Playtime's Over, CEO: She's Really Done With You-Chapter 438: Worthy of Being Aeston’s Number One Hopeless Romantic
He finally got a chance. If he didn’t cherish his woman, would he let someone else do it?
Thus, Silas Hawthorne became the number one love-struck person in Aeston.
And Serena Sterling’s mood improved a lot as well.
She petted General Ginger on the head, reminiscing about recent days.
Unlike before, when she was with Silas Hawthorne...
She was always happy.
On the other side.
Secretary Sawyer had already notified everyone that the meeting was postponed.
Because it was announced in advance, it didn’t cause any inconvenience. Only, some people were curious.
"Mr. Hawthorne usually sets aside this time specifically for meetings. Why wasn’t there a meeting today? Is something going on?"
"I don’t know. In the past, meetings were only postponed for trips or important matters."
...
As everyone discussed whether there were any significant projects going on within the company, someone shared the latest news—"Mr. Hawthorne is playing with Serena’s cat now. General Ginger just recruited two dogs as followers."
Everyone was a little bewildered.
"Playing with a cat?"
"Yeah, playing with General Ginger downstairs. I just saw them."
"I can confirm it’s true. I’m the receptionist, and I was suddenly asked to run an errand to buy some dog food, only to find out it was for those two dogs."
Everyone exchanged glances and reached a consensus — "Mr. Hawthorne truly deserves the title of the number one love-struck person in Aeston!"
The story of the two playing with the cat quickly became gossip.
And those two dogs.
They quickly became part of the crew, directly led by General Ginger.
While there was warm harmony on this side, things were different elsewhere.
Someone wasn’t very happy.
Isla Lawson had already arrived at the designated location.
It was a private room.
She opened the door and saw the man waiting inside.
He was Vernon Gates from the Gates Family.
Isla Lawson suppressed her irritation and walked in, closing the door behind her.
"Sit," Vernon Gates said.
The room was comfortably furnished with leather sofas, a wooden table, and freshly picked flowers arranged beautifully.
If it weren’t known that Vernon Gates was here to demand an explanation from Isla Lawson, one might think the two were on a date.
Isla Lawson placed her bag on the table and sat opposite Vernon Gates.
"Speak, what do you want?" Isla Lawson asked directly.
Vernon Gates let out a cold laugh, saying, "I want an explanation from you, Miss Lawson, I want compensation."
"I don’t understand what you mean," Isla Lawson immediately denied.
She couldn’t get involved in this matter.
Especially now that Aether has made a technological breakthrough and received countless orders.
Vernon Gates knew that Isla Lawson would deny it.
The anger in his heart was nearly uncontrollable.
Originally, they considered Aether’s investment value to be immense and were prepared with funds. He even planned to go personally, but on that fateful night, they learned about Emeric Grant’s impending departure.
It was crucial as he was in the middle of a family power struggle. To invest in Aether, he had to fight for funds and resources from the Gates Group, which took a lot of effort.
Unwilling to give up, he sent his subordinates to evaluate the situation. He initially planned to invest a small amount if possible, tolerating any potential losses.
But due to Isla Lawson and Virgil Ford’s joint blockade and their notification to various families during that night’s break, he felt it was unnecessary to offend Isla Lawson and Virgil Ford over this small project, so he gave up.
"Does Miss Lawson know that I’ve become the family joke now?" Vernon Gates sneered, "Even a cooked duck has flown away; they call me a useless waste!"
"Many important projects no longer involve me. They say I’m bad luck."
Recalling the recent disadvantages and how everything was due to the news Isla Lawson spread to corner Serena, he grew even angrier.
He was determined to get back from Isla Lawson!
Thus, he said, "As for the Aether shares that should have been mine, how does Miss Lawson plan to compensate me?"
Isla Lawson’s expression remained unchanged.
She placed her bag on the table, maintaining a strong demeanor, "I said it has nothing to do with me. I was fooled too!"
"Vernon Gates, what does it matter to me that you’re a waste?"
Isla Lawson scolded coldly, "If you want to compete, use your own skills. Don’t blame me!"
She couldn’t afford to back down now or let Vernon Gates sense her fear.
"Do I need to present evidence?" A vicious smile played at the corners of Vernon Gates’s mouth, "Did you think I hadn’t investigated?"
He slammed a fist on the table.
"Do you think I would dare challenge you, Miss Lawson, without anything on my side?"
"Isla Lawson, right now, you only need to keep me quiet. If you don’t want to compensate me, don’t blame me for spreading the word and letting everyone judge."
"You!" Isla Lawson gritted her teeth.
She knew she hadn’t handled things cleanly.
When she spread the rumors, she hadn’t taken any special measures to cover it up.
Because she thought, when Aether crashed and everyone learned about Aether’s key personnel defecting, perhaps they would even thank her for letting them avoid the pit.
But she hadn’t expected everything to turn around and backfire on her like this.
She knew she couldn’t let Vernon Gates spill the beans, otherwise, given Aether’s current development pace, her reputation as "Miss Lawson" would collapse completely.
She couldn’t allow that to happen!
But what if Vernon Gates continued to use this to blackmail her?
How could she resolve this once and for all?
Isla Lawson thought hatefully, glaring at Vernon Gates.
"I only want what was originally mine," Vernon Gates sneered, "Isla Lawson, I’m not so foolish. Right now, I have the upper hand. If I asked for more, the Lawsons wouldn’t let me go."
With that, Vernon Gates paused slightly, leaning forward, his voice low and threatening, "You really should be thankful you’re part of the Lawson Family!"
If it were someone else, such as Serena before she got together with Silas Hawthorne, he wouldn’t have thought twice about it. He would have made Serena lose everything!
With the Lawson Family backing her, as long as Julian Lawson recognizes Isla as his cousin, they wouldn’t dare act recklessly.
Isla Lawson glared at Vernon Gates in front of her.
Her heart was full of resentment.
It was the first time, the first time she had been threatened like this!
And she had no other way out, all because the other party had something on her.
And the conditions he proposed weren’t particularly outrageous.
But how could she swallow this?
She was clearly setting a trap for Serena from the start!
All because of Serena!
It was Serena who ruined everything!
It was all Serena’s fault that she was facing her current predicament!
"Isla Lawson, are you going to comply or not?" Vernon Gates urged as Isla Lawson simmered in unwillingness and anger. "My patience is running thin."
"What do you want?" Finally, Isla Lawson looked at Vernon Gates across the table, squeezing out her response through gritted teeth, "If it’s too excessive, I can’t agree!"
