Seven Years a Fool One Day a Queen (Kristine and Colton) novel Chapter 41

Eliza waited for nearly forty minutes before finally getting a cab. By the time she got home, it was already past midnight. It had been such a tiring day.

She forced herself to take a hot shower, but by the time she finished, she didn’t even have the energy to dry her hair. She collapsed onto the bed

and nearly immediately drifted into a daze.

Fortunately, the next two days were the weekend, so Eliza was able to sleep in for once.

After waking up, she made some chicken soup and prepared to go to the hospital to visit Ottilie. Just as she was about to leave, she ran into the cleaning lady from the property management company, who was muttering, “Who’s so inconsiderate as to smoke in the emergency exit

passage?”

Ottilie was recovering well and appeared much more energetic than before. After drinking the soup, she discussed with Eliza her desire to be discharged, complaining that the hospital was too stuffy. However, Eliza knew the real reason was that Ottilie didn’t want to spend the money.

“You can’t make the decision, it has to be the doctor’s call. When the doctor says you can be discharged, then you can go home,” Eliza said firmly.

Ottilie fell silent, clearly having been rebuffed by the doctor, which was why she had tried to persuade Eliza.

“If you feel stuffy, I’ll take you for a walk outside to get some fresh air, but the weather isn’t great.”

The rain had been intermittent the previous night, and the temperature had dropped significantly.

Eliza walked with Ottilie around the park next to the hospital, and they happened to pass by a couple taking wedding photos. Ottilie’s steps involuntarily slowed.

She gazed at the couple, her eyes full of longing, imagining how her daughter would look when she took wedding photos.

Eliza felt a pang in her heart.

“Eliza, when are you and Calvin going to take your wedding photos?” Ottilie asked, looking at her with hopeful eyes.

Eliza’s throat went dry. “He… is too busy, so it’s not certain for now.”

Ottilie sighed lightly. “Calvin is busy, but you’ve been together for seven years. They say the longer a couple dates, the harder it is to get married.

I always worry things will change.”

These words were like needles, piercing straight into Eliza’s heart.

She wasn’t upset because of the man’s change of heart.

What made her sad was that, at her age, her sick mother was still worrying about her.

Eliza had been raised by Ottilie alone. She had been kicked out by her proud parents when she got pregnant before marriage, and they never reached out to her again.

After Eliza was born, Ottilie had suffered severe postpartum hemorrhaging. It was the doctor who had pulled her back from the brink of death. but she had also been left with many lasting health issues.

When she was younger, Ottilie had pushed through, working while raising Eliza. But as the years went by, her health deteriorated.

When Eliza was in middle school, Ottilie had gotten very sick. It had been during the time of the high school entrance exams, and Ottilie, afraid it would affect Eliza’s studies, hadn’t told her. She had been in the hospital for over half a month.

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Seven Years a Fool, One Day a Queen

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Chapter 41

When Eliza finished her exams and returned home, that was when she found out her mother had been in the hospital.

Throughout her high school, Ottilie became a frequent visitor to the hospital, and her health deteriorated every day.

She didn’t let the doctors tell Eliza the truth about her condition, instead saying it was anemia from malnutrition.

In truth, Ottilie had been diagnosed with aplastic anemia, and it was severe.

It wasn’t until Eliza was in her senior year of high school that the hospital gave Ottilie a critical illness notice. That was when Eliza found out the

truth.

For Eliza, Ottilie was her whole world.

The day the news hit her, she felt the terror of death for the first time.

The doctor said Ottilie needed an urgent bone marrow transplant.

During that time, Eliza searched everywhere for a suitable bone marrow donor. She even secretly asked members of the Grant family for help.

But no one was willing to undergo the bone marrow matching for Ottilie.

Eliza knelt at the Grant family’s doorstep for an entire day and night, but in the end, she couldn’t even get them to open the door.

She would never forget the weather that day. It was just like today–overcast, with cold wind mixed with icy rain that cut through her bones.

But she also remembered the black umbrella that had sheltered her from the rain.

That was when she first met Calvin.

At that time, Calvin had been like a beam of light, shining into Eliza’s dark world.

For the next seven years, she followed that light, without hesitation.

Too bad, that light which once illuminated her world eventually pushed her into the abyss.

In the following days, Eliza stuck to her routine, leaving work on time as usual.

Before leaving each day, she printed out a resignation letter and placed it neatly on Calvin’s desk.

Perhaps, if Calvin was in a good mood one day, he might approve it?

Although she knew this idea was a bit wishful.

Calvin had been absent from the company these past few days, and Eliza had enjoyed some peace and quiet.

Of course, Medea had also been absent.

Sadie secretly gossiped with Eliza, saying that Medea hadn’t shown up at the company recently and hadn’t even been taking calls. She came and went freely, acting as though she had already become the boss’s wife.

Eliza asked casually, “Does Calvin know about this?”

“Of course he knows, but he hasn’t said anything,” Sadie replied, pursing her lips, clearly dissatisfied.

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Chapter 41

Eliza wasn’t surprised.

To Calvin, everyone had to follow the rules he set, but Medea was the exception. She was above the rules.

And Calvin allowed it.

But Eliza didn’t care much about this. What caught her attention was asking Sadie, “Do you mean Calvin has been at the company these past few

days?”

Sadie confirmed, “Yes, but he mostly comes after you leave.”

Although it was a bit odd, Eliza didn’t dwell on it.

After all, Calvin was the boss of Everest, so his schedule was naturally freer than everyone else’s.

But Eliza was certain of one thing: since Calvin had been at the company, he must have seen her resignation letter.

On Thursday, Josh invited Eliza to dinner to discuss potential issues they might face at the banquet, so they went over the answers in advance to

avoid any unnecessary trouble.

So, Eliza was ready to leave work on time as usual.

But she didn’t expect Calvin to return to the company before she could leave.

Just as Eliza was preparing to go into his office to deliver the resignation letter, they ran into each other.

Eliza greeted him politely, “Calvin.”

Calvin’s dark eyes lingered on her for a moment before finally landing on the resignation letter she was holding.

The large characters on the letter were clearly visible.

He sneered and walked toward his office.

Eliza was about to follow him in when Josh arrived.

“Calv,” Josh called out to him first.

Calvín paused for a moment, his gaze turning cold as he looked at Josh. “What brings you here?”

Josh smiled and said, “I’m here to pick up Eliza. We made plans for dinner, and since I was nearby, I thought I’d come by to get her.”

Eliza hadn’t expected Josh to come upstairs, nor did she anticipate facing Calvin directly.

In the past, she would have explained right away, given their different relationship.

But now, there was no need for explanations.

Before she could say anything, Calvin spoke first.

His voice was cold and heavy, “Secretary Grant, did you forget Everest’s rules? Are you spending working hours talking about love?”

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Seven Years a Fool One Day a Queen