Chapter 101 Not So Heartless Harriman
Finally, with no man in the house, there was no rush for the main bathroom, and Jessica took her time showering.
Half an hour later, as Jessica walked out to dry her hair, Danielle sat on the carpet by the coffee table, playing with her expensive dolls.
A glance at Danielle reminded Jessica of the card and the white diamond bear in the envelope, stirring up complex emotions.
Then she checked the information Mackenzie had sent her and was pleased with the brand. Although not a top-tier brand, it was safe, reliable, and stable in sales, which was great for her budding career in commercial advertising.
Just that plain name, no emojis.
Jessica hesitated as Danielle ran over with her doll, asking, "Mommy, do you think the pigtails I made for the doll look good?"
"Mommy, look at this."
"Danielle!"
"Mommy, look, the doll that Uncle Spencer sent to me has soft hair, and the braids look so pretty. See!" Danielle persisted, holding up her doll.
Jessica raised her hand, poised to deliver a decisive slap to Danielle's head, but with steely resolve, she refrained, ultimately clenching her fist in mid-air.
In consideration of the potential emotional impact on Danielle's psyche, Jessica refrained, choosing to withhold any physical retribution for the time being.
Gritting her teeth, Jessica glanced at the additional contact in her WhatsApp list, initially planning to say nothing. However, upon casting a fleeting glance towards the envelope she had placed on the cabinet, she proceeded directly to inscribe.
Jessica: [You don't need to bestow upon me and Danielle such lavish gifts, including that card I have no use for, along with the check endorsed by a certain Nicholas in my possession, all neatly enclosed within the envelope. Arrange for retrieval at your convenience.]
She paused, reconsidered, and deleted the message word by word.
It was all just empty words.
She might as well return everything the next day.
Gabriel saw Jessica typing on WhatsApp but received no response. Two minutes elapsed without any correspondence from her end, not even a mere emoticon in sight.
He waited a while longer, with even the act of typing a few words seemingly suspended in limbo.
He clicked on her cartoon princess avatar, likely chosen by Danielle.
He did not wait any longer, reopening her Stories, intending to like the post from over a month ago, only to abruptly discover a solitary gray line, as the few Stories by Jessica that he had glimpsed vanished.
Landon lingered nearby.
Suddenly, Gabriel's expression turned serious as he faced Landon.
Meeting his gaze, Landon felt a chill down his spine and a sense of impending trouble.
"What does it mean when you open someone's Stories and see only a gray line?" Gabriel asked, his face impassive.
Landon hesitated.
Gabriel stared at him coldly.
Landon finally spoke up, "There are three possibilities: first, the person blocked you; second, they unfriended you; third, they set their Stories to be invisible to you, essentially blocking you."
After his explanation, Landon quickly added, "Mr. Harriman, I'll check the recent activities of RH Bond Agency to explore potential collaborations. Call me if you need anything."
With that, he retreated a few steps and swiftly left the CEO's office.
As the door closed, Gabriel remained by the window, glancing at his cellphone. He sent Jessica the “smile”emoji from the system's collection.
Jessica received Gabriel's unexpected message on WhatsApp, seeing the smile that sent a cold shiver down her spine. She was about to ask him what was going on but stopped herself, reminding herself that he was Gabriel, not Spencer.
She raised her cellphone and took a picture of Danielle playing with her dolls on the carpet, sending it to him.
Jessica: [(Photo) Danielle is not crying, she's having fun. Thank you for keeping your promise.]
Observing without blacklisted,Gabriel opened the photo to see Danielle's bright smile, familiar surroundings, and the corner of the coffee table in Jessica's house, which slightly softened his expression.
The next morning at 9 a.m., Gabriel emerged from the elevator and headed to the office, followed closely by Nicholas.
"Gabriel, retract Harriman Entertainment hastily; I truly do not excel in managing corporate affairs. May I return to the medical school for further academic enrichment instead?"
Without looking back, Gabriel asked, "Are you going back to study medicine or to race cars?"
Speechless, Nicholas followed him into the office. "We have come to an agreement where you will take back the company, and I assure you that for a year, I will not engage in racing but rather obediently immerse myself in research under the guidance of professors in the medical school."
Just then, Wayne knocked and entered, informing Gabriel about a letter from Miss Jessica that had passed the security check and was placed on his desk.
As Gabriel approached his desk, he saw the envelope there.
Nicholas swiftly grabbed the envelope, opened it, and found a diamond bear, Gabriel's black card, and the check he had written all inside.
Nicholas exclaimed, "Not so heartless, Harriman. After leeching off their hospitality for an extended period, upon your return, not a cent is left behind for them, even demanding the return of my thirty-two thousand dollars?"
"Shut up and get out," Gabriel coldly ordered, snatching the envelope back.
