Chapter 162
Michael's place.
Upon arriving home, Michael turned off his phone directly.
He let Nolan call like crazy, but he just wouldn't answer.
Out of sight, out of mind.
"Mr. Smith..." Nora hesitated.
"It's after work hours now." Michael pointed at his watch.
Nora lowered her head and gathered her courage to speak, "Michael, have you thought about a backup plan?"
"Do you have any good ideas?" Michael smiled.
"You need to think about a backup plan, prepare for the worst. Once Nolan gets desperate, he might take back the shares that should rightfully be yours and give them to James." Nora urged him to prepare for the worst.
"The Smith Group is what it is today because of me." Michael had complete confidence.
If Nolan didn't believe it, he could try and see.
"As for a backup plan..." Michael was silent for a long time before speaking again, "Since I promised to protect you, I absolutely won't let you fall into the mud again."
What he promised Nora, he would definitely deliver.
His rose must bloom again.
And he had the resources and ability to make her bloom.
Nora shook her head. She wasn't worried about herself.
Seeing Michael's hesitation, she knew he definitely had his own backup plan, just that it wasn't convenient to say now.
"I'm making braised pork ribs, is that okay?" Nora asked softly.
"I'm not picky." Michael took off his watch, loosened his tie, and went to the study to check on Samuel's studying.
Nora was stunned. Michael wasn't picky?
David had spent the entire day telling her how picky Michael was about food.
How did he suddenly become not picky?
The Smith Group.
James walked into the office with a dark expression, the atmosphere heavy.
"Mr. James Smith." Kurt took advantage of the empty office and walked in, "You were looking for me?"
"You saw the news about my mother?" James was here to warn Kurt.
"You don't need to worry about this. My father will handle it soon. Right now, you just need to focus on competing for the vice president position." James spoke again.
"Yes." Kurt nodded quickly.
Clearly, Luna had something on Kurt.
"Mr. James Smith, when do you plan to make your move?" Kurt asked.
"Michael thinks he's so capable, but unfortunately he's made too many enemies. Too many senior executives in the company are unhappy with him. Now almost everyone is watching him, and any small mistake will be blown out of proportion." James leaned against the desk, "The desert project may be remote, but it's the most important project for the project department this year. The northwestern project base hasn't been approved yet. Once Michael's project plan is leaked..."
"Mr. James Smith, are you planning to have someone hack into Mr. Smith's computer?" Kurt took a deep breath and asked.
"You don't need to worry about that." James was determined to succeed.
He had a hacking expert on his side.
Hacking into Michael's computer and stealing business secrets wouldn't be a problem.
"Mr. James Smith, stealing business secrets is illegal." Kurt reminded James not to lose more than he gained.
"I know what I'm doing."
Kurt nodded, "Then the priority is the vice president position. I'm determined to get it now. Eighty percent of the people in the project and investment departments are on my side. It's impossible for Michael to fire me and choose someone else."
Firing him would be a pipe dream.
"Besides, Michael is now trying every way to get his assistant to please me, aiming to win me over, not knowing that I've long been yours and Mrs. Smith's man." Kurt said with a smile.
James nodded, "You're doing great."
Michael would eventually pay the price for his arrogance and pride!
"Once you secure the vice president position and consolidate our people, we'll kick Michael out." James sneered, "He thinks exposing my mother's affairs will make father feel guilty toward him? In fact, he's becoming more and more out of father's control. As long as I convince father to take back his shares, he's nothing."
"You're absolutely right." Kurt said with a smile, "I've always had faith in you. If you were in Michael's position, you'd definitely be no worse than him. All these years it's been him overshadowing you, preventing you from showing what you can do."
"In my opinion, you're no worse than Michael."
James snorted, "What belongs to me, I must take back."
The shares, and Nora too.
Kurt left the office, and Walter called James.
James irritably rubbed his temples and answered the phone.
"Your mother added sulfuric acid to the water? To harm Nora?" Walter's voice carried deep gravity and accusation, "Does your mom have a death wish?"
"Mr. Wood, this is a misunderstanding." James said with a dark expression.
"Misunderstanding?" Walter laughed coldly, "You really think I'm an idiot?"
"James, tell your mom not to play tricks with me. If she dares touch a hair on Nora's head again, she'll face the consequences." Walter threatened James.
James rubbed his temples, "Michael personally brought Nora home and said Nora is his girlfriend."
"That's all he's got?" Walter's voice was very low.
Clearly suppressing his anger.
"Nora's biological mother is about to be released from prison." James took a deep breath, "I know her weakness."
"You better not make me wait too long." Walter needed James to push Nora to the edge again.
When he appeared then, Nora would definitely stay by his side obediently.
A butterfly with broken wings can't fly and can only pray for its master's protection, pray not to be abandoned.
Walter was now waiting for Nora to come begging him a second time.
Since he succeeded once, he would definitely succeed a second time.
Nora must be his.
Kurt's office.
Nora bought fruit, washed it, and brought it to Kurt, "Mr. Lowe, these are cherries I bought, they're really sweet."
"You're too kind." Kurt smiled brightly and stood up to take the fruit, "To trouble the CEO's assistant to buy fruit for me."
"Please don't be so polite. I said if you need anything, just ask." Nora said politely with a pleasing smile.
Early this morning, Kurt suddenly added Nora from the work group and deliberately asked if she passed by a fruit store, asking her to pick up some fruit.
Clearly he was testing Nora.
Nora was Michael's personal assistant. Nora's attitude toward him actually reflected Michael's attitude toward him.
Having the CEO's personal assistant buy fruit for him, currently just a project department manager, was indeed inappropriate.
But Nora agreed, very readily, with a face full of eagerness to please, and didn't even ask for money for the fruit.
"These cherries aren't cheap." Kurt asked meaningfully.
"Mr. Lowe, just enjoy them. This little money, after you become vice president, just put in a good word for me in front of Mr. Smith." Nora quickly waved her hand.
Actually, she felt terrible about the money she spent on cherries—ninety-nine dollars per pound, and she bought three hundred dollars worth.
Three hundred dollars!
She'd have to collect bottles and cans for a long time to make three hundred dollars.
"Ms. Adams, working for Mr. Smith, how much do you make a month?" Kurt was pushing his luck a bit.
He deliberately moved closer to Nora, testing her, "With such a great figure, how much does it cost to maintain? Is that salary enough?"
Nora knew Kurt was deliberately testing her.
Only if she didn't resist could he completely let his guard down and become more unrestrained, doing whatever he wanted.
"Naturally it's not quite enough." Nora sighed, her palms sweating.
She felt disgusted.