Josephine Thompson’s whole body stiffened as if scalded, she struggled forcefully, "Nathaniel Gallagher! Let go of !"
His embrace was hard and scorching, carrying the familiar scent of cedarwood.
But now, inhaling his scent made her stomach churn.
The monts of being deceived, betrayed, and hurt by him all surged into her mind, sharply stabbing at her nerves.
"Let go!"
Nathaniel Gallagher only held tighter, his chin resting on the top of her head, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping over wood, "Just hold for a while, Josephine, just for a mont. I just want to hold you for a bit..."
His body trembled slightly, a hint of vulnerability showing through his usual cold and hard outline.
Josephine’s struggle suddenly paused, a strong sense of nausea overwhelming her heart and stomach.
"Ugh, ugh..." She couldn’t help but retch.
Seeing her condition, Nathaniel Gallagher was startled and hurriedly released her, "What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Josephine’s stomach churned again, and she couldn’t help but retch once more, "Ugh..."
"Quick, drink so water."
Nathaniel Gallagher hastened to fetch the water cup from the table, fumbling to unscrew the cap and handing it over.
Josephine took the cup but didn’t drink, just covering her mouth as the nausea grew stronger.
"Did I startle you just now?" Nathaniel’s voice carried a slight hint of panic, hard to detect.
Josephine shook her head, taking a while to barely suppress the nausea.
"...I’m fine, just leave!"
Her earlier reaction was partly a physiological discomfort and partly a psychological instinctive repulsion to his touch.
Nathaniel looked at her pale face, guilt thick in his eyes, "I’m sorry, Josephine, I shouldn’t..."
"Stop talking."
Josephine interrupted him coldly, "I can handle the rest myself, you don’t need to interfere anymore. You can go."
Just then.
There was a muffled "bang" from the small dark room next door.
The two were startled and rushed toward the small dark room.
Imdiately afterward.
The bodyguard shouted urgently, "President Gallagher, President Thompson, sothing’s wrong with Director Linton!"
Their faces changed rapidly, and they quickened their pace.
"What’s going on?"
They pushed open the door of the small dark room.
The scene before them left both stunned.
Director Linton was lying on the ground, a bloody hole on his forehead. Blood stained the ground red, and he was motionless.
"Call an ambulance!"
Nathaniel snapped, then bent down to check Director Linton’s breath, "He’s still breathing, hurry up!"
The bodyguard fumbled to dial the ergency number.
The assistant, who knew first aid, rushed forward to perform basic ergency care.
Josephine was at a loss, bewildered as she watched it all.
They never expected Director Linton would attempt suicide.
"Quick, make sure Curator Sterling is watched; don’t let him attempt suicide too."
"Yes, President Thompson."
"Why would he want to commit suicide?"
Nathaniel’s expression was cold, "Never mind that now, just make sure to save him first."
Director Linton privately hoarded several precious artifacts, enough to ensure a comfortable life for his descendants.
Moreover, he was more cautious and low-key than Curator Sterling, hiding his family well. So far, only the identity of one daughter was discovered.
Once he’s dead.
No one could trace the whereabouts of his wife and child.
Even with Nathaniel’s vast reach,
finding his family across the globe would not be easy.
Fifteen minutes later.
"Weeoo weeoo..."
An ambulance rushed to the scene.
"The injured person is here."
The dical personnel carried a stretcher into the small dark room, swiftly performing ergency hemorrhage control on Director Linton.
Then, they placed him on the stretcher and carried him into the ambulance.
Josephine stood at the door, feeling like she had fallen into an ice cavern.
She watched the ambulance roar away, her heart weighed down like a stone.
Director Linton was seriously injured, feared dead or alive.
The artifacts he hid are unlikely to be recovered.
"He won’t die, don’t worry."
"Even if he dies, I’ll retrieve the hidden antiques."
"...Of course, even if we can’t find them, it doesn’t matter. Whatever loss you bear, I can compensate you for it." Nathaniel’s voice was imbued with deep emotion, gazing at her with gentle eyes.
Josephine’s heart jerked, instinctively covering her chest.
Her stomach began to churn again.
Suddenly, a foreboding feeling exploded in her mind.
Could it be...
She dared not think further, while the chill spread to her hands, her breath becoming tight.
Nathaniel noticed sothing was wrong, quickly supporting her, "Are you alright? Your face looks terrible."
Josephine steadied her heart as much as she could, "How is Curator Sterling doing?"
"More people have been assigned to watch him; not even a needle can get near him."
Nathaniel paused and looked at her pale face, "Leave this to , you should go back and rest."
Josephine shook her head, "I’ll wait for Ken’s news, confirm the artifacts are safely in the warehouse, then I’ll leave."
Nathaniel didn’t push further.
He only had soone bring her a chair.
He stood by the window making a phone call, his voice suppressed. Although it was unclear what he was saying, the nace in his tone could be felt from a few steps away.
Josephine remained seated, her fingertips trembling slightly.
The ominous premonition curled around her like a vine, causing her to be uneasy.
