Ch. 531..540

Chapter 531 Once I’m All Better Then It’s Okay?

There was a hint of amusement in his voice, and even though Eva knew he was teasing her, she couldn't help but want to defend herself. "I'm not in a hurry."

Adrian continued to laugh, "I know, you're not in a hurry."

Eva: "..."

In a retaliatory move, Eva pinched him hard around his waist, careful, of course, to avoid Adrian's wound.

"Oooh..."

Though the pinch didn't actually hurt Adrian, it still elicited a muffled grunt from him.

Adrian's face changed suddenly as he swiftly reached out to grasp her wrist, his voice becoming deep and hoarse, "Stop it."

Eva noticed something off about him. At first, she thought she had pinched him too hard, but then she realized that wasn't the case. His expression and movements didn't look like those of someone who was in pain, but rather...

Pleasure?

Eva was dumbfounded.

It was just a pinch to his waist; was it really necessary for him to react like that?

As she was pondering this, she heard Adrian say, "If you keep pinching me, I can't guarantee that I'll be a gentleman in the car later."

Eva froze for a few seconds, pulled away from his grip, and then muttered under her breath, "Pervert."

The pink flush on her ears made Adrian's lips curl up slightly.

"We are husband and wife. Even if I wanted to do more perverted things to you, I could."

Eva was speechless. "..."

"It's just that your body is too weak right now. I'll wait until you've recovered a bit more." As he said this, Adrian pulled her into his embrace and whispered ambiguously in her ear.

Eva felt her ears getting even hotter but, after exerting some force, she found she couldn't escape from his embrace and push him away; she could only grit her teeth and whisper quietly, "You should focus on healing your own wounds before thinking about other things."

Hearing this, Adrian feigned sudden realization.

"Oh, I have injuries, so you mean to say, once I'm all better then, it's okay?"

Eva was at a loss for words, "When did I ever say that?"

"Hmm? Isn't that what you just meant?"

"I meant that you should heal your injuries before considering anything else, not..."

The more Eva tried to clarify, the more perplexed she became, ultimately opting to stop and turn away, "I'm not going with you."

Seeing her reaction, Adrian swiftly brought her back.

"Come on, has all this teasing has made you shy?"

He chuckled softly and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "Alright, let's get in the car."

Eva glanced at him and, seeing that he wasn't teasing her anymore, finally asked, "Are we leaving now?"

It was already quite late, and she had thought he would rest for the night first.

"What else?" He queried.

"Your injury requires rest, doesn't it?"

"Mhm. After driving for two hours, we'll find a hotel to stay at."

At that point, Eva got the gist of what he meant. He just wanted to hit the road early; two hours of driving could cover a considerable distance.

It wasn't too late nor too early. After another two hours and freshening up, it would be about time to rest.

"Okay."

Once they were on their way, Eva asked, "Did you remember to bring your medicine? We'll need to change your dressing when we get to the hotel."

No sooner had she finished her question than she felt her nose playfully pinched.

"Don't worry, I have it with me," he assured her, letting Eva breathe a sigh of relief.

True to Adrian's words, after two hours of driving through the dusky shades of the evening, they pulled into a hotel to rest.

Eva still took on the responsibility of changing Adrian's dressings. After a long day of travel, she was really tired. After changing his dressings, Adrian stepped out to talk about some matters for about ten minutes or so. When he returned, he saw her asleep at the bedside.

The soft lighting in the hotel room illuminated Eva's fair cheeks, casting her current expression in an extremely gentle light.

Upon seeing this scene, Adrian instinctively wanted to go forward and lift her into the bed. However, as his hands reached under her arms, he hesitated, thinking of the effort she put into bandaging his wounds, and how she was always scared and worried about his injuries. He decided that he should heal well and not cause her any more worry.

With this in mind, Adrian did not carry her horizontally to the bed. Instead, he took off her shoes, then half-supported her to the bed, and arranged the pillow and blanket for her. "Goodnight, Eve."

With Eva's meticulous bandaging and earnest instructions, Adrian's recovery had been progressing rapidly recently.

He used to wake up feeling pain in his wound, but today, when he woke up, he distinctly felt that the pain was much less than before.

He lifted his collar to look at his wound and the corners of his lips unconsciously curled up. No wonder she insisted on him having a period of convalescence; his wound had really improved.

As he pondered, the person beside him turned over and was now facing him. When Adrian looked over, Eva was slowly opening her eyes.

When their gazes met, a groggy Eva instinctively asked, "How is your wound? Is it getting better?"

Seeing her concern for his injury the moment she woke up warmed Adrian's heart.

"Yes, it's much better, thanks to you."

Eva didn't believe him when he said that it was much better, thinking he was just placating her. She proceeded to get up and started to check by pulling open Adrian's clothes. Adrian's hand movements paused as she leaned in, and after a moment he pursed his lips and said helplessly, "It's bandaged; you can't see."

Knowing that she couldn't really see, Eva still fiddled with his clothes to look inside, then looked up at him and asked, "How can you say it's much better if you didn't see it?" Adrian's lips curved into a smile, "By feeling."

"Feeling?"

"Yes, before, I would wake up feeling pain. Today, I woke up and didn't feel a thing."

"I see."

Eva pondered for a moment and then asked, "Did the doctor say how often you can change the dressing? Is it too infrequent to apply the medication only once a day? Do we need to apply the medicine again? Would that make it heal faster?" Since they had been changing the dressing at night before bed, Eva wondered if increasing the frequency would benefit his wound. After all, a whole night had passed, and the medication should have been mostly absorbed by now, right? Even if it hadn't been completely absorbed, she thought it surely wouldn't be enough for the whole day. Why hadn't she realized this before?

With this in mind, Eva urged, "Call your doctor now and ask. If it's okay, we can apply more medicine before we set off."

Her urgency and concern made Adrian feel a bit helpless, but he ultimately made the call in front of her.

"The reason we didn't increase the medication at the beginning was to avoid disturbing the wound when changing the bandages. Since you're feeling much better now, you can apply the medicine more frequently, but you still need to be careful when removing the bandages," the doctor advised.

 

Chapter 532 Afraid to Hear the Answer?

Learning that an additional application of medicine was allowed, Eva administered another dose to Adrian's wound before they set off.

As she unwrapped the bandage, she carefully examined Adrian's wound and found that he indeed hadn't lied; his wound had significantly improved compared to the first time she saw it. She was very satisfied with this outcome. Eva didn't notice that Adrian was observing her expressions and movements closely. Noticing that she seemed content, Adrian raised an eyebrow.

"See, I wasn't lying, right?" He said.

Eva shot him a glance and nodded in acknowledgment.

"However, you can't get complacent, and you mustn't be careless. The medicine still needs to be applied properly, and the wound must heal. What will we do if it leads to complications later on?"

Eva finished wrapping his bandage, "There, done."

