Chapter 13
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Chapter 13
The hotel, where the summit meeting was held, bustled with life.
Axel hid himself in the washroom and splashed some cold water on his face. After that farce with the blind date previously, Paul became even more supportive of his half-brother, Asher. Not only that, he even gave his permission for that illegitimate son of his to attend today’s meeting.
This was an extremely bad sign. It meant that Axel’s and Margaret’s positions in the Jaeger family were being threatened.
This time, he checked all his speeches personally and practiced them repeatedly, determined to re-establish his image as well as the corporation’s.
His main goal was for Schmidt Group, which withdrew its investment in Jaeger Group out of the blue, to change its mind. Therefore, the summit meeting today was key for him to turn his failure into victory.
The mirror reflected the determination in his eyes. He buttoned up his collar, then strode out of the washroom to head toward the summit’s venue within the hotel.
But when he turned a corner, he halted in his tracks.
Initially, he hadn’t recognized Cora. But a foreigner who was having a conversation with someone else at close distance suddenly uttered “Ms. Cora” with much clarity, prompting him to look back.
Cora’s appearance today was completely different from how she used to dress up over the last ten or more years. The custom-tailored, retro-styled evening gown fit her just right. She had her hair up, revealing her elegantly slender neck.
After that moment of bewilderment, Axel came to a sudden realization -the loss of contact was just Cora’s game of playing hard to get.
He walked over, his steps firm and steady. He nodded slightly as he said, “Sorry to interrupt.”
Right after that, he put his hand gently over Cora’s wrist, leading her to a less crowded area without even giving her a chance to refuse.
He lowered his voice and reprimanded, “Cora, I’m not going to ask why you returned to Chremford on your own accord for now. Whatever it is, you shouldn’t be here.”
He hadn’t noticed the higher-ups from Schmidt Group scrutinizing him with confused looks on their faces from behind Cora.
She shoved his hand away, her gaze frosty. “Mr. Jaeger, you and I don’t have anything to do
Chapter 13
with each other, do we? You have no right to control where I go.”
As expected, she had found out about everything, including his true identity and the fake marriage certificate. Zachary must have ratted him out.
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In a fit of annoyance, Axel said with a serious look on his face, “I know that you’re upset, but since you’re now aware of my identity, you should understand that marrying into the Jaeger family isn’t an easy feat.
“This event today is of utter importance to both Jaeger Group and me.
He felt like his hint should already be pretty obvious. Even if Cora gave her all in scheming to be his wife, her value as his wife would plummet if he failed to meet his objective today.
Cora crossed her arms in front of her chest and raised a brow. “Oh? So?”
Shock flashed across Axel’s face before a look of revelation came across his face. As it turned
out, she was just pretending to be understanding in the past.
Thereafter, he curled his lips mockingly. “I shall be straightforward, then. Don’t you dream of revealing who you are here.
“Even though you’ve given birth to our child, Nolan doesn’t acknowledge you anymore. In fact, I’d be able to get him another mother with an even higher status at any time, as long as I
wish to do so.”
A sweet voice of a child came from a short distance away. “Is that true, Daddy?”
Nolan walked toward them while holding Louise by her hand. In a loud voice, he piped, “In that case, I want Lulu to be my mommy!”
That drew curious gazes from the people around them.
“I’m sorry, Axel. I didn’t do a good job of looking after Nolan. He insisted on coming to see you
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Louise still appeared fragile, as if she were going to burst out in tears at any moment. Nevertheless, it was obvious to Axel that she was becoming more rebellious ever since that blind date the other day.
Today was one such example. He reminded her, over and over, not to allow Nolan to show up at this event. Yet, she showed up here with Nolan in tow. Was it unintentional?
The more Axel thought about it, the darker the expression on his face. The reason for this was that Schmidt Group wasn’t his only objective for today.
If possible, the best scenario was if he could win the favor of scionesses outside their circles. It didn’t matter if they’d have a marriage alliance for business purposes or just an exchange of interests. He was willing to try anything that would be of help to him, even if just remotely.
Chapter 13
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Noticing more and more people were watching them, Axel became increasingly agitated. In comparison to an illegitimate son, the most important thing in marriage alliances for business purposes was the position of the legally wedded wife.
Axel stared at Cora, who was all dressed up. In an attempt to console her, he said, “Let’s talk once I’ve settled all my matters for today. Don’t worry. I’m mindful of what your status is.”
Then, he warned, “As for now, I want you to leave immediately. Don’t disappoint me.”
Out of the crowd who had been watching them for a long while from behind, a man right at the front let out a scoff. “Oh? And who is she disappointing?”
The deep and domineering voice made Axel shudder. He looked behind, only to see the persons -in-charge of every family-run corporation crowding around behind him.
The man who spoke was the head of Schmidt Group, Hubert.
