The Protector

In actual fact, Zoey had been awake for a long time now, but she didn’t make a sound.
She looked at Levi wonderingly.
He was right.
The Lopez family really wants me back.
But why?
Zoey’s heart leaped into her throat when she heard Levi requesting Harry to come pick her up in person.
Harry had always been high and mighty. Never in a million years would he accept Levi’s proposal. Levi was just provoking him by
having him personally invite her back.
“Fine. Forget it if Harry refuses to come! Bye!”
Levi hung up.
“Are you crazy?” Zoey nudged him. “How could you ask Grandpa to come and get me? I say we go back on our own and forget
about everything. There seems to be something very serious going on based on their tone.”
“Don’t. Just wait. Three, two, one...”
Sure enough, Zoey’s phone rang as soon as Levi finished counting down.
“Dad has agreed to go pick you guys up,” Henry’s helpless voice sounded. “Now give me your address!”
“University City’s Borrman Hotel!”
“And your room number?”
“You don’t need to know that. We’ll go down on our own when Harry arrives,” Levi said.
This was to prevent Harry from not coming.
“Huh? Is Grandpa really coming?”
Having been living in Harry’s shadows since she was a child, Zoey was frightened down to the soles of her shoes.

“What are you nervous for? He’s here to invite you back,” Levi said with a smile on his face.
Zoey was so terrified that she had forgotten Levi’s predictions from before—Harry will invite you back in person.
About half an hour later, a Mercedes Benz came to a halt in front of the hotel with Harry appearing in their line of sight.
“Come on. Let’s go down.”
Zoey was still trembling as she grabbed Levi’s arm, not letting go.
When Harry saw Zoey, he subconsciously yelled, “Zoey, you... Oh, get in the car! Grandpa has something important to discuss
with you!”
Zoey was dumbfounded to see the pleasant smile on Harry’s face.
When did Grandpa ever smile at me?
In the car, Harry started, “I’ll get down to business, okay, Zoey? Haven’t you been working on West City Ecological Park
development project before this? Well, now’s your chance. Mr. Jennings from the Ministry of Construction asked for you to
submit the proposal and elaborate the plans to them.”
“You must do your best! I believe you can do this!”
And so, a few minutes before eight, a confused Zoey and Levi arrived at the office building responsible for this project.
“Ms. Lopez, you’re here,” Orlando greeted, shooting up to his feet and went up to welcome them. “Would Ms. Lopez and this
gentleman like tea or coffee?”
“Tea for me and coffee for her,” Levi said curtly as he sat down graciously.
Zoey, however, was completely dumbstruck.
He’s Mr. Jennings! The person in charge of management for the Ministry of Construction!
Even Joseph Garrison has to bow down to him when he sees him.
Why is he so courteous to me?
“Did you hear that? Now go and make the arrangements,” Orlando said to his secretary.

“Ms. Lopez, please, have a seat,” Orlando said respectfully to Zoey.
“Come on. Sit,” Levi said, seeing that she was transfixed, he pulled Zoey to sit beside him.
Soon, the coffee and tea were served.
Zoey lifted her cup with both hands, still shaking while Levi crossed his legs, flaunting the bearing of a tyrant.
Orlando stood before them like a server, reverent and respectful.
He didn’t even dare to glimpse at Levi.
He’s that legendary man!
Taking in a deep breath, Zoey stood up and handed over the proposal. “M-Mr. Jennings, I’m Zoey Lopez. Nice to meet you. This
is my proposal! Please have a look!”
Orlando chuckled. “Your ability speaks for itself, Ms. Lopez. We can leave the proposal aside. You have our full confidence.”
Cough...
When Orlando’s eyes met Levi’s terrifying ones, he quickly took over the proposal and studied it with a few other project leaders,
with Zoey explaining at the side.
About half an hour later, Orlando got up and said with a smile, “We were right about you, Ms. Lopez! It’s perfect! The plan is
ninety-five out of a hundred! After revising some details from our end, it’s perfect now.”
“Does that mean we got the job?” Levi asked.
Orlando nodded. “We received thirty-three bidding documents from the preliminary selection, and so far Ms. Lopez has the
highest score! We have inspected Imperial Meadows Limited and Lopez Group’s capabilities before this, and you guys are
basically qualified to take on this project! Now we just have to go with the flow and sign the contract three days later.”
Zoey knew it was all cut and dried!
Levi got up, pulled Zoey away and said passingly, “Thank you...”
“What? No, no. This is what we should do!”

Hearing Levi’s words of gratitude, Orlando was so scared that he almost got down on his knees.
Even after coming outside, Zoey still felt as if she was dreaming.
“Zoey, how was it?” Harry and a dozen others gathered around her.
“Grandpa, we passed the preliminary selection and my score was the highest, ninety-five! Mr. Jennings asked me to drop by
three days later to sign the contract. I... We will be responsible for the development of this project. But they are still going
through the process, so we have to keep it a secret!”
Zoey originally wanted to say that she would work on this project on her own, but seeing Harry, she instinctively changed her
tone.
“Very good! I’m so proud of you, Zoey! You’re the Lopez family’s hero!”
Harry was excited, and so were the others.
After all, it was a major project of one billion.
For as long as Zoey could remember, Harry had only complimented her twice.
The first time was when she married Levi, an upstart six years ago.
And the compliment this time felt surreal to her.
“Zoey, are you sure we’re getting this project and all we have to do is sign the contract three days later?” Harry asked again, still
feeling a little unsettled.
Zoey nodded. “Yes, Grandpa. I’m sure!”
“Okay, that’s a load off my mind!”
Harry heaved a sigh of relief.
Thereafter, Levi, Zoey, and the Lopez family dispersed and returned home, respectively.
“That was so unexpected, Dad!” Henry chortled. “We really got the job! I’ve asked my friend to ask Mr. Jennings’ secretary about
it, and it’s true!”

Harry’s face was glowing. “Yes, it’s a great joy for the Lopez family.”
“Grandpa,” Samuel said, after hesitating for a long time. “Are you really going to give Zoey full authority to handle this project?
I’m afraid that with Levi’s wild ambition, this project will have nothing to do with us when the time comes.”
Harry laughed. “Oh, Samuel, I’ve thought about that! Didn’t you hear me just now? Now that the project is ours and all we need
is to sign the contract three days later, Zoey has no more use-value for us. Besides, can her small Imperial Meadows Limited
develop a project of one billion?”
“So, you guys will go and sign the contract three days later! I only gave Zoey a nominal position. I don’t intend on having her take
part in the development of this project.”
Samuel laughed sinisterly. “That’s a sick move, Grandpa!”