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Winnie waited deep into the night, but instead of getting any response from Xavier, someone rapped on
her door urgently.
The sudden knocking so late in the night startled her.
Closing the curtains immediately, she turned and hurried toward the door.
Since she did not know who was at the door nor what the person wanted, she made sure to tread
lightly and barely made any sound.
She had just come to a stop behind the door when another knock rang out.
However, it was much softer that time. After knocking, the person outside the door started talking.
“Ms. Vivian, it’s me, Leandro. I just got back and heard that the light in your room was still on, so I
came to check on you. You haven’t slept, have you?”
It is Leandro’s voice indeed.
A frown appeared between Winnie’s brows at once. “Oh, it’s you. You gave me such a scare. I was
wondering who could be knocking at my door at this hour. Can’t we talk tomorrow? I’m almost ready for
bed.”
On the other side of the door, Leandro sighed. “Alas, I’m heading out early in the morning and might be
away for a few days. You probably won’t be awake by the time I leave. Since you still happened to be
up, I thought I’d come and have a short chat with you now. Don’t worry. I won’t try anything funny.”
“Ah, I see. If that’s the case, I should invite you in,” Winnie replied, opening the door as she spoke.
As soon as the door swung open, she saw Leandro standing outside, his hands laden with gift boxes.
Noticing her gaze shifting to his hands, he held up the gifts immediately and said, “These are some
supplements I’ve prepared for you. The dosage instructions are all written clearly. They’re all for
strengthening muscles and bones, so taking these will help in the recovery of your arm.”
Winnie flashed him a faint smile as she turned sideways to let him into the room. “How kind of you to
bring me all these supplements when it’s already so late.”
Leandro quickly placed the things he carried on the table in the room, then sat on one of the nearby
chairs.
He explained, “I went out earlier tonight and had just returned. These are what I bought while I was out.
I’ve already checked with the doctor to make sure you can consume these supplements alongside your
medication.”
“Thank you,” she replied with another smile.
He quickly waved his hand dismissively. “Come on, drop the courtesy. We’re family now, so there’s no
need for all these courtesies. Think of this place as your home, and get a good rest while you’re here.”
“Okay,” Winnie responded while nodding. “Having my right arm injured is quite an inconvenience
indeed. If the recovery doesn’t go well, it’ll only cause more problems in the future.”
“I agree. Nonetheless, you’re still young and can recover quickly, unlike an oldie like me. It’d take me at
least a year and a half to recover if I accidentally got hurt. Anyway, here’s the thing…”
Leandro suddenly changed the subject, saying, “I know you need to rest for your arm to heal, and I’ll do
my best to give you the best care. However, you have to make some samples as soon as possible.
Otherwise, I won’t have any leverage when I go out to negotiate a business deal. Am I right?”
His entire demeanor shifted as soon as he mentioned the samples.
He was like a kind boss earlier, offering words of comfort to injured staff. But now, he has transformed
into a completely different person. I can see from the impatient look in his eyes how eager he is for this
batch of samples and the benefits they’ll bring him in the future.
However, the more anxious he was, the bolder she became.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtShe glanced at Leandro and said nonchalantly, “I’d like to show you what I’m capable of as soon as
possible too, but my current condition doesn’t allow it. I only have the use of my left arm, which renders
me partially physically challenged. Even things like eating and using the bathroom are difficult, let alone
going into the laboratory and measuring accurate ratios. That’s a delicate task with no margin for error.”
“I understand your concerns,” he replied, flicking his gaze toward her arm. “That’s why I said I need
only a few samples and didn’t ask you to produce a large batch. If it’s really not possible, I can get you
a few assistants.”
Winnie laughed. “Are you pulling my leg? I’ve always done it all on my own, even when I was at
Harold’s. Why would you get me a few assistants? Once they master the process, wouldn’t that mean I
can disappear from this world already?”
“Ms. Vivian, how could you say that? Just go and ask around. Everyone knows I value talent. Even if
there were many others like you, I’d want all of you. I wouldn’t be able to abandon any one of you, so
why would I allow you to disappear from this world?”
“Really?” Winnie nodded and continued, “Hearing you say that is a huge relief. Nonetheless, I don’t
want any assistants.”
