Chapter 24 An Accident

Maggie felt dazed afterwards, not remembering how she ended up in that room. Every part of her body ached. The semen stained in her pussy was cleaned up by Harold. Harold left early in the morning without any intention of staying over. He couldn't fit in the 1.2-meter single bed.
The car downstairs was still running, and Nick squatted by the front, waiting until Harold came out of the building, steam rising. He threw his cigarette away and pulled open the car door. "Mayor, back to the municipal party committee compound?"
He hummed, got into the backseat, and drove off. He glanced at the sixth floor, where the gently swaying nightgown had been taken down and was now being worn by Maggie. It looked stunning against her fair skin.
Early in the morning, Maggie walked into the television station. There were whispers behind her, and there were cash bouquets on her desk, accompanied by congratulatory cards, "Congratulations, Maggie, on 'Shining Bright' ranking first in the same time slot."
Without giving it much thought, Maggie knew these exaggerated gestures must have come from Matt. When they were still married, it would have sparked envy, but now that they were divorced, it was just a false pretense, and people would laugh at it.
Maggie was determined and prepared to throw the garbage into the trash can. Ellie, sitting at her desk, playing with a deck of spider cards, said coldly, "Intentional damage to the currency is illegal. Since Matt has a lot of money, why don't we distribute it to the TV station?" The assistant was also there, with a gleam in her eyes as she looked at Maggie. Maggie took down about a hundred tightly wrapped large bills and handed them to the assistant, instructing her to buy breakfast snacks and distribute them.
Maggie took out the beige uniform jacket from the storage locker, covered in a dustproof bag, and put it on before entering the studio.
She was always punctual, but last night was an earth-shattering accident. Harold, a man in his thirties, had a strong and powerful physique, and when his desire was high, he seemed like a man in his twenties.
It made her feel ecstatic, but there was a price to pay. Her lower back was bruised and covered in purple spots from hitting the table.
She couldn't stand too well at the moment and leaned on the lectern.
On the stage, a small popcorn machine was already set up. It had a compact shape with a metal roller cylinder and a short candle burning at the bottom to heat the cylinder.
She pondered for a while and couldn't remember any mention of this type of invention in the script. She just signaled for the director to pause, and the candle flame flickered twice before the cylinder exploded with a muffled sound. It took less than two seconds for it to burst open.
A screw-like component shattered onto Maggie's eyebrow. She was too close to avoid it and experienced a dull pain.
Maggie's eyes instantly filled with tears, and she instinctively covered the wound, blood seeping through her fingers.
The people behind the display screen were terrified. Some rushed towards her, shouting for an ambulance. The director, being an impatient person, rushed out and yelled, "Help! There's an accident in the studio! Maggie is disfigured!"
Upon hearing the sound, the Manager threw down their coffee and ran out of the office. "What happened? How could Maggie get disfigured?"
The director pointed towards the studio, and Maggie was helped out by her assistant, pressing a cloth against her wound, half of it soaked in blood. The Manager was startled. "What are you all standing around for? I'll go get the car. Take her to the hospital."
By the time they arrived at Washington D.C. Hospital, the bleeding had already stopped. The assistant helped her go to the emergency room for an examination. The incision was less than three centimeters long, but it was deep. The doctor peeled back the scab with a cotton swab, but the bleeding started again.
"You need two stitches. What is your occupation?"
She was the backbone of the "Shining Bright" program group. With her injury, four or five people from the team surrounded her, all wearing work badges.
The doctor glanced at them and said, "Are you a journalist? You probably won't be able to appear on camera until after the stitches are removed."
Maggie's face turned pale.
The assistant panicked, "How could this happen? We've never had such a mistake before. Maggie won't be able to appear on camera. Does that mean we'll have to replace the host for the program?"
The director nudged the assistant's elbow, indicating him not to speak nonsense. Maggie's face turned even paler. "You all go back to work. I don't need so many people being here. The footage from the recording just now can be edited and post-produced. It should be enough for tonight's broadcast."
"Maggie, can you handle it yourself?"
"I can," she replied heavily. "It was an accident. The TV station will investigate."
After everyone left, Maggie took care of the stitched wound. The Manager asked her to stay in a regular hospital room for now.
Maggie stood at the entrance of the hospital room, "Do I need to be hospitalized for my brow injury?"
The Manager put his phone in his pocket, "I have already reported it to the Director. This is his decision. The state has just had a conversation with him. We are currently in an observation period. It's best not to make any mistakes, as this is a way of showing our care for you."
She was half skeptical, "How long do I need to stay?"
The Manager raised an eyebrow, "How long do you want to stay? Just tonight. Hospital beds are scarce here."