MTLNOVEL Chapter 638: Taken into custody.
Ryan kept his phone back and turned to look at Zenith, only to realize that she was no longer sitting there. His brows furrowed, and he stared in the direction of the guest room.
He couldn't believe that she ran away the moment he looked away.
Was he so scary?
He turned to look at his reflection on the glass wall nearby. Maybe he was; otherwise, why else would she be so nervous and jumpy around him?
His thoughts spirally back to the times when he scolded her. Although she was very professional in her job — wouldn't give him any reason to complain. But still, recently, he had found every reason to scare her away. She had almost ended up in the hospital.
This wasn't right.
She was his secretary —his employee. He shouldn't be treating her like that.
Feeling guilty internally, he walked to the table on the side and opened the cabinet to retrieve a first aid kit. Looking at the box, he thought for a moment before he turned and advanced in the direction of the guest room.
However, when he entered, he found the room empty. His brows knitted in a frown, but soon enough, he heard the sound of water running in the bathroom.
Understanding that zenith might have gone to get freshened up, he was about to turn and leave when leave when he heard something dropping to the floor with a thud.
His knit between his brows returned, and he immediately turned and walked towards the bathroom, knocking at the door.
"Zenith, what's wrong? Are you fine inside?" he asked, worry lacing in his tone.
No response came, but the silence grew, which made Ryan's frown only deepen. He knocked again. "Zenith, answer me. Are you okay, there?"
"..."
Still no response. It only made Ryan's worry heighten. Not knowing what to do, he chose the last retort, but before that, he gave the warning.
"If you are not responding, I would assume you got hurt inside. I had no option but to break inside, Zenith. So, tell me —"
Before he could finish, Zenith spoke from inside. "I—I am fine, sir." Ryan frowned, but patiently waited to listen. "There is no need to come inside. Give me a few minutes, and I will come out."
"Fine!"
Although Ryan said that, he didn't step away. He stood near the bathroom, just in case she needed his help.
And right as she had said, after a few minutes, he heard the click of the door, and he turned to see it finally open.
His eyes narrowed a little when he saw her finally stepping out. She looked fine on the surface, but when he watched her closely, he saw the subtle frown between her brows and her pale lips.
It was clear that she was in pain.
"What happened inside?" he asked, carefully looking at her, already reaching to hold her by her arm to support her.
Zenith glanced at him and was about to shake her head, but before she could, he spoke in a rather clear voice. "Don't say, it was nothing and you were fine. I could clearly see, you aren't. So, tell me what happened?"
She gulped her previous words before finally speaking. "I am not going to lie, but to be honest, nothing happened. By mistake, I knocked my feet, and only realized it when it hurt. And because it hurt badly, I couldn't stand, so I fell on the floor with a thud. That must be the sound that you heard, probably."
She could say that looking into his eyes, so she tried her best to look away.
"And why didn't you tell me this earlier when I asked?" he asked, arching his brow in a small arc.
Zenith bit her lips, but confessed. "Because it was embarrassing."
Ryan stared at her and didn't say anything. And the silence stretched for longer than needed, Zenith finally turned to look at him, only to find his eyes pinning her … coldly.
"I—I am sorry," she apologized, and he sighed internally.
She was clearly hurt because of him, but was apologizing to him as if she had done him wrong.
Shaking his head, he didn't say anything. Instead, he led her to the couch on the side. "Sit down," he said, and then, making her sit, he crouched down to check her feet again.
The cut on the back of her ankle wasn't deep, but because it was closer to the bone, it would hurt until it gets healed.
"The previous wound hasn't even healed, and you got another," he spoke in a grumble before raising his gaze to match hers. "Are you clumsy? Or is it me who is making you unlucky and prone to accidents every day?"
Zenith's expression twisted in alarm when she realized what he was trying to say. Quickly shaking her head, she said, "No, sir. I wasn't being careful. How could you be the bad luck?"
Should she book a spot in hell?
If not, then how could an employee tell their boss that they are a source of misfortune in their life?
Ryan didn't pursue the topic anymore. He simply gave her one long look before reaching into the first aid kit to take out the band-aid.
Carefully, putting it on her wound, he checked more in detail to see if there was any other place she had been hurt. But luckily, she wasn't.
"Make sure this stays the last injury. Otherwise, I will truly think that it's me jinxing your life." He then stood up to his height.
Zenith nodded in understanding. "I would be more careful, hereafter. Thank you, sir."
Just then, her phone beeped with a notification. She turned to grab it, but it was kept at a distance.
"Stay still," Ryan stopped her, and when she turned to look at him, he added, "I will get it for you."
And then, he walked and grabbed it for her before bringing it to her to check.
She opened it to check, and her expression shifted. Turning back to Ryan, she informed him.
"Ms. Ember has been taken into custody, sir. Is there anything you want me to do?"