CEO Proposed to His Ex-wife 99 Times
Chapter 279 Close Combat

At Bennett & Co., Hector was getting tired after reading documents all morning.

Around noon, VP Dickins walked in to demand that Hector came along with him as he met a client for lunch. He also talked about how Hector should start adapting to a life where lunch or dinner engagements abounded.

Hector was hesitant, since he'd planned to visit Katherine at noon.

Keeping his voice low, VP Dickins said, "Come with me. You're only going to secure your position at the company if you can maintain good relationships with our clients." "Fine," nodded Hector.

Hector walked out with Dickins and got into a car, which drove all the way to a restaurant.

Inherently averse to any such occasion, Hector asked, "Shouldn't business meals be arranged for dinner? Why is this arranged for lunch?"

"Mr. Channing is only available for lunch since he's leaving on in the evening. Don't worry, I've acquired permission for both of us not to go into the office in the afternoon." Dickins got out of the car, followed by Hector. The private room they booked was already filled with their clients.

Dickins was well seasoned for these occasions, greeting everyone warmly as he entered the room. And he introduced Hector to the group as VP Bennett, a new addition to Bennett & Co. who was still learning the ropes. He also put specific emphasis on Hector being the brother of David Bennett.

Upon hearing the latest part, the clients changed their attitudes immediately and acted in a much more friendly manner to Hector, who made his best efforts to smile at and greet the group in return. When negotiations began, Hector remained seated in silence most of the times, not really knowing what to say. His thoughts were already a thousand miles away.

Marshall, too, was at a business lunch that day. Initially the agreement was to have Mr. Grant represent them at the lunch, but when he heard around noon that it was Martin Newman they were meeting, he made the instant decision to take his father's place.

Marshall had met this Newman guy before, and he had been absolutely malicious, bringing over a bottle of drugged wine and even persuading Marshall himself to have a glass of it. Marshall hadn't forgotten about that incident.

Marshall arrived at the restaurant almost half an hour earlier than Newman, who entered the room laughing and got hold of Marshall's hand the minute he walked up to him. "Mr. Grant, it's been a while." "It has been indeed," replied Marshall with a nod. He hadn't seen Newman around after the bar, and with all his personal issues, Marshall hadn't had the time to take care of this guy.

Not knowing what Marshall was thinking, Newman was grinning wildly, his facial muscles all pushed together.

Nobody else was present at the lunch, since Newman preferred a smaller group. Marshall didn't mind, and he signaled the waiter to come over and take their order.

There were only Marshall and Newman in that big private room, and neither of them brought up what had happened at the bar.

Newman recalled Marshall leaving the bar with a woman that day, but his drugged-up and hyperexcited mind could not notice who Marshall had taken; he could only focus on what the woman in his own arms had looked like.

The two of them helped themselves to the several bottles of wine with abandon. As he got tipsy, Newman's true character began to jump out. "Since you've been drinking, I assume you won't be heading back to the office this afternoon. How about I take you somewhere fun?"

Marshall smirked. "How about I take you somewhere fun? I'm capable of having fun, too."

Newman laughed as he pointed a finger at Marshall. "You're a smart guy, Mr. Grant, and I like hanging out with smart people."

Marshall smiled silently.

After some more drinking, he made the excuse of using the bathroom to get out of the room and call Peter. When Peter picked up, he immediately said, "It's ready."

"Good," Marshall said before he hung up.

He then went to the men's room and lit up a smoke by the sink. He'd been goading Newman on to drink more, but he'd had to drink quite a few glasses himself, and was feeling his stomach turn at that very moment.

Marshall finished the cigarette and stubbed it out on top of the garbage bin. As he turned around, he came across Hector who was about to come in.

Both men paused at the sight of the other.

Hector's cheeks were slightly flushed, presumably as the result of alcohol, too.

"Business lunch?" asked Marshall as he looked at Hector, who hummed in confirmation as he walked to the sink and washed his hands.

No longer in a rush to leave, Marshall asked on. "What's been happening with your family?"

Marshall had heard that Patrick and Alexis were summoned home by Kevin, but he didn't know exactly how they had ended up.

Hector knew that the information Kyle had on Patrick and Alexis were dug up by Marshall. Although Marshall had intended on helping Katherine only, he had, in reality, helped Hector himself, too.

That was why Hector was relatively amicable when he spoke. "They got a good talking-to when they got home, and they were asked to hand over all the money they'd pocketed from both the company and outside sources, and that was about it."

Marshall smiled. "That's what I thought, too."

Hector was leaning on the water sink with his arms crossed. "How about you? You should be in a much better place now that Kathy has defended you, right?”

At the mention of Katherine, the air grew a little tense between them.

"Yeah," Marshall hummed, "I am indeed."

And then they both went silent because they truly had nothing else to say.

Reminded of what he had witnessed in Katherine's front yard, Marshall was still worried.

"Do you..." he said hesitantly.

Hector was looking at him, eyebrows in the air. Thus, Marshall decided not to finish the sentence.

Hector spoke, smiling. "I'm visiting Kathy after lunch. Do you have any message you want me to pass along?"

Marshall sneered. "That won't be necessary. I'll talk to her myself if I've got anything to say."

"Right," nodded Hector.

Marshall turned around and walked out with only a "Bye."

His face, which had looked gentle, turned icy cold the minute he got out of the men's room.

Hector was going over to Katherine's place in the afternoon.

Well, they sure were close.

When he got back into the private dining room, Martin Newman was on the phone, presumably with his wife. His tone was tender as he told her that he was at a business lunch and would be back later, etc. The wife was not suspicious, and from what Marshall could hear, she was telling Newman to drink less alcohol for the sake of his health. Newman made repeated promises over the phone that he wouldn't, but he was looking at Marshall with a smirk.

Marshall smiled back as he sat down and waited for Newman to hang up, but Mrs. Newman talked on for a good while before finally saying her goodbyes.

Setting down his phone, Newman had an impatient look on his face. "She's such a wordy woman."

Marshall smiled. "It's a good thing that someone cares about you."

Thus, he was reminded of Katherine calling him when they first got married. Every time she had called right when he was talking to clients over the dinner table, and she'd been very careful with her words over the phone, only asking him to drink less.

They hadn't known each other very well at that time, and Marshall had been annoyed and upset by her nagging. Now, he was nagging-free, but somehow, watching Martin Newman on the phone, Marshall actually felt a tiny pang of jealousy.

He took out his phone to re-send Katherine that friend request.☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