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Nelly’s brows furrowed, her eyes narrowing with an intense gaze. The punishment she had dished out earlier clearly wasn’t enough. The room was suddenly filled with the entrance of Chris and Tommy, the latter cursing under his breath about the woman’s annoying presence.
“She may be annoying, but she’s no match for your quick wit,” Chris said, his admiration for Tommy evident in his eyes.
Tommy lazily raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at his lips. “Of course. I knew exactly what she had in mind the moment she looked up.”
Nelly’s interest piqued as she tuned in to their conversation. “What happened?”
Taking a seat, Chris explained with a cat-like grin, “That woman wanted to check the surveillance footage. Just as I was racking my brains for a solution, Tommy shot me a look and deleted the section she was after. We worked together flawlessly, if I do say so myself.”
Nelly turned her attention to Tommy, impressed by his swift actions.
Tommy coolly ruffled his hair. “Oh, no need to praise me. I know I’m a smart one.”
Ross interjected excitedly, “Tommy, I must say, this is the first time I’ve been truly impressed by you. You executed it beautifully!”
Tommy smirked, reveling in the praise. “To be honest, I’m quite impressed with myself too.”
The three of them exchanged an excited high-five, a triumphant energy filling the room.
A smile tugged at Nelly’s lips as she watched them celebrate. “I want to thank all of you for your help earlier. Ross told me she called the cops just now.”
Chris chuckled, his usually composed demeanor now filled with amusement. “Boss, you’re too kind to us. If you hadn’t stopped me earlier, I would’ve gotten into a fight with her.”
Nelly burst out laughing, finding humor in Chris’ unexpected words. He had always been the level-headed one in their group, and his casual comment struck her as amusing.
Ross cleared his throat, turning his gaze to Nelly. “That woman mentioned something about Lucas Corporation being backed by Morris Corporation. Ms. Jackson, she seems determined to bring you down. Perhaps you should talk to Morris Corporation and ask them to stop cooperating with Lucas Corporation. She’s far too arrogant!”
Nelly’s brows furrowed in concern. “I don’t have the power to do that.”
Ross couldn’t contain his excitement, blurting out, “But we know your true identity-”
She interrupted him, a mischievous glimmer in her eyes. “Actually, your previous guess was incorrect,” she said.
The three men were taken aback.
We were wrong?
“I have no relation to anyone in Morris Corporation. Alpha Morris may be a close friend of my grandfather, but that doesn’t make me his illegitimate daughter. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be working here with all of you,” she explained, briefly clarifying the misconception.
Ross was dumbfounded, trying to process the new information. After a moment, he stammered, “B-But you’re still closer to Morris Corporation than Lucas Corporation, right?”
Nelly looked suspiciously at him, her frown deepening. “Why do you feel the need to compare?”
Tommy couldn’t help but laugh, breaking the tension. “When the guards dragged that woman away, Ross confidently said something interesting…” He proceeded to mimic Ross’ words, along with his actions and expressions, causing an eruption of laughter.
Chris, too, chuckled at the sight. Who would have thought Ross could be so boastful?
Amidst the laughter, Ross glanced over at Nelly, his tone filled with confusion. “Ms. Jackson… You were teasing me earlier, weren’t you?”
Not wanting to kill the upbeat atmosphere, Nelly gave him a sympathetic smile. “Don’t worry, Ross. I won’t forget what you did for me today…”
Ross was on the verge of losing his mind. “Please don’t scare me like that, Ms. Jackson…”
Nelly’s smile turned more radiant, her gratitude evident.
“I don’t care. If I lose my job and get banned from the industry, you’ll have to provide for me, Ms. Jackson,” Ross pleaded pitifully.
She nodded, her eyes filled with warmth. “Don’t worry. As long as I have my job, I’ll never let you go hungry.”
“Remember what you said, okay?”
“Mm. I promise.”
Tommy interjected, wanting to bring an end to Ross’ shameless pleas. “Alright, that’s enough. If you keep going, I might start thinking you’re an even bigger fool than me.”
Ross shot him a glare. “You’re just jealous.”
“Oh, absolutely. I’m envious of your shameless nature,” Tommy retorted.
Ross was rendered speechless.
Nelly couldn’t help but feel a surge of gratitude as she glanced at her companions. They weren’t her family, but they stood up for her without hesitation. They trusted her unconditionally and lent their support.
In that moment, an indescribable feeling washed over her.
Chris noticed Nelly’s silence and reassured her, “Don’t worry, Boss. Nobody believes a word that woman said. Everyone in the company has faith in you.”
Nelly smiled, her confidence shining through. “Don’t worry. I’m not afraid. I know I haven’t done anything wrong.”
She truly wasn’t bothered by the woman’s accusations, and it showed.
Amidst the laughter and reassurances, Tommy couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer. “By the way, Boss, how did you know so much about that woman? Did you know she would come looking for you?”
Nelly narrowed her eyes, a faint grimness flickering in her gaze. When Infinitium clashed with Donna, she had taken the liberty to dig into Erin’s background. She had planned to teach her a lesson, but fate had intervened with Erin showing up at her doorstep.
A somber realization crossed her mind. I underestimated her.
“I didn’t know. I simply had someone look into her. I never expected the information to be useful,” she replied casually.
Tommy chimed in, amazed. “Well, you certainly handled the situation flawlessly. How could a mistress like her have the audacity to scold anyone? What was she thinking?”
Nelly lifted her head, her gaze sweeping over her companions. “She was right about one thing, though.”
“What’s that?” Tommy asked.
Chris and Ross also looked at her expectantly.
“It’s true that I have three children. The three kids you’ve seen before,” she admitted.
The trio froze, their minds unable to process the revelation.
“How is that possible…”
“Stop joking, Ms. Jackson…”
“Aren’t they your siblings, Boss?”
The three men stood in disbelief.
Just then, Nelly’s phone rang, startling her. Seeing the caller ID as Donna, she closed her eyes momentarily before answering and activating speaker mode.
“Nelly, when are you coming back? Tony said he’s coming to the office to find you if you don’t return soon,” Donna’s sweet voice echoed through the speakers.
“I’ll be home soon.”
“Can you bring me a cake on your way back?” Donna giggled.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
Nelly smirked. “Well, say something sweet for me to hear.”
“Mama is the best! I love Mama the most! Mama is the prettiest, the most amazing, and the one who loves me the most!” Donna’s words spilled out, brimming with adoration.
Nelly’s satisfaction was evident as she responded with a sense of pride. “Alright. I’ll buy a cake on my way back.”
With that, she ended the call.
The trio looked at each other, their jaws practically hitting the floor.
Is this for real?