CHAPTER 99: CHAPTER 99 - THE VICISSITUDES OF HUMAN RELATIONS (2)

"Ha!" Robert Taylor sneered, rising and walking to the door. "Miss Vera, you’ve got guts, huh? Fine, I’ll be waiting. Let alone bringing another eighteen million, even if you brought just one million to our bank for investment, I’d kneel to sign you up! Now, get out!"

A push from Mina sent Vera stumbling out of Robert Taylor’s office. She staggered back a couple of steps, nearly falling.

BANG!

The door slammed shut forcefully.

Staring at the heavily slammed door, Vera straightened up, biting her lip hard to hold back tears.

I can’t let these arrogant people see my weakness.

Gazing at the cold, forbidding door, she bit down so hard on her lower lip that it started to bleed.

"Miss Vera, you’d better leave now, or I’ll have to call security!" Assistant Mina said coolly.

Vera took a deep breath, straightened her back, and lifted her chin as she walked right up to Mina. Intimidated by her sudden intensity, Mina instinctively took a step back.

"What... what do you think you’re doing?!"

Vera glanced at Mina’s name tag.

"Mina Federick, is it? Good. I’ve memorized your name."

One day, I will stand right here and make Robert Taylor kneel before me like a dog. Robert Taylor, Mina Federick, or anyone else! I swear! Anyone who slandered me, who insulted me... I’ll make every single one of them pay!

Turning on her heel, Vera clutched her bag and walked out of the bank, her head held high.

Just as she neared the subway entrance, her phone began to ring in her bag.

Seeing Kris Cooper’s name on the screen, she hurriedly answered.

"CEO?"

"Where are you?"

"I’m out, taking care of something."

"What’s wrong with your voice?" Kris Cooper asked, noticing the change.

"N-nothing."

"Tell me, where are you?"

"I’m at the subway entrance, about to head back to the hospital."

"Which subway entrance?"

Vera told him the name.

"Wait for me!"

The man on the other end uttered just those two words before hanging up.

Staring at the blank screen, Vera pressed her temples. Her head throbbed.

A black car veered from the fast lane and pulled up beside her. The door swung open automatically, revealing Kris Cooper’s face.

"Get in!"

Vera slid into the passenger seat. "You... why did you come?"

"I’ve arranged for Grandma to transfer to a better hospital. The procedures are all set. The environment there is superior, the doctors are more skilled, and she’ll recover faster." Noticing her red-rimmed eyes, he looked at her face, puzzled. "What happened to you?"

"I just got something in my eye." She blinked rapidly, forcing back tears and rubbing her eyes to hide her distress. Managing a smile, she said, "CEO, I... I think Grandma is fine where she is. That hospital is covered by her medical insurance, so she can get some reimbursement."

Kris Cooper, one hand on the steering wheel, reached over with the other and gently ruffled her hair.

"This hospital is partnered with our company. I have a membership card that gets us a fifty-percent discount, which is more economical than using her insurance."

Feeling the warmth of his hand on her head, Vera lowered her gaze, licked the blood from her lip, and swallowed hard against the lump in her throat.

"CEO, you..."

His large hand patted her head gently once more before Kris Cooper withdrew it.

"Traffic is heavy right now. Fasten your seatbelt."

She glanced at his handsome profile, her own hands, intertwined in her lap, tightening gradually.

With my current abilities, a comeback is out of the question. I need a springboard—a powerful enough springboard.