When There Is Nothing Left But Love
Chapter 1672

Chapter 1672

Chapter 1672 An Empty Handed Return

Summer’s decision to procure the wine company in Q City was a last-minute idea, and not many knewabout it. Yet, Quince had somehow managed to figure out her plan and even got here before us. Hewas obviously not a simple-minded man.

“You must be Ms. Stovall.” The manager got up at once and greeted Summer, mistaking me for hersecretary. “I’ve heard that you’re young, but you’re way younger than I imagined. So young, yet sopromising! Come in and have a seat.”

Summer shot me a glance, waiting for me to speak.

However, before I could do so, Quince’s broken Chanaean sounded. “Isn’t there a Chanaean sayingthat goes, ‘keep calm and take things as they come’? Or are you still afraid, Stovall?”

Hearing that, Summer immediately took my hand and led me to our seats with large, confident strides.Maintaining a calm composure, she addressed the room with a smile, revealing not the slightest hint offear or doubt.

The manager seemed especially excited to collaborate with Fuller Corporation. “It’s our honor tocollaborate with you, Ms. Stovall, and yet you came over here to meet us in person. You’re much tookind and sincere. Besides, Mr. Quince and I hit it off right away as well. With the three of us workingtogether in the future, we’re definitely going to create a whole new empire in the wine industry, andLuscious Wines can see themselves out!”

He was obviously already a little inebriated, but his words were still making sense.

From the looks of it, Quince had stood in as a collaborator of Fuller Corporation and reached a verbalagreement with the manager about a future three-way collaboration before we arrived.

Throughout the entire meeting, neither Summer nor I mentioned a word about procuring the winecompany represented by the manager. Not only did our intention to settle things quickly not work out,but we ended up also feeling intensely humiliated by the way things had turned out.

The manager drank so much he ended up drunk as a skunk, and someone immediately came to pickhim up once the meeting ended. Quince walked us to the door and asked to speak to me privatelywhen we were about to get in the car.

“I hope what happened today will never happen again, Stovall. Talk to Fuller when you get back andhave him sign the contract with us as soon as possible. Don’t spoil things for us now after we’ve beenso happy working together.”

Being shorter than me, he gazed up at me with his eyes rolled up. It was indeed a rather frighteningsight.

“There must have been a misunderstanding. We’ve never been collaborators, and I’m hardly one todictate Ashton’s actions and decisions.”

Quince shook his head as I spoke as if he was running out of patience. “No, this is nonsense. There’sbeen a bond between us ever since I bought that painting of yours. So don’t even think of ditching us towork alone, understand?”

Shooting a vicious glare at me, he turned to walk away but doubled back only after a few steps. “Don’tmind me giving you a little trouble if you really don’t appreciate what we have between us.”

With that, he turned and strode away.

Watching his rather comical figure leave, I could not help the smirk that crept onto my lips.

That man had no idea about the amount of trouble I had dealt with in my life. His minor threat meantnothing to me.

Nevertheless, Summer and I were indeed feeling quite down to return empty-handed. Spotting Ashtonwaiting to pick us up at the arrival gates, we could only manage a mere smile through pursed lips.

I told Ashton about our fruitless venture on the way back, feeling somewhat helpless. “We’ll probablyhave to abort our plan of procuring Q City’s wine company for now. If Quince thought of Q City as well,then we can assume he has informants in most other companies in the country, too. We’d have to thinkof another solution.”

Ashton was driving, and his expression remained placid as he listened to me. “There’s no rush.”

After a moment’s silence, he asked in the same calm tone, “Would you like to go straight home to restor grab a bite on the way?”

“Both are fine with me. You decide.” I could not get the thought of how Quince had just played us out ofmy mind, and it was sending waves of anxiety through my heart.

Before he could answer, however, Summer spoke instead. “Drop me off in front, Daddy. I think I’ll headto the club first before going home.”

Ashton cast a glance at her through the rearview mirror. “You sure you’re not too tired?”

Summer shook her head. “Not really. Q City’s not that far away. Quince’s men have been loitering inthe club frequently lately. I’m worried the employees wouldn’t feel too comfortable about that without aboss around.”

Without answering, Ashton made a U-turn at the next bend and drove toward the club instead.

“Thanks, Daddy,” said Summer. Then she gazed out of the window gloomily, saying nothing else for therest of the journey.