Free Web NovelChapter 33: Chapter 33: It’s Not Easy for Him to Earn Money
"Miss Archer?"
Getting out of the car, she saw two extraordinarily distinguished figures, and Cecelia Archer recognized them at a glance.
She wasn’t sure if it was because Veridia was too small or their business scope was too wide, but it was quite a surprise. ’Why do I keep running into them lately?’
"Why aren’t you going in? What are you two doing?"
As Cecelia Archer spoke, she noticed the box of medicine in Ryan’s hand.
For once, she wasn’t wearing that same old uniform. Today, she had on a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of white sneakers. Her hair was simply tied up in a bun on top of her head.
It was a simple, fresh look, making her resemble a college student. Ryan genuinely enjoyed looking at her face.
"Oh, it’s nothing. Just a bit of a cold, so I bought some medicine. Are you here for dinner too, Miss Archer?"
He knew Cecelia Archer was now Mr. Lee’s key team member and figured Mr. Lee had brought her along for the meal.
Cecelia Archer waved the phone in her hand. "No, I’m just dropping something off for my boss."
She saw the names of the medications—they were for fever and inflammation.
’I didn’t realize their line of work was so demanding. Having to work while sick with a cold...’
As someone who had once studied medicine, she couldn’t help but want to give a reminder when she saw a sick person about to attend a dinner party.
"Are you two running a fever? What’s the temperature? You can’t drink alcohol after taking these two medications. You’re not planning on drinking later, are you?"
She just went on and on.
It was the dinner rush, and another group of guests got out of their car and walked over.
Damien Vaughn couldn’t stand this kind of nagging, dawdling behavior in public.
Seeing how eager the two of them were to chat, he strode into the lobby.
"Hey, Pres—"
The medicine hadn’t been delivered, and Ryan was anxious enough to call out to Damien Vaughn. But with Cecelia Archer there, he forced the rest of the name back down.
Watching the president stride away, he shook his head with worry.
"I know you can’t drink when you have a fever, but... Miss Archer, could I trouble you to take the medicine inside for him?"
He knew that Cecelia Archer was dropping something off for either Mr. Lee or Mr. Jordan.
Both of them were sharp cookies; if they knew President Vaughn was sick, neither would dare let him drink.
Cecelia Archer thought Ryan was simply asking her to give the medicine to Damien Vaughn. Since it was a matter of health and safety, she immediately rushed inside after him.
Luckily, Damien Vaughn hadn’t gone far, and Cecelia Archer caught up to him with a short jog.
"Ryan asked me to bring this medicine in for you. Here, take it. Work is important, but your health is more important. Show the medicine to the clients during dinner, and they definitely won’t force you to drink. It’s just this once, so they should be understanding. Don’t be so stubborn and try to tough it out."
’Didn’t she say she’d draw a clear line after the divorce and never bother me again?’
’What is she doing now?’
Damien Vaughn glanced at the inexplicably enthusiastic Cecelia Archer, who seemed to be coincidentally everywhere. He didn’t respond to her, nor did he take the medicine, and simply stepped into the private room.
Cecelia Archer followed him to the door of the private room and stopped. ’What is wrong with this guy?’ she thought. ’We may be divorced, but I wasn’t saying anything out of line, and I wasn’t even standing that close to him. Does he have to be so cold? He won’t even take something that could save his life?’
’Fine, don’t take it. If he’s so determined to risk his health, let him.’
She took out her phone and started looking for the room based on the location Mr. Jordan had sent.
But when she checked, what a coincidence—it was this very room.
’So the clients Damien has to entertain tonight are Mr. Lee and Mr. Jordan!’
She had seen him entertaining a male client once before at Valoria, but she hadn’t thought much of it at the time.
But today, the thought that the person who had ’booked’ him was her own boss gave Cecelia Archer goosebumps.
’This... This is just too tragic!’
’He has to service not only women but men, too. Life as a male escort is so hard.’
’What’s wrong with men these days? Aren’t pretty girls enough for them anymore? Why is everyone swinging both ways now?’
She couldn’t bear to imagine the normally gentle and professional Mr. Lee sizing up Damien with a lecherous gaze. The thought made Cecelia Archer so uncomfortable that she didn’t even want to go in. But Mr. Lee’s phone...
After a fierce internal struggle, Cecelia Archer steeled herself and knocked on the door.
When she went inside—wow, it was just as she had imagined. Mr. Lee was already holding Damien Vaughn’s hand and sizing him up!
The old man, who seemed so normal and wholesome on a daily basis, was now clutching the young hunk’s hand, patting it repeatedly, with a smile that was hard to describe.
"How long has it been? The last time I saw you, you were still a bit green. I never thought you’d become so formidable in the blink of an eye. How time flies."
"Who in Veridia doesn’t know you now? Everyone in the industry is saying this rising star is incredible. It’s gotten hard to get a meeting with you."
Damien Vaughn gave a polite, detached, yet courteous smile and withdrew his hand.
"Not at all. In your presence, I’ll always be a junior. If you want to see me, it’s just a matter of you saying the word."
"HAHAHA! If you say that, I’ll take you at your word. Come, come, we haven’t added each other on WeChat yet. From now on, I’ll just find you on WeChat if I need anything. Don’t you dare ignore an old man like me. Cecelia, bring me my phone."
Cecelia Archer never thought Mr. Lee would be so direct in showing his ’affection,’ securing their next meeting in just a couple of sentences.
’Ugh, poor Damien!’
’She could clearly see the resistance and reluctance in his eyes! He has a girlfriend! He likes women!’
Suddenly, she realized she was being too melodramatic.
’Compared to the sacrifices Damien was making, what were her petty grievances?’
’Turns out making a living is hard for everyone!’
Cecelia Archer handed over the phone. Normally, with her task done, she could have left.
But looking at Damien forcing a smile, she found she couldn’t move her feet.
The two men scanned QR codes to add each other on WeChat and sat down. Then, Mr. Jordan turned his leering gaze on Damien Vaughn.
"When old Lee heard I’d managed to book you for tonight, he was so excited he couldn’t sit still at work and got here half an hour early. According to the rules among us old-timers, that makes you late. You’ll have to drink a penalty, hahaha..."
After all, Mr. Lee was a technician from his father’s generation, and it had been Damien Vaughn’s idea to poach him. Now that he was here, there was no reason not to win the man’s heart.
Sometimes, socializing between men was just that simple. A few drinks could bring them much closer, while refusing a drink could push them much further apart.
Damien Vaughn wore a pleasant expression. "I was indeed late. I understand the rules, Mr. Lee. Please forgive me. I’ll penalize myself with three times the amount."
Mr. Jordan had already ordered the food, and the waiter had brought out the wine to let it breathe.
As he finished speaking, Damien Vaughn reached for a glass to pour the wine. Seeing that he was about to down three penalty drinks without a single bite of food, Cecelia Archer’s mind went blank with a BUZZ, and she shot forward in a single bound.
"You can’t! You can’t drink that!"
Only then did everyone realize she hadn’t left. All eyes turned to her.
Mr. Jordan asked, "Cecelia, you’re still here? What’s going on? Do you know Pres—"
Damien Vaughn’s brows furrowed. His gaze toward Cecelia Archer was wary and scrutinizing. Of course, Cecelia Archer knew she couldn’t expose the fact that they had been married at a time like this.
But he had, after all, helped solve her daughter’s household registration issue. Seeing him in trouble, she couldn’t bear not to help. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
"I do. We just met. On my way here, I was bumped by a car, and he helped me, which is why he was late. You can’t blame him for this. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me. I’ll drink these three glasses."
