The car door had already been opened with Fran waiting by the side, but Eliza was still in a daze.

"Don't you want to get down? Or are you thinking of doing it here in the car?"

Tanner's deep raspy voice fascinated her, but his words didn't sound like teases between lovers.

His tone was icy cold as well.

The man right before her eyes was Tanner, but at the same time, not. He had shown too many sides of him that she couldn't tell which was the real one. She didn't know how to respond.

Seeing that she was still motionless, Tanner reached for the handle, wanting to shut the door. It didn't matter to him; anywhere was the same.

However, Eliza panicked, standing up reflexively. However, forgetting she was in a car, she hit her head on the roof and fell back into his arms. Not daring to look at his expression, she left the car with her head bowed. It was only then she realized her legs were weak. No thanks to him! Standing aside, Fran saw her predicament and thought Mrs. Deleon was way too adorable.

Despite his thought, he looked deadpan. Mr. Deleon was in a fit of rage; he didn't dare even to pull a smile.

Eliza only noticed Fran and been standing outside after she got out of the car. It would've meant he witnessed her predicament and all that had happened inside...

Turning beet red in an instant, she blamed Tanner for his aggression; she had forgotten entirely about Fran! How would she ever face him in the future?!

However, in Tanner's eyes, she, his wife, was showing her bashful side to his assistant right in front of him.

Okay, he had been too lenient with her. So much so that her husband meant nothing to her anymore.

Tanner exited the car, fixed his wrinkled suit, and said solemnly to Fran.

"Have all the details for the shareholder meeting the day after tomorrow ready by tonight."

Fran couldn't believe his ears. The meeting the day after the next was to summarize the quarter; it would take him at least five to six hours to get them all compiled, and it was supposed to be his work for the next day.

"Mr. Deleon, tomorrow..." He could get everything ready by the next day.

However, Tanner didn't give him the chance to speak, interrupting him.

"Got a problem with that?"

Why did it look like Mr. Deleon was jealous of him...

But he didn't do anything!

Despite his speculations, he didn't dare express it.

"No."

With a slight bow, he returned to the car with sorrow and made his way to the office. He could say goodbye to his sleep that night.

As Fran drove away, Tanner shot her a cold glance. He didn't pull her again but entered the house himself instead.

He was certain she would come in herself as she had nowhere else to go. Besides, if she wanted to leave now that they were here, he could immediately catch her back.

It was already dark. The faint light coming out of the mansion dragged a long shadow behind him.

Very much like her first time here.

However, it was dusk then, and flowers were blooming while it was the late hours now, and the garden was starting to wither.

As the autumn breeze brushed against her, she felt chilly, wearing only thin clothing.

With a slight shiver, she stayed outside for a little while before she finally entered the mansion. She had no other options, did she?

By the time she entered the house, Tanner had already asked Aunt Bell to prepare dinner. However, he was nowhere in sight, probably working upstairs.

She didn't want to face him then either. So, she huddled on the sofa and watched some TV in the living room.

She kept changing the channels, not in the mood to watch anything at all.

She took out her phone; Raelyn's text was still there.

Tanner liked Raelyn, right? She had just returned, and he immediately brought her to a doctor. It was obvious he was distressed over her.

Yeah, everyone thought they were a perfect couple, and they knew the two were meant for each other since they were children. She was just the younger sister following right behind. Shocked, she couldn't believe her thoughts. What was she thinking? He had always been Raelyn's, and he had just taken her as a stand-in on a whim.

Raelyn was so sweet. How could she be... jealous.

Her heart suddenly panged. Was that her heart shattering?

The servants in the kitchen were fast. Several dishes were already placed on the table in less than half an hour, and the hall was filled with the smell of delicious food.

However, Eliza didn't care at all. She didn't have much of an appetite that day.

The dishes on the table reminded her of someone else.

Tanner suddenly appeared and forcefully took her away, leaving Nicholas behind in the restaurant. She was supposed to treat him to dinner. In the end, not only was she late, she even left early... It was really rude of her.

She pulled out her phone and gave him a call.

After Eliza was taken away, Nicholas was left alone in the private room.

"Nicholas, how come you're alone? Where is the beautiful girl?" He was spacing out when the elderly lady served the dishes.

"She had something to do, so she left first." Nicholas smiled as he accepted the food from her hands.

"Why didn't you go with her then? You should've at least sent her off! Oh, you dum-dum!" She had been busy in the kitchen, so she didn't know what had happened upstairs.

