Chapter 538 Performance Fee

Astrid rolled her eyes at Mr. Gray and stayed quiet, playing it cool. Mr. Gray didn't seem to mind. He leaned back, watching the stage with an amused expression. "This is such an important event—heck, it's an easy way to steal the spotlight—but she decided not to show up. Looks like someone's feeling guilty." He turned to me, his smirk playful. "Rinatta, what excuse did she give?" "She said she had a fever," I said, meeting his gaze. "Fever?" Mr. Gray repeated with a cluck of his tongue, shaking his head. "Fever's rough. It makes it hard to eat, hard to sleep, and maybe even hard to talk. But tell me—do people with fevers still manage to hit the stores and shop their hearts out?" Before we could respond, he pulled out his phone and dialed Mackenzie's number. Astrid and I stared at him in shock. "Mackenzie, why didn't you attend the seminar today?" A weak, deliberate cough came through the speaker. "Mr. Gray, I'm sorry. I'm not feeling well. I've got a fever." "Oh no, th