Chapter 209
209 You’ve Really Let Me Down
209 You’ve Really Let Me Down
Eric only had a bathrobe on.
The spot she’d accidentally touched earlier… Let’s just say it was the place that typically “stood at attention” every morning.
Ahem…
Why was she even thinking about this?
Still, she couldn’t stop herself from glancing down at her hand.
Good grief, she’d nearly grabbed it just now.
“You okay?”
Eric stood up, his robe slipping open to show a stretch of golden–brown skin.
He pointed at her face. “Your face is flushed. Are you running a fever?”
Alice quickly turned away.
Oh god .
There goes my reputation – it’s all down the drain now .
“I’m fine.”
Her voice was muffled.
She looked like she wanted to disappear under the covers completely.
“I’m a doctor. If I were sick, I’d know it myself! You don’t need to worry about me.”
She spat it all out in one breath and immediately turned her back to him.
She looked utterly drained, like she just wanted to go back to sleep.
Eric glanced at the top of her head, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Then, he walked out with long strides.
Daniel thought Eric seemed to be in a really good mood today.
Even when several employees made basic mistakes, he didn’t scold them.
He even stayed calm when dealing with the notoriously difficult finance department.
In the end, they approved a 30 million fund for the design department’s research and development.
Daniel felt like he had just witnessed the ninth wonder of the world.
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+5 Free Coins
Since when had Mr. Nolan been this chill?
Could it really be the detox treatment?
Was his old temper just a side effect of the poisoning ?
Daniel felt like he’d just stumbled onto some juicy gossip.
He had to keep following–this was way too good to miss.
That afternoon, just after Eric had wrapped up a few contract signings, someone reported that Irene had arrived.
To avoid disrupting the office’s operation, he took her to the lounge.
By now, Irene had been fully sidelined.
Though still respected within the company, no one feared her anymore.
When she saw Eric enter, she let out a cold laugh.
“Eric, I thought the first thing you’d do after coming back would be to deal with Ruby.
“Of all the possibilities, I never thought you’d come after my people first!”
Back then, even if Irene didn’t show up at the company, she could still mainta.
lute control.
The fashion department was a massive division with countless tangled connections.
Getting inside info on the company had always been a piece of cake.
But ever since Eric came back, her influence had started to slip, and her position had begun to crumble.
It didn’t take long for her to fall from the untouchable “Mrs. Irene” to someone irrelevant.
The more she thought about it, the colder her heart grew.
“Of all my grandchildren, you were the one I doted on the most when you were little.
“I hired countless tutors for you.
“When Ruby married in and you were still so withdrawn, I was the one who helped you open up, little by little.
“I know there’s hardly any real affection in a big family like the Nolans, but I always thought you were on my side.”
Eric clearly had no intention of listening any further.
He cut her off at once.
“I’ll take care of your retirement. Don’t worry.”
Irene was speechless.
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Did she look like she couldn’t afford her own retirement?
“Eric, you’ve really let me down.”
Eric looked up.
“So you didn’t come here today just to catch up. What do you want?”
His gaze was cold as ice.
Irene didn’t bother to beat around the bush anymore.
Her grandson was too blunt to read between the lines.
“You know Risa, right?”
Eric hummed softly, which was as good as a yes.
And really, it was hardly a hard question.
After all, the fact that Alice and Risa were best friends had already gone viral.
Even a three–year–old would know they were close.
“So you do know her. Good. Saves me the introduction.
“Risa owns a huge talent agency overseas. Do you know what that company actu
does?”
Irene let out a cold laugh.
“She connects people to powerful figures.
“That’s why Alice knows so many top–tier people. Now you understand why.”
A hint of resignation crept into Eric’s expression.
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
Irene was genuinely shocked that he still didn’t get it .
Of course , it also meant Alice had hidden things well.
Even someone as smart as Eric had turned into an idiot the moment he fell in love.
So many red flags staring him in the face, and he chose to ignore them all.
“Fine, I’ll spell it out.”
Irene had had enough.
“To put it bluntly, Alice is just a country bumpkin.
“At first, I thought something was off. How could someone from a rural village possibly know so many influential figures?
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“And why did all those big shots go out of their way to help her?
“Now I finally get it..
“ It’s all because of Risa.
“Risa runs that agency, and those big shots have business with her. Of course they have to show Alice some respect.”
Irene let out a sigh.
“Don’t you get it? Think about the kind of relationship Alice must have with Risa to make all those people treat her that way.”
Eric asked, “What kind of relationship are you talking about?”
Irene looked at him with utter disappointment.