was just too peculiar. The teachers sympathized with Le and couldn¡¯t help but mention it during their phone calls. Mason¡¯s slender fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk. ¡°Did Le suffer any losses?¡± Daniel replied, ¡°No, I heard Miss Patel¡¯s aunt is quite afraid of her.¡± Mason¡¯s cold face lifted into a smile. ¡°She¡¯s never been an easy target.¡± Daniel stayed silent, choosing not to express his opinion. After these few incidents, Daniel had learned to y it safe. Seeing Daniel¡¯s silence, Mason raised his eyes. ¡°You have a good rtionship with Samuel?¡± Daniel¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the unexpected question. ¡°Average, we¡¯re just colleagues.¡± Mason smirked. ¡°I suspect he and Le are fake lovers. Get some information out of him for me.¡± Chapter 59 Make a scene Fake lovers? Daniel was shocked but instinctively wanted to refuse. ¡°Boss, I¡­¡± Before Daniel could finish, he met Mason¡¯s gaze, and the words choked in his throat. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Your best?¡± Daniel corrected himself, ¡°I¡¯ll make it happen.¡± At the hospital, Le discussed themission from the Premier Construction project with Dasha. Dasha listened with joy. ¡°Really?¡± Le sat on the edge of the bed, massaging her legs. ¡°Yes, really. Once themission from this projectes through, and once your surgery is done, I¡¯ll take you to Neo City.¡± Dasha, after feeling happy, felt a tinge of worry. ¡°Will that money be enough to pay off the debt?¡± Le¡¯s hand paused on Dasha¡¯s leg as she lowered her head. ¡°It will be.¡± Dasha asked, ¡°How big is this project? Enough for my surgery and to pay off the debt?¡± Le said confidently, ¡°Commission from big projects like this one is usually high. You¡¯ll see.¡± Not understanding the ins and outs of the engineering industry, Dasha believed whatever Le said and smiled, ¡°Then you must do well. It¡¯s not easy toe across suchpany and boss.¡± Le nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± With Le by her side, Dasha¡¯s mood was good all day. When they went to sleep at night, Dasha didn¡¯t allow Le to sleep on the bedside and instead insisted on sharing the bed. She reached out to affectionately stroke her hair. ¡°During this time, whenever I have free time, I think of you when you were little, so small¡­¡± Le leaned against Dasha¡¯s shoulder, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ve grown up now.¡± Dasha sighed, ¡°Yes, you have.¡± At one in the morning, Le¡¯s phone, ced on the bedside table, vibrated, disying a message. Mason: [Are you asleep? I can¡¯t sleep.] Le woke up early the next morning. She stared at the screen for a few seconds before ultimately deciding not to reply. She had already made herself clear. He was talking about personal matters, and she had the right not to respond. Seeing Le put down her phone, Dasha smirked, ¡°Samuel?¡± Le looked up, ¡°Hmm?¡± Dasha asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been back for two days now, why haven¡¯t I seen Samuel call you? Did you two have a fight?¡± Le avoided Dasha¡¯s gaze. ¡°We didn¡¯t fight; he¡¯s been busytely with a project.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then. I think he is a good kid, humorous and genuine.¡± Le replied, ¡°Hmm.¡± At eight in the morning, after the doctor checked the room, Le went downstairs to buy breakfast. As she stepped out of the elevator, she bumped into Darren, who was storming from the elevator with anger. Behind him was Elsa. Le¡¯s gaze swept over them, cold and indifferent, as she stepped out of the elevator and walked away. Seeing this, Elsa shoved Darren forward. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to catch up? Look at that girl, not even saying a word to you, obviously she doesn¡¯t care about you as her uncle.¡± Darren was already furious and was further incited by Elsa¡¯s words. He directly grabbed Le¡¯s wrist. Le had expected him to catch up, and she looked at him with cold eyes. ¡°Got the five hundred thousand?¡± At the mention of the money, Darren¡¯s anger visibly lessened, but he had already discussed with Elsa beforehand that he couldn¡¯t admit to having the five hundred thousand. ¡°What five hundred thousand?¡± Le squinted at him. ¡°Don¡¯t want to admit it?¡± Darren retorted, ¡°Admit what? There¡¯s nothing to admit, you¡¯re making things up out of thin air!¡± Darren raised his voice, ¡°Le, ever since your family had trouble, I¡¯ve taken care of you and your mother. I saw you with nowhere to live, so we let you stay in the house your grandfather left. I even provided the money for your first year of college. Now that you¡¯ve made something of yourself, not only do you not repay me, but you also turn against me!¡± Le couldn¡¯t help but want tough. Darren¡¯s speech sounded rehearsed, and she found it amusing. Le mocked lightly, ¡°Are you done?¡± Darren had hoped to overpower Le with his momentum, but she didn¡¯t buy into it at all. His face changing slightly, ¡°No wonder Hunter would rather be unemployed than be with you, a woman who won¡¯t even spare her own uncle¡­¡± Le interrupted, ¡°Do you even realize you¡¯re my uncle?¡± With Darren¡¯s loud voice, a small crowd had gathered. Le looked at him coldly, ¡°Think carefully. If you want to make a scene, I don¡¯t mind apanying you.¡± Darren was infuriated but remained silent. Le continued, ¡°Take a look around. There are at least four or five people recording videos on their phones right now. If this video gets posted online and seen by Max¡¯s girlfriend¡¯s parents, do you think they¡¯ll still agree to marry their daughter to him?¡± Darren fell silent. Le sneered, ¡°After your brother-inw bankrupted and ran away, you embezzled your sister¡¯s and niece¡¯s savings. Now, after your sister was diagnosed with uraemia, youe here trying to im her property. I¡¯m not afraid of embarrassment, and if you¡¯re not either, I can say these things louder so everyone can hear.¡± Elsa, beside them, grabbed Darren¡¯s coat, ¡°Make this damn girl shut up.¡± Le replied, ¡°No need to tell me to shut up. You¡¯d better go back and raise the money. If I don¡¯t receive the five hundred thousand by midnight tonight, I¡¯ll see awyer tomorrow morning, and I¡¯ll follow through.¡± Le¡¯s tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation. Darren was rendered speechless by her retort. Elsa, seeing his ipetence and fearing that Le would publicly confront them, lowered her voice and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d give us three days yesterday?¡± Le remainedposed, ¡°Originally, I said I¡¯d give you a week.¡± Elsa was speechless. She understood Le¡¯s implication: if they caused trouble again, she would shorten the repayment time by half. Le nced at her wristwatch and said, ¡°You now have about sixteen hours left. If you keep bothering me, the repayment deadline will be moved up to six in the afternoon.¡± Elsa was at a loss for words. They never expected Le to be so ruthless, ¡°Le, we¡¯re family, if you push us like this, your uncle and I won¡¯t care about family ties.¡± After saying this, Elsa headed towards the hospital room to find Dasha. Le stood about a meter away, coldly watching her. Family ties? Shameless. Elsa waspletely bluffing, hoping Le woulde over, plead, and beg. She turned to nce at Le, then looked at Darren. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing? Let¡¯s go talk to your sister. I don¡¯t believe she¡¯d take her own brother to court over $500, 000.¡± Le squinted her eyes. ¡°Finished your performance?¡± Hearing Le¡¯s words, a chill ran down Elsa¡¯s spine. Darren¡¯s suppressed anger reached its peak at that moment. He pointed at Le and shouted, ¡°You ungrateful brat! Say what you just said again if you dare.¡± Le responded, ¡°So you two have decided to be shameless, haven¡¯t you?¡± Seeing that people around them had started to gossip, Darren rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson.¡± Darren walked up to Le, raising his hand to hit her. Le stood still, not showing any sign of resistance. ¡°I never knew someone could be this shameless. My family went bankrupt, my mom and I couldn¡¯t even meet basic needs for survival. I went to college entirely on charity, while you hoarded the $500, 000 my dad left for my mom and me.¡± Le¡¯s voice was louder now, drawing more attention from the onlookers. People started to murmur.Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Is that man really her uncle?¡± ¡°Seems like it. How heartless!¡± ¡°My God, how could someone treat their own niece like this?¡± Listening to the growing gossip, Darren¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment. His raised hand froze in the air. Le continued, ¡°Now your son is dating and nning to get married. My mom has end-stage renal disease and is in the hospital. Youe to the hospital door, wanting to take my mom¡¯s house for your son¡¯s wedding. Then you call me ungrateful and even try to hit me. Do you want everyone here to hear who¡¯s really the one with no manners?¡± Darren¡¯s hands trembled as he was rebuked by Le. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t shut up. I have a lot more to say.¡± ¡°This is unbelievable. Trying to take his sister¡¯s house for his son¡¯s marriage.¡± ¡°And his sister has renal failure.¡± ¡°This is just tant bullying.¡± The crowd¡¯s gossip grew louder. Many young people started taking out their phones to record videos. Elsa hurriedly stepped forward, pulling Darren away. A few minutester, Le left the hospital to get breakfast. At the breakfast shop, she called the legal advisor from her previous job in Yort City. ¡°Zoe, it¡¯s Le. I need your help.¡± Chapter 60 She’s not that kind of person Le briefly exined the situation, and Zoe immediately had a n. He didn¡¯t waste any time and asked directly, ¡°Do you want to get your money back, or do you want to send them to jail?¡± Le was straightforward, ¡°Get the money back.¡± Sending them to jail would surely upset Dasha. With her surgerying up, she couldn¡¯t afford any stress. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll get back to you soon.¡± When Le returned to the hospital, Tessa had already arrived. Seeing Le, Tessa pulled an apple out of her bag and handed it to her. ¡°I grew this myself, try it.¡± Le thanked her, ¡°Thanks.¡± Tessa continued to take out various items from her bag, mostly local specialties and a few homemade dishes. ¡°I made some homemade dishes for you. Takeout isn¡¯t good for your health.¡± Dasha was grateful, ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± Tessaughed, ¡°If the hospital weren¡¯t so far from my house, I¡¯d bring you food every day.¡± It was clear that Dasha and Tessa got along well, which reassured Le¡­ To ease Dasha¡¯s worries, Le made a call to Samuel around noon, making sure Dasha could hear. Le sent a message to discuss with him beforehand, so now he yed his part well, as a boyfriend. Le asked, ¡°Are you busy right now?¡± Samuel replied, ¡°Not really, just having lunch in the cafeteria.¡± Le, ¡°Now?¡± Samuel answered, ¡°Yeah, nothing to do, so I came down for an early lunch.¡± Standing by the window, Le fiddled with the potted nt Tessa had brought, trying to sound affectionate but feeling awkward since they weren¡¯t actually a couple. Samuel, being the dies¡¯ man¡± at thepany, picked up on her cues immediately and coughed lightly before asking, ¡°Do you miss me?¡± Le¡¯s ears turned slightly red, more from embarrassment than shyness. Facing away from Dasha, she replied, ¡°Yeah, I miss you.¡± Hearing their conversation, Dasha and Tessa exchanged nces, both smiling. Tessa, thinking the person on the phone was Daniel, smiled even more broadly. ¡°Le, I miss you too.¡± Before Le could respond, a sudden fit of coughing was heard behind Samuel. He instinctively turned around. Seeing the two men standing behind him, Samuel stunned, and he wished he could disappear. Mason stood there, dressed in a sharp suit, looking stern. Behind him was Daniel, the source of the coughing. Daniel had initially coughed to give Samuel a hint but ended up choking on his own spit, turning a fake cough into a real one. The situation among the three of them was awkward andical. After a while, Daniel stopped coughing and was the first to break the awkward silence. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, a lot of people are watching.¡± Mason remained expressionless and still. Samuel forced a smile, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason nced at him, strode away. As Mason walked off, Samuel let out a long sigh of relief. Le, who was still on the phone, heard Samuel¡¯s words as well¡­ she stood by the window, lost in thought after hanging up. ¡°Missing Samuel?¡± Dasha asked. ¡°No,¡± Le replied. Dasha thought Le was just shy and smiled, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about. Mom understands.¡± Le smiled back, thinking, No, you don¡¯t understand. Tessa, overhearing their conversation, was slightly confused. ¡°Samuel? Not Daniel?¡± ¡°Daniel?¡± Le asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t Miss Patel¡¯s boyfriend Daniel?¡± ¡°No, Le¡¯s boyfriend is Samuel. Daniel is just a colleague.¡± Tessa was speechless, feeling sorry for Daniel for silently giving so much without recognition¡­ Le took out herptop to deal with the mess left by the previous project manager. The more she looked into it, the moreplicated it seemed, involving manypanies and departments, aplete tangled mess. Le worked until 8 PM and finally made some progress. Just as she was about to close herptop for a break, her phone buzzed. She received a transfer from Darren, $500, 000. Immediately after, another message popped up: [The money has been transferred. Tell yourwyer to stop bothering us.] Le leaned back, picked up her phone, and sent a message to Zoe: [I received the money. Thank you. How much are the fees? I¡¯ll transfer it to you.] Zoe replied: [No need, I¡¯ve heard about your mom¡¯s illness. Take care of her first.] Looking at the message, Le thought, Sometimes, friends are much better than so-called blood rtives. With the $500, 000 now, Le felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders. At least she no longer had to worry about Dasha¡¯s surgery expenses. That night, Dasha insisted Le go home to have a good rest. Le just came out of the hospital when a ck Bentley suddenly stopped in front of her. Mason looked at her with a smile, ¡°Miss Patel, what a coincidence.¡± Coincidence? Quite a coincidence indeed. It took at least an hour to drive from Neo City to Yort City. Seeing Le remain silent, Mason lightly touched his chin with his fingers and chuckled, ¡°Really, it¡¯s just a coincidence. You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Le stood on the steps without moving, ¡°I believe you.¡± They stared at each other for a moment. Masonughed softly, ¡°Get in the car, I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± Le remembered theirst conversation: If you¡¯re sure you don¡¯t want anything to do with me, remember to reject me next time. ¡°Thank you for the offer, Mr. Ramirez, but I¡¯ll take a cab.¡± She looked around and take a taxi. The cab driver quickly noticed Mason, not just because of his outstanding car, but also due to his intense gaze. As a man, the driver understood what that look meant. After driving a short distance, the driver nced at the rearview mirror and spoke to Le with a smile, ¡°Your boyfriend?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No,¡± Le replied. The driver chuckled, ¡°I see, a suitor then.¡± Le wanted to refute, but said nothing. Meanwhile, Mason arrived at a private club room. As he entered, he was hit by the stench of blood. He frowned slightly. ¡°Where is he?¡± Mason asked. A bodyguard stepped forward, ¡°In the next room.¡± Mason didn¡¯t say anything else, but nodded towards the bodyguard, signaling him to bring the man in. Soon the bodyguard dragged a man in. The man¡¯s legs dragged on the ground, and his body covered in blood. The bodyguard tossed him to the floor like a dead dog. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°Are you Darren?¡± Mason asked. The man on the floor twitched and croaked out, ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± Mason looked down at him, his deep eyes filled with coldness. ¡°Don¡¯t remember me? Let me help you. The Ramirez Family kidnapping case in Neo City.¡± Darren¡¯s body stiffened immediately upon hearing that. Mason noticed, ¡°Remember now?¡± Darren met Mason¡¯s eyes, filled with terror. His eyes widened, and he shook his head frantically, stuttering, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know anything.¡± When a person¡¯s life is threatened, their first instinct is to tell the truth. However, there¡¯s one exception: when they know that the truth could get them be killed faster than a lie. Seeing that Darren wasn¡¯t going to confess, a flicker of impatience crossed Mason¡¯s face. He turned and gave a subtle nod to the bodyguard. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± The bodyguard understood and dragged Darren back into the inner room. As Mason exited the club, he received a call from Caleb. ¡°Seriously? Such a coincidence?¡± Caleb started. Mason ignored his remark and instead sent a text to Le: [Are you asleep?] There was no immediate response. ¡°Mason, did you hear me?¡± Caleb¡¯s voice insisted through the phone. Mason tapped his screen absentmindedly, lighting a cigarette. ¡°What? If it¡¯s nothing important, I¡¯ll hang up.¡± Caleb took a deep breath. ¡°Alright, to the point. I heard there¡¯s been progress in the kidnapping case from back then, and one of the suspects is Le¡¯s uncle?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Caleb asked, ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Caleb exined, ¡°The suspect is Le¡¯s uncle. What about her¡­?¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°Are you worried that dealing with her uncle will upset Le, or that Le might be involved with her uncle?¡± ¡°Do I look like an idiot? Le was just a kid back then. Plus, when you had your incident, The Patel Group was also in trouble. There¡¯s no way she was in cahoots with Darren.¡± Mason answered only one of Caleb¡¯s questions, ¡°She won¡¯t be upset.¡± Caleb was surprised, ¡°You¡¯re that sure?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not that kind of person,¡± Mason replied. Caleb advised, ¡°Since he¡¯s Le¡¯s uncle, make sure you have all the facts straight before you act. If there¡¯s a mistake, it¡¯ll be hard to exin to Le.¡± Chapter 61 He is a gay Mason didn¡¯t mention that he had already acted or about the issues between Le and Darren. He brushed off Caleb¡¯s concern and ended the call. After hanging up, Mason sat quietly for a moment before calling Le. She didn¡¯t answer. Mason texted her again: [Le, are you close to your uncle?] Still no response from Le. Mason, knowing she wasn¡¯t asleep, sent another message: [We¡¯ve found a lead in the Ramirez Family kidnapping case. It¡¯s connected to your uncle Darren. Interested in hearing more?] Le wasn¡¯t asleep. She had juste out of the shower when she saw Mason¡¯s messages. As she toweled off her hair, she paused. Darren involved in the Ramirez Family kidnapping case? She thought back to Darren¡¯s behavior in the past few years, trying to find any clues. But after thinking for a while, she found nothing. Just as Le was about to give up, she suddenly remembered something. A few years ago, something unusual did happen with Darren. That year, he had bought a Passat with his own earnings. This might seem normal for others, but for Darren, it was as strange as finding an oasis in the desert. As Le was thinking about this, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Shirley:[ Caleb is such a freak, making me get fried chicken for him in the middle of the night.] Le¡¯s lips twitched: [Does he do this often?] Shirley replied, [He¡¯s a total freak, I¡¯m telling you. A purebred freak.] Before Le could respond, Shirley sent another message: [I seriously doubt if Caleb is your benefactor. With his personality, he wouldn¡¯t help anyone.] Just as Le was about to reply, there was a knock at the door. She hesitated for a few seconds before opening it. The door didn¡¯t have a peephole, so she could only see who was there after opening it. Mason stood there, his suit jacket draped over his arm, his shirt half tucked into his pants and half hanging out, looking rxed and casual. ¡°Miss Patel, may I stay for the night?¡± Le didn¡¯t want to answer. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, you¡¯re overstepping.¡± Mason gave a yful smile. ¡°Am I overstepping in action or are you overstepping in thought?¡± Before Le could respond, Mason turned serious. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I just need to ask you some questions.¡± Le immediately thought of the message he had sent earlier. ¡°About my uncle?¡± she asked directly. ¡°Yes,¡± Mason admitted. Le thought about letting him in but then paused and blocked the doorway again. ¡°You can ask from here.¡± Mason noticed her hesitation. ¡°Right here at the door?¡± ¡°It¡¯ste. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for us to be alone inside,¡± Le said calmly. Mason leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll talk here.¡± He continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating the kidnapping case for years. Recently, my men found evidence linking your uncle Darren to the case.¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± Le asked. ¡°The ce where I was held was an old house of the Gng family.¡± Le frowned. ¡°An old house?¡± She had never heard of such a ce. ¡°Yes,¡± Mason confirmed. ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t keep useless people around,¡± Mason replied confidently. Since Mason was so certain, Le didn¡¯t argue further. She thought for a few seconds and shared what she knew. ¡°I don¡¯t know about other things, but a few years ago, he suddenly had a lot of money and bought a car.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the $500, 000 your dad gave him?¡± Mason¡¯s casual tone surprised Le. She stared at him in shock. ¡°Wondering how I know?¡± There was nothing to wonder about. Given Mason¡¯s resources, there was no way to hide anything from him if he wanted to investigate. Seeing that Le wasn¡¯t going to ask, Mason¡¯s smile deepened. He leaned in closer, his voice low and husky, ¡°Le, you¡¯ve lived so tenaciously.¡± Le looked up, ¡°So have you.¡± Mason teased, ¡°Is this what they call soulmates?¡± Le replied coolly, ¡°I don¡¯t deserve it.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Mason responded, ¡°You do.¡± With every word Mason said, he moved a little closer, until their noses were almost touching. Then he suddenly stopped, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you backing away?¡± ¡°I¡¯m twenty-six years old, and I¡¯ve never seen someone so eager to be a third party,¡± Le retorted. ¡°Mm, what if I wanted to be, would you take me?¡± Mason shot back. Just as Le was about to respond, he abruptly leaned in and kissed her. Hisrge hand pulled her out of the door and into the hallway, pinning her against the wall as he kissed her. Between kisses, he murmured, ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d ept and make good use of it.¡± Mason¡¯s tone was seductive, with a hint of bewitching charm. Before Le could struggle, his hand pressed hers, his long fingers forcefully interlocking with hers. Le, in a moment of panic, tried to bite him. Sensing her intention, Mason leaned back slightly, pressing his forehead against hers and rasping, ¡°I¡¯m offering to be your lover, and you¡¯re still not satisfied?¡± Le was breathless. They stared at each other, neither willing to back down. Mason spoke first, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to give us a try?¡± Le tilted her head up, ¡°What do you like about me?¡± Mason teased, ¡°Why? You nning to change it?¡± Just as Le was about to respond, her phone on the coffee table rang. ¡°Let go,¡± she demanded. Instead of loosening his grip, Mason tightened it, asking meaningfully, ¡°Do you think it might be your boyfriend?¡± It was Shirley calling. As soon as Le answered, Shirley started ranting about Caleb. ¡°I¡¯ve never met such a picky man in my life.¡± ¡°He¡¯s so fussy about food.¡± ¡°He just called me to buy him fried chicken, and now he wants bubble tea. A grown man, drinking bubble tea!!¡± Le nced at Mason, who had stepped inside, took a deep breath, ¡°I tried calling your brother earlier, but he didn¡¯t answer.¡± Shirley, still fuming, reflexively asked, ¡°Why were you calling him?¡± Le, calcting that Mason wouldn¡¯t be able to hear Shirley from their distance, said, ¡°Do you think your uncle and aunt would be satisfied with me?¡± Shirley was stunned, ¡°What?¡± ¡°After spending time with him, I think your brother is a good person. A good choice for marriage,¡± Le continued. As soon as Le said this, she heard a sudden sound of sudden braking. Le, thinking Shirley had encountered some ident, asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Shirley had pulled over to the side of the road. Shocked by Le¡¯s words, she stammered, ¡°Le, you¡¯re joking with me, right?¡± ¡°Do I sound like I¡¯m joking?¡± Shirley had many things to say but didn¡¯t know where to start. Finally, she squeezed out in a very troubled tone, ¡°Le, you and my brother aren¡¯t a good match.¡± Hearing no response from Le, Shirley assumed she was truly interested in Samuel. After some internal struggle, she lowered her voice, ¡°Le, my brother¡­ he¡¯s¡­ you know what I mean, right? He is a gay. ..¡± Le paused, suddenly understanding. No wonder Samuel had never seeded in any matchmaking. Le hadn¡¯t expected the conversation to develop this way¡­ Shirley waited anxiously for Le to respond, and after a while, she asked cautiously, ¡°Le, are you¡­ are you angry?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, are you upset?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Shirley sighed deeply, ¡°I really didn¡¯t think you¡¯d take a liking to my brother. Mason is so outstanding and you didn¡¯t go for him, but you like my brother?¡± Shirley was genuinely puzzled. Le quickly said, ¡°It¡¯ste, let¡¯s talkter.¡± Without waiting for Shirley to respond, she hung up. After the call ended, Le let out a sigh of relief. But then, Shirley sent a voice message. A slender, handsome finger suddenly reached over. Before Le could stop him, Mason had already pressed the y button. Shirley¡¯s apologetic voice echoed from the phone: ¡°Le, I¡¯m sorry, sorry, sorry. I really should have handled this better. I didn¡¯t exin it to you in advance, but I never thought you¡¯d fancy my brother.¡± Le, ¡°¡­¡± Mason chuckled deeply, ¡°What does Shirley mean by that?¡± Faced with Mason¡¯s question, Le gripped her phone tightly and didn¡¯t look up. After a moment, Mason lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze, ¡°It seems I¡¯m not the third party?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re truly in love with Samuel, even if he doesn¡¯t like you, you¡¯ll still like him.¡± ¡°Why so silent?¡± Chapter 62 Do you think all men are as honest as me? Neither of them spoke again. Afterwards, Mason returned to the point and said, ¡°If it¡¯s convenient, could you ask your mom tomorrow?¡± Le leaned back against the sofa, ¡°About the old house?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Le frowned, ¡°My mom definitely doesn¡¯t know. The family was in chaos back then; she couldn¡¯t have had the energy to deal with anything else.¡± Mason spoke in a deep voice, ¡°I know, I¡¯m not doubting her. I¡¯m just interested in the old house. Aren¡¯t you curious about an old house you¡¯ve never heard of?¡± Le replied honestly, ¡°Not really.¡± Mason smiled slightly, his expression unusually serious. ¡°Then just do me a favor.¡± Le couldn¡¯t remember thest time she had seen Mason this serious. She agreed. To Le¡¯s surprise, he suddenly stood up and walked to the door. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Before Le could react, Mason had already left. Le stared at the door he had closed, feeling a sense of unreality. What was up with him today? After confirming that Mason had truly left, Le picked up her phone to text Shirley: [Mason was here just now. I said those things for him to hear.] Shirley: [So that¡¯s it. You scared me. Did he believe it?] Le: [He heard thest voice message you sent.]Original from N?velDrama.Org. Shirley:[ ¡­] That night, Le slept very restlessly. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off with Mason, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was. At seven in the morning, while still asleep, her phone rang. Elsa¡¯s tearful voice came through, shouting angrily, ¡°Le, how could you be so cruel? You evenid a hand on your own uncle.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t we already paid you back the $500, 000? What more do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, this isn¡¯t over. Just you wait.¡± Elsa ranted and raved for a while before hanging up angrily, not giving Le a chance to respond. Le frowned. What¡¯s wrong with her? After a ss of water, she took a taxi to the hospital. When Le arrived, Dasha and Tessa were having breakfast. Her phone buzzed with a new message. Mason: [At the hospital?] Le thought he was reminding her about the old house. She replied: [Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t forget what I promised you.] Mason: [No, I wanted to tell you. I had someone beat up your uncle. If they give you any trouble, let me know.] Reading Mason¡¯s message, Le instantly understood Elsa¡¯s morning call. No wonder. Lost in thought, Le received another message from Mason: [Reply when you get this.] Le: [Got it.] After finishing texting Mason, Tessa went to wash dishes, and Le walked to Dasha¡¯s bedside, pulled out a chair, and casually asked, ¡°Mom, did you live in our current house with my grandfather when you were young?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Dasha replied, patting Le¡¯s hair. ¡°Missing your grandfather?¡± Le nodded. ¡°A bit.¡± ¡°Your grandfather adored you¡­¡± Dasha reminisced about Le¡¯s childhood, eventually mentioning Darren. ¡°Your uncle was spoiled by your grandma.¡± When Dasha brought up Darren, Le continued, ¡°Speaking of my uncle, I suddenly remembered something. Years ago, I heard my uncle mention another old house of grandfather¡¯s.¡± At the mention of the old house, Dasha¡¯s expression subtly changed. At that moment, Tessa returned. Dasha awkwardly changed the subject, avoiding the topic. Watching her mother¡¯s reaction, Le drew her conclusion. At noon, while downstairs buying lunch, Le called Mason. ¡°Why are you interested in our family¡¯s old house? If you¡¯re investigating the kidnapping case, a location where a kidnapping urred wouldn¡¯t seem useful.¡± She thought Mason wouldn¡¯t tell the truth. Unexpectedly, Mason stayed silent for a moment. ¡°Many years ago, I saw a photo of my dad¡¯s lover, and the background was that house.¡± Mason¡¯s revtion startled Le. Mason¡¯s father¡¯s lover had once taken a photo at their family¡¯s old house. All four Ramirez family grandsons wereter kidnapped and taken to that house. Could the kidnapping case be connected to that lover? Seeing Le silent, Mason teased, ¡°Le, if my dad¡¯s lover turns out to be one of your rtives, will you feel guilty to me?¡± Le didn¡¯t answer. She was about to end the call when hezily added, ¡°I spentst night in the car, my whole body aches now.¡± After Mason spoke, there was a brief silence on the phone. ¡°Then have a rest¡± With that, she tapped the screen and hung up. Mason chuckled lightly, spinning his phone around, resting his chin on it. In reality, he hadn¡¯t been in a car at allst night, but at the club. The next day. When Le returned to Neo City, it was already noon. She had just taken a taxi home when Shirley called. ¡°Le, are you back?¡± Le unpacked her suitcase as she replied, ¡°Just got back. What¡¯s up?¡± Shirley sounded pitiful. ¡°I¡¯ming over.¡± Le was surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to work today?¡± ¡°Forget about it. You¡¯ll see when we meetter.¡± Shirley arrived an hourter. She was wearing sunsses and carrying various food items. ¡°So much¡­ were you starving?¡± Le teased. Shirley shook her head, dumped the things in her hands on the floor, and pulled down her sunsses, pointing to her dark circles. ¡°My eyes are nearly blind.¡± Just as she said that, her phone vibrated. Shirley seemed to have anticipated something, reluctantly pulled out her phone from her pocket. As expected, Caleb¡¯s message appeared on the screen: [Come to Willow Bistro, bring Le.] Considering Caleb and Mason¡¯s rtionship, Shirley quickly replied with caution: [Why? Why do I have to bring Le?] Caleb replied instantly: [Just helping out.] Shirley: [What kind of help?] Caleb: [It¡¯s something you can¡¯t help with anyway, no need for more words.] Shirley:[ If you don¡¯t exin clearly, I won¡¯t bring Le.] Caleb:[ Do you believe I¡¯ll contact Le directly?] Frustrated, Shirley nced at Le and remembered Le saying Caleb was her benefactor. She shrugged and looked at Le. ¡°Caleb wants us to go to Willow Bistro.¡± Le was carrying the things Shirley had bought towards the kitchen. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Shirley answered truthfully, ¡°Don¡¯t know, he says he needs your help.¡± Le ced the items on the kitchen counter. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say,¡± Shirley replied. Le paused, looking puzzled. She picked up her phone and dialed Caleb¡¯s number. Before Le could speak, Caleb chuckled on the other end. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mason hasn¡¯t been drinking.¡± Le was speechless¡­ Caleb continued, ¡°Absolutely no women involved, I guarantee.¡± After he finished, it seemed someone asked Caleb who was calling, and he joked, ¡°Mason¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Listening to this, Le understood what kind of help it was. Caleb hung up and sent her a message: [Help.] Le pondered for a few seconds. [Mr. Mitchell, I¡¯m not really free right now. Could you find someone else?] Caleb: [No one else will do. Just consider it helping me out, please.] Caleb had been Le¡¯s benefactor years ago. With Caleb putting it this way, Le felt if she refused again, it might seem ungrateful. After hesitating for a while, Le replied:[ Address.] Caleb: [Willow Bistro, room 302.] Caleb had asked her for help, and just from those two sentences he said on the phone earlier, she could guess what it was. When you owe someone, debts are the hardest to repay, whether they¡¯re financial or favors owed. Le sighed softly as she put away her phone. ¡°I need to make a trip to Willow Bistro.¡± Shirley looked up. ¡°What for?¡± Le didn¡¯t hold back. ¡°To help Mason out.¡± ¡°That scheming man!¡± Shirley eximed, indignant. ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡±¡­ An hourter, the two appeared at the door of Room 302. Le raised her hand to knock and pushed the door open. Inside, smoke filled the air. Le spotted Mason, his shirt cor slightly open. He loungedzily in his seat, one hand holding a cigarette over the table and the other toying with his phone. Standing beside him was a man holding a wine ss, nodding and bowing. The first to notice Le was Caleb. He got up and guided her to sit at his ce, then tapped Mason¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Your girlfriend¡¯s here.¡± Caleb¡¯s voice, not loud but perfectly clear. Hearing Caleb¡¯s words, the group assumed it was a joke. But the next moment, though Mason didn¡¯t speak, he reached over to the ashtray in front of him, extinguishing his cigarette. ¡°Have you had lunch?¡± Mason¡¯s voice was low and deep, but his question showed genuine concern. Le replied calmly, ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Before Le could answer, Mason suggested, ¡°Spaghetti?¡± Surprised, Le quickly regained herposure. ¡°Sure.¡± As Le finished speaking, before Mason could say anything, the man standing beside him volunteered, ¡°I¡¯ll go order.¡± After saying that, he turned and left. Mason rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows, then served Le a bowl of soup, cing it in front of her. ¡°Try it.¡± Le lowered her voice, curious. ¡°Is someone trying to set you up with a girlfriend?¡± ¡°Do I need someone to set me up with a girlfriend?¡± Le retorted, ¡°So, what¡¯s Mr. Mitchell got me helping you with?¡± Mason teased, ¡°You believe what he says?¡± ¡°Do you think all men are as honest as me?¡± Le was lost at words. Chapter 63 Mysterious call As they spoke, the door suddenly swung open. The man who just left came back, looking embarrassed, with Jennifer following behind. Jennifer had entered smiling, but upon seeing Le beside Mason, her expression immediately darkened. The thing between Jennifer and Mason was known to everyone. Today, most of the people in the room had grown up with them, so seeing Jennifer made everyone ufortable. ¡°Here with friends?¡± It was clear who Mason was addressing, and everyone at the table understood. Jennifer took a deep breath and replied, ¡°Uh, a friend¡¯s birthday.¡± Mason nodded. ¡°Have fun.¡± Jennifer stared at Mason, her eyes full of reluctance. After a long pause, she gathered the courage to say, ¡°Come out, I need to talk to you.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Mason met her gaze expressionlessly. ¡°Say it here.¡± Someone spoke up, ¡°Mason, maybe Jennifer has something private to discuss with you, and you¡­¡± Before the person could finish, Mason shot them a cold nce. The person stiffened, refraining from saying anything further. Jennifer clenched her fists, her face strained into a forced smile. ¡°Then let¡¯s talk about it another time, I¡¯m not in a rush.¡± With that, she turned and walked out. Back in the adjacent private room, she sat down and pushed all the utensils in front of her off the table¡­ As Jennifer left, everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief. They nced at each other, unsure what to say in front of Le, so they covertly observed Mason. Le could clearly sense the odd nces from everyone. She pretended nothing was wrong, but Mason leaned in to whisper in her ear, ¡°You¡¯re in trouble. Jennifer is particrly petty; she¡¯ll definitelye after you.¡± The half-eaten spaghetti stuck in Le¡¯s throat, and she coughed softly. Mason¡¯s long fingers twirled a strand of her hair near her ear. ¡°How about marrying me? I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Le didn¡¯t flinch or dodge. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I just helped you out this time. Why are you repaying me like this?¡± Mason smirked, neither responding nor contradicting. Le lowered her voice, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, Shirley and I will be leaving.¡± Caleb was about to speak up to persuade her when Mason subtly shook his head at him. Caleb changed the subject, ¡°Need me to call you a car?¡± Le smiled, ¡°No need, I drove myself here.¡± ¡°Alright, just drive safely on your way back,¡± Caleb said. Le nodded and left with Shirley. Watching them leave, Caleb sat in front of Mason. He propped one foot up on the chair¡¯s crossbar behind him and joked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Weren¡¯t you afraid to mess with her before, worried about harming her?¡± Mason leaned back in his chair, lighting a cigarette. ¡°I suddenly realized something.¡± Curious, Caleb asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Mason took a drag of his cigarette. ¡°Since both of us are miserable, why not give being together a try?¡± At Mason¡¯sment, Caleb teased, ¡°Does Le want to?¡± Masonughs softly, ¡°How do you know she doesn¡¯t want to?¡± Caleb mocks, ¡°At least so far I don¡¯t see it.¡± Mason, ¡°Just because she¡¯s avoiding it doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s not wavering.¡± Caleb, ¡°That confident?¡± Mason removes the cigarette from the corner of his mouth and taps his long fingertips on it, scattering the ashes to the floor, ¡°Remember how she dealt with the sexual harassment before?¡± Caleb suddenly realized. Le broke that guy¡¯s head¡­ Le was just about to start the car when her phone suddenly rang. ¡°Hello.¡± The voice of the person on the other end has been processed by a voice changer, ¡°Miss Patel, could you do me a favor?¡± Upon hearing the husky voice, Le hesitated for a moment. The person on the phone, noticing her silence, chuckled softly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, and I¡¯llpensate you ordingly.¡± Le gripped the phone, unmoving, and calmly replied, ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what it is?¡± ¡°Sorry, I have other things to attend to.¡± After saying that, Le hung up the phone. Catching Shirley¡¯s inquisitive gaze, she shrugged and said, ¡°Company business.¡± Shirley blinked mischievously, ¡°Buying secrets from yourpany at a hefty price?¡± Le gave a vague response, ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°To be honest, Le, I really admire this about you. Since The Patel Group went through that ordeal, you¡¯ve had it tough, but you¡¯ve never considered taking shortcuts.¡± From university to entering the workforce, wealthy and influential men had tried to woo Le, but she had never wavered. And ording to Shirley, since Le joined the project department, there were also many people who paid a lot of money to buy thepany secrets, but to date, Le hadn¡¯t made a single mistake. Later, Le dropped Shirley off and arrived home. A message popped up on the screen: [Miss Patel, after being weighed down by debts for so many years, I refuse to believe you¡¯re not tired. A woman as beautiful as you can live much better. Ten million, not anything illegal, consider it carefully.] Like the call at noon, this message had also been technically altered. It was from an online number that couldn¡¯t be replied to or called back. Le stared at the message for a while, her fingertips resting on the table, pondering who could be sending it. Ten million. Among the people she knew, the only one who can afford this price is probably Mason. Mason? Thinking of Mason, Le furrowed her brows lightly. That the person who sent the message knew Mason. Or in other words, this person had a grudge against Mason. Le¡¯s fingertips froze on the table, an inexplicable chill running down her spine. She stood at the dining table for a moment, contemting, then forwarded the message to Mason. Mason responded with two question marks: [??] Le pulled out a chair and sat down, typing back to him: [I suspect it¡¯s someone you know.] Mason replied: [My enemy?] Le: [I can¡¯t be sure.] Mason: [Alright, I¡¯ll have someone look into it.] Upon seeing Mason¡¯s response, Le didn¡¯t continue the conversation. After about three or four seconds, another message came from Mason: [Watch out for Jennifer. I wasn¡¯t joking with you. Contact me if anything happens.] Le: [Okay.] In the bar, after exchanging messages with Le, Mason reached for the iced drink, his deep eyes filled with coldness. ¡°Something up?¡± Mason tossed his phone to Caleb, ¡°Take a look.¡± Caleb nced at the message and a hint of mockery and disdain shed in his eyes, ¡°Is your uncle starting to act?¡± Mason lowered his head to light a cigarette, ¡°How long until Wendell gets out of prison?¡± Caleb teased, ¡°Miss him?¡± Mason scoffed lightly, ¡°If he doesn¡¯te out soon, I¡¯m afraid his securitypany will go under.¡± Caleb joked, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll visit him tomorrow and ask.¡± Mason grunted, ¡°Remember to tell him I miss him.¡± Wendell Miller, second son of The Miller Family, served in the military for a few years. After retiring, he unexpectedly founded a securitypany, going against his father¡¯s wishes for him to return to manage the family business. However, with his inherent business acumen, in just a few years, his small securitypany flourished. Moreover, most of his security personnel were former soldiers, diligent and trustworthy, leading many prominent families to hire bodyguards from him. As Caleb paused, he suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Mason, ¡°I still don¡¯t get it. How did Wendell end up in prison?