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Chapter 96

Candice’s lips twitched, unable to find words to respond.

Alex looked down at her disdainfully and sneered, “Don’t think too highly of yourself.”

“Lex?” Sonia’s voice interrupted, coming from behind.

She emerged from around the corner, her eyes landing on Candice, questioning. “Why aren’t you

returning to the room? Everyone’s waiting.”

Sonia’s probing gaze was subtle.

Candice, trying to mask her feelings, responded, “I’ve just arrived.”

“I assumed you weren’t coming back,” Sonia remarked, her glance shifting toward Alex, laced with

curiosity.

Candice realized Sonia was reading too much into the situation, but she lacked the strength to clarify.

She simply mentioned her intention to retrieve her bag from the private room.

Before she could walk away, Greg approached, holding her bag.

He appeared surprised to see Candice, handing over the bag. “Sorry, I thought you left it in haste, so I

brought

it out.”

Accepting the bag emotionlessly, Candice thanked him. “Thanks.”

Greg then addressed Alex. “Lex, Sonia seems allergic to something. Maybe you should take

her to the hospital.”

Sonia quickly displayed her arm, showing several red blotches. She frowned, voicing her concern.

“These

weren’t here this morning. They just started itching.”

Greg, puzzled, asked, “Was there anything in our meal that could have caused this?”

Sonia mentioned, “I’m allergic to peanuts.”

Candice’s gaze shifted subtly, recalling a dish served with peanut sauce.

She had not eaten much, but that dish had been directly in front of her, so she had tried a bit.

Realization dawned on Greg too. He turned to Alex and said, “Sonia can’t eat peanuts. Didn’t you

know?”

Alex, caught off guard, replied dismissively, “I wasn’t paying attention to the order.”

With no further discussion, they decided to head to a nearby hospital.

Feeling it was not her place to tag along, Candice remained stationary. She excused herself, “I have

other

matters to attend to. I’ll go back to the hotel.”

Alex’s glance passed over her with a cold detachment.

Her eyes flickered momentarily under his gaze.

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He responded curtly. “Suit yourself.”

Grateful to be left alone, Candice lacked the strength for any more interaction.

Sonia, observing her, expressed concern. “Candice, you should see a doctor too. You look really pale.”

“I’m fine. I saw a doctor earlier today.” Candice responded, aware of Sonia’s ulterior motive.

She knew Sonia’s concern was not genuine. It was more about prying into whether Yvonne was still at

the

hospital and craving more drama.

“You look really unwell. We’d be concerned if you went back to the hotel alone.” Looking toward Alex

for support, she asked, “Right, Lex?”

Alex remained quiet, but Greg intervened, “She works for Aether Corporation. The company ought to

look after

her well.”

Alex raised an eyebrow at Greg and retorted sarcastically, “Since when did you start running Aether

Corporation?”

Caught off guard by his reaction, Sonia clung to Alex’s arm, her voice soft yet insistent. “Candice is

here on a

business trip with us. We should be responsible for her.”

Candice, growing uneasy with the conversation, became visibly stiff. Her voice grew colder and more

decisive.

“I don’t need anyone here to be responsible for me.”

Having made her point, she left the hotel.

Sonia was left speechless.

Alex, withdrawing his attention, casually suggested, “Let’s head to the hospital.”

Sonia had nothing more to say. Greg watched Candice’s retreating figure thoughtfully.

Candice hailed a taxi and went straight back to the hotel.

Feeling dizzy from the day’s event, she sighed deeply, freshened up in the restroom, and then

collapsed onto

the bed.

Candice’s head was reeling.

Lying down, the room appeared to spin around her.

As she closed her eyes, the memories of Yvonne’s pleas and Ivor’s harsh shouts haunted her.

Abruptly, her eyes wide open, she sat up and gasped for breath.

Once her emotions settled, she remembered her forgotten medication, quickly swallowing pills with a

gulp of

cold water.

The silence of the room enveloped her. Candice was awake despite having taken her medication.

She was thinking of getting something to do when her phone rang.

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It was a message from Hanley, sharing a link to an exhibition in Noxville.

Candice stared at her phone for a while before replying her thanks.

It was ironic to consider that, despite having only known this man for a short time, he was the only

person

who made her feel at peace at the time.

Even after the fever medication, her sleep was initially heavy. She was, however, tormented by the heat

later in the evening. Her throat felt dry and sore.

She struggled to get up, her clothes soaked in sweat.

As the fever waned, chills took over.

Confused, she instinctively picked up her phone to call someone.

However, when she opened her contact list, she discovered she had no one to call. Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.

Yvonne would not come; Joe was far away in Dorrington City; and Alex was less inclined to help her.

The sound of a dial tone jolted her out of her reverie.

Candice glanced at her phone and realized she had accidentally called someone–Alex.

Reacting slowly, she attempted to end the call, but her sweaty fingers repeatedly slipped on the screen.

Then Alex’s deep, somewhat rough voice came through. “What is it, Candice?”

Embarrassed, she hesitantly responded, “Sorry, wrong number.”

Her voice sounded dry and hoarse as she spoke.

A violent coughing fit ensued until she managed to breathe normally again.

Alex’s response was a cold sneer. “Wrong number? Who were you trying to call at this hour?”

Feeling the negativity in his tone, Candice quickly apologized for the disturbance and ended the call.

After hanging up, she exhaled in relief, noting it was four in the morning.

Candice tossed her phone aside and tried to sit up, but dizziness and weakness forced her back down.

Lying there, soaked in sweat, and feeling miserable, she could not resist a self–deprecating thought.

After years in the workforce, she realized she had no one to turn to in illness.

Picking up her phone again, she scrolled through her WhatsApp contacts.

She found there were few true friends, mostly clients and acquaintances linked to Alex’s network.