lan stood up, his expression impassive. "It's fine."

Gavin knew very well that his boss had drafted this new contract precisely to avoid a conflict with Walden Wells and mitigate that risk. After all, Walden Wells was a major figure in the tech world. While Goodwin & Co. was on solid ground, they didn't want to make unnecessary enemies.

It was even more unlikely that they would let two corporations clash over Vanessa.

As lan reached the door of the conference room, he turned his head and ordered, "Have someone look into Walden Wells' tax situation."

Gavin understood immediately. His boss never fought a battle he wasn't prepared to win. More often than not, he preferred to strike first. If Walden Wells was determined to champion Vanessa's cause, a confrontation with Goodwin & Co. was inevitable.

Meanwhile, Vanessa was in her car, silent. Laverne, beside her, didn't dare to ask anything, simply watching as Vanessa picked at her fingers and clenched her jaw, clearly furious again.

On the way over, she had advised Vanessa against meeting lan. After witnessing his methods, Laverne had grown to fear the man. Businessmen were always driven by profit; how could Vanessa possibly win against him?

"Vanessa, don't go see lan anymore. You don't want him to plot against you again," Laverne advised softly.

Vanessa's eyes filled with resentment. She had figured it out. The only reason lan would draft a new contract was because he was afraid of Walden Wells. He didn't want to confront him over her.

Ha! lan, you can feel fear too? Then just wait for the Wells family's lawyers. I, Vanessa, will make you pay.

"You think I'm afraid of him? I'm not," Vanessa said, turning to Laverne. "Look at my face. Do I look like someone who bows to fate?"

Laverne was speechless. Following Vanessa felt like being on a rollercoaster, a constant state of anxiety. Fortunately, the pay was good. Otherwise, living life on a tightrope with her would require real courage.

She'd provoked lan on one side and Walden Wells on the other. Who knew what kind of trouble she would stir up next?

Vanessa bit her lip, her mind replaying the conditions she had proposed. She gave it some serious thought; if lan actually agreed, she might be willing to change her mind.

If she had a child with lan, given how he doted on his daughter, her child would surely receive the same level of attention.

Vanessa closed her eyes. "Let's go back."

But she would still fight for the rights to that gift. If lan refused, she would sue for her legal rights.

Vanessa couldn't help but remember a time when lan had practically begged her. He wasn't nearly as tough back then as he was today.

If she felt cold, he had to give her his suit jacket. Otherwise, if she caught a cold, she'd immediately take medicine or get an injection, which would affect her ability to donate blood for his mother. She played all her little games on him, always, orchestrating some minor incident two weeks before a scheduled donation.

She savored lan's boyfriend-like care. She remembered one time during the peak of a global pandemic, a spherical virus that had killed tens of thous ads that year. the airport, everyone was wearing masks, but she was being willful and refused.

lan had reminded her in a low voice more than once, but she stayed stubborn. Standing there in the airport crowd, she looked up at him with a pout and insisted, "I want you to put it on for me."

That time, disregarding the bustling

crowd, lan had personally put the

mask on for her. In moments like

those

Vanessa felt like the happiest person in the world if it weren't for Eleanor, if lan hadn't been married with a child, how could she not have been his woman?