Finally seeing off the French Director who constantly and deliberately exuded a flood of masculine hormones, Chloe raised her hand to pat her chest, letting out a sigh of relief.
Harper, from behind, playfully nudged Chloe’s shoulder and teased: “I’m telling you, bestie, you’re quite sought after!” Chloe threw her a sharp glare: “Stop talking nonsense, I don’t understand what you are implying.” “Hey, playing dumb, aren’t you?” Seeing Chloe turn her back and leisurely walk up the stairs to the second floor, Harper hurriedly strode after her: “The eyes of that romantic Hector wished they could glue themselves to the curves on your body.
If your evasive diplomatic skills weren’t so professional, he would definitely, one hundred percent, have confidently asked you out for dinner!” Chloe irritably snapped her head back, raising her left hand high to reveal the massive, sparkling diamond engagement ring on her ring finger: “Dear Boss Harper, are you suffering from excessive overthinking?
Unless he is blind, who would go flirt with a woman who clearly has a husband like this?” “Oh honey, who in this circle doesn’t know about European men?
Their moral boundaries in romantic matters are much more open and liberal than the strict traditional culture of America.” Harper raised an eyebrow provocatively: “Besides, didn’t you declare with your own mouth that you decided to file for divorce?
Is there a need to play the role of such a cautious, chaste wife, Chloe Quinn?
What, even with divorce papers in hand, do you still plan to preserve your chastity for that dictatorial Julian?” “I won’t waste words with you anymore, you gossip!” Chloe, speechless and frustrated, pulled her hand back.
Right at that moment, the iPhone placed on the tea table rang.
Seeing the screen display the name of her mother-in-law Eleanor, she hesitated for a few seconds, but ultimately swiped the screen to answer: “I’m listening, Mother…” “Chloe…” On the other end of the line, Eleanor’s tone was incredibly excited: “I just received the VIP Fashion Week ticket you had your secretary send over; my daughter-in-law is truly too thoughtful.” “As long as you are satisfied, I am happy.” “Tonight, arrange to come back to the main estate with Julian for a family dinner!” Eleanor proposed.
Chloe’s brows twitched; she intended to use busyness as an excuse to tactfully decline.
“I know your company is busy meeting deadlines at this time, but no matter how busy you are, you must make time for dinner; your father Richard is very much looking forward to seeing you two.” Eleanor seemingly sharply noticed Chloe’s intention to evade, immediately cutting her off and leaving no room for refusal.
“…
Yes, Mother.” Chloe silently let out a heavy sigh in her heart.
Using family emotional psychology to press her, she truly was the soft-hearted person who could not possibly refuse.
“Then let’s lock the schedule like that!” Eleanor spoke quickly, afraid she would change her mind: “I will go down to instruct the chef to prepare the menu; remember to call Julian to let him arrange things, try to come back early, you two!” Having said that, completely not waiting for Chloe to react, she quickly hung up with a “beep beep.” Chloe blankly held the disconnected phone, her expression utterly bewildered.
What kind of psychological manipulation situation was this…
Regaining her composure, she just realized her friend Harper had snuck away from the second floor who knows when.
She unconsciously let out a breath to relieve the pressure, scrolling through her contacts to call Julian.
A strange sense of guilt surged in her heart; why did the feeling of stealthily calling her husband right now feel exactly like having an affair behind someone’s back?
Sweating bullets ￣^￣゜ The phone quickly rang and connected, but the other end maintained absolute silence without a sound.
“Hello…?” Chloe waited patiently for a long time, then cautiously tried to speak first.
Only now did she realize that because she was so tense, her vocal cords constricted, making her voice sound frightfully hoarse.
She hurriedly cleared her throat to regain a clear tone: “Are you…
listening?” “Yes.” The deep, resonant male voice of the man sounded like a fine Cello playing, causing Chloe’s heartbeat to slightly waver.
