Cindy happened to come to use the restroom and saw Marian retching over the sink, so she approached with concern.
"Marian, you’re feeling unwell?"
Cindy asked worriedly, while pulling out a few tissues to hand to over.
"I'm OK, just a bit of an upset stomach," Marian took the tissues Cindy offered, her mind suddenly lighting up with the perfect excuse to call in sick – all legit and above-board.
"Cindy, my stomach is really acting up; I think I might need to see a doctor. Could you ask for some time off for me?"
Marian wiped her mouth and asked Cindy weakly.
She really did feel weak.
Due to her dread of Brandon, she hadn’t slept well for days, and now the stress was wreaking havoc on her stomach, causing a gastrointestinal stress reaction throughout her body.
Cindy could see she wasn't faking it and nodded, "Sure, I'll let Mr. Dempsey know."
Then, a bit worried, she added, "You need a lift to the hospital?"
“That’s OK," Marian waved off the offer, "I can handle it."
Cindy nodded, “Then you take care, and call if you need anything."
Marian nodded in thanks, said her goodbye to Cindy, then left, hand pressed against her stomach.
It wasn't until she reached the underground parking garage and got into her car that the discomfort began to ease up a bit.
Marian took a good gulp of water and finally felt some relief.
She let out a long sigh, put down the water bottle, started the engine, and was about to drive away when she nearly jumped out of her skin. Her foot instinctively slammed on the brakes instead of the gas.
The car screeched to a halt.
Augus, like a wandering spirit, had appeared out of nowhere, standing in front of her car, staring her down with a deep and intense gaze.
This was the first time Marian had faced Augus since Sophia’s incident.
The day after Sophia's incident, Augus wasn't at the office. Marian had gone to Zion City early in the morning under the pretext of the incident, stayed there for a few days, and after returning to the West district, she had been forcefully taken by Brandon to do a paternity test with Martin. It was only today that she had set foot in the office again.
The office was crowded, so they hadn't interacted at all there.
Aside from looking a bit spaced out, Augus seemed okay.
Marian couldn't figure out what he was doing there or when he had come down, and whether Brandon had seen him come looking for her...
A whirlwind of questions spun through her chaotic mind. After a nervous glance around to make sure no one was watching and that her parking spot was in a surveillance blind spot, she forced herself to roll down the window and feigned calm as she faced Augus.
“What’s the matter?" Marian asked, feigning the usual casualness she might have with any colleague.
Augus just shot her a cold look but finally spoke, "I'm not feeling well, give me a lift."
Marian: "..."
She'd just taken sick leave, and now Augus was doing the same. Both disappearing during work hours, wouldn't that tell everyone they had some secret?
"I can't," Marian said, "My stomach is killing me; I need to see emergency medical care."
"Coincidentally, I need to make a hospital run too."
As he spoke, Augus stepped forward, reaching to open the car door waiting for a reply, but it was locked.
Marian looked at him unwaveringly, "I really can’t, I'm genuinely feeling unwell right now."
Her fear was reserved for Brandon alone.
As for Augus, she didn't even bat an eye.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate