Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 85

However, the business dinner Adele had arranged was already on the books with upper management. She hadn't been lying earlier—she really was just informing Scarlett.

At eight that evening, Scarlett took a cab to The Golden Oak, an upscale hotel in downtown Sovereign City with quite the local reputation. 

The rooftop restaurant embraced vintage luxury, with soaring ceilings adorned with massive crystal chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city lights below.

When she arrived, a server escorted her directly to a private dining room on the top floor. As she entered, she found Adele already inside, flanked by two middle-aged men Scarlett didn't recognize.

She looked first to Adele, her voice carefully neutral. "Ms. Seymour."

"So this is Ms. Scarlett Seymour?" Before Adele could respond, the man in the gray suit sitting beside her spoke up with a broad smile. "Seeing truly is believing! Now I understand what kind of beauty Ms. Adele Seymour was describing!"

His eyes practically glued themselves to Scarlett's face as he rose to shake her hand, his gaze unrelentingly appraising. 

That sticky, blatant stare made Scarlett's expression harden. She intended to offer only the barest handshake for formality's sake, but once he took her hand, he refused to let go. 

His palm was sweaty and greasy, instantly making Scarlett's expression darken.

Adele sat nearby, smiling without comment.

The second man also approached. He seemed more gentlemanly than the first, though his predatory gaze remained equally unrestrained.

"Ms. Scarlett Seymour, hello. I'm Toby Hughes, Deputy Manager of Procurement at the Howard Group. Thank you for joining us today." His speech was refined, his timing for the handshake impeccable.

Only after the first man released her hand did Toby extend his. Scarlett desperately wanted to wipe her hand but couldn't find the opportunity. After shaking hands with Toby, the first man grabbed her hand again.

"Ms. Seymour, I'm Andy Smith from the Howard Group's Marketing Department. Now that we've met, it must be fate! Come, have a seat!" Andy not only refused to release her hand but actually placed his arm around her waist, guiding her toward the seat next to his.

Andy's proximity made Scarlett's stomach turn. With an icy expression, she pulled away from his grasp and, instead of moving forward, coldly muttered an apology and turned to leave. 

She'd figured it out—Adele was trying to pull the same stunt Brianna had attempted before. Except this time, she'd lined up two men. Absolutely disgusting!

But Andy had no intention of letting such a beauty escape. Just as her hand reached for the doorknob, he lunged forward and trapped it beneath his own.

"Scarlett, where are you going?" Adele finally spoke up, approaching with a sweet smile. "We're here to discuss business, nothing else." Together with Andy, they flanked Scarlett and steered her back inside.

Scarlett's expression hardened. "You call this business?" She glanced pointedly at Andy's hand hovering near her waist.

Seeing this, Adele immediately frowned. "Mr. Smith, look at yourself! Show some restraint—you're scaring my cousin."

Only then did Andy withdraw his hand, offering a cheerful but hollow apology. 

Scarlett couldn't detect any genuine remorse, and her desire to leave hadn't diminished in the slightest.

She sat down at the far end of the table, away from the three of them. She didn't touch any of the place settings, only grabbing the warm towel to clean her hands.

"Truly beautiful," Toby remarked from across the table.

Scarlett, eyes downcast, furrowed her brow at his words and was about to respond when he continued.

"Had I known your cousin was this gorgeous, I would have sought to collaborate with you much sooner, Ms. Seymour." As Toby spoke to Adele, he raised his wine glass toward Scarlett.

Scarlett looked at his raised glass and arched an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, but I'm on my period. I can't drink." She said this while letting her gaze move between the two men's faces.

Andy's disappointment was obvious—he even made a regretful clicking sound with his tongue. 

Toby concealed his reaction better, though his skill at hiding his emotions didn't reach even a twentieth of Sebastian's ability.

During her time with Sebastian, Scarlett had learned to observe microexpressions. She had originally intended to decipher Sebastian's thoughts, but the technique proved useless on him and only drained her energy. 

With Toby, however, this knowledge proved quite effective. His brow furrowed slightly before smoothing out, though disappointment lingered.

Adele let out a forced laugh. "Is that so? But I recall that your period isn't due these days, Scarlett?"

Scarlett hadn't expected her to track even this detail so meticulously. Her period indeed wasn't due now—this early cycle had been triggered by the emergency contraceptive she'd taken recently.

"My hormones are a bit off balance. I was prescribed medication at the hospital recently."

"That's truly a shame. In that case, let's toast with tea instead." Toby's disappointment lasted only briefly before he raised his cup toward Scarlett again.

Though reluctant, Scarlett couldn't find fault with his behavior and was forced to lift her teacup. "Fine."

Bringing the cup closer, Scarlett took just the smallest sip, but noticed a faint, pleasant fragrance. 

This prompted her to sniff her teacup again. The tea was ordinary green tea, quite mild. 

On her second sniff, Scarlett realized the scent was coming from her own hands. 

She instinctively glanced at the towel she'd used. Scented hand towels weren't uncommon, so Scarlett didn't dwell on it.

After this, the conversation gradually shifted to normal business topics. The framework of the new project became clearer, and Scarlett slowly joined the discussion.

"I need to use the restroom," Adele announced, rising from her seat mid-conversation.

No matter how engaging her conversation with these two men had become, Scarlett still didn't trust being alone with them in the room. So when she saw Adele leaving, Scarlett immediately stood up as well.

However, the moment she rose, her head spun violently. She stumbled and collapsed back into her chair. She hadn't been drinking, so the room fell into an awkward silence.

"What's wrong with you, Ms. Seymour?" Andy spoke first, smiling as he moved to approach, though he seemed unable to find a proper excuse.

At that moment, Scarlett was immensely grateful she hadn't touched the alcohol, or else they would have had the perfect pretext to get close under the guise of helping a drunk woman. 

Still, her mind grew increasingly foggy, and she could only pinch her arm to stay alert.

That's when Toby approached, a smile playing at his lips as he placed his palm against Scarlett's back. "Ms. Seymour, are you feeling unwell? Perhaps we should take you to a hospital?"

Scarlett shook her head, pinching herself hard. Her mind cleared slightly. "No need to trouble yourselves. I can go on my own."

She pushed herself up using the table, but before she could take more than a few steps, nausea overwhelmed her. She immediately crouched down and began dry heaving.

"Ms. Seymour, don't be stubborn." Toby approached with Andy, lifting her directly into his arms. "We'll take you to the hospital right away."

"That's not necessary..." Scarlett frowned, struggling against him. But her dizziness was severe, and what little strength she had was rapidly fading. 

Her struggles were as ineffective as a dragonfly skimming water—her hand brushing against Toby's face seemed more like flirtation than resistance.

Just as they were about to exit the private room, the door was violently kicked open from the outside!