Eric was feeling a bit overwhelmed.After lunch, he symbolically sat for a while and then left the company citing some urgent matters.Lora didn't say much either. After all, she had already made her intentions clear.-Back at the company, Eric was preparing for a nap when Sylvia approached him."How was the lunch? Did you enjoy it?" she asked.Eric raised an eyebrow. "None of the dishes were to my liking," he remarked cryptically.The food on the table wasn't what he enjoyed, and neither was Lora.Sylvia chuckled. "She invited you for a meal, and it's still not to your liking? You're quite picky," she teased.Eric's expression turned serious. He looked at Sylvia. "Vee, this is no laughing matter. Lora knows I have a wife and child. She's not after anything, not even a legitimate relationship. Don't you find that terrifying?"Sylvia's smile froze on her face. She had expected Lora to employ some conventional tactics to capture Eric's attention. But to not even seek legitimac
Merely a few minutes passed before Eric's phone rang. Seeing it was Jacob calling, he chose not to answer. That lad still hadn't returned the 50 dollars he borrowed last time! Though 50 dollars might be a trifle for Eric, it was a matter of principle! He could easily gift Jacob 500 or even 5,000 dollars, but that 50 dollars had been borrowed. If you borrow, you must repay!Eric placed his phone aside, but it kept ringing, each time Jacob calling. Just as he was about to take a nap, Jacob arrived!"Hey, Eric!" Jacob's face beamed, addressing Eric just like Jacob did, calling him "Brother Eric."Eric knew this fellow was there to borrow money, so he casually asked, "What's up?"Jacob chuckled and said, "Eric, you know I recently bought a house and a car, so I'm a bit tight on cash. Could you... lend me some? I'll repay you as soon as the year-end bonus comes. It's almost here."The year-end bonus from the Innova Group was substantial. Jacob had inquired—even the janitors received
Eric was keenly aware of Jacob's deep involvement. He sighed, recognizing the world's penchant for pitfalls: just as you escaped one, another lay in wait.That seemed to be Jacob's fate—hardly had he resolved issues with his ex-girlfriend than he fell into the snare of a female streamer.-Heading home after work that afternoon, Eric reached for his phone. He was curious about the allure that had ensnared Jacob with this female streamer."Are you calling just to watch this?" Sylvia's surprise was evident. In all their years, she hadn't seen Eric show interest in any streamers, let alone female ones.Eric chuckled. "I heard from Andy that Jacob is fixated on a female streamer, lavishing her with money. I just want to see what the fuss is about."Sylvia saw through it. "With a beauty filter, even a dog can appear divine. They flutter their eyelashes to attract men like you, aiming to empty your wallets.""In my view, most online streamers are essentially beggars, just in a more gl
Lora had guessed that Sylvia was likely Eric's wife since she had seen them together at the school gate.Now, expecting Eric, Sylvia was the one who came. Most likely, this was the situation."Eric..." Lora struggled to speak. "Isn't Mr. Johnson in the company?"Sylvia smiled faintly. "He is, but he's busy leading the technical team to tackle some technical challenges. Ms. Kensington the café next door is nice. Shall we chat there?"She felt it necessary to clarify things with Lora. Since she came despite being blocked on the phone, the issue isn't simple!-In the café.As the coffee was served, Sylvia nodded politely to the waiter. Her demeanor was dignified. Lora had been staring at Sylvia for quite some time.Sylvia smiled slightly and said, "Ms. Kensington try their coffee."Lora took a sip, then looked up at Sylvia, "You... are Mr. Johnson's wife?""Correct." Sylvia set down her coffee cup. "We've been married for over four years, and we have a very obedient daughter.
Did liking someone mean you must possess them?That was quite a profound question.As the lyrics suggested, there's a love called letting go, but who could truly manage that?If someone liked or loved something, shouldn't they strive to possess it? No one seemed to have a clear answer to this question, including Lora.In truth, Sylvia had already made her stance clear. Moreover, Eric's actions made it evident he had little interest in Lora. It wasn't a lack of interest per se, but rather because Eric already had Sylvia. It was a matter of principle.Both remained silent.Each had expressed what needed to be said, but Lora was unsure how to respond. She was a bold woman, enamored with Eric, so she pursued him boldly, even though Eric was already married. Yet, she couldn't fathom where she fell short.Even without seeking official recognition, she found herself unable to compete.They sat in silence for nearly two hours.Glancing at the time, Sylvia remarked, "I imagine you have
Upon hearing these words, Eric knew that Jacob was asking for money from Andy.Andy couldn't understand. "Eric, isn't she just a coquettish female streamer? What's so appealing about her? He is not only watching her but also spending money on her, just to watch on the phone. What's the point?""With so many beauties in the Innova Group, if he paid a little attention, he wouldn't still be single by now!" Eric remarked. "Young people chase after novelty. Once the novelty wears off, it'll be fine."Andy couldn't help but sigh. He sat down and said, "Actually, we are only a few years older than that kid, but it feels like we're much older. Time really doesn't spare anyone!"Andy's sigh was not without reason.The rapid development of the Innova Group had led him to interact with older individuals, and those who were not older hardly reached this level. It was unlike those big families that had started grooming successors early on.This also led Andy to feel that he was already quite
In the early morning, Andy deliberately arrived a bit late, just to see if Jacob had shown up for work. He had already experienced all the tricks Jacob used to ask for money, and he had ignored last night's phone calls.However, to his surprise, Jacob hadn't shown up for work at all!Today, there was no one at the security booth of the Innova Group."That rascal!" Andy cursed under his breath as he took out his phone to call Jacob, but he couldn't get through. He then turned to find Eric.Eric also had something to discuss with Andy. "Andy, I need to talk to you. Let's go to Nutikiville's city hall later.""Alright." Andy nodded, then asked, "Eric, did Jacob contact you?""Nope," Eric replied, looking at Andy. "What's wrong? Is he quitting?"Andy pondered for a moment and said, "He called me late last night, saying he had been kidnapped and they demanded 20,000 dollars in ransom."I thought it might be one of his tricks. Today, he didn't show up at the company, and his phone is
"Prepare an empty suitcase. Let's go over there and see what's going on first," Eric said.The empty suitcase was merely for show.Andy's confidence seemed to increase with Eric by his side.-The two quickly arrived at Salt City Grand Hotel.Standing at the door of the room, Andy glanced at Eric. Seeing Eric nod, he knocked on the door.The door opened, revealing a bald man who looked at Andy. "You're Jacob's brother? Did you bring the money?"Andy lifted the suitcase and patted it. "The money's here. Where's my brother?"Before he could finish speaking, Jacob's voice came from inside the room. "Andy! Andy! I'm here! Help me! They're going to castrate me! I'm scared! I haven't even touched a woman yet!"He burst into tears immediately.Andy pushed past the bald man and entered the room.Inside, Jacob was tied up on the bed.Next to the bed were several fierce-looking men, along with a young woman whose appearance was passable.Seeing Andy's arrival, the burly man with a g