“That project was just a practice run for you. Others might not know, but I do. Last time during the stock market crash, it seemed like it was aimed at Callie and me, but you were actually targeting Lucia and Shamar.”
The two exchanged a glance, and Nelson smirked without commenting.
Jaquan said, “So you’re giving me a practice run just to cut me a deal?”
“Any more, and you wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
Before leaving, Nelson gave Jaquan a piece of advice: “Don’t be too much of a playboy with women. Make an effort; the Ellison family is within reach. As for that one you keep around… she’s not as innocent as she seems.”
He was referring to Charlotte.
From the sound of it, he really had no interest in Marilyn.
Jaquan’s smile faded. He prided himself on his ability to read people, and his eyes could see right through them.
“I know my limits.”
Nelson’s gaze was somewhat mocking as he walked out.
Charlotte hadn’t left. She was leaning against the wall outside and timidly called out when she saw Nelson, “Mr. Oconnor.”
Nelson nodded slightly.
After walking some distance and just before entering the elevator, a slender hand reached out to stop him. A woman, panting slightly, looked up and said, “Mr. Oconnor, you forgot something. Mr. Scott asked me to bring it to you.”
It was a file folder.
Nelson took it with a cool tone, “Thanks.”
…
Following Nelson’s instructions, Kieran delivered the file folder to Vanco and asked, “Mr. Oconnor, are you heading back to Oconnor Group or Paucaster Villa Complex next?”
“Home,” he replied.
Kieran immediately understood.
Paucaster Villa Complex was on the same route as Vanco, though Vanco was a bit far from here. Kieran started the car.
When they arrived at Vanco, Kieran parked and hurried inside while Nelson waited in the car.
Vanco had suffered significant losses; there were only a few people in each office area. It’s easy to share prosperity but hard to share adversity.
When trouble strikes, people scatter-too realistic.
Kieran sighed, hoping to find Marilyn quickly.
Just as he entered the finance floor, he was drawn by a commotion ahead.
Marilyn had accidentally bumped into a colleague, causing her things to scatter all over the floor.
She immediately apologized and crouched down to help pick them up. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to!”
Unexpectedly, the colleague shoved her hard, making her fall to the ground.
Marilyn looked up in surprise, only to be met with a barrage of insults: “It’s all your fault! You’re a jinx! Vanco was fine before you came along; ever since you arrived, everything’s gone wrong. Marilyn, you’re such bad luck!”
A crowd had gathered around. If not for someone holding her back, the colleague would have scratched Marilyn’s face.
Marilyn stood up slowly in disbelief and couldn’t hold back. “How can you blame me? Did you learn anything useful in school or did it all go to waste?”
Recently, everyone at Vanco was on edge, fearing for their jobs. Many were close to breaking under the pressure, and this person had taken it out on her because of a grudge.
Marilyn understood but found her accusations absurd and laughable.
The woman, provoked further, continued to curse, “What kind of person are you? You came in and snatched tasks right away. I bet you slept with the boss to get them! You really have some nerve; I wasn’t wrong about you!”
It’s hard to imagine someone in finance being so in rude and foul-mouthed.
And the people around just watched coldly.