The crisis was over.

Mia Grant received a call from Lee.

Given the situation just now, Lee had nowhere to go but down the elevator first. Now he was coming back to get her.

Mia Grant told him her location, then hung up and looked across the hall.

Yates Donovan was still leaning against the doorframe, head down, fiddling with his phone as if replying to someone’s message.

"Are you going to the hospital?"

Hearing her voice, he slowly lifted his head.

"You’re leaving?"

"Yup." She nodded. "Lee’s here to pick me up. He’s the bodyguard Simon Adler assigned to me."

Yates Donovan wanted to keep her a little longer, but on second thought, he decided against it.

Her phone vibrated. It was Lee, saying it was safe outside and she could come out.

Putting her phone away, Mia Grant pulled up her mask. "I’m heading out, then. You should go to the hospital and check on your uncle. And don’t go to the He residence anytime soon, or Silas Grant will find out."

"He’ll find out whether I go or not. Whatever you’re planning, you’d better do it fast. Be careful not to get yourself killed."

His words weren’t pleasant to hear, but they were the truth.

Mia Grant froze, stopping at the door to glance at him sideways.

Yates Donovan wore a roguish grin. "Don’t tell me. I can’t be bothered to listen. Anyway, if you get into trouble, just blame it on Simon Adler."

"Can I do that?" Mia Grant blinked.

The man drawled, "You might avoid the worst, but you won’t escape punishment."

"What happened today means he’s already been alerted. He’s almost certainly onto you. If you don’t want him to find out, you only have one option."

"What is it?"

"Come back with me."

"..."

Yates Donovan checked the time. "We leave now, land in the evening, and it’ll be like you were never here."

"So, are you coming?"

He lifted his gaze, his eyes landing on her once more.

"If you leave now, at least he won’t be able to bother you later."

"You still have a choice, before he completely exposes you."

Mia Grant’s eyelashes trembled. She understood his reasoning.

"But, the Old Master..."

"He needs me to stay until after Silas Grant’s wedding."

Hearing this, Yates Donovan chuckled. "And when is that going to be?"

"The end of the year?"

"It’s almost Christmas. Does he even have someone to marry?"

"Soon." ’This Miss White today will probably succeed in winning him over.’

She explained that she’d been helping Silas Grant with matchmaking recently, so it really would be soon.

Watching her earnestly list the merits of the various matchmaking candidates, Yates Donovan couldn’t help but let out an ambiguous laugh. "Sometimes, I really can’t tell if you’re actually smart."

Mia Grant stopped talking, looking at him in confusion.

Yates Donovan shook his head. "As long as you’re happy. Go on, then."

He didn’t like to lecture or persuade, because in his eyes, there wasn’t a clear right and wrong for everything in this world.

Even if this matter was indeed not as simple as she imagined, he wouldn’t try to convince her a third time.

Mia Grant placed her hand on the doorknob but hesitated to push it down.

This time, she was hesitating.

Yates Donovan leaned against the wall, a meaningful smile on his face.

"But... but..."

"Baby, you’re not a savior."

Mia Grant’s pupils constricted as she looked at him again.

He curled his lip. "When you’re living, you have to think of yourself first."

"It’s like I said."

"Silas Grant won’t die, and neither will you." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"You Grants are a tough bunch."

"Really?" Mia Grant blinked.

Yates Donovan blinked back. "I had a master read your birth chart. You’re going to live to be a hundred and twenty."

"..."

Mia Grant lowered her hand. Seeing this, the smile in Yates Donovan’s eyes deepened. He took out his phone and sent a message to his people outside, telling them to send Lee away.

"I don’t know what kind of bullshit that bastard Simon used to brainwash you and trick you into coming here. Anyway, don’t feel burdened. You’re much cuter when you’re carefree."

"..."

Mia Grant furrowed her brow, unsure if he was actually complimenting her.

「At the airport.」

Mia Grant passed through security and went to the VIP lounge to rest. The moment she sat down, it all still felt a bit surreal.

"Do you want something to eat?"

Yates Donovan asked her.

Mia Grant shook her head, stared at him for a few seconds, and asked, "Don’t you need to stay here anymore?"

"I can do either."

"Is everything okay with your uncle?"

"He’s already in a vegetative state. What problems could there be?"

"No, I mean, didn’t your grandfather ask you to come take care of him? Is it really okay for you to just go back like this?"

"I’m not a caregiver or a nanny. How is my presence here supposed to help his condition? It’ll only put him in more danger."

"So, you still came here because of me."

"Not entirely." Yates Donovan turned away. "Don’t get too touched."

"I just said I don’t need to stay and take care of him. It was still necessary to come and go through the motions. Taking you with me is just convenient."

Mia Grant knew he was saying that on purpose.

Before he could speak, the screen of the phone beside him suddenly lit up with an incoming call.

Mia Grant fell silent. Glancing at the caller ID, she called out to him, "It’s your phone. Mr. Payne."

Yates Donovan grunted in acknowledgment, came back to place a glass of milk by her hand, then picked up his phone. "Wait for me a minute."

With that, he walked over to the window across from her to take the call. He didn’t forget to turn around, though, his gaze fixed directly on her as if he was afraid she’d run off.

Mia Grant rolled her eyes at him and took out her phone to play a game.

Suddenly, a notification popped up at the top of her screen.

It was a text message.

[Miss Grant, you have ten minutes to leave the airport immediately. Otherwise, you will face the consequences.]

Mia Grant’s heart skipped a beat. The next second, she quit her game and turned off her phone.

’Out of sight, out of mind.’

Yates Donovan was on the phone for a long time.

By the time he came back, it was time to board.

A ground staff member stopped her, checking her ID again and again. "Miss Grant, I’m sorry to inform you that there’s an issue with your identification. You can’t board at this time. Please come with me to verify it."

"..."

’It’s clearly a set-up.’

She’d had no problems when she arrived, and she hadn’t been here for long. How could there be an issue with her ID now?

While she was silent, Yates Donovan had already snatched her ID back and slipped it into his pocket. "I should’ve just arranged for a private jet."

"It would’ve been the same," Mia Grant said helplessly. "The flight path would have had problems, most likely."

"The old bastard’s keeping a close eye on us." The man scoffed, then looked down and grabbed her wrist. "Let’s go."

"Where are we going?"

"There’s always a way to get you out of here."

His strides were long, forcing Mia Grant to jog to keep up.

"Your phone... aren’t you going to answer it?"

She could see the screen of the phone in his hand lighting up.

"I’ll deal with it later. It’s nothing important."

The screen went dark for only a few seconds before the call came in again.

Yates Donovan clicked his tongue in annoyance and moved to turn off his phone.

A fair hand quickly pressed down on his. "It’s Mr. Payne. If he’s calling you like this, it must be urgent."

"You should take it."

Yates Donovan stared at her for a moment. "Don’t move from this spot."

"Okay." Mia Grant nodded with a smile. "You take your call. I’m just going to tie my shoe."

After a quick glance down to confirm, Yates Donovan finally let go of her.

It was unclear what Mr. Payne said on the phone, but Yates subconsciously turned his head, as if afraid she would overhear.

He only turned for a moment, but when Yates looked back, the space behind him was already empty.