I've Been There Before (Grace and Caden)

The young master of the Cordon family was recently very industrious. This had become the common sense of business community. In a business party tonight, Franklin was present too. For this reason, many young ladies had dressed up and come to the party.

The party began. Swimming pool, villa and boys and girls in fancy clothes... The party was crowded with the top people of S City. Even so, there were also different ranks among these top people.

"Mr. Cordon, you have been very active and industrious recently. Is it because you were motivated by some beauty?" An elite in his thirties drank a toast to Franklin and bantered.

But no one knew that the young handsome president admitted immediately, "Yes, indeed. Director Thomas's eyes are still so sharp."

Hearing this, Director Thomas was amazed, "Which lady is it? She is so lucky to have your affection."

Franklin waved his hand and smiled, "You are saying wrong, Director Thomas. I am the lucky one to meet her. It is my fortune to meet her in my life time. And if I can marry her someday, I will be the luckiest guy in the world." At this moment, a commotion came from ahead.

Franklin and Director Thomas were both drawn by the commotion and looked at the gate.

"Is that...Caden from Shaw Group?" Director Thomas said in astonishment, "No one said the business tycoon would also join this party tonight."

Then he turned to Franklin and asked, "Mr. Cordon, do you know that..."

When Director Thomas turned to Franklin, Franklin just ignored him and put down his glass before walking straight to the gate.

Director Thomas was surprised to watch Franklin walking towards the figure at the gate who was drawing all attention.

Franklin was in America before and had only been back for less than a year. While Caden stayed in China since he was a boy. How could these two people know each other?

People in business community knew little about what happened between Franklin and Caden when they were young.

Caden's appearance started a commotion. All people, including women or men, were all attracted by the slender figure at the gate.

Men all wanted to go greet Caden to make his acquaintance. Women all reapplied their make-up, pulled their skirts and stroked their hair. All eyes were fixated on Caden.

Then the group of people moved again. They stepped asides and made way for Franklin.

"Isn't this Mr. Shaw?" A grin appeared on the face of Franklin. He put his hand into the pocket of his suit pants and walked to the man at the gate in a graceful move, "I didn't know that Mr. Shaw would be interested in a party of this scale." Indifference covered Caden's eyes. He stood on the spot and just watched Franklin walking towards him, "I came out to relax myself. All parties are the same to me."

"Relax yourself...Is something troubling you recently?" Franklin continued, "How about I invite Mr. Shaw to relax in Royal Club?"

Caden squinted at Franklin...who was well aware that Royal Club belonged to him...Apparently, Franklin was seeking trouble!

Caden pursed his lips indifferently and waved to the waiter not far away. The waiter who was holding a tray quickly came forward. Caden picked up a glass of wine from the tray and handed it to Franklin. Then he grabbed one himself and said, "Mr. Cordon showed such solicitude for me. You should care more about yourself. The dark circles below your eyes got deeper. Are you having late nights recently?"

The hand Franklin used to hold the glass suddenly trembled. Then he drunk all the wine in the glass like nothing happened. He put the glass back on the tray the waiter was holding and turned to Caden,

"Yes, I am. If I don't stay up to come up with strategies, how can I deal with the troubles Mr. Shaw keeps giving me?"

"Hun- In the battlefield of business, there is no such thing as 'giving troubles'. The only thing that matters is who is stronger." Caden said plainly and shook the glass in his hand. He didn't drink any of the wine and put the glass back on the tray. Then he looked at Franklin coldly, "I told you that if something was mine, even if I didn't want it, no one could take it. Mr. Cordon, please keep fighting. Maybe if you stay up for several more nights, you can save your company."

The smile on Franklin's face was getting stiffer, and there was more stubbornness in his voice, "Mr. Shaw kept stressing that it was something you didn't want... Hun...Mr. Shaw, now that you care so much about her, why you said you didn't? Mr. Shaw, are you jealous because you can't get her?"

Caden's eyes darkened and he looked at Franklin coldly, "Mr. Cordon doesn't need to care for my business. Maybe you should think more about yourself now."

With that, Caden bypassed Franklin and walked away.

Though their conversation was not pleasant, they both talked in a low voice. So people around couldn't hear what they were saying specifically and could only see two excellent men talking.

Caden bypassed Franklin and walked inside the villa. He was walking towards the bathroom. Only he knew how angry he was now.

He fell in love with a woman like Grace? He was jealous of Grace and him?

Nonsense!

A selfish, greedy, mean, lowborn gold digger...Even a normal man would never care to look at such a woman. How could he fall in love with her?

Never!

But another voice inside him kept reminding him: You were in love with her, or why did you target at Cordon Group and the Cordon family?

You could imprison her so that she wouldn't be able to meet Franklin. But why didn't you...Were you afraid that the smile on her face would disappear again?

Caden walked into the bathroom and looked at the man in the mirror coldly. He shouted to himself in his heart: No! Never! I would never fall in love with a woman with such an ugly heart! The reason I was targeting the Cordon family and Cordon Group was because I didn't like Franklin. He dared to touch my thing, and he would get what was coming for him. That was all!

Before the party ended, Franklin went back home.

It was late and everything was quiet. But in the study on the second floor, the light was still up.

Behind the desk sat a man working diligently.

Franklin's fingers kept tapping on the keyboard. After a while, he stopped to pick up the coffee beside him and poured it into his mouth as if it were just tea. Then he started working again.

Caden was right. If he got slack at his work now, he wouldn't be about to cope with the following attacks coming from Caden.

At this moment, Franklin was feeling powerless...He and Caden had been frenemies since childhood. They competed at everything but he never won.

Back then, he refused to bow his head. And now, he still did.

But Caden was truly a monster in business. Now that he was in the real battlefield with him, Franklin found that no matter in gift, capabilities or capital, Caden totally stood out.

"I didn't win back then, but I can't lose this time." Grace was the only thing he couldn't lose to Caden!

At 4 o'clock of the next day morning, the light in Franklin's study went out finally.0000