Chapter 83 Staff
Timothy accepted the towel Joe handed him, taking his time to wipe the blood from his knuckles. Every movement was unhurried, almost lazy, but the crimson stains told a different story.
On the floor, Frank lay sprawled, barely conscious, his breath shallow and uneven. His earlier attempt to egg Ron on had crossed Timothy's line—one tied directly to the safety of Elizabeth, the woman who was his home, his anchor.
Frank's chest still rose and fell faintly. If not for that, one might have thought he was already dead.
Ron's eyes widened in horror, fixed on the man standing before him. A shiver ran through him despite the grip of the bodyguard holding him in place.
Timothy stepped forward until he loomed over Ron, shadow cutting across Ron's face.
Ron tried to retreat, but the bodyguard's hand on his shoulder kept him rooted.
"Which do you prefer—living in misery, or having money?" Timothy asked, his voice casual as he passed the towel back to Joe.
He wasn't waiting for an answer. Ron's fear was all he wanted. Fear kept people useful, and Timothy had no intention of disposing of Ron just yet. Someone was out there, moving against Elizabeth. He needed Ron alive until he knew who.
His gaze cooled, a flicker of steel in his eyes.
Turning away, Timothy crossed to the coffee table, bent down, and placed the lunchbox Elizabeth had given him back into its bag. He picked it up, walked out of the private room without a backward glance.
Ron sagged against the floor, drained, watching them leave.
Timothy slid into the back seat of his car and sent Elizabeth a message.
It read: [Take tonight and tomorrow to rest, Elizabeth… I'll need some time to get my strength back too.]
Elizabeth was watching TV with Mabel when her phone chimed. She picked it up and read the message.
The words hit her like a spark, and before she knew it, her cheeks were burning.
Timothy followed up with another line.
Timothy: [You're too good. I might get addicted.]
Elizabeth stared at her phone, speechless.
That night, Elizabeth climbed into bed. Just before sleep claimed her, her thoughts drifted to Timothy. She pressed her index finger lightly to her lips, parting them slightly. The tip of her pink tongue peeked out.
With her other hand, she lifted her phone and snapped a selfie. The angle was perfect—her face, her lips, the teasing finger, the glint of her tongue, and the delicate line of her collarbone.
Smiling faintly, she sent the photo to Timothy.
Timothy was still working when the image lit up his screen. His dark eyes deepened, unreadable.
If she had dared to do that in front of him, she wouldn't have stayed on her feet for long.
She'd be out cold—on the bed.
Having delivered her tease, Elizabeth curled under the blanket and drifted off into a beauty sleep.
The next morning, she woke to find it was already past ten. She and Mabel made a spur-of-the-moment decision to go shopping. After hours of wandering, they grew tired and ducked into an Italian restaurant.
"Emma, we've been trying to get you out for a month, and now you finally show up. Got yourself a boyfriend and forgot all about us, huh?" one friend teased.
"I'm here now, aren't I?" Emma replied with a smile, her eyes curving like crescents.
She was firmly settled in her pregnancy, though not yet showing enough to draw attention.
All three women at the table were from noble families. One reached out to pinch Emma's cheek. "You're not even wearing makeup, and your skin is glowing. What's your secret?"
Another laughed. "What woman in love doesn't glow? I just got back to town and already heard someone bought the Blue Heart diamond for you. I'm so jealous."
"Not just someone—her boyfriend," the third chimed in.
The banter was light, but beneath it was envy. After all, Emma's boyfriend was Timothy from Border Ridge City. None of them had met him yet, which only added to the mystique.
Emma rolled her eyes. "Don't start rumors."
"We're not making anything up. My mother told me just two days ago that your mother's been smiling non-stop lately. Looks like your wedding to Mr. Timothy Robinson isn't far off."
At the mention of the Blue Heart diamond, Elizabeth and Mabel glanced over. They spotted Emma, seated with her back to them.
Mabel frowned.
She thought, 'What the hell? Timothy's involved with two women at once?'
She looked to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth knew Timothy had no romantic ties to Emma—he had explained as much—but hearing Emma's friends talk still left a faint sting. What was Emma playing at?
"Eat your food," Elizabeth murmured. "Mr. Robinson currently belongs to me."
Mabel looked as if she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Elizabeth's smile was both amused and touched.
"I'm full," Mabel said suddenly. "I'm going to text Timothy."
Elizabeth didn't stop her. She wanted to know too.
Mabel typed: [I heard you're planning to marry Ms. Sutter?]
Timothy was reviewing a file when the message came in. His brow arched.
Timothy: [Where did you hear that?]
Mabel quickly relayed Emma's conversation word for word.
She texted: [Not only did I hear it, but Elizabeth did too. She's very upset.]
She showed Elizabeth the chat.
Soon, Elizabeth's phone buzzed with Timothy's reply.
It read: [Elizabeth, the one I'm marrying is you. Don't be upset. I'll take care of it.]
He looked up at Joe. "Who's spreading nonsense about me marrying Emma?"
Joe adjusted his glasses. "You've appeared at several events with Ms. Sutter. People saw you together and jumped to conclusions. The Sutter family may also be entertaining that idea."
Timothy closed the file. "Arrange dinner tonight with Robert and Aiden."
Robert Sutter, head of the Sutter family, was father to Matthew and Yosef, and Emma's uncle. Aiden Sutter was Emma's father.
Joe nodded and left to make the calls.
Timothy believed in solving problems at the root.
At the Sutter mansion, Robert hung up, puzzled by Timothy's sudden invitation. Aiden, visiting that day, guessed aloud, "Robert, do you think Mr. Robinson wants to talk about Emma?"
Robert considered. "It's possible."
Aiden smiled. "Emma hasn't told the family anything. Maybe Mr. Robinson wants to surprise her."
Even Robert's stern expression softened. "Emma's a good girl. Don't mention this to your wife yet."
"I know," Aiden said, pride warming his voice.
Back at the Italian restaurant, Elizabeth and Mabel finished their meal and were about to leave when Emma spotted them. She walked over to greet them.
Mabel's reply was cool. Elizabeth, sensing the awkwardness, smiled. "Ms. Sutter, we've eaten and we're heading out."
Emma smiled back. "Alright. Goodbye."
She watched them leave before returning to her friends.
"Wasn't that woman in the red dress Armando's ex-wife?" one friend asked.
"Yes, Elizabeth," another confirmed. "She embarrassed Armando on Instagram last time. The Johnson family didn't make a fuss, but if they had, she wouldn't be so carefree."
They were referring to Elizabeth's post about discarded trash.
"If the Johnsons got angry, even her pixelated boyfriend couldn't protect her. Armando didn't care, but still…"
"To think a secretary could marry into nobility so quickly… I don't know what she's so proud of."
"Maybe her boyfriend's just staff at Dream House," one suggested with a smirk.
They covered their mouths, laughing quietly.
Emma's smile faltered at the turn in conversation. "Alright, where are we going next?"