Chapter 6
Elena turned toward Justin. His eyes were sharp with disapproval, like he was silently blaming her for letting Nadine’s pride take a hit.
He knew how delicate Elena’s stomach was. Not long ago, when she’d been in pain, he’d even had someone bring her medicine. And now, he still expected her to drink the wine Nadine had offered.
Justin didn’t care in the slightest whether Elena felt uncomfortable. To him, her health mattered far less
than protecting Nadine’s pride.
Seeing that Justin clearly wouldn’t let it go if she refused, Elena gave a wry smile and took the wine glass
from Nadine, drinking it in one go.
“Is this enough, Mr. Riggs?” she asked, tilting the empty glass so he could see it was finished.
Justin met her gaze and opened his mouth, and for a moment, he didn’t know what to say.
Nadine, on the other hand, smiled. The corners of her mouth curved up with a blend of provocation and triumph. “Thank you for showing me that courtesy, Ms. Miller. I hope to learn from you going forward.”
Elena ignored her.
Nadine didn’t mind. Like a victor, she returned to her seat beside Justin, wondering if Elena had noticed
that he cared only about her.
Caught up in her own triumph, she had no idea that Elena couldn’t have cared less.
Elena’s stomach started to ache after that glass of wine. She knew how sensitive it was and hadn’t
planned on drinking at all tonight.
The glass her colleague poured had been sitting in front of her, untouched, but then Nadine had come over to make a toast. It wasn’t strong alcohol, but it was like poison for her fragile stomach.
She clenched her teeth and reached into her bag for her medicine, only to find nothing. Then she
remembered that she’d left it at the office. The pain in her stomach kept getting worse.
With all her colleagues’ attention focused on Justin and Nadine, Elena pressed her lips together and rose.
She slipped out of the private dining room with plans to stop at a nearby pharmacy for some medicine.
Justin saw her go and instinctively got up to follow, but Nadine held him back.
“Jus, where are you going? You’re the only person here I really know. You have to stay with me,” she
murmured. Her voice was soft and irresistible.
Her charm made his determination waver, and in the end, he sank back into his seat.
He figured Elena was likely upset about what had just happened, but it was fine. He could make it up to her later when he got home.
Elena staggered down the hallway. Her stomach was churning with a pain so fierce it felt like it could kill her. Her vision started to fade at the edges.
When she rounded a corner, she ran straight into someone. “I’m so sorry. I-”
A fresh wave of pain ripped through her stomach before she could finish speaking. She doubled over, barely able to stand.
“Are you okay?”
His voice was calm, magnetic, easy on the ears, yet Elena was too consumed by pain to appreciate it.
She forced herself to raise her head and apologized again. “I’m sorry.”
Too weak to notice, she missed the brief flicker in his eyes as he took in her face.
Seeing that she could barely stay on her feet, he gently supported her by the arm.
“I…”
The man noticed her hands clutching her stomach. “Stomach cramps?”
Elena nodded as cold sweat trickled down her forehead.
“Do you usually take anything for them?”
She told him the name of the medicine she normally used without a second thought. He didn’t say a
word. He just helped her into an empty private room and guided her to sit.
“Wait here for me.”
His footsteps gradually faded.
Her mind was still foggy and disoriented.
Who was this man? Where had he gone?
Still, deep down, she felt he meant no harm. And somehow, he looked vaguely familiar.
It wasn’t long before the man came back, carrying a cup of water and two pills. “Take these. You’ll feel a
lot better.”
His voice was calm and composed, but a faint note of concern was underneath.
Elena glanced at the pills-exactly the ones she normally took-and swallowed them quickly with the warm water. The warmth slid down her throat, leaving a small, comforting trace in her chest.
The medicine worked fast. Before long, the worst of the stomach pain had started to ease.
She looked up at him. “Thank you. I’m sorry to trouble you.”
Chapter 6
3/4
The man was tall, well-built, and impossibly striking. Every inch of him carried the kind of presence that
made it clear he was born to lead.
He spoke with an ease that made calm seem effortless. “You’re welcome, Ms. Miller.”,
Elena’s eyes widened in surprise. “You know who I am?”
And then it clicked. He was Alexander Golden, the second son of the Golden family from Hupolis.
People said he was a prodigy. He was already handling company affairs before he’d even turned 16, and he was officially named heir by his grandfather at 20.
Now, he sat at the helm of Golden Group, a CEO both revered and feared.
Six years ago, Elena had seen Alexander at a banquet. She had always kept a low profile, and that had
been the only formal event she’d ever attended.
They’d exchanged only a glance back then, which was why she hadn’t recognized him immediately just
now. She certainly hadn’t expected the person who came to her aid now to be him.
A faint flicker of awkwardness passed through her, but she masked it effortlessly. “Mr. Golden, what brings you to Slushire?”
Alexander didn’t seem to mind that she had only just remembered him.
“Business,” he said. After a pause, he asked, “You’re not feeling well. Why are you out here alone?”
The word “alone” hit Elena, and her eyes suddenly stung.
After graduation, she’d stayed in the city with Justin, against her family’s wishes. She’d wanted to prove
she could be happy with him, but in the end, she was still alone.
After a brief pause, she gathered herself. “I was having dinner with some colleagues, and my stomach
started hurting. I thought I’d step out for some medicine, but it got worse than I expected.
“Thank you for helping me, Mr. Golden.”
Alexander handed her the medicine. His voice was flat. “This works fast, but it only treats the symptoms,
not the cause. Your stomach isn’t in great shape. You should take better care of it.”
For a second, Elena caught herself wondering if he actually cared. Then she dismissed it. They weren’t
that close, and the casual indifference in his voice made it feel more like politeness than concern.
“I know.” She took the box and pulled out her phone. “Mr. Golden, I’ll send you the money for this.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“It’s for me, so I should pay you.”
Although the sum was trivial to Alexander, Elena hated owing anyone. She’d repay anyone she should.
Alexander lingered in silence for a heartbeat, then drew out his phone and tapped the screen.
She was about to ask for his bank details when a WhatsApp alert stole her words. A new message, from a contact she’d never spoken to before, displayed nothing but a single space.
Recognition struck her, and she blinked. “This is your WhatsApp number?”
Alexander gave a soft hum, and his face betrayed nothing.
Elena felt puzzled. She didn’t remember when she’d added him on WhatsApp. But this was no moment to dwell on it, so she didn’t press further.
Once she had his bank details, she sent him the money for the medicine.
“Well… I suppose I should return to my colleagues,” she said, offering a polite smile.
Alexander’s voice suddenly carried a faint, unsettling chill. “Ms. Miller, is dinner with your colleagues more important than your health?”
