Chapter 198
At the wedding, Michael brought Nora as his date, and they became the focus of the business circle.
News like this was bound to reach Nolan.
After the wedding, Nolan called Michael repeatedly.
Holding Michael’s phone and feeling a bit worried, Nora asked, "Mr. Smith?"
"Don’t answer," Michael said with a frown.
Nora felt panicked inside, but still did as she was told and ignored the calls. .
Even after returning to the hotel, Nora remained distracted.
Angering Nolan would not end well.
If she were Michael, she should lie low now, avoid confrontation, and temporarily give in. Whether it was a marriage alliance with the Clark family or the Fields family, she needed to secure one side first, then slowly gain real power.
Nora believed in Michael's abilities. Within three years, the Smith Group would be firmly in his grasp.
But he chose this moment to defy Nolan.
This clearly wasn't the wisest choice.
But this was Michael's choice after all, and Nora couldn't say much about it.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" Michael asked softly.
"I..." Nora was distracted,looked up at Michael. "Anything. I’m not picky."
"Should I cook for you?" Michael asked, pulling Nora into his arms as he offered to cook for her himself.
Fortunately, the resort hotel room was fully equippedwith a complete set of kitchen utensils.
Nora looked at Michael in surprise, "Mr. Smith, you're not going to burn down the hotel kitchen, are you? That would be expensive."
Nora worried that she wouldn’t be able to afford it, but then she thought of Michael and figured he probably could.
Michael smiled helplessly, "I made you sandwiches the other day, didn't I?"
"Sandwiches don't require cooking." Nora walked to the kitchen and looked at the ingredients already prepared by the hotel butler.
Clearly, Michael was planning to cook steak.
Can you really do it?" Nora asked, confirming it again and again.
"I'm quite talented too." Michael raised an eyebrow, took off his watch, removed his suit jacket, put on an apron, and began to cook.
The phone rang again. This time it wasn't Nolan calling, but Veda.
"Veda." Nora handed the phone to Michael.
Michael frowned.
He didn't have much affection for this sister born to his father's mistress either.
But Veda never contacted him on her own initiative, which made him curious.
"What is it?" He answered the phone, his voice lazy.
"Michael." Veda seemed to be hiding somewhere, secretly calling Michael, "Michael, did you make Dad angry? I just heard Dad say he's going to freeze your shares. What happened? Come back quickly and apologize."
Veda seemed genuinely worried about Michael.
Although she was arrogant and domineering, she didn't want Luna to take away what belonged to Michael.
But she also knew Michael didn't accept her, didn't like her, and looked down on her and Mason.
"Whatever." Michael said in a deep voice.
Nolan was using Veda to send him a message.
Thinking he'd be scared and obediently listen?
Michael let out a cold laugh and said nothing more.
"Michael, I think we're family. Whatever it is, we should come back and solve it. There are some misunderstandings between you and my mom. Come back, let's sit down and talk as a family, okay?" Veda wanted Michael to return home soon.
"Don't get involved in this." Michael still had a bit of goodwill toward Veda, which was to tell her not to get involved in these matters.
Michael hung up and tossed the phone aside.
"Aren't you going back home?" Nora asked quietly.
If he didn't go back now, he might really anger Nolan.
"No need to pay attention to him, let him dig his own grave." Michael busied himself with the ingredients, preparing to cook steak for Nora, "By the way, there's an early morning flight tomorrow. Come with me somewhere."
"Mr. Smith booked the tickets himself?" Nora was surprised. Wasn't she supposed to arrange the itinerary?
"Giving you a surprise." Michael said mysteriously.
Nora's heart beat fast. She suddenly felt expectant, wondering where Michael would take her.
Emerald City, the Smith Villa.
Nolan's face was dark as he looked at Veda, "You called, and Michael answered?"
Veda nodded, "Dad, Michael is just tired from the wedding. He's sleeping at the hotel, said he has a cold and doesn't feel well. Stop calling him, don't be angry."
Veda made up an excuse for Michael.
Nolan snorted, "The wedding is over, why isn't he rushing back? That embarrassing thing, actually bringing that Nora to the wedding banquet. He's completely disgraced the Smith family!"
"Right, Nora's background is a total stain. Nora is a fraud with a criminal record, and a fake heiress. If this gets out, where will the Smith family's reputation be?" Luna added fuel to the fire.
"Michael was too reckless this time. The wedding was attended by big shots from the business circle. Who knows how they're laughing at us behind our backs now." Luna knew exactly what Nolan's sore spots were.
Veda frowned, clearly understanding Luna's intentions, "Mom, if you want to talk about Nora, talk about Nora. Why drag Michael into it? No matter what, as president of the Smith Group, can't he bring his assistant to a wedding?"
"James, you must get him back here immediately!" Nolan said with a dark expression.
James's face also looked terrible.
Nolan's purpose in forcing Michael back wasn't to take back his shares, but to force him back to work and handle the desert project negotiations.
Who knows what methods Michael used, but he actually got the project partners to specifically request Michael before they'd cooperate with the Smith Group!
Michael must be feeling pretty smug right now, stepping all over him and secretly enjoying it.
He's refusing to come back now just to pressure Nolan.
To let everyone at the Smith family and the Smith Group know that the Smith Group can't do without Michael!
Clenching his fists tightly, James was full of resentment.
Moreover, Michael and Nora were actually together.
He was jealous to the point of madness.
Nora was his. Why should everything that belonged to him be taken by Michael!
Why!
"Dad, what if Michael refuses to come back?" James asked quietly.
"You can't even handle this small matter? What use are you to me! You can't compare to Michael in anything. If you could give me some peace of mind, would I need to worry like this?" Nolan, angered by Michael, could only vent his anger on James.
James gritted his teeth, his face ugly.
Since childhood, what he heard most was his parents' criticism.
Nolan would say, "Look at you, your grades aren't as good as Michael's, you're worse than Michael in every way, you're completely useless."
Luna would say, "James, you must work hard, you must surpass Michael. If you can't surpass him, the three of us will be driven out of the Smith family by him."
Since childhood, no one had ever truly acknowledged him.
He seemed to always live in Michael's shadow.
"Dad, don't worry, I'll make him come back obediently." James said through gritted teeth, his gaze falling on Veda, "Veda, I heard Joseph has been playing with that little bastard born to Nora recently?"
If something happened to Samuel, let's see if Michael and Nora would rush back!