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Divorced Billionaire Heiress - Chapter 9
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This new lovers‘ restaurant opened right above Keith Ludwig’s restaurant. It was very popular, so Keith had to come and experience it himself and even dragged Eric Ferguson with him.
The waiter stressed over and over again that this was a lovers‘ restaurant.
Keith winked at Eric and lightly tugged on Eric’s arm. “Don’t we look like a couple?“
“Ferg, Ludwig, what a coincidence…”
A man and a woman walked over to them.
Colton White looked like a typical gentry, and the woman holding Colton’s arm was a recently popular social media influencer with a small common-looking face and big eyes.
Keith snorted lightly. “Why are you here?”
“Lily said this place is nice, so we came to check it out. Isn’t this a lovers’ restaurant?” Colton implied something and covered his mouth to hold back his laughter.
They were all childhood buddies, so there was no need to evade each other. Eric scowled and glared at Keith.
Colton White felt amused since it was rare to see Eric at a loss like this. He did not leave and invited himsell to their table. His date sat opposite to Eric. When Lily saw Eric’s chiseled face she tried to suppress the excitement in her heart but dared not say anything with Colton around.
“Hey, Ferg. Isn’t that the scheming bitch?” Colton lifted his chin slightly in one direction.
The music was pleasant and soothing.
Ian dragged Nicole to the dance floor as he said, “lt‘s just one dance. Since we’re already here, don’t you want to experience the feeling of being on this dance floor?”
Before Nicole could answer, the next song had already started. so it would only attract more attention if she refused.
‘Whatever. It’s just a dance.‘
The music was upbeat. Ian and Nicole’s steps only had a momentary pause in the beginning. Soon after, they matched each other’s rhythm very well and gradually became the focus on the dance floor.
The couples around them stopped to look at the pair. The man was devilishly handsome and the woman was elegant and beautiful. The hem of her skin swayed as she danced and the two of them stole all the attention.
lan inadvertently saw a certain someone in the corner when the song ended, he pulled Nicole into his arms. turned around with his back against the crowd and lowered his head as he embraced the woman tightly.
From the perspective of the crowd behind them, they were kissing passionately.
Suddenly, the restaurant resounded with loud applause.
Before Nicole could react, lan chuckled and pulled her out of the restaurant.
In the corner Eric did not speak, but his face was a bit cold.
Keith Ludwig looked at the couple’s departing back and coldly snorted “lt’s not that great.”
Although their dance was comparable to professional dancers. Keith would never admit that Nicole danced well.
“Right? This scheming bitch hooked up with another guy so soon?” Colton sneered.
Eric swept a cold glance at Cotton when he
heard that.
“Scheming bitch? ls that what you guys call her behind her back?”
“Yeah, what else? She did everything she could to marry you for money, didn’t she? We know what she did to trap you so we’re all happy that you finally divorced her. You don’t have to put up with that shrew anymore…”
Colton did not notice Eric’s increasingly plum lace. He recalled some of their old memories and retold them as a joke.
“I remember that when you just got married and we went out drinking together that woman called in the middle of the night to check on you when you were in the bathroom. I picked up the call and warned her back then to know her
place. She’s so ignorant. Can’t she see that marrying you is already an honor for her.”
Suddenly, a cup landed heavily on the table. The lively chatter and laughter at the table instantly ceased.
Keith looked puzzled. ‘Eric is clearly angry! ls it because of that woman?‘
Colton did not know what he had misspoken.
Everyone knew that Eric was forced into his previous marriage.
The influencer was so frightened that she
shuddered. She originally thought that she would be able to hook up with someone more powerful, but she did not even get to say a word at the table.
“Ferg? ” Colton looked to Keith for help.
Keith was just about to speak when Eric sneered and said, “Colton, why don’t you just become the Head of the Ferguson family if you like to meddle in my business so much?”
After that, Eric Ferguson stood up and left leaving the pale-faced Colton White behind.
Kerth Ludwig chased after Eric ‘This must be related to Nicole again. That woman’s really troublesome. ‘
“Ferg, why do you look so upset? We’re all bros. You know that Colton’s always been straightforward. Don’t take whatever he said to heart.”