¡± ¡°You go ask him.¡± ¡°Someone like him, I don¡¯t believe he¡¯d make a mistake.¡± Mason shook his head as he swirled his ss, the ice cubes clinking against the sides crisply, ¡°Sometimes you can¡¯t trust your own eyes.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You think he¡¯s strict with himself, but he¡¯s just going to jail. You think I¡¯m unreliable, yet here I am sitting with you drinking.¡± Mason poured more wine into Caleb¡¯s ss, ¡°I need you to do me a favor.¡± ¡°What favor?¡± ¡°Arrange for two people to cause some trouble for Le tomorrow. Be mindful, don¡¯t injure her.¡± Caleb was stunned, ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Chapter 64 Killing me? Mason drank from his ss, ¡°Jennifer is like a bomb ready to strike. My uncle is also taking action now. I need to keep her safe.¡± Caleb understood instantly, scoffing, ¡°You want to y the hero and rescue the damsel in distress?¡± Mason nced at him sharply, slowly saying, ¡°To win the heart of a beauty, you have to pull out all the stops.¡± Caleb thought Mason was pretty shameless. The next day. After returning to her office, Le first organized the contract for the Premier Construction project, then began reviewing the pile of messy project contracts Joshua had given her earlier. During her days in the hospital, she had already sorted through some of them, with the mostmon issue being non-payment of the final installment. Around eight thirty, Le picked up thendline phone, about to call Joshua in, when her phone on the table rang. It was a message from an inte number. [Miss Patel, have you made up your mind?] Le stared at the message on her phone, somewhat admiring the person¡¯s persistence, yet also finding it somewhat amusing. What exactly was he basing his judgment on that she would definitely help him with this favor? She forwarded the message to Mason then called Joshua. ¡°Joshua,e in.¡± Shortly after, Joshua knocked on the door and walked in. Le pointed to the documents on the desk, ¡°ssify these documents, put together those in simr situations.¡± Joshua approached, carrying the files, and asked tentatively, ¡°Was the Premier Construction project finalized?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Looking at Le¡¯s gentle face, Joshua¡¯s smile seemed a bit forced. If it weren¡¯t for the sharpness he had experienced from her at the beginning, he almost would have believed she was easy to handle. ¡°Congrattions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the tform thepany provides. I appreciate your help in the beginning.¡± When it came to help, Joshua¡¯s smile became even more strained. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± ¡°Anyone who helps me, I will remember the favor.¡± Feeling uneasy, Joshua left to deal with the files. Le watched Joshua¡¯s figure, then picked up the signing pen and twirled it around in her hand. He had already crossed her bottom line twice. At ten o¡¯clock in the morning, Le called Mr. Moore and invited him to dinner while mentioning the signing of the contract. Mr. Moore agreed readily over the phone,ughing, ¡°Let¡¯s skip lunch. I¡¯m free around eleven. Just bring the contract over.¡± It implied he had no time for lunch. Le understood the implication and took the contract and left the office to buy some high-quality tea. It was well-known that Mr. Moore enjoyed tea, and since he didn¡¯t have time for lunch, she decided to cater to his preference. In the world of business, this kind of reciprocity wasmon. When someone provided you with convenience, you should know how to show appreciation appropriately. After that, Le drove to Premier Construction. Mr. Moore had instructed his assistant in advance, so when Le entered, stating her purpose, the assistant promptly escorted her to Mr. Moore¡¯s office. Once inside the office, Le first ced the tea she had brought down and then respectfully handed the contract over to Mr. Moore with both hands. Mr. Moore epted it with a smile, without even looking at it, and began signing swiftly at the ces where the contract needed his signature. After signing the contract, Mr. Moore pressed his fingers on it and didn¡¯t give it back to her, asking, ¡°Now that the contract is signed, can I ask you something personal?¡± Le already had a guess about what Mr. Moore was going to ask. Sure enough, Mr. Moore followed up with a light smile, ¡°About you and Mr. Ramirez¡­¡± Le interjected calmly, ¡°It¡¯s just a superior-subordinate rtionship.¡± Mr. Moore¡¯s expression was knowingly amused at her response. ¡°Then can I introduce you to a boyfriend?¡± Le replied confidently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Moore, I appreciate your kindness, but I already have a boyfriend.¡± Mr. Moore was curious, ¡°Who?¡± Le reluctantly mentioned Samuel as her shield, ¡°Samuel, the Sales Manager at The Ramirez Group.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s answer, Mr. Moore froze. After a few seconds, he nodded and said, ¡°He¡¯s a good guy, a rising star.¡± Le smiled politely and didn¡¯t further engage in the topic. Exiting Mr. Moore¡¯s office with the signed contract, Le felt pleased. She sent a text message to Samuel: [I just signed the contract at Premier Construction. Got introduced to a boyfriend again, and I used you as a shield.] Samuel replied almost immediately, [As you need.] Meanwhile, after Le left, Mr. Moore turned to the man who had juste out of the lounge, scrutinizing him. ¡°She said she has nothing to do with Mason.¡± The man had an unnaturally paleplexion, his expression dark. ¡°Do you believe her?¡± Mr. Moore frowned at him, ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or false, it¡¯s none of my concern. The internal disputes among your brother, I¡¯m an outsider; it¡¯s not my ce toment.¡±¡­ At that moment, Le drove back to thepany with the signed contract. As she was just about to walk towards thepany¡¯s entrance when suddenly, a man rushed out from nowhere. He grabbed her shoulder and pressed a fruit knife against her neck. Le had no time to react to the sudden appearance of the man. Due to the momentum, when she stumbled, her neck grazed the de of the knife, and a few drops of blood instantly rolled down.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Le winced in pain. The next moment, the man pushed her up the steps, shouting loudly at the several security guards who were preparing to intervene to rescue her. ¡°Back off, or I¡¯ll kill her.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been working hard for over a year, and we haven¡¯t received a single penny. Does yourpany have any humanity left?¡± ¡°I want to see your CEO. Bring your CEO out to see me.¡± The man was visibly agitated, yelling loudly. With each sentence, he tightened the fruit knife against Le¡¯s neck a bit more. The security guards, having worked for many years, were taken aback. It was the first time they had encountered someone daring enough to cause trouble like this. They looked at each other, hesitant to make any sudden moves, afraid that one wrong move might provoke the man further. Le went from being disoriented to calm in just half a minute. Perhaps it was because she had seen too many debt disputes during her years at The Patel Group, she had developed a sort of immunity to such situations. Especially noticing the man¡¯s trembling hands, she could pretty much tell that he was inexperienced in such acts. Most people in this situation would say, ¡°Put down the knife and let¡¯s talk,¡± but not Le. After taking a breath, she calmly asked, ¡°Which construction team are you from?¡± The man, with bloodshot eyes and on the brink of copse, snapped back, ¡°Shut the hell up!¡± Le didn¡¯t stop. She continued, ¡°Which project are you involved in, and how much does The Ramirez Group owe your team?¡± She added, ¡°If you don¡¯t rify these things, even if Mr. Ramirezes out, it won¡¯t help. Think about it, are you here for money or murder?¡± Le¡¯sposure was so striking that even the security guards at the door couldn¡¯t help but admire her. The man tightened his grip on the fruit knife upon hearing Le¡¯s words. ¡°Are you sure talking to you will help?¡± Le replied calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you investigated before taking me hostage or if this was impulsive. If you did, you should know who I am. I¡¯m Le, the project manager. I have some say in these construction matters, and getting workers paid is certainly doable.¡± As Le spoke, the man scrutinized her. Not rushing, Le continued, ¡°I understand your situation. Leaving your hometown to work hard to support your family. I also get angry when the work that needs to be done is done and I don¡¯t get paid.¡± Le¡¯s words made sense, and the man loosened the fruit knife against her neck slightly. Feeling the slight rxation from the man, Le¡¯s nervousness under her calm demeanor also eased a bit. She said softly, ¡°If you trust me, you don¡¯t need to see Mr. Ramirez. Talk to me, and I¡¯ll handle it. Think about it.¡± The man gritted his teeth. ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± Le replied bluntly, ¡°Because you have no other choice right now.¡± It wasn¡¯t a pleasant thing to say, but it was the truth. The man looked at her angrily. Le tilted her head slightly, meeting his gaze. ¡°I value my life. If I can¡¯t help you, I¡¯ll live in constant fear of your retaliation every day.¡± When Le turned her head again, she noticed the man was in his early thirties, rugged-looking, dressed in an old but clean gray suit. The man loosened his grip on the knife slightly, still angry. ¡°What if you fail to help me?¡± ¡°What problem can you solve by killing me?¡± Chapter 65 Live together The man was speechless. ¡°If you kill me, you go to prison. It won¡¯t hurt The Ramirez Group much, but what about our families? Don¡¯t you have parents, a wife, children? I do, and I have a mother who depends on me.¡± The man frowned, silent. Le watched as the man seemed about to relent, and the security guards standing nearby exchanged a nce, then suddenly, charged at the man. The man reacted swiftly, cursing as he tightened his grip on the fruit knife, poised to strike Le. Just as the knife was about to descend, a figure darted forward, delivering a swift kick to the man¡¯s abdomen, sending him sprawling a meter away. The man grunted in pain as the knife slipped from his hand. Le stumbled back, only to find herself caught in a strong embrace.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Momentster, Mason¡¯s icy voice echoed above her head, ¡°Ryan.¡± Without hesitation, Ryan stepped forward, grabbed the man by his cor, and dragged him into the building. E was still in shock, but after a while, she struggled to say, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Mason¡¯s gaze was intense as he scrutinized her for a moment. Ensuring she was truly unharmed, he loosened his hold around her waist and turned away, walking off. As Mason left, the security guards awkwardly approached. ¡°Miss Patel, we¡¯re truly sorry. We meant to help.¡± ¡°Thank goodness Mr. Ramirez arrived in time, or who knows what might have happened.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? There¡¯s blood on your neck. Should we take you to the hospital to get it bandaged?¡± Touching her neck, Le felt the blood wasn¡¯t much, and the wound wasn¡¯t deep. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± she was fine, but the security guards were still hesitant to believe it. After all, if Mason hadn¡¯t arrived in time, Le might have ended up as a cold corpse due to their impulsiveness. The security guard looked guilty. ¡°We meant well, but it turned out badly.¡± ¡°It was an ident. No one wanted this to happen, and your intentions were good. Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m fine.¡± Le said as she walked away, one of the security guards suddenly called out to her, ¡°Miss Patel.¡± Le turned back, ¡°Yes?¡± The security guard seemed uneasy. Thinking he wanted to apologize again, Le was about to speak when the security guard lowered his voice and said quickly, ¡°Watch out for that Joshua.¡± ¡°What?¡± Le asked. But the security guard didn¡¯t continue, quickly moving away. Watching him leave hastily, Le frowned. Big corporations were indeed different. In smallerpanies, scheme might just be office gossip or some maniption on projects to make someone a scapegoat. But inrge corporations, if you blocked someone¡¯s financial interests, they might try to send you to jail or worse. When Le returned to the project department, everyone already knew about her ordeal and expressed their concern. Le politely smiled in response, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a scratch.¡± Having said that, Le headed back to her office. And the whispers erupted in the project department. ¡°Blood on her neck and she¡¯s saying she¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I heard when that worker held a knife to her throat, she didn¡¯t flinch, just reasoned with him.¡± ¡°A woman with no background or connections, rising to project manager? She must have some serious skills.¡± ¡°Did you hear? It was Mr. Ramirez who saved Miss Patel.¡± ¡°Knight in shining armor, huh?¡± Meanwhile, Mason, the ¡®knight in shining armor,¡¯ was interrogating the man who had just held a knife to Le¡¯s neck. ¡°Did youe to The Ramirez Group to get your wages?¡± Mason asked, his expression dark. The man, battered and bruised, turned his head and spat blood on the ground. ¡°We worked hard for a year, and in the end, we didn¡¯t get paid. Shouldn¡¯t I demand it?¡± Mason, ¡°Which project?¡± ¡°Xanadu Project.¡± Mason remained impassive. He made a call right in front of the man. And before the person on the other end could speak, Mason coldly asked, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the final payment forst year¡¯s ¡®Xanadu Project¡¯ settled?¡± The person on the line hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°It was settled long ago. If I remember correctly, it was settled at the end ofst year.¡± Mason¡¯s tone turned frosty. ¡°The workers didn¡¯t receive their money, go and find out where the problem lies.¡± The person on the other end of the call was taken aback by Mason¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, Mr. Ramirez. I¡¯ll get you an answer right away.¡± After ending the call, Mason fixed his sharp gaze on the man standing before him. ¡°The Ramirez Group has had many peopleing in and out. Why did you target her?¡± Mason¡¯s voice was sharp. Faced with Mason¡¯s question, the man¡¯s body stiffened slightly, ¡°She was unlucky.¡± ¡°I was watching outside The Ramirez Group¡¯s gate for half a day, and she was the only woman I saw.¡± Mason¡¯s gaze turned icy. ¡°I don¡¯t like talking to fools.¡± With that, Masonzily nodded at Ryan. Ryan understood immediately, stepping forward to grab the man by his cor and lead him towards the floor-to-ceiling window. The window on the upper half of the French window opened, and Ryan pushed open the screen to press the man¡¯s head out. It dawned on the man that Ryan actually intended to push him out. He screamed, terrified. Mason stood up and walked to the sofa, taking a seat. ¡°If The Ramirez Group really owes you money, rest assured, I¡¯ll settle every penny. But forying hands on my people in front of me, your life¡­¡± Mason paused. The man was just an ordinary worker, hearing Mason¡¯s words, he was petrified. He strained his voice to respond, ¡°I-I came here to get my money. No one told me anything, I don¡¯t know anything.¡± Ryan tightened his grip on the back of the man¡¯s neck, applying more pressure. ¡°Did we say someone told you to do this?¡± Realizing he had spoken too much, the man¡¯s legs went weak. Worried Ryan might actually throw him out of the window, he stammered, ¡°Wait¡­ wait¡­ A man gave me a photo of that woman. He told me if I could catch her, The Ramirez Group would settle our wages¡­¡± After the man finished, Ryan turned to Mason, waiting for his nextmand. Mason remained expressionless. ¡°What kind of man?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I couldn¡¯t see clearly. He was sitting in a car and didn¡¯t show his face. All I saw was he wore all white.¡± The man trembled as he spoke, his voice on the verge of tears. Without another word, Mason gestured to Ryan with a nce. Understanding the signal, Ryan loosened his grip on the man¡¯s neck. Feeling the pressure lift, the man copsed to the ground, taking deep breaths. Just then, Mason¡¯s phone rang. Mason answered tersely, ¡°Speak.¡± The voice on the other end said, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I just investigated. The payment for the ¡®Xanadu Project¡¯ was settled at the end ofst year. It seems their foreman ran off with the money.¡± Mason replied, ¡°Understood.¡± Ending the call, Mason stood up and walked towards the door, saying in a low voice as he left, ¡°The payment for the ¡®Xanadu Project¡¯ was settled at the end ofst year. Go find your foreman for the money.¡± The man couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°What?¡± Mason didn¡¯t answer his question, already walking out the door. Ryan squatted down to face the man, reaching out to p him across the back of his head. ¡°You¡¯re clueless, huh? The Ramirez Group never withholds project payments. Looks like your foreman ran off with the money.¡± The man was bewildered, still unable to believe. ¡°It can¡¯t be, how could he¡­¡± Meanwhile, Mason emerged from the CEO¡¯s office and took the elevator straight to the project department. Upon seeing Mason, the staff stood up in rm. ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± ¡­ Ignoring them, Mason walked directly to Le¡¯s office door and pushed it open. Le was in the midst of organizing Premier Construction¡¯s project contracts for filing. Hearing footsteps, she looked up and froze upon seeing Mason. Before she could speak, Mason strode up to her, spun her office chair around halfway, leaned down, and with both hands on the armrests, looked at her with a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m not here to discuss, I¡¯m here to inform. Tonight, pack your things and move in with me.¡± Chapter 66 Faced a pervert Mason¡¯s tone was serious, devoid of his usual lightness and teasing. Le locked eyes with him for a few seconds, quickly grasping his intention. ¡°That man just now was not here for his wages?¡± Mason¡¯s gaze was deep and steady. ¡°Yes, he was here for his wages, but someone was pulling the strings behind him.¡± Le stayed silent for a moment, then asked, ¡°He came after you?¡± Mason nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Le continued, ¡°Trying to use me to pressure you intopliance.¡± Mason admitted frankly, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Le didn¡¯t know how to describe her current feelings. She didn¡¯t know Mason¡¯s side of the story, but she knew she was already in trouble. Whether she wanted it or not seemed irrelevant now, she had be a pawn in this game. Le pondered quietly. Seeing her hesitation, Mason lowered his head slightly, lightly touching her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, brought trouble to you . I promise, during this time, I won¡¯t touch you.¡± ¡°Say something that I can believe.¡± Mason cupped Le¡¯s chin with one hand, forcing her to meet his gaze. ¡°Le, I don¡¯t want to drag you into this, but it¡¯s toote now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid of trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Thinking of the tangled rtionships within The Ramirez Family, Le blurted out without thinking, ¡°You¡¯re a mess yourself, how can you protect me?¡± ¡°If anyone wants to touch you, they¡¯ll have to step over my dead body.¡± Mason¡¯s assertion left Le breathless. It couldn¡¯t be denied that men like Mason easily captured women¡¯s hearts. He had status, looks, sweet words flowed effortlessly, and they didn¡¯t seem fake at all. It was no wonder so many women fell for him. They locked eyes for a few seconds. Le was the first to look away, pushing his hand away. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Mason subtly smirked. He straightened up. ¡°Give me your answer before the end of the workday.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°In fact, you just need to bring yourself. I have everything else-clothes, jewelry. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to prepare them for you.¡± Le looked up at him. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I said I¡¯ll consider, not that I¡¯ve agreed.¡± ¡°As I said, I¡¯m informing you, not negotiating.¡± ¡°Then why ask me to consider?¡± Mason lightly tapped his slender fingers on her desk. ¡°Consider what to bring, or even consider what you want to eat tonight. Esther is a good cook; you can tell her anything you¡¯d like.¡± Le sighed. She didn¡¯t know how to argue with Mason. When Joshua pushed the door open, holding a stack of documents. ¡°Miss Patel, there are some documents that need your signature.¡± Seeing Mason, Joshua quickly added, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Mason nodded indifferently,. Joshua approached Le¡¯s desk and handed her the stack of documents. Le carefully reviewed them, found no issues, and signed her name on the papers. After signing, Joshua respectfully greeted both Mason and Le before taking the documents and leaving the office. Watching Joshua¡¯s departure, Mason leaned back on the desk and looked down at Le, as if reminding her, ¡°Your assistant is quite something.¡± Outside the door, after leaving Le¡¯s office, Joshua took out his phone and sent a message: [Mr. Ramirez is in Le¡¯s office.] Mason¡¯s appearance in Le¡¯s office caused a stir in thepany. Rumors spread throughout the project department, but Le remained oblivious, focusing on the usual procedures and submitting contracts. Just after submitting the Premier Construction contract documents, she received her projectmission. Looking at her bank bnce on her phone, Le gripped the phone tightly. After so many years of waiting, she finally had the chance to bring her mother closer to her. Meanwhile, in the executive office, After returning to his office, Mason tore off his tie and threw it on the desk. He called Daniel in with a grim expression. ¡°Where are Le¡¯s bodyguards?¡± Daniel, just informed of the day¡¯s events at thepany entrance, responded cautiously, ¡°They¡¯re arranged.¡± Mason pressed on, ¡°Where were they when Le was in trouble?¡± Daniel dared not speak further. Mason¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°Rece them.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After settling this matter, Mason pinched the bridge of his nose and adjusted his emotions. He spoke again, ¡°What¡¯s Omar up totely?¡± Daniel replied, ¡°Heard he was in the hospital a couple of days ago.¡± Mason chuckled mockingly, ¡°Real illness or fake?¡± Daniel admitted, ¡°Not sure. The hospital was tightly guarded. Word is, his condition isn¡¯t light; even the old man went to see him personally.¡± A glint of coldness shed in Mason¡¯s deep eyes. ¡°He¡¯s been struggling for so many years with a frail body and illness.¡± Daniel dared notment. ¡°Help me investigate someone.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The assistant around Le.¡± ¡°Alright, Boss.¡± At 6:30 PM, Le finished work. As she stepped off the elevator into the underground parking lot, she saw Mason leaning against the front of her car. They locked eyes, and Mason¡¯s gaze held a hint of teasing. ¡°Heading home together?¡± Le met Mason¡¯s gaze, considering pretending not to know him. This was peak rush hour; being seen together would fuel gossip and rumors, as she had already heard plenty about her and Mason this afternoon. Truth be told, after spending this time together, Le knew Mason wasn¡¯t a bad person, and he treated her well. But no woman wanted to bebeled as someone¡¯s mistress, and Le was no exception. Seeing her hesitation, Mason got into the car first. Le¡¯s phone vibrated in her hand unexpectedly. Le nced down to see a message from Mason: [Where are we going first?] For some reason, Le felt a flutter in her heart. After a moment, Le resumed walking towards her car and replied to Mason; [I¡¯m going home to pick up some things.] Mason: [Should Ie along?] Le: [I can manage on my own.] Mason pretended not to notice her response: [Let¡¯s meet at the entrance of yourplex.] Le bent down and got into her car. As she saw Mason¡¯s message, her hand hesitated briefly while fastening her seatbelt. He had already made up his mind, so why ask again? Just to show that he was gentlemanly enough? While Le contemted, Mason stepped on the gas and drove out. He was driving a sports car today, which made quite a noise. As their cars passed each other, Le was startled and looked up to meet his eyes. There was a brief exchange of nces, and Mason¡¯s gaze was somewhat cold. On the way home, Le¡¯s mood wasplex. Truth be told, she wasn¡¯t ready to move in with Mason yet. She wasn¡¯t naive; she knew that once she moved in, things would inevitably progress between them. At this point, she couldn¡¯t deny ¨C and couldn¡¯t help but admit ¨C that her resistance to Mason was indeed very low. However, considering how many times he had helped her before, including ensuring hermission was quickly received this time, she felt indebted to him. The thought of bing a bargaining chip for someone else to threaten him troubled her deeply. When Le arrived, Mason¡¯s car was already there.Original from N?velDrama.Org. She knocked on Mason¡¯s car window and asked, ¡°Is there really no other way?¡± Mason leaned on the steering wheel, one hand ying with his phone, and replied decisively, ¡°No.¡± After half a minute of thought, Le asked again, ¡°Do you usually have guests at your ce?¡± Mason asked, ¡°Caleb?¡± Le rified, ¡°Besides him?¡± Living together, if they ran into anyone, it would be hard to exin and only cause more trouble. Le talked with Mason for a few more moments, confirming once again that there was no room for negotiation in this matter. She straightened up and headed home to pack her luggage. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, reaching into her pocket for her keys, a hand suddenly covered her mouth from behind. A sleazy and oily voice whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t move, as long as you don¡¯t resist, I promise I won¡¯t hurt you¡­¡± Le was forced to stay still, unable to turn around. Based solely on the voice, she couldn¡¯t judge what the man behind her looked like. With her house keys in hand, she didn¡¯t struggle or resist. Within a single day, she had not only encountered life-threatening danger but also faced a pervert. Chapter 67 What women lack the most? On the other side, Mason, sitting in his car, received a call from Caleb. Caleb: ¡°Everything¡¯s arranged, just waiting for the hero toe save the day.¡± Mason, having already forgotten about the arrangement with Caleb amidst the chaos of the day, replied sharply, ¡°What?¡± Caleb: ¡°You told me to arrange for someone to scare Le a bit?¡± Mason¡¯s expression darkened at Caleb¡¯s words. He cursed, pushed open the car door, and got out. ¡°If anything happens to her today, I¡¯ll make sure you regret it.¡± Caleb, puzzled, was about to exin that Mason was the one who had arranged it all, but Mason had already hung up the phone. Pressing the elevator button, Mason¡¯s face was grim and terrifying. With Le having just been kidnapped earlier in the day, now facing another threat, Mason dared not dwell on it¡­ At this crucial moment, everyone was on edge, but the man currently holding Le hostage was perhaps the most nervous of all. He wasn¡¯t a real street thug; he was one of Caleb¡¯s underlings. His mission were clear: scare her but do not harm her. When someone came to be the hero, he was to feign capture and flee immediately. Thinking it over, revenge or robbery would certainly cause a biggermotion, so he had to pretend he was a pervert. However, he had already been covering Le¡¯s mouth for over ten minutes, and the hero had not arrived yet¡­ To make the act convincing and prevent Le from suspecting anything, the man nced around nervously and continued with his sleazy talk. ¡°You¡¯re quite good-looking. I guess I¡¯m lucky today.¡± ¡°Your skin is fair, and your waist is slim.¡± Even though it wasn¡¯t a genuine assault, he struggled to say these words. Initially, Le¡¯s heart raced as she held her keys tightly. But seeing the man hesitate to make a move and only uttering creepy remarks, her fear gradually subsided and gave way to suspicion. Finally, whether it was her imagination or not, she felt the man¡¯s voice tremble slightly. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, you better not struggle, or I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. I have some reputation on this street. Feel free to ask around.¡± ¡°When I was seventeen, I killed a thirty-five-year-old woman in an alley under the twilight streetlight¡­¡± As Mason stepped out of the elevator, the man was still holding Le¡¯s mouth, telling her about his encounter with the woman when he was seventeen. Just as the story reached the part about the dimly lit alley¡­ Upon hearing the elevator door open and seeing Mason, the man not only showed no fear but a glint of anticipation in his eyes. Before he could get too happy, Mason strode forward, lifted his leg, and kicked the man hard in the side. The man fell to the ground, gasping for breath, teeth clenched in pain. Without even ncing at the man, Mason furrowed his brow and looked down at Le. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Turning her head to face Mason, Le asked expressionlessly, ¡°Was this person sent by you?¡± Mason¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, but he remained silent. Le lightly mocked, ¡°Silence means admission??¡± ¡°Mason, I¡¯m not someone who doesn¡¯t know how to repay kindness. I understand the gravity of situations. You didn¡¯t need to set this up for me.¡± Le¡¯s demeanor was calm and open.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. On the other side, Mason wanted to exin but found himself unable to. It was indeed his doing, but it had nothing to do with what had happened today. In her mind, she thought he was afraid she would be a burden to him, so he arranged for someone to stir up trouble. Little did she know, his original intention in devising this n was simply to get her to move in. The man lying on the ground sensed that Le had already figured out the truth. He stumbled over to Mason, saying, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I¡­¡± Mason¡¯s eyes shed with anger. ¡°Get lost!¡± Seeing Mason¡¯s fury, the man dared not say another word. He hurriedly walked to the elevator and pressed the button several times. When he saw the elevator was still on the first floor, he darted into the stairwell. Once the hallway was empty except for Le and Mason, Le regained herposure. ¡°I¡¯ll go in and get my luggage.¡± Mason looked at her in silence. Uncertain of how long she would stay at Mason¡¯s ce, Le only grabbed a few essentials and some clothes for a change, making it easy for her to leave at any time. When she came out with her suitcase, Mason was leaning against the hallway wall, smoking. Upon seeing Le, Mason extinguished his cigarette and stepped forward to help her with her luggage. Le nced at him but didn¡¯t refuse. She let go of the suitcase handle and pressed the elevator button. Standing behind her, Mason spoke up. ¡°I arranged for that person, but it wasn¡¯t like you think.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Le replied. ¡°Le, I admit I was wrong about this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Mason took a half step forward, reached out, and ced a hand on her waist. In a low voice, he said, ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Le¡¯s fingers curled slightly at her side. She turned to look at Mason. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the inner workings of your big family feuds, but since I¡¯ve been dragged into it, rest assured, I won¡¯t hold you back.¡± Mason lowered his head. ¡°Out of gratitude?¡± After a moment of thought, Le replied, ¡°I¡¯ve only been in one rtionship my whole life, and it didn¡¯t end well. I have no interest in dating seriously now, let alone having a affair with a man¡­¡± Mason¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°So, stop provoking me.¡± ¡°What if I genuinely pursue you?¡± Le pushed away Mason¡¯s hand from her waist and stepped aside. ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not uninterested; you¡¯re scared.¡± Le remained silent, staring straight ahead at the closed elevator doors. Mason squinted at her profile. ¡°Le, you dated even scum like Hunter, and you were ready to marry him. What¡¯s wrong with dating me?¡± As Mason finished speaking, Le didn¡¯t reply. The elevator doors opened conveniently, and she stepped inside. After a few seconds, Le looked at Mason, who was still outside the elevator. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡± Mason took long strides into the elevator. On the way to Mason¡¯s vi, they each drove their own cars. As soon as Mason got into his car, he dialed Caleb¡¯s number. Without waiting for Caleb to speak, he immediately started shouting, ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who asked me to arrange someone?¡± ¡°She was just kidnapped by a construction worker demanding payment outside the office today,¡± Mason snapped. Caleb choked on his words, ¡°I didn¡¯t know about that, you never told me.¡± Frustrated, Mason reached up and undid the button on his shirt cor, ¡°Where did you find that guy?¡± Caleb hesitated before asking, ¡°Did he hurt Le?¡± Mason scoffed, ¡°Hurt her? If I¡¯d arrived half a minuteter, Le would have been asleep from listening to his stories.¡± Caleb looked confused, ¡°Huh?¡± Through gritted teeth, Mason recounted what he had seen and heard. Caleb burst outughing uncontrobly on the other end of the phone. Already in a bad mood, Mason couldn¡¯t stand theughter. He hung up the phone without another word. But Caleb called back immediately. Impatiently, Mason answered, ¡°If you want to see the sun tomorrow morning, you better not contact me again today.¡± Trying to calm him down, Caleb chuckled, ¡°Take it easy, man. Your anger is fine with me, but don¡¯t scard Le.¡± The mention of Le made Mason¡¯s chest ache with anger. Seeing Mason silent, Caleb continued teasingly, ¡°Mason, when ites to business, I may not be as good as you, but when ites to charming women, you¡¯re no match for me.¡± Mason sneered, ¡°Oh, really?¡± Caleb persisted, ¡°Believe me. You know what women like Leck the most?¡± Chapter 68 I know you like it ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Mason asked, though his tone was icy. ¡°Security,¡± Caleb replied confidently. Mason took a deep breath, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. Caleb went on, undeterred, ¡°She¡¯s been through family turmoil before, and she¡¯s been holding it together all these years on her own. Now, with her mom¡¯s situation like this¡­ Honestly, whether it¡¯s a young girl or a grown man, anyone in her position would cling to a lifeline like a savior.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Mason remained silent. Caleb chuckled softly, ¡°Mason, if you want to win over Le, you need to show her that you¡¯re dependable.¡± Caleb¡¯s advice came from years of failed experiences. People often saw Caleb as a yboy, but they didn¡¯t know he had once loved a woman deeply. The result? She turned out to be heartless and dumped him. After that, Caleb understood that love between a man and a woman was a tricky thing-if you fell in love first, you lost. Mason only said two words before hanging up: ¡°You idiot.¡± In the other car, Le¡¯s mood was equally unsettled. She reached out to y a soothing song, taking a deep breath. The car arrived at Mason¡¯s vi and the two parked their cars, one after the other. Mason came over to help her with the luggage. As Le stepped towards the entrance, he reached out and caught her wrist. ¡°Let¡¯s talk,¡± he said. ¡°Talk about what?¡± Le replied. Mason rubbed his forehead with his fingers, ¡°Today was my fault. I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± Le asked. Mason leaned closer, his deep eyes downcast, as if reluctantly admitting his grievance, ¡°Le, I truly understand my mistake this time. I¡¯m not like you, I haven¡¯t been in love before, I¡¯m learning, maybe not doing well enough. Give me some time¡­¡± Le had never seen Mason like this before. Her breath caught, and her heart beat a little faster. The next moment, Le blushed and turned her gaze away. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me all this.¡± Mason achieved his purpose; a hint of amusement shed in his eyes. ¡°Okay, I understand. You still¡­ don¡¯t like me.¡± When Mason said ¡°don¡¯t like me,¡± his voice sounded particrly aggrieved¡­ A few minutester, they appeared in the vi¡¯s living room. Esther saw Le and greeted her warmly. ¡°Mason told me you¡¯re moving in, so I¡¯ve prepared a room for you in advance. Let¡¯s see if you like it,¡± Esther said, leading Le upstairs. Le thanked her as they walked. Esther brought her to the master bedroom door unexpectedly. Le was taken aback. ¡°Esther, I¡¯m¡­¡± Esther caught on to her thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s moved to the next room.¡± Le hesitated, ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t it inappropriate?¡± Esther smiled knowingly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing inappropriate about it.¡± Just as Esther was speaking to Le, Mason approached from behind. He gave Esther a meaningful look, and she found a reason to leave. Alone now, Mason walked over to Le, hands in his pockets, and spoke seriously, ¡°There generally aren¡¯t many people around here, but I can¡¯t guarantee absolute privacy. Le, we don¡¯t beat around the bush here. The fact that you¡¯re staying with me will eventually get out. When that happens, staying in the master bedroom will do more for your reputation than staying in the guest room¡­¡± Mason¡¯s words were a double entendre, referring not just to the bedroom but also to their status. He was reminding Le that it would be better to give each other a legitimate status. Le met his gaze. She understood, but pretended not to, ¡°Thank you.¡± With that said, Le picked up the suitcase Mason had brought up and stepped into the room. Later that evening during dinner, Esther once again prepared a variety of Yort City dishes for Le. Le thanked her sincerely, and Esther smiled warmly. After dinner, Le retired to her room early to rest. Mason sat in the living room scrolling through his phone. Esther approached quietly, ¡°Have you made a decision?¡± ¡°What?¡± Mason replied. ¡°You¡¯ve brought her here, but haven¡¯t made a decision yet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just brought her here.¡± Esther continued, ¡°Do you like her?¡± Mason stretched his legs and admitted frankly, ¡°I do.¡± Esther immediately understood, ¡°And she doesn¡¯t?¡± Mason replied, ¡°She just got out of a recent breakup and has been through a lot at home. It¡¯s not realistic to expect her to dive into a new rtionship right away.¡± Esther didn¡¯t know about all the things Le had been through. She sighed lightly, ¡°She¡¯s been through a lot, just like you.¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°Me?¡± Ignoring his jest, Esther lowered her voice, ¡°Does she not like you?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask her?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find a chance to ask.¡± Upstairs, Le, in the master bedroom, was unable to sleep. The entire room was saturated with Mason¡¯s scent. It wasn¡¯t the usual scent of pine or musk; it was a unique blend of fruity notes and whiskey, intoxicating in its allure. Her phone, resting on the bedside table, suddenly buzzed twice. Le reached for it and saw a message: [Interesting. No wonder you refused to cooperate even for ten million.] Le frowned. It was that person again. Just like before, she forwarded it to Mason, adding a message: [Do you know who this is?] No response came from Mason for over twenty minutes. Then, a knock at the bedroom door interrupted her thoughts. There was no need to guess who it was. Le hesitated briefly before getting up to open the door. Mason stood in a bathrobe, steam rising off him. His voice low, he exined, ¡°Just taking a shower.¡± This was his way of exining why he hadn¡¯t responded to her message promptly. Le leaned against the door frame, not inviting Mason inside. ¡°Do you know who sent that message?¡± Mason admitted honestly, ¡°I have suspicions, but I can¡¯t be certain.¡± ¡°Is it a business rival or¡­?¡± Mason took a half-step closer, resting a hand on the door frame, and chuckled softly, ¡°You¡¯re concerned about me?¡± Le met his eyes head-on, tilting her head slightly. ¡°Mason, I¡¯m curious. What do you like about me?¡± Le¡¯s question was direct, catching Mason off guard. He smiled suddenly, ¡°If I tell you, would you believe me?¡± Le didn¡¯t respond directly, but it was clear she wasn¡¯t convinced. Mason lowered his head slightly, his lips brushing against hers, ¡°Le, you don¡¯t trust me, yet you¡¯re asking me¡­¡± His actions were teasing, his voice seductive. Le¡¯s breath quickened, instinctively stepping back. Seeing her reaction, Mason reached out, hooking her waist and pulling her into his arms. With one hand holding her jaw gently, he kissed her softly. The kiss was assertive, making it difficult for Le to resist. After a few moments, she found herself pressed against the wall. Le bit her lip lightly, breathing heavily. Mason¡¯s eyes were filled with desire. ¡°Le, do you want this?¡± Mason asked, his voice husky. Seeing that she remained silent, Mason¡¯s hand that had been on her thigh moved to her waist. He spoke in a low, hoarse voice, ¡°Le¡­¡± Le looked up at him, her face showing a mix of emotions ¨C desire, embarrassment. Mason lowered his head, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. ¡°Le, you can sleep with me, but ¡­ not for free.¡± Le¡¯s cheeks flushed red. Mason¡¯s lips brushed against her ear as he murmured, ¡°You can temporarily deny me, but you can¡¯t go out and fake another rtionship, even a pretend one.¡± Le¡¯s hand at her side tightened. Mason didn¡¯t give Le a chance to respond. He simply lifted her and carried her back to the bed. ¡°Wanna?¡± He asked in a whisper while tracing his finger down to her chest. She shivered to his touch and closed her eyes, feeling his hard chest pressed against her tender breast. He palmed her breast and spoke softly while he squeezed them,¡±So soft¡±. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be doing this¡­¡± He caresses her tiny nipple with his finger,¡±Stop fighting it, I know you like what I¡¯m doing to you¡±. He lowered his head down to her ear and whispered. Chapter 69 Hope to gain her acceptance She could feel his dick grow hard between them and pressed against her stomach. He traced his finger down to her cunt then gently stroked her folds. ¡°Ahhh..¡±. She gasped when he grabbed her leg up to his waist so his cock could be in between her thigh. She couldn¡¯t hold back her moan as he grazed her sensitive clit with the head of his cock. Her breathing hitched as soon as he slid the head of his cock through her fold. ¡°You want this now?¡±. He asked, his breathing getting hard as fuck as he grind himself harder. Le nodded her head in approval as she couldn¡¯t speak. Immediately he got the response he needed, he released her leg then held her by the waist as his cock lined straight towards her opening. Le couldn¡¯t help but admit that tonight, Mason had put in a lot of effort. Beneath him, Le trembled, and at the peak of her difficulty, she bit his shoulder. Mason leaned down, allowing her to bite, his lips grazing her delicate neck as he kissed. Le let out a soft moan, but Mason¡¯s deep voice asked, ¡°Does it feel good?¡± Le didn¡¯t answer, biting even harder. ¡­ At dawn, Mason carried Le into the bathroom to shower. Ley motionless in the tub, her eyes dazed, as if she hadn¡¯t recovered. When Mason finished washing her and carried her back to bed, Le muttered, ¡°Mason¡­¡± Mason, drying his hair by the bedside, chuckled lightly. ¡°Hmm?