Free Web NovelChapter 41: Chapter 41: Have Nathaniel Sloan Apologize to Me with the Cancellation Fee
What kind of misunderstanding?
Estelle Lockwood’s tone was unreadable. "The misunderstanding that you, Mr. Sloan, used your body to land the partnership with Star. After all, we’re the top perfume company. Countless people are begging to work with me."
Nathaniel Sloan wasn’t annoyed. His expression was placid. "It’s of no concern. I don’t mind a few misunderstandings if it means getting my partner to the company safely."
Estelle Lockwood was at a loss for words.
Seeing him about to start the car, Estelle Lockwood instinctively put her hand on his. "That won’t do."
Her voice was low as she said, "President Sloan, you probably don’t realize, but the people I brought with me today are all key figures in the industry. If they were to get the wrong idea about you, rumors would spread throughout the entire perfumery world. Since you’re being so considerate, I feel I must return the favor, don’t you agree?"
With that, Estelle Lockwood threw open the car door without hesitation and quickly got out.
Nathaniel Sloan gazed after her. Only after she had walked a fair distance did he let out a soft chuckle. "In that case, I’ll be waiting for you at the company, Miss Lockwood."
Estelle Lockwood breathed a sigh of relief.
’What’s gotten into Nathaniel Sloan today? Is he on something?’
...
A few minutes later, she arrived at the Evernight International building on foot.
The receptionist asked her to have a seat in the lobby, letting her know that an assistant, Luke White, would be right down to collect her.
Estelle Lockwood had no objection and sat on the sofa to read.
"Mrs. Sloan, President Sloan has a meeting about the partnership today. He really doesn’t have time..."
"Partnership? What partnership could be so important that he can’t even find time to have a meal with his own mother?!"
An enraged female voice rang out. Estelle Lockwood frowned. ’Of course it’s Laura Jennings.’
The assistant accompanying Laura Jennings was at their wits’ end, but since this woman was Nathaniel Sloan’s mother, all they could do was try to placate her.
"Mrs. Sloan, why don’t you rest here at the company for a while? Once the meeting is over, I can take you to see President Sloan."
"The meeting won’t be over for hours! That’s unacceptable! Does he really expect me and Noelle to just sit around and wait for him?!"
Laura Jennings’s voice was shrill. Her eyes suddenly landed on something, and her anger flared. She stormed over to Estelle Lockwood. "What are you doing here?!"
Ever since Estelle Lockwood had exposed her for wearing counterfeit jewelry at Imperial Crest, Laura Jennings had harbored a deep grudge against her.
On top of that, Noelle had let it slip several times that this was the very woman who had sown discord between her and Christian, causing him to reject her.
Fueled by both old and new hatred, Laura Jennings was seething. She rushed forward to grab at Estelle Lockwood’s clothes. "Is the Evernight International building the kind of place just any riff-raff can walk into?!"
Estelle Lockwood took a sip of her coffee, not even batting an eye.
The assistant, terrified Laura Jennings was about to cause another scene, quickly explained, "Mrs. Sloan, this is President Lockwood from Star. She’s in charge of the partnership."
He had hoped that, for the sake of the company, Laura Jennings would set aside her personal grievances. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
But to his surprise, she only grew more incensed. "So you’re the partner? Nathaniel is refusing to have dinner with Noelle because of you?"
"Yara Lockwood, I’m warning you! If you have any sense of shame, you’ll stop pestering Nathaniel! He’s not someone a person like you can ever hope to have!"
Estelle Lockwood finally reacted, glancing sideways. "If you suffer from delusions, you should see a doctor," she said coolly. "What makes you think your son is such a catch that every woman in the world must be after him?"
Laura Jennings trembled with rage. Remembering what Noelle had told her, she bellowed,
"And you still claim you aren’t deliberately trying to get close to Nathaniel! You insisted on treating Christian, and now you’re scheming to partner with Evernight. What are you after? You keep popping up in front of Nathaniel. So Noelle can’t handle you, you think I can’t either? Someone, get her out of here!"
As her voice faded, the entire lobby fell into a dead silence.
For a full minute, no one spoke, and no one moved.
