Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 1721-1730

“Goodness! He is so handsome!”

“He must be buying it for his girlfriend!”

It turned out that two young ladies were secretly admiring Jared from a distance while they gossiped about him. At the same time, both of them couldn’t help but envy the lady whom Jared was buying the sanitary pads for.

Meanwhile, Jared appeared to be crouching down while looking closely at every single product to find the brand that Ellen sent him earlier without feeling uncomfortable at all. After that, he took two of every product that Ellen told him to buy and headed to the counter for payment. Then, he made his way back home as quickly as he could, unwilling to keep Ellen waiting for too long.

On the other hand, Ellen was sitting on the couch restlessly as if she had needles in her pants. At the same time, she had to use tissues as a substitute for a sanitary pad until someone opened the door and entered the place. Then, she quickly grabbed what she needed from Jared and rushed into the bedroom.

When she was finally able to heave a sigh of relief, she saw the man already waiting for her by the bathroom door. At the sight of Jared’s presence, the lady blushed in her cheeks, for it was her first time letting a man buy menstrual products for her. The next moment, Jared took Ellen to the couch and poured her a glass of warm water, which she happily took with her hands as if she no longer felt the pain with his love and care.

Later that night, Ellen went to sleep with her arms wrapped around Jared; that was the only way she felt secure and comfortably warm. When she opened her eyes the next morning, the man who lay beside her was already gone, only leaving a note behind. ‘Good morning, babe. I need to head down to the office first, but don’t worry. Someone will prepare you breakfast. Be sure to rest well.”

Ellen was stunned when she saw the note. She then got off her bed and stepped out of the bedroom, only to see a middle-aged woman cooking in the kitchen.

“Miss Reiss, I just made you some chowder and chicken soup. Would you like to have them now?”

“Um, who might you be?” Ellen asked.

“You may call me Felicia. I’ll be responsible for your meals and all the house chores from now on. Mr. Presgrave wants you to have enough rest.”

“Alright, thank you.” Ellen nodded as she was indeed hungry.

…

Meanwhile, an intense meeting was going on at Presgrave Corporation about a company that was on the brink of bankruptcy despite having a history of over a hundred years old in Xaswela. While its bankruptcy drew the attention of all huge corporations across the world, Presgrave Corporation was no exception at all. In fact, they wanted a piece of what was left of the company, so they were especially ambitious in acquiring the company.

Therefore, they came up with a meticulous plan to go about their acquisition, only to be caught off guard by a huge rival from Hogland. Thus, the people from Presgrave Corporation’s procurement department quickly found themselves in a tight spot, where they needed a quick solution to resolve their problem.

As soon as the meeting was over, Jared heard his phone ringing on the table. “Hello?” he said after answering it.

“Hello, Mr. Presgrave. My name is Hannie Quins, and I’m the person in charge of running the Quins Group. Thus, I would like to make a proposition with you on behalf of my family. When would you be

free to meet up?” The young lady’s sweet voice sounded soothing, but her speech was not fluent.

Jared knitted his eyebrows, thinking it wasn’t appropriate for him to see Hannie due to their conflicting positions. “I’m sorry, Miss Quins. I don’t see a reason for us to meet up.”

“I’m sincere with my invitation, Mr. Presgrave. We may not meet today, but I’m sure we will someday. Actually, I’m more interested in you personally, so see you again soon.” Hannie hung up the call as soon as she finished her words.

Meanwhile, Jared put down his phone and went through the details that were left on his desk. When he flipped to the third page, he saw a rough introduction about the family members behind the Quins Group and set his eyes on a face under the third generation of the family tree.

It turned out that he had his eyes glued on the eldest child of the family behind the Quins Group, which was none other than Hannie, a lady who looked decently stunning in her looks and aura. Nevertheless, Jared only closed his eyes helplessly, feeling somewhat numb to the women who warmed up to him with an ulterior motive.

As he was no stranger to such circumstances, he didn’t feel surprised after receiving Hannie’s call at all. Instead, he was disgusted by her attempt to warm up to him.

In the meantime, a lady was wearing a long skirt by the window in a hotel’s presidential suite in the center of the city, keeping her ambitious eyes fixed on the building of Presgrave Corporation like a huntress spying on her prey.

