Chapter 67 Collaborative Partner
“Liar!” Gigi gritted her teeth and felt as if the spectators surrounding them were laughing at her. Just then, a solemn figure walked out of the lift. Following behind him was Miles.
“He’s here. You can ask him personally.” Jean lifted her chin personally and posed as if it was none of her business. “What’s going on, Edgar?” Gigi pulled Edgar’s arm with her eyes slightly reddened. “Isn’t everything over between you both?”
Ever since Gigi was imprisoned a year ago, Edgar and her were no longer related to each other. Jean casually grabbed some nuts from the reception counter and stuffed them into her mouth. Her stomach was grumbling as she had not had dinner.
“I’ll explain to you after this. Tomorrow is the fashion show, so go back to your room first and sleep early.” Edgar comforted Gigi.
“But…” Gigi still wanted to say something, but Edgar had already shoved her hand away from his arm. Perceiving Edgar’s cold gaze, Gigi mumbled, “Alright.”
She suppressed her displeasure and shot a glance at Jean before she entered the lift. The glance was filled with mixed emotions. Nevertheless, Jean pretended as if she had not noticed it and continued munching the nuts.
Edgar walked up to Jean and said, “Miles has arranged a room for you.” “Thanks.” Jean smiled. “I’ll do my best tomorrow night.”
“You better keep your word.” Edgar gazed fixedly at Jean. Miles walked up and placed a room card in front of Jean. “This room is booked under Mr. Royden.”
Jean narrowed her eyes and kept the card away. Edgar was eager to know why Jean didn’t opt for the money, but before he could ask the question, Ben hurried into the lobby from the outside. He grabbed Jean’s shoulder and sized her up carefully as if there was nobody around them. “Hey, are you okay? Did you get hurt?”
Anxiety and exhaustion spread across his face because he had pulled an all-nighter seeking help to bail Jean out. He was finally relieved when he saw Jean safe and sound. He pulled Jean into his arms and hummed in a deep voice, “Don’t get involved in dangerous incidents like this anymore, okay?”
No one would understand Ben’s sufferings during the period when Jean was imprisoned. He had been practicing in the racing circuit day and night to keep his mind occupied so that he wouldn’t think of her.
Startled, Jean patted the back of Ben’s hand and promised, “Don’t worry. I won’t go to jail again.” “How did you…” Ben only noticed Edgar was standing beside them halfway through his sentence. He frowned and asked, “Did he get you out?”
“Yeah. Mr. Royden and I entered an agreement to collaborate, but it’ll be a short collaboration.” Jean admitted it. Ben turned and stared daggers at Edgar. “I’ve warned you before to stay away from her.”
Edgar maintained a cold look and blurted, “Remember your promise.” With that, he went upstairs. “What did you promise him? Did he threaten you?” Ben furrowed his brows as he was worried that Edgar would sabotage Jean again.
“Nothing. It’s just a small matter.” Meanwhile, Ally walked into the lobby. “Hey Jean, welcome back.” Ally almost failed to feign a smile. “I’ve kept your belongings away. Which room are you staying in now? I’ll send them to you.”
Jean tutted. “Outsiders might think that we’re very close.” “You must have mistaken me. I didn’t say anything!” Ally explained in a fluster and moved behind Ben. “Ben can prove it. I’ve been asking my father to help bail you out.”
Ben nodded. “That’s true. Without her family’s help, I would still be looking for a lawyer now.”
“I see, thank you then.” Jean lifted her brows and took out the room card that Edgar had given her just now. “Room 1505. Bring me my stuff right away. I’ll not let you off if I find any of my belongings missing.”
Some of the staff from MON & Co. witnessed Jean’s attitude toward Ally and started discussing it among themselves. “Jean is such an ungrateful woman. Ally has spent so much effort to help her, but look at how she treated Ally!”
“That guy is Ben Ludwig, isn’t he? It was alleged that he and Ally went on a blind date, but he seems to be close to Jean. Is this a love triangle?”
Ally’s blood boiled when she overheard the gossip.
“Okay. I’ll go and get them right away.” With that, she ran into the lift with tears welling up in her eyes.
Jean stared coldly at Ben. “I’ve already let her off once for your sake.”
Ben was tongue-tied. He trusted Jean, so he nodded after some moments and croaked, “You don’t have to take me into consideration.”
He had no intention in dating Ally to begin with.
Thereafter, Jean ordered some food at the reception counter and charged the bill to Edgar’s account.
Ten minutes later, Edgar became aware of the news that Jean had ripped him off.
“What did she order?”
“Lobster fried noodles, abalone soup, crabs, and fish. She has ordered all that she could.” Miles adjusted his glasses. The amount of food that Jean ordered was enough to feed five people!
Edgar spat, “Forget about it. Let her get whatever she wants. This will only last for two days at most.”
He reckoned Jean had not tasted these delicacies after the Eyer family went bankrupt.
Edgar rolled up his sleeves and was about to start working when he heard some noises from the next door. That was Jean’s room.
“What is she up to this time?”
Miles went to check out the scene and came back to report to Edgar. “Miss Eyer is buying a meal for all the staff in MON & Co. except Ally.”
Edgar’s face darkened. She’s using my money to build connections? I arranged for her to stay next door to keep an eye on her so that she can’t play tricks on me, but it seems like I’m getting myself into trouble.
“Mr. Royden, I’ll go and ask them to lower their volume.”
Edgar removed his tie and frowned in frustration. “It’s okay.”
He grabbed his coat and headed out. The moment he opened the door, he could hear Jean’s gleeful voice from next door. He could even vaguely hear her singing.
The door was left ajar, so Edgar could see Jean dancing on the sofa exuberantly through the gap.
He had never seen Jean behave like this. In the past, he would despitefully think that this woman had gone crazy because her family was declared bankrupt. But now, he had to admit that his perception of her had changed.
Edgar narrowed his eyes. Although it was his carelessness that gave Jean an opportunity this time, her move was indeed brilliant. She leveraged every connection she had and finally achieved her goal.
Any other person would have been thrown into despair if they were in Jean’s situation.
Just then, Ally walked out of the lift with Jean’s bags and saw Edgar standing outside Jean’s room, peeking at them.
She suddenly thought of something and mustered her courage to walk up to Edgar. “Hi, Mr. Royden. I’m Ally Sans. My family owns Sans Group.”
Edgar retracted his gaze to look at Ally and asked coldly, “What is it?”
Ally shuddered at Edgar’s reply.
Earlier, when she was on the plane, she had felt that the relationship between Edgar and Jean was sophisticated.
Ally thought Gigi was no match for Jean, so she planned to make Jean and Edgar reconcile with each other so that she could approach Ben.
At that thought, she put on a friendly smile.
“These are Jean’s belongings. Can you help to pass them to her?”
