Patrick gave Steven a nod and said, "Mr. Harris, please take Shirley to the hospital."
Shirley was still a bit out of it, and before she knew it, Patrick had already walked off quickly.
Steven awkwardly shuffled around the stand, bending down to look at the delicate Shirley, not sure what to do. Even though he was in his forties, Steven was still single. He'd spent his youth buried in scientific research, making him the youngest board member of the Rivera Group besides Patrick.
Now, Steven was half crouched in front of Shirley, his back straight and tense. Should he carry her horizontally? Vertically? Neither seemed right.
"No need, I'm fine!" Shirley was about to stand up when she saw other colleagues coming over.
If they found out her foot wasn't really hurt, it would be a disaster. Patrick hated being lied to. Plus, Steven, the Vice President and a board member, could be a big help in her career.
Thinking quickly, Shirley pretended to wobble, leaning to the side and letting out a cry. Steven caught her just before she fell.
Steven's heart was racing. He'd seen people play games for attention before, but he'd never been in the middle of it.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Steven said, "Shirley, how about I carry you on my back?"
Steven crouched down, and Shirley reluctantly climbed onto his back. She clung to him; her warm, soft chest pressed against his back, which made Steven feel all kinds of ticklish and restless.
"Mr. Harris, be careful," Shirley's voice had a hint of flirtation, making Steven even more uneasy.
"I got it," Steven replied, carefully standing up and heading towards the hospital.
In the hallway, their colleagues gave them curious looks.
"What's Shirley's deal that even Mr. Harris, who never jokes around, is charmed by her?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Shirley's gonna be the future Mrs. Rivera. Watch out, she might get you fired first!"
"I'm just jealous, that's all!"
Steven felt a bit uncomfortable but kept a calm face. He tried to walk steadily so Shirley wouldn't be jostled.
"Mr. Harris, don't listen to them. It's all Mr. Rivera's fault for treating me so well. We're not even at that stage yet!" Shirley pretended to be shy and nuzzled her face against Steven's back.
Steven felt a rush of heat all over, and the hand supporting Shirley's curvy buttocks tightened a bit.
Meanwhile, Emily rushed to the rehab center, already knowing what was up. She took a deep breath and walked into the reception room.
"Hi, these are care packages for Lisa. During the inspection, we found one of the drink bottles had GHB," the staff member at the rehab center said seriously to Emily.
"GHB?" Emily took the items and looked closely at the bottle marked with GHB.
It looked like a normal handmade fruit juice drink.
Seeing Emily's confusion, the staff member explained, "GHB is a central nervous system depressant, often used as an anesthetic or hallucinogen. It's colorless and tasteless, and can cause drowsiness, dizziness, loss of consciousness, and even breathing and heart problems."
Emily felt a chill run down her spine.
Lisa was working hard on her detox. If she'd drunk this, the consequences would be beyond bearing.
"Can I see the inspection report for this drink?" Emily asked.
Now that Emily knew Shirley was behind all this, she realized she couldn't just confront her impulsively like before. She needed solid evidence.
"Of course," the staff member at the rehab center handed the inspection report to Emily.
Emily's eyes were steady as she carefully read through the data and analysis.
"Thanks for catching this and handling it so professionally. Is there any way to find fingerprints or other traces on the bottle that could lead us to who put the substance in the drink?"
The staff member thought for a moment and said, "In theory, yes. But since the bottle has been handled by many people, the fingerprints and other traces might be mixed up or destroyed. We'll do our best to find something useful."
Emily felt a bit disappointed but didn't lose hope.
"Can I get a copy of the inspection report?" Emily asked firmly.
To nail Shirley, Emily needed solid proof. While the report couldn't directly prove Shirley did it, it at least showed the drink had prohibited substances.
The staff members exchanged glances, nodded, and quickly handed Emily a copy of the report.
"I need access to today's surveillance footage from the rehab center," Emily said firmly. Lisa's safety was her top priority.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but our surveillance videos are with a third-party tech company. We're also eager to find out who did this. Please be patient," the staff member said earnestly.
"Alright." Emily felt helpless, but waiting was her only option.
"Can I see Lisa now?" Emily asked eagerly.
Even though the rehab center wasn't a mandatory facility, it had strict visiting rules.
"Visiting hours are over, but given the circumstances, we'll make an exception."
A staff member made a quick call and returned. "Alright, I'll take you to the reception room."
In the reception room, Emily soon saw Lisa.
After months apart, Lisa looked even thinner, with more white hair. Emily's heart ached.
Emily had so much to say, but she couldn't find the words.
Lisa gently tucked Emily's stray hair behind her ear, full of guilt.
"Honey, why have you lost weight again? It's my fault for not being there for you and Gordon."
Emily choked up, thinking about everything that had happened, tears streaming down her face.
"Why are you crying? Did Patrick bully you?" Lisa asked angrily.
Emily shook her head. She didn't know what Patrick had told Lisa, but in that moment of gentle care, she couldn't complain.
"Don't be afraid, Emily. When I get out, I'll confront him myself! If he dares to bully my daughter, I'll fight him, even if it costs me my life."
"Patrick didn't bully me." Emily didn't want to upset Lisa, so she denied it.
"That's good. As long as you and Patrick are fine, I'll be relieved!"
Emily nodded, but she couldn't meet Lisa's eyes.
"Tell me, is something going on between you two?" Lisa quickly sensed something was off.
"No," Emily whispered.
"Alright, next time you visit, bring Patrick with you!" Seeing Lisa's hopeful eyes, Emily could only nod.
Leaving the rehab center, Emily headed straight back to her old apartment, where she ran into Marlon, who had been waiting downstairs for a long time.