Chapter 9
Lianne knew no recipes for a hangover cure, but Zane did not give her a chance to speak. “There’s a recipe and ingredients in the kitchen. Call me once you make it.”
Lianne had to take the job. Fortunately, she had done her fair share of housework growing up, so the task should not be too much of a challenge.
She prepped the ingredients according to the recipe, and not too long later, a nice hot broth was ready.
Lianne carried the bowl of broth out of the kitchen, but Zane was no longer in the living room. She looked around and found the door to the master bedroom left ajar. The light inside was seeping through the crack.
She put down the bowl and pulled out her phone to text Zane. “Mr. Atlas, the broth is ready. If there’s nothing else, I should get going.”
The doorbell rang right after Lianne sent the text message. The loud sound in the dead of the night frightened Lianne.
Thinking that it must be the CEO’s wife looking for him at this hour, Lianne started to freak out.
Although she and Zane had a strict a**istant and CEO relationship, people would think otherwise since they were alone in the room in the middle of the night.
Amid Lianne’s hesitation, the bedroom door swung open, and Zane walked out in only a bathrobe. “Go and open the door.”
It appeared he had just gotten out of the shower. The bathrobe hung loosely over him as water dripped down his hair. Paired with that perfectly sculptured face, Zane was one fine piece of meat.
The picture of him left more for the mind to wander. Lianne nervously gulped. “Mr. Atlas, should I make myself scarce?”
Zane asked, “Why?”
Lianne replied, “I don’t want your wife to get the wrong idea.”
“Don’t worry. She won’t. You’re not my type anyway.” Zane used her words to Morgan against her.
Lianne knew he was not interested in her, but she simply wanted to avoid any misunderstandings down the line.
Since he was unbothered, she had nothing to fear.
Lianne approached the entrance and opened the door. A man and a woman stood outside.
The woman in her forties carried a medical kit, while the sun-kissed man was big and strong. He also had a thick scar under his left eye.
The highly identifiable facial marker reminded Lianne that she had seen the man during her shopping trip in Montclaire a few days ago.
The man did not stray too far from Zane back then. Nevertheless, Lianne no longer saw the man when they entered the shop, so she never made the connection between the man and Zane.
The woman was surprised to see Lianne. “Ms. Simpson, what are you doing here?”
Lianne did not recognize these people, but they seemed to know her. “And you are?”
The woman replied, “I’m Dr. Leah, Mr. Atlas’ personal doctor. This boy here is my son, Pete Xander.”
“Hello.” Lianne stepped aside and invited the pair into the house.
The woman smiled and removed her shoes before heading toward Zane. She nimbly opened her medical kit, got the syringe ready, and administered Zane a shot.
Once done, she said, “Zane, you know…” She paused before looking back at Lianne.
Zane lay nonchalantly on the sofa. “Relax. I’ll have Pete toss her into the sea and feed her to the sharks if she spills the beans on my weakness.”
Lianne was speechless.
She had the urge to swear.
What had she done to deserve this?
Lianne was woken up from her sleep by a call, took a cab to Bare, and drove him home. She even made him something for his hangover…
Despite working tirelessly through the night, she did not even get a word of gratitude. Now, he wanted to throw her into the sea to feed the sharks.
“Mr. Atlas, the broth is on the dining table. If there’s nothing else, I should get going.” The less she knew about certain things, the safer she was. Lianne valued her life too much, so she was better off leaving.
Zane paid her no mind. As Lianne tried to leave, the tall and muscular man stood in front of the door like a gatekeeper, blocking her way out.
Lianne cocked her head and looked at Zane. “Mr. Atlas, you don’t want outsiders to know your secret, and I don’t want to know either. Please let me leave.”
Zane raised an eyebrow. “Are you an outsider?”
She tried to remove herself from the situation even though she worked closely with him. That was quite smart of her.
Lianne was rendered speechless.
As his personal a**istant, she was not considered an outsider.
So Lianne compliantly sat in a corner and got engrossed in her phone, not wanting to engage in their business. However, she could not escape from overhearing their conversation.
Dr. Leah nagged, “You know you can’t take mixed alcoholic drinks, but you did it anyway. Does your life mean anything to you?”
Zane answered, “I was upset. So I had a few drinks.”
Dr. Leah inquired, “Why were you upset?”
Lianne was curious about the cause of the CEO’s bad mood too. Although she was all ears, Zane did not answer the question.
Zane was in a foul mood the day after a date with his wife.
The same thing happened again.
Did something happen between him and his wife?
Plus, why was it not mentioned in the handbook for the CEO’s personal a**istant that Zane was allergic to mixed alcoholic drinks?
Lianne gave it some thought and quickly found an answer. Only a dummy would put their weakness in the handbook.
There was bound to be danger a**ociated with the position as the head of the Atlas Group. Zane had to be more cautious than the average person.
Lianne had learned all of Zane’s dislikes through the handbook. It was probably written for people with vested interests or ulterior motives.
Dr. Leah suddenly beckoned her over. “Ms. Simpson, if you could come over and lend a hand.”
Lianne put away her phone and drew close. “What do you need me for, Dr. Leah?”
Dr. Leah answered, “Zane, take off your clothes so Ms. Simpson can rub the medicine on you.”
Not only did Zane refuse to take off his clothes, but he also clutched his collar as if Lianne would take advantage of him. “I took your prescribed medication, so I’m good. I don’t need any external medicine.”
Dr. Leah uttered, “You know your body better than me. It will take more than two weeks for your rash to go away without external medicine. I can call your grandmother if you’re not going to listen…”
Zane stared Dr. Leah down, but he did not scare her. Dr. Leah mumbled under her breath, “Don’t blame others for pointing it out when you don’t even take care of yourself.”
“Mr. Atlas, just take the doctor’s advice.” Lianne did not know what Zane had, but the patient could not go wrong by following the doctor’s orders.
Zane gave Lianne a look that suggested she was nosy. “Come here, Pete.”
Dr. Leah said, “Pete has an injured arm, Zane. Let Ms. Simpson do it.”
Without another word, Zane loosened his robe.
With the robe slipping down, the rashes overshadowed his perfectly chiseled eight abs. It was an appalling sight to Lianne.
Dr. Leah handed Lianne a cotton pad. “Ms. Simpson, please rub the cream on the rashes.”
Lianne nodded her head. She had minimal experience in medical administration. Her worry about hurting Zane got the best of her as she clumsily rubbed the cream over him. “Bear with me, Mr. Atlas. I will make it painless.”
Zane looked at her without hiding the disdain in his eyes…
Lianne had no words.
Did he think she wanted to apply the medicine to him?
If it were not for the doubled wages, he could fall on his knees and beg her, but she would not help him.
