“The next time he calls, we’ll be ready to trace it,” James said, as he hovered around Steven. Steven, who suddenly felt exhausted nodded his head and downed the rest of the hot chocolate.“You need to eat something, City Boy,” James said to his friend.“You haven’t eaten either, James. Quit bugging me.” He retorted as he ran his hand over his face.“I’ll see Sarah about fixing something for us to eat. Meanwhile, you should take a nap and then a shower before we head back to the hospital.”“I’m not hungry, but I’ll try to take a nap.” He said as he headed towards the elevator.Steven felt the heaviness in his shoulders with every step. He climbed into his bed and opened his email. He scoured through, searching for the email Mr. Kaito had spoken about but couldn't find it. It was obvious that whoever had sent the email hadn't passed it through his desk. Was this connected to the leaks and his ongoing investigation? Would finding the person in the team who had sent the email to Mr. kait
“Are you okay?”James asked, stroking Sandra's shoulders as she sobbed harder. Steven frowned at them as he watched James try to soothe Sandra. The innocent lady had experienced a scare because of him. Because he had foolishly fallen asleep instead of coming back to the hospital to be with his wife. He was never letting her out of his sight again.“I'm so sorry, Sandra. We need to get someone to look at your bruises.”“I'm fine, really. There are just a few bruises. The important thing is finding out who that man was and making him pay.”“Look, Sandra. This is becoming too dangerous. I can't have you getting caught in the crossfire.”“Don't you dare, Steven King. My best friend is in a freaking coma! If you think I'm going to back down and let this guy win, then you don't know me!”“Sandra, I understand but…”“James, can you let him know I'm not leaving Marie's side ever? This has gotten personal for me too.”James shrugged and Steven let out a terse curse before glancing at his phone.
“I guess you can stay in Marie's room. That way, we are close to her at all times. It's what she'd want anyway.”“Alright, Steven.” She said, walking into Marie's room and shutting the door. Steven got to his room and side-eyed his bed. For now, he was going to treat it like his enemy. Yesterday, he had intended to nap for an hour, but had ended up sleeping till the next morning.He took out a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom. Every step was getting more difficult as the reality of what was happening dawned on him. If Marie didn't wake up before tomorrow, he’d have to move her to the house comatose.The fact that he was spending a small fortune setting up this arrangement didn't bother him as much as the fact that her condition was out of his hands and he didn't know what to do. He was a fixer and had been one for his entire life. If something wasn't working, he fixed it. But now, he had no idea how to fix it. He walked into the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the
Alden!This isn't a joke,I need this leave!” Steven yelled into the phone. He let out a curse and paced as Alden's angry voice rattled on angrily at the other end of the line.“Absolutely not. You think it's alright to shirk your responsibilities at this time? Do you have any idea how much your prolonged absence will hurt the company at the time?”Was his grandfather kidding? He expected Steven to be worried about his darn company when his wife was in a coma and needed him?“I don't freaking care, Alden! I don't care. My wife is in a coma and that's all that matters to me.”“Don't you dare blame this on Marie, Steven. You're asking for an indefinite leave so you can isolate and lick your wounds like you always do when things get tough but I'm not going to let you run my company into the ground!”“Alden!”“Three weeks leave and that's it.”“Maybe I'll quit then. Walk away from it all. I mean I've been thinking about it for a long time.”“Great. Let the scumbags who put your wife in the
“She looks beautiful, doesn't she? Despite the fact that she's bedecked in a hospital gown and her hair hasn't seen a brush for ages.” Sandra mused. It had been five weeks since Marie had been moved from the hospital to the house and though Dr. Terrence and his team were watching her closely, there had been no improvements.“She does.” He managed to say, offering Sandra a weak smile. She smiled warmly at him and squeezed his elbow. The past month had been torturous on so many levels, and Sandra had been there through it all. It was like the flirty, tactless woman had disappeared and left in her stead this loyal, warm and friendly woman. She had even offered to cook the other day when he couldn't sleep and had crashed into the kitchen at midnight. Not that he had taken her up on the offer. A burnt house was the last thing he wanted while Marie was still stuck in a coma. He missed Marie at work as much as he missed her at home. His calendar had gone from organized and efficient to chaot
“Shoot. Are you okay? Oh my, you're bleeding.” Steven said as he glanced down at Sandra's bloody fingers.“You should hurry and go to the station. I'm such a clumsy fool sometimes. Don't let me delay you.”“Are you sure? At least let one of the nurses take a look at that before it turns nasty please, I insist.”“The most important thing is for you to go to that station and find out the asshole that did this to my friend. I wish I could come and punch his face to the pulp.”“You should probably get that checked out first. I’ll tell one of the nurses to check on you, on my way out, okay?”“You're too kind, Steven King. Now go go.” She said, urging him towards the direction of the door. He bounded down the stairs in nervous anticipation. Had they actually caught Agent Smith or anyone who could lead to him? Were the puzzle pieces finally coming together?He backed out of the driveway with the speed of someone possessed with madness. He called James who answered on the second ring.“So, I’
“ Do you, Sandra Rakes take this man to be your husband, to livetogether in holy matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?""I do." Sandra Rakes replied in a shaky voice. Although smiling, Marie rolled her eyes inwardly. Why Sandra kept acting like this was a real marriage was beyond her. God knows that she had tried to help her friend understand that her boss wasn't looking for love. He was looking for a wife for seven weeks. "Repeat after me," the Notary was saying now as Marie tried to focus on the ceremony before her. Even though she knew the wedding was a sham, she wished desperately it was her in the white dress. That it was her getting married to Steven Kings. She wished she was the one who any moment from now would be kissed by Stevie. She should be happy for her friend, Sandra. At least now Sandra would be able to get a studio apartment and set up her small bus
“Get the hell out of bed, lazy ass and talk to me!” Marie rolled her eyes inwardly as Sandra pummeled her pillow.“What? The one day I get a day off and I can't catch any sleep. Sandra, what's with you?”“What do you think? I can't reach my husband! Wake up, it's an emergency.”“Okay, okay. I’m up.” Marie said as she held up her hands in mock surrender and then sat up slowly. Sandra plunked herself next to her and looked at her with worried eyes.“What's the issue?” Marie demanded.“ I can't get a hold of Mr King.” Sandra said, sounding close to tears.Marie looked at her friend and tried to assess if she was being serious. Before the wedding, Marie had warned her thoroughly not to develop any kinds of feelings for Mr King. It was a marriage-in-name only. Once the negotiations for the transfer of the Kazuko Inc. accounts to their agency was complete, the marriage would be over. “ Look, he’s probably off to a meeting somewhere. What's the matter? Haven't you been paid?”“ I have. But