Having not met face-to-face or heard this magnetic voice for many days, she unexpectedly felt a surge of longing and nostalgia…
Realizing her emotions were swaying off track, she hurriedly calmed down, forcing herself to turn cold before continuing: “Mother Eleanor just called me, saying…
requesting that the two of us must return to the main estate tonight to attend a family dinner.” “…” The other end of the line was still enveloped in silence.
Chloe frowned suspiciously: “Are you even focusing on what I’m saying?” “I am.” Julian replied curtly, then suddenly changed the subject to ask: “Where are you?” Chloe was slightly taken aback: “At the company headquarters.” “Did you drive yourself there?” “The Porsche is still sitting in the garage waiting for repairs…” Chloe answered obediently.
“Just stay put in the office and wait.” Julian dropped a brief, bossy command just like that and hung up, leaving Chloe holding the phone with a bewildered expression, freezing for the second time that day.
What did that mean?
What’s wrong with him?
What trick was he planning to pull now?
On the other end of the line, CEO Julian hung up the phone, swiveling his chair to face the entire senior and mid-level management team of the conglomerate, who were holding their breath in a luxurious glass conference room.
His demeanor still maintained its usual cold, sharp look, except that if anyone observant looked closely, the frown at the corners of his eyes and eyebrows seemed to have relaxed, losing a bit of its oppressive seriousness.
“Ahem…” A balding middle-aged project director presenting a report startled awake, clearing his throat preparing to continue the slide: “Therefore, we propose this project…” Unexpectedly, just as he opened his mouth to present, he was decisively cut off by Julian raising his hand to signal.
Julian pointed to a male vice president sitting nearby: “Vice President Thomas, you will take over for me to chair the next presentation part of this meeting.” Having said that, he gave a polite nod, grabbed his suit jacket, and took quick strides out of the conference room.
Wow, truly a rare true story.
This notoriously ruthless workaholic CEO not only openly took a personal phone call in the middle of an important meeting but also left a room full of shareholders to sneak away himself!
But discussing it carefully, the CEO seemed to be in a very good mood?
Looking at that walking posture as fast as the wind, his demeanor was truly light and graceful, vastly different from his usual gloominess…
When Julian pushed the door and stepped into the reception area of the GY office, the two young receptionists who were fiercely debating a newly released Mac lipstick immediately fell silent and froze.
“Sorry to bother.” Julian spoke up politely in a warm, deep voice to ask: “Is Chloe present in the office?” “…
Ah, sir, Director Chloe…” The slightly older receptionist hurriedly regained her composure, her hands and feet a bit clumsily tidying up the makeup items the two were cluttering on the marble counter, only then hurriedly standing up straight professionally: “May I ask if you have a prior appointment with her?” “…
I do not.” The receptionist bowed her head slightly, professionally swiping back and forth across the schedule on an iPad with her finger, then spoke in an incredibly regretful and standard tone: “Sir, I am truly sorry.
Our Boss Chloe has a very busy work schedule these past few days, and her meeting schedule is fully booked.
If you do not have a prior appointment, I am afraid she will not have time to receive guests.
May I ask which agency you represent?
Or perhaps you could leave a business card or send an email to discuss directly with assistant Rachel first?
She will review it and arrange a time to reply to you later.” “…” The atmosphere suddenly fell into a terrifying silence.
Julian merely had a sudden whim wanting to personally come pick his wife up to go home for a meal; clearly being someone who was always sought after, he never anticipated the situation of being refused at a half-closed door by a lowly employee like this.
Out of instinctual habit, he reached his hand into his dress pants pocket searching for his phone intending to call Chloe; perfect indeed, he had forgotten the iPhone, leaving it on the back seat of the Maybach.
“I…” Julian frowned and still wanted to speak up to explain something, when suddenly from his side a sharp female voice rang out full of suspicion: “Julian Quinn?” Harper had just finished a small meeting and stepped out of the conference room downstairs; having just finalized the operational plan with the event team, as soon as she reached the door, she saw a giant log wearing a suit standing toweringly blocking the way in front of the reception desk, which was an eyesore.
