"President Hughes, Miss Thompson from Hayward is looking for you. Would you like to take her call?" the secretary reported gently. Joshua Hughes nodded, indicating for her to put the call through.

He fiddled with his phone, looking at a selfie that little girl had just sent him.

Dressed elegantly, with jet-black hair, she sat there perfectly, surrounded by a group of students. They seemed to be in high school, with a few young boys behind her making victory signs while grinning.

This Avery Jane is really something, managing to charm people of all ages, even causing those immature boys to be so excited and rowdy behind her. Damn it.

She should be under house arrest, should never go out. Her beauty should belong to him alone.

While looking at the photo on his phone, he answered the call, "Miss Thompson, congratulations on your marriage?"

Joshua Hughes’ thin lips twitched as he spoke politely.

After all, they were somewhat acquainted since he had been Alexander King’s best man.

However, he didn’t have much of an impression of Nora Thompson.

When it came to women? He was picky, and Nora Thompson didn’t meet his standards.

At most, she could be considered plain, with a scholarly air. But what she did later was truly beyond everyone’s expectations, even someone like Alexander lost to her.

To put it bluntly, the battle hadn’t even begun, and she was already enjoying the spoils of victory.

"President Hughes, I’m not here to reminisce today. I just wanted to ask, why did your Private Client Department say you withheld the case we sent over? I’ve completed the procedures, and everything is in order."

The voice on the other end was calm and unruffled, without a trace of hostility, just casually inquiring.

"It’s nothing, just some areas I’m still a bit unclear on."

Joshua Hughes recalled Alexander King’s call today, brother in trouble, though he teased him a bit, but still had to help. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"I’ll host tonight, would President Hughes do me the honor?"

Nora Thompson’s words flowed like water, and Joshua Hughes thought for a moment and agreed.

Bring that little girl tonight, make Alexander angry.

They’re both women, see how obedient, gentle, and well-behaved his girl is, not daring to deceive him.

This thought pleased him greatly.

After notifying Alexander King about tonight’s dinner party, he looked at the documents, wondering when that little girl would come find him.

He would give her a good warning later, forbidding her from dining with that broke designer again, not even by chance, or there would be consequences.

Watching the documents while waiting, the afternoon seemed especially long.

Joshua Hughes began to realize his patience was being worn thin by her, he wanted to give her a bit of freedom, but she didn’t cherish it, taking her time to come find him?

The large hand picked up the phone on the table, just about to dial when the door opened, and behind the secretary stood someone. She finally came.

"Where have you been, taking so long to get here?" he asked, clearly in a foul mood.

The large office seemed to drop a few degrees with his cold and dominant aura.

Avery Jane couldn’t help but shiver as she looked at the man in black, tall and handsome, but he gave her no warmth, the chill starting from her feet, slowly creeping up through her legs, filling her body, making her almost unable to move.

The new secretary merely stared at the stern, unsmiling president, who was ruthless in his work, as he stormed towards her, bypassed her the next second, and grabbed the hand of the woman behind her, signaling with his eyes for her to leave.

The secretary walked out, stunned. So, this was the woman the president had chosen?

She really was beautiful, as a woman even she had to admit it, uniquely beautiful, unlike the models in magazines nowadays, real, vibrant, yet seemingly otherworldly.

Realizing her secret attempts to entice the president were truly insufficient, as her opponent was so formidable.

Joshua Hughes held her small hand, soft and cool, smooth and tender. Her hand was petite, playing with it as she sat on the sofa, his tone wasn’t kind as he asked, "Why are you so late?"

"I went to see my high school teacher," Avery Jane replied softly. Her teacher’s on-campus dormitory was nearby, retired and looking after her grandson, who was adorably charming. She couldn’t help but stay a little longer.

The dusk light had become dim, from where she sat she could see the sky outside, the shifting clouds, the sun slowly setting beyond the horizon, as Avery Jane gazed at the sky with infatuation, her long eyelashes like butterflies resting on flowers, fluttering gently now and then.

"What about that young designer?"

Joshua Hughes was dissatisfied that her attention wasn’t on him. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes, "Look at me when you answer."

His chiseled nose almost touched hers, his breath, scalding and hot, sprayed near her ear.

The closer they got, the more she could smell his scent, a faint musk, but what overwhelmed her more was that strong, intangible masculinity, domineering, sharp, like the strongest liquor.

"He left after eating noodles."

He shouted and threatened like that, so she didn’t dare keep Beckett, fearing not only trouble for herself but also for Beckett.

Joshua Hughes snorted coldly from his nose, winding her hair around his fingers, "Seems like the designer isn’t making money, still has to eat so miserably? Or is he trying something different?"

Beckett Wright’s gaze towards Avery Jane was something Joshua could guess even with his toes—pure wishful thinking.

"Today I treated him to dinner, I’m the one who’s miserly."

Avery Jane gazed at him unfocused, her beautiful eyes, clear and bright, with a hint of sarcasm. She really was miserly; everything she had before came from Wenyard Cooper, and now she herself couldn’t live the life she wished for. She was still reliant on a man, unwillingly and grudgingly.

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

Joshua Hughes’ face darkened. Was this woman doing it on purpose?

She called herself miserly?

Didn’t she know he gave her his supplementary card, she could even spend on Hughes Clan Tower if she wanted, yet she called herself miserly?

Is she hinting he’s stingy?

Is she dissatisfied?

He’s already given her enough time, yet this woman is greedy, always feeling it’s not enough.

"I said I’m the one who wanted to treat him to dinner, me, not you." Avery Jane understood what he meant, but today she paid to thank Beckett. Although it was just a small sum, she still paid for it.

Beckett was considerate, not saying much. At least letting her treat made her feel a bit better inside.

He understood her words, because she wanted to treat Beckett, so she didn’t use his money.

The problem was, this woman never used it, even today if she went shopping, she didn’t use his card.

He suspected that the card he gave her wasn’t even with her.

"Wallet, give it to me."

His eyes grew gloomier, his whole demeanor was chillingly menacing.

Avery Jane looked at him, his face slowly turning livid.

This man was angry, but why? Avery Jane was a bit confused.

She obediently took out her wallet from the small handbag, a little floral fabric wallet.

"Wallet." Joshua Hughes impatiently repeated, this woman was an idiot?

"Here it is." Avery Jane handed it to him, she had always used such small wallets, convenient, compact, and very light.

The small fabric wallet was simple, just one card and some loose change.

That card wasn’t the one he gave; the one he gave had probably long been tossed into some corner, forgotten by her?

His woman, not using the money he gave, still using the dead man’s legacy?

Joshua Hughes couldn’t accept this at all.

"Where’s the card I gave you?"

His tone grew cooler because she disliked him, so she didn’t like his card either?

Joshua Hughes held the slightly worn card, toying with it, many years it had been this card.

It must have been from Lucas Yates to her, back when she was still in school, the only reason she’d still use it was because she couldn’t forget.

His face slowly showing a brutal expression, he gently snapped the delicate card with a large hand, breaking it effortlessly, throwing it to the ground.