Take My Breath Away

Without saying anything, Wesley took a cigarette from the pack and a lighter from his pocket. He was going to have a smoke after he led Garnet to the ground floor.

"She has cancer! Her parents passed away a long time ago. And now you make her feel like dog-doo. What if she commits suicide? What then?" Garnet continued to confront Wesley since he stayed silent. Strangely enough, she never expected herself to be a good girl. Why should she be on Blair's side? She loved Wesley, but she was now persuading him to care about Blair.

"She doesn't have cancer," Wesley said simply and walked into the elevator first.

Garnet was stunned by his words. Quickly following him into the elevator, she asked, "Okay, I'm confused. If she doesn't have cancer, does she know? And if she does, why lie about something like that?"

"That's my point. I'm teaching her a lesson. She's still recovering, but decided to play the pity card. I'm not falling for it." He talked to the nurse who told Blair she had cancer, and Zaria, the doctor. It was then that he found out Zaria was actually a friend of his mom's.

Blair had gone too far this time. He had to teach her a lesson. Did she know how worried he was? She probably raised his blood pressure a few points.

Garnet sighed helplessly. "You both deserve each other. Did you see how angry she was? You'll have a hard time with her."

"Not really," he announced with determination. He had almost lost it when he was told about Blair's cancer. She'd never know what a monumental effort it was to act as normal as possible. He was close to the edge, and only through his willpower was he able to keep it together.

'Not really?' Garnet wondered in disbelief. She threw a glance at the expressionless man. That man was impossible. She knew he liked Blair, so what had he planned? He wouldn't go too far, would he? It would probably break his heart to see Blair sad. Even Garnet herself felt her heart ache for Blair. If it were bad for Garnet, it had to be far worse for Wesley.

In the following two days, Blair hadn't seen Wesley even once. Adalson and Natalia came to pick her up the day when she was discharged.

Before she left the hospital, Cecelia called her. "Blair, how's everything between you and Wesley? Did our plan work?" the mother asked excitedly on the other end.

Blair paused for a moment. She didn't want to worry her, so she lied, "Yeah. It's working."

Cecelia glowed with joy as she heard the good news. "I knew it! I'm a genius! Baldwin didn't trust me and said Wesley wouldn't be fooled like that. Humph! Now that I won, he'll never hear the end of it! Oh, by the way, how are you feeling?"

"The doctor said I'm fine now. Nothing serious. I'm checking out now. Thanks, Aunt Cecelia."

"Glad to hear it. I'll come visit in a few days. I have some things to finish here."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Don't be so formal with me. Get some rest. Call me if you need me."

"I know. Bye, Aunt Cecelia."

Adalson drove Blair back to Eastern Coastal Apartments. She hadn't been back to this apartment in the past ten-odd days. Her uncle and aunt didn't stay long and left after an impromptu Q and A session.

When she was left alone, she scanned the spacious apartment, sadness filling her heart. Wesley was nowhere to be found. It had been a few days since she'd seen him. Well, there was no point in staying here. In a gloomy mood, she packed her luggage and headed to a hotel.

No sooner had she checked in than Wesley got wind of it. Still, he stayed away. He didn't call or visit.

Blair still wondered if she had liver cancer, so she went to another hospital to get a second opinion. She had just filled out the paperwork to see a doctor when she received Wesley's message. "You don't have cancer."

Blair was greatly taken aback. But then she realized what was going on. Wesley saw through her deception, and decided to trick her in return. In a fit of anger, she crumpled the registration form in her hand and tossed it into the bin.

After she walked out of the hospital, she had wanted to call Wesley and give him a tongue-lashing. Did he know that she lost sleep and weight over this? She was so worried about what this meant for her own life, she had no appetite and was too stressed to get any real rest. But in the end, she decided against calling him. After all, she lied first. She was the one to blame.

So even though she was angry, she had no choice but to just bury it.

No matter why she lied, she knew it was wrong. But he was wrong too. And even if she did lie, did he have to make a public display of his affection for Garnet? Right in front of her? He even broke up with Blair and announced it in front of Garnet. Wasn't he going too far?

All these thoughts were banging around in her skull. She thought that Wesley owed her a huge apology. And even then, she might not forgive him.

They weren't really dating. He wasn't her boyfriend. Still, a part of her hoped he would come crawling back and be genuinely sorry.

If Wesley came for her, it meant that he had her in his heart. She would forget about what he did before. It wouldn't matter anymore. 'But if Wesley doesn't even call me, then...' Blair bit her lower lip and made up her mind. 'Then I'll move into the company dorm, and blacklist Wesley...'

Spring was short in Y City. The weather got hotter as summer began.

Night gradually fell. Blair changed into a long, pink laced dress with a slim waistline in the restroom at work. She tied the sash with a bow at the small of her back. She was going to attend a dinner tonight.

Before she set out, she called Orion. "Hi Orion. I have to tell you something."

"What's that?"

"When I visited TS Group the other day, I promised to have dinner with Mr. Kuang. I'm meeting him tonight, and I hope you won't take this wrong. I know they're our competitors." Blair didn't want to be thought of engaging in commercial espionage.

Orion laughed. "Don't worry. I know you. Just go for it. Or do you need me to drive you?"

"Thank you for your understanding. No need. I'll hail a cab and get there on my own." She began to walk out of the office as she talked with Orion on the phone.

"Okay. Can you guess why Mr. Kuang invited you to dinner?" Orion asked purposefully. Of course, he knew the answer.

Blair had thought that Mr. Kuang invited her to dinner just to thank her for her help. Now that Orion asked, it suddenly dawned on her that Mr. Kuang might have some ulterior motive.

"I don't know. I heard that Mr. Kuang values those who help him. I think it's just a thank you invite. Don't overthink it," she replied.

Orion smiled and teased, "Blair, just keep that in mind. I can't leave you, and my company needs you. So, don't go accepting any strange offers, okay?"

Blair took in his meaning. After a pause, she assured him, "I don't want to work at a big company like TS Group. You know that."

Orion heaved a sigh of relief. "Okay, I trust you. Take care. Call me if you need anything."

"Will do. Bye."

At the Orchid Private Club

Just as Wesley stepped into the club, a familiar woman standing in front of the elevator caught his attention. With the help of a waiter, she walked into the elevator with a well-dressed man.

The elevator stopped at the eighth floor. Wesley's eyes darkened.

'Why is she here? And who's that guy? Why is she with him?' he wondered.

He entered the VIP elevator and pushed the button for the eighth floor as well. Just as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw the woman enter Room 822 with the stranger at the other end of the corridor.

Wesley stood rooted to the spot.

Last time when he knew she was at another hospital to get a second opinion, he sent a message to her, telling her that she didn't have cancer. He had expected her to call and throw a tantrum, or even come straight to him to make a scene. But she didn't. She didn't even try and call or text.

That was not like her. What was going on? Unable to read her mind, Wesley had been very annoyed at this.

Gripped by anxiety, he turned to the waiter who had ridden the elevator with him, and said, "I want to know who booked Room 822. It's a matter of national security." It was a lie, but it motivated the waiter to override any privacy concerns.

"Yes, Mr. Li!"