Chapter 276
The herbal tea wasn’t too bad. Leanne gulped down a cup real quick, which Curtis instinctively took from her once empty. “Make sure you get some more rest,” he told her gently.
He closed the door gently behind him, leaving Leanne alone in the quiet room, feeling as though she was submerged in a soothing warm bath.
She pulled the covers over herself, her thoughts gradually sinking into a foggy haze.
When she stirred from her groggy sleep, the night outside was as thick as ink, and only a nightlight illuminated the room.
A full-body ache made even turning over in bed a grimace-inducing effort.
She could faintly hear men’s voices in the living room, it was Curtis and Caleb, though her pain-fogged brain resisted processing their words. After a few moments, she recognized it was Curtis and Caleb talking.
Caleb had come over on an errand to drop off some fresh clothes and a laptop, along with some urgent documents that needed Curtis’ signature.
“The meeting with K.R.,” Caleb began, only to be met with a stern look from Curtis.
“Keep it down, she’s sleeping.”
He lowered his voice to a whisper, as if discussing something illicit. “What about the K.R. meeting? We’ve got the vice president from their company coming over for a meeting tomorrow afternoon. It was scheduled last week; we can’t postpone it.”
Curtis signed off on some financial documents. “Let’s do it tomorrow morning. I’ll ma time.”
Gone were the days when he practically lived at the office, now he had to “make time” go in.
Caleb glanced at his ever-changing boss.
The suit jacket was off, tossed carelessly over a chair along with the tie. The whereabou of his watch and cufflinks were a mystery, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up, giving hin a relaxed, homey vibe.
A delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen; he was cooking.
Caleb had never seen Curtis, who was accustomed to a life of luxury and picky eating, cook before. Finding authentic food that met his standards in Starlake was tough, but Curtis had never stepped foot in the kitchen until now. Caleb had thought he couldn’t cook until Curtis asked him to bring over some ingredients earlier on the phone.
The food smelled surprisingly good, fresh and savory, making Caleb a bit hungry.
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Chapter 276
“What are you spacing out for?” Curtis handed him the documents, “Go focus.”
on,
I have to
As Caleb was about to leave, Leanne emerged from the bedroom behind Curtis, wrapped
in a robe.
Even when ill, Leanne’s beauty had an unadorned purity that could unexpectedly take one’s breath away.
Despite her pale, sickly appearance, there was something achingly lovely about her.
Caleb was about to say something when the door swiftly shut in front of him.
He touched his chest, relieved he hadn’t bent down yet, or he might have hurt himself.
Leanne checked her temperature; the fever had subsided slightly, down to 101°F.
“You’re up?” Curtis’ voice was deep and soothing, like he was talking to a child, “Woke up just in time, the soup ready. How do you manage to be so perfect?”
“I don’t want it.”
Leanne, sick and with a bland taste in her mouth, wasn’t in the mood for anything.
Curtis glanced at the thermometer. “I added spinach, mushrooms, and shrimp to it.”
Only then did Leanne obediently sit down at the dining table.
Curtis turned off the stove, serving the soup.
The shrimp and mushrooms were finely chopped, making it easy to eat, and the seasoning was just right.
But swallowing was torture due to her sore throat, so Leanne ate slowly, spoonful by spoonful.
Curtis watched her from across the table, leaning back in his chair, his gaze leisurely roaming over her.
She liked to align her slippers neatly, then slip her feet out, resting her toes on them.
Her feet were slender and delicate, with fine ankles leading up to a glimpse of her smoot well-shaped calves under the hem of her robe,
After finishing her meal, Leanne put down her spoon, “Thanks for the food. I’m feeling better now; you should go.”
Curtis let his gaze leisurely drift up from her ankles, “So, just gonna use and dump me?
That’s cold.”
Her fleeting sense of gratitude disappeared. “I didn’t ask you to come here.”
“Well then,” Curtis stood his ground, “If you didn’t ask me to come, what right do you ha
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Chapter 276
to send me away?”
Leanne was speechless. His logic was impeccable, unassailable.
Curtis, seeing her expression of utter speechlessness mixed with too much headache to argue, cracked a smile, “I’ll leave in a bit.”
Only then did Leanne retreat to her room, unaware of the plans Curtis had to stay the night.
After taking her medicine and lying down, she noticed the wristwatch and cufflinks on the nightstand.
The watch face, under the soft glow of the nightlight, shimmered like a galaxy.
Curtis owned many watches, some of them priceless collectibles. He wore them at random, but for significant Richardson family events, he donned the one passed down by his elders, a symbol of Mr. Curtis’ status.
But lately, he always wore this galaxy watch.
Leanne’s watch remained unworn.
She thought her fever would gradually subside, but it spiked again in the middle of the night.
In her restless sleep, every position seemed to amplify her discomfort.
The breath she exhaled felt scorching, uncomfortably hot.
Then, gently, the covers were pulled back, and she was drawn into an embrace.
Wrapped in a cool, deep scent with a hint of wood, a fragrance so familiar it reached
into her bones.
Curtis wrapped his arms around her, his fingers tenderly brushing the sweat-dampen hair from her forehead, his kisses on her furrowed brow full of gentleness.
“It won’t hurt anymore. There, there.”
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