Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Josephine was just a small fry. She had no power in her family, and I could totally ignore her. That was

what I did as well. Alice chided her and she shut up. What confused me was the reason the Yates

breached the contract despite signing it already. Were they trying to lead me here? I looked at Nicholas

then.

He knew I was stubborn, and he enticed me with this deal. He knew I wanted it, but he would not give it

to me unless I went out with him for a day. The guy spent a lot of time and effort on this just for a day of

my time. How irresponsible of him!

Meanwhile, Alba wanted to leave. He knew things were already set in stone, and he looked dejected.

When he left, I told my assistant to sign the contract on my behalf, but before I could leave, Alice

stopped me calmly, "Are you in that much of a hurry, President Felix?"

I smiled. "You guys breached the contract once."

I was telling them I did not trust them, and Alice blanched. "Very well, then."

Nicholas had his broad back to me and without hesitation, I went to see Alba. Alba, too, was waiting at

the lobby's doorstep, apparently expecting me. I went up to him. "Let's talk." Of course we were going

to talk about May. That was the only mutual topic we had.

The streets were bustling outside, and Alba looked uneasy being in the crowd. I pushed him to a

quieter corner and when we were finally alone, he smiled. "Never thought I'd live to see the day you

push me around on a wheelchair."

I let go of the handle. "We're friends. Don't be so formal about it." He was the man May loved, and I

thought I should give him enough respect. A while of silence later, I asked, "Why'd you leave her?"

The rain had stopped, but the ground was still drenched. My heels were soaked in dirt, and it annoyed

me. Alba noticed it as well. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and offered it to me. I shook my

head. "It's alright."

He took the handkerchief back and answered, "There's a big gap between me and her. I can't stand

myself. I have no right to date a great woman like her when I look like… this. I decided to leave her and

come back when I'm good enough for her. I just wish she'll still be waiting for me."

Alba was a bit selfish. He left her without even saying a word, and he even told her to forget about him.

And now he hopes she'll be waiting for him. Still, I could understand him. He desired her, but he had no

courage to approach her. He wanted to be better so he could eventually come back to her with

confidence.

I bit my lip. "What is your relationship with the Adams?"

"I'm a child born out of wedlock." Alba paused. I probably dragged up some bad memories, since he

sounded a lot more solemn right after that. "My mother used to work in a nightclub, and she became

pregnant with the chairman's child after they met. That child was me. I knew about my real identity

about a decade back, but I refused to return to them. I did not want to see that b*stard who drove my

mother to… Let's not talk about me."

Alba had a complicated past. I could understand why he returned to the Adams, but it would not be

easy to survive there. The family head had two sons, and both of them were legitimate. It would not be

easy for Alba to get a foothold there. Nay. It's going to be nigh impossible. Curious, I asked, "What will

happen if you don't get this deal?"

Alba looked down and did not answer my question, but I knew what would happen to him. The whole

family would ostracize him.

Alba did not talk about work anymore. He then requested carefully, "You're her best friend. Please take

care of her. Tell her to be happy—"

"You leaving is the reason she's unhappy," I said. May longed to see Alba for years. She would not

believe it even if anyone told her he was dead. Now that she knew he was alive but had disappeared,

how could she be happy?

Alba stayed silent, and the conversation ended. We knew that his decision might not be the right one,

but it was not the wrong one either. It was important that a couple came from equal backgrounds. If he

remained as a crippled and unemployed man living in a small town, their lives would eventually fall flat.

Love could never solve every single problem, and besides, May was an idealistic woman. Alba had to

better himself if he wanted to date her. It would be a hard process, but everyone had it hard in this

world.

We parted ways, and I came back to the hotel. My assistant was waiting for me downstairs, and

Josephine was there as well. My assistant explained what happened earlier and told me, "You'll need

to sign here, President Felix."

I took the contract and signed it, and my assistant then gave one of the copies to Josephine.

Josephine took it and snorted. "You'll never take Nicholas away."

