Chapter 38
After a moment that felt like forever, he finally said, “Come here.” His voice was raspy, barely more than a
whisper.
Clara didn’t dare challenge him and slowly made her way over.
He radiated heat, and his neck glistened with sweat. The towel was useless now; he got up slowly and splashed cold water on his face, droplets soaking into his robe.
“Mr. Dylan, you’re still battling that cold.”
Dylan leaned over, splashing his face a few more times, but his voice remained gritty. “So, what do you think we should do?”
Clara was stumped. The medicine Scarlette had given her wasn’t ordinary; it even had a strong–willed guy like Dylan struggling. A regular person would’ve probably caved by now, and who knew how long the effects would last?
Dylan was already sick and in physical therapy, so any extra trouble from this ordeal would be on her conscience.
Clara stood by the sink for a few seconds before blurting out, “Should I find a girl for you?”
Dylan’s breathing hitched at her suggestion. The tension in the room vanished, replaced by a cold, cutting intensity.
“Get out.”
A shiver ran down Clara’s spine as she felt his anger for the first time. She didn’t dare say another word, slowly opened the bathroom door, and left.
In her bedroom, she was restless and worried about Dylan.
-Two hours later, Dylan finally came out of the bathroom. He was back in his wheelchair and didn’t even glance
at her as he headed to his room.
Clara wanted to ask about his cold, but his icy demeanor kept her silent.
The next morning, she got up early and bumped into Aiden on her way out.
Aiden was leaving Dylan’s room, and his gaze turned frosty when he saw her. “Ms. Clara, here’s the plan for the farm support project. We’ve got a female employee to help you. Everything’s on the schedule, and she’s waiting in the lobby.”
Clara glanced at Dylan’s door and asked, “Is Mr. Dylan doing okay?”
“He is meeting with the head of South Ashford later to talk about tourism development, which is different from your farm support project.”
In other words, don’t bother Dylan.
Clara didn’t want to see him anyway. She hurried to meet the female employee in the lobby.
The girl, Addison, greeted her politely but with a hint of distance.
Clara had the schedule in hand, and partners were waiting outside. As they walked out, she briefed Addison on the essentials.
“This year, the rain made the apples smaller. No one’s buying them, and they’re piling up unsold. We’ve got ten days before they spoil, so we need to act fast.”
As soon as she got in the car, thunder rolled, signaling rain.
Addison looked worriedly at the sky. “Clara, we still have to visit the orchard. The roads are remote, and if it pours, we might not be back until late.”
23:14
Chapter 38
Clara frowned. The apples were still on the trees, and a storm tonight would cut their shelf life shorter. With no buyers, online sales seemed like the only option.
“Addison, get us a live–streaming setup. Ferguson Corporation has a company in live streaming. See if they can feature us on the homepage; we’ll have plenty of traffic then.”
Addison bit her lip, concerned. “Are we starting the live stream tonight?”
Clara nodded, eyeing the darkening sky. “Set up a temporary tent in the orchard, get the lights ready, and coordinate with the partners to have everything set. Once we’re there, we’ll talk to the streaming company and start selling online.”
Through online channels, they might just sell those apples.
Addison hadn’t expected Clara to think of a solution so quickly. She figured they’d sell the apples cheap to a juice factory.
She made the calls immediately.
Three hours later, they arrived at the orchard. A temporary tent was up, and heavy clouds loomed, threatening
rain.
Clara adjusted the lights and called the streaming company. They agreed to give them a homepage spot.
Clara put on a raincoat and handed one to Addison. From the moment she got out of the car, she hadn’t stopped. Every step was organized, and Addison realized she couldn’t match Clara’s efficiency. “Clara, you’re not quite what I expected.”
Clara didn’t reply and calmly called the project partner. “Hello, have the farmers agreed on a price? What are they willing to accept?”
The answer surprised her.
“Sixty cents per pound?”
In previous years, it was eighty cents. They probably dropped the price by twenty cents due to the smaller size.
Clara paused, “Can we list them for nine dollars and ninety cents for ten pounds?”
There was a pause on the other end. “Ms. Clara, that price might not sell.”
“Let’s try. If someone’s willing to pay, the farmers won’t make a loss.”
“Alright, thank you.”
Clara hung up, set the price, and coordinated the purchasing process with the live–streaming team before sitting in front of the camera.
She wasn’t used to facing so many viewers. But it was just her, Addison, and the driver. Though her time with Addison was short, Clara sensed her shy nature and instinctively took on the task herself.
