ã€ŠLost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fianceeã€‹


 Chapter 1: Encounter

    It was an evening in July, at seven o¡¯clock, and the light of the sky had not yet faded.

    At the summit of Serenity Ridge, in front of an unnamed tombstone, stood Tina Reed in ck casual attire. Her delicate face, as if carefully sculpted, was touched by the cool air, ¡°Mom, tomorrow is the day. I¡¯ve heeded your advice, subdued my edge for ten years, and tomorrow-I will return to the Reed family.¡±

    The surroundings were silent, her only response, the bustling wind.

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    A loud noise reverberated; Tina turned her head, her enchanting eyes narrowing slightly, then she looked toward the nearby disturbance.

    A ck sedan was parked there, its body skewed at an odd angle due to a burst tire.

    A man in ck sportswear emerged from the car, staggering forward as if wounded.

    Then, a dozen or so people in ck attire followed him.

    Jared Farrell looked back, his austere face cloaked in ayer of chill. With one hand clutching his abdomen, his lips were pale.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother running. We¡¯ve paid too much to let you escape,¡± a man in ck approached him, the leader exuding an air of deadly calm, his face devoid of emotion.

    ¡°Just you?¡± His eyes narrowed, voice as cold as ice.

    Pain in his abdomen was assaulting his brain, and he could feel the blood draining from his body-he wouldn¡¯tst much longer.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    ¡°Let¡¯s see then,¡± said the leader of the men in ck, and he attacked.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    At that moment, a stone, seemingly from nowhere, hit the man in ck, causing his hands to tremble and his body to kneel on the ground.

    The man¡¯s face changed drastically as he growled, ¡°Who?¡±

    Tina Reed spoke in a faint voice, devoid of emotion, ¡°You¡¯re disturbing my mother¡¯s rest.¡±

    A dozen gazes turned towards her, all heavy with gravity.

    Even the man with the dark, brooding eyes showed a hint of surprise.

    These men before him were international assassins, each capable of taking on ten men, yet they were all felled by a stone from this teenage girl.

    This girl-was extraordinary!

    ¡°Mind your own business, or seek death!¡± the leader¡¯s eyes turned cold, and he ordered in a low voice, ¡°Kill!¡±

    The others immediately rushed forward.

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, emitting a trace of coldness.

    ¡°Be careful!¡± Jared moved as the men in ck charged at Tina.

    Suddenly, his steps halted, his dark pupils filling with disbelief.

    The dozen assassins didn¡¯t even have the chance to strike; they all fell before Tina.

    She stood still, her expression calm, not even blinking.

    If it weren¡¯t for her hands that had yet to retract, he would have thought he was hallucinating.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Tina¡¯s jaw lifted slightly, her voice cold as frost.

    The men in ck looked at her as if she were a ghost, ¡°Who are you? What did you do to us?¡±

    They still didn¡¯t know how they had fallen.

    All they saw was the girl slightly raising her hand, scattering some powdery substance, and then they were downed.

    And they hadn¡¯t even touched a single hair on the girl.

    Before Tina could reply, all the men in ck already fell to the ground.

    Tina nced at them briefly before looking towards Jared, not far away.

    Just one look, and Jared¡¯s heart trembled; those eyes were so clear, like a bright moon.

    Jared collected his thoughts and walked over, his tone gentle, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Tina nced at him indifferently, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it to save you!¡±

    She just didn¡¯t want her conversation with her mother to be disturbed.

    With that, Tina turned and patted the tombstone, ¡°I¡¯m leaving, you take care.¡±

    She turned to leave but was stopped by a call, ¡°May I know your name? Perhaps one day I can repay you.¡±

    ¡°I had no intention of saving you.¡± Tina waved her hand and continued walking.

    ¡°Wait-Thump!¡± Before Jared could finish speaking, he copsed straight to the ground.

    Tina turned back, her eyebrows knitting together, then she walked away.

    Unexpectedly, a gust of wind blew, and Tina halted, looking up at the unnamed tombstone, ¡°Do you want me to save him?¡± Silence was her response. After a moment, Tina spoke with a hint of reluctance, ¡°So be it!¡±

    Tina knelt down, lifting his clothes; she had noticed at a nce that he was injured in the abdomen, and quite severely.

    However, it wasn¡¯t a significant problem.

    She took out a small porcin bottle from her bag, sprinkled some medicine powder on his wound, then pulled out another bottle and fed him a pill.

    If he were awake, he would have recognized it as the highly sought-after Lotus Calm Tablets from the ck market, a single tablet being sold for five million dors, with no market price to match its value.

    After administering the pill to Jared, Tina didn¡¯t linger any longer and turned to leave.

    Meanwhile, at Moon Gate Estate in Ensford.

    ¡°As long as I live, Tina shall never set foot in our doors!¡± a furious voice erupted, audible throughout the vi.

    In the living room, Tina¡¯s gaze shifted slightly towards her fuming grandmother, Elizabeth, her peach blossom eyes slightly downcast, betraying no sign of disturbance beneath her knowledgeable pupils.

    From an unseen angle, the corner of her mouth curled into a mocking smile.

    She had been brought back by her father, Hugo Reed, and before she could even steady herself, Elizabeth received the news and demanded theye to Moon Gate Estate to see her.

    Yet, upon entering, Elizabeth made her stance clear, opposing Tina¡¯s return.

    Hmm.

    ¡°Mom! Tina is my daughter, your granddaughter.¡±

    Hugo¡¯s hands, hanging by his sides, clenched tightly. He gritted his teeth, forcibly holding back.

    After ten years, he had finally found his daughter, full of joy, only to face his mother¡¯s refusal to ept Tina, even denying her any face in front of the whole family.

    ¡°She¡¯s unworthy! I will never recognize her!¡± Elizabeth mmed a palm on the table, ¡°My only granddaughter is Amber.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s gaze turned toward Tina, her aged and clouded eyes seeming to carve into her like knives.

    Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, meeting Elizabeth¡¯s stare for a moment before looking away, indifferent to Elizabeth¡¯s scrutiny.

    Hugo abruptly looked up, ¡°Since I¡¯ve found Tina, I will not let her leave my side again. We¡¯re already separated from the family business, so you need not concern yourself with my affairs!¡±

    ¡°How dare you!¡± Elizabeth stood up abruptly, shouting in anger, ¡°If you bring her back, I will strip you of your position and take back your shares!¡±

    Hugoughed mockingly, ¡°Position? Shares? Mother, I am merely a minor supervisor in thepany now, earning a mere four thousand dors a month. I¡¯ve long wanted to leave thepany; it was you who wouldn¡¯t let me. As for the shares¡­ haven¡¯t you taken them all back already?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Elizabeth gritted her teeth in fury, ¡°Are you on purpose? So you are opposing me?¡±

    She could never have imagined her son, always so weak and ineffectual, would stand up to her again and again for Tina.

    She knew it. Tina and her deceased mother were nothing but trouble,ing to drive a wedge between her and her son.

    As Hugo was about to speak, Amber, who had been silent for a while, suddenly said, ¡°Grandmother, please agree to let Tinae back home.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Elizabeth¡¯s expression softened slightly towards Amber Reed, but she still snorted coldly, ¡°Dream on!¡±

    ¡°But¡­ Tina is Mr. Farrell¡¯s fiancee!¡± Amber blinked, a smile ying on her lips.

 Chapter 2: Have My FiancÃ©e Call Off the Engagement

    The atmosphere went silent in an instant.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Isn¡¯t the Farrell family ¡­¡± Elizabeth started, then suddenly stood up, ¡°Oh yes! It was Tina who should be engaged to the son of the Farrell family, and now that Tina has returned, you don¡¯t have to marry that Jared.¡±

    Everyone knew that Jared, the seventh son of the capital¡¯s wealthiest family-the Farrells-was a wastrel who never engaged in proper business and was a good-for-nothing in every sense.

    But his grandfather, Logan Farrell, was extremely fond of him, especially after Jared became disabled two years prior while saving his grandfather¡¯s life.

    Since then, Jared had be even more outrageous, squandering his grandfather¡¯s money everywhere.

    Somehow, not too long ago, the Farrell family suddenly sent word that the daughter of the Reed family had been engaged to their son before she was born and they were expected to honor the marriage agreement.

    Of course, now the daughter of the Reed family was Amber Reed.

    Elizabeth was immediately anxious; although the Reed family was not on the same level as the Farrells, Amber was raised by her since childhood to marry someone more outstanding, someone who could lead the Reed family to new heights.

    Jared, despite being favored, held no real power; the money he had was given by his parents and grandfather.

    Money could run out, and after sitting idle and depleting their resources, all that would be left was to leech off Amber¡¯s vitality.

    Naturally, Elizabeth was unwilling, but they had an engagement with the Farrell family and couldn¡¯t simply break it without good reason. Thus, she had been seeking a way to gracefully extricate themselves from this engagement.

    Now that Tina had returned, there was no need to push the matter further. Tina was just a country girl, perfectly suited to marry the disabled Jared. The Reed family could thus be inws with the Farrell family, killing two birds with one stone.

    Thinking this, Elizabeth immediately said, ¡°I agree now that Tina cane back. You go back and teach Tina some manners. She¡¯s to be engaged to Jared Farrell in a month, and she better not embarrass me at the engagement banquet.¡±

    Hugo was stunned for a moment, incredulous at what his mother had said.

    He had not recovered from Amber¡¯s earlier words.

    Soon, Hugo looked up sharply, ¡°What engagement banquet? The one supposed to be engaged to Jared Farrell is¡­¡±

    ¡°They want Miss Reed and Tina is Miss Reed, she has an engagement with the son of the Farrell family. Now that she has returned, it¡¯s only natural that she fulfills the agreement,¡± Elizabeth interjected.

    Hearing this, Hugo frowned and then nced at Tina with a pained expression.

    His mother¡¯s calctions were all too clear.

    No wonder she agreed so easily to Tina¡¯s return-it was with ill intentions.

    Who didn¡¯t know Jared Farrell was disabled?

    He had not wanted Amber to marry Jared Farrell, but now Tina was the one being pushed into the marriage.

    ¡°I disagree!¡± Hugo growled, his face turning livid, ¡°It¡¯s clearly Amber who is engaged to Mr. Farrell.¡±

    ¡°Father, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to marry Mr. Farrell, but Tina is the real Miss Reed. If I were to marry into their family and the Farrells found outter, they would me us for deceiving them¡­¡± Amber¡¯s words were ambiguous, and a calcted gleam shed through her slightly lowered eyes.

    ¡°Right!¡± Elizabeth immediately nodded, ¡°We can¡¯t afford to offend the Farrell family.¡±

    ¡°You are just¡­!¡± Hugo¡¯s face turned red with fury.

    Elizabeth, however, had no wish to engage with him and instead turned to Tina, ¡°If you want to return to the Reed family, you must get engaged to Jared Farrell.¡±

    Tina looked up, locking eyes with Elizabeth, her enchanting pupils shimmering fiercely.

    After a moment, she parted her red lips, her voice serene, ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll get engaged.¡±

    She had to return to the Reed family!

    As for the engagement-Tina¡¯s lips curved into a subtle, almost imperceptible smile.  calling off the engagement to Jared Farrell was also one of the reason for her return to the Reed family.

    Upon leaving Moon Gate Estate, Tina followed Hugo back to his home.

    Eight years earlier, Hugo had been driven out of Moon Gate Estate by Elizabeth, and now their family lived in the remote Harborview Heights, far from the city center.

    The streets there were a bit old, perhaps due to their age, with peeling walls.

    Hugo¡¯s family resided in a modest three-room apartment.

    After greeting Hugo, Tina went to the bedroom.

    She had just arrived home and hadn¡¯t even unpacked her luggage.

    Just as she entered the bedroom, a knock came at the door.

    She rose and opened it to find Hugo and his current wife, Jennie, hesitating outside.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, is there something you need?¡± Tina stepped aside to let Hugo enter.

    ¡°There is something.¡± Hugo pursed his lips, unsure of how to begin.

    ¡°What is it? Just tell me.¡± Tina offered Hugo a chair and stood aside.

    ¡°I want to call off your engagement for you.¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze lifted in surprise.

    Jennie approached, taking Tina¡¯s hand and sitting beside her on the bed, speaking softly, ¡°The thing is, your father feels that marriage is a lifelongmitment, and that Jared is disabled. If you marry him, you¡¯ll have to take care of him for life. He wants you to find someone of good character, someone who will sincerely cherish and protect you for the rest of your life¡­¡±

    Jennie paused, then continued, ¡°But this marriage was arranged by your mother, after all, so we still need to hear your thoughts on the matter.¡±

    Although she had not been in contact with Tina for long, she felt sorry for her.

    Jared was not a decent man.

    Even if the Farrell family was wealthy and powerful, what of it?

    It was a pit of fire; jumping into it would ruin Tina¡¯s life.

    Tina observed Jennie, a faint smile appearing on her cool face, ¡°Yes, I was nning to cancel the engagement.¡±

    Jennie was Hugo¡¯s second wife and therefore Tina¡¯s stepmother.

    From the few hours of brief contact, Tina did not feel any aversion.

    She could tell that Hugo and Jennie genuinely had her best interests at heart.

    ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Hugo stood up excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ll contact the Farrell family right away to cancel the engagement.¡±

    ¡­

    At the top of Serenity Ridge, in front of an unnamed tombstone, three figures stood.

    The man on the left, dressed in trendy clothes with an earring, turned to the tall man beside him, ¡°Mr. Farrell, it¡¯s been two days, and that girl hasn¡¯t shown up. She probably won¡¯te. Let¡¯s leave.¡±

    ¡°Wait a bit longer.¡± The man in the middle, his narrow eyes fixed on the unnamed tombstone, ayer of light swimming in his dark pupils, was dressed in casual ck, his messy hair partially obscuring his eyes, his handsome face marked by a rebellious chill.

    He was the one Tina had saved, the so-called useless seventh son of the Farrell family.

    Jared!

    The first speaker, Hayden, was the youngest son of the third-ranking Cohen family among the four most influential families in the city.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. If we wait any longer, you¡¯ll miss your engagement banquetwith Miss Reed,¡± Hayden touched his earlobe and chuckled lowly, ¡°You know how much people value Miss Reed. She¡¯s been engaged to you since she was not even born, and your grandfather has repeatedly stressed that the engagement banquet must go off without a hitch.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Seriously? They haven¡¯t called off the engagement yet?¡± Jared asked, his lips curling into a faint smile.

    ¡°The Farrell family is the capital¡¯s most influential family; would they dare? Even if you are disabled, even if you are a ¡®useless person,¡¯ they won¡¯t cancel the engagement! Especially since you¡¯re not really disabled.¡±

    If the Reed family knew that Jared was not only not disabled but far from useless, it would be strange if they could cancel the engagement!

    ¡°Oh,¡± Jared¡¯s eyes dimmed.

    It wouldn¡¯t be fun if they didn¡¯t cancel the engagement!

    Seeing his reaction, Hayden realized he had spoken in vain.

    He decided not to broach the topic further, ¡°Since we can¡¯t wait for that girl, let¡¯s go. Once we find my Serena, we can also save Sophia.¡±

    Jared¡¯s gaze flickered, giving him a look, ¡°Your Serena? Are you sure she exists?¡±

    Hayden choked on his breath, unable to express his frustration.

    After a while, he retorted angrily, ¡°Of course! My Serena is beautiful and kind-hearted, and she¡¯s especially a good doctor, capable of reviving the dying and knitting bones from scratch¡­¡±

    He was cut off by the person standing on Jared¡¯s right, ¡°Mr. Cohen, you don¡¯t know her name, you don¡¯t know what she looks like, you don¡¯t even remember the way to your master¡¯s temple, and yet you im she¡¯s unparalleled. Your Serena must be a figment of your dreams. It¡¯s less likely she¡¯ll help Sophia than just waiting for Shadow Care to contact Spectre.¡±

    Even the professors at the medical research institute would never dare to make such bold ims.

    Hayden eximed, ¡°Nonsense! My Serena is not a dream, she¡¯s real, real person! And as for that Spectre, he¡¯s elusive and entric, treating patients only when he feels like it. We¡¯ve been searching for so long without a trace; he probably doesn¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°I suspect he¡¯s not up to the task. My Serena surely surpasses him by far!¡±

    How could his Serena be understood by such a mortal?

    Although no one at his master¡¯s temple ever mentioned Serena¡¯s real name, and it had been ten years since, Serena¡¯s appearance had also changed.

    But he believed that once he saw Serena, he would surely recognize her.

    ¡°Fine, fine, she¡¯s real,¡± Nathan Lehman conceded, not wanting to argue with Hayden any further, recognizing the near obsessive fixation the man had for his Serena.

    Jared nced at them both, then reverted his gaze, bowed towards the nameless tombstone, and turned around, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, where to?¡± he was asked.

    Jared¡¯s lips formed a slight curve, ¡°To Ensford. I have to get my fiancee to cancel the engagement!¡±

 Chapter 3: Are You Trying to Teach Me What to Do?

    Meanwhile in Harborview Heights.

    Hugo was about to contact the Farrell family to cancel the engagement when he was interrupted by the ring of the doorbell.

    Hugo and Jennie got up to open the door.

    Tina also rose and went out; a guest had arrived, and it was only polite to greet them.

    Yet when they saw Amber at the door, Hugo and Jennie were both momentarily stunned, and even Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly in surprise.

    They had just seen each other, and now Amber was at their doorstep so soon?

    ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯ve brought some clothes for Tina,¡± Amber said sweetly, dressed in a light-colored dress with her hair tied at the sides, giving off a sense of gentle grace.

    Jennie nced at the bags in Amber¡¯s hands, her expression changing.

    These were clothes the olddy had bought for Amber, many of them were worn only once and then discarded.

    This Amber was¡­

    ¡°Thank you for your thoughtfulness,¡± Jennie said as she took the bags from her hands and casually ced them on a cab.

    ¡°What brings you here all of a sudden?¡± Hugo¡¯s face darkened as he saw the bags in Amber¡¯s hands.

    Amber¡¯s eyes shifted, and looking up at Hugo, her eyes brimmed with tears, a look of grievance on her face, ¡°I know, Dad, you¡¯ve just found Tina and want to spend more time with her and don¡¯t want to see me, but¡­ it was Grandma who sent me to teach Tina some manners.¡±

    Hugo¡¯s brows knitted tightly in impatience as he looked at Amber.

    Not this act again!

    Every time she visited them involved tears as though she had been wronged.

    Hadn¡¯t she looked down on them after receiving Elizabeth¡¯s favor?

    What was such acting even for?

    Hugo¡¯s anger was irrational, ¡°What manners? Tina¡¯s manners are fine; she doesn¡¯t need anyone to teach her! She¡¯s not marrying the emperor to be a consort, what need is there for so many rules?¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help butugh at Hugo¡¯s words, finding humor where she hadn¡¯t expected it.

    Amber¡¯s fair face blushed, and she looked down, biting her lip, ¡°Dad, that¡¯s not what I meant, I just¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Hugo cut her off, his voice tinged with irritation. ¡°Go tell your grandmother that I will cancel the engagement with the Farrell family. Since she looks down on Tina, she shouldn¡¯t worry about her manners.¡±

    ¡°What? Cancel the engagement!¡± Amber could barely maintain her act, her hands clutching the fabric of her dress as her eyes filled with malice.

    Hypocrites! Ridiculous!

    Indeed, she was their real daughter, so everything was different for her.

    When the Farrell family had wanted Amber to marry Jared Farrell, she had subtly hinted she wasn¡¯t willing, but what had Hugo said then?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    He said he didn¡¯t rule the house and left it to her grandmother to decide whether to cancel the engagement.

    But now?

    As soon as Tina returned, Hugo couldn¡¯t wait to end the engagement. Why wasn¡¯t he saying now that he didn¡¯t call the shots in this house?

    ¡°Yes, Tina is only neen, and I¡¯ve just found her again; I can¡¯t possibly let her get married,¡± Hugo said sternly. ¡°Tell your grandmother to stop all her scheming against Tina.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t oblivious to his mother¡¯s thoughts.

    He might have acquiesced to her in everything in the past, but on the matter of Tina, there was no room for discussion.

    Anyone who dared to target Tina would face his wrath.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Amber bit her lip, her reluctance apparent, ¡°Tina agreed to marry Mr. Farrell. If she doesn¡¯t, the Farrell family will me us. Offending the Farrell family would mean no peace for us.¡±

    Amber looked towards Tina and said softly, ¡°Tina, you wouldn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to the Reed family, right? This is what Grandpa worked his whole life to build. If it were because of you¡­¡±

    She left her sentence hanging, intentionally.

    At her words, Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, her lips curving into a sardonic smile, ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t want to marry him. But how about you marry him?¡±

    Amber stiffened, her face nearly unable to hide her agitation.

    Who would marry that disabled Jared?

    She was pretty well-known in Ensford, with significant achievements in various fields, now the top student at Ensford High School, with a bright future ahead. How could she ruin it by marrying a disabled man?

    What did Tina mean by this?

    Was she trying to disgust her on purpose?

    ¡°Tina, that¡¯s not a funny joke,¡± Amber forced out a smile that was as unattractive as it was strained.

    Tina blinked, tilting her head as she looked at her, ¡°I¡¯m not joking!¡±

    Amber, ¡°!!¡±

    She almost couldn¡¯t restrain herself from pping Tina!

    Being given an inch and climbing a mile?

    ¡°You are the real Miss Reed!¡± Amber¡¯s voice rose sharply, her eyes darkening with venom.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Tina¡¯s expression was indifferent, ¡°So, are you trying to teach the real Miss Reed what to do now?¡±

    ¡°You are¡­!¡± Amber¡¯s hands clenched at her sides. After a moment, she took a deep breath and said with a lightugh, ¡°You misunderstand, Tina. How could I dare teach you anything? Grandma said that your engagement to the Farrell family is not to be taken lightly, especially since after the engagement, the Farrell family will be investing a sum of money into ourpany, so the engagement absolutely cannot be canceled.¡±

    Before Tina could respond, Amber stood up, ¡°Dad, I have to go to thepany soon, so I won¡¯t stay long. Grandma told me she does not agree with the cancetion. If you insist, she will take back this house.¡±

    Of course, Elizabeth had not said such a thing; Amber was acting on her own ord.

    But she could change Elizabeth¡¯s attitude before Hugo found Elizabeth.

    Hugo¡¯s expression changed, and he was about to say something when Amber had already left.

 Chapter 4: Some Findings

    After Amber left, Hugo mmed his cup onto the table with fury, ¡°How despicable!¡±

    Jennie poured him a ss of water, trying to calm him, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be angry. That child¡¯s heart hasn¡¯t been with us for a long time, what¡¯s the use of getting angry?¡±

    Amber was a child they had adopted eight years ago.

    Back then, Hugo was preupied with searching for Tina, and after a long search with no leads, he stumbled upon Amber.

    She bore a slight resemnce to Tina in her brows and eyes, and Hugo, missing Tina and pitying Amber, decided to adopt her.

    Amber was clever, understanding, and sweet-talking, always able to cheer people up.

    Elizabeth waspletely charmed by Amber.

    Two years after they adopted Amber, Elizabeth insisted on raising her personally. In just a few short years, she had be the center of attention in Ensford, stirring the envy of many.

    But ever since Amber left with Elizabeth, she looked down on them. Although she didn¡¯t show it overtly, her words always had a sting.

    Over time, Hugo and Jennie were no fools and came to understand what Amber really meant.

    Thus, naturally, their interactions with Amber became less frequent.

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, I never should have adopted her!¡± Hugomented with a heavy heart.

    ¡°You had good intentions at the time,¡± Jennie said, ncing at Tina, ¡°The problem now is how to cancel the engagement! It seems mother is determined to have Tina marry into that family, and if we don¡¯t agree, she will not let it go easily.¡±

    ¡°This marriage I will call off, even if it means letting mother take back the house. I refuse to believe that I, a grown man, can¡¯t support my wife and child.¡±

    Jennie sighed deeply.

    She feared that in Ensford, Elizabeth wouldn¡¯t allow them a ce to stay.

    Tina, head bowed, was looking at the content on her phone.

    The phone¡¯s screen disyed Jared¡¯s information.

    As a prominent figure of the Farrell family, Jared¡¯s profile was quite impressive.

    It had everything except a photo, even a phone number.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, don¡¯t trouble yourself, I can cancel the engagement myself,¡± said Tina, lifting her head, her delicate porcin cheeks showing a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about having nowhere to live, I¡¯ll buy a house for you.¡±

    Considering the decent treatment she received from Hugo, she considered the house as fulfilling her filial duty.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡±

    Hugo wanted to say something, but Tina stood up, took her phone, and dialed a number.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell? I¡¯m Miss Reed.¡± Once the call connected, Tina cut straight to the chase.

    On the other end, Jared¡¯s fingers stilled, and his eyebrows lifted slightly, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I want to cancel the engagement,¡± Tina¡¯s voice was crystal clear.

    Jared paused, taken aback, then his lips curved up slightly, ¡°I agree!¡±

    Tina stared at the phone that had just disconnected, momentarily stunned.

    He agreed? Just like that?

    At a high-end club in Ensford.

    Jared sat on the sofa, legs crossed, long fingers holding a phone, his gaze fixed on the call log on the screen, a cool smile on his lips.

    ¡°Really, Miss Reed?¡± Hayden, holding a ss of wine, was somewhat incredulous.

    ¡°She imed to be,¡± Jared¡¯s low, charming voice had a light tone.

    ¡°Tsck!¡± Hayden clicked his tongue twice, ¡°This Miss Reed really has character, I¡¯m starting to see her in a new light.¡±

    Jared had a bad reputation, but he came from a wealthy background.

    There were no shortage of girls who wanted to marry him, but his grandfather had already chosen Miss Reed.

    He had thought the Reed family wouldn¡¯t call off the engagement.

    He had investigated; theirpany had been declining in recent years, and they were in serious need of funds. The marriage to the Farrell family would bring an investment, a condition of the engagement offered by his grandfather.

    So it was unthinkable that they would agree to a divorce.

    Unexpectedly, it was Miss Reed herself who called off the engagement.

    She truly was no ordinary person; the integrity she possessed was something many girls could not match.

    Jared was in a good mood, his eyes narrowing, his fingers swiftly moving on the phone.

    Hayden leaned over to see and was surprised, ¡°Mr. Farrell, why did you save the recording of the call with Miss Reed?¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, his fingers still working, ¡°Such good news, how could I not let my grandfather know and have him share in the joy?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t your grandfather get so angry he¡¯d have a heart attack?¡± Hayden couldn¡¯t imagine his grandfather¡¯s reaction to the news.

    ¡°He won¡¯t have a heart attack, but he might act stubborn,¡± Logan was known for such tactics.

    To get Jared to marry Miss Reed, he would use any means necessary, which was a headache for Jared.

    Now that Miss Reed had taken the initiative to cancel the engagement, he might finally settle down.

    He took a sip of his wine, turned his head to look at Jared with some confusion, ¡°But tell me, why don¡¯t you want to marry Miss Reed? That Amber Reed is beautiful, rumored to have some minor achievements in many fields, and given her academic performance, it¡¯s almost certain she could attend any university she chooses. A daughter-inw like that is hard toe by.¡±

    Jared set down his phone, picked up his wine ss, and gave it a slight swirl, ¡°If she¡¯s so outstanding, then I, a cripple, shouldn¡¯t stand in her way.¡±

    Hayden¡¯s gaze fell on Jared¡¯s long, wless legs and silently withdrew his gaze.

    Harborview Heights.

    As soon as Tina entered the bedroom, her phone rang.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    She nced at the caller ID, her expression tensing, then got up and walked to the window to answer the call.

    ¡°I¡¯ve found out some things,¡± a deep male voice came from the other end, ¡°On the day your mother died, members of four families appeared in the area where you lived.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Four families?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± The person on the line continued, ¡°The Hancock family, the Ward family, the Woodham family, and¡­ the Farrell family.¡±

    Tina was startled, ¡°The Farrell family? Jared¡¯s family?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± There was a pause, ¡°The capital has four major families: the Farrell family, the Cohen family, the Reed family, and the Pratt family. The Farrell family is the foremost among the capital¡¯s elite, the true top-tier nobility. Of those who visited your house, aside from the Farrell family, the other three are middle-ranking families.¡±

    The person fell silent for a moment, then added, ¡°The three families came looking for something at your ce, what exactly it was, I haven¡¯t discovered. The person the Farrell family sent was Jared¡­¡±

    Tina¡¯s cool gaze lifted, her pretty brows furrowed tightly, ¡°Jared? What was his purpose?¡±

    ¡°It seems he was looking for someone!¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t respond, leaning against the bedpost, her pale, slender fingers tapping slowly on the windowsill. After a while, she spoke slowly, ¡°Keep investigating, find out what those three families were searching for! You don¡¯t have to worry about the Farrell family, I¡¯ll look into it myself.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

 Chapter 5: You have no manners!

    After hanging up the phone, Tina pushed open the window, gazing at the azure sky with an icy expression.

    ¡°Mom! Who did you even offend?¡±

    When she left the Reed family all those years ago, she was only nine years old. The memories that lingered in her mind were of her mother being bullied by Elizabeth while her mother always bore it in silence.

    Back then, she didn¡¯t understand. Her mother was a wise and capable person, so why didn¡¯t she fight back when she was bullied?

    It was only after they left the Reed family and faced assassination attempts from various parties that she understood her mother¡¯s profound cultivation and miraculous medical skills. She realized that her mother was not incapable of resistance; she was avoiding her pursuers.

    One day, her mother received a phone call, and she noticed something was off about her mother¡¯splexion. But she was young and had gone through many escapes; she assumed that someone was after them again.

    But that night, her mothermitted suicide.

    Death by a poison her mother had concocted herself!

    Before dying, her mother instructed her to find Master Tam, study cultivation under him for ten years, and keep a low profile.

    Her mother specifically ordered that after her death, her body should be cremated without any memorial service.

    Ten yearster, she was to go back and find her father, Hugo, to fulfill the marriage arrangement with Jared.

    She did everything else as told, except marrying Jared. She couldn¡¯t let a marriage stop her from seeking vengeance for her mother.

    But now¡­ Jared was also involved in the past events.

    The marriage had been called off, and now she had to find another way to investigate the past.

    A frantic knocking at the door brought Tina back to her thoughts.

    She opened the door and was met by Elizabeth and a crowd from the Reed family rushing in.

    Elizabeth¡¯s other two sons, along with their families, and one Amber, filled the cramped living room.

    Their faces were filled with anger, especially when they saw Tina, as if they wanted to tear her apart.

    ¡°Tina! You worthless thing! Who gave you the permission to call off the engagement with the Farrell family? You ingrate! Do you not see me at all?¡± Elizabeth¡¯s eyes almost spat fire upon seeing Tina.

    She couldn¡¯t fathom that Tina would cancel the marriage on her own initiative.

    If it weren¡¯t for Logan Farrell¡¯s call, she would still be in the dark.

    Fortunately, Logan valued the marriage alliance and didn¡¯t make things difficult for her. He mentioned that despite Jared¡¯s disability, he would give half of his wealth to Jared, and if Amber married into the family, she wouldn¡¯t suffer and could support the Reed family¡¯s business.

    Since Tina had just returned, the Reed family had not yet made her identity public, so they were unaware that it was Tina, not Amber, who was supposed to marry Jared.

    But Elizabeth didn¡¯t care about that. As long as Tina married into the family, the Reeds would get what they were due.

    But this cursed child, Tina, had actually called off the engagement!

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed with a hint of coldness as she stared at Elizabeth without saying a word.

    ¡°It was I who asked Tina to cancel the engagement,¡± Hugo stepped forward, protecting Tina behind him, and spoke with a serious face, ¡°If you have an issue, take it up with me.¡±

    ¡°p!¡± Elizabeth¡¯s hand flew across the air, her fury sky-high, ¡°You ungrateful wretch, do you realize what this marriage means to the Reed family?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t really wanted to cancel Amber¡¯s marriage to Jared but had been looking for a way to secure the Farrell family¡¯s investment without sacrificing Amber.

    But Tina¡¯s actions could anger the Farrell family, and they wouldn¡¯t receive a dime.

    ¡°What does it mean?¡± Hugo scoffed mockingly, ¡°Is it not just for your vanity? You look down on Tina, so you¡¯re willing to sacrifice her?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Hugo!¡± Hugo¡¯s older brother, Pinewood Reed, frowned and spoke out, ¡°How can you talk to Mom like that? She¡¯s doing this for the good of the Reed family. Besides, the Farrell family said that Tina wouldn¡¯t be mistreated if she married into their family.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Hugo, Jared may be disabled, but he¡¯s wealthy. Look at Tina; she was raised in the countryside without an education. She probably didn¡¯t even finish high school, did she? She¡¯s already neen and can¡¯t go to college, so she can only work¡­¡±

    Talon Reed added, ¡°With her background, she can only find a job as a waitress. Who would she marry in the future, an ordinary person? What¡¯s wrong with marrying Jared? At least she won¡¯t have to worry about food and clothing.¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Hugo roared, ¡°Tina is my daughter, and I have the right to decide whom she marries or doesn¡¯t marry. No matter how good Jared is, Tina willnot marry him.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Pinewood¡¯s face turned beet red with anger, ¡°You are being unreasonable!¡±

    Elizabeth red at Hugo, ¡°This household doesn¡¯t run by your say. Since Tina is a Reed family granddaughter, she ought to contribute to the Reed family. We don¡¯t support freeloaders!¡±

    Tina chuckled derisively, her gaze filled with disdain.

    Elizabeth turned sharply to her, eyes venomous, ¡°What are youughing at?¡±

    Tina looked up, her captivating eyes fixed on Elizabeth, ¡°I¡¯mughing at how quick the mighty forget! If I recall correctly, since birth, I haven¡¯t spent a cent of your money. You¡¯ve never raised me, so where¡¯s this talk of contributioning from?¡±

    Even though she was young at the time, she remembered this grandmother who had never even bought her a dor¡¯s worth of candy.

    ¡°You!¡± Elizabeth was so enraged that she felt a tightness in her chest, her gaze at Tina tainted with bitterness.

    This sharp-tongued wretch!

    ¡°Tina!¡± Pinewood shouted angrily, ¡°How dare you speak to your grandmother like that? Is this how your mother taught you?¡±

    With a slight curl of her red lips and her hands casually in her pockets, Tina replied nonchntly, ¡°Sorry, my mother¡¯s dead. Maybe you¡¯d like to ask her yourself how she taught me?¡±

    Pinewood¡¯s face flushed with rage, ¡°You have no manners!¡±

    Tina¡¯s defiant stance infuriated the rest of the Reed family.

    But with Elizabeth present, they all held their tongues.

    However, the looks they gave Tina were filled with loathing.

    Tina¡¯s chin lifted slightly, utterly unaffected by their res.

    After a long stare, Elizabeth took several deep breaths to suppress her anger, her tone softening slightly, ¡°This marriage was arranged by your mother. She wouldn¡¯t harm you, would she? Mr. Farrell said he still hopes you¡¯ll fulfill the engagement with Jared.¡±

    Tina looked at her with a half-smile, not responding.

    Elizabeth¡¯s brow furrowed, her voice colder, ¡°Tina! Let me remind you! The ce you¡¯re living in is provided by me. If you don¡¯t marry Jared, I¡¯ll take back this apartment. Besides, I¡¯ll have your father thrown out of thepany. As long as I¡¯m here, he won¡¯t find a job in Ensford. Without money, he won¡¯t be able to provide for your family!¡±

    Before Tina could speak, Hugo stepped forward, earnestly, ¡°Take the apartment if you want. I¡¯m capable of providing for my family. I won¡¯t push Tina into a living hell.¡±

    Elizabeth, so angry she could have pped him, held back and red at Hugo, ¡°Fine! You have guts. I want to see how long you canst.¡±

    Elizabeth spoke coldly, ¡°You have one hour to move out!¡±

 Chapter 6 Mr. Reed, Iâ€™ll Buy You a House

    Elizabeth had them sit on the living room sofa, watching Hugo and the others pack their belongings. Hugo nced at Elizabeth, said nothing, and went into the bedroom with Jennie and Tina to pack. As soon as they entered the bedroom, Amber followed them in.

    Amber looked around the shabby bedroom with a hint of disdain shing in her eyes. But she quickly masked her expression and said softly, ¡°Dad, are you really moving out? Your monthly sry isn¡¯t much, and you have a family to support. Where will you live if you move? Why not just listen to grandma?¡±

    Hugo turned to look at her without a word.

    Seeing that he didn¡¯t respond, Amber turned to Tina, ¡°Tina, dad has spent so much to find you over the years. Now that you¡¯re back, are you willing to let him be homeless?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, a mocking smile ying on her cool cheeks. ¡°Isn¡¯t marrying Mr. Farrell a good option? At least your future would be secure. If it were me, I certainly wouldn¡¯t let dad have a fallout with his own family over me,¡± Amber said, talking to herself.

    The corners of Tina¡¯s mouth curled up, and she crossed her arms, looking at Amber with interest, ¡°If you¡¯re so understanding, why don¡¯t you marry into the family? The Reed family has raised you for so many years, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time for you to contribute?¡±

    Amber¡¯s face changed color and she cursed Tina inwardly, but she maintained a smile on her face, ¡°What a pity it¡¯s Tina who is engaged to Mr. Farrell!¡±

    Tina¡¯s smile deepened. For some reason, Amber felt a sudden panic and quickly said, ¡°Since you¡¯re so determined, I won¡¯t say more. Dad, grandma said if you don¡¯t pack up within an hour, she¡¯ll have someone throw your things out!¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Hugo said, not wanting to prolong the conversation.

    After Amber left, Hugo looked at the clutter in the house and worried, ¡°We¡¯ll never pack all this in an hour. Maybe I should call someone to help?¡±

    Jennie nodded, ¡°Yeah, that would be faster.¡±

    Watching them busily packing, Tina felt a softness deep in her heart. Aside from her mother and master, only they had ever protected her like this.

    Tina pursed her lips and slowly said, ¡°Just take what we need. I still have some money on me. We¡¯ll find a ce that is ready-to-move-in, and we can get the rest of what we need once we¡¯re there.¡±

    ¡°How can we do that?¡± Jennie immediately objected. ¡°You just got back, we can¡¯t use your money. Ensford might not be as big as other cities, but real estate is expensive. A small two-bedroom house costs over a million. Don¡¯t worry about the house, we¡¯ll rent something for now and get through this tough time.¡±

    ¡°Right, Tina, keep the money you¡¯ve earned for yourself. Don¡¯t worry about the family,¡± Hugo added, feeling reassured.

    ¡°The money for the house¡­¡±

    Tina wanted to say that she had enough money to buy a house, but Hugo interrupted, ¡°But Tina is right. Let¡¯s just take our clothes and documents. We can rent a furnished ce.¡±

    ¡°Okay then!¡± Tina didn¡¯t argue and went to pack her things. She had few possessions: a couple of sets of clothes, aputer, and a cellphone. She packed quickly.

    Once finished, she nced at the neighboring room where Hugo and Jennie were and then took her phone out, sending a message.

    In the living room, Elizabeth was waiting for Hugo¡¯s family to bow to her, but to her surprise, they came out carrying their luggage. Each held a suitcase, leaving everything else behind, and walked out the door.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    Elizabeth stood up abruptly, her face turning an ashen color with anger, ¡°Fine! You think you¡¯re doing well, but I want to see how you can survive in Ensford without my orders.¡±

    Hugo just nced back at her without a word and walked away.

    After leaving theplex, Hugo looked at the bustling streets and sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s find a motel to tide us over for today. I¡¯ll go look for a house.¡±

    Tina nodded and followed them to a nearby motel to settle in.

    Three hourster, Hugo came back disheartened.

    Jennie rushed over, ¡°How did it go? Did you find a house?¡±

    Hugo shook his head, ¡°I found two or three suitable ones, and the price was eptable, but when it came time to sign the contract, they refused after seeing my ID. I asked why and found out my mother had spread the word that renting to me would mean opposing the Reed family.¡±

    Elizabeth had some clout in Ensford.

    With her word out, naturally, no one was willing to rent to him.

    Hugo, frustrated, hit the table, ¡°My mother is driving me into a corner!¡±

    Jennie didn¡¯t expect Elizabeth to be so ruthless and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Tina handed Hugo a ss of water, ¡°Drink some water first, don¡¯t worry, someone will rent to us.¡±

    Hugo sighed, ¡°That¡¯s all we can do now, I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience.¡±

    After resting a while, Hugo, not wanting to give up, decided to go out again to look for a house. Just as he was getting up, someone knocked on the door.

    He got up to open the door and was surprised, ¡°Levi?¡±

    Wasn¡¯t this their real estate agent? How did he find them here?

    ¡°Good day, Mr. Reed!¡± Levi greeted with a smile, ¡°I saw the address you left in your information was this ce, so I came over.¡±

    Hugo was puzzled; he didn¡¯t remember leaving any information. But he didn¡¯t ask, instead saying, ¡°Did youe to see me for something?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a fully-furnished house avable on Pinkwater Ally, four bedrooms and two living rooms, at a monthly rent of five hundred dors. It seems perfect for you. I was wondering what you think.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    Pinkwater Ally? A four-bedroom?

    My goodness!

    That was one of the best neighborhoods in Ensford, other than the vi areas. The residents there were all wealthy.

    A small two-bedroom in that area cost five million dors, let alone a four-bedroom one, which would be in the tens of millions.

    Jennie was the first to snap out of it, pulling Hugo aside, ¡°How could such a good thing happen to us? Could it be a trap set by your mother?¡±

    Hearing her concerns, Levi exined, ¡°Mrs. Reed, you¡¯ve misunderstood. The owner is relocating abroad and wants someone tidy to look after the house. He reviewed your family¡¯s information and was very satisfied, which is why he¡¯s offered this price. If you don¡¯t rent it, I¡¯ll have to¡­¡±

 Chapter 7: Jaredâ€™s Sister

    In a restaurant.

    Tina, dressed in casual ck attire and a duckbill cap, pushed the door open to the private room number given in the text message.

    The person inside saw her and hurried to stand up, ¡°Serena, here you are!¡±

    His name was Cole Lyon, and like Tina, he had followed Master Tam. Over the years, he only took care of tasks for Tina.

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Tina took off her cap and ced it on a chair to the side, ¡°The item?¡±

    Cole handed her an envelope, ¡°I originally intended to buy a vi, but due to the urgency of your request, I could only find an apartment in Pinkwater Ally. I had to pay three times the market price for it. Here are the property deed and the transfer procedures, allpleted.¡±

    The apartment cost a total of forty million dors, enough to buy a vi. The thought alone made Cole wince at the loss.

    ¡°No problem, it¡¯s not a big issue.¡±

    Tina put the envelope into her bag and then took out a ceramic bottle, ¡°Sell it.¡±

    Cole¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°One bottle? That much?¡±

    These were Lotus Calm Tablets, fiercely sought after on the ck market, with each tablet valued at five million dors and nearly impossible to purchase even with ample money.

    Because Serena only supplied one tablet at a time and would only offer another after four or five months, the value of the Lotus Calm Tablets remained exceedingly high.

    Now, Serena had unexpectedly produced an entire bottle, which was nothing short of astonishing.

    ¡°Ah, spent forty million; need to make it back, or next month I¡¯ll be eating dirt,¡± Tina pinched her temples, looking pained.

    She was ratherzy and didn¡¯t want to fuss over finances. Over the years, she made just about forty million dors by selling Lotus Calm Tablets. Today, it was all spent in an instant.

    She needed to make some money!

    She also had to support her elderly father and her stepmother!

    Oh right!Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Hugo and Jennie had a son, attending kindergarten in a boarding school.

    Jennie¡¯s daughter, however, didn¡¯t require Tina¡¯s support. Elsa was older than her, had her own job, but after her return, Jennie had dipped into Elsa¡¯s dowry, which meant Tina needed to earn that back as well.

    Upon opening her eyes, all she could see were dor signs!

    Beingzy was no longer an option.

    Cole¡¯s lips twitched into an awkward smile, ¡°Serena, doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt saying that?¡±

    Not to mention that just selling this bottle of Lotus Calm Tablets would bring in at least a hundred million dors in revenue.

    ¡°I¡¯m truly broke!¡± Tina blinked earnestly.

    ¡°Ah, right, you¡¯re broke!¡± Cole looked skyward, speechless.

    Tina stood up, put on her cap, and patted Cole on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m off then. The task of expanding our temple is in your hands then.¡±

    Cole, ¡°¡­¡±

    You really think highly of me.

    Tina left the teahouse, nning to buy gifts for the family at a nearby mall.

    As she approached the entrance, there was amotion.

    ¡°Whose child is this? Aren¡¯t the parents with her? Hurry, see what¡¯s wrong with her; why is she convulsing?¡±

    ¡°It seems like the child came alone, and suddenly copsed. Is she sick?¡±

    ¡°Is there a doctor? Come quickly and check on her!¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze shifted to the crowd, and with just one look, her phoenix eyes narrowed.

    On the groundy a girl around five years old, with a face¡­ so ugly it was hard to call it a face.

    At this moment, as she convulsed, her already grotesque face became even more terrifying.

    After a moment, she stepped towards the crowd.

    Just as she parted the crowd, she heard a voice, ¡°Ew! That child is so ugly!¡±

    Tina looked over and saw Amber and two other girls standing there, their faces full of disgust.

    Then another girl spoke, ¡°Amber, don¡¯t you work under Dr. Ward? Why don¡¯t you go check on her? This girl looks pitiable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only learned the basics, and this girl¡¯s illness looks serious. I better call an ambnce,¡± Amber said with an undertone of indifference.

    Tina passed them, her face cold as she nced at them and moved through the crowd.

    She picked up the little girl,id her t on the ground, and checked her breathing and pulse.

    Amber, surprised to see Tina, intervened when Tina prepared to perform CPR, ¡°Tina! What are you doing? Stop right now!¡±

    Tina shot her a cold look and ignored her.

    As she prepared to administer an injection, a middle-aged woman burst in, pushing Tina away and sheltering the little girl in her arms, ¡°Who are you, and what are you doing to my young miss?¡±

    Tina¡¯s expression turned frigid to the extreme!

    She loathed being disturbed while treating someone!

    But seeing the little girl¡¯s worsening condition, she still patiently exined, ¡°She¡¯s having an attack! I¡¯m about to perform CPR.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman rxed, ¡°Are you a doctor?¡±

    Before Tina could respond, Amber interjected, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t mess around. You haven¡¯t even properly attended school; how can you administer emergency care? If something goes wrong, you could implicate the Reed family!¡±

    Amber was genuinely afraid Tina would cause a disaster!

    Now connected to the Reed family as Elizabeth¡¯s granddaughter, any trouble for the Reed family would also mean trouble for her.

    The surrounding crowd, having heard Amber¡¯s words, chimed in, ¡°Youngdy, we appreciate you want to help, but you can¡¯t overestimate your abilities! This is a life-and-death matter.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for the ambnce; I¡¯ve already called one.¡±

    The middle-aged woman¡¯s face turned pale, holding the little girl tighter, ¡°What? You haven¡¯t been to medical school?¡±

    Tina¡¯s face was as cold as ice, and a chilling aura emanated from her.

    Those familiar with her knew she was about to explode.

    But before she could speak, the little girl suddenly started foaming at the mouth, her eyes rolling back, herplexion turning ashen as paper.

    The middle-aged woman panicked, pleading, ¡°Is there a doctor here? Someone save my young miss.¡±

    Tina couldn¡¯t contain her anger any longer. Snatching the little girl from the woman¡¯s arms, she shot a look that said, ¡°If you want her to die, keep interfering!¡±

    The middle-aged woman froze, looked at her own young miss, then back at Tina, and ultimately kept silent.

    Amber, seeing Tina continue with the injection despite the objections, turned green with anger and screeched, ¡°Tina! Do you realize what you¡¯re doing? Are you trying to doom the Reed family?¡±

    Tina spun around, a sh of fierceness in her cool eyes, ¡°Say one more word, and I¡¯ll sew your mouth shut!¡±

    Confronted with Tina¡¯s icy gaze, Amber felt a chill run down her spine, rendered speechless.

    Elsewhere.

    A ck sedan sped along, the air inside suddenly turning icy. Jared sat in the back, his expression stern, radiating an aura of lethal intent.

    Hayden nced at him and murmured, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for the nearest doctor to head to the mall. Sophia will be fine.¡±

    Sophia was Logan¡¯s youngest granddaughter, the darling sister Jared adored and ced close to his heart. He hadn¡¯t intended for her toe to Ensford, but Sophia had been feeling unhappytely and had begged to join him there.

    Unable to resist her pleas, Jared had moved her to Ensford and set her up in a vi, with a nanny who had always taken care of her.

    These days, Sophia felt deeply insecure about her face, refusing to leave the house.

    Jared had asked the nanny to take Sophia for a walk near the vi.

    However, they ended up at the mall, and as they passed by, Sophia saw a pair of earrings she thought her future sister-inw would love, and she insisted on going to the mall.

    While the nanny was paying, people started pointing at Sophia, and overwhelmed, she ran away, triggering her condition.

    The nanny, unable to find Sophia, promptly called Jared.

    After reviewing the security footage and learning what had happened at the mall, they rushed over.

    Jared¡¯s slender fingers clenched his phone, his voice as cold as frost, ¡°Drive faster!¡±

 Chapter 8: Dumb Money

    At the entrance of the shopping mall.

    Amber, seeing that Tina would not be persuaded, left with the two girls by her side in a huff.

    She certainly didn¡¯t want to get dragged down by Tinater on.

    After Tina finished performing CPR on the little girl, her breathing gradually stabilized.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    At this moment, an ambnce arrived, and Tina told the middle-aged woman, ¡°She¡¯s stable for now, but she still needs to go to the hospital for treatment.¡±

    Having said that, Tina got up to leave.

    The middle-aged woman hurriedly stopped her, ¡°Miss, thank you so much. May I have your name so we can repay your kindness in the future?¡±

    ¡°No need!¡± Tina left these words behind and turned to walk away.

    Jared and the others arrived just in time to see Tina¡¯s departing figure.

    This time, he was in a wheelchair with Nathan pushing him.

    Jared watched Tina for a long time; her silhouette seemed familiar!

    Before he could ponder further, Hayden had already approached the now-conscious Sophia, ¡°Sophia, how are you feeling?¡±

    Sophia smiled weakly at Hayden, ¡°Hayden, I¡¯m fine. Just now, a beautifuldy saved me. She was so amazing.¡±

    When Tina had arrived, Sophia hadn¡¯tpletely lost consciousness.

    ¡°A beautifuldy?¡± Hayden was puzzled.

    ¡°Yes! A very beautifuldy saved me. When I felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe, she ced her hands over my heart and kept pressing down, and I felt my breathing graduallye back. My body stopped hurting too, and also¡­¡± Sophia¡¯s excitement grew as she spoke.

    Hayden was momentarily stunned, then he joked with a smile, ¡°No matter how good she is, she can¡¯t be better than my Serena.¡±

    In his heart, Serena was like a goddess.

    Jared nced back at the vanishing figure, deep in thought.

    ¡°Jared, I¡¯m sorry, I worried you,¡± Sophia said, noticing Jared¡¯s silence and thinking he was angry, she carefully apologized.

    Jared looked into her clear eyes, and any anger and worry he had dissipated. With a gentle voice as soft as water, he stroked Sophia¡¯s head, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital first.¡±

    At the hospital, in the VIP ward.

    Ben Channing burst into the room with an excited look on his distinguished face, ¡°Mr. Farrell, good news, the toxins in Sophia¡¯s body have been reduced by more than half.¡±

    He was Sophia¡¯s personal physician and was only responsible for her medical condition.

    He too hade to Ensford with Sophia, but because she had be extremely self-conscious about her face, she didn¡¯t like interacting with people, and so he normally wouldn¡¯t appear in front of her.

    He hadn¡¯t apanied them to the mall.

    Hayden stood up abruptly, incredulous, ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    A sh of surprise crossed Jared¡¯s dark pupils, ¡°Are you certain?¡±

    ¡°Positive!¡± Ben handed Jared the medical report, his voice filled with excitement, ¡°Not only that, but the pus-filled bumps near Sophia¡¯s eyes have also disappeared.¡±

    Hayden¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°The bumps are gone? You¡¯re not joking?¡±

    Sophia was ugly, not by birth but because she had been poisoned at the age of two. The poison, once it red up, caused her face to be covered in bumps and sores. This poison was dominant; despite three years of effort, they had not been able to identify the toxin in Sophia¡¯s body.

    Let alone control the spread of the toxins. In fact, if they couldn¡¯t find a cure soon, Sophia wouldn¡¯t survive the spring.

    Jared had racked his brains over this because few people knew that Sophia had actually taken the poison for him.

    The original target of the poison had been him.

    ¡°How can I joke about such a thing?¡± Ben red at him, ¡°I¡¯ve tested repeatedly, and her poison has indeed receded significantly.¡±

    Ben looked at Jared, asking excitedly, ¡°Mr. Farrell, where did you find the doctor? This is truly miraculous!¡±

    He had been studying medicine since he was young and was considered a medical prodigy, but he had no solution for Sophia¡¯s condition.

    This had dealt a huge blow to him, so knowing that someone had managed to reduce the poison in Sophia¡¯s body by half, he was very excited.

    He was eager to learn and discuss further.

    Jared¡¯s gaze grew more focused, and turning towards Sophia, he asked Mrs. Brown, ¡°The girl who saved Sophia today, did she leave a name?¡±

    Mrs. Brown thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°I only heard them mention something about the Reed family. Before I could ask more, she had left.¡±

    ¡°Reed family?¡± Hayden pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°There¡¯s only one Reed family in Ensford, could it be Amber?¡±

    With that thought, Hayden pped his leg, ¡°Right, it must be her. I heard that Amber Reed is studying medicine under Dr. Ward, and she¡¯s also beautiful. It matches the description Sophia gave.¡±

    Jared¡¯s lips remained sealed.

    Hayden, chuckling, leaned in and teased, ¡°Mr. Farrell, why not make another sacrifice and marry this Miss Reed?¡±

    Jared looked up and pped his face, ¡°Stay away from me.¡±

    He was a bit headache-ridden.

    Having promised to call off the engagement, there was no reason to go back on his word.

    After a moment of silence, he instructed, ¡°Nathan, prepare a gift, and visit the Reed family to express our thanks.¡±

    By all ounts, he should have gone in person.

    But he figured Miss Reed wouldn¡¯t want to see him, a disabled man.

    Back in Pinkwater Alley,

    When Tina returned, Hugo and Jennie sat stiffly on the sofa, their expressions tense.

    Tina poured a ss of water and looked at them, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you two?¡±

    Upon seeing Tina, Hugo abruptly stood up, grabbed her arm, and said excitedly, ¡°Hit me, quickly p me!¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­?¡±

    She withdrew her hand and coughed lightly, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m dreaming!¡± Hugo nced around the house, swallowing hard, ¡°I checked, and just the furniture in this house is worth tens of thousands of dors. To think such a nice ce is rented to us for five hundred dors, are we caught in some kind of scam?¡±

    Hugo even nced toward the door, then said in a low voice, ¡°Maybe we should run. If the scam leaderes inter, we won¡¯t be able to escape.¡±

    Tina¡¯s mouth twitched hard, ¡°Do you have a persecutionplex?¡±

    She patted Hugo¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Mr. Reed, this is Pinkwater Alley.¡±

    Hugo blinked, ¡°I know! The most luxurious district in Ensford.¡±

    ¡°Do you really think someone would dare run a scam here?¡± Tina said, somewhat exasperated.

    After all, he was the youngest son of the Reed family and had seen much of the world; how could he be so scared by an apartment?

    Hugo paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Oh, right.¡±

    Then he continued, ¡°But why would thendlord rent it out to us so cheaply?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t understand.

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, ¡°Didn¡¯t the agent say thendlord needed someone to look after the ce?¡±

    ¡°But five hundred dors is too little.¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just someone with some dumb money.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Hugo nodded.

    Tina only wanted to say-no, she wasn¡¯t foolish, nor did she have any money!

    But what could she do when she had a father who was penniless?

    The tense Jennie also rxed, ¡°Since there¡¯s nothing wrong with the house, let¡¯s just live here peacefully. We¡¯re lucky to have such a nice ce to live; it must be because Tina is blessed.¡±

    The supposedly fortunate Tina was like, ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 9 Brushing Past

    Tina returned to her bedroom and walked to the window with a serious expression. The thought of the little girl she had just saved at the entrance of the shopping mall furrowed her pretty brows tightly. She had immediately recognized that the girl had been poisoned, and the toxins in her body were concocted by her own mother, incredibly potent and aggressive. If the poison were to re up, it would cause pus to form on the face and lead to necrosis.

    Someone hade looking for her mother before she died, and her mother¡¯s poison form had been taken. It had taken Tina many years to develop the antidote to this poison. Resting her pale fingers on the windowsill, she tapped slowly and rhythmically.

    The girl didn¡¯t have much time left. Who took the form in the first ce, and why would they target such a small child? Suddenly, Tina stopped tapping and pulled out her phone to call Cole.

    ¡°Check for me which hospital admitted a girl about five years old today, with a disfigured face.¡±

    Cole acknowledged and hung up the phone.

    Tina leaned against the window, waiting silently. About half an hourter, Cole called back, ¡°Found her at Ensford City Hospital, in the VIP ward of internal medicine.¡±

    ¡°Okay, got it.¡±

    Two dayster, at Ensford City Hospital, Tina got out of a taxi and entered the hospital. At the same moment, a ck sedan brushed past her. Inside the car, Jared¡¯s gaze fell on Tina through the rearview mirror, and he sharplymanded, ¡°Stop the car!¡±

    With a screech, Nathan braked abruptly, causing all three upants to jolt forward. Nathan looked back and asked, ¡°Mr. Farrell, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t answer him, and without waiting for his assistant Nathan to bring the wheelchair, he pushed open the car door and got out. His narrow eyes searched through the crowd for that figure, but found nothing.

    Hayden got out of the car and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Jared narrowed his eyes and withdrew his gaze, ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Elsewhere, Tina entered the hospital and headed straight for the VIP ward of internal medicine. Standing at the door of the ward, she saw the little girl at a nce. The child had taken her medicine and looked much better. Tina¡¯s hand rested on the doorknob, pondering whether to enter. It was the most difficult decision she had faced in her life. Intervening could potentially expose her identity, and her mother¡¯s affair was a matter of great importance; she had to ensure absolute security.

    Yet, when she thought of the rity and brightness in the little girl¡¯s eyes, she hesitated. If someone had reached out to help her ten years ago, she wouldn¡¯t have had to watch her mother die before her eyes. She didn¡¯t want the same thing to happen to a five-year-old girl.

    As she wavered, the ward door opened.

    ¡°Is it really you? Did youe to see me?¡± Sophia blinked her clear eyes and clutched Tina¡¯s hand, delighted. She had seen someone standing outside the ward and thought it might be the big sister who had saved her. She had rushed out, never expecting it really was her.

    Tina looked down at the small hand clutching hers and met Sophia¡¯s clear eyes, feeling a strange melting in the depths of her heart. She smiled slightly, ¡°Yes, I came to see you.¡±

    ¡°I knew you woulde!¡± Sophia said excitedly, pulling on Tina¡¯s hand, ¡°Shall we go in?¡±

    Tina was drawn in by her, almost subconsciously entering the ward. Mrs. Brown, seeing Tina, was surprised, ¡°Miss Reed?¡±

    Tina nodded, not finding it strange, ¡°Yes, I came here for something and saw that it was you in the ward.¡±

    Mrs. Brown quickly poured a ss of water for Tina, ¡°Please have a seat.¡±

    Tina hummed in acknowledgment and said to Sophia, ¡°Let me have a look at you.¡±

    Sophia nodded with a smile, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Sophia¡¯s obedient appearance almost made Mrs. Brown¡¯s eyes pop out of her head. Sophia usually disliked being treated by doctors. She would be somewhatpliant when Jared was around, but as soon as he was gone, no one could touch her, let alone a stranger like Miss Reed.

    If Mrs. Brown hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, she would have thought she was hallucinating.

    Tina¡¯s hand rested on Sophia¡¯s wrist to take her pulse. After a moment, Tina¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, and her expression grew increasingly grim. Although Sophia had taken her pill, the poison had infiltrated her internal organs. Some toxins had been cleared, but her damaged organs were still failing, making treatmentplicated.

    Mrs. Brown¡¯s heart sank as she asked anxiously, ¡°Miss Reed, there¡¯s nothing wrong with our youngdy, is there?¡±

    Tina nced at Sophia, pursed her lips, then gently stroked the girl¡¯s head and asked softly, ¡°I can cure your illness, but it will be a bit painful. Are you afraid?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Can my face also return to looking pretty?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina affirmed.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m not afraid!¡± Sophia dered earnestly. ¡°As long as you are here, I won¡¯t be scared.¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°Alright, but I have a condition. You must not tell anyone that I treated you, not even your family.¡±

    It¡¯s always better to be cautious.

    ¡°No problem,¡± Sophia assured, patting her chest.

    Tina then looked at Mrs. Brown, ¡°And you?¡±

    Mrs. Brown was in a bind. She was just a nanny and didn¡¯t dare to joke with such a serious matter.

    ¡°She won¡¯t have a problem either,¡± Sophia interjected quickly.

    ¡°Miss¡­¡±

    Before Mrs. Brown could finish, Sophia burst into tears, ¡°Mrs. Brown, every day people call me a monster. I have no friends, I can¡¯t go to school, I¡¯m in so much pain¡­¡±

    Mrs. Brown was startled by her tears and quickly said, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll agree to whatever Miss Reed wants.¡±

    With her agreement, Tina nodded, ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll start the treatment tomorrow.¡±

    After leaving her phone number, Tina departed.

    At a private vi.

    As Jared entered, a piercing cry resonated, ¡°Mary, why is my life so wretched? I finally found a bride for your grandson, but he couldn¡¯t keep her, let her get scared away¡­¡±

    ¡°Pity me, with these old bones, still worrying about his marriage at my age.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t go on, you might as welle and take me.¡±

    Jared watched his grandfather roll on the floor in the living room, his brow twitching uncontrobly.

    He pinched the bridge of his nose, resigned, ¡°Grandfather! It was Miss Reed who initiated this.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Logan wailed, ¡°Mary, look at your unfilial grandson, making me a man of broken promises! I assured Reba that this boy would marry Miss Reed, but this scoundrel, he wants to make me a liar.¡±

    ¡°What am I to do, when I die, I won¡¯t even be able to face Reba in heaven.¡±

    Leaning back in his wheelchair, Jared took a deep breath.

    Neither Nathan nor Hayden behind him dared to utter a word. It was noughing matter; who would dare to speak at a time like this? Logan would tear them apart!

    ¡°Enough with the fuss! State your purpose!¡± Jared was troubled by all themotion.

    ¡°Come with me to ask Miss Reed to marry you!¡± Logan sprang up swiftly, his agility astonishing both Hayden and Nathan.

    Jared was left speechless. What else could he say?

 Chapter 10: The Real Miss Reed

    At Moon Gate Estate, Elizabeth faced the head of the Farrell family and dared not even take a deep breath. ¡°May I ask what brings Mr. Farrell here so suddenly?¡± she inquired, her gaze shifting to Jared, who sat in a wheelchair, with a sneer of contempt in her heart.

    What good is the Farrell family¡¯s prestige?

    Jared is disabled, and the family¡¯s future won¡¯t fall into his hands.

    ¡°Mrs. Reed, regarding the marriage agreement between our two families, I hope you will reconsider,¡± Logan sat upright, exuding an authoritative aura.

    Elizabeth was surprised that the Farrell family valued the marriage agreement so highly that Mr. Farrell himself had made a personal visit. She was somewhat at a loss. ¡°It¡¯s not that I disagree, it¡¯s that my granddaughter does not consent¡­¡±

    Elizabeth now despised Tina to her core.

    That wretch! Acting on her own, she has made Elizabeth appear so passive before Mr. Farrell.

    ¡°The two children haven¡¯t met before, naturally they mayck affection. But given time, that will change. Rest assured, my grandson is very caring and will not mistreat Miss Amber.¡±

    Before Elizabeth could respond, Logan produced a check. ¡°To show our sincerity, this hundred million dors is our investment. On the day the children get engaged, we will contribute another hundred million.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s eyes widened in shock. A total of two hundred million dors?

    The Farrell family truly was wealthy beyond measure!

    She was so stunned that she found herself at a loss for words.

    Seeing her hesitation, Logan continued, ¡°A few days ago, Amber saved my granddaughter. She is a benefactor to the Farrell family, which surely means our families are fated to be united, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Elizabeth paused. ¡°You must be mistaken. I haven¡¯t heard anything from Amber about saving your granddaughter.¡±

    ¡°She saved a five-year-old girl at the entrance of the mall the other day-that was my granddaughter, Sophia.¡±

    Originally, Jared had asked Nathan to send a thank-you gift, but something came up and it was never delivered.

    Just returning from outside, Amber stopped in her tracks upon hearing this.

    The entrance of the mall?

    Did Tina really save that little girl?

    Amberposed herself and entered.

    ¡°Grandma!¡±

    Amber greeted Elizabeth and then turned to see Jared, her expression faltering.

    So handsome!

    When did Ensford produce such a dashing man?

    She quickly averted her gaze and turned to ask Elizabeth, ¡°Who are they?¡±

    Elizabeth introduced them, ¡°This is Mr. Farrell from the Farrell family, and this is his grandson, Jared.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know Hayden and Nathan, so she did not introduce them.

    Jared?

    Amber¡¯s expression changed, and a hint of disdain shed in her eyes upon looking at Jared.

    So, he¡¯s the disabled one!

    Hah, what use is a good appearance?

    A useless person is still useless.

    Thinking of Mr. Farrell¡¯s earlier words, Amber sneered inwardly. The ugly little girl from the mall entrance was Jared¡¯s sister?

    Truly, birds of a feather flock together!

    One ugly, one disabled!

    While Amber thought this, her face remained impassive. ¡°Mr. Farrell, Mr. Jared Farrell, hello.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Mr. Farrell said with a smile. ¡°Amber, I must thank you for saving Sophia that day. If there¡¯s anything you desire, just ask.¡±

    He had been astute in the business world for many years and had not missed the disdain in Amber¡¯s eyes. If it had been someone else, he might have rebuked them.

    But this was Amber Reed.

    Even if he felt displeased, he could not show it.

    Hearing of a reward, Amber was tempted.

    The Farrell family was the most prestigious in the capital; anything they offered would be of great value.

    However, she quickly suppressed this thought. She did not want any entanglement with Jared. She smiled and said, ¡°I only did what anyone would have done.¡±

    After a pause, Amber added, ¡°By the way, Mr. Farrell, I think there may be a misunderstanding. I¡¯m not the Miss Reed you speak of.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Logan, Jared, Hayden, and Nathan were all taken aback.

    After a moment, Hayden looked at her sharply. ¡°You¡¯re not Miss Reed?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I was adopted. Just a few days ago, my father found his real daughter,¡± Amber said with a light smile.

    Hayden stared at Amber for a few seconds before his expression darkened. ¡°You¡¯re not using this as an excuse to avoid the marriage agreement, are you?¡±

    The fact that Amber was an adopted daughter was true; they knew this from their investigation.

    But they had never heard of Hugo having another daughter.

    Logan¡¯s expression grew increasingly grim. He wasn¡¯t insistent on Jared marrying Amber; he had promised Reba in the past and did not want to be a man who went back on hisword. Therefore, he kept trying to facilitate this marriage agreement.

    The Reed family using such an excuse seemed quite excessive to him.

    Elizabeth noticed Logan¡¯s displeasure and hurriedly exined, ¡°It¡¯s true, I have another granddaughter. She and her mother left years ago and we lost track of them. It¡¯s only recently that we found her again, and she was the one who called Mr. Farrell to cancel the engagement.¡±

    Jared¡¯s deep eyes narrowed slightly, his long fingers tapping on his leg rhythmically.

    The voice of the person who had called him indeed did not sound much like Amber¡¯s.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, could we meet her to talk?¡± Mr. Farrell¡¯s expression eased considerably.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°She¡¯s been called and should be on her way here,¡± Elizabeth said cautiously.

    When Tina arrived at the doorway, Hugo and Jennie were already waiting.

    She greeted them, ¡°Mr. Reed.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Hugo nodded and then exined, ¡°Mrs. Keyton suddenly called me, saying your grandmother had a heart attack and we needed toe back immediately, as she is my mother after all¡­¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. A heart attack?

    So serious, yet not in the hospital, waiting for her son toe and treat her?

    Could her son heal her illness?

    Only someone as naive as Hugo would believe that.

    ¡°Understood. Since we¡¯re here, we might as well visit,¡± she said, curious to see what trick Elizabeth was trying to y.

    They followed the housekeeper inside.

    Upon entering the living room, they saw Mr. Farrell and the others.

    Tina¡¯s gaze met Jared¡¯s, and both were momentarily taken aback.

    Is it him?

    Is it her?

 Chapter 11: I Wonâ€™t Agree

    Jared had not anticipated that the person he had been searching for so long would appear here.

    What was her rtionship with the Reed family?

    Tina, too, had not expected to encounter the person she had saved that day, and for a moment, she was somewhat slow to react.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, this is my granddaughter, Tina Reed,¡± Elizabeth introduced, pointing to Tina.

    Jared¡¯s fingers, resting on the arm of his wheelchair, twitched suddenly, and his peach blossom eyes, narrow and deep, looked at Tina with a trace of surprise on his handsome face.

    Miss Reed?

    Tina Reed?

    The corners of Jared¡¯s mouth involuntarily curled up. If his fiancee was her, then-Soon after, Elizabeth introduced to Tina, ¡°This is Mr. Farrell, the head of the Farrell family, and this is his grandson, Jared.¡±

    Upon hearing Jared¡¯s name, Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly with a touch of astonishment, and her gaze briefly flickered to his legs, her lips curling into a smile that was not quite a smile.

    Jared, meeting her meaningful gaze, stretched out a hand to massage his temple, feeling rather helpless.

    The woman he wanted to break the engagement with had saved his life.

    And to top it off, she knew he was not disabled.

    Tina withdrew her gaze from Jared and greeted them without any sense of inferiority, ¡°Mr. Farrell, Mr. Jared. Hello.¡±

    Jared nodded slightly.

    Then, he suddenly spoke, ¡°Miss Reed, I think you may have misunderstood. What I said that day was, I won¡¯t agree!¡±

    Tina, ¡°!!!¡±

    My goodness, are you even serious?!

    What nonsense are you spouting?

    Hayden, Nathan, ¡°¡­¡±

    His change of heart was faster than a woman¡¯s!

    They had heard him clearly that day; Jared had said he agreed!

    Goodness gracious!

    Now that he knew he was to marry another woman, he was quick to deny it?

    If their brothers knew about this, they¡¯d be shocked to the core!

    Logan turned his head to look at Jared and suddenlyughed.

    To get Jared to agree to an engagement with Miss Reed, he had tried every trick in the book, barely managing to deceive Jared intoing here.

    And now, Miss Reed had turned out to be this Tina, and he didn¡¯t even need to make a fuss; the boy had taken the initiative himself.

    However¡­

    Logan¡¯s gaze lifted to Tina, a profoundly mysterious smile appearing on his lips. This real Miss Reed was going to be much tougher to handle than Amber, and his grandson might have to suffer a bit.

    Logan¡¯s thoughts returned to the present, and he stood up with a smile, ¡°Tina! We came here today to discuss if you might reconsider your decision?¡±

    He liked Tina more, and he admired her more.

    Because from the moment she entered and learned of Jared¡¯s identity, there was not a hint of disdain in her eyes, and he could even tell that her cancetion of the engagement was not because Jared was disabled.

    Amber was different; she only had disdain and disgust for Jared.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Farrell, I am still young and not currently interested in marriage. Mr. Jared is so outstanding, he will surely find a good match,¡± Tina responded calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s call off this engagement!¡±

    ¡°I am disabled, good women are beyond my reach, and I have finally obtained such a favorable marriage proposition. It¡¯s impossible to call it off. Perhaps you could make do, Miss Reed?¡± Jared¡¯s voice was slow and deliberate.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Hayden and Nathan were even more astonished, staring at Jared in disbelief!

    Holy smokes!

    Big news!

    Jared ying the rogue?

    Logan was smiling so hard his eyes were nearly shut; his grandson had finally smartened up!

    Jared lifted his gaze, looked at Tina¡¯s unwellplexion, and with a curve of his lips, he then said to Elizabeth, ¡°I think one month is toote for an engagement. Five days from now is a good date, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is a good date!¡± Elizabeth hadn¡¯t expected Jared to be so eager and was momentarily at a loss.

    Fortunately, she had been through many events and quickly said, ¡°Then let¡¯s set the engagement for five days from now. ording to the customs of Ensford, the engagement should be arranged by us, but I don¡¯t know what you think?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do it this way,¡± Jared was in a good mood, his tone even carrying a hint of pleasure.

    With that, they all left.

    Upon leaving, Hayden felt a gaze upon him, and when he looked up, he met Tina¡¯s clear eyes, his face flushing red.

    It wasn¡¯t until they had left the Reed family that Hayden came back to his senses, turning to Jared and saying, ¡°Mr. Farrell, did you notice that Miss Reed kept lookingat me?¡±

    Jared nced at him indifferently, ¡°I noticed.¡±

    Hearing this, Hayden became excited, ¡°Do you think she¡¯s taken a liking to me?¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed, a sharp glint passing through them like a de.

    Hayden shrank back a little, but still held his ground, ¡°Then why do you think Miss Reed was looking at me?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re ugly,¡± Jared said expressionlessly.

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    Moon Gate Estate.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    After Jared and the others had left, Hugo turned to Elizabeth, ¡°Mom! Why do you make decisions for Tina on your own? I¡¯ve said it before, she will not marry Jared!¡±

    Elizabeth sat back down, ncing at him indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t say I¡¯m heartless. There are still five days until the engagement; I¡¯m giving you time to think it over.¡±

    She lifted her eyes, her voice cool, ¡°Don¡¯t me me for not warning you. Without the protection of the Reed family, I don¡¯t know what kind of life you all could have. By the way, Zackary¡¯s enrollment in that kindergarten was arranged by me. I heard they have some qualification assessment this year, and a child with average abilities like Zackary might not be admitted.¡±

    Hugo suddenly looked up, ¡°He¡¯s your grandson! Mom! Do you really need to be so ruthless?¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯m giving you time to think,¡± she said.

    Elizabeth took a sip of water, ¡°Alright! I¡¯m tired. You may leave.¡±

    Hugo wanted to say more, but Elizabeth was no longer paying attention.

    With no other choice, he could only leave with Jennie and Tina.

    After they had gone, Amber approached Elizabeth, gently massaging her shoulders and whispered, ¡°Grandma, do you think Dad will agree?¡±

    Elizabeth, with her eyes closed, enjoying thefort on her shoulders, her voice was faint, ¡°He will agree. Without a ce to live, without a job, what will he use to support his family? Amber, you have to understand, no matter how proud some people are, they have to bow their heads for a living.¡±

    A cold light shed briefly in Amber¡¯s eyes, ¡°But what if Dad finds a ce to stay?¡±

    ¡°The little money he has in his hands, he can¡¯t even think about renting a house, let alone affording their future meals,¡± Elizabeth said quietly, ¡°Moreover, I¡¯ve already talked to some people. In Ensford, most people will still give me face.¡±

    Amber secretly felt relieved.

 Chapter 12: Not the Same Miss Reed

    In the following days, Hugo scattered his resume across the inte, but not a singlepany was willing to employ him. Simply because he was Hugo Reed, Elizabeth¡¯s son. Hugo was deeply disheartened, and had be quite despondent in the past couple of days. Tina had been going back and forth to City Hospital to treat Sophia. After several days of acupuncture treatment,bined with her medication, Sophia¡¯s health had improved significantly. The toxins were gradually receding.

    That day, as usual, Tina performed acupuncture on Sophia. Once finished, she packed up her acupuncture bag and said to Sophia, ¡°From tomorrow on, we won¡¯t need to do acupuncture anymore. We¡¯ll start applying a medicinal ointment, which is crucial. It¡¯s going to be very painful, and there won¡¯t be any painkillers. You must endure it.¡±

    Sophia pursed her lips and then nodded solemnly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Miss Reed, I will endure it.¡± She was determined not to worry those who loved her, no matter how painful it was.

    Tina nodded in response and turned to Mrs. Brown to instruct, ¡°Prepare some light food for her tomorrow morning and make sure she drinks plenty of water.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Mrs. Brown didn¡¯t understand why she had so readily agreed to help Tina treat Sophia in secret from Jared, but over the past few days, she had clearly seen an improvement in Sophia¡¯s condition. She felt that perhaps Tina could indeed cure Sophia¡¯s illness. After Tina gave her instructions, she left.

    Half an hourter, Jared, Nathan, and Hayden returned. Sophia was sitting by the window, watching cartoons.

    ¡°Jared, you¡¯re back?¡± As soon as Sophia looked up and saw Jared, her voice was filled with joy.

    Jared pushed the wheelchair over and gently stroked her head, ¡°How are you feeling today?¡±

    ¡°Really good! I feel like I¡¯ll be able to do things like normal people very soon,¡± Sophia said with twinkling eyes and a cheerful smile. She was eager to share with Jared about Miss Reed treating her, but she had promised Miss Reed not to tell anyone else about her treatment.

    Seeing her in good spirits genuinely relieved Jared. After a brief silence, he said to Nathan, ¡°Go ask Ben if Sophia can be discharged!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± Sophia eximed in panic upon hearing this.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate the hospital?¡± Jared gently raised his hand, his fingertips softly grazing Sophia¡¯s cheek with tender affection, ¡°It¡¯s too noisy here, not good for rest.¡± Even though it was a VIP ward, it was still a hospital and not very quiet.

    ¡°But I think it¡¯s good here!¡± Sophia¡¯s clear eyes blinked, and with a coquettish grip on his arm, she pleaded, ¡°Jared, can we not go back, please?¡± If they went back, Miss Reed wouldn¡¯t be able to treat her anymore.

    Jared¡¯s charming peach blossom eyes regarded Sophia as he tapped his slender fingers against the edge of the wheelchair, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment, his lips parted slightly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Jared,¡± Sophia smiled sweetly.

    After Sophia fell asleep, Jared called Mrs. Brown outside the ward. At the door, he asked in a low voice, ¡°Why does Sophia suddenly want to stay in the hospital? Has she met any strangers?¡± Sophia hated hospitals due to her illness, to the extent that she even disliked Ben, who treated her. Usually, without him around, Sophia would not cooperate. Her sudden initiative to stay at the hospital was unusual.

    Upon seeing Jared¡¯s probing eyes, Mrs. Brown felt guilty but tried to appear calm, ¡°Miss Sophia has been talking about the Miss Reed who saved her every day. She probably wants to wait for Miss Reed here.¡± She hoped this answer would suffice.

    Jared thought of Tina. If she was the one who saved Sophia¡­ Suddenly, he was struck by a realization! Miss Reed! Tina Reed! Could it really be her? He shelved his thoughts and looked up at Mrs. Brown, ¡°Do you remember what that Miss Reed looked like?¡±

    Mrs. Brown¡¯s heart skipped a beat, fearing that Jared had learned something and wanted to cause trouble for Miss Reed. That could not happen! Miss Reed had said that the next phase of treatment starting tomorrow was crucial. If because of this Miss Reed stopped treating her, then Sophia¡­ With that thought, Mrs. Brown quickly said, ¡°I can¡¯t remember clearly.¡±

    Jared was silent for a moment, then nodded and did not ask further.

    After Mrs. Brown went back into the ward, Hayden turned to Jared, ¡°Jared, why didn¡¯t you ask Amber to treat Sophia when you were at the Reed family? Maybe she could cure Sophia.¡±

    Although in his heart, no one couldpare to Serena, Sophia¡¯s condition was not very optimistic, and she might not have many months left. He also couldn¡¯t locate Serena at the moment. Even if Amber couldn¡¯t cureSophia, keeping her alive was something to be considered, giving them time to find someone else.

    Jared¡¯s narrow peach blossom eyes slightly lifted, and with a faint smile, he asked, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s Amber who saved Sophia?¡±

    Hayden was taken aback, then replied, ¡°Who else could it be if not Amber?¡±

    Nathan raised his eyes slightly and said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s another Miss Reed who has recently been found and brought back to the Reed family.¡±

    ¡°Tina Reed?¡± Hayden¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°How could it be? She¡¯s been in the countryside all this time, and I heard she didn¡¯t even finish high school!¡± Of course, these were Elizabeth¡¯s words.

    Jared nced at Hayden and then pulled out his phone from his pocket, found the call Tina had made to him the other day, and dialed it.

    ¡°Miss Reed, this is Jared!¡±

    Pinkwater Alley.

    Tina, receiving Jared¡¯s call, raised an eyebrow, ¡°Mr. Farrell, have you changed your mind?¡±

    The Jared on the other end of the phone, ¡°¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t give him any chance to speak right from the start!

    He cleared his throat, ¡°Such a delicate wife as Miss Reed is hard toe by, how could I give her up? I¡¯d like to invite Miss Reed to a simple dinner!¡±

    ¡°No time!¡± Almost as soon as Jared finished speaking, Tina tly refused. After a pause, she added, ¡°Or perhaps Mr. Farrell hase to his senses and agrees to give up the marriage contract, then we could have a farewell dinner!¡±

    ¡°I found a pendant at Serenity Ridge, thought it might be yours, but now I think about it, you probably haven¡¯t lost anything, so I won¡¯t disturb you¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Tina interrupted sharply, ¡°Send me the address.¡±

    Jared¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Half an hourter.

    In a VIP room at Edgeworth Hotel.

    Tina walked in, with Jared already waiting inside. This time, he wasn¡¯t in a wheelchair.

    Tina nced at him briefly and walked over, ¡°Where¡¯s the item?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared took a jade pendant out of his luxurious suit pocket.

    As Tina reached out to take it, he withdrew his hand and tucked it back into his pocket, ¡°Is this pendant important to you?¡±

    Tina looked at him coldly, not speaking.

    Jared¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile, all his movements emanated an air of cultured grace, ¡°How about we have dinner first?¡±

 Chapter 13: Tina, are you trying to murder your own husband?

    Tina¡¯s gaze grew slightly stern, her cool eyes fixating on him for a moment before she took a seat across from him. Then she said to the waiter, ¡°Bring us the most expensive dish from every category on the menu.¡±

    The waiter was taken aback and kindly reminded her, ¡°Miss, our hotel offers over a hundred dishes, and each is quite expensive. Since there are only two of you, isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡±

    Tina lifted her gaze, her red lips curving into a faint smile, her delicate and slender finger pointing at Jared across the table, her voice melodious, ¡°Then let¡¯s start with the three signature dishes, and have the rest packed and sent to Pinkwater Ally. He¡¯ll pick up the tab.¡±

    The waiter looked towards Jared.

    Jared, with a smile lurking at the corner of his lips, took out a bank card and handed it to the waiter, ¡°As she says.¡±

    With a nod, the waiter left.

    Soon, all three dishes were served.

    Tina didn¡¯t hesitate to start eating.

    Jared poured her a drink and then filled his own ss with wine, raising it to say, ¡°Miss Reed, I owe you my thanks for saving me at Serenity Ridgest time.¡±

    He didn¡¯t mention any repayment.

    He could almost guess that once he offered repayment, this girl would surely demand the cancetion of their engagement as her due.

    Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, narrowing into a smile, ¡°As for repayment, just cancel the engagement.¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    His handsome face almost couldn¡¯t maintainposure for a moment!

    Could this girl read minds?

    ¡°Indeed, a repayment is due,¡± Jared said, taking a sip of his wine, his voice smooth and lingering, ¡°How about I offer myself in marriage instead?¡±

    ¡°Not interested!¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze appraised Jared, whose good looks were quite appealing-shame about theck of modesty!

    ¡°Then¡­¡± Jared took out the pendant again, his long fingers caressing it, still maintaining his gentleposure, ¡°What if I exchange this pendant for your agreement to our engagement?¡±

    Tina¡¯s expression darkened, a coldness enveloping her exquisite face, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a repayment!¡± Jared¡¯s smile deepened, ¡°I found a pendant that is very important to you, shouldn¡¯t you be grateful?¡±

    Tina felt an urge to beat Jared up.

    Had she known he was such a rogue, she should have left him in the mountains of Serenity Ridge to be fed to the dogs!

    Tina looked up at him, suddenly smiling, ¡°The pendant isn¡¯t that important to me. Since you¡¯re reluctant to give it back, just throw it away!¡±

    Jared¡¯s smile twitched; this girl¡­ was not so easily fooled.

    He ced the pendant in front of Tina, ¡°I have one of these pendants too.¡±

    Tina suddenly looked up, her face serious, ¡°Where did you get it?¡±

    She and her mother had each had a pendant, but after her mother¡¯s death, while sorting through her belongings, Tina discovered her mother¡¯s pendant was missing.

    She recalled the information she had someone gather: after her mother¡¯s death, Jared had also visited their residence, searching for someone.

    Was he searching for a person or an object?

    Tina¡¯s eyes grew colder, a fierce air about her.

    ¡°A keepsake from an old friend!¡± Jared looked up, his tone no longer light, but heavy, ¡°Miss Reed, I invited you here today to thank you for saving my life that day, and secondly, to ask you to reconsider our engagement.¡±

    If the pendant weren¡¯t Tina¡¯s, he wouldn¡¯t insist on not canceling the engagement!

    But since he found the pendant, and she was the Miss Reed to whom he was engaged, this marriage-could not be broken off!

    Tina lowered her eyes to the pendant on the table, seemingly in thought.

    After a while, she put the pendant away, ¡°I will reconsider.¡±

    ¡°Good!¡± Jared smiled warmly, ¡°I¡¯ll await your answer.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t say more and stood to leave, but Jared suddenly remembered something, ¡°There¡¯s another thing, I need your help to save my sister.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes curved into a smile, her mouth holding a mischievous grin, ¡°Mr. Farrell, do you think that just because I saved you, it means I¡¯m inherently kind-hearted?¡±

    Jared¡¯s lips parted to speak, but Tina suddenly leaned forward, closing the distance between them to mere inches, a small dagger appearing in her hand, resting against his neck.

    Her whisper was seductive, ¡°I could save you, or I could kill you.¡±

    Her warm breath on his ear made his body temperature soar.

    Jared tensed for a moment, his long fingers touching the sharp dagger, taking it away, ¡°Tina, are you plotting to murder your own husband?¡±

    Tina¡¯s cheeks reddenedunexpectedly at his sudden closeness, her eyes flickering away in difort.

    Jared reached out to encircle her waist from behind, drawing her closer, his voice tempting, ¡°I¡¯m quite capable in many ways; killing me would be a waste, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    His voice seemed to carry a magical power, especially those eyes, electrifying Tina¡¯s heart with a thud.

    Ah!

    This damnable man!

    The suffocating atmosphere!

    After a moment, she chided herself for falling into his trap without even realizing it, despite her usual discipline and restraint.

    She stood up, putting some distance between them, and slowly put away the dagger, ¡°It would be a shame to ruin such a handsome face.¡±

    Jared¡¯s smile deepened, ¡°Then, Tina, would you consider helping treat my sister? There¡¯s a reward!¡±

    Tinaposed herself, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong person. I can¡¯t help you. It was someone else who helped you that day.¡±

    Jared was taken aback, but before he could speak, Tina added, ¡°Whether or not the engagement is canceled depends on Mr. Farrell¡¯s sincerity.¡±

    With that, she turned and left.

    Tina hailed a cab back to Pinkwater Ally.

    Just as she arrived at the entrance of theplex, she saw Hugo and Jennie, both with frantic expressions, blocking the car.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Hurry, to Kongham Kindergarten¡­¡±

    Tina¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as she got out of the car, ¡°Mr. Reed, what happened?¡±

    Hugo turned abruptly, spotting Tina, and paused, ¡°Tina?¡±

    She nodded, asking, ¡°Where are you rushing off to?¡±

    ¡°Your brother¡¯s school called. They said Zackary got into a fight with another child, and someone was hurt. They¡¯ve asked us toe quickly!¡±

    Jennie¡¯s eyes were rimmed with red, ¡°Zackary is well-behaved and timid. How could he suddenly hit someone? I¡¯m so worried.¡±

    Hugo turned to Tina and said, ¡°Tina, you go home. We¡¯ll go to the school.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes lowered thoughtfully, then after a moment, she pressed her lips together and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    At Kongham Kindergarten, in the principal¡¯s office.

    ¡°Miss Walker, you shouldn¡¯t have admitted such a poor, uncultured creature into the school¡­¡±

    As Tina and the others approached the door, a sharp, harsh voice was heard.

    Though Hugo was a bit gentle in disposition, he was fiercely protective of his children.

    He could not stand anyone speaking ill of them.

    Hearing such words, he rushed in immediately, ¡°Who are you calling uncultured?¡±

 Chapter 14: Village Girl Hacking

    Inside the office, a thirty-year-old woman d in designer clothes exuded an aura of luxury.

    Beside her stood a five-year-old boy, his head tilted back as he sneered at the small boy cowering in the corner, his lips curled in a wicked smile, brazenness personified.

    Opposite the affluent woman were the kindergarten principal and the responsible teacher.

    ¡°Zackary!¡± Jennie, spotting the boy in the corner, rushed over, tears welling up in her eyes, ¡°My God! What happened to you? Why is your nose still bleeding?¡±

    As she spoke, she hurriedly took out a tissue to wipe Zackary¡¯s nosebleed.

    Tina¡¯s gaze shifted to Zackary, her cool phoenix eyes narrowing slightly, a chill emanating from her presence.

    Children fighting?

    Hmm~ Zackary¡¯s face and eyes were swollen, and he still had a nosebleed. Is this children fighting?

    Hugo¡¯s face flushed with anger upon seeing Zackary in this condition. Turning to the principal and teacher, he asked coldly, ¡°My child has been beaten like this, and you all do nothing?¡±

    The principal sighed, ¡°Ah, Mr. Reed, it¡¯s not our fault. We don¡¯t know what happened. Zackary suddenly started hitting Mel, and when we arrived, he was holding a knife.¡±

    The principal nced at Hugo and continued, ¡°This is a serious matter; we could only notify the parents. Mel¡¯s parents arrived before you and insisted that we give them an exnation. We¡¯ve been dealing with this¡­¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me,¡± Zackary, nestled in Jennie¡¯s arms, exined in a small voice.

    Probably too scared, he hid in Jennie¡¯s embrace, his tiny body trembling.

    Hugo felt a pang of difort. Elizabeth didn¡¯t like him, and by extension, she didn¡¯t like Zackary either.

    Since he was little, Zackary had been bullied in the Reed family, which led him to be timid and cowardly, even introverted and reluctant to speak.

    With today¡¯s events, he might be even more unwilling to talk in the future.

    Thinking of this, Hugo looked up, nearly grinding his teeth, ¡°I know my own child; he would never start a fight. Even if he did today, and he was wrong, he¡¯s hurt, his nose is still bleeding. Can¡¯t you see that? Couldn¡¯t you get a doctor to look at him first? Solve this after we arrive?¡±

    Before the principal could reply, the wealthy woman burst out angrily, ¡°What kind of attitude is that? Your son hit mine, and instead of apologizing, you me others? I tell you, if anything happens to my son, I won¡¯t let you off!¡±

    After her tirade, she red at Zackary with resentment, ¡°Even little kids know to use knives. When he grows up, is he going to kill everyone he dislikes? It would be better if such a child were drowned in a toilet.¡±

    Jennie, who had beenforting the emotionally unstable Zackary, couldn¡¯t hold back her anger upon hearing the wealthy woman¡¯s words, ¡°You are simply too malicious! The truth of the matter is not yet clear, and you have already condemned my son! Do you know how much psychological shadow you can cast on my son by saying this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about all that,¡± the wealthy woman said haughtily. ¡°In any case, your son hit mine, and he mustpensate. He must also be expelled from kindergarten, or else I will report this to the media and let everyone see the kind of son you¡¯ve raised.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Jennie was beyond furious.

    Hugo clenched his fists, his face full of anger, but he was speechless.

    The other party insisted Zackary was the aggressor, and they couldn¡¯t argue against it.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Tina, who had been quiet, now lifted her gaze slightly, her enchanting eyes sweeping over the principal and the wealthy woman, her lips parting slightly with a hint of coolness in her voice, ¡°You say he hit someone. Where¡¯s the evidence?¡±

    Her hands tucked in her pockets, her demeanor casual, a lock of hair falling across her forehead in a devil-may-care manner.

    Hugo snapped back to reality at her words, ¡°Right! I remember the school has surveince. I want to check the footage.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, the faces of the wealthy woman and the principal shed with difort. ¡°The surveince has been broken sincest week.¡±

    Their expressions did not escape Tina¡¯s notice.

    Her eyes grew colder.

    Hugo stiffened, broken?

    What a coincidence?

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, her eyes bright with an alluring smile, ¡°Broken? Perfectly fine, I can fix it!¡±

    The color drained from the faces of both the wealthy woman and the principal as they felt a wave of unease.

    Hugo and Jennie were also shocked.

    She hadn¡¯t received much education, hadshe?

    Tina caught the principal and the wealthy woman¡¯s expressions and turned to inquire of Hugo, ¡°Mr. Reed, do you know where their surveince room is?¡±

    Hugo, still not quite over her im of being able to fix the surveince, nodded dumbly, ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Take me there,¡± Tina said, and then she headed for the door.

    The principal and the wealthy woman were taken aback.

    The wealthy woman was the first to run over, blocking Tina¡¯s path, ¡°No way! The surveince is already broken, who knows if you¡¯ll tamper with it? Frame my son?¡±

    The principal echoed, ¡°Our surveince room is off-limits to outsiders.¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze dropped, her expression calm on her delicate, porcin face, ¡°So, you want to call the police?¡±

    The principal was caught off-guard, how could they let the policee?

    If the police came, it would be herst day as a principal.

    At that moment, the teacher pulled the principal aside and whispered, ¡°Miss Walker, just let her go. The footage has already been deleted, she¡¯s just trying to scare us.¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, the principal turned to Tina, ¡°Then I will take you there.¡±

    Minutester.

    The principal led Tina and the others to the surveince room.

    Tina did not waste words with them; she simply had the security guard get up and took his ce.

    She first searched for the day¡¯s surveince footage. The entire day¡¯s footage was there, except for the half hour prior, which had disappeared.

    She turned her head, giving the principal a sidelong nce, speaking coolly, ¡°Is this what you call a broken surveince system?¡±

    The principal¡¯s face turned red, and she offered an uneasy exnation, ¡°The security said it was broken, I was too busy, I didn¡¯t know if it was fixed.¡±

    Tina ignored her, her slim, pale fingers moving rapidly over theputer keyboard.

    Her speed was so fast that no one could see exactly what she was doing.

    Hugo and Jennie were so astonished that their jaws nearly dropped.

    Who would have thought Tina was so skilled withputers?

    Her speed was even better than theirpany¡¯s IT engineers.

    And the principal, wealthy woman, and teacher beside them turned ashen-faced.

    My God!

    She really knows her way aroundputers!

    If she restored that segment of the footage, they were finished.

    With this thought, the wealthy woman immediately spoke up, ¡°What are you trying to do? You haven¡¯t apologized yet, wasting my time? I warn you, I will¡­¡±

    Before she could finish her sentence, she saw the surveince footage on theputer screen, her mouth hanging open, speechless.

    Tina turned her head, her dark pupils fixed on her, her voice colder than frost, ¡°What were you saying?¡±

 Chapter 15: Bear the Consequences Yourself

    The wealthy woman retreated two steps unconsciously, intimidated by the gaze she met. Those eyes were terrifying, reminiscent of the Grim Reaper from hell.

    ¡°I, I¡­¡± She was at a loss for words under Tina¡¯s intimidating stare.

    The principal and the ss teacher were also taken aback by Tina¡¯s presence, unable to respond for a long while.

    Hugo, watching the scene through the monitor, roared in anger, ¡°This is outrageous! It was your Mel who pped my son for no reason, and you dare to gang up and frame him! He¡¯s only five years old and you¡¯ve frightened him to the point where he¡¯s too scared to speak. Are you even human?¡±

    The principal and the wealthy woman shuddered at his bellowing.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, it¡¯s a misunderstanding,¡± the principal quickly said with an apologetic smile, ¡°It was my oversight. I only saw Zackary with a knife and assumed he hit Mel without conducting a proper investigation. I apologize to you.¡±

    ¡°If apologies were enough, what would we need the police for?¡± Tina said calmly, turning her head slightly.

    Jennie, already furious, snapped to her senses at Tina¡¯s words, and shouted, ¡°Hugo, let¡¯s call the police! We must seek justice for our son today!¡±

    Hugo immediately took out his phone to make the call.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    The principal, in a panic, hurried to stop him, ¡°Mr. Reed, please give us a chance, I assure you this will never happen again.¡±

    The wealthy woman also hastily said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault. I med Zackary without getting the facts straight. I apologize, and I¡¯m willing topensate, how about $500, 000?¡±

    Hugo looked at her coldly, without a word.

    ¡°One million? Or name your price, as long as I can afford it,¡± pleaded the wealthy woman, now truly desperate.

    They had status in Ensford and if the police were to take them away, it would affect her family¡¯spany. Her mother-inw would never forgive her.

    ¡°Do you think money can buy everything?¡± Hugo said nkly, ¡°Can money undo the humiliation my son suffered today? Who can heal the wounds of his soul?¡±

    ¡°I can exin,¡± the wealthy woman hurriedly said, ¡°It was your mother who told me to do this. My husband has a contract he wants to sign with your family¡¯spany, and your mother instructed me to find a way to get Zackary expelled¡­ I¡­¡±

    The principal nodded along, ¡°Yes, it was Mrs. Reed. I didn¡¯t want to do it, but she threatened me. If I didn¡¯tply, I couldn¡¯t continue as the principal.¡±

    Hugo was shocked; he never expected that his mother, in her efforts to have Tina married to Jared, would stoop to harming her own grandson.

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Elizabeth would stop at nothing to get her way.

    She nced at the wealthy woman and the principal and said indifferently, ¡°Let the police handle it.¡±

    With that, she turned and walked away.

    The wealthy woman fell to her knees before them, crying, ¡°I was wrong, truly wrong. Please, forgive me, I promise it won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    Tina turned back, her gaze calm, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t restored the surveince, would my brother have been wrongfully med?¡±

    The wealthy woman was speechless.

    Indeed, if the surveince hadn¡¯t been restored, Zackary would have been held responsible.

    Tina¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile, ¡°So, bear the consequences yourself.¡±

    She paused, then turned to the principal, ¡°Also, we¡¯re withdrawing from school.¡±

    After leaving the kindergarten, Hugo took Zackary to the hospital.

    Tina initially thought it unnecessary; she could have taken care of it herself. But considering Hugo probably wouldn¡¯t trust her, she didn¡¯t offer.

    Zackary had only minor injuries, except for a more serious bruise on his nose from Mel¡¯s forceful p.

    After the examination, the police arrived to take their statements. Tina handed over the surveince footage she had copied from the kindergarten.

    She didn¡¯t involve herself in the aftermath.

    Returning to Pinkwater Ally, it was already evening.

    Jennie, with a timid Zackary in tow, approached Tina and whispered, ¡°Zackary, this is your sister, Tina.¡±

    Zackary looked down, too scared to meet Tina¡¯s eyes, but he mustered a soft, ¡°Tina.¡±

    His timidity and fear touched the deepest part of Tina¡¯s heart, reminding her of her own fear and helplessness when she and her mother had been chased years ago.

    She gently touched Zackary¡¯s face, her voice softer than usual, ¡°Does it hurt?¡±

    Zackary looked up, dazedly staring at Tina, and shook his head, ¡°Not anymore.¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Good.¡± She then retrieved several items from her room.

    Handing o Zackary, she said, ¡°This is a gift for you.¡±

    It was a set of anime figures.

    ¡°Wow!¡± Zackary eximed in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s thetest anime model. I love it, thank you, Tina.¡±

    ¡°If you like it, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    She then handed the other two items to Hugo and Jennie, ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, these are gifts for you.¡±

    She had intended to buy them gifts thest time she went shopping, but the incident with Sophia had made her forget. She had made another tripter.

    Not knowing their preferences, she had chosen clothes for both Hugo and Jennie. There was something for Elsa too, but since she hadn¡¯t seen her, she held onto it.

    Hugo looked at the clothes she handed over in surprise, ¡°Lvywood? These must be worth thousands, where did you get so much money?¡±

    Tina rubbed her temples, ¡°I just-earned it?¡±

    Hugo immediately tried to give the clothes back, ¡°I can¡¯t ept this. You earned your money with hard work. Keep it for yourself. You should return these and save the money.¡±

    Tina paused for a moment, ¡°Keep them. It only cost me a thousand. I helped the store owner the other day, and he gave me a discount.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Hugo was skeptical.

    ¡°Really.¡±

    Sighing, Tina thought she¡¯d rather not lie anymore just to make someone ept a gift.

    Hugo happily epted the clothes and immediately went to try them on.

    Jennie, looking at the clothes in her hands, felt a warm heart. Indeed, a daughter was considerate.

    Momentster, they emerged in the new outfits, both beaming with joy. The clothes looked good and fitted well.

    ¡°Thank you, Tina. We love them,¡± said Hugo, touching the fabric on his body, unable to stop smiling.

    Tina smiled back and then asked, ¡°Mr. Reed, aside from Kongham Kindergarten, which other preschool in Ensford is better?¡±

    ¡°The best is Royal Oaks, but it¡¯s very hard to get in. Money isn¡¯t enough; you have to pass an exam,¡± Hugo exined, ¡°Forget about Zackary, he didn¡¯t pass the exam. I¡¯ll look at other kindergartens in the next few days.¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Okay, got it.¡±

    Once back in her room, Tina took out her phone and called Cole.

    The phone connected quickly, ¡°Serena.¡±

    ¡°Arrange a spot for me at Royal Oaks Kindergarten.¡±

 Chapter 16: Accepted by Royal Oaks

    The following day.

    At eight in the morning, Hugo¡¯s family was having breakfast when his phone began to ring.

    The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number.

    Hugo had grown numb to answering calls from unknown numberstely.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    They were all responses frompanies he had sent his resume to.

    Without exception, the response was: ¡°Sorry Mr. Reed, you do not meet ourpany¡¯s hiring criteria.¡±

    Hugo sighed and answered the call.

    ¡°May I speak with Zackary¡¯s father, Zackary Reed?¡± The person on the other end of the line was extremely polite.

    ¡°I am. Who is this?¡± Hugo asked as he served Tina some food.

    ¡°I¡¯m the assistant principal at Royal Oaks Kindergarten. I¡¯m calling today to inform you that Zackary Reed has been admitted.¡±

    Hugo paused, his hand holding the chopsticks froze, and he was stunned.

    It took him a moment to ask in a trembling voice, ¡°Who did you say you are?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the assistant principal at Royal Oaks Kindergarten.¡± The person replied, still with a friendly and gentle demeanor.

    Hugo¡¯s mouth dropped open in shock and he suddenly stood up, excitedly saying, ¡°Royal Oaks? Are you saying, my Zackary has been admitted?¡±

    Jennie also stood up excitedly.

    Tina simply lifted her eyes and continued to eat calmly.

    Turning her head, she saw Zackary looking at her; she handed him a meat bun, softly saying, ¡°Eat more, you¡¯re too thin.¡±

    Zackary smiled at her and obediently said, ¡°Thank you, Tina.¡±

    Meanwhile, Hugo, seeing Jennie¡¯s excited gaze, put the phone on speaker.

    Then the person on the line said, ¡°Yes, we have reviewed your son¡¯s file, and he meets our admission criteria. Do you ept our invitation?¡±

    The assistant principal sounded quite helpless!

    For anyone else, would they have to repeat themselves so many times?

    But this was Zackary Reed!

    The instruction hade down from above; they had to admit him.

    So he had to be patient.

    ¡°Agree! Of course, I agree!¡± Hugo replied quickly, fearing the caller might change their mind, his voice doubling in volume.

    ¡°Then please stay at home today; I will arrange for someone to deliver the admission notice to your house,¡± the assistant finished, and the call was disconnected.

    After the call, Jennie excitedly grabbed Hugo¡¯s arm, slightly incoherent, ¡°Hugo, is it true? Our Zackary¡­ has been admitted to Royal Oaks?¡±

    My goodness!

    Royal Oaks!

    That was a school money alone couldn¡¯t buy into!

    And connections were not enough either!

    Previously, Elizabeth had tried to get Pinewood and Talon¡¯s sons into Royal Oaks, pulling many strings, all in vain.

    Recently, it was heard that Talon¡¯s son had taken the Royal Oaks entrance exam again.

    ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± Hugo felt as if he were dreaming; he had never imagined such good fortune would happen to his family.

    ¡°My goodness! Our Tina is a lucky child!¡± Jennie could hardly contain her joy, ¡°Ever since Tina came back, not only have we been able to live in Pinkwater Ally, but Zackary has been admitted to Royal Oaks Kindergarten. Tina is our family¡¯s lucky star.¡±

    Jennie wished she could hug Tina and kiss her.

    Tina, sensing her intent, thought: No! I don¡¯t want to be kissed!

    ¡°Exactly! Tina is a lucky star!¡± Hugo said cheerfully, ¡°That¡¯s why we must not let Tina marry Jared, don¡¯t let Jared wipe away Tina¡¯s luck. We need to find someone equally fortunate for her so that her future will be ever brighter.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    What does being fortunate have to do with marrying Jared?

    However, seeing their happiness, she didn¡¯t interrupt.

    In the afternoon.

    At Moon Gate Estate.

    Elizabeth sat at the head of the table, with Talon and Pinewood on either side.

    Pinewood, frowning, asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on with Hugo? Why hasn¡¯t there been any movement?¡±

    Talon looked at Elizabeth, ¡°It¡¯s been three days now; we must hurry and get Hugo to agree, otherwise, this marriage deal is off.¡±

    Elizabeth picked up a teacup beside her, her eyes aged and subdued, her expression grim.

    Yesterday, she had received a call from the principal; the task she had instructed had failed.

    Those three had been caught, and the principal and the teacher had been dismissed.

    She was the mastermind and had to get those three out.

    Fortunately, not many knew about this, so it had little impact on her.

    But to her surprise, she didn¡¯t know Tina was so skilled withputers, even able to recover already deleted surveince footage.

    Wasn¡¯t she raised in Serenity Ridge?

    It was said she hadn¡¯t left the mountain in ten years and probably hadn¡¯t gone to school, so who taught her aboutputers?

    ¡°Mother! Say something. The marriage contract with the Farrell family cannot fail,¡± Pinewood said anxiously, ¡°Ever since Hugo refused to share the perfume form, our business has plummeted. Now, only our old customers use our perfume. If we don¡¯t attract new investments to develop new forms soon, ourpany won¡¯t survive.¡±

    Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and said in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Haven¡¯t I taught you? To seed, you must handle things steadily.¡±

    She set down her teacup and said to Talon, ¡°You have a decent rtionship with Hugo; go find out what¡¯s happening.¡±

    ¡°Hugo won¡¯t even answer my calls now; how am I supposed to find out?¡± Talon replied, irritated.

    He had called Hugo many times in the past few days, but Hugo had not responded.

    He had tried everything, but there was no way to meet Hugo if Hugo refused to see him.

    As the conversation ended, the butler walked in, ¡°Madam, we¡¯ve received a courier; they say it¡¯s from Royal Oaks Kindergarten, delivering an admission notice.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Talon immediately stood up, excitedly saying, ¡°Royal Oaks Kindergarten? Did Bobby get in?¡±

    Elizabeth also looked pleased, ¡°Quickly, have theme in!¡±

    The butler nodded and went out.

    Momentster, he returned with two men in business suits.

    As they entered, they presented their work IDs and said with a smile, ¡°Hello, we are from Royal Oaks Kindergarten, here to deliver an admission notice.¡±

    Elizabeth nodded with a smile.

    The Royal Oaks Kindergarten was different indeed; their professional attitude set them apart from other schools.

    No wonder countless people were desperate to get their children into Royal Oaks each year.

    It made sense.

    Talon hurried forward, ¡°Is it for my child?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± one of the men replied, ¡°May I ask if you are Mr. Hugo Reed? The principal instructed us to hand over the admission notice to you personally.¡±

    Talon was taken aback, ¡°I am Bobby Reed¡¯s father. Why does the admission notice need to go to my brother?¡±

    The man looked puzzled for a moment, then still smiling, said, ¡°We have admitted Zackary Reed, so naturally, we must give the admission notice to his father.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Elizabeth, Pinewood, Amber, and Talon, who were sitting in the middle of the living room, all widened their eyes in disbelief at the two.

 Chapter 17: Mr. Reed, I Will Make Money

    The room was so quiet!

    It took a long while for Talon to regain hisposure before he hurriedly asked, ¡°Is there a mistake? The one who took the exam was my son, Bobby, not Zackary.¡±

    The two messengers exchanged nces, then opened the admission letter to check the name, and said sternly, ¡°There is no mistake, it is indeed Zackary who has been admitted.¡±

    After a pause, one of the messengers seemed to remember something and said, ¡°Oh, I remember Bobby you¡¯re talking about; he didn¡¯t pass the exam.¡±

    Talon felt as if he had been pped in the face twice!

    It was extremely upsetting!

    The un-favored Zackary of the Reed family had actually been admitted to Royal Oaks.

    What was this situation?

    Elizabeth couldn¡¯t hold back either and stood up to ask, ¡°Could you please check again? Zackary didn¡¯t even take the exam, how could he possibly be admitted by you? Is it possible you got the name wrong?¡±

    These two, capable enough to work at Royal Oaks, were no ordinary people.

    They quickly understood the situation.

    They then spoke with great seriousness, ¡°There was an extraordinary exam heldst night by the headmaster personally for him. There is no mistake with the name, nor with the admission letter, please do not doubt our work.¡±

    In fact, they didn¡¯t know if Zackary had taken an exam.

    But the headmaster had said so, and the admission letter was personally issued by him.

    They naturally wouldn¡¯t ask further.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that¡­¡±

    Before Elizabeth could finish, the messenger said, ¡°Is Mr. Hugo Reed here? Please call him out.¡±

    ¡°Why are you looking for Hugo? He doesn¡¯t live here!¡± Talon, very frustrated, spoke without any courtesy.

    The messenger frowned slightly but didn¡¯t say much.

    Then he took out his phone and dialed the number left in their records.

    Soon, the call connected, and the teacher immediately said, ¡°Is this Mr. Hugo Reed? We¡¯vee to deliver the admission letter. Don¡¯t you live in Moon Gate Estate?¡±

    Whatever was said from the other end, the teacher then said, ¡°Pinkwater Ally? Alright, we will head over immediately.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Elizabeth and the others were shocked.

    Pinkwater Ally?

    How could that be?

    Why would they live there?

    After hanging up, the two messengers were ready to leave. The stunned Amber quickly came back to her senses and approached them, ¡°Are you going to find my parents? Can Ie with you?¡±

    She had heard it right, Pinkwater Ally!

    Why would Hugo live in Pinkwater Ally!

    She had to find out what was going on.

    The two messengers considered for a moment and then nodded, ¡°Alright.¡±

    On the way, Amber still couldn¡¯t believe Hugo would live in Pinkwater Ally.

    But when their car stopped, her face was filled with disbelief.

    They had actuallye here.

    When they arrived at the floor they lived on, Amber still harbored doubts.

    But a minuteter, when the door opened and she saw Hugo and Jennie, Amber waspletely overwhelmed.

    Her mind was a blur.

    Only after the messengers handed over the admission letter and left did shee back to her senses.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, why are you living here?¡± Amber couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Hugo nced at her indifferently, ¡°We¡¯re renting a ce here.¡±

    They hadn¡¯t told Elizabeth and the others about their living here to avoid trouble.

    But they hadn¡¯t expected such a mix-up, and now Amber had found out first.

    If she knew, so would Elizabeth.

    The days ahead were likely to be difficult.

    Perhaps too anxious, Amber¡¯s tone was unconsciously sharp, ¡°Renting? How can that be? Pinkwater Ally doesn¡¯t rent out to outsiders.¡±

    Jennie¡¯s face darkened instantly as she said coldly, ¡°Why not? Thendlord thinks well of our character and was willing to rent it to us for five hundred dors, is that not eptable? Amber, even though we¡¯re not your biological parents, we¡¯ve raised you for years with care. But can¡¯t you stand to see us do well?¡±

    Amber¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°I, I didn¡¯t mean that¡­¡±

    Jennie gave her a look and didn¡¯t bother with her, but also didn¡¯t ask her to leave.

    After all, they had raised her, and despite Amber disappointing them over the years, there were still feelings involved.

    She turned and put the admission letter away.

    Don¡¯t be fooled by the fact that it¡¯s just a kindergarten; the admission letter from Royal Oaks is very prestigious.

    Hugo didn¡¯t say anything else and went to the sofa to drink tea.

    Amber looked inside; Tina and Zackary were ying with toys on the balcony, Hugo was drinking tea and watching TV, and Jennie had put away the stuff and went to the balcony to join Tina and Zackary.

    The scene was harmonious and warm.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    This was the life she had long envied.

    When Hugo had first adopted her, she too had this kind of warmth, but unfortunately, as time went by, her attitude had changed.

    Amber pursed her lips and sat down on the sofa, speaking softly, ¡°Dad, Zackary got into Royal Oaks, and I should be happy for you, but have you thought about it? The tuition at Royal Oaks is very high, and you are currently unemployed, can you afford my brother¡¯s tuition?¡±

    Hugo¡¯s hand holding the cup paused, then he looked up at her, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    Amber with an appearance of understanding and sensibility said, ¡°To ensure Zackary can attend school without worries, Dad, you should agree to Tina marrying Mr. Farrell. After all, with the support of the Farrell family, you could afford the tuition.¡±

    Hugo scoffed, ¡°You mean to say, I should sell my daughter for my son¡¯s sake?¡±

    Amber pursed her lips, saying nothing.

    Hugo felt disappointed, ¡°Amber, when I brought you home, our family was also struggling, but your mother and I persisted. Even if we lived a hard life, we provided for you. I may not have great skills, but I would never exchange my children for so-called glory. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Dad, I¡­¡±

    Amber wanted to say something but was cut off by Hugo, ¡°Alright, we¡¯re going out, you should go back to your grandmother¡¯s.¡±

    Amber¡¯s hands, which rested by her sides, clenched involuntarily.

    She scoffed inwardly.

    They imed to treat her as their own child, yet when they went out, they told her to return to Moon Gate Estate, clearly not considering her as part of the family.

    In the end, she said nothing more and turned to leave.

    After her departure, Hugo put the teacup on the table and sighed deeply.

    Seeing this, Jennie asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why the sigh all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Amber is right; although Zackary got into Royal Oaks, the tuition is too expensive, costing tens of thousands a year. Now with my mother meddling, I can¡¯t find a job here in Ensford, and I don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll do in the future.¡±

    Jennie also sighed but said nothing.

    Tina, who had just finished assembling thest block for Zackary, looked up at them and said calmly, ¡°Mr. Reed, don¡¯t worry, I can work and earn money to support us.¡±

    Hugo¡¯s irritated mood lifted with her words, and heughed, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll rely on my Tina to provide for us.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Tina said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll post on my friends¡¯ circle, hoping to find a good job.¡±

    After saying this, she took out her phone and posted her very first message in history: ¡°In urgent need of a job¡­¡±

    After posting, she put away the phone.

    Little did she know, her inbox was about to explode with responses from that single post.

 Chapter 18: Tina Reed is a Thief

    Meanwhile, Amber hurried back to Moon Gate Estate, barely keeping her bnce as she blurted out, ¡°Grandma, Dad and the others have rented a house, and it¡¯s in Pinkwater Ally of all ces.¡±

    ¡°What!¡±

    Elizabeth, along with Pinewood and Talon, stood up abruptly, looking at Amber in disbelief.

    After a while, Elizabeth was the first to regain herposure, her expression almost uncontroble, ¡°Are you sure? Pinkwater Ally is not open for renting to outsiders.¡±

    Amber¡¯s delicate face was etched with seriousness, ¡°I asked the security guard, it¡¯s definitely rented, and the rent is particrly low, only five hundred dors a month.¡±

    Elizabeth didn¡¯t speak, her brows furrowed tightly, and after a long while, she finally said, ¡°Go check who thendlord of that house is. No matter what method you use, you must drive them out. We only have two days left; we can¡¯t afford any mistakes.¡±

    Pinewood responded with a nod, ¡°I¡¯ll do it right now.¡±

    Amber smoothed her brow, and after a moment, she slowly spoke, ¡°Grandma, I have a n, but¡­¡±

    ¡°What n? Let¡¯s hear it,¡± Elizabeth asked eagerly.

    Amber leaned in and whispered a few words into Elizabeth¡¯s ear, who then smiled, ¡°Good, this is a good n. Let¡¯s do it this way.¡±

    ¡°But, this would be bad for Tina,¡± Amber hesitated.

    ¡°What does it matter to her? A wild girl not recognized by me. As long as this marriage deal falls through, what does she have to do with the Reed family?¡± A cold glint shed in Elizabeth¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll follow Grandma¡¯s lead,¡± Amber lowered her head, the coldness in her eyes unseen by anyone.

    The next day.

    Tina got up early for a run.

    This was something she had persisted in every day for ten years.

    As Tina arrived at the entrance of the neighborhood, she ran into Amber and her two friends, who invited Amber to visit their home.

    Upon seeing Tina, Amber immediately approached and said, ¡°Tina? What are you doing here?¡±

    Tina nced at her indifferently, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    Was this person acting again?

    Didn¡¯t she already know they lived here?

    ¡°No, no problem.¡± Amber acted as if she was afraid of Tina, whispering softly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you live in a motel? How did youe here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I live here,¡± Tina said, her interest piqued as she yed along.

    Since Amber wanted to act out a scene, she would apany her in the performance.

    ¡°What?¡± Amber didn¡¯t expect Tina to y along so readily, and for a moment, she was taken aback, but she quickly recovered and said, ¡°You mean, you live here? Tina, do you know what ce this is?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Pinkwater Ally?¡±

    ¡°Then you should know Pinkwater Ally doesn¡¯t allow outsiders in?¡± Amberughed softly, ¡°Tina, I know you were just brought to the city and everything here is new to you, but thismunity isn¡¯t a ce for you. You should leave quickly. If someone loses something, things could getplicated.¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled up with a hint of mischief, ¡°Where do you want me to go?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you staying in a motel with Dad and the others? Naturally, you should go back to the motel,¡± Amber said as if it were obvious.

    Before Tina could reply, one of Amber¡¯s friends immediately asked, ¡°Amber, who is she?¡±

    The one speaking was Elena Heisler.

    The Heisler family was not as prominent as the Reed family in Ensford.

    But they were distinguished, and her two brothers were in politics.

    Amber looked down on Elena but couldn¡¯t afford to disregard the Heisler family.

    ¡°She¡¯s my sister,¡± Amber introduced.

    ¡°So she¡¯s the country girl who lived in the countryside,¡± Elena covered her mouth andughed, ¡°Tsk tsk, she really looks like a country person. Look at what she¡¯s wearing; everything on her probably adds up to just a few tens of dors, right? Amber, standing next to her, you¡¯re like heaven and earth.¡±

    Amber¡¯s eyes drooped slightly as she said in a low voice, ¡°Elena, don¡¯t say that. After all, she is my sister, and I am just an adopted daughter of the Reed family.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± Elena immediately retorted, ¡°Even if you¡¯re adopted, Elizabeth likes you. Who made you outstanding? What if she¡¯s Miss Reed? Isn¡¯t she still kicked out of the Reed family?¡±

    The other girl chimed in, ¡°Right, everyone in Ensford knows you. How can you bepared to this country bumpkin?¡±

    Tina put her hands in her pockets and looked at them sideways, a faint smile ying on her lips.

    These people sought to affirm their own presence here?

    ¡°But how did they, having been kicked out of the Reed family, get into the neighborhood?¡± Elena questioned.

    Amber sighed,ing to Tina¡¯s defense, ¡°Perhaps she just wanted to have a look around!¡±

    After speaking, she addressed Tina with a weighty tone, ¡°Tina, once you¡¯re done here, hurry back, okay? This ce isn¡¯t for just anyone to enter. If something from someone¡¯s house goes missing, it¡¯ll be hard to exin.¡±

    Tina stood with her hands in her pockets, looking amused at her.

    Amber, under her gaze, felt an inexplicable panic.

    Her eyes seemed to see right through her. Could it be that she had seen through Amber¡¯s intentions?

    No!

    Impossible!

    Tina had been raised in the mountains and was said to have never left the temple there in over ten years. How could such an ignorant person see through her?

    ¡°Sneaked in?¡± Elena suddenly raised her voice, ¡°That¡¯s uneptable! I must make a call right away to see if anything¡¯s missing from my house.¡±

    Upon saying this, she took out her phone and made a call.

    After Elena finished the call, she eximed in shock, ¡°My mother¡¯s bracelet is missing! It was custom-made for her recently, worth five million dors. It must have been her! Security! There¡¯s a thief!¡±

    ¡°Elena, don¡¯t be like this, it must be a misunderstanding. My sister isn¡¯t that kind of person. If you rm the security and she¡¯s taken to the police station, she won¡¯t be able to face anyone again,¡± Amber said outwardly concerned, but her eyes were brimming with mirth.

    Tina nced at her indifferently, a cold glint crossing her calm eyes.

    So they were waiting here for her?

    ¡°Amber, you shouldn¡¯t be too kind!¡± Elena shook off her hand and shouted angrily, ¡°Your sister is a thief, and she didn¡¯t steal just a few hundred or thousand dors¡¯ worth, but millions! She could go to jail for this.¡±

    Amber opened her mouth to speak but then fell silent.

    They were standing not far from the main entrance, and the two security guards rushed over when they heard themotion.

    ¡°Miss Heisler, what happened?¡± the guards inquired.

    They recognized Elena.

    In fact, they knew all the homeowners here.

    Elena said angrily, ¡°What kind of security are you providing? Letting just anyone in?¡±

    Pointing at Tina, she used, ¡°Her, she stole my mother¡¯s bracelet.¡±

    The security turned to look at Tina, pausing for a moment, ¡°Miss Reed?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina had been behind Elena and her friends, so the security hadn¡¯t seen her.

    Now that they saw Tina, the voices of the two security guards trembled inexplicably.

 Chapter 19: Miss Reed, Please Come with Us

    Others were oblivious, but they were well aware that Miss Reed was the legitimate new owner of the property. Moreover, only someone extraordinary could purchase a house here for thrice the market value within a few hours. The property manager had explicitly instructed them to keep Miss Reed¡¯s ownership confidential. To the public, they were merely tenants.

    The property manager had emphasized discretion to avoid trouble, so they kept their lips sealed tight.

    Initially, they did not recognize Tina, but since she frequented theplex, the security guards came to know her. At present, Elena Heisler used Tina of being a thief?

    The security guard frowned, ¡°You must be mistaken? Miss Reed is a tenant here.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Elena¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the guard. ¡°A tenant?¡±

    Amber, foreseeing the guard¡¯s response, simply curled her lip and remained silent.

    The guard nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What kind of joke is this? Pinkwater Ally¡¯s properties are never rented out to outsiders; only people of status and stature live here. Renting a house to such a lowly person-who will be responsible if something happens?¡± Elena yelled, infuriated.

    The security guard¡¯s face soured. Working as guards here, they were often looked down upon and insulted by many residents. Only Tina¡¯s family always treated them with courtesy. Mrs. Reed had even brought them chilled mung bean soup during hot weather. Although it wasn¡¯t expensive, it was aforting gesture.

    Hearing Elena¡¯s usation, the guard couldn¡¯t help but defend Tina, ¡°Miss Reed¡¯s rental procedures are in order. If the owner has agreed to rent the house to them, it shows trust in their character. Miss Heisler, if there¡¯s nothing else, we have work to do.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Elena roared, ¡°She stole my mother¡¯s bracelet, call the police immediately!¡±

    The guard was speechless. Would someone who could spend millions on a house stoop to stealing a bracelet?

    ¡°Do you have any evidence?¡± the guard asked, maintaining a professional demeanor.

    ¡°If I had evidence, would I need you?¡± Elena retorted angrily. ¡°Everyone here has lived for a long time except for Tina, who just moved in. After she came, my mother¡¯s bracelet disappeared. I have every reason to suspect her.¡±

    The guard was at a loss for words. When an owner reported a missing item, indeed, they were supposed to help investigate. But Tina¡¯s status was special, and they were not permitted to disclose it, leaving them uncertain about how to proceed.

    Thus, the guard looked at Tina.

    Tina smiled, about to speak, when suddenly a voice rang out, ¡°Elena, why aren¡¯t you at home? What are you doing here?¡±

    Upon seeing the neer, Elena excitedly ran over, pointing at Tina, ¡°Andrew, she stole mom¡¯s bracelet, and I was asking the guards to call the police, but they seem reluctant.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Andrew Heisler nced at the guard with an imposing air.

    The guard tensed up.

    Andrew was the captain at the Ensford police department, known for his decisive actions. Crossing him did not bode well.

    As the guard stood indecisively, Andrew¡¯s stern voice sounded, ¡°If she has stolen, she must face thew.¡±

    With that, he instructed the two uniformed individuals following him, ¡°Take her back for questioning.¡±

    Amber internally gloated. Miss Reed being caught for theft would be sensational news. The name Miss Reed would no longer have any effect on her.

    The two in uniform approached Tina and said with a stern face, ¡°Pleasee with us.¡±

    Tina lifted her eyes, a mocking smile on her delicate, porcin face, ¡°Are you sure you want to take me before the matter is clear?¡±

    ¡°We are taking you to the station for investigation,¡± they said simply.

    Tina¡¯s expression was calm, yet she amiably responded, ¡°Are you sure? Once I go in, I might not want toe out.¡±

    Elenaughed, ¡°Are you serious? What do you think the police station is? You cane and go as you please? Stealing something worth over five million dors will have you sitting in jail for a long time.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Just as they left theplex, Tina¡¯s phone rang. She was about to answer it when thew enforcement officer said sternly, ¡°Hand over your phone. You can¡¯t have contact with the outside world until this is cleared up.¡±

    Tina nced sideways, her cool cheek wrapped in ayer of frost, ¡°Did Imit murder?¡±

    ¡°This is standard procedure. Please cooperate,¡± the officer insisted, ¡°We will answer your phone and inform your family.¡±

    Tina tossed her phone to them with a swift motion, ¡°Take care of it.¡±

    After a deep look, she turned and walked away. Behind her, Tina¡¯s phone kept ringing nonstop. Theofficer picked up, speaking gravely, ¡°This is the EFPD Crime Unit. Tina Reed is suspected of theft and is being taken into custody for investigation.¡±

    On the other end of the line, Cole Lyon stared at the disconnected call, struggling to grasp the situation.

    Theft? Under investigation?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Were they out of their minds?

    He swiftly opened his contacts and made several calls in a row.

    Each call ryed the same message, ¡°Serena has been arrested for theft by the Ensford police department.¡±

    Meanwhile, Andrew Heisler, who had ordered Tina to be taken away, was unaware that his action had sent shockwaves through Ensford.

    In Moon Gate Estate, after Tina was escorted away, Amber returned and immediately told Elizabeth, ¡°Grandma, Tina stole Mrs. Heisler¡¯s bracelet and got caught. It¡¯s likely she won¡¯t be able to get engaged to the Farrell family now. Should we inform Mr. Farrell?¡±

    If the Farrell family found out Tina was a thief, they would certainly call off the engagement.

    She wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Tina refusing to marry, making her the substitute.

    ¡°What? Theft?¡± Pinewood eximed angrily, ¡°I knew she was no good. Now she¡¯s put the Reed family in hot water, and the Farrell family will probably not want to continue the engagement.¡±

    Elizabeth sipped her tea,menting indifferently, ¡°This might actually be a good thing.¡±

    Talon asked, confused, ¡°Mom, how is this a good thing? Without the marriage alliance, we lose the investment. The Reed family can¡¯t hold on much longer without someone investing in us.¡±

    Elizabeth red at him and said coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t understand. As long as Tina is around, the Farrell family won¡¯t invest with us. That girl is here to go against me. Rather than that, it¡¯s better to have their engagement ruined. That way, even if things changeter, Amber won¡¯t have to marry into that family.¡±

    Talon still didn¡¯t understand, ¡°No matter how you look at it, the alliance could at least bring in investment. Now, the Reed family is on theirst legs, and no one will want to invest with us.¡±

 Chapter 20: I Think Itâ€™s Quite Nice Here, I Wonâ€™t Leave

    ¡°It¡¯s just an investment. As long as Amber doesn¡¯t have to marry Jared, there are plenty of ways to pull in investments.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, filled with calction.

    She pressed Tina to marry Jared not only for the Farrell family¡¯s investment.

    It was even more to protect Amber.

    Amber was her carefully cultivated protegee, into whom she had poured considerable manpower and financial resources, to turn her into the focus of all Ensford.

    In the future, the benefits Amber would bring to the Reed family would be substantial, and she would not let Amber marry Jared no matter what.

    Although Logan Farrell doted on his grandson Jared, he was disabled, and with three uncles and numerous cousins above him, how much could a disabled person inherit when the family fortune was divided?

    So even with a marriage alliance, the immediate benefits the Farrell family could bring to the Reed family were minimal, while Amber was a stable investment.

    Fearing any disruption to the marriage contract with the Farrell family, she forced Tina to get engaged to Jared.

    Theft, for a prestigious family, was a disgrace; naturally, the Farrell family would no longer want her.

    Thus, the marriage would logically be canceled, and it would save Elizabeth the trouble of having to deal with Tina¡¯s return.

    This was also why she approved of Amber¡¯s n.

    After pondering for a moment, Elizabeth said to Amber, ¡°Go to the media, leak this story.¡±

    Amber was stunned, ¡°But this will have a big impact on the Reed family too.¡±

    Miss Reed is a thief, what will outsiders say about the Reed family?

    This was a lose-lose move.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, her mother had an affair and ran away with her, the Reed family is the victim.¡± Elizabeth sat on an expensive custom chair, her aged eyes cold and indifferent.

    Amber paused, then smiled, ¡°I understand, Grandma.¡±

    EFPD Crime Unit.

    Tina leaned back in the interrogation chair, legs crossed. The table in front of her was piled with cell phones thatw enforcement couldn¡¯t fit anymore.

    In the quiet interrogation room, the phone rang incessantly.

    The twow enforcement officers who brought her in were sweating profusely, extremely nervous.

    Seeing her not answering the phone, one of them kindly suggested, ¡°Miss Tina Reed, the phone has been ringing for so long, maybe-you should answer it?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, her lips curved in a half-smile, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m aw-abiding citizen, remembering your words, to hand over my phone, to cooperate with the investigation.¡±

    Thew enforcement officer, ¡°¡­¡±

    He felt like crying.

    By normal procedures, indeed, he had done nothing wrong.

    Someone reported Tina for theft, a property worth five million dors, they brought the suspect in for interrogation, and confiscated the phones, all within normal procedures, not making things difficult for Tina.

    But who knew, just after they brought Tina in, their captain¡¯s office phone rang.

    Since Andrew wasn¡¯t there, they answered.

    The result-scared them half to death!

    A series of calls, all from government heads, all inquiring about a woman named Tina Reed being arrested.

    After he truthfully reported, he was scolded terribly, told to release her immediately.

    But as he was about to let Tina go, she wouldn¡¯t leave.

    She seemed glued to the chair, immovable by several people.

    Helpless, he had to call back the higher-ups to report Tina Reed¡¯s situation.

    They told him to give the phone to Tina, but she simply wouldn¡¯t take the call.

    Thew enforcement officer, embarrassed, smiled, ¡°Well-we¡¯ve already cleared things up, you haven¡¯t stolen Mrs. Heisler¡¯s bracelet, you can go now, we¡¯re all quite busy, and your stay here isn¡¯t good.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s quite nice here, quiet.¡± Tina leaned on the chair, indifferent, ¡°I did steal Mrs. Heisler¡¯s bracelet, why don¡¯t you check again? Maybe you missed some evidence?¡±

    Thew enforcement officer, ¡°¡­¡±

    Who insists on staying in an interrogation room?

    The key issue was, with her not leaving, they couldn¡¯t exin themselves.

    Hospital.

    After Jared finished eating with Sophia, his assistant Nathan hurried in.

    He nced at Mrs. Brown and Sophia, then whispered to Jared, ¡°Miss Reed has been arrested.¡±

    Jared¡¯s deep eyes narrowed, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Half an hour ago, the media reported that Miss Reed was taken away by the EFPD Crime Unit for stealing a bracelet worth five million dors¡­¡± Nathan went through the investigation details with Jared.

    Jared¡¯s expression turned grim, a chill emanating from him, and he wheeled out, ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look.¡±

    Pinkwater Alley.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Amber sipped the water Elena had turned upside down, her gaze darkening, ¡°Elena, did my sister really steal your mother¡¯s bracelet?¡±

    ¡°My mother¡¯s bracelet wasn¡¯t lost at all, I did it on purpose,¡± Elena said with a smile.

    ¡°Ah?¡± Amber looked incredulous, ¡°You¡­ Why would you do that?¡±

    ¡°It was for you,¡± Elena exined, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been downtely, is it because of that Miss Reed who came back from the countryside?¡±

    Amber pressed her lips together, saying nothing.

    ¡°I figured she must be bullying you, so I wanted to teach her a lesson this time.¡±

    Amber, with tears in her eyes, took Elena¡¯s hand, ¡°Elena, I¡¯m touched that you would do this for me, but please ask your brother to let her go, after all, she is Miss Reed, and the Reed family has been good to me.¡±

    ¡°You are just too kind,¡± Elena said irritably, ¡°People like Tina need to be taught a lesson, to not think that just because she¡¯s Miss Reed, she can walk all over you.¡±

    After a pause, Elena continued, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, there was no evidence to begin with. In a couple of days, I¡¯ll talk to my brother, the bracelet will be ¡®found¡¯, and she¡¯ll be released.¡±

    Amber felt a wave of disappointment.

    She had hoped Tina would stay in jail forever.

    But this would do, at least this incident would likely derail the engagement between the Farrell and Reed families.

    In the study dealing with affairs, Andrew¡¯s phone rang.

    He looked at the caller ID and immediately answered respectfully, ¡°Chief Kampwerth.¡±

    ¡°Are you out of your mind!¡±

    The call was met with an angry shout as soon as it was picked up.

    Andrew was stunned, not understanding, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Chief Kampwerth, why are you so angry?¡±

    ¡°Do you even have to ask me why? Is this how you handle cases? Without evidence, you just arrest that woman? What do you have in your head, shit?¡±

    ¡°Get over here and sort this out immediately, or you can get lost!¡± The voice on the other end cursed angrily before hanging up.

 Chapter 21: How Dare They Bully My FiancÃ©e

    Andrew had no time to react when the call from the other side abruptly ended. He furrowed his brows, and before he could ponder further, the phone rang again.

    ¡°Captain Heisler, you¡¯ve really stirred up trouble this time. The girl we apprehended today-she¡¯s got backing! The higher-ups are alerted, and they¡¯ve issued a strict order. If we don¡¯t release her, we¡¯re in deep trouble. You¡¯d bettere here quickly!¡±

    Andrew was stunned.

    The higher-ups were alerted?

    What was going on?

    Wasn¡¯t it just a theft case?

    After a moment of contemtion, Andrew responded with a cold face, ¡°So what if she has connections? We conduct our affairs justly and have not wronged anyone. It is her duty to cooperate with the investigation as a suspect.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not a suspect! We¡¯ve already called your mother, and she confirmed that her bracelet wasn¡¯t stolen,¡± the person on the phone said, ¡°Furthermore, that Miss Reed isn¡¯t a tenant at Pinkwater Alley; she¡¯s the owner. She bought the ce recently for three times the market price.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Andrew was startled. ¡°Not stolen?¡±

    Suddenly, something clicked, and his expression darkened.

    ¡°Chief Kampwerth is furious. I¡¯m calling you on the sly. Hurry up and get here.¡±

    After hanging up, Andrew, filled with anger, flung open the door and strode over to where Elena was.

    ¡°p!¡±

    Elena, who was speaking to Amber, was abruptly pped across the face. Clutching her cheek, she looked at Andrew in disbelief, ¡°Andrew, what are you doing?¡±

    Andrew¡¯s face was ashen as he demanded, ¡°Tell me the truth, did mom really lose her bracelet?¡±

    He had always trusted his sensible and well-behaved sister, so when she said someone had stolen their mother¡¯s bracelet, he hadn¡¯t doubted her. Moreover, since their mother wasn¡¯t home after he returned, he hadn¡¯t inquired further. But now, it seemed the little girl had dared to deceive him.

    A glint shed in Elena¡¯s eyes, ¡°It really was lost.¡±

    ¡°p!¡±

    Another p from Andrew, ¡°You¡¯re still lying to me! Elena, is this how I taught you? To falsely use others of such serious matters? Do you think my life is too long, and that the Heisler family is toofortable?¡±

    Elena¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°You¡­ you know?¡±

    Seeing her like this only fueled Andrew¡¯s anger.

    Thinking of what Chief Kampwerth had said on the phone, he grabbed Elena¡¯s arm firmly, ¡°Exin everything right now. I warn you, if you make any more trouble, I¡¯ll kick you out of the Heisler family.¡±

    Elena didn¡¯t even have the chance to speak before Andrew dragged her away. Amber followed behind them,pletely dumbfounded.

    At the EFPD Crime Unit.

    Andrew, with Elena in tow, hurried to their office.

    From a distance, they could see Chief Kampwerth fuming with rage, venting his anger on a feww enforcement officers.

    Andrew hesitated for a moment before approaching, ¡°Chief Kampwerth.¡±

    ¡°So you know who I am! I thought you had your eyes on top of your head, not even considering me!¡± Chief Kampwerth berated him upon his arrival, ¡°Do you think you can run the Criminal Investigation Division as you please? Is this how you handle cases normally?¡±

    Andrew was at a loss for words.

    Seeing him stand still, Chief Kampwerth kicked towards him, ¡°What are you waiting for? Go apologize to Miss Reed! She was invited here and now she can¡¯t leave! You have ten minutes to get her to leave, or you won¡¯t have to stay either.¡±

    Andrew immediately went towards the interrogation room.

    Upon opening the door, he saw Tina sitting in the chair, her face showing indifference.

    He coughed lightly and forced a smile, ¡°Miss Reed, I apologize. It was my negligence. I trusted my sister¡¯s one-sided story without further investigation and brought you here for questioning. I apologize.¡±

    Tina crossed her arms and looked at him with a cold smile.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Although Andrew didn¡¯t know what sort of background Tina had, her stare made his heart skip a beat.

    He quickly turned to Elena and said sternly, ¡°What are you standing there for? Apologize to Miss Reed now.¡±

    Elena¡¯s face showed reluctance.

    She had no desire to apologize to Tina.

    But seeing Andrew¡¯s murderous look, she begrudgingly said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Miss Reed, I misunderstood you. My mother¡¯s bracelet was found; our maid had misced it. I thought it was lost.¡±

    These were the words Andrew had instructed her to say on the way.

    ¡°So? Am I cleared of suspicion?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow, her voiceced with mischief.

    ¡°It¡¯s our fault, Miss Reedis not a suspect,¡± Andrew quickly said, ¡°Regarding this misunderstanding, we willpensate. I will personally take you back.¡±

    ¡°I have no intention of leaving,¡± Tina stated calmly, ¡°I find it quitefortable here.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Andrew was at a loss for words.

    Hearing this, Chief Kampwerth immediately entered the room, offering a strained smile, ¡°Miss Reed, I assure you we will provide a satisfactory resolution to this incident. Everyone¡¯s quite busy, so maybe it¡¯s best if you head back?¡±

    If Tina didn¡¯t leave, it would be him who had to go.

    Tina leaned back in her chair, smiling slyly, ¡°What sort of resolution are you offering?¡±

    Chief Kampwerth choked on his words, then after a moment said, ¡°Miss Heisler will be charged with false usation and defamation, detained byw for investigation. Andrew will be suspended for dereliction of duty for three months, and the rest for two months. How does that sound?¡±

    Tina pursed her lips slightly, ¡°Since everyone¡¯s so busy, I won¡¯t be a bother.¡±

    Rising to her feet, she gave Elena a deep look and turned to leave.

    Elena bit her lip tightly, her face etched with resentment.

    Chief Kampwerth heaved a heavy sigh of relief, ¡°I¡¯ll escort you out.¡±

    At the entrance of the Ensford Police Department.

    As Tina and Chief Kampwerth stepped out, Hugo, Jennie, and Zackary were rushing over in great haste.

    ¡°Tina!¡± Hugo, upon seeing her, hurried over, ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Tina, touched by his concern, warmed inside, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Jennie pulled her into a hug, and after ensuring she was unharmed, let out a huge sigh of relief, ¡°You scared me to death. We rushed over after seeing the news. Now that you¡¯re safe, I am relieved. Are you hungry? Shall I cook for you?¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°I¡¯m a little hungry. I¡¯d like some brown sugar buns.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make them for you.¡±

    Pausing for a moment, Tina asked, ¡°I made the news?¡±

    Jennie nodded, ¡°Today, all major media in Ensford were covering your story. Your father and I came as soon as we saw it.¡±

    Tina acknowledged with a hum, a cold glint in her eyes, ¡°I see.¡±

    Not far from the Ensford Police Department.

    A ck sedan was parked nearby.

    Nathan nced at the scene and then turned to Jared, ¡°Mr. Farrell, shall we still go over?¡±

    Jared¡¯s long fingers rested on the window sill, his eyes narrowing slightly. After a moment, he said, ¡°No need. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    His fiancee was indeed full of surprises.

    She managed to have Chief Kampwerth personally escort her out.

    In Ensford, few could manage that.

    On the road, Jared slowly spoke, ¡°I need to find something for the Heisler family to keep them upied.¡±

    Nathan, puzzled, asked, ¡°Are you standing up for Miss Reed?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my fiancee. It¡¯s not their ce to bully her.¡± Jared¡¯s voice carried a frosty edge.

 Chapter 22: Mr. Farrell, Be Careful Not to Hurt Yourself

    At Moon Gate Estate, Elizabeth, Talon, Pinewood, and Amber sat with grave expressions in the hall. Their gazes were fixed on the smartphone in Amber¡¯s hand. Chief Kampwerth of the Ensford police department had personally rified for Tina-she had notmitted theft, and Elena, who was suspected of framing and defamation, had been taken away for investigation. Andrew Heisler and threew enforcement officers were also suspended for dereliction of duty.

    Amber, initially overjoyed, had thought she would no longer live under the shadow of Miss Reed¡¯s title. Yet, within a few hours, Tina had been released. Chief Kampwerth had even personally cleared her name. ¡°Grandma, it must have been the Farrell family who sorted it out for Tina, right?¡± Amber put away her phone, masking the malice in her eyes with a docile facade, ¡°I never expected the Farrell family to care so much about Tina.¡±

    Her tone was sour, and her heart felt even worse. She certainly didn¡¯t believe that Jared had the ability to rescue Tina. He was a cripple, a nobody. In the Farrell family, no one but Jared¡¯s grandfather Logan could have managed this. But she couldn¡¯t understand why, even after the theft was exposed, Logan still wanted to save her. Did he care about Tina that much?

    Indeed! Who could value a good-for-nothing like Jared? Even if someone did, their family background wouldn¡¯t be impressive. The Reed family was a decent option. Naturally, Logan wouldn¡¯t want Jared to miss out. However, with Tina¡¯s history of theft, her image in Logan¡¯s mind must have suffered. Even if she married into the family, her days would not be easy.

    With this thought, Amber¡¯s mood improved slightly. ¡°Now that Tina has been released and the Farrell family hasn¡¯t requested to cancel the engagement, the engagement ceremony should proceed as previously nned,¡± Elizabeth said, not expecting Tina to be released either. She had already contacted the media, ready to sell a tragic story. Yet before she could start, Tina was released. All her ns were disrupted, and she was highly annoyed.

    ¡°But Hugo and Tina refuse to agree; how can we proceed with the engagement?¡± Pinewood frowned. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯ve now rented a house in Pinkwater Ally. They¡¯re not worried about living arrangements, so they¡¯re even less likely to agree,¡± Talon added.

    Elizabeth fell silent for a moment, then looked up at Talon, ¡°Talon, isn¡¯t your wife¡¯s birthday tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Talon replied, ¡°but she doesn¡¯t want to celebrate this year.¡± ¡°Celebrate! And it should be grand!¡± Elizabeth stood up. ¡°Send Hugo an invitation. Ask them toe to your wife¡¯s birthday party.¡±

    The next day, at the hospital. Tina was supposed to apply ointment to Sophia yesterday, but the interference from Amber and Elena dyed her, and she didn¡¯t go. Today, she arrived early. Generally, Sophia¡¯s family wasn¡¯t around in the morning. Just as she reached the hospital entrance, she bumped into Jared and Hayden.

    ¡°Miss Reed?¡± Hayden was surprised to see her, ¡°You¡¯re here so early? Are you not feeling well?¡± It was just past eight o¡¯clock, and the outpatient doctors had just started their shifts.

    Tina looked up, her lips parting slightly, ¡°What did you call me?¡± ¡°Miss Reed, right? Is there a problem?¡± Hayden was confused. The girl seemed unhappy.

    Tina stared at him for a long time before she finally said, ¡°No problem, well done!¡± Utterly disrespectful! Arrogant! Good! She took note!

    Hayden was perplexed. Was Miss Reed not quite right in the head?

    Jared sat in his wheelchair, his gaze drifting over them for a moment, his narrow eyes carrying a hint of coldness. His fiancee and his brother were treating him as if he were invisible? ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Should I get a doctor to see you?¡± Jared¡¯s voice was pleasant, the coldness in his eyes already hidden.

    ¡°No need! I¡¯m not here to see a doctor!¡± Tina left that remark and was about to enter the hospital when Jared suddenly called out, ¡°Miss Reed!¡±

    Tina stopped and turned to look at him, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The engagement, have you considered it?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, and after a moment, she looked up at Jared, her voice soft, ¡°Agreed! The engagement ceremony will be moved to half a month from now.¡±

    In ten days, it would be Master Tam¡¯s death anniversary. No celebrations would take ce before then. The reason she agreed to engage with Jared was to find out how he came into possession of the pendant. Had he snatched it from her mother or stolen it? She didn¡¯t believe his story about an old acquaintance giving it to him.

    Jared¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile, his austere face lighting up with a faint grin, ¡°Alright, as you wish.¡±

    Tina nced at him and suddenly, her lips curled into a smile, as she leaned closer to Jared, her voiceced with mischief, ¡°Mr. Farrell, be careful. Getting too close to me might poison you!¡± With those words, she turned and left with a flourish.

    Jared watched Tina¡¯s retreating figure, the smile deepening on his lips. Poison? Indeed. She was capable enough to take down renowned international assassins with ease; she truly was ¡®poisonous.¡¯ But she reminded him of someone! Even their appearances bore simrities. If not for the fact that she was Miss Reed, he would have thought Tina was that woman¡¯s child.

    Suddenly, Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he pulled out the pendant from his pocket, his dark pupils reflecting an ambiguous light. ¡°Mr. Farrell, we¡¯ve found out some things, but there¡¯s still no clue about the child,¡± Nathan said with a grave face, ¡°The information about the child is too scarce, and after so many years, her appearance has changed, making it difficult to find her.¡±

    He paused before adding, ¡°The ce where they lived, we¡¯ve asked the neighbors around, but no one knows where the child is now. They used fake names there, and we can¡¯t find any useful information.¡±

    They reached the car, and Hayden and Nathan helped Jared into the vehicle. Outside, Jared was always ¡®disabled¡¯ and naturally couldn¡¯t get into the car by himself.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared sat in the backseat, Nathan drove, and Hayden sat in the passenger seat. As the car started, Hayden turned to Jared, ¡°Mr. Farrell, do you think the child is already dead?¡±

    ¡°They were chased down back then, her mother died, and she was just a nine-year-old girl. Where could she have escaped to? She was probably caught by those people long ago.¡±

    Hayden continued, ¡°I think you might as well stop looking. The priority is to treat Sophia¡¯s illness. Besides, there¡¯s an order from above to find the whereabouts of that drug. If GTO finds it first, it would be unimaginable.¡±

    Jared leaned back in his seat, his eyes closed, as if deep in thought. After a moment of silence, he opened his eyes slightly, his voice raspy, ¡°Perhaps, I have already found her.¡±

    Hayden and Nathan were shocked, looking at him incredulously, ¡°Found her? Who is it?¡±

    Jared lowered his gaze to the pendant in his hand, ¡°Not sure yet.¡±

    He put the pendant back into his pocket, opened the window, and peered out with narrowed eyes, his voice indifferent, ¡°Thest known location of the drug was in Ensford. Dispatch Team Umbra, and investigate all outsiders who have appeared in Ensford in the past twenty years.¡±

 Chapter 23: Miss Sophia, Your Face

    In the VIP ward, Tina took out the prepared ointment and asked Mrs. Brown, ¡°Did you make sure she hasn¡¯t eaten or drunk anything from yesterday until now?¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all,¡± Mrs. Brown replied. ¡°Our Miss Sophia is very sensible; even though she was terribly hungry, she refused to eat a bite.¡±

    Tina nodded and then turned to Sophia, trying to soften her tone, ¡°We¡¯re going to start applying the ointment. You must hold on, and if it really hurts, you can bite me.¡±

    Sophia was nervous, but she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Reed, I will persevere.¡±

    Without saying anything more, Tina had Sophia take off her clothes to begin the application of the ointment. It was applied from her face all over her body.

    At first, the cool sensation was quitefortable for Sophia, who gave Tina a sweet smile. ¡°Miss Reed, are you trying to scare me? This ointment feels veryfortable¡­ Ah!¡±

    Her words were cut off abruptly as Sophia suddenly screamed, but remembering something, she immediately closed her mouth. Her body covered in the ointment and shaking uncontrobly, began to sweat profusely, soaking the ointment.

    Sophia was in so much pain she couldn¡¯t speak and dared not scream, resorting to biting the pillow instead.

    Seeing her distress, Mrs. Brown¡¯s heart ached. ¡°Miss Sophia, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I, I¡­ No, no problem¡­ just a bit¡­ painful!¡± Sophia managed to gasp out, feeling as if all her strength had been sapped.

    Mrs. Brown noticed Sophia¡¯s condition was seriously wrong and quickly asked Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, there won¡¯t be any problems with my Miss Sophia, right? She seems to be in so much pain she can barely breathe.¡±

    She was worried; if anything happened to Sophia, how would she exin it to Young Master Jared? Should she call him?

    Tina nced at Sophia¡¯s condition and asked softly, ¡°Can you still hold on?¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed, I¡­ Ah!¡± Sophia couldn¡¯t endure the pain any longer, rolling on the ground, her cries of agony filling the ward.

    Fortunately, this ward was on the top floor of the hospital, where few people roamed and the soundproofing was good.

    After checking the ointment, Tina said to Sophia, ¡°Can you hold on for one more minute?¡±

    Just as Mrs. Brown was about to message Jared, she heard Tina¡¯s words and put away her phone.

    Sophia felt like she was about to faint, but hearing Tina¡¯s voice, she felt a strange sense of security. Despite the pain, she bit down hard, trying not to make any sound.

    Miss Reed had said she didn¡¯t want others to know she was treating her. So she couldn¡¯t let her pain attract anyone else.

    A minuteter, the pain on Sophia¡¯s body finally ceased, and she took a long, relieved breath. Once the pain subsided, she felt incrediblyfortable, as if she were soaking in warm water.

    With a smile, Sophia said, ¡°Miss Reed, did I do okay?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Her face still covered in the ointment, she could only show two rows of white teeth as she smiled.

    Tina patted her head and chuckled, ¡°You did great! Not many people can endure this ointment.¡±

    She had treated others with simr poisons before, which required this ointment. Not even adults in their thirties and forties could bear it, let alone a child as old as Sophia. That¡¯s why she often changed treatment ns, although the ointment was the most effective.

    Tina stood up and said to Sophia, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you for a bath.¡±

    Sophia obediently followed her into the bathroom. Tina had Sophia sit in the bathtub and then took out a medicinal solution she had formted and dropped it into the water.

    Sophia asked curiously, ¡°Tina, aren¡¯t we going to shower?¡±

    Wouldn¡¯t the water get dirty with all the ointment on her body?

    ¡°No need,¡± Tina exined softly. ¡°The ointment needs tobine with my medicine to healpletely.¡±

    Sophia nodded and settled into the bathtub. As the water temperature rose, she gradually fell asleep.

    She didn¡¯t know how long she had slept, feeling asfortable as if she were in a hot spring.

    ¡°Sophia? Wake up!¡± Tina called softly.

    Suddenly, a gentle voice reached her ears, and Sophia slowly opened her eyes, looking at Tina in confusion. ¡°Did I fall asleep?¡±

    Tina smiled and said quietly, ¡°Go look in the mirror.¡±

    Puzzled but obedient, Sophia went to the mirror. The reflection revealed her eyes widening in shock, and she eximed with a loud ¡°Ah!!!¡±

    The scream startled Mrs. Brown, who was outside the bathroom. She rushed into the ward, butwhen she saw the scene in the ward, her mouth fell open in astonishment. ¡°Miss Sophia¡­ your face, your body¡­¡±

    Mrs. Brown was so shocked she couldn¡¯t close her mouth. Could this really be the same Sophia, once so hideously ugly that everyone shunned her? Surely not. Was this a different person? But the bathroom was only sorge, and the ward was on the fifteenth floor. It wasn¡¯t possible someone had climbed up to rece Miss Sophia, was it?

    Mrs. Brown nced at Sophia, then at Tina, and cautiously approached the window, sticking her head out to look. She wanted to see if there was a child¡¯s body below. But there was nothing, just empty space.

    Confused, Mrs. Brown retreated and approached Sophia, asking tentatively, ¡°Miss Sophia? Is that you?¡±

    Sophia, recovering from her shock, grabbed Mrs. Brown¡¯s hand, eximing excitedly, ¡°Mrs. Brown, it¡¯s me, I¡¯m cured, I¡¯m really cured!¡±

    Sophia, ovee with emotion, kept jumping. ¡°Do you see? In the mirror, that¡¯s me, I¡¯m beautiful, aren¡¯t I?¡± As she spoke, Sophia burst into tears. ¡°I¡¯m not ugly, not at all. Everyone called me a monster, but I¡­¡±

    Mrs. Brown, with tears in her eyes, hugged Sophia tightly, ¡°Yes, Miss Sophia, you¡¯re not ugly. You are the most beautiful child in the world.¡±

    Tina, seeing their happiness, didn¡¯t interrupt. She packed up her things and left the room.

    After Tina had gone, Sophia suddenly realized, ¡°Where¡¯s Miss Reed?¡±

    Mrs. Brown also snapped back to reality, pping her forehead, ¡°Oh, Miss Reed left.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Brown, quickly go find Miss Reed; I haven¡¯t thanked her yet,¡± urged Sophia.

    Mrs. Brown nodded and hurried off to find Tina. But as soon as she opened the ward door, she saw Jared, Hayden, and Nathan entering.

    ¡°Mrs. Brown, you look so rushed; did something happen to Sophia?¡±

    Hayden looked into the ward and saw a very pretty, porcin-white little girl but did not see Sophia. He immediately rushed in, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where¡¯s Sophia? Where did she go?¡±

    ¡°Miss¡­ she¡­¡±

    Just as Mrs. Brown was about to speak, Hayden grabbed her arm, growling, ¡°Speak up, what happened to Sophia?¡±

    ¡°Heyden, I¡¯m here!¡± Sophia called out sweetly from the side.

    Hayden was stunned, turning to Jared, ¡°That¡¯s Sophia¡¯s voice? Where is she? Why can¡¯t I see her?¡±

 Chapter 24: Mr. Farrell, You Have a Notorious Reputation

    Jared nced sideways, looking at the little girl beside Mrs. Brown. His fingers, resting on the edge of the wheelchair, suddenly tightened. He couldn¡¯t help but stand up from the wheelchair, his narrow, phoenix-like eyes staring tightly at her, his throat seemed to be choked, and it took him a long time to tremble out, ¡°So¡­ Sophia?¡±

    He, who always remained unmoved, was now struggling to evenplete his sentences.

    Sophia walked up to Jared and smiled sweetly at him, ¡°Jared, it¡¯s me, I¡¯m Sophia.¡±

    Hayden and Nathan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as they looked at Sophia. The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

    It took quite some time before Hayden recovered, and he quickly examined Sophia, speaking excitedly without words, ¡°You, you¡¯re really Sophia? You¡¯re not deceiving us, are you?¡±

    Sophia looked at his shocked expression and giggled, ¡°Hayden, it¡¯s really me, I didn¡¯t deceive you! My illness is cured, and I¡¯ve be prettier, aren¡¯t you happy for me?¡±

    Hayden didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment.

    Happy! Of course, he was happy for Sophia. How much effort had they put into curing Sophia¡¯s illness over the years? Jared had even med himself every day. But now, Sophia¡¯s illness had mysteriously healed. How could they not be happy? How could they not be excited? He was so excited that he couldn¡¯t even speak.

    Jared squatted down, holding Sophia in his arms, gently stroking her head, his lips parted slightly, but he couldn¡¯t say a word.

    After a long while, Jared sat back in his wheelchair, his narrow eyes lifting slightly to look at Mrs. Brown, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Mrs. Brown knew that it was time to stop hiding the truth from Jared, so she said, ¡°It was Miss Reed who cured the miss.¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed?¡± Hayden asked with confusion, ¡°Amber Reed?¡±

    Mrs. Brown wasn¡¯t sure of Tina¡¯s real name, but hearing Hayden say it, she could only exin, ¡°At the mall entrance that time, after Miss Reed saved the miss, she visited once and said she could cure the miss¡¯s illness but we had to keep it a secret, and not even tell the miss¡¯s family members.¡±

    Mrs. Brown bowed her head, speaking softly, ¡°Sophia Miss trusted Miss Reed a lot, and begged me to keep the secret with her. I¡­ I also wanted Sophia Miss¡¯s illness to be cured, so I helped Miss Reed to conceal it from Young Master Jared. Every morning, after you left the hospital, Sophia Miss would message Miss Reed, and she woulde to treat her.¡±

    Having finished, Mrs. Brown hurriedly said, ¡°Young Master Jared, this is my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have concealed it from you, but please don¡¯t send me away, I¡¯ve cared for Sophia Miss these years as if she were my own child, I¡­¡±

    Mrs. Brown broke into tears, afraid that Jared would be angry and send her away. Others might not understand Jared, but she did. In the Farrell family, Jared was someone whose word wasw. Outsiders thought he was disabled, a waste. But he wasn¡¯t. Nobody knew that it was actually Jared who was supporting the wealthiest family position in the capital. Except for the old master and her, no one knew.

    Jared¡¯s brooding eyes stared tightly at her face, and after a while, he spoke slowly, ¡°Mrs. Brown, you were personally selected by me, you should know what should and should not be done!¡±

    This time they were lucky because the person was here to cure Sophia. If it had been someone with malicious intentions, he didn¡¯t dare to imagine.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    Mrs. Brown trembled and quickly apologized, ¡°I, I was wrong.¡±

    Seeing this, Sophia grabbed Jared¡¯s hand, her voice soft and sweet, ¡°Jared, don¡¯t me Mrs. Brown, I was the one who begged her in tears. I was ridiculed for being ugly, and despised, it was hard for me. Mrs. Brown didn¡¯t want me to be sad, so she agreed to keep Miss Reed¡¯s secret.¡±

    Sophia pursed her lips, earnestly saying, ¡°And Miss Reed is not a bad person, she¡¯s very nice, especially kind and gentle, she wouldn¡¯t harm me, Jared, can you forgive Mrs. Brown?¡±

    Looking at Sophia¡¯s delicate and pretty little face, Jared pursed his lips and finally sighed, ¡°Let it go, this time. Don¡¯t let it happen again.¡±

    Mrs. Brown breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡±

    Jared withdrew his gaze, then gave a lowmand, ¡°Nathan, call Ben over to check Sophia!¡±

    Sophia¡¯s well-being was at stake. Even though she had regained her looks, he must ensure she waspletelysafe.

    Soon, Ben arrived.

    He conducted a full body examination on Sophia, and the more he checked, the more astonished he became.

    It wasn¡¯t until the examination was over that Ben eximed excitedly, ¡°The toxins have beenpletely cleared, and the organs that were failing have recovered. Mr. Farrell, when did you find this doctor? Howe I didn¡¯t know?¡±

    Before Jared could respond, Ben¡¯s eyes shone, ¡°Introduce me to them, this is incredible. In just a few days, to be able to clear such severe toxins.¡±

    Hearing that the poison waspletely cured, Hayden¡¯s mouth hung open, unable to close for a long while.

    As Ben examined her, he thought, although Sophia¡¯s appearance had been restored, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean the toxin was cured. If it had been easy to cure, then Ben wouldn¡¯t have been without a solution for years.

    But to think, Sophia¡¯s poison was truly cured. This-was astonishing.

    ¡°Amber¡¯s medical skills are too impressive, aren¡¯t they?¡± Hayden couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Although I hate to admit it, she seems to be even more capable than my Serena.¡±

    Jared leaned back in his wheelchair, his long fingers tapping on the edge, his deep eyes slightly narrowed, silent.

    After pondering for a moment, Hayden continued, ¡°But what does this Amber mean? She can cure Sophia, why do it so stealthily? Everyone knows that Sophia is your grandfather¡¯s most beloved granddaughter. If she cured her, she would definitely receive a handsome reward, yet she said nothing.¡±

    Hayden suddenly had a thought, ¡°Could it be because she doesn¡¯t want to be engaged to you, that¡¯s why she did this?¡±

    The more he thought about it, the more he felt his guess was urate, ¡°That¡¯s right, it must be so. Amber doesn¡¯t want to marry you, afraid that after curing Sophia, you would be even more reluctant to let her go, but as Dr. Ward¡¯s apprentice, she couldn¡¯t bear to see a patient suffer, so she treated her in secret.¡±

    ¡°Tsck!¡± Hayden clicked his tongue, ¡°Mr. Farrell, you have a notorious reputation, look how you scared this youngdy, she would rather forgo a hefty reward than marry you.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes lifted, giving him an icy look.

    Hayden immediately zipped his mouth shut.

    That¡¯s it, he¡¯s done for! Mr. Farrell is angry!

    Jared looked away, then instructed, ¡°Prepare a gift, we¡¯re going to visit the Reed family.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sophia immediately stepped forward, ¡°Jared, are you going to thank Miss Reed? Can Ie with you? I want to thank Miss Reed in person, I didn¡¯t get the chance just now.¡±

    Jared was silent for a moment, then said, ¡°You rest first, I¡¯ll take you to see Miss Reed in a few days.¡±

    Sophia was a bit disappointed, but she obediently nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to Jared.¡±

 Chapter 25: Too Late to Regret

    At Moon Gate Estate, Amber had just returned from school in high spirits.

    Upon entering, she immediately ran to Elizabeth, presenting the olddy with her test papers, ¡°Grandma, the results from the mock exams are out, and I¡¯ve ranked twentieth in the entire city. Our teacher said that I could choose any university in the country.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± The olddy took the papers, nced at the score, and couldn¡¯t suppress her smile, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! The Reed family has finally produced a top schr.¡±

    Amber smiled sweetly, ¡°I¡¯ll keep working hard, aiming to be the top schr of Ensford.¡±

    ¡°Good! That¡¯s my granddaughter for you, with such ambition!¡± praised the olddy.

    At that moment, the nanny approached, saying, ¡°Madam, Mr. Jared Farrell and Mr. Hayden Cohen have arrived.¡±

    The olddy¡¯s expression changed, ¡°It must be about the engagement; the date is tomorrow, what shall we do? Things with Tina are still not settled.¡±

    Amber pursed her lips and whispered, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t worry yet. Isn¡¯t it tomorrow? We still have a chance at the birthday party tonight.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± the olddyposed herself and then instructed the nanny, ¡°Please, let them in.¡±

    Soon after, the nanny escorted Jared and the others in.

    Jared was still in a wheelchair, pushed by Nathan.

    Hayden stood by, a privileged heir with a carefree posture.

    The olddy nced at them, a flicker of disdain passing through her eyes, though she smiled and asked, ¡°I wonder what brings Mr. Farrell here today?¡±

    Jared¡¯s tone was somewhat warmer than usual, ¡°I¡¯ve especiallye today to thank Miss Amber for saving my sister¡¯s life.¡±

    Elizabeth and Amber were both taken aback, exchanging puzzled looks.

    Elizabeth, the wiser, chose not to speak.

    Amber also remained silent, lips pursed as if deep in thought.

    Seeing Amber¡¯s silence, Hayden thought she didn¡¯t want to reveal the incident and said, ¡°Miss Amber, you shouldn¡¯t feel pressured. We came today just to express our gratitude. As for the matter of you saving Sophia, we won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    Amber then realized they were talking about the girl at the mall entrance, Jared¡¯s sister.

    But Sophia¡¯s illness was serious. Could Tina have identally cured her?

    Before Amber could speak, Jared gave Nathan a look.

    Nathan immediately presented their prepared gifts, ¡°We¡¯ve heard that Miss Amber has been studying medicine under Dr. Ward, so we¡¯ve prepared some herbal medicines for you: millennium ganoderma, century-old ginseng, and ten kinds of each rare medicinal material¡­¡±

    Amber¡¯s eyes lit up before Nathan could finish.

    My goodness!

    These ingredients were priceless, not avable for purchase even with money!

    And they were in such limited supply that using one meant there was one less.

    Jared was so generous to give all of these to her?

    No, that¡¯s not right!

    It must be his grandfather who was generous!

    Sophia was Logan¡¯s most beloved granddaughter!

    ¡°Here is a check for fifty million dors,¡± Nathan said, handing Amber the check, ¡°If you have any other needs, feel free to tell us, and we will try to amodate them.¡±

    Amber, looking at the check and the precious medicinal materials in her hands, waspletely stunned.

    It took her a while to regain herposure, smiling as she said, ¡°Dr. Ward often teaches me that a physician should be benevolent, and saving lives is a doctor¡¯s duty. I don¡¯t need the check¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, Elizabeth stood up abruptly, ¡°Amber!¡±

    Did she realize what she was doing?

    This was a fifty million dor check!

    It could support the Reed family for a while.

    Amber turned, giving her grandmother a reassuring look.

    Despite her reluctance, the olddy said no more.

    Amber turned back around, continuing, ¡°As for the medicinal materials, Mr. Farrell, could you possibly name a price? We would like to buy them. As you know, I am studying medicine, and these materials are very much needed.¡±

    Jared¡¯s attractive phoenix eyes lifted slightly, his cool lips curving into a slight smile, ¡°Once the Farrell family gives something away, there¡¯s no taking it back.¡±

    Amber¡¯s lips curled into a triumphant smile, ¡°Mr. Farrell, there¡¯s no need¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, Jared turned to the olddy, ¡°Oh, and about Miss Tina¡¯s engagement party, let¡¯s postpone it by ten days.¡±

    Amber¡¯s smile froze.

    What did he mean?

    Did Jared think that because she had cured Sophia and saw her potential, he no longer wanted to marry Tina and now wanted to marry her?

    Was this ten-day dy to pursue her?

    How could this be possible?

    Elizabeth was also taken aback by Jared¡¯s sudden postponement of the engagement and asked anxiously, ¡°Why isJared replied calmly, ¡°There are some matters I need to take care of.¡±

    Amber¡¯s nerves tightened at his response.

    Jared must not want to marry Tina anymore, using this as a pretext to dy.

    What to do?

    Should she tell Jared now that it wasn¡¯t her who cured Sophia?

    But looking at those precious medicinal materials¡­

    Dr. Ward had been tackling aplex disease recently and needed fifty-year-old ginseng; Jared had provided century-old ginseng. If she gave it to Dr. Ward, she might gain more of his favor.

    Everyone knew that Dr. Ward had taken her on as an apprentice, but they didn¡¯t know she was only a peripheral disciple with limited ess to knowledge.

    Amber¡¯s fingers tightened at her sides, and she swallowed the words she was about to speak.

    She needed those medicinal materials!

    And Jared had to marry Tina!

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Elizabeth wanted to say more, but Jared took his leave, ¡°I have other matters to attend to, I won¡¯t disturb you any further.¡±

    Only after Jared had left did Elizabeth turn to Amber.

    ¡°Amber, what¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, bewildered by the sudden thanks and postponed engagement.

    Amber bit her lip, her face pale, ¡°Grandma, I think it¡¯s because I cured Mr. Farrell¡¯s sister, and now he¡¯s suddenly taken an interest in me! What should we do? If the Farrell family insists on marrying me off¡­¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Elizabeth stood up fiercely, ¡°You cannot marry him!¡±

    Although Jared¡¯s gesture of fifty million dors was substantial, he was still a man with a disability.

    Amber deserved the best, someone who could bring more glory to the Reed family.

    Her ambition was not just Ensford, but the capital!

    Amber was her trump card! She needed to use Amber to disce their powerful rtives in the capital.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Amber looked down, her voice soft, ¡°Mr. Farrell kept looking at me the whole time, he might have already decided on me.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s expression darkened, pacing back and forth.

    Amber didn¡¯t interrupt her.

    After a moment, Elizabeth stopped and said to Amber, ¡°Then let¡¯s make it toote to regret.¡±

    Amber was startled, ¡°Grandma, what do you mean?¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    ¡°Call himter and invite him to tonight¡¯s birthday party,¡± Elizabeth instructed.

    ¡°Will hee?¡± Amber was doubtful.

    If it were her birthday, inviting Jared would certainly bring him.

    But it was ultimately her aunt¡¯s birthday.

    ¡°Others might not get him toe, but you saved Miss Farrell, he wille,¡± Elizabeth said with conviction.

    Seeing this, Amber nodded, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±

 Chapter 26: A Birthday Banquet or a Trap?

    At Pinkwater Alley, Tina arrived home just as Hugo and Jennie were stepping through the door. She greeted them and asked, ¡°Mr. Reed, is everything going alright?¡±

    Hugo and Jennie had taken Zackary to enroll at Royal Oaks Kindergarten that morning. Hugo nodded, ¡°It went well; Zackary really likes the school.¡± There was a hint of bitterness on his face as he sat on the sofa, looking exhausted.

    Tina sat down beside him, nced at him, and inquired, ¡°Ran into some trouble?¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Hugo sighed, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just the usual.¡±

    Seeing him sigh without borating, Tina turned to Jennie, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Tina wasn¡¯t one to pry, but having grownfortable with Hugo¡¯s family over time, she was naturally willing to help. However, Hugo seemed reluctant to trouble her, never speaking up about his problems.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him; he¡¯s just being idle,¡± Jennie said, ring at Hugo before patting him on the shoulder, ¡°Big deal, if you can¡¯t find a job, you can¡¯t find it. I still have some savings, and after a while, you can look for a job elsewhere. Can your mother intervene with your work in Ensford? If you go to another ce, can she still meddle?¡±

    Jennie continued, ¡°Besides, Zackary¡¯s tuition ispletely waived now. What¡¯s there to worry about? Don¡¯t bring a bad mood home every day and affect Tina¡¯s mood.¡±

    They had just found out about the tuition waiver while enrolling at Royal Oaks that day. For them, this was incredibly good news. Initially, Jennie was happy about Zackary being epted at Royal Oaks, but after discussing it with Hugo, they realized they couldn¡¯t afford such a prestigious school under their current circumstances. They had decided to send Zackary to a regr kindergarten instead. They went to Royal Oaks to exin this, only to be told that Zackary¡¯s tuition would be waived.

    This had delighted them immensely. But now that the tuition issue was settled, Hugo was worried about finding a job, constantly fretting about supporting the family, leaving Jennie speechless.

    Tina understood; Hugo was being suppressed by Elizabeth and couldn¡¯t find work. She pressed her lips together, not caring whether Hugo had a job or not. She could support the family herself.

    Hugo, in his forties, had lost a lot of time due to his job situation. Tina nced at Hugo, took out her phone, opened her social media app, and found over 999 messages in her inbox. She was startled, then remembered posting about looking for a job and not checking her phone since.

    She read the messages.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, are you really looking for a job? Come to Lumieux? Be the president.¡±

    ¡°Holy smokes, am I seeing things? You¡¯re looking for a job? Hurry ande to Mendara, you can be the chairman; I want to travel the world.¡±

    Rubbing her temples in disbelief, Tina¡¯s gaze lingered on thest message.

    Principal of Ensford High School: ¡°Interested ining to our school for a visit?¡±

    Tina paused, recognizing Ensford High School as Amber¡¯s alma mater. After reading thements, she exited and clicked on a contact with a ck avatar, named ¡®Jimmy¡¯, ¡°Does Mendara have a branch in Ensford?¡±

    The reply came almost immediately, ¡°Love disappears out of nowhere, Serena? You don¡¯t even know where my branch is? I¡¯m so heartbroken¡­¡±

    [One thousand words omitted here]

    Tina¡¯s temples throbbed as she read, too tired for nonsense. She sent Hugo¡¯s resume, ¡°Need a vacancy.¡±

    After a moment, she added, ¡°This is my dad!¡±

    ¡°Wow, my future father-inw! Serena, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of our dad¡­¡±

    A thousand-word message followed.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    She turned off her phone.

    As soon as she put away her phone, Hugo¡¯s rang. Whatever was said on the other end, Hugo listened with a serious expression, ¡°I understand.¡±

    After hanging up, he looked at Jennie and Tina, ¡°Talon has invited us to a birthday banquet tonight and made a point of asking us to bring Tina.¡±

    Jennie frowned, ¡°Why bring Tina? They don¡¯t like her, why invite her kindly?¡±

    Tina smiled slightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s see what they¡¯re up to.¡±

    The people at Moon Gate Estate wouldn¡¯t invite them without reason. Tonight-it wasn¡¯t a birthday banquet, but a trap! Perfect!

    She was curious to see what they were nning.

    Elsewhere.

    Jared and Hayden had just left Moon Gate Estate when Jared received a call from Amber, inviting him to Talon¡¯s wife¡¯s birthday banquet that evening. Jared epted.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    In the car.

    Jared held the phone, his slender fingers tappingslowly on it as his piercing eyes stared out the window, his expression unreadable.

    ¡°What is Amber up to?¡± Hayden asked, noticing Jared had ended the call with a frown, ¡°She couldn¡¯t wait to get away from you inside, and now she invites you to her aunt¡¯s birthday party?¡±

    Jared¡¯s fingers continued their slow rhythm on the phone, his eyes slightly narrowed, but he said nothing.

    Nathan nced at Jared through the rearview mirror, ¡°Mr. Farrell, are you really going to the birthday banquet tonight?¡±

    ¡°Going,¡± Jared replied slowly, ¡°She saved Sophia, I owe her that courtesy.¡±

    Nathan¡¯s expression was somber, ¡°I have a feeling this birthday banquet isn¡¯t going to be straightforward. Amber is very cunning.¡±

    Jared¡¯s lips curved into a cold smirk, ¡°Miss Ensford is no big deal.¡±

    Hayden was confused by his cryptic words, ¡°What do you mean? Did you discover something?¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, his voice cool, ¡°She¡¯s too greedy.¡±

    He didn¡¯t know why Amber had treated Sophia behind his back, but he was certain it wasn¡¯t out of pure kindness.

    Nathan agreed, ¡°Right, I wanted to mention that Amber¡¯s eyes showed greed when she saw the check, even though she hid it well. I suspect her motive for saving Miss Sophia isn¡¯t simple.¡±

    ¡°Damn, she¡¯s up to something?¡± Hayden¡¯s eyes widened in shock, then with excitement, ¡°I like trouble, it¡¯s fun when I¡¯m bored.¡±

    Then, leaning towards Jared, he said, ¡°Take me with you, I want to watch the drama!¡±

    Jared nced at him and then instructed Nathan, ¡°Pick up Sophia, we¡¯lle back here tonight for the birthday banquet.¡±

 Chapter 27: Tina Snatches Amberâ€™s FiancÃ©?

    At night, Moon Gate Estate.

    The birthday banquet for Talon¡¯s wife, Ivy, was held at Moon Gate Estate.

    Though the Reed family was not as glorious as in the past, Elizabeth¡¯s invitation still drew many celebrities to the party.

    The banquet started at eight.

    Tina and Hugo arrived at Moon Gate Estate at seven-thirty.

    Numerous luxury cars were already parked outside the vi.

    Inside the hall, Amber, d in a haute couture gown, held a ss of red wine and greeted the guests. She stood tall and confident, her face beaming with a self-assured smile, as if she were the true daughter of the Reed family.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    As soon as Tina and her group entered, Amber spotted them. Holding her wine ss, she approached with a polite and gentle greeting, ¡°Dad, Mom, Tina, you¡¯re here? Come in, most of the guests have arrived.¡±

    She spoke with the tone of a hostess, ¡°Make sure to eat plenty today.¡±

    Hugo frowned, his expression souring.

    Was she implying that they were poor and couldn¡¯t afford fine food, suggesting they should take the opportunity to eat their fill today?

    Jennie¡¯s expression also darkened, but she didn¡¯t say anything.

    Amber, still smiling, turned to Tina, ¡°By the way, Tina, Mr. Farrell will also be here tonight.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell really likes you. He originally wasn¡¯t going toe, but he changed his mind when he knew you would be here,¡± Amber said, her face always wearing a proper and gentle smile, which to others seemed docile and sweet.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Tina responded nonchntly, ¡°Are you jealous?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Amber was taken aback for a moment, not catching on immediately.

    Tina¡¯s lips curved into a mischievous smile, ¡°If you like him, I can let you have him!¡±

    Amber¡¯s face stiffened, her expression nearly cracking, ¡°Tina, you shouldn¡¯t speak carelessly.¡±

    Did she like Jared?

    What a joke!

    That loser!

    How could he be worthy of her?

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like him, you should watch your manners!¡± Tina said, her eyes lifting slightly, her tone even.

    Amber choked, a hint of venom shing through her eyes, quickly concealed.

    Tina nced at her and ignored her, preparing to follow Hugo and greet some acquaintances.

    As she turned, a girl dressed like a punk came over. She looked at Tina with disdain, ¡°Amber, who is she? Your friend? Why has shee to tonight¡¯s birthday banquet dressed like that?¡±

    This was Annie, the daughter of Pinewood.

    She had always been arrogant and spent her days with a bunch of rich, idle youths.

    Tina had been staying at her grandfather¡¯s house during her time away, so Annie did not recognize Tina and just felt that her attire was far too shabby.

    Tina nced sideways and looked down at her own clothes: jeans, a white T-shirt, and sneakers. Was there a problem with her attire?

    ¡°Annie, don¡¯t be rude, we are family,¡± Amber said in a low voice to the girl.

    Annie looked at Tina with even more disdain, ¡°So you¡¯re Hugo¡¯s long-lost daughter? Not very impressive. And you¡¯repeting with Amber for a fiance, what were you thinking?¡±

    Annie mostly stayed at her grandfather¡¯s house and didn¡¯t know much about the affairs of the Reed family.

    But she admired Amber, seeing her as a celestial fairy, gentle and generous.

    She had heard that the Farrell family¡¯s son was to be engaged to Amber and was happy for her.

    After all, it was the Farrell family!

    So what if Jared was disabled?

    The aura of the Farrell family was there. If Amber married into it, she would never have to worry about livelihood.

    But who could have expected that Hugo would find Tina and the marriage arrangement with the Farrell family would fall upon Tina¡¯s head? This ignited her fury.

    Why should Tinae back and snatch Amber¡¯s fiance?

    She wouldn¡¯t stand for it.

    Upon hearing this, Amber¡¯s face changed, and she quickly interjected, ¡°Annie, stop! Mr. Farrell was originally Tina¡¯s fiance, she didn¡¯t snatch him.¡±

    Annie just thought Amber was afraid of Tina and spoke righteously, ¡°Amber, although you were adopted by Hugo, you are still a daughter of the Reed family, and even more excellent than her. You don¡¯t need to be afraid of her. You should bravely pursue your happiness. Mr. Farrell was originally your fiance.¡±

    At this, Hugo and Jennie¡¯s expressions changed.

    Tina watched Annie with interest.

    Those nearby cast strange nces in their direction.

    Amber¡¯s face turned ugly.

    Annie, this fool!

    Did she really have to remind everyone in front of so many people that she was adopted?

    And, who wantsto marry that invalid Jared!

    Stupid!

    Utterly foolish!

    But she couldn¡¯t show her annoyance and could only smile and exin, ¡°You¡¯re mistaken, I don¡¯t have any thoughts about Mr. Farrell¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, Annie cut her off, ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses for her. I know you¡¯re just afraid to upset her, but I¡¯m not! Amber, today I¡¯ll stand up for you and get this marriage arrangement back for you.¡±

    Amber was so angry she almost cracked her back teeth, ¡°I¡­¡±

    She was about to speak when Elena also chimed in, ¡°Right, Amber, you¡¯re so outstanding, why should you be afraid of a country bumpkin? She just got back and is already snatching your fiance, who knows what else she¡¯ll take from you in the future. We all need to make her give back your fiance today.¡±

    Previously, Elena had tried to frame Tina and was severely scolded by her parents when she got home.

    Coming to the birthday party, her brother had repeatedly warned her to avoid provoking Tina if she encountered her.

    She had kept away when she saw Tina arrive, but seeing Amber looking so aggrieved, she couldn¡¯t help speaking up for her.

    These people shared the same thought as Annie: Jared might be disabled, but he had a substantial family fortune and was adored by his grandfather. Marrying him would mean securing half of the Farrell family¡¯s wealth  a splendid marriage deal, yet it had been snatched by Tina?

    Just because she was the first daughter of the Reed family?

    Why should she?

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Tina hasn¡¯t¡­¡±

    Amber, unable to bear it, tried to exin, but Tina suddenly smirked, a mocking smile on her lips, ¡°Oh? You want to marry Jared? Why, just a moment ago when I asked, you said you didn¡¯t like him?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Amber tried to speak, but Tina didn¡¯t give her the chance to talk, ¡°I said, if you want him, I¡¯ll let him be yours¡­¡±

    With that, Amber eximed urgently, ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to marry him!¡±

    She was so hasty that her voice rose several notches.

    Many people turned to look at them, and Amber felt indignant, her eyes welling up with tears, ¡°Annie, Elena, stop talking. I have no intention of marrying Mr. Farrell, and Tina hasn¡¯t snatched my fiance.¡±

    This time her distress was genuine, not feigned. She truly felt aggrieved.

    When had she ever been pushed to such a point that she couldn¡¯t get a word in?

    But Annie and Elena, thinking they were advocating for her, kept interrupting her, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.

    If everyone took her side and ruined the marriage arrangement between Tina and Jared, it would infuriate her to death.

    However, in Annie¡¯s eyes, Amber¡¯s aggrieved appearance was due to Tina¡¯s bullying, which made her approach Tina furiously, ¡°Don¡¯t threaten Amber. What¡¯s there for you to be arrogant about? Look at yourself, how do youpare to Amber?¡±

    ¡°She is Miss Ensford, an All-A student at Ensford High School, Dr. Ward¡¯s apprentice, and she even saved Mr. Farrell¡¯s sister a few days ago. Her kindness and beauty are known throughout Ensford. What right do you have topete with her for a fiance?¡±

 Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Miss Amber, Please Explain

    At the entrance to Moon Gate Estate.

    No sooner had Nathan pushed Jared through the gate than they overheard Annie¡¯s words. Nathan¡¯s deep-set eyes narrowed, his stern face wrapped in ayer of coldness.

    Hayden and Nathan¡¯s brows furrowed tightly together.

    What did this Amber mean?

    She secretly treated Jared¡¯s sister, iming she did not want others to know, yet she herself spread the news far and wide?

    What exactly was she trying to do?

    ¡°Miss Reed!¡±

    Sophia, upon seeing Tina, was excited to run over, but Jared pulled her back, ¡°Wait a moment.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t sure if the Miss Reed Sophia mentioned was Tina; he just wanted to see what Amber was up to.

    Inside the hall.

    Everyone was full of praise for Amber after listening to Annie¡¯s words.

    Such a daughter could only belong to someone else¡¯s family.

    When they looked at Tina again, their eyes showed disgust, and they began to discuss amongst themselves, ¡°You know, Hugo really is something. Although Amber is his adopted daughter, she¡¯s far more outstanding than his own. No matter who marries Jared Farrell, they are his daughters, and he should be happy about it. Yet he ruined his adopted daughter¡¯s marriage prospects for his own daughter.¡±

    ¡°Are his eyes blind? If it were me, I would treat such an adopted daughter a thousand times better. Properly nurtured, she could be the glory of the family. That Tina, just look at her clothes and demeanor, she¡¯s not fit for public appearance. And raised in the countryside, illiterate, what benefits can she bring to the Reed family?¡±

    ¡°In my opinion, the decline of the Reed family isn¡¯t without reason. They discard pearls and adorn themselves with fish eyes instead.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face turned pale upon hearing the crowd¡¯s discussion.

    She knew it!

    These people would definitely stand up for her!

    But she didn¡¯t want them to stand up for her now!

    Such fools!

    She was about to explode with anger!

    While Hugo, shivering with rage, roared, ¡°What do you all know? It was Amber herself who refused to marry Mr. Farrell. What does Tina have to do with it?¡±

    ¡°Hugo, there¡¯s no point in exining anymore. If you hadn¡¯t done wrong, why would your mother have driven you out? You can¡¯t even find a job now, right? In my opinion, you should listen to your mother, marry Amber to Jared, ande back to enjoy the good life,¡± one of the guests sneered.

    ¡°You!¡± Hugo was upset but speechless for the moment.

    Just then, ady of high standing approached excitedly and asked Amber, ¡°Amber, did you really cure Jared¡¯s sister? I heard she was disfigured due to an ident when she was young, her face marred by many ugly scars, and the recent rumors say she has regained her beauty, was it you who helped her?¡±

    This was Beatrice, the daughter of the local Fanning family, forty-five years old, married into the capital¡¯s Woodham family.

    Her daughter Shonna had been disfigured in a car ident a few years ago, and despite seeking many doctors for treatment, none had been sessful.

    Her daughter Shonna, because of her disfigurement, had be withdrawn, unwilling to interact with others, and Beatrice was quite worried.

    A few months ago, she brought Shonna to Ensford, hoping the change of environment would do her some good.

    She attended the birthday banquet today because her mother had some acquaintance with Elizabeth and, since her mother was ill, she came in her mother¡¯s stead. But she never expected to hear that Amber could treat disfigurement, and she was immediately ecstatic.

    Before Amber could reply, Elena answered with pride, ¡°Of course, Amber¡¯s medical skills will surely astonish you. Mr. Farrell¡¯s sister¡¯s condition was so severe, yet Amber healed her in just a few days.¡±

    Amber wanted to stop Elena, but considering Beatrice¡¯s status, she let it pass.

    Her husband¡¯s family, the Woodham family, had an extraordinary position in the capital, and she had been wanting to establish a connection with Beatrice. It would give her more opportunities when she went to the capitalter.

    Beatrice¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Really?¡±

    Amber nodded, ¡°Yes, but Elena is exaggerating. Miss Farrell had burns, which although old, could still be treated.¡±

    At the entrance, Jared, Hayden, and Nathan all frowned upon hearing this.

    Hayden could not help but say, ¡°What nonsense is Amber spouting?¡±

    Jared squinted his eyes and looked towards Sophia, raising his hand to point at Amber not far away, asking, ¡°Was it her who cured you?¡±

    Sophia blinked her big eyes, looking confusedly at Jared, ¡°No, it was the Miss Reed next to you, Jared, haven¡¯t you met Miss Reed before? How can you not recognize her?¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    Nathan, ¡°¡­¡±

    This was a mess!

    Mistaken identity!

    That foolish Amber, how dare she im Tina¡¯s credit!

    ¡°Darn it!¡± Hayden was suddenly furious, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone so shameless, she even dares to bully Mr. Farrell¡¯s fiancee? Where does she get the nerve?¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    He said this and was about to go up and teach Amber a lesson when Jared called out, ¡°Come back!¡±

    Hayden stopped in his tracks, staring at Jared, ¡°She¡¯s bullying your fiancee right over your head, and you can bear this?¡±

    Jared nced at him indifferently, his long fingers resting on the side of the wheelchair, speaking slowly, ¡°Strike the snake at its vital point.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Hayden was confused, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Nathan exined seriously, ¡°Mr. Cohen, what Mr. Farrell means is, let¡¯s wait and see. It¡¯s more satisfying to call her out in public.¡±

    Then he gave Hayden a look as if he were looking at an idiot.

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    I can understand!

    I¡¯m not an idiot!

    You are!

    On the other side.

    Beatrice excitedly took Amber¡¯s hand, speaking eagerly, ¡°Miss Reed, I would like you to see my daughter. If she is cured, I will certainly offer you a generous reward.¡±

    Amber felt smug inside, but she maintained a gracious and gentle demeanor, smiling, ¡°You¡¯re too kind. Treating and saving people is a doctor¡¯s duty, but I¡¯m not sure if I can cure your daughter¡¯s condition, as everyone¡¯s case is different.¡±

    ¡°I understand, I understand,¡± Beatrice said, ¡°Any sliver of hope is worth trying.¡±

    After a pause, she added, ¡°May I trouble you to see my daughter after the banquet is over? I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m just too anxious.¡±

    Amber, understanding, said with a smile, ¡°I understand. After the banquet, I¡¯lle with you to see her.¡±

    ¡°No need, you go ahead, I¡¯ll go fetch her now.¡± Without giving Amber a chance to respond, Beatrice hurried off.

    After she left, the crowd again burst into exmations of admiration, praising Amber for her beauty and kindness, modesty, and not being pretentious, leaving Tina far behind.

    Annie, hearing everyone¡¯s words, looked at Tina with satisfaction, ¡°See? Amber¡¯s excellence is recognized by everyone, what can you use topete with her? I tell you, even if you are Hugo¡¯s biological daughter, it won¡¯t work. With me around, you can forget about snatching her fiance!¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, just about to speak, when suddenly, a small figure ran over and hugged her leg, ¡°Miss Reed!¡±

    Tina was startled and looked at the child in confusion, ¡°Sophia?¡±

    Sophia nodded, ¡°Miss Reed, I¡¯ve missed you.¡±

    Then, Sophia turned to look at Amber, pouting, and said with indignation, ¡°Why did you lie and say you helped me? It was her who treated me, not you!¡±

    Amber furrowed her brows. She had not seen Sophia since her recovery and did not recognize her. Hearing such an usation, she struggled to maintain herposure but still kept her smile, ¡°Little one, you shouldn¡¯t speak nonsense. When have I ever pretended to be Tina?¡±

    From a distance came a cool, indifferent voice, ¡°Is that so? Then please, Miss Amber, exin why my sister insists it was Miss Tina who cured her?¡±

 Chapter 29: The Height of Shamelessness

    As Jared appeared, all eyes turned to him, especially those of Amber¡¯s close friends, who immediately beamed with joy.

    They sped their hands over their chests, eyes gleaming, ¡°So handsome! My heart is beating so fast.¡±

    ¡°What to do, what to do, my face is so red, his eyes seem to bewitch people, I feel like I¡¯ve deeply fallen for him.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t handle it, I¡¯m about to get a nosebleed, how can someone be this good-looking, I really want to marry him.¡±

    In the past, Amber would have scoffed at such talk, calling them fools.

    What use was good looks?

    Nothing but a waste of space.

    But now, all she could think about was how to keep up the lie.

    She thought Jared had mistaken her for someone else, surely unaware that Tina was the one who had saved Sophia, and she let the mistake slide.

    Little did she expect to be publicly exposed by Sophia under such circumstances.

    As Amber pondered how to smooth over the lie, Nathan pushed Jared up to her.

    Jared¡¯s stern face was expressionless, his deep and narrow eyes coldly fixed on her, radiating a bone-chilling frostiness.

    Beside them, Hayden wore a scornful smile, ¡°Miss Amber, aren¡¯t you going to exin? epting our gratitude, yet you¡¯re not the one who saved Sophia, tsk tsk, I never knew our Miss Ensford could be so¡­ shameless!¡±

    Amber flushed with embarrassment, biting her lip with a pitiful look, ¡°Mr. Farrell, Mr. Cohen, could there be some misunderstanding?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Hayden raised an eyebrow, disdainfully saying, ¡°Do tell, where did we misunderstand?¡±

    ¡°I did save a little girl around five who was scalded. When Mr. Farrell came to thank me at home, I thought he was referring to that girl, not realizing this was all a misunderstanding,¡± Amber exined, adopting a woefully aggrieved demeanor, ¡°Mr. Farrell, you mistook the person.¡±

    Hayden¡¯s eyes widened,pletely astounded by Amber¡¯s shameless performance!

    Could someone really lie with such a straight face?

    In the end, by simply iming Jared was mistaken, she deflected all me onto him!

    Incredible!

    Hayden, unable to contain himself, gave Amber a thumbs-up, seriously saying, ¡°Indeed, you are our Miss Ensford, I am impressed!¡±

    Amber¡¯s face turned even redder, yet she swiftlyposed herself.

    She denied everything, what could Jared do to her?Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared looked up, his handsome eyes fixing on her face as his cool lips curled slightly, his voice detached, ¡°Since you did not save my sister, please return the gift from the Farrell family.¡±

    Amber stiffened, a surge of irritation within her. The fifty million dor check was of no concern, as long as Tina and Jared got engaged, the Reed family would naturally receive investments.

    But those medicinal materials were intended for Dr. Ward, and if she had to return them, how would she convince Dr. Ward to take her as an apprentice?

    It was all Sophia¡¯s fault,ing out at this time, ruining her ns.

    Yet, with so many eyes on her, if she didn¡¯t return the materials, her reputation would be ruined.

    Amber¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, then she said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of these misunderstandings. A few days ago, my mentor needed those materials to treat a patient, so I sent them over¡­¡±

    Pausing deliberately, Amber expected Jared to smoothly offer the materials to Dr. Ward, for who doesn¡¯t fall ill in their life?

    Though Tina cured Sophia, who knew if it was just a fluke?

    A country girl like Tina, what did she know?

    Eventually, they would have to seek help from her and Dr. Ward, wouldn¡¯t they?

    Waiting for Jared¡¯s response, Amber felt awkward when he remained silent, so she continued reluctantly, ¡°I apologize, Mr. Farrell, can you give me some time to gather the materials and return them to you?¡±

    Her words carried a hint of grievance.

    But to the onlookers, it seemed Jared was bullying Amber.

    They spoke up for her, ¡°Mr. Farrell, it was your mistake, you can¡¯t me Amber, can you? You gave the gift, Dr. Ward needed it, she passed it on, let it go.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, the Farrell family is wealthy, it¡¯s just some medicinal herbs, given away is given away, after all, isn¡¯t there still a marriage contract with the Reed family? In the end, it¡¯s all within the family, you haven¡¯t lost anything.¡±

    ¡°Let Amber go, look how frightened you¡¯ve made the poor girl, her tears are about to fall.¡±

    Jared listened to the crowd, his gaze low and his hand resting on the wheelchair, absentmindedly fiddling with it, his face unreadable.

    Elizabeth hesitated fora moment, then approached, ¡°Mr. Farrell, it¡¯s all a misunderstanding. You didn¡¯t exin yourself clearly, causing such an embarrassment. Today is a birthday party, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. As for the medicinal materials Amber used, don¡¯t worry, my Reed family willpensate in full.¡±

    Since the moment Annie targeted Tina, Elizabeth had been watching the stir here.

    She hadn¡¯t intervened, effectively endorsing Annie¡¯s actions.

    She never liked Tina, who constantly opposed her, never taking her seriously, and now was a good opportunity to let everyone see what Tina was really like.

    Besides, she also wanted Hugo to realize his current plight, what was he without the Reed family?

    So, she had been observing the drama from the sidelines, but now, she couldn¡¯t stand by any longer.

    Who would have thought that the savior of Jared¡¯s sister was Tina?

    She couldn¡¯t believe Tina could do such a thing and took it as mere coincidence.

    That girl, always so lucky.

    Jared¡¯s smile deepened, his voice as calm as a still pond, ¡°So, it¡¯s my fault, is it?¡±

    Amber smiled, poised and gracious, ¡°Mr. Farrell, there¡¯s no need to apologize, I don¡¯t me you.¡±

    At that, Hayden¡¯s eyes nearly popped out.

    He had never seen someone so utterly shameless!

    What to do?

    He felt an urge to hit Amber.

    And Tina, also shocked by Amber¡¯s shamelessness.

    She had saved Sophia without a thought for reward, but learning that Amber had taken credit for her deed and imed her thank you, she felt utterly disgusted.

    At that moment, Sophia tugged at her clothes, Tina looked down.

    Sophia winked at her, grinning, ¡°Miss Reed, don¡¯t worry, Jared will make things right for you.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    She wasn¡¯t in a hurry, nor did she want revenge.

    She just felt a little suffocated.

    ¡°Ha,¡± Jaredughed, that smile captivating yet not reaching his eyes.

    He lifted his gaze, the chill in his voice growing, ¡°Nathan.¡±

    Nathan was eager, and at Jared¡¯s word, he stepped forward, pulling out his phone, and opened several videos, ¡°This is the surveince footage from the mall entrance on the day Miss Sophia had her ident. Both Miss Reed and Miss Amber were present. However, Miss Amber watched indifferently, it was Miss Reed who saved someone.¡±

    Just a while ago, Jared had him pull all the footage from that day.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Amber tried to exin, but Nathan didn¡¯t give her the chance, he yed more videos, ¡°Here is Miss Amber¡¯s schedule for that day, at twelve o¡¯clock she left here, met with friends at the mall, encountered our Miss Sophia having her emergency, then left the mall for the Pinkwater Alley to visit the Heisler family, not leaving until seven in the evening¡­¡±

    Nathan turned to Amber, his voice firm, ¡°Please, Miss Amber, did you save a scalded five-year-old child while with the Heisler family that day?¡±

    Then, looking at Elena, ¡°Miss Elena, does your family have a five-year-old child?¡±

 Chapter 30: Miss Ensford? Or just a fraud?

    Two consecutive questions left Amber and Elena pale-faced. The looks they received from the others in the room were filled with unclear implications and veiled mockery. Amber felt ufortable under their gazes and was about to speak when suddenly someone preempted her, ¡°So it turns out that the savior was Miss Tina, not Miss Amber. Tsk tsk, I hardly think a fraudster could be any Miss Ensford.¡±

    The speaker was Velma Lehman, a member of the wealthy and powerful Lehman family, a force in Ensford no one could contend with. All the Lehman children excelled in their respective fields, all except for Velma. She was uneducated and belligerent, constantly getting into fights. Yet, because she was known for her loyalty, she had many friends. For some reason, she harbored a deep-seated hatred for Amber. An extreme hatred!

    Perhaps she couldn¡¯t stand Amber¡¯s constant air of woefulness. Amber whirled around to re at her, so angry she felt she could shatter her silver teeth. That despicable Velma! Always looking for trouble with her! When Velma met Amber¡¯s re, she stared back defiantly, ¡°What? Can¡¯t own up to what you¡¯ve done? Hah, I thought you were so noble, but you are nothing more than this. You¡¯re just an adopted daughter, given the best of everything at home, yet you always pose as a victim. What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    With that, the crowd¡¯s eyes on Amber felt like thorns. She was rigid all over. She never would have imagined that Jared would dig up the old surveince footage and publicly disy it. All for Tina? But what was she to do? This could ruin her reputation beyond repair.

    Amber bit her lip, looking on the verge of tears, ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± She tried to exin, but Velma did not afford her the opportunity, scoffing coldly, ¡°Save your tears, no one is bullying you. Who are you trying to impress? The surveince footage is crystal clear. You, Amber Reed, did nothing to help! Miss Tina tried to save that girl while you stood in the way! After she healed the girl, you came out to im the credit, hogging their gratitude after being exposed.¡±

    Velma clicked her tongue twice in disdain, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone as shameless as you!¡± Amber was so angry she felt like pping her. But she couldn¡¯t. And wouldn¡¯t be able to overpower her anyway.

    Just as she was about to defend herself, someone from the crowd said, ¡°Gee, I¡¯ve never been so mistaken in my life. I thought Amber was beautiful and kind-hearted, but it turns out she¡¯s just as filthy-minded.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no kidding. Look at the surveince. When Mr. Farrell¡¯s sister fell ill, Miss Amber was right there, just watching coldly. But Miss Tina saw themotion and immediately went to help the girl, without hesitation, calm andposed, unlike¡­ But, Miss Ensford? How did she even get that title? I¡¯m starting to wonder if she spread it herself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not even the worst part. The fact that she refused to return the gratitude gift after the fact is just disgusting.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face burned with each word from the crowd. And Elena, standing next to her, was so embarrassed she wished she could crawl into a hole. How could she have known that it wasn¡¯t Amber who saved Jared¡¯s sister? In her eyes, Amber had always been a graceful and considerate girl, proud to call her a friend. But now¡­

    Velma, overhearing the murmurs, tilted her jaw slightly and said to the gossipers, ¡°There¡¯s more than what you¡¯ve said. Amber ims Miss Tina stole her fiance, but I heard that the one engaged to the Farrell family is the Reed family¡¯s first daughter. Even if she weren¡¯t adopted, she¡¯d have nothing to do with the first daughter.¡±

    Velma¡¯s gaze shifted to Jared and asked, ¡°Since Mr. Farrell is here, why don¡¯t you tell us, was it really Miss Tina who stole you away?¡±

    Tina and Sophia stood aside, enjoying the spectacle. Hearing Velma¡¯s words, Tina¡¯s slender brows lifted almost imperceptibly. This Velma was interesting.

    Jared nced at Tina, seeing her indifferent attitude and barely concealed a smirk before he drew back his gaze and spoke slowly, ¡°The one engaged to me is Miss Tina Reed.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyesnded on him, her lips curving slightly with a hint of nonchnce, ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Velma scoffed, her eyes filled with scorn as she looked at Amber, ¡°This is interesting, Miss Amber Adopted Reed? You¡¯re not engaged to him, so how did the rumor about Miss Tina stealing your fiancee about?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Amber red at her furiously, wishingshe could tear her apart. Velma shrugged her shoulders and ignored Amber. She enjoyed seeing Amber upset. The angrier Amber got, the better Velma felt.

    Amber turned her attention away from Velma and looked at Jared with a look of grievance, ¡°Mr. Farrell, how could you say such a thing? It was your family who proposed the engagement to me.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Inside, her anger boiled. That worthless cripple! Why would he say such a thing? Did he want to embarrass her even more? Elizabeth, too, found it difficult to maintain herposure, but with everyone¡¯s eyes on her, she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Jared raised an eyebrow, ¡°So, you¡¯re willing to marry me?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Amber bit her lip hard, refusing to speak. To be tied to a cripple for life was worse than death to her. But now, she was speechless.

    ¡°Pity, even if you wanted to marry, I would never take you!¡± Jared¡¯s gaze withdrew as he spoke indifferently, ¡°The Farrell family has no ce for someone without virtue or decency!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Amber felt a surge of blood rush to her head, and if she wasn¡¯t careful, the King of Hell would take her away. This damned cripple! Useless! What was he saying? using her of being without virtue or decency? What right did he have to say that about her?

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud at the scene.

    Amber¡¯s hands clenched into fists at her sides, fury filling her eyes. Finally, she couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, casting aside any concern for her image, ¡°Mr. Farrell! You¡¯re being too much!¡±

    Step by step, she approached Jared, seething, ¡°I studied medicine, I¡¯ve saved lives, I just can¡¯t remember which day it was you came to my house to thank me for saving your sister at the mall. I thought you were talking about the person I saved. If Mr. Farrell doubts that I took credit for Tina¡¯s deed, I¡¯ll bring that girl to you tomorrow to prove it!¡±

    ¡°As for your gratitude gift, I never intended to keep it. I¡¯ve already given it to my mentor. If you¡¯re in such a hurry, I can go to Dr. Ward right now and ask for it. This misunderstanding is not something I wanted, but why are you being so aggressive?¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, and without even looking at her, he said tly, ¡°Oh? I have Dr. Ward¡¯s number, why don¡¯t we call him to bring it over?¡±

 Chapter 31: Uncle Reed, Are You Not Satisfied with My Brother?

    Jared¡¯s tone was t, as t as if he were mentioning the most ordinary thing.

    Yet it tensed Amber¡¯s heart once again.

    Could it be that Jared actually had Dr. Ward¡¯s phone number?

    And he was going to call Dr. Ward?

    Was he determined to ruin her reputation today?

    No, she could never let this happen!

    Absolutely not!

    The image she had cultivated over the years could not be destroyed just like that.

    Amber¡¯s eyes lifted, her face carrying a hint of coolness, ¡°The Farrell family is wealthy and powerful, Mr. Farrell can afford to be impolite and arrogant, but I cannot! I personally delivered the gift to Dr. Ward, so naturally, I should be the one to apologize and retrieve it. Please wait, Mr. Farrell, I will change my clothes now and go get it.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    Without giving Jared a chance to speak, she turned and went upstairs.

    The one thing Amber was thankful for was that the birthday party was held at Moon Gate Estate; otherwise, it would have been very difficult to manage the situation.

    Once upstairs, Amber closed the door tightly, hatred almost spilling from her eyes.

    She clenched her teeth, her fists tightly balled.

    Tina!

    Jared!

    You wait, I will not let you have an easy time!

    After a while, Amber changed her clothes and threw two of the medicinal ingredients out of the window before heading downstairs.

    When she came down, she didn¡¯t even carry a bag.

    It was to show everyone that she had indeed given away the medicine.

    Amber approached Elizabeth and the seconddy, Ivy, with great apology, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, grandmother, Ivy, it was all my fault for causing trouble for the Reed family.¡±

    ¡°What does it have to do with you? It¡¯s all Tina¡¯s fault for causing this mess. Without her, how could the Reed family be shamed today?¡± Elizabeth stepped forward, took her hand gently, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself, I don¡¯t me you, and no one here does.¡±

    Ivy sneered internally; of course, she med Amber!

    This was her birthday party, and now it had turned into a fiasco, her face utterly lost.

    Moreover, she never liked Amber!

    The girl was too scheming, sometimes her desires were clearly written on her face.

    But these words, naturally, she could not voice out loud.

    With the economic power of the Reed family in Elizabeth¡¯s hands, they all had to live under her favor.

    Ivy squeezed out a smile, ¡°Amber, I don¡¯t mind, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Amber bowed her head, still the picture of docility, but her loose hair obscured the sharp light in her eyes.

    ¡°Go to Dr. Ward quickly and retrieve the gift. It¡¯s our fault, tell him I will definitelypensate him with a generous gift in the future,¡± Elizabeth said, aware that Amber was supposed to give Dr. Ward the medicinal ingredients Jared had sent.

    She just didn¡¯t know that Amber hadn¡¯t delivered them yet.

    Of course, even if she knew, she would make the same choice as Amber; they couldn¡¯t let everyone discover the gift was still in their possession.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Amber spoke and left in a hurry.

    She bypassed everyone and went to the backyard to collect the medicinal ingredients and then left Moon Gate Estate.

    After Amber left, themotion also came to an end.

    Jared did not pursue it further.

    After all, this was Moon Gate Estate.

    His future father-inw was Hugo Reed; he had to give that much respect.

    The banquet officially began, and everyone tacitly avoided mentioning the recent events, but their impression of Amber had worsened.

    Elizabeth, however, behaved as if nothing had happened, still smiling and dealing with the guests.

    Tina, Hugo, Jennie, and Zackary sat in a corner.

    With Tina was Sophia, who insisted on staying with her, refusing to leave, so Tina had no choice but to sit in the corner with her.

    It wasn¡¯t that they chose to sit there themselves; it was arranged by Elizabeth.

    In the Reed family, Hugo¡¯s family did not have the right to sit at the main table, as had always been the case.

    Hugo didn¡¯t mind; he felt more at ease not mingling with those people.

    Tina disliked the bustle, so the corner suited her well.

    However, their table was isted, as the other guests were busy making friends, and since Elizabeth did not value them, naturally, no one cared to engage with them.

    They had just sat down when someone tapped Tina on the shoulder, ¡°Miss Tina, I¡¯m rooting for you, give it to that cheating wench!¡±

    Tina turned her head, her eyebrows raised at the sight before her. Velma, in a purple long dress, looked striking, not as delicate as Amber, with well-defined features and an exceptional aura. If she hadn¡¯t just spoken againstAmber, people would probably mistake her for a celestial being descended from the heavens.

    But now, well¡­

    Tina¡¯s lips curled into a smirk, ¡°Do you have a grudge against Amber?¡±

    ¡°No grudge! I just can¡¯t stand her!¡± Velma shed a smile at Tina, ¡°I like someone like you, straightforward and genuine!¡±

    Tina¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. Was this supposed to be apliment?

    Seemed like it.

    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t say more. I¡¯ve got to make a run for it. After causing such a scene earlier, my dad¡¯s going to break my legs. I¡¯m off to save my own skin.¡± After saying that, Velma lifted her dress and ran off.

    Tina, with sharp eyes, noticed that Velma was wearing pants under her dress!

    Halfway through her escape, Velma suddenly turned back, ¡°Oh, by the way, my name is Velma, Velma Lehman. I¡¯lle to find you when I¡¯m free.¡±

    Without giving Tina a chance to respond, she was off again.

    Like a whirlwind.

    Tina touched her forehead, speechless.

    Just after Velma left, Nathan wheeled Jared over, followed by an insouciant Hayden.

    Tina first nced at Jared and then at Hayden, her gaze yful when she looked at Hayden.

    Hayden touched his nose, feeling a bit puzzled.

    Why did he always feel that something was off with Miss Reed?

    She always stared at him with that strange smile.

    It made him wonder if Miss Reed had taken a liking to him.

    But her expression didn¡¯t quite seem like it.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Miss Reed, may we join your table?¡± Jared asked with polite restraint.

    Hugo was about to refuse but was swayed by Jared¡¯s manners, ¡°Sit down.¡±

    After everyone was seated, no one spoke, and the atmosphere grew somewhat awkward.

    Sophia, seemingly oblivious to the awkwardness, looked up at Tina with twinkling eyes, ¡°Miss Reed, are you Jared¡¯s fiancee? Does that mean you¡¯ll be my sister-inw?¡±

    Before Tina could reply, Sophia pondered for a moment and then added, ¡°I¡¯ll call you Tina, okay?¡±

    Just as Tina was about to respond, Hugo immediately interjected, ¡°Miss Farrell, you can¡¯t speak so carelessly. Tina will not marry your brother; their engagement has been canceled.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes shot up, surprised, looking at Tina, his gaze questioning: Why haven¡¯t you told Hugo about our engagement?

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±,

    Could she mention that it wasn¡¯t her choice to stay silent, but that she just hadn¡¯t had the chance?

    Just-speechless!

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±,

    So, her father was still fixated on breaking the engagement?

    *Cough* *Cough*

    Jared cleared his throat, lifting his ss, ¡°Mr. Reed¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Sophia blinked her innocent big eyes and tilted her head to ask Hugo, ¡°Uncle Reed, do you dislike my brother? Is it because he is ugly? Or because he has no money?¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±,

    Just-speechless!

    He suddenly understood why Tina hadn¡¯t mentioned their engagement to Hugo.

    There was simply no opportunity to get a word in!

    Hugo, caught off guard by Sophia¡¯s question, stammered, ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡±

    ¡°Then you do like my brother? But if you like him, why don¡¯t you agree to let Miss Reed and him be together? My brother is rich, and¡­ well, if he weren¡¯t, I could give him money. No, I mean, I would give all my money to Miss Reed. I will make sure Miss Reed is well taken care of, you won¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    Hugo, ¡°¡­¡±

    *Cough*

    Jared cleared his throat, speaking up, ¡°Sophia.¡±

    Sophia, catching his look, lowered her head and fell silent.

    What to do now?

    She was quite afraid of Jared.

    Jared didn¡¯t dwell on her inner turmoil and instead raised his ss to Hugo, ¡°Mr. Reed, perhaps Miss Tina didn¡¯t have the chance to inform you, but she has agreed to our engagement.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Hugo and Jennie¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, staring at Jared.

 Chapter 32: I Can Cancel the Engagement at Any Time

    Hugo stood up abruptly, ring at Jared with such ferocity that he seemed ready to tear him apart and devour him. His fists were clenched tight, seething with anger, ¡°Tell me, did you threaten Tina? I¡¯m telling you, others may fear the Farrell family, but I do not. If you dare force my daughter to marry you, even if it costs me my life, I will fight you to the end.¡±

    Jennie nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, I will fight you too.¡±

    ¡°Cough!¡± Tina pulled Hugo back, whispering, ¡°Mr. Reed, don¡¯t get worked up. It was my own decision to get engaged to him.¡±

    Upon hearing this, both Hugo and Jennie were shocked, taking a long time to process the information.

    After a while, Jennie was the first toe to her senses, urgently saying, ¡°Tina, didn¡¯t you say before that you didn¡¯t want to marry him? Why now¡­ It must be that he threatened you, right? Don¡¯t be afraid, tell us. Your dad and I might not be very capable, but we will never let you marry someone you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    After speaking, Jennie red at Jared, ¡°If he dared to threaten you, we¡¯ll sue him. I don¡¯t believe the Farrell family can be above thew, no matter how powerful they are.¡±

    Hugo didn¡¯t speak, but his eyes, sharp as knives, seemed ready to stab Jared to death. How dare he covet his daughter!

    Jared was silent. Threaten? That had never happened.

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, ¡°There was no threat. I just want to get engaged.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Hugo was at a loss for words for a moment. If Tina herself wanted to marry, he had no reason to stop her. But Jared¡­

    His gaze fell on Jared¡¯s legs. With his disability, could he protect Tina? The Farrell family had many rules, and Tina, who had grown up in the mountains, was unfamiliar with the etiquette of such illustrious families. What would she do if she encountered difficulties with the Farrells in the future?

    Jared seemed to understand his concerns and spoke with a gentle tone, ¡°You needn¡¯t worry. If Miss Reed marries me, I will not let her be wronged.¡±

    Besides, that girl didn¡¯t seem like one who would easily suffer grievances. Her medical skills alone would earn the respect of many.

    Hugo didn¡¯t respond but looked at Tina, ¡°Have you really thought this through?¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just an engagement, I can cancel it at any time.¡±

    The corner of Jared¡¯s mouth twitched involuntarily. This girl, they weren¡¯t even engaged yet, and she was already thinking about calling it off.

    Hugo didn¡¯t know what had happened between Tina and Jared, but he assumed that they must have grown familiar with each other over the past few days; otherwise, Tina wouldn¡¯t have treated Jared¡¯s sister. So he didn¡¯t say anything more, ¡°If you¡¯ve decided, then I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±

    Still, it surprised him to learn that Tina had studied medicine, something he hadn¡¯t known.

    ¡°The engagement will be set for ten days from now. We¡¯ll discuss the specifics after the banquet,¡± Jared said, showing a clear interest in the engagement to Tina.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Although Hugo did not further oppose the engagement, he felt extremely ufortable inside. He had just been reunited with his daughter, and not even a month had passed before she was about to get engaged to someone else.

    Half an hourter, Amber returned.

    She entered with two boxes in her hands. She had everything Jared gave her brought over, her expression not looking good, ¡°Mr. Farrell, everything is here. You¡¯d better check it to avoid any disputester.¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t even give her a nce, simply saying, ¡°Nathan.¡±

    Nathan stood up and went over to meticulously check everything.

    Seeing this, Amber¡¯s expression darkened even further.

    That damned Jared! He was actually checking.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, everything is in order,¡± Nathan reported after checking.

    ¡°Mhm.¡± Jared hummed in acknowledgment, then turned to Tina, ¡°Miss Tina, I apologize for the misunderstanding earlier. Tomorrow, I will prepare a new gift ande to offer my apologies.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need!¡± Tina¡¯s voice was t, ¡°This has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°The gift must be¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Tina raised her eyes, her expression cold, and said word by word, ¡°It has nothing to do with you!¡±

    Jared¡¯s words were stuck in his throat.

    The atmosphere turned a bit awkward.

    Even Sophia noticed.

    She tilted her head and solemnly advised Jared, ¡°Jared, this is between Miss Reed and me. If anyone should apologize, it should be me.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Then she turned to Tina, ¡°Right, Miss Reed?¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°Correct.¡±

    Sophia grinned triumphantly at Jared, ¡°See, Jared, I matter more to Miss Reed than you do.¡±

    Jared was silent.

    Amber, seeing themughing and talking while no one paid attention to her, clenched her fists, her facial expression almost unable to maintain itsposure. Today, she had lost face in every way possible.

    Just wait!

    She would surely regain her ground.

    She stopped looking at them and turned to leave.

    Halfway through the banquet, a nanny came around with drinks, cing a ss for each person at the table.

    When the ss was ced next to Tina, she looked up with a devilish smile, ¡°I don¡¯t drink alcohol.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± The nanny was momentarily stunned and then flustered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Tina, I didn¡¯t know. I will get you a drink right away.¡±

    The nanny took the ss away in a fluster and soon brought back a beverage.

    Tina held the ss, her gaze fixed on the drink within the transparent ss, her beautiful phoenix eyes slightly narrowed, the smile at the corner of her lips enigmatic.

    After a moment, she downed the drink in one go.

    From a distance, Amber saw her finish the drink, her eyes cold.

    Minutester, the same nanny came back to offer more drinks to everyone.

    Jennie nced at her, puzzled, ¡°You¡¯re being unusually diligent today, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    She didn¡¯t mean anything by it; usually, whether at family gatherings or various banquets, sitting in the corner as they were, they didn¡¯t receive this kind of attention.

    Not to mention serving drinks, even when they wanted a napkin, the nannies would be too busy and ask them to get it themselves.

    Today was a surprise, with the nannying over several times.

    ¡°Ah, I¡­¡±

    The nanny immediately seemed flustered. She intended to exin but identally shook her hand, spilling the drink on Tina. She hastily grabbed a tissue to wipe it off Tina, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Tina, it wasn¡¯t on purpose.¡±

    Tina stood up, giving her a deep look.

    The nanny, feeling guilty under her gaze, quickly said, ¡°Miss Tina, let me take you to change your clothes.¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°Into yours?¡±

    The nanny was about to answer when Amber suddenly approached, ¡°Let her change into mine. Tina, I¡¯m sorry, they¡¯re so clumsy. They¡¯ve dirtied your clothes. I¡¯ll bring a new set; you can change in the nanny room on the first floor, okay?¡±

    ¡°Heh~¡±

    Jared chuckled.

    He was holding a ss in one hand and resting the other on the edge of his wheelchair, his voice mocking, ¡°The Reed family has good manners.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face turned red; she could not miss Jared¡¯s sarcasm about her, the adopted daughter, acting like a spoiled youngdy, and suggesting Tina, the realdy of the family, should go to the nanny room to change.

    She clenched her fists, holding back her resentment, still smiling, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t get me wrong¡­¡±

    ¡°Show me the way.¡± Before Amber could finish, Tina interrupted indifferently.

    ¡°What?¡± Amber was momentarily taken aback.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take me to change clothes? Let¡¯s go?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes swept over Amber, her lips always bearing a faint, inscrutable smile.

    Amber felt inexplicably panicked by her smile. Had she found out?

    No, that couldn¡¯t be!

    She was just a country girl from the countryside; how could she have noticed?

    With that thought, Amber said no more and led Tina to the nanny room.

 Chapter 33: How Dare They Scheme Against My FiancÃ©e

    Amber led Tina to the innermost nanny¡¯s room on the first floor. It was uncertain whether it had been deliberately tidied up, but the nanny¡¯s room was very simple. So simple that there was only one bed inside. There was also a set of clothes on the bed.

    Tina turned around, her brows and eyes lowered, her voice devoid of emotion, ¡°Can you tell fortunes?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Amber was confused by the question.

    ¡°Oh, you can¡¯t.¡± Tina¡¯s attitude remained indifferent. ¡°You can¡¯t tell fortunes, yet you somehow knew in advance that the nanny would douse me with water? You¡¯re quite something.¡±

    Amber¡¯s expression stiffened. What did she mean by that? Had she really found out? That shouldn¡¯t be possible.

    Amber lifted her gaze to meet Tina¡¯s, and with a lightugh, she said, ¡°I saw your clothes were wet earlier and thought you¡¯d need to change, so I had someone bring these clothes down for you. Please don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go out first, take your time changing.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

    As the door closed, Amber¡¯s face instantly turned cold. Today, she intended to disgrace Tina and Jared.

    Inside the room, Tina watched the door close, the smile fading from her lips. She pulled a ceramic bottle from her pocket and swallowed a pill from it. The drink given to her by the nanny had been drugged. It was a highly concentrated aphrodisiac that could only be countered by intimate rtions between a man and a woman once it took effect. Tina was not familiar with the extent of Amber¡¯s medical skills, but such a drug was not avable on the market.

    It was somewhat amusing to her; Amber knew she had studied medicine, yet she still drugged her. Too bad for Amber, Tina could neutralize the drug she had been given.

    As for why she ingested the drug and followed Amber to this room, she wanted to see what Amber was up to.

    Elsewhere, after a few minutes had passed since Amber left, she approached Jared. ¡°Mr. Farrell, Tina is asking for you. She says she needs to discuss something with you.¡±

    Jared nced at her, his cool lips curling slightly, ¡°Nathan, push me over there.¡±

    ¡°Tina said she wants you toe alone.¡± Amber quickly interjected, ¡°Mr. Farrell, Tina mentioned she wants to have a private conversation with you. It¡¯s not quite appropriate with others around.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, and he whispered to Nathan, ¡°You stay here.¡±

    With that, he pushed his wheelchair and followed Amber to the nanny¡¯s room.

    Amber brought him to the door and paused, ¡°I won¡¯t go in. I still have guests to attend to.¡±

    She then turned crisply and left.

    Jared¡¯s narrow eyes followed her retreating figure, ayer of frost covering his austere face.

    He had met Tina only a few times but understood that she would never seek him out for no reason, nor would she speak privately with him.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    He turned and pushed open the room door. As soon as it closed behind him, he was abruptly pulled up, only to see Tina with a flushed face and a dazed look in her eyes.

    Tina pressed him against the wall, her hands roaming over his body incessantly.

    Jared¡¯s expression became focused, and he grabbed her hands, ¡°Have you been drugged?¡±

    Her touch seemed magical, sending sparks of fire where she touched him.

    Tina tilted her chin up, her pale fingers lifting his jaw closer to her, her expression bewitching with a hint of seduction, ¡°Do you want me?¡±

    She pressed against him, and his throat became dry.

    He was a normal man!

    At this moment, this young girl was wriggling against him like an eel, and his brain was about to explode.

    Yet, what he didn¡¯t see was the thin silver needle hidden between the fingers she had ced behind his neck.

    Should he dare to make a move, the needle would not hesitate to pierce his body, leaving him paralyzed in bed.

    Tina did not expect Jared to push her away!

    ¡°Miss Reed, calm down,¡± Jared¡¯s voice was hoarse.

    His handsome cheeks were still flushed, his body¡¯s reaction not yet subsided as he struggled to contain himself.

    Tina was taken aback, and somewhat unwilling to let go, she leaned closer to his ear, breathing out warmly, ¡°You-don¡¯t want me?¡±

    She didn¡¯t believe a man could resist such temptation.

    The warm breath on Jared¡¯s face caused the heat he had just suppressed to rise again.

    Jared¡¯s breathing grew heavy, and when he looked down at Tina, the cunning in her eyes did not escape him.

    He pulled her into his embrace, his voice deep and husky, ¡°Is this amusing to you?¡±

    She had disguised it so well!

    If he were notadept at reading people, he might have been fooled by her.

    Even if he had not seen through her disguise, he would not have done anything to her.

    Jared Farrell was never one to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state.

    Tina¡¯s expression stiffened slightly, as if she hadn¡¯t expected Jared to realize she was pretending. She was very confident in her acting skills; even though she had never been intimate with anyone, she had seen the effects of the drug on others.

    Therefore, she could easily feign the dazed look of someone drugged.

    But it was a surprise that Jared had discovered the truth so quickly.

    Unexpected, indeed.

    But then again, how could a person who had no physical impairments, not even the slightest ailment, and yet pretended to be disabled, be considered worthless by others?

    His discovery was understandable.

    ¡°You¡¯re very good at pretending!¡± Jared met her gaze, ¡°But I believe, the person who could neutralize the Crimson Silk toxin in my sister¡¯s body could certainly handle an aphrodisiac.¡±

    Her eyes were beautiful.

    Just like that day at Serenity Ridge, when he first saw her, they were as bright as the moon and as clear as spring water.

    Tina was momentarily stunned, then she smiled, ¡°You actually know about Crimson Silk.¡±

    Crimson Silk was the name of the toxin in Sophia¡¯s body.

    Very few people knew of this toxin.

    Even fewer knew its name.

    ¡°I also know¡­¡± Jared suddenly leaned close to her ear, ¡°that you are well-versed in medicine and even more skilled in poisoning.¡±

    Tina was taken aback, then she seemed to realize something, and with a smile, she teased, ¡°So, are you threatening me?¡±

    It must have been that day at Serenity Ridge, after she had taken down several assassins, that Jared began to suspect her.

    Yes.

    She was skilled in using poisons.

    During the days when she and her mother were being hunted, she understood one thing: the best way to protect herself was to make her enemies stand before her, wanting to kill her but powerless to do so.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Jared stated from his wheelchair, stating a fact, ¡°We are engaged to be married.¡±

    The implication was clear.

    They were family.

    Where was there room for threats?

    Tina¡¯s eyes were yful, a smile at the corner of her eyes, ¡°So, my fiance, when someone schemes against me, what will you do?¡±

    ¡°Since they dare to scheme against my fiancee, they should be taught a lesson!¡±

    ¡°How will you teach them?¡±

    ¡°By pping their faces.¡±

 Chapter 34: Obscene Sight

    In the corridor, a group of people walked toward the room. Elizabeth led the way, with Amber and Ivy nking her on either side. A considerable number of guests followed behind her. Hugo and Jennie, stuck at the back of the crowd, held Zackary by the hand, their faces filled with concern.

    Up ahead, as Amber matched Elizabeth¡¯s pace, she said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, ¡°Grandmother, don¡¯t be angry, perhaps I heard wrong. Tina couldn¡¯t possibly do such a thing.¡±

    Elizabeth turned and red at her, ¡°At this point, you¡¯re still covering for her? Amber, you¡¯re my most outstanding granddaughter, but ever since Tina came back, you¡¯ve been helping her at every turn. Today is Ivy¡¯s birthday party, and that wretched girl dares to engage in sordid acts in our house,pletely disgracing me.¡±

    Despite her words, not a trace of anger could be seen on the olddy¡¯s face; instead, there was more excitement. Yes, excitement! After today, Tina would have to marry Jared! Her Amber wouldn¡¯t have to marry a cripple, and the Farrell family would have to provide them with a hefty dowry. Just thinking about it made her feel invigorated.

    ¡°It might be a misunderstanding!¡± Amber, concealing the gleam in her eyes, said, ¡°Tina went to change her clothes, and Mr. Farrell must have had something to discuss with her.¡±

    ¡°What misunderstanding?¡± Elizabeth fumed, ¡°You¡¯re just too kind! Mr. Farrell initially proposed an engagement with you, but as soon as Tina returned, he took a liking to her. It¡¯s clear they were involved with each other, making you the fool.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s gaze swept over the guests beside her, raising her voice a notch, ¡°Have you forgotten what everyone was saying about you just now? They said you were deluding yourself, that Jared is clearly Tina¡¯s fiance, but you imed he was yours.¡±

    Amber lowered her head, her eyes brimming with tears, her voice tinged with hurt, ¡°Grandmother, I don¡¯t mind these things.¡±

    ¡°I mind,¡± Elizabeth said sternly, ¡°Although Tina is my granddaughter, I¡¯ve always supported what¡¯s right, not just family. She¡¯s arrogant and rude, just arrived home and already inciting your father and mother to talk back to me, moving out of Moon Gate, and now, she¡¯s caused a scandal at our party. Today, I must teach her a good lesson.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie at the back were flushed with urgency. They wanted to exin, but it seemed like Elizabeth, alternating remarks with Amber, didn¡¯t give them a chance to speak.

    As they reached the nanny¡¯s room, Elizabethmanded, ¡°Open the door for me.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t wait to see the scene inside. And she wasn¡¯t the only one; the others were equally eager. This was a limited edition spectacle! Mr. Farrell and Miss Reed engaged in a secret affair before their engagement! It would definitely be tomorrow¡¯s headline news! They hurried to get their phones ready to capture the scene inside the room.

    As they prepared their phones to take pictures, the door opened. Inside, an obscene scene unfolded. Everyone¡¯s eyes bulged.

    Where were Miss Reed and Mr. Farrell? This was clearly her son, Talon Reed, entangled with the Reed family¡¯s nanny! At that moment, the two were intertwined naked, in a highlyplicated position, creating an explosive scene.

    ¡°Talon!¡±

    A roar shattered the silence. Ivy rushed forward, pulling Talon away and pping him hard across the face, ¡°You bastard! I bore your children, and you dare to cheat on me, especially at my birthday party? I¡¯ll kill you!¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    She was like a madwoman, grabbing Talon¡¯s hair and hitting him repeatedly on the head.

    Talon felt his head spinning, but his body was in even worse difort, as if millions of ants were biting him. All he could think about was his need for a woman.

    He grabbed Ivy, tearing at her clothes with one hand and squeezing her soft body with the other, ¡°Baby, you smell so good, I want to eat you, I¡¯ll make you feel good, very good.¡±

    With a groan, he said, ¡°Hmm¡­ even though it feels the same as touching that yellow-faced wife of mine, I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Ivy, overwhelmed with shame and fury, especially after hearing his words,pletely lost her reason. She pushed Talon away, her entire face red with anger, ¡°Talon! You¡¯ve gone too far! Way too far!¡±

    After a moment of shock, the guests regained their senses and began to take photos with their phones. Although this news wasn¡¯t as sensational as the earlier spection about Mr. Farrell and Miss Reed, it was still headline-worthy.

    At this moment, Talon had no idea what was happening; he only knew he felt terrible. Seeing Ivy push him away, he lunged at the nanny again, ¡°Baby, hurry up, I can¡¯t take it, I need it now¡­¡± Without another word, he pulled the nanny into a live performance. It was unclear whether the nanny was doing it on purpose, but in such a crowd, anyone would have felt ashamed, yet she did not resist and even seemed to actively participate, asionally letting out sounds that were not fit for politepany.

    Ivy felt a rush of blood to her head and fainted on the spot!

    ¡°Madam, madam, wake up!¡± The nanny responsible for their family cried out upon seeing this.

    Elizabeth and Amber, who until now had been stunned, finally came back to their senses. Elizabeth was trembling with rage. She scanned the crowd, realizing they were all looking at her with strange eyes, and at that moment, she wished the ground would swallow her up. But even if there had been a hole to crawl into, she couldn¡¯t have used it. This mess was hers to clean up!

    Elizabeth clenched her fists and then calmly instructed Ivy¡¯s nanny, ¡°Quick, call an ambnce, take Ivy to the hospital.¡± The nanny nodded and hurried to make the call.

    Elizabeth then turned her gaze back to Talon and the nanny, still entangled on the bed, and bellowed furiously, ¡°Scoundrel! Stop it right now!¡± The scene was far too inappropriate for children; those who were underage had already been sent out by their parents, leaving only adults present. But to have such a disgraceful scene witnessed was scalding to Elizabeth¡¯s pride.

    The two on the bed, however, seemed oblivious to the orders and continued their explicit performance, bing even more excited.

    Elizabeth was so angry she nearly passed out herself.

    Amber frowned at Talon and then whispered to Elizabeth, ¡°Grandmother, something isn¡¯t right here.¡± She had just turned eighteen and should have left upon witnessing the scene. But she couldn¡¯t leave! She was part of the Reed family. Now that Talon had disgraced himself, the Reed family¡¯s reputation was at stake, and so was hers.

    Therefore, she had to stay and handle the situation, to salvage the Reed family¡¯s reputation.

    Reminded by Amber, Elizabeth turned her attention back to Talon and also noticed something amiss. She turned to Amber and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±

    Amber leaned close to Elizabeth and whispered so only the two of them could hear, ¡°It seems like they¡¯ve been drugged. I made the drug myself; it was supposed to be for Tina.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Elizabeth was instantly shocked.

 Chapter 35: What are you then?

    Elizabeth immediately sought Tina and Jared, but their figures were nowhere to be found. Her brows knitted tightly together. The drug that was supposed to be administered to Tina had somehow ended up affecting Talon. The room that should have been the site of Tina and Jared¡¯s indiscretions now hosted Talon and his nanny. Elizabeth had lived a long life and seen many things, and she quickly suspected that this was Tina¡¯s doing.

    ¡°That despicable girl!¡± Elizabeth gritted her teeth with rage.

    ¡°Grandmother, let¡¯s not get angry yet. We need to smooth this over first!¡± Amber was also furious inside. She didn¡¯t know how Tina had discovered the drugged drink. She was even more puzzled about how her homemade drug had ended up affecting Talon, but she wasn¡¯t in the mood to think about that now. She just wanted to resolve the situation at hand.

    Elizabeth also realized that now was not the time to delve into these matters. She looked at the crowd of guests, who were enjoying the spectacle, feeling that her face had been thoroughly lost today. She said to Amber, ¡°Since the drug was your concoction, you give Talon the antidote first.¡±

    Amber nodded, in agreement with this n. She called over two security guards to pull Talon down and then, pretending to examine his condition, discreetly administered the antidote when no one was looking. But to everyone¡¯s surprise, Talon continued as before, as if the antidote hadn¡¯t worked at all.

    Amber¡¯s brow furrowed instantly. What was going on? Why was her antidotepletely ineffective? She remembered that Tina had studied medicine. Could it have been Tina who drugged him? How could that be? Tina was just a vige girl from Serenity Ridge. Even if she had learned some medicine, she was nothing but a half-baked practitioner. The cure for Sophia must have been a fluke. It couldn¡¯t have been her with such a potent drug. Could it be Jared? Yes, it must be him. He was a cripple, unable to get a wife, so he wanted to use a drug to coerce Tina, but it had mistakenly ended up affecting Talon.

    Elizabeth also saw that the antidote didn¡¯t work on Talon. He seemed more energetic than ever, and his strength seemed greater than before. He pushed the security guards away and lunged back at the nanny. Indescribable scenes ensued once more.

    Even the onlooking guests started to feel embarrassed. Could Talon really be so capable?

    Elizabeth¡¯s face turned as ck as coal, and she looked at Amber questioningly.

    Amber¡¯s eyes narrowed and she stood up, saying in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, ¡°Grandmother, Uncle Talon has been drugged.¡±

    Elizabeth was smart and immediately caught on to Amber¡¯s implication. She feigned surprise, ¡°What? Drugged?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Amber was pleased with Elizabeth¡¯s cooperation and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve examined Uncle Talon, and he¡¯s under the influence of a very strong aphrodisiac that can only be neutralized through intercourse.¡±

    She paused, nced around, still not seeing Tina and Jared, and then said, ¡°We have had such an incident at our birthday party today, we must find the person who drugged Uncle Talon and bring them to justice.¡±

    Elizabeth roared, ¡°Damn it! Who is it that harbors such malice?¡±

    Amber¡¯s gaze became more focused, and she spoke lower, ¡°One thing I don¡¯t understand: just now in this room it was supposed to be Tina and Mr. Farrell, how did it be Uncle Talon? And Uncle Talon¡¯s room is on the second floor, even if he had something going on with the nanny, they should have found a secluded ce, right? Wouldn¡¯t it be more likely for them to be discovered here?¡±

    Amber¡¯s voice was steady, ensuring everyone could hear the implication in her words. Such an ugly affair should have been resolved behind closed doors. But since so many had witnessed it, and some had even recorded videos, they had to resolve it in front of everyone.

    This was to tell everyone that Talon had been set up, that the Reed family had notmitted any disgraceful acts. She didn¡¯t believe for a second that Talon and the nanny were involved. After all, he was a member of the Reed family. Even if he was unfaithful, he would look for someone attractive, with a good figure, right? What did the nanny have?

    The crowd nodded in agreement with Amber¡¯s reasoning. A person having an affair would naturally be cautious, and it was unlikely for them to be discovered so easily. And considering everyone¡¯s status, even if they were to stray, it wouldn¡¯t be with a nanny, would it? There must be more to the story.

    ¡°Tina?¡± Elizabeth suddenly raised her voice and said sharply, ¡°It was Tina who schemed against Talon!¡±

    She turned her headswiftly to re at Hugo, her voice thunderous, ¡°Your daughter is quite the schemer, isn¡¯t she? She¡¯s done something disgraceful and yet plots against her Uncle Talon?¡±

    Having been on edge, Hugo rxed slightly when he saw that Tina was not in the room. But upon hearing the olddy¡¯s usation, he couldn¡¯t hold back and retorted, ¡°Mother! How can you be sure it was her without investigating the situation?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°If not her, then who?¡± Elizabeth fumed. ¡°Several nannies saw her and Mr. Farrell in this room earlier, but now it¡¯s her Uncle Talon caught in this mess. With everyone gathered here, neither she nor Mr. Farrell is anywhere to be seen. So tell me, where is she?¡±

    As her words fell, a cool voice rose from behind the crowd, ¡°Are you looking for me?¡±

    Everyone turned to see Tina pushing Jared, walking slowly towards them.

    Hayden and Nathan had been standing aside, watching the drama unfold. They understood what was going on; it was just this group of people plotting against Jared and Tina, only to be outwitted by Mr. Farrell in the end. But without seeing Jared, they had refrained frommenting. They were also a little anxious, not knowing if Jared had been affected.

    Now seeing him, they immediately approached, ¡°Mr. Farrell, are you all right?¡±

    Jared looked up, his tone even, ¡°Should I be?¡±

    Hayden and Nathan fell silent. That settled it ¨C he was fine.

    Seeing Tina standing there unharmed, a sh of coldness crossed Amber¡¯s eyes. She stepped forward, taking the initiative, ¡°Tina, what are you doing here?¡±

    Tina looked at her obliquely, her eyes cold, ¡°Where should I be?¡±

    Of course, in the nanny¡¯s room!

    Amber almost blurted this out instinctively, but she changed her response at thest moment, ¡°Weren¡¯t you in this room changing clothes? Grandmother couldn¡¯t find you, so she came to check, but it turned out to be Uncle Talon and the nanny inside¡­ Tina, Uncle Talon has been drugged, can you exin what happened?¡±

    ¡°Why should I exin?¡±

    ¡°Apart from you, Mr. Farrell, Uncle Talon, and the nanny, not a single human being has been to this room. Now that Uncle Talon has had this incident, you naturally have to exin. Otherwise, Grandmother will call the police. Tina, you are her granddaughter. If you admit it, Grandmother and Uncle Talon probably won¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    Tina removed her hand from Jared¡¯s wheelchair and walked over to Amber, looking down at her, ¡°Are you sure only the four of us have been here?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Amber was certain. The room had been vacated early for tonight¡¯s arrangements, and no one had entered before Tina.

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, her beautiful phoenix eyes narrowing into slits, a faint smile on her lips, ¡°Oh¡­ not a single human being, other than us, then what are you?¡±

 Chapter 36: Grandmother, Come and Care for Me

    A snicker broke the tense atmosphere as Haydenughed inappropriately. Miss Reed was impressive! Her retorts were satisfyingly sharp. Jared and Nathan showed little expression, but Sophia tilted her head and asked Tina in her innocent voice, ¡°Miss Reed, is Miss Amber a human being?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s not a human being,¡± Tina replied earnestly.

    Hayden couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and burst intoughter. Miss Reed was amusing!

    Sophia pondered for a moment with her head lowered, ¡°Then, is she a ghost? Otherwise, why did she disappear after she entered the room with you? Did she use some kind of magic to vanish?¡±

    After saying this, she seemed to find a w in her own logic and corrected herself, ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. Ghosts can¡¯t transform; they can only use some tricks to scare people.¡±

    As she spoke, she nestled into Tina¡¯s embrace, feigning fear, ¡°Tina, I¡¯m so scared! There¡¯s a ghost!¡±

    Sophia¡¯s words may have sounded humorous, but everyone present was quick to think. Amber hade to the room with Tina, but then she brought a group to catch a cheater. When they caught Talon instead, they used Tina of being the one who drugged him. Upon further consideration, the plot had many holes.

    The Reed family was ying games that were none of their concern, so no one interjected. They just treated the situation like a joke.

    Amber¡¯s face turned from pale to flushed with anger as she was spoken about. She struggled to suppress her rage and demanded sharply, ¡°Tina, what do you mean by this?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand?¡± Tina nced at her indifferently.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand!¡± For some reason, Amber always lost control when speaking with Tina, and she raised her voice without thinking, ¡°Yes, I came to the room with you, but I left after bringing you the clothes. You said you had something to discuss with Mr. Farrell and asked me to call him. I don¡¯t know what happened after that.¡±

    Seeing the odd looks from everyone, Amber quickly diverted the me to Tina, ¡°We came here because the nanny heard strange noises in the room. Who knew it would be Uncle Talon here? During this time, only a few of you were around. How could this have nothing to do with you?¡±

    Tina let out a mockingugh, ¡°You came to see because you heard strange noises?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Amber said assertively.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    Her gaze lifted, measured and deliberate, ¡°What did you want to see? To check if Mr. Farrell and I were being indecent? If indeed we were, such a disgraceful matter is something one would normally keep behind closed doors. Yet you came with a crowd, unafraid of airing dirtyundry, so certain you would catch Mr. Farrell and me in the act. Were you frustrated when you found out the people inside weren¡¯t us?¡±

    The others started to see the sense in her words. Even if Tina hadn¡¯t been intimate with Jared, Elizabeth should have immediately contained the news to prevent it from spreading. Family scandals, especially in wealthy households, are magnified many times over by the media. But Amber had deliberately announced in front of everyone, in a voice loud enough for all to hear, that Tina and Mr. Farrell were alone in the room, as if they were engaging in something scandalous. Wasn¡¯t this intentionally letting everyone in on the story?

    As people considered this, they understood that Miss Tina might have been the victim of a setup, and the culprit was likely Miss Ensford, Amber. Their gazes turned to Amber, each filled with different emotions.

    Amber¡¯s face burned under their scrutiny. She hadn¡¯t expected the viger Tina to be so eloquent, turning the crowd¡¯s attention on her with just a few words. She had underestimated Tina.

    ¡°You scoundrel!¡± Elizabeth suddenly cursed, ¡°You¡¯re intimate with Mr. Farrell before marriage and then plot against your Uncle Talon. You don¡¯t repent and even use others. It¡¯s outrageous!¡±

    ¡°Did you see Mr. Farrell and me being intimate?¡± Tina asked calmly.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Elizabeth began, but Tina interrupted, ¡°You¡¯re using me without having seen anything? I¡¯m arrogant and insolent? I don¡¯t respect you? May I ask, how can someone who has never shown concern for her own granddaughter and frequently mistreats her daughter-inw judge my character?¡±

    The atmosphere fell silent instantly. The guests had not expected such a juicy revtion within the Reed family and stared at Elizabeth in shock.

    Hugo and Jennie sighed quietly to themselves. Since Tina had returned, she seldom spoke. If she could avoid speaking, she would not say a single word. Today, her many words indicated her extreme disappointment with Elizabeth.

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Elizabeth reacted vehemently, ¡°Your arrogance is known to all, and now you me me? I don¡¯t care about you? With the way¡±You act, do you ever give me the chance to care?¡±

    She would have torn Tina apart if she could. This wretched girl, saying such things in front of so many people, was she trying to embarrass her?

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, her voice deep and solemn, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll give you a chance to show your concern.¡±

    She cast a nce at the nanny¡¯s room, where Talon and the nanny were still fervently entangled, her eyes reflecting a cold indifference. Keep up the good work! This drug she had concocted wouldn¡¯t wear off until after many releases.

    She withdrew her gaze and spoke indifferently, ¡°Mr. Farrell has something interesting. After you¡¯ve seen it, thene and show your concern for me.¡±

    Hearing this, Jared handed his phone to Nathan from his wheelchair, ¡°Since the Reed family enjoys a spectacle, let¡¯s project everything on the wall for everyone to watch.¡±

    Nathanplied, and the video from the phone began to project onto the wall. The footage became clear.

    In a corner, Amber was seen handing a packet to the nanny and saying, ¡°During the dinner, put this in Tina¡¯s cup. Remember, don¡¯t get caught.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face turned deathly pale. How could this be? How was there surveince in that spot? She was certain there had been none.

    And how had Jared gotten hold of it?

    Jared¡¯s hands were sped on the edge of his wheelchair, his fingers intertwined, his voice unemotional, ¡°Elizabeth, your foster granddaughter attempted to drug Miss Tina. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Miss Tina had studied medicine and counteracted the drug, she would have indeed beenpromised by me.¡±

    He lifted his eyes slightly, his tone steady, ¡°Miss Tina has been wronged. Don¡¯t you care about her?¡±

    The spot captured by the surveince had not been monitored before. It was Tina who had installed the cameras. He hadn¡¯t asked how Tina managed to install hidden cameras in every blind spot under the scrutiny of the Reed family. The video had been sent to him by Tina.

    Yes, the youngdy had said she wanted her fiance to stand up for her.

    ¡°Grandmother,e and care for me,¡± Tina spoke earnestly.

 Chapter 37 Are You Questioning Me?

    Elizabeth and Amber werepletely stunned by the unexpected turn of events, finding themselves momentarily unable to utter a single word. Neither of them had anticipated that Jared would retrieve the surveince footage, especially from a blind spot where no cameras should have been installed. Who had ced the camera there? It was infuriating!

    But now, Elizabeth had no time to ponder who had installed the camera; she had to resolve the situation at hand. As she was thinking of a way to handle the matter, suddenly, someone among the guests spoke up, ¡°I never imagined that a Miss Ensford could harbor such malice. To drug her own adopted sister, what was she trying to do? Kill Miss Reed?¡±

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare to kill, but she dares to tarnish a girl¡¯s reputation. Haven¡¯t you noticed? Elizabeth and Amber came to catch someone in the act. What does that tell you? They want to hand Miss Reed over to Mr. Farrell.¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk! I¡¯ve seen my share of dark deeds in wealthy families, but such malevolence is a first for me. To drug her own granddaughter for the Farrell family¡¯s fortune and to give her away, my eyes have truly been opened.¡±

    ¡°Indeed. The surveince might show that Amber instructed the nanny to drug her, but who can ensure Mrs. Reed wasn¡¯t involved? Just look at the way Hugo¡¯s family is treated; surely Mrs. Reed dislikes Tina and doesn¡¯t want to give up the Farrell family¡¯s dowry. That must be why she¡¯s trying to send her own granddaughter away¡­ We better steer clear of the Reed family from now on; who knows, we might get framed next.¡±

    The guests had remained silent since the incident began, merely observing quietly. However, once the surveince footage was yed, they could no longer hold back their discussions. Moreover, they spoke loudly enough for Elizabeth to hear.

    Elizabeth¡¯s heart twisted in pain as she listened to theirments. Today, she had truly shot herself in the foot, and the Reed family had lost all face. But she was ustomed to handling difficult situations, and with a deep breath, she stood up and confessed, ¡°It was me. I ordered Amber to administer the drug.¡±

    The situation had reached a point where she could only protect Amber. As long as Amber¡¯s reputation remained intact, the Reed family could still shine in the future. Those whoughed at her today would look up to the Reed family in days toe.

    Upon hearing this, the guests looked unsurprised. Elizabeth approached Tina with a condescending air, ¡°I don¡¯t like you, just as I don¡¯t like your mother. You two are a disgrace to my Reed family. Yet, since your father brought you back, I have acknowledged you as my granddaughter.¡±

    Tina watched her emotionlessly as she continued, ¡°Look at yourself, raised in the mountains, without manners or education. Being engaged to Mr. Farrell is your good fortune. Besides, the original engagement was yours. You refused to marry, but wanted Amber to do it instead. How could she marry while still in school?¡±

    ¡°The Farrell family insisted on being engaged to you, and since I couldn¡¯t convince you, I had to resort to this method.¡± Elizabeth suddenly burst into tears, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. I thought that once things were set in motion, you would agree to the engagement with Mr. Farrell. But you should never have drugged your Uncle Talon.¡±

    ¡°Your Aunt Ivy has fainted from the shock; it¡¯s truly a sin!¡± Elizabeth was dramatic, confessing her mistakes while also using Tina of being heartlessly scheming against Talon. But anyone with understanding could tell that she was trying to push all the me onto Tina. She refused to marry Jared, so the olddy drugged her, and in a fit of anger, she plotted against Talon.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell has another good piece of evidence, would you like to see it?¡± Tina said, unfazed by Elizabeth¡¯s words and smiling lightly. That smile was shallow and faint, not reaching the depths of her eyes.

    At this, Elizabeth¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Tina had just shown her something good  the video of Amber drugging her  and now she had something else¡­

    She had a hunch it was not going to be good. This ursed girl! Born to oppose her!

    Elizabeth didn¡¯t wait for Tina to speak, ¡°No need! Just give your Uncle Talon the antidote.¡±

    She was bold and unapologetic, not feeling the slightest remorse for drugging Tina. Talon was still engaged in that act in the room, and the people outside had long been immuned to such noises. But she couldn¡¯t let things continue to escte.

    ¡°Mrs. Reed, nder has legal consequences,¡± Jared suddenly spoke up, his voiceckluster, ¡°Are you sure it was my fiancee who drugged Mr. Talon?¡±

    Elizabeth didn¡¯t dare assert certainty. Today¡¯s events hadsurpassed her expectations, and although she was convinced Tina was behind it all, shecked evidence. Now, even Mr. Farrell was being implicated. Regardless of his worth, the Farrell family¡¯s reputation was at stake, and if they found out, they would surely hold her ountable.

    She knew that if she imed with certainty that Tina had drugged him, Jared would not hesitate to call the police.

    Amber, seeing Elizabeth¡¯s difficulty, stepped forward, ¡°Tina, it was wrong of us to drug you, but since you can cure that drug, you can surely cure Uncle Talon too. Please, for the sake of family, help him. After today¡¯s disgrace, Uncle Talon won¡¯t be able to face anyone.¡±

    Tina¡¯s cool gaze remained unmoved by Amber¡¯s plea.

    Amber turned to Hugo, ¡°Dad, please talk to Tina. Uncle Talon looks terrible; it¡¯s too shameful for him, and he¡¯s your brother!¡±

    Hugo was on the verge of passing out when he learned it was Elizabeth who had drugged Tina. He was eager to denounce Elizabeth, but with so many people present and the situation chaotic enough, he refrained from speaking out.

    Now that Amber was beseeching him, he truly wanted to refuse outright. But Talon was his brother, and he couldn¡¯t bear to see him suffer.

    So, he looked to Tina, ¡°Tina, can you do anything?¡±

    After a moment of silence, Tina spoke slowly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know much about medicine. I can¡¯t cure it.¡±

    In truth, if Hugo had asked her and it was within her capabilities, she would have helped. But not in this case. She wouldn¡¯t assist them.

    She had developed the drug herself and naturally had an antidote. But those who scheme against her must face consequences. Although it wasn¡¯t fair for Talon to bear them, who in that mire was cleaner than the other?R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    If there was me to be assigned, it was because Talon had just happened to cross her path. She had intended to drug Amber, but upon exiting, she had stumbled upon Talon and the nanny in their act¡­

    She had reluctantly gone with the flow.

    ¡°How can you not cure it?¡± Amber¡¯s voice grew sharp, ¡°Didn¡¯t you cure yourself of the drug?¡±

    She was also furious; why could Tina cure the drug she had been given? But the priority was to end this farce as quickly as possible.

    Tina lifted her eyes, a lock of hair falling across her face, partially obscuring her gaze. Her voice was cold, ¡°You drugged me, and now you¡¯re questioning me, the victim?¡±

 Chapter 38: More Dirty Secrets Revealed

    Amber¡¯s heart skipped a beat under the intensity of that gaze. Tina seemed terrifyingly different. Instinctively, she took a step back, and the others were simrly daunted by Tina¡¯s formidable presence. Everyone wondered if this was really the same girl raised in a rural vige. Her aura alone was something many socialites couldn¡¯t match.

    The room fell silent for a moment until Hugo, after a brief pause, asked Tina, ¡°Is there really no other way?¡± Tina¡¯s tone was much gentler when she replied to Hugo, ¡°There is, wait for the drug to wear off!¡± Hugo simply nodded, not saying much more, and then said, ¡°Since you can¡¯t solve it, let¡¯s go back. If there¡¯s nothing else in the future, we won¡¯te here.¡±

    His statement was a public p in the face to Elizabeth. She was furious, eximing, ¡°Hugo! What do you mean? Are you cutting ties with me?¡± Hugo replied sternly, ¡°Mother! I still call you mother, out of respect for the fact that you gave birth to me and raised me. You are my mother, and I won¡¯t cut ties with you. In the future, I will support you to the best of my ability. But you needn¡¯t worry about my household anymore.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t like Tina, I won¡¯t bring her here to be humiliated. She is my daughter; if you don¡¯t cherish her, I will!¡± Hugo said and, taking Tina by the hand, he left.

    Elizabeth¡¯s chest heaved with anger as she cursed, ¡°You ingrate! I am the head of this family! I decide everything in this house. Since she is a granddaughter of the Reed family, she should follow my arrangements!¡±

    Tina stopped, turned around to look at her, and said, ¡°My affairs are not for anyone to decide.¡± Elizabeth wanted to retort but restrained herself from saying anything too harsh in front of everyone and found herself at a loss for words.

    Tina ignored her and turned to Jared, ¡°Mr. Farrell! There¡¯s only one condition for our engagement: the dowry goes to my father. The Reed family never raised me; they have no right to it.¡± Jared smiled and said, ¡°Agreed.¡±

    Elizabeth, Amber, and everyone else were stunned. Elizabeth was the first to recover, her voice rising, ¡°Engagement? You agreed to an engagement?¡± Tina¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°Yes, I agreed-a few days ago, actually. The engagement is in ten days. Surprise or not? Unexpected?¡±

    Elizabeth felt as if she had been struck by lightning. It dawned on her that when Jared had mentioned postponing the engagement, he had actually rescheduled it to ten dayster! She had foolishly thought Jared was interested in Amber.

    If she had known this earlier, she wouldn¡¯t have schemed so much. Now she had lost facepletely! That wretched girl Tina! It must have been on purpose!

    ¡°Tina! She is your grandmother. She has always been the one to decide on family matters. The engagement dowry should naturally go to her, not to your father!¡± Amber, regaining her senses, clenched her fists tightly, feeling as if her face had been pped.

    Tina had already agreed to the engagement with Jared but had kept silent, making them aughing stock. And more importantly, she didn¡¯t intend to give the dowry to the Reed family. How could this be?

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Elizabeth quickly chimed in, ¡°This is unfilial!¡± Tina sneered, ¡°That¡¯s just the way I am!¡± With that, she turned and walked away, not sparing them another nce.

    She left decisively, and Elizabeth should have been grateful for having Hugo, a good son. Otherwise, the Reed family would have paid an even greater price for today¡¯s incident. Themotion finally came to an end, and the guests, having witnessed the drama, also departed.

    Despite Elizabeth¡¯s repeated requests for discretion regarding this Reed family disgrace, the story was leaked to the media. That evening, the Reed family topped the trending search list, and a censored video of Talon and the nanny¡¯s affair was posted online.

    ¡°The secrets of the wealthy are deeper than the walls of ancient pces. A grandmother drugging her own granddaughter, not even TV dramas dare to plot this!¡±

    ¡°How could Grandma Reed be so blind? The real granddaughter is so much more beautiful than the adopted one.¡±

    ¡°I admire the real granddaughter the most. Even drugged, she found her own antidote, especially Mr. Farrell. Although his legs are disabled, he¡¯s a true gentleman; he didn¡¯t take advantage of her when she was vulnerable. If it were another man, he would¡¯ve lost control long ago.¡±

    Meanwhile, an ¡®enthusiasticizen¡¯ dug up Talon¡¯s private life.

    ¡°Shocking+++ This isn¡¯t drugging; they¡¯re clearly having an affair! Talon Breed and the nanny have been involved for a while now, and they even have a six-year-old illegitimate child.¡±

    ¡°Talon Reed bought the nanny a house in the west district. I often saw him entering the neighborhood, initially thinking the house was for himself, but it turns out it was to keep his mistress.¡±

    ¡°Is Talon Reed blind? His wife is so much more beautiful than the nanny. To abandon such a wonderful woman for a mistress? I can¡¯t understand the world of the wealthy!¡±

    Following the media exposure, the Reed family was inplete disarray.

    Ivy woke up in the hospital and saw the media posts, feeling a surge of anger that nearly choked her. She smashed her phone and got up to confront Talon, ¡°Talon, you dog, betraying me is one thing, but to have an illegitimate child too, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Her mother, who was caring for Ivy in the hospital, hurried to stop her, ¡°Don¡¯t get worked up over what you read online. We don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true. Don¡¯t wrong Talon. Let¡¯s find out the truth before we confront him.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to investigate!¡± Ivy couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. ¡°They¡¯ve posted photos. The woman Talon is embracing is that little wretch! They carried on an affair right under my nose, and I was clueless like a fool!¡±

    Ivy wished she could p herself. She and Talon had been college sweethearts, dating for five years before marriage, and their rtionship had always been strong. As a wife in the Reed family, she endeavored to handle all household matters personally.

    However, she often quarreled with Elizabeth and Talon. Elizabeth was ruthless in pursuing her goals, often pushing Talon into shady dealings, including drugging Tina under the guise of a birthday celebration. Ivy was aware and had resisted, but to no avail.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    Despite everything, she never doubted Talon¡¯s feelings for her. The pile of evidence before her was a p in the face.

    ¡°Media always sensationalize,¡± her motherforted her quietly. ¡°Even if he cheated, we need evidence. Rest now, and I¡¯ll have your father investigate. If he did wrong by you, I¡¯ll make sure justice is served.¡±

    After some thought, Ivy said, ¡°Call father. We need a paternity test for that child.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 39: Her Eyes Lit Up at the Sight of the Cake

    Tina and Hugo left the Moon Gate Estate at ten o¡¯clock at night. They were just about to head back to Pinkwater Ally when Sophia ran over. ¡°Miss Reed, we¡¯re going to have dinner, won¡¯t you join us?¡± Sophia pleaded, tugging at Tina¡¯s hand with a soft and sticky voice. The Reed family had recently been involved in a scandal, which had ruined the appetites of the guests. It was estimated that all the guests would need to cook again when they returned home.

    Tina was about to refuse when Nathan approached, pushing Jared in front of her. Jared spoke up, ¡°Come with us. Sophia really likes you. She won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight if you don¡¯t go.¡± He then turned to Hugo and Jennie, ¡°Mr. Reed and Mrs. Reed should alsoe along. It¡¯s a good opportunity for us to formally meet!¡±

    ¡°No, thank you,¡± Hugo declined. ¡°You go ahead and eat; we won¡¯t join the crowd. Zackary has school tomorrow; he needs to go to bed early.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, tomorrow I¡¯lle to ask Miss Tina to marry me, and then we¡¯ll have a formal meal,¡± Jared didn¡¯t insist. Hugo turned to Tina and instructed, ¡°Tina,e home early after dinner. A girl shouldn¡¯t stay out overnight. If it gets toote, call me, and I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡± With that, he gave Jared a fierce look, filled with a warning that seemed to say: If you dare to bully my daughter, I¡¯ll fight you with my life!

    Jared¡¯s mouth twitched! He hadn¡¯t taken advantage of her when she was drugged; why would he when she was sober? Tina, who had been nning to refuse, found herself saying, ¡°¡­ okay!¡± It seemed that the decision had been made for her; did she even have room to refuse?

    After getting in the car, they decided on a ce to eat. Four adults and a child, five different tastes¡­ They ended up going to the city center and chose a restaurant at random. They parked the car in the city center, got out, and walked.

    The streets of Ensford were bustling at ten o¡¯clock. Many restaurants were open, offering a variety of choices. Nathan pushed Jared while Sophia, who rarely went out shopping and would quickly return home even when she did, couldn¡¯t contain her excitement. She hopped and skipped, dragging Tina to clothing stores for children and then to shoe stores! Although these stores were just ordinary shops, not big brands, shopping for clothes is a woman¡¯s nature, and Sophia was no exception. She had never had the chance to pick out pretty clothes for herself. Now, seeing them, she forgot about dinner and tried on many outfits. By the time they found a ce to eat, she had bought a dozen sets of clothes.

    ¡°Wow, cake!¡± Sophia had just handed her newly bought clothes to Hayden when she spotted a popr cake shop. She excitedly pulled Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, they have cake; let¡¯s buy some! I haven¡¯t had any in so long.¡±

    Tina, who had been bored with the shopping, suddenly lit up at the mention of cake, ¡°Cake? Where?¡± She had been walking with her head down and hadn¡¯t noticed any of the shopfronts on the street. It had been a long time since she¡¯d had cake. When she was in the mountains, Cole would buy some for her every few days. After she came down from the mountains, Cole had more things to handle on her behalf, and since she could buy it herself anytime, he hadn¡¯t bought her any more. But she seemed busy every day; by the time she thought of eating cake, it was always toote, and the cake shops were closed.

    ¡°There!¡± Sophia pointed to a nearby spot, ¡°Miss Reed, let¡¯s hurry! I saw there are only two strawberry cakes left; if we¡¯rete, they¡¯ll be gone.¡±

    ¡°Strawberry cake!¡± Tina¡¯s eyes could not have been brighter as she scooped up Sophia and dashed towards the cake shop. Their speed left Jared, Hayden, and Nathan dumbfounded. What had just happened? Was that a gust of wind? But there was no wind! Then they saw Tina, holding Sophia like a robber, swiftly grab the two pieces of cake from the ss disy, pay, and leave  all in one smooth motion.

    Meanwhile, a customer who was about to take a strawberry cake was left with their hand hanging in mid-air,pletely stunned! By the time Tina and Sophia came back, each holding a spoon and eating their cake, Jared and the others were just beginning to recover.

    Sophia took a bite of the cake and asked Tina with joy, ¡°Miss Reed, you also like strawberry cake? I should have bought more when I came with Jared. It¡¯s a pity there were only two left, and they¡¯re so small not satisfying enough!¡±

    The cakes were indeed small, just enough to whet their appetites.

    ¡°Yep,¡± Tina replied, her mood significantly improved, her face wearing a charming smile, ¡°I really like it.¡± She had a fondness for strawberry cake, and almost whenever a new variety was avable, Cole would buy it for her. She had tasted no less than a hundred different kinds of strawberry cake, but nonepared to the one she remembered.

    She had once tasted a strawberry cake made by someone¡¯s own hands, a vor she could never forget. But the image of the person who made it was bing blurry in her mind, so much so that she could hardly recall their face.

    Jared and the others simply watched them enjoy the cake. Seeing how delighted they were, Hayden couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is the cake really that good?¡± It looked ordinary to him; there was nothing special about it! And cakes were mostly cream, which would make you gain weight! Didn¡¯t all girls fear getting fat? How could they eat it so happily?

    Tina, in a good mood, offered pleasantly, ¡°Do you want to try?¡± The server had given her extra spoons, and seeing that she was in good spirits, she was willing to share a taste with them.

    Hayden nced at the cake and declined, ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, you enjoy it.¡± There was so little; if he had some, there wouldn¡¯t be much left.

    Jared didn¡¯t say a word, just stared at Tina with a look that had a glint of something indecipherable, and after a long moment, he said softly, ¡°You really like strawberry cake?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Tina replied, smiling brightly, her mood soaring.

    Jared seemed contemtive, his gaze on her carrying a deeper meaning. She and the child shared the same taste. Was it just a coincidence?

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Hayden couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue, ¡°The heart of a girl is as hard to fathom as the bottom of the ocean! Miss Reed has always seemed so cold, but who knew that a cake could reveal her cute side. One of these days, I¡¯ll have to buy one myself to see if it¡¯s really that good.¡±

    Jared gave him a sidelong nce and said to Tina, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll take care of your cakes. Whenever there¡¯s a new kind, I¡¯ll send it to you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°I¡¯d like that. Strawberry cake is my favorite.¡±

    She paused, then added, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m open to other vors too.¡±

    Her preference was, of course, strawberry cake.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jared agreed with a light smile.

 Chapter 40: Money Solves All Problems

    While Tina and Sophia were enjoying their cake, the group had already decided on the final ce to have dinner. Considering that Sophia was younger, they ordered some lighter dishes. By the time they finished dinner, it was already eleven o¡¯clock, and Sophia felt sleepy and wanted to go back early to rest. Jared asked Nathan to take Tina home, but she refused. She wanted to walk the streets alone. During her ten years in the mountains, she never had the chance to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city; on the rare asions she dide down, it was always to take care of business and then return immediately.

    The weather was good that day, cool and breezy, which feltfortable on the skin. Jared insisted on escorting her, but Tina was adamant about going alone. After a long standoff, Jared finally relented, only saying, ¡°Send me a message when you get home, to let me know you¡¯re safe!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Tina¡¯s attitude towards Jared had improved a lot, thanks to Sophia and the strawberry cake. She no longer spoke to him as coldly as before, and her face often carried a light smile. After Jared and the others left, Tina headed towards home. The city center was close to Pinkwater Alley, just about a ten-minute walk away. However, Tina walked slowly, captivated by the lively district.

    Halfway through her journey, a sudden shout erupted from behind her, ¡°Excuse me! Make way!¡± Tina turned around to see several people running towards her, followed by a group armed with sticks in hot pursuit. When she recognized the person in the lead, her eyebrows involuntarily raised. An acquaintance!

    As they approached her, the lead person came to a sudden halt, eximing in surprise, ¡°Miss Reed?¡± Before Tina could respond, he grabbed her and ran. Looking back, their pursuers were nearly upon them, and they were soon surrounded.

    Seeing no escape, the man shielded Tina behind him and angrily confronted a twenty-something-year-old with a buzz cut, ¡°Chopard, how despicable can you get? You call for backup when you¡¯re losing, are you even a man?¡±

    ¡°Velma! I can¡¯t beat you! But you¡¯re not getting away either! The street has its rules: the victor is king, the loser the outcast. Today, you¡¯re in my hands. If you¡¯ve got the guts, call someone for help,¡± the buzz-cut youth sneered.

    Tina was speechless. So, she had stumbled upon a fight? And the main character was Velma, the daughter of the Lehman family, who had spoken up for her at the Reed family banquet not long ago? That was unexpected.

    ¡°Spit on you!¡± Velma spat at him, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t tricked me intoing here, why would I have only brought three people?¡± The more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. After leaving the Reed family, she had nned to dine with friends, but someone came to her saying a friend was drunk. Without much thought, she brought three people along, only to fall into Chopard¡¯s trap.

    Then she had proposed a one-on-one fight with Chopard, but when the coward couldn¡¯t beat her, he called for backup-more than twenty people. How could she fight so many? She had no choice but to run.

    ¡°Less nonsense! You injured my brother¡¯s headst time; this time, you¡¯re going to leave a leg behind,¡± Chopard said, pping a stick in his palm.

    ¡°You want my leg? Fine! But we have our grudges, and she has nothing to do with this. Let her go,¡± Velma said, pointing at Tina.

    Chopard nced at Tina, his eyes lighting up-she was beautiful. Velma, seeing his look, disgustedly said, ¡°The street has its rules, we don¡¯t involve the innocent. Our grudge is our own!¡±

    Chopard looked away from Tina, thought for a moment, and agreed, ¡°Fine!¡± Velma sighed in relief and turned to Tina, ¡°You go quickly.¡± Then, in a whisper only the two of them could hear, she said, ¡°Go to the Lehman family and tell my dad that if he doesn¡¯t care for me, the next thing he¡¯ll see is my corpse.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    Tina was inexplicably caught up in this brawl and had be a messenger? But considering that Velma had spoken for her at the Reed family¡¯s event, she reluctantly agreed to run the errand. Tina nodded and left.

    Once she was gone, Velma took a breather. The Lehman family wasn¡¯t far, just a five-minute drive away. But at this time, it was not easy to get a taxi, and Tina had to run. If she moved quickly, she should make it in under ten minutes. Velma knew some martial arts; although theywere outnumbered with twenty people against them, including herself, they had four, and could hold on for fifteen minutes without a problem. With this in mind, she inwardly cursed: You old fool, you bettere quickly, or you¡¯ll have no one to care for you in your old age.

    Just as Velma was rolling up her sleeves, ready to fight, Tina suddenly came running back. Velma frowned, ¡°What are you doing back here?¡± Did Miss Reed lose her mind? Couldn¡¯t she see the situation clearly? To leave and then return!

    The key issue was, with Tinaing back, who would deliver the message? Tina didn¡¯t answer her, but walked up to Chopard, ¡°How much did your brother¡¯s medical expensese to for his head injury?¡± Chopard, confused by her question, responded, ¡°Thirty thousand dors!¡±

    Tina thought for a moment and then said seriously, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll give you two hundred thousand dors- one hundred thousand for your brother¡¯s medical expenses and another hundred thousand to settle the feud with Miss Lehman?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Velma, Chopard, and his men all widened their eyes in shock. Velma was the first to regain herposure and hurried over, angrily saying, ¡°What are you doing? These guys are real thugs, with real feuds and grievances. How could money possibly buy them off?¡±

    Tina turned to her, her expression even more serious than before, ¡°If money can solve it, then it¡¯s not a problem.¡±

    Velma was at a loss for words. Of course, she understood this principle! She had money! Two hundred thousand was just a few days¡¯ living expenses for her! But these people were not motivated by money!

    Tina turned her attention back to Chopard and asked earnestly, ¡°What do you say? Will you consider it? Or name your price?¡± Chopard didn¡¯t respond immediately, but inwardly he weighed his options. He was a local thug, leading about twenty men, and they had a boss above them. Their daily ie came from managing venues and collecting protection fees. On one hand, they had to pay tribute to their boss, and on the other, they had to take care of their own men. Each person¡¯s share was only three to five thousand dors a month.

    To be honest, with such meager earnings, they had to think twice before enjoying a meaty meal; after all, one less meal meant one less bit of money. If they had any real skills, they wouldn¡¯t want to live this way. But now, with the prospect of getting two hundred thousand dors, he saw a bright few months ahead.

    Tina did not disturb his thoughts and let him consider. After a while, Chopard looked at Tina and said, ¡°Three hundred thousand dors! Pay that, and all grudges are forgotten.¡±

    He actually thought two hundred thousand would suffice, but asking for three hundred thousand left room for negotiation.

 Chapter 41: We Girls Must Protect Ourselves

    Velma¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of her head in shock!

    Holy cow!

    Could money really solve the problem with them?

    Why didn¡¯t she think of using this method before?

    Three hundred thousand!

    She had that much!

    But this Miss Reed was truly impressive; she could have run away but instead, she turned back to help her out of trouble.

    Velma was so moved!

    Tears of gratitude were about to stream down her face.

    Amidst her astonishment, she heard Tina pointing at her and saying, ¡°Okay! Three hundred thousand, she¡¯ll pay you!¡±

    Velma, ¡°¡­¡±

    So much for being touched!

    ¡°Her?¡± Chopard looked at Velma with disdain, ¡°Does she have that much money?¡±

    He didn¡¯t believe it!

    And no wonder he didn¡¯t!

    Who would, given Velma¡¯s usual unkempt getup, dressed in drab clothes, with red hair one day, yellow the next?

    Like now, the clothes she was wearing were not even as valuable as those worn by the girl next to her.

    Although Tina didn¡¯t seem wealthy either, at least she had the confidence to speak of two hundred thousand dors straight out.

    Unlike Velma!

    If she had money, she would have used it to settle things long ago, why go through all this trouble?

    Velma in her in attire, ¡°¡­¡±

    She, the esteemed daughter of the Lehman family, was being looked down upon!

    Damn it!

    With this in mind, Velma stood tall and said with her head held high, ¡°Look down on who? Give me the ount number, three hundred thousand, I¡¯ll transfer it right away!¡±

    Chopard skeptically gave her the ount number.

    Velma handled her phone deftly and transferred three hundred thousand quickly.

    Within a minute, a message arrived on Chopard¡¯s phone.

    He counted the numbers in the message, still in disbelief, ¡°Tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands¡­ Holy smokes! It really is three hundred thousand!¡±

    Velma had so much money!

    He should have asked for five hundred thousand!Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    What an oversight!

    But he was a man of his word, having said three hundred thousand, he wouldn¡¯t go back on it.

    Chopard happily pocketed his phone, smiling obsequiously, ¡°Ah, Tina, all that before was a misunderstanding. From today onwards, any grudges between us are wiped clean. If you sisters ever need anything around here, just let me know, and I will help with all my might.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good!¡± Having resolved a grudge, Velma was also all smiles, ¡°Just make sure your people don¡¯t bully me from now on.¡±

    She had only known money could buy nice clothes, cosmetics, food, and entertainment.

    Who knew it had this use too!

    Lesson learned.

    ¡°That goes without saying!¡±

    Chopard paused, then leaned in and whispered to Velma, ¡°Of course, if there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t handle, you can tell me, and we can negotiate a price.¡±

    Velma, ¡°¡­ I have something else to do, I should go now.¡±

    Velma walked with Tina and her three friends to the corner of the street and then let the three friends go first.

    When only she and Tina were left, she said, ¡°Thanks for just now.¡±

    ¡°No need to be polite.¡± Tina¡¯s eyes curved in a smile, ¡°You helped me too.¡±

    Velma knew she was referring to the matter with the Reed family, ¡°That wasn¡¯t really helping you, I just can¡¯t stand Amber.¡±

    It was only their second meeting, but she felt a connection with Tina.

    Previously, while at the Reed family¡¯s ce, she heard people say Tina was bad-tempered and always had a cold face.

    But now, seeing her smile, which was very warm and heartening, she realized it wasn¡¯t true.

    Tina chuckled softly, not responding.

    ¡°Let me formally introduce myself. I¡¯m Velma, Velma Lehman. I don¡¯t have many friends. If you don¡¯t mind, can we be friends from now on?¡± Velma extended her hand.

    She had lots of friends, too many to count.

    But they weren¡¯t real friends.

    They were after her money, always freeloading, waiting for her to pick up the tab. However, she had money and didn¡¯t mind those things.

    After a brief interaction with Tina today, she felt Tina was different, and she wanted to be friends with Tina.

    Tina reached out and shook her hand, ¡°I¡¯m Tina, Tina Reed! Let¡¯s hang out when you¡¯re free.¡±

    Hmm.

    She didn¡¯t have friends either.

    Having more friends was a good thing.

    ¡°I¡¯m twenty, how old are you?¡± Velma asked.

    ¡°Neen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m older, so I¡¯ll call you Tina, and you call me Velma?¡±

    Tina??

    A twitch appeared at the corner of Tina¡¯s mouth, ¡°Ifthat makes you happy.¡±

    As they chatted casually, they arrived at the Lehman family home. Velma had wanted to invite Tina for dinner, but she declined. She then offered to take Tina home, which was also declined. In the end, all Velma could do was bid Tina farewell, ¡°Then I¡¯m heading home. Send me a message when you get back to check in. I have school on Monday, but let¡¯s hang out on the weekend.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Tina agreed.

    They had exchanged phone numbers just a moment ago.

    After Velma entered her house, Tina also returned to Pinkwater Alley. As soon as she walked in, Hugo immediately inspected her from head to toe and then asked seriously, ¡°Jared didn¡¯t mistreat you, did he?¡±

    Tina felt somewhat helpless, ¡°No, he¡¯s a decent person!¡±

    Hugo sighed with relief, d that she hadn¡¯t been mistreated, but he still earnestly advised, ¡°Tina, even though you¡¯ve agreed to be engaged to Jared, you must protect yourself. Before you marry, don¡¯t do anything that shouldn¡¯t be done, okay?¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    What had she done?

    Seeing her silent, Hugo continued, ¡°Jared seems polite and well-mannered for now, but no one knows what he¡¯s really thinking. Be careful, if he dares to take advantage of you, then, then¡­¡±

    Hugo thought for a moment, then rushed into the bedroom and came back with a spray bottle, ¡°This is from Jennie¡¯s dressing table. Keep it in your bag. If Jared tries anything, spray him, spray him dead!¡±

    Tina looked up at the sky, thinking-Jared was quite pitiful!

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a few more pepper sprays tomorrow. Make sure to have one in your bag,¡± Hugo said, taking care of things on his own.

    ¡°Okay, I got it,¡± Tina epted Hugo¡¯s kind intentions with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you¡­¡±

    Hugo wanted to give more instructions, but Jennie suddenly interrupted, ¡°Enough, Tina is grown up, she knows how to protect herself. She¡¯s had a long day, let her rest now.¡±

    Seeing this, Hugo didn¡¯t say any more.

    After bidding them good night, Tina returned to her room, sent messages to Jared and Velma to check in, and then went to sleep.

    The next day.

    Because she had gone to bedte the night before, Tina was still asleep at eight o¡¯clock. A banging on the door woke her up.

    She had just opened her eyes when she heard a roar from outside, ¡°Tina, you little brat,e out here, do you know you¡¯ve ruined me!¡±

    Tina¡¯s brows furrowed, and a hostile aura enveloped her.

    When she came out of her room, Hugo had already opened the door.

    The visitor was Talon!

    As soon as he saw Tina, he bellowed in rage, ¡°You little wretch, I knew you were a curse, nothing good happens when you¡¯re around, and that¡¯s not all, you even dared to drug me. Now the media is all over it, I¡¯ve lost my people, Ivy is going to divorce me!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m warning you! Go to Ivy right now and tell her that you set me up, otherwise we¡¯re not done!¡±

 Chapter 42: Talonâ€™s Trouble

    It was Monday, the time of day when many people were heading to work. There were four households on this floor, and Talon¡¯s disturbance had caused all of their doors to swing open.

    ¡°What¡¯s all this noise? This isn¡¯t a marketce, take your quarrels outside!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with security? How can they let just anyone in? I was upte filming yesterday and now I¡¯ve been woken by all this noise. I must have words with security!¡±

    ¡°Keep it down! If you disturb my rest again, I¡¯m calling the police!¡±

    Hugo, hearing theints from his neighbors, apologized to them one after another before pulling Talon into his home.

    ¡°What on earth are you trying to do so early in the morning, Talon?¡± Hugo frowned.

    ¡°What am I doing?¡± Talon barked back, his face twisted with anger, ¡°I should be asking you all that! Hugo, this is your darling daughter, drugging me and spreading those sordid pictures everywhere, she¡¯s trying to drive me to the grave!¡±

    ¡°Mind your words!¡± Hugo was about to speak when Jennie sharply interjected, ¡°It was clearly you who drugged Tina yesterday, only to end up drugged yourself. Now you¡¯re trying to shift the me. Tina is just neen and you pin this crime on her, what is your intention?¡±

    ¡°Jennie, shut up! This isn¡¯t your ce to speak! Just because you married my brother, don¡¯t think you¡¯re something special. The affairs of the Reed family are not your concern!¡±

    ¡°You be the one to shut up!¡± Hugo suddenly shouted, ¡°She is my wife! I will not tolerateanyone insulting her!¡±

    He hadn¡¯t wanted to make a scene with Talon, but after all, Talon was his brother. Yet, here he was, bullying Hugo¡¯s wife right in front of him. How could he tolerate that?

    Talon, taken aback by the normallypliant Hugo¡¯s outburst, was stunned for a moment before retorting, ¡°Fine! You dare to speak to me like this, I see you¡¯ve been led astray by Jennie and Tina.¡±

    ¡°Talon! I made it clear to mom yesterday that from now on, we will mind our own business and you will mind yours. We will not interfere with each other, and you¡¯re not wee to show up uninvited,¡± Hugo asserted with uncharacteristic firmness. ¡°As for what happened yesterday, that has nothing to do with Tina. You should be questioning mom! If she hadn¡¯t asked Amber to drug Tina, none of this would have happened. And don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t know about it. Tina is the victim here; you have no right toe here and berate her!¡±

    Talon was at a loss for words. He had indeed known about the n all along. He had been in cahoots with Elizabeth to execute it. But never had he imagined the drug would end up affecting him, especially that it would be discovered while he and May were in the act. May was the babysitterst night. He had kept this secret very carefully, so no one should have found out. But themotionst night had blown the lid off the scandal, and now the media was all over it. He couldn¡¯t cover it up. What was worse, Ivy had gone to the trouble of getting a paternity test for the child, and after it was confirmed they were biologically rted, she demanded a divorce andpensation.

    Now, Ivy¡¯s entire family was camped out at Moon Gate Estate, demanding an exnation. In a state of utter disarray, he had sneaked out to find Tina.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what it takes; it¡¯s all because of Tina that Ivy wants to divorce me. She has to exin herself to me, or else, if I can¡¯t live peacefully, neither will your family,¡± Talon dered with the recklessness of a cornered beast.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You!¡± Hugo was taken aback by his shamelessness, speechless for a moment.

    Tina scoffed, ¡°What exactly do you want me to exin to you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s about¡­¡± Talon began, but Tina cut him off, ¡°Whether you haven¡¯tmitted adultery, don¡¯t have an illegitimate child, or haven¡¯t brought your mistress home?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Talon¡¯s face turned red with shame, and he was at a loss for words.

    ¡°Uncle Talon! You make ns louder than thunder. You want Aunt Ivy to maintain your dignity and your mistress to enjoy the status of a legitimate wife. Tch, do you take Aunt Ivy for a fool?¡±

    She wasn¡¯t the one who had exposed Talon¡¯s private matters online, nor did she deign to do such things.

    ¡°You wretch! I¡¯m your elder, how dare you speak to me like this?¡± Talon, unable to refute Tina¡¯s words, was furious with embarrassment.

    ¡°I¡¯m not just daring to talk to you like this, I dare to drug you again!¡± Tina¡¯s eyes turned cold, her voice as frosty as ice, ¡°Would you like to try me?¡±

    ¡°You, you, you!¡± Talon, pointing at Tina, stammered, ¡°It was you! You were the one who drugged me, you little wretch!¡±

    As he raised his hand to strike Tina, his body suddenly went limp and he copsed to the ground. He fell seated, unable to muster the strength to get up.

    He red at Tina, grinding his teeth, ¡°What have you done to me this time?¡±

    Hugo and Jennie were stunned by the scene. They could never have imagined that it was really Tina who had drugged him. And what shocked them even more was that as Talon was about to hit Tina, Hugo instinctively moved to protect her, only to see Talon copse without warning.

    Tina hadn¡¯t moved a muscle from beginning to end.

    Had they just witnessed something supernatural? Was Tina a ghost?

    Tina remained silent, of course, she had acted! How else could she have drugged Talon? It¡¯s just that her movements were so swift that few could see them clearly.

    Tina squatted down in front of Talon, her face expressionless as she looked at him, ¡°I don¡¯t believe in repaying evil with kindness. I prefer to settle scores on the spot. Uncle Talon, when I was five, you snuck into my mother¡¯s room trying to vite her. Has it only been a few years, and you¡¯ve forgotten?¡±

    ¡°What!!¡± Hugo¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and he quickly stepped forward, anxiously asking, ¡°Tina, are you telling the truth? Did Talon really¡­¡±

    Talon, too, was visibly shaken, having not expected Tina to be aware of that incident.

    Tina let out a coldugh, looking down at Talon, ¡°If Aunt Ivy hadn¡¯t appeared just in time, you would¡¯ve seeded, right?¡±

    Back then, her mother had been living incognito in the Reed family for some reason, never revealing to anyone her profound knowledge of cultivation and medicine. The Reeds simply thought her mother was an uneducated country woman. So when Talon made his unwee advances, she had merely dodged.

    What no one knew was, had Talon not stopped, her mother could have killed him on the spot, leaving no trace of who had done it.

    The person Talon should have been most grateful to was Ivy, who, by sheer coincidence, had arrived just in time to save her.

    Of course, Ivy hadn¡¯t witnessed the incident.

    ¡°You!¡± Talon gaped, his face a mask of horror, ¡°How did you know?¡±

    Tina smiled at him, a radiant yet chilling smile, ¡°I was behind the door!¡±

    Her smile was bright, but it sent shivers down one¡¯s spine.

 Chapter 43: A Decision Made

    Talon stared at Tina, speechless for a long time. Tina had been behind the door, and he hadn¡¯t even noticed her! What exactly did she want to do? As if in answer to his question, Tina¡¯s smile brightened, ¡°For yesterday¡¯s incident, I¡¯m avenging the past. You can¡¯t feel wronged, Uncle Talon!¡± Her expression was seemingly calm, not a trace of anger on her face. Yet, she seemed as fearsome as a demon.

    ¡°You!¡± Talon pointed at Tina, ¡°You¡¯re a disaster!¡± ¡°Enough, Talon!¡± Hugo suddenly roared, ¡°Reba is your sister, you did that to her, and now you dare to insult Tina? Do you really think I¡¯m afraid to fall out with you?¡± He was full of regret. Especially regretful. Back then, knowing Elizabeth didn¡¯t like Tina¡¯s mother, he had buried himself in work, believing that if he worked harder, Elizabeth would change her view of Tina¡¯s mother. He hadpletely neglected his family. If it weren¡¯t for Tina bringing it up today, he wouldn¡¯t have known what had happened back then.

    ¡°Leave my house immediately, and don¡¯t evere back,¡± Hugo pointed towards the door and said. He wanted to seek justice for Tina¡¯s mother, but he had no evidence. Even if he went to the police, as long as Talon denied everything, the police couldn¡¯t do anything to him. The only thing he could do was cut ties with Talon. And he swore that from now on, he would protect Tina and not let her be wronged again!

    ¡°You want me to leave? No way!¡± Talon spat viciously, ¡°This little wretch drugged me, she admitted it all, and she muste with me to exin to Ivy today, otherwise, I¡¯ll refuse to leave.¡± ¡°What do you want Tina to exin?¡± Jennie couldn¡¯t hold back when she heard this and shouted angrily, ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that you messed around with May? Tina did drug you, but that was only after you drugged her first, it was tit for tat!¡±

    Jennie spoke righteously, ¡°You had an affair with another woman, even fathered an illegitimate child, and you did wrong, yet you me Tina? Where is your shame?¡± Jennie had been ufortable these past few years. Her family was ordinary, and after marrying Hugo, whether it was Elizabeth or his brothers, none of them respected her. Although she was not of noble status, she had her pride, but for Hugo¡¯s sake, she had endured over the years. Now, hearing Talon, that beast, had once humiliated Tina¡¯s mother, she couldn¡¯t hold back. In that moment, she realized that enduring in silence would not earn their respect, but make things worse. It was better to confront them head-on. Who knew if Talon that beast would do such a thing to Tina in the future. They had a daughter, and it was essential to keep their distance from him.

    ¡°Shut up! You have no right to speak here!¡± Talon shouted angrily. ¡°This is my house! I am Hugo¡¯swful wife! I am Tina¡¯s stepmother! I have every right to speak here!¡± Jennie countered sharply, ¡°I ask you to leave my house immediately, or I will call the police right now.¡± Talon hadn¡¯t expected the normally docile Jennie to be so aggressive, and he was momentarily taken aback. After a moment, he recovered and shouted, ¡°Call the police! Fine, call them! She drugged me, and you think you have the right? I want to see if Tina can walk away from this unscathed after the police get involved.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    Tina simply curled her lips into a smile, ¡°I drugged you? Do you have evidence?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Talon was caught off guard! He had no evidence! Tina leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and spoke calmly, ¡°You have no evidence that I drugged you, but I have evidence that you drugged me. Want to see whose head is harder?¡± Had it been someone else, they wouldn¡¯t have the chance to stand here and talk to her. Not to end up in jail would be her fault! But Talon was Hugo¡¯s brother. Even though Hugo protected her in every way, she could still feel that Hugo didn¡¯t want family matters to get too ugly. He protected her thoroughly, and for his sake, she didn¡¯t press the Reed family too hard. Sometimes she even thought that having been with Hugo for only half a month, she had gone against her initial intention ofing down the mountain. Her arrival at the Reed family was never meant to be easy for them. What changed her? Probably the warmth Hugo offered her.

    ¡°You!¡± Talon was furious but could see that Tina was tough-hearted. If he continued to make a scene, this wretched girl would definitely call thepolice. Moreover, he had no evidence of Tina drugging him. On the contrary, the Reed family was in her grasp. Since the banquet, the Reed family¡¯s scandals, as well as his own, had been flying around, and the Reed family could not afford more trouble.

    Talon tried to stand up but was limp all over, without any strength, and he bit out, ¡°You just wait, I won¡¯t let this go.¡± After saying this, he red at Hugo, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to hurry up and give me the antidote?¡± Hugo was displeased with his attitude, but after all, this was his own brother, so he could only look at Tina with difficulty, ¡°Tina¡­¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t make it harder for Talon and crouched down to put a pill into Talon¡¯s mouth. After Talon took the antidote, he left in a huff. After he was gone, the house fell into silence. After a long while, Hugo looked at Tina and said, ¡°Tina¡­ was it really you who drugged Uncle Talon yesterday?¡± Even though Tina had admitted it, he still couldn¡¯t believe it. He didn¡¯t believe Tina would have such harmful medicine. In his eyes, Tina was a kind-hearted girl; she wouldn¡¯t harm people like that. Even though it was Talon who had brought it upon himself.

    Tina looked up at Hugo, her eyelids drooping, her voice faint, ¡°Mr. Reed, he is your rtive, not mine. If you mind, I can move out.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Hugo hurriedly said, ¡°I mean, you were wronged, you should have told me, I would have stood up for you, you shouldn¡¯t have gotten yourself involved!¡±

    He cared for Tina! He wasn¡¯t ming her. ¡°What¡¯s the use of telling you?¡± Jennie suddenly spoke, ¡°Can you fight your mother or your brother? I think Tina did the right thing! Since we can¡¯t stand up for her, she avenged herself and her mother, what¡¯s wrong with that? Such scum deserves to be dealt with.¡±

    Hearing this, Hugo seemed to havee to an understanding, ¡°Right, he should reap what he sows, Tina, you did the right thing.¡± Tina saw that he wasn¡¯t ming her and smiled.

    ¡°Tina, when did you learn medicine? Howe you never mentioned it?¡± Jennie thought of Tina¡¯s medical skills and suddenly asked. ¡°I was bored in the mountains, so I learned,¡± Tina paused, then added, ¡°I started learning at ten.¡±

    Jennie¡¯s face lit up, ¡°So, your medical skills are very good?¡± ¡°Average,¡± Tina replied modestly. Jennie didn¡¯t respond, but she made a decision in her heart.

 Chapter 44: Discussing the Engagement Arrangements

    Just then, the doorbell rang. Jennie stood up to open the door, and when she saw the person outside, she paused, but quickly regained herposure and smiled, ¡°Mr. Farrell, you¡¯ve arrived? Pleasee in.¡± She had thought Jared would not visit so soon to discuss the engagement, as he had mentioned he woulde today only yesterday.

    After all, discussing engagement arrangements required the presence of his grandfather, as Jared himself would not suffice. Logan was quite old and was expected to arrive around noon, so it was surprising that he had arrived before nine in the morning.

    Upon seeing Logan enter, Hugo quickly stood up and greeted him with great respect, ¡°Mr. Farrell, please have a seat.¡± Though he was not very happy about Tina marrying Jared, Mr. Farrell was an elder with high reputation, and he deserved respect.

    Tina also greeted him, ¡°Mr. Farrell!¡±

    Simultaneously, Jared, Hayden, and Nathan greeted Hugo and his wife, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Reed, hello.¡± They then nodded towards Tina as a polite greeting.

    After the greetings were exchanged, everyone sat down. Jennie went to pour tea. Their family was of modest means, typically unable to afford expensive tea, so they only had a box of tea leaves worth a little over a hundred dors, mainly for Hugo¡¯s consumption.

    Now that guests had arrived, serving such tea seemed a bit shabby. But it was toote to buy new tea now, so Jennie bravely served the brewed tea, apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, we only have this ordinary tea at home. If it¡¯s not to your liking, I can go buy some better tea right now.¡±

    Logan lifted the tea to his nose, took a sniff, and then took a sip, ¡°This tea tastes very good, rich with a hint of sweetness, much better than the tea I normally drink. Where did you buy it? Rmend it to me; I¡¯ll have someone purchase some.¡±

    Jared also took a sip and praised, ¡°It is good tea! There¡¯s no need for formalities, in the future we will be family, and there¡¯s no trouble in buying it again.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie, who were initially quite nervous, were relieved by their words and their fondness for the Farrell family increased significantly. Their impression of Jared also improved greatly. If it were someone else, they might have been disdainful!

    Yet, here they were, not only showing no disdain but also wearing gentle smiles.

    ¡°My hometown has a tea mountain, and the tea leaves are grown there. After a bountiful harvest this year, someone sent us some. They usually sell for a little over a hundred dors. Mr. Farrell, if you like it, I can have my mother send you some tomorrow,¡± Jennie exined with a smile.

    ¡°You have a tea mountain?¡± Logan was pleasantly surprised. ¡°That¡¯s great, I love drinking natural tea leaves, so I won¡¯t refuse.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    With Logan¡¯s response, the distance between the two families seemed to narrow even more.

    After some pleasantries, Logan got to the point, ¡°I came here today mainly to discuss the engagement of the two children. They¡¯ve set the date themselves, to be engaged in seven days.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared and Tina had chosen a date ten days from now, but since three days had already passed, ording to today¡¯s date, the engagement would be in seven days.

    ¡°The Farrell family¡¯s wedding gift to you is three properties in the capital, which will be Tina¡¯s private property, plus two personal cars that will also belong to Tina. After the wedding, if they want to live with me, they are wee; if not, they can stay at Jared¡¯s vi.¡±

    ¡°In the future, if she wants to work, she can take a position at any of the Farrell familypanies. If she doesn¡¯t want to work, she can stay at home, and I will pay her a monthly allowance of a million dors to ensure she is not mistreated in the Farrell family.¡±

    The wedding gift for Tina, aside from fifty million dors, was significantly better than what had been given to Amber initially. It was clear that they had put thought into it.

    Jennie and Hugo exchanged a nce, both very satisfied.

    Following that, everyone discussed the arrangements for the engagement party. After deciding who would attend and selecting the restaurant, the engagement arrangements were set.

    And after having lunch, Logan and Jared left.

 Chapter 45: I Mean, Iâ€™m Going to Be a Teacher

    In the evening, Jennie picked up Zackary from kindergarten, and the family was just about to have dinner when Amber arrived. Seeing her, the expressions on Hugo and Jennie¡¯s faces immediately turned cold. The mere thought of how she drugged Tina made them want to drive Amber out. But since they had adopted her, they couldn¡¯t be too heartless and could only let her in with stern faces. Jennie, who was about to serve the meal, took the food back into the kitchen.

    Amber¡¯splexion turned ugly. What did this mean? Couldn¡¯t she even have a meal here now? It seemed Jennie knew what she was thinking and said, ¡°Our family only has simple meals, you must be used to better, so we thought you wouldn¡¯t care to join us.¡± Her tone was cool and distant.

    Amber¡¯s fingers clenched tightly. She understood that she and Hugo¡¯s family hadpletely fallen out. Collecting her thoughts, Amber said with a smile, ¡°Mom and Dad, Grandma sent me over. She heard that Tina and Mr. Farrell are engaged, and she wanted me to tell you that the Farrell family, being affluent, won¡¯t ept Tina as Mrs. Farrell without some education. She wants Tina to go back to school.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie were taken aback. ¡°Go back to school?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Grandma said it¡¯s toote for elementary school, so she thought Tina could start from Grade 11. Just to get through the year and at least get a high school diploma. But given Tina¡¯s situation, she won¡¯t be able to get into a good school, so Grandma is willing to pay for her to attend Ensford High School and get a diploma from there. She¡¯s certain Tina can be ced in ss 22D.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Hugo and Jennie looked as dark as charcoal. Elizabeth was going too far. Tina was already neen, and she wanted her to start from elementary school? It sounded nice to pay for her to attend Ensford High School and get a diploma, but everyone at Ensford knew that ss D was notorious. That ss was full of rich second-generation kids who there just to get a diploma. They were known to be reckless at school, bullying teachers wasmonce, and it was said that now no teacher dared to enter that ssroom.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    If Tina went there, wouldn¡¯t she be bullied to death?

    ¡°Tell your grandmother that she doesn¡¯t need to worry about Tina¡¯s affairs. I n to support her in going to medical school,¡± Jennie said with a cold face.

    She had this idea in the morning, but it got dyed due to a visit from Jared and his grandfather, and she hadn¡¯t had the chance to discuss it with Tina.

    Amber was taken aback. ¡°Medical school?¡±

    Tina was also surprised.

    ¡°Yes! Tina has learned medicine in the mountains, just without proper systematic conditions. I believe, with her intelligence, she will surely be an excellent doctor in the future. So you don¡¯t need to worry about her schooling.¡±

    The hatred in Amber¡¯s eyes almost burst forth. They had never considered such things for her when she was part of the family, but now that Tina had returned, everything was being arranged for her. Was Jennie pretending to be a good wife and mother? She was just a stepmother, thinking that Tina would be grateful?

    In her dreams! That vige girl Tina was an ingrate. Otherwise, why would she have brought trouble to the Reed family?

    Amberposed her face and said softly, ¡°But even if Tina wants to go to medical school, she needs a high school diploma. She has no qualifications right now, and no school would take her.¡±

    ¡°Grandma really has Tina¡¯s best interests at heart. She wants Tina to not be looked down upon in the Farrell family because of her education. Even if you have fallen out with Grandma, you should still consider Tina¡¯s actual situation.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie didn¡¯t speak. Amber was right; medical school was for college students. Tina had never been to school; it was unknown what she could achieve there. But to send Tina to high school now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up, especially not at Ensford High School¡¯s ss 22D, which wasn¡¯t a ce for learning.

    Tina looked deeply at Amber, the corners of her lips showing a mocking smile, ¡°You want me to attend Ensford High School?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I want what¡¯s best for you.¡±

    Tina narrowed her eyes and said unhurriedly, ¡°Then I shall go.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie were shocked. ¡°Tina¡­¡±

    A triumphant smile spread across Amber¡¯s face, and before they could speak, she said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back and tell Grandma¡­¡±

    ¡°No need! I¡¯ll go myself!¡± Tina said indifferently.

    Amber was taken aback. ¡°Tina, that¡¯s Ensford High School. Without Grandma arranging yourenrollment, you won¡¯t be able to get in.¡±

    Tina looked up, amused. ¡°Who said I was going to study?¡±

    ¡°You just said¡­¡±

    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m going to Ensford High School, to be a teacher!¡±

    Hugo, ¡°¡­¡±

    Jennie, ¡°¡­¡±

    Amber, ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 46: Quick, Give Me a Slap

    Silence!

    The room was so quiet that time seemed to have stopped.

    Hugo, Jennie, and Amber, all three of them, wide-eyed, watched Tina in disbelief.

    Their minds were like crashedputers, utterly unresponsive.

    ¡°Tina, did you say you¡¯re going to teach at Ensford High School?¡± Amber was the first to regain herposure, disbelief still etched on her face.

    Was she hallucinating or dreaming?

    Tina said she was going to teach at Ensford High School?

    Was there something wrong with her brain?

    How could she, a person who had never been to school, teach, and at the prestigious Ensford High School at that?

    Did she think the school was run by her family?

    Leaning back in her chair, Tina nodded seriously, ¡°You heard right.¡±

    Amber, ¡°¡­¡±

    Your face is so thick!

    How can you say that?

    Tina: I said it with my mouth.

    Hugo and Jennie, on the side, werepletely stunned, not hearing a word of Tina and Amber¡¯s conversation.

    All they could think about was whether Tina had lost her mind.

    What nonsense was this?

    Amber, choked by Tina¡¯s words, stood up, her tone mocking, ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll see how you¡¯re going to teach at Ensford High School. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the school.¡±

    A country bumpkin dares to speak so arrogantly!

    She was waiting for Tina to be embarrassed!

    The corners of Tina¡¯s lips lifted, ¡°No need to wait. I won¡¯t be teaching you.¡±

    Amber wanted to learn, but she didn¡¯t want to teach!

    Amber sneered and left, not even maintaining superficial courtesies with Hugo and the others, her face cold as she went.

    Once she left, Hugo and Jennie came back to their senses.

    Looking at Tina for a long time, Jennie spoke first, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t take Amber¡¯s words to heart. If you want to go to school, we¡¯ll help you find a more ordinary one. There¡¯s no pressure to study, and after high school, we can support you to go to medical school.¡±

    She intuitively thought that Tina had said that just to irritate Amber.

    Hugo also said, ¡°Right, don¡¯t worry about school. But don¡¯t make such jokes in the future. You know what kind of person your grandmother is. If she finds out, she will make things difficult for us. From now on, we¡¯ll just keep to ourselves and not give others a chance tough at us.¡±

    Tina looked up, her face serious, ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, I wasn¡¯t joking. The principal of Ensford High School hired me to be the Lead Teacher of ss 22D, with a monthly sry of fifty thousand dors!¡±

    After she posted that job-seeking post that day, the principal of Ensford High School invited her over. She didn¡¯t respond, indicating she wasn¡¯t interested.

    The principal, persistent, sent her more messages, exined the situation of ss 22D, and offered a monthly sry of fifty thousand dors, begging her many times. She seriously replied each time, no!

    But now¡­

    Someone was deliberately provoking her!

    She reluctantly epted.

    Seeing her serious demeanor, Hugo and Jennie exchanged nces, then silently stood up, ¡°The food is getting cold, let¡¯s eat.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Was this- disbelief?

    She wasn¡¯t boasting!

    Why didn¡¯t they believe her?

    Did she have a face that wasn¡¯t trustworthy?

    Thinking so, Tina walked over to the mirror, looked seriously at her beautiful face, touched her fair skin with her fingers, and muttered in confusion, ¡°I look quite pretty! Why don¡¯t they believe me?¡±

    She sighed and silently went to the dining table to eat.

    After dinner, Tina returned to her room and sent a message to the principal of Ensford High School, agreeing to teach the ss.

    The principal was ecstatic, sending no less than twenty messages expressing his warm wee.

    Tina thought to herself, people in Ensford are quite enthusiastic overall.

    The next day.

    Just after seven o¡¯clock, Tina was startled awake by two sharp cries.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Such piercing voices!

    Such loud voices!

    The entire room trembled!

    Tina, ear still buzzing, opened the door and walked out, ¡°What happened?¡±

    In the living room, Hugo and Jennie were gripping the phone, staring at the screen with dumbfounded expressions.

    It took a while for Hugo to say to Jennie, ¡°p me twice to see if I¡¯m dreaming!¡±

    ¡°p!¡±

    Jennie did not hesitate to p his face with force!

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Was this for real??

    ¡°It hurts! It¡¯s really painful!¡± Hugo was filled with feverish excitement.

    ¡°It hurts! My hand hurts too!¡± Jennie looked at her slightly swollen hand; she had really used a lot of strength, confirming it wasn¡¯t a dream.

    Hugo caught sight of Tina and hurried over, ¡°Tina, p me twice.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­ Mr. Reed, that would be most disrespectful.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s just us here, no one else will know.¡± Hugo leaned his face in, ¡°Quick, p me twice. I need to make sure I¡¯m not dreaming!¡±

    Tina¡¯s mouth twitched, and she seriously said, ¡°It¡¯s seven in the morning, you¡¯re at Pinkwater Ally, the sun rises in the east, the water cup is still steaming, you-are not dreaming!¡±

    ¡°Really not dreaming?¡± Hugo still couldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°Really not,¡± Tina said with a touch of helplessness, ¡°So can you tell me what happened?¡±

    Hugo, assured by Tina¡¯s positive and certain reply, finally epted one thing: he was not dreaming.

    He happily showed Tina the phone, opening the call log, ¡°Look at this, what is it?¡±

    Tina nced at the first number on the call log and understood!

    That number belonged to Jimmy!

    She hadn¡¯t expected Jimmy to call Hugo so early, and to do so personally.

    No wonder Hugo doubted he was dreaming!

    For others, being personally called by the chairman of Mendara would surely feel like a dream.

    ¡°I was hired by Mendara,¡± Hugo exined upon seeing Tina silent, ¡°It was Mendara Group¡¯s chairman James Heart who personally called me.¡±

    Hugo¡¯s face beamed with joy, ¡°My god! That¡¯s Mendara Group. I can hardly believe that I can work there, as a project manager no less, and the most important thing is, an annual sry of a million dors, not including bonuses!¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°Congrattions, Mr. Reed.¡±

    Hugo had been a project manager in the family business before, and Jimmy was quite considerate to offer him this position.

    But an annual sry of a million¡­

    Jimmy must have offered this sry on her ount.

    Jennie also recovered from her shock, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, you don¡¯t have to work out of town, and Tina¡¯s dowry is settled.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie were ecstatic for a long while until Hugo suddenly remembered, ¡°Oh no, Mr. Heart asked me to report to thepany by eight o¡¯clock. I can¡¯t bete. I¡¯ll skip breakfast; you eat. I have to go.¡±

    With that, he dashed off like the wind.

    Tina and Jennie smiled helplessly at each other.

    After breakfast, Jennie started cleaning the house while Tina left for Ensford High School.

    Considering how Hugo and Jennie didn¡¯t quite believe her yesterday, she decided not to tell Jennie where she was going.

 Chapter 47: This is Our New Lead Teacher

    Tina took a taxi and reported her destination as Ensford High School. After arriving and paying the fare, she made her way directly to the principal¡¯s office. She had never been to Ensford High School before, so she casually asked a student for directions and quickly found the office. As she approached the principal¡¯s office, she could hear voicesing from inside. Tina swore she wasn¡¯t trying to eavesdrop; the door was simply not closed.

