Chapter 29: Chapter 30

Elliot proudly waved the phone in his hand. “This Mr. Black is Rodney Barron’s future father-in-law. I was worried that I wouldn’t have a chance to settle Channing, but unexpectedly, I got here just in time. I’ve recorded what he said to you just now, and now I’ll just have to wait for him to compromise.”

“Elliot Thomson, why are you so despicable?” Amber was so annoyed that she wanted to slap him in the face. Who said that Elliot was merely a playboy? He was better than anyone in availing oneself of every opportunity.

“You’re defending him?” Elliot was a little angry. “He can be your father at his age and has a family already. What’s so good about such a person?”

“The relationship between us is not what you think.”

“Then what kind of relationship is that?” Elliot asked.

“It’s hard to explain. I’ll tell you next time.”

“No! If you want to say it, then say it now, or I’ll report it tomorrow,” stated Elliot explicitly. Looking at how Amber defended Channing, anger was building up in his heart. “There’s no way I would tolerate anyone who tries to take my woman. If Mr. Black dares to covet my woman, I’ll end his life!”

“Taking your woman? Elliot Thomson, what nonsense are you spouting?”

“Amber Stone, no matter what you think, I have to make it clear to you. Now, you are the woman I fancy. No one should covet the woman I like, not even the king!”

Elliot was totally not a normal person, it was impossible to speak with him with a normal person’s line of reasoning. Amber was so angry that she stamped her feet. “He... he’s my father.”

“What did you say?” Elliot thought that something was wrong with his ears. “Your surname is Stone, and his surname is Black?”

“My mom’s surname is Stone!”

“How is this possible?” Elliot stared at Amber in surprise. After a while, he said “You... you’re an illegitimate child?”

“You are the illegitimate child!” Amber cut him off.

“If you’re not an illegitimate child, why didn’t anyone know about your relationship with Mr. Black?” Elliot asked.

“This is none of your business, just stop asking.” Amber had no patience to explain this issue to him.

Elliot suddenly thought of something. “Amber Stone, no wonder you knew so much inside story about the bidding. Was it Channing who told you?”

“Yes.” Amber nodded. “Elliot Thomson, I’ve already helped you win the urban construction project. As for the relationship between Channing and me, you have to help me and keep it a secret. You better not let a third party know about it.”

“No way!” Elliot answered firmly with a smirk on his face.

“Why not?”

“If you want me to keep it a secret, you have to promise me one condition.” Elliot demanded.

Amber had a headache. This playboy didn’t go along with her at all. Now she was in trouble, she was trapped by him. Amber hated herself so much. “What condition? Elliot Thompson, I’m warning you, don’t push your luck!”

“Amber, it’s very simple if you want to keep it a secret. You have to promise to be my girlfriend, then I won’t say anything.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“No, I’m perfectly normal,” Elliot said with a grin, “I’m a blabbermouth, I can’t guarantee when the news might just leak out at any time. But if you are my girlfriend, it’s different. I’m a very protective person. I won’t wash my dirty linen in public.”

“You want me to be your girlfriend because Channing is the Chief Secretary?”

“Of course not,” Elliot denied it, “You are my type and you know, I have never been resistant to beautiful women.”

His honesty made Amber’s head ache even more. This playboy’s persistence towards beautiful women was out of the ordinary.

But if he knew that she was a divorced woman with a child, he would definitely retreat. So she said, “Elliot Thomson, I am a divorced woman. Don’t you mind that I was divorced?”

“You were divorced?” Elliot was really surprised now. He looked at Amber from head to toe and asked in disbelief, “Why were you divorced?”

“This question is not within the area of discussion. I only want to tell you that I’m a divorced woman. Can you accept it or not?”

“No,” Elliot answered in a disappointed tone.

Amber heaved a sigh of relief, this was the outcome she expected. With Elliot’s pride and the Thomson family’s background, how would he want a divorced woman?

However, she didn’t expect Elliot to ask another question immediately, “Amber, don’t tell me that you made it up because you want to turn me down? I don’t believe that you’re a divorced woman unless you can prove that you were married.”

“I’m not just a divorced woman. I also have a child. Do you remember Mel, the little boy who was with Pierce? He is my son.”

Elliot’s eyes widened. Of course, he had seen Mel before. At that time, he wondered why there was this child with Pierce. He asked Pierce, but Pierce just said that he was his friend’s child. He didn’t expect that the friend was Amber.

“Amber, I want to know why did you get a divorce?”

“He had an affair!” Amber replied.

“That man must be blind!” Elliot sighed. “How could he actually have an affair when she’s such a good woman? That b*stard really took things for granted!” thought Elliot.

“It’s all in the past now. Elliot Thomson, I’m asking you to keep it a secret for me. Not just about Channing, but also about my divorce and my son. You must not tell anyone about it.”

Elliot responded faintly. Today was a day of great victory for him, but why couldn’t he feel happy?

To compare it with the urban construction project, he would rather have Amber!

What kind of man was actually willing to divorce her? Before leaving, Elliot took a glance at Amber again. Under the dim street lamp, her figure looked so frail. Not knowing why, he had an impulse to hold her in his arms.

Shannon and Celia had waited until nine o’clock in the evening, only then did Channing reached home. As usual, Shannon immediately prepared him a pair of home slippers and tea.

However, Celia was not as cultivated as her mother. “Dad, what happened to the urban construction project?”

“What about what happened?” Channing was about to drink some tea, but he placed the cup down when he heard Celia.

“Celia was just worried. You know, Rodney had been preparing for this urban construction project for a long time. Rachel has been calling Celia to ask about the reason, but Celia doesn’t know how to answer her.” Shannon answered.

