Ch. 451..455: Begging For A Reconciliation Chapter 451-455

Chapter 451 The Rise Of Leah’s Business

The gloomy clouds rolled in, and soon enough, it began to drizzle, causing the temperature to plummet.

As Leah felt the cold raindrops hit her, she snuggled closer to Han, trying to feel his warmth. “Stop moving,” Han growled. Once Leah noticed the reaction she had accidentally elicited, she immediately went completely still. Once they got into the car, Leah hurriedly freed herself from his embrace and muttered nervously, “You don’t have to pick me up everyday.”

Simple blissful moments such as this made Leah feel like she was dreaming. Yet, she shuddered at the agony and disappointment that she would suffer if all of these were to end one day.

“Ms. White, do you mind asking Ms. Coleman to stop avoiding me?” Ben suddenly asked which popped Leah’s thought bubble. Flustered, Hannah stammered, “Uh… Well, are you pursuing her out of interest, or do you have genuine feelings for her?”

“I don’t really know either. Since that night, all I can think of is her. Every single moment, I am consumed by the thought of her,” Ben said with a melancholy expression. “After my confession to her, she had been avoiding me. Feels like we can't even be friends anymore…”

Leah sympathized with Ben’s earnest confession. She once loved a man very much like Ben did, but was deeply hurt by his apathy and ignorance. Even if the man had expressed his regrets, things could not go back to the way they were.

“Alright, I’ll help you out with Serena.” Leah smiled after taking a brief walk down memory lane. Han, transfixed by Leah's smile, whispered to Ben, "The road ahead is still long," as if he were speaking to himself as much as to Ben. Ben glanced back at Han, sensing that they were on the same boat. Ben also felt a little comforted upon remembering that even his intimidating and handsome boss, Han, had been turned down by Leah.

“I’ll always support you, Mr. Howard!”

When Han noticed Ben’s sympathetic gaze, he hardened his expression and whispered back, “Mind your own business.”

The next day, the International Design Contest's officials announced the participating companies and people and provided a brief overview of the competition's regulations.

“Am I reading it wrong? Why is Dream Designs here? Wasn’t the company launched recently this year?”

“It’s not only that! The studio’s director is none other than Sarah White, Shawn Ford’s wife. Her spouse, an international fugitive, is happily living in his home country. What a disgrace!”

“Yeah, I remember that! He absolutely loved his wife, but she seemed unconcerned by his downfall and even found time to launch a business and compete!”

Amongst the many participating companies, the humble Dream Designs instantly became the talk of the town, which came as a surprise to Leah while browsing through the online discussion. It was clear to Leah that the media’s interest was still on her after seeing that her small startup was instantly recognized by the public.

Leah then called upon her assistant. “Let the PR team handle the negative comments.”

The Public Relations (PR) department was just established yesterday and within the next day, they received their first task. Before Leah’s assistant left, Leah added, “Give me a list of the companies that have looked into us!”

Leah was already well on her way to establishing her company’s reputation. She would no longer sit around hoping that Han or Donald would come to her rescue. It was her turn to take the initiative this

time. The report was delivered to her promptly by her assistant. “Ms. White, according to the report, most of the companies that have investigated our company are design agencies or competitors within the same industry.”

“Did Frey Corporation not look into us?” Leah was somewhat confused after realizing that Frey Corporation was not listed in the report. As she had been with Han for a long time, Leah had somewhat developed an instinct. That was why she had guessed that Frey Corporation would already start scheming behind her back, but the report suggested otherwise.

No, it’s impossible. Frey Corporation was the leading agency in the city’s design business and with the rise of Leah’s Dream Designs Studio, Frey Corporation should be the first to be impacted. Leah would not believe that they would sit still and watch.

Despite her assistant's numerous double-checks, the report still came back unchanged. “Ms. White, although it is true that Frey Corporation didn’t look into our business, it is possible that they had removed any evidence of them doing so. Besides that, there was an invitation sent today. It’s from the CEO of Frey Corporation, Bernard Carter. He wants to meet with you for coffee later at 3 o'clock because he wants to discuss working together with you. Are you planning on going?”

