Love Contract

Chapter 143 You Are The Best (Part One)

Mary returned to the villa in the evening.

The housekeeper, cleaner, gardener, and servants were already at the house. The kids were playing in the yard.

"Madam is back!" Hester hurried over to her, smiling. "Dinner is ready. Alick and Elissa have been waiting for you to come back."

"Really? Thank you, Hester," said Mary, returning her smile.

"You're welcome."

"Mommy is back!" Elissa exclaimed happily. "Mommy!" Alick ran forward excitedly.

"Mommy!"

"My babies!" Mary bent down and kissed the two kids.

"Mommy, let's go have dinner!" Alick said, looking at his mother with so much love and care, it warmed Mary's heart. "Mommy must be very tired after the day's work," he said.

"Mommy must be very tired, yes!" Elissa echoed. She was pouting in a childlike manner that made Mary smile.

"Let's go eat. My babies must be hungry too," Mary smiled and led them back to the villa.

"Ring..." Mary's phone began to ring.

"Hello?" Mary answered the phone.

" Are you having dinner?" Barry's voice came from the other end of the line.

"Yes," Mary smiled. "You called too soon, didn't you?"

"Can't I?" Barry's smile was evident in his voice. "What if someone else takes you away if I don't call you enough?"

Mary's face turned red. "What nonsense!" she snorted.

"Ooh, Mommy is swearing!" Elissa looked up, her eyes round as she brandished the spoon in her hand. "Daddy said we couldn't swear!"

"..." Mary was rendered speechless.

"Mommy, are you talking to Daddy Barry?" Alick asked innocently.

"Yes," Mary said, nodding.

"Mommy is very mean to Daddy Barry," said Alick, "but Daddy Barry is not angry. He is still good to Mommy. Mommy, you can't do this." Mary was stunned into laughter.

Kids were so perceptive at times! Barry laughed as he said, "I heard everything. Be good to me, okay? The kids won't like you otherwise."

"I'm their mother. How dare they not like me!" she said mock-angrily. "And you, don't collude with them!" she said pointedly to Barry.

"Okay, okay, you are the best!" Barry said, apologizing immediately.

"What else is up?" Mary said after a few seconds' silence.

"Nothing."

"Then you should rest now. Everything is fine here."

"Well..." Barry hesitated.

"Anything else?" Mary asked, noting his

reluctance to ask whatever it was he wanted to ask.

"About the invitations," Barry said hesitantly. "You...you don't have to go. I'll send them myself when I come back."

"It's okay," Mary said, smiling. "You're so busy. Besides, it's my job. Don't worry. I will succeed in inviting them to the party."

"No, it's not that," Barry said, frowning. "What is it?" Mary was concerned.

"The thing is..." Barry seemed to make up his mind before he said, "One of the invitations is for AJ Group's CEO."

William?

Mary was stunned.

"Mary, don't go!" Barry said, before Mary could react. "I don't want you to see him again."

Mary pursed her lips as she said, "We are in the same industry and live in the same city. We can't avoid meeting each other, Barry."

"Mary..." Barry started, but Mary interrupted him.

"But don't worry," she said with a smile. "I only meet him for business. I have already forgotten the past."

"Really?" Barry said, confused, but also hopeful.

"Of course!"

"All right then," he said. There was a pause before he sighed and said, "Mary... I just want to hide you. All for myself."

"What?" Mary was pleasantly shocked.

"I want to hide you in a place where no one else can find you, where you can only see me, so that you have only me in your eyes," he said passionately. Mary was stunned into silence. Her heart skipped a beat, as if she had suddenly become way younger. They were eighteen years old, a time when he had also made such domineering declarations.

"Mary? Are you listening?" Barry asked, concerned.

"Yes," Mary said, jolted back into her senses. "You're getting more and more flirtatious. But I need to go and have dinner."

"I haven't talked to the kids yet!" Barry complained.

"They are having dinner!" Mary chided him.