Seeing Julian’s sharp gaze shoot toward her, she continued to smirk, using an exaggerated, hyperbolic tone: “Oh my God, someone hurry out and check for me what level of storm New York is having today, that it blew such a busy billionaire to lower his class and visit my shabby startup?!” Julian was subjected to a not-too-heavy, not-too-light sarcastic jab, but his demeanor and complexion still maintained their usual calmness: “I came to pick Chloe up to go back to the estate for dinner.” Harper, crossing her arms over her chest, originally intended to open her mouth and throw a few more sarcastic remarks, but rolling her eyes and considering how many nosy employees were pricking their ears around this open reception area to catch the gossip and pay attention to the movement here.
Moreover, as a best friend, she understood all too well the exclusive position this guy Julian held in Chloe’s lovesick heart.
Don’t be fooled by Chloe acting tough and making a fuss threatening to file for divorce these past few days; according to her observant eyes, this matter was a long way from happening.
Trying to swallow down all the toxic, sarcastic comments hovering on the tip of her tongue, Harper at this moment saw Chloe leisurely walking down from the second-floor stairs.
She merely sneered, dropping a remark: “A true rarity.” As soon as Chloe set foot in the first-floor lobby, she immediately noticed the unusual atmosphere at the entrance.
When she clearly saw the silhouette of the tall man standing there, she still couldn’t hide her bewildered astonishment.
The bespoke, wrinkle-free charcoal gray suit on him betrayed that this person must have driven straight here from the conglomerate’s conference room.
To say that a surge of astonishment didn’t rise in her heart would be lying to herself.
Throughout the past two years of living together, most of the time it was always Chloe proactively yielding, driving to wait at the lobby downstairs of Quinn headquarters to pick him up.
Because Julian was a CEO truly too busy with a mountain of work, as a perfect wife, Chloe would never nag or reproach him over this petty, trivial matter.
Furthermore, her nature was not the type of woman who liked to throw tantrums unreasonably.
According to her peace-keeping perspective, these personal sacrifices were all acceptable for the sake of the greater good.
But it was impossible not to admit, the moment she saw with her own eyes a proud Julian Quinn appearing and waiting at the GY office, her mood suddenly became incredibly subtle…
“Julian?
Why did you take the trouble to come all the way up here?” Chloe maintained a haughty expression as she walked to the reception desk.
The subtle expression on her carefully made-up face made it hard to tell whether she was happy or annoyed: “You could have just told the driver to park and wait in the parking lot downstairs, sending me a text and I would have immediately arranged things and come down right away.” Julian completely did not bother catching the rhythm to reply to Chloe’s politeness, his domineering attitude tossing back a retort out of nowhere: “Since when does me, as a husband picking you up from work, need to book an appointment with the receptionist?” “…” Chloe was choked speechless looking at his deadpan face, then glanced at the trembling receptionist.
She could only laugh helplessly and forcefully with the two employees who were clearly experiencing a bit of bewildered culture shock: “Let me introduce you two, this gentleman is…” Just as she was about to open her mouth to introduce him, she hesitated and paused in her mind.
Amidst this crowd, what title should she use to introduce Julian’s identity appropriately?
The two of them were actually about to go to court for a divorce anyway…
She only hesitated and struggled internally for a bit, but immediately after, logical thinking helped her figure it out.
If the two truly signed the divorce papers and went their separate ways, Julian would also never have the free time to set foot in this place again.
So what impact would using any introductory title now have?
“This gentleman is my legal husband.” This was the first time she publicly introduced Julian’s identity in front of her subordinates so straightforwardly and clearly.
Chloe was suddenly engulfed by a strange sense of embarrassment and shyness.
Slightly bowing her head to hide her fluster, she was not observant enough to see that the masculine corners of the man’s mouth standing beside her had slightly curled up into a triumphant smile upon hearing her declare her sovereignty.
Harper, standing with her arms crossed on the side, put on a face of ‘I knew this script would happen’, glared at Chloe who was trying to camouflage herself by shrinking her neck like an ostrich with eyes lamenting iron not becoming steel, let out a heavy sigh, then turned on her heels and walked away.