“Chris, thank you,” Ranita sincerely thanked him. “I will always remember this.”
“Don’t be polite with me! We’re friends!” Chris paused and said again, “You can rest assured that it’s safe here. I have assigned specialized bodyguards to stand guard 24 hours a day.”
“And we haven’t leaked any of your information.”
Pausing for a moment, Chris pulled out a bag from the cabinet. “This is your bag, the wallet is still there but your phone is missing.”
“I’ve already had it shut down for you. Later on, someone will help you get a new card and buy a new phone! Do you have any particular brand that you like?”
Ranita shook her head.
“Then I’ll have someone look into it!”
“Thank you!” Ranita thanked him. “Maybe my phone fell out when I rolled off the car. It was just recently replaced so there wasn’t anything important in it anyway.”
Ranita stayed in the hospital for two weeks.
After her wounds scabbed over and fell off, leaving behind some pink marks that looked ugly but her mental state improved day by day and her lower abdomen gradually formed an arc shape.
Dylan was the most diligent in visiting the hospital every day, trying to cheer up Ranita. Steve had to go abroad due to an academic report, and Chris came a few times, sitting with her briefly before hurriedly leaving.
No one mentioned Brendon, and Ranita didn’t ask either. Dylan escorted her back to the apartment, checked the doors and windows, and suggested, “Ranita, why don’t you move to my villa?”
Ranita declined.
She arranged for everyone to meet for dinner that evening. However, Ranita didn’t expect to encounter the person she least wanted to see in her life at the hotel entrance-Brendon and Shannon!
“Ranita, what a coincidence! Haven’t seen you in so many days. How are you?” Shannon, seeing Ranita showing no panic, smiled warmly.
Ranita pursed her lips and replied in a cool tone, “Thank you for your concern. I’m fine.”
“That’s good!” Shannon nudged Brendon’s arm. “Brendon, shall we invite Ranita to our engagement ceremony?”
Brendon, expressionless, cast a deep gaze at Ranita. Her complexion turned a bit pale; she was already delicate, and now she looked even more fragile. Who knew how she’d been coping with life, turning herself into this!
Twisting his fingers, Brendon’s voice was indifferent. “No need. It’s not a big deal, and she may not want to come even if we invite her.”
Dylan couldn’t help but want to retort, but Ranita stopped him.
“I really don’t have time,” Ranita nodded faintly toward Brendon, pulling Dylan along. “Let’s go!”
Ranita reserved a private room, and not long after they sat down, Chris and Steve arrived, along with the carefully wrapped Eve.
As they were all acquainted, the atmosphere was quite pleasant until Shannon, holding Brendon’s arm, entered the room. Her small face was pale, and she said with surprise, “Oh, everyone’s here! Chris, Steve, why didn’t you mention having dinner with Ranita? We were just next door, and the two of us were getting bored. Can we join?”
“Shannon… don’t you have any sense…” Dylan was about to retort, but Ranita stopped him. Taking a glass, she walked up to Brendon and Shannon, her voice soft, “Mr. Stuart, Miss Murphy, today I’m hosting a dinner for my friends, and the reserved seats are just enough. I may not be able to accommodate both of you.”
“I offer tea instead of wine. Congratulations on your engagement, and I wish you a happy and blissful future.”