Chapter Twenty Five

"Aren't you going to work?" Brielle cast him a confused glanced. Wasn't he anxious to leave? "Will you stay?" it's not that Stephen didn't believe her, but after all, he was so cruel before. "don't worry! I promised, remember?" Brielle avoided his stare, and her pretty face turned red.

"OK, do what you want. But remember to come back, or I'll tear the base apart to find you." It was the way Stephen was. Once he decided what he wanted, he would do everything in his power to make it happen. If he really fell in love with someone, he would love her with all his heart.

"You can go now! I'll go to see Ariel." Brielle believed that he would keep his word. But she was not afraid of him. She was just tired of loving him for so many years. She did not want to avoid it again. Since he was willing to try and love her too, then how could she give up this chance?

"See me out." Stephen hugged her from behind and put his chin against her head. How could she say no? Brielle just stood there, taking in the moment, hardly daring to believe that happiness had come so fast!

Turning around, she adjusted his tie carefully with her slender fingers. She trembled. She wanted to do this for him for so long, imagining her seeing him off to work. This was also some of the happiness she wanted.

"Let's go! I'll walk you out." Her voice was still icy, but she tried to sound as gentle as she could. She would not shirk her duties as a wife. Fan had already prepared the car. Seeing Brielle, he was shocked, but he quickly pulled it together.

"Good morning, ma'am. I'm Fan, Stephen's bodyguard. Nice to meet you." He was neither humble nor pushy, quite a man of character. "Hi! Don't be so polite. You can call me Brielle." Calling her ma'am outside the military made her uncomfortable. His confidence set her at ease. he knew he was good. Stephen wouldn't hire someone who wasn't.

"It's okay. He's like this. Let him be!" Stephen squinted at Fan. he looked cool and calm every time. Nothing really seemed to change his expression. Watching the car zoom off, Brielle heated back inside to see what Ariel was up to. "Mommy! Are we gonna stay?" She didn't have to be so tense anymore. She and Stephen understood each other.

"Yes! We're staying. happy now?" Brielle knelt down and gently squeezed his pink cheeks. "yeah! Really? So we'll live with daddy forever?" So it wasn't all for nothing! He got what wanted. Brielle was in a daze. Forever? She really couldn't guarantee it. She loved him, but did he love her? He was surrounded by gorgeous women. All of them were prettier than her. But she was the girl who had won his heart. But it hadn't worked out before. Who was she to guarantee forever?

Stephen was glowing all the way to work. Brielle was the only woman for him, and now he knew for sure. How could he have kept her away for six years? Stephen, it was not just six years, but another six as well. If you only knew the truth...

The car pulled up to the front door of Chu International Group and stopped suddenly. Stephen frowned as he stepped out. He looked up at the hot sun, slammed the door and strode into the office, quickly. He just couldn't stand the heat.

Fan had the valet drive the car to the parking garage to keep the vehicle cool. he knew Stephen would lose his temper if he sat in a hot car. Stephen knew he was a little late. Before he could sit down, Ava comes in. It seemed that his schedule must be full or Ava wouldn't be in a hurry.

"Mr. Chu, the assistant of S Group called us and said that our new contract price is too high. Their CEO asked to speak with you again."

"Why is that woman always difficult?" Stephen was frustrated. Why didn't she let him be? Ava kept quiet. She didn't really know what the problem was, so she couldn't answer. "Just agree to her terms! See what she does." Stephen casually hung the coat on the back of the chair and sat down gracefully without taking any more notice of Ava. He opened the files on the desk.

"Okay, I will arrange it. You have a meeting in ten minutes. Do you want to host it yourself?" Ava waited for his reply and her hands kept turning the schedule book. "I'll do it myself! Is Mr. Scott in? Ask him to come by here first." Stephen didn't look up. he was busy signing the documents on the desk. And he looked so charming when he was busy.

"Mr. Scott is out of the office. There is something wrong with the project he's on, and he may not return today." Ava frowned. She almost forgot to tell him this. She didn't like to make mistakes. "I see. Tell Oliver to host the meeting in ten minutes. I will just listen." This was an unimportant meeting, so he did not have to host it in person. Oliver was a capable man. He needed to train him more so that he could work more efficiently.

Oliver was frustrated! He already had enough to do. The documents on his desk were piling up. They were almost taller than him! OMG! He wanted to quit and join another company! Why did his boss have to be so demanding?

