Chapter 9
It was 8:50 AM when Skadi arrived at the apartment. As usual, she called to have Hera come down.
By 9:20, Hera finally hobbled out of the residential area, her high heels clicking against the pavement. Nash followed behind with his hands in his pockets, glancing at her in concern. “Are you sure you don’t want me to take a look at it?”
Due to elevator maintenance, they’d been forced to take the stairs, and in her rush to save time, Hera had twisted her ankle.
“I have an important meeting at 9:30,” Hera gritted through her teeth, “I can’t afford to waste any more time!”
Nash smirked. “Well, if you’re in such a hurry, why were you so slow? It took you 30 minutes just to have breakfast and put on makeup.”
Hera pouted and didn’t respond, though in truth, it wasn’t just the breakfast that had slowed her down. Normally, she’d rush through her meal, but today, she had been keen to savor each bite with Nash watching her. And when had she ever done her makeup in front of a man?
They reached the street where Skadi was leaning against the car, dressed in a black leather jacket and sunglasses, her hair tied up in a neat ponytail. She radiated a cool, heroic aura.
Skadi lowered her sunglasses as they approached, giving Nash a playful yet meaningful look. “Nash Calcraft, don’t you know how to cherish and protect women? Do you really not understand how painful it is for a woman when it’s her first time?”
Nash blinked, genuinely confused. “What first time?”
Skadi rolled her eyes but didn’t elaborate. She moved to support Hera. “Hera, do you want to take the day off and rest at home?”
Hera’s face turned bright red as she shot Skadi a glare. “Stop making things up. I just sprained my foot while going down the stairs!”
“I know, I know.” Skadi smiled knowingly. “I’ll get you some painkillers later.”
Hera, already flustered, instinctively reached for the passenger seat door. But before she could open it, Skadi grabbed the handle and smiled. “Nope, you sit in the back.”
With a bit more force than necessary, Skadi pushed Hera into the backseat before hopping into the driver’s seat herself. Nash entered from the other side, and Skadi quickly closed the doors before starting the car. “Hold on tight. We’re in a bit of a rush today, so I might drive a little faster.”
Hera winced at the discomfort in her ankle, and Nash noticed her pained expression. He immediately spoke up. “Let me take a look at it. If it’s a bone misalignment, it needs to be treated right away.”
Without waiting for her to agree, he gently grabbed her ankle, placing it on his lap. Hera’s skirt, knee-length and delicate, brushed against his legs, and Nash couldn’t help but notice how smooth her skin felt.
“Ah… gentler, please…” Hera winced as the pain from her sprained ankle flared. She clenched her lips tightly to keep from crying out, gripping the edge of her skirt to stop it from riding up.
Skadi glanced in the rearview mirror, her eyes narrowing slightly. “You really sprained your foot?”
Hera shot her a look of irritation. “What else could it be?”
Skadi didn’t respond, but her smile suggested she thought there might be more going on between the two of them.
Nash, oblivious to her thoughts, carefully removed Hera’s high heel, holding her ankle in one hand and her foot in the other as he gently twisted it. The touch of his hand against the delicate skin of her sole sent an unexpected warmth through him.
“It’s a misalignment,” Nash confirmed, his voice low. “Bear with the pain for a moment.”
Hera winced, squeezing her eyes shut. “Can you be a little gentler?”
“I’m going to count to three,” Nash said calmly. “Are you ready?”
“Okay…” Hera breathed in deeply, bracing herself.
“Three!”
Before she was ready, Nash twisted her ankle with a firm motion. Hera’s scream filled the car, and her body tensed in pain.
She glared at him through tear-filled eyes. “You didn’t count properly…”
But as the pain began to fade, she flexed her foot tentatively, feeling a sudden relief.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” she said, a tearful smile forming on her lips.
Nash leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes with a satisfied expression.
They arrived at the Baroque subsidiary branch in Northjon, within the Second Industrial Zone. Hera, accompanied by Skadi and Nash, rushed into the conference room. The staff was busy preparing the space, organizing desks and papers for the day’s meetings.
Hera, scanning the room, furrowed her brow. “Where’s Mr. Yates?”
One of the clerks looked up from the desk and replied, “Mr. Yates received a call and left. He said he’s canceling all collaborations with our company.”
Hera’s face drained of color. “C-Canceling all collaborations?”
She collapsed into the nearest chair, dazed. Mr. Yates had been a major client for Baroque. Their financial stability relied heavily on him. The idea that he would cancel everything just because she was late was incomprehensible.
Skadi placed a hand on her shoulder, offering some comfort. “Don’t panic, Hera. Mr. Yates is an old client. If he truly wanted to cancel, he would’ve given us notice. Call him, apologize, and see what’s going on.”
Hera quickly fished her phone out of her bag and dialed his number, but when the call connected, it was immediately hung up. She tried again, but the same thing happened.
Frustrated, she opened WhatsApp and sent him a message. It showed just one tick, indicating it hadn’t been delivered. The knot in her stomach tightened.
“Mr. Yates has blocked me,” she said, her voice trembling with despair. “What should I do now?”
Even Skadi frowned. “This doesn’t make sense. Mr. Yates is fair and understanding. He wouldn’t cancel everything over something like being late.”
Nash, sitting casually on the couch, spoke up. “Could someone be manipulating things behind the scenes?”
Hera’s thoughts immediately went to the potential enemies surrounding her. Yesterday, she’d clashed with the eldest son of the Hills family, and she had also noticed a suspicious Rolls-Royce parked near her home. Someone was definitely keeping tabs on her.
“Kai Watson…” Hera said quietly, the name like a weight on her chest.
Skadi raised an eyebrow. “Kai? The Watsons’ eldest son?”
Hera nodded, her face hardening with realization. “Kai is Yates Group’s investor. He must have said something to Mr. Yates to make him cancel the collaboration.”
Kai, Helena’s boyfriend, was from one of Jonford’s wealthiest families. After their confrontation, it was clear that Helena was using him to get back at Hera, perhaps even trying to push Baroque to its breaking point.
Hera clenched her fists, her eyes filled with a mix of fury and determination.
At that moment, the office door opened, and the clerk announced, “Ms. Helena has arrived.”
Hera’s response was immediate and cold. “I’m not meeting her.”
Skadi, ever the strategist, offered her advice. “If you refuse to see her now, it’ll make her feel like she’s winning. You need to face her and show her you’re not afraid.”
Hera hesitated, unsure of what to do. Running the subsidiary had been a challenge, but she had always relied on her parents for advice. Since Skadi’s arrival, however, she had gained a trusted partner to make tough decisions.
After a moment of thought, Skadi nodded, urging her forward. “Nash is right. The more she tries to put us down, the stronger we need to be.”