Chapter 44 Falling Ill

Due to road construction, Maggie didn't let Ophelia continue to accompany her. She didn't mention anything about moving to Island Road.
Because Harold was very powerful in the State, so his sources of income and his relationships with women were subjects of concern, both openly and secretly.
Maggie was not the type to boast or show off, so she wouldn't bring it up.
It was almost 9 o'clock when she returned to Island Road. The sky had darkened, with a fine drizzle falling.
The nanny greeted her at the door, "Mrs. Green, there will be a small typhoon, remember to bring an umbrella tomorrow."
The rains intensified for a while. Maggie had miscalculated the distance and ended up getting soaked, her hair wet, and she sneezed several times.
While the nanny was preparing cold medicine in the kitchen, Harold called. His deep voice was casual, "Have you returned?"
Maggie hummed in response, her voice hoarse, "Where are you?"
A delicate female voice sounded in the receiver, "Sir, do you need a massage service?"
She furrowed her brow, "Are you alone?"
"No, I'm not alone," he answered, "There are about four or five of us."
Maggie stopped, and Harold chuckled, revealing her concerns, "Don't believe it? I can do a video call."
In the receiver, other men's voices could be heard, their conversations proper.
Their circle was promiscuous and lascivious, but Harold was restrained.
After the inspection work was completed, they arranged for relaxation in various forms, such as public baths or private swimming pools.
Unless it was necessary, he never liked to drink.
It wasn't that he couldn't handle alcohol; in order to secure project funding from the state, he had to wine and dine the ministers in charge of financial resources in Havenport. Each of them was a bureaucrat and wouldn't loosen up without alcohol.
Once they started drinking, they lost control and were generous when it came to funds and approving projects.
The total amount of poverty alleviation funds in X state amounted to 70 million dollars, and an additional 50,000 dollars was brought in by Harold's drinking spree at the table.
Among the officials who traveled together, he was the youngest and in the best shape.
Steam condensed on his hard chest, revealing his honey-colored, well-toned muscles.
Harold tied his bathrobe and gestured to the person beside him as he walked out of the sauna. "Why is your voice hoarse again?"
"I walked back," she cleared her throat, "and I didn't know it would rain."
Harold stopped for a few seconds. "Can you drive?"
"Yes."
Maggie's voice had a soft and tender tone, and she spoke in a coquettish manner. It's intoxicating.
Harold's Adam's apple rolled up and down. "There's a spare car in the garage. The nanny will give you the keys."
She was about to say that she didn't need it as she blew on the hot cold medicine, but she was afraid of refusing and upsetting him.
He was fine, with a moderate and amiable demeanor, carrying dignity. But when he turned cold, there was a strong sense of oppression.
Maggie had been afraid of him deep down and changed her question. "When will you be back?"
"Tomorrow." Then he hung up without any words.
...
In the garage was a brand-new BMW 8 Series.
Maggie thought it was too ostentatious, so she didn't drive it.
The next day, the city was holding the "Washington D.C. Cup" road cycling race, and the venue was on the mountainous roads of the district.
Medson arranged a special car from the TV station and let Maggie sit in the spacious front passenger seat. The round trip took three to four hours, and the back seat was cramped and stuffy after sitting for long.
The meaning was easy to read, and their colleagues were all teasing them.
Holding onto the steering wheel, Medson shouted from the back, "Maggie is the host for this event, I'm thinking of her well-being."
The teasing grew louder.
"I carry around a dozen kilograms of photography equipment, why don't you think about me?"
"Which position doesn't need to be taken care of? Medson, you're just biased, who are you trying to fool by pretending to be so serious."
Maggie stood by the car door, feeling stuck in the middle of this situation. "The back seat is fine, I didn't sleep well last night, so I can catch up on sleep."
Medson insisted, "Maggie, the seat was reserved for you."
She was even more reluctant to sit now and gave the front passenger seat to a senior colleague, choosing a window seat in the back row.
The city station was hosted by the state and they were treated to a meal at a local restaurant serving rustic cuisine.
They sat around a round table, with Medson being very attentive, sitting next to her.
As Medson picked up my chopsticks and grabbed a bowl, he said, "You're too skinny, Maggie. In my hometown, you wouldn't even be considered well-fed."
With no other words to say, she asked, "Where is your hometown?"
"A small fishing village," Medson replied, adjusting his frameless glasses on his nose. He had a scholarly aura about him. "I studied at the local media academy, but it doesn't compare to you, Maggie. You got into Harvard on a scholarship."
Maggie stopped.
After her father passed away, there were several years of disputes with the school where her father worked, which made their home restless and her mother's temperament change drastically.
To calm things down, they forced her to move to Washington D.C.
If it weren't for this, being a trained student in her department, with good looks and natural talent, she could have scored high enough in the entrance exam to enter a city-level TV station. After a couple of years, she could have hosted some well-known programs, building up her fame and paving the way to join the top-level Havenport TV station.
Fate was unpredictable. Though it might seem like there are choices at every node, it never followed a person's will.
After finishing the meal, they rushed to the event location.
The rain began to drizzle again, and Maggie was the only one without a raincoat. The wind was so fierce that it obstructed her on-camera appearance.
She took off her coat and used it to protect the camera equipment.
During the live interview, the rain grew heavier, and as a precaution to prevent accidents, the organizers called for a break.
Maggie got in the car looking disheveled, with her clothes and pants soaked through.
On the way back to the studio, she developed a fever and felt dizzy. She was taken to the county hospital for intravenous therapy.