"Alright, I promise you, I'll take good care of it," Adrian responded.

After tending to the wound again, they continued on their journey.

It was still early, and the road was shrouded in a light fog. After getting into the car, Adrian draped a small blanket over Eva, "We have a few hours of driving ahead. You didn't get enough sleep last night, did you? Sleep a bit more, and I'll wake you up when we arrive."

Eva initially wanted to refuse, but she did wake up early and felt a bit tired now. She nodded off quickly and fell asleep again.

When she woke up, the car had already stopped.

Eva looked at the scenery outside the window and then at Adrian, meeting his gaze.

"Are we here?" She asked.

"Yes," He replied in his deep voice, then asked, "Did you get enough sleep? Do you want to sleep some more?"

Eva realized that the driver wasn't in the car and it seemed they had arrived a while ago.

"Have we been here long? Why didn't you wake me up?"

As she spoke, Eva casually checked her phone and was surprised to find that it was already noon. According to the time they had set off, she must have slept for an additional hour in the car after it had stopped. "You slept so soundly; I didn't have the heart to wake you," Adrian said.

Eva couldn't really complain about that, so she just asked, "So you've been with me in the car the whole time?"

"Where else could I go?" Adrian gestured to his injured area. "Besides, I'm supposed to be resting, aren't I? You want me to recover."

That was true; he was injured and needed to rest.

With that said, Eva didn't have much else to say. Instead, she rubbed her eyes and patted her cheeks, feeling more refreshed. "Alright, shall we go out now?"

"Yeah, let's go eat first."

"Eat?" Eva was surprised. "Where are we?"

Eva glanced around and noticed a sign indicating that there was a restaurant upstairs.

Looking at the time, it was indeed time to have a meal, so they decided to eat first.

Eva and Adrian went from the parking lot to the elevator and entered the restaurant.

During the meal, someone accompanying them came over and whispered something in Adrian's ear.

Adrian paused.

Noticing his reaction, Eva, sensitively aware that something was up, asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing; keep eating."

"I'm done."

Adrian seemed surprised. "You're done?"

Eva nodded. "Yes, I can't eat anymore."

Adrian looked at the food on the table. Although she had eaten little, it was clear that her condition had improved from before, and her sleep had been good. Since her return to the country, her pale face had regained some color. "Alright, if you can't eat anymore, we can have more later in the evening."

After instructing the accompanying person to pay the bill, Adrian led her out of the restaurant. "We're going now, but..."

He paused, lifting his eyes to look at her, "He might not be very keen to see you."

Eva stopped in her tracks.

"Not want to see me?"

Hadn't he always wanted to keep her confined before? Why didn't he want to see her now?

Eva didn't know what his current state was. Was he free or was he locked up?

If he was locked up, then could it be...

As various speculations crossed Eva's mind, Adrian suddenly took hold of her wrist. "Alright, stop overthinking. Even if he doesn't want to see you, you can still go and see him. We'll find out whether he wants to see you when we get there." Upon arrival at the destination, Eva realized it was a very secluded spot. She was surprised that such a place could still be found in a bustling city. Although the environment was serene, she wondered who would go to such lengths to build a house near the foot of the mountains.

There wasn't a neighbor in sight, which made her question if it wouldn't feel odd to live there.

Adrian, who was by her side, seemed to read her thoughts through her expressions and eyes. As she pondered, he took the initiative to explain, "This is one of the Coopers' properties."

"The Coopers'?" Eva asked.

Adrian nodded.

Although the setting was a bit strange, Eva felt a sense of relief. She had initially thought... given the severity of Adrian's phone call last time, she feared that her next encounter with Michael might be at a detention center or... "What's wrong?"

Her thoughts seemed to be transparent to Adrian once again, "Surprised to see him here?"

"I actually thought..."

Eva hesitated for a moment and did not continue, fearing that her offhand remarks might hurt Adrian.

"Thought I'd call the police?"

Eva pursed her lips tightly.

"If I really had called the police, and he wasn't here, would you hate me?"

After asking, Adrian seemed afraid to hear her answer, so much so that he didn't wait for her to respond and quickly continued, "It's mainly because his grandfather intervened. He personally took charge of his discipline. He will be kept here for a considerable time, though it's unclear for how long."

"His grandfather?"

"Yes, Mr. Cooper Sr."

Eva hadn't expected this twist, but she still had some doubts. If Mr. Cooper Sr. could really control Michael, why hadn't he done so before? Why was he suddenly able to do so now? "Let's go."

Adrian took hold of her wrist and led her forward. As they got closer to the gate, Eva pulled on Adrian's hand.

Adrian stopped in his tracks: "What is it?"

"The question you just asked me, why are you afraid to hear the answer?"

The grip on her hand tightened a bit.

Eva looked down for a moment, then back at him, "I've already expressed my true feelings to you before, so why do you still seem to distrust me?"

 

Chapter 533 Tormented by Uncertainty

"No," Adrian denied, "I do trust you."

Eva retorted, "You're lying. If you really trusted me, why would you rush to speak right after, clearly not wanting to hear my answer?"

Her words laid bare Adrian's inner turmoil, clear and sharp, with nothing hidden.

Adrian pursed his thin lips, seemingly without any excuse left to defend himself.

Seeing him like this, Eva simply said, "Alright then, it seems you don't really want to know the answer. Let's just go inside."

With that, Eva released his hand and walked ahead on her own.

However, after just a couple of steps, Adrian pulled her back.

"Weren't you going to tell me the answer? Why are you rushing now?"

Eva, though pulled back, didn't look at him. "Didn't you say you didn't want to know?"

"Who said I didn't want to know?" Adrian's grip on her hand tightened slightly, not painful but firmly felt.

"Tell me now, or I won't let you go inside."

"You..." Eva bit her lower lip, "I've already born my heart to you; shouldn't you already know the answer?"

"Really?" Adrian's expression was indifferent, with a faint smile lingering at the corner of his eyes. "It seems I know, but then again, not clearly enough. Maybe I'm just insecure and need to confirm it with you again." Insecure?

Eva's eyes widened in surprise, as if she couldn't believe what she had heard.

"You're insecure?"

"Yes."

"Isn't it usually girls who feel insecure? How can a man like you feel insecure?"

"Even men can have moments of vulnerability, especially since Michael kept you close for so long, and it took me this long to see you. Isn't it normal to feel insecure?"

That made sense to Eva.

"Okay, okay, let's say you're insecure. Then I'll tell you seriously once more. Before losing my memory, I don't know if I would have hated you, but I can say for sure that I don't now."

Eva then took hold of his hand.

"So, you don't need to be constantly tormented by uncertainty."

Tormented by uncertainty?

This description caused Adrian to smile wistfully.

Love begets worry.

He had heard before that some people become tormented by uncertainty in love, and at the time, he had scoffed at such emotions, believing himself to be someone who had full control over his feelings.

