Chapter 23 Whose Perfume

Lily sobbed, "No, I didn't, I didn't promise, you are still my husband!"

George bluntly replied, "Do you take me for a fool? I saw it all."

Lily said, "I... I didn't, I didn't mean to, I'm sorry, darling. Where are you? I want to see you, explain to you in person and apologize to you face-to-face. I'm sorry, you can punish me, beat me, anything, but please, let me see you. Please?"

Hearing Lily pleading so desperately on the phone, George's anger subsided a bit.

But then he suddenly thought of something.

Wait a minute!

When Marc went to the Willow family earlier, and called him Master Harold, could his identity be exposed?

The snobbish people from the Willow family must be longing for his return.

Then they would use him to sign that billion-dollar contract with the Fonda group.

No way in hell! That's just wishful thinking!

Thinking this, he asked, "Did Grandma ask you to apologize?"

Lily immediately replied, "No, it was my own decision. Darling, don't you know me? If you don't answer my calls, I get really worried. Please, tell me now! I'll do anything when we meet."

George sighed and gave her the address.

Then, he made a phone call to Marc.

"Master! Where are you? I've been trying to call you. I couldn’t reach you at all. Are you okay?" Marc asked concernedly. "I'm so foolish not to realize how bad your days must have been at the Willow family."

George said, "It's alright! Here's the thing, the misunderstanding is cleared up now. My wife wants me to come back, but those people from the Willow family know about our relationship. They will definitely pester me for that billion-dollar contract with you. If I call you, do not agree, no matter what."

Marc suggested, "How about I get rid of the Willow Building Materials?"

George shook his head, "That's going too far."

The two discussed the details briefly and hung up.

Twenty minutes later, Lily arrived in her car.

"Honey..."

Lily got out of the car, tears streaming down her face, a mix of panic and remorse. Then, she threw herself into George's arms and pleaded, "Darling, I was wrong, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have doubted you. Beat me!"

"Slap!"

George indeed slapped her, hard, hitting Lily’s left cheek.

"Ah!" Lily cried out in pain, "You...you really hit me?"

George coldly replied, "Why would it be fake? How dare you not believe me? It's bad enough that you didn't believe me, but you actually agreed to Tom's proposal, planning to make me wear a cuckold's hat. How could I not really hit you?"

Lily could only say helplessly, "I'm sorry, my husband, I was wrong. My mind went blank at that moment, and I didn't know what to do. I just felt so desperate because I thought that you had deceived me. So, I decided to agree to his proposal just to spite you! I'm sorry, you can hit me if you want, you can hit me harder. Don't pity me!"

George was taken aback by her words, and all his anger vanished.

He felt the long-lost embrace, warm and tender. He softly said, "Forget it. You're also trapped in this situation. It's that bastard Tom who is shameless enough to manipulate the old man and deceive people."

"Lily, it seems like you've gained weight."

"Do I?"

Lily's face flushed, and she wanted to pull his hand away, but in the end, she held back.

Soon, they returned to the small villa of the Willow family.

To their surprise, a large group of people had gathered there.

Madam Liu, Benjamin Willow, Alexander Willow, Evelyn Willow, and many other members of the Willow family were waiting anxiously in the living room. They had been eagerly anticipating George's return.

They had no choice but to come!

Now that they had offended Fonda Group's Marc, just a few words from Marc could completely destroy the Willows.

But once they ingratiated themselves with Fonda, their future would be boundless.

At this moment, when George appeared, Madam Liu was the first to greet him. Her face was full of smiles, completely different from the disdain and contempt at the banquet.

She held George's hand and said, "George, Grandma was wrong to blame you just now. It's really my fault. If you want to blame someone, blame Tom and Charles Harold for lying and deceiving us. They deserve to die!"

Behind her, Benjamin Willow, Alexander Willow, and others also put on a smiley face.

George calmly pulled his hand back and said, "Since it was just a misunderstanding, let's leave it at that. I'm tired, I'm going to bed first."

Madam Liu hastily said, "No! Just now, Marc tore up the billion-dollar contract that he promised to give to the Willows. What is your relationship with Marc? Can you call him and have this contract signed again?"

