Chapter 233
Kelly flushed, her face shifting between red and pale under Uriah’s words. “You’ve misunderstood… I—I haven’t had lunch yet. I just wanted to grab a bite with Carter…”
Uriah didn’t bother softening his tone. “I’ll give you one hour. If you’re not back in an hour, you stay an extra hour tonight. Two hours late? You’ll stay four more. That’s the rule.”
Carter frowned. “Don’t you think that’s a bit too strict?”
“No rules, no order,” Uriah shot back. “You’re a CEO-do you let your employees clock in and out whenever they feel like it?”
Carter answered calmly, “But she’s not your employee.”
Uriah let out a cold chuckle. “I’m treating her so-called terminal illness for free. All I ask is for her to do a little grunt work for a few days, and even that’s too much? If she doesn’t even value her own life, why should anyone else try to save it?”
Carter had no reply.
Kelly felt the words lodge in her chest like a stone. She wanted to lash out, to call this old fraud what he was right to his face and expose him as a con artist to Carter.
But she couldn’t. If she tore off the mask now, her lies would unravel with it.
It had to be Sharon. She must’ve teamed up with this crusty old man just to make her look bad.
The thought made her hate Sharon even more.
Carter turned to her. “Kelly, are you coming with me for the checkup, or staying here?”
He wasn’t blind-he’d seen the scratches on her hand. Minor at best. They didn’t even need a bandage. The wounds had already
scabbed over.
Kelly had wanted to use this chance to leave, but after Uriah’s threat, she had no choice.
She’d already spent half a day here-if she left now and had to work an extra day, it wouldn’t be worth it.
Forcing a smile, she said, “No, it’s fine. You go ahead, Carter. L. I’m okay.”
Carter checked the time. He had a meeting to get back to-there wasn’t time to argue.
Seeing her insist, he nodded lightly. “Alright, I’ll head back, then.”
With that, he turned and left.
Kelly turned her head, just in time to see Sharon looking at her, lips curved in a mocking smile. That look said it all: So this is all you’ve got?
Kelly bit her lip without realizing it. Carter had forgotten she hadn’t eaten.
The rest of the afternoon, she could only grit her teeth and swallow her pride as she worked beside Matty on beginner-level tasks-sorting herbs.
The herbs were freshly picked from deep in the mountains. They were tangled with brittle twigs and thorny vines.
Every time Kelly got pricked, she let out a soft gasp, pulling her hand back as though she might cry.
By the time most of the day had passed, Matty had already sorted three full bundles. Kelly hadn’t even finished one.
12
Dusk fell quickly.
Uriah, seeing the time, called everyone to wrap up.
When they stepped out of the clinic, Nate was already waiting outside.
He leaned against a flashy sports car, cigarette between his fingers, the picture of casual arrogance.
Seeing him, Kelly lit up like she’d seen a lifeline. She rushed over and threw herself at him.
“Nate…”
Sharon gave the two of them a glance, then quietly left with Matty. She didn’t need to think twice-she knew Kelly had gone running to tattle.
The next morning, Sharon arrived to find that Kelly was still nowhere in sight.
About half an hour later, a flurry of disordered footsteps came from the entrance, followed by Kelly’s unmistakable tearful sobs.
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