“Nope,” Leah immediately refused. She had to be wary because she understood that even a minor slip- up in such a cutthroat field could bring disastrous results.Worst of all, the Dream Designs Studio that she had worked so hard to build might fail because of that.

In the meantime, Bernard’s assistant reached out to Bernard immediately upon receiving Leah’s refusal of his invitation.

“Didn’t you say she’s just some brainless woman? Why didn’t she accept my invitation? Did she find out something?” Bernard roared angrily.

“It’s impossible. Everything has been executed to perfection. All traces had been removed, so she'd never find anything out of the ordinary!” Bernard’s assistant shook his head confidently. “Since Shawn’s downfall, she’s now relying on Mr. Howard. She's a spoiled woman; what can you expect from her?”

Upon hearing that, Bernard agreed along. “I suppose she’s busy then, seeing that the international contest is approaching.” Bernard sighed. “Fine. I was hoping to at least see her, but I suppose we can't deal with her till the competition is over…”

On the other hand, Leah's PR team was savvy and competent enough to cope with the online controversies in a short amount of time despite being recently hired. To divert the public’s attention, they even spread rumors that were beneficial to Leah. As a result, Leah single-handedly saved her and her studio’s reputation.

“Mr. and Mrs. Ford - A Fake Couple”

“Mr. Ford Taking Advantage Of Sarah White. They Were Never Married!”

With these two hot topics released to the public, it quickly became a viral search on the Internet. Leah's public relations team issued stories with a timetable and specifics of the events as they happened. The articles presented the fact that Shawn used Sarah as a means to gain more attention by acting like a couple, which attracted a great number of discussions on the Internet.

“I was supporting them as a couple, but apparently they’re not anymore! I can’t believe Mr. Ford was such a manipulator!”

“That’s what I was saying! If they were in some sort of relationship, the cops would’ve arrested Sarah along with Mr. Ford! Since she’s doing fine now, that means she’s innocent!”

Chapter 452 Stop comparing her!

The weak sunlight is shining into the office.

The light hits Leah's face, adding depth to her expression and making it seem like there's more to it than meets the eye.

After her public image was cleared, the fact that the other party didn't continue to stir up trouble made her even more confident that she was being watched in secret.

It's more involved than just getting this person to come out, there are more complications involved.

She has a hunch that it might be someone from Frey Corporation.

Just then, the assistant knocked on the door and said, "Ms. White, the list of participants for the company's competition has been finalized."

"Can we schedule the competition for tomorrow instead?"

Leah nodded and asked, "Hmm, have we finished looking into the backgrounds of all the participants?"

She couldn't shake Susan's words from her mind that day.

This tournament was really important for Dream Designs, after all. They needed to be in the top 50 of the new company rankings to get more recognition and access government funding for new businesses.

"The background checks are all done and there's nothing out of the ordinary," the assistant said, still puzzled. "Ms. White, you're so talented. Why don't you compete in the competition yourself?"

Leah chuckled and said, "Come on, just do your thing."

She actually wanted to participate in the competition because it's better to have control over things like this.

But she also acknowledges that there are many talented designers among the new employees, and they are all valuable assets to the company.

She feels the need to give these talented new employees a chance to showcase their skills and stay with Dream Designs for future design projects.

This is how Dream Designs can go even further.

As evening approached, the sky started looking gloomy and grey.

Leah was just about to leave work when Serena caught her again, with a sparkling glint in her eyes: "Hey Sarah! I landed a big contract today with Skye Corporation!"

Skye Corporation is a hot new player in the game with a mysterious boss behind the scenes. Word on the street is this company's on fire and its leader is a real enigma.

The general buzz is that this company is notoriously difficult to work with, yet Serena closed a deal with them.

"Wow, you never cease to amaze me," Leah exclaimed with genuine happiness for Serena.

Serena tilted her head up, looking proud, and said, "Of course, you gotta remember who I am, girl."

