Chapter 1369
Chapter 1369:
At that, Jeffery turned his head, then abruptly seized Vickie’s chin, the glowing cigarette dangerously close to her face.
The closeness of the heat made Vickie panic, and she tried to twist away.
“Jeffery… what are you doing p>
“Vickie, it’s not your place to question my affairs. Remember your standing.” Jeffery’s voice stayed cold. “Instead of wasting time talking, focus on evaluating more stones. And don’t forget—you’re still in debt to Annabel p>
Seeing the fear in her eyes, Jeffery released her and let out a short, indifferent laugh.
As long as Rupert was in the picture, the Benton Group remained a difficult problem to crack.
What he hadn’t expected, however, was Annabel.
Off to the side, Vickie’s gaze hardened with ruthless determination.
Meanwhile, Annabel and Rupert were on their way out.
In the car, Annabel leaned against Rupert’s chest, tilting her face up toward his. “So you’re going to close that deal today p>
Rupert stroked her hair tenderly and replied in a low voice, “Jeffery isn’t stable enough to risk a fallout with me. He may have taken control of his family, but his foundation is still shaky p>
Rupert had made arrangements before bringing Annabel here. He had no intention of ending up on the losing side.
“Then why did you bring me here today?” Annabel asked, her eyes filling with sudden curiosity.
“You said earlier you wanted to gamble on raw jadeite,” Rupert answered softly. “So I brought you here p>
Annabel paused, trying to remember when she’d said that.
Then it clicked. She tapped her forehead lightly and looped her arms around Rupert’s neck. “I said it offhand. You actually remembered p>
She’d only made the comment after some playful teasing. She hadn’t expected Rupert to take it seriously.
“As long as it involves you, I remember everything,” Rupert said, then pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
Suddenly, as though a thought struck him, he asked, “But how did you know there was jade in the discarded scraps from today’s wager?” Annabel’s gamble had indeed earned him a lucrative return.
“Well, I might have… cheated a little,” Annabel confessed, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Seeing Rupert’s bewildered expression, she quickly clarified. “I didn’t employ any detection devices; I just consulted someone more knowledgeable p>
She explained that she had initially picked the piece of stone that Vickie later claimed, but it ended up being snatched from her. Additionally, there was a favor she had been asked to perform.
Rupert’s brow furrowed slightly. Just as Annabel was about to elaborate, he asked bluntly, “Was it Howell Kelly p>
Surprised, Annabel sat up, her gaze meeting his. “How did you know I reached out to Howell? Do you know him too p>
Annabel couldn’t help wondering whether Rupert’s decision to gamble on raw jadeite had something to do with Howell.