Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 1271-1280

Queenie appeared to have dressed up specifically for tonight’s event. Could she possibly have knownthat her father would attend the banquet with Bonnie? That had to be the case and Queenie was hereto embarrass her intentionally. How evil of her!

Meanwhile, Lina took advantage of the chance to approach Nigel and greeted him, “Hi, Nigel, it’s niceto see you again.”

Nigel responded with a slight nod before turning his head to search for Queenie. At that moment, twoyoung men stood next to her, and they were Brandon’s friends’ sons. While they were going aroundgreeting the various guests, they happened to notice Queenie. They didn’t miss the opportunity to chatwith her, and she couldn’t be impolite to them because her father was friends with their parents.

Nigel happened to catch sight of that scene and an instantaneous surge of possessive desire sweptthrough his chest. Contrarily, Lina attempted to buy him a drink by calling the waiter and preparing topass him a glass of wine.

However, just as she took the wineglass in her hand, Nigel was nowhere to be found.

“Nigel, let’s have a—” She looked down at her red wine glass in shame as she watched him leavewithout saying anything. A flame of resentment flared in her eyes as she caught sight of the girl whomhe was approaching. It turned out that the girl he was walking toward was Queenie, and the moment hewas close enough to her, the first thing he did was give her a warm embrace around the waist.

“Your friends, Queenie?” Nigel inquired naturally.

Queenie was slightly embarrassed by his affectionate embrace. Then, she introduced him to the twomen but barely knew their last names.

“My girlfriend and I have to greet a few elders now. Please excuse us.” Nigel excused himself from thetwo young men and walked away with her in his arms.

“My dad is over there. Do you want to say hello?” she asked him.

He already knew Brandon was here, so he nodded. “Of course.”

Brandon was conversing with his friends when he suddenly noticed Nigel and beamed with excitement.“You’re here, Nigel,” he exclaimed.

Nigel greeted, “Hello, Mr. Silverstein.”

Since Nigel had rarely socialized with Brandon’s group of friends, many of them were unfamiliar withhim. In addition, he maintained a low profile, and no one appeared to have heard of him.

“Who is this young boy, Brandon?”

“He’s my daughter’s boyfriend.”

“What a good-looking boy. Which family is he from?” One of them was curious when he noticed theplutocratic aura Nigel exuded.

Brandon replied boastfully, “This hotel belongs to Nigel’s family.”

The hotel was managed by the Manson Group, so could the young man before them be the next in lineto succeed as the group’s heir apparent?

“What a lucky man you are, Brandon! I can’t believe your daughter is seeing such an outstanding man.That makes me envious!”

Soon, Brandon’s group of friends started expressing their envy for him. After having such a beautifuldaughter, he was able to attract a wealthy son-in-law! What a blessing!

Brandon let out a hearty laugh, and Queenie could feel her father’s happiness as she sneakily glancedat Nigel. She was thrilled that he could make her father proud.

“Please continue with your conversation and have fun. We’ll be heading off to greet other guests,” Nigelsaid. “We’ll be back in a bit, Mr. Silverstein.”

“Go on!” Brandon nodded.

Bonnie, who stood nearby, almost crushed the wineglass that she was holding. She was no longer inthe mood to head out tonight in search of a wealthy, eligible bachelor because Queenie had ruined hermood entirely.

Meanwhile, Lina rejoined her group of friends. They had all witnessed her futile attempt to initiate aconversation with Nigel, so they began muttering.

“What’s so good about Queenie? She’s not as beautiful as Lina.”

“Exactly! You can tell she’s an escort by looking at her sister.”

“Bonnie is still useful to me. Don’t say that in front of her,” Lina warned her friends. She could tell at aglance that Bonnie had a significant setback. Although they shared a family tree, it was clear that shewas more like a leaf than her sister, Queenie, who was more like a flower in full bloom.

Therefore, it was understandable that Bonnie was upset.

Bonnie’s demeanor was gloomy as she walked out onto the balcony. Shortly after she had settled in forsome peace, a man’s voice asked her tentatively from behind, “Nina? Are you Nina?”

The mere mention of that name sent shudders through her entire body. Instantaneously, she coveredher face with her hands and huffed, “You have the wrong person. I’m not Nina.”

“I’m sorry, Miss. You resemble someone whom I know, and I may have mistaken you for her.” Hiswords were followed by an awkward pause during which he appeared to collect his thoughts. Then, hesipped the glass of wine he was holding before he walked away.

Bonnie waited until the man had left before she lowered her hands. There was frantic worry written allover her face. How could this be? Given that I have undergone such drastic changes to look like her,how can anyone possibly recognize me?

It dawned on her that it wouldn’t be sensible to stay, so she opened the door from the opposite side,took the elevator to the hall, and then called her father.

“Dad, I have something up, so I’ll be leaving first,” she informed him.