A smile tugged on the lady’s red lips as she held a glass of red wine in her hand. When she unlocked her phone, it displayed a photo of Jared. It was the perfect airport photo, showcasing his handsome and captivating image.

Just then, her phone rang, and she glanced at it before answering the call. It was her father speaking in Hoglandish. “Hello, Dad.”

“Are you sure about this? I’m feeling a lot of pressure from your grandfather’s side.”

“Dad, trust me. My goal isn’t to take down that company. I just want to get close to Mr. Presgrave using this way. Don’t you want a son-in-law who is rich and powerful? He possesses all the qualities that I desire. I want to attract him.” The lady’s voice was filled with confidence as if capturing Jared’s heart was an absolute certainty.

“Alright, I’ll give you six months, and you can use the company’s resources to approach him.”

“Dad, if I don’t win him over, how is Grandpa going to give you the inheritance rights? Uncle Owen has already gained Grandpa’s favor. With Grandpa’s health failing, he could pass away at any time. I must fight for your inheritance rights while Grandpa is still alive,” Hannie firmly declared since marrying Jared was the best way to prove herself.

“Alright. I’m counting on you now.”

After Hannie hung up the phone, her assistant pushed the door open and walked in, holding the latest set of airport photos. “Miss Quins, this was just taken by our people.”

When Hannie took the photos and saw the photo of Jared holding hands with a young girl, her eyes narrowed a little.

“It seems that Mr. Presgrave has a girlfriend.”

“So what? I won’t let her get in my way. Compared to her, I have the upper hand.” Her eyes brimmed with confidence.

“Indeed, you’re not any less pretty than her. You will surely win him over.”

Hannie put down the photos, her eyes flashing with ambition and cunningness. Judging from how she was using her family’s power to compete in the acquisition, it was clear that she was serious about this. She was not just playing around. Therefore, no one could stop her. “Investigate her background. I want to know who she is,” she ordered.

…

On the other hand, Ellen had plenty of free time, so she spent the day learning how to cook from Felicia, trying to acquire a skill.

However, Jared had a social engagement tonight and said he would be coming home late. As such, she enjoyed her dinner alone, and Wanda left at 8.00PM after cleaning up.

Then, she waited for him on the balcony, looking out at the sea of lights outside. Although she was alone in such a large home, her heart was warm and full. This was because she knew that no matter how late it was, he would come back to her side. Sometimes, waiting was a happy thing for her.

Finally, around 9.30PM, the sound of the door opening came from outside. Hearing that, she quickly got up from the balcony and went to welcome him.

The man who came back had a slightly red face and a faint smell of alcohol on him. While feeling sorry for him, she hugged him and asked, “Are you tired?”

Jared hugged her waist and kissed her forehead affectionately. “Not anymore the moment I see you.”

In fact, Ellen could feel that he was under a lot of work pressure, but he never discussed work in front of her. How can he not be tired when he’s managing such a huge business empire? Yet, she could do very little, which made her feel rather guilty.

“I’ll take a shower, and then I’ll be with you.” Jared didn’t want to accompany her with the smell of alcohol on him for fear of affecting her.

He went to the bathroom, leaving his clothes on the couch. While hanging up his clothes, she noticed that there was a message notification on his phone. She reached for the phone and just wanted to take a glance, but when she swiped the screen, it unlocked at once.

A message then came into her sight. ‘Good evening, Mr. Presgrave. Would you like to go out for a drink tonight?’

The tone of the message sounded like it was from a girl. Startled, she placed the phone on the table and hung up his suit on the hanger.

However, the phone beeped again just as she returned to the couch. When she heard that, she wondered if it was the same girl from earlier.

Ellen reached out her hand and picked up Jared’s phone for another glance. Sure enough, a message with a somewhat sad tone came in. ‘Mr. Presgrave, I came from another country to invite you for a drink. Don’t you feel sorry for ignoring me like this?”

After reading the message, she felt her heart wrench a little. This girl is pursuing Jared so aggressively. Who is she?

When Jared came out of the shower, she was watching TV, so he approached her with some moisture on his body and pulled her into his arms. The fresh scent of the shampoo mixed with his masculine scent was enticing.

“Piggy,” he called her nickname as he kissed her.

However, she could only look at him apologetically. “I accidentally saw a message from a girl on your phone. She seems to be flirting with you. Do you want to explain?”