    The people inside were talking, and it didn¡¯t seem right to interrupt, so she decided to wait at the door. Consequently, the conversation became clear to her ears. ¡°Mr. Stiller, I really can¡¯t teach 22D anymore. Last time, those students put a trash can over my head and beat me up so badly that I¡¯m still nursing injuries. Please spare me from this. If I have to teach 22D again, I¡¯ll have to resign.¡±

    Tina nced into the office and saw a man in his forties with sses, looking quite schrly, rubbing one arm with the other and wincing in pain. ¡°I can¡¯t handle them either. They used to put cockroaches and bugs in my textbooks, and I let that slide, but this time it was a rat! Mr. Stiller, you know how terrified I am of rats,¡± a woman in her thirties said. ¡°These students are incorrigible. I¡¯m at my wits¡¯ end.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Stiller, please don¡¯t make this harder for us. It¡¯s not that we are irresponsible or unwilling to teach; it¡¯s just impossible. We came here to educate, not to put our lives on the line!¡± another man added.

    Mr. Stiller sighed silently. ¡°I understand that you¡¯ve all been wronged, but we can¡¯t just ignore the situation. The higher-ups have spoken: if no one from this year¡¯s 22D gets into college, Ensford High School will lose its status as a prestigious school.¡±

    Mr. Stiller felt helpless about the teachers¡¯ grievances. Ensford was a second-tier city with many high schools, but only Ensford High School was considered prestigious. Despite the high tuition fees, there was a scramble to get in every year, leading to enrollment difficulties at many ordinary schools.

    However, Ensford High School had a notorious ss, ss 22D. This ss was filled with wealthy and privileged students who, due to their poor academic performance, were grouped together. They were known for their indiscipline and for causing trouble. Bullying teachers and fellow students wasmonce for them.

    The catch was that Mr. Stiller couldn¡¯t expel them, as their families had made donations to the school. Although he had the authority to expel other students, the decision regarding those in 22D was reserved for the school¡¯s board of directors.

    But the situation in 22D had be so dire that it was seriously affecting other students, prompting numerous parents to fileints. The higher-ups took this seriously and demanded that 22D be reformed. If not a single student from 22D made it into college that year, the school would lose its prestigious status. This caused panic among the board members, who urged Mr. Stiller to find a solution.

    ¡°We understand that this is about the school¡¯s reputation, but Mr. Stiller, 22D¡­ is no ce for humans. We all want to live a little longer!¡± they said.

    Mr. Stiller, feeling a headacheing on, sat down and took a sip of water, remaining silent for a long while. When he looked up again, he noticed someone standing at the door. Upon closer inspection, his face lit up with joy as he got up from his chair. ¡°Miss Reed, you¡¯ve finally arrived!¡±

    His savior hade!

    Someone to deal with those devils!

    His spring wasing!

    ¡°Mr. Stiller,¡± Tina said as she stepped inside and greeted him.

    ¡°Seeing you here gives me peace of mind,¡± Mr. Stiller said, not out of ttery but true relief. He had been so excited when Tina sent him a message, but then he became worried she might change her mind, which kept him up all night. Now that Tina was actually standing before him, he felt he could finally sleep soundly that night.

    ¡°Mr. Stiller,¡± Tina greeted him again, foregoing formalities, ¡°shall I start teaching now?¡±

    She had already been briefed on ss 22D when Mr. Stiller invited her to the school. She had a rough understanding of the students and wasn¡¯t concerned about them. She had dealt with far more troublesome young people before, and she knew how to handle them.

    ¡°Hold on, let me introduce you,¡± Mr. Stiller said, noticing the puzzled looks from the three teachers in the office toward Tina. ¡°This is the new Lead Teacher for 22D. She will be in charge of all matters rted to22D,¡± he informed them.

    Then he turned to Tina and introduced the forty-year-old man with sses, ¡°This is Mr. Lee, he teaches mathematics.¡± He pointed to the thirty-something woman, ¡°This is Mrs. Thompson, she¡¯s responsible for English.¡± Finally, he gestured toward a younger man, ¡°And this is Mr. Thomas, he takes care of chemistry.¡±

    After the introductions, he told Tina, ¡°It¡¯s homeroom time now, other teachers are in ss. I¡¯ll introduce you to the restter.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    Tina nodded and greeted each of the teachers in turn, ¡°Mr. Lee, Mrs. Thompson, Mr. Thomas, hello.¡±

    The three teachers were stunned into silence.

    It took them a moment to recover, and then, looking at Mr. Stiller with disbelief, they said, ¡°Mr. Stiller, you¡¯re not serious, are you? She¡¯s the Lead Teacher for 22D?¡±

    She looked way too young, possibly neen at most.

    That would make her barely older than the students of 22D. Wasn¡¯t she just a student herself?

    Mr. Stiller replied with a smile, ¡°Indeed, she is the new Lead Teacher for 22D I¡¯ve hired. You can teach 22D without worries now. With her presence, those students won¡¯t dare to cause trouble.¡±

    He had met Tina five years prior. At that time, she was only fourteen. During a spring outing with a friend, they had identally wandered into Serenity Ridge, a ce with treacherous terrain and many pitfalls. He had fallen into one such trap and thought he was done for until Tina saved him.

    As he and his friend recovered in a temple, they learned that it was not only a ce of worship but also a training ground. Including Tina, there were only ten disciples. As a principal, he had seen many children from wealthy families, and that day, he encountered three students who had once been part of the infamous D ss.

    Tina was in charge of their training, and under her supervision, the disciples were well-disciplined, silently enduring even the most strenuous exercises. Especially those three former D ss students-he had seen them nearly turn the school upside down, but with Tina, they were as docile asmbs.

    He was tremendously impressed by Tina. After leaving Serenity Ridge, he kept in touch with her, having asked for her contact details, thinking that one day he might seek her help.

    And now-she was here!

    ¡°Mr. Stiller, joking aside, how old is she? A teacher? Has she even graduated?¡± Mr. Thomas looked at Tina with furrowed brows, ¡°You must be desperate, recruiting anyone to the school.¡±

 Chapter 48: Intimidation

    Mr. Lee and Mrs. Thompson did not offer their opinions upon hearing the words, but they agreed with Mr. Thomas in their hearts. Mr. Stiller, however, was not angry. ¡°I can recruit her because she is certainly a graduate. With this year¡¯s entrance exams affecting the school¡¯s reputation, having Miss Reed in charge of ss 22D will put your minds at ease,¡± he assured them.

    ¡°Mr. Stiller!¡± Mr. Thomas objected, ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I have no hope for 22D, and I won¡¯t teach there.¡±

    After a pause, Mr. Thomas continued, ¡°You know exactly what kind of ce 22D is, better than anyone. I advise you not to ruin that young girl. She¡¯s only about neen years old. If she goes into 22D, it¡¯s uncertain if she wille out unscathed, and you¡¯re still counting on her to take charge? What a joke!¡±

    Mr. Lee and Mrs. Thompson nodded, echoing in agreement, ¡°Mr. Stiller, we know you¡¯re anxious, but this is harming the girl.¡±

    Mr. Stiller rubbed his temples, feeling a headacheing on. They hadn¡¯t seen Tina¡¯s capabilities, so he couldn¡¯t me them. But regardless, their involvement was necessary. Even if Tina was capable, she couldn¡¯t possibly teach all the courses in 22D alone.

    Mr. Stiller turned to Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, what do you say?¡±

    Privately, he called her Serena, but at school, she was Miss Reed.

    Tina smiled, unoffended by the teachers¡¯ words, and replied, ¡°Let the teachers rest well for now. I¡¯ll notify you when it¡¯s time to start teaching.¡±

    Turning to the three teachers, Tina added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I will still need your help in the future!¡± She was only responsible for controlling the students, not teaching the sses. Though she was capable of teaching them too!

    Mr. Lee and Mrs. Thompson shook their heads slightly, feeling that once she faced the reality of 22D, she would realize how ridiculous her thoughts were today.

    Yet Mr. Thomas thought it wasughable that Tina, at her young age, was talking big and expecting their help. So, he sarcastically offered, ¡°Alright! If you can manage the students of 22D, I will give them free extra lessons after school every day.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Thomas,¡± Tina responded, neither humble nor arrogant.

    Seeing the matter was settled, the teachers said no more and left.

    After their departure, the news of a new Lead Teacher for 22D quickly spread throughout the school, although Mr. Stiller and Tina were still unaware of it.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Mr. Stiller had intended to give Tina a more detailed briefing, but she suggested going directly to 22D.

    She was a principled person, believing in doing her job during work hours and earning her sry.

    ss 22D.

    The ssroom was noisy when suddenly a student burst in excitedly, ¡°Did you hear? We have a new Lead Teacher, a woman, and she¡¯s already on her way here with Mr. Stiller.¡±

    The noise ceased, and a moment of silence followed. Then, someone whistled suggestively, ¡°This teacher is brave. Brothers, let¡¯s prepare a wee ceremony.¡±

    Cheers and the sound of desks being banged followed, ¡°Friends, let¡¯s get rowdy!¡±

    The students then busied themselves with preparations.

    About fifteen minutester, Tina and Mr. Stiller appeared in the corridor. The lookout student immediately returned to the ssroom and excitedly announced, ¡°They¡¯re here, get ready.¡±

    Meanwhile, Mr. Stiller led Tina to a corner and stopped, pointing at the ssroom not far away, ¡°That¡¯s 22D, Miss Reed. I have a lot to deal with, so I won¡¯t go over. You¡­¡±

    He wanted to ask if she would be alright on her own but felt it was somewhat improper to leave her alone and ask such a question.

    Tina understood his concern and nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, Mr. Stiller. You go ahead.¡±

    Tina stepped forward, walking towards 22D. As she reached the door, she tilted her head slightly, lips curling into a faint smile. Suddenly, she kicked the door open, then swiftly sidestepped as a paint bucket fell from above, sttering paint all over the floor.

    Tina nced indifferently at the spilled paint, took out a pair of disposable shoe covers from her bag, put them on, and entered the ssroom.

    Upon entering, she saw a group of students with wide eyes, looking utterly astonished. They had not anticipated anyone avoiding their first trap-a point of pride that usually sent new teachers fleeing.

    Some who were not deterred by the first trap and continued to teach didn¡¯t fare well either.

    All eyes turned to the new Lead Teacher, and everyone took a deep breath. Some students even gasped, ¡°Holy shit! Is that really our Lead Teacher? She¡¯s not a transfer student who got lost, right?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s pretty and managed to break through our first line of defense. I¡¯m suddenly very interested in her.¡±

    The murmurs were loud, reaching Tina¡¯s ears as she walked to the center of the ssroom. There should have been a podium there, but it had been pushed into a corner and was covered in dust.

    Standing in the middle, her cool gaze swept across the room. When her eyesnded on a person in the corner, she froze for a moment.

    Velma???

    Velma looked up, locking eyes with Tina-once, twice, thrice in disbelief!

    Then, in shock, Velma eximed, ¡°What the hell! Am I seeing ghosts, or am I just seeing things? Tina?¡±

    Why was she here?

    What was happening??

    Tina¡¯s gaze lingered on Velma for only a few seconds before she looked away.

    ¡°My name is Tina, Tina Reed. For the next three months, I am your Lead Teacher!¡± Tina spoke calmly.

    As her words fell, someone shouted, ¡°Damn! She¡¯s really here to be the Lead Teacher? Hey, have you grown hair all over? You dare to be our Lead Teacher? You better roll back to bed!¡±

    ¡°Heh! It¡¯s my first time seeing a Lead Teacher who¡¯s only a year older than us. Are you tired of living?¡±

    ¡°Guys, looks like we need to teach her a lesson!¡±

    A ruckus and whistles ensued.

    Then, someone from a corner brought out a cage. Upon opening, several snakes and a dozen mice scurried out.

    ¡°Wow! Snakes! Mice! Don¡¯t be scared, Miss, they don¡¯t bite,¡± the students said mockingly, reveling in schadenfreude.

    Velma, regaining herposure, stood up angrily, ¡°Albert! Put your creatures away! She¡¯s my friend¡­¡±

    Albert interrupted her, ¡°Step aside. She¡¯s your friend, so I should let her off? Anyone who darese to 22D should be ready to die¡­ Holy shit!¡±

    His words cut off abruptly as Albert Sitwell¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the sight before him. He jumped onto a chair, his eyes as big as saucers.

    Not far away, Tina held a snake in one hand and a knife that seemed to appear out of nowhere in the other. She walked straight to a desk in the front row, raised her hand, and with a swift motion, the snake¡¯s head was severed.

 Chapter 49: The New Lead Teacher Does Have Something

    The scene unfolding in front of the front row students sent shivers down their spines!

    Tina appeared to be about their age, yet they couldn¡¯t help wanting to steer clear of her.

    She proceeded with her knife on the snake, slicing open its outeryer of skin and flesh. As she rummaged inside, she spoke, ¡°Whose snake is this? Bring more next time.¡±

    Lifting her gaze, she cheerfully said, ¡°Snakes are valuable, and considering I¡¯m your Lead Teacher, I¡¯ll enlighten you for free. The gall, fat, organs, tongue, skin, blood, eggs, and shed skin of snakes all have medicinal properties. There¡¯s nothing wasted!¡±

    Tina extracted the snake¡¯s organs, took a small bag from her satchel, and packed them away. Following that, she calmly wiped the blood off her hands with a tissue.

    Looking up at the students, who were frozen in ce, she pulled out a small ceramic bottle from her bag. Casting a nce at the mice scurrying around the ssroom, she mentioned indifferently, ¡°Mice carry too many bacteria and have little medicinal value. Those folk remedies that soak mice in liquor are unreliable andck medical evidence.¡±

    Opening the ceramic bottle, she poured its powder contents on the floor, and swiftly, all the mice died.

    She stowed the bottle away, wiped her hands again with a moist tissue, and walked to the center of the ssroom. In a calm tone, she said, ¡°Is your wee ceremony over? If not, carry on.¡±

    Her statement was met with silence.

    The students were dumbstruck.

    Who would have thought the new Lead Teacher could be so daunting?

    Not only was she unfazed by the paint at the door, but snakes and mice couldn¡¯t scare her either.

    Instead of being scared, she conducted a dissection on the spot!

    Was she even human?

    Or perhaps a ghost?

    ¡°Is it over?¡± Tina asked, receiving no response.

    Silence persisted.

    ¡°If the wee ceremony is done, I¡¯ll state my rules¡­¡±

    Before Tina could finish, Albert scoffed coldly, ¡°Think you can teach us? You¡¯ll need to prove your worth. The reputation of the 22D demons isn¡¯t for nothing. That was just an appetizer. Prove you can beat us, then you¡¯ll have some credibility.¡±

    ¡°Little boy, there¡¯s no need for violence,¡± Tina replied at ease.

    ¡°You¡¯re the little kid!¡± retorted Albert, infuriated. She was about their age, and yet she called him a little kid!

    He hated being treated like a child. Anger surged within him, and he grabbed a stick, aiming it at Tina!

    Tina simply stood there, not even shifting her stance.

    As Albert charged at her, she slightly lifted her eyelids. Then, with a ¡®bang,¡¯ Albert copsed to the ground,pletely limp.

    Stunned, Albert eximed, ¡°What the heck? Why can¡¯t I move?¡±

    Tina towered over him, looking down, ¡°In the face of an enemy, it¡¯s not about being able to fight. True skill is leaving your opponent powerless to retaliate.¡±

    Albert looked up fiercely, ¡°Did you do this? What did you do to me?¡±

    This was too strange!

    He hadn¡¯t even seen her make a move, and he was already down.

    The other students were equally baffled.

    They were ustomed to swaggering behind Albert, believing themselves to be invincible.

    Moreover, Albert wasn¡¯t like them; he had actually spent time training.

    Who could have guessed that Albert wouldn¡¯t even get the chance to strike before falling to the ground?

    Seeing this, the students instinctively stepped back from their seats.

    For some reason, they felt that this new Lead Teacher might actually hit them.

    If she did, they might end up missing limbs, right?

    Best to stay far away.

    ¡°I¡¯ve administered a dose of Bendwright¡¯s Blend to you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s Bendwright¡¯s Blend?¡± asked Albert, puzzled.

    ¡°Bendwright¡¯s Blend¡­¡± Tina¡¯s voice lifted slightly, ¡°can render anyonepletely weak, limp, like a pile of mud in an instant. Without the antidote, they¡¯ll stay that way for life.¡±

    Albert¡¯s eyes narrowed, a glint of understanding passing through them.

    Tina looked down, ¡°Are you thinking, ¡®How foolish of this woman to tell me this? Once I¡¯m free, I¡¯ll get Bendwright¡¯s Blend and use it on her?''¡±

    Albert remained silent.

    Could she read minds?Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    How did she know everything he was thinking?

    Tina smirked, ¡°For the past decade, I¡¯ve been learning many interesting medical techniques. Unfortunately for you, I can counter many poisons and chronic drugs. Bendwright¡¯s Blend is useless against me.¡±

    Albert¡¯s mouth twitched.

    The new Lead Teacher sure could boast!

    She was so young, yet she imed to have studied medicine for ten years?

    She must have started at nine, then¡±Victory by any means is not honorable!¡± Albert always held his head high with pride, but within a mere fifteen minutes, Tina had shocked him into temperance.

    He was a little resentful and couldn¡¯t ept defeat.

    To concede after only two rounds would be too embarrassing.

    Tina nced at him and tossed him a pill, ¡°I¡¯m a civilized person and prefer to solve problems civilly. Don¡¯t try to overpower me with force; it won¡¯t work.¡±

    She paused, then added, ¡°Actually, no method you try will conquer me. Yes, I¡¯m that formidable!¡±

    The entire ss of 22D was speechless.

    How shameless!

    Albert looked at the pill, picked it up, and swallowed it.

    Soon after, he felt his strength returning.

    He stood up but didn¡¯t rush at her again, knowing that it wasn¡¯t a matter of being unable to fight her; it was that he wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to strike before being taken down!

    The thought was frustrating.

    He red at Tina, ¡°Don¡¯t think that by doing this we¡¯ll acknowledge you as our Lead Teacher. We didn¡¯te here to learn; we just want to graduate. Our families are rich; after graduation, we just take over the family business!¡±

    Tina smiled faintly, ¡°Albert Sitwell, the fifth son of William Sitwell! Your family¡¯s main business is in jade and precious stones, with assets exceeding hundreds of millions,parable to the Lehman family¡¯s status!¡±

    Albert was startled, ¡°You know this too?¡±

    ¡°I know a lot more,¡± she continued, ¡°like how you broke your father¡¯s antique vasest month and med the nanny, or how you and your friends staged your own kidnapping two weeks ago to extort ten million dors from your father. Or even, how you like to sleep naked at home¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Albert jumped, eximing, ¡°Stop, stop, stop!¡±

    This was too much!

    She must be a devil!

    He¡¯d have to find a ghost catcher after school to take her down.

    It was all too eerie!

    Those were things he had done in secret, unknown to anyone.

    And the fact that she even knew about his preference for sleeping naked at home was just way too much.

 Chapter 50: These Are Some Uncivilized Measures

    Tina withdrew her gaze from Albert and ignored him. She lifted her eyes to the other students and spoke at a leisurely pace, ¡°Now, I will state my rules¡­¡± At this point, Tina paused and her eyes suddenly turned cold, ¡°Do not interrupt me again. I do not wish to resort to uncivilized measures to solve problems!¡±

    As soon as Tina¡¯s words fell, an untimely voice chimed in with a sneer, ¡°Ha! A joke! You think knowing a few dirty tricks will make us listen to you? Are you dreaming?¡±

    Tina looked towards the source of the voice. It was Hendrik, Mr. Stiller¡¯s nephew from the capital, where the Stiller family held a high status. Even amongst the elite in the capital, the Stiller family was not to be underestimated.

    Tina nced at Hendrik without a word, turned, and walked to the ssroom door. When she returned, she held a stick in her hand. She walked straight up to Hendrik, stick in hand.

    Hendrik frowned and let out a mockingugh, ¡°What? You want to hit me? I¡¯m not some pushover like Albert. I am Hendrik Stil-thud!¡± Before he could finish his name, a dull thwack from the stick hit Hendrik, causing him to leap up, ¡°Damn! You dare hit me? Do you know who I am?¡±

    Tina ignored him and continued to strike him with the stick. Although Hendrik had some training, each time he tried to retaliate, Tina¡¯s stick would urately and unerringlye at him. And somehow, her way of hitting was strange. It seemed a light tap but was exceptionally painful upon impact.

    ¡°Stop it! Stop! I will tell my uncle! I will have you fired!¡± Hendrik howled. His uncle was Mr. Stiller!

    Tina didn¡¯t even spare him a nce but pointed the stick at Albert, ¡°You! Get some people to hang him up!¡±

    These students, usually uninterested in learning, had everything in their ssroom, including many hooks on the ceiling, perfect for hanging up this unfortunate soul.

    Albert started to object but then heard Tina speak slowly, ¡°As I have heard, the infamous Albert Sitwell is actually in love with¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, Albert leaped up, pointing at several people, ¡°You, you, and you, hang him up, quick!¡± He refused to yield to Tina¡¯s tyranny!

    This woman was toxic! She even knew who he had a crush on! This was-she had him by the throat! He hadn¡¯t even confessed his love, and if it got out, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to be friends with her anymore.

    Seeing Albert really ordering people to tie him up, Hendrik exploded in anger, ¡°Albert, you dare! If you touch me, I will never let you off!¡±

    Albert lifted his head with a snort, ¡°What does it have to do with me? Miss Reed ordered this. My mother taught me to listen to the teacher in school!¡±

    Hendrik was speechless. Damn it all!

    Initially, Albert had not been convinced by Tina, but now he was somewhat impressed. In ssroom 22D, he and Hendrik were always at odds. Of course, there was also Velma, but he didn¡¯t have much conflict with her.

    In ssroom 22D, with over forty students, they were divided into three factions. He and Hendrik each led one faction, and Velma led another. When it came to fighting and showing toughness, he and Hendrik were the fiercest rivals.

    Velma, on the other hand, was someone no one dared to provoke, but she rarely caused trouble, so usually, it was just verbal sparring.

    Thinking of how Tina had just used a stick to beat Hendrik without him being able to fight back, Albert was quite impressed. After all, seeing Hendrik in a bind was satisfying for him.

    So, he quickly had the others hoist Hendrik up. Hendrik, suspended from the ceiling, cursed at Tina, ¡°You little wench, if you have the guts, kill me. If you can¡¯t kill me, I¡¯ll make your life a living hell!¡±

    Tina nced at him, seriously saying, ¡°I have your father¡¯s phone number. Before you try to kill me, maybe you should ask for his opinion?¡±

    Hendrik was speechless. Was this woman insane? Why involve parents in children¡¯s conflicts? Wait, how did she have his father¡¯s phone number? He didn¡¯t recall his father knowing such a person.

    Tina ignored his thoughts, took out her phone, and dialed a number. Soon, the call connected.

    ¡°Se¡­¡±

    The person on the other end had barely uttered a word when Tina interrupted, ¡°Mr. Stiller, it is an honor. I have be your son¡¯s Lead Teacher. He refuses to obeyme and has threatened to kill me. I am a civilized woman, so I¡¯m calling toin. He¡¯s right beside me, maybe you¡¯d like to educate him?¡±

    On the other end of the line, Hendrik¡¯s father, Ruben Stiller, fell silent. After a two-second pause, he suddenly cursed, ¡°Hendrik, you worthless little brat! I sent you to school, not to start a rebellion! You think you¡¯re tough now, daring to threaten a teacher?¡±

    ¡°Listen to me, if you don¡¯t get into university this year, I¡¯m disowning you, throwing you out, and you can beg on the streets!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so angry! Rnds, Rnds, prepare the car, I¡¯m going to Ensford, I¡¯m going to thrash that little runt!¡±

    Hendrik was speechless. What had he done to deserve this?

    Ruben Stiller¡¯s furious voice echoed through the phone across the ssroom, leaving the students dumbfounded. Was this really happening?

    Wasn¡¯t she supposed to argue back with his father or try to curry favor to control his child? Why did the plot not follow the usual script?

    After hanging up the phone, Hendrik, still fuming, said to Tina, ¡°Your so-called uncivilized measures, are just tattling? How is that heroic? If you¡¯re a real hero, fight me one-on-one. If you¡¯re too scared to fight me one-on-one, I have no respect for you.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.

    Tina calmly put her phone in her pocket and replied indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m no hero. Snitching is my style of handling things, yes, you heard right, I am a snitch!¡±

    Hendrik was speechless. The other students were speechless. This was bizarre; she admitted to being a snitch with such audacity?

    Hendrik was infuriated, feeling a suffocating frustration with nowhere to vent.

    Tina turned her attention away from him and approached a snake that had recoiled into its cage when she had demonstrated her domineering power earlier. She casually picked up one of the snakes and grabbed a rope, stepping onto a desk.

    Hendrik¡¯s voice trembled in fear, ¡°What, what are you going to do? You can¡¯t kill me, this is a society governed byw!¡±

    He was terrified and wanted to run, but tied up as he was, escape was impossible.

    Tina tied the snake to him, cing a small box on Hendrik¡¯s chest to keep the snake at a certain distance, ensuring it couldn¡¯t bite him. The snake¡¯s head was level with Hendrik¡¯s eyes, its tongue flicking in and out.

    Hendrik was petrified, his eyes locked on the snake, too frightened to move or speak, afraid that any slight movement would provoke a bite.

    But for some reason, he felt a warm liquid flowing beneath him, and his face flushed with embarrassment. Damn it! He had wet his pants! Though it was just a little, it didn¡¯t change the fact that he had wet himself. Not wanting the other students to see, he mped his legs together tightly.

    ¡°This is what I meant by uncivilized measures,¡± Tina said slowly, just as Hendrik was on edge.

 Chapter 51: School Bullies No More

    Hendrik and the rest of the students in ss 22D were utterly petrified. They had assumed that Tina¡¯s idea of ¡°uncivilized methods¡± meant fighting, since their ss was notorious for brawls. However, to their shock, Tina¡¯s method involved releasing snakes to bite people! It was terrifying! Where had the school found such a deranged individual? They wondered if they had any good days ahead.

    The students internally screamed, feeling as though they were witnessing the apocalypse. Tina lifted her gaze to Hendrik, who had been scared stiff, and asked, ¡°Are you thinking clearly now? Do you want to behave?¡±

    Hendrik dared not refuse; he nodded vigorously, ¡°I will, I will. Miss Reed, I was wrong. Please, let me go!¡± He feared his reign as the school bully was over. What awaited him now was a future of utter misery and darkness. There seemed to be simply no way out!

    ¡°Put him down,¡± Tina instructed Albert and the others nearby. Albert and hispanions stood pale-faced, not daring to move. Who would dare? There was a snake! Even though they had released the snake, they were afraid too. What if Tina had bewitched the snake to bite them?

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re afraid of it?¡± Tina realized their hesitation and her lips twitched sarcastically. With such cowardice, they had dared to set a snake on her? She pulled out a small knife from her pocket and flung it at Hendrik. Hendrik, who had just sighed in relief at the thought of being released, was startled to see a knife flying towards him. He braced for impact.

    However, the next second, the knife pierced the snake¡¯s head with precision and both the knife and the snake hit the wall. Hendrik felt as though he had narrowly escaped death. The other students were stunned. Surely, this was something that required practice?R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

    Tinamanded Albert to let Hendrik down. Standing on the ground, Hendrik¡¯s legs trembled, ¡°Mi¡­ Miss, I need to use the restroom.¡± He couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. Had it not been for the fear of wetting himself and the embarrassment that would follow, he might have already done so.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Tina said, more amicably this time. Hendrik bolted for the restroom so fast that it seemed like a gust of wind had passed by.

    Tina turned to the other dazed students and ordered, ¡°Move the lectern here, and arrange your desks and chairs neatly.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°I don¡¯t want to resort to uncivilized methods!¡± As soon as she finished her sentence, the students moved quickly to rearrange the furniture, their actions swift and astoundingly efficient.

    Velma, sitting in the corner, took a long time to calm down. She had finallye to a realization. Her new friend from a couple of days ago, her ¡°sister,¡± had be her teacher. Good heavens! What kind of grand magical tale was this? Recalling Tina¡¯s recent actions, Velma obediently got up and arranged the furniture. She had the intuition that if she didn¡¯tply, her good sister might turn on her and give her a thrashing.

    About ten minutester, the furniture was arranged, and Hendrik returned from the restroom. At the ssroom door, he respectfully called out, ¡°Report!¡±

    ¡°Enter,¡± came Tina¡¯s indifferent voice. Hendrik entered, not daring to approach the lectern; he edged along the wall to his seat, as timid as a mouse in the presence of a cat.

    ¡°I am now going to discuss the rules. Any objections?¡± She stood at the lectern, her voice calm and steady. She looked like a beautiful young girl, but her presence was formidable, and none of the students dared to utter a word of dissent.

    Tina picked up the chalk and wrote her name on the ckboard, ¡°Tina Reed! Remember this name, for the next three months, it might be your nightmare.¡± No one spoke. Future nightmares? They were living a nightmare right now!

    ¡°Mr. Stiller pays me a generous sry, and I intend to earn it. If you make things easy for me, I will not trouble you. No fighting, no bullying ssmates, no mistreating teachers, greet people politely, attend sses on time. These are my rules.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether you take over your family¡¯s assets or not. As long as you are at this school, you must follow my rules. If anyone does not wish toply, they can drop out. If you don¡¯t drop out and still don¡¯t follow the rules, I don¡¯t mind teaching you a lesson. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡± The students replied with a booming voice, not daring to raise any objections.

    ¡°The school requires that at least one student from ss 22D get into college this year.¡± Tina looked calmly at thestudents, ¡°There are forty-five of you in 22D, and I expect all forty-five to be admitted to college. Can you do it?¡±

    Silence fell upon the room. Outsiders thought they were in 22D just to scrape together a diploma and inherit their family¡¯s wealth, but no one knew that they were actually being given up on by their families. Ensford High School was an aristocratic institution, and it was no stranger to wealthy and noble students. However, those in 22D, due to poor grades, were relegated to the lowest ss.

    Teachers looked down on them, unwilling to instruct properly. Because of their deficiencies in all areas, they were disdained at home and at school, leading to rebellious attitudes. Rather than being disrespected, they preferred to be feared. The notion of merely graduating was a deception by their families to fool others; what genuine, affluent family would hand over their assets to someone ignorant?

    Their failure would only bring shame to the family¡¯s name. So, while they behaved wildly at school, their families turned a blind eye, just hoping they could at least secure a diploma. No one cared if they made it to college because no one believed they could.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t do it?¡± Tina asked.

    Heads bowed, no one dared to speak, partly out of fear of Tina and partly because it seemed impossible. After a moment of thought, Albert stood up and responded, ¡°Miss Reed, do you think we can get into college? We¡¯ve nearly forgotten everything from Grade 9.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Tina countered with a lift of her eyes, her words deliberate and powerful, ¡°There is only unwillingness, not impossibility, as long as you are willing to work hard.¡±

    Her voice was soft but seemed to carry a magical power that gave everyone a glimmer of hope. If they worked hard, could they also be admitted to college? Would others change their view of them? After all, they truly wanted to study hard at the beginning.

    But being disrespected by teachers and family, they lost their confidence. ¡°Do you believe in us?¡± Albert asked.

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Her affirmation brought tears to the eyes of the students of 22D. For the first time in over a year, someone was willing to believe in them. The bell rang for the end of ss, and Tina announced, ¡°Take a break. There will be a quiz next period! From Grade 9 to Grade 11, all subjects will be tested. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t know the answers, just write what you do know. I need to assess your actual level. Any questions?¡±

    ¡°No questions!¡±

    This time, their unanimous response was filled with excitement. Perhaps, Miss Reed was different from the other teachers and could lead them to see a different light.

 Chapter 52: I Have Two Doctoral Degrees, But Can You Believe That?

    After Tina finished giving her instructions, she left the ssroom.

    When she arrived at room 22D, she had asked Mr. Stiller to print out all the exam papers from Grade 9 to Grade 11, as she needed to collect them.

    Just as she stepped out of the ssroom, Velma chased after her, ¡°Tina, wait up!¡±

    Tina stopped in her tracks, turning to look at her and said seriously, ¡°Call me Miss Reed.¡±

    Velma¡¯s mouth twitched, but she dutifully said, ¡°Miss Reed.¡±

    Tina nodded and patted her head, ¡°Good girl!¡±

    Velma, ¡°¡­¡±

    Why do I feel like you¡¯re petting a dog?

    Ugh!

    I am not a dog!

    Velma followed beside her, excitement clear on her face, ¡°Miss Reed, howe you came to teach at the school? You¡¯re only neen and barely attended school yourself. How did Mr. Stillere to find you?¡±

    Velma¡¯s curiosity was aze, ¡°Come on, tell me, what¡¯s the situation? I¡¯m simply too shocked, Tina¡­ Ahem, Miss Reed, you¡¯re really amazing. You don¡¯t know, but the whole school, no one dares to mess with 22D, yet you managed to train them so well, I¡¯m really impressed!¡±

    She leaned in close to Tina, grinning, ¡°Did you get in through the back door? Was it the Reed family? Tsk tsk, did they really open the back door for you? But now I really want to know Amber¡¯s expression. That little wretch, always acting so high and mighty, sarcastically belittling you at thest banquet. If she sees you¡¯vee to Ensford High School and even became a teacher, oh my! Her little face, just thinking about it is delightful.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    When had she not realized that this child was so gossipy?

    ¡°What if I told you I got two doctoral degrees from Kongham University in Medicine and Biochemistry when I was sixteen, would you believe me?¡± Tina asked.

    ¡°I believe!¡± Velma responded earnestly.

    Tina was taken aback, uncertain, ¡°You believe?¡±

    The same words, if said to the Reed family or to Hugo, probably would not be believed by anyone.

    Even the other teachers at this school, probably only one in ten would believe her.

    Yet Velma did not hesitate to believe.

    ¡°Of course, I believe! To be able to teach at Ensford High School, you either got in through connections or it was your own real talent. Considering how the Reed family treats you, the likelihood that they¡¯d pull strings for you is small, and besides, the Reed family¡¯s influence isn¡¯t that strong.¡± Velma said seriously, ¡°Apart from that, it¡¯s got to be genuine knowledge and ability, Tina¡­ Ah~~~ I can¡¯t seem to stop calling you that.¡±

    Tina¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°I was joking with you, call me whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Velma linked arms with Tina, affectionately saying, ¡°Tina, you¡¯re so incredible, earning two doctoral degrees at sixteen, how did you do it?¡±

    ¡°Just-studied hard?¡± Tina replied.

    ¡°You must be gifted too!¡± Velma mused, ¡°Not everyone can earn two doctoral degrees, especially not at 16. You¡¯re a genius! What am I going to do, Tina, my admiration for you is growing by the second. From now on, you¡¯re my role model!¡±

    Tina had to admire Velma¡¯s ability toy it on thick!

    She could praise someone without batting an eye.

    She nced sideways at Velma, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Velma was already twenty, so she should have been in college by now, right?

    ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t remind me, I¡¯ve repeated two years, and this is my third year in Grade 11!¡± Velma said with a self-satisfied air.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Grade 11 for one year, repeated two years.

    How could you be proud of that?

    ¡°Do you look down on me? A student who has been in Grade 11 for three years, you probably couldn¡¯t find one in a hundred, could you?¡± Velma¡¯s eyes dimmed, ¡°I actually do want to graduate, but I¡¯m really bad at studying. Truth be told, I didn¡¯t pass the entrance exam for high school after middle school, my dad paid for me to attend.¡±

    ¡°He said, the Lehman family can¡¯t have a child who hasn¡¯t graduated from high school. No matter what, I have to at least get a high school diploma, but¡­ since Grade 9, I haven¡¯t understood what the teachers are saying. I was supposed to repeat a year then too, but my dad donated money, so I didn¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°I made it to Grade 11, but a diploma isn¡¯t something you can get by just paying money. At the very least, you have to score 150 points to graduate. Despite everyone being afraid of 22D, they cram before exams, memorize all sorts of test questions-anyway, they can score the 150 points needed.¡±

    ¡°My mom and dad are busy with work, often traveling, and no one takes care of me. They hired tutors for me, but the tutors were irresponsible and I couldn¡¯t understand them. I didn¡¯t dare to tell my dad the tutoring was bad; he just thinks I¡¯m trying to avoid studying.¡±

    Velma spilled out a lot at once, and Tina realized that her mood was quite downcast. This despondency stemmed from her family background. The Lehman family, unlike the Sitwell or Stiller families, had siblings like Albert and Hendrik. Velma was an only child, but she had cousins, all of whom were much more aplished than her, the pride of the Lehman family, which is why no one wanted to y with her. Because of her parents¡¯ travels for work, Velma was left alone with just a nanny at home. Her personality had formed in this way, partly because no one looked after her; she was too lonely.

    Tina looked at her for a long while before suddenly grabbing her by the cor, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Eh, where to?¡± Velma was confused and then, recalling Tina¡¯s powerful presence in 22D, shrank back a bit, ¡°Tina, you¡¯re not going to hit me, are you?¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Did she look like a violent person?

    ¡°Come with me to get the test papers. Others start from Grade 9, but you¡¯ll start from Grade 6.¡±

    With that, Tina hesitated and then said, ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me you¡¯ve forgotten even Grade 6 material, are you?¡±

    Velma, embarrassed, then blushed and said, ¡°Who are you looking down on? Well, Grade 6 knowledge¡­ I should know it¡­ maybe?¡±

    She was somewhat uncertain. The key issue was that she hadn¡¯t been focusing on her studies these past few years.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina looked skyward, speechless, and after a long pause, managed to say, ¡°You-start from elementary school.¡±

    Velma, ¡°¡­ Hey, that¡¯s a bit too much! I still know addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    You really have the nerve to say it.

    She didn¡¯t engage Velma any further, but took her to Mr. Stiller¡¯s office. Since the test papers were prepared starting from Grade 9, there were forty-five copies for each subject, stacks upon stacks of papers. Tina and Velma clearly couldn¡¯t carry them all on their own.

    So, Tina called Albert, ¡°Bring some people to move the papers.¡±

    She had saved the phone numbers after reviewing the files of everyone in 22D.

    On the other side, Albert stared at the hung-up call, utterly baffled. After a moment, he jumped up, ¡°I knew it! That woman is not human! She even has my number!¡±

    He found her terrifying.

    ¡°Quick, quick, go to Mr. Stiller¡¯s office to move the papers!¡± Albert immediately shouted.

 Chapter 53: Iâ€™ll Teach Them PE

    In Mr. Stiller¡¯s office, Tina had Mr. Stiller print another set of exam papers ranging from elementary to junior high school. Just as the printing waspleted, the people from 22D arrived.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Miss Reed, Mr. Stiller!¡±

    Typically, Mr. Stiller¡¯s name should have been called first due to his position, but how could they resist when Tina was such a relentless oddball? The students were terrified of her, and she was the first they greeted.

    Although Mr. Stiller had prepared himself for Tina to be able to tame 22D, he hadn¡¯t expected it to happen so soon. In just one ss period, these spoiled youths from 22D werepletely under control, even politely greeting him. This was an unprecedented event!

    Tina grunted affirmatively and pointed at the stacks of exam papers, ¡°Take these to the ssroom.¡±

    The students internally groaned upon seeing the papers.

    Oh no!

    They were keen to learn, but did it have to be this quickly? They feared thatpleting these papers might be the death of them. Yet, they dared notin and conscientiously carried the papers out.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Stiller received a phone call, his expression turning serious. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    After hanging up, he said to Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, I have some things to take care of and must leave. I¡¯ll leave this side to you.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Afterward, Ensford High School witnessed an unusual sight. During recess, the students of 22D were dutifully carrying papers, stunning the entire school, even prompting some teachers toe out and watch.

    ¡°Am I seeing ghosts? 22D students¡­ carrying papers?¡±

    ¡°Is this some new torturous method they¡¯ve concocted?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear 22D got a new Lead Teacher? Normally, 22D would be the noisiest at this time, but today they¡¯re moving papers? Could the new Lead Teacher have actually tamed them?¡±

    ¡°How is that possible? That¡¯s 22D! The teacher who could subdue them probably hasn¡¯t been born yet!¡±

    The crowd was baffled!

    Some sharp-eyed individuals spotted Tina walking with Velma at the back of 22D.

    ¡°Who is that girl? A new transfer student? Why is she with 22D¡¯s Velma? Did she transfer to 22D?¡±

    ¡°What a pity! She¡¯s so pretty, and yet she went to the den of 22D.¡±

    ¡°Appearances can be deceiving. Does 22D have any good people? Maybe she¡¯s not an easy one either!¡±

    Elsewhere.

    Mr. Stiller hurried to the school gate, where a ck sedan had just pulled up.

    Several people got out of the car.

    Mr. Stiller immediately greeted them, ¡°Mr. Daryl, what brings you here today?¡±

    ¡°Just in the area and thought to stop by.¡± Jared was not in a wheelchair today, his long legs taking him forward step by step.

    Mr. Stiller chuckled, ¡°Mr. Daryl, you¡¯re always so busy. It¡¯s not easy to get an audience with you!¡±

    Mr. Daryl, the chairman of Trident Group, had subsidiaries spread across the world. Moreover, he was thergest shareholder of Ensford High School. However, this shareholder typically did not involve himself with the school¡¯s affairs, leaving many issues to be handled by other directors.

    It was rare for Mr. Daryl to make an appearance; people could queue up for streets and not get to see him. Yet, he hade to Ensford High School today.

    Mr. Stiller was suddenly very nervous!

    The issue with 22D had been raised by Mr. Daryl a while ago, instructing the school to solve it. The board of directors, however, felt that the school needed investment to develop and thus continued to ignore the situation.

    Perhaps Mr. Daryl had been too busy since he had not followed up on the school¡¯s affairs after that incident.

    Unaware of his inner turmoil, Jared surveyed the school grounds as he walked.

    ¡°Everything looks good here.¡± The greenery was well-maintained and the environment was quiet, suitable for the children¡¯s learning.

    Mr. Stiller quickly offered a ttering smile, ¡°We do it for the children to have a better learning environment.¡±

    Jared said nothing more, and they continued walking around the school. Since it was recess, there were many students around.

    Approaching the teaching building, they overheard a group of students discussing.

    ¡°22D is unusually quiet today. We better stay away from them. Exams areing, and we don¡¯t want to let them affect our studies.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Who would provoke 22D for no reason? They¡¯re a bunch of demons. It would be strange if they didn¡¯t take ayer of your skin. Probably their new Lead Teacher has already been tormented away.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s havea moment of silence for the new teacher.¡±

    Mr. Stiller felt sweat form on his forehead.

    Jared¡¯s eyebrows knitted together tightly, and he nced sideways at Mr. Stiller, his voice cool, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s like this¡­¡±

    Before Mr. Stiller could finish, Jared¡¯s gaze suddenly caught a familiar figure; he paused, ¡°Why is she here?¡±

    Following his gaze, Hayden and Nathan, who were with him, were also taken aback, ¡°Tina?¡±

    What was she doing at Ensford High School?

    Was she attending school?

    She hadn¡¯t really attended school before, had she? Could she keep up with the curriculum now?

    Hearing Tina¡¯s name, Mr. Stiller was taken aback, ¡°Mr. Daryl, you know our new Lead Teacher, Miss Reed?¡±

    ¡°Lead Teacher?¡±

    ¡°Lead Teacher?¡±

    Hayden and Nathan eximed in unison.

    Jared¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t as exaggerated, but a trace of astonishment passed through his eyes.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Mr. Stiller looked up and pointed at Tina, who was following the 22D students carrying the papers towards the ssroom, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about thatdy, then yes, she is our new Lead Teacher, Miss Reed!¡±

    ¡°Damn!¡± Hayden¡¯s curiosity was piqued, ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s going on? How did Tina be some Lead Teacher? She hasn¡¯t even been to school; why would you hire her?¡±

    Mr. Stiller was taken aback.

    She hadn¡¯t attended school?

    Were they talking about the same person?

    How could Tina possibly not have attended school?

    She had been fast-tracked from the age of ten, taking exams in Yabuli at fourteen, and was the youngest to achieve a perfect score record, which made waves in the educational world.

    More importantly, she had earned two doctoral degrees in Medicine and Biochemistry from Kongham University in just two years. Tina¡¯s achievements were legendary in the field of education.

    How could Mr. Daryl and hispanions say she had not attended school?

    After pondering for a moment, Mr. Stiller exined, ¡°The thing is, the board of directors never truly wanted to address the issue with 22D. I¡¯m willing but powerless. There was an order from above this year: if no one from 22D gets into university, the school¡¯s elite status will be revoked.¡±

    ¡°Handling 22D is too difficult; no teacher wants to take them on. I had to find another solution, so I hired Miss Reed. And you wouldn¡¯t believe it, Miss Reed is quite amazing. She only needed one ss period to get those students in line.¡±

    Hayden¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    Tina was that formidable?

    ¡°The problem with 22D has remained unresolved, why didn¡¯t you report it to me?¡± Jared¡¯s voice was icy.

    Mr. Stiller shivered, ¡°It¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t want to report it! I simply don¡¯t have the authority!¡±

    He had wanted to report, but getting an audience was impossible.

    Jared remained silent, his deep and narrow gaze following Tina in the distance. Suddenly, his lips curved into a slight smile and he asked Mr. Stiller, ¡°Do they still need teachers?¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed! Apart from Miss Reed, no other teacher is willing to teach them. I¡¯m currently trying to recruit someone.¡±

    ¡°Arrange it then. Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll teach them PE.¡±

 Chapter 54: Top Secret

    As Jared¡¯s words were heard, Hayden, Nathan, and Mr. Stiller all had expressions of disbelief on their faces.

    What had they just heard?

    Jared was going to be a teacher?

    Had they heard wrong-right?

    The first to snap back to reality was Mr. Stiller, who asked uncertainly, ¡°Mr. Daryl, did you just say that you want to teach them physical education?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t have heard wrong, could he?

    That was what Mr. Daryl had said, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Is that not okay?¡± Jared¡¯s gaze had followed Tina into room 22D and only then did he pull it back.

    ¡°Ah, this¡­¡± Mr. Stiller was at a loss.

    Was he supposed to say it was okay or not?

    After pondering for a moment, he said, ¡°Okay!¡±

    It had to be okay, even if it wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°You make the arrangements.¡± Jared paused before continuing, ¡°Don¡¯t reveal my identity. In your records, I must be Jared Farrell, the seventh son of the Farrell family!¡±

    Mr. Stiller was stunned.

    Jared Farrell, wasn¡¯t he disabled?

    Why would Mr. Daryl want to assume the identity of Jared Farrell?

    He had never met Jared and did not know that the Mr. Daryl in front of him was actually the Farrell family¡¯s good-for-nothing son, Jared Farrell.

    But he quickly figured something out-Jared Farrell, Mr. Daryl-¡°I understand.¡±

    Mr. Stiller apanied Jared around the campus for a bit to get a sense of the ce before Jared left with Hayden and the others.

    Back in the car, Hayden couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and asked, ¡°Mr. Farrell, what¡¯s gotten into you wanting to be a teacher? We¡¯re very busy, you know? That drug has been missing for a while, and the people from GTO have already arrived in Ensford. Shouldn¡¯t you be hurrying to find the drug instead of having the mood to teach?¡±

    Jared leaned back in the seat, his deep eyes half-closed, his long fingers resting on the leather seat, and said unhurriedly, ¡°The drug-there¡¯s a bit of a clue.¡±

    ¡°You found it? Where?¡± Hayden suddenly became anxious, ¡°Let¡¯s go get it back then.¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t speak, ¡°Need to make sure first.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°If there¡¯s a clue, we need to act fast¡­¡±

    Hayden wanted to say more, but Jared cut him off, ¡°I have my own judgment.¡±

    After speaking, he turned his head to look out the window, his stern face revealing no emotion.

    After a while, he retracted his gaze and took out his phone, staring at a document he had received sincest night.

    It was an S+ level confidential document, and the name on it was Tina Reed!

    He had plenty of information about Tina.

    Each piece was the same, except for the S+ level confidential document in his hand.

    Her information was particrly scarce; there wasn¡¯t even a photo of her, not to mention in the S+ document in his hand.

    Other documents showed that Tina went up the mountain at nine and came down at neen, then entered the Reed family. Whatever happened, he was more or less present and understood it; the discrepancy was not significant.

    The S+ document revealed that after Tina entered junior high at ten, she skipped grades continuously, going to college at fourteen and obtaining two doctoral certificates from Kongham University in medicine and biochemistry at sixteen.

    Such a sensational national event was quickly suppressed, so almost no one knew about Tina¡¯s deeds back then.

    Besides, regarding Tina¡¯s mother Reba, she and Hugo met neen years ago, and afterward, Hugo insisted on marrying her. Rumors said she was a countrywoman, but after she married into the Reed family, she turned a failing minor n into a genuine high society family in Ensford within just a year, thanks to a perfume form.

    However, she never showed her face, even in the Ensford media.

    He had looked into her but couldn¡¯t find any information through any means-her age, appearance, family background-nothing.

    The time she entered the Reed family coincided with the time that drug entered Ensford.

    He spected that she had something to do with the drug and had asked the National Archives to pull up information on her and Tina Reed. They gave him Tina¡¯s information, but for Reba¡¯s- they only replied to him: This is S+++ level top-secret information, only the highest authority has the right to ess.

    The answer he had guessed was almost shouting to be let out, but he always felt something was not right.

    He needed to verify personally and also to probe; only through Tina could he find the truth!

    ¡°Back to the vi, to pick up Sophia.¡± Jared put away his phone and ordered.

    Nathan responded, and the car turned around, heading towards the vi.

    Ensford High School.

    At this moment, the studentsin room 22D were filling out their papers with faces full of misery.

    Every student looked as if they were on the verge of death.

    How long had it been since they hadst picked up a pen?

    Now being asked to write so many papers was like asking for their lives-the key issue being that the words on the papers recognized them, but they did not recognize the words, not knowing how to even begin.

    They really wanted to tear the papers up, but seeing Tina, who sat at the front like a statue of a deity, they had no choice but to suppress that thought.

    There was a tyrant there; if they dared to tear up the papers, they would be as good as dead.

    Tina distributed the papers to the students and then left them to it.

    It was only when the ss ended that she stood up, casually picked up a student¡¯s paper from the first row, and her eyebrows knitted tightly together, ¡°Forty minutes and you only answered five multiple-choice questions?¡±

    The student looked like he was about to cry, ¡°Miss Reed, please spare me, I really don¡¯t know how to do it. I looked over all the questions on this paper, and I only know these five.¡±

    He could only fill in five correct answers thanks to his parents giving him a good memory-retaining some knowledge points from Grade 9, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to answer any.

    Tina put the paper down and moved to other students, performing the same inspection.

    One paper, the most answers given were twenty, the others only had five or ten.

    The most outrageous was Miss Velma, who didn¡¯t answer a single question on her Grade 6 paper.

    Tina: ¡­

    She wanted to hit someone, could she?

    She pinched the bridge of her nose, silently returned Velma¡¯s paper, and then walked to the front of the ss, ¡°I asked you to answer what you knew, not toplete a paper in one ss period.¡±

    At this rate, they wouldn¡¯t be able to finish all the papers even in a week.

    ¡°Take a break, and when the next ss starts, only answer the questions you know. Leave the rest nk, and finish all the questions today.¡±

    ¡°If you had said so earlier!¡± Albert, ever since witnessing Tina¡¯s demeanor, had been nothing but admiring, and finding her quite approachable when not angry, was no longer as frightened of her, and said, ¡°If we leave the questions we don¡¯t know nk, we could finish in a day, even just one ss period.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t bother with this boastful fellow.

    But as it turned out, she had overestimated this group of students-ignorant, irresponsible, their minds left at home.

 Chapter 55: No Objections

    The students in 22D proved to Tina with their actions thatpleting all the test papers in one ss period was beneath their capabilities. They finished all the test papers in just fifteen minutes. As Tina looked at the stack of nk papers submitted to her, she felt as if a wave of dead blood was rushing to her head. She was certain, and she could affirm, that it wouldn¡¯t be these kids who would experience a bleak three months, but her! She must have been out of her mind to agree to teach at Mr. Stiller¡¯s request!

    She took a deep breath to suppress the frustration swelling in her chest. She began grading the papers on the spot. The students hadpleted their tests quickly, and she graded them just as swiftly. After all, how long could it take to grade nk papers? The best score in the ss was from Albert, a Grade 9 student, who scored 160 points. As for Grade 10 and Grade 11, it was better not to mention them at all! Just thinking about it was infuriating! His Grade 10 exams scored a mere forty points. Grade 11 exams, zero points. Not to mention the others-Grade 11 was unanimously zero points across the board, while Grade 9 and Grade 10 barely scraped together forty to fifty points each. She felt the dead blood rising again.

    She really wanted to swear, ¡°Are they pigs?¡± If they didn¡¯t know the answers, couldn¡¯t they at least guess a few correct ones on the multiple-choice questions? Some didn¡¯t get a single multiple-choice question right. That ¡°talent¡± was none other than Miss Lehman, Velma!

    ¡°You have half an hour to find Mr. Stiller and get the textbooks for Grades 6 to 11, one for each person,¡± Tina said, after a long effort to calm herself down. She had initially nned to subdue the students and then arrange for teachers to instruct them. That n was now clearly out the window. If they answered the Grade 9 papers like that, even if she brought in a Grade 9 teacher, they wouldn¡¯t understand a thing. They would have to start from Grade 6. Of course, there was one exception: Miss Lehman would need to start from elementary school.

    Tina felt her head growing heavy. Seeing Tina¡¯s stern face, the students dared not disobey and obediently went to Mr. Stiller for the textbooks. Mr. Stiller, upon hearing that Tina had sent them, immediately made the arrangements, unable to hide his smile. Was Tina nning to teach them herself? If she taught, ss 22D would surely stabilize.

    After the students had left, Tina paused for a moment, then took out her phone and dialed a number. The call connected quickly, and she respectfully greeted, ¡°Professor Lininger.¡±

    ¡°Hm?¡± On the other end, Professor Lininger, who was busy with academic research, picked up the call without looking at the caller ID. Hearing the voice, he paused, then looked at his phone and suddenly stood up, eximing in surprise, ¡°Tiiiiiina! You¡¯ve finally decided to call me?¡±

    His voice trembled with excitement. Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Could everyone please not get so excited?

    ¡°Professor Lininger, how have you been recently? Is your health well?¡± Tina asked.

    Professor Lininger was silent for a moment before his tone rose slightly, ¡°No one visits a temple without a cause, either for conspiracy or theft! So, what¡¯s your scheme this time?¡± He knew his student better than anyone; she never contacted him unless it was for a reason!

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t to say that Tina didn¡¯t care about him. She sent him health supplements regrly every year and gifts during the holidays, but she was stingy about personal visits.

    ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Tina coughed lightly, feeling a bit embarrassed, ¡°I was hoping you could do me a favor!¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡± Professor Lininger said, puffing with irritation, ¡°Out with it! What do you need?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you and your team coulde to Ensford High School to teach about forty students in ss 22D. They are a bit behind and would need to start from middle school¡­ As for the payment, Mr. Stiller will take care of it.¡± She couldn¡¯t possibly pay out of her own pocket!This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    She was quite poor.

    She still had to earn money to support her father, stepmother, a younger brother in kindergarten, and Tina, whom she had yet to meet.

    It was all about money!

    ¡°What??¡± Professor Lininger shouted, his temper ring, ¡°You impudent girl, I am a professor in the physics department at Kongham University, I teach gifted geniuses! And you want me to teach a bunch of no-goods? From middle school, no less??¡±

    Professor Lininger felt like he was about to ascend to heaven from anger!

    This was infuriating! He knew that Tina never had good news when she called him. ss 22D of Ensford High School was notorious nationwide for their indiscipline and defiance. Was he supposed to waste his time on them?

    Tina felt a bit guilty, ¡°I¡¯ve taken a job-as the Lead Teacher for 22D!¡±

    ¡°Beep beep beep!¡± As soon as Tina finished, Professor Lininger hung up the phone.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    She tried calling back, but the old man refused to answer.

    Rubbing her temples, Tina let out a sigh, then sent a text message to Professor Lininger, ¡°I can help you witth Mimi¡¯s problem.¡±

    The message had barely been sent when her phone rang within seconds. She smirked and answered the call.

    Professor Lininger spoke rapidly, ¡°Be there at eight o¡¯clock tomorrow morning.¡±

    After hanging up, the students of ss 22D entered with their textbooks. Because of the sheer number of books, they had to make three trips to get them all.

    ¡°Starting tomorrow, a teacher will start from middle school knowledge to instruct you. After school at noon, you will have half a day off. Eat what you should eat, drink what you should drink, and cherish this half-day,¡± Tina announced. ¡°Because for the next three months, you will have no holidays and will have to live on campus.¡±

    ¡°Ah ah ah ah!¡± A chorus of groans filled the ssroom.

    This was torture! No holidays and mandatory boarding for three months!

    ¡°Silence!¡± Tina barked, and the ssroom fell instantly quiet.

    ¡°The boarding arrangements will bemunicated to your families by Mr. Stiller. That¡¯s the decision, and I won¡¯t ept any objections,¡± Tina said, then looked at them. ¡°You may voice any concerns now.¡±

    The students, ¡°¡­¡±

    Who would dare? You¡¯ve said no objections would be epted!

    ¡°Miss Reed, we have no objections. We willply with your decision,¡± Albert was the first to stand up and speak.

    He was now Tina¡¯s loyal follower. He wanted to hear what Tina had to say. More importantly, he wanted to study hard and get into college. Having a teacher who was willing to take the job seriously was definitely something to cooperate with. Getting into college was not the primary concern; the effort was what mattered, so he wouldn¡¯t have regrets.

    The most critical point was that if he got into college, he would have the confidence to confess his feelings to his high school crush. With his current status, he was too scared to confess, fearing he would scare her off.

    ¡°We have no objections.¡± After Albert yielded, the others couldn¡¯t object.

    Hendrik had already been scared silent by Tina.

    Velma, as Tina¡¯s close friend, naturally wouldn¡¯t oppose.

    And so, the matter of studying was settled amicably.

    Soon the school bell rang, and Tina headed to the cafeteria for lunch. She had already informed Jennie in the morning that she wouldn¡¯t need lunch prepared at home because Ensford High School was quite a distance from Pinkwater Ally and it would be inconvenient to travel back and forth.

    As she walked towards the cafeteria, she saw that the students of 22D were following her there. She paused, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll go back after eating. Our families don¡¯t leave lunch for us at home,¡± Albert replied.

    They usually ate lunch at school, and with the sudden half-day off, their families wouldn¡¯t have prepared lunch for them.

    Tina nodded, not saying much more.

    She entered the cafeteria with the students of 22D and was just about to get her meal when Albert, eager to please, said, ¡°Miss Reed, let me get your food for you!¡±

    His voice was loud enough for all the nearby students to hear.

    The cafeteria fell silent for a long time before someone finally spoke, ¡°Am I having ear problems? Did Albert just sound so respectful?¡±

    ¡°I heard it too, and it was very sycophantic!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes! What¡¯s going on? Who is this Miss Reed?¡±

 Chapter 56: Amber Looking for Trouble Again

    Teachers at Ensford High School all had dormitories and usually didn¡¯te to the cafeteria for lunch, preferring to cook for themselves.

    So when the sound of a teacher¡¯s arrival was heard, everyone was somewhat surprised.

    All eyes turned to Albert, who was smiling at a girl about their age and very pretty. His smile was exceedingly servile.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll go by myself,¡± Tina refused.

    ¡°Miss Reed, you must be tired. This little thing is something I should do,¡± Albert insisted.

    This morning, he had realized one thing: he needed to cling tightly to Tina¡¯s coattails to enjoy the good life.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tina said, ¡°I¡¯m not picky. Just get me something to eat.¡±

    The school cafeteria mainly served boxed meals.

    The diet at Ensford was primarily rice-based, which Tina didn¡¯t particrly enjoy, but since she was here, she went with the flow.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Albert scurried off to get food for Tina.

    This scene left all the students¡¯ jaws dropped.

    They hadn¡¯t misheard; Albert was indeed very respectful, and the person he was respectful to was a girl their age.

    The students began to buzz in no time.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Has Albert changed his ways?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not Albert who¡¯s changed; it¡¯s the people from 22D, right? Haven¡¯t you noticed they¡¯re acting differently today?¡±

    ¡°They are indeed different! They didn¡¯t bother anyone today. They¡¯re all acting so properly. If you didn¡¯t know any better, you¡¯d think they were model students.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that girl the new transfer student? Why is Albert acting like that?¡±

    The students¡¯ loud discussions could be heard everywhere. In the past, the 22D group would have caused trouble, but not today. Tina had established rules, and no one dared to cause any issues.

    Tina, however, didn¡¯t care about these things. Suddenly remembering she hadn¡¯t paid Albert, she got up to find him.

    Just as she stood up, someone came face to face with her, ¡°Tina?¡±

    Amber looked at Tina in shock, her face filled with disbelief, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Suddenly she remembered something and muttered to herself, ¡°Tina, have you finally decided to listen to grandma ande to school?¡±

    She nced at the 22D students beside Tina and smirked, ¡°They haven¡¯t bullied you, have they? If they have, tell me, and I¡¯ll seek justice for you.¡±

    Amber was different from others; most people at the school were afraid of the 22D students, but she wasn¡¯t!

    Not only was she unafraid, but anyone with a bit of status in their family wasn¡¯t scared either.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask them if they dare to bully me?¡± Tina¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile.

    Amber was taken aback. Tina¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem like someone who had been bullied.

    That wasn¡¯t right!

    She knew all too well what sort of people were in 22D.

    Whether it was students or teachers, anyone who entered 22D wouldn¡¯te out unscathed unless they were capable enough to stand their ground there.

    After a moment of thought, Amber understood, ¡°It¡¯s good that you haven¡¯t been bullied. After all, growing up in the countryside, you wouldn¡¯t be scared of those riffraff!¡±

    Her words sounded caring for Tina but were actually a veiled insult.

    ¡°What did you say!¡± Hendrik, who had already been frustrated by Tina, was now provoked by Amber¡¯s insinuations and immediately became angry, ¡°Who are you calling riffraff?¡±

    ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± Amber¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement, ¡°What is the reputation of 22D in this school? You all know it, don¡¯t you? My sister came from the countryside and doesn¡¯t understand, but who in Ensford High School doesn¡¯t know what you people are?¡±

    ¡°Darn!¡± A student by Hendrik¡¯s side couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and cursed, ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore, I want to hit someone!¡±

    ¡°Hit her!¡±

    Amber sneered, ¡°You dare to hit me? If you¡¯re not afraid of going to jail, then go ahead.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t afraid of the people from 22Dying a hand on her.

    Because she was Miss Ensford, the daughter of the Reed family-even if everyone feared the people from 22D, they would still support her.

    How many people were there in 22D?

    Did they dare to make an enemy of the entire school?

    In fact, she was not only unafraid but often provoked 22D, publicly challenging them. She was eloquent, and the people from 22D often had no choice but to swallow their anger.

    And for this, she had gained a lot of admiration from other students!

    In their eyes, she was the embodiment of justice, daringto fight against evil!

    ¡°You!¡± Hendrik was so angry he almost spat out blood.

    He had only ever been bested by two people in his life, one was Tina, and the other was Amber!

    Had Amber just said that Tina was her sister?

    These two were indeed sisters, both so annoying!

    Especially Amber!

    This person, who was one way to your face and another behind your back, always liked to y mind games. The students of 22D often suffered at her hands, and for this reason, they tried not to provoke her.

    Tina chuckled audibly, deliberately raising her voice, ¡°Oh, by the way, let me introduce you all. This is my sister, just brought back by the Reed family. She grew up in Serenity Ridge in Yabuli and doesn¡¯t quite understand life in the big city.¡±

    ¡°Because she hasn¡¯t had systematic schooling, my grandmother arranged for her to attend 22D. Don¡¯t think she doesn¡¯t understand anything and bully her. I¡¯m here, and I won¡¯t let you bully my sister.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Tinaughed out loud, her gaze towards Amber like looking at a fool.

    She walked up to Amber, standing half a head taller, looking down at her, ¡°How did you manage to thicken your skin even more than the city walls?¡±

    Amber¡¯s expression froze and then she adopted a heartbroken demeanor, ¡°Tina, what do you mean? I was trying to speak kindly for you, and you¡­¡±

    Elena immediately came to Amber¡¯s defense upon hearing this, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t be too much! You¡¯ve always targeted Amber, and now when Amber kindly helps you, you still insult her. Are you even human?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not human, are you?¡± Tina red coldly, her voice icy, ¡°If you want to be a dog, I won¡¯t stop you, but don¡¯t bark in front of me. I hate the barking of dogs!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Elena was so angry her face turned ashen, but she couldn¡¯t say a word.

    The people from 22D, however, felt especially vindicated.

    Their Miss Reed not only knew how to take care of someone, but her tongue was also sharp!

    Look at Amber¡¯s face; it was like a pig¡¯s liver!

    Fantastic!Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    This teacher was worth it!

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault; I shouldn¡¯t have stolen your thunder,¡± Amber suddenly cried, ¡°I thought you were new to the school and might have trouble getting along with the other students, so I spoke for you. Now it seems, Tina, that you¡¯ve already be one with the students. I¡¯m sorry, Tina, I won¡¯t steal your limelight anymore.¡±

    Hearing this, the other students looked at Tina with disgust.

    Maniptive witch!

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, she took a step forward, and stopped just an inch away from Amber, ¡°Are you addicted? Can¡¯t stop pretending to be me? Do you feel superior in front of me? Who gave you the right? You just need a lesson for drugging me, don¡¯t you? Do you think you can face that?¡±

 Chapter 57: Whereâ€™s Your Shame?

    Amber¡¯s face flushed red, biting her lip, ¡°What are you talking about, Tina? What drugging? I don¡¯t know anything about that.¡±

    Although the incident had caused quite a stir when it happened, the Reed family had managed to suppress the media coverage, and no news had leaked about her drugging anyone!

    While the issue might still be a hot topic for gossip, it had no impact on her.

    Tina, that vile woman, dared to bring it up in public.

    ¡°You should be thankful that you are Mr. Reed¡¯s adopted daughter, not his mother¡¯s,¡± Tina said, her eyes lifting with a cold and stern aura.

    If Amber weren¡¯t Hugo¡¯s foster daughter, her title of Miss Ensford would have been known to all in Ensford by now.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. Did I offend you in some way to make you angry?¡± Amber¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, her delicate, fragile appearance eliciting sympathy from onlookers.

    Tina didn¡¯t even want to give Amber another nce, ¡°Whether you really don¡¯t understand or are just pretending, don¡¯te bothering me again, and don¡¯t use your cheap reputation topare yourself with me. Becausepared to me, you are-nothing.¡±

    Tina turned to leave, but after just two steps, she suddenly stopped, ¡°You study medicine, but I suggest you check your own brain. What I said yesterday was that I¡¯ming to Ensford High School-to teach!¡±

    ¡°What!!¡± Amber was so startled she couldn¡¯t keep up the act, her eyes nearly popping out, ¡°A teacher?¡±

    What kind of joke was this?

    She had thought Tina was joking yesterday!

    Even now, she thought it was a joke!

    Without replying, Velma, who was eagerly waiting, stepped forward and linked arms with Tina, smiling, ¡°Miss Reed, shall we go outside the school to eat? There¡¯s a disgusting fly in the cafeteria today, and eating here might upset our stomachs.¡±

    Velma didn¡¯t spare Amber a nce, continuing, ¡°There¡¯s a buffet outside with a great variety and delicious vors, especially their cakes, which are absolutely delightful. Right now, it¡¯s not crowded at lunchtime, so no one will be fighting over food.¡±

    ¡°Cake!¡± Tina¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    She desperately needed a piece of cake to soothe her foul mood!

    It had nothing to do with Amber, but rather the outrageously good grades of ss 22D.

    ¡°Make way, who is bullying Miss Reed? I won¡¯t let them off easily.¡±

    Albert was originally going to prepare food for Tina, as they usually didn¡¯t queue up in the cafeteria, but since Tina had set a rule that they shouldn¡¯t cause trouble, he had to wait in line obediently.

    With many students, the queue was long, and before he was served, other students from 22D came to tell him that someone was looking for trouble with Miss Reed. Even Hendrik had been defeated, so he immediately ran over.

    Albert pushed through the crowd and saw Amber, his temper ring instantly, ¡°You again, Amber? Before, you caused trouble for 22D, and I let you off out of respect for the Reed family, but today you dare to bother our teacher! Are you looking for death?¡±

    He charged forward, ready to get physical.

    Albert, although a bit rough, had his principles-he never hit a girl, Tina being the exception, and now Amber too.

    Tina was too formidable; not even fighting her would work, only submission.

    He had long wanted to deal with that little wretch Amber.

    But just as he charged forward, Tina caught him by the cor with a reverse grab, pulling him back.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    As soon as he steadied himself, Tina pped him on the forehead, ¡°Remember what they say, don¡¯t stoop to arguing with a dog!¡±

    Amber, ¡°!!!¡±

    She was beingpared to a dog!

    Albert looked confused, ¡°Who said that?¡±

    Tina: Nobody, you Miss Reed said it.

    Albert: ¡­

    ¡°Oh, I get it. If a dog bites you, and you bite back, aren¡¯t you just like a dog? Especially a mad dog, it¡¯s better to stay away,¡± Albert said earnestly.

    Amber was infuriated to the point of nausea.

    But what upied her mind was the fact that Tina was a teacher in ss 22D.

    After a moment of silence, she said, ¡°Tina, are you really a teacher in 22D? Did Mr. Farrell arrange that for you? Isn¡¯t this a farce? You haven¡¯t even gone to school, how can you teach others? The performance of 22D is already bad enough, you can¡¯t be a detriment.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t let Tina stay at Ensford High School as a teacher.

    Both daughters of the Reed family, with Tina as a teacher and her a student-what was that about?

    Even if Tina came in through the back door, that was uneptable!

    She couldn¡¯t stand the thought of having to respectfully call Tina ¡°Miss Reed¡± in the future.

    It would vex her to death.

    Before Tina could reply, Amber continued, ¡°You should be concentrating on studying, who knows, maybe one day you could get into college. Right now, you¡¯re wasting your own time, and 22D¡¯s time as well.¡±

    ¡°Just look at yourself, trying to be a teacher, don¡¯t you fear being aughingstock?¡± Elena added.

    Tina nced at her, ¡°If you lose teeth, just gather them in a bag and have a dentist fix them for you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one losing teeth!¡± Elena was seething with anger.

    Tina used to be so quiet and reserved, hardly speaking. Why was she so sharp-tongued today?

    ¡°Oh, insulting and showing no respect for a teacher!¡± Tina remarked, then took out her phone and dialed a number.

    Soon, the call connected, and Tina said, ¡°Mr. Stiller, I have two very disrespectful students here. I¡¯m not sure which ss they¡¯re from, but their names are Amber Reed and Elena Heisler. They are disrespectful and insulted me. Could you please issue a school announcement about that?¡±

    ¡°Tina Reed!¡±

    ¡°Tina!¡±

    Amber and Elena both eximed, their faces flushed with anger and embarrassment.

    Amber clenched her fists, biting her lip so hard she nearly drew blood.

    Shaking, she said, ¡°When have I ever disrespected you? Everyone¡¯s watching; I¡¯ve always been respectful to you.¡±

    Tina merely raised her eyelids, ¡°And when is it now?¡±

    ¡°May 1st!¡± Amber replied almost reflexively.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Amber, ¡°¡­¡±

    Oh? That¡¯s it? So what¡¯s this aboutining?

    If she was criticized in a school-wide announcement, how could she show her face?

    ¡°Tina! Are you insane? You snitch! Over such a trivial matter, youin to Mr. Stiller?¡± Elena¡¯s eyes were bulging with fury.

    She and Amber were unlike the crowd from 22D; they were model students. If they were criticized in an announcement, it would stain their records.

    Their lives couldn¡¯t afford such a blemish.

    ¡°Yes, Iined and I like bing a snitch. Do you have a problem with that?¡± Tina replied calmly.

    Elena, ¡°¡­¡±

    You¡­ have the nerve to say that!

    Elena wanted to argue further with Tina, but suddenly, the school¡¯s PA system came to life.

    ¡°ss 22A  Miss Amber Reed and Miss Elena Heisler, pleasee to the principal¡¯s office.¡±

    ¡°ss 22A  Miss Amber Reed and Miss Elena Heisler, pleasee to the principal¡¯s office.¡±

    ¡°ss 22A  Miss Amber Reed and Miss Elena Heisler, pleasee to the principal¡¯s office.¡±

    Amber, ¡°¡­¡±

    Elena, ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 58: Oscar Owes Amber a Little Gold Man

    In the broadcast room, the announcement yed over and over again, causing Amber and Elena to wish they could find a hole to crawl into out of shame and anger.

    At school, it was normal to be criticized during a full assembly with a brief mention, but never had anyone been continuously announced over the broadcast like today. The announcement was like the loudspeakers in a rural vige, ensuring that every ear heard.

    What was worse, Tina had only requested Mr. Stiller to issue a broadcasted reprimand, but he had unexpectedly summoned them to the principal¡¯s office, leaving them uncertain of what awaited them.

    The exams were approaching, and even a slight negative record could affect their future!

    Amber clenched her hands so tightly that her sharp nails dug into her flesh without her feeling any pain, her delicate face contorted with fury.

    After taking several deep breaths to suppress her anger, she managed a forced smile and said, ¡°Tina, we¡¯re family. Do you have to go this far? I know you dislike me because dad adopted me and you feel I¡¯ve stolen the happiness that should have been yours, but I never thought of contending with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been yielding to you since you returned, but why can¡¯t you let me be?¡± Amber¡¯s tears flowed onmand, her sobbing appearance eliciting a protective urge in others.

    Tina nced at her dismissively and said coldly, ¡°Please call me Miss Reed! You don¡¯t like it? I don¡¯t mind calling the principal again.¡±

    Tina was uninterested in Amber¡¯s performance, which was worthy of an acting career that could win her an Oscar. Such tricks were to be put away in her presence.

    She turned and walked out with Velma, stopping after a few steps to add, with a chill in her voice, ¡°Amber! How you scheme against the Reeds is your business, but if you dare target Mr. and Mrs. Reed, I¡¯ll make sure you truly understand who I am.¡±

    With that, she left without looking back, her footsteps resounding as she went.

    Albert and Hendrik, along with the other 22D students, immediately followed her.

    ¡°Miss Reed, aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Albert said with an apologetic face, ¡°The line was too long, and we didn¡¯t manage to get food.¡±

    ¡°Please go out to eat,¡± Tina suggested, with the cake from the buffet Velma mentioned on her mind.

    ¡°Alright!¡± The students of 22D celebrated.

    After they left, the remaining students in the cafeteria were at a loss.

    As for the broadcast announcement, no one seemed to have heard it.

    Upon realizing that Tina was the teacher of 22D, everyone was stunned into silence.

    After a while, someone eximed, ¡°My God, the Lead Teacher of 22D is a girl almost our age? And she¡¯s got 22D under her thumb?¡±

    ¡°Exactly! I saw Albert lining up for food, and I thought I was seeing things.¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed is amazing, isn¡¯t she? How does she manage to make those devils behave?¡±

    The surrounding discussions were filled with admiration for Tina.

    Amber, hearing all this, felt incredibly humiliated.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    These students used to stand up for her, but today, despite her hints, not one spoke on her behalf. Now, they even admired Tina.

    ¡°I think Miss Reed is extraordinary. Not only has she managed 22D well, but she¡¯s also got Mr. Stiller speaking on her behalf. It was supposed to be just a reprimand for Amber and Elena, but Mr. Stiller took them to his office instead.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear Miss Reed and Amber¡¯s conversation? Miss Reed is the daughter of the Reed family. I heard from my mom a few days ago that they had found their daughter who was lost for ten years. And Miss Reed is prettier than Amber.¡±

    ¡°I think there¡¯s something unusual here. Amber said Miss Reed was targeting her, but it was Amber who approached her first.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face turned pale at these words.

    These flip-floppers!

    They used to grovel when they needed her, but now they immediately changed their attitude seeing Tina as a teacher.

    Amber turned to Elena, looking aggrieved, ¡°Elena, I didn¡¯t expect this. I just wanted to greet Tina, but she probably really doesn¡¯t like me.¡±

    Elena, called to the principal¡¯s office for no reason and already furious at Tina, couldn¡¯t help but retort when she heard the students ming Amber, ¡°What do you know? Tina has been troubling Amber since she returned. She just can¡¯t stand Amber being better than her.¡±

    The students fell silent.

    Elena continued to defend Amber, ¡°She became a teacher through connections. Go and ask around; who doesn¡¯t know she grew up in the countryside? She hasn¡¯t left the mountains for ten years. How could she have gone to school?¡±

    ¡°Who are22D¡¯s students? Don¡¯t you know them? She must be tougher than them if she¡¯s got them in line, which means things can only get worse with her in charge. Having someone like her in the school is a p in our face. Besides, honestly, can you say you¡¯re willing to call someone who never went to school a teacher?¡±

    The students were stirred.

    Indeed!

    Tina never went to school, yet she became a teacher through backdoor influence. Although she could discipline the students of 22D, she was still a teacher at their school.

    As teachers, they were obliged to greet Tina respectfully. They were not like the 22D students; respecting teachers was a fundamental courtesy.

    But the idea of having such a person as a teacher was, frankly, uneptable.

    ¡°Elena, stop it. I think my sister probably just thinks being a teacher is fun. She¡¯ll lose interest in a few days and quit,¡± Amber interjected.

    Upon hearing this, some students grew discontented, ¡°Being a teacher is fun? What does she think this school is? This is a ce for learning, not for her amusement.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s not so critical for Grade 9 or Grade 10, but Grade 11 is crucial. We have exams in three months; we can¡¯t be affected by her.¡±

    ¡°No way! I¡¯m going to tell my parents to talk to Mr. Stiller. We can¡¯t have someone like that as a teacher. If she messes up my studies and I can¡¯t get into college, I¡¯m ruined.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯m also going to talk to my parents! We can¡¯t keep someone like that in the school!¡±

    As the mood among the students rose, Amber¡¯s smile grew more triumphant.

    ¡°Oh, Tina! You¡¯re not quite up to par with me in this fight.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see how the Farrell family copes with the pressure those parents will put on Mr. Stiller.¡±

    Just as everyone was getting ready to eat, a student burst into the cafeteria, eximing excitedly, ¡°Quick, check the news, Professor Lininger¡¯s bringing his team to teach at our school!¡±

    ¡°What!¡± The students were stunned, ¡°Professor Lininger is the most authoritative professor in Kongham University¡¯s Department of Physics. His students are all exceptionally talented geniuses.¡±

    ¡°More importantly, Professor Lininger ising with his team, all of whom are professors in different subjects.¡±

    ¡°What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s call our parents right away to pressure Mr. Stiller to get rid of Miss Reed. We can¡¯t let Professor Lininger discover we have such a teacher.¡±

    Thus, the students sprang into action.

    Amber¡¯s smile brightened even more.

    Even fate seemed to be on her side.

 Chapter 59: Sophiaâ€™s Request

    Chapter 59: Outwitted by Siblings

    Tina and the students from 22D went to a buffet, and it must be said, Velma had a good taste in food; the ce she rmended was quite nice. Especially the cake.

    Tina hardly ate anything during the meal except for cake. This was the most satisfying meal she¡¯d had sinceing down from the mountain. Velma teased her, saying, ¡°A buffet over a hundred dors per person, and you¡¯ve wasted it. You should eat something else; just eating cake, you can¡¯t even make back what you¡¯ve spent.¡± Tina replied, ¡°With cake, I don¡¯t need anything else.¡±

    Although it wasn¡¯t her favorite strawberry cake, it was still good. Nevertheless, the meal for over forty people cost her more than five thousand dors, which was a bit painful to her wallet. After this meal, the students from 22D felt closer to Tina and understood the new Lead Teacher better.

    She seemed cold and aloof on the surface, but she was actually easy to talk to, and she liked to joke around, even if her jokes were a bit dry, everyone strangely liked her.

    After the meal, the students all went back to their homes. Tina also returned to Pinkwater Ally.

    As soon as she reached the door, she heardughter from inside her house. Opening the door, a little one threw herself into her arms, ¡°Miss Reed, you¡¯re back? I¡¯ve been waiting for you for so long.¡± Sophia was hugging Tina¡¯s legs, her face blooming with smiles.

    She was genuinely happy to see Miss Reed. ¡°How did you get here?¡± Tina asked, picking her up and walking to the living room.

    She nced up to see Jared sitting in a wheelchair, with Hayden and Nathan seated on the couch. Hugo was pouring tea for them, all of them chatting andughing.

    Tina paused, wasn¡¯t Mr. Reed supposed to be at work in Mendara Corporation? ¡°Tina, you¡¯re back?¡± Hugo said with a smile, ¡°Come here, Mr. Farrell said you liked strawberry cake, so he went out of his way to buy a lot. We tried a piece, and it tastes really good.¡±

    Before Tina could speak, Hugo continued, ¡°It¡¯s all dad¡¯s fault, you came back so busy and I forgot about your favorite strawberry cake. From now on, I¡¯ll buy it for you every day.¡±

    Tina replied, ¡°¡­ You should¡¯ve said so earlier.¡±

    She had been craving strawberry cake, but the buffet didn¡¯t have it, and by now she was already full. However-she could still eat another piece.

    Holding Sophia, she walked over and saw more than twenty different kinds of strawberry cakes, each a different style. She picked up a piece of strawberry cake, ate it with a spoon, and her eyes lit up instantly; the taste was very good! Even better than the one she had at a different ce yesterday.

    She looked at Jared and asked, ¡°Mr. Farrell, where did you buy this cake?¡±

    Jared smiled, ¡°It¡¯s specially made by the chef at Hotel Ensford. Do you like it?¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡±

    Suddenly, she felt more kindly towards Jared. Certainly not because of the strawberry cake! Jared¡¯s mouth curved slightly, and then he said to Hugo, ¡°Mr. Reed, you don¡¯t have to buy cake for Tina every day. I¡¯ve ordered a month¡¯s supply, and every day someone will deliver two pieces on time.¡±

    Tina¡¯s hand holding the spoon paused, Tina? Had they be so familiar as to call each other by such intimate names? Seeing her stop, Jared thought she might think it¡¯s too little and said, ¡°Eating too many sweets is not good for your health, two pieces are just right.¡±

    Tina drew back her gaze, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She epted proudly.

    She was his fiancee, so eating two pieces of his cake every day was reasonable, right? After saying this, she looked at Hugo, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to work, Mr. Reed?¡±

    ¡°I went to work, it was my first day. I filled out the paperwork, but there was an important meeting at thepany today, and Mr. Heart asked me toe back and familiarize myself with thepany¡¯s documents. Tomorrow when he¡¯s free, he¡¯ll arrange for someone to hand over the work to me.¡±

    Tina nodded and concentrated on eating her cake. She was quite full from the buffet and had eaten two pieces of cake when she returned, really a bit stuffed now.

    ¡°Miss Reed, this is for you,¡± Sophia said, taking a gift box out of her little backpack and handing it to Tina.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Tina asked, receiving the gift box.

    ¡°It¡¯s my engagement gift for you,¡± Sophia whispered into Tina¡¯s ear, ¡°I bought it with my New Year¡¯s money, not Jared¡¯s money.¡±

    When Sophia first came to Ensford, hearing that Jared was getting engaged, she had actually wanted to buy agift for Jared¡¯s fiancee at the mall. She had bought a pair of earrings at that time, thinking they were perfect for Amber, who was believed to be Jared¡¯s fiancee, so she made the purchase.

    However, after she fell ill, and Tina became Jared¡¯s fiancee, she decided to buy a new ne instead.

    The earrings, she gave to Mrs. Brown.

    Tina opened the box to find a diamond ne with a modern design, though the diamond was small, probably worth around ten thousand dors.

    Tina smiled, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, I like it very much, thank you.¡±

    The Farrell family was wealthy, and Sophia never had to worry aboutck of resources, but her family didn¡¯t spoil her with too much money.

    For Sophia to use her own New Year¡¯s money to buy a ne worth ten thousand dors for her was truly touching.

    Tina didn¡¯t refuse the gift and put the box away, telling Sophia, ¡°I¡¯ve epted your gift, and I¡¯ll give you something in return someday. What would you like?¡±

    Sophia shook her head, ¡°Miss Reed, the best gift you¡¯ve given me is curing my illness. I don¡¯t know how to thank you enough, I don¡¯t need any gifts from you.¡±

    Sophia paused, then added, ¡°But I really do need your help with something!¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Sophia nced at Jared cautiously and whispered, ¡°Jared is sending me back to the capital, and I don¡¯t want to go. I want to stay here and y with you. Can you help me convince Jared?¡±

    Tina looked at Jared, ¡°Why not let Sophia stay in Ensford?¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I have things to handle, and it¡¯s not convenient for Sophia to stay here,¡± Jared said.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t want to interfere in Jared¡¯s affairs and was about to persuade Sophia to go back when Sophia looked at her with such a pitiful gaze.

    She hesitated-Sophia wanted to stay, so she suggested, ¡°Let her stay, I quite like her.¡±

    ¡°Tina!¡± Jared frowned, ¡°Some things are dangerous.¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t borate, but Tina understood.

    She reluctantly told Sophia, ¡°Sophia dear, listen to your brother and go back for now. I¡¯ll visit you when I have time.¡±

    After weighing the pros and cons, she still stood by her decision.

    She didn¡¯t know exactly what Jared was up to, but recalling the incident at Serenity Ridge where he was chased, it was clear that it wasn¡¯t safe.

    It wasn¡¯t appropriate for Sophia to stay with him.

    ¡°Sophia, even if I go back, no one will look after me,¡± Sophia pleaded, ¡°I actually wanted to attend your engagement party, and besides, Grandpa is also in Ensford. Jared is biased; he won¡¯t let Grandpa go back but sends me back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so pitiful, I have no friends to y with, I¡¯m always alone in my room. Tina, I¡¯ve finally recovered from my illness, I want to be happy¡­¡± As if on cue, Sophia¡¯s tears began to flow.

    Her crying instantly melted Tina¡¯s heart.

    She said to Jared, ¡°Why not let her stay? She can live at my ce!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Two voices chimed in unison.

    One was Jared¡¯s.

    The other was Sophia¡¯s.

    They agreed so readily that Tina felt like she had been tricked.

    She red at them and then went back to her own room.

    The siblings had been cunning and crafty, not a single good one among them.

 Chapter 60: Tina Must Be Fired

    At Moon Gate Estate.

    After school, Amber returned home and went straight to her room, not even eating dinner. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to eat; she just had no appetite. Every time she thought of how Tina had be the lead teacher of ss 22D through nepotism, her heart felt blocked. What made that unsophisticated girl qualified to be a teacher? With her own talents, Amber could easily take on that role. But that wasn¡¯t what she wanted. She aspired to get into Kongham University on her own merits and climb to the very top of society.

    A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, followed by the nanny¡¯s voice from outside, ¡°Miss Amber, Mrs. Woodham is here.¡±

    The title ¡®Miss Amber¡¯ grated on her nerves. Before Tina¡¯s return, she was ¡®Miss Reed.¡¯ Now, even though Tina didn¡¯t live in Moon Gate Estate, everyone referred to her as ¡®Miss Amber,¡¯ as if to remind her of her adopted status.

    Amber collected her thoughts, stood up, opened the door, and went downstairs. The person sitting in the living room took her by surprise. It was Beatrice! Having married into the Woodham family, she was known outside as Mrs. Woodham. Last time at the Ivy banquet, Beatrice had asked for Amber¡¯s help with her daughter¡¯s illness, but she hadn¡¯t returned since. Amber thought that word of the banquet mishap had spread, and Beatrice had changed her mind about letting Tina treat her daughter.

    Mentioning the banquet made Amber¡¯s blood boil with resentment towards Tina. Since Talon¡¯s affair with the nanny had been exposed, Ivy had insisted on a divorce. But Talon wouldn¡¯t agree, causing a prolonged dispute between the two families. Elizabeth, of course, looked down on the nanny and had dismissed her immediately. However, Talon, unchanging in his ways, insisted on keeping the nanny and refused to divorce Ivy, which was infuriating.

    Even worse, Talon had vented his anger on Amber, ming her for not handling things properly and leading him into a trap.

    ¡°Miss Reed!¡±

    Upon seeing Amber descend the stairs, Beatrice quickly stood up, her face filled with apologies. ¡°I¡¯m sorry aboutst time, saying I¡¯d bring my daughter to you. She¡¯s been quite traumatized by the car ident and refuses to leave the house.¡±

    Beatrice¡¯s face showed helplessness. ¡°I came today to ask if you could possibly visit my home to check on my daughter¡¯s condition.¡±

    Amber was puzzled. Hadn¡¯t the news of Sophia¡¯s recovery by Tina¡¯s hands spread?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t expect you to treat my daughter for free. I will pay for your services.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Mrs. Woodham, please don¡¯t mention it. Grandma Woodham and my grandmother are friends; we¡¯re like family, so let¡¯s not talk about payment,¡± Amber replied with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll make a visit and take a look at Miss Woodham.¡±

    Beatrice sighed with relief. ¡°Thank you so much!¡±

    She hesitated before asking, ¡°When would be convenient for you?¡±

    She was anxious. Very anxious. Her daughter hadn¡¯t slept well in days, especially since she had taken a six-month hiatus from school and was showing no interest in studies, with exams looming. Beatrice was worried about her daughter¡¯s future if things continued this way.

    Amber thought for a moment. ¡°How about the weekend? You know how busy I am with examsing up; academics are quite demanding.¡±

    The truth was, Professor Lininger¡¯s team was visiting tomorrow, and Amber needed to make a good impression to secure his favor. If she could gain his personal tutge, her sess in this year¡¯s exams was guaranteed.

    ¡°Of course, studyinges first,¡± Beatrice replied with a smile. ¡°Miss Reed, you¡¯re so talented and hardworking; you¡¯re bound for great things.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Mrs. Woodham,¡± Amber replied, her smile faint. She had grown immune to such ttery.

    Once they had settled on a time, Beatrice didn¡¯t linger and soon left. After her departure, Elizabeth asked Amber, ¡°Do you feel confident about treating Miss Woodham¡¯s condition?¡±

    The Fanning family held a prominent status in Ensford, and Beatrice had married into the capital¡¯s Woodham family. The olddy didn¡¯t want any mishaps.

    ¡°I need to see her first to be sure,¡± Amber pursed her lips, ¡°but it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Miss Woodham suffered facial injuries from the car ident, and Dr. Ward has treated such cases before and taught me.¡±

    In reality, Amber had only observed Dr. Ward performing such treatments and hadn¡¯t been taught directly. She wasn¡¯t a true disciple and had only learned the basics. Only Dr. Ward¡¯s true disciples received his full teachings.

    Treating Miss Woodham was her opportunity. If she could cure Miss Woodham, her reputation would grow, and she might even gain Mrs. Woodham¡¯s support in the future.

    ¡°That¡¯s good then!¡± Elizabeth said earnestly. ¡°Amber, you must be very careful with this matter. We can¡¯t afford to offend the Woodham family.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Grandma.¡±

    The next day at Ensford High School.

    At half-past seven in the morning, Tina arrived at the school and headed to her office, which was separate from those of the other teachers. The first ss of the day would start at eight.

    On her way to the office, she had to pass by Mr. Stiller¡¯s office. As she approached, she heard amotion inside. She intended to walk by, but she stopped when she heard her name mentioned.

    ¡°Mr. Stiller, you must fire Tina Reed today, no matter what. We will not recognize a teacher who got the job through backdoor connections.¡±

    ¡°Yes, if you don¡¯t fire Tina Reed, we will collectively withdraw our children from school. It¡¯s your call, Mr. Stiller!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t understand what you¡¯re thinking, Mr. Stiller. Tina Reed grew up in the countryside and never received a proper education. She was only recently taken back by the Reed family. There are rumors about her inappropriate rtions with Mr. Farrell. How can you let such a person teach? How can our children respect her as a teacher?¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s not just unclear ties with Mr. Farrell; I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s a thief as well. The Reeds have just managed to suppress that information. How can someone with such a bad reputation be fit to teach?¡±

    Mr. Stiller had just arrived at the school and was already cornered by a group of parents in his office. They were giving him a headache, especially when they maligned Tina with such vitriol, iming to be cultured and yet spreading malicious rumors about a young woman.

    ¡°Miss Reed is the lead teacher of ss 22D, and she doesn¡¯t teach any sses, nor will she be teaching other sses. I¡¯ve already discussed this with the parents of ss 22D, and they have no objections. Please stop making unreasonable demands.¡±

    ¡°How is it unreasonable?¡± a parent retorted. ¡°She¡¯s just a shameless vige woman; why should she be a teacher? If she were a teacher at another school, I wouldn¡¯t care. But at Ensford High School? I don¡¯t want my child calling such a person ¡®teacher.''¡±

    ¡°Even if she doesn¡¯t teach, she¡¯s still a teacher!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re justifying her backdoor entry? We donate so much money every year; is it for you to bring such a person to disgust us?¡±

    If he weren¡¯t the principal, Mr. Stiller would have pped them all.

    ¡°Miss Reed did not get the job through any backdoor. Her employment process was legal and legitimate!¡± Mr. Stiller said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Your word doesn¡¯t suffice. Stop wasting our time. If you don¡¯t fire her today, we will not let this go!¡±

 Chapter 61 Tina Complained Again

    Mr. Stiller was fuming with anger, his face contorted as he spoke, ¡°You want to make a fuss about this? Miss Reed obtained two PhDs from Kongham University by the age of sixteen. I went through great lengths to invite her here. How do you intend to be dissatisfied now?¡±

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s easy to have here substitute? If it weren¡¯t for our acquaintance, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered toe at all. Do you still feel wronged and lose face over this?¡±

    Mr. Stiller had thought that by saying this, the parents would back down, but to his surprise, not only did they not believe him, they even responded with sarcasm.

    ¡°Ha! Two PhDs from Kongham University at sixteen? Mr. Stiller, how much money did Tina pay you to lose all sense of decency? Who is Tina Reed? We may not know, but everyone in Ensford¡¯s high society does, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, she left the Reed family with her rural mother at the age of nine and was raised in the mountains for ten years without evering down. Where did she study? Self-taught? You mean to tell us she¡¯s a genius? That¡¯sughable.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! After the Reed family took her back in, even Elizabeth didn¡¯t want to acknowledge her. If she¡¯s really that outstanding, why wouldn¡¯t Elizabeth throw a celebration banquet?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Mr. Stiller was beside himself with rage. He wanted to defend Tina, but when she joined the staff, she hadn¡¯t brought her diploma.

    It wasn¡¯t that Tina didn¡¯t bring it; he hadn¡¯t asked for it.

    Tina was here to be the Lead Teacher for ss 22D, not to give lectures. There was no need for a diploma, and he was confident in Tina¡¯s qualifications.

    Caught off guard by the parents¡¯ usations, he was at a loss for aeback.

    Looking at the parents, Mr. Stiller was seething with anger. He pulled out his phone, ready to call Tina to bring her doctoral diploma and throw it in these people¡¯s faces to prove she didn¡¯t get the job through the back door.

    As soon as the call connected, a ringtone sounded from outside the office.

    Tina, not expecting Mr. Stiller to call her at this time, was somewhat embarrassed.

    She hung up and entered the office.

    ¡°Mr. Stiller.¡±

    Seeing her enter, Mr. Stiller immediately approached, ¡°Miss Reed, did you bring your certificate?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Who carries their diploma around all the time?

    ¡°Could you go back and get it?¡± Mr. Stiller whispered beside her, ¡°You¡¯ve seen it; these parents are saying some really nasty things.¡±

    Mr. Stiller, although the head of the school, could only manage the school¡¯s affairs. These parents, with their status and position, wouldn¡¯t listen to him.

    Only by showing Tina¡¯s diploma could he shut them up.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°I could bring it, but do you think it would make a difference?¡± Tina¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile.

    These people had made up their minds about her from the start, thinking she didn¡¯t deserve to be a teacher.

    Even if she brought her diploma, they would find other reasons to doubt, even suspecting it was fake.

    ¡°Are you Tina Reed?¡± While Tina and Mr. Stiller were talking, a parent suddenly asked her.

    Tina looked at her, her expression cool, ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°I hope you have the decency to leave Ensford High School. You are not fit to teach our children!¡±

    Tina nced at her, ¡°I¡¯m paid by Mr. Stiller. Unless he asks me to leave, I won¡¯t go.¡±

    The parent frowned, ¡°Are you deliberately opposing us? Think carefully. Our families are no less influential than the Reed family. If we unite against you, not only will you not be able to stay at Ensford High School, but the Reed family won¡¯t be able to stay in Ensford either.¡±

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Tina was smiling, her eyes narrowing into slits, but her smile did not reach her eyes.

    ¡°Yes, I am threatening you!¡± The parent lifted her chin proudly, ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, leave Ensford High School. Otherwise, don¡¯t me us. It¡¯s a critical time for our children¡¯s exams. They cannot be influenced by you.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Tina¡¯s brows tightened, then she suddenly looked up, ¡°Which family are you from?¡±

    The parent frowned, then lifted her head proudly, ¡°The Kampwerth family.¡±

    The Kampwerth family was in the garment business, having developed their brand into a second-tierbel over many years.

    The present Mrs. Kampwerth, always liked topare herself with other high societydies, acting superior.

    In terms of family status, the Kampwerth family did notpare to the Reed family.

    However, the Kampwerthfamily was financially robust, and if it came down to finances, the Reed family couldn¡¯tpete with the Kampwerth family.

    Especially now, without a good perfume form and a significant investment, the Reed family would soon face bankruptcy.

    Tina stepped forward, approaching Mrs. Kampwerth with an even tone, ¡°You see, I have a little quirk; I extremely dislike being threatened. Mrs. Kampwerth, you seem quite idle, let me find something for you to do.¡±

    Before Mrs. Kampwerth could reply, Tina took out her phone and made a call, ¡°Jimmy, someone¡¯s threatening me.¡±

    On the other end of the phone, James Heart, the chairman of Mendara Group, stood up abruptly, ¡°Who is it!¡±

    Messing with his Serena, he could guarantee that the offender would meet an ugly end!

    ¡°Kampwerth family.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Serena, I¡¯ll avenge you!¡±

    ¡°Alright, you alone are enough.¡±

    James Heart was about to gather his brothers, but hearing Tina¡¯s words, he relented, ¡°Okay, I got it.¡±

    After hanging up, James Heart immediately called his assistant and threw a check at him, ¡°Put two billion dors into it, target the Kampwerth family. If any of them still has the energy to jump around, it¡¯s your fault!¡±

    The assistant trembled, ¡°I¡¯ll get on it right away!¡±

    He then ran off in a hurry.

    Had the Kampwerth family gone mad?

    Their chairman hadn¡¯t gone after anotherpany in a long time, and now they had stepped on his tail!

    Mrs. Kampwerth, after overhearing Tina¡¯s call, scoffed, ¡°Trying to scare me? Go ahead and try, see if you can intimidate me. Do you think that will let you continue teaching here? Dream on!¡±

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, speaking indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ve never thought that you had the power to decide whether I stay or leave.¡±

    ¡°You!¡±

    Mrs. Kampwerth was enraged and about tosh out when a teacher burst in, excitedly announcing, ¡°Mr. Stiller, Professor Lininger¡¯s team has arrived.¡±

    At this news, Tina nced at the time on her phone-eight o¡¯clock on the dot, not a minute more or less.

    Professor Lininger was indeed punctual, arriving exactly at eight.

    The other parents, upon hearing this, forgot their dispute with Mr. Stiller over Tina and wore smiles, eager to meet Professor Lininger and hoping to get their children noticed.

    ¡°Please, let them in,¡± Mr. Stiller said with excitement.

    Soon, the teacher led Professor Lininger¡¯s team into the office.

    Mr. Stiller¡¯s office was quite spacious, but with the addition of these parents and Professor Lininger¡¯s team, it became cramped.

    Upon entering, Professor Lininger spotted Tina, ¡°Tina, it¡¯s so good to see you. Let me have a look, do you eat more recently? You used to be so thin!¡±

    The parents who had intended to greet Professor Lininger heard this and froze, their eyes wide with disbelief, unable to muster any response.

 Chapter 62 A Tumultuous Gathering

    Mr. Stiller was aware that Professor Lininger had been invited by Tina, but the other parents were not privy to this fact. They were baffled by the affectionate manner in which Professor Lininger treated Tina. It took a while before someone finally spoke up, ¡°What¡¯s going on? How does Professor Lininger know Tina?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just as puzzled. Isn¡¯t Tina from the countryside? Professor Lininger has always taught at Kongham University and seldom leaves the capital. How could he know a country girl?¡±

    ¡°The way Professor Lininger and Tina are interacting, it seems like they¡¯ve known each other for quite some time!¡±

    The crowd was abuzz with their variousments.

    Their voices were loud enough for Tina to overhear. With a slight lift of her eyes, she nced at them and said to Professor Lininger with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve gained some weight.¡±

    She had indulged in too many strawberry cakes recently and had put on two pounds.

    Professor Lininger pinched her cheek, ¡°A little weight gain is good. You were too skinny. You need to eat more and get a bit plump. It looks better that way.¡±

    Tina was speechless.

    To look like a pig?

    After exchanging a few pleasantries, Professor Lininger said, ¡°Where is this ss you mentioned? Lead the way quickly. We need to assess their true abilities to formte a learning n.¡±

    He then red at Tina with mock annoyance, ¡°You little rascal, finding trouble for me. At my age, I have to face such a huge challenge.¡±

    Tina chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re a professor who has taught many doctoral students. This challenge is nothing for you.¡±

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Professor Lininger clicked his tongue twice, ¡°It¡¯s been years since we¡¯ve met, and you¡¯ve be quite the charmer.¡±

    And indeed, his heart felt warm. At his age, he liked to hear pleasing words. However, he wasn¡¯t someone who took kindly to ttery from just anyone.

    Tina smiled and turned to Mr. Stiller, ¡°Mr. Stiller, I¡¯m going to take Professor Lininger to room 22D.¡±

    With that, she and Professor Lininger headed toward the office exit.

    Her words set the parents off like a bomb had exploded.

    ¡°What!! Professor Lininger is going to teach ss 22D? You must be joking?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Stiller, what are you ying at? First, you bring in a clueless Tina Reed as the Lead Teacher, and now you¡¯ve invited Professor Lininger¡¯s team to teach 22D? Aren¡¯t you going too far?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with ss 22D? A bunch of good-for-nothing rich kids with no future. Shouldn¡¯t Professor Lininger¡¯s excellent team be teaching the key sses? Mr. Stiller, by doing this, aren¡¯t you wasting educational resources?¡±

    Mr. Stiller, already irked by them, replied with a stern face, ¡°Do you think Professor Lininger is someone you can just invite on a whim? Haven¡¯t you heard that I¡¯ve invited him over a dozen times before without sess?¡±

    ¡°But you have invited him this time, haven¡¯t you? And now you want to waste this precious opportunity on that bunch from 22D? Let me tell you, if you go through with this, I will report you to the education authorities!¡±

    Mr. Stiller couldn¡¯t help butugh out of frustration, ¡°Professor Lininger was invited by Miss Reed, who is the Lead Teacher of 22D. Naturally, his sses will be for 22D. Go ahead and report me. I have done nothing wrong and am not afraid of any investigation!¡±

    He had long reached his limit with these parents.

    The parents¡¯ eyes bulged with disbelief.

    ¡°Professor Lininger was invited by Tina? Are you kidding us? She¡¯s just a vige girl!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Stiller, could you at least make up a believable lie? Does Tina look like she has the capability to invite Professor Lininger?¡±

    ¡°Is there some unsavory deal between you and Tina that you¡¯re protecting her at every turn?¡±

    The parents were highly agitated, their words growing increasingly offensive.

    Mr. Stiller¡¯s face turned beet red with anger. He had never imagined these people could stoop so low. Tina was just neen, young enough to be his daughter, and yet they ndered them so vilely.

    Disgusting!

    Initially, Professor Lininger thought these people were school teachers discussing something with Mr. Stiller, but it soon became clear that was not the case. He even heard someone calling Tina a vige girl, which turned his expression sour. He turned and asked Tina, ¡°What¡¯s all this about?¡±

    Before Tina could respond, the parents addressed Professor Lininger directly, ¡°Professor Lininger, you are a highly respected professor at Kongham University, and we are all thrilled to have you teach at Ensford High School. But why would you teach ss22D?¡±

    ¡°That ss is notorious. None of the students there are studious; most of them don¡¯t even know the material of Grade 9. Teaching them would be a waste of educational resources.¡±

    ¡°Professor Lininger, please reconsider and teach a key ss instead. Their test scores have been good, and with your team¡¯s guidance, they could get into top universities.¡±

    ¡°Tina is just a country girl who came from the countryside. Who knows what methods she used to deceive you. You should be careful.¡±

    ¡°And Mr. Stiller, what spell has been cast on you to appoint Tina as the Lead Teacher for 22D? She hasn¡¯t even been properly educated. Why her? Moreover, 22D is dangerous. Whether you and your team can leave there unharmed is questionable.¡±

    Professor Lininger listened to their endless chatter, his face darkening more than the bottom of a pot. He was so furious that he bellowed, ¡°Nonsense!¡±

    At his roar, the parents fell silent.

    Mr. Stiller stood aside obediently. Professor Lininger¡¯s words had far more effect than his own. These parents were indeed the kind who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

    ¡°Who said Tina is a vige girl? Who said it? Stand out!¡± Professor Lininger demanded angrily, ¡°A bunch of shortsighted fools, looking down on country folk? Isn¡¯t the food you eat grown by them? How dare you disdain them?¡±

    ¡°And who said Tina hasn¡¯t been to school? Stand out! I want to see who¡¯s had their brain kicked by a donkey!¡± Professor Lininger had many students, and Tina was his favorite. Seeing her insulted so grievously made him furious.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    ¡°Professor Lininger, you can¡¯t speak like that. It¡¯s true that Tina is from the countryside and that she hasn¡¯t been to school. You can¡¯t defend her just because she¡¯s involved with Mr. Stiller,¡± a parent retorted defiantly.

    ¡°Shut your nonsense!¡± Professor Lininger, usually a gentle man, was driven to curse by his anger, showing just how incensed he was, ¡°You bunch of scoundrels, spewing lies and daring to nder Tina¡­ Ron, contact thewyer. I want to sue them to the ground! They won¡¯t apologize to Tina, it¡¯s on you!¡±

    The rest of Professor Lininger¡¯s team was equally angry. Usually, they had a good rtionship with Tina while discussing academics, but now that they heard her being ndered, they couldn¡¯t hold back.

    Ron immediately said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll contact thewyer right away.¡±

    ¡°Professor Lininger, you are a renowned professor at Kongham University. How could you be swayed by Tina¡¯s deception and fail to distinguish right from wrong?¡± When the parents heard Professor Lininger was going to sue, they used him.

    Because of Professor Lininger¡¯s presence, his team usually stayed quiet. But now, Ron could no longer restrain himself, ¡°Tina is Professor Lininger¡¯s student. She earned two doctoral degrees in medical science and biochemistry from Kongham University at the age of sixteen. You say she hasn¡¯t been to school? And you use her of having an affair with Mr. Stiller? Just based on these two points, our team could sue you until your family go bankrupt!¡±

 Chapter 63: Tina Provoked

    The parents were all stunned by Ron¡¯s words.

    ¡°Is Tina really a doctoral student? And a student of Professor Lininger? My goodness! That¡¯s incredible.¡±

    Previously, Mr. Stiller had said that Tina held two doctorate degrees, which they had doubted.

    Tina was brought in by him, and who knew whether his words were true or false.

    But the members of Professor Lininger¡¯s team had personally confirmed it, proving it was true.

    A sixteen-year-old doctoral student.

    You wouldn¡¯t find one in a hundred thousand.

    It was an honor for Ensford High School to have such a highly qualified teacher.

    ¡°My daughter has been missing the Seed-A admission mark by over thirty points on her recent exams. If Miss Reed could tutor my daughter, she should have no problem getting into Seed-A universities.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°My daughter too; she¡¯s okay with humanities, but her science subjects arecking. With doctoral student Miss Reed¡¯s guidance, she should be able to bridge the gap.¡±

    After their shock, the parents began to discuss among themselves.

    However, this time, they were all consciously more respectful towards Tina.

    Just as everyone was thinking about how to ask Tina to substitute teach for other sses, an untimely voice rang out, ¡°Have you lost your minds, believing whatever they say? If Tina really has two doctorates at sixteen, why hasn¡¯t the media reported it?¡±

    The speaker was Mrs. Kampwerth.

    Everyone was taken aback.

    Indeed!

    Why hadn¡¯t the media reported it?

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Mr. Stiller would go this far for Tina, even bribing Professor Lininger,¡± Mrs. Kampwerth said, looking at Professor Lininger with scorn. ¡°You are a highly respected professor, yet you stoop so low with Mr. Stiller, raising a country bumpkin who knows nothing to such heights. I have no respect for you. Go teach 22D if you wish; my child does not need someone like you as a teacher!¡±

    Pausing, Mrs. Kampwerth added another line, ¡°That Tina is just a bit prettier. You¡¯re over sixty, old enough to be her grandfather. Could it be that you also have filthy thoughts about her?¡±

    ¡°Despicable!¡± Professor Lininger roared, ¡°You are utterly abhorrent, ndering someone¡¯s reputation without proof. People like you need to be educated by thew. If I don¡¯t make you face legal action, I might as well not have lived these sixty years.¡±

    Fuming, Professor Lininger turned to Ron andmanded, ¡°Contact awyer for me right now. I want the Kampwerth family to receive a legal notice within an hour. Tell thewyer, I will not ept any settlement!¡±

    ¡°Ha! Sue me, go ahead. Do you think I¡¯m afraid of you? Shameless old man¡­ ugh?!¡±

    Mrs. Kampwerth¡¯s words were cut short as Tina grabbed her by the throat, her delicate and cold face covered with ayer of frost, a chill emanating from her entire being. Her slender fingers tightened, her voice cold and piercing, ¡°Did you think that because I did not retort to your insults, I am easy to bully?¡±

    ¡°You! Let go of me!¡± Mrs. Kampwerth¡¯s face turned beet red as she desperately tried to pry Tina¡¯s hands off.

    But no matter how hard she tried, she could not loosen Tina¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Tina! You dare to hit me? Let me tell you, if you dare toy a hand on me, the Kampwerth family will not let you off!¡±

    Tina leaned in close to her ear, her eyes narrowing colder still, ¡°I won¡¯t hit you! But I can make you die!¡±

    ¡°You dare! This is a society ruled byw!¡± Mrs. Kampwerth red back at Tina, panic stricken inside.

    In Tina¡¯s eyes was a sheer coldness. When she had just talked about making her die, there was not a flicker of emotion.

    In that moment, Mrs. Kampwerth felt that Tina really could make her die.

    ¡°Tina! Stop it right now!¡± Professor Lininger immediately shouted anxiously, ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless, this isn¡¯t Serenity Ridge.¡±

    Mr. Stiller and the other parents who had been dumbfounded when Tina grabbed Mrs. Kampwerth¡¯s neck were snapped back to reality by Professor Lininger¡¯s words. Mr. Stiller rushed to pull Tina away, ¡°Miss Reed, what Mrs. Kampwerth said was unpleasant, but we can sue her. Don¡¯t get yourself in trouble.¡±

    Mr. Stiller was furious with Mrs. Kampwerth.

    After Professor Lininger had confirmed Tina¡¯s identity, the other parents had believed. Only Mrs. Kampwerth continued to nitpick.

    She had even insulted Professor Lininger so rudely.

    He hadn¡¯t spent much time with Tina, but during the days he stayed in Serenity Ridge, he could tell that Tina held great respect forher mentor. Professor Lininger was Tina¡¯s university supervisor, and now someone was ndering him this way. Anyone would be intolerant, let alone Tina.

    The other parents also tried to calm her down, ¡°Miss Reed, please be calm, don¡¯t hurt anyone, Mrs. Kampwerth didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

    Although they somewhat agreed with Mrs. Kampwerth¡¯s words, at that moment no one dared to speak out.

    Because Tina was too frightening!

    Her gaze was as stern as the King of Hell looking at a minor demon.

    They knew country folks were somewhat rough, but they hadn¡¯t expected Tina to be rougher, ready to strangle Mrs. Kampwerth right there in the school. It looked like she was about to kill her.

    The parents were scared too, and said, ¡°Miss Reed, today¡¯s incident was our fault, we came to bother you without understanding the situation, please let Mrs. Kampwerth go, we won¡¯t pursue this matter any further, and you can keep teaching ss 22D.¡±

    Tina¡¯s icy gaze swept over everyone indifferently, and she withdrew her look with a cold demeanor.

    She stared at Mrs. Kampwerth¡¯s face and said coldly, ¡°Apologize to Professor Lininger!¡±

    ¡°You expect me to apologize just because you say so? Why should I?¡± Mrs. Kampwerth, now emboldened by others speaking for her, no longer regarded Tina highly, her arrogance ring up again.

    ¡°Professor Lininger is my mentor. You don¡¯t have to apologize, unless you want to die.¡± Tina leaned in close to Mrs. Kampwerth¡¯s ear and said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t doubt me, I can make you die, and no one will know I did it.¡±

    Mrs. Kampwerth inexplicably shuddered!

    Facing Tina¡¯s cold and grim eyes, she involuntarily shrank back, pondering for a moment before gritting her teeth, ¡°Fine, I apologize!¡±

    Once she left the school, she would make Tina regret this!

    ¡°Professor Lininger, I apologize. I spoke without thinking earlier,¡± Mrs. Kampwerth said with a respectful tone.

    ¡°I do not ept your apology!¡± Professor Lininger said angrily, ¡°Please go back and prepare for thewsuit.¡±

    He had heard the words Tina had said to Mrs. Kampwerth, and he knew Tina could do it.

    He was touched in his heart; this obstinate girl, always so cold on the surface, but very kind-hearted inside.

    He refused Mrs. Kampwerth¡¯s apology, partly to vent for Tina and partly to keep Tina from acting against Mrs. Kampwerth.

    Some things, once started, cannot be undone.

    Tina had a bright future ahead, and there was no need to get tangled up with Mrs. Kampwerth.

    Tina let go of Mrs. Kampwerth.

    Mrs. Kampwerth took several deep breaths, red at Tina, and said through clenched teeth, ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±

 Chapter 64: The New P.E. Teacher

    Tina watched Mrs. Kampwerth¡¯s retreating figure with a flicker of cold light in her eyes. She slipped her hand into her pocket, pulled out her cell phone, and was about to make a call when suddenly, an old pair of hands rested on her shoulders. Tina turned to see Professor Lininger shaking his head at her. She kept silent for a moment and then put her phone back. She almost lost herposure again.

    She had more important things to do as she descended the hill. If she exposed herself, it would bring trouble to Hugo¡¯s family. Tina restrained her gaze and coldly said to the other parents, ¡°I¡¯ll repeat myself; you can¡¯t decide whether I stay or leave. If you have any doubts about my qualifications, you can go to the relevant authorities.¡± She looked up, her icy gaze sweeping over everyone, ¡°Don¡¯t teach me how to conduct myself-you¡¯re not qualified!¡±

    After speaking, Tina, with Professor Lininger and his entourage, headed to Room 22D. Once they left, Mr. Stiller sighed looking at the dozen or so parents before him, yet he patiently said, ¡°Miss Reed¡¯s degree certificate¡¯s authenticity can be verified by the authorities. It took a great deal of effort to hire her, and I won¡¯t fire her.¡±

    ¡°Moreover, since she arrived, she managed to discipline the students of 22D in just one lesson. Whether Miss Reed has a degree or not, the fact that she could handle 22D is something to be happy about. Don¡¯t you wish for your children to have a good learning environment?¡±

    ¡°Professor Lininger¡¯s team was invited by Miss Reed. Currently, the academic performance of 22D is poor. They will devise a study n for them. Once 22D stabilizes, I will discuss with Miss Reed about having Professor Lininger advise other sses as well.¡±

    Hearing Mr. Stiller say this, the parents didn¡¯t say much more and dispersed. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t go to the authorities to confirm whether Tina was indeed a doctor. Like Mrs. Kampwerth, they didn¡¯t believe she could be one. However, with things having escted to this point, they wouldn¡¯t stop Tina from staying at the school.

    Most importantly, having Professor Lininger teach other sses was a good thing. Considering the current situation, Professor Lininger¡¯s team would stay in Ensford until the end of the exams, so they would not only teach other sses for one lesson. For their children, this was an opportunity.

    Tina took Professor Lininger and his team to Room 22D. Upon reaching the ssroom door, someone yelled, ¡°Attention!¡± The whole ss stood up and respectfully greeted, ¡°Miss Reed!¡± The one who called out was Velma. After school the previous day, Albert pulled everyone into a group chat (usually everyone was divided into factions, with little harmony, and no group was formed), calling for the election of ss officials to strictly enforce ss rules.

    After some discussion, they decided to appoint Velma as the ss president. It was natural for her to ept, as Tina was her close friend and now her Lead Teacher, and she could help her with more responsibilities.

    Professor Lininger, seeing the students so polite, thought he was seeing things, ¡°What is this??¡± Tina smiled at Professor Lininger, ¡°The kids are very sensible.¡± Professor Lininger, ¡°¡­¡± Don¡¯t forget, you are a child too!

    Tina gestured for the students to sit down and then introduced, ¡°This is Professor Lininger from the Physics Department of Kongham University, who will be in charge of your physics course.¡± She pointed to Ron, ¡°This is Mr. Ron, who will teach you chemistry.¡± She introduced another teacher, ¡°This is Mr. Berrycloth, who will be responsible for teaching English.¡± Tina introduced the rest of the teachers in turn.

    The students were overjoyed! These were teachers from Kongham University! Were these going to be their teachers from now on? With their guidance, even a pig could score over the graduation threshold of 150 points on the exams. So, they all immediately said in unison, ¡°Professor Lininger, Mr. Ron, Mr. Berrycloth¡­¡±

    Their voices were loud and full of vigor. Professor Lininger smiled with satisfaction, ¡°Good, it seems I had misunderstood you before. Study time is precious, and I won¡¯t waste it. Starting now, we need to reassess and then develop a study n for you.¡±

    Hearing that there would be another test, the students were not even slightly annoyed but even more excited. ¡°Thank you, Professor Lininger!¡± they chorused.

    Tina gave a few brief instructions and then left. From now on, the students of 22D would be boarding at the school, with Professor Lininger in charge of their studies and her responsible for their daily lives. She needed to arrange the next steps.

    Asshe reached her office, Mr. Stiller arrived, apanied by two people. Nathan and Jared! Jared was still in his wheelchair, with Nathan pushing him. Tina turned her head and saw Jared, pausing for a moment.

    Mr. Stiller came in and cheerfully said to Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, I¡¯ve recruited a P. E. teacher for 22D. You¡¯ll need to work together from now on.¡± He introduced Jared to Tina, ¡°This is Mr. Farrell!¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina was puzzled, her mouth twitching as she looked at Mr. Stiller, struggling to get out a few words, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±

    Mr. Stiller looked surprised, then seriously said, ¡°No, I¡¯m very serious about telling you this!¡± He touched his face, asking earnestly, ¡°Does my expression look like I¡¯m joking?¡±

    Tina was at a loss for words. Just leave! I don¡¯t want to talk!

    ¡°Miss Reed, please take good care of me in the future,¡± Jared extended his hand, smiling as he greeted Tina. His fingers were long, and the pads were pale.

    Tina nced at his outstretched hand, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly asked, ¡°Did the Farrell family go bankrupt?¡±

    Jared¡¯s smile twitched, can¡¯t you wish me any good? As my fiancee, how does the Farrell family¡¯s bankruptcy benefit you?

    He coughed lightly, maintaining a serious tone, ¡°My grandfather says I¡¯m engaged and need to support my wife and kids on my own. To make me self-reliant, he has cut off my cards. I¡¯m broke now.¡±

    Logan: I¡¯m not, I didn¡¯t, stop spreading rumors! Listen to my exnation! This kid is setting me up!

    Tina was speechless. You and your grandfather really know how to y.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need a P. E. teacher,¡± Tina told Mr. Stiller, ¡°With only three months left until the exams, 22D¡¯s schedule is too tight, and P. E. sses have been cancelled.¡±

    Mr. Stiller looked troubled as he nced at Jared. He had no issues with Tina¡¯s arrangements. 22D was different from the other sses; they were way behind and needed to catch up as soon as possible.

    ¡°Tina, you know I¡¯m disabled, nopany will take me in. If you don¡¯t want me, I have no living expenses. Grandfather and Sophia are relying on me now, and I have to support them. We¡¯re quite poor,¡± Jared said pitifully.

    Tina remained silent. Disabled? Nopany will take you in? Poor? Have you no shame?

    Nathan behind Jared was speechless. Mr. Farrell, does your conscience not hurt when you say that?

    Mr. Stiller, seeing Tina¡¯s cold face and silence, spoke up in an attempt to persuade her, ¡°Miss Reed, the kids still need a bnce of work and rest. What do you say to letting Mr. Farrell stay?¡±

    Before Tina could respond, Mr. Stiller added, ¡°I¡¯ve already signed a contract with Mr. Farrell. If we don¡¯t keep him, I¡¯ll have to pay him double his sry. Oh, and he¡¯s being paid fifty thousand dors a month.¡±

    Tina was shocked. Fifty thousand dors a month for a P. E. teacher? Are you joking?

 Chapter 65: The Nuisance Strikes Again

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, somewhat speechless.

    After a moment, she raised her eyes to meet Jared¡¯s gaze, her eyes briefly scanning his legs, ¡°You¡¯re nning to teach them like this?¡±

    Jared¡¯s slender fingers rested on his legs, his lips curving into a faint smile, ¡°My disability doesn¡¯t affect my teaching.¡±

    Tina was lost for words. ¡°You win! Since you insist oning, thene. But let me make it clear, you can only teach two PE sses a week.¡±

    Tina understood the need to bnce work and rest. The situation with ss 22D was so peculiar; the curriculum was too heavy. She nned to solidify the knowledge of ss 22D within a month before considering scheduling PE lessons.

    Who could have predicted Jared¡¯s sudden interference?

    Oh well!

    Considering the strawberry cake he had given her, she decided not to hold it against him.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jared agreed readily.

    Mr. Stiller, relieved that they had reached an agreement, said, ¡°Miss Reed, could Mr. Farrell share an office with you for now? I haven¡¯t managed to free up a new office yet. We¡¯ll move Mr. Farrellter.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± It was Jared who responded.

    Tina shot him a look, then told Mr. Stiller, ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    With the matter settled, Mr. Stiller left.

    He had only taken a few steps when suddenly something urred to him, and he whirled around, ¡°Do you two know each other?¡±

    When he first entered, he was worried Tina might disagree and that failing to handle the situation would upset Jared. He had been too preupied to notice the familiarity between Jared and Tina.

    Now, with everything exined, it dawned on him that Jared had seemed to call Tina by her name.

    Jared was silent.

    Tina was silent.

    Mr. Stiller, slow on the uptake!

    Without a word from them but judging from their expressions, Mr. Stiller chuckled and took his leave.

    ss 22A.

    At this point, the ss had already been waiting for twenty minutes.

    The students were anxiously watching the door, especially Amber at the front row, her heart racing.

    Suddenly, the door opened, and the Lead Teacher of 22A walked in.

    Amber immediately stood up, ¡°Mrs. Scott, what happened? When is Professor Liningering?¡±

    Mrs. Scott sighed, ¡°Professor Lininger won¡¯t being.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Amber¡¯s face fell, ¡°But we saw Professor Liningere to the school.¡±

    Most students hadn¡¯t seen him arrive since he was punctual for the 8 AM ss, but a few who werete did.

    Their ss had er who just so happened to witness the Head of Education leading Professor Lininger into the school.

    There could be no mistake, so why was Mrs. Scott saying Professor Lininger wouldn¡¯te?

    ¡°Professor Lininger dide to the school, but he was here for ss 22D,¡± Mrs. Scott said regretfully.

    ¡°22D?!¡± The students of ss 22A exploded in disbelief.

    ¡°How could this be? Those troublemakers from 22D, why would Professor Lininger teach them? They¡¯ve almost forgotten all of their Grade 9 knowledge. Isn¡¯t teaching them a waste of resources?¡±

    ¡°We are the best ss at Ensford High School, with nearly everyone capable of attending a good university. Why would they prefer to teach 22D over us?¡±

    The students of 22A were extremely agitated.

    They couldn¡¯t ept Professor Lininger teaching ss 22D.

    Amber was shocked by Mrs. Scott¡¯s revtion. She never imagined Professor Lininger would abandon 22A for 22D!

    That ss was a bunch of pests. Had Professor Lininger lost his mind?

    She couldn¡¯t ept this oue.

    ¡°Mrs. Scott, do you know why Professor Lininger is teaching 22D? Will he ever teach our ss?¡± Amber inquired.

    ¡°Professor Lininger¡¯s team was invited by the Lead Teacher of 22D,¡± Mrs. Scott said with admiration. ¡°I just found out today that 22D has a new Lead Teacher who has managed to get the students under control. It seems Mr. Stiller made the right choice this time.¡±

    Mrs. Scott continued with a smile, ¡°I heard the students of 22D weing them this morning. It was quite surprising. But I also heard this morning that many parents joined forces to persuade Mr. Stiller to fire Miss Reed, not knowing that Miss Reed actually holds not one, but two doctoral degrees.¡±

    Mrs. Scott, always keen on gossip, had been away for a couple of days due to personal matters, and upon returning, she was curious about the changes in 22D.

    Then she heard Professor Lininger wasing to teach and went to Mr. Stiller¡¯s office when the students became anxious due to his absence.

    Many teachershad visited Mr. Stiller¡¯s office, but she had remained, observing from a distance.

    It wasn¡¯t until the office cleared that she entered to inquire about the situation.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Truth be told, she was immensely impressed with Tina.

    ss 22D was notoriously difficult to manage, and Tina not only kept them in line but also got them to listen obediently, a feat not easily aplished by many.

    No wonder she had obtained a dual doctorate from Kongham University at the tender age of neen.

    ¡°Two doctoral degrees?¡± Amber¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Mrs. Scott.

    She thought she had misheard.

    She must have been too tiredtely, causing her hearing to be off.

    But then Mrs. Scott confirmed, ¡°Yes, Miss Reed not only has two doctoral degrees from Kongham University, but she is also the youngest Ph. D. student, and Professor Lininger was her supervisor at Kongham University.¡±

    ¡°Professor Lininger was specifically invited by Miss Reed to teach 22D. Mr. Stiller had initially nned to discuss with Miss Reed and Professor Lininger about him teaching other sses, but after this morning¡¯smotion with the parents, that¡¯s unlikely now.¡±

    Mrs. Scott looked down at the students, ¡°Don¡¯t be too disheartened. As long as you maintain your current standards, you¡¯ll all be able to get into university. Professor Lininger will start formally teaching 22D this afternoon, beginning with Grade 9 material. I intend to speak with Miss Reed about sitting in on the ss. I can¡¯t promise anything, but if I pick up anything useful in physics, I¡¯ll be sure to share it with you.¡±

    Mrs. Scott was passionate about physics.

    Her enthusiasm for the subject was deep-rooted.

    Oblivious to the stunned silence of her ss, Mrs. Scott continued to share her thoughts.

    Especially Amber and her neighbor, Elena.

    Elena, who sat next to Amber, leaned in and whispered, ¡°Your sister is a Ph. D. student? Why haven¡¯t you mentioned it before? I thought she never attended school?¡±

    Pulled back to reality by Elena¡¯s voice, Amber remained silent for a moment before replying, ¡°I don¡¯t know how she could be a Ph. D. student. I¡¯m certain she never went to school¡­ Maybe Mr. Farrell bought the degrees for her?¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Elena fumed, ¡°Tina is full of lies! It¡¯s a shame, with a fake degree, we can¡¯t get her kicked out of school.¡±

 Chapter 66: No, Iâ€™m Not Kind at All

    In the 22D Lead Teacher¡¯s office, Tina had arranged for a simple setup at Jared¡¯s request: just a desk and a sofa that could be used for resting. At the moment, Tina was busy at the desk, Jared was on his wheelchair ying with his cell phone (though in reality, he was handling matters), and Nathan was sitting on the sofa. None of them had spoken, creating a quiet atmosphere.

    Professor Lininger¡¯s team hadpleted all subject tests for the 22D students and had created a learning n. Once the learning n was set, Tina organized the ss schedule. The workload for the past month had been heavy, and Tina had even scheduled ss during the evening self-study time. However, she had not arranged any physical education sses within the week, which Jared had no objections to. The students of 22D had had enough leisure time; it was time to buckle down and study.

    By the time Tina finished the ss schedule and other misceneous ssroom arrangements, it was already half past twelve. She looked up, surprised to see Jared and Nathan still there, and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you two going to eat?¡±

    ¡°Waiting for you,¡± Jared replied upon hearing her, sending out onest message before putting his phone away. A gentle smile graced his handsome face, and his voice was soft.

    ¡°Waiting for me?¡± She was going home for lunch today. The school mainly served rice meals, which she didn¡¯t prefer. She had asked Jennie to make some noodles in the morning. Why would Jared wait for her?

    ¡°Yes, I called Mrs. Reed this morning; I¡¯ll have lunch at your ce.¡± Jared wheeled himself over to Tina, not waiting for her to respond, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not freeloading. I¡¯ve paid my living expenses, and from now on, I¡¯ll be eating at your home except for breakfast.¡±

    Tina was stunned, ¡°What about your grandfather and Sophia?¡±

    Jared raised his brow and a light smile yed on his lips, ¡°I forgot to tell you, I¡¯ve paid for four people¡¯s meals¡­ for myself, my grandfather, Sophia, and Nathan.¡±

    Tina was speechless. How shameless!

    She tidied up the desk and, turning to leave, her gaze inadvertently fell on the pendant around Jared¡¯s neck. It was identical to the one she wore, the one that should have been with her mother, gleaming even more brightly in the sunlight.

    Tina discreetly averted her eyes and nced at Jared, then headed for the door saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    As they left the office, they saw a person standing at the door. The person immediately approached with a cheerful greeting, ¡°Miss Reed, hello! I¡¯m the Lead Teacher of 22A, my name is Ann Scott.¡±

    Mrs. Scott had arrived at half-past eleven but seeing Tina busy through the window, she didn¡¯t want to interrupt and had waited at the door. She hadn¡¯t expected that she would have to wait for an hour.

    She couldn¡¯t believe Miss Reed was so dedicated to her work that she was still upied with student matters even past lunchtime.

    ¡°Mrs. Scott,¡± Tina greeted, ¡°Is there something you need from me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± Mrs. Scott began, eager to exin so as not to be misunderstood, ¡°I was wondering if I could sit in on Professor Lininger¡¯s ss?¡±

    Tina looked at Mrs. Scott. Sinceing to Ensford High School, she had met very few teachers who put students first like Mrs. Scott did.

    She considered for a moment before replying, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give Professor Lininger a call about it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you! You¡¯re so kind, Miss Reed, not to mention beautiful,¡± Mrs. Scott said excitedly.

    Kind?

    No!

    You misunderstand me!

    ¡°Is there anything else, or may I go?¡± Tina was very hungry and eager to eat.

    Just as Tina was about to leave, Mrs. Scott suddenly remembered something else and quickly asked, ¡°Miss Reed, could you please ask Professor Lininger if he could spare some time to give a lesson to other sses, even just one or two would be great!¡±

    ¡°For the next month, Professor Lininger won¡¯t be teaching other sses. Our ss has a heavy workload and the schedule is very tight,¡± Tina said quietly, ¡°After a month, once 22D¡¯s learning is stable, I¡¯ll arrange it.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Mrs. Scott left happily with a confirmed answer.

    On the way back to Pinkwater Ally, Nathan was driving while Jared and Tina sat in the backseat. Tina leaned against the window, holding her phone as if waiting for a message.

    Jared nced at her and suddenly asked, ¡°With two PhDs, why don¡¯t you teach yourself?¡±

    Tina was brought back from her thoughts by his voice, ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t a machine! Teaching every ss fromGrade 9 to Grade 11, with forty-five students in a ss, would require a tremendous amount of time and energy. She could afford the best educational team to teach them, so why exhaust herself?

    Moreover, she had other things to do at Ensford High School.

    ¡°What kind of person was your mother?¡± Jared suddenly changed the subject.

    The shift was so abrupt that Tina didn¡¯t respond immediately. After a pause, her cool gaze fixed on Jared, her body exuding an icy chill as cold as winter frost, bone-piercingly cold.

    Jared met her icy look with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m very curious about the person who raised someone as outstanding as you. I heard your grandmother didn¡¯t like your mother because she was a country woman?¡±

    Tina simply looked at him, her expression unchangingly cold.

    ¡°I also heard that when the Reed family was in decline, it was your mother who used a perfume form to save the Reed family and help them enter Ensford¡¯s elite circles. Is that true?¡± Jared¡¯s slender fingers tapped rhythmically against the car window edge, his tone slow, as if speaking of something utterly mundane.

    Nathan, driving the car, also observed Tina¡¯s reactions through the rearview mirror.

    After a long stare, Tina leaned closer to Jared, her smile radiant and dazzling, ¡°Have you ever heard that knowing too much can get you killed faster?¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Her face was close to his, and he could clearly feel that although she was smiling, the smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes and even seemed rather sinister.

    Jared touched her head with a gentle, indulgent voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    He could smell a faint scent of strawberry cream on her, probably because she had been eating a lot of strawberry cake recently. It was sweet and pleasant.

    Tina leaned in closer, her hand resting on the back of his neck, her smile even brighter, ¡°And don¡¯t worry about me. My mom is very easy to talk to. She won¡¯t harm someone who offends her, she¡¯ll just climb out from the grave at midnight to discuss life with them.¡±

    The fingers resting on the back of his neck held a thin silver needle.

    Jared was taken aback.

    Such a poisonous tongue!

 Chapter 67: Mr. Cohen, You Donâ€™t Look Right

    In the midst of Jared and Tina¡¯s mutual probing, the car drove into Pinkwater Alley. By the time Tina arrived home, Logan and Sophia were already there, apanied by Hayden. Tina nced at Hayden, then turned her gaze to Jared, ¡°You paid for four people¡¯s living expenses, why have five peoplee?¡±

    Before Jared could speak, Hayden said with a yful grin, ¡°Chick, don¡¯t be so stingy. I¡¯m just here for a free meal, and besides, I bought a gift. The cost of the gift should surely cover the expense of a meal at your ce.¡±

    Tina stared at him. Chick? Stingy? Very well! Sheposed herself and spoke earnestly, ¡°Mr. Cohen, I see a sign of impending bloodshed on you today. I suggest you eat some garlic to ward off the evil spirits.¡±

    Hayden took a sip from his cup,ughing, ¡°You¡¯re too funny, Miss Reed. I never realized you were such a¡­ Bang!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the ss shattered in his hand.

    Hayden¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Damn, you¡¯ve got to be kidding me?¡±

    The others in the room were equally startled, staring nkly at Hayden.

    ¡°Wow, Tina girl, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Logan eximed as he stood up, looking at the shattered ss on the floor. ¡°Hayden, you better do as Tina girl says, eat the garlic!¡±

    Logan was the oldest and the only one among them who revered the spiritual. Their generation often believed in the existence of unseen forces. Although they had never witnessed them, they preferred to err on the side of belief rather than disbelief.

    Now, having seen Hayden¡¯s cup shatter without warning, Logan was even more convinced of the spiritual world¡¯s existence.

    Hayden, ¡°¡­ Mr. Farrell, it¡¯s just a ss cup. Maybe the water was too hot and damaged the ss. It broke just as I picked it up. She¡¯s talking nonsense, and you believe her?¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk!¡± Mr. Farrell spat dismissively, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t speak so carelessly. Some things deserve our respect. Hurry up and do as Tina girl says.¡±

    Hayden, with three ck lines on his forehead, protested, ¡°If I eat that garlic, my mouth will stink. I won¡¯t eat it.¡±

    He thought Tina was poisonous. Was it necessary to curse him just for crashing a meal? Now, he was being forced by Mr. Farrell to eat garlic!

    He was truly aggrieved.

    ¡°You rascal! Why won¡¯t you listen? Go on!¡± Mr. Farrell insisted righteously.

    Reluctantly, Hayden picked up another cup, ¡°Look, I¡¯m holding this cup and nothing¡¯s happening. What we need is science, there are no such things as supernatural powers¡­ Bang!¡±

    The cup broke again!

    Hayden¡¯s hand froze in mid-air, his mouth agape, at a loss for words.

    Suddenly, he leaped up, his face stricken with terror, ¡°This can¡¯t be real, right?¡±

    ¡°Ah, you child, we¡¯ve told you so! Now go eat the garlic. Do you want to cause your father to bury his own son?¡± Logan was genuinely anxious.

    Hayden was like a grandson to him; he did not want anything bad to happen to him.

    Hugo and Jennie also urged, ¡°Mr. Cohen, even though we value science, some things can¡¯t be ignored. You should listen to Tina. After all, she has spent ten years in a temple and might know something.¡±

    Though they were skeptical, who could be certain?

    Sophia also persuaded, ¡°Hayden, Miss Reed wouldn¡¯t harm you. Look, you¡¯ve picked up two cups, and both broke. It¡¯s very unlucky. Just listen to her.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t believe in this nonsense.¡± Hayden stubbornly refused to believe, picking up another cup, which also shattered as soon as he lifted it. Subsequently, he sat down, only for the chair to copse beneath him.

    Now, not only Hayden but also Logan and the others were truly rmed.

    Jennie even ran into the kitchen, fetching a bunch of garlic and cing it in front of Hayden, ¡°Mr. Cohen, my family is poor, we can¡¯t afford your mishaps. You¡¯ve already broken three cups and a chair. If this continues, you¡¯ll break everything in the house. Just eat the garlic, please don¡¯t break anything else.¡±

    Hugo nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, yes, Mr. Cohen. I¡¯m the only breadwinner in my family and I¡¯ve just started working. I haven¡¯t even received my first paycheck. If you keep this up, we¡¯ll all end up sleeping on the streets.¡±

    Logan pped Hayden on the head, ¡°You damn fool, what kind of guest causes such a mess in someone¡¯s home? Go eat the garlic!¡±

    Hayden, with tears inhis eyes, finally sumbed to the pressure and forcefully ate arge handful of garlic. That handful contained no less than twenty cloves, and it was fiery hot.

    While everyone else was talking, Jared remained silent. Unseen by the others, he had clearly observed Tina using a silver needle to pierce Hayden¡¯s cup three times with a peculiar technique. If one wasn¡¯t paying close attention, it was impossible to detect how she managed it.

    Jared¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Hayden didn¡¯t know Tina, so why was she targeting him? Was it merely because he came to mooch a meal? From his interaction with her so far, Tina didn¡¯t seem like the type to act this way without good reason, as long as no one crossed her boundaries.

    Why then, with Hayden¡­

    After eating the garlic, Logan suggested, ¡°Try holding a cup again?¡±

    Jennie was on the verge of tears, fearing another broken cup, but she said nothing. After all, the garlic was Tina¡¯s idea, and they had to see if it worked.

    Obediently, Hayden picked up another cup. This time, after five minutes, the cup remained intact. His heart finally settled.

    He put the cup down and, with a smile, said to Tina, ¡°Hey, girl, you really are something. That trick worked.¡±

    Despite the overwhelming taste of garlic in his mouth.

    Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, her tone cool, ¡°Don¡¯t call me ¡®girl¡¯ next time.¡±

    Hayden asked, ¡°Then what should I call you? You are younger than me, it¡¯s normal for me to call you ¡®girl.''¡±

    Tina gave him a nce and ignored him.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Jennie had already prepared the dough, and seeing everyone gathered, she started pulling noodles to cook. Just as she served the noodles and Tina was about to eat, her phone rang.

    It was a text message alert.

    Tina picked up her phone and nced at the message, her expression turning serious. She put down her chopsticks, ¡°I have an urgent matter. I need to step out.¡±

    ¡°Eat before you go!¡± Jennie called out anxiously.

    ¡°No need.¡± After finishing her words, Tina returned to her room, changed into a ck hoodie, donned a ck cap, and left.

    Jared watched her departing figure thoughtfully. He was closest to Tina, and it wasn¡¯t that he meant to look at Tina¡¯s phone, but as he looked up, he caught sight of two words in the message, ¡®potion¡¯.

    But that was all he saw before Tina put her phone away.

    Was she investigating the potion, or did she have it in her possession?

 Chapter 68: Another Identity

    At a certain restaurant.

    Tina stood at the entrance of the restaurant, nced around, pulled her duckbill cap down to obscure her face, and stepped into the restaurant.

    She walked to the door of a private room, opened it, and went in.

    The person inside immediately stood up upon her entry, ¡°Young Master!¡±

    This person was also dressed in ck, wearing a duckbill cap, but unlike Tina, he was also wearing a mask. If he didn¡¯t look up, even his eyes would be hidden.

    His name was Jayden.

    This wasn¡¯t his real name. Ever since he had started following Tina, he was called by this name. As for his real family name, it had been long forgotten.

    Tina closed the door behind her, gave him a nce, and said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t choose this kind of ce next time.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Tina sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, and took a sip.

    It was good tea, but it couldn¡¯tpare to the fresh and sweet tea grown by Jennie¡¯s family.

    ¡°Young Master, I¡¯ve searched all over Moon Gate Estate and haven¡¯t found the other vial of the potion,¡± Jayden, standing behind Tina, said solemnly.

    Tina frowned, ¡°Have you checked everywhere?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve checked everywhere. I¡¯ve even moved the tiles in their restroom, nothing,¡± Jayden answered. ¡°I¡¯ve installed a listening device in Elizabeth¡¯s room, and she¡¯s never mentioned anything about the potion. Could it be that the information was wrong and the potion isn¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not wrong,¡± Tina dered with gravity. ¡°My mother took away two vials of the potion. One is with me, the other was left with them.¡±

    This was what her mother had told her on her deathbed.

    At the time, her mother, not wanting to involve her in the affair, had no intention of telling her, but at thest moment, after a phone call, she changed her mind.

    Her mother handed her one of the vials, telling her to protect it well, and informed her that the other was at Moon Gate Estate¡­

    Her mother passed away before she could finish.

    The primary purpose of Tina¡¯s visit to the Reed family was to find that potion.

    ¡°Could it be in Hugo¡¯s possession?¡± Jayden suggested. ¡°I¡¯ve searched every corner, and if it¡¯s not there, then it¡¯s only Hugo left.¡±

    Tina shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not with him either.¡±

    She had thoroughly searched Hugo¡¯s house when she first moved in, finding no trace of the potion.

    After going to Pinkwater Ally, she had searched again with the same result.

    That¡¯s why she had sent Jayden to the Reed family.

    No potion at the Reed family¡¯s-this was a mystery.

    ¡°Is it possible that Hugo, knowing the importance of the potion, didn¡¯t keep it at home?¡± Jayden questioned.

    Tina¡¯s expression faltered. Perhaps that was indeed the case?

    But besides at home, where else could Hugo have ced the potion?

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Hugo directly?¡± Jayden suggested.

    ¡°I can¡¯t ask.¡± Tina¡¯s brows were lowered, her facial expression unreadable.

    What Hugo¡¯s true character was remained unclear.

    It wasn¡¯t certain whether he was as kind-hearted as he seemed.

    Or whether he was feigning kindness to obtain something from her.

    More importantly, asking him directly without confirming whether the potion was in his possession could easily lead to mistakes.

    She had to be sure that Hugo was truly trustworthy.

    ¡°What should we do next?¡± Jayden paused before adding, ¡°Oh, by the way, recently two groups have also been looking for the potion. One is GTO, and the other¡¯s identity is unknown. I didn¡¯t want to startle the snakes, so I didn¡¯t interfere.¡±

    Tina¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°GTO has found Moon Gate Estate so quickly?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Young Master, you¡¯re in danger now.¡±

    Tina suddenlyughed, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they be the ones in danger?¡±

    Jayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    I knew you would say that!

    Our Young Master always has such unfathomable confidence.

    Tina took another sip of tea and stood up, ¡°Have your people withdraw from Moon Gate Estate. You don¡¯t need to worry about things here anymore.¡±

    ¡°But you¡­¡±

    Tina patted his shoulder, revealing a mischievous smile, ¡°Brother, your Young Master has nine lives! I can¡¯t die.¡±

    Jayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    Tina left the tea house and returned to Pinkwater Ally.

    Jared and the others hadn¡¯t left yet.

    Seeing her return, Jennie immediately greeted her, ¡°Tina, have you gone out to eat?¡±

    ¡°Not yet.¡± She had been thinking about that bowl of noodles.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared the noodles; just wait a moment, I¡¯ll go cook them for you.¡± Knowing that Tina probably hadn¡¯t eaten, Jennie hurried to the kitchen to cook the noodles.

    Inthe living room, Logan and Hugo were ying chess, while Sophia was on the balcony ying with a toy that Tina had bought for Zackary.

    Jared, Hayden, and Nathan were each holding a mobile phone, seemingly engrossed in whatever they were viewing.

    Tina sat down on the sofa, directly across from Jared, and her eyes narrowed slightly.

    Jayden had mentioned that another group was looking for the potion, and she guessed it likely had something to do with Jared.

    His mention of her mother today was no coincidence.

    Was his appearance at Serenity Ridge deliberately orchestrated?

    How intriguing!Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Here¡¯s your noodles, Tina. Eat while they¡¯re hot,¡± Jennie brought over the bowl, and Tina thanked her, picking up the chopsticks to eat.

    She was truly hungry.

    ¡°Ha ha! I lost!¡± Logan suddenly burst outughing, ¡°Hugo, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so good. I won¡¯t im to be a great chess yer, but the number of people who can beat me can be counted on one hand. You¡¯re impressive.¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Are you sure it¡¯s your chess skills that won the game?

    Logan: Of course, my chess skills are unmatched, a rare adversary indeed.

    Jared: You won!

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just y casually with others when I have nothing to do. I¡¯m no match for you,¡± Hugo said modestly, though he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit proud inside.

    With your level of skill, even a novice could win, right?

    ¡°I like your temperament. I¡¯lle to y chess with you whenever I¡¯m free,¡± Logan said, taking a liking to Hugo¡¯s family.

    Hugo was honest and upright.

    Jennie was gentle and dignified, also kind.

    And Tina, needless to say, was wless in his eyes.

    During the few days in Ensford, he had found a rare sense offort.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Hugo had initially held a bias against Logan and Jared, not knowing them well.

    But after some interaction, he found them quite agreeable. Logan was down-to-earth and approachable, never looking down on their family¡¯s poverty.

    Jared was well-mannered and articte, not fitting the rumors of being a wastrel at all.

    After finishing her meal, Tina was about to take the bowl to wash it, but Jennie took it from her, insisting on doing it herself.

    Tina didn¡¯t argue further.

    She nced at the lively group in the living room, then approached Hugo and Logan, pouring a cup of tea for each, and suddenly asked, ¡°Mr. Reed, you¡¯ve known my mother for nine years. Do you know what kind of person she was?¡±

    At her words, Jared¡¯s finger, holding the mobile phone, paused slightly, and he looked at her with a hint of surprise.

    Her question seemed to be directed at him.

 Chapter 69: Who is She Really?

    Hugo was taken aback, not expecting Tina to suddenly bring up her mother. She had been back for so long but never mentioned her mother on her own initiative, and he, fearing it would sadden her, had also avoided the topic.

    Hugo fell silent for a moment, then said, ¡°Your mother-she was a kind person, full of a sense of justice. She could put aside her personal interests for the greater good. In short, Tina, the person in this world who loved you the most was your mother, even more than I ever could.¡±

    He deliberately spoke lightly of Reba, not going into great detail.

    Perhaps he did not want to stir up sad memories for Tina.

    Tina simply nodded in response to his answer and did not press further.

    Jared, however, started to ponder deeply. Hugo had been besotted with Reba back in the day, even willing to sh with Elizabeth for her sake. With such deep affection, Hugo¡¯s description of her boiled down to just kindness and a sense of justice, without any hint of his past admiration.

    ¡°Not bad, Reba-she was quite something!¡± Logan¡¯s expression darkened momentarily when he mentioned Reba, but it quickly returned to normal, except for the look of admiration for Reba on his face.

    Hearing this, Jared turned to look at Logan, sensing he was touching upon something crucial.

    He had forgotten that his grandfather knew Reba.

    It was his grandfather and Reba who had arranged his engagement to Tina.

    Tina was stunned for a moment by Logan¡¯s words.

    She did not know how her mother was acquainted with Logan and had never heard her mother mention him.

    She had assumed their engagement was the result of some transaction, but now it seemed the connection between Logan and her mother was not merely an acquaintance.

    There was a deeper bond between them.

    But why was Jared looking into her mother and the medicines?

    Some things were too frightening to probe into. Once you dug deeper, more people would be implicated.

    Tina looked deeply at Jared and then stood up, ¡°I¡¯m off to school.¡±

    Hugo was startled, ¡°School?¡±

    He had been busy familiarizing himself with the newpany for the past couple of days, leaving early and returningte, and was unaware that Tina had actually gone to Ensford High School to teach.

    ¡°You really are¡­ Your own daughter has been a teacher for two days, and you don¡¯t even know,¡± Jennie, who had just finished washing the dishes, red at Hugo and said, ¡°Tina is now the Lead Teacher for ss 22D at Ensford High School, and in just one morning, she has those students well-disciplined.¡±

    At first, both she and Hugo thought Tina was joking about bing a teacher, but after Miss Lehman came looking for Tina yesterday afternoon and they chatted for a while, she learned that Tina was indeed teaching at 22D.

    ¡°The most important thing is, Tina earns fifty thousand dors a month, which is almost as much as your yearly ie used to be.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Hugo stood up excitedly andughed, ¡°Haha, I knew it! My daughter is the best. Who says my country girl doesn¡¯t know anything? Now what¡­ My mother alwayspares Amber to Tina. Now, my daughter has gone to teach her proudest granddaughter!¡±

    Tina replied, ¡°¡­ Mr. Reed, I¡¯m just temporarily teaching the students, not Amber¡¯s teacher.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all the same!¡± Hugoughed so hard he couldn¡¯t close his mouth, ¡°Ah, I can finally hold my head high for once. Amber always sneers at me, looking down on Tina, and subtly mocks my own daughter for not being as good as her, the adopted child. Let¡¯s see if she dares to show off in front of me now.¡±

    Tina: Amber is, after all, your adopted daughter, is this appropriate?

    Jennie pped Hugo lightly and exined apologetically to everyone, ¡°My husband is just a bit crazy with joy, don¡¯t mind him.¡±

    Hugo then snapped back to his senses and gave a silly chuckle, ¡°Sorry, sorry, I just got a bit too happy.¡±

    He didn¡¯t mean to disregard his foster daughter in favor of his biological one; rather, Amber had infuriated him over the years, especially since Tina¡¯s return, with her numerous schemes. Seeing his own daughter outdo her now, he lost himself in his pride.

    Logan and Jared said nothing, instead finding Hugo¡¯s behavior quite genuine.

    As Tina was off to work, and Jared had no sses that day, he returned to the vi with Logan.

    Once inside, Jared asked Mrs. Brown to take Sophia to y.

    He stopped Logan, ¡°Grandpa!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Logan was in a great mood today, his smile broadening as he spoke to Jared.

    ¡°Do you know Tina¡¯s mother?¡± Jared¡¯s deep eyes fixed intently on Logan¡¯s face.

    ¡°Of course, I know her. How else couldI have arranged your engagement?¡± Logan said cheerfully.

    ¡°How did youe to know her?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a long story, you see¡­¡± Logan¡¯s smile suddenly faded as he caught the calcting look in Jared¡¯s eyes. The words he was about to say took a sharp turn, ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s wrong with my memory? I can¡¯t seem to remember much anymore. I must be getting senile, I should get Ben to check on me soon.¡±

    Jared interjected, ¡°¡­ Ben just gave you a full check-up the day before yesterday, you don¡¯t have dementia.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Logan continued to feign confusion, ¡°Then his medical skills must becking. I¡¯ll have Tina look at me in a few days.¡±

    After saying this, he attempted to head upstairs but Jared grabbed him, ¡°Grandpa! ying dumb won¡¯t work. This is serious, you must tell me everything.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you rascal, how dare you pressure your grandfather!¡± Logan copsed to the ground, pretending to be distraught, ¡°Mary, look at what your grandson is doing to me! I¡¯m left all alone, with no one to stand up for me, Mary, why did you leave me alone to die¡­ After you left, these unworthy descendants started taking me for granted¡­¡±

    ¡°My life is so hard, to be beaten by my own grandson in old age!¡±

    Jared was astonished, ¡°When did I ever beat you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already on the ground because of you, and you¡¯re still denying it? Are you even a man? Own up to what you¡¯ve done!¡± Logan took his dramatics to the next level.

    Jared sighed, ¡°Please stop this nonsense, this is no joke, it¡¯s about the safety of many people.¡±

    ¡°You stubborn boy, why insist when I¡¯ve told you I¡¯ve forgotten? You want me to talk, talk to this big head of yours!¡± Logan was clearly dissatisfied.

    Jared clenched his teeth, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll have the policee and talk to you!¡±

    ¡°I might as well be dead, this ursed life¡­ He¡¯s going to send his own grandfather to the police just because I have dementia, Mary, open your eyes and look at your wonderful grandson¡­¡± Logan feigned a move to hit his head against the wall.

    Jared eximed, ¡°Stop!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, you want to protect Reba, but do you want to harm Tina? Have you ever considered that some things Reba is involved in might put Tina in danger?¡±

    Logan stopped abruptly.

    He fell silent for a moment, then with a grave expression, said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you, it¡¯s that I don¡¯t know much. She once saved our family¡¯s lives. I only know she¡¯s very capable, beyond that I don¡¯t know, and she wouldn¡¯t let me know. Jared, we owe her, and we must protect Tina no matter what.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Jared looked at Logan for a long time, certain this time he was not lying.

    Who exactly was Reba?

    Despite having saved the Farrell family¡¯s life, why did he have no recollection of it?

 Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Please Come with Us

    In the two days that followed, ss 22D made rapid progress, and the students¡¯ enthusiasm for learning greatly increased. Those who used to be unwilling even to attend sses were now reluctant to rest after ss, with everyone fervently studying with their books in hand.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Professor Lininger felt very gratified seeing their state. Teaching ss 22D had been a great challenge for him, and now he felt a sense of achievement. Imagine, a group of good-for-nothing rich kids, who, after his education, had made rapid progress in their studies. Who wouldn¡¯t be happy?

    Tina was also busy these two days, personally following up on the progress of ss 22D. Although she wasn¡¯t responsible for substituting sses, she had plenty of other things to handle, especially teaching Velma personally.

    Velma was far behind the others, and Tina had to take her through the material from the beginning to the end. However, Velma was very smart. She could remember everything after being taught just once. She just hadn¡¯t been looked after properly before-if she had been, her grades would have been quite impressive.

    On Friday, the school held a general assembly of all teachers and students. At the beginning of each semester, the school would hold one such meeting, which was supposed to be on Monday. However, due to the change of the Lead Teacher for ss 22D and the arrival of Professor Lininger, it was postponed to Friday.

    The general assembly featured speeches by Mr. Stiller and some of the outstanding teachers. Mr. Stiller had arranged for Tina to speak, but she had not agreed.

    Midway through the assembly, several uniformed individuals entered the room. One of them approached Mr. Stiller and said, ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but we¡¯ve received a report that one of your teachers has forged their credentials. We need to take this teacher back with us for an investigation!¡±

    Mr. Stiller, taken aback, stood up and said, ¡°Could there be some mistake? All our teachers were hired through regr procedures, with certificates verified by the relevant departments. How could there be a forgery?¡±

    ¡°The reported individual is your new teacher, Tina Reed!¡± the officer said. ¡°May I ask which one is Tina Reed?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± said Tina, standing up from among the 22D students, her demeanor calm andposed.

    ¡°Please provide your diploma for verification,¡± the officer said, all business.

    This set off a buzz among all the teachers and students present.

    ¡°Miss Reed¡¯s diploma is fake? That¡¯s audacious, to forge a diploma!¡±

    ¡°I heard Miss Reed and Mr. Stiller are involved improperly, she was personally recruited by Mr. Stiller. Perhaps he¡¯s involved in the forgery?¡±

    ¡°My goodness, that¡¯s explosive! Mr. Stiller seems so amiable, who would have thought he¡¯d be involved in such underhanded dealings.¡±

    As the murmurs swirled, Tina¡¯s expression turned dark, and Mr. Stiller¡¯s face became ashen. He had already had Tina register her diploma when those parents made a fuss earlier, thinking that would be the end of the problems. He hadn¡¯t expected that during the assembly, officials woulde looking. Since all that was required was for a teacher¡¯s diploma to be registered, he hadn¡¯t made Tina¡¯s public, which, in turn, made her situation seem even more singr.

    Tina disliked trouble, and he naturally wanted to spare her any. However, the official¡¯s visit during the assembly and making everyone aware of the issue with Tina¡¯s diploma clearly indicated someone wasn¡¯t giving up and believed Tina got her position through backdoor influence.

    As Mr. Stiller thought this, he was livid. He was about to speak when Tina said to the officer, ¡°Before you came to investigate me, didn¡¯t you check my information in your system?¡±

    The officer was taken aback, ¡°We came right after receiving the report; please cooperate and provide your diploma.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating!¡± Tina, with one hand in her pocket, remarked coolly, ¡°You received a report and didn¡¯t verify the information beforeing to check the authenticity of my diploma?¡±

    The officer looked ufortable but maintained a professional demeanor, ¡°We are following procedures. Please cooperate.¡±

    ¡°How would you like me to cooperate?¡± Tina asked coldly.

    ¡°By providing your diploma for us to verify,¡± the officer insisted.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Tina scoffed, ¡°Do you carry your diploma around with you when you are out and about?¡±

    The officer became visibly annoyed, ¡°Please do not waste everyone¡¯s time. Provide your diploma immediately.¡±

    ¡°You choose the time during a school meeting to ask for my diploma, do you expect me to conjure one up right here?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, an air of iciness enveloping her.

    ¡°If you refuse to provide your diploma, we have reason to suspect it¡¯s a forgery. Pleasee with us,¡± the officer said impatiently.

    ¡°Go? Impossible!¡± Tina said expressionless, her voice devoid of emotion.

    ¡°Are you refusing to cooperate?¡± the officer asked sternly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t cooperate with you, but perhaps you should cooperate with your department to be investigated?¡± Tina retorted.

    The officer was about to respond when Tina pulled out her phone and dialed a number. The call connected quickly, and Tina spoke deliberately, ¡°Chief Kampwerth, I¡¯ve taken a job at Ensford High School, and your department¡¯s people at Ensford police are iming my diploma is a fake, asking to take me in for investigation. They are now at Ensford High School. How shall we handle this?¡±

    The leading officer¡¯s eyes flickered with panic upon hearing the name Chief Kampwerth. Was Tina calling the Chief of the capital¡¯s main bureau? Impossible! How could someone like Tina, from the countryside, possibly have the phone number of Chief Kampwerth?

    ¡°Sorry Miss Reed, I wasn¡¯t aware such a situation would arise. Please hand the phone to the officer, I need to speak with him,¡± Chief Kampwerth¡¯s voice was calm, but his heart was fuming with anger. Who would dare to be so blind?

    Tina nced at the leading officer and handed him the phone, ¡°For you!¡±

    The officer took the phone, his expression one of doubt, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡±

    ¡°I am Lee Kampwerth. State your department and name.¡±

    Lee Kampwerth! Chief Kampwerth! The officer was stunned.

    It really was Chief Kampwerth!

    The officer¡¯s face tightened, ¡°Chief Kampwerth, I¡­ I am¡­ Martin Schafer!¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± was all Lee Kampwerth said before hanging up.

    Martin Schafer stood still, phone in hand, not fully processing what had happened. Not long after, his own phone rang. It was his immediate superior.

    As soon as he answered, an onught of furious scolding came through, ¡°Martin Schafer! Who gave you the authority to take matters into your own hands and investigate a forgery?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Martin Schafer tried to speak, but the voice on the other end didn¡¯t allow him a chance, ¡°Have you lost your mind? Don¡¯t you think before acting? Would a renowned national school not check diplomas before hiring? Even if they didn¡¯t, is our department¡¯s system just for show?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even check and just go ahead with the investigation? What are you thinking?¡±

    The caller was clearly livid, ranting on before angrily saying, ¡°You¡¯re fired. Pack your things and get out!¡±

 Chapter 71 The Play is Over

    Martin Schafer didn¡¯t even get the chance to exin before the call was abruptly terminated. He stared at his phone, dumbfounded, then turned towards Tina, who was looking back at him with an indifferent expression. For a moment, he was at a loss for words.

    At that time, several of Martin Schafer¡¯s colleagues also received phone calls, their expressions changing instantaneously. One of them approached Tina and said, ¡°I apologize, Miss Reed. It was our mistake for not verifying the information and misunderstanding you. The department has checked just now, and your graduation certificate is indeed authentic. We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused to you!¡±

    Tina looked at them coldly, silent.

    The staff members were panicking, worried that Tina would hold them ountable. They hurriedly exined, ¡°Miss Reed, we are truly sorry. We did not know Martin had failed to check your information in the system. He has been fired, and we willpensate you for the trouble caused. Please forgive us this once.¡±

    These staff members genuinely didn¡¯t know their colleague had failed to verify Tina¡¯s graduation certificate information in the system. They had all been busy that day when Martin suddenly gathered them to investigate a case of a fake diploma. Martin, being of higher rank, naturallymanded their obedience.

    Before leaving, they had specifically asked Martin if he had checked the system, and he had affirmed he did, but it turned out he hadn¡¯t.

    At this moment, the staff members wished they could give Martin a beating. What grudge did they have to suffer like this because of him?

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Before Tina could speak, Professor Lininger stepped forward, scoffing, ¡°If apologies were enough, what need would we have for the police? You¡¯ve disrupted the university¡¯s schedule and falsely used my student without evidence, causing her severe distress. We will not ept an apology;wyers will be here shortly to handle this matter.¡±

    Professor Lininger nced at Martin with an expressionless face, ¡°Such a serious mistake at work, and you think firing is enough? I will have thewyers investigate thoroughly to see if he hasmitted any other vitions.¡±

    The staff members were in a difficult position but knew better than to say too much while Tina and her supporters were angry. After all, it was Martin who had caused the issue, and they needed to report back to their chief. So, they left with Martin in tow.

    After they departed, Jared, who was sitting in the back row with the students, tapped his wheelchair and opened his thin lips slightly, ¡°Nathan, arrange for someone to handle this.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Nathan responded and took out his phone to make a call.

    Tina sat back down, and the students and teachers behind her began to murmur again.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did those people leave?¡±

    ¡°I just overheard that Miss Reed¡¯s diploma is real.¡±

    Martin and Tina had been too far from them earlier, and their voices were not as loud, so not everyone had heard clearly.

    While everyone was discussing, Mr. Stiller took the microphone and said, ¡°As you all know, I¡¯ve recently appointed a new Lead Teacher for 22D, Miss Reed. She has used her personal connections to invite Professor Lininger¡¯s team to teach in an effort to manage 22D well. However, many people have been dissatisfied, believing she got the position through connections.¡±

    Mr. Stiller paused before continuing, ¡°Today, I will disy Miss Reed¡¯s graduation certificate on the public screen for everyone to see for themselves whether she is fit to be a teacher.¡±

    As the education director disyed Tina¡¯s backup diploma on the public screen, the crowd was surprised to learn that she had not one, but two doctoral degrees, a fact known to few.

    At the same time, Mr. Stiller¡¯s voice echoed again, ¡°Miss Reed attended university at fourteen and earned two doctoral degrees by sixteen. Tell me, with such qualifications, does she need to use back doors?¡±

    ¡°Wow! Is Miss Reed really that amazing? A sixteen-year-old with doctorates? She¡¯s a genius!¡±

    ¡°22D has struck gold!¡±

    Naturally, the students of 22D were the most shocked. They had initially been subdued by Tina because, indeed, she was not to be trifled with. They were afraid of her.

    Later, when Tina invited Professor Lininger¡¯s team, they thought it was just because Tina had broad connections, but she hadn¡¯t taught them herself. They believed Mr. Stiller brought in Tina merely to awe them and let Professor Lininger¡¯s team teach properly.

    But now, they realized Tina¡¯s educational background was so impressive! This was indeed a windfall for them.

    With a genius teacher like Tina and Professor Lininger¡¯s team, they could see a glimmer of hope for their future.

    Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, Amber sat in the front row, clenching her fingers so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh without her feeling the pain. Her face was pale, her lips tightly pursed as she stared at the certificate disyed on the screen, momentarily convinced she was hallucinating.

    Beside her, Elena was equally stunned. ¡°How can this be? Tina is actually a doctoral student? Amber, hasn¡¯t she always been in the temple, nevering down the mountain? How did she take the exams?¡±

    Amber¡¯s face remained calm, but she didn¡¯t answer. How could she have anticipated Tina¡¯s academic credentials were genuine? Ever since Tina returned, Amber¡¯s title as Miss Reed had reverted to Miss Amber. She had be the adopted daughter again. She had thought she could find some sense of superiority over Tina in academics, but Tina had pped her in the face with her aplishments.

    Tina! Why should she?

    How could a country girl be a university schr at fourteen, ace her exams, and earn two doctoral degrees by sixteen? Why was Tina, also a daughter of the Reed family, now her teacher?

    No! It must be that Tina had cheated! It had to be!

    But without evidence, Amber couldn¡¯t expose Tina.

    Watching the admiration in the eyes of the other students and teachers for Tina, Amber felt a sting of jealousy. She could not allow herself to be outdone by Tina. Absolutely not!This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    After the issues regarding Tina¡¯s academic credentials were addressed, Mr. Stiller resumed the meeting. The conferencested over two hours. Due to the dy caused by the authorities, it was already twelve o¡¯clock when it ended.

    Tina and Jared returned to Pinkwater Alley, with Nathan driving as usual. Tina took out her phone to message Cole when Jared said, ¡°That Martin who came today, he¡¯s the uncle of what¡¯s her name¡­?¡±

    Sorry! Names of people I¡¯m not familiar with are quickly forgotten!

    Tina, ¡°!!¡±

    Amber: Are you serious?

    Just as Tina was about to answer, Jared waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Her name isn¡¯t important, Martin is her friend¡¯s uncle.¡±

    Hearing this, Tina pocketed her phone and looked at Jared seriously, ¡°Her name is Amber, and her ssmate is Elena, Mr. Farrell, that¡¯s a bit rude.¡±

    Jared nced sideways, his lips curling into a smirk, ¡°They don¡¯t deserve my politeness!¡±

    Tina, ¡°Well said-makes sense!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the Heisler family has some issues to deal with, to take some heat off you,¡± Jared changed the subject.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Tina said, not refusing the offer. She had been nning to deal with the Heisler family herself.

    Martin being Elena¡¯s uncle hade to light when he announced his name, and she had already instructed Cole to look into it. First, they had falsely used her of theft, and now of forging documents!

    The Heisler family must think life is too good and are seeking to add some spice. She would fulfill their wish!

    However, with Jared willing to take action on her behalf, it saved her some trouble.

 Chapter 72: A Life Saved

    It was the weekend.

    Normally, the students of ss 22D would not have a break, but their progress had far exceeded Tina¡¯s expectations, so she allowed them to take a regr weekend.

    On this day off, Hugo and Jennie went back to Jennie¡¯s hometown.

    There had been an incident in Jennie¡¯s family. She didn¡¯t specify what, only mentioning it was inconvenient to take Zackary along and asked Tina to look after him.

    Jennie had prepared both breakfast and lunch; all Tina needed to do was heat them up.

    Tina, having no experience with children, asionally yed with Zackary when Hugo and the others were home.

    After ying with toys for half an hour, Zackary grew bored. ¡°Tina, I don¡¯t want to y with toys anymore.¡±

    ¡°What would you like to y then?¡± Tina¡¯s own childhood hadn¡¯t been joyful, and she didn¡¯t know what children his age enjoyed.

    Zackary looked down, too scared to speak.

    Although Tina was gentle, he was inexplicably frightened of her.

    He was afraid that if he asked for too much, Tina would get angry.

    His mother had instructed him not to anger Tina and to always listen to her.

    ¡°Are you very scared of me?¡± Tina sat next to him and gently touched his head, trying to soften her voice as much as possible.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m not scared!¡± Zackary said, conflicted.

    He didn¡¯t want to lie, but telling the truth might hurt Tina.

    Tina could sense the boy¡¯s dilemma, pinched the bridge of her nose in resignation, and wondered if she really looked that intimidating.

    She always spoke to Zackary in the gentlest tones and couldn¡¯t understand where the fear stemmed from.

    Tina sighed and patiently said to Zackary, ¡°I¡¯m very patient, I won¡¯t get angry with you. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of me. Whatever you want to do, just tell me. As long as it¡¯s reasonable, I¡¯ll agree.¡±

    Zackary looked into Tina¡¯s eyes, blinked his little eyes for a long time, and finally mustered the courage to say, ¡°Then, can I go to the amusement park? Mom and dad promised me we¡¯d go a long time ago, but we never did.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina agreed.

    ¡°Really? You¡¯ll really take me to the amusement park?¡± Zackary hadn¡¯t expected Tina to say yes without any hesitation, and his eyes lit up with joy.

    Tina smiled and stroked his head. ¡°Really, go change your clothes.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Tina.¡± Zackary, not tall enough, stood on the sofa, gave Tina a kiss, and ran off to change.

    Tina was stunned by the sudden kiss, taking a while toe back to her senses.

    This-was the first boy to ever kiss her!

    Zackary quickly returned, dressed and ready. Tina called a taxi, and they headed to the amusement park.

    When they were halfway there, Tina¡¯s phone rang.

    It was Sophia.

    ¡°Miss Reed, why is there no one at your home? I came to visit,¡± she said.

    Tina was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re at my house?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Jared and Hayden are here too. Jared has been knocking on your door for a long time. Miss Reed, where did you go?¡± Sophia asked.

    Tina was at a loss for words, wondering why Jared seemed to be haunting her everywhere.

    She pinched her forehead and said, ¡°I¡¯m taking Zackary to the amusement park. No one¡¯s home today. Maybe you cane another day?¡±

    ¡°The amusement park?¡± Sophia eximed with excitement. ¡°I want toe too. Wait for me at the entrance, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    Before Tina could reply, Sophia hung up.

    Tina was left speechless.

    Since it was the weekend, traffic was heavy, and the area around the amusement park was filled with parked cars. The taxi could not get through and stopped at the nearest restaurant to the park.

    Tina paid the fare.

    As soon as she got out, she heard someone crying out in panic, ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t scare me! Can someone please call an ambnce?¡±

    Tina looked in the direction of the voice. A woman in her forties, dressed elegantly, was beside an equally well-dressed elderlydy who was pale and motionless.

    Passersby stopped to watch; some pulled out their phones to call 911.

    ¡°Is there a doctor? Someone please save my mother!¡± The wealthy woman, realizing her mother was no longer breathing, panicked.

    Tina stood nearby, hesitating whether to intervene.

    She had previously drawn attention by saving Sophia, and if she intervened again, her identity could be exposed to even more people.

    ¡°Grandma Lehman?¡±

    While Tina hesitated, Zackary suddenly spoke up.

    Tina turned to him, ¡°You know her?¡±

    Zackary nodded, ¡°Shehas visited our house. She is a kinddy. Others look down on mom and me, but she always smiles and talks to us, even giving me candy.¡±

    He was young and only knew to call her Grandma Lehman, unaware of her true identity.

    Zackary, seeing Grandma Lehman motionless on the ground, started to cry, ¡°Tina, is Grandma Lehman going to die? She¡¯s such a good person; why would she die?¡±

    Tina pursed her lips, then gently touched his head and softly assured, ¡°She¡¯s not going to die.¡±

    With that, she walked over to the distressed woman.

    In her heart, she sighed. She had learned medicine to save lives and could not stand idly by and watch someone die in front of her.

    If she did, neither her mother nor her mentor would forgive her.

    ¡°I¡¯m a doctor,¡± Tina dered as she knelt beside the elderly woman and assessed her condition. She told the wealthy woman, ¡°She¡¯s in bad shape; I need to treat her.¡±

    ¡°Please save my mother!¡± The wealthy woman begged, as others doubted Tina¡¯s ability due to her young age.

    Tina stopped the wealthy woman from continuing to bow and took out her medical supplies from her backpack.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Some bystanders began recording with their phones, while others whispered among themselves.

    ¡°That olddy looks like she¡¯s already passed away; this young girl dares to try and save her. Isn¡¯t she afraid of being used?¡±

    ¡°Ah, young people are so inexperienced, not knowing the dangers of society. If she can¡¯t save that person, the family will surely me her.¡±

    The crowd¡¯s murmurs reached Tina¡¯s ears, but her expression remained unchanged as she focused on treating the woman.

    After about half an hour, the elderlydy suddenly coughed.

    The surrounding crowd became excited. ¡°She¡¯s alive? My goodness! Did she just bring a dead person back to life?¡±

    ¡°Is she really alive? Am I seeing ghosts? Can someone really revive the dead? Impossible!¡±

    ¡°How is it impossible? That olddy clearly stopped breathing, and after the girl performed acupuncture, she came back to life. Young man, there¡¯s always someone better than you, and there are things you haven¡¯t seen before.¡±

 Chapter 73: My Services Are Expensive

    Outside the crowd, Jared, Hayden, and others looked on at the scene, all somewhat shocked. They knew Tina had impressive medical skills, but they hadn¡¯t anticipated her to be this exceptional, capable of bringing the dead back to life. ¡°I never imagined there would be someone with medical skills surpassing those of my Serena. Jared, marrying Miss Reed is a huge win for you,¡± Hayden said with some excitement.

    In life, who can avoid falling ill? Especially for people like them, living on the edge, one could be sabotaged at any moment. Having someone with such formidable medical skills by their side was like having an extra lifeline. Jared nodded, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a win.¡±

    Tina packed up her acupuncture bag and said to the wealthydy, ¡°The olddy is out of immediate danger for now, but you should still take her to the hospital for aprehensive check-up.¡± She had just examined the olddy, and while the elderly had many issues, their life was no longer in danger, and the rest were minor ailments that could be managed with regr medication after a hospital check-up.

    ¡°Thank you, I am so grateful,¡± the wealthydy said to Tina with much appreciation. ¡°May I know how to address you, miss, and where you live? I want to repay your kindness in the future.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for repayment,¡± Tina replied. As she was about to leave with Zackary, she noticed someone filming with their phone. The individual was a young man in his twenties. Tina approached him, patted his shoulder, and warned, ¡°Friend, if you film without my permission and post it on socialworks, I will hold you ountable!¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    The young man hastily responded, ¡°Miss, you saved a life. If it gets out on socialworks, you¡¯ll be famous. Don¡¯t you want to be famous?¡±

    ¡°Not interested,¡± Tina said tly. ¡°Delete it.¡±

    The young man wanted to say more, but before he could, Tina had already taken his phone, operated it for a moment, and the video was gone.

    ¡°Hey, you¡­¡± he started to protest, but Tina was already walking away.

    Emerging from the crowd, Tina immediately saw Jared and the others. Sophia ran up to her and hugged her leg, ¡°Miss Reed.¡± The little girl was short, so she could only reach Tina¡¯s legs when she tried to embrace her.

    Tina patted her head and smiled, ¡°When did you get here?¡±

    ¡°We arrived when you started saving the person.¡± They had reached Pinkwater Alley just after Tina had left for a moment. They had driven themselves, which was faster, and arrived just minutes after Tina. They nned to park nearby and had just happened to see Tina.

    Tina hadn¡¯t noticed them, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Sophia then greeted Zackary, ¡°ZackaryJared.¡±

    Zackary smiled back at her, ¡°Sophia.¡± Zackary was only two months older than Sophia, but she always greeted him as Jared. Aside from Jared, who was sitting in a wheelchair pushed by Nathan, everyone else walked.

    Remembering the scene of Tina saving someone earlier, Hayden asked, ¡°Miss Reed, who did you learn that from? It¡¯s quite impressive!¡±

    He had intended to call Tina ¡®little girl¡¯, but remembering that she didn¡¯t seem to like that, he changed his address. ¡°Self-taught!¡± Tina said with a faint expression of pride in her voice.

    ¡°If we need medical treatment in the future, can you help?¡± Hayden asked.

    Tina nced at him, ¡°Yes, but there¡¯s a fee.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Hayden acknowledged, then suddenly asked, ¡°But why didn¡¯t you charge for saving Sophia or the olddy just now?¡±

    ¡°I do as I please. Is that a problem?¡± Tina retorted. She had been merciful by not settling ounts with him, and he still dared to question her.

    Hayden felt wronged, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know what I did to offend you enough to warrant a fee.¡±

    Tina nced at him, her tone indifferent, ¡°If you need my medical services in the future, the starting price is a hundred thousand dors, non-negotiable.¡±

    This was a low ratepared to Tina¡¯s normal fees, as she dealt with life-saving treatments that warranted high charges. Of course, it depended on the situation. Like with Sophia and the olddy earlier, those were acts of kindness outside the scope of fees.

    For the wealthy-let¡¯s be clear, she wasn¡¯t resentful of the rich, but who doesn¡¯t like money?-her starting price for treating critically ill rich people was a million dors, just for the consultation, not including the cost of medication. However, she hadn¡¯t treated many people to date, partly because she couldn¡¯t reveal her medical skills for certain reasons, and partly because the rich generally had their family doctors and regr check-ups, so there weren¡¯t many life-threatening cases waiting for her.

    Ofcourse, for those with modest means, if she came across them and they were of good character, she would also treat them without charge.

    Hayden was puzzled, ¡°Miss Reed, do you have something against me?¡± It always felt like Tina¡¯s words to him wereced with barbs.

    Tina gave a mysterious smile, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Hayden was stumped, ¡°I give up. No guessing.¡±

    At the Moon Gate Estate, Amber had just finished dinner when Beatrice arrived. She was there to take Amber to treat Shonna. Amber didn¡¯t dy and followed Beatrice to her home.

    The Fanning family¡¯s vi in the northern suburbs was quite a distance from the Reed family¡¯s, a forty-minute drive away. The Fanning¡¯s vi was even more luxurious than the Reeds¡¯, decorated with an antique ir.

    Mrs. Fanning opened the door, ¡°You must be Amber, right? Come in, we¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

    Amber greeted her with a smile, ¡°Mrs. Fanning.¡± Although she was polite and respectful, her demeanor exuded a sense of arrogance. To her, except for Beatrice, the Fanning family held little value.

    Mrs. Fanning ushered Amber inside and instructed the maid to serve tea to ¡°Miss Reed,¡± deliberately emphasizing the formality between their families.

    ¡°No need, I still have to review my lessons. Let¡¯s see the patient first,¡± Amber said, not wanting to waste time.

    ¡°Shonna is on the second floor; let¡¯s go up,¡± Beatrice also noticed Amber¡¯s attitude had be more distant since entering. She was somewhat displeased but had to tolerate it because Amber was there to treat her daughter.

    Amber frowned slightly, displeased, but followed Beatrice upstairs withoutment. Shonna¡¯s room was dark with the curtains drawn. Beatrice turned on the light, brightening the space.

    Shonna, hearing someone wasing to treat her, was very resistant. She cowered in a corner, unwilling toe forward. Amber tried to persuade her gently, ¡°Miss Woodham, if you don¡¯t let me see your face, I can¡¯t treat you. I¡¯m a doctor; you need to trust me.¡±

    Shonna sat in the corner, knees bent, head buried between them, silent and immovable. After much coaxing with no response, Amber¡¯s patience wore thin, ¡°Miss Woodham, I¡¯m taking time out from my studies to treat you. If you won¡¯te out, I¡¯ll have to leave.¡±

 Chapter 74: She is My Mother

    Beatrice frowned upon hearing Amber¡¯s words and was tempted to send her away. However, considering the severity of Sophia¡¯s disfigurement and Amber¡¯s sess in treating it, she had to suppress her irritation.

    ¡°Sorry, Miss Reed,¡± Beatrice apologized, ¡°Shonna has be this self-conscious ever since her disfigurement; she refuses to let anyone see her. Just wait a moment, I¡¯ll try to persuade her.¡±

    Amber nodded, her expression growing increasingly impatient. The room had not been aired out and there was an unpleasant odor; if it weren¡¯t for the potential future help from Beatrice, she would have turned around and left immediately.

    Beatrice approached Shonna and whispered, ¡°Shonna, this Miss Reed is a very talented doctor. You know about Miss Farrell¡¯s case; hers was even worse than yours, and she cured her. Let her take a look, and if you¡¯re cured, you¡¯ll be able to go out with confidence again.¡±

    Shonna remained silent, her head buried between her knees.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been out of school for half a year now. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to go to college? If you keep missing school, you won¡¯t be able to take the exams this year!¡± Beatrice mentioned.

    At the mention of this, Shonna finally seemed moved. She lifted her head, revealing scars that were quite grotesque, but her eyes were filled with tears. ¡°But I¡¯m so far behind now. Even if I take the exams, I won¡¯t be able to get in.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been in the top ten of your grade every year. I¡¯ll find you a few good tutors to catch up. With your intelligence, you can definitely get in,¡± Beatrice said with patience.

    Shonna hesitated.

    Amber, who was getting impatient, interjected, ¡°Mrs. Woodham, Miss Woodham, perhaps we should reschedule. I¡¯m very busy with my studies and can¡¯t afford to waste time.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Beatrice frowned, mindful that she needed Amber¡¯s help, and spoke in a more amiable tone, ¡°Please wait a little longer¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, Shonna stood up, approached Amber, and said softly, ¡°Sorry, Miss Reed, for keeping you waiting. Please, could you examine me?¡±

    Only then did Amber see Shonna¡¯s face, which was covered in scars and quite ugly. She instinctively showed a look of disgust, which Shonna caught sight of. The courage Shonna had mustered began to falter.

    ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ll take your pulse,¡± Amber said haughtily.

    Shonna obediently sat down.

    After checking her pulse, Amber dered, ¡°It¡¯s not a big problem. I¡¯ll write you a prescription. Take the medicine ording to my instructions for three consecutive days, and I¡¯lle back to check after three days.¡±

    Beatrice, thrilled, asked, ¡°Really? Can Shonna¡¯s face be restored to what it was before?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Amber responded, ¡°but she must follow my prescription strictly. First, we need to clear the heat toxins from her body, then I¡¯ll apply my medicinal ointment.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much, I¡¯ll be sure to reward you handsomely if you can cure Shonna¡¯s condition,¡± an excited Beatrice eximed.

    After exchanging pleasantries, Amber wrote the prescription and left.

    Beatrice immediately had someone go to get the medicine, but Shonna, for some reason, felt a sense of unease. She took Beatrice¡¯s hand and said in a whisper, ¡°Mom, can I not take the medicine? I don¡¯t trust this Miss Reed¡­¡±

    ¡°Shonna, you can trust Miss Reed. At the Reed family¡¯s banquet, I heard everyone talking about how she cured Sophia. It can¡¯t be wrong,¡± Beatrice reassured her.

    Seeing her mother so confident, Shonna reluctantly agreed.

    At the amusement park.

    Zackary and Sophia were having a great time. Zackary, who had been bullied by his uncles, aunts, and cousins at Moon Gate Estate, had developed a timid and weak character. Jennie had no say in the Reed family, and Hugo was also bullied, so Zackary hardly ever visited the amusement park. The only time he did was because he tagged along with Talon¡¯s son, Bobby, as an essory.

    The little guy was so excited today, dancing with joy, trying almost every ride he could.

    Sophia, previously ostracized for her disfigurement, had be self-conscious and reluctant to go out, and she had never been to the amusement park either. Now, being able to proudly enjoy her favorite things, she was also very happy.

    Tina, Jared, Hayden, and Nathan followed the two kids, their hearts lifting at the sight of their happy faces.

    Suddenly, Tina¡¯s phone rang.

    It was Velma on the other end. ¡°Tina, where are you? Could you please help me see a patient? It¡¯s very urgentAfter the call at Reed family¡¯s banquet, Velma knew that Tina was the one who had cured Sophia.

    ¡°Okay, send me the address,¡± Tina said, agreeing after only a brief hesitation.

    Velma was the first friend she made after arriving in Ensford, and Tina was willing to help wherever she could.

    After hanging up, Tina received the address from Velma. She informed Jared, ¡°I have something to take care of and need to leave. Please look after Zackary for me.¡±

    ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Jared asked, turning to her.

    ¡°No need,¡± Tina replied after a pause. ¡°I probably won¡¯t be back soon. Take Zackary out for a meal, it¡¯s on me!¡±

    Jared replied, ¡°¡­ I can afford to treat my future nephew to a meal.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly, ¡°Does ¡®nephew¡¯ roll off the tongue nicely?¡±

    As if it were obvious, Jared said, ¡°We¡¯re getting engaged the day after tomorrow; I¡¯m just practicing in advance.¡±

    Tina leaned in close to his ear, ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate too soon. Engagements can be broken.¡±

    She had never intended to marry Jared. The engagement was merely a matter of circumstance; she needed to find out why Jared had the pendant, why he mentioned her mother, and most importantly, why he was searching for the whereabouts of a certain drug. If Jared turned out to be an enemy, not only could they not be together, but she would also take matters into her own hands.

    Tina called over Zackary, gave him some instructions, and then left.

    Velma¡¯s address led to a private hospital. Tina took a taxi straight there.

    Upon arriving, she went to the inpatient department where Velma was waiting at the entrance, apanied by someone else. From a distance, Tina couldn¡¯t make out the person¡¯s face.

    When Velma saw Tina, she hurriedly said, ¡°Tina, over here¡­¡±

    As Tina approached, she recognized the person standing next to Velma and was momentarily surprised.

    The person also recognized Tina and, with a delighted surprise, said, ¡°It¡¯s you, youngdy!¡±

    It was the same dignifieddy who had been with the olddy Tina had recently saved.

    Tina, not knowing her name, nodded politely, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Mom! You know each other?¡± Velma asked in confusion.

    Tina just replied, ¡°¡­ Mom?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my mother!¡±

    Velma then turned to Mrs. Lehman and said, ¡°Mom, this is Tina, the one I told you about. She¡¯s really kind and also a very impressive doctor. I asked her toe see grandma, but how do you two know each other? You never mentioned her before!¡±

    Mrs. Lehman was initially taken aback but thenughed, ¡°So you¡¯re the Miss Reed that Velma keeps talking about on the phone. We are indeed fated. You¡¯ve helped Velma with her studies and saved my mother-inw; our family owes you a great deal.¡±

 Chapter 75 Iâ€™m Not Interested in Women

    A twitch appeared at the corner of Tina¡¯s mouth.

    What kind of masochistic romance plot was this?

    She had casually saved a person, who turned out to be Velma¡¯s grandmother.

    Confused, Velma looked at Mrs. Lehman, ¡°Mom, what in the world is going on?¡±

    It was then Mrs. Lehman ryed the events, ¡°We had justnded today, and your grandma said you like pastries. She wanted to bring some back for you. The parking was difficult, so your dad and the driver waited in the parking lot while I went with your grandma to buy them.¡±

    ¡°After buying the pastries, your grandmother suddenly fainted. We only had some cash on us and had left our phones in the car. I was so worried, but it was Miss Reed here who stepped in to help, and that¡¯s why your grandma is fine now.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Velma looked at Tina with a grateful expression, ¡°Tina, you¡¯ve helped us so much! How can I ever thank you? Perhaps¡­ I could offer myself in marriage?¡±

    Tina replied, ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not interested in women!¡±

    Velmaughed, hooking an arm around Tina¡¯s neck, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in women either, but I am interested in you. Why don¡¯t you consider it and take me in?¡±

    Tina pped her forehead yfully, ¡°I¡¯m afraid my mother would crawl out of her grave to settle the score with me!¡±

    Velma chuckled twice, no longer joking.

    Tina returned to the matter at hand, ¡°Whom did you want me to treat?¡±

    ¡°My grandmother,¡± Velma said.

    Tina was taken aback, ¡°After I treated your grandmother with acupuncture, she shouldn¡¯t have any more problems. She just needs a full body check-up, and if anything is wrong, medication should suffice.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you have no idea!¡± Velma exined, ¡°After you saved my grandma, my parents immediately brought her to the hospital for a check-up. This hospital was the closest, but upon arrival, the doctors insisted on admitting her and ordered a battery of tests that won¡¯t happen until the day after tomorrow.¡±

    Velma spoke with frustration, ¡°Spending money is one thing, but the real issue is that the doctor scared us by saying my grandma¡¯s sickness was severe. We didn¡¯t dare to transfer her to another hospital, so I thought of you. Tina, please could you check my grandma again to see if she¡¯s really alright now?¡±

    Tina was speechless.

    She thought her high fees made her somewhat hical, but there were others even less ethical than she was.

    Admitting a patient without even conducting tests first.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take a look.¡±

    They opened the door to the hospital room, and Grandma Lehman was in good spirits.

    When she saw Tina, she immediately wanted to get up, ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t this the youngdy who saved me? Help me up. I owe you a thank you.¡±

    Mrs. Lehman hurried over to assist, but Tina sat by the bed and pressed her down, ¡°Grandma, no need for courtesy. Lie down, and I¡¯ll check on you.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Grandma Lehman obedientlyy back down.

    After taking her pulse for a moment, Tina said, ¡°You had an episode before, which I¡¯ve already treated. You won¡¯t rpse, but due to your age, you have some minor health issues. They¡¯re not serious, and you don¡¯t need to be hospitalized.¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡± Grandma Lehman said with indignation. ¡°They¡¯re just a bunch of quacks out to make money.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina was silent, then took out two pills and handed them to her, ¡°Here are two pills. Take these, and those minor issues won¡¯t bother you again.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this expensive?¡± the olddy asked. Having lived a long life, she had seen a lot.

    By the look of it, Tina seemed to be offering the pills for free.

    ¡°Not at all, one dor each,¡± Tina said with a smile that made her eyes curve beautifully.

    Grandma Lehman and Mrs. Lehman exchanged nces and then smiled together, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll buy the medicine.¡±

    Grandma Lehman handed Tina two dors and then said, ¡°Miss Reed, if there¡¯s ever anything the Lehman family can assist you with, you just have to say the word.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    The hospital room door suddenly opened, and a man in his forties, dressed in a suit, entered.

    He was Velma¡¯s father, Luis Lehman, the chairman of their family business.

    Upon arriving, Mrs. Lehman greeted him, ¡°Luis, this is Miss Reed, the one who saved mom. It turns out she¡¯s the very Tina Velma often mentions to us.¡±

    Mrs. Lehman quickly exined the situation to him.

    Hearing this, Luis said, ¡°Miss Reed, we can¡¯t thank youenough. If it weren¡¯t for you today, my mother might have¡­ And then there¡¯s Velma. We¡¯ve been so busy with work that we¡¯ve neglected her, and she¡¯s been held back in school for two years. We¡¯ve put down our work this time and nned to spend more time with her, to supervise her studies.¡±

    Luis smiled, ¡°I never expected that we wouldn¡¯t need to supervise; this child has started studying on her own. She says it¡¯s all thanks to you. I¡¯ve been wanting to find an opportunity to thank you personally. If it¡¯s convenient for you, we¡¯d like to invite you over for a simple meal, how about that?¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the thought, but I have ns today. I¡¯ll visit you another time,¡± Tina politely declined.

    ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll expect you at our home another day,¡± Luis said without any insistence.

    Tina stayed only briefly before leaving.

    Upon exiting the hospital, a call from Jared came through.

    They had just finished, and he was asking if she was done with her work and if she wanted to join them for a meal. Tina asked for the address and headed over.

    The ce where they ate wasn¡¯t far from Pinkwater Ally.

    After the meal, Zackary and Sophia were exhausted from the day¡¯s activities and fell asleep.

    They drove them back to Pinkwater Ally.

    Jared had previously mentioned letting Sophia stay there, and since some arrangements hadn¡¯t been made yet, they hadn¡¯t moved her in. But today was the perfect opportunity to settle her in.

    Two dayster was Master Tam¡¯s death anniversary.

    The next day, Tina went to Serenity Ridge alone, only telling Hugo and Jennie that she had important matters to attend to and would return before the engagement ceremony.

    On the third day, Tina and Jared¡¯s engagement party caused a stir throughout the city.

    That day, the Reed family acknowledged Tina¡¯s identity and announced through a press release their alliance with the Farrell family by marriage.

    The media sensationalized the event, putting it on the front page.

    The country girl raised by the Reed family and the ¡®good-for-nothing¡¯ seventh son of the Farrell family, Jared, were getting engaged.

    One dared to marry, and the other dared to ept!

    The whole city was waiting to see the spectacle.

    The engagement party was held at the Universal Hotel, a mid-range establishment. Hugo and Jennie didn¡¯t have much money, and choosing this hotel was the best their family could afford.

    But because they had chosen such a hotel, there were people who were dissatisfied.

    ¡°Hugo, when mom suggested she arrange the engagement party, you insisted on doing it yourself. Look at what kind of shabby hotel you¡¯ve chosen?¡± Pinewood said with a stern face, ¡°Do you realize what kind of people the Farrell family are? Inviting them to such a hotel for a meal, isn¡¯t that a p in our face?¡±

    ¡°Also, look at what you all are wearing. Is your family so poor that you can¡¯t afford decent clothes for such an important asion? It¡¯s embarrassing!¡±

 Chapter 76 Tina Still Not Here?

    Hugo and Jennie¡¯s faces were sour. The clothes they wore, brand new and costing a total of ten thousand dors, represented a luxury to them. Despite the cost, they bit the bullet and bought the outfits for Tina¡¯s sake, only to be scorned by others.

    Today was the engagement party, and the entire Reed family had arrived, each dressed to the nines, as if the engagement was for one of their own. Hugo felt indignant but held his tongue out of respect for the asion.

    The engagement party had four tables set up, three of which were upied by the Reed family members. The Farrell family had one table, including Logan, Jared¡¯s parents, and uncles.

    The party was scheduled to start at noon, but as the time approached, Tina was nowhere to be seen. Jennie and Hugo tried to call her repeatedly but couldn¡¯t get through.

    ¡°Tina really has no manners! How can she bete to such an important event, making all the elders wait for her?¡± Talon fumed, still holding a grudge against Tina for a past incident where he ended up failing to appease Ivy.

    ¡°Uncle Talon, Tina is just a country bumpkin; what manners can we expect? She¡¯s trying to show us up now that she¡¯s getting engaged to Logan,¡± Annie said with a tinge of jealousy.

    Today¡¯s modest affair was organized by Hugo, yet the Farrell family members arrived in cars worth millions, making headlines in Ensford. This prestige, which should have been Amber¡¯s, was stolen by Tina, and the thought made Annie ufortable.

    ¡°Humph! What gives her the right to show us up?¡± Talon said coldly.

    The Farrell family had already entered their private room, while the Reeds were still outside, so Jared didn¡¯t hear Talon¡¯s remarks.

    Hugo, already anxious and upset, exploded after Talon¡¯s outburst, ¡°Talon, enough! Ever since Tina returned, you¡¯ve looked at her unfavorably. What exactly has she done to you?¡±

    Before Talon could respond, Hugo continued, ¡°Don¡¯t bring up the birthday party, that was your own doing, and the affair with the nanny was your fault, not Tina¡¯s. And today, we didn¡¯t invite you here; if you can¡¯t wait, you¡¯re free to leave!¡±

    Talon was enraged by Hugo¡¯s audacity, ¡°You¡¯ve turned against me! I¡¯m your brother, and you dare talk to me this way? Have you no respect?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my brother, not my father!¡± Hugo shouted back, ¡°If you dare insult my daughter again, get out! I don¡¯t need a brother like you!¡±

    Pinewood frowned, ¡°Hugo, you¡¯ve gone too far.¡±

    ¡°Have I?¡± Hugo retorted, his eyes red with anger, ¡°My daughter¡¯s engagement, and a bunch of youe here, none sincerely wishing her well. Did any of you bring a gift? And now you criticize her manners and upbringing-do any of you even care about her safety?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not acting like human beings!¡±

    Hugo was truly furious. He knew Tina well; she was responsible and would have returned before the engagement party. Her absence could only mean something had happened to her.

    Pinewood was at a loss for words, and Elizabeth intervened sharply, ¡°Enough of this quarreling! The Farrell family is waiting inside, and we¡¯re out here arguing. What does this look like?¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s stern voice silenced Pinewood and Talon. She then turned to Hugo, ¡°Don¡¯t me them for their harsh words. Tina¡¯s tardiness on such an important day reflects poorly on the Reed family.¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    Hugo tried to speak, but Elizabeth cut him off, ¡°Go find Tina and stop wasting time.¡±

    Jennie tugged at Hugo¡¯s sleeve, whispering, ¡°Don¡¯t argue with them, let¡¯s try reaching Tina again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve called so many times already. I¡¯m worried something has happened to her,¡± Hugo said anxiously.

    ¡°We could reach herst night, and it¡¯s been less than twenty-four hours; we can¡¯t even file a missing person report yet,¡± Jennie suggested, ¡°How about we ask Logan for help? The Farrell family has extensive connections; they might be able to find Tina.¡±

    Hugo nodded, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s find Logan.¡±

    As they turned to head to the private room, they saw Nathan pushing Jared out.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed,¡± Jared greeted them, ¡°Grandfather sent me to ask when the banquet will start.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t reach Tina,¡± Hugo said, his expression grave, ¡°I¡¯m worried something¡¯s happened to her. We were just about to ask your grandfather if he could help find her.¡±

    Jared furrowed his brow, ¡°When did youst contact her?¡±

    ¡°We were in touchst night, but we¡¯ve been trying to call her for over an hour now, and we can¡¯t get through,¡± Hugoreplied with a heavy tone.

    Jared took out his phone, tried calling Tina, and got no answer. He instructed Nathan gravely, ¡°Locate Tina¡¯s phone.¡±

    Nathan nodded and promptly set out to do so. About five minutester, Nathan returned.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°The location shows Miss Reed is in the north area,¡± he reported.

    The north area was a crucial route to and from Ensford.

    After a moment of silence, Jared said to Hugo, ¡°I¡¯ll go find her.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I appreciate it,¡± replied Hugo, who would have preferred to search for Tina himself, but with the guests present, he couldn¡¯t leave.

    Jared, pushed by Nathan, headed back to the private room, exining to everyone, ¡°The engagement banquet will be dyed. Tina has run into some trouble; I¡¯ll go pick her up.¡±

    ¡°What happened? How could there be trouble out of nowhere?¡± Logan asked with concern.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯ll find her,¡± Jared said and left with Hayden.

    Once they were gone, Jared¡¯s mother Marie frowned and looked at Logan worriedly, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve always said Tina¡¯s background isn¡¯t a match for Jared. You insisted on this engagement, and now look, she¡¯s missing at such a critical time.¡±

    Logan¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°What do you mean not a match? The Farrell family doesn¡¯t hold such prejudices. And don¡¯t forget, Tina¡¯s mother saved your husband, my son¡¯s life. This marriage was agreed upon long ago and is not open to your criticism.¡±

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve known Tina for a long time and understand her character. She¡¯s not someone whocks a sense of time; there must be a valid reason for her dy. Let¡¯s just wait.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Before Marie could continue, Logan red at her, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to wait, then you can always leave.¡±

 Chapter 77: I Should Be Able to Stand on My Feet Now

    In the northern district, Tina looked at the olddy in front of her with a cold expression and said, ¡°Stop following me.¡±

    The olddy, appearing pitiful, begged her, ¡°Youngdy, please be kind to the end and take me with you into the city. I don¡¯t have a penny to my name, and I¡¯ve lost my phone; I can¡¯t contact my family.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a good person!¡± Tina growled in frustration.

    The biggest mistake she had made in her life was acting out of kindness once to save this olddy, which had brought nothing but trouble upon her.

    She hade down from Serenity Ridge that morning, nning to catch the nearest ne to Ensford, but right after leaving Serenity Ridge, she encountered a few people troubling the olddy, demanding she hand something over. Feeling sorry for her, Tina had drugged those people and rescued the olddy.

    Little did she know, the olddy had be a sticky burden, insisting on sticking with her.

    Tina had asked for the olddy¡¯s home address, which turned out to be in the capital, so she had decided to show some kindness by getting her on a ne, as she was heading to the airport anyway.

    However, on the way to the airport, they were ambushed again. Tina, not wanting to waste time, dealt with it promptly.

    Unexpectedly, they encountered seven or eight different groups of people along the way, all from different organizations.

    She didn¡¯t know who the olddy was or whom she had angered, but she felt like spitting blood because she had missed her flight to Ensford because of this olddy.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    She left the olddy behind and walked away, but the olddy stuck to her like glue.

    Wherever Tina went, the olddy followed.

    With no other choice, Tina had to bring the olddy along. She initially nned to have Cole arrange a car to take them to Ensford but, considering the olddy¡¯s mysterious identity, she did not want to expose Cole and instead hired a private car.

    On the way to Ensford, the pursuers were relentless. Since they were in a car, she couldn¡¯t drug them, and they started ramming their vehicle.

    The driver, terrified, refused to continue and abandoned them in the middle of nowhere.

    Tina felt like dying. After dealing with the pursuers, she decided she wouldn¡¯t take the olddy with her no matter what and walked away.

    Fortunately, the ce where the driver left them was not far from Ensford, so she walked into the city.

    However, the olddy kept following her, probably realizing she had caused trouble, keeping her distance and not daring to speak to Tina.

    But now, the people after the olddy had taken notice of Tina, and they stopped pursuing the olddy and started troubling her instead.

    Tina had run out of drugs and had no choice but to fight.

    At that moment, Tina was furious.

    ¡°You are a good person!¡± the olddy said earnestly. ¡°Though your face is cold, your heart is warm. Youngdy, I know I¡¯ve caused you a lot of trouble. Rest assured, once I find my family, I will repay you. Please, do me this favor and take me with you. Just get me to the airport.¡±

    Tina, expressionless, replied, ¡°For thest time, stop following me.¡±

    With that said, she turned to leave.

    The olddy hurriedly stopped her, ¡°Then, could you lend me some money? We¡¯ve already reached Ensford; those people probably won¡¯te looking for me anymore. Can I take a taxi to the airport by myself?¡±

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, ¡°I don¡¯t have cash, only my phone. How can I lend you money if you¡¯ve lost your phone?¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± The olddy seemed on the verge of tears, ¡°Then, please take me with you? My son and I just wanted to go to Serenity Ridge to find Master Tam. Who knew we would be hunted down, and we got separated. I don¡¯t even know the way back, or else I wouldn¡¯t trouble you. Please, take pity on this old woman.¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°Master Tam?¡±

    She knew Master Tam?

    ¡°Yes, we heard that Master Tam is living in seclusion at Serenity Ridge. We have something to ask him, but the terrain in Serenity Ridge is tooplicated. We¡¯ve attempted several times but never managed to get up there. Youngdy, do you know Master Tam?¡±

    Tina stared at her for a long time, then after a moment of silence, she asked, ¡°What is your rtion to Master Tam?¡±

    ¡°We are¡­¡± The olddy was about to speak but then realized something and said, ¡°Sorry, youngdy, I can¡¯t tell you about this matter, but I¡¯m definitely not a bad person. Those who are after me are the bad ones.¡±

    ¡°Do bad people have ¡®I am a bad person¡¯ written on their faces?¡± Tina said with an expressionless face.

    ¡°I swear, I¡¯m really not a bad person.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t continue the conversation about good and bad people.

    After pondering for a moment, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the airport, but if anything goes wrong, don¡¯t follow me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, no problem, I promise this is thest time. If someone troubles me again, then it must be my fate. I won¡¯t follow you anymore.¡±

    Tina said nothing more and continued walking with the olddy.

    They had just entered the northern district, which was still remote with no taxis in sight, so they had to walk further to hail a cab.

    Just as they took a few steps, a car approached.

    Tina looked up and was momentarily stunned-it was Jared¡¯s car.

    The car stopped in front of her, Jared pushed the door open and stepped out, quickly walking towards her, ¡°Tina, what happened?¡±

    Tina stared at his legs in surprise, ¡°You?¡±

    Wasn¡¯t he pretending to be disabled?

    Not even using a wheelchair?

    Then, Hayden and Nathan got out of the car, ¡°We finally found you. You don¡¯t know how worried Mr. Farrell was that something happened to you. He left the hotel without his wheelchair and got straight into the car. Thankfully, you¡¯re alright.¡±

    A warm feeling suddenly passed through Tina¡¯s heart, and she felt a bit apologetic, ¡°Sorry, something came up and dyed me. Should we reschedule the engagement?¡±

    The engagement was set for twelve o¡¯clock, and it was nearly one now. It was likely that both families wouldn¡¯t wait any longer.

    Jared touched her head, ¡°It¡¯s fine that you¡¯re safe. There¡¯s no need to postpone the engagement; I¡¯ve exined everything to them, and they are still at the hotel.¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±

    Only then did Jared notice the olddy beside Tina, ¡°Who is this?¡±

    ¡°Someone I saved on the road. We¡¯ll go to the hotel first, and you can arrange for someone to take her to the airportter,¡± Tina said.

    Jared had only brought one car, and there was definitely no time to take the olddy to the airport now.

    Jared nodded, and then they all got into the car.

    At the hotel, Jared tasked Nathan with taking the olddy to the airport.

    Before leaving, the olddy stopped Tina, ¡°Youngdy, may I know your name? Once I safely return home, I¡¯ll have my familye and thank you.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need! I hope we never meet again.¡±

    The olddy looked a bit disheartened but did not insist further, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble I caused you. I¡¯m leaving now, youngdy. I wish you a happy engagement and a life filled with happiness.¡±

    After the olddy left, Jared, Tina, and Hayden went up to the hotel.

    In the elevator, Tina suddenly turned to Jared, ¡°You¡¯re just going up like this?¡±

    Jared shed a smile, ¡°It¡¯s time for me to be able to stand on my feet now.¡±

 Chapter 78: Donâ€™t You Dare Speak of My Mother

    Tina and Jared pushed open the door of the private room, and all eyes turned toward them. Elizabeth immediately stood up, scolding Tina furiously, ¡°You troublemaker! Are you unaware of what day it is? Making all these people wait for you, how dare you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, this is the engagement party, and you¡¯re acting so high and mighty, not caring about anyone here. If you really marry Mr. Farrell, you¡¯ll be even more stuck up!¡± Annie, who had always disliked Tina and had been waiting for a long time, was already fuming with anger.

    Tina nced at them indifferently, ¡°Did I invite you?¡±

    When Logan and Hugo were discussing the engagement arrangements, they had decided on two tables, and none of these Reed family members were included.

    At the moment, she just took one look and saw that just the Reed family alone upied three tables. They hade uninvited and were now ming her?

    ¡°Do you have no manners? Can¡¯t you be told off when you make a mistake? Is this how your mother taught you?¡± Elizabeth shouted angrily.

    Tina¡¯s expression darkened, she stepped forward to Elizabeth and said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t speak of my mother! You¡¯re unworthy!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Elizabeth felt a pang in her chest from anger.

    Seeing this, Hugo quickly stepped between the two, ¡°Mom, if you¡¯re here to attend the party, we wee you, but if you¡¯re here to cause trouble for Tina, please leave. Today is her engagement party, and I don¡¯t want everyone to be upset.¡±

    ¡°p!¡± Elizabeth swung her hand across, her face filled with rage, ¡°You ungrateful dog, I am your mother! I came to attend my granddaughter¡¯s engagement party, and you dare to send me away in front of all these people? What? You think you can act tough because you¡¯ve cozied up to the Farrell family? I tell you, as long as I live, the Reed family will not be under your control!¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Reed, you p my father-inw in front of me, treating me like I¡¯m dead?¡± Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed, his voice chillingly cold.

    Elizabeth¡¯s body shook, but she still argued righteously, ¡°Mr. Farrell, although he is your father-inw, he is also my son. I have the right to discipline my son, don¡¯t I?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to make a scene today, mainly because Tina made them wait too long.

    She had apologized to the Farrell family several times already, fearing the marriage would be called off.

    She had worked hard to ensure Tina¡¯s marriage would go ahead, so was she wrong to criticize her?

    Now Tina was disregarding her, Hugo showed no respect, and even Jared embarrassed her in public; she was so angry she couldn¡¯t care less about face anymore.

    ¡°You may discipline your son, but today is my engagement party. You p my father-inw in public; where does that leave the face of my Farrell family?¡± Jared asked, hands in his pockets, his tone neither high nor low.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Elizabeth wanted to say more, but Amber suddenly interrupted, ¡°Mr. Farrell, I apologize, grandma was just anxious and spoke too harshly. The engagement party has been dyed for too long, let¡¯s start it now, everyone has been waiting for a long time¡­ Mr. Farrell, your leg?¡±

    Amber stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something, and looked towards Jared¡¯s leg, shocked.

    What happened?

    How could Jared be standing up?

    Elizabeth, still in her anger, turned to look at Jared¡¯s leg upon hearing Amber¡¯s words, and was stunned, ¡°This¡­ Mr. Farrell, your leg is healed?¡±

    Just an hour ago, Jared was still in a wheelchair. How could it be that after a short trip, his leg was cured?

    When Jared was disabled, Logan pampered him so much; he almost handed over the entire Farrell family to him. If Jared¡¯s leg was healed, wouldn¡¯t he be even more favored?

    The rest were also stunned by Jared, unable to utter a word.

    Jared ignored them, took Tina¡¯s hand, and went directly to the main table.

    Elizabeth and Hugo, direct rtives of the Reed family, were supposed to sit at a table with the Farrell family members.

    As they entered, the Farrell family noticed Jared¡¯s leg. Marie stood up in shock, looking at him, ¡°Jared, your leg is healed?¡±

    The rest of the Farrell family looked over, their expressions varied as their minds raced.

    Jared nced at them and then said, ¡°Thanks to Tina, on the way to find her, I met a remarkable person who just used acupuncture, and my leg was cured.¡±

    The crowd was astonished, ¡°Who is so skilled that they can cure a disabled person with just one acupuncture session?¡±

    ¡°Could it be Spectre? I¡¯ve heard he has amazing medical skills, capable ofbringing the dead back to life and healing broken bones. A disability is nothing for him.¡±

    ¡°Jared is so lucky to have encountered Spectre. It¡¯s said that Spectre¡¯s whereabouts are unpredictable, and despite many people offeringrge sums of money for a consultation, they can¡¯t find him.¡±

    Amber listened to everyone¡¯s discussion, her fingers tightly sped together.

    She couldn¡¯t have imagined that Jared¡¯s leg would be healed.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    And on the day of the engagement party.

    If Jared¡¯s leg was healed, he would no longer be considered useless, and Logan might let him take over the Farrell family¡¯s business.

    Given the extent of Logan¡¯s affection for Jared, it was possible that he would be designated the sessor of the Farrell family.

    Annoyed in her heart, Amber thought had she known this would happen, she wouldn¡¯t have declined this union. If Jared became the sessor, she would be the true Mrs. Farrell.

    Marie was the most excited; she held Jared and looked at him for a long time, crying, ¡°Your leg is healed, truly healed. Now, I can rest easy.¡±

    At that moment, she thought of something and turned to Logan, ¡°Dad, since Jared¡¯s leg is healed, then this marriage¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, Logan interrupted her coldly, ¡°Jared¡¯s recovery is a great joy; it indicates that Tina is a blessed child. When she marries into the Farrell family, our family will thrive even more.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Marie opened her mouth to speak, but Logan red at her, and she had to keep silent.

    Logan didn¡¯t pay her any more attention but turned to Hugo, ¡°Hugo, the engagement ceremony can begin now.¡±

    Hugo nodded, ¡°Mr. Farrell, it would be best if you led the wedding ceremony.¡±

    Logan nodded and did not refuse, standing up and saying, ¡°Today is the engagement party of my grandson Jared and Tina Reed. First, I wish them a united heart and soul, a hundred years of harmony, and a happy and prosperous life.¡±

 Chapter 79: The Reed Family Takes Shamelessness to the Extreme

    Listening to Logan¡¯s blessings, the Reed family started to have other ideas.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, surely you have more than just verbal blessings for this young couple. I wonder what kind of gift you have prepared for them?¡±

    Aside from a few, Logan could tell at a nce that the rest of the Reed family were of a vampiric nature. Knowing what they were after, he chose not to disclose the gifts he had prepared for his grandson and granddaughter-inw, responding only with a smile and remaining silent.

    Seeing this, the Reed family grew restless and began to speak up: ¡°Since Jared was disabled, our Reed family was willing to marry into the Farrell family. You Farrells can¡¯t let us down now, especially not Tina. At the very least, you should give a substantial wedding gift.¡±

    Logan, not one to indulge such behavior, replied with a coldugh, ¡°I¡¯ve actually given them a gift worth a hundred thousand dors.¡±

    Upon hearing it was only a hundred thousand dors, the Reed family was stunned. For an ordinary family, a hundred thousand dors was significant. But the Farrells were not ordinary-such an amount was trivial to them. No one could have imagined Logan to be so frugal.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, surely you aren¡¯t giving such a small gift just because Jared¡¯s leg has healed,¡± they taunted collectively, not giving Logan a chance to speak.

    Amber, although shocked that Logan had only offered a hundred thousand dors, was secretly pleased. What did it matter if Tina was their real daughter? To the Farrell family, she was only worth that much from Logan. Now that Jared¡¯s leg was better, they cared even less about Tina, which meant Amber might still have a chance to reim the marriage alliance.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Hugo couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and shouted angrily, ¡°The amount Mr. Farrell gives is his business! I am marrying off a daughter, not selling one. I don¡¯t care about the amount of the gift, and it¡¯s not for you toment on.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s head shot up in disbelief at her son¡¯s words, astonished that he wouldn¡¯t ask the Farrell family for more.

    She had hoped to use the opportunity to secure a financial lifeline for the faltering Reed family business. Now that her son was acting this way, he was cutting off all opportunities, and she angrily retorted, ¡°Hugo, what nonsense are you talking about? We are family, all wanting what¡¯s best for your daughter! After all, marriage is a major life event, and it¡¯s only right for the elders to provide some startup funds for the new household.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Hugo, with a serious expression, replied, ¡°Mother! Are you disappointed? Did you expect me to ask the Farrell family for fifty million dors and then give it to you? Stop dreaming!¡±

    ¡°You beast!¡± Elizabeth, clutching her chest, cursed as she felt a sharp pain. ¡°I gave birth to you, raised you, and never expected to have raised an ungrateful son. If I had known you would be so unfilial, I should have strangled you at birth!¡±

    She had longed for this fifty million dors to save the Reed family business. How could she not be furious that her own son had ruined it?

    ¡°Hugo, you are too much! You are her son, Tina is her granddaughter, and our family¡¯s marriages have always been decided by mother. But for such a big matter, you didn¡¯t even consult with her, making decisions on your own. Do you even consider mother¡¯s feelings?¡± Pinewood angrily used.

    ¡°Reed family, don¡¯t you realize our predicament? Do you want to watch our family copse before you¡¯re satisfied? Hugo, when did your heart be so cold?¡± Talon also used.

    The Reed family¡¯s situation was clear to everyone, yet no one wanted to bring it up publicly, especially not in such a setting, revealing that the Reeds were seeking money from the Farrell family to save theirpany from the brink of bankruptcy.

    But the Reed family could no longer afford to care about appearances. They had to secure arger dowry. Even if it wasn¡¯t fifty million dors, a few million or ten million would suffice to alleviate the Reed family¡¯s financial strain.

    Hugo looked at them coldly, ¡°I find it odd, Tina is my daughter, how is it that I don¡¯t have the right to decide for her? Are we the only family in Ensford who demands a dowry for our granddaughter?¡±

    ¡°Family in trouble, what¡¯s wrong with asking my granddaughter¡¯s fiance¡¯s family for some money?¡± Elizabeth retorted with righteousness.

    ¡°Mother, Tina isn¡¯t married yet. It¡¯s not proper to ask her fiance¡¯s family for money. We¡¯ve already dyed too much today. With everyone watching, if you keep making a scene, I¡¯ll have no choice but to ask you to leave,¡± Hugo said with an upromising tone.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the final say!¡± Elizabeth, knowing her son had already distanced himself from her and that further words were useless, didn¡¯t want to waste more time arguing.

    She turned to Logan and said, ¡°Logan, I make the decisions for the Reed family. My granddaughter is marrying your grandson, and right now, the Reeds urgently need some funds. Could you please help us out of this emergency? Moreover, you¡¯ve previously promised to invest in the Farrell family.¡±

    ¡°Insatiable greed!¡± Marie blurted out before Logan could speak, her face cold.

    She had never looked favorably upon the Reed family, but since her father-inw insisted her son marry Tina, she had reluctantly epted it. Now, with Elizabeth publicly demanding fifty million dors, Marie was incensed. Fifty million dors wasn¡¯t that the Farrells couldn¡¯t afford it; she simply despised the Reed family¡¯s tant avarice.

    ¡°Mrs. Farrell, that¡¯s not how you should speak,¡± Elizabeth replied, unoffended. ¡°It was the Farrell family who approached us to honor the marriage agreement. Initially, I opposed the union, but since both Mr. Farrells and Tina agreed, I didn¡¯t object. However, as inws, it¡¯s only right that the Farrell family help the Reeds in their time of need.¡±

    Elizabeth cared about face, butpared to the family¡¯s honor, what was face worth? She didn¡¯t care how the Farrells viewed her, as long as she got the money.

    Marie, her face ashen with anger, said, ¡°Just asking for fifty million dors like that, if there¡¯s a first time, there will be a second! Elizabeth, the Reeds have some standing in Ensford too. How can you shamelessly stoop so low?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think or do! To allow Tina and Jared to marry, the Farrell family must give us fifty million dors!¡±

    Before Marie could reply, Elizabeth continued, ¡°Compared to face, the Reed family doesn¡¯t have the same standing as the Farrells. If the marriage doesn¡¯t go through, the Reeds will indeed lose face, but the Farrells won¡¯t look good either.¡±

    Marie, red with anger, had never seen such shamelessness.

    Hugo too was shocked by Elizabeth¡¯s brazenness. He couldn¡¯t believe that Elizabeth, who always valued reputation, could behave like a hooligan. He had spoken nicely, he had spoken harshly, but it was to no avail; they simply wouldn¡¯t listen.

    Hugo sighed and said to Tina, ¡°Tina, perhaps we should call off this marriage? You see, I¡¯m out of options.¡±

    ¡°Why call it off?¡± Tina¡¯s chin lifted slightly, her expression impassive as she looked at Elizabeth. ¡°Apart from my mother, no one else decides for me.¡±

    She stepped forward toward Elizabeth, her eyes shing coldly, ¡°I have fifty million dors, but do you dare to take it?¡±

 Chapter 80: Jared Farrell Will Be My Successor

    ¡°Of course!¡± Elizabeth was about to blurt out her response, but her mouth seemed to be locked by chains as she met Tina¡¯s icy gaze, unable to utter a word.

    ¡°Tina! What is this attitude?¡± Talon used angrily, ¡°After all, my mother is your grandmother. How dare you speak to her with such disrespect?¡±

    A corner of Tina¡¯s lips curled up as she gracefully tucked a strand of hair that had fallen onto her cheek behind her ear, speaking calmly, ¡°Uncle Talon, if we change the location, there would be no one to talk to you with my attitude. Would you like to try?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Talon was choked with fury. That damned girl, Tina, was threatening him with the incident from the other day again!

    But no matter whether she had evidence or not, he didn¡¯t dare take the risk.

    Tina cast a cool nce over the Reed family members, her voice devoid of warmth, ¡°I have never acknowledged any rtion to the Reed family. In the Reed family, aside from Mr. Reed and Mrs. Reed, I recognize no one. If you don¡¯t understand, I don¡¯t mind giving the Reed family another headline.¡±

    Elizabeth felt a shock in her heart, knowing Tina held too many of the Reed family¡¯s dark secrets to let her cause a media uproar.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Her expression stiff, she said, ¡°We are all family. Do you really have to make things so absolute? The Reed family is your natal family, and only if the Reed family prospers can you prosper!?¡±

    Tina smirked, ¡°I don¡¯t need to rely on anyone.¡±

    Amber frowned, speaking with dissatisfaction, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t be so absolute. The Reed family¡¯s business has only been down for a few years. Your uncles are already researching new perfume forms. If sessful, the Reed family¡¯s funds will grow, and what we give you will be the foundation for your future in the Farrell family. Just look at how they look at you. Without the Reed family¡¯s support, they will only look down on you.¡±

    Tina looked at Amber as if she were looking at a fool. With the current state of the Reed family, even a fifty million dor investment wouldn¡¯t allow them to catch up with the Farrell family, even in decades.

    Even if the Reed family¡¯s finances were strong, there would still be those in the Farrell family who looked down on her. The world was not short of people who looked down on her.

    ¡°Discussing my family in front of us, do you think the Farrell family is dead?¡± Suddenly, Jared spoke up, his voice as cold as sudden ice.

    Amber¡¯s body shook involuntarily, but she still lifted her head and said, ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡±

    ¡°My grandmother was not wrong either. The engagement was proposed by you, and it was you who promised a fifty million dor investment to the Reed family. Now that you¡¯ve changed your tune, are we not even allowed to speak?¡±

    Amber didn¡¯t want to speak up at this time, having left a poor impression on Jared previously that she needed to rectify.

    But the fifty million was too important to the Reed family. She might not be able to win Jared¡¯s heart or get the fifty million now, but she could try to get the money through Tina.

    ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± Jared¡¯s gaze lifted, emitting a chilling aura, ¡°An adopted daughter, strutting around at the real Miss Reed¡¯s engagement party, who gave you such confidence? The Reed family?¡±

    Amber flushed with embarrassment, ¡°Mr. Farrell, your words are too hurtful. It¡¯s true I am an adopted daughter, but I regard the Reed family as my own home. Now that the Reed family¡¯s interests are damaged, I naturally have to speak up. Can¡¯t we speak if you¡¯ve done something wrong?¡±

    The thing Amber hated most was others bringing up her status as an adopted daughter. Wasn¡¯t she the most outstanding, simply because she wasn¡¯t born into the Reed family?

    ¡°I don¡¯t talk to dogs!¡± Jared said expressionlessly.

    ¡°You!¡± Amber¡¯s face turned ashen, her lips trembling in anger.

    Jared didn¡¯t even want to give her a nce, turning directly to Elizabeth and speaking without expression, ¡°Elizabeth, at Ivy¡¯s birthday party the other day, Tina made it very clear. Her condition for agreeing to marry me was that the dowry be handed over to her father. If you¡¯ve forgotten, I don¡¯t mind releasing the video of that day¡¯s event.¡±

    Hearing this, Elizabeth¡¯splexion changed, ¡°There¡¯s no need for the video!¡±

    The incident at the party had been difficult to suppress, and if it were released again, the Reed family would make headlines once more. Right now, finding an investor was the most important thing.

    ¡°So, handing over fifty million to her father, do you have any objections?¡± Jared¡¯s words were t, yetthey carried a powerful momentum.

    Elizabeth felt herself retreat. Tina was a force to be reckoned with, and Jared even more so. Offending the Farrell family today would only make things harder for the Reed family in the future. She had to acknowledge that the Farrell family did not seem inclined to give the money to the Reed family.

    After a moment of silence, she looked at Tina and said, ¡°Tina, I never wanted things to turn out this way today. I am someone who cares about face, and the Reed family truly can¡¯t hold on any longer. We must find an investment, and I know you hate me for how I treated your mother back then, but I am still your grandmother. Ask the Farrell family for ten million, and after that, the Reed family won¡¯t need your father to handle things.¡±

    Tina furrowed her brow, as Elizabeth really would do anything to achieve her goals. For money, she had thrown away her shame and now even her son.

    It was pitiful to see motherhood reduced to this level.

    Hugo stepped in front of Tina, his face serious, ¡°Asking the Farrell family for fifty million won¡¯t work, but I will find a way to get you a ten million investment. I hope you can continue the engagement party peacefully without further disturbances.¡±

    ¡°You? How capable do you think you are? You can find a ten million investment?¡± Elizabeth said with scorn.

    She truly looked down on this third son. Soft-hearted and ipetent, always treating women like treasures. If he could secure a ten million investment, would the Reed family havee to this state?

    ¡°I have something more valuable than ten million, and the Reed family can surely use it,¡± Hugo stated emotionlessly. ¡°Mother, you know what it is. For Tina¡¯s sake today, I am willing to bring it out, but after the engagement party, we will part ways, and the Reed family¡¯s affairs will have nothing to do with me.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s whole body shook. She turned her head sharply to exchange a look with her brothers Pinewood and Talon, and quickly she said, ¡°Alright! It¡¯s settled then!¡±

    With that, Elizabeth sat down and no longer interjected.

    The rest of the Reed family also settled down.

    Tina looked at Hugo, a subtle gleam passing through her eyes.

    Was he going to hand over the form to Elizabeth?

    ¡°Can we continue with the engagement party now?¡± Logan, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, spoke up.

    Hugo nodded, ¡°Sorry Mr. Farrell, for making a spectacle. Please, continue.¡±

    Logan grunted in acknowledgment, instructed someone to hand the dowry to Hugo, and then said, ¡°This is the dowry we just agreed upon, but after discussing with Jared, we have decided to still give a fifty million dowry, to be handed to Tina¡¯s father.¡±

    Before the crowd could express their surprise, Logan spoke again, ¡°Taking advantage of today¡¯s asion, I have an announcement to make. I am officially retiring, and from now on, all affairs of the Farrell family will be managed by my grandson Jared. He will be my sessor.¡±

 Chapter 81: The Farrell Family in Uproar Again

    As Logan¡¯s voice fell, the private room became as silent as the grave. Not only were the Reed family shocked, but even the members of the Farrell family were stunned. The first to snap out of it was Jared¡¯s uncle, Arthur, who stood up abruptly, his face cold with usation, ¡°Dad! What are you doing? Such a significant matter as choosing a sessor, and you made the decision without consulting us?¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Logan nced at him and said indifferently, ¡°Consult about what? The Farrell family was built by my own efforts. I decide who will be the sessor, and I don¡¯t need to consult anyone!¡± The Farrell family wasn¡¯t an age-old lineage; he had started it from scratch, and only he knew the hardships of elevating the Farrell family to the status of the capital¡¯s foremost family.

    However, ten years ago, the Farrell family had already declined. He had grown old, unable to keep up with the times, and without innovation, which meant that the Farrell family would soon be overtaken by other ns. At his age, he had long since stopped caring about fame and wealth, but he had to keep these things in his grasp. Money was a good thing; it could keep the Farrell family safe and sound.

    The people of the Farrell family only saw the present prosperity but failed to see that the family was on a downward path. And when the Farrell family was on the verge of copse, it was Jared who had revived thepany. Everyone knew Jared as a cripple, a good-for-nothing, but they did not realize that he was a genius! Logan had decided long ago that Jared would be his sessor. Jared had to feign disability for some reason, to avoid drawing attention to himself.

    Now, with Jared openly dering that his legs were ¡®healed,¡¯ it meant that the things he had been nning in secret could now proceed normally. So, it was time to hand over the Farrell family to Jared.

    ¡°Dad, that¡¯s not right!¡± Another one of Jared¡¯s uncles, Alexander, stood up, his face unhappy, ¡°It¡¯s true that you built the Farrell family, but over the years, us brothers have all worked hard for thepany. Even if you want to choose a sessor, it shouldn¡¯t be Jared. There are still sons of our generation, and you¡¯re letting a grandson take over. What kind of sense does that make?¡±

    The rest of the Farrell family echoed, ¡°Exactly, how can a sessor be decided so casually? With such arge family, how can we not think it through? Are you joking with the entire family?¡±

    ¡°Jared is unambitious and uneducated, a well-known good-for-nothing. You want him to take over the family business, it¡¯s like you want to destroy the family!¡±

    ¡°If you really do this, then we will divide the family.¡±

    The Farrell family members were angrier than the next.

    Jared¡¯s parents, Asher and Marie, said nothing. They couldn¡¯t say anything. This matter favored their family, and if they spoke up, their siblings would use them of harboring ulterior motives.

    The Reed family, under such circumstances, could not speak out either. However, everyone¡¯s thoughts were inly written on their faces, especially Amber. Her fair and delicate face was full of unwillingness! If she had known Jared¡¯s legs would heal, if she had known he would be the Farrell family¡¯s sessor, she would not have let Jared go to Tina.

    That was the Farrell family¡¯s sessor! If she had married Jared, she would have the right to manage the household; everyone would have to fawn over her. But she had let such a magnificent opportunity slip to Tina. Now, her heart ached with regret. She was determined to win Jared back!

    Elizabeth also regretted it deeply. How could she have anticipated such a reversal? Now that Jared was the sessor of the Farrell family, Tina would inherit the whole family! All of that should have been for Amber. Although Amber was not her biological child, she was more filial than Tina. If Amber had married Jared, the Reed family¡¯s rise to the capital¡¯s elite was a matter of time.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Logan snorted coldly, ¡°Do you think because I¡¯m old, I can¡¯t wield a stick anymore, and you dare to threaten me? The decision I make is final, and no one can change it. You want to divide the family, is it? After the engagement is over, let¡¯s divide then! Just don¡¯t regret it!¡±

    He was truly angry. Today was Jared and Tina¡¯s engagement, which should have been a joyous asion. However, first with the Reed family¡¯s incessant quarreling over the dowry and now with the Farrell family¡¯s dispute over the sessor, he was frustrated. What did it have to do with those people? Tina was Hugo¡¯s daughter; how could a father not take his daughter¡¯s dowry? The grandmother wanting to seize the dowry, where did thate from? And Jared was his grandson, the Farrell family was his creation; he nned to leave his lifelong enterprise to his most outstanding and beloved grandson. What right did those who lived off the family without contributing have to object? Did they really think he had grown mild-tempered with age?

    The Farrell family members wanted to say more, but hearing Logan was serious about dividing the family without a second thought, they shut their mouths tight. It was a joke; who would dare to divide the family? The Farrells were the capital¡¯s premier family; if they split off from the Farrell family, they would no longer receive thepany¡¯s annual dividends, nor would they have the protection of the family name. Who would make such a foolish move?

    Yet, acknowledging Jared as the heir was out of the question for them.

    Logan swept his cold gaze over the Farrell family members and seeing they had fallen silent, he said sharply, ¡°The engagement has been dyed long enough. I do not want to be held up by trivial matters any longer. If anyone dares to interrupt me again, get out. Reed family, don¡¯t think just because I¡¯m old, I can¡¯t handle you!¡±

    His aura of authority made everyone much more subdued.

    After speaking, Logan approached Hugo and said, ¡°Hugo, $100, 000 is ording to your customs, and $50 million is our custom. We respect your traditions, and you should respect ours. My granddaughter-inw deserves a dowry of $50 million.¡±

    He said this, his gaze sweeping across everyone again, ¡°I want everyone to know that Tina is my cherished granddaughter-inw. Whatever Jared has, she shall have as well.¡±

    Hugo had wanted to refuse when Logan first mentioned the $50 million dowry, but disputes over the sessor had risen among the Farrell family members, and he had found no opportunity to interject.

    Now, still wanting to refuse but blocked by Logan¡¯s words, he was touched by Logan¡¯s affection for Tina. Any previous prejudice against the Farrell family had vanished, but epting a $50 million dowry felt to him like selling his daughter, a hurdle he couldn¡¯t ovee in his heart.

    As he hesitated, Tina spoke up, ¡°Mr. Reed, please ept it. This is the Farrell family¡¯s sincerity.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Hugo finally nodded, ¡°Alright, Logan. I will ept this $50 million dowry. However, when they get married, I will still give this money to Tina to take back with her.¡±

    Logan didn¡¯t say more. Courtesies aside, they were meaningless.

    Marie, who already had little fondness for Tina, listening to Tina actively asking for the $50 million, had an even worse impression of her. However, with Logan in a bad mood now, she couldn¡¯t say much.

    But to find Jared a new wife, she was determined to do so.

 Chapter 82: Amber, You Must Win Over Jaredâ€™s Heart

    The engagement party ended amidst the varied expressions of the guests.

    The Farrell family members rose to leave almost as soon as the patriarch stood up, all but Jared¡¯s family of four, their faces etched with thoughts and schemes.

    The Reed family¡¯s rtives had also departed, leaving only those residing at Moon Gate Estate.

    Once the Farrell family had left, Elizabeth immediately approached Hugo, blocking his way, ¡°Hugo, that item, when will you give it to me?¡±

    Hugo looked at Elizabeth, a sense of disappointment clouding his heart, yet deep down there was still a glimmer of hope, ¡°Mom! Have you really made up your mind? For that thing, you would disown your own son?¡±

    Elizabeth responded without a moment¡¯s hesitation, ¡°It¡¯s you who doesn¡¯t want a mother. You¡¯ve defied me time and again for the sake of a woman. Since I don¡¯t exist in your eyes, nor does the Reed family, then consider me as having no son. Give me the item, and from then on, we shall have nothing to do with each other. I won¡¯t need you to take care of me in my old age.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Even though Hugo had anticipated this oue, it still pained him deeply.

    His own mother would sever ties with him for the sake of profit.

    Although they had already broken off rtions before, it had never been a true split. But this time, Elizabeth was serious about cutting him offpletely.

    Hugo nced at Jennie, Tina, and Zackary, took a deep breath, and said, ¡°We¡¯re all tired today, let¡¯s go home and rest. Tomorrow I will return home and hand the item to you personally.¡±

    He paused, then said seriously to Elizabeth, ¡°Since you¡¯ve chosen not to want me, then have thewyere tomorrow, and we¡¯ll have the documents notarized. That¡¯s it.¡±

    Without waiting for Elizabeth to reply, Hugo left with Tina and the others.

    Outside the hotel, the sunlight was blinding, yet exceptionally warm. Hugo¡¯s eyes were moist as he stood under the sun, silent.

    Jennie and Tina stood by his side, not disturbing him.

    Zackary, still young and not understanding why his father was upset, tugged at his hand, ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t cry, I¡¯ll always be with you.¡±

    Hugo was brought back to reality by Zackary¡¯s voice, gently touched his head and wiped away the tear, ¡°Daddy¡¯s not crying, just got some sand in his eyes.¡±

    Jennie stepped forward, took his hand, and said softly, ¡°Hugo, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    Hugo nodded, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    In that moment, rity struck him.

    What was there to be sad about?

    He had a wife, a daughter, a son, was now working with the Mendara Group, Tina was engaged to Jared, Logan was good to her, Zackary was enrolled in Royal Oaks, and only Elsa was left. She too had a boyfriend and would be getting married in a few days. Their family¡¯s days were only getting better.

    In the Reed family, he was always the one who gave without receiving love, and his children were treated the same. They were looked down upon by others. Now, free from the Reed family, his son was happy, and no one would mock his daughter anymore. A simple, joyful life, wasn¡¯t that what he always wanted?

    Whether or not he wanted the Reed family didn¡¯t matter anymore.

    Back in the hotel.

    After Hugo¡¯s family had left, Pinewood approached Elizabeth, asking with concern, ¡°Mom, do you think Hugo will really hand over that item?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve asked him many times before, but he always insisted he didn¡¯t have it. Why does he suddenly have it now?¡± Talon added, ¡°Could Hugo be deceiving us?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure of anything else, but Hugo wouldn¡¯t lie about this,¡± Elizabeth scoffed, ¡°Hmph, that ungrateful child. I knew he was bewitched by that harlot Reba. He watched the Reed family struggle and still refused to take it out.¡±

    The mere mention of this infuriated Elizabeth.

    She had asked him covertly and overtly over the past few years, and Hugo always imed Reba left him nothing. If it weren¡¯t for the scene they caused at Tina¡¯s engagement party, that damn thing would probably never have surfaced.

    Pinewood exhaled in relief, ¡°If Hugo is willing to give that thing up, the Reed family will be saved, and we might even rise to greater heights. It¡¯s worth more than fifty million dors.¡±

    Elizabeth nodded, her mood visibly improving at the thought of getting her hands on the item soon. She instructed Pinewood, ¡°Contact thewyer immediately toe over tomorrow. Hugo is determined now, and if we don¡¯t follow his wishes, he might change his mind. Call him early tomorrow to ensure everything is settled.¡±

    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll contact them now.¡± Pinewood said, pulling out his phone and stepping aside to make the call.

    Amber watched Elizabeth, her lips pressed together in hesitation.

    Seeing that Amber seemed to have something to say, Elizabeth encouraged her, ¡°Amber, speak your mind. We¡¯re all family here.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Amber spoke, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve heard that what Dad has is worth more than fifty million dors. But why didn¡¯t he use it to make money after leaving?¡±

    ¡°What else could it be for if not for love?¡± Elizabeth said with exasperation, ¡°Your father is a hopeless romantic. He loses his way at the sight of a woman-first Reba, now Jennie. These two women are the bane of the Reed family.¡±

    ¡°But Tina¡¯s mother is already deceased. What use is it for Dad to keep that thing?¡± Amber couldn¡¯t understand.

    Hugo had been jobless until now. Selling that item could bring in a lot of money, but he¡¯d rather live a hard life than part with it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention Reba again. It¡¯s bad luck just to speak of her,¡± Elizabeth said, visibly ufortable at the mention of Reba.

    Amber nodded, not pressing the issue further.

    Elizabeth looked at her and took her hand, whispering, ¡°Amber, there¡¯s something I want to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°What is it, Grandma?¡±

    ¡°I want you to get close to Jared, win his heart, and then marry him!¡±

    Amber was taken aback, not expecting that she and Elizabeth were on the same page.

    Seeing Amber¡¯s silence, Elizabeth thought she disagreed and coaxed her, ¡°I was against you marrying Jared before because he was disabled and useless. But today, it¡¯s clear that¡¯s not the case. His legs were probably healed long ago, not just recently.¡±

    ¡°And he¡¯s not useless. If he were, why would Logan entrust the Farrell family to him? He¡¯s been pretending all this time, testing us, and we failed. Amber, we missed one opportunity already, and we absolutely cannot miss this one.¡±

    ¡°You saw how well the Farrell family treats Tina. Jared is the sessor, and Tina is in charge of the entire Farrell family. She can make all the decisions. But look at Tina-does she deserve it? I know you don¡¯t like Jared, but for your future and the Reed family¡¯s, you should sacrifice yourself.¡±

    Unbeknownst to Elizabeth, Tina held two doctoral degrees, and Amber hadn¡¯t informed her.

    Amber had already intended to win Jared back, so Elizabeth¡¯s suggestion was perfectly aligned with her ns.

    She didn¡¯t let her intentions show on her face but looked down obediently, ¡°Grandma, I will follow your advice.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my good granddaughter!¡± Elizabeth smiled.

 Chapter 83: Watching Over My Father-in-law

    On the other side, after leaving the hotel, the Farrell family members quickened their pace to follow Logan. Jared, Hayden, and Nathan were walking behind. It wasn¡¯t until they saw a few cars driving away that Jared stopped and said to Nathan, ¡°Keep an eye on Hugo.¡±

    Nathan was taken aback, not quite understanding why. Hayden was also confused, but he didn¡¯t hesitate to ask, ¡°Really, you? You just got engaged to the girl, and now you¡¯re watching her father? Are you burning your bridges after crossing the river?¡±

    Jared nced at him with an expressionless face and said, ¡°He might have the potion.¡±

    Both Hayden and Nathan widened their eyes in disbelief. After a while, Hayden finally responded, ¡°Potion? Hugo? You¡¯re not joking, are you?¡± Although Hugo was the third son of the Reed family, he was as ordinary as theye. How could something as important as the potion be in his possession?

    Jared¡¯s lips were pursed, his stern face betraying no emotion. ¡°I found out that the potion is rted to Tina¡¯s mother. Hugo proposed to give something to Elizabeth, and it¡¯s very likely the potion.¡±

    ¡°What are we waiting for then? Go find him! How can we let him give it to Elizabeth? Does he think he has too many days left?¡± Hayden was somewhat anxious. The potion was an extremely important object and a ticking time bomb. The order from above was clear: find the potion at all costs, even if it meant death.

    The GTO had dispatched assassins who had already infiltrated Ensford. Whoever possessed the potion was as good as dead. Besides, several other forces were also searching for the potion; it was a hot potato.

    Since Hugo had it and wasn¡¯t keeping it a secret, even offering to give it to Elizabeth publicly, wasn¡¯t that akin to courting death?

    ¡°We can¡¯t go!¡± Jared said solemnly. ¡°It¡¯s not certain whether what he¡¯s giving to Elizabeth is the potion, nor whether he¡¯s as benign as he appears on the surface. We can¡¯t startle the snake in the grass.¡±

    Jared looked up and instructed Nathan, ¡°You keep an eye on Hugo. The moment he hands the potion to Elizabeth, act immediately and seize it!¡±

    Stealing was not his usual style. But given the gravity of the situation and the need for stealth, theft was the only option.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan nodded gravely.

    Jared paused, then added, ¡°You don¡¯t act personally, let others do it.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Pinkwater Alley.

    After Hugo returned home, he called Tina aside, ¡°Tina, there¡¯s something I want to talk to you about.¡±

    Tina stopped in her tracks and sat on the sofa, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    She had wanted to ask Hugo about what he was nning to give to Elizabeth, but since Hugo had something to say, she decided to listen first. She had found Hugo to be an upright person during their interactions. But as for the potion, she wasn¡¯t sure.

    She had seen many people, of all sorts, and if Hugo¡¯s integrity and kindness were all an act, then he was too formidable. She hoped her judgment was not wrong. She didn¡¯t want her image of Hugo to change in her heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± Hugo licked his lips, choosing his words carefully, ¡°Your mother was a very good perfumer. When she married into my family, she created several perfumes that led the Reed family from a fallen house to glory.¡±

    Tina nodded. She knew her mother was a perfumer. In fact, her mother had many identities, but the Reed family only knew of this one.

    Tina stayed silent, waiting for Hugo to continue.

    ¡°After your mother left, she called me once. She gave me the forms for the perfumes. She developed a total of twenty-eight perfume forms, of which she used eight during her years with the Reed family. After she left, I never took out those forms again. But now, I¡¯ve decided to give one of the perfume forms to your grandmother.¡±

    Hugo looked at Tina cautiously, actually fearing she would be angry, as after all, these were her mother¡¯s legacy. After Reba left with Tina, he had searched frantically but to no avail.

    One day, Reba suddenly called him, telling him that she had left the perfume forms hidden in a book on his bookshelf, and then hung up. The next time he heard from her, she had passed away.

    He was heartbroken. After finding the perfume forms, he intended never to take them out again in his life; he felt the Reed family did not deserve the glory that Reba brought.

    But now, he had no choice.

    Elizabeth was like a leech, only sucking their blood ¨C once his, and now Tina¡¯s. By giving up the form, he hoped topletely sever ties with the Reed family and give his family peace.

    Tina was taken aback; she had not expected Hugo to talk about perfume forms. She had assumed what he wanted to use to break free from Elizabeth was the potion. When she saw that he was silent, Hugo thought she was truly angry and hurriedly said, ¡°Tina, I know you and your mother were very close, and I don¡¯t want to give away the perfume form, but¡­ your grandmother is just too much. Today, during the engagement, with so many people around, she caused such a scene. If I don¡¯t use the form to shut her up, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll continue to cause trouble.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I thought of using the form to secure our family¡¯s peace, but after all, it belongs to your mother, and it must have your approval. If you¡¯re unwilling, then I¡­¡± Hugo paused, thinking, then continued, ¡°I¡¯ll go look for investors tomorrow.¡±

    The olddy had originally wanted ten million dors. If heter imed the form was lost, the Reed family would have no recourse.

    After a moment of silence, Tina slowly said, ¡°Mr. Reed, I have a question for you.¡±

    ¡°Ask,¡± he said.

    ¡°You know the value of my mother¡¯s forms. You haven¡¯t had a good time in the Reed family over the years; why didn¡¯t you sell the form for money?¡± Tina looked up at him. ¡°There are so many perfumepanies; just selling one would have made your life much easier.¡±

    ¡°Tina, you don¡¯t understand!¡± Hugo sighed, ¡°I owe your mother too much. She did a lot for this family, and I couldn¡¯t do anything for her. I once promised to protect her, but I broke my word¡­¡±

    Hugo¡¯s voice broke as he said, ¡°Before her death, I didn¡¯t even get to see her onest time. This form is thest thing she left behind, and I don¡¯t want to trade it for wealth and honor.¡±

    Tina looked into Hugo¡¯s eyes, trying to see if there was any pretense, but she only saw sincerity.

    After a while, Tina asked again, ¡°Did my mother only give you the perfume forms? Did she leave anything else?¡±

    Hugo abruptly paused, and after a long moment, he said, ¡°No, she only gave me the perfume forms.¡±

    The flicker of panic in his eyes did not escape Tina¡¯s notice. She did not press further, simply stating, ¡°Mr. Reed, you can decide about this matter on your own, you don¡¯t need to ask me. Whatever my mother gave you, it¡¯s yours.¡±

    With that, she got up and left. As she turned the corner, her step faltered ever so slightly, thinking to herself, Mr. Reed, I hope you¡¯re worth it.

 Chapter 84: Severing Ties

    The next day.

    Hugo took another day off from work, aware of what kind of person Elizabeth was and fearing that today¡¯s visit would not go smoothly. He intended to use this day to thoroughly resolve the matter.

    Tina had no sses, so she went with him.

    Jennie, Hugo¡¯s wife, naturally apanied them as well.

    After dropping Zackary off at school, they headed straight to Moon Gate Estate.

    Pinewood was just about to call Hugo when they arrived.

    He nced at Hugo with a neutral tone, ¡°Did you bring the item?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Hugo replied evenly, ¡°When will thewyer arrive?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s on the way, about fifteen minutes out,¡± Pinewood said.

    Hugo nodded, then fell silent.

    The Reed family ceased speaking too, and the vi was very quiet.

    Elizabeth sat in the principal seat, her aged and murky eyes nced at Hugo before she closed them to rest. From beginning to end, she did not offer Hugo and his family a ss of water.

    Hugo didn¡¯t mind and sat quietly with his family.

    Thewyer arrived sooner than expected, in just ten minutes.

    Once thewyer was there, Hugo stood up first, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    Elizabeth opened her eyes and said deliberately, ¡°Show me the item first!¡±

    Without hesitation, Hugo took out the form he had rewritten and handed it to Elizabeth.

    Upon examining the form, her brow wrinkled immediately, ¡°Just one form? Are you treating me like a beggar?¡±

    Hugo¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°Reba only left me this one form.¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± Elizabeth eximed sharply, ¡°You think a single form can sever the maternal bond of birth and upbringing? Are you dreaming?¡±

    Hugo looked up, met Elizabeth¡¯s eyes with a serious face, ¡°Mom! This form is worth at least a hundred million dors. You gave birth to me, but you did not raise me well. In your eyes, only my brothers are your sons; I¡¯m just a tool you can use.¡±

    ¡°You favor my brothers, and I have nothing to say about that. I¡¯m not here to argue about who¡¯s right or wrong today. This is thest form left by Reba. If you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll sell it to someone else. I¡¯m not afraid of you pestering us anymore. If ites to it, after selling the form, we can just move and live somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°You ungrateful child!¡± Elizabeth scolded loudly, ¡°You are my son, and you want to sell the form to others? Do you even consider the Reed family, your own mother?¡±

    Hugo scoffed, ¡°Today, I¡¯vee to sever our ties. From now on, we have no rtion. What do the Reed family and I have to do with each other?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Elizabeth, clutching her chest, struggled to catch her breath.

    Pinewood quickly supported Elizabeth and asked coldly, ¡°Hugo, are you sure you¡¯ve thought this through? To leave the Reed family for good, with no regrets?¡±

    ¡°The best decision I¡¯ve ever made is to leave the Reed family,¡± Hugo said with utmost seriousness.

    ¡°Fine! How admirable!¡± Pinewood was also infuriated.

    To be honest, they didn¡¯t want Hugo topletely sever ties with the Reed family.

    Of course, it wasn¡¯t because they had feelings for Hugo, but because they knew Hugo had more than just this one form; he must be hiding others.

    There was another thing: Elizabeth had told them yesterday that she had persuaded Amber to win Jared¡¯s heart, which would inevitably involve Tina since she was Jared¡¯s fiancee.

    With Tina around, Amber¡¯s chances of sess would be greater.

    But Hugo¡¯s stubbornness was truly infuriating.

    ¡°You think you can just leave the Reed family like that? No way!¡± Elizabeth stuffed the form into her pocket and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve got the form now, and I won¡¯t give it back to you unless you provide a new one. Otherwise, our rtionship cannot be severed today.¡±

    She knew how important this form was.

    Years ago, Reba had used just a few forms to elevate the Reed family to the ranks of the Ensford elite.

    Now, the Reed family needed only one form to shine again, but what she wanted was not just for the Reed family to prosper in Ensford, but in the capital.

    She wanted to push down their rtives in the capital.

    If possible, she even aspired to surpass the Farrell family.

    Her ambition was always grand, and for that goal, she was willing to sacrifice everything, stopping at nothing.

    What was one son to her?

    If necessary, she could sacrifice all three sons.

    Hugo had anticipated her response and chuckled coldly, ¡°Mom, I am your son, and I know what¡¯s in your mind. Did you really think I was an ignorant fool?¡±

    A bad feeling welled up inside Elizabeth, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°This form is missing two key ingredients. Without thoseingredients, the form is worthless,¡± Hugo said expressionlessly.

    Originally, he hadn¡¯t thought of this, but Tina reminded him on the way over.

    He felt this was the safest course of action, to temporarily change the form.

    In truth, he had still harbored some hope, hoping that Elizabeth would keep her word for once. But now, it seemed he should not have held any expectations of Elizabeth at all.

    She was someone who, for her purposes, had no bottom line.

    ¡°You scoundrel!¡± Elizabeth, enraged, grabbed a cup beside her and hurled it at Hugo.

    Hugo shifted slightly, and the cup smashed on the floor. Looking up at Elizabeth, his face was very grim, ¡°Since you¡¯re not sincere, there¡¯s no point in further discussion. We¡¯re leaving.¡±

    With that, he called Jennie and Tina to leave.

    Seeing Hugo¡¯s serious departure, Elizabeth panicked and hastily called out to him, ¡°Wait!¡±

    Hugo paused in his steps and looked at her, saying nothing.

    Elizabeth was angry seeing his demeanor but knew that, at this point, more words were futile. She then instructed thewyer, ¡°Mr. Rnds, please draft an agreement now. I want to sever ties with this unfilial son.¡±

    Thewyer, aware of the purpose of today¡¯s meeting, nodded and began drafting the agreement.

    Quickly, thewyer prepared the agreement, in duplicate, handing one copy to Elizabeth and one to Hugo, ¡°Please review it and if there are no issues, sign it. Then we¡¯ll have it notarized.¡±

    Elizabeth reviewed it quickly, ¡°I have no issues.¡±

    Hugo read it more slowly, scrutinizing every word to ensure nothing was missed.

    After reviewing the agreement, Hugo said, ¡°I have an issue.¡±

    ¡°What is the issue?¡± thewyer asked.

    Hugo did not respond to thewyer but instead looked at Amber, who stood by Elizabeth¡¯s side, silent the whole time, ¡°Amber, you were adopted by me, but you¡¯ve lived with your grandmother these past few years. Now that I¡¯ve severed ties with her, I need to ask you: will youe with me, or will you continue to stay with your grandmother?¡±

    ¡°If you choose to stay with your grandmother, it should also be written into the agreement.¡±

 Chapter 85: Even If He Is My Father

    Amber had taken the day off again. She didn¡¯t need to be there, but she wanted to witness Hugo¡¯s family¡¯s disgraceful departure with her own eyes, so she had asked Elizabeth for leave to stay at home.

    Throughout the conversation between Hugo and Elizabeth, she had remained silent; at her young age, it wasn¡¯t her ce to speak in such situations.

    However, she never imagined that Hugo would suddenly turn the conversation to her and force her to make a choice.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Her fingers clenched tightly, lips bitten, eyes brimming with tears, she looked the picture of aggrievement, ¡°Dad, are you going to cut ties with me, too?¡±

    Hugo¡¯s expression remained unchanged, his speech even-tempered, ¡°I want you to make a choice. If youe with me, you can¡¯te back here. If you stay with your grandmother, you can¡¯te looking for me. Amber, you can¡¯t have both the fish and the bear¡¯s paw; you must choose one or the other.¡±

    It was his intent to have Amber choose.

    Over the years, he had watched Amber¡¯s behavior and character, and he was disappointed.

    Especially after Tina¡¯s return, Amber¡¯s actions had chilled his heart.

    The situation between him and Elizabeth had be irreparable. He had made his choice, and Amber, as his adopted daughter, had to make hers too.

    ¡°Dad, why do you have to be at odds with grandma? You used to be fine with each other. Grandma is old, and she has her difficulties too. Even though I am your adopted child, I have always treated you and mom as my real parents. I wish our family could all be happy and joyful.¡±

    Amber¡¯s eyes reddened as she cried, ¡°I know Tina has been angry with me since she came back, thinking that I took everything that belonged to her. But it wasn¡¯t my choice. Dad, can¡¯t you not sever ties with grandma? I don¡¯t want to leave you all!¡±

    Hugo¡¯s brow furrowed, and he rebuked her in a low voice, ¡°Enough!¡±

    He had almost shouted, and Amber, who had never seen him in such a terrifying manner, trembled in fear.

    ¡°Your sister has never been angry with you. She hasn¡¯t even mentioned you at home. Where did you get the idea that she¡¯s angry with you for taking her things? Amber, ask yourself, in the two years you¡¯ve been in my house, haven¡¯t your mother and I gone without food and clothes to provide for you? Zackary is my biological son, and sometimes he went hungry, but I never let you starve.¡±

    Amber looked down, silent.

    A trace of mockery flickered in her eyes, unnoticed.

    If she had a choice, she would never have wanted to be adopted by Hugo. Poor as she was, living in Moon Gate Estate meant others feasted on meat and fish while her family could only afford vegetables, her cousins wore branded clothes while she could only wear clothes worth a few hundred dors.

    So she ingratiated herself with Elizabeth and was taken back to the Reed family. She didn¡¯t think she was wrong; who doesn¡¯t want to rise above their station?

    She was only less fortunate in birth than Tina. If she had a better start in life, she would have outshone her current self.

    ¡°My family may not be rich, but since you came to our house, I¡¯ve done my best to treat you well. I admit I had a motive; I treated you well in the hope that someone would treat Tina the same. But I can honestly say I¡¯ve never wronged you. On the contrary, it seems you¡¯ve always resented us for not providing the best for you!¡±

    ¡°Dad, that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Amber said impatiently.

    Who wants to listen to these moral lessons?

    If Hugo had no use remaining in the Reed family, she would wish for them to sever ties with Elizabeth as soon as possible.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say what you mean. I can see you¡¯re annoyed,¡± Hugo nced at her indifferently, ¡°Make your choice now, whether to go or stay, it¡¯s up to you.¡±

    Amber pursed her lips, a cold look shed in her eyes, but still with a look of aggrievement, she said, ¡°Does it have to be this way? Can¡¯t our family be good?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it must be this way,¡± Hugo said seriously.

    ¡°Then¡­ I choose grandma.¡± Amber was silent for only a few seconds before making her choice.

    Hugo had anticipated this oue; he was not heartbroken, just nodded to thewyer, ¡°Mr. Rnds, please add this condition and have Amber sign it.¡±

    Thewyer had no objections and looked to Elizabeth.

    Elizabeth nodded at him, and thewyer added the condition.

    After everyone had reviewed it and found no issues, they all signed the agreement.

    After signing, Hugo took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Elizabeth, ¡°This is theplete form.¡±

    Without waiting for Elizabeth¡¯s response, he turned and left with Jennie and Tina.

    No one in the Reed family felt any regret or sorrow at his departure.

    Elizabeth checked the form, noting two additional ingredients, and then handed it to Pinewood, ¡°Send this to the R&D department right away. We need to develop the perfume as soon as possible.¡±

    She paused, her face serious, ¡°Remember, we must seed and not fail. The Reed family¡¯seback depends on this perfume.¡±

    Pinewood nodded, ¡°I understand, Mom!¡±

    Talon suddenly thought of something, ¡°But developing a perfume requires capital, and we¡¯ll also need to promote it. Our family doesn¡¯t have much money left.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money. If we have to, we¡¯ll sell my jewelry. I¡¯ve calcted it; the development and marketing costs should be about five million dors, which my jewelry can cover.¡±

    A loan was out of the question.

    The Reed family had loans at several banks that were soon due, and it was unlikely the banks would lend them more.

    Talon sighed, ¡°We have no other option.¡±

    Outside of Moon Gate Estate, in arge tree, two men with binocrs were perched.

    ¡°Nathan, Mr. Reed has left, and he didn¡¯t take out any medicine. Are we going to continue watching?¡± a man with a crew cut asked hispanion Nathan.

    Nathan put down the binocrs and took off his earpiece, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Half an hourter, Nathan returned to Jared¡¯s vi.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, Mr. Reed didn¡¯t give his mother the medicine. What he gave was a perfume form, but whether it¡¯s true remains to be verified.¡±

    They were too far to see clearly; they only saw Hugo hand Elizabeth a sheet of paper and talk about perfume, but they couldn¡¯t be certain of its authenticity.

    They never trusted only what their eyes saw or ears heard; they believed in evidence.

    Jared sat on the couch, his long fingers tapping slowly, his voice low and somber, ¡°Find a way to get the paper from Elizabeth and verify if it¡¯s rted to the medicine. Hugo¡¯s details must be thoroughly checked again.¡±

    ¡°Linh is already on it.¡±

    Linh was the man who had been with Nathan earlier.

    Nathan had nned to leave directly, but then he felt something was off, so he had Linh find an opportunity to get close to the Reed family.

    After a moment of silence, Nathan said, ¡°Mr. Farrell, are you sure you want to investigate Mr. Reed? He is, after all, Miss Reed¡¯s father¡­¡±

    ¡°Even if he is my father.¡± Jared had an intuition that Hugo must know something about the whereabouts of the medicine.

 Chapter 86: Miss Woodhamâ€™s Trouble

    Meanwhile, Shonna had been taking the medicine prescribed by Amber for three days, yet her condition was deteriorating. She suffered from relentless high fever, extreme weakness, and even bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. Mrs. Fanning and Beatrice were beside themselves with worry. After the family doctor administered antipyretic medication to Beatrice, Mrs. Fanning anxiously inquired, ¡°Dr. Lyon, how is Shonna doing? Will her fever subside?¡±

    ¡°Miss Woodham¡¯s situation is not promising,¡± Dr. Lyon said gravely, ¡°She has been experiencing continuous high fever for these three days. Normally, after the fever breaks, it should not recur so quickly. But after taking the medicine, her fever returns within just seven or eight hours. Today, the antipyretic drugs are no longer effective on her.¡±

    Dr. Lyon continued, his expression serious, ¡°Additionally, her vomiting and diarrhea are relentless. If this continues, I fear for Miss Woodham¡¯s life. I rmend we send her to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°But Miss Reed said that this condition is normal, indicating that the toxins in Shonna¡¯s body are being expelled. She advised us to reduce the fever first, and only then apply the medicated ointment, which is crucial for treating Shonna¡¯s face,¡± Beatrice said, ncing worriedly at the frail Shonna in bed. She knew what healing her face meant to Shonna.

    Throughout these disfiguring days, Shonna endured endless humiliation, akin to a walking corpse. Beatrice could not bear to see her daughter live like that.

    ¡°What is the time for if not to worry about this?¡± Mrs. Fanning retorted sharply, ¡°Saving Shonna¡¯s life is what¡¯s most important. I suspect that Amber Reed is not a legitimate doctor. She doesn¡¯t even have a medical license. How can she treat anyone? We might have all been deceived by her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± Beatrice countered. ¡°Many people were there that day, all saying Amber healed Sophia¡¯s face. Mother, I want to try. As you know, Shonna might as well be dead the way she¡¯s living now. Only if her face heals can she be happy. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer and see if the fever subsides. If it doesn¡¯t, we¡¯ll ask Amber toe.¡±

    In fact, Beatrice had called Amber several times over the past two days. At first, Amber patiently exined that the fever was a normal part of the detoxification, butter she became impatient and stopped answering calls altogether. This frustrated Beatrice, but for her daughter¡¯s illness, she endured.

    Now, at this critical juncture, she truly didn¡¯t want to give up.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You¡¯re being foolish!¡± Mrs. Fanning eximed angrily. ¡°Shonna is in this state, and you¡¯re still waiting for Amber? Do you want to be happy only if she dies?¡±

    ¡°Mother!¡± Beatrice shouted, bursting into tears. ¡°Shonna is my only daughter. How could I bear to see her die? But she¡¯s suffering so much. Seeing her like this is painful for me too. This is herst chance, and I don¡¯t want to give up.¡±

    As the argument continued, Dr. Lyon interjected, ¡°Let me see the prescription. If there¡¯s nothing wrong with it, then we can wait and see if the fever breaks.¡±

    Beatrice nodded and immediately fetched the prescription. Dr. Lyon examined it for a long time without speaking.

    Beatrice, feeling a sense of foreboding, asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    Dr. Lyon shook his head, ¡°From what I see, there¡¯s no issue. This prescription is for detoxification, but I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it. Something seems off.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Dr. Lyon suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s wait another hour. If Miss Woodham¡¯s fever hasn¡¯t subsided by then, we must rush her to the hospital. Her condition is seriously deteriorating, and we can¡¯t afford to waste more time. I can only guarantee her safety for the next two hours. Any further dy, and I can¡¯t assure her safety.¡±

    Beatrice nodded and then told Mrs. Fanning, ¡°Mother, did you hear that? Dr. Lyon said we could wait another hour. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself!¡± Mrs. Fanning, too upset to engage further, turned and left.

    She desired her granddaughter¡¯s facial recovery as much as anyone. But what good was a face if one lost their life?

    Upon reaching the ground floor hall and taking a sip of tea, the nanny informed her, ¡°Madam, Mrs. Lehman has arrived.¡±

    Mrs. Fanning brightened, ¡°Oh, she¡¯s been discharged? Please bring her in.¡±

    Standing, Mrs. Fanning went to greet her at the door. Soon, Grandma Lehman was ushered in, and Mrs. Fanning, delighted, took her hand, ¡°You¡¯ve just been discharged from the hospital, why not rest at home instead ofing over to my ce?¡±

    ¡°I was feeling bored at home, so I decided toe over for a chat,¡± Grandma Lehman replied with a smile.

    Mrs. Fanning invited Grandma Lehman to sit and asked, ¡°Are your son and daughter-inw on a business trip again? They really should spend time with you. All three of your sons are so busy, and you only have one granddaughter here in Ensford to look after you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m used to it,¡± Grandma Lehman replied, though the situation still bothered her. ustomed to being busy, her sons had suggested taking turns looking after her every few months. The day she was saved by Tina at the amusement park marked her return from her youngest son Luis Lehman¡¯s home abroad. Luis was even busier, and with her granddaughter in school, only she and the nanny were home. Fortunately, Ensford was her foundation, filled with many friends, and Mrs. Fanning was among her closest. When bored, she could seek out Mrs. Fanning for a conversation.

    ¡°I feel the same,¡± Mrs. Fanning confessed. ¡°Ever since my husband passed, I¡¯ve been alone. The kids are all busy. Thankfully, my daughter and granddaughter recently came to keep mepany.¡± Mrs. Fanning sighed as she continued, ¡°I was nning to visit you the other day, but my granddaughter suddenly fell ill with a high fever, and I couldn¡¯t leave her, making youe to me instead.¡±

    ¡°Shonna has a fever? Is it severe? Where is she hospitalized? I¡¯ll visit her,¡± Grandma Lehman expressed concern.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite serious. I want her to go to the hospital, but Beatrice absolutely refuses.¡±

    Grandma Lehman frowned, ¡°A high fever and she still won¡¯t go to the hospital? Isn¡¯t this ying with Shonna¡¯s life?¡±

    ¡°s,¡± Mrs. Fanning sighed again. ¡°Beatrice is almost crazy about Shonna¡¯s face. A few days ago, she heard that Miss Reed had cured Sophia¡¯s face, so she insisted on having her treat Shonna. But after taking Miss Reed¡¯s medicine, Shonna¡¯s high fever persisted, and she suffered from vomiting and diarrhea. Now she¡¯s bedridden and in a particrly bad state.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been telling Beatrice to take Shonna to the hospital immediately, but she insists the fever is normal.¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed?¡± Grandma Lehman paused, then smiled, ¡°Miss Reed is indeed a fine doctor. I don¡¯t mean to hide it from you, but I almost died when I fainted-it was Miss Reed who saved me.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Mrs. Fanning was surprised as it was Amber who had saved Grandma Lehman as well.

    ¡°Yes. Miss Reed is a very kind person. If she prescribed the medicine, you can rest assured.¡±

    Mrs. Fanning let out a wry smile, ¡°Maybe Miss Reed is just fortunate for you. She¡¯s been quite impatient treating Shonna. This time Shonna got a fever, and despite our requests, she hasn¡¯t shown up, and now she won¡¯t even answer our calls.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound right!¡± Grandma Lehman said, puzzled. ¡°The Miss Reed I know is quite kind.¡±

    After a pause, Grandma Lehman offered, ¡°How about I call Miss Reed toe take a look?¡±

    ¡°That would be a great help,¡± Mrs. Fanning replied.

 Chapter 87: Tina, help!

    Tina was in the office discussing with Jared when to schedule physical education sses. ss 22D¡¯s progress had far exceeded Tina¡¯s expectations; in just one week, they had already advanced to Grade 9 material. Velma was progressing even faster because Tina had been tutoring her one-on-one-her performance was so poor initially-but she could now handle Grade 10 material. Nevertheless, Tina decided to keep her in Grade 9 with everyone else, which meant she no longer needed individual tutoring. The students in 22D had solid foundations; they yed hard, but when it came time to get serious, they were more earnest and hardworking than students from other sses.

    Tina decided to introduce physical education sses earlier in the schedule, but surprisingly, the students unanimously requested to skip PE. They argued that they had missed out on too much over the years, and with less than three months until the exams, they wanted to put in their utmost effort to get into college. They didn¡¯t aspire to attend top universities; they would be content with any college. Believing that PE would take up valuable time, they pleaded to forgo the sses, but Tina refused. She insisted that while academics were important, physical fitness was essential for taking exams-without good health, all their hard work would be for naught if they copsed on test day. Seeing her determination, the students acquiesced.

    ¡°Today is Wednesday, so let¡¯s schedule PE for the first ss this afternoon and thest ss on Friday morning. We¡¯ll keep this arrangement for the next two weeks, and I¡¯ll adjust as neededter,¡± Tina confirmed the schedule for PE sses with Jared.

    Jared nodded, ¡°I have no objections.¡±

    Tina grunted in acknowledgment, then looked at his leg, ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t need a wheelchair anymore?¡±

    Previously, Jared had intended to teach on his wheelchair, but now he had publicly revealed his legs were ¡®healed¡¯ and had stopped using a wheelchair at school. Tina didn¡¯t know exactly who Jared was, but she suspected that someone who could feign disability for years must have extraordinary backing. His decision to reveal his recovery at this time was puzzling; it was unclear whether it was good or bad. Jared also had a sister who had once been targeted with Crimson Silk. Though the poison had been neutralized, whether Jared¡¯s enemies would go after Sophia again remained uncertain. Tina had grown fond of the young girl and hoped nothing bad would happen to her.

    Sensing her thoughts, Jared softly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have everything arranged.¡±

    Tina nodded without further inquiry.

    Jared pursed his lips, then whispered, ¡°Tina, my legs shouldn¡¯t have been ¡®healed¡¯ at this time.¡±

    Tina looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

    ¡°The Reed family is in chaos, and the Farrell family-also in chaos. If my legs weren¡¯t ¡®healed,¡¯ the Farrell family would face a major crisis,¡± Jared spoke calmly, but Tina saw a hint of coldness in his eyes.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    After a pause, Tina looked up seriously, ¡°Whatever you n to do, don¡¯t involve my family, Mr. Farrell. I hope you understand that our engagement is not based on affection, and we won¡¯t be marrying in the future.¡±

    Jared¡¯s lips tightened, and after a moment, he spoke hoarsely, ¡°I understand.¡±

    He had known from the beginning that Tina¡¯s agreement to their engagement was not sincere. She wanted something from him, and he from her. Because she resembled that child, or perhaps because her mother was Reba, thest one to handle the serum, neither of them was trulymitted.

    ¡°However, since we are engaged, we¡¯re in the same boat. If you need help and it¡¯s within my capability, I¡¯ll assist. Of course, if I need help, you must do the same,¡± Tina said.

    Jared smiled, ¡°Agreed.¡±

    The conversation ended there, but then Tina¡¯s phone rang. She nced at the caller ID and answered, ¡°Grandma Lehman.¡±

    It was Velma¡¯s grandmother, Grandma Lehman, calling. She had given Tina her number when they parted at the hospital.

    ¡°Tina, are you busy?¡± Grandma Lehman asked kindly.

    She had invited Tina over for dinner several times, but Tina had been too busy to ept. ss 22D had been required to stay on campus, so Velma could onlye home on weekends. Sometimes, when bored, Grandma Lehman would call Tina for a chat. Tina, not minding the bother, always patiently conversed with her, bringing them closer.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Not too busy. Is there something you need, Grandma Lehman?¡± Tina inquired.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you to look at a medical case, but I¡¯m afraid it might inconvenience you, so I wanted to check first,¡± Grandma Lehman said.

    ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± Tina was taken aback. The pills she hadGiven to Grandma Lehman were personally developed by her, and while they couldn¡¯t make her as vigorous as a young person, they should have improved her health significantlypared to her peers.

    ¡°It¡¯s not me,¡± Grandma Lehman rified. ¡°Here¡¯s the situation: a dear friend of mine, who I¡¯ve known for over fifty years, has a granddaughter who also suffered facial disfigurement. You treated her a few days ago, didn¡¯t you? But after taking the medicine you prescribed, she¡¯s been suffering from continuous high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Now her condition is dire. My friend says she¡¯s called you many times, but you haven¡¯t picked up. Knowing I¡¯m acquainted with you, she¡¯s asked me to reach out in hopes you cane and help.¡±

    Tina frowned, puzzled. ¡°Are they sure they¡¯re not mistaking me for someone else? The only patient I¡¯ve treated recently is you.¡±

    Grandma Lehman was stunned for a moment, then turned to Mrs. Fanning beside her. ¡°Are you sure it was Miss Reed?¡±

    A foreboding feeling crept into Mrs. Fanning¡¯s heart. ¡°Absolutely, the daughter of the Reed family. I¡¯ve seen her myself; there¡¯s no mistake. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Instead of answering her, Grandma Lehman just shook her head and continued speaking into the phone, ¡°Tina, something seems off here, but could you stille and check? The child¡¯s condition is very serious.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll finish up what I¡¯m doing and head over shortly,¡± Tina replied.

    Just as Tina was about to hang up, she heard a panicked and tearful voice on the other end of the line, ¡°Mom! Mom! Call the driver, get the car ready for the hospital, Shonna is having a seizure, hurry up!¡±

    Hearing the urgency in the voice, Grandma Lehman quickly said to Tina, ¡°Can youe right now? It¡¯s an emergency. I¡¯m begging you.¡±

    Even without seeing the patient, Tina could tell from the voice that the situation was serious. She nodded, ¡°First, loosen the patient¡¯s clothing, then make sure she¡¯s lying on her side to keep her airway clear. I¡¯ll be there as soon as I can¡­ and send me the address.¡±

    After hanging up, Tina received an address from Grandma Lehman. She stood up and asked Jared, ¡°Mr. Farrell, could you please drive me to this address?¡±

    She showed Jared the address on her phone, not familiar with the roads of Ensford herself. Jared, who often traveled around, would likely know the way.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll take you,¡± Jared replied. He had been close enough to overhear Tina¡¯s conversation and didn¡¯t dy, quickly escorting her out.

    Tina was momentarily startled when Jared took her hand, but considering his urgency, she didn¡¯t protest.

 Chapter 88: My Services Are Not Free

    It was a half-hour drive from Ensford High School to where the Lehman family resided. Jared drove the car at breakneck speed, almost as if racing, but fortunately, there were few vehicles on the street at that time, and they arrived in just fifteen minutes.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    When Tina arrived, Grandma Lehman and Mrs. Fanning were anxiously stomping their feet in ce. The sight of Tina prompted Grandma Lehman to rush over, ¡°Tina, you¡¯re finally here. Hurry upstairs and have a look. The family doctor is there. Shonna has stopped having convulsions but her fever has shot up to forty degrees, herplexion¡¯s yellow as wax, and she¡¯s unconscious.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go have a look,¡± Tina said and proceeded upstairs, with the nanny leading the way.

    Jared didn¡¯t go up; it wasn¡¯t appropriate for a man to enter a young girl¡¯s room.

    Mrs. Fanning watched Tina ascend the stairs, dumbfounded. She hadn¡¯te to terms with the situation when Grandma Lehman followed upwards. Mrs. Fanning quickly grabbed Grandma Lehman¡¯s hand, ¡°Is this the Miss Reed you mentioned?¡±

    Mrs. Fanning hadn¡¯t been out muchtely, and she hadn¡¯t attended the birthday party organized by the Reed family, so she was unaware of Tina¡¯s identity.

    Grandma Lehman nodded, ¡°Yes, the Miss Reed who saved me is her, Miss Reed, Tina Reed! Hurry, stop dawdling, ande have a look!¡±

    Before Mrs. Fanning could respond, she was whisked upstairs by Grandma Lehman. It wasn¡¯t until she saw Tina¡¯s serious expression, as she inserted needles into Shonna, that she realized they had approached the wrong person.

    Beatrice, seeing Shonna¡¯s condition, was trembling with urgency. She was stunned to silence by Tina¡¯s immediate action of administering acupuncture without a word, ¡°Miss Reed?¡±

    Tina did not respond; she was intensely focused on the acupuncture.

    As Beatrice was about to ask Tina her purpose, Grandma Lehman pulled her aside, ¡°Don¡¯t disturb Miss Reed. She¡¯s the best doctor you could find. If you interrupt her, Shonna might truly be beyond help.¡±

    After hesitating, Beatrice chose not to interfere.

    Despite not understanding why a country girl, who was scorned by everyone in the Reed family, could treat illnesses, she noticed that Tina¡¯s acupuncture seemed quite skilled.

    After finishing with the needles, Tina administered a pill to Shonna and then stood up to ask coldly, ¡°Did she consume any herbal medicine that is contraindicated?¡±

    Beatrice was taken aback, ¡°No, she has only taken the medicine prescribed by Miss Reed, and Dr. Lyon also examined her, saying there was no problem.¡±

    ¡°Which Miss Reed?¡± Tina asked with a frown.

    ¡°Your sister, Amber!¡±

    Tina was silent. She hadn¡¯t deliberately forgotten Amber; it was just that Amber was a stranger to her, not someone she would think of if unnecessary.

    ¡°Bring me the prescription to check,¡± Tina said without further ado, needing to see the prescription to understand the issue.

    Beatrice, noticing Shonna¡¯splexion had improved significantly, believed in Tina¡¯s expertise and handed her the prescription.

    Tina¡¯s face darkened more than a stormy sky as she examined the medicine, ¡°Nonsense!¡±

    Her voice, filled with anger, startled everyone in the room.

    Dr. Lyon hurriedly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the prescription?¡±

    He had felt something was off but couldn¡¯t pinpoint it.

    Tina pointed to two herbs in the prescription and said coldly, ¡°These two herbs are beneficial on their own, but together, they are poison! They cause vomiting, diarrhea, and then high fever. Miss Woodham¡¯s symptoms started with vomiting and diarrhea, followed by the fever. Had I been a few minutester, you would have had to prepare for her funeral!¡±

    Dr. Lyon had an epiphany, ¡°That makes sense. I always felt something was wrong with the medicine. Now I understand, indeed, these two herbs taken together could have severe side effects. Miss Reed, you are truly impressive.¡±

    To identify the issue with the herbs at a nce, her medical knowledge must be extensive. Moreover, her acupuncture skills were even better than the senior doctors at the hospital.

    ¡°My God!¡± Mrs. Fanning eximed, ¡°How dangerous! Beatrice, look at what you¡¯ve done, trusting just anyone!¡±

    It was fortunate that Grandma Lehman came today; otherwise, Shonna would have¡­

    Beatrice also hadn¡¯t anticipated such a scenario and expressed her remorse, ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was like this. At the Reed family¡¯s banquet, everyone said Amber cured Sophia, so I wanted her to see Shonna. How could I have known something like this would happen?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Woodham.¡±

    Jared, who had been waiting downstairs, became concerned after a lengthy absence from Tina. Hewalked upstairs and arrived at the door just in time to hear Beatrice¡¯s words. He stood at the entrance, not entering, and simply stated, ¡°My sister¡¯s illness was cured by Miss Tina Reed, not Miss Amber.¡±

    ¡°What??¡± Beatrice¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Not Amber?¡±

    But almost immediately, she shouted angrily, ¡°Despicable! She dared to deceive me; I will not let her get away with this.¡±

    If Amber had told her it was Tina who cured Sophia, her Shonna wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer like this. She was furious with Amber!

    ¡°Enough, now is not the time for this,¡± Mrs. Fanning red at her. She was angry that Beatrice hadn¡¯t investigated properly and had gambled with her own daughter¡¯s life, but at the moment, Shonna¡¯s illness was the priority.

    Mrs. Fanning approached Tina and asked softly, ¡°Miss Reed, how is my granddaughter¡¯s condition? Can she be cured?¡±

    ¡°Her life is no longer in danger, but her body has sustained damage. To recover fully, she¡¯ll need a new treatment n. I can also cure her face, but¡­¡± Tina looked at Beatrice, ¡°Today I came because Grandma Lehman asked me to, but you will also have to pay my consultation fee of $500, 000. Treating Miss Woodham¡¯s face will require my specially formted medicine, which will cost $10 million. That¡¯s the minimum price, and it¡¯s not negotiable.¡±

    Tina paused, then added, ¡°You may take some time to consider and then give me an answer. Don¡¯t worry, I can certainly cure Miss Woodham, but she will be prone to illness in the future.¡±

    Tina was never one to act out of pure kindness. She had happened toe across Grandma Lehman and had generously offered her services without charge. However, treating Shonna was a professional engagement, and as such,pensation was expected.

    She had no acquaintance with the Fanning family, let alone the Woodham family.

    Jared, standing outside the door, heard Tina¡¯s fees for the consultation and medication. A subtle glint passed through his deep eyes. The total treatment costs roughly amounted to $30 million, a sum he owed Tina, but she had never asked for it.

 Chapter 89: We Are Willing to Pay

    Beatrice hadn¡¯t expected the medicine to be so expensive, and for a moment, she was uncertain what to do. Her hesitation was mainly due to having been deceived by Amber once before, and Tina¡¯s reputation wasn¡¯t very good either. She was afraid of being tricked again.

    Mrs. Fanning, on the other hand, showed almost no hesitation as she said, ¡°We are willing to pay for the medication. I think that¡¯s only right. Amber didn¡¯t charge a penny, but almost killed my granddaughter. You charge money, but Shonna¡¯splexion has improved significantly, so we are willing to pay.¡±

    She trusted Grandma Lehman, believing that anyone could deceive her, but Grandma Lehman would not, and therefore, she trusted Tina.

    Moreover, it was clear to see that Tina¡¯s healing methods were different from those of the hospital doctors. Most importantly, Dr. Lyon had failed to recognize the problem with the prescription, whereas Tina had spotted it at a nce.

    Such insight could not be faked without real skill.

    As for the high fees, she found them reasonable. Aside from the consultation fee of half a million, the rest were medication costs.

    Compared to normal hospital fees, half a million for consultation was indeed expensive, but if Tina dared to ask for that amount, it indicated her confidence in her medical skills.

    The expensive medication suggested it was of high quality. She knew there were many rare and costly medicinal herbs, so she felt that if this money could cure Shonna¡¯s illness and heal her face, it was worth it.

    Tina nodded and said, ¡°Alright, wait another ten minutes. After I remove the needles, you can pay. I wille to do acupuncture each day for the next three days. The pills need to be taken on an empty stomach at six in the morning. Keep her diet light and make sure her room is well-ventted.¡±

    Tina paused, then added, ¡°The medicine prescribed by Amber previously should not be consumed anymore. If you don¡¯t listen and something happens, I will not be responsible, nor will I continue the treatment.¡±

    Beatrice agreed quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that medicine almost killed Shonna, I will not let her take it again.¡±

    Tina hummed in acknowledgment and fell silent.

    Ten minutester, Tina removed the needles.

    Shonna woke up, and seeing a stranger in the room, she panicked, curling up in the corner of the bed, burying her head, refusing to let Tina see her.

    Beatrice climbed onto the bed and hugged Shonna, crying, ¡°Shonna, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t check properlyst time and trusted Amber, letting you suffer. But don¡¯t worry, this Miss Reed is a very good doctor. She is the one who saved you from death¡¯s door, and she can also cure your face.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to be treated anymore, I don¡¯t want it,¡± Shonna shook her head, but didn¡¯t lift her face, afraid of others seeing it.

    ¡°Shonna, don¡¯t be like this, it breaks my heart¡­¡± Beatrice cried louder, ¡°I want you to live a normal life, to be well. I worry when you¡¯re like this.¡±

    ¡°Mom, please, I¡¯m begging you, don¡¯t force me anymore, I really don¡¯t want to be treated.¡± Shonna also cried, ¡°If you force me, then let me die!¡±

    ¡°How could I let you die? You are my life!¡±

    Mother and daughter clung to each other in agony, and no one else could get a word in.

    Tina looked at Shonna and said to Beatrice, ¡°Mrs. Woodham, let me speak with Miss Woodham for a moment.¡±

    ¡°This¡­¡± Beatrice hesitated, remembering the disdainful look Amber had given Shonna.

    After this incident, Shonna had be even more insecure. If Tina were to hurt her feelings too, she feared she might lose the courage to live.

    ¡°Just let Miss Reed speak,¡± Mrs. Fanning interjected. ¡°Since we chose Miss Reed to treat her, we must trust her.¡±

    Through brief interactions, Mrs. Fanning realized that Tina and Amber were not the same. The Fanning family had not been doing well these past few years, and Amber had always looked down on them, showing great disdain especially towards Shonna.

    But since Tina had arrived, although her face showed little expression, she had not shown any sign of disdain.

    For some reason, she just trusted Tina.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Beatrice said, seeing Mrs. Fanning insist, and stepped aside.

    Tina stood at the head of Shonna¡¯s bed and spoke calmly, ¡°Miss Woodham, if a person stays in the darkness for too long, they will never see the light. The world is not as dark as you imagine. You could try, just once, to lift your head and look at the sky outside.¡±

    Shonna did notreact, nor did she lift her head.

    Unperturbed, Tina continued, ¡°What is ugly is not your face, but people¡¯s hearts. Do you want to watch those who maliciously insult you continue to do so in the sunlight? Stand up. Even if your face can¡¯t bepletely healed, if you have enough confidence, no one will dare to mock you.¡±

    Shonna finally showed some reaction. After a moment of silence, she said, ¡°I have no confidence left. My academic achievements used to be my pride, but I¡¯ve been out of school for too long now. With my face ruined, I can¡¯t find any confidence anymore.¡±

    ¡°Confidencees from within yourself, not from others. Hiding away is the choice of the weak,¡± Tina¡¯s voice remained devoid of any emotional fluctuations.

    She wasn¡¯t a patient person.

    The fact that she was saying so much today was because it reminded her of her past self.

    For some reason, in Ensford, she often became sentimental and was more willing to let out that bit of scarce kindness from her heart.

    She felt she had changed.

    What had influenced her?

    Perhaps it was Hugo and Jennie; they had gradually softened the coldness within her.

    Seeing that Shonna fell silent again, Tina said, ¡°I dislike treating the weak, and I dislike treating those who choose to be weak. Consider it, and if you¡¯re willing to undergo treatment, then stand up, and from this moment, walk in the sunlight. If not, I¡¯ll leave right now.¡±

    With that, Tina stopped speaking and waited for Shonna¡¯s response.

    After about five minutes, Shonna finally lifted her head and looked at Tina, but was momentarily stunned by her beauty.

    In her panic earlier, she hadn¡¯t really looked at Tina. Now, seeing her clearly, she thought not only was Tina beautiful, but she also radiated light.

    It was a light that pierced through the darkness, a light that offered hope for life.

    After a few seconds, Shonna asked, ¡°Can you really heal me? Miss Amber had promised the same¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything, I can only do my best,¡± Tina replied. Although she was confident in her ability to heal Shonna, she never made promises she wasn¡¯t certain she could keep.

    Giving people hope and then leading them to despair was the cruelest thing to do.

    After thinking it over, Shonna said, ¡°I ept the treatment.¡±

    Tina was different from Amber; she hadn¡¯t shown any disgust towards her.

    The eyes do not lie.

    ¡°Good,¡± Tina nodded. ¡°Starting today, I take responsibility for your illness. My name is Tina. Please remember, until your illness is cured, only I will treat you. You don¡¯t have to regard me as your doctor; you can think of me as a friend. Any changes in your condition must be reported to me immediately.¡±

    Shonna suddenly smiled, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got it.¡±

    For some reason, she found Tina¡¯s wordsforting.

    She thought that Tina could certainly cure her face.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    And Tina was willing to be her friend, the first person since her disfigurement who was willing to do so.

    Being Tina¡¯s friend must be a happy thing, right?

 Chapter 90: Shonna Regains Confidence

    After persuading Shonna, Tina collected the consultation and medicine fees paid by Mrs. Fanning and left. Grandma Lehman followed her out.

    ¡°Tina, it¡¯s just about lunchtime, how about I treat you to a meal?¡± she offered.

    Before Tina could refuse, Grandma Lehman continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to invite you to lunch for a while, and you¡¯ve never had the time. I would feel bad if I didn¡¯t treat you this time.¡±

    ¡°Grandma Lehman, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t have lunch with you today. I¡¯ve already told my family to save me some food, we don¡¯t have the habit of wasting food at home.¡±

    Grandma Lehman seemed disappointed but then heard Tina suggest, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, you coulde to my house for lunch. We have a lot of people eating together at noon, it¡¯s quite lively.¡±

    The Farrell family alone would bring four people, not to mention Hayden who would sometimes join uninvited, plus the Reed family, that would make nine people at the meal.

    Grandma Lehman¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Can I reallye?¡±

    She was just too bored and got along well with Tina. Where she ate wasn¡¯t important; havingpany was what mattered.

    ¡°Of course, you can,¡± Tina said with a smile. ¡°Grandma Lehman, would you like to go with us in our car, or should I have the driver take you?¡±

    She noticed a private car parked not far away, belonging to the Lehman family, which she had seen before at the hospital.

    Grandma Lehman then noticed Jared, ¡°And who is this?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my fiance, Jared.¡±

    ¡°So he¡¯s the good¡­¡± The words ¡®good-for-nothing¡¯ almost slipped out, but Grandma Lehman swallowed them back in a hurry.

    Jared smiled and greeted her politely, ¡°Hello, Grandma Lehman.¡±

    His courtesy was impable, leaving no room for criticism.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Grandma Lehman responded, her gaze falling on Jared¡¯s leg and understanding something in a nce.

    Tina was such a good doctor, healing a cripple would also be possible, but she didn¡¯t ask further.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go back with you in your car,¡± Grandma Lehman said as she got into Jared¡¯s car.

    In the Fanning family¡¯s backyard.

    After Tina and the others had left, Shonna came out of her room. Although she was still not used to the ring light, she felt much better.

    Shonna walked into the living room and said to Mrs. Fanning and Beatrice, ¡°Grandma, Mom! I¡¯m sorry for worrying you. I will cooperate with the treatment from now on. Even if it doesn¡¯t cure me, I won¡¯t sink into addiction again.¡±

    Mrs. Fanning was overjoyed, ¡°Good! That¡¯s my granddaughter! Miss Reed is really capable. Your mother tried for so long without sess, but she managed to bring you out in just a few words.¡±

    Shonna smiled, her disfigured face making it somewhat grotesque, ¡°Talking with Miss Reed isfortable. She¡¯s right, it¡¯s not my face that is ugly, but people. Hiding away is what the weak do. I am a granddaughter of the Fanning family, a daughter of the Woodham family. I have always excelled in my studies, and I have an outstanding heritage that many cannot match. That¡¯s my capital.¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t waste my capital. I need to stand up. Only when I¡¯m excellent enough will the mocking voices disappear. They will have no choice but to look up to me.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! Well said!¡± Mrs. Fanning eximed. ¡°Even if your face can¡¯t be healed, you¡¯ll show those people that a granddaughter of the Fanning family isn¡¯t someone they can insult.¡±

    Shonna nodded and then asked Beatrice, ¡°Mom, can you apany me to the bookstoreter? I need to buy some books. I want to study.¡±

    Beatrice was startled, ¡°Go out now? But you¡­¡±

    ¡°If I can walk out of my room, I¡¯m ready. Maybe I can¡¯t ovee the fear of those strange looks at first, but I will gradually. I need to study while I¡¯m treated.¡±

    Beatrice, as if seeing the confident Shonna of the past, nodded, ¡°Okay, but not right now. I have to visit the Reed family and settle the score with Amber.¡±

    Amber would pay for deceiving her.

    ¡°There¡¯s no rush with Amber,¡± Mrs. Fanning interjected. ¡°Shonna¡¯s matter is the most important. Apany her to buy books first. Also, I¡¯ve heard that Ensford High School¡¯s ss 22D has a new Lead Teacher who¡¯s very impressive. In just one day, they managed to subdue those unruly kids.¡±

    ¡°And this Lead Teacher has invited Professor Lininger¡¯s team to take charge of the 22D curriculum. Such educationalresources can¡¯t even bepared to Shonna¡¯s current school. I¡¯m thinking of transferring her there, to 22D. Shonna is already outstanding, and with Professor Lininger¡¯s team teaching, Kongham University will definitely be within reach.¡±

    Beatrice didn¡¯t raise any objections this time, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±

    Last time she didn¡¯t listen to the olddy, and it nearly cost her daughter¡¯s life.

    ¡°I¡¯ll listen to Grandma too,¡± Shonna said, having heard of Professor Lininger and eager to learn in his ss.

    ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll contact the school and start the transfer process for Shonna.¡±

    Shonna changed into casual sportswear and left with Beatrice.

    They headed to the downtown bookstore.

    Since Shonna felt disheartened upon arriving in Ensford, she hadn¡¯t brought any books, so she needed to buy everything anew, including various practice materials.

    As soon as they entered the bookstore, people started whispering and pointing.

    Shonna was prepared, but when she was actually facing the pointing and whispering, she felt a moment of hesitation. Remembering Tina¡¯s words, however, she lifted her head, met the eyes of those looking at her, and walked forward with her chest out.

    Just a few steps in, she heard someone say, ¡°Look how ugly! How can someone like that even dare to go out?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,ing out to pollute my eyes. If I looked like that, I¡¯d just die and spare everyone my presence.¡±

    Thements came from two girls about Shonna¡¯s age, their voices dripping with sarcasm and loud enough for everyone to hear.

    The surrounding people began to look at Shonna.

    Beatrice was furious and wanted to confront the two, but Shonna held her back, ¡°Mom, let me handle this.¡±

    Then, Shonna approached the girls and said earnestly, ¡°Yes, I am ugly, but your hearts are uglier. I may be ugly, but I¡¯ve never hurt anyone, whereas you attack others with the most venomous words. If I were not strong enough andmitted suicide because of what you said, you¡¯d be murderers. Tell me, wouldn¡¯t your conscience hurt if you killed someone?¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? Who¡¯s killed anyone?¡± one of the girls retorted, ring at her.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t killed, but the words you speak are more terrifying than murder,¡± Shonna replied calmly. ¡°Your thoughts are filthy, and thus you see filth in others.¡±

    Shonna looked at the other girl, ¡°You said that if you were as ugly as me, you would rather die. That¡¯s heartless. Our parents gave us our bodies, and you¡¯d consider death so lightly without thinking of your parents¡¯ feelings? I may be ugly, but I will not die. I will live well, and your venomous words can¡¯t hurt me.¡±

    ¡°Because-you will never be better than me!¡±

    Even though she had once thought of ending it all, now she wouldn¡¯t.

    With that, Shonna left the two girls fuming and walked out of the bookstore with Beatrice.

 Chapter 91: Go and Apologize to Tina

    At Ensford High School, following thest ss of the day, Elena and Amber left the ssroom together. Amber, preupied and clutching her phone, had been distracted these past days. Beatrice had been incessantly calling her about Shonna¡¯s poor condition, urging her to visit, but she hadn¡¯t gone. She had witnessed Dr. Ward prescribe a medication for a patient with a disfigured face, a patient who was now cured, and she firmly believed the prescription was wless. Yet Beatrice insisted that after taking the medicine, Shonna¡¯s fever persisted, apanied by vomiting and diarrhea, which soured Amber¡¯s mood. Could it really be Shonna¡¯s own health issues, and yet they expected her to bear the me?

    Initially, when Beatrice first called her, Amber had patiently exined a few times. But as the calls became more frequent, every few minutes, her patience wore thin, and she stopped answering altogether. However, since noon, the calls had ceased, and a sense of unease crept into her heart. Could something have happened to Shonna?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Amber? You¡¯ve been so distracted,¡± Elena noticed her friend¡¯s unusual demeanor and inquired.

    Amber was jolted back to reality by Elena¡¯s voice, offering a smile and a shake of her head, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking about the question the teacher discussed today.¡± Changing the subject, she asked, ¡°By the way, Elena, how¡¯s your uncle? Did he manage to keep his job?¡±

    Elena became agitated. ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. My uncle was fired and there have been issues with our family business. My brother hasn¡¯t gone to work either.¡±

    Amber was surprised, ¡°How did that happen?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. My parents haven¡¯t told me the details, but there¡¯s been a lot of tension at home. My parents and brother are always wearing cold expressions; I don¡¯t even dare to speak with them.¡±

    ¡°Does it have something to do with my sister?¡± Amber probed.

    ¡°I overheard my parents talking; they mentioned the Farrell family. It seems Mr. Farrell has taken Tina¡¯s side,¡± Elena said resentfully. ¡°Amber, I really feel for you. You¡¯re the one who deserves Mr. Farrell. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s truly outstanding, yet because you¡¯re adopted, you had to give up your fiance to her.¡±

    Amber¡¯s eyes narrowed, but she maintained a smiling facade, ¡°Maybe Logan will have a change of heart in the future. I will focus on my studies. Time will show my worth, and they¡¯ll recognize my value!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Amber, keep it up. You can do it,¡± encouraged Elena.

    After their conversation, they parted ways at the school gate and got into their respective cars.

    In Pinkwater Alley, Martin sat on the couch, looking defeated, as he pleaded with Elena¡¯s father, Orson, ¡°Orson, please help me. I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end. If I can¡¯t solve this work issue, my family will have nothing left.¡±

    ¡°How can I help you?¡± Orson asked, his expression extremely grim. ¡°Because of you, our Heisler family¡¯s business has taken a massive hit. Even my son¡¯s position was nearlypromised. We are struggling to save ourselves; how can we possibly help you?¡±

    ¡°But I only acted against Miss Reed because Elena asked me to, using my position to do so. Who knew she had such powerful backing? Now, not only have I lost my job, but my spouse is unemployed too, and we have two children to support on a meager ie. If you don¡¯t help us, we¡¯re doomed.¡±

    ¡°How old are you? To follow whatever Elena says? She falsely used Miss Reed of theft not long ago, and now she¡¯s causing trouble again? Don¡¯t you understand? Even I, an outsider, know that your department has a verification system. A simple check would reveal whether a diploma is counterfeit or not,¡± Orson said, his face turning ashen.

    ¡°And what did you do? You didn¡¯t even investigate; you went straight for an inquiry without evidence, and you got the attention of the top brass in the capital. Who else should be fired if not you?¡±

    Mrs. Heisler, standing by, also showed her disappointment, ¡°Martin, I¡¯ve told you before. It wasn¡¯t easy for the Heisler family to get where we are. I asked you to be discreet, but you wouldn¡¯t listen. We used our influence to secure that job for you, and you became arrogant and dismissive of others in your workce. Do you think we didn¡¯t know about that?¡±

    ¡°But I¡­¡± Martin began.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses!¡± Mrs. Heisler interrupted angrily. ¡°Even though it was Elena who asked you this time, can you guarantee there was no self-interest involved?¡±

    Martin hung his head in silence. He had indeed been self-serving, hopingto capitalize on the situation to gain some benefits. The Reed family was wealthy, and to protect Tina, they would surely have to pay up. But who could have known that Tina had such strong backing, which led to a direct call to the capital¡¯s bureau chief? His n to benefit had backfired spectacrly.

    ¡°You keep ignoring advice and now you¡¯ve dragged down the Heisler family with you. If you hadn¡¯te to us, we would havee looking for you. What did we ever do to you, Martin? How does the fall of the Heisler family benefit you?¡± Mrs. Heisler¡¯s face darkened as she spoke sternly, ¡°I¡¯ve done my best for you all, arranging houses and jobs. It¡¯s only because Orson truly loves me that he¡¯s willing to let my family live better. If he were the kind of man who didn¡¯t want to support my family, do you think I¡¯d have an easy life?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done everything I could to give you a good life, yet you¡¯ve pushed us towards disaster. Do you realize that Tina is Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee? You¡¯ve messed with his fiancee, and Jared Farrell won¡¯t let it slide, and now he¡¯s suppressing the Heisler family¡¯spany with all his might.¡±

    Martin lifted his head, looking baffled, ¡°Isn¡¯t Jared Farrell a nobody? How does he have such influence?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the nobody!¡± Mrs. Heisler stood up and scolded, ¡°His grandfather has announced that Jared will take over the Farrell family. You fools are the ones who think he¡¯s worthless. Jared Farrell is like a gold nugget waiting for the right moment to shine. You messed with his fiancee; how could he let that go?¡±

    ¡°Besides, even if he were a nobody, he is his grandfather¡¯s most beloved grandson. If his grandson¡¯s fiancee was bullied, wouldn¡¯t his grandfather intervene? What goes on in your head? Can¡¯t you think about the consequences before you act?¡±

    Martin leaned back, feeling defeated, ¡°Is there really no way out?¡±

    ¡°There is one: apologize to Tina. And it¡¯s not just you; Elena needs toe after school as well. Whether the Heisler family can weather this storm depends on Tina¡¯s response,¡± Mrs. Heisler said seriously.

    She had never met Tina, but she had heard plenty about her. There were many versions of Tina¡¯s story: a country bumpkin, uneducated, not recognized by the Reed family, etc. Somepared Tina to Amber, saying Tina couldn¡¯t measure up to Amber. But Mrs. Heisler thought all that was nonsense.

    Without going into detail, the recent false theft usation against Tina had brought many influential people to her defense. Now, even leaders from the capital¡¯s rted departments had been stirred. Could she be just an ignorant country girl?

    And, with two doctoral degrees at the age of sixteen, how many in the entire country could match that?

    So, if they wanted the Heisler family to be safe, the only way was to seek Tina¡¯s forgiveness.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Martin said.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 92: Amber Is Not Worth It

    When Elena returned home, Martin had already left. She nced at her silent parents sitting on the sofa, intending to greet them, but noticing the tense atmosphere, she cautiously headed to her room. Hardly had she taken a step when Orson¡¯s furious voice rang out, ¡°Stop right there!¡±

    Elena froze, looking at Orson with fear, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She knew that the trouble she caused by asking her uncle to confront Tina had led to her uncle losing his job and issues for the Heisler family, leaving her parents in a sour mood. The whole mess was her doing, and with her parents being strict, she knew they would hold her ountable. Days had passed without mention of the incident, and she thought maybe they didn¡¯t me her, but now, worry crept in.

    Her mother, usually the more indulgent, was one thing, but her father, when angry, was truly frightening. ¡°Kneel down!¡± bellowed Orson. Reflexively shivering, Elena wanted to question why, but seeing the fiery re in Orson¡¯s eyes, she obediently knelt, her head bowed.

    Andrew, upon hearing themotion, stepped out from his room. He merely nced at Elena and remained silent. It was time his sister was properly disciplined.

    ¡°p!¡± Orson struck Elena¡¯s face, bellowing, ¡°You worthless child, I¡¯ve lived my life upright, never harming others, and yet I¡¯ve raised a curse like you!¡± Clutching her face in disbelief, Elena looked at Orson. No matter her mistakes in the past, her father had never hit her, and to strike with such force now, she could feel her face swelling.

    Feeling aggrieved, she stood up, tears in her eyes, staring at Orson, ¡°Dad, you hit me? What did I do wrong to deserve this?¡± ¡°p!¡± Before she could finish, her other cheek was struck by Mrs. Heisler. Elena looked at Mrs. Heisler in disbelief. It was one thing for her father to hit her, but her mother too?

    ¡°It¡¯s our fault for spoiling you! You¡¯ve be so reckless, and yet you still show no remorse. I¡¯m so disappointed in you,¡± Mrs. Heisler said coldly. Mrs. Heisler¡¯s sternness was something Elena had never seen before, leaving her confused, ¡°Mom! Why? What¡¯s the reason? I don¡¯t understand!¡±

    Was it just asking her uncle for a favor? Tina¡¯s diploma was genuine, and she hadn¡¯t anticipated this; who would guess someone raised in a temple could obtain two doctoral degrees by sixteen? Her uncle and aunt lost their jobs, she felt guilty, it wasn¡¯t what she wanted to see, but instead of understanding, her parents hit her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand?¡± Mrs. Heisler¡¯s voice was harsh, ¡°The Heisler family business is on the brink, do you understand that? Your uncle and aunt both lost their jobs, do you understand that? Your brother is being investigated and suspended from work, do you understand?¡±

    Elena, head lowered, said nothing.

    ¡°All these troubles, you¡¯ve caused them. Tell me you don¡¯t understand?¡± Mrs. Heisler¡¯s face was the picture of disappointment. She hadn¡¯t been strict with her children, particrly Elena, a girl. She had thought to raise her with wealth and love, teaching her the right values, but she had spoiled her instead.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Your father started from nothing to build thepany, your brother studied nightly till 2 AM for his job. Do you realize how hard it was for our family to get where we are? Your brother is honest and fair, never acting corruptly. When you falsely used Tina of stealing, he nearly lost his job. Now, because of you, he¡¯s under investigation. Do you take joy in seeing our family in distress?¡±

    Thankfully, when Elena falsely used Tina, Andrew had brought Tina in for an investigation, which was the proper procedure, given it involved five million dors. But due to the user being Elena, his own sister, he was suspended, although he quickly returned to his position. This time, however, it was different; a formal investigation!

    An investigation of aw enforcement officer suggested suspicion of misconduct by higher-ups. If found guilty, suspension was the least of the worries; prison was the more severe consequence. Fortunately, Andrew was upright, genuinely loving his job and never engaging in misconduct; even an investigation would reveal nothing. But Elena needed to be disciplined.

    ¡°No, how could I not want the best for our family? I just¡­¡± Elena was flustered, not expecting the severity of the situation.

    ¡°You were just upset to see Amber bullied, just wanted to stand up for her, just thought Amber was the realdy, not Tina!¡± Mrs. Heisler continued for Elena.

    Elena, shocked, looked at Mrs. HeHeisler, ¡°Mom, how could you know¡­¡±

    Everything?

    Her actions against Tina were indeed for Amber. Amber was her friend, and she couldn¡¯t bear to see her bullied. ¡°I¡¯ve lived for over forty years and seen all kinds of schemes. Do you think Amber¡¯s maniptions could escape me?¡± Elena was bewildered as she looked at her mother, ¡°I don¡¯t understand! Didn¡¯t you like Amber?¡±

    Mrs. Heisler nced at Elena with an expressionless face, ¡°I don¡¯t like Amber one bit. When shees to our house, and I show her a smiling face, it¡¯s only because you treat her as a friend and I don¡¯t want to make you sad, so I let you be friends.¡±

    From the first meeting, Mrs. Heisler had never taken to Amber, sensing her to be overly calcting. In fact, she had wanted to stop Elena from befriending Amber, but her indulgence in her daughter, fearing she would be hurt, had led her to tacitly agree to their friendship.

    After Elena had falsely used Tina of theft, Mrs. Heisler had sternly forbidden any further contact between Elena and Amber, even grounding her at home for days. But then work consumed her attention, and she couldn¡¯t keep an eye on Elena. Little did she know that trouble would arise again so soon.

    ¡°How can that be? Amber is such a good student, kind in nature, many want to be her friend. Mom, why don¡¯t you like her?¡± Elena had never expected this turn of events, her mother not liking Amber. She genuinely couldn¡¯t understand; wasn¡¯t Amber nice?

    Mrs. Heisler was ready to scold Elena further, but seeing her daughter¡¯s clueless face, she could only sigh, ¡°Elena, think about it. Has Amber truly treated you as a friend? When has she not led you to fight her battles?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my friend, and I don¡¯t see a problem with standing up for her,¡± Elena didn¡¯t think she was in the wrong.

    ¡°Yes, standing up for a friend is not wrong, but Amber isn¡¯t worth it. Let¡¯s not even mention other things; just consider how she alwaysins that Tina targets her. If that were true, why would Tina¡¯s family move out? Also, if Amber really was so wonderful, why would the Farrell family prefer a country-raised Tina over her? Do you think they¡¯re fools?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell has seen more people than you¡¯ve eaten meals. He chose Tina over Amber, indicating there¡¯s a problem with Amber. Moreover, Tina earned two doctoral degrees by sixteen, a prestigious achievement. If it weren¡¯t for Amber¡¯s instigation, wouldn¡¯t you also think Tina is impressive?¡±

    Elena fell silent. It seemed to make sense. Her poor impression of Tina was all due to Amber portraying herself as a victim, including this incident, which was based on Amber¡¯s suggestion that Tina¡¯s credentials might be fake, prompting Elena to seek her uncle¡¯s help.

    ¡°This conversation is ourst on this matter. Tomorrow we¡¯ll apologize to Tina. Reflect on this, and if you understand, join us. And regarding Amber, I hope you make the right judgment. Consider whether such a friend is truly worth it.¡± With that, Mrs. Heisler took Orson and they went into a room.

    Andrew looked at Elena and, ultimately saying nothing, went inside as well.

 Chapter 93: Just How Shameless Amber Can Be

    The next day.

    After Tina finished her breakfast, she prepared to visit the Fanning family first to treat Shonna. As she arrived at the entrance of the neighborhood, she saw Jared. Today, Nathan wasn¡¯t with him; he was alone. Seeing Tinae out, Jared stepped forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t your second period gym ss?¡± Tina asked, puzzled.

    Originally, the first period yesterday afternoon was supposed to be gym ss, but since Tina had to treat Shonna, Jared apanied her and moved his gym ss to today.

    ¡°The students are very resistant to gym ss; we¡¯ll just have it next week.¡± After the students of ss 22D fully entered their study mode, they didn¡¯t want to attend gym ss at all. They would rather spend all their time on their studies. Yesterday, a gym ss was forcibly scheduled, and everyone¡¯s face showed a hint of resentment. When they heard that the gym ss was moved to today, they were all happy again.

    Jared thought for a moment and then rescheduled the ss.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Were they the two who got their sries in the most rxed manner?

    She suddenly felt a bit guilty about her sry; what was that about?

    Tina didn¡¯t say anything more and got into the car. She sat in the passenger seat, and Jared, who got in before her, fastened her seatbelt. His face was close to hers, and he had a faint, pleasant scent. His long fingers identally touched Tina¡¯s hand, and inexplicably, her heartbeat suddenly quickened.

    ¡°You can sleep a bit more; I¡¯ll wake you when we arrive,¡± Jared¡¯s voice was pleasant, like a solo melody.

    Tina¡¯s eyes, which had been cast down, lifted slightly, and her long eyshes fluttered twice. She nodded, ¡°Hmm.¡±

    She closed her eyes, suppressing themotion she had just felt. She didn¡¯t really want to sleep, but the atmosphere in the car made her ufortable. She didn¡¯t have any feelings for Jared, but whenever they were alone, there was always an unclear sentiment. This feeling was strange; she clearly wasn¡¯t familiar with Jared, but she felt deja vu around him, and in his presence, her heart could inexplicably find peace.

    The two of them didn¡¯t speak again on the way.

    The car stopped at the front gate of the Fanning family¡¯s vi, which was open. The nanny wasn¡¯t outside.

    As Tina and Jared entered, they heard a furious reprimand, ¡°You still have the face toe here? My daughter almost died because of you, and I haven¡¯te to settle the ount with you yet, and you dare toe to us? Get out immediately! Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡±

    The voice belonged to Beatrice.

    Tina and Jared exchanged nces and stepped back wisely, standing at the entrance without going in.

    Then, another voice came from inside, ¡°Mrs. Woodham, I kindly came to help Miss Woodham, is this the attitude you have? It was you who asked me toe to treat her, and now what? After the treatment, you turn your face and refuse to acknowledge me?¡±

    Amber, despite usually pretending to have a good temper, was also a bit angry now, and she questioned Beatrice with an unsightly face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t force me toy hands on you,¡± Beatrice¡¯s voice was heavy, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for not wanting to affect Shonna¡¯s treatment, I would have gone to your house to confront you yesterday. And now you dare to question me?¡±

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to be such a person, Mrs. Woodham. You cross the river and demolish the bridge. I treated Miss Woodham without asking for any repayment from you. It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re not grateful, but to insult me? If you continue like this, I might have to post this matter online for everyone to see what kind of people you are!¡±

    She was truly angry! Since yesterday, when Beatrice hadn¡¯t called her again, she had been panicking, afraid that something would happen to Shonna and the Fanning family would me her. So, she specially took a leave today toe over and check on Shonna¡¯s condition.

    But as soon as she arrived, Beatrice started scolding her; how could she not be angry?Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Pooh!¡± Before Beatrice could speak, Yang Ma, who had followed Mrs. Fanning, couldn¡¯t help it and cursed, ¡°You were raised in Elizabeth¡¯s house for a few years; how can you be so shameless? My Miss Shonna took your medicine, had a high fever for three days and kept vomiting. Miss Beatrice called you so many times toe and take a look, but you just wouldn¡¯te, and eventually, you even stopped answering the calls.¡±

    ¡°Do you know that Miss Shonna almost died? If it weren¡¯t for Miss Tina saving her, you would have been arrested by the police by now!¡±

    ¡°I, Tina?¡± Amber was taken aback for a moment, then let out a scornfulugh, ¡°I see. So you think because I¡¯m an adopted daughter and not as prestigious as Tina, you¡¯re helping Tina to steal my credit?¡±

    Beatrice and Yang Ma widened their eyes, incredulous. They couldn¡¯t imagine someone could be so shameless. Amber had clearly done something wrong, nearly causing a death, yet she was ming Tina for stealing her credit? What kind of person was this?

    Outside, Tina and Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Amber was truly Miss Ensford! Such a mind was not something ordinary people couldpare with. Her ability to twist right and wrong was top-notch.

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Beatrice finally roared, unable to restrain her anger, ¡°You prescribed the wrong medicine, nearly killing my daughter, and you still lied that you cured Miss Farrell. You¡¯re not remorseful and instead shamelessly me us? You¡¯re simply infuriating!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case?¡± Amber sneered, ¡°The prescription I wrote was from my master, Dr. Ward, and there was nothing wrong with it. Fever and vomiting are normal reactions; it will be fine after a while. You brought in Tina to treat her at this time, isn¡¯t that just stealing my credit?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Beatrice was about to speak when Amber interrupted her, ¡°Furthermore, I never deceived you into thinking I cured Miss Farrell. There was a misunderstanding at the birthday banquet, but it was all cleared upter. You left early and didn¡¯t know what happened afterward, but many people are aware of it. You didn¡¯t ask, so I thought you knew, and I didn¡¯t exin further. How can you me me for this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re simply¡­¡± Beatrice was so angry she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Actually, this was indeed her mistake. She had heard that Amber had cured Jared and hurriedly brought Shonna over for treatment. She hadn¡¯t heard about the incident afterward and had just believed Amber. Now that Amber¡¯s words seemed reasonable, Beatrice, who had lived so many years, couldn¡¯t find the words to refute.

    ¡°This matter must be settled, otherwise, I won¡¯t let it go,¡± Amber said coldly.

    Beatrice felt blood rushing to her head. If they really got into the details, Amber¡¯s words still held some ground. Was there really nothing they could do about Amber?

    At that moment, Mrs. Fanning¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Miss Reed, Mr. Farrell, why don¡¯t youe in?¡±

    Mrs. Fanning had been out for her morning exercise and upon returning, saw Tina and Jared standing at the entrance with unhappy faces.

    Mrs. Fanning invited Tina and Jared into the house, and upon seeing Amber, she was taken aback, then her face darkened. She was about to vent her anger when Amber stepped forward, furiously addressing Tina, ¡°Tina, how have I offended you? Why are you treating me this way? Why do you want to steal my credit?¡±

 Chapter 94: I Want to See the Reed Family Bankrupt Within an Hour

    Tina lifted her gaze, a hint of coldness in her eyes.

    She stared at Amber for a moment, then her lips curled into a smirk, ¡°So I stole your credit, what are you going to do about it?¡±

    Mrs. Fanning and Beatrice were taken aback. Why was Tina ying the fool?

    It was clearly Tina who had saved Shonna. By saying this, wasn¡¯t she falling right into Amber¡¯s trap?

    Amber was also taken by surprise by Tina¡¯s words.

    She knew very well it was her own medicine that had nearly killed Shonna.

    She couldn¡¯t fathom how Tina possessed such impressive medical skills, but had it not been for Tina¡¯s intervention, the Fanning family would have never let her off the hook.

    But luck seemed to favor her!

    Who made Tina save Shonna after her?

    She couldn¡¯t me Amber for biting back then.

    After all, Tina was just a country bumpkin; who would believe her?

    Thinking this, Amber angrily questioned, ¡°Why would you do this? How does harming me benefit you? Tina, don¡¯t forget, you are also a daughter of the Reed family. Whatever happens to any of us, it¡¯s not good for you or the Reed family.¡±

    Tina, hands in her pockets, looked down at her with an air of superiority, ¡°What does the Reed family have to do with me?¡±

    Hermanding presence seemed to dwarf Amber, who involuntarily felt smaller in herpany.

    Especially when meeting Tina¡¯s gaze, Amber couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Tina could see right through her thoughts.

    She took an instinctive step back, then defiantly said, ¡°Yes, your ties with the Reed family may be cut, but the blood of the Reed family runs through your veins. Father is grandmother¡¯s biological son; that¡¯s an unchangeable fact. Regardless of severed ties, you are still connected to the Reed family. The better off the Reed family is, the better off you are.¡±

    ¡°And I believe since you¡¯ve returned, I haven¡¯t wronged you. Last time you made Mr. Farrell misunderstand me, and now you brazenly steal my credit. You¡¯re going too far.¡±

    Tina chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek with a mischievous tone, ¡°So I¡¯ve gone too far, what about it?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Amber seethed, ¡°I originally just wanted an apology from you, and for you to clear things up with Mrs. Woodham, but if this is your attitude, don¡¯t me me for not considering our sisterhood.¡±

    Tinaughed, ¡°Is that so? Well, do whatever you need to do, quickly!¡±

    Seeing that Tina was unyielding, Amber stopped talking to her and turned to Beatrice, ¡°Mrs. Woodham, aren¡¯t you going to give me an exnation for this?¡±

    Beatrice was already fuming, ¡°I haven¡¯t even settled the score with you, and you want me to exin myself? How shameless can you be?¡±

    Amber, instead of being annoyed by the scolding, chuckled, ¡°Now I know your stance, so when something happens in the future, don¡¯t expect me to care about our family¡¯s rtionship.¡±

    With that, Amber didn¡¯t linger and left.

    After she departed, Beatrice asked Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, why did you admit to stealing Amber¡¯s credit? You were clearly the one who saved Shonna. Aren¡¯t you just causing trouble for yourself?¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curved slightly, ¡°Trouble is no fun if it doesn¡¯te knocking.¡±

    Beatrice was puzzled, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t answer but said, ¡°I need to go give Miss Woodham her acupuncture treatment.¡±

    Had her time spent in the tendernd aftering down from the mountain made everyone think she was weak and easy to bully?

    How amusing!

    After finishing the acupuncture treatment for Shonna, Tina left with Jared.

    As soon as they stepped out of the Fanning family estate, Jennie¡¯s call came through.

    ¡°Tina, don¡¯te home today, find a hotel to stay in tonight,¡± Jennie¡¯s voice was urgent.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Tina frowned, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Somehow Amber posted a message somewhere, iming you colluded with the Fanning family to bully her because of her young age. She treated their daughter, and you stole her credit. The Fanning family turned their backs on her because she¡¯s an adopted daughter with no value to them. Her post went viral within minutes, and now people have sshed paint on our house. I¡¯m worried about you getting hurt if they encounter you. Stay away for now, leave this matter to dad and me.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, a chill emanating from her, ¡°I¡¯ming back right now.¡±

    After hanging up, Tina had Jared drive her back to Pinkwater Ally.

    Outside the gate of themunity, a crowd of over a hundred people was blockingthe entrance, with a dozen security guards unable to hold them back. Some had even barged in.

    As Jared¡¯s car approached, someone spotted them, ¡°That¡¯s Jared Farrell¡¯s car! Stop them.¡±

    Dozens then surrounded their vehicle.

    Jared looked at the crowd outside with a cold expression and said to Tina, ¡°Stay in the car, I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curved into a smile as she responded to him, ¡°Mr. Farrell, I might be young, but I can still wield a knife.¡±

    Jared was taken aback, but before he could reply, Tina had already stepped out of the car.

    Fearing Tina might get hurt, Jared quickly followed, protecting her behind him.

    ¡°Tina, you wretch! You seduced Amber¡¯s fiance, causing their engagement to fall through, and now you¡¯re stealing her credit. Do you really think no one will stand up for Amber?¡±

    ¡°Amber has been bullied into a corner by you, and here you are openly unting your love affair. What a perfect match of sluts and dogs!¡±

    ¡°Get out of Ensford, you¡¯re not wee here!¡±

    As they spoke, someone threw a water bottle at Tina.

    Her eyes narrowed, ready to react, but Jared was quicker, kicking the bottle away.

    His face stern, he advanced towards the person who threw the bottle, but they yelled, ¡°Brothers, beat them up, beat this disgraceful couple to death!¡±

    Jared shielded Tina behind him, charging into the crowd with swift movements, quickly subduing the ordinary people with a few moves.

    Tina watched Jared¡¯s back, feeling an inexplicable warmth in her heart.

    She had always been used to dealing with everything on her own, but it seemed that since arriving in Ensford, there were always people looking out for her.

    Jared merely cast a cold nce at them before making a phone call, ¡°Bring your people to Pinkwater Ally.¡±

    After hanging up, he took Tina¡¯s hand and entered themunity.

    Those outside would be dealt with by others.

    They needed to check on Hugo and Jennie first.

    The situation at Tina¡¯s house was grim; the door and entire hallway were sttered with paint, with the words ¡°Tina, die!¡± scrawled on the wall.

    Tina looked at the scene, her whole being radiating a fierce aura.

    Jared tightened his grip on her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! I¡¯m here.¡±

    Tina met his gaze and after a moment of silence, she smiled lightly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t afraid.

    In fact, since her mother¡¯s death, she had feared nothing.

    But inexplicably, she found herself wanting to lean on Jared.

    The keypad lock was ruined with paint, so Tina used a key to open the door.

    Inside, Jennie was nervously clutching her phone, Hugo still not home.

    She was frightened by the possibility of the crowd breaking through the door.

    Seeing Tina enter, she rushed over, scolding, ¡°Why did youe back? Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay away? Leave quickly, find somewhere to hide. Those people out there are crazy. What if you get hurt?¡±

    Tina looked at her with concern written all over her face, feeling a wave of emotion, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    Jennie wanted to say more, but Tina pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

    The call connected quickly, and Tina spoke with a cold voice, ¡°I want everyone to take action, suppress the Reed family with all our might. I want to see the Reed family bankrupt within an hour.¡±

    After a pause, she added, ¡°And remember, it¡¯s the entire Reed family. Anyone rted to the Reed family, don¡¯t spare a single one!¡±

 Chapter 95: Tina, You Have My Deep Affection and Absolute Loyalty for You

    Jared nced at Tina with a flicker of almost imperceptible light passing through his profound eyes.

    He then smiled with a slight curl of his lips, the young girl needed no protection from him.

    After Tina hung up the phone, Jennie¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Tina, who were you calling?¡±

    How did she hear Tina say that she wanted the Reed family bankrupt within an hour?

    No matter how down and out the Reed family was, it wasn¡¯t something that could be bankrupted just because she said so.

    Was Tina speaking nonsense out of anger, or was Jennie hallucinating?

    ¡°Mrs. Reed, I¡¯m a bit hungry. Is there anything to eat?¡± Tina didn¡¯t exin and just sat down on the sofa with a calm face. When facing Jennie, the fierceness in her eyes disappearedpletely, reced by a hidden touch of tenderness.

    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯ting back for lunch, so I didn¡¯t save any food for you.¡± Jennie¡¯s attention was diverted, ¡°I¡¯ll go make you a bowl of noodles. Does Jared want some too?¡±

    ¡°No trouble.¡± Jared nodded and sat down beside Tina, reaching out to quietly hold her hand.

    Tina tried to withdraw her hand but he gripped it firmly, not letting go.

    He had also sent a text to Nathan, instructing him to cooperate at all costs in theprehensive suppression of the Reed family.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    He knew that with Tina¡¯s hidden power, she could crush the Reed family without lifting a finger, and there was no need for him to make a move.

    But his fiancee had been wronged, and it was naturally his ce to stand up for her.

    Although Jennie was sent off to the kitchen, she still felt a deep sorrow for Tina, angry at her own helplessness.

    Little did she know that while she was cooking the noodles, chaos erupted at Moon Gate Estate.

    Elizabeth certainly knew about the post where Amber had berated Tina for stealing her thunder. She not only knew about it, but also reveled in it, even having a hand in the troubles stirred up at Pinkwater Alley.

    In her eyes, Hugo was her son and Tina her granddaughter. No matter how much she disliked them or mistreated them, they were not to defy her, let alone threaten to break away from the Reed family.

    If not for the perfume form left by Reba, she wouldn¡¯t have held back her anger for so long.

    As she was smugly calcting her next moves, a call from Pinewood suddenly came, ¡°Mom, our perfume factory has been reported for having dangerous goods, and was just sealed by the authorities!¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Elizabeth stood up abruptly, shocked, looking at Pinewood, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    After getting the perfume form from Hugo, she had sold her jewelry to raise five million dors, ready to revive the Reed family with it, just like in the old days.

    How could the Reed family¡¯s perfume factory be sealed at such a critical time?

    If it was not unsealed immediately, every day¡¯s dy meant a day less of production, and when the time came to deliver to the wholesale clients who had already paid deposits, they would not be able to deliver the required quantity. That would mean breach of contract and a hefty penalty.

    The life and death of the Ye family rested on this perfume. Elizabeth forced herself to stay calm and told Pinewood, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, I¡¯ll call the higher-ups to see if there¡¯s been some misunderstanding.¡±

    Her mouth said ¡°don¡¯t panic,¡± but her hands trembled fiercely as she dialed.

    Before she could even make the call, another call came in from Talon, ¡°Mom, all the banks¡­ they had agreed to extend our loan repayment, but suddenly they¡¯ve reneged! They¡¯re pressuring us to repay the loans immediately or they¡¯ll let the courts seize thepany!¡±

    ¡°How could this be?¡± Elizabeth nearly cked out. Theirpany was deeply in debt, and they had always negotiated with the banks to repay the interest first, extending the loans for gradual repayment.

    The banks had always been easy to talk to before, so why the sudden change of heart?

    Before she could figure it out, Pinewood¡¯s second call came, his voice filled with anger and defeat, ¡°Mom! The suppliers we had agreements with are now suddenly demanding that we immediately pay off all the overdue payments, or they will sue us¡­¡±

    ¡°How can this be, we have worked together for so long¡­¡± Elizabeth had only spoken half a sentence when she felt a surge of blood rush to her chest, a sweet taste in her throat, and then she could no longer hold on and fainted.

    Pinkwater Alley.

    Tina was sitting at the dining table with Jared, eating the noodles Jennie had cooked, and looking at the stream of breaking news alerts on her phone from Ensford: ¡°the Reeds Company reported for tax evasion!¡±

    ¡°the Reeds Company sued over allergy cases!¡±

    ¡°the Reeds Company sued for overworking employees to death!¡±

    In just half an hour, negative news about the Reeds Company covered the skies.

    Tina put away her phone with an expressionless face, her delicate features betraying no emotion. The bankruptcy of the Reed family was inevitable!

    The mistakes made by Amber alone were making the Reed family pay the price.

    As long as Amber and the Reed family could bear the consequences.

    Jared nced at her and lifted his slender fingers, gently touching her head with a tender light in his eyes.

    He said nothing, yet his gesture seemed to say, don¡¯t be angry.

    Jennie was also holding her phone, watching the news while asionally ncing at Tina.

    Even if she didn¡¯t want to see, friends who knew about her rtionship with the Reed family kept sending messages asking about the Reed family¡¯s situation.

    She remembered Tina saying that she would make the entire Reed family bankrupt within an hour, and she thought Tina was speaking nonsense.

    How could so many things happen to the Reed family just while she was cooking noodles for the young couple?

    It hadn¡¯t even been half an hour, had it?

    How could Tina have such great power?

    While Jennie was looking at Tina with doubt, she caught a glimpse of the deep, undissolvable tenderness in Jared¡¯s eyes across from Tina.

    She suddenly felt that she had thought too much, and it must have been Jared acting out of anger on Tina¡¯s behalf, having the Farrell family take action.

    It couldn¡¯t possibly be Tina.

    It must be so.

    Unaware of Jennie¡¯s thoughts, Tina, recalling something, said, ¡°Mrs. Reed, you don¡¯t have to worry about Mr. Reed and Zackary. I¡¯ve already sent someone to protect them, ensuring they won¡¯t be harmed in the slightest.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Jennie heard Tina¡¯s words and automatically filtered them to mean that Jared had already sent someone to protect Tina¡¯s family members.

    With the danger averted, Jennie was much more at ease at this moment. She looked at Tina and Jared with a face full of satisfaction, saying earnestly, ¡°Tina, Jared is deeply affectionate and loyal to you. You must never let him down.¡±

    Tina, ¡°???¡±

    How did the topic suddenly jump to her rtionship with Jared?

    ¡°Mrs. Reed is right.¡± Jared¡¯s cool lips lifted into a faint arc, and then he reached out to hold Tina¡¯s hand, smiling with a profound meaning, ¡°Tina, my deep affection and absolute loyalty for you-you can¡¯t let me down.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Did he just have no shame now?

 Chapter 96: Elizabeth Causes Trouble Again

    Tina kicked Jared hard under the table without changing her expression. What exactly was going on between the two of them, Jennie wondered, didn¡¯t he have any idea himself? Furthermore, she noticed that Jared seemed addicted to holding her hand, seizing every opportunity to stick close.

    Suddenly, a news alert popped up on Tina¡¯s phone: ¡°Chairman of the Reeds Company urgently hospitalized!¡± Tina tried to pull her hand away from Jared¡¯s grasp without sess, her gaze turning icy as she contemted whether flipping the table and starting a fight would scare Jennie.

    Jared, unabashed, put down his chopsticks and considerately unlocked his phone to open the news article, handing it to Tina. Tina nced down, seeing an image of medical personnel carrying someone out of Moon Gate Estate and into an ambnce. Despite the mosaic blur over the image, the clothes made it clear it was Elizabeth. Well, the photo was pleasing enough to put her in a good mood, so she decided not to settle scores with Jared for the moment.

    Jennie, watching the couple¡¯s interaction with a goofy smile, suddenly lit up with a call. ¡°Hello, Hugo, what¡¯s happened?¡± Whatever Hugo said, Jennie¡¯s expression grew increasingly grave.

    ¡°Tina,¡± she sighed after hanging up, ¡°your dad called to say your grandmother was hospitalized, and he wants us to visit her.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t we already cut ties with them?¡± Tina¡¯s tone cooled.

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± sighed Jennie, ¡°but she is still your dad¡¯s mother. There¡¯s an old saying, ¡®Blood ties cannot be severed, and kinship can sometimes grow distant.¡¯ Out of filial duty, your dad has to show his face.¡±

    Jared knew Tina was upset as she yed with her noodles in silence, and he scratched her palm tofort her, but she just gave him a cold nce.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, though,¡± Jennie paused before continuing, ¡°your dad is sensible. Let him go by himself; we won¡¯t get involved for now.¡±

    She said this while casting a sidelong nce at Jared, suspecting the Farrell family¡¯s involvement meant Elizabeth likely knew as well. If not, why would Elizabeth, who usually disliked Tina, want to see her now, if not to take advantage of Jared?Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Jennie was right in her guess; Elizabeth indeed had such thoughts.

    In the hospital, in a VIP ward, Elizabeth had just woken up, looking ill and more sullen than ever. She stared coldly at her two sons by her bed, asking, ¡°Was it truly the Farrell family¡¯s doing?¡±

    ¡°The bank isn¡¯t clear about it,¡± Pinewood replied with an equally dark look, ¡°but several suppliers did say it was pressure from the Farrell family.¡±

    ¡°Damned Farrell family, damned Jared, damned Tina!¡± Elizabeth nearly spat out venom with her words. ¡°And Hugo? Am I so close to death that my own son doesn¡¯te to see me?¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, hurried footsteps approached, and Hugo pushed through the door, ¡°Mom!¡± At the sight of only him, Elizabeth frowned, ¡°Where¡¯s Tina?¡±

    ¡°Tina didn¡¯te.¡±

    Elizabeth grabbed the thermos from the bedside table and hurled it at Hugo. With a loud bang, the thermos hit the white wall of the hospital room, bits of ster scattered down, and the lid flew off, striking Hugo¡¯s shin. The water inside sshed against the wall and onto Hugo.

    Fortunately, it was only warm water; otherwise, Hugo could have been scalded. Hugo stood at the door, a hurt look shing across his face, but still he gritted his teeth and looked at Elizabeth, ¡°Mom!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me mom!¡± Elizabeth, not caring in the least whether Hugo was hurt, red at him with venomous eyes, ¡°Bringing Tina back, do you think my life is too long? I wholeheartedly helped her to be the daughter-inw of the Farrell family, and this is how she repays me? By letting the Farrell family destroy the Reed family?¡±

    Stunned by the realization, Hugo connected Amber¡¯s posts with the negative news about the Reed family. His tone sank, ¡°Mom, the engagement of Tina and Jared was arranged by Reba. The Reed family¡¯s lineage couldn¡¯t match the Farrell¡¯s, and it was you who first despised Jared for his disability, not wanting Amber to marry him. Later, you harbored the thought of using Tina¡¯s marriage to make a fortune. So let¡¯s not pretend it was all for Tina¡¯s sake.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment and anger, ¡°So having the Farrell family¡¯s support changes how you speak!¡±

    ¡°And as for today¡¯s incident, if it really was the Farrell family¡¯s doing, it was Jared standing up for Tina,¡± Hugo continued, seizing the opportunity to speak.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know about Amber ndering Tina, iming Tina stole her fiance and then took credit for curing Mrs. Fanning¡¯s granddaughterof illness,¡± Hugo said, showing Amber¡¯s post on his phone. ¡°But before I came here, I had already confirmed with the Fanning family that it was actually her who used the wrong medication and almost killed Beatrice¡¯s daughter. If it wasn¡¯t for them finding Tina in time, Miss Woodham could have suffered severely, and Amber would be in jail right now!¡±

    After understanding the full story, Hugo was so angry he had never regretted the decision to adopt Amber more. This adopted daughter was not only selfish and greedy, but she also nearly caused a catastrophe and had the audacity to turn the me onto others.

    ¡°Amber is your daughter too! She¡¯s Tina¡¯s sister!¡± Pinewood interjected, ¡°Even if there really was a conflict between the sisters, did it have to be resolved publicly, causing the Reed family to fall apart?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Hugo, don¡¯t forget who you are!¡± Talon chimed in as well.

    Pinewood and Talon¡¯s dissatisfaction with their niece Tina had evolved from initial discontent to wishing she had never returned. Since her return, the Reed family had not only failed to gain any benefits from her but had also been beset with constant trouble, now teetering on the brink of disaster.

    Hugo, however, found itughable. Who was he? He had never felt a shred of warmth from this family, only burdens.

    ¡°Resolve privately? If Amber wanted to resolve things privately, why did she post online to nder Tina, leading to cyberbullying?¡± Hugo then turned to Elizabeth, ¡°Today, someone blocked my house, and there were disturbances at Zackary¡¯s kindergarten. Jennie said, our front door was sshed with red paint, cursed with words against Tina.¡±

    Heughed coldly, suddenly feeling an immense wave of weariness, ¡°Theizens aren¡¯t fools. Online bullying, sending intimidating parcels is one thing, but how many would be foolish enough to rally for Amber, a person with no blood ties, and cause such open havoc?¡±

    ¡°What are you implying?¡± Elizabeth¡¯s eyes darted away, avoiding Hugo¡¯s intense gaze.

 Chapter 97: I Just Love Relying on the Farrell Family, and You Hate It, Right?

    Hugo had not been too sure about his suspicions, but seeing Elizabeth like this, his already chilled heart turned even colder.

    ¡°Mom, why pretend to be confused when you know the truth? Where did Amber get the money to hire these people to cause trouble? Can you honestly say you had no hand in this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about all that!¡± Elizabeth¡¯s face twisted as she irrationally interrupted Hugo, ¡°The point is that Tina instigated the Farrell family to do this, so she must solve it. She¡¯s also a part of the Reed family!¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mom, what did you say when you first stopped me from acknowledging Tina? Now you admit she¡¯s part of the Reed family?¡± Disappointment filled Hugo¡¯s eyes as he looked at Elizabeth, ¡°I won¡¯t interfere with Tina¡¯s decisions.¡±

    In a daze, he remembered the hardships Reba and Tina had suffered in the Reed family and how they were eventually driven out.

    His heart ached, and without giving Elizabeth a chance to argue further, he said coldly, ¡°Mom, we¡¯ve already severed ties. I came to see you today out of the bond of blood that remains between us. You gave birth to me, and even if our rtionship is broken, you are still my mother. I cannot ignore your illness, but I¡¯m not happy to be here, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡±

    With that, he turned and left without hesitation.

    ¡°This ungrateful child!¡± Elizabeth pounded the bed in anger, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I just strangle him at birth!¡±

    ¡°Mom, did you really send people to make trouble at Hugo¡¯s house?¡± Pinewood asked.

    In the past, Pinewood would have cheered on Elizabeth¡¯s suppression of Hugo, but now, with the Reed family in such a dire state, his tone inevitably carried a hint of resentment.

    Elizabeth remained silent.

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Talon was the first to panic, his eyes red, ¡°Tina refuses to see Mom, and the Farrell family doesn¡¯t give us the time of day, let alone beg them for mercy! We finally got the form from Hugo, we were about to return to our former glory, and now it¡¯s all ruined!¡±

    Elizabeth was about to speak when she heard footsteps outside the hospital room, and she let out a coldugh, ¡°You still know toe back¡­¡±

    The door was pushed open, but she was stunned to see a middle-aged woman dressed in a white linen suit with a beautiful appearance.

    Elizabeth was overjoyed, ¡°Orchid! You¡¯ve returned home!¡±

    ¡°Mom.¡± Orchid, carrying fruit, walked in and frowned at the water and thermos on the floor, ¡°What happened? I just got back and heard there¡¯s been trouble at home, and you¡¯re hospitalized?¡±

    Orchid was Elizabeth¡¯s only daughter, who had moved to Australia with her husband ten years ago and seldom returned.

    Elizabeth had always adored her only daughter, and now, seeing Orchid amidst her fury, her eyes immediately welled up with sour tears.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of that Tina and her father¡¯s doing!¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Tina is really back?¡±

    Orchid was surprised, as she had been distressed every time she thought of Reba and Tina being expelled from the Reed family. She hade back this time after hearing about the situation, wanting to see her niece she had always cared for.

    ¡°Hugo should never have brought back that scourge!¡± Elizabeth said hatefully.

    Orchid¡¯s brow furrowed slightly and she carefully asked about the whole story.

    Although Elizabeth and the Pinewood brothers exaggerated and were biased, Orchid still made her own judgment.

    Her usually gentle voice grew stern, ¡°The fault lies clearly with Amber. Since she did wrong, she should rify and apologize. Where is she? You cherish her so much, howe she¡¯s not here taking care of you while you¡¯re sick?¡±

    At Ensford High School.

    After lunch, Tina and Jared went to Ensford High School.

    Upon arrival, Tina was immediately surrounded by Amber¡¯s supporters.

    ¡°Tina, have you no shame? Not only did you steal Amber¡¯s wedding, but now you want to take credit for curing Miss Woodham!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and you call yourself a teacher, using your status to steal your own sister¡¯s credit. Do you have any professional ethics at all?¡±

    ¡°Exactly¡­¡±

    The students of ss 22D, however, stood united on Tina¡¯s side.

    Albert had long regarded Tina as his idol and could not stand anyone bad-mouthing her. He immediately retorted angrily, ¡°Nonsense, do you all not have a brain? Whatever Amber says is true? Do you also think her farts smell good?¡±

    Velma also snorted coldly, ¡°Exactly, all we¡¯ve heard is one side of the story from Amber! The Fanning family has already issued a statement saying that Amber did not cure Miss Woodham and almost killed herinstead. If it hadn¡¯t been for Miss Reed, she would be a murderer now!¡±

    The Fanning family had indeed issued a statement at the first opportunity to clear Tina¡¯s name.

    Butizens, influenced by Amber¡¯s post, did not believe the Fanning family¡¯s statement, considering it a ploy to curry favor with Tina.

    And clearly, this group of high school students shared the same belief.

    Sure enough, someone immediately retorted, ¡°Pah, aren¡¯t the Fanning family¡¯s words also one-sided? It¡¯s obvious the Fanning family is eyeing Tina¡¯s status and connections with the Farrell family, so they¡¯re framing Amber to curry favor with the Farrells!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Amber is Dr. Ward¡¯s prized student, even if she couldn¡¯t cure someone, she wouldn¡¯t nearly kill them! The Fanning family¡¯s statement is full of holes!¡±

    ¡°Some people said Miss Farrell was cured by Tina, but that might just be a lie, just Jared trying to gild his fiancee¡¯s image.¡±

    At that moment, Amber approached, looking at Tina and Jared, she suppressed the fierceness in her eyes, and then put on a pitiful expression, ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve always let you have your way in the past, but this time, I can¡¯t anymore. You have to give me an exnation.¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, her hands in her pockets, and she looked at Amber with a mocking smile, ¡°Are you still living in a dream?¡±

    The Reed family was on the verge of bankruptcy, and thisdy was asking her for an exnation?

    Has she lost her mind?

    Amber was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Just then, a ssmate pulled Amber aside and handed her a phone, ¡°Amber, there¡¯s trouble with the Reed family.¡±

    Amber took the phone with confusion, and as she saw the news of the Reed family¡¯s troubles and Elizabeth¡¯s hospitalization, her eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at her, then shouted furiously, ¡°Tina! It was clearly you who did wrong, I could forgive you if you just apologized, but instead¡­¡±

    Amber nced at Jared, ¡°You rely on the Farrell family to suppress the Reed family, you think you can support the sky with one hand? How long do you think you can rely on the Farrell family?¡±

    ¡°Heh~¡± Tinaughed softly, why did everyone think that she was relying on the Farrell family?

    Her lips curled into a mocking smile, ¡°Is it bad to rely on the Farrell family? They back me up so I can do what I want. You wish you could rely on them, but you can¡¯t. Tell me, are you annoyed?¡±

    ¡°Sure you are!¡± Velma suddenly pped her thigh, ying along enthusiastically, ¡°How can you not be annoyed!¡±

 Chapter 98: The Shameless Snitch

    Jared, who had been silent until now, allowed a slow smile to spread across his lips. Although he knew that Tina¡¯s words were meant to infuriate Amber, he couldn¡¯t help feeling oddly satisfied. What was going on?

    ¡°You!¡± Amber eximed, outraged. ¡°Shameless!¡±

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Tina clicked her tongue twice and then stepped forward, getting face to face with Amber. The smile on her face suddenly vanished, ¡°Do you know why I haven¡¯tid a finger on you?¡±

    Amber red at her, remaining silent.

    ¡°I warned you not to mess with Mr. Reed and Mrs. Reed. You did, and now you must bear the consequences. I¡¯m waiting for you to kneel before me on your own ord.¡± Tina¡¯s lips curved into a smirk again, ¡°Guess what, do you think Elizabeth would give up the Reed family for you?¡±

    Amber shuddered involuntarily, but said nothing.

    She knew that Elizabeth would never give up the Reed family for her.

    Tina nced at her indifferently, then surveyed the others who had been insulting her moments before. She took out her phone and made a call, ¡°Mr. Stiller! More students are openly insulting their teacher. We¡¯re at the school gate; pleasee and deal with this.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the faces of the students changed dramatically, ¡°Have you no shame? Why involve Mr. Stiller in a child¡¯s matter?¡±

    With her eyes narrowing into slits, Tina patted the shoulder of the speaker, ¡°Kid, you¡¯re a child. I¡¯m a teacher. You don¡¯t understand me, but everyone in 22D does. I¡¯m the snitch!¡±

    The students of 22D nodded in agreement.

    The others were speechless.

    Soon, Mr. Stiller arrived, apanied by the Dean of Students.

    Mr. Stiller surveyed the students with a cold gaze, ¡°Mr. Johnson, remember their names. Give them a major demerit. If I find out any student insults a teacher again, they will be expelled.¡±

    After finishing, Mr. Stiller left with a stern face.

    The students were stunned, unable to recover for a long time.

    Seeing that no one spoke up for her, Amber turned her gaze to Elena, who, in the past, would have been the first to defend her. This time, however, Elena remained silent and stood aside.

    Elena lifted her eyes to meet Amber¡¯s, her mind racing with thoughts. After being lectured by her parents in a doubles match the night before, and tossing and turning all night, she thought over Mrs. Heisler¡¯s words.

    At breakfast that morning, with dark circles under her eyes, Mrs. Heisler had spoken to her with a mix of frustration and disappointment, ¡°You need to find out if Amber truly considers you a friend or if she¡¯s just using you. Just tell her that our family is in a tight spot and ask if she¡¯s willing to help us plead with Tina, iming that her misleading actions are why you targeted Tina.¡±

    Hesitant, Elena finally spoke to Amber at lunch in the cafeteria, following Mrs. Heisler¡¯s suggestion.

    Amber dodged the topic, not responding to her plea, leaving Elena feeling cold inside.

    Perhaps Amber never really considered her a friend but was just using her as a pawn.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Seeing Elena¡¯sck of reaction, Amber grew desperate but couldn¡¯t directly ask for help.

    At that moment, a deep voice came from the crowd, ¡°Elena, what are you doing?¡±

    Startled, Elena saw her parents, who had appeared at some point, standing outside the crowd with disapproving looks.

    She felt a hollow pit in her stomach and instinctively stepped away from Amber.

    Also arriving were Andrew and Martin.

    Seeing Tina and Jared together, they immediately approached to greet them, ¡°Miss Reed, Mr. Farrell.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing.

    Jared kept silent as well, watching the Heisler family with a cold detachment, exuding an air of authority that few possessed.

    They hade specifically to apologize to Tina, and upon seeing their reactions, they promptly pulled Elena, who was embarrassed in the crowd, and pushed her in front of Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, the previous incident was entirely due to our failure in upbringing. I am making her apologize to you now and ensuring she will not offend you again.¡±

    The onlooking students erupted into whispers and murmurs.

    The Heisler family had intended to take Elena to Pinkwater Alley to apologize to Tina that day, but Tina was not at home. Then, they saw news of the Reed family¡¯s assets being suppressed within half an hour and, worried that Elena would once again stand up for Amber, they hurried to the school.

    They had not anticipated actually finding Elena there.

    Orson¡¯s expression was particrly grim. He had tried both kindness and severity with his daughter, but she never seemed to heed advice.

    He couldn¡¯t understand how Amber, a girl well-versed in maniption, was worth befriending.

    Tina stood with her hands in her pockets, silently observing the Heisler family. An apology shoulde with the right attitude; there was no reason for her to give them an easy way out.

    Jared stood beside Tina as if to support her, his usual tenderness when facing her reced by an aura of authority that seemed natural to those long in power.

    Orson nced at Jared carefully. He had seen many influential people, but few possessed Jared¡¯smanding presence.

    He turned to Elena and scolded, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to apologize to Miss Reed?¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have falsely used you of stealing my mother¡¯s bracelet or tricked my brother into taking you to the police station. I shouldn¡¯t have doubted your academic credentials or encouraged my uncle to trouble you at school. I won¡¯t dare do it again,¡± Elena said, biting her lip and looking mortified. She didn¡¯t want to apologize, but with her parents present, she had no choice.

    Even though she was a bit haughty, she knew that if she didn¡¯t apologize obediently, her parents might disown her from the Heisler family.

    And she was certain they would do it.

    ¡°Miss Reed, thest incident was a moment of negligence on my part, aplete oversight!¡± Martin said, far less resistant than Elena. With an ingratiating face, he was almost ready to throw himself at Tina¡¯s feet, ¡°It was truly my fault, my ignorance. I beg of you to let me return to¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Mrs. Heisler kicked him and gave him a warning re, stopping the rest of his plea to be reinstated in his former position.

    Orson and Mrs. Heisler were rare in their wisdom. They understood that an apology shouldn¡¯t just be lip service. Since they had made a mistake, they had to ept the punishment.

    Thus, their presence today was a genuine act of contrition, without any expectation of clemency or help from Tina and Jared to recover their losses.

    To be honest, it would be enough for the Farrell family to stop their pressure on the Heisler family, preserving what little they had left, without hoping for more.

    ¡°Miss Reed, detaining you was my mistake. I arrested you without proper investigation, and for that, I sincerely apologize,¡± Andrew stepped forward and added his apology.

 Chapter 99: Aunt Orchid Calls

    Faced with apologies from Elena and Martin, Tina remained unmoved, her face devoid of any unnecessary expression. However, when it came to Andrew, she finally spoke, ¡°Regarding the incidentst time, there was no evidence and no arrest warrant, and your summoning me to assist in the investigation was standard protocol. You are an upright person, so after you were suspended, I didn¡¯t make things difficult for the Heisler family.¡±

    Andrew¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. You didn¡¯t make things difficult, but your fiance did! The Heisler family¡¯s business had already taken a hitst time, although Jared only intended to teach them a lesson. This time, Jared showed no mercy, aiming to bankrupt the Heisler family.

    However, Andrew didn¡¯t voice these thoughts. They were there to apologize, not to cast me.

    Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, and with her pale, delicate hand, she tucked a strand of hair that had fallen on her cheek behind her ear, speaking unhurriedly, ¡°Mr. Heisler, do you still remember how you got to your current position?¡±

    Andrew was shaken, looking at Tina in shock, struggling to find words.

    He remembered, of course, he did! The Heisler family¡¯s current position wasn¡¯t earned through his parents¡¯ efforts, nor by his own endeavors. Instead, the Heisler family had been supported and raised to their current status.

    They didn¡¯t know the identity of their benefactor, but after raising the Heisler family to their current position, they were left with a warning: not to use their power to oppress ordinary people, to do good deeds, and to forge good karma. If the Heisler family did evil, someone would take away everything they had.

    Not only Andrew but his parents were also stunned by Tina¡¯s words.

    After a while, Orson, with a hoarse voice and feeling a chill running down his spine, asked, ¡°Miss Reed, who are you?¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina didn¡¯t answer him but instead took a ring out of her pocket and put it on.

    Seeing the ring, Orson¡¯s legs nearly gave out, and he almost knelt down, but a look from Tina allowed him to barely stand firm.

    ¡°Master Se¡­¡±

    He began to speak but suddenly realized something and hastily fell silent.

    Tina nced at him coldly, expressionlessly saying, ¡°I hope this is thest time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, we understand, it won¡¯t happen again,¡± Orson said, his voice dry.

    ¡°Take your daughter and go,¡± Tina said indifferently.

    Orson didn¡¯t dare linger and quickly left with Elena.

    After they left, Jared¡¯s deep-set eyes watched Tina for a long while before his gaze fell on the hand she had removed the ring from just two seconds earlier.

    He had seen that ring once before, but the one on Tina¡¯s hand was slightly different, almost imperceptible unless looked at carefully.

    He didn¡¯t know why Tina had that ring, but he understood that it represented power, a might even greater than the forces he had cultivated in secret.

    Who exactly was Tina?

    Unaware of his thoughts, Tina nced at the student who became panicked due to Mr. Stiller¡¯s reprimand and finally rested her gaze on Amber, her eyes deep. Without a word, she turned and left.

    Once Tina left, the group of students who had surrounded her, intending to seek justice for Amber, looked at each other in confusion.

    Their recent memory of doubting Tina¡¯s educational credentials and the subsequent face-pping came back to haunt them.

    And Amber was the instigator of it all.

    In that moment, everyone started to doubt Amber.

    Upon seeing the expressions of those around her, Amber understood everything.

    Fortunately, at that moment, her phone rang; it was Elizabeth.

    Her heart tightened, and she answered the call anxiously, ¡°Grandma, I just saw the news. How are you? I¡¯ming to see you right now.¡±

    After the call, she requested leave from her Lead Teacher and headed to the hospital.

    Hospital.

    Rushing into Elizabeth¡¯s ward, Amber was surprised to find her seldom-returning aunt Orchid sitting inside.

    She paused, then smiled, ¡°Aunt Orchid, you¡¯re back?¡±

    Orchid nced at her, her response neither warm nor cold, ¡°Mhm.¡±

    Amber stiffened, feeling displeasure. This Orchid always seemed so disagreeable, always cold to her as if she owed her a fortune.

    She didn¡¯t bother with Orchid anymore and turned her gaze to Elizabeth, only to find that Elizabeth and Pinewood were both looking at her.

    Elizabeth¡¯s face was kind, but her eyes hid a shadow, and she beckoned, ¡°Amber,e here, your grandmother has something to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Your grandmother hopes you will post a rification about the matter of Tina taking credit for your work.¡±

    Amber¡¯s heart sank, ¡°I understand, Grandma.¡±

    Ensford High School.

    As soon as Amber¡¯s rifying and apologetic post was published, Tina saw it.

    Amber had recorded a video, in which she admitted that it was Tina who had cured Shonna, and that she hadn¡¯t stolen her credit.

    She confessed that it was out of jealousy that she had ndered Tina and earnestly apologized to Tina in the video, asking for her forgiveness.

    However, the direction of public sentiment did not improve by much.

    Although Amber had stepped forward to rify, in the video she cried so pitifully, looking so sympathetic that it seemed as though she was the one who had been greatly wronged.

    Thements under the video were all expressions of disbelief, suggesting that Amber must have been pressured by the Farrell family to release such a rification video.

    Online, the abuse towards Tina became even more vicious.

    Tina scoffed coldly; Amber¡¯s reluctant video had subtly guided public opinion to be even more unfavorable toward her.

    ying mind games at this time?

    Interesting.

    Just then, Tina¡¯s phone rang with an unknown number. Her brow furrowed slightly as she answered.

    ¡°Tina,¡± a gentle voice came through the phone, ¡°it¡¯s your Aunt Orchid. Do you remember me?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Orchid.¡± Tina was momentarily taken aback, her heart softening a bit as a tender face came to mind.

    How could she forget? As a child at Moon Gate Estate, besides Hugo, only her Aunt Orchid had been kind to her, ying with her, buying her treats, and telling her stories.

    She upied half of the precious memories Tina had of Moon Gate Estate.

    She had heard that Orchidter moved to Australia with her husband and didn¡¯t expect her to suddenly return.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, do you still remember?¡± Orchid¡¯s voice became much softer, ¡°I¡¯ve always missed you over the years. It¡¯s so good that Hugo could find you, Tina¡­ Can I see you?¡±

    Tina was silent for a moment, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She had thought her heart had be as hard as iron over the ten years in the mountains, yet it turned out that when faced with people like Jennie and Orchid, who genuinely cared for her, it could still be touched.

    ¡°I¡¯d also like to see Zackary,¡± Orchid¡¯s voice was filled with anticipation, ¡°After Zackary gets out of school, can we take him to the amusement park?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina agreed.

 Chapter 100 My Promise is Very Expensive

    When school ended, Jared wanted to go with them, but Tina firmly refused.

    She and Orchid always had things to discuss about her mother, and it was inconvenient to have Jared around.

    Tina and Orchid had informed Hugo and his wife beforehand, so after picking up Zackary, they went out for dinner and then took him to the amusement park.

    After many years, Orchid¡¯s face looked much older than Tina remembered, but still gentle as ever.

    The way she held Zackary and smiled at her reminded Tina of a photo taken when she was young, where Orchid held her with the same gentle eyes.

    That was the only time she had gone to the amusement park.

    Tina had mentally prepared herself that Orchid¡¯s invitation this time was most likely to plead for the Reed family.

    However, as soon as they entered the amusement park, Orchid pulled Zackary towards the carousel and waved at her, ¡°Tina,e on, let¡¯s y together.¡±

    Tina smiled, a smile as bright as the sun, basking in the spring breeze.

    Except for some rides with height restrictions that Zackary couldn¡¯t go on, the three of them explored the entire amusement park.

    Finally, Orchid and Zackary came out of the haunted house with wobbly legs, and their eyes lit up when they saw the Ferris wheel.

    While waiting in line, Zackary wanted ice cream, so Orchid said to Tina, ¡°Tina, you stay here, I¡¯ll take him to buy some and be right back.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Tina nodded.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    But for some reason, the two of them had been gone for so long that it was almost their turn, and they still hadn¡¯t returned.

    As Tina hesitated at the ticket gate, she was suddenly pulled by someone who appeared beside her, dragging her all the way onto the Ferris wheel.

    Tina quickly turned to look at the person pulling her, her willow-like brows slightly furrowed, ¡°Mr. Farrell, are you very idle?¡±

    After the Ferris wheel cabin door closed, it began to rise slowly.

    Jared was too tall, and although the cabin wasn¡¯t small, he felt cramped and constrained by the entire space.

    He sat back on the soft seat, ¡°Sophia wanted toe to the amusement park to y, and coincidentally, you¡¯re here too.¡±

    With that, he slightly lifted his chin, gesturing outside.

    Tina turned her head to look out and saw Nathan and Sophia waiting in line among the crowd. The little girl had sharp eyes, and when she saw Tina looking over, she waved frantically at her.

    After the engagement banquet, Jared¡¯s parents had taken Sophia back with them. Moreover, Marie didn¡¯t like Tina as her daughter-inw, so she had been keeping the little girl cooped up and not allowing her toe and y with Tina, which had made Sophia restless.

    Jared spread his hands towards Tina, indicating that he wasn¡¯t lying to her.

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Tina crossed her arms and sat down opposite Jared, a half-smile on her face, as if saying, let¡¯s see if I believe you.

    She had refused Jared¡¯spany today because she had things to ask Orchid about her mother, Reba.

    But Jared had still followed her, which displeased her somewhat.

    So far, as her fiance, Jared¡¯s behavior and conduct had been very qualified, and he had done a lot for her. An ordinary girl would have probably been moved and offered her heart long ago.

    But she was Tina.

    The ten years she had lost her mother, she had been walking on a knife¡¯s edge.

    She had always known that the human heart was the most unpredictable.

    She didn¡¯t fully trust Jared, especially after learning that when her mother passed away, Jared had visited her and her mother¡¯s residence and was looking for something.

    So she would gauge whether all his disys were a purposeful probe.

    Just like she allowed him to always appear by her side, it wasn¡¯t because she was touched, but because she wanted to observe what he was trying to do and wait for him to reveal his true intentions.

    She was already used to lying low; she had a lot of patience.

    In the stagnant silence, the Ferris wheel slowly turned, and their cabin stopped at the highest point.

    Tina looked outside the cabin; the night sky seemed very close, but was actually very far.

    She looked down at the colorful lights of the entire amusement park and the tiny crowds.

    Orchid and Zackary, who had gone to buy ice cream, had returned and were standing with Nathan and Sophia, continuing to line up. The two children were holding hands andughing as they talked.

    Not far away, there was some grand event, igniting fireworks that filled the sky, a myriad of colors, dazzling and stunning.

    She was looking at the fireworks; Jared was looking at her.

    She didn¡¯t know that her profile in the shing fireworks was so beautiful that it took one¡¯s breath away.

    The ever-changing colorful lights castyers of light and shadow on her elegant contours, half her face in darkness, half her face graceful, just like how she was difficult to understand and define as a person.

    ¡°I¡¯ll buy this amusement park and give it to you.¡± After Jared spoke, he found his throat a little dry, so he could only give a light cough to cover it up and turned his head.

    But the ss of the cabin reflected the amazement and affection in his eyes, so thick that even he was startled.

    Tina, however, didn¡¯t notice at all. The corner of her lips curved up, her eyes teasing, ¡°You want to buy this ce and give it to me?¡±

    ¡°You seem to really like it here.¡± Jared told the truth.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, let¡¯s make a bet?¡± Tina¡¯s smile deepened.

    ¡°Bet on what?¡±

    ¡°If you can buy this amusement park and give it to me, I¡¯ll agree to one thing for you.¡± Tina leaned forward slightly, a hint of mischief hidden in her smile, ¡°On the contrary, if you can¡¯t, you¡¯ll have to agree to one thing for me.¡±

    ¡°Anything is fine?¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    Jared slightly raised his eyes and met Tina¡¯s gaze as she leaned closer to him.

    The fireworks in the night sky danced in her pupils, reflecting his own face.

    She was smiling, ¡°My promise is very expensive.¡±

    At that moment, he felt something strike his heart, his mind went nk, and he inexplicably agreed.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Tina was a little surprised. She sat up straight and leaned back, scrutinizing Jared. She didn¡¯t believe he was a fool who couldn¡¯t guess why she would propose such a bet.

    This amusement park was hers. She had onlye here once in her neen years of life, andter she bought it as a keepsake.

    Buying her things and giving them to her, Jared couldn¡¯t do it unless she was willing.

    So he was bound to lose.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you win.¡± Seeing Tina¡¯s confusion, Jared smiled, his gaze towards Tina carried a hint of doting, ¡°So you can use the beauty trap too.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Tina was stunned.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    The huge Ferris wheel had unknowinglypleted a rotation, and Jared stood up, gentlemanly opening the cabin door for Tina.

    Tina gave him a doubtful look and walked out.

    They waited outside for a while before Orchid and the others got off the Ferris wheel.

    ¡°Miss Reed!¡± As soon as Sophia¡¯s feet touched the ground, she ran over, wanting to pounce on Tina.

 Chapter 101: Orchidâ€™s Plea

    Before Sophia could get close to Tina, Jared grabbed her by the back of her cor and lifted her up. He greeted Orchid, ¡°Aunt Orchid, so I would let you have some time between you two. I¡¯ll take Sophia and Zackary to y first.¡±

    With that said, he carried Sophia away without allowing any objections.

    ¡°Ah! Jared, let me go! I want to talk to Miss Reed!¡± Sophia kicked her little legs and struggled desperately in mid-air.

    Recently, her mother not only refused to let her find Miss Reed, but also kept saying bad things about Tina in front of her, even instigating her to sabotage Tina and her brother¡¯s rtionship.

    Each time, she could only let it go in one ear and out the other, silently chanting in her heart, ¡°Not listening, not listening, I¡¯m not listening.¡±

    She even considered secretlyining to her grandfather; otherwise, her mother was really too annoying. Her ears were almost hurting.

    Today, she had finally managed to slip out with her brother¡¯s help to find Tina, but her brother was doing the same thing!

    She was really about to be angered to death by her brother!

    ¡°Behave.¡± Jared lightly patted her little bottom and signaled to Nathan with a nce. Nathan then carried away the dumbfounded Zackary.

    Jared knew Tina had something to discuss with Orchid privately, so he considerately helped her take care of the children.

    Of course, when it came to taking care of the children, only Nathan was actually running back and forth being the babysitter.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    Jared just stood there with his hands in his pockets, watching the two children to prevent them from running around.

    Zackary was quite well-behaved and didn¡¯t make a fuss.

    Although he had already yed through the entire amusement park, when Sophia was here, he still happily apanied her around the park until the pout on her face turned into a smile. After all, he liked this little sister.

    Tina and Orchid found an unupied bench and sat down side by side.

    The fireworks continued in the distance, casting dazzling light on Orchid¡¯s face, but it revealed a hint of awkwardness and embarrassment. She hesitated for a long time without speaking. Instead, it was Tina who spoke first, ¡°Aunt Orchid, I have something I want to ask you.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Did my mother leave anything with you?¡± After asking, Tina added an exnation, ¡°When my mother left back then, I was still too young. I had almost no memories of her by my side, so I¡¯ve been wanting to find her belongings over the years to keep as a remembrance.¡±

    Actually, she didn¡¯t have much hope in Orchid. Since her mother had said before her death that the items were at Moon Gate Estate, and she couldn¡¯t get any information from Hugo, naturally she had to ask Orchid.

    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t.¡± As expected, Orchid shook her head. She was very fond of Reba.

    Back then, when she got into trouble and was almost sexually assulted, it was Reba who saved her. She had always been grateful.

    Mentioning the past, she couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°At that time, your mother was just like me, a fragile and weak woman, yet she dared to venture alone into danger and rush into that bar to save me.¡±

    When she heard ¡°fragile and weak,¡± Tina¡¯s eyes flickered.

    She continued listening to Orchid, ¡°I was drugged at the time. I can¡¯t remember the details, but I remember your mother somehow mustered the strength to carry me on her back and kept running¡­¡±

    At this point, she let out a long sigh, ¡°Tina, I know the Reed family wronged you and your mother. If you and your mother hadn¡¯t been driven out by your grandmother back then, perhaps your mother wouldn¡¯t have left so early.

    ¡°Regarding this matter, Amber was indeed wrong first. Your grandmother has already made her post a rification on social media about what happened to the Fanning family and apologize to you. Can you let Jared spare the Reed family?¡±

    She finally brought it up.

    ¡°Aunt Orchid, they all must pay the price for what they did.¡± Tina¡¯s tone was very calm.

    Of course, she could let Jared spare the Reed family, but she herself wouldn¡¯t spare the Reed family.

    She never needed to rely on Jared.

    Unfortunately, the Reed family didn¡¯t understand, but they didn¡¯t need to understand. They just needed to shatter into pieces ording to her wishes.

    ¡°Yes, I know, but the Reed family has already paid the price for Amber¡¯s actions after going through this. Can you let them off this time for my sake?¡± Orchid said.

    Tina raised her eyes slightly, nced at Orchid, pursed her lips, and after a long while, she took out her phone and opened Amber¡¯s apology video. ¡°Take a look at this first.¡±

    Orchid took the phone in confusion, and the next second, she frowned, ¡°What is Amber trying to do?¡±

    In the video, while apologizing and rifying, Amber disyed a hesitant and reluctant expression, and her expression instantly turned bad.

    After leaving the hospital, she directly contacted Tina and then went to Royal Oaks to pick up Zackary, so she didn¡¯t know that the video Amber posted was actually like this.

    ¡°She hired more than a dozen people to create a disturbance at my home and Royal Oaks, making it seem like I incited public outrage.¡± Tina spoke very calmly, as if talking about something unimportant to her.

    ¡°What?!¡± Orchid was shocked. When Elizabeth told her, she didn¡¯t mention this matter.

    ¡°Her ndering me is one thing.¡± Tina raised her eyes and looked directly at Orchid, ¡°Usually, only Mrs. Reed is at home, and Zackary is still so young. If something were to happen to them, the Reed family would face more than just bankruptcy.¡±

    Tina nced sideways at Orchid, ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m being ruthless. Although this matter was Amber¡¯s doing, Elizabeth was also involved. Amber is just an adopted daughter of the Reed family. If she makes a mistake, it¡¯s reasonable for the Reed family to pay for it.¡±

    Orchid opened her mouth but didn¡¯t know what to say.

    She saw the coldness in Tina¡¯s eyes and suddenly realized that the young girl in front of her had long grown up. She was no longer the little girl she held in her arms back then, nor could she be easily swayed by some blood rtion nonsense.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know about these things.¡± Deep guilt surfaced in Orchid¡¯s heart, ¡°I¡¯ve let you down.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t a fool. Although Elizabeth doted on her, she knew very well what kind of person her mother was.

    How could she not think that Amber had so much money to hire people to create trouble without Elizabeth¡¯s support?

    She couldn¡¯t me Tina for being so ruthless towards the Reed family.

    The Reed family deserved it!

    ¡°Miss Reed!¡±

    Sophia, who had finished ying, pounced directly into Tina¡¯s arms and even rubbed her little head, ¡°I missed you so much. Jared wouldn¡¯t even let me say a word to you!¡±

    ¡°Sophia.¡± Jared nced at her, ¡°Who bought you the game tickets? Who bought you the ice cream? Yet you turn around and badmouth me, hmm?¡±

    ¡°It was Nathan!¡± Sophia answered righteously.

    Jared was instantly at a loss for words, ¡°He used my money!¡±

    Nathan almost couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter.

    In the past, he had never seen Jared bicker with his own sister. Ever since Tina appeared, Jared had changed a lot.

    It seemed¡­ like the gradual melting of ice.

    ¡°This child is really adorable.¡± Orchid reached out and ruffled Sophia¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Of course, Miss Reed personally took care of me and my illness, so of course I¡¯m adorable.¡± Sophia grinned, revealing her little baby teeth.

    Orchid¡¯s heart softened, and suddenly, she missed her son in Australia.

 Chapter 102: For You, Thereâ€™s Never a Deadline

    She and Tina both tactfully refrained from mentioning the previous topic.

    Some things, when spoken about too much and too deeply, can only hurt their affection for each other.

    In the end, they took the two children out for ate-night snack.

    Orchid originally thought that since she was the one who invited them out, she should be the one to send Tina and Zackary back.

    But Jared offered to send them instead, and Orchid naturally went along with it to give the young couple more time together, and went back by herself.

    Before leaving, she told Tina, ¡°I and Hugo have decided we will have a lunch tomorrow with Jennie and Zackary.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Aunt Orchid. Drive safe,¡± Tina nodded.

    By the time they returned to Pinkwater Ally, the two children, tired from ying, had already fallen asleep leaning against each other.

    Tina had just gotten out of the car carrying Zackary when Jared took the child from her arms.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go up with you,¡± Jared said gently.

    Tina nodded slightly. After the space beside Sophia in the back seat of the car was empty, losing her support, she immediately fell asleep on the seat, still mumbling, ¡°Jared¡­ You let go me¡­¡±

    Tina smiled faintly and reached out to stroke her head, closing the car door for her.

    It was almost ten o¡¯clock, and Pinkwater Ally was very quiet. There were only the three of them in the elevator.

    They were silent all the way, but when they got out of the elevator, Jared suddenly spoke up, ¡°What do you want me to promise you?¡±

    ¡°Admitting your defeat so early?¡± Tina raised her willow eyebrows slightly, but wasn¡¯t very surprised.

    ¡°I said I¡¯d let you win.¡± He stood beside her, the corridor lights casting sideways, his tall shadow falling on her, covering her entire body. ¡°Tina, in this world, you¡¯re the first person I¡¯m willing to admit defeat to.¡±

    And the only one, he added in his heart.

    Tina frowned slightly, feeling a strange sensation in her heart that she didn¡¯t understand. It was a bit warm, but also made her hesitate.

    ¡°Admit defeat to what?¡± Before Tina could figure it out, the door to her home was suddenly opened from the inside, and Hugo poked his head out. ¡°Didn¡¯t you guys go to the amusement park? Don¡¯t tell me you went gambling?¡±

    He looked at Jared with an using gaze, suspecting that Jared had taken Tina to some bad ce. After all, Jared had a reputation for being a spoiled brat. In his view, his little girl was so well-behaved, anything that happened must be because she was led astray by those boys.

    Jared smiled faintly. ¡°When we yed shooting at the amusement park, I lost to Tina.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Hugo beamed, helping to take Zackary and inviting Tina into the room. He said to Jared, ¡°It¡¯s toote, I won¡¯t keep you.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Jared nodded slightly and turned to leave.

    ¡°Does your promise have an expiration date?¡± Tina suddenly asked, leaning against the doorframe.

    He turned back to look at her. ¡°For you, there¡¯s never a deadline.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Ensford High School.

    Because she remembered her lunch date with Orchid, Tina declined Velma¡¯s invitation to have lunch in the cafeteria.

    As soon as she walked out the school gate, a ck Lincoln swiftly stopped in front of her as if it had been waiting for her.

    She nced at Nathan, who was driving without looking sideways, then at the rear window that slowly rolled down.

    Jared¡¯s brows and eyes were shrouded in shadow, making them appear even deeper.

    ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡±

    ¡°You seem to have a lot of free time,¡± Tina stood with her arms crossed, not moving.

    Yesterday at the amusement park, it was fine for him to say he was apanying Sophia.

    Today, ss 22D didn¡¯t have P. E., so why did hee to school again, and so precisely timed to her leaving school?

    ¡°Your father asked me to join you as well.¡± Jaredughed lightly, his tone innocent. ¡°He said that in the future, we¡¯ll also be a family. Your Aunt Orchid rarelyes back, and who knows when we¡¯ll see her next time, so he told me to go over too.¡±

    He would never admit that he deliberately timed his call to Hugo and intentionally brought up the matter.

    Since he said so, Tina didn¡¯t stand on ceremony. She had just opened the car door and sat down when she received a call from Orchid.

    ¡°Aunt Orchid.¡±

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Orchid¡¯s choked voice was filled with anger and panic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Tina frowned slightly.

    ¡°When I went to pick up Zackary at noon, your grandmother said she was sick and missed Zackary very much and wanted to see him, but was afraid you wouldn¡¯t agree.¡± Orchid said guiltily, ¡°So I thought I¡¯d quietly take Zackary to see her before meeting up with you, but I didn¡¯t expect her to keep Zackary and refuse to let him go, demanding that you go see her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I never thought your grandmother would do this¡­¡±

    Because the Reed family had just had an incident when Orchid returned this time, she didn¡¯t go back to the chaotic Moon Gate Estate, but stayed in a hotel first.

    Since the hotel she was staying at was just next to Royal Oaks, she offered to pick up Zackary at noon, and Hugo naturally agreed.

    Tina knew about this, but she really didn¡¯t expect Orchid to soften her heart for a moment and listen to Elizabeth¡¯s nonsense, taking Zackary to the hospital where Elizabeth was staying.

    She thought of what Jennie had said, blood ties can¡¯t be severed.

    She had been too careless.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Jared saw Tina¡¯s face suddenly darken and frowned.

    ¡°My aunt took Zackary to the hospital to see Elizabeth behind our backs. The Reed family is holding him hostage and demanding that I go see them.¡± Tina¡¯s tone was very calm, but Jared heard a storm brewing.

    Just like yesterday, when someone came to Pinkwater Ally to make trouble, the calmer she was, the angrier she was.

    ¡°Go to the city hospital,¡± Jared instructed Nathan.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let Mr. Reed and Mrs. Reed know about this for now,¡± Tina said, sitting beside Jared and lightly cracking her knuckles.

    She hadn¡¯t been this angry in a long time.

    The stupid Reed family really had a knack for infuriating her.

    City Hospital, Inpatient Department.

    As soon as Tina arrived outside Elizabeth¡¯s hospital room, she heard the sound of Orchid and Elizabeth arguing.

    ¡°Mom, are you going to let Zackary go or not?!¡±

    ¡°Zackary is my grandson, what¡¯s wrong with keeping him for a while when I miss him?¡± Elizabeth snorted coldly.

    ¡°You miss him? You just want to use him!¡± Orchid¡¯s voice was clearly furious. ¡°You guys just threatened Zackary, and asked him to plead with Tina for you. Look how scared Zackary is!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my grandson, of course his loyalties can¡¯t lie elsewhere! It¡¯s only natural for him to help us!¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Orchid¡¯s tone was full of disappointment. ¡°If you don¡¯t let me take Zackary away right now, I won¡¯t evere back to see you when I return to Australia this time! I will leave the choice to you, do you want to lose me as a daughter forever?!¡±

    p!

    The sound of a p came from the hospital room. Tina pushed open the door, just in time to see Orchid¡¯s face turned to the side from a p.

 Chapter 103: Why Wonâ€™t You Let Us Go?

    Orchid heard the door open and turned her head, covering the side of her face that had been pped. She squeezed out a bitter smile. ¡°Tina, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Orchid,¡± Tina replied coldly.

    ¡°This time, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Orchid was full of remorse.

    Tina didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°You are finally willing toe see your own grandmother!¡± Elizabeth looked at Tina with a sneer.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to take my brother back,¡± Tina said dispassionately, ncing around the ward. She asked coldly, ¡°Where¡¯s Zackary?¡±

    ¡°Next door. Locked in the bathroom.¡± Orchid looked ashamed, hardly daring to look Tina in the eye.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    She truly hadn¡¯t expected Elizabeth to be so vicious. Not only had she used her to lure Zackary here, but just now, Elizabeth and her two brothers had been threatening Zackary.

    After they realized that the child simply wouldn¡¯t speak, they had actually locked him in the bathroom. No matter how much he cried and shouted, no matter how much she pleaded, they refused to let him out.

    She felt utterly disgraced.

    Tina¡¯s eyes shed with a fierce light as she turned to go next door.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare leave!¡± Elizabeth mmed the bedside table, ordering her to stop.

    Tina ignored her and continued walking.

    Pinewood blocked the ward door with a swift movement and quickly locked the door. ¡°Your grandmother wants to talk to you. You simply have no respect and no manners! You really need to be taught a lesson!¡±

    Thinking of how their family¡¯s business had gone bankrupt overnight, he grew brazen. He raised his hand, intending to p Tina.

    A murderous glint shed in Tina¡¯s eyes. Before she could act, Jared was a step ahead of her. He grabbed Pinewood¡¯s wrist. ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re going to hit?¡±

    He dared toy a hand on his fiancee?

    Did he think Jared was dead?

    ¡°Ah ah ah!¡± Jared suddenly exerted force with his hand. Pinewood let out a miserable shriek like an animal being ughtered, unable to even beg for mercy. He was in so much pain that he directly copsed to the ground, his entire body breaking out in a cold sweat.

    Jared abruptly flung him aside and took out a handkerchief, meticulously wiping his hands. He said with distaste, ¡°You filthy pig!¡±

    ¡°You, you dare to hurt my son in front of so many people!¡± Elizabeth was both shocked and enraged, seeing her beloved son crumpled on the ground like a pile of mud, gasping for breath. His right hand hung at a grotesque angle, the entire wrist obviously directly snapped.

    She truly hadn¡¯t expected Tina and Jared to be so ruthless.

    ¡°You kidnapped my brother, we broke your son¡¯s hand.¡± Tina lifted her eyes to look at Elizabeth, enunciating each word. ¡°Very, fair.¡±

    ¡°For a seriously ill old woman wanting to see her own grandson, wanting to spend more time with her own grandson, how can that be called kidnapping!¡± Elizabeth¡¯s chest heaved violently, as if she might keel over at any second. Yet her mouth still spewed her sick arguments. ¡°Even if you go to the police, they won¡¯t acknowledge this as a kidnapping!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tina quirked the corner of her lips, smiling. ¡°Then what about child abuse?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t hurt him!¡± Talon, who had been frightened by Jared¡¯s earlier move, cowered by Elizabeth¡¯s bedside, not daring to step forward. He only dared to argue verbally.

    Jared nced at him, his deep eyes carrying a hint of coldness. ¡°You want to try hurting him?¡±

    Pinewood was intimidated by his aura and took a step back. ¡°Anyway, you have no proof!¡±

    ¡°I will testify that you abused Zackary!¡± Orchid suddenly said in a resolute tone.

    She hade to her senses. Even if it was her own family that had made a mistake, a mistake was a mistake and they should face the consequences.

    ¡°You! How dare you turn against your own family!¡± Elizabeth groped on the bedside table, wanting to find something to throw at Orchid, but couldn¡¯t find anything. In the end, she could only fling the pillow over.

    Orchid dodged it with a twist of her body and resolutely walked over to stand beside Tina.

    ¡°Well then!¡± Elizabeth watched Orchid suddenly burst into tears, pointing at her in anguish. ¡°You and Hugo are both great! I truly doted on you for nothing in the past! You ungrateful wretch!¡±

    Orchid¡¯s eyes revealed a pained look. She simply averted her gaze, not looking at Elizabeth.

    Just then, someone knocked on the door.

    Talon hurriedly went to open it, but he was very afraid of Jared, so his movements were cautious, like a thief.

    As soon as the door opened, Amber was standing outside. Behind Amber stood arge group of reporters holding cameras.

    With just a nce, Amber¡¯s gaze met Tina¡¯s inside the room.

    ¡°Tina.¡± Her eyes brimmed with tears as she took two steps into the ward. ¡°Grandma has been ill for so long, and you are finally willing toe see her.¡±

    Tina looked at her with a half-smile.

    A long time?

    Besides, what did her illness have to do with her?

    Then Amber saw Pinewood lying on the ground and eximed, ¡°Uncle Pinewood, what happened to your hand? Who broke your hand?¡±

    ¡°Who else can that be but your sister¡¯s dear fiance, Mr. Farrell!¡± Pinewood had recovered his breath by now. The intense pain in his hand filled him with rage, making him forget his usual fear of Jared. He was ring at him and Tina with a sinister expression.

    ¡°Tina, Grandma¡¯s so sick already. Why did you ask Mr. Farrell to hurt Uncle Pinewood like this? Are you retaliating against me again?¡± Amber put on a shocked expression and took the opportunity to start using Tina while wiping her tears. ¡°I already apologized to you and helped clear up the matter with Miss Woodham. Why won¡¯t you let us go!¡±

    Her voice was mournful as she suddenly bent her knees and dropped to the ground with a thud, directly kneeling in front of Tina. She kowtowed, banging her head on the floor. ¡°If you¡¯re dissatisfied with me, if you¡¯re angry with me, just take it out directly on me. Why do you have to hurt Grandma and Uncle Pinewood!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m begging you, I¡¯m really begging you. Even if you want to kill me, I¡¯m at your mercy!¡±

    ¡°No matter what, I¡¯m just an adopted daughter. But you¡¯re the true miss of the Reed family, sharing the same bloodline as Grandma and the others. Grandma is so old and sick already, and this time she fell ill because of you. The doctor said she nearly had a stroke and can¡¯t endure any more shocks!¡±

    ¡°My life is such a misery!¡± Elizabeth on the bed also started wailing and sobbing, ying along with Amber¡¯s performance. ¡°Tina, no matter what, I¡¯m your grandmother. I took care of you and raised you when you were little. I¡¯m already so sick, and I just wanted to see Zackary, so I brought him here. You actually had Jared break your Uncle Pinewood¡¯s hand! How can you be so heartless!¡±

    The reporters outside the ward, hearing thements of this grandmother and the granddaughter, were instantly filled with righteous indignation.

    ¡°Miss Reed, you¡¯ve gone too far! No matter what, they¡¯re still your grandmother and sister! You¡¯re family!¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Elizabeth just got sick and wanted to see her grandson. Just because of that, you broke Mr. Pinewood¡¯s hand. That¡¯s too cruel!¡±

    ¡°I think Mr. Farrell has really gone senile, actually saying he wants to pass his position to Jared Farrell. He must have been so confused by his fiancee¡¯s pretty face and he has no moral at all. How can he be the head of the Farrell family! I bet the Farrell family will be ruined once it¡¯s in his hands!¡±

 Chapter 104: Amber Simply Wonâ€™t Change

    Jared barely lifted his eyelids, ncing at the journalist who had spoken those words. The journalist was young, with ck-framed sses and when his eyes met Jared¡¯s, a shiver ran down his spine, and he couldn¡¯t help but step back. But when he saw Amber weeping so pitifully, and Pinewood groaning on the ground, he was once again overwhelmed by a self-righteous ¡°justice,¡± and said with a stiff neck, ¡°What are you looking at? Did I say something wrong? I think Mr. Pinewood should go for an injury assessment right now, and sue you for intentional harm!¡±

    All the other reporters echoed in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯ll pay for what you did!¡±

    ¡°That Tina is really no good, the Reed family raised her, and she instigated her own fiance to bankrupt the Reed family! What an ungrateful wretch!¡±

    ¡°We will expose everything that happened today! Let everyone see what you really are!¡±

    ¡°I think they owe the Reeds Company a public apology, and shouldpensate them for all losses!¡±

    Amber¡¯s eyes shed, seizing the opportunity, she cried and kowtowed to Tina, begging, ¡°Tina, I beg you, please let Mr. Farrell spare the Reed family! Let me bear all the me! Do you really want to see the Reed family destroyed before you can be satisfied?!¡±

    Shey on the ground, her voice choked with sobs, pleading over and over as if she were the pitiest woman in the world.

    But in her eyes, hidden from view, was a venomous resentment.

    Kneeling and kowtowing to Tina was not her choice.

    But no matter how unwilling or resentful she was, she had to agree to do this.

    If the Reed family was gone, she would lose her backing, making her ambitions and desires difficult to fulfill.

    After all, where in the world could she find another fool like Elizabeth, who would value an adopted daughter more than her own granddaughter?

    She had to get through this.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    So, even with a heart full of reluctance, she still kowtowed with all her might.

    With each kowtow on the ground, she reminded herself, ¡°Endure this, Amber, and the humiliation you suffer today must be repaid twofold on Tina!¡±

    Tina had not said a word from beginning to end, her expression was a mix of a smile but not quite, as if she was watching an interestingedy, even showing a bit of relish.

    She had said, Elizabeth would not be so foolish to think that detaining Zackary would force her to spare the Reed family, it seemed she wanted to y a game of moral ckmail.

    People often don¡¯t look at what happened, they first sympathize with the underdog, who always has an inherent advantage in public opinion.

    And now, just from how it looked, she and Jared, even the entire Farrell family, were oppressors, while the sick Elizabeth and the weeping Amber appeared to be the oppressed.

    If someone filmed this scene and put it online, it would surely be another round of sympathy for the underdog, a witch hunt against the strong.

    If it had been someone else under this public pressure, they might have given in.

    Too bad, she was Tina Reed.

    They miscalcted her; she was not someone to be morally ckmailed.

    Especially not by those devoid of morality.

    She remained silent, just wanting to see how far Amber could go if she did not agree.

    Isn¡¯t it fun?

    Watching them hop around like clowns before her.

    Lastly, to be crushed.

    ¡°Tina! Are you really that heartless?¡± Seeing that Tina remained unmoved, Amber grew desperate. She raised her head, her forehead, which had been smooth, was now red and bruised, tears streaked her cheeks, and her soft long hair was disheveled.

    The onlooking journalists, moved by the scene, angrily spoke out.

    ¡°Miss Amber, don¡¯t beg her anymore, can¡¯t you see? Your sister just has a heart of stone!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, after all you¡¯ve been through, she can stillugh!¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s all my fault, not Tina¡¯s!¡± While Amber harbored hatred for Tina in her heart, she feigned panic and shook her head desperately. Suddenly, she pulled out a knife and pressed it against her left wrist, ¡°Sister, what do you want to let the Reed family go? Can I just die? Will it be over if I die?¡±

    The journalists were shocked and hurriedly called out to stop her.

    ¡°Miss Amber, don¡¯t be silly!¡±

    ¡°Even if you hurt yourself, this cruel woman won¡¯t spare the Reed family!¡±

    ¡°Amber! Don¡¯t!¡± Elizabeth also yed her part, staring with wide eyes, attempting to rush down to stop Amber, yet very timely fainted.

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    Talon immediately started crying and holding her, then red at Tina, ¡°Tina, do you really want to push us to death?¡±

    What a huge usation.

    Tina genuinelyughed this time, ¡°Continue!¡±

    Amber was stunned. She didn¡¯t expect that, even at this point, Tina would remain unmoved.

    Was she not worried that her reputation would be ruined after this?

    It was the information age, and today¡¯s events could spread across the within half a day. Tina might be cursed everywhere she walked.

    And the Farrell family would be implicated too.

    If just for a bit of sibling strife, they allowed their inws to be ruined, such news would undoubtedly impact their family business. When Logan appointed Jared as the sessor, other members of the Farrell family were clearly dissatisfied. If Jared oppressed the Reed family for Tina now and dragged the Farrell family down, affecting the family reputation, it would give others in the Farrell family a reason to attack him and could even hinder his session.

    Did Jared really not care at all?

    Did he really love Tina that much?

    She looked up at Tina, never imagining that one day she would be looking up at this sister she initially despised from such a corner.

    Tina, radiant andposed, stood there, looking down on her.

    Whereas she was disheveled, without a shred of dignity, kneeling to Tina like a beggar.

    Why? Why had their situations seemed to switch so suddenly? She had fallen from the clouds into the mud, while Tina shone brighter. Where did it go wrong?

    It was Jared!

    Why could Tina be protected so unconditionally by someone like Jared?

    Why didn¡¯t she have such a Jared?

    He should have been hers!

 Chapter 105: What A Spectacular Turnover

    Amber, filled with hatred, trembled as she held a knife out.

    She was only eighteen, always loving herself dearly. Although she had mentally prepared and arranged medical staff, she still hesitated!

    Did she really have to do this?

    Would Tina give in if she did?

    Just as she closed her eyes, bracing herself to make a shallow cut, the bespectacled young journalist rushed in, grabbed her hand, and stopped her.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see? Your sister is heartless; even if you hurt yourself, she wouldn¡¯t bat an eyelid! Stand up, don¡¯t kneel before her, she¡¯s not worth it!¡±

    Amber sighed in relief.

    Just as the young journalist tried to pull her up, his phone rang. Not just his, but other journalists¡¯ phones began to ring incessantly.

    He unlocked his phone, and his face instantly changed.

    With a veryplicated look at Amber, he let go of her hand and opened his social media.

    Other journalists apparently also received the same news and started checking their social media.

    A middle-aged man¡¯s voice came from their phones.

    ¡°Good morning, I¡¯m Chris Ward. I have noticed that in a recent medical incident involving Miss Shonna Woodham, ourb intern, Miss Amber Reed, has caused quite a stir online. However, as I said, Miss Amber Reed is not my student; she¡¯s just an intern in ourb, and I never taught her anything.

    ¡°This prescription was given to me by the Fanning family, and Miss Amber Reed used it under my name to try to treat Miss Woodham. Of course, the prescription is mine, but at that time, I had onlypleted half of it, and it needed more adjustments. This prescription used two conflicting herbs that could cause the patient to have an unremitting fever, and in severe cases, lead to death.

    ¡°I never imagined Miss Amber Reed would steal this half-finished prescription without my consent and use it for medical practice, nearly killing Miss Woodham.

    ¡°Hereby, I dere to dismiss Miss Amber Reed from her internship position. A person who is morally corrupt and disregards the patient¡¯s life does not deserve to stay in ourb.¡±

    Chris Ward was well-known in the medicalmunity and Amber had always boasted that she was his direct disciple and took pride in it. Dr. Ward,ing from a family of medical professionals, had made significant contributions to medical research and was highly respected. Hence, his words carried authority.

    All journalists were stunned, looking at Amber as if their prior sympathies were a joke.

    How could she be so cavalier with a patient¡¯s life?

    Wasn¡¯t Amber only eighteen? At such a young age, her scheming was so deep, so cruel, almost killing Shonna Woodham and then shamelessly biting back at the Fanning family and her sister.

    And her acting was so convincing; they had believed her earlier.

    Now, her words and actions today, how much was true, and how much was false?

    For a moment, the journalists fell silent, no longer speaking, just looking at Amber with a different gaze.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not true, it¡¯s fake!¡± Amber screamed, ¡°It must be the Farrell family, Jared pressuring Dr. Ward to say that to frame me, to help Tina!¡±

    The journalists looked at Amber as if she were a fool. The Farrell family was indeed powerful, but so was the Ward family. Dr. Ward himself was a prominent figure with an extraordinary devotion to medicine.

    No matter how influential Jared was, how could he possibly coerce Dr. Ward to lie using his most cherished medical career?

    Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps came from the corridor, and a group of police entered the ward, showing an arrest warrant.

    ¡°Who is Amber Reed?¡±

    The ward fell silent for a moment.

    Finally, holding Elizabeth, Talon weakly inquired, ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°We received a report that Amber Reed practiced medicine without a license. Plus, yesterday we caught a group conducting sabotage attacks on Pinkwater Ally and Royal Oaks, confessing they were hired by Amber Reed. This not only constitutes a crime in itself but also involve a criminal organization. We need to take her for investigation.¡±

    The journalists, stunned for a moment, quickly recovered, pulling out their phones to contact their media outlets to break the news first.

    ¡°Miss Ensford charged with improper practice of medicine and hiring gangsters for sabotage attacks, now arrested by the police.¡±

    Such explosive news, how could they miss it?

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t, this is a frame-up!¡± Seeing the journalists¡¯ reaction, Amber¡¯s face turned ashen. If this truly spread, her reputation would be destroyed!

    No matter if she was once Miss Ensford or Miss Reed, anyone with a criminal record would be seen as worthless trash in these people¡¯s eyes, and the Reed family would surely abandon her!

    She red at Tina with hatred, ¡°It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it? You framed me! You just want to ruin me!¡±

    Tina looked down at her as if gazing at an ant, ¡°What if it was me?¡±

    Her eyes were cold as ice, ¡°You stole Dr. Ward¡¯s prescription, misused it to treat Miss Woodham, hired thugs to cause trouble at my home and Zackary¡¯s school, keeping you alive is already my mercy.¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me, I didn¡¯t do these things!¡± Amber denied vehemently, refusing to admit, ¡°You stole my fiance first, then my credit for treating Miss Woodham! Then you turned around and framed me, conspiring with the Fanning family! Even bribing Dr. Ward!¡±

    She pointed at the police officers, sneering, ¡°You¡¯ve been bought by her too, haven¡¯t you? So you¡¯re helping her frame me!¡±

    The spectacle left the journalists in awe.

    Not to mention, the idea of bribing Dr. Ward was absolutely impossible, yet Amber dared to publicly nder the police for epting bribes.

    The police officers, clearlycking patience, stated, ¡°When you made the prescription for Miss Woodham, it was all captured by the Fanning family¡¯s surveince, we got all the evidence, so you¡¯d bettere with us.¡±

    As they moved to handcuff Amber, she dodged the police, stood up, and flung herself at the hospital bed, grabbing Elizabeth, ¡°Grandma, save me!¡±

    Amber clung on tightly, causing Elizabeth pain, her lips trembling.

    But Elizabeth kept her eyes shut pretending to be unconscious, regardless of how Amber shook or pleaded, she refused to open her eyes.

    After all, the current situation was embarrassingly awkward, pretending to faint could avoid it, and if she woke up, she¡¯d have to face the reporters at the door.

    And that would only make their situation more embarrassing.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Moreover, Amber had to go to the police station; she simply had no power to save her.

 Chapter 106: Self-Defense

    Perhaps the fear of imprisonment gave Amber the extraordinary strength. Several officers, trying to pull her away from Elizabeth, not only failed to do so but Amber clung tighter and wailed.

    ¡°Grandma, save me! I can¡¯t go to prison, I don¡¯t want to!¡±

    Seeing Elizabeth nearly suffocated by Amber, Talon, who had been stunned up to now, suddenly pped Amber across the face, ¡°Your grandma is sick like this, do you want to kill her like your sister did!¡±

    Elizabeth treasured Amber, but Talon had no such patience, pretending to be angry, he used, ¡°It was you who deceived us! You said it was Tina who stole your credit, you¡¯re the reason the Reed family is in this mess! How dare you ask your grandma to save you!¡±

    ¡°Uncle Talon¡­¡± The p stunned Amber; she had been with the Reed family for a long time, and under Elizabeth¡¯s favor, no one had ever struck her like that.

    As she hesitated, the officers quickly twisted her arms behind her back, cuffed her, and dragged her away from Elizabeth.

    Tina saw Elizabeth, still with eyes closed, taking deep breaths, clearly relieved from the near suffocation.

    She curled her lips in mockery.

    At her smile, Amber red venomously.

    As the police led Amber away from the ward, she suddenly turned to the still staggered Pinewood and shouted, ¡°You say I¡¯m guilty! What about Jared Farrell breaking Uncle Pinewood¡¯s hand? Doesn¡¯t that constitute intentional injury? You must also take him to the police station!¡±

    The officers hesitated, looking at Pinewood¡¯s visibly broken hand and then at Jared with furrowed brows. If Pinewood went for an injury assessment, it indeed constituted a second-degree light injury, which could be considered an intentional injury crime.

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Pinewood also came to his senses, pointing at Jared with his unharmed hand, ¡°He¡¯s the one who did this to my hand!¡±

    His mind was racing. If Jared wanted to be the future head of the Farrell family, he couldn¡¯t afford a criminal record or imprisonment. If the Reed family used this incident to pressure Jared to back down, it might work.

    Unfortunately, despite his calctions, Tina wasughing.

    ¡°What are youughing at, scared to admit what you did?¡± Pinewood shouted with false bravado.

    Tina calmly stated, ¡°You detained my brother and blocked us from rescuing him. Breaking your hand was self-defense.¡±

    As she spoke, she leisurely took out her phone and yed a recording that captured all their previous conversations in the ward.

    The journalists and officers, hearing how Elizabeth and Pinewood had abused Zackary, even locking such a small child in a bathroom and preventing Tina from rescuing him, looked at Pinewood with contempt.

    And they still had the audacity to file a report?

    Pinewood was dumbfounded; he had not anticipated Tina recording their conversation.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that Tina not only had an audio recording but also wore a brooch with a mini camera, always prepared for contingencies.

    After listening to the recording, the leading officer coldly told Pinewood, ¡°This does indeed count as self-defense, and you were the first to attack Miss Tina. Mr. Jared simply acted to prevent you. No matter where you go toin, the result will be the same.¡±

    The officers ignored him further, ready to escort Amber away. But unexpectedly, Amber, taking advantage of a momentarypse in the officers¡¯ attention, picked up the knife she had used to threaten self-harm and lunged at Tina.

    ¡°Tina, go to hell!¡± She was deranged, her eyes crazed, clearly having lost her reason.

    The journalists screamed, and the officers rushed to protect Tina.

    But as Amber raised the knife, Tina kicked her away, sending her crashing against the ward¡¯s white wall, then thudding to the ground, motionless.

    Except for Jared, everyone was shocked. Who would have thought that the seemingly frail Tina could kick with such force? Amber weighed over a hundred pounds, and even these grown men would find it hard to kick her away like that.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    The impact against the wall probably broke a few of Amber¡¯s ribs.

    Yet Tina, as if it were nothing, looked innocently at the officers, ¡°That was self-defense, right?¡±

    Everyone was speechless.

    Wasn¡¯t it excessive self-defense?

    Amber, hearing this, was so enraged that she spat out another mouthful of blood.

    The officers approached, lifted Amber, who was now like a lump of mud, from the ground.

    This time, she had no strength left to resist, barely able to walk.

    Yet, before being taken away, she gave Elizabeth, still ¡°unconscious,¡± a look full of hate.

    For all of Elizabeth¡¯s affection and favor, it was all a lie when it came to crunch time, and she was all too ready to abandon her without hesitation.

    Even if Elizabeth couldn¡¯t stop her from being taken away, if she had only opened her eyes and spoken up for her, Amber wouldn¡¯t feel so bitterly cold now.

    Once Amber was removed, Tina didn¡¯t nce at the remaining members of the Reed family. She simply told Orchid, ¡°Take me to Zackary.¡±

    ¡°Follow me.¡± Orchid,ing out of the whirlwind of events, nodded and led Tina and Jared to the neighboring ward.

    Behind them, Talon was frustrated at the wasted effort and the tarnished reputation of Amber and the Reed family.

    He opened his mouth to shout something. Jared, however, suddenly turned back, giving him a cold look.

    The hidden threat in that nce choked Talon¡¯s words in his throat, shaking him to silence.

    In the next ward.

    As Amber opened the bathroom door, she saw the small figure of Zackary huddled in a dark corner, motionless.

    ¡°Zackary.¡± Orchid couldn¡¯t help but rush over, embracing Zackary¡¯s tiny body, choking up, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Zackary, already somewhat introverted, had gradually opened up after leaving Moon Gate Estate. But now, staring nkly with wide eyes and silent, he was clearly traumatized.

    Tina¡¯s brows furrowed, her eyes darkened with anger, feeling she had been too lenient with Elizabeth and Talon earlier. They too deserved to feel the consequences of their actions.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take Zackary home,¡± Jared said softly, taking Zackary into his arms from the bathroom.

    Zackary remained silent, eyes still vacant as Jared held him.

    Tina nodded, and gently stroked Zackary¡¯s hair, speaking with an unusual tenderness, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m here.¡±

 Chapter 107: He Realized His Feelings for Tina

    Zackary finally came back to his senses, his vacant gaze sharpening as it fell upon Tina¡¯s beautiful face. With a loud cry, he lunged toward thefort of her embrace.

    ¡°Tina! Grandma is so bad! Uncle Pinewood and Uncle Talon are bad guys too! They scared me and locked me up! I never want to see them again!¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina said firmly as she took Zackary into her arms. ¡°I promise you, you won¡¯t have to see them again.¡±

    Holding the sobbing Zackary, she walked shoulder to shoulder with Jared towards the exit. At the door, they noticed Orchid hadn¡¯t moved.

    ¡°Aunt Orchid?¡± Tina turned back to her. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing back with us?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Orchid said with a tearful smile. ¡°How could I face Hugo and Jennie after what happened?¡± The guilt was clear-had she not been swayed by her naive sentiment, Zackary would have been spared this ordeal, and Tina and Jared wouldn¡¯t have been cornered by Amber, nearly tarnishing their reputations.

    After a pause, Orchid continued, ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve decided to return to Australia today and nevere back. The affairs of the Reed family are yours to handle. Whatever you do, I won¡¯t me you.¡±

    Tina lowered her eyes in silent contemtion before nodding gently at Orchid. ¡°Take care, Aunt Orchid.¡±

    Orchid covered her mouth, stifling her sobs, and nodded back at Tina. After watching Tina and Jared leave, she copsed to the ground, letting her tears flow freely.

    Why had the Reed family ended up like this? Fractured, with kin turned against each other. After her tears had dried, Orchid didn¡¯t visit Elizabeth; she went straight to her hotel and booked a flight to Australia for that evening.

    She turned off her phone, ignoring any calls from Elizabeth and the others. If Elizabeth ever needed her support, she would send money. But she was done with the Reed family¡¯s affairs-she wanted to hear no more of them.

    Her flight was scheduled for five in the evening. Just before boarding, she heard her name being called. Turning around, she saw Hugo and Jennie rushing toward her, their faces etched with urgency.

    Hugo, panting, grabbed her hand. ¡°Even if you¡¯re leaving, you could have said goodbye, couldn¡¯t you? You turned off your phone! If Jared hadn¡¯t found your flight, we would have missed the chance to see you.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry with me?¡± Orchid¡¯s eyes began to fill with tears.

    ¡°Angry? Of course, I¡¯m angry,¡± Hugo said with exasperation. ¡°But you¡¯re still my beloved sister.¡±

    Jennie took Orchid¡¯s hand. ¡°Let the bad things pass. We will all be fine from now on. Take good care of yourself in Australia.¡±

    With tears in her eyes, Orchid nodded. She had not expected that, despite Zackary¡¯s suffering, Hugo and Jennie woulde to see her off. She watched Tina holding Zackary and Jared standing in the distance, looking in their direction. Overwhelmed with a mix of shame and gratitude, she covered her face as her tears flowed anew.

    In the evening, at the residence of the Fanning family, Tina was giving Shonna thest acupuncture session. She had greatly recovered and was no longer as frail as before.

    ¡°You seem happy today?¡± Tina asked while inserting the needles. She had noticed Shonna¡¯s uplifted mood the moment she walked in.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m happy. That Amber finally got what she deserved-she¡¯s been taken by the police!¡± Shonna replied, somewhat puzzled by Tina¡¯sck of reaction. ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy? She ndered you and hired thugs to cause all the trouble at your house.¡±

    The events that happened to the Fanning family had infuriated Shonna, especially Amber¡¯s audacity to smear Tina on social media. However, now the truth was out.

    By noon, the events that had unfolded in the hospital had spread across the inte, thanks to the journalists Amber and Elizabeth had brought along. Their n to ckmail Tina had backfired, turning into a spectacle that vindicated her family and Tina.

    Now, the whole of Ensford knew exactly what kind of person their Miss Ensford was. Moreover, the videos captured by the reporters had gone viral and countless memes had been made with these videos.

    Shonna showed some of the memes to Tina,ughing so hard she almost dropped the needles. ¡°Look, look, these people are just genius!¡±

    ¡°Stop moving,¡± Tina said, unfazed. Small-time yers like Amber never caught her eye.

    In the video, the footage of her kicking Amber was now remixed to a DJ beat. Her leg moved rhythmically as Amber bounced off the wall to the music¡¯s tempo. Upon seeing this, Tina almost turned ash with anger.

    Without a word, she pulled out her phone, forwarded the video to Cole, and messaged, ¡°In three minutes, I don¡¯t want to see any videos like this on the inte.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    There was a long silence from Cole, likely watching the video in full, before he responded, ¡°Actually¡­ it¡¯s kind of funny.¡±

    ¡°Get lost.¡±

    Three minutester, as Shonna wondered why the videos of Tina kicking Amber were no longer essible, Tina casually spected, ¡°Probably got blocked for violent content.¡±

    ¡°Huh? I should have downloaded it,¡± Shonna said with regret.

    Tina remained silent, knowing even if the videos were downloaded, Cole¡¯s hackers would ensure they were deleted.

    As time ticked away, Tina began to remove the needles from Shonna. ¡°After today, you¡¯ll just take the medicine I¡¯ve prepared for you twice daily; no more acupuncture needed. You were too weak before, which is why I didn¡¯t prescribe any medicine. Starting tomorrow, you can use it.¡±

    After the needles were out, she presented Shonna with a bottle and a box, instructing, ¡°Pour a bottle cap of this into your bathtub with hot water for a bath, soak for at least half an hour. After the bath, apply the medicine from this box to your scars once a day. When you¡¯ve used it all,e and see me for more.¡±

    Shonna¡¯s spirits lifted, but she was also anxious. ¡°How long before my scars can be gone?¡±

    She quickly added, ¡°I want to go back to school.¡±

    ¡°You can go now if you¡¯re brave enough,¡± Tina said as she packed away her needles. ¡°I told you there¡¯s a chance your scars could heal. I never promisedplete healing. So, if they don¡¯t, will you never go to school again?¡±

    Tina could heal Shonnapletely in a month. Shonna¡¯s situation differed from Sophia¡¯s, whose facial scars were superficial and caused by poisoning. But Shonna¡¯s deep tissue damage required more time for cellr regeneration.

    Tina kept this to herself, however, hoping to encourage Shonna to face the world with courage, undaunted by the stares of others.

    After gathering her things, Tina left Shonna alone to think about it.

 Chapter 108: The Fall of the Reed Family

    In the living room, Jared was seated on the sofa, waiting for her arrival, while Beatrice and Mrs. Fanning kept himpany. As Tina descended the stairs, Jared stood up to greet her, ¡°Everything alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina nodded, addressing Beatrice and Mrs. Fanning whileing down, ¡°Today will be thest acupuncture session for Shonna. I¡¯ve just informed her about the medications and treatment n.¡±

    Beatrice, overwhelmed with gratitude, escorted Tina and Jared to the door, adding, ¡°The Reed family has just dered bankruptcy.¡±

    Tina had already seen the news. The events of the day hadpletely tarnished the Reed family¡¯s reputation. The tide of public opinion had turned. People who had once sided with Amber in attacking her and Jared were now viciously turning against Amber and Elizabeth. The news reported that Elizabeth¡¯s hospital room had, in just one afternoon, received over five hundred wreaths, with inscriptions wishing ¡®early rest in peace to the child tormentor¡¯  a clear testament to the public¡¯s fury.

    Major banks, suppliers of raw materials cooperating with the Reed family, and downstream dealers who had paid deposits for new perfume products, fearing they would not get their money, were all crowding the hospital, pressing the Reed family to repay their debts.

    This time, Elizabeth couldn¡¯t hold on and genuinely fainted.

    The bankruptcy of the Reed family was announced ¨C not unexpectedly, as it was the ending Tina had set for them. And this time, only two families had taken action against the Reed family; had everyone involved moved against them, the Reed family would have been left with nothing.

    Despite everything, Tina had shown restraint for the sake of Hugo and Orchid.

    Beatrice spoke again, ¡°I was careless this time, tricked by Amber and even dragged you into this. Don¡¯t worry, our Fanning family will make sure she ends up behind bars.¡±

    The Fanning family¡¯s troubles had been caused by them, but it was Tina who had to clean up the mess, leaving Beatrice feeling ashamed.

    Tina didn¡¯t say much, just politely bid farewell and left with Jared. Nathan hadn¡¯te today; Jared had driven himself.

    On the way, Logan called. As soon as Jared connected the call via the car¡¯s Bluetooth, Logan¡¯s powerful voice erupted, ¡°You little rascal, I¡¯m returning to the capital in a few days, and you¡¯re not here to keep mepany. Where on earth have you been?¡±

    Jared replied helplessly, ¡°I¡¯m with Tina.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Tina¡¯s with you?¡± Logan¡¯s tone softened immensely, ¡°You should indeed spend more time with Tina. It¡¯s alright not toe back tonight. You young people must be a little impulsive, I can understand.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, teasingly looking at Jared. He immediately gestured his innocence with his eyes ¨C he certainly didn¡¯t have that in mind.

    ¡°Tina gril,¡± Logan called out.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to the capital soon, and the day after tomorrow, I¡¯d like to invite your whole family to dinner. I haven¡¯t seen you in days and I miss you.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll let them know,¡± Tina replied.

    Logan was satisfied and hung up without another word to Jared. The difference in treatment was quite apparent.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have tough days ahead,¡± Jared sighed theatrically, ¡°because if we argue, grandpa will definitely take your side.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell,¡± Tina turned, her captivating eyes fixed on him, lips pursed, ¡°I remember telling you that our engagement would eventually end.¡±

    Jared¡¯s fingers froze on the steering wheel, his voice choked, ¡°I know.¡±

    He was well aware that Tina never intended to marry him. Her identity, her actions, and her agreement to the engagement were all purposeful. Yet Jared, who had never been interested in women, found himself harboring different feelings for this girl ten years his junior. These feelings, he couldn¡¯t tell when they had started, perhaps it wasst night amidst the fireworks when she leaned close and he saw his own reflection in her eyes.

    He knew one thing for certain.

    He liked Tina.

    But every time Tina reminded him of their eventual separation, an inexplicable pain struck his heart. He never felt weak, but in front of Tina, he felt not strong enough.

    He hoped to be so formidable that Tina¡¯s gaze would never leave him, just as his couldn¡¯t leave her now.

    Jared turned to her, his dark pupils reflecting a faint light, his voice gentle, ¡°At least for now, you¡¯re not leaving, which means I have a chance to make you marry me!¡±

    Tina was silent, then suddenly smiled, a smile that captivated all, ¡°Mr. Farrell, do your best.¡±

    Jared smiled back, ¡°I will.¡±

    Three dayster, at Whispering Pines Retreat.

    The private cuisine at Whispering Pines Retreat was the pride of Ensford, with the owner¡¯s ancestors rumored to have been imperial chefs, possessing countless secret recipes that drew many by reputation alone.

    Mr. Farrell¡¯s farewell banquet was set here. Besides him and Jared, Sophia and Marie came along, and Hayden Cohen, who shamelessly insisted on joining for a free meal.

    On the way there, Hayden didn¡¯t drive his own car but hitched a ride with Jared, bombarding him with questions about the hospital incident, ¡°Jared, do you think your fiancee might be prone to violence? The way she kicked Amber that day, I worry about your future married life.¡±

    Jared gave him a cold nce, not biting, and instead asked, ¡°Why did the Cohen family get involved in the Reed family¡¯s affairs? I didn¡¯t approach you for it.¡±

    Hayden¡¯s eyes darted around, avoiding Jared¡¯s gaze, ¡°I saw you were in on it, and as a good brother, I had to join the fray. When there¡¯s a fight, I¡¯m there; when there¡¯s excitement, I¡¯m in. Of course, I had to lend a hand.¡±

    The Cohen family had acted because they received the Shadow Lotus Seal, always issued by the Mountain Veil Order¡¯s young master. Hayden didn¡¯t know why the Order suddenly wanted the Reed family¡¯s business to copse, but once the Seal was received, the Cohen family would go through everything for their cause. Even if the young master had asked him to run naked around Ensford, he would haveplied without hesitation.

    However, affairs of the Mountain Veil Order were strictly confidential, not to be disclosed to outsiders, not even to a life-and-death friend like Jared.

    ¡°Really?¡± Jared scrutinized Hayden for a moment, ¡°Should I thank you for your profound brotherly love?¡±

    Hayden immediately clutched his chest and dodged to the side, feigning a dramatic cry, ¡°My brotherly love for you is pure; don¡¯t lust after my body, I¡¯m straight! If you force yourself on me, I¡¯ll have to scream!¡±

    They arrived at Whispering Pines Retreat and stopped the car. Hayden¡¯s back identally pressed the window button.

    As the window rolled down, Tina and her family, passing by, stared at them with odd expressions.

    A vein twitched on Jared¡¯s forehead as he gave Hayden a kick, ¡°Get out!¡±

 Chapter 109: The Assassin

    At the dinner table.

    Jared sat next to Tina, tending to her every need throughout the meal. He passed her napkins when necessary, poured drinks when needed, and any dish that Tina nced at a second longer would find its way into her te the next moment.

    Truth be told, Tina certainly didn¡¯t take Hayden¡¯s earlier joke seriously, but Jared¡¯s over-attentiveness now seemed more like guilt. Marie, sitting across, observed her son¡¯s pitiable behavior with such frustration that she nearly snapped her fork in half.

    Men truly forget their mothers when they take a wife, she thought bitterly. She had raised Jared and had never seen him wait on her like this. When did she fail to notice her son¡¯s potential for such subservience? Her disdain for Tina grew, but it didn¡¯t matter, Logan would soon return to the capital, and Asher had already gone ahead to handle business matters. With Logan present, Marie didn¡¯t dare to trouble Tina, but once he left, who would stop her?

    Jared, after all, was her son, and she couldn¡¯t believe he would turn against her for a woman like Tina.

    ¡°Tina girl,¡± Logan, however, was quite pleased with Jared¡¯s performance.

    He saw that his grandson had feelings for Tina, but it was clear that Tina did not reciprocate, as she hadn¡¯t shown Jared the same concern.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell,¡± Tina politely set down her cup to listen to Logan¡¯s words.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to the capital in a few days,¡± Logan said with a smile. ¡°Sophia is still young, and I worry about leaving her and her brother alone. I hope you can help look after them when you have the time.¡±

    Marie almost choked on her food upon hearing this. What nonsense was the old man spouting now?

    How were Jared and Sophia alone in Ensford, as if she didn¡¯t exist? Yet Sophia, aiding the narrative, looked at Tina with big, dewy eyes, ¡°Miss Reed, you muste and visit me often. When Grandpa leaves, my mother is always busy with mahjong, and I feel so lonely.¡±

    Marie took a deep breath, regretting ever having these children, who would think she neglected them for mahjong.

    Of course, she did y mahjong every day.

    The Hugo family saw no issue with Logan¡¯s words and were grateful to the Farrells for their assistance with the Reed family¡¯s affairs. They believed in reciprocity; after all, Tina and Jared were betrothed, and it was only natural for them to interact more.

    Thus, everyone at the table awaited Tina¡¯s response, even Jared who looked at her expectantly. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t entertain such pressure, but these were people she cared about, and she nodded in agreement, ¡°Mr. Farrell, don¡¯t worry, I will.¡±

    But under the table, she kicked Jared hard.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Instead, Hayden cried out in pain, thinking Jared had kicked him. He red at Jared, ¡°Why the heck did you kick me?¡±

    ¡°If I kicked you, I kicked you. Do I need a reason?¡± Jared casually continued to serve soup, helping Tina.

    Hayden gave Jared a thumbs up, appreciating the brotherly bond. Unnoticed, Jared and Logan exchanged a knowing nce-they were in this together.

    Logan hummed silently, thinking if this boy couldn¡¯t stand on his own two feet this time, he better not show his face in the capital.

    After the meal, Logan pulled Hugo aside for a game of chess, while Zackary and Sophia yed in the garden, watched by Marie and Jennie.

    ¡°The scenery behind the house is nice. Shall we take a walk?¡± Jared suggested to Tina.

    Before she could respond, Hayden chimed in, ¡°I¡¯ll join you, I love walks!¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    Jared shot a cold nce at this oblivious third wheel.

    Hayden, confused, rubbed his arms, suddenly feeling a threat in the air.

    Since Hayden insisted, Jared included Nathan, and the four of them walked slowly towards the hill.

    Whispering Pines Retreat was nestled halfway up the hill, surrounded by blooming yellow trumpet trees. Despite it beingte April, the chill on the mountain kept the trees lush with vibrant flowers.

    A gentle breeze carried the fallen petals, immersing them in a soft, tender yellow. In this enchantment, Tina¡¯s spirits were soothed, and she recalled moments in the temple. After meditation in the summers, she would open her eyes to the fiery red of the phoenix flowers outside, feeling a simr tranquility.

    ¡°These flowers are so beautiful!¡± Hayden, tempted by the blossoms, reached out to pluck one.

    With a cold nce from Tina, however, his hand faltered, and he himself just somehow slipped, resulting in a graceless fall.

    ¡°Damn!¡± He grimaced, brushing off the dirt and petals, ¡°How did I even trip standing still? Should I start carrying garlic with me?¡±

    ¡°You are just so well servered.¡± Nathanmented dry-faced, with no hint of amusement.

    ¡°Do you like these flowers?¡± Jared, uninterested in Hayden¡¯s misfortune, turned to Tina. ¡°If you do, we can nt these around our home.¡±

    Before Tina could reply, Jared¡¯s expression shifted suddenly, and Tina, quicker still, spun around, her eyes coldly fixed on a specific direction in the woods.

    Moments before, they had all heard a faint rustle of footsteps. In a forest littered with fallen branches and loose soil, no ordinary person could tread so lightly. Only one type of person moved with such stealth.

    An assassin!

 Chapter 110: Money Solves All Problems

    Hayden and Nathan also snapped into action, spinning on their heels to back Tina and Jared, their faces etched with vignce as they stared ahead. Within the next breath, ten figures d in ck emerged from the trees, front and back, encircling the four in a pincer move.

    The leader, a scar gracing his left cheek and deftly twirling a military dagger, looked at Tina coldly. ¡°You¡¯re Tina Reed?¡± he asked.

    Her eyes lifted slightly, her voice serene. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then give me the thing!¡± The man¡¯s voice was dark, edged with sharpness. ¡°I advise you to do as I said, or tonight shall mark your end.¡±

    The other ck-d figures drew their weapons, poised for attack, awaiting only their leader¡¯smand.

    Jared and the others tensed, looking for a chance to strike a preemptive attack.

    Tina¡¯s gaze remained on the speaker, her eyes a deep pool reflecting a flicker of light. ¡°How much are they paying you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The scarred man faltered.

    ¡°How much is my life worth?¡± she asked again, her tone as casual as if discussing the price of vegetables in the market.

    The scarred man red at her, his patience wearing thin, a cold light flickering in his eyes as if he might strike at any moment.

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Afraid to say?¡±

    Frowning, the man seemed provoked by Tina¡¯s taunt. ¡°Ten million! Stop the nonsense. I don¡¯t want to harm a young girl. Hand it over, and I¡¯ll be on my way.¡±

    Her delicate, porcin face still bore a faint smile as she spoke earnestly. ¡°Would fifty million entice you to betray them?¡±

    He paused, wary. ¡°What game are you ying?¡±

    ¡°Seventy million?¡± Tina continued, unruffled. ¡°To buy your betrayal?¡±

    ¡°You think you can bribe us with money? Dream on. We would never betray¡­¡±

    ¡°One hundred million!¡±

    The words stuck in his throat, the sum-a hundred million-causing him to gulp. It was a fortune they could never earn in a lifetime. The thought to agree nearly escaped him, but recalling the ruthlessness of their organization, he shivered, then barked, ¡°My patience is limited, hand over the stuff or¡­¡±

    ¡°Two hundred million!¡± Tina¡¯s gaze intensified. ¡°Final offer. Take the money and leave, or refuse, and¡­¡±

    She broke into a smile, a rose with thorns in the night. ¡°You won¡¯t get what you want, nor can you kill me. And your organization will surely punish you.¡±

    ¡°Think you can sow discord¡­¡± He started, suspicious. ¡°Do you even have that much money?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tina confessed, her bank ount didn¡¯t hold that much.

    His face darkened, but she continued, ¡°My fiance does.¡±

    She turned to Jared. ¡°Mr. Farrell, lend me two hundred million. I¡¯ll pay you back in three days.¡±

    Silence fell upon Jared, Hayden, and Nathan.

    Jared¡¯s lips quirked. ¡°No problem.¡±

    With his agreement, Tina addressed the scarred man again. ¡°Well? Decided?¡±

    ¡°Make the transfer now!¡± he blurted out before she could finish.

    Tina smiled brilliantly, instructing Jared, ¡°Mr. Farrell, please make the transfer.¡±

    Jared nced at the scarred man, his voice grave. ¡°ount number.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    The man hesitated, fearing the exposure of his details but the temptation of two hundred million was too great. He reported a Bitcoin ount, amon and discreet method for dark web transactions.

    Jared fiddled with his phone, and upon checking his bnce, the scarred man¡¯s demeanor softened, and even his scar seemed to have smoothed over. He pocketed his dagger, his men lining up like waiters, bowing and grinning at Tina. ¡°Thank you for the two hundred million. We¡¯ll take our leave. Should you have more such deals, seek me out. Fair and square pricing, and at your disposal, as always!¡±

    With that, they vanished as quietly as they had appeared, the scarred man even leaving Tina his business card.

    Hayden, bbergasted, pointed to where they had disappeared. ¡°Since when do hitmen break the code so easily? Bought off just like that?¡±

    He turned to Tina, pocketing the card, then to Jared. ¡°Did you really give them two hundred million?¡±

    ¡°If it resolves Tina¡¯s troubles, I¡¯m pleased,¡± Jared said with a smile. ¡°Tina, keep the money. Consider it pocket change.¡±

    After a contemtive moment, Tina produced a small porcin bottle from her bag. ¡°Take this, it¡¯s worth more than your two hundred million. I don¡¯t like owing money.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ Lotus Calm Tablets!¡±

    Jared took the bottle to find it filled with Lotus Calm Tablets, a single pillet from the ck market was now worth five million each. An entire bottle was worth a billion at least.

    Hayden, excited, asked Tina, ¡°Where did you get these?¡±

    ¡°Just ¨C made them myself?¡± she replied earnestly.

    Jared and the others fell silent.

    It seemed like a joke ¨C the highly sought-after Lotus Calm Tablets were actually crafted by this young woman?

    Jared held the small bottle, his dark eyes concealing thoughts nobody could know. Eventually, he allowed a slight smile, tucking the bottle away with natural ease. ¡°Thank you, Tina!¡±

    He did not protest or y coy, for he truly needed those tablets. His team suffered countless casualties every year; these tablets could significantly enhance theirbat capabilities.

    He owed Tina too much, a debt he could never fully repay. Perhaps only a lifetime would suffice.

    His gaze shifted towards Tina, his lips pursing slightly.

    I know you wish to end our engagement, but ¨C that¡¯s no longer an option in this lifetime!

 Chapter 111: Young Masterâ€™s Dark Humor

    Five dayster, in the basement of a tea house.

    Six half-naked men were suspended from iron racks by chains, their muscr torsos crisscrossed with wounds. They lifted their heads, ring hatefully at Jayden standing before them, and at Tina who sat behind him, leisurely sipping her tea.

    ¡°So you still don¡¯t want to talk?¡± Jayden¡¯s voice was eerily calm as he spoke the cruel words, sprinkling a fine powder on their wounds. The concoction, masterfully crafted by their young master, would cause excruciating pain, as if thousands of insects were gnawing at their flesh.

    The six men had already begun to shiver in agony, cold sweat pouring down like rain, washing the blood and powder over their upper bodies. With mouths agape but unable to scream, the pain eating at them like vermin left their eyes rolling back in near unconsciousness.

    Just as they were about to pass out, Jayden would inject a needle into their body, forcing them to stay awake and endure the inhuman torture. Tina finally finished her tea and nced over at the men. They had been caught in Royal Oaks attempting to kidnap Zackary and Jennie yet falling into the trap she hadid.

    Ever since the incident at Whispering Pines Retreat, Tina had suspected that someone would target her family if they couldn¡¯t reach her. So she had arranged for a substantial security detail to protect Hugo and his family, waiting for these assants to reveal themselves.

    Indeed, within five days, there were three attempts. After each of the first two, the captives had immediately taken poison and killed themselves. This third time, Tina had intervened personally. With her there, even if they took poison, she could snatch them back from the grip of hell.

    But these six were tough, unyielding under Jayden¡¯s interrogation. So he had called for her. When she first entered the basement, they had looked at her with disdain ¨C a young girl in their eyes with little capability. Yet within half an hour, she had given them a taste of agony so profound it was as if they were dancing between life and death.

    After the third poison was tested, one of them could no longer bear it, casting pleading nces at Jayden, despite the scornful and furious looks from hispanions. Unfortunately, with their jaws dislocated and silenced by drugs, they couldn¡¯t utter a sound. After much head shaking and gesturing, Jayden finally understood and sneered, ¡°What, ready to talk now?¡±

    Enduring the bone-piercing torment, the man nodded desperately. ¡°Young master,¡± Jayden looked to Tina.

    Tina was about to hand over the antidote to Jayden when her phone rang. She nced at it with a frown and a hint of regret, ¡°Sorry, there¡¯s an issue at school, I don¡¯t have time to listen. Tell me when I¡¯m back.¡±

    Standing up with a smile that was both charming and cruel, she said, ¡°Make sure youst until I return.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as Tina, the girl they had underestimated, seemed to transform into a demon in that moment. Before leaving the basement, Jayden caught Tina¡¯s signal to test every bottle on the table before her return.

    Indeed, their young master had quite some dark humor.

    At Ensford High School, the April midterms had just concluded, and the progress of ss 22D was astonishing to all. The most surprising were Albert and Velma who leaped from the bottom to the top hundred ranks among the four hundred students of Grade 11 in just one month.

    Hendrik, not in the top hundred but ranked 153rd, now had hope for college. The parent-teacher meeting post-results nearly overwhelmed Tina with the fervor of the parents-even those from other sses with struggling students approached her, hoping to transfer their children to 22D.

    Compared to the parents¡¯ enthusiasm, the students, especially those who had previously sided with Amber against Tina, now avoided her. Ashamed, they had been easily swayed by Amber¡¯s lies, and now the so-called Miss Ensford was revealed to be nothing but a fraud involved in criminal activities. Now the very thought of Amber made them wince.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Fear also yed a part. The entire school had seen the video of Tina kicking Amber. Even a grown man would flinch at such a blow, so they preferred to keep their distance.

    Some students, filled with regret but too embarrassed to apologize personally, secretly filled Tina¡¯s desk with snacks and apology letters. Tina arrived at school to find Jared munching on the snacks at her desk. Before she could speak, he exined, ¡°There¡¯s a PE ss today,¡± and handed her the apology letters, feigning concern about potential poison in the snacks.

    Tina, skimming through the letters, pushed them back towards him, ¡°Check for sincerity, and have the principal cancel prior punishments.¡±

    As she began nning the May study schedule for ss 22D, Jared felt content being used as a tool. Yes, his girl should rely on him.

    Just two days ago, Jared¡¯s grandfather had returned to the capital. Since his departure, Jared noticed Tina¡¯s ruthless independence; she no longer sought to keep up appearances. Aside from school, she was scarcely seen.

    Tina¡¯s phone rang again, showing it was a call from ¡°Man in ck.¡± She answered and the voice on the other end was amiable, ¡°Miss Reed, the information I provided was urate, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the payment has been transferred,¡± Tina replied candidly in front of Jared.

    ¡°Good deal,¡± the man chuckled and hung up. This was the leader of the ck-d group from Whispering Pines Retreat, who, after that day, decided that selling information to Tina was easy money, thus bing an informant rather than an assassin.

    It was this shift that allowed Tina to preemptively apprehend the six assants in the basement. Jared¡¯s gaze flickered; he was aware of the disturbance at the gates of Royal Oaks that morning. He had also arranged for Hugo¡¯s family¡¯s protection, valuing those Tina cared for. Yet, his own people seemed never necessary; before they could act, the assants were always neatly dealt with.

    He missed his chance to garner favor with Tina.

    Just as he was thinking, Mr. Stiller called, informing Tina of a new student was assigned to 22D, and asked her toe to his office. To her surprise, the transfer student was Shonna.

 Chapter 112: Amber released?

    After several days of topical treatment, Shonna¡¯s scars had faded considerably, yet they remained intimidating to behold. Nheless, this brave girl mustered the courage to return to campus.

    Upon encountering Tina, Shonna paused, thinking she was a fellow student at Ensford High, and greeted her with a smile, ¡°Miss Reed, are you also a student here?¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed is your Lead Teacher,¡± Mr. Stiller cheerfully informed Shonna.

    Mr. Stiller was overjoyed with ss 22D¡¯s performance on the monthly test. He had always known that with Tina¡¯s help, they would not only meet but exceed his expectations. Perhaps all of his students might even secure college cements, surpassing the original goal by arge margin. Many had doubted his decision to bring Tina aboard, but now their skepticism was silenced.

    Shonna expressed her surprise, ¡°Lead Teacher?¡±

    Mr. Stiller nodded, suggesting to Tina, ¡°Why don¡¯t you show her to the ss?¡±

    With a simple acknowledgment, Tina led Shonna to ss 22D.

    On their way, Shonna was still trying to wrap her head around the idea that this girl, roughly her own age, was not only a magical doctor but also the new Lead Teacher people had been talking about for her deed of taming the unruly students of Ensford High¡¯s ss 22D.

    ¡°Scared?¡± Tina asked suddenly, as they passed other ssrooms where students pointed and whispered about Shonna¡¯s scars.

    Shonna followed Tina¡¯s gaze, their stares confirming the mockery she dreaded. It was once her greatest fear, but looking at Tina¡¯s serene eyes, she felt an indomitable spirit rise within her.

    ¡°No,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t treat the weak? I will never let myself be weak again.¡±

    Tina nodded with a gentleugh, and they entered ss 22D.

    The first math ss had just ended, and the students of 22D were unusually quiet, deeply engrossed in their books or discussing math problems. Their recent test scores were a shock to themselves as much as to others, with the lowest ranking still impressively higher than before.

    Shonna had braced herself for a day of judgmental nces and mockery from her ssmates, knowing ss 22D¡¯s notorious reputation. Yet, after Tina introduced her and showed her to a seat next to Velma, they only weed her with some apuse before returning to their studies.

    Unable to contain her curiosity, Shonna eventually asked Velma if her scars bothered them.

    ¡°Why should they?¡± Velma responded quizzically. ¡°Can your scars teach us partial differential equations or the chain rule for multivariable functions? No? Then it¡¯s better to focus on our books.¡±

    Velma¡¯s indifference was a shock. Even the infamous ss 22D was immersed in studies, leaving Shonna no room for self-doubt and only time for learning.

    Velma, ever the gossip, inquired whether Shonna¡¯s family had sued Amber.

    ¡°Yes, she almost killed me; she deserves to be in jail,¡± Shonna affirmed.

    After Amber¡¯s arrest, Beatrice, Shonna¡¯s mother, had provided evidence to ensure a harsher sentence. The Reed family had fallen into bankruptcy, unable to help Amber.

    Beatrice took it further, bribing prisoners from the same cell to ensure Amber received daily beatings, leaving her almost unrecognizable.

    As they talked, Velma¡¯s expression changed upon spotting a familiar figure. ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ Amber?¡±

    Impossible, Shonna thought, turning to see Amber, who looked worse for wear but was unmistakably out of detention.

    Amber approached with a sinister smile, ¡°Shonna, we meet again.¡±

    ¡°How are you not in detention?¡± Shonna asked, unsettled by Amber¡¯s transformation from a proud peacock to a predatory vulture.

    ¡°I was released, found not guilty,¡± Amber smiled darkly.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°But still, you are expelled from the school,¡± Velma, fearless as ever, shielded Shonna, confronting Amber about her audacity to return to school after her expulsion.

    ¡°Please be very careful about your words. Since I was found not guilty, how am I supposed to be expelled by the school?¡± Amber retorted sharply, warning Velma to be careful with her usations.

    ¡°You shameless bit¡­¡± Velma apparently found it hard to ept such a result and was about to say something.

    Amber, however, suddenly raised her head, and the smile on her face was long gone.

    In the meanwhile, Tina, standing aloof on the third-floor corridor, was looking down at them.

    The sight of Tina rekindled Amber¡¯s suppressed rage, reminding her of the humiliation and violence she endured in detention. However, she remembered Sean¡¯s advice to bide her time, and to not underestimate Tina again.

    Taking a deep breath, Amber gave Tina a forced smile and walked away, leaving Velma and Shonna behind.

 Chapter 113: The Perfume Master Q

    Tina was taken aback as she watched Amber¡¯s retreating figure. Wherever Amber passed, other students scattered as if she were filth, pointing and whispering among themselves.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Mr. Stiller had informed Tina about Amber¡¯s return beforehand. In fact, Tina had received the news even before Mr. Stiller had.

    Today, a Dr. Kim had turned himself in, confessing to the theft of Dr. Ward¡¯s medical prescription and implicating himself as the one who had instructed Amber in treating Shonna¡¯s illness. He also admitted to hiring those thugs to cause trouble in Pinkwater Alley-Amber had merely been deceived by him. Therefore, while Amber was misled, her actions did not constitute a crime, and she was released.

    Since she was not guilty, the school couldn¡¯t expel her either. Tina had to admit, Dr. Kim made a perfect scapegoat. As a direct disciple of Dr. Ward, his confession was usible. It seemed the Ward family¡¯s century-old legacy was at risk; though thriving on the surface, it was rotting from within. Without thorough cleansing, the Ward family was doomed.

    Yet, Amber¡¯s resilience surprised Tina. She had thought Amber would be easy to crush, like an ant, but she had proven to be a cockroach, still twitching even after being stepped on.

    At that moment, Jayden called. ¡°Young Master.¡±

    She asked sinctly, ¡°The result?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the GTO. They¡¯re staying at the Gilded Opulence Lounge.¡±

    ¡°I meant the results of the drug test.¡±

    Jayden paused, then said weakly, ¡°I¡¯ll have it written up and organized for you by tonight.¡±

    His Young Master was a devil.

    ¡°Dump the body where they are staying, as visibly as possible, then call the police,¡± Tina said coldly.

    Jayden hesitated, ¡°Won¡¯t that spook them into changing their base?¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t have just one base,¡± Tina replied indifferently.

    ¡°Understood.¡± Jayden continued, ¡°Regarding Amber, I¡¯ve looked into it. A perfumer named Sean Millis is behind her. I¡¯ve sent you the information.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tina acknowledged and hung up, examining Sean¡¯s dossier.

    Sean Millis, twenty-one, had studied abroad in sgow after graduating from Ensford High School three years prior, apprenticing under the world¡¯s most renowned and mysterious perfumer, Q.

    Q had be famous worldwide five years ago with a perfume named ¡°Fathom.¡±

    To the wearer, ¡°Fathom¡± began with exuberant passion, followed by a bewitching middle note, but its base note was most unique-intense and lingering, vanishing abruptly, leaving only a delicate trace. It was like a passionate encounter that ends just at the height of excitement, leaving its wearer longing for more.

    Thus, ¡°Fathom¡± was colloquially known as the ¡°man-reeper¡± perfume, even earning a ce in the Perfume Museum.

    After ¡°Fathom,¡± countless brands offeredrge sums for Q¡¯s coboration, but Q, mysterious and indifferent to money, turned them all down. No one had ever seen Q¡¯s true face, or even knew Q¡¯s gender. In five years, Q had only released three perfumes: ¡°Abyss,¡± ¡°Old Dream,¡± and ¡°Fathom,¡± but these were enough to crown Q as a master perfumer.

    As it was nearly impossible to get Q, when Sean, iming to be Q¡¯s student, appeared, brands were quick to seek his cooperation. Sean was talented, though his perfumes did not reach Q¡¯s fame. They were still popr, and his good looks earned him the nickname ¡°Prince of Perfume.¡± His support for Amber was rooted in his childhood devotion to her. Before going abroad, he had pursued Amber for years, but she had always looked down on him as he was just an orphan without any background. Now he had returned, ying the hero for her, things were certainly different.

    Tina studied the photo of Sean in the dossier, then looked toward the young man walking with Mr. Stiller into the school, his short hair, gold-rimmed sses, and pale, gaunt face matching the photo. Sean looked up as if he had felt something, their gazes meeting across the distance.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared whispered behind her, his breath warm on her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t look at other men behind my back.¡±

    Tina nced sideways, her clear eyes teasing, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Farrell. He¡¯s not as handsome as you!¡±

    Jared¡¯s mood sweetened instantly, ¡°So you like handsome men?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Tina said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m all about looks!¡±

    Jaredughed, his smile warm as sunlight, ¡°Then does my appearance merit your hand in marriage?¡±

    Tina scrutinized him, ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Jared raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have eight-pack abs!¡± Tina rested her chin on her hand, ¡°And you¡¯re too skinny; I¡¯m afraid you wouldn¡¯t be able to handle me!¡±

    Jared was speechless.

    Tina patted his shoulder, her smile radiant, ¡°Mr. Farrell, focus on your career. When the timees, we¡¯ll break off the engagement.¡±

    Jared was again at a loss for words. Was this really the right moment to talk about breaking off an engagement?

    Jared pulled Tina closer, whispering in her ear, ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve changed my mind. I don¡¯t want to break off the engagement anymore.¡±

    His warm breath on her ear sent ripples through her heart. She looked up at him seriously, ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me you¡¯ve fallen for me, are you?¡±

    ¡°If I had, would you reconsider taking the engagement seriously?¡± His expression was earnest.

    Tina met his gaze, her fair face blushing. She averted her eyes and coughed lightly, ¡°I need to return to the office.¡±

    For some reason, she felt different when she met Jared¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t understand this emotion.

    It didn¡¯t seem a lie when Jared said he had feelings for her. She couldn¡¯t fathom why he would like her when their rtionship was devoid of any drama and profound emotion. And she was even more puzzled why she felt a strange emotion when alone with him.

    She had never been in love and didn¡¯t know what it felt like, but she was certain she couldn¡¯t fall for Jared.

    Yes, that must be it.

 Chapter 114: What If I Donâ€™t Accept?

    Sean returned to Ensford High School as an honored alumnus, invited by Mr. Stiller to give a lecture. His fame as the ¡°Prince of Perfume¡± was renowned internationally, and his domestic poprity was no less impressive. The news that the celebrated Prince of Perfume was to speak at the school electrified all the student girls, while the boys remained indifferent.

    The following evening, a throng of girls,den with flowers for Sean, congested the school entrance. Not only were Ensford students present, but word had spread, and girls from other schools clustered at the gates, eager for a glimpse of Sean. Only the girls of 22D, busy with their studies, seemed unaffected by themotion.

    Velma, however, was overwhelmed by the crowd surrounding the auditorium. She muttered to Shonna, ¡°Sean really has changed. You wouldn¡¯t believe he once pursued Amber, who wouldn¡¯t even nce his way. Now, with Amber¡¯s reputation tarnished and Sean¡¯s glory restored, I wonder if she regrets.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Before Shonna could reply, a coldugh sounded from behind them. They turned to see Amber, who cast a mocking nce at Velma and Shonna before heading towards the auditorium.

    ¡°That little witch moves like a ghost,¡± Velma spat quietly after Amber had passed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go back to our books,¡± Shonna suggested, pulling Velma away.

    In the auditorium, Tina could have skipped Sean¡¯s lecture, but curiosity about his intentions drew her in. As she settled into her seat, Jared casually took the seat beside her and naturally grasped her hand. Initially, Tina was too engrossed in her phone to notice. When the realization dawned on her, she was startled by thefort she felt from his touch, a feeling she had grown ustomed to.

    Shocked by her own eptance, she jerked her hand away, but inadvertently scratched Jared¡¯s palm with her nail and drew blood. Both were stunned. Guilt flickered through Tina as Jared, looking hurt, reached for her hand again. This time, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to pull away, almost resigning to the contact.

    A cold sneer from behind interrupted the moment. Tina turned to find Amber sitting a few rows back. Though Amber had been released following that Dr. Kim¡¯s confession, her prior attempt to frame Tina was quite well-known, as was the video of her threatening Tina with a knife in the hospital.

    Amber was now an outcast, shunned by all, including her former friend Eleana. The seats around Amber were conspicuously vacant. When Tina¡¯s gaze met hers, Amber returned it with a sarcastic smile, her eyes greedily fixated on Jared.

    For some reason, Tina felt an unusual irritation at Amber¡¯s brazen interest in Jared, a possessiveness she hadn¡¯t yet acknowledged. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else. It¡¯s just so filthy here,¡± Jared, sparing Amber no nce, suggested they move to avoid the ¡°filth.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face twisted momentarily at Jared¡¯s words, but she quickly rposed herself, sitting quietly. Prison had taught her patience, and though she couldn¡¯t afford mistakes, Amber was determined to take Jared from Tina as soon as her chance arose. She believed he was rightfully hers.

    The auditorium erupted with apuse as Sean took the stage, and cries of admiration for his handsome appearance filled the air. Sean, visibly pleased, basked in the adoration. He delivered an impassioned speech before surprising everyone by announcing his intention to recruit a student from amongst them.

    ¡°Actually, the reason why I am here today, is because I have chosen one of you to be my student!¡±

    The crowd buzzed with spection. Such a chance was just too good to be true! But now, today, it was actually happening! Being Sean¡¯s student could mean a direct connection to the master perfumer Q and with such a connection, they could safely say that their golden future was almost guaranteed!

    Amber¡¯s smile widened at the announcement, confident in her nned resurgence.

    Then, the next second, Sean revealed his choice: ¡°And that student I chose is Amber Reed.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°How can that be? Amber Reed?¡±

    ¡°Is he insane? She¡¯s a criminal! A murderer!¡±

    ¡°Does he even know what happened?¡±

    Disbelief rippled through the crowd, with many questioning Sean¡¯s judgment and Amber¡¯s character. Nevertheless, Amber rose gracefully and approached the stage, her vanity swelling with each step.

    Amber had orchestrated this moment with Sean; to cleanse her past misdeeds, she needed this new, prestigious title. As Sean¡¯s student and possible future heir of Master Q, her past mistakes would be overshadowed by her promising future.

    As murmurs of confusion and dissent rose from the students, Sean called for silence, ¡°Please calm down, everyone, I understand your concerns, and I know something has happened.¡±

 Chapter 115: You teach me?

    The auditorium erupted into murmurs once again.

    ¡°Why would you take her as your student?¡±

    ¡°How could someone like her be worthy of being your student?¡±

    He chuckled softly, holding the microphone with a sincere tone in his eyes that swept over the puzzled crowd.

    ¡°I know you all don¡¯t understand, and I hesitated because of this very reason. But perfumery truly requires talent, not only that, a good nose is essential, and Amber is the most gifted person I have met to date.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t bear to waste her talent, nor do I want to dismiss her for a mistake made in her youth. Just think about it, who hasn¡¯t erred in their younger days? When I was thirteen, I had skipped so many sses for video games, my parents would chase after me and bring me to school everytime.¡±

    At this,ughter broke out among the audience; they were swayed by his light-hearted delivery, gradually letting go of their grievances against Amber¡¯s past actions.

    Indeed, everyone makes mistakes, they pondered. Who could im they¡¯ve never erred?

    They were all young, weren¡¯t they?

    As long as it wasn¡¯t anything heinous, one should be forgiven and given the chance to start anew.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    Seeing the change in the students¡¯ demeanor, Sean was pleased. He continued, ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ve decided to give Amber a chance. I will guide and oversee her. If she errs again, I will personally expel her.¡±

    Tina smirked coldly from below; so this was Sean¡¯s n.

    Indeed, it was perfect. First, find a scapegoat for Amber, then use her status as his student to cover up her blemishes.

    With such a halo over her head, even being expelled by Dr. Ward wouldn¡¯t stop her from continuing as Miss Ensford.

    ¡°I am deeply ashamed of my actions,¡± Amber said, taking the microphone after Sean gave her a cue. ¡°I know my behavior has tarnished the reputation of Ensford High School, and I sincerely apologize to everyone here.¡±

    She bowed deeply with earnestness and, upon straightening up, suddenly turned to Tina, ¡°Tina, the person I should apologize to the most is you. I¡¯m sorry, it was my fault, and I hope you can ept my apology.¡±

    After speaking, she bowed deeply to Tina, masking the iciness and hatred in her eyes.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t ept?¡± Tina¡¯s lips curled into a subtle smile.

    Still bowing, Amber¡¯s lips twitched into a smile; she had expeceted such a response.

    When she straightened up, her face bore a pitiful look, her voice choked with emotion.

    ¡°Tina, I truly realize my mistake. Everything I did was out of jealousy for your excellence. We¡¯re still family, can¡¯t you really forgive me?¡±

    She was naturally beautiful, and her recent stint in detention had left her looking even more frail and vulnerable on stage.

    A few gullible students, swayed by Sean¡¯s ¡°youthful ignorance¡± speech, felt sympathy for such a beauty.

    Or perhaps, Sean¡¯s words touched a dark chord within these young minds, wed as they were, they naturally hoped for leniency for their own missteps.

    Thus, some began to quietly discuss Tina.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re family, it¡¯s not a big deal. Amber has apologized, why hold a grudge?¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Tina be more forgiving? It¡¯s just one mistake, and she won¡¯t make it again.¡±

    Tina merely smiled, watching Amber without a word.

    ¡°Do you also enjoy moral ckmail?¡± Jared leaned back in his chair, casually straightening his cuff, his tone aloof yet tinged with disdain.

    The more rational studentsughed at Amber. After all, the video of her holding a knife at the hospital, demanding Tina¡¯s forgiveness, was still circting online.

    And her act of ying the victim had been just too familiar at this school; they were somewhat immune.

    Someone even shouted at Amber, ¡°You¡¯re not doing too well this time, Amber. Why aren¡¯t you kneeling? Is it because you don¡¯t have the knife? Want to go prepare and try again?¡±

    Amber¡¯s expression twisted momentarily but was quickly concealed. Ignoring the jeers, she earnestly looked at Tina, ¡°Tina, I am truly apologizing to you. What will it take for you to forgive me?¡±

    She nced at Sean, as if timidly, ¡°If¡­ if you could forgive me, sister, I would be willing to give you the opportunity to be Master Sean¡¯s student.¡±

    The auditorium buzzed again, everyone thought Amber had lost her mind. The chance to be a student of the ¡®Perfume Prince¡¯ was just so rare, and she was offering it up.

    Despite the Reeds Company¡¯s bankruptcy and the tarnish on Ensford, with Sean¡¯s support, refinancing and a resurgence were far from imusible.

    Amber could reim her cherished status as Miss Reed. But if Tina were Sean¡¯s student, she surely wouldn¡¯t aid the Reeds Company, especially since her fiance was the one who caused their bankruptcy. Suddenly, everyone felt Amber¡¯s apology might be sincere.

    ¡°Amber,¡± Sean¡¯s expression darkened as he stepped forward, ¡°I chose you for your talent. You may not want to be my student, but I will never take your sister as my disciple!¡±

    He nced at Tina with a disdainful look, ¡°My students aren¡¯t just anyone.¡±

    ¡°Master Sean,¡± Amber¡¯s face lit up with gratitude.

    As soon as Sean mentioned ¡°just anyone,¡± Jared¡¯s whole body exuded a chilling aura, making those around him want to take a step back. His eyes narrowed, a cold glint in them, just as he was about to speak, Tina pressed his hand, her touch bringing a slight warmth that calmed his fury.

    He turned to look at her profile; she sat undisturbed, with a smile that was more of a sneer as she watched the performance on stage.

    Sean too looked at her, hoping to see anger, shame, or resentment in her eyes, but all he saw was mockery, as if the person being humiliated wasn¡¯t her, but him.

    Stung by her gaze, Sean sneered and said to Tina as if granting a favor, ¡°However, Miss Tina, while youck the talent to be my student, I wouldn¡¯t mind taking you on as an assistant if you forgive Amber.¡±

    Amber¡¯s heart leapt with joy; this was what she wanted.

    After her own humiliation as Dr. Ward¡¯s outer student was exposed, and her subsequent expulsion, she now wanted Tina to taste the same disgrace.

    And this was only the first step in her n to suppress Tina; the shame she once endured, Tina must also experience!

    ¡°You teach me? You think you can do that?¡± Tina¡¯sugh was scornful enough.

    [End of Book I]

 Chapter 116: A Week Is A Week

    Sean¡¯s face suddenly changed. Amber stepped forward and scolded Tina, ¡°Tina, I know you can¡¯t stand the fact that you can¡¯t be Sean¡¯s student, but you are being too arrogant!¡±

    ¡°Save your foolish tricks.¡± Tina looked at Sean as if he were a ludicrous clown, lightly tapping her right index finger on the armrest of her chair. ¡°We¡¯ve barely exchanged a few nces in this school, and you im to know my talent for perfumery?¡±

    Sheughed again, her expression yful. ¡°How did you figure it out? Telepathy? Brainwave? Or just WiFi?¡±

    The air in the auditorium froze for a moment, then burst into thunderousughter. One of the students loudly said, ¡°I see it now, today Sean was just looking for trouble with Miss Reed. Miss Reed has two PhDs, why would she be desperate to be your student?¡±

    The boy next to him chimed in, ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s getting weirder by the minute. If he doesn¡¯t want to take Miss Reed as a student, just say no. From the beginning, Miss Reed never showed any interest in being his student, but he and Amber are making it look like she was eagerly pursuing it. WiFi talent detection, right? Impressive!¡±

    The crowd turned to see Albert Sitwell and Hendrik Stiller. None of the students from ss 22D hade to listen to Sean¡¯s lecture tonight, and neither had they nned to.

    They had just stepped out to grab some snacks from the school canteen during their study break when they passed by the auditorium and heard that Sean was taking Amber as a student, so they decided to check out themotion.

    The auditorium was packed, and they stood in the aisle listening. The more they heard Sean demeaning Tina, the angrier they got, and they couldn¡¯t help but retort.

    Their interjection made the audience also feel that Sean and Amber¡¯s actions were overly deliberate. They were supposedly apologizing to Tina, but it seemed more like an opportunity to humiliate her.

    Their purpose was tantly exposed, and Sean froze on stage, his face turning serious. He suddenly regretted his arrogance, agreeing to help Amber use this situation to embarrass Tina, now finding himself unable to exit gracefully.

    ¡°But Tina, it¡¯s truth you don¡¯t have a talent for perfumery; Grandma tested you herself,¡± Amber said as Sean was at a loss for words, quickly trying to patch things up.

    ¡°Grandma taught me perfumery from a young age, and she favored me because of my talent. But because of this, you held a grudge against her and even asked the Farrell family to drive our family to bankruptcy¡­¡± She spoke, tears starting to flow, her face a portrait of genuine pain.

    This narrativepletely shifted the me for the Reed family¡¯s bankruptcy onto Tina¡¯s jealousy, lightly glossing over her own actions.

    Yet, some people believed her.

    After all, outsiders didn¡¯t know the full story. In their eyes, Tina was the real Miss Reed; how could a normal person bankrupt their own family over a foster daughter?

    As the whispers of her being an ¡°ingrate¡± grew, Sean found his footing again.

    ¡°Yes, your grandmother told me. She wanted me to choose one of you sisters as a student for the Reed family¡¯s perfume business, and I chose Amber because of her talent. But I didn¡¯t expect that just because you couldn¡¯t be my student, you would be so jealous as to drive the Reed family to bankruptcy!¡±

    The two twisted the truth so convincingly it seemed real, making Tinaugh uncontrobly.

    ¡°My talent in perfumery isn¡¯t for Elizabeth to decide, nor you; it¡¯s proven by our creations.¡±

    She had initially wanted to see what their grand n was for tonight.

    That¡¯s it? She promptly lost her patience.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sean doubted his understanding. ¡°Are you challenging me?¡±

    ¡°Afraid?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow in response.

    She dislikedplications, but when trouble came knocking, she didn¡¯t mind teaching a lesson-after all, she was a teacher.

    ¡°Do you think you have what it takes to beat me?¡± Sean felt both that Tina was overestimating herself and underestimating him, and heughed out of irritation.

    ¡°Tina, are you crazy?¡± Amber feigned surprise, but inside she was nearly ecstatic. She had only wanted to use Sean¡¯s reputation to embarrass Tina and vent her frustration. Unexpectedly, Tina was challenging Sean, setting herself up for embarrassment.

    But her face still wore a mask of concern for Tina. ¡°How could you possibly be better than Sean? Just apologize to Sean now, and let¡¯s pretend you never said that!¡±

    The others shared Amber¡¯s disbelief, looking at Tina with astonishment.

    Tina ignored Amber, just giving Sean a provocative smile.

    ¡°Fine! If you want to disgrace yourself, I¡¯ll oblige!¡± Sean snorted coldly, not taking Tina seriously. ¡°I¡¯ll give you enough time, a week, that should suffice. In one week, we¡¯ll bring our creations here. I¡¯ll invite some of the best perfumers I know toe and judge!¡±

    ¡°No need, let¡¯s do it tonight,¡± Tina countered.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Sean refused with a bit of panic, ¡°It¡¯s too rushed today. Where would we even find judges on such short notice? You know not just anyone is qualified to judge my perfumes!¡±

    ¡°Oh, but I know Vivienne ine is currently in this city, and she¡¯s certainly famous enough as a perfumer,¡± Jared Farrell interjected with a lift of his dark eyes, speaking calmly. ¡°She¡¯s here visiting her friend Mr. Henry White, who is also from sgow. Surely, they are qualified to judge your perfumes?¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    ¡°Even so, preparing the various essences and equipment takes time! Perfumery requires inspiration, only amateurs like you would think good perfumes can be crafted so hastily! I said one week, and I mean one week!¡±

    Tina nodded slightly in agreement, ¡°Alright, then a week it is.¡±

    For some reason, seeing Tina agree so readily and confidently, Sean felt uneasy.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, he said gravely, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that yourte mother was also a perfumer, having left behind many perfume forms. You¡¯re not nning to use your mother¡¯s forms, are you?¡±

    ¡°What? Are you scared?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes twinkled with mischief, her smile was light.

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Sean retorted.

    Tina smiled satisfyingly and then told Sean pointedly, ¡°Remember, you¡¯re the one who needs this week, not me. I¡¯m merely doing it for you.¡±

    The auditorium erupted, with the audience pointing and murmuring towards Sean on stage.

    It was clear to everyone that Sean had lost his nerve. At least in terms of presence, he had already lost.

    Sean¡¯s face alternated between shades of red and white, thinking how he wouldn¡¯t have been so embarrassed if he hadn¡¯t listened to Amber¡¯s provocation. He red at her bitterly and stormed off the stage.

    Amber was startled and followed him. As she passed by Tina, she lowered her voice and said spitefully, ¡°Tina, I hope you don¡¯t lose too embarrassingly when the timees!¡±

    Just then, Mr. Stiller called, apologizing profusely to Tina, ¡°Tina, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t expect Sean to do something like this.¡±

    He had been at a meeting earlier in the evening, only attending the first half of the lecture before leaving the rest to other faculty members while he went to his meeting. Just after the meeting ended, he learned that Tina had been publicly humiliated by Sean.

    He was genuinely angry, but there was nothing he could do about what had already happened.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    Yesterday, upon learning that Sean was a student of Q, she had someone buy back all the perfumes he had crafted.

    Indeed, the perfumes were stunning and had a distinctive style. However, this style was very familiar to her, belonging to someone else.

    Watching Sean¡¯s flustered retreat, she became more certain of her suspicions.

 Chapter 117: Lily Is Just a Student of Q

    In a hillside vi, Sean looked skeptically at the members of the Reed family gathered before him, including not only Amber but also Elizabeth, Pinewood, and Talon. After the Reed family had gone bankrupt, driven to desperation by their creditors, they had thought about clinging to Hugo for survival. However, Sean appeared at that moment, not only clearing their debts but also promising to help revive theirpany. Thus, they were profoundly grateful andpliant to him.

    ¡°Do you really believe this Tina Reed knows nothing about perfumes?¡± Sean asked with suspicion.

    Elizabeth hurriedly shook her head, replying, ¡°Absolutely not. Even if her mother knew a bit, she died when Tina was only nine. What could she have possibly taught her? She grew up in the mountains, far from any chance to learn such things.¡±

    ¡°Then why would she dare to challenge me?¡± Sean asked, puzzled.

    ¡°She must be relying on the forms her mother left behind,¡± Elizabeth answered.

    Sean had thought the same but still asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the form your son gave you was thest one?¡±

    ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s what he said, but I don¡¯t believe it,¡± Elizabeth scoffed. ¡°When Reba was with us, she had shown eight perfume forms. She always took precautions; how could she have left only one form for my son? That bastard just refuses to bring it out!¡±

    Even that one had only been given under the condition of severing their rtionship.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Thinking of the perfume forms in Hugo¡¯s possession, a glint of greed and coldness shed in Sean¡¯s eyes. He dismissed the Reed family members with a wave, ¡°Alright, you can go now.¡±

    ¡°But Mr. Sean, ourpany¡­¡± Elizabeth began hesitantly.

    ¡°I told you, as long as you follow my ns from now on, I guarantee your family will rise again,¡± Sean said dismissively.

    Elizabeth pressed her lips together, dissatisfied but not daring to say more. She led the others out.

    ¡°Amber, stay,¡± Sean called out.

    Amber, already at the door, stiffened and looked back at Elizabeth helplessly. But Elizabeth only whispered to her, ¡°Make Mr. Sean happy. The future of the Reed family, your future, it all depends on him now.¡±

    The Reed family was bankrupt, and without Sean publicly taking Amber as a student today, her reputation would have been destroyed. Elizabeth had always nned to use Amber¡¯s beauty and fame to climb the socialdder. Now, with Amber in this state, all those ns and ambitions were futile. Being favored by Sean was already a blessing.

    Watching Elizabeth and the others abandon her, Amber bit her lip, unable to hide the hatred in her eyes.

    ¡°What, staying to keep mepany doesn¡¯t make you happy?¡± Sean sneered.

    ¡°No, how could that be,¡± Amber quickly turned around and approached him.

    Of course, she was not pleased. Even though Sean was much changed, she remembered how he used to fawn over her. And even if Sean was outstanding, he paled inparison to Jared Farrell.

    Her heart was set on winning Jared back from Tina; no other man could catch her eye.

    ¡°You forget, if it weren¡¯t for me, you¡¯d still be getting beaten up in a detention center,¡± Sean said, his eyes narrowing as he pulled her onto the couch. ¡°What, you look down on me?¡±

    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Amber hated him internally but showed a pleasing smile, softening her body against his. ¡°You¡¯ve been so good to me, I¡¯m grateful.¡±

    ¡°Hah, you weren¡¯t saying that when you rejected me before,¡± Sean recalled how Amber had once embarrassingly rejected his advances, his grip on her waist tightening.

    ¡°Back then, you were so proud, Miss Reed, Miss Ensford. You were unbearable.¡±

    ¡°I was blind back then,¡± Amber replied, enduring the pain from his grip. Elizabeth was right; she had to rely on Sean until she could use him to turn her fortunes around.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you insisting on making trouble today, insisting on apologizing to that Tina, saying I should take her as a student, I wouldn¡¯t have taken such a big risk,¡± Sean fumed.

    ¡°You¡¯re Sean Millis, how could you possibly lose to Tina,¡± Amber soothed softly. ¡°You are the Prince of Perfumes.¡±

    Sean¡¯s eyes flickered, and he flipped over, pinning Amber beneath him.

    ¡°Not here, not here ¡­ they¡¯re all watching!¡± Amber protested, struggling as she nced at a nearby bodyguard.

    ¡°Go outside and wait,¡± Sean ordered everyone out, following Amber¡¯s hint.

    Then he resumed his rough handling of Amber on the couch.

    Unbeknownst to them, every move was being watched by another.

    Tina was hidden in a storeroom under the staircase, peering through the crack of the door at the disturbing scene in the living room.

    Amber kept pleading, but Sean showed no mercy.

    After five minutes, the noisestopped.

    Tina raised an eyebrow. That was quick.

    Just then, Sean¡¯s phone rang. He nced at the caller ID, his expression changing as he roughly pushed the disheveled Amber to the floor. ¡°Get out!¡± he barked.

    Ambernded on the floor, her expression one of humiliation. Unable to defy him, she hurriedly left, adjusting her clothing as she ran.

    As the phone call connected, Sean seemed to discuss something important. ¡°¡­ Yes, they definitely have the form. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s rted to what we want, but I¡¯ll get my hands on it,¡± he said, his voice tinged with respect.

    Tina pondered silently. Was he talking about her mother¡¯s forms?

    She waited quietly. After the call ended, she saw Sean head towards the vi¡¯s basement.

    She could now follow Sean openly to the basement. The basement had been converted into a vault, and Sean had already entered. Tina observed from the doorway, noting not only a keypad but also an iris scanner.

    She sprayed a small bottle on the keypad, revealing clear fingerprints. She memorized the six digits that had fingerprints, nning to calcte the codeter and figure out how to bypass the iris scanner.

    Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching the basement entrance. She quickly concealed herself, clinging to the wall like a gecko, scaling it to the ceiling, and watched from above.

    A bodyguard came by, looking around suspiciously but thankfully not looking up. He would be fortunate not to have noticed her, or he would be dead.

    Once the bodyguard left, Tina moved like a specter, avoiding all surveince and exiting the vi.

    Before leaving, she nced back at therge banyan tree inside the vi. Hidden among its lush branches was another person, unnoticed by anyone but her.

 Chapter 118: Have You Also Been Stung by a Wasp?

    Halfway to the hillside vi, she had felt like she was being followed. She held her ground, curious about the follower¡¯s intentions, but the person never showed themselves. With a smile, she reached into her pouch where she had casually ced a wasp nest she¡¯d grabbed while climbing over the wall. The drugged wasps inside were now nearly awake, buzzing violently inside the bag.

    As she passed by a banyan tree, she loosened the opening of the bag and tossed it upwards, covering the mysterious follower with the nest, then quickly retreated. The turmoil caused by the wasps was significant, yet surprisingly, the person endured it quietly. Standing outside the vi¡¯s wall, she listened for a while. The guards inside shouted about the wasps, but there was no mention of an intruder. Smiling to herself, she vanished into the darkness.

    In the Basement.

    This ce was neither a secretiveboratory nor a prison. It was a perfumery filled with spices and ss vessels, equipped with top-notch venttion systems to prevent the scents from mixing. Upon entering, Sean saw a young man in white, amusing a twelve-year-old girl with a toy. The girl sat quietly on the floor, her head bowed, ying with the toy. Both had strikingly beautiful faces.

    Hearing Sean enter, the girl didn¡¯t even look up, but the young man red at him with indignation. They had been Sean¡¯s prisoners for over a year. Ignoring the anger on the young man¡¯s face, Sean examined the perfume being mixed on the counter. ¡°Within a week, she needs to create a new perfume for me,¡± he ordered, his gaze fixed on the quiet girl. He ced nine bottles of perfume in front of them, ¡°The new perfume must be better than these.¡±

    These were perfumes previously created by Reba. Sean was wary that Tina might try to match her skills using Reba¡¯s forms, so he would have to prepare a blend that could potentially exceed them. ¡°You¡¯ve studied this too; you know creating new perfumes requires inspiration,¡± the young man stopped his gestures to reply coldly, ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that Lily will find new inspiration within a week. Besides, perfumes are subjective; they can¡¯t be objectivelypared.¡±

    ¡°If you and your sister don¡¯t want to die, you¡¯d better do as I say,¡± Sean sneered, ¡°I believe she can do it, isn¡¯t she Q? If she could create ¡®Fathom,¡¯ ¡®Abyss,¡¯ and ¡®Old Dream,¡¯ then she can certainly create something better!¡± Their argument grew loud, but the girl seemed deaf to it, continuing to y with her toy.

    ¡°I told you, Lily isn¡¯t Q,¡± the young man, Quentin, retorted with a face full of anger, ¡°Lily is just Q¡¯s student.¡± Sean refused to believe it. ¡°When I was in sgow, I investigated. The house where you two lived was Q¡¯s residence. When you left sgow, Q disappeared from there too. And why do you still have a bottle of ¡®Fathom¡¯? There were only twenty made, and each had an owner. Why would you have one?¡±

    ¡°Fathom,¡± once famous in the perfume industry, was limited to twenty bottles. After they were sold, Q refused to make more or sell the form, leaving many disappointed. ¡°Most importantly,¡± Sean¡¯s eyes fell on a ring on Lily Fawkes¡¯ left hand, ¡°why does she wear Q¡¯s ring?¡±

    The legendary perfumer Q had always been a mystery, never showing their true face, their age or gender unknown. Those who met Q only recognized the unique ring engraved with a Phoenix Blossom. ¡°Moreover, if she truly is Q¡¯s apprentice,¡± Sean scoffed sarcastically, ¡°why hasn¡¯t he evere forward to deny I¡¯m his student when I¡¯ve been using that title for over a year?¡±

    When he first discovered Lily Fawkes might actually be Q, he was thrilled, realizing his opportunity had arrived. A deaf and mute girl with extraordinary talent in perfumery and her unremarkable brother were easy to manipte. Over the past year, iming to be Q¡¯s student, he had risen in the perfume industry, but all the perfumes were actually crafted by Lily Fawkes.

    Facing Sean¡¯s usations, Quentin remained silent. Q had always been elusive, taking Lily Fawkes as an apprentice on a whim partly because of her remarkable talent and partly out of sympathy for the siblings who were homeless and destitute. After leaving sgow, they never saw Q again and wondered if something had happened to him.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d believe your ridiculous stories just because your sister deliberately lowers the quality of perfumes she makes for me?¡± Sean scoffed, about to continue when his phone rang. Annoyed, he answered, hearing his subordinate report, ¡°Sir, a wasp nest has suddenly appeared in the yard, and many of us have been stung!¡±

    ¡°Stung and not gone to the hospital? Idiots!¡± He hung up the phone, too upset to continue his tirade against Quentin. He stormed out of the basement. Before leaving, he turned back to Quentin and emphasized, ¡°Remember, one week. You know the consequences.¡±

    In Pinkwater Alley.

    After leaving Sean¡¯s vi, Tina returned home, prepared for bed, but then her phone rang. It was Sophia¡¯s tearful voice on the other end, ¡°Tina, pleasee and help my brother, he¡¯s been stung by wasps!¡±

    Tina was puzzled. ¡°What?¡±

    Sophia¡¯s crying intensified. Tina tried to soothe her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m on my way.¡± After hanging up, Tina suddenly remembered something, turned back, and packed a few sets of clothes into her suitcase. As she was about to leave with her suitcase, the awakened Hugo and Jennie looked at her in surprise, ¡°Tina, are you going on a long trip at this hour?¡±

    ¡°Jared Farrell got a bit hurt, and I promised Grandpa Farrell I¡¯d take care of him, so I decided to move in with him for a few days,¡± Tina exined nonchntly.

    ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Hugo hesitated, the old worry of a young girl in a potentiallypromising situation looming over his thoughts.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea,¡± Jennie interjected sharply, giving Hugo a re. ¡°It¡¯s good for young couples to foster their rtionship. I trust they¡¯re both sensible kids.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    She sure wasn¡¯t moving into Jared Farrell¡¯s house to foster any rtionship. The pendant belonging to her mother was in Jared Farrell¡¯s possession, and she had been looking for a chance to investigate. Now, the opportunity had presented itself.

 Chapter 119: Is Salt on Sale Now, Tina?

    Tina arrived at Jared Farrell¡¯s apartment in Blue Cove, but it was Hayden Cohen who opened the door. His surprise was palpable as he saw Tina dragging a suitcase.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked. Tina didn¡¯t respond; she just pulled her suitcase inside, only to find Jared seated on the sofa, with Nathan Lehman attending to his wounds. Sophia sat nearby, covering her mouth as she tried not to giggle at the sight of his hand.

    Earlier, Tina had heard Sophia crying so dramatically, she had imagined Jared¡¯s encounter with a wasp to be a dire tragedy. Now seeing him, it turned out to be just a swollen right hand. ¡°How did you get stung by a wasp?¡± Tina asked with a smirk, awaiting his exnation. It was just his luck to be stung today of all days. If only the wasps had finished the job!

    ¡°It¡¯s just bad luck,¡± Jared muttered, avoiding her probing gaze. He hadn¡¯t intended to follow Tina; it was his men, who were tasked with monitoring Sean, and had incidentally traced her. Despite her mask, he recognized her instantly from a photo sent his way. On a whim, he had followed her. Reflecting on it now, he admitted his haste. Tina must have realized it was him, and she likely wasn¡¯t pleased. He doubted his ability to appease her this time.

    His eyes fell on Tina¡¯s suitcase, and with a shrug, she looked at his swollen hand like it was his rightful punishment, stating boldly, ¡°Your hand is injured. It would be difficult for you to manage on your own, so I moved in to take care of you.¡±

    Jared was momentarily stunned. Had Sophia mentioned his injury when she phoned Tina? ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ wee?¡± Tina asked, tilting her head.

    ¡°Why would I be? Tina, your willingness to take care of me couldn¡¯t be more wee,¡± Jared said, smiling.

    Right then, Jared almost felt grateful to the wasp. Although he suspected Tina¡¯s reasons for staying went beyond tonight¡¯s incident and probably also involved the jade pendant he wore. But that was okay by him.

    ¡°Enough, what¡¯s this? Must you really do this in front of me and Nathan?¡± Hayden intervened impatiently, gesturing towards Jared¡¯s hand, ¡°Better just focus on healing him, so it doesn¡¯t go to waste.¡±

    Tina set down her suitcase, sat next to Jared, and examined his wound-it wasn¡¯trge, but wasp venom made it frighteningly swollen. She began applying the ointment she had prepared. ¡°The ointment makes your hand look even more like a hoof,¡± Sophia giggled, looking at Jared¡¯s greasy appendage.

    ¡°I¡¯m sending you to mom,¡± Jared shot a re at Sophia. ¡°No!¡± she protested, clinging to Tina¡¯s leg, ¡°If Tina is staying, so am I.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Watching the siblings bicker, Tina finished applying the ointment, and to prevent Jared from smearing it, she carefully wrapped his hand in gauze. From every angle, Tina was beautiful to Jared-the longshes fluttering slightly seemed to tickle his heart.

    Hayden, observing the couple, felt the air thick with sharine pink bubbles that clearly made him, Nathan, and Sophia seem more than redundant. Thus, he turned to Nathan andmented, ¡°Do you smell that? It¡¯s the stench of romance.¡±

    Nathan rolled his eyes without a reply. ¡°Since Mr. Farrell has his fiancee to look after him, I better take care of myself,¡± Hayden remarked, pulling out his phone to order food. Suddenly he turned to Tina with a mischievous grin. ¡°Since you¡¯re here to take care of Mr. Farrell, you can cook, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, what about it?¡± Tina cut him short, slicing the medical tape with scissors.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯ste and we¡¯re hungry. Why don¡¯t you make us some midnight snacks? Let¡¯s have the honor to try the food you prepare for Jared,¡± pleaded Hayden, grinning.

    ¡°No problem.¡± Tina gathered the medicine and gauze and asked, ¡°Jared, do you have ingredients in the kitchen?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s everything. I¡¯ve personally checked,¡± Hayden interjected.

    ¡°Then, how about I make some noodles? Any dietary restrictions?¡± asked Tina.

    The three men had no objections, and neither did Sophia. ¡°I love anything made by Tina,¡± she cheerfully dered.

    Satisfied, Tina made her way to the kitchen. Curiously, Hayden and Sophia peeked in as Tina began by boiling pork bones for broth, then enhancing it with spices and fresh shrimp-it certainly looked professional.

    Hayden nudged Jared with his elbow, saying, ¡°This fiancee of yours is a catch. Not only a skilled doctor, but she can cook and holds twin Ph. D. s-you lucked out.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Tina can do everything!¡± Sophia retorted disdainfully.

    Jared had never expected that Tina, who was usually so proud, would cook for him. Watching her busy in the kitchen, he felt a profound sense of peace.

    Fifteen minutester, Nathan helped Tina serve five bowls of steaming noodles, garnished with green onions and topped withrge shrimp. Hayden eagerly began eating, as did the others. Jared, hindered by his hand, smiled at Tina, ¡°My hand¡¯s clumsy, could you feed me?¡±

    Despite knowing Jared¡¯s left hand was perfectly capable, Hayden could only roll his eyes as he struggled with the noodles.

    Just as Jared felt a burst of happiness from the food, his expression changed drastically. Hayden had already spat his noodles back out, and Nathan¡¯s face spoke volumes-Sophia was genuinely shocked.

    ¡°Now, is salt on sale, Tina?¡± Hayden asked amidst searching for water to rinse his mouth.

    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t it good?¡± Tina frowned, looking at Jared. She thought it looked tasty.

    Jared struggled to swallow the overly salty noodles and was at a loss for words. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it yourself?¡± Hayden, now genuinely worried about Jared¡¯s culinary future, remarked.

 Chapter 120: Jared and Tina Cooking Together

    Tina nced at the noodles in front of her and thought it best to spare herself, letting the guinea pigs do the testing. She stood up, carried five bowls of noodles to the kitchen, and dumped them. ¡°I¡¯ll cook a new batch.¡±

    Although it was her first time cooking noodles, she often watched Jennie cook and felt confident her steps were correct. Fifteen minutester, Jared Farrell and his friends again faced a new batch of noodles with indescribable expressions.

    ¡°Is it the vinegar this time?¡± Hayden Cohen barely managed the overwhelming sour taste, puzzled.

    Tina¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯ll try again.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    Before Jared Farrell and the others could stop her, she was back in the kitchen. Throughout the evening, she stubbornly cooked seven batches of noodles, forcing Jared and his friends to taste each disastrous attempt, their faces ashen and spirits crushed.

    ¡°It¡¯s toote, Jared, I¡¯m too tired, not hungry anymore. Let Nathan take me to my mom¡¯s ce,¡± Sophia gave up first, previously nning to stubbornly stay but now wishing she could flee faster.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you!¡± Hayden Cohen quickly stood, grabbed Sophia, and ran before Tina could object.

    ¡°Ah, I just remembered the car needs fueling. There¡¯s a half-price deal, I better fill it up before midnight,¡± Nathan Lehman made a clumsy excuse, following Hayden¡¯s lead to escape.

    Soon, only Tina and Jared Farrell remained, staring at each other over the table full of noodles. Jared noticed Tina¡¯s reluctant gaze at the noodles and chuckled, realizing cooking was not her strong suit.

    ¡°Let me teach you,¡± he said, standing up and using his uninjured left hand to wrap around her waist, leaning on her shoulder with a suppressedugh.

    ¡°Can you cook?¡± Tina turned, eyeing him skeptically, doubting a notorious yboy like him had any culinary skills.

    Jared led her into the kitchen, guiding her through lighting the stove, boiling soup, adding chopped pork and vegetables, and cracking two eggs into the pot with her hand in his. When Tina identally mistook sugar for salt, he quickly intervened, and just as he did, she grabbed the pepper, eager to add more vor.

    Holding back a sigh, he understood why her noodles had such bizarre vors. After multiple interventions, the noodles were finally ready.

    At the dining table, Tina cautiously stared at the noodles. Though they looked appealing, her previous attempts had done so too, yet were dered unptable by Jared and his friends. Hesitantly, she pushed a bowl towards Jared. ¡°You first.¡±

    She firmly refused to be the guinea pig.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jared grinned, intrigued by her child-like action, realizing he should have persuaded her to move in sooner to see this side of her. Though agreeing verbally, he remained motionless.

    Knowing his intent, Tina, having witnessed his adeptness with the spoon before, still pretended ignorance and used chopsticks to feed him. Jared ate, hinting at wanting more.

    ¡°You¡¯re not tricking me, right?¡± Tina fed him another bite, her face skeptical. ¡°This is really edible?¡±

    ¡°Try some?¡± Jared offered her a taste, ¡°This is our first time cooking noodles together. I¡¯d be sad if you didn¡¯t try.¡±

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Tina took a reluctant bite. Five secondster, her eyes lit up, and she signaled for more.

    Jared, indulgently smiling, continued to feed her, and they finished the two portions of noodles by feeding each other. When they stuffed the dishes into the dishwasher, Tina felt a newfound, mysterious confidence about cooking, ¡°It turns out cooking is just like making pills, no difference. Maybe I should try other recipes next time.¡±

    Jared, leaning against the kitchen doorframe, chuckled, realizing if she continued seasoning like before, no delicacy would be spared.

    After cleaning the kitchen, Tina dragged her suitcase around Jared¡¯s spacious duplex apartment in Blue Cove, which upied an entire floor with numerous rooms. The decor was Nordic, featuring monochrome tones with a living room that offered a panoramic view of Ensford¡¯s dazzling night through its wall-sized windows.

    ¡°Which room is mine?¡± Tina looked around at the multiple unprepared rooms.

    Jared led her upstairs to a room and gestured for her to enter. ¡°You stay here.¡±

    Tina surveyed therge, tidy room with a circr leather bed, perfectly made, and arge balcony facing north overlooking Blue Cove park, its lively bar street visible beneath the green trees andke, a different view from the living room¡¯s windows.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡± Jared asked from behind her, not disclosing that since their engagement, he had prepared such a room in every residence he owned, cleaned daily and ready for her.

    ¡°Why this room?¡± Tina turned, a breeze stirring her hair, carrying her scent straight to Jared.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s just next to mine.¡±

    Her eyeing two other spacious rooms along the hallway. ¡°Mr. Farrell, do you n to sneak into my room at night and make some improper moves?¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Could she not assume the worst?

    He coughed lightly, a flush tinting his stern face. ¡°Tina, as you know, it¡¯s somewhat dangerous here. In case of emergencies, if you stay next to me, I can ensure your safety.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Do I look unable to wield a knife?This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Everyone seems to think she is too frail!

    ¡°Are there other rooms?¡± Tina didn¡¯t mind which room, just maintaining some distance.

    Was Mr. Reed right? Men and women alone together might be risky. Who knows if Jared might act out at night?

    ¡°Besides this room with prepared bedding, only mine is left,¡± Jared stretched an arm around her, pulling her close, reveling in her fragrance. ¡°So, you want to sleep with me? Didn¡¯t expect you to be so forward.¡±

 Chapter 121: Tina, Have You Fallen for Me?

    He was very close.

    The scent of his body wafted into her nostrils, elerating her heartbeat inexplicably. Her pale, porcin face felt unusually warm. She took a step back, gazing at him seriously, ¡°Mr. Farrell, has anyone ever told you that you are very narcissistic?¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s thin lips slightly curled up, ¡°No, but I am quite confident about my looks.¡±

    Tina looked up at him. Indeed, he had a very handsome face, with sharply defined features that seemed meticulously crafted. A lofty nose bridge, attractive eyebrows, and thin, sensual lips tempted her to bite them.

    He carried an air of aristocracy with every gesture, the essence of nobility.

    Tina was so mesmerized that when she snapped back to reality, Jared Farrell suddenly pulled her into his embrace, ¡°Tina, have you fallen for me?¡±

    His voice was like a melodious tune, spellbinding and enthralling.

    The proximity was too close, so close that Tina momentarily panicked. The distant lights flickered behind him, while the warm light in the room illuminated his face, revealing a depth of affection and tenderness in his eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much,¡± Tina turned her head away, heart pounding chaotically. She couldn¡¯t calm down and decided to return to her room. Opening her suitcase, she began organizing her clothes as a diversion.

    Jared Farrell leaned casually against the frame of the balcony ss door, watching the young girl trying to actposed as she hung clothes in the wardrobe. He couldn¡¯t help but feel she was acting shy.

    Suddenly, a pink package fell out of the suitcase due to Tina¡¯s bustling, rolling towards Jared Farrell¡¯s feet.

    He picked it up and took a nce. Tina immediately snatched it back, stuffing it hurriedly back into her suitcase.

    Jared Farrell chuckled softly, having seen the words ¡°sanitary pad¡± on the pink package.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny!¡± Tina felt embarrassed, wishing she could find a crack in the floor to crawl into.

    Jared Farrell coughed lightly with his fist to his mouth masking hisughter, his gaze inadvertently falling on Tina¡¯s lower stomach, ¡°Are you¡­?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a precaution!¡± she eximed, feeling her exnation sounded as though she was inviting him to do something untoward. Her face flushed deeper, and she stopped organizing altogether. mming the suitcase shut, she pushed Jared Farrell out, ¡°Get out, I need to change and take a shower!¡±

    Jared Farrell pondered the phrase ¡®just a precaution¡¯ and spected Tina might stay quite a while. Pretending helplessness, he said, ¡°I also need to shower, but I can only use one hand, it¡¯s really inconvenient¡­¡± His expression was pitiful.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    What was this man trying to do?

    Making it seem like she was bullying him if she didn¡¯t help?

    ¡°Do you really need help taking a shower?¡± Tina was somewhat speechless.

    ¡°If you¡¯re willing, that would be great,¡± Jared Farrell smiled innocently, ¡°I¡¯ve been tired all day, and I¡¯m a bit of a cleanliness freak; I can¡¯t sleep without a bath.¡±

    ¡°Okay then,¡± Tina smirked, pushing him towards his bathroom, ¡°Go prepare, I¡¯ll be there in a moment.¡±

    Jared took her words lightly and entered his bathroom, starting to fill therge bathtub with water. Hearing a noise behind him, he turned to see Tina actually followed him in.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Now Jared Farrell found himself at a loss.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to undress? How else will you shower?¡± Tina crossed her arms, watching him leisurely.

    Jared regained hisposure and began unbuttoning his shirt in front of her. His skin was pale, his long fingers well-defined with slightly pink fingertips, he slowly undid each button from top to bottom.

    Tina didn¡¯t know if it was intentional or not, but his usually reserved, deep eyes were now tenderly gazing at her, his strong chest muscles gradually revealed with each undone botton, a temptingly decadent charm visible.

    The heat on Tina¡¯s cheeks, which had just subsided, red up again. She diverted her eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t waste time.¡±

    ¡°Are you in a hurry?¡± Jared Farrell, after removing his shirt and tossing it into aundry basket, ced his hands on his belt, undoing the metal buckle and pulling down the zipper¡­

    Finally, Tina couldn¡¯t bear it and swiftly pulled the shower curtain closed between them, stating, ¡°Let me know when you¡¯re ready,¡± before leaving the bathroom.

    She sat on Jared Farrell¡¯s bed, pondering. It was supposed to be her teasing him, but why did it feel like she was the one being teased?

    ¡°Feeling shy?¡± Jared¡¯s teasingughter emerged from the bathroom, ¡°You said you¡¯d help me shower, you can¡¯t go back on your word.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I always keep my word!¡± Tina¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°Just get ready and wait.¡±

    In the bathroom, Jared Farrell chuckled, shaking his head. Tina was still just a young girl.

    He hadn¡¯t taken her seriously; it was all in jest.

    However, when he stripped off, protected his swollen right hand with a waterproof bag, preparing to enter the bathtub, he heard Tina outside calling him, ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    He raised an eyebrow, was she really going to help him wash?

    ¡°Ready,¡± he replied.

    The next second, the bathroom door was opened from outside, but instead of Tina, a middle-aged man with a simple and honest face appeared. Confused, Jared Farrell frowned, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Tom Crimson, from Bath and Spa 88, at your service,¡± the middle-aged man smiled obsequiously, nodding and bowing to Jared Farrell, ¡°I received your order, I¡¯m here to help you with your bath.¡±

    ¡°Get out!¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s face instantly darkened.

    ¡°Ah, sir, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been professional in bathing service for twenty years, my skills are absolutely top-notch. I guarantee you¡¯ll feel refreshed and thoroughly cleansed,¡± the middle-aged man still bravely stepped forward, zealously selling his bathing skills.

    ¡°Tina!¡± Jared Farrell could no longer endure.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What?¡± Tina sat cross-legged on Jared Farrell¡¯s bed, responding at her leisure.

    ¡°Get this guy out of here!¡± Jared roared, and if it weren¡¯t for his naked state, he would¡¯ve personally thrown the man out of his apartment.

    Tina, leaning against the wall outside the bathroom, her arms crossed, replied nonchntly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you needed help washing because you couldn¡¯t manage with one hand? This gentleman is my carefully chosen pick. From his service skills to his attitude, everything is five-star. He¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re satisfied.¡±

    Her smile grew more insolent, ¡°You didn¡¯t seriously think I was going to help you, did you?¡±

    ¡°Sir, my hand strength is much greater than that little girl¡¯s,¡± the middle-aged man continued to cate, ¡°She definitely can¡¯t wash you as well as I can. Don¡¯t be shy, just give it a try, tr-¡±

    He was unable to finish his sentence as Jared Farrell kicked him out of the bathroom, then mmed the bathroom door shut.

    The middle-aged man, rubbing his nose, looked at the forcefully closed door, shrugged at Tina, and whispered, ¡°Young master, your fiance sure has a big temper.¡±

    Ah, the life of a subordinate is hard-having to moonlight as a bathhouse worker.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, go back,¡± Tina softly chuckled, then whispered lowly, ¡°Keep watch over Sean¡¯s vi, tell Jayden to try breaking the basement¡¯s password and iris lock.¡±

    Hacking wasn¡¯t difficult for her.

    But right now, she just wanted to enjoy life, leaving the brainwork to others.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, young master,¡± the middle-aged man put away his obsequious demeanor, his simple and honest nature turning astute in an instant.

 Chapter 122: The Awkward Silence of Tonight

    After the middle-aged man left, Tina leanedfortably against Jared Farrell¡¯s headboard.

    If she couldn¡¯t make fun of him, sure she can find someone else to do so? Perhaps buoyed by a recent minor triumph, Tina soon fell asleep right there on Jared¡¯s bed.

    When Jared finally came out wearing a stony expression, he saw the young girl nestled in his bluish-grey cotton duvet, sleeping blissfully. His initial fury softened immediately at the sight. Surprised to find Tina still in his bedroom, Jared was d only in a towel around his waist. He hesitated at the bathroom door but couldn¡¯t resist moving closer to gaze upon Tina¡¯s resting face.

    Despite being asleep, Tina, trained from a young age, remained highly alert. As Jared approached, without even opening her eyes, she promptly grabbed at him. Unanticipated, her delicate, pale hand snatched his towel with a swift tug, exposing him abruptly. Woken by the chaos, both stared at each other, frozen by the sudden awkward silence.

    Tina gaped at the now fully exposed Jared, then at the towel in her hand. Reacting as if scalded, she flung the towel back at Jared and turned her face away. Jared, equally embarrassed, wrapped the lower half of his body and teased her as he noticed her cheeks redden like boiled shrimp, ¡°Did you enjoy the view?¡±

    Too embarrassed to look at him, Tina cleared her throat and scoffed, ¡°Too small, didn¡¯t see clearly.¡±

    Jared¡¯s expression soured instantly. He pulled her into his embrace, pressing her close, ¡°Are you sure? Maybe your eyesight is poor. Should I give you another look?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Perhaps one more look?¡± Tina suggested, ncing again tactfully. Unfortunately, he was already covered by the towel.

    Jared staggered, nearly losing his bnce.

    Did she even realize what she was doing? He was a grown man! Did she think his self-control was that good?

    Jared¡¯s dark eyes settled on Tina, her beautiful features making his throat dry. As he leaned over her, a droplet of water from his damp hair fell onto her face, tracing a path that seemed like a tear. He knew his Tina didn¡¯t cry, yet the scene still stunned him momentarily, fixing his gaze on the wet streak across her face.

    Underneath him, Tinay back, her eyes locked on his now mesmerized and predictably more vulnerable expression. Her heart inexplicably ached, prompting her to lean up and kiss his slightly parted lips.

    The kiss startled Jared.

    The girl he¡¯d been dreaming of had initiated a kiss, a reaction he hadn¡¯t anticipated. Regainingposure sooner, Tina cursed herself for her madness  a never-been-kissed girl kissing a man ten years her senior. She¡¯d never admit to being seduced by Jared¡¯s looks.

    She covered her embarrassment, ¡°You seem to be quite inexperienced.¡±

    As she tried to get up, Jared pulled her back down,ughing almost breathlessly with irritation. That night, she called his manhood into question, now his kissing; he had to prove himself. With a firm hand, he tilted her chin up and kissed her fiercely. His intense desire merged with the heated breath, swallowing all her defiance in an engulfing ze.

    At first, she struggled, resisted, kicked, punched, even angrily bit his lip. Yet, he persisted, plundering the sweetness he had long observed until the youngdy beneath him softened and drowned with him in their entwined breaths.

    Late into the night, Tina almost fled back to her room. She sought refuge under her duvet, reying the suffocating moments when Jared finally released her, then teasingly licked his lips and smiled at her, ¡°How about that?¡±

    After the age of nine, Tina hadn¡¯t experienced such intense emotions. It felt as if a mole were shrieking incessantly inside her. That night, she suddenly realized that she was just a young girl-capable of feeling flustered, shy, and panic-stricken, all because of one person.

    Jared Farrell.

    The next morning, Jared knocked on Tina¡¯s bedroom door, ¡°Tina, time to get up.¡±

    Hearing Jared¡¯s voice snapped her back to the vivid scenes of the night before, coloring her cheeks crimson.

    ¡°Tina, I¡¯m hungry. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be taking care of me?¡± Jared teased again at the door, ¡°If you don¡¯te out, I might just have toin to Grandpa aboutst night¡­¡±

    With a sudden start, Tina leaped out of bed, yanked open the door, and red, ¡°Shut up!¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    Jared couldn¡¯t help butugh, finding her shyness endearing. It was funny how she acted as if he had coerced her, despite her initiating everything the night before. Recalling her panicked escape, he amusedly reflected on her disarray-his first time seeing her so utterly flustered.

    By the time Tina finally changed and sorted herself out, ambling into the kitchen, Jared had alreadyid out the ingredients for breakfast.

    ¡°Pasta?¡± Tina eyed the package in Jared¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Want some?¡± he asked, shaking the box.

    Nodding, Tina always had a weak spot for pasta, and Jared seemed to remember that too, amodating her preference. Afterst night¡¯s cooking debacle, Tina approached the stove with more determination, ready to prove herself, even if it was just boiling pasta.

    Jared, fearing another culinary disaster, stayed to guide her. It should have been simple-boiling water and adding pasta. However, the moment he turned around, Tina had dumped the whole pack of pasta into a pot of boiling water. Oh no.

    Jared sighed deeply as the pot on the stove began to bubble over, the messy spill a stark contrast to the potentially simple task.

    Fortunately, with Jared watching closely during seasoning, the taste was still eptable, even if the kitchen was now beyond recognition.

    When Tina finally ced the pasta on the table, she felt dejected. Even if the previous night¡¯s pasta was subpar, at least the kitchen had been spared. Why did today have to go like this?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, stop staring. The kitchen won¡¯t clean itself,¡± Jared consoled her with a helpless tone yetforting voice, ¡°Just remember what you need to add next time.¡±

    With that, he took the first bite. Thankfully, with his oversight, the vor was surprisingly good.

 Chapter 123: The Password Was Her Birthday

    Tina detected a hint of teasing in his voice. As she looked up, her gazended on his lips, now slightly more vibrant due to their moisture, and she felt momentarily dazed. She recalled the previous night, feeling her cheeks start to warm.

    Jared Farrell nced at her and noticed how she delicately sipped her soup, her rosy lips nearly capturing his entire mind with their allure. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a stir in his heart. Recalling her mocking remark about his kissing skills fromst night, he asked with a hint of jealousy, ¡°Tina, have you ever had a boyfriend before?¡±

    Tina blinked, surprised, ¡°No, why?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, just that your kissing is pretty good,¡± Jared Farrell remarked, pretending to be casual, though his tone betrayed a hint of sourness. He thought to himself that just because his girl had never dated didn¡¯t mean she hadn¡¯t kissed anyone. The mere thought of another man having kissed Tina sent an uncontroble wave of jealousy through him.

    Feeling slightly awkward, Tina¡¯s face turned even redder, ¡°Just-during college, I watched some adult videos with my roommate.¡±

    Jared Farrell was speechless.

    This-this girl was bold!

    Tina yfully kicked his chair with her foot, ¡°How many women did you practice with before?¡±

    ¡°One,¡± Jared Farrell replied with a smile.

    Tina paused, not really expecting Jared to have never been in love at twenty-eight. That he might have dated one or two women wasn¡¯t strange, but somehow, the expected answer still felt unpleasant. She stirred her pasta absently, no longer able to eat.

    ¡°With you,¡± Jared Farrell added as Tina looked at him in surprise, ¡°In my dreams.¡±

    Her mood instantly cleared like the sky after rain.

    After breakfast, Tina changed Jared¡¯s bandage again. The medicine was effective, and his hand was almost no longer swollen, though she hadn¡¯t used the best ointment on purpose as a small punishment for him following her.

    Today was a weekend; Tina wasn¡¯t headed to school, and Jared wasn¡¯t going to their Ensford branch either. With nothing urgent to do, Tina convinced Jared to clear out two rooms; one to store spices and the other for blending them. Due to allergies caused by natural spices, many spices that were used years ago were now banned internationally, only to be reced by synthetic ones. It had been a while since she touched perfume, and even though she didn¡¯t regard Sean, that clown, highly, she needed to familiarize herself with the new synthetic ingredients.

    Meanwhile, Jared went to the second-floor study to work remotely, handling some affairs for the headquarters. Tina discovered that not only the second floor but the entireyout of the floor was Jared¡¯s, and he had even removed the ceiling to install a staircase that led directly downstairs.

    The ground floor was arge duplex, nearly every room open and filled with bookshelves that stretched to the ceiling. As Tina toured the area, grabbing a few books at random-from astronomy and geography to economic philosophy, and even some valuable rare books-she was astonished, ¡°You haven¡¯t been in Ensford that long, so howe you have so many books?¡±

    ¡°When bored, I buy them without thinking, and it just adds up,¡± Jared Farrell replied nonchntly as he typed on hisputer, ¡°Those books are to appease my grandfather.¡±

    After a pause, he added, ¡°If he ever gets mad at you, just pick a book from here to smooth things over.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, how could I possibly get mad at Tina,¡± Logan, on the other end of the video call, interjected indignantly. ¡°Tina is such a sweet girl. I am always pleased to see her, unlike you, you troublemaker.¡±

    ¡°Grandpa Farrell,¡± Tina only then noticed Jared was video chatting with Logan, and walked over to greet him.

    ¡°Ah, Tina,¡± seeing her, Logan¡¯s face lit up with joy, ¡°I heard you moved in with Jared?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he got injured, and I came over to take care of him for a few days,¡± Tina responded.

    ¡°A few days is hardly enough,¡± Logan shook his head, ¡°That wasp sting is very poisonous. Although the swelling has gone down, the toxins are still in his body, and could re up anytime. So, you better stay here permanently.¡±

    Watching Logan exaggerate brought a flush of embarrassment to Jared, but Tina indulged Logan, smiling and agreeing to everything he said.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    After some more conversation, Logan chuckled, ¡°Tina, about that incident at your school, grandpa heard about it. Go get him, beat that Sean!¡±

    Tinaughed, perfume-making wasn¡¯t anything like boxing.

    She wandered off to the side, not wanting to disturb their serious talk, and skimmed through Jared¡¯s bookshelves. She randomly pulled out a small box from a corner shelf, its padlock intriguing her. The box was dust-free, clearly frequently handled and wiped. She nced at Jared, who was upied with his headphones andputer, and quietly started to crack the code.

    Testing Jared¡¯s birthday first, then Sophia¡¯s and Logan¡¯s-none matched. On a whim, she tried her own birthday, and surprisingly, it worked.

    The box opened, revealing a slender ankle bracelet adorned with silver bells-the very same one her mother had given her on her seventh birthday, which she loved and wore daily until it was lost.

    How did Jared Farrell end up with it?

    As she was about to stealthily rece the bracelet, Jared appeared behind her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, his lowugh warmed her ear, ¡°Tina, what are you looking for?¡±

    ¡°What is this, Mr. Farrell?¡± Tina turned, holding the anklet while facing him with a yful smile, pretending to inquire, ¡°You¡¯ve kept it so carefully tucked away, is it perhaps a token from a girl you liked?¡±

    ¡°An old friend¡¯s,¡± Jared Farrell didn¡¯t borate, but held Tina closer, a touch of irritation in his voice, ¡°Tina, apart from calling me by my full name and Mr. Farrell, can¡¯t you call me something else?¡±

    ¡°Something else? What would you like me to call you?¡± Tina tilted her head up to look at him, suddenly stern, ¡°Should I call you-Uncle Farrell?¡±

 Chapter 124: Moving So Fast?

    Jared Farrell paused, a petite figure shing through his mind. Once, there was also a little girl who liked to call him ¡°uncle.¡± He lowered his head to study Tina¡¯s face more closely. From the moment he first saw her, he recognized familiar shadows in her features.

    ¡°Don¡¯t like it?¡± Tina pondered, then said, ¡°You¡¯re ten years older than me; if it wasn¡¯t for our marriage arrangement, I probably should be calling you uncle.¡±

    Jared Farrell, ¡°¡­¡±

    He automatically filtered out the issue of age.

    ¡°No, I really like it.¡± Jared Farrell lowered his head and, unable to restrain himself, kissed her again.

    Startled, Tina had no time to react before Jared Farrell pressed her against the bookshelf, demanding to possess herpletely, the girl in his arms, without resistance.

    Tina tried to push him away, somewhat afraid of the overwhelming sensation fromst night when all reason was stripped away, leaving her at the mercy of Jared Farrell¡¯spelling dominance.

    However, as soon as he kissed her, her heart conflictedly yearned to respond.

    Suddenly, the bookshelf behind Tina, unable to bear theirbined weight, copsed backward, consequently knocking over the row behind it.

    Thus, the entire row of shelves fell like dominoes, pummeling backward as dust rose and books scattered across the floor.

    Tina and Jared Farrell fell onto the bookshelves, staring at each other in stunned silence.

    This¡­ was truly an unexpected ident.

    Apuse suddenly erupted in the study.

    Tina and Jared Farrell turned to look and saw Hayden Cohen and Nathan Lehman standing on the staircaseing down from the upper floor, staring in disbelief.

    Hayden Cohen pped his hands while eximing incredulously, ¡°Just one night and you¡¯ve moved this fast? ying this big? Was the bed not spacious enough, the sofa not soft enough, or was it that the floor wasn¡¯t cool enough, that you had to choose the bookshelf?¡±

    Hayden Cohen and Nathan Lehman often visited Jared Farrell¡¯s ce, so they always had the codes to his apartment.

    It wasn¡¯t just the two of them; at their side were the equally astonished Marie and an unfamiliar woman.

    ¡°You, what on earth is going on!¡± Marie, having regained herposure, was fuming.

    ¡°Mom, how did you get here?¡± Sophia helped Tina stand up and spoke helplessly, ¡°It was an ident.¡±

    ¡°ident?¡± Marie said irritably, ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen such inappropriate idents before? Yesterday, I heard from Sophia that Miss Reed had moved in here, so I came to check, but you¡­¡±

    Her well-mannered upbringing prevented her from voicing the distasteful remainder, but her eyes clearly showed she med Tina for seducing Jared Farrell into this disgraceful scenario.

    ¡°Mrs. Farrell, have you checked your vision at the hospital?¡± Tina, clearly understanding Marie¡¯s insinuation, retorted with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marie didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°If you weren¡¯t blind, you could see it was Jared Farrell who knocked me down, right?¡± Tina coldlyughed.

    Tina was always like this; kind to those who treated her well and unapologetic to those who were rude, even if it was Jared Farrell¡¯s mother.

    As far as Tina was concerned, respect needed to be mutual.

    ¡°You!¡± Marie was taken aback by Tina¡¯s sharp retort, unustomed to such a rebuttal from her future daughter-inw.

    Seeing the mother-inw and daughter-inw at odds, Hayden Cohen sidled up to Jared Farrell, smiling mischievously, ¡°See, you¡¯re now facing the hardest life-or-death question in the world. If your wife and mother both fell into the water, who would you save first?¡±

    ¡°Why did you bring my mom?¡± Jared gave him a side nce.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t on us,¡± Hayden spread his hands. ¡°We just opened the door, and there she was. We couldn¡¯t just block the door and not let her in, right?¡±

    He patted Jared Farrell¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You know how your mom is. If I stopped her, she¡¯d run crying to my mom, and then I¡¯d be in real trouble. So, Mr. Farrell, your mom, your problem.¡±

    ¡°Howe they cane, and I can¡¯t?¡± Marie, overhearing their conversation, maintained her refined demeanor as Mrs. Farrell in front of an outsider like Tina but was less courteous with Jared.

    ¡°Sophia said you were hurt, can¡¯t a mothere to see how her son is?¡± After speaking, she red at Tina again, thinking, ¡®This uneducated and rude girl, growing up in the mountains or something, why on earth has Logan chosen such a woman?¡¯

    ¡°Jared, this is where you¡¯re wrong.¡± The silent woman following Marie suddenly stepped forward, smiling at Jared Farrell, ¡°Marie is just worried about you. Don¡¯t let an outsidere between you and Marie.¡±

    She then meaningfully nced at Tina.

    Tina raised an eyebrow, not yet speaking, when Jared Farrell coldly questioned, ¡°And who might you be?¡±

    The woman¡¯s expression shifted instantly, while Marie quickly interjected, ¡°This is Li, ah, Mr. Sinir¡¯s daughter. You yed together when you were kids, remember?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s face remained impassive as he spoke to Li Sinir, ¡°Miss Sinir seems poorly taught. Sticking your nose into other people¡¯s business-don¡¯t you think that¡¯s overstepping?¡±

    He paused briefly, his tone light but utterly without mercy, ¡°Also, you¡¯d best not try iming such kinship as to talk about me in my home. My fiancee might misunderstand.¡±

    Unable to hold back, Hayden Cohen burst outughing, giving Jared Farrell a discreet thumbs up.

    A humiliated Li Sinir pushed past the innocent Nathan Lehman, covered her face, and ran out crying.

    ¡°Li!¡± Marie red once more at Tina, then hurried after her.

    Tina, bewildered by the re which was undeserved, thought, ¡®Your son insulted her, why re at me?¡¯

    With the study now a chaotic sprawl of fallen bookshelves and scattered books, it was clearly not a ce to stay.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Jared Farrell motioned for Hayden Cohen and Nathan Lehman to help tidy up the important items and carried theputer upstairs before calling for professional cleaning help. But not before carefully cing a particr anklet into a box, carrying it upstairs himself.

 Chapter 125: Future Mother-in-Law Causes Trouble

    In the living room, Hayden Cohen had just settled on the sofa when his eyes caught a sealed small ss bottle on the coffee table. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked, curiosity lifting the object in his hands.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch,¡± Tina reached out to take it back. It was an essence of Lavender Sage, highly concentrated and could cause allergies if spilled on skin.

    Hayden, always one to push boundaries, hid the bottle behind his back and with a meaningful smirk, nced between Jared Farrell and Tina. Chuckling, he teased, ¡°Let me guess, is it something risque, like lubricant perhaps¡­¡±

    Tina, usually indifferent to his banter, caught from the corner of her eye Marie returning alone, having pursued Li Sinir earlier. She reached to reim the bottle.

    Hayden dodged, and in doing so, the bottle of Lavender Sage essence flung from his grip, shattering at Marie¡¯s feet. A strong fragrance immediately overwhelmed the apartment, and everyone found it difficult to breathe.

    Stunned, Marie, stepping over the broken ss, strode in with fury. Opening her mouth to reproach Jared, she sneezed mid-sentence. ¡°How could you-Ahchoo! Li is-Ahchoo! You-Ahchoo! Ahchoo! Sneeze!¡±

    She managed only a few words before the pervasive scent triggered a barrage of five sneezes, leaving her eyes red and teary.

    Feeling a rare pang of guilt, Tina red at Hayden and handed some tissues to Marie, who, overwhelmed by itchy nose, couldn¡¯t bother with disdain and dabbed away her tears and sniffles. ¡°What is that smell-Ahchoo!¡±

    Finally, Marie, unable to stand it anymore, fled sneezing.

    The remaining four in the living room exchanged looks.

    Jared had braced himself for a day of nagging from his mother, but a bottle of essence had efficiently dispatched her. He considered it a good omen, promising to stock up on more bottles to scatter around whenever his mother brought trivial annoyances to him. He nned to also prepare some for Sophia, who had been nearly driven insane by his mother¡¯s nagging.

    A potential conflict dissipated into nothingness.

    Noticing it was already 11 a. m., Tina, uncharacteristically warm, invited Hayden Cohen and Nathan Lehman for lunch, offering to cook.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Hayden leapt up, about to flee.

    ¡°Miss Reed, I¡¯ve just ordered a delivery; it will be here soon, no need to trouble yourself,¡± Nathan said, his face turning sour as he continued to order more items through the app, regardless of what they were.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Tina, feigning disappointment, had hoped to show off her improved cooking skills. ¡°Well, next time then.¡±

    Hayden and Nathan exchanged a relieved look, silently vowing never to visit Jared during mealtimes again-it was too dangerous. They suddenly understood why Sophia, previously always stuck to Tina and Marie, had opted not toe today. Smart girl, knowing when to keep away.

    Unexpectedly, Marie returned in the afternoon, determination renewed. As Nathan opened the door to reveal Marie, masked and storming in, Jared and Hayden fell silent.

    ¡°Where is Tina?¡± Skipping pleasantries, Marie headed straight upstairs.

    As Jared gave him a stern look, Hayden shrugged. ¡°The mother-inw and daughter-inw feud is an age-old dilemma. It was bound to happen. Now, it¡¯s a matter of who outwits whom.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Offering a wry suggestion, Hayden added, ¡°If you¡¯re worried about your fiancee being bullied by your mom, maybe you should go help?¡±

    ¡°My worry is for my mother,¡± Jared massaged his temples. Provoking Tina was indeed a risky affair. But perhaps, he thought, it was good for his mother to learn a lesson, trusting Tina to keep things under control.

    In the fragrance room.

    After lunch, Tina returned to her neatly arranged perfume studio. When Marie entered, Tina was pondering over the newly delivered Lavender Sage essence.

    Upon hearing the door, Tina turned around.

    Marie, still recalling her unttering sneezing fit from the morning, involuntarily stepped back upon seeing the essence in Tina¡¯s hand. Quickly masking her retreat with a bold stride forward, she eyed Tina¡¯s perfume bench and skeptically inquired, ¡°Do you really know how to make perfumes?¡±

    Her visit was not to introduce Li Sinir to Jared; she had just happened to meet Li and her mother, Mrs. Sinir, at a poker table that morning. Mrs. Sinir, an old card-ying friend, had casually mentioned Tina¡¯s presumptuous challenge to Sean the previous day.

    Li had chimed in, stating that Sean was an internationally recognized perfume prodigy, tutored by the celebrated Q, and he held the title of ¡°The Prince of Perfumes.¡± Yet, Tina had rashly challenged Sean to a scent duel-a move considered outright humiliating by onlookers.

    Marie also saw the news, with social media already pitting crowds in favor of Sean against Tina, most deriding her audacity.

    Among the scattered chuckles of her card friends, Marie fumed over Tina¡¯s naive decision. If Tina had been a nobody, it would have been a mere spectacle. But as Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee, she represented the face of the Farrell family.

    If Tina¡¯s defeat was too humiliating, it would invite criticism toward the Farrell family itself. Marie, annoyed past her limit during the game, decided to confront Tina to persuade her to cancel this perfume challenge.

    And Li Sinir had insisted on apanying her.

    ¡°Tina, I heard you¡¯ve arranged to face the ¡®Perfume Prince¡¯ Sean next Friday for a perfume challenge?¡± Marie asked coldly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina nodded, aware of today¡¯s news and Marie¡¯s likely knowledge of it.

    As Marie hesitated on how to persuade Tina to retract the challenge, her gaze was suddenly drawn to a perfume bottle in a nearby ss cab.

    ¡°Is this¡­ Eastshore Nightfall?!¡±

 Chapter 126: Charisma

    Marie¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she stared at the snuff bottle-shaped, painted perfume bottle. Eastshore Nightfall, an antique perfume, she had only seen in old photos and videos. She couldn¡¯t resist moving closer to inspect the perfume-filled giant ss disy.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s only half-full,¡± Tina remarked casually.

    ¡°Even half-full is rare, you know!¡± Marie nearly squealed like a groundhog. Eastshore Nightfall was a perfume from a century ago; she thought it had long since disappeared. As an antique perfume and perfume bottle collector, the sight of the Eastshore Nightfall stirred a fiery passion within her.

    Turning her gaze, she then spotted a ss bottle nearby with an inverted heart-shaped cap, and immediately regained herposure. ¡°Just Butterfly¡¯s Reverie,¡± though discontinued, it still had a substantial presence in the market. It was still essible if one had the money to buy from collectors.

    Seeing Marie¡¯s interest in the Butterfly¡¯s Reverie, Tina added, ¡°This bottle is a first edition.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Marie¡¯s eyes widened again. ¡°This bottle is a first edition Butterfly¡¯s Reverie from 1919?¡±

    Many perfumes might carry forward decades or even centuries of heritage, but their scents would often be revised. The original scent would change over time due to market demands or because certain natural ingredients became lost or banned, necessitating a switch to synthetic substitutes. Thus, first edition perfumes were extremely rare.

    Then, she noticed several uniquely designed perfume bottles nearby, and her pupils dted. ¡°Is, is that Apple Grove?¡± She pointed to a semi-transparent ss perfume bottle withyered arc patterns, its cap resembling the shape of a tree canopy, her voice trembling.

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Tina nced at it and nodded, ¡°It¡¯s Peter Johnstone¡¯s creation, Apple Grove. The two next to it are also his works¡­¡±

    ¡°How do you have such rare antique perfumes and bottles?¡± Marie felt so excited she nearly fainted, reminding herself to breathe deep. She turned back, eyeing Tina suspiciously, ¡°These aren¡¯t fakes, are they?¡±

    ¡°Some of these are my collection, and others were left by my mother,¡± Tina responded gently, ¡°They¡¯re genuine; I only brought a few here.¡± Tina enjoyed looking at these antique perfumes and bottles as she created her scents, drawing inspiration from their stories.

    ¡°Only a few?¡± Marie took another deep breath, grabbed Tina¡¯s hand, her eyes sparkling, ¡°How many more do you have? Can I see them?¡±

    Tina did not answer immediately, knowing that Tina¡¯s mother, Reba, had been a renowned perfumer. The Reed familypany was once in a financial crisis and was revived byunching eight fragrances created by Reba. Marie had bought and adored each one.

    ¡°If it¡¯s convenient¡­¡± Seeing Marie¡¯s suddenly passionate gaze, Tina was slightly overwhelmed.

    ¡°Anytime is convenient for me!¡± Marie eximed with excitement.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t mean for you though.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Downstairs in the living room.

    Hayden Cohen had been squatting by the staircase, craning his neck to look upstairs. ¡°Mr. Cohen, what are you doing?¡± Nathan Lehman asked as he passed by.

    ¡°I was seeing how long Marie has been with Tina, wondering why they haven¡¯t started arguing yet,¡± Hayden Cohen said, puzzled.

    ¡°You want thedy and Miss Reed to argue?¡± Nathan Lehman frowned, not understanding his odd predilection.

    ¡°It¡¯d be more interesting if they did, even better if they fight,¡± Hayden Cohen enjoyed the drama, ¡°I just want to see what Mr. Farrell would do if Marie and Tina had an irreconcble fallout.¡±

    Before he could finish, the door to Tina¡¯s perfume room creaked open, and Marie walked out looking thrilled, clutching a perfume bottle she had begged from Tina.

    As she stepped into the elevator, Marie suddenly realized something. Hey? What was she doing here to see Tina for?

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, could Tina have bewitched your mother?¡± Hayden Cohen couldn¡¯t believe what he had just witnessed after such a long wait.

    And seeing Marie¡¯s submissive demeanor, it seemed she had been somehow charmed by Tina. Oh, the Marie he knew wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone but Logan. Usually, if she got stubborn and caused a scene, even Jared Farrell got a headache.

    Seeing Marie enter unhappy bute out content, he was convinced, ¡°She must have been bewitched.¡±

    On the couch, Jared Farrell kept his head down, typing on hisptop, only slightly relieved inside. He thought his mother woulde down crying after picking a fight with Tina.

    Just then, Tina, feeling thirsty, went to grab a bottle of water from the kitchen fridge and headed back upstairs. Hayden Cohen stopped her curiously, ¡°Tina, how did you manage Jared Farrell¡¯s mother?¡±

    Jared Farrell and Nathan Lehman couldn¡¯t help but pause their work.

    Tina paused, thinking back. She hadn¡¯t really done anything, and Marie had just warmed up to her mysteriously. So, she concluded, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s my personal charm.¡±

    Jared Farrell, ¡°¡­¡±

    Nathan Lehman, ¡°¡­¡±

    Hayden Cohen, ¡°¡­¡±

    Watching Tina walk upstairs, Hayden Cohen shook his head, muttering to Jared Farrell, ¡°Your fiancee¡¯s as arrogant as you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re a match,¡± Jared Farrell chuckled softly then resumed typing.

    Hayden Cohen rolled his eyes again. Although Tina¡¯s handling of Marie was a blessing, Jared Farrell hadn¡¯t anticipated that from that day onward, Marie started frequenting his ce daily. She never looked for him but headed straight for Tina¡¯s perfume room, taking home an antique perfume one day, a perfume bottle the next, and samples of Tina¡¯stest concoctions the day after.

    However, Tina only allowed Marie to take from her own collection, not her mother¡¯s treasures. Of course, Marie never took without giving; she stuffed all kinds of jewelry and adornments into Tina¡¯s arms every visit.

    Jared Farrell began to wonder if Tina could actually be his long-lost sister, considering how often Marie disturbed them, significantly reducing his alone time with Tina. He almost wanted to find a way to send Marie back to the capital.

 Chapter 127: You Canâ€™t Win

    It was Friday, inside the Ensford High School auditorium, the venue brimming with anticipation and an eclectic crowd. Many hade enticed by the viral news of Tina¡¯s bold challenge against the renowned ¡°Perfume Prince¡± on the day Sean had visited to speak. The atmosphere was charged, spectators gathered to witness this fragrant duel unfold.

    As Tina approached the entrance, a face stered with schadenfreude greeted her abruptly. ¡°Miss Reed,¡± the voice called out with a tone heavy with mockery.

    ¡°And you are?¡± Tina furrowed her brows slightly, initially unable to ce the heavily made-up woman before her.

    ¡°We met at Jared¡¯s house,¡± Li Sinir said with a forced smile.

    Recollection dawned on Tina, dismissing her as inconsequential and she continued towards the hall.

    Li¡¯s features momentarily twisted in distaste but quickly reverted to a mocking pride. ¡°Miss Reed, have you seen Marie? She invited me here today,¡± Li dabbed her lips theatrically, feigning concern, ¡°Just don¡¯t lose too embarrassingly, Marie already dislikes you enough. Losing face for the Farrell family might make it worse-¡±

    ¡°Tina!¡± The voice cut through Li¡¯s words as Marie approached energetically, maintaining her nobility even as she hastened.

    Jared Farrell was engaged in pleasantries with some acquaintances,gging a few steps behind.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Marie nodded at Jared, then turning back to Tina with warmth, ¡°Can I stand closer to you during the challenge?¡±

    Jared looked on helplessly, aware of Marie¡¯s peculiar hobbies, like her fascination with antique perfumes, but did not realize the extent of her passion until now.

    As the trio entered the auditorium, oblivious to Li Sinir still standing beside, she felt her face burn with embarrassment recalling her earlier provocations.

    ¡°Marie!¡± Li called out, not ready to give up.

    Marie turned, puzzled, ¡°Li? What are you doing here?¡± As Li contorted her face in mingled shades of anger and embarrassment, she hastily turned away.

    ¡°What¡¯s her problem?¡± Marie muttered, clearly baffled but unbothered, as they proceeded inside.

    Inside, many attendees greeted them-perfume enthusiasts, Sean¡¯s followers, and those drawn by the Farrell family prestige. Yet none were there for Tina alone. Sean was a celebrated figure, and Tina, merely seen as the fiancee of Jared Farrell, wasn¡¯t expected to genuinelypete against him.

    Only the students from ss 22D, whom Tina taught, showed up to support her, having been granted special permission due to their personal connection with their lead teacher.

    As Tina took the stage under Sean¡¯s disdainful gaze, cheers from below surged up. ¡°Miss Reed, you got this!¡± She looked down to see Albert Sitwell, Velma Lehman, Shonna Woodham, and Hendrik Stiller at the forefront, waving excitedly. Beside them, Amber looked on darkly.

    Amber, since bing one of Sean¡¯s own students and briefly enjoying the adtion that brought, sent a hateful nce towards Tina, mouthing fiercely, ¡°Tina, you¡¯re doomed to lose.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Tina calmly walked to her position at the scenting station, a setup professionally divided with clear acrylic to prevent scent interference. Besides jurors mentioned by Jared, three internationally renowned fragrance experts were present.

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± Sean began before the challenge, with an air of confidence, ¡°since it¡¯s a challenge, how about we raise the stakes?¡±

    ¡°What do you propose?¡± Tina responded coolly.

    ¡°I am quite interested in the perfume form left by your mother,¡± Sean asserted, confident of his victory. ¡°If I win, I¡¯d like to exchange it for a rare antique form from my collection.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t win,¡± Tina replied, every word deliberate, dismissing his offer outright. The audience gasped, sensing her audacity, and murmurs of overconfidence filled the hall, predicting her potential downfall.

 Chapter 128: Shocking the Audience

    In the auditorium, there were several media personnel specifically invited by Sean to bolster his appearance, and some were even livestreaming on the inte. The preceding scene quickly spread online, inciting a wave of disparagement.

    Amber watched as the online topic gained traction and reveled in the harsh critiques directed at Tina, her lips curling into a satisfied smile.

    On stage, Sean could barely contain his anger, turning it into a mockingughter, ¡°Tina, you might have been a bit too arrogant!¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Tina replied, visibly annoyed.

    ¡°I will ensure you face utter humiliation!¡± Sean coldly threatened before signaling for thepetition to start.

    Given that inspiration is key in fragrance blending, even though thepetitors had been given a week to prepare, the challenge was set tost only an hour.

    The time quietly passed as the audience observed Sean theatrically sniffing various ingredients, pretending to ponder as he wrote notes. In contrast, Tina approached the blending table and swiftly picked her essential ingredients, proportioning and blending them into a perfume in less than ten minutes. Afterward, she casually napped next to the blending table, her slumbering face projected massively onto the backdrop screen.

    To ensure the contest¡¯s fairness and prevent cheating, everything at the blending tables was broadcasted onto arge screen behind the stage. Thus, Tina¡¯s magnified sleeping face upied half of the screen.

    Jared Farrell massaged his temples, finding the scene quite picturesque yet regretting the public spectacle.

    Sean, still fanning the scent from the paper with a look of scorn, had anticipated Tina¡¯s reliance on her mother¡¯s forms. He thought her naive for not even attempting to disguise it.

    Due to a video released online of Tina challenging Sean from the previous Friday, many attendees were already aware of her use of her mother¡¯s perfume form. Like Sean, they contemptuously thought that even if Tina were to win using her legacy, it was still her mother¡¯s work, not hers.

    Only the students of ss 22D and Jared Farrell showed confidence in Tina. Even the gossips, like Hayden Cohen and Nathan Lehman, doubted her.

    ¡°Marie.¡±

    Turning, Marie was surprised to see Li Sinir, ¡°Li?¡±

    Earlier, Li had abruptly left, only to return out of dissatisfaction, curious to witness Tina¡¯s expected downfall.

    ¡°Marie, you must see how inappropriate Miss Reed is behaving,¡± Li whispered, feigning concern. ¡°Everyone guessed she¡¯s using her mother¡¯s form, but she could at least pretend. Winning like this is disgraceful, losing would be even worse.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Marie snapped back, her tone cooling. ¡°Tina will not lose. She doesn¡¯t need her mother¡¯s form; she is a natural perfumery genius! Sean is nowhere close to her level.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Stunned by Marie¡¯s fierce defense, Li couldn¡¯t grasp such loyalty. A week ago, Marie had disliked Tina immensely, and now she was one of her staunchest advocates.

    Unbeknownst to Li, during the past week, Marie had witnessed Tina effortlessly create several exquisite perfumes, one notably a citrus fragrance named ¡°Marie,¡± intended only for her, never to be sold on the market.

    ¡°Li, return to your seat, the air is thinner here, and you¡¯re disturbing my breathing,¡± Marie dismissed her coldly.

    Meanwhile, an hour had passed, and Sean finished his act.

    Judges evaluated the perfumes spritzed onto scent strips. Initially, they were indifferent to Tina¡¯s sample,vishing praise only on Sean¡¯s creation. A young judgemended him, ¡°Prince of Perfume, truly a name well-earned. This creation surpasses all your previous endeavors.¡±

    The head judge, Vivienne ine, a distinguished woman nearing fifty, nodded in agreement, ¡°This might be my favorite since Q¡¯s collection. Keep pushing, and perhaps one day, you¡¯ll surpass your mentor.¡±

    The audience buzzed with the prospect of Sean exceeding his master, Q. shbulbs flickered incessantly, eager to capture this moment.

    ncing at the neglected strip containing Tina¡¯s perfume, Sean smugly smirked at her. He was certain of his victory. But just then, judge Henry White, the only one seriouslyparing both strips, whispered something to Vivienne ine. She picked up Tina¡¯s strip, gave it a sniff, and her expression morphed into one of shock. ¡°This¡­ is this Fathom?¡±

 Chapter 129: Because, I am Q!

    The other judges initially thought that Tina was just trying to provoke Sean and then use the perfume form left by her mother to hype herself up, so they were unwilling to even try her perfume. However, upon hearing Vivienne ine¡¯s words, the other three judges each picked up Tina¡¯s scent strips, smelled them repeatedly, and after confirming multiple times, their faces disyed shocked expressions. ¡°It¡¯s really Fathom!¡±

    The entire hall erupted once again, and all the news media cameras turned towards Tina, all specting why the perfume she concocted was Fathom. ¡°Impossible!¡± Sean eximed from the stage. How could Tina possibly create Fathom? The form for the illusion was something he hadn¡¯t even managed to extract from Lily Fawkes, so how could Tina have it?

    He turned and red at Tina, asking her in a stern tone, ¡°Did you secretly keep my master¡¯s perfume and swap it with the one you mixed just now?¡± ¡°Swap?¡± Tinaughed. ¡°Otherwise, how do you exin it? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s your concoction; do you think I would believe that?¡± Sean challenged.

    Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, speaking slowly and deliberately, ¡°Because-I am Q!¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    A wave of noise immediately surged in the auditorium, nearly lifting the roof. Everyone was whispering and pointing at Tina, discussing fervently. ¡°Tina is Q?¡± Marie also eximed while pinching Jared Farrell¡¯s arm, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier! If I had known, I would have asked her to mix a truckload of Fathom for me!¡±

    Jared Farrell, ¡°¡­¡±,

    Could he say he didn¡¯t know either? What other secrets could this young girl possibly have that would surprise him?

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Sean¡¯s face turned ashen, and he pointed at Tina shouting, ¡°You are not Q! How could you possibly be Q! You were only how old five years ago?¡± But then he suddenly thought of Lily Fawkes, the twelve-year-old genius perfumer. ¡°Just because you can¡¯t, doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t.¡± Tina looked at Sean, her clear eyes revealing a chilly glint.

    She moved back to her perfume station, quickly mixing two more bottles of perfume, which were then delivered to the judges¡¯ table, ¡°Q only ever mixed twenty-one bottles of Fathom, twenty sold and one gifted to a student. Apart from that, no more Fathom exists in this world, and only Q knows the form. Only Q can make Fathom.¡±

    Indeed, there were others like Sean who suspected Tina had secretly reced her work with the real Fathom perfume. But, of course, that was impossible since everything Tina did at the station was projected onto the big screen, visible to all; she had no chance to cheat.

    At this moment, a judge pointed at two perfumes Tina had just concocted, astonished, ¡°These are Abyss and Old Dream!¡± If one bottle of Fathom wasn¡¯t enough to prove Tina¡¯s identity, then adding Abyss and Old Dream left no room for rebuttal. These three perfume forms had never been disclosed and could onlye from Q. Thus, Tina truly was the legendary perfumer, Q.

    ¡°Are you really Q?¡± On the judges¡¯ panel, Vivienne ine looked at Tina with a face full of surprise, and apart from Henry White, the other three judges¡¯ gazes were filled with suspicion. Tina took out a ring and ced it on her left index finger right in front of them, the projection on stage erging the Phoenix Blossom pattern engraved on the ring several times on the big screen. ¡°Q¡¯s ring!¡± Henry White eximed,

    ¡°She really is Q!¡±

    ¡°The legendary perfumer!¡±

    No one had imagined that the girl they had underestimated from the start could actually be the legendary perfumer Q, who had taken the world by storm five years ago. After calcting, Tina would have only been fourteen years old back then? To dominate the world with three limited edition perfumes at fourteen was a rare talent indeed!

    Suddenly, Tina turned her head to look at Sean, who was retreating step by step, trying to sneak away, ¡°Running away? Didn¡¯t you say you were my student, is this how I taught you to treat your teacher?¡±

    Instantly, everyone remembered that Sean had always imed to be Q¡¯s student, but he didn¡¯t even know that Tina was Q and had presumptuously wanted to take her on as his student, even epting Tina¡¯s challenge. If they were truly mentor and student, how could such a disparity exist?

    In no time, all eyes full of doubt converged on Sean, whose face changed from white to green as he had reached the edge of the stage. Having confirmed that Tina was indeed Q, he wanted to slip away while no one was looking. ¡°Still want to leave?¡± Tina¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile, ¡°If you can make me happy today, maybe I¡¯ll consider truly taking you as a student.¡±

    ¡°Imposter!¡±

    ¡°Liar!¡±

    ¡°Shameless ¡®Perfume Prince¡¯!¡±

    Angry curses from the audience battered Sean like a storm. Sean¡¯s legs were so weak he could barely stand, he desperatelyforted himself that it was okay, Lily Fawkes was still in his hands. He could change his appearance, adopt a new identity, and continue to release new works using Lily Fawkes.

    If only he could move the siblings before Tina found out that Lily Fawkes was imprisoned by him. Unfortunately for him, Tina would not make it easy. Her expression darkened as she stepped forward, confronting Sean, ¡°You better exin to me, why did perfumes concocted by my student Lily Fawkes end up as your work, sold in the market? Your first perfume, Forrest, was one I personally directed Lily to make!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Sean forced a smile, ¡°Although I did use your student¡¯s name, all my works are my own inspiration!¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed coldly.

    At that moment, the electronic screen at the back of the stage flickered, and the disy suddenly switched to Ensford news. The scene showed Sean¡¯s mountainside vi, where Quentin and Lily Fawkes siblings were being escorted by police into an ambnce. ¡°Due to an explosion caused by illegal substances, the Ensford police came to this vi for inspection, rescuing a sibling pair from the basement. ording to them, the girl is named Lily Fawkes, a deaf-mute child with a talent for perfumery, who was imprisoned by the world-famous ¡®Perfume Prince¡¯ Sean to produce perfumes for him¡­¡±

    Following a breath of silence, the hall erupted with roaring curses.

    ¡°Oh my God! Not only is this man a fraud, but he¡¯s also a criminal!¡±

    ¡°A twelve-year-old deaf-mute girl, how could he do such a thing!¡± ¡°Scum! The scum of scum!¡±

    Many students in the audience, some of whom had brought snacks, stood up in fury, hurling their milk teas, cakes, ice creams, and more at Sean, cursing as they threw. ¡°And I admired him so much before! I was so blind!¡±

    ¡°I bought all his perfumes! And it turns out they were that poor girl¡¯s creations! Yet all the money went into his pocket!¡±

    Feeling that wasn¡¯t enough, many surged onto the stage, grabbing Sean and beating him.

 Chapter 130: I Name This Perfume â€œOld Manâ€

    Amber sat stiffly in the audience, unable toprehend how things had gone so wrong. It seemed that every time she tried to target Tina, everything unfolded in ways she never anticipated. Sean had suddenly be a kidnapper and a fraud. And her, as his student, what would be of her? She watched the furious crowd, trembling with fear of being implicated. Trying to sneak away amidst the chaos, she was blocked by a group of girls even younger than herself. They cursed her vehemently.

    ¡°Amber! Where do you think you¡¯re escaping to! No wonder Sean took you as his student, you two are both despicable scum!¡± ¡°Yes, you used to act all high and mighty in front of us, like being Sean¡¯s student was something so grand, treating us like servants. You don¡¯t deserve it!¡±

    It was unclear who pped her first or who kicked her first, but once the beating started, it was hard to stop. Every punch and kick seemed to serve justice. The police eventually intervened to stop the mob¡¯s fury, arresting Sean on suspicion of kidnapping and uwful detention.

    As the auditorium¡¯s chaos subsided, only then could the low sobs from a corner be heard. Amber¡¯s long hair was chopped messily, her school uniform torn to shreds exposing her undergarments, her body covered in bruises, her face swollen almost beyond recognition. But no one attended to her, no one helped her. Once Sean¡¯s crimes were revealed, everyone remembered her past deeds.

    Importantly, she had imed that Elizabeth had tested her and Tina for their talent in perfumery, saying it was because Tinacked talent that Elizabeth favored her, leading Tina to jealousy and pushing Jared Farrell to bankrupt the Reed family. But was that the truth? Tina,cking talent? She was Q! Her perfumes could fetch more money than the entire Reed family¡¯s fortune, why would she need jealousy or Elizabeth¡¯s approval? Thus, Amber was lying. That day, she and Sean had purposely teamed up to humiliate Tina. Such a person, habitually lying and always ready to nder her own sister, did not deserve sympathy.

    ¡°Why are you doing this to me! What did I do wrong?¡± Amber stood up angrily, using the crowd, ¡°It was all Sean¡¯s doing! I¡¯ve only met him a few days ago, I don¡¯t know anything!¡± Still, no one paid her any heed, their expressions indifferent, not a trace of pity shown.

    Unable to bear the cold treatment, she fled in despair. Meanwhile, Tina remained on the stage. Despite the chaos, her side of the stage was untouched, even the perfume-making equipment neatly in ce. After the news broke, she hadn¡¯t said a word, just watching coldly as Sean was beaten by the angry crowd before being taken away by the police.

    In reality, she could have used her influence to rescue Lily Fawkes and Quentin immediately. However, she wanted to expose Sean¡¯s full extent without revealing her strength too soon. Moreover, she wanted to escte the situation to help the Fawkes siblings. Since leaving sgow, she had been busy investigating drugs and had neglected them, allowing Sean to take advantage.

    After this incident, everyone would know that the deaf-mute girl Lily Fawkes was Q¡¯s true student, and all perfumes previouslyunched by Sean in the market were actually her creations. This revtion would make life much easier for the siblings.

    Suddenly, Tina addressed the remaining audience, ¡°Today, I intend to introduce my fourth creation.¡± The crowd was momentarily stunned. Tina quickly mixed a new perfume. The fervent eyes of the perfume enthusiasts and the judges fixed on her every move, proud to witness the birth of a new creation by the mysterious perfumer Q.

    Especially the five judges, Vivienne ine and her colleagues, shocked by the unfolding crime revtion during what was supposed to be a simple challenge. Recalling their earlier praise for Sean¡¯s creations, now known to be Lily¡¯s work, they felt disgusted.

    ¡°Miss Reed, no, Master Q,¡± Vivienne ine stood up excitedly, ¡°may we experience this new product first?¡± Instead of responding, Tina asked, ¡°Vivienne ine, would you still want to judge my perfumes if I weren¡¯t Q?¡± This left Vivienne and the other judges embarrassed, their earlier prejudice having blinded them to real talent.

    ¡°I apologize for our behavior,¡± Vivienne lowered her head, ashamed. The other judges echoed her apology. ¡°I ept your apologies,¡± Tina said, not wanting to prolong their difort, and had her new perfume presented to them. They were thrilled, honored to be among the first to critique a new creation by Q.

    Vivienne ine and Henry White were the first to sample the perfume, wafting the scented paper through the air. ¡°Truly Q¡¯s work,¡± Vivienne sighed in delight, ¡°A masculine scent with a robust middle and a warm, sensual finish. Exquisite.¡±

    Henry White nodded in agreement, asking Tina in his stiff Chinese, ¡°Is this a men¡¯s perfume?¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Tina nodded with a smile, her gaze meeting Jared Farrell¡¯s, who sat quietly observing her from below. ¡°I¡¯ve named this perfume ¡®Old Man.''¡±

    Jared Farrell, ¡°¡­¡±.

 Chapter 131: Jared Farrell Regrets

    A weekter, at the Blue Cove Apartments.

    ¡°Ha ha, Old Man! You, Old Man!¡± Hayden Cohen pointed at Jared Farrell¡¯s face, as dark as the bottom of a pot,ughing so hard that his body shook.

    ¡°Have you notughed enough after a whole week?¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s forehead throbbed with visible veins, his face as dark as charcoal.

    Ever since Tina announced the name of her new perfume, he had been enduring a relentless barrage of jokes every day.

    First, Marie and Hayden Cohen had almost burst intoughter in the auditorium at Ensford High School.

    Then his little sister, more subtly but just as sharply, teased him, innocently remarking, ¡°But Jared, you really are quite older than Tina.¡±

    In a moment of decision, he had taken Sophia, who had been avoiding Tina for a week, back to the Blue Cove Apartments, forcing her to eat three meals a day cooked by Tina without his guidance.

    Sophia, frustrated, had made several video calls back to the capital, tearfullyining everywhere.

    As a result, besides his grandfather¡¯s mockery, Jared also received various greetings from other rtives.

    Some even sent over a pile of supplements, worried that his previous disability might be why Tina found him ¡°old.¡± Most distressingly, someone had sent a box of aids and props, which, unfortunately, Tina had opened¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being old? We need to ept our age,¡± Hayden Cohen said, patting Jared Farrell¡¯s shoulder in mock constion, yet he couldn¡¯t help butugh again.

    ¡°Your fierce little fiancee is really something, using you as inspiration for a perfume and choosing such a name. Was it intentional or was it intentional?¡± he teased, sniffing Jared Farrell curiously and eximing, ¡°Wow, you¡¯re actually using it? Old Man suits Old Man, a perfect match!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk business!¡± Jared Farrell kicked him onto the couch.

    The perfume inspired by him was, of course, only suitable for him to use.

    Moreover, Tina¡¯s new product had sold just over fifty bottles, all bought by him.

    Thus, as soon as Old Man hit the market, it vanished.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    This caused an uproar among perfume collectors, including Marie, who came and made a huge fuss until she wrestled a bottle from Jared¡¯s hands.

    Despite its unfitting name, the men¡¯s fragrance was exactly to his liking and even seemed to improve his sleep.

    It felt as though it was made especially for him.

    Yet, he still felt helpless; he was only twenty-eight, just nine years older than Tina-how was he old?

    As they turned to serious matters, Hayden Cohen¡¯s expression became somber, ¡°We still haven¡¯t found where Sean is hiding.¡±

    Kidnapping and uwful detention are criminal offenses, and with minors involved, Sean couldn¡¯t be bailed out.

    But he had been severely beaten at the auditorium event and taken to the hospital for treatment, only to escape.

    For the entire week, not only the police but they too had been searching.

    Their prior investigations suggested that Sean might be connected to a certain organization.

    ¡°What about the Reed family?¡± Jared Farrell asked, frowning.

    ¡°They¡¯ve gone into hiding too,¡± Hayden Cohen replied grimly. ¡°They probably guessed we¡¯d trace Sean through them.¡±

    Jared Farrell fell silent, pondering. If Sean truly had ties with the organization, he might already be dead or taken away by them, as they would not let their people fall into police hands.

    In a basement somewhere in the eastern district.

    ¡°Tina, you bitch! I¡¯ll kill you someday!¡± Ambery on the bed in pain as Sean straddled her, pping her face, but she just clenched her teeth and remained silent.

    Her long hair, which had been a part of her identity, was now cut short after thest incident.

    Initially, she had wanted to call the police during the chaos at the auditorium, but the surveince footage reviewed by the police didn¡¯t show the girls she used of hitting her, leaving the matter unresolved.

    Then, she was taken by Sean¡¯s men, along with Elizabeth, the Pinewood brothers, and Talon, to this dark, damp basement, never returning to school, treated like a doll for Sean to vent on.

    What infuriated her most was that Sean used her as a substitute for Tina, venting all his hatred for Tina on her.

    Her body was almost devoid of any spot not marred by his abuse.

    Why should she suffer as Tina¡¯s substitute?

    Yet, she dared not resist; the first time she did, Sean beat her nearly to death, threatening to throw her to his men.

    Sean med everything on her, believing his downfall was because he tried to help her.

    He even showed her the debt contracts he had taken on to help the Reed family, telling her she could not leave unless she paid off the debt.

    But it wasn¡¯t her debt; it belonged to the Reed family, why should she pay it back?

    Once Sean finally left her alone, Amber headed towards her room.

    Passing by Elizabeth¡¯s room, she overheard Pinewood saying, ¡°Mom, you should never have treated Tina that way. If you had been kind to her, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s the use of praising Amber all the time? She can¡¯t even be a good whore. Sean doesn¡¯t even like her that much. Tina would have been better; she has two PhDs and is a master perfumer. If she were willing to help us, the Reed family¡¯s perfumes could be world-famous.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the use of talking about this now!¡± Elizabeth red at Pinewood fiercely. ¡°That wild seed Tina was never one of us! Do you think being nice to her would make her help us? Our only chance to rise again lies in Amber pleasing Sean!¡±

    ¡°What good does pleasing him do? He can¡¯t even save himself,¡± Pinewood muttered. ¡°We might as well go back and beg Hugo; maybe there¡¯s still some hope.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! That whole heartless family won¡¯t help us! Haven¡¯t we begged them before?¡±

    Amber listened coldly. She could tell that Elizabeth spoke harshly, but her heart was wavering.

    She sneered internally, using her body to please Sean, just to keep them safe here, and now they dared to scorn her.

    She nced at the basement¡¯s exit, thinking that Pinewood was right; Sean was in no position to help them anymore.

    Was she really meant to spend her life trapped here without freedom?

    No, she refused!

 Chapter 132: Trouble for Hugo

    Amber surveyed her surroundings momentarily. Seizing a moment when the guards at the door werex, she slipped out, nning to borrow a nearby phone to call the police. By reporting Sean, she, as a student, would publicly sever all ties with him. Only with his incarceration could she gain her freedom. Fleeing in haste, she didn¡¯t even wear her shoes, running barefoot on the concrete, desperately racing towards the bus station where a man in a ck suit stood.

    ¡°Sir, may I use your phone? I need to call the police!¡± she pleaded, ignoring her sore feet as she hurried over.

    ¡°Oh?¡± The man turned around, revealing a face that was handsome yet chillingly indifferent. ¡°Call the police?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve spotted a fugitive. I need to report him!¡± Amber nodded vigorously.

    The man scoffed and suddenly, his gloved hand mped over Amber¡¯s mouth, dragging her back to the basement.

    It was over! Amber was shocked, realizing this man was in cahoots with Sean.

    ¡°Useless!¡± the man threw Amber in front of Sean. ¡°You can¡¯t even keep an eye on your own woman, letting her escape to call the cops!¡±

    ¡°Sir, sir!¡± Sean, initially disheveled on the bed, was terrified at the sight of the man and scrambled off, kneeling on the floor.

    Yet, seeing Amber, he couldn¡¯t resist pping her hard. ¡°You traitorous wench! You dare betray me!¡±

    Amber shivered, curling up, too frightened to speak.

    ¡°Have you forgotten who pulled you out of detention?¡± Sean lunged to hit her again.

    ¡°Waste!¡± The man kicked Sean to the ground. ¡°The organization sent you back to investigate, and you¡¯ve done nothing butpete in perfumery, ending up disgraced!¡±

    ¡°It was her, she encouraged me to confront Tina!¡± Sean quickly med Amber for everything.

    ¡°A mere woman clouds your judgment, and you dare talk?¡± The man¡¯s voice grew colder.

    ¡°Sir, please let me redeem myself!¡± Sean pleaded, bowing repeatedly. ¡°I promise to secure Tina¡¯s perfume forms!¡±

    ¡°No need.¡± The man dismissed Sean heartlessly. ¡°I¡¯ll take over from here. Follow my lead.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Sean cowered like a dog, not daring to defy.

    Yet the man¡¯s gaze shifted to Amber at the side. Overhearing their conversation and pondering their interest in Tina¡¯s mother¡¯s perfume forms, Amber felt a chill as the man coldly asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to call the cops?¡±

    ¡°No! No! I was wrong, I won¡¯t do it again! I won¡¯t call the police!¡± Amber trembled uncontrobly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, here¡¯s the phone. Go ahead, call the police,¡± the man paradoxically handed her the phone.

    Amber took the phone in a daze¡­

    At the Blue Cove Apartments, Tina had been busy settling Lily Fawkes and her siblings all week. The exposure of Lily Fawkes as Tina¡¯s student, coupled with Tina¡¯s minimalist approach to perfumery  releasing only four scents in five years  had deterred major brands looking for profit. Consequently, many turned their attention to Lily Fawkes. However, due to Quentin and Lily¡¯s inexperience, Tina, concerned they might be taken advantage of, had Cole Lyon arrange a legal advisor to review their contracts. Once Tina finished, she returned to Jared Farrell¡¯s apartment only to meet his resentful gaze.

    ¡°Tina, do I really look that old?¡±

    Tina looked up seriously, ¡°You look youthful¡­¡±

    Jared Farrell barely sighed in relief when Tina added, ¡°But your age is indeed advanced, Uncle Farrell.¡±

    Jared Farrell, ¡°¡­¡±

    Regretting his request to change how she addressed him, he was about to suggest she revert, when Tina¡¯s phone rang. It was Jennie.

    ¡°Tina, your dad¡¯s in trouble!¡± Jennie said urgently. ¡°Amber has used him of rape!¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Tina¡¯s expression darkened more than a stormy sky.

    Jared Farrell showed her the news on his phone. The video reported, ¡°This afternoon at two, the East Town police received a report. Perfume guru Q¡¯s father, Hugo Reed, has been used of raping his foster daughter, Amber Reed, and is now detained¡­¡±

    The news detailed allegations against Hugo for pedophilia and mentioned how his mother, Elizabeth Reed, testified to protect Amber from him, raising her herself for years.

    After watching the entire video, Tina¡¯s expression was icy cold.

    She put away her phone, herugh bitterly cold, ¡°Do they all think I¡¯m too good-natured?¡±

    Jared Farrell gently touched her head, softly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    ¡°No need, I will handle it myself!¡± Tina replied, her voice as frosty as her demeanor.

    She paused, then returnedJennie¡¯s call, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the news.¡±

    ¡°Tina, your dad is not that kind of person!¡± Jennie sobbed through the phone. ¡°When we adopted Amber, your dad truly cared for her like a daughter, he was really good to her. She chose to stay with your grandmother because she was chasing wealth over family.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°I know,¡± Tina¡¯s voice softened to reassure her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if Mr. Reed is innocent, I¡¯ll prove it.¡±

    ¡°How could she do this to him after all the good he did for her?¡± Jennie was bewildered, struggling to understand how even in pursuit of revenge, Amber could tarnish her own reputation so drastically.

    ¡°And your grandmother, how could she say those things about her own son?¡±

 Chapter 133: Sean Makes Her Uneasy

    For the case involving Hugo, Amber¡¯s usations weren¡¯t the most damaging; the real blow was Elizabeth¡¯s shocking decision to provide false testimony. She detailed the events with precise dates and settings, creating a story so borate it was hard to believe. Who would think someone would use their own son of such heinous acts against an adopted granddaughter without any reason-unless it was true? This line of thinking swayed public opinion heavily against Hugo, to the detriment of his and his future inws¡¯pany stock prices.

    ¡°The kind of person Elizabeth is, you¡¯ve known all along, haven¡¯t you?¡± Tina spoke calmly. Elizabeth, who would sever ties with her own son just to steal a perfume form, was hardly a saint. Yet, Tina didn¡¯t believe that Elizabeth, always driven by self-interest, would help Amber frame her son without a significant motive. Nor did she believe Amber would risk her reputation merely for revenge without being driven by some benefit. But whose benefit was it?

    ¡°What do we do now? I went to the police station, but they wouldn¡¯t let me see your dad,¡± Jennie choked out. During an investigation, suspects aren¡¯t allowed to meet with family. ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Tina said, ¡°and don¡¯t go meeting with Amber or anyone from the Reed family behind the scenes.¡± The situation was too public for Tina to use her connections to simply free Hugo; everything had to be done legally and transparently.

    After a pause, Jennie added, ¡°I got a call from someone at Pinewood wanting to meet to discuss this.¡± ¡°You agreed?¡± Tina¡¯s voice grew heavy. ¡°Yes.¡± Tina frowned. Jennie¡¯s desperation was understandable; if Elizabeth could be persuaded to recant, the case against Hugo would weaken significantly. ¡°Jennie, stop worrying. Stay home and take care of Zackary. I¡¯ll handle everything.¡±

    Tina¡¯s calm and reassuring tone seemed to stabilize Jennie. Moreover, Jared Farrell was also there to assist. Despite never intending to exploit their connection to the Farrell family, sometimes debts of gratitude were inevitable. ¡°Alright, Tina, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±

    After assuring Jennie to wait for news at home, Tina hadn¡¯t even contacted Jayden when he called first. Jared Farrell, who had been quietly observing, now watched as she moved to the window to take the call. ¡°My lord, it¡¯s our fault. We saw Amber alone in that room and let our guard down, and this happened,¡± Jayden admitted guiltily. ¡°It was a setup,¡± Tina realized, thinking it through. Her men could handle assassins but not stop police action-a clever trap by the enemies, likely targeting her. ¡°Keep an eye on Jennie and Zackary,¡± she ordered coldly. ¡°We will,¡± Jayden assured her. ¡°And find out who¡¯s really behind Amber,¡± Tina added before hanging up.

    After the call, Tina messaged Cole Lyon to appoint a topwyer for Hugo. Only awyer could meet with him now to understand the case details thoroughly. ¡°Tina,¡± Jared spoke softly as he approached and embraced her,forting her, ¡°don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll clear your father¡¯s name.¡± He had already mobilized his resources to investigate the matter and expose Amber¡¯s instigators.

    Yet, what troubled Tina wasn¡¯t just the false usations or Elizabeth¡¯s perjury. As long as Hugo was innocent, she could clear his name. It was Sean¡¯s reaction that unsettled her. Known for wearing his emotions openly, Sean¡¯s uncharacteristically joyful appearance in the news after being betrayed was perplexing. The news photo disyed a smugly smiling Sean, which was entirely out of character.

    The most urgent matter was getting Hugo released. While she could have pushed for his release through negotiations, that would only draw more bacsh. For now, Hugo needed to stay detained. Leaning against Jared, Tina allowed herself a moment of rest before borrowing hisptop to dig deeper. She hacked into the surveince system of the motel where the incident urred, named Fast Food. The footage revealed its dingy, narrow corridors and worn, dirty carpets.

    Earlier that day, Amber had called Hugo, pretending to be distraught and inebriated, begging him to pick her up from this seedy motel. Despite everything, Hugo couldn¡¯t ignore his foster daughter¡¯s plea and had gone alone to help her, walking right into the trapid for him.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 134: Want to Run?

    Tina had watched Hugo from the moment he stepped into the budget hotel and entered the room booked by Amber, until he was taken away by the police. Unfortunately, the hotel¡¯s surveince captured nothing inside the room itself.

    She reviewed the videos from the past few days again, but aside from Amber going to the room alone, no other suspicious individuals or breakthroughs were found.

    Unwilling to give up, she traced Amber¡¯s route to the hotel, hacking into all the surveince cameras along the way, stretching as far as the streets of East District, an area known for its chaos and scant surveince-most of which were inoperative.

    After some thought, she looked at the nearby surveince footage from a day earlier and saw Amber, barefoot and bruised, fleeing from a building to a bus stop. The footage at the bus stop had been deleted.

    Tina curled her lips into a cold smile as her fingers danced rapidly across the keyboard, soon recovering the deleted footage. She saw a man in a ck suit from behind but could not see his face.

    ¡°This man¡­¡± Jared Farrell frowned, studying the figure in the video.

    ¡°Do you know him?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that the silhouette seems familiar; hard to say without seeing his face,¡± Jared Farrell grimly replied.

    Tina was silent, quickly capturing a still image of the man¡¯s silhouette and posting it online. The caption read simply, ¡± Want to run?¡±

    As soon as she posted it, thements exploded. People were leaving messages.

    ¡°Miss Reed, or should I say, Ms. Q, how do you feel knowing your father assaulted your sister?¡±

    ¡°That silhouette doesn¡¯t look like Jared Farrell, does it? Is Tina hinting at her own infidelity?¡±

    ¡°Are you sick? Your father almost raped your sister, and you¡¯re here posting pictures of men?¡±

    ¡°Is it because your father is a criminal that the Farrell family is calling off your engagement? Is that why you¡¯ve found someone new so quickly?¡±

    Tina ignored the online trolls. She was just waiting for a response to her post.

    Less than three minutester, someone tried to hack her ount and delete the photo. Tina¡¯s lips curled into a smirk as her slender, pale fingers flew over the keyboard.

    Jared Farrell watched in silence as Tina yed a game of cat and mouse with her opponent in the digital world, tracking and counter-tracking, a silent war waged without gunfire. Her smile deepened with each move.

    In the luxury suite at the Gilded Opulence Lounge, a strikingly beautiful man watched hisptop crash, disying Tina¡¯s screenshot and the provocative words, ¡°Trying to run?¡± He smashed theputer, destroying the motherboard and quickly erasing his traces before hastily leaving the lounge.

    His hacking skills were top-notch; few in the world could best him. Yet, someone had managed to track him down so quickly.

    Who could it be? An ally of Tina¡¯s? He hadn¡¯t felt this challenged since hest encountered the top hacker of the dark web, Grey Wolf. Yet, he didn¡¯t think Tina could have enlisted Grey Wolf¡¯s help.

    He didn¡¯t go far but hid nearby. Soon, two groups of people rushed towards the Gilded Opulence Lounge. Had he not acted quickly and fled upon being located, he would have been trapped.

    He received a call in a secluded street corner. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have left any traces,¡± amanding voice filled with experience spoke from the other end.

    ¡°I only left the silhouette,¡± he replied after a pause, knowing full well that people like him should leave no traceable images. Yet, despite his efforts topletely erase and destroy the surveince footage, it had been restored.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t delete it?¡± The voice on the phone seemed to understand.

    He remained silent.

    ¡°Ha,¡± the voiceughed softly, ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve met your match. Good, stay in Ensford and stretch your legs a bit.¡±

    He responded coolly, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Remember, don¡¯t lose,¡± the man said. ¡°You are my most satisfactory creation. If you lose, you know what awaits.¡±

    He hung up, his expression cold and his paleplexion more pronounced.

    He knew the consequences. A failed creation could only be destroyed.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    Back at Blue Cove Apartments.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± Jared Farrell handed a ss of water to Tina, who had just located the man¡¯s address and secretly informed Jayden. She had known from the start that the man wouldn¡¯t foolishly wait for them to catch him, but hisst known location being the Gilded Opulence Lounge had surprised her. It was a ce her people had thoroughly investigated; he must have thought it the safest ce because it was the most dangerous.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner,¡± Jared suggested, pulling Tina towards the dining table.

    For the first time, Tina noticed that during her digital duel, Jared had considerately prepared dinner-three dishes and a soup. She was somewhat moved, realizing the happiness of having someone who took care of all the little details in life.

    However, the next message from Jayden was less pleasant. Someone had caused a disturbance at the Royal Oaks entrance using Hugo¡¯s incident as a pretext, and Jennie and Zackary had almost been attacked with acid. Fortunately, the police had intervened and apprehended the perpetrator.

    Hearing this, Tina didn¡¯t get angry but smiled instead. She was certain this was that man¡¯s counterattack.

    Her smile deepened.

    The game had begun.

    Very well!

 Chapter 135: Class 22D Stands Up for Tina

    At Ensford High School, there wasn¡¯t supposed to be a gym ss today, but Jared Farrell, concerned for Tina, decided to apany her to school anyway. Upon their arrival at the school¡¯s main entrance, they were greeted by a scene outside Ensford High School. A group of parents had blocked the entrance with a banner proiming, ¡°Expel the criminal¡¯s daughter, a pedophile¡¯s daughter does not deserve to teach!¡±

    A middle-aged man, megaphone in hand, stood on a stone pedestal by the roadside, shouting to passersby, ¡°They say like father, like son. What can a man who rapes his own foster daughter teach his? A daughter like that teaching others is not just misleading them; it could lead to scandals!¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s car couldn¡¯t get through due to the crowd. Tina, undeterred, stepped out of the car with a calm expression. Jared signaled to the driver, Nathan, and followed her out. As soon as Tina appeared, the crowd recognized her. The man with the megaphone immediately shouted, ¡°That¡¯s Tina Reed!¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Tina looked straight ahead, while Jared gave the man a chilling nce, causing him to shudder and nearly fall off his perch. Annoyed and embarrassed, the man yelled into the megaphone at Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, how can you even show your face at school! The girl your father raped is not only his foster daughter but also a student here. You must have known about your father¡¯s crimes living under the same roof! You¡¯re an aplice!¡±

    ¡°Is your child in ss 22D?¡± Tina asked, squinting slightly at him.

    ¡°No, no, he¡¯s in Grade 10¡­¡± the man began, suspiciously adding, ¡°Why are you asking this? Trying to take revenge on my son?¡±

    ¡°If your child isn¡¯t in my ss, what are you doing making a scene here?¡± Tina countered.

    The man was taken aback and then resumed his rant, ¡°Even if my son isn¡¯t your student, the thought of having someone like you in the school is unsettling!¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, her face unreadable, ¡°So, what do you want?¡±

    ¡°Get out of Ensford High School! There¡¯s still a month before their exams. Who knows what could happen in a month!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business what happens,¡± a voice suddenly interjected. Just then, about forty luxury cars swooped into the school entrance, encircling the protesting parents.

    The sight was intimidating, and the crowd fell silent instantly. The dramatic arrival was worthy of a gang showdown. Out of the cars stepped a group of well-dressed men and women, all parents of students from ss 22D, led by Velma Lehman¡¯s grandmother. She looked sternly at the protesting parents, ¡°Since Miss Reed arrived, my granddaughter¡¯s grades have jumped from being held back two years in a row to being in the top hundred of her grade. She¡¯s a savior in my granddaughter¡¯s education, and I dare anyone to drive her out!¡±

    ¡°Yes, we were almost giving up on our child, but since Miss Reed¡¯s arrival, his grades have soared! Do you know how hard it was to bring Professor Lininger here? If you drive Miss Reed away, what happens if Professor Lininger leaves too? If my child can¡¯t get into the best university, will youpensate me?¡±

    Albert Sitwell¡¯s family, known for their jade business, also made a strong impression. His mother, adorned in an expensive jade set, pointed fingers, causing the agitated parents to fear for the safety of her jewelry.

    Shonna Woodham¡¯s mother, Beatrice, not only came herself but also brought her brother along. Mr. Fanning, still handsome and dignified in middle age, stepped forward, eyeing the crowd. Suddenly, he pointed at the man with the megaphone, now hiding among the people, ¡°Tristan Wardwell, have you finished your quarterly reports? Skipping work to make trouble here? Do you want to be fired?¡±

    ¡°No, no, Mr. Fanning, I¡¯m wrong. I¡¯ll go back right now, please don¡¯t fire me,¡± Tristan Wardwell, previously so bold, now begged miserably.

    Ignoring him, Mr. Fanning continued to spot several others trying to slip away, ¡°And you, and you, and you! Walter White! Lily Brooks! Wendy rke! How idle must your department be to let you all skip work? Am I paying you to do nothing?¡±

    ¡°Instead of doing your jobs, youe here to trouble our teacher!¡±

    Following Mr. Fanning¡¯s lead, other ss 22D parents also began to call out their employees in the crowd. There was no choice; most of Ensford¡¯s businesses were controlled by these parents.

    Soon, sries and bonuses were being docked, and attendances were marked absent. The front of Ensford High School erupted into a cacophony of protests, but no one dared to harass Tina anymore.

    The school janitors watched, dumbfounded and in awe. The disparity between sses was stark in its influence.

    In the end, Tina was escorted into the school by Grandma Lehman holding her hand and Beatrice linking arms with her, surrounded by the protective circle of ss 22D parents. The spectacle was grand.

    Jared Farrell, sidelined in themotion, had never imagined such a scenario.

    Tina was deeply touched by her students¡¯ parents today. When she initially joined Ensford High School as the lead teacher, partly due to Amber¡¯s provocation, she was genuinely dedicated to her students in ss 22D. Yet, she had never expected anything in return.

    But just now, these parents had stood in front of her, shielding her. Her cold heart warmed slightly, reminiscent of how her mother used to protect her from dangers ten years ago.

    As Grandma Lehman was leaving, she held onto Tina¡¯s hand, reluctant to let go, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t take those rumors to heart. If anyone troubles you again, just tell me. I¡¯ll lie down on the ground; let¡¯s see if they dare to bother you after that.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Grandma Lehman,¡± Tina chuckled, a rare smile spreading across her lips.

    ¡°Ah, you haven¡¯t visited me in so long, you ungrateful girl,¡± Grandma Lehmanined, ¡°Make sure youe and visit me.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Tina promised with a light smile.

    ¡°Miss Reed, thank you for looking after our girl,¡± Beatrice added, ¡°Since she started school, she¡¯s be much more outgoing.¡±

    Also, thanks to the medicine Tina provided, Shonna Woodham¡¯s facial scars had been fading, which delighted both mother and daughter. Although they had paid for the medicine, they were profoundly grateful to Tina.

    Hence, upon hearing about the incident, Beatrice immediately contacted Grandma Lehman and then rallied the other parents of ss 22D toe together.

    As Tina was heading back to her office, she encountered Professor Lininger walking towards her with a pale, handsome man by his side.

 Chapter 136: Needles

    When Tina arrived, Professor Lininger was visibly excited to introduce her to someone. ¡°Tina, let me introduce you to Ss ckwood, an old friend¡¯s son who has just returned to the city. Like you, he¡¯s a tech genius. You should find some time to exchange ideas.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Tina,¡± said Ss ckwood, offering his right hand. Tina took a longer look at him. She had seen many handsome men and beautiful women, but it was the first time she had seen a man who could be described as ¡®beautiful.¡¯

    ¡°Hello, Mr. ckwood,¡± she replied, shaking his hand despite his cold demeanor.

    ¡°Mr. Hollingsworth was so unlucky yesterday,¡± Professor Lininger sighed. ¡°He was walking down the street when a car rushed out and hit him. He¡¯s now lying in the hospital, so he won¡¯t be able to attend the uing French sses for ss 22D.¡±

    Patting Ss ckwood¡¯s shoulder with a smile, he added, ¡°Luckily, Ss is back. With exams only a month away, he¡¯ll have to fill in.¡±

    Tina remained silent, sizing up Ss ckwood who, noticing her stare, awkwardly reached into his pocket and handed her a piece of paper. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I got my license. I assure you, your students will be in good hands.¡±

    Professor Lininger couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. ¡°I chose him because he¡¯s capable. Tina trusts my judgment, right?¡±

    ¡°Mr. ckwood, we¡¯re counting on you,¡± Tina nodded, not adding anything more.

    After Professor Lininger and Ss ckwood left, Tina stood there, watching his retreating figure.

    ¡°Tina, there you go again, eyeing another man behind my back,¡± Jared Farrell appeared suddenly, his tone tinged with jealousy.

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it if he¡¯s good-looking,¡± Tina chuckled, half-seriously.

    ¡°Is he better looking than me?¡± Jared nced at the distant figure of Ss ckwood, his eyes darkening as he pressed for an answer.

    ¡°About the same,¡± Tina said after a moment¡¯sparison, then teasingly added, ¡°But he¡¯s younger.¡±

    Thatment hit Jared hard, making him want to prove his youth in more ways than one.

    ¡°Tina,¡± someone called out to her. She turned to see Elena Heisler looking timidly at her. ¡°I, I have something to show you.¡±

    Jared frowned. ¡°Who is this now?¡±

    Elena, seeing their silence, grew anxious. ¡°This could prove your father¡¯s innocence.¡±

    Tina and Jared looked at each other and then walked over to Elena. ¡°What is it?¡± Tina asked.

    Elena silently yed a video for them. It showed Amberining about Hugo¡¯s family being poor and only living well because of Elizabeth.

    ¡°At least this proves Hugo didn¡¯t molest Amber as a child,¡± Elena hurriedly exined. ¡°I can testify for your father if needed. Amber has said a lot of demeaning things about you too.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll take the video. It might be useful,¡± Tina epted the video, though she knew proving child molestation was nearly impossible with the current evidence.

    ¡°What makes you believe my father is innocent?¡± Tina asked curiously.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Elena shot back. ¡°Amber is a liar. That¡¯s why I believe your father.¡±

    With that, Elena turned and ran off.

    Tina pursed her lips, slightly amused by Elena¡¯s change of heart.

    Later in the afternoon, after a sessful meeting between Hugo and awyer, Cole Lyon called Tina, his tone grave.

    ¡°Serena, thewyer met with your father. He said he went to the motel after a call from Amber, not thinking much of it, only to be knocked out upon entering. He doesn¡¯t remember anything after that.¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina responded, already aware of the situation from the surveince footage.

    ¡°There¡¯s more,¡± Cole continued. ¡°Serena, as you expected, your father was ced in the same cell as Sean.¡±

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Tina¡¯s voice was tense.

    ¡°Yes, on his first day, he was injured,¡± Cole exined. ¡°They used a method that doesn¡¯t leave visible marks, making it impossible for thewyer to request a cell change.¡±

    ¡°Special?¡± Tina frowned.

    ¡°They used thin, long needles that cause excruciating pain but leave no wounds,¡± Cole said gravely. ¡°The guards searched the cell, even using metal detectors, but found nothing. They concluded your father was lying.¡±

    ¡°Those needles must not be made of metal,¡± Tina muttered, recalling the news images of Sean¡¯s arrest.

    ¡°Their goal is to torture Hugo during his detention, regardless of the rape charges. That kind of case takes long to resolve, giving them ample time.¡±

    ¡°What do they want?¡± Tina asked coldly.

    ¡°Your mother¡¯s perfume form,¡± Cole answered.

    As expected, Tina scoffed. ¡°Tell Mr. Reed to give them whatever they want.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already advised him,¡± Cole sighed. ¡°But your father is stubborn. Despite being tortured all night and appearing very weak, he refuses to give up your mother¡¯s form. He says it shouldn¡¯t be used this way.¡±

    Hugo was a simple man, yet sometimes enigmatic. He could be weak in many aspects, but incredibly stubborn when it came to principles.

    ¡°Serena, those needles can be lethal if they hit the wrong spot,¡± Cole continued. ¡°We can¡¯t get a cell change, and someone is blocking his bail application. What do you think we should do?¡±

 Chapter 137: A Trap

    Tina paused in silence, reflecting meticulously on the potential ws within the intricate trap that had beenid out. Suddenly, an idea struck her and she leaped to her feet, heading towards the exit. As she passed by Ss ckwood, she brushed against him unintentionally.

    She had just looked up when she was forcefully pulled away from Ss ckwood. ¡°Be careful,¡± Jared Farrell said, holding her hand.

    Ss ckwood nced briefly at their intertwined hands, nodded in an apologetic gesture, and walked away.

    ¡°Jared Farrell, do you have yourptop in the car?¡± Tina asked abruptly.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s at home,¡± Jared Farrell shook his head.

    ¡°Then take me home now,¡± Tinamanded, heading downstairs.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jared inquired, following her.

    Tina did not respond but silently rode in Jared Farrell¡¯s car back to the Blue Cove apartmentplex. The moment she entered, she grabbed theptop from the sofa and began reviewing the surveince footage from Fast Food. The day before Amber had checked into her room, a young woman had also visited the room to catch a cheating spouse. Tina researched this woman thoroughly and discovered she had installed a hidden camera in the room, capturing her husband¡¯s infidelity. Immediately, Tina called Cole Lyon.

    ¡°Pass a message, let the police station release news that a hidden camera was found in the Fast Food room where the incident urred.¡±

    Cole Lyon was efficient; within half an hour, the news was all over the inte, sparking discussions about the rape case at Fast Food and the discovered hidden camera, though no one knew who had installed it.

    The following afternoon, Tina received a call at school.

    ¡°Miss Reed, my name is Thaddeus Littlefield. I have the footage from that room,¡± the young woman said straightforwardly. ¡°The video can definitely prove your father¡¯s innocence. I¡¯m asking for five million dors for it.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°How did you get the video?¡± Tina asked directly.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Thaddeus chuckled. ¡°I had installed the camera there initially to catch a cheater, and in my anger, I forgot to remove it. It just so happened to capture the incident with your father.¡±

    Thaddeus paused then added, ¡°If you don¡¯t want the video, I might sell it to someone else. I think your adopted sister would be willing to pay.¡±

    ¡°She has no money,¡± Tina scoffed coldly.

    ¡°I know you can afford it, as you sell expensive perfumes,¡± Thaddeusughed heartily. ¡°So I came straight to you.¡±

    ¡°Give me the address, I¡¯lle to you tomorrow for a face-to-face deal,¡± Tina decided firmly.

    Thaddeus promptly gave her the address.

    After hanging up, Tina cautiously nced around and noticed Ss ckwood descending the stairs with a stack of books. However, the next day, Tina did not go to the meeting. Instead, she sat leisurely in a cafe across from Thaddeus Littlefield¡¯s residence, her eyes fixed on herptop screen.

    The screen showed a surveince feed of Thaddeus Littlefield¡¯s house. Amber, dressed casually in sportswear and wearing a cap, entered the building.

    Five minutester, Amber appeared on Tina¡¯sptop screen.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Thaddeus eximed upon seeing Amber.

    ¡°I heard you have a video you want to sell to my sister Tina? You can sell it to me for the same price,¡± Amber stated bluntly.

    ¡°The same price?¡± Thaddeus scoffed. ¡°Selling to you would require double the price, ten million!¡±

    Startled by the amount, Amber angrily asked, ¡°Are you hiking up the price?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m selling it to Tina to help prove your foster father¡¯s innocence, which is me being kind,¡± Thaddeus replied coldly. ¡°Selling it to you would be like abetting evil. You¡¯re asking me tomit a sin, so I need to charge more.¡±

    ¡°Did you really capture it?¡± Amber¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°I did. Your father was knocked out the moment he entered your room,¡± Thaddeus answered nonchntly.

    ¡°Seems you really captured everything,¡± Amber said, her smile turning sinister. ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t sell the video to me?¡±

    ¡°No. Your sister is richer than you. Not even ten million, she would probably give twenty million,¡± Thaddeus said dismissively.

    ¡°In that case,¡± Amber¡¯s eyes darkened as she suddenly lunged at Thaddeus, grabbing her by the throat. ¡°Then you might as well die.¡±

    When Tina arrived, she found Amber on top of Thaddeus, choking her and demanding the video¡¯s location. Thaddeus screamed for help.

    At this moment, Tina swiftly approached and kicked Amber away. Amber sat stunned on the ground as her phone buzzed with messages; the entire incident had been broadcast online by Tina.

    The video proved that Amber had framed Hugo, clearing him of the wrongful charges. The plot twist shocked the onlinemunity.

    People online expressed disbelief, questioning why Amber would go to such lengths to frame her own foster father.

    Staring at the barrage of online queries, Amber finally realized the truth and scoffed at Tina, ¡°It¡¯s a trap! There was no video at all!¡±

    Nobody responded to her usation; instead, Tina and Thaddeus simply watched her quietly.

    At that moment, the police arrived and handcuffed Amber, leading her away.

    Amber had guessed right; it had all been a setup. There was no video.

    It was just a ploy to expose Amber, who had foolishly fallen for it.

    When Tina received a call from Cole Lyon informing her that Hugo had been released, she and Jared Farrell were quietly sitting at school.

    Cole, utterly astonished, asked on the phone, ¡°Serena, how did you know it would be Amber, that fool, who would go to that woman instead of GTO just barging in to kill her?¡±

    ¡°Because GTO would fear killing her might result in the video still getting out, possibly ending up in my hands,¡± Tina replied with a lightugh. ¡°So, I let Amber test the waters first.¡±

    Fortunately, Amber was as foolish as Tina had predicted.

    She had simply set a trap, intentionally causing the police to release misleading information about discovering a hidden camera in that room. Then, she had bribed Thaddeus Littlefield to pretend she had a video that could exonerate Hugo, ensuring she would reach out to Tina.

 Chapter 138: I Will Run into City Hall All Naked!

    Amber was restless, knowing a video capturing her framing Hugo existed, especially after learning Thaddeus Littlefield had been in contact with Tina. The people at GTO were also investigating whether Thaddeus Littlefield had truly been out to catch her cheating husband the day before. It was true that Thaddeus had once installed a spy camera in a room to catch her husband cheating with his mistress and had indeed recorded her husband. However, the camera had been removed on the very day she used it to catch the affair. Unknown to Amber and GTO, they merely suspected its existence after confirming Thaddeus had installed it, falling right into the trap Tina had set.

    ¡°How did you know it was Amber who knocked out your dad?¡± Cole Lyon was puzzled. ¡°Even your dad didn¡¯t see who it was; he was knocked out as soon as he entered. Maybe it was someone else hiding in the room?¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for Thaddeus Littlefield mentioning it, Amber might not have revealed the truth so quickly. It was indeed her who had knocked out Hugo, and hearing Thaddeus mention it, Amber panicked, thinking Thaddeus had real evidence, which led her to try and strangle him, demanding the video.

    ¡°Just guessing,¡± Tina replied calmly. Cole Lyon was speechless. ¡°That¡¯s my Serena,¡± he said after a pause. Tina remained silent for a moment, then added, ¡°You might want to get your IQ tested.¡±

    Cole Lyon was left speechless again. Whether it was truly Amber who had knocked out Hugo was merely Tina¡¯s spection based on Hugo¡¯s statement. It was possible that someone else had been hiding in that room that day. Tina had reviewed the motel¡¯s surveince footage and found no one other than Amber had entered that room, and the person she had assigned to follow and protect Hugo hadn¡¯t seen anyone else leave either.

    ¡°Your dad¡¯s been released, but he¡¯s not well; he¡¯s been taken to the hospital. You should go see him.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes hardened. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Cole Lyon hesitated before replying, ¡°Sean¡¯s people knew your father was being released, so they went too far.¡±

    At the hospital, Tina and Jared Farrell rushed there to find Hugo already in surgery. Jennie, with Zackary and others, waited outside in the family area, where several police officers, including Andrew Heisler and Chief Kampwerth, were also present.

    ¡°Tina, you¡¯re here?¡± Jennie tried to smile through her tears, but couldn¡¯t. ¡°What did the doctors say?¡± she started but broke down again, managing to say, ¡°They¡¯ve found over twenty needles lodged in your father¡¯s body, two in his lung lobes. He needs surgery to remove them all.¡± Tina felt a surge of murderous intent. She had rescued Hugo as quickly as she could, yet he was still harmed. Sean¡¯s people, knowing Hugo was about to be released, decided to take drastic actions to retaliate against her.

    Amber, Sean, they all deserved to die!

    Jared Farrell held Tina¡¯s hand, trying to calm her rising anger, and red at Chief Kampwerth and the others. ¡°Is this how you watch over people?¡± he said sternly.

    ¡°I am truly sorry,¡± Chief Kampwerth apologized, though he wasn¡¯t responsible for the detention center. Hugo had clearly been wronged, and yet after just 48 hours in custody, he was severely injured and needed hospitalization.

    Tina, understanding, merely nodded coldly. Jared whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the warden of this detention center and his direct supervisor won¡¯t be in their positions for long.¡± It was clear that cing Hugo with Sean, knowing the bad blood between Sean and Tina, was no coincidence. These people probably hadn¡¯t anticipated Sean¡¯s desperation leading to such severe consequences.

    The suspects were still being interrogated when someone took matters into their own hands, a scenario that could be mistaken for police brutality. Now that the situation had escted, and no media had picked up on it, clearly someone was suppressing the news. Tina wouldn¡¯t let them get their way, she coldly crafted a post about the incident and shared it online.

    Within half an hour, the media swarmed the hospital. Chief Kampwerth and Andrew Heisler faced a barrage of microphones, powerless to stop it. They knew Tina was right to expose the situation. Soon, news of Hugo, innocently framed by his stepdaughter and brutally beaten in his cell by an inmate, spread across the inte.

    As Tina predicted, someizens suspected police brutality, but when it was revealed that Hugo¡¯s cellmate was Sean, public opinion shifted. Many expressed outrage, ¡°Wasn¡¯t this Sean known for kidnapping Tina¡¯s student? How could the police not be aware?¡± They knew Sean had a grudge against Tina yet allowed such a dangerous man to be ced with her father.

    And amidst the heated discussions online, someonemented, ¡°Wasn¡¯t Amber one of Sean¡¯s students? Hugo raped Amber, so isn¡¯t it normal for Sean to stand up for his student?¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°Ridiculous,¡± another countered, ¡°Your reasoning is as leaky as a broken pipe. Sean got arrested because Amber reported him. How could he be standing up for her? Clearly, this is just an act of revenge against Tina!¡±

    Yet another added, ¡°Remember, even though Hugo was cleared of the rape usation, there are still unresolved allegations of child molestation against him. Are we sympathizing too soon?¡±

    But someone quickly rebutted, ¡°If Amber can frame her own foster father for rape, then any usations of child molesting are probably lies too!¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± someone else chimed in, ¡°Amber has a history of making false usations. First against her foster sister, and now her foster father. I¡¯ll live stream myself running naked into city hall if I ever believe her again!¡±

    ¡°Same here!¡± another agreed enthusiastically.

    ¡°Me too! I¡¯ll live stream running naked to city hall!¡± echoed another.

    A detractor mockingly posted, ¡°You folks are harsh. Why not check out thetest news about Amber?¡±

 Chapter 139: Amber Asking For It

    In the family waiting room of the hospital, a TV mounted on the wall suddenly began broadcasting Ensford news. Tina saw Amber¡¯s pitiful face appear on the screen, surrounded by a swarm of reporters. Since defamation is a criminalint and the victim, Hugo, was undergoing surgery, he couldn¡¯t file awsuit yet. Making a false police report could be a minor or serious offense; if it was a first offense, a fine could settle it.

    So, in less than a day, Amber had paid her fine and was released.

    Upon her release from the police station, reporters immediately besieged her at the doorstep.

    In the news, facing the sharp questions of the reporters, Amber looked into the camera, tears streaming down her face, ¡°I framed my foster father because he really molested me when I was little. I wanted revenge, that¡¯s why I did it. I was so young and powerless, but I always remember the disgusting things he did to me, and I have nightmares every day. I can¡¯t let him go unpunished!¡±

    Jennie suddenly stood up furiously, shaking and said to Tina, ¡°How dare she! After what she¡¯s done to Hugo, how can she still have the audacity to nder him? Is she even human?¡±

    Jennie was trembling with anger. During the days Hugo was detained, she and Zackary faced constant pointing and whispering, and were even nearly attacked with sulfuric acid.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Finally, when Hugo was released, he was rushed into surgery, and Amber still wouldn¡¯t let him be.

    Tina narrowed her eyes at Amber¡¯s face on the screen, feeling she had been too lenient on the Reed family by not bankrupting them.

    ¡°Mrs. Reed, calm down,¡± Jared Farrell said as he helped Jennie sit back down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t let Mr. Reed carry this stigma.¡±

    As Jennie just sat down, a reporter in the news asked Amber, ¡°Miss Amber, if it¡¯s true as you say, why didn¡¯t you call the police back then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault!¡± Elizabeth¡¯s face, wrinkled with age, appeared on the screen. Standing beside Amber, she addressed the reporters with sadness and shame, ¡°I asked Amber not to call the police back then for the sake of my son¡¯s future.¡±

    ¡°After that, I kept her close to protect her, thinking if I treated her well enough, she would forget what had happened. But I never imagined she would hold onto it and do something so absurd,¡± Elizabeth pleaded earnestly into the camera, ¡°I hope everyone can forgive her previous actions, considering she¡¯s a pitiful child.¡±

    After speaking, Elizabeth and Amber hugged each other, their pain evident.

    The news segment left Jennie¡¯s face twisted in anger, speechless at the betrayal by her own family.

    Did Elizabeth not realize that her lies could destroy Hugo and even Zackary, wrecking their entire family?

    The online sentiment began to shift again, with many suggesting that if Hugo really was a pedophile who had molested Amber as a child, then his current plight was deserved.

    Jennie scrolled through the inte, reading criticalments about Hugo, tears streaming down her face.

    Seeing her state, Tina was furious. Amber really loved to court death!

    She emotionlessly sent out a video given to her earlier by Elena Heisler.

    The video was shot in Elena Heisler¡¯s study, originally installed to monitor her daughter¡¯s study habits. Over the years, the stored videos were never deleted. After Hugo¡¯s incident, Elena had uncovered them.

    In the video, Amber was chatting in Elena Heisler¡¯s study.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you live with your foster parents and instead stay with your grandma?¡± Elena asked.

    Amber, who appeared to be about eleven or twelve and still naive about concealing her true feelings, showed a face full of disdain, ¡°My dad and mom are so poor, even if they give me their best, it¡¯s nothingpared to the little that leaks from my grandmother¡¯s fingers. I wanted a better life, of course, I had to please my grandma.¡±

    She sat on Elena Heisler¡¯s recliner, legs shaking, confidently saying, ¡°You see, my uncles¡¯ kids wear clothes worth tens of thousands, but living with my parents, I can only wear clothes worth a few hundred dors, which they struggle to afford.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think they¡¯d know better. Just by softening up to grandma, they could live a little better, but instead, they choose to be stubborn¡­¡±

    The onlinemunity was stunned by the video. Amber¡¯s twisted values were apparent from such a young age.

    This video clearly showed that Amber living with Elizabeth was entirely because she despised poverty and sought wealth, not because of any molestation by Hugo or Elizabeth¡¯s need to protect her.

    Tina quickly sent another video, showing the day Hugo took her and Jennie to sever ties with Elizabeth at Moon Gate Estate.

    The estate¡¯s surveince had never been removed, despite Elizabeth¡¯s attempts to locate it, thinking it had been dismantled.

    When the video ended with Hugo asking Amber, ¡°Amber, think about it, during those two years at my house, didn¡¯t your mom and I, despite our ownck, always ensure you were fed and clothed? Zackary is my biological son, and sometimes he went hungry, yet I never let you starve.¡±

    The public was shocked. Hugo¡¯s adoption seemed more like harboring an enemy than a daughter. The foster parents scrimped and saved to provide for her, even at the expense of their own son, only to be repaid with disdain for poverty, allegiance to Elizabeth, and neglect of her foster parents.

    Eight yearster, she repeatedly ndered her foster sister and father, even while Hugo was critically injured and still in surgery, she didn¡¯t forget to try and cleanse her image by tarnishing his.

    Such a daughter must be a demon!

    And Elizabeth, what kind of grandmother was she? Amber might just be an adopted granddaughter, but Elizabeth was Hugo¡¯s biological mother. How could she help destroy her own son?

    Oh, because they had severed ties, unable to gain any benefits, she simply decided to ruin everything!

    Such a mother was even more terrifying than Amber!

    As Tina released these two videos one after another, the on-site reporters watching saw the content.

    Those who had initially sympathized with Amber and Elizabeth suddenly changed their expressions, realizing that the pitiful girl and the olddy in front of them were merely devils in disguise.

    Yet Amber, oblivious to the shifting perceptions, continued to speak to the reporters¡¯ cameras, ¡°I truly regret the waste of police resources. But I do not regret it, I will never forgive Hugo, this devil!¡±

    She had barely uttered the word ¡°devil¡± when a rotten egg smashed against her face. Startled, Amber froze, and before she could recover, another egg hit her, followed by shouts, ¡°You talk of forgiveness? Ask if your foster father forgives you, you liar!¡±

    Then, a barrage of rotten eggs and spoiled vegetables rained down on Amber and Elizabeth, and even stones were thrown.

 Chapter 140: Just Wait and See

    As the news cameras shifted their focus, the crowd, infuriated by Amber¡¯s audacity to continue her tirade, swarmed the scene to confront her. The sheer number of people caused a traffic jam outside the police station, forcing the officers to intervene to maintain order. However, it seemed even the police couldn¡¯t stand by Amber¡¯s actions; they merely kept the crowd from blocking traffic but did nothing to stop them from attacking her.

    Amber and Elizabeth screamed in pain as they were pelted with objects, their heads bleeding and appearances disheveled, yet no one showed them sympathy. Eventually, they were taken away by an ambnce.

    Coincidentally, the hospital they were brought to was the same one where Hugo had just been wheeled out of the operating room. Tina and her group, who had been apanying Hugo, overheard nurses whispering about the newly arrived patients. ¡°Those two from the news? The mother who used their son of pedophilia and the daughter who used her foster father of indecency?¡± one nurse said. ¡°Yeah, they had their heads split open. We intentionally reduced their anesthesia during stitching; they screamed in agony!¡± another responded with a smirk. The nursesughed and walked away.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Tina nced at Hugo, who was still under the effects of anesthesia, his eyes closed in deep sleep. Despite only being in detention for two days, he had visibly lost weight, his face hollowed and dark circles under his eyes betraying his recent suffering. Recollecting the twenty-three stitches the surgeon had shown them, a cold smile slowly formed on Tina¡¯s lips.

    Amber!

    Very good!

    This is just the beginning, as long as you can withstand what I have in store.

    Jennie had been muttering about ensuring Hugo would sue Amber for nder once he awoke. To Tina, however,pared to the harm Amber had inflicted on Hugo¡¯s family, suing her seemed hardly a punishment.

    Sensing Tina¡¯s thoughts, Jared Farrell whispered, ¡°Feeling unsatisfied?¡±

    Tina quietly met his gaze, waiting for him to continue.

    ¡°Tina, if I can make you a bit happier, would you consider epting a request from me?¡± Jared asked with a sly grin.

    ¡°A request?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing unreasonable,¡± Jared assured her persuasively.

    ¡°What are you nning?¡± Tina asked, genuinely curious about his methods to please her.

    ¡°Just wait and see,¡± Jared said with a mysterious smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± Tina responded with a smile of her own. She had intended to take action herself, but since Jared was taking the initiative, she was content to just watch.

    Despite Amber being young and likely to recover quickly from the beating, Elizabeth, being elderly, was not so fortunate. After being coerced by Sean to hide and run, living a harsh life recently, she now faced a lengthy hospital stay due to severe injuries. Although the Reed family¡¯s debts were cleared by Sean, they couldn¡¯t afford a caretaker, and with other family members sent away during their bankruptcy, only Pinewood and Talon could take turns caring for Elizabeth.

    Knowing that Hugo was in the same hospital, Pinewood and Talon avoided Tina and Jennie like the gue, fearing a settlement of ounts. However, Jennie was currently focused on caring for Hugo, sparing them her wrath.

    As for Tina, each time she encountered them, she nced at them with her cold eyes but chose to ignore them. The brothers were destitute; Elizabeth couldn¡¯t afford a private room, and the hospital staff, aware of their notoriety, often couldn¡¯t help but express disdain.

    One evening, as the brothers were about to switch shifts, Talon couldn¡¯t help butin to Elizabeth about Amber¡¯sck of support. ¡°Mom used to adore her, and now when she¡¯s ill, Amber doesn¡¯t even bother to help or bring food,¡± hemented.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Elizabeth scolded sharply. ¡°Amber is trying to contact some people. It¡¯s not our fault the ns didn¡¯t seed. I¡¯ve sacrificed my dignity for this, cutting off my ties with Hugo¡¯s family. They must deliver on their promises!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re listening to her nonsense!¡± Pinewood interjected angrily. ¡°We¡¯ve been abandoned by those people after the n failed. All we have left is Sean, waiting for his sentencing. What can Amber possibly do now? We¡¯ve been used and discarded!¡±

    Elizabeth was furious, her face trembling with rage. Before this scheme to frame Hugo, a mysterious man had promised them a substantial fund to revive the Reed family. Now, they felt utterly deceived.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be swayed by Amber anymore. If it weren¡¯t for her causing trouble everywhere, would we be in this mess?¡± Talon scoffed. ¡°Rather than relying on her, you might as well try to connect with our rtives in the capital. Maybe they¡¯d help us, considering our distant kinship.¡±

    As they discussed, Elizabeth felta sharp pain in her chest, a reminder of her high blood pressure which doctors had warned her to manage carefully to avoid seriousplications.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this after I¡¯m discharged,¡± she said, trying to calm herself. Talon quickly signaled to Pinewood, suggesting it was time to leave, and Pinewood nodded, watching his brother walk away tiredly.

    He stayed with Elizabeth a bit longer, talking until she fell asleep, thenid down on his makeshift bed. Just as he was drifting off, Elizabeth¡¯s phone rang. It was Amber. He checked the screen, hung up, and turned the phone off.

    His resentment towards Amber was profound. If it weren¡¯t for her ndering Tina on social media, he might still be a covetedpany president, not so destitute that he couldn¡¯t even afford a caretaker. The more he thought about it, the more he saw Amber as a curse, the root of almost every conflict with Tina.

    Meanwhile, in Hugo¡¯s private hospital room, although Tina had arranged for two caretakers to look after him around the clock, Jennie still felt uneasy. Thus, she had sent Zackary to stay at Jared Farrell¡¯s Blue Cove apartment, asking Tina to watch over him while she stayed by Hugo¡¯s side.

    She had just checked Hugo¡¯s IV when the caregiver mentioned, ¡°Madame, Mr. Reed¡¯s phone is ringing.¡±

 Chapter 141: Southridge Psychiatric Facility

    Jennie picked up the phone and was surprised to see Amber¡¯s name on the screen. Anger surged in her heart as she answered the call. Amber¡¯s crying voice immediately came through, ¡°Dad, pleasee save me! They¡¯re going to send me to¡­¡±

    ¡°What now, trying to frame your dad again with the same old tricks?¡± Jennie interrupted her with a coldugh.

    On the other end, Amber seemed stunned, ¡°Mom¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me mom, I can¡¯t bear it,¡± Jennie responded icily. ¡°Your dad is still bedridden because of you, and now you¡¯re ying games again?¡±

    ¡°No, mom, it¡¯s real this time, I¡¯ve run into¡­¡± Amber¡¯s voice was urgent, panting as if she were running.

    Unfortunately, Jennie no longer believed her. Even if she did, she wouldn¡¯t intervene anymore. Jennie¡¯s heart was thoroughly broken.

    She cut off Amber harshly, ¡°Amber, adopting you is the one thing your father and I regret in our lives! Since we¡¯ve severed ties, please stop bothering us from now on!¡±

    With that, Jennie hung up fiercely and, following Pinewood¡¯s example, turned off the phone.

    Turning off Hugo¡¯s phone wasn¡¯t enough; she switched off her own as well. Now, just thinking of Amber disgusted her.

    In the East District.

    Amber wasn¡¯t lying to Elizabeth; she had indeed been trying to contact the mysterious man from that day. Unfortunately, once their scheme against Hugo was exposed, that man disappeared with all his associates.

    Left with no choice, Amber tried to track down Sean¡¯swyer to locate the man, believing that since he had hired awyer for Sean, he wouldn¡¯t abandon him and must be in contact with thewyer.

    However, she lost track of Sean¡¯swyer upon reaching the East District. It was alreadyte, but thinking back to how those men had always hidden in the most chaotic slums of the East District, she decided to try her luck.

    She had just entered the slum when three thuggish men noticed her. They followed her to a secluded, deserted grove where they finally confronted her.

    ¡°Hey, girl, what are you doing running around in such an unsafe ce at night?¡± one of them asked with a sneer.

    Startled, she heard another say, ¡°What else can she be doing here but looking for some fun?¡±

    The third man moved to grab her, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, the three of us will keep youpany tonight!¡±

    ¡°Get away, leave me alone!¡± Amber dodged his grasp and screamed.

    ¡°You ungrateful bitch, you¡¯ll regret it when we get rough!¡± one of them threatened nastily.

    Instinctively, Amber turned and ran into the nearby woods, pulling out her phone to call for help, ¡°Help, three men are trying to rape me, send someone quickly!¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please specify your exact location,¡± the dispatcher responded promptly.

    ¡°I¡¯m near a forest in the East District slum!¡± As Amber ran, she looked back to see the men chasing her and screamed louder, ¡°Hurry, they¡¯re catching up!¡±

    ¡°There are several forests in the East District, which one are you in?¡± pressed the dispatcher.

    ¡°I¡¯m near Southridge, I don¡¯t know exactly!¡± Amber was unfamiliar with the East District, especially its numerous small woods, and near tears, she pleaded, ¡°Please hurry.¡±

    ¡°Damn, she¡¯s called the cops! Let¡¯s finish this quick!¡± The man behind her snarled.

    ¡°It¡¯s not worth killing her,¡± another sneered. ¡°Let¡¯s have our fun and then sell her. Didn¡¯t David say he knows someone who buys kidneys? We¡¯ll sell one of her kidneys first, then make her work.¡±

    Hearing this, Amber¡¯s heart sank. She ran faster into the dark, not knowing where she was going, tears streaming down her face.

    Suddenly, she saw a fewrge houses surrounded by high walls that looked like a hospital. Without thinking, she rushed through a small door left ajar in the big iron gate, mmed it shut, and locked it.

    ¡°Damn!¡± The thugs couldn¡¯t get through and kicked the gate furiously before walking away.

    Amber thought they might try to climb the fence or gate but was surprised when they left so abruptly.

    Stunned in the dark courtyard, she suddenly heard a sinister chuckle. Turning toward the sound, she saw a fat man in a hospital gown tilting his head and smiling at her, ¡°Pretty, are you here to be my bride?¡±

    Startled, Amber backed away as the man lunged at her. She ran into the nearest building, which indeed turned out to be a hospital. She hid under a bed in one of the rooms, which already had four men sleeping in it.

    The fat man followed, chuckling ¡°Pretty¡± as he lifted each bed¡¯s covers. The men in the room, awakened by the disturbance, turned on the lightand started yelling, ¡°Fatso, are you looking for trouble?¡±

    Some began to yell incoherently.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    Amber, trembling under the bed, dared not move. This private hospital seemed like no other; it was chaos without any staff intervention.

    ¡°Pretty girl, my little girl!¡± the fat man¡¯s voice grew louder and more piercing. ¡°I saw youe in here!¡±

    Annoyed by the disturbance, one of the men suggested, ¡°Have you checked under the beds?¡±

    Amber¡¯s heart raced as the next moment, the fat man¡¯s drooling face appeared under the bed, reaching out to grab her. She screamed and scooted back, only to be grabbed by another man from the other side and dragged out.

    She was thrown onto the floor, and under the harsh light, she saw the other four men in the room. One had a lopsided eye and ck mouth. Another had a sinister gaze. A third was muttering iprehensibly. The only one who seemed somewhat normal held a wooden knife, grinning menacingly at her, ¡°You look tasty.¡±

    The fat man quickly intervened, ¡°No, no, she¡¯s my bride! You can¡¯t eat her!¡±

    The sinister-looking man added, ¡°What a waste to eat her straight away. It¡¯s better to have some fun before we feast.¡±

    In the re of the light, Amber could finally make out the words on their hospital gowns: ¡°Southridge Psychiatric Facility.¡±

 Chapter 142: No, Break Her Leg

    Southridge Psychiatric Facility in Ensford had amassed a sinister reputation, notorious for housing deranged psychopaths and murderers who couldn¡¯t be tried due to their mental conditions. Sometimes, even the hospital staff were terrified of the inmates and, aside from ensuring they couldn¡¯t leave the premises, hesitated to intervene too much, given the asional news of a patient killing a staff member.

    Now, facing five ominous men with malicious intent, Amber screamed. She kicked the man gripping her with a sinister look and ran. Her frantic sprint down the corridors took her past other patients who were up at night, each disying bizarre and unsettling behaviors. Some ignored her, others invited her yfully to join them, and a few, with twisted faces, tried to grab her.

    Her screams and the sound of her running footsteps woke up others. Lights turned on one by one, revealing dozens of psychiatric patients who either looked at her indifferently or with chilling smiles. Behind her, the fat man continued to call out, intending to make her his bride.

    ¡°Open the door, hurry! Guard! Please, open up!¡± Amber raced back to the main gate, but the small door she had locked herself was firmly shut. She desperately pounded on the window of the guard room, but it was pitch-ck inside; no one responded. Overwhelmed by fear, she broke down crying, not knowing what to do next.

    She dialed the police again, not waiting for the dispatcher to ask before crying out, ¡°Hello! Why haven¡¯t you sent someone yet? I¡¯m at Southridge Psychiatric Facility, please, send someone fast!¡±

    The fat man was closing in again,ughing creepily. Amber turned and ran, darting through the hospital like a headless fly, desperately hiding from him. But he found her quickly each time.

    Thinking of the Reed family, she tried calling Talon for help but was hung up on; her calls to Pinewood and Elizabeth were also cut short, and all their phones turned off. The chilling tone of the phones being off sent shivers down her spine.

    Who else could help her? Suddenly, Hugo¡¯s name shed in her mind. Surely her foster father, Hugo, would help her, just likest time!

    Filled with hope, she dialed Hugo¡¯s number, but Jennie answered, her voice cold and untrusting. When Amber tried to exin, Jennie questioned if she was trying to set Hugo up again. At that moment, Amber realized her situation resembled the story of the boy who cried wolf. She understood that neither Jennie nor Hugo would evere to her aid again. She had exhausted all their goodwill.

    As Jennie hung up, Amber nearly fell into despair. Then, she noticed a man with shoulder-length hair and ck-framed sses, wearing a hospital gown, sitting on a bench reading a medical book. Perhaps someone engrossed in a medical book might be kind-hearted enough to help her.

    ¡°Sir, please help me!¡± Amber pleaded, tugging at the man¡¯s clothes. ¡°Someone is chasing me, and I¡¯m really scared!¡±

    ¡°How did you get in here?¡± the man asked, looking up from his book and scanning Amber, who was not in a hospital gown. ¡°This isn¡¯t a ce you can just walk into.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I was being chased and saw the door open, so I came in to hide. I didn¡¯t realize this was a psychiatric hospital,¡± Amber exined through tears.

    ¡°That¡¯s really strange,¡± the man murmured, a dark glint passing behind his sses.

    ¡°Wife! My wife!¡± The fat man¡¯s voice was getting closer.

    ¡°He¡¯sing! Please, help me hide!¡± Amber¡¯s hands trembled as she clutched his clothes.

    ¡°That room is mine; you can hide there,¡± the man kindly offered, pointing to a room across the hall.

    Amber hesitated but eventually trusted him. ¡°Thank you, thank you so much,¡± she said before darting into his room.

    Hidden inside, she heard the fat man¡¯s footsteps approaching. He asked the man with sses, ¡°Victor, have you seen my wife?¡±

    Amber¡¯s heart raced.

    ¡°No,¡± Victor answered.

    Relieved, Amber listened as the fat man muttered, ¡°Strange, I swear I saw her run this way.¡± He began to panic, shouting and crying, ¡°I want my wife! My wife!¡±

    ¡°Shh!¡± Victor hushed him, cing a finger to his lips before whispering, ¡°Let¡¯s go look for her together.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    Excited, the fat man nodded.

    Amber listened as their footsteps faded into the distance, her roller-coaster emotions finally settling. She surveyed the room, noticing the neatly made bed with ¡°Southridge Psychiatric Facility¡± printed on the linens and a tableden with medical books. Relieved at having guessed right about the man¡¯s character, she tried to call the police again, only to find her phone battery dead.

    She cursed the unreliable police under her breath, frustrated that they hadn¡¯t arrived despite her giving them the exact location. Frustration also mounted as she thought about her failed attempts to reach the Reed family and Hugo, feeling a deep resentment, especially towards Jennie, who had answered but refused to help, giving hope only to snatch it away cruelly.

    Despite her previous lie, how could Jennie treat her this way? Would she have done the same if it were Zackary or Tina? It was clear to Amber that her status as an adopted daughter was at the root of the disparity.

    Determined to make Jennie pay once she escaped, Amber was nning her revenge when suddenly the door to the room was flung open. Victor stood there, pointing at her as he spoke to the fat man, ¡°Look, here¡¯s your wife.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face turned ashen. She stared incredulously at Victor, who still held the medical book in his left hand, his smile now twisted with malice.

    ¡°My wife!¡± the fat man eximed joyously, drooling as he lunged forward.

    Amber screamed and dodged, bolting towards the door. However, Victor grabbed her hair, pulling her back and pushing her towards the fat man. He then picked up a folding chair nearby and said to the fat man, ¡°You know what to do when your wife disobeys, right?¡±

    The fat man, gnawing on his fingers, asked naively, ¡°Have babies with her?¡±

    Disgust and fear surged through Amber.

    Victorughed, ¡°No, you break her leg.¡±

    He raised the folding chair high and smashed it down hard on Amber¡¯s left leg amidst her terrified screams.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Amber¡¯s agonized scream echoed through the hospital.

    Victor dropped the chair, smiling as he watched the fat man drag Amber back into the room, her broken leg leaving a trail of blood on the floor. As Amber¡¯s vision blurred with pain, she saw Victor pick up his medical book again, engrossed as if nothing had happened.

    From heaven to hell, it was but a step away!

 Chapter 143: Wounded but Energetic!

    On Sixth Avenue.

    In an effort to enjoy some alone time with Tina, Jared Farrell had cajoled Marie into looking after Zackary, having just dropped the child off.

    Marie, now fond of Tina, had grown to like Zackary as well. Moreover, ever since the high societydies learned that the famed perfumer Q was to be her future daughter-inw, they had been vying to win her favor, hoping she would create custom perfumes for them.

    Even a prominent figure¡¯s wife from the capital had reached out, bing close friends with her. Marie was truly enjoying her time in the limelight.

    Hence, she was more than happy to have her son secure Tina quickly and was delighted to take care of Zackary.

    Zackary, initially shy, had quickly adjusted since Sophia also lived at Marie¡¯s ce. Jared had even made him try Tina¡¯s lethal cooking, which had him running away without looking back.

    On their way back to Blue Cove after dropping off Zackary, Jared was driving and taking a call from Hayden Cohen through the car¡¯s Bluetooth system.

    Hayden reported, ¡°It¡¯s done. She¡¯s been pushed in.¡±

    Jared responded, ¡°Keep an eye on her!¡±

    Hayden scoffed, ¡°Who do you think I am? Careless? If one of them got out, the police would have a headache for a long time. Your aunt-inw will have enough to handle.¡±

    He continued teasingly, ¡°Mr. Farrell, you¡¯re harsh, sending such a delicate girl to that ce. Never knew you had it in you.¡±

    As Jared steered the wheel, he casually replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t send her there; she ran in herself.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right, right.¡±

    While Hayden made light of the conversation, he internally criticized, ¡°As if someone would just run into Southridge Psychiatric Facility without being chased there.¡±

    Then he added, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve gotten more cunning since being with your fiancee. Did you learn from her?¡±

    ¡°I can hear you,¡± Tina said tly.

    Caught off guard, Hayden chuckled awkwardly, ¡°You two are inseparable, huh?¡±

    ¡°Where did you send her?¡± Tina asked Jared.

    ¡°The psychiatric hospital at Southridge,¡± Haydenughed, answering before Jared could.

    Tina showed a hint of surprise; despite only recently returning to Ensford, she¡¯d heard of the notorious acts at Southridge Psychiatric Facility.

    Three years ago, a brutal serial killer had hidden there to evade the police but was tormented by the inmates to the extent that he sobbed and begged the police to rescue him, preferring immediate execution over staying there.

    Tina hadn¡¯t expected Jared to have sent Amber there.

    This was getting interesting.

    ¡°Tina, you¡¯re smiling,¡± Jared noted, seeing a slight smile on Tina¡¯s lips as he drove. ¡°Seems like I did well to make you happy. Don¡¯t forget what you promised me.¡±

    At that moment, arge semi-truck on the oppositene suddenly swerved towards Jared¡¯s car.

    Jared sharply turned the wheel, narrowly avoiding the truck as it skidded, the screech of metal on metal and sparks flying around them.

    The truck was too cumbersome and crashed into the roadside bushes, overturning.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Hayden, still on the line, heard themotion and asked anxiously.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°We¡¯re being attacked,¡± Jared said coldly as he saw four ck cars blocking their path.

    ¡°Darn it!¡± Hayden cursed, ¡°I¡¯m pinpointing your location now!¡±

    As Hayden hung up, one of the ck cars charged at them, and Jared expertly reversed to avoid the collision.

    The other three cars also revved their engines in pursuit. Despite driving in reverse, Jared maneuvered the car adeptly, dodging the chasing cars with swift and precise movements.

    Finding an opportunity, Jared clutched, drifted to dodge another car, then elerated forward.

    Once he was driving forward, the pursuers realized Jared was even faster than before. Despite entering oing traffic, he skillfully dodged all approaching vehicles, not slowing down.

    Tina, gripping the handle on the ceiling, thoughtfully watched Jared. His drift reminded her of Thundercloud, an underground racer she knew from a race on Clearwater¡¯s mountain roads, who had almost beaten her with his skillful drifting.

    Suddenly, someone from the pursuing cars fired a shot, shattering the driver¡¯s side rearview mirror.

    Another shot pierced the rear windshield, shattering a perfume ornament inside, releasing the distinct scent of Old Man perfume that Tina had created.

    Tina slightly curled her lips; she had noticed that Jared had reced all his car¡¯s fragrances with the one she made.

    Actions speaking louder than words-he really did like it.

    Amid the strong scent of perfume, Jared internally cursed, deciding to switch all his cars to bulletproof models after today.

    Another shot from the left rear shattered the window, Jared¡¯s left arm pained, but hegrasped the steering wheel firmly. He knew he had been shot in the arm and might notst long, but ncing at Tina next to him, he clenched his teeth and pressed on the elerator.

    Blood was streaming from his wounded arm, mixing the iron-rich scent with the perfume in the car, tingling their senses.

    Tina noticed his trembling left hand and felt the car slow down.

    Ahead, two more semi-trucks appeared, seemingly ready to block their path, while the four ck cars continued their relentless pursuit. The gunman was reloading his weapon.

    ¡°Switch ces,¡± Tina quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, took hold of the steering wheel, and said to Jared, ¡°I¡¯ll drive.¡±

    Jared looked at her in surprise as she swiftly unbuckled his seatbelt and squeezed between him and the steering wheel. Her feet reced his on the pedals, and she began driving from hisp.

    Through the thin fabric of their clothes, Jared felt the warmth of Tina¡¯s body, precisely positioned over him.

    He knew it wasn¡¯t the time to be distracted, yet he couldn¡¯t help himself.

    ¡°You got shot and you¡¯re still this spirited!¡± Tina felt his body react and turned her ears red with embarrassment, scolding him without goodwill.

    Jared, speechless, focused on the road as Tina skillfully maneuvered the car, their roles unexpectedly reversed in the heat of crisis.

 Chapter 144: Tina, It Hurts

    He didn¡¯t intend for it to happen, he was innocent! The girl he liked was sitting on him, bouncing along with the car¡¯s bumps. Each press of the elerator and clutch stirred his body again, tantalizing his nerves. He was, after all, a normal man!

    ¡°Move to the side and buckle up!¡± Tina¡¯s cheeks were flushed with red.

    Jared Farrell squeezed his body out from between Tina and the seat, their unintentional touch making both of their faces turn crimson. He finally settled into the passenger seat, thoughtfully fastening Tina¡¯s seatbelt before securing his own.

    Tina stomped on the gas, spinning the car to block the road with two trailer trucks facing each other, leaving only a narrow gap of about one meter wide.

    ¡°Hold tight!¡± shemanded coldly.

    Jared Farrell, using his uninjured right hand, gripped the car¡¯s handle as their vehicle nearly crashed into the trailer trucks. At thest moment, Tina sharply turned the steering wheel, lifting the right wheels off the ground, tilting half of the car upright.

    Jared Farrell looked at Tina in amazement, her driving reminiscent of a person he once knew from underground racing known as Tempest, who drove as wildly and swiftly as the wind, unmatched among racers. No one had yet surpassed the record he set on the Clearwater mountain road.

    As he marveled, Tina had already maneuvered their car past the narrow space between the two trailer trucks. Meanwhile, the four ck cars following them were blocked by the trailers they themselves had positioned, effectively trapping themselves.

    After the right side of the carnded steadily, Jared Farrell saw aplex emotion sh in Tina¡¯s eyes. He had lost again. Tina always surprised him, stronger than he could ever imagine.

    The cumbersome trailer trucks took time to turn and clear the path, while Tina drove away with Jared Farrell, disappearing without a trace.

    As they continued their drive back to the Blue Cove apartments, Hayden Cohen called. ¡°Mr. Farrell, what¡¯s the situation there?¡±

    ¡°We shook them off,¡± Jared Farrell replied, his face slightly pale from blood loss. ¡°Did you catch them?¡±

    ¡°A step toote,¡± Hayden Cohen said bitterly. ¡°By the time we got there, they had retreated. However, they didn¡¯t have time to tow away a flipped trailer truck. We can start our investigation with that.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh, they fired shots,¡± Jared Farrell casually mentioned, then instructed, ¡°Send someone to my apartment to tow the car and investigate the bullet origins.¡±

    ¡°Shots?¡± Hayden Cohen tensed up, asking hastily, ¡°Were you hurt?¡±

    ¡°My left arm was hit,¡± Jared Farrell responded, ending the call and resting his head back against the seat.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tina noticed his increasingly pale and slightly blueplexion, which seemed unusual given the amount of blood he¡¯d lost.

    She touched his arm and discovered the blood was dark purple, obscured initially by his ck shirt.

    ¡°The bullet might be poisoned,¡± Jared Farrell said, eyes closed.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier!¡± Tina quickly fed him a healing pill and sped up the car.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to distract you,¡± he sighed, recalling the critical situation when their opponents were armed. He wasn¡¯t worried about himself but feared for Tina¡¯s safety.

    ¡°Where are the healing pills I gave you?¡± Tina asked, frowning.

    ¡°I gave them to someone who needed them more,¡± Jared Farrell smiled. During a mission at Whispering Pines Retreat, he had distributed the entire bottle of pills Tina gave him to his teammates, keeping none for himself.

    Tina pressed her lips together and sped back to Blue Cove apartments.

    Jared Farrell, with a gunshot wound, couldn¡¯t risk going to a hospital. Once they slipped the heavily damaged car into the underground parking garage and covered it to hide the bullet marks, they took the elevator directly to the top-floor penthouse.

    Once inside the apartment, Tina immediately had Jared Farrell take off his shirt to inspect his wound, revealing his arm ckened and purplish. Nightshade!

    She quickly administered an antidote to Jared Farrell. If they had waited any longer, his entire arm would have rotted and needed amputation.

    After taking the antidote, Jared Farrell¡¯splexion slightly improved. Tina prepared to extract the bullet, warning him, ¡°No anesthesia, it¡¯ll hurt.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± he nodded.

    Tina disinfected the wound, then with a sterilized scalpel, she cut into Jared Farrell¡¯s left arm, dark purple blood gushing out. She swiftly stopped the bleeding with several stitches.

    Jared Farrell clenched his teeth, silently enduring the pain, his forehead beaded with sweat revealing his agony.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Tina removed the bullet with tweezers and ced it on a cloth on the table. After draining the poisoned blood, his arm slowly returned to its normal color.

    ¡°Fortunately, the artery and bone were unharmed, but the poison is problematic. I don¡¯t have the right drugstopletely clean the poison. However, don¡¯t worry, as long as I¡¯m here, nothing bad will happen,¡± she reassured him while disinfecting and bandaging the wound.

    After finishing the treatment, Jared Farrell copsed back on the sofa, his muscles, tense from pain, finally rxing.

    Just then, the apartment door burst open, and Hayden Cohen hurried in with a doctor. Seeing Tina cleaning up her tools and Jared with his arm bandaged, he pped his forehead, ¡°Look at me, all flustered. How could I forget that your fiancee is such apetent doctor?¡±

    ¡°The bullet,¡± Tina handed over the extracted bullet, adding a warning, ¡°It¡¯s poisoned.¡±

    ¡°Damn! Who are these people, so ruthless!¡± Hayden Cohen carefully took the bullet still smeared with Jared Farrell¡¯s blood, then teasingly said to Jared, ¡°Your fiancee is something else, handling guns and bullets without a flinch.¡±

    Jared had always known Tina was extraordinary from the moment they first met.

    ¡°Cut the chatter, focus on the task,¡± he weakly scolded Hayden, tossing him the car keys.

    ¡°Got it!¡± Hayden caught the keys and quickly left with the doctor.

    Once they were alone again, Jared watched Tina under the light, her beautiful profile glowing, and weakly said, ¡°Tina, it hurts.¡±

    Tina paused in her cleaning, ¡°Pain is inevitable, or shall I give you a few more needles to ease it?¡±

    ¡°Come here, let me hold you, and it won¡¯t hurt as much,¡± Jared softly requested.

 Chapter 145: It Seems You Still Care About Your FiancÃ©

    His voice carried a rare fragility. Tina hesitated for a moment before walking over to him, allowing him to wrap his right arm around her and rest her head on his shoulder. Within moments, Jared Farrell fell asleep. Carefully, Tina moved his arm away and called Cole Lyon.

    ¡°Serena, I couldn¡¯t find the medicine you wanted on the ck market,¡± Cole Lyon said over the phone.

    ¡°Keep looking,¡± Tina paused before adding, ¡°Spread the word that Spectre owes a favor to anyone who can provide these two drugs.¡±

    Her favors were valuable, sometimes bringing people back from the brink of death. She was confident that her request would bring people to her doorstep.

    ¡°Serena, it seems you still care a lot about your fiance,¡± Cole Lyon sighed after a moment of silence.

    Tina neither confirmed nor denied, simply hanging up the phone. She nced at Jared Farrell, who was sleeping on the couch. Did she care? Perhaps, as he had always been incredibly good to her.

    ¡°Jared Farrell,¡± she murmured, gently tapping his face. There was no response; he was feverish from the poison and his face felt unusually warm.

    ¡°Jared,¡± she called softly again. Barely opening his eyes, he looked at her, and she helped him up, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to your room.¡±

    At nearly six-foot-three, Jared leaned heavily on Tina as they ascended to his bedroom, his weight a burden on her. Once in the room, he quickly fell back asleep. Tina hesitated before fetching a basin of warm water and a towel to wipe the sweat from his face and body, then ced a cool, damp cloth on his forehead to help lower his fever.

    As she was about to leave, Jared suddenly grasped her hand, murmuring in a half-asleep state, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t go.¡±

    With a sigh, Tinay down beside him, letting him hold her hand throughout the night. Later, Jared¡¯s fever spiked, and Tina administered fever-reducing medication. He remained unconscious, clinging to her, forcing Tina to stay awake all night.

    At dawn, Cole Lyon called again.

    ¡°Serena, I¡¯ve located Sevenfold Peril and Empyrean Bloom.¡±

    ¡°Is the supplier willing to part with them?¡± Tina asked, hopeful.

    ¡°They are, but¡­¡± Cole hesitated.

    ¡°Speak inly,¡± Tina urged, frowning impatiently.

    ¡°Empyrean Bloom is with a madman called Wraith. Ever since you beat him once, he¡¯s been obsessed with challenging you again. Win, and the drug is yours; lose, and he wants to turn you into a ¡®specimen.''¡±

    Recalling how Wraith once used nearly a hundred prisoners for his experiments, resulting in a scene reminiscent of a biohazard crisis, Tina shuddered. The authorities had long sought Wraith, who had proven elusive. Now, he had surfaced again.

    ¡°I ept his challenge,¡± Tina dered coldly. ¡°The authorities want him captured, right? Set it up, and after the match, take him.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Cole paused before adding, ¡°As for Sevenfold Peril, it¡¯s in the hands of Rook from GTO.¡±

    ¡°What are his terms?¡± Tina asked sharply.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t specify-just said to remember the favor for when he needs it.¡± Cole knew how much Tina detested owing anything to GTO due to her mother¡¯s history.

    ¡°I agree,¡± Tina replied after a pause, a decision made swiftly.

    ¡°You have to be careful. Wraith is a lunatic,¡± Cole warned.

    ¡°It¡¯s Wraith who should be worried,¡± Tina replied calmly.

    Two hourster, Sevenfold Peril was delivered. Tina inspected it thoroughly to ensure it was untampered with before notifying Cole Lyon. Surprisingly quick-could Rook be in Ensford?

    The venue for her showdown with Wraith was set-the Southridge Psychiatric Facility. Ironically, that was where Wraith had been hiding.

    As the time to confront Wraith approached, Tina entrusted Hayden Cohen with caring for Jared. ¡°I¡¯m going to retrieve some medicine from someone-a maniac,¡± she exined to a concerned Hayden.

    ¡°A bit dangerous?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Just a bit,¡± Tina replied, undaunted. She was not one to fear a defeated foe.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

 Chapter 146: They Were All Poisoned

    At the Southridge Psychiatric Facility, Tina arrived after dark, the hospital building looming ominously in the shadows. Wearing a delicate ghost mask on her face, she stood with her hands in her pockets in front of therge iron gates of the hospital. A smaller door creaked open from within.

    As soon as she stepped through, the door mmed shut behind her. Without turning back, she continued forward and saw a fat man sitting on the hospital¡¯s front steps, his head tilted, drooling, with red eyes as if he had been crying.

    The courtyard was deserted except for him. Tina gave him a second nce, and he immediately grinned at her, staring at her ghost mask, ¡°Hello, what, what is that you¡¯re wearing? It¡¯s, it¡¯s so scary, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t respond, just stood coldly in front of him. He initially reached out to touch her ghost mask but recoiled under her icy stare, pouting and saying, ¡°I, I just wanted to see if you, you look nice.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°What if I do look nice?¡± Tina asked coldly.

    ¡°Your voice, it¡¯s really, really nice,¡± the fat man chuckled. ¡°If you¡¯re pretty, then, then be my bride.¡±

    But he seemed to recall something sad and began crying again, ¡°They, they took away my, my bride! They, they said I¡¯m no good, having a bride is useless for me!¡± He then burst into loud sobs, ¡°Give me back my bride! I want a bride!¡±

    ¡°Fatso! You¡¯re being too loud!¡± A sullen-faced man emerged from the building, cursing at the fat man, ¡°What¡¯s all this noise about! You¡¯re useless, why do you even need a woman! Obviously, she should stay with us!¡±

    After finishing his rant, the man sized up Tina and licked his lips, saying, ¡°Even with a mask, her figure is top-notch. Victor didn¡¯t mention a woman wasing tonight!¡±

    He gave a lecherousugh and tried to pounce on Tina, but suddenly found himself unable to move, frozen in ce, looking terrified at Tina, ¡°What, what have you done to me?!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re poisoned,¡± Tina said as she passed him and entered the hospital building.

    ¡°Poison?!¡± The man yelled in shock, ¡°Victor, you bastard, you actually poisoned me! Victor, get out here and cure this poison!¡±

    No one responded to him.

    Inside the building, Tina saw about a dozen psychiatric patients wandering the hallway. As soon as they saw her, they tried to rush toward her, but before they could get within three steps of her, she flicked her fingertips, and they all froze in ce.

    She immediately noticed that all these people had been poisoned by Wraith.

    She walked into the hospital¡¯s patient lounge, where almost every row of chairs had several psychiatric patients sitting. Only the middle row had a single man, wearing ck-rimmed sses and a patient gown, leisurely reading a medical book.

    The scene was bizarre.

    ¡°You still have such bad taste,¡± Tina remarked as she scanned the hall, all the patients unable to move, looking at her in either horror or confusion.

    Wraith looked up, pushed up his sses, and smiled at Tina, his tone polite and gentle, unlike a madman, ¡°Spectre, you finally agreed to meet me.¡±

    ¡°You want to see me that badly? You might as well serve your time quietly in prison, I might visit you once a year,¡± Tina replied slowly.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid of me turning the prison into a drugb,¡± Wraith answered with a smile.

    ¡°Enough talk,¡± Tina said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m in a hurry.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re still so impatient,¡± Wraith sighed, his gaze on Tina turning fervent, ¡°Turning you into one of my collectibles would be beautiful.¡±

    ¡°What shall we do?¡± Tina asked, not wanting to waste another word.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple, best of three rounds,¡± Wraith stood up from the bench, gesturing to the immobile patients filling the hall, ¡°First round, let¡¯s see who can poison more people in a minute.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not good,¡± Tina shook her head, ¡°Let¡¯s see if I can detoxify faster than you can poison!¡±

    Poisoning always strikes first, putting Tina at a disadvantage.

    ¡°You¡¯re arrogant!¡± Wraith scoffed, and before hisugh ended, the first row of patients started foaming at the mouth, the second row turned blue, and the third row¡¯s faces swelled red, seemingly in severe pain, their eyes bulging.

    Then the fourth row, the fifth row¡­

    Facing Wraith¡¯s arrogant smile, Tina stood her ground, her fingertips moving slightly, and starting from the first row, all the patients immediately improved.

    Wraith¡¯s expression changed, he snapped his book shut, and threw out a handful of poison powder.

    The previously immobile patients worsened again and suddenly all stood up, iling and rushing towards Tina.

    With a focused look and a slight movement of her right hand, the next second, these people copsed to the ground, once again unable to move.

    Wraith huffed coldly, a strange fragrance suddenly emanating from him, causing the patients to struggle to rise again.

    Tina flicked her hand, and a sh of cold light sent needles precisely into the acupuncture points of the patients, causing them to freeze in ce again on the ground.

    Wraith¡¯s face darkened as he threw a few needles too, but Tina¡¯s response was nearly simultaneous. The needles she shot knocked Wraith¡¯s needles out of the air in mid-flight.

    Silence fell.

    ¡°A minute has passed, I win,¡± Tina stated slowly.

    The hall fell into silence, Wraith¡¯s face turning sour. Since his debut as Wraith, he had never been defeated, yet he faced repeated losses against Spectre.

    ¡°There are two more chances,¡± he insisted, unwilling to give up.

    Tina shrugged, as if to say, you can try, I¡¯ll handle it.

    ¡°Peter boy!¡± Wraith shouted loudly.

    ¡°Vic, Victor,¡± the fat man who had been crying on the stairs came running over, drooling.

    ¡°Go bring your bride over!¡± Wraithmanded coldly.

    ¡°Oh, oh,¡± the fat man ran off again, drooling.

    After a while, the sound of wheels rolling over floor tiles echoed as the fat man returned, pushing a hospital bed. On the bedy a person, stiff and straight.

    Tina frowned slightly as she inspected the figure on the bed and realized it was Amber.

    In less than a day, Amber had been tortured by the psychiatric patients in the hospital until she was unrecognizable.

    Her face was bruised and swollen, her clothes torn and bloody, her exposed skin mottled with shades of blue and purple, covered in bite marks, and one leg was bent in an odd position, clearly broken.

 Chapter 147: A Bomb Within Her

    Ambery motionless on the hospital bed, her eyes wide open. The tears streaming from the corners of her eyes spoke volumes of her fear. Fortunately, Tina was wearing a mask; otherwise, Amber would have been mortified to be seen so vulnerable in front of her, perhaps even wishing for death.

    Tina squinted at Wraith, seeking an exnation with her gaze. Wraith, with a smirk, said, ¡°We¡¯ve imnted a mini bomb on each side of her body¡­¡± Seeing Tina¡¯s eyes grow colder, he chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will only kill her if it explodes, not us. I do value my life, after all.¡±

    Tina¡¯s look turned even icier. Wraith continued, ¡°This round, we¡¯ll see who can perform the surgery faster and more precisely. Whoever extracts the bomb first with an endoscope wins. Just so you know, I¡¯ve set the timer on the bombs to one minute. Be careful not to trigger them prematurely.¡±

    ¡°Right here?¡± Tina looked around the hall, frowning.

    ¡°Rx, the sterile operating room and sanitized equipment are all set,¡± Wraith responded, making a weing gesture towards Tina. Following his cue, a plump man adeptly wheeled Amber¡¯s bed leading the way to the operating room.

    The operating room was equipped with two sets of endoscopic tools. This was a psychiatric hospital, unlikely to have such surgical equipment-it was clearly Wraith¡¯s doing. After pushing Amber into the room, the plump man, following Wraith¡¯s instructions, gently strapped her to the operating table with the usual restraints used for psychiatric patients, softly saying, ¡°You, you need to be good, listen, listen to Victor.¡±

    As soon as he left, Tina and Wraith, now disinfected, entered. Wraith¡¯s eyes gleamed with malice behind his sses. ¡°Though the drug I administered will paralyze you, you¡¯ll still feel pain. We¡¯ll try to be gentle to avoid causing too much difort,¡± he said softly.

    Amber¡¯s eyes widened in terror, unable to curse or plead, only able to cry silently.

    Tina nced at Amber briefly, unmoved by Wraith¡¯s words. She felt no sympathy; Amber had brought this on herself. Plus, considering Hugo¡¯s suffering in jail and recalling the twenty-three needles extracted from his body, Tina thought Amber¡¯s pain was insignificant.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start,¡± Tina stated coldly.

    Wraith flicked a switch, smiling at Tina. ¡°The bomb is activated.¡±

    Tina, unfazed, walked to Amber¡¯s left side, opened her shirt, and swiftly began the operation with surgical tools. Both she and Wraith were medical geniuses; a minor endoscopic surgery was not challenging. The real challenge was extracting the bomb without triggering it or harming Amber.

    As soon as the endoscopes entered Amber¡¯s abdomen, her face turned ghostly pale from the pain. The sensation of having her abdomen cut open and objects inserted was excruciating, almost unbearable.

    Yet, she dared not faint, knowing all too well the sadistic nature of the man in sses who seemed tomand the Southridge Psychiatric Facility. If it was a bomb he said was inside her, then it surely was.

    Tina, adhering to her medical ethics, did not make the incisionsrger or intentionally harm Amber¡¯s organs. She located the left bomb quickly on the monitor, extracted it within thirty seconds, and halted the timer.

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost again,¡± Tina said, holding the bomb. ¡°I¡¯ve already won two rounds. There¡¯s no need for a third.¡±

    Wraith, frustrated, grabbed a surgical knife and harshly made another incision on Amber¡¯s abdomen, extracting the bomb he had seen during the endoscopy. Amber, in severe pain, nearly rolled her eyes back. If she could move, she might have bitten her tongue off from the agony.

    Wraith, without bothering to suture the cut, just tossed the bomb aside, grumbling, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of you performing major surgery before. How can you operate so quickly and urately?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know,¡± Tina replied, as she stepped forward and extended her hand, ¡°Empyrean Bloom.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Wraith protested, ¡°Last round, finish it and then I¡¯ll give it to you!¡±

    ¡°Best two out of three, those were your rules,¡± Tina said calmly.

    ¡°If youpete with me one more round, win or lose, I¡¯ll give you the Empyrean Bloom!¡± Wraith argued stubbornly.

    ¡°Give me the Empyrean Bloom first, then I¡¯llpete,¡± Tina said tly.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Wraith hesitated, then handed over the Empyrean Bloom, suspiciously asking, ¡°You won¡¯t just take it and run, will you?¡±

    ¡°I always keep my word,¡± Tina replied, somewhat exasperated. After checking the Empyrean Bloom thoroughly and ensuring it was genuine, she stored it away securely.

    ¡°Earlier rounds were your choice, for thest one, I¡¯ll set the challenge,¡± Tina stated.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Wraith answered nonchntly, eager to match his medical skills against Tina no matter the stakes.

    ¡°Our final challenge will be whether you end up captured by me tonight, or if you manage to escape,¡± Tina said with a smirk.

 Chapter 148: Bounty Hunter Peter Crispin

    Before she had finished speaking, she was already charging at Wraith. Wraith¡¯s expression changed as he quickly darted out of the operating room, throwing a handful of poison powder back at Tina. Tina, unconcerned, reached out to grab his shoulder. He sagged his shoulder to dodge Tina¡¯s hand, while simultaneously shooting several silver needles from his hand, which Tina easily blocked with her own needles. Meanwhile, members of the Mountain Veil Order, upon receiving Tina¡¯s signal through a micro earpiece, also stormed into the hospital.

    Jayden had once witnessed how Wraith had turned a maximum-security prison into a scene straight out of a biohazard crisis. So, as he entered, he worried about witnessing such a horrific scene again,plicating the aftermath. However, seeing that the people scattered about the lobby were unharmed, except for one poisoned at the entrance and another in a worse state in the operating room, he felt reassured. Their young master was indeed effective; only she could subdue Wraith, that deadly freak.

    Wraith and Tina had continued their fight from inside the hospital building to the courtyard. Surrounded by the forces of Mountain Veil Order, Wraith scoffed, ¡°Spectre, relying on others to capture me doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ve won.¡±

    ¡°They are all my men; their capture of you means I win,¡± Tina retorted indifferently to his taunt, then added, ¡°You could let your men help you if you wanted.¡±

    She nced back at the hospital building and chuckled, ¡°Oh, I forgot, you poisoned all of them.¡±

    ¡°They hardly count as my men,¡± Wraithughed without guilt, ¡°At best, they are my toys, not even worthy of being test subjects.¡±

    Suddenly, he leapt at a fat man who was staring nkly and drooling nearby, seizing him as a hostage. ¡°Let me go, or I¡¯ll kill him,¡± Wraith threatened.

    ¡°Why would I release you for him? He¡¯s yours,¡± Tina scoffed.

    ¡°He¡¯s just a mad fool, not my man,¡± Wraith said, pressing a knife against the fat man¡¯s neck, smirking proudly, ¡°Do you know why I poisoned everyone in the hospital except for him? Just in case you tried something like this.¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze grew colder, and she remained silent.

    ¡°You people always act high and mighty, iming to be on the side of justice,¡± Wraith sneered, ¡°So, even if my hostage is just a useless lunatic to society, you would still save his life to let me go.¡±

    Indeed, Wraith was right. Even though the drooling fat man was a social outcast and had probably done terrible things during his episodes, they still couldn¡¯t risk his life against Wraith¡¯s threat.

    ¡°Spectre, you can¡¯t catch me,¡± Wraith said as he began to move towards the main door, dragging the confused fat man.

    ¡°Vic, Victor?¡± the fat man mumbled questioningly, his head tilted.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Wraith snapped, pulling him along as he retreated step by step.

    Tina and the Mountain Veil Order could only watch helplessly, unable to intervene.

    ¡°Master, are we really going to let him go just like that?¡± Jayden asked, clearly unwilling.

    Tina didn¡¯t respond.

    Just as Wraith was about to exit the main door, dragging the fat man with him, Tina acted. She swiftly threw a paralyzing powder at Wraith. It was a minor nuisance for him, yet it momentarily slowed his movements. That moment was enough. Suddenly, the fat man¡¯s expression changed, and he stabbed several silver needles into Wraith¡¯s vital points. Wraith,pletely unprepared for this turn of events, was immediately immobilized.

    ¡°Peter?¡± Wraith eximed in surprise, looking at the man who was no longer drooling or tilting his head, nowpletely transformed.

    ¡°You lose again,¡± Tina told Wraith.

    ¡°He¡¯s not one of yours!¡± Wraith protested, ¡°How can you im you¡¯ve won?¡±

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m not Serena¡¯s man?¡± the fat man chuckled, then turned to Tina toin, ¡°Serena, you have no idea how long I¡¯ve been chasing this Wraith, how difficult it was to gain his trust just when I was about to seed, and then you guys show up. Does this mean I have to share the bounty with you?¡±

    ¡°Peter, you¡¯ve been out bounty hunting for so many years without contact,¡± Tina red coldly at him, ¡°Consider the bounty as tea money you¡¯re giving to your brothers.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Serena, that¡¯s not how you should put it,¡± the fat man winced, ¡°You don¡¯t know how alert this Wraith is. I had to pretend to be a fool and madman, it wasn¡¯t easy, I¡¯ve been pretending for half a year!¡±

    Peter Crispin, now speakingfluently and with a firm tone, a stark contrast to his previous constant babbling about wanting a wife, caught Wraith off guard. It dawned on Wraith that there was a renowned international bounty hunter known as Peter Crispin. Any fugitive he targeted, whether A-grade or S-grade, never escaped. However, Wraith had never imagined that a bounty hunter could endure such disgrace, pretending to be a madman for half a year,mitting numerous absurd acts in front of him, which is why he never suspected Peter Crispin. Ironically, the very precaution he took became the chain that captured him.

    ¡°Have you done anything illegal?¡± Tina stared intensely at Peter Crispin.

    ¡°Nothing at all, absolutely nothing,¡± Peter Crispin quickly reassured, waving his hands, ¡°Serena, that little girl inside, I didn¡¯t even touch her. They all thought I was impotent, so I could only touch her hand before they took her away.¡±

    He had been sitting at the building entrance when he saw Serenaing and quickly indicated his innocence out of fright.

    Upon hearing this, he startedining again, ¡°Do you know how hard it is to pretend to be impotent for half a year, especially in front of someone like Wraith? So, about the bounty¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Tina interrupted him sharply.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Wraith, overhearing their conversation,ughed again, ¡°You don¡¯t think that catching me means I can¡¯t escape, do you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, run if you want,¡± Peter Crispin waved dismissively, ¡°But wait until I get my bounty. Then you can run so I can catch you again for another bounty. After all, finding an SS-grade fugitive like you isn¡¯t easy.¡±

 Chapter 149: Tina Must Like Jared Farrell Too

    Wraith ground his teeth and sneered at Peter Crispin, ¡°How about we coborate a few more times, exchange some more money, fifty-fifty split?¡±

    ¡°That sounds great!¡± Peter Crispin¡¯s eyes lit up, and he stood up swiftly, beginning to calcte aloud, ¡°I catch you once, the bounty is 130 million, fifty-fifty means 65 million each. A few more coborations, and we can buy any house we want.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, you!¡± Seeing Tina¡¯s displeased expression, Jayden kicked Peter Crispin in the rear, dragged him away, and politely apologized to Wraith, ¡°Sorry for the disturbance, our fool here often wet the bed as a child, which must¡¯ve waterlogged his brain.¡±

    Wraith snorted coldly, ignoring him, and only looked towards Tina, ¡°Spectre, if I don¡¯t die, I¡¯lle looking for you again.¡±

    Tina frowned, her beautiful brows creasing, and she quickly ordered her subordinates to tie up Wraith.

    As they approached with handcuffs and leg irons, a dark gleam shed through Wraith¡¯s eyes. Just as they got close, he suddenly lifted his head and spat out several silver needles directly at their faces.

    Tina, already anticipating his move, rushed forward with a cold glint in her eyes. Her right hand grabbed at the air, effortlessly catching the needles between her fingertips.

    ¡°Try your own poison,¡± she said, throwing the needles back into Wraith¡¯s body. He grunted in pain, his eyes full of rage but unable to move.

    Handling him was troublesome, as no one knew how many poisons he had hidden. Tina decided to cuff and shackle him herself.

    Even so, she felt he was too dangerous. However, Jared Farrell was at home waiting for her to cure his poisoning, so she couldn¡¯t personally escort Wraith.

    Pondering briefly, she proposed to Wraith, ¡°How about wepete again?¡±

    ¡°How would wepete?¡± Wraith¡¯s eyes instantly brightened.

    ¡°Before you solve all these new poisons I¡¯ve developed, you¡¯re not allowed to escape,¡± Tina dered, grabbing Wraith¡¯s jaw and stuffing a handful of medicine into his mouth.

    Unsatisfied with just that, she sprinkled a bunch of poison powder on him and jabbed him several times with needles.

    Yet, Wraith seemedpletely unfazed, happily letting Tina proceed.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Onlookers watched the pair with awe, unsure who was more terrifying: Wraith, or the expressionless Tina deploying a barrage of poisons.

    ¡°Heh, I¡¯ll tell you, this little trick won¡¯t stop me. Before they even transport me, I¡¯ll have solved it all,¡± Wraith confidently dered, ¡°I¡¯ll definitelye back for you!¡±

    Tina smiled seductively, ¡°We¡¯ll see how long it takes for you to find your way back.¡±

    Despite their prior agreement, everyone else remained on high alert.

    Not satisfied with just handcuffs and leg irons, they put him in a containment suit and even sealed his mouth before loading him onto a prison van.

    The sight resembled capturing a dangerous wild beast rather than a man.

    As the prison van carrying Wraith departed, Jayden and his men brought out a stretcher bed with Amber on it, who had fainted from excessive blood loss.

    Her hands covered her abdomen where the bleeding had stopped, but her pale face was still rmingly white.

    ¡°Leave her to the police,¡± Tina said coldly, turning to leave, ¡°Finish up here.¡±

    Watching her slightly anxious departure, Jayden thought of Cole Lyon¡¯sment, ¡°She¡¯s grown up, hasn¡¯t she?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t help but sigh; the young master was truly troubled.

    Back at the Blue Cove Apartments.

    When Tina arrived, Hayden Cohen was panicking as Jared Farrell had developed a sudden high fever, and the doctors he brought were helpless.

    Relieved to see her, he pulled her into the bedroom saying, ¡°You need to check on him, he¡¯s reached 39 degrees Celsius, it could get worse, I fear he might be delirious.¡±

    In the bedroom, Jared Farrelly on a leather bed, his skin slightly reddened from the fever, his face showing a faint grayish tinge.

    Tina frowned and immediately checked his pulse, confirming that residual toxins caused the fever.

    She took out Empyrean Bloom and Sevenfold Peril, which had been delivered earlier that day, along with several herbs to make an antidote. After administering it, she started acupuncture to help expel the toxins.

    Soon, Jared Farrell¡¯s temperature began to drop.

    The doctor, Leona Emerson, brought by Hayden, knew of Tina¡¯s medical prowess and watched intently as she treated Jared.

    Seeing her effortlessly cure what he couldn¡¯t, he approached full of admiration, ¡°Miss Reed, what was that medicine you used on Mr. Farrell?¡±

    Before Tina could reply, Jared Farrell groaned ufortablyfrom his bed. ¡°Don¡¯t disturb her!¡± Hayden immediately stepped forward, picking up Leona Emerson and dragging him out, ¡°Ask your questionster.¡±

    Leona looked wronged, unsure of when he might get another chance to see Tina. Jared Farrell was notoriously stingy with her attention, rarely allowing anyone besides Nathan Lehman and Hayden Cohen ess to her.

    After sending Leona out of the apartment, Hayden returned to find Tina asleep by Jared¡¯s bedside. Exhausted from the night¡¯s high-speed escape and the events at Southridge Psychiatric Facility, she had clearly run out of energy.

    Hayden stared at her sleeping figure, reflecting on the rtionship between Jared and Tina. To everyone, it seemed Jared was more invested, his affection palpable. Tina, however, had always maintained a cool demeanor.

    Perhaps she showed a hint more warmth towards Jared than others, but it was subtle at best. Thus, Hayden had quietly resented the imbnce on behalf of his friend.

    But now, he felt reassured. The rare herbs, Sevenfold Peril and Empyrean Bloom, were not easy to obtain. Knowing Jared needed these for detoxification, Hayden had exhausted all his connections to no avail. He didn¡¯t know how Tina managed to acquire them, but it must have cost her dearly.

    He thought, ¡°Tina must like Jared Farrell too.¡± Perhaps she wasn¡¯t good at showing it, or maybe she hadn¡¯t realized her feelings herself.

    Carefully, he draped a nket over Tina and quietly exited the room, his heart lighter than before.

 Chapter 150: Heâ€™s Gone

    When Jared Farrell awoke, the sky was already bright. The first thing he saw was Tina with her eyes closed, her thick eyshes fluttering slightly and a faint blue shadow under her eyes, a clear sign of extreme fatigue. It was the first time he had seen Tina¡¯s sleeping face so close, her peaceful expression showing a tranquility he had never seen before, a rare serenity typical of a 19-year-old girl. This girl always seemed resilient like wild grass, never showing tiredness or easily falling down. She seemed capable of anything. Yet, here she was, exhausted and unguarded, sleeping next to him after all her efforts on his behalf. He was moved beyond words.

    ¡°Tina,¡± he called to her softly.

    Tina¡¯s eyshes quivered and slowly, she opened her eyes at Jared¡¯s gentle call. The first thing she did upon waking was to reach out to check his forehead temperature, sighing almost imperceptibly when she felt his temperature was normal.

    ¡°Your poison is clear now.¡±

    Jared knew he wasn¡¯tpletely unconscious during his bout of illness, especially with Hayden Cohen around. That guy, with a voice that could drown out five hundred ducks, had been constantly chattering about Tina going off to find the Empyrean Bloom for him. Although Jared was no medical expert, he knew how rare the Empyrean Bloom was, which made him anxious even though he was helpless in his unconscious state.

    ¡°Do you want something to eat?¡± Tina asked as she stood up. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for a whole day and night. I¡¯ll go make some porridge for you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll join you,¡± Jared said as he quickly got up, only to sway weakly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself,¡± Tina said, frowning as she supported him.

    Jared could hardly admit that he was afraid to try her cooking again, fearing more trouble if he wasn¡¯t fully recovered, so he made an excuse, ¡°I¡¯ve been lying down too long, my back hurts, I need to walk around a bit.¡±

    Seeing his insistence, Tina apanied him to the kitchen and under his guidance, they made porridge. Just as they were serving the porridge, Hayden Cohen arrived with two takeout porridges, surprised, ¡°Yo, I was worried you guys couldn¡¯t cook and would starve, so I brought breakfast.¡±

    ¡°We know how to order takeout ourselves,¡± Jared¡¯s nce swept over the takeout in Hayden¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Okay, okay, consider me nosy,¡± Hayden said, eyeing the two bowls of porridge on the table and then looking back and forth between Jared and Tina, finally resting his gaze on Tina, ¡°Who made this porridge? Surely not you?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°You made this?¡± Doubt and disdain nearly spilled from Hayden¡¯s eyes, ¡°Is it even edible?¡±

    He quickly stopped Jared from trying the porridge, ¡°Hold on, Mr. Farrell, I know you love your little fiancee like the sun and moon, and she could feed you poison and you¡¯d eat it, but you¡¯re just recovering. Don¡¯t torture yourself. Eat mine.¡±

    After saying this, Hayden reached out to rece Jared¡¯s bowl with his takeout, but Jared frowned and held onto his bowl, knocking Hayden¡¯s hand with his chopsticks.

    ¡°Say that again?¡± Tina narrowed her eyes, her cooking skills having improved under Jared¡¯s tutge, and Hayden still dared to criticize her.

    ¡°I better not repeat myself,¡± Hayden chuckled, his eyes saying it all.

    ¡°What if it¡¯s tasty?¡± Tina asked coldly.

    ¡°If it¡¯s tasty, I¡¯ll eat a pound of salt,¡± Hayden dered boldly.

    ¡°Fine, you¡¯ll eat,¡± Tina smirked, pushing her untouched bowl of porridge towards him.

    Hayden raised an eyebrow, took a spoon, and cautiously tasted a bit. His eyes lit up unexpectedly-he hadn¡¯t thought that Tina¡¯s previously dreadful cooking could produce such delicious porridge. But then he remembered his bold im, and his face fell.

    ¡°A pound of salt, don¡¯t forget,¡± Tina said, reading his expression. He couldn¡¯t deny the oue.

    Pleased, she got up to serve herself another bowl of porridge from the kitchen.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell¡­¡± Hayden looked pitifully at Jared for help.

    ¡°If you think a pound isn¡¯t enough, add another,¡± Jared was not about to help him.

    Defeated, Hayden slumped in his chair, staring resentfully at Tina¡¯s bowl of porridge, thinking he might as well keep eating the porridge with a spoon.

    In the kitchen, just as Tina finished serving her porridge, Jayden¡¯s call came through.

    She picked up, and Jayden¡¯s voice was grave, ¡°Young master, Wraith has escaped.¡±

    ¡°Escaped?¡± Tina frowned.

    She had calcted the dosage of her poison well, considering Wraith¡¯s skills, and by the time he had unlocked all his acupoints and detoxified himself, there should have beenample time to secure him in a special prison. Wraith, though twisted, was alwayspetitive in medical and toxicological matters, and he strictly kept his promises. It was unthinkable that he would break his word.

    ¡°During his transport, we were attacked,¡± Jayden exined. ¡°The attackers were heavily armed, and it seemed they were not just there to rescue him but rather to target his life. They used a rocketuncher, blowing up the prison van, and several of our brothers were injured.

    ¡°But Wraith didn¡¯t die; someone saw him jump out and run.¡±

    ¡°Do we know who was behind it?¡± Tina¡¯s brow furrowed deeper.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Jayden replied, frustration evident in his voice. ¡°If our guys hadn¡¯t been smart and spotted the ambush early, we might have been looking at more than just injuries.¡±

    ¡°Keep investigating,¡± Tina instructed after a moment¡¯s thought, then added, ¡°As for Wraith, tell Peter Crispin to chase him down, and let him know all the bounty is his if he seeds.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s already on it,¡± Jayden chuckled.

    Knowing about the bounty of $130 million on Wraith and Peter Crispin¡¯s love for money, he had immediately grabbed his gear and went after him.

    Tina silently sighed. They weren¡¯t really poor, were they? Why did Peter always seem like he was fixated on money?N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    After hanging up with Jayden, Tina pondered for a moment. The team transporting Wraith wasn¡¯t just from the Mountain Veil Order; there were also agents from a special department sent by higher authorities. The attackers¡¯ bold move would surely attract attention from the top. What could be so important that they risked exposing themselves just to take Wraith¡¯s life?

    ¡°Tina? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jared called out to her after she hadn¡¯t emerged from the kitchen for a while.

    ¡°Nothing, just checking if we have enough salt for a pound,¡± Tina replied nonchntly as she brought out the porridge.

 Chapter 151: We Will Need Amber

    As soon as the topic of ¡°salt¡± came up, Hayden Cohen¡¯s face soured further, and he quickly shifted Tina¡¯s attention. ¡°Did you hear about the incident at Southridge yesterday?¡±

    Jared Farrell raised his eyes, signaling for him to continue.

    ¡°I heard a patient died there, and two escaped,¡± Hayden Cohen said mysteriously.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t someone always die at Southridge?¡± Nathan Lehman remarked.

    ¡°This time it¡¯s different. When the police arrived, everyone inside was unconscious on the floor,¡± Hayden continued, sipping his porridge as he ryed the news.

    ¡°The deseased was found poisoned right at the main entrance. When they asked the staff, no one could remember what happenedst night.¡±

    ¡°The two who escaped?¡± Jared was more concerned about the dangerous individuals on the loose.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t been found yet.¡± Hayden shook his head. ¡°So, the police will be busy for a while, and security checks around the city will likely be stricter.¡±

    Tina, who had been silent, knew well that the escaped patients were none other than Wraith and Peter Crispin.

    ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Hayden, remembering something, pped the table and said to Jared, ¡°Your sister-inw who was thrown in there was also rescued by the police.¡±

    Jared blinked, recalling the arrangement he had made with Hayden tomit Amber to Southridge. ¡°How is she?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in a bad way,¡± Hayden remarked, ncing at Tina who continued to eat her porridge quietly, thinking it best to paint a dire picture since Jared had orchestrated Amber¡¯smitment to win Tina¡¯s favor.

    ¡°Your sister-inw was beaten up so badly when she was rescued. Not only was her face unrecognizable and her body covered in bruises, but someone had stabbed her abdomen, nearly spilling her intestines.¡±

    ¡°And when she woke up, she was delirious, constantly iming there was a bomb inside her.¡±

    ¡°Also, her leg was amputated!¡±

    ¡°Are you sure her stomach wounds were severe enough to expose intestines?¡± Tina asked skeptically. ¡°And her leg, it was just broken, not amputated, right?¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    It was unlikely that Jayden and his group would have tortured Amber further after she left.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± Now it was Hayden¡¯s turn to be puzzled.

    As the details from Southridge were confidential, there was no news leak yet; even he had only heard through internal sources.

    Tina lowered her eyelids and remained silent, sipping her porridge. She knew better; the minor injury to Amber¡¯s abdomen was her doing.

    ¡°What¡¯s the n for her now?¡± Jared asked, his gaze heavy with implication.

    ¡°She¡¯s been taken to the hospital,¡± Hayden smiled. ¡°She entered Southridge on her own ord, so it doesn¡¯t fall on us. Besides, she seems nearly insane by now.¡±

    At the city hospital, Amber was indeed on the brink of being dered mentally ill, or rather, the police were about to treat her as such. No matter how she exined that during her time in Southridge, a man and a woman had imnted bombs in her to set up a challenge, the police refused to believe her. They found neither the alleged mini-bombs nor theparoscopic surgical tools she described.

    And as for her ims of abuse by other patients at Southridge, the police could not pursue those, as the perpetrators were mentally ill and not legally ountable.

    Elizabeth, still in her hospital room, was informed about these developments. All the paperwork was handled by Pinewood.

    After the police visited Elizabeth and she learned the full story, she could only ask the officers to keep Amber¡¯s identity confidential. If her ordeal at Southridge got out, she would be ostracized in Ensford.

    Once the officers left, Elizabeth, frustrated, questioned Pinewood and Talon, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer Amber¡¯s calls that day?¡±

    ¡°Mom, I was with you all day, and I was exhausted,¡± Talon replied grimly.

    ¡°I figured she wasn¡¯ting to look after you, so what could be so urgent?¡± Pinewood scoffed.

    ¡°Besides, she said she was going to confront that man in ck, but instead, she ran off to Southridge. Even if I had taken the call, I couldn¡¯t have gotten her out.¡±

    Pinewood and Talon nced at each other, silent.

    ¡°Fools! Amber will be very useful to us in the future!¡± Elizabeth scolded them. ¡°Help me up; we need to see Amber!¡±

 Chapter 152: Your Promises Are Worthless

    Pinewood and Talon, though bewildered, followed Elizabeth¡¯s instructions, supporting her as she descended from her sickbed to visit Amber. Amber was staying on the same floor as Hugo, the sixteenth, and as they approached her room, they saw Tina slowly approaching from the other end of the hallway. Jared Farrell¡¯s incident had kept Tina away from the hospital all of yesterday; only this afternoon did she find the time toe.

    She caught sight of the Reed family but passed by Amber¡¯s room without so much as a nce at them. Amber saw Tina as well; sitting disheveled on her bed, she watched Tina walk by as if she was nothing, invisible. Though Tina did nothing out of the ordinary, Amber discerned arrogance, disdain, and schadenfreude in herposed and indifferent demeanor. For some reason, Tina¡¯s figure inexplicably reminded her of the masked woman from that night, the one who calmly made an incision in her abdomen behind her sses. It was as though, to them, she wasn¡¯t a living being but an object to be disassembled and manipted at will.

    Amber couldn¡¯t control herself and screamed, a mix of terror and fury, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them, I¡¯m going to kill them!¡± Not only those standing at the door, but the entire floor was startled by her outcry.

    ¡°Amber, Amber, it¡¯s alright now,¡± Elizabeth hurried inside, trying to soothe her.

    ¡°Grandma!¡± Amber cried, clutching Elizabeth and sobbing uncontrobly, ¡°The police don¡¯t believe what I say! Have I suffered all this for nothing?¡±

    ¡°At that Facility, those are mentally ill patients without civil capacities,¡± remarked Pinewood, not with sympathy but with a sneering tone, ¡°Even if the police did believe someone put a bomb in your stomach, do you think it¡¯s possible to punish them? Why create more problems? Who asked you to go there in the middle of the night?¡±

    Amber bit her lip in anger; she buried her face in Elizabeth¡¯s embrace, hiding the hatred in her eyes. She clearly remembered calling the Reed family for help that night, and not a single one had answered her calls. The only one who had was Jennie.

    But now was not the time to turn hostile; Sean was in jail, the man in ck was untraceable, and her reputation was ruined over the false usations against Hugo. If Elizabeth turned her back now, Amber would truly be alone.

    So, facing Pinewood¡¯s mockery, she said nothing and just cried, asking Elizabeth, ¡°Grandma, what am I supposed to do now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, grandma has a n,¡± Elizabeth stroked Amber¡¯s hair, her eyes twinkling with a peculiar triumph, ¡°Just follow my arrangements from now on.¡±

    Meanwhile, Hugo, being on the same floor, had also heard Amber¡¯s screams. At that moment, Jennie was feeding him porridge. A nurse changing the IV drop muttered, ¡°She really should be moved to the psychiatric ward, screaming every day, it¡¯s terrifying.¡±

    Jennie paused with the spoon, then continued feeding Hugo as if nothing had happened. Upon hearing Amber¡¯s screams, Hugo¡¯s expression darkened, but remembering her deeds, he remained silent.

    When Tina entered, the atmosphere in the room was already tense and eerie. Yet seeing her, Jennie and Hugo immediately smiled, ¡°Tina¡¯s here.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    ¡°How are you feeling today?¡± Tina asked.

    She had given Hugo pills that healed his internal injuries, though his external wounds were still healing. Given the torments Hugo had endured, even the wounds were hard to locate.

    ¡°The doctor said if there are noplications, I should be able to leave in about a week,¡± Jennie answered.

    Tina nodded, sitting quietly by the side, watching Jennie finish feeding Hugo. After Jennie went to wash the dishes, Tina finally spoke, ¡°Mr. Reed, are you sure my mother left nothing but the perfume form?¡±

    ¡°Yes, just the perfume form,¡± Hugo replied, his gaze flickering.

    Tina didn¡¯t press further, but she felt Hugo was hiding something from her. Suddenly, the door burst open; Tina and Hugo thought it was Jennie returning, but instead, it was Elizabeth¡¯s grim face apanied by Pinewood and Talon.

    ¡°Mom,¡± Hugo¡¯s expression immediately darkened.

    ¡°You still know I¡¯m your mom!¡± Elizabeth entered,ughing coldly, ¡°You never once asked about me during my hospital stay!¡±

    ¡°And when I was hospitalized, did you ask about me?¡± Hugo retorted coldly, then chuckled, ¡°Oh, how could I forget, why would you ask, considering you were partly to me for my condition!¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s face twitched ufortably; she hadn¡¯t really wanted to visit Hugo but her next n required money. Now that the Reed family was ruined, she had no choice but to ask Hugo, ¡°Give me two hundred thousand, or I¡¯ll sue you for neglecting to provide for your mother!¡±

    Jennie, just back from washing dishes, heard this as she reached the door, her expression turning sour. She truly hadn¡¯t expected Elizabeth to have the audacity to show up.

    ¡°We have already severed ties with you legally!¡± Jennie walked in, her voice cold.

    ¡°How naive!¡± Elizabeth scoffed, ¡°Ask anywyer, can blood ties really be severed that easily? As long as I have no ie, he is my son and he must support me!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you took the perfume form from Tina¡¯s mother! The value of that form is surely enough to offset any support you¡¯d need!¡± Hugo¡¯s expression shifted, dismayed that Elizabeth would stoop so low. The agreement to sever ties, and now she was reneging.

    ¡°Times change,¡± Elizabeth smirked, she could have sold the form for money, but she preferred to keep it forter, to revive the Ye¡¯s Perfumery.

    ¡°Regardless, I raised you, and you owe me a duty of support. I¡¯m only asking for two hundred thousand, I promise I won¡¯t ask for more after this.¡±

    ¡°Your promise is worthless.¡±

 Chapter 153: Iâ€™ll Give You Another Gift

    Tina, who had been sitting quietly beside, nced indifferently at Elizabeth and her twopanions. ¡°Let¡¯s take it to court. We can drag this out as long as needed. Whatever the court decides, we¡¯ll pay ordingly.¡±

    Elizabeth turned sharply, her voice harsh as she rebuked, ¡°You have no right to speak here!¡±

    ¡°Tina¡¯s opinion is my opinion,¡± Hugo intervened coldly.

    ¡°You!¡± Elizabeth burst out angrily, ¡°I will expose your abandonment to everyone! You want to ruin your reputation!¡±

    ¡°Huh,¡± Hugoughed in response, ¡°Wasn¡¯t my reputation already destroyed by my biological mother and adopted daughter?¡± Despiteter revtions that Amber was lying, many still spected darkly about Hugo, and the rumors spread faster than the truth, leaving some to still view him as a viin used of heinous acts.

    ¡°If you want alimony, mom, then as Tina suggested, we¡¯ll go to court,¡± Hugo spoke calmly. ¡°We will pay when the verdict is in.¡±

    ¡°Just a reminder,¡± Tina added slowly, ¡°you have three sons and a daughter. If the court rules, it will likely dictate that they equally share the burden of your alimony. Considering your past actions towards Mr. Reed, the court might only grant you the minimum living guarantee from Ensford.¡±

    She turned to ask Jennie, ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s the minimum living guarantee in Ensford?¡±

    ¡°One thousand one hundred eighty dors,¡± Jennie replied with a cold smile, knowing internally it meant each would only need to contribute two hundred ny-five dors a month. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re over sixty now. Even if you live to a hundred, Hugo¡¯s total alimony wouldn¡¯t reach two hundred thousand.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s face, lined with wrinkles, twitched with anger.

    Tina slightly curled her lips, ¡°First hearing, second hearing, final judgment, it might take years. Don¡¯t worry, we have the patience to drag this out.¡±

    Ultimately, Elizabeth was so infuriated she couldn¡¯t speak, just tremblingly pointed at the trio before storming out, supported by Pinewood and Talon.

    Jennie sighed, ¡°Hugo, are you really her biological son? Maybe you should get a paternity test?¡±

    She loved her children deeply and couldn¡¯t understand why Elizabeth disliked Hugo so much. She suspected Hugo might not be her biological child.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had a paternity test done years ago. I am indeed her biological son,¡± Hugo replied in a somber tone. He had secretly hoped he wasn¡¯t, which might exin Elizabeth¡¯s treatment towards him and ease his pain. But the truth was, he was indeed her biological child.

    Hugo took Jennie¡¯s hand, ¡°My life might be filled with such tragedies, but I still have you, Jennie, Zackary, and Tina. I believe I¡¯m blessed in many ways.¡±

    For some reason, as Hugo and Jennie locked eyes, filled with deep affection, Tina suddenly thought of Jared Farrell. ¡°I¡¯m going to pick up Zackary.¡±

    She stood and walked out of the hospital room, turning back briefly to add, ¡°Whether it¡¯s Amber or Sean, anyone who hurts you will pay a price.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Hugo was momentarily stunned, watching the empty doorway long after she left.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jennie asked, puzzled.

    ¡°Do you think this incident with Amber might involve Tina?¡± Hugo frowned slightly.

    ¡°Amber has hurt you deeply. Surely you aren¡¯t still concerned for her?¡± Jennie replied quietly, ¡°And what could Tina, a mere child, possibly do? If anyone, it would be Jared.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I understand,¡± Hugo smiled wryly, shaking his head. ¡°I just don¡¯t want them to get into trouble because of me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they know their limits,¡± Jennie reassured him.

    After leaving Hugo¡¯s hospital room, Tina passed by Amber¡¯s room again, not giving her a nce until Amber called out, ¡°Tina!¡±

    Tina stopped, hands in pockets, tilting her head to look at her. Amber, left alone, stared back silently for a long moment before cracking a sinister smile, ¡°I will take everything that belongs to you.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyebrows furrowed momentarily, then her lips curled slightly, ¡°Southridge Psychiatric Facility would be a suitable ce for you.¡±

    At the mention of ¡°Southridge Psychiatric Facility,¡± Amber stiffened, her eyes wide with shock and fear. She remembered the police saying that what happened inside the facility would never be leaked. How did Tina know?

    Unconcerned by Amber¡¯s changed expression, Tina continued walking, her face expression softening.

    She had been keeping tabs on Sean, and just as she thought about it, a text from Cole Lyon arrived, informing her that Sean had just been ¡°identally¡± injured in custody and was being rushed to the hospital.

    Tina¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile, ¡°Perfect timing!¡±

    As she replied to Cole Lyon¡¯s message, Jared Farrell¡¯s call came through. ¡°Tina.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes softened slightly.

    ¡°Feeling down today?¡± Jared¡¯s voice was low and soothing.

    ¡°Did you hear?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow. Jared was always well-informed; Elizabeth and her family had just caused a scene, and he already knew.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jared didn¡¯t deny it.

    ¡°I have a gift for you, would that cheer you up?¡± Jared offered.

    ¡°What gift?¡± Tina was curious.

    Just then, another message from Cole Lyon popped up, ¡°Serena, someone beat us to Sean. It looks like Jared Farrell¡¯s men got to him first, so I didn¡¯t interfere.¡±

    Jared¡¯s chuckle resonated through the phone, ¡°Sean, do you like this gift?¡±

    Tina¡¯s smile widened.

    ¡°I really like it!¡±

 Chapter 154: Did You Just Say You Wanted to Talk About Love?

    In the basement of the hillside vi, Sean woke from unconsciousness. Initially disoriented, he soon realized he was in the very ce he had once held Lily Fawkes and Quentin captive. To his shock, he found himself bound in a spread-eagled position against the wall, facing a stern Quentin.

    ¡°How is it you?!¡± Sean asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

    Quentin nced at him with disdain and remained silent.

    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Sean erupted in anger when Quentin ignored him. After all, in his eyes, Quentin and his sister were always vulnerable targets for his bullying.

    Sean had nned an escape that day. He was supposed to fake a medical emergency in jail by swallowing arge amount of drugs, then be rescued by an aplice from GTO while being transferred to the hospital. However, halfway to the hospital, the route of the transport was unexpectedly changed, and before he could react, he was sedated and lost consciousness.

    Now, seeing Quentin, he realized he had been intercepted.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have the guts. Who¡¯s behind this? Tina?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°It¡¯s me. Surprised?¡± came Tina¡¯s chilly voice.

    She was dressed in a ck hoodie and duckbill cap, exuding an aura of gloom. Jared Farrell stood beside her, dressed simrly but with a distinguished demeanor.

    ¡°So it was you!¡± Sean red at Tina, then turned his gaze to Jared. ¡°I thought you were capable of something but turns out you just rely on a man!¡±

    Tina, hands in her pockets and an expressionless face, stared at Sean, her voice ice-cold. ¡°We have some unfinished business, Sean.¡±

    ¡°Do what you want!¡± Sean defiantly retorted.

    ¡°I¡¯m a civilized person. I don¡¯t enjoy violence,¡± Tina suddenly smiled, her tone leisurely.

    Sean paused, confused by her reaction. He looked at her smiling face and felt an inexplicable chill.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked, trying to hide his panic.

    Tina ignored his question and turned to Quentin, ¡°Do you know why I brought you here?¡±

    ¡°To get revenge?¡± Quentin hesitated.

    He hadn¡¯t forgotten how Sean had tortured him to force Lily to help with perfume concoctions. The basement was full of torture devices, each of which Sean had used on him, leaving scars under his clothes.

    ¡°It¡¯s more than that,¡± Tina indicated the instruments, which had been seized by the police but were restored by Jared Farrell¡¯s men.

    ¡°Lily is special. Her talent in perfumery is as good as mine and she will attract many. To protect her, you need to be ruthless. Today, practice your resolve on him.¡±

    Tina handed Quentin a barbed whip. Quentin hesitated, hating Sean was one thing, but to physically hurt him was another.

    ¡°Can¡¯t do it?¡± Tina¡¯s voice turned colder. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle this, how will you protect Lily?¡±

    Quentin saw the malicious look in Sean¡¯s eyes and knew Tina was right. Some people would never respect you until they fear you.

    Whip in hand, Quentin hardened his heart and began to strike Sean. ¡°Quentin! How dare you!¡± Sean screamed in pain, swearing revenge and threatening his sister.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Quentin¡¯s expression grew colder with eachsh, especially as Sean¡¯s insults grew more venomous.

    The barbs of the whip tore at Sean¡¯s flesh, blood mixing with his cold sweat, staining his prison clothes. He gasped in pain but continued to resist begging for mercy.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Tina watched for a moment before turning to leave with Jared Farrell, saying casually, ¡°Take your time, I¡¯m going to have a romantic chat with my fiance in the courtyard.¡±

    ¡°Tina!¡± Sean cried out, provoking her in agony, ¡°You¡¯re scared to watch, aren¡¯t you? Just a helpless woman, relying on a nobody to avenge your father!¡±

    Tinaughed, turning back to Sean, ¡°If I started, you wouldn¡¯tst long enough for him to get his revenge.¡±

    Ignoring Sean¡¯s further insults, she left the basement arm in arm with Jared Farrell. Outside, the moonlight cast a romantic glow over the couple, a stark contrast to the grim scene inside.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared suddenly pulled her close, his voice husky, ¡°Did you just say you wanted to talk about love?¡±

    Blushing, Tina coughed slightly, trying to change the subject, ¡°Does your wound still hurt?¡±

    ¡°Answer me,¡± Jared insisted, holding her tightly.

    At that moment, Hayden Cohen emerged, breaking the mood with a tray of acupuncture needles. ¡°How about we stick these into Sean? That should satisfy him, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather make you feel them first!¡± Jared¡¯s expression darkened. He could feel their rtionship had deepened since his injury, and he was close to making Tina acknowledge her feelings.

    ¡°What, what were you doing just now?¡± Hayden noticed their intimateposture toote, realizing he might have interrupted something important.

    Jared kicked out in frustration, ¡°Get lost!¡±

 Chapter 155: Capitalâ€™s Reed Family

    Hayden Cohen turned away dejectedly, only to turn back after a few steps and ce the thin needle in Tina¡¯s hand. Tina, holding the needle, exchanged a silent look with Jared Farrell. The interruption by Hayden had dispersed any tender atmosphere that was brewing. After a moment, they shared a smile.

    Checking the time, Tina turned to head back to the basement but heard Jared calling from behind, ¡°Tina.¡± She turned to see him standing in the moonlight, smiling tenderly at her, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to continue.¡± Tina¡¯s ears turned red instantly, and she walked away with the needle.

    In the basement, Sean was barely clinging to life. Following Tina¡¯s instructions, Quentin had tested every torture device in the basement on Sean. Initially uneasy, Quentin¡¯s gaze had hardened as he looked at the wounds and blood he had inflicted on Sean. Tina was right; if his heart wasn¡¯t ruthless enough, how could he protect his sister? ¡°You can go now,¡± said Tina, her purpose achieved.

    As Quentin left, Sean weakly lifted his head, ¡°Ha, that¡¯s all you¡¯re capable of?¡±

    ¡°Say that again in a moment,¡± Tina shook the cow hair needle at him. Sean¡¯s pupils dted, knowing full well the terror of this tool having used it on Hugo himself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t disappoint you,¡± Tina said with a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯ll im back a hundredfold what my family suffered.¡±

    That night, no one knew what Sean endured under Tina¡¯s hands. When Tina emerged and Hayden Cohen went to check the basement, he was met with a foul stench. Sean, with his eyes rolled back and soiled in his own excrement, was still hanging on the wall.

    However, this was just the beginning. Tina¡¯s promise to make Sean pay back a hundred times was no empty threat. Though she couldn¡¯t keep him there to suffer a hundred days of needle torture due to police involvement, just seven days were enough for Sean to experience hell.

    Seven dayster, Tina and Jared Farrell went to pick up Hugo from the hospital. The hospital TV was broadcasting the news. ¡°Breaking news, Sean, who disappeared a week ago, was found unconscious this morning outside the East District police station, severely injured¡­¡± Hearing his name, fear was evident in Hugo¡¯s eyes, while Jennie, with a grim face, cursed, ¡°Serves him right!¡±

    Tina noticed Hugo¡¯s uneasy yet feigned nonchnce. ¡°Right, Tina,¡± Jennie remembered something as they were leaving the hospital, ¡°Did you hear about Amber suddenly transferring hospitals?¡± Tina, not particrly concerned about such trivial matters, replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I heard she and your grandmother all went to the capital,¡± Jennie pondered. Just days ago, Elizabeth had been demanding money from Hugo in the hospital, and now suddenly they had enough to afford a transfer to the capital, which was much more expensive than Ensford.

    That afternoon, while Tina and Jared Farrell were at Ensford High School, they also heard rumors that Amber might be transferring to a school in the capital. Tina didn¡¯t take it to heart; even if Amber went to the capital, if she dared trouble her family again, Tina had ways to make her life miserable there.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    More than Amber, she was concerned about something else. She wasn¡¯t at Ensford High School just to confront Amber; she was looking for someone. Thest time her mother went on a mission, almost all her teammates were sacrificed, except her mother and one other person who survived. That person had disappeared afterward. Tina had received information that this person¡¯s daughter was studying at Ensford High School under a pseudonym. She was here to find her.

    After reviewing the student records of Ensford High School over and over, Tina still hadn¡¯t found the girl. She even doubted whether the information Cole Lyon had given her was correct. Moreover, fearing attracting the attention of the GTO, which could endanger the girl, she couldn¡¯t search too openly.

    As Tina waspletely disregarding Amber, less than half a month before the college entrance examination, Amber unexpectedly returned. That day, as Jared Farrell was driving Tina to school, their car was rear-ended just outside the school gate. It was more an intentional collision than an ident.

    The driver, Nathan Lehman, looked stern. Having followed Jared Farrell for many years, even in the capital where no one dared to tantly ram Jared¡¯s car, it was unexpected to encounter such boldness in Ensford. Before he could step out to confront them, the other driver approached first.

    ¡°Oh, Tina, I was so happy to see you that I identally sped up and damaged my brother-inw¡¯s car. You¡¯re not mad at me, are you?¡± Amber¡¯s pretty face appeared outside the window.

    Tina rolled down the window, calmly observing Amber outside. This person really never learns, having gone to the capital andstille back to provoke her. After her trip to the capital, Amber seemed more confident.

    ¡°Tina, why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± Amber looked at Tina with a smile that barely concealed her desire to tear apart Tina¡¯s beautiful face, though her words were smooth, ¡°You¡¯re not really angry, are you? It¡¯s just a car, Jared can afford to fix it. Otherwise, I can apologize to you, okay?¡±

    Before Tina could respond, a tall figure approached Amber, his demeanor arrogant, ¡°Amber, you are the daughter of the capital¡¯s Reed family, you don¡¯t need to apologize to irrelevant nobodies.¡±

    The capital¡¯s Reed family? Tina raised an eyebrow slightly.

    ¡°Ah, Emrys, she¡¯s my sister after all,¡± Amber¡¯s face wore an unmistakable look of triumph.

    ¡°Your sister is also a daughter of the capital¡¯s Reed family, she deserves that?¡± Emrys¡¯s disdainful gaze fell on Tina.

    ¡°Yeah, Emrys is right,¡± another man in a suit stepped down from that car, joining Amber, giving her support, ¡°Amber, don¡¯t go around iming everyone as your sister, what kind of person can be rted to you?¡±

    Tina nced at the man, noting his resemnce to Jared Farrell.

    Nathan Lehman¡¯s expression turned sour in the driver¡¯s seat, while Jared Farrell, sitting next to Tina, lifted his eyelids and spoke indifferently, ¡°Nathaniel Farrell.¡±

    Tina recognized Nathaniel at first nce. In her investigations into Jared Farrell, she naturally learned about the Farrell family as well. This man was the son of Logan¡¯s eldest son, Jared¡¯s cousin.

    ¡°Jared? I am your cousin after all, you see me and don¡¯t greet me, and you talk to me in that tone?¡±

 Chapter 156: Mr. Farrell, Letâ€™s Exchange Numbers

    Jared Farrell¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, his stern face devoid of any expression, his narrowed eyes gleaming dangerously.

    Upon seeing this, Nathan Lehman immediately intervened, ¡°Young master, please show some respect. Miss Reed is our master¡¯s fiancee.¡±

    In public, Nathan Lehman referred to Jared Farrell respectfully as ¡®master¡¯.

    Nathaniel sneered, his disdainful gaze unabashedly sizing up Tina, ¡°Fiancee? Has grandfather lost his mind, choosing such a background-less woman as a fiancee for you?¡±

    This was something many in the Farrell family found baffling. With Logan¡¯s apparent partiality towards Jared Farrell, why would he choose someone like Tina, who had no significant background?

    This sparked other ambitions, as some thought that if they could secure a marriage alliance with someone of a strong background, with the support of such inws, they mightpete with Jared Farrell for the headship of the family.

    Nathaniel clearly harbored such thoughts, ¡°She¡¯s quite attractive, suitable for a fling, perhaps, but to bring home as a wife? Any sensible person born into our Farrell family would know that only daughters from esteemed families like the Ashbury Reeds are fit to marry into the Farrells.¡±

    His gaze fell on Amber, who blushed coyly at him, and he ingratiatingly said, ¡°Only someone like Amber is worthy of entering the doors of our Farrell family.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that our Farrell family had such rules!¡±

    Before Nathaniel could continue using Tina to curry favor with Amber, Logan¡¯s scornful chuckle erupted from Jared Farrell¡¯s car.

    ¡°Nathaniel, did youe up with these rules yourself?!¡±

    ¡°Grandfather¡­¡± Nathaniel¡¯s face paled, just as he saw Jared Farrell holding up his phone towards him, disying Logan¡¯s authoritative face.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Jared Farrell to call Logan.

    ¡°Did I permit you to go to Ensford?¡± Logan¡¯s contemptuous gaze nced at Amber. ¡°Since you defied my wishes and went, you might as well note back! A man who only knows how to live under a woman¡¯s skirt doesn¡¯t deserve to be in the Farrell family!¡±

    ¡°Grandfather!¡± Nathaniel was shocked. He couldn¡¯t understand why Logan wasn¡¯t supporting what seemed like a beneficial alliance with the Ashbury Reed family.

    ¡°Moreover, Tina is my personal choice, not some trivial ything to bepared with!¡± Logan warned, ¡°You better show her some respect!¡±

    Amber, referred to as a ¡°trivial ything,¡± turned pale.

    ¡°Logan, what do you mean!¡± Emrys stepped up to defend Amber.

    ¡°You¡¯re not even worthy to speak to me!¡± Logan didn¡¯t even nce at Emrys.

    Emrys¡¯s expression darkened. Being a foster son of the Ashbury Reed family, he knew his ce: Logan might greet him politely when in a good mood, but otherwise, he was unworthy of even approaching.

    ¡°Jared!¡± Logan then directed his ire at Jared Farrell, ¡°Aren¡¯t you even going to defend your own fiancee? You think you¡¯re fit to marry Tina? Let me tell you, there are plenty of good men in the Farrell family. If you dare let Tina be wronged, I¡¯ll rece you as her fiance!¡±

    Jared Farrell grunted affirmatively, speaking calmly, ¡°Nathan Lehman!¡±

    He had no intention of letting Nathaniel off. He had called Logan because Tina often said, ¡®If a problem can be solved by tattling, it¡¯s no problem at all.¡¯

    So, he tattled!

    Indeed!

    A fine strategy!

    ¡°Yes!¡± Nathan Lehman had long disapproved of Nathaniel, who often provoked Jared Farrell. Given Logan¡¯s mediation, he had restrained himself. But now, he could act without reservation.

    Nathaniel was utterly confused. Earlier, he had egged Amber on to ram Jared Farrell¡¯s car-amon tactic in Ashbury, usually settled by a few words from Logan.

    But this time, Logan was furious.

    ¡°Nathan Lehman, you¡¯re just Jared Farrell¡¯s dog, dare to touch me and see!¡± Nathaniel still couldn¡¯t believe Jared Farrell would go to extremes.

    Nathan Lehman raised his hand, and suddenly five or six men appeared, seizing Nathaniel and dragging him into a nearby alley.

    ¡°Make sure to record it when you beat him,¡± Jared Farrell added leisurely, ¡°I need to show grandfather.¡±

    Thus, Nathaniel was dragged into the alley and severely beaten, with Nathan Lehman following Jared Farrell¡¯s instructions to record the entire process.

    ¡°Jared Farrell! I¡¯m your cousin! How could you do this for a mere woman¡­¡± Nathaniel groaned in pain.

    Just as he started to curse at Tina again, Nathan Lehman reminded him, ¡°Young master, this video is for the old master. If you keep insulting Miss Reed, the old master might not stop at just this beating.¡±

    Nathaniel immediately shut his mouth, only muttering curses at Jared Farrell and Nathan Lehman, not daring to insult Tina further.

    When Nathaniel was finally dragged out after the beating, Nathan Lehman kindly had him thrown onto Amber¡¯s car.

    Amber and Emrys were shocked and couldn¡¯t recover. Amber feigned concern, ¡°Nathaniel, are you alright?¡±

    Nathaniel nced at Amber, grunted, but was too pained to speak. He couldn¡¯t believe Nathan Lehman had actually allowed the men to beat him mercilessly.

    Yet, he thought of Amber, Logan seemed bewitched now, protecting that background-less Tina.

    Once he won Amber over, Logan¡¯s attitude would surely change. After all, Amber was the long-lost child of the Ashbury Reed family, dearly pitied by the Reed family for her years of suffering. They were all thinking of how topensate her.

    If he could marry Amber, the Reed family would surely help him oust Jared Farrell from his position as heir.

    Amber outwardly showed concern for Nathaniel, but inwardly she was dismissive. Her gaze involuntarily fell on Jared Farrell.

    She was now the most cherished daughter of the four great Ashbury families, the Reed family. Only someone like Jared Farrell was worthy of her, and only she could stand beside him. What was Nathaniel, and what was Tina inparison?N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Thinking this, she changed her expression to one very different from how she had treated Tina earlier, and spoke softly to Jared Farrell, ¡°Mr. Farrell, I hit your car, so naturally, I shouldpensate you. Let¡¯s exchange numbers to discuss the matter.¡±

    Jared Farrell didn¡¯t even bother to look at her. Nathan Lehman stepped forward to intercept her, ¡°Sorry, but except for his wife, my master does not exchange numbers with other women-and dogs.¡±

 Chapter 157: The Golden Girl of the Ashbury Reed Family

    Amber¡¯s face darkened with anger.

    ¡°They treat me like a dog?¡± she thought indignantly.

    She red coldly at Nathan Lehman. ¡°What are you to stop me!¡± she snapped.

    She tried to pull open the car door next to Jared Farrell to reach for his hand. Previously, she would never have dared to do such a thing to Jared Farrell, but now, as the daughter of the Ashbury Reed family, she felt a newfound confidence. She believed that even Jared Farrell would have to give face to the Ashbury Reed family.

    With this thought, her courage surged.

    But just as her hand touched the car door, it swung open from inside, and she was abruptly kicked away by Jared Farrell.

    Amber fell to the ground, feeling as though every bone in her body was shattered. Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at Jared Farrell with a mix of pain and betrayal. ¡°Mr. Farrell¡­¡±

    ¡°Amber!¡± Emrys was furious, his eyes nearly bursting as he charged at Jared Farrell, ready to strike. ¡°Jared Farrell, how dare you hurt her! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    But before he could even touch Jared Farrell, the men who had been dealing with Nathaniel blocked him, pinning him to the ground.

    ¡°Jared Farrell! Fight me one-on-one if you dare!¡± Emrys¡¯s face was pressed against the ground, deformed with anger, as he continued to shout defiantly.

    Jared Farrell didn¡¯t even spare him a nce. He calmly adjusted the cuffs of his suit and said indifferently to Nathan Lehman, ¡°The car is dirty, get me another one.¡±

    Nathan nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    He quickly took out his phone and called for another car.

    Soon, a new car arrived.

    Jared Farrell took Tina¡¯s hand and got into the car, giving Nathan a fleeting look, his tone t, ¡°If you can¡¯t handle things properly, don¡¯t you ever show up in front of me again!¡±

    Nathan shuddered, ¡°Yes.¡±

    He immediately called for a tow truck, which came and towed away Amber¡¯s sports car, with Nathaniel still barely inside.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Amber, shocked and in pain, struggled to her feet and tried to stop them. ¡°That¡¯s my car!¡±

    ¡°I am still in the car!¡± Nathaniel screamed in terror, trying to jump out.

    The tow truck driver ignored them and dragged the car away to a scrapyard.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell!¡± Amber suddenly realized this was all Jared Farrell¡¯s doing and switched to a pitiful tone she had often used before, ¡°You¡¯re being too harsh-¡±

    Tina hadn¡¯t seen Amber acting so weak and vulnerable for a long time and watched her with a sense of distant curiosity.

    Jared Farrell, however, didn¡¯t even bother to nce at her.

    Nathan Lehman drove directly into the school, the exhaust fumes engulfing Emrys, who was still pinned to the ground, cursing angrily.

    In the school parking lot, Nathan reported to Jared Farrell about recent developments.

    ¡°A month ago, Elizabeth came to the Ashbury Reed family, iming that Amber was Jasper Reed¡¯s daughter, lost outside the family. Once the Reed family heard the news, they immediately sent someone to bring Amber to Ashbury.¡±

    ¡°Jasper? I thought he was never married. Howe he has a daughter?¡± Jared Farrell frowned.

    ¡°Jasper Reed had a girlfriend he loved deeply over a decade ago,¡± Nathan replied. ¡°They were nning to get married when she suddenly disappeared. Jasper has been looking for her all these years without sess until they found Amber, the child she bore him.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s his biological daughter?¡± Jared Farrell leaned back in the leather seat, tapping his fingers slowly against the car window.

    ¡°A paternity test was done,¡± Nathan confirmed. ¡°With Amber¡¯s skills, there¡¯s no way she could tamper with the test results under the watchful eyes of the Ashbury Reed family.¡±

    Tina sat silently beside them, listening.

    The Ashbury Reed family?

    Interesting. No wonder Amber was so confident today, having be the golden girl of one of the Ashbury¡¯s four great families, the Reeds.

    ¡°Spread the word about all the things Amber did in Ensford to Ashbury,¡± Jared Farrellmanded in a deep voice. ¡°Let every noble household in Ashbury know, and don¡¯t bother saving face for the Reed family.¡±

    Nathanplied immediately.

    Thinking Amber would be too ashamed toe to school after such a public humiliation, they were surprised when she, undeterred and without even visiting a hospital, followed Jared Farrell¡¯s men into the school.

    By the time Tina and Jared Farrell reached the faculty office, news of Amber¡¯s return had spread throughout the school.

    And Amber¡¯s return to school was anything but low-key. In less than half a day, everyone knew she had transformed into the golden girl of the Ashbury Reed family, with Emrys actinglike her personal bodyguard throughout.

    Regarding this Emrys, Tina had heard a few things from Nathan. Apparently, Emrys was once a street child, saved by Jasper Reed¡¯s missing girlfriend, andter adopted by the Ashbury Reed family.

    Thus, Emrys was deeply grateful to Amber¡¯s mother and swore to protect Amber forever, shadowing her like a guardian angel.

    No matter how outrageous Amber¡¯s actions were, Emrys not only turned a blind eye but sometimes even assisted her.

    Tina wasn¡¯t overly concerned, as long as Amber and Emrys didn¡¯t bother her, she preferred to ignore them.

    However, during a break in the afternoon, Tina and Jared Farrell inadvertently passed by Amber¡¯s ss and noticed a crowd gathered around. In the center, Elena Heisler stood crying, a red handprint visible on her left cheek.

    Amber was in Emrys¡¯s arms, sobbing dramatically, weakly using Elena Heisler, ¡°Elena, I¡¯ve let go of the past, now that I¡¯m back, why do you still target me?¡±

    She seemed even more pitiable than Elena Heisler, who had just been pped.

    Tina stepped forward, approaching Elena, and asked, ¡°Who did this?¡±

    Elena Heisler remained silent, her eyes angry yet fearful as she nced at Emrys.

    Tina looked up at Emrys.

    Seeing Jared Farrell behind Tina, Emrys remembered his recent humiliation and the resentment of having kicked Amber. Although he suspected Jared¡¯s men might still be nearby, he restrained himself from acting out, his expression icy as he spoke to Tina, ¡°She just pushed Amber down. I was merely teaching her a lesson.¡±

    He didn¡¯t feel he had done anything wrong. ¡°If you teachers can¡¯t manage your students, then it¡¯s up to us family members to protect our children.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Elena Heisler protested, covering her swollen cheek with her hand, tears in her eyes. ¡°Amber fell on her own and med it on me!¡±

    ¡°You dare to lie! Amber¡¯s arm was broken!¡± Emrys said coldly. ¡°Besides, why would she falsely use you?¡±

    ¡°Amber has a history of framing others,¡± Tina said, her gaze meaningful as she looked towards Amber in Emrys¡¯s arms.

 Chapter 158: The Ashbury Reed Family â€“ All That Mighty?

    Amber¡¯s face stiffened, and she averted her gaze, unable to make eye contact with Tina. No matter how much she tried to dodge, the students at the school hadn¡¯t forgotten the vile things she had done before. They started whispering among themselves, ¡°Yeah, Amber has always liked to falsely use everyone repeatedly!¡±

    ¡°She first attempted to treat Shonna Woodham from ss 22D, nearly killing her, and after Miss Tina cured Shonna, she used her own stepsister of stealing her thunder.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the most terrifying thing that she used her own foster father of raping her and molesting her when she was a child?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, and I think this time she¡¯s falsely using Elena Heisler.¡±

    ¡°It must be out of revenge for when Elena Heisler testified against her during the usations against her foster father.¡±

    Hearing these words, Amber trembled with anger, while Emrys thought she was just upset and loudly defended her towards Elena Heisler.

    ¡°Even if it really was Amber who falsely used you, it must have been your fault; you must have done something to deserve it!¡±

    The students surrounding them fell silent at once, thinking, does this guy have something wrong with his brain?

    By his logic, even if Amber harmed someone, it was the other person¡¯s fault, and Amber herself was meless?

    There should be a limit to indulgence!

    Tina, tired of watching Amber and Emrys¡¯s performance, told Elena Heisler, ¡°Tell me exactly what happened just now.¡±

    Elena Heisler, who had no one to support her initially, forced herself not to cry. But once Tina stood up for her, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears any longer.

    ¡°I was just going upstairs to return to my ss when Amber suddenly ran past me, screamed, and fell to the ground, then started crying and using me.¡±

    ¡°You dare lie!¡± Emrys, clearly disbelieving, stepped forward to p Elena Heisler.

    Jared Farrell kicked at his knee, and Emrys, a tall figure over six feet, was surprisingly toppled by such a gentle kick.

    Emrys could hardly believe it as he looked up at Jared Farrell, whom he had heard had miraculously recovered his legs in Ensford.

    Yet his impression of Jared Farrell was still of a disabled, useless young master.

    And though he was an adopted son of the Ashbury Reed family, not a blood member, he had always held himself to high standards from childhood to gain more resources within the Ashbury Reed family, mastering skills that even half of the Reed family¡¯s bodyguards couldn¡¯t match.

    In his heart, he looked down on those pampered children of major families like Jared Farrell, believing they had no real personal abilitiespared to him.

    And now, after the incident at the school gate, he was even more determined to prove that without Jared Farrell¡¯s men around, he could easily beat Jared Farrell into the ground.

    But now, he found himself inexplicably unable to get up after being so effortlessly knocked down by someone he considered a nobody.

    Unknown to him, his leg had been immobilized by Tina using acupuncture to seal his acupoints.

    Tina, without even ncing at him, only told Elena Heisler, ¡°Whatever he did to you, you do back to him double.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Elena Heisler, intimidated by Emrys¡¯s cold gaze, hesitated.

    ¡°What? You can¡¯t even fight back when you¡¯re bullied?¡± Tina said indifferently. ¡°If you don¡¯t retaliate, will she stop bullying you?¡±

    Elena Heisler, realizing Tina was right, steeled herself, approached Emrys, grabbed his cor, and delivered two crisp ps.

    One for each p he had intended-exactly double as Tina had said.

    ¡°You, you dare hit me!¡± Emrys, lying on the ground, stared at Elena Heisler venomously.

    Elena Heisler, despite her fear, forced herself not to back down, boldly retorting, ¡°You dared to p me, why shouldn¡¯t I p you!¡±

    ¡°Emrys!¡± Amber rushed over, cradling Emrys with a face full of anguish. She didn¡¯t question Elena Heisler but instead red at Tina, ¡°Tina, you¡¯re a teacher, how can you let your student do such a thing? Is this how a teacher should act?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°A student is being bullied, and I let her get justice for herself, what¡¯s wrong with that? And¡­ who saw me let Elena Heisler do anything wrong?¡±

    She looked around at the students, ¡°Did you see anything?¡±

    The students shook their heads in unison, ¡°No!¡±

    It was a joke-Amber¡¯s reputation was already beyond redemption.

    Even if she was the newly acknowledged daughter of the Ashbury Reed family, she was still the same haughty princess, looking down on them.

    Miss Tinawas the lead teacher of ss 22D, and ever since she had Professor Lininger¡¯s team teach ss 22D, the students¡¯ grades had improved dramatically. Velma Lehman, Shonna Woodham, and Albert Sitwell had all made it into the top ten of their grade.

    Such was the standard of education.

    Everyone was envious and thinking about how to ask Tina to have Professor Lininger substitute for their sses when Tina had already arranged for him to teach.

    In addition to the normal curriculum of ss 22D, Professor Lininger¡¯s team reserved two ss periods each week to teach them, and within just a few weeks, they had reaped significant benefits and their scores had improved considerably.

    With such a treasure like Tina as a teacher, how could they possibly side with Amber?

    ¡°You!¡± Amber red at them through gritted teeth.

    These ingrates!

    She had helped them countless times before, and just because she had been away for a while, they were all against her.

    Just you wait!

    Amber turned to Tina and coldly said, ¡°Emrys is my father¡¯s adopted son. Do you really think that with Jared Farrell backing you up, our Reed family wouldn¡¯t dare to touch you?¡±

    ¡°The Ashbury Reed family?¡± Tina looked down at them condescendingly, stepping on the hand Emrys had tried to hit Elena Heisler with, ¡°That mighty?¡±

    ¡°Heh!¡± Jared Farrell couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter.

    The Ashbury Reed family really was nothing!

    Amber, provoked by Jared Farrell¡¯sughter, felt a wave of humiliation. The Reed family might not be as prominent as the Farrell family, but in Ashbury, they were still one of the four major families, yet here they were being treated like ants.

    Jared Farrell was one thing, but what about Tina?

    Tina ground her shoe onto Emrys¡¯s fingers a bit more, watching as he winced in pain and scrunched up his face. She then pulled out her phone and made a call to the school¡¯s security room, ¡°There¡¯s an outsider who has entered the school and attacked our student. Are you blind?¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed, we¡¯re on our way!¡±

    ¡°Tina, you bitch!¡± Emrys burst out cursing, ¡°Amber is right, you are just a vile bitch! You wait!¡±

    Tina, hands in pockets, coldly watched him, her foot still pressing down on his fingers.

    ¡°Tina! Get your foot off! Stop stepping on Emrys¡¯s fingers!¡± Amber, shocked by Tina¡¯s audacity, added fuel to the fire, ¡°Emrys, it¡¯s all my fault! Tina is doing this because she hates me, that¡¯s why she¡¯s treating you this way!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t beg her, she¡¯s just a¡­¡± Emrys¡¯s mouth was half open, but he found himself suddenly unable to utter another word.

    Tina withdrew the silver needle, merely giving him a cold nce before turning and walking away with Jared Farrell.

 Chapter 159: Miss Reed, Can I Transfer to Class 22D?

    In the school, Emrys maintained his stroke-like pose, half-open mouth drooling, until the security guards dragged him away, looking utterly foolish. Once her backers left, Amber dared not make more trouble. After all, despite now being the darling daughter of the Ashbury Reed family, her notorious past in Ensford was still fresh in everyone¡¯s memory, making few willing to associate with her. Those who did circle her were merely trying to climb the socialdder through her new family connections.

    Trying to smooth things over, Amber approached Elena Heisler, ¡°Elena, I might have misunderstood the situation earlier, I rushed upstairs too quickly¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Elena Heisler stepped forward and pped her. ¡°Stop pretending, you did this on purpose! Why else would you just cry and not stop your brother when he was hitting me?¡±

    ¡°You, you hit me!¡± Amber, having been elevated by the Reed family, was not ustomed to such treatment. She even thought that with the Reed family¡¯s support, she would never face such indignities again.

    ¡°Yeah, I hit you because you framed me! Why shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Elena Heisler, known for her fiery temper, was still furious about being used by Amber in the past.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t fall earlier orter, just right by me, crying and screaming. How could anyone believe it wasn¡¯t deliberate?¡± After saying this, Elena stormed off.

    Halfway through, Elena felt uneasy. Since her family had been reprimanded by Jared Farrell, she was no longer the reckless troublemaker she had been. Now, having offended Amber and even pped Emrys, she was somewhat afraid of retaliation from the Ashbury Reed family, which was no less influential than the Farrells.

    Thinking it over, Elena decided to run to Tina¡¯s office. Tina was busy nning for an uing exam in ss 22D, while Jared Farrell, having nothing better to do, was feeding her snacks. Tina, head down, mouth busy like a little squirrel, epted whatever Jared popped in her mouth. Jared swallowed, his throat moving slightly. ¡°The girl is truly enchanting!¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± Elena called out timidly from the office doorway.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Tina swallowed the nuts and turned to Elena, puzzled by Jared¡¯s sudden enthusiasm for feeding her, her cheeks aching.

    ¡°I, can I transfer to ss 22D?¡± Elena asked, somewhat embarrassed, avoiding Tina¡¯s gaze since she had previously looked down on ss 22D and had poor rtions with many of its members.

    ¡°If you want to transfer, then transfer,¡± Tina responded nonchntly, unbothered by the prospect of an additional student.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have my mome to the school to handle the paperwork right away,¡± Elena said, visibly relieved and quickly left.

    As Tina returned to her documents, another nut was popped into her mouth. She nced at Jared, who sat smiling broadly at her, his expression akin to admiring a masterpiece.

    At the Reed residence in Ashbury, the living room was unusually quiet. Annabelle watched as her eldest son, Jasper Reed, took a phone call, nodding slightly. After hanging up, she inquired, ¡°How did the investigation into Amber¡¯s paternity test turn out?¡±

    If Tina were there, she would recognize Annabelle as the elderlydy she had saved at Serenity Ridge. Jasper ced his phone on the coffee table, ¡°It¡¯s confirmed, no tampering. Amber is indeed my daughter.¡±

    ¡°Mom,¡± Garrett, Annabelle¡¯s younger son, looked puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t we already do a paternity test when we first brought her back? Why another one?¡±

    ¡°Are you and Jasper doubting that Amber is Jasper¡¯s daughter?¡± Esther, Annabelle¡¯s daughter, chimed in.

    After herment, she shook her head, ¡°I think you¡¯re overthinking it. How could our aunt possibly tamper with the DNA test right under our eyes?¡± She referred to Elizabeth from Ensford.

    Annabelle leaned back in her mahogany chair, her aged eyes serene yetmanding silence, not uttering a word. Jasper¡¯s face remained impassive, his thoughts unreadable.

    Sitting next to Esther, Audrey Woodwind smiled, ¡°Mom, they must be shocked by all the terrible things Amber did in Ensford.¡±

    As soon as she spoke, the room fell silent again. This morning, for some unknown reason, the tales of Amber¡¯s repeated false usations against her foster sister, and her attempts to frame her foster father for rape, which nearly killed a patient, swiftly spread throughout Ashbury. It seemed intentional that the Reed family was thest to know, as by the time they tried to intervene, every major family and their allies were already aware.

    ¡°I¡¯ve counted, she¡¯s been jailed twice in Ensford alone,¡± Audrey continued, counting on her fingers, ¡°Once for nearly killing her patient due to ipetence, and once for trying to kill a witness to cover up her false usationagainst her foster father. Despite her family¡¯s attempts to stop her, the people outside still spoke ill of Amber.¡±

    Originally, Audrey had been the youngest and most cherished daughter in the Reed family, constantly at the center of attention. However, Amber¡¯s arrival quickly shifted the family¡¯s focus away from her. Within just over a month, Audrey felt increasingly neglected.

    This made Audrey dislike Amber even more. Despite her feelings, she knew she was not truly part of that family; Jasper was the head of the Reed family, and Amber was his only child. For her own sake and for her family¡¯s, she couldn¡¯t afford to openly resent Amber.

    But Amber had been too much, even though Audrey had tried to get along. Amber always seemed to set traps, making the rest of the Reed family think Audrey was jealous and wanted topete for affection, which cooled their behavior towards her.

    But now¡­

    ¡°Grandma, Jasper, you have no idea how awful the things my ssmates said were. They said our Reed family even acknowledges such a morally corrupt, ungrateful wretch,¡± Audrey said, her face showing a mix of schadenfreude. ¡°They even said that if it weren¡¯t for Amber¡¯s foster father who took her in, she might have starved to death long ago, but she could bite the hand that fed her. They said she might stab us in the back someday too.

    ¡°Just think about it, she lived with her foster parents for eight years, but how long has she been with us?¡±

    ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s more¡­¡± Audrey pulled out her phone to show everyone two videos where Amber, in moments of spite, had spoken ill of her foster parents for being poor and had disowned them in front of Hugo.

    She looked meaningfully at Annabelle and Jasper, ¡°Take a good look. Her foster parents saved her, but see how she despises them for their poverty. If it weren¡¯t for our Reed family¡¯s wealth and our willingness to acknowledge her, she probably wouldn¡¯t havee back at all.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Audrey Woodwind!¡± Esther¡¯s voice carried a stern warning.

    The dynamics within the Reed family were clearly strained. Amber¡¯s past actions and her current behavior continued to stir unrest and dissatisfaction among her new family members, revealing theplicatedyers of personal and familial loyalty and betrayal.

 Chapter 160: Something Always Felt Off

    Audrey Woodwind finally kept quiet, having achieved her purpose. With each word she spoke earlier, the faces of the Reed family had darkened bit by bit. They had considered the possibility that Amber was after their money.

    ¡°Back when we of the Reed family sent out wedding invitations across Ashbury for Jasper¡¯s wedding, Natalie Whittaker disappeared the day before the ceremony,¡± Garrett said discontentedly. ¡°She made Jasper and our family theughingstock of Ashbury. To think that she raised a daughter with such character, like mother, like daughter!¡±

    ¡°Father,¡± Damian called out, looking at Jasper Reed¡¯s expression and stopping his father from continuing.

    Jasper Reed, lips pursed, supported his temple with his hand as if lost in memories. Natalie Whittaker had vanished before their wedding without a trace, and the Reed family had written her off as a betrayer. Yet, deep down, he felt that wasn¡¯t the case.

    When he had first saved the severely injured Natalie Whittaker, he knew her background wasplicated, and even with the Reed family¡¯s resources, they couldn¡¯t uncover her past. As the eldest son of the Reed family, he was raised to be cautious and avoid trouble.

    Yet, he had cared for Natalie Whittaker day and night, falling for her star-like eyes despite knowing she kept many secrets. He had proposed to her, only for her to leave without a word. Why? They were deeply in love, and she was pregnant with his child.

    Over the years, he never stopped searching for Natalie Whittaker, and when news of Amber came, it was apanied by the revtion that Natalie had been dead for years. That day, his heart had turned to ash, yet he was relieved that Natalie had left him a daughter.

    He swore to treat their daughter well, presenting her with the best, hoping to make her a princess topensate for the neen years they lost. But upon meeting Amber, he couldn¡¯t feel close to her, even as she sweetly called him ¡°Dad.¡± Amber, though beautiful, bore no resemnce to them except for her eyes, slightly reminiscent of Natalie Whittaker¡¯s.

    Especially today, after learning of Amber¡¯s disgraceful actions in Ensford, he realized she had tarnished her own reputation before seeking refuge in Ashbury. Watching those news reports, he couldn¡¯t believe these were acts of his and Natalie Whittaker¡¯s daughter. Natalie was noble and kind; her daughter couldn¡¯t possibly turn out this way.

    So, he had the paternity test rechecked, hoping it was a mistake by Elizabeth, but unfortunately, Amber was indeed his daughter.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Annabelle spoke up, silencing the family¡¯s debate. ¡°Now that we know she is a Reed, we must not let rumors spread further. Think of a way to restore Amber¡¯s reputation.¡±

    Audrey Woodwind smirked to herself, thinking it impossible to salvage a reputation already ruined at Amber¡¯s high school. However, she believed Amber¡¯s image in the eyes of the Reed family had significantly worsened. Once Amber returned from Ensford, she would no longer be treated like a star.

    ¡°And Jasper, send more people to track down Master Tam,¡± Annabelle added with a sigh. ¡°Since he took the child away, we need to hear it straight from him.¡±

    She also doubted Amber was really a Reed family child. Given Master Tam¡¯s integrity, he wouldn¡¯t have raised Natalie Whittaker¡¯s daughter this way. He would have entrusted her to someone reliable.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry,¡± Jasper Reed reassured, though he intended to find Master Tam anyway, to learn how Natalie Whittaker really died and to seek justice if necessary.

    ¡°As for Amber, let her stay in Ensford for now,¡± Annabelle decided. ¡°She wanted to go back there for exams anyway. By the time she¡¯s done, things here might have calmed down.¡±

    She still felt uneasy and told Jasper Reed, ¡°Make sure Emrys keeps her out of trouble.¡±

    Audrey Woodwind snorted withughter. ¡°Grandma, are you sure Emrys will keep an eye on her?¡± She disliked Emrys, the Reed family¡¯s arrogant foster son who looked down on their privileged lives.

    Considering Emrys¡¯s leniency towards Amber, Annabelle suggested, ¡°Perhaps we should send someone else to watch over them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange it,¡± Jasper Reed said, massaging his temples.

    ¡°And keep this from your father; his heart hasn¡¯t been well,¡± Annabelle added. Old Mr. Reed valued the family¡¯s reputation highly, and knowing of Amber¡¯s actions would only aggravate his condition.

    ¡°Understood,¡± everyone agreed, though Audrey Woodwind thought it impossible to keep such secrets from her grandfather.

    Indeed, the next second, Jasper Reed¡¯s phone rang. It was Old Mr. Reed. Everyone exchanged looks as Jasper sighed and answered, ¡°Dad.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this about Amber!¡± Old Mr. Reed¡¯s voice came through sharply.

    ¡°How didyou find out?¡± Jasper Reed felt drained; he had made it clear to keep this from Old Mr. Reed.

    ¡°Ha! You thought you could hide it from me!¡± Old Mr. Reed scoffed. ¡°That old man from the Farrell family came to the sanatorium today under the pretense of ying chess, but really, he came to tell me everything!¡±

    Jasper Reed, ¡°¡­¡±

    He hadn¡¯t anticipated Logan Farrell¡¯s sudden involvement. As he was pondering this, he heard Old Mr. Reed chuckle coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? Amber¡¯s sister is engaged to Jared Farrell!¡±

    Jasper Reed, ¡°¡­¡±

    Okay then!

    Their daughter had crossed paths with someone else¡¯s future granddaughter-inw, and trouble was inevitable.

    At Ensford High School.

    Jared Farrell stood outside ssroom 22D, watching Tina inside as she arranged the study schedule for the students for the remaining half of the month.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, we¡¯ve checked,¡± Nathan Lehman whispered, rying the information reported by his subordinates. ¡°The daughter of the man who disappeared after a mission with Everett is here at Ensford High. But which ss she¡¯s in, we still don¡¯t know.¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s dark eyes dimmed as he surveyed the students in ssroom 22D, lifting his chin slightly to prompt Nathan to continue.

    ¡°I¡¯ve gone through all the student records multiple times,¡± Nathan added. ¡°Whoever it is has covered their tracks too well. There¡¯s nothing that stands out.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the child have any distinctive features?¡± Jared Farrell frowned, his concern evident.

 Chapter 161: Hope He is Friend, Not Foe

    Nathan Lehman shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve checked each student discreetly, and found nothing unusual about any of them.¡± ¡°Keep searching,¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°That child is key to investigating what went wrong on Everett¡¯sst mission. We must find him.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan replied, then added, ¡°However, our investigators found that besides us, GTO and another group are also searching for the child¡¯s whereabouts, apparently the Mountain Veil Order.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    ¡°Why would the Mountain Veil Order get involved?¡± The Mountain Veil Order was an ancient organization, mysterious in its dealings and vast in its reach, even more elusive than GTO. The members of the Mountain Veil Order rarely showed themselves. Yet now they had mobilized over this child. ¡°We haven¡¯t figured it out yet,¡± Nathan shook his head. ¡°All I can say is there are too many secrets associated with Everett.¡±

    Meanwhile, Tina had finished outlining the review schedule for the remaining half-month and had just settled Elena Heisler, a transfer student, when she emerged to hear Nathan utter the word ¡®Lark.¡¯ Her eyes narrowed, watching Jared¡¯s retreating back with a flicker of unnoticeable light. After a moment, she approached them. ¡°What about Lark?¡±

    Jared gave Nathan a look. Nathan quickly responded, ¡°A friend of mine got into bird-keeping recently and got himself ark.¡± Tina didn¡¯t press further, her gaze sweeping casually over Jared and Nathan¡¯s faces. ¡°Everything arranged?¡± Jared asked Tina. ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded, ¡°just the final gym ss left to schedule.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have it the day after tomorrow afternoon.¡± With exams half a month away, the gym ss couldn¡¯t possibly be scheduled for thest week before exams. ¡°Okay,¡± Tina nodded and walked toward the staff office.

    As Jared nced at Nathan before following Tina, Nathan left on his own. The two walked shoulder to shoulder up the stairs, just in time to meet Ss ckwooding down with a stack of exam papers. After a brief exchange of polite nods, they passed by each other. But Ss couldn¡¯t help turning back to look at them, sensing an odd tension between them, as if they had just had an argument.

    Tina was indeed upset. Lark was her mother¡¯s codename. Why was Jared investigating her mother? Moreover, it seemed he was also looking for the same person as she was. ording to the information Cole Lyon found and her own investigations, the girl she was searching for was indeed a student at Ensford High School. Despite reviewing the data and observing all the students, she couldn¡¯t pinpoint her.

    Her mother¡¯sst mission involved a team member skilled in disguise and espionage, a talent he apparently passed on to his daughter, enabling the girl to perfectly conceal herself. Tina ced the documents on her office desk, her eyes catching sight of a few bags of nuts. Recalling Jared feeding her nuts with a smile that morning made her heart sink. Her feelings for Jared were changing, making it hard to investigate him as she had intended.

    Hearing the codename ¡°Lark¡± today felt like a cold ssh of water, snapping her out of the warmth of Jared¡¯s tenderness. She needed to resolve things quickly. Between her and Jared, it was time for a conclusion. She looked at the stern man beside her, lips pursed. Jared Farrell, she hoped he was a friend, not a foe.

    At 3 AM in Blue Cove apartments, a figure slipped silently from Tina¡¯s room down to the study. The study, once a mess from their previous encounters, had been tidied up, and the broken bookshelf reced. Tina had searched here more than once and wanted to check again. She stopped at the bookshelf where she had found a locked box on a previous visit. Using her birthday as the code, she opened it to find the anklet she had lost as a child inside.

    She stared at the anklet for a long while, then locked the box and took it with her. After searching the entire duplex, she stopped outside Jared Farrell¡¯s bedroom. Quietly unlocking the door, she entered. Jaredy deeply asleep on the bed, unaware that Tina had used a sedative on him. She picked up his phone from the nightstand-hisputer had been searched by her before. This phone was thest unchecked item.

    Unlocking it, she was stunned to see her birthday as the passcode. She nced at Jared, who still slept peacefully, his face softening in a way it only did for her. Using a miniatureputer, she connected to Jared¡¯s phone, copying all its contents, even recovering deleted data. After recing the phone, she didn¡¯t leave but began reviewing the copied data from the balcony of Jared¡¯s bedroom.

    The phone was clean except for messaging apps and a single game. He had indeed been investigating ¡°Lark.¡± But the specific reason behindhis investigation into her mother remained unclear, only that he was also seeking the same girl who disappeared after her mother¡¯sst mission.

    Tina¡¯s gaze fell on a regr health app. It seemed out of ce for someone like Jared. She opened the app. A smile curled her lips. It was a disguise. She hacked through the facade to reveal a ck login screen. Using login traces from Jared¡¯s phone, she essed it, needing a facial scan. Hesitating between waking Jared for a scan and forcefully hacking it, she chose thetter.

    Then, she discovered a codename belonging to Jared Farrell: Wolf.

 Chapter 162: He Could Have No Secrets from Her

    When Jared Farrell opened his eyes, dawn was breaking over the balcony. He sat up and saw Tina still sitting quietly in front of the sliding ss door, staring at the miniputer in her hand. The morning light streamed through the door, casting a gentle halo around her. She had been looking at the character ¡°Wolf¡± on the screen for a long time before she slowly lifted her gaze to meet Jared¡¯splex look from the bed. Cole Lyon had found out that after her mother¡¯s incident, the new team leader who took over her mother¡¯s team was codenamed ¡°Wolf.¡± So, was Jared Farrell ¡°Wolf¡±? Were he and her mother colleagues?

    ¡°Tina, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The morning light also fell on Jared Farrell¡¯s well-shaped brows and eyes, softening his smile.

    Tina was silent for a moment before turning her miniputer towards him. ¡°Who are you really?¡± She asked, seeing the ck screen and the bright red ¡°Wolf¡± character on it.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Jared Farrell was not surprised. He had known from the start that Tina¡¯s stay at his house was not to take care of his injuries or for romantic reasons; she was investigating him. So, he had been waiting. Waiting for her to uncover everything herself. He never locked his door at night, deliberately set his phone password to her birthday, and knew about every search she conducted in his house, yet he pretended not to notice. He could now confirm who she was. He could have no secrets from her.

    ¡°Serene.¡±

    Suddenly, Tina¡¯s expression froze. When she looked up at him, the smile on her face vanished, reced by a deadly seriousness. ¡°Serene¡± ¨C that was her nickname, used only by her mother. No one else knew this name, not even Hugo. Because ¡°Serene¡± was what she had insisted her mother call her after they escaped a deadly pursuit, reminding her to stay calm and controlled. But how did Jared Farrell know this name?

    In that moment, the usuallyposed Tina felt a surge of murderous intent.

    Jared Farrell felt the chill emanating from her, his lips slightly parted as he finally managed to squeeze out a few words, ¡°You don¡¯t remember me, do you?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyebrows, shaped like willow leaves, were tightly knotted. She reevaluated Jared from head to toe, and mentally reviewed every person she had met. She was certain that she had never seen him before they met.

    ¡°Exin yourself,¡± she said sternly.

    Jared touched her head gently, his voice soft and tender, ¡°Serene, I¡¯ll buy you a strawberry cake every year from now on.¡±

    Suddenly, Tina¡¯s eyes lit up, and the coldness vanished in an instant. Her voice involuntarily rose an octave, ¡°Uncle? Wolf Uncle?¡±

    Coughing, Jared Farrell almost choked on his own saliva. ¡°Uncle! Wolf Uncle?¡± Such an old nickname! So far, she was the only one who had ever called him that.

    When he first met her, she was just two years old, and he was already twelve. She, unable to pronounce ¡°brother¡± despite her mother¡¯s corrections, had boldly dered that anyone ten years older deserved to be called ¡°uncle.¡± As for ¡°Wolf Uncle¡± ¨C she always said he was like a wolf, hence the nickname. That nicknamested only a year before his codename was changed to ¡°Wolf¡± in memory of those times.

    ¡°Serene, I thought you had forgotten me,¡± Jared Farrell gathered his thoughts and whispered.

    Tina¡¯s face broke into a bright, genuine smile, ¡°I could never forget. I¡¯ve always remembered.¡±

    This smile was heartfelt; she hadn¡¯t smiled like this in a long time. The feeling of reuniting with a loved one made her feel as if she still had family in this world, still a connection to her mother.

    Jared Farrell was different from Hugo. Hugo, though he cared for his mother, had started his own family and did not bear much resemnce to her. But Jared Farrell ¨C she had only been two years old, yet her memory of people who had been in her life was exceptionally clear. Wolf Uncle was the kindest person to her aside from her mother. He, like her mother, indulged her unconditionally, fulfilling all her whims and tolerating her whimsy and petnce. In their presence, she could bepletely unrestrained.

    But she hadn¡¯t seen Wolf Uncle since she was three. It had been so long that he had changedpletely, and she hadn¡¯t recognized him at all.

    Touched by the smile on her face, Jared Farrell softly ruffled her hair, saying, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll make you a strawberry cake. I owe you many years¡¯ worth, and I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina smiled in response.

    The two looked at each other and fell silent. After a moment, Tina pursed her lips and turned to Jared Farrell,¡±Uncle, why were you investigating my mother? And why do you have her pendant?¡±

    After a pause, she added, ¡°Lark was my mother¡¯s codename.¡±

    ¡°Lark was my mentor,¡± Jared Farrell said, his eyes full of affection as he touched her head.

    ¡°Mentor?¡± Tina was taken aback. She had never known Jared Farrell was her mother¡¯s student. She had always thought he was just a friend of her mother¡¯s.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jared Farrell took Tina¡¯s hand and sat down with her. ¡°When I found out you were in trouble, I rushed over, but it was toote.¡±

    Ten years earlier, he had joined a special team, taking over as team leader from Lark. Using his position as a member of the Farrell family, he investigated Lark¡¯s team and secured a crucial serum, handing it over to the nation. Lark had many identities as the leader of a special team, and she had mentored him under the name Nora Winslow. That¡¯s why, even though Tina had been around him for a long time, he had only recently been sure that she was his mentor¡¯s daughter.

    After Jared finished exining, Tina was silent for a moment, then said, ¡°So, you were after the serum?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jared looked at her seriously. ¡°Tina, this serum is very important to the country. I have to take it.¡±

    Though he didn¡¯t borate, Tina understood. He knew she had the serum.

    Tina didn¡¯t respond immediately, and Jared didn¡¯t press her. After a while, she spoke up, ¡°My mother told me there were two serums, one with me and one with the Reed family. I haven¡¯t been able to find the one with the Reed family, and Mr. Reed won¡¯t tell me.¡±

    She paused, then continued, ¡°But I think my mother lied to me. There should be at least five serums.¡±

    Jared nodded, ¡°Right! There¡¯s also one with the mother of a child at Ensford High School.¡±

    Tina pursed her lips, ¡°I can hand over the serum, but I want to meet my mother¡¯s former team leader. I want to know about my mother¡¯s past.¡±

    ¡°No problem.¡±

    Jared was silent for a moment before looking at Tina, ¡°Do you know my mentor¡¯s real name?¡±

    Lark was a mystery to everyone. She could be the team leader known as Lark, or his mentor Nora Winslow, or even Hugo¡¯s ex-wife, Reba. To this day, no one knew her real name.

    ¡°Natalie Whittaker!¡±

 Chapter 163: Tina, I Like You

    Natalie Whittaker. Jared Farrell¡¯s icy gaze flickered slightly at the mention of the name, as if it rang a bell somewhere in his mind. He stared at Tina, his dark eyes brimming with deep relief and gratitude, ¡°Thank goodness.¡±

    ¡°Thank goodness,¡± Tina smiled back at him, relieved that he was a friend rather than a foe. The lingering question in her heart had finally been resolved, and she was indeed thankful that she did not have to face Jared Farrell in a life-or-death battle.

    The morning light of summer was just right, and several birdsnded on the balcony, chirping brightly. ¡°Uncle, we can cancel our marriage arrangement now,¡± Tina said to Jared Farrell, her expression as serene as a light cloud.

    However, the tenderness on Jared Farrell¡¯s face froze instantly, his recent joy of recognition shattered by her words. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. Why did she want to dissolve their marriage arrangement? He would not allow it!

    ¡°I agreed to this engagement to investigate the matter of my mother¡¯s pendant,¡± Tina exined calmly, ¡°I never intended to marry.¡±

    ¡°I disagree,¡± Jared Farrell held her hand, his tone carrying a hint of mild anger.

    Tina frowned slightly, waiting for him to continue.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    ¡°Do you know why your mother had someone deliver this pendant to me before she died?¡± Jared Farrell continued, ¡°Because it was a token of our marriage arrangement, a proof that your mother entrusted you to me, so I don¡¯t agree to dissolve it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re refusing because of my mother¡¯sst wish?¡± Tina¡¯s frown deepened.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s because I like you, and I hope to protect you for the rest of my life,¡± Jared Farrell took out the pendant and, under Tina¡¯s gaze, hung it around his neck, gently caressing its smooth surface. ¡°This is the proof that you belong to me.¡±

    Tina was stunned for a moment; Jared Farrell¡¯s face suddenly closed the distance between them, dominantly yet tenderly kissing her.

    Tina froze; the kiss was so sudden. But, it seemed-she quite liked the feeling of kissing him.

    She wrapped her arms around Jared Farrell¡¯s neck, returning the kiss. ¡°Then-let¡¯s not cancel it.¡±

    With her response, Jared Farrell deepened their kiss. The morning sunlight streamed in, casting their entwined shadows on the light grey floor tiles of the bedroom, inseparable and clinging to each other.

    The next day, at Ensford High School.

    Since thest physical education ss for ss 22D was scheduled for that afternoon, Jared Farrell apanied Tina to school. With exams less than half a month away, the remaining review ns were well arranged, and there would be no major changes. Tina came to school mainly to supervise studying, with nothing else much on her te.

    During the physical education ss, Tina had nned to go outside to the student street to buy a strawberry cake, but as she passed by the gym, she heard a scream. Her hearing was excellent, and she immediately recognized it as Elena Heisler¡¯s voice, so she stopped and went to take a look.

    Elena Heisler was sitting on the ground, covering her eyes, next to a fallen basketball that had clearly hit her hard. The other students of ss 22D were gathered around her, and Shonna Woodham anxiously pulled her hands away to check her injury, ¡°How is it, did it hurt your eyes?¡±

    Elena Heisler rubbed her eyes and shook her head.

    Shonna Woodham sighed in relief, but seeing arge bruise forming under Elena¡¯s left eye, she was still furiously upset.

    ¡°Mr. Sinir, you went too far!¡± Velma Lehman, known for her temper, jumped up and pointed at Emrys not far away, ¡°How could you, a teacher, intentionally hit Elena with a basketball!¡±

    Emrys had been suddenly appointed by the school board as a substitute PE teacher for their ss, which Tina was aware of when she came to school that day.

    Mr. Stiller had disagreed with Emrys¡¯s appointment. Although he was only a PE teacher and it wouldn¡¯t affect the students¡¯ studies much, Emrys had openly hit Elena Heisler at school just the day before, making him unfit to be a teacher.

    There were many influential people on the Ensford High School board, and Emrys was a foster son of the Ashbury Reed family. Although the Reed family couldn¡¯tpare to the Farrell family, it was still easy for them to ce someone in Ensford High School as a teacher. Mr. Stiller had no choice but to agree.

    Emrys looked unashamedly at Velma Lehman, ¡°How could your eyes see that it was intentional?¡±

    He casually shrugged, ¡°It was just an ident.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Velma Lehman knew about the conflict Amber and Elena Heisler had the day before, which is why Elena transferred to ss 22D.

    Seeing Emrystantly lie, she was speechless with anger. Such a morally bankrupt person running to be a teacher?

    She was determined to have her familye to the school toin.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry and take her to the medical room,¡± Emrys sneered, then said to Elena Heisler, ¡°Next time you see me, better walk around; I wouldn¡¯t want to ¡®identally¡¯ slip again and hurt you¡­¡±

    Before he could finish his sentence, two basketballs suddenly flew from two directions, striking him squarely in the face with two loud thumps, causing him to stagger back, seeing stars.

    ¡°Sorry, my hand slipped.¡±

    Two distinctly different voices rang out simultaneously.

    ¡°Miss Reed!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell!¡±

    ss 22D¡¯s students looked on in surprise at Jared Farrell and Tina.

    Seeing Jared Farrell, Emrys¡¯s face turned green as he roared, ¡°Jared Farrell, you again!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s gaze was icy as he stared down Emrys, ¡°My student, you dare to bully?¡±

    He was supposed to have a basketball ss today too. He had taken Albert Sitwell and Hendrik Stiller to the equipment room to fetch a basket of basketballs, and upon returning, he witnessed the incident.

    ¡°It was just an ident!¡± Emrys clutched the spot where the basketball had hit, his voice full of gritted teeth, ¡°You hit back too!¡±

    He had intended to charge at Jared Farrell in retaliation, but remembering Jared Farrell¡¯s bodyguards were probably nearby, plus the incident from the day before, he didn¡¯t dare make a move.

    Jared Farrell, hands in his pockets, stood tall and imposing, his handsome face expressionless, ¡°Apologize.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Emrys scoffed, his eyes sweeping over Jared Farrell, knowing he couldn¡¯t face him head-on, but unwilling to lower himself to apologize.

    ¡°How about this,¡± Amber, who had been enjoying the spectacle, chimed in as she saw the stalemate, ¡°Why don¡¯t Emrys lead our ss in a basketball match against ss 22D?¡±

    Several boys from 22A had been part of the school basketball team before focusing on their exams. They had won numerous awards in city, provincial, and national high school basketballpetitions, so Amber was confident in their strength.

    As for ss 22D, aside from Albert Sitwell and Hendrik Stiller, there weren¡¯t many good basketball yers.

    22A was sure to win.

    ¡°If we lose, then Emrys will apologize to Elena Heisler. If we win¡­¡± Amber paused meaningfully, Emrys took up the thread, pointing at Jared Farrell and Tina, ¡°If we win, you two will have to kneel and apologize in front of the whole school!¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Jared Farrellughed.

    Since when did he need to trade a challenge for someone else¡¯s apology?

    He took his hands out of his pockets and stepped towards Emrys.

    Tina, sensing his intent, blocked his path, ¡°This is a school!¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for the school setting, she wouldn¡¯t mind teaching Emrys a lesson in her own way.

    But, she had seen enough darkness and didn¡¯t want the students to witness too much of it.

    Jared Farrell looked into her eyes and suddenly smiled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to Tina.¡±

    His gaze then shifted back to Emrys, intense andmanding, his voice chilling, ¡°If I lose, I¡¯ll kneel and apologize to you. If you lose, you kneel to Elena Heisler!¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡±

 Chapter 164: A Different Kind of Girl

    Emrys and Amber exchanged a nce before turning back to mingle with their ssmates, alongside the boys who had opted to take on the challenge. However, the atmosphere was grim on the side of ss 22D. Albert Sitwell frowned at the boys in his ss. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be such cowards. There are more than twenty of you, and only me and Hendrik Stiller are brave enough to step up?¡± Including Jared Farrell, they were still two yers short.

    ¡°This¡­ it¡¯s because we¡¯re afraid of losing,¡± a boy said timidly. ¡°What can we do? You know as well as anyone, if we lose, Mr. Farrell and Miss Reed will have to kneel in front of that jerk in public¡­¡± He nced nervously at Jared Farrell and Tina after he spoke.

    ¡°We can¡¯t just admit defeat without a fight!¡± Hendrik Stiller was nearly driven mad by their cowardice. Where had the spirit of ss 22D gone? Yet, as the boys looked around at each other, none dared to step forward.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll do it.¡± The students of ss 22D were stunned as a seemingly inconspicuous girl with short hair and sses, dressed in baggy sports attire, stepped forward and addressed Jared Farrell, ¡°Mr. Farrell, girls can y too, right?¡±

    ¡°Do you y basketball?¡± Jared Farrell asked, eyeing her.

    Tina studied the girl, who she recalled was named Courtney Tate. Courtney was average in appearance, neither excelling nor failing in her academics, and in ss 22D, she virtually blended in without any distinct features, except for her notable height of at least 5¡¯8¡å, always sitting quietly in the shadowy back rows of the ssroom. Tina barely remembered her.

    Her stepping forward was unexpected, causing the whole ss to look at her skeptically, doubting her basketball skills. Without a word, Courtney picked up a basketball from a nearby basket, dribbled to the three-point line, jumped, and shot. The ball swished through the, silencing ss 22D with the sound of sess.

    ¡°Does that work?¡± Courtney asked Jared Farrell.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re quite good,¡± Jared Farrell nodded appreciatively, having noticed her skill level from the moment she started dribbling.

    ¡°We still need one more yer,¡± Albert Sitwell said, initially dazzled by Courtney¡¯s three-pointer. He then sternly looked at the rest of the boys in ss 22D. ¡°Can you guys stop being so timid? She¡¯s just a girl, and she¡¯s stepping up!¡±

    The boys remained silent.

    ¡°I¡¯ll join then,¡± Tina said, hands in her pockets, as everyone turned to look at her.

    ¡°Miss Reed, are you sure?¡± Hendrik Stiller asked, looking at her with the same skeptical eyes he had for Courtney.

    Tina spun a basketball on her fingertip and tilted her head at Hendrik Stiller, smiling, ¡°You think I can¡¯t?¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    For some reason, even though Tina was smiling, Hendrik saw something sharp in her gaze. ¡°No, not at all,¡± he quickly waved off any doubt.

    ¡°So Miss Reed, what position will you y?¡± asked Albert Sitwell, cautiously.

    ¡°Point guard okay?¡± Tina suggested with a smirk. The point guard, crucial for organizing the offense, didn¡¯t need to be tall but must control the tempo and every pass decisively.

    Albert Sitwell and Hendrik Stiller were full of doubts but dared not voice them, while Courtney was indifferent. Jared Farrell, doting on Tina, wouldn¡¯t have objected to any position she chose.

    Finally, the team was set: Jared Farrell as the small forward, Albert Sitwell as the power forward, Hendrik Stiller as the center, Courtney Tate as the shooting guard, and Tina as the point guard. This oddbination of yers took the court.

    When Emrys and four boys from ss 22A entered the court, they were surprised to see the lineup from ss 22D. ¡°Jared Farrell, are all the boys in your ss wimps?¡± Emrys couldn¡¯t help but scoff. ¡°And you had to bring two girls to y? Plus, isn¡¯t Tina a teacher? Is it even appropriate for her to y?¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed is our lead teacher for ss 22D, and she most certainly can represent our ss!¡± Albert Sitwell retorted, his pride unwavering. ¡°We thought beating you would be too easy, so we brought two girls to give you a chance. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Whatever makes you feel better,¡± Emrys sneered, turning to his team. ¡°If you lose to them, especially to the girls, don¡¯t ever im you y basketball.¡±

    The four boys from ss 22A exchanged looks, theirpetitive spirit ignited. They all knew about Emrys¡¯s deliberate injury of Elena Heisler and Amber¡¯s recent incident. Though they initially resented the sudden arrival of this sports teacher and nnedto y leniently against ss 22D, Emrys¡¯s words now challenged their pride.

    The game started swiftly, with a high school PE teacher, who happened to be nearby, serving as the referee. At the whistle, Jared Farrell leaped higher than Emrys, tapping the ball towards his team. The students from ss 22A rushed to intercept, but Tina effortlessly snagged the ball. Albert Sitwell and Hendrik Stiller immediately dashed over to support her defense.

    Tina, facing the eager defense of ss 22A, dribbled with her right hand while signaling to her teammates with a raised index finger on her left, ¡°Let¡¯s score the first point.¡±

    As she finished speaking, she feinted forward; when an opponent moved to block her, she swiftly spun around, dribbling past three defenders in a blur. Approaching the half-court line, Emrys stepped up to intercept. With a quick raise of her hand, Tina lobbed the ball.

    ¡°Damn!¡± Emrys cursed, turning around only to see the basketball already in Jared Farrell¡¯s possession. Dodging an opposing yer, he drove to the basket,pleting ayup and scoring two points for ss 22D.

 Chapter 165: Uncle, They Are Bullying Me

    Jared Farrell scored a goal, and immediately, the students from ss 22D erupted in cheers. Emrys clenched his teeth in anger, ncing coldly at Tina and Courtney Tate before whispering a few words to the other four yers from 22A. Hesitant under Emrys¡¯s intimidating presence, the four boys reluctantly nodded their agreement.

    In the ensuing game, Emrys and his team particrly targeted Tina and Courtney Tate, exploiting their slighter builds by bumping into them with their bodies. Emrys went further, intending to humiliate Tina by deliberately smashing the ball at her face instead of passing to his teammates.

    ¡°Despicable!¡± Shonna Woodham shouted from the sidelines, her face darkening with anger. Since Tina had healed her scar, Shonna had been much happier and cheerful; this was the first time she had been this angry since her recovery. ¡°Does your ss have no shame?¡± Velma Lehman yelled at the students from 22A, criticizing them for bullying the girls.

    Most of the 22A students looked embarrassed, clearly disapproving of the behavior of Emrys and his group. Amber sneered, ¡°On the court, targeting the opponent¡¯s weaknesses is a valid strategy as long as it doesn¡¯t break any rules. It¡¯s just a tactic to win.¡±

    As the game continued, Tina skillfully dodged every hostile move. Catching Emrys¡¯s pass effortlessly, she flipped the ball to Jared Farrell with a slight lift of her eyebrows and a soft voice, ¡°Uncle, they are bullying me, help me beat him!¡± Jared¡¯s demeanor turned stormy, like the sky before a rain.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll teach him a lesson!¡± If they weren¡¯t at school, Jared wouldn¡¯t mind teaching Emrys a lesson with his own methods. But he settled for a more civilized approach. His focus sharpened, and he dazzled the crowd with his moves: dribbling, shooting, dunking, hitting three-pointers. Soon, he alone scored twenty points.

    As Jared continued to score, the cheers for ss 22D grew louder, and even the girls from 22A couldn¡¯t help but scream in support. Amber watched Jared¡¯s graceful movements on the court with a mix of greed and regret; after all, Jared was supposed to be hers before she gave him up for Tina.

    During the halftime break, the students from ss 22D looked at 22A with disdain. The four boys from 22A, frustrated and embarrassed,ined to Emrys, ¡°Mr. Sinir, if you don¡¯t want to win, just say so. Was it necessary to target Miss Reed and smash the ball at her?¡±

    ¡°Stealing chickens without losing rice!¡± The students from 22A were silent, ashamed of their performance and the zero score, while ss 22D, with three boys and two girls, led by twenty points. Amber defended Emrys, ¡°It¡¯s not his fault. Targeting Miss Reed was a good strategy; who knew you four couldn¡¯t even handle one girl?¡±

    As the second half began, Emrys and his team no longer targeted Tina and Courtney Tate directly, which allowed them some chances to score. However, Jared and Tina were too strong, and the score gap widened.

    Midway through the half, in a desperate move, Emrys fouled Hendrik Stiller during a rebound, causing him to fall and scream in pain, clutching his ankle. The swelling was evident, a severe sprain. Velma Lehman shouted at Emrys, dropping all formalities, ¡°Emrys, have you no shame?¡± Emrys simply smirked, unapologetically arrogant.

    Despite being down a yer, ss 22D¡¯s game only intensified. Tina and Jared targeted Emrys, stealing the ball whenever it reached him. In thest ten minutes, 22A barely touched the ball for more than five seconds.

    As the clock ticked down to the final seconds, 22A hadn¡¯t scored a single point. Emrys, unwilling to concede, tried ast desperate y. But Jared appeared out of nowhere, leaping higher and blocking Emrys¡¯s dunk.

    The ballnded back with Tina, who threw it to Jared. From beyond the three-point line, Jared jumped back and scored a three-pointer. ss 22D won by a staggering seventy-three points, aplete victory.

 Chapter 166: Mr. Farrell Teaches Emrys a Lesson

    ss 22D erupted in cheers, while the students of ss 22A, especially the four boys whopeted, felt utterly humiliated. Emrys stood with a look of frustration, his agitation spiked when he saw Amber running towards Jared Farrell, who sat leisurely on a resting chair. ¡°Mr. Farrell, you must be tired after all that ying. Have some water. Tina really should have been the one to consider your needs, not just her own,¡± Amber said as she twisted open a bottle of mineral water.

    Tina looked at Amber with a smirk that wasn¡¯t quite a smile. Jared Farrell, without even ncing up, casually kicked a basketball at Amber¡¯s feet, causing her to trip and fall, drenching herself with the water.

    ¡°Amber!¡± Emrys rushed to her aid.

    ¡°Why do you always have to be like this to me?¡± Amber said, her eyes not hiding her resentment towards Mr. Farrell.

    ¡°That ball, keep it away from me. It¡¯s filthy,¡± Jared Farrell spoke indifferently to Albert Sitwell, who promptly had the ball thrown into the trash, making a show of it in front of Amber to stress their disdain.

    ¡°Jared Farrell, you¡¯re going too far!¡± Emrys stood up for Amber.

    ¡°You should apologize to Elena Heisler and Hendrik Stiller first!¡± Velma Lehman pointed at Emrys, using him. Thest gym ss had been marred by injuries caused by Emrys, further igniting the ss¡¯s anger against him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lose! It was my teammates who were too weak!¡± Emrys protested, his face showing defiance.

    The boys from ss 22A turned pale, but Emrys, undeterred, challenged Jared Farrell. ¡°Let¡¯s have another match. Just you and me. Whoever scores more wins!¡±

    Jared Farrell gave Emrys a dismissive look, as if observing a mere jester. ¡°You don¡¯t dare?¡±

    Emrys, his eyes bloodshot from days of frustration and repeated setbacks, nearly lost hisposure. ¡°Mr. Farrell, y him! Beat him thoroughly!¡± the students of ss 22D spurred on Jared.

    Jared¡¯s eyes barely lifted, his fingers casually adjusting his shirt. After a moment, his lips curled into a slight, cold smile. ¡°Then-let¡¯s y!¡±

    ¡°How do we decide who starts, toss a coin or shoot for it?¡± Emrys asked.

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll let you start,¡± Jared Farrell said, tossing the ball to Emrys. Embracing the Reed family¡¯s ruthless ethos, Emrys epted, though awkwardly.

    But he was unaware that his nightmare was just beginning. As he dribbled trying to break through Jared¡¯s defense, he didn¡¯t even see how Jared stole the ball and, before he could react, hit him squarely in the face with it.

    ¡°Are you ying the man or the ball?¡± Emrys shouted, clutching his face in pain.

    ¡°Both!¡± Jared replied nonchntly, clearly not considering Emrys a threat.

    Refusing to back down, Emrys continued his attack, but with the same result-his efforts were futile, and the ball smacked into his nose.

    After several exchanges, battered and bruised, Emrys was still determined to make Jared kneel before him. However, his defiance only resulted in Jared intensifying his attacks, eventually leading to Emrys¡¯s capittion.

    ¡°I give up! I give up!¡± Emrys cried out, his leg possibly broken under Jared¡¯s relentless force.

    Jared, his demeanor unchanged, demanded, ¡°Kneel! Apologize!¡±

    With no other option, Emrys knelt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elena. Sorry, Tina. I shouldn¡¯t have hit you with the ball.¡±

    After the students of ss 22D recorded the apology, Emrys attempted to get up, only for Jared to knock him down again, rendering him unconscious.

    Amber screamed for Emrys, but instead of confronting Jared, she turned to Tina. ¡°Tina, you¡¯ve gone too far. My father won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Tina scoffed, clearly unconcerned, and left with Jared and their ssmates, leaving behind Emrys and a resentful Amber.

    The incident caused an uproar among the parents, and the board had no choice but to expel Emrys. But expulsion was the least of his worries, as the injuries sustained in his final showdown with Jared left him bedridden, unable to move.

    Despite thorough medical examinations, no physical injuries could be detected immediately. Only Tina knew why-Jared had used a secret technique taught by her mother that damaged the nerves and bones invisibly, a fact that would only be apparent and more severe if left untreated.

 Chapter 167: Tina, Canâ€™t You Afford a Dress?

    Back in Ashbury, at the Reed residence, Jasper Reed had just ended a call with Old Mr. Reed, his expression far from pleasant. ¡°Is it Logan tattling to your dad again?¡± Annabelle asked with a hint of headache. Jasper, rubbing his temples, nodded grimly. Garrett spoke in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s with Emrys, tasked with watching Amber and he ends up causing a ruckus himself! Even got into a fight with a student? Now he¡¯s paralyzed!¡±

    Jasper, sipping his tea with narrowed eyes, had an imposing presence merely by sitting, a testament to his years of battling in the business world. Emrys, a child saved by Natalie Whittaker years ago, was held in high regard by Jasper due to Natalie¡¯s influence. Despite his temper, Emrys had proven his capabilities and had contributed significantly to the Reed family.

    Upon hearing of Emrys¡¯s severe injury, Jasper immediately dispatched people to seek medical advice, even posting a reward on the dark web and attempting to contact Spectre through his connections.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Annabelle interjected, ¡°Go tell Emrys directly. Comining to your brother does no good.¡±

    At the side, Audrey Woodwind, sitting with Esther, asked with a mischievous glint, ¡°Are we still hosting that party?¡±

    Annabelle paused. It had been a month since Amber was found, and a celebration was overdue, ideally inviting Ashbury¡¯s prominent families to a grand event. Yet, considering the scandals Amber had caused, Annabelle felt a public celebration might be too embarrassing. ¡°We¡¯ll have it, but in Ensford,¡± she decided.

    In Ensford, while Tina received a request from the Ashbury Reeds to treat Emrys, Hugo received an invitation to Amber¡¯s celebration. Jennie was reluctant, questioning the need to attend after their falling out with Amber. ¡°Jasper personally called me,¡± Hugo remarked, looking at the invitation. Despite past grievances, he felt obliged to honor Jasper¡¯s request due to old loyalties.

    Hugo suggested going alone to spare the family from potential gossip, recalling how Amber had wronged him. ¡°Why not let Tina go in my stead?¡± he proposed.

    The celebration was scheduled at the Victoria Hotel, promising avish gathering. On the day, Tina, dressed simply in a T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, stood out starkly among elegantly dressed guests. Unbothered by the side nces, she walked confidently into the banquet hall.

    Upon entering, Tina locked eyes with Amber, who was descending from the upstairs lounge, surrounded by young admirers. ¡°Tina, you made it,¡± Amber greeted her with a condescending smile, ying the gracious host.

    Noticing Hugo and Jennie were absent, Amber felt a twinge of annoyance but figured it was for the best, avoiding further gossip about past conflicts. However, she was concerned about not seeing Jared Farrell. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Mr. Farrell apany you?¡± she asked Tina.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Gwendolyn, standing beside Amber, sneered, ¡°He probably didn¡¯t want to be embarrassed by her appearance.¡±

    Another girl chimed in, critiquing Tina¡¯s casual attire, ¡°Can¡¯t Mr. Farrell even afford to buy his fiancee a proper dress? I heard she grew up in the countryside, clearly not used to high society.¡±

    Tina nced down at her attire and smirked internally. Indeed, it wasn¡¯t the best outfit for such an asion. Jennie had prepared a dress for her, but she had chosen this outfit deliberately-Tina was not one to forget past slights easily.

    Amber, pretending to be helpful, offered, ¡°Tina, can¡¯t you afford a dress? I have several spare ones in my lounge. Why don¡¯t you borrow one and change?¡±

    Gwendolyn jumped in, ¡°Why are you being so kind, Amber? Each of those dresses is expensive. What if she stains or damages them? Or worse, tries to sell them?¡±

    Amber covered her mouth in mock surprise, ¡°Oh, stop it! Tina would never do such a thing.¡±

    As Amber¡¯s voice carried across the room, all eyes turned towards Tina, whispering and pointing ensued. They were all too aware of Tina¡¯s simple clothes in this grand setting.

    Elise, disdainfully looking at Tina, pointed to Amber¡¯s luxurious dress, ¡°You see, that¡¯s a creation by Waverly Underwood, an internationally renowned designer. You probably haven¡¯t seen anything so expensive in your life. Someone like you touching such a dress would be a desecration.¡±

 Chapter 168: My FiancÃ©eâ€™s Dress Is Not Classy Enough?

    Tina raised an eyebrow and suddenlyughed. She scrutinized Amber¡¯s starry sky dress from head to toe. The dress was indeed beautiful, transitioning from a deep to a light midnight blue, adorned with tiny diamonds, truly as if wearing the star-filled sky itself. However, such a design was fairlymon and hardly unique among Waverly Underwood¡¯s creations.

    ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Elise couldn¡¯t stand Tina¡¯s carefree demeanor,ing from a high-born family; she believed the less fortunate should worship them. ¡°Are you done showing off?¡± Tina casually pulled a hand from her pocket and pointed towards the buffet area, ¡°I¡¯m off to get some food.¡±

    ¡°You came to the banquet just to eat?¡± Gwendolyn was incredulous. ¡°What else?¡± Tina retorted as if it was the most natural thing. ¡°Let¡¯s go, ignore this bumpkin,¡± Elise snorted dismissively, ¡°She probably doesn¡¯t even know who Waverly Underwood is! Look at her, iming to be your sister lowers your own standards.¡±

    ¡°How presumptuous!¡± A scoff echoed from the entrance of the hall; Amber¡¯s eyes lit up. She quickly adjusted her hair and put on what she believed to be her most perfect smile as Jared Farrell walked in. ¡°Mr. Farrell, you¡¯re here!¡± She had spent half the day choosing a gown, finally persuading Jasper Reed to air freight this particr starry dress by Master Waverly Underwood, not just to impress everyone but to capture Jared¡¯s heart. To her dismay, Jared hadn¡¯t initially shown up, and seeing Tina alone had been a mix of schadenfreude and deep disappointment. Now that Jared had arrived, her spirits soared.

    Jared was dressed in a bespoke suit, embroidered with subtle ck butterflies that lessened the suit¡¯s austerity. He strode forward, wrapped an arm around Tina without needing a prompt, and Nathan Lehman, holding a garment bag, stepped forward to reveal its contents. ¡°Heard someone thought my fiancee¡¯s dress wasn¡¯t ssy enough?¡± Jared¡¯s protective stance was clear, ¡°Is this gown ssy enough for the Reed family¡¯s banquet?¡±

    The crowd scrutinized the dress-a mermaid gown with champagne-colored fabric embellished with sequins and intricate butterfly embroideries, sparkling under the lights, exquisitely eye-catching. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the unique ¡®Starnight Butterfly¡¯ by Master Waverly Underwood?¡± someone recognized. Indeed, the gown had been praised during its design phase, with countless people wanting to reserve it, yet the master made only one and refused to create more.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    ¡°I remember this gown was auctioned for two billion; my sister was so upset about not getting it, she barely ate for a month.¡± ¡°My mother too, so upset she wouldn¡¯t leave the house for a month.¡± Gwendolyn and Elise Chandler were speechless, envy shing in Amber¡¯s eyes as she clenched her fists.

    ¡°Tina, let¡¯s go change,¡± Jared suggested, his tender gaze on Tina. She was surprised and was about to say there was no need as she had worn this dress on purpose. But seeing Jared¡¯s protective gesture, she smiled and followed him to the dressing room, where a renowned international makeup team awaited.

    Twenty minutester, Jared led Tina back into the banquet. The lights seemed to gather around them, their outfitsplementing each other like a couple¡¯s attire, symbolizing their close bond. Tina, now in a champagne gown with butterflies, her ck hair styled into morous waves, looked stunningly radiant.

    Suddenly someone eximed, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Ivy Lane-designed ¡®Heart of Ophelia¡¯ diamond set that Tina¡¯s wearing?¡± The eyes then turned to Tina¡¯s vicle and ears, adorned with at least three-carat pink diamonds cut into heart shapes and surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds. This set had fetched fifty billion at an auction.

    Jared had literally adorned his fiancee with seventy billion worth of attire and jewelry. In contrast, Amber, in her starry dress, seemed rather in.

    The room fell silent, but Amber understood the looks she was receiving, feeling an overwhelming frustration. Yet as Tina approached holding Jared¡¯s hand, she spoke calmly, ¡°Did you know, your starry dress was one of Waverly Underwood¡¯s early practice pieces and her least favorite?¡±

    The silence deepened, Amber nearly crushed her teeth in anger. She approached Tina with a forced smile, holding a champagne ss, malice flickering in her eyes. But before she could enact any spiteful n, Nathan Lehman stepped on the hem of her dress and yanked it back, causing her to fall backwards. ¡°Miss Reed, ourdy¡¯s attire is quite expensive, it¡¯s best you keep your scheming to yourself.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell!¡± Amber looked up at Jared, disheveled and embarrassed. Nathan, understanding Jared¡¯snce, handed her a check, ¡°Mr. Farrellpensates you for the dress.¡±

    Jared had already taken Tina¡¯s hand and moved to a dining area. ¡°Well done, beautifully done!¡± Marie appeared out of nowhere, taking Tina¡¯s hand, ¡°I was so angry when I saw that girl mocking you!¡±

    She had wanted to confront Amber herself, but given the good rtions between the Farrell and Reed families, and her position as an elder, it wasn¡¯t appropriate to engage in a direct confrontation. Letting Jared handle it was best. ¡°I immediately called this young man. What use is a fiance who can¡¯t even support his own fiancee!¡± she eximed, herments tinged with both irritation and relief.

 Chapter 169: The More Intense the Conflict, the More Intriguing!

    Marie, fuming with indignation the moment she considered the disdain shown to Tina, stared at Jared Farrell. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, if there¡¯s a next time that people look down on your wife, don¡¯t me me for disowning you as my son!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really interesting, isn¡¯t it?¡± Marie said coldly. ¡°With the fame of you being the fragrance expert Q, how can they assume you can¡¯t afford a dress?¡±

    The more she thought about it, the less it eased her anger. She took Tina by the hand and led her to the other side of the venue. ¡°Today, the Reed family has also invited many international supermodels to add excitement to the show, featuring designs by the well-known designer, Mack Tanner.¡±

    ¡°Although Mack¡¯s designs aren¡¯t on par with the master Waverly Underwood, they are still highly sought after.¡±

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s buy all of them for you as your dowry!¡±

    Tina was speechless.

    Mom?

    Are things moving this fast?

    She hadn¡¯t even decided to marry Jared Farrell yet; she was just not calling off the engagement for now.

    Before she could refuse, a piece of strawberry cake stuffed into her mouth, Marie had already dragged her away.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    After their departure, Jared Farrell felt a tug at his trouser leg.

    ¡°Brother¡­¡±

    He looked down only to see Sophia standing beside him with a face full of grievances, immediately furrowing his brow. ¡°Why are you wandering off alone?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not wandering.¡± Sophia pouted, clearly upset. ¡°Mom saw Tina being bullied and went to call you, then she just forgot about me.¡±

    Jared Farrell sighed.

    Today, the Ashbury Reed family maintained their pride, still upstairs in the lounge with a few friends from Ashbury, leisurely sipping tea, not in a hurry toe down.

    Elizabeth, observing the Reed family¡¯s demeanor, also dyed with the Pinewood brothers, adopting their tone and mannerisms.

    But it wasn¡¯t fair to leave Amber alone to entertain everyone, so she reluctantly sent Damian and Audrey Woodwind, the younger rtives, down first to assist with the guests.

    Audrey Woodwind, initially engaged in conversation with some distinguisheddies in the back tea room, was unaware of themotion at the banquet until she noticed Marie¡¯s prolonged absence and went to look for her.

    Just arriving at the banquet hall, she saw a tall man in a ck suit, one hand in his pocket, leading a delicately beautiful little girl towards the runway.

    His eyebrows were sharp, his nose prominent, and his thin lips slightly pursed, giving off an unapproachable aura yet still drawing eyes.

    Audrey Woodwind was slightly surprised. Thest time she saw him, he was confined to a wheelchair, but now, he was dazzlingly walking, leaving her almost breathless.

    She watched as Jared Farrell led Sophia to the audience seats next to the runway, handing her over to Marie, then sat down next to a young girl in a champagne-colored fishtail dress, affectionately adjusting her hair.

    The girl turned her head towards him, her face stunningly beautiful, her eyes cool yet gentle.

    It was Tina.

    Audrey Woodwind immediately recognized the unique ¡°Starnight Butterfly¡± gown on Tina. Her gaze then shifted to Amber, who seemed displeased.

    At that moment, a staff member arranged by her whispered the events that had unfolded earlier into her ear, and a yful smile appeared on her lips.

    This looked like it was going to be an interesting show.

    She chose not to join the crowd at the runway, instead turning to find Damian. It was crucial to keep her cousin upied, to prevent him froming to Amber¡¯s aid too soon.

    These sisters from Ensford, the more intense their quarrel, the more interesting it became.

    Before she left, she couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Jared Farrell, who was speaking affectionately with Tina. The runway lights perfectly highlighted his profile, sculpting his features like a Greek statue.

    Suppressing her fluttering heart, Audrey Woodwind picked up her skirt and hurried to find Damian.

    On the runway.

    This time, the Reed family had invited Mack Tanner, an internationally renowned fashion designer known for his evening gowns, to celebrate Amber¡¯s birthday.

    His self-titled brand, Mack Tanner, whether in haute couture or ready-to-wear, far outsold hispetitors, which is why when he decided to break into the domestic market, severalpanies nearly broke down doors for the brand representation rights.

    Ultimately, the rights went to the Ashbury-based Woodwind Group.

    ¡°How about that, Amber? I went through a lot with my dad to get Tanner here for your celebration,¡± Elise Chandler told Amber, who had changed out of her champagne-soaked ¡°Starnight¡± dress.

    Moreover, Tanner, appreciating his new partnership with the Woodwind Group, also invited numerous international supermodels to support theshow. Though it was a small-scale salon show, it still showcased histest haute couture creations, which is why he spent most of his time backstage, closely monitoring the models and had not yet made an appearance.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Amber managed a strained smile. Her outfit was one of Tanner¡¯s new designs, but it paled inparison to the earlier ¡°Starnight¡± dress, and even more so next to Tina¡¯s ¡°Starnight Butterfly.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just riding on Jared Farrell¡¯s coattails,¡± Elise Chandler remarked disdainfully, following Amber¡¯s gaze. ¡°No matter howvish the dress, it can¡¯t hide the fact that she¡¯s just a country bumpkin.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, look at her pretending to appreciate the fashion show. Does she even have the taste for it?¡± scoffed Gwendolyn.

    ¡°Talking behind someone¡¯s back isn¡¯t a pretty look,¡± came a cold voice.

    Gwendolyn turned to find Velma Lehman, who had arrived unnoticed, standing with folded arms at the back, giving them a mocking sneer before walking towards Tina.

    She hadn¡¯t nned oning, but since no one else in her family was avable, they sent her, leading her to intentionally arrivete.

    ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s gaze shifted from Velma to Tina, who seemed uninterested as she watched the dresses on the runway. When Velma approached, Tina nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

    Previously, without Jared or Marie around, Gwendolyn had freely mocked Tina. But now, seeing Tina nked like a guarded treasure by the two, she was less brazen.

    Watching Amber¡¯s hurt expression and envying Tina¡¯s luxurious attire and jewelry, Gwendolyn couldn¡¯t help but provoke, ¡°Tina, what do you think of Tanner¡¯s show this time?¡±

    She didn¡¯t actually expect Tina to offer any insightfulments. In her view, Tina, who¡¯d likely attend a banquet in a T-shirt and jeans, obviouslycked fashion sense and would probably just echo others¡¯ praises.

    Yet, to her surprise, Tina, focusing on a newly presented ombre tiered evening gown, frowned thoughtfully and said seriously, ¡°Too much can be as bad as too little.¡±

 Chapter 170: Tina! What Are You Doing?

    As soon as the words were uttered, the stands fell quiet, all eyes turning towards Tina. What had Tina just said? Too much? Gwendolyn almost thought she had misheard and was about to mock when Elise Chandler abruptly stood up, her eyes coldly fixed on Tina, ¡°What did you just say?!¡±

    ¡°I said it¡¯s too much,¡± Tina¡¯s long eyshes lifted slightly as she met Elise Chandler¡¯s gaze and repeated softly.

    ¡°You, a country bumpkin who knows nothing, on what grounds do you criticize Tanner¡¯s design?!¡± Anger shed across Elise Chandler¡¯s face.

    Originally, the Woodwind family had sought the Mack Tanner brand representation rights, partly because it was indeed a highly profitable opportunity, and partly because Elise Chandler had strongly rmended and promoted it. She had always been an ardent fan of Tanner, never missing a show, collecting every design. In her eyes, besides the mysterious master Waverly Underwood, Mack Tanner was the most talented fashion designer of recent years. She was even preparing to study abroad at Tanner¡¯s school to be a designer like Waverly Underwood and Tanner.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    She had initially thought not to cause a stir with the Farrell family present and avoid conflict for Amber with Tina, but hearing Tina belittle her idol¡¯s design was something she could not tolerate.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Tina halted the model on the stage, who was wearing an ombre gown, pointing at therge bows on the model¡¯s shoulders and waist, ¡°The gown already hasplex colors, and the hem is designed like ayered cake. The upper body should be simple. Adding two suchrge bows, isn¡¯t that too much?¡±

    ¡°What do you know!¡± Elise Chandler, seeing Tanner¡¯s design dismissed by Tina, burst out in anger, ¡°It¡¯s called vintage, you know?¡±

    ¡°What vintage?¡± Velma Lehmanughed, also looking at the ombre gown, ¡°I think Tina is right, the design is tooplicated, the highlights are too many, making it lose focus.¡±

    ¡°Rubbish!¡± Elise Chandler red at Velma Lehman, ¡°Just because she is Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee, trying to curry favor with the Farrell family, you support her argument!¡±

    Velma Lehman¡¯s expression cooled, ¡°You think I¡¯m like you, clinging to the Reed family, willing to befriend any scoundrel!¡±

    ¡°Velma Lehman, I haven¡¯t offended you, why attack me out of nowhere!¡± Amber¡¯s eyes reddened instantly, her aggrieved look giving Velma Lehman goosebumps.

    ¡°Elise Chandler is right. Tanner¡¯s talent is highly sought after. If you think it¡¯s not good, why don¡¯t you design clothes yourselves? Why don¡¯t you be designers?¡±

    ¡°For my party, I invited Tanner to add to the festivities, I will not allow you to insult him like this.¡±

    ¡°Do I need to know how to make a fridge to critique it?¡± Velma Lehman rolled her eyes in retort.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, just admit it.¡± Gwendolyn, wary of Jared Farrell and Marie, did not dare confront Tina directly, but facing Velma Lehman, she didn¡¯t hold back. Her eyes shifted, a hint of malice flickering, ¡°You talk so confidently, why don¡¯t you alter this dress then? Let everyone judge whether your changes are better or Tanner¡¯s design!¡±

    Velma Lehman fell silent, not daring to risk offending Tanner by altering his design, even if she knew how.

    Then, Tina instructed a waiter nearby, who quickly brought her scissors and a needle and thread. She took them and calmly walked onto the catwalk. ¡°Tina, what are you doing?¡± Elise Chandler cried out, reaching to pull Tina back, ¡°Get down from there, how dare you touch Tanner¡¯s design!¡±

    But Tina didn¡¯t even look at her, cutting off therge bow on the model¡¯s shoulder with a snip of her scissors. ¡°Tina, I¡¯m going to kill you!¡± Elise Chandler screamed, ¡°How dare you!¡±

    She screamed at the model, ¡°Are you crazy, why are you letting her touch Tanner¡¯s clothes!¡±

    The model, clueless about what was happening, just stood there with wide silver-gray eyes, strangely looking at Elise Chandler. Logically, even if she didn¡¯t understand, she shouldn¡¯t let someone damage the dress she was wearing, but she simply stood there, letting Tina proceed.

    Below the stage, as Elise Chandler¡¯s screams grew louder, more and more people gathered, frowning at Tina¡¯s actions on stage. Regardless, altering someone else¡¯s design was seen as an insult to the designer. They viewed Tina¡¯s actions as utterly impolite.

    But constrained by the presence of Jared Farrell and Marie, they said nothing.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A gentle yet slightly weathered voice sounded from outside the crowd. Everyone turned to see, the crowd parting toreveal Audrey Woodwind and Damian apanying Annabelle as they walked in, followed by the Jasper Reed brothers and Esther, and then Elizabeth with her two sons.

    ¡°Grandma!¡± Amber rushed to Annabelle, clinging to her arm, her voice tinged with panic, ¡°You must stop Tina, she¡¯s gone mad, she¡¯s going to ruin Mr. Tanner¡¯s design!¡±

    Annabelle frowned, Tanner was just a designer, but he was a distinguished guest they had taken great pains to invite; such disrespect was intolerable. Yet, when she lifted her eyes to the catwalk and saw Tina holding the scissors, she paused in shock. It was her! The young girl who had saved her in Ensford!

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone stopping her!¡± Damian also frowned, asking.

    ¡°¡­¡± Amber hesitated, ncing towards Jared Farrell and Marie, her expression fraught with fear and difficulty.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell is here, who dares to stop his fiancee,¡± Gwendolyn sneered, helping Amber articte her concern.

    ¡°Grandma, please have someone stop Tina quickly, look how anxious Ivy is,¡± Amber said worriedly, ¡°Tanner was invited by her, if Tina offends Tanner, causing the Woodwind family to lose his coboration, wouldn¡¯t I be terribly at fault?¡±

    Elise Chandler was indeed on the verge of tears. She had already lifted her skirts and rushed onto the catwalk, moving to intercept Tina.

    Just then, Tina neatly removed therge bow at the waist of the dress and stripped away the other superfluous elements. She turned around, revealing the now modified gown, which with the removal of the excess, transformed into a strapless style, suddenly appearing much more elegant and simple.

    Elise Chandler stopped short, stunned by the transformation. The dress, now simplified by Tina¡¯s alterations, had gained an elegance that it previouslycked.

 Chapter 171: You Lose, Iâ€™ll Shave My Head Right Here

    Elise Chandler quickly regained herposure, ring furiously at Tina. ¡°You think turning Tanner¡¯s exquisite one-shoulder gown into a simple strapless dress counts as design?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it.¡± Gwendolyn joined Elise on the runway, arms crossed, chuckling disdainfully as she eyed the ombre dress altered by Tina. ¡°And here I thought you had some real talent. Turns out it¡¯s nothing special.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Tina nced coolly at them both.

    ¡°You¡¯ve ruined this dress!¡± Elise shrieked, unable to contain herself. ¡°Tanner hates it when someone tampers with his designs! If you¡¯ve jeopardized our Woodwind family¡¯s coboration with Tanner¡¯s own brand, I will never forgive you!¡±

    ¡°And what about it?¡± Tina responded emotionlessly, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who asked me to make changes? What are youining about now?¡±

    ¡°Just because we asked, you thought you should? Who do you think you are!¡± Elise was incredulous at Tina¡¯s arrogance. ¡°Tanner wouldn¡¯t even spare a nce at someone as tasteless as you!¡±

    ¡°Heh, this is actually the first time I¡¯vee across someone so full of themselves,¡± Gwendolyn mocked Tina. ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet then. If Tanner praises your alterations, I¡¯ll shave my head right here on this runway!¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyshes fluttered up as she looked towards Gwendolyn, a captivating smile spreading across her face. ¡°Shave your head? I like that! Are you sure about this bet?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely!¡± Gwendolyn snapped back. ¡°If Tanner actuallypliments you, I won¡¯t just shave my head on the spot, I¡¯ll keep it bald for life!¡±

    ¡°Great, that¡¯s the spirit.¡± Tina nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s see it, then!¡±

    She used her scissors to cut a jagged, tiered neckline on the dress, then stitched on some strips of fabric from a butterfly applique she had torn off earlier, creating apel-style cor.

    By now, it was toote for Elise Chandler to intervene, so she stood aside coldly, pondering how to exin the situation to Tanner and nning to me it all on Tina.

    As she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard murmurs from the crowd below the runway. ¡°This alteration actually looks quite good.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s the same dress, but it lookspletely transformed.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell¡¯s fiancee is quite talented.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

    From where Gwendolyn and Elise stood, they could only see Tina¡¯s back, blocking their view of the dress. Gwendolyn, curious and anxious, tried to pull Elise over to get a better look, but just then, a blond, blue-eyed man emerged from backstage.

    ¡°Tanner!¡± Elise rushed over to him.

    ¡°Miss Sinir, what¡¯s the matter? Why did you stop the model from continuing?¡± Tanner asked in stiff Chinese.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Tanner. Someone was audacious enough to ruin your gown on the spot, iming to alter your design,¡± Elise said tearfully. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for not stopping her, for not protecting your work.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Elise Chandler,¡± Gwendolyn added fuel to the fire. ¡°It¡¯s all because that Tina was too arrogant, belittling your design as worthless, and imed that if you saw her alterations, you¡¯d have nothing but praise, no criticism at all.¡±

    Tanner frowned, he and Elise could only see Tina¡¯s back and not the dress itself.

    It was undeniable, though, that Tina¡¯s silhouette was striking under the soft blue runway lights, adding ayer of mystique as she worked, her graceful shoulder des subtly moving with her cutting.

    If only she wasn¡¯t someone who didn¡¯t respect other¡¯s creations, Tanner thought he might have invited her to be the model for his season¡¯s campaign based on her silhouette alone.

    Unfortunately, that beautiful silhouette and the Starnight Butterfly dress she wore were both marred by her actions.

    Tanner¡¯s eyes, filled with a fervent admiration, fell on the Starnight Butterfly on Tina,menting how such a garment was wasted on her.

    Seeing Tanner¡¯s furious expression, Gwendolyn¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile, certain of her victory.

    And Tina, havingmitted such disrespectful acts at another designer¡¯s show, was destined to ruin her reputation, fiancee to Jared Farrell or not.

    The crowd below, seeing Tanner¡¯s thunderous face, felt sure Tina was doomed.

    After all, which designer could tolerate their work being publicly criticized and altered by a novice?

    But before Tanner reached Tina, she hadpleted all the alterations. She stepped aside, letting him see the transformed dress for the first time.

    The previously heavy cake-style hem was simplified significantly, appearing much cleaner. The strapless neckline had been altered into an asymmetrical smallcor with a V-shaped cut in the middle, subtly revealing a hint of cleavage. The entire dress, previously dull, now looked elegant and dreamlike.

    Tanner was instantly dazzled, his reaction a mix of shock and delight.

    He strode towards the dress, eyes glued to it, unable to see anything else as he circled it, continuously eximing in awe, ¡°My God! I knew something was off when the original waspleted! My initial design was rubbish! This is what a true haute couture dress looks like!¡±

    The room fell silent, even the runway music ceased.

    Gwendolyn and Elise Chandler were stunned, doubting their own ears.

    ¡°What did I just hear?¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s face grew particrly grim. Did Tanner just praise Tina¡¯s alterations? Did he just call his own design rubbish? Was he bewitched?

    Clearly, Elise Chandler shared Gwendolyn¡¯s thoughts. She approached Tanner, intending to ask what was going on. Could it be that Jared Farrell had somehow intimidated him from the audience?

    However, upon seeing the altered strapless dress, Elise too was momentarily lost for words, her eyes wide with astonishment.

    As Gwendolyn saw Elise halt mid-step, her face full of shock as she stared at Tina, she followed, ¡°Elise Chandler, what are you¡­¡±

    She too caught sight of the stunning dress, her heart starting to panic. How could this be?

    Her gaze turned towards the front of the runway where Amber, looking sullen, was clutching Annabelle¡¯s arm. Amber had insisted that Tina, who had grown up in the countryside, couldn¡¯t possibly know anything about designing clothes.

    A person of such taste, how could she disrespectfully show up in a T-shirt and jeans at a formal event?

 Chapter 172: Master Waverly Underwood

    Gwendolyn suddenly felt a chill creep up her scalp. Silently, she took two steps back, intending to sneak off the runway. Tanner, who had been praising the strapless gown incessantly, finally looked up and, upon seeing Tina¡¯s slightly impatient expression, eximed in shock, ¡°Master Waverly Underwood! Is it really you?¡±

    At these words, the crowd was stunned.

    ¡°What? Mr. Farrell¡¯s fiancee is Master Waverly Underwood?¡±

    ¡°How is that possible? Tanner must be mistaken, right?¡±

    Meanwhile, Amber, who had just been urging Annabelle to stop Tina, hadn¡¯t moved an inch. She secretly hoped that Tina would offend Tanner, causing the coboration between the Woodwind family and Tanner to break down. This would not only tarnish Tina¡¯s reputation but also make the Woodwind family resent her.

    From the moment Jared Farrell appeared, Amber¡¯s gaze asionally swept over his handsome, dignified face. If Tina, through her arrogance, not only ruined her own reputation but also offended a leadingpany in the fashion industry like the Woodwind family, thereby affecting future coborations with the Farrell family, would they still wee such a tactless, troublemaking daughter-inw?

    Amber thought she had calcted everything perfectly. As Tanner angrily approached Tina, Amber thought her hopes were about to be realized. However, far from criticizing, Tanner ended up praising Tina¡¯s modified design and even called her ¡°Master Waverly Underwood.¡±

    Had the foreigner lost his mind?

    Amber stepped forward and addressed Tanner on the runway, ¡°Mr. Tanner, this Tina grew up in a small Taoist temple and has never been exposed to fashion design. How could she possibly be Master Waverly Underwood? You must be mistaken.¡±

    ¡°How could I possibly be mistaken?¡± Tanner replied strangely, using his awkward Chinese. ¡°When my creativity was at a low point, it was Master Waverly Underwood who inspired me. She is practically my mentor. Who would mistake their own mentor?¡±

    He pointed at the Italian model who had been obediently standing still and listening to Tina. ¡°Julia is a top professional international supermodel. If she wasn¡¯t Master Waverly Underwood, knowing my rtionship with Waverly Underwood, why would she calmly let others adjust my clothes?¡±

    With these words, the crowd beneath the runway erupted into murmurs.

    ¡°Is Tina really Master Waverly Underwood?¡±

    ¡°No way? That¡¯s incredible.¡±

    Tina, on the runway, slightly raised her arched eyebrows and nodded at Tanner, ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    Her demeanor was that of a senior addressing a junior.

    Then she added, ¡°It¡¯s been so long, and you still haven¡¯t made any progress.¡±

    Tanner, who was initially excited, suddenly looked as deted as a frosted eggnt, even showing the unease of a child being scolded. ¡°I know I¡¯ve been stuck in a creative rut. I¡¯ve been wanting to seek your guidance again, hoping for new inspiration.¡±

    This natural exchange made it clear that Tina was indeed Waverly Underwood.

    The audience was either speechless or astonished, including Jared Farrell, who pursed his lips in surprise. His Tina, always full of surprises.

    Only Marie was genuinely happy for Tina. When Tina had first walked onto the stage, although she and Jared Farrell¡¯s status meant no one dared openly speak to them, the snide remarks still reached their ears.

    Some said the Farrell family had no taste, choosing an arrogant and hical daughter-inw. Others predicted Tina would embarrass herself today, leading the Farrell family to break off the engagement. There were also rumors that she was dissatisfied with Tina as a daughter-inw, constantly looking for a new wife for Jared Farrell while ying mahjong.

    Rumors, all rumors!

    She had already told all her card-ying friends that she had chosen Tina as her daughter-inw for life.

    It must be Li Sinir and her daughter spreading these rumors. Next time she saw them, she was determined to p both mother and daughter.

    Now, Tina not only confirmed her taste and capability, but she was also the fashion world¡¯s most mysterious designer, Waverly Underwood.

    If Marie weren¡¯t maintaining herdylike image, she¡¯d probably be grinning from ear to ear. The clothes designed by Waverly Underwood were exceedingly rare.

    Wealthydies would pay fortunes for them, yet they were priceless.

    From today onwards, who knows how many people would be knocking on her door, seeking Tina¡¯s help in designing clothes.

    Marie was overwhelmed internally, but her expression remained unchanged. Even the revtion of Tina¡¯s identity as Master Waverly Underwood didn¡¯t elicit a visible reaction from her, leading others to believe she had known all along.

    Amber¡¯s face turned extremely sour as she nced at Jared Farrell again.

    He sat there, a winess in hand, gazing up at the radiant Tina on the runway. His toastwas poised and elegant, directed only at the girl he could see. Tina smiled back at him briefly, their eyes conveying a private intimacy inessible to others.

    Amber clenched Annabelle¡¯s hand tighter, making her ufortable. Annabelle, following Amber¡¯s gaze, saw Jared¡¯s slight surprise. Then she noticed the loving look he exchanged with Tina, and she guessed his identity correctly.

    It turned out that Jared Farrell, who had once rescued her in Ensford, was connected to Tina.

    Although Annabelle had lived in Ashbury for years and avoided socializing, she wasn¡¯t very familiar with Jared Farrell and his generation, so she hadn¡¯t recognized him at the time.

    Elizabeth and her sons followed behind Annabelle, their looks toward Tinaplicated. They were already shocked by her identity as the perfume maestro Q, and now, Tina was revealed to be the international mystery fashion designer Waverly Underwood.

    Elizabeth felt the weight of the stares from those who knew their past grievances. They mocked her for treasuring Amber like a jewel while discarding the real gem.

    Their eyes seemed to ask if she regretted her actions.

    In the past, in order to secure arge dowry from the Farrell family to save the Reed family, they had pushed Tina into marrying Jared Farrell, whom they called ¡°the cripple.¡± They had also broken ties with Hugo¡¯s family and helped Amber frame Hugo.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    She had done all this to save the Reed family and elevate the Ensford Reed name. Yet, a single perfume form from Q or a clothing line from Waverly Underwood could have solved these problems.

    If only she had treated Tina a bit better, she wouldn¡¯t need to be scrambling now, leaving herself disgraced while the Reed family still faced ruin.

    Elizabeth gritted her teeth, her gaze darkening as it fell on Annabelle and Amber¡¯s linked hands.

    Why did Annabelle always have such good fortune?

    Why wasn¡¯t Tina my biological granddaughter?

    Then a sinister smile crossed Elizabeth¡¯s face. What did it matter?

    You¡¯ll always treasure a false gem. What I can¡¯t have, you won¡¯t either!

 Chapter 173: You Owe Me This

    Standing beside Annabelle, Audrey Woodwind affectionately patted Amber on the shoulder. ¡°Amber, your sister is quitemendable, contrary to what you¡¯ve told me.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face clouded over momentarily. Complimenting Tina felt like an indirect critique of herself, forcing a strained smile, ¡°Yes, who would have thought, Tina is really impressive.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, she is,¡± Annabelle agreed, nodding appreciatively at Tina who stood on the runway. ¡°Since she represents your foster parents too, why don¡¯t you invite her down for a chat? I¡¯d like to speak with her.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Grandma,¡± Amber replied, her longshes veiling the resentment and jealousy in her eyes, as she managed a polite smile.

    Elizabeth, standing behind, harbored an even darker expression. Tina was not only Amber¡¯s foster sister but also her nominal granddaughter. Annabelle praised Tina without sparing her a nce, not even mentioning her once.

    Since their arrival, Annabelle had barely introduced them to anyone else. It seemed her sister-inw remained aloof and dismissive as ever.

    But Elizabeth would endure. Over the years, she had mastered the art of patience. The debts the Ashbury Reed family owed them, she vowed, would be repaid gradually by Annabelle and her kin.

    ¡°Who knew you were the great Master Waverly Underwood,¡± Amber approached Tina at the runway, tilting her head up to meet her gaze, an angle she found humiliating especially when Tina, the center of attention, seemed to dwarf her into insignificance. Despite previous hardships, Amber¡¯s smile was wless, appearing as the closest of sisters to Tina, devoid of any underlying friction.

    ¡°My grandmother would like to have a word with you,¡± Amber maintained her smile. ¡°Besides, with you standing there, the show can¡¯t continue. We wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint the audience, would we?¡± Her words subtly hinted at Tina¡¯sck of manners, almost causing a scene.

    Before Tina could respond, Tanner interjected with a cold expression, ¡°What show? I¡¯m dissatisfied with all my work this time. The show is canceled!¡± He then turned to Tina with a forced smile, ¡°Master Underwood, I¡¯ll send you mytest designs and productster. Please point out what I can improve.¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Elise Chandler, standing behind, was astounded by Tanner¡¯s obsequious behavior towards Tina. Was this the same aloof and arrogant Mack Tanner she knew?

    ¡°However, Tina can¡¯t just stand there forever,¡± Amber frowned.

    She disliked the way Tina looked down on her, longing to bring her down to her level.

    ¡°There¡¯s still something unfinished,¡± Tina¡¯s gaze shifted to Gwendolyn who attempted to sneak away from the corner of the stage.

    ¡°Remember what you said earlier?¡± Tina called out as Gwendolyn¡¯s steps halted at the edge of the runway.

    ¡°She said that if Tanner praised your alterations, she would shave her head right here on this runway and keep it shaved for life!¡± Velma Lehman chimed in loudly.

    ¡°Tanner, how about this dress I altered?¡± Tina deliberately questioned Tanner.

    ¡°Perfect, I can¡¯t imagine anything better than your design!¡± Tanner enthusiastically gave Tina a thumbs up.

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow at Gwendolyn, ¡°You bet, now honor it.¡±

    ¡°No, no, it was just a joke!¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s face was stricken with panic.

    ¡°A joke?¡± Velma Lehmanughed first, ¡°That didn¡¯t sound like a joke when you were mocking so harshly! You made the bet, now keep your word and shave your head!¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to shave my head,¡± Gwendolyn vehemently shook her head, her eyes pleading towards Amber for help, ¡°Amber, help me, I don¡¯t want to shave my head!¡±

    ¡°Tina, was this really necessary?¡± Amber¡¯s face showed a reluctant difort, ¡°We¡¯re all sisters here, why make it so unpleasant?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s her sister?¡± Velma Lehman stood up, hands on hips, scoffing, ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve to be Tina¡¯s sister. Don¡¯t tter yourself.¡±

    ¡°Please, it¡¯s my party, let¡¯s not ruin it¡­¡± Amber continued in a low, pleading tone, hoping her perceived disadvantage might sway others to her side.

    Unfortunately, Gwendolyn had chosen to provoke this situation, and with Jared Farrell sitting nearby, no one dared offend his fiancee over a trivial character.

    ¡°Your face isn¡¯t worth much here!¡± Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a chill passing through her alluring gaze.

    Tina turned to Gwendolyn, her tone light yet unquestionable, ¡°No one can ever deny a debt owed to me.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, please talk some sense into Tina,¡± Amber looked helplessly towards Jared Farrell.

    ¡°No one can deny a debt to my fiancee,¡± Jared stated firmly, his gaze fixed solely on Tina.

    ¡°Grandma!¡± Amber, left with no choice, turned back to Annabelle for assistance, ¡°Please help Gwendolyn. If she is humiliated in public, how can she ever face anyone again?¡±

    ¡°Amber, you¡¯re really strange,¡± Audrey Woodwind interjected, looking perplexed, ¡°When Gwendolyn was insulting and provoking Tina earlier, why didn¡¯t you help Tina then? Didn¡¯t you care that she would be too humiliated to face people? Isn¡¯t Tina your foster sister? Why not help your own family instead of outsiders?¡±

    Amber¡¯s face turned as Audrey¡¯s eyes gleamed with schadenfreude. During her time in Ashbury, she had felt entitled to the Reed family¡¯s affection over her cousin, whose name did not include ¡®Reed¡¯, leading her to severely alienate Audrey at every opportunity.

    Annabelle hesitated for a moment but eventually said, ¡°You bet, now face the consequences. Amber, you should keep your distance from friends who boast loudly but fail to acknowledge their actions afterward.¡±

    Today, with Ashbury Muff Reed absent and confined to a sanatorium, Annabelle held the highest authority at the event. Her deration clearly reflected the Reed family¡¯s stance.

    ¡°No! I won¡¯t shave my head!¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s face turned pale as she tried to flee, only to find herself inexplicably frozen in ce, unable to move. ¡°What¡¯s happening! Someone help me! I can¡¯t move!¡±

    The crowd below the stage was stunned, watching Gwendolyn fixed in a fleeing posture, unable to move. They were baffled by her sudden predicament.

    ¡°Elise, help me, I can¡¯t move!¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes darted around, desperately seeking help from Elise Chandler nearby.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, are you having a cramp?¡± Elise finally snapped out of her shock.

    Before she could step forward, the crisp sound of high heels on the runway¡¯s tempered ss echoed behind her. Tina walked past her, stopping in front of Gwendolyn, ¡°She hasn¡¯t settled her debt to me, naturally, she can¡¯t move.¡±

 Chapter 174: Shaving Miss Lawsonâ€™s Head

    Gwendolyn wanted to move but found herselfpletely immobilized. She stared at Tina in horror. ¡°What have you done to me?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sealed your acupoints,¡± Tina replied calmly, her eyes slightly lifting. ¡°It¡¯s for your own good. It would be problematic if you moved and got injured while I¡¯m shaving your head.¡±

    Only then did the crowd remember Tina¡¯s medical expertise. Despite being far from Gwendolyn and without any visible movements, Gwendolyn was unable to move, while Elise Chandler seemed unaffected. Tina¡¯s medical skills seemed almost magical.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t touch me!¡± Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes widened in terror at the sight of the scissors in Tina¡¯s hand, mistakenly thinking she would use them to cut her hair.

    ¡°These aren¡¯t sharp enough,¡± Tina said with a light chuckle, shaking the scissors in her hand.

    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve my personal touch,¡± she added, shaking her head. Lifting her gaze, she scanned the room with a cold look and asked lightly, ¡°Who has time to shave Miss Lawson¡¯s head? You¡¯ll get this modified evening gown as a reward.¡±

    The room fell silent for a moment before erupting intomotion. Thedies eyed the ombre gown worn by an Italian model, their eyes zing with fervor. Since Tina had modified the gown, their attention had hardly strayed from it. The stunning and innovative design was irresistible.

    Moreover, the gown was a unique creation by Waverly Underwood, a master, making it even more special. It was a one-of-a-kind piece, crafted from thebined inspiration of Underwood and Mack Tanner.

    Even Elise Chandler on the runway seemed tempted. But shaving a young girl¡¯s long hair publicly could lead to scandal, so everyone hesitated.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Most people were too dignified to volunteer, but Velma Lehman had no such reservations. Known for her straightforward nature, she had been eyeing the gown on the runway. With Tina¡¯s offer, she didn¡¯t hesitate to step forward.

    ¡°Velma Lehman! Dare to touch me and see what happens!¡± Gwendolyn screamed furiously at Velma. ¡°If you touch my hair, I¡¯ll fight you!¡±

    Velma ignored her, calling over a waiter to bring a razor. She walked up to the stage, razor in hand, excitement in her eyes as she approached Gwendolyn, who kept screaming for help.

    ¡°Amber! Help me! Please save me!¡±

    ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Amber looked helplessly at Annabelle for assistance.

    Annabelle merely lifted her eyelids, her expression unchanged. She wasn¡¯t inclined to intervene, especially since Gwendolyn had offended her savior at their Reed family event.

    Seeing Annabelle indifferent, Amber turned to Jasper Reed. ¡°Dad¡­¡±

    Jasper, however, was lost in thought, staring at Tina on the stage, feeling an odd sense of familiarity despite not recognizing her.

    Distracted, Amber tried to get his attention. ¡°Amber, grandma already said to stay away from friends who cause trouble but won¡¯t own up to it,¡± Audrey Woodwind said with augh nearby. ¡°Why do you keep defending such poor character?¡±

    Amber red at Audrey, her eyes filled with barely concealed resentment. She had been humiliated at her own party, which felt like a p to her face.

    ¡°Velma Lehman, you wretch! If you touch me, you¡¯ll not die a good death!¡± Gwendolyn, seeing no helping, began to curse Tina and Velma. But as she raised her voice, it suddenly cut off. She could no longer make a sound, only able to stare furiously.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Tina said emotionlessly.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Gwendolyn struggled to speak but couldn¡¯t. Desperation filled her eyes as Velma Lehman brandished the razor, its de glinting under the stage lights.

    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it!¡± Elise Chandler finally spoke up, but found herself suddenly unable to move or speak, her eyes wide with fear as she realized Tina¡¯s formidable control.

    Velma¡¯s razor touched Gwendolyn¡¯s hair, her voice taunting. ¡°My skills aren¡¯t the best. If you upset me again, I might identally scar that pretty face of yours.¡±

    As the first locks fell, Gwendolyn¡¯s eyes filled with tears of rage and humiliation. If looks could kill, her gaze would have pierced through Velma and Tina.

    ¡°What are you crying for? It looks like I¡¯m bullying you,¡± Velma remarked as she continued, her tone dripping with disdain. ¡°By the way, your hair is quite shiny. What shampoo do you use? Rmend it to me.¡±

    The crowd watched, some unable to suppress theirughter at Velma¡¯s cutting words. Despite the inappropriateness, videos of the spectacle began circting online.

    Throughout, Tina remained aloof, arms crossed, watching as Gwendolyn was forced to fulfill her wager. Her indifferent demeanor seemed as if she was merely an observer to her own orchestrated event.

 Chapter 175: The Ashbury Reed Family

    Gwendolyn could distinctly feel the contempt in Tina¡¯s indifferent demeanor. She didn¡¯t realize when her tears had started to cascade down her cheeks. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, she could only stiffly endure the razor-sharp de as it repeatedly scraped across her scalp, her emotions transitioning from anger and despair to humiliation and shame, yet she had no choice but to bear it silently.

    After thest lock of hair was shorn, Velma Lehman proudly disyed Gwendolyn¡¯s bald head to Tina, eximing, ¡°How about that? My skills are impable, not a single nick! This is the expertise I¡¯ve honed from years of shaving our Samoyed!¡± The crowd couldn¡¯t hold back theirughter any longer, seeing Gwendolyn¡¯s head smooth as a boiled egg, and burst outughing, likening her to a dog being groomed.

    Tina was somewhat surprised; she had randomly chosen someone to shave Gwendolyn¡¯s head, hoping for a botched job to make Gwendolyn suffer a bit. But it turned out perfectly. What a miscalction.

    Just then, a cold breeze swept through the banquet hall, making Gwendolyn¡¯s entire head feel chillingly cold, and she couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. Clutching her head, she knelt on the tempered ss of the catwalk, not even having a moment to ponder how she suddenly regained her ability to move and speak. Amidst her tears and curses, she shouted, ¡°Velma Lehman, Tina, you two bitches¡­¡±

    Tina let out a cold, soft chuckle. Gwendolyn stiffened and suddenly remembered how she had been unable to speak or move just moments before, and she dared not utter another word.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Listening to the discussions and whispers from below the stage, and seeing the looks of schadenfreude and sympathy cast upon her, she could no longer endure it and scrambled up, running away.

    ¡°Gwendolyn!¡± Amber feigned concern as she tried tofort her. Gwendolyn angrily brushed off her hand and shot her a resentful look.

    ¡°Gwendolyn, why are you looking at me like that?¡± Amber stepped back in fear. ¡°You know it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you. My sister wouldn¡¯t give me the time of day, and besides, your hair will grow back soon.¡±

    Gwendolyn remained silent, knowing well that her plight today stemmedrgely from defending Amber. But if Amber couldn¡¯t persuade Annabelle to intervene, why hadn¡¯t she stepped up herself? If Amber had confronted Tina, the Reed family would surely have sided with Amber. But she hadn¡¯t done so, proving she didn¡¯t truly consider Gwendolyn a friend.

    With a resentful nce at Tina and her conspicuously bald head, Gwendolyn fled the banquet hall.

    ¡°Elise Chandler.¡± Amber innocently turned to Elise Chandler on the catwalk. ¡°Is Gwendolyn mad at me? But I really couldn¡¯t do anything; I even begged my grandmother.¡±

    By the time Gwendolyn could move, Elise Chandler had also realized she was no longer frozen. Elise wore aplex expression, having understood the situation just as clearly as Gwendolyn had. Amber hadn¡¯t done everything in her power to help Gwendolyn.

    She finally said, ¡°Her hair will grow back eventually.¡± Tina, overhearing this, smiled enigmatically, knowing something they didn¡¯t-Gwendolyn had dered she would remain bald for life. Well, she could keep it that way.

    ¡°Tina, this dress is mine now!¡± Velma Lehman excitedly approached the Italian model handling the dress she adored, unable to wait to have it taken off so she could try it on herself.

    Tanner reluctantly followed the model and Velma to the backstage, wishing to savor the sight of the dress a bit longer before parting with it. Before leaving, he reminded Tina, ¡°You promised to help me with the design sketches; you can¡¯t back out!¡±

    Tina nodded slightly. ¡°When have I ever gone back on my word?¡± Tanner then left, reassured.

    The drama on the catwalk finally came to an end. As Tina prepared to descend, a hand elegantly reached out to her from beside the steps. Jared Farrell, ever the gant knight, was ready to assist her down the steps like a princess.

    Their eyes locked as Tina ced her hand in his, his support allowing her to gracefully descend the steps. Amber watched their intertwined hands with envy, her dark thoughts growing wildly. Why could Tina be so close to Jared Farrell when she herself could not, despite now being a bona fide Ashbury Reed?

    Audrey Woodwind also watched, captivated by Jared¡¯s profile, perfect as a Greek statue, regretting only that he stood beside another woman. Yet, her eyes shifted meaningfully towards Amber, her newly recognized cousin, whose gaze at Mr. Farrell was unmistakably impure.

    The excitement had been thrilling indeed, and she sensed that the drama was far from over.

    As Tina and Jared Farrell returned to their seats, Marie watched them with eager eyes, trying to maintain her dignifiedposure. She was plotting to coax Tina into designing some unique dresses for her when the Reed family, led by Annabelle, approached.

    ¡°Annabelle, long time no see,¡± Marie greeted politely, assuming Annabelle was there to see her.

    However, Annabelle nodded at her but turned her smile towards Tina and Jared Farrell, saying, ¡°Miss Reed, Mr. Farrell, I haven¡¯t had the chance to thank you forst time.¡±

    Tina was momentarily taken aback, recalling the elderlydy she had helped at the engagement party. She withdrew her gaze and replied indifferently, ¡°It was nothing, not worth mentioning.¡±

    Though she wondered why the elderlydy was here, Tina preferred not to get involved further.

 Chapter 176: Why Not Let Tina Play a Piece?

    Annabelle held a significant status in Ashbury, always maintaining her dignity. It was surprising enough that she hadn¡¯te down to greet the guests from the upstairs lounge, let alone initiating a conversation with a junior like Tina. Especially since Tina had almost turned Amber¡¯s banquet into a joke, one would assume Annabelle would at least give Tina the cold shoulder, if not admonish her.

    Yet, Annabelle¡¯s approachable and friendly demeanor now puzzled everyone. ¡°Grandma, do you know Tina?¡± Amber asked, feigning curiosity. Tina paused, confused. The grandmother of the Ashbury Reed family? Her gaze swept over the members of the Reed family, briefly meeting Jasper Reed¡¯s probing eyes, then passing the sullen faces of Elizabeth and her sons before resting on Amber with a meaningful look. ¡°Grandma?¡± Tina chuckled internally, amused by the title.

    ¡°I had a mishap in Ensford, and Miss Tina was kind enough to rescue me,¡± Annabelle revealed, surprising Amber even further. ¡°Miss Tina, I owe you a great deal of thanks for that. If it hadn¡¯t been for you and Mr. Farrell, I might not have been here today. I¡¯ve been looking for a chance to thank you both, but I didn¡¯t know your identities until now.¡±

    People around them exchanged nces, realizing how fortunate Tina was, not only favored by the Farrell family and engaged to Jared Farrell but now indebted by Annabelle as well. If Tina were to marry into the Ashbury family, wouldn¡¯t she be able to walk sideways through Ashbury?

    Tina remained indifferent. Whether it was the Farrells or the Reeds, gratitude or enmity, she cared little. She had never ced any family in high regard. ¡°Grandma?¡± Amber seethed with jealousy internally, as Annabelle had never been this polite to her.

    ¡°When did Tina save you? What happened?¡± Amber clenched her fists, trying to suppress her anger. Annabelle simply smiled at Tina, ¡°Today is my granddaughter¡¯s banquet, and it wouldn¡¯t be right to discuss this now. I will make sure to visit you soon to express my gratitude.¡± She nced at Jasper Reed, who followed her cue and addressed the guests, ¡°Since Mr. Tanner has decided to stop the fashion show, why don¡¯t we all listen to Master Sutcliffe y the piano?¡±

    This was an attempt to move past the earlier mishaps and regain some order. The crowd willingly shifted from the fashion show to the main banquet hall, no longer discussing the previous events. Here, the original pianist was reced by Sutcliffe, an internationally renowned master brought in by the Reed family. The lights dimmed, spotlighting the young man with a ponytail sitting at the piano. He yed with focused precision, his music flowing effortlessly.

    Tina and Jared Farrell stood together, overhearing nearby guests sighing at the beautiful music. Sutcliffe, a prodigy who had gained international fame for his piano skills by eighteen, was known for his reclusive nature due to his isted upbringing focused on music. Like always, he finished his piece, closed the piano lid without thanking the audience, and stood up to leave. However, something made him pause.

    Tina¡¯s eyes met Sutcliffe¡¯s across the crowd. He seemed surprised to see her here but nodded lightly before walking away. This unusual acknowledgment caused a stir among the guests, who spected about who he had recognized.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    ¡°Amber, do you know Sutcliffe?¡± Elise Chandler asked, surprised. ¡°He seemed to be nodding in this direction. Was he greeting you?¡±

    Amber didn¡¯t actually know Sutcliffe and couldn¡¯t understand why he would acknowledge her. ¡°Maybe,¡± she replied, unsure, ¡°perhaps because I¡¯m the star today?¡± she added with a modestugh while her eyes darted to Annabelle, pleased with herself. Amber had been trained in piano since her youth at Moon Gate Estate and had won many pianopetitions, earning her a reputation in Ensford.

    Audrey Woodwind looked skeptical as Elise Chandler encouraged Amber, ¡°Why don¡¯t you y a piece for us, Amber, to show off your piano skills?¡±

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be right,¡± Amber hesitated, then pointed at Tina, ¡°Actually, my piano skills are quite ordinary. If we¡¯re talking about talent, Tina should be the one to y a piece.¡±

    Tina raised her eyebrows at the challenge. ¡°Tina, it¡¯s my banquet, and I haven¡¯t heard you y the piano in so long,¡± Amber pressed, tantly lying, ¡°Please y a piece as a gift to me?¡±

    Tina, once looked down upon in Ensford for her humble origins, now faced Amber, the celebrated jewel of the Ashbury Reed family. Amber aimed to crush Tina beneath her feet, seeing herself as a proud swan against Tina¡¯s ugly duckling. ¡°Are you worthy?¡± Tina scoffed dismissively.

    ¡°How dare you speak like that!¡± Elise Chandlererupted, defending Amber. ¡°Amber is only asking you to y the piano. If you feel your skills are inadequate or you¡¯re too scared to y, just say so. There¡¯s no need for such harsh words!¡±

 Chapter 177: You Are Not Worthy!

    Tina looked at her with a smirk that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, and Elise Chandler was instantly reminded of her recent helpless experience on the runway, her voice suddenly bing quieter. ¡°Tina,¡± Amber said, her eyes half-closed, pitifully looking at Tina, ¡°I know you never really considered me as a sister, but I just wanted to hear you y the piano once. Is that too much to ask?¡±

    ¡°You-¡± Tina¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, her clear eyes showing a trace of indifference, ¡°are not worthy!¡±

    Her words made everyone around frown, especially the members of the Reed family, except for Annabelle, Jasper Reed, and Audrey Woodwind. Their looks towards Tina were slightly resentful. After all, Amber was now the precious daughter of the Ashbury Reed family, and despite past events, it was uneptable for Tina to so tantly disrespect her.

    ¡°Tina, if you can¡¯t y, just admit it. There¡¯s no need to pretend!¡± a brash male voice called out from the crowd.

    Jared Farrell¡¯s eyebrows knotted as he looked over, only to see Nathaniel¡¯s irritating face. The beating he had given himst time was evidently not enough. Logan had explicitly warned Nathaniel to stay away from Amber, yet here he was, having shown up deliberately today.

    ¡°Amber,¡± Nathaniel strode over to her, handing her a gift, ¡°for you, I hope you like it.¡±

    Amber received the gift, a blush creeping onto her face as she opened it to find a one-carat diamond ne. Under normal circumstances, she would have been thrilled with such a gift, but now, looking at the Ophelia¡¯s Heart ne around Tina¡¯s neck, it seemed rather insignificant.

    ¡°I really like it,¡± she said, her heart discontented, but her face showing pleasure as she put on the ne. She then looked sadly at Tina, ¡°Tina, won¡¯t you really give me this gift?¡±

    The more Tina refused to perform, the more Amber was convinced that Tina couldn¡¯t y the piano, and she was determined to force Tina onto the stage to embarrass herself, to highlight her own overflowing talents. She had lost so many times before; this time, she was determined to regain her standing.

    ¡°Tch,¡± Nathaniel scoffed disdainfully, ¡°She¡¯s just a country bumpkin, how could she y the piano. Amber, don¡¯t tter her.¡±

    If this had been said before, Nathaniel might have found some agreement, but after the runway incident and the revtion that Tina was the mysterious designer Waverly Underwood, no one dared underestimate her anymore. Only Nathaniel, who had just arrived, continued to proudly belittle Tina, ¡°No matter how much a jungle chicken dresses up, it can¡¯t be a phoenix, Amber. Your piano skills have won national awards. Why don¡¯t you perform and let everyone appreciate what a true talent looks like?¡±

    Waiting for just this encouragement, Amber smoothly walked onto the stage. Before starting, she said pointedly to Tina, ¡°I know you¡¯re nervous, Tina. I¡¯ll warm up the crowd for you, and you can y the next piece.¡±

    Tina watched her coolly, her facade unbothered as Amber took it upon herself to decide everything.

    ¡°Why are you warming up for her?¡± Nathaniel continued mocking, ¡°Is she even worthy?¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s gaze sharpened, ready to erupt.

    ¡°Nathaniel!¡± Marie approached with Sophia, her eyes coldly fixed on Nathaniel. ¡°Apologize to Tina!¡± she demanded. ¡°Don¡¯t make mein to your mother about your disgraceful behavior!¡±

    She had long since epted Tina as part of the family and would not tolerate anyone insulting her.

    ¡°What disgraceful behavior!¡± Nathaniel retorted, defiant, ¡°Why does everyone side with this worthless woman? My dad, and now you too, Aunt Marie!¡±

    ¡°Tina is my daughter-inw. Should I help her or should I side with irrelevant outsiders like you?¡± Marie¡¯s tone was severe.

    ¡°Exactly, Jasper, your taste is terrible!¡± Sophia chimed in, pointing at Amber on stage, ¡°That woman even imed credit for healing me, deceiving our family out of money and possessions!¡±

    As Sophia publicly exposed Amber¡¯s past misdeeds, Amber¡¯s face turned unmistakably awkward, and the Reed family members looked displeased.

    ¡°That was all a misunderstanding!¡± Nathaniel, who had been caught by Logan and locked in a room with only a TV, showing Amber¡¯s past actions in Ensford, protested. Despite these revtions damaging Amber¡¯s goddess-like image in his heart, it did not diminish her status as the Reed family¡¯s daughter. His pursuit of Amber was never about vague notions of love but was aimed at the power and support of the Ashbury Reed family.

    ¡°So, all those were past matters, why do you keep holding onto them!¡± he argued stubbornly.

    ¡°Are you going to apologize to Tina or not?¡± Marieasked, losing patience with his obstinacy.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. She¡¯s just a country bumpkin, she¡¯s not worthy topare with Amber¡­¡± Nathaniel¡¯s voice grew louder as he spoke.

    Jared Farrell signaled to Nathan Lehman, who had been standing in the corner. ¡°Mr. Nathaniel,¡± Nathan approached, interrupting him, ¡°you¡¯ve got something on your chin.¡±

    Nathaniel paused, reaching to check his chin, but Nathan¡¯s hand was quicker. With a swift move, he dislocated Nathaniel¡¯s jaw with a crisp crack.

    ¡°Ow¡­ uh¡­ ah¡­¡± Nathaniel cried out in pain, tears streaming down his face as he clutched his dislocated jaw, mumbling unintelligibly while pointing at Jared Farrell and Nathan Lehman, but no one understood what he was trying to say.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    ¡°Take him to the hospital,¡± Jared Farrell ordered coldly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan Lehman immediately grabbed Nathaniel, dragging him out. Nathaniel had barely made his presence known for ten minutes before he was dragged away, without even having the chance to see Amber lift the piano lid.

    The crowd was shocked by the swift and brutal response. Jared Farrell¡¯s treatment, even towards his own family, was merciless.

    As the spectators¡¯ eyes met Jared Farrell¡¯s chillingly stern face, they instinctively stepped back, none daring to provoke such a formidable figure.

    On stage, Amber sat at the piano, her expression darkening slightly. Why were the men around her either disgusting like Sean or useless like Nathaniel, nothingpared to Jared Farrell?

    Her eyes greedily fixed on Jared Farrell¡¯s face, then she confidently opened the piano cover, smiled, and began to y. Her fingers danced across the keys, and a clear piano melody filled the hall, echoing through the venue. Although it couldn¡¯t match the performance by Sutcliffe earlier, it indeed lived up to her reputation as a talented musician.

    Offstage, Tina frowned deeply, prompting Jared Farrell to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why the sudden unhappiness?¡±

    Tina¡¯s cold gazended on Amber, ¡°The way she just looked at you-I¡¯m not pleased!¡±

 Chapter 178: Piano Performance, Stunning Everyone

    Jared Farrell slightly curled his lips, realizing that his Tina too felt jealousy. ¡°I don¡¯t like you keeping secrets with other men either. Was that Sutcliffe looking at you just now?¡±

    ¡°Friend,¡± Tina responded indifferently, without further exnation.

    Jared¡¯s gaze subtly shifted, sweeping past Jasper Reed not far away. ¡°The head of the Reed family has been watching you too.¡±

    Tina¡¯s cool gaze moved towards Jasper, meeting his eyes. Perhaps because her expression was so cold, Jasper, long ustomed to others avoiding his imposing presence, inexplicably looked away first, though he couldn¡¯t help but steal another nce.

    For some reason, he felt she looked familiar, even though he was sure he had never met Tina before. In her, he seemed to see a shadow of Natalie Whittaker¡­

    ¡°Jasper,¡± Elizabeth, noticing Jasper Reed¡¯s continuous observation of Tina, stepped forward nervously. She tried to force a smile on her stern face to divert his attention, ¡°Amber is about to take her exams, have you discussed with her which university she prefers?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s leaning towards Ashbury,¡± Jasper politely replied, caught up in conversation with Elizabeth, and no longer looking at Tina but towards the stage where Amber was.

    At the climax of her performance, Amber forcefully lifted her hands, the flowing piano music in the hall abruptly stopped, and as the piece ended, she stood to bow. The audience, showing their respect, apuded generously.

    Amber¡¯s first nce was towards Jared Farrell, eager to see if her piano ying had moved him. Unfortunately, Jared¡¯s gaze was solely fixed on Tina.

    Biting her lower lip, she didn¡¯t descend from the stage but instead smiled towards Tina in the crowd, ¡°Tina, it¡¯s your turn now. I am really looking forward to this gift.¡±

    All eyes then turned to Tina, waiting for her reaction.

    ¡°Amber,¡± Annabelle¡¯s face darkened, ¡°If Miss Reed doesn¡¯t want to y, don¡¯t pester her. It makes us look rude.¡±

    Who was Annabelle? Back when the Ashbury Reed family was embroiled in internal strife, she stood by Muff Reed and eventually became the head matron of the Reed family.

    She could see through Amber¡¯s little schemes. Thinking Tina would not y, she naturally stepped in to defend her savior.

    Amber¡¯s face turned pale, not expecting Annabelle to publicly protect Tina, especially at her own party where she was supposed to be the star.

    ¡°Miss Reed, we have failed in our discipline, please don¡¯t mind,¡± Annabelle apologized to Tina.

    ¡°I do mind. What about it?¡± Tina¡¯s gaze lifted, meaningful and deep, directed at Annabelle.

    ¡°This¡­¡± Annabelle paused for a moment, ¡°I will discipline her properly when we return.¡±

    ¡°No need!¡± Tina¡¯s gaze fell on Amber, her lips slightly curling, ¡°Since we are family, I¡¯ll teach her myself.¡±

    She emphasized the word ¡°family¡± heavily.

    Annabelle was stunned, not understanding what Tina intended to do.

    Before she could react, Tina was already walking towards the stage. The crowd, initially believing she wouldn¡¯t y, was now whispering among themselves.

    Given Amber¡¯s preceding performance, unless Tina could y at Sutcliffe¡¯s level, she would likely be aughingstock.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Amber said as Tina ascended the stage, feigning surprise and delight, ¡°I knew you would fulfill my wish.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Tina¡¯s smile grew colder, ¡°Then do enjoy this gift!¡±

    Amber¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment as she stepped down angrily and watched Tina approach the piano. Tina casually tested the keys and flexed her fingers.

    Amber, seeing Tina¡¯s unfamiliarity with the piano, sneered inwardly at her presumption. Having won national awards, Amber was confident in her superiority, especially after performing first to overshadow Tina¡¯s potential attempt.

    Her lips slowly curved into a smirk of triumph, but her smile froze the next second.

    Tina, loosening her fingers, began to y. The piano notes started softly like a gentle morning breeze and a slow stream, then gradually built in speed and intensity, turning into a fierce storm and turbulent waves that resonated through the hall.

    ¡°Is this the Maltese Fantasia?¡± Esther whispered in awe.

    Anyone with a slight knowledge of piano recognized it as the notoriously difficult Maltese Fantasia, inspired by theposer¡¯s experiences of a hurricane and a poignant love affair in Malta.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Theplex technique and emotional range required had always been daunting, but Tina yed effortlessly, perhaps even surpassing Sutcliffe.

    Amber¡¯s face darkened. Her performance of Summer Dance, also known for its emotional depth, was supposed to showcase her talent adequately. But Summer Dance paled inparison to Maltese Fantasia in both fame and difficulty.

    Unable to believe the masterful performance unfolding, Elise Chandler approached Amber, ¡°What¡¯s going on, Amber? You said this Tinahas always lived in the countryside and never learned to y the piano?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know when she learned,¡± Amber forced a smile.

    Indeed, Tina had always lived in a rural temple, and Amber had never imagined she could y the piano. But now, Tina¡¯s virtuosic performance was metaphorically pping Amber¡¯s face.

    Amber had intended for Tina to embarrass herself as a mere backdrop to her own performance, but now it was clear that she was the one being overshadowed.

    She had lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot.

    ¡°Amber, I must say Tina ys the piano much better than you,¡± Audrey Woodwind chimed in mockingly, ¡°I thought you were setting her up to fail by making her y after you. But it turns out you were sincerely inviting her to perform. Even warming up the audience for her with your piece, just to highlight her excellence.¡±

 Chapter 179: Mr. Farrell and Tinaâ€™s Duet, the Center of Attention

    Audrey Woodwind¡¯s words were cutting, aimed directly at Amber¡¯s sore spots! Amber¡¯s face turned a shade of green, but nearby Annabelle apologized, ¡°Amber, grandma misunderstood you earlier, thinking you were really trying to trouble your sister.¡±

    The apology was sincere, but it only made Amber feel like vomiting blood. She had set up so much earlier, obviously to trouble Tina, but instead, she inadvertently provided Tina a stage to showcase her talent.

    ¡°Tina really ys the piano well,¡± Esther couldn¡¯t help but exim in astonishment, ¡°I wonder who taught her. With such skills, why has she remained unnoticed?¡±

    She found it iprehensible; she herself was quite aplished on the piano, and to her ears, Tina yed even better than Sutcliffe. It even reminded her of someone.

    Jasper Reed looked at Tina with aplex gaze. The spotlight enveloped her, her profile as beautiful as it was surreal, bringing to mind Natalie Whittaker for him. He had once heard Natalie y this very Maltese Fantasia, focused and undisturbed at the piano.

    ¡°Elizabeth, you¡¯ve raised your granddaughter well,¡± Garrettplimented Elizabeth while looking at Tina.

    Elizabeth chuckled coldly, her gaze sweeping over Annabelle and Jasper Reed. Eachpliment for Tina was like a dagger to her heart, a constant reminder of her past blindness.

    Amber felt even worse. Despite showcasing her piano skills, not a singlepliment came from the Reed family; instead, they praised Tina right in front of her. Yet, she could only smile, ¡°Yes, Tina does y the piano really well.¡±

    Her eyes involuntarily drifted to Jared Farrell, who was watching Tina with evident admiration. Standing next to Jared, Marie sighed, ¡°Son, what should we do? I¡¯m a bit worried.¡±

    ¡°I feel like you¡¯re not quite a match for Tina,¡± she admitted, not to belittle her son, but Tina was just unexpectedly outstanding.

    Not just in perfumery and fashion design, but her piano skills alone could make her a star. And she was so unassuming about it.

    ¡°I feel the same,¡± Sophia told Jared, counting off on her fingers, ¡°Tina knows medicine, perfumery, fashion designing, holds dual PhDs, and ys piano so well.¡±

    She looked up innocently at Jared, ¡°Brother, what can you do better than Tina except cooking?¡±

    Jared was speechless. Not good enough for Tina?

    No way! He must stand beside her and shine together!

    He suddenly stepped towards the stage. Already the center of attention, his every move drew eyes. As he approached, he sat beside Tina. With a single nce, she shifted slightly, slowing her y. The music seamlessly transformed, bing more soothing.

    Jared raised his hands to the ck and white keys, joining Tina in a four-hand duet. The Maltese Fantasia, originally about aposer¡¯s tragic love, now turned into a tempestuous chase, their music intertwining like a stormy sea.

    The notes they yed, like their hands on the keys, chased and dodged each other, side by side, sharing hardship.

    ¡°My God!¡± someone eximed, ¡°I never knew the Maltese Fantasia could be expressed so beautifully.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell ys the piano so well too!¡±

    ¡°Some say Tina isn¡¯t a match for Mr. Farrell, but I think they¡¯re well suited.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the word when they sit together? Equals!¡±

    The spotlight shone brightly on them, their every motion in perfect sync, as if they shared one soul and never missed a step.

    The Maltese Fantasia was challenging, and initially, Tina thought to slow down for Jared. She was surprised that not only could he keep up, but his emotional expressions perfectly matched hers.

    Surprised, she nced at Jared, falling into the depth of emotion in his eyes, her heart starting to race with the vigorous piano notes.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    That look between them stung Amber below, her mind painfully imagining herself in Tina¡¯s ce, ying duets with Jared. If only Tina hadn¡¯t returned to the Reed family, if only she had perished outside.

    The ce beside Jared should have been hers!

    Tina¡¯s mere existence had stolen everything from her. Her jealousy towards Tina and desire for Jared made her forget that she once refused to marry a disabled Jared, an exceptional man she herself had abandoned.

    Audrey Woodwind also watched Jared with aplex look, turning to Tina and reluctantly admiring her excellence, which sparked jealousy.

    Look at Amber, twisted by envy.

    Regardless of the audience¡¯s thoughts, on stage, Tina and Jared were lost in their own world, their piano conversation avish spread of all their emotions.

    The music peaked, then hushed, easing into a gentle, post-storm breeze, calming like the sea after tumultuous waves, ending neatly and smoothly.

    As the music stopped, the hall fellsilent, then erupted into thunderous apuse. This apuse was not like the polite ps given to Amber earlier; it was genuine, a heartfelt admiration conquered by their performance.

    Jared Farrell took Tina¡¯s hand, lifting her to stand with him. Her gaze met Amber¡¯s jealous stare across the room. Tina¡¯s slight smile showed her distaste for public performances, but more so for Amber¡¯s earlier look at Jared. She had proven through her talent that her man was not to be coveted by others.

 Chapter 180: Heâ€™s My Man, So Back Off

    Tina and Jared Farrell descended the stage under the admiring gazes of the audience. Approaching Amber with a slightly lifted chin and a defiant air, Tina asked, ¡°Did you like the gift I sent you?¡±

    Amber clenched her fists, her eyes brimming with jealousy and anger. It was her event, yet Tina had stolen the spotlight. Why must she always lose to Tina?All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Feeling the crowd¡¯s eyes on her, Amber forced an ugly smile. ¡°I love it. I had no idea you yed the piano so well, Tina. Why didn¡¯t you ever mention this? If I had known, I would have suggested that grandma send you abroad for further studies instead of wasting your time teaching at Ensford High School.¡±

    Tinaughed haughtily. ¡°Why should I mention anything to you?¡±

    Amber¡¯s face stiffened, tears welling up as she looked at Tina with hurt. ¡°Why do you hate me so much, Tina? We¡¯re sisters!¡±

    Tina tucked a stray hair behind her ear, her luxurious dress entuating her allure. ¡°I spared you in the past for Mr. Reed¡¯s sake, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can step on me.¡±

    Her gaze turned icy. ¡°My mother only had me. I don¡¯t have a sister. Don¡¯t try to im a rtionship with me. My connections aren¡¯t easily climbed.¡±

    Inside, Amber seethed with hatred, though her exterior showed nothing but grief. Nathaniel, seeing this, felt a surge of protective anger and began to shout at Tina, ¡°Enough, Tina! This is Amber¡¯s event¡­¡± His words were cut short as he suddenly found himself unable to speak.

    The crowd stepped back. Tina was known for her ability to seal acupoints with ease. Keeping a distance was safer.

    Casually, Tina slipped the remaining silver needle into her hair and nced indifferently at Nathaniel. ¡°Keep your barking to yourself next time, or you¡¯ll lose your tongue!¡±

    Grabbing Jared Farrell by the arm, she faced Amber squarely. ¡°Take a good look-he¡¯s my man! Remember his face and keep your hands to yourself, or you might lose your Miss Ashbury Reed family status.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, a faint smile ying on his lips. The girl was finally iming her sovereignty.

    The guests at the party looked on with strange expressions. Tina, despite her humble origins and support from the likes of perfumer Q and designer Mo Yu, was audacious enough to threaten Amber¡¯s position in the Reed family.

    ¡°Tina!¡± Amber almost lostposure. How dare Tina belittle her in front of the Reeds?

    Ignoring Amber, Tina walked away with Jared, leaving with a cold remark, ¡°Amber, don¡¯t bother sending invitations to Mr. Reed anymore. You two are no longer connected.¡±

    Amber looked desperately at Annabelle, hoping for her support. Annabelle approached Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, wait!¡±

    Tina stopped, her eyes frosty. Annabelle, sensing the hostility, faltered. Thest time Tina had saved her, she had been cold but not like this.

    ¡°Why this attitude now? Because of Amber?¡± Annabelle thought of Amber¡¯s past actions, her eyes narrowing.

    Quickly masking her emotions, Annabelle smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to thank you for saving my life. May I have your address to visit you another day?¡±

    Amber watched, dumbfounded, as her grandmother sought not to defend her but to thank her nemesis.

    Tina¡¯s gaze softened momentarily, then she seriously said, ¡°Elizabeth, had I known you were the matron of the Ashbury Reed family, I wouldn¡¯t have saved you.¡±

    Annabelle was taken aback. ¡°Why is that?¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t respond, simply turning to Jared. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Jared took her delicate hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    As they left under the varied expressions of the guests, Marie remarked to Annabelle, ¡°Don¡¯t invite me to any more parties for your granddaughter,¡± and left.

    The party ended abruptly. Amber¡¯s talents might have gone unnoticed, but Tina had captivated not only the party guests but also the online world-a video of her ying the piano went viral.

    After leaving, Tina rested in Jared¡¯s arms, her mood somber. Jared, feeling her sudden vulnerability, reflected on the day. She had reacted to Amber¡¯s provocations by showcasing her design and piano skills. It turned out she was Jasper Reed¡¯s biological daughter. No wonder she never called Hugo ¡®Dad.¡¯

    Jared mused to Nathan Lehman as they drove away, ¡°The punishment at the mental hospital was too light.¡±

    Nathan nced at him through the rearview mirror. ¡°Mr. Farrell, you mean?¡±

    ¡°Reed family¡¯s heiress, pregnant at just 18¡­¡± Jared¡¯s lips curled up slightly as he looked at the sleeping Tina. ¡°Jasper¡¯s expression will be priceless.¡±

 Chapter 181: Exam Results

    The next morning, Tina woke up to find that Jared Farrell had already prepared breakfast. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the strawberry cake on the table. She hurried over and eximed, ¡°Strawberry cake?¡± Jared handed her a slice of the neatly cut cake, his deep eyes filled with indulgence. ¡°Try it, do you like it?¡±

    After taking a bite, Tina nodded, ¡°It tastes just like it used to. Uncle, your cooking is still as good as ever.¡± Jared¡¯s smile deepened at herpliment. He had intended to make it in the afternoon but decided to get up early and make it considering she seemed a bit down the day before. Seeing her contented made him feel satisfied too. ¡°Don¡¯t eat too much in the morning, I¡¯ll make it for you every day,¡± Jared said softly as he stroked her hair, his fingers weaving through her strands. He chuckled softly, his voice brimming with doting affection, ¡°My girl, whatever you want, I will provide.¡±

    Tina looked up at him, the morning sunlight clearly outlining his handsome features. He seemed to have inherited the best aspects of every feature, his face appearing as if it was meticulously sculpted. She suddenly felt that not breaking off the engagement was a good thing, at least seeing his face every day lifted her spirits. Her gaze fell on his thin lips, and a spark ignited within her. She put down her cake and suddenly embraced him, ¡°Uncle, you must not seduce me.¡±

    Jared was taken aback, ¡°When did I seduce you?¡± Before he could respond, Tina tiptoed and kissed him, the taste of the cake still on her lips. Jared wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, his voice husky, ¡°Tina¡­ it¡¯s you who are seducing me!¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Tina looked up, her eyes shimmering with allure, ¡°Then, do you let me seduce you?¡± Jared stiffened, then suddenly pinned her against the wall, his actions more assertive than his words. The kisssted a long time before Jared finally let her go, satisfied.

    Tina¡¯s face was flushed, and she adjusted her slightly tousled hair, feeling a bit awkward, ¡°I¡¯m going to school now.¡± She thought she must be crazy, always wanting to throw herself at Jared Farrell. She insisted she had no feelings for him.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    It was definitely not true that she was falling for him. Definitely not!

    At Ensford High School, ss 22D¡¯s academics had gotten back on track, and the curriculum had resumed as normal. With exams a little over a week away, the entire ss was in revision mode. Today was Friday, and the results from thest quiz were out. Tina, looking at the ss¡¯s results, was very satisfied. She walked into the ssroom with the papers, and upon seeing her, all the students of ss 22D stood up and greeted her respectfully, ¡°Miss Reed.¡±

    Tina ced the papers on the lectern, her expression serious as she stared at the students, ¡°The quiz results are out.¡± The students tensed up at her stern look. Tina scanned them briefly, her lips curling into a small smile, then picked up the papers to distribute them, ¡°Penelope Chandler, English 109, French 115, Mathematics 110, History 220,st in ss, 200th in grade.¡±

    Penelope Chandler, who had felt uneasy hearing his name, chilled when Tina announced he wasst in ss. Then, to his surprise, he was 200th in grade. His eyes widened in disbelief, ¡°Miss Reed, are you sure? Am I really 200th?¡± He had been 400th in thest exam; in just over a month, he had jumped to 200th. College seemed a sure thing now!

    ¡°Really,¡± Tina handed him his paper, ¡°See for yourself.¡±

    Penelope held the paper, still feeling like he was dreaming, until Tina¡¯s voice brought him back to his seat. ¡°Albert Sitwell, English 116, French 135, Mathematics 137, History 240, total 628, 10th in ss, 20th in grade.¡±

    ¡°Hendrik Stiller, English 122, French 138, Mathematics 145, History 241, total 646, 6th in ss, 15th in grade.¡±

    ¡°Elena Heisler, English 132, French 140, Mathematics 145, History 245, total 662, 4th in ss, 10th in grade.¡±

    ¡°Courtney Tate, English 138, French 145, Mathematics 150, History 270, total 703, 3rd in ss, 6th in grade.¡±

    The ss was shocked when Tina announced Courtney Tate¡¯s score. ¡°What!!! Courtney Tate scored 703, 3rd in ss, 6th in grade?¡±

    ¡°I must be hearing thingswrong! Courtney Tate has always been at the bottom, and Penelope Chandler has always ranked higher than her. How did she suddenly jump to third?¡±

    ¡°These hidden talents! ss 22D is full of surprises, and Courtney Tate is only third-what about the first and second?¡±

    The students of ss 22D were in an uproar! Tina¡¯s gaze lifted slightly as she observed a very calm Courtney Tate approaching. A small smile yed on her lips, ¡°You¡¯ve surprised me.¡±

    Courtney, head bowed, responded in a measured tone, ¡°Miss Reed, one cannot be mediocre forever, right?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°Right!¡± Courtney didn¡¯t say more and returned to his seat, but once seated, he looked up at Tina with a significant nce.

    Their eyes met like shing rockets, sparks flying. Tina withdrew her gaze nonchntly and continued distributing the papers, ¡°Shonna Woodham, English 145, French 149, Mathematics 150, History 290, 2nd in ss, 2nd in grade, 2nd in the city.¡±

    This quiz was part of a city-wide assessment involving all high schools in Ensford. The previous ranks hadn¡¯t mentioned city-wide positions because they hadn¡¯t made the top ten. The ssroom exploded again in shock, but before they could react, Tina announced another name, ¡°Velma Lehman, English 149, French 150, Mathematics 150, History 296, total 745, 1st in ss, 1st in grade, 1st in the city.¡±

    Silence fell over ss 22D. No one could speak. After a moment, someone shouted, ¡°Ah!!! Velma Lehman is first in the city!¡±

    ¡°Amazing! My God! ss 22D has finally made its mark!¡±

    ¡°First in the city, second in the city, and everyone in the ss in the top 200 of the grade-what aeback story for us!¡±

    Amidst the cheers, Velma Lehman was bewildered. What had she just heard? She scored 745? First in ss, first in grade, first in the city? No, this had to be a dream! She was sure of it. There were several questions in math and French that she wasn¡¯t sure about; how could her scores be perfect?

    ¡°Velma, what are you spacing out for? Go get your paper!¡± her desk mate nudged her.

 Chapter 182: What? Serena is Engaged? Who is that Bastard?

    Velma Lehman snapped back to reality, walking dazedly toward the lecturer¡¯s desk. It was only when she grasped the test papers in her hands that she truly came back to her senses. Velma Lehman-she was indeed the top student in the entire city!

    With a joyful squeal, Velma leapt three feet into the air and embraced Tina, peppering her face with kisses.

    ¡°Tina! Thank you, thank you! You¡¯ve changed my life! I¡¯m so grateful to you!¡±

    ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Tina, somewhat speechless, protested, ¡°Let go of me!¡±

    ¡°Uh!¡± Velma, remembering that Tina didn¡¯t like being touched, chuckled awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯m just really happy.¡±

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, gesturing for her to sit back down, then calmed the students, saying, ¡°This is thest quiz. These results won¡¯t decide your final exam scores, but if you maintain them, you can all go to college.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, the students of ss 22D stood up once again, tears brimming in their eyes as they shouted in unison, ¡°Miss Reed, thank you!¡±

    Their words were simple, yet they carried so much weight. ss 22D had gone from being doubted,beled, feared, and seen as outcasts, to now shattering others¡¯ perceptions of them.

    All this was Tina¡¯s doing!

    This teacher had brought them from a dark life into a new dawn! They could now see a bright future ahead. They could live proudly and do what they truly wanted to do. Their thanks to Tina was not just gratitude but also admiration.

    Tina, moved by her students, felt a softening in her heart. Coming to Ensford High School to lead ss 22D was probably the best decision she had made after descending from the mountains. Having experienced darkness herself, she knew the value of light.

    She couldn¡¯t perform miracles, but enabling these students to see the light was enough.

    Tina raised her hand, signaling everyone to sit down, ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. Today¡¯s achievements are the result of your own efforts.¡±

    The students of ss 22D fell silent, knowing that no amount of words could express their gratitude towards Miss Reed.

    Tina nced at her students and announced, ¡°Tomorrow is Saturday, the whole ss has a holiday.¡±

    Surprised, the students responded, ¡°Miss Reed, don¡¯t we usually not have holidays on Saturdays? And with exams just over a week away, we¡¯d rather keep studying and not take a break.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow night, at the gym, a concert by Ember Saffron, just for you,¡± Tina said with a hint of a smile. ¡°Those who don¡¯t want to go cane to ss as usual.¡±

    Silence fell.

    It was so quiet you could hear everyone¡¯s breathing.

    After a long pause, a scream broke the silence.

    ¡°Ah! Ember Saffron! Miss Reed has arranged a concert by Ember Saffron just for us!¡±

    ¡°My God, I¡¯m so happy I could faint! Ember¡¯s schedule is booked till next year, who would have thought I¡¯d get to see his concert before exams!¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s so hard to get a chance to see Ember, and not only did Miss Reed get him here, but she also booked the whole venue just for us. Being Miss Reed¡¯s student is just too good to be true! I¡¯ll brag about this for a lifetime!¡±

    ss 22D erupted into cheers, their voices filling the entire school, drawing the curious nces of students from other sses.

    Unfortunately, no one knew what had happened.

    In the midst of ss 22D¡¯s cheers, Tina discreetly left.

    In the teachers¡¯ office.

    As Tina entered, Jared Farrell was lounging on a sofa ying a game. She twitched her mouth, ¡°Uncle, I seriously doubt you¡¯re here just to pass the time.¡±

    He had been around for a while and had hardly taught any physical education sses. He just stayed in the office waiting for her. With a monthly sry of $50, 000, she wondered if he felt guilty about it.

    Jared put away his phone, pulled her into his arms, and gently stroked her head, ¡°I really am!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have other things to do?¡± Tina was somewhat exasperated.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    She remembered how busy he used to be, always dealing with various matters. Lately, it seemed he had nothing to do.

    Just chatting about love with her every day?

    At that moment, a knock on the door interrupted them.

    Tina opened the door to see Hayden Cohen and Nathan Lehman rushing over, ¡°Mr. Farrell, there¡¯s trouble at Ashbury, our base has been¡­¡±

    Hayden paused, unsure of how much Tina knew about Jared¡¯s affairs, ¡°The base was attacked, and a lot of data waslost.¡±

    Jared Farrell, ¡°¡­¡±

    He looked at Tina with a helpless expression, ¡°Tina, should we check your mouth?¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t mean to!

    Jared stood up, gently touched Tina¡¯s head, ¡°I need to go back to Ashbury. While I¡¯m gone, you should head to Pinkwater Alley, you¡¯ll be on your own, and I don¡¯t feelfortable with that.¡±

    Tina could sense the urgency and didn¡¯t say much, ¡°Okay, you go ahead.¡±

    Without further dy, Jared left with Hayden Cohen and Nathan Lehman. Just as he reached the door, Tina called out, ¡°Uncle! Take this.¡±

    She handed him a small ceramic bottle.

    Jared, looking at the bottle in her hand, embraced her waist, lifted her slightly, and tenderly kissed her forehead, his tone filled with affection, ¡°Thank you, Tina!¡±

    This medicine, worth five million dors a dose, had been given to him by his girl-a whole bottle of it. He still owed her for thest bottle he hadn¡¯t repaid, and now he owed even more.

    This medicine, he couldn¡¯t refuse it. His team needed it.

    Hayden Cohen, impatient on the side, couldn¡¯t believe they still had time for affectionate exchanges given the situation. Just as he was about to urge Jared to hurry, Jared released Tina and turned to leave.

    In Mendara.

    In the CEO¡¯s office.

    James Heart, after finishing a day¡¯s work, felt a bit bored. He remembered that his father-inw was still in the office and thought it had been a while since they had chatted. So, he walked towards Hugo¡¯s office.

    At that moment in the project department, Hugo was watching a video of Tina ying the piano at the Reed family banquet the previous night. The video, released by someone unknown, had gained fifty million likes overnight, and Tina¡¯s name had be a sensation in Ensford.

    Watching the elegant and graceful Tina in the video, Hugo felt proud but soon his expression turned to worry.

    Tina looked so much like Reba; every move she made was a reminder of her. She was bing more and more dazzling, and while he should have been happy, he couldn¡¯t be. The more attention Tina attracted, the more danger she faced. He wanted to protect her, but he felt powerless.

    Tina had indirectly asked him if Reba had left anything else behind, something he knew she was curious about. But he couldn¡¯t tell her; only when Tina was strong enough, could he reveal it.

    James Heart walked in just as Hugo was absorbed in his phone. Trying to understand his father-inw¡¯s interests, he quietly approached, only to see the video of Tina ying the piano.

    Before he could speak, Hugo noticed him and quickly stood up, ¡°Chairman!¡±

    ¡°Father¡­ cough,¡± James cleared his throat, ¡°Mr. Reed, what are you watching?¡±

    Seeing that James was calm, Hugo replied, ¡°I¡¯m watching a video of my daughter ying the piano. She left me when she was nine, and I had no idea she¡¯d be so breathtaking on her return.¡±

    As he spoke of Tina, Hugo became more animated, showing the video to James, ¡°Look, isn¡¯t my daughter beautiful? She ys the piano so well. Unfortunately, she¡¯s engaged. I had hoped to keep her with me a bit longer¡­¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± James¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°What did you just say?! Serena is engaged? To whom?¡±

    Who was this audacious young man daring to court his Serena? Was he out of his mind?

 Chapter 183: All Hands on Deck, Destination Ensford!

    James Heart red with such intensity it seemed he might devour someone. His family¡¯s beloved Serena, a woman who could make flowers bloom with her smile, had been whisked away by a brazen man! And he had been none the wiser. Hugo couldn¡¯t quite grasp why the news of his daughter¡¯s engagement had thrown James Heart into such a rage. Who was this Serena? Did Tina know her?

    Seeing Hugo speechless, James Heart, desperate for answers, grabbed his arm and squeezed tightly. ¡°Who is Serena engaged to?¡± he demanded. Hugo winced from the pain, but given James Heart¡¯s position as the chairman, he reluctantly replied, ¡°Jared Farrell!¡±

    ¡°Jared Farrell? What kind of name is that? Whose brat is he?¡± James Heart¡¯s eyes seemed to spit fire. Hugo was silent. Didn¡¯t the chairman know that Jared Farrell was Logan¡¯s most cherished grandson? Apparently not. Frustrated by Hugo¡¯s silence, James Heart waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll find out myself!¡±

    Storming back to his office, James Heart summoned his assistant. ¡°Look up Jared Farrell for me. I want every detail you can find-where he¡¯s from, his background, everything,¡± he ordered coldly. The assistant blinked in surprise. ¡°Are you referring to Jared Farrell, the former fiance of Tina Reed from the Reed family of Ensford?¡±

    The once prosperous Reed family of Ensford had long since fallen into bankruptcy. ¡°You know Tina?¡± James Heart asked, startled. ¡°Of course, everyone in the Ensford elite circle knows about Tina and Jared Farrell,¡± the assistant remarked, puzzled by his boss¡¯s sudden interest. Was it possible they had crossed the chairman?

    James Heart¡¯s expression darkened. It seemed everyone knew about Tina and Jared Farrell except him. He tapped his fingers on his expensive desk, eyes narrowing, ¡°Tell me everything you know about them.¡±

    ¡°Tina is Hugo Reed¡¯s daughter. Jared Farrell is the seventh son of the Ashbury Farrell family. He used to be disabled, but somehow recovered. He was supposed to be engaged to Miss Ensford, Amber Reed. But after Hugo found Miss Tina Reed, Jared¡¯s fiancee became her. It¡¯s said that Tina, having been raised in the countryside, was not well-regarded by Mrs. Reed, leading to some incidents. There used to be videos online, but they disappeared. The real break with the Reed family happened when¡­¡±

    The assistant hesitated, sensing his boss¡¯s growing coldness, and stepped back before continuing, ¡°Miss Woodham was disfigured in a car ident. Mrs. Woodham had Miss Amber Reed treat her, but Amber nearly killed her. It was Tina who cured her, yet Amber imed the credit, infuriating Jared Farrell. The Farrell family retaliated, and the Reed family went bankrupt.¡±

    ¡°Not sure if it was directly the Farrells¡¯ doing, but that¡¯s the talk,¡± the assistant added. ¡°Later, Amber used Hugo of rape and other crimes until Tina produced evidence that disproved all usations. It was quite the scandal, covered by major media. Didn¡¯t you know?¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    James Heart clenched his teeth, fury evident on his face. ¡°That Amber!¡± he hissed. His days were too filled with work to follow such gossip. And now, Serena, always discreet, had be a sensation in Ensford. His eyes flickered with malice, ¡°What happened to that Amber?¡±

    ¡°She was recently acknowledged by the Ashbury Reed family as Jasper Reed¡¯s long-lost daughter!¡± the assistant revealed. James scoffed, ¡°Lucky her.¡± Leaning back, he tapped his phone and sent out a message to a long-silent group chat. ¡°Serena¡¯s been tricked by some jerk! She¡¯s getting engaged!¡±

    The group exploded with responses. Friends vowed various dramatic retaliations, each more severe than thest. ¡°Ensford!¡± James finally posted. ¡°All hands on deck! Coordinates: Ensford!¡±

    On the highway to Ashbury, Hayden Cohen stared at his phone in disbelief. It took him a moment to react, and when he did, he stood up so fast his head spun. ¡°What the hell?¡± Jared Farrell, nced over, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±

    ¡°Damn! My Serena¡¯s in Ensford!¡± Hayden eximed, his excitement palpable, ¡°I had no idea she was there, and now some jerk¡¯s tricked her into getting engaged!¡± His eyes zed with fury. ¡°Once I¡¯m done here, I¡¯m heading to Ensford to deal with that jerk!¡±

    Nathan Lehman, driving, nced in the rearview mirror, ¡°Isn¡¯t it good that Serena is getting married?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get it!¡± Hayden snapped back, ¡°Serena is our goddess! A goddess must not be tainted!¡± He ground his teeth, already imagining ways to torment the unsuspecting fiance. Jared Farrell just looked on, his ear inexplicably warming at the absurdity unfolding around him.

 Chapter 184: The Attack on the School Bus

    It was Saturday. The news that Tina had booked the gymnasium for ss 22D to attend Ember Saffron¡¯s solo concert spread like wildfire. For this, Mr. Stiller had even arranged a school bus to transport ss 22D to the gym. In just three months, ss 22D had grown remarkably, bringing constant smiles to Mr. Stiller¡¯s face in his dreams. Therefore, he fully supported their rxation before the exams. As for the other sses-well, it wasn¡¯t that he favored one over the other; he simply couldn¡¯t secure Ember Saffron for them.

    The entire school was green with envy that ss 22D would get to see Ember Saffron live. Especially the other students. With exams just around the corner and the school about to break for holidays next week, what better way to unwind than attending Ember Saffron¡¯s concert? As ss 22D¡¯s faces beamed with joy, one couldn¡¯t help but wonder why they hadn¡¯t been ced in ss 22D.

    The concert was set to start at seven in the evening. By six, students began gathering at the school. Alongside Tina, Professor Lininger¡¯s team also arrived. They would be finishing their teaching duties next week and returning to Ashbury, having witnessed the students¡¯ growth, which filled Professor Lininger with a sense of achievement. He nned to spend onest evening with the students, watching their favorite star before leaving.

    On the way to the gym, Professor Lininger turned to Tina, a look of satisfaction on his face, ¡°Tina, choosing you as the lead teacher for ss 22D was the right decision.¡± Tina nced at the jubnt students dancing inside the bus, her lips curving into a slight smile, ¡°I think so too.¡±

    ¡°What are your ns after this?¡± asked Professor Lininger. ¡°Will you continue teaching at Ensford High School after the exams?¡±

    Before Tina could reply, Professor Lininger continued, ¡°Having a teacher like you is great for the students, but your talents shouldn¡¯t be limited to this.¡±

    Tina chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading to Ashbury soon, and I won¡¯t be teaching anymore.¡± Mr. Stiller had announced that there would no longer be any divisions like ss ABCD at Ensford High School from next year.

    ¡°You¡¯re moving to Ashbury for good?¡± Professor Lininger asked, momentarily surprised.

    ¡°I promised Mimi, remember?¡± Tina responded.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Professor Lininger smiled knowingly, ¡°Going to Ashbury isn¡¯t just for Mimi, is it? You have other things to attend to!¡±

    From the day Tina became his student, he knew she was no ordinary person. Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, but she remained silent. There was more than just Mimi; she had to meet the direct supervisor of her mother¡¯s squad in Ashbury. Additionally, she sought the truth-a truth about why her mother had to leave Jasper Reed even while pregnant.

    Yes, she harbored resentment towards Jasper Reed, a resentment that seemed inexplicable. Before she was nine, life with her mother was tough, not knowing her mother¡¯s true identity, only witnessing her hardships. Then, forced to flee and witness her mother¡¯s death, her world turned dark. When she learned that Jasper Reed was her biological father, her resentment only deepened. Despite the Reed family¡¯s power, they failed to protect her mother. Even if her mother had chosen to leave, didn¡¯t he love her?

    This intense resentment, like an obsession, gnawed at her every night, especially after learning that Amber, posing as her, had been found by Jasper Reed. This only fueled her anger.

    She had been waiting for them to find her, but instead, Jasper had found a fake daughter.

    ¡°Here we are,¡± someone called out, snapping Tina out of her reverie.

    She quicklyposed herself and exited the bus with everyone else. The arena was ready, with banners and light sticks all set. As the students entered, the concert began immediately. Today, Ember Saffron was performing his unreleased album, and the students were ecstatic, screaming in excitement. During the concert, Ember Saffron invited the students to interact, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

    After more than two hours, the concert ended. Ember Saffron took photos with everyone and handed each student a new album. As he stepped off the stage and approached Tina, he greeted her with a smile, ¡°Boss! Long time no see!¡±

    This address as ¡®boss¡¯ shocked the students of ss 22D. ¡°Holy shit! Miss Reed is Ember Saffron¡¯s boss! Is this real? Am I dreaming?¡±

    ¡°I remember Ember Saffron¡¯spany is Horizon Entertainment, one of the top entertainmentpanies. If Miss Reed is his boss, does that mean she¡¯s the chairman of Horizon Entertainment?¡±

    ¡°My God! What kind of legendary teacher is this? To think I¡¯d meet her in my lifetime!¡±

    Amid the students¡¯ fervent gazes, Tina nodded slightly at Ember Saffron, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s head back.¡±

    Ember Saffron, slightly taken aback, joked, ¡°You¡¯re just going to use me and send me on my way? At least let¡¯s have dinner together!¡±

    He nced at the excited students, suggesting, ¡°Let¡¯s invite these students along!¡±

    The students¡¯ eyes widened in disbelief-dining with Ember Saffron was a dreame true!

    Amid their hopeful looks, Tina calmly said, ¡°They need to prepare for their exams. I don¡¯t have the time either.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Bnce in entertainment is essential; indulgence must be controlled. If they performed well in their exams, she might consider arranging a meal with Ember Saffron and the students. For now, it was unnecessary.

    Ember Saffron sighed in disappointment, ¡°Alright then.¡±

    Although the students were somewhat disappointed not to dine with Ember Saffron, they agreed with Tina¡¯s rationale. Just having the opportunity to attend his concert before exams was more than enough-a privilege many could only wish for.

    With final brief instructions to Ember Saffron, Tina led the students back to their school. The school wasn¡¯t granting a weekend break, and a pre-exam pep rally was scheduled for Monday before the students were released to prepare for their tests.

    The students¡¯ textbooks were still in their dorms, necessitating their return to school. The teachers, residing in private apartments, headed home directly after the concert. Jared Farrell was absent, so Tina returned to Pinkwater Ally.

    After ensuring everything was in order, Tina caught a taxi home. Hugo, Jennie, and Zackary were watching TV in the living room when she arrived. After greeting them, she retired to her room.

    After handling some matters and taking a shower, she noticed ten missed calls on her phone-all from Mr. Stiller. Leaning back on her bed, she returned his call.

    As soon as the connection was made, Mr. Stiller¡¯s anxious voice came through, ¡°Miss Reed, there¡¯s been an incident! David was attacked on the school bus. He¡¯s hurt and was left on the road to the school. I called as soon as I heard.¡±

    Tina sat up abruptly, frowning, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I got a call from David about ten minutes ago. Someone attacked the school bus, and David was injured and left on the road leading to the school. I¡¯ve been trying to reach you and the students on that bus, but couldn¡¯t get through to anyone. I¡¯ve been worried sick!¡±

 Chapter 185: Sophiaâ€™s Kidnapping, Tinaâ€™s Decision

    Tina stood up, her aura suddenly turning cold. She changed into her clothes and asked with an icy expression, ¡°Have you called the police?¡±

    ¡°The police have been notified! They are currently gathering information from David,¡± Mr. Stiller replied.

    ¡°I see,¡± Tina said, ending the call. As she walked out, she dialed Andrew Heisler¡¯s number and said sinctly, ¡°I need all surveince footage from the route between Ensford Sports Arena and Ensford High School!¡±

    Andrew Heisler, head of the detective squad, had already been on the case since the hijacking of the Ensford High School bus. Surprised by Tina¡¯s call, he quickly responded, ¡°Understood.¡±

    Tina, the young master of the Mountain Veil Order, could not ignore the trouble her students were in. Although the police were already reviewing the surveince footage, they were not as fast as Tina.

    Andrew quickly sent the footage to Tina¡¯s phone within two minutes.

    In the living room, Hugo and Jennie looked up as Tina came out, still on the phone. She continued, ¡°Cole Lyon, gather all brothers, meet at Ensford, and block all entrances and exits!¡±

    Receiving Tina¡¯s call, Cole Lyon¡¯s face changed, realizing the gravity of the situation. He quickly responded, ¡°Yes, Serena, I¡¯ll arrange it immediately!¡±

    After a pause, Tina said, ¡°Meet me at Pinkwater Ally.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Ending the call, Tina dialed another number, ¡°Jayden, issue the Shadow Lotus Seal, block all city entrances, including major mountain roads, and seal off the routes out of Ensford!¡±

    Jayden was shocked. ¡°Young master, what happened?¡±

    ¡°This is the second time the Shadow Lotus Seal has been issued; the first was against the Reed family, but that only involved a fraction of our forces. This time, it¡¯s everyone we have.¡±

    ¡°My student has been kidnapped,¡± Tina stated simply, her voice filled with a towering rage.

    Jayden, aware of how fiercely protective Tina was of her charges, assured her, ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll arrange it right away.¡±

    As Tina left the house, Hugo and Jennie were stunned, barely processing what they had overheard about blocking roads. Before they could react, Tina was already out the door.

    At the entrance of Pinkwater Ally, as soon as Tina arrived, Cole Lyon¡¯s car pulled up. He lived close by, always ready for emergencies.

    Tina climbed into the car and quickly turned her phone into a sophisticated miniputer, a prototype not yet on the market.

    She swiftly located the video of the hijacked bus. Masked assants had boarded the bus, stabbed David without hesitation, and took control of the students. The outdoor surveince was clear, but the footage inside the bus was blurry.

    Tina¡¯s expression darkened further as she essed the bus¡¯s internal camera. The leader, wearing a golden mask, waved at the camera, ¡°Hi there, friend. I knew you¡¯d look for this. Let¡¯s y a game. If you can rescue these students from me, we¡¯ll call it even for that time you hacked myputer.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and you¡¯re not just saving them. You also need to save your fiance¡¯s sister, Sophia, right? That¡¯s her name!¡±

    Tina immediately called Marie, ¡°Marie, where¡¯s Sophia?¡±

    Sophia has been kidnapped!¡± Marie cried desperately.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Tina asked, her voice as cold as frost.

    ¡°We were about to sleep when someone broke in and took Sophia. They overwhelmed Jared¡¯s guards tasked with our protection,¡± Marie exined.

    ¡°Go to my ce; it¡¯s secure. Leave this to me,¡± Tina instructed, hanging up and focusing on the bus monitor.

    The kidnapper, knowing Tina would verify Sophia¡¯s safety, stayed silent until he felt enough time had passed. ¡°You have a choice to make. You can only save one side. I¡¯m curious, who will it be? Your students, or your future sister-inw? You have half an hour, or I¡¯ll start killing them.¡±

    The monitor went ck.

    Tina, expressionless, turned off herputer. Even with all her skills, she couldn¡¯t hack an offline camera.

    Cole Lyon stopped the car at a club, ¡°Serena, he meant that your students and Sophia are in different locations. We only have half an hour. Who do we save first?¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t respond; her fingers flew over her phone.

    She would save them both.

    But first, the students of ss 22D.

    If push came to shove, and someone had to die, it couldn¡¯t be forty-five students.

    Soon, theputer disyed two locations. Tina stepped out of the car as eight formidable individuals approached.

    ¡°Serena, just tell me who that bastard is!¡± James Heart eximed, furious.

    Tina, without wasting time,manded, ¡°Dexter Brookes, block the south city entrance. Wesley SoSoames, take the north. Tristan Montague, Liam Archer, head to the city gates.¡± She turned her gaze to Damian Kinley, ¡°You wait here. Someone wille for you. Go to this location.¡±

    She handed the coordinates to Damian, which pinpointed Sophia¡¯s location. Damian, skilled in both medicine and martial arts, was someone Tina could trust.

    ¡°Remember, by any means necessary, keep her alive until I get there,¡± Tina instructed sternly.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    The eight nodded, their expressions grave, ¡°Understood!¡±

 Chapter 186: Full Effort to Rescue, The Other Side Livestreams a Challenge

    After arrangements were set, everyone mobilized for action. Jayden arrived just in time, joining Damian Kinley to rescue Sophia. Meanwhile, Tina got back into her car, and Cole Lyon, using the location disyed on herputer, drove towards the designated spot. However, by the time they arrived, everyone was gone. The same held true for Sophia¡¯s location. They checked several points, but all were the same.

    Frowning, Cole Lyon said, ¡°Serena, they¡¯re ying with us on purpose. These locations are decoys they released.¡± Tina, with a furrowed brow, remained silent. She had not only tracked everyone¡¯s phones but also used satellite coordinates to pinpoint their locations. Their opponent was evidently a hacking expert too!

    Despite theirrge numbers and constant changes of location, finding them was proving difficult. But Sophia¡¯s location had never changed. Just then, Cole Lyon¡¯s phone rang. After a brief conversation, he hung up and opened a live streaming app, eximing, ¡°Serena, look, that guy started a livestream!¡±

    Tina quickly took the phone. On the screen was a man in a golden mask. In the camera¡¯s view, all students of ss 22D were tied together, each with a gun pointed at them. The man with the golden mask, sitting casually with his legs crossed, greeted, ¡°Hello, dear friends! Wee to my stream!¡±

    The stream had just started, and only a handful of viewers were present. Comments started appearing: ¡°What¡¯s this? ying a dare game? Why are they tied up?¡± ¡°They look like students from Ensford High School. I recognize their uniforms!¡± ¡°Is this a kidnapping? Those guns, are they real or toys?¡±

    Seeing thements, the man¡¯s mouth twisted into a sinister smile, ¡°Friend, you guessed right, this is a kidnapping! I¡¯ve kidnapped the students of Ensford High School ss 22D. I¡¯m ying a game with their lead teacher, seeing if she can rescue them from me!¡±

    The man checked the time, then leaned closer to the camera, his face suddenly filling the screen, ¡°Tina, you have fifteen minutes left. To help you find me, I¡¯ve started this livestream, and let¡¯s see what choice you make between your fiance¡¯s sister and your students!¡±

    ¡°Come quickly, don¡¯t disappoint me!¡± He said, lighting a cigarette and sitting back rxed.

    To convince viewers of the stream¡¯s authenticity, he even had someone remove the gags from the students¡¯ mouths. They immediately began screaming, ¡°Let me go, I don¡¯t want to die, someone save me!¡± ¡°What is this ce! Hurry up and let us go, or my family won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡± ¡°Touch me, and you¡¯re dead!¡±

    The man clicked his tongue, ¡°Tsk tsk! These students really have some spirit, just like I did back in the day! But in front of me, that spirit will suffer.¡±

    He turned to a man standing nearby, ¡°Give them a dose, it¡¯ll help our friende find us faster.¡± Understanding, the man walked up to Hendrik Stiller and struck him on the head with a gun. Hendrik¡¯s head immediately started bleeding, and he tried to resist, but the blow was powerful, causing him to feel dizzy and faint.

    Initially, viewers thought this was just a stunt to attract attention, but seeing Hendrik really bleeding and fainting changed their minds. ¡°Oh my God! It¡¯s really a kidnapping! Call the police!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve called the police! But where is this, can the students wait until the police arrive?¡± ¡°Everyone, keep watching, identify the ce, help the police!¡±

    In moments, the viewer count shot up to fifty thousand and kept rising.

    Tina, staring coldly at the screen, pulled out herputer and quickly tried to locate them. But soon, her brows were tightly knit together. Cole Lyon, seeing her expression, asked anxiously, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Can you trace the location?¡± ¡°The IP is virtual, I can¡¯t track it,¡± Tina said, her eyes cold. The opponent had anticipated her tracking and used a virtual IP from the start. Though she was more skilled, the opponent was not far behind.

    This was a war of attrition against time, and time was exactly what shecked. But then-Tina¡¯s lips curled into a sinister smile, and she quickly started typing on herputer. Using countermeasures against the virtual IP, she broke through the opponent¡¯s fake firewall and soon pinpointed their address. ¡°South City abandoned factory!¡± She announced the location just as Cole Lyon pressed the elerator hard.

    As Tina headed to South City, the social elite of Ensford were in uproar. The students of ss 22D, all from wealthy or influential families, had been kidnapped, and news spread rapidly. At the Lehman household, Grandma Lehman and Mrs. Lehman were in distress. ¡°Velma! It¡¯s Velma! My dear God, why would they kidnap my Velma!¡± Mrs. Lehman, frantic, clutched at Luis Lehman¡¯s hand, ¡°You have to find a way to save Velma, I¡¯ll pay whatever they want!¡±

    Luis Lehman¡¯s face was grim, ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted the kidnappers, and they¡¯re not responding!¡± ¡°What are we going to do? If anything happens to Velma, I won¡¯t be able to live with myself!¡± Mrs. Lehman was on the verge of fainting.

    Holding her hand, Luis tried to reassure her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve also called the police. The students that were taken are from ss 22D, prominent families in Ensford. The police will make it a priority.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Mrs. Lehman was cut off by Grandma Lehman, ¡°Enough worrying about Velma for now. Worry about Tina.¡± Mrs. Lehman, taken aback, ¡°What about Tina? She¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t she? Not kidnapped?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear the kidnapper? He targeted Tina. And from his tone, he also took Jared Farrell¡¯s sister, forcing Tina into a tough choice. But I believe she¡¯ll go after the students. She¡¯s going alone, how can she possibly save them from so many kidnappers?¡±

    Mrs. Lehman trembled, ¡°We need to call Tina right now, tell her not to go. This situation is huge, the police won¡¯t ignore it. It¡¯s dangerous for her!¡±

    Grandma Lehman sighed, ¡°Knowing Tina, she won¡¯t just stand by and not try to save them.¡±

    ¡°What do we do then?¡± Mrs. Lehman was fraught with worry. Tina had saved Grandma Lehman andpletely changed Velma Lehman. She genuinely didn¡¯t want any harm toe to Tina.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Luis Lehman pondered for a moment, ¡°Stay here. The kidnapper said there are only fifteen minutes left. I¡¯ll gather the bodyguards and head to that ce. We¡¯ll do everything we can.¡±

    At that moment, time was indeed money.

 Chapter 187: I Must Go To My Daughter

    In Pinkwater Alley, Hugo and Jennie were restless all night. Tina had gone out and hadn¡¯t returned, causing them great concern. They had tried calling her several times, only to find her phone constantly engaged.

    Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Hugo hurried to open the door, and was stunned to see Marie standing there. ¡°Marie? What are you doing here?¡± he asked, confused. It was nearly half-past ten at night-why would she visit at such ate hour without sleeping, and with her eyes red as though she had just cried?

    Marie managed a weak smile, trying to maintain herposure. ¡°Sophia has been kidnapped,¡± she exined, her voice trembling. ¡°Tina told me toe here first; she¡¯s gone to rescue her!¡±

    ¡°What!¡± both Hugo and Jennie eximed in disbelief, staring wide-eyed at Marie.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Jennie was the first to react, grabbing Marie by the arm, her voice filled with urgency. ¡°You just said Tina went to rescue someone? How could she do that? She¡¯s only a neen-year-old girl and doesn¡¯t even know martial arts. How could you let her go?¡±

    Hugo added, ¡°Marie, your daughter has been kidnapped, and you send my daughter to rescue her? That¡¯s really not right!¡± The thought of his own daughter being in danger was unbearable. No father would ever want his daughter to face such peril.

    Marie hadn¡¯t expected such a barrage of questions and suddenly felt overwhelmed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly in my panic. I¡¯ll call Tina right now and tell her not to go. I¡¯ve already called the police,¡± she stammered.

    She had reported the kidnapping to the police immediately after discovering Sophia was taken, and had tried to reach the Farrell family, but Jared Farrell¡¯s phone was unreachable. Just then, Tina had called, and in a moment of desperation, Marie had told her everything. Regret washed over her as she remembered that Tina was just a young girl, inexperienced in fighting.

    Marie hurriedly tried calling Tina, but the line was still busy. She couldn¡¯t bear to meet Hugo¡¯s gaze and whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t get through!¡±

    At that moment, Hugo¡¯s phone rang. It was a colleague from his department. Reluctantly, Hugo answered the call. The voice on the other end was urgent. ¡°Mr. Reed, you need to check the live streaming app immediately. Someone has kidnapped your daughter¡¯s student and is demanding shees to rescue them! Over a million people are watching that channel; you need to see this.¡±

    Previously, a video of Tina ying piano at a Reed family function had gone viral among Hugo¡¯s colleagues, so they all knew about his daughter.

    Without wasting a moment, Hugo opened his phone. The number of viewers on the channel featuring a man in a golden mask was skyrocketing. Thements were filled with pleas not to harm the students.

    The man in the golden mask, rxed and indifferent, spoke to the camera. ¡°Friends in the channel, what should I do if Tina doesn¡¯t arrive within the time I set? Oh, and there¡¯s also her fiance¡¯s sister-such a pretty little thing. It¡¯d be a pity to kill her.¡±

    He pondered for a moment before continuing with a sinister tone, ¡°Perhaps I should send her to the brothel I frequent. She¡¯ll grow up to be quite the catch.¡±

    Thements erupted in outrage. People called him a monster, urging him to release the hostages and warning that justice would catch up to him.

    Jennie, watching the horrific derations, felt faint but Hugo quickly supported her. Despite the man¡¯s vile words, Jennie gripped Hugo¡¯s arm tightly. ¡°Hugo, Tina will definitely go to rescue them. What are we going to do? We need to help her!¡±

    She knew Tina was capable and resourceful. Despite her young age andck of fighting skills, Tina knew how to use medicines and other means to handle difficult situations.

    Hugo, silent and focused on his phone, finally looked up at Jennie and said with determination, ¡°They¡¯re after that thing!¡±

    Jennie faltered, her lips trembling. ¡°You mean, they¡¯ve discovered Tina¡¯s identity?¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, Hugo replied, ¡°We should give it up. If protecting it means risking Tina¡¯s life, I¡¯d rather let it go.¡±

    Jennie agreed immediately. ¡°Yes, nothing is more important than Tina.¡±

    She paused, then suggested, ¡°Try contacting that man through thement section.¡±

    Hugo nodded, opened the profile of the channel, and sent a private message: ¡°I have what you want, let Tina go!¡±

    The message was sent, but there was no response.

    Suddenly, Jennie gasped, ¡°Tina!¡±

    Hugo looked at the screen to see Tina appearing alone, her demeanor cold andposed. His hand tightened around the phone.

    After a moment, he turned off the live stream and opened his contacts, dialing a number with no name attached. As soon as the call connected, he said, ¡°The person who gave me this number is K.¡±

    The person on the other end paused briefly, then asked, ¡°What do you need?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a channel broadcasting a kidnapping of students in Ensford. I need the address of that channel.¡±

    ¡°Five minutes,¡± the voice responded, and the call ended.

    Hugo turned to Jennie and said, ¡°I have to go find Tina. I failed to protect her once; this time, even if I still don¡¯t have the means, I need to be there for her, even if it means dying with her.¡±

    Jennie took his hand firmly. ¡°I¡¯ming with you. We¡¯ll bring Tina back home, no matter what.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Hugo agreed.

    They were about to leave when Marie interjected, ¡°I¡¯ming with you. Tina is my daughter-inw, and Sophia is my daughter. If anything happens to them, I need to be there too.¡±

    With a n set, the three prepared to face whatever awaited them, united in their determination to bring their loved ones home safely.

 Chapter 188: Itâ€™s Silas Blackwood

    In the south of the city, an abandoned factory stood silently. As Tina entered, the man in the golden mask was still talking animatedly on the channel. Following closely behind her was Cole Lyon. Hugo hadn¡¯t seen Cole on his phone¡¯s camera because he hadn¡¯t been captured in the frame. The moment the man in the golden mask lifted his eyes, he saw Tina standing not far away, her expression cold and detached. His face changed dramatically as he stood up abruptly. ¡°How did you find this ce?¡± he demanded.

    He had to admit, Tina¡¯s hacking skills were impressive, but so were his. That was why he had started a live broadcast, convinced that Tina wouldn¡¯t be able to find him. Yet, it had only been ten minutes since the broadcast began. Even if Tina had driven here, she couldn¡¯t have made it that fast!

    ¡°Is it hard to find you?¡± Tina¡¯s cold eyes lifted slightly, her crimson lips curled into a cool, indifferent smile. ¡°Ss ckwood!¡±

    Indeed, from the club to the south of the city, it normally took twenty minutes by car. But for her, ten minutes was enough!

    The man in the mask was taken aback. He stared at Tina in disbelief. ¡°How did you know?¡± He had disguised himself so well. How could she possibly recognize him?

    Tina¡¯s lips curved slightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know about thetest Grey Wolf¡¯s research on the Indiscriminate Facial Recognition System?¡±

    Ss ckwood looked at her incredulously. ¡°Grey Wolf? You are Grey Wolf?¡± Of course, he was familiar with the Indiscriminate Facial Recognition System. It was thetest technology developed by Grey Wolf, owned by the nation. This technology was feared by many criminals because it could identify a person¡¯s face, even behind a mask!

    He had never imagined that Tina would be Grey Wolf. Meanwhile, the chat exploded withments.

    ¡°Oh my God! Grey Wolf! My idol Grey Wolf is actually Tina! I¡¯m so shocked!¡±

    ¡°Could someone exin what Grey Wolf means? Why are you all so excited?¡±

    ¡°Grey Wolf is a legend! Mypany chairman once offered a huge sum to have Grey Wolf join ourpany, but we never even saw his face.¡±

    ¡°Not only that, he¡¯s the number one hacker internationally and a staunch patriot. There was a time foreign hackers tried to invade ourwork, and Grey Wolf put up a firewall. They couldn¡¯t breach it, and Grey Wolf counterattacked, crashing theirwork!¡±

    ¡°And more, Grey Wolf has developed several incredible systems and donated them to the state for free. He really is my idol, a super idol! I never thought I¡¯d see Grey Wolf one day!¡±

    On the other side, Tina looked indifferently at Ss ckwood. Her face showed no emotion as she nced at the students of ss 22D. Other than Velma Lehman, Albert Sitwell, and Courtney Tate, who showed some reaction, the rest were just crying, trembling all over, terrified to their core.

    Velma Lehman, Albert Sitwell, and Courtney Tate tried to speak, but their mouths were gagged.

    Tina raised her eyes to Ss ckwood. Her red lips parted slightly, her voice calm and t, ¡°Maim or be devoured by wolves-how do you want to die?¡±

    Ss ckwood recovered from his shock at Grey Wolf¡¯s identity, and hearing her, he suddenlyughed evilly. ¡°Ha ha! At this point, you are still threatening me! What if you are Grey Wolf? Can you rescue them from my grasp?¡±

    Tina raised her hand, and her long hair slipped from behind her ear. Then her lips curved into a slight smile, chilling yet alluring. ¡°Let¡¯s try!¡±

    With that, Tina¡¯s hand moved, and silver needles flew from it, her actions incredibly fast.

    Cole Lyon moved simultaneously with her. Their speed was like a gust of wind, too fast to see clearly.

    The masked men holding the students at gunpoint didn¡¯t even have time to react before their acupoints were sealed by the silver needles, rendering them immobile!

    Ss ckwood waspletely stunned by this scene. He had never expected that his carefully selected, well-trained men would fall so quickly without even a chance to fight back.

    He hadn¡¯te back to his senses when Tina had already kicked the masked man closest to her, who was aiming a gun at Albert Sitwell, sending him flying. Then she punched him in the stomach.

    The man couldn¡¯t even yell out as blood spurted from his mouth!

    Cole Lyon did the same.

    Their actions were swift, giving their opponents no chance to react. In just two minutes, all were downed.

    Except for Ss ckwood!

    He was further away!

    Now, Tina¡¯s goal was to first free the students, then deal with Ss ckwood.

    After dealing with the masked men, Tina and Cole Lyon began untyingthe students. She removed the cloth gagging Velma Lehman¡¯s mouth, and Velma Lehman immediately yelled, ¡°Tina, get out! There¡¯s a bomb!¡±

    On the other side, Cole Lyon also removed the cloth from Albert Sitwell¡¯s mouth, and he too shouted, ¡°Miss Reed, you need to get out! These psychopaths have strapped bombs to each of us. We can¡¯t escape.¡±

    Tina¡¯s expression instantly turned ice-cold.

    Meanwhile, Ss ckwood had finally regained hisposure, his sinisterughter filling the air, ¡°Grey Wolf, you surprise me! Truly! I have never admired anyone as much as you over the years. But the game has started, and someone has to pay for it!¡±

    He lifted the remote control in his hand. ¡°The bomb is set for five minutes. Your hacking skills are impressive, but are your bomb defusal skills equally good? I¡¯m somewhat looking forward to it.¡±

    Tina stood up, her expression dark as she quickly flicked her finger, sending a silver needle flying out. However, her brow furrowed tightly soon after.

    The needle couldn¡¯t seal Ss ckwood!

    He seemed to notice her action and chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t waste your effort. I¡¯m wearing a specially made bulletproof vest. Your little silver needle can¡¯t seal me.¡±

    Tina squinted her eyes, and her fingers twitched again. But soon, her expression grew grim.

    The poison she administered had no effect on Ss ckwood. This was the first time both her silver needles and poisons were ineffective.

    ¡°I knew about your medical skills and your expertise with poisons, so I had them take an antidote pill beforehand!¡± Ss ckwoodughed arrogantly. ¡°Oh, by the way, the antidote pill was personally developed by your mother.¡±

    The needle was an unexpected factor. He knew of Tina¡¯s medical prowess, but he only knew of her expertise in poisons, not expecting her to use acupuncture. Hence, not all his men were equipped with bulletproof vests.

    Ss ckwood raised the remote control, pressed the start button, and dered, ¡°The game begins!¡±

    Tina¡¯s face changed, and she turned to look at the students. Because the bombs were concealed within their clothing, she couldn¡¯t see the exact time, only hearing the ticking sound.

    She didn¡¯t know how much time Ss ckwood had set, but she knew she had to rescue them quickly.

    Without any hesitation, Tina ran to the nearest student, flipping up their shirt. Her eyes widened in shock.

    Three minutes!

    Damn it!

    ¡°Cole Lyon!¡± Tina called out sharply, ¡°Scissors!¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

 Chapter 189: Jared Farrell Arrives Just in Time

    On the highway to Ensford, a luxury sedan sped along. Inside, Jared Farrell¡¯s face was grim, an air of tension surrounding him. His fingers moved rapidly over hisputer. Hayden Cohen, sitting in the front, held Ss ckwood¡¯s channel in his hand.

    ¡°Speed up, Nathan Lehman! We¡¯ve only got three minutes left,¡± Hayden urged anxiously. Their original destination had been Ashbury, but they were ambushed along the way. The attackers dragged their time without direct confrontation.

    Sensing something was amiss, Jared immediately arranged for a helicopter to head to Ensford. Once aboard, they turned off their phones, unaware of the situation in Ensford. Fortunately, they were close to Ensford and arrived within half an hour.

    As soon as theynded, Marie¡¯s call came through. Sophia had been kidnapped. At the same time, Jared¡¯s subordinates reported that the students of ss 22D had also been kidnapped. The kidnappers were broadcasting live, forcing Tina to make a choice. By the time they were en route to Ensford, Tina had already appeared on the channel. They were desperate!

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there! Just a few hundred meters!¡± Nathan Lehman eximed before elerating further. With a screech, the car came to a sudden stop, and two more fully armed vehicles halted behind them.

    After getting out, they stood in front of Jared Farrell, waiting for hismand. Jared closed hisptop andmanded coldly, ¡°Nathan Lehman, take your team to rescue Sophia. Hayden Cohen and the reste with me to save the students.¡±

    Jared looked up, surveying the terrain. They had arge group, and to avoid alerting their foes, they parked the cars about three hundred meters from the factory. Jared raised his hand, signaling to move, ¡°Action!¡±

    Like arrows released from their bows, around twenty people dashed forward.

    Elsewhere, Cole Lyon handed Tina a pair of scissors. Known for always carrying sharp tools like hammers and scissors, Cole was a bit of an oddity. Tina nced at the bomb¡¯s wiring and urately snipped the correct wire.

    Time stopped.

    The channel viewers and the students of ss 22D were stunned. Even Ss ckwood was taken aback. She had defused the bomb so swiftly!

    Before he could react, Tina quickly freed another student from their explosive device and pushed them towards Cole, ¡°Get him out!¡±

    Without dy, Cole led the student out of the factory. Tina, with no hesitation, began working on another student¡¯s bomb.

    Meanwhile, Ss ckwood finally snapped out of his shock and sneered, ¡°If you manage to defuse all the bombs, wouldn¡¯t I lose definitively?¡± He then attacked Tina!

    Tina, focused on the bombs, did not dodge. The situation was critical; less than three minutes remained, and she had to defuse all the students¡¯ bombs.

    As Ss¡¯s foot kicked towards her, she endured the blow.

    Cole Lyon, having ensured the student¡¯s safety, entered and immediately saw the scene, his face turning pale as he attacked Ss.

    With Cole¡¯s intervention, Tina had time to continue her work. However, Ss wasn¡¯t aiming for Cole but rather took a gun and shot at him. Despite his martial skills, Cole couldn¡¯t dodge the bullet.

    The bullet struck him, and he fell, looking at Tina with concern, ¡°Serena, run! If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll die too!¡±

    Tina nced at Cole and remained focused on her task.

    Ss approached, gun in hand, but Tina ignored him, rapidly defusing another bomb. She caught Ss¡¯s movement from the corner of her eye and urged the students, ¡°Quick, leave!¡±

    The students hesitated halfway, tears in their eyes, looking back at Tina.

    ¡°Go!¡± Tina shouted.

    Knowing they couldn¡¯t help and the best way to not hinder Tina was to leave, they ran as fast as they could.

    Ss, seeing them try to escape, smirked coldly, ¡°Trying to run? After that little mishap earlier, no one¡¯s getting away now!¡±

    As he aimed his gun at two students, Tina kicked it away with incredible speed.

    As he reached for the gun again, Tina kicked it out of his reach. Frustrated, Ss attacked her with his bare hands.

    Tina countered while retreating towards the students, and with her other hand, she rapidly cut through the bomb¡¯s wires.

    Seeing her still able to defuse bombs under such pressure infuriated Ss. His attacks grew fiercer.

    ¡°Miss Reed, defuse mine first, I¡¯ll help you!¡± Courtney Tate, a meter away, suddenly shouted.

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she quickly moved towards her. But Ss noticed her movement and blocked her path!

    Seizing the moment, Tina decisively cut the wire on Courtney¡¯s bomb.

    However, focusing on the bomb allowed Ss to kick her in the back with full force, knocking her to her knees, blood trickling from her mouth.

    ¡°Miss Reed!¡± Albert Sitwell and Velma Lehman were frantic.

    Velma, in tears, cried out, ¡°Tina, forget about us and run!¡±

    Swallowing the blood in her mouth, Tina¡¯s expression was cold yet serious, ¡°I¡¯m your teacher for a day, and I¡¯m responsible for your safety! Today, unless I die, I will get you all out!¡±

    With that, Tina nced at the bomb timer, her brows furrowed tightly. Only a minute and a half remained, and forty students¡¯ bombs were still not defused.

    Tinaposed herself and asked Courtney, ¡°Do you think you can handle it?¡±

    ¡°Just keep him busy for a minute, and that will be enough,¡± Courtney replied while starting to defuse another bomb.

    Tina didn¡¯t hesitate, attacking Ss without giving him a chance to react. Uninhibited, her moves were fierce and ruthless.

    Ss struggled to keep up.

    After a round, Ssy on the ground defeated. Tina, not bothering with him, nned to help Courtney with the bombs, but suddenly, Ss pulled out a syringe and injected the fallen individuals with it.

    Following the injection, they rose like stimted beasts, attacking Tina!

    Courtney, concerned, looked at her, ¡°Miss Reed!¡±

    Tina nced at her, ¡°Focus on what you¡¯re doing!¡±

    With that, she engaged the attackers. Her moves were swift and precise, aiming for their vital points, which normally would be lethal.

    However, whatever Ss had administered made them immune to her techniques.

    With the situation dire and time running out, Tina had no choice but to fight as hard as she could.

    Courtney was the first to defuse the bombs on Albert Sitwell and Velma Lehman, instructing them, ¡°Throw out all the weapons.¡±

    Skilled in martial arts, they could assist Tina.

    ¡°Tina, I¡¯m here to help!¡± Velma joined her in the fight.

    At the same time, the factory door burst open as Jared Farrell led his team inside.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Ss¡¯splexion changed drastically. Standing up, he gritted his teeth and stared at Tina, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve lost this round. So, let¡¯s go to hell together!¡±

 Chapter 190: Tinaâ€™s Life-Saving Action

    Ss ckwood¡¯s fingers hovered over the remote control, poised to press it, when Tina and Jared Farrell¡¯s faces simultaneously contorted in terror.

    They sprinted towards Ss ckwood with rming speed.

    Tina, being closer, seized Ss ckwood¡¯s hand just as he was about to release it, pressing down firmly.

    Irritated, Ss kicked Tina in the abdomen.

    His henchmen joined in, assaulting Tina as she struggled.

    With both hands upied on the remote, Tina couldn¡¯t retaliate or let go. One slip, and they would all undoubtedly perish!

    ¡°Tina!¡± Jared¡¯s face changed as he dashed towards her.

    At the same time, a team led by Dexter Brookes, consisting of eight, arrived swiftly.

    Seeing the scene unfold, they shouted in unison, ¡°Serena!¡±

    ¡°Save them!¡± Tina growled, ¡°Forget about me!¡±

    Jared halted under Tina¡¯s icy gaze, his fingers tightened, then he turned and instructed his team, ¡°Save them!¡±

    He then skillfully approached a nearby student to cut wires and disarm a bomb.

    Dexter Brookes and his team forced the attackers away from Tina.

    One by one, the students were rescued, but they refused to leave.

    ¡°Miss Reed! We¡¯ll help you!¡±

    Everyone joined Dexter¡¯s team in attacking the masked men.

    Despite being heavily drugged, making them resilient like cockroaches, the sheer number overwhelmed them.

    Tina, meanwhile, couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted, gripping Ss ckwood¡¯s hand with all her might.

    With Jared¡¯s arrival, all students were eventually rescued.

    Seeing everyone safe, Ss ckwood sneered, ¡°You think you¡¯ve won? Hahaha!¡±

    A bad feeling washed over Tina as Ss pulled out another remote from his pocket. She yelled, ¡°Run! There¡¯s another bomb!¡±

    She couldn¡¯t restrain him any longer!

    At that critical moment, a figure swiftly approached.

    Jared grabbed Ss ckwood¡¯s wrist and the remote, his eyes cold as ice, ¡°You deserve death!¡±

    Pinned by Tina and Jared, Ss couldn¡¯t move.

    Heughed arrogantly, aware of his inevitable defeat, ¡°I was careless this time. But you won¡¯t find where the bomb is. Keep trying if you dare!¡±

    Tina ignored him, turning to ss 22D, ¡°You need to leave now!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not leaving!¡± dered Albert Sitwell earnestly. ¡°Miss Reed, you showed us light and love; we won¡¯t let you face the darkness alone.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re staying! We¡¯ll die together!¡± Hendrik Stiller, who had just regained consciousness and fought alongside the students, added.

    Though they were only students with minimal training, they didn¡¯t want to hinder Dexter and the others any longer, so ss 22D stepped aside.

    Tina tried to persuade them to leave, but they wouldn¡¯t have it.

    Tina was frustrated, ¡°You bunch of rascals!¡±

    She looked at Dexter and the others still struggling with the masked men.

    Ss had used a drug-taken by her mother years ago, supposedly destroyed except for what she held. How did Ss get it?

    Tina snapped out of it, seeing Hayden Cohen in a daze. Shemanded, ¡°Find cages for these people, and make sure the students are sent back. Dexter, you and Mr. Farrell¡¯s team, find that bomb!¡±

    Although she and Jared could restrain Ss for now, they couldn¡¯t keep it up indefinitely.

    Hayden, startled by Tina¡¯s voice, quickly contacted the Ensford police station.

    The police hadn¡¯t arrived yet due to not having the broadcast address, but the situation was urgent. The factory wasrge, and they were understaffed to search for the bomb.

    Soon, Andrew Heisler and the Ensford police arrived, securing the area.

    They had also seen the live broadcast and rushed over. Even cages were swiftly procured-over forty of them.

    Hugo and Jennie, having received the address, raced to the scene, meeting Andrew on the way.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Marie had also intended toe but went to another location linked to Sophia.

    The police, after arriving, didn¡¯t waste time. With Dexter¡¯s team, they caged the masked men, who shook the cages violently, ignored by all.

    The police forcibly evacuated the students, leaving only Tina¡¯s people and Jared Farrell in the factory.

    Facing each other, Ss scoffed at Tina, ¡°Grey Wolf, why would you choose such a loser like Jared Farrell? You should return to our organization.¡±

    Jared, learning that Tina was Grey Wolf, was surprised.

    For years, his only rival had been Grey Wolf. They were evenly matched, their encounters always ending in a draw.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Grey Wolf to be his own Tina.

    Ss leaned towards Tina, smiling, ¡°I know you¡¯ll find the bomb. But Tina, you can¡¯t escape. Your mother destroyed the organization¡¯s life¡¯s work and paid for her mistake. You must too. No one takes from the organization and lives peacefully.¡±

    Tina¡¯s icy gaze met his, her lips curling into a sinister smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, before I die, I¡¯ll make you experience a fate worse than death.¡±

    Unfazed, Ss grinned, ¡°I¡¯ve already foreseen my end.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes sparkled mischievously, ¡°This end won¡¯t be as you wish.¡±

    Ss looked at her, then fell silent.

 Chapter 191: Death is Never the Heaviest Punishment

    Hayden Cohen, with everyone¡¯s help and Andrew Heiser¡¯s full cooperation, quickly located the bomb.

    Ss ckwood had buried the bomb underground. Not far from where he buried it, there was a secret passage, allowing Ss to escape if things went awry. It was clear that this hideout wasn¡¯t built in a day; Ss must have prepared the secret tunnel well in advance.

    When Ss saw that the bomb had been discovered, he was already calm. From the start of his n, he had anticipated various emergencies and included his own failure in the calctions.

    The only thing he hadn¡¯t ounted for was Tina¡¯s formidable strength. Not only was she Grey Wolf with exceptional martial arts skills, but her ability to defuse bombs was also extraordinary.

    Another oversight was that the Farrell family¡¯s so-called useless son turned out to be far from useless.

    After the bomb was defused, Tina and Jared Farrell released Ss ckwood.

    Ss nced at them and closed his eyes, resigned, ¡°I¡¯ve lost. If you¡¯re going to kill me, just do it!¡±

    He had orchestrated this failure himself. Even if Tina and Jared didn¡¯t kill him, the organization wouldn¡¯t let him off. The organization had tasked him with securing a drug. The injection he had administered to his subordinates was indeed thetest development from the organization, but it was wed. For instance, his subordinates would soon suffer violent deaths.

    After Tina had breached his firewall, a deep frustration had settled in his heart, driving him to y this game to prove his superior hacking skills. Unfortunately, he lost.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Tina pulled out a tissue, wiping her hands that had touched Ss, her eyes glinting coldly, ¡°I told you, death isn¡¯t the end you desire. I will make you wish you were dead.¡±

    As she was about to proceed, Jared stepped in front of her, touched her head affectionately, and said, ¡°Leave it to me, don¡¯t dirty your hands.¡±

    Tina paused, touched by his gesture. It wasn¡¯t her first time dealing with disobedient foes, but it was the first time someone had stepped in to protect the purest part of her heart.

    She looked up, smiling warmly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Jared raised his hand, and soon, someone approached him, ¡°Break his limbs, feed him the drug, and throw him into the burial ground.¡±

    Tina was surprised by his words.

    Jared, seeing her look, smiled and asked, ¡°Too lenient a punishment?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking of throwing him into a wolf den!¡± Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, her smile radiant yet chilling.

    Jared¡¯s lips curled up into a melodious smile, ¡°Let¡¯s not spoil the wolves¡¯ stomachs.¡±

    Tina¡¯s smile brightened, ¡°Indeed, your punishment is better.¡±

    Their conversation was light, but Ss shuddered, ¡°Tina! If you dare, just shoot me!¡±

    The prospect of being crippled and left in a burial ground was terrifying, even for someone as tough as Ss.

    Tina approached him slowly, hands in pockets, still smiling, ¡°Death-is never the heaviest punishment.¡±

    After that, Tina turned to the injured and unconscious Cole Lyon, feeding him a pill before instructing Dexter Brookes and others, ¡°Take him to the hospital.¡±

    She had checked; the bullet hadn¡¯t hit Cole Lyon¡¯s heart.

    Her pill would suffice; the hospital would only need to remove the bullet.

    As Tina and Jared walked away under the moonlight, the crowd watched them go, only Ss¡¯s agonized screams could be heard in the background.

    Meanwhile, Dexter Brookes and others looked at Tina and Jared¡¯s departing figures as if they were a beautiful painting, the couple ahead looking ethereally beautiful.

    After a while, James Heart was the first to snap back to reality, ¡°Damn! Serena¡¯s going with that jerk!¡±

    The group quickly regained their senses and hurried after them.

    A few stepster, Nan Zhou remembered Tina¡¯s instructions and had some men following Hayden Cohen take Cole Lyon to the hospital, then he chased after the others.

    These men didn¡¯t understand why they were being ordered around, but it was clear they were with the captain.

    And since the man on the ground was seriously injured, they carried him away.

    Hayden Cohen also snapped back to reality amid the noise, quickly gave a few instructions, and hurried off.

    But when everyone came out, Tina and Jared had already driven away.

    They hurriedly got into their cars and followed.

    Meanwhile, Hugo and Jennie were left confused, ¡°¡­¡±

    What¡¯s going on?

    Why did their daughter just leave?

    They were still there!

    Just as Hugo was about to call Tina, Tina called first, ¡°Mr. Reed, sorry, I need to go save Sophia. You go home first, I¡¯ll be back once I¡¯m done.¡±

    After hanging up, Hugo sighed helplessly and told Jennie, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Tina is still going to save Sophia.¡±

    Jennie expressed her concern, ¡°She¡¯s still going? It¡¯s so dangerous, why didn¡¯t you stop her?¡±

    Hugo gave a bitter smile, ¡°Who can stop her? We¡¯ve all underestimated Tina¡¯s strength.¡±

    Just like Reba.

    Jennie sighed and followed Hugo home.

    On the road, Jared drove at full speed, his and Tina¡¯s expressions very serious.

    After the car started, Tina called Jayden, ¡°How is it on your end? Did you rescue Sophia?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been rescued!¡± Jayden replied. ¡°It seems they anticipated you¡¯d prioritize saving the ss 22D students first. There weren¡¯t many guards around Miss Sophia, so I took care of them. She¡¯s a bit shaken, but we¡¯re nning to take her back to Mrs. Farrell¡¯s vi.¡±

    Tina¡¯s tense heart rxed slightly, ¡°Okay, got it.¡±

    Jared suddenly slowed the car down.

    After hanging up, Tina asked Jared, ¡°Sophia¡¯s shaken up, is there a cake shop still open?¡±

    She felt she owed Sophia this time.

    But if she had to make the choice again, she would still save the ss 22D students first.

    She couldn¡¯t justify trading forty lives for one.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the chef make one now!¡±

    With that, Jared dialed a number.

    Then, the car headed towards Marie¡¯s vi.

    The cars following them kept a steady pace.

    Half an hourter, they stopped in front of the vi.

    Jared and Tina got out, immediately noticing three cars that had followed them.

    Jared frowned, looking at Tina, ¡°Are they here for you?¡±

    He remembered that at the factory, those men seemed to be calling for Tina Serena.

    Tina shed him a mischievous smile, ¡°They¡¯re probably here for you.¡±

    Jared was startled, ¡°For me?¡±

    Tina rested a hand on his shoulder, a brotherly gesture, ¡°Uncle, they¡¯re my brothers, here to force you to call off the engagement!¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    So, these eight men were meeting him for the first time to fight over his fiancee?

    Jared turned, nced at them, and deliberately took Tina¡¯s hand, striding towards the vi.

    The men behind them looked as grim as could be.

    James Heart stared at their hands, pointing at them, his anger making his nose nearly crooked, ¡°He, he¡­ That bastard, what is he doing? Holding Serena¡¯s hand? MMP, I¡¯ll chop it off!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s done for!¡± The others narrowed their eyes, their bodies radiating a dangerous aura.

    Following them, Hayden Cohen, seeing their reactions, pretended not to notice and walked inside.

    But he had barely taken a few steps when Dexter Brookes grabbed him by the cor and dragged him back, ¡°Running away?¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey! What¡¯s this? Let¡¯s be civilized, no hitting!¡± Hayden struggled to go inside.

    By now, if he didn¡¯t understand what had happened, he¡¯d really be a fool.

    All this time, Serena had been right by his side, and he hadn¡¯t noticed.

    If they hadn¡¯t found out about Serena¡¯s engagement ande to Ensford to settle ounts with that jerk, he probably would still be blissfully unaware.

    And, those guys wanting to cut off the jerk¡¯s¡­!

    Ah, just thinking about it gave him a headache!

 Chapter 192: What! Theyâ€™re Living Together Now?

    Hayden Cohen wanted to run, but Dexter Brookes grabbed him by the cor, making escape impossible. Dexter narrowed his eyes menacingly, his entire demeanor radiating danger. ¡°Did you dare help that scoundrel deceive Serena? You¡¯ve got some nerve, huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m innocent!¡± Hayden pleaded with a near-tearful expression. ¡°I swear, I had no idea Tina was Serena!¡±

    Serena, when she was on the mountain, never revealed her real name to them, only allowing them to call her Serena. Moreover, when Hayden had seen Serena, she was only nine years old. Unlike his eight brothers, Hayden had only spent two years on the mountain and hade down, so he truly did not recognize Serena as she had grown up.

    ¡°Stand straight!¡± Dextermanded coldly, and Hayden immediately stood at attention.

    ¡°Tell me honestly, how far has it gone between Serena and that scoundrel?¡± Dexter¡¯s face was stern.

    Listening to Dexter repeatedly refer to him as ¡°that scoundrel,¡± Hayden felt like crying. Ohe on! Mr. Farrell is my friend after all! He seemed to have forgotten his recent fierce vow to cripple that man.

    ¡°Just¡­ just¡­¡± Hayden hesitated a long while, pressed by the intimidating stares of his eight brothers, he reluctantly confessed, ¡°They¡¯ve already moved in together¡­¡±

    ¡°What! They¡¯re living together!¡± The eight men roared in unison, startling Hayden into shrinking back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Tristan Montague shook his head in denial. ¡°My sister, who¡¯s always so aloof and unreachable, living with that scoundrel!¡±

    ¡°Beast!¡± Philip Cahan red furiously at Hayden. ¡°This Jared Farrell is a beast. Serena is only neen today, and he, nearly in his thirties, how could he?!¡±

    ¡°What! That scoundrel is that old!¡± eximed Gavin Forrest. ¡°An old cow eating tender grass, shameless!¡±

    James Heart internally disagreed-was twenty-nine really that old? He was thirty himself and didn¡¯t feel old. He was about to argue in defense of older bachelors when Dexter turned sharply and smacked him on the head. ¡°Useless fool, you live in Ensford and you didn¡¯t even know Serena was duped into living with that scoundrel!¡±

    ¡°I never thought our high-and-mighty Serena would suddenly be so blind as to be charmed by that Jared Farrell,¡± James Heart said, feeling very aggrieved, wishing he could tear Jared into pieces.

    ¡°It must be that scoundrel¡¯s sweet talk that deceived our Serena!¡± Damian Kinley gritted his teeth.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°Right!¡± Liam Archer added fiercely, ¡°Serena is too kind-hearted, surely that scoundrel used some despicable means! Otherwise, how could she possibly agree to live with him!¡±

    ¡°Tell us!¡± Dexter stared at Hayden. ¡°Exactly how did that scoundrel trick Serena into living with him?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± Hayden shrunk further, almost disappearing into his cor, ¡°Could it be possible that Mr. Farrell¡­ didn¡¯t trick her? Maybe Serena felt sorry for him after seeing his hand swollen from a bee sting, and worriedly moved in with him with her luggage.¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡± the brothers collectively expressed firm disbelief. ¡°Serena would never take the initiative; it must have been some sneaky trick by that scoundrel!¡±

    ¡°You call that scoundrel Mr. Farrell?¡± James squinted suspiciously at Hayden. ¡°Are you close?¡±

    ¡°Not at all!¡± Hayden, feeling the intensity of James¡¯s gaze, waved his hands frantically, pledging his loyalty. ¡°Absolutely not! I can¡¯t stand Jared Farrell; he¡¯s always been bossing me around. I¡¯ve just been waiting for you guys to back me up!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Gavin Forrest pulled Hayden closer by the neck, his grip so strong Hayden feared he might be trying to break it.

    ¡°Really, truly, as real as gold!¡± Hayden assured without hesitation.

    ¡°Then prove it to us properly,¡± Dexter said with a menacing smile.

    ¡°How, how do I prove it?¡± Hayden felt chilled by his smile, wondering if Dexter really would force him to mutte Jared.

    Forget whether he dared to do it or could even seed; Jared¡¯s manhood would likely remain intact while he himself might end up a eunuch, bing sisters with Serena instead.

    ¡°Since that scoundrel likes tricking Serena into living with him,¡± Wesley Soames sneered, ¡°let¡¯s just destroy his house, see how he¡¯ll charm her then!¡±

    ¡°Okay, no problem!¡± Hayden breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it easier to wreck a house than mutte Jared. ¡°I¡¯ll go and demolish his tworge apartments in Blue Cove!¡±

    ¡°Hah,¡± Liam chuckled, seeing Hayden¡¯s naivety, ¡°Destroying just one apartment isn¡¯t enough. Jared Farrell is the heir to the Farrell family corporation, next in line as head of the family; he must own quite a few properties, right?¡±

    ¡°Destroying one means he could still charm Serena into moving somewhere else with him,¡± Damian Kinley also revealed a sly smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re not nning to make all his residences uninhabitable, are you?¡± Hayden looked at the eight brothers in horror, as if looking at eight demons, ¡°Are you ying that rough?¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Tristan also grabbed Hayden¡¯s neck, nking him with Gavin, ¡°you better honestly spill every property that scoundrel owns!¡±

    ¡°Not one must be missed!¡± Philip Cahan raised a finger, clicking his tongue.

    Under the menacing gaze of his eight brothers, Hayden felt cold sweat running down his back. Mr. Farrell! Please don¡¯t me me! My own life is more important!

    At the vi.

    Sophia, who had been rescued, had taken a hot bath under the care of Marie and the nanny, and now sat obediently in a clean nightgown on her pink bed while Tina checked her for injuries.

    Tina first examined the external wounds, finding only a scrape, then took Sophia¡¯s pulse. Marie, anxious by the side, kept asking, ¡°How is she? Is Sophia alright? Those damned viins, they had poisoned Sophia once before, could they have¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Tina shook her head reassuringly, interrupting Marie, ¡°They probably thought Sophia was a goner this time, so they didn¡¯t resort to other means.¡±

 Chapter 193: Mr. Farrell, All Your Residences in Ensford Have Been Destroyed

    Marie breathed a sigh of relief. Tina gently stroked Sophia¡¯s soft hair and asked her, ¡°Sophia, do you me me? For not choosing to rescue you first, but instead saving my student?¡±

    Sophia shook her head earnestly. ¡°Tina, I don¡¯t me you. I know whatever decision you make is the right one. Besides, to save me by sacrificing forty-seven others is too cruel and terrifying. If I were in your ce, I would have made the same choice as you.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes moistened slightly,forted yet saddened by Sophia¡¯s maturity-too much for a child her age, already understanding sacrifice and virtue.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Marie consoled, ¡°Initially, I was a bit resentful when I heard about it. But after thinking it over, if it weren¡¯t for you, Sophia would have sumbed to the poison long ago. Furthermore, forty-seven young lives about to take their exams-I, too, couldn¡¯t have chosen Sophia for my own selfish reasons.¡±

    She patted Tina¡¯s shoulder, adding, ¡°I believe Jared thinks the same. We don¡¯t hold this against you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Tina nodded, more moved than ever. The disaster had targeted her, and she had no defense against the usations from the forty-seven students of ss 22D or Sophia¡¯s family. Yet, they had not. They chose to stand by her.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    After administering some calming medicine to Sophia, Tina handed her the cake prepared by Jared Farrell.

    ¡°Wow, cake!¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes lit up, eager to open it.

    ¡°Eating too much will give you cavities,¡± Marie interjected.

    Sophia¡¯s lips puckered in a pout, looking usingly at Marie as if she was being unreasonably cruel.

    ¡°Let her have a little to settle her stomach; it¡¯s not good to take medicine on an empty stomach,¡± Tina smiled, helping Sophia unpack the cake.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Marie conceded.

    Sophia¡¯s smile returned, and she secretly gestured a victorious ¡®yes¡¯ to Tina with a scissors hand.

    After Marie coaxed Sophia into eating the cake and taking her medicine, they left Sophia¡¯s bedroom. Tina was still concerned about Cole Lyon, who had been rushed to the hospital, unsure if Dexter Brookes had managed everything properly. Worrying that Sophia might have a restless night after the day¡¯s shocks, Marie, despite her daughter¡¯s displeased look, insisted on staying with Sophia.

    As Tina closed the door, she saw Sophia verbally expressing her annoyance at Marie, yet her small hands clung tightly around Marie¡¯s waist-a sweet contradiction that made Tina smile.

    It waste, and most of the house staff had retired. Sophia¡¯s bedroom was on the second floor. As Tina descended to the living room, she saw Jared Farrell sitting upright on the leather sofa, his posture impable, Nathan Lehman beside him looking equally tense.

    On the coffee table in front of Jared was a pot of freshly brewed Da Hong Pao tea and ten cups. The overhead light cast deep shadows across his chiseled features, adding to his refined, aloof appearance. Tina paused at the staircase, admiring not just the man¡¯s looks but his oddly formal tea-drinking posture, which seemed more suited to a negotiation.

    ¡°What, are you having tea with ghosts?¡± Tina frowned, noticing the empty cups.

    Jared just stared nkly, unable to confess that he had been expecting Hayden Cohen and Tina¡¯s eight brothers to storm in, hence the preemptive setup.

    ¡°Your brothers were supposed toe for me, weren¡¯t they?¡± Jared asked nonchntly.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow. She knew her brothers too well; they wouldn¡¯t easily let Jared off the hook, not even stepping inside the gate.

    She was about to inquire about Dexter Brookes and the condition of Cole Lyon, who had fortunately taken her life-saving pill before being shot, not critically, but she needed to check.

    ¡°Never mind them,¡± Tina said, though puzzled, she didn¡¯t dwell on it. ¡°I have a friend in the hospital; I need to go there first.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯lle with you, then we can head back to Blue Cove together,¡± Jared stood up, about to instruct Nathan Lehman to get the car when Nathan¡¯s phone rang.

    Nathan answered, and his face instantly changed. ¡°What! Someone broke into Blue Cove apartments and demolished two apartments?! Who dares to mess with Mr. Farrell¡¯s property?!¡±

    Tina and Jared were taken aback.

    Another call hit Nathan¡¯s phone, and he switched lines, only to explode again, ¡°What! Someone threw a stink bomb into Mr. Farrell¡¯s vi in Huanhua Garden?!¡±

    Before he could get more details, his phone was barraged with more calls-¡°Wasps nests thrown into the west district apartments?!¡± ¡°Bedbugs released in the East District mansion?!¡± ¡°The plumbing broken in the north district t?!¡± ¡°A herd of pigs driven into the vi in the east district?!¡±

    Tina and Jared listened, their expressions transitioning from initial surprise to numb eptance.

    ¡°Mr., Mr. Farrell¡­¡± Nathan finally finished taking calls, his face twisted in distress as he looked at Jared, ¡°Um, all your residences in Ensford have been vandalized¡­¡±

    ¡°Heh.¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help butugh, knowing her brothers wouldn¡¯t let Jared off easily.

    ¡°I think I know who did it,¡± Jared rubbed his temples, annoyed yet resigned, ¡°Are all our people just eating for free? They just watched as my houses were trashed?¡±

    ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± Nathan chuckled nervously, unable to hide the truth any longer, ¡°Mr. Cohen personally led the team. Who would dare stop him?¡±

    Indeed, no one expected Hayden Cohen himself would lead a raid to demolish Jared Farrell¡¯s properties, so they were utterly unprepared.

    ¡°Heh,¡± Jared¡¯sugh was chilling, ¡°Very well, he¡¯s really turned his elbow out.¡±

 Chapter 194: Hayden Cohen, You Really Are Something!

    Nathan Lehman shivered at the smile on Jared Farrell¡¯s face, silently mourning for Hayden Cohen.

    ¡°Stay here for the night,¡± Jared Farrell said with a cold smile. ¡°We¡¯ll settle the scores tomorrow.¡±

    Tina shrugged, ready to ask Jared which room she would be staying in when his phone suddenly rang.

    Jared nced at the screen. The name ¡°Hayden Cohen¡± was disyed prominently.

    His lips curled into a thin smile.

    Good!

    Very brave!

    He still dared to call him!

    He answered and put the call on speaker. ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Jared Farrell!¡± Hayden Cohen¡¯s voice was arrogant but sounded hollow.

    ¡°Ahem¡­ We¡¯re giving you an ultimatum. Send Serena home immediately. We won¡¯t allow her to stay at Marie¡¯s vi. Otherwise, you won¡¯t even be able to keep Marie¡¯s vi, and tonight Marie and Sophia will have to sleep on the streets with you!¡±

    Jared Farrell chuckled ambiguously and said each word slowly, ¡°Hayden Cohen, you! Are! Something!¡±

    Hayden Cohen, forced by his eight brothers to make this call, could hear the gritted teeth in Jared¡¯s voice. His neck felt icy, and he almost begged for mercy.

    But under the res of his brothers, he had to maintain a tough stance. ¡°In any case, do as we say, or face the consequences!¡±

    He finished speaking and was about to hang up in fear when Tina suddenly spoke up. ¡°Wait.¡±

    ¡°Se-Serena¡­¡± Hayden Cohen stuttered, unable to reconcile Tina with the grand image of Serena in his mind.

    ¡°How is Cole Lyon?¡± Tina asked.

    Hayden Cohen was stunned and turned to look at Dexter Brookes, who was also taken aback. The eight brothers exchanged confused nces.

    They had been so focused on confronting Jared Farrell that they had forgotten about Cole Lyon¡­

    ¡°Are you all idle?¡± Tina¡¯s calm tone inexplicably sent a chill down their spines.

    James Heart snatched the phone and yelled at Jared Farrell, ¡°In any case, Jared Farrell, you better do as we say! Or else!¡±

    Then he hung up abruptly and kicked the uneasy Hayden Cohen. ¡°What are you afraid of? What is Jared Farrellpared to us? Nine of us can crush him with one kick each!¡±

    Nonsense!

    Of course, you eight aren¡¯t afraid!

    You can kick him and walk away!

    Even if you offend Jared Farrell badly, Serena will cover for you in the end!

    But I am both personally close to Jared Farrell and his subordinate!

    When you eight are done causing trouble and leave, Jared Farrell will take it all out on me!

    Hayden Cohen felt like crying, seeing nothing but a bleak future ahead.

    ¡°Move!¡± Dexter Brookes gave Hayden a cold look. ¡°What are you dawdling for?¡±

    ¡°Where to?¡± Hayden Cohen hadn¡¯t recovered from his low spirits.

    ¡°To monitor Jared Farrell and see if he does as we say!¡± Wesley Soames rolled his eyes at Hayden and got into his sports car first. ¡°So that dog man doesn¡¯t deceive us!¡±

    ¡°No, really!¡± Hayden Cohen was pushed into Tristan Montague¡¯s SUV by Gavin Forrest. ¡°If he doesn¡¯tply, will you really destroy Marie¡¯s vi?¡±

    ¡°Rx.¡± Tristan Montague flicked his hair narcissistically in the rearview mirror. ¡°We¡¯ll leave them one room to sleep in.¡±

    With that, he floored the gas pedal and sped off, followed closely by the other two cars. Hayden Cohen was thrown back into his seat by inertia, cursing his eight brothers as devils in his heart.

    Even devils weren¡¯t as perverse or terrifying as them!

    He had forgotten that if Tina¡¯s partner wasn¡¯t Jared Farrell, he might be worse than them!

    In the vi.

    Tina raised an eyebrow when she heard the call end.

    Jared Farrell¡¯s smile remained, but Nathan Lehman felt increasingly uneasy, wondering how to help Hayden Cohen clean up the mess without it being too ugly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital,¡± Tina said with some helplessness, rubbing her temples. None of these nine were reliable or serious.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Jared Farrell told Nathan Lehman to get the car.

    As soon as they left the vi, they noticed three cars following them.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, three cars are following us,¡± Nathan Lehman said after checking the rearview mirror. ¡°It looks like Miss Reed¡¯s brothers.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Let them follow,¡± Jared replied indifferently. He had noticed long ago but didn¡¯t bother to mention it.

    The three cars followed them all the way to the hospital. When they got out of the car in the parking lot, Jared saw the nine figures in the distance and deliberately lifted Tina¡¯s hand to his lips for a kiss.

    Tina felt his soft lips on her hand and inexplicably felt hot, wanting to pull her hand back. But Jared held on tightly, lightly biting her hand and smiling at the nine men.

    Tina¡¯s heart raced as she recalled their earlier intense kiss, her earlobes turning red.

    Jared nced at her flushed earlobes, feeling somewhatforted from the anger caused by Hayden Cohen¡¯s group.

    He held Tina¡¯s hand and walked towards the elevator.

    ¡°He dares! He actually dares to kiss Serena¡¯s hand! I¡¯ll kill him!¡± James Heart roared and charged towards Jared Farrell.

    Hayden Cohen tried to stop him but failed. Watching the other seven brothers follow suit with murderous intent, he cursed Jared Farrell for choosing this moment to kiss her.

    If a fight broke out, who should he help?

    They were a step toote. By the time James Heart reached them, Jared Farrell and Tina were already in the elevator. He could only watch as the doors closed with Jared smiling indifferently at him.

    When they finally took elevator 22A up, only Cole Lyon and a nurse were left in his room.

    Seeing them storm in with hostility, Cole Lyon was startled. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Serena?¡± James Heart asked through gritted teeth.

    ¡°She left,¡± Cole Lyon said nkly. ¡°She saw I was fine and left with Mr. Farrell.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell?¡± Wesley Soames sneered darkly. ¡°Looks like you knew about Serena¡¯s engagement all along.¡±

 Chapter 195: Nine Rats in My House

    Cole Lyon shivered under the cold gaze.

    ¡°Serena said that since the marriage arrangement would be dissolved sooner orter, there¡¯s no need to let too many people know,¡± he said.

    Although he now believed that with Tina¡¯s importance to Jared Farrell, this marriage arrangement would definitely not be dissolved.

    But looking at the fierce expressions of James Heart and the others, he dared not say it. If he did, he would definitely not leave this ward alive.

    Sure enough, upon hearing Cole Lyon¡¯s words, the expressions of James Heart and the others finally softened a bit. Tristan Montague snorted, flicked his hair, and said, ¡°I knew Serena wouldn¡¯t have such poor taste. The engagement must be fake.¡±

    James Heart looked at Hayden Cohen and asked coldly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say earlier that their engagement was fake?¡±

    Hayden Cohen could only force a smile.

    He wasn¡¯t sure if Tina¡¯s engagement was fake, but he knew Mr. Farrell¡¯s feelings for Tina were as real as gold. Even if Tina wanted to dissolve the marriage arrangement, Jared Farrell wouldn¡¯t agree.

    ¡°Even so, you shouldn¡¯t have hidden it,¡± Dexter Brookes pointed at Cole Lyon coldly. ¡°We¡¯ll settle ounts with youter.¡±

    With that, the nine of them stormed out of the ward to continue pursuing Jared Farrell and Tina.

    The nurse, who had been too scared to speak since they barged in, finally breathed a sigh of relief and stammered to Cole Lyon, ¡°Sir, did you offend some ck forces?¡±

    ¡°More terrifying than ck forces,¡± Cole Lyon sighed heavily.

    He hoped Jared Farrell could attract their attention for a while longer so they wouldn¡¯te back to trouble him.

    Meanwhile.

    After visiting Cole Lyon, Tina and Jared Farrell took the elevator back to the underground parking lot.

    Tina had nned to stay longer in Cole Lyon¡¯s ward, but Jared Farrell urged her to leave, promising that his people would protect Cole Lyon.

    She knew what Jared Farrell was anxious about, so she followed him.

    Once they got in the car and Nathan Lehman backed out of the parking space, he asked Jared Farrell, ¡°Mr. Farrell, where to?¡±

    The car fell silent.

    All of Jared Farrell¡¯s residences in Ensford had been destroyed. He was sure that if he took Tina to a hotel now, those nine people would cause trouble there too.

    ¡°Take me home,¡± Tina said calmly.

    She had nned to return to Pinkwater Alley today anyway.

    It was also time for her to move out of Jared Farrell¡¯s ce. She had moved in to investigate why he had her mother¡¯s pendant. Now that everything was clear, she had no reason to stay.

    Nathan Lehman nced at Jared Farrell through the rearview mirror. Seeing no objection, he drove towards Pinkwater Alley.

    He couldn¡¯t believe Mr. Farrell wouldpromise and be forced to live separately from Tina.

    Pinkwater Alley.

    It was nearly midnight, but Hugo and Jennie were still awake because of today¡¯s events.

    Although they knew Tina was safe now, they sat silently in the living room after such a big ordeal.

    When they heard the doorbell, Jennie felt uneasy, fearing something else had happened. But seeing Jared Farrell and Tina standing outside through the monitor surprised them both.

    ¡°Tina, Jared?¡± Jennie quickly opened the door. ¡°Why are you here sote?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m moving back,¡± Tina said sinctly.

    ¡°Good, good,¡± Hugo said with a broad smile. ¡°It¡¯s time you came back.¡±

    He had never approved of Tina living with Jared Farrell. If Jennie hadn¡¯t insisted that their grown daughter had her own ideas and shouldn¡¯t be interfered with too much by parents, he would have brought her back long ago.

    He couldn¡¯t stand the thought of his precious daughter being taken away so easily.

    Ahem!

    Though Jared Farrell was quite a catch!

    Hugo stepped aside to let Tina in.

    Tina walked in, sat on the sofa, and poured herself a ss of water.

    When she looked up, she saw Jared Farrell entering as well.

    She raised an eyebrow, silently asking why he followed her in.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, I¡¯m afraid I need to stay here tonight too,¡± Jared Farrell said politely.

    Tina looked at Jared Farrell in surprise.

    Jared Farrell smiled.

    He didn¡¯t believe those nine brothers would dare destroy Tina¡¯s house after wrecking his own!

    Not letting them live together?

    Not a chance!

    ¡°Huh?¡± Hugo looked at Jared Farrell warily. His daughter hade home; why was this guy still following her?

    ¡°My house has nine rats. It¡¯s too noisy to live in,¡± Jared Farrell exined with a smile.

    ¡°Nine rats?¡± Jennie frowned. ¡°Is your neighborhood¡¯s hygiene that bad? Should I rmend some rat poison?¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°If you could, that would be great,¡± Jared Farrell replied seriously.

    Tina almost spat out her water.

    Seeing Jared Farrell¡¯s serious expression, she wondered if he really nned to poison her nine brothers like rats?

    ¡°Do you only have one apartment in Ensford?¡± Hugo asked suspiciously.

    ¡°Those nine rats ruined all my houses,¡± Jared Farrell replied without changing his expression.

    Now even Jennie didn¡¯t believe him. She exchanged a nce with Hugo.

    Were these two having a quarrel? Tina wanted toe home, and Jared Farrell followed to make peace?

    But since Jared Farrell insisted on staying, Hugo couldn¡¯t just kick him out. He nodded to Jennie and said, ¡°Go prepare a room for Jared.¡±

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± Jared Farrell said with a smile.

    Jennie still helped prepare a guest room for him. Luckily it was summer and didn¡¯t require many nkets; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know what to give him on short notice.

    Tina didn¡¯t bother with this. She felt a bit hungry and craved Jennie¡¯s noodles she hadn¡¯t had in a long time.

    Hearing Tina wanted her noodles, Jennie immediately went to the kitchen to cook while Hugo helped Jared prepare his room.

    Hugo was still unhappy about Jared staying over and shook out the nket vigorously, covering Jared in dust. But Jared just let his father-inw vent his little anger.

    By the time the room was ready, Jennie had finished cooking the midnight snack.

    Except for Zackary who was already asleep, the four of them sat around the kitchen table eating noodles in a somewhat harmonious atmosphere.

    Just as Tina was about to get a second bowl, Jared Farrell¡¯s phone rang. He saw it was Hayden Cohen calling.

    Not wanting to put it on speaker in front of Hugo and Jennie, he walked to the guest room to answer it briefly, ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Jared Farrell! You dog! How dare you stay at Serena¡¯s house!¡± The voice on the phone wasn¡¯t Hayden Cohen¡¯s but an enraged stranger¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Heh,¡± Jared Farrell chuckled coldly. ¡°So? What can you do about it?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± James Heart on the other end was so angry he almost exploded. He really couldn¡¯t do anything to Jared Farrell.

    They dared mess with Jared¡¯s house but not Tina¡¯s family home!

    Damn Jared Farrell for blocking their way!

    ¡°Jared Farrell! You¡¯re dead!¡± James Heart gritted his teeth. ¡°Get out of the Reed family now!¡±

 Chapter 196: Is Serena the Weakness of that Man?

    Jared Farrell had one hand in his pocket, his cold lips curling slightly as he spoke in an indifferent tone.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°If I don¡¯te out, what will you do?¡±

    James Heart gritted his teeth. ¡°If you don¡¯t get out here, I¡¯ll break your bones.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then wait until you can actually break my bones.¡± Jared paused and added, ¡°By the way, thanks for your help. Now I have a legitimate reason to move into my father-inw¡¯s house, where I can cultivate feelings with Tina and please my inws every day.¡±

    ¡°Jared Farrell!¡± Wesley Soames roared, about to curse.

    Jared Farrell hung up the phone, but not before leaving a final message. ¡°Tell Hayden Cohen that the cost of renovating the house will be entirely on him.¡±

    Beside him, Hayden Cohen, who already felt his life was bleak, lowered his head even more dejectedly.

    Great, millions gone just like that, and no ce to im it back!

    Why did he have to suffer like this?

    ¡°What now?¡± Gavin Forrest red at Hayden Cohen, unwilling to let it go.

    Feeling Gavin¡¯s almost murderous gaze, Hayden Cohen looked up to see the other seven brothers staring at him intently. His heart trembled as he stammered, ¡°Why are you asking me?¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Philip Cahan sneered. ¡°Because you and that dog man are in cahoots, sneaking around, colluding¡­¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± Hayden Cohen abruptly interrupted Philip Cahan. What nonsense was he spouting?

    ¡°You know him best, you know his weaknesses,¡± Dexter Brookes said gravely. ¡°Tell us his weaknesses, and we might overlook your betrayal.¡±

    How did this turn into a matter of betrayal?

    Hayden Cohen felt a wave of despair and wanted to scream to the heavens, ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore!¡±

    But under the oppressive stares of his eight brothers, he had no choice but to think hard and finally said weakly, ¡°Mr. Farrell¡­ no, the dog man¡¯s weakness seems to be Serena?¡±

    All eight brothers¡¯ faces darkened. ¡°What do you mean? Are you suggesting we target Serena?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Tristan Montague sneered. ¡°Are you trying to mislead us into offending Serena so that the dog man can be with her without obstacles?¡±

    With these words, the other seven brothers raised their fists towards Hayden Cohen¡¯s face.

    ¡°No, no, absolutely not!¡± Hayden Cohen raised his hands and feet in protest. ¡°But Jared Farrell really has no weaknesses!¡±

    If Jared Farrell had an easily exploitable weakness, he wouldn¡¯t be their leader.

    As for Tina, she was indeed Jared Farrell¡¯s weakness.

    Whenever he encountered her, he would revolve around her.

    But Tina was his Serena, his one and only Serena.

    Even before knowing she was Serena, he thought Tina was incredibly strong. Now that he knew, he couldn¡¯t consider Tina a weakness; she was stronger than Jared Farrell!

    So he could understand why his eight brothers disliked Jared Farrell. After all, he knew better than anyone how exceptional Serena was.

    Such a brilliant person being picked up by Jared Farrell was hard to ept.

    Ugh! Dog man!

    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Liam Archer coldly grabbed Hayden Cohen and asked. ¡°If we don¡¯t separate Serena and that dog man, I guarantee your life will be miserable!¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t we all move into the Reed family?¡± Hayden Cohen suggested weakly.

    ¡°Use your brain!¡± Wesley Soames smacked Hayden Cohen on the head. ¡°Serena¡¯s house is too small for all of us!¡±

    James Heart was silent for a moment before smiling. ¡°I have an idea.¡±

    Pinkwater Alley.

    After finishing histe-night snack, Hugo was about to sleep when he received a call from James Heart. James Heart¡¯s tone was very friendly on the phone. ¡°Mr. Reed, sorry to bother you sote, but I have something to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Hugo replied, feeling ttered.

    ¡°Ourpany¡¯s real estate development branch recently has a batch of newly built vis ready for sale,¡± James Heart exined seriously. ¡°This time, our advertising department came up with a new promotional method: inviting real people to experience our vis. After some discussion, we selected your family.¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Hugo was genuinely surprised. ¡°But I don¡¯t handle real estate?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t choose employees from the real estate branch; it wouldn¡¯t be authentic,¡± James Heart continued persuasively. ¡°I found out you have a wife and two children-a perfect family for this experience.¡±

    ¡°So we hope you can move with your family to Jade Gardens for a month.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; for helping thepany this much, you¡¯ll be rewarded with bonuses and the option to buy the vi at an internal price if you want itter. What do you think?¡±

    Ensford¡¯s housing prices were already exorbitant, and Jade Gardens was in the heart of the city wherend was precious. The price per square foot there was higher than their current ce in Pinkwater Alley.

    But ording to James Heart¡¯s internal price offer, buying the entire vi would cost less than a third of their current apartment¡¯s price.

    With his annual sry of a million dors in Mendara, affording such a vi would be no problem at all.

    Not to mention that given its prime location, the vi would surely appreciate in value over time; buying it and reselling it could yield a significant profit.

    Tina and Jared Farrell were already engaged and might get married soon. As her father-inw¡¯s family, they couldn¡¯t keep living in a rented house forever.

    Moreover, Wen Qian had a boyfriend now; they needed to give their daughters some face too.

    James Heart¡¯sst sentence really moved him. He even wondered if his boss was sleep-talking because it sounded too good to be true.

    So he eagerly agreed to James Heart¡¯s proposal.

    James Heart was very pleased with Hugo¡¯s cooperation but emphasized onest point: ¡°Remember, your daughter must also move in with you.¡±

    ¡°Of course, don¡¯t worry,¡± Hugo assured him repeatedly.

    After hanging up the phone, Hugo sat on the bed in a daze. Jennie, who had alreadyin down beside him, looked at him curiously. ¡°What did your boss say? Why are you daydreaming?¡±

    Hugo stared nkly at Jennie for a moment before kissing her hard on the cheek. ¡°We¡¯re moving into a big vi!¡±

    He had spent half his life under Elizabeth¡¯s thumb, which had nearly crushed all his ambition. He thought he was destined to live an ordinary life and couldn¡¯t provide a good life for his family.

    Unexpectedly, luck smiled upon him! Such a windfall actually happened to him!

    ¡°Oh stop it,¡± Jennie said shyly, dodging his kisses. ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense before even falling asleep!¡±

    They were renting their current apartment; how could they afford a big vi?

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense!¡± Hugo hugged her tightly and kissed her again and again.

    Outside the room, Tina stopped silently in the hallway, listening to Hugo and Jennie¡¯s intimate conversation inside.

    She swore she didn¡¯t intend to eavesdrop; it just happened that way.

    She quietly walked to the entrance and slipped out without making a sound.

    After she left, Jared Farrell¡¯s door also opened silently. He stepped out and looked thoughtfully at the now-empty entrance.

 Chapter 197: Amberâ€™s Reckless Move

    The next day, the city was abuzz with talk of Tina¡¯s heroic act broadcasted live. From the moment the live stream started, it was recorded and shared wildly online throughout the night, earning Tina widespread praise.

    ¡°My God! What kind of bizarre luck does ss 22D have to get such an amazing teacher like Tina?¡±

    ¡°I stayed up all night digging into Tina¡¯s background, and I was shocked! She¡¯s not only a perfumer known as Q, an international fashion designer Waverly Underwood, but also the super hacker Grey Wolf! What else don¡¯t I know?¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s not all; she¡¯s an incredible doctor who can even defuse bombs! Her speed and skill are simply stunning!¡±

    ¡°Let me add, she¡¯s a genius! She earned two PhDs by the age of sixteen! The youngest PhD student in our country!¡±

    ¡°Totally love her! Who wouldn¡¯t adore such a teacher? I¡¯m so jealous of ss 22D¡¯s students! I heard they made an incredibleeback in thest quiz!¡±

    Online, Tina was held in high regard. Meanwhile, at the Ashbury Reed family¡¯s house in Ensford, Amber watched the videos about Tina, her eyes burning with jealousy and hatred.

    Why? Why does everyone love Tina, a mere country girl?

    Back when she was part of the Ensford Reed family, falling short of Tina was bearable. But now, as a daughter of the Ashbury Reed family, she still found herself overshadowed by Tina, even ruining the borate party she had prepared.

    With a sinister glint in her eye as she watched Tina on screen, Amber muttered, ¡°Tina, do you think you¡¯ve won?¡±

    Outside the city, in the disorderly grave hill, a frail figure trembled as she used her shlight to search for something. Finally, based on the GPS on her phone, she found an unmarked cross tombstone in a freshly disturbed patch of earth. Tubes protruded from the soil, leading into the ground.

    ¡°Are you there?¡± Amber asked, fearfully lying down to speak into one of the tubes.

    Her whole body shook, dreading that a zombie might burst forth from the soil. ¡°Stop talking and start digging!¡± came a cold voice from below.

    Hearing that nightmarish voice, Amber shuddered. She hadn¡¯t expected to end up in such a ce, nor to find that person buried underground, and she had brought no tools.

    She picked up a thick stick nearby and began to dig. Fortunately, the soil was loose, and she quickly uncovered a thin coffin. The person who buried the coffin clearly didn¡¯t intend for their prisoner to die too quickly, as they had not only buried it shallowly but also fitted the coffin with air tubes.

    Struggling, Amber opened the coffin to see Ss ckwood¡¯s face, pale as a corpse, which made her fall backward in shock.

    ¡°What are you afraid of!¡± Ss ckwood, his limbs broken,y immobile in the coffin, his cold gaze fixed on Amber. ¡°Help me out now!¡±

    Trembling, Amber realized Ss was severely injured. She could leave him or even take this chance to kill him, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop her. But she couldn¡¯t, as he had dirt on her, forcing her to grit her teeth and help Ss to her car parked outside the chaotic burial site.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    She hadn¡¯t expected to encounter this devil-like man again. When she saw him at Ensford High School as a substitute teacher in ss 22D, she knew she was doomed.

    Ss ckwood was the mysterious man in ck who had used her to frame Hugo. After using her, he discarded her, making her a target of public hatred. None of the promises made to her were kept, and if she wasn¡¯t now an Ashbury Reed daughter, she might never have recovered.

    She yearned to dismember him, to utterly destroy him, but Ss ckwood then produced the naked photos and videos Sean had taken of her, forcing her to obey him or he would release them online.

    That night, anticipating trouble, he had installed a tracking app on her phone. If she didn¡¯te for him by ten p. m. following his instructions, herpromising photos and videos would be spread across the inte, ruining her life.

    Even as an Ashbury Reed heiress, she couldn¡¯t suppress this scandal; the Reed family would shun her. So, she had no choice but toe.

    And she had another reason for helping Ss ckwood. The enemy of her enemy is her friend, and since he was intent on opposing Tina, Amber was naturally inclined to assist him.

    Amber supported the disheveled Ss ckwood into her car and drove as he directed to a secluded farm in the suburbs. The farm gate was open, a sign reading ¡°Qing Lake Family Fun¡± hanging on the wooden fence.

    She helped Ss ckwood into a small, dimly lit cabin, nearly copsing from exhaustion. But as she pushed open the door and saw the person inside, she almost dropped Ss ckwood in fright.

    A woman sat at a square wooden table, her face obscured by a ghostly mask, her eyes coldly fixed on them. It was the same woman from the Southridge Psychiatric Facility, who had operated on her abdomen alongside a man with ck-rimmed sses.

 Chapter 198: Help Me, and Weâ€™ll Be Even

    Amber¡¯s face turned as pale as paper. The torment she endured at Southridge Psychiatric Facility was a nightmare she could never forget. Many nights, she woke up from those cruel memories, and even after being rescued, she still doubted whether the bomb nted by the man with the ck-framed sses was still inside her.

    More importantly, the aftermath of that experience continued to haunt her. She couldn¡¯t help but ce a hand on her lower abdomen.

    Tina raised her eyes slightly, her cold gaze sweeping over Amber¡¯s pale face and then falling on the disheveled Ss ckwood, whom Amber was supporting. Tina remained silent.

    Ss ckwood also scrutinized Tina. Despite her ghost mask, he could tell from her slender neck and delicate hands that she was young. Ten years ago, Spectre had emerged out of nowhere, astonishing many with her life-saving medical skills. Even Wraith, who debuted three years before her, was defeated by her.

    Many sought her help but couldn¡¯t even see her face. There were numerous legends about her on the dark web-some said she was an old man with wrinkled skin, others imed she was a middle-aged man with a hideous face, and some believed she was a disabled woman. But no one expected her to be such a young girl.

    ¡°Spectre?¡± Ss ckwood asked doubtfully.

    Tina nodded slightly, her attitude cold.

    Amber was stunned. At Southridge Psychiatric Facility, she hadn¡¯t heard how the man with the ck-framed sses addressed this woman. She only knew that the woman in the ghost mask had extraordinary medical skills. She never imagined that this woman was the Spectre that the Reed family had been searching for.

    Ever since Emrys was paralyzed by Jared Farrell¡¯s basketball attack, Jasper Reed had been desperate to contact Spectre to heal him. If Amber could bring back the Spectre that the Reed family had been seeking in vain, they would surely hold her in higher regard.

    Amber recalled how Annabelle had looked at Tina with respect at her banquet and felt a surge of anger. What if she could establish a rtionship with Spectre and ask her to treat Emrys? What if she could even be Spectre¡¯s apprentice? Then she could trample Tina underfoot.

    After all, many powerful people wanted to meet Spectre but couldn¡¯t. If Amber could leverage this connection, those influential figures would be her future allies. Tina would be nothingpared to that. With Spectre¡¯s support, Amber wouldn¡¯t even need to fear the four great families of Ashbury.

    Thinking this, Amber felt a surge of joy and began to scheme. She nced at Ss ckwood. Though he had lost to Tina, he was still formidable. Otherwise, how could he have met such a person? Perhaps she could use him.

    Ss ckwood had no idea what Amber was thinking. He took a deep breath, enduring the pain in his limbs, and asked Tina, ¡°Do you remember the favor you owe me?¡±

    Spectre had once posted on the dark web that anyone who could give her Sevenfold Peril and Empyrean Bloom would earn a favor from her. At that time, Ss ckwood happened to have a Sevenfold Peril. He never thought that favor would save his life now.

    ¡°I never go back on my word,¡± Tina replied coldly, disguising her voice.

    When Jared Farrell was poisoned, she owed Rook from GTO a favor for obtaining Sevenfold Peril. She hadn¡¯t forgotten. She had suspected that Rook was Ss ckwood and wondered when he would im his favor. She didn¡¯t expect him to wait until now.

    If he knew she was Tina and that his current predicament was her doing, would he still dare to ask for this favor?

    ¡°Help me,¡± Ss ckwood demanded. ¡°And we¡¯ll be even.¡±

    ¡°Lie down,¡± Tina said, her eyes shing meaningfully as she gestured to a simple wooden bed nearby.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Help me over there!¡± Ss ckwood impatiently ordered Amber.

    He didn¡¯t know what poison Jared Farrell had given him, but he believed Spectre¡¯s medical skills could cure him and heal his broken limbs.

    Amber didn¡¯t respond but helped Ss ckwood walk to the wooden bed and then helped him lie down before turning to Tina with her request. ¡°You are Spectre? I have a brother who is seriously injured. I want you to treat him. Name your price.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t spare her a nce and walked over to check Ss ckwood¡¯s broken limbs. Jared Farrell¡¯s men had shown no mercy; the exposed wounds under Ss¡¯s rolled-up sleeves and pants revealed broken bones.

    Tina examined him briefly and then took his pulse.

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Amber¡¯s anger overpowered her fear when Tina ignored her.

    After all, it was the man with the ck-framed sses who had truly tormented her at Southridge Psychiatric Facility. So after the initial shock, she wasn¡¯t too afraid of the woman who had cut into her abdomen.

    Moreover, she wasn¡¯t the same helpless person she once was; she was now a wealthy member of the Ashbury Reed family. She naively believed that enough money could make even the legendary Spectre yield.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Seeing Tina continue taking Ss¡¯s pulse without acknowledging her, Amber stepped forward to grab Tina¡¯s hand.

    Tina raised her eyes coldly, and Amber¡¯s hand froze mid-air as her knees suddenly gave way, causing her to kneel heavily on the ground. The pain in her knees felt like they were shattering, but she couldn¡¯t move and remained kneeling stiffly.

    ¡°What did you do to me?¡± Amber asked in shock and anger.

    ¡°You are noisy,¡± Tina replied icily.

    The coldness in Tina¡¯s voice made Amber¡¯s heart tremble. She saw the woman¡¯s eyes behind the ghost mask sweep over her with indifference as if looking at a dead person. Amber¡¯s lips trembled, and she dared not speak again.

    She realized how naive her earlier thoughts were. If Spectre could be swayed by money, why hadn¡¯t the Reed family seeded despite their wealth? This wasn¡¯t someone she could treat lightly. If she angered Spectre, death might be a mercypared to ending up like Ss ckwood-wishing for death but unable to die.

    ¡°Keep quiet if you don¡¯t want to die!¡± Ss ckwood red at Amber before asking Tina, ¡°How bad are my injuries? How long will it take to heal? What poison did I get?¡±

    He trusted Spectre¡¯s medical skillspletely and didn¡¯t question whether he could be cured but rather when he would be healed.

    Tina raised an eyebrow under her mask and released Ss¡¯s wrist before quickly shoving a pill into his mouth while he spoke.

    Jared Farrell hadn¡¯t intended for Ss to die immediately but rather to suffer slowly underground. The poison wasn¡¯t fatal and was easy to neutralize.

    Ss choked on the pill due to Tina¡¯s rough handling but managed to swallow it after coughing for a while. He wisely refrained from questioning what Tina had given him.

 Chapter 199: Spectre is Actually Tina!

    After detoxifying Ss ckwood, Tina cleaned his wounds. With swift and precise movements, she realigned his broken bones by touch and applied medicine to his exposed injuries, sparing the need to cut open his muscles.

    Once the medicine was applied, Tina fixed splints to all of Ss ckwood¡¯s injured limbs and wrapped them up. Although she didn¡¯t use any painkillers, Ss felt a significant reduction in pain after his bones were set. The cool sensation from the medicine made his wounds feel much better.

    If it weren¡¯t for his immobile limbs, he might have thought he was already healed. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at Spectre¡¯s renowned medical skills.

    ¡°How long will it take for my injuries to fully heal?¡± he asked again, unable to contain his curiosity.

    Tina gave him a meaningful look and replied, ¡°Under normal circumstances, you should be able to walk normally in a month.¡±

    However, this was under normal circumstances. While setting Ss¡¯s bones, she had secretly inserted fine needles into his blood vessels.

    ¡°Spectre, can you save my brother?¡± Amber, now too frightened to offend Tina, cautiously spoke up after hearing that Ss¡¯s broken limbs could heal in a month. She thought of her paralyzed brother Emrys and asked timidly.

    It wasn¡¯t that she had deep feelings for her adopted brother Emrys; he was just a very obedient tool. It would be a waste if he remained paralyzed. If there was hope, she certainly wanted to save him.

    She put on her usual pitiful expression, tears welling up as she looked at Tina and continued, ¡°My brother was injured protecting me from bad people and is now paralyzed. All the doctors we¡¯ve hired said they couldn¡¯t save him. You¡¯re his only hope.

    ¡°My brother is a truly good person. Lying in bed every day is worse than death for him. Such a good person being harmed like this by evil people-please save him!¡±

    Tina looked down at Amber, finding her plea amusing. If Amber knew that Tina was one of the ¡°evil people¡± responsible for Emrys¡¯s condition, her reaction would be quite dramatic. But Tina wasn¡¯t ready to reveal her identity just yet.

    ¡°Save him?¡± Tina smiled slightly. ¡°Sure, but there are conditions.¡±

    ¡°Name them! As long as I can do it, I will!¡± Amber looked at Tina with excitement and sincerity. ¡°Even if it means serving you tea and water by your side, I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    She said thest part deliberately, hoping Spectre would indeed take her under her wing. Even if she couldn¡¯t be a student right away, she believed she could eventually win favor.

    If she knew that the woman she was so eager to please and even wanted to apprentice under was actually Tina, she might p herself in anger.

    ¡°No need for such trouble.¡± Tina¡¯s gaze shifted to Ss ckwood lying on the bed. ¡°Just kill him now, and I¡¯ll save your brother.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Amber was shocked but found herself able to move again. She stood up as Tina pointed to the knife on the table used earlier for Ss¡¯s wound care. ¡°The knife is there. He can¡¯t move now. One stab and he won¡¯t be able to resist.¡±

    ¡°Spectre, what do you mean!¡± Ss ckwood was equally shocked, ring at Tina and demanding an answer.

    Tina didn¡¯t respond but looked at Amber instead. ¡°What? Afraid?¡±

    Amber looked between Tina and Ss ckwood, finally focusing on the knife still stained with Ss¡¯s blood. She thought about the benefits of bringing Spectre back to the Reed family to treat Emrys and gritted her teeth, picking up the knife and walking towards Ss.

    ¡°Amber, you dare kill me?¡± Ss¡¯s face darkened ominously as he warned her, ¡°Think carefully!¡±

    Amber suddenly remembered that Ss hadpromising material on her. If she killed him now, those photos and videos would be released online.

    ng-Amber dropped the knife, covering her face as tears streamed down. She pleaded with Tina, ¡°I can¡¯t do it. I can¡¯t kill someone¡­¡±

    ¡°It seems you don¡¯t care about your brother,¡± Tina sneered.

    Amber lowered her eyes to hide her gloominess. Emrys was just a useful tool; he couldn¡¯tpare to her reputation and future. If not for Ss¡¯s leverage over her, she might have killed him without hesitation. But now she couldn¡¯t.

    For her own sake, she had to sacrifice Emrys.

    ¡°Get out.¡± Tina looked down at Amber coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Amber hesitated, ncing at Ss ckwood.

    ¡°Not leaving? Do you want to kneel here forever?¡± Tina¡¯s voice turned icy.

    Terrified, Amber fled without another word.

    ¡°Spectre, what did you mean just now?!¡± Ss demanded once Amber was gone.

    ¡°Rook, you¡¯re a bit slow.¡± Tina chuckled softly as she picked up a clean cloth from the table and began meticulously wiping the blood and ointment from her fingers.

    The dim light in the cabin cast a warm glow on her slender fingers as she carefully cleaned each one from knuckle to nail.

    Ss frowned in confusion until he noticed the unused wooden splints on the table. A sudden realization struck him. ¡°How did you know I was buried in the cemetery?¡±

    Tina paused and looked at him with a half-smile.

    Ss¡¯s heart sank under her gaze. ¡°How did you know my limbs were broken ande prepared with splints and medicine?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not entirely clueless,¡± Tina said as she put down the dirty cloth. She slipped one hand into her pocket while removing the ghost mask from her face with the other.

    Ss¡¯s pupils contracted as he stared in shock and anger at the mocking face revealed beneath the mask. ¡°Tina Reed! It¡¯s you!¡±

    He couldn¡¯t believe it-Spectre was actually Tina!

    For the first time, Ss felt true fear. He had thought he held a favor from Spectre and remained calm even when Jared Farrell buried him alive because he believed Spectre would save him.

    But now¡­Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°You can¡¯t kill me!¡± Ss tried to move but couldn¡¯t due to his broken limbs. ¡°You owe me a favor! You must save me! If you break your promise, everyone will know you¡¯re untrustworthy!¡±

    ¡°I always keep my promises,¡± Tina said with a meaningful smile. ¡°I¡¯ve already fulfilled your condition.¡±

 Chapter 200: Did You Just Confess Like That?

