Chapter 97
Chapter 97
Audrey, get back here!” Flora shouted.
Audrey walked out of the restroom without looking back.
Flora was furicus. No way her uncle would take an outsider’s side.
Addrey waited by the private room door. When she saw Flora storming over, she swiftly opened the door. “Ms. Sterling, after you.”
Flora’s hand froze mid–air, just about to hit someone. She glared into the room at Luther. “She shoved me in the restroom! I hit my head!”
“Ms. Sterling, why are you slandering me?” Audrey looked utterly innocent. “You lost your balance and hit the wall yourself. You even thanked me for catching you in time. Why change your story now?”
Flora said, “Liar! When did I ever thank you? You pushed me.”
Audrey stayed calm, almost graceful. She gestured politely. “You slipped, and I grabbed your wrist proves that. If you say I pushed you, please show us the evidence.”
to keep you from falling harder. The red mark on your
Flora quickly hid her wrist. Then, realizing that it looked suspicious, she showed it again. “You grabbed my wrist and slammed me into the wall!”
Luther had noticed her guilty reaction just now. He knew there was more to the story. Flora’s father was a close friend of his and had asked him to look out for her. He couldn’t let her be wronged.
Luther turned to Edana. After all, she held a higher position than Audrey at Stride Commerce, and it was her responsibility to handle this.
com
serida “red”
“Audrey, come on, stop messing around. Look at Flora’s forehead–it’s completely red.”
“So even you don’t believe me, Edana? In that case, let’s reenact the scene. Ms. Sterling, pretend you’re me. Edana, play her. Show Luther how I supposedly pushed you by the wrist.”
Flora was speechless.
Edana hadn’t caught on to the key point yet and actually reached out her hand to help Flora demonstrate.
Flora clutched Edana’s hand, quickly thinking through a few scenarios. It seemed the only way to explain things was to recreate the scene. But she didn’t I want people to know she had provoked Audrey and ended up getting taught a lesson.
“What’s wrong? Can’t act it out?” Audrey smiled faintly, her eyes sweeping between Flora and Edana.
“Miss Sterling deliberately dirtied her sleeve and called me to the restroom–turns out it was all a trap! If she didn’t want me on the project, she could’ve just said so. No need to hurt herself over it.”
“A girl’s face is important,” Audrey added, then gave a slight bow to Luther. “Luther, since Edana is in charge of the Stride Commerce project, I’ll excuse myself.” With that, she turned and left, light as a feather.
Edana thought, ‘This project is worth tens of millions. The bonus alone could match a year’s salary. And Audrey’s just giving it up like that?”
Flora had achieved her goal, yet she didn’t feel happy at all. Something just felt…
“Flora, want to go to the hospital?” Edana asked with concern. “Let me apologize on Audrey’s behalf. She’s new and harm.”
t aggressive, but she means no
Flora rubbed her forehead. “It’s fine. I just wanted her to apologize. Now that she’s backed out of the project, let’s keep talking!”
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21:08 Sat, 31 May
Chapter 97
Audrey didn’t return to the office. She took a cab straight to the Royal House. She was worried about Yann.
Calvin came downstairs and looked relieved to see her. “Good timing! I need to deliver some documents. Can you watch over him for a bit?”
“How is he?” Audrey changed into slippers.
ZUZE
“He took his meds and just fell asleep.” Calvin reminded her as he left, “He’s running a fever and his throat’s sore. You might want to get him some lemon
water.”
“Got it.”
After seeing Calvin off, Audrey brewed a cup of lemon rock sugar water and took it upstairs to the second floor.
The curtains were drawn in the room, the light dim, and the shape rising on the bed was vaguely visible.
Audrey quietly walked to the bedside, put down the cup, and reached out to touch his forehead. It was covered in sweat.
There was a bathroom in the master bedroom; she went to wash a towel to wipe his face.
Yann turned over, wrapped his arm around Audrey, pulling her into his embrace.
She cried out, quickly pushing his face away. “I didn’t mean…”
Before she could say “Calvin,” she heard the man’s deep nasal voice. “Don’t move.”
Yann’s legs wrapped around hers, his arms locked around her waist.
The more Audrey struggled, the tighter the hold became. She gave up. “It’s so hot, even pigs don’t catch colds.”
Yann snorted, sounding like both a rebuttal and an agreement.
Audrey lifted her head; the dim light made it hard to see Yann’s expression, but she could feel his burning breath. He still seemed feverish.
“Drink some water? Sweating too much can lead to dehydration.” Audrey nudged him, and the man reluctantly released her.
Audrey quickly got up, poured a glass of water, and helped him sit up.
Yann drank it all in one gulp, and before she could set the cup down, he pulled her back into his arms.
“Don’t…” Audrey’s words were cut off–her mouth had been sealed.
The man’s lips were slightly cool, his breath hot, with a faint taste of lemon lingering. A gentle, fleeting kiss.
Audrey froze in place, hearing her own pounding heartbeat and heavy breathing, whose owner she couldn’t tell.
Yann gazed at her for a moment, then leaned in again. This time it was different. Their lips met, gently brushing.
Audrey felt numb all over. Her fingertips trembled uncontrollably. She wanted to push him away, but her body was beyond control, like a puppet manipulated by an unknown emotion.
She tried to speak up to stop him, but he took advantage of it and went deeper. Her mind went blank.
Yann’s body was burning; the fever made him delirious. He must have mistaken her for Calvin. She hated betrayal and loathed disloyalty. She never wanted to be anyone’s substitute.
Audrey started to resist, but the man only held her tighter. One hand on her waist, the other cradling the back of her head, not letting her escape. He wasn’t letting go–not her, not his own feelings either.
The frantic passion terrified Audrey. She was afraid of falling in and never coming out. Her heart pounded like a drum, her thoughts chaotic. She bit hard,
2/3
Chapter 7
bicon streading over her tongue.
Pann slowly released her. His eyes hidden in the dark were bloodshot.
Audrey rolled off the bed and ran without looking back. Back in her room, she rushed into the bathroom to wash her face. Cold water ran for a long time before she finally cooled down.
She looked up at herself in the mirror, eyes hazy, cheeks flushed, lips swollen… looking like someone who had been deeply loved.
Her phone rang wildly in her pocket, the caller clearly anxious.
Audrey splashed cold water one more time before wiping her face and answering the phone. “Hello?”
“Audrey! What the hell are you doing?” Edana’s angry voice came through the line. “How did you handle the paperwork? They don’t recognize me when ! go over there.”
Audrey sneered, “Whether they recognize you or not, haven’t the papers been signed?”
Edana said, “You make it sound so easy. I still have to deal with them afterward. They’re targeting me everywhere. How can the project move forward?”
“That’s your problem, Edana.”
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