Chapter 93 Are You Willing to Bet?
Mr. Smith nodded in agreement with Aaron's words. "Mr. Gayle, let's have Nora see to my wife, and then we'll discuss further."
With Mr. Smith's endorsement, Gayle couldn't object any further.
Aaron gestured to Nora, signaling her to attend to Mrs. Smith.
Nora entered the adjacent room and saw a beautiful woman lying on a luxurious bed; her brow furrowed as if she was in great discomfort.
Nora stepped closer and began, "Mrs. Smith, good to see you. I'm Nora, Mr. Gordon's secretary. I have some training in herbal medicine, and I'm here to check you over.”
Mrs. Smith opened her eyes and offered Nora a faint smile, voicing her thanks weakly, "I appreciate it."
Her features were striking, and though she was in her early forties, she had the vibrant appearance of a woman in her late twenties. Her illness only added a fragile quality to her already charming demeanor that evoked a sense of compassion.
Nora sat by the bed and reached out to feel her pulse.
The room fell silent so still that you could hear a pin drop.
After completing her assessment, Nora said, “It seems to be a case of not acclimating well to the new environment. I could perform acupuncture to relieve your symptoms.”
Surprise flickered in Mrs. Smith's eyes. "Do you know acupuncture?"
"Yes," Nora replied, pulling out an acupuncture kit from her bag.
Mrs. Smith looked at the row of silver needles with a hint of hesitation in her eyes, seemingly doubting Nora's abilities.
Noticing this, Nora put the acupuncture kit away and suggested, “Why don't you rest for a bit, ma'am? I'll step out and discuss your condition with Mr. Smith, and then you can decide.”
Mrs. Smith nodded. "Okay."
In the living room, Mr. Smith quickly approached Nora. “How's my wife doing?”
“She's having trouble adjusting,” Nora replied honestly.
Mr. Smith glanced at Gayle and then asked, "Is there any way to alleviate her discomfort?"
"Acupuncture could help," Nora suggested.
“Will it make her feel better?” Mr. Smith inquired.
Nora nodded affirmatively.
Mr. Smith studied Nora's graceful face, hesitating. Her beauty was almost a distraction, casting doubt on her expertise.
Gayle, witnessing the exchange, felt a shift in his demeanor. Could this beautiful woman actually perform acupuncture? If she succeeded in treating Mrs. Smith, it wouldn’t bode well for him.
“Are you sure acupuncture will do the trick, Nora? Don't mess with Mr. Smith. His wife is a woman of standing. If you're just putting on an act and something goes wrong, you couldn't handle the consequences," he said with an underlying tone of intimidation, hoping to scare Nora off.
But Nora remained cool and resolute, "If I say it will help, then it will."
Aaron, observing from his wheelchair, smirked at her confident stance.
"Mr. Smith, she’s with me, and I vouch for her. You can trust me implicitly, and I would never jest about your wife’s wellbeing."
Reassured by this, Mr. Smith nodded.
"Alright, Nora, please take care of my wife," he said, entrusting her into Nora's capable hands.
With a slight nod, Nora prepared to enter the room for Mrs. Smith's acupuncture session.
"Can I come in with her?" Mr. Smith still sounded uncertain.
"Sure," replied Nora before she stepped into the back room.
Mr. Smith quickly followed her in.
In the living room, Gayle shot a glance at Aaron, his expression darkening.
"Mr. Gordon, you do know how to pick talent. A secretary who can do it all, huh?"
"Thanks," Aaron replied, his demeanor cool, showing total disregard for Gayle.
With a sullen face thinking of Nora's attractive features, Gayle gave his assistant a meaningful look.
He had finally managed to bring Smith onto his turf; he was determined to outdo Aaron and not let another partnership slip through his fingers!
The assistant muttered something, to which Gayle nodded. Understanding the cue, the assistant slipped out of the suite.
In the back room.
Nora opened her acupuncture kit, getting ready to treat Mrs. Smith.
The sight of the long row of shining silver needles under the light made Mrs. Smith a bit nervous.
Sensing this, Nora soothed in a gentle voice, "Don't be afraid, ma'am. Just relax. Trust me, you'll feel better after a good sleep."
Her voice was soft and comforting, easily endearing her to others.
Mrs. Smith murmured affirmatively and slowly closed her eyes.
Witnessing the art of acupuncture for the first time, Mr. Smith watched nervously as Nora inserted the long needles into precise points.
Could such a beautiful secretary be really skilled at this?
Nora focused entirely on her task, steadily inserting the needles.
The room fell silent. As she observed Mrs. Smith's trembling eyelashes calm down, and her breathing become even, Nora knew she had fallen asleep.
Checking the time, Nora sat quietly and waited.
"Is this going to work?" Mr. Smith asked with worry, looking on.
"She's sleeping now. After I remove the needles, let her rest undisturbed. She should be fine when she wakes up," Nora explained calmly.
Mr. Smith gave a simple nod, saying no more.
The true verdict would come when his wife awoke.
Fifteen minutes later, Nora withdrew the needles.
"All done."
Smith went to the bedside and saw his wife sleeping peacefully, the worry lines on her face smoothed out. She must be feeling better.
"Thank you, Nora," he said with gratitude.
"You're welcome," she replied with a warm smile, and they left the room together.
Back in the living room, Aaron saw Nora emerge and asked, "All set?"
"Yep," Nora confirmed.
Their eyes met, communicating unspoken understanding and firm resolve.
Gayle observed Nora, a chill passing through his gaze though his face remained impassive.
"Nora, is the lady of the house feeling better now?"
Nora replied, "The lady has gone to sleep. She will be fine once she wakes up."
Gayle's face was a picture of skepticism. "Just like that? Nora, you wouldn't be pulling some sly trick to make her sleep, would you?"
Nora's finely arched eyebrows lifted slightly. "Mr. Gayle, are you proposing a wager?"
A wager?
"What's the bet?" Gayle inquired.
"If I've resorted to deception, then once the lady wakes up, Mr. Gordon and I will immediately leave this place and head back to Houston. But if she wakes up refreshed and clear-headed, I'd expect you to withdraw from your partnership with Mr. Smith. How about that?"
Nora was referring to Aaron's business rival.
As a secretary, she was vying for a significant bonus by securing the contract for her boss.
Gayle had not expected Nora to stake the bet on the partnership deal.
His face tensed, and he found himself speechless.
Aaron, seated in his wheelchair, raised his eyebrows, a flicker of intrigue in his eyes.
"Mr. Gayle, do you dare to take the bet?"
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