"Alright, to celebrate this, I've decided to organize a picnic camping trip for everyone tomorrow after the competition."

"You gotta bring that little Carlotta with you and let me have some fun with her!"

When Carlotta was mentioned, Leah suddenly realized something and asked, "Oh by the way, have you taken any measures with Mr. Wright?"

Serena isn't used to being a mother yet, if she suddenly got pregnant, she'd be so uncomfortable.

Serena snorted, "Of course, I'm on the pill!"

She's not fond of kids and definitely doesn't want to have one so early in her life!

Leah left through the back door with Serena and asked her on the way, "Do you really have no feelings for Mr. Wright?"

"Why don't you stop avoiding him and try to get to know him better?"

It's like how Serena used to think Leah and Han, or Shawn, was a good match, and now Leah feels like there's something there between Mr. Wright and Serena.

"No way! Every time I think about how I forced myself onto him that day, I want to die of embarrassment!" Serena's face turned bright red.

Oh, so that's what it's all about.

After returning to Villa Victoria, Leah told Mr. Wright the real reason why Serena was avoiding him.

Han didn't mince words: "That's so melodramatic."

Mr. Wright had already considered Serena as one of his own, naturally didn't appreciate hearing Han speak about his woman in that way.

"Boss, this ain't being melodramatic, it's being adorable."

"Boss, imagine if Ms. White got drunk and made a move on you. Later, she felt shy and avoided you, would you think it's just her being melodramatic?"

Leah remained silent.

Can't they make a comparison without using her as an example?

Even if she had a hundred times the courage, she wouldn't dare to force herself on Han.

Han just grinned at her and said, "You can try if you want."

"I don't want to!" Leah bristled.

Carlotta, who had been eavesdropping for a while, ran over to Leah and looked up at her excitedly. "Mommy, did Aunt Serena end up with Uncle Ben?"

"Will they have a baby soon to play with me?"

Mr. Wright's face turned red as he was teased by the little one's words. He stuttered and quickly tried to explain, "No, no... Carlotta, don't let your imagination run wild like that."

This made him scared.

The little one who was rejected seemed a bit down and said, "How about daddy and mommy have one then?" in a sad tone.

"When you guys go to work, I'm so bored at home. I really want to have some siblings to keep me company."

Leah pretended not to hear and just hugged the little one with sympathy. "It's okay, honey. When you're a little older and go to preschool, you won't be lonely anymore."

"Why don't I take you out to play on weekends when I'm not busy?"

Han also walked over and put his hand on Carlotta's head, "Don't worry, I'll try to convince your mom to have another baby soon."

The little one immediately became happy and excitedly clapped his hands, "Great! Then you gotta hurry up, Daddy!"

"Sure."

Leah was puzzled to see them making a decision so quickly.

Did I agree to it?

"Um...," she began to speak but Han cut her off, "Carlotta, it's time for you to rest."

He then pulled Leah back to his room and pressed her down onto the bed.

His bed still smelled like his unique cold scent, which was comforting and pleasant.

"Kids say the darndest things, don't take it too seriously," Leah's heart raced as she was locked in by those deep eyes.

She avoided his gaze, but he grabbed her face and forced her to meet his intense stare.

"When are you going to stop avoiding me if you clearly like me?"

Leah pursed her lips and said, "I didn't..."

Her lousy lie was easily seen through by Han.

"Heh, your body is more honest than your mouth," he teased with a slight smirk.

He leaned in and kissed her, gently caressing her lips with his.

The temperature inside the room kept rising.

The room's light had been turned off at some point, with only the faint shadows of the trees outside illuminated by the streetlights casting onto the dimly lit windows. The night grew even more mysterious.

The next day.

Leah, sore all over, went from embarrassment to anger as she bit her lip, hating herself for succumbing to his world yesterday.

But when she sat up and didn't see Han's figure, a sense of loss quietly flickered in her eyes.

A jerk who doesn't appreciate what he's got.

She thought this while changing her clothes, then washed up and came downstairs.

The tantalizing smell of food lifted her spirits and eased her frustration.