"Just a few words."

"All right," she said and turned to the kids. "Daddy Barry wants to talk to you," she called to them.

"Daddy!"

"Daddy Barry!"

Mary shook her head, smiling.

Four years ago, Mary had unexpectedly met Barry again. The kids wouldn't have grown in such a healthy, happy environment, if it hadn't been for his care and help. She knew that he loved the two kids and loved her.

Was it time to accept his love? But... The mere thought of William still made Mary uncomfortable.

It was better to send the invitation in person. She couldn't escape him forever.

On the second morning, Mary got up early.

She got dressed, combed her hair, picked up the car keys, and walked out of the door.

"Bye, Mommy!"

"Mommy, come back early!"

Mary kissed the kids and said, "Listen to Aunt Hester. Mommy will be back soon!" This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

Jill was waiting outside when Mary walked out of the villa.

"Manager Lu," she greeted her.

Mary said, "Get in the car."

"Okay."

Mary drove her Porsche 911 to the AJ Group office.

"Manager Lu, you drive so well!" Jill said admiringly. "I've had my driving license for two years, but I still don't dare drive."

Mary laughed. "I didn't dare drive before either. I've just had a little more practice." The days when she used to ride an electric bicycle to do part-time jobs were gone. There had to be some progress.

"Tell me about today's schedule," Mary said, her eyes fixed on the road.

"Okay," Jill said and pulled out a document. "We have an appointment with the CEO of AJ Group from nine o'clock to ten o'clock this morning. And then lunch with the CEO of ZY Group from half past eleven to one o'clock. In the afternoon..."

She continued until the car came to a halt below the building that housed the AJ Group.

Mary opened the door, put on her sunglasses, and got out of the car gracefully.

The past was still vivid in her mind. She hadn't expected to come here ever again.

"Manager Lu? What happened? Aren't we going in?" Jill's voice cut through her thoughts.

Mary came to herself before she nodded and said, "Yes. Let's go."

"Okay!"

"Hello," Anne greeted them with a smile. "What can I do for you?"

"We are representatives of the GM Universing Studios. We have an appointment with your CEO today," Jill said, taking the initiative. "Can we go up now?"

"Please wait a moment. Let me confirm it for you," Anne said, her smile still pleasant.

"Okay," Jill said, glancing at Mary, who was looking at Anne, a faint smile on her face.

Although they hadn't been very close, it felt good to see an old friend.

Anne then turned to them, her smile brighter than before. "You can go upstairs. The CEO is waiting for you."

"Thank you," Jill said, nodding.

"You are welcome." Mary nodded and they turned to walk towards the elevator.

Anne looked at Mary's retreating back, a sense of familiarity overtaking her.

"Oh, the elevator is..." Anne called out to them, wanting to tell them where the elevator was. But she saw them turn a corner and disappearing into the corridor that contained the elevator. She was confused. "How do they know where the elevator is?" she muttered, frowning.

"Manager Lu, how did you know that the elevator is here?" Jill asked, also confused.

Mary was thrown for a bit. But she recovered soon enough and said, "I saw the sign."

"Oh! You're observant! I didn't notice that," Jill said, embarrassed.

"Ha-ha!" Mary chuckled half-heartedly, her eyes under the sunglasses telling a different story.

"By the way, I heard that the CEO of AJ Group is a playboy," Jill said seriously, unmindful of the turmoil within Mary. "We need to leave as soon as you finish your business."

"Okay," Mary said, nodding. Of course she knew this.

Last night, she had searched for information related to William for the past four years. There had been endless gossip about him saying that he had had affairs with most female stars in his company.

The newspapers and the Internet were full of such news.

It was none of her business, Mary had thought sneeringly.

In the CEO's office on the thirty-second floor...

"Mr. Lan," Beth pouted, sidling up flirtatiously to William. "Director Jamie said they had chosen another girl for the heroine of the film. How can this be? You promised!" she whined.

Candy GSmgB