Brandon didn’t say much to her and allowed her to head home. Meanwhile, she was in a cab with herhands tightly clasped due to her anxiety. She felt as though her deepest secret had been disclosed.Although that person didn’t recognize her, it was a sign that her disguise would be uncovered sooner orlater.

The only person who knew about Bonnie’s past was herself, and she vowed never again to bring upthe traumatic memories.

“No. I’m Bonnie Silverstein. I’m Bonnie Silverstein—” she muttered to herself nervously.

The driver was startled by her utterance as he turned to ask her, “Miss, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she answered him, albeit a little fiercely.

She bit her lower lip to suppress her panic and fear. The past was no longer relevant; from now on, shewould be known as Bonnie Silverstein, the Silversteins’ second daughter.

At the banquet hall, Queenie was introduced to Nigel’s group of close friends and acquaintances.Some of them eyed him with envy, wondering where he had gotten his hands on such a beautifulwoman. When she was introduced to the group, one of the men couldn’t help but stare at her. He wasknown for being a playboy, and she had piqued his interest tonight. When Nigel gets tired of her, I’mgoing to have her all to myself.

She sensed the man’s presumptuous gaze and that made her extremely uncomfortable. Then, shereached out, grabbed Nigel’s arm, and urged him to leave.

Unbeknownst to her, Nigel was also staring at the man. He had done so ever since the man started togive Queenie the eye.

Nigel gave a ferocious glare. Then, he gently pried open her hand while commanding her, “Stand hereand don’t move.”

Before she could respond, he violently raised his fist and landed a punch in the face of thatpresumptuous man. There was no time for the man to react before he was knocked to the ground. Hetipped over a table before he was soaked in wine and made a general mess.

“What are you doing, Nigel Manson?” the man roared as he was helped to his feet by his friend.

Queenie was taken aback when she saw that. She covered her mouth as she stared at Nigel, whoemanated an aura of menace. Then, she found out he’d gotten into an argument with another man overher.

“Do you want to lose your sight? How dare you stare at my woman!” Nigel’s handsome features wereveiled in a stern expression and his dark orbs glowed with a piercing and frigid radiance.

The man’s sense of guilt made him holler, “You must be sick, Nigel! What’s wrong with me staring ather? Is that against the law?”

Nigel clenched his teeth and growled, “I dare you to stare at her again with those beastly eyes!”

The uproar startled everyone in the banquet hall, and when they saw the two parties fighting, it dawnedon them that both came from wealthy families. They did not risk offending or trying to persuade them,so instead, they chose to observe the heated show from the sidelines.

Brandon pushed his way through the crowd and inquired anxiously, “What happened, Queenie?”

Queenie reached out to grab Nigel’s arm and urged him, “Let’s go, Nigel!”

Instantaneously, Nigel transformed into a tamed werewolf. After ensuring her safety, he reached overand stroked the back of her head while he assured her, “Don’t be afraid.”

As the commotion unfolded, Lina watched from a distance. She did not anticipate Nigel, who hadmaintained a low profile, to fight for Queenie! In addition, he had thrashed another wealthy heir from awell-known company in Averna.

Was it worthwhile to stand up for Queenie?

The man who had been beaten was called Steve Nolan. He came from a wealthy family and was amember of the same social circle as Nigel. In addition, his vile personality was well-known among hispeers. It was rumored that he had a penchant for hooking up with women and that he sought onlyattractive women.

As a result, Nigel’s anger surfaced almost immediately when Steve looked at Queenie earlier. Even ifhe had continued staring at Queenie for another two seconds, it would be regarded as insulting her.

“Just you wait, Nigel Manson. We’re not done yet.” After leaving those words, Steve walked away whilehe was aided by his friend.

“Are you alright, Nigel?” Lina seized the opportunity, approached him, and asked in a concerned tone.

“I’m fine,” he replied and took Queenie’s hand. “Let’s go.”

Lina turned around and exhibited an evident expression of disappointment upon seeing their backs. Atthat moment, she was feeling quite envious of Queenie. She admired Nigel’s manliness but knew shecould not claim him as her own.

Nigel and Queenie approached Brandon, who was delighted with how Nigel protected his daughter.

“Nigel, showing your dominance over these unruly people is the right thing to do. You did well.”

“I’ll send Queenie back home now, Mr. Silverstein. Feel free to have some more drinks,” Nigel said.

“Okay. I’ll leave her with you, then.” Brandon nodded, relieved that Nigel was with Queenie.

As soon as they stepped into the elevator, she reached out to examine his fist. “Does it hurt?”

“Why should I feel pain? I regret not kicking him, too.” Nigel’s anger was still raging uncontrollably. Howdare Steve try to hit on his woman? As such, he deserved to be beaten.

She was relieved that he was protecting her, but she also felt distressed! If the man fought back, Nigelcould get hurt.

