Chapter 135 Return to Rosewood City
"Apex Global Group CEO Zachary Jennings caught in landslide. Condition unknown."
The day after Zachary's accident, the media reported the news. His Maybach had been buried under the mountainside. Thanks to quick rescue efforts, he'd survived. But a massive boulder had crashed down on the side where he was sitting, striking his head. He'd been unconscious ever since.
When Lucas heard, he immediately brought in the best neurosurgeons for consultation. There was blood pooling in Zachary's brain. The surgery took over ten hours, but for some reason, he still wouldn't wake up.
Reporters swarmed the hospital, desperate for updates on Zachary's condition. Lucas stationed guards around the clock—only doctors and nurses were allowed near him.
Nine days after the accident, Quinley and Mrs. Ginger were hauling a stack of cardboard boxes to the recycling center. That's when Quinley spotted the news on an old newspaper.
Lakeside City was small, remote, slow-paced. Not much population turnover. Quinley had deliberately cut herself off from the outside world. She didn't watch TV at home, barely went online. So she had no idea everything had changed out there.
She grabbed that newspaper and stood under the scorching sun, reading every single word. The sun beat down on her, but inside she felt ice-cold.
"Cindy, can you bring that stack of boxes over here?"
Mrs. Ginger was settling up with the shop owner, calling out to Quinley. But Quinley didn't hear a thing. Black ink on white paper—she just kept reading, word by word.
The world around her went silent. All that existed was this news about Zachary's accident.
"Cindy, what's wrong?"
Mrs. Ginger walked over and tapped Quinley's shoulder. Her face had gone deathly pale. Beads of sweat rolled down from her forehead.
Quinley clutched that newspaper like she'd lost her soul. It was nine days old. She couldn't see the latest updates. She rushed over to the pile of old papers and crouched down, frantically searching through them.
But there was nothing.
Lakeside City was too far from Rosewood City. Sure, Zachary was a big deal, but he wouldn't be in the Lakeside paper every day.
"Mrs. Ginger, where's the nearest internet cafe?"
Quinley's eyes were wild with panic.
"What's going on with you? Why do you look so pale?"
Mrs. Ginger was really worried now. But Quinley didn't have time to explain. She practically ran out the door.
Lakeside City only had two main streets. She went from shop to shop until finally she found an internet cafe. She sat down at a computer, her heart pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat.
Zachary was hurt. Was he okay? Was he alive?
The computer booted up. She moved the mouse shakily and opened a browser. Her fingers flew across the keyboard but kept messing up. It took several tries before she managed to type Zachary's name correctly.
The browser page filled up, top to bottom, with news about Zachary.
He'd gone to a coastal town during the typhoon. On the way back, he'd been caught in a landslide. He'd been rescued successfully, but his condition was unknown.
Online, everyone had theories. Some people said someone had set him up. Others said he'd been looking for a woman in the middle of a typhoon. Still others claimed the head trauma might turn him into a vegetable.
She knew speculation wasn't reliable, but Quinley read every single word anyway. By the time she finished, her heart was a complete mess.
For six months in Lakeside City, her heart had been calm as still water. But this news about Zachary shattered that peace completely.
Quinley sat at that computer for hours. When she finally left the internet cafe, it was already dark outside.
A downpour had started. She hadn't brought an umbrella, so she just walked into the wind and rain, heading home.
Halfway there, Mrs. Ginger came running up with an umbrella.
"Cindy, you silly girl! Get under here! It's pouring and you don't even know to find shelter?"
She was scolding, but she jogged over to Quinley and pulled her under the umbrella.
Mrs. Ginger looked so worried. She wiped the water off Quinley's face, still fussing. "Your body's barely healed and you're already being careless? What if something happens to you? What would I do then?"
Her eyes were getting red as she spoke. She tilted the umbrella toward Quinley, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her forward.
In that moment, Quinley felt so warm inside. She hadn't felt warmth like this in so long.
Marlee had been good to her too, but knowing Marlee wasn't her real mother, Quinley had always kept a certain distance.
"Mrs. Ginger, I'm fine. Thank you."
Quinley's voice caught in her throat.
"What are you thanking me for? Come on, let's get you home."
Mrs. Ginger hurried her along. The two of them shared the umbrella back to Quinley's little house.
The moment they got inside, Mrs. Ginger rushed to the bathroom and started running hot water for a bath. "Go take a hot bath right now. I'll make you some hot tea. Go on! This rainy weather, all that dampness—if it gets into your body, you'll get sick."
Her own shoulder was soaked through, but she didn't care about that at all.
Quinley let herself be pushed toward the bathroom.
She sank into the bathtub, letting the hot water surround her. She didn't know if it was the steam or the ache in her chest, but she couldn't hold it back anymore. Tears slid down her cheeks.
She closed her eyes and all she could see was Zachary. His serious expression when he was all business, rigid and unsmiling. The faint smile that would tug at his lips when he was happy, his eyes dark and deep.
Ever since she'd known him, Zachary had seemed indestructible. In fights, no one could beat him. In business, he always won.
But this time... his life hung in the balance.
"Cindy, I left hot tea by the door. Drink it while it's hot!"
Mrs. Ginger's voice came through the bathroom door.
"Okay."
Quinley answered.
Her skin had turned red from soaking. She wrapped herself in a towel, dried off, and stepped out. She downed the entire cup of hot tea in one go.
In the kitchen, Mrs. Ginger was making dinner—a huge bowl of fragrant noodles.
"Thank you, Mrs. Ginger."
Mrs. Ginger leaned against the doorframe, a warm smile on her face the whole time. Quinley ate every last bite.
When she finished, Mrs. Ginger pulled up a chair and sat down across from her.
"Cindy, is there something you're not telling me?"
Mrs. Ginger was sharp. Quinley's behavior today had been way too off. She'd noticed.
Quinley paused. She looked Mrs. Ginger straight in the eye. "I need to leave here for a while."
"Back to Rosewood City?"
Mrs. Ginger thought for a moment before asking.
Quinley lowered her eyes. "Yeah."
Quinley didn't say anything more. Mrs. Ginger didn't ask. But somehow she seemed to know everything anyway, like she could see right through it all.
"I'll help you pack."
Mrs. Ginger stood up, found a black suitcase, and started folding Quinley's clothes neatly, tucking them inside piece by piece.
The room was quiet. Quinley just sat there, watching Mrs. Ginger do all of this.
After a long silence, she finally spoke.
"Mrs. Ginger, I need you to help me contact someone."