But when he found himself truly falling for someone, he realized he, too, could be tormented by uncertainty.

He wanted to keep her close, yet feared she would feel trapped. If he let go even a little, he worried about her safety.

With this in mind, Adrian asked, "What about you?"

Eva didn't understand him at first. "What?"

"Do you feel tormented by uncertainty about me?"

His sudden question stunned Eva, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond.

In truth, she didn't feel tormented by uncertainty about Adrian-after all, he had shown how much he cared for her. Wouldn't it seem neurotic to still be uncertain now?

But if she said no, would it hurt his feelings?

After some thought, Eva decided to be honest.

"I don't feel tormented by uncertainty about you, but that's because I trust you. Of course, I know your uncertainty is because you care about me. And isn't the situation different now? I know you feel uncertain because Michael is around and if there was another woman between us, maybe I would be the one feeling uncertain, right?"

Eva's casual remark made Adrian's expression change subtly, reminding him of how Vivian had once come between them, even taking credit for saving him, causing...

Of course, he also blamed himself for not distinguishing the truth in time.

Regretting the past was pointless, so Adrian didn't dwell on it. Instead, he held her hand tightly, "No matter what, I won't let anyone else come between us again, be it man or woman."

"Let's go, I'll take you inside."

This villa, built on the mountainside, should have looked a bit cold, secluded, and eerie, but because Michael was under Mr. Cooper Sr.'s watch, the area around the villa was swarming with people. Almost every place was guarded, so instead of looking frightening, it actually seemed very lively.

As Adrian approached, a leading figure came over to him.

"Mr. Blackwood."

Adrian nodded at him.

"What brings you here?"

As he spoke, the leader caught sight of Eva by Adrian's side. Upon seeing her, he quickly understood something and said, "Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Hansen, please wait a moment."

He then turned and hurried inside.

Soon, a familiar figure appeared in Eva's line of sight. Eva had been standing calmly, but upon seeing this person, she experienced a huge surge of emotion. "David!"

She hadn't expected to encounter him so soon; she thought it would be a long time before they met again.

David, upon seeing Eva, also showed a hint of surprise and quickly walked over.

"Ms. Hansen." A smile appeared on his lips as he greeted Eva first, and then he turned to Adrian. "Mr. Blackwood." "Hello."

Adrian was very polite to the man who had helped his wife, even going so far as to extend his hand in greeting.

David was taken aback, probably not expecting Adrian to make such a gesture, and after a brief pause, he shook his hand.

"Thank you for helping my wife when she was abroad."

David looked on with a warm smile, glancing at Eva with fervor, probably understanding why the notoriously cold Adrian was suddenly shaking his hand. "I see."

"No need to thank me, I just didn't want Mr. Cooper to make another mistake."

Although David was very kind to Eva, his attitude towards Adrian was much more neutral.

After all, during those five years, David had accompanied Eva on countless trips and had been involved in many aspects of her life; they had practically seen each other every day.

And people do have feelings; even ordinary friends can become good friends in five years, especially since Eva had a very good nature; she never put on any airs and took genuine care of him as her assistant. So, David was willing to help her.

But Adrian...

In David's eyes, if this man had not appeared by Ms. Hansen's side, then over time, Michael naturally would have had his chance.

 

Chapter 534 I Might Not Be in This World Anymore

Indeed, Michael was at fault.

No, he was terribly at fault, but since David had previously benefited from his favor, he would only think of helping him to reform and would not side with outsiders to confront him. Adrian could clearly sense David's resistant attitude toward him, and after retracting his hand, he chose not to say anything further.

Eva also noticed the change in the atmosphere between the two men and felt somewhat embarrassed.

However, David didn't let the silence last too long. After about ten seconds, he took the initiative to ask, "Ms. Hansen, are you here to see Mr. Cooper?" Eva nodded.

A look of helplessness appeared in David's eyes.

"If you are here to inquire about Mr. Cooper's situation, I might be able to tell you a thing or two, but as for meeting him, I'm afraid that's not possible."

This was the same answer she had received before coming; he did not want to see her.

Although she had anticipated this, being rejected upon arrival still left Eva feeling disappointed.

David felt a bit of pity upon seeing the look of disappointment on her pale face.

"Ms. Hansen... why don't you wait a little longer; I'll go in and ask again."

"Can you?"

"Mm, I can try. I'll go back in and persuade him a bit more. You go and sit in the next room, and I'll come over after I've asked."

David went inside, and the man who had led them earlier came out again, guiding the two to an adjacent room where snacks and coffee were promptly served on the table.

Eva had just eaten before coming; she didn't have a big appetite to begin with, and she already felt full at the moment. How could she eat anything?

But to keep up appearances, she still picked up the coffee, preparing to take a few sips.

Before the cup could reach her lips, Adrian's hand grasped hers.

Eva froze and looked at him.

She saw Adrian's gaze fixed on her cup, his lips pressed tightly together, and Eva instantly understood his concern.

Because of past experiences, he didn't want her to drink anything here.

But...

Eva raised her head, meeting the eyes of the man who had led them.

Their gazes met, creating an awkward atmosphere.

After a moment, the Coopers' servant asked, "Do these things not suit your taste?"

"I..."

"Her stomach has always been sensitive; she needs to eat at fixed times and in fixed amounts. Also, she can't drink coffee for the time being."

Before Eva could speak, Adrian gave an explanation on her behalf.

The words were already out, and Eva understood his concerns. If their roles were reversed, she might have been just as sensitive, and although it was hurtful, everything involved choices and sacrifices. Eva put down the cup and smiled gently at the man.

"I'm sorry."

The Coopers' servant touched his head but didn't say much.

He had heard about the incident involving Mr. Cooper, and although there was nothing wrong with the food, it was normal for them to be cautious.

Eva and Adrian had been waiting for a while before David finally arrived.

Upon seeing David, Eva promptly stood up, "David."

David could naturally sense her earnest trust, and so he was very kind to Eva, speaking in a gentle voice, "Ms. Hansen."

"How did it go?"

Faced with Eva's expectant gaze and considering the outcome, David felt somewhat reluctant to deliver the news, but delaying would not change the result. Hence, he could only sadly shake his head within Eva's view. His demeanor made it abundantly clear, and there was no need to ask to know what the answer was.

Eva pursed her lips.

Seeing her like this, David let out a sigh.

"Ms. Hansen, perhaps Mr. Cooper has not yet made up his mind, which is why he is reluctant to meet you for now. Maybe next time... I believe that one day, Mr. Cooper will surely have things figured out." "I..."

At that moment, Adrian, who had been sitting still, suddenly stood up. He walked over to Eva and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Since he hasn't made up his mind yet, let's go back."

After being embraced by the shoulder, Eva swallowed the words that had reached her lips and nodded.

David looked at the pair of hands on Eva's shoulders and couldn't help but sigh inwardly, stepping aside to let them out.

