The Replacement He Never Wanted
Addison wrapped a long wool blanket around her shoulders, the edge of her black skirt just visible beneath it. To avoid drawing attention, she chose a quieter, less noticeable path along the stone walkway. Her main concern was not wanting Georgina and Lance to spot her. She moved swiftly and quickly reached the spot where she had arranged to meet Gordon. Addison paused, scanning the area but seeing neither Gordon's car nor anyone else in sight. Is he not here yet? Checking the time, she realized Gordon was already two minutes late. Addison pressed her lips together, standing alone beneath the tall streetlight, waiting quietly for Gordon's car. The soft yellow glow of the light made her already stunning features appear even more striking, surrounded by a gentle aura of shadows. It was winter, cold, and late at night, with no one else in sight. She was dressed in a thin gown, ill-suited for the chilly air. Thankfully, the person she had encountered earlier had given her a wool blanket, or she wouldn't have been able to handle the cold. A brief feeling of gratitude crossed her mind. To stay warm, she tucked her hands into the blanket and held it close to her chest. The wool blanket was thick and beautifully crafted, with even the edges carefully detailed, a clear sign of its expensive quality. Addison looked down at the blanket she was wrapped in, her mind drifting. Maybe ... when Gordon showed up, she could give the blanket back and take the chance to thank the person who had helped her. Even though she didn't know his name, he had helped her. As she was lost in her thoughts, a bright light flashed in front of her, followed by the sound of a car horn. It was Gordon's car.Addison quickly waved at the car. Gordon reacted quickly. He parked the car and walked toward her, holding a bag of clothes in his arms and another bag in his hand. Addison instinctively reached out to grab the clothes, but just as her hand was about to touch them, Gordon pulled them back. She stood frozen, staring at Gordon in confusion. "What's the matter?" she asked. Gordon remained silent, not even glancing at her. Instead, he set the clothes aside and pulled a blanket from the bag he was carrying. "This ... " Addison looked at him, puzzled. Without a word, Gordon lowered his head and gently placed the blanket over Addison. He was a man who always followed instructions, never questioning his boss' wishes. Whatever his boss asked, he would do without hesitation. He never went beyond what was required of him. He never overstepped his boundaries. He understood that doing more than required would never bring him any benefit. But today, when Addison called him, he couldn't explain why. It was as if something had taken over him, and he ended up bringing an extra blanket along. Addison hadn't asked for it. Gordon pressed his lips together and pushed the thoughts from his mind. As he extended his hand halfway, he suddenly noticed that she was already wrapped in a thick, warm blanket. Gordon stopped in his tracks, his hand frozen mid-motion. Addison was already covered by a blanket. So what about the one I was holding?He glanced down at the blanket in his hand, his expression unchanged. A sense of regret washed over him unexpectedly. Why had he reached for this blanket? At that moment, he had simply thought it was late, and Addison was standing alone at the street corner, possibly feeling cold. But now, he wasn't so sure about his initial reasoning. It seemed he had gone too far in his concern for his boss. It seemed like Addison had plenty of people looking out for her and didn't really need him. Especially not someone like a bodyguard. Addison didn't notice the shift in his mood. She only observed his actions, raised an eyebrow, and playfully said, "Did you bring me a blanket on purpose? "I didn't expect you to be so considerate." She smiled at him, clearly enjoying teasing him. But Gordon appeared a bit down, avoiding her gaze and looking away. "Is something wrong with you?" she asked. He let go of the blanket in his hand, then crouched down to pick up the evening gown he had just placed, offering it to Addison. "What's going on? Who made you upset?" Addison noticed something was off with his behavior. She found it a bit odd. Earlier, when she saw Gordon get out of the car, his expression was still stern, as usual, like a solid block. But that was just how he always looked, whether he was happy or not. It didn't change much. However, now it seemed like Gordon was really upset. Gordon pressed his lips together and stayed quiet. He simply passed the gown to Addison.Reluctantly, Addison grabbed the gown from him in a hurry. After she took it, Gordon placed the blanket back into the bag, picked it up with a blank expression, and prepared to leave. He didn't say anything, his demeanor cold and distant. Addison raised her hand to stop him, calling out, "Hey, Gordon, hold on!" Gordon's steps faltered, but he didn't turn to face her. Addison approached him, saying, "You brought the blanket. How can you just take it back?" This was the first time she'd seen him show any concern for her. Usually, he maintained a stern expression, ignoring any attempts at conversation or teasing. This rare display of initiative from him was something Addison wasn't going to let slip by. "Give it to me," she said, reaching out to take it. However, Gordon shook his head, quickly walking to the car. He opened the trunk and tossed the bag with the blanket inside. His movements were quick and efficient, leaving no room for Addison to say anything. Addison's hand remained suspended in the air for a moment before, after some hesitation, she reluctantly lowered it. ... Since there was no place to change outside, Addison had no choice but to look for a spot inside the Medical Symposium to change. She clutched the gown to her chest and called to a nearby server. "Excuse me, is there a designated area for changing clothes? If so, could you direct me to it? I need to change," Addison inquired. The server shook her head and replied, "I'm sorry, I only assist with guest service and don't know where a changing room might be." Addison's eyes showed a touch of disappointment, but she politely nodded and responded, "Alright, thank you." She went on to ask a few more servers, but they all gave the same answer, no one knew where the changing room was.Just as she was feeling uncertain, a voice came from behind her. "I know where the changing room is, Ms. Daves. Follow me." Addison turned at the sound of the voice. Her expression shifted slightly when she saw the woman's face. "What? You don't want to come with me?" Georgina raised an eyebrow. Addison kept a neutral expression, but after a brief moment of doubt, she smiled and replied, "Of course not. "Then please, Ms. Hamilton, guide me there." It was almost time for "Divine Healer" to make her entrance, and she certainly couldn't face her grandfather in this attire. It had been three years since she last saw her grandfather, so she needed to appear at least neat and dignified. This was a way of showing respect for the elderly. Addison had no other option. If she wanted to change, following Georgina was her only choice. Georgina heard her response and raised an eyebrow. "See, you should've just come with me earlier. "I was talking to Lance, and you left by yourself. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to avoid me. "I'm not some beast. I won't hurt you." Addison gave a polite smile. "You'd better not," she responded.
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