17. Meeting My Rival

"What's this?"

Anna saw the bag that Nadine handed to her. With a big smile, Nadine pushed the bag to Anna.

"Souvenir from me Ann..."

Anna then took it and opened it. Anna smiled faintly at the simple leaf-shaped hairpin that Nadine had given her.

"You seem to be really enjoying your honeymoon."

Nadine then stepped into her desk.

"Of course I enjoyed it.... Really enjoyed getting work done there."

Anna then chuckled to respond to Nadine's sentence.

"Tsk... You don't need to be so excited, even to the point that you have to evaluate the project for the next 2 years. Relax a bit and enjoy your honeymoon."

Nadine laughed at Anna's advice.

"Ha ha ha... I have to finish it... Many projects failed because I spent a lot of time chasing things that I should never have."

Anna looked confused this time, seeing a confused look on Anna's face suddenly Nadine changed the topic of their conversation.

"Anyway... Have you got the financial data from Miller?"

Nadine, who was reviewing the document in front of her, paused for a moment.

"I have contacted the accounting and financial department but you must ask Mr. Henry's approval to request the data."

Nadine sighed at Anna's words.

"Okay thanks... I'll get his approval."

Anna nodded and prepared to leave but Nadine called her back.

"Ann... Thanks for the help with Marie. I hope you're not upset with Benjamin."

Anna's face turned a little annoyed hearing the last name called by Nadine.

"I was only doing your request."

Anna rushed out of the room and Nadine just shook her head seeing Anna's annoyed face.

Nadine then stood up and left her desk carrying a souvenir bag beside her.

"Haaah.... Hopefully this box of chocolate can bribe him."

Nadine walked out to her father's office. When Nadine arrived at the door of her father's office but she didn't go straight in. Nadine caught her breath and seemed to be trying to calm herself down.

KNOCK KNOCK

"Come in."

Nadine then came in and was still trying to catch her breath. His father was a little surprised to see Nadine come to see him.

"This is for you, dad."

Henry received the bag from Nadine and looked in the bag. He was a little stunned by the content, then his gaze turned to Nadine.

"That's proof that I've been there and interviewed for the magazine."

Henry sighed and put the souvenir beside him.

"You don't have to bother giving me a report, Nadine."

Nadine was still staring intently at her father.

"I also brought it for the maid at home so it didn't bother me. They were happy and grateful."

Henry was taken aback by Nadine's last words.

"Ah... Thank you."

Nadine smirked at her father.

"I know you know all about my activities. So I think you must know what I came here for."

Henry glared at his only daughter. Then he leaned back in his chair and prepared to interrogate Nadine.

"You can't keep pampering your husband. You've already given him your favorite car."

Nadine chuckled and replied to him fast.

"I lent it to him."

Henry grinned again.

"And you facilitated his family for treatment at the best hospital here..."

Henry calmly mentions Nadine's help to Adrian one by one.

"It's a debt. His cousin will pay all the expenses to me."

Henry took a deep breath at his daughter's attitude.

"Now you want to help him investigate the case at his resort?"

This time Nadine was silent and did not answer her father's question.

"Nadine.... I don't know what game you and your husband are playing. But I don't want you to waste your time doing pointless things."

Nadine tried to hold back her anger but it failed already.

"I'm not playing! And I'm doing my best at work to spend my time!"

Henry was surprised again by Nadine's loud voice.

"At least give me access to Miller's financial files. I promise I'll finish all of your big projects as soon as possible."

Henry glared at Nadine.

"The resort is already mine and I don't think we need to bother to research it again because I will make new management there and will turn it into a new resort."

Henry's sharp words made Nadine lose her temper.

"Wait!!! You can't change that. Didn't you promise him to give it back to them? It'll still be Resort Miller. And will use the old management. So I need to know who's causing trouble there."

Henry couldn't believe that his daughter who used to obey him this time was so against him.

"Nadine.... I will give it back of course, after it gives me some benefit.You know that it's not an easy thing with the condition of the resort which is already mostly in need of repair."

Nadine was silent to hear her father's explanation.

"And I wouldn't spend a penny if it was still Resort Miller."

Nadine glared at her father.

"I will use my personal money."

Henry laughed at his daughter's answer.

"Nadine.... It's my property if you intentionally change it or enter there without my permission I can report it to the police."

Nadine was about to argue with her father again but Henry cut her short.

"I don't help if it doesn't benefit me..."

Nadine is still silent and seems to be thinking.

"Your husband doesn't give me any advantage."

Nadine quickly rebutted.

"I will give you the advantage."

Henry laughed again at his daughter's answer.

"Ha ha ha... I don't want a profit from you. I want him to work alone making a profit for me."

Nadine stared at her father's answer.

"What do you mean?"

