He is running temperature

The next day, Joel decided to take a day off work. He sat on the couch, feeling relaxed as he watched the doctor unwrap the bandage on Emily's arm.

"Is she alright now?" he asked the doctor.

"Yes," the doctor replied, bowing as he finished unwrapping the bandage on Emily's left shin.

"Good," Joel nodded.

"You may leave," he waved his hand, dismissing the doctor.

The doctor bowed, packed his things, and left the villa.

"Now that you're healed, you should leave," Joel said, turning his gaze to Emily.

"Yes, I'll pack my things," Emily said, standing up and heading towards her room.

"Things?" Joel's words stopped her in her tracks.

"Things, you say?" Joel raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't bring anything when you came into this house. Leave the way you came," Joel ordered coldly.

Tears stung Emily's eyes as she stood still.

"Yes," she forced out, trying to fight back her tears.

She turned and faced Joel, who was sitting comfortably on the couch.

"Kamsahamnida," she bowed her head and made her way out of the lounge.

"Let's... not meet again," Joel stood up and took long strides towards the stairs.

Emily gasped, tears streaming down her face. She helped herself out of the villa.

As soon as she reached outside the huge gates of the villa, she looked back and waved her hand. It was heart-wrenching that she didn't get to say goodbye to Little Pumpkin. She walked down the driveway slowly, crying profusely.

She indeed left.

While walking past a car, still crying, she heard someone honk the horn. She stopped, wiped her tears with her palm, and turned around. Sitting in the driver's seat of the car was her savior, waving his hand at her through the window. Emily smiled.

"Miss Emily, get in," he grinned at her.

She nodded, opened the door, and took a seat beside him.

Vincent smiled and wiped her tears with his thumb. "Pretty girls like you shouldn't cry for anything in this world."

Emily stared into his eyes and broke down in fresh tears. Vincent let out a small smile and hugged her.

⛲⛲⛲

Joel crushed the phone in his hand as he watched the footage from the driveway's CCTV camera. He threw the remote control away, panting in annoyance.

"Aishhh!" He yelled in frustration.

What was wrong with him? Was he falling for that girl? He didn't know. He pushed everything on his desk violently, causing his study to turn into a mess in an instant.

He clenched his fists. 'So, she has a boyfriend after all...'

Although he didn't get a clear glimpse of the person the girl hugged in the car, he knew it was a guy. And to him, that guy was her boyfriend—no doubt.

He sat down on his chair and rocked it gently, trying to suppress his anger. He was supposed to be in Italy for a meeting, but he had taken the day off because he wanted to spend it at home with that girl around him.

Throughout the weeks she was with them, he didn't know why, but whenever he was at the office or away on a trip, he always looked forward to going home just because of her.

And when he had asked her to leave, he thought she wouldn't just... leave. He didn't want her to, anyway.

When he told her he didn't want to meet again, he had lied. He wanted to see her every day.

He had expected her to refuse to leave. He had believed she would stay. He thought she would be adamant. He thought...

"Fudge!" Joel cursed under his breath and lightly slapped his forehead with his palm.

To be honest, everything about the girl amused him—the way she ate, the way she walked, the way she looked, her sense of reasoning—everything!

He just never showed it—he was the 'Almighty CEO Joel'; the man who could make anything happen with a snap of his fingers—how on Earth could he fall for someone like her? How?!

"Uncle JJ!" Little Pumpkin's breath hitched as he barged into Joel's study room without knocking.

He ran up the stairs into his uncle's study for one reason—the sweet noona.

Joel turned and stared at his little nephew. His face softened immediately.

"Where is she?" Little Pumpkin stared keenly at his uncle.

Knowing who the 'she' his nephew was referring to was, Joel sighed.

Little Pumpkin had already told him that morning before he left for school not to send the pretty noona away.

"She left, kiddo." He dropped the bombshell.

The bombshell hit Little Pumpkin like an iceberg. He didn't argue with his uncle; he just stared at the ground and walked out of his uncle's study room dejectedly.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he walked down the stairs into his room.

Michael, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, watched his son intently, and as soon as he noticed the tears on his face, he instantly knew that his brother had sent that girl away. He pouted and also walked sadly to his room. The villa would once again be boring.

—

Nightfall on the fifth day...

Michael ruffled his hair tiredly as he paced around the lounge. "We don't know what's wrong with him. His temperature is high."