The little one who was eating with relish saw her coming and quickly waved his little hand to greet her, "Mommy, come over! Daddy made chicken broth, it's super yummy!"

Did Han make breakfast himself?

Leah's heart skipped a beat as she looked up, only to meet a pair of icy, dark eyes staring back at her from the kitchen.

"What are you staring at? Come and eat."

Her heart skipped a beat as the cold, hoarse voice reminded her of last night when he had whispered in her ear over and over again, asking if she loved him.

Her cheeks flushed with heat as she awkwardly sat down at the table.

Geez, he really knows how to kill the mood with just one sentence.

"Don't we have chefs and nannies? Why does Mr. Howard need to cook for himself?"

Chapter 453 Sneakiness lurking in the shadows

The clay pot on the dining table was still emitting steam with a gurgling sound, and the air was filled with the enticing aroma of chicken broth.

Leah felt immediate regret the moment the words slipped out of her mouth.

That sounds like a tantrum.

Although she was genuinely upset about what Han did to her last night, the tone in which she spoke sounded like she was being coy and dramatic.

Han gave her a sidelong glance and quipped, "Still have the energy to nitpick, do you?"

The ambiguous tone and veiled warning in Han's words silenced Leah instantly, and she lowered her head to eat in silence. It was as if she had been reminded of something she'd rather forget.

"Carlotta, I have a company party tonight and will be camping out. Can you stay at home by yourself?"

Carlotta hung her head dejectedly, her eyes turning red as she said, "Okay, mommy. As long as you can spend more time with me on weekends in the future..."

Leah's heart ached as she saw Cutie's exhausted expression. She quickly put down her utensils, hugged her close, and kissed her. "I promise," she said.

At this moment, she didn't even feel like going to the party anymore.

Serena has been feeling quite down lately, and when she finally had the chance to enjoy herself and have some fun, she knew she had to go all out and stick with it no matter what.

Han frowned and asked, "Where are you going?"

Leah replied vaguely, "Um... just going to hang out together, it's a company gathering, mostly with girls."

She emphasized that it was a gathering of mostly girls, fearing that Han might follow her.

Fortunately, Han didn't say anything, but furrowed his brow and drank his coffee.

Leah felt reassured and went to work.

Today is not particularly busy with official business, as most of the focus is on the internal design competition within the company.

To ensure fairness, Leah also participated in the design competition.

After half a day, the competition came to an end.

When Leah returned to her own office, Serena had already collected all the work from the competition participants and was waiting for her inside.

"Sarah, I've looked at the newbies' works and there are a few outstanding ones, but compared to you, they are still a bit weak in terms of skill."

"Any plans on how you're going to proceed from here?"

Leah was also somewhat hesitant: "Let's have the reviewer take a look at all of these first. We can decide once all the results are out."

When she recruited these people, many of them asked her if they could represent the company in the International Design Tournament a month later if they had the ability.

Most of them are aiming for international tournaments. If they find out that they don't have a spot to participate this time, they may quit.

She did want to keep those few excellent designers.

But this tournament is also very important for Dream Designs…

Leah's head was throbbing with all the thinking, so she decided to stop.

Late in the evening after work.

Serena organized a trip to Mount Fiadh with four veteran employees of Dream Designs and a few new employees who were willing to go camping.

As they reached the foot of the mountain, Leah suddenly felt an intense sense of danger creeping up behind her, but when she turned to look, there was nothing there.

She couldn't shake off the feeling of unease in her heart.

Leah's heart started to race as she looked around at the pitch-black forest surrounding her.

Despite being told by the park staff that there were no dangerous animals in the woods, Leah still felt like she was being stalked by a venomous snake, causing shivers to run down her spine.

"Serena, I have this strange feeling that something isn't right. Maybe we should go back..."

Before Serena could reply, the female colleague next to them interrupted with a laugh, "Come on, Ms. White, are you afraid of ghosts or something?"

"It's the age of science now, there's no such thing anymore!"

Leah had no choice but to go along with them.