Eric also knew that he had overreacted and did not expect to have lost control of his emotions like that.
It was just that when he found out about these things that he should have known but was kept in the dark, his only thought was,
‘ls this why Nicole hates me?‘
His chest felt stuffy and uncomfortable. He stood at the entrance for a while.
After getting blown by the cold wind, his mind felt much clearer. He took out a cigarette and lit it.
“I know. You can tell him that it’s not directed at him.”
‘I must be mad at myself!‘ Eric thought.
Keith breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, but you’re not longing for that woman, right?”
Eric cast a sidelong glance at him and snorted.
He was not bothered to answer Keith’s curiosity. “Your restaurant can’t compare with this new restaurant. My advice is for you to close your business…”
Keith’s face reddened with anger. “Are you even my bro?!”
****
J&L Corporation invited many soclalites, businessmen, and politicians for their anniversary.
Everyone who attended the banquet was an elite.
Nicole had done her research. J&L Corporation was a relatively new company that did not have much backing, so it was not an easy feat to
achieve such a reputation and develop to this scale in a few short years.
J&L Corporation’s R&D focus was to integrate technology and artificial intelligence into regular life. They had already mastered core technologies that were beyond the reach of many countries.
Nicole thought, ‘If l can land this artificial intelligence project, Stanton Corporation will be able to become a pioneer in this new field.‘
Thus, Nicole came prepared this time.
Everyone was in the hall exchanging pleasantries when there was a sudden cry of surprise. The crowd looked towards the sound and saw a couple standing at the entrance of the banquet hall.
They were all familiar with the man-
Grant Stanton of Stanton Corporation. He was ruthless, decisive, and feared by many.
The woman beside him had on exquisite makeup that highlighted her stunning features. Her long wavy hair was pinned back. Under her gentle appearance was a hidden majesty. She wore a hand-stitched bespoke dress inlaid with diamond bits that accentuated her slender waist. Her dress glittered when she stood under the light which made her shine so brightly. Her elegant demeanor and extraordinary temperament made the crowd marvel at her presence.
Some people also recognized her.
‘Isn’t she Eric Ferguson’s ex-wife? He’s so blind
to divorce such a stunning woman. ‘
People came forward to greet them,
‘Mr Stanton, your female companion today is
a real showstopper’
“Mr Stanton, welcome…”
Grant Stanton‘s smile reached his eyes as he held up his wine glass to the crowd
“She’s my Vice President, Nicole. Please take good care of her,“
‘Vice President Nicole is so beautiful and talented. You must be very outstanding to be able to stay in Stanton Corporation-‘
‘That’s really remarkable! Vice President
Nicole, please take care of us in the future-‘
‘We must cooperate when we have the
chance“?
……
Nicole maintained a decent and elegant smile and responded to everyone’s greeting. Grant saw that it was almost time, so he patted her wrist and lowered his head to whisper a reminder in her ear.
“President Lichman of J&L Corporation is upstairs, so let’s go.”
This was their purpose of coming here.
Nicole nodded gently. Her long slender neck was flawless and her every move was simply amazing.
Not far away, Ingrid Ferguson and her clique of high-society ladies watched as Nicole accepted the crowd’s praises.
Their expressions were very amusing with all sorts of emotions because Nicole’s diamond-studded dress stole all the attention away from their carefully selected dresses.
Ingrid looked especially shocked and angry because she already had an eye on Nicole’s dress half a month ago. It was one of Louis Vuitton‘s private custom dresses. The diamonds on it were real diamonds from a famous Jewelry brand.
This dress was valued close to the nine figures and was only for display among the elites.
She had asked to rent this dress but was told that someone had already ordered it. Moreover, she was told that this dress could not be replicated because that mysterious lady wanted unique attention.
Who knew that dress would be worn by Nicole?
‘What’s going on?‘ Ingrid thought.
Nicole used to be conservative and ugly when she was staying with the Fergusons. She only knew how to do chores around the house and did not even dare to utter a word.
Nicole was so humble like a servant, but this woman in front of Ingrid was proud, confident, and had such a stunning aura.
She was like a completely different person!