“Did I scare you?” After noticing that her pretty little face was still tense, he concluded she was terrified.How could she not be? It was the first time in her life that she had witnessed a fight and her boyfriend’sinvolvement made it even more shocking.

“Nah, I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt to be stared at—” Queenie appeared indifferent to the situation.

However, the man beside her did not share her sentiment and was not magnanimous. He wrapped hisarm around her waist, drew her into his embrace, and stared at her with dark orbs. “Who said so?

You’re my soon-to-be wife. No one else besides me is allowed to look at you. If anyone tries to hit onyou, I will make them go blind!”

In response to Nigel’s shocking declaration, Queenie reached out a hand to cover his mouth. “D-Don’tbreak the law because of me! I don’t want you to be imprisoned before I marry you! What would I do ifthat happened?”

Nigel was speechless at her remark, after which he gave a low chuckle before he finally burst intolaughter. Queenie, who was also amused, covered her mouth with her hands as she giggled.

The two of them laughed all the way to the elevator, and when they arrived, several guests werewaiting outside the door to enter. When they saw a handsome man and a beautiful woman laughing ateach other, the guests couldn’t contain their laughter!

“Stop laughing. This is a serious matter. You must listen to me.” Queenie glared at him.

Nigel suppressed his laughter and nodded. “Okay, I’m going to stop laughing now. I will never doanything illegal for your sake. I will keep my promise and marry you. Moreover, I won’t let you spendthe night alone in the room on our wedding night.”

Queenie couldn’t help but roll her eyes bashfully at him. “What’re you talking about? You honestly thinkI don’t want you to break the law because we can’t be together? That’s not what I mean! All I ask is thatyou always be by my side.”

After making that statement, her face flushed as she continued walking forward. A black car failed tonotice her and nearly collided with her, but Nigel quickly pulled her back to safety. She was so startledthat she clung tightly to him.

“Let’s get something to eat before I send you home,” he suggested as he held her hand and led her tohis car.

Meanwhile, Bonnie dashed home and sat on a park bench near the Silverstein Residence. Shefrantically reached for her phone, tapped a few numbers, and anxiously asked, “I’m scared. When Iarrived at the banquet earlier today, someone unexpectedly called my actual name. Do you think theyrecognized me?”

“Don’t worry. You’re now the Silverstein Family’s second daughter. Nobody will doubt you. Do youremember that they looked at the report of your DNA test with their very own eyes?” Someone on theother end of the line had a soft, female voice.

“What if they request a retest? Then, what am I going to do?” Bonnie’s hands trembled as she clutchedthe phone in her fearful grip.

“No, they won’t because they’ve been looking for you for years, and I know they’ll shower you withdouble the amount of affection to make up for the lost time. So, from now on, avoid overcrowdedbanquets. All that is required of you is to continue acting as though you are the second daughter in theSilverstein Family to eventually obtain half of their assets. You’ll feel like a winner when you finallyachieve your goals.”

“Do you think I can get five billion?”

“Even if you don’t have five billion, three billion is enough to make a fortune. This is a corporationowned by the Silverstein Family that has been around for a century, and while I am unsure of theirprecise value in today’s market, the Silverstein Family has promised that they will leave you half of anyinheritance. Just be patient and wait for the right moment!”

“Are you positive that the Silverstein Family’s second daughter is no longer alive? What if that girleventually returns home and reveals her true identity? I will be charged with a crime if my identity isrevealed.”

“Don’t worry. The Silverstein Family’s second daughter was only three years old when she wentmissing. How could a three-year-old child remember who they were? It’s likely that she’s still living inan orphanage. Furthermore, she is now a common person excluded from high-society circles. Nomatter how hard she tries, she will never know who she really is.” The woman on the other end of theline calmly reassured Bonnie. “However, you must assure me that you will share the inheritance equallywith me once you receive it. Remember that I invested a lot of time and resources to help you.”

“Sure, I know what you’re talking about, and I get it. Your generosity to me is something I will neverforget. You are like a second parent because you provided me with everything I have right now.”Bonnie addressed the person on the other end of the line respectfully.

“Okay. Get a firm grasp on who you are as the Silversteins’ second daughter. Don’t try to pull any fastones, and don’t forget who you were before this! How can you possibly compare your life as thesecond daughter of the Silversteins to someone responsible for entertaining guests? Stop behaving likethat if you don’t want to return to that terrible life.” The other woman sounded resentful, suggesting thatshe was aware of Bonnie’s recent behavior.

“I-I didn’t do anything!”

“You didn’t do anything? Didn’t you chase that maid, Courtney, out of the house? You accused her ofstealing. What did that maid do to offend you?”

“I only wanted to earn my parents’ approval, that’s all!”

“You have already been showered with more love and affection than Queenie. Just be grateful for whatyou have! Don’t make things difficult for me and do your best to be Bonnie Silverstein.”

“I got it, Aunt Lisbeth.” Bonnie addressed the woman by her name.