Alexander Willow added, "Yes, it seems like Marc values you a lot. You need to explain it to him. Maybe, instead of just a billion-dollar contract, he might even give us a further boost. Let the Willows become a first-class family!"

As soon as those words came out, Madam Liu's face glowed. "Yes, yes, yes, I heard that Marc has several godsons. We still have several unmarried granddaughters in the Willow family. When the time comes, you should mention it. Maybe the Willows and Fonda can become in-laws, hahaha..."

George listened in silence for a moment. These people were truly shameless. He intentionally put on a bitter smile and said, "Actually, Marc and I weren't that close. It's just that Marc owed my father a favor in the past, so I went to him to collect it."

"What?"

"Just a favor?"

Upon hearing this, the Willow family members deflated like a balloon. After the favor was repaid, there wasn't much left! The old lady unwillingly said, "Since it's repaying a favor, but he has taken everything away! George, call him and explain. Blame it all on that scoundrel, Tom. Make him agree to sign a new contract."

George nodded and took out his phone to make the call. He purposely put it on speakerphone.

The call connected. George quickly explained the situation and then asked, "Marc, what do you think? Can we re-sign the contract?"

But Marc responded indifferently, "George, my boy, I've given you face by coming here. I've repaid your father's favor, but the contract is gone. I can only say that the Willow family isn't blessed! With a family who would sell their granddaughter twice, what qualifications do they have to own my billion-dollar contract with Fonda? That's enough. Don't come looking for me anymore. If you bother me again, I'll uproot the Willow family completely."

This was, of course, a prearranged conversation that was planned between Marc and George.

Upon hearing this, the Willow family members felt a chill down their spines, their faces turning pale. They quickly signaled for George to stop speaking. If they continued, the Willow family would truly be finished.

After George ended the call, the Willow family members lamented, pounding their chests and stamping their feet.

"Oh my gosh!"

"The billion-dollar contract with Fonda is gone just like that!"

"The golden opportunity for the Willow family to soar to success is completely lost. It's all Charles Harold and Tom's fault."

Old Lady Willow's face turned even grimmer, and her gaze towards George became hostile. Just a moment ago, she had been amiable, but now she looked at him like an enemy. Trembling, she pointed at George and cursed, "You useless fool! You should have mentioned earlier that it was a favor repaid to your father. If you had said it earlier, the Willow family wouldn't have sided with the wrong party. Now, look at what you've done. Wasting a golden opportunity, it's all your fault."

Evelyn Willow added, "She's right. He was the one who tore up the contract first! A useless fool is just a useless fool. He had such a great opportunity but used it to show off. He's got a problem with his brain."

Lily angrily interjected, "Enough! If it weren't for you all bringing in Tom and Charles Harold, how could this situation have happened? Can you blame my husband? He had good intentions but he ended up being treated like a fool by all of you."

Evelyn Willow sneered, "Aren't you the same? You agreed to Tom's proposal!"

Lily's expression immediately turned unsightly.

Afterward, the Willow family members grumbled and left.

Although the billion dollar contract was lost, at least they knew the Fonda Group wouldn't mess with Willows Building Materials.

Once Grandma and the others had left, Florence pointed at George's nose and scolded, "Are you stupid? Are you saying you're dumb? Marc owes your dad a favor, so why did you send it to the Willow family? Couldn't you have given it to me at a discounted price?"

Whenever she thought about the extravagant gift that Marc had once sent to the Willow family, and now they couldn't get a single penny out of it, she felt a pain in her chest.

George was not angry at all and seemed quite content.

I have the money!

But I won't say it or give it to you!

Lily spoke, "Mom, please stop harping on this matter. George could have brought us great wealth, but we didn't appreciate it ourselves."

Florence pounded her chest and stomped her foot, "Even if he had received the 9.99 million red envelope, I wouldn't scold him. But now? It would have been better to marry Tom. At least he's the vice president of Harolds, while George is just a nobody."

Lily's face darkened, "Mom, if you bring up that beast Tom again, I'll argue with you. He plotted against me, and yet you still speak up for him. Are you even my real mother?"

"Fine, fine, fine!"

Florence finally stopped mentioning that guy, "Let's not talk about him. So, were those Heart of Ocean necklaces real?"

George shook his head, "They're real."

The three Willow sisters immediately jumped up upon hearing this.