"Let's go. There will be other opportunities."

"Wait."

Eva took a few steps, then suddenly remembered something and called out to Adrian. She then turned around and walked back to David. "David."

"Ms. Hansen?"

David thought she hadn't given up hope, but instead, she was staring at him, "Thank you."

These words made David pause for a moment, thinking she was thanking him for inquiring on her behalf. However, Eva continued, "Back when we were abroad, if it hadn't been for your help, I might not be in this world anymore." Although several days had passed, the mention of those events still made David feel concerned and frightened for Eva at that time.

If he had not thought of the children in time and reminded Eva, then she...

"Ms. Hansen, no thanks are necessary. I helped you also because of Mr. Cooper. It's already good enough that you don't blame me."

Eva shook her head.

"How could I possibly blame you?"

In Eva's eyes, if it weren't for David, how could she possibly have reignited her will to live and then been able to see her two lovely children?

Therefore, Eva felt endless gratitude towards David.

However, she could see that David seemed not to want to acknowledge his help, probably because he didn't want her to feel too much psychological pressure.

Eva didn't want to continue discussing the matter, so she could only say, "Anyway, if you ever need my help in the future, just ask me. As long as it's something I can do, I will definitely not refuse."

David looked at her for a long while and finally nodded.

"Okay."

 

 

Chapter 535 Unwilling to Face

Afterward, Eva left with Adrian. Once she was gone, David stood still as the man who had served them coffee and treats approached him and recounted the events that had transpired inside. David listened quietly; his face expressionless even after the account was finished.

Seeing no reaction from David, the man asked, "David, do you think we should..."

"What should we do?"

David cut him off sharply before he could finish his sentence, startling the man with his sudden intensity, who fell silent and stood still.

"From now on, be careful with your words. With so many people under your command, don't you know what should and shouldn't be said?"

The man, having been reprimanded, felt some dissatisfaction but didn't dare to respond, instead choosing to hold back his resentment.

Once David was sure everything was in order, he rose and went upstairs.

He went straight to the room where Michael was being confined. As he approached the door, he saw Michael standing by the window, which was carefully covered by curtains.

At that moment, the curtains were parted slightly; Michael was peering through the small gap, observing the outside.

He didn't want to see her when she came, yet when she left, he couldn't help but stealthily and distantly steal a glance at her.

Seeing this, David's emotions became complex.

"If you really wanted to see her, Mr. Cooper, why did you refuse just now?"

David's voice suddenly filled the room, startling Michael, who was lost in his own world. Michael narrowed his eyes and turned to look at David with a sharp gaze. "Who let you in?"

Faced with Michael's questioning, David could only explain, "Mr. Cooper Sr. instructed me to be by your side twenty-four hours a day. They've left, so naturally, I came here." This statement elicited a cold sneer from Michael.

"You shall attend to me personally for twenty-four-hours a day? When did I ever notice such loyalty from you, David?"

David pursed his lips before saying, "I've been with you for so many years. As long as you don't do anything illegal, my loyalty will remain unchanged."

He paused, then added, "Of course, if you do break the law, I will also find a way to right your wrong."

Unfortunately, no matter how David expressed his loyalty, Michael's lips remained curled with an indifferent smile, not taking his words to heart. Michael pulled the curtains shut again, plunging the room into darkness.

David watched his actions and sighed inwardly, then asked, "Why do you not want to see Ms. Hansen?"

Michael scoffed disdainfully.

"What do you mean 'not want'? If she wants to go back to that man, why should I see her?"

He spoke as if he didn't care at all.

David was silent for a moment, then said, "Is it actually because you can't bear to say 'sorry' to her, face-to-face?" Michael fell silent.

He suddenly turned his head, glaring at David fiercely.

"Because you did something you now regret; you can't face her anymore. It's because you're not ready to say sorry."

Seeing him about to deny it, David interjected, "I've been with you for so long that I understand what's in your heart, so denial is useless." Michael fell silent again.

He stared at David with cold eyes for a long while, then his lips coldly spat out a few words, "Get out."

David, however, sat down on the sofa inside with an expressionless face.

"You seem to have forgotten, I just said that Mr. Cooper Sr. instructed me to accompany you around the clock."

Michael gave him a cold glance and then turned to enter another room.

After he left, David lowered his gaze.

After leaving, Eva got into the car and immediately looked out of the window. Adrian could only see her profile and had no idea what she was thinking.

The car was very quiet, occasionally interrupted by the sound of other vehicles speeding by, but the quietness quickly returned.

Looking at Eva like this, Adrian said, "We can come back again tomorrow."

Hearing this, Eva, who had been staring out the window, paused and then realized what he meant.

"Tomorrow?"

She looked at Adrian, "Will we come back?"

Adrian nodded.

"He has no reason not to want to see you. The only reason he might not want to is that he's afraid to face you." Eva was at a loss.

"So, he probably needs some more time. If not today, then tomorrow; if not tomorrow, then..."

Suddenly, Eva took Adrian's hand.

"Let's not."

Eva's voice was soft and gentle, and so was the grip of her hand. Adrian followed her hand slowly with his eyes.

"If he doesn't want to see me for now, then let's not go."

"Are you content on going on without clearing things up with him?"

Eva smiled.

"What is there for me to be content or discontent about? I'm not trying to be with him. I'm happy for him now that I know that he's safe and just being secluded by his grandfather,."

At least now he didn't have to face legal issues or detention. They chose to settle things privately, which wouldn't affect his future.

When she came to see him before, she thought she was going to some place worrying. Now, this outcome was the best for her.

He hadn't been ruined; perhaps after some time, he could return to his own path normally.

Not wanting to see, not wishing to see that should actually be the right decision.

Thinking this, Eva said with certainty, "Let's do that, then. Shall we head back today, or stay here another night? After all, you promised Ruby three to five days."

Her words made Adrian feel very conflicted.

It seemed like he was the one who actually wanted them to meet.

He watched her silently for a moment before saying, "It's too rushed to go back now. Let's stay another day. If you don't want to go anywhere when you wake up tomorrow, we'll head back."

Eva pursed her lips and said nothing more.

Naturally, she could tell what Adrian meant.

He was still worried that the decision she made today wasn't rational enough, so he wanted her to stay another night here and make a decision after waking up tomorrow.

Faced with Adrian's concern, Eva could only sigh inwardly. She hadn't anticipated his sense of security being so fragile. What had she possibly done in the past? She sensed it wasn't solely because Michael had taken her away.

 

Chapter 536 She Might not Remember You Right Now

Could it be that something had happened between them in the past?

Of course, Eva didn't ask this directly because she felt that even if she did, Adrian probably wouldn't tell her.

Better to wait and talk about it later.

They found a hotel nearby that wasn't too far away and settled in. Adrian, fearing Eva might be bored, initially wanted to take her to a nearby mall for a stroll.