    Ss ckwood was stunned. Suddenly, he remembered that he had said earlier that if she helped him, they would be even. Helping him didn¡¯t mean curing him!

    Tina¡¯s hands were in her pockets, and her smile vanished as she looked at him with a steely gaze. ¡°You should be grateful that I owe you a favor; otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have died so easily.¡±

    With that, she turned and walked towards the door. Behind her, Ss ckwood¡¯s eyes widened in rage. He tried to shout but found he couldn¡¯t make a sound. He struggled to move but copsed heavily to the ground, helplessly watching Tina leave.

    Outside the cabin.

    As Tina stepped out, Jayden emerged from the darkness. She coldly instructed, ¡°Lock the door.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jayden responded.

    As they left the farm, Tina nced up at the night sky. The stars were like scattered diamonds across the heavens, and the Milky Way stretched like a ribbon. Such beauty was impossible to see in the light-polluted big cities.

    ¡°Still love stargazing?¡±

    Under the shadow of a tree outside the farm, a ck Lincoln was parked. Jared Farrell leaned against the car, almost hidden in the shadows, but his eyes shone brighter than the stars as he looked at Tina.

    ¡°Still love following me?¡± Tina tilted her head and smiled at him.

    Jared Farrell walked over and took her hand, standing beside her as they gazed at the stars. He pointed to five stars forming an M shape above the North Star and asked, ¡°Remember?¡±

    ¡°Cassiopeia. Uncle Wolf, you taught me,¡± Tina replied, looking at the stars. ¡°The princess became truly perfect only after losing her beauty. Quite ironic.¡±

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared Farrell squeezed her hand, ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m a perfect man, but I will be your perfect lover.¡±

    Tina was taken aback. Weren¡¯t they talking about stars? How did he suddenly start confessing?

    Jared Farrell didn¡¯t wait for her response. He naturally and affectionately led her towards the Lincoln, opening the back door for her to sit inside.

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± Nathan Lehman greeted Tina from the driver¡¯s seat, looking tired.

    After a long day and a night of trouble caused by Hayden Cohen and his group, Nathan was exhausted. He had just fallen asleep when Mr. Farrell woke him up to follow his fiancee. He only dared toin in his mind. Once Jared Farrell got in the car, Nathan immediately put on a spirited demeanor. ¡°Mr. Farrell.¡±

    ¡°To Pinkwater Alley,¡± Jared Farrell ordered.

    As the car started, Tina felt drowsy with Jared Farrell beside her. She rxed and leaned back in her seat, soon falling asleep.

    As she slept, her head tilted andnded on Jared Farrell¡¯s shoulder.

    Jared Farrell looked down at her peaceful face and smiled slightly. He kissed her on the top of her head and held her closer to make her morefortable.

    When they arrived at Pinkwater Alley, Tina was still asleep. Jared Farrell carefully carried her upstairs without waking her.

    In the elevator, seeing her so docile and trusting, his heart softened. He knew it meant she trusted himpletely.

    Using the password Tina had given him, he entered her home silently and carried her to her room, cing her gently on the bed.

    After a moment of hesitation, he decided not to change her clothes. Instead, he adjusted the air conditioning to afortable temperature and covered her with a nket.

    As he straightened up and turned around, he saw Tina¡¯s father standing at the door, looking shocked.

    Jared Farrell froze, worried that Hugo might wake Tina with his words. He quickly stepped out and closed the door behind him.

    ¡°You¡­ you sneaked into Tina¡¯s room in the middle of the night?!¡± Hugo pointed at him, his finger trembling.

    Jennie, who had also gotten up to use the bathroom, heard this and was stunned in the hallway.

    ¡°Exin!¡± Hugo demanded angrily. ¡°What¡­ what stage have you and my Tina reached?¡±

    ¡°The stage where we can get married,¡± Jared Farrell replied vaguely.

    Hugo immediately misunderstood, his eyes widening in shock and anger.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stand here; let¡¯s talk in the living room,¡± Jennie urged softly, worried they might wake Tina and Zackary. She gave Jared Farrell a look as well.

    Jared Farrell¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement as he obediently followed Hugo and Jennie to the living room.

    Once seated in the living room, Hugo and Jennie looked very serious. Jennie asked Jared Farrell, ¡°Since you¡¯ve done what you shouldn¡¯t have with Tina, what are your ns?¡±

    ¡°I n to marry her after she turns twenty,¡± Jared Farrell replied with a smile. ¡°Rest assured, I will give Tina the grandest wedding.¡±

    Hearing this, Hugo¡¯s expression softened slightly but still looked at Jared Farrell as if he were a beast. ¡°Tina is still so young; how could you¡­¡±

    How could youy your hands on my little girl!

    ¡°It was irresistible,¡± Jared Farrell said solemnly.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve made up your mind, it¡¯s good. There¡¯s only half a year left until Tina¡¯s twentieth birthday,¡± Jennie sighed awkwardly. ¡°But Tina is still young; after you get married, don¡¯t rush into having children. Take precautions.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jared Farrell agreed readily.

    Tina had no idea that while she slept peacefully beside Jared Farrell without any guard up, he had conspired with her father and stepmother to set their wedding date and n their marriage.

    The next day.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Tina was woken up by Jayden¡¯s call. He said concisely, ¡°Ss ckwood died this morning.¡±

    ¡°Make sure to clean up,¡± Tina replied calmly before hanging up.

    Seeing she was still in yesterday¡¯s ck clothes, she freshened up and changed into new clothes.

    Just then, Jennie knocked on her door. ¡°Tina, are you up? Breakfast is ready.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m up,¡± Tina answered and opened the door to meet Jennie¡¯splex gaze.

    Jennie scrutinized her carefully with a mix of relief and regret before sighing softly and heading to the dining room.

    Tina was puzzled.

    At the dining room table, Jared Farrell was already there helping set up. He smiled at her as she approached.

    Hugo also looked at Tina with aplicated expression-part disappointment, part reluctance, part sadness, and part relief. ¡°Sit down; you¡¯re grown up now.¡±

    Tina was confused.

    She felt like she had missed something important. When she looked questioningly at Jared Farrell, he just smiled warmly as he served her porridge without saying anything.

    Tina ate her porridge in bewilderment, feeling that Jared Farrell¡¯s smile was full of triumphant satisfaction.

 Chapter 201: Come Find Me, Iâ€™ll Be Waiting Here

    During breakfast, Hugo remembered James Heart¡¯s call from the previous day.

    ¡°By the way, there¡¯s something I need to tell you. We¡¯re moving today, to Jade Gardens.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Reed, did you buy a house?¡± Tina frowned. The property prices in Jade Gardens were even higher than Pinkwater Alley, and all the houses there were vis, costing millions.

    ¡°No, but I might buy one in the future.¡± Hugo couldn¡¯t help but smile at the thought of such a windfall.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, Jade Gardens is developed by our group¡¯s real estate subsidiary. Their marketing department wants to use real-life experiences to promote the vis. Somehow, they chose our family.

    ¡°Mr. Heart called me yesterday and said that if our family lives in a model vi for a month, not only will I get a bonus, but we can also buy the vi at a price much lower than the market rate. I thought it was a great deal, so I agreed.¡±

    Hearing that it was James Heart¡¯s idea, Tina didn¡¯t bother to argue.

    ¡°You handle it; I have no objections.¡±

    Jared Farrell, however, frowned. He felt something was off and said, ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, I don¡¯t have a ce to stay recently. You wouldn¡¯t mind if I joined you for the experience, would you? I¡¯m also considering buying a vi in Jade Gardens.¡±

    Hugo¡¯s eyebrows shot up. You took my daughter and now you want to stick around? He was about to refuse.

    Jennie gave him a look, and he immediately backed down.

    Since Jared Farrell and Tina were already like that, it was better to let the young couple cultivate their rtionship.

    Reluctantly, he nodded.

    ¡°Dad, will we be able to live in a big house from now on?¡± Zackary asked with bright eyes.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Hugo patted Zackary¡¯s head happily.

    Seeing his son¡¯s expectant eyes, he was determined to buy that vi. Besides, at such a low price, he might never get another chance like this.

    He told Tina, ¡°Since it¡¯s just for a month, we only need to bring some essentials. There¡¯s not much to do; you don¡¯t need to worry about moving.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Tina nodded. She had something on her mind and quickly tidied up after breakfast. ¡°I¡¯m heading to school.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Jared Farrell said as he stood up.

    ¡°There¡¯s only a week left until exams, and there are no more PE sses. Why are you going to school?¡± Tina teased him.

    ¡°The person you¡¯re looking for, I¡¯m looking for her too. Let¡¯s go together,¡± Jared Farrell replied simply.

    Tina¡¯s eyes flickered. She was indeed going to school early to find someone.

    That girl, Courtney Tate-Tina had noticed her skills on the basketball court that day. After seeing her deft bomb-disarming skills yesterday, she was convinced that Courtney Tate was the child she had been looking for all along.

    When Tina and Jared Farrell arrived at Ensford High School, Mr. Stiller informed them that Courtney Tate had transferred to the capital overnight.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°She must have been scared by yesterday¡¯s kidnapping and decided to transfer suddenly,¡± Mr. Stiller said with a frown. He couldn¡¯t understand why Courtney Tate would transfer so close to exams. There probably weren¡¯t any good schools in the capital willing to take her in at this point.

    However, given her sixth-ce ranking in thest mock exam, she should still be able to get into a good university even if she transferred suddenly.

    Tina remained silent. She and Jared Farrell had been searching for Courtney Tate for so long to uncover the truth about her mother¡¯sst mission and the matter of the serum.

    And now she had run away.

    Just then, her phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number: ¡°Miss Reed, I know you have many questions for me. Come find me in the capital; I¡¯ll be waiting here.¡±

    Courtney Tate!

    Jared Farrell saw it too and exchanged nces with Tina, both pondering Courtney Tate¡¯s intentions.

    Was her sudden transfer an attempt to avoid someone or a bait to lure Tina to the capital?

    Jade Gardens.

    Thepany had given Hugo a day off specifically for the move. He and Jennie called a movingpany.

    James Heart had mentioned that the vi was fully furnished with all necessary appliances and household items, so they only brought clothes and essentials.

    When they were led by the property management to the designated model vi, Hugo thought they had made a mistake.

    The vi was not only in the best location in Jade Gardens but also thergest one. What real estatepany would use their best house as a model home?

    But when the property staff handed them the keys and assured them there was no mistake, Hugo and Jennie moved their things into the vi with mixed feelings of surprise and doubt.

    Once inside, they were stunned by the luxurious European-style decor.

    Custom-made crystal chandeliers, handcrafted leather sofas, coffee tables and dining tables with surfaces made of polished jadeite, even hand-woven carpets.

    The value of the vi¡¯s decor and furniture alone could easily buy another simr vi.

    ¡°Does yourpany really make model homes thisvish?¡± Jennie was dumbfounded. She didn¡¯t even know where to put her feet for fear of damaging something expensive and having to pay for it.

    ¡°Did Mr. Heart really say we could keep all this furniture and decor afterward?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what he said.¡± Hugo was equally astonished.

    ¡°Is your Mr. Heart just throwing money away?¡± Jennie couldn¡¯t understand it.

    Before they could recover from the shock of the vi¡¯s opulence, the doorbell rang suddenly.

    ¡°It must be the property staffing to correct their mistake,¡± Hugo said as he hurried to open the door. ¡°I knew it couldn¡¯t be this house¡­¡±

    But when he opened the door, he was greeted by James Heart¡¯s smiling face.

    ¡°Mr. Heart?¡±

    Behind James Heart stood eight strikingly handsome men. Hugo instantly understood what was going on.

    ¡°Mr. Heart, this house is meant for you, isn¡¯t it? Sorry for the mix-up; we¡¯ll move out right away.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no mistake,¡± James Heart quickly stopped him. ¡°I¡¯m not here to kick you out. It¡¯s like this: your daughter Tina has some brothers from Serenity Ridge who came to visit her in Ensford but couldn¡¯t reach her directly. So they found ourpany, and I brought them here.¡±

    ¡°Brothers?¡± Jennie walked over and looked curiously at the eight men behind James Heart. They were old enough to be Tina¡¯s uncles; how could they be brothers?

    ¡°Hello,¡± Dexter Brookes stepped forward as their representative. ¡°We joined our teacherter than Tina did, so¡­¡±

    Jennie nodded in understanding but felt uneasy due to Dexter Brookes¡¯ strong presence.

    She exchanged nces with Hugo, thinking that James Heart wouldn¡¯t bring eight bad people to their home. Since they imed to be Tina¡¯s brothers, they let them in.

    The couple was also curious about Tina¡¯s life on the mountain over the past ten years since she always glossed over it without giving details.

    So James Heart and his eightpanions dragged a reluctant Hayden Cohen into their home.

 Chapter 202: James Heart Steals Serenaâ€™s Belongings

    As soon as they brought them into the house, Hugo and Jennie felt a bit embarrassed seeing the pile of luggage still in the living room. ¡°Sorry, we just moved in and haven¡¯t had time to organize.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, let me help you,¡± Dexter Brookes said, stepping forward and grabbing thergest suitcase before Hugo could react. ¡°Where should I put this?¡±

    Hugo and Jennie hesitated, feeling awkward about letting their guests do the work. Before they could refuse, the other eight men jumped in, each taking a piece of luggage until the pile was gone, making it look like a robbery.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, don¡¯t be polite with us,¡± Wesley Soames said with a bright smile as he carried arge box full of Zackary¡¯s toys. ¡°Serena¡¯s parents are our parents; feel free to order us around.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you¡­¡± Hugo nodded stiffly, noticing even James Heart had picked up arge bag. He quickly tried to stop him, ¡°Mr. Heart, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡±

    ¡°Fa¡­ Mr. Reed, I¡¯ve been sitting in the office too long; my back is sore. This is a good chance to stretch,¡± James Heart said with a smile, holding onto the bag.

    Jennie and Hugo exchanged nces, now deeply suspecting that the chairman of Mendara might be a bit off his rocker.

    Unable to refuse their enthusiastic help, Hugo and Jennie let the nine men organize all the luggage.

    Once everything was sorted, Hugo and Jennie invited the nine men to the living room for tea.

    As soon as the tea was served, James Heart gave Dexter Brookes a look.

    Dexter Brookes understood immediately and asked Hugo and Jennie, ¡°We forgot to book a hotel when we came over. Could we stay here for a few days?¡±

    Having just received their help with the luggage and even cleaning up any messes, Hugo and Jennie couldn¡¯t refuse. But since they were only temporarily staying in this vi, they looked at James Heart. ¡°Mr. Heart, would this be convenient?¡±

    James Heart was waiting for this question and nodded with a smile. ¡°Of course.¡±

    Hugo sighed in relief, but then James Heart added, ¡°I and these eight brothers of mine hit it off with your daughter. I haven¡¯t experienced staying in Jade Gardens¡¯ vis; how about I stay here for a few days too?¡±

    ¡°Ah?¡± Hugo was stunned. What was supposed to be a family experience of a model home had turned into a group stay. But since James Heart was his boss and even owned the vi, how could he say no?

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t refuse and had to agree.

    With Hugo and Jennie settled, James Heart was in high spirits and immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the room to the left of your daughter¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the one on the right,¡± Wesley Soames quickly added.

    Dexter Brookes used his gaze to deter the other eager brothers and said seriously, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the room opposite Serena¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the one to Dexter¡¯s left,¡± Liam quickly said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the one to Dexter¡¯s right,¡± Tristan said before Gavin could speak.

    Hugo and Jennie lived on the third floor with Zackary, while Tina¡¯s room was on the second floor. There were only six rooms on the second floor, now all taken.

    Gavin red at Tristan and reluctantly said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take the room above Serena¡¯s.¡±

    Damian and Philip, being slower to speak, had to choose rooms on the third floor as well. Hayden Cohen took thest remaining room on the third floor.

    Hugo and Jennie watched in astonishment as these nine men divided up the vi¡¯s rooms.

    Tina¡¯s rtionship with her eight brothers was indeed extraordinary; they even wanted rooms near hers.

    But what was James Heart doing?

    Once the rooms were decided, James Heart called for their luggage to be delivered and moved into their respective rooms.

    After organizing his room, James Heart wandered into Tina¡¯s bedroom next door.

    Tina¡¯s room faced south with excellent lighting and venttion, and it had a huge balcony filled with flowers.

    Every piece of furniture in the room was carefully selected by their nine brothers and airlifted overnight to please Serena.

    To ensure Hugo and Jennie gave Tina this room on the second floor, they had sweet-talked them quite a bit earlier.

    James Heart whistled as he looked around the balcony. The elevated position of Jade Gardens offered a full view of the nearby park from there.

    Satisfied, he returned to the room and saw Tina¡¯s suitcase still on the floor. With nothing else to do, he decided to help her unpack her clothes into the wardrobe.

    Whistling, he opened the suitcase and started cing clothes into the wardrobe. Suddenly, a small piece of pink fabric with a strawberry cake pattern got caught in his hand.

    He picked it up and blushed furiously.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Dexter Brookes¡¯ voice suddenly sounded from the doorway.

    James Heart was so startled that he almost dropped what he was holding.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    He turned around to see Dexter Brookes and Wesley Soames standing at the door, looking shocked.

    ¡°Jimmy, I never knew you had such a perverted hobby-stealing Serena¡¯s underwear?¡± Wesley Soames said with a trembling finger pointing at him.

    ¡°What? James Heart stealing Serena¡¯s underwear?!¡± Tristan eximed as he squeezed into the doorway upon hearing themotion.

    ¡°What color is Serena¡¯s underwear?¡± Liam curiously peeked over but was met with disdainful looks from everyone else as if saying they didn¡¯t expect him to be a pervert too!

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s a misunderstanding¡­¡± James Heart waved his hands frantically, trying to exin that he was just helping Tina unpack.

    At that moment, a cold voice came from the doorway.

    ¡°What are you all doing?¡±

    James Heart still held onto that strawberry-patterned underwear as he met Tina¡¯s puzzled gaze. His face turned pale instantly.

    Standing behind Tina was Jared Farrell. Her eyes filled with murderous intent as she saw what James Heart was holding.

    ¡°Serena, Serena, listen to my excuse¡­ no, listen to my exnation,¡± James Heart stammered.

    Tina cracked her knuckles ominously as Dexter Brookes and the others tactfully made way for her.

    James Heart backed away step by step from the menacing Tina. ¡°Serena, these pieces of furniture were carefully selected; it would be a shame to break them.¡±

    Tina said nothing as she walked in silently. Wesley Soames thoughtfully closed the door behind her. Immediately after, James Heart¡¯s screams filled the room but quickly faded away.

    Wesley Soames didn¡¯t care; he merely looked provocatively at Jared Farrell outside the door. ¡°Since you¡¯ve brought Serena back, you can leave now.¡±

    ¡°Leave?¡± Jared Farrell ignored Wesley Soames¡¯ provocation. ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you I¡¯m staying here?¡±

    ¡°Stay here?¡± Wesley Soames sneered. ¡°Too bad there¡¯s no ce left for you.¡±

    Jared Farrell frowned slightly.

    Wesley Soames helpfully pointed out each room. ¡°This one¡¯s mine; that one¡¯s Dexter¡¯s; that one¡¯s Jimmy¡¯s; and next to it¡­¡±

 Chapter 203: Give Me a Chance to Redeem Myself

    Jared Farrell¡¯s face grew colder as he listened. He had felt something was off when Hugo mentioned the vi today. It turned out these troublesome guys had taken over the rooms next to Tina¡¯s while he was away.

    At this moment, Hugo and his group, hearing themotion, came down from the third floor. Seeing Jared Farrell, Hugo and his wife were momentarily stunned, remembering that Jared was supposed to live with them too. However, they had forgotten and all the rooms on the second and third floors were already chosen.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Hugo looked around awkwardly and asked Jared Farrell in a negotiating tone, ¡°Jared, how about you stay in a room on the first floor?¡±

    Jared Farrell lifted his eyes, let out a lightugh, and nced coldly at the seven men in the hallway. Finally, he pointed at Hayden Cohen, who was trying to hide behind Damian, ¡°I¡¯ll stay in his room.¡±

    Dexter Brookes and the others immediately turned their threatening gazes towards Hayden Cohen, signaling that if he dared agree, he¡¯d be in big trouble.

    Hayden Cohen felt miserable. Why did he have to be caught in the middle? But facing Jared Farrell¡¯s cold smile, he realized that while his eight brothers were scary, refusing Jared could be deadly. So he forced augh and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid of heights; I¡¯ll take a room on the first floor.¡±

    Dexter Brookes and the others red at Hayden Cohen with naked hostility, calling him a traitor with their eyes. Hayden Cohen pretended not to see them and quickly went upstairs to pack his things, wanting to avoid the intense battlefield on the second floor.

    As soon as he entered his room, someone grabbed him by the neck from behind. Jared Farrell¡¯s icy voice rang out, ¡°Enjoyed tearing down my house?¡±

    Hayden Cohen shivered all over, almost kneeling before Jared Farrell. He turned around trembling and said, ¡°Mr. Farrell, I was forced! You have no idea how terrifying my eight brothers are¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Jared Farrellughed without warmth. ¡°They¡¯re scary? I¡¯m not? The Iron Camp for new recruits needs an experienced leader. How about you?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Hayden Cohen¡¯s hair stood on end, and his legs went weak. This time he really knelt before Jared Farrell, hugging his leg and begging for mercy. ¡°Mr. Farrell, Iron Campsts for months! You can¡¯t do without a handsome and capable assistant like me during these tumultuous times!¡±

    What a joke! Iron Camp was known as hellish training, improved by none other than Jared Farrell himself. They had barely survived the original devilish training designed by Lark Everett. Out of a thousand participants, fewer than thirty passed. And now Jared had made it even tougher.

    ¡°Ha.¡± Jared Farrell sneered and kicked Hayden Cohen away. ¡°You think I need you around to annoy me?¡±

    ¡°No, no! I¡¯m very considerate; I wouldn¡¯t annoy you.¡± Hayden Cohen tried to approach again.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Jared Farrell coldly avoided him, looking at him as if saying, ¡°Do you believe what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell¡­¡± Hayden Cohen was on the verge of tears. ¡°Give me a chance to redeem myself!¡±

    Jared Farrell said expressionlessly, ¡°Get rid of your eight brothers.¡±

    For Tina¡¯s sake, he could tolerate them tearing down his house. But fighting for a spot next to Tina? Unforgivable.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Hayden Cohen hesitated at the thought of his difficult brothers. But seeing Jared¡¯s cold gaze, he quickly said, ¡°I can do it, but¡­¡±

    Seeing Jared¡¯s face turn cold again, he hurriedly added, ¡°But my eight brothers aren¡¯t easy to deal with. We need to tackle them one by one.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Jared Farrell sat on a leather sofa by the wall, crossing his long legs and raising an eyebrow at Hayden Cohen. ¡°How do we tackle them one by one?¡±

    ¡°Heh heh.¡± Hayden Cohen chuckled mischievously and leaned in to whisper, ¡°Dexter likes painting, Wesley is afraid of cats, Damian loves tea, James Heart¡­¡±

    Jared Farrell gave him a cold look. ¡°Won¡¯t that waste a lot of time?¡±

    Hayden Cohen was almost in tears. ¡°It¡¯s the best way I can think of. Otherwise, getting rid of them won¡¯t be easy.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. ¡°Really?¡±

    Downstairs.

    When Tina came down after scolding James Heart, she saw Jared Farrell and her other eight brothers sitting on opposite sofas in the living room.

    Dexter Brookes and the others red at Jared with disdain. Though alone, Jared¡¯s presence was undiminished as he faced them indifferently.

    Hugo and Jennie looked bewildered. They had been hosting everyone for tea when suddenly the atmosphere turned tense.

    Damian sneered at Jared and began skillfully brewing tea with a white jade tea set on the coffee table.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed,¡± Damian said to Hugo and Jennie while ring at Jared provocatively. ¡°This is the finest tea from today¡¯s batch. Please try it.¡±

    Jared smiled slightly, took a sip of the tea Damian handed him, and praised it. ¡°Rich and mellow with a sweet aftertaste. Excellent tea.¡±

    Twenty thousand dors per hundred grams indeed made it excellent tea.

    Just as Damian was about to feel proud, the doorbell rang. Jennie opened the door to let Nathan Lehman in with a purple sandalwood box.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, here¡¯s what you asked for,¡± Nathan said as he approached Jared.

    Jared nodded slightly, and Nathan ced the box on the coffee table and opened it to reveal an exquisite white porcin tea set carved with intricate designs.

    The set wasid out on a jade-polished table surface, looking exceptionally beautiful.

    Damian¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the tea set by Shawn Westwood, which had fetched a billion dors at auctionst year.

    Seeing Nathan take out some tea leaves next made Damian gasp. ¡°This¡­ this is¡­¡±

    Jared took the tea leaves from Nathan and elegantly brewed tea with water from Zhongling Spring that Nathan had brought along. He answered slowly, ¡°This teaes from the Imperial Tea Garden, producing only two ounces annually. It¡¯s priceless.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ using such a precious antique tea set for brewing tea?!¡± Damian eximed as he watched Jared use the carved white porcin set for brewing. His eyes nearly popped out in distress. ¡°What a waste!¡±

    Shawn Westwood¡¯s tea sets were rare treasures; any damage would be an irreceable loss for humanity.

 Chapter 204: Taking Turns to Lose

    Jared Farrell calmly pushed a cup of freshly brewed tea towards Damian.

    ¡°Teaware is naturally meant for brewing tea.¡±

    ¡°This is an antique!¡± Damian red at Jared Farrell but couldn¡¯t resist taking a sip. The unique, subtle fragrance of the tea made him almost sigh in contentment.

    He had coveted this tea from the Imperial Tea Garden for a long time. Each year, only a few ounces were produced, and they were always pre-ordered by the elites before even being harvested. He never even had a chance to smell it.

    Unexpectedly, it was now his most hated rival who fulfilled his wish.

    As he savored the tea, he carefully yed with the intricately carved white porcin teacup in his hand. The cup, crafted by Shawn Westwood, depicted stories rted to tea-nting, harvesting, processing, selling, brewing, and tasting.

    Such exquisite craftsmanship made his own white jade teaware look like trash.

    Shouldn¡¯t such a precious item be kept in a secure cab?

    Yet this man was using it so casually!

    Tina nced at Damian¡¯s face, filled with jealousy and anger towards Jared Farrell, and couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Hugo and Jennie called her over as soon as they saw here down. Jennie whispered, ¡°Do your brothers have a grudge against Jared?¡±

    Watching from the side, it seemed like they were just making tea, but it felt like they might start fighting any second.

    Tina smiled and patted Jennie¡¯s back reassuringly.

    ¡°Serena,e sit here,¡± Dexter Brookes and the others immediately made space for her when they saw her.

    Before Tina could move, Jared Farrell stood up first, took her hand, and led her to sit beside him. He raised an eyebrow at the eight people opposite who looked displeased.

    He brewed another cup of tea for Tina and handed it to her. Then he nced disdainfully at Damian¡¯s white jade teaware and said, ¡°Don¡¯t bring out such things next time.¡±

    First round: Damianpletely defeated!

    Dexter Brookes exchanged nces with his brothers and took out a long brocade box that had been by his side. He handed it to Hugo.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    With Liam¡¯s help, he unrolled a painting inside-andscape painted in varying shades of ink.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, we didn¡¯t know what gift to bring for our visit, so we prepared Wesley ckwood¡¯s ¡®A Thousand Mountains in Snow.''¡±

    Hugo and Jennie gasped at the sight of the painting. They had seen it in the news before; it was said to have been auctioned for three billion dors and bought by a mysterious collector. They never expected that collector to be Dexter Brookes.

    The antique teaware and Imperial Tea Garden tea had already made Hugo and Jennie uneasy. Now Dexter Brookes was presenting them with such a priceless painting.

    The couple was so shocked they forgot to refuse.

    Are all disciples of Serenity Ridge this wealthy?

    Jared Farrell nced at the painting and sneered at Dexter Brookes. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Mr. Brookes is an expert in ancient paintings. How could you not recognize this as a fake?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, if you don¡¯t understand art, don¡¯t speak nonsense,¡± Dexter Brookes said coldly. ¡°This ¡®A Thousand Mountains in Snow¡¯ by Wesley ckwood has been authenticated by several experts.¡±

    ¡°Just chatans,¡± Jared Farrell said nonchntly. ¡°Experts pretending to know what they don¡¯t often ruin precious artifacts.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, you¡¯re the one pretending to know,¡± Dexter Brookes retorted angrily. ¡°If you im this painting is a fake, where¡¯s your proof?¡±

    ¡°The fabric used for this painting,¡± Jared Farrell pointed out. ¡°This type of fabric only appeared recently. How could Wesley ckwood have used it?¡±

    Dexter Brookes¡¯ face changed as he looked at the painting in disbelief.

    ¡°You can have it tested,¡± Jared Farrell suggested.

    ¡°How do you know this?¡± Dexter Brookes still couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Jared Farrell signaled to Nathan Lehman, who handed him another long brocade box. Jared Farrell unrolled an identical ¡®A Thousand Mountains in Snow.¡¯

    ¡°Because-the original has always been with me,¡± Jared Farrell said with a smug smile.

    Dexter Brookes was stunned. He stepped forward to examine Jared Farrell¡¯s painting closely. He could see Wesley ckwood¡¯s distinctive brushwork habits that confirmed its authenticity. He had spent three billion dors on a forgery!

    ¡°Don¡¯t be disheartened, Mr. Brookes,¡± Jared Farrell pretended to console him. ¡°Though it¡¯s a fake, it¡¯s still a fine piece worth quite a bit.¡±

    Second round: anotherplete defeat!

    Dexter Brookes was speechless as he watched Jared Farrell roll up the genuine ¡®A Thousand Mountains in Snow¡¯ and present it to Hugo and Jennie.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Mrs. Reed, this is my gift to you.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie didn¡¯t dare ept it. They had only asked for eighty-eight thousand dors as Tina¡¯s dowry, and now Jared Farrell was giving them a painting worth three billion dors.

    ¡°You can consider it a gift for Tina,¡± Jared Farrell said, holding Tina¡¯s hand in his. ¡°We will be getting married soon.¡±

    Tina was taken aback.

    She had only decided not to break off the engagement for now; how did it turn into getting married?

    Tina¡¯s silence seemed like tacit approval to Hugo, who suddenly found Jared Farrell annoying again.

    He told Jennie, ¡°Let¡¯s ept it for Tina and include it in her dowry.¡±

    Dexter Brookes and his brothers looked grim.

    James Heart, limping down from the second floor, overheard this and eximed loudly, ¡°What dowry?! No way! I don¡¯t agree!¡±

    Hugo and Jennie frowned at him. What did their daughter¡¯s dowry have to do with James Heart?

    Caught off guard by their puzzled looks, James Heart stammered, ¡°I mean the vi¡¯s decor is nice; I don¡¯t agree with changing it.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Heart, were you asleep just now?¡± Hugo stood up to offer James Heart his seat. ¡°I called you down for tea, but you didn¡¯t respond.¡±

    ¡°No need, no need; you sit,¡± James Heart hurriedly declined. He sat next to Damian and couldn¡¯t help but wince in pain as he looked at Tina drinking tea across from him.

    Serena had shown no mercy earlier; he was in pain all over despite having no visible injuries.

    Tina sipped the West Lake Longjing tea brewed by Jared Farrell, ignoring James Heart¡¯s pitiful gaze.

    James Heart reluctantly looked away and whispered to Dexter Brookes, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Weren¡¯t we supposed to get rid of that man? How did it turn into talking about dowries?¡±

    Dexter Brookes gave him aplicated look but said nothing.

    He couldn¡¯t possibly tell James Heart that he and Damian had tried to outdo Jared Farrell in wealth and taste but ended up utterly defeated.

 Chapter 205: As Expected, This Trick Works Best

    Tristan nced at the defeated Dexter Brookes and Damian, narcissistically flicking his hair. He smiled at Tina, ¡°Serena, I recently modified a car. You¡¯ll definitely like it. I was thinking of bringing it over for you to try.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tina¡¯s interest was piqued at the mention of the car. Tristan¡¯s car modification skills were top-notch, and all the modified cars she had used before were his work. She raised an eyebrow at Tristan, ¡°Where¡¯s the car?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be here soon.¡± Tristan nced smugly at Jared Farrell, not noticing the faint smile Jared hid behind his teacup.

    The next second, Tristan¡¯s phone rang. His subordinate reported nervously, ¡°Mr. Montague, your TLJ691 was hit on the way¡­¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Tristan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How bad is the damage?¡±

    The subordinate hesitated, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s totaled¡­¡±

    The entire car was crushed into scrap metal. How could it not be totaled?

    ¡°Who had the guts to crash my car?!¡± Tristan was furious. That car had cost him nearly ten million dors to modify!

    The subordinate stammered, ¡°It was Mr. Farrell¡¯s people. They drove a steamroller over it¡­¡±

    Tristan red at Jared Farrell, ¡°Jared Farrell, you dare destroy the gift I prepared for Serena?!¡±

    ¡°You destroyed so many of my houses,¡± Jared Farrell said calmly, sipping his tea. ¡°Is it too much for me to destroy one of your cars?¡±

    He looked affectionately at Tina, who was raising an eyebrow at him. ¡°Tina, whatever car you want, I can give you. My car modification skills are also excellent. Want to try?¡±

    Tina almost spat out her tea. She suspected he was flirting, but she had no evidence.

    Dexter Brookes and the others red angrily at Jared Farrell, but they had all been defeated by him.

    Wesley Soames cleared his throat and decided to step in. ¡°Serena, I also prepared a gift for you.¡±

    He took out arge square box and was about to present the exquisite bloodstone he had prepared when he felt something moving inside the box. Frowning, he opened it and found a sleepy kitten inside, which meowed softly at him.

    ¡°Ah! A cat!¡± Wesley Soames screamed, throwing the box and jumping three feet high, almostnding in Dexter Brookes¡¯ arms.

    Tina caught the kitten in her hands. It was a cute British Shorthair with silver fur.

    However, the three brothers opposite her were pale with fright.

    It was quite embarrassing for a six-foot-tall man to be afraid of cats.

    Wesley Soames had been traumatized as a child when he was locked in a room full of wild cats for three days and nights as a prank. He had never been able to ovee the psychological shadow it left.

    But very few people knew about this¡­

    Tina petted the kitten and looked at Jared Farrell, who was leisurely drinking tea beside her.

    Dexter Brookes also sensed something was wrong. He coldly looked at Hayden Cohen, who was huddled in a corner like a quail, and asked, ¡°How did he know in advance what gifts we were going to give?¡±

    James Heart and the other six also turned their sharp gazes towards Hayden Cohen.

    If someone hadn¡¯t tipped him off, how could Jared Farrell have prepared antique tea sets and paintings so coincidentally and intercepted Tristan¡¯s modified car for Tina?

    And how did he know about Wesley Soames¡¯ fear of cats, which only they knew?

    Hayden Cohen looked up guiltily and gave his eight angry brothers an awkward smile.

    The next second, they dragged him out to the yard.

    They couldn¡¯t fight in the living room; it would scare their future inws.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, save me! Mr. Farrell!¡± Hayden Cohen struggled and cried out to Jared Farrell for help.

    Jared Farrell just sipped his tea without looking at him.

    Daring to betray him and help demolish his houses? A little punishment was necessary!This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

    Hugo and Jennie sat on the sofa, listening to Hayden Cohen¡¯s wails from the yard. They hesitantly asked Tina, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you stop them? Is this alright?¡±

    What exactly was happening today? They couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°They know their limits.¡± Tina sipped her tea just like Jared Farrell, indifferent to Hayden Cohen¡¯s screams.

    Jared Farrell finished three cups of tea leisurely before taking out his phone to call Nn Brookes, CEO of Brookes Group in the capital. ¡°Mr. Brookes.¡±

    Nn Brookes sounded anxious on the other end. ¡°Mr. Daryl, what can I do for you?¡±

    Mr. Daryl only called for big matters!

    ¡°I¡¯m here to lodge aint.¡± Jared Farrell chuckled lightly.

    ¡°Aint?¡± Nn Brookes was puzzled. ¡°Who offended you?¡±

    With Mr. Daryl¡¯s capabilities, when would he need Nn to step in?

    ¡°Your son,¡± Jared Farrell said calmly. ¡°He and his brothers destroyed all my residences in Ensford. What do you suggest we do?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Nn Brookes¡¯ voice rose several octaves. ¡°Those brats dared to offend you! Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll notify their fathers immediately and make sure they get skinned!¡±

    Jared Farrell hung up the phone with satisfaction. Comining to his wife always worked best.

    As the eight men who had just brutalized Hayden Cohen walked back into the living room feeling refreshed, their phones rang almost simultaneously.

    ¡°Dad?¡± Dexter Brookes answered.

    As soon as he spoke, Nn Brookes¡¯ furious roar came through, ¡°You brat! Are you itching for a beating? How dare you demolish someone¡¯s house! Get back here immediately! If you¡¯re not on a ne back to the capital within half an hour, don¡¯t me me for sending someone to drag you back!¡±

    Dexter Brookes was stunned, and his seven brothers seemed to be receiving simr treatment from their parents.

    He looked at Jared Farrell¡¯s smug face and understood instantly. ¡°Jared Farrell, have you no shame? You¡¯re an adult and you¡¯re tattling like a child!¡±

    Jared Farrell proudly wrapped his arm around Tina¡¯s waist. ¡°My fiancee taught me well.¡±

    ¡°Serena, are you just going to let him bully us like this?¡± Wesley Soamesined but stood far away from Tina¡¯s cat.

    Tina raised an eyebrow. She was enjoying the show and didn¡¯t want to get involved. She shrugged, ¡°You bullied my fiance first and expect me to help you?

    ¡°Eight of you lost to him alone; aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡±

    Wesley Soames was speechless.

    At that moment, their phones rang again furiously. Seeing their parents¡¯ numbers, they were too scared to answer and rushed upstairs to pack their bags before storming back down and heading out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to take that piece of trash in the yard with you,¡± Jared Farrell called after them.

    Dexter Brookes and his group paused, reluctantly looking at the barely conscious Hayden Cohen on the ground before picking him up and leaving.

    With those nine troublemakers gone, the living room fell silent.

    Jared Farrell took a deep breath; with those nuisances gone, even the air felt fresher.

    He turned to Nathan Lehman and instructed, ¡°Clean up the room next to Tina¡¯s thoroughly.¡±

    Nathan Lehmanplied immediately. Without needing further instructions from Jared Farrell, he cleaned James Heart¡¯s old room and moved Jared Farrell¡¯s luggage in.

    Once Jared Farrell settled into the room next to Tina¡¯s as he wished, he told Nathan Lehman, ¡°Remember to send Hayden Cohen the bill for renovating my houses.¡±

    Nathan Lehman silently mourned for Hayden Cohen. With both physical injuries and financial losses, this would cost Young Master Cohen dearly-probably his entire year¡¯s allowance.

 Chapter 206: Amber Reed Still So Disobedient

    A weekter, the students of Ensford High School sessfully faced their exams. Half a monthter, the results were out, and no one expected ss 22D to produce two dark horses. One was Velma Lehman, who was admitted to Clearwater University with the highest score in the city, and the other was Shonna Woodham, who was admitted to Norther University with the second-highest score in the city.

    Clearwater University and Norther University are the top two universities in the country. Having one student admitted to either would be remarkable, but ss 22D had two! As for Albert Sitwell, Hendrik Stiller, and Elena Heisler, they also got into excellent schools.

    When this news broke, the parents from other sses who had previously targeted Tina were stunned. They doubted their memories-was this really the same ss 22D that used to be at the bottom?

    Mr. Stiller was overjoyed. This year¡¯s students at Ensford High School, aside from the sudden rise of ss 22D, also produced two students admitted to Clearwater University and one to Norther University, doubling the usual sess rate. All thanks to his wise decision to bring Tina in as the head teacher of ss 22D.

    The parents of ss 22D students were equally surprised by their children¡¯s outstanding performance. On graduation day, they surrounded Tina, taking turns to thank her profusely.

    Younger parents, seeing Tina as a beacon of hope, eagerly asked which ss she would teach next year, ready to transfer their children to her ss. Other schools even tried to poach Tina, sneaking into Ensford High School¡¯s graduation ceremony to approach her since they couldn¡¯t contact her otherwise.

    Amidst the crowd around Tina, Jared Farrell, a seemingly useless PE teacher, was pushed aside. ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up. Tina won¡¯t stay,¡± he said to Mr. Stiller, who was smiling broadly while watching Tina. ¡°She came to Ensford High School to find Courtney Tate. Now that Courtney Tate is gone, she won¡¯t stay either.¡±

    Mr. Stiller¡¯s smile froze, looking somewhat resentfully at Jared Farrell as if saying he couldn¡¯t even dream a little? ¡°Too many daydreams can lead to dementia,¡± Jared Farrell said with a face full of concern.

    Sure enough, when Tina was asked for the Nth time which ss she would take next year, she replied, ¡°Sorry, today is myst day as a head teacher at Ensford High School. I will resign and no longer take any sses.¡±

    Disappointed parents dispersed, leaving only the enthusiastic parents of ss 22D surrounding Tina. This scene naturally caught the attention of many, including Jasper Reed, who hade to attend Amber Reed¡¯s graduation at her request.

    ¡°That seems to be your foster sister,¡± Jasper Reed said to Amber Reed as he looked at Tina from a distance. ¡°Let¡¯s go say hello.¡±

    A shadow crossed Amber Reed¡¯s eyes; she was reluctant. She had been scoring high enough in mock exams for Clearwater University but performed poorly in the actual exam and only got into an ordinary university. Meanwhile, ss 22D¡¯s results soared under Tina¡¯s guidance, making even Elena Heisler, who transferred there, get into a top university. Amber Reed, once Miss Ensford, now seemed unremarkable.

    Since the exam results were released a few days ago, she had heard countless praises for Tina and many questioning her own title as Miss Ensford. But seeing the distinguished man standing not far from Tina made her eyes light up. She took Jasper Reed¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go congratte my sister¡¯s students on their excellent results.¡±

    Jasper Reed stiffened. Even though Amber Reed had been back for a while, he couldn¡¯t warm up to her. Every time she got close, he felt ufortable and wanted to push her away. In contrast, from the first time he met Tina, he felt a natural affinity towards her.

    Suppressing his urge to shake off Amber Reed, Jasper Reed walked with her towards Tina.

    ¡°Mr. Reed,¡± Jared Farrell nodded at Jasper Reed as he approached.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell,¡± Jasper Reed greeted him briefly before wanting to talk to Tina.

    Amber Reed discreetly dropped something at Jared Farrell¡¯s feet and signaled her cronies. They immediately eximed loudly, ¡°Oh my! How did Amber Reed¡¯s bracelet fall from Mr. Farrell? Do you two have a close rtionship?¡±

    Their loud exmations quieted the crowd around Tina, who all turned to look at Jared Farrell.

    Jasper Reed stopped in his tracks, frowning as he looked between Jared Farrell and Amber Reed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense,¡± Amber Reed blushed slightly, looking at Jared Farrell with eyes full of unspoken emotions. ¡°How could I have any intimate rtionship with my brother-inw¡­¡±

    The surrounding people were led astray by her demeanor, thinking there was something unspeakable between them.

    Most people present knew about Tina and Jared Farrell¡¯s rtionship and looked at him disapprovingly.

    Tina¡¯s face turned cold. She had warned Amber Reed before that Jared Farrell was her man and not to overstep boundaries. Clearly, Amber Reed was still disobedient.

    ¡°Come on, Amber, just tell the truth,¡± one of her cronies continued as instructed. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful and Miss Ensford; it¡¯s normal for him to like you and keep your bracelet with him.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Jared Farrell sneered, striding into the crowd and pulling Tina into his arms. He looked disdainfully at Amber Reed¡¯s act. ¡°Am I blind? Would I go for a woman who just graduated high school and is already unmarried and pregnant?¡±

 Chapter 207: Find the Real Father for Your Child!

    The crowd fell silent, all eyes on Amber Reed¡¯s suddenly pale face. Even her cronies were stunned, unsure if they should continue following her script.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, what do you mean by that?¡± Jasper Reed frowned. Although he didn¡¯t particrly like Amber, she was still his daughter, and he couldn¡¯t allow anyone to tarnish her reputation.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, you don¡¯t know?¡± Jared Farrell, with one arm around Tina and the other in his pocket, looked at him mockingly. ¡°Your daughter was found to be pregnant at the city hospital more than half a month ago.¡±

    Amber¡¯s face turned even paler, and her right hand instinctively moved to her abdomen. She had spent a lot of money to keep her hospital visit a secret and couldn¡¯t understand how Jared Farrell knew.

    She had initially wanted to terminate the pregnancy as soon as she found out, but with exams just over a week away, she feared that post-surgery recovery would affect her future chances of conceiving. So, she decided to wait until after the exams.

    After the exams, the Reed family, unable to secure Spectre¡¯s services, invited someone from one of the four major families in the capital, the Ward family, to treat Emrys.

    The Ward family was renowned for their medical expertise. Among the younger generation, two people stood out: Ethan Ward and his daughter Lily Ward. Lily was a medical prodigy who focused on modern medicine, unlike her family who specialized in traditional medicine. Despite this, her exceptional talent and numerous high-impact publications and awards earned her a reputation in the medical field.

    Initially, the Ward family was unhappy with Lily¡¯s departure from traditional medicine. However, her research team developed several patents that brought significant benefits to the family, silencing their objections. Even younger family members were allowed to follow her into modern medicine.

    The Reed family had invited Lily Ward to treat Emrys. Audrey Woodwind, who had some personal ties with Lily, was sent by the Reed family to apany her to Ensford.

    Since arriving in Ensford, Audrey had been keeping a close watch on Amber, preventing her from terminating the pregnancy. Amber had suspected that Lily¡¯s medical skills were so advanced that she might have noticed something and informed Audrey. She had been living in constant fear that the Reed family would discover her secret, but she never expected Jared Farrell to expose it so ruthlessly in public.

    ¡°Amber?¡± Jasper wanted to get to the bottom of this but decided it was better to handle it privately. ¡°Come home with me,¡± he said.

    Unexpectedly, one of Amber¡¯s cronies blurted out, ¡°Amber, could the baby be Mr. Farrell¡¯s? Otherwise, why would your bracelet fall from his pocket?¡±

    The crony then foolishly addressed Jared Farrell, ¡°Mr. Farrell, you can¡¯t just walk away after getting Amber pregnant!¡±

    Jared shot a cold nce at the crony, who immediately fell silent under his icy stare. However, the surrounding crowd began whispering among themselves, with many seemingly convinced by the crony¡¯s words.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that easy to fool?¡± Jared sneered at Amber. ¡°I don¡¯t mind waiting until you¡¯re seven weeks pregnant for a DNA test. We can also publicly announce it and help find the real father for your child!¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Amber¡¯s eyes widened in terror as she looked at Jared like he was a demon. There was no way she could go through with a DNA test or let him investigate the child¡¯s father. The baby was undoubtedly conceived on that day in Southridge. If it were discovered that the father was a mentally ill person, all her past sufferings would be exposed, ruining her reputation and future.

    ¡°Dad!¡± Amber clutched Jasper¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well; let¡¯s go home.¡±

    Jasper nced at Jared Farrell. He suspected that Jared knew something about the baby¡¯s father but decided not to let him say anything more in public for the sake of the family¡¯s reputation. ¡°Let¡¯s go home and discuss this,¡± he said to Amber.

    Amber felt a chill in her heart. She knew that once they got home, the Reed family would question her thoroughly about the baby¡¯s origin. She needed toe up with a usible story quickly. She cast a resentful nce at Jared Farrell before discreetly sending a few text messages.

    Jared watched coldly as Jasper led Amber away when Tina suddenly spoke up from his embrace. ¡°You seem very concerned about her. You even know how many weeks she¡¯s pregnant.¡±

    For some reason, Tina¡¯s calm tone carried an undercurrent of menace that Jared couldn¡¯t ignore.

    ¡°Nathan Lehman,¡± he immediately called Nathan Lehman on his phone. ¡°Make sure Amber Reed¡¯s scandal doesn¡¯t get covered up!¡±

    ¡°Understood, Mr. Farrell,¡± Nathan replied.

    After hanging up, Jared looked at Tina and noticed that the menacing aura had disappeared. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly-his Tina could be quite jealous!

    To facilitate Amber¡¯s schooling in Ensford, Jasper had repurchased the old house Elizabeth had sold to pay off debts. Annabelle and others had returned to the capital but came back to celebrate Amber¡¯s graduation at her request.

    Amber and Jasper hadn¡¯t even reached home when Audrey Woodwind jumped up from the sofa where she was scrolling through her phone. ¡°Grandma, Mom,e look! Amber is on Ensford¡¯s headlines again!¡±

    Garrett and Damian were startled by her outburst. ¡°What headline is Amber on now?¡±

    Annabelle and Esther were arranging flowers together when they heard this and frowned. Esther told Audrey to calm down. ¡°What¡¯s so shocking about this headline?¡±

    ¡°Look! Amber is pregnant!¡± Audrey handed over her phone indignantly. ¡°She¡¯s only eighteen and just graduated high school! She¡¯s brought shame to our family!¡±

    ¡°How could this be?¡± Esther looked skeptically at Audrey¡¯s phone video. ¡°Amber always seemed so well-behaved; it must be fake news.¡±

    Annabelle put on her reading sses and looked at Audrey¡¯s phone without saying a word. Garrett and Damian also pulled out their phones to check Ensford¡¯s news on Weibo.

    The news video showed Amber deliberately dropping her bracelet at Jared Farrell¡¯s feet. Then it showed her crony fabricating a story about an illicit rtionship between Amber and Jared, only for Jared to publicly expose Amber¡¯s unwed pregnancy.

 Chapter 208: The Farrell Family Takes Action

    Annabelle and Esther frowned deeply, while Garrett and Damian¡¯s faces darkened.

    ¡°Amber must be crazy!¡± Audrey Woodwind watched the video of Amber Reed with disgust in her eyes, quickly masked by anger. ¡°It¡¯s bad enough she¡¯s pregnant before marriage, but now she wants to pin it on Jared Farrell and make him take responsibility!¡±

    Ha! Does she even know her ce? A man like Jared Farrell, and she dares to dream!

    Audrey Woodwind sneered internally but put on a pitiful face. ¡°Mom, Grandma, this matter has already spread throughout Ensford. If it reaches the capital, what will people think of our family? My reputation will be affected just because Amber Reed is my cousin. People will think I¡¯m as indiscreet as she is!¡±

    Annabelle had considered this too and was about tofort Audrey when Damian¡¯s phone rang.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°It¡¯s Grandpa.¡± Damian looked troubled but sighed and answered the call.

    Sure enough, Muff Reed¡¯s angry roar came through the phone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Amber Reed? Not only is she pregnant out of wedlock, but she also dares to throw dirt on Logan¡¯s precious grandson! Does she think she can make him a fool?¡±

    Muff Reed was furious. Ever since this granddaughter was brought back, he had been constantly aggravated. Logan would oftene to his nursing home just to mock him. And Logan had every right to do so, leaving Muff Reed no choice but to endure it.

    In the nursing home, surrounded by old friends and rtives, every time Logan came, they all watched the spectacle of Logan scolding him like a child. He felt like he wasn¡¯t recuperating at all; this newly recognized granddaughter was driving him to his grave!

    Damian endured Muff Reed¡¯s scolding without daring to retort, only responding meekly.

    ¡°Call your brother.¡±

    After hanging up, Annabelle¡¯s face was grim. She turned to Garrett. ¡°Ask him why he didn¡¯t suppress all the news when it happened. How did it be such a scandal that even the old man knows?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Garrett quickly called Jasper Reed for an exnation. After hanging up, he frowned and told Annabelle, ¡°Mom, big brother said he tried to suppress the news immediately, but the Farrell family intervened.¡±

    The Reed family fell silent. Compared to the Farrell family, they were significantly weaker. Amber Reed being exposed as pregnant out of wedlock was one thing, but trying to pin it on Jared Farrell?

    Who was Jared Farrell? He was the next head of the Farrell family, one of the four major families in the capital! If Jared Farrell wanted to teach Amber Reed a lesson, there was nothing they could do.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Audrey Woodwind scrolled through her phone and thenined to Esther. ¡°Amber Reed¡¯s scandal has reached our school! My ssmates are asking me about it on WeChat! The campus forum even says it¡¯s me who¡¯s pregnant!¡±

    She gritted her teeth in frustration. She knew Amber Reed¡¯s mess would affect her reputation!

    ¡°Fortunately, you¡¯ve already graduated,¡± Esther patted her daughter¡¯s hand tofort her. ¡°By the time you start university, this matter will have blown over.¡±

    Audrey Woodwind¡¯s face darkened further.

    She felt that the Reed family was too lenient with Amber Reed. Despite causing such a scandal that affected her reputation, they still wanted to keep things quiet.

    Annabelle, who had watched Audrey grow up and cared deeply for her granddaughter, could see her grievances clearly.

    After a moment of silence, she said to everyone, ¡°We¡¯ll wait for Jasper and Amber toe back and get to the bottom of this.¡±

    Just then, Jasper Reed entered with a downcast Amber Reed. Seeing everyone¡¯s eyes on them, Jasper understood they were waiting for them.

    ¡°Grandma,¡± Amber Reed called out cautiously with a pale face.

    ¡°Sit down,¡± Annabelle pointed to the sofa.

    Jasper sat next to Garrett while Amber initially moved to sit beside Audrey Woodwind. However, seeing her approach, Audrey stood up with a stern face and moved to sit next to Esther instead.

    Amber¡¯s eyes darkened briefly before she quickly masked it with a pitiful look.

    ¡°Amber, is it true you¡¯re pregnant?¡± Annabelle asked sternly.

    Amber nodded pitifully. She couldn¡¯t deny it; she had seen the news herself. Photos of her visiting the obstetrics department had been exposed. The Reed family only needed to investigate to confirm everything.

    ¡°Whose child is it?¡± Annabelle asked, barely containing her anger.

    ¡°It¡¯s Nathaniel¡¯s¡­¡± Amber¡¯s eyes flickered as her voice grew smaller.

    ¡°What?!¡± Jasper Reed frowned in anger. ¡°When did this start?¡±

    ¡°When I first went to the capital¡­¡± Amber mumbled vaguely, portraying herself as a victim led astray. ¡°I was unfamiliar with everything and scared. Nathaniel was kind to me, so I¡­¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Annabelleughed angrily. ¡°Logan dares trouble our family when it¡¯s his grandson who did this!¡±

    Audrey Woodwind nced at Amber with suspicion.

    She hadn¡¯t seen Amber being timid when she first arrived in the capital; she had been quite bold in bullying her. Moreover, she didn¡¯t believe Amber had any affection for Nathaniel Farrell; she had always had her eyes on Jared Farrell.

    If Amber liked Jared Farrell, why would she end up pregnant with Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s child?

    ¡°Call Nathaniel Farrell here now!¡± Annabelle demanded angrily. ¡°He needs to exin himself to our family!¡±

    Amber obediently called Nathaniel Farrell. He arrived quickly but with a cold expression. This time, his attitude towards Amber was distant and angry.

    After greeting the elders of the Reed family, Jasper asked him, ¡°Amber says she¡¯s pregnant with your child. Is that true?¡±

    Nathaniel nced at Amber with disgust.

    Amber stared back at him warningly.

    Annoyed but resigned, he nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Amber breathed a sigh of relief. She knew she could persuade Nathaniel Farrell with benefits to take the me.

    Leaving Ensford High School earlier, she had already thought of using this method to deal with the Reed family¡¯s questioning.

    She had messaged Nathaniel Farrell, promising that if he acknowledged her child, she would marry him. As the most favored daughter of the capital¡¯s Reed family, her dowry would benefit Nathaniel greatly. Moreover, the Reed family would support him inpeting against Jared Farrell for the head of the Farrell family position.

 Chapter 209: She Actually Wants Him to Be a Substitute!

    Nathaniel Farrell approached her and ttered her solely to marry her and gain the support of the Reed family. She believed that in the face of such enormous benefits, Nathaniel Farrell would surely be willing to be the substitute. After all, she nned to use the excuse of needing to attend college to get rid of the childter. Once she married Nathaniel Farrell, they would have their own children. With time and the help of the Reed family, she believed that Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s current resentment would eventually fade.

    As for Jared Farrell, she liked him so much, yet he treated her this way! Once she married into the Farrell family and helped Nathaniel Farrell seize the position of head of the family, she would make Jared Farrell kneel at her feet and repent!

    Annabelle saw that Nathaniel Farrell had epted the situation and finally felt relieved. She spoke up, ¡°So what are your ns now? Since this matter has already caused such a stir, you must give Amber an exnation.¡±

    ¡°Amber has not yet reached the legal age for marriage. I n to hold a wedding ceremony with Amber first,¡± Nathaniel Farrell said after a moment of silence. ¡°I will inform my parents and let them make arrangements. Once Amber reaches the legal age, we will get married.¡±

    Annabelle nodded, ¡°Good, handle this matter quickly. Only by spreading the news of your marriage can Amber¡¯s reputation be restored.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving now,¡± Nathaniel Farrell said, unwilling to stay any longer, and turned to leave.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Jasper Reed called out to him. He looked at Nathaniel Farrell with a warning in his eyes, ¡°Amber is my daughter. I don¡¯t want her to suffer any grievances after marrying into your family. Those scandalous affairs around you-I don¡¯t want to see them again. Deal with all those women you keep!¡±

    Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s expression changed. He hadn¡¯t expected Jasper Reed to embarrass him publicly like this but still gritted his teeth and agreed.

    ¡°Nathaniel, I¡¯ll see you out,¡± Amber Reed quickly stood up to escort him, wanting to say a few more words.

    Nathaniel Farrell only gave her a cold nce, pursed his lips, and left without a word.

    When he received Amber Reed¡¯s message about wanting to marry him today, he was almost overjoyed. Who knew that the next moment, Amber Reed¡¯s words would plunge him into an icy abyss? She actually wanted him to be a substitute! He couldn¡¯t believe that someone as seemingly pure and lovely as Amber Reed could have such a messy private life. She was pregnant and couldn¡¯t even find the father of her child-she came looking for him instead! It disgusted him!

    He initially wanted to refuse, but Amber Reed¡¯s offer was too tempting. Logan was extremely biased; without the support of the capital¡¯s Reed family, he had no confidence inpeting with Jared Farrell for the position of head of the Farrell family. After much hesitation, he swallowed his disgust and agreed to be this cuckold.

    Fortunately, Amber Reed had some conscience left and said she would abort the child in her womb. Otherwise, if she gave birth to the child, he would have had to endure having a bastard as his eldest son calling him father-he feared he might one day strangle the child in a fit of rage.

    The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. As soon as he got into his car, he took out his phone and called one of his mistresses for some intimatepany.

    Who was Jasper Reed to control him? He couldn¡¯t even manage his own daughter but had the nerve to tell him not to fool around with women! Amber Reed was already so filthy; if he didn¡¯t fool around with other women, he¡¯d feel like he was losing out!

    Watching Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s car drive away, Amber Reed knew he was dissatisfied but didn¡¯t care as long as her goal was achieved. As long as Nathaniel Farrell acknowledged her child, so what if she was pregnant before marriage? Although Nathaniel Farrell wasn¡¯t as good as Jared Farrell, he was still a well-known nobleman in the capital; everyone would only envy her.

    ¡°Why was he so cold towards you today?¡± Audrey Woodwind tentatively asked Amber Reed.

    ¡°Maybe he encountered some trouble at work,¡± Amber Reed nced at Audrey Woodwind indifferently. She increasingly disliked this cousin; if it weren¡¯t for Audrey Woodwind constantly watching her, she would have gotten rid of this unwanted child long ago.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Audrey Woodwind smiled faintly. ¡°You used to spend every day with Emrys; I thought you two were a couple.¡±

    Amber Reed¡¯s face darkened. To be honest, if Emrys hadn¡¯t been crippled, he would have been the best choice-obedient and easy to manipte. She wouldn¡¯t have needed to deal with Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s attitude. But Lily Ward had said that Emrys could never fully recover; he was destined to be a cripple for life. Marrying him would only make her aughingstock.

    Moreover, even though Nathaniel Farrell wasn¡¯t very bright, being an adopted son of the capital¡¯s Reed family couldn¡¯tpare to being a young master of the Farrell family.

    ¡°Emrys and I are just like siblings,¡± Amber Reed replied with a forced smile.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Audrey Woodwind continued smiling faintly before standing up and saying to everyone, ¡°I should go check how Lily Ward is treating Emrys at the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Good idea,¡± Annabelle nodded and added, ¡°Lily went out of her way from her research just for this trip; make sure she¡¯s well taken care of.¡±

    Mentioning Lily Ward brought an unconscious look of admiration to Annabelle¡¯s face. Amber Reed couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous. ¡°Grandma really likes Miss Ward.¡±

    Before leaving, Audrey Woodwind nced at her with eyes that seemed to say: Who would admire you when you¡¯re pregnant out of wedlock?

    All the elders in prominent families in the capital praised Lily Ward highly and hoped their sons could marry her. Lily Ward¡¯s reputation and achievements in medicine were unmatched by many men. Moreover, many of her research projects had national support; marrying her could open countless doors.

    Even Grandma wanted her cousin Damian to marry Lily Ward! Unfortunately for them all, Lily Ward had high standards; she looked down on all those yboys in the capital-even Damian couldn¡¯t catch her eye as she focused solely on medical research.

    Luckily for Damian, he didn¡¯t have any feelings for Lily Ward either. But still, many people visited her research institute daily hoping for favors-only to be turned away due to confidentiality issues.

    Wasn¡¯t she jealous? Of course she was! But jealousy was useless; Lily Ward was simply outstanding and powerful.

    Audrey Woodwind first had servants prepare imported fruits ording to Lily Ward¡¯s preferences before heading to Song Hospital with them.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The Ward family¡¯s private hospitals were spread nationwide. When Lily Ward arrived in Ensford, she didn¡¯t go directly to the Reed family but called them instead asking them to send Emrys over for surgery after examining him.

    Emrys had been severely injured with nearly all bones fractured; without substantial financial support from the Reed family-he would¡¯ve remained bedridden like dead weight forever.

 Chapter 210: How Could Such a Woman Be Worthy of Mr. Daryl?

    When Audrey Woodwind arrived at the hospital room, she saw Emrys lying obediently on the bed, listening to Lily Ward describe his recovery and give him instructions. Lily Ward, dressed in a white coat and wearing gold-rimmed sses, looked elegant and beautiful. Holding a tablet in one hand, she spoke with a serious yet slightly assertive tone, exuding amanding presence.

    Emrys gazed at her with an unusually gentle expression, even smiling slightly, a stark contrast to his usual menacing demeanor. Audrey Woodwind shook her head in admiration for Lily Ward; even a man as wild as Emrys behaved like a tame kitten around her.

    ¡°Lily,¡± Audrey Woodwind greeted with a smile as she entered the room, offering a basket of fruits to Lily Ward. ¡°Here are some fruits you like, to replenish your vitamins.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lily Ward epted with one hand.

    ¡°How is Emrys recovering?¡± Audrey Woodwind nced at Emrys on the bed. As expected, his expression darkened upon seeing her, as if his earlier gentleness was just an illusion.

    ¡°He can stand and walk normally,¡± Lily Ward said, putting down her tablet and adjusting her sses. ¡°But he won¡¯t be able to engage in any strenuous activities in the future.¡±

    That practically made him half-disabled. Audrey Woodwind felt a bit gleeful at the thought, wondering how Emrys would continue plotting against her with Amber Reed. If it weren¡¯t for Amber Reed provoking him to confront Jared Farrell, he wouldn¡¯t have been beaten so badly.

    Emrys seemed to have already epted this oue. He calmly said to Lily Ward, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just grateful I can stand again and don¡¯t have to spend my life bedridden. I owe it all to your excellent medical skills, Dr. Song. I don¡¯t know how to thank you.¡±

    ¡°As a doctor, saving lives is my duty; you don¡¯t need to thank me,¡± Lily Ward replied expressionlessly. ¡°Besides, the Reed family paid a substantial fee for this.¡±

    Audrey Woodwind nearlyughed out loud at Emrys¡¯ speechless reaction. This was what it meant to be straightforward; Lily Ward dismissed any notion of gratitude with one sentence.

    Seeing that it was inconvenient for Lily Ward to hold both the fruit and the tablet, Audrey Woodwind offered to take the tablet for her. ¡°Lily, let me take this to your office.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Lily Ward nodded and gave some final instructions to the nurse before leading Audrey Woodwind to her office.

    In the office, Audrey Woodwind helped open the fruit basket and chatted with Lily Ward while eating. After some small talk, she brought up Amber Reed. ¡°Lily, did you know my cousin Amber Reed caused another scandal?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Lily Ward frowned, uninterested in gossip.

    Amber Reed had visited Emrys in the hospital before, and Lily had heard plenty of rumors about her in the capital city. She considered Amber nothing more than a pretty face and not worth her attention.

    ¡°So she got pregnant out of wedlock,¡± Audrey Woodwind continued regardless of Lily¡¯s interest, showing her the news on her phone. ¡°And she¡¯s delusional enough to try pinning the child on Jared Farrell.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Lily Ward had no interest in Amber Reed or Jared Farrell from the infamous Farrell family. To her, these mediocre people were beneath notice.

    However, she nced at the news out of courtesy but was taken aback when she saw Jared Farrell¡¯s image. Pointing at him, she asked, ¡°Is that Jared Farrell?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Audrey Woodwind sneered. ¡°Do you think my cousin is crazy? Jared Farrell would never take responsibility for her child! What was she thinking? Now she¡¯s ruined her own reputation.¡±

    Lily Ward didn¡¯t hear a word; she was fixated on Jared Farrell in the video and then on Tina in his arms. She asked with an unclear tone, ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°Her?¡± Audrey Woodwind¡¯s eyes shed with jealousy. ¡°That¡¯s Tina, Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee and my cousin¡¯s foster sister.¡±

    Lily Ward only focused on the term ¡°fiancee.¡± ¡°What¡¯s her educational background?¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s got dual PhDs from some university,¡± Audrey Woodwind replied honestly despite not understanding why Lily was asking about Tina. ¡°She¡¯s quite impressive; she finished all her studies by sixteen.¡±

    At eighteen herself, having just graduated high school, Audrey could only feel bitter envy.

    Lily Ward pondered silently for a moment before asking again, ¡°So after graduating with dual PhDs, she became a homeroom teacher at such a small high school?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Audrey Woodwind frowned, puzzled by Lily¡¯s persistent questions about Tina.

    ¡°Short-sighted and unambitious,¡± Lily Wardmented on Tina.

    How could such a woman be worthy of Mr. Daryl?

    Ensford High School

    ¡°Achoo!¡± Tina suddenly sneezed while watching the high school graduation ceremony with Jared Farrell.

    ¡°Is the air conditioning too cold?¡± Jared asked with concern.

    Tina frowned and shook her head; it felt like someone was talking about her behind her back.

    The speeches on stage were almost over, and student performances were beginning when someone tapped the microphone and cleared their throat. ¡°Hello everyone! We are graduates from ss 22D and we¡¯d like to dedicate this final performance to our best homeroom teacher-Tina!¡±

    Tina looked up to see Albert Sitwell holding a guitar, Hendrik Stiller with a bass guitar, Velma Lehman by an electronic keyboard, Shonna Woodham behind drums, and Elena Heisler standing at the microphone.

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± Elena began emotionally. ¡°I made many mistakes before but you pulled me out of my darkness; you saved 22D and you saved me! Now we dedicate this song ¡®Until The End of The World¡¯ to you.¡±

    The metal music erupted instantly; clear drumbeats resonated through everyone¡¯s hearts. Elena¡¯s voice echoed through the hall along with the intense music.

    Everyone stood up excitedly in sync with the rhythm while those five pairs of eyes on stage remained fixed on Tina-their sole intended recipient of their heartfelt emotions.

 Chapter 211: Is Tina the Real Beast?

    The explosive performance by the 22D group ignited the passion of all the students. Even Tina and Jared Farrell stood up with the students, enjoying the group¡¯s singing. Albert Sitwell and his team had rehearsed for an unknown amount of time, delivering an exceptionally brilliant performance, while Elena Heisler¡¯s voice was surprisingly pleasant. The melody stirred up all the students¡¯ youthful enthusiasm. Scenes from their time at Ensford High School reyed in their minds like a carousel, apanied by Elena Heisler¡¯s slightly hoarse voice. Many students were moved to tears.

    Tina considered herself not a sentimental person, but at that moment, she felt her eyes start to heat up. She asionally envied these kids around her age; they had the freedom and innocence she could never possess. She could be Serena from Serenity Ridge, the young master of Mountain Veil Order, Spectre, the gray wolf, Q, or Waverly Underwood¡­ but she could never be a carefree and innocent child.

    After the song ended, the five performers stood in a line on stage and bowed towards Tina. Suddenly, other students from ss 22D rushed forward, each holding a carnation, and gathered around Tina, stuffing all the carnations into her arms. Holding arge bunch of carnations, Tina¡¯s eyes grew warm; she hadn¡¯t expected such a surprise today. This touching moment was captured by a nearby photographer. Little did they know that this photo wouldter hang in ss 22D¡¯s ssroom and be a legend at this school.

    Today was probably the day Jared Farrell saw Tina smile the most since he met her. When they returned to Jade Gardens vi, Jared Farrell nced at Tina holding forty-six carnations and asked with a smile, ¡°Do you like flowers so much?¡±

    ¡°If someone gives you flowers, why wouldn¡¯t you like them?¡± Tina replied.

    Jared Farrell chuckled softly as he pushed open the vi gate, revealing the scene inside. Tina was stunned. The main path of the vi was nked by Car roses, their vibrant red color filling the entire courtyard.

    Jared Farrell led Tina inside. As they reached the vi entrance, Zackary ran out holding a British Shorthair kitten and said to Tina, ¡°Sister, there are so many flowers in your room!¡± The kitten in his arms meowed in agreement.

    Initially, Tina hadn¡¯t nned to keep this kitten that had scared Wesley Soames. But when Zackary came back that day and instantly bonded with it, begging to keep it with adorable antics, it stayed. They named it ¡°Softie,¡± making it part of the Reed family.

    ¡°Sister, why do you have so many flowers too?¡± Zackary asked as he looked at the carnations in Tina¡¯s arms. ¡°Did Mr. Farrell give them to you too?¡±

    Tina nced at Jared Farrell, who smiled and led her upstairs. As they approached her room door, she smelled roses. Her room was filled with Car roses.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared Farrell said as he magically produced a Juliet rose and handed it to her. ¡°I neglected to give you flowers before, so I¡¯m making up for it all at once today.¡±

    Tina took the Juliet rose worth over two million dors with one hand, feeling somewhat unustomed to Jared Farrell¡¯s sudden romantic gesture. She brought the special rose to her nose to sniff its fragrance and asked Jared Farrell, ¡°Do you know thenguage of Juliet roses?¡±

    ¡°Love of protection,¡± Jared Farrell softly replied. ¡°And do you know thenguage of Car roses?¡±

    Tina ced the Juliet rose among the carnations in her arms and answered, ¡°Happiness and romantic love.¡± She stood on tiptoe and kissed Jared Farrell proactively.

    Jared Farrell was slightly stunned but quickly wrapped his arm around her head and deepened the kiss passionately amid the scent of roses. He imed her breath until she almost suffocated. Unable to bear it any longer, she flipped over abruptly, escaping his control and pinning him beneath her.

    Jared Farrell didn¡¯t resist as she straddled him; both were panting as they gazed at each other.

    ¡°Tina, does this mean I¡¯ve been promoted?¡± Jared Farrell asked as he held her waist and slowly moved his hand upward.

    ¡°No, it just means you¡¯ve entered the review stage,¡± Tina replied like a queen looking down at him before rewarding him with another kiss on his lips.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll work hard to pass the review,¡± Jared Farrell said softly as he bit her lip lightly.

    ¡°Meow?¡± The kitten¡¯s call from the door interrupted their intimate moment. Turning their heads, they saw Hugo, Jennie, and Zackary holding Softie standing at the door in shock.

    Hugo and Jennie were greatly surprised; they had always thought it was Jared Farrell who corrupted their precious daughter. Now seeing this scene made them wonder if it was actually reversed-was Tina the real beast?All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Only Zackary looked confused and asked innocently, ¡°Tina, Mr. Farrell, what are you doing?¡±

    Tina: ¡°¡­¡±

    Jared Farrell: ¡°¡­¡±

    At this moment, Logan¡¯s call saved them from this awkward situation. Jared Farrell cleared his throat and helped Tina stand up while ignoring Hugo¡¯s family¡¯s strange looks before answering the phone: ¡°Grandpa.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on with Nathaniel Farrell?¡± Logan¡¯s angry voice came through from the phone. ¡°The girl from Reed family is pregnant with his child?¡±

    Amber Reed is pregnant with Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s child? Jared Farrell frowned; based on timing alone it should have been those lunatics from Southridge who caused this mess.

    ¡°Did Nathaniel Farrell admit it himself?¡±

    ¡°What else!¡± Logan snapped angrily. ¡°Your uncle and aunt came to discuss marriage arrangements with me! They want to hold a wedding first to suppress news since she¡¯s not of legal age yet.¡±

    Jared Farrell sneered; he hadn¡¯t expected Nathaniel Farrell would endure so much just to tie Reed family onto his sinking ship willingly bing a cuckold.

    ¡°Do you know how badly I got scolded just now?!¡± Logan fumed over Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s actions.

 Chapter 212: The Farrell Familyâ€™s Door is Not Easy to Enter

    This morning, when the news that Amber Reed was pregnant and wanted Jared Farrell to take responsibility reached the capital, he rushed to Muff Reed¡¯s sanatorium and scolded Muff Reed to vent his anger. Unexpectedly, in the afternoon, he was pped in the face by his own eldest grandson! His eldest grandson had impregnated someone else¡¯s granddaughter and caused such a scandal!

    Muff Reed, who had been holding back his anger from Logan for a while, seized this opportunity to storm into the Farrell family and gave Logan a thorough scolding, venting all his pent-up frustrations at once. Logan, who had been used to being arrogant in front of Muff Reed, suddenly found himself in the position of a grandson, having to apologize to the old man. This made him so furious that he couldn¡¯t even eat dinner and called Jared Farrell toin.

    Jared Farrell talked on the phone while carefully picking rose petals out of Tina¡¯s hair. ¡°Grandfather, why don¡¯t you ask Muff Reed why his granddaughter tried to pin the pregnancy on me if she was carrying my cousin¡¯s child? Was she trying to sow discord within our Farrell family?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Logan snapped out of it. ¡°This was all her doing. If it¡¯s Nathaniel¡¯s child, just say so. Our family won¡¯t shirk responsibility. Why drag you into it? No, I need to go back and scold them!¡± He hung up hastily, clearly too angry to think straight. Normally, he would ask about Tina, but today he forgot.

    ¡°So, Amber Reed is going to be your sister-inw?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow.

    At the door, Hugo and Jennie exchanged nces and frowned. If Amber Reed married Jared Farrell¡¯s cousin, Tina would have to deal with Amber Reed regrly after marrying into the Farrell family. They detested Amber Reed and naturally didn¡¯t want Tina to interact with her daily.

    Jared Farrell gathered up the scattered carnations and ced a Juliet rose in a vase on Tina¡¯s bedside table. ¡°The Farrell family¡¯s door is not so easy to enter.¡± If it weren¡¯t for wanting to protect Tina from Amber Reed¡¯s disgust, he would let Nathaniel Farrell handle his own mess.

    In the hospital.

    Lily Ward hade specifically to treat Emrys¡¯ injuries and didn¡¯t need to see other patients. However, her fame attracted many doctors seeking her advice on various medical issues. Even professors from Ensford Medical University came just to exchange medical insights with her.

    So Audrey Woodwind could only sit by and watch as Lily Ward conversed with a group of doctors using terms she couldn¡¯t understand. Bored, she checked her phone and raised an eyebrow.

    The Farrell family moved quickly; news about the marriage alliance was already out. Now everyone knew that the child Amber Reed was carrying belonged to Nathaniel Farrell.

    Although Nathaniel wasn¡¯t as impressive as Jared Farrell and somewhat foolish, he was handsome and came from a good background-considered an ideal match by ordinary people. Thement section that previously insulted Amber Reed now overflowed with envy and jealousy.

    Audrey Woodwind¡¯s eyes shed coldly as she contacted some online influencers. Within ten minutes, different voices emerged online. Manyments questioned why Amber Reed initially tried to pin the pregnancy on Jared Farrell if it was Nathaniel¡¯s child. ¡°She slept with Nathaniel Farrell but wanted Jared Farrell to take responsibility? This young woman is truly something else!¡±

    Satisfied, Audrey Woodwind put away her phone. Seeing Lily Ward still busy, she decided to leave. She had done enough for now.

    Lily Ward merely nodded at her departure before continuing her discussion with Ensford Medical University¡¯s professors.

    Passing by Emrys¡¯ room, Audrey hesitated but decided against greeting him. Even if she mocked him with Amber Reed¡¯s scandalous behavior, Emrys would still side with Amber Reed and might even retaliate against herter.

    How pitiful-he became disabled for Amber Reed, yet she rarely visited him.

    As she pondered this, a sensuous woman walked past her on the phone. ¡°Mr. Farrell? Why call me suddenly?¡±

    ¡°What? Three people?¡±

    ¡°But I saw the news-you¡¯re getting married! Aren¡¯t you afraid your wife will get jealous?¡±

    Audrey stopped in her tracks and watched the woman¡¯s seductive figure walk away before smiling slightly and following her.

    At Reed Residence.

    When Audrey returned home, it was alreadyte. A servant asked if she had eaten dinner; she shook her head. ¡°Not yet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the kitchen prepare something,¡± the servant said.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Audrey stopped her. ¡°Bring it to my room.¡±

    Since everyone else had probably eaten already, dining alone in the dining room seemed pointless.

    The servant nodded and went to the kitchen.

    Humming a tune and swinging her bag, Audrey headed upstairs toward her room. Passing Annabelle¡¯s room, she heard Garrett speaking inside: ¡°Mom, why do we need a third paternity test when both previous ones confirmed she¡¯s our sister?¡±

    Audrey raised an eyebrow and quietly listened outside.

    Inside the room, Annabelle exchanged nces with Jasper Reed before Jasper responded: ¡°The longer this goes on, the more I feel Amber isn¡¯t my daughter.¡±

    ¡°But this third test result is identical to the previous ones,¡± Garrett said, holding a paternity test report. ¡°Amber is your daughter.¡±

    Leaning back in an expensive wooden chair with an air of authority, Jasper insisted: ¡°My intuition doesn¡¯t lie!¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Big brother,¡± Garrett sighed disapprovingly. ¡°I know Amber has caused trouble since returning to our family, but you can¡¯t let that make you think she¡¯s not your daughter.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just that,¡± Jasper frowned. ¡°If she were truly my daughter, no matter how troublesome she is, I would take responsibility for her upbringing. My suspicion isn¡¯t baseless; it¡¯s based on evidence.¡±

    He continued: ¡°When I privately asked about her childhood with Natalie, she mentioned falling ill at six years old without money for treatment-Natalie could only cry helplessly while begging for help until Amber miraculously recovered.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Garrett asked.

    Esther interjected: ¡°Natalie was highly skilled in medicine; she¡¯d never be helpless watching her child suffer without doing anything.¡±

    ¡°Moreover,¡± Jasper added, ¡°with Natalie¡¯s abilities, securing funds for treatment wouldn¡¯t have been difficult.¡±

    Garrett was stunned-Amber¡¯s story indicated ignorance about Natalie¡¯s capabilities; hence fabricating lies based on typical maternal behavior.

    ¡°Investigate thoroughly,¡± Annabelle said tiredly rubbing her temples before smirking coldly: ¡°If Elizabeth managed such deception against us sessfully-she likely knows where your real daughter is.¡±

    Outside quietly listening-Audrey¡¯s eyes gleamed mischievously while smiling faintly before leaving unnoticed-anticipating exciting developments ahead eagerly awaiting seeing Amber fall from gracepletely.

 Chapter 213: Tina, Take the Blame for Me

    Late at night, at Jade¡¯s Park.

    After the news of the marriage alliance between the Farrell family and the Reed family broke out, Elizabeth called Amber Reed. Annabelle and others didn¡¯t like Amber Reed interacting with Elizabeth, so she sneaked out to Jade¡¯s Park to meet her.

    Elizabeth stood by some steps and saw Amber Reed approaching from a distance, wearing a baseball cap and mask. She began to sneer, ¡°Amber, your status has changed now. Even Grandma finds it hard to see you!¡±

    Even this meeting took countless calls before Amber Reed agreed toe out. Elizabeth realized that Pinewood Reed and Talon Reed were right; Amber Reed was ungrateful. No matter how much she loved Amber Reed in the past, once she climbed up the socialdder, Amber Reed didn¡¯t care about her anymore.

    ¡°Grandma, what are you talking about?¡± Amber Reed forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy preparing for examstely.¡±

    ¡°Busy with exams or is it because in your heart only Annabelle deserves to be called Grandma!¡± Elizabeth snorted.

    Initially, she wanted Amber Reed to enter the capital¡¯s Reed family so that Annabelle and Jasper Reed would help revive the Ensford Reed family. But unexpectedly, after taking Amber back, the capital¡¯s Reed family only gave some ordinary mary thanks, bought them an apartment, and said they would transfer the current Reed Residence to her once Amber got into a university in the capital.

    Bah! Is that what she wanted? She wanted the Reed Group to rise again!

    ¡°How could that be? Grandma, you think too much. You raised me; of course, I¡¯m loyal to you,¡± Amber Reed concealed her disgust but sneered inwardly.

    Elizabeth¡¯ste husband was originally Muff Reed¡¯s half-brother from the capital and ranked fifth. Muff Reed¡¯s father favored his fifth son from his mistress and always wanted to pass the family head position to him. Unfortunately for him, Muff Reed had already taken control when he was young and seized the family head position.

    Unwilling to ept this, Elizabeth incited her husband to cause trouble, which led Muff Reed to expel them from the capital¡¯s Reed family and relocate to Ensford. It was said that Elizabeth¡¯s methods were extremely vicious back then, almost causing Annabelle, who was pregnant with Esther, to lose her life.

    Muff Reed nearly killed her if not for her husband¡¯s plea and vow never to return to the capital. So Annabelle had reasons for hating Elizabeth and forbidding Amber from contacting her.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re a daughter of the Reed family and about to marry into the Farrell family, it¡¯s time to fulfill your promise,¡± Elizabeth said impatiently. ¡°I don¡¯t want much; just give me two billion dors as startup capital.¡±

    ¡°Two billion dors!¡± Amber eximed. ¡°Where can I find two billion dors for you? Even after returning to the Reed family, my allowance is only a few million.¡±

    Elizabeth really dared to ask.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you marrying Nathaniel Farrell?¡± Elizabeth said coldly. ¡°Jared Farrell casually gave Tina jewelry worth five billion dors. Nathaniel Farrell is the eldest grandson of the Farrell family; can¡¯t he evene up with two billion dors as a bride price?¡±

    ¡°Tina¡¯s dowry was only eight hundred thousand; how could I possibly ask for two billion? What would the Farrell family think of me!¡± Amber nearly ground her teeth in anger. Besides, she had used other conditions to exchange for Nathaniel Farrell marrying her; he would never give her two billion dors.

    Nathaniel Farrell was already annoyed at being tricked into marrying her!

    ¡°Tina¡¯s status can¡¯tpare with yours,¡± Elizabeth snorted. ¡°You¡¯re a daughter of the capital¡¯s Reed family; asking for a two-billion-dor bride price isn¡¯t too much. The benefits the Reed family can bring him far exceed two billion dors. Besides, aren¡¯t you carrying their ¡®great-grandson¡¯?¡±

    Seeing Amber¡¯s gloomy face unwilling to agree, Elizabeth sneered again. ¡°Amber, have you really started taking yourself seriously as a daughter of the Reed family?¡±

    ¡°Grandma?¡± Amber trembled all over.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget you¡¯re an imposter!¡± Elizabeth sneered. ¡°Without my help, you wouldn¡¯t have be a daughter of the capital¡¯s Reed family! To help you deceive everyone back then, I sold Hugo¡¯s perfume form for a mere one hundred million! Do you know Annabelle and Jasper did two more paternity tests behind your back? If I hadn¡¯t kept an eye on them and helped from behind the scenes, your identity would¡¯ve been exposed long ago! Now I want you to repay me twenty times over; it¡¯s not too much!¡±

    Amber was stunned; she didn¡¯t know about those additional paternity tests. She bit her lip and said, ¡°How about this: I¡¯ll help you buy back that perfume form!¡±

    A couple of hundred million was something she could still manage by acting pitiful towards Annabelle and Jasper under the guise of repaying Elizabeth.

    ¡°Heh heh, that form is already being produced by someone else,¡± Elizabeth shook her head. ¡°Getting it back is useless now. Besides, how could one form be enough for the revival of the Reed Group? Two billion dors-not a penny less!¡±

    ¡°Grandma, you¡¯re pushing me into a corner!¡± Amber gritted her teeth.

    ¡°How am I pushing you?¡± Elizabeth smiled triumphantly. ¡°I gave you a life of luxury and pushed you to this high position; you should repay me.¡±

    She stepped closer and gently touched Amber¡¯s belly with malicious intent in her voice. ¡°Besides, is that child really Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s? Or Sean¡¯s? Or someone from Southridge?¡±

    Her patience had run out; if not for Amber dragging her feet in helping her, she wouldn¡¯t have resorted to threats.

    ¡°Amber, be obedient; Grandma won¡¯t reveal this if youply.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Amber screamed and violently pushed Elizabeth away.

    Amber¡¯s forceful action caused Elizabeth-already unsteady on her feet at over sixty years old-to stumble backward down the steps in terror. Her hands iled but couldn¡¯t grab anything before tumbling down and lying motionless.

    Amber stood there in panic as blood stained the steps leading down where Elizabethy twisted in an unnatural position with blood pooling beneath her.

    ¡°Grandma?¡± She shivered but called out tentatively.

    Elizabethy there silently with no response.

    Suppressing her fear, Amber cautiously walked down toward Elizabeth on the ground.

    After hesitating briefly, she bent down and checked for breath-finding it faint but still alive.

    Calming herself down slightly more now-she pulled out her phone intending to call emergency services but paused at dialing-looking down coldly at unconscious Elizabeth below.

    If this old woman died now-she¡¯d no longer face threats-and no one would know she wasn¡¯t Jasper¡¯s biological daughter anymore!

    After all-Elizabeth always acted meticulously-never telling anyone-including Pinewood or Talon-who genuinely believed she belonged within their bloodline¡­

    As for further paternity tests-they¡¯d already done three-and wouldn¡¯t do another¡­

    Even if Jasper or Annabelle continued suspecting-they¡¯d never uncover truth if careful enough¡­

    With cold determination-she turned off phone screen-and suddenly thought maliciously while bending over using handkerchief covering fingers dipping into blood writing ¡°Tina¡± nearby¡­N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Straightening up satisfied with result-a wicked smile spread across face¡­

    Tina-you¡¯ll bear guilt for killing Grandma instead of me!

 Chapter 214: Nailing Tina to the Pillar of Shame

    The following day at the Jade Gardens vi, Andrew Heisler arrived with the police just as Tina was waking up. She descended the stairs to find several officers seated on the living room sofa, facing Jared Farrell whose expression was indifferent, the atmosphere notably tense. Jennie had called her down and from her, Tina had gathered the essentials of the situation.

    Nearby Jade Gardens, at Jade¡¯s Park, Elizabeth had been attacked and nowy in aa in the hospital, critically injured. Disturbingly, where Elizabeth had fallen, she had scrawled ¡°Tina¡± in her own blood. It was a tant usation-Tina was being directly named as the assant.

    As Andrew Heisler was about to speak to Tina, Jared Farrell interrupted, ¡°All surveince footage from the vi area has been handed over to you. The footage can prove that after returning home with mest night, Tina did not leave again.¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± Andrew Heisler addressed Tina with a tone of respect. ¡°Mr. Farrell¡¯s provided surveince indeed proves your innocence. However, due to theplexity of the situation, we still need you toe to the station to make a statement.¡±

    He certainly didn¡¯t believe that Tina, the young leader of the Mountain Veil Order, could have been so indiscreet as to assault an elderly woman in such a traceable manner. Yet, due to the incident being broadcast on the morning news and a bystander having posted a close-up of the bloody ¡°Tina¡± online, the procedural steps had to be followed. The Reed family was a frequent topic of gossip in Ensford, and now many believed Elizabeth¡¯s misfortune was Tina¡¯s vengeful act. After all, why else would the olddy write that particr name?

    Online opinion was divided; one side sympathized with Tina, given Elizabeth¡¯s prior deeds, while the other condemned her, equating her to the lowest of creatures for allegedly attacking her own grandmother.

    With such public attention, Andrew Heisler feltpelled to bring Tina in for questioning, lest people suspect corruption or undue influence from Jared Farrell.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go,¡± Tina said, hands in pockets, but Jared Farrell was reluctant to let her face this indignity.

    ¡°No worry,¡± Tina smiled, lifting her lips in a slight grin. ¡°I¡¯m curious that the olddy hates me so much she¡¯d rather let the real culprit go just to throw dirt on me.¡±

    ¡°Elizabeth is still in aa,¡± Andrew Heisler sighed, frowning. ¡°The doctors aren¡¯t optimistic about her condition. It¡¯s uncertain when she might regain consciousness, and even if she does, she might not be able to speak normally.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tina raised her eyebrows slightly, her interest piqued. ¡°Maybe I can make her wake up.¡±

    Meanwhile, at the Reed Residence.

    Sitting beside Esther and enjoying some tea, Audrey Woodwind stealthily nced at Amber Reed sitting across from her. For some reason, from the moment Amber had woken up that morning, she seemed restless, her gaze drifting as if preupied, hardly paying attention when spoken to.

    Audrey chuckled silently, considering the information she had just learned. Perhaps Amber had found out about Nathaniel Farrell spending the previous night with three women? Indeed, Mr. Farrell was known for his vigor, but whether that would change after marrying Amber Reed remained to be seen.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Unaware of Audrey Woodwind¡¯s observant eyes, Amber¡¯s thoughts were consumed by the morning news. Although the police had already taken Tina in as a suspect, Amber hadn¡¯t expected Elizabeth, barely clinging to life, to have been rushed to the hospital by a passerby. Even though Elizabeth was currently unconscious, who could say if she might wake up?

    If Elizabeth were to regain consciousness and reveal details that could lead to a hefty demand from her, what would Amber do? She certainly didn¡¯t want to be forever under the thumb of the Ensford Reed family.

    ¡°I should have been more resolutest night and finished it,¡± Amber thought regretfully.

    Just as Amber was worrying about Elizabeth possibly waking up, her phone chimed with an alert from Ensford news. The headline read that Elizabeth Reed¡¯s doctor had confirmed to the police that she might regain consciousness within the next couple of days.

    Snap!

    Amber Reed¡¯s phone slipped from her hands and crashed onto the floor, drawing the eyes of everyone in the living room.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Amber?¡± Annabelle asked, frowning. ¡°You¡¯ve seemed out of sorts all morning.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Amber quickly scooped up her phone, her voice choked as she spoke to Annabelle. ¡°Grandma, I want to go to the hospital to see grandma. After all, she¡¯s the one who raised me.¡±

    Though she despised Elizabeth, she was not heartless.

    When the news of Elizabeth¡¯s ident had reached them, the Pinewood Reed brothers had immediately sought their help, so they had paid for Elizabeth¡¯s medical expenses.

    Annabelle had assumed Amber would have rushed to the hospital first thing. Only now did Amber mention her n to visit.

    Annabelle nodded, ¡°You should go, and let the servants prepare anything you need in advance.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, grandma.¡± A sh of ruthlessness swept through Amber¡¯s eyes.

    Thankfully, she still had a chance. If only Elizabeth would never wake up!

    As for the police, once a person was dead, they could never trace it back to her. To prevent Annabelle and the others from checking her call records and believing she rarely contacted Elizabeth, she had always used a burner phone for theirmunications, includingst night.

    And that phone, along with its SIM card, had already been destroyed.

    Conversely, if Elizabeth died, even if the police found evidence proving Tina¡¯s innocence, what then?

    With the word ¡°Tina¡± written by Elizabeth¡¯s own hand, the world would forever suspect Tina, pinning her to the shameful pir of having killed her own grandmother.

    She was indeed very clever!

    At the city hospital.

    Amber Reed¡¯s act was thoroughly convincing. As soon as she arrived at Elizabeth¡¯s hospital room, she began to weep loudly, even paying out of pocket to have three nurses rotate shifts to watch over Elizabeth, allowing the Reed brothers, Pinewood and Talon, some respite.

    Having watched over Elizabeth all night, the Reed brothers were only too happy to leave the hospital. They praised Amber effusively before heading home to rest.

    Then, Amber continued to cry beside Elizabeth¡¯s bed for the better part of the day until she suddenly cried out in pain, suspecting she was suffering from pregnancyplications, and was immediately admitted to the maternity ward.

    In the middle of the night.

    The night nurse, a single mother with a three-year-old son, was usually not someone people would hire as a nurse.

    But Amber had met her that day and had hired her for the night shift out of sympathy for her struggles raising a child alone. She reasoned that the night was quieter and her son could sleep in the room, making it easier to care for them both.

    However, the three-year-old boy, being naturally active and having somehow gotten hold of a can of coffee, did not sleep all night and even ran out of the room.

    The nurse, worried about her son¡¯s safety and the possibility of disturbing others, which could lead to their dismissal, hesitated for a moment. After checking that Elizabeth¡¯s urine bag was still empty, she went out to look for her son.

    With the nurse gone, the door to the hospital room was quietly pushed open, and a slender figure slipped inside.

 Chapter 215: Amber Reedâ€™s Final Act

    The hospital room was dark, illuminated only by the faint glow of medical equipment. Amber Reed closed the door silently and walked to Elizabeth¡¯s bedside. She looked down at Elizabeth¡¯s aged face and ced her hand on the oxygen tube, a cruel smile forming on her lips.

    ¡°Grandma, you can¡¯t me me. After all, you forced my hand. I didn¡¯t want to push you, but you threatened me,¡± she said softly, maintaining her smile as she reached to remove the oxygen tube from Elizabeth¡¯s nose. ¡°But your death will let Tina take the fall for me, so at least you¡¯re doing onest good deed.¡±

    Just as she was about to act, Elizabeth¡¯s eyes suddenly opened wide, staring directly at her. Startled, Amber¡¯s hand shook, and she stumbled back a couple of steps. Elizabeth could only open her eyes; she couldn¡¯t speak or move.

    Amber steeled herself, suppressing her fear, and without hesitation, reached out again to remove the oxygen tube from Elizabeth¡¯s nose.

    Snap!

    At that moment, a pair of silver handcuffs clicked onto her wrist. The room lights suddenly zed on, and Amber saw police officers blocking the doorway. In a corner of the room she had overlooked earlier sat someone in a chair, watching her with a half-smile.

    ¡°Tina!¡±

    ¡°Bravo!¡± Tina pped appreciatively from her chair, legs crossed. ¡°Thank you for giving me such a splendid performance!¡±

    ¡°How did you know?!¡± Amber¡¯s face turned pale.

    ¡°You thought using an anonymous phone would keep you safe?¡± Tinaughed brightly, mocking Amber¡¯s naivety. ¡°Even if you destroyed the phone and SIM card, tracking the previous signal locations led us straight to Reed Residence.¡±

    For Tina, it was just a matter of writing some code.

    ¡°Who else in Reed Residence would need to contact Elizabeth secretly but you?¡±

    Amber realized toote that tonight had been a trap all along. The police had deliberately leaked news about Elizabeth waking up to lure the culprit into action. She tried to flee but found all exits blocked.

    ¡°Frame me?¡± Tina sneered at Amber¡¯s predicament. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re worthy?¡±

    ¡°Tina! I¡¯ll kill you! Why do you always oppose me?!¡± Amber screamed as she lunged at Tina but was restrained by Andrew Heisler with the handcuffs.

    She forgot that if she hadn¡¯t used Elizabeth¡¯s finger to write that bloody ¡°Tina,¡± Tina wouldn¡¯t have been dragged into this case so quickly.

    Harm others and harm yourself!

    ¡°Oh right,¡± Tina pped her hands suddenly and took out her phone to make a call. ¡°I should inform Reed family of this joyous news.¡±

    ¡°Tina! Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Amber screamed in desperation. She had nned everything; as a pregnant woman, even if arrested, she could be released on bail pending trial.

    As long as this didn¡¯t make the news, Reed family and Farrell family wouldn¡¯t find out. Her wedding with Nathaniel Farrell could still proceed!

    She hadn¡¯t expected Tina to report to Reed family!

    ¡°Mr. Reed,¡± Tina spoke into the phone, ¡°Your daughter just attempted murder.¡±

    ¡°Who is this?¡± Jasper Reed asked warily.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your reaction,¡± Tina replied coldly.

    Would he protect this fake daughter or uphold justice?

    ¡°You must be Tina. Wait, I have¡­¡± Jasper guessed Tina¡¯s identity and wanted to speak further.

    But Tina mercilessly hung up the call and watched coldly as Amber was taken away by the police despite her screams and struggles.

    The room fell silent again as Tina stood up from her chair in the corner, hands in pockets, walking over to Elizabeth¡¯s bedside and bending down to look into her fearful eyes.

    ¡°You thought I would cure you?¡± Tina smiled slightly. ¡°Rest assured, I just wanted you to see and hear what kind of monster you¡¯ve raised all these years.¡±

    She straightened up, her gaze icy and unfeeling. ¡°You will lie here unable to speak or move until your life ends. This is my punishment for you.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Elizabeth wept in terror as she watched Tina leave the room without a backward nce at the frail old woman on the bed.

    Just as Amber had feared, despite her heinous crime, she was released on bail with Reed family¡¯s help due to her pregnancy-the child she once considered an abomination had saved her life.

    Now she couldn¡¯t easily get rid of this child; it was her only hope for leniency if prosecuted. By then, she¡¯d be too far along in pregnancy to terminate it safely.

    On the way home from the police station with Damian driving, Amber sat pale-faced in the back seat, contemting how to discuss keeping the child with Nathaniel Farrell.

    The best approach would be convincing Elizabeth to clear her name by iming it was all a joke and not pushing Elizabeth or trying to kill her in the hospital room.

    Little did she know that Elizabeth would never speak again nor lie for any deal.

    ¡°Brother,¡± Amber asked worriedly, ¡°Farrell family doesn¡¯t know about this yet?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Damian replied coldly.

    He finally understood why Annabelle and Jasper doubted Amber was Jasper¡¯s daughter-her actions were too vile for someone from their family: unwed pregnancy, attempting murder of her grandmother who raised her, framing her foster sister-how could such an evil girl be his uncle¡¯s child?

    Amber sighed in relief; Farrell family not knowing was good-they wouldn¡¯t ept an attempted murderer as their daughter-inw.

    She knew hiding it forever wasn¡¯t possible since Tina was Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee; Farrell family would find out eventually.

    As long as they didn¡¯t prosecute before then¡­

    No matter what happened next-she had to marry into Farrell family!

    But while Amber hoped for secrecy-Tina wouldn¡¯t let things go smoothly for her.

    Just when Amber rxed slightly-the car radio announced breaking news: ¡°Yesterday¡¯s Jade¡¯s Park murder suspect attempted another crime by sneaking into a hospital room intending murder-the suspect has been arrested-shockingly revealed as victim¡¯s adopted granddaughter¡­¡±

    ¡°Brother!¡± Amber¡¯s face turned ugly hearing this news-¡°Didn¡¯t you promise me it wouldn¡¯t make headlines?¡±

    ¡°Did I?¡± Damian remained indifferent-¡°Do you really think our Reed family can control everything in Ensford?¡±

    Damian coldly questioned-¡°Amber-why did you frame your foster sister?¡±

 Chapter 216: You Are on Your Own

    Amber Reed pressed her lips together and didn¡¯t answer. She wanted to say she hated Tina, resented Tina, and was jealous of Tina! Tina had taken everything from her, even the man who should have been hers, leaving her in this miserable state! Tina had ruined her life, so she deserved to take the me!

    She looked down at her phone and saw a video of herself removing Elizabeth¡¯s oxygen mask in the hospital room. The video, along with everything she had said in the room, had been exposed online. This shocking turn of events stunned everyone following the case. They wondered if Elizabeth had lost her mind, favoring an adopted ingrate over her excellent biological granddaughter, Tina, who nearly got killed by this ingrate.

    Many people tagged Nathaniel Farrell on social media, asking if he still intended to marry such a venomous woman. Nathaniel Farrell did not respond, butizens were divided into two camps. One side argued that since Nathaniel Farrell had impregnated Amber Reed, he should take responsibility regardless of whether she was a murderer. The other side believed that a wife should be virtuous and that marrying a woman like Amber Reed would bring misfortune to the family for generations. For the sake of family honor and future peace, they argued it was better to bear some shame now than to let such a woman into their home; even the child should not be kept.

    People said that dragons give birth to dragons, phoenixes give birth to phoenixes, and rats give birth to children who dig holes. They feared that a woman like Amber Reed would raise a child who would be a menace to society.

    Amber Reed bit her lip and sent several messages to Nathaniel Farrell, but he did not reply. ¡°Will Nathaniel abandon me because of this?¡± Amber Reed bit her lip again and covered her face to hide her dark expression, pretending to be in unbearable pain.

    Unfortunately for her, Damian was not moved by what she thought werepelling tears. He drove with a look of disappointment on his face. ¡°Amber, do you feel no shame or remorse at all?¡±

    Amber Reed was taken aback but remained silent as Damian ignored her for the rest of the drive back to the Reed Residence.

    As they neared the Reed Residence, Amber saw Pinewood Reed and Talon Reed walking out of the old house with satisfied expressions. It seemed they had taken advantage of this situation to extort money from Jasper Reed.

    Amber shrank back into her seat, afraid that they would see her and cause more trouble. Damian nced at her actions and pursed his lips tighter, his face growing even darker.

    When they entered the mansion and saw the members of the Reed family waiting in the living room, Amber couldn¡¯t help but shrink back again. Esther and Garrett looked conflicted, while Annabelle and Jasper Reed¡¯s faces were stern. Only Audrey Woodwind¡¯s eyes betrayed undisguised schadenfreude.

    In the capital, Audrey Woodwind had often been bested by Amber Reed. She had thought her cousin was formidable, but now she found Amber¡¯s antics in Ensfordughable.

    ¡°Grandma, Dad,¡± Amber said pitifully as she walked over with a pale face, trying to win Annabelle and Jasper Reed¡¯s sympathy.

    ¡°We¡¯ve heard everything from the police,¡± Jasper Reed said after a moment of silence. ¡°Amber, why did you try to kill Elizabeth?¡±

    ¡°It was Grandma; she threatened me,¡± Amber defended herself with teary eyes. ¡°She forced me to swindle twenty billion from you for her. How could I do that to you? I was so angry that I lost control.¡±

    This was the same exnation she had given the police.

    Audrey Woodwind¡¯s eyes shed with mockery.

    Amber¡¯s quick thinking turned an attempted murder charge into an act of protecting her biological grandmother and father against an extortionate adoptive grandmother.

    Audrey nced at Annabelle and Jasper¡¯s faces. Would they really be fooled by Amber?

    Annabelle and Jasper remained stern-faced as Jasper scrutinized Amber closely. Except for those eyes that resembled Natalie¡¯s, there was nothing about this girl that reminded him of his daughter. And now those eyes were shifty and uneasy-nothing like Natalie¡¯s clear gaze.

    ¡°If it was an ident, why did you frame your adoptive sister?¡± Jasper asked the same question Damian had earlier.

    If Amber¡¯s story were true-that Elizabeth threatened her and she identally hurt her in a panic-he could understand. But Amber had deliberately used Elizabeth¡¯s finger to write ¡°Tina.¡± Her intentions were clear.

    His daughter could be ipetent or foolish but never malicious or deceitful.

    ¡°Amber, you told the police you didn¡¯t know about the ¡®Tina¡¯ writing,¡± Jasper said coldly. ¡°The police didn¡¯t believe you; neither do I. If it were someone else¡¯s prank, how could it coincidentally spell your adoptive sister¡¯s name?¡±

    He recalled Tina¡¯s earlier phone call saying she looked forward to his actions afterward. For some reason, he didn¡¯t want Tina to be disappointed in him at all costs. So apart from following proper procedures for bail and covering Elizabeth¡¯s medical expenses, he decided not to interfere further in Amber¡¯s case.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    He didn¡¯t want that cold-eyed girl to feel any disappointment in him.

    Feeling the oppressive gaze from Jasper and Annabelle-unique to those in power-Amber bit her lip but couldn¡¯t find any words to defend herself.

    Eventually, Annabelle withdrew her gaze and stood up wearily. ¡°That¡¯s enough; you¡¯re on your own now. I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Jasper also stood up to apany Annabelle upstairs when Amber urgently called out, ¡°Dad, what about my marriage with Nathaniel?!¡±

    Her reputation was already ruined; missing out on Nathaniel Farrell meant she¡¯d have to settle for less despite being backed by the capital¡¯s Reed family. She must marry into the Farrell family!

    Jasper paused and turned back with a look of disappointment simr to Damian¡¯s earlier expression. He clearly saw there was no remorse in Amber¡¯s eyes-only selfish concern for her future.

    Since returning home, Amber hadn¡¯t asked once about how much damage she¡¯d caused the Reed family with this incident. After today¡¯s news broke out, their stock price had plummeted by one-third within hours.

    But all Amber cared about was herself!

    ¡°Logan visited your grandfather¡¯s nursing home and mentioned breaking off the engagement,¡± Jasper said coldly. ¡°With what you¡¯ve done now, even if Farrell family wants to break off the engagement-Reed family has no grounds to stop them.¡±

    After Logan caused a scene at the nursing home upsetting Muff Reed again-who then called back angrily scolding Jasper-it became clear that recognizing this daughter brought more trouble than joy or familial warmth; it only raised his father¡¯s blood pressure constantly making him feel guilty.

    Without another word or nce at Amber¡¯s unwilling face filled with resentment-Jasper helped Annabelle upstairs leaving behind an angry-looking Amber who realized they never truly considered her part of their family despite promises otherwise!

 Chapter 217: Forced Kiss Jared Farrell

    Amber Reed didn¡¯t even greet Esther and Garrett in the living room. She urgently took out her phone to call Nathaniel Farrell. After several attempts, Nathaniel finally answered, his tone filled with coldness and impatience, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s meet,¡± Amber said, rapidly calcting how to ensure Nathaniel would fulfill their deal.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Nathaniel agreed after a long silence and gave her an address. ¡°Come find me at THEONE Club.¡±

    Amber hung up the phone and, ignoring theplex looks from others in the living room, left immediately.

    Audrey Woodwind watched Amber rush out again right aftering back and smirked to herself. Amber wanted to marry Nathaniel Farrell? She wouldn¡¯t let that happen. It was time to reveal what she had obtained at great expense from one of Nathaniel¡¯s lovers!

    THEONE Club.

    ¡°Miss Reed, dare to y Truth or Dare?¡± In the hall, Albert Sitwell, Hendrik Stiller, Velma Lehman, Shonna Woodham, and Elena Heisler were teasing Tina in a booth.

    Today, they had specially invited Tina out as a thank-you. Initially, they nned to have dinner but someone suggested drinking since they had graduated high school. Thus, they ended up at this club owned by the Lehman family.

    ¡°How do we y?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow and sipped her Longjing tea, asking calmly.

    ¡°We¡¯ll use this bottle,¡± Albert said excitedly, cing an empty bottle and a lot-drawing tube on the table. ¡°Whoever the bottle points to chooses between truth or dare. If you choose truth first, you must choose dare next time. The dare tasks are decided by drawing lots.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina showed some interest.

    Albert and Hendrik exchanged a mischievous nce. Albert spun the bottle, whichnded on Tina. ¡°Haha, Miss Reed, truth or dare?¡±

    Tina saw through Albert¡¯s little trick but didn¡¯t mind. She smiled lightly, ¡°Truth.¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Velma and the othersughed slyly. Velma asked quietly, ¡°How long does Mr. Farrellst?¡±

    Tina was speechless.

    Graduating high school really let them loose?

    ¡°Do you dare to hear my answer?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow, holding her teacup with one hand and looking at them meaningfully.

    Velma and her friends exchanged nces and thought about Jared Farrell¡¯s icy eyes. They shivered but couldn¡¯t resist their curiosity. ¡°Dare! Why wouldn¡¯t we?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Tina sighed internally; these kids were bold but she truly didn¡¯t know the answer. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°No way! You haven¡¯t done it even after being engaged for so long?¡± Elena Heisler eximed. She often saw Jared glued to Tina like they were inseparable but hadn¡¯t expected nothing had happened yet.

    Recalling Jared¡¯s past as a wheelchair-bound invalid, she blurted out, ¡°Could Mr. Farrell be¡­ incapable?¡±

    Tina remembered their close encounter two days ago. ¡°He¡¯s quite capable.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t tried it; how do you know?¡± Elena pressed on.

    ¡°It¡¯s Miss Reed¡¯s turn to spin,¡± Shonna quickly intervened before more rumors could start spreading about Jared Farrell.

    Tina spun the bottle again; it pointed at Hendrik Stiller who chose truth too. Then he spun it back to Tina.

    ¡°Miss Reed, it¡¯s a dare this time,¡± Albert said with a smirk, pushing the lot-drawing tube towards her.

    Tina drew a lot casually. Velma grabbed it and eximed, ¡°This is intense!¡±

    The slip read: ¡°Forcefully kiss the next person who walks through the door.¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed, dare you?¡± Hendrik grinned mischievously.

    Tina¡¯s ears twitched as she caught sight of someone entering through the corner of her eye. She smiled suddenly, ¡°Why not?¡±

    She stood up and walked towards the door under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes.

    At the entrance stood a tall man in a suit talking on his phone. As soon as he stepped inside, Tina grabbed his tie and pulled him down for a forceful kiss without giving him a chance to refuse.

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± The crowd gasped at the scene and started taking pictures until someone recognized him.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Mr. Farrell?¡±

    The crowd began whistling at Jared Farrell and Tina locked in an embrace.

    Jared was surprised but wrapped his arms around Tina¡¯s waist, feeling her warmth and fragrance. He hade knowing she was here but hadn¡¯t expected such a passionate wee.

    From his neglected phone came Nathan Lehman¡¯s voice asking repeatedly, ¡°Mr. Farrell? Mr. Farrell?¡±

    Jared forgot everything else as he immersed himself in Tina¡¯s public disy of affection.

    Tina had heard Jared¡¯s voice earlier and agreed to the dare knowing it was him. Her fiance-she could kiss him all she wanted!

    Amber Reed entered the club¡¯s hall just in time to see Jared and Tina kissing passionately under dim lights that enveloped them like a dream.

    She felt like a rat in a gutter watching them with jealousy and hatred while gripping her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

    Many people noticed Amber and gave her strange looks due to her recent scandal involving attempted murder of her adoptive grandmother.

    Jared and Tina heard people whispering about Amber¡¯s arrival but didn¡¯t spare her a nce. They smiled at each other after their kiss before returning to their booth arm-in-arm.

    Ignoring all eyes on her and whispers around her, Amber quietly made her way to Nathaniel¡¯s private room.

    Jared had already heard that Nathaniel was also there. He raised an eyebrow and called Logan to report dutifully, ¡°Grandpa, cousin is meeting Amber Reed again.¡±

    Trying to harm his Tina while using their family as cover? No way!

    ¡°What?!¡± Logan roared angrily as expected. ¡°Is he brain-dead or bewitched by that Amber Reed? I¡¯ll go find his father!¡±

    Jared then texted Nathan Lehman: ¡°Release what we found at Ss ckwood¡¯s ce.¡±

    After some thought, he sent another message: ¡°Give Jasper Reed what he¡¯s been looking for.¡±

 Chapter 218: What Kind of Goods Will You Take?!

    In the private room, Nathaniel Farrell sat alone on the sofa. When Amber Reed entered, he lifted his eyes slightly and looked at her with a gloomy expression. After a while, he spoke, ¡°Our cooperation is over. I will also publicly announce that the child in your womb has nothing to do with me.¡±

    ¡°Nathaniel, how can you treat me like this?¡± Amber Reed¡¯s heart was full of anger, but she still looked at Nathaniel Farrell with pitiful eyes.

    ¡°Stop ying that game with me!¡± Nathaniel Farrell was no longer buying Amber Reed¡¯s act of innocence. He used to think she was a pure goddess who haunted his dreams. But after learning that she had been pregnant out of wedlock at eighteen and couldn¡¯t even find the father of her child, leaving him to take the me, he felt disgusted by her past pretense.

    ¡°Do you think the Farrell family is some lowly household? No matter what, I can¡¯t marry a woman who has been to prison.¡±

    Amber Reed¡¯s scandal had solid evidence and would definitely lead to a conviction. If he married her, he would be aughingstock. He waspeting with Jared Farrell for the position of family head; how could he allow such a stain on his reputation?

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t have to go to prison?¡± Amber Reed bit her lip and asked.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nathaniel Farrell frowned slightly, then suddenly widened his eyes and stared at Amber Reed¡¯s belly in anger. ¡°You don¡¯t intend to keep this child and use your pregnancy to get a suspended sentence, do you?¡±

    Amber Reed had indeed considered using the child as ast resort if she had no other options. But seeing Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s expression now, it was clear he wouldn¡¯t agree.

    Sure enough, he sneered at her, ¡°We agreed from the beginning that I would never let the child in your womb be my firstborn! Besides, even if you get a suspended sentence, you¡¯ll still have a criminal record. That¡¯s no different from having been in prison for me!¡±

    He continued contemptuously, ¡°You must not have grown up in the capital¡¯s Reed family to be so foolish. My parents may not be in politics, but my uncle works in the government. If I bring home a wife with a criminal record, it will surely affect his career! Do you think my grandfather would agree to sacrifice my uncle¡¯s future for you?¡±

    Moreover, when he saw how pampered Amber Reed was by the Reed family elders and Jasper Reed in the capital, he thought they cared deeply for her. But seeing how they didn¡¯t even put up a fight when his grandfather went to break off the engagement showed she wasn¡¯t valued much by the Reed family.

    This made him reconsider whether marrying Amber Reed for an alliance was worth it.

    ¡°What if I can convince my grandmother that I didn¡¯t push her and get her forgiveness to withdraw thewsuit?¡± Amber Reed suppressed her dissatisfaction and asked again. ¡°My grandmother wants money to help the Ensford Reed family rise again. If we give her two billion dors, she¡¯ll definitely agree!¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You don¡¯t expect me toe up with that two billion dors, do you?¡± Nathaniel Farrell sneered.

    ¡°My grandmother and father will help me with that money.¡± Although Amber Reed had hoped Nathaniel Farrell would pay, it was clear he wouldn¡¯t be such a fool. Since he refused to be taken advantage of, she had no choice but to find a way for Annabelle and Jasper Reed to help her with the money.

    Nathaniel Farrell pondered for a moment. Weighing the benefits and troubles of marrying Amber Reed, he finally sumbed to the enormous benefits that the capital¡¯s Reed family could bring. He nodded, ¡°Fine. If you can avoid prosecution and not have a criminal record, but you absolutely cannot keep the child!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Amber Reed gritted her teeth. She nned to keep the child only as ast resort if she were prosecuted but outwardly agreed obediently. ¡°I want this child even less than you do.¡±

    Nathaniel Farrell nodded and was about to tell Amber Reed to leave when his phone rang. It was his father Arthur.

    ¡°Dad,¡± he answered quickly.

    ¡°Are you out of your mind!¡± Arthur¡¯s angry voice was so loud that even Amber Reed could hear it. ¡°What kind of trash are you taking in?! Do you want to drive me into an early grave?! Why are you marrying Amber Reed when you know she¡¯s pregnant with someone else¡¯s child?! Do you know how much of aughingstock you¡¯ve made us?!¡±

    ¡°Dad?¡± Nathaniel Farrell was stunned and wanted to ask how his father knew about this.

    Such an embarrassing situation where he willingly took on someone else¡¯s responsibility was too shameful. Even though the family intended to break off the engagement due to Amber Reed¡¯s attempted murder case, he hadn¡¯t told anyone about it.

    ¡°Look at the news yourself!¡± Arthur was furious with his foolish son. The matter had already be widely known while Nathaniel Farrell remained oblivious during his meeting with Amber Reed!

    ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to win over the Reed family, but not like this! You¡¯ve turned yourself into a joke! How can youpete with Jared Farrell now? Your marriage is off! Get back to the capital immediately!¡±

    Nathaniel Farrell opened social media and saw that the top headline was ringly titled ¡°Nathaniel Farrell Amber Reed.¡±

    His pupils contracted as he shakily clicked on it and heard an audio recording.

    In the recording, a woman coyly said, ¡°¡­ Mr. Farrell, your fiancee is pregnant yet you¡¯ve called us here to apany you. Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll miscarry from anger?¡±

    He seemed drunk and slurred his words slightly, ¡°So what if she miscarries? I¡¯d be d if she did! The child isn¡¯t mine anyway!¡±

    Another woman eximed in surprise, ¡°The child isn¡¯t yours? Then whose is it?¡±

    He replied coldly, ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know whose it is; how would I know?¡±

    The woman gasped in shock, ¡°No way! Mr. Farrell, your fiancee looks so young and innocent! How could she be so promiscuous that she doesn¡¯t even know who the father is?¡±

    His coldughter grew louder. ¡°Innocent my foot! We¡¯ve all been deceived! I¡¯ve been deceived too! She¡¯s just trash who got knocked up and came begging me to take responsibility¡­¡±

    Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s face turned extremely ugly. No wonder his father was so angry; now everyone knew he had willingly worn a green hat and yed daddy!

    He only wanted to find those three women from that night and see who dared betray him!

    He would skin them alive!

    He nced at thements section filled with mockery.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell is truly the most outstanding simp I¡¯ve ever seen!¡±

    ¡°Nathaniel Farrell did nothing wrong; he just wanted to give a fallen woman a home!¡±

    ¡°Fallen woman my foot! Upstairsmenter must mean ¡®hookup princess¡¯ instead; otherwise how could she not know who her child¡¯s father is? Didn¡¯t you see those photos where she¡¯s clearly enjoying herself!¡±

    ¡°I have high-definition resources; DM me if interested!¡±

    ¡°DM me please!¡±

 Chapter 219: Amber Reed is Not the Biological Daughter

    ¡°What photos?¡± Nathaniel Farrell clicked into the top trending topic ¡°Amber Reed scandal photos,¡± which were filled with explicit images of Amber Reed and Sean. Even with the censoring, they were still shocking! Thements mocked him for willingly wearing a green hat or ridiculed him as a sycophant willing to be a scapegoat.

    One particrly stingingment read, ¡°This Nathaniel Farrell is nowhere near Jared Farrell. Just look at their taste in women! Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee Tina, although from an average family, was a dual-degree Ph. D. at sixteen, a genius hacker Grey Wolf, a master perfumer Q, and the internationally renowned fashion designer Waverly Underwood. So talented! And then there¡¯s Amber Reed, who has no other skills but cheating on her fiance!¡±

    Nathaniel Farrell looked up and red viciously at Amber Reed. It was all because of this woman! She made him aughingstock!

    Amber Reed¡¯s face turned pale when she heard the voice message. She had also seen the photos of her and Sean on social media. She stared at the photos, trembling all over. How could this happen? Ss ckwood had promised her he wouldn¡¯t release these photos!

    She didn¡¯t know that Ss ckwood was already dead.

    ¡°Nathaniel¡­¡± Facing Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s anger, Amber Reed tried to say something to salvage the sudden situation.

    ¡°Get out!¡± Nathaniel Farrell stood up furiously and stormed out of the private room.

    ¡°Nathaniel Farrell!¡± Amber Reed angrily chased after him and grabbed his arm. ¡°This isn¡¯t my fault! You were recorded by someone else. Without the audio, who would know my child isn¡¯t yours!¡±

    ¡°So this is my fault?¡± Nathaniel Farrellughed bitterly. Even without the recording, just those exposed photos meant Amber Reed could never enter the Farrell family!

    Now everyone knew Amber Reed¡¯s child wasn¡¯t his. If he still married her, he¡¯d lose all face!

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s your fault!¡± Amber Reed argued unreasonably. ¡°If you had been more careful, things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way! I don¡¯t care; you can¡¯t break off the engagement!¡±

    Marrying into the Farrell family was her best way out; she didn¡¯t want to give it up!

    They tugged and pulled at each other until they reached the hall.

    Someone chuckled quietly.

    Nathaniel Farrell looked up and saw everyone in the hall staring at him with strange expressions. Jared Farrell was among them!

    Even from a distance, Nathaniel felt Jared¡¯s gaze bore down on him as if looking at a defeated stray dog.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Slut! Get lost!¡± Nathaniel Farrell couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He didn¡¯t want any more entanglements with Amber Reed. He violently shook her off.

    Amber Reed, wearing high heels, stumbled and twisted her ankle, crashing into arge decorative vase nearby.

    The sound of the vase shattering and Amber Reed hitting the ground stunned everyone. She fell onto the porcin shards, feeling a sharp pain in her abdomen. Struggling to lift her head, she heard Elena Heisler scream, ¡°Oh my God, Amber Reed¡¯s face!¡±

    ¡°My face! My face!¡± Feeling intense pain on her left cheek, she touched it and felt a bloody wound. She screamed in terror, ¡°Nathaniel, my face!¡±

    Nathaniel Farrell was petrified. He hadn¡¯t expected that one push would disfigure Amber Reed!

    ¡°She¡¯s bleeding!¡± Someone pointed at the blood seeping from under Amber Reed¡¯s dress.

    ¡°Help me¡­ help me¡­¡± Clutching her abdomen, feeling a hot stream flowing from her body, she reached out to grab Nathaniel Farrell¡¯s pant leg but fainted.

    At the hospital.

    When the Reed family arrived at the hospital after receiving news, Amber Reed was already in surgery.

    ¡°How is she?¡± Annabelle asked Lily Ward outside the operating room.

    ¡°They said it¡¯s severe uterine bleeding; she might need a hysterectomy,¡± Lily Ward replied indifferently while adjusting her gold-rimmed sses as if it were no big deal.

    Normally this wouldn¡¯t be her responsibility; if not for Amber Reed being from the capital¡¯s Reed family, she wouldn¡¯t even look this way. But facing Annabelle and Jasper Reed, she remained respectful.

    ¡°What happened?!¡± Jasper Reed red at Nathaniel Farrell sitting on the bench.

    Nathaniel opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t defend himself. He felt chills down his spine; so many people saw him push Amber Reed causing this mess-disfigurement and possibly requiring a hysterectomy. They¡¯d likely demand he take responsibility by marrying her!

    Suddenly, a nurse came out of the operating room. ¡°The patient urgently needs a blood transfusion but we don¡¯t have enough AB blood type in stock. Is anyone here with AB blood type?¡±

    ¡°I am AB type!¡± Nathaniel quickly stood up; he wanted to redeem himself somehow. He didn¡¯t want any more involvement with Amber Reed; ever since meeting her nothing good happened.

    ¡°AB type?¡± Jasper frowned. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Amber reported as O type?¡±

    ¡°Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Esther asked puzzledly.

    ¡°I¡¯m A type; Natalie is O type-we can¡¯t have an AB type child.¡± Jasper said gravely.

    Everyone froze-even Nathaniel paused before going for the transfusion as nurses urged him forward-he stopped wanting answers from Jasper.

    Just then Jasper¡¯s phone rang; he answered curtly: ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Reed we¡¯ve confirmed every test sample was swapped-Amber isn¡¯t your daughter.¡± The secretary¡¯s voice came through clearly.

    As expected! Jasper paused briefly before saying: ¡°Find out where those swapped samples came from.¡±

    ¡°They were provided by Elizabeth Reed but how she obtained them remains unknown due to her current bedridden state.¡± The secretary replied.

    ¡°Did you question Pinewood & Talon?¡± Jasper asked suppressing his anger.

    ¡°Yes sir-they genuinely believed Amber was your daughter.¡± The secretary confirmed.

    ¡°Keep investigating.¡± Jasper hesitated briefly picturing Tina before adding: ¡°Get Tina¡¯s sample too.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir.¡± The secretaryplied.

    After hanging up Jasper faced Annabelle¡¯s expectant gaze along with others¡¯. He sighed tiredly: ¡°Mom-the investigation confirms-Amber isn¡¯t my daughter-Elizabeth bribed officials swapping samples.¡±

    Annabelle sighed relieved yet disappointed simultaneously while Garrett fumed realizing they¡¯d been deceived losing money over lies: ¡°Elizabeth & Amber dared trick us?! They conned us out of so much money! I¡¯ll make them pay it all back!¡±

 Chapter 220: The Reed Familyâ€™s Public Statement

    Esther remained silent. Audrey Woodwind was gloating. She had seen the video from THEONE club and never expected that the recording she posted online would have such a great effect. Amber Reed not only disfigured but also had a miscarriage. Now, it was confirmed that Amber Reed was not Jasper¡¯s daughter. Audrey couldn¡¯t wait to see Amber being kicked out of the Reed family. She wondered how Emrys would react if he knew he became a cripple for an impostor. Would he want to strangle Amber on the spot? She almost wanted to rush to Emrys¡¯s ward and tell him.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, what does this mean?¡± Nathaniel Farrell asked Jasper Reed in shock, ¡°Amber is not your daughter? She¡¯s an impostor?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jasper Reed nodded.

    Nathaniel Farrell stood there, deeply shocked.

    ¡°Are you going to donate blood or not? The patient is still waiting!¡± The nurse urged him anxiously.

    ¡°Screw it! I¡¯m not donating!¡± Nathaniel Farrell turned and left angrily, not wanting to stay another moment. ¡°Bitch! How dare she deceive me!¡±

    Thinking about how he had chased Amber from the capital all the way to Ensford, did he really like her? Maybe a little, but mainly because she was believed to be Jasper Reed¡¯s only daughter. Now, after being ridiculed online and losing face in his family for her, he found out Amber wasn¡¯t Jasper¡¯s daughter at all. All his efforts were in vain! His anger was indescribable!

    The nurse watched Nathaniel leave and saw that no one else offered to donate blood for Amber. Stomping her foot in frustration, she went off to find someone else for help.

    ¡°What now?¡± Audrey Woodwind asked Jasper Reed with a worried look, ¡°Since Amber isn¡¯t your child¡­¡±

    Jasper remained silent, thinking of Natalie. Although he always suspected Amber wasn¡¯t his child, he was ecstatic when the first paternity test results came out positive. He had searched for Natalie and their child for years and was thrilled to finally have an answer. But now, his joy turned into immense anger.

    With a stern face, he looked around at everyone in the Reed family who was waiting for his response. His cold gaze fixed on the door of the operating room as he dered, ¡°I will sue her and Elizabeth for fraud!¡±

    Audrey almostughed out loud. Amber was currently out on bail; now that she had miscarried and was no longer pregnant, if the Reed family sued her again, she would be arrested immediately! Audrey thought bitterly about how Amber dared to covet the position of the Reed family¡¯s heiress and lorded over her. Now that Amber was exposed, Audrey vowed to return all the grievances she had suffered.

    Two hourster, in the obstetrics ward.

    When Amber woke up, she found herself alone; not even a caretaker had been hired for her. Struggling to sit up, the nurse who came to change her IV quickly stopped her. ¡°Lie down properly; you just had a massive uterine hemorrhage and had your uterus removed.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Amber¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She thought she had merely miscarried; how could her uterus have been removed? She would never be able to have children again! What would she do now? If the Farrell family found out, they wouldn¡¯t let her marry in!

    ¡°Where is my family? Didn¡¯t theye?¡± Amber asked in panic. How could no one from the Reed family be there after such a major incident?

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you check the news?¡± The nurse handed her phone from the bedside table with aplicated look before leaving.

    Amber quickly opened her phone and saw a news alert: ¡°Jasper Reed publicly deres that Amber Reed is not his biological daughter. Amber Reed conspired with others to forge paternity tests and deceive the Reed family. The Reed family will sue Amber and her aplices for fraud.¡±

    Amber froze in disbelief. How could this be? How did they find out so quickly after three paternity tests? Pulling out the IV needle from her hand, she struggled out of bed; she needed to go back to the Reed family and exin herself with a convincing reason!

    But as soon as she stepped out of the ward, she saw Andrew Heisler leading several police officers from the elevator at the end of the corridor. Panicking, she fled in the opposite direction despite just having surgery; her wounds were still bleeding, making it hard for her to stand steadily.

    Recognizing that she was in Ward family¡¯s private hospital and knowing Emrys was also there, she decided to seek his help. Emrys adored her and always listened to her; surely he would help!

    With a pale face and trembling legs, she reached Emrys¡¯s ward. After more than half a month of treatment, Emrys still couldn¡¯t walk but could sit up. He was reading a book signed by Lily Ward when Amber burst in with tearful eyes.

    ¡°Emrys!¡± she cried, rushing over, ¡°Dad believes some lies that I¡¯m not his child! You have to help me!¡±

    Emrys put down his book and looked at Amber lying by his bed with an unreadable expression. ¡°So you really didn¡¯t deceive us?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Amber shook her head desperately. ¡°I really am Dad¡¯s daughter! I¡¯m your benefactor¡¯s daughter! You must help me!¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Emrys threw a new paternity test report at her face. ¡°While you were unconscious during surgery, Dad used your blood for an expedited test here!¡±

    The report on the floor showed no blood rtion between Amber and Jasper Reed.

    Emrys¡¯s face darkened as he gripped Amber¡¯s jaw tightly. ¡°You impostor! Look what you¡¯ve done to me! How will you pay for this?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    If Amber had truly been his benefactor¡¯s daughter, he would have given his life without hesitation! But she was an impostor who took advantage of them!

    ¡°Emrys?¡± Amber pushed his hand away in panic and fell to the ground usingly. ¡°How can you treat me like this? You promised you¡¯d always protect me!¡±

    ¡°I said those words to my benefactor¡¯s daughter!¡± Emrys red at her furiously. ¡°Do you deserve it?¡±

 Chapter 221: Amber is Finished

    Since bing a daughter of the Ashbury Reed family, Amber had been showered with praise from men and truly believed in her irresistible charm, forgetting that their admiration was solely due to the Ashbury Reed family¡¯s influence. If she were just Amber from the Ensford Reed family, neither Emrys nor Nathaniel would have given her a second nce.

    ¡°Amber, you caused me so much harm; I will get my revenge no matter what!¡± Emrys¡¯ cold gaze made Amber tremble uncontrobly.

    Her legs were so weak she couldn¡¯t stand and could only slowly crawl backward on the floor, only to be stepped on by someone.

    ¡°Amber, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    Amber turned around in terror and saw Audrey Woodwind blocking the door with several strong men.

    ¡°Audrey Woodwind, it¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Amber jumped up and lunged at Audrey. ¡°You must have deceived my father and everyone else! You forged the paternity test to harm me!¡±

    ¡°Grab her!¡± Audrey¡¯s men immediately restrained Amber. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn¡¯t touch Audrey.

    Audrey looked at Amber as if she were a fool. She couldn¡¯t understand how someone could be so shameless, refusing to admit the truth even after being exposed. Unlike Amber, Audrey wasn¡¯t bold enough to alter the paternity test report Jasper Reed requested.

    ¡°Emrys, save me! Save me!¡± Amber cried out to Emrys for help.

    ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you know?¡± Audrey smiled. ¡°These are all Emrys¡¯ men.¡±

    Amber was stunned. Emrys waved his hand, and the strong men began dragging her away.

    Just then, Lily Ward walked in to check on Emrys. Amber grabbed Lily¡¯s sleeve like a drowning person clutching at straws. ¡°Miss Ward, save me!¡±

    Lily looked at the fingerprints left on her white coat with disgust.

    ¡°Break her fingers,¡± Emrys ordered immediately.

    The strong man holding Amber ruthlessly broke her fingers as she clutched Lily¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Amber¡¯s piercing scream echoed throughout the floor.

    She was in so much pain that she nearly passed out as she was dragged away like a limp ragdoll. Even from afar, her curses could still be heard. ¡°Emrys, Audrey Woodwind, you¡¯ll die horrible deaths! The entire Reed family will die horrible deaths!¡±

    Lily ignored her and continued examining Emrys¡¯ condition.

    ¡°Where are you taking her?¡± Audrey frowned at Emrys.

    ¡°To the ce most suitable for her,¡± Emrys replied with a cold smile, clearly unwilling to discuss it further in front of Lily.

    Audrey didn¡¯t press further. She had sought Emrys¡¯ cooperation knowing he was vengeful and ruthless. Since Amber had ruined him, he would undoubtedly repay her a hundredfold!

    Just sending Amber to prison wouldn¡¯t suffice; Jasper and Annabelle were too lenient. Making Amber live a life worse than death was more fitting!

    Lily finished her examination and left without a word.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Stop staring. Miss Ward is out of your league,¡± Audrey mocked as she saw Emrys watching Lily leave with longing eyes.

    ¡°Get out!¡± Emrys ordered coldly.

    He knew he wasn¡¯t worthy of Lily Ward. Even before his injury, he couldn¡¯t win her favor. But having Audrey point it out so bluntly made him feel deeply ashamed.

    ¡°Tch!¡± Audrey scoffed and left without looking back.

    As she passed Lily¡¯s office, she saw Lily on the phone. Audrey nodded at her, and Lily returned the gesture before Audrey walked away.

    ¡°Mom,¡± Lily said into the phone as she watched Audrey leave. ¡°Did you see the news about the Reed family?¡±

    A woman¡¯s gentle yet arrogant voice came through the phone. ¡°Yes, how is Jasper?¡±

    ¡°He took quite a blow,¡± Lily replied tly.

    The woman was silent for a moment beforeughing softly. ¡°Perfect timing; I have a concert in Ensford soon. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you; let¡¯s meet then.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Lily responded emotionlessly and hung up.

    Her father Ethan Ward was dedicated to medicine, while her mother Willow was an internationally renowned pianist who traveled constantly for concerts. The couple had married for business reasons and had little emotional connection. Moreover, Willow always had someone else in her heart, leading to their divorce when Lily was around ten years old.

    Though she grew up with her father in the Ward family and learned medicine from him, she felt closer to her mother despite their infrequent meetings. She never understood why someone as proud as Willow would think about another man for decades until she met Mr. Daryl herself.

    At Jade Gardens.

    Hugo received calls from Pinewood and Talon today. They didn¡¯t know Hugo¡¯s family had moved to Jade Gardens and went to Pinkwater Alley looking for him in vain. They wanted money from him because Elizabeth and Amber¡¯s deception of the Reed family had been exposed. Jasper Reed had stopped paying Elizabeth¡¯s medical bills and sued her. Now Elizabeth and her children were back in poverty overnight and couldn¡¯t even afford medical expenses; they wanted to rely on Hugo again.

    ¡°Tell them we cut ties long ago!¡± Jennie fumed. ¡°I told them when they came to your hospital room asking for money that they should go to court if they wanted anything; we¡¯ll pay whatever the court decides!¡±

    As for expecting them to take care of Elizabeth in the hospital? That was just a dream!

    ¡°If they¡¯re bothering you so much, let them go back to the countryside,¡± Jared calmly reassured them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t let them disturb you.¡±

    At that moment, his phone rang again. He nced at it and walked into the yard to answer it.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, Emrys¡¯ men got to Amber first,¡± Nathan Lehman reported.

    ¡°Oh? How did they handle it?¡± Jared raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Emrys sold her off; she¡¯s probably in some Asian country by now,¡± Nathan answered. ¡°Amber caused such a fuss that they broke her limbs and locked her up; she¡¯ll likely never escape.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes shed; Emrys had indeed been ruthless. ¡°Let it be then; make sure this woman never returns.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan replied before hanging up.

    ¡°Were you talking about Amber?¡± Jared turned around to see Tina standing behind him with hands in pockets.

    ¡°Tina.¡± He pulled her close and whispered into her ear, ¡°Why did you let Amber take your ce?¡±

    She was clearly a daughter of the Ashbury Reed family and could return anytime to enjoy its glory if she wished. With Jasper Reed and Annabelle¡¯s affection for Amber, Tina would receive even more love if she returned with her abilities and talents.

    But she didn¡¯t return! Instead, she allowed Amber to impersonate her recklessly.

    Tina¡¯s eyes flickered.

    Years ago, before her mother married Jasper Reed, she suddenly fled sensing danger-whether from outside or within the Ashbury Reed family itself remained unknown. So Tina let Amber test the waters for potential threats disguised as opportunities for herself under Ashbury Reed family¡¯s name-risks any genuine daughter should bear willingly if seeking its glory deservedly enough!

    Unfortunately though-Amber proved too uselesssting less than two months without uncovering anything Tina sought ultimately¡­

 Chapter 222: Elsa Comes Home

    The next day, Jared had his men forcibly send Elizabeth¡¯s family back to the countryside. Initially, they resisted leaving, but Jared¡¯s men were rough, and Pinewood ended up with a broken leg. Only then did the familyply. Before they left, Hugo gave the olddy ten thousand dors and informed her that she would receive a monthly living allowance of two thousand dors, no more. Some might say Hugo was being overly kind, but he saw it as his duty. If he weren¡¯t Elizabeth¡¯s biological son, he could have ignored them, but after multiple paternity tests confirmed his rtion, he felt obligated to support them legally. Jennie supported him in this; some ties can be severed, but not blood rtions.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, I¡¯ve stationed people to ensure they won¡¯t have the chance to bother Mr. and Mrs. Reed again,¡± Nathan Lehman reported to Jared while Tina listened from the back seat of the ck car. Her expression was indifferent, her face showing no emotion. She didn¡¯t care about Elizabeth¡¯s fate.

    After hearing Nathan Lehman¡¯s report, Jared yed with Tina¡¯s fingers and asked nonchntly, ¡°Tina, they sent people to try to get your DNA sample.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina replied with a mocking smile. Since Amber was hospitalized, people had been trying to collect her hair or other samples, likely sent by Jasper Reed for her DNA. But she didn¡¯t let them seed.

    ¡°Do you want to return to the Reed family?¡± Jared inteced his fingers with hers and tightened his grip slowly.

    Tina leaned back in her seat and looked out at the gloomy sky without answering. The Reed family! She had to go back! Since Amber couldn¡¯t find anything out, she would have to return to Ashbury Reed family herself to uncover the danger that made her mother flee while pregnant and marry Hugo under an alias.

    Just then, a car ahead had a tire blowout and swerved into theirne. With a screech of brakes, Jared and Tina lurched forward and quickly grabbed onto the front seats for stability. Jared pulled Tina close and shielded her forehead with his hand. Once the car steadied, he checked her over and then frowned at Nathan Lehman. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, I¡¯ll go check,¡± Nathan Lehman said as he got out of the car.

    Nathan Lehman found that the other driver was Damian. Damian hadn¡¯t expected it to be Jared¡¯s car and was momentarily stunned before apologizing to Nathan Lehman. ¡°Sorry, it was my fault. I wasn¡¯t paying attention. Let me know how much it costs; I¡¯llpensate you.¡±

    Seeing Damian¡¯s good attitude, Nathan Lehman didn¡¯t say anything harsh. He just nced back at their car and said, ¡°No need; our young master can afford this.¡±

    Damian didn¡¯t argue further; neither he nor Jared were short on money. Too much politeness would seem insincere. He decided to owe this favor for now and find an opportunity to repay itter.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    After Jared¡¯s men brought another car for Jared and Tina, Nathan Lehman got into the damaged Lincoln.

    Meanwhile, Damian returned to his car where a stylishly dressed woman in her fifties asked from the back seat, ¡°How did it go?¡±

    Her name was Willow, a renowned pianist and Lily Ward¡¯s mother. Willow had a piano concert at Ensford Grand Theater in two days. Lily Ward had been invited by the Reed family to treat Emrys¡¯ injuries and was staying at Whispering Pines with them. Since Willow wanted more time with her daughter and the families were close, the Reeds invited Willow to stay at Whispering Pines as well and sent Damian to pick up Lily Ward from the airport.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine; it was an acquaintance,¡± Damian replied coolly. ¡°We just happened to hit Mr. Farrell¡¯s car.¡±

    Lily Ward quickly lowered the window and saw Jared carefully helping a young girl into another ck car¡¯s back seat with great care.

    She instinctively wanted to call out to him but stopped when she saw he didn¡¯t even nce in their direction before getting into the car with the girl and driving away.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Willow asked, noticing Lily Ward¡¯s dazed expression.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Lily Ward shook her head.

    At Jade Gardens.

    Today Elsa wasing home.

    Tina had been in Ensford for some time but hadn¡¯t met Elsa yet. Elsa had been invited to Tina and Jared¡¯s engagement party but missed it because she was dyed saving Annabelle. By the time she arrived at the party, Elsa had already left due to important matters.

    When Tina and Jared returned home, Elsa had already arrived with a man in a suit.

    Elsa and the man were ying with Zackary in the yard.

    ¡°Tina and her boyfriend!¡± Zackary shouted excitedly when he saw them return.

    ¡°I¡¯m also her boyfriend,¡± the man joked jealously.

    ¡°Then doesn¡¯t Tina have two boyfriends?¡± Zackary asked confusedly.

    ¡°I came first,¡± the manughed as he ruffled Zackary¡¯s hair.

    ¡°You must be Tina,¡± Elsa stood up with a smile that reached her eyes. ¡°My mom sent me several candid photos of you; I praised your beauty then and now see you¡¯re even more beautiful in person-or maybe my mom just has poor photography skills.¡±

    ¡°You are very beautiful too,¡± Tina nodded.

    Elsa resembled Jennie closely; her gentle demeanor made Tina feel an instant connection with her.

    ¡°This is my boyfriend Heath Garrison,¡± Elsa introduced the man beside her.

    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Tina nodded at Heath Garrison before introducing Jared. ¡°This is my fiance Jared.¡±

    ¡°You two make a great couple,¡± Elsa nodded at Jared as well.

    ¡°Tina and Jared are back?¡± Hugo called from inside the vi with a cheerful smile. ¡°Come in; dinner is ready.¡±

    Knowing Elsa wasing home today, Jennie had gone shopping early in the morning and spent all afternoon preparing a feast for everyone.

    ¡°Alright, Dad,¡± Elsa responded smoothly.

 Chapter 223: Jennie Gets Angry

    At the dining table, the family enjoyed a harmonious meal. Midway through, Elsa raised her ss to Tina and Jared. ¡°Tina, Jared, I toast to you!¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, smiling. ¡°Why toast to us?¡± By seniority, it should have been her and Jared toasting Elsa.

    Elsa smiled. ¡°I am usually busy with work and rarelye home. I know Grandma Ye has always looked down on Mom and Dad, but I haven¡¯t been able to help much. Since you came back, you¡¯ve taken good care of them. I can feel that they are much happier now than before, thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°I toast to you for taking on my share of filial piety.¡±

    Her biological father passed away when she was ten. Jennie struggled alone to raise her until she was fifteen when she met Hugo. Hugo treated her like his own daughter, even after he and Jennie had Zackary and adopted Amber. He never neglected her.

    Because she worked in a confidential department, leaving work required approval, so she rarely came back and found it hard to care for them.

    Tina¡¯s smile was charming. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll ept this toast! But I¡¯ll use tea instead of wine.¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± Elsa didn¡¯t insist and drank her wine in one gulp.

    After dinner, Elsa put down her chopsticks and seriously said to Hugo, ¡°Dad! Mom! I came back this time not only to see you but also because we have been reassigned to Ashbury.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie were stunned. ¡°To Ashbury? Why so suddenly? You didn¡¯t mention it before,¡± they eximed.

    ¡°It was ast-minute decision by the leadership. I¡¯ll probablye back even less often now,¡± Elsa said apologetically. ¡°Please take good care of yourselves while I¡¯m away.¡±

    Jennie mmed the table angrily. ¡°You¡¯ve been away for years, rarelying home. Now that you¡¯re finally back, you¡¯re leaving again? Do you think this house is a hotel?¡±

    Hugo tried to calm her down. ¡°Why are you angry with the child? It¡¯s not her fault that her job requires her to move. You¡¯re usually so understanding; why are you being unreasonable about this?¡±

    Jennie red at him. ¡°Is this being unreasonable? Look at how old she is! She¡¯s been dating for years but won¡¯t get married! Every time I urge them to marry, she brushes me off!¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Turning to Elsa, Jennie said, ¡°Are you nning to dy your marriage again this time?¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Elsa felt awkward. ¡°My job is important; I don¡¯t have time for marriage!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Jennie shouted angrily. ¡°What kind of job doesn¡¯t allow employees to marry? Bring your boss here; I want to ask what kind of heartless job doesn¡¯t let employees marry!¡±

    The argument grew heated while Tina and Jared sat quietly withoutmenting.

    Elsa was only twenty-four, not very old. However, Jennie had experienced the hardships of raising Elsa alone after her divorce and wanted her to find someone who truly loved her.

    Jennie had once mentioned to Tina that she didn¡¯t like Heath Garrison much. He had dated Elsa for years but never visited their home or talked about marriage, making Jennie feel he was wasting Elsa¡¯s youth.

    So when Elsa mentioned moving to Ashbury, Jennie¡¯s reaction was strong.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you my job is important; it¡¯s not the right time for marriage!¡± Elsa didn¡¯t want to argue with Jennie right aftering home and tried exining patiently. ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t worry about my marriage; we¡¯ll get married when the time is right.¡±

    Jennie was determined this time and directly asked Heath Garrison, ¡°Heath, give me a straight answer today! You¡¯ve been dating Elsa for so long; when will you marry her?¡±

    Heath Garrison smiled. ¡°Our jobs are currently very busy; we don¡¯t n on getting married yet. But rest assured, once our jobs stabilize in a couple of years, I will definitely marry Elsa.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Tina nced at Heath Garrison with a cold gaze that seemed to see through everything but remained silent.

    Jennie frowned. ¡°Another two years? By then she¡¯ll be twenty-six! If you don¡¯t marry her by then, she¡¯ll be considered old.¡±

    Heath Garrison continued smiling. ¡°I swear I will marry her.¡±

    Jared also nced at him nonchntly.

    ¡°No way!¡± Jennie¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Elsa can¡¯t wait another two years; neither can we¡­¡±

    Before she could finish speaking, Tina interrupted, ¡°Elsa knows what she¡¯s doing; Heath will marry her.¡±

    She wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin and looked at Heath Garrison. ¡°Right? Heath?¡±

    Heath Garrison met Tina¡¯s piercing gaze and felt a pang of unease but still smiled and said, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Tina smirked slightly without saying more.

    Seeing Tina¡¯s confidence calmed Jennie somewhat. She thought there must be a reason behind Tina¡¯s assurance and decided not to press further.

    Elsa breathed a sigh of relief and gave Tina a grateful smile.

    After dinner, Elsa took out seven tickets for Willow¡¯s piano concert at Ensford Opera House and excitedly said, ¡°Dad, Mom, Tina, Jared! My idol Willow is having a concert in Ensford on Saturday; please join me!¡±

    She had nned to return in a few days but came early just for Willow¡¯s concert.

    ¡°Elsa loves Willow so much; she went through a lot to get these tickets,¡± Heath Garrison added with a smile.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Hugo and Jennie agreed even though they weren¡¯t interested in piano concerts because they wanted Elsa to be happy before she moved to Ashbury.

    Tina and Jared also nodded in agreement despite theirck of interest because they wanted Elsa to enjoy herself.

    After dinner, as Jennie helped arrange rooms for Elsa and Heath Garrison, Elsa brought up Amber¡¯s situation. ¡°Mom, does Amber count as fleeing from justice now?¡±

    Jennie fell silent at the mention of Amber¡¯s name and sighed softly. ¡°Let her be.¡±

 Chapter 224: Amberâ€™s Fate

    In a dimly lit alley filled with secret brothels, Amber struggled to stand in the cramped, damp room. Her legs were weak and trembling, barely able to shuffle along the wall for support. The people on the ship had skillfully severed her tendons in both her hands and feet, crippling her enough to make mobility a challenge, yet not entirely incapacitating her; she could still manage basic tasks like eating and looking after herself to some extent.

    After being sold to this ce, she was confined to this small room, endlessly receiving clients day and night. Being new, her face marked with a scar, drew considerable attention. The novelty made her popr, with an overwhelming number of clients seeking her out, leaving her only a couple of hours to rest besides meal times.

    She had had enough. She could no longer bear the damp room or the foul-smelling men who used her body at their whim. She was determined not to live a life no better than that of an animal. In a desperate bid for escape, she tore the bedsheet, nning to hang herself by tying it to the iron bars that sealed the window.

    However, as she was about to enact her n, the door burst open. The guard, cursing in anguage she couldn¡¯t understand, saw what she was doing. He grabbed her hair, and amidst her screams and struggles, he dragged her to the floor, beating her mercilessly as a harsh lesson.

    The fabric she intended for her suicide was now used to tie her to the bed. The people who beat her showed no mercy, not caring that she was already battered and bruised.

    As the door opened to admit a short, dark man, despair filled her eyes¡­

    Saturday, at the Ensford Opera House.

    Willow¡¯s concert tour was quite the spectacle, especially this time in Ensford, with Sutcliffe as a special guest. Sutcliffe¡¯s massive fan base and strong draw made tickets incredibly hard toe by the moment the news broke out. Elsa had managed to secure seven tickets after much difficulty.

    Being a huge fan of Willow, she had dressed up notably for the asion. Heath Garrison joked that she was dressed not for a piano concert but as if she was going to a matchmaking event. Hugo and the others had also dressed formally, except for Tina, who stood out in her casual white T-shirt and jeans among the formally dressed crowd, waiting to enter. She had no interest in the piano concert; she was there just to keep Elsa and Hugopany.

    Bored, Tina wondered why Jared hadn¡¯t arrived yet when she noticed a middle-aged man attempting to bypass the metal detector. Frowning, she stepped forward to confront him.

    Backstage at the opera house, today Willow had also invited the Reed family. Out of politeness, Annabelle and Jasper Reed, along with their family, had arrived before Tina. They were greeted backstage by Lily Ward, who was unusually dressed up in a flowing white gown with her hair elegantly done up, her usual sses reced by contact lenses, shedding her normally reserved demeanor for a hint of allure.

    Dressed in a sapphire blue designer gown, Willow had just finished her makeup when the Reed family arrived. She greeted Annabelle with a smile, ¡°Annabelle.¡± Returning the smile, Annabelle nodded.

    Turning her attention to Jasper Reed, Willow asked in a somewhat yful tone, ¡°Do I look good today, Jasper? You once said blue suits me best.¡±

    ¡°Did I say that?¡± Jasper couldn¡¯t recall ever making such ament.

    ¡°Yes, you did,¡± Willow responded, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. She hadn¡¯t seen Jasper for two months, a rarity. She had frequently visited Whispering Pines over the years, trying to shorten the emotional distance between them. Just as she was about to make a significant move in their rtionship, Jasper unexpectedly recognized a daughter, Amber. The sharp-witted girl had quickly seen through Willow¡¯s intentions, forcing her to retreat.

    Luckily, Amber was not Jasper¡¯s biological daughter, and now with no Amber, nothing could stop her from marrying Jasper.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Jasper frowned slightly but politelyplimented, ¡°It looks fine.¡±

    Willow¡¯s smile widened as she noticed the nce exchanged between Audrey Woodwind, Esther, and Annabelle. They all knew of Willow¡¯s intentions towards Jasper. Annabelle, as a mother, hoped for someone who could genuinely care for her son. However, she knew the depth of Jasper¡¯s feelings for Natalie and wouldn¡¯t force anything, despite Natalie¡¯s death.

    ¡°Ms. Ward, there¡¯s been a disturbance at the entrance,¡± a staff member reported to Willow.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Willow frowned, her manager not around to handle the situation. She turned to Lily, ¡°Could you check on it, please?¡±

    Lily nodded and followed the staff member, only to find Tina with a grim expression, standing with Hugo¡¯s family and Heath Garrison. Observing Tina¡¯s casual attire at the piano concert, Lily couldn¡¯t help but scoff silently at her poor taste.

    Approaching the scene, Lily asked the middle-aged man confronting Tina, ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    ¡°I was just entering when she suddenly attacked me!¡± the man pointed at Tina.

    Lily turned to Tina with a condescending tone, ¡°Willow¡¯s piano is only for those of high taste and character. Those who like to create scenes should better leave; I wouldn¡¯t want you to dirty this ce.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing Lily¡¯s hostility. ¡°Madam, you just took his word without even asking us, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s rather rash?¡±

    Elsa stepped forward, protecting Tina, ¡°My sister saw him hiding a knife, trying to sneak past security into the concert hall. That¡¯s why she acted!¡±

    She pointed around, ¡°If not, check the surveince, or ask these people!¡±

    The crowd nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, she caught him and a knife fell from his pocket¡­¡±

    Realizing her mistake as she noticed the knife on the ground, Lily faced the bacsh.

    ¡°My sister risked herself for the safety of your concert, and you insult her,¡± Elsa said coldly. ¡°Perhaps you owe her an apology.¡±

    The crowd echoed, ¡°Yeah, you shouldn¡¯t use without knowing the facts¡­¡±

    ¡°She should totally apologize¡­¡±

 Chapter 225: The Mother-Daughter Duo

    Tina felt a warm surge in her heart as she watched Elsa stand up for her. Lily Ward¡¯s face turned pale and flushed, unable to find words to defend herself after being publicly reprimanded. She knew she had acted out of jealousy and had seized the opportunity to belittle Tina, but now she didn¡¯t want to apologize.

    ¡°Lily,¡± Willow called out as she approached with the Reed family, noticing Lily¡¯s prolonged absence. As she entered, the crowd gasped, ¡°Oh my God, it¡¯s Willow herself!¡± ¡°She looks so young! Nearly fifty and still looks like she¡¯s thirty!¡± ¡°Talented pianist and so beautiful, truly enviable!¡±

    Willow basked in thepliments and nced at Jasper Reed. However, Jasper kept his distance, indifferent to the praises for Willow. Instead, his eyes brightened when he saw Tina. Willow noticed this and became wary, scrutinizing Tina closely. The girl was exceptionally beautiful with fair skin and delicate features. Willow¡¯s heart sank, suspecting Jasper might be interested in Tina.

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± Jasper greeted Tina first. Willow was taken aback; could Tina be from the Reed family? Tina nodded slightly at Jasper.

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± Annabelle greeted Tina warmly. She had tried to contact Tina several times to thank her for saving her life, but Tina had always declined due tock of time. Now, seeing Tina filled Annabelle with affection.

    Tina remained indifferent, nodding briefly.

    ¡°Lily, why are you taking so long?¡± Willow interrupted the exchange between Jasper, Annabelle, and Tina. She walked over to Lily Ward but kept her eyes on Tina.

    ¡°Mom,¡± Lily Ward called out hesitantly, unsure how to exin.

    ¡°So she¡¯s Ms. Ward¡¯s daughter,¡± Elsa remarked. She had admired Willow but was now disillusioned because of Lily¡¯s earlier rudeness towards Tina.

    ¡°Ms. Ward,¡± Elsa said politely, ¡°This man tried to sneak into the concert with a knife, and my sister stopped him. But your daughter insulted my sister without asking for her side of the story and refuses to apologize.¡±

    Willow¡¯s brows furrowed as she nced at the middle-aged man.

    ¡°Willow! I¡¯ve finally seen you!¡± The man eximed excitedly, restrained by security guards. ¡°I¡¯m your fan! I brought a knife to protect you from harm!¡±

    Willow felt disgusted by the man¡¯s sleazy appearance but forced a smile for Elsa¡¯s sake. ¡°He¡¯s just an overzealous fan; my daughter was only trying to protect him. There¡¯s no need for an apology.¡±

    Elsa was speechless with anger at such twisted logic.

    ¡°So fans carrying weapons is something you permit, Ms. Ward?¡± Tina said with a faint smile. ¡°It seems there are more dangerous people at this concert than just him.¡±

    Tina continued calmly, ¡°Listening to a piano concert shouldn¡¯t involve worrying about someone pulling out a knife next to me. I value my life too much for that.¡± With that, she turned and walked down the theater steps, followed by Hugo and others.

    Other audience members also began demanding refunds after hearing about the potential danger and witnessing Willow¡¯s defense of such fans.

    Willow¡¯s reputation attracted many influential people from Ensford tonight, who valued their lives highly. The news spread quickly through the concert hall; even those already seated got up and left without bothering about refunds.

    In no time, two-thirds of the audience seats were empty. The remaining third were die-hard fans of Willow, but they appeared as extreme fans carrying weapons to others, prompting them to leave even faster.

    Willow was furious; she had only defended Lily out of maternal instinct and didn¡¯t truly support extreme fans. She avoided such people herself!

    Especially now that the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes were fixed on her with a disturbing mix of obsession and madness after her defense of him; it scared her enough to want to run away.

    Tina¡¯s few light words had emptied two-thirds of her audience by twisting her meaning intentionally. If this incident made it into the news, her reputation would be ruined! It might even affect her uing tour concerts, giving her jealous peers more reason to mock her.

    She looked at Jasper Reed and Annabelle with a pleading expression, hoping they would help her.

    Jasper kept his eyes on Tina amid the chaotic crowd at the steps where his people subtly pulled some strands of her hair.

    Tina paused briefly and gave Jasper a meaningful look.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Jasper was startled; he realized she had noticed their intentions and allowed them to seed deliberately. Otherwise, why couldn¡¯t they get even one hair strand from her before despite days of trying?

    Seeing Jasper¡¯s unwavering gaze on Tina made Willow¡¯s face change color; she became more convinced that Jasper had special feelings for Tina because he never looked at ordinary girls this way.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared called out as he arrived with Nathan Lehman and Hayden after being absent for a while.

 Chapter 226: Who Are You?

    Seeing Tina and the others about to leave, Jared frowned. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Tina found someone trying to sneak in with a knife and stopped them,¡± Elsa said angrily to Jared. ¡°But as soon as Ms. Ward¡¯s daughter came out, she med Tina without understanding the situation and even said Tina would dirty the floor here!¡±

    Jared¡¯s stern face darkened, his deep eyes scanning Willow. ¡°Is that so?¡± His voice was cold and indifferent.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Heath Garrison added, ¡°then Willow came out and defended the fan with the knife, saying she liked such fans and that Tina was meddling.¡±

    ¡°Defending such fans?¡± Hayden, who had always been Serena¡¯sckey, now supported Tina just as fervently. ¡°There must be crazy fans like that all over this concert. Who would dare to attend?¡±

    ¡°Such a concert isn¡¯t worth attending,¡± Jared said, holding Tina¡¯s hand. His gaze swept over Willow and Lily Ward before he turned to leave with Tina. ¡°It would only dirty your ears.¡±

    Lily Ward¡¯s face turned pale; she hadn¡¯t expected Jared to be so blunt. She thought there was some connection between them.

    ¡°Jared!¡± Willow¡¯s face darkened as she spoke. ¡°How can you talk to me like that?!¡±

    Jared had been a crippled yboy in Ashbury, and no matter how much Logan pampered him, Willow never took him seriously. Even though Jared could now walk and Logan had announced him as the next head of the Farrell family, Willow couldn¡¯t change her perception of him overnight.

    Jared snorted coldly. ¡°Not everyone deserves my respect.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Willow was stunned by Jared¡¯s bluntness.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell,¡± Lily Ward couldn¡¯t help but step forward. ¡°May I have a word with you?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Jared frowned, his dark eyes devoid of emotion, his face icy.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m Lily Ward from TIC Research Institute!¡± Lily Ward stared in disbelief. They had met several times because Mr. Daryl funded her institute, but Jared didn¡¯t seem to remember her at all.

    She thought Jared would remember her talent vividly; otherwise, why would he choose her institute for such an important project?

    ¡°You,¡± Jared finally recalled the name Lily Ward. His master had left an unfinished project that he had personally assigned to TIC Research Institute for continuation.

    He looked at Lily Ward indifferently. ¡°You have too much powder on your face; I didn¡¯t recognize you.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Hayden couldn¡¯t help butugh. Mr. Farrell was always sharp-tongued.

    Lily Ward¡¯s face twisted in anger and embarrassment. She had fantasized about meeting Jared outside the institute countless times, imagining how he would be moved by her beauty. But she never expected such humiliation.

    Jared hadn¡¯t even remembered her face! And today, despite her borate appearance, he dismissed her with ament about too much makeup.

    Tina watched the exchange between Jared and Lily Ward silently, finally understanding the source of Lily Ward¡¯s inexplicable hostility towards her. This man certainly attracted attention, but she didn¡¯t like anyone coveting what belonged to her.

    She let out a coldugh and took Jared¡¯s arm, looking at him flirtatiously. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m tired.¡±

    ¡°Tired? I¡¯ll carry you,¡± Jared said tenderly, melting at her calling him ¡®uncle.¡¯ Ignoring everyone else, he scooped Tina up in his arms and walked down the theater steps amidst gasps from onlookers.

    Tina had only intended to irritate Lily Ward and make Jared leave quickly but was surprised by his manliness. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she let herself be carried away in silence.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell!¡± Hayden pped and whistled before realizing how this scene might be perceived by his eight brothers if it were photographed. He quickly followed Jared with Nathan Lehman.

    Hugo and the others snapped out of their daze and hurried after them as well.

    Annabelle and Jasper Reed exchanged thoughtful looks as they watched Jared carry Tina away.

    ¡°Willow,¡± Annabelle said coolly, no longer as friendly as before. ¡°I¡¯m tired; Jasper will take me home.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Yes, Mom,¡± Jasper Reed supported Annabelle without waiting for Willow¡¯s response and walked down the steps together.

    Willow¡¯s expression changed; she had noticed the close rtionship between Tina and the Reeds but hadn¡¯t expected them to disregard her feelings because of it.

    Despite her long-standing rtionship with the Reed family and Lily Ward treating Emrys¡¯ injuries, Garrett, Esther, Audrey Woodwind, and Damian were left standing awkwardly before exchanging nces and apologizing to Willow before following Annabelle and Jasper Reed.

    Today¡¯s piano concert had turned into a farce destined to be a joke. Staying any longer was pointless.

    Watching everyone leave one by one, Willow bit her lip in frustration but held back her anger. She realized that her supposed close rtionship with the Reed family was fragile at best.

    At this moment, a ck van pulled up at the theater entrance steps, and Sutcliffe emerged in a ck tailcoat with his manager.

 Chapter 227: The Concert Failed Before It Even Began

    Willow felt a surge of joy. Despite his young age, Sutcliffe had achieved remarkable sess in piano, rivaling her own fame and boasting even more fans. Many attendees were here specifically for him. Originally, she hadn¡¯t wanted Sutcliffe as a guest at this Ensford concert, fearing his fanbase would overshadow hers. But now, she hoped Sutcliffe might speak on her behalf and salvage the chaotic situation.

    As Sutcliffe stepped out of the van, the first thing he saw was Tina being carried by Jared. He asked her expressionlessly, ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Ward¡¯s daughter said my feet would dirty the concert stage,¡± Tina replied nonchntly. ¡°I didn¡¯t dare to step on it.¡±

    Sutcliffe immediately frowned deeply. Just as he was about to step onto the stairs, he retracted his foot. ¡°Then I won¡¯t step on it either.¡± He turned and swiftly got back into the van, followed by his equally stoic manager without a word. The ck van sped away so quickly that even Sutcliffe¡¯s fans didn¡¯t have time to react.

    When they realized Sutcliffe was gone, they regretted not rushing forward for an autograph. On the stairs, Willow stood dumbfounded. She hadn¡¯t expected Sutcliffe to know Tina or to disregard her so tantly after just a few words with Tina, leaving without even a farewell.

    With herst card gone, Willow felt dizzy and her chest ached with anger. She could already foresee how reporters would write about this unprecedentedly failed concert: it hadn¡¯t even started, and two-thirds of the audience had left due to extreme fans!

    Lily Ward watched Jared holding Tina from start to finish, watching him carry Tina down the steps and into the car. This man, handsome like a god, wouldn¡¯t spare her an extra nce but was exceedingly gentle with the girl in his arms. Why? What made Tina special? So what if Tina had two PhDs at sixteen? Now that she had quit her job at Ensford High School, she didn¡¯t even have a proper job! Wasting her youth recklessly-what made this unambitious waste worthy of Mr. Daryl¡¯s attention?

    Lily Ward was furious but quickly calmed down. Today, jealousy had clouded her judgment, leading her to act so disgracefully-this wasn¡¯t like her at all. She shouldn¡¯t bepeting with Tina over such trivial matters. She should show Mr. Daryl that she was the most outstanding woman in the world and the only one worthy of standing by his side. One day, she would ensure that his eyes saw only her!

    Willow¡¯s Ensford piano concert started grandly and ended in chaos like a joke. After two-thirds of the audience left demanding refunds, Willow still took the stage toplete her performance. However, perhaps due to earlier agitation, she yed poorly, making several mistakes. Even her remaining loyal fans were disappointed; many left halfway through.

    By the end of the concert, only a dozen people remained in the audience, including a crazed fan who had tried to bring a knife inside. He stared at Willow on stage with fervent greed as if ready to pounce at any moment-chillingly unsettling.

    Forcing herself to remainposed, Willow hurriedly took her bow and retreated backstage.

    In her dressing room sat Lily Ward in silence; she hadn¡¯t even attended her mother¡¯s performance.

    ¡°Lily, do you have some grudge against that Reed girl?¡± Willow asked discontentedly.

    Today¡¯s concert could have been perfect if not for Lily Ward¡¯s momentarypse in judgment and conflict with Tina. Her intervention led to this mess.

    ¡°Lily, your behavior today wasn¡¯t like you,¡± Willow said sharply.

    Her daughter was usually calm and focused on medical research-never easily perturbed by external matters.

    ¡°She¡¯s Jared¡¯s fiancee,¡± Lily Ward replied calmly.

    ¡°So?¡± Willow frowned in confusion.

    Jared was just a crippled wastrel-even though he had recovered from his disability; it didn¡¯t change that fact.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Jared is Mr. Daryl,¡± Lily Ward answered.

    Willow paused briefly; she¡¯d heard Lily mention Mr. Daryl-the mysterious man funding TIC Research Institute-many times before with admiration and affection. She knew her daughter harbored feelings for him and approved-a powerful yet enigmatic man suited Lily perfectly.

    But she never imagined that man would be Jared-the former Ashbury crippled yboy!

    me it on Lily Ward¡¯s aversion to social events and mingling with Ashbury¡¯s elite; she¡¯d never met Jared in person-unaware of how deeply he concealed himself!

    Everyone thought he wielded power only because Logan favored him-but now it seemed his hidden strength far surpassed Ashbury Farrell family¡¯s influence-they likely benefited from him instead.

    Such a man should belong to Lily-just as Jasper Reed should belong to her!

    She¡¯d forgotten how she once scorned Jared as a useless cripple.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; I¡¯ve heard his little fianceees from an average family and can¡¯t help him much career-wise,¡± Willow reassured Lily Ward with a pat on the shoulder.

    ¡°Remember what I told you: rtionships shouldn¡¯t focus solely on immediate gains but also consider long-term prospects. In terms of family background-you¡¯re the daughter of Ward family; in terms of talent-you¡¯re hailed as a genius medical doctor whose patents are coveted by many businesses.¡±

    ¡°Lily-you must believe in yourself-you can offer him far more than any young girl ever could! If he didn¡¯t value your talent-why would he choose you among so many research institutes?¡±

    ¡°I understand, Mom,¡± Lily Ward nodded-she¡¯d realized this when Jared left with Tina.

 Chapter 228: If You Dare to Come, Donâ€™t Expect to Leave Unscathed

    She admitted Tina¡¯s beauty and youth, but even the most beautiful flowers would wither one day. Only talent and her astonishing research achievements would never fade! Didn¡¯t Tina also have a PhD in medicine? She would crush that girl in her own field!

    ¡°Mom, are you going back to Whispering Pines today?¡± Lily Ward had regained her confidence and looked calmly at Willow.

    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m flying directly to the next concert city,¡± Willow snorted. ¡°I¡¯ve been more than good to the Reed family over the years. Today, they embarrassed me, and once they realize it, they¡¯ll surely feel guilty. If I go back now, facing them would be awkward and counterproductive. Let their guilt ferment for a while longer. I want them to feel even more remorseful for their actions today!¡±

    Willow¡¯s eyes were filled with calction. ¡°Next time we meet, they¡¯ll be more amodating due to their guilt. As for my belongings at the Reed family, I¡¯ll have someone collect them.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow at Lily Ward. ¡°What about you? What¡¯s your n?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll continue treating Emrys, but I¡¯ll notify the Reed family to transfer him to our hospital in Ashbury,¡± Lily Ward said with a lightugh. ¡°After all, Ashbury is my home turf.¡±

    Mr. Daryl was very concerned about the project he had entrusted to her and often sent people to check on its progress. With just one call from her research institute announcing a major breakthrough, she was sure Jared woulde to see her.

    The mother and daughter exchanged smiles, each harboring their own calctions.

    On the way back to Jade Gardens.

    The Reed family members were in two separate cars. Elsa felt deeply guilty towards Tina; she hadn¡¯t expected her idol and her idol¡¯s daughter to be so unreasonable. She had taken her family to the concert happily, only for Tina to be wronged for no reason. Even though she wasn¡¯t in the same car as Tina, she kept sending voice messages on Facebook apologizing.

    ¡°Tina, I¡¯m really sorry. I won¡¯t like Willow anymore or attend her concerts!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Tina replied indifferently on Facebook, trying tofort Elsa.

    If anyone was to me, it should be Jared for attracting so many women.

    She nced at the man sitting beside her. He had his eyes closed and head resting against the seatback, the light from outside casting a halo on his Grecian profile. Despite his dignified appearance, his long leg was subtly brushing against Tina¡¯s.

    Tina coldly smirked and discreetly stomped on Jared¡¯s foot.

    Jared opened his eyes in pain and raised an eyebrow at Tina, silently questioning with his gaze.

    ¡°Sorry, my foot slipped,¡± Tina said tly.

    Though her face showed no expression, Jared could sense that his fiancee was angry with him!

    But why was Tina suddenly angry? He couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    What should he do if his fiancee was mad but he didn¡¯t know why?

    Just then, Hugo¡¯s phone rang; it was a call from Pinkwater Ally property management. ¡°Mr. Reed, there¡¯s been a break-in at your home!¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Hugo was startled. ¡°What? A break-in?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your house is a mess now; you shoulde back quickly,¡± replied the property manager.

    Hugo suddenly remembered something and turned nervously to look at Tina beside him.

    Seeing Tina looking back at him, he quickly lowered his eyes and told the property manager on the phone, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Tina asked calmly.

    ¡°There was a break-in at our house in Pinkwater Ally,¡± Hugo said hurriedly before asking Jared, ¡°Jared, can you drop me off at Pinkwater Ally first?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll all go together,¡± Jared said as he called Hayden in the other car to take Jennie and Elsa along with Heath Garrison back to Jade Gardens while Nathan Lehman changed course to Pinkwater Ally.

    At Pinkwater Ally.

    The break-in had been discovered by two new property employees who hade to change the hallway lights on the Reed family¡¯s floor when they saw someone sneaking out of the door. The intruders knocked them down before fleeing; the property then called the police.

    When Tina and the others arrived around 8 PM, they found the house in disarray.

    The two new property employees were tall young men with injuries on their faces. They followed them inside and said, ¡°Please check what¡¯s missing so we can report it to the police.¡±

    Tina nced at them and exchanged a look with Jared; both noticed something unusual in each other¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Hugo said to the property employees before rushing towards his and Jennie¡¯s bedroom.

    The bedroom was also ransacked; even the mattress was shed open with stuffing scattered everywhere. He nervously walked to one corner of the bed and visibly rxed upon seeing something intact there. He squatted down, lifted that part of the bed frame, removed a wooden plug revealing a hollowed-out space inside it.

    He hesitated whether to put back the plug or take out what was hidden when Tina¡¯s cold voice sounded behind him.

    ¡°So that¡¯s where it was hidden; no wonder I couldn¡¯t find it.¡±

    She had searched every inch of this floor but hadn¡¯t expected Hugo to hide the medication in a hollowed-out bed leg disguised as solid wood.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Hugo began hesitantly but then looked behind her in horror and shouted, ¡°Watch out!¡±

    Two strong gusts of wind came from behind Tina; without turning around she bent down slightly while elbowing both sides simultaneously hitting both property employees¡¯ abdomens forcing them back before stepping forward protectively in front of Hugo.

    The two tall employees¡¯ expressions changed realizing their sneak attack had failed as if Tina had been prepared all along while Jared and Nathan Lehman stood behind them with Jared leisurely rolling up his sleeves exposing muscr forearms saying calmly yet coldly like ice piercing through bones: ¡°Tina, the door is locked; go ahead.¡±

    His tone was casual but carried an intimidating aura making it clear these men were trained killers despite their attempts at disguise which couldn¡¯t hide their murderous intent from experienced eyes like theirs who recognized such threats instantly knowing full well if these intruders darede here then they shouldn¡¯t expect leaving unharmed!

 Chapter 229: Courtney is Missing

    Tina sneered, moving her fingers to reveal a silver needle. ¡°Why make it soplicated?¡± She never wanted to use two needles when one could solve the problem. Unexpectedly, the two men each took out a syringe and injected the liquid into their bodies.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell!¡± Nathan Lehman eximed and immediately stood in front of Jared. No wonder GTO dared to send only two people; they were prepared for this!

    ¡°Mr. Reed,¡± Tina¡¯s voice turned serious, ¡°hide and protect yourself.¡± Before Hugo could respond, the two men, now injected with the drug, charged at Tina like wild beasts. Tina and Jared dashed forward like lightning.

    As Jared rushed out, he instructed Nathan Lehman, ¡°Go protect Mr. Reed.¡± Nathan Lehman quickly moved to shield Hugo. The drug-enhanced men had their strength and speed multiplied several times over, their eyes wild with bloodlust.

    Tina and Jared¡¯s faces grew grim as they faced the attacks, the air filled with the sound of fists hitting flesh and bodies colliding. Hugo, protected by Nathan Lehman, was stunned. He had seen Reba fight like a lone wolf before, and now he saw the same in Tina.

    At that moment, the images of mother and daughter ovepped in his mind, bringing tears to his eyes. Why did this child have to bear the same burdens and fate as her mother?

    After a few exchanges, Tina and Jared synchronized their movements perfectly, each delivering a kick that sent the two men flying into the living room. The tall figures crashed heavily to the ground amidst the scattered debris.

    The two men looked at Tina and Jared in disbelief. The drug they injected came at the cost of burning their life force to enhance their physical abilities several times over. They were among GTO¡¯s best assassins; no normal person could defeat them one-on-one after they were enhanced.

    Were these two even human?

    ¡°We were indeed underestimated!¡± Tina sneered at them. ¡°Last time, Rook caught me off guard. This time, without hostages holding me back, did you think a lousy drug would be enough?¡±

    The two men hesitated but then charged forward again with a roar¡­

    Nearby, in Elena¡¯s bedroom.

    Shonna, who was visiting Elena with Velma, looked up at the balcony inexplicably. ¡°Elena, is there a ughterhouse near your neighborhood?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°ughterhouse?¡± Elena looked at Shonna as if she were crazy. ¡°This area is worth its weight in gold; which boss would be so extravagant to open a ughterhouse here?¡±

    ¡°But I thought I heard the sound of pigs being ughtered,¡± Shonna said puzzled.

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Velmaughed too. ¡°You must have misheard. If there were a ughterhouse near Pinkwater Alley, property prices wouldn¡¯t be so high.¡±

    Just then, Elena¡¯s phone buzzed. She checked it andughed. ¡°Strange, the neighborhood group also says someone heard pigs squealing.¡±

    The group chat was flooded withints.

    ¡°Who¡¯s being so inconsiderate? Making such noise at night!¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯sing from Building 12?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s definitely from Building 12. I can testify because I live there and it¡¯s driving me crazy! Why isn¡¯t property management doing anything?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be from Unit 1601-the ce where someone broke in today. Maybe it¡¯s not pigs squealing but someone crying over stolen valuables!¡±

    ¡°That unit is rented anyway. Poor them; not much money and still got robbed! Let¡¯s notin about them.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re crying so miserably; should we gofort them?¡±

    ¡°Better not; they might think we¡¯re there to gawk at their misfortune.¡±

    Elena and her friendsughed as they read through the messages. Shonna sighed, ¡°That owner is really unlucky. Do you know them, Elena?¡±

    Elena thought for a while but couldn¡¯t remember that Unit 1601 belonged to Tina¡¯s family, so she shook her head. ¡°Nope, let¡¯s keep ying.¡±

    The three girls continued their fun without further concern.

    In fact, those two assassins were indeed close to tears from Tina and Jared¡¯s beating.

    After being tricked by Ssst time during the kidnapping case, Tina had extracted samples of the drugs from those masked men who diedter and sent them to herb in Ashbury for research on an antidote.

    Although an antidote wasn¡¯t developed yet, they did create a neutralizing agent that weakened the drug¡¯s effects. Tina used this on these two men during their fight, significantly reducing their enhanced abilities.

    Once Tina and Jared had thoroughly subdued them, Hugo emerged from the bedroom with Nathan Lehman.

    He stared nkly at the unconscious assassins on the floor while Tina stepped on one of their heads.

    Just then, someone knocked on the door.

    Jared gave Nathan Lehman a look. Nathan cautiously checked through the peephole before rxing his tense body.

    He opened the door to find Hayden bouncing in with a cheerful ¡°Surprise!¡±

    Hayden¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the scene: two incapacitated assassins and Tina using one as a footrest. ¡°Serena, what are you doing?¡±

    Tina¡¯s phone vibrated in her pocket. Ignoring Hayden, she checked her phone-it was a message from Jin Yi: ¡°Young Master, Courtney Tate is missing.¡±

    After dealing with Ss, Tina had sent Jin Yi to Ashbury to monitor and protect Courtney. She had anticipated that Courtney might be exposed to GTO but didn¡¯t expect it to happen so soon.

    Frowning slightly, she replied: ¡°Got it; I¡¯ll handle it when I get there.¡±

    After searching for Courtney for so long and finally locating her in Ashbury only for her to disappear again¡­

    ¡°What are you here for?¡± Jared asked Hayden calmly.

    Hayden grinned but lowered his voice seriously. ¡°There¡¯s news from headquarters-Base Three has been infiltrated and severely damaged. We need to return to Ashbury immediately.¡±

 Chapter 230: Saving Courtney

    Jared furrowed his brow and nced at Tina, who was texting. ¡°Mr. Farrell, now is not the time for romance,¡± Hayden said gravely. Jared withdrew his gaze and replied in a deep voice, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s time to return to Ashbury.¡±

    ¡°Back to Ashbury?¡± Tina walked over, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Can you give me a lift?¡± Jared looked at her in surprise; he had been wondering how to get Tina to Ashbury. Tina showed him her phone screen, revealing the news of Courtney¡¯s disappearance, causing his heart to sink.

    Hugo observed their serious expressions and guessed something was amiss. He sighed and asked, ¡°Tina, are you leaving?¡± ¡°Yes, I need to go to Ashbury,¡± Tina nodded solemnly. ¡°We must leave immediately.¡± Dying even a second could mean missing crucial clues about Courtney.

    Hugo hesitated as Tina¡¯s clear voice continued, ¡°Mr. Reed, you¡¯ve seen how dangerous it is to keep this.¡± Hugo remained silent. ¡°Think carefully. Today, you¡¯re lucky it¡¯s us with you. If it were Jennie and Zackary, what would have happened?¡± Tina said again, ¡°Hand it over to me.¡±

    Hugo nced at Jared and the others, noting Tina¡¯s trust in them. After a long sigh, he handed a small vial from under the bed to Tina. ¡°Tina, your mother once said not to involve you unless you were strong enough. It seems you are now.¡±

    At least she had people by her side who could fight with her and protect her. ¡°Mr. Reed, thank you,¡± Tina said sincerely as she took the vial containing a mysterious green liquid in a specially reinforced ss bottle.

    This small vial had caused her mother¡¯s team to be wiped out years ago. Tina¡¯s gratitude was genuine. She appreciated Hugo hiding her mother within the Reed family despite knowing she wasn¡¯t his biological daughter and protecting this dangerous vial for years.

    Now it was her turn to lift the burden that had shackled him for so long; it was her destiny and responsibility. Hugo knew that Tina returned to find the vial and would leave once she found it; she had more important things to do.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Hugo smiled. ¡°But remember, you¡¯ll always have a home here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jared put his arm around Tina¡¯s shoulder and promised Hugo, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll protect her.¡±

    Despite his reluctance, Hugo waved them off to do what they needed to do. Tina and Jared exchanged nces and quickly had Nathan Lehman take them back to Jade Gardens to pack their bags.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    The two assassins were taken away by Nathan Lehman¡¯s men, but Tina instructed them to observe if they would die quickly like thest group after using the neutralizer.

    At Jade Gardens, Jennie saw Tina and Jared hurriedly dragging their suitcases downstairs and asked in surprise, ¡°Tina, Jared? Where are you going?¡± ¡°I have some business in Ashbury and need to leave immediately,¡± Tina exined.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Jennie wanted to ask more but was stopped by Hugo. ¡°Let them go,¡± Hugo forced a smile. Jennie understood from Hugo¡¯s expression and after a moment of silence, smiled at Tina, ¡°Take care on your way.¡±

    ¡°Jennie, thank you,¡± Tina said gently. She no longer showed hostility when speaking with those close to her.

    Initially returning to the Reed family was for investigating the vial and avenging her mother¡¯s abandonment by them. She lived in fear and darkness after leaving with her mother without knowing she wasn¡¯t Hugo¡¯s biological daughter until her mother died; she hated Hugo then.

    She learned about her true parentage before returning home and believed Hugo had broken promises made with her mother. So she sought revenge upon returning but soon realized Hugo¡¯s kindness reflected his genuine efforts to protect his family.

    For the first time here, she felt at home.

    Tina looked at Zackary holding Softie and smiled as she ruffled his hair. ¡°Zackary, be good.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you take me with you?¡± Zackary¡¯s big eyes welled up with tears as Softie meowed softly.

    ¡°Be good; I¡¯ll be back.¡± This trip might mean not returning often anymore; Hugo and others needed their lives without taking Zackary along.

    ¡°Remember toe home soon,¡± Zackary held back tears bravely. Tina felt a pang in her heart as she hugged him gently before handing him something. ¡°This is for you.¡±

    ¡°Tina!¡± Elsa and Heath Garrison hurried down from the third floor upon hearing about her departure. ¡°Why so sudden?¡± Elsa asked.

    ¡°I have some business in Ashbury,¡± Tina smiled at Elsa.

    ¡°I see,¡± Elsa didn¡¯t ask further but smiled back, ¡°No worries; I¡¯ll be transferred there soon too despite my busy job.¡±

    ¡°Yes! We¡¯ll treat you then,¡± Heath added with a smile.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Tina waved at everyone before leaving with Jared waiting by the door.

    After they left, Zackary dropped what Tina had given him while holding Softie-a property deed for Pinkwater Alley under Zackary¡¯s name!

    ¡°Hugo, look!¡±

    Jennie gasped excitedly showing it to Hugo who was equally shocked seeing Zackary¡¯s name on such an important document!

    ¡°The property deed for Pinkwater Ally!? What¡¯s going on? Why is it Zackary¡¯s name?¡±

 Chapter 231: Serenaâ€™s Good Teaching

    Hugo was utterly confused! Wasn¡¯t this house the one he rented for five hundred dors? How did it be Zackary¡¯s?

    ¡°Did you also see Zackary¡¯s name?¡± Jennie looked up, bewildered. ¡°I thought I was seeing things.¡±

    The two stared at each other in silence for a long time before it suddenly dawned on them.

    ¡°The house on Pinkwater Alley was bought by Tina!¡±

    Jennie, with reddened eyes, threw herself into Hugo¡¯s arms, choking back tears. ¡°I knew such a good house couldn¡¯t be rented for just five hundred dors. Tina is really something.¡±

    She felt foolish! A house as nice as the one on Pinkwater Alley would never rent out for just five hundred dors to anyone with a bit of sense. Moreover, thismunity never rented out properties. Yet they had rented it at an unbelievably low price! It turned out to be Tina¡¯s own house!

    Hugo held Jennie, his throat dry and his heart heavy. He felt deeply indebted to Natalie and Tina. He had always tried to make up for it, but the debt seemed to growrger.

    Jennie sobbed, ¡°Hugo, we¡¯ll never be able to repay Tina.¡±

    Hugo gently patted her head and said softly, ¡°Then let¡¯s love her more in the future. I¡¯ll work hard on my career so we can move to Ashbury and take better care of her.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jennie replied with a smile.

    ¡°Dad, Mom, you two are so clingy even after all these years,¡± Elsa teased to lighten the mood.

    ¡°Your boss gave you seven days off this time; you¡¯re not in a hurry to leave, are you?¡± Jennie asked sternly.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not in a hurry¡­¡± Elsa was immediately intimidated by her mother¡¯s sudden authority.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not in a hurry, stay home and keep mepany for a couple more days!¡± Jennie sighed. ¡°Everyone¡¯s leaving one by one; it¡¯s true that daughters can¡¯t be kept at home!¡±

    Elsa muttered under her breath.

    Mom! You don¡¯t have to take it out on me just because you can¡¯t bear to part with my sister.

    Two dayster, in Ashbury.

    In the dark woods of the suburbs, Courtney swiftly stabbed thest man in ck in the heart. She pushed his tall body away and staggered back against a tree trunk, gasping for breath. Around hery the bodies of seven or eight men in ck.

    The night was deep, and the solitary moon hung high in the sky, coldly observing the wounded girl through the sparse branches of deciduous trees.

    After catching her breath, Courtney used her blood-stained knife to cut open her left sleeve and tore it into strips to bandage her wound. She tied a knot with her right hand and teeth.

    As soon as she released her teeth, she saw shlight beams searching through the distant darkness of the woods.

    ¡°Damn it! These pests just won¡¯t give up!¡± she cursed angrily, spat out blood from her mouth, and ran in the opposite direction of the shlight beams.

    She had been kidnapped but managed to escape by injuring one of her captors when they let their guard down. She had been hiding and evading countless pursuers ever since.

    Finally finding refuge in these woods, she hadn¡¯t expected them to catch up so quickly.

    The solitary moon continued its cold gaze as she stumbled through the dark forest like a trapped beast. The path ahead was uncertain, while endless darkness loomed behind her.

    Suddenly, she heard car horns and immediately changed direction towards them. If she could g down a car and escape back to the city, she¡¯d have a better chance of hiding even if she couldn¡¯t contact her people.

    After running for a while, she saw streetlights ahead and quickened her pace towards them.

    She burst out of the woods onto a road and was about to head towards the city when she heard cars approaching from behind.

    Her heart leaped with hope but sank upon seeing several ck cars filled with men in ck speeding towards her.

    She ran desperately forward but found two cars blocking her path-a silver one and a ck one-leaving her feeling hopeless.

    Just as one of the ck cars behind was about to intercept her, the silver car sped past Courtney and rammed into it, flipping it over with a loud crash.

    Courtney froze but then recognized the beautiful face inside the silver car and felt overjoyed. ¡°Miss Reed!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Tina nced at her and floored the gas pedal. The engine roared as she swerved to block the other ck cars¡¯ path.

    The ck cars showed no hesitation and crashed into Tina¡¯s car one after another.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The repeated crashes severely deformed the passenger side of Tina¡¯s silver car, pushing it across the road with screeching tires.

    ¡°Miss Reed!¡± Courtney shouted in concern.

    Tina suddenly opened the car door, rolled over to Courtney¡¯s side, grabbed her hand, and ran. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Jared drove another ck car over and screeched to a halt beside them. Hayden opened the back door from inside and pulled them in.

    Before they could close the door, Jared spun the car around and sped off.

    At that moment, Tina¡¯s abandoned silver car exploded due to a pre-installed timed bomb, setting off explosions in all nearby ck cars¡¯ engines and fuel tanks as well.

    The powerful st wave almost flipped Jared¡¯s car over as they sped away.

    Courtney looked back from the rear seat and saw five or six cars engulfed in mes behind them. Figures on fire stumbled out screaming and rolled on the ground in agony.

    Hayden nced back too before turning to Tina and Jared with admiration. ¡°That¡¯s what I call real heroes-never looking back at explosions!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a woman,¡± Tina said coolly without looking back at him.

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Hayden quickly corrected himself. ¡°Serena is different! Although she¡¯s a woman, she¡¯s tougher than any man-better than all menbined!¡±

    ¡°Are you implying I¡¯m neither man nor woman?¡± Tina shot him an evil nce with a hint of mischief in her eyes.

    ¡°No no! I¡¯m praising you!¡± Hayden hastily exined. ¡°I¡¯m saying you¡¯re stronger than any man or woman.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been out for so many years without much progress elsewhere but your ttery skills have improved,¡± Tina remarked indifferently.

    ¡°That¡¯s because Serena taught me well,¡± Hayden shamelessly admitted without feeling embarrassed about his ipetence.

 Chapter 232: Codename Husky

    At this moment, four ck cars appeared ahead, closing in on them. The first two cars turned to form a pincer movement.

    ¡°Can you handle this?¡± Tina asked, her face serious as she looked at the two ck carsing at them. ¡°If not, let me do it.¡±

    Jared¡¯s mouth twitched. He freed one hand to pinch Tina¡¯s delicate cheek and said in a slightly aggrieved tone, ¡°Tina! Don¡¯t ever say I can¡¯t do it again!¡±

    He was a normal man! He could definitely handle it!

    Tina remained silent, though she suspected Jared was implying something but had no evidence.

    Jared turned the steering wheel sharply and stomped on the clutch. One side of the car lifted off the ground, using a trick Tina had previously used in Ensford. The car tilted and swiftly passed through before the two ck cars could close in.

    Courtney and Hayden clutched their seats in surprise, while Tinaughed. ¡°Not bad, you actually learned that from me.¡±

    The carnded heavily after passing through the ck cars¡¯ pincer movement and continued speeding forward.

    ¡°My wife taught me well,¡± Jared replied with a smile.

    Tina raised an eyebrow. She noticed Jared was bing more audacious with his words. Before she could correct him for taking advantage of her, she saw the four ck cars turning around to chase them again.

    ¡°Persistent bastards!¡± Tina sneered and extended her right hand towards Hayden. ¡°Did you bring the gear?¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡± Hayden handed over a silver revolver from his waist.

    Tina took the gun, rolled down the window, and fired four shots backward. The bullets precisely hit the fuel tanks of the four chasing ck cars.

    With a series of explosions, the fuel tanks of the four ck cars blew up one after another. The cars collided with each other, leaving no chance for the men inside to escape as they were destroyed along with their vehicles,pletely eliminating the pursuit.

    ¡°Serena is awesome!¡± Hayden eximed excitedly; it had been years since hest saw Serena perform such an action scene.

    However, his excitement caused him to bump into Courtney¡¯s injured left arm.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Courtney winced in pain, and Hayden quickly restrained himself and apologized repeatedly. ¡°Sorry, sorry, I got too excited!¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s your injury?¡± Tina tossed the gun back to Hayden and reached out to check Courtney¡¯s wound.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, nothing serious.¡± Courtney shook her head. ¡°It didn¡¯t hit any vital parts.¡±

    Tina nced at Courtney¡¯s determined eyes and noticed the bloodstains on Courtney¡¯s knife earlier. That blood certainly wasn¡¯t Courtney¡¯s own.

    She saw a bit of herself in Courtney-a lone wolf who always downyed her injuries and preferred to lick her wounds in solitude, wrapping herself into an indestructible weapon.

    ¡°Miss Reed, how did you find me?¡± Courtney asked curiously.

    ¡°The enemy released a lot of false information. Our people spread out to look for you,¡± Tina replied calmly. ¡°We were lucky to find you just in time.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t havee so hurriedly with only three people.

    ¡°Why did youe to Ashbury alone?¡± Tina was somewhat angry about Courtney¡¯s actions. If Courtney hadn¡¯te to Ashbury by herself, today¡¯s incident wouldn¡¯t have happened under her protection.

    ¡°In that kidnapping incident, I was exposed. Staying at Ensford High School might endanger other students again.¡± Courtney shook her head and added, ¡°Besides, I know what you¡¯re looking for. I didn¡¯t take it to Ensford; it¡¯s hidden in Ashbury. I just hadn¡¯t been back for years and wanted to scout ahead.¡±

    ¡°Have you scouted enough?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Courtney replied while ncing at Jared and Hayden in the car before looking back at Tina with a questioning gaze.

    ¡°Do you want to exin or should I?¡± Tina looked at Jared who was driving.

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡®Wolf¡¯,¡± Jared said calmly while keeping his eyes on the road ahead.

    ¡°You are ¡®Wolf¡¯?!¡± Courtney was stunned. She had received information that the new leader of her mother¡¯s former team was codenamed ¡®Wolf¡¯.

    ¡°Lark was my mentor,¡± Jared added to rify his allegiance.

    Courtney then turned her gaze towards Hayden.

    ¡°I¡¯m one of us too,¡± Hayden said reluctantly with a hint of grievance. ¡°My codename is¡­ ¡®Husky¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Courtney couldn¡¯t hold back herughter.

    ¡°Very fitting,¡± Tina nodded seriously. The codename ¡®Husky¡¯ perfectly suited Hayden-silly and talkative.

    ¡°Serena!¡± Hayden protested even more aggrievedly. How could a suave and handsome guy like him be called Husky? It was all Jared¡¯s fault!

    Their codenames were decided by drawing lots. While others got cool or sinister names like ¡®Silver Fox¡¯, ¡®Falcon¡¯, or ¡®Viper¡¯, he ended up with ¡®Husky¡¯. He was furious when he found out that Jared had rigged the draw by recing all the slips with ¡®Husky¡¯ just for him!

    Since then, he had be aughingstock among his teammates with nicknames like ¡°Silly¡± or ¡°Huspig¡±. Just thinking about it made him want to use his revolver on Jared!

    Jared ignored Hayden¡¯s murderous re from behind and said to Courtney, ¡°Since you¡¯re injured, let¡¯s go back to my ce first for treatment.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Courtney shook her head. ¡°We should go get the item directly; I fear dys might cause more trouble.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jared tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel before tightening his grip as his face turned serious again. Tina also looked coldly towards the endless woods along the road.

    From the left side of the woods came the roar of motorcycle engines growing louder by the second. A group of colorful off-road motorcycles burst out from among the trees, surrounding their three vehicles.

    The riders wielded iron rods and baseball bats, striking repeatedly at their car windows.

 Chapter 233: Protecting with My Life

    Tina and herpanions watched coldly as white marks appeared on the car windows from the attackers outside. After being shot in Ensford, Jared had all their cars modified to be bulletproof, including the tires. So, they weren¡¯t worried about the attackers breaking the windows.

    However, there were too many motorcyclists. No matter how Jared swerved, more attackers kepting. Some even tried to slide their motorcycles under their car¡¯s wheels, almost causing them to overturn if not for Jared¡¯s skillful driving.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    After passing a stretch of road, the right side turned into a cliff with train tracks below. A wrong move could send them plummeting down. Ahead, just likest time, a truck blocked the road with a container.

    The narrow road left no room to maneuver, and the explosions from earlier had cut off any retreat. If it were an open area, Tina could handle them alone. But here, they had to find a way to evade.

    Suddenly, Tina¡¯s ears twitched as she looked at the tracks below. The sound of a train whistle grew louder as a freight train approached with its headlights on.

    ¡°Uncle, want to take a gamble?¡± Tina asked Jared, pointing at the train.

    ¡°Sure!¡± Jared understood immediately. He turned the car sharply and drove off the cliff towards the train below.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Hayden screamed while holding Courtney tightly during the fall. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask if I was okay with this?¡±

    ¡°Shut up! Husky!¡± Courtney yelled back, her ears ringing.

    It was a risky move. If Jared miscalcted, they could crash into the train or overshoot it and fall off the other side of the cliff. But there was no room for error.

    With a loud thud, the carnded steadily on top of the moving train. The motorcyclists were stunned by their sudden move but quickly followed Jared¡¯s car onto the train tracks.

    Some crashed into the train and were crushed under its wheels. Others flew over and fell off the cliff. Yet, about a dozen managed tond on top of the train.

    The motorcyclists dismounted and approached their car with weapons in hand. Tina and her group got out and faced them coldly.

    The train roared forward, wind whipping their clothes and hair wildly. Under the deep night sky, a lone moon hung high, casting a cold light that stretched their shadows long.

    The motorcyclists attacked first, swinging their weapons at Tina¡¯s group. The leader aimed a blow at Tina¡¯s head. They wore tight leather jackets and pants with helmets, making her silver needles useless.

    She ducked and delivered a sharp kick to his abdomen, sending him flying off the train. Two others tried to attack her before she could recover but she flipped over them nimbly and kicked them off as well.

    Her fierce moves intimidated them, making her their primary target. They attacked her together, forcing her to defend from all sides. When she sensed someone attacking from behind, she dodged but slipped off the edge of the train car.

    ¡°Tina!¡± Jared shouted, his eyes widening as he kicked away an attacker and grabbed her hand just in time.

    Tina clung to Jared¡¯s arm, dangling off the side of the train car as its wheels screeched below. If she fell, she¡¯d be crushed under them.

    Jared exposed his back while saving her, allowing three motorcyclists to strike him hard with baseball bats. He grunted in pain but held on tightly to Tina.

    Tina¡¯s eyes shed coldly as she pushed off from the train car¡¯s side and flipped back up, knocking down all three attackers like dominoes with her knees.

    The long train continued through the night as if unaware of the fierce battle atop it. Ahead loomed a tunnel entrance that they were rapidly approaching.

    Jared nced at it and whistled sharply-a signal unique to X Bureau meaning ¡°get down.¡± Instantly, Tina, Courtney, Hayden all dropped t along with him.

    Hayden knew what it meant; Tina and Courtney had learned this signal from their mothers too.

    The remaining motorcyclists hesitated at their sudden move but didn¡¯t react in time before entering the tunnel themselves.

    In pitch darkness came sounds of flesh tearing followed by heavy thuds as heads rolled or bounced across metal surfaces until all fell silent except for wind carrying a metallic scent mixed with blood onto Tina¡¯s group¡¯s faces.

    The train emerged from the tunnel into moonlight revealing headless bodies standing still atop it while helmetsy scattered around-one rolling near Hayden who kicked it away in disgust saying ¡°This is worse than ¡®Final Destination¡¯! So freaking gross!¡±

    He wiped blood stters off his face feeling nauseous ¡°I wanna puke!¡±

    Courtney also felt uneasy about bloodstains on her but remainedposed unlike Hayden who retched overboard while Tina and Jared stayed calm especially Tina who had dissected corpses while watching horror movies during medical school earning legendary status there for such feats plus witnessing gruesome scenes created by Wraith in high-security prisons made this seem mildpared to those experiences so she focused instead on Jared¡¯s injury ¡°Uncle how¡¯s your back?¡±

 Chapter 234: Too Much to Handle

    Jared had just taken a few blows, worried that he might have broken a rib. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, dismissing the minor injuries. He nced disdainfully at Hayden, who was pale and vomiting, ¡°Pathetic.¡± Two girls hadn¡¯t thrown up, but Hayden, a grown man, couldn¡¯t handle it.

    After vomiting, Hayden looked at Jared and the other two, who were unfazed by the bloody scene. ¡°Are you guys insane? How can you stand this?¡± Just then, the train jolted, causing the headless bodies to fall and hit the metal with dull thuds. Seeing this, Hayden turned around and vomited again. ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    Jared sighed. He had nned for Hayden to call someone to clean up the mess to avoid a public scandal. Seeing how useless Hayden was, he rubbed his temples and pulled out his phone to call Nathan Lehman, who was tracking another lead. He noticed several missed calls from Nathan.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell! Did you find them?¡± Nathan asked excitedly as soon as he answered Jared¡¯s call after almost two hours of no contact. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±

    ¡°A minor issue, resolved,¡± Jared replied coldly, looking at the mess on the train roof. ¡°Send someone to clean up.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll locate your position right away.¡± As Nathan was about to hang up, he heard Hayden vomiting again and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Hayden? Did he eat something bad?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, too much crap,¡± Jared said nonchntly.

    Nathan was speechless. Did Hayden have such a strange hobby? Eating crap? What did it taste like? Ugh! He couldn¡¯t think about it without feeling sick.

    Nathan silently hung up and got to work. When Nathan arrived with special orders to stop the train and climbed onto the roof with his team, they understood why Hayden was vomiting so much. Several of their men couldn¡¯t help but run aside to throw up as well.

    Seeing their boss and the two calm girls, they all thought these three were really something else! Even Nathan felt like vomiting but forced himself to hold back so Mr. Farrell wouldn¡¯t use him of eating too much crap too.

    He gave a sympathetic look to Hayden, who was still throwing up uncontrobly. Poor guy! After such a traumatic night, would he ever recover?

    After handing over the cleanup work to Nathan Lehman, Jared and Tina took Courtney into a new car prepared by Nathan. Since Hayden was ¡°injured,¡± only the three of them went to retrieve something from Courtney¡¯s location.

    On the way, Tina watched Courtney check her arm wound. Tina observed Courtney closely; every time Courtney appeared in her sight, she disyed extraordinary abilities intentionally for Tina to see.

    Tina leaned back in her leather seat, tapping on the window slowly. ¡°Now you can tell us in detail about your story. Is that serum in your hand from your mother?¡± Her tone was calm and emotionless.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Courtney paused her actions. ¡°Though my mother¡¯s mission failed back then, Captain Lark-your mother-saved her life and gave her one of the serums. My mother entrusted it to me before she passed away.¡±

    Before Tina could ask more questions, Courtney shook her head and continued, ¡°I know what you¡¯re wondering about-the reason for the mission¡¯s failure back then. My mother never knew either; she died with that regret.¡±

    Tina and Jared fell silent. Thest mission led by Lark had failed disastrously, leaving a shadow over them for years without any answers.

    When would the truth finallye out?

    In the outskirts of the capital city stood the old YQ Research Institute.

    Courtney led Tina and Jared through its rusty iron gates, startling some stray cats whose glowing green eyes watched them before jumping onto the walls.

    ¡°Here?¡± Jared frowned at the abandoned research institute.

    ¡°My mother built this ce,¡± Tina said as she looked at the overgrown courtyard with mixed feelings. The medical patents developed here had once shocked the world.

    ¡°You hid something here?¡± Jared asked as he followed Courtney into the dark building. ¡°My people searched this ce thoroughly.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Courtney said as she turned on a light; surprisingly, the electricity still worked in this abandoned ce. ¡°I saw them take Lark¡¯s research materials.¡±

    Tina nced at Jared. ¡°Your mother was ahead of her time,¡± Jared exined. ¡°She had many great ideas left unfinished when she passed away. I took her materials to continue her research.¡±

    Tina nodded; she knew what research Jared was referring to-her mother had mentioned it before she died.

    ¡°If sessful, that research could change medical history,¡± Tina said as she looked at the abandoned institute with renewed determination in her eyes.

    Courtney motioned for them to follow her towards the basement. Just as Tina and Jared were about to follow, an old man in a white tank top and boxers emerged from a corner, clearly woken from his sleep.

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing here sote? Stealing scrap metal?¡± The old man red at them before recognizing Courtney. ¡°You again?!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to get something,¡± Courtney smiled as she tossed him a pack of cigarettes.

    She exined to Tina and Jared that this old man was hired by the institute¡¯s owner as security.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Security? Tina crossed her arms and scrutinized the unfriendly-looking old man¡­

 Chapter 235: YQ Research Institute

    ¡°What are you taking?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The old man took the cigarette Courtney tossed to him, skillfully slipping it into his pocket while grumbling, ¡°People keeping here to rummage through things. Besides this junk, there¡¯s nothing worth taking!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, has anyone else been here recently?¡± Courtney asked urgently.

    ¡°Yes, a few days ago, some men in ck came and searched everywhere. When I asked who they were, they tried to rough me up. Their attitude was terrible!¡± The old man grew angrier as he spoke.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Courtney asked, even more worried.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I threatened to call the police, and they ran off,¡± the old man said proudly, puffing out his chest. ¡°Always call the police if there¡¯s trouble!¡±

    Courtney sighed in relief and exchanged nces with Jared and Tina.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get what we came for,¡± Courtney said, heading toward the basement.

    Jared and Tina followed. As Tina turned back, she met the old man¡¯s gaze. He snorted coldly and walked away with his head held high.

    In the basement, which was once Natalie¡¯s main researchb, Tina immediately noticed an abandoned biological 3D printer. Her eyes flickered slightly. Jared also softened as he looked around theb.

    He remembered being a young boy when he first visited thisb, marveling at its wonders. Later, he learned that many groundbreaking medical research results hade from here, making him proud of his mentor. Sadly, the person with such grand ambitions was no longer alive.

    Courtney ignored their thoughts and went straight to a corner where a mouse hole was visible on the floor. She bent down and gently tapped on the hole¡¯s entrance. Two white mouse heads popped out.

    The mice seemed to recognize Courtney. They squeaked twice before retreating into the hole and soon pushed out a small ss vial filled with green liquid.

    ¡°Are these your mice?¡± Tina asked as she watched Courtney take the vial and reward the mice with cookies and candies she had bought earlier.

    ¡°No, they¡¯re probably descendants of theb mice used in experiments here,¡± Courtney replied, shaking her head. ¡°The first time I came here, they dared toe out and ask for food. I found them very intelligent and not afraid of me at all. So I decided to hide the vial here.¡±

    Who would think of hiding something important in a mouse hole?

    ¡°Here,¡± Courtney handed the vial to Tina with great care, knowing how much her mother had sacrificed for these vials.

    Tina silently took it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jared said.

    Courtney patted the two mice still squeaking at her feet and left the basement with Tina and Jared. When they returned upstairs, the old man was gone.

    ¡°Grandpa, we¡¯re leaving!¡± Courtney shouted into the air.

    ¡°Hmph,¡± came a cold snort from a hidden corner where the old man was watching them.

    As Jared drove them away, he asked Courtney, ¡°What are your ns now?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it yet,¡± Courtney replied hesitantly. For years, she had been busy studying or hiding from GTO.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been exposed now,¡± Jared said calmly. ¡°You have two choices:e with me as an ordinary subordinate or join me at X Bureau to take on your mother¡¯s mission. Or you could stay with Miss Reed; she can protect you too.¡±

    Courtney remained silent.

    ¡°No rush; take your time to think it over,¡± Jared continued as he drove. ¡°You still need to attend university. But don¡¯t make rash decisions like this again; we might not always be able to save you in time.¡±

    Courtney nodded, ¡°I understand.¡±

    By the time they reached the city center, it was already daylight. Jared checked his watch-it was 6:15 AM-and they were likely to hit rush hour traffic soon.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to my ce first,¡± Jared suggested to Tina. ¡°My grandfather wants to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina agreed. It was only right to visit the Farrell family. She quickly sent a message to Jin asking him to deliver some prepared gifts there.

    Just as she finished sending the message, Jared mmed on the brakes abruptly. The car jolted violently as seven or eight vehicles surrounded them.

    This was Ashbury; how dare GTO block them so openly in the city?

    Her expression turned cold just as a well-dressed man stepped out of one of the cars ahead-Jasper Reed!

    Jared got out of the car despite his disheveled appearance from earlier fights. His demeanor remained dignified andposed as he confronted Jasper Reed with narrowed eyes that scanned their surroundings before speaking coldly, ¡°Mr. Reed, what is this about?¡±

    ¡°Jared, I mean no harm; I¡¯m here to take Tina home,¡± Jasper Reed replied calmly while looking past Jared at Tina through the car window.

    Tina met his gazezily but did not avoid it; there was even a hint of mockery in her eyes.

    She mocked how easily Elizabeth and she had fooled them into epting an imposter into their home causing chaos within their family; she mocked how he couldn¡¯t even recognize his own daughter initially.

    But who said he didn¡¯t recognize her?

    From the moment he first saw Tina at her recognition banquet resembling Natalie so closely except for an icy demeanor unlike Natalie¡¯s warmth-he suspected something amiss because such coldness likely stemmed from hardships endured during childhood which made her guard against everyone around her-Jasper Reed felt immense guilt towards Jared saying softly yet firmly: ¡°Tina is my biological daughter.¡±

 Chapter 236: Jasper Reed Arrives

    In the car, Tina heard Jasper Reed¡¯s words. Her willow-like eyebrows slightly raised, and her red lips curved into a faint smile. She was smiling, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes; it was somewhat mocking. She leanedzily against the car door, looking at Jasper Reed without saying a word.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Mr. Reed,¡± Jared said, rolling up his sleeves in a slow, deliberate manner with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t made a mistake this time?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve done a paternity test, and I supervised the entire process until the results came out. There¡¯s no mistake this time,¡± Jasper Reed said earnestly.

    When the expedited paternity test report came out, his suspicions were confirmed. Overjoyed, he immediately sought out Hugo¡¯s family. However, he learned that Tina had already gone to Ashbury, so he hurried there to find her. In Ashbury, he searched for Tina for two days. Considering that Tina was Jared¡¯s fiancee, he even went to the Farrell family but found neither Tina nor Jared.

    Just now, someone reported seeing Jared driving back to the city from the suburbs, so he immediately had them intercepted. In his excitement, he realized that the scene had drawn curious looks from passersby.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can have Tina follow me to a medical institution under the Farrell family for another paternity test,¡± Jasper Reed said with a tone of regained joy. ¡°Jared, I want to take Tina home; everyone in the family is waiting for her.¡±

    ¡°Whether she goes back to the Reed family or not isn¡¯t up to you or me,¡± Jared said indifferently as he nced at Tina, whose expression remained calm. ¡°It¡¯s up to Tina.¡±

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jasper Reed called out to her with both relief and excitement in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m your father. I¡¯vee to take you home.¡±

    Tina opened the rear car door and got out silently, hands in her pockets as she looked at Jasper Reed. Seeing her finally get out of the car, Jasper Reed breathed a sigh of relief, tears welling up in his eyes.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re angry because I mistook someone else for you before,¡± he said. ¡°But I¡¯ve always suspected that Tina¡¯s identity was falsified. Every time we did a paternity test, Elizabeth swapped the samples, which dyed us from discovering the truth.¡±

    ¡°Do you know? All these years, I¡¯ve been searching for you and your mother everywhere you might have gone. Now that I¡¯ve finally found you¡­ but your mother is already¡­¡± Jasper Reed sighed deeply.

    Tina listened with little interest, her face revealing nothing of what she was thinking. When he finished speaking, she asked inly, ¡°Have you been to Jade Gardens?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jasper Reed immediately understood her meaning and nodded. ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ve properly thanked your adoptive parents.¡±

    When he met Hugo, he felt a pang of jealousy. He childishly scrutinized Hugo from head to toe andpared himself several times over.

    Natalie had suddenly eloped back then and married Hugo instead of him, which made him very unhappy. He couldn¡¯t understand what he had done wrong or what Hugo had over him that made Natalie choose him for life.

    What frustrated him more was that this man had been so useless as to let Elizabeth drive Natalie and her daughter out of their home for ten years. But since Natalie was gone now, there was no point in dwelling on it.

    Though Hugo hadn¡¯t done well by Natalie and Tina, he had at least sheltered them from some storms. So in the end, Jasper Reed sincerely thanked him.

    Tina lifted her cold eyes slightly and gave Jasper Reed a brief once-over. As the head of the Reed family and a veteran of business battles, he exuded an undeniable aura of authority. His sharp features added an extrayer of toughness.

    He was well-preserved; despite being nearly fifty years old, his face showed no signs of aging.

    Tina sneered mockingly. While she and her mother wandered outside, her father-who appeared so deeply affectionate to outsiders-never forgot to maintain himself daily.

    He imed to love her mother deeply; how deep could that love be? Only he knew.

    Tina withdrew her gaze and said lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go back then.¡±

    Going back to the Reed family was inevitable! Even if Jasper Reed hadn¡¯te looking for her, she would have taken the paternity test results there herself!

    She needed answers about what happened back then! She didn¡¯t believe that someone as formidable as her mother wouldmit suicide without reason.

    They had been hunted for so long; her mother always managed to turn danger into safety and sessfully escape with her. Yet after receiving one phone call, she poisoned herself!

    Her mother loved her dearly; how could she bear to leave her alone?

    Her mother¡¯s death might be rted to GTO; they had hunted them for years without sess. So she didn¡¯t think GTO alone was responsible.

    She had investigated Ensford¡¯s Reed family; everything seemed normal! Only Ashbury¡¯s Reed family remained-whether they were human or ghost would soon be revealed.

    ¡°Alright then¡­ let¡¯s go back¡­¡± Jasper Reed was momentarily stunned before reacting. ¡°Go back where?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow and smiled mockingly. ¡°What? Mr. Reed doesn¡¯t n on taking me back to the Reed family? Or do I not deserve to step into your family¡¯s door?¡±

    ¡°No! That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Jasper Reed panicked instantly. ¡°I mean¡­ are youing back with me?¡±

    For some reason, every time he met Tina¡¯s eyes, he felt pressured. She was only neen but could make people feel immense pressure.

    ¡°What else?¡± Tina looked at him expressionlessly.

    ¡°Alright then.¡± Overjoyed, Jasper Reed moved to lead Tina to his car.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared said intively from where he¡¯d been sidelined. ¡°My back hurts.¡±

    Tina paused; hadn¡¯t she asked him twice before if anything was wrong?

    ¡°My rib might be broken,¡± Jared said weakly while clutching his left side. ¡°I need you to check it.¡±

    So Tina turned towards Jasper Reed again; Jared followed suit in looking at his new prospective father-inw.

    Jasper Reed frowned subtly but hid it well enough not to show overtly. He had thoroughly investigated Tina¡¯s background and knew from Hugo that Natalie had arranged this engagement between Tina and Jared long ago.

    He didn¡¯t dismiss Jared as just another pampered yboy living off Logan¡¯s favor like others might think.

    Knowing Natalie¡¯s judgmental acumen meant choosing Jared held deeper significance than apparent surface value alone.

    But no matter how one looked at it-especially through an old man¡¯s eyes-their daughter¡¯s suitor never seemed good enough initially anyway!

    Moreover-his precious little girl hadn¡¯t evene home yet before being imed by someone else already¡­

    Still-he couldn¡¯t hide disdainpletely within gaze-but ultimately nodded approval saying: ¡°Alright then-Jared can apany Tina home too.¡±

 Chapter 237: They Are Well Matched

    Jared immediately straightened up, shedding his earlier weak demeanor. He took Tina¡¯s hand and followed Jasper Reed into the Reed family car. Before leaving, he didn¡¯t forget to instruct Hayden, who was left behind, ¡°Make sure Courtney is settled in, and be careful of GTOing back.¡±

    Hayden nced at Courtney and nodded. Courtney exchanged a look with Tina but said nothing more.

    Once Tina and Jared were in Jasper Reed¡¯s car, she asked Jared with amusement, ¡°Your back doesn¡¯t hurt anymore?¡±

    Jared immediately hunched over slightly, clutching his left side with a fragile expression. Leaning against the seat, he looked at Tina with a pitiful gaze that seemed almost tearful.

    Tina felt a shiver run down her spine. She thought that if Jasper Reed weren¡¯t sitting nearby watching them like a hawk, Jared might have leaned into her arms to act spoiled.

    Imagining such an unbearable scene made Tina shudder uncontrobly.

    Jasper Reed, sitting next to Tina, had been observing the interaction between the couple. Watching Jared use his eyes to act spoiled toward Tina, he inwardly scoffed with disdain. Such affectation was just a tactic to deceive his daughter.

    Although Natalie had chosen him, it had been ten years since her passing. Ten years ago, Jared had been a gentle and refined young man. Back then, Jasper Reed had thought highly of him.

    He had even thought that if he ever had a daughter, she would marry Jared in the future.

    Now, many years had passed, and people change. Just by looking at Jared¡¯s demeanor, he was no longer the same young man from back then. For Tina¡¯s future happiness, Jasper Reed felt he needed to scrutinize Jared carefully.

    This was why he had so readily agreed to let Jared apany Tina back to the Reed family; it was easiest to observe him up close.

    Whispering Pines.

    Audrey Woodwind sat thoughtfully on the swing in the garden, frowning as she swayed back and forth.

    This time, after returning from Ensford, she first went back to the Woodwind family with Esther.

    She had done well in her college entrance exams this year and could get into Northern University. However, the Woodwind family intended to send her abroad for further studies and called her back to ask for her opinion.

    As she pondered whether to go abroad or attend Northern University, she heard the sound of car horns outside the gates of Whispering Pines.

    The electric iron gate of Whispering Pines opened wide as a ck stretch limousine drove in, escorted by two other cars.

    Curious, Audrey Woodwind jumped off the swing. She wondered when her uncle started liking such grand entrances.

    The rear door of the stretch limousine opened first. A pair of long legs stepped out, followed by a tall man whose presence made Audrey Woodwind pause.

    He was dressed casually today; even his hair was unstyled. Yet he still exuded his usual elegance. The morning sunlight turned his tousled hair golden and softened his typically cold eyes into something more tender.

    He stood by the car door and extended his hand to help a tall girl out of the back seat.

    This was the third time Audrey Woodwind had seen this beautiful girl. Like before at Willow¡¯s piano recital, she was dressed casually in a white T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers.

    Upon closer inspection, her clothes were even a bit dirty.

    But standing together under the daylight with that man, there was an indescribable harmony andpatibility between them.

    Jasper Reed was thest to get out of the car. He gave Jared a disapproving re before looking at Tina with some disappointment.

    He had wanted to open the door for his daughter himself and help her out of the car personally but was preempted by Jared.

    ¡°Uncle,¡± Audrey Woodwind greeted warmly as she walked up quickly and extended her hand affectionately towards Tina. ¡°Tina, you¡¯re finally back! Uncle has been looking for you for days.¡±

    ¡°Hello,¡± Tina said hesitantly as she extended her hand. She intended just to shake it briefly but Audrey Woodwind held onto it firmly and led her towards the main house, leaving Jared behind.

    ¡°Come on! I¡¯ll take you to see Grandma!¡±

    Jared nced at Jasper Reed. When Jasper started walking first, Jared followed politely at the rear.

    As Tina followed Audrey Woodwind towards the main house, she took in Whispering Pines¡¯ surroundings.

    The Reed family was a century-old lineage; Whispering Pines¡¯ history dated back hundreds of years. The then-head of the Reed family built Whispering Pines which had been renovated over generations. The ce exuded traces of old times while blending seamlessly with modern elements-a unique charm indeed.

    The Reed family once fell out of Ashbury¡¯s four major families and faced decline; even Whispering Pines nearly got auctioned off to pay debts.

    Later on, it was said they received help from some mysterious force which allowed them to make aeback into Ashbury¡¯s four major families-surpassing both Ward and Emerson families to rank second again.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    As soon as they entered the hall, Annabelle came downstairs supported by Esther upon hearing news about their arrival. Seeing Tina brought tears of joy to Annabelle¡¯s eyes as she smiled warmly at her granddaughter-to-be: ¡°Tina! I never expected you¡¯d turn out being my granddaughter.¡±

    Stepping forward eagerly while tightly holding onto Tina¡¯s hands-smiling yet teary-eyed-Annabelle reminisced: ¡°I always felt connected with you ever since you saved me.¡±

    Her expectant gaze fell upon Tina who understood what Annabelle wanted-to be called ¡®Grandma.¡¯

    But instead of showing any warmth or enthusiasm towards Annabelle¡¯s gesture-Tina merely nced indifferently before uttering tly: ¡°Grandma Reed.¡±

    Not everyone deserved such an honorific from her lips-even if biologically rted!

    If investigations revealed that Annabelle had wronged her mother back then-even biological ties wouldn¡¯t spare anyone!

    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­we can take our time,¡± Annabelle said disappointedly but understandingly given what she knew about how Elizabeth mistreated young Tina back at Ensford¡¯s Reed household through Jasper¡¯s investigation reports earlier on¡­

    ¡°Oh dear! Has Jasper brought home another ill-mannered daughter?¡± A sharp voice echoed from upstairs: ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother teach you any manners? Can¡¯t even greet your grandmother properly?¡±

    Tina squinted slightly as she looked up towards where that voice came from-a woman with neatly tied hair wearing beige linen suit slowly descended down while scrutinizing Tina disdainfully¡­

    Standing beside Annabelle now-the woman scanned every inch critically before sneering contemptuously: ¡°Jasper-your daughtercks basic etiquette! How did Natalie raise such an ill-mannered child? Visiting dressed like this is bad enough-but dirty clothes too!¡±

    ¡°Liliosa!¡± Annabelle scolded sternly: ¡°She¡¯s your niece! Watch your words!¡±

    ¡°Tina is my daughter,¡± Jasper interjected coldly while ring at Liliosa: ¡°She isn¡¯t visiting-she belongs here-as part owner! She can dress however she likes within her own home without needing anyone¡¯s approval!¡±

 Chapter 238: A Daughter Repays Her Fatherâ€™s Debt, and a Son Repays His Motherâ€™s

    Jared¡¯s expression turned cold. He stepped forward, bypassing Jasper Reed, and stood beside Tina. His deep, cold eyes looked at Liliosa Reed, emitting an aura of chill. ¡°Mr. Reed,¡± Jared said in a low voice, turning his gaze to Jasper Reed. ¡°It seems the Reed family does not wee Tina back.¡±

    Liliosa Reed recognized Jared, but few in Ashbury knew about his engagement to Tina since it was arranged in Ensford. ¡°Jared, when did the affairs of the Reed family be any business of the Farrell family? What, have you taken a liking to this little girl?¡± Liliosa Reed sneered at Tina, ¡°So young and already learning to seduce men. Impressive!¡±

    ¡°Liliosa!¡± Annabelle reprimanded sternly, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Mr. Farrell is Tina¡¯s fiance!¡±

    Liliosa Reed¡¯s expression changed. She looked at Jasper Reed with resentment and sneered, ¡°Your daughter is really lucky to snag such an impressive son-inw!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Jasper Reed roared in anger. ¡°If you have a problem with me, take it out on me. Leave my daughter out of it!¡±

    ¡°Ha! Haven¡¯t you heard of a daughter repaying her father¡¯s debt?¡± Liliosa Reed sneered at Jasper Reed. ¡°You¡¯ve found your daughter! But my daughter has been missing for fourteen years! Why should your daughter live so well and even have a fiance?¡±

    Jasper Reed was momentarily speechless. For years, his sister had used this matter to constantly use him. He felt guilty and epted it but believed it shouldn¡¯t affect Tina.

    ¡°Seducing men? Ha!¡± Tinaughed mockingly with her hands in her pockets. She stared back at Liliosa Reed and said, ¡°I heard you drugged your husband when you were neen, got pregnant before marriage, and forced the Emerson family to ept you by unting your big belly, breaking up your husband¡¯s engagement with his original fiancee? Compared to that, I¡¯m far inferior.¡±

    The living room fell silent. The story of how Liliosa Reed forced Hawk Emerson into marriage with her pregnancy was no secret. Many people had witnessed her tantrums and harassment that led to Hawk Emerson breaking up with his fiancee.

    There were various rumors about how Liliosa got pregnant with Hawk¡¯s child-some said it was due to Hawk¡¯s drunken mistake; others said Hawk himself seduced Liliosa and betrayed his fiancee. But the fact that Liliosa drugged Hawk was something no one had dared to say outright until now.

    Liliosa¡¯s face turned ugly as she stared incredulously at Tina. The incident had been suppressed by both the Reed and Emerson families for over twenty years for the sake of their reputations, so few younger members knew about it.

    ¡°How dare you speak to your aunt like that!¡± A young man appeared on the stairs and quickly descended to stand beside Liliosa. He raised his hand to p Tina.

    Jared¡¯s eyes turned cold. How dare someone try to hit his wife in front of him? Just as he was about to break the man¡¯s wrist, Tina acted faster!

    Tina grabbed the young man¡¯s wrist mid-air and twisted it harshly outward.

    ¡°Ah!¡± The young man screamed in pain.

    ¡°Mack!¡± Liliosa hadn¡¯t expected Tina-a seemingly easy target-not only to be sharp-tongued but also daring enough to fight back physically. She screamed and lunged at Tina, ¡°Let go of my son!¡±

    Tina sidestepped Liliosa¡¯s attack without releasing Mack¡¯s wrist; instead, she applied more pressure, twisting it further until Mack-a man over six feet tall-was sweating profusely from the pain and kneeling on the ground.

    Tina calmly addressed Liliosa, ¡°What did you say earlier? You mentioned a daughter repaying her father¡¯s debt; well then, a son repaying his mother¡¯s debt works the same way. By your logic, since you offended me just now, I naturally retaliate against your son. The Reed family never raised me for a day; if I have to repay my father¡¯s debt, shouldn¡¯t your son repay yours after all these years of nurturing?¡±

    Mack¡¯s right arm was twisted into a horrifying position; he couldn¡¯t even speak from the pain.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to hold back,¡± Tina continued nonchntly towards Liliosa. ¡°If I injure him or leave him disabled, please bear with it since it¡¯s your fault-mother¡¯s debt repaid by her son!¡±

    Jared retracted his hand back into his pocket and watched Tina¡¯s domineering demeanor with amusement. That¡¯s right; if his Tina was wronged, she could cause an uproar without hesitation.

    However, he noticed that Tina seemed more aggressive nowpared to when she was in Ensford-where she disdained using force unless necessary.

    In Ashbury¡­

    Jared nced at Jasper Reed with a slight smile.

    No wonder Tina wanted to return to the Reed family so eagerly; she came back for some action.

    ¡°Bitch!¡± Liliosa tried to lunge again.

    Tina gave her a cold look that made her freeze; it seemed as if Tina would break her hand if she dared touch her.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Liliosa red at Annabelle resentfully. ¡°Are you just going to stand there?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Mack strike first?¡± Annabelle replied coldly. ¡°You offended Tina first; he attacked our Tina without distinguishing right from wrong. It¡¯s good for him to suffer a bit!¡±

    Everyone was surprised by Tina¡¯s sudden action-especially Audrey Woodwind-who had always been annoyed by Liliosa but never dared confront her directly. Yet here was Tina not only arguing back but also beating up Liliosa¡¯s precious son.

    Since Mack attacked first, no one intervened despite Tina¡¯s harsh retaliation.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Liliosa called out unwillingly while Annabelle remained unmoved. She then red at Jasper Reed: ¡°Are you going to let your daughter hurt my son after hurting my daughter?¡±

    Jasper looked at Tina briefly before saying coldly: ¡°Tina is right; I never raised her for a day yet you me my faults on her-so it¡¯s fair if she mes yours on Mack.¡±

    His gaze turned icy as he asserted his authority as head of the Reed family: ¡°No one can hit my daughter-not even Mack or you!¡±

    Ignoring everyone¡¯s varied reactions within the Reed family, Tina increased pressure on Mack¡¯s wrist until he turned pale from pain before leaning down slightly towards him: ¡°Remember this-I acknowledge someone as my aunt only if I choose so; otherwise they are nothing!¡±

    With that said she finally released Mack¡¯s wrist and put her hands back into her pockets.

    ¡°Jasper! I heard Tina has returned!¡± Garrett¡¯s cheerful voice echoed from outside the door.

 Chapter 239: Bring Tina Back to Our House!

    He entered with his wife Luna, and their two sons, Damian and Griffin. Seeing Mack Emerson kneeling before Tina in the living room and Liliosa Reed¡¯s furious face, he was stunned. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±

    ¡°Garrett!¡± Liliosa Reed cried out as if seeing a savior, smearing Tina¡¯s name. ¡°Look at this daughter Jasper brought back! She insulted me as soon as she walked in and even hit Mack!¡±

    Garrett¡¯s brow furrowed immediately. Damian tried to intervene, but Garrett had already started scolding Tina. ¡°Tina, this is uneptable. Your aunt may speak without thinking sometimes, but you must respect your elders and not hit your cousin!¡±

    Damian and Luna exchanged helpless looks. Liliosa Reed had harbored resentment towards Jasper Reed for years, and it was clear she would take it out on his daughter Tina. Garrett, however, always fell for Liliosa¡¯s maniptions out of pity for her.

    Tina looked annoyed and was about to speak when Jared¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He nced at the caller ID and answered, ¡°Grandfather.¡±

    All eyes in the Reed family turned to Jared as he held up his phone, putting it on speaker. Logan¡¯s angry voice boomed through the room.

    ¡°You brat! Where¡¯s my Tina? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d bring her back to see me and keep mepany for a few days? Where is she? You came back to Ashbury withouting home! At least let Tinae over! Why did you take my Tina away?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who took her,¡± Jared said coldly, looking at the Reed family. ¡°Tina is Mr. Reed¡¯s daughter. Our car was intercepted by members of the Reed family on the way here.¡±

    He shifted the me smoothly onto Jasper Reed. ¡°I apanied Tina back to meet her family.¡±

    ¡°Tina is Jasper Reed¡¯s child?¡± Logan paused, then scoffed. ¡°So the Reed family are all blind? They mistook someone else for Tina before?¡±

    The Reed family fell silent at this remark, memories of past mistakes flooding back. Only Liliosa Reed sneered.

    ¡°Is that so? It seems the Reed family doesn¡¯t wee Tina.¡± Jared sighed deeply, his cold gaze falling on Jasper Reed. ¡°We hadn¡¯t even taken our seats when Tina¡¯s aunt mocked her engagement to me as flirtatious¡­¡±

    The faces of the Reed family changed instantly, realizing trouble was brewing.

    Sure enough, Logan¡¯s furious voice followed immediately. ¡°What! I treasure my Tina so much, and Jasper Reed brought her back just to have her bullied?¡±

    ¡°Bring Tina back to our house right now! If the Reed family can¡¯t ept her, the Farrell family has plenty of space. I¡¯d love for Tina to stay with us permanently.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense! How dare they bully my Tina! No way, I¡¯m going to give that old man a piece of my mind!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Reed,¡± Jared said with a half-smile after hanging up the phone, ¡°You heard my grandfather. If the Reed family doesn¡¯t wee Tina, don¡¯t force her to stay. I¡¯ll take her back to the Farrell family.¡±

    The Reed family¡¯s faces darkened; none had expected Jared to report them to Logan.

    Garrett understood what had happened but felt too proud to apologize despite knowing he should.

    ¡°You¡¯re Tina? You look beautiful,¡± Luna stepped in to ease the tension, taking Tina¡¯s hand with a smile. ¡°Garrett isn¡¯t good with words; don¡¯t mind him.¡±

    Garrett opened his mouth to retort but was silenced by Luna¡¯s re.

    She pointed to Damian and another young man beside him. ¡°This is Damian and Griffin.¡±

    ¡°We met in Ensford,¡± Damian said kindly to Tina.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Tina replied indifferently.

    Griffin sneered disdainfully without even looking at Tina and headed upstairs without a word.

    Luna felt embarrassed by his rudeness. ¡°He just got back from abroad and hasn¡¯t adjusted his sleep schedule yet; it¡¯s not personal,¡± Damian exined apologetically.

    Tina didn¡¯t care whether Griffin¡¯s behavior was intentional or not; it didn¡¯t matter to her.

    She hadn¡¯t returned to the Reed family for peace but for other reasons entirely.

    How they felt about her was irrelevant as long as they didn¡¯t provoke her.

    If they did, it was their fault!

    And they¡¯d get what they deserved!N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    She hadn¡¯t fought in a while; rescuing someone from Ss hadn¡¯t been enough.

    Now she could practice at the Reed family¡¯s expense!

    Esther thought Tina was upset by Griffin¡¯s actions and quickly pulled Audrey Woodwind over to change the subject with a smile. ¡°I forgot to introduce you earlier; this is your Aunt Audrey Woodwind, my daughter.¡±

    ¡°I also have a son who¡¯s a few years older than you; you¡¯ll meet him at lunch.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Tina nodded politely.

    ¡°Tina, you and Mr. Farrell must be tired.¡± Receiving a signal from her mother, Audrey Woodwind warmly suggested, ¡°We¡¯ve prepared rooms for you both; why don¡¯t you rest and change clothes first?¡±

    Tina and Jared didn¡¯t object and followed Esther and Audrey Woodwind upstairs.

    As soon as they left, Damian¡¯s phone rang again. Seeing the caller ID made him pale as he told Jasper and Garrett, ¡°It¡¯s Grandpa.¡±

    Garrett took a deep breath while Jasper signaled Damian to answer it.

    Resignedly, Damian picked up the phone, bracing himself for Grandpa Reed¡¯s wrath.

    Sure enough, Grandpa Reed began berating him immediately. ¡°Are you all idiots? First, you mistook someone else for my granddaughter; now that you¡¯ve found her again, you¡¯re making her miserable?¡±

    ¡°If your brains aren¡¯t working right, get them checked! Stop causing trouble for me! Make up for all those lost years with Tina properly! If you cause any more problems, I won¡¯t forgive you!¡±

    Damian rubbed his temples silently enduring the scolding.

    ¡°Put Liliosa Reed on!¡± Grandpa Reed shouted from the other end.

 Chapter 240: Tina, You Are So Bold

    Damian immediately handed the phone to Liliosa Reed as if it were a bomb, not wanting to hold it for even a second longer. Liliosa Reed, puzzled, took the phone and was immediately deafened by Grandpa Reed¡¯s furious roar. ¡°Are you out of your mind? If you have nothing better to do, stay at your own home. If you dare to trouble Tina again and make Logane after me, don¡¯t ever step foot in the Reed family home again!¡±

    Liliosa Reed¡¯s face turned livid with anger, but she didn¡¯t dare confront Grandpa Reed directly. She could only apologize and hang up the phone.

    On the third floor, Jared was ced in the room next to Tina¡¯s. After entering his room alone, Esther and Audrey Woodwind apanied Tina into hers. However, they sensibly left after a few words, closing the door behind them.

    Audrey Woodwind poked her head back in just as she was leaving and said thoughtfully, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t worry. We all know you dislike the previous Tina who impersonated you. Although this room was once hers, everything inside has been reced. Take your time to settle in.¡±

    After speaking, she withdrew her head and nced subtly at Jared¡¯s door before heading downstairs with Esther.

    Did Tina live here before?

    Tina stood alone in the room, surveying her surroundings. The arrangement of the room clearly showed Jasper Reed¡¯s care for his long-lost daughter. The room was spacious and bright; all the furniture and bedding were obviously new. The balcony was filled with fresh flowers, and the vanity table was stocked with skincare products from various brands as if he didn¡¯t know which one she preferred.

    The wardrobe was packed with high-end seasonal women¡¯s clothing, including underwear of various sizes, as if unsure of her exact measurements.

    Tina looked at the array of delicate dresses in the wardrobe with an indifferent expression on her fair face. She picked out the simplest dress and went into the bathroom.

    The bathroom was spacious with a massage bathtub. Considering she had plenty of time, Tina filled the tub with water and soaked in it while texting Jin Yi to have her luggage sent to the Reed family home.

    Just then, a message from Jared popped up on her phone: ¡°Done bathing?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow and replied, ¡°No.¡±

    Jared: ¡°No? How can you reply so quickly?¡±

    Tina: ¡°I¡¯m soaking.¡±

    Jared: ¡°Together?¡±

    Tina: ¡°?¡±

    What did he mean?

    She stared intently at the bathroom door, contemting whether to beat him up if he dared toe in.

    A momentter, Jared messaged again: ¡°I¡¯m also in a bathtub now.¡±

    Tina: ¡°¡­¡±

    She had overthought it!

    But there was still a part of her that anticipated¡­

    Anticipated beating him up!

    Jared messaged again: ¡°How long will you stay at the Reed family home?¡±

    Tina: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Jared: ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy here, why note back to the Farrell family with me?¡±

    Tina: ¡°Not for now.¡±

    Jared looked at Tina¡¯sst message on his phone and felt troubled. Unable to coax Tina back to the Farrell family home meant he might have to stay long-term at the Reed family home. On second thought, it didn¡¯t seem impossible.

    He then messaged Nathan Lehman to send his luggage over and texted Tina again: ¡°Tina, my back hurts.¡±

    Tina stared at her phone suspiciously but recalled how Jared had taken three hits from baseball bats on his back to protect her. She decided to check on him.

    Seeing Tina¡¯s message saying ¡°I¡¯ming over,¡± Jared¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile.

    Good! His girl still cared about him.

    He stood up from the bathtub and examined himself in the bathroom mirror. His messy hair was wet, and his skin was slightly flushed from the bath¡¯s heat, exuding a certain allure. Satisfied with his appearance, he deliberately put on just a bathrobe.

    When there was a knock on his door, he opened it and was stunned by the sight of Tina standing outside.

    Tina wore a simple white strapless dress she had picked from the wardrobe. The dress hugged her figure perfectly at the waist and red out slightly at the skirt. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, giving off an air of youthful romance despite her stern expression.

    Jared had never seen Tina dressed so youthfully romantic before; even though she still wore a stern face, she appeared much softer.

    Tina also paused for a moment when she saw Jared. He wore only a bathrobe that hung open at his chest, revealing well-defined muscles. Water droplets from his hair fell onto his flushed cheeks from the steam in the bathroom and trailed down his sharp jawline onto his chest before disappearing along his abs into his robe.

    As Tina¡¯s gaze uncontrobly followed that water droplet further downwards, Jared chuckled softly. ¡°Tina, you¡¯re so bold.¡±

    Realizing what she had been doing, Tina blushed furiously and red at him fiercely. He was clearly trying to seduce her by dressing like that-who was really being bold here?

    With a stern face, she pushed him inside and shut the door behind them as if she were there not to check on his injuries but to settle ounts with him.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Lie down on your stomach!¡± But her blushing cheeks betrayed her awkward mood.

    Jared smiled as he obedientlyy down on the bed but teased her nheless. ¡°Tina, are you going to force yourself on me?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Tina grumbled as she walked over and pulled open Jared¡¯s robe. Seeing half of his back covered in bruises made her frown deeply. ¡°It¡¯s swollen so badly; why didn¡¯t you say something earlier?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just surface wounds; as long as no bones are broken,¡± Jared replied nonchntly.

    Leading missions for X Bureau often involved life-and-death situations; getting injured was routine for him. Besides, these injuries were sustained while protecting Tina-he had no regrets.

    Out of Jared¡¯s sight, Tina¡¯s gaze softened as it lingered on his bruised back.

    After confirming that none of Jared¡¯s ribs were broken, she began applying ointment to his wounds carefully massaging it into his skin for maximum effect.

    Jared closed his eyes enjoying Tina¡¯s warm hands slowly working across his back spreading ointment evenly while massaging gently suppressing any rising heat within himself.

    Suddenly there came knocking followed by Audrey Woodwind¡¯s voice from next door ¡°Tina are you ready? It¡¯s lunchtime.¡±

    Wiping off excess ointment from her hands, Tina walked over opening door startling Audrey who had been knocking assuming it would be answered from next door instead finding herself facing Tina emerging from Jared¡¯s room.

 Chapter 241: Not Following Male Virtue

    She nced around and saw Jared Farrell lying on the bed with his back bare and glistening. She had no idea what he and Tina had been doing. Jared¡¯s well-defined muscles were exposed in front of Audrey Woodwind, making her feel a sudden rush of heat to her head, and she felt warm blood trickling down her nose.

    ¡°You¡¯re having a nosebleed,¡± Tina frowned, staring at Audrey¡¯s sudden nosebleed.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing!¡± Audrey quickly covered her nose and ran out, not forgetting to shout back, ¡°Don¡¯t forget toe down for dinner!¡±

    Tina watched her leave in confusion, then turned back to see Jared still lying on the bed in a rather ¡°seductive¡± pose. Suddenly, she seemed to understand and coldly snorted at him, ¡°Not following male virtue.¡±

    Jared Farrell was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean? How am I not following male virtue? I¡¯ve kept myself pure for twenty-nine years; isn¡¯t that enough?¡±

    Although Jared didn¡¯t have a wardrobe full of clothes to choose from, the Reed family had arranged for servants to bring him a suit tailored to his size. When he finished getting ready and went downstairs with Tina, they found the Reed family members waiting in the living room.

    ¡°Hmph, truly ill-mannered, making us wait so long,¡± Liliosa sneered sarcastically.

    ¡°Is your son¡¯s hand not hurting anymore?¡± Tina¡¯s cold eyes nced at Liliosa, her red lips slightly curved, her voice icy.

    Liliosa¡¯s face changed color, and she immediately shut her mouth. Mack, sitting next to her, red viciously at Tina. Griffin, sitting beside Damian, let out a contemptuousugh.

    ¡°Tina,e sit here,¡± Annabelle smiled and extended her hand to Tina.

    Tina walked over and sat beside her but subtly withdrew her hand from Annabelle¡¯s grasp. Annabelle looked momentarily stunned by the gesture but quickly smiled again. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to have a good chat with you. Every time I tried to thank you for saving me, you were too busy. Now that we¡¯ll be living together, Grandma will take good care of you.¡±

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not that she was busy; she just didn¡¯t want to bother with you,¡± Liliosa said with a sidelong nce at Tina.

    ¡°This only proves Tina¡¯s character; she doesn¡¯t demand repayment for favors,¡± Annabelle red coldly at Liliosa. ¡°She saved my life. I clearly stated I wanted to thank her. The Reed family¡¯s gratitude is not light. If she had poor character, she could have taken advantage of this opportunity to make outrageous demands.

    ¡°But she didn¡¯t even want to see me because she doesn¡¯t seek the Reed family¡¯s rewards. Where else can you find such a good child who helps others without expecting anything in return?¡±

    Tina remained silent with lowered brows. She indeed didn¡¯t care about the Reed family¡¯s gratitude or expect any reward. She avoided Annabelle simply because she didn¡¯t want to see anyone from the Reed family; there was no noble reason behind it¡­

    Liliosa was left speechless by Annabelle¡¯s words.

    ¡°Liliosa, I know you¡¯ve always med Jasper for what happened with Annie,¡± Annabelle warned sternly. ¡°You¡¯ve been disrespectful towards Jasper for years, and I¡¯ve said nothing. But from now on, be polite to Tina! Your grudges have nothing to do with her!¡±

    Liliosa bit her lip tightly and reluctantly responded under Annabelle¡¯s authoritative gaze, ¡°Understood, Mom.¡±

    Just then, Mrs. Brown came in to announce, ¡°Ms. Ward and Miss Ward are here.¡±

    Annabelle and Jasper both frowned simultaneously. Audrey Woodwind and the others turned their gazes toward Tina; they had witnessed firsthand how Tina had ruined Willow¡¯s concertst time.

    ¡°Mom, Willow heard that Jasper found his real daughter and came specifically with Lily to congratte him,¡± Liliosa stood up smilingly and went to greet them at the door.

    She and Willow had always been close friends. After Willow divorced Ethan Ward, she frequently visited Whispering Pines under the pretense of seeing Liliosa while actually trying to get closer to Jasper.

    Originally, Willow had two more concerts left in her tour. However, after Tina ruined the Ensford concert, Willow got into a car ident on her way to the next city and hurt her hand, making it impossible for her to continue performing. So she returned to Ashbury.

    In the past two days since returning to Ashbury, Willow thought the Reed family should feel guilty for causing her embarrassment and subsequent ident by not showing her proper respect in Ensford. Yet instead of receiving an apology from them upon their return home, all she heard from Liliosa was that Jasper had found another daughter.

    In a hurry, Willow brought Lily Ward under the guise of congratting Jasper but was really worried that this newly found daughter might be as difficult as Amber had been.

    Lily Ward wore gold-rimmed sses today along with a white suit; her long hair was tied back in a neat and professional style. She followed Willow into the living room with an indifferent expression as Liliosa led them in. Mack and Griffin¡¯s eyes lit up when they saw her.

    ¡°Lily, you¡¯re here,¡± Griffin stood up first with a smile to greet Lily Ward.

    ¡°Lily, long time no see,¡± Mack also smiled and nodded at Lily Ward.

    Jared Farrell nced at these two men; his beautiful eyes narrowed into slits. When Tina returned earlier, they hadn¡¯t shown such enthusiasm; one might think Lily Ward was their real sister instead.

    He then looked at Tina; she appeared indifferent as if unaffected by these so-called rtives¡¯ differential treatment.

    He didn¡¯t notice that Lily Ward had momentarily frozen upon seeing him; her eyes sparkled briefly before dimming when she saw Tina sitting beside Annabelle. A bad premonition arose within her heart.

    Sure enough, Liliosa introduced them next by pointing at Tina while holding onto Willow¡¯s arm: ¡°This is Jasper¡¯s newly found daughter-Tina.¡±

    Willow red at Tina with an ugly expression; she couldn¡¯t believe that the girl who ruined her Ensford concert turned out to be Jasper¡¯s biological daughter!

    Recalling Jasper¡¯s unusual attitude towards Tina back then made sense now-it was because of this reason all along!

    Tina slowly raised her eyes; they coldly swept over Willow¡¯s tense face beforending on Lily Ward¡¯s face as they locked gazes across the room-she smiled faintly.

    So it was this woman coveting Jared Farrell again!

    She tilted her head slightly towards Jared Farrell with an amused look on her face.

    Jared Farrell was confused once more: ¡°??¡±

    What now?N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Ever since encountering this family again after so many years apart-the youngdy¡¯s moods seemed unpredictable!

 Chapter 242: Quickly Look at Tina to Cleanse Your Eyes

    Liliosa noticed something sharp in Willow¡¯s expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you know each other?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve met once before, and there was a bit of a misunderstanding.¡± Willow quickly regained herposure and smiled graciously at Tina. ¡°I was rudest time, Miss Reed. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±

    She briefly exined the incident at the concert to Liliosa. Knowing Tina was Jasper¡¯s daughter, Willow decided it was better to apologize first rather than create further conflict.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Tina replied with a yful smile. ¡°After all, we¡¯re not that close!¡±

    Willow¡¯s smile froze, struggling to maintain her expression. Liliosa scolded, ¡°Tina, given our family ties, you should call her ¡®Aunt.¡¯ What kind of attitude is this?¡±

    Tina showed a hint of impatience. This person was really annoying! ¡°Jasper, aren¡¯t you going to say something to your daughter?¡± Liliosa continued, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t left Willow¡¯s concert early, making her too embarrassed toe back to our house, she wouldn¡¯t have rushed to the next city and gotten into an ident that injured her hand and ended her tour early!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Annabelle and Jasper felt a bit guilty about leaving Willow¡¯s concert early, but Willow had been acting out of line that day. Given the long-standing rtionship between the Reed family and theirs, they felt they should have given Willow some face. They hadn¡¯t expected her to have an ident on the way to the next city.

    ¡°Ha!¡± Tina put her hands in her pockets and looked at Willow with a smirk. ¡°Ms. Ward couldn¡¯t afford a hotel?¡±

    Willow¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Tinazily tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°You didn¡¯t stay at a hotel and got into an ident; how is that the Reed family¡¯s fault?¡±

    Annabelle and Jasper suddenly realized Tina had a point. Even if Willow didn¡¯t want to stay at their house, no one forced her to rush to the next city that day. The ident couldn¡¯t be med on them.

    Willow¡¯s face turned ugly, a sh of malice in her eyes. This Tina was even more difficult than Amber! The news about her ident was fake; she had used it as an excuse to end her tour early because the incident at Ensford had been widely publicized online. If Tina weren¡¯t Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee, Willow might have hired people to nder Tina online. But with Jared protecting Tina and knowing he was Mr. Daryl from Lily Ward, she didn¡¯t dare smear Tina¡¯s name.

    So she epted her agent¡¯s suggestion to end the tour early, avoiding potential audience fears due to the Ensford incident affecting the remaining concerts. If that happened, it would be hard for her to hold concerts in the future, and few peers would want to coborate with her.

    She also wanted to make the Reed family feel guilty but didn¡¯t expect Tina to expose her so quickly.

    ¡°You!¡± Liliosa red at Tina angrily.

    ¡°It¡¯s my own fault; how can I me Jasper?¡± Willow quickly stopped Liliosa, though she sneered internally. Patience! When she became the mistress of the Reed family, Tina woulde begging for favors.

    She pulled Liliosa down beside her and changed the topic. Lily Ward also took a seat with her mother.

    Griffin and Mack eagerly wanted to talk to Lily Ward, but she looked straight at Jared Farrell with a smile. ¡°Mr. Farrell, we meet again.¡±

    Jared Farrell nced at her briefly before looking away with disdain. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Lily Ward from TIC Research Institute.¡±

    Lily Ward tried not to let her face twist in frustration; she couldn¡¯t believe Jared didn¡¯t recognize her again.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Jared remembered, frowning deeper. ¡°Sorry! I¡¯m face-blind when ites to women.¡±

    Not really! Mainly because she was too ugly for his eyes!

    He needed to look at Tina quickly!

    When Tina looked up, she met Jared¡¯s eyes filled with obvious disdain for Lily Ward. She smiled brightly despite herself.

    Jasper was stunned by her smile; it was the first time he¡¯d seen Tina smile since they met. She looked so much like Natalie Whittaker!

    Jared held Tina¡¯s slender hand seriously. ¡°My Tina is still the most beautiful!¡±

    Tina thought: Though I don¡¯t like people ogling you in front of me, must you be so blunt?

    Jared¡¯s gaze seemed to say: I¡¯m just being honest; no one is as beautiful as my Tina.

    Tina: Fine!

    Lily Ward struggled to maintain herposure, clenching her fists in anger.

    After a while, she hid her displeasure and asked with a smile, ¡°Mr. Farrell, about that research¡­¡±

    She wanted to discuss the project Jared had assigned her but his phone rang-it was Marie.

    Jared paused and nced at Tina.

    Tina: ??

    After two seconds of confusion, she remembered something and asked, ¡°Did you forget Marie and Sophia in Ensford?¡±

    ¡°Uh,¡± Jared coughed awkwardly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t on purpose!¡±

    Tina: You really are something!

    As soon as he answered the call, Marie¡¯s furious voice came through. ¡°You brat! You left me and your sister in Ensford and went back to Ashbury yourself! Do you even care about your mother? And you took Tina with you when she promised to help me make a dress!¡±

    Sophia¡¯s aggrieved voice followed, ¡°Brother, do you and Tina not like me anymore? Why did you leave us behind?¡±

 Chapter 243: The Jade Bracelet

    Jared Farrell pressed his temples, feeling a headacheing on. ¡°You need toe pick us up right now! No one else is allowed to do it! Otherwise, we will never forgive you!¡± Marie demanded. Sophia chimed in, ¡°Yes, we will never forgive you!¡±

    ¡°Tina, I need to go to the airport to pick up my mom and Sophia,¡± Jared Farrell exined as he stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll be backter.¡± He nced at the Reed family members and asked, ¡°Do you want toe with me?¡± It would save her from dealing with these people.

    Tina leaned back in her chair, lookingzy. ¡°No, I¡¯ll go see Marieter.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Jared Farrell didn¡¯t say anything more. If she wanted to stay and deal with these people, so be it.

    After apologizing to Annabelle and Jasper, Jared Farrell was about to leave. After taking a couple of steps, he turned back to Lily Ward and said, ¡°By the way, Miss Ward, unless it¡¯s something important, don¡¯t greet me anymore.¡± He said this to Lily Ward but looked at Tina with eyes full of expectation for praise. ¡°I¡¯m verymitted to male virtues.¡±

    With that, he walked out without looking back. Audrey Woodwind, who was drinking tea, spat it out onto Griffin¡¯s face. ¡°Damn!¡± Griffin jumped up from the sofa in embarrassment. ¡°Audrey, are you insane?¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Audrey Woodwind apologized while giving Jared Farrell a strange look. Did she mishear? Jared Farrell said he wasmitted to male virtues? What nonsense!

    Griffin red at Audrey Woodwind angrily before rushing upstairs to change clothes. Lily Ward¡¯s smile froze on her face. Jared Farrell had made it clear; if she continued to pursue him, everyone would see through her intentions.

    She nced at Tina with some reluctance but saw Tina looking back at her disdainfully as if all her thoughts wereid bare. She lowered her eyes in frustration, gripping her pants until they were wrinkled.

    Willow reached over and patted her hand subtly tofort her, signaling not to rush things. Once Jared Farrell left, the atmosphere in the living room changed noticeably.

    Liliosa seemed even more aggressive now, ring at Tina like a predator eyeing its prey. Willow and Lily Ward asionally showed contemptuous looks toward Tina.

    At this moment, Mrs. Brown came over to announce that the meal was ready. Esther quickly stood up and invited everyone to the table.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Tina, sit next to Grandma,¡± Annabelle said as she took Tina¡¯s hand and led her to the main seat where Muff usually sat. Tina didn¡¯t refuse and was about to sit down when Liliosa sneered, ¡°You really have no manners. Your grandma tells you to sit there, and you actually dare? Do you know whose seat that is?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tina replied bluntly as she sat down in the main seat. ¡°That¡¯s your grandfather¡¯s seat!¡± Liliosa¡¯s voice grew sharper. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re worthy?¡±

    Jasper¡¯s face darkened as he was about to speak when Annabelle scolded Liliosa first. ¡°Enough! I told Tina to sit there. If you have anyints, take them up with me!¡± Liliosa¡¯s face turned red with anger but she didn¡¯t dare argue with Annabelle directly and had to swallow her words.

    Jasper took a seat next to Annabelle. Liliosa had intended for Willow to sit next to Jasper but he pulled Garrett over instead. Left with no choice, Liliosa had Willow and Lily Ward sit beside her.

    Once Griffin returned after changing clothes and took his seat, Annabelle asked Esther, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Arthur here yet?¡± She referred to Esther¡¯s son and Audrey Woodwind¡¯s brother.

    Esther frowned slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He told me yesterday his flight would arrive in Ashbury at nine this morning. Why isn¡¯t he back yet?¡± She nudged Audrey Woodwind. ¡°Call your brother.¡±

    ¡°I did earlier; he didn¡¯t answer,¡± Audrey Woodwind replied shaking her head.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s dyed or stuck in traffic,¡± Jasper suggested with a smile before addressing everyone else. ¡°Let¡¯s not wait for him; let¡¯s eat.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Annabelle said as she patted Tina¡¯s hand and exined with a smile, ¡°Your aunt¡¯s son is always busy with his entertainment career ever since he debutedst year. He rushed back from his film set when he heard we found you; he¡¯s not intentionallyte.¡±

    She continued, ¡°This is your first meal home so we prepared a family dinner for you. In a few days, your father will arrange a bigger banquet.¡±

    Annabelle felt relieved that Amber¡¯s banquet had been held in Ensford; otherwise it would have been embarrassing.

    Tina remained nomittal.

    Annabelle then took out a velvet box in front of the Reed family members and handed it to Tina with a smile. ¡°Tina, this is my gift for meeting you.¡±

    Tina epted it and opened the box to find an exquisite jade bracelet inside.

    The bracelet was translucent with a rich hue of pinkish-purple thatplemented Tina¡¯s fair skin perfectly.

    Such a rare bracelet could be worth millions on the market; if there were a pair of them its value would be even higher.

    ¡°Let Grandma help you put it on,¡± Annabelle said as she took the bracelet and ced it on Tina¡¯s wrist herself before admiring how well it suited her youthful granddaughter.

    ¡°Mom!¡± Liliosa red at the bracelet on Tina¡¯s wrist furiously. Her voice grew shriller as she recalled past grievances: ¡°When I got married I asked for this bracelet but you refused! You said there was only one so if you gave it away Esther wouldn¡¯t have any either hence neither of us got it! But now you¡¯re giving it away just like that?¡±

    How could this country girl deserve such an expensive bracelet?

    Tina¡¯s lips curled into a mocking smile; while she didn¡¯t feel particrly attached or entitled towards this rare bracelet seeing Liliosa so agitated made her want it even more now that she had worn it already.

    ¡°Did I lie? Neither of my daughters got this bracelet hence I¡¯m giving it directly to my granddaughter now,¡± Annabelle replied displeasedly frowning at Liliosa¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°But you have more than one granddaughter!¡± Liliosa retorted jealously pointing towards Garrett and Luna saying ¡°Have you forgotten about Juliet? She too is your granddaughter!¡±

 Chapter 244: Tina Was Unnecessarily Insulted

    Garrett and Luna were taken aback. Juliet Reed was their second daughter. She had entered the entertainment industry before she was an adult and won Best Actressst year, bing a highly popr and talented actress. Because of her busy filming schedule, she couldn¡¯t return even after hearing about Jasper finding his biological daughter.

    ¡°Call Juliet,¡± Annabelle said to Garrett and Luna, holding back her anger.

    Luna nced at her husband, unsure of Annabelle¡¯s intentions butplied anyway. She dialed Juliet Reed¡¯s video call, thinking Juliet was abroad filming and might not answer due to the time difference. Unexpectedly, Juliet answered immediately. ¡°Mom, missing me?¡±

    ¡°Your grandmother misses you,¡± Luna smiled, handing the phone to Annabelle.

    ¡°Juliet,¡± Annabelle took the phone.

    Tina saw Juliet Reed in the video call, getting her makeup touched up with one eye half-closed as the makeup artist fixed her eyshes. ¡°Grandma.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember a bracelet your grandmother had?¡± Annabelle¡¯s tone softened.

    ¡°Yes, the one Liliosa always wanted?¡± Juliet replied vaguely while applying lipstick.

    Liliosa¡¯s face twitched upon hearing this.

    ¡°Do you want it? Grandma can give it to you,¡± Annabelle asked with a faint smile.

    Garrett and Luna frowned simultaneously, hoping Juliet wouldn¡¯t say she wanted it. They preferred not to upset Annabelle over a bracelet.

    ¡°No, why would I want it? I¡¯m too young for jade; it¡¯s so old-fashioned!¡± Juliet said disdainfully.

    Tina, wearing the old-fashioned jade bracelet, felt speechless. Thanks! She was inexplicably insulted.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give it to your cousin Tina,¡± Annabelle smiled, knowing her eldest granddaughter wasn¡¯t superficial.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Juliet didn¡¯t care, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    She then noticed the girl sitting next to Annabelle and moved closer to the screen to get a better look at Tina. ¡°Wow, this cousin is so pretty, much better than thest one. I liked her at first sight. Thest one made me want to p her!¡±

    The Reed family members felt awkward hearing this.

    ¡°Juliet, mind your image; it¡¯s not good for others to hear such things,¡± her assistant reminded her quickly.

    ¡°Seriously, can¡¯t I say anything?¡± Juliet pouted in dissatisfaction.

    Everyoneughed at this; Garrett and Luna exchanged helpless looks. Their daughter could be quite unrestrained sometimes.

    At that moment, someone called for Juliet on set. She brought her face close to the camera. ¡°Little cousin, I¡¯ll bring you a gift when I return! What do you like? There are many handsome blond guys here; do you like them? I can pack a few for you!¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!¡± Luna quickly ended the call and smiled apologetically at Tina, relieved Jared Farrell wasn¡¯t around. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to your sister; she¡¯s always joking.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes lit up! Handsome guys? That sounded good! Could she pack more?

    Jared Farrell: Don¡¯t you dare!

    Tina raised an eyebrow: If you can flirt around, why can¡¯t I find handsome guys?

    Jared Farrell: ¡­

    ¡°Audrey, do you want this bracelet?¡± Annabelle turned to Audrey Woodwind sitting next to Esther.

    Such a rare bracelet naturally tempted Audrey Woodwind. She had heard from Esther that it was part of Annabelle¡¯s dowry and originally a pair but one was lost. It could be a family heirloom; otherwise, Liliosa wouldn¡¯t have coveted it for so long. But even if Audrey wanted it badly, she couldn¡¯t say so in this situation. She suppressed her jealousy towards Tina and smiled, ¡°This bracelet suits my cousin best.¡±

    Annabelle nodded in satisfaction and looked at Liliosa. ¡°They have no objections to me giving this bracelet to Tina. Do you have anything else to say?¡±

    Liliosa red at the bracelet on Tina¡¯s wrist and angrily threw down her chopsticks, losing her appetite.

    ¡°I¡¯m still alive, and you dare throw your chopsticks in front of me!¡± Annabelle¡¯s face darkened. ¡°With such behavior, how dare you criticize Tina for being rude!¡±

    Liliosa¡¯s face twisted in anger but she didn¡¯t dare retort Annabelle; she could only re hatefully at Tina.

    ¡°Ms. Reed,¡± Lily Ward suddenly spoke up to calm Liliosa down.

    ¡°So you like jade? A friend of mine is opening a small jade shop in Oakhaven this afternoon; he said there would be many good items there. How about I apany you there?¡±

    ¡°Oh right, I almost forgot about that,¡± Willowughed along.

    ¡°It¡¯s a small shop opened by one of Lily¡¯s patients¡¯panies as thanks for curing their illness. They invited Lily over and said any item she liked would be hers. Lily asked me before and I always wanted to take Liliosa there.¡±

    ¡°Lily¡¯s medical skills are indeed excellent,¡± Griffin praised. ¡°I heard Emrys¡¯ injury was deemed incurable by many doctors but Lily managed to ensure he could walk normally again.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Liliosa finally smiled and said to Annabelle, ¡°Mom, Lily often helps with your health too; you¡¯ve always treated her like half a granddaughter.¡±

    She nced around at the younger Reed family members before finally resting her gaze on Tina. ¡°In our family, none of these kids are as talented as Lily.¡±

    Tina continued eating without much expression while Lily Ward and her mother exchanged proud nces directed at her.

    Tina found it amusing. Competing with her? She wasn¡¯t interested.

    Annabelle initially nodded with a smile but closed her mouth after Liliosa¡¯sstment soured her mood.

    Seeing Annabelle¡¯s expression turn cold again, Willow silently cursed Liliosa for ruining things further.

    No one likes their own children being belittled while others are praised.

    ¡°I think Damian is excellent too; he¡¯s a business genius admired by everyone,¡± Willow quickly tried to salvage the situation.

    Annabelle¡¯s expression softened slightly.

    Everyone had their own talents; Lily Ward excelled in medicine but couldn¡¯tpare with Damian in business or Juliet Reed in acting. Only someone as thoughtless as Liliosa would praise others while stepping on their own family members.

 Chapter 245: Ten Percent of Reed Corporate Shares

    The atmosphere grew silent for a moment. Mack looked at Lily Ward and asked, ¡°Lily, are you also interested in jade gambling?¡±

    ¡°A little,¡± Lily Ward replied modestly with a smile. ¡°My grandfather loved it, so he often took me to various jade markets when I was young. I watched him gamble on stones with others.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very interested too,¡± Mack said, delighted to find amon topic with Lily Ward. ¡°I¡¯ve even been to mining areas to buy raw stones and watched workers pick and wash them.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we apany Ms. Reed this afternoon?¡± Lily Ward suggested. ¡°My friend has both windowed and unwindowed raw stones this time, for guests who want to try their luck.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Mack agreed enthusiastically.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to go too, Lily. Would you mind taking me along?¡± Griffin said, unwilling to be left out.

    ¡°I want to go too,¡± Audrey Woodwind chimed in, ncing at the bracelet on Tina¡¯s wrist. She thought if her grandmother wasn¡¯t biased, she could pick a good stone at the market and have it made into a bracelet at Annabelle¡¯s expense.

    She smiled at Annabelle. ¡°Grandma, you haven¡¯t given me a graduation gift yet. If I find something I like but don¡¯t have enough pocket money, will you cover it?¡±

    ¡°Audrey!¡± Esther frowned in displeasure. ¡°If you want something, your parents will buy it for you.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll cover it,¡± Annabelle said, understanding Audrey Woodwind¡¯s little scheme. To maintain harmony among the younger generation, she couldn¡¯t show favoritism.

    ¡°Thank you, Grandma,¡± Audrey Woodwind beamed with joy.

    With that, everyone expressed their desire to go together.

    ¡°Miss Reed, why don¡¯t you join us too?¡± Lily Ward suggested to Tina. ¡°You probably haven¡¯t had the chance to visit a jade market before. It could be an eye-opener for you. If you find something you like, I¡¯m sure Annabelle will get it for you.¡±

    Her words subtly belittled Tina¡¯s taste and experience.

    Tina leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, and nced at Lily Ward before smiling slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±

    She needed some jade stones anyway and had nned to buy some in a few days. But now that someone was stirring trouble, she decided to go along and see what happened.

    ¡°Tina, Lily is right. Buy whatever you like; Grandma will cover it,¡± Annabelle said, supporting Tina against Lily Ward¡¯s subtle insults.

    ¡°Dad will cover it too,¡± Jasper added. He took out a share transfer agreement. ¡°This is my gift to you. I¡¯m transferring ten percent of Reed Corporate shares to you. You can buy whatever you want.¡±

    Everyone at the table except Annabelle gasped. Ten percent of Reed Corporate shares were worth billions; the annual dividends alone were more than most people could earn in ten lifetimes.

    ¡°Jasper is really generous!¡± Liliosa said with intense jealousy in her eyes as she thought of her missing daughter and couldn¡¯t stand Jasper¡¯s daughter getting such good things.

    But since the shares belonged to Jasper, he could give them to anyone he wanted. Even Liliosa could only make snide remarks without saying anything outright.

    Willow¡¯s expression froze for a moment as she nced coldly at Tina.

    Tina nonchntly epted the agreement. Although ten percent of Reed Corporate shares were insignificantpared to her own assets, she epted them without hesitation since they were owed to her and her mother by Jasper.

    She briefly met Willow¡¯s cold gaze before Willow quickly looked away as if it were an illusion.

    In the end, all the younger members of the Reed family decided to visit Oakhaven¡¯s jade market together while the elders showed little interest except for Liliosa and Willow.

    Damian, the oldest among the younger generation, wasn¡¯t interested in the jade market either but decided to go because Liliosa had strong objections against Tina and he didn¡¯t want Tina to suffer any disadvantage.

    As they were about to leave, a young man with silver hair,rge sunsses, and dressed mboyantly like a peacock walked into Whispering Pines with a suitcase while humming a song. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡±

    Just as he took off his sunsses and was about to strike a pose for everyone, Esther rushed over and twisted his ear. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your flight arrived at nine? Why are you back now? Where did you wander off to?¡±

    ¡°Mom! Mom! Let go!¡± Arthur grimaced in pain as Esther twisted his ear, bending over and whining. ¡°I¡¯m a super popr star now; fans recognize me everywhere! Where could I have gone?¡±

    Mrs. Brown chuckled from the side while instructing someone to take Arthur¡¯s luggage upstairs.

    Though Esther and Liliosa were married off, they remained close to their family and often stayed over; their children also had fixed rooms at Whispering Pines.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Super popr my foot! Who recognizes you?¡± Esther scolded him before letting go and pointing at Tina standing beside Damian. ¡°This is your cousin Tina.¡±

    Arthur was about to show off his charm when he saw her face clearly and widened his eyes in shock. ¡°Se¡­ Sel¡­¡±

    Tina nced at him with a half-smile.

    Arthur immediately straightened up and shouted dramatically, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    His voice was so high-pitched it almost cracked!

    Esther looked at him strangely. ¡°Do you know each other?¡±

    Arthur was about to say something but stopped when he saw Tina¡¯s look-something reminiscent of years past-and shivered all over. ¡°No!¡±

    Esther pped him on the back of his head angrily. ¡°Why are you so excited if you don¡¯t know her? Hurry up and greet her!¡±

    ¡°Cousin¡­¡± Arthur¡¯s words took a sharp turn mid-sentence. ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Cousin is fine; why add ¡®little¡¯?¡± Esther scolded him again. ¡°Don¡¯t use your frivolous ways on your cousin!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not frivolous!¡± Arthur protested indignantly. ¡°I just got back and you¡¯re already hitting me! I might as well not havee back.¡±

    ¡°Perfect timing,¡± Esther said sternly. ¡°Your cousin is going with everyone else to Lily¡¯s friend¡¯s jade market; apany them and take care of your cousin!¡±

    Arthur reluctantly agreed under his mother¡¯s watchful eye.

 Chapter 246: A Comparison

    Arthur immediately took a step back, as if avoiding a gue, keeping an eight-meter distance from Tina. Realizing everyone was looking at him strangely, he coughed awkwardly and said, ¡°No, Mom, I¡¯m a big star now. There are so many people in the jade market. What if someone recognizes me?¡± He nced at Tina. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need my care; she should be the one taking care of me.¡±

    He had finally escaped that dreadful ce and swore never to get within ten meters of Tina again. But now, the newly recognized cousin of the Reed family was Tina! This wasn¡¯t good news; it was a death sentence!

    ¡°Big star my foot!¡± Esther became increasingly irritated. ¡°Juliet is an award-winning actress, yet she still goes out every day when she¡¯s home. Why don¡¯t I see her having as many issues as you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why she¡¯s chased by fans all the time.¡± Arthur rolled his eyes. ¡°Last time, she got trapped in a men¡¯s restroom by a group of fans and had to be rescued by the police. It even made the news. Did you forget?¡±

    ¡°Are you going or not?¡± Esther didn¡¯t want to waste any more words with him.

    ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± Arthur looked at Tina with fear.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, forget it,¡± Tina said lightly, even sounding somewhat kind.

    Arthur shivered all over, his attitude changing 180 degrees as he nodded vigorously. ¡°I¡¯ll go. I want to go. I also like jade.¡±

    Esther and Audrey Woodwind frowned at Arthur¡¯s strange behavior since seeing Tina but didn¡¯t ask further.

    Audrey Woodwind was happy to have a brother along to carry her bags. However¡­

    The nine of them took two cars. Lily Ward and her daughter, along with Liliosa and her son, sat in one car. Griffin insisted on squeezing into their car to be their driver, so Damian let him be.

    Tina and three others sat in Damian¡¯s car. When Arthur saw Damian¡¯s new car, he eagerly demanded to drive it himself.

    From Whispering Pines to Oakhaven in Tongcheng District was a two-hour drive. They had been on the road for less than half an hour when Audrey Woodwind was already feeling nauseous from Arthur¡¯s terrible driving skills and felt like she might throw up at any moment.

    ¡°Brother, stop the car! I feel sick,¡± Audrey Woodwind hurriedly called out for Arthur to stop.

    But Arthur loved to y around despite being bad at it. When he saw Griffin¡¯s car overtaking them with a disdainful look, he got angry and stepped on the gas without regard for anything else, nearly losing control while turning a corner.

    Even Tina couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, feeling her stomach churn. She couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and yelled at Arthur, ¡°Stop the car! Get out! I¡¯ll drive!¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Arthur kept his eyes fixed on Griffin¡¯s car ahead. ¡°I have to catch up with them!¡±

    ¡°Are you getting out or not?¡± Tina¡¯s tone carried a hint of danger.

    Arthur stiffened, feeling a chill crawl up his neck. His voice became as meek as a kitten¡¯s. ¡°Okay, cousin.¡±

    When he pulled over, Audrey Woodwind immediately jumped out, breathing in fresh air and ring fiercely at Arthur. ¡°I will never ride in your car again!¡±

    Arthur sheepishly scratched his nose as Tina yanked open the driver¡¯s door, pulled him out, and threw him into the back seat before taking the wheel herself.

    ¡°Cousin¡­¡± Arthur nced at Damian¡¯s equally pale face and whined to Tina, ¡°I don¡¯t care; you have to catch up with him!¡±

    He and Griffin were the same age and had beenpeting in everything since they were kids.

    Tina shot him a cold nce, buckled her seatbelt without saying a word.

    ¡°Tina, can you handle this?¡± Audrey Woodwind asked doubtfully after recovering and getting into the passenger seat. She hoped Tina wouldn¡¯t drive worse than her brother.

    ¡°Seatbelt,¡± Tina said tly.

    As soon as Audrey Woodwind fastened her seatbelt, Tina floored the gas pedal and sped off.

    Audrey Woodwind screamed and grabbed the handle above her head but found that although Tina drove faster than Arthur, her driving was steady enough not to cause motion sickness even during sharp turns.

    Up ahead, Griffin had his car stereo ring disco music as he drove rhythmically.

    ¡°Damn it! We can¡¯t lose to him!¡± Seeing Griffin¡¯s shy car ahead, Arthur rummaged through his phone connected to the car¡¯s Bluetooth and found an even noisier song.

    The faces of all three passengers turned green as Audrey Woodwind covered her ears and reached out to turn off the yer.

    ¡°No! Don¡¯t turn it off!¡± Arthur cranked up the volume even higher.

    Griffin was driving Liliosa¡¯s car. He enjoyed underground racing and was quite skilled behind the wheel. Although he couldn¡¯t treat Liliosa¡¯s car like a racecar due to its performance and road conditions, losing Arthur-a lifelong rival-was easy for him.

    He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the music while checking his rearview mirror. To his surprise, Arthur¡¯s car quickly caught up despite having disappeared from sight earlier, sting loud music like they were challenging him.

    ¡°Damn!¡± He barely spared a nce at Lily Ward frowning at his taste in music before flooring the gas pedal again.

    On the same road¡­

    Jared Farrell had just picked up Marie and Sophia and was driving toward the Farrell family¡¯s southern district residence when loud music erupted behind them. Two luxury cars appeared besides his own vehicle-one chasing the other with ring music echoing through the air.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been back in Ashbury for some time; is this some new trend?¡± Marie wondered aloud.

    Jared Farrell frowned but then saw through his rearview mirror that one luxury car quickly overtook another right before his eyes-and inside that overtaking vehicle was Tina¡¯s cold little face which almost made him mistake the gas pedal for brakes!

    What was going on? How did Tina¡¯s taste be so peculiar after only two hours?

    He wanted to catch up but couldn¡¯t drive too fast with Marie and Sophia onboard-so he could only watch helplessly as those two luxury cars sped away down an intersection ahead while ying disco tunes loudly enough for everyone around them hear clearly!

    After thinking about it briefly-he decided sending voice message might be better than chasing them down physically: ¡°Where are you going?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    After quite some time-Tina replied: ¡°Oakhaven Jade Market.¡±

    Jared Farrell paused momentarily; when did she be interested in jade?

 Chapter 247: Does She Have

    On the other side.

    Watching Tina overtake Griffin, Arthur excitedly shouted, ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re awesome! That big idiot Griffin finally lost to me!¡±

    ¡°How childish,¡± Audrey Woodwind rolled her eyes at her brother. ¡°Griffin lost to Tina, not you.¡±

    ¡°And¡­¡± she pointed at the music yer, ¡°Brother, can you tell me how you managed to debut through a singing and dancing talent show with this taste in music?¡±

    Audrey Woodwind couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°What do you know?¡± Arthur brushed his silver spiky hair. ¡°Your brother relies on personal charm!¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Hah, no wonder you switched to acting right after debuting from a singing and dancing show,¡± Audrey Woodwind snorted. ¡°You must have realized early on that you had no talent.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Arthur gritted his teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t argue with you!¡±

    While the siblings were bickering, Tina drove into Oakhaven.

    This jade market belonged to MT Company and opened annually. It wasn¡¯t Tina¡¯s first visit.

    She skillfully parked at the market entrance and waited for a moment before Griffin¡¯s car arrived.

    ¡°Was it you driving just now?¡± Griffin asked Arthur with a dark face as soon as he got out of the car. Tina had overtaken so quickly that he hadn¡¯t seen clearly.

    ¡°It was me, so what?¡± Arthur said with his nose in the air.

    Tina raised an eyebrow while Audrey Woodwind and Damian felt embarrassed by Arthur¡¯s shamelessness.

    Griffin was skeptical but scanned Tina and the others. Damian always drove steadily and wouldn¡¯t mess around with passengers in the car. Audrey Woodwind had crashed into Whispering Pines¡¯ gate four times and was a notorious road hazard. As for Tina, he dismissed her as a possibility.

    Half-believing, he snorted coldly at Arthur and said no more.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in,¡± Lily Ward called out to everyone, walking into the market first with Willow on her arm.

    Liliosa walked beside them with Mack, and the others followed.

    Tina walked beside Damian, bringing up the rear.

    ¡°If you see anything you like, let me know. I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Damian whispered to Tina. ¡°Jasper brought you back in such a hurry that I didn¡¯t have time to prepare a gift.¡±

    He nced at Audrey Woodwind and smiled at Tina. ¡°But don¡¯t let Audrey find out; she¡¯ll drain my wallet dry. I¡¯m a bit broketely.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly; she had a good impression of Damian.

    As soon as they entered, they saw tworge pieces of jadeite rough at the entrance, each weighing seven or eight hundred kilograms.

    Inside the market hall, the ground near the entrance was lined with low-quality jadeite roughs.

    Tina and her group ignored these ordinary roughs and headed straight for the high-quality ones inside.

    Because Lily Ward was an invited guest, unlike those who paid to enter and buy, MT Company¡¯s Mr. Montague personally came to greet them. He smiled at Lily Ward, ¡°Miss Ward, they specifically instructed us to treat you well today. Feel free to pick anything you like.¡±

    Lily Ward smiled and pointed at Tina and Audrey Woodwind. ¡°I¡¯m just here to look around, but my two friends don¡¯t know much about jadeite. Could Mr. Montague assign some staff to guide them?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Mr. Montague instructed his assistant.

    Two staff members soon came over to assist Tina and Audrey Woodwind, providing them with strong shlights for examining jadeite quality.

    Damian and the others knew a bit about jadeite and didn¡¯t need assistance; they took shlights and started looking around.

    Audrey Woodwind wanted to find material simr to the jade bracelet Annabelle had given Tina.

    But such material was rare; after wandering around the market, she found nothingparable.

    In the end, she bought a cut piece of sky-blue jadeite for five million dors. It could make a pair of bracelets with enough leftover for some small jewelry pieces-a pretty good deal.

    Willow and Liliosa also bought some favorite pieces of rough jadeite for making jewelry.

    Tina wandered around the hall intending to pick some top-grade roughs to take back.

    But Timmy, the staff member assigned to her, kept chattering and misleading her-calling good material bad and hyping up cracked pieces as valuable.

    Did he think she was stupid?

    In contrast, Audrey Woodwind¡¯s staff member behaved much more professionally.

    Tina nced curiously at Lily Ward, who was chatting happily with Mack and Griffin nearby.

    Timmy continued pointing at a piece of green-veined rough on disy. ¡°Miss Reed, this piece is excellent-ss-like quality with minimal cracks. You could get dozens of bracelets from it for just one billion dors; it¡¯s sure to be worth much more.¡±

    Tina nced at it indifferently; she didn¡¯t even need a shlight to see that beyond the open window section showing some quality material, most of it was worthless. If it yielded two bracelets, that would be lucky-it was worth only a few million dors at best. Did she have ¡°big fool¡± written on her face?

    She wondered what Lily Ward intended by assigning such a person to her.

    She pocketed her shlight hand and said disinterestedly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in these. Do you have anything better?¡±

    Timmy¡¯s eyes lit up as he signaled towards Lily Ward before speaking. But before he could say anything, Mack spoke up from nearby. ¡°Lily, these cut pieces are boring. Didn¡¯t you say there were unopened rough stones we could y with?¡±

    Lily Ward exchanged a nce with Mr. Montague beforeughing.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Mr. Montague led everyone out through a back door into another hall behind the main one.

    This inner hall was much more refined than the crude setup outside.

    The disy tables were covered in dark red velvet cloths with dozens of unopened rough stones arranged neatly on top-each marked with numbers, weights, and starting bid prices.

    The hall also had servers offering various drinks and self-service snacks like a mini-salon.

 Chapter 248: So Happy That He Almost Bit His Teeth

    This inner hall was generally not open to the public, only VIPs could enter. ¡°Rest assured, the raw stones here have been carefully selected by us,¡± Mr. Montague introduced with a smile. ¡°Everyone can take a look first, note down the numbers of the stones you like, and during the auction, the highest bidder wins.¡±

    Mack immediately walked over with great interest, using a strong shlight to examine the raw stones. He ttered Lily Ward, saying, ¡°Lily, I will definitely pick out a ss-type raw stone and make a set of jewelry for you!¡±

    ¡°Lily, I will also choose a good one and make jewelry for you,¡± Griffin added, unwilling to be outdone.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lily Ward smiled and subtly gave Timmy a look.

    Timmy understood and said to Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, let¡¯s go take a look too. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted something better? These raw stones are directly mined by ourpany and are top-quality, exclusively for major clients. Ordinary people don¡¯t get to see them.¡±

    Tina nced at him with a half-smile and let him lead her to a ck-skinned raw stone. The stone was numbered 198, weighed sixteen kilograms, and had a starting price of one hundred million dors.

    After just a brief look at the skin, Tina had already formed her judgment about the stone.

    Timmy excitedly introduced it further, ¡°Miss Reed, have you heard that if you¡¯re going to gamble on stones, you should y with ck ones? Look at this raw stone; when you shine a light on it, there¡¯s almost no reaction. This means the fogyer inside is thick, making it highly spective with great potential for appreciation.¡±

    He pretended to be cautious and lowered his voice to whisper in Tina¡¯s ear, ¡°I guarantee that if this stone is cut open, it will yield top-grade emeralds. And given its size, it could produce dozens of bracelets.¡±

    ¡°With so many emerald bracelets, wouldn¡¯t that mean a hundredfold increase in value? You must bid on this er!¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you let your boss cut it open and sell it directly?¡± Tina nced at him indifferently.

    ¡°It¡¯s ourpany¡¯s rule; employees can¡¯t gamble on stones,¡± Timmy¡¯s smile stiffened.

    ¡°What a pity then, missing out on a fortune,¡± Tina said calmly.

    ¡°Anyway, you must bid on this er,¡± Timmy emphasized.

    Tina raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯tment.

    At this moment, Mack walked over and also shone his light on the stone. Timmy¡¯s expression became tense, but fortunately, Mack didn¡¯t like Tina much and didn¡¯t say anything to her.

    Timmy repeatedly praised the benefits and value of stone number 198 and urged her to bid on itter. He then took her to another stone numbered 213, weighing fifteen kilograms with a starting price of fifty million dors.

    ¡°This one is slightly less colorful than number 198 but can definitely reach ss-type quality. Miss Reed, you must bid on this one too.¡±

    Tina nodded disinterestedly, signaling him to continue.

    However, Timmy didn¡¯t have much good to say about the remaining stones. He kept emphasizing numbers 198 and 213 and urged her to bid on them while recounting stories of people getting rich overnight through stone gambling.

    Tina found it amusing. The starting prices were either one hundred million or fifty million dors. Why did this person think she had so much money or would spend that much?

    Once all the guests in the inner hall had examined the raw stones and noted down their preferred numbers, the auction began.

    Since it was a small auction, the process was simple. The host walked directly to the long table with the raw stones and auctioned them off one by one ording to their numbers.

    After several stones were auctioned off, Griffin sessfully bid sixty million dors for his favored fourteen-kilogram jadeite raw stone.

    Next up was stone number 213 that Timmy had mentioned. He immediately urged Tina again, ¡°Miss Reed, this raw stone will definitely increase in value by dozens of times; you must bid on it.¡±

    Tina nced at him lightly and smiled. ¡°Alright.¡±

    The price had reached seventy million dors when she raised her paddle. ¡°Eighty million.¡±

    The Reed family members frowned instantly. Mack and Griffin looked disdainful.

    They had examined that raw stone earlier; although it showed some promise and could reach ss type quality, its mossy color was quite obvious. They thought fifty million was too expensive already; yet Tina wanted to buy it for eighty million.

    Audrey Woodwind didn¡¯t understand jadeite at all but thought that Tina was being extravagant. She felt jealous thinking about Jasper transferring ten percent of Reed Corporate shares to Tina.

    Damian knew less about jadeite than his two brothers did. Initially thinking something was amiss when Griffin suddenly raised his paddle again for ny million dors made him pause-could number 213 really be valuable?

    At this price point, others stopped bidding but whispered among themselves.

    ¡°Miss Reed! Your cousin is bidding too; this must be valuable! Raise your bid!¡± Timmy urged anxiously as he received another look from Lily Ward.

    Tina nced at Griffin with a half-smile while he provocatively raised an eyebrow at her with malice in his eyes.

    ¡°One hundred million,¡± Tina gestured towards Griffin as she raised her paddle again.

    Griffin became furious immediately. He had intended just to mess with Tina slightly so she¡¯d suffer some loss. How dare she challenge him!

    If she wanted to waste Reed family¡¯s money recklessly after just returning home like some country bumpkin trying her hand at stone gambling with such high stakes-he¡¯d show everyone what kind of person she really was!

    ¡°One hundred twenty million!¡± Griffin shouted as he raised his paddle again triumphantly towards Tina daring her further.

    Timmy urged anxiously again: ¡°Miss Reed! Don¡¯t let your cousin win!¡±

    ¡°If my dear cousin likes it so much-let him have it,¡± Tina said calmly while sipping tea brought by staff members without raising her paddle further.

    She frowned slightly-the tea wasn¡¯t as good as what Jared Farrell had offeredst time-perhaps she should ask him for more next time?

    No-she should demand some! After all-it¡¯s only rightfully hers from her fiance!

 Chapter 249: How Could She Not Afford Three Billion?

    After Tina stopped bidding, Griffin won the No. 213 jadeite raw stone for 120 million dors.

    ¡°Tina, you tricked me!¡± Griffin¡¯s face turned extremely ugly.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who wanted it so badly that youpeted with me?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°I let you have it, and that¡¯s wrong?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t intended to trick Griffin but rather those who had been deliberately bidding against her.

    Griffin chose to oppose her on his own.

    And now he was ming her?

    ¡°You!¡± Griffin gritted his teeth in anger.

    ¡°Griffin!¡± Damian now clearly saw that his younger brother had maliciously bid against Tina, intending to trap her but ending up trapping himself.

    Griffin knew he was in the wrong and could only re at Tina resentfully before moving aside without speaking. Even when the staff brought him the winning bid sign, he didn¡¯t want to take it.

    Spending 120 million dors on a jadeite raw stone full of ck moss meant he probably couldn¡¯t even make a bracelet out of it-what a loss.

    Having already spent 80 million dors earlier and now another 120 million dors, his three years of allowance were almost gone. He felt utterly hopeless.

    Lily Ward squinted slightly, suspecting she had underestimated Tina. This girl seemed impulsive but had some brains.

    She exchanged a nce with Timmy, who tentatively asked Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, that raw stone could increase in value dozens of times once cut. Such a good stone, are you really giving it to your cousin?¡±

    ¡°My little cousin wanted it so much; of course, I let him have it.¡± Tina pointed to the dejected Griffin standing in the corner and smiled. ¡°Look how happy he is.¡±

    Happy enough to grind his teeth to bits.

    Timmy felt uneasy and signaled to the few bidders among the guests not to maliciously raise prices against Tina again during the uing bids. If Tina gave up again, their schemes would be for nothing.

    In the following auctions, Mack won an 18-kilogram raw stone for 100 million dors.

    He smiled at Lily Ward and said, ¡°Lily, my judgment is never wrong. This raw stone will definitely yield full green ss type jade with few cracks. You¡¯ll love the final product.¡±

    Lily Ward smiled but showed little interest in his words; her eyes were fixed on Tina as the auction approached No. 198.

    Tina had to spend big money on this one; she mustn¡¯t disappoint.

    She wanted Reed family and Jared Farrell to see what kind of fool Tina was-spending billions on gambling stones right after getting shares from Reed Corporate and throwing away so much money.

    These nouveau riche types spent money without thinking and were the most annoying.

    ¡°This is lot No. 198, starting at 100 million dors.¡±

    Soon it was time for lot No. 198. Timmy immediately urged Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, this time you must get this stone; it¡¯s a great opportunity to make a fortune!¡±

    ¡°120 million dors,¡± Tina bid as Timmy suggested.

    Lily Ward¡¯s eyes lit up with a smile. This ck stone was specially prepared for Tina; under the light, it showed almost no promise-who knew what was inside?

    However, ck stones were highly spective. Although those arranged by Lily Ward didn¡¯t dare maliciously bid against Tina anymore, several guests thought MT Company wouldn¡¯t set too low a base price for such a poor-quality stone and started bidding.

    The price of lot No. 198 soon doubled to 280 million dors.

    Lily Ward¡¯s heart raced as she watched Tina until she raised her sign and called out three hundred million dors as desired. Lilyughed inwardly; today, Tina would be aughingstock among Ashbury¡¯s elite.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Even if she knew little about jadeite raw stones, she could tell from its surface alone that lot No. 198 was full of cracks-not worth three hundred million dors.

    Mack and Griffin also looked at Tina.

    Mack¡¯s eyes were contemptuous; he¡¯d seen from its skin that No. 198 was full of cracks with uncertain quality inside-Tina must be crazy to spend three hundred million on it.

    Griffin¡¯s gaze was dark; this Tina was truly wasteful. After making him spend 120 million earlier, now she spent three hundred million on a cracked stone herself.

    In less than half a day back with Reed family, she¡¯d spent three hundred million dors-he¡¯d have to report this to their uncle and grandmother; they couldn¡¯t let this woman be so indulgent.

    At three hundred million dors, all the experts present deemed it unworthy and stopped bidding.

    Those arranged by Lily Ward also looked at Tina like she was an idiot.

    ¡°Cousin, are you crazy? Spending three hundred million on a gambling stone?¡± Audrey Woodwind couldn¡¯t believe Tina¡¯s sanity; spending one hundred million earlier was bad enough-now three hundred million!

    Audrey had thought Tina quite smart back in Ensford.

    ¡°This stone is worth more than three hundred million,¡± Tina replied calmly.

    Lily Ward and Timmy exchanged nces, stifling theirughter painfully.

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± Lily Ward approached Tina and said, ¡°Audrey¡¯s concern is understandable; gambling stones are risky. If this three hundred million is lost, you¡¯re wasting Annabelle¡¯s and Uncle Ye¡¯s money.¡±

    Tina crossed her arms and watched Lily Ward perform silently.

    ¡°Exactly! Just because grandma and uncle are funding you doesn¡¯t mean you can spend recklessly!¡± Audrey Woodwind echoed.

    This was three hundred million-not three dors!

    Even if Reed family was wealthy, they couldn¡¯t tolerate such squandering by Tina.

    Arthur had been watching quietly but rushed over when Audrey scolded Tina. He tried to pull Audrey back but got shrugged off harshly.

    Audrey couldn¡¯t hold back anymore; despite Arthur¡¯s signals to stop, she scolded Tina, ¡°Even if you¡¯ve been away for years and grandma and uncle want topensate you, you should have limits!¡±

    Tinaughed inwardly-did they think she was using Reed family¡¯s money?

    Did she look so poor that she couldn¡¯t afford three hundred million herself?

    ¡°A mere three hundred million? If Reed family can¡¯t afford it, I can.¡± A deep voice sounded behind her as Jared Farrell appeared unexpectedly. He walked over and wrapped an arm around her waist, telling Audrey Woodwind, ¡°I¡¯ll cover this three hundred million-not a penny from Reed family.¡±

    ¡°If you want to be taken advantage of, suit yourself!¡± Audrey Woodwind¡¯s face turned pale as she stomped off angrily.

    ¡°Kids don¡¯t understand,¡± Arthur apologized humbly to Tina repeatedly before hurrying after Audrey Woodwind to calm her down.

 Chapter 250: Imperial Green Glass Jadeite

    Lily Ward looked at Jared Farrell standing next to Tina, her eyes darkening. She had nned to embarrass Tina while Jared was away, but unexpectedly, he showed up. However, it didn¡¯t matter. Tina had already marked the stone numbered 198, and the three billion dors were destined to be spent. Even if it wasn¡¯t the Reed family¡¯s money, making the Farrell family aware that Tina made Jared spend three billion dors on a gambling stone would surely make them displeased with her and affect their engagement.

    Jared looked down at Tina, his long eyes full of affection. ¡°Buy whatever you like; I¡¯ll pay! Three billion isn¡¯t enough? I¡¯ll give you ten billion!¡± Three billion was nothing; as long as Tina was happy, he could transport all the raw stones from the jadeite mining area for her to cut one a day for fun.

    ¡°It won¡¯t fail,¡± Tina said nonchntly.

    ¡°Miss Reed is so confident. How about we cut the stone you marked right now?¡± Lily Ward suggested, hiding the smile in her eyes. She wanted to see Tina humiliated in public!

    ¡°Sure,¡± Tina nodded.

    Mr. Montague immediately arranged for it. After all the transactions for the auctioned jadeite raw stones werepleted, they would be cut on-site. Not only Tina but other clients who chose not to take their raw stones home also agreed to on-site cutting for everyone to see.

    Soon, several raw stones were cut in order of their bids and shown to the crowd, some increasing in value and others failing. The worst failure was Griffin¡¯s stone, which he had bought for 120 million dors. Although it reached ice quality in some parts and even ss quality in others, itcked base color and was riddled with cracks and snowke cotton, making it worthless for bracelets or even smaller pieces like rings.

    Griffin nced at it once, his face darker than the failed stone itself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t expect me to reimburse you,¡± Damian said calmly. After all, Griffin had maliciously bid first; getting tricked was his own fault. He patted his brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Consider it a costly lesson; don¡¯t bully your cousin again.¡±

    Griffin red at Tina hatefully, thinking this lesson was too expensive.

    Tina ignored Griffin¡¯s resentful gaze entirely. Lily Ward¡¯s attempt to trick her with this jadeite raw stone was ruthless but ultimately unsessful.

    Soon it was time to cut Mack¡¯s marked stone. He nced at Tina and maliciously raised his chin towards her. ¡°Tina, dare to bet with me?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

    ¡°Let¡¯s bet whether your stone will be worth more than mine!¡± Mack said.

    ¡°The stakes?¡± Tina asked calmly.

    ¡°If you lose, you kneel and apologize to my mother and me!¡± Mack said coldly.

    Jared Farrell¡¯s face darkened; this fool didn¡¯t know his ce. Wanting Tina to kneel was a death wish!

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina agreed but held Jared¡¯s hand and asked Mack back, ¡°What if you lose?¡±

    ¡°If I lose, I¡¯ll do a handstand and defecate!¡± Mack said confidently.

    Tina: ¡°¡­¡±

    Jared Farrell: ¡°¡­¡±

    No need to be so disgusting!

    Mack confidently looked at his raw stone, believing in his judgment that it would increase significantly in value. Gambling on jadeite involves betting on quality, color, and cracks. Tina¡¯s stone numbered 198 had already lost due to its cracks unless it revealed imperial green of high ice or above quality. Otherwise, spending three billion dors would be a loss.

    But how could such a rare thing like imperial green ss jadeite fall into Tina¡¯s hands by luck?

    Mack felt sure he would win!

    Soon his eighteen-kilogram raw stone was cut open, stunning everyone present. The stone reached high ice quality with full green color and no cracks under strong light-enough for nearly twenty full green bracelets with plenty of leftover material for smaller pieces.

    Such full green ice-quality material often fetched collectible prices; spending one hundred million dors was worth it many times over.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Someone immediately offered Mack twenty billion dors for it on the spot.

    ¡°Heh,¡± Mack sneered. ¡°This material can produce nearly twenty bracelets worth more than twenty billion dors alone without considering the leftover material¡¯s value. And you want to buy it for twenty billion? What nerve!¡±

    The person shut up embarrassedly while others eagerly tried negotiating prices with Mack.

    ¡°I¡¯m not selling this raw stone,¡± Mack dered decisively. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it as a collection.¡±

    Such rare material bes scarcer over time; collecting it would double its value in a few years-a good investment indeed.

    ¡°Tina, you¡¯re doomed,¡± Mack said smugly amidst everyone¡¯s amazement andpliments.

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Tina replied calmly.

    After Mack¡¯s stone was cut, next was the one numbered 198.

    Mack asionally nced at her with malice; he still held a grudge against her for hitting him earlier today and eagerly awaited her kneeling apologyter.

    Lily Ward sneered at Tina¡¯s calm demeanor; did she really believe Timmy¡¯s nonsense that this randomly chosen jadeite raw stone could reveal imperial green worth hundreds of times more?

    That would beughable-imperial green wasn¡¯t so easy toe by!

    The venue wasn¡¯trge; everyone heard about Tina and Mack¡¯s bet and waited eagerly for the result of cutting number 198.

    After a long time, the machine finally stopped; two cutters lifted the halved number 198 onto the table under bright lights revealing countless cracks-what people called ¡°imperial cracks.¡±

    Mack¡¯s lips curled into a triumphant smile just as strong light hit number 198¡¯s jade flesh revealing vibrant green color stunning everyone into silence.

    ¡°Oh my god! Imperial Green!¡± someone eximed first.

    ¡°And it¡¯s full-color ss-quality imperial green!¡±

    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see such rarity cut before my eyes!¡±

    ¡°What luck!¡±

    Guests couldn¡¯t help but approach with shlights to admire this rare beauty up close-imperial green ss jadeite!

 Chapter 251: Face-Slapping Always Comes So Quickly

    The Reed family members all widened their eyes, staring at the Imperial Green ss jadeite that Tina had cut from the raw stone.

    ¡°Did Tina just hit the jackpot?¡± Audrey Woodwind asked Arthur in disbelief. ¡°Is this thing worth three billion?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s worth much more than that, even a hundred billion,¡± Arthur replied, utterly stunned.

    Griffin, standing next to Damian, also couldn¡¯t believe his eyes as he looked at the sliced stone on the table. He had previously thought Tina was an overconfident novice, but now it seemed he was the real novice for not recognizing the potential of this stone. Even with the emperor¡¯s crack, any small piece cut from it would be snatched up by high-end collectors before it even hit the market. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t even get a chance to see it.

    ¡°You lost,¡± Tina said to Mack.

    Mack was too shocked to speak. He hadn¡¯t expected Tina to be so lucky, actually cutting out an Imperial Green ss jadeite. His ice jadeite could yield many bracelets, but it lost in both quality and color.

    Lily Ward and Timmy snapped out of their shock. They hadn¡¯t expected the random jadeite stone they picked to trick Tina would actually yield an Imperial Green. Not only did it not copse upon cutting, but its value had increased thirtyfold. Their n to make Tina lose big money hadpletely failed!

    Was Tina just incredibly lucky, or did she really understand jadeite and had been pretending to be clueless all along?

    Lily Ward clenched her fists in frustration. Tina¡¯s luck was too good. Timmy¡¯s earlier im that this ck stone could yield an Imperial Green was meant to deceive her, but it turned out to be true! Spending three billion casually and turning it into a hundred billion-how could the Reed and Farrell families possibly disdain her for being extravagant now?

    Tina didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ thoughts; she simply reminded Mack, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to fulfill our bet.¡±

    Mack¡¯s face turned ugly. Was he out of his mind when he made that bet?

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about reneging,¡± Tina said with a faint but cold smile. ¡°No one can default on a bet with me.¡±

    ¡°You have my word!¡± Mack red at Tina before asking Mr. Montague to have his raw stone moved out and loaded onto his car.

    However, Mr. Montague refused. Transporting jadeite worth twenty or thirty billion with just a car full of women was too risky; they could get robbed halfway.

    After exining the risks, Mack had no choice but to call for an escort.

    The two stones Griffin bought were also ced with Mack¡¯s, waiting for someone from home to pick them up.

    Tina rode back in Jared Farrell¡¯s car.

    Upon seeing Tina cut out an Imperial Green, Jared Farrell had Nathan Lehman prepare an escort team and instructed staff to move her Imperial Green stone outside.

    ¡°Miss Reed! Could you sell me some pieces from your Imperial Green raw stone?¡± Someone approached as they saw Tina preparing to take the stone away.

    Just like how people were eyeing Mack¡¯s icy green jadeite, many were interested in Tina¡¯s stone as well. However, no one could immediatelye up with enough liquid funds to buy the whole piece, so they hoped Tina would sell some smaller pieces instead.

    ¡°Sorry, I need this raw stone for myself,¡± Tina declined them all.

    Willow and Liliosa weren¡¯t initially interested in gambling on stones and were invited by Mr. Montague to have tea in the VIP room. Hearing that the auction inside had ended, they were about to go in when they saw Nathan Lehman leading people moving Tina¡¯s raw stone outside.

    ¡°Oh my God, Imperial Green!¡± Liliosa eximed, recognizing its value immediately.

    She wanted to ask if she could buy a piece for her collection once it was cut but saw Tina walking out with Jared Farrell without even ncing their way.

    As she passed Timmy, Tina smiled lightly and said, ¡°Thank you for helping me pick such a good Imperial Green.¡±

    Timmy turned pale and kept silent. He realized now that Tina wasn¡¯t just lucky; she was a master pretending to be clueless.

    Although Liliosa was ignored by Tina and felt angry, she was more eager to find out who owned that Imperial Green stone.

    ¡°Mack, whose Imperial Green is that? I want to buy a piece for a pendant,¡± Liliosa asked her son directly.

    ¡°Tina¡¯s,¡± Mack replied sullenly.

    ¡°What!¡± Liliosa couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Willow nced at Lily Ward and understood they had miscalcted seeing her daughter¡¯s grim face.

    ¡°How much did she pay for it?¡± Liliosa persisted.

    ¡°Three billion,¡± Mack answered more gloomily.

    Now he was more worried about fulfilling his bet than about Tina turning three billion into a hundred billion. Did he really have to do something so humiliating?

    Liliosa and Willow were shocked speechless.

    Liliosa almost screamed in excitement, ¡°Three billion? That raw stone is worth a hundred billion!¡±

    Tina was so lucky!

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go home!¡± Mack said in a low voice.

    He felt utterly humiliated and didn¡¯t want to hear any more about the hundred-billion value; he feared he might vomit blood from frustration!

    By the time they returned to Whispering Pines, it was getting dark.

    Annabelle and Jasper had already had dinner since the younger ones hadn¡¯t returned yet.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    As soon as the nanny finished clearing the table, several cars pulled up outside.

    The first car carried Mack and Griffin¡¯s raw stones; behind it were Jared Farrell¡¯s car and another car called in for escorting the stones.

    Audrey Woodwind got out first and cheerfully told Annabelle, ¡°Grandma, I bought a piece of raw jadeite that can make a pair of bracelets and some jewelry. You promised you¡¯d reimburse me!¡±

    Annabelle smiled warmly. ¡°Of course I will!¡±

    Then she looked at everyone else. ¡°It seems today¡¯s harvests were quite good.¡±

    Mack had asked her for a car earlier, saying he¡¯d gotten some good material. Seeing several cars arriving now suggested significant gains indeed.

    Mack should have been happy about getting material worth twenty or thirty billion dors. But thinking about Tina¡¯s hundred-billion-dor material made him unable to smile.

    Seeing Mack¡¯s gloomy face, Damian exined to Annabelle, ¡°Cousin got material worth twenty or thirty billion dors; Cousin got Imperial Green material worth a hundred billion dors-today¡¯s harvests are indeed impressive.¡±

    Annabelle looked at Tina with surprise and delight. ¡°Tina is amazing! She actually got material worth a hundred billion dors.¡±

    ¡°We should thank Miss Ward for rmending this raw stone enthusiastically,¡± Tina said with a half-smile towards Lily Ward. ¡°I was just lucky.¡±

    Damian and others fell silent; this wasn¡¯t just ¡®not bad¡¯-it was extraordinary! How many people could be so lucky as to get Imperial Green?

 Chapter 252: Tina, Hand Over the Imperial Green to the Reed Family

    Lily Ward¡¯s eyes shed with a dark glint. Damn Tina! Always poking at her sore spots. If she had known Tina could get the Imperial Green for three billion, she would never have gone through with it!

    Annabelle listened to Tina¡¯s words and nced at Lily Ward. She raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh? So it seems that Tina getting the Imperial Green has something to do with you, Lily.¡±

    Lily Ward¡¯s smile was stiff. ¡°Annabelle, you¡¯re too kind. I wouldn¡¯t dare take credit. Miss Reed just returned to Ashbury, so naturally, I want to help where I can.¡±

    Annabelle gave her a meaningful look but said nothing more.

    Tina followed Annabelle inside and then turned to Nathan Lehman, ¡°Move the items into my room.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan Lehman immediately instructed people to move therge raw stone into Tina¡¯s room.

    Willow, standing nearby, looked at Liliosa with a hint of darkness in her eyes and deliberately asked, ¡°Why did Miss Reed move the items into her room? Wasn¡¯t it bought with the Reed family¡¯s money?¡±

    She didn¡¯t say much, but Liliosa understood. Her face darkened as she looked at Tina and angrily said, ¡°Tina! You are so out of line! The items bought with the Reed family¡¯s money should belong to the Reed family. How can you take such a valuable Imperial Green for yourself?¡±

    Tina sat on a chair beside Annabelle, raising her eyebrows slowly and calmly. ¡°What? Are you trying to take it from me?¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Liliosa frowned. ¡°As your elder, why would I take anything from you? Shouldn¡¯t you hand it over voluntarily?¡±

    Before Tina could respond, Liliosa continued, ¡°The Reed family¡¯s money doesn¡¯t grow on trees. This time you were lucky to get the Imperial Green for three billion. If you weren¡¯t lucky and didn¡¯t get it, wouldn¡¯t it be a loss? So you must hand it over.¡±

    Tinaughed brightly and beautifully, like a flower in full bloom with thorns. She didn¡¯t speak but turned to Jared Farrell with a charming voice, ¡°Can you check if there¡¯s ¡®big fool¡¯ written on my forehead?¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s lips twitched as he coughed lightly. ¡°My Tina is very beautiful; there¡¯s nothing written on her face.¡±

    Tina tilted her head slightly, resting her chin on one hand while staring at Liliosa with clear eyes. ¡°Then it¡¯s strange! Why do some people think I¡¯m a fool and easy to bully?¡±

    ¡°Bang!¡± Liliosa mmed the table angrily. ¡°Tina, what kind of attitude is this? I¡¯m your elder! Not only are you disrespectful, but you¡¯re also mocking me?¡±

    She then turned to Jasper and coldly said, ¡°Jasper, is this your good daughter? Look at her behavior!¡±

    Jasper frowned deeply with an unpleasant expression. ¡°It¡¯s not your ce toment on my daughter¡¯s behavior or educate her!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not educating her; I¡¯m asking her to hand over what belongs to the Reed family. She¡¯s just a country girl who got such a valuable Imperial Green-can she even keep it safe? Besides, this was bought with Reed family money; am I wrong?¡± Liliosa said angrily.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Annabelle said sternly. ¡°The money was given by me to Tina; she can spend it as she likes. I haven¡¯t said anything about it; who are you to have an opinion?¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Liliosa shouted angrily. ¡°You¡¯re spoiling her too much! That Imperial Green is worth at least ten billion dors. If all that money goes to her and gets wasted, what then? You have other grandchildren too-Juliet and Audrey-why haven¡¯t they received such amounts?¡±

    Liliosa pointed at Audrey Woodwind. ¡°You gave Tina a bracelet in the morning and three billion dors in the afternoon. Look at Audrey; she only got a five-million-dor item inparison. This is unfair.¡±

    Audrey Woodwind silently lowered her head upon hearing this.

