Chapter 86 – Anything About My Wife is a Big Deal
Caroline was stunned. “How expensive can an aloe vera plant be?”
She figured no matter how rare it was, it couldn’t cost much more than a few hundred dollars.
“Three thousand!” the supervisor snapped, her voice dripping with irritation. “It’s a rare and expensive variety, one I had someone bring back from overseas. And now, you’ve ruined it!”
Caroline couldn’t believe it. Three thousand dollars for a small aloe vera plant? But even with the steep price, it was still something she could afford.
“I’m sorry,” Caroline replied, her voice calm. “I used it for an experiment to extract high-concentration aloe vera juice. It was my mistake. I’ll transfer the money to you right away.”
The supervisor scoffed, clearly unimpressed. “What good is the money? You’ll have to replace the exact same aloe vera plant!”
Caroline’s heart sank. Where am I supposed to find an identical plant?
After a moment of thought, she nodded. “Alright. I’ll figure something out. I might be able to find one, but you’ll have to give me some time…”
“Time is money!” The supervisor’s voice was sharp, her demands insistent. “You’d better have it to me by the end of tomorrow, or this isn’t over!”
Caroline clenched her jaw, trying to maintain composure. This isn’t just difficult, it’s outright bullying.
“Supervisor,” Caroline said kindly, trying to reason, “I’ll do my best, but I can’t make any promises. If I’m a few days late, I hope you’ll understand.” She valued her job and wanted to avoid any conflict with her colleagues.
“No way! Tomorrow,” the supervisor countered, her tone unwavering. “If you’re late, you’ll pay double.”
It finally clicked. She’s blackmailing me.
Caroline’s voice was steady, but with a hint of frustration. “How much do you want?”
“Ten thousand dollars!”
Caroline bit her lip, a sense of dread settling in her stomach. She wasn’t a wealthy heiress. Even though she was married to David, he had never given her a dime for personal expenses. Ten thousand dollars was far beyond what she could afford, especially since she hadn’t received her salary yet. With two children to care for in the future, every penny counted.
She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything, both she and the supervisor turned as the door to the lab opened. David stepped inside, having just scanned his fingerprint to unlock the door.
He walked straight to Caroline, offering a hand to help her up. “Why are you sitting on the floor?”
“I accidentally fell off the chair,” she replied quickly.
David raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “She pushed you, didn’t she?”
Nothing escaped David’s sharp eyes. But Caroline was also curious—why was he still in the office so late?
The supervisor immediately shifted her tone as she noticed David. “Mr. Ellison!” she said with forced cheerfulness, her expression changing to one of deference. “What brings you here at this hour? It’s nearly midnight!”
David simply replied, “Just passing by. I heard the commotion and came to check.”
“Oh, I see. I’m terribly sorry for the disturbance, Mr. Ellison. It’s just a minor issue, nothing for you to trouble yourself with,” the supervisor stammered, laughing nervously.
David’s expression remained cold, his gaze unflinching. “Yes, it’s a minor issue. But when it involves my wife, it’s a big deal.”
The supervisor froze, clearly confused. “Your wife? But it’s just me and Caroline—”
Her voice trailed off, and her eyes widened in shock.
Caroline is Mrs. Ellison?!
David didn’t miss a beat. “William will transfer ten thousand dollars to you. Additionally, your severance pay will be arranged. You don’t need to come to work tomorrow.”
His tone was casual, but his words held finality.
The supervisor opened her mouth to argue, but David cut her off with a glance. “You’re courting death by offending my woman. Get out now.”
The supervisor swallowed hard, her face turning pale. She knew better than to argue further and quickly left, her footsteps hurried.
David turned back to Caroline, his expression softening slightly as he extended his hand to her. “Are you alright?”
Caroline nodded, still processing everything that had just happened. She was grateful for David’s intervention, but a part of her still felt unsettled.