However, Eva didn't agree and outright refused him on the spot.

"Your injury has just started to heal, and you're already being reckless? Why can't you ever learn?" Eva's tone was slightly sharp. "I've told you that you need to rest. You do know what rest means, right?"

Seeing her puff up with indignation as she spoke, her cheeks slightly bulging, Adrian had intended to listen seriously, but finding her appearance cute, his playful side took over, and he couldn't resist reaching out to pinch her puffed cheeks.

""

Eva's speech halted midway as her cheeks were suddenly pinched, and she blinked in confusion.

What did he mean by this?

"What are you doing?"

Instinctively, she placed her hands on Adrian's arm, pushing while speaking, "Let go quickly. Don't play too much, I'm trying to talk to you seriously."

Adrian pinched her cheeks a couple of times, raised an eyebrow, and said, "I'm listening very seriously to you."

Eva was at a loss.

Was this how someone seriously listened to others?

Did anyone seriously listen while pinching another's cheeks?

"It's just that you looked too serious, so I thought I'd help you relax a bit."

With that, Adrian pinched her cheeks again before finally letting go.

"Alright, since you want me to rest, we won't go out after this. We'll stay in the hotel to rest and recuperate."

Finding it boring to stay in the hotel room, Eva went to the balcony to enjoy the view.

The hotel balcony where they stayed was large and had an outdoor swimming pool below. The pool was extensive, and the water shimmered in the sunlight. Since it was winter, no one was swimming, so the vast pool became a place to enjoy the view.

Eva leaned against the railing, quietly watching the pool water below, feeling her heart gradually calm down.

A phone was ringing behind her, and the sound was close.

Eva then realized that Adrian had come out from inside at some point, and he was now leaning against the balcony door, watching her.

His phone in his pocket was ringing, and he reached down to take it out.

When he saw the caller ID, Adrian paused for a moment, then without saying anything, and without moving away, he answered the call in front of Eva. "Hello."

His voice was indifferent and subdued, betraying no emotion.

Eva glanced only once before turning her gaze back to the pool water below.

Adrian watched her, listening to the woman's questioning voice coming from the phone.

"Adrian? Are you with Eva? Why can't I get through to her cell phone number? Aren't you supposed to be protecting her? I'm telling you, Adrian, if anything happens to her again, I'll..." Before Emily could finish her sentence, Adrian interjected, "She's right beside me. Do you want to talk to her?"

The voice on the other end paused abruptly, seemingly caught off guard by his response.

"She's with you? Then give her the phone right away."

"I will, but first I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Emily asked, clearly confused.

Adrian glanced at Eva and said solemnly, "She might not remember you right now."

Emily went mute with shock.

There was a dead silence on the phone for a moment before Emily explosively asked, "What do you mean? What do you mean she doesn't remember me? Don't tell me she has amnesia?" "Yes."

Since Emily had returned home, she had not been in contact with Eva and was unaware of Eva's situation, assuming she was safe. Moreover, with her own work keeping her so busy, she had been dizzy with activity. Only recently, when she had some downtime, did she try to call Eva.

But she didn't expect to find Eva's phone unreachable.

Emily had Adrian's contact information from her time abroad. Despite her fear of him, the strength of friendship gave her the courage to make the call.

And now, to her shock, she learned that Eva had lost her memory.

What on earth had happened during the time she was busy?

Why had things suddenly come to this?

Emily wanted to question him, but then she thought better of it and said, "Never mind, just give her the phone. I want to talk to her."

Because he wasn't far away, Eva could hear his voice. At first, she thought it was a call related to his work and didn't listen carefully. But later, she caught snippets about herself.

After Adrian handed the phone to her, saying, "Your friend," he paused, then added, "You might remember something when you talk to her. Why not try?"

Eva didn't say a word and just took the phone.

"Hello?"

"Eva!!"

Emily was thrilled to hear Eva's voice. "Finally, I hear your voice. How are you? Are you okay?"

Although Eva didn't remember the people and events from before, Emily's voice triggered a strange sense of familiarity and warmth.

"I..."

Eva's voice began to choke up.

Emily was instantly filled with heartache.

"Do you not remember who I am? But you feel a sense of familiarity with me, right?"

Eva subconsciously nodded, then realizing that Emily couldn't see her, she had to verbalize her response.

"Yes."

"Okay, so you really don't remember me. Well, I'll tell you now, my name is Emily, and I'm your best friend..."

Emily began to explain at length, starting with introducing herself, then recounting how the two of them met and became best friends, and how Eva had helped her in the past. Emily talked a lot, speaking nonstop on the phone. Eva did not have a chance to interject, only listening to her go on.

Finally, after a long explanation, Emily asked, "Do you have any recollection now?"

 

Chapter 537 No Regrets

Despite what she had been told, Eva found herself without any recollection of the events Emily spoke of, but Emily's tone sounded so hopeful. Eva felt a bit embarrassed and at a loss for words on how to respond to her.

Sensing her silence, Emily seemed to understand and her voice carried a hint of disappointment, "Ah, never mind. If you can't remember, don't force it. Anyway, I'm about to resign from my job. Once I'm back, I'll spend more time with you and tell you all about our past. Maybe then you'll remember."

From this, Eva picked up on something else. "Resign?"

"Yeah, the work at my current company is just too exhausting, so I've submitted my resignation. Once it's approved, I'll be back. Then we can go shopping, watch movies, oh, and I haven't seen Ruby and Dylan in such a long time. How are they doing?"

Mentioning Ruby and Dylan brought a fond look to Eva's eyes.

"They're with their grandma now; they're doing well."

"With their grandma?"

Emily almost instinctively wanted to ask if the grandma in question was Adrian's mother. Was Eva really comfortable leaving Ruby and Dylan in the Blackwood family's care, especially when she had previously been so protective of her children? But as the words reached her lips, Emily remembered Eva's amnesia and stopped herself. It seemed better not to bring up certain topics. Without her memories, discussing these things with Eva would only complicate matters further. Even if she told Eva everything about the past, it wouldn't necessarily help Eva make the right decisions. After all, it was Eva who had lived through those events, and while Emily knew the whole process as Eva's best friend, she could never fully understand Eva's most private thoughts.

So, at this point, any careless talk would only add to Eva's confusion.

With that in mind, Emily had no choice but to change the subject. "Alright, I understand. I'll get in touch once I'm back."

"Okay." Eva smiled softly; her voice gentle. "When will you be back?"

"I'm not sure, but it should be soon if he agrees. Though, I'll still need to hand over my work."

"Handing over work might take a while."

"I'll try to make it as quick as possible; I won't keep you waiting too long."