If it was not for the wrong occasion, Ingrid wanted to go up and tell everyone that Nicole was just an ugly, old-fashioned woman who had been abandoned by the Ferguson family.
Ingrid wanted to tear off Nicole’s confident
mask and let everyone see how miserable and lowly Nicole actually was!
“What’s going on? Ingrid, is Nicole really your sister-in-law? She’s not ugly…”
“Yeah, she’s so pretty! Did you see that? Her skin is glowing! I wonder where she does her facials…”
“Did you girls see the man next to her? He’s so handsome and considerate! I just saw that your brother was also staring at her…”
Ingrid closed her eyelids to suppress the jealousy brewing in her eyes, she slammed the glass down on the side and coldly snorted.
“She got kicked out of my house, so what else can she do but hook up with other men? I’m sure that she’s just a gold-digger trying to find a sugar daddy so that she won’t have to worry for life…”
The girls looked at Ingrid’s grim face and quieted down.
The second floor of the banquet hall was relatively quiet. when Grant brought Nicole upstairs, an unruly-looking young man in an expensive black shirt stood up.
The two men shook hands briefly Grant smiled and said, “Mr Lichman, it’s been a while.”
Gerard Lichman laughed. The corners of his lips hooked up charmingly “Hello, Mr. Stanton”
Without waiting for Grant’s introduction, Gerard had already moved his gaze onto Nicole. It was an appreciative glance with a decent sense of proportion that was not offensive.
“Ms. Nicole, you’re not only beautiful but also capable. I hope that you won’t mind that I put off our dinner and invited you to this banquet instead.”
Nicole smiled. “Of course not. Congratulations on J&L’s 5th anniversary. I hope we’ll be able to work together happily in the years to come.”
She made a double entendre.
Gerard smiled. “Mr. Stanton, may I talk to Ms. Nicole privately? After all, if there’s a chance for cooperation, the person we’ll be dealing with is Ms. Nicole.“
“Sure.” Grant was not surprised by this request and gave Nicole a reassuring glance. He then turned around and went downstairs to network with others.
Gerard and Nicole stood facing each other in front of the railing on the second floor under the ambient light. The handsome man and beautiful woman talked eloquently and calmly.
“Ms. Nicole, I’d like to know why you’re so confident about this cooperation?”
Gerard held a glass of wine and casually shook the burgundy liquid in the glass Nicole raised her eyebrows. A strand of wavy hair fell across her forehead and around her ear The look in her eyes was very alluring.
“Mr. Lichman, the conditions I gave are very sincere. I believe that you’re also aware of it. Compared to so many investors, there’s no one else more suitable than Stanton Corporation. To put it bluntly. you have the technology. and l
have the money. Stanton Corporation won’t expect J&L to be profitable in five years. Instead, we’re looking at long-term cooperation. I believe that in the next ten years, we will be the ones to determine the level of Al development in this world.”
Those that could pay more than Stanton Corporation could not provide more benefits than Nicole, while those that could provide more benefits did not have the capital.
Gerard was not just a businessman. He was also an engineer, so he wanted to find the most suitable business partner for his brainchild.
Nicole’s bold words made Gerard re-examine the woman in front of him with less playfulness and more solemnity.
Gerard bowed his head and pondered.
”Vice President Nicole, do you mind participating in a three-way partnership with another company?”
“Who else?”
Nicole did not believe that there was a better fit than Stanton Corporation.
Gerard raised his glass to indicate behlnd Nicole. Hearing the soft footsteps that gradually approached them, Nicole’s heart suddenly lumped and missed a beat.
Nicole felt a sudden silence in the air. She turned around with her glass of wine and her smile was frozen on her face with just one glance.
Sure enough, the only one who could compete with Stanton Corporation in the same project was none other than EricbFerguson.
Eric was wearing a black sult with expensive cufflinks that looked familiar to Nicole. It made him seem so cold, indifferent, and unapproachable.
His gaze lingered on Nicole for a few seconds before he greeted Gerard frankly.
Gerard’s eyes bounced between the two of them. “I guess I don’t need to introduce you both since you should be familiar with each other. Ms. Nicole, my apologies for not telling you in advance that regardless of who our final partner is, Ferguson Corporation will be involved in the project.”
