After the divorce, he begged

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“Mr. Hanson probably won't be waking up anytsoon,” Gregory said, his tone as calm as ever, but with a hint

of concern. “Why don’t you head back to Soft Garden and get srest? You can cby and check in

whenever you want.”

‘Rebecca couldn’t help but be a little surprised.

‘Honestly, she had assumed they'd expect her to keep watch around here twenty-four seven.’”

“By the way, a few hospitals around here are inviting bids,” Gregory added, passing along the news. “You could

consider applying.”

Rebecca looked up.

Gregory quickly explained, “Rest assured, because of your agreement with Mr. Hanson, | haven't contacted

anyone on their end. Whether you get the project all depends on your proposal and how well you negotiate.”

“Thanks,” Rebecca replied, her tone polite but distant.

Back when she was still in Honnala, Rebecca had heard there were projects in Jelasburg, but she'd never

bothered getting a bid ready. Honestly, the work meant endless trips back and forth for meetings, and with

Jelasburg being neither too big nor too small, there was always the risk of running into Jeffrey-which she really

wanted to avoid.

But now that she was already here, ‘Guess there's no harm in trying, Rebecca thought.

‘Might as well see how it goes,’ she decided.

If she managed to snag a major project, she could just wrap up the two ongoing ones and be done; if it was

something smaller, she'd just tack on another minor gig. No sweat.

“If you need any help, just letknow,” Gregory said. “Here in Jelasburg, Mr. Hanson still calls the shots.”

“No need,” Rebecca replied, turning him down.

This time, Rebecca was determined to win fair and square-she wanted Michael and the others to not be able to

find any fault in her. If Jeffrey or Gregory jumped in, people would say she was leaning on family or outside help,

and that would just open a whole can of worms for her.

“Gregory!” Stanley suddenly barked. “Call up all the bodyguards from every floor-right now!”

He was absolutely determined to teach that guy Mark Mason a lesson today.

“This guy is totally asking for it, Stanley thought.

‘He actually thinks that just because he’s with Rebecca, | wouldn't dare do anything to him? Let's see about

that,” Stanley fumed.

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“Even if you called a hundred guys up here, you still couldn’t takedown,” Mark said with a laid-back, almost

mocking calm. “You know the rule-take down the boss first. And right now, you're standing awfully

close.”

Stanley gritted his teeth in frustration, his temper barely under control.

This guy's really asking for it... Stanley muttered to himself.

“Rebecca and the others have ca long way-they could really use srest,” Gregory chimed in, stepping

between them to defuse the situation before things got ugly. “You've been up all night yourself, so how about we

call it quits for now?”

Rebecca called out, “Mark.”

Mark cright over to Rebecca-he never hesitates when his paycheck’s on the line.

Stanley was still simmering with frustration, fixing Mark with a glare as he said, word for word, “Go rest up for

now. In a couple of days, we'll have ourselves a showdown.”

Mark turned to Rebecca, a casual smirk on his face. “Boss, if this ‘contest’ ends up with someone in the hospital,

am | on the hook for compensation?”

“Absolutely,” Rebecca answered. “And if he calls in the Garcia Group's army of lawyers, you'll basically have to

sell everything you own. Not worth it, trust me.”

Mark couldn't help but go dead silent, stunned into speechlessness.

Mark instantly changed his mind. “Okay, forget it. No fight.”

Stanley said, “You won't have to pay. | promise.”

Mark replied, “Like I'd trust a capitalist. Not a word.”

Stanley blinked, confused: “7?”

Just as Stanley was about to get into it with Mark again, Gregory smoothly intervened, found an excuse, and

ushered him out of the hospital room.

Before long,

Rebecca and Mark were the only ones left in the room.

Mark hadn't really met Jeffrey that many times, but he glanced at the man passed out on the bed and relayed

what he’d just overheard Gregory and Stanley say outside. “Boss, those two just said that if Jeffrey ever finds out

you're only here because you learned about his past, he’s not gonna take it lightly. Things might get seriously

ugly.”

“Yeah, I'm well aware,” Rebecca said, cool as ever.

“If you really want specifics, | can go shake it out of them for you,” Mark offered, sounding relaxed, though you

could practically see he was ready to throw hands if necessary.

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“Don’t bother. It’s none of my business,” Rebecca replied, not even blinking; she already knew the score. “If

there's fallout, that’s on them, not me.”

