Mia Grant’s cheeks were still hot as she was led by the hand from that secret room.
She snapped back to her senses when she was settled onto the sofa and sothing cool was pressed against her cheek.
She looked up to see Silas Grant holding a cool apple to her cheek.
When he saw she was lucid again, he pulled the apple away. "Are you hungry?"
Mia shook her head. Cradling the apple he had given her, she discreetly surveyed his office.
This was her first ti at the Hughes Corp, and her first ti inside Silas Grant’s office.
It was much bigger than she had imagined.
The office window was open a crack, and the cool air blowing in quickly dispersed the heat from her face.
Silas called his secretary to bring in so desserts for her to tide her over.
Even though she said she wasn’t hungry, he said he would take her out to eat in half an hour.
Mia felt as if she were waking from a dream. Her eyes followed him as he sat down behind his desk, put on his glasses, and began to work.
’It was impossible to imagine that the man whose mind had just been filled with... lewd thoughts could pull himself out of that tender mont so quickly and throw himself back into his work.’
Sensing her stare, Silas handed a file to Eric and looked up at her. "If you get bored, you can play so gas. The console and my computer are both available for you to use."
"But you can’t leave."
His computer was undoubtedly filled with confidential docunts, but he didn’t seem to mind.
He just repeatedly emphasized that she was not to leave his office.
Mia Grant fumbled in her pocket for her phone. The video call with Yates Donovan had long been disconnected.
The screen was black. It must have shut down from low battery.
"Can I borrow a charger?"
"Of course." Silas Grant gave Eric a look, and the latter quickly found a charger for her.
A few minutes passed, but the phone still wouldn’t turn on.
"How could this be..."
Seeing her distressed expression, Silas said, "It might have been damaged when it was dropped. We’ll buy you a new one later."
"...Okay." Mia paused, then couldn’t help but ask, "Then can you have soone go down and tell Yates Donovan? I’m afraid he’s... getting anxious waiting."
"Yates Donovan?"
Silas stopped signing the docunt.
His injured hand. The gauze hadn’t been changed yet.
The gauze was still damp where she had wet it, not yet dry in the warm air, the mark faintly visible.
No one would think twice about it.
An outsider would only assu he’d accidentally splashed it while washing his hands.
Only he and she knew the source of the moisture...
Glancing at the number above his head, Mia spoke with so reassurance, "I couldn’t co to Portia by myself, so I asked him to co with ."
"That includes today. I wanted to see you, so I found Mr. Adler, but I was scared... so I had Yates co along."
The man behind the desk lifted his eyes, the gaze glinting behind his glasses. He gave Eric a look. Eric, understanding imdiately, went to relay the ssage.
Seeing this, Mia let out a small sigh of relief.
Eric left, and the heavy office door closed, shutting out all outside noise and prying eyes.
Before Mia could look away, she heard Silas ask her, "I didn’t get a chance to ask earlier. Why were you in such a hurry to see ?"
In the secret room, her explanation at the ti could easily have been mistaken for an excuse to placate him.
But now, it seed it wasn’t.
Mia looked over, her eyes still holding a trace of bewildernt. When she processed his question, she imdiately stood up.
Silas Grant watched her walk over and sit obediently in the chair opposite him. Separated only by the desk, their breaths quickly began to mingle.
She placed her hands on the desk, along with the apple that had long since been ward by her touch.
Like the pure and kind Snow White, unwilling to discard the poisoned apple given to her by the witch, boldly drawing closer to the witch instead.
Blinking her big, watery eyes, she lowered her voice and said timidly, "I heard from others that your hand was injured and that Grandfather had locked you up. So I was very worried about you..."
"Mr. Adler also said that today’s eting was very important, and that Grandfather wouldn’t let you co, just to put you in your place."
"What else did he say?"
The man coaxed gently.
Mia slowly shook her head.
This earned a soft, doting chuckle.
"Did he also tell you that if I didn’t show up today, you would have to go to the Hughes Family estate to see Grandfather?"
"..." Mia hesitated for a mont but still shook her head.
Silas Grant’s expression shifted slightly. Just from her reaction, he knew what had happened.
He knew Simon Adler’s character.
Mia couldn’t possibly know Simon Adler, and Yates Donovan wasn’t familiar with him either.
The only way they could have been in contact was if Simon Adler had approached them himself.
’He most likely scared her with so harsh words.’
The man’s eyes showed a hint of resignation, but when he looked at her, his hardened heart lted completely.
His gaze was intense. Mia scratched her cheek and turned her head away, a little embarrassed. "Anyway, as long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters."
"It’s just... Grandfather doesn’t seem to like very much. I don’t think things can go on like this."
"Otherwise, maybe I should just leave Jynsia and go sowhere far away. That way, for you too, Silas..."
"Mia."
He stopped her, his tone much deeper than before.
Mia shut her mouth and watched him cautiously.
"If I recall correctly, Brother just praised you for being such an obedient, good girl."
Mia’s breath caught, her eyes darting away as she was involuntarily thrown back into certain mories.
’Like a small bird with broken wings. The ends of her hair, damp with sweat, tangled over her eyes, shrouding her vision in darkness. Wings snapped and bleeding, intermittent moans of pain spilling out, the shattered little bird teetering on the verge of collapse.’
’And yet, to an outsider, the little bird’s feathers were perfectly preened. It lay obediently in its master’s arms, without a single trace of anything amiss.’
’Quiet and still, as if it were just sleeping.’
’Until it startled awake, pupils dilating, shaking as it sent a flurry of feathers fluttering to the ground.’
’Its master would gently knead the nape of its neck, soothing it, calming the waves that swept through its body.’
’There, there.’
’Good girl.’
’It’s over now.’
Mia lowered her head in silence, not daring to make another sound.
The man gently stroked her lowered head. "Brother will take care of everything. Later, you can go back to Jynsia with Yates Donovan and set your mind at ease. In the future, unless Brother is the one who brings you here..."
He sighed in resignation. "Next ti, you can’t be so reckless."
"Not even for ."
"..."
"But... but..." Mia frowned. ’How am I supposed to say this?’
’Tell him I dread he died? Tell him I can most likely predict the future?’
’Would he think I’m crazy?’
"But Portia is dangerous. I’ll worry about you being here all by yourself."
"And if Grandfather really hates , and I stay by your side, injuries like this will definitely happen again."
She stroked his palm, forcing him to make a decision. "If you don’t want... don’t want to clash with Grandfather."
"There’s actually another option."
As she finished speaking, she took out the Butterfly Knife Yates had given her for protection and placed it in Silas Grant’s hand—
"If you don’t want to leave, then make stay here forever."
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