Chapter 250 Eye Pain
In the CEO's office of the Landon Group, Jack hung up the phone and turned to Seb. "Laura followed my instructions. She says Isabella is feeling better now, and Laura'll continue to stay with her. If anything changes, Laura'll report it right away, so there's no need for you to worry."
"Hmm." Seb nodded.
Jack paused for a moment before adding, "Honestly, you don't have to keep this from her."
"I have my reasons for not saying anything. Jack, keep a lid on it."
"Yes, sir."
Seb shuffled through the documents in his hands for a while before pressing his fingers to his temples; his brow furrowed in pain.
"Is it your eyes again?" Jack asked, "Maybe I should read the reports to you?"
"No need." Seb rubbed his eyes with his hand, his voice tinged with suppressed pain. "Call Marvin over."
"Got it." Jack didn't waste any time and quickly dialed Marvin.
An hour later, the door to the lounge opened, and Marvin walked out.
Jack immediately set aside the documents and went to meet him. "How's Mr. Landon doing?"
Marvin stretched his limbs before responding, "Not so great."
"What do you mean, 'not so great'? Isn't acupuncture supposed to help? You said that with some sessions, Mr. Landon's eyesight would be fine. How is it that after just a few days, it's already acting up again?" Jack peppered Marvin with questions.
Marvin shot Jack a slightly irritated glance but chose not to retort immediately. Instead, he walked over and poured himself a glass of water.
After drinking, Marvin said, "Did I not mention that Mr. Landon shouldn't overwork himself and should limit his screen time to two hours a day? Did any of you actually listen and follow the medical advice? His eyes aren't like glass balls that you can just replace if they break!"
Jack was silenced by Marvin's words.
Feeling guilty, Jack dropped the subject and glanced at the closed lounge door. "Is it critical right now? Mr. Landon's been complaining about eye pain these past few days."
Marvin downed another glass of water, looking as though he might dehydrate if he didn't.
"I just finished a half-hour acupuncture session. He's sleeping now. The eyes are one of the most delicate parts of the body, and they don't heal as quickly as other injuries. If Mr. Landon continues to overwork himself, not even my ancestors would be able to save him!"
Seb was deep in sleep.
His dreams were a chaotic blur, dragging his soul downward.
He fell through thick clouds and landed in an entirely unfamiliar place. As he looked around, a soft, gentle voice called from behind.
"Seb."
He turned and saw a white figure standing in an ornate garden.
Anna, looking like an angel, stood amidst the beautiful thorny flowers. Her gaze was always exceptionally tender whenever she looked at him. Anna raised her hand, waving at him.
"Mom!" Seb choked on the words, stepping forward, but a sharp pain shot through his feet.
Seb looked down and saw himself barefoot on a field of thorns.
The thorns seemed to rise from the ground, instantly enveloping him. Seb tried to run, but the thorns dug deep into his flesh. Blood dripped onto the stems and leaves, turning the sharp thorns into clusters of vividly beautiful flowers.
"Seb."
The voice continued to call him.
It came in waves, as if it was right by his ear, yet somehow miles away.
Seb lifted his head and leaned forward, but he couldn't move at all. He could only watch helplessly as the thorny sea of flowers continued to spread, pulling him further away from Anna.
"Mom!"
Seb shouted in distress and jolted upright from the bed, feeling as though someone had slammed a hammer into his head. The pain was so intense it felt like his head might explode.
He pressed his hands over his eyes, the veins on his eyelids throbbing with each heartbeat, as if they might tear him apart.
Jack opened the door and walked in. "Mr. Landon?"
To avoid hurting Seb's eyes with the light, Jack didn't turn on the lamp but pulled the curtains open just enough to let in some of the natural light.
Seb cradled his head for a while, gradually managing to catch his breath.
Looking out the window, Seb saw that night had fallen. The dark clouds hung low, heavy and oppressive, making the air feel thick and suffocating.
He asked, "What time is it?"
Jack replied, "It's almost five. You've been out for a few hours, about three."
Seb closed his eyes briefly and checked his phone. He saw missed calls and three text messages from Isabella.