Jeffrey hated being pitied or babied. He didn’t want anyone acting nice to him just because of his past, and if he

ever found out Stanley had told her about it and that’s why she stuck around, he'd definitely give her the cold

shoulder and shut her out.

But so what?

However he treated her, Rebecca honestly couldn't care less.

Just as long as he didn’t start clinging or bossing her around and making all the decisions like he did before, she

was fine with everything else.

She was only here because of those five good years they once had-and because he was Samuel's father. Yes,

she felt sorry for what he'd been through, but pity didn’t mean she owed him anything. As long as she didn’t fall

for him again, whatever he felt just wouldn't touch her-his emotions couldn't reach her heart.

“Fair enough,” Mark shrugged, seeing she truly didn’t care, and left it at that.

That afternoon,

Rebecca had Mark bring her laptop over. She sat beside Jeffrey's hospital bed, typing away on her bid proposal,

every now and then glancing up at him, still deep in unconsciousness.

That evening,

Rebecca stayed at the hospital until after ten before heading back hto Soft Garden. As soon as she walked

in, Victor and the rest of the staff looked really happy to see her.

“Ms. Jensen, you're finally back!” Victor said, smiling from ear to ear.

“Want something to eat? The kitchen’s already got slate-night snacks ready for you,” one of the maids

piped up.

Everyone chimed in, extra welcoming.

Rebecca greeted them one by one, had slate-night snacks, then went upstairs to rest. It had been two

months since she’d last cback here, but the place was just as she remembered; nothing had moved.

After a quick shower, she lay down on the bed.

Being back in this room again, she felt a strange mix of emotions she couldn't quite name.

Rebecca thought she'd be staring at the ceiling all night, but she ended up crashing fast-and even dreamed

about Jeffrey.

In her dream, Jeffrey was getting the worst kind of treatment at home. His grandpa was all rules and zero

warmth, his parents wouldn't shut up with the comparisons and always demanded he be number one, and his

older brother Stephen just sat back coldly, pulling every sneaky trick he could think of.

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Chapter 286

He was down bad, but still tough as nails and refused to let it break him.

Ding dong! Her phone buzzed.

Her phone chimed with a new message.

17 65 vouchers

Rebecca jolted awake, the last scene from her dream still stuck in her mind-little Jeffrey, maybe five or six,

staring at her with those lonely, wounded eyes, like he was silently begging for help.

She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the weird dream, and half-asleep, picked up her phone to check the

message from Gregory: [Ms. Jensen, Mr. Hanson's awake.]

Rebecca sat up in bed.

She threw off the blanket and swung her legs out.

But as soon as her feet touched her slippers, she froze. Her brain slammed the brakes-if she rushed over now,

everyone would just assshe still had feelings for Jeffrey. Even Jeffrey would probably think she actually

cared.

She checked the time-a little past three AM. With a quiet sigh, Rebecca set her phone aside, pulled the covers

up, and went right back to sleep.

At seven in the morning,

Rebecca and Mark showed up at the hospital together.

Jeffrey was wide awake, but the breakfast sitting in front of him left him with absolutely no appetite.

Gregory patiently encouraged him, “Mr. Hanson, cat something and I'll tell you about something important.”

Jeffrey remained unmoved.

Jeffrey's eyes unconsciously wandered to the chair where Rebecca used to sit.

‘Am | just imagining things? Jeffrey thought to himself.

Of course, it must, be a hallucination. Why else would | dream of Rebecca coming here? She can’t stand me,

probably hates my guts-there’s no way she’d actually show up again, he silently mocked himself.

“The doctor says your health is pretty bad,” Gregory continued. “If you keep pushing yourself like this, you're

seriously risking your life.”

“Trust me, | know,” Jeffrey replied, his tone flat and disinterested.

Gregory retorted, “If you really knew, you wouldn’t have passed out and ended up in the hospital.”

Jeffrey stayed icy cold. “Get my discharge paperwork ready.”

Gregory shot back, “No way.”

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Jeffrey pinned him with a stare that could suffocate a room. “If you still call yourself the executive assistant of

the Hanson Group, you'd better get it done.”

“If you really wantto do it, you're going to regret it,” Gregory cautioned, his voice gentle but firm.

If you're still here in the hospital, there's at least a chance Rebecca might stop by to see you.

But if you walk out now, trust me-she won't even look your way.

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