Xo Novel
Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Chapter 31 An Absurd Agreement
She remembered that the champion would become the design assistant to the director.
Erin looked at Caleb’s cool yet rather gentle dark eyes. The sincerity in them made her heart skip a beat, and she blushed uncontrollably. She tried hard to collect herself and said warmly, “Mr. Grant, thank you. I’ll try my best in the competition!”
Erin didn’t know what else to say.
She was already forced to become Chandler’s secret lover even before she got divorced. How could she drag Caleb into this?
Caleb looked a little disappointed when he heard what Erin said. He smiled to cover up his true emotions. “You don’t have to give me an
answer now. Go home and think it over.”
Erin nodded rather awkwardly. “I’ll leave then, Mr. Grant.”
“Okay.”
The moment she opened the door, Erin almost crashed into Janette standing near it. Without any expressions on her face, Janette said curtly, “Watch where you’re going. How could you come up with a good design if you’re so careless!”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Williams.” Erin dared not look at Janette, afraid she might notice the slap mark on her face.
Janette scoffed. “Forget it. I’m here to see Mr. Grant. You can go.”
Erin left with her head lowered. When she returned to her desk, she spent her entire day busy at work. Even when it was the end of the day. she still had no plan to leave. Although Caleb had told her that she needed to finish half of the workload, she still wanted to be done with it
as soon as possible.
She worked until about 7 pm and was about to order takeout when lan’s call came.
Erin hesitated for a while before picking up the call. She didn’t expect it to be lan’s mother, Mary.
“Erin, are you back from your business trip yet?” Mary asked. “Where are you? lan’s at home right now. Shall I get him to pick you up?”
Erin was a little taken aback, furrowing her brow. She was in the city, so she didn’t understand what Mary was talking about at that
moment. However, she also didn’t pursue it further. She suddenly recalled that she had to head to her old house to talk to lan about the
divorce that night.
“No need. I can head home on my own.”
“Okay, I’ve already made dinner! Come back and eat! Alright, I’ll hang up now.” Mary chuckled and ended the call.
Erin placed her phone in her bag, saved her documents, and shut off her computer. Quite a few designers were still working late at the time, so she bade them farewell and left.
Ten minutes after Erin left, Dana ran into Caleb at the pantry. She was instantly surprised and pleased, not expecting that her taking the initiative to stay back after work would pay off and that she would be
able to bump into him!
“Mr. Grant, are you not leaving yet?” Dana had touched up her makeup in the washroom, so she had a glowing smile on her face.
Caleb was waiting for his coffee by the vending machine. He took one look at her and said, “Hmm. You’re Dana Sawyer, Janette’s
assistant, right?”
Dana smiled even wider. “Yes! You have a great memory, Mr. Grant. I’m merely a lowly new hire, but you remembered me!”
“You don’t have to be so modest. You four newcomers, I’ve seen all your past designs. They’re great.” Caleb placed his coffee cup on the
table.
Dana admired how cool and nonchalant he looked, and her heart beat wildly with excitement. She walked over and said with a smile,” Thank you, Mr. Grant. So, who among the four of us has the best design?”
Caleb swept her a glance and asked. “Do you want to hear the truth?”
“Of course!”
Caleb took a sip of his coffee, thought for a while, and said, “Erin Lane. Her designs are far better than the three of you.” Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
Then, he left the pantry. Dana remained in the spot grimacing, looking at Caleb leaving. She thought that he would say it was her. Never would she have thought that it would be Erin.
Saying that Erin’s designs were far better than the three of them hurt Dana terribly! Thinking back about the admiration and even a hint of infatuation she saw in Caleb’s eyes proved one thing to her–he has feelings for Erin!
Dana returned to her desk in a huff, thinking about how Erin, a married woman, was still favored by Caleb. It Instantly brought out the ugly jealousy hidden deep in her heart.
“Erin Lane, you can’t have everything! You just wait and see!” Dana thought to herself.
Erin took the subway to the Sloans‘. Mary eagerly came out from the kitchen and immediately approached her, asking. “Erin, are you tired? I made some chicken soup for you!”
She was a little taken aback by her mother–in–law’s enthusiasm. She still remembered how Mary almost scolded her the last time she left. The change in her attitude was too sudden!
Mary didn’t even get angry at Erin’s non–reply. She said, “Go to the study to look for lan. He said to look for him once you’re home. There’s still another dish I’ve yet to make. Dinner will be ready soon, so why don’t you head up first?”
