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Divorced Billionaire Heiress - Chapter 8
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Nicole looked like she had a headache.
”Yvette, who the hell is so dumb to send me flowers?”
“Of course, it’s Ian Carter. He instructed me to deliver it to you by hand.”
‘Ian? That Young Master is really capable of making things happen!’
Yvette laughed. “Old Master Carter sent Hugh to study abroad. I heard that if he fails this time, his grandpa will break his legs.“
“Awww… it’s a pity that we didn’t get to send him off. I guess we’ll just have to wait for him to come back and throw him a nice welcome back party!”
Nicole was helpless and got her assistant to take the flowers out of her office. She felt a lot more comfortable without the strong scent of flowers in the air.
Yvette nodded. “Yup, my thoughts exactly. By the way, I’ve looked into FH Corporation like you asked me to last time.”
Nicole looked up at her. Yvette laughed and said, “FH Corporation has long since become a shell company. They keep asking for loans everywhere and owe the bank a large sum of money they can’t even pay off. Their company is about to be auctioned off and they just have a bunch of sh*tty projects left. Whoever gets involved with them will surely get into trouble.
That Samantha Lindt is trying to push you into a trap, huh?”
This was what Nicole expected. She raised an eyebrow and thought, “So she’s trying to dig a pit for me to jump in myself. The dinner tonight will be extra interesting.”
“Thanks”
Yvette scratched her head. “lt’s nothing. but. I can’t work for you anymore. My mom is coming back from Hong Kong. She just acquired a new cosmetic company and promised that I can participate in their research and development. Nikki, you know that this has always been my dream.“
Yvette’s mother was a famous career woman in the industry. She had always wanted Yvette to be part of the management in their family business, but Yvette preferred laboratory work. Since she finally got the opportunity to participate in research, she certainly would not give up on it.
Nicole smiled. “Sure, then I wish our dearest Miss Quimbley all the wealth in the worId”.
The two ladies looked at each other and smiled. There was no need to say more because they had a tacit understanding between them.
“Then you should be careful. Just ask if you need help with anything. We’ll support you as best we can!“
Nicole nodded. “Don’t worry, I won’t be a stranger with you guys.’
Yvette took her purse and slipped away after chatting for a bit, then Nicole began to focus on work again.
After work, Nicole stood up from her chair and was planning to talk to Logan about the dinner. However, Samantha sashayed into Nicole’s office and said.
“Since it’s a private dinner, it’s not necessary to bring your assistant, right?”
Nicole raised her eyebrows. “Okay then.”
Logan looked at Nicole worriedly, but Nicole gave him an assuring smile.
When they got to the private club, they went into a pre-booked private room.
Samantha did a friendly cheek kiss with a pot-bellied middle-aged man who was sitting at the table, which made Nicole feel nauseous.
Out of politeness, Nicole still walked over to say hello. When Chairman Zeller saw Nicole’s face, his eyes visibly lit up with unconcealed lechery, which was very disgusting.
“This is Vice President Nicole, right? I’ve heard a lot about you. You’re as beautiful as they say…”
Chairman Zeller stretched out his hand but Nicole only nodded slightly as a greeting before she took a seat. “Mr. Zeller, you’re too kind. Your reputation precedes you.“
Samantha gave Nicole a meaningful glance. “Vice President Nicole, since you just joined Stanton Corporation, you might not know that we have a good relationship with FH Corporation, so it’s not a problem cooperating with them. Why don’t you take out the contract for Mr. Zeller? If there’s no problem, we can sign it today.”
Nicole paused and raised an eyebrow then took out the prepared contract. “Sure. Mr. Zeller, you’d better look at it carefully.“
The middle-aged man opposite her took over the contract and swept a casual glance at it as if he already knew of its contents. When he caught sight of a number there, his face instantly sank.
“Vice President Nicole, why is the commission on this 30% higher than the promised figure?”
Samantha was startled and took a look at the contract. Her expression changed greatly and said, “Who changed this?”
“Me, of course…” Nicole lowered her head with a smile.
“Since I’m here to talk about this project, l have the say in it. We can go with this percentage or forget about it altogether.”
Everyone knew that if it was raised by thirty percent, FH Corporation’s initial investment would be tens of millions more, which was too much for a faltering shell company on the verge of bankruptcy.
Samantha’s face turned red with anger. ”Nicole, how can you just change it as you please?”
“l’m Stanton Corporation’s Vice President, so I can do as I please. Ms. Lindt, I’m thinking of our company’s best interest, so why are you getting angry? You should be happy, don’t you think? Are you Stanton Corporation’s employee or FH Corporation’s person?” Nicole looked at Samantha meaningfully.
