Now, her profits for the year were quite considerable, and she had hired many workers to deliver goods. In the countryside, she had also contracted a vast amount of farmland and hired a large number of workers to help her grow vegetables, grains, and the like.
The path she had taken could be said to have been very successful.
It even caused the always tough and proud Mrs. Ruiz to secretly praise her for her vision.
Rachel Bailey also dealt in food, reaching an even larger and broader demographic. If anyone tampered with Rachel's vegetables and grains, it would certainly turn everything upside down!
As Noah Reyes read on, his thoughts spun, and a cold, sinister smile slowly erged on his lips.
His background was different from Glades Horne's. His business tactics and thods for taking down competitors were also different. He focused solely on results. As long as he could strike at his opponent, he would resort to any ans necessary; after all, he had never been a good man. His hands were stained with blood; he had killed so many people that even he had lost count.
If Glades Horne was considered a business magnate, then Noah Reyes was a ruthless tycoon in the business world.
Rachel Bailey, oblivious to being the target of Noah Reyes's attention, couldn't help but sneeze repeatedly.
In the evening, when the children got out of school, Julia had just finished her work and went to pick up her son in person.
When she arrived at the kindergarten, she suddenly spotted a familiar red Audi, unmistakably parked at the school's entrance.
It was Jas Horne's car.
Why had Jas co?
It was ti to pick up the children. Julia saw Jas get out of the car and head straight into the school.
Looking at the pickup card on her car's dashboard, Julia's eyes filled with doubt. The pickup card is still with , so how can Jas pick up the children?
But to her surprise, Jas did manage to pick up the children.
He ca out of the school with a beaming smile, looking every bit the doting father. He carried Ivan in his arms, Ivan's backpack slung over his own shoulder, while Billy followed behind, carrying his own backpack.
"Uncle, you're playing favorites," Billy accused Jas as they walked.
Sotis, when their uncle ca to pick them up, he would always carry Ivan but never him.
"Uncle, can you carry and Billy at the sa ti?" Ivan asked, looking up at Jas with a hopeful expression upon hearing his cousin's accusation.
Jas stopped and turned to look at Billy, his younger nephew, trailing behind him. He really should dote on this nephew more, the one who shared his status as an illegitimate child. Yet, the one he cherished most was Ivan, because of his own persistent, unrequited love for Julia.
"All right, Uncle will carry both you and Billy at the sa ti." There was no way Jas would refuse Ivan's request. He imdiately bent down and scooped Billy up with one arm. He was tall and strong, easily able to carry both boys. Although they were clever and sotis acted older than their years, their physical developnt was typical for children their age, so he could still manage their weight.
Having walked only a few steps with the children in his arms, Jas stopped again, sensing sothing unusual.
When he looked up, he saw Julia standing in front of his car, leaning against his vehicle with her arms crossed and her piercing almond eyes focused on him.
Dressed in a black won's suit, Julia's serious deanor bore a striking resemblance to that of Glades Horne.
"Mommy."
"Aunt Julia,"
The two children, upon seeing Julia, imdiately wriggled out of Jas's embrace, slid to the ground, and ran towards her.
Jas's eyes darted nervously for a mont, then he composed himself and walked over to Julia, who had uncrossed her arms and was crouching down, smiling at the two children. "Julia," he said in a low voice.
Julia kissed both children, then helped them into her car. After closing the door, she turned to face Jas.
Jas's deep gaze followed her intently. When she turned to face him, he hastily averted his burning, possessive stare.
"I still have the pickup card; how did you manage to get them?"
Julia asked with a smile, but her eyes were stern, fixed on Jas's grim face. She looked like a teacher questioning a tardy student about his lateness.
Jas t her gaze steadily.
With his older brother and other family mbers absent, he couldn't help but let his suppressed, deep love for Julia surface. His gaze shifted from composed to fervent.
"Their horoom teacher is my classmate's wife. I'm Ivan's biological uncle; everyone in the world knows that. There's nothing wrong with picking him up." That was how he had managed to pick up the children without a pickup card.
A stern glint flashed in Julia's eyes. The kindergarten had explicit regulations: children could only be picked up with a pickup card. No card, no pickup. Yet, they had made an exception for Jas. Although Jas would never harm the children, this set a dangerous precedent. If the kindergarten could make an exception for Jas, they could do so for others. What if an acquaintance with malicious intent exploited this?
For the children's safety, I need to speak to the principal about this privately, she resolved.
"Didn't you have a date with Rebecca?" Julia deliberately ntioned Rebecca Hughes in front of Jas, intending to remind him that she was rely his sister-in-law; Rebecca was the woman he should be cherishing.
"No." When Rebecca was ntioned, a complex look flickered in Jas's eyes.
Clearly, he wasn't without feelings for Rebecca. It was just that his feelings for Julia were stronger.
"Invite Rebecca over for dinner tonight. Let's go; it's ti to head ho," Julia said with a smile, then turned to get back into her car.
A large hand reached out impulsively and grabbed one of hers. As soon as the hand touched hers, it clutched tightly, as if it wished to crush her hand.
"Julia, let's take the children sowhere to sit for a while," Jas urged, gripping her hand. He skillfully shifted closer, blocking the children in the car from seeing his actions.
Julia looked down, then t his gaze again, her almond eyes icy. "Jas," she said, her tone extrely stern, "an elder sister-in-law is to be respected like a mother."
When would Jas ever truly let go of his feelings for her?
Upon hearing her words, Jas released her hand as if shocked by electricity. His handso face remained impassive, but a flicker of apology crossed the depths of his eyes. I was too impulsive, he thought. How could I have overstepped with her?
"I'll take the children ho first. Rember to invite Rebecca to dinner. She's a good woman; cherish her, or you'll regret it later and don't co crying then. Jas, while it's true that 'like father, like son,' I still hope you'll be as responsible as Glades is." With that, Julia opened her car door, slid in, and said cheerfully to the children, "Let's go ho!"
"Uncle, hurry up! Don't let Mommy leave you behind!" Ivan Horne called out to Jas from the rolled-down car window, clearly suggesting they race.
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