Chapter 69 How Should I Live
Alicia wore a beige silk dress, her long hair carelessly pinned up in a messy bun. She'd been crying—her carefully applied makeup was smudged, her eyes and nose red, making her look a bit like a circus clown.
"Ms. Elikin."
She jogged toward Quinley and threw her arms around her.
Quinley froze. They weren't close enough for this kind of physical contact. She held her hands out awkwardly, unsure where to put them.
Alicia was about half a head taller than Quinley. She draped her arms over Quinley's shoulders, pressing her full weight against her. She wasn't heavy, but somehow felt burdensome.
"Ms. Elikin, Zach got beaten up so badly! I'm terrified. If Ms. Parker wakes up and finds out I didn't take good care of Zach, she'll kill me."
Alicia was putting on a performance, insisting on this act in front of Quinley.
"Ms. Davis, that won't happen. You're so good to Mr. Jennings—why would Sylvia blame you?"
"Ms. Elikin, I'm so scared. What if something terrible happens to Zach? What would I do?"
Alicia's acting was painfully awkward. Zachary had only gotten injured in a fight—it wasn't like he was dying.
Quinley was momentarily speechless.
Alicia suddenly released Quinley and extended a sincere invitation. "Ms. Elikin, will you come with me to see Zach? My legs are shaking—I'm afraid I won't be able to support myself."
"How about I contact Ms. Gomez to go with you instead?"
This was obviously a trap, and Quinley tried to refuse, pulling out her phone to call Adela. But Alicia stopped her.
"Ms. Elikin, please just come with me this once? You know Zach doesn't really like me—he might not even see me if I go alone. Please, will you come with me?"
She shook Quinley's arm, tears in her eyes.
Quinley wasn't soft-hearted, but she knew one thing clearly—refusing Alicia wouldn't end well for her.
"Alright, I'll go with you."
Alicia's tears turned to smiles as she linked arms with Quinley, afraid she might change her mind.
In the emergency room's temporary ward, a doctor had just finished treating Zachary's eye. He was half-reclined against the headboard with an IV drip in his wrist. Adela stood to one side, reporting on work progress—reading documents aloud, recording his opinions, and even having him sign several papers between treatments.
Suddenly, the door opened and Alicia burst in crying.
"Zach!"
She threw herself onto Zachary, sobbing dramatically.
Adela felt awkward and tactfully said, "Mr. Jennings, I'll wait outside." She hurried out with her files.
Quinley stood in the doorway and caught sight of Zachary's eye. David had hit hard—Zachary's right eye was severely swollen, reduced to barely a slit.
He pushed Alicia away with disgust.
"Sorry, Zach, I hurt you."
Alicia played along with the act. She noticed medicine stains on Zachary's neck and turned to Quinley with instructions.
"Ms. Elikin, could you please get some hot water?"
Quinley had wanted to leave, but Alicia had found her a task, trapping her momentarily.
"Of course."
Quinley took the water bottle and left.
"Get out," Zachary said coldly.
Alicia cried with tears streaming down her face. She reached out carefully to touch Zachary's injured eye, but he turned his head away in revulsion.
"Zach, please let go, okay? Ms. Parker is still unconscious, and if something happens to you too, how am I supposed to live?"
"How you live has nothing to do with me."
Zachary's retort was ice-cold.
Alicia cried, unwilling to give up. "She doesn't love you—why do you keep holding on so tightly? Zach, let's get married. I'll take good care of you."
Zachary looked down at Alicia with cold disdain, beyond annoyed. "I've told you many times—I will never marry you. Stop having these delusions. Leave. I don't want to see you anymore."
After speaking, Zachary closed his eyes, unwilling to look at Alicia even once more.
Alicia bit her lip, standing there with red-rimmed eyes, but her fists were clenched tight. She shamelessly approached again and again, only for Zachary to push her away each time.
That's when Quinley returned with the hot water.
"Ms. Davis, I've got the water. I'll be going now."
She set down the bottle and turned to leave, but Alicia quickly called her back.
"Ms. Elikin, I need to ask another favor. Zachary has some dirt on his neck that needs cleaning, but I just got my nails done and it's really inconvenient. Could you help wipe it clean? I'm sorry to trouble you."
Alicia looked apologetic, extending her hands to show Quinley her shimmery pink nails that complemented her skin tone perfectly.
"Ms. Davis, let me call a nurse. Mr. Jennings has injuries on his neck, and I'm not trained for this. If I cause an infection, that would be terrible."
Quinley understood boundaries. Alicia was Zachary's fiancée—this wasn't something for a former secretary to handle.
But Zachary spoke up at that moment. "What? You're unwilling?"
He pressed his cold, thin lips together and stared intently at Quinley with his one good eye.
Alicia immediately prepared warm water and pressed a clean towel into Quinley's hands.
"Ms. Elikin, thank you so much."
Her submissive demeanor made her look like a gentle, magnanimous wife.
Quinley was trapped with three pairs of eyes watching her. She had no choice but to comply.
She took the cotton cloth from Alicia, dampened it, wrung out the excess water, and gently cleaned Zachary's neck. She had to lean close to him, and his burning breath lingered near her hands.
Quinley's expression remained calm, but her heart pounded like a drum—thump, thump, thump.
Alicia's eyes held hidden daggers as she stared fixedly at Quinley's hands. Meanwhile, Zachary couldn't open one eye, but his other eye remained focused on Quinley's face.
She was exceptionally focused when working, rarely blinking. Because of their proximity, he could see the fine lines and pores on her face clearly. Her skin had always been delicate, but perhaps from recent stress, it appeared somewhat rougher.
"Ms. Elikin, you're so good at taking care of people. Dr. Brown is so lucky—you'll definitely make a wonderful wife and mother someday."
Alicia's praise suddenly floated over, breaking the heated atmosphere.
Zachary's face darkened, and Quinley's hand paused. The edge of the cloth accidentally scraped across a broken wound, causing blood to seep out instantly.
"I'm sorry!"
Quinley quickly apologized.
Alicia's expression changed immediately. She frantically pressed the call button, making a big fuss.
"Nurse! He's bleeding! He's bleeding!"
The nurse didn't come, but David did.