As soon as she heard this, Samantha’s face turned glum. “I-l’m Stanton Corporation’s employee, but Nicole, business is based on trust. We’ve already agreed on the amount beforehand, so you can’t just change it like this!“
“As long as nothing’s been signed, everything can be changed.” Nicole playfully looked at the angry Chairman Zeller. “Or perhaps, Mr. Zeller and Ms. Lindt have already reached some sort of agreement in private?”
Both Mr. Zeller and Samantha Lindt were shaken when they heard Nicole’s words.
Mr. Zeller suddenly smiled widely, picked up the bottle of red wine next to him, and poured a glass for Nicole.
“Ms. Nicole, since it’s a negotiation, I came with my sincerity. Why don’t you take a look at this document? As long as you sign it, I won’t treat you badly.”
Mr. Zeller took a file from his bag. The content was similar to the contract Nicole was holding, but the figure was another ten percent lower than the one Samantha had set.
Samantha looked at them and quickly advised her. “Nicole, what’s the point of you only relying on Grant Stanton? You’d be better off getting a few more backers. Think about it. Grant clearly wants to do you harm because he just left you in this position without even guiding you. He probably won’t marry you either…”
Nicole did not care for Samantha’s sowing of dissension because she probably thought that they were lovers
‘Is she trying to poach me?‘
“Look at the clothes you’re wearing. They don’t even have a brand. Did you buy them off those online catalogs? How do you get to and from work? A taxi?”
Samantha looked askance at Nicole’s brandless getup and tugged on her Chanel suit, as she pursed her lips and smiled.
“To be honest, I’ve been in your shoes. You won’t lose out if you follow Mr. Zeller. He prepared a secondhand Audi for you. With Mr. Zeller’s help on the project, you’ll be able to sit firmly in your position. ”
Seeing that Nicole was silent and in deep thought, Samantha thought that she was moved and winked at Mr. Zeller contentedly.
She then stood up wobbly and said, “I’m going to the bathroom. You guys can continue the talk.‘
Once Samantha went out of the room, her eyes looked sharp. She saw a familiar person sneaking around the bathroom entrance and yanked him over. “Are the things ready?”
The waiter trembled. “T-That drug has been put into the wine…“
“Good.“ Samantha hooked her lips in satisfaction.
The waiter bit his lower lip. “Ms. Lindt, if I’m not mistaken, that lady is President Eric Ferguson’s ex-wife, right?”
“Mm, you’re right. That’s her.”
“How does Mr. Zeller dare to make a move on President Ferguson’s ex-wife. Is he not afraid…?” The waiter did not dare to say it explicitly for fear of getting into trouble, but he felt extremely remorseful at this moment.”
“She’s merely an ex-wife, so how much would she matter to him anyway? She’s the kind of woman that relies on other men to get to the top, so why would Eric Ferguson spare a look at her? Since she’s sleeping her way to the top, it’s all the same whoever she sleeps with anyway, so why not Mr. Zeller?”
The waiter buried his head very low. ”Okay. I’ll go back to work then.”
“Get lost. If this matter gets out, I’ll make you regret it!“
Samantha stomped to the bathroom on her high heels to fix her makeup without noticing a tall and well-built figure standing stiffly on the other side of the corridor.
Eric Ferguson’s face turned cold and glum. His eyes were stern and intimidating as he pulled over a waiter nearby.
“Which room is Nicole in?”
“Huh? Mr. Ferguson?”
Anyone who came in and out of this private club was rich and famous, so the waiters here went through the basic training of recognizing the elites. That waiter immediately recognized Eric Ferguson and was scared senseless that
his face tumed pale.
“Tell me!”
“A-At r-room 3888.” The waiter stammered subconsciously. He could not afford to mess with Chairman Zeller, but Eric Ferguson was on a whole other level.
Eric turned around and left, exuding a penetrating chill.
ln Private Room 3888.
Chairman Zeller smiled lewdly as he reached out to touch Nicole’s hand on the table. However, he did not manage to touch her. Nicole picked up the wine glass and gently swirled the wine in it with her long slender fingers that looked like a work of art.
The middle-aged man took out an old car key from his bag and threw it on the table. “Ms. Nicole, this car is yours.”
Nicole stared at the car key for a long time and suddenly laughed coldly. “Samantha Lindt took more than I did, right?“
Mr. Zeller sized her up with his lecherous eyes. “Ms. Nicole, with your looks, Samantha surely can’t compare to you. When this project is completed, there will be a bigger surprise waiting for you.”
