Mrs Hale, I Surrender
Chapter 453 - 451 Pretending to be weak, Junior President Payne plays the victim

Chapter 453: 451 Pretending to be weak, Junior President Payne plays the victim

Tim Payne was focussing on his phone, unable to receive a reply from Cressida Jones for a long time, replaying all the details of his confession in his mind, worrying about what might have gone wrong, completely oblivious to the conversation happening at home.

"What kind of gift should be prepared?" If he really intended to become her godfather, he definitely needed to show his gesture.

"Jewelry?" Mario Payne suggested.

"How about jade? After all, gold is valuable but jade is priceless," Old Lady Payne laughed, "I think jade suits her temperament very well."

"I agree too," Julia Yates chimed in.

Martin Yates thought for a while, personally chose a set of white ice glass jade for her, and had it designed and processed.

Tim Payne didn’t sleep well that night, and just as he was about to head to the company the next day, he heard from Michale Shaw in a group message that Marigold Jones had lost the baby in her womb, her ribs were broken, she needed surgery, and the baby couldn’t be saved.

[It’s said that she woke up raging in the hospital, accusing them of treating lives carelessly.]

[Jeans Family didn’t want the baby in the first place, now that it’s gone, they probably are thrilled, they offered her 500,000 as compensation, she didn’t agree, and it caused a stir at the local police station.]

[Because both of Jones Family’s spouses were detained, although they are half-siblings, Miss Jones is still her only direct relative. It’s said she was summoned by the police early this morning; having such a sister is really her misfortune.]

...

Tim Payne furrowed his brows and instructed Assistant Law who was driving, "Go to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital."

"What?" Assistant Law was stunned, "Not going to the company? What are we doing at the hospital?"

"My hand got burned, I’m seeing a doctor."

Assistant Law frowned, Your hand... where is it injured?

There are several hospitals nearby, why go to the far Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital?

They reached the hospital but didn’t go inside, just waited outside.

Assistant Law sighed.

In the past, Junior President Payne loved his work so much, always punctual to work, leaving early and returning late, what happened now? Right after the New Year started, he began to slack off.

Not until he saw Cressida Jones’ figure appear, and his boss got out of the car, did he suddenly realize:

This wasn’t slacking off,

It was enlightenment.

Cressida Jones knew someone was stubbornly proud, intentionally left him hanging for a night without replying, unexpectedly...

He actually ambushed her at the hospital entrance.

"What a coincidence, you are here at the hospital for...?"

"My hand hurts, seeing the doctor," Tim Payne held out his hand which was burned yesterday, the skin visibly different.

Hearing this, Cressida Jones frowned tightly, "Does it hurt a lot?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn’t you come to the hospital sooner." As a designer, his hands were very important, especially it happened at his own home, naturally, Cressida Jones was anxious and accompanied him to register for medical treatment.

The doctor examined carefully.

Honestly, the burn was timely treated, it’s normal to have erythema and a burning sensation, and the pigmentation was typical.

This burn...

If he didn’t come to the hospital, it would probably heal very soon.

"Doctor, he said it hurts a lot," Cressida Jones frowned, "He is a designer, his hands are very important, please take extra care."

"I understand," the doctor looked at Tim Payne, "Do you have tendinitis?"

"Yes, severe tendinitis, it hurts badly at times, I even need an infusion," Assistant Law, after being with his boss for so long, knew well his thoughts and started to exaggerate.

"That makes sense, probably the burn pain triggered the tendinitis, I’ll prescribe some ointment."

The doctor could see that this man was clearly feigning illness!

He casually prescribed an anti-inflammatory ointment.

"But his hand hurts, this won’t relieve it?" Cressida Jones still looked worried.

"It can only recover slowly, try to massage more," the doctor said.

After getting the medicine, the three got into the car, Assistant Law excused himself to buy coffee, leaving first, while Tim Payne opened the ointment, ready to apply it on the affected area, one-handedly managing was inevitably inconvenient.

"Let me do it." Cressida Jones took over the ointment.

In her heart, Junior President Payne was uniquely magnificent, noble beyond compare.

Although she was stubborn and proud, she didn’t feign misery, so Cressida Jones didn’t doubt that his hand hurt for real. She carefully applied the ointment on his affected area, spreading it gently with her fingertips.

"What are you doing at the hospital?" Tim Payne feigned ignorance.

"Dealing with something about Marigold."

"Need help?"

"No, it’s already taken care of."

...

As they talked, Cressida’s phone vibrated. Just after she replied to the message, she heard Tim comment, "You check your messages quite promptly."

"I often have customers ordering flowers; missing a message could mean missing a business opportunity," Cressida answered.

"So... you saw my message and deliberately didn’t reply."

Cressida subconsciously gripped her phone tighter.

She could feel Tim staring at her, even leaning closer, making the already cramped space feel like it was sucking the air out, making it hard to breathe.

This caused her to turn her head, only to find Tim’s face was extremely close...

His breath brushed against her, that close.

"Junior President Payne," Cressida’s heart raced inexplicably.

"The things I said to you yesterday, I meant them all, it wasn’t just a spur of the moment."

"May I ask, when...?" Cressida pursed her lips, "When did you start liking me?"

"I don’t know," Tim looked earnestly at her, "I can’t pinpoint a specific time. By the time I realized my feelings, I already liked you a lot."

His eyes, warm, affectionate and devout, would make anyone’s heart flutter.

Unable to meet his gaze, Cressida’s eyes wandered...

landing on his lips.

In a daze,

she recalled yesterday’s kiss, under the orange sunset, his lips as fiery as burning, touching, clinging, biting... All these details made her feel flushed just thinking about them.

"Is the heater in the car too hot?" Tim’s voice was low.

"It’s okay."

"Your face... it’s very red, and your ears..." Tim reached out, his fingertips lightly touching her earlobe, causing her body to stiffen, then he noted, "Your ears are very red too."

Was Tim...

flirting with her?

Where had the always restrained and courteous Junior President Payne gone?

Such a dramatic change overnight?

"Really?" Cressida rubbed her ears, "I still need to go to the flower shop."

"I’ll drive you."

"It’s not on the way." Payne Corps was near the suburbs, while Cressida’s flower shop was in the city center, "I’ll just take a cab."

As she spoke, she had already opened the door, a gust of cold air sneaking in through the crack of the vehicle door, sobering her up slightly. But unexpectedly, her wrist was suddenly grabbed from the other side.

Caught off guard, her balance lost, she fell backwards into the cabin...

Almost crashing into Tim Payne.

Their proximity closed in an instant, her breaths short and disordered.

In her gaze,

he leaned closer, and while a cold breeze made its way through the slightly ajar door, filling the car with chill, Cressida felt her face growing hotter...

Because of his breath, so warm, and the palm holding her wrist, scalding hot.

"Junior President Payne?" Cressida didn’t know what he intended.

Tim Payne had only wanted to say goodbye, but now staring at her, observing the lips so close, his throat moved.

A bit warm and dry.

"I really have work at the flower shop, I... mmh—"

Swallowed into silence.