Just as they laid out a big piece of camping carpet on the ground, laughter from men nearby suddenly interrupted their peace.

Leah and Serena both had sour expressions on their faces when they saw Han, Mr. Wright, and several other unfamiliar men.

Serena glared at Mr. Wright with frustration and anger as she exclaimed, "What are you guys doing here!"

Mr. Wright, with an expressionless face, revealed a slight smile upon seeing her. "Our company happened to be camping here as well," he said.

Leah glared at Han and tightened her lips. "You did it on purpose."

This can't happen by coincidence!

Han didn't deny it and admitted openly, "Yeah."

He sat down next to Leah and asked, "What are you playing?"

Leah was feeling frustrated and didn't respond to him.

One of the girls in the group enthusiastically interrupted, "Mr. Howard, we're playing Truth or Dare! Do you guys want to join us?"

Leah felt a twinge of discomfort as she noticed the girl's gaze linger lovingly on Han's face.

Leah and Serena were about to decline the proposal of playing together with the boys, but the boys had already come over, acting familiarly.

"Sounds great, the more the merrier!"

"Truth or Dare, right? No lying allowed!"

As a result, what was originally meant to be a company activity became an inter-company social event.

Leah and Serena were now obliged to play even if they didn't want to.

Serena had a deadpan expression the whole time, looking like she couldn't be bothered: "Truth."

She had lost earlier and chosen the truth.

These guys were good at reading the room, and knowing Mr. Wright's feelings for her, they asked, "Do you have a crush on anyone?"

Serena answered with a straight face, "No." She was very decisive in her response.

The men were momentarily stunned and looked sympathetically at Mr. Wright, as if to say, "That's tough. She must not have liked you because you've been hanging out with the boss for too long and don't know how to attract women!"

Mr. Wright remained silent.

If it had been a few days ago, he would have surely felt upset. But now he has come to terms with it.

It's not surprising that he can't win over a girl when even his boss can't get the girl he wants.

Han sat quietly next to Leah, unaware that he had become the source of Mr. Wright's change in mood.

He gave a chilly side glance towards the back, with one hand hovering near the spot where his gun was in his pocket.

Looks like tonight is going to be even more lively than I thought, with so many bugs lurking in the shadows.

Coincidentally, Leah lost her turn at this moment.

She was afraid that her little secret would be dug out, so she chose dare instead.

"Wow! Choosing a dare at this hour takes some courage! Well then, why don't you take a walk to the cemetery mountain at the back!"

"... The cemetery mountain?"

Mountain?

Seeing her confusion, a man kindly explained, "Yeah, it's the place we're playing at. Just walk 500 meters back and you'll get to the cemetery."

Leah was completely stunned, but she had to follow through with the dare since it was already in motion.

Just as she turned around, resigned to her fate, her hand was grabbed by a warm and large hand.

"I'll go with you."

Han's offer to accompany her immediately triggered a chorus of murmurs and whispers among the onlookers.

"Oh my god! I knew there was something fishy about this CEO wanting to camp on top of the mountain! So this is why!"

"Ben, is this our future sister-in-law?"

As Han and Leah walked further away, the sounds of teasing and laughter from behind slowly faded into the distance.

Her nerves were on edge and she was almost clinging to Han. At that moment, she felt incredibly grateful that he was there.

"Be careful, someone is watching us in the dark."

Chapter 454 Will he die?

The dimly lit forest was terrifyingly pitch black, and occasionally the unknown cries of birds only added to the eerie atmosphere.

After hearing Han's words, Leah felt her hair standing on end.

"Let's go back quickly," she said, grabbing Han's muscular arm.

This was a real adventure.

"What, are you scared?" Han's usually cool voice had a hint of amusement.

Leah bit her lip and nervously replied, "Of course, don't you see where we are? You said people are watching us in the dark..."

Before she could finish her sentence, she suddenly felt a strong force pulling her into a cold, fragrant embrace.

Leah felt a sharp whooshing sound passing by her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Was it the attackers Han warned her about?