Startled, he quickly took his phone, and after reading the two messages, his expression became serious. “Her name is Hannie Quins, and she’s the successor of a competing company. There’s no need to pay attention to her.”

“It seems like she’s interested in you.” Ellen blinked.

At that moment, Jared lowered his head and rubbed his chin against her cheek affectionately. “The only woman in this world who interests me is you.”

When she heard that, her heart melted, and the hint of jealousy that had just arisen in her disappeared upon his gentle and firm gaze. “I believe you.” She snuggled into his arms. He’s the person I trust the most in this world.

“No matter what you see or hear, don’t be pissed first. I will explain everything to you,” he said as he stroked her head. Although he couldn’t control those outsiders, he knew that his heart would always firmly love her.

Warmth filled Ellen’s eyes as she nodded again. Suddenly, she hissed in pain as her lower abdomen ached again.

Immediately, Jared placed his warm palm on her lower abdomen, using his temperature to relieve her pain. His large palm was more effective than a heating pad.

After a while, she felt much better.

“It’s late already. Let’s go to bed.” After saying that, Jared reached out his hands and carried her with ease. “You’re too skinny. You need to eat more at home during this time.”

Ellen protested, saying, “No, I want to lose weight.”

“You’re not allowed to lose any more weight!” he commanded in a domineering tone.

With a smile, she leaned into his arms. “Are you going to turn me into a piglet?”

“Yes.” Jared didn’t deny it.

Ellen then lightly hit him and said, “I’ll eat until you can’t carry me anymore.”

“Even better,” he replied affectionately. When he placed her on the bed, a strong sense of restraint showed in his eyes.

Three days later, a grand charity dinner was held in Averna, and Jared was planning to take Ellen there for some fun.

At the same time, Hannie had also received an invitation. Although she was not in her home country, her influence and connections were very extensive, especially in the business sector, where she had dedicated staff managing it for her.

When she heard that Jared would be attending the dinner, she didn’t hesitate to join in. Perhaps she could even become his dance partner! Growing up with too much confidence, she believed that winning over a man was just a simple matter.

On the other hand, Ellen arrived at a dress shop under the protection of Jared’s bodyguards, and the entire store was solely at her service.

The store manager once provided Ellen with specialized service, and over a year had passed since they last met. She found that Ellen had undergone a tremendous transformation in terms of her aura.

Previously, she was like an innocent young girl, pure and naive, but now, she exuded a mature and gentle aura; there was a calm and delicate look in her eyes. Her every movement emitted a mature and dignified aura. Moreover, the longer one looked at her, the more beautiful she seemed.

The unique aura she exuded had a calming power; it was a clean and refreshing aura that had a healing effect. She was the type that would be loved by both men and women, making people naturally drawn to her.

“This way, Miss Reiss.” The store manager led her upstairs.

Ellen followed her to the second floor, and the store manager recommended the latest evening gowns. She believed that Ellen had her own eye for fashion, so the choice was in Ellen’s hands this time.

As expected, Ellen had a keen eye for fashion and chose a green evening gown with a unique texture that radiated a sense of vitality and hope.

The store manager genuinely felt that this evening gown perfectly suited her. When she tried it on, she was stunningly beautiful.

“You have such great taste, Miss Reiss. This evening gown suits you so well,” the store manager praised.

The evening gown looked refreshing and noble on Ellen. It appeared elegant at first glance, yet upon closer inspection, it revealed a calm and serene charm.

Two hours later, Jared’s car stopped at the store entrance. When Ellen appeared in a green evening gown that seemed to embody the early spring, she looked refreshingly unique at first sight.

Jared’s breath caught for a few seconds, proving that this girl could always make him feel like he was falling in love for the first time, no matter when he saw her.

“Is it beautiful?” Ellen gently twirled the hem of her dress before him, hoping for his approval.

“It’s beautiful,” he complimented, but he felt a tinge of jealousy as he knew his woman would attract many envious glances tonight. He felt like he was losing out.

Meanwhile, in another dress store, Hannie was dressed in a gold evening gown that accentuated the perfection of her figure, giving her a sexy yet elegant look.

She was in a great mood at the thought of meeting Jared tonight, even though she knew he might bring his girlfriend. That feeling of excitement was even more exhilarating.

She had a bad streak in her bones—she loved taking what belonged to others, which was more fun when it was stolen.