Nicole inadvertently found out how Samantha Lindt had gotten to where she was today.
‘Great, I’ll just clean it up in the meantime.’
“Let’s have a drink and celebrate…” Mr. Zeller could not wait to raise his glass of wine.
In the next second, Nicole’s phone on the table suddenly fell to the ground. Mr. Zeller bent down and picked it up, then presented it to Nicole like it was a treasure Nicole raised her glass and clinked it with his. He then chugged it all in one go.
Nicole’s glass of wine only touched her lips. but under Mr. Zeller’s eager gaze, she deliberately hesitated for a moment before she took a sip.
The corners of her lips were dyed a slightly dark red, which added to her charm.
Mr. Zeller smiled in satisfaction and leered at Nicole’s intoxicating beauty. He went over and put the Audi keys in her hand as he coaxed. “As soon as we reach a deal, I’ll buy you a new Audi.”
Nicole’s face sank and did not have time to react before she suddenly heard Mr Zeller’s shocked cry. He was kicked to the ground!
Suddenly, someone tugged on her wrist fiercely and a cold voice came to her ears.
“This wine is spiked. Did you drank it?”
That handsome face with that tall and upright figure currently standing in front of Nicole was the man that she had been infatuated with for three years, Eric Ferguson.
At first sight, Nicole was stunned for a moment but quickly regained her composure.
‘Why is he here? It’s probably a coincidence.’
Nicole was not so self-absorbed as to think that Eric Ferguson had been watching her every move so that he could swoop in like a hero to save her.
“Mr. Ferguson?” Mr. Zeller stood up in a panic and trembled in fear.
Eric’s face was gloomy as he glared viciously at Mr. Zeller “Do you have a death wish? I can grant your wishl”
At this moment, a wave of inexplicable anger suddenly surged in his chest. His eyes were cold and intimidating.
Eric was just about to go forward to teach Flint Zeller a lesson when a figure suddenly appeared from behind. The other man kicked Flint Zeller, who had just stood up, back to the ground. Then threw a flurry of punches on Flint’s face and body. No place was left out.
“Ian!” Nicole shouted at the man.
The man who hit Flint Zeller paused slightly and turned back. His cold eyes instantly turned warm. “I went to your office to look for you and they told me that you’re here, so I purposely came over to surprise you.“
Ian Carter then walked over to Nicole as if that episode earlier did not happen. He ignored Eric’s presence, took a bouquet placed at the door, and handed it over to Nicole.
“Do you like it?“
Nicole sighed helplessly. Although her plans were disrupted, she more or less had gotten what she came for, so it was not entirely a failure.
“Thank you, but forget him. If you continue punching him, he might die… I don’t wanna get into trouble.”
“As you wish, my queen.“ lan smiled and continued, “Then I’ll spare his worthless life.“
Flint Zeller looked at the people in front of him with fear. One of them was Second Young Master Carter, and the other was Eric Ferguson. He could not afford to mess with either of them. ‘Didn’t they say that Nicole was abandoned by Eric Ferguson? How could he still meddle in her matters?’
Once Flint heard that they would spare his life, he endured the dizziness and wanted to flee in a panic. He certainly did not want to mess with these two big shots.
Before he could crawl out of the room.
Something hard landed on his head before it fell to the ground. It was the Audi keys.
Ian sneered coldly. “Take this away! Don’t taint my girlfriend’s eyes.”
“Yes, yes, yes.” Flint Zeller ran out in a panic.
Nicole was rendered speechless. “Watch it…”
‘What girlfriend?’
She glanced at Eric and felt a little strange. He then looked at her with a cold and deep gaze.
“Mr. Ferguson, why are you here?”
“Yes, I’m also curious. Why are you here, Mr. Ferguson?” lan looked at Eric with obvious scrutiny.
“Nicole, didn’t you know that there was a problem with the wine? Why are you attending all kinds of dinner parties? ls this the life you want?”
The mockery in his words was obvious.
She accompanied others to dinner and was drugged unknowingly. ls this the life she wants after our divorce?’
Somehow, the rage burst out of his chest at that moment.
Nicole lowered her head and laughed. ‘I really made a fool of myself to think that he’d be so kind to help me. Turns out he just wants to find an excuse to teach me a lesson?’
She looked up at him with her bright and delicately made-up eyes that carried a hidden sharpness.
Under Eric’s shocked gaze, Nicole picked up the glass of wine on the table and downed it. She then hooked up her lips and stood up. “Thank you for your help, Mr. Ferguson. I’ve already replaced the wine beforehand, but you no longer have the right to comment on what I want to do with my life.”
