Chapter 9

Blair's paperwork for going abroad was complete. As she packed her luggage, she realized that Gregory had arranged for all her clothes to be bought and delivered over the years. She only took a few pieces of clothing when she left the Croft residence. She'd buy the rest once she got there, so everything fit into just one suitcase. Looking at the interview documents on her desk, Blair's mind wandered to that day. Fortunately, she had given her professor a heads-up beforehand, so her name wasn't on the winner's list. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened if Gregory had seen her name? The excitement she'd once felt about sharing her award with him was long gone. Now, she just wanted to leave quietly without alerting anyone. Her phone rang, pulling her from her thoughts. The moment Blair answered the phone, Charlotte's excited voice burst through. "Blair, Jedd was arrested on embezzlement charges! That's serious stuff! He'll be behind bars for years! "I heard he went begging to Gregory, and guess what? Gregory blew him off!" Blair was somewhat surprised to learn that Gregory hadn't protected Jedd, though on second thought, it made sense. Gregory showed no mercy when it came to work. Anyone who crossed him or harmed his interests would pay the price, regardless of their identity. Jedd was merely paying for being bold enough to test Gregory's limits. Blair then arranged to meet Charlotte for dinner before hanging up the phone. That night, they went to their usual fondue restaurant and ordered a table full of food. Charlotte had a drink, and tears welled in her eyes as she thought about Blair's upcoming departure. Her voice cracked as she spoke. "You're the only one who likes eating out with me. Who am I going to have dinner with when you're gone?" Blair smiled and placed some cheese-dipped meat slices in Charlotte's bowl. "Don't make it sound like we're saying goodbye forever. It's not like I'm never coming back." "I'd rather you never came back, so you wouldn't have to deal with those awful people from the Croft family again." Charlotte chewed her food aggressively. Blair was about to respond when her phone rang. She froze when she saw the caller ID. "Who is it?" Charlotte noticed her expression change. Blair didn't answer but picked up the call. A woman's sweet, gentle voice came through. Beatrice asked, "Blair, are you busy?" "Get to the point." Blair wasn't planning to waste time chatting. "The thing is, I left a necklace at the hospital. Could you help me find it and bring it over? I'll pay you whatever you want as a delivery fee." Her tone was casual and slow. Blair had no intention of helping her. "I'm hanging up." "For 20 thousand!" Blair paused, her grip tightening on the phone. She changed her mind. She really did need money right now, especially that much. She turned to Charlotte and said, "Go ahead and eat the rest. Don't wait for me. I have to go." Blair followed the address Beatrice gave her to the hospital room and found the necklace in a drawer. The moment she held it, she knew what this necklace represented. Two years ago, she had accidentally discovered it while helping Gregory organize his bedroom. She found it hidden in the deepest corner of his closet. She'd only gotten a glimpse of it when Gregory lost his usual composure, his face turning frighteningly cold. "Who gave you permission to touch that? Put it back!" He snatched the jewelry box from her hands, and she met Gregory's cold, merciless stare. She'd opened her mouth to explain, but he didn't let her. "That necklace will never belong to you, Blair. You have no right to touch it." That was the day she learned the necklace had belonged to his mother and could only be worn by his wife. Blair secured the necklace and went to find Beatrice at Croft Group. She wandered around for a while before figuring out where she was. The meeting room door wasn't fully closed. When Blair knocked and received no response, she pushed the door open, planning to drop off the necklace and leave immediately. However, her ears caught sounds that made her face burn with embarrassment.