Ch. 1381..1390
Chapter 1381
Chapter 1381
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1381
When Nancy learned that Zachary was in trouble, she worked so fast that she only spent thirty minutes to travel down the route that should've taken an hour.
Dr. Wright retched when she got out of the car and almost vomited.
"What happened to Dr. Wright?” asked Raina in astonishment.
"She's just a little carsick,” replied Nancy calmly, “She'll be fine after she had some coffee.”
"Oh, okay.”
Raina was quick to have someone make the good doctor some coffee.
She knew that Nancy must've made her chauffeur drive like crazy. That's the only explanation as to how she managed to rush to Southridge within such a short time frame.
Rokan Hill was famous for its winding routes, and rushing over like that meant that Helen must've had a bad experience.
She drank some coffee, but barely had time to sit and rest because Nancy urged her to examine Zachary right away.
Helen had no choice but to set her cup of coffee down and took her assistant to the second floor. “Ms. Gold, Dr. Wright, thank you for coming,” greeted Ben while rushing over.
“Ben, this is the renowned Dr. Wright,” said Nancy to introduce Ben and Helen to one another before asking, “What happened to Mr. Nacht?”
"He's unconscious,” informed Ben while frowning. He spoke to Dr. Wright in Ustranasion and said, “Please help him, Dr. Wright.”
“I'll go check up on him now,” replied Helen. She was a reliable doctor at the end of the day and was quick to enter the room. “Please have someone update me on his condition.”
"Okay," replied Raina before she hurried over.
Nancy wanted to follow along, but Ben stopped her and suggested, “You must be tired from all the traveling, Ms. Gold. How about you rest up in the guest bedroom for now?”
“I'd like to see how he’s doing.”
Nancy's gaze slipped past Ben's arm to try to see how things were inside the room. However, Raina closed the doors as soon as she entered, and two subordinates stood guard beside the door.
All that showed that things were grave.
“Mr. Nacht is being treated now, so it's inappropriate for anyone else but the doctors to be with him,” replied Ben to explain the situation, “I understand that you're worried, and I have someone get a guest bedroom ready for you. Please stay the night. You'll see that Mr. Nacht is fine when he wakes up in the morning.”
"Okay, then thank you for your hospitality,” replied Nancy. Staying here gives me a great advantage. I don't need to rush things for now.
"You're welcome. Let me take you to your room,” said Ben as he led Nancy to the guest's bedroom, “Don’t worry. I've also prepared a room for your subordinates.”
“Thank you.”
And just like that, Nancy and her two subordinates ended up staying in the Nacht residence.
Ben even had Mrs. Rawlston made them dinner. He made sure that everything was settled before he went to check up on Zachary.
Nancy soon realized that two maids were stationed right outside her room. They would serve her and get her anything she wanted at any hour.
However, Nancy knew that Ben only assigned those maids over to prevent her from venturing all over the place.
The precautions they took made her feel nervous, and her expression turned grim.
“I've long known that the Nacht family had a lot of rules, but I never imagined them to be that strict,” commented one subordinate, “Two maids stood guard outside every room, and bodyguards are stationed all over the place. Geez, they're even stricter than a palace.”
“Do you think maybe they're worried that we'd go after Mr. Nacht?” guessed another subordinate. “I don't think that's what's happening,” said Nancy while pacing around the room. “It's likely that Mr. Nacht is gravely ill, and the others are worried about the news of his deteriorating health being spread. His wellbeing determines the fate of the family and the corporation, after all. If the media learned that he is ill, Nacht Group's share prices will surely fall.”
“That's true. He seems well this morning, but now...”
“Is that vase really that heavy?”
“What do you think? It smashed right on to his head! Would you like to experience it yourself to see how bad it'd hurt?” scolded Nancy.
“Sorry,” replied the subordinate while bowing down. The poor sap didn't dare to even breathe too loudly.
"Have our people apprehend the perpetrator and all other individuals involved in the matter,” ordered Nancy firmly.
“Understood,” replied a subordinate before making the calls right away.
"And then there's that Charlotte Lindberg. She is nothing but trouble! Mr. Nacht won't be in this state if it wasn't for her,” growled Nancy through gritted teeth.
Chapter 1382
Chapter 1382
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1382
"S-should we punish her?” asked a subordinate carefully.
“No, we cannot hurt her,” answered Nancy while frowning, “She is f*cking annoying, but Mr. Nacht cares about her. He will be affected if anything were to happen to her.”
"Alright, then,” replied the subordinate who didn’t dare to say much else.
“I wonder how Mr. Nacht is doing now.”
Nancy was on edge. She wanted to see how Zachary was doing, but she further considered the situation and realized that Ben probably wouldn't let her see him. Hence, she had to back down. She kept reminding herself. I must remain calm.
