Seven Years a Fool One Day a Queen (Kristine and Colton) novel Chapter 19

Eliza forced a brittle smile.

“It’s nothing. The things are delivered, I’ll head back to the office.”

All she wanted was to find a place to fill her stomach and wash away this suffocating gloom.

Calvin, apparently occupied with currying favor with his future mother–in–law, didn’t press her further.

Eliza ducked into a nearby restaurant. The food eased her stomach a little, enough for her to regain some strength. She was just about to drive back to Everest when her phone rang.

It was the hospital.

After hearing the situation, her face drained of color. “I’m near the hospital. I’ll come right away!”

She rushed her car into the lot, sprinted through the rain, and while darting inside, she accidentally collided with someone.

A middle–aged man in a well–tailored suit, hair combed meticulously back. His expression darkened at once, brows furrowing at the impact.

Eliza, in too much of a hurry, only managed a quick apology before running off. She had confirmed he wasn’t hurt–otherwise, she would never

have left.

But she didn’t know that the man’s eyes lingered on her retreating figure, distracted.

Not until Medea appeared, calling to him, did he finally come back to himself.

“Dad, what are you looking at? I called you several times and you didn’t respond.”

Clutching his arm, she leaned in playfully.

Caesar Wynn softened at once. “Nothing. Why did you come down alone?”

“Mom asked me to. She must miss you.”

“My fault. I’ve been away on business too long, she’s had to endure too much.” His tone was heavy with guilt.

“She understands, she doesn’t blame you,” Medea soothed. “Come on, she’s waiting.”

Just then, his secretary entered with a bouquet in hand.

Medea’s eyes lit up. “Mom will love this. Dad, you always think of everything.”

By the time Eliza reached oncology, her mother, Ottilie Grant, had already finished part of the examinations, though the results weren’t out yet.

Seeing her rush in, breathless, Ottilie smiled gently, voice full of comfort.

“Eliza you’re here? I told Dr. Quinn not to bother you, it’s just some small tests, but she wouldn’t listen. I hope it didn’t delay your work?”

Eliza’s nose stung with sourness.

Even now, her mother worried about affecting her job.

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Chapter 19

“No, Mom. But why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?”

“It’s just an old issue, nothing serious. I know my body.” Ottilie reached to caress her daughter’s face, thinned by weeks of stress, her eyes full of

ache.

“You’ve lost weight again. Are you working too hard?”

“No, I’m dieting.” Eliza swallowed down the lump in her throat.

Her mother frowned, half angry, half tender. “You’re not fat at all, what dieting?”

“…To wear a pretty gown,” Eliza said with a flimsy excuse, just to ease her mother’s heart.

Ottilie paused, then her eyes lit with joy. “Did Calvin propose?”

That instant, Eliza nearly broke.

Her façade almost shattered.

But Ottilie, oblivious, went on excitedly:

“Finally! I’ve been waiting for this day. Sometimes I worried I wouldn’t live to see it. But now… I don’t have to worry anymore. You’ll have someone to rely on.”

Eliza’s tears burned behind her eyes. She quickly turned away, pretending to ask a nurse, “Is Dr. Quinn in his office?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll go ask him about the results.”

She hurried out before her mother could see her tears.

The moment the door closed behind her, her restraint collapsed.

She strode into an empty corridor, tears streaming silently. She clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling any sound.

In an adult’s world, collapse is always silent.

Not far off, voices drifted by.

“Caly, thank you for coming to see my mother. She looks so much better today. The doctor said a good mood helps recovery.”

The woman’s voice was soft, lilting with coquettish sweetness.

“It’s nothing to thank me for,” Calvin replied gently. “I already spoke to Director, an overseas specialist team will be here soon. I’ll ask him to arrange something for her.”

His tenderness made the woman’s voice tremble with emotion.

“Calv, you’re so good to me. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“Fool. Did I ever ask you for repayment?”

Eliza, crumpled in her corner, felt her grief ease.

Not into comfort, but into cold clarity.

Like an anesthetic, no, like ice.

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One Day Queen

Chapter 19

A businessman, a capitalist, claiming not to seek repayment?

It was only because the other was Medea–the first love he had hidden in his heart for years.

For her, he would give without return.

In work, he shielded her; in life, he cared for her every need.

Exhausting himself, pouring out everything.

“Mr. Young, thank you so much for donating your bone marrow for my mother.”

Once, when Eliza was eighteen, she too had spoken words of heartfelt gratitude.

But back then, Calvin was twenty–one, already cold as ice.

His gaze on her held no warmth, no emotion.

“Empty words mean nothing, Eliza. I don’t give without return. And I don’t see your sincerity.”

Naïve and untested by the world, she had struggled to understand.

Until, blushing furiously, she began unbuttoning her blouse.

Back then, she had nothing.

The only thing she thought of as bargaining power–was her young body.

When she fumbled to undo the last button, Calvin stopped her.

He even turned his head away, flustered, voice softer.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Mortified, she turned her back, fumbling to refasten her buttons, cheeks burning.

In the end, he gave her another path: come help him at Everest.

At that time, Everest was a struggling startup. Four people, Calvin included. When she joined as an intern, she became the fifth. They worked in a crumbling attic office, sweltering in summer, freezing in winter.

That year, Washington suffered its worst heatwave in fifty years–forty days over 107.6 °F.

The attic was an oven. Eliza fainted from heatstroke three times. Nearly didn’t survive.

On paper, she was just his secretary.

In truth, she had endured every hardship with him.

And just when Everest finally flourished, when the time came to share the rewards-

She was cast aside.

So the first sword upon reaching shore is to cut down the one who helped you swim.