In the end, Mnie did experience a slight allergic reaction and developed small rashes on her chin. This happened to coincide with Eugene taking leave. Apart from some essential work, she stayed indoors.
By the time her chin rash cleared up, Vi was about to return to Jepton since she did not have that many leaves to take. Mnie was surprised that Eugene did not apany her back when she initially thought he would have.
Vi seemed uneasy leaving Mnie and Eugene alone. Before leaving, she spent a long time talking to Eugene before finally saying to Mnie, “Mnie, I’ll have to trouble you to take care of Eugene. You know what his temper is like. Please watch over him for me.”
Though her words were polite, there was a hint of the caution she felt toward Mnie.
After seeing Vi off, Mnie apanied Eugene to meet with a client they had
arrangements with. Eugene drove this time, and Mnie remained silent while reading some documents. The car was quiet.
The sudden ringing of her phone broke the silence, and Mnie frowned as she answered the iing call. Lately, Dn had been contacting her more frequently. This time, she was sobbing. “Mel, your sister is unwell again.”
Mnie’s grip on the phone tightened. “Didn’t I transfer 10,000 to you before?”
Dn hesitated before choosing her words carefully. “Mel, could you please transfer another 20,000? Peachie is calling for you every day.”
Mnie instinctively felt that something was off. “I’ve already transferred money to you several times this month.”
Dn continued to sob but refused to exin what happened. She eventually ended the call after making a shortmotion over the phone. Mnie did not say much about Dn’s situation, and her brows remained furrowed.
Eugene heard the call. With a brow raised slightly, he asked, “Got a problem?”
Not wanting to divulge too much about Dn to others, Mnie merely pressed her lips together and remained silent.
Eugene did not press her further. He was indifferent as he remarked again, “Don’t let it affect your work.”
The client they were meeting was Peyton Turner, a capable middle–aged woman who had reportedly started her career in Prime City despite being from Jepton. Peyton greeted Eugene with aposed smile. “Eugene, your mother, Ste, and I were ssmates.”
Eugene nodded. “She often mentions you.”
“This is my daughter, Evelyn. Has your mother mentioned her to you?” Peyton pulled the woman standing behind her forward.
After being pulled out, Evelyn swept her gaze over Eugene before extending her hand. “Hello, I’m Evelyn.”
Eugene’s expression remained unchanged as he politely and somewhat distantly shook her
hand.
Standing behind him this entire time, Mnie was ignored until Eugene and Peyton began discussing business. It was only then that she handed over the documents she had been holding onto.
Peyton’s gaze fell on Mnie, and she casually asked Eugene, “Is this your secretary?”
Eugene replied, “She’ll be in charge of some matters at the Prime City branch in the future.”
After discussing business, Peyton generously extended a dinner invitation to Eugene as a gesture of hospitality. Eugene epted, but then Peyton added, “Your mother and I are friends, so consider this meal a private gathering.”
She looked at Mnie and said, “Miss Secretary, you can go back to the hotel and rest for now.
“1
It was a polite way of saying that Mnie was not included in the invitation. Mnie nced at Eugene, and he nodded. “You can go back.”
The Prime City branch’s major client was Peyton. As long as everything went smoothly on her end, the branch would remain stable. Mnie returned to the hotel, but thoughts of Dn’s phone call lingered, leaving her with a sense of unease.
She decided to call her grandfather, intending to warn him should Dn call. However, as soon as she mentioned it, her grandfather fell silent and sighed. “She called me this
afternoon, crying and saying that Peachie’s condition was serious and that she needed money.
Mnie’s heart sank. “Did you give her any money?”
“I gave her 20,000.”