“Very well. Forget that I even mentioned it. However, you have to help me out.”
“Boss, it’s really not that I don’t want to, but you know the condition of my arm.”
“I know, but don’t you still have your left arm? It doesn’t matter if it’s slow. I can wait. However…”
Here, Leandro paused, and his smile gradually faded. “I could wait for you if you continue insisting on
being unhelpful, but your Chris lying in the hospital can’t wait all that long. You know he’s only hanging
on because he’s hooked up to oxygen. If someone were to cut off his oxygen supply, he’d die.”
The implication behind his words was as clear as day. The corners of Winnie’s lips lifted into a smile as
she asked, “Are you threatening me?”
He sighed. “How is this considered a threat? I’m merely highlighting the possible issue we may face.
Besides, it’s not like there isn’t a solution.”
“Oh?” Winnie responded, smiling. “So, the solution to the problem is for me to agree to produce the
samples. Correct?”
“You could put it that way.”
She furrowed her brows. “All right. I have only myself to blame for having such strong feelings for Chris.
For now, I can’t bear for him to die. Even so, you have to give me a few days. You were there when the
doctor listed the things I need to be cautious about, and you know how important these few days are in
terms of recovery. It’s a crucial period for the healing of the bones. If something happens during these
few days, this arm will forever be crippled.”
Seeing that Winnie agreed to his request, Leandro answered readily, “Sure. I’ll give you five days, then.
It’ll also give me time to have some people go about the preparations in the laboratory. If there’s
anything you need, you can just let them know. I’ve also helped you bring the doctor over. He’ll take
care of you here during this period of time.”
She faked a smile. “Is that so? How thoughtful of you. Now, I won’t even need to go to the hospital.
However…”
Gazing at Leandro, she continued, “I have another request that I hope you can agree to.”
He nodded. “I’m all ears. Let me see if it’s something within my capabilities.”
Winnie beamed at him as she responded, “It’s a piece of cake for you. All you have to do is say the
word. Although you’ve brought the doctor here for me, I’d still like to go to the hospital to see Chris.”
“Oh, I see…” Leandro murmured, rubbing his nose thoughtfully. “Why go through so much trouble,
though? It’s inconvenient for you to move around now, and traveling back and forth will be very tiring.
I’ve already sent someone to keep watch at the hospital. If you want to see Chris, you can do so
through video call. That’ll be so much easier.”
Winnie fell silent for a while. It looks like he’s determined not to let me leave this place.
Smiling, she replied, “In that case, could I trouble you to prepare a phone for me?”
“A phone? Didn’t I return your phone to you earlier today? Is it broken?” he enquired curiously.
“Yeah, it is. I didn’t check it properly during the day and only realized it was broken when I tried to use it
just now. It won’t even turn on.”
“Oh, dear. That’s a pity.” Leandro still did not fully trust everything Winnie said. I did suspect the phone
wasn’t hers. Anyway, I’ve no intention of letting her have any contact with the outside world for now.
“I’ll bring you a new phone when I return as there are no spare phones in the house. If you need to
speak to me while I’m away for the next couple of days, you can get anyone here to call me. Seeing
that your hand is injured, it’s probably inconvenient for you to use a phone anyway.”
“Sure,” Winnie replied. I want a phone that won’t get monitored, but from the look of things, it’s clear
he’s not going to give me one. Even if I did have one, he’d probably come up with an excuse to take it
away from me. He probably wants to keep me locked up here.
After pondering for a moment, she remarked, “In that case, I won’t have anything to keep me
entertained for the next few days. At least I had Chris to accompany me when I was at Harold’s house.
Now that even Chris isn’t here, doesn’t that mean I’ll be bored out of my mind?”
“That…” Leandro was momentarily dumbfounded. “Do you want me to find a few young men who
resemble Chris for you?”
Winnie burst out laughing upon hearing that. “Boss, what kind of woman do you take me for? Do I look
like a floozy? If he’s easily replaceable, would I agree to make those samples for you even when I’m
injured?”
He also started chuckling. “That was a bad joke on my part. Please forgive me. What other interests
and hobbies do you have? Tell me, and I’ll have someone make the necessary arrangements.”