Looking at Nicole’s puzzled gaze, Gerard chuckled and continued, “That’s because
Mr. Ferguson has been funding all of my projects as an angel investor since the inception of my company.”
Nicole thought. ‘So that’s how it is…he’s already a shareholder, huh? l just didn’t expect Eric Ferguson had set his eyes on the field of artificial intelligence for so long.’
If Gerard Lichman did not take the initiative to tell Nicole this, Nicole would not have been able to find out. The fact that he told her this information also proved that he genuinely wanted to cooperate with her.
Although Nicole was not happy about Eric’s involvement, she had a clear mind and separated her personal affairs and business well. She would not give up on this opportunity.
her eyes and smiled.
“With Ferguson Corporation’s strength, you can
very well enjoy the fruits of this cooperation by yourself. Why do you need a third party to get involved?”
She raised her eyebrows slightly and glanced at Eric.
“After all, this is a brand new field that no one’s involved in, so Ferguson Corporation cannot take this risk alone.”
The man’s voice was deep and clear.
The corners of his lips hooked up. “It won’t be
a wrong move for Stanton Corporation to choose J&L. l hope we’ll have a pleasant cooperation.”
He raised his glass with his slender and beautiful hand. Gerard Lichman clinked his glass with Eric’s and the two men waited for Nicole’s response.
Since there was no other choice, Nicole could only smile faintly and coldly as gently raised her glass. The soft liner of the glasses was crisp and pleasant.
Everything was settled.
Even though Nicole was not happy about it, there was no way out. Her chest felt stuffy and unpleasant.
Gerard breathed a sigh of relief and noticed the tense atmosphere between the two of them. He tried to ease the situation and said, “Why don’t you two take the first dance as the opening to our anniversary celebration? I think this is
undoubtedly the best way to announce our cooperation.”
Eric frowned slightly. Nicole chuckled and reached out to tuck her hair behind her ears. She smiled perfunctorily and said.
”Sorry, but I don’t know how to dance.”
After saying that, she turned on her heels and left. ignoring Eric’s cold and questioning
gaze.
Gerard shrugged his shoulders and said, “It’s just one dance, but she’s not even willing to. It seems that our future cooperation won’t be very pleasant. Mr. Ferguson, you’re the first among the elites that have such a messy divorce.”
Eric’s face sank as he stared at Nicole’s swaying dress. His expression turned even more downcast.
‘Don’t know how to dance? Hah! Then was I blind back at Ian Carter’s restaurant?‘
However, Eric suddenly thought of Colton‘s words and felt the anger in his chest dissipate.
Instead, his heart clenched uncomfortably.
‘I really owe her so much…’
Even if Nicole was upset, she still maintained a graceful smile. When she got downstairs, Grant approached her with a warm smile.
“Done?”
Nicole’s dull expression seemed somewhat cold without the joy of closing a deal. This made Grant a little puzzled.
“Eric Ferguson is a shareholder, so Gerard Lichman asked for a three-way cooperation,“ Nicole explained.
Grant paused for a moment and finally understood why Nicole looked so cold. He smiled and stroked her hair dotingly and gently.
“It’s okay. That just means we have someone to share the risks with. The benefits in this certainly outweigh the disadvantages.”
Nicole froze for a moment and raised her eyebrows suddenly realising that ‘What Eric Ferguson was worried about was exactly Stanton Corporation worries about as well. The benefits of this three-way cooperation did outweigh the disadvantages.’
After Nicole figured it out, the moodiness in her chest was instantly swept away.
She smiled and took Grant’s arm, then gently placed her chin on his shoulder as she whined.
“G, thanks for reminding me. Otherwise, I would’ve been cursing all of them for days on end!”
Grant could not help but laugh.
This intimate scene was an eyesore to a certain onlooker.
Eric stared at the pair from upstairs and watched Grant and Nicole’s intimate gestures.
Keith Ludwig came up and scoffed “Tsk tsk…l heard that Grant Stanton isn’t close to women, but why is he so attached to this woman? They must have an unspeakable relationship!”
Eric faintly retracted his gaze with a cold face. He ignored Keith and went downstairs to network with the other guests.