¡± Le said, in a muffled voice, ¡°I think dying in bed is a particrly embarrassing way to die.¡± Mason¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Are you praising me?¡± Le didn¡¯t respond to Mason¡¯s remark. She pulled the nket over herself and quickly fell asleep. After Le fell asleep, Mason took a photo of her with his phone. The picture didn¡¯t show her face, only her soft, flowing hair visible outside the nket. After taking the photo, Mason immediately posted it on his social media with the caption: ¡°Hope to gain her eptance¡­¡±¡­ At half past six in the morning, Mason¡¯s phone exploded with notifications. ¡°What¡¯s going on??? Mason is in a rtionship??¡± ¡°Mason is serious this time?¡± ¡°Hope to gain her eptance? Bro, aren¡¯t you her boyfriend now??¡± ¡°I woke up early this morning and actually saw Mason posting a woman on his social media.¡± ¡­ Mason set his post to be visible to everyone, not just his close friends but alsopany executives and business partners. Most of thements from his close friends were teasing, while the executives and partners offered their congrattions. Among the myriadments, Caleb¡¯s stood out as a clear dissenting voice: ¡°Are you shameless, does she know you posted her on social media?¡± At seven-ten, Le was still asleep, but she was suddenly awakened by the ringing of her phone. She furrowed her brow slightly. The next moment, a voice behind her deliberately lowered. ¡°Speak.¡± It was Caleb calling, getting straight to the point. ¡°What¡¯s your next move? I can¡¯t understand it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to understand,¡± Mason replied. Caleb asked, ¡°Did Le agree to it? Wasn¡¯t she mad at you yesterday?¡± Mason nced at the person beside him, reaching over to pull her waist closer, and said in a deep voice, ¡°I apologized to herst night.¡± Le was genuinely exhausted from the previous night, her voice hoarse as she muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Le¡¯s muttered response left Caleb stunned for a moment. After a while, he cursed under his breath, ¡°Damn it, Mason, you are shameless.¡± Ignoring Caleb¡¯sment, Mason kissed Le¡¯s slender back and said in a low voice, ¡°Hmm, I won¡¯t move. You continue sleeping.¡± With that, Mason hung up on Caleb¡­ When Le woke up, Mason was no longer there. Le turned slightly in bed, feeling sore all over. Damn. As Le cursed Mason in her mind, she was angry at herself for losing her senses. Just as she was seething, her phone, ced on the bedside table, suddenly rang. On the other end of the line, Shirley asked, ¡°Does Mason have a real girlfriend now?¡± Le was bewildered. ¡°Huh?¡± Shirley continued, ¡°Just now, I heard a few models say Mason announced a real girlfriend on his social media.¡± Hearing Shirley¡¯s words, Le suddenly had a bad feeling. She moved the phone away from her ear, turned on speakerphone, exited the call interface, and opened Mason¡¯s social media. With just one nce, without even erging the picture, she recognized herself. As Le¡¯s cheeks and ears reddened, she clenched the phone tightly. Shirley didn¡¯t hear Le¡¯s response and called out, ¡°Le?¡± Le snapped back, ¡°Yeah?¡± Shirley cleared her throat nervously over the phone, knowing some questions were best left unasked but feeling obligated as a friend, ¡°Are you¡­ are you okay?¡± Le replied curtly, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shirley pushed ahead awkwardly, ¡°Do you still keep in touch with Mason?¡± Not wanting to lie to Shirley, Le chose to dodge the topic, ¡°I woke upte this morning. I need to head to the office now. We can talkter.¡± Seeing Le¡¯s reluctance, Shirley said, ¡°Haha, okay, let¡¯s talkter then.¡± Le responded with a simple ¡°Bye.¡± During breakfast, Le casually asked about Mason. ¡°He left very early. Mr. Daniel came to pick him up. Something urgent at thepany, it seems.¡± ¡°So early?¡± ¡°Yeah, he does that often.¡± Esther leaned towards Le, ¡°Miss Patel, do you have a boyfriend now?¡± Le, who had been lying a lottely, was about to say yes, but suddenly remembered what Mason had whispered to her earst night. ¡°You can temporarily deny me, but you can¡¯t go out and fake another rtionship, even a pretend one.¡± Le¡¯s hand holding the spoon paused, her ears turning red. ¡°No.¡± Esther smiled and asked again, ¡°Then do you have someone you like?¡± Le met Esther¡¯s eyes and smiled, ¡°Esther, just call me by my name from now on.¡± Esther nodded with a smile, ¡°Alright, Le. So, do you have someone you like now?¡± ¡°Not at the moment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re still young. You¡¯ll meet someone eventually.¡± After breakfast, Le left the vi and drove to the office. While in the car, Le dialed Mason¡¯s private phone. ¡°Mason.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Le. Boss is in a meeting.¡± Upon hearing Daniel¡¯s voice, Le paused for a few seconds. She didn¡¯t want thepany to know about her and Mason, but she wasn¡¯t naive either. She knew Daniel wouldn¡¯t take this call at this time unless he already knew everything.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Le took a deep breath, ¡°Have him call me back after the meeting.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let him know,¡± Daniel replied respectfully. Le ended the call. On Daniel¡¯s end, he ced the phone carefully on the desk in front of Mason, who was leaning back in his chair, rubbing his temples. Daniel cautiously began, ¡°Boss, the call is done.¡± Mason looked up, ¡°What did she say?¡± Daniel repeated every word verbatim, ¡°Miss Patel¡¯s exact words were: ¡®Have him call me back after the meeting.''¡± Mason quickly grasped the key point, ¡°She said ¡®him¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes, ¡®him,¡¯ not ¡®Mr. Ramirez.''¡± Mason smirked lightly, ¡°Women being too clever isn¡¯t always a good thing.¡± Daniel managed to keep silence, but Mason looked up at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to ask today?¡± Daniel chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Don¡¯t asking the boss¡¯s privacy is a basic quality of an assistant.¡± Mason teased, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll allow you to ask today.¡± Daniel forced a smile. Seeing Daniel¡¯s nervous demeanor, Mason asked , ¡°Daniel, what are you afraid of?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing, I¡¯m not afraid of anything.¡± Mason continued, ¡°Daniel, how long have you been with me?¡± ¡°Six¡­ six years.¡± Mason tapped his fingers elegantly on the armrest of his chair. ¡°Six years, it¡¯s a long time, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mason looked calm, and Daniel was sweating profusely. As an assistant for so many years, he understood executives¡¯ speech patterns too well. Whenever this topic came up, it often didn¡¯t bode well for the conversation partner. Sure enough, the next moment, Mason set a trap for him. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve stolen Samuel¡¯s girlfriend?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Tell the truth.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Mason chuckled lightly and stopped tapping his fingertips on the armrest. ¡°Le and Samuel were never a couple. They were just acting.¡± ¡°What?¡± Daniel was surprised. Mason lifted his finger to his lips with a deep smile, ¡°Daniel, love is something you have little experience with, so you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± Daniel fell silent. Mason continued, ¡°When I have more experience in the future, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± Daniel didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation, but he had no choice. ¡°Thanks, Boss.¡± As Daniel finished saying ¡°thanks,¡± the office door mmed open from outside. Le stood at the door with a file in hand, her expression calm. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I have a contract that needs your signature.¡± Chapter 70 I want you Mason smiled, his voice deep and low. ¡°Daniel, get out.¡± Hearing Mason dismiss him, Daniel felt like he had just received a pardon. He nodded at Le and quickly hurried out. The office was left with only Le and Mason. Seeing Mason¡¯s mischievous grin, Le took a deep breath and approached him, getting straight to the point. ¡°What are you ying at?¡± Mason knowingly asked, ¡°What?¡± Le¡¯s tone turned cold. ¡°Mason.¡± Seeing that Le was genuinely angry, Mason spoke in a low voice. ¡°You repeatedly pretend, not to acknowledge me, yet you won¡¯t allow me toin on my social media?¡± Le stared back at him. ¡°You¡¯re notining, you¡¯re doing it on purpose.¡± Mason didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m doing it on purpose.¡± Le, ¡°Do you know¡­¡± Le wanted to say ¡°Do you know how much trouble it would cause if someone from thepany finds out it¡¯s me,¡± but Mason interrupted her with a voice. ¡°Le, you have to acknowledge me as your boyfriend.¡± Mason finished, took Le¡¯s hand, slowly put his slender fingers into her fingers, and then suddenly clenched it, holding hands with her. Although it was just a simple intimate matter, Mason did it very erotically. Le¡¯s body stiffened slightly, unconsciously stepped back. Mason followed closely, pressed her against the desk, naturally stood a leg between her legs, bowed his head and kissed her lip corner, saying, ¡°I have already sent, what should I do?¡± ¡°You¡­ Don¡¯t go too far.¡± Masonughed, ¡°Hmph, I wouldn¡¯t dare do anything too much again.¡± At seven thirty in the evening, Le appeared at a high-end restaurant with a group of people from the project department. Tonight she¡¯s treating her team members to dinner. Including Le, there were a total of eleven people in the project department, and a private room was just enough to amodate them. During the gap between ordering food, Le got up and made a phone call to Dasha in the hallway. After the call, Le turned around and was about to return to the private room, several people walking towards her. In the middle of the group was Mason, wearing a ck shirt and trousers, with sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscr forearms and wristwatch. Mason¡¯spanions included a man Le didn¡¯t recognize. He stood out with his impable suit and crew cut, yet adorned with a python tattoo creeping up his neck under the cor. The man leaned towards Mason with a low, solemn voice, ¡°Was that girl you posted about Jennifer?¡± Mason didn¡¯t give a direct answer. Instead, he smirked in Le¡¯s direction and chuckled, ¡°Guess.¡± ¡°Guess?¡± the man repeated. Mason chuckled and saw that Le didn¡¯t want to talk to him. He pretended not to know and brushed past her. As Mason and his group strode by, the door to Le¡¯s private room suddenly swung open. A young woman poked her head out, smiling coyly upon seeing Le. ¡°Miss Patel, what would you like to eat? I¡¯ll order for you.¡± Mid-sentence, the woman noticed Mason and froze, her smile stiffening as she straightened up. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Le, follow the little girl into the private room. Joshua stood up and raised his ss to Le. ¡°Miss Patel, here¡¯s to you. May your future be bright and prosperous.¡± Le remained seated, lifting her ss to clink with Joshua¡¯s. Following his lead, others began to toast her as well. After downing ten sses, Le excused herself and walked out of the private room towards the restroom. Although the private room had its own restroom, Le wanted to step out for some fresh air. Truth be told, she wasn¡¯t fond of crowded, noisy environments. A short while was tolerable, but prolonged exposure made her feel restless. Upon exiting the private room, she headed down the hallway to the restroom at the end. As she approached, she spotted Masoning out from inside. Clearly, he had indulged in a few drinks too, with his shirt cor unbuttoned slightly, revealing a hint of muscle. Water droplets glistened on his neck, adding to his irresistibly sexy appearance¡­ Several women nearby eyed him with interest. Le paused in her tracks, she was still processing when a woman who had been eyeing Mason approached him boldly. The woman wore a ck spaghetti strap dress, showcasing her well-endowed figure. ¡°Hey handsome, alone?¡± she flirted. Mason gave her a piercing nce, unfazed by Mason¡¯s cold demeanor, the woman leaned closer towards him, ¡°How about we exchange contact info?¡± Mason frowned impatiently, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to disappear from Neo City, stay away from me.¡± Upon hearing Mason¡¯s words, the woman first paused, then realizing he wasn¡¯t joking, her expression changed slightly. She quickly walked away. As she approached Le, Le overheard her muttering, ¡°I wonder if he¡¯s crazy. If he doesn¡¯t want to, just say, why threatening?¡± Mason¡¯s voice when talking to women was neither high nor low, and it happened to be heard by everyone present. Those who had been eager a moment ago now all turned away with disdain. After everyone had dispersed, Mason finally noticed Le standing by the door. The two locked eyes, but neither said a word as they passed each other like strangers. Whether intentional or not, in that brief passing, Le felt her pinky finger brushed by him. Entering the restroom, Le heard two women outside discussing in low voices. ¡°That man just now is really handsome.¡± ¡°Too bad he¡¯s not someone you can hook up with.¡± ¡°A guy like him surely doesn¡¯tck femalepany.¡± The more they discussed, the more excited they became. Le thought to herself that this man seemed to be popr wherever he went. Without actively seeking attention, women naturally flocked to him. After using the restroom, Le walked to themunal sink to wash her hands. She didn¡¯t want to return too quickly, so she washed slowly. As she exited the restroom and passed by a private room, the door suddenly opened, and a hand reached out, pulling her inside. With recent unexpected events, Le was initially frightened. But as she was pressed against the wall and caught a whiff of a blend of fruit and whisky, her tense nerves instantly rxed.Original from N?velDrama.Org. The room was pitch dark. Le¡¯s voice softened, ¡°Mason.¡± Mason¡¯srge hand rested on her waist, gently caressing, ¡°Drunk?¡± ¡°And you?¡± she replied. Mason¡¯s voice husky, ¡°Had a bit.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Le said. Mason chuckled lowly, his hand now resting on her hip, then lightly pressing forward, ¡°How long were you watching that other woman flirt with me?¡± Le didn¡¯t lie, ¡°From start to finish.¡± Mason asked, ¡°Was it enjoyable?¡± ¡°Honestly? Not really. Itcked that thrill of anticipation.¡± Despite having had a drink, Le¡¯s mind was clear. After saying this, she noticed Mason¡¯s eyes darken slightly. ¡°I suddenly feel like maintaining this kind of rtionship with you wouldn¡¯t be bad,¡± Le said. Mason couldn¡¯t understand why Le would suddenly say that. The next moment, Le¡¯s hand hooked onto his shirt cor and pulled him down, ¡°You¡¯re the CEO of The Ramirez Group, young, wealthy, and handsome. Having someone like you as a lover, I wouldn¡¯t be losing out.¡± Upon hearing her words, Mason lowered his head, pinched her chin, and half-closed his eyes, asking, ¡°A lover?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Between them, it¡¯s unclear who started it first, the alcohol too strong, the desire too intense. Mason¡¯s hand pressing on her hip was a clear indication. By the time Le realized, her skirt was taken off. Le¡¯s legs went weak, ¡°Mason.¡± Mason pinched her chin, and kissed her. After the kiss, he chuckled softly at her, whose eyes were turning red, ¡°Le, don¡¯t act like this, I haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡± Le could barely stand firm, relying on gripping his arm tightly, ¡°Mason.¡± Mason used his fingertips to tuck her hair behind her ear, lowering his head close to her ear, ¡°Tell me you want me.¡± Mason¡¯s voice was low, husky, and naturallyzy, undoubtedly a potent catalyst in moments like these. Le trembled, but remained silent. Mason teased her, ¡°Come on, say it.¡± Le¡¯s eyshes fluttered, sweats forming on her nose. Seeing her struggle, Mason goaded her, ¡°Since you can¡¯t resist, why not¡­¡± Mason¡¯s words trailed off as Le spoke up, ¡°I want you.¡± Le¡¯s voice carried desire, coy but not cloying, it¡¯s seductive. Mason¡¯s eyes darkened again, he didn¡¯t respond, instead unbuckling his belt, forcefully pulling down her underwear, and thrusting into her¡­ He lowered his head and said fiercely in her ear, ¡°Le, even if we¡¯re lovers, I must be the only one. You provoked me. If you dare to provoke anyone else¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡­ Chapter 71 Emergency room Finally, Mason carried Le out of the restaurant, covered her face with his suit jacket. Outside the hotel, Daniel, who had been waiting in the parking lot, drove the car over. Mason carefully bent down to put Le in first, then got in himself. Once seated, Daniel got in the driver¡¯s seat and drove off. After a while, Le sighed deeply under the suit jacket. Hearing her breathe, Mason reached to lift the suit jacket covering her head. Sensing Mason¡¯s intention, Le turned her head and avoided it. Mason chuckled softly, and pulled out his phone from his suit pocket to make a call. The phone connected, Mason spoke in a low voice, ¡°Wendell, something came up, I have to go. Let¡¯s catch up another time.¡± Le couldn¡¯t hear what the man on the other end said. After a few seconds, Mason sneered softly, ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you another time.¡± Ending the call, Mason looked at Le, ¡°Feeling stifled?¡± Le remained silent. Their interaction left Danielpletely bewildered. Daniel was at a loss, having no idea what had just happened. Over ten minutester, as the car drove a stretch of road, Mason stretched his long legs and spoke in a deep voice, ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going on that matter?¡± Upon hearing Mason¡¯s question, Daniel hurriedly replied, ¡°Joshua, is Omar¡¯s man.¡± Mason chuckled lightly, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Sure. Omar has been transferring money to his ount every month. We¡¯ve traced the financial transactions.¡± ¡°Fool,¡± Mason sneered. ¡°This situation is suspicious. ording to Omar¡¯s usual methods, he wouldn¡¯t leave such obvious evidence,¡± Daniel added. ¡°He did it on purpose. He never really saw this person as his pawn.¡± Daniel spoke up, ¡°So, are we going to dismiss him? Or¡­¡± Mason was about to respond when Le, who had been sitting silently beside them, interjected softly, ¡°Firing him outright would be too easy for him.¡± Le spoke in a calm tone, but Mason knew Joshua had caused her trouble previously. She would seek revenge. ¡°Then how do you think we should handle it?¡± ¡°Is Joshua¡¯s current role monitoring me?¡± Le asked directly. ¡°From what we can tell, yes,¡± Mason confirmed. ¡°Then let him continue monitoring,¡± Le decided. ¡°Tell me your thoughts,¡± Mason prompted. Le lifted the suit jacket covering her face, turned to Mason, and said, ¡°The information he gets must be genuine to be useful. What if it¡¯s not?¡± Mason raised an eyebrow, tapping his fingers rhythmically on his leg. ¡°Hmm,¡± he murmured. then said, ¡°So, it¡¯s better to offend a base person than to offend a woman.¡± Le remainedposed, ¡°He hasn¡¯t offended me.¡± Mason teased, ¡°Didn¡¯t his two previous actions against you count as offenses?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Mason nced at her knowingly and didn¡¯t answer. Le pursed her lips, realizing he was well aware of the incidents at the project site. Before Le could say more, Mason spoke slowly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to know, it¡¯s just that Daniel is too curious. He knows everything that goes on in thepany.¡± Daniel, who was driving, chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Uh¡­¡± Mason paused briefly and then said, ¡°And not only does he know, he keeps telling me about it. Right, Daniel?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Daniel forced a smile, ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Mason scoffed lightly, reaching over to squeeze Le¡¯s fingertips, ¡°See, Daniel is just that nosy.¡± Le looked up at him but didn¡¯t respond. After a few seconds, she withdrew her fingertips from his hand and took out her phone to make a call. When the call connected, Le spoke gently, ¡°Joshua, I¡¯m feeling a bit unwell suddenly, so I¡¯m leaving early. Later, I¡¯ll transfer some money to you to settle the bill.¡± Joshua asked concerned, ¡°Miss Patel, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, just been burning the midnight oiltely, got a bit of a headache,¡± Le replied. ¡°Okay, then rest up,¡± Le continued, ¡°Could you exin to everyone for me?¡± ¡°Sure thing, I understand,¡± Joshua assured her. After hanging up with Joshua, Le held her phone absentmindedly for a moment, then turned to Mason. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Mason had already guessed what she wanted to ask. She was a smart woman, now reluctantly involved in the mess of The Ramirez Family. Without responding immediately to Le¡¯s question, Mason remained silent for a moment, then looked at her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it at home.¡± ¡°Home.¡± The word stirred something in Le. Meanwhile, in the restaurant, Joshua went to settle the bill. Someone asked him, ¡°Joshua, where¡¯s Miss Patel?¡± ¡°Probably had a bit too much to drink, not sure.¡± The person continued, ¡°Heard Mr. Ramirez was seen here just now.¡± ¡°Stop spreading rumors.¡± While Joshua walked away, a few people started whispering. ¡°Are Miss Patel and Mr. Ramirez really involved?¡± ¡°Who knows.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Miss Patel has a good reputation in this circle, and she¡¯s been in charge of many major projects before.¡± ¡°What good reputation? How do you know those projects were won by herself?¡± ¡­ Le and Mason sat facing each other as he spoke about the unsavory affairs of The Ramirez Family. Mason flicked ashes into the ashtray with his fingertips, his expression unreadable. ¡°The feud started with that kidnapping incident. My uncle¡¯s family sees me as a thorn in their side, and I see them as a thorn in mine.¡± ¡°What happened during that kidnapping case?¡± Le asked directly. Mason squinted through the smoke, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± Le rephrased, ¡°Were they trying to wrest control from you, or were they trying to kill you?¡± ¡°Both,¡± Mason replied. Le¡¯s heart skipped a beat, ¡°Doesn¡¯t your grandfather intervene?¡± Mason smirked, extinguishing the cigarette in the ashtray. ¡°He wants to, but at his age, he was willing but not able.¡± ¡°But people in thepany seem to fear him, and you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of him. I¡¯m repaying him for raising me during those six years after my father¡¯s death,¡± Mason interrupted, his voice carrying a hint of sarcasm. He paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°This year marks the sixth year.¡± That night, Mason didn¡¯t go to the master bedroom. Ley in bed, unable to sleep. Whenever she closed her eyes, she recalled the scence of Mason speaking in the living room. Whether it was her imagination or not, she saw deep sorrow in Mason¡¯s expression. As she thought about it, Le reached out and pulled the nket over her head. What did she have to do with his sorrow? She was only here because she got dragged into it. Once everything was resolved, she would move out. As for her rtionship with Mason, once shepleted a few more projects and saved enough money, she would leave. With these thoughts, Le drifted off to sleep. Early the next morning, as Le descended the stairs, Mason was already in the dining room, watching a tablet. Le walked into the dining room without speaking to Mason, heading straight for the kitchen to help Esther. Her phone suddenly rang. ¡°Hey, Tessa.¡± Tessa¡¯s voice on the other end was urgent, ¡°Miss Patel, you need toe back right away. Your aunt just went to your mother¡¯s room and said something, and now your mom is angry and has fainted. They¡¯ve taken her to the emergency room¡­¡± Chapter 72 You better pray my mom is okay Le gripped her phone tightly, forcing herself to remain calm, though her voice trembled slightly when she spoke, ¡°How is my mom now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, she¡¯s still in the ER.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand. I¡¯lle back immediately.¡± Tessa, concerned about Le¡¯s emotional state driving, advised before hanging up, ¡°Be safe when driving on the road. It¡­ it should be fine.¡± Should be. But she couldn¡¯t be sure. After ending the call with Tessa, Le didn¡¯t dy for a moment. She quickly informed Mason that she needed to make a trip to Yort City, then hurried upstairs to change her clothes. When she came back down, she saw Mason standing at the door with the car keys in hand. Their eyes met, and Mason spoke first, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡± Le was about to decline, but before she could say anything, Mason spoke again in his deep voice, ¡°Your car is in the parking lot of that restaurant, remember? During rush hour like this, it would take you at least an hour and a half by taxi to get there. That time is enough for you to make a round trip to Yort City.¡± Le looked into his eyes, ¡°Thank you.¡± During the drive from Neo City to Yort City, neither of them spoke a word. Le appeared calm, but every cell in her body was tense. Mason pulled out an unopened bottle of mineral water from the carpartment and handed it to Le. Thinking it was for him to drink, Le unscrew the cap and ready to pass it to him, then she heard Mason¡¯s low voice, ¡°It is for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty,¡± Le replied. ¡°Don¡¯t argue,¡± Mason insisted. Le sighed inwardly and took a sip. The coolness helped to quench some of the restlessness in her heart. For the rest of the journey, Mason remained silent, focusing only on driving safely but increasing the speed within limits. An hourter, they arrived at the hospital. Mason needed to find a parking spot, so he stopped the car and gestured for Le to get out first, saying, ¡°You go to the ward first, I¡¯ll park ande find you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Le replied. As she opened the door and was about to step out, she hesitated and turned back. Seeing her hesitation, Mason furrowed, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡­ As Le stepped out of the elevator, she heard two familiar voices in the hallway. ¡°Mom, do you think Aunt might be in trouble?¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Elsa sounded uneasy, ¡°How would I know?¡± ¡°If something happens to her, what about Le? She¡¯s a loose cannon. If Aunt really¡­¡± Max¡¯s words were cut off abruptly by Elsa¡¯s sharp retort, ¡°Stop talking nonsense! She¡¯s not that fragile. Remember when the Patel Group went bankrupt? She didn¡¯t die then, did she? ¡­¡± Elsa¡¯s bravado in her words masked her deep fear. Just as Max mentioned, Le was unpredictable. If anything happened to Dasha, she would surely cause a scene. Caught up in their conversation, neither noticed Le approaching. Max nced towards the direction of the operating room, lowering his voice, ¡°Mom, what did you say to Aunt? How did she end up in the emergency room?¡± ¡°I told her about your uncle, the one who ran off with the money. Hmph, you don¡¯t know how shameless your aunt is. After all these years, she¡¯s still waiting for your uncle toe back, not knowing he¡¯s started a new family outside¡­¡± Elsa had not finished speaking when a figure shed by. Before she could react, a crisp p fell on her face. Elsa was momentarily stunned. Le looked down at her, her eyes filled with a chilling chill, ¡°Are you asking for trouble?¡± Elsa hadn¡¯t anticipated Le¡¯s sudden appearance. She wanted to argue but realized it was futile in this situation. Elsa hesitated, staring at Le for a moment before abruptly sliding down from the bench, then she began to sob uncontrobly. ¡°This is outrageous! Being pped by a niece¡­¡± ¡°Your mother is in the hospital, and as her daughter, all you care about is making money instead of being here. As your aunt, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s been looking after her. You don¡¯t appreciate it, and on top of that, you pped me.¡± ¡°Why did your mom end up in the emergency room? It¡¯s all because of you.¡± Elsa¡¯s behavior quickly gained a group of viewers. Le looked down at her, unmoved. After about a minute, she closed her eyes briefly, reopened them, and then bent down as if going mad, grabbing Elsa¡¯s cor and pping her face repeatedly. After pping her six or seven times in a row, Max, who was standing nearby, had had enough and moved forward to protect Elsa. As soon as he took a step forward, Le straightened up and pointed a finger at him, saying, ¡°If you dare toe over, I¡¯ll p you too.¡± There was a moment when Max was actually intimidated by Le. When he came to his senses, he was ashamed that he, a man, had been frightened by Le¡¯s demeanor. He stepped forward, ready to grab her arm and fight her. Le did exactly what she said she would do, pping him across the face. ¡°Le, are you crazy?¡± Le turned to face him, her gaze icy, ¡°You better pray my mom is okay. Otherwise, it won¡¯t be as simple as pping you.¡± ¡°What did that have to do with us? You¡­¡± Tessa appeared out of nowhere, weaving through the crowd to grab Le¡¯s hand. ¡°Miss Patel, don¡¯t act rashly. It¡¯s not worth it¡­¡± Max, unable to provoke Le, immediately directed his anger towards Tessa upon hearing her words. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°If you dare say one more word, I¡¯ll p you so hard that your own mother won¡¯t recognize you.¡± By now, quite a few onlookers had gathered around. Max couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment. ¡°Le, don¡¯t go too far. I¡¯m trying to be respectful because you¡¯re a woman. If you keep causing trouble like this, I¡­¡± Before Max could finish his threat, he was suddenly kicked hard in the lower back, causing him to copse to the ground. The next moment, suppressedughter could be heard from the crowd. The kick had been forceful, leaving Max sprawled on the ground, struggling to recover. Stepping over him, Mason approached Le, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. ¡°Go sit over there.¡± Le looked up at Mason but remained silent. Leaning down, Mason spoke in a voice only they could hear. ¡°Le, I may not be your lover, but am I not your man?¡± Le hesitated. Mason¡¯s voice deepened. ¡°Go sit down. Leave this to me.¡± Le remained silent. Though Mason spoke quietly, Tessa, standing next to Le, could still hear every word clearly. She looked at Mason, this rtionship is messy enough¡­ But she didn¡¯t have time to dwell on it. She was worried that Le might rush to fight with Elsa and the others. ¡°Miss Patel, your mother is still inside. If you get hurt, she¡¯ll be devastated when she sees you¡­¡± Those words struck a chord with Le. ¡°Yeah.¡± After sitting down, Mason crouched in front of Max. Lighting a cigarette, hezily remarked, ¡°Which part of your body don¡¯t you like?? I can cut it for you.¡± Max looked up at him, shivering all over. Stammering, he asked, ¡°Who are you? Please, don¡¯t¡­ There are so many people watching¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I definitely won¡¯t do it now. But when there aren¡¯t so many eyes around, it might be a different story.¡± The warning in Mason¡¯s words was obvious. A few minutester, he stood up and walked back to sit beside Le. With Elsa¡¯s assistance, Max stood up too, both of them trembling as they stood in a corner, wanting to leave but too afraid to move just yet. Mason¡¯s long legs stretched out casually, his body leaning back. After a while, he reached out to take Le¡¯s hand. Le was lost in thought, her eyes downcast, when suddenly Mason squeezed her hand, causing her to stiffen involuntarily. In a reassuring tone, Mason lightly pinched her fingertips and said firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your mom will be fine.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Le, look at how lucky you are, you still have your mom.¡± While he, he didn¡¯t even have a mother. He lived solely on hatred¡­ Chapter 73 I see myself in you The operating room lights went out two hourster, and Dr. Hans emerged. Le quickly stood up. Dr. Hans knew what she wanted to ask, ¡°She¡¯s okay, she¡¯s past the critical period for now.¡± Le rxed. ¡°Thank you.¡± Dr. Hans nodded at her, nced at Mason standing behind her, paused briefly, but said nothing, Dasha was transferred to the intensive care unit. Looking at her mother¡¯s pale face still in aa, Le didn¡¯t feel like crying. She just felt a deep sense of helplessness. At eight o¡¯clock in the evening, Dasha still hadn¡¯t woken up. Le went to find Dr. Hans. Dr. Hans happened to be on duty tonight. He followed her to the ward to check on Dasha¡¯s condition, ¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡¯s older, so it¡¯s normal for her to need extra sleep.¡± ¡°Good, thank you.¡± ¡°No need to thank me. If you need anything, just let me know.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Le replied with a nod. As they reached the door of the ward, Dr. Hans stopped and looked at Le. ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship between that man in the ward and you?¡± Le was briefly taken aback by his question. She hadn¡¯t expected him to ask that. Dr. Hans seemed surprised by his own question after asking it and then smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. I was just curious. I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before, and I thought he looked familiar.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Le had just started to speak when she heard Mason¡¯s low, maic voice from behind her. ¡°Friend.¡± As Mason spoke, both Le and Dr. Hans turned to look at him. ¡°Friend¡± could be a casual term between same-sex friends, but between opposite sexes, it carried a deeper meaning. Dr. Hans noticed the hostility in Mason¡¯s eyes and smiled. ¡°I have the feeling that we¡¯ve met somewhere before.¡± Mason replied coldly, ¡°No, you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else.¡± Dr. Hans awkwardly smiled and didn¡¯t pursue the topic further, finding an excuse to leave. Once Dr. Hans was gone, Mason¡¯s hand settled around her waist, pulling her close. ¡°Le, look how good I am. For your reputation, I only tell others we¡¯re friends.¡± Le turned to him, ¡°No friend would hug their friend like this.¡± Mason chuckled softly, leaning closer to whisper in Le¡¯s ear, ¡°And no friend would scream ¡®ouch¡¯ and ¡®don¡¯t¡¯ on their friend¡¯s bed.¡±¡­ When Dasha woke up, it was 10 PM at night. Le sat by her bedside, asionally dabbing her cracked lips with a cotton swab dipped in water. They locked eyes, and in a hoarse voice, Dasha asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your aunt?¡± Le paused. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± To be precise, she had slipped away quietly. Le wasn¡¯t sure exactly when, but after settling Dasha down, Elsa and Max had vanished without a trace. The atmosphere in the hospital room stiffened for a few seconds. Le turned to ce the cotton swab back on the bedside table. Dasha¡¯s voice was dry as she asked, ¡°Have you seen your father?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Le set aside the cotton swab and turned back, reaching out to tuck the nket around Dasha. ¡°He¡¯s doing well, and¡­ he already has a new family.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s words, tears welled up in the corners of Dasha¡¯s eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Le, for the first time, didn¡¯t verbally console her. Instead, she calmly wiped away the tears with her fingertips and said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not worth it.¡± The words ¡°it¡¯s not worth it¡± caused Dasha¡¯s tears to flow freely, from restrained sobs to outright crying. Le leaned back in her chair, fingers deeply pressing into her palms, her face devoid of any expression. She grabbed two tissues and handed them to her. ¡°Mom, do you want to see him?¡± Taking the tissues, Dasha expressed only deep weariness. ¡°We haven¡¯t finalized the divorce.¡± That meant she did want to see him. ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself be swayed,¡± Le said. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Perhaps out of unspoken understanding between mother and daughter, Dasha didn¡¯t ask why Le had seen Keith but hadn¡¯t told her, and Le didn¡¯t exin. For both of them, that person brought more pain. Suddenly, the hospital room door was pushed open from outside, and Tessa walked in carrying bags of nutritional supplements. Seeing Tessa, Dasha first looked surprised, then nced at what she was carrying.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Tessa recalled Mason¡¯s strict instructions that not to reveal he had bought them. She nervously chuckled and said, ¡°Awake now, I, I bought some nutritional supplements.¡± After saying that, worried that Dasha might not believe her, she hesitated for a moment and added, ¡°Uh, Miss Patel gave me the money.¡± Le quickly understood where Tessa got those things from and calmly continued, ¡°Yeah, Dr. Hans said these are good for your recovery.¡± Tessa and Le¡¯s coboration was smooth enough, and Dasha didn¡¯t raise any suspicions. she woke up at ten and by around eleven-thirty, she had fallen asleep again. Tessa walked over to Le and advised her to go home and rest. ¡°You should go eat something. You haven¡¯t had a single bite since you got back. What if you copse from exhaustion and that weird aunt of yourses back? I can¡¯t handle her.¡± Le knew Tessa wasforting her. She smiled and didn¡¯t refuse this time. Leaving the intensive care unit, Le walked to a small noodle shop near the hospital entrance and ordered a bowl of noodles. To be honest, she didn¡¯t have much of an appetite at the moment, but as Tessa had said, she needed to eat even if she didn¡¯t feel like it, because now the whole household depended on her. Le stood up to checkout and received a message on her phone. Mason: [Dining alone?] Le nced at the message and turned around to see Mason across the street, leaning against his car door with his hands in his pockets, smiling at her. She replied to his message: [You want some??] Mason: [No. Come out, I¡¯ll show you something.] Seeing Mason¡¯s message, Le hesitated for a moment. After a few seconds, she replied: [?] Mason:[ I¡¯ll show you the beauty of this world.] Normally, Le would have definitely refused, and she would have thought Mason was crazy. But tonight, she was emotionally suppressed and tense, desperate to grasp onto something. A few minutester, Le got into Mason¡¯s car. Mason tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. ¡°Buckle up.¡± Le nodded and fastened her seatbelt. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Mason said, ¡°To the riverside.¡± Le was surprised. ¡°There¡¯s a river here?¡± She had lived here for twenty-six years and had never heard of a river nearby. There was the sea, but in recent years it had been developed by capitalists, turning the beach into private property. Le knew of a hotel where, for three thousand eight hundred and eighty-one night, as long as you checked in, you could see the sea and y with the sand. After about forty minutes, Mason parked the car on the side of the road. ¡°Get out and take a look,¡± Mason said. Le got out of the car, and after passing through a row of trees, a river came into view. Le turned her head to look at Mason in astonishment. Mason walked closer with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, smiling. ¡°Is this a river?¡± Le asked, ¡°How did you know there was a river here?¡± Mason flicked ash off the cigarette. ¡°Where there is a will, there is a way.¡± Now it was midsummer, but the wind by the river was cool and refreshing. Le looked up at the stars in the sky and said, ¡°Mason, thank you tonight.¡± Mason bowed his head and smiled softly. ¡°Hmm.¡± With Mason¡¯s words, the two fell into a tacit quietness. After a few minutes, Mason took the initiative to bring up the topic. ¡°Le, guess what I like about you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Mason¡¯s deep voice whispered, ¡°Many times, I see myself in you.¡± Le, ¡°¡­¡± The starry sky tonight was very beautiful, and the stars were bright and clear. Two hourster, Le was tired and turned to walk towards the direction of the parked car. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Mason followed closely behind, asking, ¡°Back to the hospital or home?¡± ¡°Home.¡± As she was about to get into the car, she suddenly turned around. ¡°Mason, where are you staying tonight?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you in for the night.¡± Chapter 74 Give us a shot Mason looked at Le¡¯s back as she bent down to get into the car and said, ¡°Okay.¡± After getting into the car until they arrived at the apartmentplex, neither of them spoke a word. When they reached the apartment and Le opened the door, Mason came up behind her, not waiting for her to turn on the lights, and pressed her against the wall. He kissed her neck and whispered huskily, ¡°Le, do you know what it means to let a man stay overnight?¡± Le didn¡¯t move, her fingers curling slightly against the wall. ¡°I know.¡± Mason¡¯s breath was hot. ¡°Is it willingly?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Not out of gratitude or obligation?¡± A blush spread from Le¡¯s cheeks to the base of her neck, desire and shame driving her in tandem. ¡°Mason, are you going to do this or not? If not, let me go.¡± As Le finished speaking, Mason chuckled behind her. He gently sucked on her earlobe, teasing her, hisrge hand pressing against her abdomen and pulling her back. ¡°You have no idea?¡± His erection was hot and hard behind her. Le bit her lower lip hard, forcing herself not to make a sound. As Mason¡¯s fingers slid down, Le¡¯s body noticeably trembled. Mason chuckled softly in her ear, his hot breath washing over her earlobe. ¡°Le, I want to hear you cry out beneath me.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s see if you¡¯re up for it.¡± As it turned out, Mason did have what it took. Le climaxed against the wall twice, sweating, while Mason remainedposed in his suit and tie. When her legs trembled and could no longer support her, Mason held her waist with his big hands and chuckled softly. ¡°Are your legs weak?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mason teased, ¡°Then let¡¯s continue.¡± Thest time was in the bathroom. Facing each other, Le cried out, tears streaming down her face. When Mason carried her out of the bathroom, Le finally noticed that she had peeled off a piece of skin from his arm.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Following her gaze, Mason propped his hands on her side, nonchntly kissing her, ¡°Le, maybe you should try to rely on me.¡± Their eyes met, and Le took a deep breath, facing him directly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hold any unwarranted hopes for anyone. Without hope, there is no disappointment, let alone despair. People can ept cloudy days before seeing a sunny one. People can ept darkness before seeing the light. But once they have seen the beauty, they can no longer tolerate the previous darkness and hardship.¡± Mason¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple rolled. ¡°Am I really not worthy of your trust?¡± ¡°My mom spent half her life with my dad, giving him all her love and youth. And what did she get in return?¡± Le continued, ¡°My mom, who is so timid, could have filed for divorce and relieved herself of half the debt left after my dad disappeared. But she chose to hold onto this marriage, what was the result?