Falling For My Billionaire Savior - Chapter 18: Chapter 18

I went back to the bathroom and showered again. Only after that did I get dressed and head downstairs for breakfast.
By the time I finished eating, it was almost time for work in the afternoon. I'd skipped the whole morning and wasn't even sure who I should report to for leave.
But since I was the Deputy General Manager, I figured no one would really give me trouble for not calling in.
When I walked into the company in the afternoon, I could clearly feel the strange looks from the employees. And as soon as I passed by, I could hear them gathering in little groups behind me whispering.
Their voices were low, hard to make out, but I still managed to catch a few vague words that told me it had something to do with me and Oliver.
Could Oliver have stirred up trouble behind my back? I wouldn't put it past him.
I went to my office and sat down in the comfortable executive chair. Then I called Heidi over and asked, "What have they been saying about me? Tell me the truth."
Heidi didn't answer right away. She kept her head down, her hands fidgeting with each other, clearly unsure how to say it.
I waited patiently. After a while, she finally looked up and said, "Please don't get mad, okay?"
"Speak," I ordered.
Heidi was an honest person, so she told me everything word for word, just as the rumors were spreading in the office.
Apparently, I hadn't shown up this morning, and my phone had died, so no one could reach me. Oliver, of all people, also didn't come in, and his phone was conveniently unreachable too.
Since we'd left together yesterday and both went missing this morning, it was no surprise everyone jumped to conclusions.
Right when the gossip was spreading like wildfire, Oliver showed up. He looked worn out.
As soon as he walked through the entrance, he ran into Xander. Xander asked Oliver where he'd been all morning and whether he knew where I was. Oliver casually replied that I was too tired yesterday and needed rest.
That just so happened to be during lunch break, when plenty of employees were around and overheard their conversation.
Heidi had been among them when Oliver said that, so she knew exactly where the rumors were coming from.
I waved her off, telling her to leave, while sneering to myself. After everything that happened yesterday, Oliver still had the nerve to try to tie himself to me.
I sat in the office thinking of a countermeasure. But before I could come up with the perfect plan, Heidi burst in looking panicked. She reported, "Ms. Gordon, something's wrong. Mr. Anderson told me to tell you not to go outside no matter what."
"What happened?" I had a feeling this had everything to do with Oliver.
Sure enough, Heidi said, "Mr. Cooke's mother-in-law is outside the company gate cursing you out. It's really nasty stuff."
"What?" I shot up from my seat, completely stunned.
"Don't worry. The security guards won't let her in." Heidi misunderstood, thinking I was scared.
I ignored her and walked straight out. I had deliberately held myself back from visiting my parents after I came back this time. I didn't want to risk my true feelings slipping out and messing up my plan for revenge.
But now that my mom had shown up at the company, I couldn't avoid her anymore. I knew exactly what kind of person Oliver was. I was afraid he might do something to hurt my mom, and I had to protect her.
When I got to the company gate, two security guards were trying to push my mom away.
Just a few days before everything went down, I had snuck back to visit her. Back then she was still a graceful woman. Years of living in comfort had made her look much younger than her age.
But when I saw my mom now, I nearly lost it. Was this really her? Her hair was completely white, tied loosely behind her head with a hair tie, already disheveled from the shoving.