Laura Jennings’s face paled, as if her authority had been openly scorned. She gritted her teeth. "I told you to throw her out! Are you all deaf?!"
A few of the assistants looked troubled, but still, no one moved.
"Ms. Jennings," Estelle Lockwood said with a faint smile. "If I recall correctly, Nathaniel Sloan founded Evernight International all on his own. The Sloan Family didn’t provide him with a single resource. So, throwing your weight around here as his mother is, frankly, useless."
Laura Jennings gasped, nearly choking on her rage.
Estelle Lockwood added with a sneer, "And another thing. Ms. Jennings claims I’m seducing Nathaniel Sloan..."
"First of all, it was Nathaniel Sloan who personally greeted me at the airport, begging me with a high salary to become Christian’s private doctor. Secondly, my original partner of choice was the Kingston Group. It was only after Nathaniel lowered his stance and negotiated with me multiple times that I finally chose Evernight."
"So, by your logic, Ms. Jennings, could it be that Nathaniel Sloan is the one deliberately trying to seduce me?"
A wave of suppressed laughter rippled through the lobby.
Laura Jennings was apoplectic. She pointed a trembling finger at Estelle Lockwood. "You... How dare you..." ƒrēewebnovel.com
’Does this Yara Lockwood have no shame? How could she have the audacity to say Nathaniel is seducing her?’
’Who the hell does she think she is? Why would Nathaniel ever be interested in the likes of her!’
’Only an innocent, kind-hearted girl like Noelle deserves to be by Nathaniel’s side!’
The thought of Noelle Lockwood filled Laura Jennings with a burst of righteous indignation, and she declared loudly,
"I don’t care what partnership you have. Stay away from my son! If you hadn’t deliberately seduced him, do you think Nathaniel would be working with you?"
Laura Jennings said condescendingly, "Miss Lockwood, you’re new here, so you may not understand. In Crestfall, if the Sloan Family wants to crush someone like you, it’s as easy as squashing an ant!"
’Sometimes, Estelle Lockwood found it strange. Old Mr. Sloan and Chairman Sloan weren’t fools, so how could they have allowed such a stupid woman to marry into the Sloan family?’
’And how could a woman as brainless as Laura Jennings possibly give birth to a son with a monstrously high IQ like Nathaniel Sloan?’
’Besides, Laura Jennings had been the mistress who clawed her way up, which made Nathaniel an illegitimate son.’
’It was just that now, Laura Jennings was firmly established as Mrs. Sloan, and Nathaniel Sloan was so powerful in Crestfall that no one dared bring it up.’
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "So, Ms. Jennings, does this mean the partnership is canceled? I suppose that’s fine. But if we cancel, Evernight International will have to pay a penalty for breach of contract. Are you offering to pay that on Nathaniel Sloan’s behalf?"
Laura Jennings, both ignorant and arrogant, sneered, "As long as you get lost, that little bit of money is nothing to Nathaniel!"
Estelle Lockwood nodded, then turned to the nearby assistant and said nonchalantly, "Since Mrs. Sloan is unwilling to proceed with the partnership, let’s cancel it. Have Nathaniel Sloan bring the penalty fee and a personal apology to me."
And with that, she actually turned to leave.
The assistant froze for a second, then rushed forward to stop her, but a deep, male voice cut in—
"President Lockwood, please wait."
Estelle Lockwood raised an eyebrow and turned back.
Nathaniel Sloan stepped out of the elevator, flanked by a group of directors. His tone was perfectly calm. "The meeting is about to start. Where are you going, President Lockwood?"
Estelle Lockwood shrugged. "Your mother said the partnership is canceled. I’m on my way to the Kingston Group."
The color drained from the directors’ faces. Nathaniel Sloan’s gaze darkened. "It’s not canceled. Let’s go upstairs and prepare for the meeting."
Laura Jennings couldn’t believe it. She had successfully driven the woman away, only for Nathaniel himself to make her stay!
Her heart filled with resentment, her face contorted with malice. "No!" she shrieked. "I don’t approve of this partnership! Nathaniel, I will not allow this woman to be near you!"
Nathaniel Sloan’s eyes grew cold.