¡± The result was her father running away with money and rebuilding a new family behind their backs. Facing Le¡¯s words, Mason cannot refute them. Sometimes, promises are the most feeble and powerless things. The next day, Le woke up early and paid no attention to the still-sleeping Mason. She quickly washed her face and went downstairs to catch a taxi to Darren¡¯s apartmentplex. Riding the elevator up, Le raised her hand to knock on the door. In the next moment, she heard Elsa¡¯s voice from inside, ¡°Coming.¡± As soon as she saw who was outside, she instinctively started to push the door closed. Seeing this, Le held the door with her hand and wedged one foot inside. Annoyed, Elsa said, ¡°You¡¯ve already hit and yelled at me yesterday. What more do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here for yesterday¡¯s matter.¡± ¡°If not for yesterday, then what for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to get my dad¡¯s contact information. Don¡¯t say you don¡¯t have it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve met your dad already, and neither of you exchanged contact information?¡± Ignoring Elsa¡¯s question, Le calmly said, ¡°Just give me my dad¡¯s contact details, and I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± A few minutester, Le walked out of the apartmentplex with a phone number written down by Elsa. Standing by the roadside, Le looked down at the piece of paper in her hand for a moment before dialing the number. The call connected, and Keith¡¯s tired voice came through the receiver, ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Dad, it¡¯s me. When are you free toe back and finalize the divorce with Mom?¡± As Le spoke, there was silence from Keith¡¯s end of the line. After a while, he spoke in a deep voice mixed with some displeasure and disbelief, ¡°Is this your idea or your mom¡¯s?¡± Le¡¯s voice remained steady, ¡°Does it make a difference?¡± Le¡¯s question caused Keith to fall silent again. After a few seconds, Keith hung up the phone. She was about to redial when Keith sent a text message: [I¡¯ll be back the day after tomorrow. If there¡¯s something, we¡¯ll talk when we meet. I¡¯m not avable to take calls right now.] ¡°Can¡¯t take calls?¡± Her biological father was truly shameless. When Le returned to the apartmentplex, she opened the door and saw Mason standing by the window in just his suit pants. He leaned with both hands on the windowsill, his broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs, and overall presence exuding a strong masculine aura. Upon hearing the door open, Mason didn¡¯t turn around but asked casually, ¡°Did you grow up here?¡± Le ced the breakfast on the hall cab and changed into slippers. ¡°No.¡± Back when The Patel Group was flourishing, she lived in a vi in the city center. Mason lightly tapped his fingers on the windowsill, seemingly lost in thought. ¡°Hmm.¡± Then Mason paused for a moment before asking, ¡°Le, what¡¯s that over there?¡± Le looked up at him. ¡°Where?¡± Mason¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Come here.¡± Le picked up the breakfast from the hall cab to the dining table and then walked towards him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Mason turned around, gazing at her for a few seconds before reaching out and pulling her into his arms, encircling her waist as he spoke in a low voice, ¡°Went to see your aunt?¡± His jaw rested against Le¡¯s shoulder, his warm breath brushing her earlobe. ¡°Yeah.¡± Le turned to him, exining, ¡°I went to see her not because of what happened at the hospital yesterday, but for something else.¡± Pressing his hand gently on her shoulder, Mason chuckled softly, ¡°I never met a woman like you.¡± Le knew he was referring to the incident at the hospital with Elsa, ¡°How many women have you met?¡± Mason looked down at her, smoothing stray the hair behind her ear, ¡°You often say I¡¯m surrounded by scandals.¡± Both fell silent. After a while, Mason suddenly spoke in a low voice, ¡°Le, how about having a rtionship with me?¡± Le frowned, tensing up. Mason added, ¡°You¡¯ll have full control. If you want to break up, we¡¯ll break up. If you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll keep going.¡± Time can be a strange thing sometimes. If Mason had said this a month ago, Le would have thought he was being kidding. But now, strangely, she believed him. Not that she believed they would have a longsting rtionship, but she believed he genuinely wanted to try. Otherwise, with Mason¡¯s status, he could have any woman he wanted; there was no need to drag things out with her. Le remained silent, and Mason didn¡¯t press. ¡°Mason, saying I¡¯m not attracted to you would be a lie.¡± Mason wrapped around her waist, ¡°I know.¡± Le continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been hurt in rtionships, but I¡¯m not nning to shut myself off. However¡­¡± At the word ¡®however,¡¯ Le paused. Mason chuckled softly in her ear, finishing her sentence, ¡°However, you want a straightforward, decent guy, not someone like me who seems unreliable.¡± Both were adults,ying their cards on the table, which made things rxed and easy. Le couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Yeah.¡± Mason asked, ¡°What kind of guy counts as straightforward and decent?¡± Le answered honestly, ¡°Hard to say.¡± There wasn¡¯t a specific standard for straightforward and decent. She couldn¡¯t analyze human nature, and she couldn¡¯t afford to gamble on it; she just had to go with her gut feeling. Mason joked again, ¡°How do you know I¡¯m not the straightforward and decent type? Maybe my wild appearance is just an act. Perhaps I¡¯ve been celibate for twenty-eight years, secretly in love with someone¡­¡± ¡°Well, then you¡¯re quite reliable.¡± Mason paused, squeezing Le¡¯s fingertips. Thinking he was joking, Le tilted her head, turning to look at him, ¡°Who are you secretly in love with?¡± Mason lowered his head, meeting her gaze, his breath catching. After a while, a slight smile tugged at his lips, ¡°No one.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even tell aplete lie?¡± Mason didn¡¯t respond to her words. He leaned down, aiming to kiss her lips, his voice husky, ¡°You sure you won¡¯t give us a shot?¡± Chapter 75 Hickey on the neck ¡°Nah.¡± Mason bit her lower lip, ¡°Short-term, six months.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this good now? Why is that necessary?¡± Le questioned. Mason kissed from her lips to her corbone, murmuring, ¡°Le, I want to be your boyfriend.¡± Le couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. It almost sounded like she was the scandalous one here. As Mason kissed her, Le¡¯s body trembled slightly. He lifted her onto the windowsill, leaning in. Le pushed against his chest, ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away.¡± Mason looked down at her, grinning mischievously, ¡°So, yes or no?¡± Blushing, Le replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Mason teased, a hint of threat in his eyes. Feeling rebellious, Le tried to resist, but he used onerge hand to restrain both of her wrists behind her back. His cold lips pressed against hers. The kiss was aggressive and breathtaking, making her head go nk and her eyes to suddenly shut close while she responded back to the kiss. He moved his hand down to her breast and groped it in his palm while she moaned into his lips at the sensation of his touch . His palm rotated round her breast as he squeezed. ¡°Mason¡­¡± She moaned. ¡°Am I your boyfriend now?¡±. Mason added as a smirk appeared on his lips. He lifted her dress up to bunch around her waist, licked his lips as he stared at her creamy fleshyp, his cock hardened at the attention he was giving to her. ¡°The fuckkk¡­¡±. He groaned as he took control and began to grind his cock against her clit¡­ Le had her delicate feet propped on Mason¡¯s shoulder, her voice trembling as if on the verge of tears. She whispered shakily, ¡°Mason.¡± Ignoring her emotional tone, Mason persisted with his question, ¡°So, tell me, am I your boyfriend now?¡± Finding it hard to resist, Le responded with a hint of crying, ¡°Yes¡­ Yes¡­¡± ¡­ As Mason carried Le off the windowsill, she kicked and struggled against him. Mason chuckled and carried her into the bathroom¡­ After breakfast, Le casually wiped her mouth with a napkin and asked Mason, ¡°When are you going back?¡± ¡°So soon? After we¡¯ve defined our rtionship?¡± Mason teased. ¡°I have things to do and no time to apany you,¡± Le retorted. ¡°Do I need yourpany?¡± Mason countered. ¡°Then you can¡¯t live here all the time. Neighbors are acquaintances, and they will tell my mother if they see you.¡± Mason sat up straight and leaned back, with one hand propped up on the dining table, half squinting at her. He didn¡¯t say a word, but Le understood the meaning in his eyes. They are now boyfriend and girlfriend, famous and influential, and upright. After the meal, Mason drove Le to the hospital. As the car pulled into the hospital¡¯s parking lot, Le unbuckled her seatbelt, steady and quick, afraid he¡¯d go up to visit Dasha. Mason noticed her cautious behavior but didn¡¯t say anything. Just as Le was about to exit the car, Mason lightly tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and said, ¡°For these six months, you won¡¯t be dating anyone else, right?¡± Le hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Mason nodded, ¡°Good. I won¡¯t either. No scandals.¡± His words sounded like a promise, but Le didn¡¯t fool herself into thinking their six-month rtionship would be like a normal one. A few minutester, as Le entered the hospital ward, she coincidentally encountered Dr. Hans doing his rounds. Dasha seemed to be in decent condition, and Dr. Hans, with a serious expression, cautioned her, ¡°With your condition, you must avoid anger and agitation.¡± ¡°And if you encounter someone you don¡¯t want to see again, just call security.¡± ¡°If something were to happen unexpectedly, Le would be the one most upset.¡± Dasha looked like a scolded child, ¡°I understand, Dr. Hans.¡± After a brief chat with Dasha, Dr. Hans turned to Le and said, ¡°Come with me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She followed Dr. Hans into his office. ¡°The surgery is scheduled for early next month. I¡¯ll text you the exact date.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dr. Hans.¡± Dr. Hans paused before asking, ¡°Your mother¡¯s kidney donor¡­ was it arranged by your friend?¡± He hesitated slightly when mentioning ¡®friend.¡¯ Le knew exactly who he meant by ¡®your friend¡¯ and replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Dr. Hans put down the medical records, seeming conflicted or uncertain. After a moment, he spoke again, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to recall where I¡¯ve seen your friendtely. It wasn¡¯t untilst night that I remembered he¡¯s Mason, the CEO of The Ramirez Group.¡± Le was momentarily speechless, unsure of Dr. Hans¡¯s intentions in mentioning this. Dr. Hans finished speaking and noticed Le didn¡¯t respond. He tilted his body slightly and continued, ¡°Do you know the patient in the room next to your mother¡¯s?¡± Le didn¡¯t know. ¡°It¡¯s a male patient, thirty years old, his child just turned two weeks oldst month¡­¡± Dr. Hans led the conversation up to this point, and Le vaguely guessed what he wanted to say next. Sure enough, the next moment, Dr. Hans said, ¡°For an ordinary family, finding a kidney donor might be an impossible quest in a lifetime, but for someone like Mr. Ramirez, it¡¯s just a matter of a word. Le, you¡­¡± Dr. Hans was interrupted by Le, who spoke firmly, ¡°Dr. Hans.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Dr. Hans responded, slightly leaning forward. Le¡¯s voice remained resolute as she said, ¡°I can¡¯t help with this favor.¡± Hearing her words, Dr. Hans frowned. Seeing the displeasure in his eyes, Le continued calmly, ¡°If I had the ability to help, and since you¡¯ve brought it up, I would certainly assist. But I also understand my limits and boundaries when asking for favors.¡± Dr. Hans said, ¡°I believe if you were to ask, Mr. Ramirez wouldn¡¯t refuse.¡± Le responded, ¡°But I can¡¯t have no bottom line, just because he doesn¡¯t say no.¡± Le left the doctor¡¯s office. Noticing Dr. Hans¡¯s displeased expression, she chose to ignore it, pretending not to see. Back in the ward, Dasha was praising Dr. Hans for being a diligent and good doctor. Initially not wanting to engage, but concerned Dr. Hans might approach Dasha, Le spoke softly, ¡°Mom, maintaining some distance in doctor-patient rtionships might be better.¡± Dasha turned to look at her upon hearing this. Le walked to the water dispenser, poured a ss, and handed it to Dasha, saying, ¡°Having some distance isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.¡± Understanding Le well, Dasha knew her daughter¡¯s words weren¡¯t without reason. She took the ss and replied, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Just then, Dasha noticed the hickey on Le¡¯s neck. Being experienced, Dasha hesitated for a moment and tactfully asked, ¡°Has Samuele here?¡± Hearing Dasha¡¯s question, Le looked up, ¡°Huh?¡± Seeing Le¡¯s confused expression, Dasha cleared her throat lightly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Nearing noon, Tessa asked what they wanted for lunch and went downstairs to buy it. Once Tessa left, Dasha asked Le about what happened in Dr. Hans¡¯s office that morning. Le didn¡¯t hide anything and told Dasha about the incident. Dasha was initially incredulous but sighed lightly, ¡°Dr. Hans has gone too far.¡± Le responded, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what he thinks. What matters is, Mom, we can¡¯t go too far.¡± Dasha reassured Le, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand this. I won¡¯t cause you trouble.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After finishing discussing Dr. Hans¡¯s matter, Dasha leaned in and pointed at the mark on Le¡¯s neck. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Le wasn¡¯t aware of anything on her neck and reached back to feel it. ¡°Huh?¡± Dasha asked, ¡°Has Samuel note to Yort City?¡± ¡°No, he¡­ ¡± As Le spoke, she suddenly remembered something, and her cheeks flushed red. Seeing this, Dasha confirmed her suspicion. The hickey wasn¡¯t from Samuel. Noticing Dasha¡¯s change in expression, Le was nervous. ¡°Mom¡­¡± Dasha furrowed. ¡°Did you and Samuel break up?¡± Le looked directly at Dasha and replied seriously, ¡°Mom, Samuel and I never dated at all. We were just acting.¡± Le finished speaking, fearing she might upset Dasha. Unexpectedly, Dasha sighed, ¡°I knew it.¡± She then lightly tapped Le¡¯s forehead with her finger. ¡°I figured it out long ago.¡± Le didn¡¯t expect this reaction but couldn¡¯t help smiling. ¡°How did you figure it out?¡± Dasha replied, ¡°Which couple in love doesn¡¯t call each other for ten days or two weeks? Besides, thest time you two were home, you were both too deliberate.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Le remained silent. Dasha smiled and added, ¡°But I still quite like that boy Samuel¡­ So, who¡¯s your boyfriend now?¡± Chapter 76 Please save my son Suddenly, Mason¡¯s face shed through Le¡¯s mind. ¡°Uh¡­ just a regr guy.¡± As Le finished speaking, Mason¡¯s voice came from outside the ward,. ¡°Um, can Ie in?¡± Mason asked. Le and Dasha both paused. Dasha replied politely, ¡°Come in.¡± Mason wasn¡¯t alone; he was apanied by three elderly doctors. Upon entering, Mason took the initiative to introduce himself to Dasha as Le¡¯s friend and then introduced the three doctors behind him. ¡°Auntie, these two are the hospital¡¯s director and vice director, and this one is the head of nephrology.¡± Dasha greeted the three doctors politely, but her eyes couldn¡¯t help but scrutinize Mason. Mason respectfully addressed the head of nephrology, ¡°Uncle, thank you for your help.¡± The nephrology head, ttered to be called ¡®uncle¡¯ by Mason, replied, ¡°No problem at all.¡± Then they conducted a thorough joint consultation for her. After the examination, the hospital director smiled at Mason and said, ¡°We¡¯ll have the best treatment n for her within three days.¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle,¡± Mason replied gratefully. The hospital director patted Mason¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Mason smiled but didn¡¯t respond. After a while, three doctors left. Dasha smiled awkwardly at him. ¡°Mr. Ramirez?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mason replied. ¡°You said you¡¯re Le¡¯s colleague?¡± Dasha asked. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± Mason confirmed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your photo on the cover of a magazine before,¡± Dasha mentioned. ¡°I¡¯m not photogenic.¡± Mason joked. Dasha smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. Seeing the atmosphere between the two slightly awkward, Le stepped forward and tugged at Mason¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to attend to?¡± Mason lowered his head to meet her eyes, his gaze filled with both amusement and affection. ¡°I¡¯m not busy.¡± Le stood with her back to Dasha, ring at him. Mason smirked and whispered in a low voice, ¡°Miss Patel, mind your status. What are you ring at me for now?¡± Le pursed her lips, wanting to retort, but Tessa returned with lunch, interrupting her. Upon seeing Mason, Tessa paused for a moment and then greeted him with a smile, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Mason replied with a smile. As Tessa turned to put down the food containers, she couldn¡¯t help but sneak a few more nces at him. Well, he is definitely more handsome than Mr. Daniel. Thinking of Daniel, Tessa suddenly felt a twinge of sympathy for him. Competing with Samuel might have been challenging, butpeting with his own boss? The odds were too slim. Tessa shook her head, sighing. Seeing the two standing facing each other without moving, Dasha cleared her throat and said, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, have you eaten? If not, why don¡¯t you join us for lunch?¡± Mason looked up and responded, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten. You can just call me Mason.¡± ¡°Auntie, did you nt all those flowers on the windowsill at home? They¡¯re beautiful. I noticed some were a bit dryst night, so I watered them a bit. I¡¯ve never nted flowers before, so I¡¯m not sure if the amount of water was right.¡± Mason¡¯s voice was gentlemanly and mild. At first listen, he seemed like a perfect obedient boy. He even helped water the flowers. Dasha was adept at seizing key points and asked with a smile, ¡°You watered the flowers for mest night?¡± Faced with Dasha¡¯s question, Mason paused as if contemting. After a moment, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°I watered them this morning too. I didn¡¯t notice the potted nt in the cornerst night; I only saw it this morning.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re quite attentive,¡± Dasha remarked. Having watered themst night and this morning was basically telling Dasha outright that he stayed at her housest night, right? ¡­ After lunch, Le went downstairs under the pretense of buying some fruit. Tessa followed closely behind and, in the tea room at the end of the hallway, dialed Daniel¡¯s number. ¡°Daniel,¡± she whispered, ¡°are you busy right now?¡± Thinking it might be Dasha or Le in trouble, Daniel responded, ¡°No, I¡¯m free. What¡¯s up?¡± Tessa, feeling sorry for Daniel, hesitated before finally blurting out, ¡°Miss Patel seems to have a new boyfriend.¡± ¡°What?¡± Daniel waspletely bewildered. He thought, if his boss found out about this, it could spell trouble. Before Daniel could ask who it was, Tessa continued, ¡°Mr. Daniel, I think you should just give up. This time, you definitely can¡¯tpete. It¡¯s your boss.¡± ¡°¡­¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. As Tessa¡¯s words sank in, Daniel remained silent, stunned. Tessa thought he must be hurt. She squeezed her phone, feeling sorry for him, but also unwilling to see him end up with nothing. She hesitated and said, ¡°Mr. Daniel, I can return the sry you gave me before¡­ Does that make you feel better? I¡¯ve been getting along quite well with Miss Patel and her mother¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tessa said two more sentences without hearing Daniel¡¯s reply and asked aloud, ¡°Mr. Daniel?¡± Daniel chuckled. ¡°You think I like Le?¡± ¡°You helped out at the hospital, helped find caregivers, and spent money on her¡­¡± Tessa stopped halfway, suddenly realizing something. She said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t your idea to do all that. It was Mr. Ramirez¡¯s.¡± At this point, Daniel wasn¡¯t prepared to keep hiding. Heughed and said, ¡°You must keep this confidential.¡± Tessa sighed, ¡°Mr. Ramirez is really devoted to Miss Patel. Even before they confirmed their rtionship, he took care of everything in detail.¡± Daniel awkwardly smiled, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡­ In the hospital room, after Le and Tessa had left, Mason didn¡¯t hide anything either. He came clean. Dasha asked, ¡°How long have you been together?¡± Mason answered honestly, ¡°Since a month after she broke up with Hunter.¡± Dasha was surprised. ¡°That long?¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°Yes, but she never officially acknowledged me until this morning.¡± Hearing Mason¡¯s words, Dasha was so astonished that she couldn¡¯t find her voice. Firstly, she couldn¡¯t believe her daughter could be so sly. Secondly, while the man in front of her appeared courteous, gentlemanly, and mild-mannered, she wasn¡¯t naive enough to miss signs that he wasn¡¯t all that he seemed. How could he endure being nameless and undefined for so long, especially when Le was pretending to be in a rtionship with Samuel as well? Seeing Dasha¡¯s incredulous and scrutinizing gaze, Mason lowered his eyes slightly and fiddled with the watch on his wrist. ¡°Auntie, you may not believe it, but I really do like Le.¡± Dasha was speechless. How was she supposed to respond to that? She was about to respond when Mason continued, undeterred, ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything else, but I can promise that as long as she¡¯s by my side, I¡¯ll treat her well.¡± Thinking Mason misunderstood her reluctance to ept him as a son-inw, Dasha awkwardly smiled, ¡°As long as you both feel right for each other, I have no objections.¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t,¡± Mason replied. ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, someone else has objections? Is it someone in your family?¡± Dasha pursed her lips, unwilling to see Le mistreated in marriage. Just as she was about to say something, Mason spoke up, ¡°Since we¡¯re on the subject today, I won¡¯t hide it from you anymore. Actually, Le only agreed to be with me for six months.¡± As Mason spoke, he lowered his head appropriately and his tone turned bitter, ¡°She doesn¡¯t really like me that much. I think she just sees me as a distraction during her emotional downtime.¡± Dasha¡¯s current state of mind couldn¡¯t be described as anything less than stunned. Despite her best efforts to keep a straight face, her clenched hands on the bed betrayed her disbelief. Mason didn¡¯t rush for Dasha¡¯s response but kept his head down, staring at the edge of the bed. After a while, Dasha squeezed her hands, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± Mason looked up with a bitter smile, ¡°Auntie, I never lie in front of elders.¡± Dasha was speechless. Suddenly, the hospital room door was pushed open from outside, and two elderly people with graying hair supported a frail young man as they walked in. Without waiting for Dasha and Mason to react, the three of them knelt down in front of Mason with a thud. Seeing this, Dasha¡¯s face suddenly darkened. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The older woman among the three said, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, please save my son.¡± After speaking, she kowtowed heavily towards Mason and turned around, pulling the older man and the young man to kowtow together. Chapter 77 Morally blackmail Facing the pleas of the three, Mason sat in the chair without moving or speaking. Dasha nced at Mason, then told the three kneeling people, ¡°Get up.¡± As she spoke, the elderly woman wiped her tears and cried, ¡°You may not know me, I¡¯m from the ward next to yours. My son just turned thirty this year and has kidney failure¡­¡± As the woman cried, Dasha¡¯s heart skipped a beat, thinking of what Le had told her today. The woman wiped her tears and told Dasha a lot, then turned to Mason again. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, we know you have this ability, please save my son, our family will definitely repay you.¡± Themotion caused by the three was not small. In just a few minutes, the room door was crowded with onlookers. Some were purely here for the gossip, while others had different hopes. When Le and Tessa returned, the door was packed with people. The two nced at each other, and Tessa stepped forward, pushing through the crowd to get inside. ¡°Excuse me, excuse me, this is our ward.¡± ¡°Please make way.¡± Tessa had a loud voice and a strong push, and soon she cleared a path. Le followed closely behind, and the two entered the room. Le didn¡¯t know the three people kneeling on the ground, but Tessa recognized them. She leaned in and whispered to Le, ¡°They¡¯re from next door. He¡¯s just thirty, with young kids, and his wife ran off¡­¡± Le furrowed. It was clear that these people had likely heard about Mason being here and were now pleading for his help in finding a kidney donor. The elderly woman¡¯s eyes were red from crying as she refused to get up. ¡°If Mr. Ramirez doesn¡¯t agree to help me, I¡¯ll stay kneeling here all day.¡± Le stepped forward, gently cing the fruit she was carrying down, and then bent to help the older woman stand. ¡°Auntie, kneeling like this won¡¯t solve anything.¡± Her voice was calm, but her hand on the woman¡¯s forehead was firm. The woman grabbed Le¡¯s legs tightly. ¡°Miss Patel, please, you and Mr. Ramirez must save my son. He¡¯s so young. If something happens to him, how can our family continue?¡± The woman cried hysterically, clinging to Le¡¯s legs and refusing to let go. Mason, watching from the side, started to move, but Le subtly shook her head at him. His eyes darkened, and his expression was cold and severe. Dasha noticed Le¡¯s gesture and whispered to Mason, ¡°This is not the time for you to speak. Human nature is often shameless and selfish. You can never fully understand someone¡¯s limits or moral boundaries. ¡± Despite Le and Dasha¡¯s signals, Mason didn¡¯t heed them. He spoke in a low voice, ¡°May I ask who told you toe to me?¡± His question stopped the woman¡¯s pleas immediately. Seeing her silence, Mason continued, ¡°I¡¯m not a local. My business and connections aren¡¯t even here.¡± The implication was clear: how did they know he had the capability to find a kidney donor? The woman, clearly flustered, stammered, ¡°No one told us toe to you. We just heard¡­¡± Mason¡¯s tone remained unreadable. ¡°Heard from whom?¡± The woman hesitated, ncing towards Tessa. Before she could speak, Tessa quickly denied, ¡°Don¡¯t try to pin this on me. I would never say such things.¡± Realizing that ming Tessa wouldn¡¯t work, the woman began to speak nonsensically, ¡°We heard it from the nurses during rounds.¡± Initially, Tessa had sympathized with them, even discussing with Dasha the idea of donating some money to help. But at this moment, her sympathy vanishedpletely. Sheughed lightly and said, ¡°The nephrology nurses would never say such things.¡± Finding a kidney donor is already difficult enough. If one family manages to find a match, everyone else will be envious. And if they¡¯re unlucky enough to encounter someone with power and influence, there¡¯s a risk of their opportunity being taken away. That¡¯s why, to avoid conflict, medical staff and family members keep these matters a secret. And now she¡¯s iming she heard it from the nurses. Isn¡¯t that just pure lies? The woman was left speechless by Tessa¡¯s retort, and there was a hint of resentment in her eyes. But Tessa was not someone to be trifled with. She stepped forward, pushing the woman away. ¡°We all sympathize with your family¡¯s plight, but you can¡¯t use our sympathy to morally ckmail us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then why have you been threatening to kneel here all day if Mr. Ramirez doesn¡¯t help your family. ¡± The woman¡¯s face flushed red, silenced by Tessa¡¯s words. Just then, someone in the crowd outside the door began to speak up. ¡°They really are in a tough spot. Since this big boss has the ability, why not help them out?¡± Once someone spoke up, others chimed in. ¡°Yeah, finding a kidney donor is like finding a needle in a haystack for us ordinary folks, but for someone like him, it¡¯s just a matter of asking around, right?¡± Upon hearing someone speak up for her one after another, the woman kowtowed to Mason with a thud. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, please help us. Please.¡± ¡°We have no other options.¡± ¡°We¡¯re desperate.¡± The woman sobbed while kowtowing, and the crowd outside began to criticize Mason¡¯s decision. Le heard the conversation and nced at Mason. She turned to the family of three kneeling on the ground and said coldly, ¡°We can¡¯t help with this favor. He helped my mom find a kidney source because he¡¯s my boyfriend, and he may not have the ability to find a second one in a short time. And even if he can, if youe to ask today and he finds one for you, then tomorrow, other patients¡¯ families will follow suit. Do you expect him to find donors for everyone?¡± The woman looked up at Le. Le remained expressionless at this moment. ¡°You can leave on your own, or I can call security, or I can call the police. Take your pick.¡± Le¡¯s voice was cold. For a moment, the family of three and the crowd outside the ward fell silent. Seeing this, Tessa stepped forward to help the woman kneeling on the ground. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. ¡± The woman remained stubborn, pushing Tessa aside and addressing Le, ¡°I can¡¯t control others; I only care about my son. If otherse seeking help, that¡¯s their business.¡± Le¡¯s eyes grew cold. This was human nature-self-concerned and indifferent to others. The woman continued, feeling justified, ¡°My son is only thirty. I can¡¯t just watch him die.¡± Le interjected, ¡°So what?¡± Taking a deep breath, the woman revealed her ultimate goal, ¡°I asked the doctor, and the kidney that matched your mother also matches my son. He¡¯s in critical condition, your mother can wait for a while, and you¡­¡± Before she could finish, Le¡¯s voice turned icy, ¡°Tessa, call the police.¡± Tessa, stunned by the woman¡¯s shocking words, paused for a few seconds before responding, ¡°Alright, okay,¡± and pulled out her phone to dial. As Tessa was about to press the call button, a displeased voice came from the door, ¡°Why are you all here??¡± ¡°Dr. Hans.¡± ¡°Dr. Hans.¡± Dr. Hans looked at the family of three kneeling on the ground and said, ¡°You should go back first.¡± The woman, seeing Dr. Hans, burst into tears even harder, wiping her eyes and refusing to get up. ¡°I won¡¯t go back. This is my son¡¯sst hope.¡± Dr. Hans frowned, ¡°Mrs. Owen, please don¡¯t do this.¡± The woman insisted, ¡°Dr. Hans, please speak up for us. If it¡¯s not possible, we can pay for the kidney, even though we don¡¯t have money now, we can borrow¡­¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. The more she spoke, the more agitated she became. Dr. Hans was moved by her words, but Tessa sneered, ¡°So they even want it for free? Shameless.¡± At that moment, Le had already dialed the police. ¡°Hello, I need help. I¡¯m at¡­¡± Before Le could finish her sentence, Dr. Hans stepped forward, snatched the phone from her hand, and hung up. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Before Dr. Hans could finish his sentence, Mason, who had been sitting in the chair all along, stood up and walked to Le¡¯s side, looking down at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Dr. Hans was ufortable under Mason¡¯s imposing presence and avoided his gaze. Instead, he looked at Le and said, ¡°They¡¯re just a desperate family. They¡¯re only pleading with you. Is it necessary to call the police?¡± Chapter 78 Kick me out? Le¡¯s expression remained cool, ¡°Dr. Hans, if you¡¯re sopassionate, why not offer free medical care from now on? Stop charging patients.¡± Le continued, ¡°I¡¯ve heard people in the hospital talk. Dr. Hans, your family is in politics and has connections. Since you sympathize with this family, why not use your influence to help them find a kidney source?¡± Dr. Hans¡¯s face turned, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to help, just say no. There¡¯s no need to drag me into this.¡± Le sneered, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who dragged me into this in the first ce?¡± Dr. Hans remained silent. ¡°There are plenty of patients in nephrology, and even more waiting for a kidney. Yet Dr. Hans, you only sympathize with this family. I don¡¯t want to delve into the reasons, nor do I care to know. I just hope Dr. Hans can now lead this family out of my mother¡¯s ward.¡± With that said, without waiting for Dr. Hans to respond, Le turned to Mason standing beside her and said, ¡°I want to change my mother¡¯s doctor.¡± Mason smirked slightly, reached out to hug her shoulder, and patted it. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± As Dr. Hans left Dasha¡¯s room, his face was pale. The family of three behind him wanted to say something, but his cold re silenced them. Tessa hurriedly stepped forward to close the ward door. Le remained silent. After a while, she turned to Dasha and said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going out . Call me if you need anything.¡± Dasha nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± Le tilted her head slightly and met Mason¡¯s eyes, ¡°Youe out, I have something to say to you.¡± After Le finished speaking, she walked towards the door. Mason nodded and followed closely behind. A few minutester, the two appeared in Mason¡¯s car. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of today¡¯s incident, sorry about that,¡± Mason hold Le¡¯s hand lightly, his tone serious. ¡°Le, I¡¯m afraid our six-month deal might not work anymore. Now that everyone knows I¡¯m your boyfriend, breaking up in the short term wouldn¡¯t be good for my reputation.¡± Mason said it seriously. Le almost believed him. His fingertips lightly brushed the edge of Le¡¯s ring finger, sending a tingling sensation through her body. Make sure Mason didn¡¯t have any misunderstandings about what happened in the ward just now, Le didn¡¯t linger in the car. ¡°You go back first. I need to talk to my mom.¡± With that, Le took out the house keys from her pocket and handed them to him. Mason looked at the keys she offered but didn¡¯t take them. Le asked, ¡°Are you staying in a hotel tonight?¡± Mason chuckled softly and reached out to ept the keys. Le turned and got out of the car. Little did she know, as soon as her hand touched the car door, Mason grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Before she could react, Mason released her wrist and instead ced his hand on the back of her neck, leaning in to kiss her directly. This kiss from Mason felt different than before, more heartfelt. After the kiss ended, Mason rested his forehead against Le¡¯s and smiled, ¡°Should I wait for you at home?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Mason asked, ¡°What do you feel like eating?¡± Le teased, ¡°Can you cook?¡± ¡°Underestimate me?¡± To be honest, Le felt Mason was just boasting, but she smiled softly and said, ¡°Anything¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not picky.¡± Mason nodded, squeezing her neck gently. ¡°Got it.¡± Le got out of the car and returned to the hospital ward, where she received plenty of curious looks from the nephrology department staff along the way. Upon reaching the ward, she closed the door firmly, shutting out all prying eyes from outside. Dasha appearedposed on the surface, she hesitated several times to ask something but decided against it. Le sensed her mother¡¯s thoughts and smiled reassuringly as she approached. ¡°Mason didn¡¯t take it too seriously.¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t angry?¡± After all, this whole situation stemmed from him arranging the kidney donor for her. Le shook her head. ¡°No, he¡¯s not that type of person.¡± Dasha sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± Le moved closer and poured her a ss of water. ¡°Mom, are you feeling up to going out?¡± Taking the ss, Dasha looked up. ¡°Where to?¡± Le spoke frankly, ¡°Dad said he¡¯sing back the day after tomorrow.¡± Dasha¡¯s hand holding the ss trembled slightly, worried that Le might notice something, but she quicklyposed herself. ¡°Did you call him?¡± Le knew her mom too well. Her love for Keith ran deep, not something easily let go of. Divorce was a rational decision, but there were lingering emotional attachments. It wasn¡¯t just Dasha; anyone in such a situation wouldn¡¯t easily recover from it. ¡°Yes, I called him this morning.¡± ¡°Did he say anything to you?¡± Le turned and walked to the water dispenser, poured herself a ss of water, took a sip, and said, ¡°He told me he¡¯sing back the day after tomorrow and asked me not to disturb him these two days because he can¡¯t take calls.¡± Dasha¡¯s breath caught. ¡°Okay, then don¡¯t disturb him.¡± Le assured her, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Tessa, who was standing nearby, interjected, ¡°I¡¯ll rent a wheelchair from the nursing station the day after tomorrow. Wherever you want to go, I¡¯ll push you.¡± Le turned to Tessa with a grateful smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± Le stayed with Dasha in the ward until nine o¡¯clock at night, waiting until her mother fell asleep before leaving the room. As she walked out of the ward door and approached the elevator, she heard a soft voice behind her, ¡°Are you Miss Patel?¡± She turned at the sound and saw a woman who was petite and fragile. Seeing Le look at her, she seemed afraid. Le stopped but didn¡¯t approach, making sure she didn¡¯t know the person. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Stefania Owen.¡± Stefania finished speaking, realizing that Le didn¡¯t seem inclined to respond. She hurried to exin, ¡°This afternoon, it was my parents and my brother who knelt down in your mother¡¯s hospital room.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Le¡¯s expression turned somewhat aloof. Stefania took a few steps forward but seemed afraid of Le. When she stopped about a meter away, she bowed deeply, ¡°Miss Patel, I apologize on behalf of my parents and my brother.¡± Le responded calmly, ¡°No need.¡± With that, Le walked towards the elevator just as the doors opened. Without looking back, she stepped inside. Once the elevator doors closed, a hint of impatience shed across Le¡¯s face. On the way home in the taxi, Le received a call from Shirley. Shirley sounded tired and somewhat defeated on the phone. Listening to her voice, Le couldn¡¯t help but suppress augh. ¡°Come on, spill it. What¡¯s going on?¡± Shirley hesitated, ¡°I don¡¯t really want to talk about it with you.¡± Le teased, ¡°If you don¡¯t talk to me, who else are you going to talk to?¡± Shirley scoffed, ¡°You¡¯ve got enough on your tetely. I don¡¯t want to make it worse for you.¡± After a moment of silence, Shirley asked, ¡°How are things on your end?¡± Le chuckled and briefly recounted the events of the past two days. Shirley couldn¡¯t judge her father Keith, but she had an opinion about the girl who had just apologized to Le. ¡°Who does she think she is, representing her parents and brother in an apology?¡± ¡°She looks like a college student¡­ So, tell me, what happened to you today?¡± Once the conversation got rolling, Shirley began to vent, ¡°We got a bitch in the office.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°She¡¯s taken over my position. Now I¡¯m unemployed, spending my days cooking dinner for Caleb.¡± The two chatted for nearly half an hour, both feeling considerably better afterward. As the car reached home, Le smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m tired too. Talk to you next time.¡± Le opened the door to her apartment and immediately caught the aroma of food. Mason was leaning on the kitchen counter, holding a spat as he stirred the food. Le stood at the entrance, momentarily transfixed. By the time she snapped out of it, Mason had turned off the stove and leaned against the kitchen doorway. ¡°Do I look handsome?¡± Le nced at him, then looked down to change into slippers, avoiding the question. ¡°Not daring to say?¡± Le quipped back, ¡°Handsome.¡± Le stepped into the bathroom to wash her hands, Mason¡¯s hand slipped into her clothes, inch by inch¡­ Le shuddered, inhaling sharply. ¡°Mason.¡± Mason¡¯s voice was low and deep. ¡°I never imagined I would willingly cook and wash dishes for a woman.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m finally your boyfriend, and I won¡¯t give you any reason to kick me out.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡° Chapter 79 Is there anyone more shameless? Le found Mason¡¯s affection intense and strange. She had never fallen in love at first sight, but she felt that such intense feelings should not arise. Mason¡¯s feelings were like fire, leaving her with nowhere to hide. During dinner, Mason asked Le, ¡°Your mom wasn¡¯t scared today, was she?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I told Ryan to bring two men to guard the entrance to the ward tomorrow so they don¡¯t cause any more trouble.¡± Le frowned. ¡°No need. My mom wouldn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°How would she know if you don¡¯t tell her? Don¡¯t worry, Ryan and the others will pretend to be rtives of another patient.¡± Mason was a good cook, which exined why he had offered to help in the kitchen when Caleb and he had gone to dinner at her ce. Thinking of Caleb, Le couldn¡¯t help but ask Mason, ¡°Do you know about Caleb sponsoring a student before?¡± Mason paused, then replied, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Was he really my sponsor?¡± Mason didn¡¯t want to lie but couldn¡¯t tell the truth either. He cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. I only know he sponsored a student before.¡± Le nodded. That night, Le dreamt of her childhood, when the three of them were a happy family. But the dream ended abruptly before she could see the oue, interrupted by a phone call. Le groggily picked up her phone from the bedside table and answered, ¡°Hello.¡± Dasha¡¯s voice came through, trembling slightly. ¡°Le, your father¡¯s back. Come to the hospital now.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Le hung up, her expression darkening. Lost in thought, she felt arge hand around her waist pulling her into an embrace. Immediately after, Mason¡¯s voice, low andzy in the morning, sounded behind her. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Subconsciously, Le didn¡¯t want Mason to see the mess. She was about to refuse when Mason said, ¡°No refusal.¡± Upon they had just reached the door of the ward when they heard Keith¡¯s uncontroble anger from inside. ¡°How dare you argue with me? You turned our daughter into a mistress, ruining my reputation.¡± Keith¡¯s voice was hoarse and strained, and anyone unaware would think he had suffered a great injustice.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Le listened, her hand at her side suddenly clenched into a tight fist, fingertips digging deep into her palm. Noticing her gesture, Mason stepped forward, taking her hand and gently squeezing her fingertips. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you a mistress? You¡¯re my girlfriend.