Was that Lucia?
When Lucia saw the shock on Jacob's face, she let out a faint smile instead.
She had never forgotten the bad blood between them.
"Jacob, it's been a long while. Do you still remember me?"
Jacob was speechless.
Lucia smiled again, not minding his silence. She sat opposite him. Her identity was self-evident.
After staring at Lucia for a long while, he finally figured out what to say, "How would you…"
Clearly, he had realized that the new executive of Jibillion Inc who had asked to meet him was none other than Lucia!
"I asked you out today to talk about something and solve something." Lucia had anticipated his reaction, but she had no intention to make a great fuss about it.
What was she going to talk about? What was she going to solve?
Was she coming to take back everything?
His suspicion and envy were too obvious.   
Albeit   contemptuous of Jacob, Lucia set aside personal

Jacob's scream had drawn everyone's attention in the cafe.

Jacob!   
Lucia turned around with her eyes blazing with anger.
"What? Did I say something wrong?" Jacob snorted when seeing Lucia pissed off.
"Jacob," Lucia took a step forward, stared at Jacob without a blink, and said in a deep voice, "do you really me want to rake up the past and dig up the truth, huh? If yes, I'll fight you to the end!
Lucia's eyes were sharp and cold, and she was ready to fight Jacob and Poppy to the end.
"What damn truth can you reveal?" Seeing everyone looking at them, Jacob raised his voice deliberately, "The truth is you are a dissolute woman! You've seen your lover secretly in the hotel and disgraced the Webb family!"
Some waiters, coming to smooth things over, happened to hear his words. Then they were stunned and stared at Lucia.
Jacob told the old story in this tone and twisted the fact. Lucia was 

