Chapter 5 Waiting Idly for Him
- It was already past 8.00PM when Charlotte left the hospital and took the bus back to the company, and it had begun drizzling.
- Right as she entered the lobby, she found Darius standing straight with one hand in his pants pocket and the other holding a phone. At the same time, he was talking to a receptionist. The spotlights in the lobby were bright and dazzling, and it made him look even more aloof and distinguished under the lights.
- Suddenly, she got butterflies in her stomach.
- Why were they bumping into each other frequently these days when they barely ever met in the past?!
- He was on the phone when he walked past Charlotte, and who knew if he even heard her greeting him.
- By the time Charlotte entered the lift and turned around, Darius had slowly faded into the night.
- It's raining heavily out there. I wonder if he's brought an umbrella.
- Her father never had the habit of taking an umbrella with him either, and Charlotte would always have to chase after him. After handing him the umbrella, he would stroke her hair and say, "My little girl is all grown up and knows how to love her father now, huh."
- At that point, her teary eyes had blurred her vision.
- It wasn't until 4.00AM that she finished work that day, and she decided not to return to her rented apartment. Instead, she would just take a nap until it was time to work again.
- However, her ringtone roused her not long after she rested her head on the desk.
- When she saw it was from Dr. Frost, she hurriedly answered it.
- For the last two years, there were only two reasons he would call; either her mother's condition worsened, or she had to pay another round of hospital bills.
- "Charlotte, your mother had a fever after you left last night. Our primary speculation is bronchiectasis…"
- "Is it serious?" Charlotte shot up from her seat, disturbed.
- "Take it easy. We've already given her first aid, and her condition is stable for now. However, the fee for yesterday's operation, adding your original hospital bill, would round up to sixty-plus thousand. Why don't you just pay it all in one shot? I can't always make excuses for you when you keep delaying the payment, you know. Also, Charlotte, your mother's in an unusual situation, whereas you and your brother are both working; you should hire a caretaker to look after her. Regular cleaning of the body can prevent a lot of infections…"
- Charlotte stood rooted to the spot, stumped. She was already spent from a night's overtime, and she had received this bolt from the blue.
- Forget about sixty thousand; she couldn't even pull out six thousand from her bank account.
- Now, she finally understood that a man without money was a bow without an arrow.
- Her monthly wage here in NeoEast only came up to six thousand five hundred bucks, and some of it still had to go to her rented apartment. What was more, she'd only get her next paycheck in another half a month.
- Albeit she would receive her certified public accountant license and earn loads, it would only happen a year later.
- She knew Dr. Frost was long done with helping her in every way possible. If he hadn't spoken up for her, her mother would've been thrown out of the hospital ages ago.
- Sixty thousand. That's a lot of money. They had already borrowed money from every one of their relatives, and now, no one was willing to lend them more.
- Just when she was over a barrel, Darius' words from the day before suddenly popped into her head.
- Five million compared to sixty thousand was practically a drop in the bucket!
- Her mind began wavering.
- There was a moment when she could have earned 'five million', but now, it was nothing but a pie in the sky.
- This wasn't the first time Dr. Frost had told her that Audrey needed a caretaker. However, she could never fish the money out for it, and now, the downside of not hiring one had surfaced. Due to improper care, mucus had built up in her mother's lungs. Now, she needed to find a caretaker for her mother.
- Charlotte was well aware that an eligible bachelor like Darius would have zero trouble in finding any woman to marry. He did say he had searched around. I wonder if things have changed after one night?
- As the thought crossed her mind, she grew hot-headed, and she went to his office.
- It was just after 5.00AM, and Darius hadn't arrived. Thus, she stood by the door and waited for his arrival.
- Just when she was succumbing to sleep, Darius showed up.