"Don't make a sound, trust me," Han's deep voice whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin and making her itch.

She nodded, still unsure of what was happening in the darkness, unable to see the enemy's movements.

Han held her like a child and bravely fought off the attackers.

Leah was completely lost in the chaos and couldn't comprehend the situation. In the darkness, she was nearly knocked out by Han's movements.

"Cough..." Han abruptly turned around and bent over, causing Leah's stomach to churn and heave.

Her intuition had proved right today. If it weren't for Han, she wouldn't have made it out alive if she had ventured into this kind of place alone.

"Hang on a little longer. They're an ancient faction, like the royal guards of the past, and they use traditional weapons like daggers and throwing knives," Han reassured her while battling the attackers who were coming at them from all sides in the darkness.

At this moment, Leah's eyes welled up inexplicably. She bit her lip to prevent herself from causing any more trouble.

As time passed, their opponents seemed to be using a hit-and-run tactic, and Han was gradually becoming overwhelmed.

Before they could make their final escape, a sharp dagger plunged into Han's shoulder.

When they finally emerged battered and bruised, Han's subordinates surrounded them with worried expressions, exclaiming, "Boss!"

Mr. Wright acted quickly again, and said, "Follow me, those people can't have gotten far!"

He immediately led his team into the dark woods, this time equipped with small flashlights.

They quickly caught four or five individuals wearing black clothes, tied them up, and took them to the police station.

Meanwhile, Leah and Serena took Han to the emergency room.

"His wound is not the problem, but there seems to be some kind of nerve toxin on the wound. This will cause him immense pain and may even corrode his heart. If the toxin is not removed in time, he may suffer heart failure and die."

The doctor's diagnosis made Leah's face turn white as a sheet. She felt like all her strength was instantly drained from her body, and she staggered and fell to the ground.

Is he going to die?

Will such a powerful person leave like this after having almost died once before?

Serena was the first to support Leah, her brows furrowed: "Then please hurry up and detoxify him."

As her best friend loved him so much, she didn't want Sarah to watch her beloved leave the world.

She might not be able to bear that kind of pain.

The doctor shook his head apologetically, "I'm sorry, we also want to save Mr. Howard, but with the medical technology and treatment available at our hospital, we simply cannot remove this toxin."

Leah's heart felt like it was being rubbed by broken glass, and after a momentary loss of consciousness, she quickly asked the doctor, "He said before the incident that this was an ancient family force, can you think of any way to help him?"

She couldn't just watch Han die, there must be a solution!

Even though she still owed him so much money, how could he just die like this? Would he be willing to go so easily?

After the doctor promised to do everything possible to find an antidote, he comforted Leah and then left.

Winter mornings always arrived late.

It was already past 7 o'clock, but it was still dim outside.

Leah had spent the night outside Han's ward. When Mr. Wright saw that she had no intention of leaving, he frowned and tried to persuade her: "Ms. White, let me take care of things here. I will lead the guys to protect our boss."

"If he wakes up or the antidote is found, we will inform you immediately. But for now, please go back and rest. If our boss sees you exhausted when he wakes up, he will surely blame us."

As she listened to his lengthy persuasion, Leah's sense of unease grew. But she also knew that staying here would be futile.

Leah changed the subject, asking, "So, how did the police handle those assailants last night?" She was hoping to extract information about the antidote from Mr. Wright.

His eyes grew dark. "They all committed suicide as soon as they arrived at the police station. That confirms they were indeed the henchmen of a certain ancient faction."

"Ms. White, they were after you. If you don't have anything urgent to attend to, it's better not to act alone and bring some of our brothers to protect you wherever you go."

If their boss were awake, he would be most concerned about Ms. White's safety.

He would definitely bring his brothers to protect the tenderness in his heart.

When Leah returned to Villa Victoria, a fine drizzle began to fall from the winter sky.

The air was chilly by a few degrees.

She crawled into the chilly bed and couldn't fall asleep for a long time, so she got up and went to Han's room.

This was one of the few times she had carefully examined Han's room since they reunited after parting ways.

