Chapter 1834
"Carrie, what kind of joke is this?!"
Justin, usually calm and steady, lost his cool. He gripped Carrie's shoulders tightly. "Marriage is not a joke. It's about your lifelong happiness! Do you know what kind of person Jason is? Didn't you see him acting intimately with Zoe last time? Aren't you afraid this is another scheme by Zoe?!"
Carrie let him shake her, her tears streaming down her face.
"Do you really not love Ryan anymore? Look at me and tell me... Do you really not love him anymore?" Justin furrowed his brows, questioning persistently.
"Justin, I've grown up. I'm not the child who locks herself in the room every day, hiding from people, only having dolls and drawing paper as accompaniment."Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.
Carrie's voice was gentle, but her attitude was determined. "I know what I'm doing, and I know what I want..."
Justin's voice trembled. "Marrying Jason is what you want?"
"Since I can't be with Ryan, it doesn't matter who I marry."
"Who said that you couldn't be with him? Ryan loves you deeply. He could give up everything for you! As long as you stay by his side..."
"Justin, I'm tired."
Carrie lowered her eyes wearily and shook her head. "If Ryan lost his family because of me and even abandoned his position as the heir of Hoffman Group, I will feel guilty all my life. Even if I'm with him, I won't be happy.
"If I marry into the Hoffman family, I might not have a peaceful day. I'm scared... I'm more afraid of troubling Ryan and causing Yasmin to get hurt. Breaking up is the best for both of us." Justin loosened his hand gradually, the bitterness burning his throat, rendering him speechless.
That day, after Yasmin returned the hairpin to Ryan, he fell seriously ill, overwhelmed by grief and anxiety. He even vomited blood on the spot.
After checking up at the hospital, he was diagnosed with severe gastric disease due to his irregular schedule and frequent social drinking.
In the past, it was merely stomach pain, which happened when he was the busiest, so Ryan always endured it with pills.
But now, his condition has worsened, so he had to be hospitalized.
Nobody knew about this except Yasmin and Dean.
Ryan had officially assumed the position of Hoffman Group's CEO, but he failed to appear on time for the first executive meeting.
In the conference room, Logan sat at the head of the table, looking at the empty seat beside him with displeasure.
"Our new CEO is not showing up for the first meeting? How arrogant..."
"What do you expect? The Prince of Savrow isn't just a nickname. Now that he has successfully seized power, he might not take the Chairman seriously anymore."
"It's too early to celebrate. Liam merely lost the battle. He's not dead. If Ryan kept this act up, it might piss Chairman Logan off, and the CEO's position might become Liam's again." Listening to the criticisms directed at Ryan, Liam's lips could not help curling into a grin.
Under the table, he texted Zoe.
[Liam: My dear niece, I really have to thank you properly for this.]
[Zoe: Uncle Liam, you're too kind.]
[Liam: It's a pity we couldn't drag that brat down from the CEO's position. The old geezer still prefers him. What a pity...]
[Zoe: Uncle Liam, you can't be too
hasty. You lost to Ryan because you were always impatient and eager. I heard that, it's over between Ryan and Carrie. Ryan was hospitalized, though I don't know exactly what's wrong. The Salvador family has announced that they will never let Carrie marry into our family.]
[Zoe: Not only that, the Solloways have brought their son to meet Gregory to propose a marriage alliance, and the two families got along well. Once Carrie's and Jason Solloway's marriage is decided, Ryan will be devastated by the blow, unable to handle anything else. At that time, you will get the chance to strike back.]
Liam's eyes lit up. He was about to reply, but a sudden, loud bang made his heart tremble in fright.
It was not just him. Everyone in the conference room jumped.
Ryan's broad shoulders were draped in a black mink-lined coat. His hands were in the pockets of his dark-patterned suit, and his arrogant and noble demeanor left everyone breathless. He kicked the door open with an indifferent but wild expression, his imposing and dominant presence making Liam seem like a worthless insect he could crush with a finger. "Sorry, I overslept." Ryan yawned.
Besides his slightly pale face, Ryan seemed spirited and energetic. Liam could not help but feel disappointed. He sneered, "Ha... Our new CEO certainly likes to be fashionably late." Logan's lips pursed. Although the Hoffman Group did not enforce strict rules, Ryan was too improper!
"Let's adjourn the meeting first. Grandpa, Liam, stay. The others can leave."
Ryan glanced at everyone coldly, his resentful gaze shooting straight at Liam's flushed face, full of anger.
"Ryan, you're being too disrespectful. How can you call your uncle's name like that?" Logan glared, slamming the table.
Ryan smiled mockingly. "Then what should I call him? Bastard?"
Liam nearly choked from anger.
"Ryan Hoffman!" Logan slammed the table again.
"If you don't dismiss the others, can you take what I'm about to do next?"
Ryan's arms were tense as he leaned on the table. "If you insist on protecting that bastard's reputation, I'll make sure everyone here will know of his embarrassing deeds." The spacious meeting room was filled with silence.
Everyone wanted to gossip, but none of them dared to stay.
Logan finally could not withstand the pressure from his grandson, and he knew Ryan's temper too well. That man could light the Hoffman Group on fire in a fit of rage. So, he could only dismiss the high-ranking executives.
Soon, only the three Hoffmans were left in the conference room.
"Ryan, what are you trying to do by making a scene?" Logan huffed.
Ryan pulled out a chair and sat down casually, tapping the table with his fingertips. His eyes hid a malicious glint.
"I want Liam to get out of the Hoffman Group."