"Someone came to pick her up. Plus, I haven't had your food in a long time."

Nicholas beamed at her, but she looked at him a little disappointedly.

"Whatever. I can't be bothered with you young ones. But Nicholas, she's a good girl. Don't lose her."

Amused by her words, he ridiculed, "You've only met her today, and you're already saying she's a good girl?"

"I have never been wrong when it comes to people. She is a good girl, so you have to treat her well. I have to get back to the kitchen now. Eat up."

"Okay, ma'am. Be careful on your way down."

He watched her go down the stairs.

In the end, he still didn't explain to her Eliza wasn't his girlfriend.

Why? Perhaps because it had been a mistake from the beginning, he didn't bother to explain. Or maybe because he discovered her relationship with Tanner...

The dishes on the table were all his favorites, but he seemed to have lost his appetite.

The only thing on his mind now was Eliza.

He had returned from studying abroad that day, and he had only planned to take a stroll around San Francisco to see if anything had changed since he left. A clothing company happened to be holding an art exhibition, and his interest was piqued, checking it out.

It was just a small company after all; those sketches weren't outstanding to him at all, picking the best from the worse, if anything. However, one sketch caught his attention, and that sketch was now in his home.

His eyes had only lingered a little longer on it than other sketches. As he continued to look through the other pieces, he heard someone accused of plagiarism.

What an interesting situation to encounter...

He observed from the crowd to see the accuser pointing at the sketch that he stared a little longer at.

The definition of plagiarism in this field was vague, after all. So the man's outrage didn't leave him with a sour impression, only that he wanted to see how the scene would unfold.

As the scene slowly got out of control, the designer finally appeared.

She was just a thin and tall girl. No, she wasn't tall, looking to be about 5' 4.

Despite her petiteness, she stood straight facing the public accusation, neither humble nor pushy, and she impressed him.

He was merely quietly observing outside the circle when he saw a crucial thing.

The thing in the man's suit pocket may have looked like a pen, but it was actually a hidden camera.

Being born into the Abbott family, he didn't need to fight for anything, for he didn't have any siblings, and he had spent a couple of years abroad, but he was familiar with the power struggles in affluent families. Such an approach was nothing more than the lowliest framing.

It was getting late then. He should be going home, for his grandfather was waiting for him.

However, he felt bad for the young lady feigning calmness. If it went on, the only one suffering, in the end, would be her.

He was not a busybody, nor did the matter have anything to do with him. However, seeing that tears seemed to have started pooling in her eyes, he hesitated and wondered if he should step in.

To his surprise, just as he was mulling over it, the man brought out the said 'evidence'.

Then the crowd who had been scolding her got even nastier. Coincidentally, his grandfather called, urging him to go home. Whatever, since it had come to this, he'd take it as doing an act of kindness and protecting a talented, young designer. After the matter was settled, she chased after him. Seeing her pure and sincere gaze, he gave her his contact information. He had thought that would be the end of it, not expecting any gratitude in return.

But who would've thought he saw her again the next day when she was interviewing for a spot in the company.

Actually, he had arranged for that girl to knock the porcelain down. He could see all that was going on in the waiting hall.

Design skills could be honed; what he was looking for was a designer with a pure heart who wanted to improve steadily. The accident in the waiting hall was the true interview. Evidently, she was the only one who passed.

Thinking about that, Nicholas smiled.

He had thought Eliza was just young blood dedicated to advancing her career. Who would've thought she had ties with Tanner.

She was getting more and more interesting.

Immersed in his thought, he never had a single bite of the food on the table, long gone cold. It wasn't until he heard a familiar ringtone that he came back to his senses. Eliza? Why would she call? He had seen Tanner's malice gaze earlier. How bold of her to still dare to call him...

"Hello." The call was connected.

Upon hearing his indifferent tone, Eliza felt uneasy. Was he angry?

"Hello, Mr. Abbott; I'm so sorry about today."

Eliza's voice was soft, partly because of guilt and uneasiness and that Tanner was upstairs.

Thievish, she didn't want him to know.

"Today?" Nicholas smiled and said, "Well, thank God I brought my wallet, or I'd be accused of eating without paying."

After hearing his teasing, Eliza's tense heart relaxed.

Even though Nicholas was unfathomable to her, he wouldn't pressure her. Plus, with how he had helped her get out of trouble, she had already seen him as a friend. Just as she wanted to say something, her phone was snatched away.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐

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