Ella let out a soft whimper, anxiously pushing against Eric’s chest. If they acted like that too, wouldn’t they be just like the couple next to them?
Eric’s aggressive passion left her body flushed with heat, and just as she considered biting him to make him stop, he reluctantly pulled away from her now swollen lips.
"I almost let my instincts take over... I’ll deal with you properly when we get home!" he teased.
Ella shot him a glare. "What does your ’instincts taking over’ have to do with me?"
Why didn’t he go and knock on that couple’s car instead, and say they were distracting him?
"Because you’re a woman..."
Ella felt speechless, utterly dumbfounded by his bizarre and hurtful reasoning.
"And because you’re Ella," Eric added with a playful smirk. He then opened the car door, glanced at the neighboring vehicle’s license plate, and remarked sarcastically, "Wow, are men so broke nowadays they can’t even afford a hotel room?"
The blatant shamelessness of the couple in the parking lot, doing such things in a place full of cars coming and going, was appalling.
At that moment, the noises from the other car suddenly stopped, and as the door opened, Ella’s eyes widened in disbelief. It was Mason.
Oh, for heaven’s sake...
Ella remembered that Mason had a habit of switching girlfriends every few days while abroad. Could it be...?
A woman poked her flushed face out from the car, and when she spotted Ella, she glared at her fiercely.
Ella took one look and burst into a mocking laugh. It was Bella, the mayor’s daughter! So much for maintaining her image.
"So it’s Mr. Scott! Are you saving up for a wedding by cutting back on hotel costs?" Eric’s sharp tongue was no joke.
Mason’s face darkened considerably, but he raised an eyebrow with a smile. "I was just kissing my girlfriend, Mr. Nelson. And yet you think we’re saving on hotel rooms? Seems like *you* are the one with certain things on your mind."
Eric, feigning innocence, replied, "What things?"
Mason’s face turned even darker.
By then, Bella had fixed her clothes and stepped out of the car. She shot a haughty glance at Ella, then turned to Eric. "Mr. Nelson, there’s a reception on the eighth floor tonight. If you have time, do honor us with your presence."
Eric raised an eyebrow, confidence radiating from him. "Of course, I’ll be there!"
Hearing his reply, Bella and Mason exchanged a glance, as if they had come to some unspoken agreement. Were they plotting something again, after falling into Eric’s traps before?
"Well, we won’t disturb you any longer. We’ll be heading up first," Mason said as he regained his composure, escorting Bella toward the VIP elevator.
Ella watched their retreating figures with a sneer, her lips curling in disdain. "Didn’t Bella have a thing for you before? Ha, I didn’t expect her to cozy up to Mason so quickly!"
"If they’ve slept together, of course they’re close," Eric replied with a sarcastic laugh.
People like Bella and Mason would never understand the meaning of true love or genuine protection.
For them, the moment they found someone attractive enough, they’d make that person their partner for a while. But relationships like that were fleeting, bound to end the moment someone new and more exciting came along.
Such people were truly pitiful, yet they believed they were living in freedom and enjoying life.
"Let’s grab some dinner first, and then think about how we’re going to handle tonight’s reception," Eric said, his eyes cold and calculating.
Ella nodded in agreement. For the moment, she couldn’t come up with a plan either, especially since they needed to figure out who would be at the event on the eighth floor.
Sometimes, the people involved would ultimately determine how the story ended.
Eric and Ella arrived at the private room on the sixth floor, where Bobby and his family were already waiting. The moment they saw Ella, their faces lit up with joy.
With Benjamin back in their lives, Bobby was content. Now that they no longer had to worry about basic needs, all they desired was a peaceful, comfortable life.
Ella had no intention of involving Bobby in the Carter Group’s internal battles—it simply wasn’t necessary. Sean had never truly accepted Bobby as his son, and after learning about Grandma Carter’s past, Bobby had never once suggested trying to reconcile with Sean, much less seek revenge. He was a kind and simple farmer, and even if he held any grudges, he wasn’t equipped to take on the Carter Group.
Ella was determined not to let their quiet life be disturbed, so she would find another way to deal with things.
The meal was filled with warmth and laughter, though Bobby felt a little sadness after visiting Ava’s grave earlier that day. Despite this, he was satisfied with having real family around him again.
An hour later, Ella bid farewell to her uncle, aunt, and cousin, and she and Eric headed toward the VIP elevator.
They were going to the eighth floor.
With the reception set to last several hours, they weren’t late at all.
The eighth floor was buzzing with energy, filled with a sea of guests.
As soon as Ella and Eric appeared, the press took immediate notice. A while ago, Sean had publicly slandered Ella, and since they were related as grandfather and granddaughter, Ella’s sudden presence sparked curiosity. Could it be a sign of reconciliation?
Reporters swarmed them eagerly, pushing forward with microphones.
"Miss Davis, are you attending this reception at the invitation of Old Mr. Carter?"
"Miss Davis, have you and Old Mr. Carter finally reconciled?"
Faced with a flurry of questions, Ella nodded slightly and responded with calm composure.
"Actually, I happened to be passing by and heard that Old Mr. Carter and Mr. Scott were hosting a celebration for their partnership, so I thought I’d drop by to see what’s going on."
Her words subtly made it clear that there had been no reconciliation between her and Sean.
The reporters exchanged whispers, noting the poised Ella while glancing at Sean, who was standing inside the venue with a grim expression. Their minds wandered back to the infamous incident where Sean had publicly accused her.
Ella’s gaze soon found the woman standing beside Sean.
She appeared to be in her fifties, though she was actually in her seventies, but her well-maintained appearance made her look younger.
Julia, while not unattractive, could never compare to the graceful and elegant Grandma Carter in Ella’s eyes.
If it hadn’t been for her, Grandma Carter wouldn’t have died with such resentment, nor would she have cut ties with Ella’s mother. And Ella’s mother wouldn’t have suffered such a tragic, poisoned end.
Even though Ella tried to avoid dwelling on these painful memories, this family was constantly eyeing the shares Grandma Carter had left her. Those shares, earned through her grandmother’s hard work, were now seen by this family as their own. They were greedy, shamelessly treating what wasn’t theirs as if it rightfully belonged to them. Even their attempts to take it were done with a disturbing sense of entitlement.
How could Ella ever let them off the hook? Especially when Bobby’s car accident might have been their doing as well!
Julia caught sight of Ella’s icy stare and responded with a sweet smile. She whispered something to Sean before calmly taking his arm and walking toward them.