The two then chatted idly about other things. Emily asked several questions about Eva's current relationship with Adrian, always cautiously adding, "You're sure you haven't put me on speaker, right? He must not hear what I'm saying." Eva hadn't put the phone on speaker, but the room was very quiet and Adrian was close by. He was still leaning against the balcony door. Emily's voice was clear, and Eva wasn't sure if he could hear.

All she knew was that Adrian's brows were slightly furrowed and his gaze was fixed on her.

"I'm sure, don't worry."

Emily breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

Emily wanted to continue talking to Eva, but another call came through on her phone. After seeing the caller ID, her expression changed slightly and she said to Eva, "I have to deal with something else now; I'll call you another day when I'm free." "Okay, go ahead."

After hanging up the phone, Emily looked at the name on her phone screen: Mr. Powell.

Since the last time he had stepped in to help her and Eva, Emily had changed her attitude towards him quite a bit, and after returning, she had even changed his contact name in her phone to Mr. Powell, as a sign of respect. She waited for a moment before answering the call with a smile, "Mr. Powell?"

Her cheerful tone caused the person on the other end of the line to fall silent for a bit before he asked, "You seem happy?"

This question caught Emily off guard, and she instinctively responded, "Ah?"

"Is it because you are resigning? Is that why you're so happy?"

Emily didn't know how to respond.

Normally, she would have retorted with something like, "Of course, I'm happy to be resigning."

But... he had helped her last time.

With that thought, Emily just couldn't muster up the defiance. After all, he had helped her, hadn't he? If she kept snapping at him, wouldn't that be inappropriate on her part?

So, she found herself changing what she really wanted to say.

"No, no, I'm happy because I just had a call with my best friend."

Nathan: "Was it Eva?"

"Yes, exactly." Emily nodded.

After this exchange, there seemed to be a silence between them. After a while, Emily asked quietly, "Mr. Powell, did you need something from me?"

"I saw your resignation letter."

"Oh, yes, I want to resign. Our company requires us to submit a notice in advance, right? But Mr. Powell, I only submitted my resignation a few hours ago, how did you know about it already?"

This question made Nathan pause for a moment before he replied, "The HR department told me."

What he didn't say was that her resignation letter had been immediately forwarded to him as soon as it was submitted.

"Oh, well, since you've seen it, Mr. Powell, could you go ahead and approve it for me, so I don't have to wait a few more days?"

Originally, when submitting her resignation, Emily thought she would have to wait several days for approval. To her surprise, Nathan called her just a few hours later, so she naturally wanted to take this opportunity to have Nathan approve it. Nathan fell silent.

Getting no response, Emily instinctively called out, "Mr. Powell?"

Still no response. Emily pulled the phone away from her ear to see that the call was still in progress, which made her even more puzzled. Why was there no sound when the call was clearly still connected?

Could there be a problem with her phone?

Just as Emily was feeling strange and was about to hang up to try calling again, Nathan's voice finally came through.

"Are you sure about resigning? Have you thought it through?"

His voice was very cold and flat, without any emotional fluctuation.

Emily didn't notice anything unusual and nodded.

"Of course, I've thought it through, otherwise I wouldn't have submitted the resignation letter, Mr. Powell. If you're not busy right now, why not sign it for me now? Once I get the approval, I can start preparing for the handover." Her tone was light, showing no regret about leaving the company.

Nathan was silent for a moment before asking, "Is it a salary issue?"

Emily was taken aback for a moment.

"What?"

"If you think the salary is too low, I can double it."

Emily was speechless.

Emily was stunned; perhaps because she had not anticipated that he would suddenly offer to double her salary. It took her a while to find her voice again. "Mr. Powell, it's not about the salary..."

 

Chapter 538 It's My Own Issue

"What is the reason then? Is it because other conditions are not good? If a raise doesn't work, how about a promotion?"

Emily truly didn't understand what was going on.

"Do you have any other requests? Just say them."

Emily pursed her lips, unsure if it was her own misconception, but even though Nathan's tone sounded very calm and normal, she could feel his urgency from his increasingly numerous questions. Urgency?

Because she was resigning?

The thought just flickered through Emily's mind and was quickly dismissed by herself.

Impossible, the corporation was not lacking in talent.

They could easily find someone to replace her and take her position.

Aside from being hardworking and willing, she seemed to have no other advantages. The talent market was full of people; as soon as she left, someone else would immediately fill her position.

This thought circled in her mind, and Emily quickly came to her senses. She had really been overthinking-how could Mr. Powell possibly be reluctant to let her go?

Even if he were reluctant, it would probably be because he would miss having someone to exploit, right?

With this thought, Emily came back to reality and said softly, "Mr. Powell, that's not it."

There was a pause on the other end, followed by silence.

"The treatment I've received from the company has been very good, the best I've had in my years of working."

Although work was sometimes really busy, with him occasionally asking her to go on business trips and to work overtime, when it came to salary, he had never shortchanged her. Also, expenses incurred due to work were reimbursed upon his direct signature, and the quarterly and annual bonuses were very generous. The benefits during regular work hours were not bad either, including the afternoon tea which was never lacking.

In short, aside from vacations, she was treated better there than at any other company she had worked for.

But...

"If this is the best treatment you've ever received, why resign?"

There was a question Nathan didn't voice out loud. He wanted to ask if she was leaving because she had found a place where she would be treated even better?

If that was the case, of course, he could offer her a raise.

Emily hadn't expected her resignation to lead to these questions; she supposed it could be taken as a sign of his concern for her.

"Mr. Powell, it has nothing to do with the way I was treated at the company, it's my own issue."

After she said this, Nathan asked subconsciously, "What issue?"

Then, he seemed to realize that this question was a bit intrusive, as it involved her personal privacy.

And asking like this gave off the impression that he was trying to prying into her private life.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry into your private affairs, but if your personal issue is something the company can help with, maybe..."

Emily knew what he meant, and she still replied softly, "I know, Mr. Powell, you are not someone who would pry into others' lives, but my personal reason is not something the company can help with." At this point, if Nathan continued to ask, it would seem impolite.

The cool and upright man sat in his office, holding the phone in one hand, while in front of him lay a resignation report, applicant: Emily Jones.

Attached to the report was a photo, Emily's ID photo.

The girl in the ID photo had a clean face, a sweet smile, and bright eyes. The photo seemed to be taken many years ago, as the girl in it still had a sense of innocence.

He looked at the photo of the girl in front of him, then thought back to the years she had spent running around for the company; his thin lips tightened slightly, and he asked once more.

"Are you sure you want to resign?"

"Yes."

The girl's voice came through from the other side of the phone, firm in tone.

It seemed that she had truly made up her mind to leave the company.

"Okay, I understand. I will process the resignation report as soon as possible." "Thank you, Mr. Powell."

