Second Chance: Marrying into Wealth Chapter 244

Hayes fell silent again.

Thankfully, Quinlan stepped in to guide him. "Mr. Callahan really wants to take you on as his student. Don't you think you still have room to grow? With Mr. Callahan teaching you, you'll get even better. So, you should accept his offer and become his student."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll teach you things you've never even thought of," Magnus added eagerly, worried that if he didn't speak fast enough, Hayes might think he wasn't serious.

Hayes looked at Quinlan, seemingly pondering her words. "Really? I can get better?"

"Yes, much better. You're already great, but you can be even better!" Quinlan's patience and emotional support clearly made Hayes trust her deeply.

Hayes then nodded at Magnus. "Okay, I'll be your student."

With a nudge from Quinlan, Hayes called Magnus "teacher."

Magnus was so happy he nearly jumped for joy. His friend Cassius, standing nearby, couldn't help but tease him, finding Magnus's excitement almost too much to handle.

The two friends exchanged playful banter, clearly in high spirits.

Magnus then had a conversation with Hayes, and perhaps because Quinlan was there, Hayes was very cooperative. They discussed professional matters, making the conversation smooth and productive.

Christopher and I stepped outside to wait.

I couldn't help but reflect, "I used to think Magnus had a bad temper. If he saw how quiet Hayes is, I thought he might get frustrated and refuse to take him on. But it turns out, despite his quirks, he's a really good person."

Christopher looked at me intently. "Yeah, they're all good people."

His gaze made me feel like he was including me in that compliment, which made me a bit embarrassed.

Then I remembered something that made me uneasy.

"Marlowe is Hayes's guardian. She doesn't like me much. If she finds out I was the one who brought Magnus here, she might not want Quinlan to stay with Hayes or go to Rosewood City with him."

Thinking about Marlowe's actions gave me a headache, and I rubbed my forehead.

Suddenly, Christopher's warm hand covered mine on my forehead.

His hand was much warmer than my cool one, and the touch made me instinctively want to pull away.

Christopher spoke calmly, "Headache? I thought you might have a fever."

I realized I was overthinking. Because of my parents, Christopher had always been kind to me, so his attentiveness wasn't new.

I quickly explained, "No, I'm fine. Just a bit worried."

"Don't worry. Preemptive anxiety isn't a good habit. What if Hayes adapts well in Rosewood City?"

If he adapted well, it might even help his condition.

No wonder Christopher was a successful CEO. He never wasted time on unnecessary worries.

I nodded, "Thank you, Mr. Collins. I understand."

Just as we finished talking, Magnus and Cassius came out.

Seeing the tired expressions on their faces made me feel a bit guilty.

We drove them back to their hotel first. Christopher had already arranged the best suite for them.

Considering Cassius's condition, he not only arranged for them to share a suite at Magnus's request but also stationed someone at the door to prevent another incident like Cassius wandering off.

Once everything was settled, Christopher and I headed back.

"Finally done. We were really lucky to get Magnus to come," I couldn't help but remark.

Christopher smiled and praised me, "We have you to thank for that. Without you, we wouldn't have been able to get Magnus."

"I didn't do much. Hayes deserves the credit too!" I felt embarrassed by the compliment.

Christopher didn't say anything more. On the way, he suddenly had the driver stop at a small, old shop.

"Mr. Collins, what's this?" I asked, puzzled as he got out of the car.

"Wait here. I'll be right back," he said.

He didn't explain further but returned quickly with a delicate box in hand.

Before I could react, he handed the box to me.

"For your efforts in bringing Magnus to Starlight City, you deserve a reward. Summit Innovations Group values its employees' abilities, and you've done a great job."

The box was intricately carved, clearly the work of a master craftsman. I hesitated to accept it. "Mr. Collins, I was just doing my job. This isn't necessary."

Christopher didn't withdraw his hand. Instead, he looked at me with a determined expression. "Your kindness isn't just part of your job. Bringing Magnus here was a result of that kindness. You deserve this reward."

With that, I couldn't refuse any longer. "Thank you."

I took the box, and Christopher raised an eyebrow, signaling for me to open it. "See if you like it."

I opened the box to find a pink diamond necklace, the diamond carved into the shape of a lotus flower.

"The lotus symbolizes purity. I thought it suited you," Christopher said in a deep, almost mesmerizing voice.

I tried not to overthink it. This reward was for bringing Magnus, but the craftsmanship suggested it wasn't made on short notice. Maybe he had planned to reward me for my hard work all along.

"Don't you like it?" Christopher asked when he saw me staring at the necklace without putting it on.

I quickly shook my head. "It's beautiful, and the craftsmanship is amazing. I love it. Thank you, Mr. Collins. I'm very satisfied with this gift."

I couldn't help but feel awkward about my words, as if I was being too picky.

Christopher picked up the necklace. "Since you like it, let me help you put it on."

I felt uneasy but didn't have a chance to refuse. He reached around my neck to fasten the necklace.

I stayed still, catching a faint whiff of sandalwood from him, a calming scent.

Just as Christopher finished, the car suddenly braked hard to avoid a collision, and he fell against me, pinning me to the leather seat.