At midday, her phone rang. It was Daniel Taylor. Emma Johnson had grown tired of dealing with him, so she simply blocked his number and ignored the call.
"Chief editor, I heard there's a new Thai place that's amazing. Let's go check it out," Madelyn suggested, her eyes bright with anticipation.
Emma didn't really have an appetite, but seeing how enthusiastic everyone was—and knowing how hard they'd been working on the magazine lately—she couldn't bring herself to say no.
"Alright, lunch is on me. Order whatever you like."
"Yes! Long live the chief editor!"
Madelyn's eyes sparkled, barely containing her excitement.
They arrived at the Thai restaurant and ordered a feast of authentic dishes. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Word had it the chef was specially brought in from Thailand, which explained why the flavors were so genuine—just like what they'd tasted during their travels there.
After finishing, Emma called the waiter to settle the bill.
"Miss, the gentleman over there has already taken care of it for you."
The waiter smiled and gestured toward a table not far away.
Emma looked over and saw a devilishly handsome face grinning and waving at her.
"Wow! What a gorgeous guy!"
The moment Madelyn laid eyes on Adrian Frost, she slipped into full-on fangirl mode. She wasn't alone—every woman at the table was captivated by the man sitting alone in the corner. They couldn't help but wonder how their chief editor managed to be surrounded by such ridiculously attractive men.
"You all head back first. I need to say hello to a friend."
After bidding her colleagues goodbye, Emma walked over to Adrian.
"Thanks for the generous gesture, but we're barely acquaintances. I'll pay you back."
She pulled cash from her purse and placed it in front of him.
"Don't worry about it. I've got more money than I know what to do with. You can help me spend some of it."
Adrian's tone was casual, almost flippant.
But his words reminded Emma of Elijah Clark. She wondered if Adrian didn't have much time left—why else would he say something like that? A wave of sympathy washed over her.
"You must be going through a tough time, aren't you? But don't lose hope. Elijah is a top brain surgeon. Even the mayor personally requested him. I'm sure you'll get better. You just have to stay positive."
Adrian was momentarily taken aback by her words. After a moment's thought, he pieced together how Elijah must have introduced himself to Emma.
But instead of getting angry, he found this explanation convenient for his plans. In an instant, his expression shifted to one of sorrow.
"Even if you say that, fate has its own plans. I know how this ends."
Out of sympathy, Emma ended up chatting with Adrian for quite a while. Half an hour later, Adrian suddenly winced in pain, clutching his head. Emma immediately assumed his brain condition was acting up.
"Where's your medicine?"
She asked, a hint of panic in her voice.
"It's back at my hotel. If it's not too much trouble, could you fetch it for me?"
Adrian gave her the address of his hotel. Worried about delaying his treatment, Emma grabbed the note and rushed out of the restaurant. She hailed a taxi and urged the driver to hurry to the Grand Royal Hotel.
Alexander Wilson watched from his car, puzzled as Emma dashed out of the restaurant looking frantic. Something urgent must have come up. He stepped on the gas and followed closely. When he saw her enter the Grand Royal Hotel, he immediately wondered who she was meeting.
Emma found the room Adrian had described and used the key card he'd given her to open the door. She searched everywhere but couldn't find the medicine where he'd said it would be. Just as she was growing anxious, she heard footsteps at the door. Before she could look up, she saw a man in a hotel staff uniform. He pressed a white handkerchief over her nose and mouth. The lack of oxygen quickly caused her to lose consciousness.
The waiter then carried her to the bed, removed her coat, and took out a delicate bottle. He uncorked it, held it under Emma's nose for a moment, then recapped it and swiftly left the scene.
As he closed the door, he deliberately left it slightly ajar.
Alexander waited for half an hour. Sure enough, he saw Elijah Clark get out of a car, still wearing his white lab coat, not even having had time to take it off.
Couldn't wait for a date?
Alexander felt that after days of surveillance, he'd finally gotten results. He quickly dialed Liam Williams.
"It's me. I have something to tell you. Don't freak out."
Alexander recounted everything he'd seen. At that moment, Liam was listening to a staff member's report on a new project's progress. The employee hadn't even finished half of it when he saw the CEO suddenly rise from his chair, hurl his expensive phone at the glass window behind him, and watch it bounce back to his feet.
The employees fell silent immediately. They had no idea what had happened, but it must have been serious to make the CEO so furious.
"Clear my schedule. Get the car. We're going to the Grand Royal Hotel."
The employee felt like he'd barely blinked before the CEO had vanished from the office.
Elijah received a call from Adrian, saying Emma was in danger. Panic surged through him, and he rushed over without even taking off his lab coat. When he found Emma's room based on the clues Adrian had given him, the door was slightly open.
Was Emma in danger?
Elijah pushed the door open anxiously and found her coat discarded on the floor. Emma lay unconscious on the bed, her cheeks flushed. There was no one else in the room.
His phone rang again.
"Adrian, tell me what's going on. What happened to Emma?"
Elijah's voice was icy cold, like it came straight from hell, sending chills down anyone's spine.
"You saved my life once. Today, I'm repaying the favor. Elijah, she won't be able to refuse you now. She'll take the initiative. Don't miss such a golden opportunity."
The line went dead. Elijah stood there, stunned.
He looked at Emma, who was growing increasingly restless on the bed. His throat involuntarily went dry.
Adrian must have given her something. Otherwise, Emma wouldn't be like this.
Elijah slowly stepped forward, intending to cover her with a blanket. But when his hand accidentally brushed against her cheek, Emma's hands instinctively grabbed his, pressing it tightly against her face.