Chapter 198: I Can’t Bear To Hit You
Rigel forced a smile, full of melancholy.
"We’re not as close as before."
Hilla pursed her lips and looked at the cup in front of her, saying, "Yes, I haven’t seen you for more than a year. You have changed. You’re more capable than before."
One could only be mature after going through some events. Although Rigel looked cold before, he was a clean and pure man.
But now, he was a steady fellow, and he changed a lot.
Rigel chuckled and said, "I don’t want to be capable."
He had to deal with a huge backlog of work that the Richards Group had built up over the past few days and he felt that his ability fell short of his wishes. When he was working in the Anderson Group, he was busy, but he was happy.
But now, he was so busy that he was suffocating.
He could handle everything, but he couldn’t take care of it all at once. He had to slowly push forward. Everything was going to change at any time, so he had to be on guard everywhere.
Hilla felt some sympathy for Rigel, but she suddenly thought of a thing.
Queeney and Rigel were attending such an important business ball. Rigel was taking on the burden of the Richards Group. What happened to the Richards Group? Or was there something wrong with the current president of the Richards Group?
"Rigel, are you alright?"
"I’m fine. I know you are in trouble recently. My mother seems to have made things difficult for you."
Rigel suddenly raised his head and looked at Hilla with a burning gaze. He gave a smile, causing Hilla’s heart to sink for no reason.
Rigel did not know the conversation between Queeney and Hilla. It seemed that he did not know the conditions Queeney had proposed to Hilla.
Hilla thought since Rigel did not know, she didn’t want to burden him with her things.
After all, Queeney was his mother, and she was just his ordinary junior. They were friends at most.
"Don’t worry. This is a thing between us women, and it is also my private matter."
Rigel smiled, but there was a bit of a hit of sadness in his smile.
"Doesn’t Mr. Anderson know your private matter?"
In that case, there seemed to be no difference between him and Bruce for her.
If so, he would feel better.
Hilla didn’t expect that Rigel would say that. She frowned and said, "Bruce and I are husband and wife. It is precisely because we are husband and wife that we should respect each other more. I respect his career. Similarly, I am not his burden!"
She hoped that Bruce would respect her, although Bruce had always done the same. Rigel was stunned for a moment, and the faint smile on his face finally faded. "You indeed aren’t a burden!"
Rigel murmured and looked up to ask, "Is there anything I can help you with? My mother is a stubborn person. If the conditions she has proposed are going too far, I will apologize to you on her behalf."
Rigel stood up in front of Hilla after he finished speaking.
Hilla thought he was going to do something, but he turned around and left. After taking two steps, he suddenly turned around and looked at her with a burning gaze.
"Hilla, I like you. I don’t regret it. If there’s a chance, I will snatch you from Bruce."
Hilla was shocked and thought, "What are you talking about?"
Rigel looked at the stunned Hilla and smiled. When he turned around, he happened to meet Bruce who had approached.
The moment Bruce walked past Rigel, he said, "You won’t have the chance!"
Hilla thought, "God! Bruce is jealous!"
Rigel didn’t stop and soon disappeared into the crowd. Hilla stared blankly at Bruce who was approaching. Then, she held her head and said pitifully, "I don’t like him. I’m wrong!"
Rigel’s words had nothing to do with her. She did not know why Rigel would suddenly say such crazy words.
She didn’t expect Rigel would confess his love to her at this time.
She knew Bruce was a little angry now.
"Get up! Let’s go home."
Bruce said in a low voice. It was obvious that he was jealous.
Hilla sniffed and quickly stood up from the sofa.
She took the initiative to tightly hug Bruce’s arm, lowered her head, and obediently followed him out.
She just came here to attend a party!
The banquet was about to end. Why did Rigel suddenly confess his love to her at this time? He even did it in front of Bruce!
She was a married woman!
She did nothing. It was not her fault, but she had to quell Bruce’s anger.
"Are we leaving so early? Have you settled everything? Project..."
Hilla met Bruce’s cold eyes and immediately fell silent.
She cared about Bruce, but he glared at her.
Hilla got into the car. When she had just sat down, Bruce directly said, "Hit the road!"
Hilla was jolted forwards as the car moved off. She didn’t look at the driver in front. Instead, she couldn’t help but glare at Bruce next to her. She thought, "Is he crazy?"
Returning to the Lakeshore Center, Bruce pressed the password and entered the door. Hilla followed behind him. After a long while, she poked her head out and asked, "Mr. Anderson, are you angry?"
Bruce raised his head and gave a faint smile.
He thought, "During a party, there are my love rivals everywhere. And all of them want to chase after you. Rigel even confesses his love to you in front of me. Shouldn’t I be angry?"
When Hilla saw Bruce’s expression, she knew that Bruce was angry. It was rare that Bruce was angry with her.
She immediately threw herself into his arms, hugged his arms tightly, raised her head, blinked her watery eyes, and said with an aggrieved expression.
"Honey, please don’t be angry. I know that you love me the most, and I also love you. What happened today is an accident. Besides, I don’t want to go to the party. You asked me to attend with you."
"You’re the most considerate man in the world. I won’t listen to anyone except you. You know, I love you."
"I know you won’t be angry with me!"
Hearing her words, Bruce just gazed into the depths of her eyes. Hilla gritted her teeth and pouted, saying, "If you are angry, hit me. I won’t make a sound! You..."
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her with a hint of suppressed anger.
Hilla gave a smile, and she quickly twined her arms around Bruce’s neck, which made Bruce stiffen up.
Hilla thought Margaret’s method was useful!
...
Bruce approached her, and he said in a low voice, "I can’t bear to hit you!"