I cannot lose my footing and must have what it takes to remain unaffected despite the overwhelming difficulty ahead. Only then will I have a shot at being Mrs. Nacht.
If I can’t even do this, the maids and bodyguards will look down at me.
Still, Nancy was too worried, so she opened her door and told the maids stationed outside, “Please remember to come to get me once Mr. Nacht wakes up.”
"Okay, don't worry. We'll keep you posted on the matter,” replied the maid politely.
"Alright, thanks.”
Nancy shot a look at Zachary's room and noted that entire floor was extremely quiet. The treatment is probably still going on.
"How is he?" asked Ben when he entered Zachary's room.
Shh! gestured Raina.
Ben clamped his mouth shut instantly and waited patiently at the side.
Helen scanned Zachary's reports and examined his injuries and his condition before sharing grimly, “You overestimated my skills as a doctor. I can’t do anything about his condition.”
“Please take a closer look, Dr. Wright. Think hard. I'm sure you can come up with something,” urged Raina nervously.
“The best I can do is stabilize his condition and make it so that it won't worsen for the time being. Unfortunately, I am unable to cure him. You will have to hire someone else for that. The chances of him being healed are low, though,” shared Helen directly.
Ben's heart gripped upon hearing those words. He had prayed that a miracle would happen and had a little hope left, but the good doctor squashed that hope.
“Let's start with stabilizing his condition, then,” requested Raina grimly, “We'll be counting on you, Dr. Wright.”
“I'll need some medical equipment. Please get them ready for me,” requested Helen right away as she informed Raina, “I will perform a minor surgery on Mr. Nacht. If everything goes smoothly, we should be able to stabilize his condition for a while.”
"Okay, sure. I'll get everything up and running right away.”
The aura in the Nacht residence was grimmer than it had ever been. Every bodyguard and maid were on edge, and they struggled throughout the night.
Ben, Raina, Marino, and the others didn't sleep at all. They stood guard outside Zachary's room the entire time.
At around one-thirty in the morning, Helen performed a minor surgery on Zachary and gave him some treatments. She ended everything with a warning to Raina.
“This surgery will temporarily slow down the effects of the poison, but you must keep a close eye on him. Do not let him get hurt again. Even the angels won't be able to bring him back if you do.” “Understood,” replied Raina before she nodded.
"He must recuperate for the time being, and it is best if he remains physically idle. That would further slow the poison down,” advised Helen, “As for his medication, just prescribe him the same medicine he had been taking all this while. There aren“t any other special medication that can help, anyway.”
"Okay, understood.”
The more Helen spoke, the heavier Raina’s heart felt. Everything Helen had said pointed to Zachary's condition being critical.
“Pardon me for being direct, but this surgery can, at most, prolong his life by one month,” shared Helen, “There is no saying how things will be after that. My recommendation is that he should prepare for everything within the month. His will, for example, can be updated and..."
Ben and the other glared over evilly before Helen could finish speaking. She changed her stance right away and said, “Let's pretend I never said anything.”
"Dr. Wright, please allow me to take you to your room,” suggested Raina quickly to lead the good doctor away.
Chapter 1383
Chapter 1383
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1383
“There's no need for that,” replied Helen, who didn't really want to get too deeply involved in the drama. She said, “There's basically nothing else I can do now, so I'll just go to the hotel. Ms. Gold has already gotten a room for me. You can still call me whenever you need to, though.”
“That's a great idea, too. I'll have the chauffeur take you to your hotel,” said Raina before she asked two subordinates to drive Helen to the hotel. Before Helen left, Raina requested, “Please rest up tonight. If possible, will you drop by my hospital tomorrow to check up on another patient?”
“Are you referring to the patient in the persistent vegetative state?” asked Helen who had always been straightforward, "Mr. Nacht called me some time ago to tell me about the patient. Who would've thought that he'd end up being worse off than the patient he was worried about?”
"I guess the future is always unpredictable,” sighed Raina, “Oh, by the way, please keep Mr. Nacht's medical condition a secret. You must never tell anyone about it, or the consequences will be dire.” "Don’t worry, I know how things are,” said Helen with a straight face on, “If this secret is ever exposed, my career will be over, and I will be in grave danger as well.”
"Please be aware that you can't even let Ms. Gold know about this,” reminded Ben, “No one else but you should know anything about Mr. Nacht's condition.”
“Don’t worry, I know what to do. I won't want to get myself in trouble, either,” replied Helen while nodding.
Raina cleared her throat a little before suggesting, “Let me walk you out.”
“Okay,” murmured Helen. She was quick to walk down the stairs and was eager to leave.
“To ensure your safety, I will send two bodyguards over to you,” promised Ben as he gestured for two bodyguards to follow along.
"Okay, whatever you say.”
Helen knew that her safety was just the bodyguards’ secondary mission. Their main objective was to keep an eye on her and make sure that she wouldn't blab.
