Demon CEO's Hidden Love: Mr Grayson Stole Me From My Abusive Husband-Chapter 132: A Fading Memory

When Brooke arrived at the hospital, she was beyond stunned to see Hannah and Gilbert already there. The two were equally as shocked to see her, and wondered why she was here at the hospital.

"Miss Brooke, what are you doing here?" Hannah asked alternating her gaze from Brooke to Thane’s hospital room behind her.

Brooke didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, ’It seems everyone but me knows about his condition.’ She thought, biting her lips, using the pain to distract herself from crying.

Maverick wheeled Brooke past a guilty looking Hannah towards Thane’s hospital room. Two nurses came over to lead them to the room where they would be thoroughly cleansed and dressed before stepping inside.

Pushing her face mask up her nose, Brooke opened and closed her eyes as she went into the hospital room, her chest pounding uncontrollably.

"How are his vitals?" Maverick asked doctor Anders, who fixed herself to Thane’s side, closely monitoring him.

Anders looked over her shoulder and gasped at the sight of Brooke. She looked at Maverick, questioning if this was fine, she recalled Thane instructing her to never allow Brooke find out about his condition.

But now, she was just in the hospital room, seeing him at his most vulnerable state.

"He’s stable now, his system is accepting the treatment, it seems that whatever was added into his system wasn’t potent enough to have a long lasting effect." She answered.

Brooke sighed in relief, she wheeled herself over to his bed, and watched him closely. His hair was shriveled, his skin pale and his lips cracked. The stench of medicines drowned out his usual comforting cologne, the hairs on her body stood, and her face turned as white as a sheet.

She reached to touch him, but decided against it, he looked so frail that she feared she would harm him if she touched him.

"Mrs Grayson, this way." Doc Anders called out gently, gesturing Brooke towards the door.

But she wouldn’t leave, Brooke stayed next to him, "I’ll be with him." She insisted.

"But-"

Maverick cut her off, "It’s fine, you’re the one I want to discuss with. Leave her." He said, his eyes pointed at Brooke while he spoke.

Doc Anders nodded and left with him, outside the hospital room, she inquired in a loud whisper, "I thought you suspected someone of lacing drugs in his medication. Is it wise to leave him alone with her?"

Maverick took out his phone and showed Anders the photo of Thane’s medication, "I need you to trace this drug and tell me everything about it, right from it’s components down to its distributors." He instructed.

She pinched her chin, "Why do you think the drug didn’t have a long lasting effect? If someone was trying to kill master Grayson, they should know that they’ll only have one chance at it. Now that it’s happened, Master Grayson will not take this lightly."

"That’s why I want to know everything there is to know about this drug." He narrowed his eyes at Thane through the round hole on the door, "I have the feeling that this drug is the secret to finding out the answers to all my questions..."

*********

*HR*

Avery barged into the office, holding two printed copies of the complaint she had filed earlier. She slammed them on the desk, startling Ron and Ross, the two heads of the department.

"Avery what is the meaning of this?!" Ron demanded, tipping her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"I should be the one asking that. Why haven’t you made any moves yet? I made a complaint about the abuse going on, and yet nothing’s changed." She snapped.

Ross pointed his gaze at the door, particularly at the interns who stood by it, pretending to make use of the coffee machine.

"Shut the door." He gritted his teeth, "Now!"

Avery huffed but complied, she slammed the door, then turned around, "It’s been three days and nothing has happened, the abuser is still moving about freely. It’s almost as if you didn’t go through the report I sent in!."

Ron pinched her temples, "I have read your report, in detail and I don’t see a single page where your name is listed amongst the affect victims."

"Victims? Oh no, you’re sorely mistaken, the only victim here is Jen, that son of a bitch is the abuser making her life hell!" She spat out, her fists balled tightly.

Ross pointed strictly at her, "That son of a bitch is the one who pays our salaries. And for your information, we have looked into this and the so called victim has confirmed that nothing of the sort happened."

Avery gasped, "What? No, that’s impossible. I saw it with my own eyes-"

"Did you? Because you’ve made some very tall claims and we are at liberty to have you sanctioned for that." Ron threatened.