Opening the messages, he read, "Seb, are you off work yet?
"I've been trying to reach you, but Jack said you were busy.
"I'm really being ridiculous, sending texts when I know you can't see them."
Seb read through each message and then marked them as unread before getting out of bed. He grabbed his coat and headed for the door. "Take me back."
"Yes, Mr. Landon."
Once in the car, Seb called Isabella.
As soon as the phone rang, Isabella answered, "Hello, Seb. Are you done with work?"
Hearing her voice helped calm Seb's mood considerably. "Yes. What are you up to?"
"Just going through some documents," Isabella said, glancing at Laura on the opposite couch with a hint of embarrassment before stepping out onto the balcony. "I've learned quite a bit today."
"Really? I'll have to test your knowledge when I get back."
"Sure thing, I'm up for it," Isabella said, though her confidence wavered a bit, "Just don't make it too hard. After looking through all those files today, I realize how tough it is to get into business."
During her school years, Isabella was a top student. While not necessarily the best, she was certainly among the upper-middle achievers and stood out due to her dedication and hard work. However, after delving into the company's documents today, she understood just how challenging it was to grasp the business world.
And Laura's knowledge, though helpful, was only basic.
Just coming into contact with these materials made Isabella realize how incredibly challenging it must have been for Seb to build the Landon Group from the ground up over the years.
"It won't be too hard." Seb chuckled. "I'll stick to simple questions."
Isabella laughed too. "What are you up to right now?"
"Just got in the car," Seb glanced ahead. "On my way back."
"I'll cook dinner then," Isabella offered, "Anything specific you'd like?"
"Anything you make is perfect," Seb replied warmly.
"Great, I'll get started. Make sure Jack drives slowly so I have a bit more time."
"Will do."
After hanging up, Isabella went out to buy some ingredients.
Laura approached her. "It's getting late. Mr. Landon should be back soon, so I'll head out now."
Isabella stopped her. "I'm about to cook dinner. If you leave now, you'll probably end up with takeout. Why not stay and have a meal? You can leave with Jack afterward."
Jack hung up the phone and said to Seb, "Laura has done exactly as I instructed. She said Isabella is much better now, and she'll continue to stay with Isabella. She'll report any situation immediately, so you don't need to worry."
"Okay." Seb nodded.
Jack paused and said, "Actually, you don't have to hide this from her."
"I have my reasons for not telling her. Jack, keep your mouth shut." Seb said.
"Okay, Mr. Landon." Jack said.
Seb flipped through the documents in his hand. After a while, he raised his hand to rub his temples, his brows furrowed deeply.
"Are your eyes hurting again?" Jack asked, "How about I read it to you?"
"No need." Seb pressed his eyes with his hands, his voice filled with restrained pain. "Call Marvin over."
"Okay." Jack didn't dare delay and immediately called Marvin.
An hour later, the door to the lounge opened, and Marvin walked out.
Jack immediately put down the documents and approached him. "How is Mr. Landon?"
Marvin stretched a bit and said, "Not good."
"What do you mean? Aren't you supposed to be a master of traditional techniques? Didn't you say that after a period of acupuncture, as long as the acupoints are cleared, Mr. Landon's eyes would be fine? How come his vision is failing again just a few days after it recovered?" Jack bombarded him with questions.
Marvin gave Jack a slightly annoyed look but didn't rush to refute him. Instead, he walked over and poured himself a glass of water.
After drinking, Marvin said, "Did I mention that Mr. Landon should not be overworked and his screen time should not exceed two hours per day? Did you listen? Did you strictly follow the doctor's orders? Those are eyes, not glass marbles. If they get damaged, you can't just fix them and replace them. What were you thinking?"
Marvin's few words left Jack speechless.
Knowing he was in the wrong, Jack stopped questioning. He glanced at the closed door of the lounge and asked, "Is it serious now? Mr. Landon has been complaining about eye pain these past two days."
Marvin drank another glass of water, looking genuinely parched.