Who was he to lecture her’?
When Nicole stood up to leave, Eric grabbed her arm and stared at her coldly.
“What do you mean? You didn’t answer my question.”
Nicole smirked and said with a straight face, “l didn’t say it so explicitly as a courtesy to you, Mr. Ferguson. I came here for work, which is certainly better than being a lowly servant to your family in the past. Speaking of which, is there even a difference between your family and Flint Zeller?”
Nicole sneered and did not look at Eric Ferguson again. She took her phone and purse, then stomped away in her high heels. Her back was slim and valiant.
Ian raised his eyebrows and immediately followed after Nicole.
Eric stood frozen in place. His gaze was as cold as frost. Nicole’s words felt like a thorn in his heart that made him uncomfortable.
‘Being a lowly servant to my family? When did the titular Mrs. Ferguson become a servant?‘
lt seemed that there were too many things that Eric was not aware of.
As soon as Nicole walked out, she saw a red-faced Samantha Lindt tugging on Flint Zeller at the entrance.
‘So, she already knew and was prepared for it… Then was my move earlier superfluous? Tsk, tsk…’ Nicole thought.
Nicole got into the car and left. When she heard Eric’s misunderstanding earlier, she felt hurt because he did not know what kind of person she was after three years of marriage.
After a moment, Nicole regained composure and did not show any mood fluctuations.
She promised not to look back and repeat the same mistakes twice. Eric Ferguson had nothing to do with her.
Ian hummed a tune and glanced at Nicole.
“l saved you today, so how would –
“What kind of gift do you want? Or do you just want me to transfer money into your account?”
Ian looked at her with a smile. “This is the first time a woman tries to slap me with money, but I’d prefer if you pledge yourself to me!”
Nicole gave him a sidelong glance.
”Dream on!”
“Why? You should give me a chance!” lan grunted.
Nicole gave him a faint glance. “l’ve always treated you like a sister.”
lan’s lips twitched. “Anyway, I’ll prove that I’m the most suitable person for you.“
Not knowing where his confidence came from, Nicole could not help but laugh.
“Suit yourself.“
After all, Second Young Master Carter’s enthusiasm usually would not last a month.
lan looked at her smile and felt a pam in his chest. He would not give up this opportunity to anyone else again.
After Nicole got back home, Yvette excitedly called her to ask about the progress.
Nicole told her what happened. She paused slightly when she mentioned Eric Ferguson and lightly brushed over it.
“This Samantha Lindt is like a pimp at those nightclubs. I think her talent’s wasted in the company. She should really just be a pimp instead.”
Nicole lowered her head and laughed. “l can’t just close this case sloppily. Now isn’t the time to fire her yet. Samantha is capable, she just doesn’t have the right mindset. She’s just a clown anyway. It won’t do me any harm to keep her around as long as she doesn’t make trouble.”
The next day.
Early in the morning, Nicole went to the office and found that her chair was replaced with a new one. She was satisfied with Logan’s efficiency and brewed herself a cup of coffee when her door was slammed open.
“Nicole, are you deliberately trying to mess things up? I clearly asked you to accompany Mr. Zeller to dinner, but you left me behind?”
Samantha barged in furiously. She still had some ambiguous marks on her neck that she could not hide. Flint Zeller’s eccentricity was indeed horrifying.
Afterward, Samantha thought about it and knew that Nicole must have backed out. Otherwise, why would Flint Zeller not take a bite of the cake that was at his mouth?
Nicole waved her hand, signaling for Logan to leave, then hooked her lips into a seeming smile as she looked at Samantha.
Samantha suddenly felt guilty and no longer looked so fierce.
“Forget it. This will all be over once you sign the contract.”
Samantha brought the contract over and threw it in front of Nicole.
Nicole did not even raise her head, took out her phone, and tapped on it a few times to play a recording of yesterday’s dinner conversation.
Samantha’s face turned pale and her body trembled slightly.
Nicole laughed. “Samantha, if I expose this recording, the company will thoroughly investigate all the projects you handle. If so, you won’t be able to stay in this industry anymore and might even be imprisoned. Are you really willing to give up your career for FH Corporation?”
Samantha would not give it up.
A trace of panic flashed in Samantha’s eyes as her face paled. She immediately spoke with a respectful tone, “Nic- Vice President Nicole, I was too reckless earlier. FH Corporation’s project isn’t that great anyway, and that company is in fact already an empty shell…”
Nicole nodded with satisfaction. “Then don’t mention the cooperation with FH Corporation in the future. I recognize your capability, but you have to use it for your own work. Don’t worry about other companies.”
