Chapter 101
Prayer
Prayer As I stormed into Aren’s room, I found Miranda there, leaning over him and checking his pupils’
reaction to the light. When she turned around, I mouthed hello to her and gave her a warm smile as I
rushed to sit on Aren’s bed. “His reactions seem fine, but he hasn’t moved since that one episode that
the nurse witnessed.” Miranda’s lips curved into a crooked smile.
I sighed. “I guess we will have to wait.”
Miranda gave me aforting pat on the back before leaving me alone with my husband. I grabbed his
hand and stared at him, hoping for any sign that would tell me that he was waking up, but nothing like
that happened for another hour… It was past seven, and I kept sitting by Aren’s bed, talking to him,
touching his arm, and caressing his cheeks. “I’m scared, Aren. The shareholders’ meeting starts at ten
o’clock. I don’t want to disappoint you…. I was trying real hard, but now I’m just tired. I’m afraid that
those people will do something bad, and I won’t be able to stop them.” My voice trembled, but I forced
myself not to cry.
I called Neil, telling him where I was and asking if he could bring me the clothes I prepared for myself to
wear at the meeting. I silently prayed for a miracle. If Aren opened his eyes, even for a bit before the
meeting, I could tell that news at the meeting, and ask the shareholders to give my husband a few more
days to recover before making any hush decisions. “Aren…. I just wanted to tell you that our marriage
was the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you… I want to spend the rest of my life with
you… But it would help if you just woke up already…” I smiled even though I kept widening my eyes, and
I hardly restrained my tears from falling. Suddenly, I felt a gentle squeeze, as if Aren’s fingers had curled
around my hand. I gasped and stroked his hand. “Aren, if you hear me, then know that you have been
sleeping long enough already. Come back to me…” I whispered.
His shoulders flinched in reaction to my words. “Miranda!” I yelled, jumping up from Aren’s bed and
rushing to yank them open. “Mira—”I paused, surprised to see Neil right outside the door. His pale face
and thin sort-of-smile instantly put me on high alert. “What now?” He chuckled nervously, walking into the
room and putting my suit and a bag of cosmetics on the table. “They called for a press conference at
8:30,” he choked out. “Who did?” I hissed.
“The executives. They want to expose Mr. Lan’s state, knowing that even if you send the news you found
to the press, the shareholders’ meeting will be over, and their choice final,” he exined. I looked at the
clock; it was nearly eight. I nced at Aren, but he no longer showed any signs of waking up. My heart
ached that I was forced to choose between staying with my husband or saving hispany, but I also
knew that I would regret it for the rest of my life if I didn’t do everything in my power to help him keep the
CEO’s position at his ownpany. I put makeup on, got dressed, and instructed Neil to observe Aren
closely and let me know if he started to wake up. I rushed to thepany without having a specific n.
I prayed for a miracle… and the stupidity of others. Unfortunately, the reality turned out to be far worse
than I thought…
“There she is!” I heard Mr. Hill’s venomous voice shouting through the microphone as I entered through
the revolving door of the Lan Diamond Tower.
It turned out that the press conference was held there as well as if they wanted to trap me. Mr. Hill stood
on the podium on the opposite side of the entrance hall. The rest of the executives sat around the long
table, resembling the grand jury ready to judge me… or rather crucify me. The crowd of reporters
standing in vast rows from the entrance to the podium spread like the Red Sea, allowing me to walk
through while hectically taking pictures. Fury boiled in my veins. I kept my eyes locked on Mr. Hill, an evil
smirk crossing my lips as his eyes met mine. “Mrs. Cora Lan… who most likely forced her husband to
marry, knowing that he was terminally ill, had been constantly endangering thepany from the
moment Mr. Lan fell into a state ofa. She hasn’t graduated from any university and has no
experience of even working in a big consortium such as Lan Diamond Corporation. Therefore, we called
for a shareholders’ meeting to remove this pest from the highest position in thepany and save Lan
Diamond Corporation’s workers from losing their jobs.” As Mr. Hill’sst tone spread across the hall, the
executives and the crowd of workers gathered to enhance the effect burst into an enthusiastic ovation.
I took a deep breath, painted a sorrowful expression on my face, and slowly walked to the podium,
surrounded by boos and cursing. As I was one step away from my enemies, I faked my inability to climb
up in high heels. I took the shoes off and stepped onto the podium barefoot. Mr. Hill and the rest stared
at me with frowns while the reporters enjoyed taking pictures of something that looked like a weak
woman being bullied by a bunch of greedy old men.
Prayer
I gave the row of executives all a slight bow before taking the microphone from Mr. Hill. “May I?” I asked
innocently after it was already in my hands. Once he nodded, I faced the press. “What Mr. Hill said is
partially true… I don’t have a degree, although I studied at Oxford. I have never run apany, and I
have never even worked at apany the size of Lan Diamond Corporation. But I have been managing
it for less than twenty days, and I am willing to give the CEO’s position back to Mr. Aren Lan, my
husband, as soon as he recovers from the ident.” My words caused a wide wave ofmotion to
spread through the hall. The executives turned silent, smirks shing in their expressions as if they were
hoping that my words would harm me and Aren even more than theirs. But I would never let that happen.
“But Mr. Hill also lied because he has no evidence that I caused any harm to thepany. Furthermore,
ording to my calctions, the decisions I made are going to increase thepany’s profit by nearly
five percent.” I paused and nced at the annoyed COO before shifting my eyes back to the press. “So
you may ask, why all this fuss? The reason is simple: greed. Those people sitting at this expensive-
looking table in their high-end suits used the fact that my husband fell into aa. They used my misery
to get rid of my husband from thepany he built with his own blood, sweat, and tears. My husband
had the right to appoint someone he trusted to rece himn temporarily while he was fighting for his life.
I cannot me him for putting this responsibility on my shoulders since the executives just trusted that
they aren’t trustworthy…” I ended my sad speech by lowering my head.
While I gained the reporters’ pity, the executives’ anger reached beyond the limit. Mr. Dawson jerked the
microphone off my hands and yelled. “Don’t believe this bitch and her sad performance! Aren Lan will
never wake up, and we cannot leave thispany in the hands of someone without any knowledge or
education! Who knows, Aren Lan might be already dead!”
“Actually, he is very much alive!” I heard Neil shouting from the end of the entrance hall,
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The reporters turned around towards him, and a wave of gasps and murmurs followed. They spread,
creating a long row that quickly reached the ce where he stood, but I couldn’t see him clearly. I could
only recognize him because I remembered what kind of suit he was wearing. Someone who stood
beside Neil stepped forward. The man walked fast, striding energetically in his navy suit until he reached
the podium. My hand mped over my mouth as I looked at his face, smiling at me.
“Good morning, sunshine,” my husband said, winking at me. “Did you miss me?”