"I just did half an hour of acupuncture, and he's asleep now. The eyes are the most delicate part of the body, and they don't recover as easily as other parts. If Mr. Landon continues to overexert himself,I may be entirely unable to save him.
Seb slept deeply. He had many dreams. The dreams intertwined, pulling his soul downward.
He fell through thick clouds and arrived at a completely unfamiliar place. As he looked around in confusion, a gentle voice suddenly came from behind him."Seb."
He turned around and saw a white figure standing in a European-style garden.
Anna looked as gentle and beautiful as an angel. When she looked at him, her eyes were always exceptionally tender. Anna stood in the beautiful thorny flower bushes, raised her hand, and waved at him.
"Mom!" Seb choked out, stepping forward, but a sharp pain shot through his foot.
Seb looked down and saw that he was barefoot, standing on thorny ground.
The thorns emerged from the soil, instantly surrounding him. Seb wanted to run, but the thorns pierced deeply into his flesh. Crimson droplets stained the stems and leaves, gracefully coursing along the verdant plant, blossoming into eerie yet exquisite flowers upon its sharp thorns.
"Seb." The voice continued to call him.
It sounded close to his ear, yet also far away.
Seb looked up, leaning forward, but he couldn't move an inch. He could only watch as the sea of thorns grew wildly, pulling him further and further away from Anna.
"Mom!" Seb roared and sat up in bed. His head felt like it had been hit with a hammer, extremely pained.
Seb covered his eyes with his hands, the veins on his eyelids throbbing with his pulse, as if they were going to tear him apart.
Jack opened the door and walked in. "Mr. Landon?"
Afraid the light would hurt Seb's eyes, Jack didn't turn on the lights. He just went over and opened the curtains a bit, letting some light in from outside.
Seb held his head for a long time before he could catch his breath.
Seb looked out the window. It was already dark, and the heavy clouds felt like a weight on his chest, making it hard to breathe.
He asked, "What time is it?"
Jack replied, "It's almost five o'clock. You slept quite deeply, about three hours."
Seb closed his eyes and picked up his phone, finding that Isabella had called him twice and sent three text messages.
He opened the messages, and the words came into view.
[Seb, are you off work?]
[I couldn't reach you, so I asked Jack. He said you were busy.]
[I'm so silly. I know you can't see, but I still can't help but text you.]
Seb read them all, marked them as unread, then got out of bed, grabbed his coat, and headed out. "Take me home."
"Yes, Mr. Landon." Jack said.
In the car, Seb called Isabella.
Almost as soon as the phone rang, Isabella answered, "Hello, Seb. Are you off work?"
Hearing her voice, Seb felt much calmer. "Yes. What are you doing?"
"Reading some documents." Isabella glanced at Laura on the opposite sofa, feeling a bit embarrassed as she got up and went to the balcony. "I learned a lot today."
"Really? Then I'll have to test you when I get back." Seb said.
"No problem, I'll accept your challenge," Isabella said with less confidence, "But don't ask anything too difficult. I read so much today, and I realized how hard business is."
Isabella had been a top student in school. Even if she wasn't the best, she was at least in the upper middle tier. She was diligent and willing to put in the time and effort, usually making her one of the top students.
But after reading the company's documents today, Isabella realized how hard it was to learn business.
And what Laura knew was just the basics.
Just getting a taste of it made Isabella realize how difficult it had been for Seb to build the Landon Group from scratch all these years.
"I won't," Seb said with a smile,"I'll ask something simple."
Isabella also smiled. "What are you doing now?"
"Just got in the car," Seb said, glancing ahead. "Returning home now."
Isabella volunteered, "Then I'll make dinner. What do you want to eat?"
"Anything. As long as it's made by Bella, I'll love it." Seb said.
"Then I'll start preparing. Tell Jack to drive slowly and give me more time." Isabella said.
"Okay." Seb said.
After hanging up, Isabella bought some ingredients.
Laura walked over. "It's getting late, and Mr. Landon should be back soon. I'll head out now."
Isabella stopped her. "I'm about to cook. If you go back now, you'll only have takeout. Why not stay and eat with us? After dinner, you can leave with Jack."
