A summer night’s storm, with heavy rain and fierce wind, can easily lead to a cold. Just as Marilyn was about to collapse, a pair of headlights slowly approached from a distance.
Marilyn thought she was dreaming, unable to believe her eyes.
The license plate was Nelson’s usual one. The car door opened, and out stepped the distinguished man. He held a black umbrella, and the first thing he saw was this woman.
Marilyn’s eyes lit up with intense hope. She dropped her umbrella and ran over, hugging the man’s waist tightly. Her voice was trembling with tears, “I knew you would come!”
Her certainty made him frown.
Nelson gently pried Marilyn’s hands off him, pushing her to arm’s length. He moved the umbrella closer to her and spoke in a cool tone, “Marilyn, I can’t do anything about Vanco. I have no obligation to help. Even though Jaquan and I are on good terms, I have no standing to ask him to abandon this acquisition. Do you understand?”
Moreover, his relationship with Jaquan wasn’t that great in private.
He made his point clear, cutting off Marilyn’s hopes.
Nelson hadn’t planned on coming tonight, but he wasn’t entirely heartless. Some things he had done to her were too harsh, and he had softened.
Marilyn’s eyes were pleading, “I understand, but Nelson, I remember you once told me you had respect for traditional companies. If Vanco disappears, very few traditional media outlets will survive. You’ve seen the decline… Can’t you help? Just this once, for old times’ sake.”
Nelson felt a headache coming on.
Marilyn was stubborn and couldn’t be reasoned with.
She was drenched, her face wet with rain or tears-it was hard to tell.
Nelson didn’t give her any hope, “Acquiring Vanco involves many people’s efforts. Even if I could persuade Jaquan, who would compensate Scott Group for the losses?”
Marilyn grabbed Nelson’s hand, “I’ll talk to the board. Vanco will take responsibility for the losses. Just give Vanco a way out. Wherever we meet in the future, Vanco will make way for Scott Group.”
It was an unequal competition; Jaquan probably wouldn’t even consider these terms.
Nelson held her hand and was about to pull away when he felt how hot she was.
He realized Marilyn might have been standing there all day.
Since he was already there, he couldn’t just leave a woman burning with fever.
He held her hand firmly, “Let’s talk inside.”
Azure Ocean Villa was an old yet uniquely designed villa with an unbeatable sea view. It had once been auctioned for 800 million but never sold for some unknown reason.
The last time Nelson was here was with Callie.
The peach trees planted in the yard had thrived, lush and green.
Marilyn hadn’t been here in a long time. She trembled as she pushed open the door. Nothing had changed inside, but it had been four years since she last entered.
Tears rolled down Marilyn’s cheeks, her eyes red. She never thought she’d return here one day.
Before she could speak, she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed straight to the ground.
The man beside her shouted, “Marilyn!”
She caught a high fever.
When Marilyn woke up again, there was a cooling patch on her forehead. On the bedside table were a glass of water and a few pills.