Jared put the files on the table and showed them to Nicole. This project was very important to the Gu
Group. If all went well, it would bring a lot of profit to the company.
Nicole's eyes lit up the moment she examined the proposal. She had casually pitched this idea to Kerr
before they started dating officially.
It never occurred to her that Kerr had paid attention to what she said, but now her idea was brought to
its fullest in this business plan he developed.
"Take this so we can set it in motion." This project bore both Nicole's and Kerr's common ideas. She
only hoped it would run smoothly.
Lily was still standing next to Nicole, holding the documents her temporary CEO needed. It didn't take
her long to realize which project was the most precious to Nicole and the Gu Group.
Yet Lily hesitated. She knew that her actions would create great trouble, and there would be no way to
come back from that.
"Do you have plans tonight?" Nicole asked Lily softly without tearing her attention off the papers she
still had on her desk. She wanted to take Lily with her to the business party that night.
Despite Lily not having anything particularly remarkable about her, Nicole still thought she could train
her.
Lily shook her head blankly and responded, "No, I have nothing planned. Why do you ask?"
"Well, since you don't have anything else to do, I want you to come with me to a business party tonight.
I can present you to some people there that might turn out to be good for your future."
Lily's heart jolted in her chest as she listened to Nicole. Her offer only made her even more hesitant.
She never thought that Nicole would be so considerate towards her.
However, Lily was still under Moore's threat and couldn't refuse this invitation. The fact that Nicole truly
cared and was helping her only made Lily more uncomfortable with the situation she was in.
Nicole glanced at Lily so pensive. She had noticed that Lily seemed to have always something on her
mind recently. But Nicole just shook her head slightly and didn't think further about the subject.
Night soon fell, but despite Nicole's wishes to go home and stay with Kerr, she had to attend this
business party on his behalf.
That day she didn't put on any heavy makeup or high heels over three centimeters tall. Gladly, she
wasn't a short woman.
She walked to the car parked downstairs, followed by Lily and Jared when suddenly she noticed a man
coming towards them. Nicole looked at Lily and saw her astonished expression as she watched that
figure approaching.
"Why are you here?" Lily took a step closer to the man, both embarrassed and surprised.
He looked down at Lily's dress and realized it must be quite expensive. Then he said ironically, "If I
didn't come, when would you come home?"
Nicole looked between Lily and the man and smiled. "I'll wait for you in the car. I'm not in a hurry,
there's still time." Right after she said that, Nicole got inside the car.
Once she was settled, Jared glanced at Lily one more time before he took the driver's seat. Then he
turned to Nicole and said, "Miss Ning, we're going to be late." Their time was already tight when they
left the building.
Nicole looked at the young couple out of the window and decided to give them more time.
"We'll wait."
Outside, Lily had her eyes full of tears as she tried her best to push the man in front of her away. "I told
you I don't love you anymore. I want us to break up."
Lily couldn't imagine what it would be like if Moore sent one of those disgraceful photos he had of her
to her boyfriend. So she thought it was better to leave him once and for all.
The man, however, couldn't believe in his own ears. He tried to hold Lily's hand, but she dodged from
his touch.
Unwilling to say anything else, Lily ran to the car, opened the door, and sat next to Nicole.
Lily lowered her head and made up her mind not to look at the man trying to chase after the car
outside.
With the closed door between them, neither Nicole nor Lily could hear what the man was saying.
In the future, Nicole would always catch herself wondering if things would have turned out differently if
she had persuaded Lily to make things clear with that man now.
Maybe, this would have prevented Lily from making some serious mistakes, and the Gu Group wouldn't
have to face its greatest crisis yet. But there was no place for 'ifs' in this world.
At that moment, Nicole looked at Lily's sad face and asked in confusion, "Did you have a fight? You
know, sometimes you can fight and still be together afterward. If you love him, there's still hope to make
it right."
Lily shook her head. "We've broken up. He'll live a better life without me in it." There was a clear
sadness in her voice.
Looking at Lily's hopeless expression, Nicole patted her shoulder and said, "You little fool. If you love
someone, you can't really break up with him."
Nicole knew this was Lily's personal affairs, so she didn't insist further and left Lily alone to deal with
her feelings.
Soon they arrived at the address where the party was held. When Jared got out of the car, he opened
the door for Nicole and followed her to the banquet hall. At the entrance, Nicole quickly realized the
event was quite crowded.
She then brought Lily in and took a glass of juice from a waiter's tray.
"Miss Ning, it's been a long time." Jeremy Chu walked towards Nicole with a glass of wine in his hand.
Nicole nodded politely. "Mr. Chu, long time no see. I didn't expect you would be hosting such an
incredible event so soon. I still remember the first time I saw you."
In a short period, Jeremy had already become the leader of the whole industry. His power definitely
couldn't be underestimated.
Jeremy found it strange to see Nicole without Kerr, so he had his doubts. "You're flattering me, Miss
Ning. But I have to thank you then. Without your ingenious plan, I wouldn't be where I am today.
Of course, when I invited Mr. Kerr Gu, I extended the invitation to you too, Miss Ning, because I wanted
to have a good chat with you. But why haven't I seen Mr. Kerr Gu yet?"
When Nicole heard his words, she realized that he wasn't the type of man who joked around.
In fact, many guests along the way spared strange glances at her.
But Nicole didn't care. Since she had decided to take over the Gu Group, she had gotten herself ready
to face whatever may come.
"Nicole!" A voice she soon recognized to be Avery's startled her from behind. When Nicole turned her
head, she saw her friend in a short pink dress, which perfectly accentuated her fair skin.
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