Chapter 186
Nora felt an unexpected sense of safety in Michael's arms.
But he must have heard her conversation with James just now, right?
Did he get the wrong idea?
James looked at Michael as the two men confronted each other in the elevator.
"Nora is my ex-girlfriend. Aren't you afraid people will laugh at you when word gets out?" James warned Michael not to ruin his reputation.
Michael sneered, "You already have a fiancée, yet you're still bothering your sister-in-law. If word gets out, whose reputation gets ruined?"
James clenched his fists. "Who doesn't know that Nora and I were together?"
"What? Just because you were blind before doesn't mean you can’t see clearly now." Michael looked at James coldly.
Seeing the two men about to fight, Nora instinctively reached out and held Michael, speaking softly, "My eyes are better now."
James gripped his hands tightly, his face dark and frightening.
Nora was doing this deliberately to provoke him.
"Michael, you just hate me, so you compete with me over everything. Nora is someone I didn't want, yet you picked her up and treat her like a treasure." James snorted before leaving the elevator.
"You look pathetic, trying to salvage your dignity." Michael held Nora's hand and mocked James.
James's knuckles turned white. He paused for a moment, then quickly left.
Soon enough, Michael would have problems of his own to deal with.
Kurt was causing trouble with the project department staff right now. Let's see how Michael would explain this to the board.
After James left, Nora nervously tried to pull her hand away from Michael's.
But Michael gripped her wrist tightly and pulled her into his office.
Sensing Michael’s anger, Nora felt frightened.
Her heart jumped to her throat.
She was afraid that Michael’s anger would make him abandon her.
"Still in love with James? Hoping he'll cancel his engagement with Evelyn?" Michael asked angrily.
Nora looked at Michael in fear, trembling and unsure how to explain herself.
When Michael was truly angry, he was terrifying.
"I didn't..." Nora began to cry. "That's not what I meant."
She was just mocking James back.
Michael snorted. "I'm angry. Can you tell?"
Tears rolled down Nora's face as she nodded vigorously.
She could tell all too well.
Michael's heart tightened, and he felt a twinge of regret for scaring Nora.
He lifted his hand, held her chin, and wiped her tears. "You're mine."
Nora looked at Michael, not daring to speak.
In Michael's eyes, she saw intense possessiveness.
It was even scarier than Walter’s possessiveness.
For some reason, Nora felt afraid.
"You made me angry. How are you going to make up to me?" Michael asked.
Nora bit her lip and shook her head.
"What do you want me to do?"
Michael stepped closer to Nora, a sudden urge to kiss her rising in him.
Nora froze, her heart jumping nervously into her throat.
Why did Michael keep wanting to kiss her lately?
"Samuel is going to Jasper's tonight," Michael reminded Nora in a husky voice.
Nora nodded belatedly, "Right."
"Then I'm sleeping with you tonight." Michael pinned Nora against the wall.
Nora spoke tremblingly, "Haven't we... always been sleeping together?"
"The 'sleeping' you mean is a noun. The one I mean is a verb." Michael raised an eyebrow.
Nora's face turned red instantly.
How could he be like this?
Who spread the rumor that Michael wasn't interested in women and was cold?
He was clearly anything but cold.
"Mr. Smith, Kurt is waiting for you in the conference room with the entire project department." Outside the door, David knocked.
Nora quickly fixed her hair in fright and followed Michael out of the office with her materials.
"How's it going?" Michael asked.
David nodded and handed over several people's files, "I've convinced these people."
Michael took the files, "Well done."
David smiled, dark circles under his eyes, feeling honored.
He hadn't slept all night.
Nora followed David and Michael into the conference room.
In the conference room, Kurt looked upset. When he saw Nora, he glared at her.
Nora kept her head down and hid behind Michael.
"Mr. Smith, everyone in the project department plans to resign with me." Kurt was still trying to save face, hoping Michael would ask him to stay.
Michael leaned back in his chair, looked at Kurt, then at the project department staff. "Whoever wants to resign, stand up so I can see."
The project department staff looked at each other nervously, none daring to be the first to stand.
Kurt clenched his fists and stood up himself.
Michael nodded, "Only him?"
Seeing Kurt stand, those with something to hide also rose cautiously.
Michael glanced at David, "Tell HR to process their resignations."
Kurt looked at Michael in shock. Was he going to fire everyone in the project department? "Mr. Smith, you can't explain this to the board."
Kurt seemed confident because Luna had come out and was on her way.
Luna must be coming with Nolan.
With Nolan coming in person, let's see what Michael could do.
"Mr. Lowe seems very anxious. Rush Mr. Lowe's resignation approval since he was the only one who actively submitted resignation paperwork yesterday." Michael glanced at David.
David nodded and had HR process Kurt's resignation.
Before Luna and Nolan arrived.
"Michael, you're acting first and reporting later." Kurt slammed the table angrily.
"Mr. Lowe, that's not right. You actively resigned. As the CEO of the Smith Group, can't I approve an employee's resignation?" Michael's voice was low.
Nora glanced at David and pulled up the banner they had prepared.
It read: Farewell Party.
The project department staff all gasped, none daring to speak.
"As for the rest of the project department, since you didn't submit resignation letters, I'll just assume you couldn't bear to see Mr. Lowe go. That's understandable. With Mr. Lowe leaving, this position will be vacant and needs to be filled internally. I'm very satisfied with several candidates." Michael announced the names of the people David had worked on last night.
This split them from within.
Several people looked at Kurt nervously and explained helplessly, "Mr. Lowe, we're sorry too, but it's too hard to get into the Smith Group. If we leave with you, we might not have such stable pay. We have families to support. We're sorry."
Kurt's face darkened as he ground his teeth.
“Let’s see who dares fire Kurt.”
Luna stormed in with James.
She was clearly trying to challenge Michael for control of the company.
Michael narrowed his eyes. Nolan hadn't shown up, which gave Luna plenty of confidence.
"Big words." Michael laughed mockingly, "But you're too late."
Michael displayed Kurt’s approved resignation on the projection screen. "It's not that I want to fire Mr. Lowe. He resigned voluntarily. These are two different things."
"Michael!" Luna shook with anger, her face turning from black to white. "Your father said you've been working too hard lately and wants James to temporarily take your position so you can go home and rest!"
Luna was here to force Michael out of the CEO position.
Nora looked at Michael nervously. This must have been what Nolan said; otherwise, Luna wouldn’t be so confident.
The real storm within the company was about to break.