Chapter 642: Chapter 642: Unable to Handle the Turmoil
The next day.
In a daze, Ann Vaughn heard faint sounds coming from the living room. She drowsily opened her eyes and glanced towards the door, then lifted the covers and got out of bed.
"President Hawthorne, the meeting that was postponed yesterday is scheduled for two-thirty this afternoon. I’ve booked you an eight o’clock flight, direct to M Country."
Mark Joyce pulled up the itinerary on his tablet and quickly reported, "The meeting will probably end around three-thirty. From four to five, you need to inspect the project progress at the branch office. At five-thirty, you have a business dinner to attend, and at eight, there’s a video conference..."
The itinerary was so full that, even excluding travel time, the total rest time added up to no more than half an hour.
Thinking that the boss hadn’t closed his eyes for rest since the day before yesterday, Mark Joyce couldn’t help but say, "President Hawthorne, you’ve been up all night with meetings. How about you rest for a bit first?"
In order to free up time for New Year’s Eve in F Country with Miss Vaughn, the boss hadn’t rested at all these past days, not even closing his eyes.
The work intensity was so high that it nearly caused mental stress for the employees of the group.
The man sitting on the sofa had his long legs crossed and was staring down at the sleek black laptop on his knee, his brow furrowing and smoothing out alternatively, mostly unreadable beneath layers of deep thought.
"Send me the project report for the technology branch in M Country," Cyrus Hawthorne spoke in a neutral tone, ignoring Mark Joyce’s attempt at persuasion.
Mark Joyce could only swallow back the words he wanted to say, "Yes."
Miss Vaughn really overestimated him, thinking he could persuade this master?
Ann Vaughn, who had opened the door a crack to openly eavesdrop, felt her heart tighten at Mark Joyce’s words, and a guess floated up in her mind.
A direct flight from S Country to M Country was almost two hours shorter than flying from here directly.
Cyrus Hawthorne specifically postponed the meeting and went out of his way to come to F Country... Could it really be just to spend New Year’s Eve with her?
Ann Vaughn bit her lower lip, her entire heart feeling like it was taken out from sour water and then dipped into a honey pot, sour and sweet emotions intertwining, indescribably complex.
She truly values the sense of ritual that such special days should have, and she wishes to have someone to spend them with.
But even just a text message, a phone call, would have been enough to satisfy her.
Yet this man...
Appeared suddenly before her like a god descending from heaven, filling her with surprise and giddiness, her heart brimming with sweet bubbles.
"Tap."
Ann Vaughn accidentally nudged the door handle with her elbow, causing a crisp sound.
The man turned his head to look and saw Ann Vaughn standing at the door in her pajamas, eyes misty with sleep. His brow furrowed slightly, his voice gentle and light, "Did I wake you?"
Ann Vaughn snapped out of her daze, walked over and sat beside him, and without a word, closed the laptop on his knees.
"Hmm?" Cyrus Hawthorne raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.
"I can’t sleep without someone with me," Ann Vaughn’s eyes rolled, and suddenly an idea formed in her mind. She pretended to be willful and moved his laptop away.
It’s just after five, so there’s still at most two hours to rest.
If he doesn’t agree, she’ll take his laptop with her!
Cyrus Hawthorne’s lips curled up into a slight smile, and he raised his hand to ruffle her long hair, soothingly saying, "You sleep first; I’ll come over soon."
Liar!
Once she’s asleep, how will she know whether or not he actually rests?
Ann Vaughn huffed internally, shook off his hand, picked up the laptop, and stood, "If you don’t come with me, I’ll have it accompany me!"
Saying this, she marched back to the room with a determined stride.
Cyrus Hawthorne stood up, his long legs taking swift strides, and quickly scooped the charging-like-a-small-cannonball Ann Vaughn into his arms, carrying her sideways.
If he really let her sleep alone, given her spoilt and vengeful nature, he might not ever be able to get back on her good side again.
"Aren’t you supposed to be working? Why stop me?" The sudden lift startled Ann Vaughn, and she glared fiercely at Cyrus Hawthorne.
The man sighed softly, carrying her toward the room, "Being with you while you sleep is more important."
"...Consider yourself smart."
Meanwhile, Mark Joyce, the single dog: ... Even though it’s the same advice, why is there such a big difference between people?
As long as you’re happy, there’s no need to worry about the life or death of such a nationally protected species like me.
At seven, Ann Vaughn forced herself to get up and have breakfast with Cyrus Hawthorne, then saw him off to the airport.
Yet seeing how Cyrus Hawthorne, who had slept for less than two hours, was still in high spirits and full of energy, how Ann Vaughn felt sour with envy.
"Why is it that with less sleep, you seem even more energetic than me?" Ann Vaughn pouted slightly and playfully pinched the palm of his hand, "I suspect you of absorbing my energy!"
"Cough, cough-cough—" Mark Joyce in the front seat was startled by Ann Vaughn’s audacious comment, choking and coughing repeatedly.
He didn’t even understand why he was in the car.
He should have been under the car.
Cyrus Hawthorne let Ann Vaughn’s soft little hands rove in his palm, looking at her with narrowed eyes that held a hint of laughter, "Mrs. Hawthorne, you should really take better care. Your body’s too frail to handle much."
Ann Vaughn: ???
Is that what they were discussing??
On the way back to the hotel, Ann Vaughn was still brooding and took out her wallet to pay when the driver announced their arrival.
Unexpectedly, she suddenly noticed that there was a gleaming pink diamond ring on her right ring finger—since when, she didn’t know!
Ann Vaughn was suddenly stunned.
The intricately detailed and connected patterns naturally formed the ring, with no excess embellishments at the edges, appearing understated, luxurious, without taking away from the brilliance of the pink diamond.
The combination was unique and intriguing.
"I’ve seen this ring on TV. It was bid for ninety million at an auction, eventually won by a gentleman from S Country. If the one on your hand is genuine, you’d better take good care of it," the driver remarked courteously, glancing at Ann Vaughn’s diamond ring and complimenting it.
"Thank you." Ann Vaughn steadied her emotions, paid, and got out of the car, still slightly dazed.
Why did Cyrus Hawthorne suddenly give her a ring?
When did he put it on her? She hadn’t even noticed!
She suddenly recalled asking for a gift last night, but because he acted playfully, the topic hadn’t been continued.
So it turns out he was waiting for her here all along.
...
Coast villa.
When Ann Vaughn arrived and heard from Madame Sisha that Brown had been dismissed, she was a bit surprised, thinking it was because of her.
"Cherith has been poisoned for a long time, the hospital couldn’t have missed it entirely. It was Brown who intercepted and hid the news and results, deceiving both Cherith and me," Madame Sisha explained, "We have handed him over to the court, the trial will be the day after tomorrow."
"So serious?" Ann Vaughn’s eyebrows lightly furrowed. Could there be something more to this story?