Chapter 414 A Big Gift in Return
How was this even possible? Poppy was visibly shaken, trying to manage the situation, while James took Mary by the hand and led her out of the office.
Being cooped up in the office all day could drive anyone nuts, and James wasn't like Mary, who preferred to handle everything herself.
Even though Mary felt a bit uneasy about James's laid-back attitude, she still followed him outside to relax.
Mary found a certain sweetness in James's anger towards Olivia, which made her feel more tender towards him.
As the river breeze blew, James asked with a smile, "Feeling better now?"
With a hundred billion dollars coming in, all their problems seemed to vanish instantly.
"Absolutely," Mary replied with a bright smile. "I feel ready to take on anything."
"But don't you think you owe me an explanation about where this hundred billion dollars came from?"
Even though she knew James was doing well, she was still stunned by the sheer amount of money.
The entire Smith Corporation, with its thirteen families pooling their resources, could only gather a total of a hundred billion dollars, and that was including all their assets, not just cash.
James, however, seemed to pull it out effortlessly, leaving Mary feeling a bit dazed.
James chuckled, "If I told you the money was mine, would you believe me?"
"No," Mary replied with a wry smile. "It's not that I don't believe you can earn that much, but the speed of this growth is just too mind-blowing."
"No matter how much you grow, it's impossible to have a hundred billion dollars in just a few months."
She wanted to believe him, but she couldn't suppress her doubt.
"You're right, the money is borrowed," James said with a smile. "I borrowed it from Raymond and Mr. Thompson. It's just their spare cash."
"Feel free to use it, and after the auction, you can return the funds."
He had also borrowed from Trevor, but he didn't mention it to avoid Mary getting tangled up with Olivia again.
"Thank them for me, and I'll visit them to express my gratitude another day."
Mary knew James's capabilities in Rosewood City, so once she confirmed he had borrowed from Raymond and the others, she didn't dwell on the issue.
"By the way, how are things with Olivia?" she asked casually. "Is everything resolved?"
"Mostly," James replied evasively. "I haven't seen her in the past few days, so I'm not sure about the specifics."
Mary's smile grew brighter. "Seems like you really want to see her."
"She helped me a lot, so it's impossible for me to cut ties with her," James said, changing the subject. "By the way, when the Lee family was in trouble, Micah kicked them while they were down, and Olivia hates him for it."
"I think you two could team up against Micah." He added, "It would not only strengthen your position but also provide mutual support."
"That's a good suggestion," Mary said thoughtfully. "Although Olivia and I don't see eye to eye, if we can join forces against Micah, I wouldn't mind shaking hands for now."
Micah's recent disruptions made Mary realize her own shortcomings. As a businesswoman who played by the rules, it was hard to outmaneuver someone as unscrupulous as Micah.
So, if she could team up with Olivia, Mary was willing to sit down and talk.
After all, Olivia was more tolerable than Micah.
James was delighted. "Really? Then I'll contact her later and see what she thinks."
The relationship between the two women had been like water and fire in Rosewood City, and James had always hoped to improve it but never had the chance. Now, with a common enemy to deal with, James felt he couldn't miss this opportunity.
"If you ask her, she'll definitely agree," Mary said, seemingly understanding Olivia well. "Even though I resist her, I have to admit, she truly loves you to the core."
"That's one of the reasons she frustrates me. She's a strong woman, the chairwoman of WH Group."
"But despite all that power, she listens to you without question, losing herself. It's maddening."
Mary's pretty face showed a hint of regret.
Thinking of Olivia, James felt a slight pang of guilt. Mary was right; Olivia was a woman who would give everything for him.
Mary looked at James and said, "James, you're really lucky to have a woman like Olivia obsessed with you."
"And you're just as lucky," James teased. "Such an outstanding man like me, being treated like a first love despite being tormented by you countless times."
"Maybe it's just fate," James said with a hint of self-mockery but mostly resignation. He could list a hundred of Mary's flaws, but his heart always beat uncontrollably for her.
Mary was slightly stunned, staring at James.
Yes, James was lucky to have Olivia devoted to him, and she was just as fortunate, holding onto James's heart without much effort.
James clearly liked her deeply; otherwise, he wouldn't suppress his pride repeatedly and endure without complaint.
Mary suddenly leaned closer to James, her red lips slightly parted. "Do you regret..."
Before she could finish, James pulled her into his arms.
Up close, James's breath was right in front of her.
Familiar, yet strange, and thrilling.
Mary wasn't used to such public displays of affection, but she didn't push James away.
Her eyes and heart trembled as she closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around James's neck, responding greedily and actively.
The sudden sensation made Mary feel like she was soaking in a hot spring.
This deep kiss made time seem to stand still.
Mary wished this moment could last forever.
Just as James was about to take the next step, three young men on scooters zoomed past from a distance.
They wore masks, their eyes sharp, bodies agile, and moving quickly, closing the distance in an instant.
Then, they reached behind their waists and pulled out three bottles.
Before the surrounding crowd could react, they threw the bottles at James and Mary.
James quickly pulled Mary behind a tree.
Almost simultaneously, the bottles hit the tree trunk.
Red liquid splattered, and an awful smell filled the air. It was some animal blood.
Missing their target, the three young men didn't linger. They whistled and tried to scatter and run.
Francis appeared, without any fancy moves, directly crashing into the three.
The three young men couldn't dodge in time and were sent flying several feet by Francis.
Their scooters fell to the ground.
They screamed in pain, hitting the wall and falling down, their ribs at least three broken.
Francis didn't pause, stepping over their legs.
Each of them had a leg broken, unable to escape.
They pulled out knives to resist, but Francis stomped on their wrists, breaking them.
Their screams made the surrounding people flee as far as possible.
Then, Francis drew a sword and stabbed one of the men in the abdomen. "Who do you work for?"
The man screamed but didn't confess.
Francis pulled out the sword and stabbed twice more. "Answer me."
The man gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Francis stabbed three more times.
The coldness and cruelty made the man unable to hold out any longer. "I'll talk, I'll talk. I'm Yellow Wolf's subordinate, here to put pressure on Mary."
Francis then threw the three into the water, leaving them to fend for themselves.
"Wolf Club's men? Micah really doesn't know when to quit."
James helped Mary up, looking at the crying attackers with a smile. "They keep coming at us. Looks like I need to return the favor."
Mary's lips twitched. "Micah is truly a beast."
James took out his phone and dialed a number. "Ms. Rivera, I need an invitation to the auction."
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
