The doctor dipped the cotton swab in the medicine and applied it to her wound carefully. He thought that she would cry out in pain or withdraw her hand. Unexpectedly, Kristin didn't move at all and didn't even make a sound.
Jenson, who was standing on the side, had a surprised look in his eyes. He had seen countless women. Which one of them didn't have a weak and delicate appearance in front of him? With just a small wound, they wanted to throw themselves into his arms for comfort. However, Kristin was already injured to such an extent, yet she didn't even frown, as if the injured hand wasn't hers.
After the doctor finished, he gave a few instructions and went out.
Kristin held her breath when she felt their watchful gaze fix on her, and she quickly said, "Thank you, President Sawyer."
"My assistant will send you back."
His voice was deep and a little husky, and when he spoke, it was as if the rest of the world melted into the background.
Kristin heaved a long deep breath watching his disappearing back.
Kristin politely declined Peter's offer to send her back. After her departure, Peter turned a corner, appearing from the shadows. He looked at the leaving woman before calling Jenson.
Kristin hailed a ride home after exiting the hospital. Because of her strained relationship with her parents, as well as for convenience, she chose to move somewhere closer to her workplace.
"You're back, Kristin." The moment Kristin stepped out from the elevator, she saw Janice standing outside her home, looking tense and anxious.
Kristin turned to leave right there and then, Janice grabbed her arm. "Kristin."
"Worried?" Kristin wanted to cackle. She looked up into Janice's eyes. "Drop the act! Janice."
She grabbed Kristin's hand. "I know what we did was wrong, but Tyler and I love each other. And I am with his child..."
"Get lost! I don't want to see your face. It's disgusting!" Kristin roared.
"Don't be like this, Kristin. We're family. You don't know how angry father got after knowing this. H-He doesn't want us to drift apart over a small matter like this."
Kristin pried Janice's hand off her. "Scram! Now."
"Kristin, you said yourself that Tyler's just your boyfriend. You guys weren't engaged nor married, so it was okay for me to date him."
"What did you say?" Kristin couldn't believe what she was hearing. "So that's how you justify taking my boyfriend away from me?"
"That's not the case..."
Kristin quickly slammed the door shut, but when the door was closed, she leaned against the door and slid down to the floor. She sat on the ground, her arms around her legs. She curled up, the patch of fabric on her knees darkened from her tears.
-----
Kristin didn't sleep well throughout the night. When she saw how pale she looked, and how bloodshot her eyes were, she hurriedly splashed some water on her face. She carefully applied some makeup on her delicate features. She didn't stop until she was satisfied that her lethargy was all covered up.
Kristin took a deep breath before she tapped on Eve's number and gave her a call first. Eve picked her call up almost instantly.
"It's an emergency! Kristin, hurry over to Hillside co-operation." Eve shouted anxiously before Kristin even had the chance to speak.
"Janice told me about the incident where confidential information about the Hilliville Project had been stolen. Now that the company's funding chains have been cut and properties are left barren, business can't go on as usual at all. Did you look at the stock market this morning?"
"What?" Kristin was shocked.
Kristin got out of the cab and paid the driver before entering the building. As she headed inside, she could feel that the atmosphere was off.
Stepping foot through the entrance, employees started pointing judgmental fingers at her while whispering among themselves.
"Look—how dare she still show up at Hillside? I heard that this woman is a corporate spy."
Kristin shut her eyes and stepped inside an elevator. With the push of a button, the murmurs outside faded together with the view of the lobby as the doors closed slowly.
All that had happened recently flashed across her mind, but she still didn't quite understand what was going on.
"Mom! What happened?"
Perplexed, she entered the room. As she stepped entered, she could see the front door from her angle. In her line of vision, she could visibly see a couple of uniformed cops milling around.