Chapter 642 I Quit
Oscar ordered Hugo and Kurt to find out who the mastermind was by hook or by crook. When both of them conducted in-depth investigations, they first found out that the Adertons were the ones behind the incident. Following the trail and subsequent clues, they managed to discover that June had given the orders in concert with Kate.
After Hugo reported the matter to Oscar, the latter commented with a faint smirk, “It seems Mrs. Hisson resents her future daughter-in-law very much. Or else, she wouldn’t have resorted to destroying her own son’s career.”
“Boss, what do you plan to do?”
“Send all the investigative details and pictures in their original form to Derrick. Given the losses his mom caused me, there’s no reason for me to keep this from him, is there?” Oscar ordered.
“Yes, Boss.” Hugo put all the documents and pictures back into the leather envelope.
“You’re dismissed.”
“Yes, Boss.”
After Hugo left, he sent men to deliver the leather envelope to Derrick’s office.
Derrick’s secretary knocked on the door and informed him, “Mr. Hisson, there’s a package for you.”
After receiving it, Derrick waved her away. “You may leave.”
“Right away.” After turning around to leave, she closed the door behind her.
Staring at the package with unknown origins, Derrick remembered that he hadn’t purchased anything online. Nonetheless, when it occurred to him that it might be a surprise sent by Tiffany, he broke into a subconscious smile and felt his exhaustion from work dissipate.
After opening the package, he furrowed his brows when he saw the leather envelope inside. Finally, he decided to unseal it to check.
The moment he saw the documents and pictures, Derrick’s expression drastically changed, for he hadn’t expected his mother to collaborate with an outsider to wreck his career.
Overwhelmed by a sense of bitterness, he could feel a knot in his heart. He couldn’t believe that his mother had tried to ruin his recently established company for her own selfish reasons.
After rubbing the side of his head, he fell asleep on his desk due to the exhaustion from his busy schedule.
Meanwhile, Tiffany was received by his secretary when she arrived at his office with a home-cooked meal in hand.
“Lynn, is Derrick inside?” Tiffany asked.
Lynn nodded. “Did you bring him food again?”
“Yes, I prepared something for him, as I’m worried about him skipping meals due to work.”
“Mr. Hisson is so lucky to have a girlfriend like you. Given that one of you is the company’s boss and the other is the company’s best-selling author, you will definitely be a power couple when you get married in the future.”
Tiffany couldn’t help but laugh before replying, “I’m heading in first. We’ll chat again later.”
“Go ahead.”
Just when Tiffany was about to step into the office, Lynn reminded her, “Tiffany, I have to let you know that Mr. Hisson has been drinking a lot of coffee lately. In fact, he can even drink three cups in an hour. As his girlfriend, you had better advise him against it. Or else, his body might not be able to withstand the punishment.”
With a darkening expression, Tiffany nodded. “I will.”
When Tiffany knocked on the door and didn’t get a response, she gently opened it and popped her head in. Upon seeing Derrick sleeping on his desk, her heart was instinctively filled with sympathy.
After entering his office, she gently closed the door behind her and crept up to his desk. Intending to tidy up his desk, she stumbled upon the documents and pictures on it. The moment she took a closer look, her limbs turned cold from the shocking revelation.
If it wasn’t for her biting her lip desperately, she would have let out an uncontrollable scream, for an avalanche of emotions was raging within her.
Finally, she managed to calm herself down with sheer willpower alone.
Subsequently, she turned up the temperature of the air conditioning so that he wouldn’t catch a cold.
After that, she arranged the documents and pictures back to how she had found them.
She then placed the lunch box she brought on the coffee table beside the couch before observing Derrick quietly. It was then that she realized his once flawless features were now replaced with dark rings around his eyes.
Filled with a sense of bitterness, she reached out to stroke his cheeks but didn’t expect to have woken him.
After being jolted awake, Derrick looked warily at her. It wasn’t until he was sure it was her that the piercing gaze in his eyes gradually turned into a gentle one.
Adjusting himself into an upright posture, he pulled her onto his lap and asked, “When did you arrive? Why didn’t you wake me?”
“I couldn’t bring myself to do so when I saw how drained you were. Are you hungry? I brought you some food. You can continue working after you finish eating.”
“Sure.” Derrick put her down. Just when he was about to get to his feet, he caught a glimpse of the photos on the table. With a darkened gaze, he asked calmly, “Tiff, have you already seen them?”
Turning around at the sound of his voice, she nodded when she saw him pointing at the table. “I have.”
“What are your thoughts?”