¡± As Mason spoke, Le took a deep breath, loosening her tight grip. Seizing the opportunity, Mason slid his fingers between hers, intertwining their hands, his voice low. ¡°Parents are just an identity. If they love you, you love them. They¡¯re supposed to be the closest people to you. If they don¡¯t love you, you don¡¯t need to love them. Be rational, don¡¯t torture yourself.¡± ¡°Are you not afraid others will call you heartless?¡± Le teased. ¡°Others? Who are they, to make me worry?¡± Mason scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re more open-minded than I thought.¡± A loud crash echoed from the hospital room, followed by Dasha¡¯s agitated voice. ¡°Get out! Just get out!¡± Le frowned, breaking free from Mason¡¯s grip and stepping into the room. Inside, Dasha had smashed the ss water jug that sat on the bedside table into pieces. Her eyes were red, tears on the brink, but she forced herself to hold them back. Seeing Le, her tightly pursed lips trembled slightly. Le hurried over to support her. Dasha grabbed Le¡¯s hand, fingers trembling. ¡°Le, make him leave, make him leave¡­¡± From childhood to adulthood, Le had never seen her mom like this. Even during the bankruptcy of The Patel Group, Dasha had only shown timidity. But now, she seemed transformed, her gaze determined and fierce. Having relied on each other for so many years, Le understood Dasha¡¯s thoughts at this moment, but she couldn¡¯t let Keith leave now. If they missed today, who knew when they would get another chance to finalize the divorce? Turning to embrace Dasha, Le patted her back reassuringly. ¡°Mom, calm down.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t calm down,¡± Dasha gritted her teeth. ¡°Mom, if you can¡¯t calm down and don¡¯t go through with the divorce today, you¡¯ll still have to face him again and again. Do you want that?¡± Hearing Le¡¯s words, Dasha gradually calmed down, quietly repeating to herself, ¡°Yes, I want a divorce¡­ I want a divorce¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be over soon, Mom.¡± With that, Le turned, and faced Keith. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve brought our household register and the marriage certificate.¡± Keith¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± Without flinching, Le replied, ¡°We agreed earlier. Today, you¡¯re going through with the divorce with Mom.¡± Keith red angrily, devoid of the guilt he had shown when he first met Le. ¡°Are you forcing us to divorce?¡± Le was seething. ¡°If that¡¯s how you see it, then yes.¡± As Le finished speaking, Keith stepped forward, raising his hand as if to p her. Before his hand couldnd, another hand reached out from behind, grabbing his wrist. Keith winced in pain, stepping back. When he turned and saw Mason, his expression changed rapidly. In the end, he didn¡¯t dare confront Mason, instead ring at Le with a face full of resentment. ¡°Shameless.¡± Le¡¯s breath caught, and her body even swayed slightly in disbelief at her own biological father¡¯s words. As soon as Keith spoke, Dasha exploded in anger, ¡°Who are you calling shameless? You¡¯re the most shameless person here! As a father, as a husband, you bankrupted thepany and ran away with the money, leaving us, a mother and daughter, to repay your debts. And you¡¯ve already started a new family with another woman. Keith, is there anyone more shameless in this world than you?¡± Keith¡¯s face turned red for Dasha¡¯s scathing words. The two stood facing each other, and just as Keith was about to retort, Le gathered her courage and said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m twenty-six this year. I¡¯m just dating normally, why does it be shameless when ites out of your mouth?¡± ¡°Is that what you call dating?¡± Keith retorted. In a cold, indifferent tone, Mason took over, ¡°We¡¯re both unmarried adults. We¡¯re just in a rtionship. As an elder, just because you behave disgracefully doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re all like you.¡± Mason¡¯s words packed a punch. Keith looked at him, his face dark and ugly. It was clear that Keith was genuinely angry now. But with Mason¡¯s status, he dared not speak his mind. After a moment, Keith sneered, ¡°Would you dare to marry her?¡± Mason instantlyughed, ¡°Anytime.¡± Keith was stunned, and Mason¡¯s retort left him speechless for a while. He couldn¡¯t believe that Le and Mason were really dating. He stared at Mason¡¯s face, trying to find any ws. Seeing Keith staring at him like that, Mason¡¯s smile faded, and he asked coldly, ¡°Why do you think Le is being my mistress? Do you think she¡¯s not worthy of being my girlfriend?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Keith said. Mason sneered, ¡°Or perhaps you know deep down that when you ran away, you left such a mess that she couldn¡¯t live a normal life like any other girl.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do that!!¡± Keith exploded in anger and shame. ¡°Didn¡¯t you? Why are you so panicked?¡± Mason pressed. Chapter 80 Divorce Keith was at a loss for words. Mason¡¯s words had hit Keith right where it hurt. He had indeed thought that way. He believed Le was being Mason¡¯s mistress to repay debts. With Mason¡¯s words hanging in the air, the hospital room fell into an unprecedented silence. After a while, Dasha¡¯s voice broke the deadlock, ¡°Le, go check if Tessa got the wheelchair.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Le replied and headed towards the door. Just as she reached the door, Tessa came in pushing the borrowed wheelchair. ¡°Miss Patel, are you going out?¡± Le managed a strained smile, ¡°No.¡± Tessa observed the situation for a moment and sensed something was amiss. Without exchanging another word with Le, she pushed the wheelchair inside. Arriving at Dasha¡¯s bedside, she secured the wheelchair and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor tell you? You can¡¯t get angry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry,¡± Dasha replied. Tessa pretended to be displeased, ¡°If you keep this up, even if you give me a raise next month, I won¡¯t take care of you.¡± Dasha couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Alright, alright.¡± ¡°Where are you going? Do you need me to apany you?¡± Facing Tessa¡¯s inquiry, Dasha didn¡¯t hide anything, ¡°To the civil registry.¡± She added, ¡°For a divorce.¡± Tessa wasn¡¯t aware of the details between Dasha and Keith, but she felt he was irresponsible. ¡°It¡¯s not far to the civil registry. I¡¯lle with you.¡± Dasha didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing that everyone in the hospital room was eager for their divorce, Keith¡¯s expression grew increasingly grim. Dasha turned to Le and said, ¡°Le, help me into the wheelchair.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Le said and was about to step forward when Mason had gone ahead of her to help Dasha. Dasha looked up at him, a smile in her eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± Half an hourter, they arrived at the civil registry. Once inside the lobby, Keith sternly addressed Dasha, ¡°Have you thought this through? Once this marriage ends-¡± Before Keith could finish, Dasha cut in coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s our turn.¡± The divorce proceedings went smoothly, except for a hup during the signing. Keith didn¡¯t want to sign. Turning her head to look at him, Dasha¡¯s anger was evident in her eyes. Keith¡¯s hand holding the pen remained still. ¡°Dasha, after all these years together, are you really willing?¡± Just as Dasha was about to explode, Mason¡¯s voice, cold and low, sounded behind her. ¡°Ryan.¡± With Mason¡¯s words, Ryan and a bodyguard approached from behind. They stood on either side of Keith and restrained his hand that held the pen. Realizing their intentions, Keith red with reddened eyes. ¡°You dare!!¡± Facing Keith¡¯s furious expression, Ryan chuckled casually. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯ve already started a new family outside. Why bother with this? At your age, do you really want to risk bigamy charges?¡± Keith struggled against the hands restraining him, his face dark with anger. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help. I¡¯ll sign myself.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Ryan said, signaling to the bodyguard holding Keith. Understanding the signal, the bodyguard stepped back. Keith looked at the pen in his hand. After a few seconds, he reluctantly signed his name in the required ce. After signing, Keith turned to look at Dasha. But Dasha didn¡¯t look back. She had already instructed Tessa to push her away. As they left the civil registry, Dasha let out a long sigh on the steps, looking up at the sky. ¡°The weather¡¯s nice today.¡± Tessa understood she wasn¡¯t talking about the weather and agreed, ¡°From today onward, every day¡¯s weather will be nice.¡± On the way back to the hospital, Dasha stared out the car window for a moment, then turned to Mason and asked, ¡°Who was that Ryan just now?¡± Mason didn¡¯t hide his seriousness. ¡°Auntie, after what happened yesterday, both Le and I were concerned, so we thought of having someone watch over you.¡± Dasha understood immediately. ¡°Okay.¡± Mason added, ¡°If you don¡¯t like having too many people in the hospital room, we can ask them to wait in the hallway.¡± Dasha smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She reached over and held Le¡¯s hand, giving it a pat. She whispered softly, ¡°He cares a lot about you.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± When the car reached the hospital and they got out, Ryan and the bodyguard hurried over from another car to assist Dasha. Dasha nced at Ryan. ¡°Do you have a girlfriend?¡± Ryan, smooth-tongued, lied without hesitation, ¡°Yes, been together for many years, our rtionship is great.¡± Dasha believed him. ¡°Is that so?¡± Ryan continued, ¡°Whenever you have time, I¡¯ll bring her over for you to meet.¡± A few minutester, they took the elevator back to the hospital room. After settling Dasha, Le was about to go downstairs to get something. Just as she and Mason stepped out of the room, they ran into the girl who had stopped her in front of the elevator yesterday. Le was briefly surprised when she saw her. Then she remembered her name: Stefania? Clearly, this girl had been waiting for her. Le spoke calmly, ¡°What is it?¡± Stefania clutched her clothes nervously and asked, ¡°Miss Patel, have you forgiven my parents and my brother?¡± Le didn¡¯t want to get entangled with her too much, so she spoke frankly, ¡°It¡¯s not about forgiveness or not. I just hope our families won¡¯t have anything to do with each other in the future.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s words, Stefania¡¯s eyes instantly turned red. After a moment, Stefania didn¡¯t speak to Le anymore. Instead, she turned to Mason. Like she had bowed deeply to Le yesterday, she did the same to Mason. Seeing this, Mason¡¯s eyes deepened. Stefania said softly, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I¡¯m sorry for causing you so much trouble yesterday because of my brother. On behalf of my parents and my brother, I apologize to you.¡± Mason hadn¡¯t known who this girl was before, but her words made everything clear in an instant. After Stefania finished speaking, she looked up at Mason. Mason inwardly mocked her while maintaining aposed expression. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± With that, Mason reached out, putting an arm around Le¡¯s shoulder and giving her a pat. ¡°Weren¡¯t we going to buy something?¡± However, Le couldn¡¯t be sure of Mason¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Yeah.¡± After a while, the two of them got on the elevator. Stefania stood outside the elevator, watching the two until the doors closed. She took out her phone and sent a message: [If I get him. 500K, not a penny less.] The reply came instantly: [Get him first, then we¡¯ll talk.] Stefania replied confidently: [I¡¯ll definitely get it done.] The other person responded: [We¡¯ll wait and see.] Inside the elevator, Mason¡¯s hand around Le¡¯s shoulder didn¡¯t loosen. When they exited, his hand shifted to her waist, and in a low voice, he asked, ¡°Have you ever thought about bringing your mom to Neo City?¡± Le looked up, ¡°Hmm?¡± Mason chuckled softly, ¡°Never thought about it?¡± Le hesitated, then answered truthfully, ¡°I have.¡± Mason continued, ¡°Once Auntie¡¯s surgery is done, you can start making ns.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Mason¡¯s straightforwardness left Le unsure how to respond. She had thought about bringing Dasha to Neo City, but hadn¡¯t considered involving Mason. She hadn¡¯t before and still hadn¡¯t now. It was hard to say how far they could go together. Le knew Mason was generous, but she didn¡¯t want them to be too involved. She was already moved, afraid of falling too deep one day. After Mason finished speaking and saw Le¡¯s silence, he had basically guessed her thoughts. ¡°Le.¡± Le responded, ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You should learn how to use your boyfriend well,¡± he whispered in her ear. ¡°If you don¡¯t, someone else will.¡± Le turned her head at his words, ¡°You¡­¡± Le wanted to say: Did you notice that girl¡¯s intentions just now? But before the words came out, she felt it might sound jealous, so she held back and didn¡¯t say anything in the end. Mason teased, ¡°You wanted to talk about that girl just now?¡± Le didn¡¯t respond, which he took as confirmation. Mason lowered his voice deliberately, ¡°Jealous?¡± Chapter 81 Your tactics are so corny. Le, ¡°¡­¡± Mason chuckled softly. At that moment, Le remembered the dream she had before. Mason had dug a huge pit, and though she didn¡¯t want to jump, he had taken her down with him. Le¡¯s non-argument clearly pleased Mason. His hand around her waist tightened, and his eyes were full of amusement. When they returned to the hospital room after shopping, Mason happened to receive a phone call and didn¡¯t go upstairs. In the hospital room. Le turned to Dasha and said, ¡°Mom, I want to contact those creditors to get the remaining money from Dad.¡± Dasha, drinking water, lifted her head at Le¡¯s words. There was no retreat in her eyes, just unusual determination. ¡°You should. After you¡¯ve called the creditors, give your dad a call and let him know.¡± Le nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± She left no room for Keith to maneuver and directly informed the other debtors. Over the past few years, these debtors had dealt with Le quite a bit and sympathized with her, ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve been through a lot with your mom these years.¡± Le stayed silent on the phone. They continued, ¡°Sorry for the troubles we have caused, hope you can understand.¡± Le responded, ¡°I understand. Debts should be repaid, that¡¯s only fair.¡± The debtor asked, ¡°So, your mom¡¯s divorcing your dad?¡± Le confirmed, ¡°Yes, so, from now on, if there are any issues with my dad again, it has nothing to do with us.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll contact your dad directly then.¡± After ending the call with the creditor, Le immediately dialed Keith¡¯s number.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Keith was currently on his way to the Darren neighborhood. He angrily answered Le¡¯s call, ¡°Didn¡¯t I divorce your mom as you requested? Why are you calling me?¡± Le¡¯s tone remained calmpared to Keith¡¯s fury, ¡°I¡¯m just letting you know, I¡¯ve informed those creditors of your contact information.¡± Keith¡¯s anger turned to resentment instantly, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve paid off 70% of the debts you owed before. The remaining 30% is on you. Don¡¯t think about suing to make my mom bear this debt. Otherwise, I¡¯ll use the repayment records to ensure you pay back at least 20% of it.¡± ¡°Le!!¡± ¡°Dad, in your marriage with my mom, she¡¯s done everything she could. In our father-daughter rtionship, I¡¯ve done the same.¡± Keith¡¯s anger reached its peak, but for a moment, he couldn¡¯t find words to retort. Seeing his silence, Le hung up the phone directly. After ending the call, worried that Dasha might sense her bad emotion, Le didn¡¯t linger at the hospital. She greeted Dasha and went downstairs, intending to find Mason. While waiting for the elevator, Le ran into Dr. Hans. Le focused on her phone and didn¡¯t talk to him. After a while, the elevator doors opened and the two of them got on the elevator together. As the elevator descended, Dr. Hans took a deep breath and frowned. ¡°Le, you may not understand my approach, but I want to tell you, things thate easy to you might be out of reach for others, people-¡± Before he could finish, the elevator doors opened. Le, focused on her phone, hadn¡¯t spoken to him. As they stepped out together, Dr. Hans tried to continue, but Le simply walked away without a nce. The ups and downs of life, she thought she had experienced more than him. Everyone in the world suffered, and everyone in the world had something to sympathize with, but no one needed to pay for anyone¡¯s suffering. She hadn¡¯t caused it, it wasn¡¯t her responsibility to pay for it, and she wasn¡¯t in a position to save the family from their misery. Le walked out of the inpatient unit and headed straight for the parking lot. At the parking lot. Mason had just finished a call with Caleb. He lowered the car window a bit, preparing to light a cigarette, when Stefania¡¯s innocent face appeared outside the window. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, could I have your contact information?¡± Stefania asked. Mason leaned on the window without saying a word. Stefania¡¯s cheeks reddened further, and she took out her phone, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I don¡¯t mean anything else. I just feel sorry about what happened with my brother and wanted to send some local specialties to your home.¡± Mason¡¯s fingertips, holding the cigarette, casually pressed the butt, ¡°Just want to send local specialties?¡± The blush on Stefania¡¯s face spread directly to her ears. Mason lightly scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy.¡± Stefania hurried to exin, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I really¡­ I just¡­¡± Mason nced at her, mockery evident in his eyes. ¡°Your tactics are so corny.¡± Stefania didn¡¯t finish her sentence; the blush on her face faded, turning pale. ¡°Get lost. My girlfriend will be out soon, I don¡¯t want to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings,¡± Mason said, then rolled up the window directly. Stefania stared through the window, frozen in ce, her face turning from pale to flushed. Le headed for the parking lot and found Stefania standing by Mason¡¯s car. Before Le could approach, Dr. Hans hurried over and grabbed Stefania¡¯s arm, asking anxiously, ¡°Has he been bothering you?¡± He meant Mason, who was smoking in the car. Stefania shook her head tearfully, lips tightly pressed. ¡°I need to get back to the ward,¡± Stefania said, pulling her arm away from Dr. Hans and walking back towards the hospital building. Dr. Hans followed quickly. When the two passed by Le¡¯s side, they stopped at the same time. Stefania trembled as she apologized, ¡°Miss Patel, I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± Le nced at her but had no intention of participating in any drama. She ignored Stefania and walked away. But Dr. Hans grabbed Le¡¯s arm as she walked off. ¡°Le, Stefania apologized to you, didn¡¯t you hear?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go too far.¡± he continued, his tone worsening, clearly displeased. Le was about to speak when she heard the car door ¡®bang¡¯, followed by Mason¡¯s cold and sharp voice in the air, ¡°Where are you putting your hands?¡± Dr. Hans abruptly let go of Le¡¯s arm as Mason walked up beside her. He stood there with his hands in his pockets, staring at Stefania next to Dr. Hans, and sneered, ¡°Am I bullying you?¡± Stefania shook her head, eyes red. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Is it my girlfriend then?¡± Mason asked. Stefania shook her head again. ¡°No.¡± Mason turned his gaze back to Dr. Hans. ¡°Then what are you doing, Dr. Hans?¡± After a moment, Dr. Hans gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, don¡¯t push it too far.¡± Mason smirked in response. Stefania¡¯s tears fell rapidly as she apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have presumed to apologize to Miss Patel.¡± Even at this point, Stefania was calcting. She only mentioned Le and didn¡¯t say a word about Mason. After Stefania finished speaking, she didn¡¯t wait for anyone else to respond and hurried away, wiping tears from her eyes. Seeing her leave, Dr. Hans¡¯s face turnedpletely grim. Mason mocked him, ¡°Dr. Hans, aren¡¯t you going after her?¡± Dr. Hans shot him a nce and quickly strode off to follow Stefania. Watching their retreating figures, Mason sneered, ¡°Clueless fool.¡± ¡°To most people, Stefania does indeed look more like the victim,¡± Masonzily remarked, ¡°But, I¡¯m in the minority.¡± Le turned to look at him, saying, ¡°Mason.¡± Mason lowered his head, ¡°Yeah?¡± Le chuckled lightly, ¡°You do fulfill every expectation a woman might have of her partner.¡± ¡°So, any thoughts on extending my tenure as your boyfriend?¡± Le didn¡¯t respond to his words and turned to walk towards the car, ¡°What do you want to eat tonight? I¡¯ll cook for you.¡± Realizing Le was avoiding the topic, Mason scratched his nose and said, ¡°Anything¡¯s fine.¡± Le opened the passenger side door and got into the car. ¡°What do you like to eat?¡± Mason walked around to the driver¡¯s side and got in, but didn¡¯t respond immediately. He lightly tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, then suddenly reached over and pulled Le towards the driver¡¯s seat, holding her waist. Le struggled a few times but couldn¡¯t break free, ending up on hisp. Mason stared at her intently. ¡°What do you think I like to eat??¡± Le blushed furiously, hands pressed against his shoulders without answering. Mason leaned forward, almost pinning her against the steering wheel. He kissed her at the corner of her lips, with one hand holding her waist and the other on her earlobe, he chuckled softly, ¡°Le, your ears are red.¡± Just as Le was about to push him away, Mason¡¯s hand on her waist began to wander restlessly, lifting her skirt and slipping underneath¡­ Chapter 82 I want you Le tightened her grip on his shoulder, warning him, ¡°Mason.¡± Mason¡¯s fingers paused, and he smirked, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the car.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Mason¡¯s eyes gleamed with more amusement, ¡°We¡¯ve done it in the car before.¡± Le was taken aback by his words. After a while, seeing that he didn¡¯t move or show signs of stopping, she said, ¡°This is the hospital parking lot.¡± Mason teased her, ¡°Exciting, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lepromised, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Mason leaned closer, ¡°Can I do whatever I want at home??¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go too far.¡± Mason deliberately misinterpreted her words, ¡°Naturally, I want to go further. No man control that at that time.¡± Le thought about what he said and blushed deeply. On the other side, Stefania walked towards the hospital ward when Dr. Hans caught up from behind and grabbed her arm. His concern was evident. ¡°Why are you running? You haven¡¯t done anything wrong!¡± Stefania stopped, her eyes welling with tears. Taking a deep breath, Dr. Hans softened his tone. ¡°I¡¯m not ming you.¡± Stefania timidly nodded, making her look even more pitiful. ¡°I know.¡± Dr. Hans released her arm, and noticing the curious stares around them, he suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s talk in my office.¡± Shaking her head, Stefania replied softly, ¡°I won¡¯t go. I¡¯m afraid others will misunderstand our rtionship, which is not good for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Dr. Hans countered. ¡°But¡­¡± Stefania hesitated. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about your brother¡¯s kidney?¡± Dr. Hans pressed. ¡°Huh?¡± Stefania looked surprised. Dr. Hans continued, ¡°Your brother¡¯s kidney. I¡¯ll find a way.¡± Stefania¡¯s tears, just stopped, flowed again instantly. ¡°Dr. Hans¡­¡± ¡°There are too many people here. Let¡¯s discuss in my office.¡± This time, Stefania didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Hans.¡± A few minutester, Stefania appeared in Dr. Hans¡¯s office. First, he briefly updated her on her brother¡¯s condition, then frowned. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve been using my connections to find a kidney for your brother, but¡­¡± Theirwork was limited, and despite the effort and high offers, there had been no leads. Stefania sensed his unspoken words, feeling mockery inside but showing gratitude on her face. ¡°Dr. Hans, I really don¡¯t know how to thank you.¡± He reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find a way for your brother¡¯s kidney.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After Dr. Hans finished, a thought struck him. He looked up at Stefania and asked, ¡°I remember you haven¡¯t done a kidney match with your brother yet, have you?¡± Stefania tensed slightly. ¡°I rememberst time, it was your parents¡¯ match, right? You weren¡¯t around then?¡± Dr. Hans probed. A hint of something flickered in Stefania¡¯s eyes, but she quickly regainedposure. ¡°I¡¯ve done it before.¡± ¡°When was that?¡± Dr. Hans inquired. ¡°At another hospital. I thought my parents were too old to donate, so I had the doctor do a match for me. It turned out I wasn¡¯t suitable, so I came here¡­¡± Dr. Hans nodded knowingly. He pondered how to find a kidney through legitimate channels. Lost in thought, Dr. Hans got up and went to the water dispenser for a drink. Just as he turned with his water cup, Stefania suddenly hugged him from behind and whispered softly, ¡°Dr. Hans, thank you so much. You¡¯re the kindest person I¡¯ve ever met¡­¡± Dr. Hans felt his cheeks grow hot at the unexpected hug. The next moment, just as Dr. Hans thought Stefania had some feelings for him, she let go and stepped back respectfully. ¡°Dr. Hans, I will definitely repay you in the future.¡± He lowered his head to drink water, then swallowed and said, ¡°No need.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already figured it out. When I graduate from college, I¡¯m going to study nursing, and then I¡¯lle to work in the nephrology department. Dr. Hans, I¡¯ll definitely be your most reliable assistant by then.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Dr. Hans replied. Stefania continued, expressing her gratitude and then left the doctor¡¯s office. As Stefania returned to the ward, her mother immediately approached her, grabbing her hand and asking, ¡°How did it go? Did you get Mason¡¯s contact information?¡± Stefania pulled her hand away disdainfully. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy.¡± ¡°I told you earlier, Le is so beautiful, how could Mason possibly¡­¡± ¡°Is she really that beautiful? She¡¯s just a bit taller than me.¡± ¡°But what about your brother¡¯s kidney¡­¡± Stefania nced disdainfully at the man lying on the bed. ¡°Dr. Hans said he¡¯ll handle it.¡± Meanwhile, Mason and Le arrived at the neighborhood. Le went to the supermarket at the entrance of themunity to buy ingredients for dinner, with Mason following closely behind with the car keys. As they reached the vegetable section, Le turned her head slightly and asked him what he wanted to eat. ¡°This scene suddenly makes me think of us in our seventies or eighties,¡± Mason said. Le slowed her pace involuntarily upon hearing this. Mason continued, ¡°By then, we¡¯ll both be quite old, won¡¯t need to work anymore. We¡¯ll stroll to the park together every day, then stroll back to the supermarket at the entrance of themunity to buy groceries¡­¡± ¡°Mason,¡± Le interrupted. ¡°Yeah?¡± Mason responded. Le took a deep breath. ¡°Don¡¯t give me hope.¡± Mason¡¯s eyes darkened. After a moment, he said, ¡°Le, is it so hard to believe that I like you?¡± ¡°Not hard,¡± Le replied, looking away. After a pause, she continued, ¡°It¡¯s not hard to believe you like me. What¡¯s hard is believing this feeling willst.¡± ¡°How do you know it won¡¯tst if you don¡¯t give it a try?¡± ¡°Mason, I¡¯ll be 27 in a few months. If I try with you for a few years, and then find out it¡¯s wrong, at the age of over thirty, with no savings, no house, no car, and then start over with another boyfriend¡­ The cost is too high.¡± Although everyone says society is tolerant of women nowadays, it¡¯s not really like that. If a man is in his thirties and unmarried, as long as he is sessful in his career, everyone will praise him for not getting married because he is career-oriented. If it¡¯s a woman in her thirties who¡¯s unmarried, even if she¡¯s sessful in her career, there will definitely be rumors. And with Mason¡¯s background, if they break up then, probably no man would dare to take her. Of course, she could choose not to get married. After all, she didn¡¯t have much expectation for marriage. But she was afraid. Afraid she wouldn¡¯t bear to. Won¡¯t bear to part with him. When this thought came to her, Le froze for a moment. How could she be afraid she wouldn¡¯t bear to part with Mason then? Le¡¯s facial expression changes didn¡¯t escape Mason¡¯s notice. Thinking she was averse to discussing the topic, Mason pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a drag. The smoke eased his restless mood. He felt like Le would eventually drive him crazy. Back home, Le changed into slippers at the entrance and headed to the kitchen, while Mason stood smoking by the door. After finishing his cigarette, Mason changed into slippers and stepped inside. He stood outside the kitchen, watching Le for a moment before striding up behind her. He hooked his arm around her waist. One hand turned off the stove, while he bit down on Le¡¯s neck. Le tensed immediately. Mason eased his grip a bit, then lightly licked the bitten spot. His voice carried a mix of resentment and intiveness, ¡°Le, can¡¯t you be a bit less heartless?¡± Le gripped the countertop. ¡°I¡¯m cooking.¡± Mason persisted, ¡°Stop cooking. I want you¡­¡± Le had never imagined such scenes in her kitchen. Though the stove was off, steam from the boiling water clouded her eyes. Le¡¯s body swayed slightly, leaning heavily on the counter. Mason, dressed sharply with only his belt undone, lifted the corner of his ck shirt, revealing a hint of abdominal muscles. Meanwhile, Le,pletely naked from the waist down, faced away from him, her hands gripping the edge of the stove for support. She gasped as each of his intense thrusts pressed her harder against the cool surface, the heat from the still-warm burner contrasting with the chill of the kitchen counter against her skin. As climax approached, Le bit her lip tightly. Mason¡¯s free hand moved to her lips, teasingly pointing his index finger at them, hoarsely murmured behind her, ¡°Bite it.¡± Le hesitated, her blush creeping from her ears to her neck. Suddenly yful, Mason insinuated, ¡°What are you thinking? I asked you to bite my finger, not my cock.¡± With that, Le parted her lips and bit his finger directly. His long fingers ventured further into her mouth, enveloped in its warm wetness, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. Lowering his head, Mason nibbled her earlobe, enticing and tinged with expectation, ¡°Next time, use your mouth to bite it¡­¡± He left the sentence unfinished, but in this moment and this setting, Le knew exactly what ¡®it¡¯ meant. Le wanted to re at him, but before she could, Mason suddenly thrust deeper¡­ Chapter 83 Spill everything Afterward, from bathing to drying off, and then blow-drying her hair, Mason¡¯s aftercare was thorough. When Le, wrapped in a towel, wasid on the bed, Mason leaned down, and kissed her. Then he went to the kitchen to cook. He wore nothing but ck pants, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Just as he started cooking, his phone rang. Caleb¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Are you avable?¡± Mason replied, ¡°Yeah.¡± Caleb hesitated, ¡°What¡¯s that noise?¡± Mason took the cigarette from his mouth, flicked the ash, and said, ¡°I¡¯m cooking.¡± Caleb thought he misheard, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Cooking. You can¡¯t understand?¡± After a few seconds of hesitation, Caleb asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Mason, unbothered, replied, ¡°Does it concern you?¡± Caleb changed the topic, ¡°Omar has been cozying up to some higher-ups while you¡¯ve been away.¡± Mason sneered, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°One from marketing, a finance manager, and a director from the nning department.¡± Mason didn¡¯t feel threatened, mocking, ¡°Is that all he can manage?¡± Caleb retorted, ¡°If he were more capable, would you still be in your position?¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°And his brother?¡± ¡°No movements this past week. He went to a church.¡± Mason coldlyughed, ¡°Praying for Jesus¡¯s bless?¡± Caleb noted, ¡°Don¡¯t you go to church often?¡± Mason, nonchnt, responded, ¡°I go to suppress the evil within me. Otherwise, Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help but kill them.¡± Mason wasn¡¯t joking. People said the eldest grandson of The Ramirez Family had gone mad after returning, but no one knew Mason had been even crazier for a while. His madness was terrifying. He was normal during the day but lost control at night. During that time, even The old Mr. Ramirez couldn¡¯t sleep soundly at night, fearing Mason might kill someone. But eventually, Mason did nothing. Over time, he became normal again. To prevent outsiders from specting The old Mr. Ramirez publicly stated that Mason was perfectly fine. When Mason finished speaking, Caleb fell silent, lost in thought. After a while, he snapped back and asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious, why were you fine during the day but had episodes at night back then?¡± Mason almost smiled, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d tell you?¡± Caleb sighed, ¡°Okay, then can you at least tell me how you got better?¡± ¡°Why are you so curious?¡± Caleb chuckled, ¡°Come on, spill it. I didn¡¯t ask before because I didn¡¯t want to upset you, but it¡¯s been years. It should be fine now.¡± Mason looked down at the food and said in a low voice, ¡°I asked Le for a photo of herself.¡± Caleb was puzzled, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Mason nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡± Caleb was still confused, ¡°How does a photo make you better? Did you¡­¡± Mason cut him off, ¡°Don¡¯t be gross. I didn¡¯t do anything back then.¡± Caleb was more baffled, ¡°Then what did you do?¡± Mason closed his eyes, ¡°I prayed every night, holding her photo.¡± Caleb felt a shiver run down his spine and got goosebumps. After hanging up on, Mason brought the dishes to the table and went to the bedroom to call Le. She was lying on the bed, reading an email from thepany about an outstanding project payment. A 70 million project had only been settled for 50 million, with the remaining 20 million dragging on for over six months.Original from N?velDrama.Org. Hearing movement at the door, Le didn¡¯t look up, ¡°Is dinner ready?¡± Mason leaned against the doorframe, ¡°Is Miss Patel hungry?¡± Le changed the topic, ¡°Why was the previous project manager fired?¡± Talking about work, Mason became more serious, ¡°Bribery and corruption.¡± Le turned to look at him, ¡°Did he dy the final payments for the projects?¡± Mason confirmed, ¡°Yes.¡± Le, ¡°How much did he embezzle?¡± Mason joked, ¡°You want to embezzle too??¡± Le met his gaze and bluntly said, ¡°I¡¯d rather focus on you. I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re quite generous, casually giving away houses worth millions to your ex-girlfriends.¡± Mason¡¯s smile faded, ¡°Le.¡± Le sat up, ¡°Yes?¡± Mason looked at her, seemingly deep in thought. After a while, he said seriously, ¡°I¡¯ve never slept with anyone else but you.¡± Le was visibly shocked. The atmosphere in the bedroom turned quiet. They stared at each other, and Mason watched Le¡¯s expression shift from shock to confusion, ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Le was momentarily dazed, ¡°Then why did you¡­¡± Mason was straightforward, ¡°You mean the rumors? I just didn¡¯t want to marry Jennifer.¡± Mason walked to the bedside, leaned over, and ced his hands on the bed. ¡°Le, can you tell me what you¡¯re feeling? Surprise? Shock? Fear?¡± Mason¡¯s sudden closeness made Le instinctively lean back. But for every inch she moved back, Mason moved two inches closer. Finally, their noses touched. ¡°Mason¡­¡± She murmured. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Le bit her lip and, after a few seconds, pushed him away. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± With that, she slipped out from under his arms. Mason chuckled softly. Le left the bedroom and went to the bathroom to wash her face. The cold water helped calm her racing heart. That was his first time, and hers too. It was fair. Neither owed the other anything. As Le stood with her hands on the sink, trying to convince herself, she suddenly heard Mason talking to someone in the bedroom. ¡°He went to Darren¡¯s ce?¡± ¡°Did you have someone follow him?¡± ¡°Got it. Call me if anythinges up.¡± Mason hung up and walked out of the bedroom just as Le came out of the bathroom. They locked eyes, and Le couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Who went to my uncle¡¯s ce?¡± She already had a suspicion but needed Mason to confirm it. Mason looked down at her, ¡°Your¡­¡± ¡°My dad?¡± Mason nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Meanwhile, at Darren¡¯s ce¡­ Keith stormed into the house, furious. ¡°How dare you? If you hadn¡¯t given Le my contact information, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to reach me!¡± Darren tried to calm him down, ¡°Alright, alright, take it easy.¡± Elsa set the cup down on the coffee table with a loud tter, ¡°That¡¯s a funny thing to say. Le is your daughter. Isn¡¯t it natural for her to want to find her father?¡± Keith was left speechless by Elsa¡¯s retort. Elsa sneered and continued, ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve been living it up all these years while my sister and Le were stuck at home working like ves to pay off your debts. You can¡¯t be that heartless.¡± Elsa¡¯s words were always harsh. Seeing Keith about to explode, Darren pretended to calm things down, pping the coffee table lightly, ¡°Can you say a little less?¡± Elsa huffed and went back to her room. Once Elsa was gone, Darren sighed, ¡°I got kidnapped and beaten up a few days ago. Just got out of the hospital¡­¡± Keith frowned, ¡°What happened?¡± Darren lowered his voice, ¡°It¡¯s rted to that kidnapping case from years ago.¡± Mentioning the kidnapping made Keith¡¯s face turn pale. Seeing Keith¡¯s expression, Darren pushed the cup towards him, ¡°What happened back then¡­ It¡¯s a secret, I haven¡¯t even told my sister.¡± Keith¡¯s face remained tense as he picked up the cup and took a sip, ¡°You didn¡¯t just keep it from your sister. Did you give her the half a million?¡± ¡°Keith, it¡¯s true I didn¡¯t give my sister the half a million back then, and that was my fault. But let¡¯s be honest, even if I had given her the money, it wouldn¡¯t have helped much with all the debt you left behind¡­¡± Keith didn¡¯t respond. Darren paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°I give the money now, which would be more useful than back then.¡± Keith didn¡¯t say anything else. Darren nced towards the bedroom to ensure Elsa wouldn¡¯te out, then leaned closer to Keith, ¡°If the truth about what happened back thenes out, you and I¡­¡± Keith gave him a sideways nce, ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Darren¡¯s eyes widened. Keith put down the cup, took a deep breath, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything back then. I was too busy running away. Don¡¯t try to pin this on me.¡± Darren was furious, ¡°Keith, don¡¯t push it. I¡¯m not afraid to tell you, Mason is already starting to suspect that I¡¯m involved. If anything happens to me, I¡¯ll spill everything you did back then.¡± Keith¡¯s face darkened instantly. ¡°Just deny everything. He won¡¯t find anything.¡± ¡°What if¡­¡± ¡°The people involved are either dead or missing. What could possibly go wrong?¡± Darren considered this and nodded in agreement, ¡°True.¡± ¡°Keep your mouth shut. Don¡¯t go bbing.¡± Darren said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if you dunk me in a barrel of booze, I won¡¯t say a word about what happened back then.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better keep it that way.¡± Chapter 84 Be kidnapped Keith didn¡¯t stay long at Darren¡¯s. He left after half an hour. Hearing the door close, Elsa emerged from the bedroom. She nced at the closed door, crossed her arms, and sneered, ¡°He left?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s gone.¡± Elsa scoffed, ¡°What a shameless guy.¡± Darren was lost in thought and didn¡¯t respond. Noticing his distraction, Elsa walked over and grabbed his ear, ¡°Spill it. What were you two talking about?¡± Darren winced in pain, ¡°Nothing much, you guessed it before he even got here. Just that money.¡± ¡°You were shouting so loud. Do you think I¡¯m deaf?¡± Darren scowled and pushed her away, ¡°Stay out of this.¡± Elsa fumed, ¡°Darren, we¡¯ve been married for over thirty years. Is there anything I shouldn¡¯t know?¡± Darren was usually afraid of Elsa, but this time he was tight-lipped, ¡°Knowing this won¡¯t do you any good.¡± With that, Darren stood up and went back to the bedroom. Elsa followed him, trying to press for more information, but Darren locked the bedroom door. Unable to open the door, Elsa stood outside and threw a fit. Lying on the bed, Darren tried to close his eyes for a nap. But as soon as he did, he saw a bloody face. He snapped his eyes open, his palms damp with sweat. Meanwhile, Keith, having gone downstairs, pulled a cap from his pocket and put it on, followed by a mask. He nced around to ensure no one was watching, then quickly walked to the road to hail a cab. As soon as Keith got into the cab, a bodyguard in a ck SUV parked around the corner made a call.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. When the call connected, the bodyguard said respectfully, ¡°Boss, he got into a cab and seems to be leaving Yort City.¡± Mason replied calmly, ¡°Follow him. Keep a close watch.¡± The bodyguard answered, ¡°Understood.¡± As Mason ended the call, he met Le¡¯s questioning gaze. He didn¡¯t hide anything, cing his phone down and serving her a bowl of soup. ¡°Your dad left your uncle¡¯s ce and got into a cab.¡± Le looked at the soup Mason ced before her and took a deep breath, ¡°Why are you having him followed?¡± Mason looked at her steadily, ¡°I suspect he¡¯s connected to my kidnapping years ago.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Seeing Le¡¯s thoughts wander, Mason chuckled, ¡°Rx, he didn¡¯t have the capability. I just suspect¡­¡± Le smiled and finished his sentence, ¡°You suspect he took money from the kidnappers?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a hunch.¡± Le thought about how Mason lost his closest brother in that kidnapping. ¡°Mason¡­¡± ¡°Le, life is short. Enjoy it while you can.¡± Le understood the subtext. He was telling her not to press further. After dinner, Le washed dishes in the kitchen while Mason took another call from the bodyguard in the living room. ¡°Boss, Keith has been taken.¡± Mason lounged on the couch, his expression unreadable, ¡°By whom?¡± The bodyguard replied, ¡°We don¡¯t know. The license te on their car was fake.¡± ¡°Where was he taken from?¡± The bodyguard exined, ¡°On the way to the airport. They blocked the cab and dragged him out.¡± The bodyguard paused, seeing that Mason wasn¡¯t responding, then asked proactively, ¡°Should we retrieve him?¡± ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Should we continue following them?