Still, Helen dealt with major issues all the time, so she didn’t mind minor inconveniences like that. “Thank you for everything you're doing,” said Ben before he bowed to her and turned around to walk up the stairs.
Raina walked Helen to the car and asked the subordinates to be nice to Helen before returning to the Nacht residence.
The former was walking up the stairs when she heard a melodious voice, “Dr. Langhan!”
Raina shifted her gaze over and blurted in surprise, “Ms. Gold, you're still up?”
“I've been waiting for updates about Mr. Nacht's condition. How is he? Is he up?” asked Nancy as she walked out of her room.
"Not yet,” answered Raina softly, “He'll probably wake up in the morning. Dr. Wright's treatment had stabilized his condition, though, so there is no need to be worried.”
“That's good to know. Can I go see how he's doing?” asked Nancy after she sighed a breath of relief. “Sorry, but before Dr. Wright left, she repeatedly reminded us not to disturb him,” replied Raina to reject Nancy's request then suggested, “Please rest for now. I'll have someone update you once Mr. Nacht wakes up.”
"Okay," replied Nancy. She seemed a little disappointed and had turned to look at Zachary's room. Four subordinates were stationed right outside, and everyone looked grim. It seems the situation is still grave.
“Ben is guarding over Mr. Nacht in the room,” shared Raina, “I just walked Dr. Wright out and am heading back in to monitor Mr. Nacht as well. Don’t worry. He'll be fine.”
“Okay,” murmured Nancy while nodding, “Then I'll go sleep now. Please do inform me when he wakes up.”
"Okay."
Raina watched Nancy leave before she entered Zachary's room herself.
Ben had dismissed everyone else and was standing guard beside Zachary's bed.
Raina suggested softly, “Take a nap. I'll take over and stay guard.”
“I can't sleep,” said Ben. He had been so busy that he didn’t have the time to even sip some water. Hence, his voice had turned raspy. He added, “Dr. Wright claimed that the surgery will only buy us one month. That means we have to find Francesco within that time frame or...”
“We have to count on Ms. Lindberg now,” murmured Raina, “She is the only one who can find Francesco.”
Chapter 1384
Chapter 1384
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1384
“Ah!”
Ben suddenly recalled how Charlotte and the others had been missing for the entire night. He immediately called Lupine again, but her phone was turned off.
Similarly, Charlotte's phone was switched off too.
Ben worried even more. Charlotte can't get into any trouble at a time like this. If she does, well all be in hot water.
"Did something happen to Ms. Lindberg?” asked Raina worriedly.
"We lost contact with her. My guess is that she got ambushed. I've already sent my men over to check things out, but they haven't reported back,” replied Ben while frowning deeply.
“Then find her quickly. Don't let anything happen to her,” urged Raina nervously, “Mr. Nacht practically sacrificed his life for her. If anything were to happen to Ms. Lindberg..."
“Il know.”
Ben called Kyle and Cain right away.
It didn't take long before he received the report of how they had just arrived in Phoenix City. They were searching for Charlotte, but they hadn't found any clues just yet. The only thing they could be certain of was that the ladies were followed as soon as they landed.
Ben instructed them to find Charlotte at all costs and to take everyone home safely.
He worried endlessly after he hung up.
Raina spoke up to offer some comfort. “Ms. Lindberg is no longer the woman she used to be and is now a force to be reckoned with. Moreover, she has well-trained bodyguards with her, so I'm sure she’s fine.”
“I hope that's true.”
That night, Zachary slept deeply on his bed. He had no idea what had happened.
No one else could sleep, though.
Helen had explained that Zachary's condition was stabilized, but everyone would still be worried so long as he remained unconscious.
Ben and Raina stood guard in the room until the sun rose on the following morning. The sunlight streamed in via the gaps between the curtains, and warmth seeped in.
Raina went to pull the curtains close while Ben pulled up Zachary's blanket for him. When he saw that Zachary was still sleeping deeply, he understandably got worried and asked, “It's already seven in the morning. Why isn't he up yet?”
“Let's wait a little longer,” said Raina. She had a warm towel with her and was wiping Zachary's face. Knock! Knock! A series of knocks came from the door. A servant then said, “Breakfast is ready, Ms. Gold. Please head down the stairs to eat up.”
“I'd like to see Mr. Nacht."
“But...”
Ben and Raina looked at each other. An understanding passed between them, and Raina put her medical equipment away immediately. After that, she went to open the door, “Good morning, Ms. Gold."
“Morning. It seems I'm intruding a little. Did I get in the way?” asked Nancy apologetically.
“No, not at all. Mr. Nacht is still sleeping,” answered Raina.
“Can I see him? I just want to see how he’s doing. I couldn't sleep last night because I was too worried,” begged Nancy.
