Chapter 440
After putting away her phone, Eva had lost all appetite.
She had planned to go out, but now that she was briefed on the basic situation, there was no need. “Ms. Hansen p>
The sudden shift in her emotions during the phone call had silenced the staff who had not dared speak a word until now. Seeing Eva hadn’t touched her food since hanging up, the staff cautiously reminded her, “The food is getting cold.” Hearing this, Eva glanced down at the spread before her, then back at the staff. She parted her lips, intending to say she couldn’t eat and to have the staff take the meal away.
In the end, she forced herself to swallow the last few bites of her meal before standing up to leave.
She always lectured her two kids about not wasting food. How could she not practice what she preached?
After heading upstairs, Eva Shen dialed Adrian Blackwood’s number.
Despite Jacob’s warning that the call probably wouldn’t go through, she stubbornly tried anyway.
Ring-ring-
After two rings, the call disconnected automatically without even going to voicemail. There was no way to get through.
The busy tone echoed in her ears as Eva’s heart sank again.
What on earth was going on?
Right then, her phone rang, startling Eva amid the silence of the room. She half-expected it was Adrian Blackwood returning her call, but her hopes plummeted once she saw the caller ID. “Hello p>
“Boss, why do you sound so down p>
Tim’s voice reached her after days of silence.
Right now, apart from Adrian Blackwood, no one else’s call could lift her spirits. When Tim inquired, she replied with a despondent tone.
“Nothing, what’s up p>
“Come on, boss, when was the last time you stepped foot in the office? I couldn’t even reach you by phone. If I hadn’t checked with Brent, I wouldn’t have known you’d gone abroad p>
The office. That’s right… she had a company to run.
Since being unexpectedly whisked away by Michael Cooper, she hadn’t been to the office in ages.
“Sorry, I’ve been… tied up with a lot lately p>
Eva didn’t plan to divulge the truth, so she brushed it off with an excuse.
“I get it, being busy is part of the job. But when do you think you’ll swing by the office? I might have plenty of experience, but I’m not the boss. There are decisions I can’t make without you. Can you find a day to come in?” “I’ll be there right away.” After hanging up, Eva quickly left her house.
By the time she arrived at the office, Tim was just finishing up a contract negotiation. Having just seen his counterpart out, he briefed Eva on the contract details and handed over the documents.
“This project looks promising, but without you here, I didn’t dare make the call, and frankly, I shouldn’t. You should take a look personally.” “Okay p>
Eva took the contract and began to leaf through the dense text. But as she read, Adrian Blackwood’s face kept intruding on her thoughts.
Meanwhile, Tim watched her sit there, staring at the first page of the contract – for one minute, two minutes, then five, without turning the page.
Finding it odd, Tim tilted his head, trying to read the expression in her eyes.
Geez, she was staring into space, her thoughts who knows where. She didn’t look like she was even looking at the contract.
Tim rapped on the desk and spoke up, “Boss p>
It took several shouts for Tim to snap Eva back to reality.
Once she refocused, Eva met Tim’s exasperated gaze with peak contrition.
“Sorry, I zoned out for a second there p>
“Boss, I get that you might have a lot on your plate right now, but all you need to do is give this contract a quick once-over. You can go back to daydreaming after, deal p>
Eva gave him a faint smile and nodded. This time, without distraction, she meticulously reviewed and signed the contract.
She handed the document back to Tim. “Thanks for all your hard work lately p>
“No trouble at all. What are assistants for?” Tim replied with a light smile. He should have left with the contract, but his curiosity got the better of him as he lingered. “Boss, is it something personal troubling you p>
His prying, however, went unanswered as Eva, after handing over the contract, had already drifted back into her thoughts.
With no other option, Tim resignedly said, “Alright then, just be careful heading out later. Don’t need any trouble p>
With those words, he turned to leave and was surprised at the door by six or seven imposing figures in black suits and sunglasses.
“Who are you guys p>
The leader, acknowledging Tim’s position as Eva’s manager, afforded him a modicum of civility.
“Hello, we’re Ms. Hansen’s bodyguards p>
Tim was speechless.
After her absence and now reappearing with this level of security, it was clear to the astute Tim that something wasn’t right.
So it wasn’t business that kept her busy recently, but trouble, hence the new entourage.
No wonder she seemed so uneasy reviewing the contract.
With that thought, Tim sighed internally. While he didn’t know exactly what was amiss, he had a hunch.
But pressing her about it now would only add to her turmoil, so he quickly left the office with the contract.
After Tim’s departure, the lead bodyguard knocked and entered, finding Eva alone, lost in thought at her desk.
Hearing the knock, she looked up.
“What is it p>
The bodyguard nodded, “We need to ensure Ms. Hansen’s safety. If you intend to stay and work here today, Ms. Hansen, we must secure the premises p>
Eva pondered for a moment before responding to his concern.
After speaking, it seemed as if the other party was worried she might refuse; before she could even get a word out, they added, “This office is all windows. Their people might come in from this side.” Eva instinctively glanced at the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“And the ventilation ducts,” they continued.
Eva sighed internally. If a person could fit through the vent, then windows were hardly worth mentioning.
“Okay,” she murmured.
Once she had agreed, a group of people poured into the room. Eva watched as the once spacious office became cramped with the arrival of several stout men, to the point where even the air seemed to stagnate. Eva stood, intending to open a window for some fresh air.
But as she approached, a bodyguard closed in, blocking her path, “Ms. Hansen, please don’t stand near the window. It’s not safe p>