¡± Mason¡¯s voice was low and steady, ¡°How¡¯s their counter-surveince awareness?¡± The bodyguard answered honestly, ¡°Pretty strong. I¡¯m about seventy percent sure they won¡¯t notice us.¡± ¡°Then try to follow. If they suspect you¡¯re tailing them, back off immediately. Don¡¯t alert them.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After hanging up, Mason pressed the phone against his chin, looking toward the kitchen. Under the dim kitchen light, Le was washing dishes, her head bowed. She wore a cream-colored nightgown, with a few loose strands of hair falling by her ears, making her look particrly gentle. Mason¡¯s eyes showed a restrained and hidden possessiveness. When Le finished and walked out, Mason moved toward her. Their eyes met, and Mason wrapped her in his arms. ¡°Le.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Mason¡¯s voice was deep, ¡°You are you, your dad is your dad. Besides, everything is still uncertain.¡± Le¡¯s breath caught, and she said nothing. Mason chuckled, ¡°I can see it. You¡¯re afraid there¡¯s a grudge between us.¡± Le, ¡°¡­¡± Mason continued, ¡°Since you¡¯re so scared, why not be nice to me now? If we ever find out there¡¯s really a deep-seated hatred between us, at least we would have had some good times.¡± Le didn¡¯t say a word in response to Mason¡¯s remarks, but her actions showed a noticeable shift. For instance, when Mason held her that night, she didn¡¯t pull away. And when Mason¡¯s hand wandered under her nightgown, she didn¡¯t stop him. Noticing her change, Mason couldn¡¯t help butugh. He flipped over, pressing down on her, burying his face in her neck. ¡°Le, you¡¯re so cute. Think about it-when your dad went bankrupt, all he wanted was to escape. What role could he y in a kidnapping?¡± Hearing Mason¡¯s words, Le suddenly realized she¡¯d been duped. Flustered, she tried to knee him in the stomach to push him off. Mason pinned her legs with his thigh, propping himself up to look into her eyes. ¡°Still won¡¯t admit you like me?¡± Le¡¯s cheeks flushed, ¡°Mason¡­¡± Mason teased, ¡°I should have scared you a few more days until you face your true feelings.¡± Le, ¡°¡­¡± That night, Le didn¡¯t sleep well. She couldn¡¯t exin her thoughts-they were scattered and disorganized, like a movie ying random scenes in her head. The only thing she was sure of was that every scene involved Mason. Just before dawn, Le finally managed to get some sleep. But she hadn¡¯t slept long when Mason¡¯s phone rang on the nightstand, waking her up. Mason reached for the phone and answered, his voice stillzy from sleep, ¡°Yes?¡± The person on the other end said, ¡°Boss, Mr. Omar is in Yort City.¡± The bodyguard¡¯s words instantly dispelled Mason¡¯s drowsiness. ¡°Where is he?¡± The bodyguard said, ¡°At the ce where Keith was held.¡± Mason¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°Keep him under surveince, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After hanging up, Mason put down his phone and was about to get up when he noticed a gaze beside him. ¡°Did I wake you?¡± ¡°My dad¡¯s been kidnapped?¡± Seeing Le¡¯s serious expression, Mason was silent for a few seconds, but eventually didn¡¯t lie, ¡°Yes.¡± Le said, ¡°I want to go with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as simple as you think, their methods¡­¡± ¡°Mason.¡± Before Mason could finish, Le interrupted, ¡°With you there, what do I have to fear?¡± Mason chuckled, reaching to pinch her chin, ¡°Le, you really stop at nothing to get what you want.¡± Le tilted her neck slightly, ¡°And have I gotten what I want?¡± Mason locked eyes with her, ¡°If Omar asks who you are, what will you say?¡± ¡°The truth. Your girlfriend.¡± Mason tightened his grip on her chin, ¡°Le, I¡¯ve had countless rumors around me. Do you think being called a girlfriend will protect you?¡± ¡°Then what should I say, what¡¯s my identity?¡± ¡°Fiancee.¡± Le fell silent. ¡°If you don¡¯t say it like that, don¡¯te with me. I don¡¯t want to see you at the funeral home in a few days because of this trip.¡± Mason¡¯s expression was serious, no hint of falsehood. Le stared at his expression for a while, and reluctantly agreed, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± As Le spoke, Mason released her chin, turned to dress, ¡°Going to freshen up.¡± Le got up quickly, ¡°Mm.¡± Le stepped out of the bedroom, not seeing Mason fastening his shirt buttons, revealing a satisfied smile. Twenty minutester, in the car. On the way, Mason called the bodyguard to check on the situation. The bodyguard responded, ¡°Everything¡¯s normal. Mr. Omar just went in a while ago.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ending the call, Mason looked at Le beside him, squeezed her hand and said, ¡°He¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry.¡± Le stared at their hands sped together, absent-mindedly responding, ¡°Mm, as long as he¡¯s okay.¡± Mason chuckled lightly, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not too concerned about whether he lives or dies.¡± Le looked up at Mason and admitted honestly, ¡°I care. It¡¯s justplicated emotionally.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Blood rtions, even if you hated him while he was alive, if he really dies, you¡¯ll still feel sad.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very insightful.¡± When the car arrived at the address provided by the bodyguard, it was already two hourster. The destination was a vi in the outskirts. As they got out of the car, a bodyguard quickly approached Mason and asked, ¡°Boss, should we apany you inside?¡± ¡°No need. You guys stay outside. I¡¯m just visiting, not getting into a fight.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Mason led Le into the vi. Just as they entered, a bodyguard blocked their path. ¡°Who are you? This isn¡¯t a ce for you toe. Leave immediately.¡± Before the guard could finish speaking, Mason swiftly kicked him in the abdomen. The guard hadn¡¯t expected Mason to strike so suddenly and was thrown back over a meter. As he recovered to shout for help, Mason walked up to him and asked coldly, ¡°Where¡¯s Omar?¡± Chapter 85 Tell the truth Upon hearing Mason¡¯s voice, the guard froze. Mason nced down at him. ¡°Cat got your tongue?¡± Realizing Mason¡¯s intent, the guard wisely kept silent. Mason proceeded inside without further dy. Just a few steps in, a man appeared at the end of the cobblestone path. The man wore a white suit, looked sickly and mncholic, and coughed into a handkerchief before speaking. ¡°Mason, long time no see.¡± Le¡¯s first impression of Omar was that he was extremely cunning. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s been a while. How¡¯s your healthtely?¡± Mason¡¯s question was deliberately rhetorical. He knew Omar had recently been hospitalized due to a serious illness. Omar continued to cough, seeming nonchnt, ¡°It¡¯s been alright.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here in Yort City for something?¡± Mason asked. Omar nced at Le but didn¡¯t answer directly. ¡°Is this your girlfriend?¡± ¡°Fiancee.¡± ¡°Oh? Fiancee?¡± Mason chuckled, hooked his arm around Le¡¯s waist, and said in a low voice, ¡°Le, this is my brother, Omar.¡± Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed from the main building of the vi, chilling to the bone. Le thought it might be Keith and tensed up. Sensing her unease, Mason tightened the hand around her waist. Le was nervous inside but didn¡¯t show it on her face. Omar, surprised by her calmness, said with a smile, ¡°My men are sometimes unruly. ¡± Then, he looked at Le. ¡°Didn¡¯t scare you, Miss Patel?¡± Le smiled faintly, ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°Good. At The Ramirez Family, those whock courage don¡¯tst long.¡± With that, he turned and walked away, continuing his conversation with Mason, circling back to their initial topic. ¡°It¡¯s been too hot at hometely. I came here for some cool breeze.¡± Mason kept pace, casually touching Le¡¯s waist with his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s cozy.¡± ¡°My health isn¡¯t good, and I can¡¯t be of much help at home.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Mason¡¯s ¡°indeed¡± caused Omar¡¯s smile to instantly fade¡­ A few minutester, the three entered the vi. Upon entering the foyer, a strong smell of blood hit their noses. Le frowned. Mason whispered in her ear, ¡°It can¡¯t be your dad. He¡¯s physically ill, not mentally. If something happens to your dad, what¡¯s he threatening me with??¡± Le whispered back, ¡°Is it always like this between you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± After a moment of thought, Le said, ¡°Scheming against each other.¡± Mason teased, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. If you¡¯re interested, I¡¯ll take you back to the real big show some day.¡± Le silently gave Mason a thumbs-up. After a while, the two entered the living room. As Mason expected, the person who had been beaten wasn¡¯t Keith but a man. The man was tied up, barely recognizable from the beating, covered in blood on his face and body. Omar took a seat, seemingly bothered by the smell of blood, and covered his mouth with a handkerchief before turning to the standing bodyguard. ¡°Did he confess?¡± The bodyguard replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Omar removed the handkerchief and tossed it onto the coffee table, a faint smile appearing on his sickly face. ¡°Since he is so stubborn, let¡¯s dismantle his bone. Whichever bone is the hardest, let¡¯s grind it into powder for me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Omar waved his hand. ¡°Take him out, but don¡¯t scare Miss Patel.¡± The bodyguard nodded. ¡°Yes, Mr. Omar.¡± After the bodyguard finished speaking, he approached and dragged the man towards the exit. The man went mad, shouting, ¡°Mr. Omar, I know I was wrong! I¡¯ll talk, I¡¯ll talk¡­¡± The bodyguard halted and looked back at Omar. Ignoring the plea, Omar lifted his chin, gesturing for him to proceed. About five minutester, a wail echoed from outside the door.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Omar sighed deeply, turned to Le, and said, ¡°That man was my trusted aide, but he betrayed me¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Miss Patel, you don¡¯t find my methods too harsh, do you?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Omar chuckled softly, ¡°That¡¯s good. Mason is even harsher with those who betray him.¡± Le calmly continued, ¡°He¡¯swful in his approach.¡± Omar looked at Mason and said, ¡°Mason, did youe to see me about something today?¡± Mason nced at him, ¡°I came to get someone from you.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°My father-inw.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Your men kidnapped Le¡¯s father. You¡¯re not unaware?¡± Omar furrowed. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Keith.¡± Omar turned his head towards one of the guards standing at the door. Understanding the cue, the guard immediately spoke up, ¡°Mr. Omar, we did bring someone in, rted to the kidnapping case involving you and Mr. Ramirez years ago. We haven¡¯t had a chance to report to you yet.¡± Omar¡¯s displeasure showed on his face as if he had just received the news. ¡°Such a big matter, and you didn¡¯t inform me earlier?¡± ¡°We hadn¡¯t had the chance to report to you.¡± Omar turned back to Mason. ¡°Mason, you heard that. This person¡­¡± Mason reached for the cup in front of him,zily chuckling, ¡°Omar, the drama¡¯s over. I¡¯m not in the mood to y with you.¡± Mason was truly a madman. His mood could change in an instant. Omar looked back at him, holding the cup tightly for a while before saying, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid grandfather will find out you came here looking for trouble?¡± Mason mocked, ¡°Only if you dare let him know you¡¯re investigating the old matters in Yort City.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what happened back then?¡± ¡°I do, but it¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°Mason, don¡¯t push it too far.¡± Mason leaned back, unimpressed. ¡°What if I do? You want to confront me head-on? Hasn¡¯t your elder brother warned you not to provoke me into direct conflict?¡± Upon hearing Mason¡¯s words, Omar¡¯s anger suddenly subsided. ¡°Grandfather was right. You are indeed disobedient to his discipline now.¡± Mason didn¡¯t respond and straightforwardly asked, ¡°Are you releasing him or not?¡± Omar nced at Le and said, ¡°I can release him, but I have a condition.¡± Mason¡¯s voice deepened, ¡°Go on.¡± Omar stated, ¡°Let me into The Ramirez Group.¡± Mason scoffed and agreed eagerly, ¡°Done.¡± Mason agreed too quickly, causing Omar to eye him suspiciously. Mason sneered, ¡°Is that all the guts you¡¯ve got?¡± Omar replied, ¡°I want to join the finance department, starting next Monday.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± With that, Mason smirked at Omar. ¡°Can you release him now?¡± Omar frowned, feeling like he might have walked into a trap set by Mason. But at this point, he couldn¡¯t back down. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Keith wasn¡¯t brought inside but was instead shoved into Mason¡¯s car by the guards. Before leaving, Mason turned to Omar provocatively and said, ¡°Do you know why you can¡¯t beat me? Because you¡¯re a coward.¡± Omar¡¯s face darkened. ¡°¡­¡± A few minutester, Mason and Le appeared in the car. Mason nced at Keith through the rearview mirror. As the car drove off, Keith spoke up, ¡°What do you two intend to do?¡± Mason smirked coldly, still silent. ¡°Le, are you just going to stand by while your father is kidnapped, watching your father¡­¡± Le turned her head to look at him. ¡°Do you know much about The Ramirez Family¡¯s kidnapping case?¡± Keith hadn¡¯t expected Mason to bring this up to Le. He avoided her gaze and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Mason may save you once, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll save you a second time.¡± Keith retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t need him to save me.¡± ¡°Fine. Mason, take him back.¡± Le finished speaking, and Mason chuckled softly. ¡°As you wish.¡± The next moment, he turned the steering wheel at the next intersection and made a U-turn. A look of panic shed across Keith¡¯s face. He leaned forward, grabbing the back of the passenger seat and shouted, ¡°Le, are you out of your mind?¡± Le remainedposed, her eyes showing no emotional fluctuations. ¡°As long as you tell the truth, the car won¡¯t turn back.¡± Keith gritted his teeth, looking at Le¡¯s profile. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the specifics of the kidnapping. When I was bankrupt, someone contacted me, offering a million to provide him a discreet location¡­¡± Keith paused, then continued, ¡°The person who contacted me didn¡¯t tell me it was a kidnapping. He said he needed a discreet ce to hide something.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Keith furrowed his brow. ¡°At the time, I was trying to leave some money for you and your mother, not thinking too much. I remembered that your grandfather had an abandoned yard, so I contacted your uncle and promised him five hundred thousand and gave him the contact information.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Chapter 86 A bastard daughter Under Le¡¯s questioning, Keith suppressed his anger. ¡°That¡¯s it. I was struggling to survive at the time. How could I care about someone else¡¯s business? Besides, I always thought they just wanted to stash something away, never thought much beyond that.¡± Le turned her head to look at Mason, hoping to glean something from his expression. Sensing her gaze, Mason turned to meet her eyes and asked aloud, ¡°Should we take him to the airport?¡± She wanted to ask Mason if there was anything else he wanted to know, but the words didn¡¯te out. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Hmm.¡± Hearing their conversation, Keith breathed a sigh of relief. Two hourster, the car arrived at the airport. Keith didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment, pushing open the car door and heading straight for the airport. Watching him almost flee, Le asked, ¡°Do you believe what he said?¡± Mason reached out to squeeze her neck gently and spoke in a low, deep voice, ¡°Not a single word.¡± Family ties should be the warmest in the world, but at this moment, they felt like the most painful. Mason said he didn¡¯t believe. Le didn¡¯t believe either. On the way back to the hospital, Le remained silent. Mason stared at her directly. ¡°Le.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You still have me.¡± Le looked away from his gaze, lowering her head. ¡°Mason, don¡¯t bewitch me.¡± The car pulled into the hospital. While riding the elevator, Le said to Mason, ¡°Don¡¯t mention my dad¡¯s situation to my mom.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that kind of person?¡± ¡°Just in case.¡± As they spoke, the elevator doors opened, and they walked side by side out of the elevator. Just a few steps ahead, they saw Stefaniaing out of the hospital room wearing a school uniform. Stefania seemed to have just washed her hair, and her wet hair draped over her shoulders, paired with her school uniform, giving her a very innocent look. Seeing Stefania walking towards them, Mason frowned. ¡°Here shees again?¡± Le couldn¡¯t help but suppress a smile. ¡°Excited?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite disgusting.¡± Le patted his arm. ¡°You¡¯re quite lucky. Enjoy it.¡± With that, she headed back to the hospital room first. Mason prepared to follow, but Stefania hurried a few steps to block his path and handed him a bag. ¡°Mr. Ramirez, this is a specialty from our hometown.¡± Mason looked down at her with cold eyes. Seeing that he didn¡¯t take it, Stefania continued, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, I know you have misunderstandings about me. You always suspect that women approaching you have ulterior motives, either for your money or to seduce you. But I don¡¯t have such intentions. I really just want to apologize to you. I¡­¡± Stefania was still speaking when Mason sidestepped her and walked past. Stefania was taken aback. ¡°¡­¡± Watching him enter the hospital room, Stefania gritted her teeth, tightening her grip on the bag. In the hospital room, Le saw hime in and smiled. Dasha noticed her subtle expression and spoke to Mason, ¡°Mason, did you just go to park?¡± Mason grabbed a chair and sat down beside Dasha¡¯s bed, absentmindedly picking up an apple to peel for her. ¡°No, Auntie. I just came up with Le.¡± Curiously, Dasha asked, ¡°Then why did it take you so long toe in?¡± Mason lowered his eyes, his true emotions unreadable. ¡°I ran into the girl from the next room outside. She kept trying to get close to me with ill intentions¡­¡± Mason paused before he lifted his head and said to Dasha, ¡°Then, Le left me and ran away.¡± Dasha, ¡°¡­¡± Le stood by the windowsill, her back to the two of them, ¡°¡­¡± Mason finished speaking and cut a small piece of apple to hand to Dasha. ¡°Auntie, didn¡¯t you say she¡¯s always faithful in love? Howe she¡¯s so heartless to me?¡± Dasha reluctantly took the apple from Mason¡¯s hand, but before she could eat it, she saw Tessaing and she hurriedly said, ¡°Tessa, take me out for a walk.¡± Tessa looked puzzled, ¡°Now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been in for almost half a day. I want to go outside for some fresh air.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get the wheelchair.¡± Tessa said, helping Dasha into the wheelchair and out of the room. Once they were gone, only Le and Mason were left in the room. Le gripped the windowsill tightly, while Mason continued to peel the apple skin. After finishing peeling the apple, Mason stood up and walked to Le¡¯s side. He handed her the apple and chuckled softly, ¡°Le, how could you be so heartless, huh?¡± Le looked up at him. ¡°Why do you say everything? Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡± Mason teased, ¡°Is it more embarrassing than a girlfriend leaving me to another woman?¡± Le, ¡°¡­¡± Mason leaned in closer, ¡°Le, what if in six months your mom is so pleased with me as a son-inw that she won¡¯t allow you to break up with me?¡± Le forced herself to stay calm. ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Want to make a bet?¡± Le¡¯s palms began to sweat. ¡°What kind of bet?¡± ¡°If your mom doesn¡¯t allow you to break up with me by then, you¡¯ll listen to her.¡± Le¡¯s ears turned red, and she instinctively moved back. Sensing her intention, Mason hooked his arm around her waist and held her tightly, his voice low, ¡°I suddenly envy Hunter. When he appeared, you didn¡¯t have such defenses.¡±¡­ Dasha and Keith had divorced, and Dasha¡¯s condition had stabilized. In the evening, Le told her she was returning to Neo City. ¡°There¡¯s still a pile of work waiting for me at thepany. I¡¯lle back when you¡¯re ready for surgery.¡± Dasha felt reluctant, but she didn¡¯t show it on her face. ¡°Okay, Tessa will take care of me. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Le sat on the bed and reached out to hug Dasha. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll take you to Neo City after your surgery.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Dasha hugged Le back. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Mom, let¡¯s sell our current house then.¡± Dasha understood her thoughts and touched her hair with her hand. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s sell this house then. That way, your uncle won¡¯t have it on his mind all the time.¡± ¡°Mom, will you feel sad?¡± ¡°No sadness at all. For me, wherever you are is my home.¡± Le was so touched by Dasha¡¯s words that her eyes turned red, and she hugged her tightly. After leaving the hospital, Le stood on the steps and looked up at the night sky. She hadn¡¯t taken the time to appreciate the night view like this in years because she had been so busy paying off debts. Standing behind her, Mason with his hands in his pockets said, ¡°If you can¡¯t bear to leave her, stay for two more days.¡± Le didn¡¯t turn around to face Mason. ¡°Staying for two days or leaving tomorrow makes no difference.¡± ¡°In another month, she will be able to go to Neo City with you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A few minutester, they got into the car. That night, after getting home, Le quickly tidied up and headed into the bathroom for a shower. Mason stood by the window, listening to the sound of water from the bathroom as he dialed Caleb¡¯s number. Caleb, upon hearing that Omar hade to Yort City, scoffed, ¡°Is he mad?¡± Mason mocked, ¡°Maybe?¡± Caleb continued, ¡°If he had even a fraction of his brother¡¯s intelligence, he wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.¡± Mason chuckled lightly, ¡°The most reckless ones are often the hardest to deal with.¡± Caleb agreed, ¡°True, they always think they¡¯re clever, but who knows what stupid things he might do.¡± Curious, Caleb asked, ¡°Why did he go to Yort City? To investigate that old case?¡± Mason exined truthfully, ¡°Yeah, and then he kidnapped Keith to force me and demanded a position in the finance department.¡± ¡°Going through all that just to get into finance department?¡± Mason joked, ¡°He thinks getting into finance department means controlling The Ramirez Group.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ He might as well join the project department¡­¡± ¡°If he¡¯d demanded a spot in the projects department, I¡¯d have just told him to kill Keith.¡± Calebughed out loud, ¡°That¡¯s harsh.¡± After chatting for a bit, Caleb¡¯s tone turned serious. ¡°I¡¯ve finished investigating that thing you asked about. Turns out, the woman who was in the car ident with your dad was a bastard daughter of the Gng family. Whates next, you¡¯d better not let Le know. Le¡¯s grandfather, in his forties, fell for the family maid and that woman was born.¡± A trace of disdain shed in Mason¡¯s eyes, ¡°And then?¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Gng was a toughdy. When she found out, she quietly transferred all the family assets into her name and gave the maid two options: first, take a sum of money and leave with the child; second, let her be with old Mr. Gng, but only if he left without a penny.¡± Mason anticipated the oue, ¡°The maid chose the first option.¡± Caleb teased, ¡°Right.¡± ¡°In the adult world, there¡¯s no absolute right or wrong, just weighing pros and cons. If the pros outweigh the cons, they choose the pros. If the cons outweigh the pros, they avoid them.¡± Mason inquired further, ¡°So why did that womanter return to the Gng family? I saw a photo of her taken in the old Gng family estate.¡± Chapter 87 Have you fallen for Mason? ¡°Herees the dramatic part: that woman¡¯s mother ended upmitting suicide in the old Gng family estate.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Caleb exined, ¡°No one knows the details for sure. I heard bits from old neighbors. Apparently, one day, the maid showed up with the child and caused a scene for two days and nights. Then, shemitted suicide in the old Gng family estate.¡± Mason¡¯s curiosity peaked. He was about to ask more when the bathroom door swung open and Le stepped out. Le, enveloped in steam, wore a ck silk slip that exuded a deadly allure. Not wanting Le to hear about the Gng family¡¯s dirtyundry, Mason cut Caleb off mid-sentence. Ending the call with Caleb, Mason walked towards Le. Their eyes met, with a palpable tension in the air. ¡°Do you want to shower?¡± ¡°Do you know what it means when a woman urges a man to showerte at night?¡± It meant a special invitation. As Mason spoke, Le looked at him without saying a word. Mason headed into the bathroom, while Le returned to the bedroom. As soon as Le sat on the edge of the bed and before she could even dry her damp hair, her phone vibrated twice on the bedside table. ncing sideways, she saw a message on the screen: [No wonder you didn¡¯t agree to coborate with me; turns out, you have bigger ambitions.] The number was still encrypted, and suddenly Omar¡¯s image shed through Le¡¯s mind. When Mason returned from the shower, Le tossed the phone to him. Taking it, he nced down, smirked, and raised an eyebrow. ¡°He¡¯s not much of a threat.¡± ¡°Is it Omar?¡± Mason didn¡¯t answer, extinguishing the phone screen and cing it on the bedside table. He nced at Le¡¯s still-damp hair and asked, not addressing her earlier question, ¡°Need my help?¡± Without directly answering his question, Le got up to blow-dry her hair. ¡°No need, I can manage.¡± A momentter, the sound of the blow dryer filled the bathroom. While Le dried her hair, Mason went to the window and lit a cigarette. Halfway through, he picked up his phone and sent a message: [Wendell, Omar¡¯s been too idletely.] Wendell replied instantly: [Got it.] [He¡¯s not in good health, don¡¯t overdo it.] As Mason sent the message, Le finished drying her hair. Listening to the movement, he closed his phone and pocketed it, striding to the doorway. The moment Le entered, he scooped her up. Before Le could protest, Mason carried her straight to the bed and gently pressed down on her. Mason¡¯srge hand traced Le¡¯s waist, causing her to instinctively arch her back. ¡°We have to get up early tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah, so let¡¯s make this quick and not waste time.¡± Mason buried his head in her neckline, his voice husky and coaxing. ¡°Le, how about we go public with our rtionship once we¡¯re back in Neo City?¡± Le bit her lip tightly and remained silent. Undeterred, Mason continued, ¡°Even if it¡¯s just for six months, it¡¯s still a proper rtionship, right?¡± Mason licked her neck and Le¡¯s eyes red. ¡°Mason, what¡¯s in it for you if we go public?¡± ¡°A good mood.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°If we split up in half a year, I don¡¯t want to make a big fuss about it.¡± Upon hearing this, Mason bit into her chest, and Le¡¯s grip on his shoulder tightened, her voice too weak to argue back¡­ At dawn, Le knelt on the bed, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. Mason leaned down to kiss her delicate back, still striving for onest push¡­ The next day, their ne touched down in Neo City. Caleb was there to pick them up, and unexpectedly, Shirley was with him. Spotting Le, Shirley rushed forward and embraced her first. Caleb handed Mason a cigarette, his voice lowered. ¡°Omar spilled the beans to your grandfather about you and Le. ¡± Taking the cigarette and lighting it, Mason replied casually, ¡°How did you find out?¡± ¡°Heard it from Wendell. He¡¯s got security nted over at the old mansion. What¡¯s your n? Your grandfather, he might target Le next.¡± ¡°Would he dare?¡± ¡°What wouldn¡¯t he dare? To secure your alliance with the Powers Family, he can do anything¡­¡± Mason¡¯s gaze swept over Le. ¡°I¡¯m nning to marry Le.¡± Caleb was speechless for a moment. Then he regained hisposure and asked, ¡°So things have progressed this quickly between you two?¡± ¡°Any objections?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious. You and her, so fast¡­¡± Caleb¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Expecting Mason to divulge some kind of strategy, Caleb was taken aback when Mason drawled, ¡°She hasn¡¯t agreed yet.¡± ¡°¡­ Oh.¡± Seeing Caleb¡¯s disdainful expression, Mason turned serious. ¡°Give me half a month, I¡¯ll have a marriage certificate to show you.¡± A few minutester, in the car, Caleb openly discussed some matters concerning The Ramirez Family. Le and Shirley sat in the back, pretending not to listen. After a while, Shirley couldn¡¯t contain her curiosity and texted Le: [Rich families sure have a lot of drama.] Le: [Not our business.] Shirley: [I didn¡¯t get a chance to ask earlier, but Caleb said you and Mason are together?] Le hesitated, knowing she couldn¡¯t hide it. She decided to tell the truth: [For six months.] Shirley: [???] Le: [We agreed to only date for half a year.] Shirley looked at her in surprise, then lowered her head to text: [You guys¡­ Great¡­] Seeing Shirley¡¯s message, Le frowned.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only This matter was hard to exin, and it seemed absurd even now. Back then, how did they¡­ Certain indescribable scenes flooded Le¡¯s mind, causing her cheeks to flush suddenly. The car arrived at Mason¡¯s mansion, and the four of them got out. Mason and Caleb walked ahead, while Le and Shirley followed behind. Shirley still didn¡¯t know they were living together. She muttered quietly to Le, ¡°No wonder so many women are eager to take shortcuts. Marrying a man like Mason can lead to a lifetime of sess.¡± Le chuckled and reminded her, ¡°Remember what Caleb said in the car just now.¡± Shirley halted in her tracks, recalling what he had mentioned about The Ramirez Family in the car. She shook her head vigorously, ¡°Forget it, I prefer to earn my own keep. Some money, even if you manage to get it, doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll have the chance to spend it.¡± After dinner, Caleb had business at thepany and asked Shirley if she wanted to leave together. ¡°I¡¯ll go with Le.¡± Caleb nced down at her, a yful glint in his eyes. ¡°Le isn¡¯t going anywhere, she¡¯s staying here.¡± Upon hearing Caleb¡¯s statement, Shirley swiftly turned to look at Le, her eyes filled with disbelief. Le gripped her ss of water, meeting Shirley¡¯s gaze. She wanted to exin but with Mason and Caleb present, she could only say, ¡°I¡¯ll exinter.¡± Shirley nodded reluctantly, ¡°Alright.¡± After seeing Caleb and Shirley off, Le turned to Mason, ¡°Was Caleb doing that on purpose?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you instruct him?¡± ¡°What would I instruct him to do? Clearly, the truth alwayses out.¡± ¡°Childish.¡± Le had barely slept before dawn and although she caught up on sleep during the flight, she still felt tired and headed straight to bed to rest. Shirley¡¯s text arrived with a string of question marks: [??????] Le: [It was urgent and I haven¡¯t had the chance to tell you. Long story short, Mason and I are temporarily living together. I¡¯m sorry for not telling you earlier.] Le didn¡¯t want to tell Shirley the matters of The Ramirez Family, firstly, because she didn¡¯t want to drag her into it and secondly, it was Mason¡¯s family affair, and Le was an outsider. Shirley was quick to ept and showed no signs of annoyance at not being told sooner. She replied, [Le, I think you¡¯ve gotten yourself into something.] Le: [At most half a year.] Shirley knew Le very well. Given her personality, she wouldn¡¯t have done something like this unless she had feelings involved. Shirley asked, [Have you fallen for Mason?] Reading Shirley¡¯s message, Le¡¯s breath caught in her throat, avoiding a direct answer: [I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night. Let me rest for a bit, and we can talkter.] Shirley: [Avoiding won¡¯t solve any problems.] Le didn¡¯t respond, cing her phone down and burrowing deeper under the covers. Avoidance indeed wouldn¡¯t solve any problems. But sometimes, when there¡¯s simply no solution to the problem, avoidance might just be the best option. Le slept particrly deeply this time. When she woke up, it was already dusk outside her window. Le gazed out at the scenery, lost in thought. The sunset¡¯s lingering glow inexplicably calmed her mood. However, Le¡¯s tranquility didn¡¯tst long before the honking of a car outside shattered the atmosphere. Soon after, cries and usations filled the downstairs living room. ¡°How can you do this to Omar, your own brother? How could you be so ruthless?¡± ¡°Given his health condition, why can¡¯t you just let him be?¡± ¡°Mason, I¡¯m begging you, please spare Omar and Jeff. I promise they won¡¯t challenge you for The Ramirez Group.¡± Chapter 88 Baseless accusations ¡°I know we¡¯ve wronged you in the past, but it¡¯s been so many years. You¡¯ve been stirring things up all these years, isn¡¯t it enough?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t drag everyone down with you!!¡± The woman¡¯s cries echoed, and Le could hear every word clearly from her bedroom. Mason¡¯s cold voice followed immediately, ¡°Aunt, how can you be so sure it was me who did this to Omar?¡± The woman blurted out, ¡°Who else could it be if not you?¡± Mason replied, ¡°Everything requires evidence. using me like this isn¡¯t appropriate, is it?¡± After Mason spoke, there was a momentary silence in the noisy living room. After a few seconds, amanding voice rang out, ¡°Kneel!¡± It was The old Mr Ramirez. Hearing that voice, Le¡¯s heart skipped a beat. For some reason, she found herself unexpectedly anxious for Mason. A few minutester, Le got up and headed downstairs. Just as she reached the staircase, she saw the old Mr Ramirez sitting on the sofa. In the middle of the living room stood a woman dressed elegantly, her face tear-stained but her makeup impable-a true aristocraticdy. And there was Mason, kneeling in the middle of the room. His white shirt unbuttoned all the way down to his waist, his strong waist exposed without any doubt. Behind him stood two bodyguards, holding a two-centimeter-wide leather whip in their hands, expressionless, clearly ustomed to such tasks. The old Mr Ramirez leaned on his cane, his face stern as he stared at Mason. He took a deep breath, looking as though he hated to resort to such measures, and asked, ¡°Do you have any involvement in your brother¡¯s injury?¡± Facing his questioning, Mason¡¯s lips curled in a slight mockery. ¡°Don¡¯t you already have a judgment in your mind?¡± ¡°I want to hear it from you,¡± The old Mr Ramirez insisted. Just as Mason was about to speak, Le, standing on the steps, interjected, ¡°Even if he says it, will you believe him?¡± Her voice attracted everyone¡¯s attention, especially the old man. The anger on his face became even more apparent upon seeing her here. Once Le spoke up, she had no intention of backing down. She nced at Mason, still kneeling on the ground, then stepped down the stairs. Before she could reach Mason, Esther blocked her path. Esther held her hand and gestured urgently, but when Le didn¡¯t budge, she whispered, ¡°Miss Patel, please don¡¯t get involved in this¡­¡± Esther¡¯s words were cut short as Le calmly interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t stir up trouble.¡± Esther had worked in the Ramirez Family for a long time and knew exactly what kind of people they were. She also knew Le¡¯s position in Mason¡¯s heart. Despite Mason kneeling here, if the old Mr Ramirez dared to harm Le¡­ Before Esther could say more, the old Mr Ramirez¡¯s stern voice interrupted, ¡°Each is an ungrateful piece of shit..¡± Esther was shocked by his words and released Le. Le smiled at her and approached Mason. She bent down and helped him put on his shirt. Mason looked up at her without saying a word. Sensing his gaze, Le leaned closer to his ear and spoke in a voice only they could hear, ¡°Mason, is this all you¡¯ve got?¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s words, Mason chuckled softly and replied in the same low tone, ¡°Yeah, pretty pathetic.¡± ¡°How will you protect me then?¡± Mason¡¯s smile faded as he locked eyes with her, as if wondering the truth of her words. But Le didn¡¯t give him much time to ponder. After helping him put on his shirt, she stood upright and addressed the old Mr Ramirez. ¡°Mr Ramirez, you just said you¡¯d believe Mason if he said it wasn¡¯t him. Do you?¡± ¡°As long as he provides evidence, I¡¯ll believe it wasn¡¯t him.¡± ¡°Then does this aunt have evidence to prove Mason framed her son?¡± The old Mr Ramirez¡¯s face turned grim, remaining silent. Le mocked, turning her gaze towards the middle-aged woman beside her, ¡°Does she have witnesses? Physical evidence?¡± The old Mr Ramirez stayed silent. Le continued tauntingly, ncing at the woman, ¡°She has nothing at all?¡± The woman¡¯s expression soured. ¡°And who are you? This is our family matter; it¡¯s none of your business.¡± Le smirked politely but her eyes betrayed her amusement. ¡°Mason¡¯s fiancee.¡± The woman faltered, lost for words. Mason, still kneeling, shed a faint smile. Le couldn¡¯t help but inwardly scoff at these hypocrites who masqueraded as respectable people. This was perhaps the absurdity of the wealthy families, not evenparable to Elsa¡¯s tantrums. After a silence, the old Mr Ramirez turned his head towards Kara with irritation. ¡°Didn¡¯t you insist earlier that Mason was responsible for this?¡± Kara nodded obediently. ¡°Dad, who else could it be besides him? Omar has been unwell for years and hardly leaves the house. Who else could he have antagonized?¡± To garner sympathy from the old Mr Ramirez and align him on her side, Kara shed two perfect tears. Seeing this, Le pinched her thigh hard, her eyes reddening. ¡°So, you have no evidence at all, just baseless usations?¡± Kara was taken aback, unable to respond immediately. Since the old Mrs Ramirez passed away a few years ago, Mason¡¯s mother had also left, and none of the younger generation had married. She never expected someone to use the same tactic against her. Before Kara could recover, Le turned back to the old Mr Ramirez. ¡°Mr Ramirez, I know I haven¡¯t married Mason yet, and I may not be worthy to call you grandfather, but I still want to ask-has Mason endured years of this treatment in the Ramirez Family? Anyone can throw mud at him, and he must bow down and admit to it?¡± The old Mr Ramirez stiffened, gripping his cane tightly. Thoughts of the past years flooded his mind, leaving him feeling uneasy. Le wasn¡¯t sure how they had treated Mason over the years, but she had seen the wounds on his body before. Combined with today¡¯s events, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess Mason¡¯s situation. As she pressed him, the old Mr Ramirez¡¯s aged face grew even darker. Unable to hear his response, Le sighed wryly, ¡°A child without a mother will not be loved.¡± The old Mr Ramirez remained silent. Kara remained silent. Mason, still kneeling but struggling to hold back augh, remained silent. Finally, The old Mr Ramirez left in a huff, with Kara trailing behind, her face pale. Watching everyone leave, Esther hurried over to help Mason up from the floor. Mason ced a hand on Le¡¯s shoulder to steady himself and chuckled softly, ¡°Nice way with words.¡± Le turned to him without a smile on her face. ¡°Mason.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only ¡°If you don¡¯t feel likeughing, then don¡¯t.¡± Feelingplicated at the moment, Le didn¡¯t linger in the living room. Before heading upstairs, she asked Esther to check if Mason¡¯s knee was okay. As Le went upstairs, Esther whispered to Mason, ¡°Miss Patel was a good girl.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Elsa added, ¡°No wonder you like her so much. Just those few words she spoke for you earlier are worth your liking.¡± Like in that scene just now, anyone with eyes could see Mason was at a disadvantage. If the old Mr Ramirez had gotten angry, not only could Le and Mason¡¯s rtionship be in jeopardy, but Le might disappear from the Ramirez Group or even Neo City. Yet Le had stood up fearlessly. She wasn¡¯t someone who didn¡¯t understand weighing pros and cons, nor was she someone who didn¡¯t know how to avoid trouble. It could be seen from how she had endured insults and gossip from creditors and people around her for years, all while keeping her head down and working hard to earn money. Mason cleared his throat. ¡°Yeah.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected her to surprise him so much today. Back in her room, Ley on the bed, reying the scene in the living room and then sighing heavily as she stared at the ceiling. It felt good to act on impulse, but once she calmed down, regret set in. Especially since she had confidently dered herself Mason¡¯s fiancee. How bold could one person be to lose so much face? Mason, in a cheerful mood, stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, smoking and making a phone call to Caleb. After hearing Mason out, Caleb, surprised but teasing, remarked, ¡°You must be over the moon right now?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± Mason chuckled lightly. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect her to¡­ stand up for me.¡± ¡°Did your aunt explode today?¡± ¡°More than you can imagine.¡± Caleb continued, ¡°She¡¯s been throwing mud at you for years, counting on your unwillingness to exin. Whether you did it or not, it¡¯s always med on you.¡± Mason sneered, ¡°Let¡¯s see how much longer she can keep this up.¡± ¡°Are you prepared?¡± Mason¡¯s voice grew serious. ¡°By the day after tomorrow, I will have finished paying back his six years of upbringing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really curious, what are you aiming for? Enduring all these years just to pay back those six years the old man raised you. And those six years weren¡¯t even good¡­¡± ¡°My principle in life is not liking to owe favors,¡± Mason replied seriously. ¡°What did Wendell do to Omar?¡± Chapter 89 Are you being threatened? ¡°Nothing much, just treated him to a few sessions of extreme drifting on his way back to Neo City.¡± Mason asked calmly, ¡°Did he get hurt?¡± ¡°You said not to go overboard, right? Besides, with his condition, it¡¯s just a scare. If something happened to him because of us, it wouldn¡¯t be worth it.¡± Mason stepped over to the coffee table to flick off his cigarette ash, taunting, ¡°Just now, the old man came over and told me Omar broke his leg.¡± Caleb was momentarily stunned, ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I heard he¡¯s in the emergency room now.¡± Caleb responded, ¡°I can guarantee you Wendell wouldn¡¯t do something so reckless.¡± ¡°I know that,¡± Mason replied. Caleb continued over the phone, ¡°Omar has been getting crazier these years. I even suspect it wasn¡¯t Jeff and you who went crazy back then, but him.¡± Mason didn¡¯t want to dwell on the past and sneered, ¡°He seems pretty reckless now.¡± Caleb remarked thoughtfully, ¡°Do you think he really broke his leg?¡± ¡°Definitely real.¡± ¡°Crazy.¡± ¡°He¡¯s gotta die one way or another. He want to help Jeff.