Chapter 6 An Unexpected Encounter

Regret washed over me for my earlier stubbornness. My fingers dialed Robert's number on instinct, my heart yearning for his return. But to my dismay, he ignored my call not once, but twice, before his phone went silent.

The ache in my stomach intensified, urging me not to wait any longer. Gritting my teeth against the pain that seemed to claw at my bones, I staggered out of the villa, leaning heavily against the wall for support.

Outside, the rain poured down relentlessly.

My strength waned, my sight grew fuzzy, and eventually, I crumpled to the ground beside the road.

As consciousness slipped away from me, I heard the sound of a car stopping, and then strong hands were lifting me from the mud and into the warmth of a vehicle.

Could it be Robert?

Had he changed his mind about me and decided to come back?

Joy flickered in my heart despite the pain racking my body. In a feeble whisper, I nestled into his hold and murmured, "Robert, it hurts..."

At my words, I felt him tense up. He seemed hesitant to my touch at first. But, after a while, he seemed to come around, even going so far as to place his hand gently on my waist...

When my eyes opened next, I found myself in a hospital, a nurse the only company at my bedside.

"I need to find the person who brought me here," I murmured weakly.

Hearing me, the nurse quickly came over with a concerned look and gently pressed down on my shoulder, advising, "Don't try to get up. You've lost a significant amount of blood, and you were on the verge of a miscarriage. Rest is crucial right now. Your husband was here the entire night. He just stepped out to take care of the hospital bills. He'll be back shortly."

Her words caught me off guard, still reeling from the realization that I was pregnant.

"Does... does he know about the baby?" I asked, my voice shaking as I clutched her hand. I was filled with fear, worried that Robert might force me into an abortion.

The nurse replied in a soothing tone, "Try not to worry. Having a baby is something to be celebrated. I'll go and call the doctor for you." She left before I could get any answers, likely picking up on my distress.

However, I felt I couldn't stay a moment longer. Panicked, I yanked the IV needle from my hand, swung my legs off the bed, and made a run for it.

In my rush, I wasn't watching where I was going and bumped into someone at the doorway.

I was about to tumble to the floor when a pair of strong, steady hands caught me by the waist, steadying me just in time.

I glanced at the man I didn't recognize, feeling frantic and out of breath.

He appeared to want to calm me down. Letting go of me, he teased, "Don't worry, Miss Wheeler. I won't charge you for the hospital bill. No need to run away."

His words made it clear that it wasn't Robert who had taken me to the hospital, but this man standing before me.

Upon realizing the mix-up, I exhaled a sigh of relief, yet I felt a twinge of disappointment.

He seemed indifferent to my quietness. As he guided me back to my bed, he nonchalantly remarked, "You seem let down that Robert Steward wasn't your rescuer, am I right?"

The accurate guess from a stranger put me on edge again. "Who are you?" I demanded, tension coursing through me.

"Easy there, Miss Wheeler. I'm not here to cause trouble. My interest in you led me to look into your background. However, our encounter last night was purely by chance."

He flashed a gentle smile, but it didn't ease my wariness. "Isn't it a bit alarming when a stranger admits he's taken an interest in me?"

Right then, he chose to end the mystery, handing me his business card.

Unexpectedly, he was Jared Lambert, the new CEO of Sheen Group, and to my astonishment, he proposed I quit the company I was interning at and come work for Sheen Group after graduating. His offer was quite tempting.

Even though I was tempted, I didn't say yes.

The Sheen Group and Robert's firm were both heavy hitters in Draton, equally strong. I was only an intern. Why would a CEO personally try to recruit me?

Unless he was running a scam, he probably came after me because I knew Robert.

There was no such thing as a free lunch.

Yet, he had come to my aid, which meant I couldn't just turn him down. I told him I'd think about it.

Once the IV was out, I completed my discharge paperwork.

Jared was adamant about giving me a ride home. With no good way to decline, I ended up accompanying him to the parking lot.

But the moment I stepped into the parking lot, a familiar voice caught my attention. "Picked up a new sugar daddy so soon?"

Turning around, I was confronted with Robert's cold glare.

He was slouched against his car, half-hidden in the shadows. With that one offhand comment, he pulled me back into the mess.