Erin smiled and nodded before heading upstairs. She knocked on the door of lan’s study and entered with his permission.
When she entered, lan swept her a glance and said calmly. “Have a seat.”
Erin walked over to the sofa in front of lan’s desk and sat down, lan slid the signed divorce agreement over to her and said, “Erin, I’ve drafted a new divorce agreement. I’ll leave you the other mansion. The BMW you’ve been driving in the past will be yours too. Once you’ve signed it. I’ll hand the papers to the lawyers tomorrow.”
Erin was so stunned at the sudden change that she was at a loss for words. His previous message to her about how she no longer needed to repay him the five million dollars was more than enough for her to mull over it for the entire day, yet at that moment, he was even going to give her a mansion and a car!
Could lan suddenly have some form of guilty conscience which was why he wanted to make it up to her?
“Why?” Erin felt that there was a hidden reason behind such a great deal.
At that moment, lan was in loungewear and looking less authoritative than he was in the office. Nevertheless, his handsome face still had some hint of dominance. He leaned back and said, “I’ve thought about it. I don’t want to continue fighting with you. Let’s just split ways amicably. Also, I’ve thought about my mom’s suggestion.”
Erin said in surprise. “You’ve told your mom about our divorce?”
lan chuckled and said, “Definitely not. If I were to tell her about it, you bet she’ll cause a scene in your office.”
Ian was right. Mary was so affectionate to her when she arrived. If she were to find out about their divorce, she would surely be less
friendly toward her.
“So, are you planning to keep it from her forever? It won’t work, either. I’m not staying here now. You can’t keep lying to her, saying I’m on a business trip, right?”
lan responded without missing a beat. “You’re right! It won’t work! So, I was thinking that once we’re divorced, if my mom ever comes over to stay, you’ll come back to stay and help me keep up the act.
Also, there’s a reason why I changed the divorce agreement! I want to help fulfill her dream. Let’s give her a grandchild! Once you give birth to the child, we’ll let my mom care for it. When the child is slightly bigger..
we will bring them home-”
Before he could finish his sentence, Erin immediately stood up and cut him off. “Hold up! lan, do you even hear the fucking words leaving your damn mouth? How could you come up with such an absurd plan? Since you agreed to divorce, how could you still think of having a child to please your mom? Have you gone mad?”
Chapter 31 An Absurd Agreement
She remembered that the champion would become the design assistant to the director.
Erin looked at Caleb’s cool yet rather gentle dark eyes. The sincerity in them made her heart skip a beat, and she blushed uncontrollably. She tried hard to collect herself and said warmly, “Mr. Grant, thank you. I’ll try my best in the competition!”
Erin didn’t know what else to say.
She was already forced to become Chandler’s secret lover even before she got divorced. How could she drag Caleb into this?
Caleb looked a little disappointed when he heard what Erin said. He smiled to cover up his true emotions. “You don’t have to give me an
answer now. Go home and think it over.”
Erin nodded rather awkwardly. “I’ll leave then, Mr. Grant.”
“Okay.”
The moment she opened the door, Erin almost crashed into Janette standing near it. Without any expressions on her face, Janette said curtly, “Watch where you’re going. How could you come up with a good design if you’re so careless!”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Williams.” Erin dared not look at Janette, afraid she might notice the slap mark on her face.
Janette scoffed. “Forget it. I’m here to see Mr. Grant. You can go.”
Erin left with her head lowered. When she returned to her desk, she spent her entire day busy at work. Even when it was the end of the day. she still had no plan to leave. Although Caleb had told her that she needed to finish half of the workload, she still wanted to be done with it
as soon as possible.
She worked until about 7 pm and was about to order takeout when lan’s call came.
Erin hesitated for a while before picking up the call. She didn’t expect it to be lan’s mother, Mary.
“Erin, are you back from your business trip yet?” Mary asked. “Where are you? lan’s at home right now. Shall I get him to pick you up?”
Erin was a little taken aback, furrowing her brow. She was in the city, so she didn’t understand what Mary was talking about at that
moment. However, she also didn’t pursue it further. She suddenly recalled that she had to head to her old house to talk to lan about the
divorce that night.
“No need. I can head home on my own.”
“Okay, I’ve already made dinner! Come back and eat! Alright, I’ll hang up now.” Mary chuckled and ended the call.
Erin placed her phone in her bag, saved her documents, and shut off her computer. Quite a few designers were still working late at the time, so she bade them farewell and left.
