?


    "Oh?" Christopher chuckled softly. "Ariana, you really do resemble Mr. Jones."


    His words soundedplimentary, but his tone made me ufortable. The way heughed reminded me of a snake with broken fangs flicking its tongue. It didn''t bite, but it was unsettling all the same.


    I felt a wave of frustration rise. How had Nichs managed to navigate these negotiations with so many slippery yers? Just dealing with Christopher alone had me drained.


    Suppressing my emotions, I tilted my head slightly and smiled at Christopher. "Well, I am his daughter, after all. I can''t help but take after him."


    Christopher stroked his chin thoughtfully, deep in contemtion.


    Lately, bank loans had be challenging to secure, which was putting a strain on his ns. If he wanted to participate in the bidding, he had no confidence in securing that piece ofnd. Otherwise, he wouldn''t resort to such desperate measures.


    But taking that step...


    After a moment''s hesitation, Christopher grinned and said, "Let''s talk privately."


    I nodded, following him into a secluded private room in the restaurant. Christopher took the seat opposite me and spoke first.


    "I do have a sentimental attachment to that piece ofnd. I personally handled the nning documents, intending to open an ecological zoo as a birthday gift for my son.


    "But even though now he''s almost ten, I still haven''t fulfilled this promise. A father should keep his word, don''t you agree?"


    "Of course. A child''s wish should be fulfilled. But what''s in it for me?"


    "If the contact you rmend is as useful as you say, have Mr. Prestone to me, and you can name your conditions."


    I tapped my fingers on the table twice. "Mr. Newton, do you really think I''m still a child? Do you expect me to believe in such empty promises?"


    Christopher''s smile darkened, his expression as sharp as a de. This wasn''t an ordinary lunch meeting for either of us. We were both here with our own agendas.


    It took an hour of negotiation. He finally agreed to sign a guarantee that he wouldn''t engage in maliciouspetition with Jones Corporation for the next ten years. Dealing with him was much more challenging thanmunicating with my own clients.


    But I was satisfied with the oue. I pulled out the photo of udia and Nelson kissing in the car and pushed it face down toward Christopher.


    "Finding her will be much more effective than looking for me. Heroes always struggle with beautiful women."


    "H-How is this possible?"


    Christopher stared at the photo, disbelief etched across his face. His face was a mirror of my own reaction when I first discovered it.


    Who would have thought a 20-year-old girl would be entangled with a man over 50?Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    He snapped out of his daze, suddenly shoving his chair back so forcefully it hit the wall. He mmed the photo on the table.


    "Bitch! Get out here!"


    Christopher strode over to a bookshelf in the room and forcefully pushed a book, causing the entire shelf to slowly shift to the right. It turned out that this private room had a hidden area behind the shelf.


    He marched into the hidden area. Momentster, he emerged dragging a woman by her hair. He threw udia at my feet, his face twisted with a sinister grin.


    "No wonder you''re rted. Even your methods are identical!"


    He kicked udia in the stomach. "Bitch! You knew Nelson all along and kept it from me! And you had me scheming against Ariana instead!"


    udia curled up on the floor. Shielding her head, she was trapped with nowhere to escape. Everything had happened far too suddenly.