Second Chance: Marrying into Wealth Chapter 281

Christopher quickly cut in, "I'm not her boyfriend, at least not right now."

I didn't catch the "right now" part. I was just relieved he cleared things up.

Honestly, we were not in the same league. How could I ever really connect with him?

The sales associate immediately apologized, "I'm so sorry, ma'am. I misspoke. Please forgive me."

I smiled, not making a big deal out of it.

But as the sales associate mentioned, the outfits Christopher picked out fit me perfectly and looked great. For convenience, I decided to buy all of them.

We headed to the checkout counter.

When it was time to pay, I pulled out my phone, but Christopher handed over his card at the same time.

The sales associate glanced between us, but I didn't pull my hand back.

In the end, Christopher withdrew his card.

After paying, I was about to grab the bags, but Christopher had already picked them up.

I felt awkward and quickly tried to take the bags from him, "Mr. Collins, I can't let you carry my bags."

Having the boss carry the secretary's bags could damage Christopher's reputation if word got out.

This time, Christopher didn't let go. He simply reminded me, "If I don't help you with these, rumors will spread by tomorrow. They'll say Summit Innovations Group's Mr. Collins is stingy and ungentlemanly, not buying clothes for his girlfriend or helping her carry them."

"But I'm not your girlfriend," I quickly clarified.

Christopher just smiled, looking at me, "All it takes is one photo of us shopping together, and the media will spin their own story. People prefer the narrative they see."

I couldn't argue with Christopher's logic, so I let him carry the bags, and we headed back to the office together.

Since we had an early lunch, we arrived back at the office with an hour to spare before the afternoon shift.

Christopher went to his office.

I was just settling back at my desk when I received a call. It was Jason.

"Ms. Turner, do you have a moment? I'd like to meet you at the café downstairs," Jason said directly, as usual.

We no longer had any ongoing cases, and typically, his student Fallon would contact me if needed.

I had a hunch about why he was reaching out.

He had helped me with two cases before, so I felt obliged to agree.

"Sure, I'll be right down," I replied.

I grabbed my phone and hurried downstairs, not noticing that Christopher had seen me leave.

As soon as I entered the café, I spotted Jason.

It could have been his cool demeanor or his striking looks.

I walked straight to his table and sat across from him.

A server quickly approached. "Ms. Turner, you want cappuccino, right? I'll get it for you right away."

The server was enthusiastic and recognized me immediately.

I was surprised and looked at the server with curiosity, "How do you know me? And my preferences?"

"Ophelia made sure to tell us before she left. She even showed us your photo and prepaid for your coffee for the entire year."

Jason couldn't help but glance at me twice upon hearing this.

I was surprised but pleased, and a smile crept onto my lips.

After the server left, Jason spoke up, "You're lucky to have friends who genuinely care about you."

I thought of Ophelia's once haughty demeanor and was surprised at how our relationship had evolved.

Jason's comment made me think of his relationship with Christopher, and I couldn't help but say, "Jason, don't you also have Christopher as a friend?"

Jason paused, probably thinking of Christopher, and sighed. "But not everyone is that fortunate," he replied.

I didn't respond, waiting for Jason to continue.

"I wanted to ask for your help. Marlowe wants to see Christopher. Could you persuade him to meet her?"

I was surprised that the usually aloof Jason had fallen for Marlowe. Seeing him so affected last time, I couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic.

"Sorry, Jason, but if Christopher doesn't want to see her, I can't persuade him. As his friend, you should know he doesn't like being forced into decisions."

Besides, why should Christopher meet Marlowe just because she wanted to?

Jason's face darkened, his brows furrowing. "Her leg injury is severe. If it isn't treated soon, she might be permanently disabled. If you could persuade Christopher to see her, she'd agree to the surgery. I wouldn't bother you again. Marlowe wasn't always like this. She might have offended you, but it wasn't intentional. She's mentally ill."

I knew he was trying to evoke my sympathy for Marlowe. I remembered the recent emails from Marlowe, filled with hysterical insults and vile language. Even through the screen, I could imagine her twisted face as she typed those words. She accused me of keeping Christopher from seeing her, calling me a jealous witch.

Should I tolerate her just because she was ill? Honestly, I had already tolerated her by ignoring those emails.

Since it was Jason, I refrained from saying anything too harsh. "I sympathize with Marlowe's condition, but that's not a reason to force Christopher. He's an independent thinker with his own reasons for his choices. Even if Christopher sees her this time, what about next time? Will she make even more unreasonable demands?"

The more I thought about it, the more my expression darkened. I even considered that they could use sedatives or anesthesia for the surgery.

Jason's face grew grim. "We're trying to avoid triggering her mentally. If she wakes up agitated, the surgery might be for nothing..."

I kept my tone firm. "Jason, her body is her own. She can't always be mentally unstable, especially after medication. If she doesn't care for herself, no one can truly help her."

In short, she needed to save herself. I remembered a saying: 'Only you can save yourself. Only then can you truly live well.'

Jason seemed like he wanted to say more.

"Jason, you shouldn't have come to Melinda!"

Suddenly, Christopher's deep, magnetic voice came from behind me.

I stood up quickly, feeling caught, and glanced at Christopher with a hint of guilt. Then I realized I had no reason to feel guilty. I hadn't done anything wrong.

Jason saw Christopher and his expression changed slightly, standing up. "Christopher..."