“See you tonight, Jared.” Hannie smirked as she looked at his photo on her phone.

The banquet began at 6.30PM. Averna was exceptionally lively tonight as the wealthy and powerful gathered at the Royal Hotel to attend the grand event.

The guest list was strict and exclusive, accepting only those who were exceptional and truly deserving of an invitation. Tonight, there was also a rare jewelry auction taking place.

A black car stopped at the hotel entrance, and as the security guards approached, the bodyguards behind the black car quickly stepped out to stop them and gestured for them to step back.

The security guards knew the people in the car were VIPs and obediently took a few steps back.

A bodyguard pulled open the back door to reveal a slender leg dressed in suit pants stepping out of the car before it was followed by a young man who was exceptionally handsome under the light, exuding a graceful and noble aura that was unparalleled.

The man’s hand then reached into the car to lead a girl wearing a green gown out of the vehicle. Her skin was as smooth as jade with beautiful features that radiated a clean, fresh aura.

Wow, she’s so pretty! The security guards could only take a quick glance before lowering their eyes. The girls who came tonight were all beautiful, but this one was particularly unique as they couldn’t see that kind of materialistic feeling in her.

Ellen linked arms with Jared and entered the magnificent lobby. The designated photographers captured the beautiful moments of the guests as she confidently waved at the camera. Throughout the year of her transformation, she had no one by her side.

She had gone from her initial nervousness to her current composure every time she went to a chess competition and faced the media. As she had experienced a lot, it strengthened her inner self.

If Jared had accompanied her back then, he might have hindered her growth instead of helping her. Only by breaking away from the people who supported her could she truly grow up.

As soon as they entered the elevator, his gaze fell on her affectionately, and he even tidied up the little strands of hair near her ears.

His girl had really grown up and matured a lot!

When they arrived at the 10th floor, they saw a super large banquet hall that could accommodate 500 people. The stars were shining brightly tonight, and the air was filled with the fragrance of red wine and luxury. It was very comfortable to be immersed in it.

“Young Master Tillman, this way please.” The waiter led them to a sofa exclusive to them.

Jared took the glass of red wine from the waiter and handed a glass of juice to the girl next to him.

At that moment, a girl in the nearby crowd with two young men immediately locked her eyes on the man sitting elegantly on the couch. Her gaze showed a hint of surprise as she looked at the woman beside him.

She murmured in her native language, “Not bad. I wasn’t expecting such competition.”

But even so, she found it more interesting. The stronger her opponent was, the happier she became.

She believed in her ability, but it wasn’t just for fun this time. She was trying to find a strong husband for her father’s inheritance. Since her father had no sons and only one daughter, her grandfather favored her uncle, who had three sons but was incompetent.

Therefore, as long as she could bring back an influential son-in-law to the family, she could secure her father’s inheritance, and Jared was perfect for her.

“Miss Quins, may I offer you another drink?” A young man beside her tried to please Hannie, who was known as Hogland’s first lady. Many men wanted to marry her.

However, they did not know that Hannie was not coming for them. “No, thank you. I need to greet other guests,” she said as she picked up her red wine and headed toward Jared. She wore a gold evening dress and looked seductive as she sashayed.

As she walked toward Jared step by step, Ellen quickly noticed her. This young girl emitted an aggressive aura, which forced her to take notice.

“Hi, Young Master Tillman. Good evening,” Hannie greeted in less-than-perfect English.

Jared’s gaze fell on her, and he narrowed his eyes slightly. He asked in a cold voice, “Who are you?”

“Do you really have such a bad memory? I’m Hannie, and we spoke on the phone yesterday!” Her smile was full of charm. “You are indeed forgetful!”

“Is anything the matter?” He had an icy expression, and he sounded annoyed.

Hannie’s enthusiasm was dampened by his gaze. She never thought that her polite greeting would be met with such coldness.

“No, I wish you a pleasant evening.” Hannie left cleverly, not realizing how she had offended Jared. She only wanted to say hello, after all.

After Hannie left, Jared turned to Ellen, looking more cautious than before. “Don’t misunderstand. I don’t even know her.”

Ellen could see Hannie trying to seduce Jared, just like the text messages she sent last night.

She realized then that she needed to fight for and protect what belonged to her, including her man.