Raina’s heart softened upon hearing that. A rich heiress with high social status had lowered her stance so much that she was begging like that... How can I refuse her request?
“Then please come in.”
“Raina...”
Ben wanted to stop her, but Raina had already opened the door, so he wasn't in a position to say anything else.
Nancy had her subordinates wait outside the room. She was the only one who entered it. When she saw how Zachary was lying unconscious on his bed, her nose became runny, and her eyes became teary. She was about to walk up when she saw something that stunned her in place.
Hanging on the wall right on top of the bed was the wedding photo Zachary took with Charlotte. The two of them were looking at one another and were smiling happily.
Zachary was hugging Charlotte tightly in his arms and had tilted his head down to stare at her. His eyes shone with the kind of love and tenderness that Nancy had never seen before.
"Oh, that's the wedding photo they took two years ago,” informed Ben softly, “Mr. Nacht kept it in the room and never took it down.”
Nancy's expression stiffened, and her gaze became unsettled. It didn't take her long before she regained her footing, though. She smiled and insisted, “It's all in the past now, so it's not important.” It sounded like she was responding to Ben's words, but it also looked like she was telling it to herself. Either way, it was obviously her way of trying to comfort herself.
Chapter 1385
Chapter 1385
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1385
Ben cleared his throat a little. Things had become so awkward that he didn't know what to say.
“Mr. Nacht is still sleeping, Ms. Gold, so may I suggest you go have breakfast for now?” advised Raina softly.
“I've lost my appetite,” replied Nancy as she stared lovingly at Zachary, “I want to stay with him for a little while. Don't worry. I won't disturb him.”
Raina stared at Ben in exasperation.
Ben was speechless as well. He didn't know what to say, and it was not like he could chase her out. Nancy was the one who got Helen to fly over for Zachary, after all.
Hence, it was socially inappropriate for them to chase her away at that moment.
"Okay, then please take a seat, Ms. Gold," said Raina before she got a chair over.
Nancy sat down and stared quietly at Zachary. Heartache shone from her eyes
Raina poured Nancy a cup of water before she continued wiping Zachary with the warm towel.
“Let me do it.”
Nancy took the warm towel away from Raina and started wiping Zachary. Every stroke she made, from his face to his neck to his arm, was gentle and sweet.
Both Raina and Ben felt awkward watching from the side.
Just then, a subordinate came in to report something to Ben, so he had to leave for a moment. “Please go get another towel. This one has gone cold.”
Nancy handed the towel back to Raina.
"Okay," replied Raina. She held the towel and went into the washroom.
Zachary and Nancy became the only ones left in the room. She gently stroked his frown like she was trying to take his troubles away.
Zachary seemed to have sensed her. His eyelashes fluttered a little, and his hand moved.
“Mr. Nacht,” said Nancy excitedly. She reached out to hold his hand as she promised, “Don’t worry. I am right here...”
Zachary looked like he was trapped in a nightmare. He held Nancy's hand tightly. His nightmare eventually scared him awake, and his entire body trembled. Sweat dripped down from his forehead like never before.
“It's fine. You're okay. I'm here,” cooed Nancy with a broken heart. She held his hand tightly and caressed his face.
Perhaps her coos were working, but it didn't take long before Zachary calmed back down. He slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurry when he looked at her, and his dried lips parted like he was calling out to something.
"What is it?” asked Nancy. She got closer to listen to him.
“C-Charlotte.”
Zachary's voice was raspy and ridiculously soft, but he was calling out to Charlotte in the most loving tone.
Nancy instantly stiffened. It felt like someone had tossed a bucket of icy water on her passionate and burning heart. Every inch of her felt cold.
She stared sorrowfully at Zachary as a complex emotion rose up in her. Nancy hated that feeling.
I don't get it. Why does he love that woman so much? What is so good about her? Is she really worthy of his love?
“Mr. Nacht is up!”
Raina exited the washroom at the time and saw how Zachary had woken up. She hurried over to examine him.
Nancy had no choice but to move away and stare quietly from the side.
“I'll go get my medical kit.”
Raina went to grab her medical kit to measure Zachary's pulse rate and temperature.
Nancy, on the other hand, held the warm towel. She wanted to continue wiping Zachary's body. Zachary's vision slowly cleared up, and he realized that the woman in front of him wasn’t Charlotte. He instinctively moved his hand away upon seeing Nancy.
Nancy was disappointed about how he reacted, but she wasn't upset. Instead, she patiently reassured, “It's nothing. I just wanted to take care of you.”
“T-thank you,” replied Zachary. He had to struggle to say those words.
Just then, Ben rushed in. He heard about how Zachary was up. Zachary saw the guy and weakly waved to signal Ben.
Ben quickly informed, “Ms. Gold, I need to help Mr. Nacht change his clothes. Perhaps you should...” “I understand.”