He sighed frustratedly and stopped to watch the doctor examine Little Pumpkin's body. "His body temperature keeps rising day by day."

"Since when has he been like this, sir?" the doctor asked, pausing what he was doing to look at Michael.

"It's been five days, right?" he asked, looking at his brother.

"Um," Joel replied with a nasal affirmation.

"Yeah, five days," Michael shifted his gaze back to the doctor.

The doctor let out a gusty sigh. "...there is nothing physically wrong with the young master."

"Nothing?!...his body is burning up!" Joel yelled in annoyance.

The doctor flinched. "Sir, I'm just as confused."

"He seems to be okay. I don't know..." he added thoughtfully. He twitched his lips, "perhaps..."

"What?" Joel groaned.

The doctor turned to face Michael, "Is there something the little master wants that you're not giving him?"

Michael furrowed his brows. "Something?"

"Yes, like a toy or pizza or something he has asked for..." The doctor stated, putting his equipment in his briefcase and snapping it shut.

"If that's the case, you need to get him what he wants. It might help. I'll be leaving now." He bowed and took his leave.

Joel and Michael thought for a moment and stared at each other, realizing that Little Pumpkin had been sick since the day that girl left.

Now they knew exactly what he wanted. It wasn't a thing; it was a person.

"I'll be back." Joel grabbed his key from the table.

He gently lifted Little Pumpkin's fragile body onto his shoulder and headed out of the villa.

Michael looked wearily at his brother. "It's late, Joel."

"You want him to die?" Joel asked and walked out without waiting for a response.

He pressed a button on the steering wheel as he drove out of the villa, and Noah's voice came through the speakers.

"Boss..." Noah called.

"Send me her address now!" He blurted out bluntly and pressed the button again.

The line went off.

Within a few minutes, he received a message with the girl's address and drove straight to her apartment.

🏢🏬🏘️

When they arrived, Joel parked his car in the parking lot. He took two face masks from the dashboard, wearing one himself and putting the other on Little Pumpkin—he didn't want people hovering around them like ants.

He looked up at the building—the girl lived on the 16th floor, room number 207.

He carried Little Pumpkin, stepped out of the car, and headed into the building.

"Haaa! Isn't that the CEO of Empire World?!" On spotting him walking into the building, a lady pointed her finger in Joel's direction.

Instantly, he froze on the spot.

Her friend rolled her eyes. "CEO? It can't be him. What does he need here? He can never come into this place."

"I've told you to stop drinking alcohol, but you won't listen!" she sighed in frustration.

"Kaja!" She dragged her friend by her hand and pulled her away.

As her friend pulled away, the drunk lady turned to look back at the man she had seen, but he was no longer there.

She could have sworn it was the CEO of Empire World.

'Maybe it's the effect of the alcohol I drank,' she thought.

"That was close." Joel sighed as he walked swiftly to the elevator.

He adjusted his mask with his left hand and pressed a button on the elevator. Its doors slid open.

There were three people in the elevator—two ladies and a man.

Joel froze.

'This is it.' Joel bit his lip.

"Aren't you coming in?" one of the ladies asked.

Joel lowered his head and got into the elevator, with Little Pumpkin sleeping on his shoulder. He stood behind the three of them, and the elevator doors closed.

"I just want him to talk to me. Just once in my life," one of the ladies squeaked to the other as they rode the elevator.

The other lady rolled her eyes. "Who? CEO Joel? Forget it."

"That man is so full of himself." She added bluntly.

"I dislike him with so much passion. I want to quit working at Empire World," she added irritably.

"Ah, never. I'll never do that. My handsome CEO Joel." The other lady smiled dreamily.

Joel sneezed.

Of course, he'd sneeze; they were talking about him. No wonder he sneezed almost all the time. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

So many people talking and saying bad things about him behind his back... his employees included. It was disheartening.

He threw daggers at the lady who had bad-mouthed him with his eyes.

She suddenly felt his cold presence. She felt like she was being watched by him. She shuddered. Hastily, she looked back, but it was just some random guy carrying a boy who was probably his son standing behind her.

The elevator dinged as soon as it reached the 16th floor, and Joel took long strides out of the elevator.

She watched the retreating form of the guy and furrowed her brows before the elevator closed. 'How come that guy walks just like the CEO?'

'You want to quit your job, right? I'll help you.' Joel smirked as he walked down the corridor of the 16th floor.