Chapter 996 Austin Is Back

At the FS Empire inside his office, Lawrence pored over the hundreds of files stacked on his desk. FS Empire had been working on a lot of projects lately and, as a result, he had a lot more papers to check. As President and CEO, he made it a point to attend to all the important documents himself.

He jumped when his office phone rang and disturbed his silence. He pressed the speakerphone to answer the call, "What is it?"

"Mr. Lawrence, you have a visitor," the receptionist announced. "Mr. Mike is already on the lift to your floor."

"Okay," Lawrence returned and hung up the phone.

Soon enough, Lawrence heard footsteps approaching.

"Bro, you need to chill, take a break. Since Aria left, you have buried yourself in your work. You're becoming a real workaholic!" Mike joked to lighten the mood. He crossed his legs as he settled on the chair opposite Lawrence.

"I have no choice. There's no one else I trust to do this," Lawrence responded with his eyes still on the papers.

"You still got to relax, bro!" Mike replied after his jaw dropped at Lawrence's statement.

"You know I take my work seriously. I can't afford to slack off," Lawrence reminded Mike.

"Yes, I know, you are the CEO," Mike returned, defeated that he couldn't persuade his friend to join him and have some fun. He knew trying to convince him was not going to work so he changed the subject. "I heard Ryan is coming here, is that true?" he asked.

"Yes," Lawrence replied with an edge to his voice.

"Why would he come back?" Mike asked. "He's just wasting his time."

"Not if he could get her back," Lawrence retorted. He finally looked up to meet Mike's eyes.

"No one will get in the way between you and Aria. Now, if Anna and Ryan end up as a couple, that'll be good news," Mike analyzed.

"What about you and Amanda?" Lawrence blurted.

The look on Mike's face changed and became all serious. He sighed and said, "I met with her family yesterday. It was good, pleasant. But I still don't know if they like me."

"And Amanda?" Lawrence prodded.

"She'll always be my girl," Mike responded with a sly smile.

"You're living together now?" Lawrence asked. He already knew they were though.

"Are you jealous?" Mike asked. He grabbed the tissue box on the table and threw it at Lawrence, who caught it. "Why ask? You already know where are," he continued.

Lawrence leaned back against his chair and ignored the papers on his desk to focus on Mike.

"A super quick marriage is not bad. Your father will be happy," Lawrence reassured Mike.

"He's still on vacation but my household register is here. I'll be able to get the marriage certificate anytime, as long I give the go signal," Mike bragged with a big smile on his face.

"You still need to get her father's permission first, though," Lawrence reminded him before he changed the subject. "Mike, I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Mike asked, surprised at the immediate change of topic. He tried to study Lawrence's face to try and read his mind.

"When Austin gets here, he will take charge of the FS Empire for the meantime. I'd like for you and Greg to help him with the business," Lawrence ordered.

"Why? Are you worried Austin will bankrupt your company?" Mike joked and let out a big

“Who does she think she is? I won’t marry her even if she is the last woman on earth,” said Hiram Rong.

“Marry into a family with tens of billions of assets? How lucky I am! I won’t be so foolish as to break off the engagement. At worst, I can receive money as part of the divorce settlement,” said Rachel Ruan.

Their great-grandfathers made a pact about their engagement a hundred years ago...

r us," Violet murmured.

Greg's eyebrow shot up. "I don't think that's a good idea," Greg replied.

Violet was surprised by Greg's reaction. She sat up and looked him in the eye and asked, "Why not?"

He stroked Violet's smooth hair. He let his hand fall to her cheek and caressed it. "Raising children is not an easy job. I can't bear to see you suffer," he explained. "One child is enough for us. We'll raise him or her together."

Greg's explanation melted Violet's heart. She smiled and hugged her husband. She let go and whispered in his ear, "Honey, I'm glad to have you in my life."

"I should thank you, my little darling. You have made me the luckiest man in the world," Greg told her.

Back in the Chu family's villa.

Cherry and Lily were in the kitchen, busy cooking up a storm.

Jackson and Derek played a serious game of chess on the balcony. And Lawrence was reading his favorite business magazine by himself in the living room.

"Lawrence, call up your sister and ask them where they are," Cherry requested, as she stood by the kitchen door.

"Okay, yeah," Lawrence replied.

He called Violet who answered, "We're on our way! Wait for us!" She hung up before he could say anything else. Lawrence walked to the kitchen and told Cherry, "Violet and Greg are on their way, should be here soon."

"Okay, perfect. The chicken soup is almost ready," Cherry stated while she checked the rest of the soup.

"What is this?" Lawrence referred to the feast they've been cooking. "You've never prepared such a grand feast for me before." Lawrence pouted and crossed his arms. "It looks like you've got favorites, Mother," Lawrence pretended to sulk.

"I love you as much as I love Violet and Greg. I love you all equally," Cherry reassured Lawrence. "We're cooking a lot because Austin is coming here today." She knew Lawrence was kidding and didn't explain any further.

"Austin has been away for many years. He might not like Chinese food anymore," Lawrence suggested while he helped his mother.

"He's gonna love this food," Cherry declared. While she prepared the food, a thought suddenly popped into her head, "Did Bill pick him up at the airport?"