“Don’t forget to transfer me the living expenses for this month.”

“Alright,” Bonnie replied in a hurry.

Lisbeth Camdon was a childhood friend of Brandon’s wife, Maggie Elmhurst. In the past, Lisbeth’s lifewas picture perfect; she married into a wealthy family, and her husband was successful. However, afterhis death, her son was arrested for gambling debts, and her life went downhill rapidly. She had fallenfrom her former status as a wealthy wife and was now running a restaurant as her sole source ofincome.

She relied on Bonnie’s monthly transfer of fifty thousand to cover her living expenses. It was impossibleto tell the good and bad of the people one might meet. Unfortunately for Maggie, she made friends withan ambitious and cold, calculative person.

Lisbeth was familiar with the Elmhurst Family and their lives from a young age. When she went to anightclub to pay off her son’s debts, she met a girl dancing on stage and was completely blown awayby that girl’s performance. She never expected to run into someone who looked so eerily similar tosomeone whom she already knew. There was a striking resemblance between the girl on stage andQueenie Silverstein, the eldest daughter of the Silverstein Family, by at least 70 percent, and the twoeven shared a similar voice.

Lisbeth was so fed up with her life’s shambles that she suddenly had a bold idea. She wanted the girlto pretend to be the Silverstein Family’s missing twin daughter. After conversing with that girl, Lisbethsent her to Hogland, which was well-known for its plastic surgery, and had that girl’s face reconstructedto look like Queenie’s.

Following her recovery from the operation, the girl resembled Queenie by ninety percent.

Consequently, Lisbeth fabricated a story for the girl’s adoptive parents and took Maggie and herhusband to a DNA research facility. Then, she cut a strand of the girl’s hair in front of everyone to sendoff for analysis.

The Silverstein couple had no idea Lisbeth had paid bribes to the DNA testing center staff to switch thegirl’s hair with Queenie’s hair she had collected, which resulted in Maggie and Brandon receiving acomplete DNA test report. In addition, the girl had the same birthmark on her back shoulder; it madethem so happy that they cried tears of joy.

They made the snap judgment that she was their long-lost second daughter and embraced her withtears streaming down their faces. Hence, she was known as Bonnie Silverstein.

From a nightclub dancer to the second daughter of a century-old family, Bonnie went from beingsubmissive to gradually showing her true colors when she returned to the Silverstein Family. She triedto outdo the real Silverstein daughter in the family’s affection and eventually planned to force her out.

Her initial plan was successful, but she was startled out of her dream this evening when sheunexpectedly heard a former patron calling her name. She was shaken to her core by it.

Bonnie was worried that if her identity was revealed, everything she currently possessed would betaken away, and she would be forced to return to clubs to earn a living and entertain customers. Shetransferred funds to Lisbeth, leaving her with approximately one million in her account. Moreover,Bonnie could have had more money if she’d asked for it, but she began to feel that the total amountwas less significant. However, she had to maintain her stance as the second Silverstein daughterabove all else.

Afterward, she wiped away her tears before grabbing her bag and returning to Silverstein Residence.As soon as she opened the door and stepped inside, she saw Maggie conversing with a maid in thehallway, and she couldn’t help but feel apprehensive.

“Bonnie, why are you returning so soon? Where’s your dad?” Maggie inquired out of curiosity.

“Dad is still at the banquet. I was bored, so I came home right away. Mom, I don’t like these banquetsbecause they are too boring. I don’t wish to attend these events anymore.” Bonnie spoke up on

purpose to make it more convenient for her to politely decline their invitation to attend a subsequentbanquet.

“That’s true. That kind of banquet is no fun at all. How about this? I invited some friends to an islandover the weekend. You can come with me!”

“Will there be a lot of people?”

“Of course! We’re going for two weeks! There will be a show, a jewelry exhibition, and dinner on acruise.” Maggie couldn’t wait to bring her second daughter on that trip.

However, Bonnie had been traumatized by crowded places, so she quickly waved her hands anddeclared, “I don’t think I’m coming. I get seasick, so I don’t want to go on the cruise. You should goahead, though!”

“But I’ve already signed up for you! If you get seasick, we can also take a helicopter,” Maggiepersuaded.

“Let’s talk about it later! I’m quite exhausted now. I’m going back to my room.” The only option Bonniehad was to agree for the time being and pretend she couldn’t go when the time came.

Maggie likewise found nothing wrong with her daughter. On the contrary, she was looking forward tothe opportunity to introduce her daughter to her friends while they were on the trip!

Bonnie stood in front of the mirror in the room. After a moment of scanning both directions, she beganto regain her composure. The operation that she had undergone turned out to be very successful.Initially, she had about a sixty percent similar appearance to Queenie, and there weren’t many obvioussigns that she had undergone extensive plastic surgery, even when she moved her face slightly.

