Chapter 68: Chapter 68

Paige Sterling arrived at VastReach Group to find Jared Sullivan, but unexpectedly ran into someone at the company who called out to her.

However, Paige didn’t recognize who he was.

He said excitedly, "Miss Sterling, it’s me, I used to work at the club."

"You’re the staff member who reported to the police?"

"Yes, after that, President Sterling had me come to work at VastReach. I knew it must have been you who put in a good word for me with President Sterling, Miss Sterling. Thank you, you’re really a good person!"

Paige smiled, "It’s nothing."

Paige was waiting for the elevator, and when the doors opened, she saw Julian Hawthorne.

Having just gotten the certificate in the morning and then seeing Julian Hawthorne at the company in the afternoon, Paige widened her eyes, "Julian Hawthorne, what are you doing here?"

Julian remained expressionless, "I have some business with President Sterling. Coming in?"

He acted as if he and Paige were just acquaintances, yet Paige noticed the metaphorical wagging tail behind him inviting her in.

Paige stepped in, and Julian immediately pulled her closer.

"Am I supposed to be kept in the shadows? Can’t let your dad find out?"

Paige, "That’s not what I mean, my dad he..."

Paige was unsure what to say, "I always feel like my dad has some kind of grudge with your family."

Jared Sullivan seemed to admire Julian Hawthorne quite a bit on the surface.

But whenever the Hawthorne Family was mentioned, he always had a peculiar expression.

Paige figured, if she were to tell Jared outright that she was going to marry Julian Hawthorne, Jared would probably object.

And now that they were certified, if she tells Jared at this moment, he might grab a knife against Julian Hawthorne.

Julian slightly frowned, "I’ve never heard of any grudge between the Hawthorne Family and the Sterling Family."

Then he thought about it, and indeed, the relationship between the Sterling Family and the Hawthorne Family seemed off.

Logically, both families are business giants, and competition is inevitable, but if they joined forces, it would clearly benefit both sides more.

But before he took over the Hawthorne Family, there had never been any cooperation between the Sterling Family and the Hawthorne Family.

After he took over, he intended to cooperate with Jared Sullivan, but Jared didn’t seem interested.

Just recently, it took several trips for Jared to begrudgingly show any willingness to cooperate.

At times, Julian’s imagination could go even further than Paige’s; he couldn’t help but wonder if there really was some profound enmity between the Sterling Family and the Hawthorne Family?

If that were true, then wouldn’t he and Paige be like a real-life Romeo and Juliet?

Paige had no idea what chaotic thoughts were swirling in Julian’s mind.

She was about to step out of the elevator, but Julian was still holding her hand at this point.

"Let go of me, I’ve arrived."

Julian did let go of her but blocked the elevator door.

Paige signaled to him, "I’m leaving, move out of the way."

The way she said it sounded so coquettish, it tickled his heart.

He reached out to pull Paige, and Paige pushed him, "What are you doing, planning to lock me up?"

Julian’s gaze flickered slightly as he stared at her intently, "Which ’lock’?"

Paige, "...", pushed him again, "Move aside, the elevator is about to open."

Julian stepped aside but suddenly held her face when the elevator was about to open, gently biting on her lips.

Paige talked big, but when it came to actual actions, she was a total newbie, because Jared Sullivan was always watching her closely. Even during filming, she never had a kissing scene with a man.

So she had zero experience.

But the man happened to be a natural flirt; clearly, it was also his first time, but Julian Hawthorne could do it so seductively.

Paige found her knees getting a bit weak.

She was slightly intoxicated by Julian’s kiss and even nibbled back, until she looked over Julian’s shoulder and saw outside the elevator... Jared Sullivan.

Paige was extremely embarrassed and instantly pushed Julian away. Follow current novᴇls on 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✶𝓷𝓮𝓽

But more embarrassed than her was Jared Sullivan, who looked like he had seen something inappropriate for young children, turning around awkwardly to leave.

Paige shouted, "Dad, you dropped your files."

Jared rushed back to pick up the files, hurriedly taking a few steps before suddenly realizing—why was he leaving?

Coming to his senses, Jared’s gaze landed on Julian Hawthorne, and the way he looked at Julian really seemed like he wanted to kill him.

Julian, "...", great, all efforts to please the old-timer over the years ruined today.

But he quickly shifted his gaze, saying to Paige, "Come to my office."

Then he walked back to his office with his hands behind his back.

Paige touched the tip of her nose; Julian asked, "Want me to go with you?"

"Didn’t you hear my dad say? He asked me to go alone."

After Paige finished, she suddenly noticed blood on Julian’s lip and asked, "Why is your mouth bleeding?"

Julian looked at Paige with a ghostly gaze, "What do you think?"

He bit himself reflexively when Paige pushed him like that.

Paige giggled awkwardly, "Can’t you be a bit careful?"

Paige entered the office, finding the atmosphere gloomy; Jared Sullivan’s expression was even gloomier.

Paige walked over to massage his shoulders.

Finally, Jared broke the silence, "What’s going on with you and that Julian Hawthorne?"

Paige, "Well, exactly what you saw."

Jared was furious, standing up abruptly, "How can you get involved with someone from the Hawthorne Family! Do you know what kind of person Julian Hawthorne’s mother is?"

Jared Sullivan never expected that Paige would be with Julian Hawthorne.

"So Dad, do you have... some history with Julian’s mom?"

Jared seemed a bit embarrassed, coughing, "What nonsense, nothing like that! Anyway, his mom isn’t an easy person to get along with. You still have time to break up with him now."

"It’s too late." Paige decided to be honest with Jared, "We just got our marriage certificate this morning."

"You you you..." Jared pointed at Paige, "You didn’t even ask for my opinion!"

Why did that sound a bit like a grievance?

Paige immediately consoled, "Dad, wasn’t it an emergency? I didn’t have time to tell you. See, as soon as I was done, I came right to you to discuss this..."

Paige said earnestly, "Dad, it’s my fault, your daughter. I got a little tipsy and got into that situation with him, so now I have to take responsibility..."

"Take responsibility, you..."

Paige interrupted Jared, "Just because I’m a girl, it doesn’t mean I’m exempt from responsibility, right? Otherwise, wouldn’t I be a jerk?"

About to burst with anger.

Waving his hand, Jared said, "I won’t talk to you anymore. I’ll just ask, are you determined to be with Julian Hawthorne?"

In front of her own dad, Paige certainly couldn’t act as if she couldn’t live without Julian Hawthorne, so she said, "Of course not, as long as you don’t agree, Dad, I can immediately get a divorce certificate with him."

Jared, "...", could he really do such a thing?

"Forget it, forget it, I’ll go find Julian Hawthorne some other day, I have to teach him a good lesson!"

Usually not thinking much of it, Jared now recalled some small details, gritting his teeth silently. This Julian Hawthorne must have had his eye on his daughter for a long time.

So naive of him, he really believed Julian’s talk about admiring him as a senior and respecting his character!

Everything was just to get his daughter!