Henry grinned again.

"You know Mr. Davis is retiring next month."

Nadine looks confused by her father's words.

"I need a new assistant and it's not easy finding someone new. I want your husband to work for me."

Henry grinned again as if he knew he had given his daughter a difficult task.

"Huh? You're not kidding, aren't you?"

Nadine tried to reaffirm her father's words.

"If he can finish me two or three big projects in six months. Maybe I should consider handing over the paperwork to you."

Nadine looks annoyed but with her best she can try to calm down.

"I have to discuss this with him."

Henry smiled, challenging Nadine.

"Okay I'll give you a month to make up your mind."

Nadine, who had no other choice, agreed to her father's request.

"I'll get him to agree."

Nadine then came out of her father's room.

"This time it really is a lot different from what happened in the past. Haaaah...."

Nadine looks frustrated as she continues to walk into her room. Hoping she can find a way to persuade Adrian.

***

"Adrian...."

Adrian turned to Marie who called out to him. Benjamin was taking care of something so Adrian and Marie were left in the room.

"What's your next plan?"

Adrian knew what Marie meant.

"I'm going to find a job first. And will focus on being a good son-in-law until my agreement with Mr. Merrick is over."

Marie sighed and looked sad.

"Aunty, calm down... I will look for a fund or investor so that our resort can reopen again."

Marie just smiled faintly and looked doubtful.

"Actually Nadine promised to give back the resort as soon as possible. Ha ha ha."

Marie was surprised by Adrian's words because she had never heard of it.

"Nadine said that?"

Adrian nodded and smiled at his aunt.

"She said that in front of her father. And do you know what Mr. Merrick did?"

Marie looks curious about Adrian's story.

"He threw Nadine's proposal in her face."

Marie covered her mouth because she couldn't believe what Adrian said.

"Oh... Poor Nadine."

Adrian just smirked but a few moments later he smiled.

"But even so she still believes that she can return the resort to us again, before three years."

Marie seemed to sympathize with Nadine after hearing Adrian's story.

CREAK

The door's room was opened, Benjamin entered with Olivia who smiled at Marie and Adrian.

"I met Olivia earlier in the lobby..."

Olivia came closer and rushed to hug Marie. After that Olivia glanced at Adrian who was smiling at her.

"How was your honeymoon? You seem to look better."

Adrian's smile suddenly faded at Olivia's words.

"Tsk... Just normal."

Olivia just shook her head at Adrian's response. Adrian then took his souvenir bag and gave it to Olivia.

"Huh? What's this?"

Olivia opened it and looked pleased with Adrian's gift. But then she glared at Adrian.

"You don't have to bother buying me souvenirs...."

Olivia pouted a little but there's no doubt that she likes Adrian's gift, because she keeps looking at the hairpin in her hand.

"He also bought me a hairpin and has almost the same design. It's rare for him to pick out such a good accessory."

Marie commented on Adrian's gifts.

"Huh! You womanizer.... You just gave me a small box of chocolate."

Olivia and Marie laughed at Benjamin's words.

"Thank you. This is great."

Olivia immediately tried her hairpin and looked very happy.

"Actually... Nadine is the one who chose it."

The three people in the room suddenly turned to Adrian with shocked faces.

"What!!!"

The three of them shouted in unison then took turns shaking their heads.

"Adrian, how could you ask your wife's opinion to choose a gift for another woman."

Adrian was a little confused about how to answer Olivia's question.

"She suggested it herself."

Again the three of them could only sigh deeply.

***

Nadine repeatedly made sure that she had Marie and Benjamin's souvenir bags in the car.

"Miss... We're here... You can call me later when you're done."

Nadine then got out of the car without forgetting to say thanks to Jim. She excitedly headed toward Marie's room.

But as she was about to enter the room, she saw a young woman having a lively chat with Adrian and Marie.

"Huh? Olivia?"

Suddenly she looked panicked and hesitated to enter. Moreover, seeing the three of them seemed to be enjoying their conversation.

"I'll just cancel my visit today."

Nadine immediately turned around to go home.

BAAAM

BRAAK

"Ouch..."

Nadine's bag was scattered over because when she turned around, she hit someone hard.

"Benjamin..."

While still rubbing her forehead she tried to pick up her dropped souvenir bag.

"Sorry... I was going to greet you but you suddenly turned around."

Benjamin helped pick up one of Nadine's bags and handed it over to Nadine.

"Ah... Just take that for you. And please give this to Marie."

Benjamin was a little confused about receiving a souvenir from Nadine.

"I'm in a hurry. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow I will visit Mar...."

From behind Nadine, the door opened and someone came out.

"Nadine?"

Nadine, who knew the voice very well, couldn't help but sighed at Benjamin.

"Haaa... The timing is perfect."