My Child and I Married a Billionaire novel Chapter 243

Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Don’t Try to Guess Your Boss’s Mind

Cecelia Archer hurriedly pushed Zeke Walton’s arm and shot him a meaningful look.

"President Vaughn hasn’t said no to investing, so you need to make your case! Even close family has to keep finances clear. President Vaughn is right—his money doesn’t grow on trees. If you want an investment, you have to at least make a proper pitch, right? Be serious. Explain it well. It’s such a great project, and President Vaughn has always had a keen eye for these things. I’m sure he’ll agree. Go on."

Zeke Walton hadn’t planned on asking Damien Vaughn for help, but now he was sitting in his car, and Cecelia Archer had already paved the way for him.

After thinking it over, he realized opportunities like this were rare. He opened his mouth to speak several times before finally getting the words out.

"I’ll go home tonight and draft a project proposal. I’ll put all the data and budget figures into a spreadsheet and email it to you. You can decide after you’ve had a proper look at it."

Although he didn’t beg Damien Vaughn in a subservient tone, saying this much was already a major concession on his part.

Damien Vaughn didn’t argue, so Ryan stepped in to smooth things over.

"Yes, yes, it sounds like a great idea to me. Mr. Walton is sure to become the nation’s foremost Fruit King. Oh, no, I mean President Vaughn and Mr. Walton will become Fruit Kings together! My congratulations in advance to you both. When the website launches, I’ll be your first customer. I want to surprise my girlfriend."

Zeke Walton shot him a grateful look in the rearview mirror.

With the conversation over, there was no reason for them to continue riding along. Cecelia Archer asked Ryan to pull over so they could get out and head back.

The car came to a smooth stop. Just as the two of them were about to get out, Damien Vaughn’s cool voice drifted over.

"Do you have money to get back? Didn’t you say you left your phone in that other car? Do you have any cash on you?"

Only then did Cecelia Archer remember. With the interruption from Zeke Walton, she had forgotten about her phone again.

"No. Zeke, do you have any money?"

Zeke Walton looked a little sheepish. "I had a huge fight with my family. I had to climb a wall to get out. I don’t have anything on me."

"..."

’He has nothing on him, yet he acts so tough.’

Seeing the mocking look about to surface in Damien Vaughn’s eyes, Ryan quickly offered his wallet.

"I have some cash, though not a lot—just a few hundred. It should be enough for a taxi back. Please, Mr. Walton, don’t take offense. Take it for now."

Cecelia Archer took the wallet and pulled out two red bills.

"We won’t need this much. A taxi back will be 50 at the most, and we can get a bowl of noodles with the change. Zeke, you said you were hungry, right? There’s a beef noodle soup place over there. My treat."

After saying this, Cecelia Archer thanked Ryan, waved goodbye to Damien Vaughn, and crossed the street with her arm linked through Zeke Walton’s.

Damien Vaughn watched their cozy figures walk away, his gaze falling on the wisps of steam curling from the window of the modest noodle shop. He suddenly recalled the beef noodles he had shared with Cecelia Archer in that small town, and a deep sense of bitterness washed over him.

’That damn woman,’ he thought. ’She’s all nice to me when she wants help securing an investment for someone else, but the second it’s done, she couldn’t care less about me. Does she have a conscience at all?’

Before pulling away, Ryan glanced at Damien Vaughn’s expression in the rearview mirror.

Seeing him stare fixedly in the direction the pair had gone, a look of longing in his eyes, Ryan asked tentatively.

"President Vaughn, that beef noodle place looks pretty good. Would you like to get a bowl, too?"

Damien Vaughn frowned. ’What does Ryan mean by that? Has he figured out what I’m thinking? Was I that obvious?’

He couldn’t let anyone find out he was reluctant to let Cecelia Archer go.

"What? Did you not eat this morning?"

Ryan, who at this moment was like the Empress’s favored eunuch or the Emperor’s trusted attendant, understood his boss’s intentions with absolute clarity and immediately played along.

"No, I didn’t get a chance. This morning was a rush, and I’m starving too."

As he spoke, he even made a show of swallowing hard.

Seeing his forehead beaded with sweat, Cecelia Archer couldn’t resist grabbing a napkin to wipe it for him.

"It’s not that cold out. Why are you wearing such a thick jacket? You should take it off."

"No. The clothes underneath are cheap and ugly. Besides, this is the only outfit I have. If it gets dirty, I have nothing else to wear."

"What? This is your only outfit? But didn’t I give you..."

While shoveling noodles into his mouth, Zeke Walton told Cecelia Archer about how he had met Amina and was now sharing a rental with her.

Cecelia Archer was deeply moved by his story. Though she didn’t know Amina, she was intrigued by her.

"So that’s why you suddenly decided to become a delivery driver. That’s a wonderful thing you’re doing, Zeke. Your actions might just change her life. Regardless of whether your business succeeds, running away from home this time was worth it."

"After we eat, I’ll take you to buy a couple of outfits, and we’ll get a couple for her, too. You can skimp on other things, but you need a change of clothes."

"Okay, where should we go? I know a really cheap place, I can take you there."

Zeke Walton was no longer interested in expensive clothes; he now felt that getting the best value for his money was what mattered most.

It had to be said that people with little money often share a surprisingly similar mindset when it comes to spending. Cecelia Archer was immediately on the same page as him.

"Sounds good. I’ve never gone shopping with you before. Do you think people might get the wrong idea about us?"

"Let them. Being mistaken for your boyfriend would be quite the compliment."

They both started laughing as they spoke.

Ryan stole a glance at the refined and elegant President Vaughn, who was listlessly poking at his noodles, fully committed to his role as the third wheel. Ryan thought to himself:

’Oh, great. Now I’ll have to come up with an excuse for him to tag along to the next place, too.’