"No, I’m sorry, I was just riled up. Jen is a close friend of mine, so seeing all this happen to her, sort of messed me up." She said. After all, she was friends with Jen, but nothing good would come out of lashing out and acting recklessly.

Ron huffed and reached into her lower drawer, she pulled out a white envelope and passed it over the table to Avery. "Our boss has granted you a paid month’s vacation, use it to cook your head and rethink what it was you saw."

Avery picked up the envelope and looked inside, "These are business class tickets." She pointed out.

"Yes, to a paid resort trip for you and anyone of your choosing." Ross explained, he took both copies of his table and tossed them into the bin next to him.

"So forget, about this silly report, and do what you’re paid to do. Am I understood?" He asked, his intentions clearly spelled out.

Avery lowered her head, "Yes, sir." She replied then left the office.

On her way back to her desk, she was met by a small crowd gathered around her work space. She squeezed through the sea of people, until she got to the front, where she laid eyes on none other than her boss, Ethan Halton sitting behind her desk.

Sitting next to him was a cup of coffee amongst others, she noticed the rest of her colleagues had cups of coffees on their desks.

Her desk mate rushed over to her and said, "Avery, our generous CEO here has bought us all coffee, and, he says we can all get off early today to go out for drinks and barbecue!" She exclaimed in excitement.

Avery clutched onto the white envelope, she immediately understood what was happening.

Ethan got up. "Please, there is no need to sign my praises, all my employees deserve to have nights off. A happy employee makes for a happy business." He said, earning grins from all across the room.

Avery tossed the envelope into the bin next to her desk, and sent Ethan a smile. "I hope Jen will be able to join us tonight, she deserved a night off the most."

Ethan’s smile twitched. "She’s free to do what ever she pleases with her free time."

Avery’s eyes lit up, "That’s wonderful, that means she can come with us after all. It’s been forever since she went on a company dinner, thank you so much sir for the opportunity."

In turn Ethan smiled, "But of course, I would do anything to keep the peace." He levelled his gaze at the trash bin and said. "I’m hoping you are too."

Avery bit back a hiss as she watched him walk away.

"Isn’t our ceo the man of every woman’s dream? He’s rich, handsome and caring. How come he hasn’t been snatched up yet? What a waste." She huffed, swaying her head from side to side.

Avery rolled her eyes and ignored that comment. She picked up the coffee and offered it to one of the interns going around picking paperwork to take to the copier.

Handing over the cup of coffee, a thought pierced her mind.

"Wait a minute, wasn’t there’s a lady who used to intern here?" She mumbled to herself.

Her desk mate who heard her inserted, "What lady?"

Avery shook her head, "You wouldn’t know her, she was also an intern, at about the period Jen and I signed up." She recalled. "Yeah, she worked as the boss’s secretary-"

"Oh, so she had Jen’s former position? Don’t tell me Jen stole her job?" she laughed, sorting out her papers.

Distant, Avery responded, "No, she suddenly quit her job."

"Maybe she wasn’t competent enough and got fired. Because, come on, no right thinking person would ever quit a job working here, especially not a young woman working next to a man that hot and successful." Her desk mate pointed out.

Avery crinkled her brows as she sat down, "No you’re right, now that I think about it, she was actually pretty reserved, she barely spoke to the other interns and only interacted with the boss. Rumours even went around at the time that they were having an affair together." She said, her memory coming back in bits and pieces.

She bit her finger, "What was her name again?" She mumbled, trying to recall how she looked.

"Well, it’s been a while, it’s normal not to remember her. I’m sure she’s somewhere right now, deeply regretting not working here anymore." Her desk mate said then left to the break room.

But Avery was unconvinced, "No, there was something about that woman, and something about her and Mr Halton back then. But shit! Why can’t I remember her name?" She scratched the back of her head, trying to latch on to a fading memory...

Author’s Note: Have a happy new year guys! Thanks so much for reading this story and thank you for all the gifts, comments, votes and Golden tickets.

I hope we can be together for the next year too!

On an unrelated note, I’m entering a new novel into a competition and it’s a werewolf romance. I hope you all will read it, once it’s out!