Chapter 95

The car door opened, and Maximus's secretary stepped out. "Ms. Goodwin," he said. Henry saw Maximus and a sly smile spread across his face, conveying a deeper meaning.

Noomi greeted him nonchalantly. "Mr. Hall," she said.

Ryan smiled. "Ms. Goodwin," he said, "we are truly grateful for your help settling the wage dispute for the migrant workers. Mr. Martin would like to invite you to dinner to personally express his gratitude."

"Sure," Naomi replied.

After agreeing, she glanced at Henry and added, "Mr. Sabella, I'll be going now."

Henry smiled. "Brendan seems to have quite a few rivals."

Naomi wasn't fazed by Henry's taunt. She calmly took two steps forward, leaned slightly, and whispered, "Mr. Sabella, if you're interested in pursuing me, you're not up to it."

Henry's expression changed; his gaze toward Naomi grew colder. Indifferent to his reaction, Naomi casually straightened his clothes, then turned and left. Ryan opened the rear car door for her. Maximus, seated inside, glanced at Henry before calmly nodding.

Hands in his pockets, Henry watched the car drive away, his expression growing increasingly serious. In Ashburgh, there were many talented individuals, and Henry knew he had a long way to go to surpass them.

The car started, and Maximus said, "Naomi, I want to thank you for your help last time. I've been wanting to invite you to dinner, but I've been abroad for a meeting."

Naomi smiled. "Mr. Martin, you're too polite."

They chatted as the driver took them to a private restaurant. Naomi hadn't really wanted to attend Maximus's dinner, but since everyone from the law firm, including Henry, was present, she decided to join them.

Meanwhile, Brendan returned home to Yellowind Bay. Noticing Naomi's absence, he instructed Jason to find her. After a while, Jason called back, "Mr. Ludwig, Mr. Sabella went to see Ms. Goodwin this evening."

Brendan's expression shifted slightly. In a somewhat emotionless voice, he asked, "Where is she now?"

Jason cautiously replied, "Mr. Martin also saw Ms. Goodwin today. They're having dinner together, so I guess…"

Before Jason finished, the bedroom door swung open. Naomi's voice cut through the air, "You're back! Weren't you just going to handle this perfunctorily? Have you had a change of heart?"

Naomi entered. Brendan casually hung up and tossed aside his phone. Naomi glanced at him leisurely before removing her coat and hanging it.

Hands in his pockets, Brendan looked at Naomi and coldly asked, "Where did you go?"

Naomi stretched her neck and replied wearily, "I had dinner with a friend."

Brendan pulled Naomi to him. "Which friend? Can't you say their name?"

Naomi smiled. "Jealous?"

Facing her playful smile, Brendan held her waist with one hand and pinched her chin with the other. "Naomi, if the Goodwin family wants to establish a firm foothold in Ashburgh and live in peace, you should know what can and cannot be done, and with whom you should maintain a distance."

The smile faded from Naomi's face as she stared directly at Brendan. "Brendan, are you threatening me?" She hated being threatened, and she questioned his qualifications to do so.

Before her smile disappeared completely, Naomi gently removed his hand and calmly asked, "Brendan, are you confident that I can't compete with you?"

Based on Brendan's words, Naomi felt she couldn't be careless in the future.

Brendan asked, "Naomi, are you declaring war, then?"

Naomi didn't want to argue. Turning, she took her pajamas from the wardrobe and calmly said, "No one is declaring war. I just want to remind you that my parents and Goodwin Corporation are my bottom line. Don't touch them."

She headed toward the bathroom, but Brendan grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace. Naomi, no longer pleasant, turned to him. "Brendan, are you done? You always have Chloe with you. Must we argue every day? Do I even have time for anything else? Can't I have a life and focus on my work?"

Naomi's stern tone angered Brendan. "You argue with me after every meeting with Maximus. I believe your heart has already drifted elsewhere."

Naomi, fed up, replied impatiently, "Yes, yes, my heart has drifted elsewhere. So what do you want to do about it?"

They argued every time he returned, so he might as well stay away. She was busy and exhausted.

Brendan turned away, hands in his pockets, remaining silent. After a long silence, he turned back, looking coldly at Naomi. "Naomi, do you still think you're in the right?"

Naomi's expression darkened. "Are you suggesting you're in the right? Brendan, if you have something to say, say it directly. There's no need to make a big deal out of it every time. I'm not someone who would shy away from problems."

Naomi's counterattack left Brendan speechless. He lit a cigarette and walked to the window. As smoke filled the room, he turned back. "Naomi, by the sounds of it, you're waiting for me to speak up."

"No," Naomi replied with frustration. "You've already made it clear enough. If I keep insisting, I wouldn't be respecting myself. I…"

Brendan interrupted. "What have I made clear?"

Naomi sighed, feeling drained. In irritation, she said, "If you want to settle this score, let's do it today. We've been married for over two years, and there hasn't been a wedding banquet. You haven't even given a single piece of jewelry, not to mention a wedding ring. And when it comes to Chloe, you keep her by your side all the time. You attend various events with her. Who exactly is your wife between the two of us?"