Just as Larissa opened the report, her assistant rushed in anxiously to say, "There's an argument going on between Yvette and someone at the elevator!"She knew well how difficult and unpleasant Yvette could be, and how harsh her words could sound. Things never turned out well whenever she got into an argument with someone.She immediately dropped her mouse and hurriedly made her way toward the elevator. Little did she know that even from a distance, she could hear the words Yvette shouted.She froze in her tracks. She could clearly see the man standing alongside Yvette. The father she had thought about and longed for all these years had appeared before her in this manner. Despite being familiar enough with Gary to confide in him, she felt timid and couldn't bring herself to take another step closer at this moment.The three individuals standing at the elevator entrance hadn't noticed her yet. Even though Gary was slightly shorter than Yvette in high heels, he still exuded an intimidat
Should she let him in? Larissa questioned herself as well. She didn't want to see him—or rather, she didn't want to see anyone. All she wanted was some peace and solitude. However, she couldn't turn Gary away. Among his various roles, the one that mattered to her the most was his status as a valued guest at the Winston Hotel."Sure." She nodded.After her assistant left, she picked up the mouse from the ground. The battery, along with the cover, had been knocked off, and there was even a crack on its surface. Frustrated, she muttered under her breath and threw everything she was holding into the trash bin.The door was opened once again. Gary and Lewis entered her office, one after another. She wasn't prepared mentally when she caught sight of Gary. So, her body froze, and her heartbeat involuntarily quickened. She lowered her head intentionally, avoiding eye contact with Gary. After taking a deep breath, she mustered a faint smile and asked, "Is there anything I can help you with, Mr.
As if under a petrifying spell, Gary's eyes widened, and he stood frozen in place, completely motionless. He couldn't quite describe his current state of mind—there was embarrassment, anxiety, and a hint of joy and anticipation. Finally, he managed to compose himself, even though his smile still appeared somewhat rigid."You can think of me as your father," he said, his intense gaze fixed on Larissa.She disliked this kind of probing—either he acknowledged her or he didn't. These covert hints made her feel repulsed. As a result, her previous favorable impression of him had also dwindled."No need." She averted her gaze, giving him a casual smile. "But thank you for your advice."He felt a bit disappointed at being rejected so bluntly, but he couldn't show it too obviously, so he simply laughed it off. "I have to leave. I have a conference call later." He intentionally checked his wristwatch.She licked her lips and stood up with him. "I'll walk you out.""It's fine." He stopped her. A
Larissa walked with her back facing the car. So, by the time she heard the sound of the engine and turned to look, it was already too late.A sharp pain struck her lower back, and both her feet left the ground. After a brief half-minute, she fell to the ground in a prone position. The pain was so intense that her limbs became numb, and it felt as if her internal organs had shifted.Screams echoed in her eyes, and she could feel a warm liquid sliding down her cheek. Her vision darkened, and she lost consciousness completely.She didn't know how long she had been unconscious, but when she woke up, everything around her was pitch black without a trace of light. For a moment, she thought she lost her sight.Luckily, her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, and she could vaguely make out the outline of the ceiling above her. The strong scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils, reminding her that she was still in the hospital. She tried to move her neck to look at her surroundin
"Then, why …" Larissa felt as if a foreign object was dislodged in her throat, making it difficult for her to even gulp, let alone speak.She had to increase the rate of her breathing to cope with the suffocating feeling in her chest. "I … " Gary dared not meet her gaze as he spoke in a voice that was barely audible, "I'm afraid that you'll hate me."He had a despondent expression on his face and his words carried a trace of uncertainty. Larissa stared at him intently. Gary did not seem to be lying and his emotions felt genuine. The realization of his sincerity made Larissa calm down gradually. Her tears stopped and her breathing slowed down to a steady pace. "I don't hate you." Her voice was gentle and soft, but the words she said lifted up the immense burden that was weighing down heavily on Gary's heart. Gary's hand that was holding on to Larissa shook with emotion, as if his body was jolted by electricity. "Lari …" Tears welled up in his eyes and his lips trem
Otherwise, Gary wouldn't know what he would do. He had no idea how he managed to get through the day; it felt as if he was just walking around like a zombie. "Are you hungry? I'll ask Lewis to bring some food over," Gary said as he reached for his phone. "There's no need! I have no appetite." Larissa stopped him. Perhaps the injuries she sustained were so severe that they affected her digestive system as well. Even after a whole day without eating or drinking, she had no desire to consume anything. "You should at least eat a little." Gary ignored her request and called Lewis's number. After half an hour, Lewis appeared with two bowls of steaming hot soup. With him was Kevan, who looked utterly exhausted. He only wore a thin shirt and his hair was in a mess. Lewis explained, "Mr. Rogers's car was parked downstairs. We met coincidentally on the way here." Gary frowned. "It's already so late. Why are you still here, Mr. Rogers?" However, Kevan did not answer his questi
"I came to send a client to the emergency department. As I was about to leave, I ran into your cousin downstairs. We chatted for a bit, and he mentioned that you were awake, so I came up to visit you." Kevan walked past Lewis and came up to Larissa's bed. After Lewis turned him away yesterday, Kevan had no choice but to leave. Regardless, they were Larissa's relatives and had the right to be by her side. Secondly, Kevan wanted to talk to the doctor and understand more about Larissa's condition. In other words, this was the first time Kevan had met Larissa from the moment of the accident until now. Despite hearing from the doctor that her injuries were severe, Kevan couldn't help feeling shocked when he saw her with his own eyes. The pity he felt for Larissa and the desire to exact revenge on the culprit who did this to her resulted in an inscrutable expression on Kevan's face as he looked at her. However, Larissa's attention was drawn to the word "cousin" that Kevan menti
Probably because she had eaten something and her throat was moistened, her voice sounded less hoarse than before. However, she still felt a little breathless, so she had to take longer pauses between her words. "Your phone was turned off, so he couldn't reach you. He was so worried that he was almost in tears." In fact, Aster had already burst into tears. During their phone call, he was sobbing so hard that he couldn't speak clearly. He kept repeating, "Uncle Kevan, does my mommy not want me anymore?" Larissa had sent him back to Aldovia with such resolution, and now she seemed to be completely cutting off contact with him. It wasn't surprising that a sensitive and vulnerable child like him would have such thoughts. Naturally, Kevan wouldn't tell the truth to Larissa. "He's very worried about you. He kept asking if I knew where you were and what you were doing." Feeling sorry for Aster, Larissa couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes, almost spilling over.S