As she spoke, Summer Lowell pushed him away and turned to leave. But before she could take a step, the dual effects of alcohol and the drug made her fall straight forward.
"Great, I'm going to embarrass myself in front of him again."
Just as this thought crossed her mind, the next second, Maxim Sinclair's hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her securely into his embrace.
"How did I never realize before how ungrateful you are?" Maxim Sinclair frowned, maintaining their current posture, and walked forward.
Despite her groggy head, Summer Lowell managed to grasp a fleeting moment of clarity. She reached out to tug on Maxim Sinclair's collar, asking intermittently, "It was... the drug, was it you?"
Maxim Sinclair let out a mocking laugh, "Is that really what you think of me?"
Summer Lowell vaguely sensed something was wrong, trying to recall where exactly the problem was, but the drug's effect surged back, drowning her last bit of rationality.
Looking at the unconscious Summer Lowell in his arms, a chilling gleam flickered in Maxim Sinclair's eyes.
At that moment, his personal assistant arrived. Seeing Summer Lowell in Maxim's arms, the assistant spoke understandingly, "Should we head up to your room, or should I bring the car around now?"
Maxim Sinclair gave him a glance filled with indiscernible meaning and said coldly, "Bring my private doctor over, she seems to have been set up."
The assistant's expression changed but promptly agreed, "Alright, I'll call right away."
Fifteen minutes later, the private doctor arrived upstairs at the specially arranged room for Maxim Sinclair, carrying a medical kit.
"President Sinclair."
Maxim Sinclair, wearing only a shirt with his sleeves rolled up, motioned quickly to the doctor as he arrived, "What exactly is wrong with her?"
On the large bed in the center of the room, Summer Lowell lay, her face flushed, moving uncomfortably. The towel with ice on her forehead was about to slip off.
Maxim Sinclair kneeled on his right knee on the bed, adjusting the towel's position, then turned to hurry the doctor, "What are you waiting for? Come check, what drug was she given?"
The doctor looked slightly troubled, "I can roughly guess the category, but to be specific... we need a blood test."
"Then do it quickly!" Maxim Sinclair decisively commanded, then urged again, "First give her an injection to alleviate her discomfort."
"Okay, President Sinclair."
Half an hour later, Summer Lowell was awakened by her phone ringing. Opening her eyes, she saw Maxim Sinclair standing grimly by the window, holding her phone.
"It's you again!"
Summer Lowell climbed out of bed, hoarsely glaring at him, "What do you want now?"
Maxim Sinclair looked at the wary Summer Lowell and, enraged to the point of amusement, stepped forward and pinched her chin, "Director Lowell, you really don't know what I want?"
"Ahem!"
The doctor outside the door gave two light coughs, breaking the tense atmosphere inside.
Maxim Sinclair withdrew his hand and stepped back.
The doctor came over, glanced between the two, and handed the tablet he was holding to Summer Lowell, "Ms. Lowell, my assistant has sent back your blood test results. Your blood contains a large amount of hallucinogens, but don't worry, I've given you an injection to suppress these drugs."
Summer Lowell felt a sinking feeling inside, silently noting the technical terms on the screen, then looked up and sincerely thanked the doctor, "Thank you very much."
"Don't thank me," the doctor smiled, pointing at Maxim Sinclair, "Thank him."
"Why so much nonsense?" Maxim Sinclair interrupted their conversation brusquely, throwing the phone back to Summer Lowell.
Returning the tablet to the doctor, she bit her lip, hesitatingly looking at Maxim Sinclair.
The assistant noticed the awkward atmosphere and quietly called the doctor out, leaving the two alone.
Inside the room, Maxim Sinclair let out a cold laugh, "Director Lowell, with your skills, how did it come to this?"
It was a mockery of her being drugged.
Summer Lowell's face showed her embarrassment, then she looked up, her expression complex as she thanked Maxim Sinclair, "Thank you for your help today."
"Don't, I can't accept it," Maxim Sinclair was full of sarcasm, "According to Chief Director Lowell's thinking, I must have deliberately drugged you to play the hero."
Though the doctor had given her a suppressant, feeling mentally exhausted, Summer Lowell no longer wanted to argue with him, "I misspoke before, I apologize."
"No need."
Maxim Sinclair sat leisurely on the chair by the bed, long legs crossed, watching Summer Lowell, "Do you remember?"
Summer Lowell didn't quite understand, "What?"
"Last night you were like a butterfly, hovering around Noah, drinking glass after glass. Do you remember which drink had a problem?"
"I don't remember," Summer Lowell shook her head, turning her gaze away, ignoring the sarcasm in Maxim's words.
Maxim Sinclair was about to speak again, but Summer Lowell's phone started ringing once more.
Looking for an excuse to leave, Summer Lowell quickly answered, "President Norris, yes, I'm still at Norvane Hill Villa. I'm alright, just had too much to drink and wanted some air. Okay, I'll meet you at the door right away."
After hanging up, Summer Lowell lifted the blanket to get out of bed.
Before she could stand steadily, Maxim Sinclair suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms, "I was just talking to you, where are you going?"
"Let go!" Summer Lowell suppressed her rising anger, trying to speak politely, "It's late, my boss is still waiting for me downstairs, I need to go immediately."
"Ha, I almost forgot," Maxim Sinclair tightened his grip on her hand, "Pleasing the boss... is something you're exceptionally good at."
As his words landed, Summer Lowell's eyes instantly reddened.
Maxim Sinclair, seeing this expression on her face for the first time, inexplicably felt a surge of frustration.
"Are you done?" Summer Lowell took a deep breath, coldly looking at Maxim Sinclair, "If you are, then let go."
"Your clothes are torn," Maxim Sinclair slowly closed his eyes, then pulled a coat nearby to wrap around Summer Lowell, "Put on the coat, I hate when others covet what is mine."
Lowering her head, Summer Lowell saw her dress was indeed badly damaged from the earlier scuffle with an unknown man. If she went out like this, she'd lose face.
Standing by the roadside, gripping his phone and about to dial Summer Lowell again, Noah saw her followed by Maxim Sinclair, alarmed, he hurriedly approached.
Feeling slightly relieved as she saw Noah coming towards her, Summer Lowell turned around and threw the coat back to Maxim Sinclair, pausing before saying, "President Sinclair, thank you for tonight. But let me make it clear, Summer Lowell is not an object, nor a piece of your property."
With that, Summer Lowell turned and left.
Confused, Noah saw the state of her dress and quickly took off his coat, draping it over her.
He nodded at Maxim Sinclair from a distance, then helped Summer Lowell into the car.