Ben had a poker face on and spoke respectfully, but Nancy knew that Zachary's earlier hand gesture had instructed Ben to chase her out of the room.
Perhaps Zachary did that because he didn't want to show her his weaker side, or perhaps he wanted to protect his reputation of being strong. Either way, this means that he still sees me as an outsider.
Chapter 1386
Chapter 1386
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1386
Fortunately, Nancy knew better than to let the little things in life bring her down. Besides, if she didn't have the tolerance, she never would've made it to where she was today.
Her lips curled into a smile as she gazed tenderly at Zachary. “I'll take my leave now. Get some rest, all right? Ill come by again later.”
Zachary said nothing else, merely blinking to show his acknowledgment.
With that, Nancy gave Ben and Raina a polite nod and walked away.
Ben couldn't help but admire her. He was impressed at how Nancy always kept her cool and remained friendly to everyone, regardless of the situation. Most people could never be like her, no matter how hard they tried.
With Nancy gone, Raina proceeded to give Zachary a thorough check-up. “Mr. Nacht, I'm going to start with taking your blood pressure...”
Ben stood at the side, relieved that Zachary had regained consciousness and was slowly recovering. “It's good to have you back. You had all of us worried sick.”
Zachary squinted his eyes and murmured, “What time is it?"
“It's half-past seven in the morning. The kids are awake and having breakfast downstairs. I told them you were still resting and that they shouldn't disturb you—"
“Is Charlotte here?” Zachary interrupted.
Ben was stunned for a moment as he exchanged nervous glances with Raina. After collecting himself, he replied, “Ms. Lindberg reached Mount Phoenix last night and is now paying her respects to Dr. Felch. When I spoke with Lupine, she said they might return a little later.”
Upon hearing that, Zachary nodded contentedly and slowly dozed off.
Ben heaved a silent sigh of relief even though deep down he was still in a complete state of panic. It was his first time lying to Zachary, after all, but what other choice did he have? Zachary was so weak that Ben couldn't risk worrying him and aggravating his condition.
Even though Zachary continued to drift in and out of sleep, his condition had stabilized enough for Ben to give Raina a much-needed break. More importantly, she needed to rest well to take care of Zachary throughout the night.
After getting two of her most reliable medical staff to stay behind, Raina made her way downstairs. "Dr. Langhan!” Nancy greeted when she saw her walking over. “How is Mr. Nacht?”
“His condition is stable, and it's all thanks to you. Thank you for getting Dr. Wright to assist us.”
A smile of relief crept across Nancy's face. “Don’t mention it. I'm only glad to have been of help. By the way, if there's anything else you need, feel free to ask me.”
“Don’t worry. I know.”
“I'll be off now then,” Nancy said as she threw one last reluctant look up the stairs. “There's nothing I can help with anyway, and I'd only get in your way if I stayed.”
“N-No, not at all—" Raina stammered.
“It's okay. I'll come back when Mr. Nacht wants to see me,” Nancy cut in, still smiling warmly.
Raina then walked Nancy to her car and only returned to the house when she had driven away. “Has she left?” Ben asked as he walked down the stairs.
“Yes,” Raina replied, albeit with a tinge of guilt. “If she hadn't brought Dr. Wright here last night, the consequences would have been disastrous. But now that we no longer have a use for her, we're sending her home. It's so—"
“Once Mr. Nacht has recovered, he can thank her personally,” Ben interjected. “There's nothing we can do for now.”
“That's true... All right, I'll take my rest now. Watch over Mr. Nacht, and call me if anything comes up.”
“Sure.”
As soon as Raina left, Ben immediately ordered Marino to take the three children to Northridge for a short stay.
Even though Ben gave the excuse that the children miss the three little girls, the truth was that he didn’t want them to worry about Zachary and vice versa
Naturally, Marino knew Ben's real intention and did his best to coax all three children to follow him to Northridge.
Even when Jamie insisted on bidding goodbye to Zachary, Marino had to stop him with various excuses. Thankfully, Robbie stepped in just as Jamie was about to protest. “Daddy's still sleeping Let's not disturb him!”
"Oh, okay then!” Just like that, there were no more questions asked as Jamie happily hopped into the car.
Chapter 1387
Chapter 1387
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1387
Zachary continued to be in and out of sleep for the rest of the day. Whenever he woke up, he'd only ask for the time and the well-being of his children and Charlotte before going back to sleep again. Because of that, he hadn't eaten anything except for the sips of water when he took his medicine.
It was past nine at night when Zachary roused from his sleep and once again asked if Charlotte had returned.
Ben remained calm and collected as he replied, “Lupine informed me that they'd be staying at Mount Phoenix for a couple more days. Ms. Lindberg was very worried about your injuries and even asked me how you were doing. I assured her that you're all right and recovering well—"
“No. Don't tell her about my condition,” Zachary firmly instructed.