Ten minutes after Erin left, Dana ran into Caleb at the pantry. She was instantly surprised and pleased, not expecting that her taking the initiative to stay back after work would pay off and that she would be able to bump into him!
“Mr. Grant, are you not leaving yet?” Dana had touched up her makeup in the washroom, so she had a glowing smile on her face.
Caleb was waiting for his coffee by the vending machine. He took one look at her and said, “Hmm. You’re Dana Sawyer, Janette’s
assistant, right?”
Dana smiled even wider. “Yes! You have a great memory, Mr. Grant. I’m merely a lowly new hire, but you remembered me!”
“You don’t have to be so modest. You four newcomers, I’ve seen all your past designs. They’re great.” Caleb placed his coffee cup on the
table.
Dana admired how cool and nonchalant he looked, and her heart beat wildly with excitement. She walked over and said with a smile,” Thank you, Mr. Grant. So, who among the four of us has the best
design?”
Caleb swept her a glance and asked. “Do you want to hear the truth?”
“Of course!”
Caleb took a sip of his coffee, thought for a while, and said, “Erin Lane. Her designs are far better than the three of you.”
Then, he left the pantry. Dana remained in the spot grimacing, looking at Caleb leaving. She thought that he would say it was her. Never would she have thought that it would be Erin.
Saying that Erin’s designs were far better than the three of them hurt Dana terribly! Thinking back about the admiration and even a hint of infatuation she saw in Caleb’s eyes proved one thing to her–he has feelings for Erin!
Dana returned to her desk in a huff, thinking about how Erin, a married woman, was still favored by Caleb. It Instantly brought out the ugly jealousy hidden deep in her heart.
“Erin Lane, you can’t have everything! You just wait and see!” Dana thought to herself.
Erin took the subway to the Sloans‘. Mary eagerly came out from the kitchen and immediately approached her, asking. “Erin, are you tired? I made some chicken soup for you!”
She was a little taken aback by her mother–in–law’s enthusiasm. She still remembered how Mary almost scolded her the last time she left. The change in her attitude was too sudden!
Mary didn’t even get angry at Erin’s non–reply. She said, “Go to the study to look for lan. He said to look for him once you’re home. There’s still another dish I’ve yet to make. Dinner will be ready soon, so why don’t you head up first?”
Erin smiled and nodded before heading upstairs. She knocked on the door of lan’s study and entered with his permission.
When she entered, lan swept her a glance and said calmly. “Have a seat.”
Erin walked over to the sofa in front of lan’s desk and sat down, lan slid the signed divorce agreement over to her and said, “Erin, I’ve drafted a new divorce agreement. I’ll leave you the other mansion. The BMW you’ve been driving in the past will be yours too. Once you’ve signed it. I’ll hand the papers to the lawyers tomorrow.”
Erin was so stunned at the sudden change that she was at a loss for words. His previous message to her about how she no longer needed to repay him the five million dollars was more than enough for her to mull over it for the entire day, yet at that moment, he was even going to give her a mansion and a car!
Could lan suddenly have some form of guilty conscience which was why he wanted to make it up to her?
“Why?” Erin felt that there was a hidden reason behind such a great deal.
At that moment, lan was in loungewear and looking less authoritative than he was in the office. Nevertheless, his handsome face still had some hint of dominance. He leaned back and said, “I’ve thought about it. I don’t want to continue fighting with you. Let’s just split ways amicably. Also, I’ve thought about my mom’s suggestion.”
Erin said in surprise. “You’ve told your mom about our divorce?”
lan chuckled and said, “Definitely not. If I were to tell her about it, you bet she’ll cause a scene in your office.”
Ian was right. Mary was so affectionate to her when she arrived. If she were to find out about their divorce, she would surely be less
friendly toward her.
“So, are you planning to keep it from her forever? It won’t work, either. I’m not staying here now. You can’t keep lying to her, saying I’m on a business trip, right?”
lan responded without missing a beat. “You’re right! It won’t work! So, I was thinking that once we’re divorced, if my mom ever comes over to stay, you’ll come back to stay and help me keep up the act. Also, there’s a reason why I changed the divorce agreement! I want to help fulfill her dream. Let’s give her a grandchild! Once you give birth to the child, we’ll let my mom care for it. When the child is slightly bigger..
we will bring them home-”
Before he could finish his sentence, Erin immediately stood up and cut him off. “Hold up! lan, do you even hear the fucking words leaving your damn mouth? How could you come up with such an absurd plan? Since you agreed to divorce, how could you still think of having a child to please your mom? Have you gone mad?”