“Yes, Vice President Nicole.” Samantha stiffened slightly.
After dealing with Samantha, Nicole had to study J&L’s project. Getting this project was imperative because, besides Eric’s Ferguson Corporation, there was no other company that had a stronger background than Stanton Corporation to compete for this project.
Nicole found out that Ferguson Corporation did not intend to get involved in artificial intelligence, so she was confident about landing this deal.
The sky gradually dimmed. Logan came into Nicole’s office with a stack of documents and said, “Ms. Nicole, J&L Corporation’s dinner turned into a networking party. They invited a lot of people and intend to announce their project partners on their anniversary. They’ve sent us a VIP invite. Should I contact them beforehand?”
Nicole rubbed her temples. “J&L Corporation is pretty confident in their project. They know that they have a big slice of the pie and everyone’s waiting to get a cut. There’s no need to contact them in advance. We have the best conditions, so we’ll just attend the party ”
Logan nodded. “Yes, Vice President. Do you need me to arrange for a car to take you home?”
Nicole glanced at the time. It was indeed quite late. Just as she was about to leave work, there was a knock at the door. Ian stood there with a seductive smile and looked devilishly handsome. “Ms. Stanton, do I have the honor to invite you to dinner?”
Seeing the man, Nicole could not help but smile. “Of course, I’d love for Second Young Master Carter to buy me dinner.”
Logan wisely retreated.
Ian was a gentleman and went over to put on Nicole’s coat, took her bag, and excitedly said, “I’ve driven away our biggest third wheel, Hugh, so we can finally have some alone time today!”
Nicole rolled her eyes at Ian and did not take him seriously because Ian was always flirting and fooling around with countless women
“I’m hungry. What are we eating?”
“There’s a new lovers‘ restaurant in South City…”
Before Ian could finish his words Nicole swept a glance at him, so Ian continued, “…That I just opened, so let’s go check it out.’ Nicole strutted out in her stilettos Ian followed closely behind her with a smug face.
The restaurant was on the top floor of the building that had a great view of the city. They could see the colorful neon lights scattered everywhere that showed the vibrance and opulence of the city .
Couples were dancing to the music on one side of the restaurant. It was such a romantic atmosphere that it was difficult not to get immersed into it.
Nicole finally had time to relax. The music that was playing was Nicole’s favourite song and moved her soul, so she closed her eyes slightly to enjoy the moment.
She suddenly smelled a faint floral fragrance. Once she opened her eyes. lan handed her a bouquet with a charming smile on his face.
“For you, your favorite Swiss lilies.”
Music and flowers were the gold standard for a lovers’ restaurant, but Nicole did not have the slightest romantic thought about Ian.
She smiled and took the bouquet from him, then put it aside. “Thank you, Not bad for a lovers‘ restaurant. The Service is spot on!“
Ian stared at her blankly. ‘She thinks that thus is the standard service of this restaurant? This fresh bouquet was flown in from Switzerland this morning and the soil was still moist when I received it. Does she think that everyone can enjoy such an expensive service?’
He shook his head helplessly. ‘Forget it. I have all the patience in the world!’
When the food was served, Nicole no longer immersed herself in the scenery and music and lowered her head to enjoy the food. Ian passionately introduced her to the specialties of each dish. The atmosphere was very cordial.
Nicole was not very particular about food.
When Ian saw her eating, he was elated.
“Did you receive the flowers I sent to your office?“
Nicole replied, “Mhm, thanks.”
Ian’s face stiffened. “That‘s it? Shouldn’t you ask why?”
“Second Young Master, please tell…” Nicole looked puzzled. ‘Was this not just a whim?’
“I’m courting you!” Ian was a little annoyed that Nicole was slow to get his intentions.
Nicole just let out a faint “oh”, then wiped her mouth gently and said, “Sorry, but l don’t accept it. Don’t waste your time and energy on me.“
Ian was angry. ‘Such a straightforward rejection without even caring for my feelings?’
He looked at Nicole solemnly. “We’re not friends anymore. From now on, I’m your suitor.”
Nicole blinked. “Then let’s stop contacting each other.“
Not far away in a corner, Keith Ludwig snorted and said, “Look at those two people flirting with each other. What does Second Young Master Carter even see in such a woman?”
Opposite him, Eric Ferguson had a dull expression as he retracted his gaze. He looked down at the food in front of him and suddenly found it tasteless.