Although encountering such a situation as Jared’s girlfriend could be frustrating and annoying, Ellen realized that she couldn’t avoid it. Instead, she needed to face it head-on and make the other person back down.

“I’m not angry.” Ellen smiled. “I can tell that the interest isn’t mutual, so I don’t mind.”

Hearing her words, Jared felt relieved and touched. The feeling of being trusted was worth more than a thousand words.

“I’ll take you to meet some elders.” He reached out to her.

Ellen’s heart skipped a beat; this meant that he would publicly announce their relationship within his circle, which was nerve-wracking.

The elders were successful businessmen who had watched Jared grow up. They were friends of his father and had worked under him, but now, they had made a name for themselves in the business

world.

“Jared, this beautiful lady is your girlfriend, right?” a wealthy middle-aged woman said. As a woman, she could tell that a man introducing someone in this situation would usually introduce their girlfriend and not just a female companion.

“Yes, Madam Hurney. She is my girlfriend, Ellen.”

“Ellen? Oh! Have I heard that name before?” Madam Hurney exclaimed in surprise, her eyes fixed on Ellen. Then her expression turned to one of delight. “You… You are the Miss Go champion, aren’t you?”

Ellen smiled and nodded. “Hello!”

“Oh! My husband really admires you! He’s your loyal fan, and I also like you so much.” Madam Hurney gushed with admiration, which left Elle a little embarrassed by the attention.

“Thank you for your kind words,” Ellen replied politely.

“Jared, you’re really lucky! It’s rare to see such an excellent girlfriend,” Madam Hurney praised, noting that true inner beauty was rare and far more valuable than external appearances.

“Madam Hurney, you are absolutely right. Meeting Ellen is the greatest blessing of my life,” Jared declared in front of everyone.

“I didn’t realize you were Ellen! Your chess skills are truly amazing, especially in that final game. I was watching the whole time! You’re incredibly talented!” an elderly man praised Ellen.

“That’s right. Everyone around me speaks highly of Miss Reiss!”

“When you hold your wedding, we’ll definitely be there to celebrate.”

Ellen was taken aback by the newfound attention from the elite. While thinking about this, her face was radiant with a rosy glow.

Not far away, Hannie observed quietly as Ellen walked with the esteemed elders alongside Jared. Hannie was surprised to see the warm welcome that Ellen received from these people.

In such a gathering, many people would put on a show, but the affection Ellen received from the elderly was real, and it caught Hannie’s attention. She was unwilling to lose to this ordinary girl. Hannie had investigated Ellen’s background and discovered that she was not from a wealthy family, and her education and background were that of an ordinary person.

However, Hannie missed a recent piece of news as she was only interested in Ellen’s background.

Ellen felt the urge to use the restroom, perhaps due to having too much juice. She noticed Jared and the elders were still chatting, so she whispered, “I’m going to the restroom.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Jared asked in a low voice.

“No, it’s fine!” Ellen didn’t want to inconvenience him with such a thing. “You can chat with the elders.”

After getting directions from the waiter, Ellen walked toward the restroom. Meanwhile, Hannie saw this as an opportunity to meet Ellen and headed in the same direction.

Meanwhile, Ellen finished washing her hands and noticed that her lipstick had faded. She intended to touch up, but at that moment, someone approached her. From the mirror, Ellen saw her; she was also touching up her makeup.

“Hi, Miss Reiss!” Hannie greeted her.

Ellen turned to her and replied, “Hi. Miss Quins, right?”

“Hannie, the granddaughter of the first wealthy family in Hogland. I learned English because I like your country,” Hannie said with a sense of superiority.

Ellen was slightly taken aback. From the news she had seen in the past, she had some understanding of this family and was surprised to meet a member here.

“You should have heard of my family.” Hannie smiled slightly.

“Yes.” Ellen nodded.

“Miss Reiss, can we talk?”

“There’s nothing for me to talk about with you, Miss Quins. Sorry.” Ellen didn’t feel like chatting.

“Wait a minute. Do you want to know why I’m here? I’m here to collaborate with Jared,” Hannie said and continued, “We are competitors, but we can also be allies.”

Ellen frowned, but she didn’t say anything.

Hannie approached her and said, “Miss Reiss, I really like Jared and want to date him. Do you feel pressured?”

Ellen smiled lightly and said, “Why should I feel pressured?”