"Okay, okay, I got it.”
Fortunately, Ben knew the right words to say so it wouldn't arouse Zachary's suspicions. It also helped that Zachary was too out of sorts to detect Ben's lies.
“Don't call too much either, or Charlotte will suspect something...” Zachary mumbled, his eyes getting heavier by the second. “Remember to inform me when she’s back.”
“I know. Stop worrying and go to sleep,” Ben said as he adjusted the blanket.
Zachary ended up sleeping for more than twenty hours, but even then, he still looked exhausted. Despite that, there was no denying that his condition was gradually improving, thus proving that Dr. Wright's operation was a success.
Ben, however, hadn't slept a wink in two nights. Although everyone begged him to take a nap, he just couldn't lay his worries to rest and insisted on staying up to watch over Zachary.
On top of that, he'd call Cain every two hours to ask about Charlotte and Lupine’s whereabouts. Unfortunately, the search for them was still underway, and Cain could offer no further updates.
As such, Ben decided to deploy a few people to Phoenix City.
Charlotte, Lupine, please be all right!
Time continued to pass by, and it was early morning when Zachary finally woke from his deep slumber. Not only did he look a lot more energetic, but he also clamored for Hanna's beef stroganoff.
Naturally, Ben was more than happy to accede to his request.
Just like Ben, Hanna had been so worried about Zachary's safety that she hadn't had a good night's sleep. When she heard that he was craving her food, she shed happy tears and rushed off to cook. Zachary sat up in bed with Ben's help and stretched his limbs. “Wow. How long have I been sleeping? My body feels like it's falling apart.”
"You've slept for almost two days,” Ben replied with a chuckle. “But everything's fine now. You look like you're in good spirits.”
"Yes, I feel full of energy too,” Zachary muttered as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “Fill the tub for me. I'm going to take a nice, long bath before I knock everyone out with my odor.”
"Hahaha, will do!"
As Ben hurried off to the bathroom, Zachary retrieved his phone from under the pillow. Alas, all he saw were concerned text messages from Nancy. With nary a call or text from Charlotte, he couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment.
Oh, forget it. Charlotte has always been like that. I shouldn't be so calculative.
He called Charlotte immediately after, only to find out that her phone was switched off.
Could she be on her way back in the private jet? Is that why she had to turn her phone off?
“Mr. Nacht, your bath is ready,” Ben announced while walking out of the bathroom.
“Has Lupine called you?" Zachary suddenly asked.
"Yes, she just did. They're still up in the mountains...”
Ben went on with his carefully fabricated lie, but the more he said, the more he realized Zachary's expression had changed.
“Mr. Nacht, I—"
“Idiot!” Zachary thundered as he kicked Ben to the floor. “How dare you lie to me!”
Now that Zachary was awake and lucid, Ben could no longer pull the wool over his eyes.
“Mr. Nacht, I—"
“Tell me the truth!” Zachary demanded, rage pulsing through his veins.
Under such circumstances, Ben had no choice but to come clean with Zachary. “We've lost contact with Ms. Lindberg since last night...”
Chapter 1388
Chapter 1388
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1388
"What?" Zachary replied with a scowl. “What the hell is going on?”
Ben proceeded to tell Zachary everything in detail, which only made him boil with even more anger. "B*stard!” Zachary shouted as he threw an ashtray at Ben. “How can you keep something this big from me?”
Ben kept his head down, too scared to even breathe.
“Get the private jet ready. I'm going to Phoenix City!"
“Mr. Nacht, please calm down,” Ben pleaded. “Dr. Wright has specifically ordered bed rest for you. You aren“t supposed to go out or do anything strenuous. Otherwise, who knows what might happen?”
Alas, his words fell on deaf ears. “Get out!”
"Please, Mr. Nacht, please listen to me,” Ben exclaimed as he grabbed Zachary's legs. “You have no idea what a close shave this had been for you. If Ms. Gold hadn't brought Dr. Wright here in time, you'd be...”
Ben paused, unable to get that dreaded word out of this mouth. “I've already sent two groups of people to look for Ms. Lindberg, but if you're still worried, I can get Marino to join the search.” When Zachary didn't say anything, he continued, “No matter what, I can't let you leave the house. Even if you don't do it for yourself, do it for your children. If something happens to you, what are they going to do? Besides, what can you help with, given your current state? And what if Ms. Lindberg comes back only to see you keel over with exhaustion? Is that what you want?” Fortunately, those words were enough to persuade Zachary.
“I can't let Marino go. He has to protect the kids,” Zachary said after calming himself down. “What about Bruce?”
“Bruce has gone to Erihal to look for Francesco. I've deployed Kyle and Cain instead. They're old and experienced, so I'm sure—"
“They aren't capable enough,” Zachary interrupted as he turned toward Ben. “I need you to go. I need you to bring Charlotte back safe and sound.”
