chapter 61

"Miss Shaw, what did you major in?"

Eleanor Stone suddenly returned the question to me. I replied with slight frustration, "I didn't go to school ever since I took over the Shaw Corporations at the age of fourteen. I think... I'm at best a junior high school diploma holder with a Grade 10 piano certificate."

Eleanor exclaimed enviously, "Miss Shaw, you play the piano?"

"Yup, I have been practicing the piano since I was a child," I said.

"Then you must be very good."

Eleanor was great at communication. She knew that I envied her academic qualifications, and she quickly returned my compliments, stating her envy for my piano skills.

It was really pleasant to chat with her.

Nothing short of relaxing.

Afterwards, we talked about many other things before we came to the business chat. She was the one who initiated it. "Miss Shaw, why do you want me to break the contract?"

I told her frankly, "I have a personal vendetta against the Yale family."

She did not pursue understanding the reason. She said clearly, "All right, as you wish. I will turn down the contract signing with the Yale family in the afternoon."

I hurriedly followed up, "I will compensate you for your losses."

Eleanor shook her head and gracefully smiled as she rejected my kind gesture. "It's alright. Take it as my meeting gift for you, my new friend."

After some thought, she explained, saying, "Miss Shaw, I didn't make friends with you because of Andrew. I truly think that you are a sincere person, extremely straightforward and transparent with your words..."

I smirked and said, "I do lie sometimes."

She affirmed her judgement by saying, "But not to me."

"Thanks for your trust."

Not long later, my assistant arrived with the contract. I asked Eleanor to sign the resource sharing contract. This would undoubtedly be a huge benefit for the Stone family.

She politely refused, "It's not appropriate for us to go with this for the time being."

In the face of such an overwhelming benefit, Eleanor kept her cool. Sensibly, she rejected my offer. I explained to her, saying, "This is a gift from me to a new friend. Miss Stone, this is to our everlasting friendship."

"Sounds weird, but all right."

Having signed the contract, Eleanor left. I called Andrew immediately and worriedly asked him, "How's Quincy's condition?"

"Still alive thanks to the dialysis."

Sorrow and grief dripped from every word he spoke.

I pursed my lips and asked, "Did Eleanor agree?"

"No, she rejected me."

There were traces of disbelief within his voice. "This is the first time she has ever rejected me! For the many years that she was by my side, she never said no to me. She just stayed with me, feebly and weakly."

Feebly and weakly, never rejecting his wishes. That was Andrew Shaw's judgement of this young girl. However, in my eyes, Eleanor was a lady of strong views and independence.

She was a clear-minded and bright philosopher.

She knew what she had to do and what not to do.

Alas, a lady like her had served Andrew unconditionally.

"You are asking for her kidney, why would she give it to you?"

The kidney was not some everyday object. How could someone agree to give it away casually?

Andrew suddenly said, "She almost died for me."

I was speechless.

He really took it for granted.

I wanted to persuade Andrew to give up, but I knew my words would be futile. Instead, I waited silently for Andrew to hang up.

Not long later, I received his text message, which read: "I know she has the right to reject me, to scold me and hate me. I too don’t want to treat her like this, but Quincy... Caroline, I know I owe Eleanor a lot. But I'm really at my wits' end."

At least Andrew knew he was mistreating and taking Eleanor for granted.

I had never had an interest in butting into other's relationship issues. Even in the case of Summer and Charles, I had not commented.

Alas, in Andrew's case, I could not help but throw in my views, writing: “Eleanor is also a woman who needs love and respect. Treat her like one. Andrew, women's hearts are very fragile. When they meet the man they like, they are so feeble and meek. However, when their hearts get crushed, they end up like me... Just last night, I jumped off the second floor to cut off my relationship with Dixon!"

After sending it, I added, "Don't make her your enemy."

He never replied. When I woke up to go to the bathroom at night, I saw a tall man standing by the window. He had a familiar silhouette, one that lifted the corners of my lips slightly.

As long as he was around, my heart would be at ease.

Gradually, I had become reliant on his protection.

At that thought, I shook my head hard, throwing away all of the ridiculous fantasies I just had. In a light tone, I asked, "When did you arrive?"

He said monotonously, "Just got here."

As usual, he had just arrived.

Zachary was always frugal with words, excluding me from his world. With some hesitation, I asked, "Where are your parents?"

Naturally, I was asking about the Schick family.

His eyes slowly lifted to look at me. They were deep and dark. He pursed his lips, and asked, "Why are you suddenly curious?"

"I seem to have only seen you by yourself."

Perhaps I had pried too hard. A slightly dark gloom hovered around his face. Suddenly, he plainly asked, "Do you want to follow me back to the Schick family?"

I asked intentionally, "What's the purpose of returning to the Schick family?"