His room was still as simple and elegant as before, and every well-placed decoration in the room reflected his coldness with a hint of tenderness.

His familiar cold fragrance filled the room, which made her feel at ease.

As sleepiness set in, she sat on the small stool and dozed off shallowly next to his bed.

She didn't sleep soundly and dreamt of Han covered in blood. She woke up scared and realized she was crying.

"Mommy, you're back! Where's daddy?" The door opened and the little one wriggled out of the butler's arms, running towards her.

Leah quickly wiped away the tears on her face and put on a smile, hugging her daughter first so she couldn't see her expression.

"He's still at work, a little busy. Did Carlotta wake up early today?"

The little one snuggled into her mother's soft embrace, her chubby face full of a sweet smile. "Yeah, it's raining outside and I woke up feeling cold. And then I overheard the maid sisters saying you were back~"

Hearing her say she was cold, Leah quickly grabbed Han's jacket from the coat rack and draped it over her.

But because of her clumsy movements, something fell out of the jacket.

Looking at the scattered photos on the ground, they were taken when she went to the amusement park with Han back then...

Chapter 455 What’s Our Relationship Status

The bitterly cold wind and rain lashed at the windows, rivulets cascading down the glass like waterfalls.

Inside the room, all was silent, but Leah felt as if the clamor in her heart and ears would never stop. The deafening thudding of her heart helped her to ignore the turmoil in her mind.

Han had kept these photographs all this while. From the looks of it, he had constantly kept them with him as well.

She suddenly felt like crying again; this was not good. Blowing her nose, she was about to return the photos to Han's pocket when Carlotta's gleeful voice interrupted her. "Mommy! You and Daddy have pictures like this! How come I didn't know about it? Heehee, I've found out your little secret now! There are so many pictures. I want one to put in my photo album!" She stretched out her chubby little fingers to take one.

Leah immediately caught hold of her eager hands. Patiently, she explained, "Carlotta, these are your Daddy's photos. Mommy can't say yes because they're not mine. If you want one, wait till he comes back, then you can ask him yourself, okay?"

These pictures were Han's treasured possessions. She could not make such a decision on her own.

Fortunately, Carlotta did not seem unduly upset by this since she already had a lot of photographs of the three of them together. "Okay! When is Daddy coming back then?"

Leah bit the inside of her lip hard to remind herself to stay calm. "That, I don't know, darling. He's gone on a business trip. If things finish fast, then it'll be a few days. If not, perhaps a few months maybe…"

At this, Carlotta's face fell, and she looked accusingly at Leah. "Bad Daddy! He went on such a faraway trip, and he didn't tell me! Hmph! He'd better have presents for me when he comes back, or I won't forgive him, ever!"

When she saw what a spirited response this had provoked in her daughter, Leah felt even more desolate than before.

Would Han ever come back? Surely he would! He had to.

It was a working day, so Leah stayed with Carlotta and played with her until the early afternoon before leaving for Dream Designs.

Just like Han had told her before, one had to keep moving forward. True, he was in hospital now. That was a fact. It would not be worth the company's performance deteriorating because of her negative attitude.

The truth was, when all was said and done, she was using that as an excuse to keep busy so she would stop thinking about things.

After she had scheduled the afternoon's meetings, her assistant knocked on the door. "Ms. White, Lou Frobisher would like to see you.'

"Please ask her to come in."

Leah wrinkled her forehead slightly at the familiar name. Lou had been one of her new employees and the most skilled, talented designer in the company after herself and Serena. She had an inkling of why Lou had come back to see her after resigning from Dream Designs.

Upon entering the office, Lou went straight to the point. "Ms. White, I would like to represent Dream Designs in the International Design Contest. I know I'm nowhere as good as you or Ms. Coleman, but

I've always dreamed of having an opportunity like this. Please, could you give me another chance? As long as I can take part, it doesn't matter what the results of the Contest are; I'll stay with Dream Designs and grow with the company!"

She said a lot more along these lines.

