Chapter 6
Kaneeta turned to look at Edmund.
Seeing the undisguised displeasure in his eyes, she knew he was
blaming her for embarrassing Nyasia in front of everyone.
Of all people, he knew how weak her stomach was.
He had even had someone bring her pills a while ago when she had stomach pain.
But now, he demanded that she drink the wine Nyasia offered.
He didn’t give a damn about her health at all. To him, it was nothing compared to Nyasia’s pride.
Realizing he wouldn’t let her off unless she drank, she smiled self–mockingly, took the glass in Nyasia’s hand, and gulped down the wine.
“Happy now, Mr. Kuntz?”
She tilted her glass toward him so that he could see clearly that it was empty.
Meeting her eyes, he parted his lips. Yet, for a time, he actually
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didn’t know what to say.
Nyasia smiled provocatively and triumphantly, “Thanks, Ms.
Drayton. We’ll be working together from now on, and I’m sure I
have a lot to learn from you.”
Kaneeta didn’t respond, but it didn’t bother her. She walked
back to Edmund and sat down beside him like a victor.
Gloating, she thought, “Kaneeta, see? I’m the only one he cares
about.”
Little did she know that it didn’t matter to Kaneeta at all.
After she downed the wine, her stomach started acting up.
Knowing how weak her stomach was, she hadn’t planned on
drinking tonight at all. Therefore, she left the glass her colleague had poured for her untouched. But then, Nyasia proposed a
toast to her.
It wasn’t an exactly strong drink, but given her stomach
condition, it was no different from poison to her.
Enduring the pain, she reached into her bag but couldn’t feel the
pill box whatsoever. Only then did she remember she had left it
in the office.
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Her stomachache grew more intense. Seeing that everyone else’s attention was on Edmund and Nyasia, she pursed her lips and left the private room, wanting to fetch some pills from a
nearby pharmacy.
Noticing that, Edmund instinctively got up as well to follow her,
but Nyasia pulled him.
“Ed, where are you going?” she said coquettishly, making sure
no one else could hear her. “You’re the only one I know here.
Stay with me, will you?”
Her delicate voice softened Edmund’s heart, and he sat down
after hesitating for a few seconds.
He thought, “Kaneeta must have been upset about what
happened earlier. But it’s fine. I just need to sweet–talk her a bit
tonight.”
***
Kaneeta stumbled down the hallway, her stomachache killing
her.
Even her vision became a bit blurred. As she turned a corner,
she collided with someone.
“I’m so sorry. I…”
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Before she could finish, another wave of sharp pain hit her. Clutching her stomach, she nearly doubled over in pain.
“Are you OK?”
The cold, magnetic male voice was pleasant to the ear, but she wasn’t in the mood to enjoy.
She raised her head with all the strength she had left and apologized again, “I’m sorry.”
Due to the great discomfort, she overlooked the odd glint in the
man’s eyes as he saw her face.
“Hey, are you alright?”
She could barely stand. Sensing her condition, he gentlemanly
supported her arm.
“L…
Noticing her hands pressed against her stomach, he asked, “Is it
your stomach?”
She nodded, her forehead drenched in cold sweat.
“Do you take anything for it normally?”
She instinctively told him the name of the pills she usually took,
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and he helped her to a nearby vacant private room to sit down.
“Wait for me here.”
His footsteps trailed off.
Kaneeta was still in a daze. Who was he? Where was he going?
But her gut told her he meant no harm.
What was more, he struck her as familiar.
Soon, he came back with a glass of water and two pills.
“Take them. You’ll feel better soon.”
Though his voice was still cold, the concern it carried was easily
detected.
As Kaneeta’s gaze fell upon the pills, she recognized them as her regular stomach medication. So, she swallowed them with the
water.
The water was warm.
As it slid down her throat, she felt warm.
The pills soon kicked in. Not long after, she felt better.
She looked up and said gratefully, “Thank you so much. And
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sorry for the trouble.”
The man standing in front of her was tall and imposing. His
features were striking, and his air of natural authority was not
to be ignored.
“Don’t mention it,” he said lightly, “Ms. Drayton.”
“You know me?” Kaneeta was very surprised.
In that fleeting moment, she remembered him.
He was Woodrow Hartwell, the second son of the Hartwell
family in Roseburn.
Word had it that he was a once–in–a–generation business whiz.
He had started handling company affairs before sixteen. By the
time he turned twenty, his father had named him successor.
And now, he had fully taken over the Hartwell Group,
becoming a formidable figure in the business world.
They had met at a banquet six years ago.
She had always been low–profile, and it was the only banquet
she had ever attended.
Besides, she had only caught a glimpse of him from afar. That was why she failed to recognize him at once.
Chapte
She was surprised to see him here,
“Mr. Hartwell, she greeted him. Though feeling slightly
awkward, she managed to appear calm. “What brings you to
Calchester?”
He replied, apparently unbothered that she’d only just
recognized him. “I’m here for business”
After a pause, he asked, “You’re not feeling well–why are you
here alone?”
As Kaneeta heard the word “alone“, she suddenly felt a lump in
her throat.
After graduation, she had stayed in Calchester with Edmund, against her family’s objection.
She had been trying so hard to prove that she had made the right choice, to show them she’d be happy. Yet, here she was alone.
After a while, she snapped back to reality and answered, “I’m having dinner with my colleagues here. My stomach ached, so I went out to buy some pills. I didn’t expect it’d get this bad… Anyway, thank you, Mr. Hartwell.”
Woodrow handed her the pill box and said, his voice flat, “These
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pills work fast, but they don’t solve the root problem. Since you have a weak stomach, you ought to take better care of it.”
For a fleeting moment, she almost thought he cared.
But she quickly dismissed the thought. They barely knew each other, and his tone dripped with indifference.
He was probably just being polite.
“I know!” She took the box and then pulled out her phone. “Mr. Hartwell, how much are these pills? I’ll transfer the money to
you.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“I insist. The pills are for me anyway.””
Though the money meant nothing to Woodrow, she hated
owing anyone anything.
After falling silent for a second, Woodrow took out his phone,
too, and tapped the screen.
Just then, she noticed she had received a WhatsApp message.
A contact she had never messaged before had sent her a single
space.
She immediately realized something and was utterly surprised.
“This is you?”
“Yes” He was still expressionless,
Baffled, she couldn’t even remember how long he had been in
her contact.
No matter what, now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. She quickly
transferred him the money
Then she smiled at him politely, “Mr. Hartwell, I’m going back to
my colleagues then”
“Ms. Drayton” he said, his voice suddenly becoming icy, “is
dining with them more important than your health?”
