Returning her gaze to the bed, Abigail pointed at the person who unfortunately turned out not to be Duncan. "Who's this?" Avoiding Abigail's gaze, Karla took a step forward. "He's my…" she paused and cleared her throat. "My driver." "What the heck is going on?" Abigail was confused. "You got your driver to pretend to be on this bed as Duncan?" "Obviously." Karla shrugged. "And where is Duncan?!" "He left." "What the heck do you mean? Where did he go?" "To handle the presentation." "For the Lennart family? How's he going to do that?" Karla quietly stared at her as her driver excused them. "Tell me everything…!" "Yes, just bring your voice down. Relax. Okay?" Abigail exhaled and nodded, folding her arms. "Go on, I'm all ears now." Karla sighed and looked away as she thought of where to start explaining. However, back in the personalized meeting room, Lady Zelda and Babette dropped their gaze to the foot of the person, who sported a nice pair of Italian shoes. Lifting thei
Nicholas, frustrated and feeling the pressure of the situation, mumbled to himself, "If only she'd see reason." He paced outside the room, contemplating the potential consequences of Duncan's unpreparedness for the presentation. Inside the room, Duncan was focused on crafting his own presentation. He knew the importance of delivering a compelling pitch to secure the deal for the Walton Group of companies. As he worked diligently, Babette entered the room to check on his progress. "Sir Duncan, how's it going? Do you need any assistance?" Babette inquired. Duncan looked up, appreciating her concern. "I'm working on it. It's a bit challenging, but I'll manage. I appreciate your trust in me, Babette." As Duncan continued his preparations, Babette couldn't shake off her own concerns. She stepped closer and whispered, "Sir, are you sure about this? Nicholas offered to represent us, and he seems confident in making a successful presentation." Duncan paused, considering her words.
Duncan tried to keep his composure as Zinnia walked up to him. He faked a smile, turning to face her. "What do you mean?" he asked, attempting to sound casual.Zinnia took off her glasses, her gaze fixed on Duncan. "I remember you," she stated. Duncan's heart skipped a beat as he asked, "From where?"Zinnia smiled knowingly, "You were the other guy I saw in the hallway when I was leaving after my presentation the other time." Duncan chuckled, glancing away. "Oh, that was you," he said with a feigned surprise. Inwardly, he let out a silent sigh of relief, grateful that she didn't notice the tension he had been hiding. Duncan made a short prayer of thanksgiving in silence, grateful that Zinnia had recognized him without revealing his undercover identity. Returning his gaze to Zinnia, he noted the hardened expression on her face."Good to see you again, Miss," Duncan greeted, trying to maintain a composed demeanor."Miss? Don't you know me?" Zinnia questioned, her tone challenging.
Zinnia's accusatory words cut through the air. "You're just a two-faced impostor, pretending to be the mysterious heir of the Walton Group when, in reality, you're nothing more than a lowlife representative!" Her tone dripped with scorn as she glared at Duncan. Internally relieved that Zinnia hadn't fully unraveled his true identity, Duncan maintained his composed exterior. "Ms. Lennart, I assure you, I am who I claim to be; just a simple guy. Now, if you will excuse me," he responded with a hint of indifference. As Duncan turned to leave, Zinnia, unwilling to let him go without another jab, grabbed his arm. "Hold on a moment!" she demanded, her grip firm. Duncan raised an eyebrow, unimpressed but curious."What is it, Ms. Lennart?" he replied bluntly, his patience wearing thin. Zinnia hesitated for a moment, her gaze scrutinizing Duncan's face. "I won't let you deceive everyone with your charades. I'll find out who you really are," she declared, her eyes flashing with deter
Zinnia stared determinedly at the road ahead through the windscreen, her grip tight on the steering wheel. The weariness of her hands couldn't deter her determination as she drove with all her might, navigating through traffic with a fierce sense of purpose. "Duncan, what are you now? It can't be you trying to fool me as Dunstan Ark. No!" She slammed the car horn impatiently, provoking angry shouts from other drivers as she sped past them. "No. If you're supporting the Walton Group in one way or another, then you're going to pay dearly for it, Duncan. I can't be fooled!" Zinnia took a sharp turn, opting for a faster route to the hospital, her mind consumed by the urgency of discovering Duncan's supposed deceit. "I just need to get to the hospital soon and discover your plans and everything, then I will make sure my grandmother kicks you to the pit of hell," she sneered, determination fueling her relentless pursuit. Just then, her phone rang, and she tapped the connected wireless air
Zinnia, still recovering from the shock and disbelief, stared at Duncan lying on the bed, her mind struggling to comprehend the unexpected reality. She stammered, "Duncan... How...?" Karla, noticing Zinnia's bewilderment, tried to explain. "He's been here for a while. Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost." Zinnia, shaking her head in disbelief: "This can't be real. Why is he here?" Karla, attempting to soothe her and provoke her, said, “Are you dumb or forgetful? He's your husband, right? You should know that he had an accident yesterday and that's why he's here. Unfortunately, he's yet to regain consciousness. Geez, what kind of a wife are you?”Unable to contain her frustration and confusion, Zinnia sharply turned to Karla."Enough of your explanations! Who the hell are you, and why are you here?" She angrily asked. Karla, unfazed by Zinnia's outburst, shrugged casually, "I'm here taking the responsibility of watching over him. He needed someone, and I'm here.
Duncan, now fully recovered, stood up from the bed, acknowledging the questioning glances of those in the room. With a wry smile, he decided to reveal the mystery of his timely arrival. "You see," Duncan began, "I happened to be closer than anyone thought. While Zinnia was dealing with her misconceptions outside, I managed to slip into the hospital, thanks to Karla here." He nodded appreciatively toward Karla. Babette, still puzzled, asked, "But how did you get here so quickly? We didn't see you around nor did we see you walk into the hospital." “Exactly,” Abigail added. “You're confusing us, Duncan.” Duncan's smile widened as he explained, "Karla, being quick on her feet, delayed Zinnia from entering the room immediately. It gave me just enough time to pretend I was unconscious. When Zinnia finally came in, I was ready to play my part." Karla chimed in, "I bought him a few extra seconds by not letting her in right away. Teamwork, you know?" Babette's eyes widened in reali
The living room in the Lennart mansion remained eerily quiet as Zinnia struggled to recover from the forceful slap delivered by her grandmother. Ma'am Luna's stern expression held no hint of remorse, and the shock on Zinnia's face mirrored the collective astonishment of the family. For almost a minute, Zinnia stood there, speechless and wide-eyed. The room's tension thickened as the weight of the consequences sunk in. Finally, she managed to stammer, "Grandmother, what was that for?" Ma'am Luna, her gaze unwavering, replied with an icy tone, "That was for your reckless behavior and disrespect, Zinnia. It's high time you learn to take responsibility for your failures. Secondly and most importantly," Ma'am Luna took a step forward, her voice thickened as she continued, “It's because of your woeful breakdown. You've failed again. How dare you?!”Zinnia's brother, Marcus, stepped forward, his disapproval evident. He spoke to add pepper to the hot issue. "You've gone too far this tim