"W-What? Me? But what's going to happen to you if I leave? There's no one else around you to—" "What do you mean there's no one else? We have plenty of people at home!” Zachary fumed. “Do you think I can't survive without you?”
“N-No, that's not what I meant...”
“Then do as I instructed! Or are you no longer obeying my orders?”
Left with no other choice, Ben nodded in reluctance. “Very well then, I'll leave right now.”
“Bring a few more men along. I'm giving you three days. If you don't bring Charlotte back home safely, you can forget about coming back yourself.”
“Understood,” Ben replied solemnly. “I'll make the necessary arrangements.”
With that, Zachary waved his hand and sent Ben on his way. Unfortunately, Ben's departure to Phoenix City threw Raina into a tizzy. “How can you leave at a time like this? Without you and Bruce around, who's going to protect Mr. Nacht?”
Ben let out a big, heavy sigh. “Do you think I don’t know that? You know how stubborn he is, so how am I supposed to change his mind?”
"What should we do then?" Raina queried, the panic in her voice even more palpable now.
After a while, a light-bulb moment came to Ben. “I'm going to give Spencer a call. Help me arrange for the private jet, will you? Also, you'll have to stay with Mr. Nacht at all times while I'm gone. We can't afford another mishap.”
“I got it,” Raina answered with a quick nod. “Go make your call. At this point, we'll have to get Mr. Spencer to watch over Mr. Nacht.”
“Exactly.”
Soon after, Ben hid in his room and called Spencer.
After hearing Ben's recount of all the events, Spencer flew into such a rage that he almost fell off his wheelchair.
“Mr. Spencer, calm down...” Ben coaxed. “Mr. Nacht won't be able to leave the house these few days anyway, so my absence won't be too much of a problem. What I'm more worried about is that temper of his. If he gets riled up and decides to do something rash, I'm going to need you to hold him down. I know he'll behave with you around.”
Chapter 1389
Chapter 1389
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1389
"Don’t worry! I'll do whatever it takes to keep him in line,” Spencer exclaimed. “As long as I'm around, he'll have to stay home to recuperate.”
"Yes, yes, that's the spirit! Keep him at home for plenty of bed rest. No matter what happens, he can't be allowed to leave the house.”
"Okay, understood,” Spencer replied. “I'll go over with some of my men now.”
“Great. I'll only leave after you've arrived.”
At last, Ben could breathe a sigh of relief. With Spencer here, things will be a lot easier. Meanwhile, Zachary was throwing a tantrum in his room. “Where the f*ck is Ben? Why hasn't he set off yet? What's with the delay?”
Ben signaled Raina to keep his whereabouts a secret as he remained in his room to pack his luggage.
Even if I get screamed at, I'll still only leave after Spencer gets here.
True to his words, Spencer arrived shortly at Southridge with an entourage of twelve subordinates, all packed into four cars.
To Ben's pleasant surprise, Spencer had even packed a few suitcases, further proving his determination to stay on for as long as needed.
As soon as he realized what was happening, Zachary exploded with rage. “I knew that idiot Ben would be up to no good! How dare he get Mr. Spencer to watch over me!”
“Ben did it only because he cares about you...” Raina mumbled.
“You were in on this too, weren't you? Are the both of you ganging up to lie to me?”
Raina kept her head lowered as dread engulfed her, not daring to make another peep.
"Get out,” Zachary muttered.
Whenever Zachary was furious, he'd always lash mercilessly at Ben and Bruce, but thankfully, he was gentler toward women.
“But I have to stay here with you. What if you—"
"Get out!” Zachary bellowed, his patience running thin.
Not wanting to push her luck any further, Raina did as instructed. However, as a last-ditch effort, she ordered a few subordinates to stand guard in the room.
Zachary was speechless and on the verge of losing his temper again when he saw how frightened his subordinates were. In the end, he decided to swallow his frustration instead.
Being constantly monitored was horrid, but Zachary also knew that everyone only had his best interests at heart.
After all, he was now a high-risk individual, and nobody could afford to let anything untoward happen to him.
“Mr. Spencer, you sure are fast!” Ben exclaimed as he ran out, unable to hide the relief and joy he felt.
“Mr. Nacht has already thrown a few tantrums. If I stay here a second longer, he'll probably shred me to pieces. Mr. Spencer, I leave the house in your good hands. I have to rush to the airport now.” Spencer frowned and let out a deep sigh. “Now I understand why Mr. Henry used to make things difficult for that woman. She's nothing but trouble!”
“Oh, no. Don't say that,” Ben pleaded. “You've always protected Ms. Lindberg in the past, and you ought to continue doing so.”
“Can you blame me for being angry? After what happened to Mr. Zachary, why does she still make people worry for her?”
“She didn’t mean to...” Ben mumbled helplessly. “Fate played a cruel trick on her.”
