Chapter 1288
When There Is Nothing Left But Love
Oneâs eyes and tone would never lie. During my video call with Ashton, the exhaustion he felt from
dealing with Thora and the enthusiasm in his voice when he spoke with me was enough for me to
ascertain his stance. If I was unable to trust him at this stage, I really didnât deserve his love at all.
âJohn, you and Ashton are actually the same, thinking that getting on someoneâs nerves will always
work. Do you think women are that easily cheated?â Suddenly, Emma interrupted with a strange tone in
her voice.
Having heard her comment, Johnâs expression changed at once. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he
quickly walked away into the crowd.
âWhat happened?â Given how rare it was for John to be cowed, I found it both strange and hilarious.
âI donât know what got into him. The last time he came over to my company to discuss your law firmâs
logo, he brought a girl with him. He should have at least chosen one with a clean reputation. Instead,
the girl he brought had appeared in the tabloids before with countless other men. It was obvious that he
was lowering his own self-worth just by doing that.â Emma glared angrily at Johnâs silhouette.
As I followed where her gaze leads, I couldnât help but smile. John oh John, you may be adept at
dealing with someone elseâs problems. But when it comes to your own, youâre not mindful at all.
âSo, what did you do after that?â I asked curiously.
âI went downstairs and bought him ten packs of condoms. Then, I told him to use a couple more every
single time and to visit the hospital whenever he was free. He shouldnât put his life at risk just for the
sake of having a sex life. I finally realize that itâs not my fault that he doesnât like me. Instead, he has
really strange tastes!â
âPfftâ¦â
I couldnât help but burst into laughter and applaud Emma in my heart. âEmma, I gotta say, your reaction
was really harsh.â Furrowing her eyebrows, Emma was both upset and curious as to why I was
laughing at her.
Nevertheless, I still couldnât contain my laughter. Even if Emma didnât say it out loud, I could still
imagine the stunned look on Johnâs face. This time, he had finally met his match. He assumed that he
could do the same to Emma as he did to Hannah. But contrary to his expectations, his plan backfired
horribly.
âMs. Stovall.â
Suddenly, a cordial voice rang out in my ear, causing the smile on my face to freeze. It wasnât until it
faded away that I finally turned around.
Just as expected, Thora had finally come to meet me.
The moment we exchanged glances, we maintained a cordial smile at each other as if we were old
friends. There was no way one could tell that we were in fact love rivals who had fallen for the same
man.
As the host, Thora brought with her everyoneâs attention the moment she arrived.
âMs. Ziegler, congratulations.â I raised my champagne glass at her.
âThank you.â Thora smiled slightly without a hint of animosity. âI heard you have started your own law
firm. Coincidentally, my company is involved in some complex legal situations. So, I was wondering if
youâre willing to help?â
It appeared that there was no escape for me. Despite successfully avoiding the reportersâ questions, I
couldnât hide from the nosy gazes of high society.
If I accepted her offer, it would mean that I was less successful than her. That after leaving Ashton, I
had to rely on his new partner for business. However, if I declined, it would indicate that I was being
petty. Trapped between a rock and a hard place, it was evident that Thora wasnât someone to be trifled
with.
Just as John had said before, one needed to know where to strike. Since she had come to challenge
me, there was no need for me to show any mercy.
After giving it some thought, I pursed my lips and replied with a smile, âMs. Ziegler, you flatter me
indeed. Letâs not go as far as to talk about whether I can help. After all, I have never been capable of
much. From the time my grandma took care of me to the time my husband protected me, I hardly knew
anything about running a business. Even now, I have to rely on the support the Stovall family provides.
But since you have requested this of me, I will certainly try my best.â
Pausing a moment, I scanned around to find Brooklyn. âMr. Newman.â
Acknowledging me from within the crowd, Brooklyn approached and stood behind me. âMs. Stovall, I
am at your service.â
âMs. Ziegler is having a little trouble. Can you take a look or simply appoint someone in the company to
help her? We canât very well let her be bogged down by trivial matters now, can we?â
I raised my voice on purpose to emphasize the word âsimplyâ so that everyone else could hear it
clearly.