Chapter 346
Upon hearing the words, Brielle couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, got it,” she said, with a casual and friendly tone. After hanging up the phone, she voted a firm ‘no‘ in her mind.
Did Spencer think he could waltz back into the company and ruffle her feathers? In his dreams.
The following morning, Brielle finally made her way to the office. As she entered her department, she felt the weight of her colleagues‘ gazes upon her. Sensing her attention, they quickly diverted their eyes and returned to their work in silence.
Brielle’s brow furrowed slightly.
She settled into her chair and booted up her computer, noticing a flood of emails. Most were from her department, but one caught her eye–it was from Max. The email was several days old, sent during her hospital stay, and thus unseen until now. It was a formal email strictly about business. She pondered for a moment before replying with a succinct “Received.”
As soon as she sent it, she regretted it. Surely, the department had already dealt with the matter. Replying now seemed a bit personal, as if she were looking for a reason to connect with him.
Why not just reach out to him openly if she wanted to talk? It would also be a chance to clear the air about the other night. Just the thought brought a flush to her cheeks.
She hurried to retract the email but before she could do so, Max replied with a new message.
[Received what?]
Heat crept up Brielle’s face. She needed to keep her cool.
[Sorry, I didn’t realize the work email was from a few days ago. My apologies for the disturbance.]
[Apologies?] Max’s response seemed tinged with emotion.
Their conversation was as cold as ice, a stark contrast to the heated kiss they had shared not long ago. Separated by screens, neither could guess the other’s expression.
Max stared at the email for a few minutes before closing his laptop. His chest felt tight. He missed the way Brielle had kissed him tenderly in bed.
Behind him, Martha was being fed soup by a caregiver at the nursing home.
The caregiver offered Max a bowl, too, her demeanor shy and bashful around him. However, Max’s attention was fixed on his computer, not sparing her a glance.
Unable to resist a comment, the caregiver said, “Ma’am, your son is such a workaholic. He needs to take care of himself. Overworking at his age can lead to health issues later on.”
Martha paused before looking at Max with concern. “Max, don’t forget to get a check–up every year.”
Chapter 346
The caregiver’s eyes lit up at the mention of a check–up. It was an opportunity for closer interaction with Max. “The nursing home has all the facilities for a thorough check–up. We have top–notch doctors on call, knowing your son is the cream of the crop. A simple check–up will be no trouble at all.”
Martha smiled with pride. “Max is indeed outstanding. I just wish he’d settle down and give me a grandchild. I don’t have many years left, and I’d love to hold a chubby little one in my arms.”
Unmarried?
The caregiver had assumed the woman who visited earlier was Max’s wife. A hint of elation crossed her face as she encouraged Max to get the check–up. “It’s always better to be safe. Some conditions can go undetected for a long time.”
Martha agreed. Turning to Max, she began, “Max, maybe you should-”
Before she could finish, there was a knock at the door. Max’s primary doctor had arrived. Leaving his phone and laptop behind, Max stepped out to speak with the doctor.
“Max, the specialists have decided to start the treatment the day after tomorrow. We’ll prepare nutritional meals for her to build her strength. And regarding her phobia, it’s important to investigate. If she continues to resist treatment, even the new medication won’t be effective for long.”
Max nodded and asked a few more questions. Meanwhile, his phone began to ring–it was Brielle calling.
Brielle had been hesitant about making the call, but now it seemed urgent. Today was her first day back at work after her leave, and with Max and Patrick absent, she’d learned that the Book investment project had been handed over to William.
William had already snagged the small Kingston Enterprises project, and now he was poaching the major book project. Brielle wondered if Max was even aware.
Feeling anxious, she feared William had ulterior motives, but as soon as the call connected, a perky female voice came through the other end.
“Hello, are you looking for Max?”
Brielle felt a chill run through her. The woman continued, “He’s busy right now, but if you have a message, you can tell me.”
“I’ll make sure Max gets it later.”
