Chapter 656 Don't Lay a Hand on Her Again
Harold mentioned there was some trouble at the company, so of course, Desiree had to dig a little.
But he wasn't spilling any details.
In the end, Desiree just sighed. "Alright, just come back early."
After hanging up, there was a knock on the door, and a servant's voice came through. "Mrs. Lewis, I made some chicken soup. Would you like some?"
Desiree opened the door and let her bring in the soup.
The servant was about to leave but seemed hesitant.
"Natalia, what's up?" Desiree asked.
Natalia paused. "Someone called earlier. When I picked up and asked who it was, they hung up."
"Probably just a wrong number," Desiree shrugged.
"If it was just once, sure. But he called several times." Natalia looked a bit worried. "So I thought he might be looking for someone."
Desiree's eyes narrowed.
Harold wasn't back yet, and besides Natalia, she was the only one in the house. Who could be calling?
She suddenly thought of Daryl and frowned. Daryl was already on her blacklist, and even thinking about him soured her mood.
"If he calls again, don't answer. Just unplug the phone," she said coldly.
The landline in the villa was an old-fashioned one that needed a phone line. Unplugging it would stop the calls.
Natalia nodded and quickly went downstairs, probably to unplug the phone.
After a bath, Desiree drifted off to sleep.
In the middle of the night, she felt a tickle. When she opened her eyes, the sky outside had turned completely dark.
The hand that had been teasing her withdrew quickly as she woke up.
Desiree saw the outline of the person beside her and whispered, "Harold? Why didn't you wake me when you got back?"
"I saw you were sleeping soundly and didn't want to disturb you," Harold said softly. "Didn't mean to wake you now."
Desiree adjusted and rested her head on his lap.
Harold helped her get comfortable.
They sat quietly for a bit.
Smelling Harold's faint scent, Desiree felt a rare sense of peace.
After a while, she finally asked, "How did you handle the online rumors?"
"I sent legal notices to some bloggers and had someone explain the pictures were fake."
"Will they buy it?" Desiree hesitated, feeling uneasy.
She knew those photos were real.
Daryl was using public opinion to pressure her. He wouldn't use such a childish method unless the photos were real. He had planned everything to trap her.
Harold's hand reached out, gently prying open her clenched fist.
Only then did Desiree notice the marks in her palm, which she hadn't felt before.
"Don't hurt yourself, no matter what," Harold said, brushing her hair aside. "I'm here for you."
The next day, Desiree went back to the office.
With fewer rumors, the weird looks from her colleagues had lessened.
Employees greeted her with smiles, "Good morning, Ms. Sandvik."
"Haven't seen you around for a while."
Desiree smiled and greeted them back. But when her eyes landed on a certain spot, her smile vanished.
Daryl had just walked up to the front desk with some people and stopped, his intense gaze locked onto her.
Desiree's heart pounded, and she quickly looked away.
Someone noticed her pale face and asked, "Ms. Sandvik, are you okay?"
Desiree shook her head, still pale. "I'm fine, let's go."
On the way back, she tried to shake off the image of Daryl, but it kept replaying in her mind.
Unconsciously, Daryl had almost become her nightmare.
'Why is he still hanging around? Hasn't he caused enough trouble? What more does he want?'
These questions swirled in Desiree's mind, making her irritable, and she started walking faster and faster.
The people around her struggled to keep up.
"Ms. Sandvik, please slow down."
Just as the words were spoken, Desiree twisted her ankle and fell.
In the split second before she hit the ground, regret filled her heart.
Luckily, a hand caught her just in time, and the familiar sense of security enveloped her as Harold carefully held her.
Desiree could feel his heart racing, showing he was just as scared as she was.
"Desiree, are you alright?" Harold asked.
"I'm fine," Desiree replied, just as she heard another set of footsteps behind her.
She looked up, and there he was—Daryl.
Dressed in a sharp, tailored suit, his short hair accentuating his sharp features, he looked every bit the gentleman.
But only Desiree knew the scoundrel beneath that expensive suit: He had deceived her, trying to lure her with past affections.
Every time she thought about that night, a chill of fear ran through her, casting a dark shadow over her perception of Daryl.
Daryl's gaze lingered on her face for a moment before shifting to Harold. "Mr. Lewis, may I have a word with you?"
Harold looked up at him. Their eyes met, and no one knew what passed between them.
Soon, Harold let go of Desiree.
Desiree instinctively wanted to hold onto him, not wanting him to face Daryl alone. "Harold, don't go."
Harold glanced at her, his warm palm seeming to carry a calming power. "Wait for me."
Desiree watched as they walked into a distant office.
She sat quietly, her face pale, scaring the people around her who wanted to take her to the hospital.
"Ms. Sandvik, are you really alright?" someone asked.
Seeing her shake her head again, the person paused and said, "The man who just went in, I think he's from Fields Corporation. I heard they want to discuss a business deal with us. That's what they say, but I think they're conceding."
Desiree was slightly taken aback.
"Ms. Sandvik, you weren't here the past few days, so you don't know. Mr. Lewis has been like a madman, targeting Fields Corporation and taking many of their deals. I bet they're in a mess right now. Otherwise, their Mr. Fields wouldn't have taken the initiative to propose a collaboration."
Meanwhile, in the CEO's office.
Daryl placed a contract in front of Harold. "The transfer rights to the Silverlight City land, sign it, and it's yours."
Harold didn't even glance at it and pushed it back.
"What do you mean?" Daryl asked.
"I agreed to meet you just to say one thing," Harold's eyes were incredibly sharp, "Don't go after Desiree again."
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