Chapter 27
Amelia's face twisted for a moment, but was quickly replaced by a kind of wild joy.
She probably thought she'd thrown out bait I could never reach, waiting to watch me crash and burn.
In the office, everyone looked at me like I was crazy, their eyes mixed with pity and mockery.
A hundred million dollars in investment—for this struggling subsidiary, it was nothing short of a pipe dream.
Amelia was trying to nail me down completely with no chance of recovery.
I ignored those complicated looks and turned to leave the conference room.
The show had served its purpose.
The bet Amelia had set with her own words was the perfect ladder for me to legitimately seize power.
I walked to the empty stairwell, where the cold air cleared my head even more.
I took out my phone and dialed that familiar number.
The call was answered almost immediately, and Benjamin's deep, magnetic voice came through, "Speak."
"Mr. Wilson," I got straight to the point, "about the collaboration you mentioned last time, I think we can sign soon. When would be convenient for you to meet and discuss the details in person?"
"Anytime." His answer was as straightforward as always.
I was about to set a time when a familiar, dragging, twisting pain suddenly shot through my lower abdomen.
The pain came on fierce, like an invisible hand was viciously wringing my insides.
Caught off guard, I let out a muffled groan, my body bending involuntarily. I grabbed the cold wall to barely stay standing.
A layer of fine cold sweat instantly broke out on my forehead.
"What's wrong?" Benjamin, on the other end, keenly caught the abnormality in my voice, his tone immediately dropping.
"Nothing," I said through gritted teeth, trying to make my voice sound steady, "just... accidentally bumped into something."
"Ophelia," his voice came through the phone with undeniable force, "where are you?"
"At the company..."
"Stay where you are. Don't move." After saying this, he hung up without giving me any chance to argue.
I leaned against the wall and slowly slid down to sit on the steps. The cramping in my abdomen grew more intense with each wave, and my vision kept going dark.
I curled up, burying my face in my knees, trying to use this position to ease the unbearable pain.
I don't know how long passed before the stairwell door was suddenly pushed open, and a tall figure rushed in with the cold air from outside.
The familiar cold cedar scent instantly surrounded me.
Benjamin was backlit, his expression unclear, but the low pressure radiating from him showed his displeasure.
He walked up to me in a few steps, and seeing me curled up in a ball with a deathly pale face, his brow furrowed deeply.
He bent down directly, extended his long arm, and easily scooped me up.
I cried out in surprise, instinctively grabbing his collar.
Benjamin's embrace was solid and warm. Through the thin fabric, I could clearly feel the steady, powerful heartbeat in his chest.
I was about to say I could walk on my own, but he had already carried me, striding through the corridor toward the elevator.
Fortunately, no one saw us. I couldn't help but feel relieved.
I buried my face in his chest, feeling more embarrassed than ever before, my ears burning uncontrollably.
It wasn't until I was sitting in his car, wrapped in the warm air, that my tense nerves finally relaxed a bit.
Benjamin placed me in the passenger seat and leaned over to fasten my seatbelt.
His face was very close to mine, close enough that I could see my pale face reflected in his deep eyes.
"Do you need to go to the hospital?" he finally spoke, his voice softer than before but still carrying a barely noticeable tension.
I shook my head, my voice somewhat weak, "It's an old problem. No need."
He stared at me for a few seconds, then started the car. The interior was silent except for the steady hum of the engine. After a while, I heard his voice above me, tinged with anger and helplessness, "Ophelia, do you think your body is made of iron?"
I turned my head to look at the rapidly retreating street scene outside the window, saying nothing.
"For a stupid project, for arguing with an idiot, you torture yourself like this?" His tone carried a hint of complaint he himself hadn't noticed, "Is this your so-called business empire blueprint? Step one is to send yourself to the emergency room first?"
My heart stirred, and I turned to look at him. He was focused on driving, his perfect profile appearing somewhat cold and hard in the light and shadow of the streetlamps, but his words somehow carried a clumsy concern.
I suddenly felt that the pain in my abdomen seemed to ease a little.
The car didn't head to my place but stopped in front of a heavily guarded mansion.
This place was even more private and luxurious than the Azure Ridge Villa I'd been to before—this was clearly Benjamin's real private residence.
He carried me out of the car again, walked through the neatly trimmed garden, and entered the brightly lit main house.
As soon as we entered, several well-dressed servants immediately came forward, bowing respectfully, "Sir, you're back."
When they saw me in Benjamin's arms, surprise showed on their faces. They had worked here for years and had never seen him bring any woman back, let alone in such an intimate manner.
Benjamin ignored their astonishment and carried me straight upstairs, placing me on the soft, large bed in a bedroom.
"Sir, do you need me to call the family doctor?" An older housekeeper named Juliet followed up, asking carefully.
"No need," Benjamin said in a low voice while unbuttoning his cuffs, "Juliet, go make a pot of brown sugar ginger tea, make it piping hot."
Juliet was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood and replied respectfully, "Yes, Sir."
After Juliet left, Benjamin walked into the dressing room and came out moments later with a set of silk pajamas that looked soft and comfortable. He tossed them on the bed, "Change."
I looked at him, somewhat hesitant.
He seemed to see through my thoughts, turned and walked to the window, his back to me, leaving me with a view of his broad back, "You have five minutes."
I struggled to sit up and changed into the pajamas that carried a faint cedar scent. The fabric slid smoothly against my skin, very comfortable.
Just as I finished changing, Benjamin walked in carrying a hot water bottle. He bent down and placed it on my lower abdomen through the blanket.
The warmth came through the blanket, instantly dispelling much of the cold and pain lodged in my abdomen.
I watched him crouch by the bed, his expression focused as he adjusted the position of the hot water bottle. Though his movements were somewhat awkward, they were particularly earnest.
Benjamin, this man who could make or break fortunes in the business world, was now doing something completely at odds with his status.