Nathan didn't hang up the phone; it seemed the girl was waiting for him to hang up first. After a while, realizing he hadn't taken the initiative to end the call, she asked with a hint of surprise, "Mr. Powell? Should I hang up now?" Her voice was tentative, and Nathan pursed his lips, seemingly on the verge of saying something. But when the words reached his lips, he found he couldn't speak a single one, only managing to utter a "Hmm" from his throat. The relief in her voice was palpable once she heard this, "Goodbye, Mr. Powell. Remember to approve my resignation."

She thanked him and then hung up the phone.

After listening to the busy tone coming from his phone, Nathan set it down and picked up the fountain pen that was resting on his desk.

When he had received this pen, there was a distant look in Nathan's eyes.

Just then, there was a knock at the office door.

"Come in."

His assistant entered, catching a glimpse of the resignation letter on Nathan's desk, showing a slight surprise.

"Mr. Powell, I see you've received the resignation letter."

The assistant had just been out on an errand and on his return, passed by the HR department and had overheard discussions about Emily's resignation. His face changed instantly, and he hurried upstairs to inform Mr. Powell, only to find that the resignation letter had already been delivered to him.

And there was Mr. Powell, fountain pen in hand, ready to sign.

The assistant only took one look before saying, "I'll go find her."

"No need," Nathan stopped him with a cold voice.

His tone made the assistant halt in his tracks, turning around to see Nathan signing his name on the approval section of the resignation letter.

The assistant was dumbfounded.

"Mr. Powell, you're approving it just like that? Aren't you going to... inquire about the situation?"

What on earth had happened in the few hours he'd been gone? How had things escalated to this point so suddenly?

Unfortunately, Nathan did not answer his question, instead handing over the signed resignation letter.

"Take it to the HR department."

Though the assistant was inwardly frustrated, he quickly took the resignation letter and then his gaze fell on the fountain pen in Nathan's hand.

The pen was pure black, its edges worn to a silvery white, clearly showing signs of discoloration and wear. It was quite old and battered.

This fountain pen was incongruous with Nathan's stature; it was mismatched.

After all, which company's CEO would use a pen that looked so worn?

But Nathan continued to use it, and the reason... probably only the assistant knew.

The pen was a gift from Emily.

During a project, Emily had worked tirelessly alongside Nathan and his assistant. When the project succeeded, she was awarded a substantial bonus.

Emily was delighted and used the bonus to buy gifts for him and Nathan.

However, after the purchase, she realized that Mr. Powell already had custom-made pens, and the one she bought was from a lesser-known brand. She was so embarrassed that she wanted to take the gift back, but Mr. Powell accepted it without hesitation.

"Thanks for the gift; I appreciate the thought."

 

 

Chapter 539 Handover

Actually, there was nothing particularly special about this pen.

When Emily bought the gifts, she didn't play favorites; the two pens she gave were of equal value, just different in style.

The assistant's pen, which he had received earlier, was already worn out from use.

Since he had no special feelings for Emily Jones, the pen she gave him was just an ordinary object to him.

And when ordinary objects break or become uncomfortable to use, it was natural to discard them.

So, the assistant quickly switched to a new pen, but one day he suddenly realized that Mr. Powell was still using the pen Emily gifted him.

At that moment, he casually remarked, "Mr. Powell, you're still using this pen? Mine broke, and I just threw it away. Emily really should have bought something better, especially after securing such a large bonus. Look at the edges of your pen; they're nearly worn out. Maybe it's time to buy a new one?"

When he said that, he didn't think much of it, so he wasn't particularly respectful.

But after he finished speaking, he sensed a chill in the air.

Looking up, he saw Nathan staring at him coldly.

"Have you finished your work, or do you still have time to discuss others here?" Nathan asked.

The assistant was speechless.

At that time, he thought Nathan was annoyed because he had spoken too much, so afterward, he didn't dare to speak out of turn again.

As time went on, he noticed that Nathan continued to use that pen, taking it everywhere, even once asking the assistant, "The pen seems to be broken; find someone reliable to fix it."

After taking the worn pen, the assistant didn't dare to speak. During the process of getting it repaired, he seemed to realize something.

He suddenly understood why Nathan had looked at him with such a cold gaze when he had undervalued Emily's gift.

It wasn't because he was being talkative, but because...

The assistant couldn't understand why though. So many beautiful women and even celebrities visited the company often, all of them were rich socialites. He often thought Nathan was lucky; he had good character and good looks and, as a self-made man, Nathan had endless charm.

The assistant had assumed that Nathan's future partner would definitely be someone outstanding, certainly not someone like Emily...

It wasn't that Emily was bad, it was just that she was quite different from a female celebrity. After all, celebrities were meant to appear in front of the camera, so they naturally have high standards for themselves.

Emily, on the other hand, sometimes came to the office without makeup, just wearing black glasses, and when busy with projects, she could even skip washing her hair, arguing that she didn't have time to sleep, let alone wash her hair.

He could never have imagined that Nathan would develop such feelings for Emily. After all, could someone who had seen so many beautiful women really fall for such an ordinary girl? Could it be just a fling?

At first, he thought so, but later he realized that Nathan didn't show any signs of such intentions; he continued to interact with her as a boss and nothing more, often taking her on business trips. On the surface, there seemed to be no issues between them.

Except for that pen.

If it weren't for the fact that Nathan was still using that pen after so many years, the assistant would truly have been unable to detect his subtle emotions.

He just didn't understand why Nathan wouldn't speak up.

With his status, pursuing Emily should have been easy, right?

Ah, the thoughts of the wealthy were truly incomprehensible.

After receiving approval for her resignation report, Emily was elated, feeling as if the heavy burden that had weighed on her for years was finally lifted.

She usually had no mood for makeup when going to work, but today, feeling cheerful, she took the time to apply light makeup and even washed her hair before heading out.

The person newly recruited for her position was not up to the task, so once she left, a capable person from below would be promoted to take over and work with her during the transition.

Sure enough, when Emily arrived at the office, she saw someone already waiting at her workstation.

The person showed a look of surprise upon seeing Emily.

"Emily, you're wearing makeup?" She exclaimed.

Emily was taken aback, slightly embarrassed that her face was the first thing noticed. She didn't respond to the comment but instead asked, "Are you here for the handover?"

"Yes," the girl named Yvette replied, nodding vigorously after hearing Emily's question. "HR asked me to come over for you to train me."

"It's no trouble, we're all colleagues," Emily said with a smile and then sat down as Yvette immediately came over with a cup of coffee.

"Emily, I brought you this coffee," Yvette said.

Emily was surprised that someone had brought her coffee and, seeing the eager smile on Yvette's face, she understood. Yvette probably hoped that Emily would pass on everything necessary before leaving, to avoid mistakes in her future work.

"Thank you," Emily said, taking a sip.

Yvette breathed a sigh of relief after seeing Emily drink the coffee she brought, worrying whether Emily, about to resign, might treat her poorly or give her a hard time.

It seemed, however, that Emily was not difficult to get along with.

