Half an hour ago, Palmer stood his ground against Larson at the Pock family’s vacation resort.


    An old mahogany table stood between them, bearing a document that had Larson shaking with fury.


    “Palmer, you’re crossing the line! I''m now the CEO of the Pock Group. Stealing my deals? Do you


    want to run the Pock Group into the ground?”


    Palmer, with a casual air, responded, “If you can’t handle it, step down. You''re the CEO of the


    Pock Group, but also my employee. If you can’t cut it, I’ll find your recement at the next board


    meeting.”


    As the major shareholder, Palmer had the power to elevate Larson to his position, or to take it away.


    Larson realized then that Palmer’s support had been a setup, making him a puppet for his


    amusement!


    Those damned partners, all siding with Palmer, understood that this was an internal shake-up within


    the Pock Group and ignored Larsonpletely! His position as CEO had be a joke.


    Now, Larson was stuck, unable to advance or retreat, with a pile of business matters waiting for his


    attention.


    Palmer lit his cigarette with a lighter, not even sparing Larson a nce.


    “If you can’t handle matters as insignificant as this, you’ll have no role in the Pock Group affairs


    anymore.”


    “Palmer! You want me out? Over my dead body!”


    Palmer chuckled softly. “Uncle Larson, why rush? I’ve got plenty more ''gifts'' for you. You’re going to


    love them.”


    Gifts? Thest ''gift'' Palmer gave Larson was a video of Eamon’s downfall! What could it be this


    time? Something to push Larson over the edge, no doubt.


    Caught in a dilemma, Larson felt like Palmer had him over a barrel.


    Annie entered, bowing slightly. “Mr. Pock, Mr. Schnabel is on the line from overseas.”


    Tristan had tried to reach Ulrich without sess, likely caught up in surgery. So, he had called


    Palmer instead.


    Tristan’s exact words were, “Palmer, Noe has never been one to fight her own battles. Go handle


    Lorne! Don’t let Noe get bullied. I was thinking of having Ulrich pull the plug on Lorne.”


    A brutally simple n, thwarted only by failing to reach Ulrich.


    “I’ll go see Noe right away.”


    “If Lorne really causes trouble, just me it on your Uncle Jacob!”


    Palmer couldn’t help but smile wryly, realizing Tristan still harbored resentment towards Jacob over


    ra’s situation.


    After ending the call, Palmer hurried over, grateful he wasn’t toote.


    A smile crossed Noe’s face. “The VIP suite on the sixth floor? I’ll leave it to you.”


    “Would you join me for dinnerter, as thanks?”


    “Sounds good.”


    Professor Calvin watched Palmer leave, sensing something odd between him and Noe.


    Strange, almost like an unspoken intimacy!


    “How bizarre. You two are practically engaged, yet there’s something so peculiar about you.”


    Despite theirck of affectionate gestures, Professor Calvin couldn’t shake off the feeling of being


    fed a dose of sweetness!


    Noe raised an eyebrow. “Where is the patient I’m here to see?”


    “In my office. Let’s go.”


    Noe then turned to Malvina. “Are you heading back, or will you wait for me?”


    Malvina remembered Palmer’s dinner ns with Noe. Staying would mean ying the third


    wheel.


    “I’ll head home!”


    Then, it hit her – her home was gone, consumed by fire.


    “Oh, right… I’ll head back to the gang. Got some things to sort out.”


    “I’ve sent some folks from the fight club to your gang. It’s best you stay away for now.”


    The Shadow Dragon Society had crossed a line, and Noe wouldn’t mind teaching them a lesson.


    “Ah? Sweetie, you didn’t have to do that for me. Ugh, I’m forever in your debt!”


    Noe’s expression softened. “It’s nothing. I don’t like it when they use my turf to bully you.”


    The underground fight club was a murky world, yet it was under Pris Star’s control. Noe


    disliked any chaos on her turf. Helping Malvina was just part of cleaning house.


    “Then, I… I’ve made ns with Dr. Schnabel. Yes, I’m taking him out to dinner!”


    Malvina, desperate to not intrude on Noe and Palmer’s dinner, had no choice but to drag Ulrich


    into her ns!


    Firmly, she added, “Dr. Schnabel covered my medical bills. Dinner is the least I can do to thank


    him.”


    Noe nodded, leaving with Calvin.


    Once Noe was gone, Malvina slumped, her heart racing.


    “Scared me to death. Looks like I really have to take Dr. Schnabel out to dinner now.”


    Dr. Lowry, puzzled, asked, “Are you Dr. Schnabel’s girlfriend? I feel like I’ve seen you around


    before.”


    “Of course not! Dr. Schnabel would date a cadaver before dating me.”


    A cadaver – the term for bodies donated to medical science.


    This was Dr. Lowry’s first encounter with someone like Malvina, leaving her speechless.


    As Malvina pushed Dr. Lowry back to the ward, she mused aloud, “I asked Dr. Schnabel when was


    thest time he held hands with a girl. He said it was with a cadaver, studying how cancer cells


    spread to the hand.”


    Dr. Lowry just stared, speechless.


    "I asked him if he ever felt his heart skip a beat, and he said yes, once during an anatomy ss,


    when the cadaver''s heart was just perfectly shaped!"


    That was when Malvina, out of curiosity, asked what a perfect heart looked like, and Ulrich, in the


    middle of her lunch, bombarded her with pictures of heart specimens! All from international journals,


    imed to be the epitomes of perfection.


    Malvina was feeling all sorts of emotions.


    "First off, I have a huge respect for cadaver, and second, I respect the art of medical photography,


    but there I was, chowing down on a cold pork heart sd!"


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Dr. Lowry''s lips twitched in response.


    Malvina had already wheeled Dr. Lowry to her room. Leaning on the edge of the wheelchair, she


    started with a smile.


    "And you know, we''re about the same age. Look at me, I''ve made it through so much. I grew up


    without parents. After my mom passed, my dad unted his new me right in front of me. The first


    person I dealt with aftering of age was that woman. I thought I was done for, but then Noe,


    the busybody, saved my life."


    There was a sparkle in Malvina''s beautiful eyes. "So, you gotta keep on living, okay?"


    Dr. Lowry nodded, whispering, "I get it! But, I feel like you and Dr. Schnabel would make a great


    pair. You''re both so attractive."


    Malvina straightened up, shrugging. "I''ll admit I''ve got looks that couldunch a thousand ships, but


    Dr. Schnabel and I... we''re just in different worlds now."


    She was starting from scratch, with a tough journey ahead, never knowing if she''d identally get


    caught in a gang crossfire.


    Malvina smiled wistfully, her gaze drifting to the window where flowers bloomed vibrantly on the


    trees, their fervor unmatched. Yet, she felt herself sinking into barrenness.


    "Dr. Schnabel is too good, and being with me just wouldn''t be right. Even if it means shortchanging


    myself, I couldn''t bear it."


    Dr. Lowry, puzzled, asked, "Ms. Gruber, don''t you like Dr. Schnabel?"