On the Day I Was Kicked Out of the Wealthy Family, I Had a Flash Marriage with a Tycoon-Chapter 194: The Maelstrom

During the meeting, Jasper Lockwood couldn’t help but glance at the time again.

Stella Morgan noticed his movement and paused for a second. It was the third time he had checked the time in the last half hour. She subconsciously asked, "President Lockwood, do you have something to attend to later? Should I speed things up?"

Jasper Lockwood glanced at her and nodded. "Yes."

Stella Morgan concisely sped through the rest of the plan, and the meeting ended promptly at eleven o’clock.

Jasper Lockwood immediately stood up and strode out of the meeting, as if he had something urgent he couldn’t wait to handle.

As she walked out of the conference room and saw Henry Chamberlain, Stella Morgan asked curiously, "Does President Lockwood have something urgent to take care of? Has something happened again?"

Henry Chamberlain said, "Nothing’s happened. It’s just a personal matter."

’A personal matter?’

Stella Morgan suddenly understood. What personal matter could Jasper Lockwood have besides his wife? Only that woman could affect his mood so much.

Stella Morgan forced a smile. "Oh, that’s good then."

「Five minutes later.」

Jasper Lockwood and Henry Chamberlain left the company.

Watching the man’s departing figure, Stella Morgan’s heart was filled with a mix of emotions. She could never understand why. Why had her years of companionship lost out to someone who had appeared so suddenly?

「Nocturne Group, branch laboratory.」 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Chloe Sterling was focused on her research. Silas Coldwell, who had been waiting beside her, checked the time again. It was finally 11:30. He immediately stood up and walked over to the group.

"It’s noon now. Let’s stop and go eat."

Chloe Sterling didn’t move. The two male pharmacists shot Silas Coldwell astonished looks, finding it hard to believe their big boss had suddenly become so humane. He used to act like he wished they would stay in the lab 24/7 without eating or drinking to finish the research as quickly as possible. Yet now, it wasn’t even noon and he was telling them to go eat.

Just as the two were about to weep with gratitude, Silas Coldwell’s gaze shifted to them and he said, coldly and ruthlessly, "You two, keep working."

"..."

"..."

’So we were overthinking things. The demon boss hasn’t changed one bit!’

Seeing Chloe Sterling was still busy, Silas Coldwell said again, "Darling, it’s time to eat."

Chloe Sterling: "I’m not hungry. You guys go ahead."

Silas Coldwell: "..."

The two men nearby looked at Silas Coldwell, then at Chloe Sterling. They finally understood what the big boss meant. ’He just wants to have lunch alone with the beautiful woman.’

Silas Coldwell suddenly grabbed her arm, his tone domineering. "How could you not be hungry after working all morning? Hurry up and go eat. If you starve yourself, who’s going to finish this research for me?"

’We’ve been working all morning too! By what right can’t we go eat? We’re not made of iron!’ the two pharmacists roared internally.

Chloe Sterling glanced sideways at him, then at the large hand on her arm, and said coldly, "Let go."

"Put down what you’re holding and come eat with me, and I’ll let go."

Suppressing her frustration, Chloe Sterling put down the items in her hand. Silas Coldwell let go as well, the corner of his mouth curling into a smug smile.

Chloe Sterling took off her gloves and said to the two men beside her, "You should come with us."

Silas Coldwell immediately shot the two a warning look.

Of course, the two didn’t dare. They shook their heads like rattle drums.

"No, no, no, we’re not hungry. Miss Chester, you and President Coldwell should go ahead."

"Right, right, we’re not hungry. You two please go."

Chloe Sterling said, "I’ll need your help when I get back. If you go later, our schedules will be out of sync."

"Er..." One of them glanced cautiously at Silas Coldwell and said, bracing himself, "It’s fine. We can skip lunch."

The other added, "Yeah, we skip meals all the time."

"..."

Chloe Sterling turned to Silas Coldwell. "Let them come with us?"

Silas Coldwell glanced at the two men. "Zane Stratton will order them food. Five-star hotel standard. They won’t starve."

He was telling the truth. After all, the two were top-level pharmacists. Although Silas Coldwell was domineering, he wouldn’t shortchange them on their benefits.

Chloe Sterling: "Then order a meal for me too. I’ll just stay here."

Silas Coldwell: "The order for them was placed at eleven. It’s probably almost here. You’re too late to add to it."

Chloe Sterling: "How do you know?"

Silas Coldwell: "I arranged it ahead of time."

Seeing that he didn’t seem to be lying, the two pharmacists quickly thanked him.

"Thank you, President Coldwell."

"Thank you so much, President Coldwell."

In the end, only Chloe Sterling and Silas Coldwell walked out of the lab.

Silas Coldwell hadn’t lied to her. As the two of them walked out, Zane Stratton was approaching with two rather luxurious-looking meals.

Silas Coldwell glanced at her sideways. "See? I wasn’t lying, was I?"

Chloe Sterling pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Just as they stepped out of the branch entrance, a tall, cool figure appeared before them.

Chloe Sterling said in surprise, "Jasper Lockwood! You... what are you doing here?"

Silas Coldwell, however, frowned. ’This guy is a total mood-killer!’

Jasper Lockwood walked up to Chloe Sterling, his thin lips parting slightly. "I came to pick you up for lunch. I’ve already booked a restaurant."

Silas Coldwell immediately retorted, "No need. I booked a restaurant a long time ago."

Jasper Lockwood gave him a cool glance from his phoenix eyes. "You can cancel it!"

Silas Coldwell sneered. "You’re the one who should cancel! Lynn and I are going to celebrate our collaboration. As for you, President Lockwood... you should probably go sort out that pile of messes you have!"

Jasper Lockwood said, "My affairs will be dealt with, naturally. But having lunch with my wife is just as important." As he spoke, he took Chloe Sterling’s hand. "Let’s go. I’ll bring you back after we eat."

"No!" Silas Coldwell looked sideways at Chloe Sterling. "Time is tight. You can’t go somewhere else with him."

Jasper Lockwood ignored him and said to Chloe Sterling, "It’s nearby, not far."

Silas Coldwell: "Not far is still not happening!"

Jasper Lockwood’s sharp gaze landed on him again. "President Coldwell, you and Chloe are merely collaborators. As for her personal affairs, it’s not your place to interfere!"

Silas Coldwell’s eyes narrowed. He suddenly grabbed Chloe Sterling’s other arm. "Today, I’m making it my business! She is not allowed to go with you!"

Seeing him grab Chloe Sterling’s arm, Jasper Lockwood’s handsome, icy face instantly darkened. Before he could make a move, Chloe Sterling abruptly yanked both of her hands free.

"Enough!" Chloe Sterling turned to Silas Coldwell. "President Coldwell, we are just collaborators. You’re not my boss. You can’t order me around on matters outside of work."

Silas Coldwell: "..."

Chloe Sterling then looked at Jasper Lockwood. Thinking about what he did last night and this morning, a strange expression flickered across her face. Then she said, "You should go with Henry Chamberlain. I’ll just grab a bite nearby."

Henry Chamberlain, in the background: "..."

’Can you please not mention me during The Maelstrom!’

He’d been wishing he could just vanish on the spot a moment ago.

Silas Coldwell laughed again. "Go on, President Lockwood."

Jasper Lockwood’s deep phoenix eyes stared at the woman. "You’re going with him?"

Chloe Sterling: "I’m not!"

Right now, she didn’t want to go with anyone. She just wanted to have a quiet meal by herself.