Hannie was stunned. She thought that by saying this, Ellen would panic. After all, her identity and family background were much better than Ellen’s.

“I’ll give you a billion, Miss Reiss. Will you let Jared be with me?” Hannie directly offered money as she thought that Ellen was only interested in Jared’s money. NôvelDrama.Org owns all © content.

She thought that Ellen couldn’t get much money since she was only dating Jared. Thus, she quoted a price of one billion, hoping to make Ellen tempted.

However, Ellen only felt insulted instead of feeling tempted. She put aside her polite attitude and said coldly, “Miss Quins, please don’t insult people with money. Your money has nothing to do with me, and I don’t need it even if I’m poor. Also, he is my boyfriend. I’d advise you not to provoke him.”

“Are you threatening me? Miss Reiss, I’ve looked into your background. You’re just an ordinary girl. Are you overestimating your own charm?” Hannie mocked with a sneer.

Ellen felt that there was no point in talking with her and said, “Excuse me.”

“Miss Reiss, if I were you, I’d be smart and take the money instead of competing with me,” Hannie threatened with unprecedented confidence as if she had already won Jared over.

Ellen felt that Hannie was crazy. Does she think that every man in the world would like her?

After Ellen left, Hannie’s face darkened. She had a scheming look in her eyes; it was clear that these were tricks she had honed through her experience in her social circles, but they were undeniably effective in attracting men.

Ellen returned to the banquet hall, where Jared was waiting for her in the corridor outside the restroom. He approached her and said, “Let me take you to eat something.”

She hadn’t had dinner yet, and since there was a buffet nearby, she nodded in agreement.

Soon after, Hannie arrived at the restaurant, sporting her usual exaggerated expressions as she attempted to showcase her charm. Meanwhile, Ellen had already taken her seat by the time the other woman arrived.

As Jared came over, Hannie deliberately bumped into him, causing him to flinch and her to bump into the table. She immediately displayed a somewhat hurt expression and whined, “Young Master Tillman, can’t you help me?”

He stopped and warned coldly, “Don’t play tricks in front of me.”

“Young Master Tillman has noticed me!” Hannie said shamelessly as she just wanted to feel important.

Jared frowned and ignored her, but Ellen saw Hannie’s shameless side and felt anger brewing inside her. How is there such a shameless woman in the world? she thought.

After he sat down, Ellen saw that Hannie had chosen a seat next to them, eating and staring at him with fiery eyes. She disregarded Ellen’s presence and kept circling him like a butterfly.

If it were another man, a girl like Hannie would’ve easily won him over.

Ellen wanted to splash the water in her cup on Hannie’s face to let her know what the consequences of seducing someone else’s boyfriend were.

“Don’t pay attention to her,” Jared said, feeling extremely annoyed. He was concerned that Ellen’s emotions would be affected.

However, Ellen couldn’t stand it anymore. She wanted to teach this girl a lesson and make her behave.

“Jared, can you get me a glass of juice?” Ellen asked him.

Although there was already a drink on her table, Jared still got up and went to get her one. When Jared got up, Hannie also stood up since they were seated opposite each other.

As he walked past Ellen, Hannie naturally walked through the aisle next to her.

Jared had just passed by, and Hannie’s gaze was already fixed on him. A pair of legs stretched out from under the table, but she didn’t notice.

“Ah!” She panicked, but it was too late because she had fallen to the ground. Thud!

“You…” Hannie was a mess as she crawled up in pain and stared at Ellen angrily. “How dare you!”

Ellen looked at her innocently and said, “It’s not my fault you don’t pay attention when you walk. Why blame me?”

“I know it’s you.” She knew that Ellen did it on purpose.

Jared immediately turned back, and a few other guests were also watching the commotion. “What’s wrong?” asked Jared as he looked at the woman.

“She caused me to trip, Mr. Presgrave,” Hannie complained quickly.

“Do you have any evidence? Don’t accuse someone without evidence,” he said coldly.

“You should ask her if she tripped me.” Hannie was full of anger since her elbow and knee were hurt.

“I didn’t,” Ellen answered her naturally.

“Mr. Presgrave, you should be careful of such a cunning and malicious girlfriend. She might even hurt you one day.” Hannie couldn’t miss this opportunity to suggest that they break up.

“Hannie, watch your words. Do not insult my girlfriend,” Jared warned.

