CHAPTER 246: RIYA’S DRAMA

Riya jumped into her car, slamming the door shut before hastily dialing Zachary’s number. The phone rang endlessly.

"Pick up the damn phone," she muttered, clutching her stomach as another sharp pain shot through her. A strangled gasp escaped her lips. "Ah—it hurts... Am I going to die?"

The call disconnected.

She redialed immediately, her breathing turning ragged. "Zachary, you bastard," she hissed under her breath, grinding her teeth to endure the pain. "You said a small dose wouldn’t do any harm. Then why does it feel like my insides are burning?"

Sweat glistened on her forehead, her complexion turning deathly pale. "I shouldn’t have drunk it... I was such a fool."

Finally, the line connected, and Zachary’s irritated voice came through. "Why are you calling nonstop? If I didn’t answer, it means I’m busy. Stop bothering me and put the phone down."

"Wait—please don’t hang up," she cried desperately. "I’m in serious trouble. I need your help."

"You are always in trouble," he snapped. "What did you do this time?"

"I... I was about to give that old man the poisoned juice," Riya stammered. "But Zara saw me mixing the powder and made a scene. To prove I was innocent, I—I drank the juice myself."

"You idiot," Zachary growled with irritation. "You can’t do anything right. Do you realize I could kill you for this stupidity?"

"Please," she pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. "I managed to calm things down. No one believed Zara. Everyone is still on my side. But I need the antidote now. My stomach is killing me. I think it’s because of that poison. Please... save me."

"What did you say?" Zachary let out a mocking laugh. "You think your stomach hurts because of a small dose of that powder? Stop being dramatic. It’s probably indigestion. Go see a doctor, and don’t bother me."

"Zachary, how can you be so heartless? I’m your wife. You are supposed to protect me. Please," Riya pleaded. "Do something."

Zachary’s patience was wearing thin.

"If something happens to me, Zara will claim it’s the poison that did it," Riya pressed on. "Everyone will start suspecting me. You don’t want that, do you? Please, give me the antidote. I’m begging you."

"Enough," Zachary snapped. "You keep talking. My ears are about to start bleeding."

Running a hand through his hair, he sighed heavily. He had never tolerated anyone’s mistakes this long. If it were anyone else besides Riya, he’d have eliminated them already. But he couldn’t do the same with her, not yet. He still needed her to accomplish his goal.

Forcing down his anger, he finally said, "Fine. Go to my place. My doctor will check you."

Before Riya could respond, he hung up.

She cursed under her breath but didn’t waste another second. She needed that antidote. Tossing her phone onto the dashboard, she started the car and sped away.

By the time Riya reached Zachary’s penthouse, a doctor was already waiting for her.

"Miss Riya," he greeted politely. "Sir asked me to examine you. Could you tell me what happened?"

Riya hesitated, uncertain if she could trust him. But since Zachary had sent him, she figured he must already know the situation. Besides, keeping quiet wasn’t an option. If she delayed the treatment, the pain might kill her.

"My stomach hurts," she started. "I drank a glass of juice this morning, and ever since then, the pain hasn’t stopped..."

She went on to give a detailed, emotional account of everything that had happened.

"Please, give me the antidote," she urged desperately when she finished. "I don’t want to die."

"Calm down, Miss," the doctor said evenly. His expression remained composed, not even a hint of concern at all. "Please lie down so I can examine you."

Riya did as he said. The doctor began his examination, pressing lightly on her stomach. "Does it hurt here?"

"No."

He moved his hand slightly lower. "What about here?"

"No," she shook her head.

When his hand reached her lower abdomen, she let out a sharp cry before he could even ask. "It hurts there. It’s unbearable."

The doctor withdrew his hand, giving her a neutral look. "You’ll be fine. I’ll give you an injection."

"I don’t want an injection," Riya snapped, her irritation flaring. "I need the antidote."

"Miss," the doctor replied calmly, "please trust me. If you want to recover quickly, you must cooperate."

Riya quieted down. She had no choice but to listen to him. But she made a mental note. She would complain to Zachary about this man for talking to her disrespectfully.

The doctor gave her an injection. "You will feel better in a few hours. Try to get some sleep." He stuffed his things into his bag and walked out of the room.

Riya felt drowsy and drifted into sleep soon.

As soon as the doctor stepped out of the room, he called Zachary.

"Hello, sir. I’ve examined her," he said quietly. "It’s nothing serious, and definitely not because of the chemical. She is just experiencing menstrual cramps. Her period is about to start, and the pain made her panic after drinking the juice. That’s all."

"This troublesome woman," Zachary muttered under his breath. "Thanks for checking on her. Keep this matter to yourself."

"Of course, sir. You can rely on me."

After the call ended, Zachary tossed his phone aside and rubbed his temples. "She is really testing my patience."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Nathaniel was discussing the final details with the event planner, making sure everything at the banquet hall was in order. He caught a glimpse of Ian striding toward him with urgency in his steps. From the look on Ian’s face, Nathaniel instantly knew something was wrong.

Excusing himself, Nathaniel stepped aside and moved to a quiet corner by the window, his hands tucked casually into his pockets. "What’s the matter? You seem unsettled. Still mad at me?"

Ian let out a small laugh. "No way. I can’t stay mad at you for long."

Nathaniel raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Really? Judging by the way you stormed out of the office, I thought you weren’t coming back."

"I wanted to," Ian said with a mock air of pride. "But then I remembered you are completely helpless without me. Your assistant is still missing. You’ve fired your secretary, and now you are relying on me for everything. If I left too, you’d lose your mind."

"You—" Nathaniel lifted his fist, ready to hit him.

Ian quickly raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Don’t blow up. I’m serious this time. I’ve got something important to tell you."