CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 92: REPLACED ME

"Young Master Gardiner, this way, please."

Luke Gardiner stepped into the private room and immediately saw James Fuller and Clara Fuller sitting side by side.

James stood up first, smiling as he greeted him, "We meet again, Young Master Gardiner."

Clara smiled gently, "Mr. Gardiner."

Luke walked straight to the seat opposite them, unbuttoned his suit, and sat down, lazily leaning back in the chair as he looked at James, "So, has your old man finally decided to sell the company to me?"

He didn’t know that when Florence Fuller and Michael Fuller’s relationship turned stiff, he would call Michael "Dad". Now that he knew, he casually called him "old man", without the slightest regard for maintaining any appearances.

This was Luke Gardiner.

Reckless, rebellious, with an untamed wildness.

Clara Fuller, mingling in SJ City, had heard quite a bit about him.

Many women in the entertainment circle wanted to cling to this wealthy playboy. Rich, powerful, and esteemed, he was young and handsome, and the women who had been with him never fared poorly because he was generous and willing to spend.

But his interest faded quickly as well; debaucherous and carefree, he was never emotionally involved, able to leave at any moment, while those women couldn’t extricate themselves.

Luke Gardiner’s looks would be top-notch even in the entertainment circle, not to mention that such a carefree and reckless manner didn’t lose his noble and cold pride of a family scion.

No wonder women were drawn to him.

Clara Fuller’s gaze grew more intense as she looked at him, and Luke glanced at her, "Is it appropriate for you to stare at your sister’s husband like that?"

"Oh~ that’s right!" Luke raised an eyebrow, "I forgot, you weren’t born from the same mother as my wife, you’re a fake."

Clara’s face immediately fell, her gentle smile particularly stiff, "Mr. Gardiner, I’m also a daughter raised by my mother."

"I couldn’t tell." His words were especially sharp, "During this time of trouble in the Fuller Family, it was my wife running around helping your stepmother handle things, yet you didn’t show up once, and now you’re suddenly back...planning to split some of the Fuller Family’s assets?"

Clara silently took a deep breath, unable to maintain her dignified appearance.

"Young Master Gardiner." James spoke, "You may be deeply in love with Florence Fuller, but you don’t know she..."

He paused deliberately, his expression growing complex, as if wanting Luke Gardiner to know how bad his next words were going to be.

"What’s the matter with her?" Luke’s gaze was calm, "Did she curse you or hit you? Then you should take it, after all, you’re trying to snatch something that belongs to her."

James choked on his words, "Florence Fuller doesn’t like you, she was with another man before, and now that man is back. She’s already rekindled her old flame with him!"

Upon hearing this, Luke’s hand under the table trembled. He tightened his clasped hands, his face remaining unflustered, "So what."

Clara immediately took out a stack of photos from her bag, her expression seeming unwilling as she looked at him, "Take a look."

At first glance at the photos, Luke knew they weren’t of the Florence Fuller he knew now.

She had a ponytail, wearing a noble school uniform. She looked youthful but still pretty and charming, her smile was beautiful. She was reaching back, and behind her stood a tall, sturdy man in casual wear, helping her with her coat.

Luke’s heart suddenly contracted.

He flipped through, seeing another photo of the man in a wheelchair, Florence Fuller standing in front of him swinging something, the man reaching out to take it.

And the man picking her up from school, helping her with her bag, opening the car door for her.

A thick stack; Luke could only manage to look through ten or so before he couldn’t bear it anymore.

It turned out she could smile so happily, a smile more radiant than flowers.

All because of this man.

Luke’s heart tightened, his breathing heavy and uncomfortable; it took a lot of willpower not to throw the stack of photos.

He tossed them onto the table, looking coldly at Clara and James, "So? What are you trying to say?"

"Isn’t it possible that Florence Fuller is just using you, using the Gardiner Family to achieve her goals?" James said, even showing a worried expression for Luke, "Young Master Gardiner, you shouldn’t underestimate this woman. In the years she married you, she has made frequent trips to France."

"Mr. Gardiner, though my relationship with Florence isn’t good, I must tell you, she has known the man in the photos for a long time, and they were together for three years, even living together abroad. If... if it weren’t for the accident, she might never have married you."

"Accident?" Luke asked, "What accident."

"It seems he broke up with her to go to France, and Florence was heartbroken at the time, practically ready to die for him."

Luke’s hands trembled, and so did his heart; he stared at the photos on the table, feeling nothing but torment.

Even though it hurt, he didn’t want to leave; he even wanted to know more about Florence Fuller’s past with this man.

Ready to die.

"Then why did she agree to the marriage alliance?"

Clara bit her lip, sadly saying, "Originally... it was supposed to be me marrying you, but Florence took my place later to find better doctors for her foster mother’s treatment."

Foster mother... better doctors...

So, Florence’s foster mother was also in SJ, and he didn’t know a thing.

Not just this, but he was completely unaware of her past.

These three years... what on earth had he been doing, he utterly loathed himself!

"That man..." His voice was frigid and vicious, "Who is he!"

Clara and James exchanged a glance, James’ brow furrowing slightly, "He’s called... Ethan Harper."

Because this man wasn’t one to be crossed easily either.

Luke Gardiner wasn’t aware, but he had an inkling of the difficulty.

"He’s now... the chairman of the Polaris Conglomerate!"

Polaris Conglomerate.

Harper Family.

This was not a simple prestigious family.

Luke Gardiner felt that if this man’s status was any simpler, he might have been able to handle it. But this family was also not simple, with a strong background; even though the Gardiner Family was on par, it meant this man wouldn’t be easily dealt with or dismissed.

But... so what...

"Young Master Gardiner, so I hope you’re aware of these things, that Florence Fuller never had you in her heart when she married you. You’re now helping her against the Fuller Clan; she’s just using you to achieve her own ends."

"Heh." Luke let out a cold laugh.

Using him, but now Florence Fuller didn’t even bother pretending and wanted a divorce.

He even wished Florence Fuller would continue to use him for her future career and not divorce him.

This way... he still had hope.

But the presence of Ethan Harper now filled him with a sense of crisis. He looked at James, "Do you think saying all this will make me spare the Fuller Clan? What kind of daydream are you having?"

James’ expression froze, "You... you’re being played by her."

"From the beginning to the end, she only asked me to withdraw from a project and cut off cooperation. Don’t you understand? I got involved of my own accord."