Because many people were watching, Hannie felt embarrassed and left. After she left, Ellen whispered into Jared’s ears, “I caused her to trip.”

“I know.” He smirked, despite knowing his girlfriend tripped the other woman.

She chuckled, then angrily complained, “She deserves it since she stole my boyfriend. I didn’t even splash water on her face. I was already kind to her.”

“You should do that next time.” Jared thought she should do whatever made her feel better because Hannie was really annoying.

On the other hand, Hannie injured her knee and was bleeding. So, she left the party early and went into her bodyguard’s car. She gritted her teeth and swore, “Ellen, I won’t let you get away with this!”

Without Hannie’s presence, Ellen found the party more enjoyable. Later, during the jewelry auction, Jared had already chosen a white jade bracelet for her. He bid for 8 million and won. On the way home, he gave her the gift as compensation for the grievances she felt at the banquet.

Perhaps it was the irritation from Hannie because, for once, Ellen took the initiative to get on her man tonight as if to prove her ownership.

At the height of exhaustion, she heard a low voice in her ear. “I will never let you lose in this lifetime.”

She heard this and smiled while cuddling in his arms like a spoiled child.

…

In the hotel, Hannie had a chance to meet Jared during the negotiation on that day.

The acquirer held a private bidding conference in Averna with three companies participating. Hannie successfully secured a seat thanks to her family background.

The night before, she was tripped by Ellen. She was so angry that she couldn’t sleep all night. When she woke up in the morning, she had her makeup artist carefully do her makeup. She even chose the most beautiful dress available.

She thought she would be able to showcase her merits to Jared without Ellen around. In the hotel’s conference room where Hannie was, representatives of the three countries leading the acquisition negotiation plan were present.

She constantly checked herself in the mirror and then headed downstairs to the conference room with her assistant before the other company’s personnel arrived.

However, when Hannie pushed open the door to the conference room, she thought Jared would definitely be inside. When her eyes scanned the representative of the Presgrave Group, she did not see the person she wanted to see, and her heart sank.

Hannie walked straight up to the representative of Presgrave Group and asked, “Excuse me, is President Presgrave coming?”

“President Presgrave has other things to attend to. I’m here on his behalf to negotiate,” a calm gentleman replied.

Hannie’s heart sank. She had put in so much effort today but couldn’t even see the person she wanted. To force Jared to show up at the negotiation table, Hannie had raised the acquisition price, as she thought that the representative of Presgrave Group could not make decisions on his behalf. Her decision would have made Jared show up in person.

However, when Hannie raised the price, which she could hardly bear, she looked at the representative of Presgrave Group, who remained very calm, as if the person was not worried about her price increase.

“Miss Quins, do you really want to make a purchase agreement with our company?” The other company also realized that Hannie was here to cause trouble and was worried that her actions would disrupt their acquisition plans.

“Of course, I am sincere. Why? Do you think my company does not have the capability?” Hannie sneered.

No one dared to offend her. The representative adjusted their glasses and said, “No, that’s not what we meant.”

“300 billion,” replied the representative of Presgrave Group calmly.

A hint of cunning flickered through Hannie’s eyes as she raised the card in her hand and said, “I offer 320 billion.”

“350 billion.”

“380 billion.” Hannie maintained her composure, thinking of raising the price a bit more. She just wanted to force Jared to show up.

“400 billion.”

“420 billion.” Her hands clenched into fists under the table.

“450 billion.” The representative of Presgrave Group continued to calmly increase the bid, and he didn’t even look at her.

“500 billion.” Hannie raised her voice, which caused her assistant and manager standing behind her to look tense. Is she crazy? She bid 500 billion. Is this joke going too far? they thought.

At this moment, the representative of the Presgrave Group finally hesitated and did not speak.

“You surely can’t make the final decision. Why don’t you ask President Presgrave to come over?” Hannie said with her arm crossed as she faced the representative on the opposite side.

“President Presgrave has given his instructions. As long as the amount exceeds 480 billion, our company will give up on this acquisition. Miss Quins, you have won the bid. Congratulations,” the

representative of Presgrave Group announced. He stood up and turned to the representative of the company being acquired. “We have other matters to attend to. We’ll leave first.”

