Chapter 75 Wait for Me
Zachary took Quinley's hand and strode toward the Maybach. At the car door, Quinley stopped him.
"Mr. Jennings, you can't leave." She lifted her eyes, her gentle gaze falling on Zachary's stern face.
She understood priorities—what mattered most and what could wait. When faced with baseless slander, he'd chosen to stand by her side. Whether it was real or fake, whether he believed it or not, he stood with her, and Quinley was endlessly grateful. When it came to what truly mattered, he protected her completely. Now she had to protect his reputation too.
"Your father just passed. You're the eldest son—you can't be absent. Your mother and brother are targeting me, so I'll leave, but you can't. Everyone at Jennings Manor is watching you, and relatives and guests will come to pay their respects. How can you not be there?"
Every word showed her concern for Zachary, with no thought for herself. Zachary's brows furrowed coldly, his brooding gaze enveloping Quinley. She was still thinking of him—that meant she had feelings for him. Warmth spread through his chest as he pulled Quinley into his arms.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that."
His embrace was warm and solid, like a mountain, like a safe harbor. Quinley wrapped her arms around his waist, tilting her small face up to smile at him. "With you here, I'm not wronged."
Zachary couldn't find other words. He just held Quinley tighter. "Thank you."
Warmth flooded Quinley's heart too. She cherished his warmth but had to let go. "You're gonna crush me to death—let go, let go." Quinley pouted playfully.
Zachary quickly released her. She reached up to straighten his tie, then smoothed his shirt collar. "Don't worry about me. That dirty water won't stick to me. You're sick, so take care of yourself. Don't overdo it, remember?"
She fussed over him like a little wife. Zachary stood quietly, the frost in his eyes gradually melting. "I'll remember."
He lifted his hand, tucking the loose strands by Quinley's ear behind it, his burning fingertips caressing her thin cheek. "I'll come find you when this is all over."
"Okay," Quinley replied. She smoothed every wrinkle from his coat, so well-behaved it made him reluctant to part from her.
"I'll clear your name." Zachary couldn't help himself—he opened his arms again, pulling Quinley back into his embrace.
"Okay." After holding her a while longer, Quinley pushed Zachary away. She grabbed his arm, urging him forward. "Stop dragging your feet—go back inside."
Zachary finally started walking back. Quinley called out to Lucas, "Mr. Murphy, Mr. Jennings still has a fever. Remember to remind him to take his medicine, and be extra careful. Don't let him overexert himself."
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of Mr. Jennings. Call me if you need anything." Lucas nodded to Quinley, then followed Zachary's steps into Jennings Manor.
---
Serenity Health Center.
Quinley brought a roasted chicken to Dennis's room. There was an unfamiliar doctor inside, conducting a routine examination on Dennis. Dennis's attending physician had always been David. Quinley felt a bit suspicious but didn't ask questions.
"Quinley, where have you been these past few days? You didn't answer calls or reply to messages—do you know how worried we were?" Dennis complained.
Quinley set down the roasted chicken and made up an excuse. "Last-minute business trip. I left in a rush and didn't have time to tell you guys, then my phone broke."
Dennis gave a meaningful "Oh," then grinned mischievously. "You're lying again. Do you think I'm still a little kid? You weren't here these past few days, and Dr. Brown wasn't either. Did you two go on a secret rendezvous?"
"Dr. Brown is such a good guy. Mom, Dad, and I all really like him. I heard from the nurses that Dr. Brown's family is loaded. If you married him, you'd never have to worry about anything again." Dennis chattered away while eating the roasted chicken.
Quinley grabbed a drumstick and stuffed it in his mouth. "Little kids shouldn't talk nonsense all day. I didn't go anywhere with Dr. Brown—I really was on a business trip for work."
Her lying skills had deteriorated; she couldn't fool Dennis. "Explaining is just covering up. Quinley, when can I call Dr. Brown brother-in-law?"
David's pursuit of Quinley was high-profile—everyone at the hospital knew about it. Behind the scenes, nurses jokingly called Dennis "little brother-in-law," which he absolutely loved.
"Never." Quinley rolled her eyes, picked up the washbasin, and walked out.
---
That evening, Quinley accompanied Colin to physical therapy. The waiting room was broadcasting the news, and Quinley glanced at it casually.
"Brown Group chairman embroiled in economic dispute; police have intervened in the investigation."
On screen, Richard Brown was being led away from Brown Building by police, with many onlookers creating quite a scene.
When Quinley worked as a secretary, she'd had contact with Brown Group. Richard was low-key and steady, focused on commercial real estate development. He and his Brown Group had never been involved in any negative news.
But business was like a battlefield—where there were interests, there were disputes. Whether Richard had stepped on a landmine himself or competitors had dug him a trap, economic disputes weren't easy to resolve. Quinley had seen plenty of this during her time at Apex Global Group, so it wasn't particularly surprising.
However, when the camera switched angles, she unexpectedly saw a familiar face. It was David. He was mixed in with the crowd, jumping and bouncing, extremely agitated as he tried to stop the police from taking Richard away.
Quinley's mind worked quickly, immediately connecting the two men. She'd heard before that Richard had a rebellious son who preferred causing trouble over business. Since he'd been abroad for years, people in Rosewood City knew little about him.
Quinley finally realized that David's identity wasn't just that of a doctor—he was also the son of real estate mogul Richard. But regardless of who he was, it had nothing to do with Quinley. She'd already made her choice.
---
The next morning, Quinley had just bought breakfast and returned when she unexpectedly ran into Alicia at Colin's room door. She looked very anxious, like an ant on a hot griddle.
"Ms. Elikin, I need you to come with me to Jennings Manor." Alicia wore a black suit, her dark hair pulled back in a bun. She'd applied only light makeup and wore no jewelry, with dark circles under her eyes as if she'd pulled an all-nighter.
Quinley didn't know what Alicia was up to, but one thing was clear—she couldn't go to Jennings Manor. "Sorry, Ms. Davis, I'm really busy today."
Quinley carried the breakfast and tried to walk around Alicia into Colin's room, but Alicia suddenly grabbed her arm. "Ms. Elikin, please go anyway. David brought people to cause a scene at Jennings Manor. William's body is barely cold, and if this continues, Zach will become the laughingstock of all Rosewood City. You're David's girlfriend—he'll listen to you. Could you please help talk him down? Whatever it is, can't it wait until William is buried? Please?"
"What's he doing at Jennings Manor?" Quinley asked, confused.
"It's a long story, but it seems to involve you. Ms. Elikin, please come with me. Otherwise, Zach will be in real trouble."
This involved Zachary. Quinley couldn't worry about anything else. She followed Alicia to Jennings Manor. However, when they arrived, she discovered the situation was far more serious than she'd imagined.