Jade’s slap landed on empty air, leaving her momentarily panicked. “M–Mr. Prescott, what are you doing out here?”
The man stood before her, dressed in hospital clothes, his arm wrapped in a bandage. Even in such a state, his cool gray eyes swept over her with a calm authority that made everyone in the room tense up.
Gideon’s brows drew together, his irritation obvious. “Who are you?
Jade quickly hid her hand behind her back and forced herself to explain, “Good afternoon, Mr. Prescott. I’m Jade, the new hire in the design department. I heard you weren’t well, so I came to visit on behalf of the team. Vernon said you were…. sleeping.”
She had pulled some strings to find out that Gideon was being treated at this hospital. Arriving early that morning, she’d even brought a basket of health supplements. But Gideon’s assistant had blocked her at the door, not letting her in or even catch a glimpse of him.
Growing impatient after waiting so long, she was just about to leave when she ran into Celestine. And now, of all times, Gideon had caught her in the act. Damn it! Why did he have to show up right now?
Gideon clearly didn’t recognize her. He regarded her with half–lidded eyes, a hint of exhaustion in his gaze. “Oh? You knew I was sleeping, yet you chose to make a scene outside my door? Trying to kill me with all that noise?”
“N–no, of course not.” Jade stammered, panic written all over her face.
Gideon’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Is the design department really that idle these days?”
He wasn’t wearing his usual glasses, and in the bright light, the strong lines of his brow cast half his face in shadow, giving him a distant, aristocratic air–cold, proud, and not to be trifled with.
Jade was so mesmerized by the sight, she didn’t even sense the warning in his tone. She tried to step closer, eager to explain herself. “No, that’s not it, I was just worried about your health-
But Vernon, ever efficient, stepped in and blocked her path. “Miss Lane, I think it’s time for you to leave.”
Jade could only watch helplessly as the door to the hospital room shut in her face.
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21-1
And as the door closed, she caught a glimpse of Gideon’s hand resting on
Celestine’s wrist–a sight that only made her blood boil. Her freshly manicured nails dug hard into her palm.
Jade was seething with frustration.
Meanwhile, Vernon stood guard at the entrance, unmoved. Inwardly, he was grumbling. Please, just leave already, you lunatic. If you stay any longer, the boss. will have you reassigned to some overseas branch in the middle of nowhere.
Unbeknownst to any of them, Joanna had witnessed the entire encounter from the shadows before quietly slipping back into her own room.
Now, only Celestine and Gideon remained in the hospital suite.
Remembering how curt Gideon had been earlier, Celestine felt her nerves flutter. “I’m sorry for disturbing your rest.”
Π
Gideon lounged on the sofa, his posture relaxed and careless. At the sound of her formal address, he raised an eyebrow. “Sir‘?”
Celestine recalled how Jade had addressed him just moments ago and quickly corrected herself. “Mr. Prescott, thank you for saving me. I wasn’t sure what needed, but I made you some nourishing soup and baked a few pastries.”
you
She unpacked the thermos and the box, arranging the soup and the treats neatly on the table.
“It was nothing, Miss Selwyn. You’re too polite.” Gideon made no move to touch the food.
He didn’t say he’d eat it, but he didn’t refuse either.
Celestine noticed the bandages wrapped around his hand and forearm and made up her mind.
When Vernon returned to the room, he found Celestine standing by Gideon’s side, offering him a steaming bowl of soup.
At that sight, Vernon nearly groaned aloud. He didn’t dare slam the door shut, but he could already see disaster looming. In another moment, someone was bound to get tossed out.
Gideon was famously picky, his appetite delicate. He had a private nutritionist and absolutely hated anything soupy or watery. Worse, he was a total
germaphobe–there was no way he’d eat food from a stranger. To top it all off, he’d just finished a meal half an hour ago.
21:11
erzz
This young woman had managed to break every one of the boss’s cardinal rules,
Vernon kept his eyes on the floor and tried not to imagine how badly things would go for Celestine.
Celestine set the bowl and spoon in front of Gideon and, seeing that he made no move, felt a fresh wave of guilt. He looked so weak–he probably didn’t even have the strength to lift a spoon after what he’d been through.
She dipped the spoon into the soup, blew on it gently, and offered it to Gideon herself.
Vernon was practically holding his breath. It was over.
But Gideon, with perfect composure, accepted the spoonful of soup. “Hmm. Not bad. Thank you.”
