After a three-hour secret discussion with Eliezer and Brian, Darnell arranged for the Apex to send them away.
Nick was somewhat surprised that Darnell let them go, but he didn’t ask why. Instead, he continued drinking and chatting with Darnell, discussing the future plans for the Apex.
After giving Nick some pointers, Darnell had someone take him back to the company. He still had to accompany Areli to the charity event that night.
It was around four o’clock when he returned to Spectrum Pharmaceuticals building. Seeing many people waiting by the elevator and movers from a moving company, Darnell decided to take the stairs.
Climbing seventeen flights of stairs would be challenging for most people, but not for him. He reached the seventeenth floor without much effort or panting.
He reached out to pull the handle of the door, but unlike before, the door didn’t budge. It was locked.
Darnell muttered under his breath and ran up to the eighteenth floor. Again, it wouldn’t open. “Damn! What’s going on? Are all the emergency exit doors locked?”
If there were a fire, wouldn’t Spectrum Pharmaceuticals be in grave danger?
Just as Darnell was about to check the nineteenth floor, he heard a young woman’s voice talking on the phone in hushed tones.
“I understand. I know what to do. Yes, okay. Don’t worry.”
Then her voice turned sharp. “But remember, once it’s done, return all photos and videos to me.”
Though Darnell couldn’t identify who she was, he discerned from the conversation that she was likely involved in some shady deal and had come here to make a call.
He stood awkwardly, unsure whether to move or stay put-moving might lead to an awkward encounter.
“Click-clack!”
Before Darnell could decide, he heard high heels clicking on the stairs. The young woman seemed to be coming down.
Darnell exhaled deeply and sprinted upwards at an incredible speed so she wouldn’t see him clearly-like a shadow passing by.
“Thud!”
Just as he reached halfway up the stairs, he collided with the young woman. It wasn’t intentional. He had tried to avoid her.
However, perhaps due to nervousness or guilt, the woman stumbled upon seeing Darnell appear suddenly.
Her fall landed her right onto Darnell.
Darnell staggered backward under her weight but quickly regained his footing against the wall.
He then asked with concern, “Miss, are you alright?”
The stunning woman wore a orange dress that revealed large swathes of fair skin adorned with a metallic necklace-a seductive sight indeed.
Her skirt was very short, exposing two fair, long legs.
Her graceful steps exuded allure.
One of her high heels had fallen off. Her bare left foot lightly touched down-red and swollen-causing her to bite her cherry-like lips.
She blinked eyes that had been meticulously enhanced. What a captivating beauty!
Darnell was slightly surprised by this enchantress but felt she looked familiar at the same time.
Before Darnell could speak further, she lashed out sharply, “Are you blind? Running on stairs, are you in a hurry to meet your end?”
Darnell was taken aback by how mercilessly this alluring woman spoke despite being the one who collided with him first.
“You hurt me. My foot is sprained.”
The woman rubbed her left foot and said coldly, “What are you going to do about it?”
Darnell coughed lightly. “It seems like you bumped into me first. If you’re trying to extort me, check above for surveillance cameras.”
“It was because you startled me first.”
The woman raised her head before snapping, “Are you trying to dodge responsibility? Let me tell you-if you don’t-”
“Mr. Halford?”
The beautiful woman suddenly froze, surprise flickering across her face. Her voice cooled as she continued, “What are you doing here?”
Darnell raised an eyebrow. “You know me?” He scratched his head. “I don’t think I know you.”
She shifted away from him, her expression turning icy and hostile. “Mr. Halford, you’re well-known. Everyone in Spectrum Pharmaceuticals knows you. You don’t know me because I’m the new administrative supervisor promoted by Miss Fanshaw. I’m Grace Morris.”
It was clear she knew Darnell well, stating his name and title with ease, though there was an undercurrent of mockery in her tone.
“Oh, Ms. Morris, nice to meet you. I’m Darnell Halford, head of the sales development.”
No wonder she looked familiar. She was an employee at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. He extended his hand warmly. “Let’s work well together.”
He hadn’t expected the administrative department to have such a beauty.
Grace slipped on her high heel, leaning against the wall as she started down the stairs. “Mr. Halford and I aren’t on the same team. It’s best we don’t get too close.”
Darnell furrowed his brows. “Ms. Morris, are you implying something?”
“It’s nothing.”
Without looking back, Grace continued down the stairs. “I’ve heard that employees at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals who get close to Mr. Halford don’t have good outcomes.”
“I didn’t believe it until just now when you nearly knocked me down the stairs. Watch where you’re walking, or else you might hit a dead end.”
Darnell was puzzled, unsure why this woman was being so adversarial. He didn’t think he had upset her.
As he listened to Grace unlock the emergency exit door, he squinted and called out, “Ms. Morris-”
Grace’s voice was cool. “If it’s not work-related, don’t try to chat me up.”
“Alright.”
Darnell shrugged, feeling helpless. “I just wanted to tell you that your skirt is caught in your underwear, and your buttocks are completely exposed.”
Grace paused, turning to check. Sure enough, her skirt was indeed caught, which explained the chill she felt. Flustered, she hurriedly adjusted her dress.
Yet, after fixing it, she showed no sign of gratitude, merely huffed and headed for the door.
Darnell called out again, “Ms. Morris-”
“Don’t talk to me!”
Grace’s expression darkened, and she instinctively quickened her pace. Suddenly, there was a sharp sound as her clothing snagged on the key still in the door.
Her face went pale as she turned back to check her clothes, bumping her head against the door, fuming as she pounded on it before awkwardly leaving.
Darnell shook his head in disbelief. “I’m truly bad luck!”
He descended the stairs and reached the emergency exit door on the eighteenth floor, bending down to pick up a membership card and glancing at it.
Vantage.