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Chapter 37
Chapter 37
“Drake’s rotten treatment towards me, it’s all on your account, Jane. If you hadn’t resurfaced, we would have already been sealing the deal on this marriage. Why, oh why, are you still breathing? Why must you keep showing up? In the grand scheme of things, it’s all because of you.
Drake had treated Annie with disdain, and Annie couldn’t help but assign blame to Jane for this heart–wrenching predicament.
“You needn’t assign blame to me for every wretched thing. Deep down, Annie, you know full well what you did back then. You can’t hide everything,” Jane said coldly.
“What do you mean?” Annie, feeling a flicker of unease, struggled to grasp the meaning behind Jane’s cryptic words. Could it be possible that Jane was aware of the events that had transpired all those years ago? Did she possess the knowledge that Annie had fought so hard to keep concealed?
“This is getting tedious. If Miss Carlton is here simply to spout trivialities, kindly take your leave. I am occupied with important matters and have no time to entertain you,” Jane declared, her features icy and distant.
Annie grimaced, her face contorting unpleasantly at the evident distaste Jane held for her.
At that very moment, Jane’s phone erupted into shrill ringing. Resting on the table, it caught her eye in an instant.
Without uttering a word about Drake’s caller ID, a mere glance was enough for Annie to discern that it was his call, intensifying her embarrassment.
Jane, too, recognized the digits on the screen. Since Annie had evidently sought to humiliate herself, Jane decided to grant her wish.
Under Annie’s penetrating gaze, Jane cautiously lifted the phone to her ear and answered the call.
Drake’s voice pierced through the phone, sending a chill down Jane’s spine. “I need a custom–made suit, and I want it on my doorstep within a week.”
Jane hesitated for a moment, contemplating the collaboration between the two of them. It wasn’t an ideal partnership, but Drake’s deep pockets couldn’t be ignored. After all, money didn’t rain from the sky.
“Fine, I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” she replied, suppressing her reluctance.
But just as Jane was ready to end the call, Drake dropped a bombshell. “Oh, and I expect you to personally handcraft it.”
His demand hung in the air like a dense fog, leaving Jane dumbfounded. Without thinking, she blurted out, “You must be out of your mind!”
As soon as the words escaped her lips, Jane realized she had let her emotions take control of the situation. She paused, pondering the consequences of her candid response.
“Boss Warner is probably clueless about this. As the CEO under Joe, I don’t have any say the clothing production, so I can’t fulfill your request. I apologize for any inconvenience
in
Chapter 37
caused.”
Jane maintained her composure as she attempted to negotiate with Drake over the phone. Seeing Annie’s anger about to burst, Qiao Huan’s spirits instantly lifted.
“Considering Ms. Bentley’s role as Joe’s representative, she wouldn’t want the brand she built to suffer a tarnished reputation.”
Just as Jane’s mood started to brighten, Drake’s threatening voice on the other end of the line shattered her tranquility. Jane’s spirits plummeted. That detestable man dared to intimidate her!
However, she felt helpless and frustrated. If she wanted to confront Joe, her own capabilities alone wouldn’t be enough to overcome him.
“Boss Warner certainly has a knack for coercion,” Jane muttered through gritted teeth.
“I’ll need your measurements shortly, but I must warn you in advance, making the clothes myself will come at a steep cost. President Warner better be prepared to provide the funds,” Jane plotted in her mind.
Since this arrogant man is wealthy and influential, he shouldn’t be surprised if she demanded a hefty price.
After ending the call, Jane noticed Annie’s gloomy expression.
“Hey, why isn’t Miss Carlton making her exit yet? Should I call security to escort you out?” Jane’s words were dripping with rudeness, but anyone with a shred of shame would’ve long left the scene.
Annie, on the other hand, was shameless to the core. Not only did she not budge an inch, but she even had the audacity to confront Jane arrogantly. “Why did Drake give you a call?” she quizzed.
Jane replied with an air of indifference, “That’s a matter between my bosses. I’m sorry for not filling Miss Carlton in.”
“Jane, wait for me… We won’t let this slide so easily,” Annie exclaimed as she marched away, her high heels clicking on the floor.
Jane disagreed with Annie’s cruel words, but her priority was to uncover Zac’s situation. Ignoring Annie’s retreat, she immersed herself in her work. However, just as she was engrossed, the reception desk rang once more.
Startled, Jane’s heart skipped a beat. Pushing the door open, she found Drake already seated on the reception room sofa, exuding an icy aura.
“President Warner is personally here. What’s the matter?” Jane asked, her voice tinged with -gloom.
“Don’t you think you’re inadequate? As a wife, you don’t even know your husband’s measurements. That’s negligence,” Drake retorted, crossing his legs on the sofa and expressing his dissatisfaction.
“I… Drake, as a husband, do you consider yourself highly competent? You never regarded me as a wife in the past, and you still don’t. So, spare me the lecture on our marriage,” Jane fired back.
Chapter 3
“In the end, that marriage can be annulled whenever you please,” she continued.
Drake’s mood instantly soured, despite his earlier composure. He rose to his feet, gripping Jane’s waist and pulling her closer, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.
“You’re right. I can dissolve that marriage contract anytime I want, whether it’s in the past or now. But without my permission, you’ll never escape my grasp,” Drake declared, his words dripping with dominance, resonating in Jane’s ears and stoking her anger.
“Drake, you’re despicable!”
“I can be even more despicable. Would you like to find out?”
Jane seethed with frustration, attempting to break free, but her strength paled in comparison to the man’s, and she found herself trapped in his embrace, feeling the pulsations of his powerful heart.
“Drake, release me!”
“Jane, how’s the outfit I requested? I have an important event tonight…”
Just as the struggle between the two escalated, Jasper’s voice echoed, followed by the creak of the reception room door swinging open.
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