Chapter 4 You Scratch My Back and I’ll Scratch Yours

• At the hospital.
• Gillian slowly opened her eyes. She shot up from her bed when she realized that she was in the hospital.
• She recalled what happened before she fainted. Gillian gritted her teeth and ripped out the needle in her arm. She stumbled out of bed and ran outside.
• No!
• She had so much she still wanted to do. She couldn’t die yet! She must not marry Henry Porter!
• Gillian ran out of the hospital. Once outside, she patted herself only to realize that she had left everything at home when she ran out yesterday, even her phone.
• She had spent the night away from home. She guessed that only her adoptive father would somewhat worry about her.
• Gillian stood on the side of the busy road and hesitated before making up her mind and made her way home.
• She should not have left in anger. Especially when she had nothing to her name. How then would she turn the tables on them?
• Gillian still had a fever after getting caught in the rain last night, but she clenched her teeth and walked home.
• It took her around an hour to reach home, and in that time, she went through her options.
• Standing at the entrance, she took a deep breath to steel herself before ringing the doorbell.
• The door opened. It was the part-time housekeeper, Madam Dawson.
• “Miss Gillian, you’re home! Your father went out to look for you all night. He hasn’t come home yet!” Madam Dawson pulled Gillian in.
• Gillian smiled weakly and said, “Madam, are you home alone?”
• Before Gillian started college, she was the only one who did all the chores around the house, so they didn’t need a maid. When college started, Elizabeth had to hire Madam Dawson to help out around the house.
• Madam Dawson was quite partial to Gillian because whenever Gillian was home, she would help Madam Dawson with the chores.
• “Yes I am! Your father went out to look for you and your mother and sister went out shopping.” Madam Dawson peered at Gillian’s pale lips and flushed face, then asked, “Miss, where did you go last night? You don’t look well.”
• Gillian laughed without humor. As she expected, only her adoptive father cared about her.
• “I’m fine. Can you give my dad a call and let him know that I’m home?” Said Gillian and she went upstairs.
• She found her phone that she left in the study. She then snuck into her parents’ room and dug out her ID card. After that, she returned to her bedroom and packed her bags.
• Gillian took a hot shower and changed into fresh clothes. She stared at her haggard self in the mirror and clenched her fists. “Gillian! Don’t give up! What is life without it’s ups and downs? Don’t wallow in your own self-pity! You can do it!” She encouraged herself.
• Gillian carried her bag downstairs. While Madam Dawson was busy in the kitchen, she snuck out.
• Half an hour later.
• At Porter Enterprises Café.
• Liam Porter walked in dressed in a white suit. He chuckled at the girl sitting in the corner and sat across from her.
• “I was just about to look for you when you called me.” Liam Porter smiled.
• Liam was Henry’s older cousin. He was also the manager for the administrative department.
• Although he had integrity, talent, and good connections, for some reason, Master James Porter didn’t seem to like him much. Otherwise, Liam, as his eldest grandson wouldn’t be just a department manager.
• “You were looking for me?” Gillian asked in surprised. “Looks like you’ve heard about what happened yesterday?”
• “It’s piping hot tea! How could I miss it?!” Liam raised an eyebrow at her and smiled. “Tell me, are we both looking to discuss the same thing?”
• Gillian nodded and bore her eye into him. “I’ll get right into it them. I want to have a contractual marriage with you. Marry me and I’ll hide the fact that you’re into men. Support me financially in my studying abroad. I heard from Lillian that after the Porter grandsons marry, they will be granted with more shares of the company. What do you say? You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours?”