Babel Novel
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“Never meet me again, no matter the reason!”
Kimberly’s words kept echoing in Nicholas’s head. Before he could respond yesterday, the woman had already drawn her own conclusions. Always like that.
Actually, Nicholas and Kimberly were a compatible couple. Nicholas, as a man, took too long to make decisions, while Kimberly, as a woman, jumped to conclusions too quickly. That’s what caused them to constantly misunderstand each other.
If only you had listened to my explanation.
If only you had given me a little time.
Nicholas closed his eyes dramatically.
Why is it so difficult to convince you?
Nicholas’s reverie was interrupted when his office door was knocked. A woman entered shortly after, and her presence always made his heart and mind uneasy.
“Is Mom bothering you with your work?” Cassandra walked in and sat down in a chair right in front of Nicholas.
Nicholas shook his head.
“No, I’m not busy. Is Dad’s work in Thailand finished?” Nicholas asked in return.
Cassandra nodded.
“Yes, and now your dad is working on a project in Bali. I just stopped by briefly because I’ll be joining him this afternoon. So, how are you?”
“I’m doing fine, Mom,” Nicholas replied.
Cassandra sighed in relief.
“Thank goodness. I heard your company is participating in the selection process organized by the Capital Group.”
Nicholas nodded in agreement.
“That’s correct. Alpha Beta is in the running. In fact, today we’re waiting for the final announcement of who made it through.”
“I hope your company wins the tender. Capital doesn’t play around when it comes to investments. They have substantial capital,” Cassandra explained at length.
“I hope so too, Mom. The 25 trillion value is quite fantastic. During my time at Alpha Beta, we’ve never landed a project that big. Edward and I spent quite a long time researching to ensure our presentation is well-received.”
Cassandra chuckled.
“I’ve never doubted your and Edward’s abilities from the start. I’m confident you’ll get it. But, by the way, who’s your competition in the final selection?”
Nicholas sighed softly.
“Rayder Corp, Mom. Owned by Arthur Rayder. And the one who managed to convince Capital recently was Kimberly.”
In her position, Cassandra was quite surprised. She fell silent for a moment before speaking again. “Kimberly? So, has Kimberly officially taken over Arthur Rayder’s position?”
“I don’t know, Mom. There hasn’t been an official announcement yet regarding Kimberly replacing Arthur Rayder. It seems like the public doesn’t know that Kimberly is Arthur Rayder’s granddaughter,” Nicholas replied.
“But, out of all this, have you managed to speak with Kimberly?” Cassandra inquired. She needed to know about the progress of her son’s relationship.
Nicholas sighed softly.
“After the presentation to Capital, I had a brief face-to-face conversation with Kimberly. But she didn’t give me much time.”
Cassandra sighed in her position.
“Oh, come on, Nick. Move quickly, time is running out. Do you think I was joking with my ultimatum the other day? If you can’t convince Kimberly by the deadline I gave you…”
“Be ready to go back to London and never dream of returning to Indonesia again.” Nicholas cut in and continued Cassandra’s sentence. “I know, Mom. Do you think I’ve just been sitting here doing nothing? Everyone even thinks I haven’t done anything. But I’ve done a lot without your knowledge. It’s just that all of you, as spectators, draw too many conclusions on your own.”
Cassandra fell silent, hearing Nicholas’s sharp words.
“So, what’s your next plan?” Cassandra asked, curious.
“Just watch me from afar, Mom. This time, I promise not to disappoint you.” Nicholas had prepared a final plan that he believed would bring Kimberly back into his arms.
“Okay, I’ll wait for your good news.”
After a moment of silence, Nicholas looked into Cassandra’s eyes as she continued to observe him.
“Mom, I want to ask something. Please answer honestly.”
In her position, Cassandra raised an eyebrow.
“Go ahead, Nick. Don’t keep me in suspense.”
Nicholas took another breath, mustering all his courage to ask something he considered crucial.
“Kimberly recently had surgery for her illness…”
“Yes, I know that. Edward told me,” Cassandra interrupted.
“Listen to me, Mom.” Nicholas pleaded.
“Alright, go on.”
“One of her ovaries had to be removed during the surgery yesterday. The doctor said it might be difficult or even impossible for her to have children in the future.”
Nicholas then fell silent. He didn’t continue his sentence. Anxiously waiting for Cassandra’s response.
“Is that all?” Cassandra asked, puzzled when she noticed that Nicholas didn’t continue speaking. It turned out he chose to remain silent, expecting Cassandra to address all his concerns.
“I’m waiting for your answer, Mom,” Nicholas replied softly.
Cassandra smiled.
“Do you need my answer for something?”
Nicholas was even more puzzled by Cassandra’s response.
“Does Mom still approve of our relationship even if, someday, Kimberly can’t give you a grandchild?”
A chuckle escaped Cassandra.
“Oh, Nicholas. Do you think I don’t have a heart? That’s just a doctor’s prediction. There’s still a chance Kimberly can get pregnant in the future. Besides, destiny, children, and death are in God’s hands, not in humans’. So why worry?”
Cassandra answered at length.
A smile appeared on Nicholas’s lips.
“So, Mom, do you still approve of our relationship?”
“Of course!” Cassandra replied quickly. “That’s why I’m waiting for good news from you. I’m sure you’ll be together sooner or later.”
Nicholas couldn’t hide his happiness. He reached for Cassandra’s hand and held it.
“Thank you, Mom. I promise I’ll fight for Kimberly.”
Cassandra nodded and then smiled.
“I’ll hold you to your promise. In that case, I’ll take my leave now. There’s someone else I need to meet after this.”
Thirty minutes after Cassandra left, it was Edward’s turn to enter Nicholas’s room. With slightly hurried steps, he approached Nicholas and handed him a piece of paper.Têxt © NôvelDrama.Org.
“You need to see this.”
Nicholas took the piece of paper from Edward and started reading it carefully. After a short while, he looked back at Edward with a broad smile.
“You’re not joking, are you?”
Edward shook his head.
“We won the tender this time, Nick. Our company got chosen.”
Nicholas stood up from his seat and joyfully embraced Edward, who was standing beside him.
“Oh my, I was optimistic that we would win, but knowing it firsthand still makes me so happy,” Nicholas said after unraveling his embrace.
“We should celebrate this, Nick. This is a significant achievement.”
Nicholas nodded in agreement.
“You arrange it, however you see fit. I want to contact Kenzie first.”
***