Patricia was about to say something but found that Kareem had gone.She couldn't help but feel a little
helpless as she looked at the empty doorway.Had Kareem come here just to give her the news? It
couldn't have been that simple.
There had to be another motive behind him telling her those things.
If there was some truth in what he had told her, the President of the Veyron Corp would have intimated
to her himself.
However, she had received no such communication.
Was Kareem lying to her? If so, what was the purpose behind it? Patricia considered the possibility that
the cooperation between the Veyron Corp and the Reynolds Group was at risk.
Kareem wouldn't have come all this way just for the sake of lying to her.
Something else had to be the matter.
He was a senior executive at the Reynolds Group after all. But the Veyron Group had made no attempt
to notify her.
None of this was making sense to her.
She couldn't wait around for someone to give her more information.She tried calling the President, but
his phone was switched off.She cried out in frustration and her thoughts began to run wild.
Maybe Kareem was right.
Maybe there really was something wrong at the company.
When Dora walked in to replace the medication, Patricia implored her, "Dora please, I need to go out."
She absolutely had to go to the company to see what was going on for herself.
She wasn't able to get through to the President and she had no other source of information.
Dora was taken aback.
Her eyes wide she asked, "Miss Sampson! What are you saying?"
Feeling a little embarrassed, Patricia explained the scenario.
She needed to go back to the company to figure things out.
"Do you understand now Dora? Can I go out for a while?"
She looked expectantly at Dora.She was her only hope now.
Dora struggled internally, almost on the verge of letting her go.
Instead, however, she pursed her lips and reminded herself that Patricia's health was more important.If
she let her out, she could get hurt again.
"No, Miss Sampson.I'm sorry but you need to listen to the doctor.I know it's difficult for you to stay put in
this room all day.But you need to get better and I can't let you out until you're alright.Just be patient."
Dora tried to say this as gently as she could.She was worried for Patricia, and it showed on her
face.Patricia sighed.
She felt helpless and this frustrated her.
Dora was concerned about her, she was aware of that.
But how could she not see that the situation at the Veyron Corp.
was so much more important? If she couldn't go see for herself, all she would be able to do here was
worry.
Dora didn't like to see Patricia unhappy.It was difficult for her to watch Patricia so crestfallen.She felt
her resolve weakening.
"Maybe you could go out for a little while.I'm sure it's not impossible, but..."
Zac finding out about this worried Dora.She would be blamed for not doing her job well.
"But what, Dora?" Patricia was hopeful once again.
All she wanted was one chance to go to the company as soon as possible.
Dora was not going to be able to refuse Patricia’ requests and gave in with a heavy heart.
She began to tell Patricia what to do.
All she would need to leave the hospital was a doctor's written approval.She probably wouldn't be
allowed out for too long though, given the seriousness of her condition.
Five hours was all she was going to get outside.
Patricia didn't waste another second before jumping up and rushing to the doctor's office.
She was sure she would have to convince the doctor a fair bit.But to her surprise, the young doctor
didn't seem like he could care any less.
He didn't even bother to ask her why she needed to go out.
Dora insisted that she would accompany Patricia to wherever she was going.
Patricia didn't bother arguing.
If anything, she felt stronger having Dora by her side.
It probably would help to have Dora if something was to go wrong.
Patricia and Dora arrived at the Veyron Corp.
barely fifteen minutes after the approval was signed.
The place seemed to have had the life sucked out of it.
Something had gone terribly wrong, Patricia was now convinced of that.
She spotted a familiar face at the front desk and this calmed her down.
At least the reception she knew was still here.
"Miss Sampson! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in recovery at the hospital?"
The receptionist had an expression of utter disbelief on her face and she didn't do a very good job at
trying to hide it.
Just ignoring the questioning tone, Patricia got straight to the point and asked, "What's happening
here?"
It had only been four days since she was hospitalized and yet, a lot seemed to have changed in her
short absence.
Whether it was Patricia's intimidating look or the reality of what was happening at the company, the
receptionist began to tremble.
She seemed to have no guts to answer this question.
This reaction was enough to confirm Patricia's doubts.
Things were not right at the company.
Patricia left the trembling receptionist and made her way to the elevator.
She hit number 15 for the President's office, the way she had done so many times in the past.
But this time, her anxiety was taking over her usual confidence.
What could have gone so wrong? Why was no one telling her anything? Was she being kept in the
dark deliberately? Or did they just think she wasn't important enough to be informed? It was not until
now that she felt that she was excluded by the company.
She had never felt like this before.
Dora was observing Patricia's face, growing more and more morose by the second.
She could sense from Patricia's tightly pursed lips and tension around the office that something bad
had occurred.
The moment Patricia stepped off the elevator, her path was blocked by the President's secretary.
"Miss Sampson, the President is in an important meeting.You can leave a message with me or wait to
see him after the meeting."
The secretary sounded almost robotic, his face as expressionless as his voice.This was in stark
contrast to the startled receptionist at the front desk.Kareem's words kept swimming through her head.
No matter how calm the secretary appeared to be, Patricia knew something was happening at the
company.
"When will the meeting finish?" Patricia was glaring at the secretary.
"Half an hour, probably." The tone was as robotic as before.
Patricia stared at him coldly, her mind trying to figure out whether or not to believe him. She took a
deep breath and decided to wait.What choice did she have anyway?
"Okay, I'll be waiting outside." She walked over to the rest area.
As soon as she finished speaking, she sat down quietly, followed by Dora.
Then the secretary returned to do his work.
Dora wasn't sure if she was imagining it, but the secretary seemed to be especially cold towards
Patricia, as though intentionally making things difficult for her.
"Miss Sampson, the meeting probably won't end in half an hour.How long are you planning to wait?"
She had whispered this into Patricia's ear, not wanting the secretary to hear a word.She was almost
certain that the secretary was lying about the meeting.She didn't want to witness Patricia to be fooled
by the secretary.
But Patricia didn't seem too bothered.A sly smile appeared at the corners of her mouth and her eyes
looked fierce.
"I'm going to barge in after half an hour no matter what!"
Of course, Patricia was smart enough to see through the secretary's tactics.
But that wasn't enough to stop her from doing what she wanted to.
Dora admired Patricia's determination.
She was content in the shadow of Patricia's confidence and this made her smile.
A half hour passed and as expected, the meeting was not over.
Patricia stood up and rushed over to the office door, not giving the secretary much of a chance to stop
her.
A moment before she could push the door open, however, the door swung open from the other side
and Zac's face appeared.
Blindsided by the turn of events, Patricia held her breath and stood still.All she could do was stare at
Zac, unable to say anything
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