Chapter 2339
Chapter 2339 Explosive
Clayton touched Nicole’s head. His eyes deepened, and his voice was warm and clear as he said, “If you like, I can adapt.”
The two looked at each other just as the elevator opened.
lan came out to make a phone call, just in time to see the couple smiling at each other with affection. He suddenly felt like he was forced to watch them be all lovey-dovey. He coughed and looked at the two with a cheeky smile.
“Aren’t you guys going to come out?”
The two were stunned and walked out with a smile. Clayton stretched out his hand for a handshake, but lan did not shake his hand and hugged him instead. lan patted Clayton on the shoulder.
“Welcome back, Clayton!”
Clayton also patted lan on the shoulder and felt touched.
“Thanks.”
lan glanced at Nicole and raised his eyebrows.
“Julie came early, but we’re expecting one more – Lance.”
Nicole was slightly taken aback. “He hasn’t left yet?”
lan lowered his eyes slightly.
“It’s Yvette’s death anniversary soon.”
Nicole did not speak and stayed silent for a moment. Clayton took her hand and said, “Let’s go in.”
The private room was dimly lit.
When Clayton opened the door and went in, he heard Lumi singing her heart out while Julie applauded on the side.
Everyone laughed and said Lumi sang well. When they saw Nicole and Clayton, they fell silent.lan said to everyone, “Come on, let’s raise our glasses to congratulate Clayton for his narrow escape from death!”
Clayton did not expect everyone to be so enthusiastic. He thought this was just a gathering in his name.
Thus, he felt a little awkward.
Nicole took his hand and sat down. They were easygoing and took a glass of red wine each to clink glasses with everyone. Clayton smiled and said something to Nicole, who smiled and nodded.
Clayton also smiled.
The room became lively again with everyone singing, dancing, and drinking.
Nicole was a little drunk when she watched as lan went to drink with Clayton. There was no way Clayton could beat lan in drinking because lan was an experienced drinker. lan drank three glasses in a row.
She knew that they would not really go overboard by forcing Clayton to drink, and the alcohol content in the drinks was not very high.
Julie had a few drinks, leaned over Nicole’s shoulder, and sighed.
“It’s great that we can still get together like this.”
Nicole agreed. She suddenly thought of something and turned to look at Lance, who was sitting silently in the corner. Her heart sank a little.
All of these people had their own families and careers.
Lance could have moved on with his life without a care, but he did not.
Although Lance and Yvette had a marriage alliance, it was clear from Yvette’s attitude before her death that the two of them had long broken through that boundary.
When Lance came back for the first time, he was different from his past calm and spirited self.
He became more reserved and stern.
Nicole heard that his influence in the central region expanded significantly. It seemed that Lance had devoted all his energy to his work, and the way he dealt with things was more resolute.
Lance seemed to be packing his schedule and forcing himself to be too busy with work so that he had no time to think about other things. She sighed and patted Julie’s shoulder.
“We’ll have plenty of opportunities to get together again. Lance hasn’t moved on yet?”
Julie shook her head.
“Aunt Quimbey went to live in Hong Kong. Sheldon Corporation also withdrew from Atlanta’s business scene. Lance didn’t attend any business receptions here except for our party. I guess he wanted to come for Yvette.”
Nicole’s heart was gloomy, and her eyes were a little sore.
“She’s the only one missing, yet she’s the one who loves partying the most.”
Yvette was usually the one hosting such parties.
Julie and Nicole did not know how to persuade Lance. They did not know if they should tell him to forget about Yvette or persuade him otherwise.
That was because no one could forget about Yvette.
lan, who was on the other side of the room, patted Clayton’s shoulder and said with a smile, ‘To be honest, during the days you disappeared, everyone really thought you were dead. The sky was falling for Nicole, and so many people were just waiting to see her embarrass herself. You wouldn’t blame me for posting that picture of you guys, right?”
Clayton smiled, and his heart ached.
“Of course I won’t.”
“But I’m glad you came back, really… otherwise, Nicole would’ve been miserable. We didn’t dare to invite her out to parties, and she wouldn’t attend even if we did. She just seemed so out of touch with US, ya know?”
lan was a little tipsy, but what he said was the truth.
Clayton’s eyes were dark. He could not help but clench the cup in his hand. He raised his eyes to look in Nicole’s direction.
He saw that drunkenness in her eyes. The dim light outlined her delicate side profile, and she was exuding such tenderness and melancholy.
That kind of sadness seemed like it was stuck to her, and it made Clayton feel heartbroken.
His heart clenched, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. Clayton nodded, stood up, and sat down next to Nicole.
Their palms were close together and their fingers were intertwined.
The two looked at each other with tenderness overflowing from their eyes.
Julie tactfully went back to her seat.
After a while, everyone dragged Clayton for another drink.
He smiled helplessly and could not refuse.
In a blink of an eye, Julie pulled Nicole out of the room.
Julie saw more and more people on the dance floor downstairs. She smiled and took a deep breath.She casually pointed to a fat man sitting in a booth below.
“Have you ever been here? I heard that Yvette came here before, but that didn’t end well. Selena Nelson bought this place. That man is Selena’s husband, and the woman in his arms is his mistress. I heard that she’s pregnant.” 1
Nicole raised her eyebrows in shock.
“Whoa!”
“I wanted to buy this place, but I was a step too late.” Julie explained.
Nicole seemed to have a vague impression of the lady boss. She was beautiful and had a good figure.
However, her marriage was so unfortunate.
“He’s so bold! Doesn’t his wife know?”
“Of course, she knows, but there’s nothing she can do about it. They don’t seem to get together, and they only got married for an alliance. That man is atrocious. I heard that he abuses her.”
“Why didn’t she get a divorce then?”
Julie shook her head. “Her family is in trouble and needs that man’s help. She’s the only granddaughter of Orville Nelson, who sold her out for his own benefit. I hope that his late son will come and claim him…”
Nicole sighed.
The bar owner still did not get divorced, even when she was struggling to survive. What kind of benefit was worth her suffering?
Clayton came out of the private room and walked over with heavy footsteps.
Julie glanced back and went downstairs to dance.
Clayton hugged Nicole from behind. The faint smell of alcohol on his body instantly enveloped Nicole.
“What are you looking at?”
Nicole hooked the corners of her lips.
“I’ve been here before.”
Clayton raised his eyebrows and instantly remembered the drunken episode that landed her in the hospital.
“You got drunk here?”
Nicole nodded, turned around, and hugged him.
“Did you know? I did it on purpose…”