If she were to consistently apply her makeup daily, no one would be able to notice how drasticallydifferent she appeared when she did not have any makeup on. In addition, her makeup applicationskills were exceptional, and she has a firm grasp of every facial feature of Queenie.

“This persona is mine to keep for the rest of time. I am Bonnie Silverstein. Bonnie Silverstein is myname.” A pair of determined eyes could be seen in the mirror’s reflection.

At around 9.30PM, Queenie returned home in Nigel’s sports car. She had chosen to wear a stunningevening dress in a rose color that, combined with her natural beauty, was enough to make anyone’sheart skip a beat.

“I’m getting off now.” Queenie was hesitant to leave as she looked at the man seated behind the wheel.

“Wait for a second. I’ve got something to tell you.” Nigel stopped Queenie from leaving.

She was startled and began to wonder, He said nothing along the way, so what does he want to saynow?

“What?” she inquired while blinking.

“Come closer.”

Queenie lowered her upper body in a submissive stance toward him and Nigel did the same to closethe distance between them. When their faces were so close to one another that they could feel eachother’s breath, she blinked her long lashes in bewilderment.

At that moment, he reached out and rested his palm on the back of her head before leaning in to seal adominant yet tender kiss on her lips. Her lips curled up as she allowed him to kiss her, and shereturned the affection, albeit bashfully.

Then, in hushed tones, he said, “I like you.”

Did he deliberately kiss me to convey this message? So, if we don’t kiss, he won’t say it?

“I know, and I like you as well,” she confessed finally. It was a statement that she had the intention totell him for some time.

“Don’t forget to think about how much you will miss me tonight,” Nigel reminded her.

“Okay, I will.” Thrilled, Queenie stepped out of the car.

She stood at the door for a while before realizing that Nigel was waving at her from the car, signalingher to enter before he left. However, she waited until he had driven off before entering. She wentthrough the gate reluctantly but was relieved to see him turning around to drive away. It was only thenthat she entered the house with a smile.

Meanwhile, someone on the third-floor balcony saw the whole scene unfold. The person had noticedtheir intimate behavior in the car as well as their passionate kiss and reluctance to part ways.

Bonnie feared that Queenie would marry Nigel as she viewed him as intimidating. Even though she hadmet numerous men before this, she had never encountered someone like him. He had a knack forreading her mind and took great pleasure in mocking her, which left her feeling trapped and threatened.So, she had to prevent Queenie from marrying him if she wanted to keep using Bonnie’s identityindefinitely.

After taking a shower in the evening, Queenie changed into her pajamas and went downstairs to getwater.

At that moment, Bonnie walked up and said, “Queenie, I’m sorry for any mistakes I’ve made in the pastor offense I might have caused you. I wanted to be loved and acknowledged in this family, which is whyI am always picking on you. I had no intention of doing so. Will you forgive me?”

Standing there with the cup in her hand, Queenie was taken aback by her words. She had beenmistreated by Bonnie on so many occasions that she could not determine whether or not Bonnie washonest with her. It didn’t matter how Bonnie approached her because she always felt like Bonnie wassetting up some elaborate conspiracy trap.

As Queenie brushed past her, she remarked, “If you have nothing to do, you should get to bed early!”

Then, she ascended the stairs, leaving Bonnie staring with an expression that shifted from regret toresentment. Earlier, while in her room, Bonnie had racked her brain for a way to make amends with hersister and avoid any future confrontations. She tried to engage Queenie in polite conversation, butQueenie’s apathy led her to abandon the idea.

After a moment’s reflection, she realized that she could use her identity as Bonnie Silverstein to dowhatever she pleased. Anyway, only Lisbeth knew the truth about her identity.

Early in the morning at Manson Residence, Brenda couldn’t help but be shocked when she received amessage from a friend informing her that her son had beaten someone. How could her son haveassaulted someone? She realized it had been several days since their last conversation because sheavoided calling him out of respect for his work. At this very moment, she did not hesitate beforegrabbing her phone and tapping her son’s number.

“Hi, Mom.” A groggy voice sounded.

“Nigel, why did you beat someone up last night?” Brenda asked anxiously.

“Oh, nothing. I just didn’t like him. Why? Did he come to our house?” Nigel asked his mother.

“We’re not sure if he’ll come to our house, but you shouldn’t have beaten up someone last night. Stayaway from him, even if you don’t like him. Why did you have to hit him?” Brenda lightly reprimandedhim.

“Mom, I’ll explain why I was beating him later. Tell him to look for me if he comes to our home.” Nigelwhimpered slightly. “I’m so tired and need to get some extra shut-eye.”

Brenda let out a sigh as she hung up the phone. My son has been experiencing a lot of stress latelydue to his work, so I should give him some space.

Suddenly, her phone rang again, and after glancing briefly at the display, she answered the call with agleeful expression. “Hey, Jovane!”

“Brenda! I was able to ask the girl whose information you requested. She is currently single and has noboyfriend. Maybe you could set up a blind date for Nigel so they can get to know each other.”

