Chapter 357

Winnie had asked Alan to print the document several days ago and had gotten all of the necessary seals and stamps.

Time had passed, and it had come down to this last day. Winnie had no choice but to come to Island Electronics.

Over the past few days, she had been busy with various tasks. She called Sidney, asking her son if he'd consider living with her, a decision that seemed to come out of the blue. Simultaneously, she instructed Lena to check the flight ticket while also beginning her search for a suitable partner for Eternity Jewelry Co. Ltd.

Winnie was feeling heavy-hearted. She had secretly read the contents of the document. In it, Mars had used the jewelry exhibition project to frame Lawrence, a scheme that could send him to jail. With a furrowed brow and determined heart, she still came to execute the plan.

Winnie was greeted by Mr. Stewart, the general manager of Island Electronics. "Winnie, please wait. Lawrence isn't in the office right now. He has several meetings today."

Winnie wondered to herself, 'He is getting married tomorrow, and still working so hard today? What is this man thinking?'

Mr. Stewart went out for a while, seemingly received a phone call, and came back to pour coffee for Winnie, being very friendly toward her. He was a new face because it wasn't him who received Winnie the last time she came to Island Electronics.

Mr. Stewart approached Winnie and informed, "Lawrence might not be back at the office until the evening. Just a heads up. Winnie, it's still early. If you're bored waiting, shall I take you for a tour of the company's visitable areas?"

Winnie raised her eyebrows and nodded. She wasn't familiar with Island Electronics and wanted to take the opportunity to explore.

Mr. Stewart immediately smiled and gestured toward the CEO's office in the meeting room. "It's not convenient for you to stay here alone."

Winnie, interpreting his concern that she might enter the office without permission, nodded understandingly and stood up.

Mr. Stewart led her downstairs, without mentioning which areas to visit, and they ended up on the ground floor, which seemed like a laboratory. Everyone knew that Island Electronics' core industry was the artificial intelligence chips which had created immense value for Lawrence. Winnie also heard that Island Electronics was about to release a new chip onto the market. It seemed that the release was scheduled for the next day, coinciding with the wedding.

Her gaze shifted to the interviews with Lawrence displayed on the wall, the sharpness of his words reflecting his demeanor. At that moment, Mr. Stewart suddenly pointed to a room, saying, "This is the laboratory for our latest Power Saving chip. Winnie, would you like to go in and take a look?"

Winnie furrowed her brows, recognizing the implication of secrecy surrounding the new chip, even though she lacked expertise in the field.

Just as she was about to refuse, Mr. Stewart abruptly approached her and let out a sigh. "Mr. Rodriguez had asked for your help at the last minute to do something for him."

With a loud bang, before Winnie could react, she was pushed into the laboratory in the deserted corridor. The heavy security door closed. Winnie's eyes turned cold as she called out, "Mr. Stewart?"

Mr. Stewart didn't open the door.

The room was filled with advanced artificial intelligence instruments, where a simple touch could alter the data. Maybe Mars requested that she tamper with the chip. However, that wasn't the case; Mars didn't give her any instructions.

At that moment, several cameras on the ceiling secretly turned toward her direction. Winnie's sharp gaze intensified, and after her mind calmed slightly, she suddenly understood something. There was something wrong with Mr. Stewart.

About five minutes later, the laboratory door suddenly opened. Winnie frowned and ran out. Moving along, there was no sign of Mr. Stewart outside. The corridor remained empty, as if it had been deliberately cleared, waiting for her visit. Winnie suppressed her thoughts and returned to the elevator, going upstairs. As the chilly air brushed against her, she pondered the mysterious Mr. Stewart. Furthermore, Mars hadn't given her any instructions to tamper with the lab.

She wondered who had orchestrated the scheme to frame her. Winnie chuckled coldly and assumed that it was perhaps Darcy. The camera at the top of the lab flashed and rotated toward her. They must have captured evidence of her "intruding and damaging the chip."

Winnie couldn't discern who was the evidence meant for. However, she didn't need much thought. It seemed that tomorrow, Darcy had prepared a "gift" for her as well. It was a race to see who could deliver their gift first.

A cold smirk appeared on Winnie's lips as she pretended everything was all right and walked back to the conference room. Behind the concealed windows, Mr. Stewart confidently made a phone call, saying, "Darcy, we've caught her entering the lab for a full five minutes. The surveillance video will be sent to you soon, don't worry."

Bryan entered the private room and said to Lawrence, "Mr. Rodriguez, stop drinking. Winnie has been waiting for a while at Island Electronics. It seems she needs you to sign a few contracts for the jewelry exhibition project."