The woman was wearing a long dress. Her charm and elegance were not at all overshadowed by the apron. And there was a warm smile on her face. Who could think that she was a nanny?
"Welcome home, Miss Webb. Where's the kid?" She asked gently, quietly observing the nice girl in front of her.
"Oh." Lucia gathered her senses, "Theodore's at the dining table, and you are…?"
"Just call me Auntie Sophie. I am your new nanny." While she was introducing herself, she approached Lucia and took over her bag, "It must have been cold outside. I made some hot soup. Go take one and warm yourself."
Just then, Theodore went back to the living room. On seeing Auntie Sophie, he could not help gaping, "Grandmother?"
"Oh, Theodore." When she saw Theodore, her smile was even bigger. She soon walked to him to help him take off the coat and urged him to have a hot soup.
Theodore lowered his voice, "What are you doing here? Grandma?"
Right, the nanny that Nia found and the woman that greatly surprised Theodore was exactly Arthur's mother, Sophie.
"Hush. Don't tell your mother who I am. I just want to look after you both." Sophie hurried to cover his mouth.
"I think grandma wants to see what kind of person my mom is." Theodore's little humor amused Sophie. They exchanged a smile and kept it a secret.
When housework was finished, it was seven o'clock in the evening. Lucia and Theodore escorted her downstairs.
Jan, Sophie's partner, picked her home. When she arrived home and met Arthur, she simply explained that she was having fun outside. Though Arthur was exceedingly smart, he could not imagine that her mom was now Lucia's nanny.
"Arthur, did you see the mother of that boy today?" Sophie dragged Arthur to the couch in the living room, intending to hear all the details.
"Yes, I didn't know she is also from MIT."   
"Wow, she's intelligent, isn't she?" Sophie praised.
"Kind of." Arthur had his way of complimenting others.
"Then how are her characters?" Sophie had her own impression of Lucia, but she was also curious about how her son perceived her.
Arthur glanced at Sophie and said blandly, "Mom, we were just talking about business. What are you thinking about?"
He noticed!
Sophie smiled as if she didn't care, "Couldn't I ask? She might be my daughter-in-law."
Arthur was surprised at how assured his mother sounded.
"Mom, it's too far-fetched. Don't think of ridiculous things like that. Plus, whether or not he's my son still hangs in the balance." Arthur soon refuted.
"Aren't you going to have a DNA test to confirm that? When are you going to do that?" Sophie was anxious.
"DNA test needs human tissue. How do I do it with nothing in my hand?" He lifted his brow.
"It's not difficult…" Sophie mumbled. She was Theodore's nanny now. It should be a piece of cake for her to get his hair.
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Arthur did not catch her word.
"Nothing. We need to talk more about it later." Sophie gave him a reassuring smile. Though she could get Theodore's hair, how should she hand it to Arthur? She needed to think about how to deal with it.
For the ensuing days, Lucia was wholly devoted to finding out who was the mole. Arthur had given her good directions. She went to CTD's boss to get more information about who took part in the assessment. Soon, she found out the most suspicious one.   
"Lucy, now that we have identified the most suspicious one, what should we do next?" Nia was entirely cooperative.
Lucia, however, was standing in front of the floor-ceiling window, staring at the city, as if she was ignorant of Nia's words.
"Lucy?" Nia whispered.
"Nia, I'm going to need you to make an appointment with Jacob for me." Lucia suddenly looked back, with lights flickering in her eyes.
"What?" Nia almost thought she heard it wrong.
"You heard it right." Lucia said gently, "I'm going to meet Jacob."
Fifteen minutes later, Jacob, who was in his office on the top of JTP building, received the invitation from the assistant of Jibillion Inc's new executive.
Jacob's assistant was a man in his forties, who Jacob was forced to choose by Poppy.      
"Tomas, are you sure she wants to meet me in private?" Jacob could not figure out the intention behind this request.
"Mr. Taylor, I was repeating what she told me," Tomas said in a low and thick voice.
Jacob gave Tomas a sour look. He really did not take to this dull secretary. Other bosses were all followed by young and beautiful women, except him…
But he was strongly recommended by Poppy. Jacob had no other option but to nod and said impatiently, "Their intention is unclear. Just say no."
"Yes, sir." He went out as if he were totally unaware of Jacob's dissatisfaction. But within five minutes, Tomas knocked on the door again, went in, and said the same words.
"Mr. Taylor, she said she must meet with you."
"You…" Jacob frowned.
"Mr. Taylor, are you going to meet her?" Tomas bent forward.
"Yes. Just tell her yes, but I get to decide where and when to meet. Eleven o'clock tomorrow, West Whisper Restaurant. Let me see who was so headstrong to see me." He waved his hand, telling Tomas to get out.
When he went home at night, Jacob complained badly to Poppy.
Poppy flatteringly slid into Jacob's arm, comforting him softly, "Don't get angry, Jacob. It's true Tomas is a bit dull, but he's venerable in age and is less likely to make mistakes. It's good for both you and the company."
"Is that so?" Jacob looked down at Poppy, "It's not for your own good?"
"What are you talking about!" It was for her own good, though. Poppy smiled like a sly fox and said as if she had no other choices, "I did it all for you. Young girls are too unsophisticated to handle things for you."
Knowing that it was useless to argue with her, Jacob let out a faint smile. His intention to inquire about the new executive of Jibillion Inc vanished completely.
The next day, Lucia appeared at West Whisper Restaurant at half past ten. She inhaled deeply, pinched herself on her arm, and raised her head before walking in.
As for the inner side of the restaurant.
"Five minutes…" Jacob stared at the clock on the wall, the corner of his lips turned up in a smirk. When he shifted his attention from the clock to the door, he was stunned.
The waiter was opening the door, showing a tall figure of a woman in a gray suit. Confidence oozed from each of her steps, as her waist moved from side to side.
Jacob's eyes widened.

Was that Lucia?
When Lucia saw the shock on Jacob's face, she let out a faint smile instead.
She had never forgotten the bad blood between them.
"Jacob, it's been a long while. Do you still remember me?"
Jacob was speechless.
Lucia smiled again, not minding his silence. She sat opposite him. Her identity was self-evident.
After staring at Lucia for a long while, he finally figured out what to say, "How would you…"
Clearly, he had realized that the new executive of Jibillion Inc who had asked to meet him was none other than Lucia!
"I asked you out today to talk about something and solve something." Lucia had anticipated his reaction, but she had no intention to make a great fuss about it.
What was she going to talk about? What was she going to solve?
Was she coming to take back everything?
His suspicion and envy were too obvious.   
Albeit   contemptuous of Jacob, Lucia set aside personal grudges and   continued, "Didn't Poppy tell you that I'm back?"
Speaking of Poppy, he 

Chapter 15 Just a Woman He Discarded