“What are trying to tell me? Are you asking me whether I blame your mom? Or do you intend to tell me that those pictures are fake?” Tiffany threw the question back at him casually.
“Tiffany, don’t behave that way. If you’re really angry, you can just let me know instead of keeping it to yourself. As for this matter, I will definitely speak to my mom and won’t allow you to suffer any injustice,” Derrick promised as he pulled her into his embrace.
Leaning against his chest, Tiffany murmured pessimistically, “I have long suspected that Mrs. Hisson was behind the incident. It was just that I was worried about thinking the worst of her. However, the truth has clearly shown that my worst fears have come true.”
“Tiff, don’t be like that.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be hungry? Let’s eat, for I’m so famished that I could eat a cow.” Freeing herself from his embrace, Tiffany pretended to be at ease. “Derrick, come over here. I prepared the chicken soup that you have been craving the day before. I’m sure you will love it.”
Left without a choice, Derrick walked over and took a seat. After serving him a portion and handing him the cutlery, she pointed at the food on the table and asked, “Are these dishes up to your taste?”
Derrick nodded. “I enjoy everything you cook.”
“In that case, eat up. But before that, drink the soup first to improve your appetite.”
Derrick complied obediently.
After both of them finished dinner in tense silence, Tiffany cleared the table without a word.
Derrick grabbed her wrist and suggested, “Tiff, let’s talk.”
Raising her gaze, Tiffany tried to sound relaxed. “I’ll be going back first, as I still have to finish my writing. Whatever it is you want to discuss, let’s just wait till you’re home, all right?”
Faced with Tiffany’s pleading eyes, Tiffany couldn’t bring himself to force the issue.
“In that case, be careful. We’ll chat when I’m back.”
Tiffany nodded.
After leaving with the lunch box and getting back into her car, Tiffany slumped in her seat as the emotions within her continued to rage.
How much does Kate hate me for her to not only destroy my reputation as a writer but also ruin her own son’s career through collateral damage?
Unable to resist a wry laugh, Tiffany wiped her face to stop her tears from gushing out.
She was naturally unsettled by the fact that the Hissons didn’t like her. At the same time, she feared that Derrick would end their relationship when he could no longer stand the pressure his family placed on him.
Letting out a gentle sigh, she could feel the turbulence in her mood.
With that, she started the car and drove home to sleep her troubles away.
Meanwhile, Derrick gave Kate a call and invited her out so that they could speak candidly.
As he pushed the leather envelope in Kate’s direction, he demanded, “Mom, can you explain why you and the Adertons are gathered together?”
The moment Kate heard his question, she could guess the contents of the envelope.
“Derrick, did you have me investigated?”
“This wouldn’t have happened if you did no wrong.”
Kate stroked her own hair before declaring in an aloof tone, “I was the one who ordered the film crew be sabotaged.”
“Mom, do you hate Tiff that much?”
“Yes, I unequivocally dislike her, while Crystal is the one I prefer. Although, I wouldn’t object to other girls as long as they come from prominent families.”
“Mom, by focusing on the girl’s family background, you ignore all the sacrifices Tiff has made toward our relationship. All you care about is your own pride and have never given my happiness any thought. Do you even love me?” Derrick questioned his mother with an equivalent amount of fervor.
Jolted by this words, Kate had a sudden realization.
“Mom, can’t you accept her just for my sake?”
After regaining her senses, Kate’s gaze grew icier.
“Derrick, it’s clear to me that we can never reach a consensus on this matter. Therefore, either you give up your inheritance, marry her, and disavow me as your mother, or leave her and return to the Hisson family.”
“Mom, you know that I don’t care about the position of heir to the family. Or else, I wouldn’t have started the publishing company by myself. I want to rely on my own capabilities to build my company into one of the top ten in the nation.”
“I trust that you have the ability to do so, and I have always been proud of you. Also, I’m well aware of how ambitious you are. With the help of the Hisson family, you can definitely soar to greater heights. Without it, you might still be able to reach where you want to, but you would have wasted a lot more time. Since the achievements are the same, why don’t you choose the path of least resistance?”
“Mom, I relish the challenges I face.”
Kate was stumped.
After fiddling with her exquisitely-manicured fingernails, she suggested in a wavering tone, “Derrick, since it isn’t easy to see you nowadays, why don’t you join me for a meal?”
Derrick didn’t refuse. After ordering some food, he even ate alongside her.
After their meal, Derrick warned, “Mom, please stop sabotaging the filming of the novel adaption. Or else, I’ll consider giving up my inheritance. If it comes to that, you and Dad will lose everything.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, I’m just securing more freedom for Tiff and I.”
