“Thank you, Ms. Houry.” Jim nodded at her.
He thought bitterly, ‘If I’m not easygoing or generous, I will never see the sunrise tomorrow.’
After signing the contract, Elise held her copy to David and narrowed her gaze on him. “David Houry, what do you say?”
“Humph! You’d better not be so complacent,” David snorted, leaving in anger.
Earlier, he thought he still had hope for a turnaround. However, he was disappointed and never wanted to stay in the Robin-Sophia Group any longer.
He headed for Gordon to have a discussion.
They would never let Elise become the chairwoman of the board so easily.
“Elise, you gained the project. It means you’ll return to be the chairwoman of the board soon. We’ll go back to the Houry family sooner or later. The credits all go to you this time,” Karen remarked with unconcealed complacency.
She had started imagining the wealthy life that she used to lead.
“You have a ring, Elise?”
Karen suddenly noticed the ring on Elise’s ring finger, frowning.
“It’s from Robin.”
“From Robin Bailey? It must be artificial. A Carmen red is more expensive than a same-sized blue diamond, too priceless. There’s such a big one on your ring. It must be fake. Elise, you can’t wear the artificial diamond. It’s bad for your health, and others will mock you. Hurry. Take it off.”
Karen looked at the ring in disdain after learning it was from Robin. She insisted on asking Elise to take it off.
“No, Mom. I won’t.”
Elise shook her head in refusal.
“You are so stubborn…”
Before Karen chided her, Rodney stood up and snapped, “You’d better shut up. If it weren’t for Robin this time, we wouldn’t be able to gain this project.”
“He’s just a lucky bastard. It doesn’t mean he wasn’t good for nothing,” Karen muttered, looking away.
Rodney heaved a sigh. He propped his hand on Robin’s shoulder and said, “Robin, we wronged you earlier. I do apologize. However, I won’t change our agreement earlier. As I said, I won’t allow a loser to be with my daughter.”
“Dad!” Elise called him.
“No, Elise. I’ve made up my mind,” Rodney interrupted her, flicking his hand.
He was still the master of their family, so he had the final say.
After leaving the Robin-Sophia Group, Rodney requested Robin, “Robin, please pick Nina up from her university. She’s on vacation today.”
“OK, Mr. Houry.”
Robin drove Elise’s Porsche toward the University of Stillwater.
Nina Houry was Elise’s sister, aged 18. She was in her second year of the University of Still water, majoring in performing art. Since childhood, she dreamed of being an actress, which Robin had known earlier. However, Nina detested him very much.
On the way, Robin called Jeff, “Hello, Jeff.”
“Yes, Mr. Bailey?”
“Two matters. Check who the manipulator was behind the five criminals last night. Secondly, start with David Houry. Check who had set up Elise back then.”
“Copy that,” Jeff unconsciously responded like he usually did in the military.
Although Elise had to marry him after she had been set up back then, Robin wanted to find the truth as that was his explanation for her.
Whether she would return to be the chairwoman of the board depended on the board’s general meeting the following morning.
Robin’s task today was to pick up Nina.
After arriving at the University of Still water, Robin stood at the gate. He had changed his uniform to casual clothes. Smoking, he leaned against a pillar.
“Hi there, Nina!”
Robin waved at Nina after seeing her.
Nina had shoulder-length hair that hung over her shoulders. She was tall, 5’6” or so, wearing a black T-shirt with some abstract patterns and shorts, exposing her long, tender, and fair legs. She was chitchatting with her classmates.
After darting at Robin, she snorted in disdain, “How could this guy come to pick me up?”
“Who is he? Your boyfriend? Too ordinary,” one of her classmates remarked, following her gaze.
“He’s not my boyfriend. My sister’s husband,” Nina explained, gritting her teeth.
“Your brother-in-law? Your sister is Elise Houry, right? Oh, he’s that beggar. I remember the matter. Seven years ago, Elise Houry was still the president of Lands Corporation, but she slept with a homeless man.”
“I heard of that, too. It turned out to be him.”
“Hasn’t the guy left Stillwater? He came back? He’s here to pick up Nina.”
All of Nina’s classmates started discussing the scandal scornfully, although Robin was nearby. Nina detested him, so she didn’t stop them.
“What are you doing here, beggar?”
Nina walked to Robin. She had an adorable face, but her eyes were full of disgust when she stared at him.
The previous day, her family called her, telling her Robin had returned to town and her parents had let him move in to stay in Elise’s room. Nina was annoyed by the news.
She couldn’t believe her sister had forgiven such a loser.
Nina had planned to convince Elise after returning home, but she didn’t expect Robin to pick her up from her university. She wondered why Elise had let him do so.
“Elise sent me to pick you up.”
“Robin Bailey, you were homeless and lucky enough to become my sister’s husband. However, our family declined because of you. I wonder what you’ve done to fool my parents and Elise. How could they have sent you to pick me up? Just give up. I’d rather die than sit in your car. Get out of my sight! Go home and tell Elise I’m singing karaoke with my classmates and will go home later.”
After finishing her words, she went away without giving Robin a chance to respond.
“Nina, you are awesome!” her classmates praised.
Nina chuckled triumphantly, “That’s the right way to deal with a beggar like him. He dreams of moving into my house. He’d better dream on!”
However, several black Hummers rushed over from the opposite.
“Shoot!”
Nina’s expression changed dramatically. The next second, Nina hinted at her classmates, “Hurry up. Get in the car.”
The other girls also panicked and hurriedly sat in Robin’s car. They prompted, “Hurry! Drive!”
Robin started the engine and pulled the car away. However, after a few yards, he said, “Nina, didn’t you say you’d rather die than sit in my car? What are you doing now?”