Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 220

I didn't plan on inviting Neil for meal, but since he already started munching, my words just choked back.

Indeed, he's been a big help today; he even went the extra mile and ordered a feast. He's been quite thoughtful.

I focused on my food, doing my best to ignore Neil. He's always quiet when eating, giving our meal a serene ambiance.

Just as we were halfway through, Neil's phone started buzzing non-stop, probably someone bombarding him with messages.

He glanced at his phone, an annoyed expression on his face. I bet it was either Bonnie or Scarlett blowing up his phone.

"Neil, go handle your business." I took the chance to say.

"No. Let's continue eating." Neil peeled a shrimp and put it on my plate, replying nonchalantly.

I looked at the shrimp on my plate, feeling a bit mixed up. We weren't at that lovey-dovey stage yet.

So, I put the shrimp back on Neil's plate. He gave me a meaningful look and asked, "Are you disgusted by me?"

I shook my head, "No. I just don't feel like eating shrimp."

He got the message, didn't say anything else, and just ate the shrimp himself.

By the time we were almost done, Neil's phone started ringing again. This time was a call. I sneakily glanced, and the caller ID read "Annoying Fool".

Annoying Fool? That nickname felt a bit ambiguous. But it definitely wasn't referring to Bonnie.

Neil glanced at his phone and hung up. I quietly continued eating.

"I'll clean up." Seeing Neil about to clear up the table, I stood up and said. I was feeling a lot better, like my fever had subsided.

"I got this." Neil ignored me, dumped the leftovers in the bin, and carefully took out the trash.

He didn't look as agitated as last night. He was calm throughout, but I couldn't relax one bit.

When Neil left, I cleaned myself up before heading to the office.

As my car passed Neil's house, I turned to glance at his yard. He was on the phone. My intuition told me it was probably that "Annoying Fool".

Neil saw my car too. We exchanged glances through the car window.

Halfway to the office, my phone rang. It was Russel.

My heart sank. That woman's voice today crushed the feelings I was beginning to have for him last night.

Was this jealousy? I wasn't even sure.

Thinking about this, I didn't answer the call, nor did I plan on calling him back. I just drove straight to the office parking lot.

"Mr. Finch, hurry up! Something's happened!" The moment I stepped into the office, my assistant, who'd been waiting for a while, rushed over to speak.

When I arrived at my office, I found several shareholders waiting for me. Their goal was simple. They thought I couldn't handle the responsibility of managing the company, so they wanted me to transfer some of my mom's shares to them and share the risk.

That was obviously not going to happen. I argued with them for a while, feeling completely worn out.

By the time everyone else left at the end of the day, I stayed in the office for a while.

"Ding dong." The landline rang. It was an internal call from reception.

"I do." I answered without hesitation.

"I'll call her now. Let her explain it to you personally. Or I can get someone to pull up the surveillance video footage from the office!" Russel took out his phone, ready to make a call.

I quickly stopped him, "No need. I really do believe you. I'm just a bit tired from work."

Russel put down his phone and asked, "What happened? What's wrong?"

I hesitated for a moment, then told him everything that happened in the afternoon.

Realizing how bad things were in my family's company, Russel frowned, "They're intentionally forcing your mom to give up her shares, so they can weaken her position."

“Of course, I know that. What I'm struggling with now is how to solve this problem.”

The shareholders said if I wanted to prove my ability, my next task was to compete with StarGlow Enterprises for the same counter supplier. If I could secure the deal, they will withdraw their request.

"Go show them what you've got. Whatever obstacles you face, I'm here to back you up." Russel gripped my hand tightly and said earnestly, "Your mom's bound to step back from the company affairs sooner or later, so it's going to be your show eventually. Are you up for the challenge now?"

Russel's supportive words pumped me up. I wanted not only to prove my worth but also to put StarGlow Enterprises in their place as a response to their provocation.

I nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I'll give it a shot."

Making the decision lightened my mood a lot.

Seeing me chill out, Russel once again invited me out for dinner.

This time, I didn't turn him down, "Let's roll."