Chapter 141: I’m taking Mina
Mina studied Nancy's face and realized that the woman was in actual distress. It was true that she thought of the girl as shameful, but she did not want to treat her as less than human. She had experienced that sort of treatment, and she hated it. Genuinely concerned, Mina spoke.
"Nancy, maybe I can help you?" she said in a sympathetic tone, but her statement only agitated the woman. She turned to leave but before she left, she opened the door she shouted at Mina, making sure others could hear.
"He'll get tired of you just like all the others. There is only enough room in his heart for me," Nancy said. Then she stormed out of the office. As soon as the woman was gone, Zane made a call to the security office. He told them that Nancy was under no circumstance allowed to enter any part of the Lee building.
"Are you okay?" Mina asked, but Zane didn't seem to hear her question.
"What brought you to my office?" he finally asked, he was obviously trying to evade the Nancy issue.
"I have a headache," Mina admitted.
"Do you have any painkillers?" Zane absentmindedly dug into his desk and fished out a giant bottle of aspirin. He tossed it to Mina who snatched it out of the air. For a long time, the man sat in silence, and Mina, wanting to be his support, did not say a word. Zane could not have been more grateful.
----
Ian's phone buzzed and it was a text from Zane.
[I'm taking Mina with me.]
[Where?]
[Haven't decided.]
[Why?]
[No reason.]
[I am coming.]
[Aren't you with Lisa?]
[How did you know?]
[Mina told me.]
Ian did not reply. He had no idea how Mina knew Lisa was with him, but it did not bother him as much as the thought of his best friend taking Mina to a random location. His mind kept thinking about the possible outcomes and consequences that could occur if they went somewhere like a bar. He had a guard tailing Mina, but he was almost positive that Zane would dismiss the man as soon as he realized he was being followed.
Ian tried to think of a quick excuse he could use on either Zane or Lisa, but he could think of none. The food Lisa had ordered for them had only just arrived and he did not have the heart to leave her to eat alone. Annoyed, Ian threw his phone on his desk and it caught Lisa's attention.
"Is everything okay?" she asked. Ian put on a fake smile.
"Let's eat," Ian said.
----
Mina's headache was not any better. She kept rubbing the back of her head and it caught Zane's attention.
"What did you say happened again?" Zane asked.
"I fell backward," Mina replied. It was a half-truth, but she did not want to cause any more trouble.
"How?" he probed.
"I was walking, and I lost my balance. Zane pulled his car over.
"I thought I already told you that you are a bad liar," he said.
Zane reached out his hand and rubbed the back of Mina's head. The action was so quick that she could not dodge. Mina winced in pain and at the same time, Zane looked at her in shock.
"Mina, how did that happen? Was it Ian?" he asked incredulously.
"No! No! I bumped into someone and fell backward. That is the truth."
"Mina, not too long ago you asked me to trust you and I have, but if you keep hiding things from me, I won't be able to," Zane said.
Mina breathed deeply and told Zane exactly what happened. His face had grown so dark that even she felt oppressed.
"Please, don't tell President Lee. Luna told me that Lisa is having a hard time adjusting to my presence. Let's not blow things out of proportion."
Zane was angrier than he thought he would be. Luna was still advocating for Lisa and now, her interference caused Mina to blame herself for Lisa's bad behavior. He knew very well that Lisa was targeting Mina and he knew that her aggression was likely to increase, but the look on Mina's face was so desperate that Zane felt pressured to agree with her request.
"I won't tell him this time, but Mina if this happens again…" his speech trailed off, but Mina knew what he meant. Zane started to drive again.
"Where are we going?" she asked, in an attempt to change the topic.
----
Zane pulled in front of a hospital and Mina slouched in the passenger seat.
"Is it that serious?" she asked.
"Yes," Zane retorted.
After Zane flashed his identification, Mina was immediately seen by a doctor. Once they completed a full exam, the doctor told Mina to relax at home, avoid physical activity and sleep for at least two days. Mina rubbed her temples.
"How long will the headache last?" she asked.
"Probably a day or two, and the bump will take a week to flatten out. You may notice some hair loss at the point of impact," the doctor said. Mina sighed. "So, going to the gym is out of the question?"
"You can resume physical activity as soon as you feel up to it, but you should avoid anything that may cause reinjury." Mina nodded at the doctor.
"Is there anything she can take for the pain?" Zane asked.
"An over the counter painkiller should do the trick. I wouldn't advise anything stronger," the doctor finished.
----
When Mina entered Zane's car, she felt mixed emotions. On one end she was angry with Lisa for hurting her, but on the other end she knew that it was her fault the woman was in such a stressful position to begin with.
"Where are we going now?" Mina asked.
"To my place," Zane responded. He knew that Lisa would probably find a way to enter the Lee mansion that night, and he did not want Mina to have to have to face her right away.
----
Mina was concerned, she had never voluntarily gone to a man's home, even if she considered that man a friend. Zane picked up on the tension immediately.
"I'll bring you back on time, I just want to make sure you don't have to have any unnecessary contact with Lisa." Mina felt relieved. She had not thought about the possibility of President Lee bringing the woman back to his home, but she was his girlfriend, and anything was possible.
While driving, Zane's phone rang. It was Ian. He took the call.
"You're on speaker," Zane said. He wanted his friend to know that their conversation would not be private.