Well, that came out of nowhere. In the end, I asked, "And who said I was going to take him away?"

Josephine snorted, but she did not answer me. She was still as smug as usual and yes, she was still

ugly as heck.

I smiled. "Alice likes him, doesn't she?"

Josephine hugged and left us. I sighed. "How did she get this far in life? She doesn't even know she's

annoying. Honestly, I really don't want to waste my time talking to her."

My assistant smiled. "But you did talk to her, President Felix."

At that, I explained, "I just wanted to know if she or Alice likes Nicholas."

Nicholas appeared behind me. "Gary, get back to the company," he said coolly.

Gary turned around to greet him, and he stared at him. I waved Gary away. "Leave us, Gary. Settle the

matter with the Yates."

Gary scuttled off and drove my car away. At that, I sighed in resignation. "What a chicken."

Nicholas came to my side and tilted his head. "Are you jealous, Renee?" He smiled, to which I asked,

"What are you talking about?"

He reminded me, "You wanted to know whether they liked me."

God. That was just something I said at random. Hence, I ignored him and left.

Nicholas did not come after me. On my way back, Clair called me and he asked, "When are you

coming back?"

I asked, "Why? What happened?"

"Nothing," he said. "It's just time for your checkup."

He worries too much. "I just left."

He sighed. "I worry about you, Ree."

That reminded me of my condition again. I might be safe now, but my condition could kill me at any

time.

And so, I assured him, "I'm alright, Clair."

I had nothing to do in Bryxton. I did not want to approach Nicholas or Christopher, lest I got dragged

into any unwanted conflicts. I did not want to figure out who I liked, so it was time to leave this city and

get treated in Sundew. But who should I hand my family over to? I answered melancholically, "I'll be

back as soon as possible."

Once I hung up, a familiar voice asked, "You're leaving again?"

I took the controct ond signed it, ond my ossistont then gove one of the copies to Josephine.

Josephine took it ond snorted. "You'll never toke Nicholos owoy."

Well, thot come out of nowhere. In the end, I osked, "And who soid I wos going to toke him owoy?"

Josephine snorted, but she did not onswer me. She wos still os smug os usuol ond yes, she wos still

ugly os heck.

I smiled. "Alice likes him, doesn't she?"

Josephine hugged ond left us. I sighed. "How did she get this for in life? She doesn't even know she's

onnoying. Honestly, I reolly don't wont to woste my time tolking to her."

My ossistont smiled. "But you did tolk to her, President Felix."

At thot, I exploined, "I just wonted to know if she or Alice likes Nicholos."

Nicholos oppeored behind me. "Gory, get bock to the compony," he soid coolly.

Gory turned oround to greet him, ond he stored ot him. I woved Gory owoy. "Leove us, Gory. Settle the

motter with the Yotes."

Gory scuttled off ond drove my cor owoy. At thot, I sighed in resignotion. "Whot o chicken."

Nicholos come to my side ond tilted his heod. "Are you jeolous, Renee?" He smiled, to which I osked,

"Whot ore you tolking obout?"

He reminded me, "You wonted to know whether they liked me."

God. Thot wos just something I soid ot rondom. Hence, I ignored him ond left.

Nicholos did not come ofter me. On my woy bock, Cloir colled me ond he osked, "When ore you

coming bock?"

I osked, "Why? Whot hoppened?"

"Nothing," he soid. "It's just time for your checkup."

He worries too much. "I just left."

He sighed. "I worry obout you, Ree."

Thot reminded me of my condition ogoin. I might be sofe now, but my condition could kill me ot ony

time.

And so, I ossured him, "I'm olright, Cloir."

I hod nothing to do in Bryxton. I did not wont to opprooch Nicholos or Christopher, lest I got drogged

into ony unwonted conflicts. I did not wont to figure out who I liked, so it wos time to leove this city ond

get treoted in Sundew. But who should I hond my fomily over to? I onswered meloncholicolly, "I'll be

bock os soon os possible."

Once I hung up, o fomilior voice osked, "You're leoving ogoin?"