    She felt some jealousy but understood that as an external granddaughter, she couldn¡¯tpare to a direct one.

    Moreover, she didn¡¯t want topete with Tina.

    At least since Tina returned home, they had gotten along well enough-not like Amber before who was so detestable.

    ¡°You!¡± Annabelle was furious and mmed the table again. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Have I ever shortchanged those two over the years? Whenever there was something good, didn¡¯t I always prioritize them first?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    ¡°Tina wandered outside for neen years and suffered greatly. We owe her; giving her three billion dors is mypensation for her suffering. Audrey and Juliet have noints-why do you have so many opinions as their aunt?¡±

    Liliosa retorted stubbornly, ¡°Am I doing this for myself? Isn¡¯t it for the Reed family? Without the Reed family¡¯s three billion dors, how could she get an Imperial Green worth billions? Asking her to hand it over-is that wrong?¡±

    ¡°Who told you that Tina used Reed family money?¡± Jared Farrell calmly sipped his tea and looked sharply at Liliosa.

    Liliosa was momentarily stunned by his gaze and took two steps back involuntarily.

    After regaining herposure, she frowned and asked, ¡°It wasn¡¯t Reed family money?¡±

    ¡°The raw stone was bought with Mr. Farrell¡¯s money,¡± Damian said unhappily toward Liliosa¡¯s aggressive behavior.

    Tina had just returned home; humiliating her was one thing.

    Now that she had finally obtained an Imperial Green stone after much effort, Liliosa wanted her to hand it over.

    Regardless of whether it was luck or not-since Tina got it-it belonged to her.

    Reed family members often participated in auctions; whatever they won always belonged solely to them without any obligation of handing it over.

    His aunt transferring hatred for his uncle onto Tina was truly inappropriate.

    ¡°What?¡± Liliosa¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°Mr. Farrell¡¯s money? How is that possible? Where could he get so much money?¡±

    The Farrell family was wealthy indeed; Jared Farrell had been designated as Logan¡¯s heir-but he had previously been considered useless-so he wouldn¡¯t have much money himself.

    How could he easilye up with three billion dors?

    Moreover-to buy raw stones for Tina?

    Jared Farrell ced his fine porcin teacup on the table and leaned back in his chair casually raising his eyes slightly indifferent tone: ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware when did our Farrell family be so poor that we couldn¡¯te up with three billion dors?¡±

    The corners of everyone¡¯s mouths twitched slightly within Reed family members present there.

    If Farrell family were poor-what would that make their families?

    Liliosa fumed: ¡°Stop being sarcastic-I know Farrell family has money-but that doesn¡¯t prove it was yours specifically-who knows if you¡¯re just saying this intentionally helping out Tina?¡±

    After all-she needed Tina handing over things no matter what happened next!

    Why should Jasper¡¯s daughter squander recklessly while hers still suffered somewhere unknown?

    As long as Jasper or even better yet -Tina remained unhappy-it brought joy unto herself!

    Years¡¯ worth unfible wounds could finally find sce then¡­

 Chapter 253: Grandpa Comes to Take You Home

    ¡°Ha!¡± Jared Farrell ced his hands on the armrests of the chair, leisurely adjusted his cuffs, and then stood up, walking slowly towards Liliosa. His presence was overwhelming; with each step he took, Liliosa felt as if a heavy stone was pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe.

    Frightened by Jared Farrell, Liliosa retreated but refused to lose herposure. She shouted sternly, ¡°What are you doing? This is the Reed family, you can¡¯t act recklessly here!¡±

    Jared Farrell looked at her panicked expression and smiled wickedly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I have a cleanliness obsession; I don¡¯t touch mad dogs.¡±

    ¡°Jared Farrell!¡± Liliosa¡¯s face turned green with anger. This worthless man dared to call her a mad dog!

    Jared Farrell casually took out his phone from his pocket. ¡°I usually don¡¯t like to use civilized means to solve problems, but my Tina prefers civilized ways, so let¡¯s do it her way.¡± With that, he dialed a number.

    The call connected quickly, and Logan¡¯s voice came through. ¡°You brat! You still remember to call me? Where did you take my granddaughter-inw? Hurry up and bring her to see this old man!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Jared Farrell nced indifferently at the Reed family members. ¡°I spent three hundred million dors to buy an Imperial Green raw stone for Tina. The Reed family wants Tina to hand over the Imperial Green because they think I can¡¯t afford three hundred million and that we lied.¡±

    The Reed family members were speechless. What a tattletale! Can¡¯t he have some dignity? Why does he always have toin?

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Logan exploded with anger. ¡°My grandson can be poor, but my granddaughter-inw can¡¯t be! Three hundred million is nothing! I can give a hundred billion if needed!¡±

    ¡°And you Reed family have the nerve to ask my granddaughter-inw to hand over what she worked hard for? Keep dreaming!¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to do? You took my granddaughter-inw home and still gave her trouble? Do you think I¡¯m dead?¡±

    ¡°Wait for me! All of you wait! I¡¯ming right now to take my granddaughter-inw home!¡±

    ¡°Granddaughter-inw, leave that damn Reed family. Grandpa will send a car to pick you up immediately!¡±

    ¡°No way! I can¡¯t swallow this anger; I need to go to the nursing home and scold Muff!¡±

    The Reed family members were stunned again. Logan hung up the phone without giving them a chance to react.

    Annabelle rubbed her temples in frustration and looked at Liliosa. ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡±

    Liliosa shrugged. ¡°I did nothing wrong!¡± She didn¡¯t care if Tina stayed with the Reed family; she just wanted Jasper¡¯s family to be unhappy.

    Annabelle was annoyed but couldn¡¯t do anything about her daughter. Over the years, Liliosa had frequently returned home, causing trouble for the family because of her lost daughter. Everyone had been amodating her because of what happened back then, but now she was getting more unreasonable.

    Annabelle looked apologetically at Tina and said softly, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t mind your aunt; she speaks without thinking. I¡¯ll talk to herter.¡±

    Then she turned to Jared Farrell. ¡°Jared, please say something nice to your grandpa. Regardless of whether you paid for it or not, I never intended for Tina to hand over the Imperial Green to the Reed family.¡±

    Jared Farrell leanedzily against the chair and said indifferently, ¡°Annabelle, you misunderstand me. I have no authority; it¡¯s my grandpa who calls the shots in the Farrell family. In our little home, Tina is in charge.¡±

    Annabelle was speechless. It was clear that he only knew how toin!N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Meanwhile, Logan hung up the phone and shouted angrily, ¡°Mike, get the car ready!¡±

    Marie came downstairs just in time to see Logan fuming with anger. She hurried over and asked, ¡°Dad, who made you so angry?¡±

    ¡°Who else? Those dogs from the Reed family!¡± Logan huffed as he put on his coat.

    ¡°The Reed family?¡± Marie was puzzled. ¡°What did they do?¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t provoke me; they bullied my granddaughter-inw!¡± As Mike pulled the car up front, Logan exined everything to Marie while heading outside.

    ¡°What!¡± Marie was furious. ¡°They dared bully my daughter-inw? Do they think I¡¯m just decoration? Dad, wait for me; I¡¯ming with you to get Tina!¡±

    Instead of going straight to the Reed family house, Logan first went to the nursing home.

    As soon as he saw Muff Reed at the nursing home, Logan didn¡¯t give him a chance to speak and started scolding him furiously. ¡°You old fool! Look at what kind of people you¡¯ve raised! They have no skills other than bullying my granddaughter-inw!¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m too old to fight back? One by one, everyone thinks they can walk all over me? I cherish my granddaughter-inw more than anything; how dare you bully her! If you¡¯re tired of living, I¡¯ll dly send you off!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you now; I¡¯m going to get Tina back! My temper isn¡¯t great; if someone gets hurt identally, don¡¯te asking me for medical expenses because I¡¯m broke!¡±

    Logan ranted on without letting Muff get a word in edgewise before storming out with Marie.

    Muff was left dumbfounded in his hospital bed until long after they had left.

    Finally snapping out of it, Muff cursed angrily, ¡°Logan Farrell! You damned old man! You can¡¯t live a day without causing me trouble!¡±

    He quickly called out, ¡°Lee! Get the car ready; we¡¯re going home!¡±

    Back at Whispering Pines!

    Ever since Logan announced he wasing for Tina, everyone in the Reed household had been on high alert, gathered in the living room waiting anxiously.

    Logan was notorious for being unreasonable!

    His antics were well-known-crying, making scenes-and no one knew how they¡¯d deal with him this time.

    Everyone except Liliosa, Willow, and Lily Ward was tense.

    Liliosa appeared indifferent and provocatively nced at Jasper and Tina.

    Willow kept stealing nces at Jasper¡¯s face; each look made her feel more captivated by him.

    Lily Ward stared at Jared Farrell and Tina¡¯s tightly sped hands with jealousy and resentment nearly bursting forth. Her fingers clenched into fists so tightly that her nails dug into her skin without her noticing.

    Just then, a car horn sounded outside, snapping everyone back into focus.

    Momentster, Logan¡¯s booming voice echoed from outside: ¡°Tina! Grandpa¡¯s here to take you home!¡±

 Chapter 254: The Farrell Family Backs Tina

    Logan strode in and went straight to Tina. ¡°Tina,e with Grandpa. We¡¯re leaving this damn Reed family!¡± Logan¡¯s voice was full of authority. ¡°Once you¡¯re with the Farrell family, no one will dare bully you. I¡¯ll break their legs!¡±

    ¡°Unlike these hypocrites who im to love you but let others mistreat you! We won¡¯t y their game.¡±

    Jasper and Annabelle were speechless, almost feeling directly called out.

    Jasper cleared his throat, ¡°Mr. Farrell, you¡¯ve misunderstood¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Logan interrupted with a tirade, ¡°Misunderstood? I¡¯m old but not senile! I can see whether you genuinely care for Tina or are just making things difficult for her. Jasper, you begged Tina toe back. Now that your image as a loving father is established, you don¡¯t care about my granddaughter anymore?¡±

    ¡°Let me tell you, as long as I¡¯m alive, no one will bully my Tina. My precious granddaughter was livingfortably at home. Why should shee here to suffer?¡±

    ¡°Today, I¡¯m taking Tina with me! No one can stop me!¡±

    Jasper had no chance to speak.

    The rest of the Reed family didn¡¯t dare utter a word. Logan¡¯s temper was worse than their own patriarch¡¯s!

    Liliosa frowned, ¡°Logan! This is the Reed family, not the Farrell family! It¡¯s too much for you toe here and insult us!¡±

    She nced at Tina coldly, ¡°Tina is only engaged to Jared Farrell! Whether they marry or not is still uncertain. She is a daughter of the Reed family and doesn¡¯t have to marry into the Farrell family! She belongs here and has no reason to go back with you!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Logan turned his head andughed at Liliosa. ¡°I haven¡¯t settled ounts with you yet, and you¡¯re already acting tough?¡±

    Liliosa raised her eyebrows, staring at Logan without fear.

    ¡°Whack!¡± Logan picked up his cane and struck Liliosa without mercy. ¡°Who do you think you are? You dare educate me? Who gave you the right? You think just because you have a mouth, you can insult people? What¡¯s in your mouth, maggots or filth?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re old and still so ugly! Always running back to your maiden home causing trouble! If it were up to me, I¡¯d break your legs!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Liliosa¡¯s face twisted in anger.

    This old man!

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Has the Reed family¡¯s rules turned upside down? A married daughtering back to cause trouble and no one can control her?¡± Logan looked at Annabelle standing silently on the side and sneered. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle it, let Muff call me. I¡¯ll take care of it!¡±

    With that, he struck Liliosa again with his cane. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she learns her lesson!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Liliosa shouted. ¡°This is my family¡¯s business; it¡¯s none of your concern! Get out!¡±

    ¡°Smack!¡± Annabelle pped Liliosa hard across the face. ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Liliosa held her face in disbelief. ¡°Mom, did you hit me?¡±

    Annabelle had never hit her before.

    ¡°I¡¯ve spoiled you too much! Mr. Farrell is your elder; how dare you tell him to get out? Is this how a daughter of the Reed family behaves?¡± Annabelle¡¯s face was stern. ¡°We¡¯ve been lenient because of your lost child, but that¡¯s no excuse for your behavior.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re angry at Jasper, take it out on him, not Tina! She¡¯s only been home a few days and hasn¡¯t caused any trouble for you. This situation is your fault; you¡¯ve gone too far without remorse.¡±

    ¡°I was just¡­¡±

    Liliosa tried to argue but Annabelle red at her before turning to Logan with a smile. ¡°Mr. Farrell, I assure you that Tina will be treated well from now on.¡±

    Logan snorted coldly. ¡°No way! She¡¯s my granddaughter-inw; she belongs with the Farrell family! Your Reed family has mistreated her enough.¡±

    Annabelle forced a smile. ¡°I promise this won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°Your promise means nothing; let Muffe!¡±

    Annabelle sighed and looked at Marie who hade with Logan. ¡°Marie, our families have been close for years. Please help calm Logan down; this tension isn¡¯t good for either of us.¡±

    Marie smiled politely. ¡°Annabelle, I can¡¯t intervene here. You know how much Logan cares for Jared, our only son, and now Tina is our precious daughter-inw.¡±

    ¡°Our precious being mistreated by your family ¨C do you think Logan would let that slide? Neither would I! We¡¯re here to take Tina back; whether you¡¯ve raised her or not doesn¡¯t matter now. The Farrell family can take care of her forever!¡±

    Her words were like needles piercing Annabelle and Jasper¡¯s hearts.

    They owed Tina neen years and wanted to make amends but hadn¡¯t had the chance before this incident humiliated them.

    Lily Ward watched resentfully as the Farrell family defended Tina so fiercely.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Why did that country girl deserve this?

    As tensions rose, a car horn sounded outside Whispering Pines.

    The Reed family¡¯s members shuddered.

    Muff was back!

    In seconds, Muff entered with a grim expression.

    Annabelle hurried over. ¡°Muff, why are you back?¡±

    Muff¡¯s expression softened slightly towards Annabelle but remained icy towards everyone else. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t returned, the Reed family would be in chaos!¡±

 Chapter 255: No One Can Owe Me

    Everyone fell silent, especially Jasper and Garrett. One was the head of the Reed family, and the other was the second uncle of these juniors, yet neither could handle Liliosa.

    Liliosa was particrly afraid of Muff. The moment she saw him, she shrank to the side and kept quiet.

    Muff, however, did not intend to let her off. ¡°I heard you wanted Tina to hand over the Imperial Green she acquired to the Reed family?¡±

    On his way over, Muff had already called the Reed family¡¯s servants to understand what had happened.

    Liliosa¡¯s body trembled as she tried to exin, ¡°Dad, I was just¡­¡±

    ¡°Answer me, yes or no?¡± Muff¡¯s long years in business had given him an aura of authority that made Liliosa shiver with just one sentence.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Liliosa lowered her head, not daring to say another word.

    ¡°Good!¡± Muff nodded and then pped Liliosa across the face. ¡°You wretch! Since when do you get involved in the Reed family¡¯s affairs? I¡¯ve been in a nursing home for a few years and you¡¯ve be this bold?¡±

    Liliosa covered her stinging cheek, almost fuming with rage. She had been pped three times today; she was furious! But she didn¡¯t dare say anything against Muff.

    ¡°Pack your things and get out immediately! Without my permission, you¡¯re not allowed back in the Reed family!¡± Muffmanded sternly.

    His wife was soft-hearted and always turned a blind eye when Liliosa caused trouble because she had lost a child. But he wouldn¡¯t tolerate it! Especially with Logan watching closely; he had to give the Farrell family an exnation.

    ¡°Dad! Are you kicking me out?¡± Liliosa looked shocked.

    Muff gave her a cold nce. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave on your own, I¡¯ll have you tied up and thrown at the Emerson family¡¯s door! Your choice!¡±

    Liliosa shrank back; she knew her father could do it!

    Ignoring her, Muff turned to Logan and said, ¡°Get lost! This is my family¡¯s issue. You won¡¯t take my granddaughter!¡±

    Logan sneered, ¡°Try kicking me out! I¡¯ll pluck your hair!¡±

    ¡°Go ahead! Pluck one and see what happens?¡± Muff leaned his head forward. ¡°If you dare pluck my hair, I¡¯ll make sure your grandson never sees my granddaughter again!¡±

    Logan was speechless. This old man had gotten smarter!

    Seeing Logan¡¯s silence, Muff smiled smugly. ¡°You arrogant old man! If you keep this up, I¡¯ll call off my granddaughter¡¯s engagement! Dream on if you think your grandson will marry her!¡±

    Logan fumed but retorted, ¡°Whether shees with me or not is up to Tina!¡±

    Tina was still a granddaughter of the Reed family; her opinion mattered.

    Muff raised an eyebrow at Logan and beckoned Tina over. ¡°Girl,e here.¡±

    Tina walked over quietly.

    Muff softened his voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened today. Don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t go back to the nursing home. I¡¯ll stay here. With me around, your aunt won¡¯t dare return, and no one will trouble you anymore.¡±

    Logan scoffed but then smiled at Tina. ¡°Tina, do you want toe back to the Farrell family with me?¡±

    Tina felt warmth from Logan¡¯s affection. She smiled slightly. ¡°Grandpa, I won¡¯t go back for now. I¡¯ll visit in a few days.¡±

    She had more important matters to investigate at the Reed family and couldn¡¯t leave yet.

    Logan nodded calmly. ¡°Alright then, but remember, you have the Farrell family behind you! If anyone troubles you again,e to me! I¡¯ll stand up for you!¡±

    Tina smiled warmly. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡±

    She paused before adding, ¡°I got that piece of Imperial Green to make essories for you and Mr. and Mrs. Farrell.¡±

    Logan¡¯s eyes lit up, and heughed heartily. ¡°Haha! Good girl! My Tina is the best!¡±

    He then looked smugly at Muff as if saying that despite everything, Tina wasn¡¯t close to him.

    Marie¡¯s eyes brightened too; Tina was Waverly Underwood, a designer whose skills were renowned. She could boast about this among her social circle.

    Liliosa came downstairs with her luggage just in time to hear Tina¡¯s words and sneered coldly. ¡°Ungrateful wretch! Your grandmother loves you so much but you show filial piety to outsiders instead! Do you really think marrying into the Farrell family means they¡¯ll pamper you forever? Don¡¯t forget your natal family is your true support!¡±

    Annabelle immediately rebuked her sharply, ¡°Shut up! Tina can give gifts to whomever she wishes; I have plenty of jewelry already!¡±

    Liliosa looked upset but still wanted to argue when Muff¡¯s icy voice interrupted her. ¡°Still here? Waiting for me to throw you out?¡±

    Frustrated but helpless, Liliosa dragged her luggage away with Mack.

    Just as they reached the door, Tina called out, ¡°Wait!¡±

    Liliosa turned around coldly. ¡°What? Want tough at me? Don¡¯t think having Grandpa¡¯s support lets you boss me around!¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze shifted to Mack with no expression on her exquisite face. ¡°Mr. Emerson, it¡¯s time to fulfill your bet.¡±

    Liliosa frowned and looked at Mack. ¡°What bet?¡±

    Arthur whistled from the side. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? My cousin bet that if Tina¡¯s stone was more valuable than his, he¡¯d perform a handstand while defecating on live stream!¡±

    Mack¡¯s face turned beet red as he red at Tina through gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll fulfill it but not now.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Liliosa scowled. ¡°A joke between siblings-are you serious?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow calmly. ¡°What? Trying to renege?¡±

    ¡°Renege on what?¡± Liliosa snapped angrily. ¡°It was just a joke; only someone petty would take it seriously!¡±

    Tinaughed coldly without humor reaching her eyes. ¡°No one can owe me.¡±

    Liliosa red at her furiously before dragging Mack away again when suddenly Mack copsed onto his knees.

    ¡°Mack! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Liliosa panicked.

    Mack winced in pain as he found himself unable to move his legs. ¡°I can¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°How can this be?¡± Liliosa was frantic.

    Tina stepped closer slowly and looked down at Mack from above. ¡°Since you won¡¯t fulfill your bet willingly, I¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡°Nathan! Strip him down and set up a live stream! Let him perform his handstand!¡±

 Chapter 256: Live Broadcast

    Nathan Lehman, ¡°¡­¡±

    Why would he make him do such a disgusting thing?

    He cleared his throat and was about to walk towards Mack when a voice suddenly came from outside the door, ¡°Serena, I heard you got an Imperial Green. Hurry up and give me some!¡±

    Hayden Cohen arrived before Hayden Cohen even did.

    Nathan Lehman paused, what a coincidence!

    This disgusting task is more suitable for Mr. Cohen!

    Hayden Cohen rushed in, seeing the entire Reed family standing in the yard, even Logan and Marie were there. He was taken aback, ¡°Hey? What are you all doing?¡±

    He was assigned by Jared Farrell to take care of Qu Ting and handle some matters in the team. After finishing his work, it was almost dark. Then the old man learned that Tina got an Imperial Green and called him to ask Tina if she could sell a small piece.

    So he hurried over without even having dinner.

    ¡°Mr. Cohen, Mr. Emerson made a bet with Miss Reed that if he lost, he would perform a handstand while defecating¡­¡± Nathan Lehman looked deeply at Hayden Cohen, ¡°And he lost!¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Hayden Cohen asked, ¡°Is he going to start performing now?¡±

    Nathan Lehman nodded, ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s not cooperating!¡±

    ¡°Not cooperating?¡± Hayden Cohen¡¯s voice suddenly raised a few decibels, ¡°Can he still resist? Serena, don¡¯t worry, leave it to me! I¡¯ll strip off his pants. I¡¯m the best at this! You just watch from the side!¡±

    Finally, there¡¯s a chance to please Serena. He must perform well, right?

    With that said, Hayden Cohen lifted his foot and walked towards Mack, rubbing his hands together with a very lewd smile. ¡°Mr. Emerson, I advise you not to move. I won¡¯t go easy on you. If I identally tear your pants apart, you won¡¯t be able to go home!¡±

    Mack, ¡°¡­¡±

    If only I could move.

    Also, what does this have to do with you!

    Mack became angry and shouted, ¡°Get out of my way!¡±

    Then he turned to Tina and said, ¡°Tina! What do you mean? I said I would fulfill the bet! But not now! You quickly make him get out of here!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    ¡°Oh!¡± Hayden Cohen raised an eyebrow and smiled slyly. ¡°Still dare to challenge Serena with me? Bang!¡±

    He punched Mack in the face. ¡°Satisfied?¡±

    ¡°Hayden Cohen!¡± Liliosa immediately protected Mack and angrily said, ¡°If you dare touch my son again¡­¡±

    ¡°If I dare touch him? What can you do to me?¡± Hayden Cohen interrupted her and kicked Mack.

    ¡°You!¡± Liliosa¡¯s face turned pale with anger. She turned to Muff and said, ¡°Dad! Are you just going to stand there and watch your son being bullied in the Reed family?¡±

    Muff raised his eyes slightly and said, ¡°A man should be brave enough to take responsibility. Since he agreed to the bet with Tina, he should fulfill it if he loses!¡±

    Although it¡¯s a bit disgusting like this, it hase to this point. If Mack doesn¡¯t pay the price, Tina won¡¯t let it go.

    Tina just came back and Liliosa caused so much trouble. The young girl couldn¡¯t help but feel angry.

    Fine!

    Let Mack pay the price so that the Reed family can be more honest!

    ¡°What bet! It was clearly Tina ying tricks!¡± Liliosa shouted.

    Lily Ward finally couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and spoke up. She said, ¡°Mr. Farrell, although it is Mr. Emerson who lost the bet and should fulfill it, at that time Miss Reed was so confident that the raw stone would yield good results that she made a bet with Mr. Emerson out of revenge.¡±

    Lily Ward looked at Tina and said, ¡°Miss Reed, I apologize on behalf of him for offending you. Let¡¯s just forget about this matter, okay? Broadcasting such indecent things¡­ how can Mr. Emerson face people in the future? You are all family members who see each other every day. Why make things so embarrassing?¡±

    Tina raised her eyebrows lightly without any warmth in her clear eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy of me giving you face.¡±

    Lily Ward felt embarrassed on her delicate face for a moment but suppressed her anger that was about to erupt. She turned to Jared Farrell with a look of grievance and said, ¡°Mr. Farrell, your fiancee is so aggressive. Aren¡¯t you going to persuade her?¡±

    She didn¡¯t believe that the Farrell family wanted a vengeful daughter-inw!

    Jared Farrell didn¡¯t even lift his head. He put one hand in his pocket and wrapped his other arm around Tina¡¯s slender waist calmly and unhurriedly. ¡°My Tina can do whatever she wants, and I support her!¡±

    He nced at Lily Ward¡¯s face lightly and then looked away disdainfully as if forgetting her name again. Lily Ward felt like her heart had been struck by something as she struggled to catch her breath.

    Why?

    Why exactly?

    How is she inferior to Tina!

    Why doesn¡¯t he even look at her directly or even remember her name repeatedly?

    Jared Farrell couldn¡¯t be bothered with her and looked at Hayden Cohen instead. ¡°Bring Mack¡¯s phone over!¡±

    Hayden Cohen eagerly walked towards Mack.

    Liliosa wanted to stop him but Hayden Cohen ruthlessly pushed her aside and took out Mack¡¯s phone from his pocket before throwing it to Jared Farrell.

    Jared Farrell took the phone and quickly unlocked Mack¡¯s password before opening the live broadcast app and tossing the phone to Nathan Lehman. ¡°Find a tripod to ensure that everyone can see him.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Nathan Lehman immediatelyplied.

    Jared Farrell turned his gaze towards Hayden Cohen. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you started yet?¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Hayden Cohen received the order and immediately walked towards Mack.

    Mack wanted to retreat but couldn¡¯t move at all. He stared at Hayden Cohen and shouted angrily, ¡°You dare! If you touch me, I promise you won¡¯t leave here intact!¡±

    ¡°Heh!¡± Hayden Cohen coldly snorted without saying another word as he unceremoniously pulled off Mack¡¯s pants.

    To save time, he even took off Mack¡¯s underwear as well.

    Suddenly everything was exposed!

    Just as his pants were taken off, Jared Farrell quickly covered Tina¡¯s eyes with one hand. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to look!¡±

    Damn it!

    He actually forgot that it wasn¡¯t suitable for young girls like her to see these things!

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Can she say that she has already seen it?

    But¡­

    So small!

 Chapter 257: Mack Emerson Becomes Famous

    ¡°Ah!¡± Audrey Woodwind screamed, turning around quickly. The sight was simply too appalling.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Marie also turned away immediately. Despite her age and the many sights she¡¯d seen, viewing such a spectacle from a younger rtive was¡­ well, inappropriate to say the least.

    Lily Ward, her daughter, and the women of the Reed family all turned their backs as well. Only Liliosa Reed faced the scene, her mind buzzing with shock. ¡°Ah! Ah! Ah!¡± she shrieked. ¡°Hayden! I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±

    Liliosa charged at Hayden, who dodged with a swift sidestep.

    Meanwhile, the live broadcast chat exploded withments. ¡°What¡¯s happening? I just tuned in to see Mr. Emerson up to such antics?¡± ¡°Is Mr. Emerson trying something new with a nude live stream? Quite the dark humor he has!¡± ¡°But Mr. Emerson¡¯s, well¡­ it¡¯s rather small¡­¡± ¡°Disgusting! Who even posts this? I¡¯m reporting this!¡±

    On the other side, Hayden, having dodged Liliosa¡¯s wrath, pushed her towards Nathan Lehman, saying, ¡°Hold her down!¡± Nathan, foreseeing no glory in debasing Mack Emerson by making him perform a humiliating act, grabbed Liliosa effectively.

    Pinned down by Nathan, Liliosa couldn¡¯t move. With her out of the way, Hayden grabbed a chair, propped up Mack Emerson¡¯s legs, and addressed the camera, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, Mack Emerson says he¡¯s bored and wants to perform a handstand defecation. I¡¯m just helping him out.¡± After pping Mack Emerson¡¯s buttock, Hayden urged, ¡°Mr. Emerson, make it quick, I don¡¯t want to wait too long.¡±

    Mack, furious and humiliated, yelled, ¡°Hayden, you damn let go of me!¡±

    As the absurdity continued, Hayden pped him again, threatening to cut off his dignity if he shouted again.

    Scared into silence by the threat and the cold air on his exposed skin, Mack didn¡¯t dare to speak. Hayden, satisfied, smirked, ¡°That¡¯s more like it! Just cooperate so we can finish this and go home.¡±

    Meanwhile, Liliosa Reed, still restrained, cursed vehemently, ¡°Tina, you bastard born without a mother¡¯s care, how dare you let this happen to your cousin! I won¡¯t let this go!¡±

    Jasper Reed, her anger redirected, ¡°You spineless man, losing my daughter and letting your daughter humiliate my son, I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡±

    ¡°I curse you all to hell for eternity!¡± she screamed.

    The situation was dire, and the Reed family looked miserable. Was this their fault? If only Liliosa hadn¡¯t meddled and Mack hadn¡¯t bet with Tina, none of this would have happened.

    As Logan Reed arrived to defend Tina, the family knew they couldn¡¯t assist Mack even if they wanted to. Any real move against Logan in the business arena would mean more than just a loss of face.

    Jared, sensing the urgency, had Nathan stuff his sock into Liliosa¡¯s mouth, silencing her curses.

    Minutes passed, and with Mack Emerson still unable to perform, Jared threatened more directly, ¡°Mr. Emerson, if you don¡¯t cooperate, we¡¯ll have to resort toxatives.¡±

    No one really wanted to witness the act, especially since Mack¡¯s niece kept trying to peek through her fingers.

    In desperation, Mack exerted all his strength, his face turning beet red. With no other choice, he forced something out¡­

    Hayden, unable to handle the sight, dropped Mack¡¯s legs and vomited violently, swearing off food for days.

    As Mack copsed in a twisted heap on the ground, hended right on what he had just expelled. To his horror, he faced the ground, adding insult to injury.

    The entire assembly, except for Jared and Tina, began retching uncontrobly. Logan and Grandpa Reed were particrly affected, almost vomiting up stomach acid.

    Once Mack was finally set down, Jared ordered the servants, ¡°Take him away!¡± and the area was swiftly cleaned.

    Seeing Mack so debased, Liliosa nearly fainted from fury, ring at Tina and Jared, ¡°I will not let you get away with this!¡±

    ¡°Anytime,¡± Tina replied coolly.

    With Mack carried off and the scene cleaned, Grandpa Reed turned to Logan, ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡±

    Logan nodded, ¡°Yes, I am. And you, Tina?¡±

    ¡°Quite,¡± she said, though she felt her eyes had been vited just by witnessing the event.

    ¡°Then get out!¡± Grandpa Reed growled, eager to see them leave.

    As Logan cheerfully prepared to depart, a police car arrived. Officers stepped out, their demeanor professional. ¡°We¡¯re looking for Mr. Mack Emerson. There¡¯s been aint about tonight¡¯s broadcast content being inappropriate. We need to take him in for questioning.¡±

    As the freshly cleaned Mack was brought out, unable to move and still reeling from the ordeal, the police approached him, showing their badges. ¡°Mr. Emerson, pleasee with us.¡±

    Before Mack could respond, he was escorted away, his night of humiliation far from over.

 Chapter 258: Thereâ€™s a Madman Here

    When Mack Emerson was taken away, everyone felt as if the air suddenly became much fresher. Liliosa Reed tried to stop the police car to save Mack Emerson, but the police warned her for obstructing official duties. Helpless, she could only return and plead with Grandpa Reed, ¡°Dad! Can you help Mack? We can¡¯t just let the police take him away like this!¡±

    Grandpa Reed looked at her emotionlessly, ¡°He did something wrong, he should pay the price.¡± He looked up sternly at Liliosa Reed¡¯s face, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the trouble you caused at home, Mack wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. You reap what you sow!¡±

    ¡°But did I do this for myself?¡± Liliosa Reed argued unwillingly, ¡°Tina got something worth billions. I asked her to hand it over to the Reed family. Was I wrong? It¡¯s not just a hundred dors; it¡¯s billions. What if that young girl gets swindled with so much money?¡±

    ¡°I always think about our family, but you treat me like this.¡± Liliosa Reed looked at Grandpa Reed, dissatisfaction written all over her face, ¡°Mom, Dad! You¡¯ve always doted on Jasper, Garrett, even my little sister, but what about me? I¡¯m also your daughter. Why won¡¯t you ever help me?¡±

    ¡°My daughter has been lost for many years, I¡¯ve been madly searching every year. Reed family could have contacted the CK intelligence organization to help find my daughter, but you refused to spend the money, not helping me look for my daughter! Jasper Reed¡¯s daughter was found, but mine is still suffering!¡±

    ¡°Now, for the sake of the Reed family, you¡¯ve even dragged my son into this, your bias is too severe!¡± Grandpa Reed frowned, his expression turning unpleasant.

    Annabelle could no longer bear it, ¡°Enough! You really are hopeless! Your daughter¡¯s disappearance is something none of us wanted to see. Over the years, you always think we didn¡¯t help you find people, but do you know, your father has contacted CK multiple times, and they refused to take the job. Reed family doesn¡¯t have that much influence!¡±

    ¡°Even if we didn¡¯t get CK to help, your father issued a reward, sent people to look everywhere, but to no avail. We feel bad too, so why do you insist on ming us?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand you anymore, and your father has already spoken. From now on, without our consent, you are not wee at Reed family¡¯s home!¡± Liliosa Reed scoffed, ¡°Hah, you think I won¡¯te just because you say so? Tina got my son into this, and I haven¡¯t settled this ount yet. Since you¡¯ve decided to y favorites, let¡¯s see. I won¡¯t let this go!¡±

    Liliosa Reed didn¡¯t want to waste more words with them. She knew, no matter what she said, the Reed family wouldn¡¯t help her. She couldn¡¯t let Mack Emerson stay in the police station overnight. Just as Liliosa Reed was about to leave, Tina suddenly called out to her, ¡°Wait!¡±

    Liliosa Reed stopped in her tracks, ring at her, ¡°What now?¡±

    Tina nced at her lightly, ¡°Since you think the younger generation¡¯s gains should belong to the family, I think that¡¯s quite right. To help you achieve your wish, I n to give you a hand!¡± With that, Tina took out her phone, found a number in her contacts, and dialed it.

    Soon, the call connected, and the voice on the other end was excited, ¡°Young Ma¡­¡± Just as he began to speak, Tina interrupted, ¡°Mr. Emerson! Your son Mack Emerson bought an icy yang green gem with Emerson family¡¯s money, worth three billion. Your wife thinks the younger generation¡¯s good things should be handed over to the family. I think it¡¯s quite reasonable. What are your ns at Reed family?¡±

    After a few seconds of silence, the other end responded, ¡°I¡¯m sending someone to retrieve it right away!¡± Although he wasn¡¯t sure what exactly happened, from Tina¡¯s tone, it was clear Mack Emerson and Liliosa Reed had provoked Tina!

    These two damn fools! Always messing with Tina! Who did they think they were dealing with? After receiving a positive response, Tina hung up the phone. Liliosa Reed¡¯s face nearly turned green with rage.

    What kind of breed are Tina and Jared? Always tattling, what kind of habit is that? Soon after, the Emerson family¡¯s car arrived. The men greeted Grandpa Reed and Logan, then loaded Liliosa Reed¡¯s belongings and the gem Mack Emerson had acquired onto the car!

    They came quickly and left just as fast. Liliosa Reed had to leave, and Lily Ward and Willow couldn¡¯t stay any longer either, so they took their leave. Logan was pleased with the oue and nned to leave with Marie, but Grandpa Reed stopped him, ¡°You old fool, take your grandson with you!¡±

    ¡°Why should he leave?¡± Logan nced sideways at Grandpa Reed, ¡°He¡¯s Tina¡¯s fiance; he should stay with Tina.¡±

    ¡°Ptui!¡± Grandpa Reed spat, ¡°That¡¯s just an engagement; whether they get married is another matter. Reed family doesn¡¯t have a rule about unmarried couples living together. Take him and get out!¡±

    He was holding back a lot of anger. Every time he saw Jared, he was reminded of Logan, this deadbeat. If he had to see Jared every day, he might just die sooner from anger!

    He didn¡¯t want to die before Logan, that deadbeat! He wanted to live! Live well! And infuriate Logan!

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Logan snorted coldly, ¡°You think you can drive my grandson away, bully Tina? Dream on!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Before Grandpa Reed could retort, Logan said, ¡°Keep talking nonsense, and I might as well move in here too!¡±

    Grandpa Reed, ¡°¡­¡±

    Do you have no shame?

    In the end, under Logan¡¯s rascally persistence, Jared sessfully stayed. Throughout, he and Tina didn¡¯t get a word in!

    Really speechless! Mainly because the two old men were too powerful!

    After Logan left, Grandpa Reed looked around at everyone and said indifferently, ¡°Alright, the show¡¯s over. Those who need to go, go. Those who need to sleep, sleep.¡± What a night of turmoil!

    After saying that, Grandpa Reed returned to his room. The others also went inside. Once they were all inside, Hayden excitedly ran over to Tina, ¡°Serena, next time there¡¯s something fun like this, call me. I¡¯ll help you vent!¡±

    He had clearly forgotten who was almost sick to their stomach just now. ¡°But next time, can we choose a less disgusting way? This is really stomach-turning, I don¡¯t want to eat for days now.¡± Hayden couldn¡¯t bear to think about the earlier scene; just the thought made him want to vomit.

    Tina crossed her arms, a smile ying on her lips, ¡°Oh? You have a n?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Hayden said excitedly, ¡°Let¡¯s strip him naked and make him perform a pole dance, call a crowd to watch, it¡¯ll be spectacr!¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­ Thank you!¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Nathan Lehman, ¡°¡­¡±

    Someone! There¡¯s a madman here! Take him away!

 Chapter 259: Serena, I Was Wrong

    After Hayden and Nathan Lehman left, Tina and Jared also went upstairs. The mood among the Reed family was somber tonight, each retreating to their rooms early to rest. Arthur Woodwind, humming a tune, leisurely made his way to his own room on the second floor. Having just witnessed the spectacle between Liliosa Reed and Mack Emerson, he felt quite pleased. His aunt and cousin, who usually dominated at home, had long been a thorn in his side. The family, being rtives and considering Liliosa¡¯s unfortunate loss of her daughter, had always tolerated their arrogance. Today¡¯s oue, he thought, was well-deserved! That Serena had spared Mack Emerson¡¯s life meant they should be extremely grateful.

    As Arthur thought of Tina, a shiver ran through him, and he quickened his pace to his room. He knew he needed to be cautious, the further from that person, the better. He swiftly pushed open the door, eager to hide inside. To his surprise, he found Tina sitting on the sofa, casually ying with her phone, looking as if she were in her own room. Arthur Woodwind, ¡°¡­ Is it toote to run now?¡±

    Tina looked up, giving Arthur a fleeting nce, her tone indifferent, ¡°Back already?¡± With a thud, Arthur Woodwind promptly knelt in front of the sofa, clutching Tina¡¯s legs, begging for mercy, ¡°Serena, I was wrong, please forgive me!¡± Tears and snot flowed as he pleaded pitifully.

    Tina, disgusted, kicked him away, brushing off her clothes, and looked at Arthur Woodwind, ¡°What did you do wrong?¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have run away,¡± Arthur confessed mournfully. Years ago, he had been sent by the Woodwind family to study under Master Tam. His talents were recognized, and he was epted as a disciple. Initially thrilled, his dream to learn martial arts was not what he had imagined. At first, he scoffed at Tina¡¯s methods, only to realizeter that she was no ordinary person-she was a demon! The training was more brutal than any military drama on TV.

    ¡°And what else?¡± Tina¡¯s voice was calm, but it sent a chill down Arthur¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Also, I shouldn¡¯t have disobeyed Serena. Every beating, every scolding was for my own good, and I was foolish not to see it,¡± Arthur continued, his body trembling as he remembered the harsh lessons on the mountain-he truly didn¡¯t want to experience that again.

    ¡°Since you left the master¡¯s school, you no longer have the right to call me Serena.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Arthur¡¯s heart leapt at Tina¡¯s words-perhaps she no longer had authority over him. But then he realized how naive this thought was. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean your mistakes are forgiven.¡± As soon as she spoke, Arthur felt an immense pressure overhead, the memories of past beatings flooding his mind. ¡°I was wrong, Serena, spare my life, I was truly wrong!¡± He clutched at Tina¡¯s legs again, refusing to let go.

    Suddenly, footsteps passed by the open door. Tina kicked Arthur Woodwind once more. Audrey Woodwind, passing by the door, paused. She nced inside and thought she saw her brother kneeling before Tina-impossible! Was she seeing things?

    Audrey Woodwind stepped back for a closer look. In the room, Tina was indeed sitting on the sofa, but Arthur Woodwind was standing properly in front of her. Relieved, she had been mistaken. But why was Tina in her brother¡¯s room? They had only met today and weren¡¯t close.

    Curious, Audrey stepped inside and asked, ¡°Tina, what are you doing in my brother¡¯s room?¡±

    Tina gave Arthur a look that said it was his problem now. Arthur quickly took over, ¡°I brought a gift for Se¡­ for Tina, asked her toe and pick it up.¡±

    ¡°A gift? Do I have one too?¡± Audrey¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± replied Arthur bluntly.

    Disappointed, Audrey¡¯s face fell. She was genuinely happy when Tina, a formidable and unpretentious person, was recognized as Jasper¡¯s real daughter, much better than Amber. Since Tina¡¯s arrival, everyone in the Reed family, including her grandmother and grandfather, had supported Tina, even giving her the only family bracelet.

    Now, even her own brother had brought a gift specifically for Tina, and she, his sister, had none. Annoyed, Audrey left Arthur¡¯s room in a huff, unaware of her brother wiping his forehead in relief, having managed to deceive her.

    But with Serena¡­ Arthur looked nervously at Tina, having begged so shamelessly, unsure if Serena would spare his life. Tina¡¯s expression was unreadable as she extended her hand towards him. Arthur Woodwind, ¡°?¡± Impatiently, Tina asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the gift?¡±

    Arthur froze. If he admitted to having no gift, would he be doomed? In a moment of desperation, he swiftly pulled something from his suitcase and handed it to Tina.

 Chapter 260: Tina, Did You Attempt to Murder Your Husband?

    Tina looked down and saw it was a personal photo album of Arthur. Her lips twitched in annoyance. Who wants your photos? Arthur, seeing her silence, thought she was pleased and shamelessly emphasized, ¡°It has my autograph on it!¡± Tina remained speechless. With a loud smack, the photo albumnded on Arthur¡¯s face. She then strode out of the room. Arthur exhaled deeply, wondering if Serena had finally let him off.

    Meanwhile, Willow and Lily Ward sat in their car, both looking displeased. They hade to reconnect with Jasper after hearing he had found his real daughter, only to discover it was Tina. To make matters worse, Tina had shown them no respect in front of everyone. ¡°What¡¯s so special about that girl? Jared Farrell is infatuated with her, and now even Logan is acting foolishly?¡± Lily Ward stared out the window, thinking about Jared Farrell¡¯s affectionate behavior towards Tina and how he repeatedly forgot her own name. Her eyes darkened with resentment.

    ¡°Mom, you go home first. I¡¯m going to the hospital,¡± Lily said. ¡°To the hospital at this hour?¡± Willow asked, puzzled. ¡°I need to check on Emrys,¡± Lily replied confidently. Although she hadn¡¯t managed to teach Tina a lesson at the gem market, she was confident in her medical skills. Emrys had almost fully recovered under her care, proving her expertise. She nned to continue improving Emrys¡¯s condition until the Reed family and even Jared Farrell recognized her abilities. Unlike Tina, who relied on others¡¯ affection, she had real talent.

    Willow didn¡¯t fully understand her daughter¡¯s thoughts but knew she was determined, so she didn¡¯t ask further questions. After the driver dropped Lily off at the hospital entrance, Willow made a call to Liliosa.

    ¡°Liliosa, how are things on your end?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but think about Mack being humiliated by Tina and Jared Farrell¡¯s group. Having grown up in luxury, she found such crude behavior disgusting and felt nauseous just thinking about Mack.

    Despite this, she needed to maintain good rtions with Liliosa for Jasper¡¯s sake. As soon as she asked about the situation, Liliosa began cursing Tina furiously. ¡°That little brat! I won¡¯t let her get away with this! And my biased parents and that heartless Jasper¡­¡± Willow held the phone away from her ear until Liliosa finished ranting before asking again, ¡°So what happened?¡± Liliosa gritted her teeth and said, ¡°What else? Hawk scolded me harshly and cut off my credit cards. I¡¯m not allowed to go out recently!¡±

    Willow frowned, ¡°He treated you like that?¡± ¡°Not just that; he also warned me not to provoke Tina anymore! Hmph! I refuse to believe I can¡¯t deal with a little girl.¡± Initially targeting Tina out of hatred for Jasper, Liliosa now harbored a deep-seated grudge against Tina herself. She vowed not to rest until Tina was utterly disgraced.

    Willow advised calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t get too worked up; it¡¯s bad for your health. Tina has just been found and is cherished by her family; it¡¯s understandable they¡¯re protective of her. I didn¡¯t expect the Farrell family to dote on her so much.¡± Liliosa scoffed, ¡°Logan Farrell treats trash like treasure. He¡¯ll regret it once Tina marries into their family.¡±

    Leaning backzily in her seat, Willow remarked casually, ¡°True enough. Given how much he loves Tina, it¡¯s understandable she wouldn¡¯t give the Imperial Green jade to the Reed family since it was won by Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee using his money.¡± Sensing more behind Willow¡¯s words, Liliosa asked cautiously, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Willow exined, ¡°The Farrell family isn¡¯t just Jared Farrell; doesn¡¯t his uncle have any say?¡±

    Liliosa¡¯s eyes lit up at this suggestion. ¡°You¡¯re right! The Farrell family¡¯s wealth isn¡¯t controlled solely by Jared Farrell! I¡¯ll call Hazel right away.¡± Hazel was Jared Farrell¡¯s uncle¡¯s wife and someone who disliked Jared immensely.

    Feeling satisfied that Liliosa understood her hint, Willow ended the call as Liliosa dialed Hazel immediately.

    ¡°Hazel, did you know Jared Farrell won a piece of Imperial Green jade worth billions at the gem market?¡± Hazel was shocked. ¡°Really?¡± Though the Farrell family was wealthy, such a valuable jade stone was still astonishing.

    ¡°Yes! But it was actually won by Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee using his money,¡± Liliosa continued. ¡°I just feel bad for your family; wouldn¡¯t it be fair if you got at least half of it?¡±

    Hazel¡¯s eyes turned red with envy upon hearing this. ¡°We definitely deserve a share! Thank you for telling me this; I won¡¯t let our family be shortchanged.¡±

    After stirring up more trouble with Hazel, Liliosa hung up feeling satisfied that she had taken steps against Tina.

    Back at Whispering Pines.

    Tina returned to her room only to find someone lying on her bed. She paused momentarily before smiling slyly.

    She had gone to Arthur¡¯s room only to find someone waiting in hers instead.

    ¡°Uncle,¡± she teased as she approached him and tugged lightly on Jared Farrell¡¯s tie.

    The silky fabric slipped through her fingers as if trying to stay yet unable to hold on-an effect that tantalized Jared¡¯s senses.

    Before she knew it, she was pulled sharply into his embrace as they switched positions.

    Jared pressed his body against hers while their noses nearly touched.

    ¡°Delivery service-want to inspect the goods?¡± he whispered provocatively.

    Tina¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she looked into his stern face before smiling even wider.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s inspect,¡± she said before leaning in for a kiss.

    The moment their lips met sent Jared into a frenzy.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    His long fingers wrapped around her slender waist as he pinned her against the wall-taking control of their passionate exchange.

 Chapter 261: The Fox Will Always Show Its Tail

    The kisssted a long time, and countless sparks surged through Jared Farrell¡¯s body as he gradually lost his sense of reason. His slender fingers roamed over Tina¡¯s body. Tina felt a sudden heat and snapped back to reality, kicking Jared Farrell away.

    ¡°Hiss!¡± Jared Farrell let out a soft grunt, ¡°Tina, are you trying to murder your husband?¡±

    Tina¡¯s cheeks flushed, and an embarrassed look swept across her delicate face. She adjusted her torn cor, ¡°Uncle! You crossed the line!¡±

    Had she been too lenient with Jared Farrelltely? His courage seemed to grow, daring to extend his hand further.

    Just as she was about to think of a way to teach Jared Farrell a lesson, she noticed his gaze fixed on her chest. Tina raised her hand to p him but was gently caught by Jared Farrell.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± He reached for the pendant hanging around Tina¡¯s neck, which had been revealed during their tussle. He pulled out an identical pendant from his own neck and ced them together. The two halves formed a key pattern.

    Tina frowned, ¡°A key?¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s deep eyes narrowed slightly. Both he and Tina knew they each had a pendant but had never thought that together they would form a key. He paused for a moment and asked, ¡°Did Master leave you anything that needs unlocking?¡±

    Tina shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Her mother had only told her about the whereabouts of the potion and instructed her to find it. Now, she had three potions in total-one from Hugo, one from Courtney, and one she already possessed. Her mother had mentioned only two potions, clearly not telling the whole truth. So far, Tina had discovered at least six potions.

    What was this lock that her mother left behind meant to open? Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment before she suddenly looked towards Whispering Pines¡¯ courtyard with deep eyes, ¡°I underestimated him.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! The fox will always show its tail!¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s eyes narrowed as his demeanor turned cold. Anyone who harmed Master would pay the price!

    Tina nodded without saying more. The ambiguous atmosphere between them vanished instantly. Jared Farrell said softly, ¡°Get some rest early!¡±

    The next day! As soon as Tina woke up, there was a knock on the door. She opened it to find Jared Farrell leaning against the wall with a helpless expression on his stern face.

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°What?¡±

    Jared Farrell rubbed his temples and held his phone out to Tina.

    ¡°Are you even listening to me? When are you going to bring Tina back? If you can¡¯t handle such a small task, don¡¯t call yourself my grandson anymore.¡± Logan was ranting at Jared Farrell on the screen.

    ¡°Tina?¡± Logan suddenly noticed Tina and immediately changed his tone, smiling so broadly that his eyes turned into slits. ¡°Come visit Grandpa¡¯s house? Grandpa has prepared lots of fun things for you.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Logan was overjoyed when he heard Tina agree and stopped scolding Jared Farrell. He hung up the phone and went off to instruct the servants to prepare.

    Jared Farrell finally dealt with the old man and chuckled at Tina, ¡°I can finally take my girl home.¡±

    Though they had met before, this was their first official visit.

    ¡°Who said I¡¯m your girl?¡± Tina nced at Jared Farrell indifferently.

    Jared Farrell felt a surge of warmth in his heart from her look and moved closer to hold her hand. ¡°You will be, my most beautiful Tina,¡± he said as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pecked her lips lightly, ¡°and the sweetest.¡±

    A blush spread across Tina¡¯s fair and delicate face! This man was toxic! Every time he got close, she couldn¡¯t control herself!

    ¡°Ahem!¡± A light cough came from nearby.

    Jared Farrell turned to see Jasper and Annabelle walking down the corridor. Both Jared Farrell and Tina felt a bit awkward.

    ¡°Annabelle, Jasper,¡± Jared Farrell greeted them politely without losing hisposure.

    ¡°Did you sleep wellst night?¡± Annabelle asked kindly.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± Tina replied coolly,pletely ignoring Jasper¡¯s longing and concerned gaze.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Annabelle didn¡¯t know what to say in response to Tina¡¯s indifferent attitude, making the atmosphere somewhat awkward.

    At that moment, Muff came downstairs. Having not fully recovered and having rushed back from the sanatoriumst night, he hadn¡¯t slept well in this new ce. His elderly eyes were red and swollen.

    Others also came down one after another. Afterst night¡¯s events, everyone understood what kind of person Tina was and greeted her with smiles. Only Griffin avoided looking at her; thinking about how she¡¯d tricked him out of $120 million made his heart ache.

    The servants brought breakfast up. Muff sat at the head of the table, his old eyes scanning everyone before settling on Tina with a smile on his serious face. ¡°How are you adjusting?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Everyone else gasped! How bold of Tina! Talking to the old man like that? Didn¡¯t she know how ruthless he could be when angry?

    Just as they thought Muff would get angry, heughed heartily instead. ¡°Haha! Seems like you¡¯re still holding a grudge? Your temper is just like mine-never taking any loss!¡±

    Tina remained silent without responding.

    ¡°And that¡¯s how it should be!¡± Muff leaned back in his chair with an air of authority. ¡°A child of the Reed family should always retaliate when wronged! You did well!¡±

    Tina looked up in surprise! Muff was different from other members of the Reed family. So far, apart from Liliosa and Griffin causing trouble for her, no one else in the Reed family had given her any grief.

    Seeing her silence, Muffughed again. ¡°What? Did you think because Liliosa is my daughter I¡¯d side with her?¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t respond!

    Annabelle and Jasper often expressed their happiness about her return but only scolded Liliosa mildly when she caused trouble for Tina-helping on the surface but actually aiding Liliosa. This was why Tina found it hard to have a good attitude towards Annabelle and Jasper.

    ¡°Girl,¡± Muff sat up straight and looked at Tina earnestly. ¡°A truly strong family doesn¡¯t tolerate parasites.¡±

    Tina paused before smiling! Indeed, the perspective of a family head was different!

    During breakfast, everyone remained silent without speaking further.

    After eating, Jared Farrell put down his chopsticks elegantly and wiped his mouth with a napkin. ¡°Mr. Farrell,¡± he said formally yet warmly while addressing Muff directly for perhaps one of the first times since arriving at Whispering Pines Estate earlier that week; ¡°Tina will apany me home today-to meet my grandfather.¡±

 Chapter 262: Some People Are Always Restless

    Muff paused, annoyed. ¡°What¡¯s so great about that old Logan Farrell? He¡¯s so ugly!¡±

    Jared Farrell remained silent. Tina also said nothing.

    Were these two old men enemies in their past lives? Are they destined to love and hate each other in this life?

    Seeing Jared Farrell and Tina not responding, Muff waved his hand irritably. ¡°Go on, go on! That old thing, I just found my granddaughter, and he¡¯s already taking her away.¡±

    Annabelle quickly called out, ¡°Then I¡¯ll prepare a gift!¡±

    ¡°No need, I¡¯ll handle it myself,¡± Tina said coolly.

    Annabelle was taken aback and sighed. She could clearly feel Tina¡¯s cold attitude towards the Reed family. After all, she hadn¡¯t been raised by them for over a decade and had suffered outside. Everyone could imagine the hardships she endured. And now, just after being recognized, there was the trouble caused by Liliosa, which undoubtedly added more resentment in Tina¡¯s heart.

    Annabelle felt helpless but knew she could only slowly make up for it in the future.

    After breakfast, Tina and Jared Farrell set off for the Farrell family.

    Logan¡¯s old face was full of wrinkles from smiling. ¡°Marie, get some good food and drinks ready. Our dear Tina ising over.¡±

    Marie was also delighted upon hearing that Tina wasing. She got up quickly to instruct the servants to clean up and prepare things to wee Tina. For a moment, the entire Farrell household was bustling with activity.

    Hazel heard themotion and sent a maid to find out what was happening. ¡°An insignificant girl from the countryside, and the old man treats her like a treasure!¡± Hazel sneered.

    Thinking of the information Liliosa had provided her and the billion-dor Imperial Green, Hazel¡¯s eyes lit up as she took out her phone to make a call before leaving her room.

    Not far away, she saw Marie directing the servants in the living room. Hazel paused; she remembered that her sister-inw had initially looked down on Jared Farrell¡¯s engagement with the Reed family. Why was she so enthusiastic now?

    Pondering this, Hazel walked over. ¡°Marie, did you know our Farrell family has unearthed an Imperial Green worth over a billion dors?¡±

    Marie turned to see Hazel and replied without much thought, ¡°I know; it was Tina who discovered it!¡±

    Hazel was taken aback. Why did Marie sound so proud?

    She moved closer to probe further. ¡°Do you know that Jared paid three hundred million dors for those stones?¡±

    Her son Nathaniel didn¡¯t have such an allowance for an entire year.

    ¡°I know. Three hundred million dors is nothing; my son can earn that easily,¡± Marie said calmly.

    Hazel¡¯s face turned green. ¡°Even if Jared earned it, it¡¯s still part of our Farrell family¡¯s wealth. If there¡¯s any profit from spending that money, it should be considered ours too, right?¡±

    Marie stared at Hazel for a moment before smiling. ¡°Hazel, are you eyeing my daughter-inw¡¯s money? Let me be clear: that three hundred million dors was spent by Jared for my daughter-inw. He¡¯s happy to do so. If she earns money and wants to keep it for herself, that¡¯s her choice. You¡¯d better not think about it.¡±

    Hazel was displeased. ¡°Marie, what are you saying? I¡¯m telling you this for your own good! You care so much about your son and daughter-inw, but do they care about you? Did they say they¡¯d give you any of that Imperial Green?¡±

    Marie¡¯s face darkened immediately. ¡°My daughter-inw has given me plenty of things out of respect; you don¡¯t need to worry about my family¡¯s matters.¡±

    Hazel sneered. ¡°A girl from the countryside-what can she possibly give you?¡±

    At that moment, noise came from outside as Jared Farrell arrived with Tina.

    Marie left Hazel aside and hurried outside to greet them.

    ¡°Tina! Come in!¡± Marie said as she took Tina¡¯s hand.

    Tina hadn¡¯t even had a chance to greet anyone before being pulled into the main hall by Marie.

    Jared Farrell was pushed aside.

    Jared Farrell thought to himself: Who is actually your biological son?

    Logan beamed at Tina. ¡°Finally! Tina, did anyone from the Reed family bully you after I left yesterday? If they did, you must tell me so I can deal with Muff.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Tina looked at Logan¡¯s concerned face and smiled slightly. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa! No one can bully me.¡±

    ¡°Good! But if anyone does bully you, you must tell me,¡± Logan insisted.

    Tina nodded with a smile. ¡°Okay.¡±

    She then looked at Asher standing not far from Logan. This was her second time meeting Jared Farrell¡¯s father. Perhaps due to his long years in business, even when he didn¡¯t speak a word, his eyes always carried a sharp edge.

    Tina greeted politely, ¡°Uncle.¡±

    Asher nodded kindly. ¡°Yes, how are you adjusting to Ashbury?¡±

    ¡°Quite well,¡± Tina replied calmly.

    ¡°I heard about what happened yesterday. If you¡¯re tired of staying with the Reed family,e here; no one will dare bully you here,¡± Asher said simply but firmly.

    Logan was satisfied; Jared Farrell was satisfied; even his wife was satisfied with Tina as their daughter-inw. Naturally, he had no objections either.

    But having epted her as their daughter-inw meant they wouldn¡¯t tolerate anyone else bullying her.

    He had been busy at work untiltest night; if he had gone to the Reed family with them yesterday, Mack wouldn¡¯t have just been broadcasting nonsense!

    ¡°Thank you very much, Uncle!¡± Tina smiled sincerely.

    Hazel watched this scene unfold with displeasure and frowned deeply. ¡°Your daughter-inw is quite rude! It¡¯s her first time visiting our home; shouldn¡¯t she greet all the elders properly?¡±

    She sipped her tea nonchntly and continued, ¡°The Farrell family is a prestigious household; suchck of manners won¡¯t do! You need to teach her properly!¡±

    Marie¡¯s face darkened instantly. ¡°Tina has excellent manners and doesn¡¯t need teaching! Our family isn¡¯t royalty; we don¡¯t need so many rules! You should mind your own business!¡±

    Earlier when Hazel mentioned Tina discovering an Imperial Green worth billions of dors intentionally or unintentionally, Marie had already been very upset.

    Now she dared criticize Tina¡¯s manners?

    Ridiculous!

    Her daughter-inw didn¡¯t need any rules!

    As long as Tina wanted to stay in the Farrell familyfortably-even if she walked around arrogantly-Marie would support her!

    Hazel¡¯s face turned livid with anger as she looked at Logan pleadingly. ¡°Dad¡­¡±

    Before she could finish speaking, Logan gave her a cold nce without any warmth in his voice. ¡°What? Does my Tina need your guidance on manners? Have your good dayse to an end that you¡¯re trying Liliosa¡¯s tactics? Go ahead and try-I dare say I¡¯ll break your legs!¡±

 Chapter 263: Is This the Mark of a Miracle Doctor?

    Hazel¡¯s face turned pale, and the words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat. She felt extremely displeased and looked at Tina as if her gaze were a knife. Jared Farrell was already a worthless person, but Tina? How could she, a girl from the countryside, hope to monopolize the old man¡¯s affection? Dream on!

    Because Tina¡¯s visit was ast-minute decision, not everyone in the Farrell family was present. Only a few who had heard the news and some women whom Hazel had specifically urged toe to make things difficult for Tina were there. They saw what was happening and almost choked with anger.

    ¡°Alright, alright, everyone disperse. I want to have a word with Tina,¡± Logan waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave.

    Nathaniel felt a surge of anger and said, ¡°When I brought Lisa backst time, you didn¡¯t have this attitude, Grandpa.¡±

    Logan nced at him sideways, ¡°What you brought back can¡¯tpare to Tina.¡±

    ¡°How can it notpare? Lisa is much more polite than this girl and even brought you gifts. Have you forgotten?¡± Nathaniel retorted.

    The old man¡¯s face turned green with anger upon hearing this, ¡°You dare mention those gifts? They were worthless!¡±

    Nathaniel remembered that when he brought Lisast time, they had given the old man something for kidney health, thinking it would invigorate him. What was wrong with that?

    Hazel quickly interjected, ¡°Regardless of what it was, it was Nathaniel and his girlfriend¡¯s heartfelt gesture. Dad, how could you not appreciate it? We¡¯re not greedy; as a big family, we should observe proper etiquette.¡±

    Logan was about to say something when Jared Farrell suddenly spoke up, ¡°Grandpa, Tina has brought you a gift.¡±

    He gave Nathan Lehman a look, and Nathan Lehman immediately brought over the gift.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, this is a special gift Miss Reed prepared for you.¡±

    ¡°Madam, this is yours, and there¡¯s also one for Sir.¡±

    Marie immediately noticed a dress in a transparent gift box. Its design was simple yet elegant without losing its luxurious touch. She lovingly took it into her hands, her eyes sparkling.

    ¡°Is this designed by Waverly Underwood?¡± Hazel immediately recognized Waverly Underwood¡¯s unique logo.

    Others were equally astonished. ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be fake, right?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look fake; with this design and material, it can¡¯t be.¡±

    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s rented.¡±

    ¡°Even if rented, it wouldn¡¯t be cheap!¡±

    Marie¡¯s sharp ears caught Hazel and the others¡¯ discussions instantly.

    ¡°Fake? Rented? This is personally designed for me by Waverly Underwood. Listen carefully-personally designed for me alone. There¡¯s only one in the world.¡±

    These fools had no idea! How could anything her daughter-inw designed be fake? If they wanted Tina to design something for them, they should see if they even deserved it.

    ¡°Waverly Underwood is hard to hire; how could she design clothes for you?¡± Hazel sneered. ¡°I bet you spent money on a replica just to give this girl some face.¡±

    Tina¡¯s identity as Waverly Underwood had been exposed in Ensford but quickly erased from the inte by Cole Lyon. As an elite socialite, Hazel had no interest in Ensford¡¯s noble circle news and didn¡¯t know Tina was Waverly Underwood.

    ¡°Heh,¡± Marie nced at her indifferently. ¡°Just because you can¡¯t hire Waverly Underwood doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin further and wouldn¡¯t reveal that Tina was Waverly Underwood. If everyone started asking Tina for designs, she¡¯d be exhausted! This honor was hers alone to enjoy.

    Hazel felt humiliated but said nothing more. She could only envy the dress Marie held. In Ashbury¡¯s elite circles, who wouldn¡¯t want a dress personally designed by Waverly Underwood? But Marie got it!

    Failing to gain anything from Marie, Hazel turned to the old man. ¡°Dad, what¡¯s your gift?¡±

    Logan held a simple wooden box. He opened it with a smile to reveal an elegant string of wooden beads that suited an elder¡¯s taste perfectly.

    ¡°I thought it was something valuable-just some wooden beads!¡± Nathaniel sneered disdainfully.

    Logan red at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to stay here, get out.¡± He then put the bead bracelet on his wrist, clearly delighted. ¡°Tina has great taste; this bracelet suits me perfectly.¡± He looked at Tina and smiled. ¡°Tina, you¡¯ve touched my heart with this gift.¡±

    At his age and status, money meant little; receiving heartfelt gifts was rare and precious. This bracelet clearly showed Tina¡¯s careful selection.

    ¡°So fragrant! What¡¯s that smell?¡± Someone suddenly noticed an aromatic scent that made them feel incredibly refreshed.

    ¡°This is¡­¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s uncle Arthur suddenly noticed an engraving on Logan¡¯s bracelet. He stood up abruptly and eximed, ¡°Spectre?!¡±

    ¡°What? What Spectre?¡± Everyone was shocked.

    Even Logan and Jared Farrell were stunned and confused.

    Nathaniel remained clueless.

    Arthur¡¯s eyes reddened as he recognized Spectre¡¯s mark on the beads made from rare Nanshan wood known for its medicinal properties. The scent alone invigorated one¡¯s spirit; wearing it daily could ensure longevity beyond a hundred years with vitality.

    ¡°What is this thing? Is it valuable?¡± Hazel asked upon seeing everyone¡¯s shock.

    Spectre¡¯s medicine easily fetched millions on the market but was priceless due to its rarity.

    Arthur nodded gravely at Hazel; his expression said more than words-this wasn¡¯t just valuable; it was immensely valuable.

    Asher and Hazel immediately thought: How could Tina afford such expensive items with only $88K as an engagement gift? These must have been bought by Jared Farrell to show off before the family!

    ¡°This bracelet looks nice but probably doesn¡¯tpare to that Imperial Green jade,¡± Hazel remarked casually.

 Chapter 264: Uncle, How Many Bills Make Up Three Hundred Thousand?

    As soon as Hazel finished speaking, Logan shot her a cold re. ¡°If you keep quiet, no one will think you¡¯re mute!¡±

    Marie and Asher also looked displeased, but since it was Tina¡¯s first visit, they didn¡¯t want to make the situation too awkward and chose not toment. Logan¡¯s presence alone was enough to handle the situation.

    Receiving their nces, Hazel raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why are you all looking at me? No matter how valuable this bracelet is, can it be worth more than Imperial Green?¡±

    She turned her gaze to Tina with a condescending attitude. ¡°Tina, it¡¯s good that you found an Imperial Green in the stone gambling market, but you shouldn¡¯t have hidden it. I heard you used Jared¡¯s money. Such a valuable item should be given to your grandfather as a sign of respect. Keeping it for yourself is too selfish.¡±

    Tina nced at her and took a sip of tea nonchntly. ¡°Who told you I used Mr. Farrell¡¯s money?¡±

    Hazel was momentarily stunned and then frowned. ¡°Are you lying? Many people saw Jared giving you the money. What? You don¡¯t want to give the Imperial Green to the Farrell family, so you¡¯re making excuses? If it wasn¡¯t Jared¡¯s money, whose was it? Yours?¡±

    Before Tina could respond, Hazel sneered. ¡°I¡¯m not being harsh, but you need to know your ce. You¡¯ve lived in the countryside all your life; you¡¯ve probably never even seen three hundred thousand dors.¡±

    ¡°Three hundred thousand dors,¡± Tina leaned back in her chair, legs crossed, and looked amusedly at Jared Farrell. ¡°Uncle, how many bills make up three hundred thousand dors?¡±

    Jared Farrell smiled indulgently. ¡°Probably a lot. I¡¯ve never counted them. Do you want to count them, Tina?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes crinkled withughter. ¡°No need; I¡¯m just a country girl who¡¯s never seen such wealth.¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s smile grew brighter as he held Tina¡¯s hand tenderly. ¡°Don¡¯t mind shallow people like her. My Tina is a rich woman; I¡¯ll rely on you from now on.¡±

    These fools only saw him paying for his girl but didn¡¯t notice that she used her own global limited ck card for the payment.

    If they knew about that card, they might die of anger!

    ¡°Sure!¡± Tina grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll feed you one bun a day and make sure you¡¯re well-fed!¡±

    Hazel was furious seeing Tina ignoring her and flirting with Jared Farrell. ¡°Tina, what kind of attitude is this? I¡¯m talking about the Imperial Green, and you¡¯re babbling about three hundred thousand dors!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Logan suddenly roared in anger. ¡°Tina found the Imperial Green because of her own skills. Why are you all so fixated on it?¡±

    Then he turned to Tina with a curious expression. ¡°Tina, why do I feel like wearing this bracelet calms me down?¡±

    Usually, his anger could burn down houses and lift roofs.

    But now he felt his rage being suppressed and his mood bing much more peaceful.

    Even looking at these foolish juniors didn¡¯t make him want to kick them away.

    He knew anything marked with Spectre was valuable but didn¡¯t expect it to be this effective.

    Tina smiled gently at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that good? It prevents you from getting too worked up and harming your health.¡±

    Logan fondly touched the bracelet on his wrist. ¡°Ah, this is a treasure! I must show it off to Muff!¡±

    Tina sighed inwardly.

    ¡°Father, how can you say that?¡± Hazel protested indignantly. ¡°We¡¯re all your grandchildren, but you¡¯re too biased towards Jared! He can easily get three billion dors for his fiancee while Nathaniel can¡¯t even buy a car because you control his funds too tightly.¡±

    Although the Farrell family was the top family, Logan controlled the finances.

    Each of their four households held five percent shares and received annual dividends with a monthly allowance of one million dors from Logan-no more unless there were emergencies.

    But Jared Farrell was different; Logan would give him tens of millions without hesitation-this time even three billion-and said nothing about it.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Anyone would feel unfairly treated.

    Besides, Logan had publicly announced Jared Farrell as his heir.

    How could that be?

    Not just Logan¡¯s sons but also his grandsons were better than Jared Farrell.

    Even the youngest grandson Orson had been an e-sports champion for three consecutive years.

    What did Jared Farrell have? Nothing!

    Handing over the Farrell family to him would lead to its downfall!

    Logan gave Hazel a cold look. ¡°Biased? How dare you say that?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it true?¡± Hazel retorted.

    Arthur red at her. ¡°Enough! Stop talking!¡±

    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I talk?¡± Hazel¡¯s emotions red up suddenly. ¡°Father doesn¡¯t just have one son or one grandson named Jared Farrell! Nathaniel is older than Jared but still doesn¡¯t have a suitable partner because Father never worried about him!¡±

    ¡°But for Jared Farrell,¡± she continued angrily, ¡°Father attended his engagement party personally and gave him so much money for his fiancee! Have you ever considered our feelings?¡±

    At this point, ra-Alexander¡¯s wife-who had remained silent until now spoke up calmly. ¡°Hazel is right! Father, I don¡¯t mind you giving Jared money but treat all your grandsons equally!¡±

    She sat upright with an indifferent tone. ¡°You gave Jared three billion; each grandson should get the same amount!¡±

    ¡°Bang!¡± Logan mmed the table furiously. ¡°What? Are you rebelling against me?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not rebelling!¡± Hazel countered defiantly. ¡°We just want fairness for all grandsons!¡±

    ¡°You want fairness?¡± Logan was initially very angry but felt calmer since wearing the bracelet.

    He scanned everyone before focusing on Hazel again. ¡°You want me to give Nathaniel three billion? What has he done to deserve it? He spends most of his time partying and brought shame upon our family by associating with Amber before now entangling with Lisa-a gaudy woman who does nothing but indulge in pleasures.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Hazel tried exining but Logan cut her off sharply: ¡°And Ronan spends all his time tinkering with motorcycles while your household gets five billion annually frompany profits yet wastes two billion on him alone! What fairness do you seek?¡±

 Chapter 265: What, She is the Daughter of the Reed Family?

    Hazel was indignant, but Logan didn¡¯t even want to speak to her. He turned to ra, ¡°As for your eldest, he spends all day with his paintings. I wanted him to gain some experience in thepany, but he refused. Qingyan is more dedicated than any of these kids. Have I treated her unfairly?¡±

    ra furrowed her brows but said nothing.

    ¡°A few days ago, her jewelry studio needed some raw materials, and she didn¡¯t have enough money. That fifty million wasn¡¯t from me; did ite out of a dog¡¯s belly?¡±

    ra remained silent.

    ¡°How can fifty millionpare to three hundred million?¡± she thought.

    Logan continued, ¡°You all despise Jared, but do you know that the wealth you enjoy now was brought by him?¡±

    Arthur and Hazel were stunned, their faces filled with disbelief. ra was also shocked, staring at the old man in amazement. Even Marie was momentarily confused. Only Asher seemed to know already.

    After a moment, Hazel regained herposure. ¡°How is that possible? Ever since his leg was injured, he hasn¡¯t been doing anything productive. He can¡¯t even read thepany¡¯s reports. What wealth could he bring?¡±

    Logan snorted coldly. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re ignorant. Jared has been involved in thepany¡¯s affairs for ten years. It was because of him that thepany survived its toughest times back then. Without him, do you think you¡¯d have the good life you have now?¡±

    Hazel and ra fell silent. They couldn¡¯t believe Jared Farrell wasn¡¯t useless, but seeing how serious Logan was made them reconsider.

    ra didn¡¯t speak again, but Hazel couldn¡¯t let Tina off so easily. She couldn¡¯t swallow this resentment.

    ¡°Fine, so we spent three hundred million, but shouldn¡¯t our Farrell family get a share of the Imperial Green that was found?¡± Hazel demanded.

    ¡°Why should we? The jade was found through her own efforts. Why should she share it with you? Just because you¡¯re part of this family? Who do you think you are?¡± Logan red at her.

    Tina couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud.

    Logan turned to her with a smile. ¡°Did Grandpa tell a good joke?¡±

    Tina smiled back. ¡°Not bad!¡±

    She admired how calmly he could insult the entire Farrell family.

    ¡°But what about Hazel?¡± Tina asked seriously.

    ¡°The same goes for her. Didn¡¯t you hear her representing the Farrell family to demand a share from you?¡± Logan replied.

    Tina thought for a moment and agreed with Logan¡¯s assessment.

    Hazel watched Logan and Tina banter as if they didn¡¯t exist, making everyone furious.

    ¡°She¡¯s just a little girl with no money or power, yet she buys such expensive gifts for you and Marie. It must be Jared¡¯s money,¡± Hazel insisted, determined to make Tina hand over the Imperial Green.

    Nathaniel quickly chimed in, ¡°Exactly, Grandpa! She used our Farrell family¡¯s money to find such valuable jade and now refuses to give it to us. And she bought gifts with Jared¡¯s money! If this continues, our family will be ruined by this girl.¡±

    Jared Farrell nced at Nathaniel indifferently and said calmly, ¡°Tina paid for the Imperial Green herself. Can¡¯t you understand? If your brain isn¡¯t working well, go to a hospital. If you can¡¯t find a doctor, let me know; I¡¯ll help you.¡±

    He continued nonchntly, ¡°A mental hospital would suit you well; should I take you there?¡±

    ¡°Jared Farrell! You!¡± Nathaniel stood up angrily and red at him. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy!¡±

    Marie¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Who are you insulting?¡±

    Nathaniel stiffened and saw Marie and Logan¡¯s faces turn grim. He quickly said, ¡°Everyone knows Tina¡¯s background; she¡¯s just a wild girl from the countryside with no proper upbringing. How could she afford three hundred million?¡±

    Jared Farrell sneered. ¡°She has no proper upbringing?¡±

    His eyes turned cold as he looked at Nathaniel sharply. ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of the Reed family; does that sound like poor upbringing?¡±

    Nathaniel froze, unable to process Jared¡¯s words immediately.

    Hazel was also taken aback. ¡°The daughter of the Reed family?¡±

    Not many people knew about Tina¡¯s return to the Reed family yet.

    When Liliosa called her before, she didn¡¯t mention that Tina was Jasper¡¯s daughter; thus Hazel had no idea about Tina¡¯s true identity.

    She had always thought Tina was just a country girl.

    Nathaniel was the first to react. ¡°Are you saying Tina is the daughter of the Reed family?¡±

    Jared Farrell nced at him without much interest and didn¡¯t respond.

    Nathaniel suddenly remembered what Amber had told him before: The Reed family had always suspected Amber wasn¡¯t Jasper¡¯s biological daughter and had done three paternity tests behind his back.

    It turned out Amber indeed wasn¡¯t Jasper¡¯s daughter.

    So Jasper¡¯s real daughter¡­was Tina.

    Nathaniel¡¯s face turned green with realization.

    He had tried hard to please Amber before and even considered taking responsibility for her unborn child of unknown paternity.

    He had even provoked Tina on Amber¡¯s behalf.

    Who knew Tina was actually Jasper¡¯s daughter!

    And she was engaged to Jared Farrell!

    He already couldn¡¯tpete with Jared in the Farrell family; now with such a strong alliance through marriage with the Reed family, he had no hope left!

    His face darkened; he couldn¡¯t let Jared and Tina get married!

    The expressions on everyone¡¯s faces in the Farrell family were quite colorful.

    No one expected Tina to be Jasper¡¯s daughter from the Reed family. Although not as wealthy as the Farrells, they could still afford three hundred million dors.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Logan nced at them and said indifferently, ¡°Have you finished showing off your superiority?¡±

    Everyone fell silent.

    Logan took a sip of tea and then said very seriously, ¡°From now on, I don¡¯t want anyone targeting Tina in this house. If anyone dares to trouble her again, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡±

    Hazel felt unwilling but knew Logan was truly angry after being in this family for so many years. If she said more now, he might kick her out without mercy.

    Patience! There¡¯s plenty of time!

    Tina might be a country girl but couldn¡¯t be Jasper¡¯s daughter from the Reed family or marry Jared Farrell under that identity!

    If they did get married, they¡¯d have no chance left.

    She wanted to see if Tina and Jared could end up together!

    Seeing everyone remain silent, Logan finally turned to Tina and said kindly, ¡°Tina if anyone troubles you in the future juste tell me.¡±

    Tina smiled lightly. ¡°Alright.¡±

 Chapter 266: I Want Him Dead

    Among the Farrell family, except for Logan and Jared Farrell¡¯s parents, she didn¡¯t care about anyone looking for trouble. She didn¡¯t even want to say an extra word. Whether the money for the Imperial Green was from her or Jared Farrell, she felt no need to exin to them. This time, she let it go for Logan¡¯s sake, but next time, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy.

    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m nning to hold a banquet here in Ashbury to formally introduce you to everyone,¡± Logan said. ¡°Previously in Ensford, no one knew you, and some people liked to find a sense of superiority. So I want everyone to know you are my Tina. Anyone who wants to trouble you will have to think twice.¡±

    Logan then looked at Jared Farrell. ¡°What do you think, young man?¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°I had the same thought.¡± Since Tina decided toe to Ensford, Jared Farrell had instructed Nathan Lehman to start preparing a banquet in Ashbury. He had pretended to be disabled for so many years; it was time for things to get back on track. Since Tina got engaged to him, many people mocked her for marrying a cripple. He could ignore such rumors, but he couldn¡¯t let his girl suffer.

    ¡°Tina, what do you think?¡± Logan asked Tina again.

    Tina furrowed her brows and remained silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Let¡¯s do as you wish, Grandpa.¡±

    ¡°Good! Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Logan said and instructed Marie, ¡°Arrange this matter in the next few days and get it done early.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Dad,¡± Marie replied.

    Logan then spent some time showing Tina around the Farrell family estate. The style of the Farrell family was different from Whispering Pines; it was an estate resembling a courtyard with an ancient architectural style that had its unique charm.

    They had lunch together before she and Jared Farrell returned to the Reed family estate. Hazel and others also returned to their respective quarters.

    Vivienne was at her desk designing jewelry sketches, with discarded drafts scattered on the floor. Her cold face showed a hint of frustration. Just then, the door opened, and ra walked in with a displeased expression.

    Vivienne didn¡¯t stop her work but nced up at ra and asked, ¡°Mom, weren¡¯t you going to see Jared¡¯s fiancee? Why are you back so soon?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it! I¡¯m so angry!¡± ra threw her bag onto the sofa and gulped down some water.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Vivienne frowned as she looked at her nearlypleted sketch. She had been drawing all day but felt something was missing. She wanted to design a unique piece of jewelry but couldn¡¯t surpass Irene¡¯s Ophelia¡¯s Heart no matter how hard she tried. If she knew Irene personally, she would have asked for advice on creating such an astonishing piece.

    ¡°It¡¯s your grandfather!¡± ra fumed. ¡°He¡¯s so biased! He gave Jared Farrell three hundred million dors for his fiancee to squander! What¡¯s more infuriating is that Jared¡¯s fiancee is from the Reed family. Even before they got engaged, your grandfather pampered him endlessly. Now that he¡¯s engaged to a Reed family daughter, it¡¯s another big boost for him.¡±

    ra continued angrily, ¡°When he bes powerful, how can your brother take over thepany from him?¡±

    Vivienne¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly with a hint of sarcasm at the corners of her lips. That cripple thinks he can take over thepany from Jared Farrell? He doesn¡¯t even know his own limitations.

    She gathered her thoughts and smiled slightly. ¡°They¡¯re just engaged; marriage is still far off. Why worry?¡±

    ¡°How can I not worry?¡± ra eximed anxiously. ¡°Can¡¯t you see they are all eyeing the heir position? Especially Nathaniel; he¡¯s trying every day to get into thepany while your brother finally gets a chance from your grandfather but refuses to go!¡±

    Just mentioning this made ra feel her blood pressure rising.

    Vivienne smirked without saying anything. She nced at her failed sketch and crumpled it into a ball before tossing it away. She refused to believe she couldn¡¯t create a better design than Irene.

    ¡°But fortunately, you¡¯ve secured your position in thepany¡¯s design department,¡± ra continued talking to herself. ¡°If we can change his mind about the heir position, we still have a chance.¡±

    Vivienne raised her eyes slightly. ¡°Since Grandpa has already decided on Jared as the heir, do you think he¡¯ll easily change his mind? Mom, stop worrying about these things.¡±

    The whole family thought Jared Farrell was useless, but no one knew he wasn¡¯t just not useless; his power could easily crush the Farrell family.

    What was the point of overtpetition? Who couldpete with Grandpa¡¯s favoritism towards Jared Farrell? They were just clowns!

    ¡°What are you worrying about?¡± Walter emerged from his room after spending all day inside and overheard Vivienne¡¯s words as he came out for water.

    ¡°What else?¡± ra stood up and poked his forehead twice. ¡°You spend all day hiding in your room painting those useless pictures! Your grandfather wants you to train in thepany but you refuse! Can your paintings bloom into flowers?¡±

    ¡°Mom! You¡¯re being unfair!¡± Walter protested discontentedly. ¡°Those aren¡¯t useless pictures; they¡¯re my treasures!¡±

    ¡°Treasures? If you keep treasuring those things, the Farrell family will be Jared Farrell¡¯s domain! What will happen to us then?¡± ra said angrily.

    ¡°If he wants to take over thepany, let¡¯s see if he has what it takes,¡± Walter said dismissively. ¡°He¡¯s just a cripple; do you really think he can elevate the Farrell family?¡±

    When they were children, Jared Farrell excelled in everything from elementary school through high school and was once the pride of the Farrell family. But since college, he failed every subject and almost couldn¡¯t graduate until their grandfather forced him into intensive study sessions just to barely pass his finals and get his diploma.

    Later on, when their grandfather sent Jared Farrell into thepany, he messed up several projects so badly that their grandfather had no choice but to keep him at home since then.

    From that point on, Jared Farrell carried abel of being useless while Walter harbored deep resentment towards him!

    So Walter didn¡¯t care whether Jared took over or not; he was more concerned about Nathaniel and his brother.

    He didn¡¯t join thepany deliberately so Nathaniel would lower his guard while secretly studying management alongside painting.

    ¡°You¡­¡± ra wanted to say more but Walter waved her off dismissively.

    ¡°I¡¯m busy; going back inside.¡± Before ra could stop him again, he closed his door behind him.

    ra pointed at his door andined to Vivienne, ¡°He¡¯s going to drive me crazy!¡±

    Vivienne raised her eyes briefly before putting down her pen and standing up. ¡°I have some things to do; don¡¯t wait for me for lunch.¡±

    With that said she grabbed her bag and left swiftly closing behind herself as an icy expression took over Vivienne¡¯s face once outside.

    She pulled out her phone dialing quickly ¡°Why is he still alive?¡±

    Whatever response came through wasn¡¯t satisfactory because Vivienne coldly replied ¡°I don¡¯t want excuses; remember this time I want him dead! Don¡¯t bring me another half-dead failure!¡±

 Chapter 267: Should We Send an Invitation to the Emerson Family?

    At the Reed family estate, Tina and Jared Farrell returned to find the main hall filled with people. Muff sat at the head of the table, surrounded by members of the Reed family. Seeing them enter, Muff waved them over. ¡°You¡¯re back just in time. Come, sit down. We have something to discuss.¡±

    Tina nodded and took a seat next to Jared on Muff¡¯s right side. Once everyone was settled, Muff began, ¡°Now that Tina has been found, it¡¯s time to hold a banquet. Jasper, I want you to handle this. Send out invitations widely and ensure the banquet is of the highest standard.¡±

    Jasper nodded. ¡°I understand. Preparations are already underway.¡±

    Muff acknowledged this and turned to Tina. ¡°If you have any friends you want to invite, let your father know so we can send out the invitations early. The 15th is a good day; we¡¯ll hold it then.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Today was the 10th, leaving only five days until the 15th.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina agreed without much thought.

    Muff continued, ¡°Do you have any specific requirements for your attire or jewelry?¡±

    He knew Tina was the top fashion designer Waverly Underwood. Even the best designers hired by the Reed family couldn¡¯tpare to her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare my own attire and jewelry,¡± Tina replied.

    As expected, Muff simply nodded. ¡°Good! Then it¡¯s settled.¡±

    Turning his gaze to Jared Farrell, Muff¡¯s expression grew more disdainful, but he still said, ¡°Although you two are already engaged, her immediate family wasn¡¯t involved. You need to inform your grandfather and arrange an engagement banquet in Ashbury.¡±

    In Ensford, engagement banquets were hosted by the bride¡¯s family, but in Ashbury, both engagement and wedding banquets were hosted by the groom¡¯s family.

    ¡°My grandfather has already made arrangements,¡± Jared said calmly. ¡°Barring any surprises, it should be held the day after tomorrow.¡±

    Since he and Tina were already engaged, there was no need for another formal engagement ceremony. His grandfather just wanted to host a banquet to introduce Tina to various influential families.

    Hearing this, Muff snorted. ¡°Logan Farrell always has topete with me!¡±

    He then turned to Jasper. ¡°Speed up our preparations and hold our banquet tomorrow.¡±

    Jasper was taken aback. ¡°¡­You think organizing a banquet is as simple as dining out? It can¡¯t be done on such short notice if we want it to be grander than Amber¡¯s.¡±

    Rubbing his temples in frustration, Jasper continued, ¡°Jared, could you ask your grandfather to postpone your family¡¯s banquet for a few days? There¡¯s no need for another engagement ceremony since her foster parents already hosted one. A simple banquet will suffice.¡±

    Jared¡¯s lips curled slightly as he replied unhurriedly, ¡°Our family¡¯s first banquet for Tina won¡¯t be simple.¡±

    Given the rivalry between his grandfather and Muff, the banquet¡¯s scale would certainly not be smaller than that of the Reed family.

    Jasper sighed inwardly at theirpetitive nature.

    Sensing the tension in the room, Garrett quickly intervened. ¡°Both families know how to handle their banquets. Jared, just ask your grandfather to dy yours a bit so we can hold ours first.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jared agreed without further argument.

    With that settled, Muff nced at Jared again and said indifferently, ¡°Pack your things and return to the Farrell family estate. If people find out you¡¯re living with Tina before marriage, it could harm her reputation.¡±

    Jared sighed inwardly but nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Living here kept certain secrets hidden.

    Afterward, Muff inquired aboutpany matters. Jasper was currently in charge of the Reed family business but had delegated most responsibilities to Damian.

    Damian had shown great talent from a young age and had been groomed by Jasper as his sessor before Tina was found. He briefed Muff on thepany¡¯s status, which pleased him greatly.

    Although he had handed over leadership of the family business, he still needed to stay informed about its operations.

    ¡°Father! Should we send an invitation to the Emerson family for this banquet?¡± Esther suddenly asked.

    Though Liliosa was banned from returning home by Muff, the Emerson family was still rted by marriage to the Reed family and had intertwined interests.

    A major event like this required notifying all prominent families; excluding only the Emerson family would seem inappropriate.

    Muff¡¯s eyes narrowed as he looked at Tina. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Tina smiled faintly. ¡°If I say don¡¯t invite them, will you really not invite them?¡±

    Muff hesitated under her piercing gaze before replying, ¡°The Emerson family has business dealings with us; we can¡¯t ignore that connection even if we exclude certain individuals.¡±

    In high society circles like theirs, no family could remainpletely isted; there were always mutual interests at y.

    He could disregard Liliosa but not jeopardize business coborations between theirpanies.

    Tina¡¯s smile deepened as she turned her gaze toward Jasper for his opinion.

    Feeling pressured by her look, Jasper exined nervously, ¡°Tina, our coboration with the Emerson family involves billions of dors.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to borate further; Tina understood his point.

    Raising an eyebrow with a mischievous smile, she said, ¡°I see! Then-invite them!¡±

    During her short stay with the Reed family these past two days, she hadn¡¯t delved deeply into past events but had gleaned some insights from their attitudes.

    She now understood why her mother had fled on her wedding day-Jasper simply wasn¡¯t worthy!

    If Hugo were in charge of such decisions instead of Jasper, he would have refused without hesitation despite being somewhat weak-willed; Hugo had always protected her selflessly despite having no blood rtion.

    Suddenly feeling nostalgic for Hugo who she could not have the time to call ¡®Dad,¡¯ she wondered how he was doing now.

 Chapter 268: It Turns Out to Be a Woman?

    Tina was in a bad mood and didn¡¯t pay attention to what they were saying afterward. She stood up and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m tired, I¡¯ll head back to my room first.¡± With that, she turned and walked away.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Jared Farrell said as he stood up. He quickly caught up to Tina and took her slender hand. Her fingers were icy cold, like winter frost.

    They walked in silence. When they reached her door, Tina stopped and said to Jared Farrell, ¡°Uncle, you should pack up and return to the Farrell family. I have some matters to handle.¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s deep eyes fixed on her face. After a moment of silence, he said slowly, ¡°Okay.¡± He didn¡¯t offer anyforting words; he knew she didn¡¯t need them. He also knew that the Reed family meant nothing to her. She wasn¡¯t sad; she just felt it was unfair for her mother.

    Jared Farrell returned to his room, packed his luggage, and left. He had very little luggage, just one suitcase. After he left, Tina¡¯s eyes darkened slightly as she turned back into her room.

    As soon as she entered, her phone rang. It was Cole Lyon calling. ¡°Serena, I¡¯ve arrived in Ashbury,¡± Cole Lyon said. ¡°I¡¯ve found a ce to stay near Whispering Pines.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Tina replied. ¡°How are things going?¡±

    ¡°Everything is set up. Our people are in ce, and the YQ Institute is operational. The order system just went live and we¡¯ve already received an order.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh? What did they offer?¡±

    ¡°They offered Dragonsbreath! They want Crimson Silk in exchange and insist on a face-to-face transaction.¡±

    Tina was taken aback. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s Dragonsbreath?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw the photo,¡± Cole Lyon confirmed but hesitated before continuing. ¡°But Serena, could this be a trap? You just put out the word that you needed Dragonsbreath and now someone has it? It seems fishy. Maybe we shouldn¡¯t take this deal?¡±

    ¡°Take it!¡± Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Where¡¯s the meeting ce?¡±

    ¡°Dragonspring Club.¡±

    ¡°Alright! Inform them I¡¯m on my way!¡±

    Cole Lyon wanted to persuade her otherwise but seeing that Tina had made up her mind, he relented. ¡°Got it.¡±

    Tina hung up the phone and retrieved a small ceramic bottle from her bag. She always carried some poison with her when she went out. Crimson Silk was something she rarely used. Firstly, it didn¡¯t restrict movement like Soft Bone Powder did; secondly, its effects were slower-acting. In life-threatening situations, no poison worked faster than her ¡®Shadow.¡¯

    But who exactly wanted Crimson Silk? This poison was developed by her mother and thest bottle had been lost before her mother¡¯s death; it had been used on Sophia.

    Tina¡¯s eyes darkened again as she ced the Crimson Silk into her bag, stood up, opened the door, and left.

    Although Crimson Silk wasn¡¯t as potent as ¡®Shadow,¡¯ it was still quite tormenting. Her mother had intended to destroy it back then but ended up perfecting it instead.

    She didn¡¯t want to trade Crimson Silk but Dragonsbreath was too important!

    When Tina came out, there was no one in the main hall of the Reed family house; perhaps everyone was resting after lunch.

    Without informing anyone, Tina hailed a cab and headed straight for Dragonspring Club.

    In the cab, Tina rested her chin on one hand while propping her arm against the window, lost in thought about whether she should get herself a car; hailing cabs every time was quite inconvenient.

    The cab soon arrived at Dragonspring Club.

    As soon as Tina got out of the car, she received a text from Cole Lyon: ¡°The contact is in Spring Hall.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow-so quick?

    Putting away her phone, she walked into the club.

    Dragonspring Club was a high-end establishment known for its hot springs. Wealthy and influential people loveding here for the springs and the private chefs were renowned; one of them was said to be a descendant of an imperial chef.

    However, entry required a membership card.

    Tina approached the lobby desk and handed over a card from her bag.

    The receptionist nced at the card and eximed in surprise, ¡°A diamond membership card?¡±

    Memberships at Dragonspring Club were tiered: ordinary (white), intermediate (blue), advanced (ck), and diamond (gold). Each level represented different spending thresholds and status.

    The receptionist had been working there since the club opened but had only seen pictures of the diamond card during training; never had she seen someone actually use one.

    Tina nodded. ¡°Please take me to Spring Hall.¡±

    The receptionist snapped back to reality at Tina¡¯s voice and hurriedly said, ¡°Please follow me!¡±

    Throughout their walk, the receptionist kept stealing nces at Tina, amazed that someone so young possessed a diamond membership card.

    Tina followed alongside while taking in the surroundings of the club-a sprawling estate with more than just hot springs; although she hadn¡¯t explored much else here.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    The scenery was beautiful; walking through its corridors brought an unexpected calmness to her heart.

    After several turns through various sections of the club, they finally arrived at a courtyard with rock formations where they stopped. ¡°Miss, we¡¯ve arrived!¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tina responded with a nod.

    The receptionist was taken aback; it was rare for guests to thank her. She smiled sweetly at Tina. ¡°You¡¯re wee! If you need anything else, please let me know.¡±

    Tina nodded again but then remembered something: ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about this membership card.¡±

    The receptionist nodded respectfully. ¡°Understood, Miss.¡±

    After she left, Tina turned towards the closed door ahead of her. She pulled out a gold mask from her bag and put it on before knocking on the door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± came a cool female voice from inside.

    Tina paused-female?

    She pushed open the door and saw a woman in a long dress sitting elegantly at a tea table wearing a silver half-mask that revealed only her sensual lips.

    The woman gracefully poured tea with an air of nobility and elegance that exuded from every gesture.

    When she looked up at Tina standing by the door, there was a slight pause before she smiled faintly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect me Ice¡¯s renowned founder to be a woman.¡±

    Tina met her gaze calmly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect someone asking for Crimson Silk to be a woman either.¡±

    The woman smiled again and gestured for Tina to sit down before cing a cup of tea in front of her without further ado: ¡°Did you bring what I asked for?¡±

 Chapter 270: Liliosaâ€™s Resentment

    Lily Ward looked at Emrys with a slight frown. She rarely softened her voice, but sheforted him, ¡°You don¡¯t have to dwell on the past so much. It wasn¡¯t your fault; it was Amber who deceived and used you, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve already paid the price for yourck of judgment. It wasn¡¯t your fault to begin with, and Tina should forgive you if she has any sense.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Emrys stared nkly at Lily Ward. No matter the situation, she always managed to stir his heart.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Lily Ward smiled slightly, her voice carrying a hint of persuasion. ¡°I believe Tina will forgive you. After all, she is the daughter of your benefactor, who was such a good person, right?¡±

    After saying this, she left Emrys¡¯s hospital room with her tablet, leaving him alone to ponder.

    Lily Ward had already seen Tina¡¯s temper and knew she wouldn¡¯t easily forgive Emrys. Therefore, she wanted to nt a seed of doubt in Emrys¡¯s mind to create a greater rift between the foster siblings in the future.

    Although Emrys was already half-crippled, he still had some abilities. If he treated Tina as he did Amber and followed her everymand, Lily Ward would not be pleased.

    After leaving Emrys¡¯s room, Lily Ward didn¡¯t return to her office but went to Liliosa¡¯s room.

    Willow was also there, sitting by Liliosa¡¯s bedside and peeling an apple while persuading her. ¡°I think you should stop sulking. Hawk has already brought his illegitimate son Lysander home. How can you stand staying in the hospital?¡±

    ¡°That bastard! I can¡¯t believe he actually dared!¡± Liliosa gritted her teeth in anger.

    Hawk¡¯s illegitimate son Lysander was born to his ex-fiancee Wren, whom Liliosa had forcibly separated from him.

    Lysander¡¯s birth had itsplications. After Wren left Hawk in a fit of anger and went abroad, she discovered she was pregnant. Unable to bring herself to abort the child, she gave birth to a daughter named Cerys.

    However, fate seemed never to favor her. When Cerys was seven years old, she was diagnosed with leukemia and needed a bone marrow transnt. Wren had no choice but to contact Hawk for a match.

    Hawk not only tested himself but also secretly arranged for Mack, Yoon Won, and other members of the Emerson family to be tested. Unfortunately, none of their bone marrow matched Cerys¡¯s.

    Knowing her actions were hical, Wren still begged Hawk for another child so that the cord blood might save Cerys.

    Thus, Lysander was born.

    Unfortunately, although Lysander¡¯s cord blood matched Cerys¡¯s, she died shortly after surgery due to severe rejection.

    In the following years, Wren fell into severe depression due to her daughter¡¯s death andmitted suicide when Lysander was ten years old.

    Hawk brought Lysander back from abroad but kept him outside the family home due to Liliosa¡¯s protests and never officially acknowledged him.

    This time, however, because Mack embarrassed the Emerson family with his live-streamed antics, Hawk took the opportunity to introduce Lysander publicly and dered him as one of the heirs.

    Liliosa was furious and resorted to feigning illness and staying in the hospital after her usual tactics failed.

    She had been in the hospital for three days now. Except for her son Mack visiting her once, no one else from the Emerson family came by-apparently under Hawk¡¯s orders. Naturally, Hawk himself didn¡¯t visit either.

    Moreover, Hawk took advantage of Liliosa¡¯s absence from the family home by moving Lysander in and giving him the best room.

    Liliosa¡¯s n had backfired spectacrly. But havingmitted to it, she couldn¡¯t just return home defeated without losing face.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of that niece you just acknowledged,¡± Willow said sympathetically as she handed Liliosa a slice of apple. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for her insisting that Mack fulfill his bet, Hawk wouldn¡¯t have had an excuse.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all that damn Tina¡¯s fault!¡± Liliosa seethed with rage at the mention of Tina.

    Mack had always been mediocre and never gained favor with Emerson family elders or board members of Emerson Group. Everyone previously thought Hawk only had one son-Mack-and with Reed family¡¯s support behind him; they had no choice but to tolerate him.

    As a result, he became arrogant and thought himself exceptionally talented-constantlypeting with others over everything. Worse yet, he focused on dubious pursuits like gambling on stones rather than using his intellect properly.

    If not for his recent lucky gamble that yielded a gem worth thirty billion dors-silencing critics within Emerson family-his live-streaming scandal would have been harder to ovee.

    However misguided his actions were recorded by manyizens who kept copies circting privately online-making it difficult for such an individual to lead Emerson family as its next head-giving Hawk an excuse to name Lysander as one of his heirs instead.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    And all this trouble stemmed from Tina!

    Fortunately for Liliosa though-Lysander proved even more irresponsible than Mack-immersing himself entirely in esports since age fifteen without properly attending college-a small constion amidst chaos caused by Tina!

    ¡°The Reed family ns on hosting a grand banquet for your niece soon,¡± Willow remarked thoughtfully before adding conspiratorially: ¡°But I heard they specifically excluded you from attending after sending invitations to Emerson family.¡±

    ¡°The old man must be out of his mind!¡± Liliosa¡¯s expression darkened further: ¡°I¡¯ve been his daughter for over forty years-and now he forbids me from returning home or attending this banquet-all because of some newly acknowledged girl! And I¡¯m supposed to be Tina¡¯s aunt!¡±

    ¡°I think it might not be Mr. Farrell¡¯s decision,¡± Lily Ward interjected as she entered the room: ¡°It could very well be Tina¡¯s own doing.¡±

    ¡°Given how badly she treated Mack-she probably fears retaliation from you at such an event.¡±

    Lily Ward chuckled softly: ¡°She really does underestimate you-auntie-you¡¯d never stoop so low.¡±

    Liliosa¡¯s eyes flickered momentarily without responding directly.

    ¡°Miss Ward.¡±

    A voice called out from outside-the door opened revealing young man with bruises still visible on his face.

 Chapter 271: Tinaâ€™s Banquet

    Seeing her turn back, the young man immediately smiled. ¡°Miss Ward, your medical skills are incredible. I was beaten so badly that I thought I¡¯d be bedridden for at least half a month. But after your treatment, I can walk today.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    ¡°No matter how good my medical skills are, your body can¡¯t take repeated abuse. Don¡¯t do such dangerous things again,¡± Lily Ward said calmly to the young man. ¡°You dared to get involved in their family matters and even broadcast it live. Look at the state you¡¯re in now.¡±

    ¡°But I became really popr because of it!¡± The young man stuck out his tongue at Lily Ward and took out his phone, showing her his live stream ount. ¡°Look, I have a million followers now! It was worth getting beaten up!¡±

    Lily Ward shook her head as the young man walked away with a grin.

    ¡°That guy¡­¡± Liliosa asked in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t he the one who broadcasted Mr. Johnson¡¯s wife¡¯s scandal?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lily Ward said nonchntly. ¡°His online name is Cactus; he¡¯s really fearless.

    ¡°These inte celebrities will do anything to get famous. Last time, Mr. Johnson¡¯s mistress couldn¡¯t stand being lonely and was set up by his other mistresses. When she was having a group activity with several men, Cactus sneaked in to broadcast it live.

    ¡°When things blew up, Mr. Johnson¡¯s mistress didn¡¯t protect him, and he was beaten severely and sent to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°He dares to broadcast anything?¡± Liliosa¡¯s eyes flickered.

    ¡°Yes, anything,¡± Lily Ward replied calmly. ¡°He mentioned that once a female celebrity tried to drug her rival to create a scandal. He got wind of it and wanted to broadcast it live but was beaten to it by a colleague.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Liliosa ate a slice of apple and didn¡¯t ask further.

    Lily Ward and Willow exchanged a knowing nce.

    Two hourster.

    Vivienne weakly strolled through the hospital garden, thinking about how she had been trapped for three days in the Spring Hall of Dragonspring Club by a woman wearing a golden mask.

    When the staff finally entered to clean after three days, she was severely dehydrated, starved to exhaustion, and had lost control of her bowels, making a mess of the Spring Hall with her excrement. She was humiliated in front of so many staff members.

    If it weren¡¯t for her mask and her firm refusal to let them remove it, she would have wished to die from embarrassment.

    Eventually, her subordinates got word and secretly took her to the hospital. She still couldn¡¯t forget their barely containedughter as they looked at her.

    She realized that someone in her team knew she went to Dragonspring Club before she disappeared for three days but didn¡¯t find her there, indicating me Ice¡¯s involvement.

    She understood deeply that she should never again try to outsmart or offend people she shouldn¡¯t mess with.

    Having learned her lesson once, she wouldn¡¯t dare think of revenge against me Ice again.

    But at least she had obtained Crimson Silk.

    Last time Sophia had taken the fall for Jared Farrell; this time he wouldn¡¯t be so lucky.

    However, before that, she had someone else to deal with-Tina!

    She had found out that Tina had resolved Sophia¡¯s Crimson Silk issue, so Jared¡¯s fiancee couldn¡¯t be left alone.

    Suddenly, two furtive figures behind the holly bushes caught Vivienne¡¯s attention as their conversation reached her ears.

    ¡°Will Reed family¡¯s newly recognized daughter really do such a thing at the banquet?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s just a girl from the countryside-crude and with quite an indecent private life.¡±

    Vivienne recognized one of them as Liliosa and another young man she didn¡¯t know.

    She frowned slightly and listened quietly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do anything,¡± Liliosa told Cactus. ¡°I¡¯ll have someone install pinhole cameras in advance. You just need to broadcast what they capture on your live stream. It¡¯s that simple.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Cactus nodded. Although he had just been hospitalized for broadcasting Mr. Johnson¡¯s mistress¡¯s scandal, exposing something about the well-established Reed family could skyrocket his followers beyond a million.

    After listening to their entire conversation, Vivienne turned off her phone¡¯s recording function and left quietly. It seemed that Reed family wasn¡¯t peaceful either; Jared¡¯s fiancee wasn¡¯t having an easy time.

    She hoped Liliosa would seed this time so that Tina would be ruined without Vivienne having to lift a finger.

    Two dayster.

    Tina¡¯s banquet was held in the top-floor ballroom of Ashbury¡¯s most luxurious pce hotel.

    Given Amber¡¯s previous scandal as a fake daughter, Reed family took Tina¡¯s banquet very seriously this time.

    The hospitality alone was vastly different from Amber¡¯s banquet in Ensford back then.

    At that time, Reed family members all held themselves aloof while Amber greeted guests alone. This time it was reversed.

    Annabelle and Muff hosted guests in the ballroom while Tina waited alone in the lounge until Reed family formally introduced herter.

    By the time Farrell family arrived, the ballroom was already crowded with guests. Logan nced at the banquet arrangements and snorted with satisfaction. ¡°At least they didn¡¯t disgrace Tina.¡±

    Then he turned to Jared Farrell behind him and said, ¡°Your engagement banquet must be even grander than this one! You must not lose!¡±

    ¡°Logan Farrell, are you insane!¡± Muff fumed upon hearing this. ¡°Why do you always have topete with me? Did I steal your wife or dig up your ancestors¡¯ graves?¡±

    ¡°Steal my wife? You don¡¯t have what it takes! You couldn¡¯t beat me when we were young; now you¡¯d have to go underground if you want to try! But even underground, you wouldn¡¯t win!¡± Logan snorted arrogantly. ¡°As for digging my ancestors¡¯ graves? Do you dare?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Muff was so choked with anger he couldn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°Tina?¡± Jared Farrell ignored the old men¡¯s bickering and asked Jasper.

    ¡°She¡¯s still getting ready in the lounge,¡± Jasper replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go find her.¡± Jared Farrell had found it difficult to see Tina these past few days due to Muff¡¯s constant interference whenever he visited Reed family under various pretexts.

    Sure enough, just as he was about to step forward, Muff darted over like an arrow and blocked him. ¡°No way! A man and woman alone together-what would people think!¡±

 Chapter 272: Why Donâ€™t You Try It On?

    Logan stepped forward and stood opposite Muff, ring fiercely. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? My grandson is visiting his fiancee. Do you have an objection? They are engaged, which is both reasonable and legal.¡± Logan thought, infuriated by the constant trouble caused by the old man, who had even expelled his grandson from the Reed family. Now that he was here, would he allow this old fool to interfere?

    Muff scoffed, ¡°How old is Tina? Kids ying house doesn¡¯t count.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, my marriage to Tina was arranged by her mother and my grandfather,¡± Jared Farrell stated, his thick brows furrowed and his face expressionless, his voice cold.

    Muff had been causing various difficulties recently and now he even wanted to deny his marriage to Tina? Reed family members really thought they held a high position in Tina¡¯s heart? Or did they think he was being polite out of fear?

    Muff choked on his words and red at Jared Farrell, then fell silent.

    Jasper then gestured to Logan Farrell to follow him. ¡°Mr. Farrell, pleasee to the hall for some tea and refreshments. Tomorrow, our families can meet properly to discuss matters. Would that be alright?¡±

    Jasper spoke earnestly, like a father trying to make amends. Logan snorted but said nothing.

    Jared Farrell nced at him with a deep and indifferent smirk.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Jasper led them to the main hall to sit down, then he and Muff got busy attending to guests.

    In the corridor outside the lounge, Mack hid in a corner, watching a video on his phone. The video showed Tina in the lounge, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, looking down at her phone with a custom-designed dress from an internationally renowned designer hanging in front of her. The dress, a delicate pink withyers of chiffon resembling blossoming flowers and adorned with tiny diamonds, and a simple strapless top cinched at the waist with a matching belt embellished with at least a three-carat diamond, was the epitome of luxury.

    Compared to the second-hand starry dress Amber wore at a banquet, the Reed family¡¯s regard for Tina was clearly much higher. Yet, Tina seemed utterly disinterested in the dress, having dismissed her makeup artist and hairstylist and waiting in the lounge with a bare face, unwilling to dress up.

    ¡°This bitch, why hasn¡¯t she changed into the dress yet!¡± Mack muttered impatiently. His mother Liliosa had installed a hidden camera in the lounge and had tampered with the luxurious dress. She had bought a colorless, odorless drug from the ck market that induced uncontroble arousal upon skin contact. Once Tina wore the dress, she would lose control, desiring only to vent her lust.

    He had arranged for a man to stage a scene with Tina, which would then be broadcast live by a host known for exposing the scious lives of the wealthy, whom Liliosa had contacted at Ward Hospital.

    Tina had embarrassed him by broadcasting him live doing something humiliating, and now he intended to pay her back with this grand gesture, exposing her in a scandalous disy to disgrace her.

    He had thought about how to dismiss Tina¡¯s makeup artists and stylists, but Tina had sent them away herself, remaining alone in the lounge. However, he was frustrated that she showed no interest in even trying on the dress.

    On the surveince screen, Tina remained motionless in one position.

    ¡°Is she even a woman?¡± Mack cursed impatiently. ¡°Such a luxurious and beautiful dress, even I am tempted as a man, and she doesn¡¯t want to wear it?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Why don¡¯t you try it on then?¡± A cold voice sounded behind Mack.

    He stiffened, only to see the phone screen flicker; the Tina who had been sitting on the sofa looking at her phone was gone, the lounge empty¡­

    In the banquet hall, Audrey Woodwind was not as involved as she had been at Amber¡¯s banquet. Given Tina¡¯s high standing with the Reed family, her mother Esther and grandmother Annabelle were mingling with the guests, leaving her with nothing to do.

    She was enjoying herself, chatting with a group ofdies about recent amusing events in Ashbury.

    ¡°Audrey, this new cousin of yours is much more favored than thest,¡± onedy teased. ¡°I was at the Ensford banquet too, and in terms of scale, setup, and the Reed family¡¯s attitude, it surpassed what Amber experienced. Are you jealous of Tina being so favored?¡±

    Audrey Woodwind smiled nonchntly at the sarcastic remark. Due to a past misunderstanding, the Reed family felt more remorse towards Tina, who indeed received more attention than Amber.

    At least Tina didn¡¯t constantly y the victim or scheme against her for favor, even if Tina¡¯s indifference to the Reed family¡¯s benefits was evident in her behavior.

    ¡°Wow, her dress is so beautiful,¡± anotherdymented, showing a picture on her phone from the designer¡¯s Instagram page featuring the dress designed for Tina. ¡°The Reed family really went all out, hiring such a renowned designer and rushing what normally takes a month toplete in just a few days.¡±

    Audrey Woodwind nced at the picture of the luxurious dress, feeling a slight envy. Among the younger generation, only Tina received such treatment. When the dress arrived that morning, she couldn¡¯t help but try it on secretly, only to be seen by Tina.

    She had blushed, embarrassed, but Tina seemed indifferent and even offered to swap dresses with her. Whether sincere or not, Audrey couldn¡¯t possibly ept such an offer.

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Jared Farrell?¡± thedy admiring the dress suddenly nudged Audrey Woodwind, pointing towards the buffet area. ¡°He was good-looking even when he was wheelchair-bound. Now that he¡¯s up and about, he¡¯s absolutely dashing!¡±

 Chapter 273: Lysander

    Indeed!

    Audrey Woodwind nced up and saw Jared Farrell dressed in a ck suit, standing sideways by a pile of pastries, looking down as if searching for something. He was tall with long legs, one hand in his pocket, entuating his broad shoulders and narrow waist. A rare gentle smile graced half of his handsome face, though it was unclear what he was thinking about.

    Despite his uncharacteristically gentle demeanor, Audrey Woodwind dared not greet him. She remembered how Jared Farrell had humiliated Lily Ward before. Even though Lily Ward¡¯s eyes asionally fell on Jared Farrell as soon as she entered the banquet hall, she dared not approach him.

    This man was cold to every woman except Tina. Audrey guessed correctly that Jared Farrell was indeed thinking about Tina. He scanned the table of pastries and found a strawberry cake in the middle. Just as he reached out to take it, another slender hand reached out simultaneously, and they both grabbed the te of strawberry cake, startled.

    Jared Farrell looked up to meet the owner of the other hand-a handsome young man with a high nose bridge, beautiful phoenix eyes, and thin pink lips. The young man looked at him with slight surprise, ¡°Mr. Farrell likes strawberry cake too?¡±

    Jared Farrell recognized the handsome young man as Lysander, the only son of Hawk from the Emerson family. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t pay attention to someone who had just entered Ashbury¡¯s elite circle. However, he had heard his cousin Orson mention Lysander often enough to remember him.

    Orson and Lysander were both regarded as genius esports yers. Lysander had be a professional yer at fifteen, leading his club to seven consecutive championships under a mysterious coach and earning seven FMVPs himself. Orson, who also became a professional yer that same year, spent a year on the bench before bing a starting yer. Though Orson¡¯s clubter won two championships and he earned two FMVPs, people oftenpared him unfavorably to Lysander.

    Lysander¡¯s club had experienced consecutive defeats this season, dropping from Group S to Group B. Yet he still received higher praise than Orson. People said Lysander was too loyal to switch teams and was dragged down by older teammates with declining skills. Otherwise, with his talent, he could have won another championship with a better team. This made Orson resentful of Lysander, often cursing him in front of Jared Farrell.

    It was hard for Jared Farrell not to remember Lysander.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fiancee who likes it,¡± Jared Farrell replied coolly to Lysander¡¯s question without letting go of the te. He was growing impatient waiting in the banquet hall; it had been over eighteen hours since hest saw Tina. Although they had video-called at noon, it wasn¡¯t the same as seeing her in person.

    Lysander graciously let go of the te and smiled, putting his hands back into his pockets. Jared Farrell nodded slightly and walked away with the only strawberry cake.

    As he passed by Audrey Woodwind and her friends, he overheard them talking about Lysander.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the illegitimate son recently acknowledged by the Emerson family? He¡¯s quite good-looking butcks manners-attending a banquet in a T-shirt and jeans? Why doesn¡¯t Mr. Emerson do something about it?¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    This behavior seemed familiar to Jared Farrell. He nced back and saw Lysander dressed casually in a T-shirt and jeans, hands in his pockets,zily following behind Hawk.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you dislike sweets when you were younger? Since when do you like strawberry cake?¡± Hawk asked Lysander.

    ¡°It¡¯s for an old friend who likes it,¡± Lysander smiled. ¡°If she likes it, then I like it too.¡±

    Hawk frowned slightly; he felt helpless with this illegitimate son of his. He had brought Lysander here to introduce him to Ashbury¡¯s elite families, but this kid showed no respect by dressing so casually-as if Hawk had mistreated him.

    Not many members of the Farrell family attended today¡¯s event, but even those few were enough.

    When Sophia saw Jared Farrell approaching with the strawberry cake, she smiled and said, ¡°Brother must have gotten that cake for you.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Marie smiled while patting Sophia¡¯s head.

    Sophia nodded obediently; she needed to help her brother bring Tina into the Farrell family quickly.

    Vivienne nced at Sophia with a faint smile; after tonight¡¯s banquet, they might change their attitude and no longer want Tina as their daughter-inw. That would be ideal-having someone capable of curing Crimson Silk around was troublesome for her.

    ¡°How much longer are we supposed to wait?¡± Nathaniel sneered impatiently. ¡°Even my grandfather¡¯s birthday celebration wasn¡¯t this grand.¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s eyes narrowed coldly as he red at Nathaniel. ¡°It seems I shouldn¡¯t have reattached your jaw so quicklyst time.¡±

    Nathaniel stiffened and angrily closed his mouth but continued ring maliciously.

    ¡°Jasper, I think most guests have arrived,¡± Willow said while clinging to Jasper since entering the banquet hall, acting like the hostess while greeting guests alongside him.

    Jasper tried to maintain some distance from her but couldn¡¯t shake her off without causing a scene. So when she spoke up now, his brows furrowed tightly.

    He nced at Muff and Annabelle; Muff nodded and said, ¡°Most guests have arrived.¡±

    Jasper signaled to the staff; the music in the banquet hall softened immediately. Someone went to notify Tina in the lounge upstairs that it was time to enter.

    The top-floor banquet hall spanned two levels high; Jasper stood on the steps connecting upstairs with a microphone in hand and lightly cleared his throat to draw everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± Jasper began, ¡°tonight I am hosting this banquet specifically for my daughter Tina. After many years apart from our family, she has finally returned to us at Reed family. Tonight I formally introduce her to all of you.¡±

    Many guests recalled that Jasper¡¯s biological daughter found earlier was named Amber-had she changed her name? No one dared ask aloud; they simply looked expectantly toward the lounge upstairs where Tina would appear soon-to offerpliments and build connections as part of their purpose for attending tonight¡¯s event.

    The banquet hall fell silent except for soft background music flowing through the air as everyone focused on those stairs waiting patiently for Tina¡¯s appearance.

    But as minutes ticked by without any sign of Tina emerging from upstairs-the atmosphere grew increasingly awkwardly silent-many began wondering what could be causing such dy?

 Chapter 274: Tina Live Streaming?

    Muff furrowed his brows tightly. He turned to Jasper and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why hasn¡¯t Tinae out yet?¡±

    ¡°No idea,¡± Jasper replied, looking towards the stairs. ¡°She should be out soon. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer.¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s deep, cold eyes were fixed on the lounge at the top of the stairs, his face devoid of any expression. After a moment of silence, he instructed Nathan Lehman, ¡°Go check.¡±

    Nathan Lehman nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Just as Nathan Lehman reached the foot of the stairs, someone suddenly screamed, ¡°Oh my God! What¡¯s happening? That Cactus is live streaming, saying the Reed family¡¯s daughter is promiscuous! How can this be? Isn¡¯t she in the lounge?¡±

    Nathan Lehman paused and frowned at the person speaking. It was Audrey Woodwind¡¯s friend. She was staring wide-eyed at her phone.

    Upon hearing this, everyone pulled out their phones to watch. The live stream¡¯s title read: ¡°Shocking! Reed Family¡¯s Daughter Engaging in Promiscuity at Banquet. Details Inside!¡±

    Instantly, many viewers flooded into the live stream. The Cactus host did not appear on screen; it was pitch ck with only ambiguous sounds of a man and woman echoing through.

    Though the screen was dark and no faces could be seen, the woman¡¯s coquettish voice sounded strikingly simr to Tina¡¯s.

    ¡°Oh my!¡± Audrey Woodwind instinctively looked around. ¡°Isn¡¯t that my cousin¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t dare finish her sentence for fear of drawing trouble upon herself and quickly shut her mouth. Although she hadn¡¯t spoken much with Tina, she could still recognize Tina¡¯s voice. Even if it wasn¡¯t exactly like Tina¡¯s, it was close enough!

    What was going on? Wasn¡¯t Tina supposed to be in the lounge getting ready? How could she be live streaming something like that?

    Despite feeling ufortable with all the attention Tina received after returning to the Reed family, Audrey didn¡¯t believe Tina would do such a thing. Could it be revenge against the Reed family? Revenge for Jasper mistaking someone else for her and not finding her sooner?

    ¡°No wonder she wouldn¡¯te out; she was being indecent in the lounge!¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk! This Miss Reed is something else. Most people do such things in secret, but she does it openly and even streams it live. How much does she hate the Reed family?¡±

    ¡°She must be unbearably lonely. I heard this Miss Reed grew up in the countryside without proper discipline, which exins why she¡¯d do something so shameless.¡±

    As people gossiped, the hotel lobby screen suddenly lit up. It connected to Cactus¡¯s live stream. The sounds from the stream yed loudly through the hotel¡¯s audio system, making everyone blush with embarrassment.

    Some female guests were so ashamed they wished they could find a hole to hide in.

    Jasper¡¯s face darkened visibly. Before he could speak, Lily Ward nced at his expression and subtly smirked, ¡°Could Miss Reed be unwell? Maybe we should go check on her?¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, she felt a cold presence approaching her from not far away. She turned to see Jared Farrell¡¯s narrow eyes squinting at her like sharp knives ready to strike. His entire demeanor exuded a murderous aura as if he could take a life in an instant.

    Lily Ward shivered involuntarily and quickly looked away, not daring to meet his gaze again.

    ¡°Impossible!¡± Logan trembled with anger, gripping his cane tightly. ¡°This can¡¯t be Tina! Who dares to nder her like this?¡±

    Whoever dared to y such tricks under his nose must have had immense courage! He wouldn¡¯t believe anyone who tried to tarnish Tina¡¯s reputation and certainly wouldn¡¯t let them off easily.

    Jared Farrell withdrew his icy gaze from Lily Ward and stood up, hands in his pockets as he scanned the room with an authoritative presence that made everyone fall silent instinctively.

    But everyone wondered what was going on. Wasn¡¯t Jared Farrell supposed to be useless? Why did he suddenly exude such a terrifying aura as if he were about to kill someone?

    Jared Farrell looked at Muff and Jasper. ¡°Mr. Farrell, Mr. Reed, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°I naturally believe that the person in the live stream isn¡¯t Tina,¡± Muff said, somewhat shocked by Jared Farrell¡¯s sudden disy of dominance.

    Then he understood! Logan Farrell¡¯s grandson couldn¡¯t possibly be an ordinary person, especially not his most beloved grandson.

    ¡°Someone! Find out who¡¯s behind this plot against my daughter at her banquet,¡± Jasper suddenlymanded harshly. ¡°Once we find out who it is, there will be no mercy!¡±

    Although Jasper was the head of the Reed family, he had handed overpany matters to Damian years ago. After leaving the business world, he had lost his sharp edge.

    But now, he radiated hostility!

    Satisfied with their responses, Jared Farrell nodded approvingly and casually adjusted his slightly wrinkled sleeves from having his hands in his pockets. ¡°That¡¯s all I needed to hear! No need for you to investigate; I¡¯ll handle it myself! Someone dared to scheme against my fiancee at a Reed family banquet; they won¡¯t get away easily.¡±

    He raised his eyes slightly and looked at Jasper without any warmth in his gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Mr. Reed?¡±

    Jasper furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment before speaking up. ¡°Tina is my daughter; it¡¯s my ce to stand up for her.¡±

    His sharp eyes met Jared Farrell¡¯s coldly but indifferently as he said, ¡°You¡¯re overstepping.¡±

    He didn¡¯t oppose Tina being with Jared Farrell since they were engaged; as her father, he had no objections either. But Jared Farrell always trying to take charge ahead of him was uneptable.

    Jared Farrell met Jasper¡¯s gaze head-on; their eyes shed like swords.

    After a momentary standoff, Jared Farrell smirked faintly and said coolly, ¡°Fine! I hope Mr. Reed handles this matter satisfactorily for everyone.¡±

    His voice was indifferent without a trace of gentleness but gave Nathan Lehman a meaningful look as he finished speaking.

    Nathan Lehman immediately understood and headed towards the lounge.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Jasper retracted his gaze after ncing briefly at Jared Farrell before addressing everyone present: ¡°My daughter would never do something so outrageous; I will provide you all with a satisfactory exnation.¡±

    At that moment, the screen showing the live stream suddenly resumed broadcasting images again-a sh of lotus-colored skirt fabric adorned with an eye-catching diamond sparkled brightly before disappearing from view.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it clear yet? Miss Reed avoids appearing while another woman wearing her custom-designed dress is in that live stream-doesn¡¯t Mr. Reed find this whole situation absurd?!¡±

    ¡°The dignified daughter of the Reed family doing such things publicly-are we nothing in their eyes?¡±

 Chapter 275: Ensford Arrives

    The scene grew increasingly chaotic, with the situation turning against Tina. The attendees were all prominent figures in the city, unustomed to such humiliation. Jared Farrell surveyed the crowd, his gaze darkening. Just as he was about to react, a calm voice came from the steps, ¡°What did I do to make you feel disregarded?¡±

    All eyes turned to see Tina, dressed in casual attire, walking confidently toward them. She nced around nonchntly, ¡°What drama did I miss?¡±

    Tina¡¯s appearance was like a thunderp, leaving everyone stunned. She had clearly been seen in a live video earlier but now appeared unfazed, as if she had yed everyone for fools. Before the guests could voice their confusion, the live feed changed again.

    The camera focused on a lounge where Mack sat in a custom-made dress, his face flushed and his mind unclear. Suddenly, someone burst into the room, grabbed Mack by the neck, and dragged him away. The guests were bewildered.

    What was happening? Was that a kidnapping? Why would anyone kidnap Mack? He had no money and wasn¡¯t favored by Hawk. Even if they kidnapped him to extort money from Hawk, Hawk probably wouldn¡¯t pay for his release!

    ¡°Wait! Something¡¯s wrong! Mack seems to be wearing Miss Reed¡¯s dress!¡± someone finally noticed and spoke up.

    The crowd remembered that when Mack was taken away, he was wearing a dress. The Reed family¡¯s stylist had posted about this unique and perfect dress online, garnering much envy at the time. Many people recognized it immediately as the one Mack was wearing.

    Someone suddenly spoke up, ¡°So those people were actually trying to kidnap Miss Reed? Mr. Emerson got caught up in it?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Miss Reed that Mr. Emerson gets kidnapped at her party?¡±

    The Reed family members looked visibly upset at the murmurs of the crowd.

    Suddenly, an indignant voice rang out. ¡°Mr. Emerson being kidnapped has nothing to do with Miss Reed! Are you all just looking for trouble?¡±

    Everyone turned to see three girls and two boys around eighteen or neen years old entering from the door. They red at the guests before walking over to Tina and saying in unison, ¡°Miss Reed!¡±

    Tina was momentarily surprised, ¡°Weren¡¯t you noting?¡±

    The Reed family had asked her to invite her friends to her party. She thought about it and decided not to invite any of her brothers as it would cause too muchmotion. She invited Velma Lehman instead and also invited all students from ss 22D since they had done well in their exams and she had promised them a meal with Yan Jin who was in Ashbury.

    Since universities were about to start, those students would being to Ashbury anyway, so she invited them all. She also invited Hugo¡¯s family but hadn¡¯t seen them yet despite Hugo saying he woulde. She had called him earlier but couldn¡¯t reach him and had sent Cole Lyon to find him.

    ¡°How could we note to Miss Reed¡¯s party?¡± Shonna Woodham said with a smile. ¡°We wanted to surprise you but there were too many of us so we stayed at a hotel and sent five of us here.¡±

    Tina looked at the five of them: Velma Lehman, Shonna Woodham, Elena Heisler, Albert Sitwell, and Hendrik Stiller. Her cold heart softened slightly.

    ¡°Tina, congrattions on finding your family,¡± Velma Lehman smiled. ¡°My grandma and parents asked me to congratte you on their behalf. My dad still owes you a meal and insists on making it up when we get to Ashbury.¡±

    Tina smiled back, ¡°Alright, next time I¡¯ll ask for it myself!¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Just then Beatrice Fanning and Welson Woodham approached slowly. Welson Woodham was the heir of the Woodham family but hadn¡¯t taken over as head because Grandpa Woodham was still alive.

    Welson wore a well-tailored suit and gold-rimmed sses but didn¡¯t have Jasper¡¯s sharp business acumen; instead, he gave off an impression of being a cultured rogue despite being nearly fifty years old.

    Beatrice Fanning held Welson¡¯s arm; her high-end custom dress made her look even more elegant. They stopped in front of Tina and Beatrice smiled warmly, ¡°Miss Reed, sorry we¡¯rete. Congrattions on finding your biological father.¡±

    Although not one of the four major families, the Woodham family held significant status in Ashbury. Naturally, they were invited to the party hosted by the Reed family¡¯s head for his daughter.

    They had picked up Shonna Woodham after receiving Tina¡¯s invitation but got stuck in traffic which caused their dy.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tina replied with a polite smile that dazzled everyone present.

    Who said Miss Reed came from the countryside andcked manners? Her brief conversation with Welson Woodham and Beatrice Fanning showed her politeness clearly.

    ¡°Miss Reed saved my daughter; I¡¯ve always wanted to thank her personally but never found an opportunity,¡± Welson said with a smile while adjusting his sses. ¡°When there¡¯s a chanceter on, please join us for a meal.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    After some small talk Tina invited them inside as she still had matters to attend to.

    Velma Lehman scanned around suddenly turning cold-faced: ¡°Who just said Mr. Emerson¡¯s kidnapping was rted to Miss Reed? Step forward so I can see if your brain is full of maggots or crap!¡±

    Velma Lehman had spent years being unruly so foulnguage came naturally to her making everyone¡¯s faces darken instantly.

    Ignoring their reactions Velma continued coldly: ¡°That lounge belongs to Miss Reed yet her cousin went there wearing her dress? Wasn¡¯t he nning something sinister? Is he perverted wearing women¡¯s clothes? How did such a big guy fit into that dress without tearing it?¡±

    ¡°If he hadn¡¯t gone into Miss Reed¡¯s room would anyone have taken him? Do you watch dramas without using your brains?¡±

    ¡°First someone falsely used Miss Reed during live broadcast then Mr Emerson appeared looking foolishly; who¡¯s brain-dead enough saying his kidnapping was caused by Miss Reed? Saying she¡¯s toxic? You¡¯re toxic! A bunch of idiots who can¡¯t tell right from wrong!¡±

    Her words insulted many making their faces turn uglier by each second while Nathaniel standing behind looked particrly grim having nned on kidnapping Tina amidst chaos only for Mack¡¯s disgraceful appearance ruining everything including mistakenly kidnapping him instead making things worse!

 Chapter 275: Visitors from Ensford

    The chatter at the scene grew louder, swiftly tilting against Tina¡¯s favor. The dignitaries gathered there were unused to such public disgrace. Jared Farrell, surveying the crowd, darkened his gaze as he was about to erupt in anger. It was then that a calm voice descended from the stairs, ¡°What have I done to be so disregarded by you?¡±

    All eyes turned to see Tina, dressed casually, making her way effortlessly to the forefront. She nced around nonchntly, ¡°What did I miss? Any interesting drama?¡±

    Her arrival was like a p of thunder, leaving the audience dumbstruck. She had briefly appeared in a live broadcast, yet here she was, unbothered and physically present, spinning everyone in circles.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    Before the guests could voice their confusion, the live broadcast shifted again. The camera now focused on a dressing room where Mack, donned in a custom-made dress, sat disoriented and flushed on a chair. Suddenly, someone burst into the room, putting a knife to Mack¡¯s neck and abducting him.

    The crowd was baffled. Was that a kidnapping? But why Mack? The spoiled young man wasn¡¯t particrly wealthy or favored by Hawk. Even if someone kidnapped him to demand a ransom from Hawk, it was unlikely Hawk would pay.

    ¡°Wait! That¡¯s wrong! Mack is wearing Miss Reed¡¯s gown!¡± someone finally realized. The crowd remembered the distinctive dress, previously highlighted by the Reed family¡¯s stylist in a popr blog post for its unique design.

    Confusion turned into realization. ¡°So, the kidnappers were actually after Miss Reed? Mr. Emerson was just coteral damage?¡±

    ¡°What issue does Miss Reed have that attending a banquet could lead to a kidnapping?¡± murmured the Reed family, their faces pale with worry.

    Suddenly, an indignant voice rose above the murmurs. ¡°Mr. Emerson gets kidnapped, and it¡¯s Miss Reed¡¯s fault? Are you all out of your minds?¡±

    Turning toward the source, the crowd saw three young women and two young men, all around eighteen or neen, storming in. They approached Tina, saying in unison, ¡°Miss Reed!¡±

    Tina paused, ¡°I thought you weren¡¯ting?¡±

    Her banquet, hosted by the Reed family, was meant for inviting her friends. Considering the implications of inviting her more notorious acquaintances, she had opted to invite Velma Lehman and had extended invitations to ss 22D after promising them a meal with Ember Saffron, now that they were all heading to Ashbury for university.

    Though most couldn¡¯t make it, Hugo had promised toe but hadn¡¯t shown up. Tina had tried calling him earlier without sess and had sent Cole Lyon to look for him.

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t miss your banquet, Miss Reed,¡± Shonna Woodham said with a smile, exining their surprise visit. Tina was touched by the presence of her friends: Velma Lehman, Shonna Woodham, Elena Heisler, Albert Sitwell, and Hendrik Stiller.

    ¡°Tina, congrattions on finding your family,¡± Velma said warmly, ¡°My grandparents and parents send their regards. My dad always says he owes you a meal. Once we¡¯re in Ashbury, we¡¯ll make it up to you.¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡±

    Soon, Beatrice Fanning and Welson Woodham approached. Welson, not yet the family head due to his grandfather¡¯s presence, wore a well-tailored suit and exuded a schrly charm rather than the hardened sharpness of a seasoned businessman. Beatrice, in a luxurious gown, linked arms with him, standing elegantly by Tina¡¯s side.

    ¡°Miss Reed, sorry we¡¯rete. Congrattions on finding your father,¡± Beatrice greeted warmly. The Woodham family, though not as prominent as the top families, held considerable influence in Ashbury.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tina responded with a gracious smile that silenced any doubts about her sophistication.

    ¡°Miss Reed saved my daughter once, and I¡¯ve been wanting to thank you in person,¡± Welson added, adjusting his sses. ¡°Please, let us host you for a meal sometime.¡±

    ¡°Certainly.¡±

    After a brief exchange, Tina asked them to take their seats as she had other matters to attend to. However, Velma Lehman, looking around, suddenly spoke coldly, ¡°Who just said Mr. Emerson¡¯s kidnapping was rted to Miss Reed? Stand up. Let me see if your brain is filled with maggots or crap.¡±

    Her blunt words, typical of her straightforward nature, made many ufortable. Velma continued, disregarding their reactions, ¡°He was in Miss Reed¡¯s dressing room, wearing her gown. Was he not plotting something indecent? Did he not invite trouble upon himself?¡±

    ¡°Earlier, Miss Reed was ndered in the livestream, and then Mr. Emerson shows up there. Who¡¯s foolish enough to say his kidnapping is her fault? Who¡¯s the toxic one here? You fools who can¡¯t tell right from wrong!¡±

    Her fierce defense included many in the crowd, turning many expressions even sourer. Nathaniel, among them, looked particrly distressed. He had nned to use the chaos to kidnap Tina but never expected his men to mistakenly abduct Mack instead. What a blunder!

 Chapter 276: Tina, Was It You?

    Velma Lehman red at everyone present, cursing under her breath. She then turned to Tina and said, ¡°The Lehman family may not be prominent in Ashbury, but my great-uncle holds some influence here. If anyone dares to trouble you, we¡¯ll be the first to stand by you.¡± These words weren¡¯t just Velma¡¯s own; she considered Tina her best friend and was ready to defend her, even if shecked the means. This protective stance was actually something her grandparents and parents had insisted she adopt beforeing to Ashbury. Tina had done a favor for the Lehman family, and they were determined to repay it.

    Her parents were concerned about Tina¡¯s well-being in the Reed family¡¯s territory, hence Velma¡¯s deration. They werete to the party and unaware of the earlier events. On their way there, Albert Sitwell had seen a live stream on Cactus¡¯s channel mentioning Miss Reed, which immediately set off rms, prompting them to hurry.

    Upon arriving at the banquet hall, they overheard usations of Mack being kidnapped and med on Tina, which Velma could not tolerate. ¡°Bully Tina? They¡¯ll have to deal with all forty students of ss 22D first,¡± she thought.

    Tina smiled slightly, ¡°Okay.¡±

    She epted kindness from everyone and promised to reciprocate it. The Reed family and guests were interrupted by this unexpected episode. Jasper was the first to recover, asking, ¡°Tina, what just happened? Mack, he¡­¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze turned cold, ¡°Mr. Reed, your nephew drugged my dress and had prepared a man for some deed.¡±

    As soon as she finished, the public screen lit up again, this time showing a clear image of Mack, his face bruised, engaged in unspeakable acts with another man.

    Some younger girls screamed and covered their eyes. The older attendees frowned and cursed, ¡°This is outrageous! How does the Emerson family raise their children? Doing such things in public is disgraceful!¡±

    ¡°There were rumors about Mr. Emerson¡¯s secrets, especially his taste in men, but this-broadcasting such filth-I¡¯m appalled!¡±

    ¡°Report this! What kind of person does this?¡±

    Tina stared at the screen, momentarily stunned. Then, looking at Jared Farrell, her eyes inquired, ¡°Did you do this?¡±

    Someone had attempted to kidnap her, but she had sensed iting and let it happen to Mack instead. She hadn¡¯t expected it to end up on a live stream again.

    Jared Farrell raised an eyebrow, ¡°Anyone who dares touch you will face the consequences.¡±

    Tina remained silent. ¡°Well, my uncle is quite the hero,¡± she thought, appreciating the reliance on her uncle.

    Suddenly, Liliosa, who had just noticed Tina descending the stairs and Mack being kidnapped during the live stream, screamed, ¡°Ah! Mack!¡±

    She rushed to Tina, ring resentfully, ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it? Why are you so cruel? He¡¯s your cousin! You forced him to stream earlier, humiliating him, and now you won¡¯t let him go?¡±

    Liliosa tried to grab Tina, who swiftly dodged, leaving Liliosa grabbing at air. Fuming, Liliosa dered, ¡°Tina, I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡±

    She turned to a servant brought by the Emerson family, ¡°What are you waiting for? Bring the young master here!¡±

    The servant quickly headed upstairs. The noises from the live stream grew more intolerable. Liliosa, frantic and angry, yelled, ¡°Turn it off! Shut it down!¡±

    However, nobody paid her any heed. Liliosa ran to the public screen, desperately searching for a switch, but despite her efforts, the live stream wouldn¡¯t stop. She had forgotten that she had arranged for the live stream through Cactus, who wasn¡¯t present, and the room was fitted with a hidden camera.

    Liliosa, in tears, turned angrily towards Jasper, ¡°Look at what your wonderful daughter has done! She plotted against my son, and you¡¯re just watching? You caused me to lose Annie before, and now your daughter is ruining my son?¡±

    ¡°How have I ever wronged you? I¡¯ve always supported everything you wanted, but how have you treated me?¡±

    ¡°With so many people here, your daughter has brought Mack to this, how is he supposed to face people? How am I supposed to face people?¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Jasper roared, ¡°You keep saying Tina trapped Mack! Then why was he in Tina¡¯s dressing room, which even Jared Farrell, her fiance, hasn¡¯t entered? What was he doing there?¡±

    Jasper¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°He went into Tina¡¯s dressing room to do what? Where did the voice at the start of the live streame from? Do you really think I¡¯ve been oblivious all these years?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Muff and Annabelle stood by, silently observing Liliosa. It was clear to any observer that Mack had sought revenge against Tina but had instead fallen into his own trap.

    ¡°He deserves no sympathy,¡± they thought.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t he enter her dressing room? He¡¯s her cousin, calling her out is not inappropriate?¡± Liliosa scoffed bitterly, ¡°I see now, you never cared for us, mother and son.¡±

    Facing Tina, Liliosa hissed venomously, ¡°You wretch, it¡¯s all your fault. Why didn¡¯t you stay in the countryside? Whye back to Ashbury, back to the Reed family? You¡¯re a cmity, the reason Annie can¡¯te back.¡±

    Her usations grew more fervent, bordering on hysteria. Audrey Woodwind, unable to bear it any longer, spoke up, ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too harsh? In the Reed family, who doesn¡¯t give way to you? And about Tina¡¯s room, I wouldn¡¯t dare enter, let alone Mack. From the start, you¡¯ve targeted Tina, and what happenedst time was his own fault.¡±

    ¡°And this is Tina¡¯s home, why shouldn¡¯t she return? If Annie¡¯s loss wasn¡¯t Tina¡¯s fault, isn¡¯t it unfair to me her for everything?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Liliosa shouted, ¡°You little girl, what right do you have to speak?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth! Besides, you im Tina trapped Mack, do you have any proof?¡± Audrey challenged.

    ¡°You!¡± Liliosa was at a loss for words.

    She had no evidence; the plot was meant to target Tina.

    ¡°There¡¯s no evidence! But I do!¡± Suddenly, Vivienne, who had been silent, spoke up.

 Chapter 277: Mr. Emerson, Please Come with Us for Investigation

    Everyone looked toward Vivienne, stunned. What was happening? Wasn¡¯t Tina Jared¡¯s fiancee? Why was she helping Liliosa against Tina? Logan¡¯s face immediately darkened. ¡°Vivienne, what nonsense are you talking about?¡±

    Vivienne smiled slightly, then pulled out her phone, opened a recording, and yed it. The conversation between Liliosa and Cactus was crystal clear, filling the hall. It detailed how she bribed Cactus to n an embarrassment for Tina at the banquet.

    Liliosa¡¯s face turned green with shock. She had never expected her conversation with Cactus to be recorded by Vivienne, especially since she thought Vivienne was on her side. The crowd was astonished. ¡°Who would have thought Liliosa was so malicious? Miss Reed is her own niece, and yet she nned to ruin her at her own banquet.¡±

    ¡°Liliosa once drugged Mr. Emerson to marry him, causing him to break up with his fiancee. She¡¯s done it before, so it¡¯s no surprise she would dare to do such a thing again.¡±

    ¡°Tsk, tsk, I wonder how Jasper will handle this? One is his sister, the other his daughter!¡±

    Liliosa, hearing the surrounding murmurs, was both angry and anxious. She hurriedly exined, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! That¡¯s not my voice. Vivienne is framing me.¡±

    ¡°p!¡± The sound echoed as Muff pped her across the face, his voice booming, ¡°The evidence is clear, and yet you dare to argue! It seems you didn¡¯t heed my warningst time!¡±

    Originally, the Reed family had forbidden Liliosa from attending the banquet considering Tina¡¯s feelings, but she had sneaked in anyway. With so many people present, they couldn¡¯t let Liliosa¡¯s actions spoil the event, so he hadn¡¯t bothered with her. Who would have thought she¡¯d dare to drug Tina¡¯s dress?

    Muff¡¯s p was powerful, causing Liliosa¡¯s face to swell instantly. Holding her face, she eximed angrily, ¡°Dad! How can you hit me? I told you, it wasn¡¯t me. It was clearly Tina. She harmed Mack! You can¡¯t wrong me because of Tina.¡±

    Liliosa red at Vivienne. ¡°And this Vivienne, she¡¯s in cahoots with Tina. Who knows if it was Logan¡¯s doing? The Farrell family wants to suppress the Reed and Emerson families, so they framed me with this recording.¡±

    Hearing this, Vivienneughed, ¡°Before I came to the banquet, I had never met Tina. How could I conspire with her to frame you? If you doubt this recording, you can have a voice verification done. We, the Farrell family, don¡¯t get pushed around by outsiders.¡±

    Logan¡¯s expression had already softened upon hearing the recording, and hearing Vivienne speak so satisfied him even more. Among his grandchildren, aside from Jared Farrell, Vivienne was the one who pleased him the most. The Farrell family should indeed present a united front.

    Jared Farrell nced at her, his eyes deep.

    Liliosa was panicking. How could she possibly undergo voice verification? The words were clearly hers. If she went for verification, wouldn¡¯t that be admitting it was her?

    At that moment, the Emerson family¡¯s servants brought Mack out from the rest area, and at the same time, Cactus¡¯s live stream was shut down.

    Liliosa hurried over. ¡°Mack, are you alright? Tell me what happened. Why were you in Tina¡¯s rest room? Did she kidnap you?¡± She then signaled Mack with her eyes.

    The effects of the drug had worn off after Mack¡¯s encounter with that man. His mind was clearer now, but the memory of what had urred made him nauseous. He hurried to a corner, found a trash can, and began to vomit violently.

    Once he felt slightly better, Mack rushed toward Tina, his face twisted with rage. ¡°You wretch, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± He lunged at Tina.

    Tina stood calmly, hands in her pockets, her cool eyes lifting slightly as she watched him without emotion.

    Jared Farrell quickly stepped in front of her. Simultaneously, Jasper and Hayden Cohen rushed over. Hayden kicked Mack precisely towards a sensitive area. Mack yelped in pain, clutching himself and hopping around.

    Jasper bellowed, ¡°Scoundrel!¡± Mack was startled by Jasper¡¯s fury, having not seen him this angry in a long time, and momentarily froze.

    Jasper¡¯s eyes were filled with rage as he stared at Mack. ¡°I haven¡¯t settled the score with you for framing Tina, and you dare to attack her in public? Do you really think I¡¯m dead?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Mack was panic-stricken, about to exin when Jasper shouted, ¡°Bring him! Bind him and hand him over to the police! Tell them we won¡¯t ept any settlement!¡±

    Tina, who had been watching silently, slightly lifted her gaze, her lips curving into a cold smirk. She was smiling, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes.

    ¡°No!¡± Liliosa screamed, ¡°Jasper, you can¡¯t do this to Mack. He¡¯s your nephew. You made me lose Annie, you can¡¯t let Mack go to jail too.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Jasper snapped coldly. ¡°I¡¯ve been tolerant because of Annie, but that¡¯s no excuse for you to repeatedly bully Tina because your daughter went missing. What nonsense is this?¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Despite his guilt over Annie¡¯s disappearance, he had given Liliosa money over the years to smooth over her troubles, which was quite enough.

    ¡°But you still owe me! I don¡¯t care! You once promised you¡¯d grant me one wish, and I want you to let Mack go!¡± Liliosa knew that denying her involvement was futile as no one would believe her.

    The evidence was irrefutable and could not withstand scrutiny. Rather than continue framing Tina, she chose to try and save Mack.

    Mack frowned, momentarily forgetting the promise he had made to Liliosa years ago. He paused, then turned to look at Tina, only to see her looking back at him with a half-smile, her clear eyes seemingly piercing through to his very soul, discerning his true intentions.

    ¡°Tina, I¡­¡±

    Just as Jasper was about to speak, several uniformedw enforcement officers arrived. They showed their badges and said sternly, ¡°Mr. Mack, pleasee with us for investigation. Someone has reported you for broadcasting obscene content. Pleasee with us for questioning!¡±

 Chapter 278: Mr. Reed, Being Too Clever is No Fun

    Mack panicked the moment he heard the suggestion. ¡°No! I¡¯m not going!¡± Hisst escapade, broadcasted live as he performed a handstand defecation, had alreadynded him in the police station once. Another arrest would be his second disgrace. Moreover, after hisst arrest, his father had brought home Lysander, his illegitimate brother. If Mack were to be arrested again, he feared his father might forsake him for Lysander. How could that illegitimate son be worthy?N?velDrama.Org ? content.

    The police wouldn¡¯t just let him refuse arrest. Instantly, two officers grabbed Mack. Unexpectedly, Mack broke free with all his might and, with eyes zing, charged at Tina, yelling, ¡°You wench, it¡¯s all your fault! If I can¡¯t be happy, neither will you! We¡¯ll go to hell together!¡± Just as he lunged, Jared Farrell, who had been shielding Tina, swiftly stepped aside. Tina kicked out, sending Mack sprawling to the floor.

    As the police moved to restrain him, Mack spotted a fruit knife on a nearby table. He lunged for it and stabbed at Tina. Tina stood firm, not moving an inch.

    Hayden Cohen panicked and moved to intervene, but Jared sharplymanded, ¡°Stay back!¡± Before Hayden could react, Tina dodged swiftly and struck Mack with rapid, seemingly gentle but powerful punches. Hayden, standing close, could hear the sound of Mack¡¯s bones cracking. Stunned, he began to understand the situation.

    Tina kicked Mack to the ground, picked up a wet wipe from the table, and casually wiped her hands. Looking up at thew enforcement officers, she asked, ¡°That was self-defense, right?¡± The officers, taken aback by the prowess of such a beautiful woman, nodded. ¡°Yes, he pulled a knife on you. It counts as self-defense.¡±

    With a slight smile, Tina said, ¡°Then I¡¯d appreciate it if you take him in for questioning. I¡¯ll submit evidence that he drugged me.¡± After a pause, she added coldly, ¡°I won¡¯t settle this out of court.¡±

    The officers were confused. ¡°Drugged?¡± Their report had mentioned only an indecent act during a live broadcast, nothing about drugging.

    Tina¡¯s eyes flickered towards Jasper, her voice cold, ¡°It seems you only received a tip-off¡­ Please take Ms. Liliosa as well. I use her of drugging me on my dress with the intent to traffick me.¡±

    Hearing this, the officers¡¯ demeanor grew stern. Trafficking was a serious offense. They approached Liliosa, who was still in shock, and without further ado, took her away.

    As Mack and Liliosa were escorted out of the hall, the guests started to realize the gravity of the situation. Their looks towards Tina changed-she was not just any Reed family daughter, but evidently more formidable than Amber.

    Hawk, embarrassed, wished he could disappear. His wife and son, now used of intending harm to a Reed family daughter, would surely make headlines. He was unsure how to exin this to the Emerson family elders.

    He looked at the young girl standing amidst the crowd, exuding a powerful presence that demanded attention with just one nce. Why the Jiu Xuan sect¡¯s young master had be a Reed family daughter was beyond him, but he knew he needed to provide a satisfactory response, or the Emerson family would be in jeopardy.

    The atmosphere, disrupted by Liliosa, turned awkward. Willow, dressed in a custom-made gown radiating nobility, announced, ¡°Let¡¯s forget the interruption with a piano piece from me,¡± assuming the role of hostess confidently.

    At that moment, nobody was less inclined to smile than her. Her carefully nned event was ruined, and Tina had stolen the spotlight. With renowned pianist Sutcliffe and other piano lovers present, Willow¡¯s offer to y was eagerly anticipated.

    After the performance, Jasper approached Tina apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t expect Mack to do this. Don¡¯t worry, dad won¡¯t let him off easy this time.¡±

    Tina looked at him, a slight smile ying on her lips, ¡°Mr. Reed, being too clever is no fun. I¡¯m not Amber. If you y with fire, you¡¯re going to get burned.¡±

    Jasper met her gaze, her eyes as cold and perceptive as ever, seeing right through him. She reminded him so much of Natalie Whittaker in her intelligence and her dismissive attitude towards everything.

    ¡°Dad promises, this won¡¯t happen again,¡± Jasper said, looking away.

    Tina scoffed, ¡°How many times have you made that promise? Your promises-aren¡¯t worth much.¡± With that, she ignored him.

    Jasper, his expression stiff, quickly excused himself to greet other guests. Meanwhile, Jared Farrell took Tina¡¯s hand, which was cool to the touch despite the August heat, and whispered, ¡°The lesson you gave Mack was too mild.¡±

    Tina nced back at him, her eyes narrowing with a hint of a smile, ¡°Too mild?¡±

 Chapter 279: Will Tina Get a New Mom?

    Tina nced meaningfully toward the door. Jared Farrell smirked, ¡°Merely breaking his hands and feet, that¡¯s too lenient.¡± Mack had lunged at Tina, but refrained from striking because he saw the silver needle in Tina¡¯s hand pierce into his body. He was no doctor and couldn¡¯t tell which part of Mack¡¯s body the needle had hit, but the fact that it drove a man insane spoke volumes about the girl¡¯s medical skills.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Jasper publicly decided to hand Mack over to the police. To outsiders, he appeared supremely just, preferring to turn against his own sister and brother-inw for the sake of his biological daughter, embodying the image of a good father. However, Jasper¡¯s real intention to save Mack was clear. Only by handing him over to the authorities could Mack¡¯s life be spared. Tina had realized this and thus had decided to take matters into her own hands. Having been with Tina for so long, he understood that she disliked bloodshed, hence her decision to cripple Mack. But that punishment was far too mild.

    Tina looked up, locking eyes with him for a moment before suddenly smiling, ¡°You only noticed the broken limbs, did you see the poison I personally developed that he ingested?¡± Jared was taken aback; he hadn¡¯t noticed. Tina simply smiled without a word. When she had struck Mack, she had fed him her specially concocted poison, ¡°Lonely Night Fragrance,¡± a blend derived from a hundred toxic herbs, colorless and tasteless. It wouldn¡¯t immediately im a life but would slowly torment like countless insects gnawing away inside the body, eventually impairing the mind and reducing the victim to insanity, all undetectable by any medical means.

    At that moment, Jared Farrell handed her a piece of strawberry cake. She took it leisurely, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about death?¡± The real challenge was wanting to die and not being able to. Meanwhile, a lively piano tune began to y onstage. Willow had chosen a light-hearted piece, perhaps to lighten the mood after the recent events. Her piano skills weremendable, thoughcking in depthpared to Sutcliffe¡¯s, but the untrained ear wouldn¡¯t notice the imperfections.

    ¡°Willow ys the piano beautifully, a true talent and quite the beauty,¡± someonemented. ¡°Did you know, since divorcing Ethan Ward, she hasn¡¯t remarried? Lately, she seems closest to Jasper; maybe she likes him?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Her affection for Jasper is known, though he¡¯s never responded.¡± ¡°Since Jasper is still unmarried and Willow is so enamored, why not just marry her? Especially when she¡¯s so talented and beautiful, many would dream of marrying her, and she even spoke up to save the Reed family¡¯s face, acting every bit thedy of the house.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean Miss Reed just got herself a new mom?¡± The crowd buzzed with spection. Onstage, Willow, hearing thesements, couldn¡¯t help but smirk, even missing a few notes unknowingly. Meanwhile, Lily Ward, standing aside, looked defiantly towards Tina.

    How about Mr. Daryl¡¯s fiancee? What of being a Reed family daughter? If her mother married Jasper, she would be thedy of the house, and Tina would have to defer to her. Stepmothers have it hard, but stepdaughters even harder. The murmurs reached Tina¡¯s ears. She raised her cool gaze to the confident Willow on stage, her eyes narrowing slightly. Thinking of bing her mother? She¡¯d have to earn that right. Apart from her biological mother, only Wen Shuqing could rightfully call her ¡°mom.¡± Willow? Hardly worth consideration.

    Tina set down her cake and walked up to the stage, pulling up a chair next to Willow. Willow, mid-performance, was startled by Tina¡¯s approach and almost stopped ying. She frowned, ¡°What are you trying to do, Miss Reed? Join in?¡± In her vige, could she even y the piano? Did she understand music at all, or was she here to ruin the performance? With these thoughts, Willow abruptly stopped and red at Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, while you are Jasper¡¯s daughter, you must still respect the setting. The Reed family just faced a scandal, and I was saving your family¡¯s face. Why create a scene now?¡±

    Lily Ward¡¯s expression darkened in agreement, ¡°Miss Reed, ying the piano isn¡¯t so simple, nor is it something you can just pick up. Please step down and don¡¯t disturb my mother!¡± Tina¡¯s gaze swept coldly over Willow and Lily Ward, unwilling to waste words. Her fingers gracefully began the melody on the piano keys, continuing the piece Willow hadn¡¯t finished. Her tone and rhythm were superior to Willow¡¯s, her ying even quicker and more spirited, bringing a clear and uplifting mood to the hall.

    Willow and Lily Ward were stunned. How could this rural girl y the piano? Tina turned to Willow, who was lost in thought, and spoke indifferently, ¡°Aren¡¯t you ying, Ms. Ward?¡± Realizing Tina¡¯s superior performance, Willow panicked. Everyone was watching; not ying would diminish her reputation as a pianist. With a forcedposure, she continued to y alongside Tina. But her first note was a mistake, ringly obvious against Tina¡¯s harmonious ying.

 Chapter 280: Master Moonshine

    Willow¡¯s expression cracked. She couldn¡¯t keep up with Tina! How was this possible?

    The audience, who had been immersed in Tina¡¯s music, all frowned simultaneously. Their expressions towards Willow were hard to describe.

    ¡°What on earth is Willow ying? She missed the first note!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a renowned pianist, yet she can¡¯t even match this Miss Reed from the countryside? Why does she even bother ying? She should just find someone to marry and settle down!¡±

    ¡°Get off the stage! I want to hear Miss Reed y!¡±

    As everyone voiced their opinions, Willow¡¯s face turned ashen. No way! She absolutely couldn¡¯t lose to Tina! If she lost, how could she ever be the mistress of the Reed family? How could she control Tina?

    She took a deep breath, trying to regain herposure, and raised her hands to follow Tina¡¯s tune. Although she managed to catch up with the first note, it was a struggle. It felt as if Tina was suppressing her, and the more she yed, the more exhausted she became, making mistakes along the way.

    When the piece ended, Willow felt drenched in sweat and utterly drained. Tina stood up and looked down at her. ¡°Ms. Ward, you need more practice if you want to y the piano well. And if you want to be Mrs. Reed, you need even more practice!¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Willow felt a wave of shame. Everyone knew she wanted to marry Jasper, but no one had ever said it out loud. Tina had brought it up in public and used the piano to humiliate her! Was she reminding her not to dream of bing the mistress of the Reed family? Ridiculous! A daughter without a mother dared to dream of controlling Jasper? And who Willow married was not for Tina to decide.

    The audience gasped in shock. They had already sensed that Tina was not easy to deal with. Now they realized that not only was she tough, but she also had a bad temper! She would publicly shame someone just because she didn¡¯t want Willow as her stepmother.

    Muff and Jasper from the Reed family watched this scene with mixed feelings. Jasper had never intended to marry Willow, but he hadn¡¯t expected Tina¡¯s reaction to be so intense regarding Willow¡¯s desire to marry him.

    ¡°Hmph!¡± Griffin suddenly snorted coldly. ¡°Ugly people cause trouble. A daughter just found wants to control Jasper?¡± He still held a grudge over being tricked by Tina into spending $12 million on useless raw stones. To him, Tina was as annoying as Amber.

    He hoped Jasper would find a wife and start anew. In his eyes, Willow was perfect in both talent and appearance. Most importantly, Lily Ward was excellent! He preferred interacting with outstanding people rather than someone like Tina.

    While everyone was lost in thought, Tina turned her head towards them and spoke slowly, ¡°Today is my banquet. To thank the Reed family, I n to y a solo piece.¡± Without giving anyone a chance to refuse, she sat down again and began ying.

    Willow couldn¡¯t bear to stay any longer and quickly got up. She walked over to Lily Ward with an angry re at Tina on stage.

    Tina wore jeans and a T-shirt, looking somewhat out of ce at the piano. But as soon as the music started, everyone¡¯s emotions were stirred and drawn into her melody.

    The initial notes were gentle and clear like a fairnd, painting a beautiful picture for everyone. Suddenly, the music grew intense like a storm; it felt as if those in paradise were dragged into hell-helplessness, fear, screams-emotions shed within their hearts.

    The most terrifying part was when it felt like death itself gripped their throats; they couldn¡¯t breathe or escape its grasp! Despair overwhelmed everyone!

    Jared Farrell watched Tina on stage with surprise in his dark eyes. This was ¡°Hell and Paradise!¡± The music struck his heart deeply; he wondered what experiences had led her to y such sorrowful music.

    He suddenly stepped forward towards Tina, wanting to y alongside her and soothe her sadness. At that moment, Sutcliffe rushed out from the resting room in disbelief at seeing Tina y again after so long.

    Inspired by her music as before, he quickly reached Tina before Jared Farrell did and began ying beside her.

    Jared Farrell stopped in his tracks with narrowed eyes filled with coldness. How dare someone sit next to his Tina?

    Just as he was about to pull Sutcliffe away, their music fused together-Tina¡¯s sorrowful notes blended with Sutcliffe¡¯s softer tones like flowing water changing the melody¡¯s mood.

    Jared Farrell frowned but didn¡¯t intervene further. With Sutcliffe¡¯s addition, everyone felt pulled from despair back into paradise once more.

    When the piece ended after some time passed for everyone to recover from its impact-they stared at Tina speechless.

    Willow and Lily Ward werepletely dumbfounded! They never expected Tina could y so well!

    Suddenly someone shouted: ¡°Moonshine! She¡¯s Master Moonshine!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Moonshine! This piece is ¡®Hell and Paradise!¡¯ by Moonshine-depicting happiness with her mother followed by despair during dark times-my god! Moonshine hasn¡¯t released anything new for years yet we heard it today.¡±

    ¡°Moonshine¡¯s piano pieces are legendary-I felt like I experienced her despair firsthand.¡±

    ¡°Who said Miss Reed is an ignorant country girl? This is Moonshine we¡¯re talking about! Her piano skills are phenomenal!¡±

    Even those unfamiliar with piano knew about Moonshine-the mythical figure whose every piece won international awards despite never appearing publicly or attending events-no one knew what she looked like until now.

    Farrell family members including Griffin were stunned beyond words-they never imagined that Tina was Master Moonshine!

    Jasper looked at Tina with newfound depth in his gaze.

 Chapter 281: Tinaâ€™s Little Puppy

    The audience was already in a frenzy, captivated by Tina¡¯s piano performance. Willow couldn¡¯t utter aplete sentence; she had intended to assert her authority as Mrs. Reed, but all the attention was stolen by Tina.

    Sutcliffe, who had performed with her, stood up with a rare smile, ¡°I never thought I would have the chance to y with you again¡­¡± He extended his hand to shake Tina¡¯s, but before he could touch her, Jared Farrell stepped in with a stern expression.

    Jared Farrell¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, exuding an aura of unapproachability. ¡°Watch your behavior and don¡¯t offend my fiancee,¡± he said, emphasizing the word ¡°fiancee¡± heavily. Even the most oblivious person could sense the possessiveness in his tone.

    Hayden Cohen watched this scene unfold and clicked his tongue twice. Mr. Farrell was jealous. Serena was indeed impressive.

    Tina nced at Jared Farrell and calmly exined, ¡°He¡¯s my friend.¡± Jared Farrell lowered his gaze without responding. He had heard this ¡°friend¡± exnation before but always felt their rtionship wasn¡¯t that simple.

    Since this was the Reed family¡¯s event, Sutcliffe didn¡¯t want to overstay his wee. Seeing Jared Farrell¡¯s firm stance, he nodded at Tina, ¡°Let¡¯s catch up another time.¡± With that, he turned and headed backstage, leaving Jared Farrell frowning and pondering the meaning of ¡°catch up.¡±

    Tina¡¯s impromptu piano performance on stage drew everyone¡¯s attention and shifted focus away from the earliermotion. The banquet continued, and many guests came to talk to her.

    ¡°Miss Reed, I never expected to hear Master Moonshine¡¯s performance in person. Your rendition of ¡®Hell and Paradise¡¯ was simply mesmerizing!¡± one guest eximed. ¡°Here¡¯s my card; I wonder if I could invite you for a drink sometime?¡±

    Tina declined all invitations. She only wanted to show Willow that if she wanted to be her mother, she needed to measure her abilities first. She had no interest in listening to these people¡¯s ttery.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Vivienne approached with a ss of champagne just as Tina was getting tired of dealing with them. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Jared¡¯s cousin, Vivienne.¡±

    Tina looked up at her with a hint of curiosity in her clear eyes. Was it her imagination? She felt this person seemed familiar as if she had seen her somewhere before.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Vivienne,¡± Tina greeted politely. Vivienne responded warmly, ¡°I¡¯m d you weren¡¯t affected by what happened earlier; otherwise, I would have felt guilty.¡±

    Tina lowered her gaze, showing no expression on her delicate face. She could handle the earliermotion herself. Vivienne had only provided the recording as a catalyst to leave Liliosa speechless.

    However¡­ It was hard to say how genuine Vivienne¡¯s intentions were with that recording. If she truly wanted to help Tina, she wouldn¡¯t have waited so long before presenting it.

    Tina remainedposed and thanked Vivienne politely, ¡°Thank you for your help earlier.¡±

    ¡°It was nothing; I happened to overhear their conversation and recorded it just in case it might be useful,¡± Vivienne replied smoothly.

    Tina¡¯s deep eyes narrowed slightly as she smiled faintly, her expression unreadable. Overheard by chance and recorded out of concern? Ha!

    Suddenly, she realized where she had seen Vivienne before-it was the voice! Vivienne¡¯s voice sounded remarkably simr to the person who had asked her for Crimson Silk.

    Years ago, Sophia had taken on Jared Farrell¡¯s poison for him. Who poisoned him? Jared Farrell never mentioned it; either he hadn¡¯t found out or chose not to reveal it.

    She recalled that since the engagement party, Jared Farrell had announced his recovery from his disability. At that time, many members of the Farrell family were present. So, the person who poisoned Jared Farrell must be someone from the Farrell family.

    Tina looked at Vivienne with newfound emotions in her eyes.

    After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Jared Farrell approached them. Seeing him chatting with Tina, Vivienne smiled and said, ¡°Jared, you¡¯re here? Tina might need some time to adjust to Ashbury; please take care of her. Once I¡¯m done with my work at the studio in a couple of days, I¡¯ll treat both of you to dinner.¡±

    Jared Farrell nodded in agreement. After excusing herself to meet a friend, Vivienne left.

    Once she was gone, Tina looked at Jared Farrell and suddenly said, ¡°Old fox.¡±

    Jared Farrell gently pinched her nose and replied with a smile, ¡°If I¡¯m an old fox, then you¡¯re a little fox; we make a perfect pair.¡±

    Tinaughed but didn¡¯t say anything further. Some things didn¡¯t need to be said aloud; they understood each other perfectly well.

    ¡°Tina!¡± A handsome young man in casual attire ran over excitedly and clung to Tina¡¯s side.

    He hade to the party solely because of Tina; otherwise, even if Hawk insisted, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed. Now that he finally saw Tina again, he stuck close to her without hesitation.

    Tina raised an eyebrow slightly when she recognized him. ¡°When did you get here?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t noticed Lysander while dealing with Mack earlier. Although they hadn¡¯t seen each other for a while, she remembered him well since Lysander had once been part of her team-a promising talent she had high hopes for.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been here for a while but didn¡¯t want to disturb you while you were busy,¡± Lysander replied.

    Mack and Liliosa had plotted against Tina earlier; he wanted to help but saw that Tina had already handled it herself.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina nodded in understanding.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Lysander called out sweetly again and again. ¡°You have toe back to our team this time and lead us inpetitions again!¡±

    He hadn¡¯t forgotten their glorious days when they won seven consecutive victories under Tina¡¯s leadership. Unfortunately, after Tina left early on, their team¡¯s performance declined as their members aged and their reflexes slowed down.

    If not for new regtions requiring esports yers to be at least eighteen years old topete professionally, they might have been left behind long ago.

    Tina frowned slightly and said, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about itter.¡±

    Lysander was talented but needed a good team for guidance. His current teammates were no longer suitable partners for him-they only held him back now.

    However much Lysander valued old friendships and insisted on staying with his team wasn¡¯t surprising-but she didn¡¯t want to lead them anymore herself.

    Seeing Lysander¡¯s eager expression now made it clear that rejecting him outright would only make him cling even more persistently.

 Chapter 282: Uncle, Iâ€™m Tired

    Jared Farrell stood to the side, listening to their familiar conversation, his face dark with displeasure. He had found Lysander familiar earlier but couldn¡¯t pinpoint why. Now, seeing Lysander and Tina together, he realized that the boy¡¯s outfit was a mirror image of Tina¡¯s. Both wore T-shirts and jeans, casual and carefree, standing out among the formal attire around them. If not mentioned otherwise, they looked like they were wearing matching outfits and seemed perfectly suited for each other.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s jealousy nearly spilled out of his mouth as he wrapped an arm around Tina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Is this also your friend?¡± His use of ¡°also¡± dripped with jealousy, as if he were a jar of vinegar. One friend after another-how many more friends did she have that he didn¡¯t know about? Especially male friends.

    Tina didn¡¯t shrug off his arm but instead let out a softugh. ¡°Yes. A friend.¡± Then she looked at Lysander and introduced him, ¡°My fiance.¡±

    Jared Farrell was taken aback by her straightforward admission and the clear deration of his identity. Being acknowledged as her fiance made him happier than anything else. He tightened his grip on her and smiled openly, ¡°Hello! Jared Farrell!¡± Tina¡¯s honesty made him change his attitude towards Lysanderpletely.

    Lysander¡¯s eyes flickered between the two of them, his previously excited expression now tinged withplex emotions. Not many people knew about Tina and Jared Farrell¡¯s engagement; it was mostly within their circle. The media had only reported that Jared Farrell was engaged to a country girl, and the news of their engagement in Ensford had been suppressed. But when he learned that Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee was Tina, he felt uneasy because he believed that Tina deserved the best and most outstanding partner. Jared Farrell¡­ wasn¡¯t good enough!

    He had always thought Tina didn¡¯t care about the engagement, but he hadn¡¯t expected her to take it seriously. Even though she introduced Jared Farrell simply, the word ¡°fiance¡± still felt like a thorn, making him ufortable all over.

    Suppressing his thoughts, he politely greeted Jared Farrell, ¡°Hello, Uncle Farrell!¡± Though respectful, there was a hint of provocation in his tone. He was only eighteen; Tina was neen. And Jared Farrell was old enough to be their uncle. He wanted to highlight the age gap between Jared Farrell and Tina.

    Jared Farrell¡¯s smile stiffened slightly, his eyes narrowing with a dangerous glint. Lysander felt a sense of triumph until he looked up at Jared Farrell and was immediately subdued by his cold gaze. It was a simr feeling-both Tina and Jared Farrell exuded a strong sense of distance, as vast as the ocean.

    Feeling inexplicably flustered, Lysander quickly diverted his gaze to Tina and changed the subject, ¡°Tina, about our team¡­¡± He wanted confirmation from her.

    Tina cut him off and removed Jared Farrell¡¯s hand from her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Seeing her willingness to consider it made Lysander¡¯s eyes light up; it was as if his drooping tail had perked up again.

    ¡°Tina, as long as you¡¯re willing to return to the team, I¡¯ll agree to any conditions!¡± He knew his promise didn¡¯t hold much weight but couldn¡¯t miss any opportunity.

    Tina responded nomittally with a hum while Jared Farrell watched the scene unfold with darkened eyes. He could see through Lysander¡¯s attentiveness; it wasn¡¯t just about the team but something more personal.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell,¡± Nathan Lehman approached quietly and whispered, ¡°Logan isn¡¯t feeling well and wants to leave early.¡± The Reed family¡¯s banquet was nearing its end; they had made their appearances and expressed their stances.

    Logan wasn¡¯t feeling well and had no reason to stay longer. ¡°Take my car,¡± Jared Farrell instructed. ¡°Personally escort my grandfather home.¡± Nathan Lehman understood and went to drive Logan back.

    Lysander had a lot more to say to Tina but restrained himself due to Jared Farrell¡¯s presence. He suggested cautiously, ¡°Tina, everyone misses you. How about we get together for dinner next time?¡±

    Jared Farrell felt displeased hearing this but hid it well while Tina readily agreed, ¡°Sure.¡±

    Lysander left happily after chatting briefly with Tina.

    After he left, Tina turned to Jared Farrell and said, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m tired.¡± The banquet had worn her out with all its events; she felt exhausted.

    Hearing her say she was tired, Jared Farrell immediately signaled Hayden Cohen to prepare for departure. ¡°Then let¡¯s go home.¡± They informed Muff and Jasper before leaving.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Jasper agreed since Tina was the main guest of honor; her departure signaled the end of the event. ¡°A lot happened today; don¡¯t carry any burdens in your heart.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    ¡°No matter what happens, the Reed family will stand by you since you¡¯re now one of us,¡± Muff added grandly.

    Tina responded calmly with a simple acknowledgment before turning away with Jared Farrell towards Hayden Cohen¡¯s car.

    ¡°I can go back on my own,¡± Tina said as she got into the car.

    ¡°It¡¯s on my way,¡± Jared Farrell raised an eyebrow; he wouldn¡¯t miss an opportunity to spend time with her.

    Hayden Cohen twitched at this statement since their destinations were far apart-definitely not on the same route-but kept quiet.

    Once in the car, Tina rxed in the back seat with her eyes closed. She felt safe enough around Jared Farrell to let down her guardpletely.

    Watching her resting peacefully with her eyshes fluttering slightly from the car¡¯s movement made Jared Farrell feel a stir in his heart.

    About ten minutes into the drive, Hayden Cohen received a call that changed his expression instantly. He pulled over into an emergencyne and turned back urgently to Jared Farrell, ¡°Mr. Farrell, something has happened!¡±

 Chapter 283: Logan is in Trouble

    Jared Farrell¡¯s loving gaze abruptly vanished, and Tina immediately opened her eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± Hayden Cohen felt a cold sweat breaking out. ¡°Mr. Farrell was in your car, halfway there when someone attacked him!¡± A chill spread instantly throughout the car. Attacked in his car? Were they targeting Logan or Jared Farrell himself?

    Tina furrowed her brows, her voice grave, ¡°How is he?¡± ¡°He¡¯s severely injured.¡± Hayden Cohen pulled up the GPS, hesitating whether to take Tina with him, ¡°Nathan Lehman tried to shield him and is now hanging by a thread!¡± ¡°The rest of the Farrell family is already on their way to the hospital. What about us?¡± It was a matter of life and death, especially since both Logan and Nathan Lehman were injured.

    Hayden Cohen was slightly panicked. Without any hesitation, Tina dered, ¡°Go to the hospital immediately!¡± Jared Farrell didn¡¯t want to involve her in this trouble, but with her exceptional medical skills, both his grandfather and Nathan Lehman had a better chance of survival. ¡°To the hospital,¡± he stressed. ¡°And hurry!¡± With both Tina and Jared Farrell insisting, Hayden Cohen had no choice but to step on the elerator and head straight for the hospital.

    He drove nearly fast enough to make the car fly, arriving at the hospital in less than half an hour. Tina and Jared Farrell hurried upstairs, reaching the emergency room where the Farrell family was already anxiously querying the doctors. ¡°Doctor, how is my father!¡± Arthur and Hazel, a couple, blocked the doctor who was about to perform surgery on Logan, ¡°Get the best doctor immediately. There can be no mistakes with my father¡¯s surgery!¡±

    ra, looking unsettled with her children beside her, contrasted with Marie who was visibly sweating from anxiety. ¡°What exactly is the situation? Where is he injured that he¡¯s bleeding so much!¡± She was shocked upon arrival, seeing blood all over the floor outside the surgery room was horrifying. Tina and Jared Farrell pushed through the crowd to the front where the doctor quickly exined, ¡°Mr. Logan Farrell is in critical condition and needs surgery immediately!¡± ¡°Any further dy could be life-threatening!¡±

    The surgery was crucial, but the doctor wasn¡¯tpletely confident of sess. Logan had been injured near the heart, and a major artery was bleeding profusely. A slight mistake could be fatal. Lying on the operating table was Logan Farrell himself, allowing no room for error. Tina, after hearing the doctor, rolled up her sleeves to scrub in and prepare for surgery. ¡°I¡¯ll perform the surgery,¡± she said, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

    Arthur and Hazel were stunned, then stepped in front of her, angrily, ¡°What nonsense are you talking? Look at his condition, and you still want to mess around?!¡± It was no joke. Even though Tina had cured Sophia¡¯s illness before, it didn¡¯t mean she could save Logan. His life was in grave danger. Treating illnesses and performing surgery are entirely different matters. Not every doctor who can treat can perform surgery, especially since it¡¯s unclear if Tina¡¯s previous sess was just a fluke.

    ra also jumped in, supporting Arthur, ¡°His surgery must be performed by the best doctors. Don¡¯t create chaos here. Can you bear the responsibility if you affect the treatment?¡± Tina looked at them coldly, her presence almost radiating a low pressure. Everyone was speaking without being able to save Logan¡¯s life, trying to stop her from performing the surgery. If it were anyone else, she would turn around and leave without another word. But the person on the operating table was Logan, who treated her like his own granddaughter, showering her with affection; she had to save him.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Marie tried to persuade her, seeing Nathaniel creating a scene, ¡°Surgery is not to be taken lightly. If you¡¯re not confident, don¡¯t get involved¡­¡± She didn¡¯t doubt Tina¡¯s medical skills, but Logan¡¯s situation was dire. Even summoning a veteran surgeon with thousands of sessful surgeries might not guarantee his recovery. She didn¡¯t know the extent of Tina¡¯s skills, but if Tina failed, Arthur and the others would not let it go easily. She didn¡¯t want to see her favored daughter-inw trapped in a difficult situation and was determined to protect her.

    Jared Farrell nced coldly at the Farrell family members, then turned to Tina with a gentle voice, ¡°Tina, are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tina nodded. Jared watched her confident face and after a moment, told her, ¡°Just go, and I¡¯ll take responsibility if anything happens.¡± Beforeing, he had prepared for the worst. If neither the hospital¡¯s doctors nor Tina were confident, he would contact Spectre through the dark web. He had already sent out the message. He had offered ten billion dors for Spectre toe out of retirement. Whether Spectre would take the job was not important now. He believed in Tina!Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina was about to enter the disinfection room when Nathaniel suddenly blocked her path, ¡°No! You can¡¯t perform surgery on my grandfather!¡± Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, her body radiating menace. ¡°What right do you have to operate on my grandfather, a little girl without even a medical license? Entrusting my grandfather¡¯s life to you is reckless!¡± He had always disliked Tina, even knowing she was the true daughter of the Reed family, still seeing her as a country bumpkin.

    Nathaniel reached out to pull Tina away, but Jared Farrell¡¯s eyes shed dangerously, ¡°Nathaniel! Are you seeking death?¡± His look was lethal, as if Nathaniel would break his arm the moment he touched Tina. Nathaniel shuddered in fear, reminded of the time Nathan Lehman had dislocated his jaw. The excruciating pain was unforgettable. Nathaniel was foolish and impulsive, often bing an easy target. Arthur and Hazel were frustrated with him, but at the moment, the most important thing was to stop Tina from performing the surgery.

    ra also stepped forward to intervene, while Vivienne, standing behind her, looked conflicted, almost wanting to pull her back from getting involved. Jared Farrell stepped forward to Tina¡¯s side, ¡°Just go, I¡¯ll see who dares to stop!¡± Nathaniel, annoyed at being intimidated by Jared Farrell, shouted, ¡°You can¡¯t go¡­ Ah!!¡±

 Chapter 284: Surgery

    Before he could finish speaking, Jared Farrell raised a hand and grabbed his wrist. Though it seemed effortless, Nathaniel felt excruciating pain, as if his bones were about to shatter. Arthur and Hazel¡¯s faces changed instantly, and they angrily shouted, ¡°Jared Farrell! What are you doing? Let him go, you worthless scum! How dare youy a hand on your cousin? I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡±

    They rushed forward, trying to pull Jared Farrell away. Just as Jared was about to act, Tina tugged at his sleeve. ¡°Why bother?¡± she said. These people had repeatedly obstructed them,pletely exhausting her patience. She flicked a few silver needles that sealed their acupoints. Before Arthur and Hazel realized what was happening, they found themselves immobilized and unable to speak.

    ¡°Annoying,¡± Tina remarked coldly, looking at them as if they were mere ants, her eyes devoid of any emotion. She handed a life-saving pill to Hayden Cohen and instructed, ¡°Give this to Mr. Lehman. Call Damian over immediately for surgery!¡± Despite her exceptional skills, she couldn¡¯t perform two surgeries simultaneously. The pill would keep Nathan Lehman alive long enough for Damian to arrive.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Serena. I¡¯ll handle it right away!¡± Hayden replied eagerly. Damian Kinley was a master surgeon; with his help, Nathan Lehman would be in good hands.

    After giving her instructions, Tina turned to Jared Farrell and said, ¡°I need an assistant!¡± Jared immediately made a phone call. Soon after, several people in white coats arrived, led by the hospital director. Seeing Jared Farrell, the director was about to greet him when Jared gave him a look that needed no exnation.

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± the director addressed Tina respectfully. ¡°Our hospital¡¯s specialists will assist you with the surgery.¡± Jared had already briefed them on what needed to be done.

    Tina quickly sterilized herself and led the team of doctors into the operating room.

    ¡°Are you serious? We¡¯re assisting a young girl in such an important surgery?¡± one doctor whispered.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too risky? It¡¯s like they¡¯re gambling with the patient¡¯s life!¡± another added.

    Despite their doubts, Tina¡¯sposed and skillful actions soon captured their attention. Hermands were concise: ¡°Hemostat.¡± ¡°Scalpel.¡± ¡°Wipe my sweat.¡± Even while suturing around the heart, her hands remained steady and precise.

    The surgery took three hours. When Tina finally emerged from the operating room, members of the Farrell family were growing impatient. The silver needles Tina had used weren¡¯t deeply embedded; soon enough, they regained their mobility.

    Arthur immediately confronted Tina. ¡°What did you do to my father?¡± But before he could continue, the doctors who had assisted Tina surrounded her excitedly.

    ¡°Miss Reed, do you have any more surgeries scheduled? Can I observe?¡±

    ¡°Me too! I can assist you; just let me watch!¡±

    After just one surgery, Tina had be a revered figure among them.

    Arthur and Hazel exchanged skeptical nces. Could Tina really be that skilled? A young girl who had lived in seclusion for years-how could she impress these renowned doctors?

    They didn¡¯t believe in her abilities, especially since Logan was still unconscious; everything remained uncertain.

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave!¡± Arthur blocked Tina again and signaled Nathaniel to step forward. ¡°He¡¯s not awake yet; you can¡¯t just walk away!¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± ra chimed in. ¡°Waking him up is the real skill!¡±

    ¡°Stop pretending,¡± ra added mockingly. ¡°You can¡¯t actually wake Logan up, can you?¡±

    ¡°Move aside!¡± Tina said impatiently. ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat myself.¡±

    Her patience was wearing thin, and her expression turned grim. But Nathaniel stubbornly refused to budge. ¡°Grandfather hasn¡¯t woken up; you¡¯re not going anywhere!¡±

    Tina looked expressionlessly at Hayden Cohen beside her and asked, ¡°Are you blind to someone bullying me?¡±

    Hayden Cohen stiffened momentarily before responding firmly, ¡°Anyone who dares bully Serena will have to answer to us.¡±

    Did they think he and his brothers were pushovers? They clearly didn¡¯t know who they were dealing with!

    With that deration, he pulled out his phone and made a call.

    Jared Farrell¡¯s brow furrowed deeply! Although he didn¡¯t want those brothers of Tina¡¯s around again, he couldn¡¯t reveal his identity just yet-so their presence might actually help.

    But still¡­ Sigh!

    Nathaniel watched Hayden Cohen¡¯s actions with a sneer. ¡°Calling for backup? Fine! I¡¯d like to see who you can bring here-there¡¯s no one in Ashbury the Farrell family fears!¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    The Farrell family was one of Ashbury¡¯s four major families; even though they¡¯d been declining recently, they stillmanded respect.

    Hayden Cohen ignored him and waited with Tina nearby.

    Soon enough, all of Tina¡¯s brothers arrived at the hospital within half an hour after hearing she was being bullied.

    Eight men crowded into the hospital corridor, leaving the Farrell family members stunned.

    How could Tina have such powerful allies?

    Each of these men was formidable on their own.

    Yu Chixuan scanned the room with a cold smile and asked menacingly, ¡°Who dares trouble my Serena?¡±

    Nathaniel shivered under his gaze and shrank back fearfully.

    Even though he had been the loudest earlier, now he was like a dog with its tail between its legs.

    He recognized some of these men-they were not to be trifled with.

    ¡°No one is troubling Tina,¡± ra quickly changed her tone and tried to smooth things over. ¡°This is all just a misunderstanding.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know why they called Tina ¡®Serena,¡¯ but she knew these men were untouchable-especially while Logan was still unconscious.

    ¡°Tina must be exhausted from the surgery,¡± Vivienne added with a forced smile. ¡°It was all a misunderstanding; why don¡¯t you go rest?¡±

    ¡°A misunderstanding?¡± Dexter sneered coldly at Vivienne despite her polite words. He showed no signs of calming down as he retorted sharply, ¡°Blocking Serena here-do you call that a misunderstanding?¡±

 Chapter 285: Jasper, I Am Useless!

    Vivienne was momentarily speechless and didn¡¯t respond. She hadn¡¯t thoroughly investigated Tina¡¯s connections with these people and wasn¡¯t sure of the specifics. At the moment, she didn¡¯t want to offend them.

    ¡°Serena hasn¡¯t even married Jared Farrell yet, and you dare treat her like this? What will happen after she¡¯s married?¡± Wesley Soames raised his eyes and coldly nced at them. ¡°Do you Farrell family think you¡¯re something special?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so arrogant!¡± Arthur shouted angrily. ¡°Our Farrell family does things our way; it¡¯s not up to you to teach us!¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Dexter smirked. ¡°Then Mr. Farrell, just watch and see if we have the right to teach you how to do things!¡±

    With that, Dexter raised his phone and made a call. Wesley Soames and Damian Kinley also took out their phones and started making calls.

    ¡°Immediately block the Farrell family¡¯s supply chain and cut off their cash flow.¡±

    ¡°Cancel all cooperation with the Farrell family, even downstreampanies. All rted projects must be canceled!¡±

    ¡°Execute my orders. I want to see the Farrell family¡¯s stock hit the limit down today!¡±

    Arthur and his group watched Dexter¡¯s actions in shock, their mouths agape. Individually, these people might not be a threat to the Farrell family, but if all eight acted together, even the top family in Ashbury would be overwhelmed.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Before they could react, Arthur¡¯s phone rang.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, something¡¯s wrong! Brookes Group has canceled our cooperation, and all our goods are piled up¡­¡±

    ¡°Our stock has hit the limit down. All our projects have been halted. They said if we don¡¯t apologize, there¡¯s no room for negotiation!¡±

    ¡°Suppliers are collectively demanding payment. If we don¡¯t pay within an hour, they will refuse to supply us.¡±

    Although Jared Farrell was designated as the sessor, Arthur was currently handlingpany affairs since Alexander rarely returned to the capital and hardly participated inpany projects.

    With Asher and Alexander not yet arrived, Arthur¡¯s phone kept ringing incessantly.

    Seeing things go south, Arthur¡¯s face changed as well.

    ¡°Jared, these people are bullying the Farrell family. Are you just going to sit back and do nothing?!¡± He pointed at Jared Farrell, who was watching from the sidelines.

    Despite being family, Jared was siding with Tina against him.

    Jared Farrell raised his eyebrows slightly and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m useless, Jasper!¡±

    Rumors had it that Jared Farrell was useless, and that rumor still persisted. Had the Farrell family forgotten?

    Though he wasn¡¯t happy with Tina¡¯s brothers, he didn¡¯t mind them targeting theirpany.

    If Arthur dared to disregard Tina, then he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to go all out.

    He never cared about the Farrell family¡¯spany except for his grandfather¡¯s sake.

    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying?!¡±

    Hazel looked at this scene andughed in anger. ¡°The Farrell family is in trouble now. Aren¡¯t you afraid your grandfather will wake up furious if you don¡¯t help?¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s lips curled slightly.

    Ha!

    If he woke up knowing what had happened before, his first reaction would likely be to scold him for not protecting Tina well enough.

    Jared didn¡¯t even bother looking at her; his gaze was fixed on Tina. ¡°Tina saved Grandpa¡¯s life; she¡¯s a benefactor of the Farrell family.¡±

    ¡°A benefactor?!¡±

    Arthur couldn¡¯t believe his ears and cursed at Tina. ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t wake up, she can¡¯t escape responsibility!¡±

    ¡°If anything happens to him, how will she exin it to the Farrell family?!¡±

    Tina frowned impatiently and looked at Arthur with cold eyes. ¡°Mr. Farrell, you keep saying ¡®if anything happens.¡¯ Do you really hope he won¡¯t survive? Or do all of you want him dead?¡±

    Arthur¡¯s face changed. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?! When did I ever wish for his death?¡±

    Although he indeed thought so in his heart.

    If he died suddenly without leaving a will, ording to inheritancew, Arthur should inherit thepany. His brothers couldn¡¯t interfere even if they wanted to seize control of the Farrell family¡¯s inheritance rights.

    But having Tina expose this publicly changed everything.

    He could already feel Asher¡¯s unpleasant gaze on him.

    ¡°Heh!¡± Tina sneered. ¡°So you¡¯re only stopping me because I¡¯m easy to bully?¡±

    She smiled slightly and asked Jared Farrell before Arthur could speak again, ¡°Uncle, what do you think?¡±

    Jared Farrell gently touched her hair and said softly, ¡°Do whatever you want.¡±

    Even if Dexter wanted to target his personally foundedpany, twenty peoplebined couldn¡¯t touch him. But for the Farrell family? Three or four people were enough!

    He wouldn¡¯t intervene!

    If the Farrell family fell apart, so be it!

    He never cared about being part of the top family!

    Tina smiled brightly and said to Dexter, ¡°Dexter, considering my uncle¡¯s sake, just give them a small lesson.¡±

    Dexter nced at Jared Farrell with a sour expression but had to obey Serena¡¯s words. ¡°Got it.¡±

    Dexter took out his phone again and dialed a number.

    Soon after, Arthur¡¯s phone rang again.

    ¡°Arthur.¡± ra was timid by nature; seeing Arthur¡¯s phone ring nonstop with bad news made her urge him reluctantly, ¡°Let¡¯s just drop it; we can¡¯t beat her¡­¡±

    Though those nine brothers weren¡¯t as powerful as the Farrell family didn¡¯t mean Arthur could handle them alone.

    Arthur red at her angrily. ¡°What do you mean we can¡¯t beat her?! Are you boosting outsiders¡¯ morale?! I don¡¯t believe it! The mighty Farrell family can¡¯t be brought down by a bunch of nobodies!¡±

    Dexter sneered coldly; he¡¯d given them a chance already but Arthur didn¡¯t know when to stop.

    In the next second, countless calls flooded into Arthur¡¯s phone.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell! We only have forty-five minutes left! If we can¡¯t pay up soon, production lines will halt!¡±

    ¡°Thepany¡¯s losses are multiplying; every minute costs money!¡±

    Arthur had been arrogant moments ago but now felt like he¡¯d been sunk into an abyss by reality.

    ¡°Impossible,¡± he muttered incredulously. ¡°We¡¯re wealthy; how can we not afford payments? You must be lying!¡±

    The person on the other end was almost crying from frustration. ¡°Funds need Mr. Jared¡¯s signature! Without his approval we can¡¯t get a penny!¡±

    Mr. Jared¡­

    Those words struck Arthur like lightning.

    He looked up in shock at Jared calmly sitting before him feeling like everything was surreal.

    ¡°You actually won¡¯t release funds for ourpany?!¡±

    Damn it!

 Chapter 286: Grandfather Wakes Up, Nathaniel Apologizes

    When did he give Jared Farrell the authority to allocate funds? He had no idea at all! His favoritism was beyond belief! He had dedicated himself to thepany for so many years, and in the end, he was less valued than his grandson. The authority to allocate funds was given away just like that!

    ¡°Do you want to see thepany ruined?!¡± Arthur gritted his teeth.

    Jared Farrell stood beside Tina, giving Arthur a cold nce. ¡°If you want to end this farce, you must apologize to Tina.¡±

    Apologize to this little girl?! Arthur found it utterly ridiculous. ¡°Jared Farrell, don¡¯t go too far. Even if your grandfather dotes on you, you have no right to order me¡­¡±

    Before he could finish his sentence, Tina raised her hand and a silver needle pierced Arthur¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡±

    Arthur opened his mouth in terror but couldn¡¯t utter a single coherent word.

    ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling to apologize, then there¡¯s no use for that mouth of yours,¡± Tina said coldly, her gaze sending chills down everyone¡¯s spine.

    She didn¡¯t care about Arthur¡¯s apology. But for Jared Farrell¡¯s sake, if an apology could solve the issue, she wouldn¡¯t make things difficult. However, since the other party didn¡¯t appreciate it, she saw no need to show mercy.

    ¡°What did you do to my father?¡± Nathaniel couldn¡¯t bear seeing Arthur in pain and rushed out to grab Tina. Before he could touch her, Jared Farrell broke his bones with a swift move.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s technique made the pain a hundred times worse than dislocating a jaw. Nathaniel felt as if thousands of ants were crawling over him, causing unbearable pain and itching.

    ¡°No! No!¡±

    In an instant, both husband and son were in agony on the ground. Hazel panicked and knelt down. ¡°I apologize! I apologize! Please spare them!¡±

    ¡°Arthur and Nathaniel were just momentarily confused; they meant no harm!¡±

    But Hazel¡¯s pleas fell on deaf ears. Tina looked at her as if she were an ant, showing no sympathy.

    ¡°I¡¯m not someone who shows unnecessary kindness,¡± Tina said dismissively, turning to signal Jared Farrell to take her home.

    Jared Farrell only had eyes for Tina and naturally followed her wishes. ¡°Serena, Mr. Farrell, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Hayden Cohen protected Tina and Jared Farrell as they left. The remaining brothers nced at the people present with icy expressions. ¡°Remember this: stay out of our way when you see Serena.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Dexter looked at Arthur, who was drooling uncontrobly on the ground, and flexed his fingers. ¡°Serena is still too soft-hearted.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Wesley Soames and Mu Zhen agreed coldly, looking eager for more action. ¡°Just sealing his throat is too light a punishment.¡±

    Damian raised his eyes as if considering something. ¡°Myb still needs some test subjects¡­¡±

    While Tina performed surgery on Logan, Damian had finished operating on Nathan Lehman. Then he received a call about someone bullying Serena and rushed to the hospital.

    Nathaniel, with all his tendons broken, retreated in pain but couldn¡¯t escape. ¡°What do you want? You¡­ Ah!¡±

    He didn¡¯t know that Tina¡¯s brothers not only had impressive family backgrounds but also exceptional skills. They had countless ways to inflict unbearable pain without leaving a trace.

    Meanwhile, Tina fell asleep as soon as she got into the car. Jared Farrell instructed Hayden Cohen to drive smoothly and held her close to ensure she sleptfortably.

    Tina leaned against Jared Farrell¡¯s shoulder like a rare docile kitten. Jared Farrell gazed at her with affection, gently stroking her hair.

    He knew that once this kitten woke up, she would be a vengeful leopard that no one could handle.

    Two days after the surgery, Logan regained consciousness. Though still weak, he immediately summoned his sons and grandsons to understand the situation.

    Arthur and Nathaniel looked haggard after just a few days, as if they hadn¡¯t slept for hours, their knees trembling.

    Logan learned they had troubled Tina and insisted she be responsible for the surgery. Enraged, he threw his thermos cup at them. ¡°You idiots! Do you want to kill me with anger?¡±

    ¡°Tina is our family¡¯s treasure! Without her hands-on effort, I wouldn¡¯t be alive!¡±

    The thermos hit Arthur¡¯s face, causing his cheek to swell instantly. ¡°Dad, I¡­¡±

    Hazel quickly intervened. ¡°Dad, you don¡¯t know that Jared pressured our family for his fiancee¡¯s sake and refused to sign off on funds when thepany needed it most! Now there are many rumors outside; our partners are reconsidering future projects!¡±

    She expected Logan to me Jared but was surprised when Logan praised him instead. ¡°That¡¯s my good grandson!¡±

    ¡°If he can¡¯t protect his fiancee, what right does he have to be part of our family?¡±

    Arthur¡¯s family was stunned. What kind of spell had Tina cast on him during surgery?

    As they spoke, Jared Farrell entered the ward with Tina.

    ¡°Grandpa,¡± Jared said with relief upon seeing Logan¡¯s improved condition. ¡°If you didn¡¯t wake up soon, they would have skinned me alive.¡±

    Arthur and Hazel were furious; it was their family being tortured by Tina¡¯s brothers while Jared yed the victim.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see who dares!¡± Logan¡¯s expression turned cold as he beckoned Tina over warmly. ¡°Tina, thanks to you, I survived.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I can repay you for saving my life,¡± Logan continued sternly towards Arthur and Nathaniel. ¡°But these ungrateful brats must be taught a lesson!¡±

    He ordered them forward. ¡°Kneel and apologize properly! If Tina doesn¡¯t forgive you, I won¡¯t either!¡±

    Having been beaten by Tina and Jared¡¯s brothers earlier, Arthur and Nathaniel had no choice but toply now.

    ¡°Miss Reed, I was wrong,¡± Nathaniel kowtowed desperately. ¡°Please forgive us!¡±

    Arthur also knelt with a defeated look and hoarse voice. ¡°Miss Reed, please don¡¯t hold it against us. We¡¯ll do anything to make amends.¡±

    ¡°Anything?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow yfully.

 Chapter 287: Want to Die? Itâ€™s Not That Easy

    Arthur trembled, nearly unable to stand, and could only muster the strength to respond, ¡°Miss Reed, just say the word¡­¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Tina¡¯s delicate fingers tapped lightly on her chin. ¡°Then, Mr. Farrell, you¡¯ll be reassigned from the executive level to a security guard position at thepany.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?!¡±

    Arthur¡¯s eyes widened in shock, unable to speak, while Hazel shrieked from the side, ¡°Dad, Arthur is at least an executive in ourpany. Reassigning him as a security guard would be a p in your face!¡±

    Even if he was just a nominal executive without real power, he was still a known figure in thepany.

    ¡°Dad, how can I be a security guard¡­¡± Arthur couldn¡¯t ept this reality.

    ¡°Do as Tina says.¡± Logan Farrell watched his son crumble but remained indifferent. ¡°You indeed need to learn a lesson.¡±

    Arthur often caused trouble under the guise of being the eldest son of the Farrell family, which Logan had turned a blind eye to. But now that Arthur had crossed his line, Logan wouldn¡¯t let their familial ties excuse him.

    Nathan Lehman was still recovering, so Jared Farrell assigned another assistant to handle the matter.

    In less than half an hour, Arthur went from being the influential eldest son of the Farrell family to a mere security guard at thepany.

    He was soon helped away by his son. Logan patted Tina¡¯s hand with a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯ve been wronged; it¡¯s my fault for not protecting you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with those who needed dealing with. Whether you want to stay with the Reed family or the Farrell family from now on, it¡¯s up to you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡±

    Logan¡¯s attitude was clear, and Tina understood that both he and Marie cherished her deeply.

    ¡°Grandpa, Tina and I have some matters to attend to,¡± Jared Farrell interjected at the right moment. ¡°We¡¯ll visit you another day.¡±

    Logan looked at Tina with fondness and reluctantly waved Jared off. ¡°Alright, but make sure you take good care of Tina.¡±

    ¡°If anything happens to her, I won¡¯t forgive you!¡±

    Jared Farrell sighed inwardly. Who was truly his grandchild here? It seemed Logan¡¯s heart had shifted entirely towards Tina.

    After leaving the hospital, they got into the car. The smile on Tina¡¯s face faded.

    ¡°How is Nathan Lehman?¡±

    Having been by Jared Farrell¡¯s side for years, Nathan Lehman was no ordinary assistant.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jared reassured her. ¡°He¡¯s out of danger and recovering well.¡±

    Though Tina¡¯s brother wasn¡¯t as skilled in medicine as she was, he had more than enough ability to save Nathan Lehman.

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    Tina nodded thoughtfully, her eyes darkening with resolve. ¡°But I won¡¯t let any of them off.¡±

    An hourter, their car stopped in front of a suburban vi.

    Tina walked straight into the basement as if it were her own home.

    Jared seemed to know what she intended and followed without question.

    The basement lights were on, and Cole Lyon awaited them there.

    In the corner, a man was chained by his hands and feet, barely conscious and looking utterly defeated.

    ¡°Has he confessed?¡±

    Cole shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s tough; despite torture, he hasn¡¯t said a word.¡±

    Hearing voices, the man struggled to lift his head. Upon seeing Tina and Jared, he grinned weakly. ¡°Mr. Farrell, Miss Reed, long time no see.¡±

    The man who had remained silent under Cole¡¯s torture now spoke upon seeing Tina and Jared-a surprising turn of events.

    ¡°You know us?¡±

    Tina and Jared raised their eyebrows simultaneously.

    ¡°The daughter of Ashbury Reed family and the seventh son of Farrell family,¡± the man coughed violently before spitting out blood. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t know you?¡±

    After Logan was attacked, Tina and Jared immediatelyunched an investigation.

    They both suspected that whoever tried to kill Logan might have had another target in mind.

    Had Logan not identally taken Jared¡¯s car that day, it would likely be Jared lying in the hospital now.

    ¡°Who ordered you to do this?¡± Tina pressed without giving him a chance to breathe. ¡°Who is your target?¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed is smart,¡± the man tilted his head with a sinister smile. ¡°You must have some idea of what we want.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Tina disliked beating around the bush. If not for Jared¡¯s involvement, she wouldn¡¯t have had the patience for this interrogation.

    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in ying games,¡± she said coldly as she picked up a whip from the table. ¡°Don¡¯t test my patience.¡±

    With that, sheshed out at his most vulnerable spot.

    The whip had barbs coated with poison that caused excruciating pain and unbearable itching upon contact.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    The man¡¯s screams were heart-wrenching.

    If it were just the whipshes, he wouldn¡¯t fear or feel much pain. But with poison on it¡­

    Even a tiny bit brought immense suffering.

    ¡°Cole,¡± Jared stepped forward to take the whip from Tina¡¯s hand. ¡°Let me handle this; don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡±

    Having been by her side for so long, Cole knew her well-she always preferred straightforward methods for interrogations.

    For her to personally wield the whip today meant she was truly enraged.

    Cole nced at Jared and sighed inwardly-Tina had fallen in love!

    He wondered how her eight brothers would react when they found out about this¡­ And Hayden Cohen? He¡¯d already been bought off by Jared!

    Cole swung the whip harder each time until the man¡¯s flesh was torn open before stopping. ¡°Ready to talk now?¡±

    Tina sat nearby with arms crossed, speaking leisurely. ¡°I don¡¯t mind spending all night here.¡±

    The man lifted his head weakly; his vision blurred.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell,¡± he whispered hoarsely before uttering a name. ¡°Our target is you¡­¡±

    Indeed, their target wasn¡¯t Logan but rather Jared himself.

    Tina and Jared exchanged sharp nces before pressing further. ¡°Who ordered you?¡±

    A cold smile yed on the man¡¯s lips as he suddenly bit down on something hidden in his mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s poison!¡±

    Tina realized toote as she grabbed his neck-but it was already over.

    The man had bitten through a hidden pill and swallowed it whole.

    ¡°You¡¯ll never know¡­ who ordered¡­ your death¡­¡±

    Heughed maniacally before copsing lifelessly.

    Tina¡¯s slender fingers tightened around his neck as an icy aura emanated from her body. ¡°Want to die? It¡¯s not that easy.¡±

 Chapter 288: Night Visit

    She pried open the man¡¯s mouth and found his teeth covered in poison. Cole Lyon had taken the poison from his mouth as soon as he caught him to prevent suicide. However, he hadn¡¯t expected the man to be so well-prepared, leaving no chance for survival. Tina fed him a pill and inserted a silver needle into his acupuncture point, saying coldly, ¡°Cole, keep an eye on him. I¡¯ll work on an antidote.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    The poison he took was extremely potent,parable to the Shadow she had created. She could neutralize it but needed some herbs, which she currentlycked. Although the man had just died, she had given him a pill and sealed his heart with a silver needle, making death not so immediate. Extracting information from him would take some time.

    Thinking of this, Tina¡¯s face darkened. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Jared Farrellforted her, holding her shoulder. ¡°At least we know their target is me.¡± Tina¡¯s face remained gloomy. ¡°These people are reaching too far.¡± Jared Farrell saw her anger and smiled rarely, ¡°Are you worried about me? It seems like Tina wants to protect me.¡±

    ¡°You are my fiance,¡± Tina pulled him close by the cor, ¡°If anyone bullies you, it must be me.¡± Her serious demeanor made Jared Farrell smile and pull her into his arms. ¡°Tina is right, but I can¡¯t always be just a fiance. When will you make it official?¡± He had already half-coerced Hugo into agreeing; as soon as Tina agreed to marry, he could register immediately.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Tina said nomittally, ying with the silver needle hidden in her sleeve. ¡°If I¡¯m not satisfied with you, one needle will solve the problem.¡± Jared Farrell whispered in her ear, ¡°Tina, are you nning to murder your husband?¡± Cole Lyon stood aside, understanding Hayden Cohen¡¯s usual feelings of being a third wheel.

    ¡°Serena,¡± he coughed lightly to signal his presence, ¡°Should we continue investigating this matter?¡± Tina came back to her senses and pushed Jared Farrell away. ¡°Yes.¡± Since they had made a move, they wouldn¡¯t stop until they achieved their goal. They needed to act first and remove unnecessary obstacles.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have the brothers cooperate with you,¡± Tina said, quickly sending several messages on her phone. ¡°This vi will be your temporary base here. Without my orders, don¡¯t act rashly.¡± Cole Lyon nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What about the Farrell family?¡± Tina looked at Jared Farrell with deep meaning in her eyes. Jared Farrell smiled coldly, making people fear him. ¡°It seems someone can¡¯t wait.¡± His legs had just ¡°recovered,¡± and they moved against him so quickly; they underestimated his abilities.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone keep an eye on the Farrell family,¡± Jared Farrell said with a deep gaze. Tina looked at him for a moment before speaking, ¡°Do you already have an answer in mind?¡± Jared Farrell didn¡¯t answer immediately but said, ¡°I still need evidence.¡± He never fought unprepared battles; those who dared to attack him would pay for their actions.

    After handing over the man in the basement to Cole Lyon, Jared Farrell sent Tina back to Whispering Pines. She arrived home at eleven o¡¯clock at night; most people were already resting, and the house was quiet.

    The servant saw her return and said ording to instructions, ¡°Miss, Mr. Jasper asked you to go to his study.¡± Tina didn¡¯t expect Jasper to still be awake and went to his study as instructed.

    The Reed family had heard about Logan¡¯s situation; naturally, Jasper had questions. ¡°How was the surgery? Is he awake?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tina replied indifferently as if she didn¡¯t care about him as a father.

    Jasper¡¯s face showed bitterness. Since finding Tina back, they had held banquets ording to protocol, but he always felt distant from this daughter and couldn¡¯t get close.

    ¡°You are very much like your mother; you don¡¯t need me to worry about anything,¡± he sighed. ¡°If only she were still here¡­¡± At the mention of her mother, Tina¡¯s eyes tightened sharply, and her face darkened.

    She stood up without looking at him and said, ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± Jasper could only say helplessly, ¡°Alright then, rest early; we¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡±

    Tina nced around the room subtly before returning to her room. After locking the door, she took out a miniature detector from her body and raised an eyebrow at the screen¡¯s indication.

    The detector showed at least four surveince cameras in Jasper¡¯s study room. Tina clenched the detector in her hand with deep eyes.

    At two-thirty in the morning when everyone in the Reed family was asleep and the house was silent enough to hear a pin drop, Tina slowly opened her eyes and got up from bed to retrieve a smallputer hidden under it.

    With some quick operations on theputer, she easily hacked into Jasper¡¯s study room surveince system within five minutes. Then she silently left her room and went to his study.

    Jasper¡¯s study was locked. It took Tina only a few moments to unlock it and sneak inside. She began searching from left to right.

    There seemed to be no secret doors in the room but there was a photo of her mother on the desk. Tina walked over and touched the photo with longing and anger in her eyes.

    Her mother¡¯s beautiful face remained forever preserved while sorrow and pain couldn¡¯t be erased. The person was gone; what was the point of cing a photo here pretending deep affection?

    As she traced along the frame with her fingers, she suddenly felt an hiddenpartment in the desk drawer. Frowning tightly, Tina opened it revealing a special material safe inside ¨C waterproof fireproof highly confidential requiring tools for opening despite knowing how-to herself.

    After examining it thoroughly, she pushed back into ce deciding returnter equipped properly before leaving study ensuring erasure all traces restoring everything touched original state.

    Just as finished returning hallway, a faint sound reached ears indicating someone¡¯s presence!

    About hide, she heard muffled gasp followed by familiar voice eximing softly,¡±You scared me!¡±

    Recognizing Juliet Reed sneaking back, Tina rxed seeing relieved younger girl clutching chest whispering,¡±Good thing wasn¡¯t parents otherwise I¡¯d get scolded!¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Juliet Reed had sneaked out earlier returning from clubbing unexpectedly bumping into Tina who calmly replied,¡±I¡¯m thirsty,¡± diverting conversation naturally,¡±Going downstairs for water.¡±

 Chapter 289: Tina, What Are You Looking at Behind My Back?

    Tina remembered that the person was Garrett¡¯s daughter, a popr and talented actress. Although they hadn¡¯t officially met, during thest video call, Juliet Reed had shown no concern when Annabelle gave her a bracelet, clearly indicating that she wasn¡¯t materialistic and had a straightforward personality.

    Tina raised an eyebrow and looked at her. ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t mention it! I finally got some time toe back, but my parents won¡¯t let me go out. They insist I stay home with them,¡± Juliet Reed said helplessly. ¡°I just wanted to sneak out while they were asleep!¡±

    Juliet Reed added, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell my parents I went out! They¡¯ve been really stricttely, almost like they¡¯d get a dog to watch me. I haven¡¯t had a chance to rx in ages!¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡± Tina responded with a light smile.

    Tina¡¯s quick agreement made Juliet Reed feel that she was quite easygoing.

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Juliet Reed pulled Tina into her room and rummaged through her things until she found a box. ¡°I missed thest party and still owe you a gift. Here, this is for you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Tina asked suspiciously as she tried to open the box, but Juliet Reed stopped her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s something good,¡± Juliet Reed said with a mysterious wink. ¡°Check it out in your room.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t know what Juliet Reed was up to but sensed no malice. She took the box back to her room.

    After returning to her room, she took a sip of water while recalling her visit to Jasper¡¯s study and opened the box Juliet Reed had given her.

    ¡°Poof!¡±

    When she saw what was inside, she spat water onto the bed.

    This!

    Juliet Reed had given her a thick stack of nude male photos along with contact information.

    The size¡­

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Tina clicked her tongue twice as she leisurely flipped through the photos.

    She had to admit, these guys had great bodies!

    Eight-pack abs and muscr builds.

    If touched, they would probably feel nice.

    However, if her uncle found out about this, he would probably burn the whole box of photos immediately.

    At that moment, Jared Farrell, who was watching over Logan in his hospital room, sneezed and felt his ears turn red.

    Who was talking about him behind his back?

    He nced at Logan sleeping peacefully on the bed and suddenly thought of their Tina.

    Just as Jared Farrell was about to call Tina, his phone rang. He looked at the message, and his smile disappeared instantly as his brows furrowed.

    These people were even more impatient than he had imagined.

    Jared Farrell answered the call with a cold expression.

    ¡°Have you found out?¡± His voice was devoid of warmth.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell! We¡¯ve found out; it wasn¡¯t Vivienne who did it!¡±

    Jared Farrell frowned. ¡°It wasn¡¯t her?¡±

    ¡°Correct!¡± the person on the other end replied. ¡°Vivienne did send someone to kill you, but someone else acted before she could.¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s eyes narrowed as he fell silent for a moment. ¡°Any idea who it was?¡±

    ¡°Not yet; they¡¯re hiding very well. Our people found some clues but then lost them.¡±

    ¡°Keep investigating!¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s face remained expressionless.

    It seemed his return had stirred many thoughts among people.

    Vivienne hadn¡¯t acted yet, but some couldn¡¯t wait any longer.

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    The person on the other end hesitated for a moment before adding, ¡°By the way, Mr. Farrell, Vivienne recently found me Ice and ordered Crimson Silk!¡±

    Jared Farrell¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°Got it.¡±

    The next day.

    Tina was woken up by a video call from Jared Farrell.

    Shezily answered the video call with a yawn. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Jared Farrell couldn¡¯t hide his smile as he looked at her like a satisfied kitten. ¡°You haven¡¯t had breakfast yet; I¡¯ll have my assistant¡­¡±

    Before he could finish speaking, he noticed something on Tina¡¯s bedside table and his eyes narrowed dangerously. ¡°Tina, what are you looking at behind my back?¡±

    Both of his eyes were healthy; naturally, he didn¡¯t see wrong. There were nude male photos on Tina¡¯s bedside table.

    So, his girl was sneaking peeks at men while he wasn¡¯t around?

    Even through the screen, Tina could feel his intense jealousy. Shezily said, ¡°I¡¯m just quenching my thirst by looking at others since you¡¯re not here.¡±

    Jared Farrell was speechless.

    Quenching her thirst?

    He wasn¡¯t enough?

    ¡°Tina¡­¡±

    Just as Jared Farrell was about to speak gently, he suddenly heard a boy¡¯s voice on the other end of the call.

    ¡°Tina!¡±

    For a moment, Tina thought she was hearing things. She got up and walked to the balcony only to see Lysander standing below waving at her.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    ¡°Tina! I brought you breakfast!¡±

    Lysander¡¯s smile grew even brighter when he saw her appear on the balcony; he waved even more enthusiastically.

    ¡°What¡¯s he doing there?¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s jealousy overflowed uncontrobly despite trying to suppress it.

    ¡°No idea.¡± Tina propped her chin on her hand as she looked at the enthusiastic boy in the courtyard. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the hospital.¡±

    Although Logan had woken up, his body still needed time to recover. As his primary surgeon familiar with his condition, she could avoid many problems by being there herself.

    Hearing that she woulde to the hospital made all of Jared Farrell¡¯s anger and jealousy vanish instantly.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you!¡± Jared Farrell said with a smile on his face.

    Tina changed clothes and went downstairs where Lysander was already sitting in the living room.

    Muff and Jasper were chatting with him casually. Seeing Tinae down, Muff smiled and said, ¡°When did you get so close with Lysander? Look at himing over first thing in the morning.¡±

    Lysander had only recently been found; although the Reed family knew of his existence, they hadn¡¯t met him often.

    ¡°Lysander and I hit it off.¡± Lysander didn¡¯t care about others¡¯ opinions and smiled cheerfully. ¡°We got along really well at thest party.¡±

    The rtionship between the Reed family and Emerson family was delicate; Lysander being an illegitimate child made Muff and Jasper wary of him.

    But having been through ups and downs in business circles for years, they didn¡¯t show their feelings openly or express them directly on their faces.

    Lysander didn¡¯t mention that they knew each other before; Tina wouldn¡¯t bring it up either.

    The less people from Reed family knew about her past matters-the better-she didn¡¯t want unnecessary trouble for herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to visit Grandpa Farrell at the hospitalter,¡± Tina mentioned casually while eating breakfast brought by Lysander .

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect.¡± Muff nodded approvingly. ¡°We were also nning on visiting him; after such an incident happened-the Reed family can¡¯t ignore it.¡±

    Since Lysander had just arrived but now wanted to leave-he naturally didn¡¯t want to miss out-so he added: ¡°The Emerson family is also concerned about his condition-they asked me to check on him.¡±

    When they all arrived at the hospital-it was already bustling with activity-members from Nathaniel¡¯s three branches of Farrell family were present-the luxurious private ward felt crowded-

    ¡°Grandpa Farrell,¡± Tina made her way through everyone towards him-asking softly: ¡°How are you feeling today?¡±

 Chapter 290: Mr. Farrell, I am Lily Ward

    Logan smiled broadly upon seeing her, his difort seemingly vanished. ¡°Seeing you makes all my pain disappear!¡±

    ¡°You child, you performed surgery on me yesterday and came to see me today. You are so thoughtful and kind-hearted. Having you as my granddaughter-inw is a blessing from my past life!¡±

    He praised Tina endlessly. Arthur, standing nearby, looked displeased but dared not say anything. Thanks to Tina, he was now a security guard at thepany, and going to work felt like a daily punishment.

    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t agree?¡± Marie held Tina¡¯s hand with a proud smile. ¡°Jared is so lucky to have found such a treasure! I don¡¯t know where he got such good fortune!¡±

    Jared Farrell emerged from the crowd and immediately noticed Lysander trailing behind Tina like a shadow. Since the banquet, this kid had been following Tina everywhere, evening to the Reed family and now to the hospital.

    ¡°Tina.¡±

    He walked up and hugged Tina, pretending to be tired. ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy.¡±

    Tina smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll get you something to eatter as a reward!¡±

    Jared Farrell, ¡°¡­¡±

    Suddenly, he wasn¡¯t sleepy anymore!

    ¡°Enough,¡± Muff couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and red at Jared Farrell with a light cough. ¡°What does it look like pulling and tugging in public? Tina hasn¡¯t even married you yet!¡±

    Despite his severe injuries and recent surgery, Logan was full of energy and jumped in to defend them. ¡°Muff, what do you mean by that? Are you trying to upset me?¡±

    ¡°Tina is our Farrell family¡¯s daughter-inw; that¡¯s an unchangeable fact! If you dare oppose it, I¡¯ll fight you!¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Logan Farrell seemed ready to leap out of bed. Marie quickly held him down. ¡°Dad, your wounds haven¡¯t healed yet; please don¡¯t get angry.¡±

    He didn¡¯t seem like someone who had just undergone surgery; even young people couldn¡¯tpare.

    ¡°Grandpa,¡± Tina calmed him down and shifted the topic to serious matters. ¡°We have caught the person who attacked you. Although he took poison, I administered an antidote, and he should wake up soon.¡±

    Jared Farrell raised his eyes slightly and continued, ¡°Once he regains consciousness, we will know who targeted you.¡±

    Logan had already guessed most of it. ¡°No! They wanted to kill you, not me!¡± His aged eyes scanned everyone present as he spoke calmly. ¡°I just happened to be in your car by ident.¡±

    Logan then looked at Tina. ¡°Girl, the person targeting Jared is from the Farrell family, right?¡±

    Although they hadn¡¯t identified the exact culprit yet, given the current situation, there was an eighty percent chance it was someone from the Farrell family.

    Tina nodded. ¡°Possibly.¡±

    As soon as she spoke, everyone had different reactions. Vivienne¡¯s face changed slightly as she lowered her head to hide her panic.

    ¡°Tina! What do you mean by that?¡± Hazel couldn¡¯t hold back her anger and crossed her arms with resentment. ¡°Are you saying one of us wants to harm him?¡±

    Her anger wasn¡¯t just directed at Tina but also at Jared Farrell for supporting her.

    ¡°No one wants anything bad to happen to him! We may not be taking care of him day and night, but we all wish for his quick recovery. Don¡¯t try to sow discord among us!¡±

    Jasper frowned in displeasure at Hazel¡¯s rude words. ¡°Tina only said they caught Logan¡¯s attacker; she didn¡¯t use anyone here specifically. There¡¯s no need for such anger.¡±

    The more agitated Hazel became, the more guilty she appeared. Frustrated by Jasper¡¯s implication, she turned her head away.

    Tina observed everyone¡¯s expressions closely without missing any details.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Logan waved his hand andy back down. ¡°Leave the interrogation to Tina and Jared; the rest of you don¡¯t need to worry.¡±

    ¡°I trust they¡¯ll give me a satisfactory answer. I¡¯m tired and want to rest now; you all can go.¡±

    He then immediately changed his tone and grabbed Tina¡¯s hand. ¡°Tina, stay and chat with this old man.¡±

    Logan Farrell¡¯s favoritism was obvious; although it displeased many in the Farrell family, they were helpless against it.

    Everyone reluctantly left the room while Tina stepped out into the corridor to take a call.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±

    On the other end of the line, Cole Lyon sounded somewhat helpless. ¡°We can¡¯t find any other traces; they were very thorough. Once captured, they took poison to avoid leaving any clues.¡±

    ¡°Keep investigating,¡± Tina said coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t overlook any leads.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Cole Lyon replied.

    ¡°How is that person?¡± Tina asked.

    ¡°Currently stable,¡± Cole Lyon answered.

    After taking Serena¡¯s antidote pill, the person¡¯s poison was suppressed, and their vital signs stabilized.

    However, they remained unconscious.

    ¡°Alright! I understand,¡± Tina said expressionlessly.

    They still needed a few medicinal herbs forplete detoxification.

    In the hospital¡¯s pharmacology department, Lily Ward was chatting with some doctors she knew.

    She hade to this hospital for some matters and heard about Logan¡¯s situation. She decided to visit him with a fruit basket.

    ¡°You have no idea how amazing the surgeon who operated on Mr. Farrell is! In my twenty years of practice, I¡¯ve never seen anyone suture wounds so perfectly!¡±

    ¡°Her hands were unbelievably steady! Cutting so close to the heart made me nervous just watching! Very few people could perform such a surgery!¡±

    Lily Ward couldn¡¯t help but feel curious about Logan¡¯s surgery after hearing their excited discussions. ¡°Who was this surgeon you¡¯re talking about? Do I know them?¡±

    Everyone shook their heads. ¡°She¡¯s not employed by our hospital; she was specially invited from outside.¡±

    ¡°Her skills are extraordinary-definitely above yours, Lily! It¡¯s a pity you missed that surgery; otherwise, you could have learned a lot!¡±

    Lily Ward could tolerate many things but never epted anyone questioning her medical skills.

    She prided herself on her medical expertise; no one could surpass her because she came from a prestigious background.

    Making an excuse to leave, Lily Ward headed towards Logan¡¯s room with her fruit basket.

    Just as she reached the door, she bumped into Jared Farrell and smiled warmly. ¡°Mr. Farrell, you¡¯re here too.¡±

    Worried he might not remember her again, Lily Ward added quickly, ¡°I am Lily Ward, head of TIC Research Institute.¡±

 Chapter 291: Do You Have a Medical License?

    Jared Farrell responded coldly, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I heard Mr. Farrell had a car ident.¡± Seeing that he didn¡¯t care about her presence, Lily Ward clenched her fingers and forced a smile. ¡°The surgery was very sessful. Do you know which doctor performed it? Can Mr. Farrell introduce me?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Jared Farrell looked at the woman in front of him with a frosty gaze, speaking without any courtesy.

    Lily Ward was taken aback, her smile freezing. ¡°I came here out of admiration for the doctor. Mr. Farrell, there¡¯s no need to be so concerned.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s attitude remained indifferent, if not more so.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Lily Ward wanted to say more, but Jared Farrell didn¡¯t even spare her another nce and turned to leave.

    As soon as Jared left, Nathaniel, who had been feeling restless in the ward, walked out.

    Seeing Lily Ward, he paused slightly. ¡°Miss Ward, what brings you here?¡±

    Lily¡¯s thoughts were pulled back. She smiled and said, ¡°I came to see Logan.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Nathaniel was now very sensitive to the mention of Logan and lost interest in continuing the conversation. ¡°Then go ahead! My grandfather is in the ward.¡±

    With that, Nathaniel started to leave.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Lily suddenly called out.

    Nathaniel stopped. ¡°Is there something else?¡±

    ¡°I heard that the doctor treating your grandfather is very skilled. Can you tell me who she is?¡± Lily asked.

    Mentioning this made Nathaniel¡¯s anger re up. ¡°Skilled? She¡¯s just a fluke! That country bumpkin Tina knows nothing about medicine!¡±

    ¡°Talking about her brings bad luck!¡± Nathaniel didn¡¯t want to talk to Lily anymore and turned to leave.

    Lily stood there in disbelief, unable to believe her ears. Tina? The one who performed surgery on Logan was Tina? How could that be? Even if she knew some basic medicine, surgery was a whole different level. But ording to the hospital staff, Tina¡¯s medical skills were remarkable? No! She couldn¡¯t believe it! They must have exaggerated Tina¡¯s abilities!

    Lily gritted her teeth and pushed open the door to the ward, where she saw Arthur Hazel and his wife still lingering.

    Logany on the bed, already asleep.

    ¡°Miss Ward!¡±

    The Farrell family didn¡¯t interact much with the Ward family, but Hazel had heard about Lily from friends. Coming from a family of medical professionals, Lily¡¯s reputation was quite impressive.

    ¡°Hello.¡± Lily greeted politely. ¡°I heard about Mr. Farrell¡¯s ident and came specifically to check on him.¡±

    ¡°d you¡¯re here; I didn¡¯t know what to do.¡± Hazel quickly walked up to her as if grasping at a lifeline. ¡°Since the surgery, he¡¯s had no appetite and has been sleeping excessively. Could Tina have made a mistake during surgery?¡±

    ¡°Miss Ward, please take a look!¡±

    Lily was still reeling from being overshadowed by Tina but felt somewhatforted by this news. She knew Tina couldn¡¯t possibly handle surgery properly; she must be all show and no substance. Just after surgery and already showing symptoms-there must have been mistakes during the procedure.

    She pretended to examine Logan seriously before looking up sternly. ¡°You said Tina performed the surgery? Does she even have a medical license? How dare she perform surgery without one!¡±

    Hazel was stunned by her question and turned to Arthur. ¡°Right! Tina doesn¡¯t even have a medical license! How could she perform surgery?¡±

    Arthur, who had been silent until now, pped his thigh in regret. ¡°That little witch fooled us all! She¡¯s not even a doctor and dared to operate-she¡¯s risking his life!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    ¡°Surgery is serious business; any mistake can be fatal,¡± Lily added fuel to the fire. ¡°Miss Reed¡¯s actions were reckless.¡±

    Just then, Tina walked in after finishing some tasks.

    Seeing Arthur and Hazel still there and noticing Lily Ward, Tina frowned slightly.

    ¡°Grandfather said he wanted to rest.¡±

    She crossed her arms and coldly observed the couple without acknowledging Lily Ward.

    ¡°Stop pretending!¡± Hazel straightened up after hearing Lily¡¯s words. ¡°Miss Ward said you don¡¯t even have a medical license! You have no right to perform surgery! That¡¯s grounds for imprisonment!¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re up to no good,¡± Arthur angrily pointed at Tina¡¯s nose. ¡°Are you trying to kill him?¡±

    Tina nced at him, making Arthur hastily withdraw his finger. Remembering how she had previously subdued him filled him with an inexplicable fear; he felt intimidated by her presence.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a license?¡± Tina sneered at Lily Ward with arms crossed. ¡°Do you know me well enough?¡±

    Lily felt uneasy under her gaze; she hadn¡¯t actually checked whether Tina had a license but had assumed so based on Hazel¡¯sints about Logan¡¯s condition.

    ¡°Can you honestly say there were no issues with your surgery?¡± She pointed at Logan on the bed, raising her voice. ¡°Mr. Farrell is still unconscious-isn¡¯t that proof enough?¡±

    Tinaughed as if hearing a joke.

    ¡°What are youughing at? Treating patients is serious business-are you treating lives like they¡¯re worthless?¡± Lily shouted angrily.

    Damn Tina! How dare she mock me!

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    Before Tina could respond, Logan suddenly opened his eyes. ¡°What nonsense! Who says our Tina isn¡¯t skilled?¡±

    Lily was stunned into silence seeing Logan awake; Hazel had said he was lethargic and unresponsive-how could he be so alert now?

    ¡°Mr. Farrell¡­¡±

    She quicklyposed herself. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Should I not be?¡± Logan retorted angrily. ¡°You all gave me a headache with your arguing; I pretended to sleep just to avoid it but heard everything you said about Tina!¡±

    He shot an annoyed nce at Lily Ward, hinting at something deeper. ¡°Some people may have impressive titles ande from prestigious families but can¡¯t even tell if someone¡¯s pretending or genuinely unconscious!¡±

    Lily blushed with embarrassment under Logan¡¯s sarcastic criticism; how could she have known that Tina truly had such skills to restore Logan so effectively?

 Chapter 292: Uncle, You Can Send Them Away Now

    In front of Logan Farrell, she didn¡¯t dare to show any displeasure and forced a smile. ¡°I must have been mistaken. Miss Reed¡¯s medical skills are indeed exceptional and beyond ordinary reach.¡±

    Even she had to consider whether she couldplete this surgery.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Logan snorted, ncing at her sideways. ¡°Just look at who our Tina is; there¡¯s nothing she can¡¯t do!¡±

    The youngest dual-degree PhD, a master perfumer, a design genius, and a medical expert-Tina¡¯s des were so numerous that they made Lily Ward feel envious.

    Lily Ward was almost too jealous to maintain her smile, forcing herself not to let her anger show. ¡°Since Miss Reed is so capable, why not join me at the medical conference at the end of the month?¡±

    Why should Tina have everything and be praised for it? She wasn¡¯t going to let Tina have her way.

    Medicine was her domain, bolstered by her family¡¯s background-something Tina could never match. Moreover, she had published numerous medical papers and established a reputation in the industry, yet she had never heard of Tina¡¯s name.

    Logan¡¯s sessful surgery was purely due to Tina¡¯s luck. When it came to research projects, Lily Ward was confident she would achieve overwhelming victory.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Tina replied expressionlessly.

    ¡°No need to be polite with me,¡± Lily Ward thought Tina was pretending to decline and eagerly persuaded her. ¡°This conference has a high threshold; it¡¯s not something just anyone can attend.¡±

    ¡°For Mr. Farrell¡¯s sake, I can secure a spot for Miss Reed.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tina nodded slightly, her reaction very calm. ¡°Too bad I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    She didn¡¯t care about a medical conference. Such an opportunity might be rare for Lily Ward, but it was nothing special for her.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Tina isn¡¯t interested, and neither is our Farrell family,¡± Logan stood unconditionally by Tina¡¯s side. ¡°Miss Ward, don¡¯t waste your efforts here. You¡¯d better focus on your own projects and not dy their progress.¡±

    ¡°And you two,¡± Logan Farrell turned his gaze to Arthur and Hazel, who had been silent. ¡°Stop bothering Tina all the time!¡±

    ¡°As long as I¡¯m around, I won¡¯t let you bully Tina!¡±

    ¡°Dad,¡± Hazel said unwillingly. ¡°We are just worried about your health in case¡­¡±

    Logan interrupted her directly, ignoring her exnation. ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®in case.¡¯ With Tina here, my health will be fine! If you have a problem with Tina, you have a problem with me. If you want me to kick you out of the house, then go ahead and target Tina!¡±

    With Logan Farrell making his stance clear, Arthur and Hazel had nothing more to say. Especially Arthur, who feared saying another word might get him kicked out; he quickly dragged Hazel away.

    Lily Ward couldn¡¯t believe how much Logan trusted Tina, but the facts were undeniable.

    ¡°Miss Ward,¡± Logan Farrell nced up before closing his eyes again. ¡°You¡¯re not wee here. Please leave.¡±

    Lily Ward was usually well-received, especially among elders who praised her as smart and promising. Now that Logan treated her this way, her face turned sour.

    ¡°Well then, Mr. Farrell, take care,¡± Lily Ward suppressed her anger and said lightly. ¡°I¡¯ll visit another day.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t show weakness in front of Tina or let the other see herself as inferior.

    However, little did she know that neither Logan Farrell nor Tina considered her worth their time or attention.

    Lily Ward left the room in a daze and ran into Jared Farrell on his way back.

    Seeing she was still there darkened Jared Farrell¡¯s expression visibly.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell¡­¡± Seeing Jared again reignited hope in Lily Ward¡¯s eyes.

    She believed no one of her age could match her in medicine; as long as she held research projects in hand, he would surely notice her.

    ¡°The project you assigned me has made significant progress recently. When will youe to the institute to see the results?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Jared replied indifferently. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to check it out.¡±

    His mentor¡¯s research was a regret for Jared; he wanted toplete it but didn¡¯t want too much contact with Lily Ward.

    His girl had already imed him; anyone Tina disliked wouldn¡¯t get any favor from him either.

    He said he¡¯d send someone rather than go himself-a response that clearly disappointed Lily Ward.

    ¡°But this project was personally assigned by you,¡± she insisted unwillingly. ¡°Others won¡¯t understand its importance.¡±

    Mr. Daryl had appointed her as the lead because of her abilities and knowledge.

    Lily believed she held a special ce in his heart that others couldn¡¯tpare to. Only she understood what he wanted and the deeper meaning behind the research.

    Jared¡¯s cold gaze slid over her face slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡±

    That look sent Lily plummeting into despair; she saw indifference and distance in his eyes-an unreachable gap.

    ¡°I understand¡­¡±

    She could only agree reluctantly and left with her bag.

    Back in the room, Jared found that Tina had put Logan back to sleep.

    Seeing Jared enter, Tina nced up briefly before turning away again.

    His Tina seemed angry but didn¡¯t know why.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared walked over and held her gently. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t like beating around the bush and asked directly, ¡°Did you give my mother¡¯s research to Lily Ward?¡±

    Though she¡¯d heard about it before, she wanted confirmation from Jared himself despite being able to find out easily through investigation.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jared realized why she was upset immediately upon seeing her expression change. ¡°If it makes you unhappy, I¡¯ll take it back.¡±

    He had appointed Lily because of her family¡¯s background and barely adequate medical skills at that time.

    If his Tina was angry because of this matter, dropping Lily Ward wouldn¡¯t be an issue at all.

    ¡°No need.¡±

    Tina leaned into his embrace, feeling Jared¡¯s warmth. ¡°Let her continue slowly researching.¡±

    After all, she¡¯d alreadypleted her mother¡¯s research long ago and even deepened it further.

    Lily¡¯s work held no significance for her; itgged far behind what she¡¯d achieved already.

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Jared kissed the top of her head tenderly. ¡°Whatever you say goes.¡±

    As they enjoyed this rare moment alone together, the door suddenly burst open.

    Eight brothers except Hayden Cohen filed in one after another; seeing Tina in Jared¡¯s arms made them so furious they nearly spat blood.

    ¡°What are you doing! Let go of Serena now!¡±

 Chapter 293: Should She Pounce on Him?

    Dexter and his seven brothers stood at the door, almost furious enough to explode! That despicable man! How dare he take liberties with Serena! Did he really think they were pushovers?

    Jared Farrellzily leaned back in his chair, his long fingers still resting on Tina¡¯s shoulder, and said nonchntly, ¡°Didn¡¯t your family teach you to knock before entering someone else¡¯s house?¡± His cold eyes lifted slightly. ¡°Or did they not teach you not to disturb a resting patient?¡±

    He was very tired and sleeping soundly. If these people disturbed his rest, he would definitely teach them a lesson.

    The eight men stiffened. They had rushed in and, upon seeing Jared Farrell kissing Serena, couldn¡¯t control their anger and raised their voices. Although they felt a bit guilty for disturbing Logan¡¯s rest, their remaining guilt vanished when they saw Jared Farrell¡¯s hand still on Tina.

    ¡°Take your hand off Serena,¡± Wesley Soames said, clenching his fists until his knuckles cracked. He exuded a dangerous aura. He hadn¡¯t fought in years but didn¡¯t mind trying it out on Jared Farrell.

    The others were also ready to fight, angrily shouting, ¡°Let go! Are you looking for death?¡± Despite their anger, they kept their voices low to avoid disturbing Logan.

    Jared Farrell tightened his grip on Tina slightly and raised his chin. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t your fathers teach you enough of a lessonst time?¡±

    The eight men¡¯s faces changed simultaneously. Before they could react, Jared Farrell pulled out his phone, ready to make a call.

    Wesley Soames roared in frustration, ¡°Jared Farrell! Are you even a man? Always tattling when there¡¯s trouble? If you have guts, fight me one-on-one! I¡¯ll knock your teeth out!¡±

    He despised men who touched his Serena and those who tattled. Jared Farrell was both!

    Jared Farrell¡¯s lips curled up slightly as he said slowly, ¡°Tina taught me to be civilized. I prefer solving problems in a civilized manner.¡± With that, he pressed the call button.

    The eight brothers were speechless. What a dog!

    ¡°Wait,¡± Tina suddenly spoke up after watching quietly.

    The eight brothers raised their chins challengingly at Jared Farrell. No matter how close he was to Serena, they were still more important to her.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Jared Farrell looked aggrieved.

    ¡°I have a question,¡± Tina said.

    ¡°Philip,¡± Tina looked up and asked, ¡°I remember you have tools for opening special safes?¡±

    Philip patted his chest andughed, ¡°Of course I do. Do you need them, Serena?¡±

    Tina nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone send them over right away,¡± he said as he pulled out his phone to contact his subordinates. ¡°I need a set of tools for opening safes delivered immediately-no dys!¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    After making the call, Tina nodded in satisfaction and turned to Jared Farrell. ¡°You can kick them out now.¡±

    Jared Farrell was speechless. Using him and then discarding him without hesitation-that was so Tina! But he liked it!

    The eight brothers were dumbfounded. Serena, how could you do this? We are on the same side! Those other men are all liars!

    Jared Farrell¡¯s smile returned as he looked at the groaning brothers. ¡°Not leaving?¡±

    ¡°Serena, you¡¯ve changed,¡± Tristan said indignantly but couldn¡¯t bring himself to be angry at Tina. ¡°How can you help an outsider deceive us!¡±

    Gavin pounded his chest in frustration, wanting to grab Jared Farrell-the culprit behind all this. ¡°What did Jared Farrell do to brainwash you? Don¡¯t fall for his tricks!¡±

    ¡°We are the ones who truly care about you; that man is just after your beauty!¡± The brothersined bitterly as Tina ignored them and let Jared Farrell have them thrown out.

    Logan was still sleeping. After checking on him and finding everything fine, Tina left the hospital with Jared Farrell.

    Since Nathan Lehman was hospitalized, Hayden Cohen took over driving duties. However, because Jared Farrell and Tina needed some time in the ward, Hayden Cohen had some errands to run.

    When Tina saw the car in the parking lot, she opened the door directly. Jared Farrell, who was about to go to the driver¡¯s seat, changed direction and followed her into the car.

    He held her hand and asked softly, ¡°Tina, did you like the photos?¡± He hadn¡¯t forgotten about her looking at pictures of muscr mente into the night yesterday and stared intently at her.

    Tina looked him up and down slowly before answering calmly, ¡°Yes. They were more impressive than you.¡±

    Jared Farrell was momentarily speechless but then ced her hand on his chest. ¡°I¡¯m not impressive?¡±

    As Tina¡¯s hand brushed over Jared¡¯s body through his shirt, she felt the firm muscles underneath. The saying ¡°clothes make the man¡± seemed true; her wolfish uncle was no less impressive than those men in the photos.

    With well-defined chest muscles and solid abs¡­ As she touched him more, her heartbeat quickened. Meeting Jared¡¯s intense gaze made her blush even more.

    Cough! Should she pounce on her uncle or not? To pounce or not?

    The temperature inside the car rose gradually as their distance closed.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell!¡± At that moment when they were about to kiss, Hayden Cohen suddenly opened the car door. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me you left the ward¡­¡±

    He stopped mid-sentence upon seeing what was happening inside the car and froze in ce.

    What had he just seen?! Serena¡¯s hand was on Jared Farrell¡¯s chest!

    Jared Farrell¡¯s expression turned icy as he red at Hayden Cohen. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Hayden Cohen snapped back to reality quickly and stammered, ¡°Nothing! Nothing! Continue!¡±

    He had just finished handling some matters and called Mr. Farrell to ask if they were leaving. When Mr. Farrell didn¡¯t answer, he went to Logan¡¯s ward only to find out they had already left. So he came to the parking lot and saw people inside the car but couldn¡¯t see clearly what they were doing from outside-so he opened the door without thinking.

    Who would¡¯ve thought Mr. Farrell and Serena would be doing such things in broad daylight?! Mr. Farrell really didn¡¯t consider him an outsider-didn¡¯t he know that Hayden Cohen was one of Serena¡¯s nine protective brothers too?

    He wanted so badly to fulfill his promise of taking down any man who dared touch Serena-but damn it-he didn¡¯t dare!

 Chapter 294: Hayden Cohen, You Are in Danger

    ¡°Are you idle?¡± Jared Farrell raised an eyebrow, his voice colder than his expression. ¡°Was thest training not enough?¡±

    Hayden Cohen was full of grievances. ¡°Mr. Farrell! Please be humane!¡±

    Thest grueling training session nearly skinned him alive. He didn¡¯t even know how he managed to crawl out of that hellish ce.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a faint smile ying on his lips.

    Saying he wasn¡¯t human? Very well!

    Hayden Cohen¡¯s knees almost buckled, nearly dropping to the ground. ¡°I was wrong. Last time I helped you chase away your brother. Even if there¡¯s no merit, there¡¯s hard work!¡±

    Jared Farrell gave him a look, and he immediately backed out like a sycophant. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now! Right away!¡±

    Hayden Cohen closed the car door and ran off faster than a rabbit.

    With Hayden Cohen gone, the romantic atmosphere in the car also vanished.

    Leaning back in her seat, Tina got to the point. ¡°By the way, I found surveince cameras and a specially made safe in Jasper¡¯s study.¡±

    Jared Farrell furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°Do you suspect that the safe contains something about your mother?¡±

    ¡°There are many surveince cameras around it. If it weren¡¯t something important, he wouldn¡¯t be so cautious.¡± Tina¡¯s intuition told her that Jasper was definitely hiding something from her.

    Jared Farrell was silent for a moment. ¡°Do you need my help?¡±

    Tina shook her head. ¡°No need, I can handle it myself. If you get involved, it will only arouse his suspicion.¡±

    If Jasper wasn¡¯t as simple as he appeared, any slight disturbance could catch his attention.

    As expected, when she entered Jasper¡¯s room that day, he had already noticed.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Jared Farrell didn¡¯t say more. ¡°If you need help, just let me know.¡±

    He was more than willing to do anything for Tina.

    But his little girl had always been independent and didn¡¯t need him at all.

    He just needed to support her silently from behind.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina said. ¡°Take me home.¡±

    Jared Farrell nodded and opened the car door to get into the driver¡¯s seat.

    He nced at Hayden Cohen, who was standing not far away looking dejectedly, smirked slightly, then got into the driver¡¯s seat and started the car.

    ¡°Hey? Mr. Farrell!¡±

    Hayden Cohen looked up just in time to see Jared Farrell driving away.

    He hurriedly chased after the car, but it was too fast; his two legs couldn¡¯t outrun four wheels.

    In no time at all, Jared Farrell¡¯s car was out of sight.

    ¡°Damn!¡± Hayden Cohen cursed under his breath. ¡°Isn¡¯t this too much? A grown man holding grudges like a woman?¡±

    Just then, his phone rang.

    It was Jared Farrell calling.

    He answered casually but before he could speak, Jared Farrell¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Are you cursing me?¡±

    Hayden Cohen shivered all over and quickly looked around before eximing softly, ¡°Mr. Farrell, where are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m above your head,¡± Jared Farrell¡¯s voice was slow and eerie like a ghost from hell.

    Hayden Cohen looked up; there was nothing above him.

    No way?

    Why couldn¡¯t he see anything?

    Could it be a ghost?

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, stop joking!¡± Hayden Cohen looked like he was about to cry.

    ¡°I see dark clouds over your head; you¡¯re in for some bloodshed. I suggest eating more garlic to ward off evil spirits,¡± Jared Farrell continued in that slow, eerie tone.

    Hayden Cohen was speechless.

    To hell with that!

    Does he really think I¡¯m an idiot?

    Not learning good things but imitating Serena¡¯s tricks!

    Last time at Hugo¡¯s house, when he didn¡¯t know Tina was Serena, he got fooled by her tricks.

    After learning Tina¡¯s identity, he remembered that Serena had used this trick on the mountain before.

    Does Mr. Farrell really think I¡¯ll fall for it again?

    Hayden Cohen angrily hung up the phone and left the parking lot.

    As he reached the hospital entrance, a motorcycle suddenly sped towards him. He dodged quickly but still got hit and fell down.

    ¡°Damn!¡± Hayden Cohen cursed again. ¡°This is cursed!¡±

    Luckily he dodged quickly enough so there were no major injuries but his fragile heart took a hit.

    He quickly got up and went to a small restaurant across from the hospital.

    He pulled out some cash generously saying, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll buy all your garlic! As much as you have!¡±

    The boss looked at him as if he were crazy.

    This is a noodle shop!

    Although most people who eat noodles want some garlic too, no one ever buys all of it!

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Not enough money?¡± Hayden Cohen frowned.

    ¡°No, no,¡± said the boss looking at the stack of bills on the table-ten in total-who would refuse money?

    So he went to get the garlic.

    Hayden Cohen took the garlic and started eating them right away.

    Everyone in the restaurant looked at him like he was crazy.

    After eating ten cloves of garlic, Hayden Cohen couldn¡¯t take it anymore and stopped.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    On his way back because he came to drive for Jared Farrell so there was no car; he had to take a taxi back.

    In the taxi ride back home kept farting!

    Almost suffocating driver!

    Reed family.

    A few dayster Tina was reading magazines at home when Willow and Lily Ward arrived with things.

    They said they came to see Muff but upon seeing Tina leisurely sitting on sofa immediately stopped.

    ¡°So Tina is home too.¡±

    Willow changed her previous high-and-mighty attitude with a warm smile sat next to Tina ¡°I brought crabs freshly flown from Hokkaido why not let servants steam them for you?¡±

    Since hitting cold shoulder at Jasper¡¯s ce Willow realized she couldn¡¯t go on like this anymore.

    Now entire Reed family whether Muff or Jasper treated newly found Tina as treasure.

    If she wanted to be mistress of Reed family she needed Tina¡¯s approval.

    Tina flipped through magazine without lifting her head ¡°No need.¡±

    Willow¡¯s warm gesture met cold response making things awkward but she forced out smile ¡°Tina we had misunderstandings before but those things are past I won¡¯t hold onto them neither should you feel guilty.¡±

    ¡°Guilty?¡± Tina finally looked up coldly at her.

    ¡°Last time Miss Reed caused trouble before my mother¡¯s concert making scene ugly don¡¯t remember?¡± Lily Ward mocked.

    With Muff Jasper even Jared Farrell not around she didn¡¯t bother pretending anymore.

    What does this country bumpkin know about high-ss music? Letting her attend Willow¡¯s concert was already elevating her status.

    Tina remained silent for a moment then nced at them indifferently ¡°An unworthy performance isn¡¯t worth remembering.¡±

    Willow¡¯s face turned ugly ¡°Tina I¡¯m still your elder brought fresh crabs to see you instead of being polite you¡¯re giving attitude?¡±

    ¡°Even if Jasper spoils you can¡¯t abuse his favor,¡± Willow grew angrier ¡°Isn¡¯t this embarrassing Reed family?¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

 Chapter 295: My Daughter Is Not for Others to Discipline

    As soon as Willow finished speaking, Muff and Jasper came downstairs. Jasper¡¯s face was stern as he nced at Willow and Lily Ward in the living room. ¡°The Reed family¡¯s children are not for you to discipline!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Jasper¡­¡± Willow stood up in a panic when she saw them appear. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I just wanted to remind Tina.¡±

    ¡°After all, Tina has been away for a long time without anyone to guide her. She might not be like a properdy¡­¡±

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Muff was so angry that his beard trembled. ¡°What do you mean no one guided her? Our Tina is well-behaved and outstanding. She doesn¡¯t need an outsider like you telling her what to do!¡±

    Muff¡¯s attitude was forceful, and Jasper¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°Ms. Ward, my daughter doesn¡¯t need your guidance.¡±

    ¡°Jasper!¡± Willow hurriedly tried to exin herself. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I had good intentions¡­¡±

    ¡°Mr. Reed, my mother is just concerned about Miss Reed,¡± Lily Ward interjected to support her mother. ¡°We want to resolve past misunderstandings and hope to be friends with Miss Reed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need friends,¡± Tina said as she threw the magazine she was holding onto the table and stood up. ¡°Nor do I need your concern.¡±

    Could she not see through Willow and Lily Ward¡¯s intentions? Did Willow want to take the position of the mistress of the Reed family? As long as she hadn¡¯t figured out whether Jasper had anything to do with her mother¡¯s death, she would remain the eldest daughter of the Reed family, and Willow could forget about bing her stepmother!

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± Lily Ward adjusted her attitude in front of Muff and Jasper. ¡°No matter what you think, you should respect Tina.¡±

    ¡°We are visiting out of respect for Mr. Reed. You should know how to treat guests properly.¡±

    Tina lifted her chin and looked down at her. ¡°You consider yourself a guest?¡±

    With that, Tina turned and went upstairs, leaving Willow and Lily Ward standing there in frustration.

    ¡°Tina doesn¡¯t want to see just anyone,¡± Muff added with a re at them. ¡°If you don¡¯t respect Tina, then the Reed family doesn¡¯t wee you.¡±

    ¡°Jasper, I¡­¡± Willow tried to exin further, but Jasper didn¡¯t even look at her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything more from you. Go back.¡±

    Willow and Lily Ward¡¯s visit did not affect Tina¡¯s mood.

    As soon as she returned to her room, her phone rang.

    When Tina answered, a respectful voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Miss Reed, this is William Johnson. Sorry to bother you for a few minutes. Do you have time at the end of the month?¡±

    William Johnson was a highly authoritative figure in medicine who had provided her with medication assistance when she needed it.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Tina asked as she sat on the edge of her bed, ying with a tool she had recently acquired from Philip¡¯s brothers.

    ¡°There will be a medical conference at the end of the month,¡± William Johnson said respectfully despite his high status and age over sixty. ¡°I would like to invite you on behalf of the institute.¡±

    Tina wasn¡¯t particrly interested in such conferences, but since William Johnson had helped her before and remembering that Lily Ward had mentioned it earlier, she felt a bit intrigued.

    Seeing her silence, William Johnson hurriedly added, ¡°Miss Reed, your contributions to medicine are unmatched. For my sake, could youe even for just half an hour? I¡¯ll fulfill any request you have if you agree!¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    This wasn¡¯t his first time inviting her; previous attempts had been declined. This time he was determined to get Tina¡¯s agreement.

    After a brief consideration, Tina nodded. ¡°Alright! Send me the location.¡±

    Hearing her finally agree, William Johnson was overjoyed. ¡°Great! I¡¯ll inform everyone right away!¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Tina turned her attention back to the tools on the table.

    She needed another opportunity to go into Jasper¡¯s study and open that safe to see what was inside.

    Half an hourter.

    Tina decided to go downstairs to the kitchen for a jar to study an antidote.

    Just as she opened her door, she heard mumbling sounds from a nearby room.

    She walked quietly towards it and saw Griffin squatting inside, breaking apart a bun while feeding a dirty little kitten.

    ¡°Don¡¯t me me for not giving you cat treats,¡± Griffin mumbled as he fed the kitten, seemingly unaware of anyone outside the door. ¡°me that Tina! If it weren¡¯t for her tricking me out of $12 million, I wouldn¡¯t be in this mess!¡±

    Talking about it made him angry.

    Back when they were bidding on raw stones at the market, if Tina hadn¡¯t deliberately raised bids against him, he wouldn¡¯t have impulsively spent over $12 million on an average piece of jade.

    Thinking about that jade made Griffin grit his teeth.

    He initially thought Tina was just a naive girl from the countryside pretending to understand stone gambling like them.

    To teach her a lesson, he kept raising his bid against hers but ended up falling into her trap instead.

    Griffin angrily broke apart another bun piece and almost shoved it into his own mouth. ¡°Now I can only let you suffer temporarily. Once I win some money frompetitions, I¡¯ll buy you good food.¡±

    The little kitten sniffed at the bun piece on the ground but turned its head away in disdain.

    Who would want such hard bread? Even though it had been wandering outside for a long time, it found it hard to swallow.

    ¡°You little picky eater!¡± Griffin couldn¡¯t help but stroke its head; the kitten immediately rubbed against his pants affectionately.

    He had found this kitten near some bushes by the Reed family¡¯s house; seeing how skinny and dirty it was had softened his heart enough to bring it home.

    But now he was broke because that worthless jade had drained three years¡¯ worth of his allowance plus some debts.

    He could only freeload at the Reed family mansion without daring to go out or splurge-let alone buy food for the kitten. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sneak into Tina¡¯s room? She must have something good after opening Imperial Green jade-maybe even some tasty treats.¡±

    Tina standing at the door: ¡°¡­¡±

    Do you think I¡¯m deaf?

    ¡°Meow¡­¡± The kitten meowed twice in agreement with Griffin¡¯s suggestion while he sighed deeply again: ¡°Forget it! We may be poor but we still have principles-no stealing! It¡¯s hical! I¡¯ll check if there¡¯s anything edible in our kitchen.¡±

    With that said he turned around only then noticing Tina standing outside which made him fume instantly rushing towards her angrily: ¡°What are YOU doing here? Haven¡¯t caused enough trouble already?¡±

    ¡°You jinx! Ever since bringing you back nothing good has happened!¡±

    Tina nced at him indifferently: ¡°You brought this upon yourself.¡±

    ¡°How can I not me you!¡± Griffin¡¯s temper red almost grabbing Tina by cor: ¡°If not for your trap how could I lose all my money!¡±

    ¡°Anyone with half-a-brain could tell that jade wasn¡¯t worth much-you deliberately opposed me making me waste over $12 million!¡±

    In his mind everything wrong stemmed from Tina; he saw himself purely as victim deceived by her tricks.

 Chapter 296: Medical Exchange Conference

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Even a fool can see that?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Griffin shouted angrily.

    Tina¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile as she asked, ¡°And who is the fool?¡±

    ¡°The fool is you!¡±

    ¡°Yes, the fool is you!¡± Tina¡¯s smile deepened.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me¡­ wait,¡± Griffin realized he had been tricked again and pointed at her in frustration. ¡°You set me up again!¡±

    How could he fall into Tina¡¯s traps time and time again? He couldn¡¯t understand where she got the ability to make him look foolish every single time.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that bored,¡± she said, ncing at the kitten following Griffin before slowly retracting her gaze. ¡°Instead of arguing with me, why don¡¯t you take better care of your cat?¡±

    With that, she turned and walked toward her room.

    Griffin watched her back, shaking his fist in anger. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me! I¡¯ll take good care of my cat!¡±

    After shouting, he lowered his head. Good cat food and snacks cost money, and he didn¡¯t know where to get it. Everyone in the Reed family knew about him spending over a million dors on a worthless piece of jade. His mother, Luna, had already scolded him thoroughly and wouldn¡¯t give him another cent.

    While Griffin was fretting over this, Tina returned to her room and quickly ced an order for a bunch of items on her phone.

    The next day.

    Griffin woke upte and immediately thought about the kitten he was raising in the spare room. He hurriedly ran to the room and saw several bags of cat food next to the makeshift cat bed made from his clothes.

    ¡°What is this¡­¡±

    Griffin incredulously picked up the cat food and cans; they were all well-reviewed and expensive brands. Who would be so kind as to buy food for his kitten?

    He looked around and saw a shadow sh past the door. He quickly chased after it and saw Tina leisurely turning a corner.

    He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes!

    It was Tina!

    Griffin pped himself to make sure he wasn¡¯t seeing things but still couldn¡¯t believe it was real.

    Impossible!

    How could Tina help him? Yesterday she was still arguing with him. Help him? She must be out of her mind!

    Griffin shook his head and returned to the room with the kitten, trying to push this thought out of his mind.

    For some time after that, Tina stayed out of trouble in the Reed family. Besides visiting Logan at the hospital daily, she spent her time researching an antidote at the Reed family estate. The person who wanted to kill Jared Farrell was poisoned, but they hadn¡¯t found all the necessary herbs yet. While she could stabilize his vital signs, she couldn¡¯t guarantee there wouldn¡¯t be anyplications. So she used what herbs she had to start working on an antidote.

    Logan had almost fully recovered after a few days of rest but decided to stay in the hospital longer to avoid seeing people from the Farrell family.

    Before they knew it, it was the end of the month. Today was the day of the medical research conference, so Tina left at noon. William Johnson valued her highly and had arranged for someone to pick her up, but she didn¡¯t want to draw attention and took a cab instead.

    The attendees at this conference were all medical experts from prestigious schools who had published papers in medical journals; each one was a pir of their field. Tina kept a low profile in her jeans and t-shirt; few people recognized her, so no one bothered her. She enjoyed the peace, sitting in a corner ying on her phone while waiting for the conference to start.

    ¡°Miss Reed?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t been sitting quietly for long when someone spoke in surprise.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina looked up to see Lily Ward standing before her.

    ¡°Miss Reed, didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want toe to this conference?¡± Lily Ward looked at her with a mix of surprise and mockery as if watching a joke unfold. ¡°Last time I invited you personally, but you declined.¡±

    ¡°And yet here you are, unable to resist this rare opportunity,¡± Lily Ward continued sarcastically.

    Tina couldn¡¯t be bothered with her and continued ying on her phone. ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed, some things are self-evident,¡± Lily Ward said arrogantly. ¡°Attending this conference is an honor for any medical professional. You may not want to admit it, but you have no choice.¡±

    She raised her head proudly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you managed to get in here, but I earned my ce through skill and ability.¡±

    In Lily Ward¡¯s eyes, Tina was just an unqualified doctor who must have used connections to get in. There was a world of difference between them; no matter how skilled Tina might be in some areas, she could never match Lily¡¯s academic achievements.

    ¡°I advise you to stay quiet,¡± Lily Ward said smugly as she looked down at Tina from above. ¡°Otherwise, once people find out you don¡¯t belong here, you¡¯ll be kicked out immediately!¡±

    Tina frowned slightly but continued ying on her phone without much reaction. ¡°Are you done talking?¡±

    Seeing that Tina didn¡¯t even look at her properly made Lily Ward¡¯s face turn red with anger; veins bulged on her neck.

    Just as she was about to argue further with Tina, someone nearby recognized Lily Ward and excitedly approached.

    ¡°You¡¯re Miss Ward! I just read your paper; your new theory is incredible!¡±

    ¡°Oh my god! You¡¯re Ethan Ward¡¯s daughter-the legendary medical prodigy! It¡¯s such an honor to meet you here!¡±

    Lily Ward basked in their praises like she was floating on air. Though usuallyposed when receivingpliments today before Tina felt especially triumphant being surrounded by admirers.

    So what if Tina managed Logan¡¯s surgery?

    In front of Lily Ward-a genius from a prestigious medical family-Tina had no choice but to bow down.

    ¡°Thank you all,¡± Lily Ward said modestly while ncing sideways at Tina with pride. ¡°I¡¯ve made some small contributions; nothing too impressive.¡±

    ¡°My research and papers werepleted step by step,¡± she continued humbly yet proudly. ¡°Thank you for your praise; I hope we can learn from each other.¡±

    Hearing this made everyone even more eager to praise her further.

    ¡°Miss Ward is too modest! The Ward family is one of Ashbury¡¯s four great families; you¡¯re also its youngest Ph. D. holder!¡±

    ¡°Exactly! At twenty-two years old you¡¯ve published so many papers and won numerous awards-who else could achieve that?¡±

    Not to mention leading projects that brought significant value through patents for the Ward family-everyone knew about Lily Ward in medical circles.

    If not for needing decorum amidst admirers today-Lily¡¯s chin might well reach skyward by now.

    Yes indeed-how could Tinapare?

    Just then William Johnson took stage announcing start-time inviting Lily Ward up first sharingtest paper findings:

    ¡°Miss Ward-a rising star within our field-will now present new research results.¡±

 Chapter 297: Is She the Medical Legend Laura?

    Lily Ward turned around and stepped onto the stage as soon as she heard her name. Taking the microphone, she confidently looked at the audience. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call myself a rising star,¡± she said, ncing deliberately at Tina sitting in the corner. ¡°I¡¯ve merely made a small discovery in medicine, and today, in front of all these esteemed seniors, I dare to share my thoughts.¡±

    She then presented her paper, emphasizing her new theory. The audience erupted in apuse, praising her work. Only Tina, sitting in the corner, remained focused on her game, seemingly uninterested in Lily¡¯s presentation.

    Lily Ward smirked inwardly and continued speaking into the microphone. ¡°Compared to the achievements of all the professors here, mine are insignificant. I heard that Miss Tina Reed from the Reed family recently performed a highly challenging surgery on Logan, something no one else in the country could aplish.¡±

    She provocatively looked at Tina and said slowly, ¡°With such exceptional surgical skills, Miss Reed must have profound insights into medicine. Why don¡¯t youe up and share some of your medical experiences with us?¡±

    Lily Ward¡¯s words shifted everyone¡¯s attention to Tina.

    ¡°Miss Reed from the Reed family performed Mr. Farrell¡¯s surgery? No way, did I hear that right?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of any papers from her. How could she perform such a difficult surgery? She must be bluffing!¡±

    ¡°Could Miss Ward be mistaken? Miss Reed is only neen this year. How could she have the ability to perform surgery? Her hands would probably shake holding a scalpel!¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Tina slowly lifted her gaze. Her hands would shake holding a scalpel? She smirked slightly and looked at Lily Ward on stage. She hadn¡¯t intended to engage with her, but since Lily insisted on provoking her, she had no choice but to respond.

    Tina put away her phone and walked up to the stage with a faint smile. ¡°Mr. Farrell¡¯s surgery wasn¡¯t particrly difficult. If you¡¯re interested, I don¡¯t mind exining it.¡±

    Seeing Tina approach nonchntly without any sign of panic, Lily Ward felt uneasy. What was going on? Why wasn¡¯t she afraid?

    Lily had researched Tina online and found no published papers or research achievements under her name. Rxing slightly, Lily smiled at Tina and said, ¡°Then please enlighten us, Miss Reed. We are all ears.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t anything particrly noteworthy for Tina to exin.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell¡¯s wound was near his heart, and he had underlying conditions thatplicated matters¡­¡± Tina spoke confidently on stage. The more she exined, the worse Lily Ward¡¯s expression became.

    What was happening?! Tina¡¯s knowledge was astonishingly deep; even medical PhDs couldn¡¯t match her.

    ¡°I proposed the DNA replication theory. By replicating DNA through specific methods, many problems can be solved,¡± Tina said with a shrug. ¡°This technology has already been realized and will soon be put into practical use.¡±

    Though she spoke casually, the audience was in an uproar.

    ¡°This technology has been realized?! Isn¡¯t that another milestone in medical history?!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?! DNA replication technology! Could she be the legendary Laura?!¡±

    ¡°Oh my God! Am I dreaming? I¡¯m actually seeing her in person!¡±

    Lily Ward stood beside them, too shocked to speak.

    Laura?! Tina is Laura?!

    Wasn¡¯t Laura her long-time medical idol? In the medicalmunity, no one hadn¡¯t heard of Laura¡¯s name. As a legendary figure in the field, every paper Laura published was considered essential reading for medical professionals.

    Her theories were innovative and unique, and her developed technologies held extraordinary value; any one of them could bring immense benefits.

    Everyone in the medical field wanted to meet Laura, but she was low-key and rarely appeared in public, so few knew what she looked like or connected this legend with a neen-year-old girl.

    ¡°Miss Reed, may I have your autograph? Or perhaps we could have a brief conversation?¡±

    Talking with a medical legend was a dreame true for anyone in medicine. Even five minutes would be incredibly beneficial, far more than what they could learn in ss.

    The crowd surrounded Tina eagerly, hoping to hear more about her research achievements and not wanting to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

    ¡°No way! Tina can¡¯t possibly be Laura¡­¡±

    Standing nearby, Lily Ward clenched her fists tightly, unable to ept what was happening. People who had praised her moments ago now seemed eager to worship Tina; jealousy made her eyes red.

    ¡°Miss Reed may have some insights into medicine,¡± she tried to maintainposure and regain control of the situation, ¡°but how could she be the legendary Laura?¡±

    ¡°When Laura published her papers, Miss Reed was just a child! Such jokes shouldn¡¯t be made lightly; I hope Miss Reed can rify this.¡±

    Tina stood among the crowd with folded arms and indifferent eyes.

    Laura was a name her mother once used to publish many medical patents. Tina adopted this name for publishing papers both to honor her mother and because she disliked attracting unnecessary attention.

    She never felt the need to rify or exin anything to others.

    William Johnson stepped forward sternly and retorted, ¡°Miss Reed¡¯s abilities are beyond doubt. Her papers are entirely her own work; she even assisted me during my experiments. Can such talent be faked?¡±

    He disyed Tina¡¯s papers and awards on the screen for everyone to see.

    William Johnson was a highly respected senior figure in the medical field; his words carried weight. Moreover, Tina¡¯s achievements were top-notch within the industry-no one could match them.

    Fake it? Who could help her fake it?

    ¡°Indeed! Laura¡¯s capabilities are well-known.¡± The audience sided with Tina and began defending her. ¡°If Miss Ward doesn¡¯t believe it, perhaps she should reflect on why she can¡¯t produce such research results herself?¡±

    ¡°Some people are just jealous; that¡¯s why they question Laura¡¯s papers without considering their own worth!¡±

    ¡°If youck ability, just shut up instead of chattering here annoying everyone!¡±

 Chapter 298: Going to the Racing Game with Juliet Reed

    Lily Ward had never experienced such cold treatment before. She used to be a rising star in the medical field, butpared to Tina, she felt like a chicken facing a phoenix, not even worthy of a single strand of Tina¡¯s hair.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I just¡­¡±

    Lily Ward wanted to defend herself, but Tina didn¡¯t give her the chance. ¡°Miss Ward, didn¡¯t you ask me for advice and insights?¡±

    ¡°Just now, I listened to your paper. Didn¡¯t you realize that your new theory is wrong?¡±

    Lily Ward¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at Tina beside her. She wanted nothing more than to tear that mouth of hers apart. Her theory was wrong?! What a joke! Even if she were Laura, so what? Does that mean she can intentionally spread false information and discredit her paper? Her research findings were recognized by industry professionals and even received awards as soon as they were published.

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± William Johnson respectfully inquired, ¡°where exactly is the problem with Miss Ward¡¯s paper?¡±

    Tina casually replied, ¡°The experimental data was affected by environmental factors. Temperature and humidity are both important reference factors. Miss Ward only focused on temperature during the experiment and neglected the fact that the recent weather has been hot and humid, causing deviations from the set data.¡±

    She looked at Lily Ward, whose face was turning pale, and sneered, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Miss Ward¡¯s variables were also wed, right?¡±

    Even someone who wasn¡¯t an expert would know that conducting experiments under such conditions would inevitably result in inurate data. She pointed out several ws that even the professors and researchers present hadn¡¯t noticed, immediately causing everyone to express their admiration.

    ¡°No wonder you¡¯re Laura. You immediately spotted the problem. I won¡¯t be able to reach this level even if I study for another twenty years!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d I attended this research meeting today. Otherwise, I would regret it!¡±

    William Johnson nodded repeatedly as he listened and then turned to Lily Ward, whose face was turning iron-gray. ¡°Miss Ward, there will always be someone better than you. Miss Reed¡¯s abilities far surpass yours. It¡¯s ridiculous for you to doubt her knowledge.¡±

    Lily Ward felt like she had lost all face. She wished she could dig a hole right there and disappear forever. She was a renowned medical doctor and a pride of the Ward family. But in front of Tina, her knowledge and reputation meant nothing. It was like a snowke disappearing when it touched the sun.

    ¡°Miss Reed, may I have a moment of your time?¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed, could you please take a look at my paper? It won¡¯t take much of your time!¡±

    No one paid any attention to Lily Ward anymore. Instead, they surrounded Tina, eager to receive even a bit of guidance from her.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m currently busy.¡± Tina said and walked away.

    As Lily Ward watched her leave, her gaze became increasingly malicious. Why did Tina effortlessly steal away the recognition that belonged to her? Even Jared Farrell¡¯s attention remained focused on Tina. All the glory and admiration went to her while Lily Ward waspletely ignored.

    Lily Ward had never felt so defeated before. She clenched her teeth and burned with hatred. She wouldn¡¯t lose to Tina! She would make Tina understand that there could only be one legend in the medical field, and only she, Lily Ward, was worthy of Jared Farrell¡¯s attention. If Tina tried to stop her, she would kick away this stumbling block and destroy itpletely!

    The medical research meeting hadn¡¯t ended yet when Tina left first and returned home to the Reed family.

    ¡°Tina!¡±

    As soon as she arrived home, Juliet Reed caught her in the living room doing nothing and eagerly pulled her into the room.

    ¡°I was suffocating without you here! You have no idea how bored I am!¡±

    Since their encounterte at nightst time, Juliet Reed had be very familiar with Tina and treated her like a friend. Juliet Reed rarely stayed at home due to her busy work schedule, but during this break period, she frequently appeared.

    Unfortunately, Luna kept a close eye on her and didn¡¯t let her wander around freely. Juliet Reed spent all day at home feeling like she was going crazy.

    Juliet Reedy down on the soft bed and propped up her chin as she asked Tina sitting beside her, ¡°Tina, how did you like the photos I gave you? If you liked them, I still have a bunch more!¡±

    ¡°Good things should be shared with everyone. Don¡¯t worry; I can keep secrets.¡±

    Tina sat in her room without feeling constrained andzily replied, ¡°They were alright.¡±

    The nude photos were indeed good, but unfortunately, her uncle found them very suspicious and confiscated them all before burning them. He even offered his own services if she needed them.

    ¡°But I got a little tired of them.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    Juliet Reed rested her chin on her hands and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re already engaged; it¡¯s better to see real people than look at those photos.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±

    Juliet Reed smiled mischievously as she said, ¡°It¡¯s great! When will I meet my other half¡­¡±

    Juliet Reed suddenly seemed lost in thought while saying this. Although she was now a top actress in the entertainment industry with numerous awards under her belt, she had faced many difficulties when she first entered the industry.

    She remembered hiding her identity as a member of the Reed family when she made guest appearances in various TV dramas. At one point, someone drugged her and took her to someone important¡¯s bed.

    She was unconscious at the time and couldn¡¯t resist; she thought she would lose her innocence then and there.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    But instead of touching her, that important person dealt with the person who drugged her severely.

    When she woke up and wanted to thank him, there was no one in the room; she didn¡¯t even see his face clearly.

    Juliet Reed had kept this incident in mind all these years; even now, she couldn¡¯t forget about that person.

    If she could meet him again, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to tell him everything on her mind.

    ¡°Tina, do you believe in love at first sight?¡±

    Juliet Reed immersed herself in memories and couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Tina paused for a moment; not knowing what came to mind; hesitated for a few seconds before saying: ¡°It depends on the person.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure why Jared Farrell¡¯s face suddenly appeared in her mind. Since finding out that Jared Farrell was Wolf Uncle, their distance had been getting closer and closer.

    She had never trusted someone so much before; she even told him about her mother¡¯s situation.

    This rare feeling left Tina feeling confused; asional palpitations stirred up her emotions.

    Juliet Reed smiled as she curled up on the bed again. ¡°I believe in love at first sight. If we meet again, I will definitely win him over!¡±

    After saying this with a sigh again, Juliet Reed suddenly sat up excitedly and turned to Tina saying: ¡°By the way! There¡¯s a racing game in the North District today. Why don¡¯t we go watch it together?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t sit still for even a minute; if there was something exciting happening somewhere, Juliet Reed would be there first.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Tina refused.

    Seeing that she wasn¡¯t agreeing, Juliet Reed resorted to begging and used all means necessary.

    ¡°Just go! It won¡¯t hurt if you listen to me this time; next time we¡¯ll do what you want! Whatever you want next time, I¡¯ll apany you!¡±

    Juliet Reed almost threw a tantrum right then and there.

    Tina felt helpless but still agreed reluctantly: ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Juliet Reed wasn¡¯t too bad of a person; it would just be killing time anyway.

 Chapter 299: Griffin Got Caught

    The race was scheduled for 9 PM, so they decided to stroll around the night market in the northern district since it was still early.

    ¡°Tina, try this!¡± Juliet Reed, fully disguised with a wide-brimmed hat, ck sunsses, and a mask covering most of her face, handed her a skewer. Despite her thorough disguise, she was loud and conspicuous, almost as if she wanted to be recognized.

    Tina took the skewer and nced around. The peacefulness of the moment reminded her of times spent with Jared Farrell, and she felt herself rx.

    ¡°The races in the northern district are held irregrly. We¡¯re lucky this time; I heard Hurricane is participating. It¡¯ll be quite a spectacle!¡± Juliet Reed exined as they wandered. ¡°Hurricane is a famous racer known for his incredible speed and danger. He likes to drive close to his opponents, often forcing them into risky maneuvers.¡±

    Juliet loved racing and knew a lot about it. She had watched several of Hurricane¡¯s races, each one thrilling and nerve-wracking.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Tina responded nonchntly.

    ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. You¡¯ll see once you watch him race.¡±

    They continued chatting while eating. As they walked to the southern end of the market, they ran into a familiar face.

    ¡°Griffin?!¡± Juliet Reed eximed in surprise. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Griffin looked startled when he saw Juliet Reed and then annoyed when he noticed Tina beside her.

    Juliet Reed continued, ¡°Why are you wandering around at night? If Mom finds out, you¡¯re in trouble!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not even 9 PM yet,¡± Griffin retorted irritably.

    Juliet Reed nced at the motorcycle beside Griffin and raised her voice, ¡°Griffin! Are you secretly racing again? Do you want to be grounded?¡±

    She stood with her hands on her hips, ring at her tall brother. ¡°Have you forgotten how Mom punished youst time?¡±

    Luna was strongly opposed to Griffin racing. She had forbidden him from going to races and even smashed one of his motorcycles.

    Griffin¡¯s expression softened as he pleaded, ¡°Sis, I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t tell Mom!¡±

    Griffin feared nothing except Luna and Juliet Reed.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to tell Mom,¡± Juliet Reed said with a sly smile, ¡°let me borrow your precious motorcycle.¡±

    Juliet wasn¡¯t very skilled at riding but had a strong passion for thrilling and challenging activities.

    ¡°No way!¡± Griffin immediately refused. ¡°With your skills, you¡¯d wreck my bike!¡±

    He needed his motorcycle for tonight¡¯s race. Although the prize money wasn¡¯t muchpared to his monthly allowance, he was currently broke and needed every dor he could get.

    Juliet Reed remained calm and smiled mischievously. ¡°Think carefully about what¡¯s more important. If Mom gets involved, it won¡¯t be as simple as borrowing your bike.¡±

    Seeing her cunning expression, Griffin grumbled, ¡°Juliet Reed, how dare you!¡±

    He hesitated before offering, ¡°I¡¯ll give you my allowance for this month! Just don¡¯t touch my bike-that¡¯s my bottom line!¡±

    Juliet Reed questioned skeptically, ¡°Where would you get allowance money? Didn¡¯t you already spend years¡¯ worth on that piece of jade?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s none of your business,¡± Griffin replied evasively.

    Juliet Reed didn¡¯t care much about money; she was an actress and earned plenty. But she enjoyed teasing her rebellious brother.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she agreed with a satisfied nod. ¡°Transfer the money to my ount by the end of the month. If you¡¯rete by even a day, I¡¯ll tell Mom everything.¡±

    Tina watched the exchange with amusement. It seemed tattling was a family trait.

    After being extorted by Juliet Reed, Griffin left grumbling. Juliet Reed and Tina continued exploring the night market until it was time for the race.

    As they approached the track in the northern district, they could hear the engines roaring from afar.

    Excited about watching Hurricane race, Juliet Reed hurriedly pulled Tina along. ¡°Let¡¯s find a good spot! I want to take a picture with Hurricane!¡±

    Tina looked up at the winding mountain road ahead; it reminded her of tracks she had raced on before. The northern district track was notoriously treacherous-narrow roads with sharp turns alongside cliffs posed constant dangers.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    They soon reached the hilltop where many spectators had already gathered. From this vantage point, they could see all the racers below and feel the excitement building up.

    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± someone nearby asked eagerly.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s going to be Hurricane! This is his sixth race this year; he¡¯s won every single one so far!¡± another person replied enthusiastically.

    ¡°Exactly! Last time someone tried challenging Hurricane but ended up crashing into the barrier instead!¡±

    Hurricane had many devoted fans who were confident in his victory. Some even ced bets on him winning again.

    Juliet Reed turned to Tina after hearing their conversation. ¡°With such high support for Hurricane, it seems like he¡¯s sure to win this race.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow as she watched the racers preparing below. ¡°Not necessarily; his skills are just average.¡±

    She had raced against Hurricane before but hadn¡¯t been particrly impressed by him. If not for Juliet Reed and others constantly mentioning him now, she wouldn¡¯t have remembered him at all.

    ¡°What?! Saying Hurricane is average? Are you joking?¡± A fan nearby couldn¡¯t believe what Tina said and angrily approached them. ¡°Hurricane has the highest win rate this season! What do you know about racing? How dare you criticize him?¡±

 Chapter 300: Griffin Actually Came to Compete

    Tina looked at him and sneered, but before she could speak, Juliet Reed couldn¡¯t hold back and retorted, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a woman? Women can¡¯t watch car races?!¡±

    ¡°You must be joking. Do you think no one understands racing? Do you know why the North District became a dedicated race track? Do you know the terrain and difficulty here?¡±

    Juliet Reed almost pointed at his nose, ¡°Let me tell you, you¡¯re not qualified to talk racing with me!¡±

    Tina stood by, listening to her outburst, and smiled.

    Yes!

    Her fighting spirit wasmendable.

    The fan was dumbfounded and couldn¡¯t say a word for a long time. Finally, he muttered, ¡°Anyway, Hurricane is the best, no one can deny that!¡±

    Just then, a signal sounded from the foot of the mountain.

    Everyone looked down. Juliet Reed quickly pulled Tina to find a good spot, searching for Hurricane¡¯s figure.

    Although everyone wore helmets and protective gear, insiders knew that Hurricane liked to wear blue racing suits, with the number nine on his back.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Juliet Reed was searching earnestly when she suddenly saw something unbelievable and grabbed Tina, ¡°Tina, look! Isn¡¯t that Griffin?¡±

    Tina followed her pointing finger and indeed saw Griffin on the track.

    He had just put on his helmet and was positioned next to Hurricane, separated by one or two cars.

    ¡°That brat!¡±

    Juliet Reed stomped her foot in anger, wishing she could rush down the mountain and drag Griffin out of the car.

    ¡°Is he out of his mind? How dare he participate in such a dangerous race!¡±

    ying with cars was one thing, butpeting was another. Did he think he had nine lives?

    Juliet Reed was interested in car racing and naturally understood how dangerous the sport was.

    Although she also yed with cars, she paid great attention to safety and only participated in indoor tracks, never mountain roads.

    She knew Griffin liked racing and secretly participated in underground races. She turned a blind eye to it but didn¡¯t expect his courage to grow so much.

    The race was about to start, and the racers were ready.

    Juliet Reed wanted to stop it but was helpless and could only watch.

    At the starting point, Griffin felt a wave of nervousness.

    The dim sky made the road ahead unclear, and his car wasn¡¯t in good condition; it had problems before he came.

    Despite trying his best to fix it, not having money for suitable parts remained an issue.

    ¡°Attention all drivers, the race is about to begin!¡±

    The referee stood high up and raised the signal gun.

    Everyone held their breath. With a gunshot sound, the racers shot out like arrows from a bowstring.

    The entire mountain echoed with the roar of engines as dozens of cars weaved in and out, constantly changing positions.

    Griffin gritted his teeth, following behind Hurricane, trying not to fall too far behind.

    To win the race, he had to beat Hurricane. If he couldn¡¯t even keep up with his tail lights, he had no chance today.

    Juliet Reed watched from the mountaintop, extremely tense.

    Dozens of cars raced at high speed along the mountain path; no one knew what would happen next second.

    The first half of the track was rtively smooth. Hurricane led the pack while Griffin and a few others followed closely behind, leaving most racers behind.

    Good! There¡¯s still hope!

    If he could maintain this state, he might overtake Hurricane at thest moment and win thrillingly.

    Just as Griffin was secretly delighted, Hurricane suddenly slowed down until their car fronts were almost level.

    Before he could react, Hurricane maneuvered closer, pushing him towards the cliffside.

    ¡°What is he doing?!¡±

    Juliet Reed couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. This behavior was clearly not normal racing conduct.

    Tina squinted slightly, staring at Hurricane continuously squeezing Griffin towards the edge.

    ¡°He wants to push him off the mountain.¡±

    She spoke coldly as her gaze sharpened further.

    Racing is about speed and skill, not injuring opponents.

    Hurricane¡¯s actions clearly crossed the line; he wasn¡¯t just eager to win but intended to force Griffin into a dead end.

    Griffin gradually approached the cliffside; cold sweat soaked through his clothes.

    Hurricane¡¯s car scraped against his vehicle with sharp screeches.

    His bike was running at maximum power but still couldn¡¯t shake off Hurricane¡¯s pursuit. It almost couldn¡¯t bear the strain anymore and ttered noisily.

    ¡°Stop! Pause the race!¡±

    Griffin shouted hoarsely at Hurricane beside him. However, the roaring engines drowned out his voice.

    Hurricane ignored his gesturespletely and rammed into him repeatedly with force.

    ¡°That¡¯s foul y! He¡¯s fouling!¡±

    Juliet Reed watched this scene from above and almost jumped down in anger. ¡°This is outrageous! How can he ram Griffin¡¯s car like that?!¡±

    The fans nearby remained indifferent but smirked smugly instead. ¡°If you join a race, you must admit your inferiority.¡±

    ¡°Racing inherently carries risks; there¡¯s nothing wrong with what Hurricane did. If you can¡¯t handle it, don¡¯t y!¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Stop whining! If you¡¯re not capable enough, go home!¡±

    Juliet Reed was both furious and anxious; she had no mind to argue with them.

    Griffin struggled along the mountainside until he couldn¡¯t hold on anymore. He suddenly turned his handlebar sharply and crashed into a stone post beside him.

    ¡°Griffin!¡±

    Juliet Reed screamed in shock and ran towards the track immediately.

    The race was forced to stop; all racers halted their vehicles while referees and staff checked on Griffin¡¯s condition.

    Tina followed Juliet Reed halfway up the mountain and saw Griffin lying on the ground in pain clutching his right leg.

    ¡°Griffin! Are you okay?¡± Juliet Reed hurried forward anxiously asking him worriedly.

    Standing behind her Tina took one look then said calmly ¡°Right leg fracture don¡¯t move him.¡±

    ¡°How did this happen¡­¡±

    Juliet Reed withdrew her hand in fright looking at her brother clutching his right leg in agony feeling both angry & heartbroken simultaneously

    ¡°What now can we continue racing?¡±

    Referee came forward inspecting Griffin¡¯s injuries reporting back situation

    Juliet Reed fumed ¡°He¡¯s got broken bones! How can you ask if we can still race!¡±

    Griffin¡¯s teammate sweated nervously ¡°What do we do if Griffin doesn¡¯tpete our team will be short one person season points won¡¯t match affecting team greatly!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have substitute yers?¡±

 Chapter 301: She Actually Defeated Hurricane?

    Juliet adamantly refused to let Griffinpete again, especially since his broken leg wouldn¡¯t allow it even if he wanted to. ¡°Where are we supposed to find a substitute at this hour!¡± Griffin¡¯s teammate was frantic.

    Griffin gritted his teeth and insisted, ¡°I can endure it¡­ let me race¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t bear to be a burden to the team, not to mention the prize money he was still eyeing.

    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Juliet red at him fiercely, picking up the helmet from the ground, ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll race for you!¡±

    ¡°You?¡± Griffin looked up at Juliet through his intense pain, ¡°You can¡¯tpete!¡±

    Juliet wasn¡¯t just anybody; if people found out that a famous actress hade to the North District to race, it would cause a huge stir in the media. The headlines would be stered with her name for days, and her endorsements would likely suffer.

    ¡°What else can I do if I don¡¯t race for you! Do you really n to continue with that broken leg?¡± Juliet knew her skills were average at best. She could handle a casual ride, butpeting against a fierce opponent like Hurricane was bound to be a crushing defeat.

    Hurricane, arms crossed, sneered, ¡°Are you racing or not? If you don¡¯t have a substitute, then leave. Do you expect us all to waste our time here?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Juliet¡¯s face flushed with anger, unable to believe this was the racer she had once admired. To him, risking someone¡¯s life was a joke, and his hurtful words made it clear he was no longer the idol she had looked up to.

    ¡°I¡¯ll race you.¡± It was Tina who spoke up suddenly.

    Juliet was taken aback, ¡°Tina? You¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t know much about Tina, only that she was easy to get along with and had a temper that matched hers. Beyond that, Juliet knew nothing, especially not about racing.

    Tina, however, looked confident, making Juliet question whether she could actually ride. ¡°It¡¯s okay, leave it to me,¡± Tina reassured her casually, a rare good mood evident.

    Seeing her confidence, Juliet inexplicably felt inclined to trust her. ¡°Alright, thank you, Tina!¡±

    Hurricane sized Tina up, his voice mocking from beneath his helmet, ¡°You? Are you even old enough topete? Kid, this isn¡¯t child¡¯s y.¡±

    Though there were youngerpetitors, none looked as young as Tina, who appeared barely twenty.

    ¡°You can ride a bike? I doubt you can even make it past the first track,¡± Hurricane scoffed, promptingughter from the crowd who shared his skepticism.

    ¡°Find someone else to race, or else it¡¯ll be said that we bullied a young girl,¡± someone in the crowd jeered.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Juliet was worried, ¡°Don¡¯t confront them directly; these people aren¡¯t here for a fair race, they¡¯re out for blood.¡±

    Even if she wasn¡¯t a skilled racer, Juliet could tell that it wasn¡¯t just Hurricane driving aggressively; several racers seemed to be colluding against Griffin, which had led to his rapid downfall and crash into a roadside bord.

    ¡°How about it?¡± Tina narrowed her eyes at Hurricane, ¡°Afraid to race?¡±

    Hurricane, provoked, scoffed back, ¡°Joke. What do you take me for?¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s not waste time, I¡¯m busy,¡± Tina said, turning to walk towards the motorcycle on the ground, signaling Griffin¡¯s teammate to help her get it upright.

    ¡°Miss Reed,¡± the teammate recognized her as a member of the Reed family, giving a wry smile, ¡°Griffin¡¯s bike is totaled, and there are no spare parts avable.¡±

    ¡°I know you want to stand up for Griffin, but this bike is unrideable now, and you need to be careful of their foul y.¡±

    ¡°Hand me the toolbox.¡±

    Without another word, Tina took the toolbox and bent down to examine the bike. Disregarding the scoffs from onlookers about the bike being irreparable, she efficiently began to dismantle and modify it.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Griffin¡¯s bike was indeed in bad shape, but Tina didn¡¯t hesitate. She removed the decorative parts to reduce weight and kept only the essentials. In less than ten minutes, she had reassembled the bike using only the avable tools and parts.

    ¡°Wow, Miss Reed, you are incredible!¡± Griffin¡¯s teammate couldn¡¯t stop praising her. Tina¡¯s modifications not only reduced the bike¡¯s weight and increased its speed but alsopensated for the missing parts.

    Seeing her sess, Hurricane watched with a hostile expression, yet he still challenged, ¡°I want to see how long that junksts!¡±

    After a half-hour dy, the race finally resumed. Griffin was carried to the top of the hill to wait for an ambnce. His fracture needed a steel te, and with limited medical supplies on site, Tina cleaned his wound and bandaged it using nearby tools, also giving him a couple of injections.

    Griffin was amazed, not knowing what points Tina had pressed, but he felt the pain diminish significantly and could move his foot slightly.

    As the ambnce was en route, Griffin held his breath, focusing on the race between Tina and Hurricane.

    ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you,¡± the racers returned to the starting line, Hurricane taunting Tina as she skillfully mounted the bike and adjusted her position, ¡°Racing isn¡¯t for little girls like you, and I won¡¯t go easy just because you¡¯re a woman. Any injuries are not my concern.¡±

    Tina nced at him indifferently, ¡°Do I know you?¡±

    She strapped on her helmet and lifted her chin slightly, ¡°You¡¯re not yet qualified to talk to me about racing.¡±

    Taking him for merely stubborn, Hurricane mounted his bike, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see how long you can keep up this attitude.¡±

    The referee took his position again, lifting the starting pistol. At the sound of the gunshot, Hurricane burst forward, leaving the other racars behind.

    Tina did not panic; instead, she closely followed the lead, drifting beautifully around the first bend, hugging its edge. ¡°Number twelve is quite interesting, keeping up with the Hurricane; looks like a veteran,¡± someone remarked as they watched her maneuver. The crowd couldn¡¯t help but gather around to discuss.

    From a higher vantage point, Juliet watched Tina swiftly overtake the Hurricane within moments, her heart gripped with worry for her. The recent memory of Hurricane aggressively pushing Griffin to the brink was fresh, marking his clear, malicious intent. Tina facing such a person was a cause for concern.

    As Juliet fretted, she saw Hurricane repeat his tactic, aiming to collide with Tina¡¯s car to push her towards the cliff¡¯s edge. ¡°Tina!¡± Juliet¡¯s heart clenched, almost yelling to stop the race. Life was more important than victory, and the thought of exining a tragedy to Tina¡¯s family was unbearable.

    Sensing Hurricane¡¯s approach and his tant aggression, Tina didn¡¯t even turn her head. She maneuvered her motorcycle, dodging away deftly. ¡°She dodged Hurricane¡¯s car! How is that possible, in such a tight space, how did she manage such precise control!¡± eximed an onlooker. ¡°Terrifying! I¡¯ve only seen such moves in internationalpetitions; it takes decades to reach such skill!¡±

    Before the crowd could recover from their astonishment, Tina elerated fiercely, speeding ahead. Hurricane, relentless, followed closely, his engine¡¯s roar nearly drowning out the shocked cries of the spectators.

    Tina¡¯s speed increased even more, sweeping past like a gust of wind. Despite Hurricane¡¯s efforts to catch up, he was thwarted by Tina in the final bend where she blocked his path. ¡°You!¡± Before he could even curse, his bike lost bnce and overturned, resulting in him crashing harshly onto the ground, breaking two ribs and entangling his foot in the motorcycle. ¡°Ah! My leg!¡± His screams shocked the audience, but Tina, undisturbed, crossed the finish line smoothly.

    ¡°Tina! You are amazing!¡± Juliet rushed up incredulously, embracing her tightly. Tina, face expressionless, removed her helmet and walked over to Hurricane, ¡°I told you, you¡¯re not in my league.¡±

    The spectators were in awe, staring at Tina in disbelief. The arena fell silent. Then, someone shouted, ¡°My God! She actually beat Hurricane?!¡± ¡°How is that possible? With Hurricane being so formidable, how did she manage to leave him in such a disgrace?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never witnessed such an incredible live race; today has truly been eye-opening!¡±

    Spections about Tina¡¯s identity buzzed among the crowd, guessing which racing team¡¯s prodigy she might be, possessing skills far beyond seasoned racists. Juliet, standing by, couldn¡¯t help but feel proud. Tina was, after all, a child of the Reed family.

    ¡°You! You yed dirty!¡± Hurricane, in agony and sweating profusely, red at Tina, wishing he could devour her. He had been racing for over five years and had never encountered an opponent like Tina, whose skills greatly surpassed his, and who was equally ruthless.

    ¡°yed dirty?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow, looking down at Hurricane as he painfully extricated his foot from the wheel, ¡°So, you know it¡¯s a dirty trick?¡±

    Reed family or not, it wasn¡¯t for others to discipline, especially not someone like Hurricane, whocked sportsmanship. ¡°Bitch! You dare insult me!¡± Never had Hurricane felt such humiliation, unable to bear the pointing and whispering around him, he tried to attack Tina despite his injured foot.

    However, before his fist could reach her, someone grabbed and mmed him back to the ground. Tina looked up to see Jared stepping down from his car, his presence chilling as he red at the man on the ground. ¡°My woman, you dare touch.¡±

    The coldness around him was palpable, each word falling like droplets on ice, ¡°Want to die?¡± ¡°Uncle?¡± Tina looked at him, puzzled about where he hade from.

    ¡°Tina.¡± Jared quickly approached, draping his coat over her shoulders, ¡°Cold, aren¡¯t you?¡± The mountain¡¯s chilly night wind was harsh, and despite Tina¡¯s racing suit, Jared was always concerned she might catch cold. ¡°Not cold,¡± she shook her head, feeling the warmth of his coat enveloping her.

    ¡°How dare you raise your hand to my Serena?¡± Hayden, who had subdued Hurricane, increased his grip, causing the man to howl in pain before kicking him over. Tina racing in the North area had been news to him, and he had rushed over immediately upon hearing it from Jared.

    Jared made sure Tina was alright before turning to the groaning Hurricane on the ground. ¡°Overestimated yourself.¡± His words were cold, dismissive as if viewing trash, not sparing another nce at someone who dared race against Tina.

    ¡°I advise you not to move.¡± Tina stood behind Jared, her gaze cold as she observed Hurricane, ¡°Your ribs are broken, your right foot severely fractured; any movement will only cause more damage.¡±

    While not a fatal condition, she was not inclined to help someone like Hurricane, feeling even a slight movement of her finger on his behalf was a waste of time. ¡°Save me¡­ please save me¡­¡± Hurricane, his consciousness fading, stretched out his hand, pleading for Tina¡¯s medical attention.

    ¡°Beg me, and I should save you?¡± Tina looked down at him. ¡°Tina¡­¡± Juliet stood by, watching Jared protectively standing by Tina, silent for a moment. She had heard of the marriage alliance between the Reed and Farrell families but had rarely seen this legendary Mr. Farrell. Known as a notorious waste, Jared¡¯s demeanor always seemed regal.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Tina casually turned the page, signaling Juliet to head home with her.

 Chapter 302: Griffin Becomes a Little Fanboy

    Griffin had already been taken away by the ambnce and was likely close to the hospital by now. Jared¡¯s gaze finally shifted to Juliet, but it only lingered for a few seconds before he turned his attention back to Tina.

    ¡°I¡¯m Juliet, Tina¡¯s cousin,¡± Juliet introduced herself quickly, surprised that Jared didn¡¯t seem interested in her at all. She was a famous actress, after all. Men usually fell head over heels for her. But Jared ignored herpletely. It was intriguing.

    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte,¡± Jared said softly, his voice full of concern only when he spoke to Tina. ¡°Tina, let me take you home.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t refuse, but Hayden mumbled beside them, ¡°As expected, he forgets his friends when he sees a beautiful woman! Seeing Serena, he¡¯s lost his soul!¡±

    He didn¡¯t darein too loudly, fearing Jared might abandon him again likest time and force him to eat garlic.

    Soon, they arrived at Whispering Pines. Jared dropped them off at the gate and left.

    Juliet watched his departing figure and couldn¡¯t help but call out to Tina, curious. ¡°Tina, are you really just in an arranged marriage with Mr. Farrell?¡±

    Everyone knew about the alliance between the Farrell family and the Reed family, a union of mutual benefits. But today, she noticed that their rtionship didn¡¯t seem purely businesslike. Jared had been engaged to Tina even before she was found. Their rtionship seemed different from what the rumors suggested.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow at Juliet.

    ¡°He seems to care about you a lot, and you don¡¯t seem to mind his affection,¡± Juliet said bluntly. Tina¡¯s eyes flickered slightly but quickly regained her usual calm demeanor. ¡°That¡¯s your misconception.¡±

    Their engagement was arranged by their elders. She never thought this rtionship would continue or that they would get married. As they spent more time together, her attitude towards Jared changed, but she still couldn¡¯t be sure if they would have a future together.

    She was focused on investigating her mother¡¯s death and couldn¡¯t afford any distractions. She hadn¡¯t considered what would happen with Jared once she uncovered the truth.

    ¡°A misconception?¡± Juliet looked puzzled.

    Tina¡¯s eyes turned slightly as she looked at Juliet with a hint of meaning. ¡°You seem very interested in my rtionship with Mr. Farrell?¡±

    Sensing Tina¡¯s probing gaze, Juliet quickly exined, ¡°No, you¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯m just curious because Mr. Farrell has a bad reputation.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Tina nced at her for a moment longer before turning and entering the house without saying another word.

    Meanwhile¡­

    After receiving treatment at the hospital, Griffin returned to Whispering Pines quickly. His injuries were severe enough that Luna found out about his secret racing escapade immediately. The entire family knew.

    Although Luna didn¡¯t smash his beloved motorcycle, she was furious and grounded him, locking up his bike and forbidding him from racing again.

    Griffin felt aggrieved but hadn¡¯t forgotten one thing: if it hadn¡¯t been for Tina¡¯s help during the race in the northern district, he wouldn¡¯t know what kind of trouble he¡¯d be in now.

    He watched half of the race and heard about Tina¡¯s impressive performance from Juliet. His attitude changed drastically. As soon as he returned from the hospital, he hobbled on crutches to knock on Tina¡¯s door.

    When Tina opened the door and saw him, she raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Tina, can I get your autograph?¡± Griffin asked excitedly, pulling out a notebook with shining eyes.

    Tina raised an eyebrow again. ¡°Did you hit your head too?¡±

    She crossed her arms and spoke bluntly, but Griffin wasn¡¯t offended at all.

    Despite being younger than him, Tina¡¯s racing skills far surpassed his own. Anyone who could earn his respect was his boss.

    ¡°Should I call you Serena then?¡± Griffin scratched his neck awkwardly as if finding it strange to address her that way. ¡°Anyway, you won the race; I¡¯ll be your little brother from now on!¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I tricked you?¡± Tina asked with interest.

    ¡°No, no,¡± Griffin quickly waved his hand in denial without hesitation for even a second. ¡°That was my own fault! It had nothing to do with you! If I hadn¡¯t deliberately raised the price during bidding, I wouldn¡¯t have lost over a million dors on that piece of jade!¡±

    Tina found his earnest exnation amusing and eventually took his notebook to sign it.

    ¡°Thank you so much! I¡¯ll treasure this autograph forever!¡± Griffin¡¯s hands trembled with excitement as he hugged the signed notebook tightly against his chest as if afraid someone would snatch it away.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Tina nced at his stered right foot and casually reminded him, ¡°Remember to rest well.¡±

    ¡°I will!¡± Griffin nodded vigorously like pounding garlic, agreeing to everything she said without hesitation. ¡°Tina, once I¡¯m healed, can you take me for a ride?¡±

    He swallowed nervously after asking this question and looked at Tina expectantly, worried she might refuse.

    If he could train with Tina or even just ride with her for a fewps, his racing skills would improve dramatically.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Tina replied nonchntly.

    Though not a definite yes, Griffin was still thrilled beyond words.

    Just imagining it made him want to rip off his cast immediately and hop on a bike to hit the track.

    ¡°Oh right¡­ Tina¡­¡± Griffin hesitated before speaking again as if something had just urred to him. ¡°I saw you pass by the cat room earlier today¡­ Did you leave those cat treats there?¡±

    He had already suspected it but couldn¡¯t believe that Tina would be so kind-hearted until now when he became her ardent fan after watching her race performance; everything she did seemed justified in his eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking,¡± Tina interrupted himzily before adding slowly: ¡°I wasn¡¯t helping you; I pitied the cats.¡±

    Griffin froze momentarily; despite sounding cold-hearted initially-her words carried warmth underneath them somehow¡­

    He used to think of Tina as calctingly ruthless but now realized there was more warmth beneath her indifferent exterior than he had ever imagined¡­

    Even though she refused acknowledgment-he believed what he saw¡­

    ¡°Regardless-thank you,¡± Griffin mumbled awkwardly while lowering his head apologetically: ¡°Without those cat supplies-I wouldn¡¯t have known what else could¡¯ve done¡­¡±

    After pondering briefly-he sincerely apologized again: ¡°I was wrong before-I apologize-and hope you¡¯ll forgive me¡­ If ever need assistance-don¡¯t hesitate-I¡¯ll do everything possible help!¡±

    ¡°Annoying!¡± With no expression whatsoever-Tina shut door abruptly-not wanting hear any more nonsense¡­

 Chapter 303: The Old Witch is Up to Her Tricks Again

    Half a month had passed since thepetition in the North District. Jasper had to go out for a few days, and Tina began to take action. She calcted the timing and nned to sneak into Jasper¡¯s study in the middle of the night when everyone in the Reed family was asleep, to open the safe and see what was inside. However, just as she was about to act, Juliet came running to her room to invite her to watch a show.

    ¡°Tina!¡± Juliet was very enthusiastic, pulling her towards the home theater, saying she wanted to share a new show she was following. ¡°I tell you, this show is amazing! The male and female leads are a perfect match!¡±

    Tina thought, ¡°¡­¡±

    Could she say she didn¡¯t like watching shows? Juliet didn¡¯t notice her less-than-enthusiastic expression and dragged Tina to the theater anyway. Once Juliet started watching, she couldn¡¯t stop, constantly discussing the plot with Tina without showing any signs of sleepiness.

    ¡°Tina, look! Isn¡¯t the male lead especially handsome from this angle?¡±

    Tina nced up briefly, uninterested. Handsome? Compared to their Uncle Wolf, he waspletely ordinary. She propped her chin on her hand as she watched the cliched drama on screen, suddenly missing Jared, who she didn¡¯t know what he was busy with. Recently, they rarely saw each other, maybe once every ten days or so. She had gotten used to having Jared around; once someone gets used to something, it¡¯s hard to change.

    They watched untilte at night, and it wasn¡¯t until three in the morning that Juliet finally felt sleepy. Rubbing her eyes, she said, ¡°I¡¯m so tired, Tina. Let¡¯s stop here for today.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Tina got up to return to her room. Juliet waved at her and yawned as she walked back to her own room.

    Tina first disabled the surveince in the study and then skillfully found the safe. The safe was still in its original position with no signs of being moved; it seemed Jasper hadn¡¯t noticed anyone tampering with it. Tina carefully observed it for a moment, took tweezers from her toolkit, and prepared to start working when she heard a faint noise outside.

    Someone was there?!

    She immediately tensed up, clutching her toolkit tightly as she crouched beside Jasper¡¯s desk, listening intently to every movement outside. The footsteps slowly approached the study door and paused for a moment before opening it.

    Tina held her breath,pletely concealing her presence.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it here?¡± It was a familiar female voice. Tina looked up and frowned immediately.

    Liliosa? What was she doing here? Liliosa usually didn¡¯t live at Whispering Pines and had been kicked out by the old manst time for making a scene; she wasn¡¯t allowed back in. Yet here she was sneaking into Jasper¡¯s study in the middle of the night.

    Tina narrowed her eyes as Liliosa approached her hiding spot under the desk. Tina took out a marble from her pocket and urately rolled it towards the door. The marble quickly rolled across the floor and hit a vase stand in the hallway with a crisp sound.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Liliosa screamed in fright but quickly covered her mouth tightly, looking around in panic. Seeing no one around but feeling extremely guilty and scared, she decided to flee.

    Once Liliosa left, Tina reopened her toolkit and took out tweezers again to start working on the safe. Jasper¡¯s safe was made of special material with threeyers of protection, each ensuring that its contents were securely preserved. She switched tools continuously and within three minutes had turned the handle.

    The safe made a clicking sound as it opened. Inside were a ring and a thick notebook. Tina took out the notebook and flipped through it briefly; her eyes narrowed-it was filled with love letters Jasper had written to his mother.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    ¡°Natalie, where have you gone? I think of you constantly; if you were here now, we might be watching snow on a mountain peak.¡±

    ¡°The weather today is beautiful, just like when we first met. I wonder if you remember; for me, it¡¯s an unforgettable precious memory.¡±

    ¡°You are my one true love; I can never love anyone else.¡±

    Tina flipped through several pages without any expression on her delicate face. She picked up the ring from the safe and stared at it for a long time before curling her lips into a mocking smile.

    Ha! She had underestimated Jasper after all. Did he think that preparing these items would make her believe him? Her expression gradually turned cold as she put everything back in ce without erasing her fingerprints. Since Jasper had already noticed her presence and deliberately prepared these items for her to see, erasing traces would be redundant.

    The next day after breakfast at Reed family¡¯s house when everyone else had gone off to their tasks leaving only Tina at home Willow arrived again.

    Last time being scolded at Reed family didn¡¯t make Willow give up; instead it made her more determined than ever to change Muff¡¯s and Jasper¡¯s minds.

    ¡°Tina luckily you¡¯re here.¡± Willow entered carrying bags walking towards Tina sitting in living room sitting next to her warmly ¡°I came specifically this time to apologizest time Lily said unpleasant things upset you I talked with her about it.¡±

    ¡°Actually these are trivial matters everyone has some friction it¡¯s normal exining clears things up.¡±

    Willow sat beside talking nonstop while Tina found it noisy amusing how Willow¡¯s intentions were obvious alwaysing when Jasper wasn¡¯t home trying hard winning over daughter first?

    Ha! ying with phone not even looking up not bothering responding once

    ¡°Tina?¡± Seeing no response Willow awkwardly adjusted hair smile stiffening face

    ¡°I brought gifttest fashion item not yet released designed by Michelle!¡± proudly taking coat out bag

    Spent big money pulled many strings getting this just please Tina though costly thinking bing Reed family matriarch made expense worth enduring

    Only enduring seeds pleasing Tina makes efforts more effective

    ¡°Oh Michelle¡¯s design?¡± Juliet leisurely descended stairs

 Chapter 304: Is She Trying to Put on a Show?

    ¡°Juliet is here too,¡± Willow said, her face stiffening as she forced a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t work keeping you busy? How do you have time to stay at home¡­¡±

    One after another, they came to ruin her ns!

    Juliet was known for her straightforwardness. At home, she spoke her mind without regard for others¡¯ feelings. Muff asionally scolded her, but never harshly, so Juliet¡¯s candid and free-spirited nature was understandable.

    ¡°Mrs. Ward, do I need to report my work schedule to you?¡± Juliet nced at her and spoke indifferently.

    Everyone in the Reed family knew about Willow¡¯s interest in Jasper. Juliet didn¡¯t like this scheming woman, especially after hearing that Willow and Lily had once tried to make things difficult for Tina. She had no intention of being polite.