She instinctively touched her abdon, still flat, but the panic inside her grew stronger.
"No way, it can’t be... I did take the morning-after pill."
She shook her head vigorously, trying to discard the absurd notion.
Last ti after being with Nathaniel Gallagher.
She deliberately took the ergency contraceptive pill.
But...
he was really so an and a bastard.
Just a couple of days later, he... again...
She thought she’d already taken the pill, so she was sure there would be no problem. So, the next ti, she didn’t take the pill.
In a daze.
"Doo doo doo..."
The phone started ringing.
Josephine Thompson snapped back to reality and instinctively glanced at her phone.
It was Julian Grant calling.
Josephine Thompson was in a hurry and had no mind to answer his call.
She could only put it on silent and returned the phone to her bag.
Just then.
Nathaniel Gallagher finished his call and ca back, "Josephine, Ken just called. Currently, at the warehouse ntioned by Curator Sterling, they only found three antiques, and an ancient painting was found at his house."
"Moreover, out of the nine antiques he falsely reported as lent out, only three have actually been lent out. The rest have been sold off at low prices to a collector..."
Before he could finish, Josephine Thompson couldn’t help but gag, "Ugh..."
Imdiately after, she couldn’t control herself and rushed toward the trash can.
Nathaniel Gallagher was stunned, hurriedly going forward with concern, "What’s wrong with you?"
"I’m fine... ugh..."
The gagging couldn’t be stopped.
"..." Nathaniel Gallagher’s pupils shook, seeming to realize sothing.
"Josephine, are you pregnant?"
Josephine Thompson imdiately denied it, "...No... impossible, I just ate sothing bad last night."
"Alright, don’t get so worked up. I don’t want to argue with you. Let take you to the hospital for a check-up. If you are pregnant, we might need to change the treatnt plan."
"I’m not going, I’m not..." Josephine Thompson shouted angrily, pushing Nathaniel Gallagher away fiercely.
She got up wanting to leave, longing to escape his sight.
However...
Her body was too weak and hadn’t fully recovered.
As soon as she stood up, her vision went black, and she lost consciousness instantly.
Nathaniel Gallagher panicked, quickly catching her in his arms, "Josephine, Josephine, what’s wrong with you?"
"You guys stay here and keep an eye on Curator Sterling, I’ll take her to the hospital."
"Alright, President Gallagher."
Nathaniel Gallagher didn’t dare to delay, hurriedly carrying her out in his arms, rushing towards the exit.
He got down to the parking lot.
He imdiately instructed the driver, "Quick, go to the hospital."
"Yes, President Gallagher." The driver replied respectfully and imdiately started the car.
...
Ten minutes later.
Nathaniel Gallagher swiftly brought her to Audenburg University Hospital.
"Doctor, she passed out, co take a look quickly."
The doctor imdiately ca over, lifted her eyelids, checked her breathing, and heartbeat, "President Gallagher, Miss Thompson just fainted from weakness, it’s nothing serious. Let’s move her onto the gurney."
"Oh, okay." Nathaniel Gallagher hurriedly placed her on the gurney.
The doctor, looking serious, wheeled her into the ergency room.
Nathaniel Gallagher was waiting outside the ergency room, feeling anxious.
Now, a whole room full of people were falling sick.
The son was ill and hospitalized.
The mother had a broken leg that wasn’t healing properly.
Eleanor Churchill was a frequent visitor to the hospital.
Josephine Thompson was also in and out of the hospital occasionally.
He suddenly wondered... Is sothing wrong with the feng shui at ho?
Why do things seem so unlucky lately?
"Josephine, if you really are pregnant this ti, then no matter what, we must keep this child."
"Doo doo doo..."
Josephine Thompson’s phone started vibrating again in her bag.
Nathaniel Gallagher heard the call, instinctively opened her bag, and took out her phone.
Looking at it.
His expression instantly darkened, staring nacingly at the screen.
It was a video call from Julian Grant.
The phone screen showed several missed calls and multiple unread ssages.
"Damn! Go to hell!" Nathaniel Gallagher angrily hung up the phone.
"Julian Grant, you’re really lucky to still be alive..."
Then, he habitually entered her old phone password.
Unfortunately...
She had changed the password, and he got it wrong several tis.
He frowned and thought deeply, then quickly combined a few numbers based on what he knew about her and entered them.
"Swipe!"
This ti he guessed the password right.
The phone was unlocked.
Eagerly, he opened Julian Grant’s WeChat chat box first.
Julian Grant had sent dozens of ssages and voice notes.
[Josephine, why aren’t you answering the phone? Did sothing happen? Is that bastard Nathaniel Gallagher bothering you again?]
[I’m really worried about you right now, especially with not being by your side, I’m afraid you’ll get bullied by that idiot bastard.]
[Josephine, don’t be afraid of that bastard, once I recover, I won’t let him have a good ti.]
[Baby, I miss you, I really want to hold you...]
Glancing over.
All he could see were the words ’that bastard Nathaniel Gallagher’.
Nathaniel Gallagher’s brows furrowed lower, his entire body’s blood pressure shot up.
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