"This manual is something I put together," Emily said, handing Yvette a folder from the drawer. "It's the experience I've accumulated over the years. Take a look when you have time; it will definitely help with the transition."

"Thank you, Emily," Yvette said, shifting her legs and asking softly while looking at Emily's profile, "Um... Emily, do you usually have to bring coffee to Mr. Powell or anything like that?"

Emily shook her head, "No, that's not within our job scope."

Nathan had his own assistant, and he had very high standards for what he consumed. How could the coffee made by an ordinary person like her possibly suit his taste? Yvette was disappointed to hear this.

So, she wouldn't need to bring coffee to Mr. Powell?

Didn't that mean she'd miss out on chances to interact with Mr. Powell?

"What about Mr. Powell's schedule? Do you need to accompany Mr. Powell to dinners or anything like that?" She inquired further.

Emily found her questions odd, "None of the tasks you mentioned are part of this job. What did you do before? Didn't HR tell you what this job entails?"

Emily was puzzled. What exactly had HR communicated, and how could Yvette think that her job involved bringing coffee to Mr. Powell or accompanying him to dinners?

 

 

Chapter 540 Eager to Return Home

Her words made Yvette feel somewhat embarrassed.

"No, not at all, I was just curious about what you usually do, so I asked..." Yvette poked her own index finger, "Emily, you're not angry, are you?"

Emily clearly hadn't taken offense and shook her head.

"Why would I be angry? Take a look at these; you handle this document."

Since the job handover was to be done, it was only natural to let her get her hands dirty. The quicker she learned, the better, as Emily could leave the company sooner.

Once she left the company, she would immediately buy a ticket to return to her country.

It had been so long since she had held Ruby and Dylan. She wondered if the two little ones would have become less affectionate towards her after not seeing her for such a long time. Emily's thoughts were almost flying out to outer space.

Because Emily still had to accompany Yvette, when it was time to report for work, she directly took Yvette to Nathan's office.

Yvette followed behind Emily, nervously clutching the hem of her clothes.

"It's okay, aside from his cold expression and foul temper, Mr. Powell is actually quite easy to get along with."

Emily turned back and reassured her with a smile.

Little did she know that the very next second after she finished her sentence, the door to the office swung open, and a cool voice followed.

"Who has a cold expression and a foul temper?"

The indifferent yet familiar voice made Yvette's face change color.

Emily was taken aback.

She was somewhat speechless. How could such a coincidence befall her? She had only made a small complaint, and he had heard it?

Well, it didn't matter. She had complained about him more than once, and he had even heard her before...

But although he had looked annoyed at the time, he hadn't done anything to her.

So, in Emily's eyes, Nathan was a good person.

"What are you doing here?" Nathan's gaze swept over the person behind her and then fell back on her face.

Emily responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Reporting for work, oh right."

Emily pulled the person behind her forward, "This is Yvette; she is taking over my duties."

After suddenly being pulled in front of Nathan for an introduction, Yvette faced the tall and handsome man from such a close distance for the first time. Her fair cheeks instantly turned suspiciously red as she lowered her head and greeted him softly.

"Mr... Mr. Powell."

Nathan glanced at her and nodded.

Then his gaze shifted back to the unconcerned Emily, and his tone became much colder.

"Come in."

Emily pulled Yvette and followed Nathan into the office.

Once inside the office, Nathan sat at his desk, lifted his eyes, and his gaze still rested on Emily's face.

From the moment they first met, Nathan had noticed that she was wearing makeup today. Although it was subtle, it was still different from usual, and she had even applied lip gloss, making her lips look pink and tender... "Mr. Powell, Mr. Powell?"

Emily called out to him twice, making Nathan suddenly snap back to reality, only to find both of them looking at him with puzzled expressions.

It was then that he realized he had been distracted.

In the office, Nathan hardly ever lost focus, but today...

Nathan pursed his lips, steadied his mind, and coldly asked, "What is it?"

"Did you hear what I just said?"

Nathan didn't know what to say.

Not a single word had sunk in.

But he couldn't admit to being distracted in front of her, especially not with someone else in the office.

So, Nathan turned to Yvette beside her and asked, "What's your name?"

Yvette quickly replied, "I'm Yvette."

"I didn't rest well last night; I'm a bit tired now. Could you make me a cup of coffee please?"

He gave the instruction with a calm and detached air.

Emily, who had just assured Yvette that there was no need to make coffee for Nathan, heard this and was taken aback.

Yvette was also taken aback for a moment; she exchanged a glance with Emily and, after receiving a nod, hurried out to make the coffee.

After Yvette left, the office quieted down. Emily looked at Nathan with a bit of speechlessness, wanting to complain but holding back, only asking, "Mr. Powell, did you not sleep well last night?" But Nathan didn't answer her question. Instead, he asked, "You're wearing makeup?" Huh?

She thought she had heard wrong; otherwise, why would Nathan ask the same question as Yvette?

She only had light makeup on; why were these people so concerned about her makeup? Could it be that she was too sloppy usually, so once she put on makeup, everyone noticed?

Initially, Emily felt like the makeup had put her in a great mood, but now it was becoming somewhat awkward. In front of Nathan, she could only force a smile and say, "So what if I'm wearing makeup?"

Detecting the dissatisfaction in her tone, as if she were blaming him for asking such a question, Nathan pursed his lips slightly and asked, "You're in a good mood because you're resigning?" After all, she rarely wore makeup to work before.

Emily didn't expect him to ask such a question; it sounded like he was still concerned about her resignation.

But he had already signed and approved it.

However, as an employee, Emily certainly knew she couldn't admit to her boss that she was happy about resigning, so she changed her response, "No, I just thought that since I'm leaving, I should definitely leave a good impression and jazz up my appearance a bit, Mr. Powell, don't you think? And besides, leaving the company is something I'm actually quite sad about, not happy."

Anyway, she was leaving, so she might as well do it gracefully.

So, Emily said a lot of good things about the company.

To Emily's surprise, he said, "If you're reluctant to leave, why not stay? We can discuss your difficulties and see how we can solve them."

"Ah?" Emily had only such things for the sake of appearances, believing that Nathan, a fellow professional, would understand they were just pleasantries.

Unexpectedly, he didn't play by the usual rules and offered to solve her problems...

Seeing her silence, Nathan's tone became more serious.

"Is it a very difficult issue?"

After thinking it over, Emily finally nodded.

"Yes, I think it's quite difficult to solve. It's something that requires me to leave the company to handle."

She was simply tired of working and wanted to take a vacation and travel, to allow herself some freedom and relaxation. If she continued to stay with the company, such days would never come to an end.

Moreover, the most important reason was that her parents were getting older, and she wanted to spend more time with them.

Later on, she planned to find a peaceful job near her home, one that wasn't so demanding. She aspired for a job without the need to travel all over the world for business trips, without the constant concern for work. She just wanted a simple life accompanying her aging parents.