“Of course, it’s none of my business. I was just reminding you.” Vicky got on her high horse, her chin almost skyward.
Still feeling weak at the knees, Summer reached to prop up her back with her hand. She then shot Vicky a look. “Mind your own business!” she hissed.
Laura was the type of woman who sold her soul to the devil. Despite all the baggage she had, she still survived in the entertainment industry. That meant one thing; Laura was not stupid. She had to have something up her sleeve. By dancing with the devil, Laura may stitch Vicky up.
“I’m fine with everything as long as you don’t tell Grandpa that.”
Tired of talking to her, Summer went inside.
…
At noon, Summer got a call from the reception downstairs, telling her that a woman was looking for her. She was puzzled by who the woman was. When she got downstairs, she saw a woman in revealing clothes sitting on the couch with her back to her. Looking from behind, she looked somewhat like Vicky.
The woman turned around her head. “Ms. Jarrett.”
Summer squinted, finally making out the woman’s face. What was Laura doing there? She looked at Laura with no smile on her face.
“You must be lost.”
“I’m here for you, not Vicky.” Laura was a fancy woman. It showed in how she carried herself.
“What do you want?”
Summer had nothing but disgust for Laura. Her visit must be up to no good.
“What happened last time was all my fault. I’m here to apologize.” Laura drew her hair to the back of her ear, her smile reeking of kinkiness. Taking a large paper bag printed with some branded logo in her hand, she got up and handed it to Summer.
“Please accept my apology.”
Laura thought she was sincere and humble enough. She had done some homework, knowing that Summer was a young twenty-something, having had a hard life in the Jarrett family with few friends. She was later married into the Emerson family, stuck with a cripple. It must be hard on her. Such a young woman was the most soft-hearted and easy to please.
Summer shot a glance at the paper bag in Laura’s hand. “Tell that to Jessica. As for me, I didn’t suffer any damage in the bar that night. The secret photography of Jessica has nothing to do with me. You should apologize to her.”
Hearing that Summer still harped on the secret photography incident, Laura did not look too happy. That night, her studio was near to Jessica’s. When she heard that Jessica was there, she could not hold back her hatred and jealousy. She had someone taking away Jessica’s clothes and sending two men to take her nude photos. She would have gone to do the things by herself had she known the two men would screw up. She just did not want to arouse any suspicion.
“I didn’t do that. I didn’t ask anyone to take secret photographs of Jessica. Ms. Jarrett, you have to trust me.” Laura bit her lip, putting on an innocent look as if she had been wronged.
Summer got goosebumps all over her skin. This trick might work on men, but not on her.
“I have to go back to work, Ms. Cotton. Please excuse me.” She indeed had to go back to work. When she first came to Jarrett Group, she had indeed wanted to take her revenge. But that did not mean she was irresponsible. Since she was getting a salary for it, she would fulfill her duty.
Watching as Summer walked away, Laura clenched her hands into fists. She had underestimated Summer, who seemed useless but deep inside, was very unyielding. Her plan was to butter up Summer. And after getting her trust, she would make her move on Leonardo. With just a little flattery and seduction, she was confident that even if Leonardo could not get it up, he would still fall for her. Since Plan A had failed, she had to use Plan B.
…
With Alexander at the helm, Jarrett Group gradually recovered from its slump after he introduced a series of turnaround plans. Summer admired him in this regard. At seventy-odd years old, he was working his butt out from morning until night, and still having to entertain the clients at night. Alexander had given himself to Jarrett Group.
After work, as Summer packed up, her mobile phone rang. Alexander was calling.
“Get ready to go to C City with me tomorrow.”
“Business trip?” Why did Alexander think of going with her? Should he not get Vicky to go with him?
“Make some preparations tonight. I’ll meet you at the airport by nine tomorrow morning.” His voice made it sound like she should not question him. Before Summer could say anything, the line went dead. If it were Lynn, she could have still sounded him out to see what he was up to. But this was Alexander. He was far tougher and smarter than his son, not to mention more upright. Whatever he was up to, she was part of the Emerson family now, and Alexander knew better than to do something stupid to her.
…
Some other chauffeur was picking up Summer today. As Tim had to do other things for Leonardo from time to time; he was not always available to chauffeur her around.
Not long after getting into the car, Summer started to notice the chauffeur constantly checking the rearview mirror. She looked back over her shoulder, trying to take a glimpse of what it was about, but found nothing unusual.
“What’s wrong?”
“Someone is following us,” the chauffeur said gravely. “Mrs. Emerson, please sit tight.”
“Okay.” She did not ask questions again.
A good general makes good soldiers. Even a chauffeur was no slouch under Leonardo. Douglas told her before that all their family chauffeurs were retired racing drivers. It seemed the chauffeur was really driving as if he was racing in the circuit. “By the time the vehicle slowed down, Summer was seeing stars.
“Stop the car!” she said to the chauffeur.
As soon as the car ground to a steady halt, Summer flung the door open and scrambled out before throwing up big time in a garbage bin at the roadside. The chauffeur handed her a bottle of water and tissue paper.
“I’m so sorry about scaring you, Mrs. Emerson.”
“I-I’m fine.” When she finally sorted herself out, she patted him on his shoulder. “Awesome!”
They were back in the car. As the car came to the foothill, Leonardo’s mansion was only slightly over ten minutes away on the side of the hill. As the car drove up the winding road, another vehicle pulled up at the foothill. Laura got out of the car with a face pale, looking up at the mansion on the hillside.