Chapter 2973

Chapter 2973Chapter 2973
"Okay," Lulu said, turning to leave the office. She nearly bumped into Ellar just outside.
Noticing Ellar's haggard look, Lulu frowned with concern." Why do you look so tired?"
"You're here," Ellar replied, a tired note in his voice as he walked into the office.
His eyes widened slightly when he saw Nicole inside." Nicole, what are you doing here?"
"I heard from Lulu you weren't feeling well. Came to check on you," Nicole said, her gaze lingering on
Ellar.
Ellar felt an uncomfortable twinge of guilt. Trying to mask any strangeness, he said, a bit stiffly, "No, just
busy, that's all. Just tired."
Nicole's eyes narrowed a fraction. "You look more than just tired," she said, skepticism lacing her
words. She wasn't buying the mere fatigue story.
Ellar, now more nervous, gave a forced chuckle. "What else would it be? Honestly, just tired." He
gestured to the mountain of paperwork on his desk. "See? So much work lately. Some I can't even
finish in one day."
"It's not the work that's keeping you from finishing. You're spending time with Patricia," Lulu said,
teasing him with a knowing smile.
"Yea... I just went to see her," Ellar admitted, a hint of embarrassment in his tone.
His reaction only solidified Lulu's suspicion. Smiling, she added, "We shouldn't pry into your personal
life, but don't let it affect your work, and also...""And what?" Ellar asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
Inwardly, he was strategizing, trying to mislead Nicole. 'If she thinks I'm just preoccupied with Patricia,
she won't suspect the truth,' he thought.
He wondered what Lulu was about to say.
"You know Patricia's situation and her feelings for you. You should really think it through," Lulu advised,
her voice tinged with concern.
They all knew how Ellar felt about Patricia, and Patricia had been clear about her feelings. Ellar needed
to be ready for that.
"I'm aware. I'm not expecting anything from her. I just think she needs someone to stand by her now.
After she recovers, I’ll step back, just wishing her happiness," Ellar said, a rare seriousness in his
voice.
He was doing all this for Patricia without expecting anything in return. He just wanted to be there for
her, hoping for her happiness in the end.
Lulu sighed, shaking her head, at a loss for further advice for Ellar.
Nicole cast a concerned look at Ellar. "Even if you're just keeping her company, you shouldn’t be this
drained. Let me check you out."
She motioned for Ellar to come closer for a quick check.
Ellar's heart raced. He'd thought Nicole was falling for the cover story about Patricia, but she seemed
undeterred by it.A wave of panic washed over him, and he broke into a cold sweat. 'I can't let Nicole examine me. If she
does, she'll uncover everything, and my plans will be ruined,' he thought frantically.
In a sudden move, Ellar clutched his stomach. "My stomach... it hurts. You guys sit, I'll be right back,"
he blurted out and dashed out of the room.
The root of content is NovelEbook.Net"Did he eat something bad?" Lulu asked, puzzled.
Maybe," Nicole replied, her brow furrowed slightly.
"I thought he was just overworked, but maybe it's just stomach trouble," Lulu shrugged, turning to
Nicole. "Doesn't seem like anything too serious."
"Yeah," Nicole nodded. "A little medicine and rest should do. " She seemed convinced it was a minor
issue.
When Ellar returned, Nicole didn't mention checking on him again, much to his silent relief.