¡± ¡°Your family is reallyplicated,¡± Calebmented. After a few more exchanges, Mason instructed Caleb to keep an eye on Omar. Caleb joked, ¡°I¡¯ve been watching him. If I had a girlfriend, she¡¯d be jealous seeing me pay so much attention to a man.¡± Thinking of something, Mason asked, ¡°Have you been getting close to Shirleytely?¡± Caleb teased, ¡°Yeah. Honestly, I¡¯ve never seen anyone owing debts being so self-righteous. If it weren¡¯t for Le¡¯s sake, I would¡¯ve thrown her in jail long ago.¡± ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°What favor?¡± Mason chuckled softly, ¡°Tell her about how miserable I¡¯ve been these years. Get her to say a few good things about me in front of Le.¡± Caleb thought: Shameless. Seeing Caleb hesitate, Mason asked in a low voice, ¡°Not willing?¡± ¡°Willing, very willing,¡± Caleb lied. Before ending the call, Caleb queried, ¡°Are you really that into her?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mason affirmed seriously. Caleb chuckled, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re truly lovesick now.¡± ¡­ Back in her room, Le couldn¡¯t sleep. It wasn¡¯t until Esther came up at noon to call her for lunch that she reluctantly snapped out of her thoughts. Le adjusted her mood and headed downstairs. Mason noticed her and served a bowl of soup for her. She looked up at Mason and cleared her throat. ¡°Mason.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Mason replied, looking up. ¡°About what I said this morning, don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Le said softly. Mason chuckled lightly, ¡°Are you trying to take it back?¡± ¡°Not taking it back, it¡¯s just¡­ the situation this morning¡­¡± Le struggled for words, unsure how to exin herself. ¡°Thank you for this morning,¡± He finally managed. Le couldn¡¯t help but clench the spoon in her hand. After calming herself a bit, she said, ¡°Have you been like this all these years?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Mason replied. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you resist? With your abilities, there¡¯s no need to endure such humiliation,¡± Le frowned. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t be bothered,¡± Mason leaned back in his chair. ¡°It¡¯s not always unjust usations. Out of ten times, at least seven times I actually did it. My grandfather tends to lean towards my uncle, Kara, Omar, and Jeff.¡± ¡°So you¡¯d rather take a beating than waste time exining and proving yourself,¡± Le observed as Mason finished.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Mason smiled and said, ¡°Le, life is long and you have to remember, winning in matters you shouldn¡¯t win is not worth itpared to losing in matters you shouldn¡¯t lose. You always have to weigh the pros and cons.¡± ¡°Is this the mindset of a businessman?¡± Le asked. Mason nodded, ¡°If you want to retaliate against someone, don¡¯t just think about striking back at the harm they¡¯ve caused you. Instead, go on the offensive and hit their weakest spot. If they want fame, deny it to them. If they want profit, make sure there¡¯s no profit¡­¡± Le remained silent. Mason looked at her with a low chuckle, ¡°Le, do you pity me?¡± Le didn¡¯t answer. Leaning closer, Mason lightly touched her lips with his finger, teasingly suggesting, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a woman¡¯s initial attraction to a man starts with admiration or sympathy. Are you leaning towards thetter with me?¡± Le¡¯s breath quickened. She had to admit, Mason knew how to flirt. As his finger moved from her lips to her chin, Mason continued, the smirk deepening in his eyes, ¡°Le, I¡¯ve suffered too much istion and injustice because of one person in the past. Now that I have you, could you help me? Just focus on helping me deal with Kara.¡± Le found herself unable to refuse outright. They locked eyes for a long moment before Mason chuckled softly, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± After lunch, Le made an excuse to leave and went back to her previous apartment to gather a few changes of clothes. Meanwhile, Caleb was efficient as always. Confused, Shirley sat opposite Caleb with a wary look. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have said whatever it is over the phone?¡± ¡°What do you think of Mason?¡± Caleb asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shirley frowned. After hesitating for a moment, Caleb said, ¡°Actually, Mason is a pretty decent guy.¡± Shirley frowned deeper, ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡± Caleb followed Mason¡¯s instructions and began, ¡°He had a tough life from an early age-father died in a car ident, mother left chasing after true love, leaving him and his brother to fend for themselves. But then his brother died in the kidnapping case a few years ago¡­¡± Shirley didn¡¯t speak, thinking to herself: It sounds tragic, but what is he trying to say? As Caleb finished, seeing Shirley unmoved, he leaned forward abruptly and said, ¡°So, you have nothing to say about this?¡± Shirley felt ufortable with Caleb¡¯s sudden proximity. She leaned back and blurted out something even she found hard to believe, ¡°Are you asking me to donate money to him?¡± Caleb paused, unsure how to respond. Taking a deep breath, Caleb sighed, ¡°I finally understand why you lost your job.¡± Curious, Shirley asked, ¡°Why?¡± Caleb chuckled at her naivety, ¡°With your intellect, it¡¯s a miracle you¡¯ve survived this long.¡± Later, as Shirley left Caleb¡¯s ce, she immediately called Le. ¡°Guess what Caleb wanted from me just now? I guess he wanted me to praise Mason before you.¡± Le, packing clothes into her suitcase, chuckled, ¡°And then?¡± Shirley scoffed, ¡°And then? I yed dumb, of course.¡± Le asked, ¡°Did he not realize you were pretending?¡± Shirley replied, ¡°Nope. He¡¯s so conceited about his intelligence, he always assumes others are inferior to him.¡± Pausing for a moment, Shirley added, ¡°If one day I keep talking about Mason¡¯s virtues in front of you, it would only be because I truly believe he loves you and can care for you forever, not because of anyone else¡¯s influence.¡± ¡°I believe that,¡± Le replied. After ending the call with Shirley, Le continued packing her clothes. Just then, a message popped up on her phone screen: [Miss Patel, I envy you for having Mr. Ramirez as your boyfriend. Can you let him go to me?] Upon reading the message, Le squinted her eyes. Someone envied her having Mason as a boyfriend, so they wanted her to give him up? She ignored the childish message, but another one quickly followed: [Miss Patel, if Mr. Ramirez were my boyfriend, would the kidney you wanted for your mother belong to me too?] Dasha was definitely Le¡¯s weak spot. Le¡¯s face hardened, and she quickly replied: [Stefania, are you asking for trouble?] After sending that message, there was no response. Le stared at her phone screen for a moment, a sense of unease creeping over her. On her way back, Le couldn¡¯t shake off her anxiety. Upon entering the house, she headed straight for Mason. Mason had juste up from the gym and showered, wearing a loose bathrobe. Seeing the tension in her expression, he asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Le hurried upstairs, slightly out of breath. After steadying herself, she said, ¡°Mason, is the kidney source for my mom reliable?¡± Mason answered confidently, ¡°It¡¯s reliable.¡± Le continued, ¡°Will there be any unexpected incidents halfway through?¡± Mason reassured her, ¡°No, there won¡¯t be.¡± Hearing Mason¡¯s words, Le¡¯s anxious heart settled a bit. Noticing her unease, Mason strode forward, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Looking up at him, Le suddenly tiptoed and grabbed Mason¡¯s cor, kissing him. Mason¡¯s body stiffened for a moment. In their rtionship, Mason always held the upper hand. Le¡¯s kiss was hesitant, her tiptoes trembling after some time. Seeing her struggle, Mason reached out and steadied her slender waist, chuckling. Le blushed, her ears turning red, ¡°Mason.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Le¡¯s voice trembled slightly, ¡°This kidney source is really important to me.¡± She spoke with utmost seriousnes. ¡°Did someone say something to you?¡± Le and Mason locked eyes, and there were some things she couldn¡¯t say. After a while, Mason sighed, leaned over, picked her up, and sat her down on hisp face-to-face, and asked helplessly, ¡°Can we talk?¡± ¡°Mason.¡± Mason leaned closer, affectionately brushing his lips against hers, ¡°Are you being threatened? Worried that your mom¡¯s kidney source might bepromised?¡± Chapter 90 I’ll be your confidence Le didn¡¯t deny it, ¡°Yes.¡± Mason¡¯s hands rested gently on Le¡¯s waist, pulling her closer, ¡°Le, logically, I¡¯ve promised you, and I won¡¯t go back on my word. Personally, I want to be with you, I want to make you happy, these are all my ways of winning your affection.¡± Mason was straightforward, and Le stared at him unblinkingly. ¡°If someone tries to seduce you¡­¡± she started. Masonughed, ¡°So, you kissed me just now?¡± Le¡¯s cheeks suddenly turned red. She didn¡¯t have such thoughts, her previous action waspletely subconscious. But she can¡¯t exin clearly at the moment. Mason¡¯s fingers slipped under her clothes and lightly squeezed her thigh, affirming, ¡°Hmm, not a bad idea.¡± Le blushed even more at his words. Rarely seeing Le embarrassed like this, Mason leaned close to her ear, his voice low and warm, ¡°Le, I don¡¯t know about others, but I really like you.¡± Mason¡¯s warm breath caused Le to shiver slightly. Sensing her reaction, Mason teased, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, I might think you¡¯re hinting at something.¡± Le tightened her grip on Mason¡¯s cor, calming herself for about half a minute. Then she turned her head to look at him, ¡°I always feel like I¡¯m using you.¡± Mason replied, ¡°I¡¯m willingly being used.¡± Their eyes met, and in Mason¡¯s smiling eyes, Le saw sincerity. For a moment, she clearly felt a crack in the wall she had built deep inside her for a long time. Le took a deep breath, ¡°Mason.¡± Mason chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t rush to refuse or be moved. When ites to feelings, we need to take it slow to see each other¡¯s true intentions.¡± The conversation had reached a point where they were beingpletely honest with each other. From that drunken night to their recent entanglement. She wasn¡¯t stupid and could feel his every move. ¡°Give me some time.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s words, Mason chuckled, spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve already given you plenty of time?¡± Le didn¡¯t catch it, ¡°What?¡± Mason lifted his head, extended his hand, and cupped the back of Le¡¯s head, kissing her at the corner of her lips, ¡°Le, feel free to use me, lean on me. Don¡¯t hold back, don¡¯t worry about whates next.¡± Le couldn¡¯t help it, ¡°What are you after?¡± Mason was straightforward, ¡°I¡¯m after you.¡± When Mason kissed her again, Le didn¡¯t struggle or refuse. ¡°I understand you. You¡¯re capable, determined, and skillful. You always n ahead, but what youck is confidence. Because youck sufficient social background, no matter how capable you are, progress is always difficult.¡± After Mason finished speaking, he squeezed her nape and said seriously, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be your confidence.¡± Le rested her chin on his shoulder in silence. ¡°After all these years, don¡¯t you want to y big?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Mason said, ¡°Come y with the Ramirez Family. I¡¯ll show you how to y big.¡± Le asked cautiously, ¡°Will it be dangerous?¡± Mason reassured her, ¡°No, if it everes to that, I¡¯ll do everything to protect you.¡± Some men make promises that you immediately doubt they can keep. But not Mason. Le inexplicably believed that since he said it, he would do it. Le epted Mason¡¯s proposal. Maybe because she knew she was already stuck in the Ramirez Family¡¯s quagmire and couldn¡¯t escape. Maybe, as Mason said, she had been stifled for years and needed an outlet. Or perhaps, she couldn¡¯t bear to see him go alone¡­ The next day. During breakfast downstairs, Le looked up at Mason and asked, ¡°Does Omar being hospitalized have anything to do with you?¡± Mason didn¡¯t hide it, ¡°I did arrange for someone to scare him, but his leg, that was his own doing, a ploy for sympathy.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a ruthless man.¡± Mason lightly mocked, ¡°To frame me, he¡¯s now risking life and limb.¡± ¡°When you have time, I¡¯ll apany you to the hospital to see him.¡± Mason looked at her suspiciously, ¡°Hmm?¡± Le calmly said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard that saying? ¡®Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.''¡± Mason joked, ¡°Makes sense.¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Le said, ¡°Kara¡¯s little tricks, you might not bother to retaliate, but you still should. Don¡¯t worry too much, just treat it as a pastime when you¡¯re bored. Just go along with me.¡± Mason didn¡¯t expect Le¡¯s drastic change overnight, lightlyughing, ¡°Getting into character so quickly?¡± Le took a tissue and wiped her mouth, ¡°Themission from Premier Construction came too easily for me. I need to make sure you feel the money was well spent.¡± Mason tapped his spoon handle on the table, ¡°Le, are you allergic to romance?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°This atmosphere, this asion, shouldn¡¯t you say something like, the reason you¡¯re doing this is because you care about me?¡± As Mason¡¯s words fell, the two locked eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have a habit of lying.¡± Mason saw through her, ¡°Do you not have a habit of lying, or have you lied so much that you¡¯ve deceived yourself?¡± Le, ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, Mason¡¯s phone on the dining table rang. On the other end of the line, Ryan said, ¡°Boss, Dr. Hans did something.¡± Upon mentioning Dr. Hans, Mason guessed it must be rted to the kidney source. Connecting it to Le¡¯s unusual behavior from yesterday, he stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°He¡¯s using his family connections to investigate the kidney source in your hands.¡± Mason sneered, ¡°Let him investigate.¡± ¡°Should we intervene?¡± Mason replied gravely, ¡°No need to intervene. People like him won¡¯t give up.¡± Ryan agreed, ¡°Understood.¡± With one hand in his pocket, Mason continued the conversation with Ryan near the window. Just before hanging up, he warned, ¡°Take good care of Auntie. Don¡¯t let anything unexpected happen, or else¡­¡± Mason didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but Ryan still felt a chilling threat through the phone. He quickly reassured, ¡°Rest assured, even if something happens to me, she won¡¯t be affected.¡± After hearing Ryan¡¯s response, Mason smirked lightly and ended the call. Returning to the dining table, Mason closed his phone and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been honest about everything I should be. Shouldn¡¯t you be more forting with me?¡± ¡°What do you want to know?¡± ¡°What happened yesterday afternoon?¡± Le looked into Mason¡¯s eyes, paused for a few seconds, then pulled out her phone from her pocket and opened the messages from yesterday, passing the phone to him. Mason took it, nced at the screen, his eyes full of mockery, ¡°Is this Stefania?¡± Le spected, ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°She¡¯s quite confident in herself.¡± ¡°The confidence of people like her often stems from previous sessful experiences.¡± Mason teased, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d fall for her cheap tricks?¡± Le looked directly at Mason, calmly stating, ¡°Many times, many things are just spur-of-the-moment.¡± Mason¡¯s tone was firm, ¡°There will never be spur-of-the-moment actions with me. Whatever I do, whenever I do it, it¡¯s always the result of careful consideration.¡± Le thought for a moment, then countered, ¡°What about our first time?¡± Le intended to challenge Mason¡¯s statement. Little did she know, after her words, Mason looked at her and replied, ¡°How do you know I didn¡¯t carefully consider that night?¡± Le was stunned, unable to respond. Driving towards thepany, Mason¡¯s words echoed in Le¡¯s mind for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until the car entered the underground parking lot that Le snapped back to reality. Afterposing herself, Le pushed open the car door, took the elevator up, and arrived at the project department. It had been a few days since shest came, and as soon as she entered the office, Joshua followed in with a stack of files in his arms. Le took the files without looking at them, then looked up at Joshua and asked, ¡°There was a project with a contract value of seventy million, we settled fifty million, still missing twenty million, it¡¯s been dragging for half a year now. When will it be settled? Have you followed up?¡± This project was the biggest among all the ¡°legacy issues,¡± and Joshua didn¡¯t expect Le to suddenly ask about it. He hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°We followed upst week, but the other party said¡­¡± Le didn¡¯t bother to listen to what the other party said. If someone doesn¡¯t want to pay, they cane up with eighty legitimate excuses. Before Joshua could finish, Le raised her hand to stop him, ¡°Set up a lunch appointment for me today with that Mr. Mickle.¡± Joshua looked hesitant, ¡°That might be difficult. He¡¯s been avoiding us recently¡­¡± ¡°Joshua, do your job. This little matter, I trust in your abilities.¡± Le¡¯s words left Joshua speechless. With an awkward smile on his face, Joshua managed, ¡°Miss Patel, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try, make sure it happens.¡± After saying that, she gestured for Joshua to leave. Just as Joshua took a couple of steps away, Le called out from behind, ¡°Joshua.¡± ¡°Miss Patel, is there something else?¡± Le¡¯s lips curved into a smile, ¡°Tell Mr. Mickle, if he doesn¡¯t see me today, our next meeting might be in court.¡± Chapter 91 Twenty million After leaving Le¡¯s office, Joshua felt a cold sweat forming on his forehead. Nervously, he made a phone call. ¡°It seems like Le has found out something.¡± ¡°Did she talk to you?¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Joshua recounted his conversation with Le word for word. After finishing, Joshua worried about bing a scapegoat like hisst superior, trying to please, ¡°I have a feeling this Le is trouble¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to panic. Even if she finds something, yourst superior already took the me. It won¡¯t fall on you.¡± Joshua breathed a sigh of relief but couldn¡¯t force a smile, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Keep me updated on anything. And remember, don¡¯t say anything you shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± On the other end, after Joshua left, Le picked up her phone and sent Mason a message: [Visiting Omar in the hospital after work tonight?] Mason replied, [That harsh?] Le: [I want to get to know him better.] Mason: [Alright.] Upon receiving Mason¡¯s message, Le paused briefly before sending another: [I¡¯m nning to deal with Joshua.] Mason: [He¡¯s just a pawn, keeping him around is useless.] Le: [Even pawns sometimes have unexpected major uses.] Mason: [??] Le: [Didn¡¯t you tell me to y big?] Seeing Le¡¯s message, Mason was in a meeting. He absentmindedly tapped his lips with his fingers, a smile creeping onto his face as he replied: ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± Later that afternoon, Le met Mr. Mickle in a reserved restaurant booth. Upon seeing Le, Mr. Mickle warmly approached and shook her hand, then exined his current difficulties. ¡°Miss Patel, honestly, I¡¯m truly sorry about this outstanding debt.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve coborated with the Ramirez Group for many years without ever encountering this situation before. This is truly unexpected.¡± ¡°Mr. Mickle, I understand your situation. In business, there are always ups and downs, financial constraints are normal.¡± Hearing Le¡¯s understanding, Mr. Mickle¡¯s smile deepened slightly, thinking she was quite reasonable. Le smiled, looking at him sincerely. ¡°Mr. Mickle, I heard recently that you bought a vi worth eight hundred million in full payment?¡± Mr. Mickle¡¯s smile froze. ¡°Miss Patel, what do you mean by that?¡± Le calmly pulled out a document from her bag and handed it to him. ¡°Coincidentally, I have a friend in banking. Beforeing here, I checked for you. With your credit, mortgaging this vi for twenty million ispletely feasible.¡± Mr. Mickle stared dumbfounded at the bank loan application Le ced in front of him. Le continued with a straightforward expression, seemingly genuinely concerned for him. ¡°Mr. Mickle, take a look if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand. Feel free to ask me. As you¡¯ve said, your coboration with ourpany has been longstanding. A debt like this shouldn¡¯t tarnish your reputation.¡± ¡°This mortgage is well-consulted in advance-low interest, long repayment period. If your finances improve someday, early repayment won¡¯t incur penalties.¡± Le¡¯s smile was confident and persuasive. Mr. Mickle¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Miss Patel, are you joking with me?¡± Le¡¯s expression remained serious. ¡°Not at all.¡± With that, she ced a pen beside the loan application, pushing it closer to him. ¡°Mr. Mickle, take your time to review. I¡¯ll start ordering our food.¡± Le ordered dishes that suited Mr. Mickle¡¯s taste perfectly. Through the first three dishes, Mr. Mickle didn¡¯t catch on, but by the fourth, he couldn¡¯t help but scrutinize her anew. With eight courses between them, it seemed a bit extravagant and wasteful, butpared to twenty million, it hardly seemed worth mentioning. As the waiter took the menu away, Mr. Mickle leaned back in his chair, giving Le a knowing look. ¡°Miss Patel, you came prepared today,¡± Mr. Mickle said, cutting to the chase. Le didn¡¯t beat around the bush. She smiled lightly and replied, ¡°Mr. Mickle, I know it was bold of me to reach out to you. I hope you¡¯re not upset.¡± Mr. Mickle smiled knowingly and waited for her next move. ¡°If I had any other way, I wouldn¡¯t dare trouble a valued client like you. Honestly, when ites to new management, it¡¯s been all uphill for me.¡± Mr. Mickle understood Le¡¯s predicament . In the beginning, her predecessor left behind quite a mess, and everyone in their circle knew it. Mr. Mickle was shrewd; he listened quietly, asionally nodding with a hint of a smile, but he didn¡¯t give in easily. Le remained patient. She stood up, raised her ss to Mr. Mickle, and said, ¡°Mr. Mickle, having you help me tackle such a big problem on our first meeting, I don¡¯t know what to say except thank you.¡± ¡°Miss Patel, I haven¡¯t agreed to anything yet,¡± Mr. Mickle replied. ¡°Mr. Mickle, you¡¯re smart. Working together can be mutually beneficial. Think about it. In the past six months, how much business have you lost with The Ramirez Group for this twenty million?¡± Her words began to shake Mr. Mickle¡¯s resolve. ¡°Mr. Mickle, if you keep resisting, I¡¯ll have to involve legal action to recover the debt. And as long as I¡¯m the project manager at the Ramirez Group, I won¡¯t cooperate with you again. It¡¯s not because of anything else, but I really don¡¯t have the energy to chase you for payments every day.¡± Mr. Mickle listened, visibly moved. After a moment, Le took the wine bottle and poured herself a ss. Seeing this, Mr. Mickle picked up his own ss and toasted her calmly. ¡°Miss Patel, here¡¯s to a prosperous partnership in the future.¡± Le looked down and met his gaze, her smile deepening. ¡°A prosperous partnership.¡± Business partnerships have always been about weighing the pros and cons. There are no permanent friends or permanent enemies. Initially, Mr. Mickle worked with the former project manager for a reason: it was profitable. Now that the other party had left, he understood that dying wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Even if he knew there wereplex rtionships involved behind the scenes, he wasn¡¯t foolish. His coboration with the Ramirez Group was just business; there was no need to risk everything to protect someone else¡¯s interests. After dinner, Mr. Mickle arranged for the finance department to transfer the 20 million. Back at the office, Le was greeted by Joshua, who hurried over. ¡°Miss Patel,¡± Joshua began, catching her as she walked towards her office. Having had quite a bit to drink at lunch, but not overly intoxicated, Le rubbed her temples. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, continuing into her office. Joshua followed, ¡°The twenty million from Mr. Mickle¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s already been transferred,¡± Le interrupted. Hearing this, Joshua feigned relief. ¡°That¡¯s good. Didn¡¯t expect it to go so smoothly.¡± Le pushed open her office door, ignoring Joshua as she headed to the water cooler. ¡°Yes.¡± Pouring herself a ss of cold water, Le took a sip, turned to Joshua. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Caught by Le¡¯s direct gaze, Joshua seemed uneasy. ¡°Miss Patel, I¡­¡± Le walked back to her desk with the water cup in hand, sat down, and said, ¡°If there¡¯s something, just say it. I don¡¯t like beating around the bush.¡± Taking a deep breath, Joshua pulled out a card from his pocket and ced it on Le¡¯s desk. Seeing this, Le raised an eyebrow. ¡°Hmm?¡± Joshua¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°Miss Patel, this is difficult to admit, but before you joined, I received a gift card from Mr. Mickle.¡± Le joked, ¡°Bribery?¡± ¡°No, absolutely not,¡± Joshua hurriedly exined. ¡°It just happened to coincide with a holiday, and then Mr. Mickle¡­¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s not bribery, there¡¯s no need to be so nervous,¡± Le remarked. With that, she pushed the gift card back towards Joshua. Looking at the pushed-back gift card, Joshua hesitated whether to take it or not. Le smiled as if she hadn¡¯t been concerned about the matter. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, go back to work. This trivial matter couldn¡¯t possibly have caused Mr. Mickle to dy returning the twenty million.¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Joshua replied. Seeing that Le had no further intention of discussing the matter, Joshua turned and left. Le leaned forward and tapped the desk with her fingers. ¡°Joshua, the gift card.¡± Joshua turned back and picked up the gift card. ¡°Thank you, Miss Patel.¡± Le watched him with a smile but said nothing. After leaving Le¡¯s office, Joshua took out his phone and sent a message to an unlisted number: [She¡¯s managed to recover the twenty million from Mr. Mickle. Doesn¡¯t seem like she suspects me.] The message was sent, but there was no immediate reply. After about half a minute, the response came: [I told you earlier, she wouldn¡¯t suspect you.] Meanwhile, as Joshua left, Le¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile. A mere gift card was supposed to dispel her previous suspicions about his irrational behavior? Did they really think she was naive? Chapter 92 Visit Omar Nearing the end of the day, Le received a message from Mason. Mason: [Heading to the hospital after work?] Le quickly replied: [Yes.] Mason: [Waiting for you in the parking lot?] Le: [Okay. I¡¯ll ride with you. I had drinks at lunch.] After a short dy, Mason responded: [Alright.] Mason¡¯s been out meeting clients all day and had just returned, unaware of Le¡¯s lunch appointment with Mr. Mickle. After texting Le, Mason casually adjusted his tie and asked Daniel, ¡°Did Le go out for lunch?¡± ¡°Yes, she had lunch with Mr. Mickle and managed to recover the twenty million.¡± Upon hearing that Le had recovered the twenty million owed from six months ago, Mason chuckled lightly. ¡°All that from one meal?¡± Daniel confirmed, ¡°That¡¯s what I heard. This afternoon, everyone in thepany is talking about it, praising Miss Patel.¡± Mason raised his headzily and asked, ¡°Daniel, what do you think of Le?¡± Daniel nervously took a deep breath before responding, ¡°You and her seem very well-matched, Boss.¡± Mason teased, ¡°Is that all?¡± Daniel knew Mason might be asking about something else, but he dared not say anything else besides his initial answer. ¡°Really, Boss. I didn¡¯t think much of it before, but the more I see, the more it seems like you and Miss Patel are a perfect match, like you were meant for each other.¡± ¡°Daniel.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotten a lot smarter now.¡± Daniel thought to himself, I never thought being an executive assistant would be this tough¡­ At 6:50 in the afternoon, to avoid colleagues seeing her in Mason¡¯s car, Le intentionally left work twenty minuteste. She took the elevator directly to the underground parking lot. Just as she stepped off the elevator, she spotted Mason talking to Daniel. She couldn¡¯t hear what they were discussing, but Daniel looked extremely embarrassed. When Daniel saw Le, he seemed relieved, his eyes were blinking desperately. Le understood and walked over. Mason had his back to Le, so he didn¡¯t see her approaching. Seeing Leing closer, Daniel stood up straight, and his voice greeting her was louder than usual. ¡°Miss Patel, what a coincidence. Did you just finish work too?¡± Le yed along with him, ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Mason nced at her, then at Daniel, and smiled, ¡°Nice coordination.¡± Le remained silent. Daniel also remained silent. Fortunately, Mason just snorted lightly and said, ¡°Car keys.¡± Daniel didn¡¯t want to stay in this troublesome ce for a moment longer. He quickly handed the car keys to Mason respectfully. ¡°Boss.¡± Taking the car keys, Mason naturally reached out to put his arm around Le. Le initially wanted to avoid it, but Mason looked at her. ¡°Daniel is not an outsider. He knows we¡¯re dating.¡± Mason met her gaze, and the smile in his eyes slowly became gloomy. Seeing this, Le¡¯s heart suddenly tightened. Somehow, she felt like she had disappointed him. Half a secondter, Le looked away from his eyes, took a deep breath, turned, and walked to the passenger side to open the car door. ¡°Get in, it¡¯s gettingte.¡± Mason stood behind her, watching her back. He tightened his grip on the car keys in his hand. They didn¡¯t exchange a single word from The Ramirez Group to the hospital. It wasn¡¯t until the car reached the hospital that Mason unbuckled his seatbelt, ready to open the door. Le reached out and grabbed his arm. ¡°Mason.¡± Mason nced down at her hand on his arm. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Le hesitated. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± Mason leaned his entire bodynguidly back toward the seat, ¡°Okay.¡± After about half a minute, Le hadn¡¯t figured out how to start. Mason reached out, hooked his arm around her waist, and pulled her towards him, settling her onto hisp. Looking down at the person in hisp, Mason sighed helplessly, securing his hands around her waist and resting his forehead against hers. ¡°Le¡­¡± Mason¡¯s voice was low and tinged with a hint of grievance. ¡°Did you promise to date me for six months?¡± Realizing what he was asking, Le didn¡¯t respond. Seeing her silence, Mason didn¡¯t rush for an answer. He continued, ¡°I said, I want us to be in a rtionship with acknowledgment, and you promise me that you would make keep us public.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t promise that.¡± Le had never been forced by any man to admit to a rtionship, and her cheeks reddened involuntarily. ¡°You did, but I didn¡¯t promise to make it public.¡± Mason chuckled in exasperation. ¡°If you don¡¯t make it public, then aren¡¯t we just in an unacknowledged rtionship?¡± Faced with Mason¡¯s probing, Le chose to remain silent. They locked eyes for a moment, and Mason sighed heavily. His hand around her waist moved up to her neck, and he kissed her at the corner of her lips, tangling his lips with hers. ¡°Le, can we at least let our acquaintances know about us in these six months?¡± When Le didn¡¯t respond, Mason¡¯s voice grew hoarse. ¡°If you really don¡¯t want to, then forget it. I just¡­¡± Mason paused abruptly. ¡°Okay. Acquaintances we both know, like Daniel, Shirley, Samuel, Caleb¡­¡± ¡°Can my friends also know about us?¡± Without waiting for Le to object, Mason continued, ¡°They¡¯re all my close friends.¡± Le could only agree, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Am I putting you in a tough spot?¡± Le spoke honestly, ¡°No.¡± If they were in a normal rtionship, Mason¡¯s requests would bepletely reasonable. In fact, if he didn¡¯t want to go public, she would feel a bit resentful. However, they weren¡¯t in a normal rtionship. Six months. The duration of this rtionship was just too short¡­ A few minutester, Mason and Le got out of the car. Mason walked to the trunk and pulled out several gift boxes, then interlocked his fingers with Le¡¯s as they headed towards the orthopedic VIP ward where Omar was staying. At the door stood seven or eight bodyguards, instantly on high alert as Mason approached. The hospital room door opened from the inside, and Kara stepped out with a smile on her face. However, upon seeing Mason, she faltered. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing here?¡± But in a moment, she quickly recovered her smile, ¡°Mason, why did youe here?¡± She nced at Mason, then at Le. ¡°You must be Le, right? We didn¡¯t even get a chance to know each other yesterday.¡± Observing Kara¡¯s behavior, Le mentally gave her a thumbs-up. Yesterday¡¯s situation was brushed off so casually by her as if it were just a rushed meeting. Le smiled back. ¡°Aunt Kara.¡± Kara looked back at Mason, curious about his purpose at the hospital. ¡°Mason, did youe here for something today?¡± Mason remainedposed. ¡°To see Omar.¡± ¡°To see Omar?.¡± After a pause, Kara added, ¡°You have indeed grown up.¡± Mason chuckled softly. ¡°It¡¯s been so many years; I ought to have grown up.¡± Understanding Mason¡¯s unspoken meaning, Kara pretended not to notice and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve always told you, in this world, no one is as important as family. Only family truly cares for you. It seems you finally understand my good intentions.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°¡­¡±All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Normally, Mason wouldn¡¯t bother to engage in conversation with Kara. Even if he did, he would leave her speechless after just a few exchanges. But today¡­ Kara couldn¡¯t help but nce at Le a couple of times, sensing Mason¡¯s change was somehow rted to the person before her. Since Mason mentioned visiting Omar at the hospital, Kara couldn¡¯t keep him standing in the hallway indefinitely. After a while, she led them into the ward. ¡°He¡¯s still lying in bed, unable to move. We don¡¯t know how long it will take for him to recover.¡± Kara walked ahead, Mason and Le following behind. The two exchanged a nce, and Le gently squeezed Mason¡¯s slender fingers, ¡°Aunt Kara, don¡¯t worry. He should recover soon.¡± They arrived at the hospital room. As Mason suspected, Omar truly went all out to frame him. His leg was indeed broken, and it was clear he had suffered quite a bit. Hey on the hospital bed, his face pale. Kara stepped forward and gently tapped Omar, who was dozing. ¡°Omar, Mason¡¯s here to see you.¡± Mason watched behind her with a hint of derision in his eyes. Seeing this, Le shot him a warning re and mouthed, ¡°Get your grandfather toe to the hospital now.¡± Le¡¯s request came suddenly. After saying it, she hesitated for a few seconds before continuing with her mouth, ¡°Is it convenient?¡± Mason smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± The next moment, Mason took out his phone from his pocket and sent a message. Meanwhile, Omar¡¯s voice, apanied by intermittent coughs, came from the bed. ¡°Cough¡­ Mason¡­¡± ¡°Mom, cough¡­ tell them to stay away from me. I started fever and coughingst night. Don¡¯t infect them.¡± Kara patted his back, saying to him but meant for Mason and Le to hear, ¡°Alright, you still worried about Mason.¡± Chapter 93 Apologize to Mason Kara¡¯s remark was quite sophisticated. It implied that Omar had always cared deeply for Mason. At the same time, it indirectly reflected Mason¡¯s current attitude towards Omar as indifferent and sharp-tongued. Seeing no one behind her responded, her expression turned slightly grim. Seeing her expression, Omar lying in the hospital bed pulled her clothes with his hand. Kara met his gaze, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°Mason, you two, have a seat.. I¡¯ll get you both a ss of water.¡± Saying that, Kara walked to the water dispenser and poured a ss of water for Mason and Le each. Kara couldn¡¯t figure out what Mason wanted to do at the hospital today, feeling a vague sense of unease. After handing the water sses to Mason and Le, Kara turned to look at Omar. Omar spoke, ¡°Mason, cough¡­ I heard my mom went to your ce yesterday and caused a scene?¡± Mason looked up at the sound, ¡°Indeed, Aunt Kara thought your injury was rted to me.¡± Omar said, ¡°It¡¯s indeed my mom¡¯s fault. She¡¯s just worried about me. Don¡¯t me her. I apologize on her behalf.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Mason was about to say something when he heard Le speak before him, ¡°So, you¡¯ve actually known all along that this has nothing to do with Mason, right?¡± Omar was stunned. Le met his gaze, mixing sincerity with a hint of helplessness, ¡°Since you know the truth, could you please exin it to your grandfather?¡± Omar hesitated. Kara, standing aside, worried that Omar would agree, hastily said, ¡°Le, this matter hasn¡¯t been concluded yet¡­¡± Hearing Kara¡¯s words, Le turned to her and countered with what she had just said, ¡°Omar has always cared deeply for Mason since childhood. Since this matter hasn¡¯t been concluded yet, seeing Mason falsely used by his grandfather must be harder for him.¡± With that said, Le looked back at Omar, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Omar struggled under Le¡¯s gaze to finally spit out one word, ¡°Yes.¡± Omar finished speaking, followed by a violent fit of coughing. Towards the end, his body on the hospital bed curled up, and he quickly grabbed a handkerchief from beside the pillow to cover his mouth. Seeing this, Kara hurried forward to help him pat his back. ¡°How are you? Should I call the doctor?¡± Omar couldn¡¯t speak through his coughs but waved his hand to signal he didn¡¯t need one. Meanwhile, Mason and Le were quite rxed. Mason leaned back on the couch and reached out to hook Le¡¯s waist, whispering in a voice only they could hear, ¡°Looks like he¡¯s really pissed off.¡± Le turned her head to look at Mason. ¡°Am I making him angry? Wasn¡¯t everything I said just the truth?¡± smile deepened. ¡°Yeah, indeed. You were just stating the facts.¡± After Mason spoke, Omar on the hospital bed gradually calmed down. Kara watched him take a long breath and stood up straight, turning to speak to the two of them, ¡°Mason, Le, maybe you should go back for now¡­¡± Suddenly, outside the ward, several guards spoke with strong voices. ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez had a deep, powerful voice. ¡°Hmm, how is Omar today?¡± One of the guards replied, ¡°He had a high fever twicest night.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez frowned. ¡°His health is deteriorating day by day¡­¡± The guard didn¡¯t dare to say anything more. After a while, the door to the ward was pushed open. The old Mr. Ramirez entered with two guards. Everyone in the ward, except for Omar, stood up to greet him. Despite hearing him talking outside the door just now, everyone¡¯s acting was so convincing now, as if they had just learned of the old Mr. Ramirez¡¯s arrival. Kara said, ¡°Dad, why did youe?¡± Mason said, ¡°Grandfather.¡± Le said, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± Perhaps out of guilt towards Mason from yesterday, the old Mr. Ramirez nced at Kara but didn¡¯t speak. Instead, he turned to Mason and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t today busy at thepany?¡± ¡°Busy, but Le suggested Ie see Omar.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez¡¯s eyes flickered with surprise at Mason¡¯s words, and he couldn¡¯t help but nce at Le a few more times. Le smiled obediently back, ¡°I just feel that since we¡¯re family, any conflicts should be resolved promptly. If left unresolved for too long, it could create barriers and strain our brotherly bond.¡± The old Mr. Ramirez didn¡¯t like Le and didn¡¯t think highly of her, but he didn¡¯t refute her words at this moment. A smile flickered across Le¡¯s face. ¡°Fortunately, everything is clear now. Omar just apologized to Mason on behalf of Aunt Kara, admitting it was her fault. He also said he would exin to you personallyter.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s words, the old Mr. Ramirez looked suspicious. ¡°Oh?¡± Omar, gripping the bedsheets under his pale hand, said quietly, ¡°Grandfather, there has indeed been a misunderstanding.¡± Right after Omar¡¯s words, Kara interjected sharply, ¡°Omar!¡± Kara¡¯s ¡°Omar¡± was urgent and angry, causing the old Mr. Ramirez standing nearby to furrow his brow. Seeing his expression, Kara forced a smile and said, ¡°Dad, I didn¡¯t mean anything else. It¡¯s just Omar¡­¡± Kara¡¯s words were cut short by the cold voice, ¡°Shut up, let Omar speak for himself.¡± Over the years, the old Mr Ramirez had always been considerate towards Kara, but recently, he had been stern and critical towards her on several asions. Kara wasn¡¯t foolish; she sensed his growing dissatisfaction and dared not speak rashly. Omar spoke, ¡°Grandfather, Mom misunderstood. My leg was identally broken.¡± Omar imed it was an ident without specifying the details. Without further exnation from him, the old Mr Ramirez didn¡¯t press further. The tensions between the brothers had escted over the years, and he knew there were issues in their rtionship. He had always sided with Omar¡¯s family for two reasons: firstly, Mason was too reckless, and he feared it would lead to serious consequences. Secondly, he intended for them to bnce each other out. But after yesterday¡¯s incident, he suddenly realized he might have been wrong. Under long-term suppression, Mason was bound to develop a rebellious mindset. The old Mr Ramirez leaned on his cane, pondering for a moment before grimly saying, ¡°Kara, since this is a misunderstanding, apologize to Mason.¡± Kara was astonished, ¡°Dad!¡± The old Mr Ramirez¡¯s tone was firm, ¡°In our family, whether elder or younger, when you¡¯re wrong, you admit it. Wrong is wrong.¡± ¡°Dad, even if this incident wasn¡¯t caused by Mason, what happened before¡­¡± Just as Kara was about to retort, Omar on the hospital bed frowned and spoke up, ¡°Mom!¡± Kara fell silent. ¡°Mom, grandfather is right. Whether elder or younger, wrong is wrong. This time, it was your fault, and you should apologize to Mason.¡± Kara hesitated, ¡°¡­¡± Because of Kara¡¯s silence, the atmosphere in the hospital room froze once again. After a while, Kara turned around with a flushed face and looked at Mason, ¡°Mason, it was indeed my fault. Sorry.¡± Kara had been a rich youngdy before getting married, and the old Mr Ramirez had taken good care of her afterwards. She had been so stifled in her entire life. With just two sentences, Kara¡¯s cheeks were burning, wishing she could find a hole in the ground to hide in. Mason didn¡¯t immediately respond after her apology. After a moment, he slowly spoke up, ¡°We¡¯re all family, Aunt Kara, let¡¯s not make a big deal out of it.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re all family. Family shouldn¡¯t hold grudges.