“What if I insist?”
“I’ll personally talk to Grandpa. If I can’t sway you, I’m sure Grandpa can.”
“Well played. It looks like you’re willing to disregard me for the sake of that woman,” Kate sneered. “I will not interfere, but she will never gain my approval. As long as you marry her, I’ll think of thousands of ways to torment her so that she will be forced to leave.”
Derrick’s expression drastically changed as he gaze intensely at Kate, for he knew that she was more than prepared to carry out her threats.
After a short deliberation, Derrick got to his feet and bowed solemnly. With a grim voice, he pleaded, “Mom, I beg you to give my relationship some breathing space. I’m sure you don’t want to push me away.”
“B*stard!” Kate slammed the table as she sprang to her feet. Outraged, her chest was heaving from her raging emotions. “Are you truly going to turn your back on your family for the sake of a girl?”
“If you don’t want to see me do that, you should at least be a more supportive elder.” Derrick’s tone was filled with conviction.
Kate was so infuriated that her heart began to hurt.
When she held onto her chest, Derrick quickly realized what was going on.
Panicking, he hurried over and helped her to her seat before pouring her a cup of water. “Mom, drink this. You’ll feel better.”
After having a drink, Kate finally calmed down. However, she raised her hand to push Derrick aside and grumbled, “Since my own son doesn’t care about me, I would be better off dead.”
An impatient glint flashed in Derrick’s eye.
“Mom, can we stop this nonsense?”
Just when Kate held her chest with her hand again, she heard a sudden thud. When she turned to look, she realized that her son was already kneeling in front of her.
A conflicted look suddenly descended upon her eyes.
“Mom, I beg you, don’t hate Tiff, for I truly love her. If you intend of forcing me to leave her by leveraging your health, there’s no way I could disobey. However, I would never marry or have children for the rest of my life.”
Giving him a complicated look, Kate murmured, “Must it only be her?”
As Kate’s body shuddered, an overwhelming sense of fatigue set upon her. Letting out a sigh, she added, “Everything I have done throughout the years is just so that I can give you the best. However, I didn’t expect to be resented by you for it. Whatever. I don’t want you to hate me for the rest of my life anyway. I will allow you to marry her if she can prove that she is worthy of you.”
Derrick’s eye suddenly lit up in delight as he hadn’t expected his mother to give in this easily.
“Mom, does this mean you approve?”
“What else can I do? You’re already on your knees, and I don’t want to lose you as a son. Hence, I have no choice but to compromise.”
Upon getting back up, Derrick gave her a warm hug.
“Mom, thank you.”
Kate patted him on his shoulders and replied softly, “All that matters is that you’re happy.”
Now that mother and son came to a consensus, Derrick took his leave. “Mom, I have to go as I still have a meeting in the afternoon.”
Kate nodded in acknowledgment.
After both of them left the restaurant, Kate wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. “Derrick, you should go ahead, as I still want to take a walk.”
“Mom, will you be fine alone?”
“I’m not a three-year-old.”
Consequently, Derrick had no choice but to leave.
Once he was gone, an insidious expression took over Kate’s face as she gave June a call.
Once it connected, she said, “June, our plan had been disrupted. You’re on your own now. I’m no longer doing this with you.”
With that, she ended the call without giving June an opportunity to explain.
Staring at his phone, June suddenly felt lost. When he tried to call back, no one answered. Upon trying again, he was informed the phone had been turned off.
As a result, he broke into a devious smile. “Mrs. Hisson, after choosing to play this game, it’s not going to be easy for you to quit. It will end only when I say so. Until then, there’s no way you can leave.”
Getting to his feet, June grabbed his jacket before leaving his office.
After he got into his car, he used the GPS tracker he installed on Kate’s phone to quickly locate her.
When Kate saw him appear all of a sudden, she was stunned. Subsequently, her expression drastically changed when it occurred to her that he had sent men to follow her.
“Mr. Wick, isn’t trust the most important factor of our alliance? By having someone watch me, that’s really unbecoming of you,” Kate admonished him.
June replied in a chivalric tone, “Mrs. Hisson, please don’t misunderstand. I just happened to be nearby when I received your call. Since our alliance has worked well, I think you owe me an explanation.”
“Mr. Wick, there’s such a thing as too much of a coincidence.”
“In that case, I can only blame it on fate.”
Narrowing her gaze, Kate was well aware that June wasn’t someone to be trifled with.