“Wonderful! I’m quite pleased with this girl, and I’ve noticed she has a pleasant personality sincemeeting her at the jewelry exhibition last time and having a little chat with her.”

“Exactly! She comes from three generations of scholars, is beautiful in the classical sense, and has astellar personality. There is utterly zero ground for any criticism.”

“Whenever I set Nigel up on blind dates, he reacts as though I’m pleading for his life. I’m worried he’llturn me down.”

“Oh, Brenda! Simply invite him to join you for dinner, but don’t tell him that this is a blind date. Maybehe’ll reconsider once he sees the girl at the table!”

Brenda’s eyes brightened when she realized that her friend had a fantastic idea, and she knew sheought to give it a shot, so she responded, “Okay. Let’s do that. This Friday, we’ll all go out for dinnertogether, and you can ask that girl out while I ask my son out.”

“Sure, no problem.”

“It’s decided, then.” Brenda’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she ended the call. It would bewonderful if her son would get married this year so that she could have grandchildren in the comingyear.

…

While having breakfast at the Silverstein Residence with his two daughters, Brandon’s gaze brieflystrayed in their direction. He turned to Queenie and asked, “Queenie, are you available at noon? Comejoin me at a meeting.”

“What sort of meeting, Dad?”

“I’d like you to come along and sit in on a company meeting,” he replied.

When Bonnie heard his words, she complained, “Why can’t I come, Dad?”

“Bonnie, stay at home with your mother and listen to me,” he persuaded.

“What’s the reason that Queenie gets to go and I don’t?” A growing sense of resentment causedBonnie to slam her spoon on the table.

“Bonnie, your dad is getting older and is hoping to find someone to manage the company’s affairs onhis behalf. Queenie attended business school, so she is more qualified than you to join the companyand oversee operations,” Maggie consoled her.

Bonnie’s frustration was amplified by that remark. Does this imply that my father intends to hand overthe company to her rather than me?

“Dad, I may not have the same credentials as Queenie, but I can run the business just as well, soplease let me come along,” she insisted.

Maggie and Brandon exchanged glances before she said, “Alright! You can join them!”

Bonnie finally picked up her cutlery and resumed her meal with contentment, but she soon discoveredthat her appetite was gone, even though the meal was delectable. It turned out that her parents haddecided long ago to hand over the business to Queenie. Were they prejudiced against her because ofher lack of education?

“Okay, we’ll leave after breakfast.”

At the Silverstein Family company headquarters, a summary meeting was taking place to conduct asemi-annual stocktaking. Since both Bonnie and Queenie came to the meeting merely as observers,they were given seats at the end. After taking a seat, Bonnie saw that Queenie was perusing the reporton their performance that had been sent in.

After picking up the report, Bonnie flipped through a few pages and was astounded to see that, asidefrom the handful of words written in the local language at the introduction, the rest of the report waswritten in a foreign language. She had no idea what the numbers on the pages meant, but it was likereading a Bible verse.

Frustrated, she looked furtively at Queenie, who was reading the pages intently as if she understoodthem. It brought out an intense feeling of jealousy and anxiety in Bonnie’s heart. If Queenie was asgood as she claimed to be, how could she beat Queenie for the company’s management position?

“Queenie, do you understand the number in this report?” Bonnie asked in a hushed tone.

Queenie shifted her gaze to her. “Don’t you understand?”

“O-Of course, I can.” Immediately, Bonnie pretended to be confident.

Instead of trying to blow Bonnie’s cover, Queenie started paying attention in the summary meeting andtaking note of which sectors were profitable and which were not as well as methods to strike a goodbalance between income and expenses.

On the other hand, Bonnie was remarkably uninterested, and she couldn’t make heads or tails of whatwas being discussed by the managers or the material on the presentation decks.

The meeting lasted more than two hours, and when it concluded, Bonnie was about to leave whenBrandon called the two sisters into his office. When Bonnie saw him sitting on the couch and looking asauthoritative as the head of a major corporation, her heart raced.

She was taken aback by how distant and unapproachable her father appeared, especially consideringhow friendly he seemed around the house.

“Queenie, Bonnie, I’m interested in hearing your thoughts and opinions regarding this meeting.”

Bonnie wisely suggested, “Queenie, let’s start with you!”

After giving the topic some thought, Queenie offered her thoughts on personnel transfers and financialgains.

Bonnie sat next to Queenie and listened with a blank expression on her face. When she noticedBrandon looking in her direction, she muttered, “I-I agree with Queenie.”

He was no fool and agreed with his eldest daughter’s perspective. However, when he saw howdistressed and pretentious his younger daughter appeared, he felt sorry for her. It was their fault thatshe was never given a chance to learn how to run a business as her sister had done.

“Alright. You can head home now!” Brandon stood up from his seat, but he suddenly felt lightheaded,so he plopped back down again.

