CHAPTER 175: CHAPTER 175: NOT QUALIFIED

"I know," Florence Fuller whispered. "But I just feel like I can’t get over this hurdle."

Amelia Linney patted her shoulder, "Florence, follow your heart, your heart knows."

——

The morning light was bright, and a warm breeze was blowing gently.

Florence Fuller stepped into the company, and everyone she met was greeting her.

"Good morning, Chairman Fuller."

"Morning."

"Good morning, Chairman."

"Good morning."

Their gazes were filled with admiration and surprise.

Florence walked into her private elevator, fully aware of what caused the shock in their eyes.

She hadn’t been at the company earlier, and the company had connected and expanded its business.

Recently, NQ and the Gardiner Clan collaborated on a jewelry design project, launching a co-created brand, and yesterday was the product launch.

The project was led by someone under Florence, and she was aware of it. It was enough for the director and vice-president in charge to attend the launch, but she didn’t expect that Luke Gardiner himself would make an appearance.

At the event, amidst all the media, he revealed that his wife was none other than the chairman of the NQ Group.

Florence Fuller.

No one wasn’t surprised by this news. It was known that he was married, but the Gardiner Family’s lady was very low-key and seldom appeared.

Unexpectedly, after this revelation, Luke’s reputation faced backlash from online netizens.

They criticized him for messing around even after marriage, calling him a scumbag.

Some said that with the man behaving like this, the woman endured silently, labeling her as someone taking the reins.

Public opinion online was all over the place.

Florence found out yesterday and didn’t answer Luke’s calls; she didn’t want to deal with it.

As she exited the elevator, the deputy in charge of the brand was already waiting at her office door.

Seeing her arrive, he approached hesitantly, "Chairman Fuller."

It’s hard to believe that NQ had grown from its inception to being successfully listed, with its profits and valuation steadily increasing. To imagine Florence Fuller lacked any capability is unthinkable to anyone.

However, everyone in the company knew that Chairman Fuller had a good temper, rarely got angry, and was polite and gentle to everyone.

Senior executives who dealt with her also felt the same, but they understood that as long as the company did not encounter issues, if anything went wrong, no one could save them, and they would have to leave if told to.

So this deputy was very anxious.

For so long, they hadn’t known Florence was actually Young Mrs. Gardiner. Presumably, she wanted to keep it hidden, but who knew that at a simple launch yesterday, the Young Master made such a fuss and revealed this news. Only then did many realize his motive.

Florence walked into her office, "No meetings this morning, what are you doing here?"

The deputy followed her in, "I think I still need to explain to you about yesterday’s situation..."

Florence set down her bag and glanced at the worried deputy, "I’m aware of everything, it’s not about you. Just focus on your work."

The deputy visibly relaxed, nodding continuously, "Thank you, Chairman Fuller, I’ll get back to work then."

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Just after he left, Lily Lancaster and Lily Hart came in.

Lily Lancaster placed the documents requiring her decision on her desk, while Lily Hart came to report on yesterday’s news.

"It’s still in the top ten trending online. The company has received numerous partnership invitations. Boss, what’s your view on this?"

"Let it stay like this, don’t bother with it," Florence opened her computer to handle emails. "Have your team filter those partnership invitations, and pick the favorable ones."

"Okay."

"Also..." Lily Lancaster added, "There have been several calls from the Gardiner Clan to our secretary’s office, indicating that President Gardiner wants to contact you."

"No time," Florence replied.

Lily Hart and Lily Lancaster exchanged glances and then exited.

But Luke Gardiner still came by noon.

He couldn’t be stopped by the reception downstairs. As soon as he arrived, he rushed to Florence’s office, opening the door to find it empty.

Lily Hart trailed behind him, "President Gardiner, I’m truly not lying to you. Our boss really isn’t in the office."

Luke’s expression was frighteningly cold, "Is she deliberately avoiding me?"

"What are you saying? How could the boss be avoiding you?" Lily Hart smiled, "She’s genuinely busy."

Luke didn’t believe it and stared at Lily Hart, "Then call her right now."

Lily was stunned, "Ah, the boss is busy and doesn’t have time..."

"I told you to call her!" Luke’s face was icy cold, and an oppressive feeling came over.

"Why are you acting crazy?" came Florence’s displeased voice.

She was still in a meeting downstairs when Lily Lancaster hurriedly ran over, saying that Luke had come up making a fuss from downstairs.

Seeing her arrive, the cold intensity in Luke’s eyes softened instantly, replaced by stubborn grievance, "Why won’t you answer my calls?"

"Why should I answer your calls?"

Feeling that things weren’t right, Lily Lancaster and Lily Hart quickly signaled to disperse the surrounding people.

"Florence," Luke took a few steps forward to her, "We haven’t divorced yet, I’m still your husband, which husband can’t get in touch with his own wife."

If she wouldn’t see him even when they weren’t divorced, wouldn’t it be even harder if they got divorced?

"So what do you want?" Florence’s face was indifferent, "You do whatever you please, and now you turn around looking for me as if I’ve done something wrong to you. Luke, does playing these games amuse you?"

"Yes!" Luke’s gaze was fixed firmly on her, "Yes, I just want everyone to know we’re married, you’re my wife..."

"They know, but do you know how things have fermented online?" Florence raised her eyebrows, "They’re calling you a filthy rotten cucumber who needs a pure and forgiving woman like me to take over. But I’m not that kind of pure and forgiving person; I can’t handle you."

There was not a single flicker in Florence’s eyes, her gaze on him was extremely indifferent.

Luke’s breath trembled lightly, "I’m not... not..."

Florence couldn’t be bothered with him, "Go back to your place, don’t come here and act out."

"You’ll only accept your first love. These years apart, could he have really stayed chaste for you the whole time, who knows what he’s been up to. You degrade me like this, what about him?"

"You’re no match for him," Florence said, "You think I didn’t investigate him?"

Luke’s brow twitched, "You’re that concerned about chastity."

"Yeah," Florence answered unflinchingly, "Why can’t I care about someone else’s chastity? Ethan Harper knows very well what kind of person I am. These three years abroad, he wouldn’t have anyone else because he knows if he did, I wouldn’t want him."

"And you, Luke Gardiner, never even had the qualifications to catch my eye from the start."

Luke’s heart shattered suddenly.