Chapter 579 I Won't Work, I'll Support You
The woman standing in front of Maeve was dressed in a nurse's uniform. She wasn't particularly stunning, but she had a fresh, youthful charm. "You don't recognize me?"
Maeve hadn't expected to run into Zachary here. She had been worrying about how to return his clothes. Realizing she had asked a silly question, she quickly added, "That night in the underground parking lot of the Night Club, you saved me."
Zachary nodded but didn't say anything further. It had been a coincidence, a simple act of kindness.
Maeve continued, "I've washed the clothes, but I didn't bring them today because I'm at work. Could you give me an address so I can return them to you tomorrow?"
People of status usually don't like giving their contact information to strangers.
Maeve didn't recognize the brand of the clothes, but she could tell from the fabric that they were expensive and almost new. They could fetch a good price at a second-hand store. Zachary might not care about the clothes, but Maeve felt uneasy about not returning them. Her mother had always taught her to be grateful and not to take advantage of others.
The PA system announced, "Zachary, please proceed to Exam Room 1."
Zachary stood up. "Just throw them away."
Not wanting Maeve to dwell on it, he added, "I'd throw them away even if you returned them. It’s unnecessary. I saved you because you were wearing the Night Club uniform. Company policy prioritizes employee safety. I would have done the same for anyone. You don't need to think too much about it."
Zachary walked into the waiting area and entered Exam Room 1. Maeve followed him in right after.
Zachary frowned slightly, a bit annoyed but not showing it too obviously.
Maeve, having grown up with her grandparents and several aunts and uncles, was sensitive to others' emotions. She quickly noticed Zachary's displeasure and explained, "I'm Violette's assistant."
She was a senior in college, still an intern.
Violette was the doctor scheduled to see Zachary.
Zachary sat down, and Violette began, "What seems to be the problem?"
"Headaches, memory loss, some insomnia," he said, handing over a box of medication. "I've been taking this for a while. I’m not sure if it’s causing these side effects."
To avoid suspicion from Timothy, Zachary had 'finished' the bottle. He never knew when Timothy might do a surprise check and ask why he hadn't taken his meds. Although the bottle was still there, he wasn't sure if the contents matched. He had found this bottle at Timothy's house.
Violette examined the medication and frowned. "Who prescribed this? This drug isn't available here. Although it says it's for mental health issues, I can't be sure it's causing your symptoms. You should ask the psychiatrist who prescribed it. They would know the side effects better."
Zachary replied, "I can't ask him."
"Why not?"
"He was arrested for practicing without a license and using unapproved psychiatric drugs."
Violette was speechless.
With the evidence clear and the doctor already in custody, Violette had never seen this drug before. It was likely a problematic product from a shady manufacturer. "We need to test the drug to know for sure. How long have you been taking it?"
"Three or four months," Zachary answered.
It would take a week to get the test results.
Violette wrote up the orders. "Maeve, please have Mr. Bailey do a questionnaire, a brain CT, and a blood test. After paying, go to the window to get a number. The CT might not be possible today."
The questionnaire was in the next room. Maeve handed Zachary several forms. "Don't worry, this is just a preliminary screening. Answer according to your true feelings."
Timothy, fearing Zachary would slip out of his control, made him do this screening almost weekly. Zachary finished it in just over ten minutes. After he left, Violette noticed Maeve staring at the door and teased, "Got a crush?"
Maeve turned around. "Violette, don't joke. He saved me a few days ago. I see him as a great benefactor, nothing more."
To Zachary, it was a trivial act, but it had kept those troublemakers from bothering her again. The Night Club security, who used to turn a blind eye, now took their jobs seriously, even when the boss wasn't around.
These were real, tangible benefits to her, even if they were unintentional on his part. Maeve felt immense gratitude towards Zachary, not daring to entertain any romantic thoughts.
The weekend arrived.
Winona had planned to sleep in, but Zachary woke her up just after eight. Hugging her blanket, she squinted, "I'm so tired. Can I sleep a bit longer?"
Zachary reminded her, "We agreed to pick out an engagement ring today."
Proposing with just a bouquet of roses felt too risky to him. If Winona ever changed her mind, he’d have no proof. He needed to secure their engagement and let everyone know she was taken.
Winona remembered, but it seemed too early to go ring shopping. The stores had just opened.
She buried her head in the blanket, her voice muffled, "Just five more minutes. I'm really exhausted."
Lately, Winona had been working late to meet a deadline, often not getting home until after nine. She had been looking forward to sleeping in on the weekend, only to be woken up early.
Going out in winter was already a challenge, and not being fully rested made it worse.
Zachary didn't waste those five minutes. He went to the closet and picked out an outfit for Winona. His fashion sense was a bit basic, but he had learned enough to put together something decent.
When the five minutes were up, he woke Winona again. "Time's up."
Winona's mind was still foggy. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It had indeed been just five minutes.
Wrapped in her blanket, only her head peeking out, she asked Zachary with teary eyes, "Does this mean that after we get married, I’ll never get to sleep in again?"
Zachary's instincts told him that if he said yes, Winona might call off the engagement. So he firmly replied, "No, I just didn't want to miss out on the ring. After this, you can sleep in as much as you want, or even quit your job. I'll take care of you."
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