Chapter 226: Chapter 226
The two servants thought Quinn Lockwood was possessed by a ghost and flew out of her room.
The pain in her lower abdomen grew increasingly severe. After a quick hot shower, Quinn grabbed a heating pad and went to bed.
As midnight approached, Quinn vaguely heard rustling noises in her room. In a half-awake state, she was too exhausted to open her eyes, merely turning over as sleep overcame her once more.
Quinn snapped her eyes open. She thought she heard the roar of a large dog, and her fear escalated as the sound grew closer.
"Ah!" Quinn sat up and looked beside her bed, seeing a medium-large black dog glaring at her with glowing eyes.
Although Quinn loved cats, dogs, and small animals, that didn’t mean she was fond of a large dog mysteriously appearing in her room in the middle of the night.
Who knows where this dog came from, whether it carries any germs, or if it’s going to bite!
As Quinn stepped back with her blanket, the black dog seemed to fixate on her, suddenly charging towards her.
"Don’t chase, don’t chase me!" Without time to think, Quinn dropped the blanket, closed her eyes, and hurried to the door. The sharp pain in her lower abdomen made standing difficult, and she struggled to open the door.
"Is anyone there, help, help." Quinn frantically pounded on the door as the black dog caught up and bit into her pants leg, pulling her back.
Her heart raced uncontrollably, her body trembling slightly, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead. Just as she felt the dog was about to bite her, the door swung open, and she was pulled into a warm embrace.
"Woof! Hm..." The black dog released Quinn’s pants leg, and its wide eyes shrank as it spotted the tall, imposing man. It deflated like a balloon, retreating several steps to cower silently by the bed.
"Throw it out for me!" The man held the still-shaken Quinn tightly, his expression so dark it was frightening.
The two stewards, hearing the command, immediately grabbed the black dog by the collar. Hearing its whimpering, Quinn’s heart softened as the dog looked pitiful.
"Um, don’t throw it out. Maybe keep it in the backyard; it would become a stray if thrown out..." Quinn bit her lip, eyeing the big dog.
Seeing how obediently it allowed itself to be caught, its round eyes and sleek black fur made it seem less threatening than before.
The stewards looked between Quinn and Elias Sinclair, unsure of what to do.
"Do as the lady says." Elias Sinclair slightly furrowed his brow at the pitiful dog, causing the stewards to hesitate before taking the dog out.
The man’s eyes showed displeasure as he looked towards the rear courtyard through the window.
Following Elias Sinclair’s gaze, Quinn realized who had orchestrated this prank.
"It’s so late; you should get some rest. That dog is quite cute; I probably startled it with my reaction." Quinn tugged Elias Sinclair’s sleeve, and although the dog tugging on her pants leg was frightening, it hadn’t bitten her.
As for this incident, she just considered it Nina Sinclair’s prank.
"I’m just next door." Elias Sinclair lowered his gaze to Quinn, contemplating before speaking calmly.
"Okay." Quinn nodded, feeling a subtle warmth flow through her heart.
She knew Elias Sinclair’s room was downstairs, not next to hers. Boss Sinclair, known for being particular, wouldn’t even glance at the empty guest room next to hers.
"Um, there shouldn’t be any more issues. You should go back to your room; staying next door... you might find it uncomfortable..." Just as Elias Sinclair was about to leave, Quinn called out to him, worried he wouldn’t rest well with his early morning obligations.
With a subtle curve of his lips, the man’s eyes briefly flickered with an unnoticeable smile as he said, "I’m used to it; I’ve even slept on the couch."
"Uh..." Quinn paused, then remembered the man staying with her, sleeping on her room’s couch when she was sick.
Her face blushed slightly as Quinn attempted to retort but watched him stride away on his long legs. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NoveI-Fire.ɴet
Rolling her eyes, Quinn lay back in bed, unable to find sleep—not just because of her aching stomach, but her hands and feet were chilled too.
Getting up to take a painkiller, she settled the heating pad before closing her eyes and tried to sleep.
Her mind kept recalling Elias Sinclair’s handsome, serene face and the warm yet chilling embrace she fell into at critical moments.
Although she clearly disliked him, why didn’t she push away thoughts of him now, even feeling a tiny bit happy when she did?
Holding the blanket tightly, Quinn’s brows furrowed slightly, yet her lips curved with a faint smile.
It seemed she dreamt a beautiful dream, where a particularly handsome man, tinged with a golden glow, walked slowly towards her.
When Quinn woke the next morning, it was already after seven.
"Oh no, I’m late!" She sat up abruptly, quickly heading to the bathroom. Within about ten minutes, Quinn was entirely ready.
"Good morning, ma’am. Will you have breakfast now?" The two servants awaited Quinn at the staircase, bowing as she nodded, then left to prepare her breakfast.
Quinn glanced at the room next door, finding its door firmly shut, thinking Elias Sinclair had likely gone to work already.
Feeling a strange sensation, Quinn lowered her gaze and began descending the steps. But after only a few steps, she heard faint footsteps behind her, and before she could turn around, she stumbled down the stairs.
Her knees and elbows smacked against the steps, the thud echoing, sounding astoundingly painful.
"Ouch!" Quinn clutched her elbow, curling up on the ground in pain, unable to stand after rolling down from the seventh or eighth step, every part of her aching terribly.