    Willow¡¯s expression froze for a moment. ¡°What are you talking about? Our families have been close for generations. As your elder, it¡¯s only natural for me to be concerned about you.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Julietughed mockingly as she walked into the living room and sat between Tina and Willow, pushing Willow aside. ¡°Mrs. Ward, why are you here again? Didn¡¯t Grandpa scold you enoughst time?¡±

    Willow felt as if she had been pped in the face, feeling utterly ufortable. ¡°What are you talking about, Juliet? You must be mistaken.¡±

    If she had known Juliet was here, she would have brought Lily along. With her daughter, the medical genius, by her side, she would have felt more confident and assertive.

    ¡°Really?¡± Juliet smiled nonchntly and looked at the coat in Willow¡¯s hands. ¡°This style is too old-fashioned. It¡¯s not for Tina, is it? It suits you better.¡±

    Old-fashioned? Suits her better? Willow was instantly furious. Wasn¡¯t this a roundabout way of calling her old?

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Willow could no longer maintain herposure. ¡°I sincerely bought this gift for Tina. This kind of embroidery is rare; how can you say that?¡±

    She looked aggrieved, tears welling up in her eyes.

    Juliet rolled her eyes and said irritably, ¡°Mrs. Ward, my uncle isn¡¯t here right now. Who are you putting on this act for? Me and Tina? Do you think we care about your cheap tears?¡±

    Willow¡¯s expression stiffened, anger almost bursting from her eyes. But she held back and said, ¡°Juliet, you¡¯re being too harsh. I¡¯m giving Tina a gift out of kindness, and you call it old-fashioned right in front of me. Is this how the Reed family teaches their children?¡±

    Willow was a renowned pianist with many admirers who idolized her. She often carried an air of arrogance and always tried to assert herself as the matriarch in front of Tina.

    Juliet was speechless. ¡°This coat is indeed old-fashioned. Can¡¯t I say that?¡±

    She turned to Tina. ¡°Tina, am I wrong in my assessment?¡±

    Tina finally lifted her eyes slightly and nced at the new coat. ¡°The seams are outdated, the decorations are too cumbersome, and the color is very dull.¡± She scoffed lightly and returned to ying with her phone. ¡°Michelle¡¯s work is getting worse.¡±

    Michelle had once sought Tina¡¯s advice, which she had casually given. But Michelle¡¯s work had always been inconsistent; this time was no exception.

    Willow couldn¡¯t believe her ears. That was Michelle! A world-renowned designer! Many wealthy people lined up to buy his clothes, yet Tina dismissed it as worthless.

    ¡°Did you hear that? I told you it was old-fashioned.¡± Juliet crossed her arms and smiled smugly, making Willow grit her teeth in anger.

    But she didn¡¯t dare retaliate because Muff was resting inside. If things got too noisy, she might be kicked out again.

    Lily had warned her to be patient and not act rashly unless she was absolutely sure of sess.

    For power and the title of Mrs. Reed, Willow was willing to endure hardship now for future gains.

    Having suffered from impulsiveness before, Willow swallowed her anger and said softly, ¡°Tina, I mean no harm. I know there were some misunderstandings between you and Lily, but I¡¯ve always treated you like my own daughter.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Whatever I¡¯ve said or done has always been for your good.¡±

    Tina sneered and lifted her chin slightly. ¡°Do you think anyone can just be my mother?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t even be the true matriarch of the Reed family yet but already wanted to boss Tina around like a mother.

    Was she worthy?

    Willow felt irritated but suppressed her anger and said calmly, ¡°I know your mother passed away early, but life goes on for everyone else; we can¡¯t live in the past forever.¡±

    ¡°Jasper has been looking for you all these years because he can¡¯t let go of his feelings for your mother. He¡¯s a man of deep emotions; as his daughter, shouldn¡¯t you support him rather than hold him back?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes turned cold instantly.

    The atmosphere grew tense!

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Juliet noticed Tina¡¯s displeasure and grabbed a teacup from the table, sshing its contents onto Willow¡¯s face forcefully. ¡°If you want to enter the Reed family, you¡¯ll need our approval first!¡±

    A whole cup of tea sshed onto Willow¡¯s face made her scream in surprise as she stood up hastily.

    Her face and clothes were soaked with tea stains.

    Even the expensive embroidered coat she had bought was now stained with tea.

    ¡°What are you doing!¡± Willow shouted angrily.

    Juliet didn¡¯t even spare her a nce and instructed the maid directly, ¡°Mrs. Brown, see our guest out.¡±

    She picked up the branded shopping bag that had held the coat and tossed it disdainfully at Willow. ¡°Take your things and get out of the Reed family home!¡±

    Did they really think they could bully the Reed family bying over every few days?

    ¡°You!¡± Willow¡¯s face turned red with anger as she lunged forward to p Juliet.

    But just as she raised her hand, someone grabbed it firmly, rendering her immobile.

    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Willow turned angrily to scold whoever had stopped her but froze when she saw Jasper standing behind her. ¡°Jasper¡­ weren¡¯t you supposed to be away for a few days¡­¡±

    Jasper looked furious; he had clearly witnessed everything that had happened earlier.

    ¡°Mrs. Ward,¡± he said coldly, ¡°I believe I¡¯ve made it clear before: my daughter does not need anyone else¡¯s discipline.¡±

    ¡°And likewise, no one from my Reed family needs your reprimands!¡±

    Willow was terrified and shook her head desperately trying to exin herself. ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like! Jasper-this is all just a misunderstanding-I never meant¡­¡±

    ¡°Never meant what?¡± Jasper flung her hand away in disgust as if touching it repulsed him. ¡°Didn¡¯t understand my words?¡±

 Chapter 305: Hugo and His Wife Want to Stay at Whispering Pines

    She repeatedly caused trouble for Tina, which made him loathe her. Now she even dared to try to hit Juliet in the Reed family home. Who gave her such courage?

    ¡°Jasper, it was Juliet who deliberately mocked me, so I¡­¡± Willow¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she sobbed, ¡°How could I not listen to you? Everything I do is for your good, for the good of the Reed family. You must believe me!¡±

    Willow cried bitterly, hoping to soften Jasper¡¯s heart. However, despite her performance, the Reed family members remained unmoved.

    ¡°Mrs. Ward,¡± Jasper said firmly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat myself. Please leave.¡±

    Juliet crossed her arms and smiled slowly, ¡°Mrs. Ward seems to be crying very hard. Do you need eye drops? I have plenty in my room; they might help you cry more convincingly.¡±

    Seeing Willow¡¯s exaggerated performance disgusted her. Who wouldn¡¯t know how to act?

    Despite squeezing out tears, Willow couldn¡¯t soften Jasper¡¯s heart. Feeling both embarrassed and angry, she picked up her tea-stained coat and left awkwardly.

    As soon as Willow left, Jasper¡¯s frown rxed, and he turned to Tina on the sofa. ¡°Tina, are you alright?¡±

    He had nned a five-day trip but finished his business in three days and returned early. He didn¡¯t expect to find Willow causing trouble at Whispering Pines and trying to hit someone.

    Willow¡¯s repeated visits to harass Tina infuriated him. Moreover, her attempts to meddle in Reed family affairs were unwee.

    No matter what, the Reed family¡¯s matters were not for an outsider to decide. Willow¡¯s ambition to be the matriarch of the Reed family depended on his willingness.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina nced at him indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Jasper, are you really going to marry Mrs. Ward?¡± Juliet asked as soon as Willow left.

    Jasper red at her. ¡°Nonsense! When did I ever say I would marry her?¡±

    Due to the rtionship between their families and Willow¡¯s previous close ties with Liliosa, she often visited the Reed family home. Everyone could see her intentions, but no one spoke of it openly.

    ¡°Jasper, if you¡¯re going to remarry, you must choose a suitable wife, especially one with good character. Mrs. Ward treats the Reed family as her own home,ing and going as she pleases and specifically targeting Tina. Such a person cannot be our family¡¯s matriarch.¡±

    Jasper didn¡¯t say much in response but replied, ¡°I will handle this matter.¡±

    His words were meant for both Juliet and Tina.

    Since Tina returned home, she had kept her distance from him. Although she hadn¡¯t said anything explicitly, Jasper sensed that Tina was different from the other Reed family members. She had her own thoughts and many secrets.

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Juliet nodded and smiled as she took Tina¡¯s arm. ¡°Then I can rest assured for Tina.¡±

    ¡°By the way,¡± Jasper looked at Tina, ¡°your foster parents didn¡¯t attend thest banquet. Let¡¯s find a time soon to have a meal with them.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina responded softly.

    Hugo and Jennie had originally nned to attend Tina¡¯s banquet but didn¡¯t show up that evening. She called Hugo numerous times and even sent Cole out to look for them without sess until Hugo finally called back.

    He said they had an urgent matter and couldn¡¯t attend the banquet but would visit her in a few days.

    However, they hadn¡¯t contacted her since then.

    Having been away from Ensford for some time now, she also wanted to see Hugo and Jennie again.

    That evening, before she could call them, Hugo called first.

    They had finished their business and wanted to have a meal with her.

    They arranged to meet the next day at noon.

    Tina didn¡¯t invite Jasper; she went alone.

    They met at a private restaurant where Elsa, who was supposed to be transferred to work in the capital, also joined them.

    After some time apart, Hugo looked at her with concern in his eyes.

    Jennie held her hand with tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know how worried we were about you being bullied and having to endure it alone.¡±

    Hugo nodded repeatedly. ¡°You¡¯re always so stubborn; tell us if anything happens so we can help you bear it. We¡¯ve been thinking about you constantly.¡±

    Elsa smiled helplessly at their concern. ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating! How could Tina be mistreated in the Reed family? They must treat her like a treasure!¡±

    Tina asked them directly, ¡°You didn¡¯te to the banquet because something came up?¡±

    ¡°Hugo¡¯s old friend fell seriously ill; we went to see him onest time,¡± Jennie exined while holding Tina¡¯s hand and looking at Hugo with emotion. ¡°Life is unpredictable; your father felt very sad losing such a good friend so suddenly. We helped with the funeral arrangements which took a few days.¡±

    Hugo lowered his head and covered his face with his hands as if he didn¡¯t want to discuss this sad matter further. ¡°Who could have predicted¡­¡±

    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be sad,¡± Elsa handed him a tissue with a sorrowful expression on her face.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore,¡± Tina handed over the menu. ¡°See what you like and order whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°Of course we¡¯ll choose your favorite dishes!¡± Hugo and Jennie insisted on prioritizing her preferences.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina nodded slightly and propped up her chin with her hand. ¡°Then order me some spicy pork trotters and a mango mousse cake for dessert; you can choose the rest.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie agreed unconditionally and quickly called over a waiter to ce their order while specifically requesting that the spicy pork trotters be made deliciously.

    After cing their order, they continued chatting naturally about Elsa¡¯s work.

    ¡°Elsa is still doing the same work after transferring here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Tina; my work is confidential so I can¡¯t say much,¡± Elsa apologized sincerely. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more when I can.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t press further since Elsa wasn¡¯t willing to share details; instead she took a sip of tea from her cup.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Hugo rubbed his hands together hesitantly before speaking up again after ncing at Jennie then back at Tina: ¡°Actually we have another matter we want your help with this time around too.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have many friends in the capital,¡± he continued nervously under Jennie¡¯s reproachful gaze: ¡°Could we stay at Whispering Pines for a few days?¡±

    Jennie pulled at Hugo¡¯s sleeve gently chiding him softly: ¡°We can stay at hotels too; why trouble Tina like this?¡±

    Feeling somewhat awkward yet determinedly looking towards Tina nheless: ¡°You know our rtionship hasn¡¯t been great over these years,¡± he exined earnestly: ¡°I¡¯d like us all sit down together now though  resolve past grievances properly.¡±

    ¡°Tina,¡± Elsa chimed in supportively seeing their father¡¯s earnestness: ¡°Considering how well Dad has treated you  could you help us out just this once?¡±

 Chapter 306: Liliosa Stirs Up Trouble Again

    Tina held a teacup, slowly taking a sip, her face expressionless. She seemed to ponder for a few seconds before raising her eyes and softly saying, ¡°Okay.¡± Hugo was particrly happy when she agreed. Jennie patted his hand and smiled, ¡°See, Tina is always good to us. No matter what you ask, she never refuses.¡±

    As they spoke, the dishes they ordered were brought to the table one after another. Hugo and Jennie ced the spicy pork trotters and mango mousse cake in front of Tina, ¡°These are your favorites, Tina. Please eat without hesitation.¡± Tina said nothing, just nced at them meaningfully and picked up her chopsticks.

    The meal went smoothly, and afterward, Tina offered to drive them back. ¡°You must still be staying at a hotel,¡± Tina turned to Hugo and Jennie beside her, ¡°Which hotel? I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°No need!¡± Jennie quickly waved her hand and smiled, ¡°You¡¯ve already spent so much on this meal; we can¡¯t let you drive us back too.¡±

    This private restaurant looked ordinary but was notoriously expensive, with some dishes priced over a thousand dors. Even though Tina was now the eldest daughter of the Reed family, they didn¡¯t want to spend her moneyvishly. ¡°It¡¯s not easy for you in the Reed family; just take care of yourself, and we¡¯ll be relieved,¡± Hugo added, patting Tina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°As parents, we¡¯re satisfied as long as our children are doing well.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Tina stared at them and suddenly asked, ¡°How is Zackary? Why didn¡¯t hee?¡± Hugo and Jennie were taken aback but then sighed, ¡°Zackary caught a cold and hasn¡¯t recovered for days. We left him with his aunt.¡± ¡°Yes, he was still coughing when we called him two days ago. We¡¯ll bring him to the capital once he¡¯s better.¡± Elsa smiled sentimentally, ¡°Tina still cares about Zackary as always.¡±

    Tina responded indifferently and said goodbye before getting into her car. Once inside, she took out her phone and dialed Cole¡¯s number while watching the three of them walk away. ¡°At thest banquet, my foster parents didn¡¯t attend. I asked you to investigate; what did you find out?¡± She got straight to the point.

    Cole hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°Mr. Reed and Mrs. Reed bought tickets to the capital after receiving the invitation. Upon arrival, they visited a friend at the First Hospital.¡± This matched what Hugo had said. Knowing Cole¡¯s capabilities, Tina trusted his findings.

    ¡°Alright, noted,¡± she said. Sensing something in her tone, Cole cautiously asked, ¡°Serena, are you suspecting something?¡± Tina didn¡¯t answer directly but instructed him to investigate their daily activities after arriving in the capital.

    ¡°Do you need 24-hour surveince on them?¡± Cole was puzzled by Tina¡¯s order but knew she had her reasons for every decision she made.

    ¡°No need,¡± Tina replied calmly as she watched their figures disappear into the distance.

    After dining with Hugo¡¯s family, word quickly spread within the Reed family about their visit to the capital. Annabelle suggested inviting them over for a meal at home. Tina also mentioned that Hugo and his wife wanted to stay at Whispering Pines for a while.

    However, Liliosa was the first to oppose this idea vehemently. ¡°How can this be? The main family and branch family should not mix! This is absurd!¡± After being taken away by the police with Mack due to public pressure as Emerson family¡¯s matriarch, Hawk managed to get her released but not Mack.

    Hawk deliberately kept Mack detained to elevate his illegitimate son¡¯s status by suppressing Mack. Since returning home under house arrest by Muff¡¯s orders preventing her from visiting the Reed family¡¯s residence-she was frustrated beyond measure! Seizing an opportunity when Muff went to a sanatorium-she sneaked back home.

    Liliosa had informants within Reed family making it easy for her to gather information; upon returning home-she immediately protested against Hugo¡¯s family moving in front of Annabelle.

    Present were Juliet-Tina-Griffin-and Garrett with his wife; except for Tina-the others asionally nced at Annabelle¡¯s reaction.

    Juliet naturally sided with Tina stating it was no big deal since they were all part of Reed family while dismissing Liliosa¡¯s concerns as unnecessary fuss over minor matters.

    Liliosa pointed angrily towards Tina using her of trying to forcefully integrate branch members into main household causing potential embarrassment due to longstanding discord between main & branch families living under same roof!

    Garrett tried mediating exining that Tina merely wantedfortable amodations for foster parents without any ill intent; however-Liliosa grew increasingly exasperated feeling misunderstood amidst everyone seemingly siding with Tina while Garrett & Luna remained neutral yet ineffective in resolving situation.

    Annabelle finally intervened asserting that Mack¡¯s predicament resulted from his own actions absolving others from me while forbidding further discussion on matter despite Liliosa¡¯s protests about perceived favoritism towards amodating outsiders within main household premises!

    Griffin now staunchly supporting Tina dismissed Liliosa¡¯s usations emphasizing familial unity over trivial disputes regarding household arrangements prompting Annabelle¡¯s decision allowing extended stay without imposing psychological burden upon guests acknowledging their kindness towards fostering rtionships among rtives ensuring mutual respect & gratitude towards each other fostering harmonious coexistence within extended family dynamics!

 Chapter 307: Three Million Dollar Gift

    ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± Liliosa refused to agree as things developed in a direction she didn¡¯t want. ¡°Such a big decision can¡¯t be made by you alone, Mom!¡±

    ¡°We are also members of the Reed family! We have the right to voice our opinions!¡± She would rather die than see Tina¡¯s n seed and bring Hugo¡¯s family back to the main house.

    Currently banned from returning home by Muff, Liliosa had to be cautious and avoid Muff whenever she came back. Why should outsiders be allowed to enter the Reed family openly?

    Annabelle gave her a stern look. ¡°This house is not for you to decide!¡±

    ¡°I can handle small matters like this!¡± Liliosa was furious, almost copsing onto the sofa. ¡°Mom! Are you crazy? How can you side with outsiders?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to see the Reed family taken over by others?¡± She screamed hysterically, but no one took her words seriously.

    Garrett, weak in character, always listened to Muff and Annabelle and didn¡¯t dare say much. Luna wisely said, ¡°Let¡¯s listen to Mom. Dad¡¯s health is poor; we need Mom to manage the household.¡±

    Juliet and Griffin had no objections and fully supported Annabelle.

    ¡°Very good.¡± Annabelle nodded with satisfaction and patted Tina beside her. ¡°It seems everyone agrees with me. From now on, no matter what happens, Tina is part of our family.¡±

    ¡°If anyone dares to bully Tina, they are bullying me. I don¡¯t want to hear any gossip!¡± Her sharp gaze swept across the room.

    Garrett quickly nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll listen to Mom.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we have no other thoughts. We¡¯re happy Tina is back; why would we bully her?¡±

    With Annabelle¡¯s firm stance, she continued, ¡°This weekend, let¡¯s have Tina¡¯s adoptive parents move in. We¡¯ll have a formal dinner at the Reed family house to wee them.¡±

    Despite Liliosa¡¯s strong opposition, Hugo and Jennie moved into Whispering Pines smoothly.

    That evening, Annabelle personally instructed the servants to prepare avish dinner and invited everyone in the Reed family.

    Except for Muff, who was ill, and Jasper, Damian, and Arthur, who were busy with work, everyone else attended.

    It was evident that Annabelle valued this gathering highly.

    Audrey couldn¡¯t help butugh at the grand setup. ¡°Grandma really values Tina. Who else has received such special treatment? Even her adoptive parents get to live in the Reed family house.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Liliosa was bitter that no one supported her. She had begged for a chance to attend this dinner and was naturally unhappy about it.

    Why did she have to face their scrutiny when returning to the Reed family while Tina could bring two outsiders into the house openly?

    ¡°People might think our Reed family has fallen so low that anyone can enter!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Annabelle¡¯s sharp gaze silenced her.

    Esther quickly pulled at her outspoken daughter.

    As long as Muff and Annabelle were around, they were still in charge of this house. Others might be dissatisfied but had to restrain themselves.

    Hugo and Jennie sat in the middle, clearly feeling awkward.

    ¡°We were presumptuous,¡± Hugo said after ncing at Tina. ¡°We just wanted to see Tina and take this opportunity to clear up past misunderstandings. We didn¡¯t expect things to get worse.¡±

    ¡°As long as Tina is doing well, it doesn¡¯t matter if wee or not. She¡¯s a Reed family child; seeing her reunited with her family makes us happy enough.¡±

    ¡°Of course you¡¯re happy!¡± Liliosa fumed. ¡°Tina bes a Reed family princess, and you can enjoy benefits through her!¡±

    ¡°You moved in today; tomorrow you¡¯ll take over and treat this ce as your own!¡±

    Liliosa¡¯s words were harsh, but Tina showed no anger; she seemed entertained by it all.

    ¡°Tina is part of our family,¡± Juliet retorted unhappily. ¡°Her adoptive parents cared for her; she wants to repay them. Is that not allowed?¡±

    Liliosa red at Juliet and stood up abruptly. ¡°Why should she repay them using the Reed family¡¯s resources? Haven¡¯t we given her enough? Now she¡¯s bringing outsiders into our home!¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Annabelle finally lost patience and mmed the table hard. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m not here? Gossiping right in front of me!¡±

    ¡°I agreed for Tina¡¯s adoptive parents to stay here; no one is allowed to object! Without their care, would Tina have returned safely?¡±

    She turned kindly towards Hugo and Jennie. ¡°Thanks to you both, Tina could return safely. Not only does she owe you gratitude; the Reed family does too. Three million dors may not be much, but it¡¯s my token of appreciation-you must ept it!¡±

    A servant brought over a check and ced it on the table.

    Hugo and Jennie were astonished and waved their hands repeatedly. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything extraordinary. Tina is smart and well-behaved; we like her too. We can¡¯t ept this money!¡±

    Three million dors was a significant amount for them; Hugo was an ordinary office worker.

    Tina nced at them before looking away again. ¡°No need to refuse.¡±

    Seeing Annabelle offering money, Tina shamelessly encouraged them to ept it.

    Liliosa was so enraged she almost exploded with anger. She jumped up to stop it. ¡°Why give them money? The Reed family treats them well; they should be grateful!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re nothing special yet dare ept money from us!¡±

    Three million dors meant nothing to other Reed family members-they spent millions or even billions casually.

    This three million was Annabelle¡¯s gesture; no one dared challenge it.

    ¡°If it¡¯s Mom¡¯s decision, let¡¯s follow it,¡± Esther quickly agreed after seeing Annabelle¡¯s expression.

    Liliosa¡¯s face turned red with anger; she wanted to overturn the entire table of food.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Hugo and Jennie exchanged nces before saying, ¡°If you insist, we¡¯ll ept it so as not to waste your kindness.¡±

    Shameless!

    Liliosa sat down angrily without another word or nce at them.

    Throughout dinner, everyone had their thoughts while only Tina remained calm as if ignoring Liliosa¡¯s res entirely.

 Chapter 308: Truth and Lies, a Cloud of Confusion

    After dinner, Tina took Hugo and Jennie to the guest room. Annabelle had already arranged everything; the room was spacious andfortable, with all new furnishings.

    Hugo looked around, feeling relieved. ¡°Seeing Tina living well now, my heart is finally at ease. I used to worry she would suffer in the Reed family.¡±

    Jennie smiled. ¡°Tina is so outstanding; who would give her a hard time? You shouldn¡¯t worry too much about her.¡±

    Hugo sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. What father doesn¡¯t worry about his daughter? Even though Tina has now been acknowledged by the Reed family, she will always be my biological daughter in my eyes.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina nced at him subtly, her smile deepening. After a moment, she collected herself and asked calmly, ¡°Mr. Reed, did you take leave from your job in Ensford toe to the capital?¡±

    Hugo hesitated for a moment before frowning. ¡°I resigned!¡±

    ¡°Resigned?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Hugo nodded. ¡°At first, I thought the job was decent-high sry and respectable-but you wouldn¡¯t believe how the chairman of Mendara mistreats his employees. Even when my projects were wless, he would find faults and berate me in front of everyone. I quit out of frustration.¡±

    Tina found it amusing. ¡°You mean-the chairman of Mendara scolded you publicly?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Hugo¡¯s face darkened. ¡°So besides mending rtions with the Reed family, I also n to seek new opportunities here in the capital.¡±

    ¡°What do you n to do?¡± Tina asked.

    Hugo hesitated before looking at Tina. ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve had this idea for a long time but needed your approval.¡±

    Tina lowered her gaze, her expression calm. ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°I want to start my ownpany using your mother¡¯s perfume form.¡± Hugo paused to gauge Tina¡¯s reaction.

    Tina looked up, signaling him to continue.

    Seeing no change in her expression, Hugo went on. ¡°The Ensford Reed family is history now. I don¡¯t want to work for others anymore. Zackary is still young; his education and our living expenses require money. My job at Mendara isn¡¯t enough to support us.¡±

    ¡°But as you know, the Reed family made its fortune in perfumes, and I don¡¯t have other skills. Your mother left behind a perfume form that I n to develop into a business. However¡­¡±

    Hugo paused before continuing, ¡°Jennie identally tore up your mother¡¯s perfume form while organizing things. I tried piecing it back together but couldn¡¯t restore itpletely.¡±

    Tina¡¯s fingers yed with an ornament on the table as she spoke evenly, ¡°You want me to provide the perfume form?¡±

    Hugo felt awkward. ¡°I know this might be difficult for you since it¡¯s your mother¡¯s legacy, but if I can establish thispany, it will also benefit you greatly.¡±

    Tina smiled faintly. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll give you the form.¡±

    Hugo was overjoyed. ¡°Tina, you¡¯re wonderful! I knew my care for you wasn¡¯t in vain.¡±

    Tina¡¯s cold eyes held a hint of depth as she looked at him.

    ¡°By the way, there¡¯s one more thing¡­¡± Hugo suddenly remembered.

    Tina looked up for him to continue.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have startup capital,¡± Hugo said awkwardly. ¡°Currently, we only have the three million dors given by the Reed family, which isn¡¯t enough to start apany. Tina¡­ could you ask your father for an investment?¡±

    Tina¡¯s fingers paused on the ornament as her gaze darkened slightly. ¡°How much do you need?¡±

    ¡°For initial funding, at least twenty million dors,¡± Hugo replied.

    Tina withdrew her hand from the ornament and put it in her pocket, speaking slowly. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll give you twenty million dors without involving the Reed family.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie were stunned by how quickly Tina agreed.

    Seeing their surprise, Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Hugo quickly recovered hisposure with a sheepish smile. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect the Reed family to treat you so well-giving twenty million dors just like that. Your mother would be happy if she knew.¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly as she nced at Hugo and Jennie. ¡°Rest well; don¡¯t worry about anything else.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± they both agreed.

    Tina nodded and returned to her room.

    As she closed the door, her eyes narrowed sharply, exuding a chilling aura.

    She took out her phone and dialed Cole¡¯s number.

    The call connected quickly. ¡°Serena.¡±

    ¡°Have you found him?¡± Tina¡¯s voice was cold and devoid of warmth.

    ¡°Zackary is currently staying with his great-aunt in Royal Oaks,¡± Cole reported. ¡°Hugo arranged for him to take a leave of absence from school. There are no suspicious individuals around his great-aunt¡¯s house but¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡± Tina asked tly.

    ¡°Zackary isn¡¯t doing well there,¡± Cole continued reluctantly. ¡°His great-aunt only feeds him once a day-in vegetables and bread-and her two children bully him for fun. When we arrived, Zackary was covered in bruises and had lost weight significantly. To avoid detection, I secretly treated his wounds and gave him some food.¡±

    Tina¡¯s expression remained icy as she asked quietly, ¡°Have you found Hugo?¡±

    Cole hesitated before replying, ¡°I¡¯ve checked all of Hugo¡¯s activities over the past two months and found nothing unusual or any unfamiliar people around him. Serena, could it be that you¡¯re mistaken?¡±

    ¡°Have you checked Elsa?¡± Tina sat down and picked up a framed photo from the table.

    The photo showed her with Hugo, Jennie, and Zackary-taken when she was about to get engaged to Jared at Jennie¡¯s suggestion.

    After developing it, she¡¯d kept it with her always and made it into a frame upon arriving in the capital.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Cole confirmed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing suspicious about her either. She left Ensford shortly after you did with her boyfriend for the capital. When Hugo and Jennie arrivedst time for your banquet, they met Elsa first before heading towards the hotel but made a detour to visit a friend at the hospital.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t respond immediately; she gently caressed Hugo and Jennie¡¯s faces in the photo before smiling faintly.

    After cing the frame back on the table carefully, she spoke coldly again: ¡°Bring Zackary to the capital immediately; as for his great-aunt¡¯s family-Serenity Ridge¡¯s coal mines would suit them perfectly.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Cole replied before hanging up.

 Chapter 309: News About Annie

    On the other side, Liliosa returned to the Emerson family from the Reed family, her anger almost burning her up inside. She was fuming as she opened the door and saw Mack ying games in the living room. She was taken aback, ¡°Mack, why are you back?¡±

    Mack didn¡¯t even lift his eyes from his game, ¡°My dad bailed me out.¡±

    Liliosa was stunned and then snorted coldly, ¡°At least he has some conscience.¡± She then said to Mack, ¡°Since you¡¯re back, pull yourself together. Don¡¯t forget there¡¯s a bastard child eyeing our family now.¡±

    Mack was engrossed in his game and didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Mack!¡± Seeing him ying games at this critical moment, Liliosa was furious. ¡°How can you still have the mood to y games? The entire Emerson family isughing at us! You need to pull yourself together and show them that you are the rightful heir of the Emerson family!¡±

    ¡°Mom, stop nagging. They are just making trouble for no reason! In the end, the Emerson family¡¯s assets will be mine; that¡¯s indisputable!¡± Mack replied impatiently, gripping his game controller.

    As the eldest son of the Emerson family and the primary heir, he believed no one could take his ce. Even if others had different ideas, it wouldn¡¯t change this fact.

    Liliosa was livid. If Mack hadn¡¯t been so useless and embarrassing, Hawk wouldn¡¯t have brought Lysander back home. Now that the bastard was being raised in another house and Hawk was showing him off everywhere, it was clear he was nning for the future.

    ¡°Yours?¡± Liliosa snatched the controller from Mack¡¯s hands and threw it on the ground. ¡°If you don¡¯t shape up immediately, your dad will give everything to Lysander!¡±

    Hearing that his father might give everything to Lysander finally made Mack look up, but he still seemed skeptical. ¡°Give it to that bastard? How is that possible? He¡¯s just some unknown guy who only knows how to y esports. The Emerson family won¡¯t agree!¡±

    In the past, the elders of the Emerson family might have had objections, but seeing how ipetent Mack had be, their opinions were changing. They would rather choose Lysander, who was young, smart, and had achieved sess in esports.

    Liliosa poked him hard with her finger. ¡°Do you want to watch our family¡¯s assets being taken away before you wake up?¡±

    ¡°Lysander is not easy to deal with. Who knows if he¡¯s plotting something behind our backs? If your dad listens to him and leaves everything to him, it¡¯ll be toote for regrets!¡±

    As she spoke, Hawk returned home. Seeing the game on TV made his expression darken.

    ¡°Hawk!¡± Liliosa hurried to greet him and took his coat. ¡°You must be tired. I¡¯ll ask a servant to make you some tea so you can rest.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Hawk replied coldly.

    He seemed disgusted by Liliosa and Mack¡¯s presence and walked straight to his study without even looking at Mack.

    Liliosa bit her lip tightly, her expression darkening.

    Hawk¡¯s attitude was clearly because of Mack¡¯s behavior. Things were getting worse; she couldn¡¯t let Mack continue like this.

    Having been kicked out by the Reed family, she couldn¡¯t afford to be sidelined in the Emerson family too.

    Just as she turned to re at Mack and n her next move, her phone rang.

    Annoyed, she answered it and heard someone say, ¡°Mrs. Emerson, we have news about your daughter! We found traces of her in Ensford!¡±

    Liliosa trembled all over!

    Her daughter! Her Annie!

    She almost dropped her phone in shock and asked excitedly, ¡°Are you sure? My daughter was really in Ensford?¡±

    Annie had always been a knot in her heart for years. She med Jasper for not taking care of their daughter properly and causing this tragedy.

    Despite all this time passing, she never gave up searching for Annie.

    Finally, her efforts paid off; there was news about her daughter.

    ¡°It¡¯s true; we¡¯re not lying. I¡¯ll send you detailed informationter.¡±

    The person on the other end sounded confident. Liliosa nodded vigorously. ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll go to Ensford right away! I need to find my daughter!¡±

    After hanging up, Liliosa booked the earliest flight ticket and packed her bags.

    Mack frowned at her. ¡°Mom, are you crazy? Going to Ensford thiste?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t understand why Liliosa still held onto hope after all these years when Annie had been missing for so long.

    Back then, Jasper and Hawk had used all their resources to search every corner of the capital but found nothing. She should have given up by now.

    Searching like this was like looking for a needle in a haystack; no one even knew if Annie was still alive.

    ¡°Annie is waiting for me! I must go immediately!¡±

    Thinking that her daughter might be in Ensford right now made Liliosa desperate to fly there and turn Ensford upside down looking for her.

    She had waited for so many years; she couldn¡¯t wait any longer. She wanted to bring Annie home and hold her precious daughter again.

    Mack rolled his eyes, thinking she had lost it.

    Every time Annie was mentioned, Liliosa acted like a madwoman-one moment furious and another moment sobbing uncontrobly.

    ¡°Mom, don¡¯t get your hopes up too high; we¡¯ve had false leads before. It¡¯s been so many years; how could we find her now?¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Despite Mack¡¯s attempts to dampen her spirits, Liliosa ignored him and left the Emerson family with her luggage in tow.

    The next day.

    Jasper returned home after finishing work at thepany and learned that Hugo and his wife had moved in.

    Annabelle had approved it; although Jasper felt a bit ufortable about it, he said nothing outwardly.

    As soon as Jasper entered his study, Annabelle followed him.

    ¡°Jasper.¡±

    Annabelle entered and sat on the sofa in his study as if she had something to say.

    Jasper understood immediately and spoke first. ¡°Mom if there¡¯s something you want to say just say it.¡±

    ¡°Tina¡¯s adoptive parents are staying with us now; I thought I should tell you.¡±

    Annabelle sighed softly. ¡°You know Tina has a good rtionship with them because they took care of her; I didn¡¯t want to refuse Tina and make her sad.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Jasper nodded and put aside his documents. ¡°You¡¯re considering Tina¡¯s feelings; I have no objections.¡±

    Seeing that he understood eased Annabelle¡¯s mind a bit. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy with worktely; you haven¡¯t even had a meal with Tina. No matter how important work is it can¡¯t be more important than Tina!¡±

    ¡°Spend more time with Tina; we finally found our daughter again-you must cherish this.¡±

    ¡°I understand Mom.¡±

    Satisfied that Jasper understood Annabelle rxed a bit more. ¡°Alright then I¡¯ll leave you alone now; don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡±

    Outside Tina listened quietly before turning back to her room.

 Chapter 310: Uncle, Are You Seducing Me Again?

    It was the weekend. Tina was handling some matters in her room when Jared called. ¡°Tina,e down and have a meal with me,¡± Jared¡¯s voice was filled with affection. He hadn¡¯t seen Tina for several days and missed her terribly.

    Tina continued working on herputer while replying, ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m busy.¡±

    ¡°Tina! It¡¯s been almost a week since west met,¡± Jared¡¯s voice carried a hint of grievance.

    Tina paused. Had it really only been a week? Why did he sound so aggrieved?

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to have strawberry cake!¡± Jared offered the bait when he noticed Tina¡¯s silence.

    Sure enough, Tina¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Strawberry cake?¡±

    Jared smiled, ¡°Shall we go?¡±

    Tina thought for a moment and said, ¡°I want the one you make.¡±

    Jared chuckled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make it.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Tina tidied up and went downstairs. Jasper saw Jared and looked as if his precious cabbage was being taken away by a pig but couldn¡¯t openly oppose it.

    ¡°Tina,e back early,¡± Jasper advised earnestly before she left. ¡°Come home right after dinner; don¡¯t stay out toote.¡±

    Tina responded nonchntly and left with Jared.

    In the car, Jared fastened Tina¡¯s seatbelt and asked while starting the engine, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see Mr. Reed today?¡±

    He had learned a few days ago that Hugo was staying with the Reed family and had nned to invite them for a meal. However, Tina mentioned they were busy, so the dinner was postponed.

    ¡°They went out for something,¡± Tina replied casually.

    Jared nced at her, ¡°Is something bothering you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Jared observed her delicate face for a while before smiling, ¡°Tina, do you know that whenever something is on your mind, you always have an unapproachable aura?¡±

    Tina was startled. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Tina smiled faintly, ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t sleep well.¡±

    The matter concerning Hugo hadn¡¯t been confirmed yet; she didn¡¯t want to tell Jared for now.

    Seeing she didn¡¯t want to talk about it, Jared didn¡¯t press further. ¡°Grandpa wants me to invite Mr. Reed to dine with us at the Farrell family tomorrow.¡±

    Before Tina could respond, Jared continued, ¡°Since Mr. Reed is in the capital, we should show our hospitality.¡±

    He noticed Tina¡¯s subtle emotional change when mentioning Hugo. Although he wasn¡¯t sure what had happened between them, he believed Tina could handle it.

    Tina remained silent for a moment before agreeing, ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll let them know.¡±

    At Jared¡¯s private apartment, he parked the car and ced the groceries he just bought into the kitchen. While putting on an apron, he said to Tina, ¡°Tina, take a rest; I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Do you need any help?¡±

    Jared paused for a few seconds before smiling, ¡°No need; just enjoy your meal.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    He hadn¡¯t forgotten how disastrous it was when his little girl tried cooking; nothing she made was edible.

    Since Jared insisted, Tina didn¡¯t argue andfortably settled on the sofa like she was at home, ying games leisurely.

    Jared rarely focused so intently on cooking in the kitchen.

    Two hourster, four dishes and a soup were served on the table. Smelling the aroma, Tina put down her phone and went to the dining room.

    Although she had tasted Jared¡¯s cooking before, eating it again still made her feel that his dishes were delicious and suited her taste perfectly.

    Jared smiled warmly. ¡°All ingredients are fresh. I know you love spicy and sweet food but dislike sour vors, so I adjusted the recipes ordingly.¡±

    He then brought out a strawberry cake. ¡°Your exclusive strawberry cake.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes brightened at the sight of the cake. She took a spoonful and tasted it, feeling instantly delighted.

    ¡°Uncle, are you doing this on purpose?¡± She half-closed her eyes in satisfaction. ¡°Everything here is my favorite; are you trying to win me over with food?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jared felt content seeing her eat happily. He leaned down and lightly kissed her nose. ¡°To win your heart, I must first conquer your stomach.¡±

    Jared watched her with a smile. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make your heart flutter?¡±

    Caught off guard by his kiss, Tina blushed slightly and coughed twice. ¡°Just a little bit.¡±

    Handsome with a good build, caring and skilled in cooking-her uncle indeed had no ws she could find.

    Jared sat down and watched her eat with a smile. The scene was so pleasing that he felt satisfied without even eating himself.

    If only time could slow down; he really didn¡¯t want to send her home so soon.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared propped his chin up with his hand and asked with a smile, ¡°How about staying over tonight?¡±

    Tina looked at him and saw the heat in his eyes. She smiled slyly. ¡°Uncle, are you seducing me?¡±

    Jared held her free hand in his palm and brought his cool lips close to hers. ¡°Yes, Tina, I¡¯m seducing you.¡±

    The temperature between them gradually rose.

    Momentster, both found it hard to control themselves; they almost crossed the line before Jared quickly pulled back and gently patted Tina¡¯s head. ¡°Tina, grow up quickly.¡±

    Last time, Jared almost lost control with Tina, and he felt guilty for a long time afterward. He almost forgot she was still just a neen-year-old girl. Tina, her emotions stirred, suddenly halted by him, looked at him with deep, resentful eyes. ¡°You did that on purpose!¡± Jared, seeing her look as if she wanted to devour him, felt a bit awkward. ¡°Be patient, wait until you¡¯re a bit older, until we can get married,¡± he said.

    Tina looked at Jared¡¯s sexy, thin lips and wanted to throw herself at him again but thought better of it. ¡°Uncle is right!¡± she thought to herself. She was still young. Children shouldn¡¯t do what adults do. Yes, that¡¯s right.

    After dinner, seeing that it was still early, Jared took Tina to a nearby mall for a stroll. Tina didn¡¯t need anything, but Jared always wanted to buy her something. It seemed like no amount could express how much he liked her. As they wandered through the mall, they had just entered a luxury brand store when they heard a voice, slightly surprised, ¡°Mr. Farrell?¡±

    Jared and Tina turned around and saw Willow and her daughter Lily, who were also shopping there. Lily stared at them, doubting her eyes for a moment. Though they were only engaged, they looked like a newly married couple walking through the mall, a sight that couldn¡¯t help but spark jealousy in her. Willow¡¯s expression darkened even more because of Tina; she had been turned away from the Reed family¡¯s home several times. Now, seeing her again was like seeing some bad luck charm; even a nce seemed to bring misfortune.

    Jared nced at them without any extra interest and turned to ask Tina, ¡°Is there anything you want?¡± Tina tilted her head to look at the items on the shelf, her interest waning, ¡°Nothing much, it¡¯s all so-so.¡±

    Seeing herself treated as if she were air, Lily¡¯s face grew embarrassed. When had she ever been treated with such disregard?

 Chapter 311: Thereâ€™s Always a Fly That Likes to Pester

    ¡°Miss Reed, I heard that my mother went to Whispering Pinesst time and said some unpleasant things. I hope you won¡¯t take it to heart for my sake,¡± Lily stepped forward, both exining and apologizing. No matter what, she couldn¡¯t let go of Jared. In front of Jared, she had to put in the effort to make a good impression.

    She pointed to the leather bag beside her and said to the sales assistant, ¡°I¡¯ll buy this bag as an apology gift for Miss Reed. Please wrap it up.¡±

    ¡°For your sake?¡± Tina lifted her eyes slightly. ¡°Is your face that valuable?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Lily didn¡¯t expect Tina to respond like this. Herposure vanishedpletely, leaving only awkwardness.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Willow, seeing her daughter being bullied, looked displeased. ¡°Miss Reed, Lily is kindly buying you a bag, and you still show her attitude! What kind of behavior is this?¡±

    Even if Tina had been acknowledged by the Reed family, in Willow¡¯s eyes, she was still a country bumpkin unworthy of the spotlight. Because of this, Willow almost wanted to teach Tina a lesson herself.

    ¡°Your behavior doesn¡¯t befit ady of the Reed family. I advise you to change your attitude so you don¡¯t embarrass Jasper!¡± Willow scolded coldly.

    ¡°What?¡± Jared looked over coldly, his expression darkening. ¡°Tina¡¯s status needs your questioning?¡±

    Even if Tina wasn¡¯t the legitimate eldest daughter of the Reed family verified by DNA testing, it wasn¡¯t Willow¡¯s ce to show disdain here.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that¡­¡±

    Facing Jared¡¯s intimidating gaze, Willow stammered in fear. ¡°Mr. Farrell misunderstood. I meant that Tina doesn¡¯t deserve Mr. Farrell; she¡¯s aiming too high¡­¡±

    Although everyone knew Jared was considered useless by many, they also knew Logan had entrusted him with the Farrell family¡¯s power. Useless or not, as long as Logan valued him, nothing else mattered.

    In the future, whoever ruled the Farrell family would depend on Logan¡¯s decisions. Willow wanted to be the matriarch of the Reed family and didn¡¯t want her daughter marrying an ordinary person. Thinking about it now, climbing up the Farrell family tree wasn¡¯t a bad idea.

    Moreover, Lily had mentioned that Jared was her investor. Mr. Daryl¡¯s identity was even more attractive than being the heir of the Farrell family.

    Jared narrowed his eyes slightly and looked down at her from above, putting his arm around Tina¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Aiming too high!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, please don¡¯t mind my mother; she spoke out of love for me,¡± Lily exined while suppressing her anger towards Willow. ¡°Miss Reed doesn¡¯t need to be polite or feel burdened; buying this bag is just an apology with no other intention.¡±

    This bag cost at least a million dors. It might be insufficient for other socialites but more than enough for Tina. A country girl like her wouldn¡¯t have seen such luxury before; giving her this was already elevating her status.

    Lily had forgotten that Tina had previously auctioned off an imperial jade worth billions and that Annabelle had casually given Tina three hundred million dors. Logan had even said that if Tina wanted it, even a hundred billion dors wouldn¡¯t be an issue for the Farrell family.

    ¡°Too ugly.¡± Tina looked at the bag expressionlessly, ignoring Lily¡¯s so-called ¡°apology.¡± She doubted Lily¡¯s taste for picking out the ugliest item in the store.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Lily couldn¡¯t believe her ears and stared wide-eyed at Tina.

    ¡°Bad taste and poor hearing?¡± Tina brushed her hair aside and said, ¡°That money would be better spent on hospital treatment.¡±

    Humiliated several times in a row, Lily gritted her teeth as anger surged within her throat. Why could Tina speak so arrogantly? It was all because she had Mr. Farrell backing her up.

    Lily didn¡¯t understand why Jared liked Tina when she believed she was equally matched in every aspect.

    ¡°Miss Reed, don¡¯t go too far¡­¡±

    Lily struggled to contain her anger while Willow fumed beside her.

    ¡°Noisy.¡± Tina nced at them indifferently and couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond further. She took Jared¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Jared smiled in agreement.

    His smile pierced through Lily¡¯s heart like sunlight, upying all her thoughts. Before she could react, Jared was already holding Tina¡¯s hand and leaving.

    ¡°That wretched girl!¡±

    Seeing them head to another luxury store, Willow cursed again. ¡°She really thinks she¡¯s something special now! Does she think she¡¯s so precious that she can unt herself before us?¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    Lily turned to look at herining mother with some dissatisfaction in her heart. ¡°Getting angry at Tina is just asking for trouble!¡±

    Jared had been present just now; they needed to act properly so he wouldn¡¯t know their true feelings towards Tina.

    ¡°You me me? Didn¡¯t you see how arrogant Tina was? She almost stepped on our heads! I can¡¯t swallow this anger!¡± Willow fumed just thinking about it. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how she¡¯s so lucky-being both the eldest daughter of the Reed family and engaged to someone from the Farrell family!¡±

    Lily felt simrly but knew she couldn¡¯t show these thoughts in front of Jared.

    ¡°Alright, stop being angry!¡± Seeing Willow still upset, Lily triedforting her by patting her back gently. ¡°Didn¡¯t you like a bag earlier? I¡¯ll buy it for you; forget about these annoying things!¡±

    Willow pointed at the sales assistant while speaking, ¡°Wrap up that bag we saw earlier; we¡¯re buying it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Just as Willow was about to take out her credit card, the sales assistant politely said, ¡°The gentleman earlier bought everything in our store; we have no stock left now. Please visit another store.¡±

    What?!

    Willow and Lily exchanged shocked nces while Lily clenched her fists in anger.

    She had coveted that bag for a long time but hesitated due to its high price. Even though she was a Ward family heiress, not everything could be bought impulsively.

    Yet Jared easily bought it all for Tina without hesitation.

    Lily¡¯s face turned pale with rage.

    Tina!

    Just wait!

    She would make sure anyone who dared show her attitude would face severe consequences!

 Chapter 312: Hugo Wants the Potion

    After finishing their shopping trip, Jared kept his promise and took Tina back to the Reed family. The time they spent together was too short, and watching Tina get out of the car and leave felt like a piece of his heart was being torn away. Just wait a little longer; the time isn¡¯t right yet. Tina was still investigating her master¡¯s matters and needed to stay with the Reed family. Jared knew how important this was to Tina. No one could stop her from doing what she wanted, and he didn¡¯t want to either. Once everything was over, he would give her the grandest wedding and marry his girl.

    On the other side, Tina had just returned home when Hugo called out to her before she reached her room.

    ¡°Tina!¡± He rubbed his hands together, a slightly nervous smile on his face, and asked with concern, ¡°Where did you go? Why did it take so long toe back?¡±

    Tina raised her eyes slightly, her expression indifferent. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    Hugo waved his hands repeatedly as if afraid she¡¯d misunderstand. ¡°Nothing much, just wanted to chat with you.¡±

    ¡°You see, Jennie and I have been here for so long but haven¡¯t had a chance to sit down and talk with you. I also want to know how you¡¯re doing here.¡±

    Tina gave him a meaningful look and then nodded. She didn¡¯t take him to her room but went to the courtyard instead. There were several lounge chairs in the courtyard. Tina casually picked one and sat down, getting straight to the point. ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

    Hugo paused for a moment before sitting beside her with a forced smile. ¡°How do you feel staying with the Reed family? How are they treating you?¡±

    The same few questions over and over again. Tina looked disinterestedly at the wisteria in the yard and replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay, no particr feelings.¡±

    Annabelle indeed treated her well, always considering her emotions. In contrast, Muff and Jasper were harder to pin down. When it came to feelings weighed against interests, those two always calcted the pros and cons.

    Seeing that she had noints about the Reed family, Hugo continued, ¡°Actually, I came to the Reed family this time also to see where your mother used to live.¡±

    ¡°If time could go back, I really wish I could have treated her better then. She suffered so much but was indeed a good mother.¡±

    Hearing him mention her mother made Tina¡¯s expression soften slightly, adding a bit more emotion to her eyes. She lowered her gaze; no one knew what she was thinking. ¡°I know she was great.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Hugo said with deep emotion. ¡°You must miss her a lot too. After all, she left when you were so young; it must have been hard for a child to ept.¡±

    Tina responded with a faint hum without saying much more.

    ¡°By the way, Tina¡­¡± Hugo hesitated before speaking again.

    Tina¡¯s lips curved slightly. Was he finally getting to the point?

    ¡°The potion I gave youst time-is it still with you?¡± Hugo asked while observing Tina¡¯s expression.

    Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Potion?¡±

    Hugo nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Tina looked up at him. ¡°Why bring it up now?¡±

    Hugo quickly put on a smile. ¡°When I gave you that potion, I wasn¡¯t thinking clearly and handed it over just like that. I forgot your mother had told me it¡¯s dangerous and shouldn¡¯t be given lightly.¡±

    Hugo paused and spoke softly, ¡°Tina, like your mother, I hope you can live happily and safely without getting involved in these matters. So after careful consideration, if you haven¡¯t given away the potion yet, please hand it back to me for safekeeping until the right time.¡±

    Tina looked at him with a faint smile. ¡°When do you think is the right time?¡±

    Hugo thought for a moment before replying, ¡°At least when you¡¯re strong enough to protect it.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Tina chuckled. ¡°Mr. Reed thinks I¡¯m not strong enough?¡±

    Hugo looked up into Tina¡¯s clear eyes-eyes that seemed like bright moons in a dark night, capable of seeing through hearts and piercing straight into him like sharp swords.

    Hugo was stunned for a few seconds; for some reason, he felt inexplicably flustered.

    After a moment, Hugo gathered his thoughts and smiled again. ¡°You¡¯re quite strong indeed, but this potion is very dangerous. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to keep it safe since it¡¯s your mother¡¯s only remaining possession.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t keep it safe?¡± Tina lowered her gaze and asked calmly, ¡°Then does Mr. Reed think he can?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Hugo fell silent before answering, ¡°I might also struggle to keep it safe, but at least it¡¯s safer with me.¡±

    Tina nced at him without speaking.

    After a long pause, she sat down again, ying with the ring on her finger. ¡°Does Mr. Reed know what this potion is for?¡±

    Hugo¡¯s gaze fell on her ring; it seemed oddly familiar as if he¡¯d seen it somewhere before but couldn¡¯t recall exactly where.

    He withdrew his gaze discreetly and nodded. ¡°Your mother once told me this potion could alter human hormones when used on people, pushing their energy levels to their peak-endless energy. If someone with ill intentions got hold of it and used it to build an army against our country, it would be disastrous.¡±

    ¡°Do you know which organization is after this potion?¡± Tina continued asking.

    ¡°GTO,¡± Hugo answered promptly.

    Tina raised an eyebrow and smiled. ¡°It seems Mr. Reed knows quite a lot.¡±

    ¡°All told by your mother,¡± Hugo¡¯s eyes flickered slightly.

    ¡°What does Mr. Reed know about GTO?¡± Tina asked casually.

    ¡°I only know it¡¯s thergest international organization; nothing more,¡± Hugo replied evasively.

    ¡°Then let me tell you about GTO.¡± Tina stood up and walked opposite Hugo, speaking slowly but clearly. ¡°GTO is thergest human trafficking organization globally; over twenty thousand people from our country have gone missing in the past two decades-sold off to GTO for human experiments aimed at achieving their goals.¡±

    ¡°GTO has no shortage of geniuses: medical doctors, tech moguls-all working for them willingly or otherwise. Their base is well-hidden; no one has pinpointed its exact location yet. Among those missing over twenty years, eighty percent are children. To rescue these trafficked individuals and destroy their experimental potions¡¯ research base, our country has sent countless undercover agents-nearly a hundred have sacrificed themselves over these years.¡±

    Hugo frowned deeply; he couldn¡¯t understand why Tina was telling him all this.

    Tina nced at him before continuing calmly: ¡°Did Mr. Reed know my mother was an undercover agent? Besides being an exceptional medical genius skilled in poisons-she excelled even more in disguise!¡±

 Chapter 313: Specialized in Disguise Techniques

    Hugo¡¯s body inexplicably trembled as he looked at her in surprise. Tina¡¯s mother knew disguise techniques? How did he not know? Why had no one told him?

    Tina, seeing his expression, smiled with satisfaction. ¡°During my years at Serenity Ridge, I specialized in studying my mother¡¯s disguise techniques. I did quite well. If you need it, Mr. Reed, I can help you.¡±

    Hugo said nothing, his eyes fixed intently on Tina, trying to discern something from her face but finding nothing. He collected his thoughts and smiled. ¡°Tina, why would I need a disguise for no reason?¡±

    Tina curled her lips. ¡°Mr. Reed, don¡¯t be nervous. I¡¯m just joking. My mother¡¯s disguise techniques aren¡¯t that easy to learn. I¡¯ve only scratched the surface over the years.¡±

    Hugo suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

    Tina shifted her gaze and got to the point. ¡°The potion is safe with me, Mr. Reed. You don¡¯t need to worry about it. Focus on starting yourpany.¡±

    ¡°But the potion is dangerous in your hands,¡± Hugo said urgently.

    Tina nced at him coolly. ¡°The danger lies with those who try to harm the people I care about.¡±

    With that, Tina turned and left before Hugo could react.

    Hugo watched her disappearing figure, his brows tightly furrowed. After a moment, he turned and went back to his room.

    Inside, Jennie saw him enter and quickly stood up to ask, ¡°How did it go? Did you get it?¡±

    Hugo shook his head gravely. ¡°No.¡±

    Jennie frowned. ¡°She refused to give it?¡±

    ¡°I feel like she has discovered something.¡± The more Hugo thought about his conversation with Tina, the more uneasy he felt.

    Jennie was shocked. ¡°How could she find out?¡±

    Hugo shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But I feel like she was hinting at something in her words, and she seems to know a lot about the organization.¡±

    Hugo¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°This girl is not simple!¡±

    Jennie fell silent for a moment before asking, ¡°What do we do now?¡±

    ¡°No need to rush. I¡¯m confident in my disguise skills; it¡¯s unlikely anyone will discover me. Maybe she¡¯s just trying to probe me.¡± Hugo couldn¡¯t understand why Tina wouldn¡¯t fully trust him despite their close rtionship and kept testing him repeatedly.

    After a pause, Hugo said, ¡°But first, I need to confirm whether her mother really knows disguise techniques.¡±

    Jennie nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve already lost several people; we can¡¯t afford any more mistakes this time. The organization has ordered that if we fail again, we¡¯ll have to answer for it with our lives!¡±

    Hugo¡¯s expression grew serious as he asked, ¡°What about those two?¡±

    ¡°Our people are watching them closely; rest assured, no one will find them.¡±

    After leaving the courtyard, Tina stayed at the Reed family residence to continue working on the antidote.

    Due to theck of a rare herb, the production of the antidote was slightly dyed.

    While pondering where to find this herb, Lysander came knocking again.

    He held an album in his hands and smiled proudly at Tina. ¡°Tina, look what I¡¯ve brought you.¡±

    Tina rubbed her temples. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Lysander was like a clingy puppy that wouldn¡¯t leave her side.

    He had been like this in their team before, wanting to follow her around 24/7.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to show you our oldpetition photos!¡± Lysander excitedly and somewhat intively spread the album in front of Tina. ¡°How many teams have won seven consecutive championships? Tina, that¡¯s a legend you led us to create!¡±

    Talking about this record made him emotional.

    It seemed he could talk about it for days without getting tired.

    The photos showed them celebrating their championship victories and having fun during team dinners.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Lysander finally got to the point after much buildup. ¡°You promised you¡¯d consider returning to the team. The season starts next month; when will you join us for training?¡±

    He watched Tina anxiously, afraid she would refuse.

    To his surprise, Tina considered briefly before agreeing. ¡°I have time now; I cane take a look.¡±

    Since there was no progress with Jasper and he was already on guard, she thought she might as well do something else to ease Jasper¡¯s concerns.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Lysander¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement, his metaphorical tail wagging furiously.

    ¡°Do I need to say it twice?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow lightly.

    Lysander quickly shook his head wisely. ¡°No need! I¡¯ll inform them right away; we¡¯ll head over immediately!¡±

    Their training ground was in a building on the outskirts of town, an hour¡¯s drive away.

    Tina closed her eyes for a while during the drive to rest and gather energy.

    Upon arrival at the training facility, Lysander couldn¡¯t contain his excitement and rushed inside first. ¡°Look who I¡¯ve brought!¡±

    The teammates who were training all looked up and were utterly astonished.

    ¡°Tina! It¡¯s Tina!¡±

    ¡°Where have you been these years? We¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you but couldn¡¯t find any information!¡±

    Fang Jun and Chen Yimin immediately stood up and hurried over to them, looking at Tina in disbelief.

    Yu Chengyang came out of the restroom a beatte, scratching his head as he walked into the room filled with noise. ¡°Why are you all making such a racket instead of training? Do you think we have plenty of time?¡±

    As he walked in and saw Tina surrounded by everyone else, his jaw nearly dropped in shock. ¡°Tina!¡±

    He hurried over as well, his voice trembling slightly. ¡°Are you¡­ rejoining the team?¡±

    Among them all, Lysanderughed most triumphantly. ¡°I told you they¡¯d go crazy with joy! Tina, you have no idea how much we¡¯ve missed you!¡±

    Tina nodded and nced around at the equipment in the room. ¡°I¡¯m here to take a look.¡±

    Including her, their team had four members; aside from Lysander who had just turned eighteen, the others were twenty-five or twenty-six years old.

    In esports terms, they were considered older yers.

    No wonder their hand speed had slowed down and their coordination was off track since she left; they hadn¡¯t achieved any significant results since then.

    Unable to hold back any longer, Lysander shared the good news with them all excitedly: ¡°Tina has agreed to rejoin us for next month¡¯s season!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Seeing Tina again was already lucky enough; they hadn¡¯t dared hope she would y with them again.

    ¡°Tina! You¡¯re the soul of our team! If you¡¯re back, we¡¯ll definitely win!¡±

    Chen Yimin echoed excitedly: ¡°That¡¯s right! We may not replicate our past sesses exactly but we¡¯ll surely be champions again!¡±

    The team that had been downcast for years found new hope with Tina¡¯s return.

    ¡°Tina! Look!¡± Lysander said proudly to her: ¡°I knew everything would fall into ce if only you¡¯de back-the team only has meaning with you here!¡±

 Chapter 314: Bringing Zackary Back

    Tina noticed the excitement on their faces and felt a slight stir in her heart. ¡°Tina, want to y a few rounds?¡± Yeev suggested after some small talk. ¡°No, thanks,¡± Tina declined, ¡°I¡¯m just here to check things out today.¡± Yeev was a bit disappointed but understood that Tina had been busy these past years. Her visit alone was already a pleasant surprise.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Tina, when can we start training?¡± Lysander asked eagerly. Tina paused for a moment and said, ¡°No rush. I¡¯ll first draft a training n.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± They chatted for a while longer until Tina¡¯s phone suddenly rang. She nced at the caller ID; it was Cole. Answering the call, she heard Cole say, ¡°Serena, Zackary has been brought back.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± she replied.

    Ending the call, Tina turned to Lysander and the others, saying, ¡°I have something to attend to. I¡¯lle back once I¡¯ve drafted the training n.¡± ¡°Leaving so soon?¡± Lysander was reluctant to let her go after finally getting her toe out. Tina nodded, ¡°Yes, I have something urgent.¡± Seeing this, the others said, ¡°Tina, if you have something to do, go ahead. We¡¯ll wait for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±

    After leaving, Tina headed straight back to the Reed family home. Upon entering the room, she saw Zackary. The child had suffered quite a bit; in just a few months, his once chubby face had be gaunt. His body was covered in bruises and marks, indicating he had been frequently beaten and scolded.

    Seeing Zackary¡¯s injuries made Tina¡¯s expression darken immediately. She rolled up his sleeves and asked coldly, ¡°Was it your aunt?¡± The moment Zackary saw her, tears of grievance welled up in his eyes as he timidly responded, ¡°Yes¡­ Aunt wouldn¡¯t give me food and even hit me.¡± He often went without meals and was bullied by his cousins, living in constant fear.

    Although Cole had reported this before, seeing it with her own eyes and hearing Zackary recount it filled Tina with rage. Her fingers clenched tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± she gentlyforted the frightened and timid Zackary. ¡°No one can bully you anymore. You can live here in peace.¡±

    Before returning, she had prepared his favorite dishes and brought Zackary to the dining room. She also sent someone to fetch Hugo and Jennie. Ten minutester, Hugo and Jennie came from their room and were stunned to see Zackary eating chicken wings at the table. ¡°Zackary? How are you here?!¡±

    Tina noted their expressions and asked indifferently, ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to see Zackary?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Hugo quickly exined with a panicked look. ¡°We¡¯re just so happy! We didn¡¯t expect Zackary coulde to the capital and stay at the Reed family home!¡± Jennie added with a smile, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re living such a good life all thanks to Tina!¡±

    Tina coldly observed Hugo and Jennie before asking sharply, ¡°Zackary has lost so much weight; don¡¯t you care?¡± Hugo¡¯s expression froze for a moment before he forced a smile and said, ¡°Zackary is our son; of course we care!¡± Jennie also smiled and added, ¡°Kids lose weight sometimes; it¡¯s normal. I know you care about Zackary a lot, but there¡¯s no need to worry too much.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Losing weight is normal? What loving parent would say such a thing? She pulled up Zackary¡¯s sleeve again to reveal his injuries and asked coldly, ¡°Is this me worrying too much?¡± Hugo and Jennie were taken aback but quickly reacted by rushing over to hug Zackary. ¡°Zackary! How did this happen?!¡± they eximed in shock.

    Tina gave them a cold nce and asked sarcastically, ¡°After handing Zackary over to his aunt, did you ever check on him?¡± Hugo looked away guiltily and muttered, ¡°We¡¯ve been busy preparing to start apany; there were too many things going on. We nned to bring Zackary back once everything settled down but didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this.¡±

    Jennie held Zackary close as he nervously shrank back with fear still evident on his face from the nightmare at his aunt¡¯s ce. ¡°Zackary is safe now; Mom and Dad are here to protect you!¡± Watching them put on an act in front of her, Tina raised her head slightly and said coldly, ¡°Rest assured that I¡¯ve sent Zackary¡¯s aunt to work in a coal mine for life as punishment.¡±

    Hugo exchanged a shocked nce with Jennie upon hearing this. Although they knew Tina was not someone easy to deal with, her ruthlessness still surprised them. Jennie tried to reason with her by saying, ¡°We didn¡¯t know Zackary¡¯s aunt would be so cruel; if we had known earlier, we wouldn¡¯t have sent him there.¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze swept over Hugo and Jennie like thorns as she stated coldly, ¡°Anyone who dares harm Zackary will wish they were dead.¡± Hugo and Jennie were inwardly terrified but forced smiles on their faces.

    ¡°Tina is right; if Zackary¡¯s aunt did wrong, she should be punished,¡± Hugo agreed reluctantly.

    Seeing their changing expressions, Tina continued calmly, ¡°Grandpa Farrell wants to invite you both for dinner sometime soon.¡± Hugo and Jennie were taken aback.

    ¡°Logan wants us for dinner?¡± They exchanged puzzled looks but saw nothing unusual in Tina¡¯s expression.

    ¡°We¡¯re avable anytime!¡± Hugo replied quickly before adding respectfully, ¡°Actually we should be visiting Mr. Farrell instead; he¡¯s very considerate.¡±

    Tina tapped her fingers lightly on the table indicating for nervous little Zackary to continue eating while saying casually ¡°Dinner will be at Farrell family home; I¡¯ll inform you of the exact timeter.¡± Logan had just recovered from surgery which had gone well without anyplications but given his age he needed time for proper rest.

    ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll follow your arrangements,¡± Hugo replied obediently before hesitantly asking ¡°By the way Tina how¡¯s the preparation of perfume form going?¡± He had previously hinted at wanting Tina¡¯s help with starting their perfume business which was now progressing well except they still needed crucial perfume forms.

    ¡°No rush,¡± Tina wiped her mouth with a napkin then said lightly ¡°I¡¯ll give it when ready.¡± Wasn¡¯t their intention obvious enough? They might as well rob openly! Compared to poor little Zackary sitting nearby looking pitifully thin all Hugo cared about was getting those forms.

    ¡°But,¡± she raised an eyebrow yfully ¡°Are you really determined about staying permanently in the capital?¡±

 Chapter 315: Running into Lily Everywhere

    Hugo agreed readily, patting his chest. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve already quit my job. I¡¯m determined!¡±

    ¡°Besides, Tina, you¡¯re in the capital too.¡±

    Hugo showed a ttering smile. ¡°With your help, our perfumepany will definitely gain a foothold in the capital!¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina responded coldly but didn¡¯t directly answer him. Whether it was money or perfume forms, she could afford to give them. But just because she could give didn¡¯t mean Hugo could handle it.

    After dinner, Tina took Zackary to the guest room while Hugo and Jennie returned to their own room. The room had children¡¯s toys and drawing books, and the bedding was freshly changed.

    Tina led Zackary to the desk, patted his head, and said, ¡°You¡¯ll stay here for now; don¡¯t worry about anything else.¡±

    Zackary¡¯s eyes were still red from crying. He bit his lip and sat on the chair with some fear. ¡°Tina, will I go back?¡±

    Seeing his cautious demeanor, Tina¡¯s heart tightened. ¡°No,¡± she said softly as she hugged him. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go back.¡±

    Hearing her firm response, Zackary finally calmed down. He hugged Tina tightly and said in a childish voice, ¡°Tina, can I stay with you from now on?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina replied as gently as possible.

    ¡°You¡¯re so good,¡± Zackary finally smiled but quickly frowned again. ¡°Only you haven¡¯t changed; everyone else has changed. Mom and Dad don¡¯t love me anymore.¡±

    Tina¡¯s fingers paused slightly on his head, her eyes darkened briefly before she smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Mom and Dad haven¡¯t changed; they still love you. They¡¯re just sick and not like they used to be. I¡¯ll cure them.¡±

    ¡°Can you really cure them?¡± Zackary asked half-understanding.

    Tina nodded. ¡°Yes, don¡¯t you remember I¡¯m good at medicine?¡±

    ¡°I remember your medical skills are amazing,¡± Zackary said admiringly.

    ¡°Then believe that I can cure your mom and dad, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After settling Zackary, Tina received a call from the research institute.

    ¡°Miss Reed, there¡¯s something here that needs your review. When can youe over?¡±

    The institute was established by Tina specifically for researching antidotes. Although it had few members, each one was an elite in their field.

    Tina checked the time and replied, ¡°I¡¯ll be there right away.¡± She hung up the phone and hurried out to take a cab to the institute.

    Half an hourter, she arrived at the institute. A researcher handed her the antidote they had developed. ¡°Miss Reed, this is the new antidote. Please take a look.¡±

    Tina put on sterile clothes and took the antidote into theb to conduct her own tests. She skillfully used the tools and reagents on the table to mix them with the antidote.

    The substances turned a strange deep purple upon contact.

    ¡°The concentration is still not enough.¡± Tina frowned, removed her goggles, and left theb.

    ¡°Miss Reed, how is it?¡± The head of the institute hurriedly approached her with eagerness.

    ¡°The concentration is far below my standards.¡± Tina handed him the report she had just made and nced at the ongoing experiments in the institute. ¡°I¡¯ve given you Dragonsbreath; no matter what method you use, you must produce the antidote I want.¡±

    ¡°We will readjust the form,¡± he replied respectfully. ¡°But we need more time and hope Miss Reed can provide more guidance.¡±

    Tina¡¯s abilities were undisputed; even a little guidance from her could significantly advance their experiments. However, Tina couldn¡¯t personally handle everything due to her limited energy.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you another report,¡± Tina nodded. ¡°Adjust ording to my reference data andplete it as soon as possible.¡±

    After giving her instructions, she left the institute.

    At that moment, Lily wasing out of another research institute nearby when she saw Tina and froze in ce.

    ¡°Tina? How is she here?!¡±

    This area was filled with top-tier pharmaceutical research institutes known for their groundbreaking achievements in medicine.

    Lily stared intently at the institute where Tina had emerged from and walked forward pretending it was a coincidence as she called out, ¡°Miss Reed?¡±

    Tina turned around at the sound of her name and saw Lily with an exceptionally cold expression.

    Seeing that Tina didn¡¯t even respond with a greeting, Lily felt slightly embarrassed but forced a polite smile to find out what she wanted to know. ¡°What a coincidence meeting you here! What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Does it concern you?¡± Tina asked indifferently.

    Lily was taken aback for a moment; her face almost couldn¡¯t maintain itsposure as she suppressed her anger to ask again, ¡°Are you meeting friends nearby?¡±

    Tina nced at her from the entrance of the institute and looked into the distance. ¡°Don¡¯t understand humannguage?¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed!¡± Lily¡¯s smile twisted into something more sinister as her fingers dug into her palms. ¡°I respect you greatly but you¡¯re always giving me attitude!¡±

    ¡°What have I done to offend you? Even if there¡¯s some grudge between us, basic decency should still be maintained!¡±

    ¡°Decency? Do you deserve it?¡± Tina crossed her arms coldly. ¡°Miss Ward seems forgetful; go home and discuss decency with Ms. Ward.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Lily pointed at her angrily, ready tosh out.

    Just then, a ck car stopped in front of them.

    The window rolled down revealing Jared inside.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell!¡± Lily was visibly stunned; all her anger was instantly suppressed.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared didn¡¯t even nce at Lily but got out of the car to open the passenger door for Tina. ¡°Sorry for keeping you waiting.¡±

    He had arranged this time specifically to pick up Tina and was punctual to the minute.

    Lily hurried forward trying to engage him in conversation. ¡°Mr. Farrell! About the research project-¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t pay any attention to her; his gaze remained fixed on Tina as if he couldn¡¯t bear to look away even for a second. ¡°Talk to the project leader,¡± he said dismissively before closing Tina¡¯s door and getting into the driver¡¯s seat himself.

    Before Lily could say another word, he drove off with Tina beside him.

    Watching them leave made Lily clench her teeth in frustration.

    Why?! Why would everything good belong to Tina?

    What made her just so inferior to Tina? Why couldn¡¯t Jared pay more attention to her?!

 Chapter 316: One Billion Dollars for Your Betrayal

    Jared drove Tina towards the city. Noticing her mood seemed off, he gently asked, ¡°Feeling down? Is it because of that person?¡± What was her name again? Miss Smith? He had forgotten.

    ¡°No,¡± Tina replied, looking out the window with a heavy expression. She was indeed in a bad mood, but not because of Lily. Someone like Lily couldn¡¯t stir any emotion in her. It was the research that troubled her. Despite having found the Dragonsbreath she needed, the research had stalled. GTO had started infiltrating her circle, and if she didn¡¯t develop the antidote faster than GTO, she feared they might do something even crazier. She didn¡¯t care much for herself, but there were people she wanted to protect.

    ¡°You said you had something to show me?¡± Tina changed the topic, not wanting to discuss it further. Jared had sent her a mysterious message on their way to the research institute but hadn¡¯t revealed anything.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s something that will make you happy,¡± Jared said with a loving smile. ¡°Whatever¡¯s bothering you, just let it go for now.¡±

    Tina nodded, inexplicably feeling lighter after hearing his words. She didn¡¯t know why, but Jared¡¯s words always seemed tofort her.

    ¡°Take a nap; I¡¯ll wake you when we get there,¡± Jared suggested, noticing the fatigue on Tina¡¯s face. The young woman was always so strong-willed and never spoke up about her troubles.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Only when she was with Jared did Tina let down her guard and close her eyes for a short rest.

    Tina slept for half an hour in the car and woke up to find they had stopped at a mountaintop. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me?¡± she asked, stretching and sitting up straight. Jared¡¯s jacket was draped over her; she hadn¡¯t noticed when he put it on her.

    ¡°You looked so peaceful; I didn¡¯t want to wake you,¡± Jared replied with a smile. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s see the gift I prepared for you.¡± He opened the car door for her and held her hand as they walked to the mountaintop.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Tina asked just as a series of bright lights shot into the sky. Colorful fireworks lit up the night in an instant.

    Tina had seen fireworks before but never such a dazzling disy. The fireworkssted twenty minutes, illuminating her heart as much as the sky.

    She turned to look at Jared¡¯s profile, still captivating even from the side. Her gaze followed his profile to his lips, and she impulsively stood on tiptoe to kiss him.

    Jared hadn¡¯t expected the kiss and froze momentarily before wrapping his arms around her and deepening it. Under the fireworks, their connection grew even more profound.

    After a long while, Tina pulled away from Jared¡¯s embrace and whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± From a young age, her heart had been as tough as steel; few things could move her emotions. But sinceing down from the mountain, she found herself softening unexpectedly.

    Hugo and Jennie had given her warmth; Jared had given her love¡­ She realized that deep down inside, she needed softness too. She was only neen and wanted simple joys like other girls-to do what she wanted.

    Jared gently touched her head with his long fingers and smiled faintly. ¡°Tina, I can be your support. You can trust me with your back; I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you.¡±

    He had never been in a rtionship before and didn¡¯t know how to make a girlfriend happy-especially one as strong-willed as Tina. The idea of showing her fireworks came from seeing a picture on his phone that struck him instantly. He thought she¡¯d like it, and he was right.

    Tina looked up into his deep eyes and smiled. ¡°Alright then, you¡¯ll protect me.¡±

    Jared held her close and kissed her forehead. ¡°I will.¡±

    After the fireworks ended, Jared drove Tina back to Whispering Pines. Once she went inside, he drove away.

    Halfway through his drive, Jared narrowed his eyes and slowed down. He lit a cigarette with one hand while driving slowly along the road filled with smoke inside the car. He opened the window, stubbed out his cigarette, stopped the car, and got out.

    Leaning against his car under the moonlight that stretched his tall figure into sharp relief, he nced indifferently at a distance and spoke calmly. ¡°You¡¯ve been following me all this way; aren¡¯t you going to make your move?¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, about ten men dressed in ck emerged from the shadows surrounding him.

    The leader eyed Jared warily and asked in a deep voice, ¡°How did you notice us?¡±

    They were top elites from an assassin organization; no one usually spotted them. But Jared had noticed them easily.

    Jared smirked. ¡°Was it hard?¡±

    The man sneered. ¡°Looks like whoever bought your life underestimated your danger.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Jared raised an eyebrow. ¡°How did they describe me?¡±

    ¡°They said you¡¯re not as simple as you appear; you¡¯re no fool,¡± answered the man straightforwardly.

    Jared chuckled lightly. ¡°They know me well!¡±

    His eyes lifted slightly. ¡°So you believed them?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± replied the man seriously. ¡°We¡¯re the third wave sent by our organization; all previous attempts failed.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    The man remained vignt against Jared-a dangerous individual who could easily detect them.

    ¡°Enough talk,¡± said the man finally signaling his men to attack with a raised hand. ¡°Someone paid for your life today; if we fail our mission we¡¯ll die too.¡±

    Just as they moved forward simultaneously Jared suddenly spoke again: ¡°Wait!¡±

    They halted abruptly while their leader frowned at him: ¡°What else do you want?¡±

    Usually when they received missions-even if discovered-they wouldn¡¯t waste words but act immediately yet this person kept leading them along somehow¡­

    ¡°How much did they pay?¡± asked Jared lighting another cigarette leisurely.

    ¡°Three hundred million,¡± replied without hesitation

    Jared took drag smiled faintly: ¡°My life¡¯s worth only three hundred million?¡±

    The man fell silent¡­

    Buying your life yetining about price?

    Extinguishing cigarette calmly said: ¡°One billion dors-to buy your betrayal!¡±

    The man along with his subordinates fell silent¡­

 Chapter 317: Tinaâ€™s Method is Still the Best

    Silence! The scene was so quiet that not a sound could be heard.

    The man took a moment to regain hisposure. ¡°Are you joking with me? Doing business with someone who wants to kill me? You must be out of your mind!¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± Jared responded with a question.

    The man instantly became furious. ¡°You¡¯re insulting my professional ethics!¡± He lunged forward in a swift motion.

    Before he could reach Jared, he heard Jared speak again, slowly, ¡°Three billion.¡±

    The man¡¯s steps halted abruptly. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°I¡¯m a hitman with professional ethics!¡±

    ¡°Five billion!¡±

    ¡°Money can¡¯t buy me¡­¡±

    ¡°Ten billion!¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡±

    The hitmen behind the man were speechless. What just happened? Did he just betray them?

    Jared smiled. This was more like it. Problems that money could solve were not problems at all. Indeed, Tina¡¯s method was still the best; it saved him the trouble of doing it himself.

    ¡°When will I get the money?¡± the man asked, looking at Jared.

    ¡°Give me your ount details.¡±

    The man immediately provided his ount information. Jared casually took out his phone and quickly operated it. Soon, the man¡¯s phone received a notification.

    Upon seeing the exact amount in the message, the man smiled broadly.

    ¡°Boss, are you really taking the money? What if the organization finds out¡­¡± one of his subordinates reminded him.

    Before he could finish speaking, the man pped him. ¡°Are you stupid? How much do we earn risking our lives for the organization? Here we have ten billion to split among us. We can find a ce to live anonymously, get married, and have children. Why live on the edge?¡±

    Hearing this, Jared nodded. ¡°Smart move.¡±

    The man grinned. ¡°Sir! Take care! If you need anything in the future, feel free to find me!¡±

    Jared thought to himself: No need for that!

    ¡°Oh, by the way, considering your generous payment, I¡¯ll give you a tip. The person who hired us to kill you is from your Farrell family-a woman named Vivienne.¡±

    Vivienne: ¡°What?!¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°Got it.¡± He turned and left.

    After he left, the hitmen gathered around their boss.

    ¡°Boss, are we really going to betray the organization? You know their methods well; if they find us, we won¡¯t live long even with money!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, boss, let¡¯s return the money andplete our mission so we can report back.¡±

    The man red at them. ¡°Do you think we can kill him with just us few?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re some of the best in the organization; can¡¯t we take down one person?¡± one subordinate argued.

    ¡°You only see him alone but didn¡¯t notice there are over thirty experts around him, including five snipers,¡± the man said seriously.

    When he rushed towards Jared earlier and suddenly stopped, it wasn¡¯t because of Jared¡¯s offer but because he noticed hidden snipers around them. His years of experience as a hitman told him there were many people hidden nearby.

    So while negotiating with Jared, he checked out the surroundings. There were at least thirty people hiding nearby-intentionally revealed by Jared¡¯s side for him to notice; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have detected anyone following Jared all this time.

    At that moment, he realized killing Jared would be tough and decided to take the money instead sincepleting the task seemed impossible.

    ¡°What?¡± The hitmen were shocked internally. ¡°How did we not notice anyone following him?¡±

    The man nced at them. ¡°The organization sent three groups to kill him; all failed. If he didn¡¯t have protection, how could they fail? Enough talk! Let¡¯s go quickly before the organization finds out and prepare new identities for a fresh start.¡±

    Meanwhile¡­

    Jared¡¯s car stopped at Farrell family¡¯s entrance when someone emerged from the shadows and approached him respectfully. ¡°Mr. Farrell! We¡¯ve confirmed it¡¯s Vivienne-both at Serenity Ridge and this time-it¡¯s her doing. As for those who attacked your carst time, we¡¯re still investigating.¡±

    Jared had his hands in his pockets and looked coldly ahead. ¡°It seems some people can¡¯t hold back anymore!¡±

    ¡°Should we handle it?¡± asked the person.

    ¡°No need,¡± Jared replied coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡±

    The next day¡­

    Tina and Hugo along with Zackary visited Farrell Manor as guests.

    Knowing they wereing, Logan had already prepared top-quality tea leaves for them.

    As soon as they entered, Logan greeted them warmly. ¡°Ah, Hugo is here! Come in and sit down.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie greeted him back. ¡°Uncle Logan, long time no see.¡±

    Logan paused for a moment and looked at them curiously.

    Hugo felt puzzled under his gaze and asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

    Logan snapped out of it and spoke earnestly, ¡°Hugo! Even though Tina has returned to Reed family now and we live mostly in the capital city so we don¡¯t meet often-it shouldn¡¯t make us distant!¡±

    Hugo was confused. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve always considered you an elder; how could I be distant from you?¡±

    ¡°Then why did you call me Uncle Logan?¡± Logan pretended to be annoyed. ¡°Beforeing to the capital city, didn¡¯t I tell you not to be formal with me anymore? Just call me Logan! How long has it been since then? And you¡¯ve already forgotten?¡±

    Hugo froze for a moment before realizing and quickly exined himself: ¡°Oh my memory! I¡¯ve been too busytely and haven¡¯t seen you for a long time; I didn¡¯t react immediately-Logan-sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s better!¡± Logan finally smiled. ¡°Come in and sit down; I¡¯ve specially prepared top-quality tea leaves for today but no matter how expensive they are-I still think Jennie¡¯s tea tastes better!¡±

    Jennieughed politely: ¡°You¡¯re too kind! The tea I gave you was just some cheap supermarket stuff; if you like it so much-I¡¯ll buy more next time.¡±

    Logan¡¯s expression stiffened slightly as his brows furrowed unconsciously: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say those tea leaves were grown by your family?¡±

    Jennie hesitated briefly before smiling awkwardly: ¡°Right-I forgot which type I gave you.¡±

    Logan gave her a deep look but said nothing more.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    While adults chatted away-Sophia approached Zackary cheerfully: ¡°Zackary!¡±

    A rare smile appeared on Zackary¡¯s face too: ¡°Sophia.¡±

    Sophia grabbed Zackary¡¯s hand excitedly: ¡°Hayden recently gave me an anime modele see it!¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± The two kids held hands heading towards Sophia¡¯s room.

    After some small talk among adults-Marie came over calling everyone for dinner.

    Logan sat at head position while Marie sat on his right side; Hugo & Jennie on left side with Jared & Tina next to them while Zackary & Sophia sat at end positions respectively since other members weren¡¯t invited due to this being specifically arranged for Hugo except Asher who couldn¡¯t make it due workmitments elsewhere today.

    During meal time-Hugo picked up some spicy sour pig trotters cing them into Tina¡¯s bowl saying: ¡°Tina-you love these spicy sour pig trotters-eat more.¡±

    His words instantly created an awkward atmosphere as both Logan & Marie looked curiously at him while Jared¡¯s deep-set eyes lifted slightly showing meaningful nces even little Sophia blinked curiously wondering what was going on¡­

 Chapter 318: Full of Flaws

    Hugo sensed something was off. When he looked up, he met Logan¡¯s probing gaze. He paused and asked, ¡°Logan, why are you looking at me like that?¡± Logan nced at him, then looked away nonchntly and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just remembered something. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Logan then turned his attention to Tina. Seeing her calm expression and noticing she had quietly set aside the spicy pork trotters, he understood something.

    Marie, as thedy of the Farrell family and a long-time socialite, wasn¡¯t clueless either. She also sensed that there was something unusual about Tina and Hugo¡¯s rtionship today. Hearing Hugo¡¯s words, she guessed what was going on but remained silent.

    After the meal, Marie had someone bring out dessert. Just as she was about to give Tina a strawberry cake, Hugo said, ¡°Mrs. Farrell, Tina prefers mango mousse cake. Give me the strawberry cake instead.¡± Marie¡¯s fingers paused briefly before she handed the strawberry cake to Hugo without a word.

    As Hugo was about to eat it, Sophia tilted her head and said, ¡°Uncle Reed, it¡¯s one thing to forget Tina¡¯s favorite dish, but how could you forget her favorite cake too?¡± Hugo froze. ¡°What?¡± Marie red at Sophia. ¡°Sophia, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Sophia pouted in dissatisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense! Tina¡¯s favorite dish is sweet and sour ribs, and her favorite cake is strawberry cake. She¡¯s allergic to mangoes. Uncle Reed, how could you forget that and give her mango?¡±

    Hugo suddenly looked at Tina and met her slightly amused eyes. His heart sank. So she was testing him all along. He quicklyposed himself and apologized with a regretful expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tina. I forgot. Ever since you left the capital, I¡¯ve been feeling exhausted and my memory has been failing me. I even forget things from one moment to the next. It¡¯s my fault for forgetting your mango allergy.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly and took a bite of the strawberry cake from the table. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Hugo wanted to say more but seeing Tina¡¯s disinterest in talking to him, he silently continued eating.

    Jennie wanted to chime in but feared making things worse, so she kept quiet.

    Logan¡¯s gaze shifted between Tina and Hugo before he stood up and said, ¡°Hugo, let¡¯s y chess after dinner. It¡¯s been a while since west yed. Jared, why don¡¯t you take Tina for a walk?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Jared replied as he stood up and left with Tina.

    Jared led Tina through the Farrell family¡¯s back garden in silence until he finally spoke after some time. ¡°When did you realize they were impostors?¡± Tina looked at him and smiled. ¡°You figured it out too?¡±

    ¡°Such poor acting skills would fool only an idiot,¡± Jared replied coldly.

    Good! They dared to target someone important to Tina; if they were tired of living, he wouldn¡¯t mind sending them off.

    Tina smiled without saying anything.

    ¡°When did you find out?¡± Jared asked as they sat on a swing in the garden.

    ¡°I knew when they first arrived,¡± Tina said calmly.

    She had suspected something was wrong when Hugo didn¡¯t show up for the banquet without reason.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    She confirmed Hugo was an impostor during that meal because the real Hugo would never forget her preferences or leave Zackary in his aunt¡¯s care or withdraw Zackary from school when Royal Oaks¡¯ admission was so hard-earned.

    He also wouldn¡¯t resign from Mendara Group with its million-dor sry or be scolded by Chairman James who would never scold Hugo.

    The two GTO people underestimated her intelligence.

    ¡°Where is the real Mr. Reed? Have you investigated?¡± Jared asked.

    He knew Tina never fought battles she wasn¡¯t confident of winning.

    Her current dealings with the fake Hugo couple meant she hadn¡¯t found the real ones yet.

    ¡°We¡¯re investigating,¡± Tina replied with a troubled expression. ¡°No clues yet.¡±

    The other side was cautious; her people hadn¡¯t found any leads despite their efforts.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have my people look into it,¡± Jared said as he pulled out his phone to make a call.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina agreed after considering it might be easier for Jared¡¯s side to investigate since their attention was on her now.

    After finishing his call, Jared held Tina¡¯s hand gently and said, ¡°You should¡¯ve told me earlier.¡±

    Tina met his eyes and smiled. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell you earlier next time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much; I¡¯ll make sure they return safely,¡± Jared reassured her upon noticing her mood.

    ¡°They won¡¯t harm Mr. Reed or Jennie until they get what they want,¡± Tina said slowly while looking towards the vi hall.

    ¡°They want the serum?¡± Jared asked with a frown.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s see if they can take it!¡± Jared¡¯s voice was icy cold.

    After chatting for a while longer, Jared¡¯s phone rang again. He answered it seriously before saying to Tina, ¡°I need to take a work call upstairs; wait here for me.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Tina never questioned Jared¡¯s work because she knew his team handled highly confidential matters simr to what her mother did years ago.

    After Jared left, Tina leaned back on the swing and closed her eyes for a nap when suddenly a voice called from behind her. ¡°Miss Reed?¡±

    Tina opened her eyes to see Nathaniel approaching from behind with a warm attitude. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Why are you here alone?¡± Nathaniel asked kindly.

    Tina smirked yfully at him. ¡°Who else should I be here with?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Jared? Isn¡¯t he apanying you?¡± Nathaniel looked around but didn¡¯t see Jared anywhere andmented disapprovingly about leaving her alone as guests should be treated well.

    Leaningzily against the swing frame with an indifferent tone she asked again: ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Nathaniel sped his hands together respectfully towards Tina: ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to apologize but couldn¡¯t find an opportunity until now; I sincerely apologize for upsetting you before.¡±

 Chapter 319: Tina Seduced Me

    Tina raised an eyebrow, staring intently at Nathaniel without saying a word. After a long while, she suddenly spoke, ¡°Did you take the wrong medicine?¡±

    Nathaniel was speechless. What the heck! Such a heartfelt apology, and that¡¯s all she says?

    He cleared his throat and continued, ¡°I am sincerely apologizing to you.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Tina responded with a single word and no furtherment.

    Nathaniel was frustrated. Was that all the reaction he was going to get? She was like a mute, barely saying anything!

    He took a deep breath and sat on the stone bench opposite Tina. ¡°Miss Reed, have you ever considered whether there is a future for you and Jared?¡±

    Tina nced at him. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

    ¡°Actually, from the first moment I saw you, I liked you. But I don¡¯t know how to express myself. I wanted to attract your attention but didn¡¯t know how, so things always went wrong between us.¡±

    Tina remained silent. Could he be any more fake?

    Nathaniel continued without missing a beat, ¡°I know what I¡¯m saying now might sound insincere, but time will prove my sincerity. Miss Reed, I hope you can give me a chance to prove my true feelings.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tina looked at him with a half-smile. ¡°How do you n to prove it?¡±

    Nathaniel thought for a moment. ¡°To show my sincerity, I¡¯m willing to give you all my assets.¡±

    ¡°How much do you have?¡± Tina asked.

    ¡°About one hundred million dors,¡± Nathaniel replied.

    The financial control of the Farrell family was in the hands of the patriarch. The dividends from their family business and some of his own ventures amounted to about five hundred million dors. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t give all his money to Tina.

    ¡°Although I only have one hundred million dors, my feelings for you are unwavering. Miss Reed, think about it. Jared is seventh in our family hierarchy. Even though Grandpa has named him as the heir, he doesn¡¯t have much ability. If the family is handed over to someone like him, it will only go downhill. You won¡¯t have a good life with him.¡±

    ¡°But with me, it¡¯s different. I¡¯m the eldest grandson and capable. If we join forces, we can definitely take control of the Farrell family. Then you¡¯ll be the mistress of the Farrell family, having everything you desire. I can assure you that I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill your wishes.¡±

    Tinaughed. ¡°You want to marry me for just one hundred million dors?¡±

    ¡°How much do you want?¡± Nathaniel frowned.

    This woman was truly greedy.

    People raised in the countryside had such low standards and only cared about money.

    If it weren¡¯t for not wanting Jared to benefit from her being a daughter of the Reed family, he wouldn¡¯t bother himself with this.

    ¡°Ten billion dors.¡± The Mountain Veil Order and the research institute needed a lot of funding; getting ten billion from Nathaniel would be nice.

    But he looked quite poor.

    He probably couldn¡¯te up with ten billion dors.

    Sure enough, Nathaniel¡¯s eyes widened in anger in the next second. ¡°Ten billion? Why don¡¯t you go rob a bank? Tina, don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re a daughter of the Reed family, you¡¯re entitled to make demands! I¡¯m offering you one hundred million out of respect; the Farrell family will be mine sooner orter. If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll break off your engagement with Jared and be with me; if not¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Tina asked indifferently.

    Nathaniel gritted his teeth as he looked at her and suddenly shouted, ¡°Help! Tina is trying to seduce me! Someone help!¡±

    Tina was stunned.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Nathaniel started tearing his clothes while running towards the main hall. ¡°Grandpa! Come quickly! Tina has lost her mind; she¡¯s trying to strip me and sleep with me!¡±

    Tina couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing.

    Nathaniel¡¯s loud voice startled everyone in the Farrell family.

    Even members from other branches came out.

    Logan and Marie were the first to arrive. Seeing this scene, Logan sternly asked, ¡°Nathaniel, what nonsense are you up to now?¡±

    Nathaniel threw himself down on his knees before the patriarch and cried out hoarsely, ¡°Grandpa! You must stand up for me! Tina wants to sleep with me! Look at what she¡¯s done to my clothes! And these marks on my body are all from her!¡±

    Jared had juste downstairs when he heard Nathaniel¡¯s words. His face darkened instantly, exuding a chilling aura.

    Logan looked down and saw that several buttons on Nathaniel¡¯s shirt had been torn off and there were many marks on his body.

    It was clear they were fresh scratches.

    Before Logan could say anything, Hazel suddenly screamed, ¡°Oh my God! How did it get like this? Tina, you¡¯re a youngdy; how can you be so shameless? Seducing my son in broad daylight? Is this how your Reed family raises children?¡±

    ra watched with amusement. ¡°Tsk! Who would¡¯ve thought that a daughter of the Reed family would be so bold? Trying to hook up with another man right in her fiance¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Logan swung his cane at Nathaniel in anger. ¡°You scoundrel! How dare you nder Tina? I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±

    The patriarch didn¡¯t hold back; Nathaniel screamed in pain as he was beaten!

    While dodging blows, Nathaniel cried out, ¡°Grandpa! You¡¯re being unfair! It¡¯s clearly Tina who seduced me; instead of helping me, you¡¯re beating me! That Tina is just a tramp; yet you¡¯re treating her like treasure!¡±

    Jared¡¯s face grew darker as he stared at Nathaniel with eyes as cold as death itself.

    Seeing this, Hazel quickly shielded Nathaniel. ¡°Dad! The whole family knows you¡¯re biased but this is too much! I¡¯ve tolerated it when you¡¯ve hit Nathaniel before but today it¡¯s clearly Tina¡¯s fault. Yet instead of punishing her, you¡¯re hitting Nathaniel! Is this how a grandfather should act?¡±

    ¡°Dare say another word!¡± Logan swung his cane again hitting both Hazel and Nathaniel this time. ¡°Tina seducing Nathaniel? Do you have some misunderstanding about her taste? Is Nathaniel better looking than Jared or richer than him? Does he deserve her attention?¡±

    ¡°None of you have any self-awareness yet dare nder others? Not only does Tina not fancy him but even I wouldn¡¯t fancy him with those two pieces of meat on his bones!¡±

    ¡°You really think I¡¯m too old to swing this cane anymore? Today I¡¯ll show whether or not I still can.¡±

    Hazel cried out under each blow until Arthur couldn¡¯t stand it anymore intervening by saying ¡°Dad! This situation is bad enough already without making things worse by beating people publicly humiliating our family further.¡±

    ¡°Alright then if rity is what¡¯s needed let¡¯s get some.¡± Logan turned towards Tina asking ¡°Tina tell us exactly what happened just now?¡±

 Chapter 320: Logan Protects Tina

    Tina had her hands in her pockets, smirking at Nathaniel. She spoke slowly, ¡°He wants me to break off my engagement with Mr. Farrell and marry him. He even said the Farrell family will be his in the future.¡±

    Hearing this, Logan¡¯s face darkened instantly. ra and Vivienne also looked displeased. Everyone in the Farrell family had thoughts about inheriting the family fortune, but they kept it hidden. Yet Nathaniel openly imed the Farrell family as his? This useless man dared to dream of inheriting the Farrell family?

    ¡°You scoundrel!¡± Logan hit Nathaniel a few more times in anger. ¡°It was bad enough you never did anything right before, but now you dare to ruin your cousin and his fiancee¡¯s rtionship? I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±

    Hazel quickly intervened, ¡°Dad! You can¡¯t hit him anymore. No matter what, Nathaniel is your eldest grandson! He¡¯s saying this because he wants to be the backbone of the Farrell family; he¡¯s thinking about the family¡¯s future!¡±

    ¡°Humph!¡± Logan mmed his cane on the ground, his nose ring with anger. ¡°What does he think he is? The Farrell family doesn¡¯t need him!¡±

    ra watched coldly and added sarcastically, ¡°You should really control Nathaniel. The old man is still standing here, and he dares to say such things? What will happen in the future?¡±

    She nced at Nathaniel and sneered, ¡°The Farrell family is a big family; it¡¯s not something anyone can just take over. You should be careful not to disgrace us.¡±

    Walter snickered, ¡°You don¡¯t respect us, fine. But not even respecting Grandpa? You¡¯re really arrogant.¡±

    Vivienne said nothing, only ncing at Tina and Jared with narrowed eyes. She never thought Nathaniel could take over the Farrell family; he was just a useless person in her eyes. Her concern was Jared. The people she sent out hadn¡¯t returned with any news, yet Jared stood here unharmed. As long as Jared lived, she could never secure the inheritance!

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Nathaniel turned and red at everyone around him. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re all thinking! I¡¯m the eldest grandson; it¡¯s my right before any of you.¡±

    ¡°Nathaniel! That¡¯s too much,¡± ra said coldly. ¡°We¡¯re discussing matters here. What? You won¡¯t let anyone speak? With your shameful actions, you still want to take over the Farrell family? Even if it were given to you, could you keep it?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about Jared; even young Sijun is better than you.¡±

    Not far away, a teenager in sportswear looked up slightly. At eighteen years old, he had an air of gloominess about him.

    Orson nced at everyone before finally looking at Tina with a barely noticeable frown and a hint of disdain in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room.¡±

    Without waiting for anyone¡¯s response, Orson turned and left. The others seemed used to it and didn¡¯t care whether he stayed or left.

    After Orson left, Walter sneered, ¡°See? People don¡¯t even want to deal with you, Nathaniel. Besides seducing women, what else can you do?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Nathaniel was furious but restrained himself. ¡°Anyway, Grandpa, you have to stand up for me! I do want to marry Tina, but she really did tear my clothes off! Look at how she scratched me! Now that things havee to this point, I demand that the Reed family take responsibility! You must make Tina break off her engagement with Jared!¡±

    His goal today wasn¡¯t to argue with these people. Even if he couldn¡¯t marry Tina himself, making her break off her engagement with Jared would be good enough. Otherwise, once Jared married Tina and had the support of the Reed family, how could hepete with Jared?

    ¡°That¡¯s out of the question!¡± ra was the first to object. ¡°Jared and Tina¡¯s engagement ceremony has already been held; how can it be called off just like that?¡±

    Who Jared married didn¡¯t matter! But Nathaniel absolutely could not marry a daughter from the Reed family! Even if Jared was designated by the old man as the heir, so what? The old man was getting old and hadn¡¯t made a will yet; they weren¡¯t worried about Jared at all.

    But Nathaniel was different; as the eldest grandson, inheritancews prioritized him.

    ¡°This has nothing to do with you; stay out of it,¡± Nathaniel said angrily.

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®nothing to do with us¡¯?¡± ra retorted coldly. ¡°Anything concerning the Farrell family concerns me.¡±

    ra and Nathaniel continued their argument incessantly.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Logan and Jared watched them coldly without any expression.

    Tina looked on with an amused expression as if watching a show.

    ¡°Alright then! You¡¯ve gone this far and still nder Tina? If I don¡¯t beat you to death today, I¡¯m not your grandfather!¡± Logan raised his cane and started hitting Nathaniel again.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Nathaniel screamed as he dodged. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re being unfair! It¡¯s clearly Tina who seduced me! Why won¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    Logan ignored his nonsense and continued hitting him mercilessly.

    Hazel felt heartbroken watching this.

    She turned her head and saw Tina¡¯s amused expression; anger surged within her. ¡°It¡¯s you! It¡¯s all because of you!¡±

    She pointed at Tina furiously and shouted, ¡°You couldn¡¯t seduce him sessfully so now you¡¯re throwing all the me on Nathaniel! You¡¯re so vicious! The old man allowed you into the Farrell family but you¡¯ve been scheming against Jared and him all along! Now you¡¯re trying to scheme against my son too!¡±

    Tina crossed her arms and looked indifferently at Hazel¡¯s hysterical outburst.

    ¡°There are surveince cameras everywhere in the Farrell family.¡± She smiled faintly but her eyes were as cold as knives piercing Hazel¡¯s heart. ¡°Do you want to watch them?¡±

    Hazel felt a chill run down her spine at those words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± She red back but felt uneasy.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of watching surveince now?¡± Nathaniel retorted weakly. ¡°Things have alreadye this far! Do you want to make it more embarrassing?¡±

    He had forgotten in his anger that the Farrell family¡¯s security system was extremely thorough with surveince cameras everywhere capturing high-definition footage like a movie.

    ¡°Grandpa! Tina did it on purpose!¡± Nathanielined bitterly to Logan. ¡°She¡¯s deliberatelying between me and Jared to sow discord!¡±

    Jared turned his gaze towards him coldly. ¡°Sow discord?¡±

    His voice was icy as he looked at Nathaniel. ¡°Do you think someone like you would catch Tina¡¯s eye?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Sophia chimed in angrily with her hands on her hips. ¡°My sister isn¡¯t blind! Why would she choose someone else over my brother?¡±

 Chapter 321: Nathaniel Was Disowned

    Arthur¡¯s face turned grim. Though he also thought his son was useless, it was not for others to criticize, especially not an outsider like Tina.

    ¡°Dad! I¡¯ve always respected your decisions, but today Tina has gone too far. Shouldn¡¯t you say something?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Hazel chimed in indignantly. ¡°She¡¯s targeting us specifically. Either she dislikes us, or someone is behind this!¡±

    Someone behind this? Wasn¡¯t that clearly referring to Jared? Tina was Jared¡¯s fiancee, naturally on his side. Now that she had fallen out with Nathaniel, it meant a family feud was brewing.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Logan¡¯s voice shook with anger. Still not fully recovered, he couldn¡¯t even muster the strength to hit anyone. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know about your schemes against Jared and Tina? Last time I made you a security guard to teach you a lesson!¡±

    Logan shook his head in disappointment. ¡°And what did you learn? Nothing! You even dragged your son into it, setting up traps for Tina!¡±

    ¡°Dad! Arthur didn¡¯t mean it that way! He only wants what¡¯s best for the Farrell family!¡± Hazel tried to defend her husband, but Logan wouldn¡¯t listen.

    ¡°I may be old, but I¡¯m not blind or deaf. I¡¯ve turned a blind eye to your past actions, but now you¡¯ve dared to go after Tina. Don¡¯t me me for being ruthless!¡± Logan turned and instructed the butler, ¡°From today onward, without my permission, they are not allowed back into our estate. Handle this matter properly!¡±

    Arthur, Hazel, and Nathaniel were all stunned. What? Not allowed back home?! This indirectly meant Arthur had lost Logan¡¯s favor and was no longer an heir to the Farrell family!

    ¡°Dad, I was momentarily confused. Please don¡¯t hold it against me.¡± Arthur apologized hurriedly. Seeing Logan unmoved, he pulled Nathaniel over and scolded him, ¡°Apologize to your grandfather now!¡±

    ¡°Why should I apologize? Grandpa is being unfair!¡± Nathaniel stubbornly refused to admit any wrongdoing.

    Arthur was so furious he almost spat blood. He pped Nathaniel hard several times and forced him to kneel.

    Nathaniel felt dizzy from the blows and could barely kneel steadily.

    ¡°Why are you hitting him?!¡± Hazel was heartbroken but dared not act out in front of Logan. She whispered, ¡°Nathaniel didn¡¯t say anything wrong¡­¡±

    Arthur ignored her and swallowed his pride as he pulled his son to apologize to Logan. ¡°Dad, we¡¯re all family. Whatever happened earlier was Nathaniel¡¯s mistake and had nothing to do with Miss Reed! We won¡¯t pursue it further; please calm down!¡±

    Loganughed angrily at this. ¡°You won¡¯t pursue it? After causing such a mess at home, you still have the nerve to say that?¡±

    He pointed at Nathaniel while coughing and scolding, ¡°You think I¡¯m biased towards Tina? Let me tell you, I am biased! Having someone like Tina marry into our family is a blessing. Anyone who dares trouble her again will be kicked out of the Farrell family!¡±

    Arthur knelt on the ground, unable to believe Logan would disregard his status as the eldest son for an outsider.

    Nathaniel, his face swollen from the beating and head spinning, couldn¡¯t swallow this humiliation either.

    Having been beaten and scolded without forgiveness from Logan made him furious.

    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± He stood up in a rage and lunged at Tina, aiming to choke her.

    But before he could get close, Jared kicked him hard in the groin.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Nathaniel screamed in agony and fell to his knees, clutching himself.

    Jared looked down at him coldly as if he were an insect. ¡°This is what happens when youy a hand on Tina.¡±

    ¡°Nathaniel!¡± Hazel was terrified and rushed over to check on her son.

    Nathaniel was in so much pain he couldn¡¯t even scream; he just opened his mouth silently.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    ¡°This matter ends here,¡± Logan said sternly. ¡°Take him to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°If anyone dares try anything underhanded again, don¡¯t me me for being merciless!¡±

    Logan¡¯s stance was clear: he would protect Jared and Tina at all costs.

    Arthur red at Logan and Tina before ordering servants to carry Nathaniel to the car for the hospital.

    ¡°Tina, it¡¯s the Farrell family¡¯s fault.¡± Logan apologized sincerely. ¡°My eldest grandson is truly disappointing.¡±

    ¡°I thought he¡¯d mature with age, but he¡¯s still reckless.¡±

    Tina shrugged off the drama. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    Logan had made his position clear; there was no need for further reproach.

    ¡°Yes, Nathaniel deserved punishment for his actions,¡± Vivienne interjected diplomatically. ¡°There¡¯s an art exhibitioning up; why don¡¯t we all go together as an apology from the Farrell family?¡±

    The atmosphere finally eased a bit as Logan nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right. You youngsters should go together; Qingyan has great insights into art.¡±

    Tina used to visit art exhibitions asionally but had been too busytely.

    Since Vivienne suggested it now, she didn¡¯t mind going.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m fine with that.¡±

    ¡°Yes indeed! It¡¯s good for both families to interact more since we¡¯ll be one family soon!¡± Hugo finally stepped forward after standing aside all this time. ¡°I was so scared earlier! I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay, Tina!¡±

    This was Farrell family territory; Hugo hadn¡¯t dared intervene during the chaos but now took the chance to show concern after everything had settled.

 Chapter 322: The Ruse

    Tina gave him a cold nce but said nothing. Instead, Logan spoke up, ¡°Tina, if you were so worried, you should have given Nathaniel a warning earlier. You didn¡¯t say a word. Is there something you¡¯re concerned about?¡±

    Hugo was left speechless. Sensing the tension, Jennie quickly stepped forward and said, ¡°We are outsiders after all. How can we meddle in the Farrell family¡¯s affairs?¡±

    ¡°Tina has Jared and Mr. Farrell¡¯s support. I believe she won¡¯t be mistreated.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Logan gave them a meaningful look. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll go rest now. You can stay a bit longer and finish your tea.¡±

    Hugo hurriedly waved his hand, ¡°No need, thank you for your hospitality, Logan. We won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡±

    Since they were being dismissed, he knew better than to overstay their wee.

    Jared put his arm around Tina¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡±

    Tina looked up at him and smiled, ¡°Alright.¡±

    Even though Jared hadn¡¯t spoken earlier, she could feel his anger. She knew he was holding back for Logan¡¯s sake and refrained from confronting Nathaniel directly. But in the end, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer.

    That kick hadpletely incapacitated Nathaniel.

    Walking side by side ahead, Hugo and Jennie trailed behind awkwardly, their expressions somewhat uneasy.

    Throughout the meal, they had revealed many ws.

    Tina had been testing them intentionally, while others watched their performance with interest.

    ¡°What should we do¡­¡± Jennie whispered to Hugo, signaling with her eyes.

    Hugo didn¡¯t respond but kept his gaze fixed on Tina a few meters away.

    If he didn¡¯t act soon¡­

    As they reached the Farrell family¡¯s courtyard, Jared was about to get the car to take Tina home when suddenly someone sprang out from the bushes and lunged at her.

    A sh of a de caught Jared¡¯s eye as he quickly stepped forward.

    ¡°Tina! Watch out!¡±

    The shout came not from Jared but from Hugo behind them.

    As Jared shielded Tina, Hugo also rushed forward and tackled the assant.

    The stranger shed Hugo¡¯s arm deeply with the knife.

    Blood gushed out, soaking his clothes.

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± A nearby servant screamed in terror while Jennie¡¯s legs went weak. ¡°Hugo!¡±

    With a single nce from Jared, hidden guards from the Farrell family emerged and subdued the attacker within minutes.

    Jared looked at Tina, who remained calm and unafraid, then approached the restrained man and asked in a low voice, ¡°Who sent you?¡±

    The stranger kept his mouth shut, refusing to speak.

    Jared sneered coldly and nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t want to talk? I have a hundred ways to make you.¡±

    With a slight gesture from Jared, his men understood immediately and began binding the man to take him away.

    ¡°I want answers,¡± Jared said with an icy re that seemed to cut through the man¡¯s skin. ¡°Be careful not to kill him.¡±

    Death would be too easy; sometimes living in agony was the greatest punishment.

    Anyone who dared harm Tina should be prepared for this consequence; he wouldn¡¯t let anyone with ill intentions toward her go unpunished.

    ¡°Yes,¡± his men responded respectfully before taking the man away.

    ¡°Hugo! Hugo!¡± Jennie anxiously crouched beside Hugo, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding so much!¡±

    Despite losing a lot of blood and looking pale, Hugo said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. A little injury is nothing as long as Tina is safe.¡±

    He turned to Tina with guilt in his eyes. ¡°Tina, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t stand up for you when the Farrell family bullied you earlier. The Reed family is just too insignificantpared to them¡­¡±

    Tina listened expressionlessly, feeling only annoyance inside.

    Hugo wasn¡¯t ambitious or particrly talented but was honest and straightforward. Whenever someone from the Reed family tried to bully her, he¡¯d stand up for her without hesitation.

    Back then, even when moving out of the Reed family meant losing his job, Hugo neverined. Such a person wouldn¡¯t say something like ¡®too insignificant.¡¯

    She nced at Hugo¡¯s wound; though it bled heavily and looked frightening, it wasn¡¯t life-threatening.

    Tina tore off a piece of her clothing and used it to bandage his wound temporarily to stop the bleeding.

    ¡°You should talk less since you¡¯re injured.¡±

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Hugo didn¡¯t expect such coldness from her despite risking his life to protect her.

    ¡°Tina, your father really cares about you,¡± Jennie said tearfully. ¡°We came to the capital for you. He wanted to start a perfumepany so you¡¯d have a fallback if the Farrell family ever mistreated you¡­¡±

    Her words sounded noble as if everything they did was for Tina¡¯s sake while she remained ungrateful.

    Jared interrupted coldly, ¡°Jennie thinks I can¡¯t protect Tina?¡±

    Jennie froze. ¡°That¡¯s not what we meant¡­¡±

    She awkwardly brushed her hair aside. ¡°After all, we¡¯re Tina¡¯s family too and only want what¡¯s best for her.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Hugo coughed deliberately several times in apparent weakness. ¡°Jared¡­ I¡¯m powerless now¡­ Please take good care of Tina¡­ cough cough¡­¡±

    Watching their act made Tina¡¯s lips twitch slightly in disdain.

    It was just a superficial wound that hadn¡¯t damaged any bones or tendons yet Hugo acted like he had an incurable disease barely able to speak coherently.

    Seeing through his charade instantly Jared ordered nearby servants: ¡°Take Mr. Reed to hospital.¡±

    Then he opened passenger door ready personally drive Tina home

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Jennie reluctantly asked ¡°Your father¡¯s injured aren¡¯t going hospital check on him?¡±

    ¡°I have things do,¡± replied indifferently before turning leave with Jared

    Car drove out Farrell family gate

    Tina rested chin hand gazing out window eyes slightly narrowed ¡°Seems they¡¯re getting impatient¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡± Jared¡¯s deep-set eyes tightened ¡°My people report GTO¡¯s human experiments reaching critical stage urgently needing drugs¡±

    ¡°No wonder¡± Tina sneered

    ¡°First find Mr Reed Jennie¡± suggested Jared ¡°Already investigating soon get news¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡± nodded Tina

    She should soon have news too.

 Chapter 323: Logan Protects Tina

    Tina had her hands in her pockets, a mischievous smile on her face as she looked at Nathaniel. She spoke slowly, ¡°He wants me to break off the engagement with Mr. Farrell and marry him. He even said the Farrell family would be his in the future.¡±

    Hearing this, Logan¡¯s face darkened immediately. ra and Vivienne also looked displeased. Everyone in the Farrell family had thoughts about the inheritance, but they kept it hidden. Nathaniel, however, openly dered that the Farrell family would be his? That useless person still dreamed of inheriting the Farrell family?

    ¡°You scoundrel!¡± Logan hit Nathaniel a few more times in anger. ¡°It was bad enough when you didn¡¯t do anything useful before, but now you dare to ruin your cousin and his fiancee¡¯s rtionship? I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡±

    Hazel quickly stepped in to stop Logan. ¡°Dad! You can¡¯t hit him anymore. Nathaniel is your eldest grandson! He¡¯s saying this because he wants to be the backbone of the Farrell family; he¡¯s thinking of the family¡¯s future!¡±

    ¡°Humph!¡± Logan mmed his cane on the ground, nearly fuming with rage. ¡°What does he think he is? Does the Farrell family need him?¡±

    ra watched coldly and added sarcastically, ¡°You should really control Nathaniel. The old man is still standing here, and he dares to say such things. What will happen in the future?¡±

    She nced at Nathaniel with a sneer. ¡°The Farrell family is a big family; it¡¯s not for anyone to take over as they please. You should watch what you say and do outside, so you don¡¯t disgrace us.¡±

    Walter scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s one thing if you don¡¯t respect us, but not respecting Grandpa? You¡¯re getting too arrogant.¡±

    Vivienne didn¡¯t say anything; she just nced at Tina and Jared with narrowed eyes. She never thought Nathaniel could take over the Farrell family; he was just a useless person to her. What she cared about was Jared. The people she sent out hadn¡¯t returned with any news, yet Jared was still standing here fine. As long as Jared lived, she could never get the inheritance!

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Nathaniel turned and red at everyone around him. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re all thinking? I¡¯m the eldest grandson; it won¡¯t be your turn.¡±

    ¡°Nathaniel! That¡¯s going too far,¡± ra said coldly. ¡°We¡¯re discussing facts here. How can you forbid us from speaking? With what you¡¯ve done, you think you can take over the Farrell family? If given to you, could you even hold onto it?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about Jared; even the youngest, Si Yun, is better than you.¡±

    Not far away, a teenager in sportswear looked up slightly. At eighteen, he already had an air of gloominess about him.

    Orson nced at everyone before finally looking at Tina with barely visible disdain in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room,¡± he said.

    Without waiting for anyone to respond, Orson turned and left. The others seemed used to it and didn¡¯t care whether he stayed or left.

    After Orson left, Walter sneered, ¡°See? Nobody wants to deal with you, Nathaniel. Besides seducing women, what else can you do?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Nathaniel was furious but restrained himself. ¡°Anyway, Grandpa, you have to stand up for me. I do want to marry Tina, but she did tear my clothes off! Look at how she scratched me! Given what¡¯s happened, I want the Reed family to take responsibility! You must make Tina break off her engagement with Jared!¡±

    His goal today wasn¡¯t just to argue with these people. Even if he couldn¡¯t marry Tina himself, making her break off her engagement with Jared would be good enough.

    Otherwise, if Jared really married Tina and got support from the Reed family, how could hepete with Jared?

    ¡°That¡¯s out of the question!¡± ra was the first to object. ¡°Jared and Tina¡¯s engagement ceremony has already been held; how can they just break it off?¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter who Jared married! But Nathaniel absolutely couldn¡¯t marry a daughter from the Reed family! Even if Jared was Grandpa¡¯s chosen heir, Grandpa was old and hadn¡¯t made a will yet; they weren¡¯t worried about Jared at all.

    But Nathaniel was different; as the eldest grandson! Inheritancews favored him first.

    ¡°This has nothing to do with you; stay out of it,¡± Nathaniel said angrily.

    ¡°How can it have nothing to do with us?¡± ra replied coldly. ¡°Anything rted to the Farrell family concerns me.¡±

    ra and Nathaniel continued arguing nonstop.

    Logan and Jared watched them coldly without any expression.

    Tina looked on as if watching a show.

    ¡°Alright! Given everything that¡¯s happened, you¡¯re still ndering Tina? If I don¡¯t beat you to death today, I¡¯m not your grandfather!¡± Logan raised his cane again and struck Nathaniel repeatedly.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Nathaniel screamed in pain while dodging. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re being unfair! It was Tina who seduced me; why won¡¯t you believe me?¡±

    Logan ignored his nonsense and showed no mercy.

    Hazel felt heartbroken watching this.

    She turned her head and saw Tina¡¯s indifferent expression as if watching a y. Anger surged within her. ¡°It¡¯s you! It¡¯s all because of you!¡±

    She pointed at Tina furiously and shouted, ¡°You couldn¡¯t seduce him sessfully so now you¡¯re throwing all the me on Nathaniel! You¡¯re so vicious! The old man allowed you into the Farrell family¡¯s door, but you¡¯ve been plotting against Jared and him all along! Now you¡¯re plotting against my son too!¡±

    Tina crossed her arms and looked indifferently at Hazel sitting on the ground hysterically.

    ¡°The Farrell family has surveince cameras everywhere.¡± A faint smile appeared on her lips but her eyes were as cold as knives piercing Hazel¡¯s heart. ¡°Want to take a look?¡±

    Hazel felt a chill in her heart and panicked slightly. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    She red back but felt guilty inside.

    ¡°What¡¯s there to see?¡± Nathaniel retorted weakly. ¡°Things have alreadye this far! Do you want it to get even more embarrassing?¡±

    He was as dumb as a pig; in his anger earlier he wanted to drag Tina down but forgot about theprehensive security system of the Farrell family with cameras everywhere capturing everything clearly like watching a movie without missing any corner.

    ¡°Grandpa! Tina did it on purpose!¡±

    Nathanielined bitterly to Logan again: ¡°She intentionally came between me and Jared just to sow discord!¡±

    Jared turned towards him again: ¡°Sow discord?¡±

    His voice was icy as he looked at Nathaniel: ¡°Do you think someone like you would catch Tina¡¯s eye?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Sophia chimed in angrily with hands on hips: ¡°My sister isn¡¯t blind! Why would she choose anyone else over my brother?¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 324: Nathaniel Was Abandoned

    Arthur¡¯s face turned grim. Although he also thought his son was ipetent, it wasn¡¯t up to others, especially an outsider like Tina, to criticize him.

    ¡°Dad! I¡¯ve always respected your decisions, but today Tina has bullied us. Shouldn¡¯t you say something?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Hazel chimed in indignantly. ¡°She¡¯s targeting us specifically. I don¡¯t know if she dislikes us or if someone is behind this!¡±

    Someone behind this? Wasn¡¯t that clearly implying Jared?

    Tina was Jared¡¯s fiancee, naturally aligned with him. Now that she had openly confronted Nathaniel, it meant a family feud was brewing.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Logan¡¯s voice trembled with anger. His body hadn¡¯t fully recovered, and he couldn¡¯t exert himself. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about your schemes against Jared and Tina! Last time, I made you work as a security guard to teach you a lesson!¡±

    Logan shook his head in disappointment. ¡°But what did you learn? Nothing! You even dragged your son into it, plotting against Tina!¡±

    ¡°Dad! Arthur didn¡¯t mean any harm! He just wants the best for the Farrell family!¡± Hazel tried to defend her husband, but Logan wouldn¡¯t listen.

    ¡°I may be old, but I¡¯m not blind or deaf. I¡¯ve overlooked your past mistakes, but now you dare to target Tina? Don¡¯t me me for being ruthless!¡± Logan turned to the butler. ¡°From today onwards, without my permission, they are not allowed back into our estate. Handle this matter properly!¡±

    Arthur, Hazel, and Nathaniel were all stunned. What? They weren¡¯t allowed back home? This indirectly meant that Arthur had lost Logan¡¯s favor and was no longer a potential heir of the Farrell family!

    ¡°Dad, I was momentarily confused. Please don¡¯t hold it against me.¡± Arthur quickly apologized. Seeing that Logan remained unmoved, he pulled Nathaniel over and scolded, ¡°Apologize to your grandfather!¡±

    ¡°Why should I apologize? Grandfather is being biased!¡± Nathaniel stubbornly refused to admit his fault.

    Arthur was so furious he nearly spat blood. He pped Nathaniel hard several times and forced him to kneel on the ground.

    Nathaniel was dizzy from the blows and could barely stay upright.

    ¡°Why are you hitting him?¡± Hazel was heartbroken but didn¡¯t dare act out in front of Logan. She whispered, ¡°Nathaniel didn¡¯t say anything wrong¡­¡±

    Arthur ignored her and endured the humiliation as he pulled his son to apologize to Logan. ¡°Dad, we¡¯re family. Whatever happened earlier was Nathaniel¡¯s mistake and has nothing to do with Miss Reed! We won¡¯t pursue this matter further. Please calm down!¡±

    Loganughed angrily at this. ¡°You won¡¯t pursue it? You¡¯ve caused such chaos in the family and still have the nerve to say you won¡¯t pursue it?¡±

    He pointed at Nathaniel while coughing and scolding, ¡°You say I¡¯m biased towards Tina? Let me tell you, I am biased! Having someone like Tina marry into our family is a blessing for us. If anyone dares trouble her again, they¡¯ll be kicked out of the Farrell family!¡±

    Arthur knelt on the ground, unable to believe Logan would disregard his own son for an outsider.

    Nathaniel, with his face swollen from the beating and his mind reeling from anger, couldn¡¯t ept this either.

    Having been beaten and scolded without forgiveness from Logan made him furious.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you!¡± He stood up in a rage and charged towards Tina, aiming to strangle her.

    But before he could reach her, Jared kicked him hard in the groin.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Nathaniel screamed in pain and copsed to the ground, clutching his groin.

    Jared looked down at him coldly as if he were an insect. ¡°This is what happens when youy a hand on Tina.¡±

    ¡°Nathaniel!¡± Hazel was terrified and rushed over to check on her son.

    Nathaniel was in so much pain that he couldn¡¯t even speak; he just opened his mouth silently.

    ¡°This ends here,¡± Logan said sternly. ¡°Take him to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°If anyone dares plot such disgraceful things again, don¡¯t me me for being merciless!¡± Logan¡¯s meaning was clear: he would protect Jared and Tina at all costs.

    Arthur red resentfully at Logan and Tina before calling for servants to carry Nathaniel to the car and take him to the hospital.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    ¡°Tina, it¡¯s our family¡¯s fault,¡± Logan said apologetically after handling everything. ¡°My eldest grandson is truly useless.¡±

    ¡°I thought he¡¯d mature with age, but he still doesn¡¯t know his limits.¡±

    Tina wasn¡¯t bothered by the drama she had witnessed. ¡°Grandfather, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Logan had made his stance clear; there was no need for her to press further.

    ¡°Yes, Nathaniel deserved punishment for his mistakes. Don¡¯t be too upset,¡± Vivienne tried to smooth things over. ¡°There¡¯s an art exhibitioning up; why don¡¯t we all go together as a way for our family to make amends?¡±

    The tension finally eased a bit. Logan nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, you young ones should go together. Qingyan has great insights into art; you can all learn from each other.¡±

    Tina used to visit art exhibitions asionally but had been too busytely. Now that Vivienne mentioned it, she didn¡¯t mind going.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m fine with that.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Spending time together is good for both families since we¡¯ll all be one family soon!¡± Hugo finally stepped forward after standing aside for so long.

    He expressed concern exaggeratedly. ¡°I was so scared earlier! It¡¯s good that you¡¯re okay, Tina!¡±

    This was Farrell family territory; Hugo hadn¡¯t dared interfere during Arthur and Nathaniel¡¯s outburst but now took the chance to show concern after things settled down.

 Chapter 325: The Ruse

    Tina gave him a cold nce but said nothing. Logan, however, spoke up, ¡°Tina, if you were so worried, you should have given Nathaniel a warning earlier. Why didn¡¯t you say anything? Were you concerned about something?¡±

    Hugo was left speechless. Sensing the tension, Jennie quickly intervened, ¡°We¡¯re outsiders; it¡¯s not our ce to meddle in the Farrell family¡¯s affairs.¡±

    ¡°Tina has Jared and Mr. Farrell¡¯s support. She won¡¯t be mistreated,¡± she added.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Logan gave them a meaningful look. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going to rest now. Feel free to stay a while and finish your tea.¡±

    Hugo quickly waved his hand. ¡°No need, thank you for your hospitality, Logan. We won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡±

    Seeing that Logan had spoken, Hugo knew better than to overstay their wee.

    Jared put his arm around Tina¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out,¡± he said.

    Tina looked up at him and smiled. ¡°Alright.¡±

    Although Jared hadn¡¯t spoken earlier, she sensed his anger. She knew he was holding back for Logan¡¯s sake and refrained from confronting Nathaniel directly. But in the end, he couldn¡¯t hold backpletely. That kick had rendered Nathaniel incapacitated.

    As they walked ahead side by side, Hugo and Jennie followed awkwardly behind, their expressionsplex. Throughout the meal, they had revealed many of their intentions.

    Tina had been testing them on purpose, and everyone else was watching their performance.

    ¡°What do we do now¡­¡± Jennie whispered to Hugo.

    Hugo said nothing but kept his eyes fixed on Tina, who was walking two meters ahead. If he didn¡¯t act soon¡­

    They reached the Farrell family¡¯s courtyard where Jared was about to get the car to drive Tina home when suddenly someone leaped out from the bushes and lunged at Tina.

    A sh of a knife caught Jared¡¯s eye, and he quickly stepped forward.

    ¡°Tina! Watch out!¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    The shout came not from Jared but from Hugo behind them.

    As Jared shielded Tina, Hugo also rushed forward and grabbed the attacker. The stranger shed Hugo¡¯s arm deeply with the knife.

    Blood gushed out, soaking Hugo¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Oh my god!¡±

    The servants nearby screamed in terror while Jennie¡¯s legs went weak with fear. ¡°Hugo!¡±

    At Jared¡¯s signal, hidden guards from the Farrell family emerged and subdued the attacker within minutes.

    Jared nced at Tina, who remained calm and unafraid, then approached the attacker and asked quietly, ¡°Who sent you?¡±

    The stranger kept his mouth shut, refusing to speak.

    Jared sneered coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t want to talk? I have a hundred ways to make you.¡±

    He signaled his men to bind the attacker and take him away.

    ¡°I want answers,¡± Jared said with a look that could cut through skin. ¡°Be careful not to kill him.¡±

    Death would be too easy; some fates were worse than death.

    ¡°Yes,¡± his men responded respectfully before taking the stranger away.

    ¡°Hugo! Hugo!¡± Jennie knelt beside Hugo in panic as tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding so much!¡±

    Despite his pale face from blood loss, Hugo said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. A little injury is nothing as long as Tina is safe.¡±

    He turned to Tina with guilt in his eyes. ¡°Tina, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t stand up for you when the Farrell family bullied you earlier. The Reed family is just too insignificantpared to them¡­¡±

    Tina listened expressionlessly, feeling only annoyance inside.

    Hugo was generally unambitious and honest but always stood up for her when the Reed family mistreated her. He had even been willing to leave the Reed family and lose his job for her sake. Such a person wouldn¡¯t say something like ¡®insignificant.¡¯

    She nced at Hugo¡¯s wound; though it bled heavily and looked rming, it wasn¡¯t life-threatening.

    Tina tore a strip from her clothing and bandaged his wound to stop the bleeding.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been hurt; speak less,¡± she said coldly.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Hugo hadn¡¯t expected such indifference from Tina after risking his life for her protection.

    ¡°Tina, your father cares about you deeply,¡± Jennie said tearfully. ¡°We came to the capital for you. He wants to start a perfumepany so you¡¯ll have a fallback if things go wrong with the Farrell family¡­¡±

    Her words made it sound like everything they did was for Tina¡¯s benefit while portraying Tina as ungrateful.

    Jared interrupted coldly, ¡°Jennie, are you implying that I can¡¯t protect Tina?¡±

    Jennie froze. ¡°That¡¯s not what we meant¡­¡±

    She awkwardly fiddled with her hair. ¡°We¡¯re just concerned for Tina because we¡¯re family.¡±

    Hugo coughed weakly on purpose. ¡°Jared, I¡¯m doing my best but can¡¯t do much more. Please take good care of Tina¡­ cough¡­¡±

    Tina watched their act with barely concealed disdain.

    It was just a superficial wound that didn¡¯t even touch bone or muscle yet Hugo acted as if he were gravely ill and on death¡¯s door.

    Seeing through his pretense, Jared ordered a servant nearby, ¡°Take Mr. Reed to the hospital.¡±

    Then he opened the passenger door himself to drive Tina home.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Jennie called out reluctantly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to check on your father at the hospital?¡±

    ¡°I have other matters,¡± Tina replied indifferently before turning away with Jared.

    The car drove out of the Farrell estate as Tina gazed out the window thoughtfully. ¡°It seems they can¡¯t wait any longer.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Jared replied with narrowed eyes. ¡°My sources tell me GTO¡¯s human trials are at a critical stage and urgently need supplies.¡±

    ¡°No wonder,¡± Tina sneered.

    ¡°First we need to find Mr. Reed and Jennie,¡± Jared said calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve already set people on it; we¡¯ll have news soon.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina nodded.

 Chapter 326: Do You Think You Can Walk Out Alive?

    The West District Park was called a park, but it had been abandoned for years. Its location was remote and overgrown with weeds, making it a ce few would visit, especially at eleven o¡¯clock at night.

    Tina drove into the park and parked beside a statue, then turned off the engine. This was the location mentioned by the kidnappers on the phone. The surroundings were so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard, making it seem like no one was around.

    Tina nced around and said calmly, ¡°Since you called me here, there¡¯s no need to hide.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, a dozen masked men emerged from the bushes and surrounded her. Each held a finely sharpened dagger, the tips of which were tinged with an eerie color-poison.

    Tina couldn¡¯t help but sneer. It seemed they were determined to take her life. ¡°Where is my brother?¡± she asked directly, not wasting time on pleasantries.

    The leader of the masked men hesitated for a moment beforeughing. ¡°Are you still worried about your brother? Do you really think you can walk out of here alive?¡±

    They had received strict orders to kill Tina by any means necessary. Whoever took Tina¡¯s head would receive an additional two hundred million dors on top of the ransom. A seemingly defenseless girl worth three hundred million dors-what assassin wouldn¡¯t be tempted?

    ¡°Just you lot?¡± Tina smirked mockingly. Had she been inactive for so long that they thought she couldn¡¯t handle a knife anymore?

    ¡°Do you know how valuable your head is?¡± the leader said slowly. ¡°Coming here today was a mistake!¡±

    ¡°Attack!¡± he shouted, raising his dagger. The others followed hismand and charged at Tina with murderous intent.

    But before they could take a step, Tina merely moved her fingers, and all of them copsed to the ground like puppets with their strings cut.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why can¡¯t I move my body?¡± The masked men were horrified to find their limbs powerless, only their mouths still able to move.

    They couldn¡¯t even think about killing Tina now; they couldn¡¯t even save their own lives.

    ¡°What did you do to us?¡± the leader growled.

    Tina listened to their frantic shouts and leisurely walked up to them, hands behind her back. She bent down and said, ¡°I told you, you can¡¯t touch me.¡±

    In the moment they had lunged at her, she had scattered a powder she had personally concocted, rendering them helpless.

    Looking down at them from above, she asked again, ¡°Where is my brother?¡±

    ¡°Cheap tricks! We won¡¯t reveal your brother¡¯s whereabouts! You¡¯re dreaming if you think we will!¡± The masked men remained defiant, seemingly not believing Tina had any real power.

    ¡°Very well.¡± Tina nodded and pulled out some silver needles from her pocket. Without bending down, she flicked them toward the leader.

    Three needles urately struck his acupoints, causing him to howl in pain andugh uncontrobly. ¡°It hurts! It hurts! My back itches so much! What¡¯s happening?¡±

    The bizarre sensation was indescribable. It felt like thousands of ants were crawling over his back while scorpions stung him. His entire body was in excruciating pain and unbearable itchiness. Soon his back was drenched in cold sweat as if he had just been pulled out of water.

    ¡°Help me! Save me! I was wrong; I¡¯ll never dare again! Please spare me!¡± The leader didn¡¯t know what he was shouting anymore; he just begged incoherently for Tina¡¯s mercy.

    Tina casually removed the needles from his body, allowing him to recover and gasp for breath on the ground.

    She looked indifferently at the group of masked men sprawled on the ground and asked, ¡°Anyone else interested in trying?¡±

    The masked men cursed inwardly: Try what? That kind of agonizing pain-who would want to experience it again?

    They had underestimated this beautiful girl before them. Without using weapons or drawing blood, she could inflict unbearable suffering.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t torture; it¡¯s worse than torture,¡± they thought.

    ¡°We were wrong, Miss Reed. Please show mercy and spare us; we won¡¯t dare again!¡± The masked men exchanged nces and bowed their heads in submission, pleading for Tina¡¯s forgiveness. ¡°We promise to avoid Miss Reed if we see her again.¡±

    ¡°Answer two questions,¡± Tina said as she took out an antidote and waved it in front of them. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the antidote.¡±

    ¡°Ask away! We¡¯ll tell you everything we know!¡±

    ¡°Where is my brother now?¡±

    The masked men immediately replied, ¡°Young Master Reed is in an abandoned factory in the West District. He¡¯s unharmed but tied up!¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Tina nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Second question: Who ordered you to kidnap Zackary to lure me here?¡±

    Zackary¡¯s kidnapping was just a ruse. The kidnappers appeared to be after ransom money but were actually targeting her life. Once she showed up as agreed, they nned to overpower her and end her life.

    ¡°This¡­¡± The masked men hesitated, knowing that revealing this information could lead to dire consequences for them. But if they didn¡¯t speak up, Tina wouldn¡¯t spare them either.

    ¡°It seems the earlier pain wasn¡¯t enough?¡± Seeing their hesitation, Tina pulled out more silver needles. ¡°How about I add two more and see how it feels?¡±

    ¡°No! No!¡± The masked man almost bit his tongue in fear. ¡°I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll talk!¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to endure that inhuman torment again.

    ¡°It was Nathaniel Farrell!¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Nathaniel? It wasn¡¯t unexpected; Tina just hadn¡¯t thought he¡¯d have the guts.

    Tina raised her hand again and scattered another type of powder. In an instant, the masked men found they could move their limbs again.

    Such miraculous powder-they had never seen anything like it before-could paralyze someone instantly and then restore them just as quickly.

    ¡°Miss Reed keeps her promises; we are deeply grateful!¡± After this brief encounter, the masked men realized that Tina was far from simple. She could easily handle a dozen people; her hidden strength was like an iceberg beneath water. To challenge her would be suicidal.

    ¡°Where is your car?¡± A truck would be too cumbersome; she needed something more agile for her next move.

    The masked men quickly brought out one of their smaller cars and handed it over to Tina.

    ¡°This car is yours,¡± Tina indicated toward a nearby truck. ¡°You can do whatever you want with the money inside it, but regarding Nathaniel¡­¡±

    She paused briefly; the masked men understood immediately. ¡°Got it; we¡¯ll teach him a lesson for you!¡±

    Not only did Tina spare their lives, but she also gave them one billion dors as ransom money as agreed-a deal too good to pass up. Naturally, they felt indebted to her.

    Tina got into the car and drove towards the abandoned factory in the West District where they said Zackary was being held.

 Chapter 327: Settling the Score

    Half an hourter, Tina arrived at her destination. The area was deste and silent, with not a soul in sight, surrounded by steel bars and bricks. She quickly found Zackary in the corner of the warehouse, his hands and feet bound, eyes covered, trembling.

    ¡°Zackary,¡± Tina approached him and untied him. ¡°It¡¯s alright now, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±

    Zackary, who had been shaking with fear, finally rxed upon hearing her voice. Once freed, he couldn¡¯t hold back his tears and threw himself into her arms. ¡°Sister!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here,¡± Tinaforted him softly.

    ¡°Sister, she¡­ she wanted to hurt me¡­¡± Zackary sobbed uncontrobly, his face flushed red.

    Tina suppressed her anger and asked gently, ¡°Who was it?¡±

    Zackary stammered out the name. Tina scoffed. As expected, there was an insider in the Reed family; otherwise, things wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly. The only way someone could bypass all the Reed family¡¯s security systems was if there was a problem from within.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, patting Zackary on the back and holding his hand. ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡±

    ¡°But sister¡­¡± Zackary was still shaken from the ordeal and spoke timidly, ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡±

    ¡°You have nothing to fear,¡± Tina¡¯s eyes were fierce as she spoke each word with determination. ¡°I will get justice for you.¡±

    At one in the morning, Tina returned to the Reed family estate with Zackary. The entire ce was brightly lit; everyone was waiting for them.

    ¡°Tina! Zackary!¡± Annabelle eximed with a mix of surprise and relief as she rushed forward to embrace them. ¡°I was so worried! You were gone for so long without any news; I didn¡¯t know what to do!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, and Zackary is safe too,¡± Tina reassured her calmly. ¡°It just took some time.¡±

    ¡°No matter! As long as you¡¯re both back safely, everything else is minor!¡± Annabelle said as a servant brought hot tea. She then turned to Zackary with concern. ¡°Are you hurt? Were you scared? Now that you¡¯re home, no one will harm you.¡±

    Jared stood nearby, watching Annabelle fuss over them before stepping forward. ¡°Are you hungry? I¡¯ve had food prepared.¡±

    ¡°A little,¡± Tina smiled at him but then grew serious. ¡°But there¡¯s something we need to address first.¡±

    Tina turned her gaze to Nathaniel, who sat nervously in a corner. ¡°Nathaniel, do you have anything to say about what happened to Zackary?¡±

    Startled by being called out, Nathaniel stood up abruptly and quickly put on a hostile expression. ¡°What does this have to do with me? Your brother gets kidnapped, causing chaos in the Farrell family and making use all this way, and you want me to exin?¡±

    Hazel remained silent but clearly shared her son¡¯s sentiments. To them, Zackary was just an unrted brother; it wasn¡¯t worth such a fuss that even their branch of the family had to get involved.

    Vivienne sat quietly on the side, not participating in the conversation but watching intently.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance,¡± Tina said coldly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about your chance!¡± Nathaniel scoffed and started to leave. ¡°Your brother is found now; we don¡¯t need to stay here any longer! Wasting our time!¡±

    As Nathaniel cursed and tried to leave, Tina swiftly threw a silver needle that made his knees buckle, causing him to kneel on the ground.

    Tina pulled out her phone and yed a video. ¡°Why don¡¯t you watch this first before deciding whether you want to exin?¡±

    The video showed masked men who had kidnapped Zackary and attacked her. The leader confessed directly into the camera. ¡°The whole thing was orchestrated by Nathaniel Farrell of the Farrell family.¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    ¡°He ordered us to kidnap your brother Zackary and lure you into handing over the ransom alone so he could take you out.¡±

    Everyone present was shocked when they heard Nathaniel¡¯s name and turned their eyes on him.

    Nathaniel¡¯s face turned pale as he knelt there speechless.

    The video continued ying.

    Tina asked in the video, ¡°His goal was my life?¡±

    The leader nodded repeatedly. ¡°Nathaniel said not to leave any witnesses; he wanted you to die as painfully as possible.¡±

    ¡°How did you get into Whispering Pines and take Zackary?¡± Tina asked.

    The masked man answered truthfully, ¡°Someone from the Reed family helped us get in without any issues.¡±

    The video ended there as Tina put away her phone and looked at Nathaniel again. ¡°No exnation?¡±

    Both the Reed family and Farrell family members were still reeling from shock, unsure whether to be more surprised that Nathaniel had hired hitmen or that there was an insider in the Reed family.

    ¡°Who knows if that video is fake!¡± Nathaniel continued his desperate struggle. ¡°You can¡¯t frame me! You¡¯re just trying to ruin my chances of inheriting the Farrell family estate!¡±

    Tina threw a stack of documents on the ground. ¡°These are your call logs and transaction records.¡±

    The documents clearly outlined how Nathaniel had contacted these hitmen and paid them an advance for their dirty work.

    ¡°This is all fake!¡± Nathaniel shouted furiously.

    He hated Tina deeply; ever since she joined the Farrell family, his luck had taken a turn for the worse. He¡¯d been scolded by the old man for no reason and almost lost everything trying to get close to her but ended up nearly getting kicked by Jared.

    Even today, his lower body still ached faintly.

    ¡°Tina, you bitch! You¡¯re trying to ruin me! You¡¯ll die a horrible death!¡± Nathaniel screamed hysterically while Hazel rushed forward to support him.

    ¡°Nathaniel could never do such a thing! This is all a setup by Tina!¡± Hazel cried out angrily.

    Before they could continue their tirade, Jared¡¯s gaze turned icy cold.

    With just one look from Jared, his men stepped forward instantly and pped Nathaniel hard across the face before kicking him down.

    Nathaniel almost spat out blood from being hit so hard; two of his ribs cracked under the force.

    ¡°What are you doing?! How can youy hands on my son?!¡± Hazel demanded furiously as she tried to defend Nathaniel when suddenly there was a knock at Whispering Pines¡¯ door.

    A servant led police officers inside.

    ¡°We received a report,¡± one officer said to Nathaniel kneeling on the ground. ¡°You are suspected of kidnapping and attempted murder; pleasee with us.¡±

    ¡°No! No¡­¡± Nathaniel broke downpletely upon hearing this. ¡°I can¡¯t go to jail! My life will be ruined if I go to jail!¡±

 Chapter 328: Is Amber Reed Annie?

    Nathaniel struggled desperately. He was the eldest son of the Farrell family, the future heir, and could not afford to have any criminal record. Such a stain would follow him for life. Each word he spoke was followed by a violent cough, the pain from his broken ribs almost killing him.

    Hazel, in disbelief, kept pleading for her son, ¡°Officer, there must be some mistake! My son couldn¡¯t havemitted a crime! He¡¯s innocent!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all Tina! She¡¯s trying to frame him! Arrest her instead; she¡¯s the real culprit!¡± Hazel cried and caused a scene, but the police ignored her and took the weakened Nathaniel away. She chased after them, pounding on the police car, refusing to leave. The police then arrested Hazel for obstructing their duties.

    With Nathaniel and Hazel gone, the Reed family finally had some peace. Everyone who had been watching the drama had their own thoughts. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s gettingte,¡± Liliosa said, breaking the silence with a light cough. ¡°Why don¡¯t we all get some rest?¡± Tina looked at her and said coolly, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve forgotten something.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Audrey reminded from the side. ¡°The person who ordered Zackary¡¯s kidnapping has been caught, but we haven¡¯t found the inside man in the Reed family yet.¡±

    ¡°What inside man!¡± Liliosa immediately retorted, hands on her hips. ¡°You believe everything those people say? They¡¯re just trying to shirk responsibility and find a way out! The Reed family would never do something so disgraceful. Stop ndering us!¡±

    ¡°No one mentioned you,¡± Annabelle said with a nce at Liliosa. ¡°Why are you so agitated?¡± ¡°She¡¯s feeling guilty,¡± Griffin suggested pointedly. ¡°She¡¯s always disliked Tina; it¡¯s no surprise she¡¯s involved in this mess.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Liliosa nearly jumped with anger. ¡°A video proves nothing! It¡¯s all lies!¡± ¡°But Mr. Farrell has already been taken by the police¡­¡± Audrey nced at Annabelle¡¯s expression. ¡°Could it still be false?¡±

    Everyone knew Liliosa had it out for Tina, and now there was video evidence. Though it didn¡¯t explicitly name her, her sudden outburst made her seem guilty.

    ¡°Zackary,¡± Tina said gently, stroking his head. ¡°Tell me who took you away from the Reed family.¡± Zackary looked up at her and then fearfully at everyone else. ¡°Sister, I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Annabelleforted softly. ¡°Grandma will stand up for you; just tell us the truth loudly!¡±

    ¡°It was¡­ it was¡­¡± Zackary stammered with his head down. Seeing Tina by his side gave him courage. ¡°It was Aunt Liliosa.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Liliosa shouted as she rushed forward to hit him. ¡°Who taught you to say that! It was Tina! Definitely Tina!¡± Jared grabbed her hand and pushed her aside. Liliosa stumbled and fell, spraining her ankle and turning pale with pain.

    ¡°The facts are clear; do you still want to deny it?¡± Griffin shouted at her indignantly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you pretended to be so righteous while having such a venomous heart!¡± Annabelle was equally disappointed. ¡°Zackary is just a child; would he lie?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve made so many mistakes that the Reed family overlooked, yet now you help outsiders harm your own family! How can you face the Reed family?¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Liliosa¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as she red at Tina with hatred. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? It¡¯s all Tina¡¯s fault; she ruined our family!¡±

    ¡°Even if she¡¯s back, my Annie is still missing!¡±

    ¡°Why are you still hung up on this?¡± Annabelle couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Jasper made an unintentional mistake; he¡¯s been helping you search diligently all these years. How can you me everything on him and drag Tina into it?¡±

    Unintentional mistake? Could those words erase her pain? She lost her precious daughter for years without knowing if she was even alive or well; how could she not hate?

    ¡°Tell me!¡± Liliosa¡¯s sharp voice seemed to pierce through eardrums. ¡°Where is my daughter?! Give me back my daughter!¡±

    Tina frowned, looking at her impassively. ¡°You ask me where your daughter is?¡±

    ¡°You know! You definitely know!¡± Liliosa screamed with veins bulging on her neck, her face contorted in rage. ¡°My Annie once lived in Ensford; she was called Amber Reed! She was adopted by your foster parents!¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    She had gone to Ensford to find Annie and confirmed that Amber Reed was indeed her daughter but didn¡¯t know where she had gone afterward.

    She found out that Amber Reed¡¯sst contact was Emrys, Jasper¡¯s adopted son and someone whom Tina¡¯s mother had once saved.

    Connecting the timeline between Amber Reed and Tina, she believed that Tina had instructed Emrys to harm Amber Reed.

    She hated Jasper, Emrys, and especially Tina!

    If not for Tina, Annie would still be living as the eldest daughter of the Reed family infort.

    It was all Tina¡¯s fault; she destroyed Annie¡¯s happiness and caused her current suffering.

    Tina was slightly taken aback while Jared beside her frowned as if deep in thought.

    ¡°Liliosa, are you sure? Is that Amber Reed really your daughter Annie?¡± Annabelle asked in disbelief.

    She hadn¡¯t forgotten how they had brought Amber Reed back as Jasper¡¯s daughter and all her behaviors then.

    ¡°I¡¯m absolutely sure!¡± Liliosa¡¯s voice was hoarse from shouting. ¡°I¡¯ve searched for so many years; how could I not recognize my own daughter?!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget what that Amber Reed did!¡± Griffin immediately reminded everyone. ¡°She deceived the Reed family multiple times with fake paternity tests just to be the eldest daughter of the Reed family; she lied until the very end!¡±

    ¡°Amber was also deceived!¡± Liliosa wouldn¡¯t listen to a word against her daughter and repeatedly demanded, ¡°Give me back my daughter! Give me back my Annie!¡±

    She struggled to get up and tried to strangle Tina but her swollen ankle hurt immensely with every move.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care where Amber Reed is,¡± Tina said coldly with arms crossed like delivering ps in words. ¡°But I know exactly what will happen to you.¡±

 Chapter 329: Breaking Point

    Liliosa saw the cold expression on her face and felt a rare moment of fear. ¡°What do you want to do?!¡±

    ¡°Afraid?¡± Tina asked softly, ¡°Toote.¡±

    She didn¡¯t mind making Liliosa and Amber Reed share the same fate, even if it only barely satisfied her.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Annabelle hesitated beside her, ¡°Leave dealing with Liliosa to me.¡±

    Annabelle wasn¡¯t trying to protect Liliosa. She despised the many wrongs Liliosa hadmitted just as much. But there was still a blood rtion; she couldn¡¯t bear to see her in too miserable a state.

    Tina looked up at her, her voice indifferent, ¡°How do you n to deal with her?¡±

    ¡°I will give you a satisfactory answer.¡± Annabelle turned to Liliosa, ¡°Liliosa, what you did today is too much! Tina is Jasper¡¯s daughter, a member of the Reed family. How could you be so ruthless?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I be ruthless!¡± Liliosa had lost all reason and screamed hoarsely, ¡°He separated me from my daughter for more than ten years! I want his daughter to suffer too!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± Annabelle shouted angrily, ¡°Enough. From now on, you are not allowed back in the Reed family. The Reed family has nothing more to do with you.¡±

    ¡°Mom! You!¡± Liliosa looked at the olddy in disbelief.

    She had always been fearless because she knew that no matter what happened, her mother would protect her. But now, even the olddy wouldn¡¯t allow her back into the Reed family and was cutting ties with her!

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say anything harsher.¡± Annabelle turned away, not looking at her anymore. ¡°Take care of yourself! Jane, escort her out!¡±

    She still held onto a shred of motherly affection and didn¡¯t remove Liliosa from the family registry. But she had done all she could, even having servants escort Liliosa out directly.

    ¡°Mom! You¡¯re abandoning your daughter for Tina!¡±

    Liliosa screamed hoarsely but couldn¡¯t struggle free as two servants dragged her out of the Reed family estate.

    Tina watched Liliosa being dragged away, the smile on her lips growing colder. This was the Reed family¡¯s way of exining things to her? Ha!

    Jared noticed the change in her mood and wrapped his arm around her waist, whispering in her ear, ¡°Leave it to me. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    Tina looked up at him and suddenly smiled, ¡°Alright!¡±

    She believed her uncle would handle it well-better than the Reed family could satisfy her.

    The farce finally ended.

    Vivienne stood up and said, ¡°Since Tina¡¯s brother has been found, I¡¯ll head back first.¡±

    ¡°My grandfather is waiting for news; I need to exin things to him.¡±

    Jared acknowledged with a nod, his gaze sweeping over her with a meaningful look.

    Vivienne couldn¡¯t decipher what his look meant but felt chilled all over as if pricked by needles.

    Vivienne hurriedly left.

    Annabelle sat on the sofa, holding her forehead. ¡°Tina, I¡¯m sorry for letting you see this joke today. It¡¯s my fault for not teaching Liliosa well and causing you and your brother to suffer.¡±

    Tina looked deeply at her and smiled brightly, ¡°I¡¯m not suffering!¡±

    No one could make her suffer! If she felt displeased, she would solve it in her own way.

    Annabelle held her hand and patted the back of it. ¡°If anyone dares bully you again, just tell me. I won¡¯t tolerate it!¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡± Tina responded faintly without saying more.

    Late at night.

    In Hugo and Jennie¡¯s room.

    Tina sat on a chair in the room, idly ying with a ring in her hand.

    Half an hourter, someone opened the door.

    Callum Maguire was about to turn on the light when he heard a cold voice, ¡°Mr. Reed, Jennie.¡±

    Callum Maguire and Snow Judd hadn¡¯t expected anyone in their room and froze instantly.

    In the darkness, they exchanged nces before turning on the light.

    Tina loungedzily in the chair, her cold eyes fixed on them like prey.

    ¡°Tina? What are you doing here?¡± Callum Maguire asked nervously as he met Tina¡¯s eyes.

    He knew very well that Tina had long known he wasn¡¯t really Hugo. But since she hadn¡¯t exposed him, he continued pretending. Now that Tina was waiting for them here specifically, he had a bad feeling.

    Tina nced at him indifferently. ¡°Why are you back sote?¡±

    Callum Maguire forced a smile and pretended to be tired. ¡°Jennie and I were busy withpany matters; that¡¯s why we¡¯re back sote.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°So you¡¯re unaware Zackary was kidnapped?¡±

    ¡°Zackary was kidnapped?¡± Callum Maguire exchanged a puzzled look with Snow Judd. What was going on? They hadn¡¯t ordered anyone to kidnap Zackary. Who acted on their own?

    Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly as she stared intently at Callum Maguire and Snow Judd without speaking.

    Callum Maguire felt increasingly uneasy under her gaze and forced augh. ¡°Tina, why are you looking at us like that? Did I say something wrong?¡±

    Tina withdrew her gaze and said slowly, ¡°No. Just informing you that Zackary has been rescued.¡±

    Callum Maguire hadn¡¯t even sighed in relief when Tina¡¯s tone changed sharply. ¡°Have you connected with GTO?¡±

    Callum Maguire¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Mistaking my tastes and mixing up dishes-this is GTO¡¯s level?¡± Tina looked at them expressionlessly.

    ¡°Tina¡­ have you been too tiredtely? Are you talking nonsense?¡± Snow Judd said ufortably.

    Callum Maguire quickly added, ¡°Yes, if you¡¯re tired, get some rest. Take care of yourself; otherwise Jennie and I will worry.¡±

    ¡°Callum Maguire, Snow Judd,¡± Tina called out their names slowly.

    Callum Maguire and Snow Judd froze!

    She knew!

    Not only did she know they were impostors but also their real names!

    How could this be?

    Their names were known by very few within their organization; how did Tina know?

    They were stunned for a long time before Callum Maguire recovered his senses. He dropped his gentle demeanor and said harshly, ¡°Since you know everything now, we have nothing more to say! Don¡¯t expect any information about GTO or Hugo and Jennie¡¯s whereabouts from us!¡±

    If she rescued Hugo and Jennie, they would lose all leveragepletely.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I never intended to get their whereabouts from your mouths,¡± Tina said expressionlessly.

    Callum Maguire was shocked but couldn¡¯t react before seeing Tina raise her hand. His vision went ck as both he and Snow Judd copsed unconscious.

    Tina looked down coldly at the unconscious pair.

    At that moment Cole climbed through the window lightlynding before her. ¡°Serena!¡±

    ¡°Take them away,¡± Tina ordered calmly. ¡°Find somewhere to lock them up securely.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    With thatmand Cole grabbed each of them by an arm dragging them out effortlessly.

 Chapter 330: Meeting with the GTO

    The next day, after breakfast, Tina left her home and went directly to Jared¡¯s apartment. Jared had been waiting for her since early morning. As soon as she entered, Jared pointed to the items on the table and said, ¡°These are what you asked me to prepare.¡±

    Last night, Tina had messaged himte at night, asking him to gather some materials. The table was filled with items for disguises. Tina nced at them briefly and began her transformation. While applying makeup, she instructed Jared, ¡°You too.¡±

    Jared raised an eyebrow, ¡°You want us to disguise as Hugo and Jennie?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina nodded in agreement. Since the GTO members could disguise themselves as Hugo and Jennie to deceive her, she decided to return the favor.

    Tina quickly disguised herself and then turned to work on Jared¡¯s appearance. An hourter, Jared looked at his slightly aged face in the mirror and couldn¡¯t help but admire Tina¡¯s skill. Her disguise technique was impable, without a single w.

    Afterpleting their disguises, Tina took out a phone she had retrieved from Callum Maguire. She installed a voice changer on it and then called a GTO member.

    ¡°We have important information about the serum that needs immediate reporting,¡± she said. ¡°Meet at Jim¡¯s at three in the afternoon.¡±

    With some time left before three o¡¯clock, they had a simple meal and then headed to Jim¡¯s mall. Located in the city center, the mall was bustling with people. Holding hands like an old married couple, they strolled around the mall.

    Jared suddenly felt a sense of ordinary domestic bliss. He imagined spending his old age with Tina, enjoying a peaceful life together.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Jared began with affection in his eyes but was interrupted by a sudden phone call.

    Tina answered using the voice changer, ¡°We are here already; where are you?¡±

    ¡°Second floor, luxury goods section,¡± replied a deep-voiced middle-aged man on the other end.

    Tina exchanged nces with Jared, ¡°We¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    They went to the second floor but didn¡¯t see anyone fitting the man¡¯s description. The phone rang again.

    ¡°Come to the seventh floor,¡± said the man.

    Tina frowned and pretended to be angry, ¡°Are you messing with us?¡±

    The manughed, ¡°Why would I do that? Alright, I¡¯m at the dessert shop on the fourth floor¡­¡±

    As he revealed his true location, Tina coldly replied, ¡°We are waiting for you at the handbag store on the second floor. You have five minutes.¡±

    She hung up abruptly, leaving no room for negotiation.

    ¡°Damn!¡± cursed the man on the other end as he put away his phone.

    Four minutester, a girl in a hoodie approached them holding a bouquet of flowers. She tugged at Jared¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Brother, buy a rose for your sister? Just five dors!¡±

    Jared nced at her deeply before smiling slightly. ¡°Alright.¡± He took out five hundred dors and bought all her flowers. Then he handed therge bouquet to Tina.

    Holding the heavy roses, Tina kept her eyes on the girl and smiled slightly. ¡°Eagle Flies?¡±

    Eagle Flies was their contact¡¯s code name. The girl winked at them and covered her mouth as she spoke in a rough man¡¯s voice from her throat, ¡°You recognized me?¡±

    Tina sneered, ¡°Your disguise is terrible.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you too, Callum Maguire,¡± Eagle Flies said as she looked at Jared. ¡°Your disguise skills are unmatched in GTO.¡±

    For this mission, the organization had made two ns. Callum Maguire and Snow Judd were to disguise as Hugo and Jennie to gain Tina¡¯s trust and obtain the serum from her. Meanwhile, Eagle Flies was responsible for taking over the serum at a critical moment.

    A few days ago, Callum Maguire¡¯s base in the capital was attacked, so Eagle Flies was sent to take over Hugo¡¯s role immediately. If anything went wrong with Callum Maguire¡¯s side, she would lead a retreat.

    GTO had many skilled individuals; each possessed extraordinary abilities. Callum Maguire¡¯s disguise skills were among the best in the organization. Eagle Flies had always wanted topete with him but never had the chance until now.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business,¡± Jared said directly.

    Beforeing here, both he and Tina drank a potion made by Tina that could alter their voices. Jared¡¯s voice now sounded exactly like Hugo¡¯s.

    Eagle Flies didn¡¯t suspect anything.

    They led her outside the store and found a ce to sit down.

    ¡°We¡¯ve found a breakthrough from Tina¡¯s side,¡± Jared continued. ¡°But she has sensed something is wrong. We need to move Hugo and Jennie immediately; otherwise, they might be exposed.¡±

    Eagle Flies listened skeptically but didn¡¯t respond immediately; instead, she asked, ¡°You mentioned you have leads on the serum; what exactly did you find out?¡±

    Tina showed her some photos on her phone. ¡°There is a special safe in Jasper Reed¡¯s study that he never lets anyone enter alone. He also locks his bedroom door tightly at night.¡±

    ¡°You mean the serum is in that safe?¡± Eagle Flies became interested.

    Natalie left more than one serum behind. Given her past rtionship with Jasper and their daughter together, GTO always suspected Jasper had some serum but couldn¡¯t find any clues until now.

    ¡°He values that safe highly,¡± Jared noted. ¡°The most urgent thing now is to move Hugo and Jennie to safety first.¡±

    Eagle Flies nodded thoughtfully. ¡°You¡¯re right; I¡¯ll notify our organization immediately to arrange manpower!¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no time; notifying them now would be like exposing ourselves directly,¡± Tina stopped her from making a call. ¡°Tina¡¯s subordinates are watching GTO closely; we need swift action or we¡¯ll alert them.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Eagle Flies hesitated but seemed convinced by Tina pushing further. ¡°Once we move Hugo and Jennie safely, we can go straight for Jasper¡¯s safe and get the serum.¡±

    This idea tempted Eagle Flies greatly.

    Everyone in GTO was scrambling for the serum; whoever got it first would be hailed as a hero.

    Eagle Flies wasn¡¯t content being just another foot soldier; she wanted to make a significant impact within GTO.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! We¡¯ll move now!¡±

 Chapter 331: Rescuing Hugo and Jennie

    Eagle Flies gave directions while Jared drove the car, and the three of them headed south. After driving for two hours, they stopped in front of a residential area. This was the wealthiest neighborhood in the capital, home to people with significant backgrounds and connections.

    Eagle Flies led them into themunity and into one of the vis, heading straight to the basement. The ce was heavily guarded by many members of the organization. However, Eagle Flies brought along Tina and Jared, who were disguised as Callum Maguire and Snow Judd, making their passage unimpeded.

    In the basement, they quickly found Hugo and Jennie huddled in a corner. They didn¡¯t appear injured but looked exhausted and hungry.

    ¡°Woo,¡± Eagle Flies addressed a nearby guard, ¡°we need to transfer these two immediately. Get ready.¡±

    ¡°Transfer?¡± The man named Woo nced at Jared and Tina behind her. ¡°Why the sudden move? Weren¡¯t they fine here?¡±

    ¡°Things have changed; it¡¯s all for the serum,¡± Eagle Flies replied briefly. ¡°We¡¯ll ensure they¡¯re taken to a safe ce.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Tina suddenly spoke up from behind her, ¡°they will be safe.¡±

    ¡°Your voice!¡± Both Woo and Eagle Flies were startled. It wasn¡¯t Jennie¡¯s voice or Snow Judd¡¯s voice. She wasn¡¯t from GTO!

    ¡°Call for backup!¡± Eagle Flies¡¯ first reaction was to call for help, but she suddenly froze, unable to move. ¡°You!¡±

    Woo rushed forward to fight them, but Jared subdued him swiftly. Tina and Jared tied them up and then untied Hugo and Jennie.

    Hugo weakly opened his eyes at themotion. Seeing Jennie in front of him and another Jennie beside her, he was momentarily confused. He turned to look at Jared and was shocked-it was himself!

    ¡°Mr. Reed!¡± Tina called out as he hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m here to rescue you.¡±

    ¡°Tina?¡± Hugo snapped back to reality and urgently said, ¡°How did you get here¡­ leave quickly¡­ there are many of them¡­¡±

    Tina¡¯s heart softened as she gently replied, ¡°It¡¯s alright now; I¡¯ll make sure you get home safely.¡± She helped Hugo and Jennie up.

    At that moment, Nathan Lehman walked in from outside. ¡°Mr. Farrell! Miss Reed! Everyone is under control.¡±

    Nathan Lehman had recovered over the past few days and had called Jaredst night to rejoin them.

    Jared looked expressionlessly at the fallen Eagle Flies and Woo, then coldly said, ¡°Take them back; I¡¯ll interrogate them myself.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Nathan Lehman nodded and instructed his team to take everyone away.

    Hugo and Jennie watched the fully armed men before looking at Jared again. When Tina¡¯s students were kidnappedst time, Jared had also led an armed team to rescue them. They had only focused on Tina then without thinking much about it. Now seeing this scene again, they realized Jared wasn¡¯t the rumored useless seventh son of the Farrell family-he had been hiding his strength.

    After Nathan Lehman and his team took away the GTO members, Tina and Jared helped Hugo leave as well.

    In the car, Hugo apologized to Tina with guilt in his voice, ¡°Tina, I¡¯m sorry for causing you trouble!¡±

    When Tina rescued those students from Shen Mo¡¯s hands, Hugo had realized that she was extraordinary like her mother. He hadn¡¯t contacted her after she left Ensford because he didn¡¯t want to burden her with more trouble. Knowing how dangerous her work was, he believed staying away would protect her better.

    Sitting in the front passenger seat, Tina turned back with a serious look on her face. ¡°Mr. Reed, Jennie, you are my family; I never want to hear you say you¡¯re causing me trouble!¡±

    Hugo and Jennie¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.

    Jennie reached out from the back seat to hold Tina¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Tina, don¡¯t be mad at your father; he misspoke. We¡¯re family; we should help each other.¡±

    Tina smiled softly, her voice gentle as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; those who wronged you will pay dearly.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do as you say,¡± Jennie agreed without trying to dissuade Tina from seeking justice.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, Jennie,¡± Jared spoke while driving, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to my apartment first so you can eat something and rest there. The security system is top-notch, and I¡¯ll have people protecting you so this won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Hugo and Jennie agreed without objection.

    As night fell, they arrived at the apartmentplex and took Hugo inside. Jared poured them hot water while food he had ordered earlier was brought in.

    After drinking hot water and eating some food, Hugo finally felt better. Seeing Tina¡¯s troubled expression, he exined, ¡°They didn¡¯t do much to us; they just starved us for a few days. You don¡¯t need to me yourselves.¡±

    Tina still looked upset. ¡°I should have arranged protection for you earlier.¡±

    Before leaving Ensford, she had specifically arranged for people to protect Hugo and Jennie from a distance so as not to disturb their lives. But because they were far away and Callum Maguire could disguise himself well, those people couldn¡¯t immediately notice someone impersonating Hugo and Jennie entering Pinkwater Alley.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Hugo quicklyforted her. ¡°They were after that serum¡­¡±

    During their captivity, those people had subtly asked Hugo many questions about Natalie. Sensing something was off, he realized they were looking for a serum he had hidden long ago.

    ¡°Thankfully it¡¯s with you now,¡± Hugo sighed in relief. If he hadn¡¯t given it to Tina earlier, who knows what might have happened? Just as Natalie had said when Tina became strong enough, she should take on this responsibility-one that only she could bear.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the serum,¡± Tina assured him. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± She paused before asking them seriously, ¡°What are your ns next?¡±

 Chapter 332: She Finally Changed Her Address

    Hugo was silent for a moment. After a while, he slowly began, ¡°Tina, on the way here, I thought about a lot of things. Although I am not your biological father, I have always regarded you as my own daughter. This incident has made me realize that since your mother is no longer with us, it is my duty to protect you in her ce.¡±

    Tina said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

    ¡°I used to be too weak, but from now on, I want to be stronger.¡± Hugo nced at Tina and Jared, pursed his lips, and continued, ¡°Your grandmother has already returned to the countryside. I have no other rtives in Ensford, so I n to move to the capital and start my ownpany.¡±

    Turning to Jennie with an apologetic look, Hugo said, ¡°Jennie, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t discuss this with you. You still have family in Ensford, and it¡¯s unfair of me to make this decision without you.¡±

    Jennie replied angrily, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m such an unreasonable woman?¡±

    Hugo quickly said, ¡°No, you¡¯ve always been a good wife and a great mother.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t talk about fairness! I married you; I¡¯m your family. I¡¯ll support any decision you make. Besides, my parents have my brothers and sister to take care of them. I¡¯m not worried.¡±

    Jennie then looked at Tina and said, ¡°Even though Tina and I are not rted by blood, she calls me Aunt Jennie. It¡¯s not for nothing. She has done so much for us behind the scenes; now it¡¯s our turn to protect her. Moving to the capital is fine with me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Jennie,¡± Hugo said gratefully.

    A warm feeling washed over Tina as she watched them.

    She pursed her lips and suddenly spoke up, ¡°Dad, Mom! You don¡¯t need to do anything special for me. As long as you¡¯re happy, that¡¯s enough!¡±

    Hugo was moved by her words. He and Jennie stood up abruptly. ¡°Tina! What did you just call us?¡±

    Dad? Mom?

    Did they hear it wrong or were they hallucinating?

    Jared watched their excited expressions and smiled faintly.

    If she hadn¡¯t truly felt it from her heart, she would never have called them that.

    But Hugo and Jennie deserved to be called Dad and Mom by Tina.

    They were more deserving than Jasper!

    ¡°Dad! Mom!¡± Tina repeated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took me so long to change how I address you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not toote!¡± Hugo suddenly burst into tears. ¡°Not toote at all!¡±

    He had waited so long for this day!

    He had always hoped Tina would call him Dad.

    When Tina decided to leave Ensford, he thought she would never change how she addressed him.

    Hearing it now felt like a dreame true!

    Jennie¡¯s eyes were also filled with tears. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s just right!¡±

    She wanted to say more but found herself overwhelmed with emotion.

    Hugoughed through his tears. ¡°So what if you¡¯re Jasper¡¯s biological daughter? I got to hear you call me Dad first! It was worth being kidnapped this time!¡±

    Holding Jennie¡¯s hand, Hugoughed heartily. ¡°Jennie, should we go find those people again and let them kidnap me one more time? It feels like I¡¯m dreaming!¡±

    Tina: ¡°¡­¡±

    Jared: ¡°¡­¡±

    Jennie: ¡°¡­¡±

    That¡¯s really unnecessary!

    After a while of emotional exchange, Hugo suddenly made a firm decision. ¡°Now that Tina has called me Dad, I must stay in the capital even more.¡±

    He turned to Tina and said, ¡°Your mother left me a perfume form years ago. I had nned never to use it again, but now I¡¯ve decided to use it to start apany. Also, the fifty million dors your grandfather gave as a dowry-I will use that too. Dad will earn money for your dowry.¡±

    His words were straightforward, but Tina smiled and agreed readily.

    Suddenly remembering something, Tina asked, ¡°Did you just think of starting apany?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Hugo replied. ¡°I thought about it on the way here. The benefits at Mendara Group are good, but I can¡¯t offer you any help there. I want to build my ownpany and be a strong support for my daughter-and Elsa too-so that her future inws won¡¯t look down on her.¡±

    Tina frowned slightly. ¡°The people impersonating you recently also nned to start a perfumepany.¡±

    Hugo paused before recalling something. ¡°I remember now-they asked me for the perfume form once. I told them I had torn it up. But why would they start a perfumepany?¡±

    Bad people startingpanies?

    Tina frowned but said nothing.

    Jared suddenly spoke up. ¡°They probably thought the form for the potion was written into the perfume form.¡±

    Natalie¡¯s medical expertise was highly regarded within GTO.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    She had participated in potion research back then; if she could destroy theb¡¯s potions and take some out with her, she must have known the potion¡¯s form.

    Hugo had been closest to Natalie and had indeed given Tina potions before; thus GTO believed the potion form was hidden in the perfume form.

    Tina sneered. ¡°Did they really think my mom would be stupid enough to write something so important into a perfume form?¡±

    GTO reallycked brains!

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have made so many mistakes if they weren¡¯t stupid,¡± Jared said coldly.

    When he and Tina disguised themselves as Hugo and Jennie, they couldn¡¯t im perfection but at least avoided easy detection.

    Understanding their exnation finally dawned on Hugo. He turned around and took out a piece of paper from his underwear pocket and handed it to Tina. ¡°Tina, check if there are any potion ingredients in this perfume form?¡±

    Tina: ¡°¡­¡±

    Jared: ¡°¡­¡±

    You hid such an important thing in your underwear??

    Seeing Tina hesitate to take it, Hugo awkwardlyughed. ¡°Ever since ss 22D students were kidnappedst time, I¡¯ve been afraid of being targeted again. Anything your mother left me is kept safely-especially something as important as this perfume form-so I carry it with me¡­ cough¡­¡±

    Hugo coughed lightly before continuing. ¡°To prevent theft, I had your aunt¡­ no wait¡­ your mom sew a secret pocket inside my pants¡­ cough¡­ So even if something happened to me, it wouldn¡¯t get stolen!¡±

    Tina¡¯s mouth twitched slightly; she felt helpless but reassured him nheless: ¡°There are no potion ingredients in this form; I¡¯ve checked before.¡±

    Hugo sheepishly put away the form again.

    After chatting for a while longer about various things, Tina suggested that Hugo and Jennie get some rest while she and Jared prepared to leave.

    Just then Jennie eximed suddenly: ¡°Oh no! Zackary is still in Ensford! We need go fetch him right away!¡±

    Tina: ¡°¡­¡±

    How long did it take you remember your own son?

    Zackary: So love does fade away after all?

    ¡°I¡¯ve already brought Zackary over,¡±Tina reassured.¡±You two rest easy-we still have some matters handle.¡±

    GTO members needed dealing with-and Liliosa deserved proper arrangements too.

 Chapter 333: The Mysterious Helper

    After Tina and Jared left the apartment, they headed to the ce where Eagle Flies was being held. On the way, Tina leaned against the car seat, holding her phone, which disyed a text message. ¡°GTO dispatched two groups. Hugo and Jennie have been transferred. The receiver is named Eagle Flies.¡±

    Jared nced at her phone and asked slowly, ¡°Still thinking about that message?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes were downcast, and her voice was a bit tired. ¡°Yes.¡± She had received the message the previous night. Immediately, she used her hacking skills to trace the sender¡¯s information. Although she wasn¡¯t the best hacker, finding out the owner¡¯s name through technical means should have been easy. But she found nothing. Not only did she fail to identify the sender, but she also couldn¡¯t even pinpoint their location. The other party was an even better hacker than she was! Every move she made seemed to be anticipated and easily intercepted by them. This was her most significant setback in hacking to date.

    ¡°The other party set up a dedicated localwork to send the message and is a top-notch hacker. When I tried to trace their information, I was intercepted,¡± Jared said gravely.

    Tina was stunned for a moment. ¡°Uncle, you know hacking too?¡± She had no idea her uncle had hacking skills.

    ¡°Learned it from my master.¡± Jared freed one hand to open the car window, then lit a cigarette and exhaled a smoke ring before continuing slowly, ¡°My master¡¯s hacking skills are unparalleled in our country and even the world. Unfortunately, I only learned a fraction.¡±

    Tina fell silent. Her mother¡¯s hacking skills were indeed formidable. She had first learned hacking from her mother and had excelled under her guidance. In fact, her hacking skills surpassed her medical skills. After her mother passed away, she hadn¡¯t encountered another hacker as skilled until now. Not only was this new hacker incredibly skilled, but they also knew all about her movements and those around her.

    Jared noticed her serious expression and said, ¡°GTO doesn¡¯t have such a skilled hacker. My sources tell me their best hacker was Ss ckwood, whom you¡¯ve already dealt with. The rest are below his level.¡±

    Jared paused for a moment before adding, ¡°The person who sent you the message is likely an ally rather than an enemy.¡±

    Tina nodded. It was precisely because she sensed this that she controlled Callum Maguire and Snow Judd and disguised herself to meet with Eagle Flies. The facts proved that the person who sent the messages was indeed helping her.

    At that moment, Tina¡¯s phone buzzed again with another text message from the same person: ¡°Beware of Jasper.¡±

    Tina frowned and handed the phone to Jared.

    Jared read the message content and remained silent for a moment before saying, ¡°This person seems to know everyone around you very well. We haven¡¯t figured out Jasper¡¯s situation yet, but they seem to know everything.¡±

    Just then, Tina¡¯s phone buzzed again with another message from the same sender: ¡°Abandon the serum. GTO is conducting virus experiments on newborn infants.¡±

    Tina¡¯s pupils contracted sharply as she looked at Jared urgently. ¡°Have there been any missing infants recently?¡±

    Jared also read the message content and frowned deeply. ¡°I haven¡¯t received any such reports.¡± His current mission was assigned by the state to find the serum Lark had taken out. So far, he hadn¡¯t received any notifications about missing infants.

    Tina¡¯s face suddenly changed. ¡°We¡¯ve been yed! The other party wants to divert our attention by making us search for the serum.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    They exchanged nces and simultaneously pulled out their phones to make calls.

    Tina called Cole. ¡°Deploy everyone immediately to investigate if there have been any missing infants in the past six months nationwide. I need results as soon as possible.¡±

    Cole noticed Tina¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t good and responded seriously, ¡°Yes, Serena.¡±

    Then she sent a message to Jayden: ¡°Issue Shadow Lotus Seal; search nationwide for missing infants.¡±

    Meanwhile, Jared called Hayden. ¡°Notify our intelligencework to fully investigate missing infants and report it to the state.¡±

    Hayden acknowledged and began making arrangements.

    After hanging up, Jared stepped on the gas pedal, elerating rapidly.

    Soon, they arrived at an industrial area-Jared¡¯s private base.

    They got out of the car and walked directly inside.

    Eagle Flies was blindfolded and tied to a chair but remained unusually calm.

    Sensing someone entering, Eagle Flies smirked. ¡°Finally here?¡±

    Jared gave Nathan Lehman a look without changing his expression.

    Nathan Lehman understood and stepped forward to remove Eagle Flies¡¯ blindfold.

    The intense light stung Eagle Flies¡¯ eyes; she tilted her head before looking at Tina and Jared.

    She sneered coldly. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d fall into your hands after being so smart all my life. Do what you will!¡±

    From the moment she was captured, she knew her fate.

    Jared had two chairs brought over; he and Tina sat opposite Eagle Flies. He crossed his legs, his long fingers tapping rhythmically on his knee. ¡°Eagle Flies, real name Jane Campbell, twenty-five years old. You were trafficked into GTO at thirteen when you should have been subjected to human experiments but cleverly chose to join them instead.¡±

    ¡°You are a genius whopleted all middle school courses in six years of elementary school. You excel in disguise and chemistry experiments. You¡¯ve carried out many missions for GTO sessfully but-¡±

    Jared paused abruptly.

    Eagle Flies smirked wickedly. ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°The people involved in your missions are all still alive,¡± Jared said unhurriedly.

    Tina looked at him in surprise; his findings matched hers exactly.

    Eagle Flies froze for a moment before frowning at him. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±

    She knew about Tina; before executing her mission, she thoroughly researched everything about Tina-and naturally about Jared too since he was Tina¡¯s fiance.

    But all her investigations pointed to him being nothing more than an insignificant son of Farrell family with no notable achievements-yet he knew so much about her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who I am; just know that we can destroy GTO and reunite you with your family,¡± Jared said slowly.

    ¡°Why should I believe you?¡± Eagle Flies sneered; since being trafficked into GTO at thirteen years old, she¡¯d learned that trust should only be ced in oneself.

    ¡°Because your brother works for me,¡± Jared replied coldly.

    Eagle Flies¡¯ face changed dramatically. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡±

    Her brother had died long ago-killed by GTO!

 Chapter 334: Courtesy Demands Reciprocity

    Jared didn¡¯t speak but nced at his watch. Shortly after, the sound of a car horn echoed from outside. Nathan Lehman immediately went out. Momentster, he returned with a handsome man around twenty-seven years old.

    The man saw Eagle Flies and his eyes instantly welled up with tears. ¡°Jane!¡±

    ¡°Brother!¡± Eagle Flies looked at the man in shock. ¡°How is this possible? Aren¡¯t you¡­?¡±

    She had seen GTO¡¯s people kill her brother with her own eyes. No, he must be fake! He had to be!

    ¡°I didn¡¯t die!¡± Ray said, his eyes red. ¡°Ever since you were kidnapped, we searched for years without finding any trace of you. I vowed to join the national team. After graduation, I joined Captain Farrell¡¯s team and then infiltrated GTO as an undercover agent. My identity was eventually discovered by GTO, but thanks to the captain¡¯s thorough preparations, I was saved after being shot and thrown into a mass grave.¡±

    Ray nced at Jared. ¡°It was the captain who sent someone to rescue me.¡±

    Seeing that Jane Campbell didn¡¯t believe him, Ray took a step forward. ¡°Jane, I really am your brother; I¡¯m not pretending.¡±

    At this moment, Nathan Lehman stepped forward and untied Jane Campbell¡¯s ropes. Jane Campbell reached out to touch Ray¡¯s face and burst into tears. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s really you! You¡¯re alive!¡±

    She had discovered Ray¡¯s undercover mission in GTO, and they had briefly reunited. However, Ray had to maintain his distance toplete his mission, so they hadn¡¯t contacted each other since.

    Thest time she saw him was when she heard that GTO had captured an undercover agent and sent someone to eliminate Ray. She rushed to save him but received a signal from Ray not to act impulsively.

    She struggled internally but ultimately refrained from intervening because she knew that if she did, both she and her brother would die. She needed to stay alive to finish what her brother couldn¡¯t and avenge him.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m alive!¡± Ray stepped forward and hugged her,ughing and crying. ¡°You silly girl, why did you change your code name? If you hadn¡¯t changed it, the captain would have known you were my sister.¡±

    When Jane Campbell met GTO, she told them her code name was ck Fox. So the captain always thought his sister¡¯s code name was ck Fox.

    During a mission, he saw Jane Campbell and was stunned for a moment before reporting it to the captain upon returning.

    ¡°I was afraid the code name ck Fox would leave clues for GTO to find me, so I changed it.¡± Jane Campbell hadn¡¯t expected that changing her code name would almost prevent her from reuniting with her brother.

    ¡°Alright! You can catch upter,¡± Jared suddenly interrupted them. ¡°Jane Campbell, are you willing to talk to us now?¡±

    After calming down, Jane Campbell turned to Jared. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to ask, but I don¡¯t know much. Orders from GTO are always delivered through micro-technology. As for the higher-ups, I only know one person named Mr. Kim.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Kim?¡± Jared frowned slightly. ¡°Who is he?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m trying to gain his trust and get closer to him, but so far, I don¡¯t even know what Mr. Kim looks like. I only know he¡¯s in the capital. Callum Maguire and Snow Judd should have interacted with him. Mr. Kim is the second-inmand of GTO; the identity of the leader remains unknown.¡±

    Jared and Tina both frowned simultaneously.

    Second-inmand? Not only had people like Callum Maguire infiltrated GTO, but even the second-inmand had gotten involved.

    After a while, Jared spoke up. ¡°I need you to contact Mr. Kim.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s useless; Mr. Kim has an extensive informationwork. If my mission fails here, he¡¯ll know immediately. I can¡¯t go back to GTO.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already locked down the information immediately; my people have disguised themselves as GTO members guarding the area. You¡¯re currently safe; I¡¯ll give you an injection.¡±

    Jane Campbell was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re giving me something so important?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jared said. ¡°First gain Mr. Kim¡¯s trust.¡±

    ¡°What do I get in return for helping you?¡± Jane Campbell asked after a moment of silence.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I want Tina to treat someone for me,¡± Jane Campbell replied.

    Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°A child injected with some unknown substance is on the brink of death; GTO abandoned her, but I rescued her and ced her in a safe location,¡± Jane Campbell said.

    She knew Tina¡¯s medical skills were exceptional; saving this child would require Tina¡¯s help.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Tina agreed readily.

    After leaving the factory area, Jared and Tina got into their car. He turned his head and asked, ¡°So? Did you notice anything?¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t lying; during the psychological test earlier, except for recognizing Ray, there were no other psychological fluctuations,¡± Tina said slowly.

    Jared frowned again. ¡°It seems we can¡¯t fully trust what that informant told us; maybe Mr. Kim misled us.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina nodded in agreement. ¡°Regardless, we need to investigate if there have been any missing infants; virus experiments are more terrifying than drug experiments!¡±

    The drugs her mother developed only amplified a person¡¯s energy infinitely.

    But viruses could be deployed on arge scale.

    GTO¡¯s exact goal remained unclear.

    But most importantly, if infants were indeed missing, they needed to rescue those children.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Jared said after a pause. ¡°Tina, I¡¯m nning to hand over the injection to the state; if this virus issue is real, we can¡¯t afford any mistakes.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± The injection wouldn¡¯t be useful staying with her anyway.

    Herb was working on developing an antidote for the injection; results shoulde soon.

    At that moment, Tina¡¯s phone rang.

    It was Cole.

    She answered it and after listening for a bit said, ¡°Alright, send them over.¡±

    Hanging up the phone, Tina turned to Jared and said, ¡°Take me back to Whispering Pines.¡±

    Jared turned his head slightly. ¡°Who¡¯sing over?¡±

    Tina smiled mysteriously. ¡°You¡¯ll see when we get there.¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t ask further and started the car.

    Half an hourter, they stopped about a kilometer away from Whispering Pines.

    Soon another car arrived.

    Cole got out first along with Hugo and Jennie.

    Jared raised an eyebrow. ¡°Callum Maguire? Snow Judd?¡±

    Hugo and Jennie were actually Callum Maguire and Snow Judd in disguise.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Tina smiled knowingly. ¡°Courtesy demands reciprocity.¡±

    Callum Maguire and Snow Judd approached them at this point.¡±Miss Reed.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina nodded slightly.¡±Once inside follow the same rules as before.¡±

    ¡°Rest assured Miss Reed; we¡¯ll follow your instructions,¡± Callum Maguire replied.¡±But about the antidote¡­¡±

    ¡°Complete your task well; you¡¯ll get your antidote,¡± Tina said calmly.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

 Chapter 335: Iâ€™ll Send You to Reunite with Your Daughter

    That night, at the Emerson Estate, Hawk didn¡¯te home again. Liliosa made numerous calls throughout the evening, but Hawk didn¡¯t answer. The automated female voice on the phone repeated, ¡°Sorry, the number you dialed is not avable¡­¡±

    Frustrated, Liliosa threw her phone onto the bed and was about to take a shower when someone climbed in through the balcony window. ¡°Ah!¡± she screamed, but a cloth was quickly pressed over her mouth. She struggled briefly before feeling dizzy and copsing.

    When Liliosa opened her eyes again, she saw Tina and Jared. She was tied up and unable to move. Struggling against her bonds, she red at Tina and spat out angrily, ¡°Tina, you little witch! What do you want from me? Let me go right now!¡±

    Tina stood over her, looking down with a calm expression. ¡°You wanted to know Amber Reed¡¯s whereabouts? I¡¯ll send you to her.¡±

    Liliosa was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re going to send me to her? Why would you be so kind?¡±

    Tinaughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯ve always been quite kind.¡±

    Liliosa was skeptical. ¡°Where is she?¡± she demanded impatiently.

    ¡°She-¡± Tina dragged out the word with a bright smile. ¡°At this moment, she¡¯s probably entertaining guests.¡±

    Liliosa shuddered with rage. ¡°Tina! How dare you treat my Annie like this!¡±

    Tina kept her hands in her pockets, still smiling. ¡°Aunt Liliosa, you¡¯re being ungrateful. I¡¯m saving your Annie.¡±

    ¡°Saving her? You sent her to that ce and dare say you¡¯re saving her?¡± Liliosa¡¯s fury almost burst from her eyes.

    Her suspicions were confirmed-it was Tina! This wretched woman enjoyed a good life in the Reed family while Annie suffered in that ce.

    ¡°Your Annie has tried to end her life several times but was always saved just in time. Despite the scars on her face, she knows how to use her strengths to captivate clients. Now, she¡¯s the top earner at the club and makes a lot of money. So tell me,¡± Tina¡¯s smile deepened, ¡°haven¡¯t I saved her?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Liliosa screamed in rage. ¡°Tina, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    She struggled wildly but was kicked to the ground by someone behind her who then stepped on her face, immobilizing her. She lost all reason, cursing madly.

    ¡°You won¡¯t die a good death! You and your mother are both sluts! Seducing men wherever you go!¡±

    ¡°Your mother went to hell when she died; you¡¯ll go there too.¡±

    ¡°If you have the guts, kill me now! If not, I¡¯ll haunt you for the rest of my life and avenge my Annie!¡±

    Tina smiled calmly. ¡°You won¡¯t get the chance, Aunt Liliosa.¡±

    Fear crept into Liliosa as she recalled Tina saying she would send her to see Tina. But then she suddenlyughed maniacally. ¡°Ha! Jasper lost my Annie and caused this fate for her, but he never expected his own daughter to be a devil! You¡¯re not here for a reunion; you¡¯re here to ruin the Reed family!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just like your mother-a curse dragging the Reed family into the abyss! My parents think you¡¯re good and defend you everywhere! Ha! They are so naive!¡±

    ¡°Oh heavens! Why don¡¯t you strike this little witch with lightning and reunite her with her mother?¡±

    Liliosa¡¯s voice grew hoarse from cursing, but Tina remained expressionless and unperturbed.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Exhausted from shouting, Liliosay on the ground ring hatefully at Tina.

    Seeing that she had stopped cursing, Tina squatted down and looked at her before speaking slowly. ¡°I¡¯m not Jasper¡¯s daughter.¡±

    Liliosa¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°You-¡±

    Before she could ask more, Tina stood up and instructed Nathan Lehman, ¡°Take her away; make sure she can¡¯te back.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan Lehman replied without hesitation.

    He admired capable people, especially since this person was Mr. Farrell¡¯s fiancee.

    Liliosa was dragged up and pulled towards a car.

    She screamed frantically, ¡°Tina! What¡¯s your n? What are you trying to do to the Reed family?¡±

    ¡°My brother treated you so well! Why are you harming him? You¡¯re a curse!¡±

    ¡°I was wrong; let me go! I won¡¯t oppose you anymore! Please spare the Reed family; they have nothing to do with this!¡±

    Liliosa babbled incoherently.

    Tina raised her eyes; the smile faded from her face as she spoke without emotion. ¡°Your only mistake was targeting my family.¡±

    Especially Zackary-he was just a child.

    She despised anyone who harmed children.

    ¡°But it was Nathaniel who attacked Zackary first!¡± Liliosa shouted.

    Tina sneered coldly. ¡°Do you think his fate will be any better?¡±

    With that said, Tina ignored her further and walked away.

    Jared followed but stopped halfway to instruct Nathan Lehman, ¡°She misses her daughter dearly; let them reunite for many years.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan Lehman responded.

    Jared and Tina left without looking back.

    The next few days were calm.

    Callum Maguire and Snow Judd continued posing as Hugo¡¯s parents and moved freely within the Reed family estate.

    The investigation into missing infants by Tina and Jared¡¯s team had yet to yield results.

    During these days, Tina asionally visited the researchb or discussed ns for a newpany with Hugo¡¯s parents.

    Previously, Callum Maguire had tried to deceive Tina into giving him perfume forms under the pretense of starting apany. In reality, they had no intention of starting one; it was all for show.

    However, Hugo truly had a knack for business.

    In Ensford, Elizabeth had looked down on Hugo for hisck of assertiveness and constantly suppressed him but didn¡¯t realize that Hugo was indeed capable.

    Within just a few days, Hugo had already drafted ns and found apany location while starting recruitment.

    However, due to Mr. Kim still being atrge and those texting Tina remaining unidentified, Hugo operated discreetly in setting up thepany.

    Currently, Zackary¡¯s education was paramount.

    Since Hugo and Jennie decided to stay in the capital city, Zackary couldn¡¯t continue attending Royal Oaks in Ensford where he had already taken a leave of absence.

    A few days ago, Tina transferred Zackary to Huston Kindergarten in the capital-a prestigious school as well.

    But Zackary had suffered significant trauma from abuse and kidnapping during his transition from Ensford to the capital city; he struggled to integrate with his ssmates.

    Moreover, he would soon advance from kindergarten to elementary school next year butgged behind his peers academically.

    Concerned about his ability to keep up once he started elementary school, Hugo and Jennie asked Tina for help finding a tutor for him.

    Although Tina could teach him herself, she had many responsibilities at the researchb along with investigating GTO matters urgently while also searching for her biological father-leaving little time for tutoring Zackary personally. Hence she agreed to Hugo¡¯s request.

 Chapter 336: Lily Wants to Tutor Zackary

    Tina¡¯s n to find a tutor for Zackary quickly reached Annabelle¡¯s ears. She hurried over and offered, ¡°Tina, I heard you want to find a teacher for Zackary to have lessons at home. Let me handle this for you!¡±

    Although it wasn¡¯t her intention, Zackary¡¯s kidnapping at Whispering Pines was somewhat rted to the Reed family. Liliosa had caused such trouble, and as her mother, Annabelle couldn¡¯t ignore it.

    ¡°No need!¡± Tina refused directly. If she had any goodwill towards Annabelle before, she certainly didn¡¯t now.

    ¡°If Liliosa hadn¡¯t been so foolish, Zackary wouldn¡¯t have been frightened.¡± Annabelle sighed. ¡°Just thinking about it makes me feel terrible. Let me make amends by finding a teacher for Zackary.¡±

    Annabelle spoke sincerely, but Tina remained unmoved. ¡°Mrs. Reed, my brother¡¯s matters don¡¯t concern the Reed family. I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡±

    Hearing Tina¡¯s formal address made Annabelle stiffen. Tina used to call her grandmother, but not anymore. It seemed Liliosa¡¯s actions had hurt her deeply.

    Annabelle sighed again. ¡°Tina, I know you have reservations about me and the Reed family, but I genuinely want to help. Finding a tutor is a small matter; I can definitely find a reliable teacher for Zackary.¡±

    She paused before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve beening homete recently; you must be very busy. Plus, I¡¯ve heard your adoptive parents are starting apany and likely need your help too. Leave these small tasks to me.¡±

    She referred to Callum Maguire and Snow Judd as Tina¡¯s adoptive parents, unaware they were impostors frequentlying and going.

    Tina considered her words. She was indeed busytely, and finding a suitable teacher required careful selection and interviews. Despite other issues with the Reed family, they could probably manage this task well.

    After a moment of silence, Tina nodded. ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Annabelle said with a smile, patting Tina¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll find the perfect teacher for Zackary to ensure he doesn¡¯t fall behind in his studies!¡±

    As they spoke, a servant knocked on the door.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Annabelle asked.

    The servant replied quickly, ¡°Miss Reed, Miss Ward is here to see you.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Miss Ward? Tina frowned slightly. Lily was really persistent! Was she trying to cause trouble?

    Annabelle could tell Tina didn¡¯t like Lily but couldn¡¯t refuse a guest from an allied family. She gestured for the servant to let Lily in.

    Soon, Lily entered the room and saw Annabelle and Tina sitting there. She smiled warmly, ¡°Grandma, Miss Reed.¡±

    Lily¡¯s visit was mainly to gather information about Tina. After their encounter near the research institute, she couldn¡¯t understand why Tina was there and envied her for being chauffeured by Jared.

    Tina nced at her indifferently without speaking.

    Annabelle smiled and asked, ¡°What brings you here today?¡±

    ¡°Nothing much,¡± Lily replied gracefully as she sat down, maintaining herposure in front of Annabelle. ¡°I felt bad about some misunderstandings between Miss Reed and me and wanted to invite her to dinner as an apology.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t even look up as she coldly responded, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I know we¡¯ve had many misunderstandings,¡± Lily continued apologetically when she saw Tina¡¯s cold expression. ¡°But it¡¯s better to resolve them sooner rather thanter.¡±

    ¡°The Ward and Reed families are prominent in the capital; we see each other often. Why make things unpleasant?¡±

    Her words made it seem like Tina was being unreasonable.

    Tina looked at Lily with a slight sneer. ¡°Have dinner with you? You wish.¡±

    With that, she stood up and left, leaving Lily stunned.

    Lily clenched her fists in frustration. She hadn¡¯t expected Tina to be so arrogant even in front of Annabelle.

    She had invited Tina politely only to be tly rejected as if she were some pest.

    ¡°Many things have happened recently; perhaps Tina is just in a bad mood,¡± Annabelle said to ease the tension when she saw Lily¡¯s displeased expression. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally; Tina means no harm.¡±

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m not offended,¡± Lily forced a smile.

    Why did Jared and Annabelle treat Tina like a treasure? The more she thought about it, the more resentful she became.

    ¡°By the way, Gin,¡± Annabelle turned to the servant beside her. ¡°Find some excellent tutors on the market with good qualifications and clear backgrounds. I want the best for Zackary; don¡¯t dy!¡±

    The servant nodded and left immediately.

    Lily asked curiously, ¡°Grandma, why are you suddenly looking for a tutor?¡±

    Annabelle didn¡¯t think it was a secret that they were looking for a teacher for Zackary. ¡°Tina wants to find a teacher for her brother to have lessons at home.¡±

    Tina¡¯s brother? Lily had heard of him living at Whispering Pines recently.

    This was an opportunity! If she could be Zackary¡¯s tutor, she would have legitimate reasons to visit Whispering Pines frequently and interact more with Annabelle and Muff.

    She didn¡¯t care much about her rtionship with the Reed family but knew how important connections were among the older generation.

    If she could win over Muff and Annabelle¡¯s favor, her mother could marry into the Reed family smoothly. And with that connection, marrying Jared would be much easier.

    Thinking this through, Lily said, ¡°Grandma, I actually have some free time recently and can help tutor him.¡±

    ¡°You?¡± Annabelle was surprised.

    Lily came from a family of medical professionals and worked at the research institute; how could she have time to tutor children?

    Lily exined with a smile, ¡°Grandma, I want to use this chance to ease the misunderstandings between Miss Reed and me. You wouldn¡¯t want us always at odds when we meet in social circles; it would affect our families¡¯ rtions.¡±

    Annabelle understood part of Lily¡¯s intentions-she wanted her mother to marry Jasper-but had to admit that Lily was indeed an excellent teacher with top-notch credentials nationwide.

    After some thought, Annabelle agreed. ¡°Alright then; since you¡¯re willing, I¡¯ll leave it to you. Zackary is part of the Reed family too; I hope he can learn well and not disappoint Tina.¡±

    Lily smiled broadly. ¡°Leave it to me; you can rest assured.¡±

 Chapter 337: Zackary Bullied

    With Annabelle¡¯s permission, under the pretense of tutoring Zackary, Lily began to visit Whispering Pines frequently. The Reed family was somewhat surprised to see her so often, but out of respect for the olddy, no one objected.

    ¡°Zackary, do this problem,¡± Lily said, flipping through his textbook out of boredom and tossing an exercise book in front of him. Zackary was still very young and couldn¡¯t even do basic arithmetic. Looking at the exercises, she felt like a joke. What was she doing here, a medical genius admired by everyone, teaching a child how to count? If it weren¡¯t for her ulterior motives, she would never have endured this.

    ¡°Miss Ward,¡± Zackary said hesitantly, holding the third-grade exercise book, ¡°I don¡¯t know how¡­¡±

    ¡°Stupid,¡± Lily scolded him, closing the book. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your sister Tina, do you think you could stay with the Reed family? You have no rtion to them. A distant rtive trying to cling to the main family-what a joke!¡±

    Zackary bit his lip in grievance, tears welling up in his eyes.

    ¡°And you still have the nerve to cry?¡± Lily sneered. ¡°Just like your sister, pretending to be pitiful to disgust people. Who are you trying to fool? Do you think I¡¯m as gullible as the Reed family?¡±

    As she spoke, she pinched Zackary hard in frustration. ¡°It¡¯s all because of your sister! She took everything that belonged to me! You both deserve nothing!¡±

    Zackary winced in pain but still defended Tina. ¡°My sister isn¡¯t like that! You can¡¯t say bad things about her! She¡¯s good to me! She¡¯s good in every way!¡±

    The more Zackary defended Tina, the angrier Lily became. Why did everyone think Tina was so great? Muff and Logan favored her, and Jared treated her like a treasure.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Lily shouted furiously.

    Zackary stubbornly stared at her, tears streaming down his face.

    ¡°Zackary,e have some fruit!¡± At that moment, Annabelle and a servant entered the room and saw what was happening. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Why is he crying?¡±

    The servant ced the fruit on the table while Annabelle quickly walked over to wipe Zackary¡¯s tears. ¡°Zackary, tell Grandma why you¡¯re crying.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Zackary started to speak honestly but stopped when Lily shot him a fierce re.

    He closed his mouth in fear and turned his head away.

    ¡°The problem was too hard,¡± Lily quickly answered with feigned concern. ¡°Zackary couldn¡¯t solve it and got upset.¡±

    Annabelle believed her andforted Zackary. ¡°If you don¡¯t know how to do it, take your time learning. Miss Ward is very capable; if you study with her, you¡¯ll seed too.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Lily said with a threatening look in her eyes directed at Zackary. ¡°Zackary is smart; he¡¯ll catch up quickly.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Zackary is Tina¡¯s brother; he¡¯s very smart!¡± Annabelle patted Zackary¡¯s head. ¡°Study well; Grandma will have your favorite snacks ready after ss.¡±

    Zackary nodded timidly but didn¡¯t dare look Annabelle in the eye.

    Annabelle soon left with the servant, leaving only Lily and Zackary in the room again.

    ¡°Good,¡± Lily said satisfactorily. ¡°Just like that. If you dare tell the truth, you¡¯ll face the consequences!¡±

    Zackary hung his head in fear and didn¡¯t speak.

    A few dayster¡­

    Tina had been busy investigating missing infants with Jared and had found some results. In three nearby counties, twenty infants had gone missing. These areas were impoverished, and each county had lost several children. The local authorities didn¡¯t know about the GTO organization and treated it as a trafficking case. GTO operated covertly, so higher-ups hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual.

    Tina and Jared visited these areas to understand the situation better. They wanted to rescue the children but didn¡¯t know GTO¡¯s exact location or if they would target other regions next. Most importantly, they didn¡¯t know how many infants GTO wanted for their virus experiments-these were all unknowns.

    Currently, finding Mr. Kim seemed like their best chance for answers. However, despite their efforts, neither Tina nor Jared could locate him. Even Callum Maguire and Snow Judd had tried contacting Mr. Kim without sess.

    As a result, they reported the matter to national authorities for further action.

    After dealing with this issue, Tina returned to the Reed family just in time for lunch. As she entered, she saw Lily sitting at the dining table with the Reeds.

    Frowning slightly, she walked over and sat next to Zackary.

    Annabelle smiled at her. ¡°Tina, we haven¡¯t seen you for days; were you busy with something?¡±

    Tina nced at Zackary before responding briefly to Annabelle¡¯s question. ¡°Yes, I had some matters to attend to.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    She reached out to touch Zackary¡¯s head, but he flinched away suddenly.

    Tina paused slightly before asking softly, ¡°Zackary, how have you been these past few days?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± Zackary replied in such a low voice that Tina could barely hear him even though she was sitting right next to him.

    Tina¡¯s eyes darkened as she looked at him and then scanned everyone at the table with a cold gaze.

    She turned her icy stare toward Annabelle and asked sharply, ¡°Who bullied Zackary while I was away?¡±

    Annabelle was taken aback but quickly responded. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve told everyone here that no one is allowed to bully him.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tina mmed her chopsticks on the table. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m blind? Can¡¯t I see my brother¡¯s changes?¡±

    The Reed family members exchanged uneasy nces; they hadn¡¯t expected Tina¡¯s sudden outburst.

    Annabelle hurriedly said, ¡°Tina, you must be mistaken! I assure you that no one here would dare bully Zackary.¡±

    ¡°Assure?¡± Tina scoffed coldly at her. ¡°Do your assurances mean anything?¡±

    Annabelle was momentarily speechless.

    Despite previous incidents caused by Liliosa where punishment was promised but never enforced due to familial ties protecting her within the Reed family¡­

    When Emerson family reported Liliosa missing recently-even though Annabelle had dered severing ties-she still sent people searching for Liliosa¡­

    Her assurances indeed meant nothing now¡­

    Annabelle looked at Zackary again but couldn¡¯t see any obvious changes since he¡¯d always been quiet and withdrawn around others¡­

    Maybe something only close siblings like Tina could notice¡­

    After pondering briefly¡­ Annabelle asked thoughtfully¡­ ¡°Is it possible that extra tutoring made him unhappy?¡±

    ¡°Tutoring?¡± Tina frowned curiously¡­

    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Lily calmly¡­ ¡°Miss Reed¡­ I am currently serving as Zackary¡¯s tutor¡­ Did you not know?¡±

 Chapter 338: Tina Was Furious

    As soon as Lily finished speaking, everyone in the Reed family felt Tina¡¯s aura dissipate, reced by an intense hostility like that of a fierce warrior. Griffin, Juliet, and Audrey all shivered inexplicably and turned to look at Annabelle, unable to understand why Lily would be Zackary¡¯s tutor. The three of them had been away from home for the past few days and only returnedst night, so they were unaware that Lily was Zackary¡¯s tutor. Hearing this now, they were all shocked.

    It was clear to anyone that Lily and Tina did not get along. Having her call Zackary was like adding fuel to the fire. Tina cast a cold nce at Lily before turning her gaze to Annabelle and said icily, ¡°When did I agree to let her teach Zackary?¡±

    Annabelle panicked at Tina¡¯s question. ¡°Tina, didn¡¯t you ask me to find a tutor for Zackary?¡±

    ¡°I did say that, but did I say it should be Lily?¡± Tina asked expressionlessly.

    ¡°Miss Reed!¡± Lily¡¯s temper red up immediately. ¡°What do you mean by that? I¡¯m kindly tutoring your brother, and not only do you not appreciate it, but you also show this attitude. Isn¡¯t that too much?¡±

    Suddenly, Tina turned to stare at her, her eyes like those of a wolf in the dark night, filled with a murderous intent. Lily shuddered under her gaze and instinctively shut her mouth.

    Realizing that Tina was truly angry, Annabelle quickly exined, ¡°Tina, when I asked the maid to find a tutor, Miss Ward happened to be there. She volunteered to teach Zackary because she has an impressive resume and is a medical genius. I thought she could teach Zackary a lot, so I made the decision on my own.¡±

    Before Tina could speak, Annabelle continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t want Miss Ward to teach Zackary, she won¡¯te tomorrow. It¡¯s my fault for not considering it thoroughly. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She had always thought that there was just a minor friction between Tina and Lily and that if Lily taught Zackary, Tina would be happy. She didn¡¯t expect such a fierce reaction from Tina; her gaze was terrifyingly murderous! It was the first time Annabelle had seen Tina like this.

    Tina stared at her for a long time before suddenly turning to Zackary and asking softly, ¡°Zackary, tell me, has she bullied you?¡±

    Zackary trembled as he looked up but didn¡¯t dare look at Lily beside him. He timidly replied, ¡°The teacher¡­ she¡¯s very nice¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t dare tell the truth; in reality, Lily often punished him physically. She didn¡¯t teach him knowledge but kept asking questions. If he couldn¡¯t answer them, various punishments awaited him.

    Tina could tell that Zackary wasn¡¯t telling the truth. She patiently said, ¡°Zackary, don¡¯t be afraid. Tell me if she has bullied you. Your sister will stand up for you.¡±

    ¡°Tina, I¡­¡± Zackary had been beaten several times already and was now filled with fear and terror.

    ¡°Miss Reed, don¡¯t you trust my abilities?¡± Lily interrupted Zackary quickly. ¡°Grandma entrusted Zackary to me; I will responsibly teach him well. My knowledge is more than enough for a child.¡±

    Tina gave her a cold nce. Meeting her eyes made Lily inexplicably fearful and unable to continue speaking.

    Turning back to Zackary, Tina said softly, ¡°Zackary, I want to hear it from you.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Zackary looked around helplessly; his voice grew smaller.

    ¡°What do you mean by this? Are you doubting our Lily¡¯s abilities?¡± Willow, who hade visiting and saw the scene unfold, expressed her dissatisfaction loudly.

    ¡°Miss Reed, teaching children isn¡¯t easy. It looks simple but is actually very difficult!¡± Willow crossed her arms aggressively. ¡°Only someone as capable as our Lily can do it; others wouldn¡¯t manage!¡±

    Tina nced at him briefly before focusing on Zackary again. The little boy had suffered grievances and now faced many people; he didn¡¯t dare tell the truth.

    Seeing she couldn¡¯t get anything out of him directly, Tina leaned back in her chair and looked at Willow and Lily calmly.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, she instructed the maid: ¡°Go get one of Zackary¡¯s exercise books from his room.¡±

    The servant quickly brought down an elementary school math workbook.

    ¡°Miss Ward ims to be capable; let¡¯s see,¡± Tina said as she tossed the workbook onto the table casually while watching Lily intently.

    Seeing it was an elementary school math book gave Lily some confidence as she picked it up and opened it to the first page.

    Despite her impressive academic background, she struggled with elementary math problems and soon wore an embarrassed expression.

    Stay calm! Stay calm!N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    It¡¯s just elementary exercises; how hard can it be?

    Lily flipped through the workbook but couldn¡¯te up with answers even after a long time.

    ¡°The answer to the first question is -1,¡± Tina stated coldly without expression. ¡°Miss Ward can¡¯t even solve such simple problems? How are you teaching my brother?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just elementary math? Miss Ward can¡¯t handle it?¡± Juliet watched amusedly from the side and almost burst intoughter. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a medical genius? Where exactly does your genius lie?¡±

    Juliet had never liked Willow or Lily; they always seemed up to no good-one aiming for the Reed family while the other targeted the Farrell family-as if every man should fall at their feet.

    Disgusting!

    Griffin also expressed doubt: ¡°Can she really teach Zackary well? Won¡¯t she lead him astray?¡±

    Audrey remained silent despite previously having a good impression of Lily; now wasn¡¯t the time to speak up.

    Seeing Tina making things difficult for her daughter made Willow indignant enough to stand up: ¡°Being able to solve elementary math doesn¡¯t prove anything! Does it demonstrate real ability?¡±

    Lily¡¯s face turned red with anger at the mockery around her; she¡¯d never faced such humiliation except within the Reed family where she had to endure others¡¯ gossip.

    Willow quickly took out her phone and searched online for some challenging questions: ¡°Here¡¯s thetest World Math Competition problems-dare youpete with Lily on who gets more correct answers?¡±

    ¡°Heh!¡± Tina smirked mockingly. ¡°Sure!¡±

    She excelled at putting people in their ce-after this confrontation woulde resolving Zackary¡¯s situation step by step; no one would escape ountability!

    The group moved into the living room where they printed outpetition questions.

    ¡°Grandma,¡± Juliet asked Annabelle while enjoying the spectacle unfolding before them all eagerly awaiting results-¡°who do you think will win?¡±

    Annabelle didn¡¯t answer directly but internally sided more with Tina despite not voicing it aloud yet observing confidently how well-prepared Willow seemed watching over Lily answering questions assuredly knowing full well these were ones she¡¯d previously scored 92/100 on during practice ensuring high marks again effortlessly second time around reinforcing belief no way anyone could surpass her daughter¡¯s brilliance!

    However just fifteen minutester came shockingly unexpected announcement from none other than confident challenger herself deringpletion: ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?!¡± Willow eximed in disbelief hearing those words spoken so soon!

 Chapter 339: Grandma Reed, You Talk Too Much

    The problems in the World Mathematics Competition were few but extremely difficult. Each question had numerous traps and required careful research to solve. A single mistake could lead to endless confusion, making it impossible to find the correct answer. However, Tina imed to have finished in just fifteen minutes. How was that possible?

    Willow looked at Tina in disbelief, while Lily felt a wave of anxiety. It was her second attempt at the test, and she hadn¡¯t evenpleted half of it. How could Tina finish so quickly? She must have scribbled random answers without even reading the questions!

    ¡°Miss Reed, solving problems is not just about speed but also uracy,¡± Willow said deliberately, ncing at Annabelle who was waiting for the results. ¡°Even if you write quickly, what does it prove if your answers are incorrect? It¡¯s better to take your time and submit a satisfactory paper.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow as if hearing a joke. ¡°Waste of time.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Willow was taken aback.

    Tina tossed her paper to Willow. ¡°I can do five sets of these questions in an hour.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Willow suppressed her anger. ¡°Do you know these are questions from the World Mathematics Competition? They were created by math experts! Scoring above ny is considered excellent!¡±

    She was trying to set the stage for Lily¡¯s performance, hoping to impress the Reed family.

    But Tina remained indifferent, her expression unchanged.

    ¡°Hah!¡± Tina sneered. ¡°So what? Your daughter took so long to finish one set of questions. What qualifies her to teach my brother?¡±

    Willow was furious but couldn¡¯t find words to refute.

    At this moment, Lily finally finished her test. She had given it her all and had no idea how well she had done.

    Seeing that Willow was about to start grading the papers, Juliet suggested, ¡°For fairness, let Grandma grade them.¡±

    Willow and Lily were both startled by this suggestion. Willow had nned to cover up any mistakes while grading but didn¡¯t expect Audrey to disrupt her n.

    ¡°No need to trouble Grandma with this small task,¡± Willow said.

    Juliet smiled. ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t trust Grandma to be fair? Or do you think she can¡¯t handle such a simple task?¡±

    With these words, Willow had no choice but to hand the papers to Annabelle.

    ¡°Madam, please.¡±

    Annabelle was also curious and wanted to see the results herself-to determine whether Lily or her granddaughter was more capable.

    She first graded Lily¡¯s paper and praised her, ¡°Not bad, ny-eight!¡±

    This score surpassed Lily¡¯s previous attempt and showed the results of her revision.

    Willow quickly added, ¡°Lily¡¯s level is better than some graduate students!¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    How could Tina possibly beat her daughter? Even if Tina had dual doctorate degrees, her Lily was no less aplished. In terms of intelligence and talent, Tina could never surpass Lily.

    Annabelle then began grading the next paper. As she progressed, her expression grew increasingly pleased until she couldn¡¯t hide her smile anymore.

    ¡°Perfect score! Tina got every question right!¡±

    Willow and Lily exchanged shocked looks. How could this be?

    ¡°I knew my cousin¡¯s abilities wouldn¡¯t be inferior!¡± Griffin said proudly as if he had won thepetition himself. ¡°It seems Miss Ward¡¯s level is ordinary; can she really teach Zackary well?¡±

    Lily felt as if she had been pped in the face; it stung painfully. If not for Mr. Ye and Grandma Reed¡¯s presence, she would have lost her temper on the spot.

    ¡°Miss Reed is indeed impressive,¡± Lily forced apliment through gritted teeth, though she seethed with anger inside. ¡°But I can still teach Zackary.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tina looked at her before walking over to Zackary and gently patting his head. ¡°Zackary, tell me, do you want her to teach you?¡±

    Zackary bit his lip and stared at the ground silently. He hadn¡¯t forgotten what Lily had said before and feared her punishment.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Tina reassured him softly while stroking his head. ¡°I told you I¡¯d protect you. Anyone who bullies you will be punished.¡±

    Looking into Tina¡¯s clear eyes, Zackary felt a sense of calm wash over him.

    After hesitating for a moment, he said, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t like Miss Ward¡­¡±

    ¡°Zackary, how can you say that? It hurts me,¡± Lily said with a forced smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying my best to help you keep up with your studies. Even if I was strict, it¡¯s no reason for you not to like me.¡±

    Annabelle watched this scene in confusion, unsure of what was happening.

    ¡°Zackary, speak up if something¡¯s wrong!¡± Griffin encouraged him. ¡°If you¡¯ve been wronged, Grandma will stand up for you!¡±

    With the Reed family¡¯s support, Zackary felt more at ease.

    ¡°Miss Ward doesn¡¯t teach me; she only makes me do problems. If I can¡¯t solve them, she hits and scolds me¡­ even pinches me¡­¡± Zackary answered timidly, rolling up his sleeve to show his bruised arm.

    ¡°What!¡± Annabelle stood up from the sofa in anger.

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed as she turned towards Lily with a gaze that could tear her apart.

    ¡°It¡¯s not true!¡± Lily quickly defended herself. ¡°How could I hurt a child? Zackary, didn¡¯t you get those bruises from falling?¡±

    She shot Zackary a threatening look, warning him not to say more.

    Juliet was also furious upon seeing Zackary¡¯s injuries. ¡°How dare you lie? Falling wouldn¡¯t cause such bruises! Show me how you fell like that! These are clearly pinch marks!¡±

    Griffin added, ¡°We can get these injuries examined to see if they were caused by falling or pinching.¡±

    Lily panicked; an examination would reveal everything about how she mistreated Zackary.

    In desperation, she said hurriedly, ¡°It¡¯s all a misunderstanding; I was just trying tough love¡­¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Willow chimed in defensively for her daughter. ¡°Kids won¡¯t listen unless they¡¯re disciplined; sometimes they need a little tough love!¡±

    ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Annabelle mmed the table in anger, trembling with rage. ¡°You dare call hurting Zackary a misunderstanding! Do you realize the psychological harm you¡¯ve caused him?¡±

    As soon as Annabelle finished speaking, Tina calmly remarked, ¡°Grandma Reed, you¡¯re talking too much.¡±

 Chapter 340: Twenty Years of Deception

    Annabelle was stunned, not understanding what Tina meant. Although it was her fault for letting Lily tutor Zackary and failing to notice Lily¡¯s mistreatment of him, she was clearly standing up for Zackary now.

    Tina ignored Annabelle and walked over to Lily, staring at her expressionlessly. Lily felt a surge of panic under Tina¡¯s gaze. ¡°Tina! I¡­¡±

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    Before Lily could finish her sentence, Tina kicked her with full force. Lily, being frail and untrained, was sent flying into the opposite wall and crashed heavily to the ground. She felt as if all her bones had shattered. Blood spurted from her mouth.

    Willow waspletely shocked by the scene and took a moment to react. When she did, she screamed, ¡°Ah! Lily!¡± She rushed over to help Lily, who was in too much pain to speak, only able to look at Tina in terror.

    Annabelle and the Reed family were all taken aback by Tina¡¯s sudden action. As Willow held Lily up, Tina swiftly moved forward, grabbed Lily by the cor, and threw her again. This time, Lily felt as if her internal organs were about to burst from the pain.

    As Tina approached her step by step, Lily felt an overwhelming pressure and struggled to breathe. She managed to utter a few words, ¡°What¡­ what are you going to do? Killing is illegal!¡±

    Tina continued walking towards her with a cold expression and said in an icy voice, ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead.¡± At that moment, Lily felt unprecedented fear and pleaded desperately, ¡°I was wrong. I¡¯ll never do it again. Please spare me!¡±

    Tina stood over her like she was looking at an insect. ¡°I said anyone who touches my family will suffer more than death.¡± Annabelle¡¯s eyes darkened at Tina¡¯s words. Tina protected her adoptive family fiercely but held a grudge against them.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Lily saw the coldness in Tina¡¯s eyes and felt as if the world was ending. Without a word, Tina lifted her up and punched her in the stomach. Blood spurted from Lily¡¯s mouth again.

    Willow screamed in fear, ¡°Tina! Let go of Lily! I¡¯ll fight you!¡± She charged at Tina but was kicked away. Willow crashed into the door with a sickening crack of breaking bones.

    Tina turned back expressionlessly and punched Lily again, this time with silver needles between her fingers that pierced into Lily¡¯s stomach. A strange liquid flowed out of Lily¡¯s body.

    Juliet, Griffin, and Audrey stepped back in disgust as they realized Miss Ward had wet herself in public.

    After this punch, Lily passed outpletely. Tina stood up and handed a card to Griffin. ¡°Withdraw $20, 000 for me.¡±

    Griffin was shocked when he saw the ck card. It was globally limited and owned only by those with assets starting at a billion dors. Even the wealthy Reed family only had one ck card owned by Jasper.

    Griffin quickly went to withdraw the money from a nearby bank where the manager personally assisted him due to the card¡¯s status. He returned with $20, 000 in hand.

    When he got back, Lily was still unconscious on the floor while Willow groaned in pain from Tina¡¯s earlier kick. The rest of the Reed family stood silently watching Tina¡¯s imposing figure.

    Griffin handed the money to Tina, who thanked him before turning back to Lily. She used silver needles to wake her up and threw the money at her feet. ¡°This is for your medical expenses.¡±

    Lily red at Tina through gritted teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡± she spat out painfully.

    Tina¡¯s cold eyes met hers. ¡°Do you think one beating can make up for what my brother suffered? You will pay for your stupidity.¡±

    Before Lily could respond, Tina pulled out her phone and dialed a number. ¡°Ethan Ward! You have ten minutes to get to Whispering Pines or face the consequences,¡± she said before hanging up abruptly.

    Ten minutester, Ethan Ward arrived drenched in sweat and greeted Tina respectfully as ¡°Master,¡± shocking everyone present including Willow and Lily.

    Lily snapped out of her shock first and cried out, ¡°Dad! How can you call her Master? She¡¯s just a country bumpkin who hurt me! Get revenge for me!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ethan roared angrily at his daughter before turning back to Tina apologetically without asking for details or pleading for forgiveness for his daughter.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t call you here for apologies,¡± Tina said coldly.

    Ethan lowered his head further and promised stricter discipline for his daughter in the future.

    Tina sat down leisurely on a chair with crossed legs and stared at Ethan for a long moment before speaking again. ¡°Ethan Ward, after wearing a green hat for over twenty years, haven¡¯t you had enough?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Ethan looked confused but Willow¡¯s heart sank with dread as she hoped it wasn¡¯t about that secret known by so few people.

    ¡°Lily is not your daughter but Jasper¡¯s,¡± Tina revealed slowly.

 Chapter 341: Jasper and Lilyâ€™s Relationship Confirmed

    As soon as Tina finished speaking, the entire Reed family fell silent. The silence was so profound that even the drop of a pin could be heard. At the entrance of Whispering Pines, Jasper had just stepped inside when he froze. After a moment, he regained hisposure and walked towards Tina, scolding her in a low voice, ¡°Tina! What nonsense are you talking about? How could Miss Ward possibly be my daughter?¡±

    Since bringing Tina back to the Reed family, he had never raised his voice at her. But this time, he was genuinely angry. How could such a matter be taken lightly? He had never had any rtionship with Willow, so how could there be a child?

    Lily and Willow were both stunned for a long time. Lily was the first to recover, shouting hoarsely, ¡°You¡¯re lying! Tina, I know you hate me, but how can you nder me like this?¡± She was Jasper¡¯s daughter? What a joke! She wished she were Jasper¡¯s daughter; with the Reed family¡¯s prestige, it would be easier for her to marry Jared. But she wasn¡¯t; she was Ethan Ward¡¯s daughter.

    Willow remained silent, a flicker of panic in her eyes. She had no idea what to say at that moment. Annabelle quickly recovered and hurriedly said, ¡°Yes, Tina, how can you joke about such a thing? Your father and Willow have nothing between them. All these years, his heart has always been with your mother!¡±

    The rest of the Reed family were dumbfounded by Tina¡¯s revtion, staring nkly at each other without saying a word. Mainly because they didn¡¯t know what to say. Because when they looked closely, Lily did resemble Jasper a bit!

    Juliet looked at Lily in astonishment and then at Jasper before eximing in disbelief, ¡°This is absolutely absurd!¡± On the other side, Ethan Ward was equally shocked, staring at Tina in disbelief. He knew Tina well enough to know she wouldn¡¯t joke about something like this!

    He turned his head and red at Willow with a murderous expression, shouting angrily, ¡°Willow! You lied to me!¡± Willow snapped back to reality with his shout and shivered involuntarily. Quickly suppressing her fear, she retorted righteously, ¡°Who lied to you? Stop listening to her nonsense! Lily is your daughter!¡±

    ¡°You dare lie!¡± Ethan Ward red at her furiously. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t done it, Master wouldn¡¯t say so! Tell me what¡¯s going on!¡± Ridiculous! He had raised someone else¡¯s daughter for over twenty years!

    ¡°Stop shouting!¡± Willow struggled to stand up despite the pain and yelled back loudly, ¡°I told you! It¡¯s all Tina¡¯s nonsense! You don¡¯t believe me but believe this little girl?¡±

    ¡°She is my master! You are my ex-wife!¡± Ethan Ward roared. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t trust her but trust you? What makes you trustworthy? Don¡¯t forget it was you who schemed to have rtions with me just once and then got pregnant!¡±

    The more Ethan spoke, the angrier he became. ¡°Now I understand! No wonder you were so eager to marry me back then; you were already nning to cuckold me! Willow and Jasper, you two are shameless! Carrying on behind my back while making me raise your child?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Willow was speechless for a moment.

    Jasper frowned deeply and said in a low voice, ¡°Dr. Ward, watch your words!¡±

    ¡°Watch my words?¡± Even with his usualposure, Ethan was now furious. ¡°I had someone I loved dearly back then but broke up because of Willow¡¯s scheme and had to marry her. And now I find out I¡¯ve been covering up your affair and raising your child!¡±

    ¡°Jasper! You are from the prestigious Reed family, second only in the capital¡¯s elite circles. This is utterly shameless!¡±

    Ethan then turned to re at Willow again. ¡°And you! Your family is also reputable; how could you do such a thing?¡±

    Willow was infuriated and shouted back, ¡°I said Lily is not Jasper¡¯s daughter! It¡¯s all Tina¡¯s nonsense! Stop acting crazy and making us look like fools!¡±

    ¡°You are the fool!¡± Ethan retorted angrily. ¡°You say my master is talking nonsense? Fine! Let¡¯s do a paternity test! We¡¯ll know if Lily is my daughter.¡±

    With that said, Ethan grabbed Lily and started dragging her out.

    Lily had been beaten by Tina earlier; her bones felt like they were falling apart. She wanted to struggle but had no strength left and could only be dragged along by Ethan.

    Seeing this, Willow hurriedly stepped forward to block them. ¡°No! We won¡¯t do the test!¡± She pulled Ethan¡¯s hand away and protected Lily in her arms while crying out loud, ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re heartless! Your daughter has been so filial to you yet just because of some outsider¡¯s words you want to drag her for a test? You¡¯re breaking our hearts!¡±

    She then turned to re at Tina without caring about her image anymore and shouted like a shrew, ¡°Tina! What grudge do you have against me and Lily that you¡¯re doing this?¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re ufortable with my rtionship with your father but isn¡¯t this too selfish? Your father has kept his promise to your mother all these years; can¡¯t he have his own new family? You¡¯re targeting us just so he can¡¯t form a new family? You¡¯re truly vicious!¡±Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Hearing this made Jasper¡¯s face darken further. ¡°Mrs. Ward,¡± he said coldly, ¡°watch your words. Apart from our families being old friends there¡¯s nothing else between us.¡±

    Willow felt an inexplicable pain in her chest as she cried out desperately, ¡°Jasper why are you pretending not to understand? Everyone knows my feelings for you; everyone knows it¡¯s only a matter of time before we get married! Why won¡¯t you admit it?¡±

    She gritted her teeth as she looked at Tina again. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you! See now? Your father won¡¯t even acknowledge our rtionship.¡±

    Tina leaned back in her chairzily ncing at Willow before standing up and walking upstairs.

    Soon she came back down holding an envelope which she threw in front of Ethan coldly saying ¡°See for yourself.¡±

    Ethan opened it revealing documentsbeled ¡®Paternity Test.¡¯ Thest line stated clearly that there was no parent-child rtionship between him and Lily which deeply stung Ethan¡¯s eyes.

    There were two documents inside; opening another one revealed Jasper¡¯s paternity test with Lily showing 99. 99% match confirming their rtionship.

    Ethan flew into rage throwing papers towards Willow ¡°Still denying? Look closely; Jasper is indeed Lily¡¯s father!¡±

 Chapter 342: Willow Finally Tells the Truth

    The Reed family was stunned into silence. Moments ago, they might have thought Tina was talking nonsense. But now, the parent-child rtionship was confirmed! How could this be possible? Everyone turned to look at Jasper.

    Jasper¡¯s face darkened like a stormy sky. He stepped forward to pick up the paternity test, but Willow reacted immediately, snatching it up and trying to tear it apart. Suddenly, she found herself unable to move.

    As she stood there confused, Tina spoke up, ¡°A paternity test is easy to do but costs money. This one cost me three thousand dors. If you want to tear it up, reimburse me first!¡±

    Willow was about to speak when Jasper swiftly moved over and yanked the test from her hands. When he saw that it clearly stated he was Lily¡¯s father, his demeanor changed abruptly. He angrily threw the test in Willow¡¯s face and demanded, ¡°What is going on here?¡±

    He knew for certain he had never been with Willow, nor had she tricked him into anything. Yet Lily was his child! It was shocking beyond belief! He didn¡¯t doubt the authenticity of the test because it bore the government seal and had been issued just a week ago.

    Annabelle couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. She hurried over, took a look at the test, and almost lost her bnce. Griffin caught her just in time.

    Annabelle steadied herself, took several deep breaths, and then looked at Willow. ¡°Are you still not going to tell the truth? Why is Lily Jasper¡¯s daughter? What have you been hiding from us?¡±

    Seeing that she could no longer keep her secret, Willow screamed loudly. After venting her frustration, she looked up with a sinister smile at Jasper. ¡°Yes! Lily is your daughter! You¡¯re wondering how that¡¯s possible when we never had a rtionship?¡±

    Jasper stared coldly at her, waiting for her exnation.

    Ethan felt his heart ache so much he could barely stand. Juliet quickly brought a chair for him to sit down.

    ¡°Jasper! I loved you so much that I put aside my pride to please you, but all you ever saw was Natalie! You wouldn¡¯t even smile at me because of her. I hated her and wanted her dead! But there was something worse than death: carrying your child!¡±

    Willow found she could move again and slowly approached Jasper with eyes full of emotion. ¡°I tried many ways to get close to you, but you only had eyes for Natalie. I wanted to drug you, but your dear sister stopped me.¡±

    Jasper frowned. ¡°Liliosa?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Willow said smugly. ¡°Liliosa told me that Reed family men store their sperm when they¡¯re young to ensure they can continue the family ler on. She stole some for me so I could undergo artificial insemination.¡±

    ¡°I got lucky and seeded on the first try,¡± Willow continued. ¡°I nned to use this child to force you into marrying me, but then I saw you with Natalie¡­ I hated both of you! So I took the child and quickly married Ethan.¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d marry Natalie soon after that, and I had ns to ruin your wedding day by killing her. But it took three years for you two to get married!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Willow sneered at Tina. ¡°I finally had a chance to kill her at your wedding, but she ran away before I could.¡±

    Annabelle grew angrier as she listened. Pointing at Willow, her voice trembled with rage. ¡°You schemed against Jasper like this?¡±

    ¡°He deserved it! I¡¯m excellent in every way; why would he choose Natalie over me? Even after all these years, he still loves her? It¡¯s unfair! If I can¡¯t have him, no one else should!¡±

    Jasper continued to look coldly at Willow until he sensed an icy gaze upon him. He turned and met Tina¡¯s frosty eyes.

    His heart skipped a beat. ¡°Tina¡­¡±

    He wanted to exin but found himself at a loss for words. Although this wasn¡¯t his fault directly, it happened because Liliosa stole his sperm.

    Tina gave him a cold nce and ignored him.

    Ethan clutched his chest, struggling to breathe as he red at Willow. ¡°If you wanted to marry Jasper so badly, why didn¡¯t you tell us the truth when he didn¡¯t go through with his marriage? If you¡¯d spoken up then, Lily was only three; you¡¯d have had a better chance of marrying him! Instead, you made me raise someone else¡¯s daughter all these years! You¡¯re despicable!¡±

    Though Ethan didn¡¯t love Willow, he had cherished Lily dearly and taught her everything he knew about medicine.

    The Ward family might not be as prestigious as the four great families in the capital, but they were well-respected intellectuals with a good reputation. Lily had thrived under their name and Ethan¡¯s tutge.

    But now he found out that the child he¡¯d invested so much in wasn¡¯t even his own.

    ¡°Because once things were set in motion if I¡¯d revealed everything then, neither the Ward family nor the Sinir family would have epted us. My carefully crafted image would be ruined, and my daughter would bebeled an illegitimate child.¡±

    Willow nced lovingly at Lily. ¡°I¡¯ve failed in many ways in my life, but I want my daughter to live with dignity! The Reed family is great, but Jasper doesn¡¯t love me; even if I forced him to marry me, he wouldn¡¯t treat my daughter well.¡±

    ¡°But Ethan,¡± she continued softly, ¡°you taught Lily your medical skills and made her the apple of the Ward family¡¯s eye! In your family, she received love that even the Reed family couldn¡¯t provide.¡±

    Willow always understood that Jasper only cared about Natalie and any children born from her.

    This man could be deeply affectionate yet utterly heartless towards anyone other than Natalie.

    For years, she never managed to win Jasper¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Hah!¡± Ethanughed bitterly. ¡°All these years I¡¯ve been such a fool.¡±

    He stood up weakly and bowed slightly to Tina. ¡°Master, I¡¯m very tired and wish to go home now. I¡¯ll visit another day.¡±

    Tina looked at him briefly before nodding. After a pause, she added softly, ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault; your first love has been waiting for you all these years and has given birth to your son.¡±

    Ethan was shocked. ¡°What? She didn¡¯t get married?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tina replied slowly. ¡°After leaving you, she discovered she was pregnant and raised the child alone under great pressure.¡±

    ¡°Where is she? Where is my son?¡± Ethan asked excitedly.

    At that moment, all his pain from being deceived for over twenty years vanished upon learning that his beloved had waited for him and borne his child.

    ¡°She is Professor Lininger¡¯s adopted daughter! Your son¡¯s name is Carson Lininger; he¡¯s Professor Lininger¡¯s grandson.¡±

 Chapter 343: I Want to Marry Lily

    Upon hearing this, Ethan was extremely excited. Professor Lininger was the most prestigious professor at Kongham University and a kind person who had personally funded many impoverished students. Living in such an environment, his loved ones and son would surely be admirable too.

    He quickly asked Tina, ¡°Master, can you take me to find them?¡± He wanted to go himself but feared that showing up unannounced might scare them. Knowing that Professor Lininger had been Tina¡¯s mentor at Kongham University, he thought it would be easier to reconnect through her.

    ¡°Go back and rest first. I¡¯ll find you after I handle things here,¡± Tina replied.

    Ethan nced at Willow and Lily, his face darkening instantly. ¡°Alright.¡± Did they think a mere injury would settle things with Tina? They underestimated her!

    After Ethan left, the Reed family returned to silence. The younger members exchanged nces, too afraid to speak. Annabelle was so angry she clutched her chest, struggling to breathe. Jasper¡¯s face was cold, exuding an aura that seemed ready to devour anyone.

    The atmosphere remained tense. Willow saw that no one in the Reed family spoke, so she said, ¡°I originally nned to keep this a secret forever, but now that Tina has exposed it, we need a resolution.¡±

    Willow looked directly at Jasper. ¡°Jasper, you don¡¯t have to marry me, but you must acknowledge Lily! My mistakes have nothing to do with her! She shouldn¡¯t pay for them!¡±

    ¡°After today, everyone in the capital will know Lily is your daughter. This will greatly affect her reputation. If you don¡¯t acknowledge her, her life will be ruined! I know you¡¯re heartless, but for the sake of the child, handle this properly.¡±

    Lilyy on the ground,pletely stunned! She never expected things to escte this far! But for her, this was good news! Reputation? Honor? None of that mattered! What mattered was whether she could match Mr. Daryl¡¯s status! Only as Miss Reed could she be a suitable match for the Farrell family!

    ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Juliet shouted angrily. ¡°Why should the Reed family pay for your mistakes? Jasper has always cared about Aunt Natalie; everyone knows that. If he acknowledges this daughter, he¡¯ll be shamed!¡±

    Juliet never liked Willow and her daughter and wished they were far away. Now they wanted the Reed family to ept them? It was infuriating! Besides, she liked Tina very much. She already disliked Amber Reed when Jasper mistakenly acknowledged her; she disliked Lily even more now. Only Tina deserved her protection!

    ¡°Juliet! Stop talking nonsense!¡± Garrett suddenly spoke up. This matter wasn¡¯t for them to interfere with; it depended on Jasper¡¯s decision.

    Juliet wanted to say more but fell silent upon seeing Jasper¡¯s livid face.

    ¡°I won¡¯t acknowledge Lily as my daughter!¡± Jasper coldly looked at Willow and Lily, his tone icy and heartless.

    Although Willow had anticipated this oue, it still hurt deeply. Jasper remained as cold-blooded as ever. Even though she bore him a daughter, an outstanding one at that, he still refused to acknowledge her!

    Lily looked up in shock at Jasper. She couldn¡¯t believe he wouldn¡¯t recognize her.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you acknowledge me?¡± Lily demanded, looking into Jasper¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m your daughter; you should recognize me regardless of what happened between you and my mom! I did nothing wrong! Why involve me in your adult issues?¡±

    As Lily spoke, she grew more emotional and shouted hoarsely, ¡°Soon everyone will know I¡¯m not a Ward family daughter. How will people see me if you don¡¯t recognize me?¡±

    Jasper listened expressionlessly to her usations without reacting.

    ¡°Dad!¡± Emrys appeared at Whispering Pines then, sitting in a wheelchair pushed by Damian.

    Jasper frowned upon seeing him. ¡°Why are you here? Didn¡¯t I tell you to rest?¡±

    Emrys smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m already like this; resting won¡¯t help. I heard something happened at home and asked Damian to bring me back.¡± His legs could only walk a few steps despite Lily¡¯s treatment; most of the time, hey in bed.

    Emrys nced at Tina and then at Lily before speaking after a moment of silence. ¡°Dad! This situation is bizarre but has nothing to do with Lily; you can¡¯t let her suffer public criticism.¡±

    Jasper frowned again. ¡°This is none of your concern.¡±

    Because of Natalie¡¯s rtionship with Emrys, Jasper pampered him despite being disappointed by Emrys¡¯ previous offenses against Tina that led to his current state.

    Seeing Emrys involved made Jasper¡¯s face darken further.

    Emrys lowered his gaze slightly. ¡°I know I¡¯m just an adopted son and shouldn¡¯t interfere in this matter, but I like Lily! I want to marry her!¡±

    ¡°What!!¡± Jasper was shocked!

    Annabelle and the other Reed family members were also stunned.

    Even Willow and Lily took a while to react.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Only Tina raised an eyebrow slightly, watching them indifferently.

    Emrys didn¡¯t say much more; he struggled out of his wheelchair and knelt on the ground earnestly. ¡°Dad, for my mom¡¯s sake, please allow me this request. I can give up being a Reed family adopted son; I just want to marry Lily!¡±

    The ¡®mom¡¯ he mentioned was Natalie-his savior-whom he called ¡®mom¡¯ after being adopted by Jasper.

    Lily stared at Emrys disdainfully for a long time before snapping out of it-a crippled adopted son dared dream of marrying her? Ridiculous!

    But she knew Emrys held significant weight in Jasper¡¯s heart despite being adopted; if Jasper agreed to Emrys¡¯ request, she¡¯d smoothly return to the Reed family.

    Once she became Miss Reed again, breaking off an engagement would be easy.

    With that thought in mind, she looked up at Jasper and said, ¡°I also like Emrys!¡±

    ¡°What???¡± Juliet eximed!

    Lily liking Emrys? What a joke! This woman who always aimed high suddenly wanted to marry Emrys?

    ¡°You all!¡± Jasper clutched his chest in anger as he looked at Emrys and Lily but couldn¡¯t utter a word.

    After a long standoff, Jasper sighed heavily. ¡°Fine! Children¡¯s debts are repaid by parents; tomorrow I¡¯ll announce Lily¡¯s identity publicly-but Willow-you¡¯ll never marry into the Reed family!¡±

 Chapter 344: The Downfall of Lily

    Willow had no objections this time. Although she longed to marry Jasper, her daughter¡¯s well-being was her priority. The Reed family¡¯s eptance of Lily meant Willow could let go of the marriage; her daughter would be taken care of regardless. Especially now that Lily was recognized by the Reeds, Tina was out of the picture. Jared would belong to her daughter alone.

    ¡°Jasper!¡± Juliet was furious upon hearing the decision. Stomping her feet, she eximed, ¡°How could you agree to let Lily return? What about Tina? Lily should even be Tina¡¯s older sister. Have you considered her feelings?¡± In terms of seniority, Juliet should have been their elder sister. However, she was rarely home and seldom involved in the Reed family¡¯s business affairs, so few recognized her as the eldest daughter. When Tina returned, everyone naturally assumed she was the Reed¡¯s firstborn daughter. But now, Tina, previously second in line, was demoted to third, which was infuriating.

    Audrey also expressed her discontent, ¡°Exactly, a bastard child, why should she be allowed back into the Reed family?¡± Audrey had a mixed impression of Lily, who was a medical prodigy known for her aloof and proud demeanor. However, Tina¡¯s actions since her return had not beenmendable. Audrey¡¯s opinion of Lily had soured upon hearing Willow¡¯s shocking revtion. Just like her disdain for Liliosa, she disliked Lily. Audrey never imed to be kind-hearted, but she hadn¡¯t wronged anyone. Liliosa had previously thrown the Reed family into chaos, and now with an illegitimate Lily, especially one brought into the family through dubious means, it made Audrey feel nauseous. She had always viewed love as her most cherished aspiration, and the actions of Willow and her daughter tarnished that beauty.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Jasper suddenly shouted, silencing everyone. ¡°This matter is settled. No further discussion!¡± Juliet wanted to argue for Tina but was intimidated by Jasper¡¯s stern nce, leaving her trembling and silent.

    Tina, having received the paternity test results, remained seated, calm as ever. Her face showed no displeasure, a faint smile ying on her lips. Juliet couldn¡¯t understand how Tina remained soposed with a threat knocking at her door.

    Jasper noticed Tina¡¯sposure and approached her gently, ¡°Tina, I owe an apology to you and your mother, but¡­ Emrys wants to marry Lily, and she wishes to marry him. I want to fulfill his wish.¡± After a pause, Jasper added, ¡°But rest assured, my wealth will remain yours. Lily won¡¯t take anything from it.¡±

    Willow and Lily¡¯s expressions soured. As expected! A heartless man indeed! Regardless of their actions, Jasper would never truly care for them. But that didn¡¯t matter; time would tell whether Tina could im the Reed family¡¯s fortune or marry Jared sessfully. They would wait and see.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Tina looked up, standing slowly and said indifferently, ¡°Mr. Reed, this is your family matter. As long as you¡¯re happy, there¡¯s no need to inform me.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Reed, have you finished dealing with your family affairs?¡± Tina asked, ignoring Jasper¡¯s hesitant attempt to speak.

    Jasper was silent for a moment before sighing, ¡°It¡¯s settled.¡±

    ¡°Good, now it¡¯s time for me to handle my brother¡¯s affairs,¡± Tina dered, walking towards Lily.

    Panicked, Lily tried to crawl away, supporting herself with her hands, ¡°What are you doing? I am your sister!¡±

    Tina stood over her, looking down imposingly, ¡°They might recognize you, but I do not!¡±

    ¡°You are out of line!¡± Lily retorted, looking up at Tina, who stood imposingly like a statue, making it hard for her to breathe.

    Willow quickly stepped in front of Lily, facing Tina, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t be too harsh! Lily was wrong to hit your brother, she apologizes, but you are now family. I hope you can settle this grudge.¡±

    ¡°Apology? I don¡¯t ept it!¡± With that, Tina swiftly lifted Lily, and with a crunch, Lily¡¯s arm was broken. Lily screamed in agony, but before she could make another sound, Tina swiftly crippled her arms and legs.

    Then, like discarding trash, Tina threw Lily to the ground. Her actions were so fast that the onlookers couldn¡¯t see how she did it. Standing with her hands in her pockets, she looked around imperiously, her demeanor cold.

    Tina surveyed the Reed family, then slowly said, ¡°From now on, whoever dares to harm my brother, I¡¯ll chop them up and feed them to dogs!¡± Despite her beautiful face and pleasant voice, her presence exerted immense pressure.

    The Reed family members were left speechless.

    After finishing her statement, Tina turned to Jasper, ¡°Mr. Reed, your daughter is incapacitated. If you want to settle ounts,e find me.¡± With that, Tina turned and went upstairs.

    After she left, it took about five minutes before anyone in the Reed family could speak.

    Jasper was the first to regainposure. He nced at Lily with disdain but instructed the servants, ¡°Take her to the hospital, do your best to treat her.¡± She was still his daughter; he couldn¡¯tpletely abandon her.

    At midnight, just as Tina finished her work and shut down herputer, there was a knock at the door. She opened it to find Emrys standing outside.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Emrys greeted her softly.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Tina responded, stepping aside to let him in.

    As Emrys walked in, he seemed as able-bodied as anyone else. Tina gestured towards the sofa, ¡°Have a seat.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Emrys said, ¡°Lily has been taken to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I know,¡± Tina replied, pouring two sses of water and handing one to Emrys.

    Emrys took a sip and then looked up at Tina, hesitating before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, if you were going to cripple Lily, why let her return to the Reed family?¡±

 Chapter 345: Jasperâ€™s Problem Online

    Emrys looked at Tina¡¯s face, which bore a striking resemnce to Natalie¡¯s, and felt a pang of guilt for his past actions against her. He never imagined that ten days ago, Tina would suddenly appear, heal his leg, and arrange for him to continue his recovery in the hospital, promising to contact himter. Today, he came to Whispering Pines because Tina had sent him a message.

    Ten days ago, when Tina healed his leg, she also told him about Lily¡¯s background and some other unbelievable things. He admitted that he genuinely liked Lily, but gratitude outweighed everything else for him. Especially considering some of the things Lily had done to Tina, he had long lost any favorable feelings towards her. Tina wanted him to marry Lily, and although he was unwilling, he still agreed because no one could rece Natalie in his heart.

    Tina took a sip of water, her eyes deep and thoughtful. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for an answer.¡±

    Emrys looked at Tina, unsure of what answer she was referring to. But looking into her clear eyes, he suddenly felt that she was just like Natalie, always having her reasons for everything she did. Emrys remained silent for a moment before asking, ¡°What should I do next? Jasper has already contacted doctors to treat Lily. Do I really have to marry her?¡±

    ¡°Let him contact them,¡± Tina said with a faint smile.

    Emrys was stunned for a moment, unable to understand what Tina intended to do. She had crippled Lily but now allowed Jasper to treat her. Tina ced the water cup on the table and said calmly, ¡°Lily won¡¯t want to marry you. You just need to stay with her; you don¡¯t have to worry about anything else.¡±

    Emrys was silent for a long time before agreeing, ¡°Alright.¡±

    He didn¡¯t ask further questions because even if he did, Tina wouldn¡¯t answer. So he decided to follow her instructions.

    After their brief conversation, Emrys left. Tina closed the door and took out her phone to call Cole. ¡°Withdraw all personnel from the capital¡¯s entrance and exit points.¡±

    At Farrell Estate!

    Jared was about to call Tina when Nathan Lehman climbed in through the window. He walked up to Jared and respectfully said, ¡°Mr. Farrell! We have already delivered Liliosa.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Jared¡¯s face remained expressionless. ¡°Make sure someone watches over her and Amber Reed. I don¡¯t want them disturbing Tina again!¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Nathan Lehman replied but didn¡¯t leave.

    Jared looked up at him. ¡°Anything else?¡±

    Nathan hesitated before asking, ¡°Is Amber Reed really Liliosa¡¯s daughter?¡±

    Both he and Mr. Farrell had seen the paternity test results between Amber Reed and Jasper; they were not rted by blood at all. If Amber Reed were Liliosa¡¯s biological daughter, she should have some blood rtion with Jasper too. But why were the test results like that? He had been pondering this question since delivering Liliosa but couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    ¡°No,¡± Jared replied indifferently.

    Nathan was stunned. ¡°No? Then why is Liliosa targeting Miss Reed?¡±

    He seriously suspected that Liliosa had mental issues. Amber wasn¡¯t even her biological daughter; she kept scheming against Tina and even had Zackary kidnapped. Anyone familiar with Tina knew that targeting her might result in some leniency, but harming those she cared about meant a lifetime of suffering without reprieve.

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just mentally unstable?¡± Jared smiled wickedly.

    Nathan paused but couldn¡¯t suppress his curiosity. ¡°Then who is Liliosa¡¯s daughter?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jared said coldly. ¡°Does it have anything to do with me?¡±

    He had no obligation to help someone who constantly schemed against Tina find their daughter.

    Nathan scratched his head awkwardly andughed. ¡°Just curious.¡±

    Liliosa had gone mad searching for her daughter for so long that she even mistook Amber Reed as her own child. In the end, she was sent away to suffer alongside Amber Reed and would never know who her real daughter was.

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s already dead,¡± Jared said tly.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Only Jasper would know whether those taken by him were alive or dead.

    The next day.

    Ethan and Jasper both posted on social media simultaneously.

    Ethan simply stated that from now on, the Ward family had nothing to do with Lily. He didn¡¯t defame or specify any details; after all, they had raised Lily for over twenty years and still had some father-daughter feelings left. He didn¡¯t want things to get too ugly.

    Jasper also briefly mentioned that Lily was his daughter and would be included in the Reed family genealogy from now on. He didn¡¯t even mention changing her name or say anything more about Lily.

    Lily was sent to the Reed family¡¯s private hospital where Jasper kept everything under wraps; no one knew that she had already been crippled in both hands and feet.

    These two posts sparked various curses fromizens! With today¡¯s advanced informationwork, someone dug up old stories about Willow and Jasper and spread them online.

    Netizens hurled increasingly harsh insults:

    ¡°Jasper is truly despicable! Always pretending to be deeply affectionate while secretly having an illegitimate daughter with someone else? Is this the character of top-tier families? It¡¯s disgusting.¡±

    ¡°No wonder Natalie ran away from the marriage back then! If I were in her shoes, I¡¯d run too! Who would dare marry into such a mess?¡±

    ¡°I suspect there¡¯s something shady between Jasper and Willow; they probably approached Natalie on purpose to cover up their affair by marrying her.¡±

    ¡°I agree with the abovement! Recently, the Reed family acknowledged another daughter who is supposedly Natalie¡¯s child but she¡¯s only 19 while Lily is 22-three years older! So Jasper must have been involved with Willow during his rtionship with Natalie!¡±

    ¡°I heard both families intended an engagement back then; Willow always liked Jasper! They must have conspired together fearing exposure of their affair by setting up Natalie! I¡¯m betting Natalie is dead-probably killed by these two!¡±

    Netizens didn¡¯t know that Natalie had already passed away but spected based on not seeing her when the Reed family acknowledged Tina earlier-assuming that since Natalie ran away from marriage and gave birth to Tinater on-they must have lived together until now-so why wasn¡¯t Natalie around when Tina returned?

    Hence many kind-heartedizens started calling police demanding investigation into whether Natalie was alive or dead, and if deceased, whether it was due to some foul y by Willow!

    Soon enough, the entire inte began tagging capital city police authorities relentlessly¡­

 Chapter 346: Mr. Reed, Please Come with Us

    Within just two hours, all online mentions of Lily Ward being the daughter of the Reed family had disappeared. Only headlines like ¡°Where is Natalie?¡± remained, flooding the entire inte. But two hourster, an explosive tweet was sent out. The author was Ember Saffron.

    ¡°I am Ember Saffron. I am friends with Tina, and I know that her mother died ten years ago because someone was chasing after them, resulting in her mother¡¯s death. This has been a painful memory for Tina, and I have never mentioned it to her again. But today, after seeing Mr. Reed¡¯s tweet, I highly suspect Jasper and Willow of plotting to harm their lives. I formally report them to the police and hope that they will thoroughly investigate the truth and bring justice to Tina!¡±

    Ember Saffron was a superstar on stage, with nearly a billion fans. When this tweet was posted, the entire inte exploded. All of his fans began sharing it. Even popr celebrities in the industry one after another retweeted it. In no time, the entire server crashed due to the influence of these stars and their fans. This caught the attention of the Ashbury police.

    At Whispering Pines during breakfast time, most of the Reed family had gathered, except for Arthur who couldn¡¯te due to workmitments. However, everyone¡¯s faces were grim. It was because Jasper¡¯s post had confirmed Lily¡¯s identity, leadingizens to specte that Natalie might have been killed by Jasper and Willow, causing the Reed family to be attacked.

    Early in the morning, someone threw eggs and vegetables at the gate of Whispering Pines. It was only when the Reed family deployed security that things calmed down. At this moment, no one had seen Ember Saffron¡¯s tweet yet.

    Tina had juste downstairs and hadn¡¯t even settled down when Juliet suddenly eximed, ¡°Oh no! Ember Saffron posted something!¡± Tina paused for a moment, feeling speechless. What was this guy trying to do?N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Garrett furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°Ember Saffron has nothing to do with the Reed family. Why is everyone making such a big deal out of his post?¡±

    Juliet ced her phone on the table for Garrett to see and said, ¡°Ember Saffron is friends with Tina. He is standing up for her! Jasper, look at what you¡¯ve done!¡±

    Ember Saffron was a top-tier celebrity; if he posted something, it would explode across the inte! She never expected Jasper to do something so foolish! What was so good about that Lily? Because of her, the Reed family was being attacked by everyone! Not only were they being attacked, but Tina¡¯s social media ounts were also filled with insults. In just two hours, she lost a million followers! Fans were cursing the Reed family and iming that apart from Tina, none of them were good people! She didn¡¯t care about losing followers or being cursed at; after all, what Jasper did was unfair to Tina! But she did care that the entire Reed family was being attacked because of Lily. She was simply a disaster!

    ¡°What?¡± Garrett picked up his phone and nced at the serious posts on social media. He realized that all social media tforms were filled with calls for Ashbury police to investigate the truth. He slumped back into his chair.

    Annabelle also took a look at her phone and almost fainted. She threw her phone at Jasper and mmed the table in anger, eximing, ¡°This is a cmity!¡±

    Jasper only nced briefly at Ember Saffron¡¯s social media content without any expression on his face. He then looked up at Tina, who slowly walked over and sat down in front of him with an indifferent attitude. As Tina sat down, she looked directly into his eyes without any avoidance.

    The two stared at each other for a long time before Jasper spoke slowly, ¡°Tina, do you also believe what they are saying on social media?¡±

    ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not doesn¡¯t matter; my words won¡¯t change anything!¡± Tina withdrew her gaze and picked up her chopsticks, focusing on eating her food in a calm tone.

    She was the only one at the table who could still eat.

    Jasper continued to stare at her and asked, ¡°So you asked Ember Saffron to post that tweet to get the police¡¯s attention?¡±

    Tina¡¯s fingers paused slightly as she turned her head to look at Jasper with a cold expression. ¡°Mr. Reed, what makes you think that I asked Ember Saffron to do it?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it true?¡± Jasper looked at her as if trying to see through her.

    Tina sneered, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether it is or not.¡±

    She put down her chopsticks and stood up in front of Jasper, looking down at him from above. ¡°My mother didn¡¯t run away to Ensford; she ran away for her life to Ensford. Mr. Reed, would you care to exin why she had to run for her life?¡±

    Jasper¡¯s eyes flickered slightly as he met her gaze.

    Tina curled her lips into an evil smile and said coldly, ¡°No rush! I have plenty of time. The game of cat and mouse-mice can never escape from a cat¡¯s ws, right? Mr. Reed?¡±

    Jasper continued staring at her without saying a word.

    Just then, someone knocked on the door.

    Soon enough, several uniformed individuals entered.

    After showing their credentials, they spoke officially: ¡°Ashbury Police Department. Mr. Reed, you are suspected in a murder case. Pleasee with us for questioning.¡±

    Jasper nced at them and slowly stood up. ¡°I understand.¡±

    He didn¡¯t say anything else but followed the twow enforcement officers out.

    With Jasper taken away, everyone in the Reed family panicked.

    Annabelle immediately stood in front of Tina and held her hand. ¡°Tina, I know you have grievances from being away from home all these years. But please believe me when I say your father had nothing to do with your mother¡¯s death. Please go exin the situation to the police.¡±

    Esther also spoke up: ¡°Yes, even though your father didn¡¯t marry your mother officially, we all know that he only had your mother in his heart. It¡¯s impossible for him to have killed her.¡±

    Luna added: ¡°Are you angry because your father acknowledged Lily? In this matter, he is also innocent when ites down to it; it was Willow and Liliosa who did everything wrong. Lily has been confirmed as your father¡¯s child; he couldn¡¯t just ignore it right? Tina, please inform the police and ask Ember Saffron to delete his tweet for your father¡¯s sake.¡±

    The rest of the Reed family pleaded with Tina except for Juliet, Damian, and Griffin.

    Regardless of whether Tina had anything to do with this matter or not didn¡¯t give them the right to beg for mercy from Tina when someone else¡¯s mother had died right in front of their eyes when they were nine years old. This hatred wouldn¡¯t disappear just because someone said that Jasper wasn¡¯t the killer; there needed to be evidence!

    Juliet looked up at Tina and suddenly understood something; she had returned to seek revenge against the Reed family! But at the same time, she felt a bit sorry for her! If something like this happened to herself¡­ maybe she would make the same choice as Tina!

    Tina calmly withdrew her hand from Annabelle¡¯s grasp without any expression on her face as she spoke: ¡°The police will bring justice for Mr. Reed!¡±

    Her n didn¡¯t include sending Jasper to the police station!

    But still, she implicitly approved of Ember Saffron¡¯s actions.

    Of course!

    It also didn¡¯t matter if Jasper woulde out unharmed in due time.

 Chapter 347: The Art Exhibition

    As Tina had predicted, Jasper was released soon. Shortly after his release, the police issued a statement confirming that Jasper had no involvement in Natalie¡¯s death. Regarding Willow, extensive investigations revealed no suspicious activity on her part either. Despite the police announcement,izens remained unconvinced. Many posts circted online, asserting that while Jasper and Willow were not murderers, their affair was real, and Jasper¡¯s betrayal of Natalie was undeniable. The online discussion about this matter remained fervent, causing Jasper and Willow¡¯s reputations to plummet.

    Logan only learned about Lily being Jasper¡¯s daughter the following afternoon. Being older and rarely online, he had spent the previous day on an outdoor excursion with an old friend. The Farrell family members naturally didn¡¯t bother him with the news. By the time he returned, the inte was abuzz with the story, making it impossible for Logan to remain unaware. Furious, he stormed into the nursing home and scolded Muff thoroughly. Muff was so berated that he nearly passed out! Still seething, Logan then returned to Whispering Pines to reprimand Jasper and dered he would not attend Lily¡¯s banquet. After venting his anger, he went back to the nursing home.

    Upon arrival, Logan discovered his room had been ransacked-everything was gone, even the bed! Enraged, Muff roared, ¡°Logan Farrell! You old coot! Why doesn¡¯t lightning strike you down?!¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Two dayster, the online criticism of Jasper and Willow subsided somewhat. Jasper frequently visited the hospital to see Lily. Except for Juliet, Damian, and Griffin, other members of the Reed family became noticeably less enthusiastic toward Tina; they would only exchange superficial greetings without further conversation. Tina didn¡¯t mind their attitude at all.

    Tina found a teacher for Zackary-Velma! Initially, she nned to ask Professor Lininger for help finding a teacher for Zackary. However, Professor Lininger had gone to personally fetch Amy from the mountains after Carson¡¯s background was rified. Amy was Ethan¡¯s childhood friend and Professor Lininger¡¯s adopted daughter. After graduating, she volunteered to teach in remote areas for twenty years. Given that her teaching location was several thousand kilometers from Ashbury, Professor Lininger felt uneasy letting her travel alone and decided to apany her back.

    Moreover, Carson had left for an academicpetition abroad a month ago and was just preparing to return. With Amy and Carson reuniting with Ethan and Professor Lininger busy with these matters, Tina thought it best to find a kind-hearted teacher to guide Zackary through his psychological trauma from multiple incidents since moving from Ensford to Ashbury. Velma volunteered enthusiastically upon hearing this.

    Tina agreed without hesitation since Velma was not only top of her ss but also had a good temperament. Tina felt reassured having Velma teach Zackary.

    Just as Tina settled Zackary in, Jared called. ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve arrived,¡± Jared¡¯s warm voice carried a unique charm.

    Tina responded affirmatively and headed out. Jared¡¯s car was parked at Whispering Pines¡¯ entrance-it was still that inconspicuous sedan. She opened the door and was about to fasten her seatbelt when Jared beat her to it.

    As he leaned closer to secure her seatbelt, a faint scent of tobo wafted from him-not unpleasant at all. Tina nced at him sideways, ¡°Has Vivienne arrived?¡±

    Vivienne had previously invited her to an art exhibition; though Tina wasn¡¯t particrly interested in art exhibitions, she agreed out of respect for Logan. Originally scheduled for a few days ago, the exhibition had been postponed due to unforeseen events.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jared replied as he started the car in a neutral tone. ¡°She went with Walter.¡±

    Tina paused momentarily, ¡°Walter too?¡±

    ¡°The exhibition is organized by Walter,¡± Jared exined calmly.

    ¡°He¡¯s quite artistic!¡± Tina remarked with a smile.

    Jared chuckled softly, ¡°They¡¯ve been restlesstely.¡±

    Raising an eyebrow, Tina teased, ¡°So Uncle Jared wants me to help you fight monsters?¡±

    Jared cleared his throat lightly before continuing seriously, ¡°Tina, someone within the Farrell family is still hiding in the shadows; I haven¡¯t identified them yet.¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly upward, ¡°Understood.¡±

    They fell silent after that.

    Soon enough, they arrived at the art gallery where Vivienne and Walter were already waiting outside.

    Seeing them approach, Vivienne greeted them warmly with a smile, ¡°Jared, Tina! You¡¯re here?¡±

    Walter merely nced at Jared and Tina with evident impatience and didn¡¯t bother greeting them.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside,¡± Jared responded coolly before leading Tina into the gallery without much expression.

    Watching their retreating figures made Vivienne¡¯s eyes narrow briefly before she quicklyposed herself and followed them inside. Naturally, Walter trailed behind as well.

    Inside the gallery

    The gallery was exquisitely decorated; some paintings on the walls were clearly valuable at first nce. Vivienne soon encountered some acquaintances and went over to greet them while Walter left temporarily to handle some matters as the gallery owner.

    This left only Jared and Tina together.

    As they walked deeper into the gallery ncing at various paintings along their way Tina asked Jared curiously ¡°Are all these painted by him?¡±

    Had she been out of touch with society for too long? She recognized several paintings on these walls but remembered different artists¡¯ names instead of Walter¡¯s!

    ¡°Some are by artists he¡¯s signed contracts with; a small portion is his own work,¡± Jared pointed towards a nearby disy case indicating specific pieces ¡°Mostly those over there.¡±

    Following his direction towards those rather unsophisticated artworks made Tina¡¯s eyebrows twitch slightly in disbelief ¡°That¡¯s definitely his style!¡±

    Jared smirked ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Continuing forward without much interest in these less refined pieces suddenly caught someone¡¯s discussion ¡°This painting is truly remarkable; I think it¡¯s worth collecting more than any other here.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t there an artist¡¯s name? I wanted tomission another piece from them.¡±

    ¡°Can we specify which artist? I¡¯d like one too!¡±

    Intrigued by what could attract such attention amidst these mediocre works Tina walked over followed closely by Jared.

    Stopping before one particr painting, she froze staring intensely radiating an aura of hostility. And noticing something unusual about it, Jared looked up narrowing his eyes too.

    Indeed, its quality stood out among others. Despite being just simple silhouette, the painting conveyed profound solitude through itsposition and colors but what truly shocked them both-the subject depicted within unmistakably resembled Natalie!

 Chapter 348: This Painting is Plagiarized

    At this moment, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted, ¡°Who is the author of this painting? Where are the staff?¡±

    Before long, an art gallery staff member approached. ¡°Hello, sir. How can I assist you?¡±

    ¡°Please contact the author of this painting for me. I want them to create a portrait for my mother¡¯s seventieth birthday.¡±

    The staff member looked at the person apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, sir. The author of this painting is our boss, and he doesn¡¯t take privatemissions.¡±

    As soon as the staff member finished speaking, Tina¡¯s demeanor changed dramatically. Walter, well yed!

    ¡°Can you call your boss over so we can talk?¡± the person persisted.

    Just then, Walter walked over. ¡°Who wants me to paint something?¡±

    The man clearly recognized Walter. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Mr. Farrell? Is this art gallery also yours?¡±

    Everyone in the circle knew about the Farrell family. Whether it was the previously arrogant Nathaniel or Ronan who was always tinkering with motorcycles, everyone knew them. Whether it was Walter, Vivienne, or even the youngest Orson and Sophia, they were all well-known.

    If there was anyone people didn¡¯t know much about, it might be Jared, who was considered disabled by many. Information about him was scarce.

    But everyone else in the Farrell family was recognizable.

    ¡°Of course. You can ask how many art galleries in Ashbury aren¡¯t mine,¡± Walter said disdainfully.

    The man didn¡¯t dare offend Walter and bent his back slightly. ¡°Yes, yes. I wondered why this painting looked so extraordinary; it¡¯s because it¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you appreciate it. As for your mother¡¯s portrait, I¡¯ll have someone from mypany paint it for you as a token of appreciation.¡±

    The man felt humiliated by Walter¡¯s public rejection but could only force a smile and thank him.

    Walter snorted coldly and scanned the crowd until he saw Jared and Tina at the back.

    He smiled and said, ¡°Today is my art exhibition. I¡¯d like to take this opportunity to introduce two distinguished guests.¡±

    He pointed to Jared. ¡°This is my cousin Jared; I¡¯m sure everyone knows him.¡±

    The crowd turned to look and gasped.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Jared supposed to be disabled? How is he standing? Am I seeing things?¡±

    Only a few close families in Ashbury knew that Jared¡¯s legs had been ¡®cured.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t publicly mentioned.

    So many people didn¡¯t know that Jared¡¯s legs were already healed.

    ¡°You¡¯re not seeing things; I saw him walk in earlier. He¡¯s standing right there.¡±

    ¡°My goodness! The Farrell family really has deep pockets. They must have found some miracle doctor to cure his disability!¡±

    ¡°Knowing such a powerful doctor solidifies the Farrell family¡¯s position in Ashbury even more.¡±

    While people were still talking, Walter pointed at Tina and continued, ¡°This is his fiancee, Tina. She and my cousin are already engaged.¡±

    After the Reed family hosted their engagement banquet, the Farrell family nned to hold another event to publicly announce Tina and Jared¡¯s engagement. However, due to Logan identally sitting in Jared¡¯s car and getting attacked, the event was postponed indefinitely.

    Tina didn¡¯t want to set a date because she had been very busytely and didn¡¯t have time for any banquets.

    As a result, many people still didn¡¯t know that Tina was Jared¡¯s fiancee.

    Although Mack had livestreamed twice before and many younger people online knew about their rtionship, most of today¡¯s attendees werepany directors who rarely paid attention to gossip news.

    So no one here knew.

    When everyone focused on Tina, some were stunned.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she Tina from the Reed family?¡±

    The Reed family had hosted an event for Tina that caught everyone¡¯s attention within their circle.

    After all, Jasper¡¯s devotion to Natalie was something everyone admired and called a fairy-tale romance.

    And recently they had acknowledged Lily into their family, pushing the Reed family into the spotlight again.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    So every member of the Reed family had been scrutinized byizens due to their high profile; these industry insiders couldn¡¯t help but notice them.

    ¡°No wonder I saw Jared close to Miss Reed at the engagement banquetst time; it turns out the Farrell and Reed families are joining forces.¡±

    ¡°The top two families are forming an alliance! That¡¯s a powerfulbination!¡±

    ¡°I must say, Miss Reed is truly beautiful. She¡¯s dressed simply but looks like she stepped out of a painting.¡±

    Listening to everyone¡¯s praise made Walter¡¯s face darken. He wasn¡¯t here to hear peoplepliment Jared and Tina.

    With Nathaniel out of the picture, no one could stand in his way anymore.

    Walter smiled and said, ¡°You two got engaged without me preparing a gift. Today I¡¯ll give this painting as a gift to my sister-inw.¡±

    He pointed at the painting¡¯s frame. ¡°And let¡¯s have Tina give us her critique.¡±

    All eyes turned to Tina. As the daughter of the Reed family, evaluating a painting should be no problem for her.

    Tina looked up at him with her hands in her pockets and a hint of defiance in her demeanor. ¡°How dare you ask me to critique a giarized painting?¡±

    Everyone was shocked!

    giarized?

    How could that be?

    They had never seen another artist disy this painting before today.

    Walter¡¯s eyes shed with surprise but quickly regainedposure. ¡°I kindly offer you a gift, yet you reject it with such an usation? Do you know that using an artist of giarism is one of the greatest insults?¡±

    Tinaughed mischievously. ¡°So you¡¯re sure you didn¡¯t giarize?¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡¯m sure!¡± Walter replied confidently.

    As soon as he spoke, someone backed him up. ¡°Miss Reed, you shouldn¡¯t make baseless usations without evidence.¡±

    ¡°Yes, if you im Mr. Farrell giarized, where¡¯s your proof?¡±

    Tina nced at these two men-they were the ones who wanted Walter to paint earlier-and then looked back at Walter with a cold smile. ¡°When did you paint this?¡±

    ¡°A few years ago!¡± Walter answered without hesitation.

    Tina sneered. ¡°A few years ago? Using paint that was only released this year?¡±

    Walter froze for a moment; she could even tell that!

    Indeed, this painting used paint that had only been developed this year.

    This new paint had brighter colors and longer oxidation times; most artists were using it now.

    ¡°Yes, this painting does use new paint because its colors are more precise and easier to mix,¡± Walter admitted reluctantly.

    ¡°That¡¯s right; it¡¯s newly developed paint-I just bought some yesterday.¡±

 Chapter 349: I am Eva Sanders

    Walter listened to the discussions around him, his face turning grim. He looked up at Tina. ¡°Just because of some paint, you use me of giarism? That¡¯s quite a wild im.¡± His voice wavered with guilt. The painting was indeed giarized. He had seen it in a famous local art gallery during a trip. It was not for sale and only on disy for three days. He took a photo andter copied it for an exhibition at his gallery. He never expected Tina to find out. She grew up in the mountains and had only recently returned to the Reed family. How could she possibly know?

    Tina lifted her eyes, her expression nk. ¡°The painting is called Reminiscence, created by an artist reminiscing about her mother. The bracelet and clothing in the painting were personally chosen by the original artist for her mother. This painting has only been exhibited abroad and is not for sale!¡± Her gaze was sharp like an arrow. ¡°Did you check who the original artist was before you giarized it? Do you think you can afford to offend her?¡± Her demeanor suddenly turned dangerous.

    This painting was created tomemorate her mother, capturing the most vivid memory she had of her before she died. That day was the only time her mother took her to the mall since they had been on the run. Her mother bought many things for her but nothing for herself. Tina lied that she loved seeing her mother wear that bracelet, so her mother bought it to make her happy. The clothes were also bought at her request. That day, watching her mother¡¯s back as she paid, Tina felt it was the happiest day of her life. But that night, her mother took poison andmitted suicide, wearing the clothes and bracelet Tina had chosen.

    During those years at Serenity Ridge, every time she thought of that scene, she painted it down and kept it well-preserved. Later, when she had to leave Serenity Ridge, she left the painting behind. Yuchi Xuan found it while cleaning and sent it out under her name because he thought it was beautiful. Soon after, someone contacted her wanting to exhibit the painting. She refused several times until they offered terms she couldn¡¯t reject but made it clear the painting was not for sale. It was disyed for only three days before being taken down.

    Walter was shaken by her aura but still tried to defend himself. ¡°You speak so confidently; then tell me who the original artist is? Does this artist have other works? An artist capable of such a masterpiece can¡¯t possibly have just one work.¡±

    Tina lifted her eyelids slightly. ¡°Her name is Eva Sanders!¡±

    ¡°Eva Sanders!¡± someone eximed suddenly.

    ¡°Eva Sanders is a very mysterious painter; many countries have invited her to paint, but she refused.¡±

    ¡°Not only that, Eva Sanders¡¯ paintings are full of soul; each one starts at a million dors in auctions, and many people pay high prices to collect them.¡±

    Walter panicked; he didn¡¯t expect Tina to know so much, even the name of the artist.

    Suppressing his panic, he raised his voice, ¡°You say it¡¯s Eva Sanders; does that make it true? Everyone knows her paintings are auctioned by national art galleries; if it¡¯s really hers, why would this one be here?¡±

    He stubbornly refused to admit it. After all, Eva Sanders¡¯ paintings were either in national galleries or privately collected-never publicly avable! Tina was just a recently acknowledged daughter of the Reed family; could she really bring Eva Sanders here?

    Tina¡¯s cold eyes nced at him as she slowly smiled, ¡°During those years in the mountains, I dabbled in painting under the name Eva Sanders. What do you think about that?¡±

    Everyone present was shocked.

    Eva Sanders turned out to be Tina?

    How could that be possible?

    She wasn¡¯t even twenty yet; how could she create such astonishing works?

    ¡°Ha! What a coincidence!¡± Walter sneered. ¡°But I advise you to change your name; I understand you want fame, but associating with Eva Sanders isn¡¯t that easy.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Tina indifferently withdrew her gaze and dialed a number on her phone.

    Soon, someone answered respectfully on the other end, ¡°Miss Eva Sanders, what brings you to call today? Do you have new work?¡±

    Tina put the call on speakerphone; everyone present was stunned!

    Even Walter froze!

    That voice¡­

    Wasn¡¯t that the secretary of the national art gallery¡¯s director?Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Any painter would dream of having their work in a national art gallery; once there, their fame would skyrocket.

    Tina actually knew the gallery director¡¯s secretary? And did he just address Tina as Miss Eva Sanders?

    How could this be?

    Before he could react, Tina coldly said into the phone, ¡°Mr. Walter Farrell giarized my Reminiscence; how should we handle this?¡±

    The person on the other end paused briefly before replying seriously, ¡°I will investigate this matter thoroughly! We will immediately file awsuit against him in your name and close his gallery!¡±

    ¡°Alright! You handle it,¡± Tina said and hung up.

    Walter was stunned.

    Awsuit? Close his gallery?

    How could this be?

    His gallery had just opened not long ago; this exhibition was meant to boost his reputation. If it got closed down now, how could he continue in this field?

    He was about to speak when a staff member hurried over. ¡°Boss, bad news! The national art gallery sent us a legal notice and ordered us to clear out all paintings from our exhibition hall immediately.¡±

    Another staff member rushed over right after him. ¡°Bad news! Some people outside iming to be from the national art gallery said they are here to close us down!¡±

    Walter was dumbfounded by this series of events!

    ¡°How could this happen?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe his well-prepared exhibition would be shut down in an instant.

    Walter red at Tina angrily through gritted teeth. ¡°It¡¯s you! It¡¯s all because of you! You¡¯re nothing but trouble! Ever since you got engaged to Jared, nothing good has happened-first Nathaniel ended up in jail because of you, and now you¡¯re ruining my exhibition!¡±

    He charged forward furiously yelling, ¡°You wretch! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Jared stepped in front of Tina and grabbed Walter¡¯s wrist with one hand, his face expressionless and cold. ¡°Touch her and see what happens.¡±

 Chapter 350: Give Me Some Face

    Jared¡¯s grip was strong, causing Walter to grimace in pain. ¡°Ah! It hurts, it hurts!¡± Jared looked at him coldly, his voice icy. ¡°What did you just call her?¡± ¡°I-I didn¡¯t insult her, I called myself a fool!¡± Walter quickly said. He had no other virtues, butpared to Nathaniel, his greatest strength was his ability to adapt.

    Jared released him without expression and said in a deep voice, ¡°From today on, all your galleries will be closed. You have one day to do it. If you can¡¯t, I¡¯ll personally tear them down!¡± Copying Tina¡¯s most cherished work-her painting dedicated to her mother-was something he could not tolerate. Walter felt a surge of resentment but dared not show it on his face as he looked at Jared and Tina¡¯s murderous gazes. ¡°No matter what, I¡¯m still your cousin. Treating me like this in public doesn¡¯t just disgrace me; it disgraces the Farrell family. Have you thought about that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s you who are disgracing yourself. What does that have to do with me or Tina?¡± Jared casually adjusted his slightly messy clothes,pletely indifferent to the family¡¯s reputation. If not for the fact that the Farrell family was built up by his grandfather, did these people think he would stay? Jared never needed the Farrell family¡¯s halo to survive.

    ¡°But you¡¯re also part of this family!¡± Walter shouted indignantly. He had never been able topete with Jared since childhood and thought that once Jared was out of the picture, no one could stop him. But he was wrong; Jared was never useless-he had been pretending!

    ¡°So?¡± Jared raised an eyebrow, looking at him with eyes devoid of warmth. Walter was furious. Why could Jared remain so detached? How did his disgrace benefit Jared? But clearly, Jared was determined to shut down his galleries. These galleries were his investment for smoothly taking over the Farrell family in the future. If they were closed, how could hepete with Jared? No way! The galleries must stay open!

    Thinking of this, Walter suddenly shouted, ¡°Vivienne! Where are you? If you don¡¯te out now, I¡¯ll be forced to death by Jared!¡± Vivienne, who had been watching coldly from the crowd, showed a hint of disdain in her eyes.

    Fool! Don¡¯t you know your own limits? Causing trouble for Tina at the gallery! With how much Jared protects Tina like she¡¯s his heart and soul, do you think he¡¯ll let you off?

    Vivienneposed herself and stepped forward. She nced at Walter and then at Jared, asking in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±

    ¡°Vivienne, you¡¯ve been close with Jared since childhood. Help me out here; I don¡¯t want to close my galleries!¡± Walter grabbed onto this lifeline urgently.

    In the entire Farrell family, besides Orson, only Vivienne had a good rtionship with Jared. Everyone else had their own agendas.

    Vivienne frowned slightly. ¡°What did you do? Why does Jared want you to close your galleries?¡± Walter was exasperated but had no choice but to exin the situation since he needed Vivienne¡¯s help.

    After hearing it all, Vivienne scolded him, ¡°You¡¯re really muddle-headed! If you want to be an artist, focus on creating your own work. Why copy? Tina said she painted that piece in memory of her mother. How could she not be angry when you copied it?¡±

    Walter was furious and wanted to curse! I asked you to help me, not scold me!

    Vivienne red at him before turning to Tina. ¡°Tina, I¡¯m sorry; I didn¡¯t know about this. If I had known earlier, I would¡¯ve advised my brother against it. Can you give me some face and let this go?¡±

    Tina looked at her with a half-smile. ¡°You mean I should just let it go after being giarized?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Vivienne replied after thinking for a moment. ¡°My brother is indeed wrong and should be punished.¡± She paused before continuing, ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll give you a set of jewelry I recently designed; it¡¯s not yet showcased. Can I use it as an apology on my brother¡¯s behalf?¡±

    Tina smirked. ¡°Cousin, do you think I¡¯m short on jewelry?¡±

    Vivienne hesitated before saying again, ¡°Then how aboutpensation? Name your price; as long as we can afford it, we¡¯ll try our best to meet it.¡±

    Tina nced at her briefly before replying sarcastically, ¡°Do I look poor?¡±

    Cole: Very poor!

    Jayden: Extremely poor!

    Her nine brothers from Serenity Ridge: No! Our Serena is the richest in our country; if shecks money, we are here for her!

    A cold light shed in Vivienne¡¯s eyes.

    So stubborn.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you name your terms?¡± Vivienne continued in a gentle tone.

    Tina turned to Jared and asked sweetly, ¡°Uncle, what do you think?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Seeing Tina seek Jared¡¯s opinion made Vivienne quickly interject, ¡°Jared, please consider we¡¯re family and persuade Tina not to hold a grudge.¡±

    Jared looked at her impassively without speaking.

    Vivienne persisted, ¡°Or please consider my face? As long as Tina lets this go, we¡¯llpensate.¡±

    Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Jared¡¯s thin lips as he turned to Tina. ¡°Shall we give our cousin some face?¡±

    Tina smiled back. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s give cousin some face!¡±

    Vivienne was somewhat surprised; she hadn¡¯t expected her face held such weight with Jared.

    She smiled gratefully and said, ¡°Thank you both. Tina if there¡¯s anypensation you¡¯d like, just let me know.¡±

    Tina propped her chin with one hand and thought for a moment before saying lightly, ¡°Then just give me money!¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Vivienne agreed readily. ¡°How about one billion dors?¡±

    Tina gave her a look as if she were being insulted.

    Vivienne paused before asking again tentatively, ¡°Too little? How about three billion?¡±

    They had saved nearly ten billion over the years; giving away three billion wasn¡¯t an issue.

    Mainly because gaining more trust from Jared would make things easier in the future.

    Tina remained silent.

    Seeing this reaction made Vivienne frown almost imperceptibly before asking again softly: ¡°What amount do you think is appropriate?¡±

    ¡°One hundred billion,¡± Tina replied calmly!

    ¡°What!!¡± Walter suddenly screamed out loud: ¡°One hundred billion? Why don¡¯t you go robbing banks instead? Even robbing banks won¡¯t get that much money! How big is your face anyway? For copying your lousy painting-you demand one hundred billion?¡±

    Vivienne¡¯s face also darkened visibly!

    They only had around one hundred billion total assets; how could they possibly give all of it away?

    This damn girl must have calcted their wealth when making such demands!

    Jared cast an indifferent nce at him before taking Tina¡¯s hand and turning away: ¡°Tina let¡¯s go tear down those galleries.¡±

    Walter immediately fell silent.

    These two bastards!

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Vivienne suddenly called after them: ¡°Fine-one hundred billion!¡±

 Chapter 351: The Person in This Painting Looks Like My Daughter

    Walter was stunned by what he heard and didn¡¯t recover for a long time. After a while, he snapped back to reality and angrily yelled at Vivienne, ¡°Are you crazy? Giving them ten billion dors? Do you think we have too much money?¡±

    Ten billion dors could fund numerous art galleries. Giving away this amount of money made him question Vivienne¡¯s sanity.

    Vivienne nced at him coldly, then turned to Tina and Jared. ¡°Give me an ount number, and I¡¯ll transfer the money to you.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t doing this for Walter but to prevent Jared and Tina from tearing down other art galleries. Some of the galleries Walter managed were involved in illicit activities that must remain hidden. She had worked hard to establish them, and no one in the family knew about it-not even Walter. If these activities were discovered, she could lose nearly thirty billion dors. Compared to that, protecting these secrets was worth the ten billion.

    Moreover, she didn¡¯t believe Jared would target them without reason. Mr. Daryl¡¯s status was enough to ce him at the pinnacle; he wouldn¡¯t care about a few art galleries or even billions of dors. But his insistence on dismantling the galleries suggested he knew something.

    It seemed Jared couldn¡¯t be allowed to stay any longer. His existence posed the greatest threat to her. With Jared around, not only would she lose the inheritance rights if the old man died, but she would also face constant danger.

    Once Jared was gone, the rest of the Farrell family wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against her.

    Tina raised an eyebrow and looked at her meaningfully. ¡°Alright,¡± she said and promptly provided an ount number.

    Vivienne said, ¡°Ten billion is not a small amount. I¡¯ll discuss it with my family and ensure it¡¯s transferred by tonight.¡±

    She spoke confidently, showing no concern about whether Alexander and ra would agree to give the money.

    Tina nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Then she called the secretary of the National Art Gallery.

    Soon, those who hade to seal off the gallery left.

    Walter was furious that Vivienne had so easily agreed to give away ten billion dors. He turned and left without even caring about the guests at the gallery. He needed to go home and tell his parents not to give this money.

    Vivienne exchanged a few words with Jared and Tina before leaving as well.

    After they left, Jared and Tina were about to leave when someone called out to them.

    ¡°Youngdy! Can you sell me that painting you¡¯re holding?¡±

    Tina turned around to see an elderly man leaning on a cane. His hair was almost entirely white except for a few ck strands. He looked about seventy years old, dressed in simple clothes but exuding a powerful aura. His aged, cloudy eyes held a sharp glint.

    Tina paused for a moment before saying, ¡°This painting is a copy.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± the old man replied. ¡°But you won¡¯t sell me the original, will you?¡±

    Tina smiled and nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°The person in this painting looks very familiar to me. I want to buy it to search for someone,¡± the old man exined without hiding anything. ¡°I hope you can sell it to me.¡±

    Tina looked up at him. ¡°You recognize the person in this painting?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    It was just a back view; unless someone was very familiar with the person, they wouldn¡¯t think they knew them.

    ¡°She has a mole behind her ear,¡± the old man said with a hint of sadness in his voice. ¡°My lost daughter also has a mole behind her ear. Although it might not be her, I want to check.¡±

    Hearing this, Tina¡¯s grip on the painting tightened suddenly. ¡°Your daughter? What¡¯s her name?¡±

    ¡°Her name is Alina!¡± The old man couldn¡¯t hold back his tears as he mentioned her name. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for her for thirty years without any news until recently when I heard she had been in Ashbury, so I came here to look.¡±

    Tina was stunned for a moment-Alina? It was a beautiful name. She hadn¡¯t met anyone named Alina before, but why did she vaguely remember hearing it somewhere?

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to sell it, I won¡¯t force you,¡± the old man continued after seeing her hesitation. ¡°But I heard you say that the person in this painting is your mother-is she no longer alive?¡±

    Before he could finish speaking, Tina interrupted him with a simple ¡°Yes.¡±

    The old man felt apologetic upon hearing this. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing up something painful.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tina said quietly, lost in thought.

    ¡°Forgive my intrusion,¡± he continued cautiously. ¡°The mole behind your mother¡¯s ear is exactly like my daughter¡¯s. May I ask if you know much about your maternal grandfather¡¯s family?¡±

    ¡°They¡­¡± Tina¡¯s expression turned icy cold suddenly. ¡°They¡¯re all in prison!¡±

    Her mother had personally sent them there after they began their escape together and sought out the Whittaker family in Ashbury.

    That was her first encounter with her maternal grandparents¡¯ family, but it showed her how some parents could be so unloving towards their children.

    Her grandfather wanted to save his only son in the Whittaker family so much that he forced her grandmother to make her mother sleep with him and have another child. Her mother was shocked and had a huge argument with them.

    At that time, her mother¡¯s medical skills were not advanced yet, so when her grandmother gave her a bowl of porridge she had cooked herself, her mother was overjoyed because it was the first time her grandmother had cooked for her since she could remember; she had always done all the cooking,undry, and cleaning herself.

    Her mother was so happy that she didn¡¯t realize there were drugs in that porridge.

    She watched helplessly as she was carried into her grandfather¡¯s room and saw him undress in front of her-she felt utterly hopeless!

    Later on, with herst bit of strength, she grabbed a vase from the table and smashed it over his head before running away from home.

    When they returned to the Whittaker family that day, it was just to ask if they had felt any guilt over these years since she hadn¡¯t been home.

    But they showed no remorse whatsoever; instead, they surrounded them and tried to send them off to a nightclub.

    Her mother couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and handed over all evidence against the Whittaker family she had collected over time to the police-none of them escaped; they were all arrested.

    Tina didn¡¯t know what evidence her mother had gathered against them but knew their crimes weren¡¯t light; they received sentences of at least fifty years each!

    The old man was taken aback but quickly apologized upon seeing Tina¡¯s grim expression again: ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Tina snapped back from her thoughts and handed him the painting: ¡°Take it; it¡¯s not mine anyway.¡±

    With those words said, and without lingering any longer, she turned around and left immediately afterward.

    Just as she turned away though, a familiar figure caught her eye; she froze instantly!

    Seeing that she¡¯d noticed him, the person quickly turned around too-and left hurriedly thereafter!

    Snapping back into reality abruptly, Tina chased after him swiftly!

    Jared stood there bewildered by what just happened-but before he could follow suit-Tina called out: ¡°Call Dexter! I saw Master!¡±

 Chapter 352: Master Tam Alive?

    Jared was stunned. Tina¡¯s master? Wasn¡¯t he dead? After a moment, his eyes narrowed, and he picked up his phone to call Dexter. He had saved Dexter¡¯s number when hest investigated Tina¡¯s brothers. As soon as the call connected, Jared said, ¡°Tina said she saw your master. Go find him!¡± He instantly understood what Tina meant. Although she didn¡¯t explicitly ask Dexter to search for him, Jared knew the girl wanted to find her master.

    On the other end of the line, Dexter paused before quickly responding, ¡°Got it.¡± After hanging up, Dexter sent a message in their group chat: ¡°Everyone assemble. Serena saw the master. Search within Ashbury!¡± The group chat exploded with messages.

    James: ¡°Is that old guy back from the dead?¡±

    Damian: ¡°I just killed a white mouse and my eyes are blurry. Are you sure Serena saw the master?¡±

    Liam: ¡°I get it now. That old guy is ying us! He didn¡¯tmit suicide by poisoning himself; he was testing histest fake death drug and then disappeared!¡±

    Hayden: ¡°That heartless old man! I cried so much when I heard he died! Master, give me back my tears!¡±

    Messages flooded in one after another.

    Dexter was speechless: ¡°Stop talking and start searching! Serena didn¡¯t call us herself; the old man must have run away.¡±

    Hayden immediately got excited: ¡°Right! We can¡¯t let him escape. We must catch him and get an exnation!¡±

    The nine of them sprang into action, working together to search for him.

    At the art gallery, Jared called Nathan Lehman to help Dexter with the search. Tina ran too fast; by the time Jared finished notifying everyone, she had already disappeared. He decided to wait there.

    About an hourter, Tina returned with a cold expression on her face. Jared asked, ¡°Couldn¡¯t catch up?¡±

    Tina shook her head, looking frustrated. ¡°For someone his age, he¡¯s surprisingly fit!¡± She prided herself on her tracking skills but found them useless against her master. She chased him through several streets before he vanished right in front of her eyes.

    Jared looked at her and asked, ¡°You always knew he wasn¡¯t dead?¡±

    Tina took out her phone and called Dexter to tell them to stop searching before answering Jared. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Her master thought he had hidden well, but she had long suspected something was off. His grave was next to her mother¡¯s, and when she visited her mother¡¯s grave, she noticed that the soil on his grave looked disturbed. Master Tam was famous nationwide and had many enemies. Fearing someone might have tampered with his body, she dug up the grave only to find the coffin empty.

    The old man had pulled a fast one on her, leaving her with all his responsibilities while he went off to enjoy himself.

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t want to see you, he must have something important to do. When he¡¯s ready, he¡¯lle out on his own,¡± Jared gently consoled.

    Tina paused for a moment before saying seriously, ¡°Who wants to see him? I want my money back! He borrowed a thousand dors from me before ¡®dying¡¯ and never paid me back!¡±

    Jared was speechless. Tina! Can¡¯t you be more generous? A thousand dors? I¡¯ll give it to you!

    Tina seemed to know what he was thinking and suddenly became serious. ¡°That thousand dors was my sry! The old man only gave me twenty dors a month! I saved for five years!¡±

    She had only started earning money herself in the past two years; before that, she rarely left the mountain except for essential exams or academic research.

    So that thousand dors was a significant amount!

    The old man was hical! He cheated her out of a thousand dors and then ¡®died¡¯!

    Jared coughed lightly. ¡°Next time we see him, I¡¯ll help you catch him and make him pay you back a hundred times over!¡±

    Master Tam: Kid, watch your mouth! Don¡¯t forget who¡¯s standing in front of you!

    Jared: ¡­

    Tina smiled. ¡°That sounds good!¡±

    It was almost time for dinner. Jared took Tina out for a meal before dropping her off at Whispering Pines.

    Although he wanted Tina to move in with him, they both had important matters to attend to right now, so their rtionship had to wait.

    After dropping Tina off at Whispering Pines, Jared went to his private apartment.

    Hugo and Jennie were staying there temporarily because they couldn¡¯t be too conspicuous at the moment and rarely went out.

    Jared regrly visited them and helped Hugo with some work-rted matters.

    Hugo¡¯spany was running smoothly now; however, since it wasn¡¯t safe for him to appear publicly yet, Jared managed everything on the surface.

    They nned to set an official opening date after things settled down.

    Currently, their main focus was factory production and operations, which weren¡¯t too demanding.

    At Whispering Pines, Tina entered to find Annabelle talking with Garrett and Luna in the living room.

    Seeing here in, Annabelle nced up. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±

    Compared to before, Annabelle¡¯s attitude towards Tina had be much colder.

    Garrett and Luna merely nodded at Tina.

    Tina looked at them briefly and responded indifferently before heading upstairs without saying much more.

    As she reached the staircase, she heard Annabelle say, ¡°I understand; I¡¯ll talk to her about it.¡±

    Tina paused momentarily but then continued upstairs without looking back and went straight to Zackary¡¯s room.

    As she approached the door, she heardughter from inside-both Velma¡¯s and Zackary¡¯s voices mingling harmoniously.

    It seemed Velma made an excellent tutor for Zackary.

    After lingering for a moment longer, Tina turned away and went back to her room.

    Just as she entered, Cole came in through the window.

    Tina looked up at him and poured him a ss of water. ¡°Any news?¡±

    Cole took a sip and nodded. ¡°Yes, Wraith just arrived in Ashbury and went straight to Reed family¡¯s private hospital.¡±

    He checked his watch. ¡°They should have started treating Lily by now.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina said calmly as if she¡¯d expected this oue all along.

    ¡°Fat Seven followed Wraith back,¡± Cole added as he ced his ss on the table. ¡°I intercepted him halfway. Serena, what do you want me to do with Fat Seven?¡±

    ¡°Let him rest for now; I¡¯ll handle itter,¡± Tina replied.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Cole hesitated before asking another question. ¡°With Wraith¡¯s medical skills, he¡¯ll definitely cure Lily. Should we just let him treat her?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. ¡°Let him treat her! Lily isn¡¯t important; what¡¯s important is that I¡¯ve already got the answers I needed.¡±

 Chapter 353: Ian Brookes

    At the entrance of the art gallery, Ian Brookes held the copied painting Tina had given him and sighed softly. He had been standing there for hours after everyone else had left, staring at the painting. The more he looked at it, the more familiar the figure in the painting seemed to him. But clearly, this figure was different from Alina. Perhaps he was just getting old and mistaken.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    When Alina went missing, she was only ten years old. The figure in the painting appeared to be around thirty-five, a significant age difference that made it hard for him to identify any resemnce. Was it just because of that mole?

    Just then, a man in a ck suit hurried over. ¡°Dad, I only lost sight of you for a moment, and you came here? If something happened to you, my brothers would tear my head off.¡± He was Ian Brookes¡¯ fourth son, Jack.

    Ian Brookes nced at him with an air of authority. ¡°What? Do I need your permission to go somewhere?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Jack said helplessly. Ever since their sister went missing, their father had been displeased with his sons for over thirty years, never showing them a kind face.

    Jack sighed and said, ¡°Your health isn¡¯t good. You should let me know where you¡¯re going so we don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Ian Brookes snorted coldly. ¡°Instead of worrying about me, go find Alina!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already sent people out to look again,¡± Jack replied.

    Ian Brookes looked down at the painting in his hand and handed it to Jack after a moment of silence. ¡°Check on this person. The owner of this figure is deceased. She has a daughter named Tina Reed.¡±

    Jack nced at the painting and was stunned. He then eximed, ¡°This mole! It¡¯s exactly like our sister¡¯s! Dad, how did you get this painting?¡±

    ¡°Why do you ask so many questions?¡± Ian Brookes shot him a cold look and said expressionlessly, ¡°Tina has a fiance named Jared Farrell. Look into them and see if you can find any clues about Alina!¡±

    ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll have someone investigate immediately!¡± Jack said excitedly. After their sister went missing years ago, they had exhausted all family resources but found nothing. Now they finally had a trace but suddenly lost it again-until they got this painting.

    The mole behind the ear in the painting was identical to their sister¡¯s. Jack had a feeling they might have found a clue about her.

    Ian Brookes looked at him with disdain and said, ¡°Hurry up and get out of my sight! Seeing you all annoys me!¡±

    Jack sighed internally. While other families favored sons over daughters, their father seemed to favor daughters over sons-disdaining them like stray cats or dogs.

    Jack couldn¡¯t leave his father alone outside and said, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go home first. Trust me; I¡¯ll find our sister.¡±

    If he didn¡¯t take his father home, his brothers would tear him apart!

    Ian Brookes roared, ¡°Go home? As long as Alina isn¡¯t back, I¡¯m not going back! Also, I¡¯m officially informing you to buy me a house here; I¡¯m staying for a while.¡±

    He felt an inexplicable familiarity with Tina and needed to understand why he felt this way toward her.

    ¡°What!¡± Jack eximed. ¡°You want to stay in Ashbury? No way! It¡¯s too dangerous here; you muste back with me!¡±

    Before he could finish speaking, Ian Brookes hit him on the head with his cane. Jack winced in pain as his father angrily said, ¡°Just do as I say! What¡¯s dangerous here? Wolves or tigers? Let anyonee; I¡¯ll knock their teeth out!¡±

    Jack sighed butplied. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get you settled first.¡±

    He needed to inform his brothers quickly so they could arrange protection for their father.

    As Jack tried to help him up, Ian Brookes pushed him away coldly saying, ¡°Since when did I need help walking?¡±

    Jack remained silent; anything he said would be wrong.

    Ian Brookes nced at him without much expression and said, ¡°Until we find Alina, I¡¯ll stay alive no matter what-even if Death himselfes for me!¡±

    Jack felt helpless; their father¡¯s health had been poor for years but he stubbornly refused to rest.

    ¡°Hurry up and get me that house! Do you want me to freeze out here?¡± Ian Brookes shouted angrily at his son.

    Raising sons was useless; they were nothing but troublepared to daughters who were caring and considerate.

    His Alina was wonderful-always clinging to him as a child, sharing her favorite treats with him. Her first words every morning were always calling out for her parents lovingly.

    She wouldfort him when he was angry by patting his back gently and singing softly: ¡°Daddy don¡¯t be mad; Alina will sing for you.¡±

    She would cry when he got hurt and try to soothe him: ¡°Daddy let me blow on it; it¡¯ll stop hurting.¡±

    These memories from before she turned five were etched deeply in his mind.

    But these sons-what good were they? They only knew how to anger him!

    Jack sighed internally again; silence was golden.

    ¡ª

    Farrell Family

    After Walter and Vivienne returned home together, Walter immediately sought out ra.

    ¡°Mom! You have to stop Vivienne! She wants to give Tina a billion dors!¡± Walter raged.

    The thought of losing such an amount pained him deeply.

    ra almost dropped her million-dor ne upon hearing this. She hastily caught it before looking at Vivienne incredulously. ¡°Are you crazy? Giving them a billion dors? Do you think money grows on trees?¡±

    Over the years they had saved just about that much!

    Vivienne calmly nced at Walter before saying expressionlessly: ¡°Ask your son what he did first.¡±

    ra then turned towards Walter and asked sternly: ¡°What did you do?¡±

 Chapter 354: Lily Returns to Whispering Pines

    Walter felt a bit embarrassed. After all, painting was his pride and joy, something he loved to show off. But now, having been publicly exposed by Tina for giarism, he had to tell his parents about it, which was utterly humiliating. Seeing ra and Vivienne staring at him, Walter angrily shouted, ¡°So what if I giarized Tina¡¯s painting? How was I supposed to know she was Eva Sanders? If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have done it!¡±

    ¡°What giarism?¡± ra looked puzzled. ¡°Weren¡¯t you attending your art exhibition today? How could there be giarism?¡± She had great faith in her son¡¯s abilities. Although she didn¡¯t understand art, Walter¡¯s paintings were always pleasing to the eye.

    Walter exined the whole story to her. ra¡¯s eyebrows instantly furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s just a painting. Why is she being so aggressive? She¡¯s going to marry into the Farrell family in the future. Does she think there¡¯s any benefit in making us look bad?¡±

    Vivienne nced at her and then went straight to sit on the sofa, saying calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s any benefit for her, but this money must be paid.¡±

    ra immediately objected, ¡°The money is in our hands. If we don¡¯t want to give it, can she force us?¡± This wasn¡¯t a small amount of money. Giving away this billion dors would leave them with nothing.

    Walter nodded in agreement. ¡°Exactly! We won¡¯t give it to her; what can she do?¡±

    Vivienne¡¯s eyes shed with coldness. ¡°So you want them to close down our galleries?¡±

    ¡°Just a few galleries; let them close!¡± Annabelle said indifferently. ¡°At worst, I¡¯ll open new ones for my son!¡±

    Vivienne sneered. ¡°If you want my brother¡¯s career ruined, then don¡¯t pay.¡±

    ra couldn¡¯t listen anymore. The thought of giving away a billion dors made her ufortable all over. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not taking out that money.¡±

    ¡°Right! A billion dors could open countless galleries. Why should we make it easy for Jared and Tina?¡± Walter added.

    Vivienne nced at him and then looked at Alexander, who had been silently listening while holding a cup of water since she entered the room. ¡°Dad, what do you think?¡±

    Being asked by Vivienne, Alexander finally put down his cup and said, ¡°I agree with your mother. We¡¯re all blood rtives, and Jared is the old man¡¯s chosen heir. In the future, his assets will far exceed ours. There¡¯s no reason for him to take ours too. I won¡¯t take out this money.¡±

    Vivienne¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°Even if it means losing everything we have?¡±

    Alexander was taken aback. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Vivienne took out her phone and showed Alexander a photo. ¡°I found this in Jared¡¯s room; he¡¯s investigating you! Dad, what do you think Grandpa will do when he finds out you¡¯ve been evading taxes and recing top-quality materials with inferior ones?¡±

    Alexander stiffened all over. The old man would not hesitate to send him to prison and even kick them out of the Farrell family!

    Alexander¡¯s brows slowly furrowed, and after a moment, he spoke slowly, ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the money and transfer it tonight.¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡± Walter shouted in disbelief.

    If they handed over the money so easily, what would they do afterward?

    ¡°Shut up! If you hadn¡¯t insisted on giarizing Tina¡¯s work, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess!¡± Alexander roared.

    Walter instinctively shrank back. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t expect this to happen either. But we don¡¯t need to give them the money directly; they have no evidence that those things were done by you. Even if they take it to Grandpa, we still have a case.¡±

    Alexander replied coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no case! Those things can be easily traced.¡±

    ¡°Honey?¡± ra was worried.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s just temporary. We¡¯ll get it back eventually.¡± ra had been with Alexander for many years; although their rtionship wasn¡¯t deeply affectionate, there was basic trust.

    In the end, ra also nodded in agreement.

    Seeing this scene made Walter furious inside.

    Why were his parents willing to give up a billion dors just because of a few words from Vivienne?

    Could Vivienne be siding with Jared and Tina?

    But he couldn¡¯t stop them now.

    Two dayster.

    Lily was discharged from the hospital.

    Jasper informed everyone at home to wee her back.

    Tina was ying anime toys with Zackary while Jared apanied them.

    During weekdays, Velma had sses.

    Over the past few days, Zackary¡¯s condition had improved significantly.

    Upon hearing Jasper¡¯s notice, Tina raised an eyebrow.

    It really was an order without any discussion!

    She and Jared took Zackary downstairs and saw Lily walking in with Jasper.

    Although Lily stood behind Jasper, she looked as proud as a peacock with its tail fanned out.

    Her smug gaze swept past Tina and finallynded on Jared.

    That aggressive look of wanting to conquer Jared made people want to knock her arrogance down a notch.

    Tina¡¯s gaze briefly rested on Lily before sweeping away lightly.

    When Lily noticed Tina staring at her, goosebumps rose all over her body; she clenched her fingers tightly for some sense of security.

    She still couldn¡¯t forget the scene where Tina beat her up.

    Jasper walked to the main seat beside Annabelle and nced at everyone present. ¡°Now that everyone is here, I have something to say: I¡¯m nning to hold a banquet for Lily.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juliet was the first to shout in surprise. ¡°How can that be?¡±

    She never expected such words from Jasper¡¯s mouth.

    After all, Lily was just an illegitimate daughter-a stain on Jasper¡¯s record.

    But now¡­

    Griffin also frowned with a displeased expression.

    Only Annabelle, Garrett¡¯s couple, and Esther seemed unsurprised and remained silent.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Juliet frowned at Jasper. ¡°Jasper, while I respect your decision, this might not be appropriate. She¡¯s an illegitimate child; what right does she have for a banquet?¡±

    Tina also looked at Jasper with a mocking smile on her lips.

    Jared¡¯s deep eyes glinted coldly as he nced sideways at Tina; seeing that she didn¡¯t care much eased his expression considerably.

    Griffin cast his gaze on Lily disapprovingly as well. ¡°Letting here home is enough; there¡¯s no need for a banquet.¡±

    Initially favorable towards Lily joining the Reed family due to her actions made Griffin feel humiliated by her presence now.

    Jasper gave them all a calm look without speaking amidst their arguments until Emrys broke the silence: ¡°I believe we should hold the banquet; Lily is Dad¡¯s daughter-that¡¯s an undeniable fact-and we should celebrate ordingly.¡±

 Chapter 355: The Engagement Between Tina and Jared Must Be Annulled

    Regarding Emrys¡¯s proposal, the elders of the Reed family had no objections. However, Juliet was unwilling! She immediately retorted, ¡°Throw a big party? Emrys, don¡¯t forget that Tina is the daughter of your lifesaver! How can you be so heartless? For the sake of Lily, where do you ce Tina?¡±

    Emrys¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He nced at Tina, who maintained a calm expression, and said, ¡°There¡¯s no conflict between repaying a debt of gratitude and throwing a banquet for Lily. After all, she is still a daughter of the Reed family. I can¡¯t just acknowledge her without holding a banquet.¡±

    ¡°So what if she¡¯s a daughter of the Reed family? She¡¯s not the only one,¡± Juliet fumed.

    What was so special about Lily? Was it worth throwing a banquet for her? If it weren¡¯t for Willow¡¯s meddling, there wouldn¡¯t even be an issue with Lily. Juliet felt deeply for Tina!

    Jasper had previously stated he didn¡¯t like Lily and initially opposed her return. But now, not only did he personally visit Lily in the hospital, but he also hired an exceptionally skilled doctor to set her bones. Juliet had seen it herself; Lily¡¯s limbs were broken that day. Doctors capable of such sessful bone-setting were rare. It was said that this doctor was Wraith, known for his extraordinary medical skills and often unattainable even withrge sums of money. Yet Jasper hired him for Lily. And now he wanted to throw a banquet for her without considering Tina¡¯s feelings?

    Griffin nced disdainfully at Lily, who wore a smug expression while the whole family quarreled over her, starkly contrasting with Tina.

    Just as Griffin was about to speak up for Tina, Annabelle suddenly intervened. ¡°Enough! Since Lily is our family¡¯s child, we must hold a banquet. This matter is decided; no more arguments.¡± She then looked at Tina with a tone that seemed consultative yet brooked no dissent. ¡°Tina, Lily is your sister; you should get along well.¡±

    Noticing her tone might have been harsh, Annabelle took Tina¡¯s hand and gently patted it. ¡°Our family should stay together peacefully; that¡¯s what¡¯s best.¡±

    Tina gave her a half-smile but remained silent.

    Lily quickly stepped forward and grabbed Tina¡¯s hand. ¡°Tina, don¡¯t worry. From now on, we are sisters, and I will treat you well.¡± Her tone carried the pride of a victor.

    Tina nced at her hand being held, walked to a nearby table, took out a wet wipe, and slowly wiped her hand clean before tossing the tissue into the trash bin. Her voice was indifferent. ¡°My mom only gave birth to me as her daughter. Don¡¯t try to im rtions; you¡¯re not fit to be my sister!¡±

    She raised her eyes coldly. ¡°And next time, don¡¯t touch me; it¡¯s dirty!¡±

    Lily¡¯s face turned ugly instantly.

    Damn Tina! How dare she call her dirty? On what grounds?

    Suppressing her emotions, Lily smiled and said, ¡°I know you must have misunderstood my previous actions. I apologize and promise nothing like that will ever happen again. We are family and should get along.¡±

    Tina nced at her but couldn¡¯t be bothered to respond and sat down with an indifferent attitude.

