Chapter 717
No.1
All she cared about was completing assignments, earning bonuses, and securing her permanent position.
As for the jealousy and backhanded comments...
Consider it stress relief for her coworkers. Bottling things up caused health problems.
During lunch, colleagues swarmed her for details.
"How did you pull it off?"
"Did Vincent Sullivan give you a hard time?"
"Did you blackmail him or something?"
No.2
Evelyn smiled gently. "Nothing special. Just three days of persistence. Got lucky, I guess."
They dispersed in disappointment, returning to their private chats to whisper like mice who'd failed to steal cheese.
"Nice work." Martha patted Evelyn's shoulder. "Your permanent position is secured."
Evelyn gave a modest smile, neither arrogant nor obsequious.
Martha nodded inwardly.
This girl was far more complex than she appeared.
Everyone was blinded by her beauty, missing the steel and cunning beneath.
No.3
Hospital.
Alexander Kingsley slowly opened his eyes.
Harsh white light made his vision swim.
His last memory was gripping Ethan's shoulders...
Then blinding headlights, the world spinning.
A car accident?
A hand waved before his face. "Awake?"
No.4
His mother's voice.
Alexander tried to move. Pain shot through his body like shattered glass. His neck was stiff, immobile.
Gritting his teeth, he turned his head to see Eleanor watching him with an odd expression.
"Who am I?" She leaned in, eyes glinting strangely.
"Mom?" Alexander felt unnerved by her stare.
Her expression suggested he'd drunk poison instead of medicine.
Hearing his answer, Eleanor immediately lost interest. "You woke up too fast."
No.5
Alexander: "?"
"How long was I out?"
"Not long." Eleanor shrugged. "Seven or eight hours since last night."
Alexander relaxed.
The pain told him his injuries weren't severe—probably just soft tissue damage.
"Mom, press the call button for me."
With no one else in the room, he had to ask his mother.
No.6
Eleanor rolled her eyes. "No hands?"
Alexander: "..."
Was he adopted?
Shouldn't accident victims be pampered? Why was his mother looking at him like he was a nuisance?
Noticing his sulk, Eleanor waved her phone. "It's not that I don't care. You've been thrashing around so violently these past two days it took multiple people to restrain you. I refuse to believe you can't press a button now."
Alexander froze.
"You said I was only out for a few hours—"
No.7
"Correct." Eleanor drawled. "This time it was seven or eight hours. Before that, you were so agitated we needed sedatives. The doctors were ready to quit."
Alexander: "..."
"Oh!" Eleanor suddenly brightened, holding up her phone. "I recorded everything. Want to watch?"
Alexander Kingsley's fingers tapped lightly against the hospital bed railing.
Something felt off.
Eleanor Kingsley's smile today was too bright, her eyes gleaming with mischief. Knowing his mother, this couldn't mean anything good.
"Send me the videos," he demanded.