¡± Half an hourter, the old Mr Ramirez left first for something, and Mason followed closely with Le. As soon as they left, there was a sudden sound of things being smashed in the hospital room. Immediately afterwards, there was a deliberately lowered voice from Kara. ¡°Just as they left, you calm down.¡± ¡°Your older brother has told you earlier, don¡¯t make a fuss. If you fuss more, the old man will suspect you. ¡± While Kara wasforting Omar, she was actually angry herself. As soon as Kara finished her words, Omar gritted his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t tell my brother about this matter.¡± ¡°I will definitely not say it, but your brother¡­¡± Behind the door, Le stood next to Mason, and she saw him stand still and smoke slowly before she heard him speak in a hoarse voice through the smoke. ¡°Le, I¡¯ve only just realized that being protected by someone feels so good.¡± Mason¡¯s voice was very light. Le didn¡¯t say anything, and she had never seen a man¡¯s eyes filled with a sense of brokenness before now. Mason¡¯s phone suddenly rang. It was Caleb calling. ¡°Mason, where are you? Are you with Le?¡± ¡°Get Le ande to Willow Bistro right away. Her friend has caused trouble again.¡± ¡°Tell Le that if she¡¯ste again, her entric friend will be in serious trouble tonight.¡± ¡°Who? Shirley?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± Mason nced at Le and chuckled lightly, ¡°What¡¯s Shirley done this time?¡± ¡°She got into a fight, flipped tables, and punched Jennifer¡¯s big brother, Alvin.¡± Alvin was the owner of Willow Bistro. After hearing Caleb¡¯s words, Mason pinched the bridge of his nose and asked, ¡°Is anyone seriously injured?¡± He still remembered the consequences when Caleb got beaten up-like a modern-day mummy. ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Juste over and see for yourself.¡± Chapter 94 Does Shirley like to fight? After saying that, Caleb didn¡¯t give Mason a chance to ask further and hung up. Le had just heard Mason mention Shirley during the phone call. Seeing him hang up, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Shirley?¡± Mason turned his head to look at Le, ¡°Does Shirley like to fight?¡± ¡°Not really. Why?¡± Le wasn¡¯t lying; Shirley was impulsive, but she never started trouble. ¡°I find it strange. Could it be that she has a thing with Caleb? Whenever she starts a fight, Caleb is always around.¡± ¡°Shirley got into a fight?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to Willow Bistro.¡± When the two arrived at Willow Bistro, which should have been at its peak hour, the restaurant was already closed. There were over a dozen security guards stationed at the entrance, with a general manager overseeing everything. Seeing Mason, the general manager hurriedly came forward to greet him, ¡°Mr. Ramirez.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not open at this hour?¡± The general manager had been sent out to handle important guests, and he lowered his voice and said, ¡°Mr. Ramirez, to be honest, we had a small incident today, so we can¡¯t open tonight. Perhaps you¡¯d like toe another day¡­¡± Before he could finish, Mason interrupted in a stern voice, ¡°Is Alvin here?¡± ¡°He is, but¡­¡± ¡°Open the door.¡± ¡°Mr. Ramirez, given the situation tonight¡­¡± Mason gave him a cold nce, silencing him immediately, and stepped forward to open the door himself. As Mason had suspected, the situation was indeed grim. Shirley hadn¡¯t just caused trouble in a private room; she had wreaked havoc in the main hall of Willow Bistro. The hall was a mess, especially the lounge area, which was in shambles. The first person to spot Mason was Caleb. Or rather, Caleb had been waiting for Mason to arrive. ¡°Over here.¡± Seeing Mason, Caleb waved his hand. As they walked over, Mason chuckled softly to Le, ¡°Won¡¯t you beg me to save Shirley?¡± ¡°Would you?¡± From what she knew, Mason had a good rtionship with Alvin. Would he risk offending his friend for her? Mason lowered his head to look at her and teased, ¡°Are you underestimating yourself? Or overestimating others?¡± As they spoke, the two walked into the lounge area of the hall. The lounge was aplete mess by now, with no seats left; Caleb and a few rich-looking young men were sitting on chairs brought in by their bodyguards. Le followed Mason closely and immediately spotted a man in the center of the crowd with an injury on his forehead. He was dressed in a suit and looked visibly upset, clearly still angry. Le guessed he must be Alvin. Seeing Mason, he stood up and greeted him, ¡°Mason.¡± Mason took a cigarette from Alvin¡¯s hand, ced it in his mouth, and while lighting it, he casually prodded the injured area on Alvin¡¯s forehead with his hand, asking with a deep voice tinged with a smile, ¡°What happened?¡± With a hiss of pain, Alvin replied, ¡°Bad luck.¡± He continued, ¡°Tonight, a partner¡¯s boss said he was sending a woman to me. I thought she wasing willingly, but it turned out to be a setup.¡± Mason had initially thought Shirley had caused trouble, but upon hearing this, he frowned. Noticing Mason¡¯s expression, Alvin caught on and asked, ¡°Do you know that girl?¡± Mason didn¡¯t immediately answer. He nced at Le, then at Caleb, who was sitting among the crowd with a carefree smile. Mason lifted the cigarette from his mouth and flicked off the ashes. ¡°Didn¡¯t Caleb tell you?¡± ¡°What?¡± Mason chuckled lightly, ¡°That girl¡¯s name is Shirley. She¡¯s his girlfriend.¡± As Mason¡¯s words sank in, the hall fell momentarily silent. People looked at Mason with incredulous eyes. Immediately after, there were murmurs of teasing and mockin. ¡°No wonder Caleb didn¡¯t want us to call the cops earlier. Turns out that¡¯s the reason.¡± ¡°Caleb, why didn¡¯t you just tell us she¡¯s your woman? Had a fight with her? Trying to scare her?¡± Caleb had never expected the situation to end up like this, with the focus turning on him.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only Facing the teasing from the crowd, Caleb hesitated for a moment, then leaned back in his chair and looked at Mason with a smile. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s my girlfriend.¡± Alvin turned his head and asked, ¡°Really your girlfriend?¡± ¡°Yeah, otherwise, why would I stop you from calling the cops just now?¡± ¡°Then what about¡­¡± Caleb interrupted him, lying without changing his expression, ¡°We had an argumentst night.¡± Saying that, Caleb stood up and walked over to Mason, reaching out to grab his shoulder and pinching it hard. ¡°It¡¯s no fun to expose me so quickly.¡± About ten minutester, the seven or eight people at the scene moved to a private room. During a break in the conversation, Le tilted her head and asked Caleb, ¡°Caleb, where¡¯s Shirley?¡± ¡°She drank too much and is resting upstairs. Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s safe.¡± Relieved that Shirley hadn¡¯t been in an ident, Le sighed, ¡°Thanks for tonight.¡± Caleb chuckled lightly, reached behind the back of Le¡¯s chair, and said, ¡°No need to thank me. Even if you didn¡¯te, I wouldn¡¯t let Shirley get into trouble. I¡¯m not like Mason; I¡¯m kind.¡± He raised his voice intentionally, adding, ¡°Just like when I sponsored you back then, I¡¯m soft-hearted.¡± After Caleb finished speaking, he nced provocatively at Mason. Le didn¡¯t notice the undercurrents between Caleb and Mason, and quietly thanked him again. Her phone, tucked in her pocket, suddenly buzzed. ¡ª[Miss Patel, there are things you¡¯re unwilling to do, but your family is very willing.] The message was from a securely encryptedwork number-read-only, no reply possible. In just a few seconds, she managed topose herself. A month ago, she wouldn¡¯t have taken such a message lightly, but now, it was routine. It was just the mention of ¡°family¡± in the text that gave her pause¡­ After dinner, Alvin personally escorted Mason and Le out to their car. Mason had been drinking, so Le had to drive. Le sat in the driver¡¯s seat while Alvin stood at the passenger side window talking to Mason. Mason leaned on the car window, ¡°Your loss tonight counts as mine.¡± Alvin quickly replied, ¡°No need.¡± Mason said, ¡°Don¡¯t rush to refuse. There¡¯s something else I need your help with.¡± Hearing that there was something he needed help with, Alvin leaned forward slightly, ¡°Go on.¡± Mason reached out and pressed down on the back of Alvin¡¯s neck, his voice deep, ¡°Who sent the woman tonight?¡± Alvin stiffened and locked eyes with Mason. Mason smirked, ¡°Not convenient to say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not convenient, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s an old client. I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s an old client of yours, am I not? You¡¯re afraid of offending him, not me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from the Nova Group.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Alvin continued, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Lee from the Nova Group. He wants me to invest in a project.¡± Mason asked, ¡°Him?¡± Alvin nodded, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s him.¡± Mason released his grip on Alvin¡¯s neck, said coldly, ¡°Keep it secret.¡± Alvin nodded, ¡°You can trust me.¡± A few minutester, the car was on the road. Mason unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt cor and asked, ¡°What do you think about Shirley¡¯s situation?¡± ¡°This is because of me.¡± Mason chuckled lightly. Le picked up her phone and showed the message to him. On the other side, Caleb, as Shirley¡¯s boyfriend, swiped the room key to enter the room where she was resting. Just as he raised his hand to turn on the light, a soft body suddenly collided with his. Before Caleb could react, the person in his arms suddenly tiptoed and kissed him on the corner of his lips. ¡°Let¡¯s get back together, okay?¡± ¡°I promise, I won¡¯t argue with you anymore.¡± Shirley was quite intoxicated, Caleb immediately realized she mistook him for someone else. Leaning against the door panel, he kept one arm around her waist to steady her, while using the other to gently remove her hand from around his neck, ¡°Shirley.¡± Shirley looked at the man before her in the moonlight. ¡°I still regret breaking up with you.¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve dated so many boyfriends, and you¡¯re the only one who treated me the best.¡± As Shirley spoke, she moved closer to Caleb¡¯s lips again. Seeing her like this, Caleb suddenly felt yful. Leaning back against the door, he teasingly asked, ¡°Tell me, why is it that out of all your boyfriends, I¡¯m the only one who treated you the best?¡± Shirley answered earnestly, ¡°Because only you didn¡¯t cheat on me.¡± Caleb paused for a few seconds, then chuckled, ¡°Shirley.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Wow, sounds like you are miserable.¡± Shirley couldn¡¯t tell who was in front of her, nor could she clearly hear what was being said. Seeing Caleb lower his head, she leaned in to kiss his lips softly, once, twice. Caleb¡¯s breath hitched, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. After a while, Caleb spoke hoarsely, ¡°Shirley, you¡¯ve had too much to drink.¡± Confused, Shirley asked, ¡°Can¡¯t we get back together if I¡¯ve had too much to drink?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Chapter 95 Hefty kickbacks At that moment, the first thing Le did after returning home was to call Dasha. It waste, and Dasha sounded a bit bewildered when she answered, ¡°Le, is there something wrong calling at this hour?¡± ¡°Mom, did anyone contact you today?¡± ¡°What? Who contacted me?¡± Le paused for a few seconds, then said firmly, ¡°Since I left Yort City, has anyone given you money or anything else?¡± ¡°No.¡± Despite Dasha¡¯s slow reaction, she began to sense that something was wrong. ¡°Is something happening?¡± Le didn¡¯t want Dasha to know about the situation in Neo City, but it was hard to avoid it now. Le decided to be straightforward, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to tell you a few things. Just listen, don¡¯t worry, and don¡¯t feel burdened.¡± Upon hearing Le¡¯s words, Dasha tightened her grip on the phone, ¡°Just tell me directly. I¡¯ve seen enough storms in my life. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not about me. It¡¯s about Mason. There¡¯s internal strife in his family, and someone is trying to pressure him through me.¡± Dasha was taken aback, ¡°¡­¡± Le continued, ¡°I¡¯ve received numerous calls and messages before, where they offered me money to do things for them.¡± ¡°You must never do such things.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Are you afraid they¡¯ll try to buy me with money?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve already done it, but not to buy you. They must have bought someone else.¡± Le paused for a moment, then truthfully told Dasha about the strange message she received tonight. After hearing Le¡¯s ount, Dasha was furious, ¡°Who could they have bought?¡± Le had her suspicions by now, but she didn¡¯t want to tell Dasha. However, Dasha wasn¡¯t naive. Seeing Le silent, she continued, ¡°Is it your father?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°If it is him, what will you do?¡± Dasha¡¯s tone was full of worry. Le regretted calling her for a moment. After a while, Le took a shallow breath and said, ¡°Mom, as long as you didn¡¯t take that money, I won¡¯t interfere with anyone else.¡± After Le finished speaking, there was a moment of silence on the phone. After about half a minute, Dasha spoke again, ¡°Le, there are things I want to say. Mason has been good to you. I don¡¯t know what feelings you have for him, but remember this: you don¡¯t have to love him, but you must not betray him.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Le held her phone, lost in thought on the couch. Mason approached, leaning over her, hands braced on the sofa armrests, enveloping her in his embrace. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± he asked. Le looked up. ¡°I was thinking, how did you manage to win over my mom?¡± Mason lowered his gaze, appearing thoughtful. After a few seconds, he replied, ¡°Probably with my sincerity?¡± Before bed, still concerned about Dasha, she messaged her: [Mom, please don¡¯t worry. Once your surgery is over, I¡¯ll bring you here.] Dasha didn¡¯t sleep yet, [Hmm, you need to take good care of yourself.]. Le: [I will.] Dasha: [Le, I just want you to be safe and happy.] Le: [Mom, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t do anything thatpromises my principles.] Dasha hadn¡¯t explicitly mentioned it on the phone earlier, but now her message was clear: [Rtionships should be pure. Any impurities spell trouble.] Looking at the message, Le was lost in thought for a moment. She simply replied, [I know.] ¡­ Early in the morning, as Le slept, her phone on the nightstand suddenly rang. Tired, she opened her eyes and answered, ¡°Hello.¡± An anxious female voice came through the line, ¡°Miss Patel, it¡¯s Lily.¡± Lily? She remembered, her assistant at Nova Group. ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± Le asked. Lily sounded on the verge of tears, ¡°Miss Patel, there¡¯s an issue with the project you were managing before. The one with the Ramirez Group.¡± ¡°What kind of issue?¡± Le frowned. ¡°There¡¯s been an ident,¡± Lily sniffled, ¡°Last night, there was a copse at the construction site. It¡­ it killed two workers.¡± Le was stunned into silence. Technically, as a former project manager who had already left, she shouldn¡¯t be involved in any way. But somehow, this call came to her. As she pondered the implications of the call, she asked, ¡°Do I need to cooperate with the investigation?¡± Lily responded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Le asked calmly, ¡°So should Ie to the office or go to the site?¡± Lily replied, ¡°Come to the office. Mr. Lee said all previous management involved in that project should attend a meeting here.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there in an hour,¡± Le confirmed. Initially frantic, Lily had been crying earlier, but now she hesitantly apologized to Le, ¡°Miss Patel, are you still asleep? Did I disturb your rest?¡± Le understood her predicament and reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± After hanging up, Le got up, washed up, and during a lull in her makeup routine, she sent Mason a voice message: [There¡¯s been an issue with the project that The Ramirez Group and Nova Group coborated on. Do you know anything about it?] Shortly after, as Le was finishing applying eyeliner, Mason walked in. ¡°I heard there was a copse?¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not sure of the details. Did anyone update you?¡± Le inquired. Mason rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows. ¡°Daniel just called me. He mentioned Nova Group reported issues with the construction materials.¡± Upon hearing this, Le turned to him, ¡°Issues with construction materials?¡± ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t anyone inform you?¡± Mason asked. Le replied honestly, ¡°No.¡± The two exchanged a few more words, and Le gleaned some information from Mason that Lily hadn¡¯t mentioned. For instance, the copse was primarily due to substandard construction materials, and someone had taken hefty kickbacks on the project. As they drove away, Mason offered to help. ¡°I¡¯m not as fragile as you might think.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Mason nodded. Forty minutester, Le arrived at Nova Group. It had been some time, but Nova Group seemed unchanged from before. The receptionist recognized Le and greeted her warmly, ¡°Miss Patel.¡± Le smiled back, ¡°Good morning.¡± A few minutester, Le took the elevator straight to Mr. Lee¡¯s office. Seeing her, Mr. Lee managed a forced smile, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Le nodded, ¡°Mr. Lee.¡± In Mr. Lee¡¯s office were several people who had been involved in the project¡¯s management.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only From project team leaders to vice presidents and directors, everyone appeared serious and cautious, fearing being implicated in the controversy. Mr. Lee nced around, took a sip of tea, and said with a serious face, ¡°This is an internal investigation for now. When higher-ups send their people, it won¡¯t be as simple.¡± Le wasn¡¯t sure what Mr. Lee had discussed with these people before. Based on his vague statement and the circumstances, she inferred that he was asking anyone who had taken kickbacks toe forward. After Mr. Lee finished, the office fell silent, everyone holding their breath. Mr. Lee, furious, mmed his tea cup onto the desk. ¡°No one¡¯s talking, huh? If no one steps up, I¡¯ll have to ask HQ to send in investigators.¡± Someone finally spoke. ¡°Mr. Lee, wasn¡¯t it Miss Patel who drove this project? And I believe she had a good rapport with Enrico, the site supervisor.¡± The speaker, Ritchie Coster, a department manager. Le knew him-they had shed once during the election for site supervisor, when he supported his nephew, Enrico, while she voted for Enrico. All eyes were on Le to see how she¡¯d react. ¡°Le, anything to say?¡± She smiled. ¡°Not really.¡± Mr. Lee frowned. ¡°No defense?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t waste time defending myself against something I didn¡¯t do,¡± Le replied calmly. Mr. Lee coughed but said no more. Mr. Coster spoke again, ¡°Miss Patel, taking kickbacks isn¡¯t umon in our industry. Normally, it wouldn¡¯t matter, but now that it¡¯s out, you need to admit it. Don¡¯t drag us all down.¡± Le had thought he was just suspicious, but it seemed he was using her outright. She nced at him and mocked lightly, ¡°So you saw me taking kickbacks? Can¡¯t provide any solid evidence, just baseless usations?¡± Mr. Coster said angrily. ¡°Who¡¯s using you?¡± Le turned to Mr. Lee. ¡°Mr. Lee, the site copse and fatalities-it¡¯s beyond our control now.¡± Mr. Lee asked carefully, ¡°What do you suggest?¡± ¡°We should involve the police.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The other managers stayed silent. Le understood Mr. Lee was trying to fix things for HQ. Regardless of anyone speaking up today, police and HQ would investigate. The office door suddenly knocked from outside. ¡°Come in.¡± Lily walked in with a file folder, ncing nervously at the management team in the office. Mr. Lee tapped his desk impatiently. ¡°Just get to the point.¡± Upon hearing Mr. Lee¡¯s words, Lily hurriedly approached, ¡°Mr. Lee, we found something.¡± Mr. Lee gestured for Lily to hand over the file. As he opened the file, the entire management team present held their breath. After a quick nce, Mr. Lee looked up at Lily. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lily stuttered, ¡°Th-the investigation¡­ it¡¯s conclusive.¡± Mr. Lee turned to Le and asked, ¡°Miss Patel, on the day you resigned from Nova Group, a bank ount ending in digits 975 under your name received a transfer of $700, 000. Care to exin what that transaction was for?¡± Chapter 96 Sleep with Cleb Le remained silent. The management team¡¯s gazes at Le varied. Mr. Coster smirked as if he had already confirmed Le¡¯s involvement in the copse incident. Seeing her reluctance to speak, he continued, ¡°Miss Patel, are you still not prepared to tell the truth?¡± Le¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Mr. Coster, what exactly do you want me to say?¡± ¡°Obviously¡­¡± Mr. Coster started, but was sharply interrupted by Mr. Lee¡¯s loud voice, ¡°Mr. Coster!¡± Mr. Lee asserted, ¡°Before we have concrete evidence, let¡¯s not jump to conclusions based on personal assumptions.¡± His words were a form of protection for Le. ¡°Mr. Lee, I still believe this matter should be reported to the police.¡± ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll let the police handle this.¡± He smiled at Le. ¡°Le, don¡¯t carry too much burden. This is just procedural cooperation. Rest assured, if you¡¯re innocent, I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s clear.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Exiting Mr. Lee¡¯s office, Le and Mr. Lee drove separately to the police station. From filing the report, giving statements, to the investigation process, Le cooperated actively at every step. The police station was humane; a young female officer conducted the interview. ¡°Is the bank ount ending in 975 yours?¡± Le answered truthfully, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I personally don¡¯t have a bank ount with that number.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Regarding SteelSourcepany, have there been any under-the-table transactions or bribery?¡± ¡°No, besides regr work dealings, I¡¯ve had no private contact with them, let alone any bribery. The interviewsted forty minutes, during which Le fully cooperated, disclosing everything rted to the project in question. Afterpleting the statement, while Le wondered about the next steps, Daniel entered with a man carrying a briefcase. Daniel immediately spotted Le sitting in the corner. They exchanged a nce, and Daniel nodded slightly at her. Le was puzzled as Daniel and the man walked up to Mr. Lee. Daniel shook hands with Mr. Lee, and then the man did all the talking.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Whatever the man said caused Mr. Lee¡¯s face to turn pale. After about ten minutes, Daniel approached Le and leaned down. ¡°We can leave now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Boss is waiting for you outside.¡± Le intended to ask Daniel something, but he avoided her gaze intentionally, so she ended up not asking anything. Just as Le opened the car door, Mason turned his head towards her, ¡°Are you okay??¡± Le got into the car as she replied, ¡°Fine really.¡± Mason squeezed Le¡¯s fingertips and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this mess.¡± Le closed the car door, nced at Daniel standing a meter away outside, and asked, ¡°Who was the man Daniel took to the police station earlier?¡± ¡°Awyer.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°I filed awsuit against Nova Group in your name.¡± Le¡¯s suspicion deepened at Mason¡¯s words. ¡°What?¡± Mason smirked lightly, ¡°They pinned you for bribery before the investigation concluded. You can¡¯t bear that me.¡± Le stayed silent. Even without Mason¡¯s intervention, she wasn¡¯t prepared to be a scapegoat. But their methods differed-Le¡¯s approach was to let the police handle it, while Mason¡¯s was more ruthless. After Mason spoke, seeing Le¡¯s silence, he leaned in closer, gently holding her chin and brushing her lips with his own. ¡°Le.¡± Le kept her eyes open, staring at him without blinking. ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡± Daniel stood outside the car for a good twenty minutes until Mason finally raised his hand to knock on the window. He got in and start the car. Le sent a message to Dasha:[Mom, did you ever use my ID to open a bank ount?] Dasha replied promptly:[No, why? What¡¯s wrong?] Le didn¡¯t want to worry her mom further after yesterday¡¯s scare:[Nothing much, I thought themission had been deposited. I want to put it into a separate bank ount, but getting a new card is a hassle now. Just checking if we already have one at home.] [No, it¡¯s not thatplicated. Find time to get one done.] After finishing her text exchange with Dasha, Shirley¡¯s call suddenly came through. Her voice was barely audible, ¡°Le¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I, um, something¡¯s happened here.¡± Le initially thought Shirley was referring to the incident at Willow Bistro from the previous night when she got drunk. Just as she was about to mention it, Shirley stuttered, ¡°I-I-I think I¡­ I slept with Caleb¡­¡± For a brief moment, Le thought she might be hallucinating. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Shirley¡¯s voice now trembled, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what happened. I just woke up and found myself and Caleb in bed together. I wasn¡¯t wearing anything and he¡­¡± Le held onto a flicker of hope. ¡°Was he wearing something?¡± ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t either.¡± Le sighed deeply. Shirley couldn¡¯t hear Le¡¯s response, choked up as she continued, ¡°Le, what do I do? I-I¡¯m so scared¡­¡± Le pulled her hand from Mason¡¯s grip, rubbing her temples, and asked, ¡°Are you two still at Willow Bistro?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shirley asked, ¡°Le, how did you know we were at Willow Bistro?¡± Le was in no mood to exinst night¡¯s events to her now. She spoke up, ¡°Send me the room number. I¡¯lle over right away.¡± ¡°Okay, hurry.¡± ncing at the message from Shirley, Le turned to Mason. ¡°Looks like we need to make a trip to Willow Bistro.¡± ¡°Shirley¡¯s causing trouble again?¡± Indeed, Shirley had caused trouble once more. But this trouble, Le couldn¡¯t talk about. When Le and Mason arrived at Willow Bistro, Shirley and Caleb were in a standoff. The scene wasn¡¯t chaotic but definitely awkward. Upon seeing Le, Shirley quickly moved behind her. Caleb, in a loose bathrobe, smirked slightly at the sight. Shirley remained silent, clutching onto Le¡¯s clothing. Le reached back and gently held Shirley¡¯s hand to reassure her. ¡°Caleb, is there some misunderstanding here?¡± Caleb sneered, ¡°You ask her if there¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡± Le sighed inwardly. Mason, who had been silent until now, spoke in a low, serious tone, ¡°Caleb.¡± Caleb turned his head, his expression rare without a yful smirk, somewhat cool. ¡°Don¡¯t try to persuade me.¡± Mason chuckled softly. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about business.¡± At the mention of business, they left the room. Once Mason and Caleb were out, Shirley leaned against Le¡¯s legs, nearly in tears. Le saw the messy bed, took a deep breath, and asked, ¡°So, you twost night¡­¡± Shirley slumped into the sofa, blushing. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, I really have no idea what happened.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember anything at all?¡± ¡°Just a tiny bit¡­ I¡­ I remember¡­ I think I mistook someone else and kissed Caleb against the door.¡± In the hallway outside the room. Mason chuckled lightly as he handed Caleb a cigarette. Mason watched him, smiling faintly. ¡°Is this for real?¡± ¡°You guess.¡± Mason squinted. ¡°Did you deceive her?¡± Caleb neither admitted nor denied it. After a pause of four or five seconds, he said slowly, ¡°She did take advantage of mest night, I wasn¡¯t lying about that.¡± Mason teased, ¡°Took advantage of you? Are you sure? You think you¡¯re some innocent youngd?¡± Twenty minutester, Mason and Caleb returned to the room. Mason had sessfully persuaded Caleb. He stood with his hands in his pockets, about to speak, when Shirley stood up from the sofa, bowed ny degrees to him, and then spoke seriously. ¡°Caleb, I¡¯m sorry. What happenedst night wasn¡¯t intentional.¡± ¡°I know. No matter how many times I apologize now, it won¡¯t make up for the pain you¡¯ve endured, both emotionally and physically.¡± ¡°Le already lectured me just now, and after intense mental struggle and careful consideration, I¡¯ve made a decision. How about this¡­¡± As Shirley spoke, she walked to the bedside, opened her bag, and took out a bank card. She held it out to Caleb with both hands. Caleb nced down at the bank card she offered. ¡°?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hundred thousand here. Consider it mypensation to you.¡± ¡°Do I look like I need your money?¡± Chapter 97 The soreness should be in your legs Shirley took a deep breath, cleared her throat, and said, ¡°Caleb, a hundred thousand is not a small sum.¡± ¡°Do you know how much the most expensive gigolo at a nightclub costs? At most, it¡¯s just above ten grand.¡± ¡°Are you calling me a nightclub gigolo?¡± ¡°No, Caleb, you¡¯ve got it wrong.¡± ¡°Nightclub gigolos are much better-looking than you, taller, more handsome, and speak less.¡± Caleb ¡°¡­¡± Le, sitting on the sofa, wished she could just go over and cover Shirley¡¯s mouth. Caleb stared at Shirley for a long moment, then squeezed out a few words through his teeth, ¡°Fine, fine¡­¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°Shirley, you¡¯re something.¡± Caleb snatched the bank card from Shirley¡¯s hand. Seeing the card being taken away, Shirley was left dumbfounded. ¡°??¡± Caleb pointed the card at her. ¡°I¡¯m taking this money.¡± Shirley remained silent, staring at the swaying bank card in front of her, feeling a pang of pain. It felt like losing half of her life. Several minutester, the room fell into a dead silence. Shirley stared in the direction where Caleb had disappeared with the bank card, then turned her head and said to Le, ¡°He just took my hundred ?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°He just took it like it was his right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s a hundred grand! Shirley was fixated on the hundred grand,pletely unaware that her thoughts had veered off track. She even wondered what kind of top-notch gigolo she could get at the nightclub with that money. She had heard that the men in nightclubs were seasoned professionals, they could definitely provide physical and mental pleasure. She had drunk too muchst night. Apart from that kiss, she had felt nofort at all. Was she going to spend that hundred grand just like that? Shirley¡¯s expression was a mix of anguish andplexity. As she pondered whether to ask Le to get Mason¡¯s help in persuading Caleb to return the money, her phone buzzed. Caleb had sent her a message.[The bank card PIN.] Shirley:[Wait, are you serious about taking it?] Caleb: [I earned it.] Shirley instinctively retorted: [What did you do to earn it?] Caleb was sitting in the car downstairs at that moment. Seeing Shirley¡¯s message, he gritted his teeth and forced a smile: [What do you want me to do to earn it?] Shirley: [I need to talk to you. You made that hundred grand too easily.] Caleb: [Get down here. I¡¯m downstairs.] After sending the message, he added: [Come alone.] Shirley hurried down, afraid that if she dyed, the hundred grand would really end up in Caleb¡¯s pocket. She grabbed her handbag from the bedside and rushed out the door, without even saying goodbye to Le and Mason. Shirley knocked on Caleb¡¯s car window in anger. Caleb unlocked the door. As she got in, he leaned forward, grabbed her by the neck, and pinned her against the car window, his voice menacing, ¡°Alright, spill it. What do you want me to do?¡± Shirley hade to demand money. In that moment when Caleb grabbed her, her mind cleared instantly. She took a deep breath. ¡°Caleb.¡± Caleb sneered, ¡°Spit it out.¡± Shirley hesitated, ¡°The PIN for that bank card is 778831.¡± Caleb¡¯s grim expression froze. Shirley, it must be said, knew when to back down. Caleb had already nned to give Shirley a piece of his mind today. But unexpectedly, she suddenly backed down. She cleared her throat and slowly raised a hand to push away the grip on her neck. ¡°Caleb, calm down.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth getting mad at someone like me.¡± In the end, Shirley couldn¡¯t retrieve the hundred grand. Not only did she fail to get back the money, but she also lost more; Caleb made her clean toilets at his mansion. Shirley sent Le a photo. In the photo, there were two things: first, herself; second, a toilet. The two things together showed her cleaning the toilet. Le had just finished eating and was sitting on the couch watching TV. She typed, [Are you at Caleb¡¯s house?] Shirley: [From early morning till now.] Le: [Shirley, actually I wanted to ask you this morning. Apart from waking up in bed with Caleb, are you feeling okay physically?] Le sent the message, and there was a long silence from Shirley¡¯s end. After a while, Shirley asked: [Is it normal to feel ufortable the first time?] Le confirmed: [Yes.] Shirley: [Apart from my arms and back being a bit sore, I¡¯m okay.] Le: [The soreness should be in your legs.] Shirley: ¡°¡­¡± Ten minutester, Shirley cautiously asked Caleb who was sitting on the couch, ¡°Caleb, can I ask you something?¡± Caleb was dealing with business on his tablet, not looking back as he replied, ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Did something really¡­ happen between usst night?¡± Caleb¡¯s slender fingers paused on the tablet. After a moment, he squeezed out a word from his throat, ¡°Yeah.¡± Shirley already had her suspicions. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not lying?¡± Caleb turned his head, ¡°Do you think I would joke about my innocence?¡± Worried that he might go crazy, Shirley forced a smile, ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Caleb coldly scoffed and turned away. Shirley went to the bathroom, quietly pulling out her phone to send Le another message: [I think he¡¯s lying to me.] Le: [Be careful.] Mason came down the stairs behind her, saying, ¡°Nova Group reached out to your uncle to confirm that the bank card is indeed yours.¡± ¡°Nova Group contacted you? Or¡­?¡± ¡°Mr. Lee contacted Daniel.¡± Le sat on the couch, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at him. ¡°Darren is in Neo City now?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s in Neo City.¡± ¡°Do you know where he¡¯s staying?¡± ¡°Want to see him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see him. I want to see how shameless a person can be.¡± Mason seemed to have anticipated her request. ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll take you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After speaking with Mason, Le¡¯s phone buzzed. Le looked down, and Shirley¡¯s message appeared on the screen: [I can finally go home.] Le: [Did you get the hundred grand back?] Shirley: [Don¡¯t even mention it.] Mason took Le to find Darren the next day.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Darren wasn¡¯t staying in a regr hotel; instead, he lodged in a run-down motel. One of those ces where you pay for lodging without needing to show ID. When they arrived, Darren was eating noodles at a small stall across from the motel. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going over?¡± Mason parked the car by the roadside, tapping his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, looking at Darren through the car window. Le sat in the passenger seat, unfastening her seatbelt, ¡°Let him finish.¡± After finishing his noodles, Darren stood up and saw Le. He froze in ce. Le waved at him from across the street in her casual white outfit. In the next moment, he bolted into an alley nearby. While Darren ran, Le didn¡¯t chase after him, just stood there on the roadside, watching him coldly. Chapter 98 Do you want to get married? After a while, Darren was grabbed by the security Mason had arranged beforehand and brought back to face Le. Le greeted him with a gentle smile, ¡°Uncle, why did you stop running? Isn¡¯t that what you do best?¡± Le sometimes genuinely admired Darren. Darren greeted Le calmly, ¡°Le, what a coincidence.¡± Le replied, ¡°Coincidence? Quite a coincidence indeed. So, how much did they pay you?¡± Darren didn¡¯t expect Le to be so direct. ¡°What money? Are you misunderstanding something? I¡¯m just here visiting a friend.¡± ¡°Uncle.¡± Darren fell silent. Le continued, ¡°You don¡¯t want to say? That¡¯s fine. Since you want to be a witness, let¡¯s meet in court.¡± Darren said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Le didn¡¯t say another word. She turned to Mason, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After they got into the car, Mason lowered the window and gestured with his hand. The guards holding Darren understood and let go. Darren stood there, stunned for a few seconds. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and sent a message: [Le knows I¡¯m in Neo City.] The reply came instantly: [Did she approach you?] Darren: [Yes.] Reply: [What did she say to you?] Darren looked back on what Le had just done, feeling bewildered: ¡°She just asked how much you paid me. When I didn¡¯t answer, she left.¡± Reply: [?] Darren: [What do you think she means by that?]All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Reply: [Wait and see.] Meanwhile, since getting into the car, Le had been looking out the window without saying a word. After a while, Mason reached over, took her hand, and held it. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Without turning her head, Le watched the bustling traffic outside the window. ¡°Nothing much. I just find life amusing. The more you care about something, the more it disappoints you.¡± Mason brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. ¡°A few years ago, my grandfather always told me not to be confined to one ce, that there¡¯s beauty everywhere in life, but I never learned to see it.¡± Le turned to him, waiting for him to continue. Mason rubbed her fingers with his lips and then lightly bit the tip of her index finger. ¡°Le, don¡¯t fall into self-doubt. Don¡¯t let a person or a situation make you question life.¡± He paused before adding, ¡°The truly beautiful scenery and the people who truly love you don¡¯t need you to notice them. Even if you ignore them, they will always stay by your side.¡± His words were so tender that Le found herself momentarily overwhelmed. Mr. Lee called Le that afternoon. His voice was full of sighs and helplessness. ¡°Le, you know about your uncle testifying, right?¡± Le was in her office, dealing with paperwork. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Mr. Lee exined, ¡°Regarding this matter, Le, did you offend someone?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Mr. Lee continued, ¡°Your uncle wasn¡¯t brought in by us; he came to us.¡± When Le didn¡¯t respond, he assumed she didn¡¯t believe him and went on, ¡°At first, I was puzzled when I received your uncle¡¯s call. He introduced himself as your uncle and said he heard about the Nova Group situation from a friend. I didn¡¯t believe him at first, but when he urately recited your information, I¡­¡± Mr. Lee hesitated. ¡°Le, you haven¡¯t worked with us for long, but I trust your abilities and character. This whole thing is too strange.¡± ¡°Mr. Lee.¡± Finally hearing her respond, Mr. Lee quickly said, ¡°Le, go ahead.¡± ¡°What is thepany nning to do next?¡± ¡°The construction site is undergoing an ident analysis, andpensation is being processed. As for internal issues, they¡¯re still under investigation.¡± He paused to take a breath. ¡°You and several others who have been involved with this project are under investigation.¡± ¡°Mr. Lee, why did you call me? Just say it directly.¡± Mr. Lee wiped the sweat from his forehead with a tissue. ¡°Le, thepany¡¯s initial handling of this matter was indeed inadequate, causing you a lot of unwarranted rumors. Now, thepany ns to handle this differently through an internal audit.¡± ¡°An internal audit?¡± ¡°Yes, an internal audit. Can youe to thepanyter today to face your uncle in person if you have time?¡± Le paused for a moment and then responded, ¡°Okay.¡± When Le arrived at Nova Group, Darren, who had been ying dumb at noon, was now very excited. He patted Mr. Lee¡¯s desk and said, ¡°If she didn¡¯t do this, I¡¯ll cut off my head and let you all use it as a ball. As her uncle, could I wrong her?¡± Le stood outside the door, listening to Darren¡¯s words, a slight mocking smile appearing on her lips. She entered the room just as Darren was revealing that Dasha urgently needed money for surgery. Their eyes met, and Darren¡¯s remaining words got stuck in his throat. Le, looking calm, first nodded to Mr. Lee, then walked up to Darren and said, ¡°Uncle, please continue.¡± There were not only Mr. Lee in the office, but also two other high-ranking officials whose positions were even higher than Mr. Lee¡¯s. Mr. Lee coughed twice to ease the atmosphere, then crossed his hands on the desk and looked at Darren, ¡°Mr. Gng, you just said you can prove that the bank card was indeed handled by Le. What evidence do you have?¡± Darren avoided Le¡¯s gaze, ¡°Of course, I apanied her to handle the card.¡± Le interrupted in a calm voice, ¡°When?¡± Darren frowned, ¡°When what?¡± ¡°When did you apany me to handle that bribery bank card? When did you go with me?¡± Darren stuttered for a while, ¡°Just, just recently.¡± After saying this, worried that Mr. Lee and the other two executives might doubt him, Darren turned to Le with a serious face and said earnestly, ¡°Le, I have already told Mr. Lee about your situation. Your mother needs money for surgery. You did this because¡­¡± Le interrupted coldly, ¡°I¡¯m currently dating Mason.¡± Darren was stunned, ¡°¡­¡± Mr. Lee and the other two executives exchanged nces, all taken aback. Le, with a calm expression, continued, ¡°You¡¯re trying to say that my mom needs a lot of money for her kidney surgery, right? But you probably don¡¯t know, Mason helped find my mom¡¯s kidney donor, and I haven¡¯t spent a penny.¡± Darren, ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I recently signed a project with Premier Construction through the Ramirez Group, and mymission is three million.¡± Darren, ¡°¡­¡± Mr. Lee raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. Le continued, ¡°You might say I received themissionter and took bribes earlier, but Mr. Lee knew that¡­¡± As she spoke, her gaze fell on Mr. Lee, ¡°Mr. Lee, you should have been aware of my rtionship with Mason.¡± ¡°Hehe, yes, somewhat.¡± Mr. Lee had originally thought that Le and Mason¡¯s rtionship was just an office fling, a matter of mutual benefit, but he hadn¡¯t expected that they were actually dating. Mutual benefit and a romantic rtionship are twopletely different statuses. No wonder at the police station yesterday¡­ ¡°With such resources at my disposal, why would I risk doing something illegal?¡± Darren thought for a moment and said, ¡°You say you two are dating, but is that really the case?¡± Le took out her phone from her pocket and dialed a number in front of him. When the call connected, Le put it on speaker. ¡°Mason.¡± Mason responded in a deep voice, ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you want to get married?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. 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