Chapter 739 A Formidable Opponent
Timothy believed he had expressed everything he needed to say to Nigel. Why would he want to meet me without any apparent reason?
After a pause, Timothy sighed. “Considering that he voluntarily requested to see me after being incarcerated, I suppose I can grant him this one meeting. Go ahead and make the arrangements.”
“All right, Mr. Gibson,” Jasper responded. “Would you like me to inform Ms. Christina about your visit to Mr. Nigel at the prison?”
Christina had made it clear that she preferred people around her to keep a distance from Nigel.
Timothy glared at Jasper and reprimanded him, “It’s not an important matter. Let’s not bother her, especially considering she’s carrying a child and already occupied with managing the studio and Gibson Corporation.”
Furthermore, since Nigel was imprisoned, their meeting would be brief and limited. Timothy had no reason to be concerned about any potential actions or consequences from Nigel.
“Understood, Mr. Gibson. I’ll promptly respond to them,” Jasper said as he wheeled Timothy into the
mansion.
Timothy was in a positive mood, so Nigel’s request did not faze him. “Christina’s studio will reopen in a couple of days. Can you give me some suggestions on what gift I should get for her? I can’t make up my mind…”
After experiencing two fire incidents, Christina finally reopened her studio for business.
Due to previous controversies and numerous complaints from customers as well as legal pressures from several lawsuits, the studio’s reputation had plummeted.
Even today, many people were still spreading negative comments about the studio on the internet.
To ensure a smooth opening ceremony for the studio, Christina decided to only invite her family and a select group of close friends to celebrate the occasion.
Laurel and her other seniors and juniors were caught up with work, so they could not show up. Nevertheless, Christina still paid attention to the proper arrangements of the ceremony.
What surprised Christina the most was that all the designers had made the choice to return to the studio and work alongside her.
Despite Christina’s intention to keep the opening ceremony low-profile, the presence of Charlie and Julia attracted many prominent figures who arrived uninvited. As a result, the initially quiet occasion transformed into a vibrant and extraordinary event.
Christina stood at the entrance, observing the continuous stream of guests. She maintained a polite smile but occasionally glanced at her watch, appearing somewhat anxious.
“Waiting for Dad?” Nathaniel walked up to her, draping his coat over her shoulders. “He should be arriving soon. Let’s go inside and wait. It’s windy here, and you might catch a cold.”
Christina tightly grasped the collar of her coat as she was a little nervous. “My father is visiting my studio for the first time. I want to welcome and introduce him to everyone and tell them he’s my father.”
She wanted to make it clear to them that despite Timothy’s struggles over the past fifteen years, he was not a worthless individual and should not be subjected to mockery or ridicule.
At that moment, Christina caught sight of Jasper wheeling Timothy out of the elevator from a distance.
“Here comes my dad!” Christina’s face lit up, and she walked toward Timothy, taking charge of the wheelchair from Jasper. “I’ll bring you inside, Dad,”
Before Timothy could respond, Nathaniel quickly reached out and grabbed the wheelchair’s push handles,
He then said to Christina, “Come, let me do it. I’ll take care of him.”
Christina did not refuse his offer to help. She stood beside Nathaniel and accompanied them as they entered the banquet hall.
Timothy’s satisfaction with his future son-in-law, Nathaniel, was growing. He could discern that Nathaniel genuinely cared for Christina and was not merely putting on a show.
Upon learning of Timothy’s arrival, Charlie and Julia approached him after exchanging greetings with a few other guests, extending a warm welcome.
“It has been a while, Mr. Gibson.” Charlie let out a sigh. “It’s not often we get a chance to meet each other. If your health permits, how about we have a drink together later? What do you think?”
“I don’t think I can take alcohol, but I’ll drink tea instead. I wouldn’t want to disappoint you, Mr. Hadley,” Timothy responded with a cheerful grin.
Charlie quickly replied, “Let the young ones handle the guest. How about we take a break in the lounge? We can relax, have a cup of tea, and challenge each other in a game of chess to see if your skills are still sharp.”
Timothy accepted the challenge. “I’m sure you’ll find me to be a formidable opponent.”
They had come a long way from being former partners, then enemies, and now, due to their children’s marriage, becoming in-laws by chance. Despite their past misunderstandings, they respected their differences, and their admiration for each other remained unchanged in their later years.
Timothy shifted his gaze toward Christina. “You go ahead with the preparations. Mr. Hadley and I will catch up in the lounge. It’s quieter over there.”
Christina smiled and nodded. “Sure, if you need anything, just ask Jasper to let me know.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him,” Charlie a*sured as he took control of the wheelchair, wheeling Timothy to the lounge in front of all the guests.
“Is it just me, or is that really Timothy Gibson in the wheelchair? Isn’t he the arch-enemy of the Hadleys?” one of the female guests exclaimed in disbelief.
“Have you not been keeping up with the news? Mr. Hadley’s son married Timothy’s daughter, and she gave the Hadley family a set of twins. Despite past conflicts, it’s only natural for Timothy and the Hadleys to reconcile for the sake of their future generation,” another female guest explained.
“I’m not referring to that. Didn’t Timothy die a long time ago? I heard that following his alleged demise, Nigel Gibson, the family’s illegitimate son, capitalized on the situation and exerted control over the Gibson family for more than a decade.”
“Have you been living under a rock? Those were rumors from over ten years ago. Now, it’s Ms. Christina who wields power in the Gibson family. As for that illegitimate son and his family, some have met their demise, while others are incarcerated. None of them have met a favorable fate.”
“Wasn’t it rumored that Ms. Christina was responsible for Anya Gibson’s death?”
“Oh, come on! Look where you are now. Just zip your mouth if you don’t want to offend the Hadleys.”
The two affluent female guests leaned in closer to each other, their voices hushed in whispered
conversation.
Suddenly, a strong and powerful voice interrupted their conversation. “Nigel is not an illegitimate child. He is the son of the Stone family. Don’t you dare speak nonsense if you don’t know the truth!”
The two women were taken aback by the sudden reprimand. They traced the source of the voice and looked over to see Azure, dressed in resplendent attire, glaring at them with piercing eyes.
Azure’s scandalous affairs had indeed become the topic of gossip in town, yet people had been careful not to exacerbate the situation out of a sense of respect. However, when Azure herself decided to broach the subject, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
The two affluent women held esteemed positions in society, so they did not feel intimidated by Azure, who had experienced a downfall in her status. “We’re just stating facts. Nigel is the illegitimate son of the Stone family, and Old Mr. Stone doesn’t even acknowledge his existence.”
Azure let out a disdainful snort as she tightly wrapped her expensive fur coat around her. With a proud lift of her chin, she declared, “Whoever told you that Old Mr. Stone refused to acknowledge Nigel was mistaken. Nigel is now officially a member of the Stone family!”