Hannie’s face suddenly looked stunned. She sat stiffly in her seat while looking at the representative of the Presgrave Group. She bit her lip tightly. This was definitely not what she had expected. Presgrave Group actually gave up?

“Wait, I…” Hannie wanted to say that she regretted it, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it in front of so many people.

The company waiting to be acquired on the sidelines was also very frustrated at this moment because they could see that Hannie had no real intention of acquisition.

Now that she had raised the price, who would dare to acquire it? Besides, she looked like she had no intention of taking care of the mess.

“What’s the matter, Miss Quins?” asked the representative of Presgrave Group as he turned around.

“I-I didn’t think it through just now. So, I’ve decided to give up the acquisition,” Hannie said helplessly.

“Miss Quins, this is not child’s play.”

“I…”

Suddenly, the representative of the Presgrave Group spoke. “Miss Quins, now that you have won the bid, the contract stipulates that the bidder must deliver 20% of the prepayment within three days. I believe you have already prepared the funds.”

“I…” Her face instantly turned red, and she found herself in an embarrassing situation.

Hannie watched as the Presgrave Group representatives left. At that moment, the representative of the company that was acquired stood up and handed the contract to her. “Miss Quin’s, it’s a pleasure to work with you. We…”

“Wait a moment. I still need a few days to think about this. We also need to wait a little longer for the payment of the booking fee.”

“Our contract specifies that if the booking fee is delayed, we will charge a certain amount of penalty fee.”

“What?” Hannie’s eyes widened.

“The penalty fee is usually over 10 million per day.”

Her eyes widened even more. She couldn’t afford such consequences, which meant that she had hit a wall this time.

“Miss Quins, although I don’t know why you participated in this bidding, if you don’t have the intention of acquisition, you can give this opportunity to companies that truly have acquisition intentions, such as the Presgrave Group.”

“But didn’t they give up?”

“In fact, our expected acquisition price did not reach 50 billion. If you talk to the representatives of the Presgrave Group and give up the opportunity, our company will negotiate with them again.”

“Are you sure?” Hannie’s restless mind finally found a way out.

“Yes, but it’s up to you to negotiate with Presgrave Group. We hope that you can negotiate with them sincerely because your behavior today may have angered them.”

After everyone else left, she sat in the seat with a pale face and held her head. Darn it! What have I done? This is f*cked up!

“Miss Quins, should we inform the president of the company about this matter?”

“No, do not inform my dad! We can’t let my family know about this.” Hannie was immediately exasperated.

“Well, what should we do now? Are you really going to beg the people from the Presgrave Group? If you don’t give up this opportunity within three days, our company will have to pay a penalty fee.”

Hannie wanted to cry. She only wanted to force Jared to see her, but she didn’t want to get herself into trouble. Now, she had to beg him instead. She felt like this was a trap he deliberately set up to trip her.

And she had stupidly fallen into it. She immediately took out the business card they had just exchanged and found the representative’s card from the Presgrave Group. She dialed the phone number on the card.

“Hello, who is this?”

“Hello, I’m Hannie. I have something to discuss with you.”

“What can I help you with, Miss Quins?”

“Well, I’ve decided to give up the acquisition opportunity to your company. The RY company delegation also expressed their willingness to renegotiate the cooperation. I wonder if your company… is willing to renegotiate, though?” Hannie asked tentatively.

“I need to report this to President Presgrave. Miss Quins, please wait for my message.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for your call.” She was eager and even hoped to talk to Jared alone about this matter.

At this moment, a car was heading toward Presgrave Group, and Mr. Stark dialed Jared’s phone number.

“President Presgrave, Hannie fell for the trap. Now, she’s asking us to re-negotiate with RY company.”

“Don’t bother with her,” Jared said coldly.

“Okay.”

Hannie was pacing back and forth in the meeting room as she anxiously waited for a response from the Presgrave Group. She regretted her decision and knew that if Presgrave Group didn’t take over, she would not only have to pay the deposit but also a penalty fee. However, she felt that her grandfather would teach her a lesson for this and that her father would remove her inheritance rights.

Therefore, the most urgent matter now was to quickly resolve this issue and not let it spread to the family company. Otherwise, she would become a laughingstock.

Just then, her phone on the conference table rang, and she almost ran over to answer it.

“Hello!”

“Miss Quins, I’m sorry to inform you that President Presgrave has lost interest in this acquisition project.”