Strangely enough, this did not move Leah as much as might have been expected. If this had happened in the past, she might have felt touched. However, she had been with Han long enough for him to teach her a great deal about the business world. It was not difficult for her to immediately realize that Lou was merely saying these things out of necessary courtesy, just so she could take part in the Contest .

Lou would certainly stay with Dream Designs if she lost. However, if she won, the designer would immediately leave for greener pastures. The studio would only be a stepping stone in her quest for a brighter, more glamorous future.

"I'm very sorry, Lou. The Contest is extremely important to us this time around. Based on the rules that we set for the company's internal design competition, only the first-place winner will represent Dream Designs in the International Design Contest."

Whether they won or lost at this event was intrinsically tied to Dream Designs' growth as a company. If no one else in the studio could match her design skills and capabilities, then Leah would have to take part in the Contest herself.

After Lou left, Leah flipped through the information in her file and her gaze grew increasingly aloof. The main reason for her turning Lou down was that the woman had previously worked in the design department of the Frey Corporation as a team leader. Furthermore, on the day of Dream Designs' internal design competition, Lou had been having a meal with her former Frey Corporation colleagues. Today she had tried to have Leah make an exception and allow her to represent Dream Designs in the

International Design Contest. Even if Leah had been incredibly naive, she would still have been able to see the problem inherent in that.

It was imperative to find out information on any collaboration partner and be alert for any hidden dangers.

This was also something that Han had told her as Hendrik.

Without her being aware of it, he had become so much part of her life.

At this moment, the phone began ringing urgently.

"Mr. Wright, has anything happened?" The sudden phone call made Leah's heart pound so hard it hurt to breathe. She was terrified that it would be bad news.

"Ms. White! Our colleagues managed to find the antidote on the attacker's dead body when they searched it! We've already given the Boss the first dose; he's finally conscious."

The sudden good news made Leah's bleak eyes light up like stars. "Oh! In that case, I'll come over and see him right now!"

"Um. No, Ms. White, the Boss said you're not to come. He's refused the next dose of the antidote as well." Ben's voice lost its enthusiasm. "The doctor says that if there's another delay like this and he refuses again, he'll only have around a month or so to live…"

Leah was stunned; immediately, her face crumpled. "Why won't he let me see him?" Had Han's character changed suddenly now that he had regained consciousness? If their positions were reversed, he would have come up with every scheme under heaven and earth to get her in a place where he could take care of her, even if he had to deceive her to do so.

"That I don't know…but if you're willing, I really hope you can persuade the Boss to take that second dose of the antidote." Ben did not say anything else but hung up the call.

Leah felt her heart clench with anxiety. She hesitated for a good while before she finally called Han's number. However, even though she kept calling repeatedly, he hung up directly without answering.

Just as she was utterly baffled, she received a short text message from Han. It read, "You're concerned about me, yes, but what's our relationship status?"

Leah's brain froze. She typed and retyped her reply but was unable to send anything in the end.

What exactly was their relationship status?

Was she his ex-wife? Were they friends with benefits, housemates, or merely friends? Their relationship was so complex, with so many facets, that she could not decide what exactly they were. She was afraid that if she gave the wrong answer, it would further complicate matters between them.

After quite some time, she finally typed out what she felt was the safest, most neutral answer and sent it. The message read, "We're friends." Since he had come to her aid countless times, the other answers did not seem appropriate.

She did not receive a reply from Han for a long while.

Since it so happened that it was time for her to leave work, she packed up her things and went straight to the hospital. As soon as she had left, a figure stole into her office…

By the time Leah arrived at the hospital, it was almost night. However, Han stopped her at the door. "Leah, this isn't something friends would do. It's best that you don't come and see me in the future."

His words stopped her in her tracks, leaving her utterly dumbstruck.

Ben, the hitherto silent observer who was experiencing love for the first time, sensed something different in the atmosphere. "Ms. White, I think what the Boss means is that you need to make a choice about your own feelings. If you love him, then agree to be with him. If you don't, then interact as friends, and don't overstep those boundaries."