Chapter 121
Second floor, executive dining area.
This area was only for company executives. The dining environment was excellent, not much worse than a five-star hotel.
Nora was quite amazed when she entered. This was worlds apart from the regular employee cafeteria. That side was bustling, while this side was quiet.
"Can I just eat all of this?" Nora pointed at the fruit section and the food area.
David smiled. "Yes, help yourself."
Perhaps Nora's abilities had truly earned David's recognition. Without realizing it, David's attitude toward Nora had changed.
Nora looked delightedly at the neatly cut fruits arranged in the fresh-keeping area, her face showing a smile.
She probably didn't realize it herself, but her mood had improved a lot recently. "This fruit is really expensive."
Nora took just a little, muttering softly to herself.
Seeing how frugal Nora was being, David said, "You need to eat more. Look how thin you are. Being skinny isn't beautiful - that's an unhealthy standard. Men should like women with curves. Look at you, you're just skin and bones. Other women have curves in all the right places, but you can barely tell your front from your back. How can you have any presence like this?"
Nora looked down at her chest; her throat moved, but she said nothing.
Actually, she had a pretty good figure, just looked thin.
"Here, here, eat more of this." David really didn't treat Nora like an outsider anymore, constantly piling food onto her plate.
Nora quickly tried to catch everything, stammering. "I can't... can't eat all this."
"It's too much." Nora could barely hold it all, the tray almost falling to the ground.
Behind her, someone reached out to help catch the tray.
Nora turned around and gasped in shock. "Mr. Smith."
"Mr. Smith, the doctor said you should skip lunch today." David was also puzzled about why Michael had come down.
Michael's face was stern, already thinking about when to transfer David to another position. "Just have some porridge."
David nodded. "You go sit down, I'll get it for you!"
Michael took the tray from Nora. Nora stood there awkwardly for a long time.
Fortunately, there was no one else in the executive dining area.
Otherwise, with Michael carrying her tray, she'd be on the company gossip headlines tomorrow.
"How attractive is the Smith Group's cafeteria to you?" Walter walked in, grabbed Nora's wrist, and asked helplessly.
Nora froze for a moment and pulled her wrist away.
Walter stood beside Nora, but his eyes were on Michael. "Let's eat out. Should I ask Mr. Smith for permission to take you?"
Clearly, Walter was doing this for Michael to see.
"My people don't get time off," Michael said coldly with a stern face.
"Michael!" Walter was losing his patience.
Michael remained calm and composed, sitting there like nobility from a fairy tale.
Nora didn't dare look at Michael much. He was so dazzling.
"Mr. Wood! Why don't you try our chef's cooking? We have everything they have outside. Order whatever you want!" David rushed over to placate Walter. "Mr. Wood, please sit."
Then he pulled out a chair for Walter.
"Nora, get Mr. Wood some water."
Nora quickly nodded and ran to get Walter water.
Left alone, Walter said in a low voice, "Michael, what are you trying to do?"
It was obvious Michael was competing with him.
"Nothing special. She's my person now." Michael said casually.
Walter clenched his fists. "How long do you think she can last at the Smith Group?"
"As long as I'm at the Smith Group, I can protect her."
Michael's presence was just as strong. These two could start arguing just from looking at each other.
"Then let's see." Walter laughed sarcastically.
He didn't believe Michael could really protect Nora.
Michael was just talking. When Nora became a burden he had to drop, Walter didn't believe Michael would stand against the entire Smith Group, or even the whole business circle, for her sake.
Walter knew very well that even if he didn't make a move, people within the Smith Group - Luna, Evelyn, the Clark family, the Adams family, even the Smith family itself - would all take action.
He just needed to sit back and watch.
Watch Michael lose.
"Mr. Wood, your water." Nora brought Walter water and asked quietly, "What would you like to eat?"
Walter leaned back in his chair, the corners of his mouth turning up. "Since Mr. Smith is treating, let Mr. Smith order for me."
Michael's face darkened, saying nothing.
Nora took a deep breath and stammered, "Mr. Smith..."
"Tell the chef that Mr. Wood likes to work out, so keep it light - no oil or salt at all. Just boiled chicken breast, boiled eggs, and vegetables in plain water." Michael's lips curved up.
Nora gasped. Could that even taste good?
After Nora left, Walter spoke up. "Michael, I never realized how childish you could be."
"Right back at you." Michael snorted.
Walter gritted his teeth. "Let's see who wins in the end. She's mine, the mother of my son."
"You've already lost." Michael wasn't about to tell Walter that he and Nora were now legally married, with a marriage certificate.
"This is just the beginning." Walter was confident, too. Michael wouldn't last long.
The Adams Villa.
Evelyn lay in bed. Ever since pretending to faint at the Smith Group entrance that day, she'd been playing up the weak and fragile act.
"Evelyn, how are you feeling?" Ava was very worried about Evelyn, looking angry. "These past few days I've been so busy taking care of you, I haven't had time to settle the score with her."
Nora had some nerve, daring to hurt Evelyn in front of everyone.
"Mom, maybe Nora didn't mean it." Evelyn's voice was weak.
"You're still defending her? She doesn't deserve it!" Ava was furious.
"Mrs. Adams, Miss Aria from the Clark family is here to see Evelyn." Outside the door, a maid said quietly.
Evelyn was surprised. Aria?
She and Aria had never been particularly close. Aria had an aloof personality and liked quiet. They'd only nodded to each other at parties over the years. What did she mean by coming today?
"Show her in quickly." Ava said with a smile. "Evelyn, chat with your friend. Today I'm going to get justice for you no matter what."
Leaving Evelyn's bedroom, Ava walked into the living room with a dark expression. "Aiden, Evelyn's been bullied and you just sit there watching? What are you waiting for? Go bring Nora back here!"
"Mom." Aiden had a headache. "This time, it really wasn't Nora's fault."
"Aiden, are you starting to take Nora's side now?" Ava looked at Aiden angrily.
Aiden lowered his head in silence. "That same day, Michael had David send me the surveillance footage from the Smith Group entrance. Three angles, each one crystal clear. He even had someone make slow-motion versions, just to make sure I saw everything clearly."
Aiden knew this was Michael warning him.
Warning him not to touch Nora.
"Plus, the Smith Group is delaying the final payment for the Jungle Bay project within the contract period, and we can't manage our cash flow." Aiden hadn't expected Michael to go this far for Nora.
The Smith Group and the Adams family had marriage ties, so in their cooperation, the Smith Group's finance department always prioritized payments to the Adams family. But just because he pushed Nora at the entrance that day, that very evening the project department said the funds couldn't come through and would be paid according to the final deadline in the contract.
The Adams family had gotten used to the Smith Group's early payments. This delay meant the funds couldn't turn over, the construction schedule would be pushed back - whether for the Adams family's engineering reputation or other things, it would have a huge impact. It was like a butterfly effect.
So Michael was truly terrifying. He could practically bring down large enterprises dependent on the Smith Group with just a flick of his finger.
Fortunately, the Adams family's foundation had been solid over the years, and Michael hadn't been too ruthless with them.