"She's here?" As Lawrence deeply inhaled, the smoke momentarily hung still, his slightly intoxicated eyelids revealing signs of weariness. "Why didn't you say so earlier?" Without any delay, he stood up from the chair, his long legs striding forward, exiting the private room.

Bryan was puzzled. "I don't know why, but nobody from the company informed me. It was mentioned in the secretary department's group chat. However, I've already arranged for Winnie to wait for you in your office. Are you heading back now?"

Before Bryan could finish his sentence, the man, smelling of alcohol, had already snatched the car keys with his slender fingers. Bryan sighed inwardly; he had wasted his words. It seemed that even the day before Mr. Rodriguez's remarriage, he still wanted to see his ex-wife. It was hard to say if he was a scum or still harboring old feelings.

Stepping into the CEO's office at Island Electronics, Winnie entered the imposing domain of the grand and aloof man. The panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows of the office towered high, exuding Lawrence's inherent aura of dominance, authority, and coldness. She had been there once before, accompanied by Alan.

However, their entire time was spent bickering with Lawrence, so she didn't really get a good look around. This time, she didn't have time for sightseeing either. Winnie quickly scanned the surroundings and noticed that the blinds on the office's inner window were tightly shut.

That was his private space, likely free from any surveillance. She took a deep breath and glanced at the solemn and austere desk. It was filled with documents and the entire wall beside the desk was lined with sealed file cabinets. It was evident how busy he was. A meticulous man, even his pens were arranged with precision, perfectly straight. There was not a speck of dust in the room.

Carrying her own briefcase, she approached quietly, observing the drawers under the desk. Then, she put on gloves and gently opened it. Winnie held her breath as she swiftly retrieved the document Mars had discreetly given her from the bag and placed it in the bottom drawer.

Just as she was about to close the drawer, footsteps approached from outside, the man's long legs moving gracefully and steadily. Winnie wasn't expecting him to be back so soon. Winnie's hand shook, her expression changing as she hastily pushed the drawer, catching a glimpse of the doorknob turning.

She cursed inwardly as she quickly took off her gloves, intending to hide. However, she noticed that the drawer wasn't completely shut.

Right at that moment, Lawrence entered. The man pushed open the door, and as he stepped inside, his eyelids lifted slightly, revealing a pair of deep, ink-like pupils. His lips moved, his voice slightly hoarse as he spoke, "You're here. Why didn't you say so earlier?"

The next second, Lawrence's gaze abruptly halted. He was puzzled looking at Winnie. There she was, half-sitting on his desk, her profile facing him. She was leaning slightly toward the window and was fiddling with the buttons on her shirt. A few buttons of her silk blouse had come undone, revealing milky-white skin and curves that would fit perfectly in his hand.

"Ah..." The woman let out a low cry and anxiously looked at him. "I... Why didn't you make any noise when you entered?" Winnie feigned annoyance, shamefully protecting her exposed collarbone.

Lawrence saw it all. His lips curled slightly, and his smooth voice inexplicably became huskier. "It's my fault for not making any noise? Whose office is this? And who are you trying to change your clothes in here?"

"I accidentally loosened them just now," Winnie explained, her cheeks tinged with a blush as she quickly buttoned up her shirt.

"Are you sure you're going to say it was an accident, this kind of topic?" Lawrence's gaze deepened, and he took a step closer.

Combined with the scent of alcohol emanating from his body, his aura of danger intensified, permeating the space without restraint. Standing a mere centimeter away from her, he exuded a commanding presence and palpable pressure.

Winnie had no choice but to turn around as her knee brushed against his thigh. "You've been drinking?" she asked.

"You should be waiting on the guest sofa instead of standing by my desk with those documents. What is your purpose here? Are you attempting to spy on the company's secrets?"

Both of them spoke at the same time. His brows furrowed, his eyes sharp with scrutiny. He looked at the document bag and handbag she tightly held, then his gaze scanned the desk.

Just as his eyes were about to sweep toward the inner drawer cabinet, Winnie panicked. She desperately reached out and grabbed his tie. Her mind buzzing, she acted on impulse, looking up and embracing his neck, kissing him without a moment's thought.

"Mmm." A soft and delicate sensation pressed against his cool and thin lips, it was the same crimson lips he had imagined. Lawrence's body tensed momentarily, a fleeting stiffness coursing through him, before a surge of warmth ignited within. His gaze deepened, darkening with newfound intensity.