“Dad! Dad… What’s wrong?” Queenie hurriedly rushed to his aid and Bonnie followed suit, coming asquickly as possible to offer her support.

He supported himself on the couch and continued, “I’m feeling lightheaded due to hypertension. This iswhy I asked you to attend today’s meeting. There will come a time when I have to turn over the reins ofthe business to you both.”

“Dad, let’s get a checkup at the hospital!” Queenie suggested.

“Yeah! You can’t afford to get sick, Dad.” Bonnie was adamant because she didn’t want Queenie totake over the company so quickly.

“I’m fine. I just have to rest for a while.”

“Dad, it has been a while since you and Mom took a vacation. Let me tag along to the office with youthis week, and after you’ve taught me the ropes of running the business, I’ll take care of everythingwhile you and Mom take a vacation,” Queenie suggested.

After hearing that, Bonnie quickly agreed. “Yes, Dad. Leave the management of the company up to us.You should take a break.”

Brandon responded with a smile. “It would be disastrous if I let two people have the final say over thecompany’s direction. How about this? I should probably get some rest anyway, so I’ll let Queenie takeover my responsibilities for the time being. Bonnie, why don’t you stay behind and accompany yourmother and me on vacation?”

Although Bonnie was dissatisfied, she held back from voicing her displeasure. So, she nodded andcomplied. “Okay. I know I’m not as good as Queenie.”

These words broke his heart, and he reached out to comfort her by patting her head. “In my eyes, youare both equally talented children.”

Suddenly, Queenie felt a tremendous pressure bearing down on her. She used to believe that herparents were still young and that she would be able to enjoy a carefree and joyful life under theirprotection, but she now realized that her parents had aged significantly.

Willful defiance was no longer an option for her, and it was time for her to take responsibility so that herfather could get some much-needed rest.

Brandon insisted that they return home afterward.novelbin

When they exited the building, Bonnie and Queenie walked in tandem. As they approached Queenie’scar, Bonnie mocked her from behind, “Queenie Silverstein! You should be proud of yourself. Do youhave a sense of superiority now?”

The moment Queenie reached for the car door, she paused to turn around and shot an icy stare atBonnie. “Please stop making such ridiculous statements. Dad isn’t feeling well, and as his daughters,we should bear some of his burdens.”

“Then, why are you the one taking over the company instead of me? Have you secretly won over Dad’saffection and proven your worth to him without my knowledge?” Bonnie sneered.

“Personally, I don’t even bother with that sort of thing. It’s completely up to Dad, and all we can do isrespect his decision, seeing that taking over the company doesn’t really change anything. Don’t take itpersonally because I don’t feel confident in assuming company leadership either.”

It was hard to fathom how Queenie could have failed to notice Bonnie’s jealousy.

“There is a possibility that I am superior to you in another respect.” Bonnie cocked an eyebrow,wondering how she could speedily assume this responsibility. How likely she could take control of thebusiness was something to think about down the road.

Queenie had no doubts about Bonnie’s abilities; instead, she had witnessed Bonnie struggle tounderstand the report earlier in the meeting.

“Bonnie, if you are concerned about our parents, please refrain from being self-willed in thiscircumstance. We are a family, and no matter who runs the company, we will not mistreat you.”Queenie calmly explained.

Nonetheless, the tension in Bonnie’s eyes did not soften and she snorted softly. “I know what you’re upto. You’re just bullying me because you plan to take over the company soon for financial gain, and youthink I’m naive and uneducated.”

“Our family’s wealth is sufficient for me to live a prosperous life. Why would I need that much money?”Queenie frowned.

When she heard what Bonnie said, she was completely taken aback because she had never metsomeone with this particular mindset before.

“Hmph! I will learn to manage the business and refuse to give up or admit defeat without a fight.” Aftermaking that statement, Bonnie walked over to her red Ferrari, opened the door, and drove offarrogantly.

Queenie turned around and sighed as her father’s health was the only thing on her mind at the time, forwhich she sincerely wished for a speedy recovery. Then, she glanced at her watch and realized it waslunchtime, which prompted her to call Nigel.

“Missed me?” His gentle voice lingered languidly.

“I’d like to have lunch with you. Are you available now?” Queenie’s heart swelled with affection.

“Of course. Do you want me to pick you up?”

“Nah. I’ll drive over. Are you at the headquarters? I’m leaving right now.”

Then, she ended the call.

Nigel called an internal line from his office and instructed, “Prepare a bouquet for me.”

“Red roses?” Cecily Wentworth, his assistant, enquired.

“Yes.”

“Alright. I’ll order them right away.”

It was the afternoon rush hour and Nigel had arrived at the lobby entrance to greet Queenie. Cecily hadalready made her way upstairs with a bouquet in her arms when she noticed he wasn’t in the office, soshe hurriedly called his phone.

“Mr. Manson, I have the bouquet. Where are you?”

