Chapter42TheChallengeAhead
MillyapaniedGeorgebacktoTate’smansion.
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Intheory,Williamshouldhavebackwiththem,buthalfwaythere,Georgesuddenlymentionedthattheprofessionale–sportsteamFXwasholdingauditions foryoungtraineesthatday.
Uponhearingthis,William,whohadbeenchattingwithMilly,becameinstantlyexcited.Hestartedinsistingonsigningup.Williameventhreatenedtojumpoutofthecarandliedeadinthewildernessifhewasn’tallowedtogo.
Georgereluctantlyagreedand askedDannytocataxiforhimbecauseofhispersistence.
Thepeacefinallyreturnedafterthat.
ThisseriesofactionsmadeDanny,whowassittinginthepassengerseat,twitchhislips.Inordertohavesomealimewith<b>his</b>fiancée,hisbosseventurneda blindeyetoMr.Williamengagingine–sports.
Afterall,thatboyhadattemptedvariousdangerousactsinthepasttoye–sport,includingjumpingoffabuilding,cuttinghiswrist,hanginghimself,andbumpingintoatree,butnoneofitwas<b>a</b>sess.Surprisingly,todayhisbosssimplylethimgotobewithMs. But.
Inthatmoment.DannyfeltatwingeofsympathyforWilliam.
Itseemedlikeabrotherwasnot<b>as</b>importantasawife..
WhenMillyenteredthehousewithGeorge,shewasgreetedbyalineofmeninformalwearstandingintwolinesinthelivinghall.Thesightgavehertheimpressionoffacingagroup ofgangsters.
“Whatisgoingonhere?”Millyasked.
Alwayssharptoreact,Dannyquicklysteppedforwardtoexin,“Ms.But,thesearedesignersfrom<b>Tate</b>Group’sjewelrpany.Thereweresupposedtobeforty–fivepeople,andallofthemarepresent
here.”
Millyhadahardtimeprocessingthis.
Shethoughttherewasnoneedforsuchformality.
Thosewhoknowthetruthknowtheyweredesigners;thosewhodon’tmightassumethesemenwillstartmarchingatanymoment.
Remaininposed,GeorgeledMillytothesofaandinstructedaservanttobringherassofmilk.
Hethenturnedtotheteamandsaid,“Comecloser<b>and</b>examhisbracelet.Findawaytoremoveitwithoutcausingharm.”
“Yes,Mr.Tate.”
Thechiefjewelrydesigner,whowasalsothedepartmentmanager,steppedforwardtocarefullyexamhebraceletonMilly’swrist.Heexamineditverycarefully.Afterawhile,helookedawayandreportedtoGeorge.
“Thematerialofthisbraceletappearstobeunique.It’snotordinarysilverormetal.Removingitforcefully
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ThisisthefirsttimeI’veseenabraceletmadeofthismaterial.Pleasewaitamomentwhilewediscussa
solution
Afterspeaking,hetookoutacameraandtookseveralshotsofthebracelet,alsousingarulertomeasureandrecordvariousdetaileddata.Ittookthemmorethantenminutesoffussingbeforetheyfinallystopped.
Watchingthemgatherthedataandbegintoanalyseit,Millyaskedsomewhatuneasily,“Areyousuretheycouldremovethis<b>?</b><b>”</b>
Notsureifitwasherimagination,shecouldn’thelpbutfeelthattheywere actingabitodd.
Georgeremainedconfidentandsaid,“Theyareprofessionalsinjewelry.Iftheycan’thandlethis,theyshouldresign.”
Impressedbyhisassurance,Millynoddedinagreement.
“Areyou hungry?Wouldyoulikesomethingtoeatwhilewewait?”Georgeoffered.
“No.thankyou,”Millydeclined,herattentionfixedonthedesigners.
Shehadnoappetiteandjustwantedthebraceletremovedquicklysoshecouldgohomeandfinishherhomework.
Georgestoppedpushingher.Fromthatmomenton,hefellsilent,sittingonthesofabesideher,andtheywaitedtogether.
Afteraboutanhour,theheaddesignerhandedGeorgeafewsheetsofA4 paperfilledwithinformation.
“Mr.Tate,<b>this</b>isthe<b>data</b>analysiswejuspletedforthisbracelet.It’speculiar;thediameterofthisbraceletisclearlytoosmallforahandtofitthrough,meaningit’simpossibletoremoveitwithoutcausingharm.”
Georgefurrowedhisbrow.Theauraaroundhimvisiblyturnedcolder.Hemmedthepaperontothetableandscatteredthesheets.
Idon’tneedtoknowthedetailsofyourdiscussion;justgivemetheconclusion.”
The<b>chief</b>wastakenabackbyhissinisteraura,buthewasexperiencedandquicklyadjustedhistone.Hesaid.“Afteranalysingthedata,wehaveupwithtwopossiblesolutions.Thefirstoptionistocutthebraceletwithtoolsandthenuseprofessionaltechniquestorepairit.”
“No“”Georgeinterjected,“Thisbraceletismygrandmother’sonlykeepsake;itcannotbedamagedinany
way.”
Thechiefnoddedandcontinued,Thentheonlyotheroptionistoforciblyremoveit,butthisinjurytoherhand.”
“No…”
“It’sfine!”
Milly’svoicedrownedoutGeorge’sobjection.
Shewento
may cause
<ol>
<li>on.“It’sfine;myhandcanget injured;it’snotaproblem.Iwritewithmyrighthandanyway,soI</li>
</ol>
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don’tneedmylefthand.Aminorinjuryshouldhealquickly.
Uponhearingherwords,George’sexpression darkened,andtheatmospherearoundthemcooled.
Issheeagertodistanceherselffromme?
She’sevenwillingtodothatatthecostofgettinghurt!
45PearlsContent ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.
Thechieflookedatherresoluteexpression<b>and</b>awkwardlysmiled.“Miss,youhavemisunderstood.Thediameterofthisbraceletisverysmall,almostsmugaroundyour<b>wrist</b>.Ifweremoveditwithoutdamagingthebracelet,wewouldhavetosurgicallyremove<b>part</b>ofyourpalm.It’snotassimpleas<b>a</b>scratch.”
Millywidenedher eyes
disbeliefandasked,“What?Removepartofmy<b>palm</b><b>?</b>”
Thechiefeditornodded.“Yes,thosearetheonlytwooptionscurrently.Whichonewouldyouprefer?
Millystruggledwithwords.
WhichoneshouldIchoose?Whydiditfeellikechoosingbetweentwoevils?
HowdoIdecide?Onewas<b>a</b>preciousmemento,theotherapartofherownbody.
I…”Shewantedtokeepboth.
Georgetookadeepbreathandrubbedhisforehead.Hesaid,“Alright,youallcanleavefornow.”
Thechiefbowedrespectfullyandsaid.“Yes,Mr.Tate.”
Thenheledthegroupout<b>.</b>
ThelivingroomwasnowonlyupiedbyGeorge,Milly,andDanny,whohadbeensilentlystandingby.
Millylookeddisinterestedlyatthebraceletonherwrist,attemptingtoremoveit,butitwasstuck.Shecouldn’ttellifitwasherimagination,butitfeltlikethebracelethadsomehowshrunkinsizeasifitwerethrowingatantrumlikeachild.
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