Not A Small Town Girl (Danielle and David) novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Danielle’s phone buzzed, pulling her attention. She glanced at the screen-Juniper. Without hesitation, she answered.

"Danielle, we’ve got the Crimson Lily. When are you starting the formula?" Juniper’s voice brimmed with excitement, her mind clearly fixated on launching the Miracle Antidote.

Danielle chuckled at her eagerness. "I’ll head to the lab tomorrow. Once I integrate the Crimson Lily and run tests, we’ll be ready for production."

"Great! Oh, while you’re there, can you make more Heart Elixir Pills? The demand is through the roof," Juniper added, capitalizing on Danielle’s rare lab visits.

"No problem," Danielle replied with ease. "Once the Miracle Antidote is ready, we’ll ship the first batch to Fortress."

"Perfect. Whatever you say-just make sure it gets done."

"Got it." Danielle ended the call, setting her phone down.

Across the table, David raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes locked on her. He said nothing, but it was clear her conversations intrigued him.

"You ready to go?" she asked, noticing his gaze.

"Hmm." His response was as composed as ever, though his interest in her deepened.

Nathan appeared, opening the car doors with his usual precision. "Mr. Charrington, Miss Darling," he greeted with a polite nod.

"Treeside Villa," David said as they stepped into the car.

The moment they were seated, David reached out and took Danielle’s hand. His grip was firm but gentle, as though savoring the touch of her soft skin. Danielle blinked, startled. She instinctively tried to pull away. "Let go," she huffed, her voice carrying a mix of irritation and embarrassment.

But David didn’t release her. Instead, he looked at her calmly, his voice steady. "Just let me hold it for a little while."

’What kind of nonsense is that?’ she thought, her irritation bubbling.

David ignored her expression, his tone softening. "I’m heading overseas for a week tomorrow. Take care of yourself while I’m gone. When I’m back, we’ll visit Mosara together and see Grandma."

Danielle didn’t respond, turning her attention to the passing scenery.

Up front, Nathan was practically buzzing. "They’re already making plans to visit family? This is moving fast. Too smooth. Maybe they need a little... turbulence. He grinned mischievously as he spotted a sharp turn ahead.

He oversteered slightly, causing the car to lurch.

Danielle, unprepared, tumbled into David’s chest.

David reacted instantly, wrapping his arms around her. She was soft and warm, and for a moment, he just held her there, reluctant to let go.

"My apologies, Mr. Charrington, Miss Darling!" Nathan called, sounding overly repentant.

David shot him a look. "Drive carefully."

Then he glanced down at Danielle, his tone softer. "Are you alright?" His gaze was steady, his eyes dark and intense, like the night sky scattered with stars.

Danielle felt her cheeks heat under his stare. Her heart raced. "I’m fine," she muttered, sitting upright as quickly as she could.

The rest of the drive passed in silence, though the air between them felt charged.

When they arrived, Nathan announced, "Mr. Charrington, we’re at Treeside Villa."

"She’s still in the lab," one of the staff replied respectfully.

Taylor glanced toward the lab, catching sight of Danielle deeply engrossed in her work. Not wanting to interrupt, he decided to wait patiently outside until she finished.

Meanwhile, at the Darling Group’s headquarters, Joseph received a frantic call.

"Mr. Darling, someone broke into Caleb’s hospital room. They drugged the nurse, and we lost them in the chase," the voice reported. Joseph’s expression darkened. "I’m on my way."

He hung up and immediately dialed Danielle.

The ringing interrupted her concentration. Seeing Joseph’s name, she answered.

"Danielle, someone got into Grandpa and Grandma’s hospital room. They drugged the nurse. I don’t know what they did to them, and my men lost them," he said, frustration in his voice.

Danielle’s voice was calm. "I installed cameras in their room last time. Let me check the footage."

Pulling up the recording, she saw a man in a doctor’s coat entering the room. He drugged the nurse, hypnotized Caleb and Alice, and injected them with two syringes of an unknown substance.

During a patrol, Joseph’s men caught an intruder targeting the elderly patients. A fight broke out, and reinforcements arrived, but the skilled imposter escaped, revealing he was no ordinary foe.

"I gave Grandpa and Grandma detox medicine last time," Danielle said after relaying the events to Joseph. "It should neutralize most toxins, but I’ll head to the hospital to check on them."

"Alright. Don’t rush. I’m already on my way there," Joseph said gently.

"Got it. See you soon."