Chapter 364
** + 25 BONUS
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William handed me a glass of champagne and said, “I heard Grace gave you a hard time again at the airport lounge.”
I hummed in response, confirming it.
At the mention of Grace, a thought struck me, and I turned to him Mr. Ashford, many of your company’s products seem to compete directly with the Hardwells‘.”
Although most of my focus had been on research, I did know a little about the business world. After all, I had a company myself . “Yes, why?” William raised an eyebrow at me.
“It you’re planning to enter the mainland market, wouldn’t the Hardwells be your biggest competitor?” I asked.
Upon hearing that, William’s dark eyes lit up with interest. “Are you trying to join forces with me against the Hardwells?”
I knew that I couldn’t hide my intentions from someone like William, so I answered honestly, “I’m just thinking ahead. I wanted to see if you had similar plans. If so, maybe we could work together in the future.”
Going against the Hardwells alone was definitely impossible. But with William on my side, it would be a different story.
“Aren’t you still struggling to move on from your ex–husband? If you go up against the Hardwells, you’re going up against him too. Would you be able to do that?” he asked.
“I’m not trying to attack anyone. I just want to defend myself. Given Grace’s personality, she definitely won’t leave me alone. I things take a turn for the worse, I need to have a backup plan,” I explained.
I studied psychology. I could tell from the way she looked at me that Grace wanted me dead.
She didn’t dare to make a move now because she was lying low, waiting. Once presented with the chance, she would definitely strike.
So I needed to have more backup plans.
“Don’t you trust Irvin to keep the Hardwells under his control?” William asked again, raising an eyebrow. “ Or are you worried he’ll actually end up with Grace?”
I lowered my eyes. “People always say it’s better to rely on yourself than on others. I can’t entrust my safety and future to a man, especially not someone I’ve already divorced.”
I was confident in Irvin’s business capabilities. I knew he could definitely handle the Hardwells. But I wasn’t so sure when it
came to his personal life and relationships.
It wasn’t that he was a playboy or liked to mess around—he was loyal. I also believed that he genuinely wanted to make amends
with me and that his love for me was sincere.
But he could be too emotional. That could easily affect his rationality, just like how he once treated me because of Julianne.
Julianne had used their childhood bond and the fact that her mother had raised him to gain his trust.
Grace, on the other hand, was even more manipulative than Julianne. She might use her identity as his sister–in–law–and the fact that her husband had saved Irvin’s life–to gradually in his trust and sympathy, lowering his guard for her.
And then… Even if he didn’t love her, she might manipulate her way into a relationship with him.
After all, Grace wanted more than the Kellers‘ assets. She wanted the Hardwells too. And in order to get them, she had to become Irvin’s real partner.
William stared at me for a moment and chuckled. “That sounds about right. Don’t worry. If it ever gets to that point , I’ll be right there with you when you go against the Hardwells.”
William was a businessman, a highly ambitious one. If he had the chance, he would be more than happy to seize the share
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Hardwell Group had in the market.
I smiled and raised my glass of champagne to him.