Channing sneered. “Why would Rachel Grant ask you for the reason? The bidding is a matter of the city council. How could a civilian like you know the reason?” Hearing the name “Rachel Grant”, he was inexplicably upset and didn’t speak politely at all.

After listening to his response, Celia didn’t have anything to say anymore. Shannon quickly explained, “She must have thought that you would know more about it in your position...”

...

“The bidding process is fair and just. If she has any questions about it, she can ask the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, or the city council and someone will give her an answer. What’s the point of asking you?”

Channing was not a fool. He was very clear about Rachel’s plan. She accepted Celia not because she liked her, but because of him. Everyone knew that Mr. Black’s daughter was Rodney’s girlfriend. But three years had passed, and Rodney never mentioned anything about his own relationship with Celia at all. If Channing had not spoken with Rachel in person this time, who knew how long the engagement would have been dragged on for.

At the thought of this, Channing became angry. If it weren’t for the fact that Celia had once been pregnant with Rodney’s child and that she was infatuated with Rodney, he wouldn’t have agreed to this marriage no matter what.

The Barron family had already ruined one of his daughters. Was he going to put his other daughter in the same situation as well?

Most importantly, one should know how to be satisfied. Rodney had already gotten most of the project in South City. Would he be satisfied only after controlling the entire South City? Was he trying to leave others with no opportunity?

“Channing, don’t get angry! It’s my fault, I didn’t speak properly.” Seeing that Channing was angry, Shannon quickly smiled and reached out to massaged his shoulders. “Did something unhappy happen today?”

“No!” Channing calmed his tone down and looked towards Celia. “Rachel Grant is not any good. Back then, she was so vicious to Amber. She may not be sincere to you too. As for Rodney, he is not a good man either. If they are dissatisfied with you because of the urban construction project, I don’t think there is a need for this marriage. There are plenty of fish in the sea. You don’t have to be stuck with him.”

“Rodney didn’t say anything. It was Celia who was worried and wanted to ask you about the situation.”

“Do you think I’m a fool or a blind man?” Channing said with a sneer, “I know that people can’t control their feelings. I just want to remind Celia that if Rodney Barron had agreed to get engaged to you because of the urban construction project, then have you ever thought about a problem? Would he get engaged to you if I was not who I am? I can’t hold an important position all my life.

If one day I lose my position, can you guarantee that your marriage won’t be the same as Amber’s?”

Celia lowered her head and just kept silent. Shannon continued to smooth things over and said, “Don’t worry, Rodney is very kind to Celia. Back then, it was because Amber was barren. Isn’t Celia capable of bearing a child? As long as she has a child....”

Channing let out a sigh and took a glance at Celia. What happened to the marriage between Amber and Rodney was indeed because of child bearing. If Amber could give birth to a child, things definitely would not have turned out this way. Then he took a glance at Shannon. He treated Shannon the same way as well. If it weren’t for Celia, he wouldn’t have married Shannon at all, then he naturally wouldn’t have let Amber suffer.

“Hopefully Rodney will be the same as me!” thought Channing.

After being reproved by Channing, Celia sat alone in the room and cried silently. Shannon pushed the door open and sent her some supper. Celia felt very wronged and said, “Mum! Why is dad so bias? He only cares about Amber. Why can’t he consider it for me? How should I face Rodney and Ms. Grant in this way?”

“You’re such a loser!” Shannon glared at her. “You can’t even bear this slight mistreatment? It seems that you have never paid attention to what I have been teaching you.”

“I’m just sad. How could dad be like this?”

“Celia, those who achieve great things are not petty. If you can’t even stand this slight mistreatment, I really don’t think it’s necessary to marry into the Barron family,” Shannon emphasised.

“Mum, even you are telling me that?”

“Is the Barron family an ordinary family? Is Rachel Grant an ordinary person? Look at her ruthlessness when she tortured Amber Stone. Compared to your father’s words, which one is more dreadful?”

“I...” Celia was speechless for a while. Compared with Rachel Grant, Channing was just a drop in the bucket.

“Celia, I’ve made up my mind about it. Just use your father’s words and get out of it. We’ll just say that the Thomson family is a foreign investor. The city council had let them be in charge of the urban construction project this time in order to gain more foreign funds.”

“Will they believe it?”

“They have to believe it even if they don’t. Let me tell you, you are now the daughter of the Chief Secretary. Rachel Grant wouldn’t dare to do anything to you, do you understand?”

Celia nodded. She knew in her heart that Rachel liked her not because she was beautiful and gentle, but because of Channing.

However, Amber was still a problem after all. “Mum, I’m worried about Amber now. It’s obvious that Amber was behind all this....”

“Indeed, other than her, who else could it be? I really underestimated this little b*tch!” Shannon was also full of hatred.

“I’m not the most worried about the urban construction project. What I worry the most right now is that she might reconcile with dad. Rodney will definitely cancel the engagement after knowing her identity.”

“Let’s take it one step at a time. I’ll meet up with Rachel tomorrow and settle the issue of the urban construction project first.”

Shannon was also having a headache. “I’m just afraid that it’s not easy to deceive Rachel Grant, but we’ll have to give it a try!”

Shannon had really guessed it right. Rachel didn’t believe Shannon’s so-called explanation, but she didn’t dare to say anything unpleasant. Considering Channing, she had to be careful about what she does.

There was no turning back on the matter of the urban construction project. In hopes that Channing would give her a good opportunity in the future, she didn’t embarrass Shannon at all.

After leaving Shannon, Rachel asked her son to have a meal with her. Unexpectedly, she saw Amber in the restaurant, having a meal at a seat very near to her.