Chapter 505: Meet Him Again

Manuel waited for Susan on the couch. As she dressed, he stood, saying, "Let me walk you out."

Susan was surprised. She expected him to remain passive, regardless of the lateness of the hour. But Manuel seemed unconcerned by her surprise. He changed his shoes, opened the door, and Susan followed, quickly putting on her own.

Outside, Manuel locked the door, changing the password and deleting her fingerprint access. Susan understood; she would have done the same. There was no room for explanation; her access was permanently revoked.

They rode the elevator in silence, feeling like strangers. Upon reaching the ground floor, Manuel led her out into the chilly night air. Susan shivered, inadequately dressed in a thin slip dress under her coat, and high heels. Manuel, however, continued walking steadily, seemingly oblivious to her discomfort.

Watching his back, Susan fell silent, then hurried to catch up. At the gate, a black limousine waited—her father's chauffeur. Manuel must have informed her father. He simply walked her to the car.

A wave of inexplicable upset washed over her. She entered the limousine, watching as Manuel walked away, his thin clothing and disheveled hair tousled by the wind. He seemed distant, both physically and emotionally. Overwhelmed, Susan burst into tears.

The next day, Susan awoke with a severe cold and dizziness. She considered herself resilient, but the brief exposure to the night air had felled her. Had the miscarriage weakened her significantly? She regretted ignoring Hannah's advice.

She called her father to request leave. Though he agreed, his doubt was palpable, making her question her credibility in his eyes. She lay in bed, battling chills, dizziness, and fever. The last time she'd been this ill, she couldn't recall. Alone and bored, she received a call from Henry at 10 AM.

Hesitant, she answered. Despite his anger the previous night, guilt lingered over their encounter at Manuel's apartment.

"Henry?"

"I heard you're sick. Did you catch a cold last night?" His concern intensified her guilt. She couldn't understand his refusal to be intimate while seemingly loving her. Perhaps he had his reasons.

Susan sighed, "Perhaps it was because I wasn't warm enough."

"Sorry… It's all my fault…"

"It's okay. I'll be alright in a few days."

"Have you seen a doctor?"

"No, I don't want to."

"You need a doctor. Let me take you to the hospital."

"No," Susan refused, embarrassed at the prospect of seeing him.

"Susan, don't be childish! I'll come right away."

"Alright, I can go myself. Just keep working. I'll use the chauffeur. You need to focus on your job," Susan replied quickly, wanting to end the conversation. She didn't want to seem petulant.

Henry fell silent. "Don't worry, I don't want to interrupt your work."

She hung up, feeling relieved. She called the chauffeur, then struggled from bed to wash. In the mirror, she saw bruises on her neck—hickeys. The realization struck her moments later, dispelling any lingering notion that their encounter with Manuel had been platonic.

Mixed emotions flooded her. She could pretend nothing happened, perhaps Manuel would too.

She dressed warmly and went to the hospital, her VIP room awaiting. Her temperature was 104°F.

"I'm afraid your brain might fry if you'd waited any longer," the doctor joked. She'd never had such a high fever. How could a few minutes in the cold have caused this?

The doctor prescribed medication and an IV, arranging a private room for rest. "A nap until 2 PM might help..." he added, presenting the bill.

"Okay," Susan complied. Despite her dislike of hospitals, she understood the importance of her health.

A nurse led her to her room, but she stopped. Through an open door, she saw Manuel in a nearby VIP room, sleeping with a laptop beside him. Was he still working, even while ill?