Chapter 7 Drugging
"Get the best cardiac surgeon on the line for my father's bypass surgery, and make it quick," Magnus instructed his aide over the phone while standing by the window. Suddenly, a little girl with wide, watery eyes and pursed lips sidled up for a closer look at him.
Soon, his bodyguard approached, attempting to usher the unfamiliar child, Jennifer, away.
But Jennifer latched onto Magnus's trouser leg, pleading, "Sir, I'm not a bad person! Don't let him take me!"
Realizing she was just a harmless child, Magnus gestured for his bodyguard to back off.
"What is it you need?" he asked.
Jennifer looked up at him with innocent eyes and said, "Nothing’s wrong, I just wanted to talk to you because you look nice! Can I talk to you?"
Even as Magnus kept his expression stern, she wasn't frightened.
Not used to dealing with kids, Magnus was momentarily at a loss for words. "Aren't you scared of me?"
Jennifer shook her head, her naivety shining through. "Why would I be scared of someone as handsome as you?"
"And you're not afraid I could be a bad guy?"
"You don't look like a bad guy," Jennifer responded confidently.
Magnus couldn't help but laugh in bemusement.
Did kids really judge character based on looks?
They found themselves sitting on a bench in the hospital corridor.
Curious, Jennifer asked him, "Sir, why are you at the hospital? Are you sick too?"
"No, I'm not sick. It's my father who's ill."
Magnus was there to visit his adoptive father, Joseph, who had been hospitalized for coronary heart disease.
For reasons unknown, Magnus found himself opening up to this little girl.
Normally, he wouldn't spare the time of day like this.
But there was something about this child that struck a chord with him, an inexplicable sense of fondness and familiarity.
Perhaps it was her cleverness and charm; she wasn't the usual troublemaker that most would find annoying.
Jennifer gave a thoughtful "oh," then reassured him in her own way, "I'm sick too, but don't worry, Sir. Your dad's going to be okay."
Magnus couldn't help but smile at the unexpected comfort from a little girl.
"Sir, you have a really nice smile!"
With her sweet compliments, one after another, Magnus found it hard to resist her.
Even the bodyguard standing at a distance was in shock. He had been with Mr. Blackwood for three years and had never seen him willingly engage in conversation with a stranger who approached him.
This little girl sure had the fearless innocence of the young.
The kid, she seemed somehow fated to cross his path, prompting him to ask, "Why are you out here alone? Where are your parents?"
"My mom's at work, she's earning money for Jennifer's medical bills. I've never met my dad. Mom said he got sick and passed away," the youngster explained.
It was just a single mother raising her child.
Magnus had come from humble beginnings himself and felt a twinge of sympathy for the kid's circumstances.
"Is your name Jennifer?"
Jennifer nodded her little chin, "Yep! My mom picked it out! Sir, it's a pretty name, don't you think?"
The man, usually so stoic, softened at the sight of the little girl's pride.
"Yeah, it is."
"Sir, guess why my mom named me Jennifer?"
"Did she like poetry?"
The little girl furrowed her brows, "Mom said she was all alone when I was born, and she missed my dad so much, that's why she named me Jennifer."
"Has your dad been gone long?"
She looked to be about five or six years old.
"Yeah! I never got to meet my dad, and I'm already six."
Magnus let out a small laugh, "Then your mom, she's quite the romantic."
Not many could endure six years of loneliness, especially while raising a child alone. This little girl's mother must have been through a lot.
"My mom is super pretty, a real knockout! Some guys like her, but she only has eyes for my dad."
The child spoke with the innocence of youth, unaware of the fleeting shadow of loss in Magnus's eyes.
Suddenly, he found himself envying this child's late father, who still had someone thinking of him, still loved.
That kind of steadfast affection was rare.
"Your parents really loved each other."
Jennifer offered her consolation, "Sir, you're so handsome, you'll find someone who loves you too."
Someone who loves him?
Maybe there had been someone, or he had thought there was.
Magnus's dark eyes narrowed, a sardonic twist to his lips, "Luck in love hasn't really been on my side, not as lucky as your dad."
"Sir, do you have a girlfriend?"
"No."
Jennifer said earnestly, "You should give me your number! If you're all alone, maybe I can help you find a friend. My mom knows lots of nice people!"
Sad?
Mr. Blackwood was worth billions, with countless women vying for his affection. How on earth did this little girl think he was to be pitied?
However, there was no way Mr. Blackwood would give his number to a stranger.
Magnus had no intention of sharing his number, and certainly didn't want to cause any hurt. He brushed off the situation with a vague excuse, "You don't have paper or a pen. Even if I told you, you wouldn't remember."
Unexpectedly, the little girl blinked and challenged him, "Well, go on and tell me, Sir! Just say it once, and I'll remember!"
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