“I’m at the lobby entrance. Please deliver the bouquet!” Nigel instructed.

“Okay. I will send it to you immediately.” Cecily had no choice but to dash to the elevator with abouquet. She thought, The recipient of this bouquet must be the female guest in his home on that day,and she must be his girlfriend! I have no idea what his girlfriend looks like, but hopefully, I’ll get to meether in the future.

Nigel spotted a familiar Ferrari approaching the entrance from a distance. As he awaited her arrival, hecouldn’t help but smile broadly.

At that moment, Cecily had arrived at the hall. She dashed over with a bouquet and handed it to him.“Mr. Manson, your bouquet of flowers.”

He accepted the bouquet while the red Ferrari pulled to a stop elegantly in front of him. Sheintentionally stood there, eager to get a glimpse of his girlfriend.

When the door to the driver’s seat was opened, a woman exited the vehicle as her hair fluttered andhid part of her face in the breeze. Cecily’s eyes widened in shock as the woman brushed her hairgracefully out of the way to reveal her face.

Cecily stared at the woman in complete bewilderment. How could it possibly be Queenie Silverstein?

The flowers had already been given to Queenie by the man standing next to her. “You’re finally here.Here you are.”

Queenie accepted the flowers with a grin and looked up to see Cecily standing next to her;consequently, she smiled and greeted, “Cecily, long time no see.”

“Y-You’re Mr. Manson’s girlfriend?” Cecily inquired boldly.

“Yes. That’s me. I was present when you last delivered the clothes to his home. Thank you so much foryour thoughtfulness.” Queenie expressed her gratitude.

Cecily couldn’t help but shudder. When she thought about how she had teased Queenie in the past,Cecily became so anxious that she nearly passed out. “Don’t mention it, Miss Silverstein. I have to getback to work.”

After making that statement, she quickly turned on her heels and headed to the hallway.

During their lunch at the hotel’s restaurant, Queenie informed Nigel about her father’s health, afterwhich he agreed to let her manage the company while her father took a break.

“Although I have no experience, I will try my best.”

“Any time you have a question, feel free to ask me. Don’t be shy and ask me right away.” Nigel wasworried that the pressure would be too much for her to bear.

“I’ll definitely do that!” She smiled.

Her anxiety hadn’t entirely subsided on the ride over, but she felt a lot more secure knowing that shehad his support. It seemed as if he would always be there for her, regardless of her challenges.

“Why would you be shy around me? I certainly won’t be around you.” He arched his brow.

“W-What do you mean?!” Queenie lowered her head bashfully.

Nigel gazed menacingly at her. “As you know well, I will soon turn twenty-eight, and a man my age hasthe stamina of a beast. Consider that a friendly reminder.”

As soon as she heard that, her ears flushed.

“So, don’t be shy around me, okay?” He smirked and stopped making fun of her.

Summoning her courage, Queenie bravely replied, “Got it. I’m not going to be shy around you.”

The sight of her being provoked amused him. To Nigel, it was endearing when she could trust him andcause him any trouble without feeling bad about it. It was the only way for him to gain any significancein her life.

After the meal, Queenie decided to purchase some work attire at a nearby store. Since she wasexpected to maintain a professional appearance, she could not wear dresses to work every day.

“Let’s go! I’ll come with you.”

“Don’t you have a meeting in the afternoon?” she queried while tossing her bag in his direction.

“Why? Could the meeting be more important than spending time with you?”

After hearing his words, Queenie almost melted into a puddle because Nigel was even sweeter thanthe dessert she had just eaten. She submissively hugged his waist and replied, “Okay, then! Kindlyassist me in making a clothing selection that reflects your taste, Mr. Manson.”

When she touched his muscular and firm waist, she felt compelled to pinch it as if to verify that it wasbuff. In addition, Nigel also appreciated the intimacy that she shared with him. As soon as they steppedoutside the restaurant, they were greeted by a group of hotel staff in uniform.

Queenie’s daring gestures suddenly halted, and she quickly withdrew her hand. At that moment, Nigelplaced his arm around her shoulder to pull her close as they walked past a group of staff.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Manson.” In unison, the group of people greeted him while concurrently having acurious gaze on the woman in his arms. They speculated that she had to be his future wife!

“Good afternoon,” Nigel responded while directing her to the elevator.

While they were in the elevator, Queenie’s hand rested on his waist once more. She complimented himas she raised her head, “Mr. Manson, you’ve been working out frequently.”

“Of course. I can’t disappoint my future wife, can I?” He stared intently at her.

Those were the words that he was speaking for her to hear. She nodded without the slightest sign ofbeing shy. “Well, I’m quite pleased.”

Nigel snorted as she drew into his embrace.

Queenie’s delicate face was pressed against his chest, and her lips had almost kissed him through hisclothes. His eyes briefly darkened before he leaned down to kiss her passionately on her red lips.