Chapter 143 Picking Up the Kids
Watching Riley's car disappear down the driveway, Dalton turned on his heel and walked back into the villa.
Mia lounged on the sofa, her expression sour as she sipped from a glass of water. She glanced at Dalton's entrance with a flicker of disinterest before averting her gaze.
Seeing Mia's expression, Dalton's face darkened. "Look at yourself! What has Dr. Monroe ever done to you? Every time you see her, you insult her. She is the one who cured Grandpa!"
Mia's eyes met his with a cool indifference. "Cured Grandpa? It's not like we didn't compensate her. It was just a mutually beneficial arrangement."
She continued, her tone laced with irritation. "Brother, you're defending her so much. Have you also been deceived by that woman? You ask me what she did to offend me, but I should be asking you, what kind of spell has she cast on you?"
"Enough with the nonsense, Mia!" Dalton retorted sternly. "The matter between Dr. Monroe and Donovan is their private affair. We have no right to meddle. Just drop it!"
Seeing her brother's anger, Mia sullenly closed her mouth, though the indignation festered within her.
Riley endeavored to maintain her composure despite Mia's cutting words, but it was challenging to remain unaffected. Her mood was somber even as she entered the research institute. After a round of inspections and seeing no urgent matters, she decided to head home early to collect her thoughts.
However, just as she was about to leave, a knock sounded on her office door.
Riley opened it to find a prominent doctor from the institute standing there, looking concerned.
"Dr. Monroe, it's good you're here. We encountered a problem with a formula during our research. We've been working on it all morning but couldn't find the cause. Could you please take a look?"
Riley's professional demeanor took over. "Of course," she replied, quickly donning her lab coat and following him to the lab.
The issue was indeed severe, concerning a critical project. Riley immersed herself in the research, losing track of time as evening approached.
"Dr. Monroe, I think your phone is ringing," someone gently reminded her.
Snapping back to reality, Riley retrieved her phone from her lab coat pocket, frowning at the display. Donovan's name flashed on the screen—she hadn’t blocked his number since taking care of Finley.
Why was he calling now?
"What's up?" she answered curtly after a moment's hesitation.
On the other end, Donovan's voice was deep and measured."Where are you right now?"
"I'm at the research institute. There's a problem with a project that we're still working on. Why?"
Donovan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Got it. The kindergarten just called me. They couldn't reach you, and the three kids are still waiting to be picked up. Since you're busy, I'll go get them."
The realization struck Riley hard—she had forgotten about the kids' dismissal time. Her own children were accustomed to her late pickups, but Finley, newly settled, might be distressed.
Feeling a surge of guilt, Riley said, "I'm sorry, I got caught up and didn’t hear the call. I'll go pick them up."
Donovan, already in the elevator, replied, "No need. It doesn't matter who gets them. You stay and work."
Riley attempted to argue, but Donovan had already ended the call.
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