Chapter 211
Chapter 211
Chapter 211
Dylan said frostily, "I've made myself clear enough, Frank. Stay away from Kendall from now on!" With that, he went past Frank again and said to Kendall, "Let's go, Kendall."
"Dylan!" Frank turned around and watched his sworn enemy being wheeled away by Kendall, who didn't even look back at him. He stood there, watching as the two figures—one seated and one walking —went further and further away from him.
Dylan is going to marry Kendall! The fact came as such a huge blow to Frank that his face turned livid. Why am I always a step behind Dylan? He's already preparing to marry Kendall just when I want to court her. No wonder he held her in his arms so affectionately just now. They'd become a couple long ago, and I knew nothing about it! They did such a good job of hiding it. Also, the Parker Corporation keeps putting off its collaboration with the Mendelson Group. It's not that the Parkers don't want to collaborate with me. It's just that Kendall is getting married to Dylan, which makes the Parkers and the Colemans related by marriage. I'm Dylan's sworn enemy, so how could the old and cunning Adam possibly collaborate with me? However, he doesn't want to offend me, so he stalls me instead, he thought.
"Dylan!" he mumbled in a whisper, "I'm not gonna give up." Even if he didn't want to marry Kendall, Frank would be in Dylan's way, knowing that she was the woman Dylan loved—not to mention that Dylan really wanted to marry her. In any case, he would take away whatever Dylan cared about. If he couldn't take it away, he'd destroy it!
After getting into the car, Dylan no longer let Kendall support him. Sitting in his seat, he ignored her without saying a word.
"Dylan," she explained, "I've told you everything about what happened between Frank and me. He's
delusional."
He pressed his lips together without making a sound.
Getting close to him, Kendall wrapped her arms around his waist before resting her head on his shoulder. She said softly, "Dylan, I told you I'll never abandon you in my life unless you leave me. I won't fall in love with any man other than you."
Dylan turned to look at her before lightly pushing her away. The next instant, he placed his hand on her cheek and caressed it gently. He replied in a warm, deep voice, "I'm not angry with you, Kendall, nor am I getting the wrong idea about you. I'm just being angry with myself." He was merely angry at himself for not undergoing rehabilitation sooner, which caused him to be confined to his wheelchair even now. "Frank and I have always been at each other's throats. Whatever I do, he'll try to ruin it. He'll take away whoever or whatever I care about, as well as destroy whatever he can't take away from me."
"I'm capable of protecting myself." Kendall understood the hidden meaning behind the man's words. "I stepped on his foot on one occasion, so I brought him medicine just once. Now that the swelling on his foot has reduced, I'll stay away from him from now on," she promised. "Don't blame yourself, Master Dylan. It's not you who gets me into trouble. It's the trouble itself that comes to me."
She was surprised, though. She wasn't even on speaking terms with Frank in her previous life. In her current life, however, not only had they met earlier than they were supposed to, Frank even dreamed about them sleeping together. Since then, he had tried various ways to set up 'chance' encounters with her, and she had been unable to shake him off however much she wanted to. "Come on, Dylan. Say cheese," she said in an attempt to appease Dylan.
Dylan was rendered speechless.
"Give me a smile, Dylan. You look especially handsome when you smile. I like to see you smile more than anything else."
Speechless, he stared at his beloved wife. What kind of brain does this little girl have? Her mood changes so quickly, he thought. However, he loved the capricious side of her, as well as how she looked when she brazenly flirted with him with a mischievous grin.
…
The dining table was covered with a variety of dishes in a private room at Dynasty Hotel. Adam personally poured a full glass of wine for his honored guest before filling his own glass to the brim. Then, he raised his glass of wine in a toast to his guest, saying with a smile, "Here's a toast to you, Mr. Gleeson. Let's celebrate the upcoming collaboration between our companies."
Liam Gleeson raised his wine glass and clinked it on Adam's, but he didn't drink the wine as Adam did.
After Adam finished drinking his wine, Liam commented, "You can hold your liquor pretty well, President Parker."
Seeing that he didn't drink his wine, Adam asked, "Mr. Gleeson, do you dislike this kind of liquor? Do you want me to switch to another kind of liquor?"
"No, it's not necessary," Liam refused.
Seeing that something was wrong with the man's expression, Adam put down his wine glass and asked
caringly, "Mr. Gleeson, do you have something on your mind? Do tell me about it and see if I can help you."
Liam found it hard to talk about it, but he had to speak up. "President Parker," he said apologetically, "The collaboration between our companies… It doesn't count. We've yet to sign the contract."
They had an agreeable conversation last time, during which they agreed to sign the contract today.
Adam's eyes flickered. Realizing that there was a change in circumstances, he maintained his composure and replied with a smile, "We came to an agreement last time; we're sitting here today to sign the contract." He turned to look at Liam's beautiful female secretary. Then, he asked Liam, "Could it be that you guys forgot to bring the contract with you?"
However, Liam replied, "President Parker, we've found a better partner than your company for our company's project. You and I did have an agreeable conversation last time, but businessmen are particular about making profits. Working with another company can bring my company greater profits and a better future, so it's only natural that I'd choose the better one."
Adam's smile slowly faded before he answered solemnly, "Mr. Gleeson, profit-making is indeed the most important thing in business, but it's also important to keep one's word. Our companies have come to an agreement before, but now you guys are going back on it just before we're about to sign the contract. That's bad faith."
The Parker Corporation had put in a great deal of effort in order to secure the project from Liam. If someone got in the way just when they were about to sign the contract, the Parker Corporation's early investments would all go up in smoke. Although it wouldn't cause breaks in the company's funding chain, the company would suffer massive losses as a result. Adam was inwardly angry, but he had to
maintain his composure, so he didn't slap the table and yell at Liam.
"We did have an agreeable conversation, but we didn't sign any contracts. Everything is subject to change as long as no contract has been signed," Liam argued confidently while concealing his embarrassment. Then, he stood up and said to Adam, "Thank you for your hospitality, President Parker. This meal is my treat. I have something urgent to deal with, so I gotta go." With that, he pulled out his chair and left.
His secretary immediately stood up and went after him.
Adam sat there without stopping Liam. Now that someone had prevented him from securing the project, even if he were to stop Liam, it wouldn't be of any use.
"President Parker," Jessie called out to him worriedly.
With a frosty expression, Adam said to her, "Jessie, find out who put a spoke in my wheel!"
"Okay."
After sitting quietly for two minutes, he stood up and left as well.
No one touched the dishes on the table.
The two came downstairs together to see Kendall hurrying into the hotel's lobby. "Kendall?" Adam called out to his daughter and asked, "Why are you here?"
"Dad." Kendall didn't expect to run into her father at Dynasty Hotel so coincidentally. She hurried to the
hotel after sending Dylan back to his office. Kelly had phoned her, asking her to order the food in advance as she and Leonel would arrive in 20 minutes.
"Kendall, come with me." Adam dragged her into a remote corner.