Although Hilla knew that the current Bruce was used to saying sweet words to her, she still blushed after hearing his words all of a sudden.
She lowered her head slightly as she muttered, "You are drunk."
In order to prevent these people from forgetting themselves in their cups, there was all low-alcohol wine at the cocktail party.
Few people were qualified to drink with Bruce at the cocktail party. Moreover, Bruce would not let himself get drunk easily.
Bruce raised his eyebrows and said, "No. I am very sober."
"Bruce, you’re becoming more and more fond of flirting."
And she often couldn’t resist his sweet words. Hilla raised her head and said to Bruce, but her arms around Bruce’s neck were particularly tight.
She was obviously complaining, but she was reluctant to let go. Bruce smiled, lowered his head, and kissed her on the lips.
"I only flirt with my love."
Hilla was happy to hear that.
She raised her head and kissed Bruce on his lips. Then, she was pressed down on the sofa.
...
The next day, Hilla received a call from Julian.
This was the first time they had met each other alone in two years. Although Hilla felt that she was calmer than two years ago, she still felt a little nervous when she thought of what the jealous Bruce did last night.
She and Julian both knew that it was impossible for them to be together.
"I’m very surprised that you could come. What surprised me even more is that Mr. Anderson doesn’t come with you."
When Julian saw Hilla, he looked at her with a smile, as gentle as before.
His words made Hilla feel relieved, and she sat down in front of him, saying, "I don’t tell him, and I don’t think it is very surprising that I come to see you. We haven’t reached the point where we don’t visit each other all their lives, right?"
Julian chuckled and said, "Yes!"
Julian invited her to a restaurant that she was familiar with. In the past, they often came to this restaurant to eat food. Hilla liked the steak of this restaurant. Julian liked the goose liver of this restaurant.
In the past, every time Julian came to River City from Far City, he would bring her here for a meal. However, after the bankruptcy of the Holt family, she never came again.
Even if she was with Bruce, she would deliberately avoid this restaurant, probably because she really wanted to say goodbye to her former self.
She did not expect to come again today. Other than a sense of familiarity, she did not feel much discomfort.
"What do you ask me here for?"
"I want to see you, and..."
Julian pushed an envelope he brought to Hilla. Although he had a smile on his face, Hilla could see the seriousness in his eyes.
Hilla took the envelope and opened it. When Hilla saw the thick photos inside, she couldn’t help but bite her lips.
Most of them were about clothing exhibitions, and there were some clothes and patterns that she had never seen before.
The more Hilla looked at it, the more she furrowed her eyebrows. In the end, she slammed a thick stack of envelopes on the table.
In the quiet restaurant, her movement attracted a lot of attention.
Hilla lowered her head, her hair covering the expression on her face, making people unable to see her facial features and expression at this time.
"When did you find out?"
"Last night, when I returned to the hotel, Queeney gave them to me in person."
The last few photos were pictures of Julian and Hilla in the past. Some were taken by accident, and some were taken when they participated in a competition at a young age.
It could be seen that they had a good relationship, and the last two photos were taken when Julian met Hilla privately in the Anderson’s.
Although Julian didn’t know where Queeney got these photos from, he had to admit that these photos were indeed easy to show the relationship between him and Hilla.
Even if they were not together now, at least in the past ... he loved her.
"The Holt family’s design paintings are in her hands. Someone must have secretly sold it when the Holt Corporation went bankrupt."
Hilla didn’t know how high the possibility was, or Queeney had long known about the Holt family’s design paintings, but Hilla had to admit that Queeney had grasped her Achilles’ heel.
If she wanted to take back these things now, Queeney would not give them to her so easily.
"Why did she come to you with these?"
Hilla lowered her head and said softly. Shouldn’t Queeney use these things to threaten Bruce? After all, she was Bruce’s wife. The land and 300 million dollars Queeney wanted were in Bruce’s hands.
Julian hesitated for a moment, but he still said frankly, "She wants me to give the Richards Group the right to develop the Cloud Garden in Moon City."
After Julian finished his words, Hilla suddenly raised her head and looked at Julian in shock.
Queeney used these things of the Holt family to threaten Julian.
What a joke! Why did she have such confidence?
Did Queeney feel that she and Julian were still in love for the past two years, or did Queeney feel that the Jorgansen Group cared more about Hilla than the Anderson Group?
"Hilla..."
Julian looked at Hilla, his gaze full of worry.
The reason why he was in a hurry to see Hilla today was that he had seen these patterns, knew where they came from, and knew the meaning of this for Hilla.
"I can help you. After all, she only asks me for the development right of the Cloud Garden."
Julian said, but Hilla suddenly raised her head, a hint of panic in her eyes.
She was not afraid of Julian’s help. She was afraid that Queeney would use her to bring up even more excessive things. It was just like when Queeney threaten Bruce. What Queeney wanted was not just the development rights of a piece of land, but also 300 million dollars.
"There’s no need. Thank you for telling me all this. I’ve troubled you. This is my own business and I can solve it myself."
Hilla bit her lips and held the thick envelope with both hands, standing up straight.
Before Julian could speak, Hilla had turned around and left without looking back.
Not far away, at the corner of the corridor, a woman was hiding behind the green vines. Her eyes were shining as she looked at the two people not far away.
Margaret didn’t know what they were talking about, but she saw Hilla leave with red eyes, and she was still holding the thing that Julian had given her just now.
It was the first time Margaret had seen Hilla so sad. Hilla seemed to be abandoned by her lover, looking sad and desperate.
Julian was sitting here, looking at Hilla with affection. They were looking at each other from a distance, looking sad.
Margaret thought, "As expected, when Bruce isn’t around, Julian wants to seduce Hilla."
Margaret was very angry!