“Hmm…” She pretended to think for a while before answering, “I used to like skiing, but with the
weather here, I don’t think there’s anywhere to ski. There’s not much else, except for maybe getting a
dog.”
Leandro’s eyes lit up. “A dog, eh? There may be no snow here, but there are plenty of dogs. I have
many of them, from large breeds to small breeds. I’ve got this. I promise that as soon as you wake up
tomorrow morning, all those dogs will be sitting in a line in front of you.”
“That’s great!” Winnie responded, grinning.
I still have no clue how long I’ll be staying here. Under normal circumstances, it’d only arouse suspicion
if I were to wander around on my own. However, if I use the excuse that I have to walk my dog, that’d
be a different story.
When Winnie awoke the following day, she heard the sound of dogs barking outside her door.
She deliberately chose a rather wild-looking sheepdog and quickly took it for a walk.
There were certain places where she had not been allowed to go. However, after following the
somewhat uncontrollable dog over the past three days and wandering around different areas, she
gained a pretty good grasp of the layout and locations of several exits.
Alas, there were guards at every entry and exit point around this place, thus making it virtually
impossible for her to escape on her own.
Nonetheless, where there’s a will, there’s a way. After feeding the dog well every day, she finally
succeeded in discovering a hole in a secluded and hidden spot. No one really knew about it, and there
were no guards watching over it.
Someone tall and burly wouldn’t be able to fit in there, but I can just squeeze through.
Not wanting to arouse any suspicion, Winnie quickly left after discovering it.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAs was her routine, she asked someone to video call the person at the hospital after returning from
walking the dog.
Christopher had been unconscious when she called the past two days, lying on the bed without
moving.
However, when she called that day, he had regained consciousness.
Watching him smile and talk to her softly, Winnie felt a weight off her shoulders.
Her eyes stung with tears as she stared at Christopher, who looked weak, on the screen. “This is
wonderful. You’re finally awake.”
Meanwhile, Christopher gazed at her with his brows knitted together. “Where are you? Are you okay?
Did they do anything to you?”
She broke into a smile. “Nope! I’m very well. They treat me like a guest of honor here, so you don’t
have to worry about a thing. All you need to do is do as the doctor says and get lots of rest.”
Despite her reassurances, he still felt worried. He pressed, “How’s your hand? Did they force you to do
anything?”
“They…” Here, Winnie paused abruptly. Both of us are being watched, so there are many things I can’t
speak about freely.
“Wait a few more days. I’ll go and visit you at the hospital soon, so make sure you get well before that.”
Christopher was about to say something when the doctor walked in.
Seeing that he was on a video call, the doctor immediately cautioned, “You just regained
consciousness and still need plenty of rest. Be mindful of your emotional state, and don’t get too
agitated or excited. That’s something your family members should keep in mind too.”
Then, the doctor glanced at Winnie on the screen. “Make sure not to agitate the patient and keep the
video calls short. Otherwise, it’ll affect his recovery.”
“Okay, got it. Thank you!” she replied. She looked at Christopher immediately and said, “Rest well.
What’s important now is your health. I’ll visit you in a few days, and we can have a good chat then.”
Only then did Christopher nod and fall silent. He was already feeling exhausted.
Noticing how tired he looked, Winnie ended the call shortly after that.
As she returned the phone to the person next to her, she asked, “When is your boss coming back? It
has been three days without any news, and he’s not answering his phone.”
“I’m not sure about that either, Ms. Vivian. He’ll return when his business is done,” came the person’s
prompt reply.
Winnie glanced at the person and smiled without saying a word.
Leandro, that jerk! He told me I could call him whenever I wanted. However, there’s no way of getting
through to him on his phone!
As it turned out, Leandro did not leave Winnie waiting for long as he returned that evening.
However, he did not return alone. He brought a buyer with him.
Having found a buyer for Winnie’s new batch of goods meant he needed her to produce the samples
earlier.
Despite initially agreeing to let her rest for five days, he now wanted her to start work sooner, even if it
were only a day earlier.
When he went to discuss it with Winnie, however, she did not give him an answer immediately and only
requested to visit Christopher at the hospital.
Leandro was reluctant to let Winnie go out. However, since he needed the samples urgently, he had no
choice but to give in.
Hence, he accompanied her to the hospital early the following morning.
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