“Fine, enough of that. You'd better leave now. Get her back as soon as possible so Mr. Zachary can stop worrying himself sick.”
“Will do.”
After that, Ben hurriedly left with a handful of Spencer's subordinates so he could even out the number of people back home.
Knowing that Ben had left for the airport, Zachary finally took his long-awaited bath.
Meanwhile, Hanna ordered Henry's room to be prepared for Spencer's stay while she whipped up his favorite dishes.
As for Spencer, he knew it'd be useless to talk sense to a still fuming Zachary. Given the current situation, he'd be better off staying silent and keeping a watchful eye over Zachary.
Raina didn’t dare to stray far from Zachary either. As such, she arranged for the doctors at the hospital to contact Helen and have her treat Olivia.
That afternoon, Peter called Raina to express his gratitude.
“Don’t thank me,” Raina said. “You should be thanking Ms. Lindberg and Mr. Nacht instead. They were the ones who made this possible for Olivia.”
“Please pass on my thanks to them. I'll drop by personally when I have the chance to.”
"All right. Take good care of Olivia.”
Chapter 1390
Chapter 1390
Mistaking a Magnate for a Male Escort chapter 1390
For the next few days, Zachary stayed home to rest and recuperate.
According to Helen, there weren't any other treatments or medications needed at that point. She had made an incision behind Zachary's ear to drain the blood, and all he could do now was to rest as much as possible.
Raina and the other subordinates followed Zachary around all day like a shadow. Even when he headed downstairs for his meals, they took extra caution to ensure that he didn’t trip and fall. Spencer, too, kept droning on and reminding Zachary to be careful.
Naturally, Zachary was beyond frustrated. I'm a grown man, for goodness’ sake! I don’t need to be babied by them! Do they even know how humiliating this is for me?
It went without saying that Zachary lost his temper several times. However, Spencer would always plead with him and remind him of Henry, all the while choking back tears.
That tactic, unfortunately, was very effective against Zachary. Whenever he saw how Spencer was on the verge of tears, he'd clam up and return to his room, only to curse at Ben under his breath. After all, Ben knew about Zachary and his weaknesses, which was why he intentionally got Spencer to watch over him.
As much as he hated it, even Zachary had to admit it was really clever of Ben.
Since he couldn't bear seeing Spencer upset, Zachary had no choice but to tamp down his irritation and be the compliant patient everyone wanted him to be.
Fortunately, the children had been home every day to join Zachary for his meals. And thanks to Spencer's constant reminders, they were all very well-behaved, making sure not to aggravate their father's injuries.
For the rest of their time, the children spent it playing with the three girls at Northridge.
Morgan, who was just as wild as they are, even brought all six children to fly kites in the mountains. With Fifi and Little Fifi joining in, everyone had a lot of fun.
Robbie, however, would always sit alone on the tree swing and fiddle around with his tablet. As for what he was up to, nobody had a clue.
Just like that, two days passed peacefully.
On the third day, seeing as how there was still no news about Charlotte, a panic-stricken Zachary decided to call Ben first thing in the morning.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Nacht. We've found clues pointing to her whereabouts and are heading to the location now.”
“You have to find her before dark and bring her home. Understood?” Zachary ordered
Ben swore he'd complete his mission and that finally set Zachary’s mind at ease.
Just then, there was a knock on the door as a voice rang out. “Mr. Nacht, Ms. Gold is here.”
"Have her meet me in the study room.”
Zachary quickly changed his clothes before letting Raina help him to the study room.
Before long, one of the maids walked in with Nancy in tow.
“Mr. Nacht!” Nancy greeted with a smile, happy to see Zachary back to his old self. “I'm so relieved to know you're well again!”
“I heard it was you who brought Dr. Wright here in the nick of time. Thank you so much!” Zachary said earnestly.
"Don’t mention it,” Nancy replied as she gazed fondly at him. “It was no trouble at all.”
“I know how hard it is to get Dr. Wright. Not only do you have to pay a pretty sum, but you also have to pull favors. But most importantly, I'm impressed that you had even thought about getting her to help!”
The thought of asking Helen to stabilize his condition had genuinely never crossed Zachary's mind, yet it came so naturally to Nancy.
“Well, I thought of it because I cared enough,” Nancy replied with a chuckle. “Besides, anything that concerns you is far more important than my own matters.”
With such an abrupt but affectionate confession directed at him, Zachary was at a complete loss. Nancy caught on to his uncomfortable silence and quickly changed the subject. “Relax, I'm not trying to stress you out or put you in a spot. By the way, I'm here today because I have something to tell you.”
"Oh, go ahead.”
“I don't think it's appropriate for me to bring this up, but...” Nancy blurted out after a moment's hesitation.
"Don’t worry. I have absolute trust in you. You can speak freely.”