Claire was just about to park her car but a Porsche Panamera pulled into the spot ahead of her. She had to slam on her brakes to avoid it. She lost her temper, bursting from the car in a rage as she cursed Stephen hundreds of times in her heart. She wouldn't have been even had to be here if he hadn't insisted on discussing the contract outside.

Thomas picked up the file on the assistant seat and opened the door. he heard a woman scream, "You asshole, do you know how to drive? I found that parking spot first! Move your car now!" She advanced on him before she could even see him. Claire really had a hot-temper!

"Are you yelling at me?" Thomas retained his poker face and glared daggers at the woman. he had to admit, she looked competent and sexy. "Yeah, I'm talking to you! Are you showing off your money? No wonder you drive a car that way!" Claire forgot that she too was rich.

Thomas's face darkened even more. He thought to himself, 'Shit, what's wrong with me? Why do I always run into these crazy chicks?' "What do you against rich people? And I didn't hit you, so what's your problem?" Thomas asked with his teeth clenched, fire in his eyes. Who wouldn't be unhappy outside where the sun's heat baked you?

"Yeah, you didn't hit anyone, but you grabbed my parking spot." Claire suddenly looked up at the man. Why would she be afraid of him? Then, suddenly, she recognized him. Oh my god! Was he the guy she ran into in front of Sexy World? He was worse than Stephen.

"Tell you what: stay off the road till you get better at driving." Thomas glanced at Claire's BMW series 7 behind him and thought she was one of the trust fund babies. NO wonder she acted so arrogantly.

"Why don't you just admit you're a jerk with no morals and leave my driving out of it!" Claire was not about to let this man off the hook. He humiliated her before. She also found it. Funny that he didn't recognize her at all.

"Morality? You're one to talk about 'morality!' You're tarnishing the word!" Thomas said in disdain and slammed the car door without giving Claire a chance to say anything more. Claire was too angry to say a thing. Shit, how could anyone be such an asshole! She kicked Thomas's car wheel and went looking for another parking spot, ignoring the sudden alarm from his car.

Claire was the type of person to act even tougher when she met a tough guy. The poker-faced man made her uncomfortable, though, she didn't dare provoke him. Stephen was used to being late. Deliberately. Everyone became restless and uneasy, waiting for him to show up. Uncomfortable people were not as sharp as they would be normally. Then he'd pop in when they least expected it, and he would get anything he wanted because they were already worn down.

But what if the opponent were Claire? And she was furious at Thomas and no the verge of blowing up? Would she act differently from everyone else? Absolutely. "Mr. Chu, I didn't expect you to be late. Is this a habit? Should I worry about how you might handle our advertising account?" Stephen stepped into the exclusive office area of the Wynn Hotel. Claire's sarcasm greeted him like a slap in the face. 'What crawled up her skirt?' he thought.

Aha! That right! Thomas was here, so she probably had a run-in with him again. And she was pissed off. 'And taking it out on me apparently." Stephen thought ruefully. "You must miss me a lot to be so angry, Miss Brook. Are you really so obsessed with me? If no, why did you need to talk to me personally?" Stephen changed the topic quickly and made it sound ambiguous.

"What? Obsessed with you? Mr. Chu, sometimes being confident is a good thing, but you seem to have crossed over into narcissism." Claire pretended to vomit and looked at Stephen with a sneer. "If you weren't interested in me, why did you ask me out?" Stephen grinned at his latest jab, and his smile just made him even more charming.

Claire was speechless! "No wonder he had his pick of the ladies.' she thought. 'He was simply a fascinating imp with a devilish sense of humor. why was he still single?' Shit, who would be interested in a playboy like him? Only the stupid women running after him would be loyal as always.

"If Miss Brook could spend time working rather than fighting with me, I believe that would be more efficient. Why do you waste time flirting with me? Or is this how you treat all your clients?" Stephen was never willing to lose in a war of words, especially to a woman.

"Mr. Chu just put forth a good suggestion. Maybe I can consider it later." 'Such a jerk! Who does he think I am?' Claire cursed secretly. "Glad to hear it. So, what are you nitpicking about this time?" Stephen crossed his legs and sipped his coffee with an indifferent look.

"My request is very simple. I hope that you will reduce the required share by two percentage points." Claire showed her professionalism with a serious look. Work always brought out this side of her. "Does Miss Brook think your company is a charity, or that I am really such a nice person to agree to this?" Stephen lifted his brows and looked at Claire. His eyes showed something sharp and hard to read. He was a shrewd businessman, and this time Claire had met her match.