The banquet hall was finally abuzz.
Gerard walked over and whispered a few words to the emcee, who then came forward with a microphone.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to J&L Corporation’s 5th anniversary. To celebrate this momentous day, I will announce the latest project partners of J&L Corporation on behalf of Mr, Lichman, which are Ferguson Corporation and Stanton Corporation. Now, let’s invite Mr. Eric Ferguson and Ms. Nicole to share the opening dance!”
The crowd cheered loudly.
When Nicole heard her name. she froze for a moment. She did not want to have anything to do with Eric Ferguson.
But this situation was out of her control and
she felt everyone’s eyes on her at this moment.
The awkward relationship between them after their divorce added to the mystery of this coincidental cooperation.
Eric also did not expect this.
Without a doubt, this was Gerard’s doing.
Nicole was still in a pickle when Eric walked to her. He was exuding a cool aura as he bent slightly and reached out inviting Nicole to the dance floor.
Everyone’s eyes were focused on the pair.
There was no way Nicole could reject Eric’s invitation because she did not want to leave a negative impact at the beginning of their three-way cooperation.
Grant gave his baby sister a heartfelt look. Nicole smiled faintly, then stretched out her hand to take Eric’s.
The people in front of them consciously made way for the pair. Nicole carried her dress with her other hand and walked forward without looking at Eric.
Eric’s palm was slightly cold.
At that moment, he suddenly realized that in their three years of marriage, they had never held a wedding ceremony and he had never
taken the initiative to hold her hand. This was the first time they held hands.
Nicole’s fingers were long and beautiful, like a work’of art. Her hand was warm and delicate, and he immediately etched this feeling in his heart.
The band began the next song at the right time. The refreshing and cheerful music echoed in the banquet hall.
The moment Nicole’s hand landed on Eric’s shoulder, their eyes met momentarily. Eric’s dark and deep gaze was affixed to her face.
When his hand rested on her slim waist, Nicole’s body stiffened for a moment as she felt very uncomfortable.
The two of them had never been this close in their three years of marriage.
Being here like this after the divorce was also really unexpected.
Nicole merely took a few seconds to regain her composure. She then put a fake and indifferent smile on her face.
Their good footwork, confident posture, kind humility, completely captured audience’s eyes while the music from the center of the stage drowned out their conversation.
“Can’t dance, huh?” The man’s deep and clear voice was very seductive.
Nicole raised an eyebrow. “Depends on the person.”
She was straightforward and unforgiving.
Eric’s eyes sank imperceptibly. The two of them moved back and forth. The music took a steep turn and the rhythm gradually quickened. The man tightened his grip on her hand and her slender waist.
“Why didn’t I know that you know how to do business? ls it Stanton Corporation’s idea to cooperate with Gerard Lichman, or is it yours?’
Nicole did a graceful turn and the two came together again.
“There’s a lot you’re not aware of, and I don’t have to tell you anything.”
The corners of her lip curled up gently with a hint of mockery.
In their three years of marriage, he never thought to understand her as his wife, so what was the point of telling him anything after their divorce?
To him, Nicole was just a passing character in the past three years, but for Nicole, this was an unforgettable lesson.
The light shone on the pair. Eric was as handsome as usual. His tall upright built made every woman marvel at him.
Nicole’s dress swayed with every step she took. Her graceful posture and her striking features stunned the crowd. If time froze at this moment, one could see the people in the hall gasp collectively
AII eyes were on these two people. Their movements clearly matched tacitly. but the pair had no intention for interaction.
To be precise, Nicole had no intention of dealing with Eric. She Only wished of this song to finish quickly because being so close to Eric Ferguson made her very uncomfortable.
Eric’s gaze felt like thorns on her lace as he quietly inspected her. The music took a turn into the final section.
Eric leaned his body forward while Nicole took a step back and lifted her head to end the dance. Her long and slender neck curved delicately. When the song was about to end, Nicole subconsciously straightened her back, but she did not expect Eric not to take a step back.
Their lips unexpectedly touched.
One was soft and delicate, and the other was cold and thin.
The last note dragged on before it stopped abruptly as if it reflected the freezing of time at this moment…