    Since announcing the banquet for Lily upon entering, Jasper had remained silent until now. He looked at Tina before speaking. ¡°I¡¯ll have them choose an auspicious date and inform you once it¡¯s set. This matter is decided; I don¡¯t want to hear any more unpleasant words.¡±

    Jasper¡¯s words sealed the decision.

    Juliet was furious. ¡°Jasper¡­¡±

    But Jasper¡¯s sharp gaze silenced her instantly.

    No one else in the Reed family dared object further.

    After this decision was made, Annabelle turned to Jared, who had remained silent throughout. ¡°Jared, we have some private family matters to discuss; please leave first.¡±

    Jared nced at Tina before replying slowly, ¡°Alright.¡± As an outsider, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for him to be involved in Reed family matters.

    After Jared left, Annabelle returned to her seat at the head of the table.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    She looked at Tina and began slowly, ¡°There¡¯s another matter I need to discuss with you all.¡±

    Everyone turned their attention to her.

    Annabelle¡¯s gaze lingered on Tina, who remained rxed in her chair with a nonchnt demeanor. Annabelle withdrew her gaze after a moment.

    ¡°Mom, just say what you need to,¡± Garrett prompted.

    Annabelle¡¯s eyes fell back on Tina as she spoke again. ¡°This isn¡¯t really a big deal; it¡¯s just that Tina and Jared¡¯s engagement needs to be annulled.¡±

    Her words hit like a storm in the hall.

    Tina raised her eyes slightly, resting her hands on the armrests of her chair with a faint smile on her lips.

    Next to her, Lily looked both surprised and secretly pleased.

    If Jared and Tina¡¯s engagement were annulled, wouldn¡¯t she have a chance?

    Juliet was so shocked she nearly lost herposure but couldn¡¯t speak for a while.

    Damian was the first to react. ¡°How can this be? Tina and Jared have been together for so long; how can their engagement suddenly be annulled?¡±

    Juliet¡¯s younger rtives also looked at Annabelle expectantly for an exnation.

    Only the elders seemed unsurprised by this revtion.

    Annabelle nced at Tina again. Her calm demeanor remained unchanged though there was a knowing smile on her lips as if she saw through everything.

    Pressing her lips together briefly, Annabelle exined to everyone else: ¡°Your great-grandfather once arranged a marriage with Logan¡¯s father: three generationster, the most outstanding granddaughter of the Reed family would marry the heir of the Farrell family.¡±

    ¡°Lily may have only recently been recognized by us but undeniably is our most outstanding granddaughter while Jared is Farrell family¡¯s heir.¡±

    Annabelle finished speaking amid collective shock from the family members who had never known about this arrangement before now.

    Turning back towards Tina again after finishing exining things clearly enough for everyone else present there too  including herself  Annabelle asked softly yet firmly: ¡°Tina what do you think about all this?¡±

    Expecting an outburst from Tina following such news being dropped unexpectedly like that upon hearing those words spoken aloud finally ¨C instead came something entirely different altogether¡­

    To everyone¡¯s surprise next moment following right after those initial reactions subsided somewhat already ¨C suddenlyughter erupted loudly throughout entire room echoing off walls surrounding them all around¡­

    Augh filled with wild abandon making hearts skip beats nervously inside chests belonging each person present witnessing scene unfold before their very eyes¡­

    Raising hand gracefully brushing stray hair behind ear delicately while speaking mischievously: ¡°Then let¡¯s annul it!¡±

 Chapter 356: Tina Offers a Trillion Dollars to Break Off the Engagement

    Tina¡¯s words left everyone in shock. She agreed? How could she agree? Ever since her engagement to Jared, everyone had seen how they interacted. Although Tina appeared cold, her attitude towards Jared was different from her attitude towards others. Everyone believed that Tina liked Jared. But now, she agreed to break off the engagement?

    Juliet and Griffin were speechless for a long time. Annabelle, Jasper, and Garrett were also surprised by how readily Tina agreed. Especially Annabelle, who had prepared for a long argument when she brought up the matter. But unexpectedly, Tina agreed with just one sentence.

    Everyone was stunned for a while until Juliet came to her senses first. She hurriedly sat next to Tina and advised, ¡°Tina, be rational. Even though Jasper bringing Lily back is ufortable, you shouldn¡¯t joke about your happiness.¡± She anxiously held Tina¡¯s hand and said kindly, ¡°Is she really worth giving up your marriage for?¡±

    Juliet thought Tina agreed to break off the engagement because of Lily. Tina turned her head and smiled suddenly, ¡°Her face is big enough; let¡¯s satisfy her.¡± That smile was captivating. Juliet was momentarily stunned and forgot to react.

    Annabelle felt relieved and smiled slightly. Finally, Tina wasn¡¯t opposing her anymore.

    ¡°Great! This is the best oue. Our Reed family can stay together peacefully. Nothing is better than that,¡± Annabelle said.

    Lily quickly chimed in, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m sorry. If you need anything in the future, just tell me, and I¡¯ll do my best to fulfill it.¡± Her face showed a hint of guilt mixed with a bit of pride. The thought of bing that man¡¯s woman made Lily feel excited. Jared would eventually be hers.

    ¡°Heh!¡± Tina sneered and then took out her phone to call Cole.

    The call connected quickly. Tina spoke directly and concisely, ¡°Go to the Farrell family! Break off the engagement!¡±

    Cole was shocked on the other end of the line. He almost thought he misheard and asked uncertainly, ¡°Break off the engagement?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina replied calmly. ¡°Say that the old master of the Reed family arranged a marriage with the Farrell family and demanded that the most outstanding granddaughter of the Reed family marry the heir of the Farrell family.¡±

    Cole was speechless. What? The Reed family just recognized Lily, and now they want Serena to break off her engagement? Are they looking for trouble?

    After hanging up, Cole took out his phone and sent Dexter a message: ¡°The Reed family wants Serena and Jared to break off their engagement!¡±

    Since Cole wasn¡¯t in Dexter¡¯s group chat with his nine brothers, he had to send a private message.

    After sending the message, Cole headed straight to the Farrell family.

    Jared had just returned from Whispering Pines and was about to have tea with Logan when the housekeeper informed him that Cole had arrived.

    Jared was puzzled for a moment. Cole usually wouldn¡¯te here unless something happened to Tina.

    He frowned and immediately said, ¡°Let him in.¡±

    Soon, the housekeeper brought Cole in.

    Jared asked directly, ¡°Did something happen to Tina?¡±

    Seeing that Jared was unaware, Cole cleared his throat and said, ¡°Serena sent me here to break off the engagement!¡±

    Suddenly, Jared¡¯s demeanor changed drastically!

    Logan was equally shocked! He stood up abruptly and eximed, ¡°Why are you breaking off the engagement all of a sudden?¡±

    He then red at Jared, ¡°You brat! Did you upset Tina?¡±

    Jared was speechless. How would he know? Everything seemed fine when he returned from Whispering Pines earlier.

    He looked at Cole with a cold expression and demanded, ¡°Exin clearly.¡±

    Cole sighed helplessly before slowly exining what happened with the Reed family.

    ¡°The Reed family said that their old master arranged a marriage with the Farrell family long ago. Now they want Lily to marry you instead of Serena because she¡¯s filial and decided to follow their wishes.¡±

    Cole kept an eye on Jared while speaking, fearing that Jared mightsh out at him.

    Jared remained silent while Logan exploded with rage. He started cursing loudly, ¡°Those filthy scoundrels! Their brains must be filled with crap! Are they tired of living well? They keep causing trouble for Tina! What kind of person is Lily? With that ugly face of hers? She thinks she can rece my chosen heir¡¯s fiancee? How big is her face?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet! How dare they bully Tina like this? If I were dead, what would happen? That old bastard can¡¯t even manage his wife and children properly! No wonder the Reed family isn¡¯t as good as ours! With that attitude, he¡¯ll never catch up to me.¡±

    ¡°No way! I need to confront that old bastard! Tina is my chosen granddaughter-inw! Whoever dares bully her will have me to deal with!¡±

    ¡°And who does this Lily think she is? Competing with my grandson for Tina?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t recognize this marriage!¡±

    With that said, Logan stormed out angrily while muttering about blowing up the nursing home.

    As Logan left angrily, Cole nced at Jared nervously before saying quietly, ¡°Should I go back now?¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Jared shot him a cold look.

    Cole felt like he was being watched by a ghost but forced himself to maintain his smile.

    He couldn¡¯t embarrass Serena now.

    ¡°Tell Tina I won¡¯t break off this engagement!¡± Jared dered firmly.

    Cole shivered but had no choice but to leave alone again.

    Back at Whispering Pines, everyone from the Reed family awaited Jared¡¯s response eagerly.

    Cole walked straight in without acknowledging anyone from the Reed family before announcing directly to Serena: ¡°Mr. Farrell refuses to break off this engagement!¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow before pulling out another bank card from her pocket: ¡°Five million dors-break off this engagement!¡±

    Cole was stunned again by Serena¡¯s boldness but quickly took the card back with him.

    At Farrell family¡¯s residence¡­

    Jared looked at the bank card in front of him; his face darkened visibly as if he had been poisoned unknowingly.

    ¡°Twenty million dors-not breaking off!¡± Jared threw out another card!

    Cole felt helpless but dared not voice any opinions as he obediently took it back again¡­

    Back at Whispering Pines¡­

    Tina looked at Jared¡¯s returned bank card calmly: ¡°Fifty million dors-break!¡±

    Jared crushed his cup in anger: ¡°One hundred million dors-not breaking!¡±

    Tina countered: ¡°Two hundred million dors-break!¡±

    Jared retorted: ¡°Five hundred million dors-not breaking!¡±

    This back-and-forth continued several times until Cole felt exhausted beyond measure¡­

    Eventually¡­

    Tina pulled out an ultimate ck card: ¡°One trillion dors-break off this engagement!¡±

    Cole sighed internally butplied anyway¡­

    Returning once more¡­

    Jared epted both cards leisurely before finally agreeing nonchntly: ¡°I agree.¡±

    Cole stood there dumbfounded¡­ Was this real?

 Chapter 357: Logan Storms the Nursing Home

    On the other side, Logan led his men straight to the bakery, bought every single cake in the store, then purchased a dozenunchers before heading furiously to the nursing home.

    Muff was leisurely lying on a recliner, basking in the sun and listening to opera. Without Logan around, his days were incrediblyfortable. Just as he picked up the tea from the small table beside him and brought it to his lips, the door to his room was violently kicked open. His hand shook, spilling tea all over himself.

    He was instantly enraged! Turning his head, he saw Logan storming in with his men, holding cakes and other items. Muff frowned and shouted angrily, ¡°You old bastard! Why aren¡¯t you at home at this hour? What are you doing here?¡±

    And with so many cakes? Could this old man have had a change of heart ande to celebrate his birthday? But no! His birthday was in January; it was still far off. Suspicious of Logan¡¯s intentions, Muff grew wary.

    Logan nced at him indifferently and didn¡¯t bother to say a word. Instead, he turned to his bodyguards and ordered, ¡°Fire!¡±

    Before Muff could react, he saw a dozen bodyguards ce cakes onunchers and then-¡°Bang!¡±-the cakes hit his bed urately.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Furious, Muff roared, ¡°Logan! Are you looking for death?¡±

    Logan ignored him and stood firmly in the middle of the room with a cane. At that moment, several bodyguards simultaneouslyunched more cakes from theirunchers. The walls, tables, and ceiling were soon covered in smashed cake!

    Muff was so angry he nearly fainted. A few minutester, after all the cakes had beenunched, Logan looked around at the mess with satisfaction and nodded approvingly. ¡°Good! Just the effect I wanted!¡±

    He had initially thought of bombing the nursing home but realized that despite his audacity, hecked the courage for such an act. Besides, obtaining bombs was impossible, and blowing up a state-run nursing home would be his end. Sacrificing himself to teach Muff a lesson wasn¡¯t worth it. So he decided that throwing cakes would be just fine.

    The results proved satisfactory; cleaning up this room would take two days. This old fool couldn¡¯t manage his wife and son and dared to trouble his granddaughter-inw!

    Muff clutched his chest, struggling to breathe. His clothes were filthy from the cake sttered by the bodyguards.

    ¡°Logan! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Muff shouted as he tried to rush forward but slipped on the cake and fell hard to the ground.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Muff screamed in pain. Luckily for him, he exercised regrly; otherwise, this fall could have been fatal.

    Logan snorted coldly at him. ¡°Old fool, this is your lesson! Think twice before messing with my precious Tina! If your Reed family dares bully her again, next time I won¡¯t just wreck your room; I¡¯ll blow up your entire family!¡±

    Logan raised his chin slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Try it out and see if this old man dares!¡±

    Muff¡¯s face twisted in pain from the fall and anger from Logan¡¯s words. ¡°Go to hell! Who bullied your Tina? You¡¯re just looking for trouble!¡±

    ¡°Oh? Denying it now?¡± Logan sneered. ¡°Your family came to call off the engagement between Tina and Jared so Jared could marry Lily! And they imed that years ago our fathers agreed that Reed family¡¯s best granddaughter would marry Farrell family¡¯s heir. What kind of dream are you living?¡±

    Logan gave him a disdainful look. ¡°Back then, your father saw my father¡¯s honesty and my rapid development of Farrell family into Ashbury¡¯s top family within a few years. He schemed to bind our families through marriage. I told you then I wouldn¡¯t recognize this engagement!¡±

    Muff was speechless for a moment. Indeed, years ago his father valued Farrell family¡¯s assets and capabilities and sought to tie Reed family to them through marriage. It didn¡¯t matter which granddaughter married Farrell family¡¯s heir as long as they did.

    Although Muff disagreed back then, unlike Logan who founded Farrell family and had decision-making power, Muff had none in Reed family founded by his father. So he tacitly epted it until Logan confronted them saying he wouldn¡¯t recognize the engagement.

    After much dispute, no one mentioned it again until now when suddenly it resurfaced.

    Logan shot him a cold nce. ¡°Not only did I refuse back then but also drafted an annulment agreement which you personally signed! Have you forgotten everything?¡±

    Muff¡¯s anger red up again at this reminder. ¡°That agreement was signed under your trickery! You don¡¯t recognize it; neither do I!¡±

    Logan had tricked him into signing it while drunk during a drinking session!

    ¡°Hah!¡± Loganughed mockingly. ¡°So it¡¯s okay for your father to deceive mine but not for me to deceive you? That¡¯s called reciprocity!¡±

    Muff fumed silently.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Logan continued sternly, ¡°I won¡¯t acknowledge this engagement! The annulment agreement is well-preserved; if you dare deny it again don¡¯t me me for being ruthless towards Reed family!¡± His voice deepened as he added ominously: ¡°I may not run mypany anymore but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m powerless! Push me too far and I¡¯ll bring down Farrell family¡¯s full might upon Reed family until you¡¯re bankrupt!¡±

    With that said he snorted disdainfully: ¡°Just one Reed family repeatedly bullying my Tina! If not for her sake I wouldn¡¯t even bother with your bunch!¡±

    Spitting on Muff before leaving grandly with his bodyguards Logan left behind an enraged yet helpless Muff staring at chaos around him.

    At door stood several elderly spectators whom Muff angrily yelled at: ¡°What are you looking at? Help me up!¡±

    One among them replied: ¡°Who dares enter? The floor¡¯s covered in cake; slipping inside means risking life!¡±

    Muff seethed silently cursing their opportunism under breath.

 Chapter 358: The Brothers Arrive

    At Whispering Pines, everyone was waiting for news from the Farrell family,pletely unaware that Tina had offered a billion dors to call off the engagement. No one questioned how a girl who grew up in the mountains could have so much money.

    When Cole brought back the news that Jared had agreed to call off the engagement, the entire family was shocked. No one expected Jared to agree to the marriage cancetion. They had always protected Tina like a treasure, and now they had easily agreed.

    The Reed family waspletely dumbfounded. Juliet was the first to react, angrily cursing, ¡°Scumbag!¡± She had always thought Jared was good because of how he treated Tina, and it made her believe in love. But now, he agreed to call off the engagement? All scumbags should die!

    Lily was also stunned. Although she hoped for Jared and Tina¡¯s engagement, she never thought it would happen so smoothly. Did this mean she could marry Jared? Oh my God! She was so happy she almost fainted.

    Jasper was momentarily stunned by the news, then a thoughtful look crossed his eyes. Annabelle, however, smiled and said, ¡°Good! This is great! Jared is as sensible as Tina!¡±

    Tina nced at her indifferently, ¡°Congrattions on getting what you wanted.¡± With that, she turned and walked upstairs. Cole hurriedly followed her.

    Once inside her room with the door closed, Cole quickly spoke up, ¡°Serena¡­¡± But before he could finish, Tina raised her hand, and Cole immediately fell silent, his eyes questioning: What¡¯s wrong?

    Tina picked up her phone and scanned the room. Suddenly, a red dot appeared on her phone screen. She sneered and quickly operated on her phone. Two minutester, she put her phone away.

    Cole had been with Tina for years and immediately understood what was happening. He frowned and said, ¡°They installed a bug in your room?¡± Damn! Jasper pretended to be affectionate but secretly monitored his daughter!

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina replied expressionlessly. It wasn¡¯t surprising that Jasper bugged her room; it was expected. She didn¡¯t remove the bug; Jasper would still receive information-just what she wanted him to hear.

    Cole knew that since Tina could speak freely now, the bug posed no threat to them. He asked, ¡°Serena, why did you agree to call off the engagement with Mr. Farrell? And why keep Lily here causing trouble?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes were cold and deep. ¡°The more chaotic things get, the better.¡±

    Cole fell silent. He knew most of what Serena was doing but not everything. He didn¡¯t understand why she was investigating Jasper or why she ced Lily in the Reed family when she could have easily disposed of her.

    ¡°How¡¯s the investigation on the infants going?¡± Tina asked.

    ¡°ording to our findings, the missing infants were likely sent to Ashbury,¡± Cole said seriously. ¡°Ashbury probably has a GTOb; I suspect they¡¯re conducting virus experiments there.¡±

    Tina¡¯s face turned icy. A GTOb in Ashbury was within her expectations. Mr. Kim had been lurking there for years; it was impossible he didn¡¯t have ab. The GTO organization was always cautious with multiple bases; its members only knew each other during missions.

    They needed to find thisb and rescue those infants.

    After a moment of silence, Tina asked, ¡°What has Fatty been up totely?¡±

    Cole looked embarrassed. ¡°He¡¯s been frequenting nightclubs! Every day he calls ten beauties-one feeding him wine, another feeding him fruit-four massaging his legs and shoulders while four others sing and dance for him.¡±

    Tina rubbed her temples in exasperation. ¡°Tell him to get out there and catch Wraith!¡±

    Cole shuddered in fear. ¡°I¡¯ll notify him immediately!¡± He had many questions for Tina but didn¡¯t dare ask now. ¡°Serena, I¡¯ll¡­ leave now?¡±

    ¡°Get out!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Cole hurried out.

    Just as he reached Whispering Pines¡¯ entrance, he saw Dexter leading his nine brothers with fierce determination.

    He pped his forehead in realization-this was bad!

    Dexter strode over with a cold face and asked, ¡°How is Serena?¡±

    Cole hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°She¡¯s fine-eating and drinking as usual.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bad!¡± James eximed. ¡°If Serena isn¡¯t reacting to such a big event, she¡¯s on the verge of exploding.¡±

    Hayden clenched his teeth in anger. ¡°Those bastards from the Reed family dared treat Serena like this? I¡¯ll tear them apart!¡±

    He had been away on a mission recently; who would¡¯ve thought that in such a short time, the Reed family would bully Serena? They even wanted her to call off the engagement? Dream on!Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

    Dexter usually managed his brothers but this time he was also furious. ¡°If Serena is being bullied like this, it¡¯s our fault for not supporting her!¡±

    They didn¡¯t like Jared with Serena because they believed she deserved better. But forcing Serena to call off the engagement was another matter entirely.

    ¡°Right!¡± Gavin agreed. ¡°We¡¯ve been inactive for too long; some people have forgotten who we are.¡±

    Damian added, ¡°Let¡¯s show them that no one can bully Serena while Serenity Ridge protects her.¡±

    Wesley chimed in, ¡°My men are itching for action; let¡¯s use Reed family as practice.¡±

    ¡°Practice?¡± Liam scoffed. ¡°Let¡¯s tie them all up and rob Reed family clean.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense?¡± Philip yed with his knife nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯ve got bombs ready; stay clear unless you want coteral damage.¡±

    Hayden eximed in awe at his brothers¡¯ audacity-blowing up Reed family hadn¡¯t crossed his mind! Indeed experience trumped youth!

    Listening to their conversation made Cole break into cold sweat again-he awkwardly coughed before saying nervously: ¡°Um¡­Jared agreed on calling off their engagement!¡±

    ¡°What!¡± The nine shouted simultaneously making Cole¡¯s ears ring painfully.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Cole confirmed seriously: ¡°Serena offered one billion dors; Jared took it-and called it off!¡±

    Their faces darkened instantly-their expressions cker than coal mines¡¯ coals themselves: ¡°Dare abandon our Serena? Seeking death!¡±

    James roared furiously: ¡°Forget Reed family-we¡¯ll deal with Jared first!¡±

    With that said-they turned around jumped into cars-and sped away!

    Cole stood frozen muttering helplessly: ¡°Hey! That wasn¡¯t what I meant! I just stated facts-not asking you guys settle scores with Jared!¡±

 Chapter 359: Go Confront the Scumbag

    Nine men arrived at the Farrell family with murderous intent. Jared was dealing with Logan¡¯s dramatic antics and was quite troubled. The old man had gone to a nursing home and, upon returning and learning that Jared had agreed to break off the engagement, nearly turned the house upside down. First, he scolded Jared mercilessly, theny on the ground wailing and rolling around.

    Now, like a rogue, he was crying and beating his chest. ¡°My dear, I can¡¯t live anymore. Come take me away. I can¡¯t stand this unfilial grandson who broke off the engagement behind my back. He must think my life is too long and wants the King of Hell to take me sooner.¡±

    ¡°Oh my dear Tina, Grandpa is sorry for you. This heartless man has let you down. I have no face to meet you and can only apologize with my death!¡±

    ¡°But rest assured, before I die, I will take this unfilial grandson with me to avenge you!¡±

    ¡°My dear, you were good to me and gave me several children, but our genes are weak. The ones we produced are not human; they are unfilial and will drive me to death!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it anymore. My dear, I feel short of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, and everything is ck before my eyes. I might being to find you.¡±

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t want me toe? That won¡¯t do. Your grandson got rid of my Tina. I have no face to live unless that unfilial grandson brings my Tina back.¡±

    Jared sighed internally; it seemed Grandpa¡¯s drama would continue for a while longer. He nced at Logan and instructed the maid, ¡°Get a cushion so he doesn¡¯t catch a cold.¡± If he wanted to act like a rogue, let him take his time.

    Just as the maid was about to fetch a cushion, another maid rushed in anxiously. ¡°Young Master, there are nine people outside looking for you angrily!¡±

    Jared raised an eyebrow. Nine people? Had Hayden returned too?

    Before he could respond, Logan sprang up from the ground in anger. ¡°Perfect timing!¡±

    Jared saw Logan¡¯s furious expression and smirked slightly. It seemed thatpared to Tina, his grandson was more important.

    Logan walked quickly as if he wanted to take two steps at a time. Dexter and his eight brothers looked even grimmer when they saw Logan and Jarede out.

    Dexter¡¯s voice was icy as he started, ¡°Jared¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Logan pped him on the head angrily. ¡°Are you still Tina¡¯s brothers? She was bullied, and you came sote? What? Did Serena treat you all for nothing?¡±

    When he had been injured in the hospital earlier, he had already learned that these nine men were Tina¡¯s brothers.

    Dexter and his brothers were confused.

    ¡°Next time something like this happens, you shoulde earlier! Not a minutete!¡± Logan scolded.

    Dexter and his brothers were still puzzled.

    What was going on?

    Seeing their bewildered faces made Logan even angrier. He pointed at Jared behind him. ¡°There! That scumbag! He abandoned my Tina! Go confront him! Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll lock the door! He won¡¯t escape!¡±

    Jared sighed internally again.

    Are you serious?

    Dexter and his brothers were still confused.

    Seeing them unmoving made Logan even angrier; he pped Dexter again. ¡°What are you waiting for? Go confront that scumbag! What? Serena gets bullied, and you¡¯re afraid of confronting him?¡±

    Dexter and his brothers were speechless.

    This wasn¡¯t how things were supposed to go!

    They should have taken action immediately!

    How did they end up being hit by the old man first?

    No way!

    Redo it!

    This wasn¡¯t the storyline they wanted!

    James was the first to recover and cursed angrily. ¡°Jared! You scumbag! You deceived Serena¡¯s feelings and treated her poorly! Now you dare abandon her? Today we¡¯ll show you that Serenity Ridge people are not to be messed with!¡±

    Hayden also looked disappointedly at Jared and echoed, ¡°Mr. Farrell! I never thought you were this kind of person! Serena treated you so well; she saved Sophia, saved Grandpa Farrell, gave Marie perfumes and clothes-she gave you all she thought was best-and yet you treated her like this.¡±

    Hayden dered painfully, ¡°I announce that from now on, I cut ties with you!¡±

    Jared raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely sure!¡± Hayden replied seriously.

    Jared smirked slightly. ¡°Alright, noted.¡±

    Philip leanedzily against the wall by the Farrell family gate. ¡°Why waste words on him? I¡¯ve already ordered someone to bring over the bomb meant for Reed family; let¡¯s blow up Farrell family first!¡±

    Logan panicked upon hearing this. ¡°Blow up Farrell family? No way! If it¡¯s blown up where will my Tina live when shees back? Ah no! I n to recognize Tina as my granddaughter; this is her home-it can¡¯t be blown up! If anything blow up that scumbag outside instead; after blowing him up bury him in a grave!¡±

    Jared sighed internally once more.

    I probably need a paternity test to see if I¡¯m really your grandson!

    Dexter and his brothers were speechless again.

    So should they blow it up or not?N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Why was dealing with this scumbag so difficult?

    Philip frowned slightly before standing up straight again. ¡°Then let¡¯s take him outside to blow him up! Anyone who hurts Serena deserves death!¡±

    James agreed vehemently.

    Gavin agreed too.

    Damian nodded in agreement as well.

    Everyone agreed except for Hayden who suddenly fell silent.

    Even though he was mad at Jared too¡­

    But blowing him up seemed a bit too harsh?

    After all these years of brotherhood¡­

    Seeing Hayden¡¯s hesitation made Dexter nce sharply at him. ¡°What? Do you have a different opinion?¡±

    Hayden looked up into eight murderous res which made him shiver instantly. ¡°No objections! I fully agree-scumbags deserve no burial ce!¡±

    Jared nced at Hayden lightly-good!

    Hayden!

    The nine men were about to rush forward when Jared suddenly picked up his phone leisurely saying ¡°Tina? Did you hear that? They¡¯re being unreasonable; do you need me to teach them a lesson?¡±

    All nine men froze in their tracks.

    Damn!

    He tattled again?

    Before they could react further they heard Tina¡¯s icy voice from the phone: ¡°All of you get back to Serenity Ridge immediately-copy safety regtions one hundred times!¡±

    Dexter and his brothers were stunned.

    Really?

    The safety regtions book had over a hundred pages-copying it one hundred times would be worse than death!

    Their hands were meant for holding knives not pens!

    Wait!

    Didn¡¯t this guy break off his engagement with Serena?

    Why would she still help him?

    While they were still dazed Tina¡¯s calm voice came through again: ¡°You have one minute-disappear from Farrell family immediately-and leave Ashbury within half an hour! Don¡¯t wait for me toe personally!¡±

    With that said all nine men vanished like a gust of wind disappearing without trace.

 Chapter 360: Blowing Up the Reed Family

    At the sanatorium, Muff was helped up from the ground by the staff with great difficulty. Seeing the mess in the room, a surge of anger rushed to his head. He changed his clothes and stormed towards the Reed family.

    Annabelle was discussing Lily¡¯s engagement party with Jasper when she saw Muff return and was taken aback. ¡°Why are you back?¡± Ever since Muff entered the sanatorium, he had not been involved in any Reed family matters. Except for the time he brought Tina back and got scolded by Logan, he had moved to live with the Reed family for a while before returning to the sanatorium, rarelying back since then. But today, he suddenly returned with such a terrible expression. She couldn¡¯t understand who had angered him.

    ¡°If I don¡¯te back, you all will really think you can do whatever you want!¡± Muff pped Annabelle across the face in a fit of rage. ¡°Who gave you the right to break off Tina and Jared¡¯s engagement? Who gave you that courage? What is Lily that she can be called a daughter of our Reed family?¡±

    Muff¡¯s face was livid with anger. ¡°If she behaves herself, she can stay quietly for a lifetime. If not, she should get out and never im to be part of our Reed family.¡±

    Annabelle clutched her face in disbelief. He actually hit her? They had lived together for decades, and although their feelings weren¡¯t particrly deep, they had always respected each other. He had never even raised his voice at her before. Today, not only did he yell at her, but he also hit her?

    ¡°You¡­ you hit me?¡± Annabelle stammered, struggling to get the words out.

    Muff nced at her coldly without much expression. ¡°This p is to remind you that some things are not for you to decide.¡±

    He looked at Annabelle with some disdain. Their marriage was arranged; they had always respected each other because he needed a woman to manage the household, not because he loved her deeply. Annabelle had indeed managed everything well, but in major matters, shecked discretion and often overthought things-like trying to break off Tina and Jared¡¯s engagement this time.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Did she really think he didn¡¯t know what she was up to? The engagement arranged by his father with the Farrell family was known only to Annabelle, and she knew Logan disapproved of it. She wanted Lily to marry into the Farrell family not for any strong alliance between the two families but out of personal spite.

    Annabelle¡¯s face showed a trace of difort as Muff saw through her thoughts.

    Ignoring her, Muff turned to Jasper. ¡°And you, your mother may be ignorant, but are you too? Do you think engagements can be broken off or switched at will?¡±

    Jasper¡¯s eyes narrowed as he nced at Muff with an indifferent expression. ¡°I have my reasons.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what your reasons are. Logan doesn¡¯t recognize Lily and Jared¡¯s engagement, and neither do I. You¡¯d better abandon this idea or don¡¯t force me to take action! I¡¯m old and no longer involved in matters, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t handle you.¡±

    Jasper remained silent.

    ¡°As for Lily¡¯s engagement party, that¡¯s your business. But let me remind you-changing her name is absolutely forbidden! How can an illegitimate daughter bear our name?¡±

    ¡°And if any of you dare do anything else that makes Logane looking for me again, don¡¯t me me for being heartless! If you behave yourselves until I die, then do whatever you want afterward. But as long as I¡¯m alive, stop causing trouble!¡±

    With that said, Muff turned and went upstairs.

    He nned to stay at Whispering Pines for a while now.

    Whenever he wasn¡¯t there, some people tended to act up!

    Just as he reached the stairs, a sudden explosion sounded-¡°Boom!¡±

    Jasper quickly supported him and asked coldly, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Before anyone could respond, another massive explosion echoed.

    Jasper¡¯s face changed instantly as he ordered a servant, ¡°Go check what¡¯s happening!¡±

    Upstairs, Tina was helping Zackary build Legos when the loud noise scared Zackary into her arms, trembling uncontrobly.

    Tina¡¯s expression darkened immediately.

    She walked over to the window and saw Dexter and his friends excitedly throwing bombs at the Reed family¡¯s property.

    They must have studied theyout of the Reed family grounds because all the bombsnded in open areas. However, their power was significant enough to shake the entire building.

    She heard James shout below, ¡°Hurry up! Finish throwing those bombs and get out of Ashbury! Serena ordered us to leave within half an hour; we only have ten minutes left.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, hurry up! Serena¡¯s punishments are brutal; we can¡¯t afford more penalties!¡±

    Tina thought to herself: Brutal? No! She¡¯s very gentle! My uncle says she¡¯s the gentlest girl in the world!

    Tina nced down at them briefly before hugging Zackary close and gently stroking his head. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid; they¡¯re teaching bad people a lesson.¡±

    Hearing this calmed Zackary down immediately. ¡°Tina, as long as you¡¯re here, I¡¯m not afraid.¡±

    Tina smiled and brought him over to the window with a te of sunflower seeds. The two of them watched from above while snacking.

    Meanwhile, Jasper came outside with some men.

    His face darkened as he confronted Dexter and his group. ¡°Who are you people? Why are you bombing my house?¡±

    Dexter stood opposite him with hands in his pockets, matching Jasper¡¯s imposing presence effortlessly. ¡°We are Tina¡¯s brothers. We¡¯re here today to give you a warning: our Serena is not without protection. If the Reed family dares bully her again next time, we won¡¯t just throw bombs in open spaces but directly into your rooms!¡±

    Jasper¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously as coldness radiated from him.

    At that moment, they finished throwing their bombs. Dexter casually ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Without paying any more attention to Jasper, they turned around and left.

    Jasper watched their retreating figures with an ominous aura surrounding him.

    On their way out of Ashbury City in their car at high speed:

    Their phones suddenly rang simultaneously-they all shuddered in unison.

    Could it be Serenaing after them already?

    With trembling hands they took out their phones only to find messages from Serena: ¡°Copy safety regtions 50 times within one hour.¡±

    Upon reading this message relief washed over them collectively, they were thrilled!

    Indeed! The best way is alwaysplying with Serena¡¯s wishes-especially avoiding Jared!

    With Tina¡¯s orders fulfilled sessfully leaving Ashbury wasn¡¯t so urgent anymore. They drove leisurely now until James suddenly remembered something rming: ¡°Philip-you brought so many bombs causing suchmotion won¡¯t authoritiese after us?¡±

    Philipzily lifted an eyebrow replying nonchntly ¡°I donated five truckloads worth weapons entirely.¡±

    The other eight raised thumbs up admiringly ¡°Impressive!¡±

 Chapter 361: Paternity Test??

    After Dexter and the others had left, Jasper, with a stern face, ascended the stairs to Tina¡¯s room. He knocked on the door and waited a long while before Tina finally opened it. Leaning against the door, she asked, ¡°Mr. Reed, do you need something from me?¡±

    Jasper looked up to meet her clear eyes, his voice deep and somber, ¡°Are you satisfied with causing such a scene?¡±

    Tinaughed, ¡°Are you here to settle scores with me?¡± Her tone was neither cold nor warm, yet it carried an undeniable pressure.

    Jasper furrowed his brows and stared at Tina for a long time before his voice softened, ¡°Tina, I understand that you¡¯re upset about bringing Lily back, but I have my reasons, which I can¡¯t disclose. In dad¡¯s heart, you have always been the most beloved. I hope you can understand me.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow and herugh was more scornful, ¡°Mr. Reed, are you confused? I have always understood you!¡± Her lips curled seductively, ¡°Understanding your difficulties, agreeing to bring Lily back to the Reed family,prehending the olddy¡¯s household and business affairs, and even agreeing to break off the engagement-I¡¯ve been so amodating. What more do you want? Do you want me to rip out my heart and hand it to you?¡±

    Jasper looked troubled, ¡°If you understand me, why then do you allow your brothers to create chaos at our home? And why let Logan trouble Grandpa at the sanatorium? The Reed family has been through one ordeal after another, and all I want now is some peace.¡±

    Tina rubbed her temples, then crossed her arms, looking amused at him, ¡°Grandpa Farrell troubling Muff was his own doing. My brothers, unable to stand seeing me bullied, came to my defense. Is there a problem with that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s understandable,¡± Jasper replied, ¡°but you should also try to calm them down a bit!¡±

    Tina couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Mr. Reed! Can¡¯t you keep your cool any longer?¡±

    Jasper was taken aback, surprised by her reaction. Did she discover something? He paused for a moment before asking, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Tina, with a mischievous smile, teased, ¡°Who do you think is more formidable, my mother or me?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Jasper replied instinctively. Natalie was the most extraordinary woman he had ever encountered. Her intelligence and talent, everything about her seemed to be haloed in brilliance, unshakable and captivating.

    But Tina was even more astonishing than Natalie.

    Tina¡¯sughter grew wilder. She straightened up, hands in her pockets, and said with a roguish look, ¡°Go prepare the banquet for your Lily, Jasper. There will be surprises waiting for you!¡±

    Jasper frowned, wanting to say more, but Tina closed the door on him. He stood at her door for a long while before turning to leave.

    Meanwhile, Lily was nearly scared out of her wits by an explosion earlier. When she learned that it was Tina¡¯s brothers seeking revenge, she was furious. Then she heard that Muff had vehemently refused to recognize her engagement with Jared, which nearly made her explode with rage.

    Why? Why did Tina have such good fortune? She had so many brothers to support her, and even Muff sided with her?

    Lily, furious, felt like smashing things but restrained herself to avoid disappointing the Reed family. Despite the raging anger inside her, she held it in. With a cold sneer, she thought, ¡°So what if they don¡¯t recognize the marriage? As long as I want something, nobody can take it away from me. After the banquet, everyone will know I¡¯m the daughter of the Reed family, and getting Jared will be easy.¡±

    Two dayster, it was time for Lily¡¯s banquet. Over these days, Lily had been much morepliant. Jasper and Annabelle were busy preparing the banquet, with Muff overseeing the Reed family home, ensuring that no one dared to misbehave. Everyone was on their best behavior.

    The banquet was hosted at the Reed family estate. Compared to the previous banquet held at a hotel for Tina, this one was much morevish. The Reed family had invited numerous top celebrities from the entertainment industry, and many renowned figures from high society were present.

    Willow, being Lily¡¯s mother, took the opportunity to frequently visit the Reed family over these days. Although Annabelle had initially been reluctant to have Willow marry Jasper, she was, after all, Lily¡¯s mother, and Annabelle¡¯s attitude towards her had softened considerably.

    The banquet was scheduled for the evening. By the afternoon, the Reed family was busy weing guests. At seven in the evening, as dusk settled, Tina changed into a ck outfit and jumped out of a window, scaling the upper floors of Whispering Pines. She deftly maneuvered her way into Jasper¡¯s room through a window.

    Just as she entered, another figure jumped in through the window. Turning around, Tina smiled, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re just in time.¡±

    Jared returned the smile, ¡°How could I bete when my Tina has given an order?¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    After scanning Jasper¡¯s room, Jared added, ¡°Nathan Lehman and Cole are keeping Jasper busy. He won¡¯t be up here for half an hour. Can you manage, Tina?¡±

    ¡°Half an hour is enough,¡± Tina replied.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s split up and search.¡±

    Without further discussion, they began their search in Jasper¡¯s room. Tina had been here before and only found a safe but hadn¡¯t located what she was seeking. This time, she had Jared with her for a thorough search, potentially herst.

    They moved quickly. Within minutes, Jared announced, ¡°Here¡¯s a hiddenpartment!¡±

    Tina looked up at him but then dismissed the contents, ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡±

    They continued searching and found several morepartments, but nothing of importance. After about twenty minutes, Tina¡¯s expression darkened.

    Suddenly, Jared called out, ¡°Tina,e here.¡±

    She immediately went to him. It was the ninthpartment Jared had found, containing a box with a peculiar lock.

    Tina frowned, ¡°This lock is tricky.¡±

    The lock was crescent-shaped, not the usual iris or fingerprint locks, which would have been easy for her to deal with. This lock, made of a special material, was unfamiliar to her. Thest time she needed a lock tool provided by Philip to open one.

    ¡°This lock, it¡¯s clear, even the tools won¡¯t work on it.¡±

    ¡°Take it with us, have someone open it,¡± Jared suggested, as neither of them specialized in locks, and there wasn¡¯t enough time to figure it out.

    ¡°We can¡¯t take it. Jasper will notice it¡¯s missing,¡± Tina frowned.

    Jared paused, then suggested, ¡°We¡¯lle back another time.¡±

    Just as Tina was about to agree, a sh of insight struck her. ¡°Uncle, give me your pendant.¡±

    Jared seemed to realize something too and handed his pendant to Tina. Tina took off her own pendant and ced it next to Jared¡¯s-it formed a perfect crescent-shaped key.

    They exchanged a nce and inserted the key into the lock.

 Chapter 362: The Banquet Ends Before It Begins

    The next second, the lock clicked open. Inside the box, there were numerous folders filled with paper documents and a book. Tina opened one of the folders, which wasbeled ¡°Paternity Test!¡± The subjects tested: Jasper and Tina. The result stated: ¡°Paternity confirmed!¡±

    Jared, taken aback, turned to Tina. ¡°Paternity confirmed?¡± he echoed in disbelief.

    Wasn¡¯t Tina the one who imed she wasn¡¯t Jasper¡¯s daughter? Aside from an initial investigation into Tina, which yielded nothing, Jared had not delved further. All he knew was what Tina chose to disclose. When she had denied being Jasper¡¯s daughter, he had believed her without further questioning. Yet, the paternity test now confirmed their rtion?

    Tina proceeded to open the other documents. There were ten in total, each a paternity test involving her and Jasper, the only difference being the testing agency. With a slight curl of her lips, she ced the documents back into the folder.

    Turning to Jared, she exined, ¡°I¡¯m not his daughter. My mother altered my genes. At any paternity testing center across the country, the result would always confirm our rtion.¡±

    Without further boration from Tina, Jared understood. There must be a reason behind her master¡¯s actions. The matter of Tina¡¯s origins was left unspoken between them as they picked up the book from the box.

    This book wasn¡¯t ancient, though it showed signs of frequent use. It appeared to be a regrly used notebook, despite its outward appearance as a book. The writings within were addedter, and neither Tina nor Jared recognized the script. It was neither from any known country nor traditional characters; the script was utterly unfamiliar to them.

    ncing at the time, Tina noted they had spent nearly half an hour already. She paused for a moment before suggesting, ¡°Let¡¯s take photos and analyze themter.¡±

    Jared nodded, took out his phone, and snapped some pictures. They then ced the box back where it had been and left the room.

    Downstairs, guests continuously streamed into Whispering Pines, which buzzed with activity. After exiting Jasper¡¯s room, Tina and Jared went their separate ways. Jared left Whispering Pines only to re-enter from the outside, while Tina made her appearance at the banquet. Juliet was the first to spot her and waved her over, ¡°Tina,e here.¡±

    At Juliet¡¯s table were only Damian, Griffin, Audrey, and Arthur-none of whom Tina disliked. She hesitated briefly before walking over. Juliet pulled her close, allowing her to sit next to her, then whispered, ¡°We¡¯re about to eat, and after that, we¡¯re nning to go shopping. You shoulde with us.¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    If it weren¡¯t for her obligation as a member of the Reed family, Juliet would have preferred not to attend. Mainly, she considered her parents¡¯ reputation and did not want to embarrass them. It was merely a formality for her.

    Concerned that Tina might feel out of ce, she had arranged with Griffin and the others to go shopping after the meal to spare Tina any difort. Sensing Juliet¡¯s kindness, Tina smiled and remarked, ¡°Maybe-I¡¯ll treat you guys to dinner!¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Juliet blinked in confusion. ¡°Dinner?¡± She nced at the array of dishes before her; with over a dozen appetizers and more than twenty main courses toe, wasn¡¯t that already more than enough?

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, but she remained silent. Mistaking her silence for discontent, Juliet didn¡¯t press further.

    Elsewhere, Lily, dressed in a luxurious custom-made gown, stood elegantly next to Annabelle, greeting the guests. Despite her smile, impatience was evident on her face. She hadn¡¯t intended to greet the guests, but her insistence on being there was to ensure that Jared would see her the moment he walked in.

    It had been quite a while, yet Jared still hadn¡¯t shown up. Instead, one insincere visitor followed another. As Lily¡¯s expression began to falter and she was about to make an excuse to leave, she suddenly heard a familiar voice. Jared and Logan stepped out of the car. Jared was dressed in a ck suit; his tall, well-defined figure wasplemented by his stern face, which, though unsmiling,pletely captivated Lily¡¯s heart. Immediately, Lily adjusted her expression and hurried towards Jared. She greeted him gracefully, ¡°Mr. Farrell, you-¡± Before she could finish, Jared, with a cold expression, walked past her without even a nce. Lily froze on the spot.

    Logan nced at her dismissively and then looked away, muttering, ¡°So ugly!¡± He had never intended toe to this banquet a million times over! But he was infuriated! He had previously insisted on bringing his precious Tina back to the Farrell family, but the Reed family had refused. Now, they had brought out an illegitimate daughter to trouble his Tina. If Tina was unhappy, so was he! And if he was unhappy, he needed to stir things up! Today, he was here to cause trouble!

    Lily¡¯s face turned ashen. One ignored her, the other called her ugly! She was a daughter of the Reed family; why didn¡¯t they show her any respect? As the crowd cast strange nces at her, Lily struggled to regain herposure, her fingers tightly clenched by her sides. It didn¡¯t matter if they looked down on her now. One day, she would make Jared unable to leave her!

    As soon as Logan entered, he began searching for Tina. Spotting her, he walked straight over, ¡°Tina, sit with Grandpa!¡± Jared saw Tina from a distance but didn¡¯t approach her; instead, he sat down at the Cohen family¡¯s table. When Hayden saw him, he jumped nervously, subtly moving behind his father. Jared raised an eyebrow and smiled gently, ¡°Hayden, don¡¯t you recognize me after a few days? Come, sit next to me.¡± Hayden immediately felt goosebumps and chuckled nervously, ¡°Uh, I¡¯m fine sitting here, just¡­ enjoy your meal, that¡¯s all!¡± Jared¡¯s gaze deepened, his smile growing broader. Hayden felt like a wolf was eyeing him, his heart pounding.

    Once all the guests had arrived, Lily¡¯s banquet officially began. Muff was nowhere to be seen, and Jasper took the stage to speak. ¡°Today is my daughter, Lily¡¯s banquet¡­¡± Just as he began, suddenly, there was a disturbance at the entrance of the Reed family. Jasper looked up to see a group of fully armed men storming in, surrounding the Reed family. The guests were terrified. It was just a banquet; why such a dramatic disy?

    Jasper¡¯s eyes narrowed, and just as he was about to speak, about a dozen men approached Lily. ¡°Lily Reed?¡± the leader asked in amanding voice, his presence alone quite intimidating. Lily, startled, stammered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± She had never seen such a spectacle and was utterly bewildered. ¡°You are suspected of using infants for virus research and attempting to release a virus within our country, endangering national security. You are hereby arrested under superior orders!¡± The leader disyed the arrest warrant. As the armed men restrained her, Lily was still in shock. As they led her away, she panicked, ¡°Virus research? Are you mistaken? It wasn¡¯t me!¡± Today was her banquet, and it hadn¡¯t even started-how could it end like this? No! This was not the oue she had wanted!

 Chapter 363: Mr. Farrell, I Was Wrong

    The guests present werepletely stunned at the scene! Everyone had a big question mark in their minds. What happened? Wasn¡¯t it a banquet? How could the protagonist of the banquet be arrested? And on charges of endangering national security? The Reed family was equally baffled, having not anticipated this turn of events at all. Jasper stood in the middle, his face ominously dark. He nced at Tina, a cold light shing in his eyes. So, this was the ¡°surprise¡± she had mentioned! What exactly did she want to do?

    Lily was about to be taken away from the Reed family, desperately struggling. ¡°Let me go! You¡¯ve got the wrong person, it wasn¡¯t me! I¡¯m innocent!¡± ¡°Mom! Save me! I really didn¡¯t do it!¡± But how could she possibly escape from the grasp of the agents from the Bureau? Each member of the Bureau was among the elite of the elite. Not to mention Lily, even those from GTO, if caught by the Bureau, could never hope to escape.

    ¡°Lily!¡± Willow came to her senses amidst the shock, hurrying to intercept the agents. However, before she could even get close, a Bureau soldier pointed a gun at her, ¡°Interfering with official duties, you¡¯reing too!¡± Willow was startled, her steps immediately halting. Under the astonished gazes of all, Lily was taken away. The guests looked at each other and began to leave one by one. In just a moment, only the Reed family, Logan, Jared, and Hayden remained.

    The Reed family was still in shock. They could never have imagined that a proper banquet would turn out like this! Tomorrow¡¯s headlines would probably explode! The Reed family would once again be thrust into the limelight. Tina¡¯s eyes coldly swept over the crowd, her expression calm as she stood up, patted Juliet on the shoulder, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll treat you to a meal!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Juliet was stunned. You¡¯re still in the mood to eat? Then, she suddenly cleared her head for a moment. Why not be in the mood? Lily being caught was truly satisfying! She immediately stood up and said to Griffin, Damian, and others, ¡°We can¡¯t eat at home, let¡¯s go out!¡± After such a big incident, and not a single bite eaten at the banquet, there were people at home to take care of things. It was rather inconvenient for them, the younger generation, to stay.

    Arthur, who had never liked Lily much, had been focused on Tina, fearing that she might lose her temper someday, a lesson taught by the past incident. But now, seeing Tina in a rather good mood, he eagerly followed her. Griffin quickly followed suit. After a moment of silence, Damian and Audrey also got up. Hayden had wanted to leave after Lily was taken away, but faced with the watchful Jared, he dared not move a step. Seeing Tina leave, he hurried after her, ¡°Serena, wait for me, I¡¯ming too!¡± With that, he quickly ran off.

    Jared lifted his gaze, not sparing another look at the Reed family, and left with Logan. He had Nathan Lehman escort Logan back, while he quickly approached and pulled Tina into his car. Upon seeing this, Juliet immediately cursed, ¡°You scumbag¡­¡± Jared¡¯s eyes slightly lifted, ¡°Follow my car!¡± With that, he directly pulled Tina into the car and drove off, leaving several people disordered in the wind. What was going on? Weren¡¯t these two supposed to have broken off their engagement? Yet, they still seemed so close. Seeing Jared already driving away, they hurriedly followed.

    The dining venue was an upscale restaurant exclusive to members only, where the prices were exceedingly high. Juliet and the other young members of the Reed family couldn¡¯t afford to dine there often. The cost was truly frightening! But the food was undeniably delicious. The group followed Jared all the way to a private suite on the top floor, their eyes wide with astonishment. After a long silence, Arthur eximed, ¡°Holy crap! This is the supreme VIP exclusive suite!¡± Audrey, her expression nk, added, ¡°I heard this suite is never opened to the public, reserved only for supreme VIPs, and to date, there are only three VIP cards issued!¡± Everyone turned their gaze towards Jared.

    How could this be the Farrell family¡¯s good-for-nothing young master? He was a hidden gem! Confused, they followed Jared inside, and then the manager of Moonlight Hall came in personally, ¡°Mr. Farrell! You¡¯ve arrived?¡± The manager of Moonlight Hall never personally attended to guests; any issues were always handled by his assistants. Yet today, he came by himself and addressed Jared with such respect. What was going on?

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jared leaned back in his chair, holding Tina¡¯s hand and resting the other on the table, his voice cool, ¡°These are my friends, please treat them well!¡± ¡°Of course, Mr. Farrell,¡± the manager replied and went down to give instructions. The suite fell silent. Juliet and the others nced at Tina and then at Jared, a hundred questions in their minds, but none dared to ask. Jared¡¯s expression was icy, his presence intimidating; nobody dared speak. Audrey stole a nce at Jared, her heart pounding, but soon she lowered her head, too intimidated to look at him again.

    Soon, the food arrived. It was all specialty dishes from Moonlight Hall, and everyone¡¯s mouth watered at the sight. Jared personally poured wine for them, then raised his ss, his demeanor noble and polite, ¡°Thank you for looking after Tina. I drink to you!¡± Everyone hurriedly raised their sses to clink with his. After drinking, the younger members of the Reed family looked at each other in confusion. Weren¡¯t they? What was going on? They had interacted with Jared before without such tension; why did they now feel like mice in the presence of a cat, terrified?

    Eventually, unable to resist the delicious food in front of them and too hungry to care about anything else, they all began to eat. They were truly starved; they hadn¡¯t eaten much since the morning and had been busy until now without a bite.

    Jared first served Tina a dish, his voice gentle, ¡°Tina, eat more!¡± Tina smiled at him, ¡°Will you take responsibility if I get fat?¡± Jared¡¯s smile reached his eyes, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take care of you!¡± ¡°Then, uncle, first return my one hundred billion!¡± Tina extended her hand, her eyes curving into a smile. Jared, ¡°¡­¡± Didn¡¯t they know there¡¯s no such thing as giving and then taking back? But then¡­ ¡°No!¡± Tina, ¡°¡­¡± Where¡¯s the face? Jared coughed lightly, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°The team is short on funds recently; I¡¯ll borrow it for now and return one hundred and twenty billion in a month.¡± Tina¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°That¡¯s eptable.¡± A neat profit of twenty billion! Very worthwhile! Hearing this, the Reed family members were baffled again! So, were these two just joking around with everyone?

    Suddenly, Jared picked up a piece of pork knuckle and ced it in Hayden¡¯s bowl, his smile deepening, ¡°Hayden, try this; the pork knuckle tastes very good!¡± Hayden, ¡°¡­¡± No, please! Was he about to be stewed like a pork knuckle? He suddenly shivered and knelt down, ¡°Mr. Farrell! I was wrong!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

 Chapter 364: Hayden Forced into Marriage

    The Reed family was stunned once again.

    What was this all about?

    Hey!

    Can¡¯t someone have a peaceful meal?

    Such antics are bound to blow one¡¯s mind!

    Jared, smiling, offered another piece of meat, ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t make it seem like I¡¯m bullying you. I am a very gentle person.¡±

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    Damn it!

    To hell with that!

    Jared tilted his head, looking at Tina, ¡°Tina, am I gentle?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Tina nodded earnestly, ¡°My uncle is the gentlest person in the world.¡±

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    So, love can disappear, right?

    The corners of Jared¡¯s lips deepened as he softly whispered to Hayden, ¡°Be good! Eat up quickly so you can leave.¡±

    Hayden, on the verge of tears, pleaded, ¡°No, Mr. Farrell! Please spare me, I won¡¯t dare to break off our friendship again!¡±

    It was infuriating!

    He dared not confront his brothers!

    Nor provoke Mr. Farrell!

    Who would save him?

    ¡°Alright!¡± Jared was still smiling, ¡°I¡¯ve brought you a gift.¡±

    Hayden suddenly had a bad premonition.

    Just then, a sharp shout came from outside the private room, ¡°Hayden! Get out here!¡±

    Hayden leaped up, his mind in a blur, ¡°Holy crap! Mr. Farrell, that¡¯s too harsh!¡±

    His doomsday was upon him!

    As he was about to flee, suddenly, the door was kicked open.

    Everyone looked up to see a girl in a tight ck leather outfit, her hair cascading down, stepping in.

    As soon as she entered, she headed straight for Hayden.

    Hayden shivered and hurriedly ran.

    But after just a few steps, the girl leaped forward, blocking his path and grabbed his cor, ¡°Running away? You slept with me and won¡¯t take responsibility, and you even dare to hide?¡±

    Hearing this, everyone cast strange nces at Hayden.

    Hayden, feeling the heat on his face, shook her off and retorted, ¡°Pa, stop talking nonsense, when did I ever sleep with you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, you¡¯re not getting away! Even if it means breaking your legs today, you¡¯re going to get registered with me!¡± Pa said, hands on her hips, furiously.

    ¡°I would never marry a tomboy like you!¡± Hayden retorted and turned to run.

    Pa dashed forward, swinging a kick.

    Hayden dodged and seized the opportunity to run outside.

    Pa wouldn¡¯t let him escape, kicking him in the back.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Hayden, caught off guard, fell to the ground, shouting, ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    Damn!

    If she weren¡¯t a woman, he would have fought back already!

    Pa straddled him, grabbed his hair, ¡°Daring to sleep with me and not take responsibility? You¡¯re the first, and I¡¯m telling you, unless I¡¯m dead, you¡¯ll never escape my grasp!¡±

    She choked Hayden with her arm, ¡°I¡¯m asking you one more time, will you register with me?¡±

    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Hayden was furious.

    This crazy woman!

    Spouting lies as soon as she opens her mouth!

    He couldn¡¯t even avoid her, let alone sleep with her.

    Like a tomboy, so fierce; who in their right mind would marry her?

    Unless he was thest man on Earth, he would never marry her!

    ¡°Fine!¡± Pa, not angry but smiling, ¡°Then I¡¯ll break your dog legs and have you lie in bed for life. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll run then!¡±

    With that, Pa stood up, picked up a nearby chair, and smashed it towards Hayden.

    Hayden had just been kicked, his back wrenching out of ce, unable to dodge in time. As a chair was about to smash down on him, Tina suddenly darted forward, seizing Pa¡¯s wrist with one hand, her expression icy. ¡°Laying hands on mine? Did you ask my permission?¡±

    Pa looked up at Tina, taken aback by her beauty. Suddenly, something clicked for her, and she turned back to Hayden, teeth clenched in anger. ¡°So that¡¯s it, Hayden! No wonder you¡¯ve been avoiding me like the gue. You¡¯ve hooked up with this little witch, huh? Thinking of ditching me to be with her? In your dreams!¡±

    Tina was nonchnt. She nced at Jared and said slowly, ¡°Uncle, she called me a ¡®little witch.¡¯ That¡¯s apliment, right?¡±

    Jared coughed slightly, a smile ying at his lips. ¡°Yes, apliment indeed!¡±

    Tina rolled her eyes. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯ve gone bad!¡±

    Seeing Pa¡¯s misunderstanding, Hayden immediately became anxious. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? She¡¯s my Serena!¡±

    ¡°Serena?¡± Pa paused for a moment, then dramatically changed her demeanor, dropping to her knees and clutching Tina¡¯s legs, tears springing forth. ¡°Serena, you have to stand up for me! This heartbreaker! After he slept with me, he just kicked me away. I, a pure and innocent girl, have been disgraced by him. I can¡¯t face living anymore!¡±

    Tina, previously stone-faced, couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. She coughed awkwardly. ¡°Uh, get up first!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Pa clung tighter to her trousers. ¡°You have to help me. You don¡¯t understand, I¡¯ve been miserable. I¡¯ve been searching for him for fifteen years, and he¡¯s always avoided me, refusing to acknowledge it! I pleaded and I threatened, but he won¡¯t take responsibility!¡±

    ¡°All I wanted was for him to give me a status! I¡¯m already twenty-three, and my family is pushing me to marry. But now, everyone knows he slept with me, and no one will have me. I¡¯m truly desperate.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Everyone looked at Hayden as if he were a monster.

    Pa was twenty-three, searching for Hayden for fifteen years-that meant she was only seven or eight when Hayden supposedly¡­

    Beast!

    Hayden stared at Pa in disbelief, astounded at how someone could twist the truth so perversely.

    Was this even human?

    As he was lost in shock, Tina gently patted Pa¡¯s shoulder in a soft voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this. We don¡¯t have such beasts in Serenity Ridge!¡±

    Then, she walked towards Hayden.

    Before he could react, he heard two snaps-Tina had broken his arms and legs.

    The pain hit him, and he screamed out loud, ¡°Ahh!!¡±

    The Reed family was speechless.

    Holy crap!

    Was their little cousin this fierce?

    The sound alone was painful to hear.

    Better to keep a distance in the future!

    Haydeny on the ground, wailing and ring resentfully at Pa. ¡°You wretched woman, won¡¯t you be happy until you¡¯ve killed me? When have I ever slept with you? Was it when I kissed you as a child? How could a kiss kill you?¡±

    ¡°Exin this to Serena right now!¡± Hayden wanted nothing more than to beat Pa senseless.

 Chapter 365: You Kissed Her, Now Youâ€™re Responsible

    Everyone was stunned.

    Just a kiss?

    Was it really necessary to chase Hayden for fifteen years just because of a kiss?N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    What a legend!

    ¡°No exnation needed! My best friend said a kiss is as good as sleeping together, and you also held me saying you would marry me when we grow up! Are you not a man? Don¡¯t you remember what you said?¡± Pa grew angrier as she thought about it.

    It was her first kiss.

    For this first kiss, she had not dated anyone for twenty-three years, all to make Hayden take responsibility.

    But this guy!

    He refused to acknowledge it!

    Hayden was so angry he was jumping, ¡°Which best friend said that? Let here here, I¡¯ll show her! Responsible after just a kiss? If that¡¯s the case, considering all the women I¡¯ve kissed, would I have to marry all of them?¡±

    Nonsense!

    He was absolutely furious!

    What did he mean by he had kissed many women?

    He had only kissed Pa.

    Just because of that one kiss, which led to being chased for over a decade, he was terrified of dating.

    ¡°You dare kiss someone else!¡± Pa¡¯s face instantly turned green.

    Hayden was about to exin when Pa turned and continued to cling to Tina¡¯s legs, wailing loudly, ¡°Serena, look at this jerk! Not only does he refuse to take responsibility for me, but he¡¯s also involved with other women. I am suffering, truly suffering.¡±

    Tina was overwhelmed by her wailing.

    She raised her hand to rub her temples, quickly grabbed Hayden, and, amidst his cries of surprise, swiftly fixed his previously dislocated arm, then pushed him towards Pa.

    ¡°Go get your marriage license!¡± Tina said dismissively, disgust evident in her eyes.

    Hayden, with a look of utter misery, pleaded, ¡°Serena, it¡¯s really not like she says.¡±

    ¡°What then?¡± Tina¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°Not responsible after a kiss?¡±

    She had never dated either.

    Only Jared had kissed her.

    Thus, in her dictionary, a kiss meant responsibility.

    Sleeping together meant even greater responsibility!

    Pa nodded vigorously, ¡°Exactly, a kiss means responsibility.¡±

    This Serena really got things done!

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    I am truly wronged!

    Had I known it woulde to this, I would have died rather than kissed her.

    But he had clearly forgotten that back then, he was just ten years old, and seeing seven-year-old Pa, cute as a porcin doll, he couldn¡¯t resist kissing her.

    After the kiss, he had earnestly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will marry you in the future!¡±

    Hayden turned to look, hoping Jared would speak on his behalf, but then he thought, today¡¯s drama was all Jared¡¯s doing, it would be strange if he helped.

    He sighed, ¡°Serena, can we solve this ourselves? Marriage isn¡¯t child¡¯s y, it¡¯s for life. We can¡¯t just rashly settle it over something from childhood, can we?¡±

    After saying this, Hayden turned to Pa, ¡°Shall we go out and talk? I promise I won¡¯t run this time!¡±

    Pa thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Alright!¡±

    She was going to marry Hayden one day and didn¡¯t want them to always meet like enemies; it was best if they could have a good talk.

    Seeing Pa had no objections, Tina had none either, ¡°Solve it yourselves!¡±

    As she spoke, her gaze hardened, looking at Hayden, ¡°Don¡¯t make me solve it.¡±

    A chill ran down Hayden¡¯s spine; he could only hunch his neck and nod, ¡°Understood, Serena, I¡¯ll handle it well.¡±

    Then, Hayden quickly ran off with Pa.

    Tina looked up coldly as Hayden left with Pa, then sat down again. ¡°Let¡¯s continue eating.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    The people here hadn¡¯t quite recovered from Pa¡¯smotion, and the atmosphere was somewhat quiet.

    Tina¡¯s gaze fell on Jared, her eyebrows raised. ¡°Uncle, that was quite the surprise.¡±

    Jared smirked. ¡°Cutting ties with me isn¡¯t that easy.¡±

    Tina was silent for a moment. Suddenly, she felt a bit sorry for her brother!

    Ten minutester, Hayden returned to the private room alone. Pa had already left.

    The fact that Pa left so quietly was unexpected.

    Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is it settled?¡±

    Hayden chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I just told that crazy¡­ I told Pa that my old man needs to agree to it, but he definitely won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Tina was curious.

    During the ten minutes Hayden was away, she had learned about Pa¡¯s family situation from Jared and the Reed siblings. Pa was a daughter of the Ashbury White family.

    Unlike the other major Ashbury families like the Farrells and the Cohens, the White family did not participate in the rankings of Ashbury, but their influence was immense.

    The White family belonged to a hidden n. There are many families that retreated from the world centuries ago, possessing strong foundations and extensive influence. Each family carried secrets passed down from former dynasties. They practiced martial arts, but their techniques were unlike ordinary martial arts; they were highly lethal.

    However, little was known about the hidden ns because their members rarely appeared in public and had never conflicled with the Ashbury ns, so people only knew superficial details.

    The White family was the only hidden n that had re-emerged into the world after retreating. They were independent but were also ostracized by the major Ashbury families, hence there was hardly any interaction between them.

    It was rumored that the White family worked for the state in very secretive matters.

    As for Pa, she was better known because she was a technology mogul. She specialized in the research of newbat machines and various types of weaponry. Each of her research projects was taken up by the state.

    In short, she was an impressive figure.

    Hayden sighed. ¡°The White family is a hidden n, and Serena, you¡¯ve been living in Serenity Ridge for a long time, so you might not know, but the Ashbury elite families are quite resistant to the hidden ns.¡±

    Tina had developed many things, but she wasn¡¯t very familiar with the affairs of the hidden ns and the Ashbury elite families.

    Hayden¡¯s exnation piqued her interest. ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure myself,¡± Hayden continued. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard my father mention that once a family identally offended a hidden n and got wiped out.¡±

    Hayden paused, then added, ¡°When I say wiped out, I don¡¯t mean they were killed, but that they just disappeared. Twenty-something family members, and to this day, their whereabouts are unknown. Everyone actually knows it was the hidden n¡¯s doing, but there¡¯s no evidence.¡±

    In this era, regardless of the family, no one dared to kill openly.

    But for a hidden n, killing someone effortlessly and leaving no trace was entirely possible.

 Chapter 366: The Hidden Family

    The Hidden Family lived concealed among the mountains and forests. It was said that there were frequent conflicts among these families, but to ordinary people, the specifics of these affairs were unknown. For them, the Hidden Family was a taboo subject. It wasn¡¯t a matter of intolerance, but of fear-fear that offending someone from the Hidden Family might lead to disappearing without a trace.

    Tina, resting her chin on her hands, pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°Since you have no dealings with the Hidden Family, what¡¯s the deal with you and Pa?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me started! Pa was my cousin¡¯s ssmate,¡± Hayden replied with a grimace. ¡°The White family, aware of the Ashbury families¡¯ aversion to the Hidden Family, initially ced Pa in a foster home within a side branch, so no one knew she was the youngdy of the Hidden Family¡¯s White branch. It was only when she was fourteen and patented abat aircraft that everyone found out about her.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes lit up, recognizing talent. Seeing her expression, Hayden grew even more morose and whispered, ¡°Serena, can you just leave us alone? I can handle it myself.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°Fine!¡±

    However¡­

    Hayden was probablycking self-awareness! How could a girl like Pa, a genius who dared to love and hate, ever give up?

    Seeing Tina agree, Hayden breathed a sigh of relief, but then he suddenly felt a deathly re. His body stiffened.

    After all the fuss with that woman, he had forgotten about Jared.

    ¡°Uh, Mr. Farrell, put today¡¯s bill on me, please, anything you need, justmand,¡± Hayden said, nodding and bowing, inwardlymenting.

    How could he appease Mr. Farrell¡¯s anger?

    Jared¡¯s lips curved into a mild smile, yet it carried an invisible threat, ¡°Master Cohen, you say that, but how could I possiblymand you?¡±

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    Please, just stop talking.

    At the agency¡­

    After being brought in by those people, Lily was given no chance to argue and was immediately thrown into a dark, small room. There was nothing in it, and Lily didn¡¯t dare move.

    Being in the dark heightened her fear immensely.

    Thump!

    She moved carefully but unknowingly touched something, which frightened her so much that she fell to the floor. Just then, the room¡¯s light suddenly turned on, making her scream in rm.

    Once she calmed down, Lily thought about the reason she was captured. Something about¡­ using infants to study viruses? But she hadn¡¯t done anything.

    What was going on?

    Her body pressed against the wall, she felt cramped and anxious as if waiting for a punishment.

    No!

    She had to get out. She couldn¡¯t be locked up here!

    ¡°Hello! Is anyone there? You¡¯ve got it wrong; I didn¡¯t do any infant experiments, let me out!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m from TIC Research Institute. If you don¡¯t know, I can show you myb; there are definitely no virus experiments there.¡±

    ¡°Someone¡­ please¡­¡±

    Lily banged on the door, trying to get someone to open it, but unbeknownst to her, the door was soundproof; no matter how loudly she shouted, it was useless.

    The eeriest part was the silence.

    It was so quiet that she could hear her own breathing, and even the slightest noise seemed to alert her, filling her heart with dread.

    Hourster¡­

    Lily¡¯s throat was hoarse from shouting, she copsed on the floor, half-closing her eyes. She was sleepy but too afraid to sleep, fearing an ident, so she kept weakly pping the door with her hand.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Squeak! The door swung open, and Lily fell to the ground in an inelegant heap. Before she could even speak, a cold voice reached her, ¡°You can leave now.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lily was stunned.

    The man grabbed her arm, leading her out without giving Lily a chance to ask any questions, and ushered her into a car that promptly drove away. Everything was utterly perplexing.

    She was inexplicably taken away and then just as abruptly told she could leave. Was she really okay now? Why not investigate thoroughly?

    Lily wanted to ask, but the cold, stern faces in the car, all armed with guns, deterred her from speaking. The small room she had been confined in had only a chair and a bed, and not even a window. The hours she spent there were agonizing enough; she didn¡¯t want to risk ending up back inside by asking too many questions.

    The Reed family.

    The events that transpired at yesterday¡¯s banquet had hit the headlines on major websites today.

    ¡°Reed family¡¯s daughter kidnapped at banquet!¡±

    ¡°Reed family¡¯s daughtermits crime, national agency X intervenes.¡±

    ¡°Reed family¡¯s daughter faces jail, possibly the death penalty!¡±

    Despite efforts by Muff to suppress the press releases, the news was uncontroble. The industry insiders were all abuzz.

    The faces of the Reed family members were grimmer than ever. Muff, in particr, looked the worst. After yesterday¡¯s incident, Logan had called him, mocking him for a full three hours. Even when Muff hung up, Logan kept calling relentlessly, not stopping even when blocked.

    Muff had barely slept all night.

    ¡°Are you all satisfied now?¡± Muff seethed internally, his gaze falling harshly on the other Reed family members.

    Their faces weren¡¯t looking great either. This incident would inevitably impact the Reed family, which had hosted three banquets in quick session, turning them into aughingstock in no time.

    ¡°The people who took Lily yesterday, didn¡¯t they say she was working on some virus? She¡¯s got quite the nerve to dabble in such things?¡± Juliet hadn¡¯t heard clearly at the time, only catching the word ¡°virus.¡±

    She was shocked at the moment.

    ¡°I knew she was conducting research, but I never imagined¡­¡± Annabelle¡¯s face also darkened, ¡°This affects the reputation of the Reed family. Maybe we should find a way to bail her out?¡±

    Focused on the good of the Reed family, Annabelle seemed genuinely concerned.

    Sitting nearby, Tina¡¯s brows were furrowed, her delicate hands tapping the table repeatedly.

    ¡°Grandma, do you even understand what making a virus means? It harms people!¡± Juliet was getting worked up, not wanting to live with someone involved in virus research.

    ¡°What if I end up dead because of it?¡±

    Juliet couldn¡¯t contain her anger, eximing, ¡°I¡¯ve always said, don¡¯t let that illegitimate daughtere back. She¡¯s just a disaster, and you wouldn¡¯t listen. Now see? She¡¯s brought us to this!¡±

    Juliet grew increasingly agitated, her voice rising, ¡°Researching viruses, at best, she¡¯ll receive a heavy sentence; at worst, our entire Reed family will be dragged into this!¡±

    The vi was dead silent.

    No one spoke because they knew Juliet was right. This was no small matter. Being taken away by agency X was no trivial affair. Such a serious crime, the Reed family really couldn¡¯t withstand it!

    Suddenly!

    The sound of a door opening broke the silence, followed by a voice, ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, I¡¯m back.¡±

    Everyone immediately looked up to see Lily standing at the doorway.

 Chapter 367: Tina, It Was You, Wasnâ€™t It?

    Everyone was stunned.

    How did shee back?

    Wasn¡¯t she arrested?

    When Tina saw Lily, her eyebrows slightly raised, a fleeting glimmer passing through her eyes.

    Lily stood at the doorway, her gaze sweeping over everyone before finally resting on Tina, who was seated in a corner. She stepped forward, looked at Tina, and asked through gritted teeth, ¡°Was it you?¡±

    She pondered for a moment; this matter had nothing to do with her, yet the Reed family had always had issues with Tina the most.

    Tina leaned backzily in her chair, her hands resting on the armrests, coldly watching Lily.

    Seeing Tina¡¯s demeanor, Lily grew even more infuriated. Her delicate face almost twisted, but she struggled to maintain herposure. ¡°I know you¡¯re unhappy about me bing your sister, but it was the Reed family¡¯s banquet yesterday. By doing this, you could bring disgrace upon the entire Reed family. Haven¡¯t you thought about the Reed family at all?¡±

    Her tone was as if she had already concluded that Tina was responsible.

    Annabelle nced at them both, frowning. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Lily, how did youe back? And what did you mean by saying Tina did it? What is this all about?¡±

    The capability of the X Bureau was clear to everyone present.

    No one who entered coulde out.

    ¡°Grandma, they¡¯ve cleared it up; I didn¡¯t do those things, but why was I arrested? There must be someone scheming behind this,¡± Lily hinted with meaning.

    All eyes turned towards Tina.

    The infant virus experiment was no small matter; if Lily were to bear such an usation, it would ruin her life.

    She believed that Tina had reported her to keep her away from Jared.

    She didn¡¯t believe that Tina had the power to influence the X Bureau.

    It had to be a report!

    Annabelle looked at Tina, her face stern. ¡°Tina? Is this true?¡±

    The rest of the Reed family also looked towards Tina, awaiting her response.

    This was no small matter; one mishandling could destroy the Reed family.

    Tina was a member of the Reed family; they didn¡¯t believe she would do such a thing!

    Only Jasper, his deep eyes fixed on Tina, seemed to be trying to see right through her.

    Yet there she sat, undisturbed, even amidst the questioning gazes of her family, her expression unchanging.

    ¡°No,¡± Tina said coldly as she rose from her chair.

    In fact, it was indeed her doing.

    The answer she wanted was almost clear now; sending Lily to the X Bureau was merely to confirm something.

    What surprised her, however, was that Lily came out.

    The order to arrest Lily had been given by Jared himself, and it was his people who executed it.

    And he had instructed that no one was to contact Lily.

    Now, Lily had returned¡­

    Tina looked up at Lily, a cold glint in her eyes.

    Lily felt unnerved under her stare, her heart faltering for a moment.

    Her throat was sore from shouting all night, and the thought of that dreadful little cabin made her shudder with fear.

    What was worse, she had been taken away in front of so many people!

    She had just returned to the Reed family, only to be nailed to the pillory of shame.

    ¡°How could it not be you? You are the only one who doesn¡¯t want me back in the Reed family. Tina, I know you hate me, but you can¡¯t let the whole Reed family be shamed. Can¡¯t the past just be erased?¡± Lily spoke, always invoking the Reed family, which also stirred the emotions of the other members.

    Jasper stepped forward, his voice steady, ¡°Tina, if it was you, you owe your sister an apology.¡±

    His tone carried amanding edge mixed with inquiry. Tina¡¯s eyes flickered, fixing on his face before she suddenlyughed, ¡°Are you joking, Mr. Reed?¡±

    Apologize?

    Ha!

    Juliet¡¯s brows furrowed immediately upon hearing Jasper say this. Tina had already stated it wasn¡¯t her doing, yet Jasper was insisting Tina apologize to Lily?

    Wasn¡¯t he the one who loved Natalie the most? Wasn¡¯t he the one who doted on Tina the most? Why did everything change the moment Lily returned?

    Juliet felt that Jasper had changed. He had changed so much that she no longer recognized him.

    Seeing several elders agreeing with Jasper, Juliet hurriedly spoke up, ¡°Jasper, Tina already said she had nothing to do with it. Did those people say it was her doing? You can¡¯t just listen to Lily¡¯s side of the story and make Tina apologize. It¡¯s not fair to her. They¡¯re both your daughters.¡±

    Jasper looked at Juliet coldly, his gaze piercing.

    Juliet was startled by his look-such a terrifying expression.

    Jasper ignored her and turned to look at Tina, his expression unreadable.

    Whether Tina was his daughter was still up for debate.

    Despite the ten paternity tests confirming their rtionship, he still had doubts. Even if Tina was indeed his biological daughter, her heart was cold, just like Natalie¡¯s, impossible to warm.

    He was well aware that Tina was involved in the matter, but whenever he faced those clear, prating eyes of hers, it was as if his throat was choked, leaving him unable to speak.

    Look!

    She was even more formidable than Natalie!

    Just with a gaze, a mysterious smile, she could unsettle one¡¯s mind.

    Under her airy words, he could not utter a single word.

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, her demeanor casual, ¡°Mr. Reed, should I still apologize?¡±

    Jasper was momentarily speechless, unsure of what to say.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Juliet did not hesitate to stand beside Tina, patting her shoulder in support, ¡°No apologies, we did nothing wrong. Why should we apologize?¡±

    ¡°Right, I think it¡¯s Lily¡¯s problem. She must have done something to attract those people¡¯s attention, and that¡¯s why she was taken,¡± Griffin said, standing firmly by Tina, raising his hands in a gesture of trust.

    Watching them all side with Tina.

    Lily was very resentful.

    Why!

    After Griffin had been deceived by Tina, he still supported her. What kind of spell had Tina cast on them?

    Annabelle stepped forward to mediate, ¡°Enough, we¡¯re all family. We should get along well from now on. Let¡¯s forget about this matter and not hold any more grudges.¡±

    After speaking, she pulled Lily closer, smiling as she spoke, ¡°Lily, make yourself at home in the Reed family. If you need anything, just tell Grandma, and I¡¯ll surely help you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡±

    But Lily was clearly unwilling to let Tina off. She approached Tina and said, ¡°Tina, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to apologize. Grandma said we¡¯re all family, so I forgive you. Let¡¯s get along well from now on.¡±

    ¡°Stay away from me.¡± Tina¡¯s eyes brimmed with disgust.

    Annabelle, however, was somewhat displeased, ¡°Tina, Lily is going to be your sister from now on. How can you treat her like this?¡±

 Chapter 368: How Many Illegitimate Daughters Does the Reed Family Really Have?

    Tina nced coldly around, a sneer ying on her lips. ¡°Grandma Reed, do I need to remind you that my mother has only one daughter?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Annabelle¡¯s face turned ashen.

    That was why, ever since she found out that Lily was Jasper¡¯s daughter, her attitude towards Tina had been cold. Tina was like an ungrateful wolf, never appreciating their kindness, no matter how heartfelt. She always seemed to take their good intentions for granted and carried an air of disdain towards the Reed family members.

    Initially, Annabelle had tolerated her because Tina had once saved her life. But now¡­

    Jasper didn¡¯t have just one daughter! If Tina didn¡¯t cherish her ce, then better to dote on Lily instead.

    Tina nced at her, her gaze finally resting on Lily as she spoke indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t call me family anymore. You¡¯re not worthy!¡±

    After saying this, Tina turned to leave. Lily, biting her lip and looking greatly aggrieved, called out, ¡°Tina, if you keep this up, the Reed family won¡¯t be able to keep you any longer.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tina¡¯s gaze shifted to Jasper. ¡°Mr. Reed, you¡¯re going to drive me away?¡±

    Jasper was silent for a moment before responding, ¡°I won¡¯t drive you away.¡±

    With a smirk, Tina no longer paid them any attention and walked into the house. Once in her room, she took out her phone and made a call.

    ¡°Tina,¡± came a voice on the other end, tinged with tenderness.

    After pouring herself a ss of water and taking a sip, Tina slowly said, ¡°Lily has been brought back.¡±

    There was a pause on the line, then Jared¡¯s voice, somewhat subdued, replied, ¡°It seems someone couldn¡¯t wait any longer.¡±

    ¡°The virusb of Mr. Kim hasn¡¯t been found yet,¡± Tina said coldly.

    ¡°There haven¡¯t been any new cases of infants missingtely; their experiments probably haven¡¯t started. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do everything I can to save those children,¡± assured Jared, his voice softening.

    Tina nodded. ¡°Okay, hand over the X Bureau to you, and have someone contact me.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Inside the Reed family¡¯s main hall.

    Jasper looked at Lily, fully aware of her distress, and immediately said, ¡°Since yesterday was a misunderstanding, let¡¯s organize another event for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡±

    Lily had wanted to bring up the matter herself, but Jasper speaking first naturally led her to ept, especially as it helped clear up the misunderstanding from the day before. As long as she could restore her reputation from yesterday, there was still a chance for her to be with Jared.

    What did it matter if it was all an act? They were already in a broken engagement.

    The Reed family urgently needed this event to clear Lily¡¯s name. Since the decorations from the previous night hadn¡¯t beenpletely taken down, they quickly rearranged everything and once again sent out invitations to their social circle.

    Considering yesterday¡¯s events, those in the circle were curious and eager to see what this new banquet was about.

    Annabelle had informed everyone in advance that the entire Reed family must attend the banquet, something Juliet found hard to ept.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Now, seeing Lily dressed even more strikingly than the day before, she grew even more resentful. ¡°How many times has it been? How many illegitimate daughters does the Reed family really have out there?¡±

    Her words wereden with sarcasm.

    Lily nearly choked with anger upon hearing this. They always made things difficult for her because of Tina.

    What was so good about that Tina? She was Juliet¡¯s cousin too.

    Why couldn¡¯t she just say a word in her favor?

    ¡°Lily, don¡¯t mind those words. Today is your banquet, and we must redeem our honor,¡± Willow said, standing beside Lily, having heard everything as well.

    The term ¡°bastard child¡± is unpleasant to hear. However, it was precisely this connection that allowed Willow to enter the Reed family, although Jasper does not yet acknowledge her. After all, she is Lily¡¯s mother. With this rtionship in ce, she saw plenty of opportunities ahead.

    Lily nodded, her fists clenching involuntarily. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve already made ns. My experiment progressed a few days ago. Once I share this news with Jared, he will definitely focus on me.¡±

    ¡°Very well, now that you are a daughter of the Reed family, you must secure a marriage contract with the Farrell family, no matter what,¡± Willow said, her eyes brimming with hatred for Tina.

    That little tramp! She is just like her mother, always stealing the men others love.

    Dressed in an elegant evening gown, Lily had to rece yesterday¡¯s ruined dress with one that was barely adequate. She wore her signature smile, waiting for the guests to arrive. As the night grew darker, not a single person came. Lily¡¯s smile stiffened-no one hade to her banquet. What did this mean? Were they disrespecting the Reed family? Was this a mockery of the Reed family?

    Just then, a beam of headlights approached. Lily lifted her skirt slightly and immediately brightened up, seeing a man alight from the car-Jared, and only Jared, from the Farrell family.

    Jared, in a simple suit, looked exceptionally tall and carried an innateposure that was intimidating yet drew Lily closer. The fact that Jared was alone made Lily¡¯s heart leap with joy, and she hurried forward.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, this is thetest development in my research. I¡¯ve contacted your assistant, but I felt it was better to tell you in person,¡± Lily said, handing over the prepared documents.

    However, Jaredpletely ignored her, walking past her towards someone else. This disregard froze the smile on Lily¡¯s face as she saw him heading towards Tina, his indifference vanishing without a trace.

    They had already broken off the engagement! And he was still looking for Tina? What did Tina have besides a pretty face?

    Lily was not willing to give up, but as she looked up at the crystal chandelier prepared especially for her, a sinister smile crossed her lips.

    The Reed family was somewhat surprised by Jared¡¯s presence; they thought no one woulde. Willow was about to approach when Jared ignored her as he had ignored Lily, heading straight for Tina.

    Tina looked stunning today in a simple strapless evening gown. The dress was elegant without being overly borate. With her hair up, revealing her delicate corbone and wearing a pendant, her light makeup made her stand out brilliantly under the lights.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared said, evidently shocked. His niece usually disliked borate attire, especially at an insignificant banquet. Yet today, she was dressed beautifully.

    Tina smiled, ¡°Uncle!¡± Her attire today was certainly not for Lily. ording to her brother Hayden, her uncle was going to confess his feelings for her today. She was quite looking forward to it.

    Jared: Hayden, well done! My carefully nned surprise, and you¡¯ve ruined it.

    Hayden: I¡¯m innocent, Mr. Farrell! It was Sophia who told me!

 Chapter 369: The Proposal

    Behind Jared.

    Nathan Lehman entered with a group of people, their hands filled with various exquisite gift boxes.

    The gift boxes were opened, revealing all their contents.

    Billions worth of jewelry.

    Luxurious, high-end custom dresses.

    Priceless teas.

    An array of precious medicinal herbs!

    And property deeds??

    Upon seeing this, Juliet eximed in shock, ¡°Such a grand gesture! What is Jared nning to do?¡±

    ¡°Could it be¡­ a proposal?¡± Griffin said, slightly excited.

    They had already known since yesterday that Jared and Tina¡¯s breakup was a joke.

    Today, with Jared arranging such a grand disy, it must be for a proposal!

    ¡°Tina, I have carefully selected these items for you,¡± Jared said, his eyes narrow with affection as he smiled softly, warmth radiating like sunlight. ¡°I agreed to your breakup, but now I am pursuing you anew. My love for you is independent of your mother and the Farrell family. From now on, our rtionship belongs to us alone.¡±

    Jared took the gift box containing the property deeds, pulled out the deeds, and handed them to Tina. ¡°These are all my properties, now all in your name. Tina, I¡¯m not one for pretty words. I simply say that whatever I have, I give it all to you.¡±

    ¡°I will do everything in my power to protect you, to love you. What others have, my girl will have; what others do not, my girl will have even more. From now on, you are my everything, the beauty I look forward to for the rest of my life! Tina, will you marry me?¡±

    Tina was stunned.

    Wasn¡¯t it just a confession?

    How did it turn into a proposal?

    Marriage?

    She wasn¡¯t old enough yet!

    Though, looking at the stern face and those sensuous thin lips of the man before her, she really wanted to throw herself at her ¡®uncle¡¯!

    But¡­

    It seemed there were too many people around; it wasn¡¯t quite appropriate!

    Seeing that Tina hadn¡¯t spoken, Jared continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already had my assets evaluated. Once sorted, all will be managed by you! Ahem! You just need to give me some pocket money for living expenses!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Tina¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°That sounds great!¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Griffin couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud, teasing, ¡°Cousin, you really do love money, don¡¯t you?¡±

    One would think Tina was poor.

    But in reality, her ck card easily held hundreds of billions in assets!

    In his view, Jared marrying Tina was truly marrying above his station.

    Tina turned to look at him seriously, ¡°I am indeed a money lover!¡±

    Griffin, ¡°¡­¡±

    Tina turned back, her eyes sparkling, ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    Although the idea of receiving all of her uncle¡¯s assets was nice.

    She hadn¡¯t seen what she hoped to see.

    A bit disappointed.

    Jared saw right through Tina¡¯s thoughts, he raised his voice andughed, tapping gently on Tina¡¯s nose with a doting tone, ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared it for you!¡±

    Hisugh was enchanting, like a millennium-old sprite.

    Tina was a bit captivated.

    Jared lifted his hand, and Nathan Lehman stepped forward, respectfully cing a roughly eight-inch cake in Jared¡¯s hand.

    A strawberry cake!

    Tina¡¯s attention was instantly captured, suddenly finding, the uncle wasn¡¯t that appealing anymore.

    Hmm!

    She definitely wasn¡¯t fickle!

    ¡°Tina! Will you marry me?¡± Jared pressed on.

    ¡°I will!¡± Tina responded without hesitation.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Money, and cake too!

    Getting married seems quite profitable!

    She wondered, could she marry more than once?

    The smile deepened on Jared¡¯s face, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back and talk to Grandpa, find a good day, and discuss the wedding details with Mr. Reed.¡±

    Tina was only twenty, not old enough yet.

    Wait another two years.

    But two years would pass quickly; he could wait.

    The Mr. Reed he mentioned, of course, wasn¡¯t Jasper!

    Only Hugo was the father Tina hoped would attend the wedding.

    Jasper¡­

    Stay where it¡¯s cool!

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Lily watched the scene unfold before her, feeling a sharp pain in her eyes.

    Her hands clenched into fists, her sharp nails digging into her flesh, filled with hatred.

    Why?

    They had already broken off their engagement, so why propose again?

    No!

    She absolutely could not let Jared continue to be with Tina!

    Thinking this, Lily looked up at the chandelier above.

    The chandelier swayed precariously, about to fall, and Lily suddenly shouted, ¡°Watch out.¡±

    She ran over quickly, reaching out to push Tina aside, but before her hand could touch Tina, she saw Tina step aside with a cool expression.

    Lily paused, then a cold look shed in her eyes as she lunged towards a nearby speaker.

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    Lily used great force, and the sound of her arm breaking was clearly audible.

    Everyone was startled by the scene.

    Willow was the first to react, rushing over to Lily, ¡°Lily, are you okay?¡±

    Annabelle and Jasper also hurried over.

    Seeing the situation, Annabelle immediately asked worriedly, ¡°How could the chandelier fall? Lily, are you hurt anywhere?¡±

    Lily, holding her arm in pain, shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, just worried about Tina. I don¡¯t know if she got hurt.¡±

    She struggled to her feet and walked towards Tina, relieved, ¡°Tina, seeing you¡¯re okay makes me feel better. It was an emergency, and I only had time to push you aside.¡±

    After saying this, she lowered her eyes, a cold glint passing through them.

    She had miscalcted again.

    She had nned well; the spot where Tina stood was near an inconspicuous sharp steel bar. If she had pushed Tina there, given Tina¡¯s height, she would have undoubtedly died.

    But unexpectedly, Tina had moved away in advance.

    Her n had failed.

    Why did Tina always have such good luck!

    Tina looked up at her, her lips slightly curled in a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile.

    Seeing her like this, Willow got angry, grabbed Lily¡¯s hand, and said, ¡°Why did you save her? Look at her, anyone with a bit of conscience would at least say thank you. Instead, she doesn¡¯t even thank you and looks at you like that!¡±

    Willow grew more agitated as she spoke, pulling Lily away, ¡°Come on, I¡¯m taking you to the hospital for a check-up!¡±

    ¡°Ouch,¡±

    Lily winced, ¡°Mom, be gentle!¡±

    Willow was startled, quickly asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your hand? I didn¡¯t use much force just now!¡±

    Annabelle also said, ¡°Lily, if you¡¯re ufortable, you need to speak up, don¡¯t just endure it!¡±

    Lily, holding her hand, said in pain, ¡°I think I broke it!¡±

    ¡°What??¡± Willow eximed in shock, ¡°That hand is your surgical hand; if it¡¯s broken, it could affect your future! Lily, you really¡­ for such a heartless person, you ruined your own hand. Was it worth it?¡±

 Chapter 370: Every Account Settled Precisely

    Lily nced at Tina and whispered, ¡°Mom, stop talking!¡± She looked utterly aggrieved. Naturally beautiful, her distressed expression made her even more pitiable. Willow had only this beloved daughter, and seeing her in such distress was unbearable. Her voice rose, ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I speak? I insist on speaking!¡±

    After saying this, she approached Tina, visibly furious, ¡°Tina, you¡¯ve disliked Lily from the start. No matter what she does, it¡¯s wrong. But today, she acted to save you! Your attitude ispletely uneptable!¡±

    Tina slightly raised her eyebrows, her expression neither cold nor warm, ¡°So? Should I kneel and bow my head to her?¡±

    Willow was taken aback, ¡°When did I ever ask you to bow to her? Don¡¯t twist my words. At the very least, you should say thank you.¡±

    Annabelle, who had been silent, spoke up with a frown, ¡°Tina, your attitude really is inappropriate. No matter what, Lily is your sister. Whatever grievances you had should be in the past; today she saved you because you are half-sisters, sharing the same father. You don¡¯t need to be overly grateful, but saying thank you is the least you can do.¡±

    As she spoke, her gaze hardened, ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother teach you any manners?¡±

    Suddenly, Tina¡¯s eyes darkened. Standing under the sunlight in her luxurious custom gown, she appeared regal, her presence somanding it was momentarily blinding.

    Her cool gaze shifted to Annabelle, her voice aloof, ¡°My mother is dead. Otherwise, why don¡¯t you go to the underworld and ask her how she taught me?¡±

    Annabelle¡¯s face soured instantly, ¡°What kind of response is that? As your grandmother and someone who wants the best for you, can¡¯t I even speak to you? I remember your mother as a very gentle and gracious woman, well-liked by the Reed family for her polite and considerate ways. How can you be so rude? You really should learn from your mother how to conduct yourself.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Tinaughed, a radiant yet toxic smile that could intoxicate anyone at a nce.

    She looked up at Annabelle, her voice icy, ¡°When Liliosa managed to stealthily take Mr. Reed¡¯s sperm, Grandma Reed, you yed no small part! A venomous person, living a life of deceit, and you¡¯re teaching me how to behave?¡±

    Annabelle¡¯s face turned pale, then flushed with anger, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Is this how a younger person should speak to an elder?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware there was anything wrong with Tina¡¯s attitude,¡± Jared interjected, hands in his pockets, his expression indifferent as he nced at Annabelle, ¡°Perhaps, you¡¯d like to exin?¡±

    Ha! The Reed family!

    Time and again, they had tormented his Tina in front of him. If it wasn¡¯t for Tina preferring to handle her own affairs, did they really think he would tolerate them for so long?

    He had nned to wait until he had cleared up a certain matter before dealing with the Reed family.

    Since the Reed family seemed intent on making life difficult, he would simply hasten their downfall.

    After all, he didn¡¯t want anyone thinking he was just a figurehead fiance.

    ¡°Need I say more?¡± Annabelle was truly angered now, her words reckless, ¡°Ever since she returned to the Reed family, she has treated us with nothing but disdain. No matter what we do, in her eyes, it¡¯s always wrong, and she never shows us any kindness.¡±

    She turned a banquet into a farce, and during a gambling on stones outing, she allowed Mack to defecate live on camera. Mack ended up in the police station multiple times because of her antics.¡±

    ¡°Her foster parents came over, and we treated them well. Did that earn us any gratitude from her?¡±

    ¡°Now, her biological sister has returned, and out of consideration for her feelings, we restrained ourselves from treating Lily too well. Yet today, despite past grievances, Lily injured her hand trying to save her, and this is the attitude she shows?¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°What? As elders, are we not even allowed to speak?¡±

    Annabelle looked sternly at Tina. ¡°I told you to learn how to be a person from your mother. Was I wrong? Tina, you just don¡¯t measure up to her, youck her thoroughness!¡±

    Jaredughed mockingly, a sly charm in his demeanor.

    He nced at Nathan Lehman. ¡°It seems the Reed family has many unsettled scores today. Nathan, bring over a couple of chairs. Tina and I will sit and settle these ounts one by one.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Nathan nced coldly at Annabelle and went to fetch the chairs.

    Soon, he brought two chairs. Jared, holding Tina¡¯s hand, sat down regally, exuding a kingly aura that diminished the Reed family and the Willow mother and daughter.

    Jared crossed his legs, his long fingers tapping slowly on his knee.

    His deep eyes swept over the Reed family, then fixed on Annabelle before asking Tina, ¡°Tina, there are so many ounts to settle, where shall we start?¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not good at math, uncle, you decide.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Jared¡¯s gaze returned to Annabelle. ¡°Let¡¯s start with how you saved Mrs. Reed at Serenity Ridge.¡±

    Previously, he would have addressed the Reeds respectfully.

    Now, no more. They did not deserve it.

    Upon hearing this, Annabelle¡¯s brow twitched, sensing trouble.

    Before Jared could speak, she blurted out, ¡°What do you mean by this? The Reed family has raised Tina for so long, and now you want to settle ounts with us? Can these ounts even be settled clearly?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Reed, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m very good at math. I won a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad when I was sixteen. You can check it-the ounts will be clear!¡± Jared spoke calmly, his feathery tone chilling.

    Annabelle stiffened, about to speak, but Jared beat her to it. ¡°If I remember correctly, whether it¡¯s Mr. Jasper, you, Mrs. Reed, or the entire Reed family, everyone said my master was your favorite woman, the best match for Mr. Jasper.¡±

    He paused, then added, ¡°I forgot to tell you, Natalie is my master.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The Reed family was shocked!

    They had not anticipated this connection between Natalie and Jared!

    Jared ignored their reactions and continued calmly, ¡°Answer me, yes or no.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The first to respond was Jasper.

    In his heart, Natalie was irreceable.

    Jared nced at him, then turned to Annabelle with a smirk, ¡°Then, Mrs. Reed, please exin why you went to Serenity Ridge to ask Master Tam about the whereabouts of Natalie¡¯s child and why you brought an assassin with you?¡±

    The Reed family was shocked!

    Assassin?

    What was going on?

    They all knew about this incident. At the time, Annabelle said she needed to find the child and went to Serenity Ridge alone.

    She had refused even the bodyguards offered by the family.

    But now, she had taken an assassin with her-why?

 Chapter 371: She Was Not His Own

    Annabelle¡¯s face underwent a drastic change. How could Jared possibly know about this? She had not shared this secret with anyone in the Reed family, not even her own son. She had traveled alone to Serenity Ridge just to avoid leaving any trace. But why? How did Jarede to know?

    Annabelle looked somewhat panicked but forced herself to remain calm, angrily retorting, ¡°What are you talking about? When did I ever bring a killer with me? Tina knows, she saved me then; I was being chased by the killer! If I had brought the killer, why would he chase me?¡±

    Jaredughed dismissively, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know that the organization of assassins you went to was founded by my master. How coincidental is that?¡±

    ¡°What!!¡± Annabelle was shocked, her face a picture of disbelief. Were these people Natalie¡¯s?

    No wonder! No wonder they had suddenly turned on her to kill her! She remembered clearly that when she had ced the order, the organization had sent assassins to apany her. Everything was fine until they reached Serenity Ridge. When she mentioned Natalie¡¯s name, the leader¡¯s expression changed. They confirmed again, asking if the person she wanted killed was Natalie¡¯s child. She had affirmed it was.

    Then, those people started to attack her. Unknown to anyone, she knew martial arts, a skill she had hidden for decades. In a critical moment, she had no choice but to defend herself. Thus, she fled in panic.

    But these were well-trained assassins; how could she possibly escape from them? Moreover, the terrain of Serenity Ridge was tooplex. She circled many times but couldn¡¯t find her way out and was eventually caught.

    In desperation, she told the assassins that she had something left by Natalie. She promised to hand it over if they spared her life. Perhaps the assassins had deep feelings for Natalie, for once they heard the item was Natalie¡¯s, they indeed spared her.

    They pressured her to hand over the item, but at that point, what could she give? Especially since she had lost everything, including her phone and bag, while running. She could only stall.

    By chance, she encountered Tina. All she saw was Tina throwing a handful of white powder, and then those men fell to the ground, not getting up. She knew this girl was no ordinary person and thus clung to her, hoping Tina would take her back.

    On this point, she had to admit, although Tina was cold in demeanor, she was warm-hearted. Despite apparent impatience, she protected Annabelle thoroughly all the way. Later, when the assassins caught up with them again, Tina dealt with them all.

    Perhaps Natalie really had left something very important, but she did not know. All she knew was that the assassins chased them for a long time, until they reached the boundaries of Ensford, where they disappeared. At the time she did not understand, but thinking back now, it became clear.

    Ensford was where Natalie had lived, and Tina was living there, probably so as not to disturb Tina. Although she didn¡¯t know why, the assassins hadn¡¯t recognized Natalie.

    Jared¡¯s deep eyes nced at Annabelle¡¯s pale face, his lips parting slightly, ¡°Even more coincidental is that the assassins found her before Tina entered this city and informed her about this matter.¡±

    He paused, a slight smile curling at the corner of his lips, ¡°They not only mentioned the name and family of the person who hired them to kill Tina but even had a portrait.¡±

    With that, he took out his phone, scrolled through it, and disyed a photo-a portrait that the assassin had drawn of her.

    The killer who painted her loved to paint, and his portraits were incredibly lifelike.

    Everyone watching this scene couldn¡¯t believe it was real.

    Garrett and Luna looked at Annabelle in shock. ¡°Mom? Is this really true? How could you do this?¡±N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    In the Reed family, they had little say, and now with Jasper in charge, they generally kept quiet at home.

    However, they did their best to help Tina. While they weren¡¯t very kind to her, they helped within their means because Natalie had once helped them.

    They were grateful people and had remembered Natalie¡¯s kindness over the years.

    When they had once mistaken Amber Reed, it was she who told the children at home to treat Amber Reed well. Later, when Tina returned, the children preferred her, and they thought this was a good arrangement.

    As for the family matters, like acknowledging Lily back into the family, they had objected, but Annabelle and Jasper were determined, leaving them no choice.

    They had thought that once Lily returned, if Tina was mistreated, they would find an opportunity to talk to their mother, who also greatly liked Natalie. But they had never imagined that their mother would go as far as to send someone to kill Natalie¡¯s child.

    Why would she do this?

    Annabelle, unable to maintain her facade any longer, admitted, ¡°Yes, I did it! Why should Natalie, a woman of unknown origin, marry my most excellent son? My son should marry a woman suitable for our family, who can help the Reed family! But Jasper was bewitched by her, insisting on marrying her!¡±

    Annabelle, leaning on her cane with a menacing look, said, ¡°But I am a good mother. How could I quarrel with my son over a woman? So, I pretended to like her, treated her well, and considered her part of the family. Yet, she dared to fool around with another man!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Tina¡¯s frown was barely perceptible.

    Jared¡¯s face darkened.

    Garrett and his wife couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Jasper seemed to have known all along; his fingers clenched at his sides, his expression as dark and foreboding as a stormy day.

    Among the younger ones, Juliet was the first to react, retorting, ¡°Impossible! Natalie isn¡¯t that kind of person!¡±

    When Natalie was with Jasper, Juliet was young, but in her scant memories, Natalie was a kind aunt who smiled at her, gave her strange toys, and protected her when other children bullied her.

    At that time, her parents were busy with family business and often neglected her; she was bullied, and her parents were unaware, but only Natalie stood up for her.

    Thus, she could not believe Natalie was such a person.

    ¡°I saw it with my own eyes!¡± Annabelle shouted, ¡°In an alley outside Whispering Pines, they were embracing each other tightly, that wretched woman, a flirt, betraying my son¡¯s feelings!¡±

    Annabelle said, looking at Tina with resentment in her eyes, ¡°And then you ended up as this bastard child!¡±

    The room was in shock!

    Everyone was stunned!

    Garrett, agitated, said, ¡°Mom! What are you talking about? Tina¡¯s paternity test was personally conducted by my elder brother! How could she not be his child? You shouldn¡¯t spread such rumors!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not spreading rumors! She is not a child of the Reed family; she is the bastard child of Natalie and that man!¡± Annabelle shouted angrily.

 Chapter 372: Whatâ€™s the Rush? The Account Isnâ€™t Settled Yet

    Garrett still couldn¡¯t believe it. He nced at Jasper and hurriedly said, ¡°Big brother, won¡¯t you say something? Wasn¡¯t it you who had the paternity test done? You even showed it to us, and it conclusively established a parent-child rtionship. Tina has suffered so much over the years, and now that Lily has returned, she¡¯s been wronged again. If she¡¯s wronged in this matter, she¡¯ll feel no more affection for the Reed family.¡±

    Jasper turned his head to look at Tina, who sat in a chair, appearing calm andposed throughout. It seemed that such shocking news was hardly worth mentioning to her! She was not just like Natalie; she surpassed Natalie!

    After a moment of silence, Jasper spoke in a low voice, ¡°Mom! Don¡¯t spout nonsense, Tina is my daughter!¡± Although, in his heart, he knew the answer was that Tina was not his biological daughter. But the result stood as it was! Ten paternity tests all confirmed their parent-child rtionship. And the result of the eleventh was still pending. This time, he had employed the Ice me organization, awork spanning the globe, to find out whether Tina truly was his daughter!

    Tina met his gaze and smiled-a smile profound and inscrutable!

    Meanwhile, Annabelle was frantic, ¡°No! She is not! Even though I don¡¯t know why the paternity test shows that Tina and you have a parent-child rtionship, I know she is not your daughter! She doesn¡¯t look like you at all! Look at Lily, her eyebrows, eyes, nose, they all look like you!¡±

    In fact, she had secretly conducted many paternity tests! But likewise, the results still confirmed a parent-child rtionship between Jasper and Tina. She didn¡¯t understand why the results were such! Her intuition told her Tina was not Jasper¡¯s biological daughter, and her intuition was never wrong!

    This was why, when she learned that Liliosa intended to steal Jasper¡¯s sperm for Willow, she secretly helped. Willow was not at all her idea of a suitable daughter-inw. But at that time, it was the best n. Only if Willow bore Jasper¡¯s child, and she drugged Natalie and arranged for someone to sleep with her, could Natalie be driven away. Everything had been nned wlessly.

    However, unexpectedly, Jasper decided to get engaged to Natalie! In a fit of anger, Willow married Ethan. Her n disrupted, she could only watch their engagement helplessly, waiting for a chance topletely drive Natalie away!

    Shockingly, on the day of the wedding, Natalie ran away? The wedding did not proceed, and she breathed a sigh of relief, but she feared Natalie¡¯s return. Thus, she actively joined Jasper in searching for Natalie, but to no avail, only to suddenly learn that Natalie had been pregnant when she left.

    Her face darkened at that moment. Regardless of whether the child was Jasper¡¯s, she could not allow her to return to the Reed family! She had calcted every possibility, guarded against every eventuality, but had neither anticipated nor imagined that Tina could be Natalie¡¯s child!

    Had she known it woulde to this, she would never have clung to Tina, sending her back to Ashbury.

    Jasper nced at Lily, his eyes full of disdain, but his voice left no room for doubt, ¡°Enough said, Tina is my daughter, and I do not wish to hear any more questioning of her identity!¡± With that, he looked at Lily again, his disdain even more pronounced.

    What use was resemnce? In terms of intelligence, cunning, and tactics, none couldpare to Tina! Even her schemes could be exposed on the spot, leading to the current situation!

    Tina and Jared had ounts to settle, and this was only the first matter. Whether it would extend to Lily, they would have to wait and see. If not for her usefulness to him, he would deem even a nce at her as filthy.

    Jasper nced around solemnly at everyone before fixing his gaze on Annabelle. ¡°Mom! From now on, you¡¯re going to live in the temple and focus on your spiritual practices. Don¡¯t worry about the household affairs anymore; the stewardship will be handled by your sister-inw.¡±

    Annabelle¡¯s face fell. ¡°What? You want to strip me of my stewardship?¡±

    Jasper looked at her indifferently, his voice cold. ¡°You¡¯re old! It¡¯s time for you to enjoy some peace.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Annabelle roared, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to! You¡¯re doing this because of Natalie, aren¡¯t you? But everything I did was for your good, Jasper. Someone of Natalie¡¯s status is simply not suitable for you!¡±

    Though she said this, she had to admit that the Natalie she had initially looked down upon turned out to be a formidable person during their subsequent search.

    Thework of influence she had built was something not even ten Reed families could match.

    Yet Annabelle was still not content because Natalie had taken the ce she had wanted for her future daughter-inw.

    Her preferred daughter-inw was not Willow but Logan¡¯s youngest daughter, Simone.

    Of course, her wish for Jasper to marry Simone was not out of fondness for the woman but because she wanted Simone to suffer in the Reed family.

    Only the suffering of this woman¡¯s only daughter could appease her years of resentment!

    Unfortunately, after that incident years ago, Logan had cut ties with Simone, who had left Ashbury and had not been heard from since. The Farrell family had since ceased to mention her.

    Thus, her dislike for Natalie was not solely because of the woman¡¯s status but because Natalie had interfered, preventing the marriage between Simone and Jasper that she had almost managed to arrange.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have your belongings packed and have you escorted out immediately,¡± Jasper said with a furrowed brow and an unpleased expression.

    She was utterly stubborn.

    Couldn¡¯t she see that he was trying to help her?

    Did she really think she, or the Reed family, couldpete with Tina?

    Natalie was formidable, so Tina couldn¡¯t possibly be a nobody.

    She had uncovered the events of the past; naturally, she could uncover other things too. Even with his capabilities, some things simply couldn¡¯t be concealed.

    ¡°Mr. Reed!¡± Jared said coolly, giving him a nce, his tone neither cold nor warm, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? The ounts haven¡¯t been settled yet. It¡¯s better to settle these ounts in the presence of the olddy. Her future isn¡¯t for you to decide.¡±

    As he finished speaking, he turned to look at Tina. ¡°Right, Tina?¡±

    Tina smiled slyly. ¡°Uncle¡¯s absolutely right!¡±

    Having support felt pretty good!

    She could now mess things up without worry!

    And watch the expressions on certain faces change continuously.

    Indeed, it was quite the spectacle!

    Much better than the muscle-bound men Juliet had made her watch!

    Jasper frowned, looking toward Tina, ¡°Tina¡­¡±

    Before he could continue, Tina spoke to Jared, ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s settle the ounts of the gambling stones and the banquetter. First, let¡¯s address the matter of the ten lives Mrs. Reed is used of.¡±

    Her voice was slow and leisurely. Lily, standing opposite, found Tina¡¯s nonchnt demeanor irritating.

    She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Tina, that¡¯s enough! No matter what, Grandma is your elder. You¡¯re being too harsh!¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, turned to Jared with a mischievous look, and asked, ¡°Uncle, Miss Ward seems eager to settle ounts. Should we hold off on Grandma Reed¡¯s issue and settle hers first?¡±

    Jared smiled, ¡°No rush! Let¡¯s take it one at a time. The criminal investigation team and the bureau are waiting outside. Once the ounts are settled, they¡¯ll also have a ce to go.¡±

 Chapter 373: Settling the Account for the Death of My Grandmother

    Jasper furrowed his brows, his expression darkening. It seemed inevitable that Jared and Tina were determined to resolve things today. He narrowed his eyes, lowering his voice, ¡°Tina, Jared, your grandmother may have been provoked today, and Tina has been wronged these past days. Let¡¯s not speak of what happened before. From now on, I will send her to a retreat to ensure she is no longer mistreated in this household.¡±

    Juliet smirked to herself. Who was mistreating Tina? Ultimately, wasn¡¯t it just him and that illegitimate daughter? The younger generation, including herself, got along well with Tina.

    Tina lifted her gaze, her cool eyes briefly meeting Jasper¡¯s. She spoke calmly, ¡°Your promises are worthless. Mrs. Reed wants to settle ounts, so let¡¯s clear them all at once, to avoid any ims that I took advantage of the Reed family!¡±

    Jasper¡¯s eyes narrowed, a dangerous look crossing his face. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jasper met her gaze, her eyes seemingly piercing through everything, which unsettled him. He was about to speak when Tina looked away, stating indifferently, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m hungry.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jared said softly, ¡°let¡¯s clear this ount and then go eat.¡±

    Lily observed Jared and Tina behaving as if no one else mattered, which infuriated her. Yet, a foreboding feeling lingered in her heart; speaking up might just implicate herself. Especially since Jared had just mentioned that the police were still waiting outside. Although she was confident she hadn¡¯t done anything illegal, who knew if Tina might frame her? She knew she had to be cautious.

    She definitely did not want to visit the police station again.

    ¡°Mrs. Reed,¡± Jared¡¯s voice suddenly turned icy as he looked at Annabelle with eyes sharp as arrows, his voice as cold as frost, ¡°let¡¯s now settle the ount for you killing my grandmother, and for the care of her three friends and six nannies!¡±

    Silence fell so heavily that even the sound of the wind was distinctly audible.

    Annabelle¡¯s face turned pale, her hand trembling on her cane in sheer panic.

    Even Jasper was taken aback. His mother, a murderer? Impossible. He remembered the incident; it had been a national sensation, yet the murderer was never found. At the time, his mother had been at her father¡¯s house, and police investigations confirmed she hadn¡¯t left the premises.

    ¡°What?¡± A thunderous roar echoed from within Whispering Pines.

    Everyone turned to see Muff, using a cane, running down in shock. He approached Jared with difficulty, his voice trembling, ¡°What did you just say? Say it again.¡±

    Lily¡¯s banquet had been a fiasco the day before, and it was to continue today, but he had no intention of appearing. However, having heard from a servant about the confrontation between Jared, Tina, and Annabelle over some ount, he stood on the balcony, curious to see the oue.

    After all, Annabelle had masqueraded for so many years; in her youth, everyone thought she was a gentle and nobledy, and as she aged, she was considered kind and gentle.

    She maintained good rtionships with everyone and had never had any conflicts with any family. Suddenly, Jared and Tina came to settle scores with her, which piqued his interest. He was curious to see how Jared would unmask her, but he did not expect to uncover such a shocking secret.

    Jared nced at Muff, his eyes cold and sharp. ¡°Mrs. Reed killed my grandmother. Did you not know?¡± he said.

    Muff felt as if his brain had been struck by lightning, buzzing loudly. ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± he replied excitedly. ¡°If I had known, how could I have let her get away with it for so many years?¡±

    If he had known, he would have been the first to kill her. He would make sure she could not even descend to hell after death. He would doom her to wander the earth like a lonely ghost, forever atoning for Sydney¡¯s death.

    Seeing Muff¡¯s agitated state, Jared¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°It seems Mrs. Reed is quite cunning, managing to keep even her bedfellow in the dark about her deeds!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Muff turned and pped Annabelle across the face, staring at her fiercely. ¡°It was you, you killed her! You witch!¡±

    Annabelle, still stunned from the p, was jerked into awareness. She covered her face, incredulous. ¡°You hit me again? We¡¯ve been married for years, and this is only the second time you¡¯ve hit me. That¡¯s too much!¡±

    ¡°You dare kill Sydney, and I didn¡¯t kill you-I¡¯ve failed her!¡± Muff roared. ¡°Annabelle, I¡¯ve turned a blind eye to your petty dark deeds before, but I never imagined you would kill Sydney.¡±

    As he spoke, Muff¡¯s emotions surged, and he grabbed Annabelle by the throat, his face twisted with ferocity. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, you can do what you want, but if you touch Sydney, I¡¯ll kill you?¡±

    Annabelle, struggling to breathe as he choked her, was about to fight back when she realized the gravity of the situation and stopped. She turned pale and said, ¡°After all these years living together, you don¡¯t trust me, preferring to believe a stranger?¡±

    ¡°I detest her, but how could I dare kill her?¡± Annabelle defended herself. ¡°Murder is a capital offense. I wouldn¡¯t be ignorant of that. Besides, if I really did it, why haven¡¯t the police arrested me all these years? Why is it Jared using me? He just can¡¯t stand to see the Reed family prosper!¡±

    Muff paused. Her words did make sense. If she really did it, why hadn¡¯t the police uncovered the truth after all these years?

    Jared suddenlyughed, though his smile did not reach his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± he said.

    He stood up and slowly walked over to Annabelle, his voice icy. ¡°Since we¡¯re settling ounts, let¡¯s make everything crystal clear, so you don¡¯t end up a wronged spirit.¡±

    Annabelle met his icy gaze, her panic growing. Suddenly agitated, she eximed, ¡°Shut up! What ounts? My Reed family has no scores to settle with you! You are not wee here, get out!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see who dares to make him leave,¡± Muff snapped, pushing Annabelle away. ¡°This ount must be settled! I need it clear-I need to know who really killed Sydney.¡±

    With that, Muff added, ¡°We need to call Logan over to sort this out.¡±

    He immediately took out his phone and called Logan.

 Chapter 374: The Cruelty of Annabelle

    Jared hadn¡¯t nned to call Logan, but since Muff wanted him there, he had no objections. He had heard stories about Grandpa, Grandma, and Muff when he was young; both men were important to Grandma. If they wanted to settle this together, so be it.

    Soon, Logan learned that Jared had found the person who killed the olddy. He immediately dropped everything and rushed to the Reed family. As soon as he entered, he eagerly asked, ¡°Jared! Muff just said over the phone that you found the person who killed your grandmother? Is it true?¡±

    Jared nodded and gave Nathan Lehman a look. ¡°Yes, Grandpa, sit down first. We¡¯ll take our time.¡±

    Nathan Lehman brought over a chair, and Logan sat down. ¡°Alright! I want to see who killed your grandmother. Once I know, I¡¯ll break their legs!¡±

    As he said this, Logan specifically looked at Annabelle. Muff had mentioned over the phone that Annabelle was involved.

    Logan sat down, but no one brought a chair for Muff, so he got one himself and sat down.

    Jared nced around at everyone before taking out his phone and handing it to Nathan Lehman. ¡°Turn it on.¡±

    His phone had a built-in projection feature that Nathan Lehman had used many times before. He quickly set it up.

    Jared had Nathan Lehman open a photo and then looked at Annabelle. ¡°After my grandmother¡¯s ident, the police sealed off the scene immediately. Grandma Reed, as her good friend, you were questioned by the police. This is your statement from back then.¡±

    Everyone looked at the statement; there seemed to be no issues. All evidence pointed to Annabelle having an alibi.

    Everyone looked at Jared in confusion. What could this wless statement prove?

    Jared seemed to read their minds and slowly began to speak. ¡°This statement is perfect-so perfect that there¡¯s not a single w. However¡­¡±

    He raised his eyes to look at Annabelle. ¡°In your testimony, you stated that you didn¡¯t leave the Reed family for three days before and after my grandmother¡¯s gathering. Witnesses confirmed you didn¡¯t leave either. So¡­ who is this?¡±

    As he finished speaking, Nathan Lehman opened a second photo.

    Annabelle¡¯s face turned pale instantly.

    How could this be? She had cleaned up all possible traces meticulously; how did Jared get this photo?

    Everyone was shocked and looked at Annabelle differently.

    Logan was furious on the spot. ¡°Annabelle! It really was you! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    He lunged at Annabelle, but Nathan Lehman immediately stopped him. ¡°Old man, don¡¯t rush; it¡¯s not over yet.¡±

    Annabelle forced herself to stay calm and responded coldly, ¡°What does this photo prove? I just went out to buy something.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Logan shouted. ¡°To buy something? You went over a hundred kilometers away to a small town? Why did you go there? Sydney and her friends were dining in that town!¡±

    Mentioning this almost made Logan lose control.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.

    Back then, Sydney and her three close friends had nned to dine in a small town outside Ashbury. They chose many ces but eventually decided on this town because they heard there was a private kitchen with excellent food. Sydney even showed him the newspaper where she read about it.

    At that time, the inte wasn¡¯t widespread; they got their news from newspapers.

    He checked the newspaper and asked around; indeed, the private kitchen was good, with a famous inn nearby and a temple known for its blessings. So her friends nned to dine there and stay overnight at the inn before visiting the temple the next day.

    Their families weren¡¯tfortable with them going alone, so they arranged for nannies to apany them.

    He was even more cautious and arranged three nannies for Sydney.

    Only after ensuring their safety did he let Sydney go with her friends.

    But that night, a fire took ten lives!

    When he rushed over upon hearing the news, Sydney and her friends were burned beyond recognition!

    He felt like his world was copsing.

    Later investigations proved that it wasn¡¯t rted to the restaurant owner but was an act of arson.

    Despite all efforts, they couldn¡¯t find the culprit.

    Twenty yearster, there were still no leads.

    This incident remained an eternal pain in his heart!

    ¡°How would I know where they were dining? They didn¡¯t invite me!¡± Annabelle retorted angrily.

    ¡°Really?¡± Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed as his voice deepened. ¡°Then what is this?¡±

    Nathan Lehman opened another photo.

    It showed Annabelle calling Grandma Farrell from her home phone back then.

    Annabelle looked incredulous-how could this be?

    Before she could react, Jared walked towards her. ¡°Surprised? You spent a lot of money deleting those call records; how did I find them?¡±

    Back then,munication tools weren¡¯t advanced; deleted call records couldn¡¯t be recovered by most technicians.

    But today, he and Tina easily restored those records.

    Annabelle kept retreating under his imposing presence. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t me! I didn¡¯t make that call!¡±

    ¡°Grandma Reed,¡± Jared continued coldly, ¡°Mr. Farrell not only found your call records but also found the newspaper you rmended she read! Even usations from the private kitchen owner and photos taken by passersby of you going to that town-all point to you.¡±

    Nathan Lehman saw Annabelle still denying it and spoke sternly. ¡°If you continue to deny it, we have ways to uncover everything from back then.¡±

    Jared nced at Annabelle before walking closer again. ¡°Still won¡¯t admit it? Do you want me toy out all the evidence?¡±

    Muff also stood up angrily. ¡°You wicked woman! At this point, you¡¯re still lying! Tell us-did you kill Sydney?¡±

    Facing so many using eyes and Muff¡¯s questioning, Annabelle finally broke down and screamed in rage. ¡°So what if I did? She deserved to die! She was a wretch who captivated every man around her despite being nothingpared to me! Even after marrying me, your heart always yearned for her.¡±

    Annabelle grew more agitated as she spoke. ¡°I thought you¡¯d forget her with time-but even after Damian was born-you still couldn¡¯t forget her! Muff Reed-you¡¯re already a grandfather-yet you¡¯re still obsessed with that wretch-I hated her-she deserved death!¡±

    She suddenly smiled wickedly. ¡°So I killed her-I chose to burn her-to disfigure her-so you¡¯d remember her ugly face forever-but even then-you still couldn¡¯t let go of her.¡±

 Chapter 375: Arrest

    Apart from Tina, Jared, and Logan, everyone in the Reed family was stunned into silence by Annabelle¡¯s words. They never imagined that the usually gentle and kind Annabelle would have such a dark heart. Was she really capable of killing out of jealousy? And killing ten people at that.

    Muff was trembling with rage, shouting, ¡°You! You wicked woman! Sydney always considered you a good friend, and this is how you treat her?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    ¡°Who wants to be her friend?¡± Annabelle¡¯s face twisted as she spoke. ¡°I only befriended her to watch her fall from grace. Unfortunately¡­¡± She nced at Logan and sneered, ¡°Logan loved her too much. No matter how I schemed, he always believed in her. Even when I drugged her, Logan never suspected her of cheating!¡±

    She turned back to Muff. ¡°See? That¡¯s something you¡¯ll never match. Now you know why she chose Logan over you. If it were you, you¡¯d never believe her after seeing those things.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Muff growled. ¡°Sydney is perfect in my eyes. No matter what she does, I believe in her.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Annabelle felt a pang in her heart. ¡°I¡¯ve spent most of my life working hard for this family, but your heart was never with me. Even now, you¡¯re praising Sydney. But what good does it do?¡± Sheughed wickedly. ¡°She¡¯s dead! I burned her to death! Not only did she die, but her friends died because of her too! Ha ha!¡±

    Suddenly, she startedughing maniacally. ¡°You came to settle scores with me today? What for? The evidence you¡¯ve provided can¡¯t prove I killed them. Even if you know it was me, you can¡¯t do anything about it. Muff, you hate me so what? You still have to face me every day!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Muff was furious and raised his hand to hit Annabelle, but she grabbed his hand tightly before he could strike. ¡°You still want to hit me? Do you think I¡¯m defenseless? Let me tell you, Muff, if it weren¡¯t for my love for you, you¡¯d be dead ten times over for what you¡¯ve done to me!¡±

    With that, she flung Muff to the ground harshly.

    Damian was close by and quickly helped the old man up.

    Muff stood up, looking at Annabelle in shock. ¡°You know martial arts?¡±

    Ridiculous! He prided himself on being smart but never noticed she knew martial arts. She had disguised herself well all these years!

    Annabelle leaned on her cane and nced at him coldly. ¡°Without some skills, wouldn¡¯t I have been trampled to death in this Reed family? Since you despise me so much, from now on, stay put in the Reed family and watch my face until you die!¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Muff wanted to speak, but Annabelle ignored him and turned to Logan. ¡°Logan, the Reed family does not wee you. Take your grandson and get out of here! Never set foot in my house again! As for Jared and Tina¡¯s marriage¡­¡±

    Annabelle looked at Tina with a cold smile. ¡°Your paternity test shows you¡¯re Jasper¡¯s child, but I don¡¯t believe it. You better not give me any reason to doubt you; otherwise, the Reed family won¡¯t tolerate you. However¡­ since you¡¯re now a Reed family child, follow our rules. I don¡¯t recognize your marriage with Jared!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take my words as a joke; I¡¯m not as foolish as Elizabeth. If you don¡¯t believe me, try it.¡± Annabelle tossed her cane aside and adjusted her hair calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve been pretending for so many years; I¡¯m tired of it. It feels great not to pretend anymore.¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Jared and Tinaughed simultaneously, looking at Annabelle like she was a fool.

    Even now, she remained calm as if everything was under control-this alone made her much stronger than Elizabeth.

    However¡­

    Jared put his hands in his pockets and lifted his brows slightly as he spoke slowly, ¡°Tina, did you record everything?¡±

    Tina smirked. ¡°Yes!¡±

    She took out her phone and yed the recording of Annabelle confessing to her crimes with satisfaction. ¡°Perfect! We have all the evidence we need.¡±

    Annabelle was momentarily stunned before erupting in anger. ¡°You tricked me?¡±

    She had been careless! Really careless!

    Muff¡¯s provocation had made her lose her mind; she forgot about the possibility of being recorded.

    She had been confident that even if Jared and Tina produced evidence against her, they couldn¡¯t convict her based on photos and call records alone-she had plenty of exnations ready.

    After all these years, overturning the case wouldn¡¯t be easy.

    She hadn¡¯t expected them to trap her like this.

    Jared¡¯s lips curled into a charming smile. ¡°Why would I spend so much time and effort investigating when I could get the evidence so easily? This recording is enough to convict you; your dreams are shattered.¡±

    The case from back then was hard to solve after so many years.

    He had been young then, and Annabelle had indeed been good at disguising herself-she appeared as a gentle elder in his memory.

    With limited technology back then and Annabelle covering her tracks well, no one suspected her involvement; he hadn¡¯t either.

    The investigation into Annabelle began when she arranged for Lily to tutor Zackary-he and Tina had started suspecting something was off about Annabelle.

    They dug deeper despite modern technology making it difficult to find evidence from so long ago.

    He and Tina managed to recover an old call record from that time.

    As for the photos-they were edited by him; the private chef had long since passed away.

    Her household staff had changed multiple times over the years; many were no longer alive.

    Besides the call record, there was no solid evidence linking Annabelle to his grandmother¡¯s death.

    So Tina suggested forcing Annabelle into confessing herself.

    Tina was smart!

    The n worked perfectly!

    Jared gave Nathan Lehman a look; Nathan removed an invisible earpiece from behind his ear and ordered, ¡°Arrest her!¡±

    Soon after, a team ofw enforcement officers stormed in.

    Their leader approached Annabelle directly. ¡°You¡¯re suspected of murder; pleasee with us for questioning.¡±

    Annabelle¡¯s face changed instantly. ¡°No! I¡¯m not going!¡±

    Before the officers could react further, she struck back fiercely in an attempt to escape.

 Chapter 376: Shot Dead on the Spot

    Annabelle had not fought in years, but her skills were still sharp. Thew enforcement officers from the Criminal Investigation Team had guns, but they couldn¡¯t shoot without orders, so they had to try to catch Annabelle bare-handed. Annabelle moved swiftly and every move was lethal, but without a weapon, shecked killing power. She just wanted to find an opportunity to escape. Even if she died, she didn¡¯t want to pay for Sydney¡¯s death.

    Jared and Tina watched Annabelle struggle with the officers with cold expressions. After a while, Jared nced at Nathan Lehman. Nathan Lehman understood and pulled out his gun from his back waist, aiming at Annabelle. ¡°Bang!¡± A single shot pierced through Annabelle¡¯s temple. She fell to the ground, looking at Nathan Lehman in disbelief. ¡°How could you?¡±

    Nathan Lehman coldly put away his gun, his voice even colder than his face. ¡°Annabelle has been on the run for twenty years aftermitting murder, resisted arrest, and injuredw enforcement officers. To protect the lives of the public, she has been shot dead on the spot!¡±

    ¡°Ah!!¡± The Reed family was shocked by this scene. No matter how powerful the Reed family was, they had never seen someone get shot dead in front of them. And the person who was killed was the matriarch of the Reed family.

    Juliet and others screamed and gathered around. Garrett and Luna werepletely dumbfounded. They couldn¡¯t believe that a person who was alive just moments ago had died right in front of them, especially their own mother. Looking at Annabelle¡¯s cold body on the ground made their legs tremble.

    ¡°Outrageous!¡± Jasper suddenly roared in anger. ¡°You daremit murder in my Reed family? Kill my mother? Do you think I¡¯m just a figurehead?¡±

    Garrett also came to his senses and immediately rebuked, ¡°This is too much! Even if my mom is guilty, there¡¯s still thew! You openly shot her and deprived her of her life; I will use you of abusing your power!¡±

    Although he believed Annabelle deserved legal punishment for killing ten people, she was still his mother. Being shot dead by Nathan Lehman without even a chance to defend herself was simply too cruel!

    ¡°Guards!¡± Jasper shouted angrily. ¡°Surround the Reed family! No one is allowed to leave today! I want to see who has such authority to get away with killing my mother!¡±

    Jasper then took out his phone and dialed a hotline to report the incident. Just as he made the call, all thew enforcement officers from the Criminal Investigation Team fell to the ground in pain. His hand froze mid-air.

    He turned angrily towards Tina. He saw clearly that those officers were fine just moments ago; it was some silver needles from Tina¡¯s hand that caused them to copse! If he guessed correctly, doctors would soon arrive.

    Sure enough! Two minutester, several doctors and nurses in white coats rushed in to check on them. Soon they concluded, ¡°Multiple fractures and severe internal injuries in their abdomens.¡±

    The lead doctor stood up and asked sternly, ¡°Who attacked thesew enforcement officers?¡±

    Jasper gritted his teeth. ¡°Watch your words!¡±

    Attackingw enforcement officers was a serious crime! One wrong move could lead to the downfall of the entire Reed family!

    Just then, agents from Bureau X stormed into Whispering Pines¡¯ gate. Lily saw them and immediately hid behind Willow like a mouse seeing a cat.

    The agents ignored her; their leader stood in the middle of the Reed family and ordered coldly, ¡°Arrest everyone for openly attackingw enforcement officers and endangering national security!¡±

    Jasper¡¯s face turned as dark as coal! Although he had long suspected Jared and Tina were extraordinary, he had still underestimated them!

    Juliet and other younger members of the Reed family were terrified despite usually being fearless; they screamed in fear.

    Audrey screamed louder than anyone else, ¡°It wasn¡¯t us! We didn¡¯t attack anyone! Don¡¯t arrest us!¡±

    ¡°Dear cousin,¡± Juliet quickly added, ¡°you saw everything! We didn¡¯t do anything! Please exin for us!¡±

    Damian and Griffin remained silent but were equally terrified!

    Tina nced at them with an unusual light in her eyes.

    Muff stood silently amidst the chaos; he seemed ten years older all of a sudden as he sat weakly on a chair without saying a word.

    Seeing him like this made Jasper even angrier.

    But seeing Bureau X about to take everyone away made him lose hisposure; he looked at Tina desperately. ¡°Tina! Do you really want to see the Reed family destroyed? Is this what you want?¡±

    Tina nced at him coldly. ¡°What does Grandma Reed¡¯s arrest have to do with me?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Jasper was furious.

    The heavy blow dealt to the Reed family today made him unwilling to let Jared and Tina go unpunished.

    But given the current situation which was more unfavorable for the Reed family than ever before-he kept silent while weighing pros and cons!

    Compared to his grand ns for himself and the entire Reed family-his mother¡¯s death seemed insignificant.

    But letting Jared go unpunished left him feeling resentful.

    Tina saw through all his expressions with disdain in her eyes.

    She then looked at Garrett and Luna huddled together fearfully before speaking softly but firmly to Jared: ¡°Uncle! That¡¯s enough.¡±

    Jared also looked at Garrett and Luna before nodding slightly: ¡°Alright.¡±

    He then addressed Bureau X¡¯s leader: ¡°Annabelle resisted arrest but has been shot dead on site; no other members of Reed family attacked anyw enforcement officers.¡±

    The leader nodded without furtherment but announced loudly: ¡°Withdraw!¡±

    After withdrawing their team did not leave but waited for Jared¡¯s nextmand.

    At this moment Tina walked over casually checking on injured officers before discreetly retrieving silver needles causing them immediate recovery.

    The team leader ordered Annabelle¡¯s body removed while Jared instructed Nathan Lehman: ¡°Submit mission report!¡±

    Today¡¯s actions were within regtions since Jared as Bureau X captain had authority over any threats endangering national security though every mission required reporting afterward.

    The Reed household soon returned quiet although its members now viewed Jared differently realizing his capabilities far exceeded their expectations despite knowing he wasn¡¯t merely rumored waste earlier.

    Lily seized chance saying nervously: ¡°Today¡¯s banquet seems impossible now; Dad I¡¯m feeling unwell heading upstairs first.¡±

    Hearing this infuriated Juliet & others whose faces turned pale realizing despite deserving punishment grandma still needed proper funeral arrangements!Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Jared gave Lily indifferent nce showing no emotion while Nathan Lehman signaled Bureau X agents blocking Lily ordering sternly: ¡°Come with me!¡±

 Chapter 377: Lily is Captured Again

    Lily looked at the people from the X Bureau, terrified out of her wits. Her mind was filled with images of that closed room from before, and fear spread through her heart. She instinctively took a step back, her voice trembling, ¡°I¡­ I¡­ didn¡¯t you investigate thoroughly? I didn¡¯t research the virus, why are you arresting me again?¡±

    She was very scared. She didn¡¯t want to go back to that room.

    The team leader looked at her with a stern face, ¡°You are suspected of attempting to murder the captain of the X Bureau. We are arresting you ording to thew!¡± He showed the arrest warrant.

    Lily¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°What are you talking about? When did I try to murder the captain of the X Bureau? I clearly¡­¡±

    She clearly wanted to kill Tina! How could Tina be the captain of the X Bureau?

    The team leader remained serious, ¡°Jared is the captain of our X Bureau special operations team. At three o¡¯clock, you had someone ce a steel rod aimed at Captain Farrell, intending to murder him. Pleasee with us.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Lily and the Reed family werepletely stunned. Jared was actually the captain of the X Bureau! Who said he was useless? How could a useless person be the captain of the X Bureau special operations team?

    Standing not far away, Jasper¡¯s eyes narrowed. Jared¡¯s identity was beyond his expectations. He had been focusing on Tina and had forgotten about this guy.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡­¡± Lily snapped back to reality and looked at the team leader in a panic, ¡°That wasn¡¯t me!¡±

    ¡°Take her away!¡± The team leader didn¡¯t give her a chance to exin. Two fully armed men immediately took Lily away without saying a word.

    Willow wanted to stop them but wilted when she saw the people from the X Bureau.

    After the people from the X Bureau left, peace returned to the Reed family.

    Logan slowly stood up from his chair and nced coldly at Muff, whose eyes were vacant. ¡°You always say you¡¯re better than me andpete with me in everything. Besides your taste in women being better than mine, what else do you have over me?¡± Logan snorted coldly, ¡°Look at what kind of wife you found? After all these years, you didn¡¯t realize she was such a vicious person.¡±

    Muff sat weakly in his chair for the first time without rebutting Logan¡¯s words.

    Logan couldn¡¯t be bothered with him either. ¡°Although I didn¡¯t personally kill Annabelle to avenge Sydney, she got her punishment. I need to go light some incense for Sydney and tell her this news.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, Muff suddenly stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡±

    Logan didn¡¯t say much more; he just snorted and turned to leave.

    Muff immediately followed him.

    The Reed family members slowly came back to their senses.

    Juliet and her siblings were frightened by all the blood on the ground.

    Jasper and Garrett remained silent; neither spoke a word.

    Damian was the first to react and said, ¡°Let¡¯s arrange grandmother¡¯s funeral first.¡±

    The body had been taken by the criminal police but would be returned eventually. No matter what Annabelle did, they were her family and needed to handle her funeral.

    Jasper finally raised his eyes and scanned everyone before instructing Damian in a deep voice, ¡°You handle the funeral arrangements.¡±

    Then he looked at Tina, ¡°Come with me to my room; we need to talk.¡±

    There was no trace of grief for his mother¡¯s death on his face.

    Tina nced at him indifferently and said coldly, ¡°I will talk with you, but not now.¡±

    She then walked over to Juliet and pressed her lips together slightly, ¡°Do you me me?¡±

    Tina had no blood rtion with anyone in the Reed family and felt no affection for them. Her reason foring to the Reed family was solely to find out why her mother died.

    She had never been soft-hearted in doing things; she never intended to spare anyone in the Reed family from the start. But she did have different feelings for Juliet and her siblings because they always stood by her side helping her even though she didn¡¯t need their help. But she could never be ruthless towards anyone who showed her kindness.

    Sure enough! Soft-hearted people can¡¯t achieve great things.

    Juliet looked at Tina with her mouth open but didn¡¯t know what to say for a long time. After a while, she forced a smile, ¡°From a moral standpoint, I don¡¯t me you; grandmother killed ten people and should pay for her actions. But from a familial perspective, I can¡¯t understand it; she is your grandmother too. Even if she¡¯s guilty, you could have reported her and let the police arrest her instead of killing her on the spot.¡±

    As Juliet spoke, she suddenly started crying. She shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do anymore; everyone in this family has changed. Everyone wears a mask now; I don¡¯t want to stay here anymore; I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    With that said, Juliet turned around and ran off.

    Tina lowered her eyes slightly; her long eyshes fluttered gently as she pressed her lips together again before looking at Damian and others. ¡°me those who did wrong; everyone must pay for their actions-no one can escape!¡±

    With that said, she left with Jared without lingering any longer.

    A few hourster¡­All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Ashbury police announced that they had solved an old case where ten people were burned to death in a fire years ago-the culprit was Annabelle Reed. She resisted arrest and attackedw enforcement officers before being shot dead on site!

    Initially, this information wasn¡¯t going public but due to gunshots heard at Reed family¡¯s ce during Annabelle¡¯s removal witnessed by many people leading various voices online demanding justice-the police had no choice but release an official statement!

    However once this announcement came out-it caused an uproar online!

    ¡°Grandma Reedmitted murder? What kind of international joke is this? She¡¯s such a kind person-how could she possibly kill someone? She must have offended powerful people which led to this oue-@AshburyPolice must give Grandma Reed justice!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m standing up for Grandma Reed! Under protection umbres-even someone like Grandma Reed can be coteral damage-how are ordinary people supposed to survive? @AshburyPolice please provide reasonable exnations otherwise we will fight for justice for Grandma Reed!¡±

    ¡°What nonsense! Are some of you blind? Can¡¯t see it¡¯s about an old case from twenty years ago? This olddy killed people then disguised herself as phnthropist-you really think she¡¯s kind-hearted? Anyway-I could tell right away something was off about that olddy.¡±

    ¡°Yes! The announcement came from Ashbury Police-who has enough power make them their shield? If this olddy wasn¡¯t guilty why hasn¡¯t anyone from Reed family spoken up yet? Don¡¯t any of you use your brains?¡±

    Online opinions were sharply divided-some believed in Grandma¡¯s innocence while others trusted Ashbury Police, leading heated debates until finally police released evidence directly¡­

 Chapter 378: The Severe Backlash

    Whenizens saw the evidence provided by the police, Annabelle¡¯s supporters fell silent instantly. What followed was a torrent of curses. Some agitated individuals even went to the Reed family¡¯spany website to hurl insults, and every member¡¯s personal ounts were flooded with abusivements.

    Juliet and Arthur, both celebrities, found their careers heavily impacted by the scandal. Majorpanies canceled their endorsement deals, and they were reced as leads in scheduled films, facing substantial breach-of-contract penalties. The Reed family¡¯spany saw a significant drop in stock prices due to the incident. Families of Grandma Farrell¡¯s friends, who were also murdered years ago, took to the inte to condemn the Reed family.

    The Reed family was now a target of public outrage, struggling at every step. They found it difficult even to leave their home.

    Eventually, Damian sneaked out to buy funeral supplies and held a simple service for Annabelle at home. However, when they tried to take her body out for cremation, they were blocked by a crowd outside Whispering Pines.

    At Jared¡¯s apartment, Tina and Hugo sat on the couch with Zackary, watching live news coverage of the Reed family¡¯s situation. Tina had sent Zackary to Jared¡¯s apartment before the banquet and had not returned since leaving the Reed family.

    Zackary watched the TV screen and turned to Tina, puzzled. ¡°Sister, did Grandma really kill someone?¡±

    Since Velma became his tutor, his mood had improved significantly. Tina gently patted his head and replied softly, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°But why did they have to shoot her? Her death will make the family sad.¡± Zackary blinked his round eyes in confusion. He had never been exposed to matters of life and death before; Hugo and Tina had shielded him from such topics.

    Tina pressed her lips together but maintained her gentle tone. ¡°She did something wrong; her death was the price she paid.¡±

    Zackary seemed only partially understanding as he looked back at the TV, concerned about Juliet¡¯s weary appearance. ¡°Juliet must be very sad.¡±

    Tina nced at the TV. The Reed family members were trying to drive Annabelle¡¯s body to be cremated but were surrounded by an angry crowd outside Whispering Pines. People threw vegetable leaves and eggs at them and even sshed paint. Jasper and others couldn¡¯t escape unscathed. Juliet and Audrey were shielded by Damian but still suffered; someone had pulled Juliet¡¯s hair in the chaos, leaving her disheveled with torn clothes.

    Juliet stood behind Damian like a lifeless doll, allowing herself to be pushed around by the crowd.

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, her expression unreadable.

    Jennie noticed this and spoke with concern, ¡°Tina¡­¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Before Jennie could continue, Tina interrupted knowingly, ¡°Uncle will handle it once he¡¯s done.¡±

    Jared was in his study dealing with work-rted matters. The Annabelle incident had unveiled many cases that required attention from higher-ups. Moreover, there was Lily; orders came from above demanding her release without any exnation-just amand to let her go.

    Jared was busy with this issue when Jennie felt reassured by Tina¡¯s words. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault; the olddy deserved it. Don¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself; Juliet will understand.¡±

    Having spent so much time with Tina, Jennie knew her well-Tina had a cold exterior but a warm heart. She would give her all for those who treated her well. Although Tina never said it outright, Jennie could tell she liked Juliet quite a bit since Juliet had been kind to her after she joined the Reed family.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina responded with a smile.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Hugo sighed suddenly. ¡°The once-glorious Reed family has now fallen.¡±

    When the police initially reported Annabelle as the murderer, Hugo thought it was an isted act that wouldn¡¯t affect the Reed family much. But he hadn¡¯t anticipated such an intense public bacsh that even Ashbury¡¯s second-ranked wealthy family couldn¡¯t withstand.

    ¡°The Reed family won¡¯t fall,¡± Tina said slowly.

    Hugo was taken aback. ¡°You want to help them?¡±

    Tina smiled slightly at his words. ¡°They don¡¯t need my help.¡± She had no intention of helping them either. Initially wanting to see the Reed family disappearpletely, she changed her mind because of Juliet.

    She had considered stepping in if the Reed family couldn¡¯t hold on anymore for Juliet¡¯s sake. But with Jasper around, she believed they wouldn¡¯t fall.

    Hugo didn¡¯t understand what she meant and was about to ask when Jared emerged from his study.

    He nced at the TV showing people attacking the Reed family members who were injured in the chaos. Retracting his gaze, he told Tina, ¡°Someone is handling it.¡±

    Tina nodded slightly. ¡°Okay.¡±

    She said no more.

    About twenty minutester, several police cars arrived at Whispering Pines. Law enforcement arrested all those who had stormed into the Reed family¡¯s property and strictly prohibited any malicious attacks.

    With police intervention, the Reed family managed to leave smoothly and took Annabelle to be cremated.

    After things settled down, Tina turned off the TV.

    Seeing that Jared seemed to have something to say, she walked over to him. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Jared nced at Hugo and Jennie before saying quietly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside.¡±

    Some matters weren¡¯t suitable for them to know about.

    Tina nodded and followed him into his study.

    ¡°Orders from above demand Lily¡¯s release,¡± Jared stated directly once inside.

    Tina frowned slightly. ¡°Whose orders?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jared replied grimly. ¡°Just that it¡¯s required from above.¡±

    Leaning against the wall, Tina sneered coldly. ¡°They¡¯re reaching far.¡±

    ¡°There are some things I can¡¯t handle directly,¡± Jared said softly.

    Tina looked at him and smiled slightly. ¡°Alright! You make arrangements!¡±

    Jared¡¯s stern face finally showed a hint of a smile. ¡°You always understand me best!¡±

    Tina chuckled lightly. ¡°Your thoughts are written all over your face!¡±

    Jared cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°Caught me.¡±

    After some light banter between them, Tina grew serious again. ¡°We can¡¯t release Lily yet; how long can you dy?¡±

    ¡°One day!¡±

    Tina pondered for a moment before saying decisively, ¡°I need two days.¡±

    Jared pressed his lips together before finally saying reluctantly, ¡°One day is all I can manage; if we don¡¯t release her by tomorrow night, I¡¯ll lose my position-all our previous efforts will be wasted.¡±

    The position itself wasn¡¯t important to him; what mattered was that without it, hiswork would crumble one by one-those he had embedded within GTO over eight years would face life-threatening danger.

    He wasn¡¯t afraid of dying himself but feared for those who fought alongside him.

    After some thought, Tina said resolutely: ¡°Let¡¯s see whether Mr. Kim or I think faster!¡±

 Chapter 379: I Paid Your Penalty

    A vi in the suburbs. Callum Maguire and Snow Judd, disguised as the Hugo couple, hurried inside. In the living room, Mr. Kim lounged on the sofa, holding a wine ss, his silver mask glinting under the light.

    Callum Maguire and Snow Judd exchanged a nce before stepping forward. ¡°Mr. Kim.¡±

    Mr. Kim lifted his gaze slightly, giving them a brief look. ¡°It¡¯s been so long, and you still haven¡¯t obtained the serum?¡±

    ¡°Since Tina¡¯sst test, we¡¯ve been cautious about making any moves. We mentioned the serum to her before, but she didn¡¯t budge,¡± Callum Maguire said, trying to remain calm. ¡°We¡¯ve been busy setting up a perfumepany, and it¡¯s starting to take off. Yesterday, Tina handed us the perfume form.¡±

    Following Tina¡¯s instructions, he and Snow Judd had been staying at Reed family but kept a low profile. They were often sent out to work on thepany.

    To avoid arousing Mr. Kim¡¯s suspicion, they had to proceed with thepany¡¯s establishment as nned, which naturally slowed progress. Recently, Tina had ordered them to live in the fakepany they were setting up. They hadn¡¯t appeared at Reed family for nearly a month. asionally, they would show up briefly but leave right after dinner.

    During this period, Mr. Kim hadn¡¯t contacted them either. They were anxious to resolve this matter quickly since they had been poisoned. The excruciating pain during each poison attack was unbearable.

    They had asked Tina several times if they should contact Mr. Kim to find his whereabouts, but Tina insisted she had her own arrangements. So they could only wait.

    Recently, Mr. Kim suddenly messaged them toe over. They immediately informed Tina, who then allowed them to go.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Mr. Kim raised an eyebrow. ¡°You got the perfume form?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Callum Maguire handed the form Tina gave him to Mr. Kim. ¡°Take a look and see if it contains the serumponents.¡±

    Mr. Kim nced at the form and suddenly stood up, eyes wide with shock.

    Callum Maguire carefully asked, ¡°Mr. Kim? Is there something wrong with this serum?¡±

    He was only responsible for disguising himself and obtaining the serum but didn¡¯t know itsponents or what Tina had given him.

    Seeing Mr. Kim¡¯s reaction left him puzzled and worried that Tina might have set him up, leading Mr. Kim to suspect and eliminate him.

    ¡°No problem!¡± Mr. Kim said sternly. ¡°This is the serum!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Callum Maguire and Snow Judd were stunned.

    It was really the serum? No way! Wasn¡¯t Tina supposed to capture Mr. Kim? How could she give him the real serum?

    Callum Maguire was confused but quicklyposed himself and said, ¡°Tina¡¯s mother actually wrote the serumponents into the perfume form? If we had known earlier, we would have disguised ourselves sooner and obtained it smoothly.¡±

    Mr. Kim¡¯s eyes narrowed as he pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°How are Hugo and Jennie?¡±

    ¡°Eagle Flies is watching them; everything is normal for now,¡± Callum Maguire replied.

    ¡°Eliminate them and withdraw from Reed family!¡± Mr. Kim ordered coldly.

    Callum Maguire¡¯s eyes flickered briefly before he responded, ¡°Understood.¡± He paused and then asked, ¡°What about Eagle Flies¡¯ arrangements?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll assign her new tasks,¡± Mr. Kim said.

    Callum Maguire nodded without further questions and left with Snow Judd.

    After they left, Mr. Kim looked at the form in his hand with a contemtive expression.

    Half an hourter.

    As Mr. Kim was preparing to leave the vi, Callum Maguire and Snow Judd rushed back in.

    ¡°Mr. Kim, bad news! Hugo and Jennie have been rescued!¡± Callum Maguire said urgently.

    Mr. Kim¡¯s face darkened. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure; Eagle Flies called saying a group of well-trained people suddenly stormed in without saying a word and started fighting them off with weapons. Eagle Flies didn¡¯t let anyone shoot to avoid exposing our people infiltrated in Ashbury; Hugo and Jennie were taken away smoothly.¡±

    ¡°Useless!¡± Mr. Kim roared angrily.

    Callum Maguire looked anxious. ¡°What now? If Hugo and Jennie show up, our fake identities will be exposed.¡±

    Mr. Kim¡¯s face was grim as he thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Withdraw! Notify Eagle Flies to evacuate all personnel from Ashbury!¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Callum Maguire was about to leave when Snow Judd suddenly spoke up, ¡°If those who rescued Hugo are Tina¡¯s people, it might be toote for us to withdraw now; even this ce could be discovered soon.¡±

    ¡°Withdraw as many as possible,¡± Mr. Kim said sternly.

    Callum Maguire and Snow Judd didn¡¯t say more and quickly left.

    Whispering Pines.

    Although no one continued blocking Reed family¡¯s entrance after police intervention, online criticism remained intense.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Except for sending Annabelle¡¯s body to be cremated at the funeral home, no one from Reed family had stepped outside since then.

    In Reed family¡¯s main hall at this moment, the atmosphere was heavy.

    Muff sat at the head of the table with an imposing presence.

    Jasper and Garrett sat on either side while other grandchildren sat at the end of the table.

    Muff nced at everyone before speaking solemnly: ¡°From today onwards I will take over Jasper¡¯s position as head of household; Luna will handle housekeeping duties; Garrett & Damian you two will manage employee morale at ourpany.¡±

    ¡°Juliet your entertainment career may havee to an end; you should return home & help your father & brother managepany affairs.¡±

    Juliet protested: ¡°Grandfather! Acting is my passion  I don¡¯t want to give it up! Even if I can only y small roles now I¡¯m willing!¡±

    Muff paused before replying: ¡°You are my eldest granddaughter; whatever you do I¡¯ve always supported you but this incident has hit us hard  not only your acting career but alsopensations we may not afford.¡±

    Juliet bit her lip without replying further; over years she earned numerous awards including Best Actress  however falling from grace meant higherpensations which neither her earnings nor dwindling Reed family finances could cover amidst plummeting stock prices & terminated partnerships leaving them struggling already unsure how things would turn out next¡­

    Suddenly a clear voice broke through: ¡°I paid your penalty fee so you can continue doing what you love.¡±

 Chapter 380: Mr. Kim, Donâ€™t You Know Where They Went?

    Everyone looked up to see Tina walking in slowly, dressed simply in a T-shirt and jeans. Her delicate face still wore that cold expression. Juliet looked at her, feeling a mix of emotions. After a moment, she spoke, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡± She didn¡¯t know how to feel about Tina. After all, her work being affected wasn¡¯t Tina¡¯s fault, but she still felt uneasy. Was it fair to me Tina? No, it wasn¡¯t. Her grandmother had indeed killed ten people, and their families had been searching for the truth for twenty years. Her grandmother deserved the oue she got. But Juliet couldn¡¯t face Tina. Since Tina¡¯s return, everyone close to her had changed.

    Tina walked up to her, looking serious. ¡°Grandma Reed¡¯s death was her responsibility. If she hadn¡¯t resisted arrest, she wouldn¡¯t have been shot in front of you. Your online exposure wasn¡¯t caused by me. I paid your penalty as a favor because you were the only one who treated me genuinely well when I came to the Reed family.¡± When Tina was first brought back to the Reed family, everyone seemed kind, but their kindness was tainted with ulterior motives. Only Juliet was sincerely good to her. She couldn¡¯t ignore someone who truly cared for her, even if this situation had something to do with her. The oue wasn¡¯t her doing. She could help Juliet but would never feel guilty about it.

    Juliet stared nkly at Tina, not knowing what to say. Since Tina¡¯s return, she had spoken very little, always using the fewest words possible. But today, she said so much.

    Tina turned to Muff and said calmly, ¡°Muff, I¡¯m here to pack my things. I won¡¯t be staying here anymore.¡± Muff looked at her and snorted, ¡°What? Running away because the Reed family is in trouble? I¡¯m still alive and won¡¯t let my granddaughter be left out in the cold.¡± He sighed and softened his tone, ¡°This has nothing to do with you. Even if you weren¡¯t involved with Jared, I wouldn¡¯t have let her go unpunished. This case has been investigated by Grandpa Farrell and me for many years. If we had found out first, the Reed family might be in an even worse situation today.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow in surprise.

    ¡°Just stay here peacefully; you don¡¯t need to worry about anything else,¡± Muff said firmly. ¡°We were discussing how the Reed family should move forward; you should listen too since you¡¯re almost twenty and it¡¯s time you learned about thepany.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly, ¡°I don¡¯t mind where I live as long as you¡¯re willing to see me.¡±

    Muff red at her, ¡°Do you think everyone I raised is unreasonable?¡± He nced at Garrett and the others.

    Garrett looked a bit embarrassed; he didn¡¯t me Tina but was initially shocked by what happened before him. Now he understood better. The olddy carried ten lives on her shoulders; death was inevitable for her. Tina and Jared just brought it into the open.

    Muff¡¯s gaze fell on Jasper, who remained silent with a stern face.

    Tina said no more and sat next to Juliet.

    Muff continued, ¡°Juliet, since Tina has paid your penalty fee, whether you stay in the entertainment industry is up to you.¡± They didn¡¯t question how Tina had so much money; being Natalie¡¯s daughter meant she couldn¡¯t be short of funds. That ck card alone held a lot of money. Plus, with Farrell family backing and Logan doting on Tina, they wouldn¡¯t care about such a small amount.

    Juliet nodded, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Muff then arranged some tasks before getting to the main point: ¡°Annabelle is part of the Reed family; we can¡¯t shirk responsibility for her mistakes. I¡¯ll issue an apology statement and providepensation for the victims¡¯ families. Additionally, we need to push forward with new projects like robotics development; Pa will join our team. Each of you has your role; we must recover our losses as quickly as possible.¡±

    Hearing this, Tina raised an eyebrow in surprise again.

    She always thought Jasper was the one capable of turning things around for the Reed family but didn¡¯t expect it to be Muff. The old man spent so much time in nursing homes that she didn¡¯t know him well and often saw him overshadowed by Logan.

    For the Reed family to recover from this scandal required new projects; getting Pa on board was unexpected since Pa belonged to a hidden family that Ashbury usually avoided interacting with.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired now; I¡¯ll go rest while you handle the rest,¡± Muff said before heading upstairs.

    Garrett and others went off to handle their assigned tasks while Juliet left due to a call from her agent.

    For a moment, only Jasper and Tina remained in the main hall.

    Jasper nced at Tina and said in a deep voice, ¡°Come upstairs; we need to talk.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly, ¡°Perfect! I wanted to talk too.¡±

    Jasper gave her a look before heading upstairs.

    In his room, Tina sat down casually on a chair like a rogue and asked, ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±

    Jasper looked at her silently for a long time before slowly saying, ¡°Your adoptive parents haven¡¯t visited recently?¡±

    ¡°Missing them?¡± Tina smirked.

    ¡°They are guests after all; it¡¯s been a while since they visited,¡± Jasper tried to soften his tone.

    Tina tapped the armrest rhythmically with one hand while smiling deeper, ¡°Are you referring to Callum Maguire and Snow Judd disguised as my parents or my real parents?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jasper was stunned as a sh of realization crossed his eyes.

    ¡°Mr. Reed doesn¡¯t know? Those two at Reed family are impostors,¡± Tina continued smiling chillingly.

    Before Jasper could respond, Tina added slowly, ¡°Actually ¡®Mr. Kim¡¯ would be more urate than ¡®Mr. Reed,¡¯ wouldn¡¯t it? You don¡¯t know where your own men went after staying at Reed family for so long?¡±

    Jasper was shocked beyond words. ¡°You!¡±

    How did she find out?

    He thought he had hidden it well!N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Tina shook her head thoughtfully before adding again, ¡°Or maybe ¡®Mr. Kim¡¯s double¡¯ would be even more precise?¡±

 Chapter 381: Donâ€™t Pretend to Be Affectionate, You Donâ€™t Deserve It

    Jasper¡¯s face, already devoid of much kindness, now revealed a hint of malice. He stared at Tina and asked in a deep voice, ¡°When did you find out?¡± He had guessed that Tina would eventually discover his identity but hadn¡¯t expected it to be so soon. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t today; maybe she had known for a long time. In front of her, he was like a clown performing for her amusement, while she watched with a smile, likely mocking him in her heart.

    ¡°Let me think,¡± Tina propped her chin with one hand, pretending to recall carefully for a moment. ¡°Probably since Callum Maguire and Snow Judd disguised themselves as my foster parents.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Jasper¡¯s eyes narrowed; he hadn¡¯t expected it to be that early. He had underestimated Tina. Natalie was ruthless, and her daughter even more so. A serpent never gives birth to a mouse.

    ¡°So, you returned to the Reed family not to find your biological father but to avenge your mother?¡± Jasper asked in a low voice.

    Tina curled her lips but said nothing.

    After a moment of silence, Jasper said, ¡°Since you know everything, you should also know that I didn¡¯t kill your mother.¡± He had loved Natalie at first sight but knew they could never be together. When he discovered that Natalie was Lark, he realized their rtionship would eventually dissolve into nothingness. He was Elliot Winnington, a senior agent of GTO and the stand-in for the second-inmand Mr. Kim. Apart from the boss, he was the only one who knew Mr. Kim¡¯s true identity. GTO was the organization he served, and Lark was its greatest enemy.

    He had spent three years with Natalie, each day being the best memory of his life. They had visited every flower field in Ashbury and seen the most beautiful sceneries together. He thought they would spend their lives together. Unfortunately, Natalie¡¯s intentions were not pure, just as his own were not innocent.

    Later, he decided to use Liliosa at their engagement party to kill Natalie. Making that decision caused him immense pain because she was the woman he loved most. But he hadn¡¯t expected Natalie to escape and use his identity to eliminate over a hundred GTO undercover agents before disappearing without a trace. At that moment, Jasper couldn¡¯t tell if he felt relieved or resentful, but he knew he would never forget her.

    When Tina appeared, Jasper was certain she was Natalie¡¯s daughter. He also knew Amber Reed wasn¡¯t his daughter but yed along anyway because Tina wasn¡¯t his child. He had never had any rtionship with Natalie! Although they had slept in the same bed that night and there were traces of intimacy the next morning, he knew nothing substantial had happened between them because Natalie loved someone deeply and was too smart to use such means toplete her mission.

    He conducted paternity tests to give himself some hope. Every time the results showed he and Tina were rted, it gave him somefort and made him believe Natalie loved him. Even this time when Ice me confirmed Tina was his child, he almost believed it. But now he knew all his self-deception would be shattered by Tina.

    Tina looked at Jasper¡¯s changing expressions and knew exactly what he was thinking. She sat down gracefully like a poppy flower from hell and said, ¡°I know my mother wasn¡¯t killed by you; does it matter? Mr. Reed, didn¡¯t you ever think of killing her?¡±

    Jasper remained silent.

    Tina sneered with disdain and mockery in her eyes. ¡°So don¡¯t pretend to be affectionate in front of me; you¡¯re terrible at it!¡± Her gaze pierced Jasper like a knife.

    After a moment of silence, Jasper said, ¡°You didn¡¯te here today just to talk about my identity and your mother, did you? What¡¯s your purpose?¡±

    Tina smiled. ¡°Mr. Reed, why don¡¯t you introduce me to Mr. Kim?¡±

    ¡°Impossible!¡± Jasper refused immediately.

    Mr. Kim was the second-inmand who had promoted him; Jasper had chosen not to betray the organization even at the cost of losing Natalie. How could he sell out Mr. Kim now?

    Tina expected this reaction from Jasper. She raised her hand and lightly tapped her fingers in the air. A colorless and odorless gas acted like a sharp needle piercing Jasper¡¯s throat, making him gasp for air.

    Tina pped her hands indifferently as she stood up. ¡°This is mytest poison called ¡®Flower Sever,¡¯ but there¡¯s no antidote yet. Since you found Wraith for Lily¡¯s treatment, I¡¯m sure you can cure yourself too.¡±

    She paused and added, ¡°By the way, tell Wraith that Fatty is going crazy over that bounty and will catch him soon enough.¡±

    Then she turned and left.

    Jasper gasped for air, clutching his throat in disbelief as he watched Tina¡¯s departing figure.

    She left just like that without worrying that he might inform Mr. Kim and cause him to flee? Wouldn¡¯t killing him be the best way to keep this secret?

    But Tina only poisoned him and even knew about Wraith¡­ What was her real purpose?

    It wasn¡¯t until Tina disappeared that Jasper caught his breath again.

    Suddenly rmed, he quickly informed Mr. Kim and contacted Wraith.

    Outside Whispering Pines, Tina got into a ck Lincoln car where strong arms pulled her into an embrace as soon as she entered.

    Smelling the familiar scent calmed Tina¡¯s heart.

    ¡°All settled?¡± Jared asked.

    Tina nodded and leaned against Jared¡¯s shoulder with closed eyes. ¡°Yes, now we wait for Jasper¡¯s response.¡±

    She had always said that death wasn¡¯t the best solution.

 Chapter 382: The First Man in History Less Important than a Cake

    Jasper was Mr. Kim¡¯s stand-in; no one could find him except the leader of GTO. So, he couldn¡¯t die so early. Besides, wouldn¡¯t death be too easy for him? If it weren¡¯t for him, her mother wouldn¡¯t have been hunted down all those years ago. For years, Jasper pretended to be deeply in love, saying he couldn¡¯t find Natalie and would remain single forever. But aside from the few peaceful years she spent with Hugo, wasn¡¯t GTO always sending people to hunt her? Jasper was a member of GTO; he had a hand in her mother¡¯s death. But that debt would be settledter.

    Suddenly, Tina smelled strawberry cake. She opened her eyes and was stunned. There really was strawberry cake! ¡°Uncle, I really like you,¡± she said, hugging Jared¡¯s neck with a bright smile. Jared looked at Tina holding the strawberry cake with shining eyes and felt a bit helpless. Did she like him? Clearly, she liked the strawberry cake more! The mighty Mr. Farrell couldn¡¯t make a woman as happy as a piece of strawberry cake. That would beughable if told to others! Oh well. He knew from the start that his position wasn¡¯t as good as a strawberry cake.

    Men don¡¯t cry easily unless they can¡¯t hold it in anymore. Jared rested his head on Tina¡¯s shoulder, his deep eyes showing a hint of grievance. Tina blinked and suppressed her heartache, scooping a spoonful of strawberry cake and bringing it to Jared¡¯s mouth. ¡°Only one bite, no more!¡± It was strawberry cake, after all; she couldn¡¯t bear to part with even one bite! Jared sighed inwardly. He was sure now that his status was lower than a cake! The first man in history to be less important than a cake in his wife¡¯s eyes! He wanted to die for a moment!

    Tina happily finished the remaining strawberry cake and leanedfortably against Jared, closing her eyes for a nap. Jared covered her with his coat and gazed at her sleeping face, unconsciously leaning down to nt a kiss on her lips. Strawberry cake-still sweetest when tasted this way.

    Tina smiled slightly with her eyes closed and suddenly hooked Jared¡¯s neck, pulling him down forcefully. Kissing was best when reciprocated! Jared raised an eyebrow. His little girl had teased him again. But he wanted more. This wasn¡¯t being shameless! Absolutely not! Thinking this, Jared pressed down again, seeking more.

    Nathan Lehman sat in the driver¡¯s seat feeling restless; he¡¯d never felt the Lincoln¡¯s seat so hot before! Even with the curtain blocking them, even if he kept his eyes straight ahead¡­ ¡°Beep beep!¡± Nathan cursed under his breath; how could he speak up now with messagesing through? But there was no choice; the mission was urgent!

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, the target has moved.¡± With a snap, the privacy curtain was pulled open, letting out the mixed smell of strawberry cake and romance. Nathan nced at the rearview mirror. Both of them were sitting so properly that anyone would think they didn¡¯t know each other! Was he being narrow-minded?

    ¡°Follow,¡± Jared ordered calmly, ncing at Tina¡¯s slightly flushed cheeks with a smile on his lips.

    At the same time, Tina received a message from Jayden: ¡°Young Master, we have tracked the target.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly; they were impatient indeed.

    Soon after, the ck Lincoln stopped at a hidden spot in an abandoned suburban area.

    ¡°Serena, this ce is surrounded; I guarantee not even a fly can get out!¡± A sly voice transmitted through wireless antennas to all team members within three kilometers.

    Hayden wore a bulletproof vest and special gloves from Bureau X, an earpiece hanging from his ear as he excitedly walked towards Tina. But before he could get close, Jared blocked him.

    ¡°No Huskies allowed near.¡± Hayden gritted his teeth but couldn¡¯t move because Bureau X members surrounded him; even though he was a mid-level leader-Husky!

    ¡°Mr. Farrell is right,¡± Hayden said through clenched teeth.

    Meanwhile, Jared had already geared up for action. Just as Tina was about to speak, Jared said, ¡°Tina, wait here.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Maybe I can help.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jared checked his gun before holstering it at his waist. ¡°You stay here andmand me while Imand these boys.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina agreed without hesitation. The ce was well-prepared; her presence would be beneficial but not essential.

    Jared hugged Tina¡¯s shoulders and helped her into the car before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

    Bureau X team members: ¡­ Captain, your earpiece is on; that kiss sound was loud!

    ¡°Everyone move out!¡± Jaredmanded as all team members stood ready; Hayden and Nathan Lehman nked him as they advanced into the mountains.

    Tina sat in the car and opened Nathan Lehman¡¯s preparedptop. The screen disyed an overview of the suburban area with small red dots marking all team members¡¯ positions. Some red dots slowly moved towards an abandoned building.

    Inside the building appeared dpidated outside but housed a well-equipped medical researchb inside! Three rooms were filled with incubators and instruments monitoring each newborn baby.

    ¡°Are all children ounted for?¡± Jasper wore a ck trench coat with a hat and mask; even his voice was specially modified.

    The person questioned nodded. ¡°Yes, Mr. Kim; all children are here without any incident.¡±

    Jasper frowned-how could that be? If Tina knew his identity, she would know about thisb¡¯s secret too. If she knew about this ce, she should have acted by now. Callum Maguire and Snow Judd must have defected; they didn¡¯t know about thisb but could contact people within their organization. Yet there was no movement at all.

    ¡°Evacuate immediately.¡± Whether Callum Maguire and Snow Judd had defected or not made this ce unsafe; evacuation was necessary.

    The subordinate hesitated briefly butplied reluctantly due to Jasper¡¯s urgency.

    Just then-theb door burst open with a bang!

    Reacting swiftly before gunfire erupted-Jasper grabbed nearby subordinates as shields while tossing smoke grenades for cover-fleeing amidst chaos.

    ¡°Get them!¡± Jared ordered firmly while pursuing Jasper alongside Nathan Lehman and Hayden.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

 Chapter 383: Successfully Rescuing Infants

    Gunshots rang out in theboratory, but the X Bureau was well-prepared. The GTO personnel inside were caught off guard, especially since their leader had already fled. Naturally, they faced a spectacr defeat.

    Tina continued to watch the screen, her fingers flying over the keyboard. ¡°The left side isn¡¯t a dead end. Pursue them,¡± she directed. She was analyzing the terrain, switching to real-time mode and connecting to an infrared imaging device to maximize the chances of tracking Jasper¡¯s escape route.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Despite Jared¡¯s thorough preparations, there were too many infants here, and manpower was inevitably insufficient. Jasper was very familiar with the ce; if he had pre-nned his escape route, it would be difficult to catch him.

    Suddenly, Tina saw a sh on the screen. ¡°Uncle, be careful, there¡¯s a bomb!¡± she warned.

    With a loud bang, an explosion urred 800 meters from theboratory entrance. The thermal imager immediately malfunctioned, leaving only flickering red dots on the screen. Tina cursed, shut down theputer, and rushed towards the explosion site.

    ¡°Uncle! Unc-¡±

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared called out as he crawled out from the ashes, holding Nathan Lehman in one hand and Hayden in the other. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Check on them.¡±

    Hayden groaned, ¡°Serena, my arm is broken.¡±

    Nathan Lehman also pointed to his left hand. ¡°Mine too.¡±

    Tina sighed in relief and quickly picked up some scattered wooden boards to splint their broken arms. ¡°This will do for now; we¡¯ll treat it properlyter. It¡¯s not a big issue.¡±

    She looked up at Jared, who was staring at the ruins with a severe expression and eyes like des. Tina understood Jared¡¯s feelings-they had almost caught Jasper. Who would have thought there¡¯d be a new type of bomb buried here that even their detectors couldn¡¯t pick up? If Tina hadn¡¯t switched to real-time map detection just now, it wouldn¡¯t have been just two broken arms; they might not even have intact bodies.

    Tina stepped forward and ced a hand on Jared¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Jared nodded. Jasper was considered one of GTO¡¯s top three leaders; he wouldn¡¯t be easily captured.

    ¡°Captain, all missing infants have been found. Two are in critical condition; please¡­ help us, Captain¡¯s wife,¡± a team member reported.

    Tina froze for a moment-Captain¡¯s wife! She turned around to see everyone except Hayden looking at her. Oh right, she was the wife! But don¡¯t call her that-they were just engaged!

    Hayden kicked the reporting team member from his seat on a rock. ¡°What Captain¡¯s wife? Did I agree to that? Call her that again and I¡¯ll break your teeth!¡±

    The team member ignored Hayden and looked at Tina instead. ¡°Ma¡¯am, there¡¯s no time.¡±

    Tina snapped back to reality and patted her subordinate¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Call me Tina next time.¡± She then hurried to theboratory; time was life and couldn¡¯t be wasted.

    Jared dusted himself off and told the team member, ¡°Hayden¡¯s bonus is yours this time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Captain! Thank you, Ma¡¯am!¡± The team member was overjoyed and even thanked Hayden.

    Hayden wanted to clench his fist but winced in pain instead. Jared, you¡¯re heartless! Of course, he didn¡¯t dare say that out loud.

    Just then, Jared¡¯s phone rang. He nced at the caller ID, his deep eyes narrowing before answering it. After listening for a moment, he replied in a low voice, ¡°I understand.¡± He hung up and told Tina, ¡°Lily was released three hours ago.¡±

    He didn¡¯tst even a day.

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed as she let out a coldugh. ¡°Their reach is quite impressive.¡±

    Jared¡¯s face darkened but he said nothing.

    ¡°At least we saved these children,¡± Tina said gently. ¡°We can deal with that personter.¡± She could tell Jared wasn¡¯t in a good mood-as someone responsible for national security, having someone meddle under his nose was infuriating.

    Jared smiled slightly at her words. ¡°Alright, one step at a time.¡±

    Inside theboratory, the condition of the two critically ill infants was indeed dire. Not only them but other children as well had been injected with a new type of sedative by GTO personnel to ensure normal physical growth without crying or fussing-just so they could use them for human experimentster on.

    This sedative could damage their brains severely enough to cause brain death in serious cases. The two critically ill children had already been cut open; their underdeveloped hearts had been partially removed.

    Tina¡¯s eyes locked onto them with fury on her cold face-GTO intended to use children¡¯s hearts for virus experiments! These people were truly heartless!

    She administered antidotes for the sedatives to each child except for those whose hearts were partially removed and sent them all to the police station to await their parents¡¯ arrival.

    This incident became national news but omitted any mention of X Bureau¡¯s involvement.

    In an apartment in Ashbury, Wraith conducted a full-body check on Jasper and found nothing wrong-not even an ulcer!

    ¡°You¡¯re not poisoned! Damn it! I got excited for nothing!¡± Wraith cursed before storming off.

    Jasper didn¡¯t stop him; he had only used Wraith¡¯s reputation as Ghost Doctor to lure him here for Lily¡¯s sake. Now that Lily was cured and he himself wasn¡¯t poisoned either-there was no reason for Wraith to stay.

    After Wraith left without a trace, Lily cautiously emerged from her room-she feared Wraith might poison her identally if they shared space.

    ¡°Father,¡± Lily approached Jasper timidly but stopped short of speaking further.

    Jasper had grown tired of Willow clinging to him constantly and now felt equally annoyed with Lily-even though she still had her uses otherwise who would bother saving her? Even if Lily was his biological daughter-who cares about something not hard-earned?

    ¡°Speak!¡±

    Lily shrank back slightly but began applying ointment on Jasper¡¯s injuries anyway-Wraith only checked if Jasper was poisoned but didn¡¯t treat his wounds from escaping earlier.

    ¡°I just think that if we had Wraith¡¯s help with your mission things might go smoother-why can¡¯t we include him? You¡¯re so powerful now; he stands alone against you,¡± she suggested cautiously while tending his wounds.

    Jasper sneered coldly: ¡°If I forced him earlier-you¡¯d be looking at nothing but bones right now.¡±

 Chapter 384: So Similar! Too Similar!

    He had thought about recruiting Wraith, but everyone he sent ended up dead, and some bodies were never found. Those who knew Wraith understood that he was not controlled by any organization. He acted based on his interests; no one could force him to save or kill.

    Lily gasped, recalling the brutal way Wraith treated her during her treatment, and shivered with fear.

    Jasper exhaled deeply. ¡°You should go back now. Complete the task I assigned you as soon as possible. Once you return to the Reed family, do not mention that you saw me. You know the consequences.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Lily stood up quickly, grabbed her bag, and hurried out.

    The room returned to a brief silence. Jasper leaned against the sofa, frowning.

    This time, he had been careless.

    He had beenpletely fooled by Tina.

    The construction of theb was personally overseen by the boss. Neither detection devices nor thermal imagers could locate the exit. At that time, Tina remained calm and mysterious. Coupled with his identity being exposed, he mistakenly believed that theb¡¯s location waspromised.

    In the end, he personally led Tina and Jared to find theb.

    What a joke¡­

    Jasper chuckled, a trace of loneliness shing across his face as he muttered, ¡°No wonder she¡¯s your daughter, Natalie.¡±

    Jared¡¯s private hospital.

    Tina was secretly treating two critically ill children in the hospital. Fortunately, they had regained vitality, and their hearts had started to develop again. With close observation for a few days, they would be able to leave the hospital.

    The children¡¯s parents had also been found and were on their way.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe these two are twins. Aren¡¯t twins supposed to look identical?¡± Hayden leaned against the incubator¡¯s ss, looking at the two babies.

    Tina smacked his head lightly. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of fraternal twins?¡±

    Hayden rubbed his head. ¡°Serena, you¡¯re going to knock me silly.¡±

    ¡°No, you were already silly.¡±

    They spoke in unison-one male and one female.

    Hayden sighed. ¡°Alright, you two are a perfect match.¡±

    ¡°We have a special connection.¡± Jared wrapped his arm around Tina¡¯s waist. She wore a white coat with her hair tied into a bun at the back of her head, with a few loose strands falling around her ears, adding an intellectual beauty.

    She looked beautiful no matter how he saw her.

    At that moment, Nathan Lehman approached them. ¡°Mr. Farrell, the children¡¯s parents are here.¡±

    ¡°My babies!¡± A woman¡¯s tearful voice came from behind Nathan Lehman.

    Tina looked over and saw a woman around thirty-five years old dressed simply but in high-quality fabric.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited; we need to confirm first,¡± said a man in a suit standing behind her.

    It was Jack, the fourth son of Ian Brookes-the elderly man who had recently bought that giarized painting at an art exhibition.

    ¡°You must be Dr. Reed. Hello, I¡¯m Jack. We are the children¡¯s parents.¡± Jack supported the woman named Qiqi and politely looked at Tina.

    Though calm, his eyes were filled with anxiety.

    Tina nodded. ¡°Yes, the children are here. Take a look at them first. They can¡¯t be discharged yet; they need continued treatment.¡±

    She stepped aside to let Jack and Qiqi see their children through the window.

    The written report in her hand remained unsent.

    The children¡¯s mother was here now. If she knew how much her children had suffered, she would me herself to death.

    Tina couldn¡¯t bear to see a mother¡¯s tears.

    ¡°Mommy is so sorry¡­ It¡¯s all Mommy¡¯s fault¡­¡± Tears welled up in Qiqi¡¯s eyes as she copsed against the ss window.

    Jack quickly supported her and choked up as well. ¡°Qiqi, it wasn¡¯t your fault. Please don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t disturb their family reunion any further and quietly left with Jared and others.

    The children¡¯s condition had stabilized significantly; Tina didn¡¯t need to watch over them constantly-juste for regr check-ups would suffice. Now that their parents had been found, she could rest assured.

    Jared held Tina¡¯s hand as they walked out of the hospital, but his expression was somewhat heavy.

    Tina noticed and asked, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve seen Mr. Nan somewhere before; he looks familiar.¡±

    Tina paused for a moment. ¡°I thought it was just my imagination.¡±

    ¡°Oh? You find him familiar too?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    From the first moment she saw Jack, Tina felt like she had seen him somewhere long ago; there was something very familiar about him.

    As they pondered this together, someone called out Tina¡¯s name from behind them.

    Turning around, they saw it was Jack.

    ¡°Sorry for calling you Dr. Reed without getting your attention; I used your name instead,¡± Jack apologized first before continuing, ¡°I wanted to ask about my daughters¡¯ specific condition; could you tell me?¡±

    Tina hesitated briefly; she had nned to exin everything tomorrow after giving them some time to adjust but didn¡¯t expect Jack toe asking himself.

    Jack noticed Tina¡¯s hesitation and smiled bitterly. ¡°They must have suffered greatly; as their father, I can¡¯t remain ignorant.¡±

    After saying this, he nced at Jared and Tina holding hands and added awkwardly, ¡°Am I interrupting?¡±

    Jared: What do you think?

    Tina handed over the written report on the children¡¯s condition and briefly exined it. ¡°I¡¯ll check on them every three days; with me here, there¡¯s no need to worry.¡±

    A gentle breeze blew by; perhaps due to how loosely Tina had tied her hair or for some other reason-a clip fell off-letting her hair flow freely in the wind covering half of her face.

    Jack froze momentarily; emotions flickered across his eyes briefly before dissipating into stillness again.

    Jared tightened his grip around Tina¡¯s waist protectively while asking coldly: ¡°Mr. Brookes, is there anything else?¡±

    Jack snapped back into reality: ¡°No, nothing else. Sorry for disturbing your date. Here¡¯s my card. If ever need any help don¡¯t hesitate call me. Again thanks.¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t take card but Tina did. She nced at it-a simple name & number only-nopany details, address etc..

    ¡°Got it. See you in three days.¡± She smiled linking arms with Jared walking away leaving Jack staring after them till they disappeared from sight¡­

    Too simr¡­ that fleeting moment¡­ too simr¡­

    Jack clenched fists tightly recalling memories despite sister missing since ten years old seeing Tina now could vividly imagine grown-up version especially those words ¡°With me here, no need worry¡± echoed hauntingly reminding childhood incidents where little sister always reassured brothers after mischiefs saying same thing¡­

    Eyes misted slightly¡­

    Tina, Jared¡­ what connection do you have with my sister?

    Despite thorough investigations, he couldn¡¯t find conclusive evidence proving identity nor anything from sketches either¡­

    Uncertain whether someone deliberately hiding information or that was genuinely simple case but he was certain he could have some breakthrough through knowing more about Tina¡­N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

 Chapter 385: Tina, Did You Forget About the Competition?

    In the car.

    Jared watched Tina staring at a business card and said jealously, ¡°Tina, is it nice to look at?¡±

    Tina replied crisply, ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s so nice about a business card?¡± Jared¡¯s tone was sour.

    Tina finally looked up at Jared and said word by word, ¡°The card isn¡¯t nice, but the person is.¡±

    Jared felt his teeth clenching and his fists tightening. But he couldn¡¯t get angry!

    In the end, Tina looked at Jared¡¯s face and burst outughing.

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Great, she still knew how to tease him.

    Jared suddenly leaned down but didn¡¯t forget to protect the back of Tina¡¯s head.

    Tina wrapped her arms around his waist.

    Several heated kissester, it finally ended.

    Tina blew a breath at Jared, ¡°Smell it, does it have a hint of jealousy?¡±

    Jared¡¯s fingers ran through Tina¡¯s hair, his eyes filled with affection. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t want you thinking about other men.¡±

    Tina wrapped her arms around Jared¡¯s neck and pulled him down. Her red lips whispered in his ear, ¡°I haven¡¯t finished. The person is good-looking but not as good-looking as you!¡±

    Jared¡¯s heart felt like it was coated in honey.

    Back at the Reed family home, Tina went to her room.

    With Jasper missing and the incident with Annabelle, the elders were busy withpany matters. The younger ones were each preupied with their own affairs; no one paid attention to Tina¡¯s whereabouts.

    Tinay on her bed and took out Jack¡¯s business card again.

    For some reason, Tina thought Jack seemed like a good person.

    She didn¡¯t understand why she felt this way.

    Looking at him felt very familiar.

    As if they had known each other for a long time.

    Her phone rang; it was Cole.

    ¡°Serena, someone has been investigating your information recently. The source is unknown and very secretive. We can¡¯t determine their purpose yet.¡±

    ¡°Got it. Let them check. I have someone here; talkter.¡±

    If Tina didn¡¯t want someone to find out about her, no one could uncover any information about her.

    After hanging up the phone, she saw Lysandering in with a strawberry cake. ¡°Tina, time for cake!¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Tina sat up. Perhaps because she was too tired, she looked a bitzy.

    But even so, Lysander couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.

    Every time he saw Tina, his feelings seemed different.

    At first, he just thought she was stunningly beautiful. Later, he was impressed by her gaming skills. And now, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.

    ¡°Tina, did you forget what you promised me?¡± Lysander opened the cake and handed it to Tina. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to go back to the team and y the season together?¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    She really had forgotten.

    Recently she had been busy dealing with Annabelle and Jasper and rescuing babies that she had forgotten about thepetition entirely.

    She took a bite of the strawberry cake and slightly furrowed her brows.

    It still tasted better when made by Uncle.

    But this one wasn¡¯t bad either; strawberry cake rarely goes wrong.

    As she ate the cake, she said, ¡°Sorry, too many things going on. Is thepetition over? How did it go?¡±

    Lysander sighed silently. ¡°Tina, didn¡¯t you read my texts? Thepetition was postponed.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tina was a bit surprised. ¡°Why?¡±

    The dates for esportspetitions are usually fixed and rarely changed since it affects yers¡¯ schedules and training.

    Lysander got angry at this point. ¡°It¡¯s because of that olddy.¡±

    ¡°What olddy?¡± Tina was puzzled.

    Lysander nced at the door and lowered his voice. ¡°Grandma Reed-your cheap grandma.¡±

    Tinaughed; ¡®cheap grandma¡¯ was quite an expression.

    ¡°She¡¯s dead; how could it be because of her?¡±

    ¡°Ourpetition venue is owned by the Reed family. Because of her death, all Reed family properties need to be re-inventoried. The venue got sealed off temporarily until they find another suitable ce.¡±

    Tina nodded. Recently the Reed family had indeed been busy. Jasper had been missing for three days now, and Garrett had taken over everything.

    Garrett wasn¡¯t as capable as Jasper and couldn¡¯t recover quickly within a short period.

    Seeing that Tina had almost finished her cake, Lysander pulled out a cup of milk tea from somewhere. ¡°It¡¯s still warm; drink up.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t refuse either. ¡°Has the newpetition venue been decided?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s at Century Cyber Esports Hotel.¡±

    Century Cyber Esports Hotel is one of Ashbury¡¯srgest esports hotels.

    Many major international esports events are held there frequently.

    Lysander won his first championship there.

    ¡°When is it?¡±

    ¡°The day after tomorrow. Tina, do you have time?¡±

    Lysander looked at Tina expectantly; his eyes were full of eagerness to fight together!

    Seeing his eager face, Tina rubbed her temples. ¡°I do.¡±

    Lysander almost jumped for joy. ¡°Great!¡±

    He thought that since they missed the original date for thepetition, Tina wouldn¡¯t have time anymore.

    He couldn¡¯t stop smiling; youthful enthusiasm radiated from him.

    ¡°Tina, everyone else is getting familiar with the hotel environment now. Want toe along? Seeing you would definitely boost morale.¡±

    Tina checked the time; going over wouldn¡¯t hurt since she had nothing else nned.

    Besides, she couldn¡¯t just eat their cake and drink their milk tea for nothing.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Lysander jumped up high and quickly grabbed Tina¡¯s bag and coat.

    Tina smiled and followed Lysander out.

    Just as they reached the front door, they saw Garretting back with a Bluetooth headset on his ear conducting a meeting while carrying a briefcase. He looked exhausted.

    Their eyes met briefly before Garrett paused slightly. ¡°Tina, heading out thiste?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, anything wrong?¡±

    Tina liked Garrett¡¯s family quite a bit; hence her attitude was very amicable.

    Garrett smiled and shook his head. ¡°Nope, just be safe. Recently things haven¡¯t been peaceful for us Reed family members. Should I have bodyguards follow you?¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± A probing look shed through Tina¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    Garrett waved his hand dismissively and hurriedly said, ¡°No no no! Go ahead.¡±

    Garrett refused decisively before making an excuse about having a meeting inside the house with somewhat hurried steps.

    Even Lysander noticed something was off.

    Lysander asked curiously: ¡°Tina do you think he¡¯s really okay?¡±

    Retracting her gaze back: ¡°If there¡¯s something serious he will tell us eventually don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Although saying so but still sent Cole text message asking him investigate if anything happened recently rted Garrett or not .

 Chapter 386: Pre-Match Training

    At the hotel, Lysander¡¯s esports club was undergoing pre-match training. Everyone wore the same expression, as if they were owed millions.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the team fight?¡±

    ¡°You two keep feeding them kills, shut up! Why are you charging in without proper development?¡±

    ¡°Everyone, calm down. The match is in two days. Can we focus?¡±

    Thest speaker was Edward Sullivan, the team captain and the nice guy of the group. He hadn¡¯t seen Tina since thest club meeting.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± The other three turned their anger towards Edward Sullivan.

    Although Edward Sullivan was the captain, he had less authority than the youngest member, Lysander. He became captain merely because he was the oldest.

    He sighed; recent losses had plummeted team morale. Orson¡¯s provocations only made things worse. He thought it was fortunate that Lysander wasn¡¯t there; otherwise, a fight would have broken out.

    Listening to the arguments inside, Lysander couldn¡¯t stay cheerful either. Such disputes happened often. They had gone from seven consecutive wins to seven consecutive losses; no one could ept that.

    When Lysander was around, things were better; at least they didn¡¯t argue. But in his absence, tempers red.

    Tina frowned. She had seen this team united in their quest for the championship. Now, it was truly disheartening.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡± Lysander lowered his head, unable to look Tina in the eye.

    With a bang, Tina kicked open the door.

    Everyone sitting in their chairs jumped in shock. Leon, who had a bad temper, threw his headphones onto the table.

    ¡°Damn it, Orson! Are you done¡­ Holy crap, Tina!¡±

    The others quickly gathered around. The moment they saw it was Tina, their anger vanished.

    ¡°Tina, I thought you weren¡¯ting.¡±

    ¡°Great! With Tina back, we have hope!¡±

    ¡°With Tina and Lysander, we can definitely regain our honor!¡±

    Edward Sullivan looked at Tina excitedly but couldn¡¯t find words to speak.

    Lysander was also affected, his eyes shining like stars as he looked at Tina.

    Unexpectedly, Tina wore a stern face and said coldly, ¡°Is this what you call esports yers?¡±

    The smiles on everyone¡¯s faces gradually froze, and their eyes grew despondent.

    The atmosphere became awkward; even Lysander didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Finally, Edward Sullivan spoke up. ¡°Tina, everyone is really excited to see you.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°Oh? Now you know how to protect your teammates and act like a captain?¡±

    Edward Sullivan fell silent and lowered his head, fiddling with his fingers.

    Though he was the oldest, he couldn¡¯t lift his head in front of Tina. He knew how much he had failed as a captain: teammates didn¡¯t respect him, leaders looked down on him, and other teams ignored him.

    But what could he do? At twenty-six years old, this year¡¯s World Championship would be hisst before retirement. Who would care about someone who was retiring andcked ability?

    Tina pulled up a chair and sat down. ¡°Edward Sullivan, as captain, you¡¯re supposed to set an example and earn your teammates¡¯ respect. Instead, you¡¯re always trying to smooth things over. How can anyone respect that?¡±

    Edward Sullivan couldn¡¯t lift his head under her reprimand; a deep sense of inferiority spread within him. ¡°I¡­ my skills have declined; it¡¯s normal for them not to respect me.¡±

    Lysander wanted to speak up for Edward Sullivan but didn¡¯t dare as Tina was still angry.

    ¡°Your skills have declined? You hold the highest record in Hawk¡¯s history and have the highest solo win rate. When you were winning championships left and right, these kids were still drinking milk! And now you¡¯re telling me your skills have declined?¡±

    Edward Sullivan felt a lump in his throat; his past glories were still vivid memories¡­

    Tina turned to Leon next. ¡°You have quite a temper. If you¡¯re so great, why don¡¯t you be the captain?¡±

    Tina had heard everything clearly from outside; Leon¡¯s voice was the loudest.

    Leon muttered, ¡°I¡¯m not that great¡­¡±

    ¡°You know you¡¯re not that great!¡± Tina scolded. ¡°Have you forgotten? It was Edward Sullivan who risked his career under pressure from the club¡¯s higher-ups to sign you when you couldn¡¯t even stay on a youth training team!¡±

    Tina¡¯s words made Leon¡¯s face turn red with shame. Indeed, without Edward Sullivan back then, he wouldn¡¯t have made it into the club at all.

    Tina then looked at Yeev. ¡°And you? When you kept failing to rank in the top ten, who stayed up day and night practicing with you until you won that gold medal as an AD?¡±

    ¡°It¡­ it was Captain,¡± Yeev¡¯s voice was barely audible.

    ¡°And you, n Linden? When your family took you back home, who traveled miles to bring you back and got hospitalized for three days after being hit by your parents just to save your career?¡±

    n Linden¡¯s eyes reddened; Edward Sullivan had shed more blood for him than he¡¯d ever shed tears in his life.

    After reprimanding everyone else, Tina naturally didn¡¯t spare Lysander either. ¡°And you? With your outstanding individual skills and world ranking in the top three as one of the most promising esports yers globally-you think that means you don¡¯t need to train?¡±

    ¡°Tina, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t? Lately you¡¯ve been running off to Reed family whenever possible and missing so much training time! Do you think your exceptional skills alone can lead this team to first ce?¡±

    Recently Lysander had been seeking her out frequently; she had been too busy to meet him until today when she finally found time.

    Lysander fell silent; he couldn¡¯t argue against her points.

    Tina stood up; her face as cold as icebergs closing in. ¡°Have any of you reviewed your matches seriously? Do you know where your problems lie?¡±

    Edward Sullivan lifted his head with determination. ¡°Coach, we¡¯ll listen to you.¡±

    Lysander hesitated for a moment. ¡°Tina¡­ don¡¯t you want to y yourself?¡±

    The others also looked at Tina expectantly; they thought she came today intending to join them in their uing match.

    Tina scanned them all before saying decisively: ¡°Your inability to be captains isn¡¯t about experience-it¡¯s about brains.¡±

    Only Edward Sullivan understood where their core issuesy butcked authority previously; saying anything would have been useless then.

    Hawk¡¯s biggest problem now was disunity coupled with excessive heroism-everyone wanted to rely on Lysander while neglecting their own roles leading gaps everywhere along with declining performance speed-no wonder they kept losing!All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Tina pushed each person into their respective positions: ¡°You¡¯ve trained together long enough. You¡¯re most familiar with each other¡¯s strengths. Find your roles properly. You don¡¯t need me on-field. From now on, I¡¯ll handle training and let¡¯s start one game and I¡¯ll observe.¡±

    Edward Sullivan put on headphones feeling more confident, as if returning back during peak times rolled up sleeves shouting: ¡°Listen up everyone! Pick heroes you are most familiar first, to get warmed-up!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

 Chapter 387: Esports Competition

    Lysander and his team put on their headphones, their morale reaching its peak in a short period of time.

    Tina nodded, this is what an esports team should look like.

    Not ming each other or denying themselves.

    Meanwhile, the Farrell family.

    ¡°Brother, you are my real brother, we share half of the same blood. If we calcte it, we are half-siblings with different fathers and mothers!¡±

    ¡°You are my good brother, please help me. Thispetition is too important to me. Brother, please!¡±

    ¡°After it¡¯s done, you can ask me to do anything. Brother, my good brother!¡±

    Jared spent the night surrounded by these words of ¡°good brother,¡± as if he had put on ayer of ¡°good brother¡± filter.

    Logan became impatient and said, ¡°You have nothing to do. Just go and take a look. You¡¯re bothering me.¡±

    But Jared remained unmoved, as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything.

    After dealing with thepany¡¯s affairs, he nced at his phone.

    It¡¯s sote, why hasn¡¯t Tina replied yet?

    His slender fingers tapped on the phone a few times, and he typed a few words with a cold expression ¨C Tina, I miss you.

    ¡°Brother, just take a look at me!¡±

    With a cry of despair, Jared finally looked up and saw Orson rolling on the ground, throwing a tantrum.

    Jared said, ¡°¡­¡±

    He had learned the essence of being spoiled by his grandpa.

    So, where was the usually aloof young man?

    Had he been possessed?

    ¡°Get up.¡± Jared frowned and ordered.

    Orson quickly pounced on Jared¡¯s side and hugged his leg, ¡°Brother, I won¡¯t get up unless you promise me!¡±

    Jared¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile as he said calmly, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±

    Orson shivered and instantly transformed into a massage assistant. He obediently pounded Jared¡¯s leg and said, ¡°No, no, I was just joking. My brother is so good to me. How could I dare to threaten you?¡±

    Just as they were talking, Jared finally received the long-awaited reply.

    ¡°Busy. Uncle, let¡¯s talkter.¡±

    Immediately after that, a map link popped up.

    Century Cyber Esports Hotel?

    Jared nudged Orson with his toe and asked, ¡°Where is yourpetition taking ce?¡±

    ¡°At Century Cyber Esports Hotel, our family¡¯s hotel. Brother, you agreed!¡± Orson¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Jared¡¯s lips curved as a hint of excitement shed in his eyes. ¡°Yes, I suddenly became interested.¡±

    The World Champion Cup esportspetition proceeded as scheduled.

    In the qualifying matches, teams were paired through a draw andpeted for points within each group.

    Hawk drew a tough opponent in their first match ¨C the well-known RED team from R country.

    ¡°I heard that RED¡¯s starting yer is a newly promoted rookie this year with hidden potential. But we are representing the national team and it¡¯s the first match. We must not lose. Remember that!¡± Edward Sullivan stood in front of the four yers who were already prepared in the locker room and spoke.

    Tina sat on the side, her head lowered as she replied to Jared¡¯s message.

    ¡°Yeah, surrounded by four handsome guys.¡±

    Jared on the other end of the phone said, ¡°¡­¡±

    I¡¯ll make you regret that!

    The other five people in the locker room couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill. Lysander locked the door and reassured them saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry Captain; everything will be fine.¡±

    After Captain finished speaking, it was Coach Tina¡¯s turn naturally.

    She stood up and looked around with clear eyes. ¡°y well; you can do it!¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The five of them stood up and cheered. Although they had only trained together for two days, they had made remarkable progress during this time. Not to mention the RED team from R country; they were even confident against their arch-rivals Snake.

    Across from Hawk¡¯s locker room was Snake Club¡¯s locker room.

    Orson listened to the voicesing from across and showed a hint of disdain in his eyes that waspletely different from his begging attitude when he asked Jared for help that day. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since west met; your voice has gotten louder.¡±

    This time at the World Championship Cup, he would definitely defeat FMNP and surpass that annoying Lysander.

    Teammate Theodore handed Orson a bottle of c. ¡°Who cares about them? Don¡¯t we have our secret weapon?¡±

    Upon hearing the words ¡®secret weapon,¡¯ Orson finally smiled a little. ¡°Of course! As long as my brother is here, not to mention Lysander; even that mysterious coach who led Hawk to seven consecutive victories will have to step aside.¡±

    Another teammate Ethan opened a bottle of c and took a few sips. ¡°I heard Hawk also hired an external coach this time. They¡¯ve been training like crazy in their own training room for these past few days; they even eat their meals there.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the use ofst-minute efforts? In the end, it will still rely on Lysander. Don¡¯t worry about him; who is our coach? It¡¯s none other than Captain Farrell¡¯s brother ¨C Jared Farrell!¡± Keith said dismissively without any concern.

    Orson shot him an icy re. ¡°Underestimating the enemy is the biggest failure. All of you stand up.¡±

    As captain, Orson had an imposing presence when he spoke; instantly everyone lined up waiting for his instructions.

    ¡°Pay close attention to Hawk¡¯s match against REDter; don¡¯t miss any details, especially Lysander. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes Captain.¡±

    Jared sat in the booth listening to the instructions outside. After replying to Tina with ¡°see youter,¡± he got up and opened the door with a click sound.

    Orson¡¯s cold and stern face instantly turned into gentle water when he saw Jared. ¡°Brother, are you done with your work?¡±

    The other yers,¡±¡­¡±

    He wasn¡¯t like this just now!

    Jared nodded; even though he was dressed casually, he couldn¡¯t hide his inherent elegance.

    ¡°The intensive training these past few days has yielded results but don¡¯t becent. Remember that if we lose there will be consequences.¡±

    Including Orson, everyone held their breaths; just one sentence about consequences made them feel like they were facing decapitation.

    Half an hourter, the match officially began.

    Orson¡¯s team had already taken their seats in the audience area since their match was in the afternoon; they could conveniently watch Lysander¡¯s match.

    In the front row below the stage, Tina wore headphones while watching live footage on her phone.

    It was real-time footage from the hospital showing how two children they had saved were doing.

    Suddenly, Tina felt arge hand on her head.

    The fingertips exerted force on her head but carried an affectionate tenderness as they gently stroked her hair.

    Tina looked up and saw a pair of smiling eyes.

    ¡°Uncle, so fast.¡± Tina was somewhat surprised.

    Uncle said he would apany her to watch the esportspetition but she didn¡¯t expect him to arrive so quickly.

    Jared sat down next to Tina. ¡°Tina, how many times have I told you not to say men are fast?¡±

    Tina,¡±¡­¡±

    She suspected that Uncle was speeding while driving but she had no evidence!

    On stage, Edward Sullivan and his teammates were about to go up when they happened to nce at the audience area. Edward asked Lysander,¡± Is that Tina¡¯s fiance sitting next to her?¡±

    Lysander turned his head and saw Jared touching Tina¡¯s face; he gritted his teeth fiercely. ¡°Nope! He¡¯s just an oldpdog!¡±

 388. Mr. Farrell Was Jealous Again

    Edward Sullivan and the others were stunned. His youngest? How handsome! Those who knew might think this was an esportspetition, but those who didn¡¯t might think they were here for a fashion show. Just sitting there, he was enough to make people swoon!

    In the audience, Theodore pointed below, ¡°Wow, is the one sitting next to the coach his fiancee? She¡¯s so beautiful! Like a fairy!¡±

    Orson scowled and smacked Theodore on the head. ¡°Are you blind? How could my brother marry a woman like that? She doesn¡¯t deserve him.¡±

    Theodore clicked his tongue. Not deserving? They were perfectly matched! Theodore had once wondered what kind of woman could marry Jared; now he knew.

    Jared and Tina, unaware of the turmoil around them, sat in the midst of thousands at thepetition site. Two people were already burning with anger just because they were sitting together.

    The match began, and within three minutes, Lysander had cleared the jungle area and secured the first kill. ¡°This kid has some skills,¡± Jaredmented objectively. Judging by Lysander¡¯s performance, he was indeed better than Orson.

    Tina furrowed her brows. Why was he so aggressive? Weren¡¯t they supposed to hide their strength in the first game to prevent Snake from understanding their tactics?

    With Lysander¡¯s aggressive ystyle, the match ended swiftly within thirty minutes. Even Orson was surprised by this performance. As an old rival, he could tell that Hawk¡¯s level this time was ten times higher than before.

    After experiencing seven consecutive defeats, Hawk finally secured their first win, boosting their morale immensely. The cheers almost filled the entire arena. Fans stood up and cheered, finally seeing hope for Hawk to win the championship.

    The next match did not involve Lysander or Orson. Tina and Jared left the audience seats. From a distance, they saw Orson leading Snake¡¯s team over.

    ¡°Brother, we¡¯re going to the training room to prepare for the afternoon match,¡± Orson said to Jared but red at Tina with obvious hostility. Tina had noticed Orson¡¯s animosity towards her during herst visit to the Farrell family. This time it seemed even more pronounced.

    ¡°Tina, we won!¡± Lysander ran over with a smile. Whether intentionally or not, he tripped just before reaching Tina and fell heavily on his knee.

    Tina hurried over to check on him and helped him up. ¡°Don¡¯t move; be careful not to hurt your bones. Where are the others?¡±

    Lysander¡¯s face showed some pain. ¡°They went back to the lounge; I was in a hurry to find you¡­ Ouch, it hurts.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you inside.¡± Tina put Lysander¡¯s arm around her shoulder to reduce the weight on his knee.

    Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously at Lysander¡¯s hand on Tina¡¯s shoulder. If looks could kill, that hand would be gone by now. But this was Tina¡¯s friend; he couldn¡¯t act rashly.

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± Jared grabbed Lysander¡¯s wrist and pulled him over with force.

    Orson was shocked. ¡°Brother, how can you carry Lysander! You¡¯ve never even carried me!¡±

    Orson blocked Jared¡¯s way. ¡°Lysander, are you a man? You can¡¯t handle a fall? Trash! Why should my brother carry you?¡±

    Lysander raised an eyebrow defiantly. ¡°Who asked your brother to meddle?¡±

    Tina was speechless. ¡°Stop arguing; I¡¯ll help you to the lounge.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Jared held onto Lysander¡¯s wrist tightly. ¡°He¡¯s too big; you can¡¯t handle it.¡±

    Tina thought she could handle it; she could lift Hayden with ease.

    Hayden: So, does love really fade?

    Jared red at Lysander coldly. ¡°I¡¯ll carry you.¡±

    Lysander squinted back at him, a hint of hostility in his eyes.

    Suddenly, Orson hoisted Lysander onto his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll carry him!¡±

    Though simr in size, Lysander was shorter and thinner than Orson and was easily carried back to the lounge.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    This move startled both Snake and Hawk team members in their lounges.

    Orson threw Lysander onto a sofa. ¡°Troublesome.¡±

    Lysander blushed with anger. ¡°Busybody!¡±

    Just as they were about to argue again, Tina and Jared walked in.

    Tina immediately rolled up Lysander¡¯s pant leg to check his injury. Luckily it wasn¡¯t serious.

    She patted his head lightly. ¡°No bone damage, just a flesh wound. Be more careful next time!¡±

    Lysander smiled sheepishly. ¡°Got it.¡±

    Jared narrowed his eyes at this scene.

    Alright kid, you¡¯re good at ying games.

    ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go,¡± Orson urged while pulling Jared away.

    Jared brushed off Orson¡¯s hand and helped Tina up instead, wrapping an arm around her waist. ¡°Tina, are you hungry? Let¡¯s go eat.¡±

    Tina realized she was indeed hungry. ¡°Okay.¡± She turned to Edward Sullivan and the others. ¡°You guys train first; I¡¯ll bring food backter.¡±

    Lysander looked anxious but before he could speak, Jared ced a hand on his shoulder with an intimidating gaze full of authority.

    A chilling pressure emanated from Jared¡¯s fingers onto Lysander as he said slowly and clearly, ¡°Wait here; we¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    Lysander couldn¡¯t utter a word as cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

    Tina pinched Jared¡¯s waist discreetly, puzzled by his hostility towards Lysander.

    As Jared led Tina out of the lounge, Edward Sullivan and others finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°He scared me to death! Tina¡¯s fiance is terrifying.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even dare speak! It¡¯s just lunch!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about Tina; what if he bullies her?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly; our Tina is strong enough.¡±

    Only Lysander remained silent, staring at the door with clenched fists.

    Jared, one day I will win Tina back!

    In an apartment in Ashbury,

    Lily stared at the documents on the table in horror.

    Across from her sat Jasper who asked calmly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t do it?¡±

    Lily put down the documents shakily. ¡°Dad, this is too terrifying! Is this really possible?¡±

    Jasper had previously told Lily toplete a virus experiment but she hadn¡¯t expected it would be something like this.

    If developed sessfully this virus would be one of humanity¡¯s most dreadful creations due to its rapid transmission alone regardless of its toxicity.

    ¡°No way Dad! We can¡¯t do this; it¡¯s harmful!¡±

    Fearful of breakingws Lily wanted out knowing multiple heads wouldn¡¯t suffice if caught.

 Chapter 389: Young Lady, Is That You?

    Jasper suddenly grabbed Lily by the neck, pulling her harshly in front of him, his eyes filled with intense coldness. ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, then you can die.¡±

    Lily was so frightened that her eyes turned red and tears instantly flowed out. She knew Jasper would really kill her.

    Jasper pushed Lily away with disdain and took out a tissue to wipe his hands. ¡°You have a listening device imnted by Wraith. From tomorrow, resume work in theboratory and use the TIC Institute to research the virus. No mistakes are allowed.¡±

    Lily nodded, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    Jasper cast a cold nce at Lily, finding her as annoying as her mother. He then put on his mask and left. He still had to find Callum Maguire and Snow Judd. These two had betrayed the organization and could not be forgiven!

    In the restaurant, Tina took a big bite of steak while looking at the message on her phone. ¡°Serena, Garrett is fine, but the Reed family business is a bit chaotic. However, with Muff overseeing it, things are stable. Recently, Garrett has been auditing thepany¡¯s ounts.¡±

    Tina replied while chewing her steak, ¡°Garrett should check on Griffin whenever he has time to ensure their family¡¯s safety.¡±

    Cole quickly responded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go now.¡±

    Tina was focused on replying and didn¡¯t notice Jared¡¯s longing gaze from across the table. It wasn¡¯t until she was about to eat another dish that she noticed Jared staring at her.

    ¡°Uncle, do I look delicious?¡±

    A dark glint shed in Jared¡¯s eyes as he looked at Tina with his ck pupils. ¡°Yes, you look delicious.¡±

    ¡°Then eat more; you still have a match this afternoon.¡± Tina took another bite of sd.

    Jared raised an eyebrow, ¡°You figured it out?¡±

    Tina lifted her gaze slightly, ¡°Snake Club lost their chance at the team championship three years ago but then won six consecutive championships just a monthter at the Expo. They couldn¡¯t have done it with just a few yers.¡±

    As Hawk¡¯s gold medal coach, Tina had thoroughly studied all about their old rival Snake Club. Compared to Hawk, Snake had more fresh blood, but in terms of skill, Hawk was superior. During Edward Sullivan¡¯s peak period, they could easily defeat many professional yers worldwide. However, now that their hand speed had decreased and Hawk Club wasn¡¯t as wealthy as others to attract more potential yers efficiently, they gradually declined.

    Snake Club had Orson¡¯s financial backing and main yer support. They were willing to spend money and nurture talent. Three years ago, a mysterious coach joined them and instantly propelled them past Hawk to be the top club in the country.

    Initially curious about this mysterious coach¡¯s identity, Tina had sent Cole to investigate but found nothing conclusive. But seeing Jared here today cleared up all mysteries.

    Tina never expected to one day face off against this uncle.

    Jared no longer hid anything and swapped his cut steak onto Tina¡¯s te before raising his ss of juice for a toast. ¡°Then please take care of me more in the future.¡±

    Tina licked some leftover sd dressing from her lips; her clear eyes revealed a hint of mischief as she lightly clinked sses with him. ¡°Uncle, we at Hawk won¡¯t show any mercy.¡±

    On the first day of the preliminary rounds, the first batch of teams entering the group stage was announced. Both Hawk and Snake advanced but were not ced in the same group.

    Orson looked at the grouping information and sneered at Edward Sullivan across from him. ¡°Go back and tell your team¡¯s Lysander we¡¯ll see each other in the finals-if you can even make it there.¡±

    Edward Sullivan put away the grouping information with a faint smile. ¡°Captain Farrell can tell him yourself; didn¡¯t you just carry our team member back to the resting room? Aren¡¯t you two getting along well?¡±

    After speaking, Edward Sullivan turned gracefully and left the drawing room.

    All participating teams present knew about Orson and Lysander¡¯s discord. Now it seemed Orson had be Lysander¡¯s little follower-otherwise why would he personally carry Lysander back?

    Everyone knew what kind of temper Orson had!

    ¡°You!¡± Orson was so angry he almost spat blood. It was out of necessity! Even if he had to suffer humiliation himself, he couldn¡¯t let his brother dirty his hands!

    Orson gritted his teeth hard. ¡°Don¡¯t let me meet you inpetition; otherwise I¡¯ll make sure your whole team gets eliminated!¡±

    The next day¡¯s preliminary matches were easy for both Hawk and Snake. After arranging training tasks for their respective teams, Tina and Jared went to the hospital together.

    Although there wasn¡¯t much for Jared to do at the hospital, he feltpelled to go-to prevent certain people from randomly handing out business cards again.

    However, Jared worried too much; Jack was busy cating his own father.

    ¡°Dad, I know I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°Knowing you¡¯re wrong doesn¡¯t help! Can your mistakes lessen my granddaughters¡¯ suffering? You¡¯re good for nothing but trouble! If your elder brother hadn¡¯t let it slip identally, I wouldn¡¯t even know my precious granddaughters were in danger! Have you grown wings now? Daring to hide things from me!¡±

    Ian Brookes scolded while tapping his cane angrily; his eyes were slightly red from anger.

    Jack didn¡¯t dare breathe heavily under his father¡¯s scolding and could only wait silently for more reprimands.

    ¡°Anyone who doesn¡¯t know better might think our family is cursed-losing only precious ones while useless brats like you remain! It¡¯s infuriating!¡±

    Seeing his two granddaughters suffer reminded Ian Brookes painfully of his Alina.

    What if¡­

    He didn¡¯t dare continue that thought.

    His Alina¡­

    Jack knew his father was thinking about his sister again.

    He knelt before Ian Brookes.

    ¡°Dad please don¡¯t be angry anymore; hit me or scold me as much as you want-or beat me until your belt breaks if that¡¯ll make you feel better! I¡¯ll prepare a hundred belts for you-beat me until you¡¯re satisfied!¡±

    Ian Brookes snorted; no matter how angry he got he wouldn¡¯t really beat his son.

    Both palm and back of hand are flesh after all.

    ¡°Get lost! Beating you won¡¯t help anything-just take good care of Scarlett; she¡¯s probably terrified now-your wife is yours to love-don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Jack chuckled softly.

    ¡°Yes Dad-I will follow your advice.¡±

    ¡°Go away.¡±

    As they spoke Tina arrived with Jared.

    ¡°Mr Brookes,¡± Tina greeted.

    She looked up-and paused.

    Wasn¡¯t this gentleman who wanted to buy paintings that day?

    Ian Brookes¡¯ eyes lit up seeing Tina.

    ¡°Youngdy-is that you?¡±

    ¡°Yes-it¡¯s nice seeing you again sir.¡±

    For some reason Tina felt slightly excited inside.

    Though she¡¯d only met this gentleman once before-why did an unexpected reunion stir such feelings?

    Ian Brookes stood up thanking Tina.

    ¡°Youngdy-the children you saved-they¡¯re my granddaughters Nian Nian & Yi Yi-they survived thanks entirely to you-thank you.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Tina stopped Ian Brookes from bowing further.

    ¡°No need for thanks Mr Brookes-you alreadypensated me.¡±

    Jack helped Ian Brookes sit down again.

    ¡°Dad let Dr Reed check on them first-we can catch upter-you rest now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you youngdy,¡± Ian Brookes said deeply gazing fondly at Tina increasingly liking what he saw.

    Normally anyone staring like this would¡¯ve had their eyeballs gouged out by now-but today Tina only felt warmth instead.

    She sensed genuine affection in Ian Brookes¡¯ eyes filled with kindness towards her.

 Chapter 390: Clearwater Brookes Family

    Tina went to the ward while Jared waited outside, sitting opposite Ian Brookes and Jack. Ian Brookes and Jack only offered a simple thank you and then ignored Jared. Jared appeared to be fiddling with his phone, but in reality, he was gathering detailed information about the two men across from him.

    Ian Brookes was the head of the Clearwater Brookes family and chairman of Brooks Industries. Jack was the fourth son of the Clearwater Brookes family and the finance minister of Brooks Industries. Brooks Industries held a status in Clearwater simr to that of the Farrell family. With a history spanning over a century, Brooks Industries was immensely wealthy. However, the Brookes family kept a low profile and rarely appeared in public. Family members did not attend any events.

    This was the public information avable, but there was another piece of information that was harder to find: the Brookes family was a hidden family. Hidden families lived secluded lives in the mountains, and their identities were difficult to trace unless national informationworks were used. Jared had used the X Bureau¡¯s informationwork to discover that the Brookes family was a hidden family.

    Hidden families generally did not appear in public. Their ie sources included foundingpanies or providing rare security services at exorbitant prices. The Brookes family was the second hidden family toe into public view after the Ashbury White family. However, the Brookes family had surfaced earlier and operated more openly, making it difficult for people to trace their hidden identity.

    There was another piece of information that particrly interested Jared. Thirty-five years ago, Ian Brookes¡¯ ten-year-old daughter Alina had gone missing and never returned. Even though her photo was blurry, it was clear she was very beautiful.

    Ian Brookes lowered his gaze and asked softly, ¡°What have you found?¡±

    ¡°Dr. Reed¡¯s mother Rebamitted suicide ten years ago for unknown reasons, and there is no video evidence. Dr. Reed has stayed on Serenity Ridge Mountain since she was ten years old,¡± Jack replied, ncing at Tina who was busy in the incubator room. ¡°What¡¯s worth investigating is Dr. Reed¡¯s identity.¡±

    ¡°What identity?¡± Ian asked.

    ¡°She is a renowned designer, perfumer, and piano master among other things, but we can¡¯t find more about her,¡± Jack said confidently about their informationwork on the Brookes family but admitted they could only find superficial details about Tina.

    Ian Brookes looked at Jared and said softly, ¡°Is that boy worthy of such an impressive girl?¡±

    Jack paused before replying, ¡°He is the heir to the Farrell family and engaged to Dr. Reed.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Ian clicked his tongue in disapproval, ¡°Who made such an unwise decision?¡±

    Jack sighed lightly, ¡°Dr. Reed is the long-lost daughter of the Reed family. Her mother, who went by Natalie before she left for unknown reasons before their engagement,ter took on the name Reba and arranged this engagement with Mr. Farrell.¡±

    ¡°What a waste,¡± Ian sighed heavily. Though he acknowledged Jared¡¯s exceptional qualities among his peers, even surpassing his own sons in courage, he still felt Jared was not worthy of Tina despite having only met her twice.

    Jack rubbed his temples in frustration. ¡°Dad! Whether they are a good match isn¡¯t up to us; they seem verypatible.¡±

    At this moment, Tina walked out of the incubator room with Scarlett, Jack¡¯s wife. Tina removed her mask and told Jack, ¡°Mr. Brookes, the children¡¯s condition has improved; their heart functions are slowly recovering but they need to stay hospitalized until fully healed.¡±

    Jack breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°Dr. Reed, rest assured we will take good care of them.¡±

    Jared stood up and asked Tina if they should leave now.

    Before Tina could respond, Scarlett held her back and said warmly, ¡°Dr. Reed, you¡¯ve done so much for our family; even though we¡¯ve paid you, I insist on thanking you properly with a meal.¡±

    Ian also stepped forward and added, ¡°Yes, youngdy, you¡¯ve worked so hard; let us show our gratitude.¡±

    Feeling it would be impolite to refuse again and actually liking this family quite a bit, Tina agreed to their invitation.

    The meal took ce at Ashbury¡¯s most luxurious restaurant where an entire floor was reserved just for them.

    Scarlett affectionately linked arms with Tina as they walked around the dining area together.

    Tina nced at Scarlett thoughtfully. She had investigated the Brookes family¡¯s background thoroughly.

    Scarlett herself came from an equally prestigious background as an heir to Clearwater Campbell family; she had been childhood sweethearts with Jack but had struggled with infertility due to an injury in her youth before finally having two children after extensive treatment.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Scarlett said as she ced a piece of freshly grilled wagyu beef on Tina¡¯s te.

    Tina paused momentarily at hearing her first name used so familiarly.

    Seeing Tina¡¯s surprised expression, Scarlett quickly apologized saying she got carried away calling her by her first name out of excitement.

    Tina smiled reassuringly saying it was fine as she liked being called by her first name by those she liked.

    Relieved yet emotional with tears welling up slightly in her eyes Scarlett whispered how seeing Tina reminded her so much of her missing sister Alina who would have grown up just as beautiful.

    Tina smiled without responding further while continuing to eat; Scarlett then shifted topics engaging Tina in lively conversation about various subjects.

 Chapter 391: The Happiest Day

    Jared was with Ian Brookes and Jack.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, I heard that yourpany has been following the Clearwater Mining project,¡± Jack asked.

    Jared didn¡¯t hide anything and added a slice of strawberry cake to his te. ¡°Yes, I heard there¡¯s a high-quality mine. I¡¯m interested.¡±

    Jack looked at the slice of strawberry cake. ¡°Someone will deliver the contractter. As for the details, yourpany will decide¡­ So, Mr. Farrell, do you like strawberry cake?¡±

    ¡°Tina likes it,¡± Jared smiled. ¡°Thanks to Mr. Brookes for the mine.¡±

    ¡°No need to thank me. We¡¯ve done background checks on manypanies, and only you can handle such a big project.¡±

    Jack shifted his gaze away, wondering how someone like Jared could like strawberry cake.

    Everyone sat back down at the table, which was filled with various dishes.

    ¡°Youngdy, eat more. Look how thin you are,¡± Ian Brookes kept serving Tina food, afraid she wouldn¡¯t eat enough.

    Tina was fearless. ¡°I never deprive myself.¡±

    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t let your stomach suffer. Eating is for yourself, so eat more.¡±

    ¡°You should eat too.¡± Tina smiled and served Ian Brookes a dish.

    Jack felt a twinge of sourness in his nose. After all these years, it was the first time he had seen his fatherugh so heartily.

    Under the table, Scarlett held Jack¡¯s hand silently,forting him without words.

    They all knew that Tina¡¯s appearance had given Ian Brookes hope.

    Whether it was true or not, they were sincerely grateful for Tina¡¯s presence.

    After the meal, Tina politely declined Ian Brookes¡¯ offer to personally drive them home and chose to walk back with Jared instead.

    Ian Brookes watched their figures and his eyes became moist.

    If Alina were still here, she would be a mother by now and would have a daughter this age.

    And he would hold his granddaughter in his hands and take good care of her.

    ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go home too.¡± Scarlett supported Ian Brookes and helped him into the car.

    Ian Brookes wiped his eyes. ¡°Jack, keep investigating. I have a feeling that Tina carries a trace of Alina with her.¡±

    The moonlight was dark as ink, scattered amidst the dim yellow light of streetmps, drowning in the hustle and bustle of traffic.

    On the side of the road, Jared held Tina¡¯s hand as they strolled along the street.

    Her long hair fluttered in the breeze, lightly resting on Jared¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Uncle, I had a great dinner tonight,¡± Tina suddenly spoke up, her head slightly lowered as she chuckled softly, concealing her joyous mood.

    Jared stroked Tina¡¯s hair gently. ¡°Hmm, I had a great time too.¡±

    When Tina is happy, he is happy too.

    Tina hopped onto the steps by the roadside and walked steadily with her arms spread out.

    It seemed like she hadn¡¯t felt so rxed and at ease in a long time.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    So rxed that she let go of the serious and cold shell that had enveloped her for so long.

    How long has it been?

    Probably ten years?

    Since her mother passed away, she never dared to rx for a moment.

    But now, she feltfortable.

    Jared walked beside her and looked up at the sparkling stars above them.

    On arge screen by the street, there was a live broadcast of two matches at Century Cyber Esports Hotel ¨C one between Country R and Country H for qualification rounds.

    When they scanned over the audience seats, Lysander and Orson were sitting there, their eyes fixed on the screens.

    ¡°Uncle, do you want to face Country R or Country H?¡± Tina suddenly stopped walking.

    Jared jumped up onto the steps and wrapped his arm around Tina¡¯s waist. ¡°Country R. They are Orson¡¯s second archrival after you guys.¡±

    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll face Country H. See you in the finals.¡±

    Tina also had this idea. After all, Country R had already lost once; it wouldn¡¯t be interesting to fight them again.

    Jared lifted Tina¡¯s chin and asked softly, ¡°What should we wager?¡±

    Tina thought for a moment. Uncle¡¯s money is her money; she doesn¡¯t need to bet anything else.

    ¡°Let¡¯s bet that whoever loses will clean the training room for the other team for a week.¡±

    Jared twitched his mouth; this little girl knows how to make bets. She knows very well that even if she loses, he would never let her actually clean the training room.

    ¡°What? Afraid of losing?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow with a hint of mischief in her eyes.

    Jared flicked Tina¡¯s nose. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll bet on this with you.¡±

    Tina smirked. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re already destined to lose.¡±

    The qualifying rounds ended and four teams advanced to the group stage: Hawk, Snake, Country R¡¯s RED team, and Country H¡¯s FAI team.

    Originally considered unpopr due to their seven consecutive losses in previous matches that disappointed their fans deeply, Hawk unexpectedly broke through strong opponents during the qualifying rounds and defeated RED team with an impressive performance that garnered apuse from all sides. Their poprity soared back to its peak once again.

    The group stage was set as predicted by Tina and Jared: Hawk against FAI and Snake against RED team.

    Edward Sullivan and others worried upon seeing this grouping.

    FAI wasst year¡¯s champion and consisted of young yers with excellent teamwork and lightning-fast reflexes. They secured their spot in the group stage with an impressive 0-35 record during qualifying rounds. They were definitely strong contenders aiming for another championship title.

    The pre-match briefing was held for all participants as an attempt by the organizers to ease tension before matches. After all, there had been incidents of fights breaking out before matches in previous tournaments despite both teams being penalized afterward. However, this time they wanted to maintain an atmosphere of harmony before matches began.

    Hawk and Snake surprisingly showed unity during this briefing session when facing each other outwardly.

    The H-country yers seemed to be taunting Lysander without knowing what they were saying; they just wore provocative expressions while looking at him.

    Orson kicked a stool underfoot. ¡°Stop babbling nonsense! Let actions speak on the battlefield! Don¡¯t understand? Can¡¯t understand? Need a trantor? Sorry but we can¡¯t afford one! Let me lend you one!¡±

    The yers from Country R wore equally grim expressions as they stared back at Orson.

    Lysander opened a bottle of c with full force towards them. ¡°Oh sorry! Didn¡¯t see you had your eyes closed! Thought you were sleeping and wanted to wake you up!¡±

    If it were someone else causing trouble during such an event, they would surely be reprimanded by the organizers. But these two young masters were untouchable; all they could do was quickly say a few words to end this tense atmosphere during the briefing session.

    After leaving the venue, Orson bumped shoulders with Lysander. ¡°Don¡¯t be useless! If we can¡¯t make it to finals¡­ I¡¯ll despise you forever.¡±

    Lysander didn¡¯t back down either. ¡°If you lose to my second-rate subordinates¡­ then roll out of esports forever!¡±

    The match officially began with Hawk taking the lead. Lysander performed steadily and easily secured first blood.

    FAI wasn¡¯t far behind; they quickly took down two kills.

    Leon became anxious after being solo killed but Edward Sullivan stepped forward to stop him. ¡°Remember what Tina said: don¡¯t rush it. The opponents focus on operations; we need steady development.¡±

    Leon calmed down; meanwhile Lysander cleared their jungle area directly which frustrated their opponents.

 Chapter 392: My Brother Will Break off the Engagement with You Sooner or Later

    From the audience, Orson silently gave a thumbs-up. To deal with disgusting tactics, you had to fight back with equally disgusting methods.

    ¡°Captain Farrell, have you noticed that Hawk seems different this year?¡±

    Orson nodded, ¡°Yes, they look a lot like when they won six consecutive championships before. It seems their so-called foreign aid is actually their former coach.¡±

    ¡°Damn, this could be tough.¡±

    Orson rubbed his nose, ¡°What are you afraid of? My brother is no slouch either. With his tactical training, we¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    With Jared around, Orson had no fear.

    On the other side, Jared and Tina were also watching the match.

    ¡°Lysander¡¯s skills have improved,¡± Jared said.

    Tina smiled, ¡°He was never bad; he just never had good coordination. A few pointers and he figured it out himself.¡±

    Jared looked at Tina with jealousy in his voice, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t praise other men in front of me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll praise them behind your back.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not allowed either.¡±

    Tina pinched Jared¡¯s cheek, ¡°Don¡¯t be childish, old man.¡±

    Jared pursed his lips and proved just how childish he could be through his actions.

    ¡°Damn! The coach kissed his fiancee!¡±

    ¡°Exciting! This is live; aren¡¯t they afraid of being seen?¡±

    Orson nearly ground his teeth to dust. ¡°Shameless woman! Why is she still seducing my brother?¡±

    Theodore clicked his tongue beside him. ¡°Captain Farrell, they¡¯re engaged. How can you call that seduction?¡±

    ¡°Shut up.¡±

    Orson kicked out as Lysander pushed towards the base and headed straight for the crystal.

    Orson¡¯s focus shifted back to the screen.

    Ten minutester.

    ¡°Beautiful!¡±

    Hawk won the first round.

    The group stage required two out of three wins. In the break room, Tina quickly adjusted their strategy.

    ¡°The next round they will definitely ban heroes. We can use Strategy B. Let¡¯s aim to finish early,¡± Tina finalized the tactics and started the second match.

    FAI clearly didn¡¯t expect Lysander and his team to change their approach. The jungle king used AD!

    What they thought was a decisive move ended in aplete rout.

    Two consecutive victories put FAI out of the running and advanced Hawk to the finals.

    The entire inte buzzed with excitement as reporters swarmed to interview Hawk.

    ¡°JIE, was using AD something you nned in advance?¡±

    ¡°We heard Hawk hired foreign aid. Is that true?¡±

    ¡°After seven straight losses, what revived your morale?¡±

    Standing in the center, Lysander smiled and said, ¡°We didn¡¯t hire foreign aid. Our coach came back. With her here, we won¡¯t lose.¡±

    Soon, news of Hawk¡¯s mysterious coach returning spread across the inte.

    After that coach left initially, Hawk had a brief period of glory but gradually declined over time.

    Now that the coach was back, morale soared and curiosity peaked.

    In Hawk¡¯s break room, Orson leaned against a small window by the door, trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious coach.

    She was his second idol after Jared!

    He had watched Lysander¡¯s live PK with that mysterious coach before.

    Her operation skills were almost on par with Jared¡¯s.

    Back then, Snake Club tried to spend a fortune to recruit her after Jared left but failed.

    Orson desperately wanted to meet this coach in person-to get an autograph or take a photo together, maybe even have a meal and get some guidance.

    Most importantly, he wanted to see herpete against Jared!

    That would be an epic event in the esports world.

    With a click, the break room door opened.

    Caught off guard, Orson fell inside.

    Tina frowned but recognized Orson before she kicked him away.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Tina looked at Orson like he was an idiot. What was he doing peeping at the door?

    Orson calmly got up from the floor without hiding his disdainful look.

    ¡°What are you doing here!¡±

    Tina chuckled and retorted, ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here?¡±

    Orson knew about Lysander and Tina¡¯s rtionship and didn¡¯t think much of it-just assumed she was visiting her brother.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Tell your brother he¡¯s going to lose for sure. See you in the finals.¡± Despite saying this, Orson kept ncing around as if looking for someone.

    ¡°Stop looking; he¡¯s still being interviewed. Do you have any business here?¡± Tina sat on the sofa impatiently looking at Orson.

    Orson scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m not here for him anyway. Forget it; you wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you. I really don¡¯t get why my brother likes you.¡±

    Even if she was good-looking and could y piano and make clothes, she couldn¡¯t y games!

    In Orson¡¯s view, that alone made Tina unworthy of his brother!

    Tina crossed her long legs and rested her chin on her hand with amusement. ¡°Oh really? But-your brother has to marry me anyway. What now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, my brother will break off this engagement sooner orter!¡±

    Orson shouted with a red face and ran off immediately after.

    This woman wasn¡¯t right for his brother; open your eyes!

    Tinaughed at Orson¡¯s retreating figure-such a little brat!

    She clearly forgot that in others¡¯ eyes, she was also just a little brat!

    After closing the break room door again, Tina checked her phone for messages from Cole.

    ¡°Griffin is spending all his time on racing tracks without hitting any dangerous routes. Damianmutes between home andpany like Garrett. As for Juliet, she lost some resources due to Grandma Reed¡¯s incident but nothing major.¡±

    Tina replied with an ¡°ok.¡±

    ¡°Also, Serena-Callum Maguire and Snow Judd left. Should we track them?¡±

    Tina paused for a moment.

    She had almost forgotten about them after rescuing the baby and giving them the antidote.

    ¡°Just discard useless things. Tell Fatty to keep an eye on Wraith while tracking them. If they cause trouble again, lock them up.¡±

    Callum Maguire and Snow Judd betrayed GTO and wouldn¡¯t dare show their faces again or Jasper would hunt them down.

    Thinking of Jasper made Tina ask about him too. ¡°How¡¯s Jasper doing?¡±

    ¡°I was just about to say-Jasper has surfaced and is looking for Callum Maguire and Snow Judd. He contacted Ice me but remains elusive.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly. ¡°Then let him have some fun.¡±

    Cole understood immediately from her message. ¡°Got it! Don¡¯t worry!¡±

    After turning off her phone, Tina stretched her neck.

    The finals were approaching fast; she needed intense training these next few days-not losing to that old man!

 Chapter 393: I Want to Raise the Stakes

    On the other side, Orson returned to thepetition site. Lysander had made it to the finals, and he couldn¡¯t afford to lose. He had to defeat Lysander in the finals to show everyone that he was not inferior to him. Jared watched from below and could see from the battle that Orson had a strong desire to win. If he didn¡¯t adjust his mindset before the match, even if he won this time, he would lose in the finals. Jared also noticed that Lysander¡¯s skills were superior to Orson¡¯s. Now, it was all about mindset and team coordination. Jared was confident in their team coordination, but the mindset was a problem.

    After finishing his interview, Lysander didn¡¯t idle; he went to the lounge to discuss team matters with Tina and then went to the audience seats together to watch Orson¡¯s match. From a distance, Jared saw Tina and Lysander walking over, chatting andughing. His eyes, which had been worried about Orson, instantly became sharp. In the blink of an eye, this guy was sticking close again!

    Tina naturally saw Jared too and was about to walk over when Lysander grabbed her wrist. Lysander smiled and stood naturally in front of Tina, blocking her view of Jared. ¡°Tina, everyone is waiting for you over there. Let¡¯s analyze the match while watching.¡±

    Tina thought it made sense; real-time analysis would deepen their impressions. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± So, Jared watched as Lysander led Tina to another section of the audience seats. Lysander sat down and gave Jared a provocative smile. Jared¡¯s face instantly darkened, and he sneered.

    Trying to stop him? He wouldn¡¯t go over? Just as he got up, his phone buzzed with a text message.

    Tina: ¡°Don¡¯te over; we¡¯re discussing tactics. Remember our bet!¡±

    Jared felt a surge of frustration and sat back down in his chair. Since his wife had spoken, he naturally wouldn¡¯t go over. But throughout the entire match, Jared¡¯s eyes never returned to the broadcast screen. So much so that when the whole crowd cheered, he still didn¡¯t know who had won.

    ¡°Bro, we won! We¡¯re in the finals!¡± Orson was the first to rush out of the arena and pounced on Jared.

    Jared extended his hand and easily stopped him with one arm¡¯s length. ¡°Save your excitement for when you win the finals.¡±

    Orson felt choked by an unknown force but knew that as an esports yer, the ultimate goal was to win the championship. No matter what kind of match it was, they had to give their all to win the trophy. It was a basic professional ethic for an esports yer.

    Orson nodded heavily. ¡°Yes, I will definitely win the championship!¡±

    Jared turned his gaze towards the audience seats where Tina was already surrounded by Lysander and others as they headed back to the lounge. Now that Snake had won, after a year, both teams were back on the battlefield again. Whether it would be a revenge match or a crushing victory would be determined in two days at the finals.

    For Hawk, who hadn¡¯t even made it past the group stagest year, this carried immense pressure. If they lost this year again, Hawk would have no chance of making aeback. Moreover, this match was Edward Sullivan and his team¡¯sst game! Thest stop of their professional careers-they certainly didn¡¯t want to lose.

    ¡°Bro, let¡¯s go celebrate!¡± Orson was still excited inside; they had defeated their old rival RED. Last year they lost to them and didn¡¯t make it to the finals; it had always been a thorn in his heart. Even though theyter won in friendly matches, Orson never felt satisfied. Winning today finally brought him some relief!

    Jared shot him a cold look. ¡°Lysander has already gone back to train, and you still want to celebrate? Get back to the training room!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Led by Orson, everyone hurried back to the training room.

    Jared took a deep breath and looked towards Hawk¡¯s direction. This wasn¡¯t just about his bet with Tina anymore; it was also a showdown between him and Lysander. That kid Lysander wanted to take advantage of proximity? Dream on!N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    In Hawk¡¯s training room, Tina called Cole and found four other people to form a team for practice matches against Hawk. Hundreds of theoretical lessons couldn¡¯tpare with one practical operation.

    After one round, Hawk was utterly defeated; they couldn¡¯t even push down a tower.

    ¡°Coach, these guys you found are not only better than Orson but even better than Lysander; isn¡¯t this just crushing us?¡± Yeev wailed in despair.

    Leon had no fight left in him either. ¡°Coach, this is too harsh.¡±

    Tina leaned back in her chair with a lollipop in her mouth. ¡°Continue.¡±

    ¡°Another round?¡± Edward Sullivan couldn¡¯t muster any enthusiasm.

    Tina raised her eyes and stared at the three dejected yers opposite her. ¡°Even the most precise team has ws; you are supposed to deliver precise strikes that are fatal rather than using evasive tactics. Remember that you need solutions for every possible situation on stage if you want any chance of winning.¡±

    As Tina spoke on one side, Lysander also started forming teams again on the other side. ¡°Tina, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Tina nodded.

    After several rounds, Lysander¡¯s team still couldn¡¯t fight back effectively but Tina could see that they were gradually finding strategies to cope with their opponents¡¯ tactics-even managing once to pin Cole at their base fountain.

    ¡°Alright then; it¡¯s gettingte. Rest well and prepare for the finals in two days,¡± Tina said as she turned off herputer.

    Maintaining high tension was necessary but overextending would be counterproductive.

    On Snake¡¯s side too, Jared and Hayden¡¯s team were driven almost crazy by continuous practice matches but each game helped them identify weaknesses and find suitable tactics.

    Both teams were ready for action; on finals day-the atmosphere reached its peak.

    During pre-match preparations-tensions between Lysander and Orson were already sky-high.

    ¡°This time I¡¯ll definitely be FMVP-you just wait!¡± Orson red at Lysander without backing down an inch.

    Lysander mimicked Tina¡¯s sarcastic tone perfectly: ¡°Waiting for you crybaby? Kiddo.¡±

    ¡°Lysander-you¡¯re younger than me! Stop pretending!¡±

    ¡°No choice-this will be my tenth FMVP including this one.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡±

    ¡°Not more than yours.¡±

    The tension between both teams was palpable but outside-their mysterious coaches seemed inseparable from each other.

    On top of an outdoor terrace near arena grounds-Tina leaned against Jared¡¯s shoulder browsing cleaning tools on some app while he asked curiously: ¡°What are you buying?¡±

    With a smile ying around her lips-Tina replied: ¡°Choosing handy cleaning tools for you.¡±

    Jared lifted her chin yfully gazing into her eyes filled with unrestrained emotions: ¡°So sure I¡¯ll lose?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Tina raised an eyebrow defiantly.

    Jared brushed his thumb across Tina¡¯s lips murmuring softly yet intensely: ¡°I want raise stakes.¡±

 Chapter 394: Lysander Announces Retirement

    Tina raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°Since I lost, dance with me,¡± Jared said, his deep eyes fixed on her bright and moon-like eyes.

    So beautiful, every time he looked into her eyes, he felt they were incredibly beautiful.

    He let out a graceful light from his eyes, treasuring them like a precious gem.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll dance with you,¡± Tina said, leaning forward and nting a soft kiss on the corner of Jared¡¯s lips.

    Momentster, Tina pushed Jared away and said, ¡°Old man, the match is starting!¡±

    With that, she left the rooftop.

    Jared touched his lips that had just been kissed.

    She really knows how to tease and run away.

    Wait and see, he would get her back sooner orter.

    On the ying field, the fans of both teams were filled with excitement, and the live stream room was packed with viewers.

    Not only the esportsmunity but also those who don¡¯t usually watch esports were paying attention to this match.

    After all, no matter who wins, the champion will be from their own country.

    Snake¡¯s fans held up signs for Orson, while Hawk didn¡¯t want to be outdone and had several people holding up banners supporting Lysander.

    The yers took their seats, and the host announced the rules of the match.

    Tina and Jared also sat in the audience seats, their eyes fixed on the screen of the broadcast booth.

    The match officially began. Orson banned Lysander¡¯s mostmonly used hero right from the start.

    Lysander didn¡¯t mind and chose a more conventional hero.

    Tina in the audience smirked.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    The show was about to begin!

    Both sides selected their heroes. Lysander yed steadily and secured first blood against Orson while also clearing his own jungle.

    Orson cursed under his breath but retaliated by killing Lysander after he respawned. Not only did he clear his own jungle, but he also stole Edward Sullivan¡¯s red buff.

    The two sides fought back and forth. It had to be said that Snake¡¯s yers had excellent coordination and quickly gained the upper hand.

    However, Leon had already secretly taken control of the best position. Orson reacted quickly and quickly contested jungle monsters with Leon. Theodore came to help, and they sessfully took control of thene.

    The situation on the battlefield became clear. Lysander hadn¡¯t developed well yet; he kept farming in the jungle while Yeev absorbed damage for him. Edward Sullivan even gave away two kills.

    Orson sneered because he knew Lysander wasn¡¯tfortable with this hero. He was being beaten down hard.

    They immediately initiated a team fight and pushed down two towers on the topne.

    On the other side, Edward Sullivan took advantage of this time to push down one tower on the opposite side.

    But Snake still had the advantage.

    The game was nearing its end. Orson led a charge straight to their base and destroyed it with the help of a final dragon buff.

    Hawk struggled hard but was a step toote.

    In the first game, Snake won easily.

    Orson¡¯s spirits were high; he was excited as if he had already won the championship.

    Indeed, winning the first game in a best-of-three series dealt a psychological blow to their opponents.

    The second game started quickly. This time it was Hawk who banned heroes first. Like Orson did before, Lysander directly banned Orson¡¯s hero from the previous game. However, Lysander chose the same hero he used in the previous game.

    Orson had already anticipated this move. The hero he trained with these days wasn¡¯t his usual main hero.

    The battle unfolded, and Hawk changed his strategy by initiating a team fight right from the beginning. This move was fatal for professional yers like Lysander. Starting a team fight without having developed properly was like seeking death.

    But Hawk also needed to hold down midne and sent two yers to block them off.

    However, Edward Sullivan changed his tactics by going straight for their AD carry¡¯s red buff. This caused Theodore to lose his beloved red buff!

    In the audience seats, Jared instantly understood Tina¡¯s strategy.

    ¡°Tina, ying mind games?¡± Jared asked.

    Tina smiled mischievously. ¡°Our child has a good mentality.¡±

    Jared squeezed Tina¡¯s hand. ¡°No, I¡¯m your only one.¡±

    Tina replied awkwardly, ¡°¡­¡±

    Does he have to be jealous?

    On the ying field, Lysander ughtered in both jungles and caught Orson off guard with his clever maneuvers.

    Now everyone could see that Lysander wasn¡¯t familiar with this hero at all. His performance in the previous game was intentional!

    Not only did he clear all jungle monsters but he also got a pentakill while being half-healthed.

    During this time, Hawk returned to midne and pushed it all the way to their base.

    Orson panicked but managed to get a pentakill by soloing Hawk as well.

    Jared watched these moves with a heavy heart; he was getting anxious again.

    After soloing Hawk, Orson was left low on health but couldn¡¯t leave yet since minions hadn¡¯t spawned. He could only go back to base to heal up.

    However, just as Snake¡¯s entire team respawned, Lysander instantly teleported back to their base from high ground and got another solo kill on Orson.

    It turned out that before support yer n Linden died, he used an ability that directly sent Lysander back to base.

    By the time Snake reacted, Hawk had already respawned.

    With favorable conditions on their side, they destroyed their opponent¡¯s crystal in one fell swoop.

    Orson was furious; he almost smashed hisputer in anger.

    At the start of the third game, Orson secured first blood and second blood against Lysander while clearing his jungle and specifically targeting him.

    Jared leaned against his chair with Tina¡¯s hand in his grip. In his heart, he already had a good idea of how things would turn out.

    Tina pretended tofort him but couldn¡¯t hide her smile in her eyes. She patted Jared¡¯s shoulder yfully and said, ¡°Old man, I¡¯ve prepared your equipment for you.¡±

    There was no suspense in the oue; although it was close-fought, Snake was already panicking.

    An unstable state of mind would definitely affect their performance.

    With a cry of ¡°Victory,¡± Hawk broke through their crystal and imed victory!

    The whole arena erupted in cheers as the host shouted loudly, ¡°Congrattions to Hawk for bing this year¡¯s world champions!¡±

    Confetti filled the air as fireworks shot up into the sky. The trophy for world champions rose slowly along with them!

    The entire Hawk team rushed out together while embracing each other; they lifted their hard-earned victory high above their heads!

    The host handed over the microphone to Lysander.

    Lysander held it tightly; unable to hide his excitement and with moist eyes, his voice choked up as he said: ¡°For this victory we achieved today, there is someone we want to thank most ¨C our coach!¡±

    Lysander looked down at someone in front of him who he couldn¡¯t forget even for a moment. ¡°Without her, we wouldn¡¯t be where we are today; I wouldn¡¯t have achieved so much. I just want to say thank you sis. In my heart, there will always be a ce reserved for you because you will forever be my most important person.¡±

    After saying that, there was silence in the arena for a few seconds before erupting into wild celebration.

    Wasn¡¯t that supposed to be gratitude towards their coach?

    It clearly sounded like a confession!

    Lysander lowered his head and sniffled before raising it again; however, Tina had already disappeared from sight.

    He clenched onto the microphone tightly as a hint of sadness shed through his eyes.

    ¡°Taking advantage of this opportunity,¡± Lysander lowered his voice as his excitement vanishedpletely.

    The whole arena fell silent waiting for him.

    After a short pause, Lysander slowly spoke word by word: ¡°After thispetition ends, I will retire along with my entire team!¡±

 Chapter 395: Are the Cleaning Tools in Your Team of Such Poor Quality?

    The moment the world champion received the trophy, he announced his retirement. This news exploded within the entirepetitive circle. Lysander¡¯s retirement instantly made headlines, surpassing even the buzz of Hawk winning another championship. However, the person who took it the hardest was Orson.

    ¡°Winning against me and then retiring? How is that different from those irresponsible guys who ditch someone after sleeping with them?¡± Orson fumed.

    Theodore pondered for a moment. ¡°Captain, that might not be the best way to put it.¡±

    Orson shot him a re, his handsome face almost consumed by rage. ¡°Then tell me how to put it!¡±

    No one dared to speak further. Orson, unable to contain his anger, picked up his phone and called Lysander, cursing him out for a full ten minutes without repeating himself once. Lysander said nothing and hung up as soon as Orson paused to catch his breath.

    Listening to the dial tone, Orson¡¯s face darkened to a point where even the grim reaper would have stepped back. Theodore quickly leaned away. Everyone knew that Orson was most terrifying when he was silent rather than when he was shouting.

    Orson gripped his phone tightly, his fingertips turning white. Suddenly, with a loud bang, he smashed the phone on the ground and turned to find Lysander. But standing behind him was Jared, who was even more intimidating than the grim reaper.

    ¡°Brother,¡± Orson immediately lowered his head. ¡°I was wrong. You can punish me.¡±

    Jared sat down calmly, his long legs crossed and his broad back resting against the sofa. He looked up and asked, ¡°What did you do wrong?¡±

    ¡°I embarrassed you.¡±

    Jared¡¯s cold eyes shed. ¡°You still don¡¯t know what you did wrong and yet you have the nerve to go confront Lysander?¡±

    Orson¡¯s shoulders trembled; he nearly copsed to the floor. He knew that his brother was truly angry this time.

    ¡°You knew it was a trap but still jumped in. Why did you insist on solo-killing Lysander in the third game? You ignored defending high ground just to beat Lysander and neglected your team. Have you forgotten everything I¡¯ve told you these past few days?¡± Jared¡¯s questions left Orson speechless.

    From the moment the match ended, Orson knew that they lost mainly because of him. His desire forbat disrupted team coordination, giving Hawk an opening. Their team¡¯s greatest strength was their synergy, but he lost his cool trying to take down Lysander, throwing everything into disarray.

    Had they maintained their teamwork, even if Hawk won, it wouldn¡¯t have been so easy.

    Orson remained silent under Jared¡¯s reprimand while other Snake team members tried to mediate.

    ¡°Coach, Captain was provoked by Lysander; he¡¯s not usually like this¡­¡±

    ¡°Wrong is wrong; there are no excuses!¡± Jared shouted angrily, smashing a small marble tea table with one hand.

    Orson had never seen Jared so furious before and sensed that his brother¡¯s anger wasn¡¯t just about losing the match.

    Meanwhile, on the rooftop:

    ¡°Tina, we won.¡± Lysander touched the medal around his neck without much excitement on his face.

    Tina understood. At this age, Lysander was at his peak as an eSports yer-the prime of his career. Yet he chose this moment to retire.

    The main reason wasn¡¯t just because familiar teammates were leaving but also due to pressure from the Emerson family. As their sole heir who had missed out on much professional training in his youth, he now needed to catch up quickly to navigate future business challenges smoothly.

    ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Tina asked.

    Lysander smiled bitterly. ¡°How could I not? This is my favorite profession-an irreceable glory that belongs only to me. Letting go is bound to bring regret.¡±

    He lowered his head and discreetly wiped away a tear before looking up again with no trace of emotion left.

    Tina patted his head. ¡°Since you¡¯ve made your choice, don¡¯t regret it. Life has many crossroads; it¡¯s your path.¡±

    Lysander looked at Tina and nodded firmly.

    Tina said no more; she knew Lysander was smart enough to understand that even if he chose eSports now, retirement woulde eventually-and by then, there might be no ce for him in the Emerson family.

    He wasn¡¯t doing this for money but for his mother. He couldn¡¯t let anyone in the Emerson family look down on him; for her sake, he had to prove himself!

    Tina withdrew her hand and said, ¡°Go say goodbye to your clubmates.¡±

    ¡°Tina, won¡¯t you join us for the celebration?¡±

    Walking away, Tina waved her hand dismissively. ¡°No, I have a date.¡±

    Lysander watched Tina¡¯s figure gradually fade into the distance as determination filled his eyes. Tina, I¡¯ve regretted once; I won¡¯t let myself regret again!

    In Century Cyber Hotel¡¯s parking lot, a low-key ck luxury car slowly drove out. Sitting in the backseat with a cheerful mood was Tina.

    She pondered how best to dress Jared¡¯s cleaning outfit while Jared allowed her free rein over him.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Driving them was Nathan Lehman who nced back and thought that only Tina could treat Mr. Farrell this way.

    At Hawk Club:

    Tina led Jared directly into the training room where they unexpectedly ran into Hawk himself.

    ¡°Miss Reed? What brings you here?¡± Hawk asked in surprise.

    Tina replied coolly, ¡°I¡¯m here to clean.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Hawk was taken aback. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that; I can hire a cleaningdy.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Tina said as she sat down on a chair. ¡°Mr. Farrell will handle it.¡±

    To Hawk¡¯s astonishment, Jared picked up a broom from the corner.

    Just then Lysander and others began returning one by one; after today this room would no longer belong to them so they decided to hold their victory party here instead.

    Upon entering they saw Jared awkwardly wielding a broom struggling against stubborn dirt patches on floorboards.

    ¡°Coach-is this some kind of family benefit?¡± Edward Sullivan muttered under his breath unable suppressughter at sight before him-Jared sweeping looked like fish riding bicycle-utterly incongruous!

    Leon suddenly eximed ¡°Oh no! My race car model is broken!¡±

    Yeev noticed something too ¡°Wait-theputer¡¯s smoking!¡±

    Jared cleared throat continuing futile battle against dust ¡°I tried dusting model¡­as forputer¡­it probably got wet while mopping.¡±

    Edward¡¯s lips twitched uncontrobly-what kind of dust could crush race car model? And what sort of mopping technique drenchedputer?

 Chapter 396: Mr. Farrell Dominates Lysander in Esports

    n Linden couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and took the broom from Jared, gently sweeping the dust inside. With a snap, the broom head fell off. Jared frowned, ¡°This is the sixth time it¡¯s fallen off. Are your things this flimsy?¡± n replied, ¡°Is it possible that you¡¯re too strong and broke it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just not sturdy,¡± Jared said disdainfully, looking at the broom. He then turned to Leon and said, ¡°I¡¯ve ordered a new racing model for you; it will arrive soon. I¡¯ve also reced yourputer.¡± Leon didn¡¯t mind and looked around; the ce seemed even messier than before. He waved his hand and said, ¡°It was a knockoff I bought for ten bucks. Just¡­ stop cleaning.¡± Tina stifled augh, her fair and delicate face turning red. This was probably the first time Jared had been ¡°disliked¡±! However, Jared felt delighted by herugh, his mood visibly improving.

    Lysander¡¯s expression darkened, but he remained silent. He quietly unplugged theputer¡¯s power source; if he didn¡¯t, the mainframe would explode. While fixing the broom, he coldly asked Hawk, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Hawk finally spoke, ¡°I¡¯m here to take you home.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go back tomorrow. We have a celebration party here tonight; you can go back first.¡± Hawk knew Lysander¡¯s temper. Since he announced his retirement today, he would definitely return to the Emerson family tomorrow. Hawk just wanted to see if there was anything he could help with. He felt he owed this son too much.

    Just as Hawk was about to say something, the door to the training room opened. ¡°Mr. Farrell, the mainframe and racing models have arrived, along with new cleaning tools. Why did you buy all these things and send them here? Aren¡¯t you afraid Sijun will get mad at you? Oh, Serena, you¡¯re here! No wonder Hawk won today with your guidance!¡± Hayden said as he brought in the items. Tina took a sip of c and said, ¡°Why do you talk so much?¡± Hayden immediately shut his mouth and ced five limited-edition racing models on the table. Looking around boldly, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why is this ce so messy? Don¡¯t you usually clean?¡± Everyone thought: This is what it looks like after cleaning; can you believe it?

    Jared gave Hayden a hard kick and said, ¡°Stop talking so much! Rece the mainframe quickly.¡± Hayden sighed and pointed at Nathan Lehman, saying, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s rece it together.¡± Edward Sullivan and others felt embarrassed and joined in to help. Jared didn¡¯t just rece the mainframe; he also got newputer desks and chairs. The whole setup was much better than before. Leon¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at the five limited-edition racing models and said, ¡°These¡­ these cost $100, 000 each!¡± Hayden looked up and said, ¡°Do you like them? Since you¡¯re Serena¡¯s apprentice, I¡¯ll give you a few more; we have plenty at home.¡±

    Jared looked up and said something that made Hawk¡¯s entire team shudder: ¡°For the next seven days, I¡¯ll be cleaning here.¡± ¡°What!¡± Edward Sullivan eximed in surprise and quickly said to Tina, ¡°Coach, forget it; we still need this training room. We have new cleaning robots now; everything is automated. There¡¯s no need to do it manually.¡± Tina didn¡¯t say anything while Jared sat steadily in his chair and said firmly, ¡°No way. I lost.¡± Edward Sullivan thought: Please spare me; I still need to work here as a coach!

    Lysander sat down and turned on hisputer slowly saying, ¡°People who don¡¯t understand esports don¡¯t belong in our training room; there¡¯s no need for them to clean either.¡± Hayden almost choked on his c. Not understand esports? Kid, you¡¯re really naive.

    Jared smirked and walked over to turn on anotherputer without looking at Lysander but exuding coldness: ¡°Wannapete?¡± Lysander was already feeling defiant; now that Jared wanted to challenge him in his own field, he epted readily: ¡°Sure! If I lose, I¡¯ll stay away from Tina.¡± Jared sneered without taking Lysander seriously: ¡°I bet with Tina that if you win, I¡¯ll clean your training room for a week. If you lose, I won¡¯t clean it at all.¡± For once, Edward Sullivan¡¯s team wanted Lysander to lose.

    Lysander squinted his eyes and agreed: ¡°Deal!¡± Tina sat quietly without even lifting her eyes. Although she had never seen Jared y games before, she knew in her heart that Lysander was no match for him.

    Hayden became interested and even pulled Edward Sullivan and others into cing bets. Lysander chose his best hero and rushed straight at Jared but within moments found his screen darkening as Jared took the first kill.

    Hawk¡¯s entire team was stunned by Jared¡¯s skills! How did he get first blood so quickly? Lysander revived only to be killed again repeatedly seven or eight times in a row while Jared stood steadily in the center waiting for solo kills without advancing or retreating.

    Eventually unable to even hold his mouse properly anymore Tina coughed lightly saying ¡°Uncle that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°Alright whatever you say¡± replied Jared ncing at Tina before swiftly pushing down towers winning solo wlessly leaving Lysander incredulous unable to believe how utterly helpless he had been against him.

    Hawk¡¯s other members were equally speechless rememberingst seeing such one-sided domination when facing off against Tina herself wondering what exactly made Jared so formidable.

    Edward Sullivan finally recalled what Jared had mentioned earlier asking ¡°Why did you bet with our coach? Is it because Orson is your brother?¡± Hayden interjected ¡°You guys don¡¯t know? Mr Farrell is Snake¡¯s external coach.¡±

    ¡°What! You¡¯re that legendary coach who led Snake through six consecutive championships?¡± eximed Edward Sullivan incredulously while Jared calmly ced his headset back onto its stand shutting down the game before walking over towards Tina extending his hand softly saying ¡°Tina I won let¡¯s go.¡±

    Tina took his hand telling Edward Sullivan¡¯s group ¡°I won¡¯t be attending the celebration party enjoy yourselves.¡± At this moment Lysander suddenly asked ¡°Jared are you really Snake¡¯s coach?¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Jared nced at him briefly without replying holding onto Tina¡¯s hand leaving together yet conveying clearly enough  even within your own domain I can still crush youpletely.

 Chapter 397: It Was Courtney

    TCL Research Institute. Lily opened the door, naturally put on a whiteb coat, donned gloves, and began preparing experimental tools. Researchers arrived one after another, looking surprised to see Lily. She remained unfazed, selecting necessary tools and addressing the puzzled researchers, ¡°I am still the head of the institute and have not received any dismissal notice. Is there a problem with my presence here?¡±

    The researchers snapped out of their daze. ¡°No, Miss Ward, we didn¡¯t mean that.¡±

    ¡°Then get back to work,¡± Lily said impatiently. ¡°Deliver these items to my workspaceter. No one is to disturb me while I¡¯m working.¡±

    She handed a list to her assistant, John. John nced at it, surprised. These items were unrted to previous experiments.

    ¡°Any objections?¡± Lily raised an eyebrow.

    John shook his head quickly. ¡°No, but Director, these items have never been used before and could cause adverse reactions if mishandled.¡±

    Lily chuckled coldly. ¡°Following the rules hasn¡¯tpleted Mr. Daryl¡¯s tasks. If we don¡¯t try something new, how long do you think your value willst? Or do you think your skills surpass mine?¡±

    John closed his mouth and went to prepare immediately. Lily took the tools into her privateb. As the director, she had her own space where others rarely questioned her progress. This was convenient for the tasks Jasper assigned her.

    Lily closed the door and ced the tools on the table, leaning against it as cold sweat covered her body. Conducting virus research under so many watchful eyes was immensely stressful. If she hadn¡¯t established her authority as director so firmly before, it wouldn¡¯t have been this easy to deceive them.

    She took out the materials Jasper had given her-each word confidential and toxic. Completing this task was her only way to regain freedom and escape Jasper¡¯s control. It was also the only way to catch Jared¡¯s attention again.

    Her eyes narrowed with determination. Tina, once this virus is developed, your end wille!

    Meanwhile, Jasper removed his headphones with satisfaction. He had been closely monitoring Lily but wasn¡¯t too worried. She was already a target for many; even Jared didn¡¯t care if she essed theb or not. Lily¡¯s high self-regard made her believe in her medical skills above all else. Only someone like Spectre or Wraith could make her bow down.

    Thus, she would use her skills to prove herself by developing a top-tier virus.

    Jasper smiled and went to a GTO hideout to find Eagle Flies.

    ¡°Mr. Kim,¡± Jane Campbell greeted respectfully at the door, bandages still on her head. It was her first time seeing Mr. Kim in person, though she wasn¡¯t sure if it was really him.

    Jasper acknowledged with a nod and sat down, his eyes behind the mask exuding authority and scrutiny but remaining silent.

    Jane Campbell understood he was waiting for her to speak first. ¡°Mr. Kim, I apologize for Hugo and Jennie being rescued; I couldn¡¯t stop it.¡±

    Jasper rested his head on one hand, continuing to stare at Jane Campbell.

    She took a breath and continued, ¡°The situation was sudden; I had no choice but to abandon them to protect myself. However-I obtained the serum.¡±

    Jasper finally reacted with surprise. ¡°You got the serum!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Jane Campbell handed over the serum she had taken from Jennie¡¯s bracelet after modifying it for concealment.

    Jasper hurriedly took it to a nearbyb room-it was genuine!

    Relieved, he returned and instructed Jane Campbell, ¡°Stay out of sight for now and recover from your injuries. I¡¯ll contact you through our usual methods for any tasks.¡±

    He had chosen this meeting with Eagle Flies to see if she had betrayed the organization like Callum Maguire and others might have done. If he detected any signs of betrayal, he would have ended her then and there.

    Fortunately, she proved herself smart enough.

    Jane Campbell watched Mr. Kim leave before informing her brother Ray about meeting him.

    The message quickly reached Jared.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Upon receiving it, Jared knew that Jane Campbell¡¯s Mr. Kim was Jasper.

    After that day, he instructed not to contact Jane Campbell directly but instead find opportunities for her to approach Mr. Kim cautiously.

    Mr. Kim was too careful to appear openly often; capturing Jasper wasn¡¯t feasible yet.

    The serum now in his possession could be used to connect with the real Mr. Kim and gain Jane Campbell¡¯s trust within GTO-leading them to GTO¡¯s true leader!

    Tina also received news from Jayden: ¡°Spotted Jasper.¡±

    Tina quickly replied on her phone: ¡°Hold off.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t time to act against Jasper yet; they needed confirmation that Jane Campbell received her next order before proceeding.

    Tina put away her phone and looked around at their surroundings from inside the car before frowning at Jared: ¡°Why did she ce someone dying here?¡±

    They were at an abandoned building where Jane Campbell had mentioned a poisoned child near death was being kept-a ce even beggars avoided.

    Jared carefully led Tina through debris-filled corridors ording to Jane Campbell¡¯s map until they reached the top floor of the building-a small room equipped with medical devices!

    On a bed in the centery a child covered in tubes-Courtney!

    Tina and Jared were shocked! Hadn¡¯t Hayden arranged for Courtney to attend Kongham University?

    Tina immediately checked Courtney¡¯s condition-she was unconscious with severe symptoms of poisoning affecting vital organs.

    After some emergency treatment sealing key acupuncture points and detoxifying toxins within Courtney¡¯s body-they transferred her into Jared¡¯s private hospital under close observation.

    ¡°Due to extensive damage from deep poisoning affecting lungs significantly she needs further monitoring.¡±

    As Tina exited operating room while Courtney moved into intensive care unit.

 Chapter 398: I Was Never Your Daughter

    After settling Courtney, Tina received a message from Cole.

    ¡°Serena, Jasper has found Callum Maguire and Snow Judd!¡±

    Tina¡¯s red lips curved into a smile.

    Jasper was not idle at all; after obtaining the potion, he went to clean house. He truly was a loyal dog of GTO.

    Tina looked up with interest at Jared, her voice tinged with allure, ¡°Uncle, there¡¯s a good show. Want to watch it together?¡±

    Jared¡¯s thin lips curved slightly, ¡°Sure.¡±

    In the suburbs of Ashbury, in a certain vige.

    Callum Maguire and Snow Judd disguised themselves as local vigers and had been hiding here, not daring to show their faces. Whether Tina and Jared would continue to hunt them down was uncertain. Just Mr. Kim alone was enough to instill fear in them.

    Their betrayal of the organization had clearly been exposed; if found, they would surely die.

    They managed a farm where people often came for agritourism, blending into themunity perfectly. Who would have thought that these simple farmers were trained killers by GTO?

    A ck SUV stopped in front of the farm, guests who had booked days earlier.

    Callum Maguire, dressed inly and wearing a straw hat, carried a basket of apples to greet them.

    ¡°Mr. Reed?¡± Callum Maguire opened the gate and scrutinized the man before him.

    It was indeed Jasper, the missing head of the Reed family.

    Even though Callum Maguire and Snow Judd were hiding here, they kept abreast of city happenings. Otherwise, any slight disturbance could prevent their escape in time.

    They hadn¡¯t expected that the agritourism booking from a few days ago would actually be from Jasper.

    Jasper smiled warmly, his every gesture exuding grace. Dressed in a ck trench coat over an exquisite suit, he appeared even more gentle.

    ¡°Yes, I called a few days ago.¡± Jasper smiled slightly, his voice carrying a hint of spring breeze.

    Callum Maguire lowered his guard.

    Jasper was the head of the Reed family; his previous investigations revealed that the Reed family did not possess any potions. Even if they did, they were enemies of the organization and not considered dangerous individuals.

    Snow Judd emerged from the house wearing a floral shirtmon among vige women, holding a fan and smiling naively. ¡°Mr. Reed, your room is ready. Shall we go fishing by the seater?¡±

    Jasper nodded and followed Callum Maguire inside with his hands in his pockets. But as he reached the door, he suddenly paused.

    ¡°The air here is quite nice.¡±

    Callum Maguire smiled, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s like this in the vige.¡±

    Jasper tilted his head and looked sinisterly at Callum Maguire. ¡°I just wonder if it¡¯s easy to lose one¡¯s life here!¡±

    Callum Maguire froze for a moment and reached into his basket for his gun. But before he could draw it out, Jasper had already pulled the trigger.

    A muffled gunshot rang out; blood flowed from Callum Maguire¡¯s shoulder. Fortunately, he dodged quickly.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Snow Judd reacted by swinging her fan, which revealed a sharp knife at its end aimed at Jasper. Jasper kicked her away and fired two shots; Snow Judd fell to the ground with bullets in her legs, unable to stand.

    Jasper sat on a wicker chair in the yard, carefully wiping his gun barrel.

    ¡°Trying to ambush me? Have you forgotten who tested your ambush skills?¡±

    Joining GTO required not only passing ability tests but also being proficient in killing!

    Callum Maguire stared at Jasper in shock. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re Mr. Kim!¡±

    Jasper extended his hand and aimed his gun at Callum Maguire¡¯s forehead. ¡°Killing you doesn¡¯t require dirtying Mr. Kim¡¯s hands.¡±

    Callum Maguire realized that the Mr. Kim they had met was just an imposter!

    Suddenly, Jasper¡¯s gaze turned fierce. ¡°The consequence of betraying the organization is death!¡±

    Bang!

    Callum Maguire thought he was dead for sure; Snow Judd trembled with fear. But surprisingly, it was Jasper who got shot!

    Tina walked in from the gate with a mocking smile on her face. ¡°Mr. Reed, long time no see.¡±

    Jasper clutched his hand; the bullet had pierced through it, rendering him powerless to fight back.

    He looked at Tina coldly and asked, ¡°How did you find this ce?¡±

    Tina twirled her gun before handing it to Jared behind her. She still preferred using needles; guns had too much recoil!

    Tina stepped forward and looked down at Jasper with disdain. ¡°Who do you think told you their hiding ce?¡±

    Jasper was shocked! It turned out Tina was fishing for him all along!

    A group of officers in police uniforms swarmed into the yard; Callum Maguire and Snow Judd were taken away while everyone else surrounded Jasper.

    Jasper sneered at Tina. ¡°The matters between us should be settled by ourselves.¡±

    Tina looked at Jasper with undisguised contempt. ¡°Mr. Reed, what do you have that my mother would ever find appealing?¡±

    A pang of pain hit Jasper¡¯s heart.

    Indeed! Natalie never cared for him.

    Tina¡¯s bright smile was filled with hatred like a sharp knife piercing through an invincible heart. ¡°I was never your daughter; shouldn¡¯t you have known that long ago?¡±

    Jasper gritted his teeth hard.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Tina to tear apart his long-held illusion so mercilessly and expose his festering wounds while sprinkling salt on them.

    ¡°I know.¡± Jasper raised his gun again and aimed it at Tina. ¡°I knew from the beginning that you were never my daughter.¡±

    Seeing this, Jared stepped in front of Tina and stared coldly at Jasper.

    Tina pushed Jared aside and said, ¡°Is lying to yourself fun?¡±

    Jasper chuckled bitterly. ¡°Tina, you really are like your mother.¡±

    At that moment, Jasper pulled the trigger; Jared shielded Tina with his body but no bullet came their way.

    With a bang, smoke filled the yard followed by an engine starting up.

    Jared frowned. ¡°Chase him!¡±

    Everyone rushed out of the yard after the ck SUV.

    Jared aimed three shots at its tires; eventually it veered off into the sea ahead and sank rapidly¡­

    Jared and Tina reached the shore watching as calm returned to the sea.

    Taking a deep breath Jared¡¯s handsome face turned grim as he ordered sternly: ¡°Dive down! We need either him alive or his corpse.¡±

    His expression darkened like charcoal; despite being surrounded by X Bureau agents they still let Jasper escape-a direct challenge to X Bureau¡¯s authority!

    If not for worrying about Tina getting hurt by Jasper¡¯s gun earlier he wouldn¡¯t have given him this chance either!

 Chapter 399: Still Considered Her Family

    Tina remained calm. If Jaspercked even this bit of skill, her mother wouldn¡¯t have stayed undercover by his side for three years. However, the lead through Jasper was now a dead end. They had hoped to use Jasper to uncover the real Mr. Kim.

    ¡°Tina, let¡¯s go back,¡± Jared said, pulling Tina¡¯s hand and bringing her back to reality.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Jasper to shoot so suddenly. They had wanted to get Mr. Kim¡¯s whereabouts from Jasper, which was why the X Bureau surrounded him without immediately issuing a capture order. This gave Jasper an opportunity. Although it seemed like Jasper aimed at Tina, he actually fired a nk. Given the distance and angle, even if Tina was on guard, she couldn¡¯t have avoided injury unless there were no bullets in the gun.

    In the car, Jasper¡¯s subordinates ryed information. The car was found, but Jasper was missing. A shoe and a lot of blood were left behind, with broken windows and some skin tissue. If he lost too much blood, he might have sunk to the bottom.

    ¡°Keep searching,¡± Jared ordered sternly.

    Tina had anticipated this oue and immediately issued the Shadow Lotus Seal to pursue Jasper.

    ¡°Uncle, take me home,¡± Tina leaned on Jared¡¯s shoulder, her eyes filled with fatigue. ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired.¡±

    Jared covered Tina with his coat. ¡°Alright.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina closed her eyes, recalling the moment when Jasper pointed the gun at her. She didn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t shoot but didn¡¯t want to dwell on it either. Regardless of his hesitation, it didn¡¯t change his initial intent to kill her mother.

    Jared dropped Tina off at the Reed family home and left.

    As Tina headed to her room, she turned and saw Juliet, pausing in surprise. She had heard Juliet recently resumed work and should be busy; how did she find time for a break?

    Juliet heard the door open and looked pleased but hesitated upon seeing Tina.

    ¡°Tina, you¡¯re back,¡± Juliet said awkwardly.

    There was an unavoidable distance between them now.

    Tina nodded. ¡°Yes, why are you back?¡±

    ¡°I came back hoping one of my parents would join me for a reality show, but I couldn¡¯t reach anyone¡­ Guess it¡¯s not happening,¡± Juliet said with a forced smile to hide her disappointment.

    Tina knew the show Juliet mentioned was a family-themed reality show requiring celebrities to bring a family member for camping trips to strengthen bonds. If she remembered correctly, Ember Saffron was also participating.

    ¡°For your show, any family member will do?¡± Tina asked as she sat down facing Juliet.

    Juliet nodded. ¡°Yes, but no one has time.¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Juliet was stunned. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I said I do. If you think I¡¯m not suitable, just forget I mentioned it,¡± Tina replied calmly.

    Tina wasn¡¯t one to seek the spotlight, but Juliet wouldn¡¯t have gotten this show without Horizon Entertainment¡¯s production team. Considering what Juliet had been through partly due to her own actions, helping her out once wouldn¡¯t hurt.

    Juliet felt both excited and incredulous; she thought Tina wouldn¡¯t want anything to do with the Reed family because of their grandmother¡¯s death.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re unsuitable at all¡­ Thank you, Tina.¡± Juliet hugged Tina lightly, her eyes moist.

    Tina still considered her family; that wasforting.

    She had forgotten that during those days when everything happened, it was she who couldn¡¯t ept their grandmother dying in front of her or ept that Tina had manipted her family.

    Tina patted Juliet¡¯s back. ¡°Alright, send me the schedule; I¡¯ll go take a shower first.¡±

    With just a few words, their rtionship returned to normal.

    The show was set to start filming in two days. Tina arranged for Shadow Lotus Seal and took Callum Maguire and Snow Judd to Mountain Veil Order for supervision. Their skills in disguise shouldn¡¯t go to waste; Jayden could learn from them if interested.

    On the show, Ember Saffron brought his grandmother while Juliet brought Tina. Another actress named Vance brought her sister. Vance had always been Juliet¡¯s rival; they had simr images and roles and were oftenpared. However, Juliet had won so many awards that Vance couldn¡¯t catch up despite being infuriated.

    In the waiting room before filming started, Juliet told Tina, ¡°There will be many things happening during the show; watch my cues to avoid getting criticized online.¡±

    Juliet had recently been afraid of online criticism.

    Tina nodded and opened the door to find Vance and her sister Ava already seated inside. Seeing them enter, Vance and Ava ced their bags on the chairs beside them as if marking territory against something dirty.

    Six chairs were lined up; Vance and Ava took the middle ones with their bags upying two more seats on either side, clearly trying to intimidate them.

    Juliet was used to such antics by now and thought of moving another chair herself when Tina stepped forward and asked directly, ¡°Is this your bag?¡±

    Vance looked Tina up and down disdainfully. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±

    Avaughed mockingly. ¡°Anyone can join a show these days; look at that shabby appearance-aren¡¯t you afraid of beingughed at? A murderer¡¯s family really has some nerve.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly and flicked her finger; she tossed their bags onto the floor and sat down calmly before patting the seat next to her for Juliet. ¡°Sit.¡±

    Juliet was speechless butplied nheless.

    Vance eximed angrily, ¡°Do you know how much that bag costs? Can you afford to pay if it¡¯s damaged?¡±

    Leaning back in her chair with legs crossed nonchntly, Tina replied coldly, ¡°A piece of junk like that isn¡¯t worth knowing its price.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    At that moment Ember Saffron entered with his stylishly dressed grandmother exuding elegance. Seeing bags on chairs next to Vance and Ava¡¯s seats made Ember¡¯s grandmotherment sarcastically: ¡°Oh dear girls! Such lovely bags should be cuddled in bed instead of collecting dust on chairs!¡±

    This jab made Vance¡¯s face flush red alternately with white embarrassment while Ava fumed silently beside her sister.

    Tina chuckled softly-this olddy never missed an opportunity for snide remarks!

    Knowing better than provoking someone like Ember Saffron who held significant influence within industry circles-they could only swallow their pride quietly under his grandmother¡¯s sharp tongueshing¡­

    Ember himself wanted greet warmly but caught warning nce from Tine which made him halt mid-step understanding immediately what needed done here-boss wanted experience real-life scenarios firsthand without interference¡­

 Chapter 400: Tina Clashes Online

    The shooting had officially begun. The program provided various camping sites, but food and drinks were on the guests to manage. Each night at eight-thirty, a live stream would engage with fans who voted to pick their least favorite guest; the one with the most votes had to serve as the housekeeper for the following day, responsible for all chores.

    On the first day of shooting, everyone gathered to cook and set up tents and canopies. As luck would have it, Tina was not skilled at these tasks. Neither was Juliet. ¡°Let me handle it, Grandma; you sit and chat with them,¡± said Ember Saffron, the only male in the group, naturally taking on more of the physical tasks. Vance and Ava, dainty as ever, sat down, endlessly ttering the elderlydy. ¡°Auntie, your skin looks wonderful.¡±

    ¡°Auntie, seeing you is like seeing my own mother, so dear.¡± The olddy was puzzled. Auntie? These young girls, sweet-talking but of dubious character. She clicked her tongue, ¡°Absolutely not, our family is known for its good looks.¡±

    Tina couldn¡¯t hold back and chuckled. Juliet quickly tugged at her, ¡°Tina, stopughing, it¡¯s not nice.¡± Vance and Ava, not daring to confront the olddy directly, redirected their frustration at Tina, ¡°You dare tough, murderer¡¯s granddaughter, I¡¯d be ashamed to show my face if I were you.¡± Juliet looked down, feeling inferior. Tina, legs crossed, looked disdainfully at Vance, ¡°Ever heard that murderer genes are hereditary? Want me to try tonight?¡± Vance shivered, ¡°Are you trying to scare me? You shouldn¡¯t even say such things, aren¡¯t you afraid of biting your tongue!¡±

    ¡°Why should I be scared if you aren¡¯t?¡± Tina retorted calmly.

    Ava, seeing her sister at a loss for words, jumped in, ¡°Vance, ignore the fool; let¡¯s just focus on ourselves. In aw-abiding society, justice will prevail. Some people will never amount to anything without their family¡¯s help.¡± Tina nodded approvingly, then turned to Juliet, ¡°Hear that? We strive even born into Rome, while some can¡¯t rely on their real fathers and cling to godfathers, and they try very hard too. We should not discriminate.¡±

    Vance had recently been caught acknowledging a godfather, sparking controversy. Tina¡¯s insinuation made him burst out, ¡°Tina, dare you say that again? Believe I¡¯ll tear your mouth apart!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    ¡°Funny, you actually dare!¡± Tina¡¯s lips curled up slightly, ¡°At the Artin Hotel Presidential Suite, you and apany executive were caught cheating, his wife stripped you and dragged you from the top floor to the lobby, and it cost five million to retrieve those photos. All the pay from this show is just to cover yourpany¡¯s five million debt, basically for nothing, just for show.¡±

    Vance was shocked; how could Tina know about this! Ava tried to block the camera in panic, ¡°Shut up, you little wretch.¡± Tina quickly shifted her attention, ¡°Almost forgot about you¡­ leveraging your rtionship as Vance¡¯s real sister, you embezzled three million from Vance¡¯s team, turned down slow-paying serious roles, causing Vance to miss out on a hit drama. Oh, one more thing, that executive¡¯s wife approached you first, you told your sister about the affair to cover up your embezzlement.¡±

    Ava¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°I¡­ well, it was actually you!¡± Vance, furious, pped Ava across the face. Ava, bleeding from the corner of her mouth, then started fighting with Vance. Tina nodded in satisfaction, watching the chaos unfold. Juliet was stunned, ¡°Tina, how do you know all this?¡± These were secrets never meant to be shared. Tina¡¯s smile was radiant, ¡°Gossip news, don¡¯t you love it?¡± Juliet was speechless, ¡°But I do love it, though. Isn¡¯t this beyond typical gossip?¡±

    During the evening live broadcast, the olddy identally spilled the beans about the sisters¡¯ fight. Vance, unable to take the humiliation, hired trolls to attack Tina and Juliet online. Thements demanded Juliet leave the entertainment industry. Unfazed, Tina initiated sh mode. ¡°A murderer¡¯s granddaughter doesn¡¯t belong in the entertainment industry.¡±

    ¡°You belong, who asked you?¡±

    ¡°Scheming sister duo, aren¡¯t you scared of retribution on a rainy day?¡±

    ¡°Not scared, let it strike those idle first.¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡¯s grandma is a murderer, not her, why the malice?¡±

    This was the onlyment defending Juliet, yet it was viciously attacked by trolls. Tina opened thementer¡¯s profile, didn¡¯t speak, just sent a gift worth tens of thousands. The crowd was shocked, and the trolls had more to say. ¡°Using money to bribe now? Just because you¡¯re losing the argument?¡±

    ¡°I have money, what can you do about it?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I actually think Juliet is innocent, I¡¯ve followed every one of her dramas.¡± Tina then gifted tens of thousands more.

    Gradually, the trolls turned¡­ not exactly fans, but their tone softened. ¡°Juliet¡¯s every role is earned through her talent, anyone with a brain can see that, and I don¡¯t want to hear anymore about her leaving the industry.¡±

    ¡°Yes! You¡¯re wonderful!¡±

    ¡°Hands tired from all the money, Tina, I listen to you, but I must say, join the entertainment industry, you¡¯re too beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Not about the money, I¡¯ve always been a fan, always supporting you! Go for it!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad about family issues, I always support you! Love you too, Tina!¡±

    Juliet, moved by thements, tearfully hugged Tina, crying behind the screen. Some trolls persisted, ¡°Huh, wonder where all this moneyes from! She¡¯s probablyundering money, you fools.¡± Then, a prestigious SS VIP user named ¡®Tina is mine¡¯ joined the live stream. Immediately, ¡®Tina is mine¡¯ posted, ¡°The money, I gave it, Tina, spend it well.¡± Instantly, a gift worth millions popped on the screen, nearly crashing the live stream. The spectacle drew a million viewers, all in awe of the benefactor. Tina, ¡°¡­ Uncle, why not just deposit it directly into my ount? My heart aches!¡±

    Then, ¡®Tina is mine¡¯ dropped another bombshell-Juliet was set as the lead in a highly coveted new movie, an opportunity not just anyone could seize, with one of the most renowned directors who she had tried to meet several times without sess. ¡°Tina, is this true?¡± Juliet was incredulous, even pinching her own face. Tina nodded, ¡°True, act well, and aim for the Best Actress award.¡± Momentster, a message pinged on Tina¡¯s phone. ¡°Tina, are you satisfied?¡±

 Chapter 402: Deleted by Family Members

    Tina looked at the text message that had juste in on her phone, her eyes curving into a smile. Unbeknownst to her, her viewers watching the live stream could see it all very clearly. Her normally cool,posed profile was now brimming with sweetness, the kind that was unmistakably the sweetness of being in love. Screenshots quickly filled the inte, with everyone gushing over her stunning looks. ¡°Seriously, what kind of celestial beauty is this!¡±

    But just half a minuteter, all the screenshots mysteriously disappeared. Cole, who was in charge of erasing all traces of Tina, was surprised and texted her. ¡°Serena, did you delete those screenshots yourself?¡± Tina turned off the live stream, still smiling, and replied, ¡°Deleted by a family member.¡± Cole was left speechless. What a move by a family member!

    Meanwhile, that very family member had set the sought-after screenshots as their phone wallpaper, chat background, and social media background¡­ The variety show was originally meant to promote Ember Saffron and Vance as a couple. However, due to the live stream, everyone¡¯s focus had shifted to Tina and Juliet. With Tina¡¯s subtle prompting, more attention was now on Juliet, propelling her career to new heights. Over the days of filming, Vance¡¯s various scandals were exposed, causing his career to plummet.

    In the meantime, Tina had returned to the hospital. Courtney had woken up but was still recovering from her injuries and needed to continue treatment. Courtney nearly hurt herself trying to get up when Tina entered the room. ¡°Don¡¯t move; I¡¯m just here to check on you,¡± Tina said, sitting down beside the bed. ¡°Why did you act on your own?¡± Courtney looked down, her expression filled with guilt. ¡°I¡­ I found out the truth about my mother¡¯s death.¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Tina frowned. Courtney¡¯s mother, Kahleah, was once her mother¡¯s most trusted aide. After a failed mission years ago, Natalie had distributed a potion, keeping part for herself and giving the rest to Kahleah. Kahleah had then disappeared,st seen in Ensford with a young girl-Courtney. After Kahleah¡¯s mysterious death, Courtney vanished. Tina was sure Kahleah¡¯s death was no ident, just like her mother¡¯s.

    ¡°What did you find out?¡± Tina asked, her voice low. Courtney hesitated, then said, ¡°My mom¡¯s death was indeed linked to the GTO, but the key person involved is from the Reed family!¡± ¡°How did you find that out?¡± Tina inquired. Courtney paused, then realized, ¡°You knew? Was Lark also-¡± Tina nodded slightly. This was why she had never left the Reed family.

    Years ago, Jasper had attempted to kill her mother at an engagement party. Since then, both the GTO and Jasper had relentlessly pursued her. Jasper had infiltrated the Reed family, using his status to work for the GTO. But after she discovered Annabelle¡¯s death, the real power seemed to shift to Muff, who appeared uninvolved. That¡¯s when Tina realized that Muff was still the true head of the Reed family. The chase after her mother, if not directly by Muff, was certainly linked to him. Even when Jasper disappeared, Tina stayed with the Reed family.

    Courtney understood Tina¡¯s reaction; she had been impulsive. Tina had known the Reed family¡¯s schemes all along and was just biding her time to strike. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Reed. It was wrong of me to suspect you. I should have consulted you before acting; I wouldn¡¯t have caused so much trouble,¡± Courtney apologized, promising to notify Tina before any future actions.

    Tina patted Courtney¡¯s head. ¡°For now, just focus on your studies. I¡¯ll let you know when I need you. Remember this lesson; you might not be so lucky next time.¡±

    Courtney knew she had been fortunate in her impulsive actions; having disguised her identity had allowed her to return and blend into Kongham University more easily. After checking on Courtney, Tina went to see them.

    Scarlett was there, looking after things, while Ian yed with his granddaughters. Tina watched from a distance, feeling a warmth in the scene. Scarlett turned and saw Tina, quickly beckoning her over. ¡°Tina, you¡¯re finally here. The old man has been talking about you for ages.¡± Tina smiled as she entered, ¡°Mr. Brookes, what have you been saying about me?¡± Ianughed affectionately, a hint of pride in his voice. ¡°Oh, a lot. Your ears must be tired from all the talking.¡±

 Chapter 402: A Different Feeling

    Every time Tina was with Ian, she felt a warmth. This warmth was different from when she was with Hugo. Hugo treated her well because of his mother, loving her as an extension of his affection for his mother, and Jennie did the same. Though their kindness was born out of association, it was sincere. However, the warmth with Ian felt innate. Especially when Ian looked at her, there was no difference in how he looked at Kiki and Mimi.

    Tina had a long conversation with Ian in the hospital room while Scarlett brought out many snacks, caring for them like children. At the end, Tina bid farewell, ¡°I¡¯lle to see you again. It¡¯s going to get cooler in a few days, wear more, don¡¯t wear such thin shirts.¡± Ian nodded repeatedly, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll buy some warm clothes tomorrow, and dress warmly.¡± Scarlett sighed at the side, ¡°Just listen to Tina, I¡¯ve told you before to wear more, but you never listen.¡± They allughed, and Tina got up to leave.

    After she left, Ian¡¯s smile gradually stiffened, mixed with a hint of reluctance. ¡°Is everything collected?¡± Ian asked. Scarlett nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, I¡¯ve already collected the cup Tina used. I¡¯ll hand it over to Jack tonight to personally oversee the paternity test.¡± Ian sighed silently and sat down, continuing to y with his granddaughters.

    Meanwhile, Tina returned to the Reed family. She pushed open the door, a cold breeze hit her, and she wrapped her coat tighter, about to return to her room when she encountered Muff. ¡°Muff,¡± Tina greeted him lightly. Muff responded, his eyes hesitating as he looked at Tina. Tina noticed, ¡°Is something the matter?¡± After a moment of silence, Muff asked, ¡°Do you know where your father is?¡± Tinaughed, her gaze cold as she nced at Muff, ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m a bit worried, can you ask Jared to look for him? I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s in danger.¡± Muff¡¯s eyes drooped, obscuring his thoughts. ¡°Okay, if Muff needs it,¡± Tina chuckled, then returned to her room. Muff watched Tina¡¯s room door for a long time. Soon after, he moved and walked out of Whispering Pines.

    Tina stood by her bedroom window, watching as Muff¡¯s car slowly drove away, her lips curling into a faint, elusive smile. Muff¡¯s car arrived at an apartment. As he opened the door, a strong smell of blood greeted him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Muff stepped forward, examining his wound. Jasper sat on the sofa, the table in front of himid out with various medical supplies. After escaping from Jared¡¯s men, he had been hiding under Muff¡¯s arrangement, avoiding all surveince by the X bureau and returned to the apartment. This ce was only known to him and Muff, making it the most secretive location. Jasper¡¯s lips were pale; the gunshot from Tina had nearly crippled his hand, and as he fled, Jared¡¯s bullets had hit him, injuring him in multiple ces. Moreover, the wounds had almost be infected after escaping through the sea. If not for Muff, he would have either died at sea or from the infections. He coldly responded to Muff, ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet, to your disappointment.¡± Muff, ustomed to Jasper¡¯s attitude, showed no surprise, ¡°Jared and Tina weren¡¯t led there by me.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Jasper impatiently interrupted Muff, ¡°What brings you here exactly?¡±

    Muff pursed his lips, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seeming to tremble slightly, ¡°I came to see you.¡±

    ¡°Having seen me, you can leave now. Don¡¯te over if there¡¯s nothing important, it would be even more troublesome if Tina and Jared find out.¡±

    Jasper clearly did not want to continue the conversation with Muff. After changing his medication, he returned to his bedroom.

    Muff listened to the resounding m of the door, his gaze gradually dimming.

    Whispering Pines.

    Just as Tina was preparing to take a bath and get a good night¡¯s sleep, she received an unexpected phone call.

    It was Elsa.

    ¡°Tina, let¡¯s go out for a meal. Mom and Dad are here too, do you have time?¡±

    After Jasper¡¯s identity was exposed, Hugo and Jennie had stopped living in Jared¡¯s apartment and bought their own ce.

    Previously, Jared had been handling the affairs of their newly establishedpany, but now that the troubles were over, Hugo was ready to manage the business himself.

    Tina stood by the window, her pale, delicate fingers reaching towards the cactus on the windowsill, gently tapping it as she spoke unhurriedly, ¡°Sure, which restaurant? I¡¯ll head over now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just below Dad¡¯spany building, a hotpot restaurant called ¡®Let¡¯s Have Hotpot.¡¯ Invite your brother-inw too; it¡¯ll be lively with the whole family there,¡± Elsa said.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give him a call.¡± Tina moved her hand away from the cactus, her gaze shifting outside the window, her lips curving slightly, a vague light shimmering in her eyes.

    After hanging up, Tina sent Jared a text to see if he was avable.

    Jared didn¡¯t reply to the message, and Tina thought he wouldn¡¯te. Just as she was about to change and go by herself, Jared¡¯s car pulled up downstairs.

    Tina: He¡¯s really eager.

    Jared: When the wife calls for dinner, only a fool wouldn¡¯t be eager.

    Tina came downstairs, her hair tips still damp. ¡°You¡¯re quite early?¡±

    ¡°Afraid you¡¯d be hungry.¡± Jared touched Tina¡¯s hair, his brows slightly furrowed, ¡°Nathan, turn on the heater.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Although it was nearly autumn, it wasn¡¯t that cold yet!

    Soon, Nathan parked the car outside the hotpot restaurant.

    As Jared helped Tina out of the car, she noticed that he had prepared many gifts.

    ¡°Do we need to be this formal?¡± Tinaughed.

    Jared nodded, ¡°They¡¯re your family, I have to take it seriously.¡±

    Hugo was Tina¡¯s family, and since she valued them, he naturally did too.

    Inside the private room, Hugo¡¯s family was all present. Zackary, seeing Tina, bounced over.

    ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡±

    Tina lifted him up, ¡°Have you gained weight?¡±

    Zackary blushed slightly, ¡°Elsa said I¡¯m growing, and I haven¡¯t gained much, really.¡±

    Tina pinched Zackary¡¯s cheek, his little face had rounded out, yet he hadn¡¯t gained much?

    However, this also showed that Hugo¡¯s family was living a prosperous life recently.

    Jared set down the gifts, ¡°Dad, Mom.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie, still not quite used to being called mom and dad by Jared, were nheless able to ept it.

    ¡°Ah, have a seat, have a seat,¡± Hugo urged, his eyes inevitably drawn to Tina.

    How had she gotten so thin in just a few days?

    Jennie also thought that Tina looked much thinner than before, quickly telling Zackary toe down, ¡°Come down, I can hardly carry you anymore.¡±

 Chapter 403: We Are Family

    Tinaughed and set Zackary down, then greeted Elsa and Heath. As soon as she sat down, Jennie began to express her concern. ¡°Tina, has the food at the Reed family not been good? You¡¯ve gotten so thin,¡± she said, eyes full of worry, ¡°Mom will order more meat dishes to nourish you properly.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s really not working out, let¡¯s go home. Now that your dad¡¯spany is doing better and we have a bigger house, we can live there and not suffer at the Reed family¡¯s anymore!¡± Jennie¡¯s eyes reddened as she spoke. If it hadn¡¯t been for their initial penniless state when they arrived in Ashbury, she would never have let Tina endure hardships with the Reed family.

    After such a big incident, how could Tina be doing well at the Reed family¡¯s? Now with Jasper missing-though the Reed family hadn¡¯t announced it-the whole business circle knew he was gone. With her biological father not around, the people at the Reed family definitely wouldn¡¯t take Tina seriously. Thinking of this made Jennie feel bitter. Such a good child, why must she suffer so much?

    Elsa quickly handed Jennie a tissue. ¡°Mom, what are you doing? It¡¯s a good thing that we¡¯re all together as a family.¡± Jennie sniffled, ¡°It indeed is a good thing. If only you coulde back more often, we¡¯d have even more time together.¡± Elsa stuck out her tongue, ¡°Tina, I can¡¯t mollify her. You try.¡±

    Zackary also cried out, ¡°Mommy¡¯s crying! Does she want to eat cake?¡± Heath ruffled Zackary¡¯s hair, ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who wants cake!¡± ¡°I do not,¡± Zackary imed, but his expression betrayed him.

    This interruption lightened the mood significantly. The family joyously enjoyed a hotpot meal together, and Hugo was especially happy, identally drinking a few sses too many. This time, Jennie didn¡¯t press about marriage but still hinted to Heath in various ways to take his rtionship with Elsa seriously and not let her down. Of course, these remarks were also meant for Jared.

    Jennie didn¡¯t dare to nag Jared directly, not out of fear, but because Jared¡¯s presence was too imposing. She always felt that saying the wrong thing could lead him to annihte the Reed family. Jared protested, ¡°I¡¯m not like that, I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m very gentle!¡±

    After the meal, a tipsy Hugo grabbed Jared and said, ¡°You have to treat our Tina well. If you dare mistreat her, I¡¯ll take her back and break your legs!¡± This was only because Hugo had drunk too much; he wouldn¡¯t have said it so inly otherwise.

    Elsa supported Hugo, ¡°Dad, Mr. Farrell won¡¯t mistreat Tina, don¡¯t worry unnecessarily.¡± Jared didn¡¯t mind; Hugo was just doing what a father should do. He helped Hugo into the car, repeatedly assuring, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, I won¡¯t let Tina down.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie left with Zackary first. Elsa, feeling a bit embarrassed, nced at Jared, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my dad can say too much when he¡¯s drunk.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mind,¡± Jared replied with a light smile.

    Elsa pursed her lips, then looked at Tina, and after a few seconds of thought, said, ¡°Tina, I still have to thank you. Because of my work, I can¡¯t oftene back. This time it was Bobby who told me about my parents¡¯ ident, or I wouldn¡¯t have known. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±

    Elsa looked a bit embarrassed, and the corners of her eyes reddened. Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°We¡¯re family, no thanks needed.¡± ¡°Right, we are family, and family doesn¡¯t keep score,¡± Elsa wiped away her tears, revealing a smile.

    Heath wrapped his arms around her shoulders. ¡°You must be your aunt¡¯s daughter, always crying like this.¡±

    ¡°Annoying much?¡± Elsa red at Heath, her shyness barely concealed.

    They chatted idly for a while, and before parting, Elsa said, ¡°I¡¯ll be staying in Ashbury for a while, let¡¯s go shopping sometime.¡±

    Tina nodded. ¡°Sure, call me anytime.¡±

    After they split up, Tina¡¯s brows were furrowed in thought.

    Jared noticed her unusual demeanor and gently ruffled her hair, his voice as soothing as a spring breeze, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±

    Tina looked up into his deep eyes and suddenly smiled. ¡°I was just thinking-someone¡¯s getting impatient again, uncle. My enemies are so unintelligent, what should I do?¡±

    Jared was speechless. Wasn¡¯t it just that you¡¯re too smart?

    He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, his lips close to her ear as he whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s see how long this enemysts.¡±

    Tinaughed, facing him with her hand on his thin, sexy lips, her tone seductive, ¡°I guess one round!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s no fun!¡± Jared yfully bit her finger, his voice maic, ¡°Give her one round!¡±

    Tina¡¯sughter was radiant, as dazzling as the sunlight, ¡°Then let¡¯s give her one round.¡±

    Having eaten too much, Jared nned to take a walk with Tina nearby to clear their minds.

    They had only walked a bit when they encountered Lysander and his group.

    ¡°Tina, what are you doing here?¡± Lysander eximed excitedly upon seeing her.

    But when he noticed Jared was with her, his joy immediately faded.

    Why won¡¯t he just go away?

    Jared retorted, ¡°The one who won¡¯t go away is you.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re just walking around, what about you?¡± Tina asked.

    Timmy moved next to Jared, looking up at him in admiration, ¡°We¡¯re just hanging out too. Got time for a game?¡±

    Aside from Lysander, the rest of the team was starry-eyed at Jared.

    He¡¯s a legend!

    An idol!

    Who doesn¡¯t know about Snake¡¯s mysterious coach, someone who stands shoulder to shoulder with Tina.

    It was hard not to admire him.

    Jared didn¡¯t expect to have so many fans even among Hawk¡¯s team, but today he wasn¡¯t in the mood for games.

    He just wanted to enjoy a nice shopping day with his Tina.

    ¡°Next time.¡± Jared smiled, his lips curling naturally as he slipped his arm around Tina¡¯s waist.

    Tina was chatting with Lysander when Jared¡¯s hand became a bit of an obstruction, and she pped it away, ¡°Let go.¡±

    Seizing the moment, Lysander quickly pulled Tina aside, ¡°Tina, there¡¯s a ce selling strawberry cake over there, let¡¯s go buy some.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Great!¡±

    Jared watched as Lysander led Tina away, his expression darkening.

    That Emerson kid really never gives up.

    Jared quickly followed, buying all the strawberry cakes and handing the prettiest piece to Tina, ¡°Tina, try this.¡±

    Tina took a bite. ¡°Delicious.¡±

    Lysander watched their interaction, fists clenched tight, seething with anger.

    But what could he do?Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Jared raised an eyebrow slightly, pulling Tina along as he asionally fed her pieces of the strawberry cake, their time together sweet as ever.

    Lysander ground his teeth, ¡°Tina, I need to talk to you alone about something important.¡±

    Tina turned around, Lysander rarely described things as important, so it must be.

    She lowered her gaze and said, ¡°Get in the car.¡±

 Chapter 404: The Car Accident

    Tina had spoken, and Jared naturally couldn¡¯t stop her. He could only watch as Lysander and Tina got into the car. Inside the car, Lysander indeed had something he wanted to discuss with Tina. ¡°Tina, I¡¯m currently studying financial management at Kongham University. It was his decision to send me there, saying it was to better prepare me to take over the Emerson family,¡± he exined.

    Tina nced out the window at Jared, who seemed a bit upset. She turned her gaze back and said, ¡°That¡¯s good. Since you¡¯ve chosen to go back and take over the family business, you shouldmit to it fully.¡± Lysander was sharp and understood things instantly. Even though he had only started learning recently, he was not hindered in any way.

    Lysander pressed his lips together and added, ¡°He also said¡­ said that the Emerson family owes its sess to you, Tina. He called you the Mountain¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you know, but there¡¯s no need to explicitly say it,¡± Tina interrupted him coldly. However, since Hawk had even told Lysander this, it showed his sincere wish for him to inherit the Emerson family. After all, being the lesser master of the Mountain Veil Order was a fact not to be disclosed to anyone but the heir.

    Lysander recognized the significance of this. From the beginning, he knew Tina was not just a girl a year older than himself. He hadn¡¯t expected her to be so influential. Even the Emerson family had been supported by her.

    ¡°Tina, what exactly is that organization?¡± Lysander asked, still somewhat unclear and finding it more convenient to inquire directly from Tina.

    Tina finished her milk tea and said, ¡°You¡¯ll know when it¡¯s time. Remember, some questions should not be asked, so don¡¯t ask.¡± Her tone was light, yet Lysander could hear her displeasure.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± Lysander quickly apologized, his eyes filled with urgency.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tina said, crushing the empty milk tea cup in her hand. ¡°Did Hawk tell you voluntarily?¡±

    Lysander shook his head, then nodded, ¡°Sort of. He thought I knew about your identity and let it slip. Later, when he realized I didn¡¯t know, he said nothing more, just that he would tell me everything after I inherit the Emerson family.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Tina smiled slightly, the chill in her air vanishing.

    Lysander also rxed and added, ¡°Tina, this means we¡¯re actually quite close, right?¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t deny it. ¡°If that¡¯s how you see it, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Lysander was indeed Tina¡¯s disciple, and now with the connection of the Emerson family, he was like a younger brother to her. Since he was her younger brother, they were naturally close.

    Lysander showed a smile, feeling somewhat proud. He knew that Jared was nothing inparison. Excited, he said, ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve invested in Hawk¡¯s club. Captain Sullivan is now their coach, and Leon has stayed to train the youth team. Everyone says that without you, the club couldn¡¯t have survived. So, I was thinking, if you¡¯re free, we could get together. What do you say?¡±

    Tina, who had been quite free recently, agreed, though she remarked on how many people had been asking her out to eattely.

    Outside, Jared was growing increasingly impatient. What were they talking about for so long?

    The people with him, including Edward, clearly felt Jared¡¯s mood drop, his starry-eyed look fading away. Indeed, without the mysterious coach filter, the brother-inw was quite intimidating!

    Tina got out of the car and bid farewell to Lysander and the others.

    She knew she would be too full if she continued browsing the food stalls.

    As soon as Jared got into the car, he asked, ¡°What did he say to you?¡±

    ¡°He invited me to dinner, the whole team¡¯s going,¡± Tina knew Jared would ask, her lips slowly curling into a smile. ¡°What? Jealous again?¡±

    Jared cleared his throat, ¡°No, just asking.¡±

    Tina hummed, drawing out the note, ¡°Then I¡¯m not taking you to dinner.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Jared¡¯s tone was upromising.

    Tinaughed, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re really too funny!¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Teasing him?

    Then he couldn¡¯t me him.

    Without giving Tina a chance to react, he leaned in and kissed her.

    Nathan, who was driving, quietly pulled down the curtain.

    Next time, he would definitely let Hayden drive!

    On the day of Lysander¡¯s dinner, Jared specifically brought Tina a set of clothes.

    Couple outfits.

    Tina was somewhat helpless, ¡°Uncle, is that really necessary?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Jared needed to let Lysander know that Tina was his.

    Tina didn¡¯t say much, changed into the couple outfits, and left with Jared.

    As they reached the destination, Tina got out of the car first, Lysander was waiting at the door.

    ¡°Tina¡­¡±

    Screech-a harsh sound of tires screeching.

    A red sports car was speeding directly towards Jared¡¯s car.

    Nathan quickly turned the car around, but it was toote.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    The car crashed straight into them.

    Bang!

    The red sports car rolled back several hundred meters, leaving a long mark on the asphalt.

    Jared¡¯s car flipped over, pinning Nathan and Jared underneath.

    They instantly lost consciousness.

    ¡°Uncle!¡±

    Tina had never felt such panic; she didn¡¯t even know how she managed to flip the car over by herself.

    Lysander and the others snapped to their senses and hastily pulled out their phones to call emergency services.

    Tina dragged Jared and Nathan out of the car.

    Both had severe head injuries, and Nathan¡¯s leg was fractured from the violent collision.

    ¡°Tina, the car¡¯s going to explode,e here!¡± Lysander ran over, grabbing Tina to pull her away.

    No one was more important than Tina.

    But in Tina¡¯s eyes, Jared was the most important.

    She forcefully shook off Lysander, scolding, ¡°Let go!¡±

    Lysander was stunned.

    Tina¡¯s eyes were red.

    He had known Tina for so long and had never seen her cry.

    Before he could react, Tina had already moved Jared to a safe area, and Nathan was also carried to the restaurant by Edward and others.

    Leon pulled Lysander, who was still in shock, back.

    As they reached the restaurant, Jared¡¯s car burst into mes, the explosion even shattered the restaurant¡¯s windows!

    Lysander fell on Tina, his back covered in shattered ss.

    Tina held Lysander, ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±

    Lysander¡¯s back was in too much pain to move.

    ¡°Edward, find scissors, rope, and antiseptic!¡± Tina instructed while stuffing healing pills into Jared and Nathan¡¯s mouths.

    Edward acknowledged and hurried off.

    Tina also kicked a chair open to stabilize Nathan¡¯s leg.

    Emergency services arrived at that moment. Tina first sent Jared and Nathan off in the ambnce, then had Leon and others apany Lysander.

    On the way to the hospital, Tina realized her hands were still shaking.

    She held Jared¡¯s hand with one hand and tremblingly took out her phone with the other.

    The fresh blood had already stained her phone red, she steadied her mind, her fingertips quickly tapping.

    ¡°Jayden, activate the Shadow Lotus Seal, find the owner of the red sports car, bring them to me!¡±

 Chapter 405: The New Bomb

    The Shadow Lotus Seal was activated, and the owner of the red sports car was identified in less than ten minutes.

    However, the person was already dead.

    Death by drunk driving, instantaneously!

    By the time the forensic team and police arrived, Jared¡¯s car was nothing but a burned-out shell, and the red sports car wasn¡¯t in much better shape.

    Both exploded due to the ident, and the owner, unconscious from drunk driving, was killed on the spot in the explosion.

    The identity of the red sports car¡¯s owner was also investigated.

    Aid-off worker, just fired by hispany yesterday, drowned his sorrows in alcohol at noon today, which led to the ident.

    His family and friends had no financial transactions with him.

    It all seemed like an ident.

    Tina listened to Jayden¡¯s report, a cold light flickering in her eyes.

    The less traceable it was, the more suspicious it seemed.

    ¡°Keep investigating. Dig into everyone he could have contacted, from his ancestors to his descendants, find out everything,¡± Tinamanded coldly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jayden responded, saying no more. He knew that this time, the young master was truly furious.

    At the hospital, the Farrell family was fully present. Vivienne was thest to arrive, her expression indifferent, as if the person in the surgery had nothing to do with her.

    On the contrary, Arthur was weeping bitterly, one might think Jared was his own son.

    ¡°How unlucky can Jared get? First, he was disabled, and now this. What if he damages his brain? Dad, going forward, we¡¯ll have to rely on Nathaniel.¡±

    Arthur sat in the corridor on a chair, crying, but the actual tears were fewer than those shed during a yawn.

    Previously, Nathaniel was arrested, and under Tina¡¯s orders, his days were filled with unbearable suffering, with scheduled ¡°tea¡± sessions daily.

    Unable to bear it any longer, he sought to meet Mr. and Mrs. Arthur to beg for their help to get him out.

    Arthur tried many ways but couldn¡¯t convince Logan to pull Nathaniel out.

    Eventually, he offered to give up his inheritance rights, which made Logan relent and ask Tina for a favor, allowing Nathaniel to be released.

    Of course, verbally relinquishing his rights didn¡¯t mean he truly gave them up.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    The position of the Farrell family heir had to be theirs.

    With Jared¡¯s fate uncertain, now was the opportunity.

    Everyone present was shrewd.

    Arthur¡¯s clumsy tactics were transparent to all, but out of respect for Logan being there, no one voiced their opinions.

    Logan, infuriated, his face turning iron blue, picked up his cane and smashed it towards him, ¡°Damned fool, what are you crying for? My grandson isn¡¯t dead yet! What nonsense are you spouting? I tell you, even if something does happen to Jared, his wife will inherit the Farrell family, and it has nothing to do with you!¡±

    With those words, Arthur couldn¡¯t even pretend anymore, ¡°Dad, Tina is an outsider, how can you let her inherit the Farrell family? Have you gone senile?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m senile? I¡¯ll beat you today, you unfilial son!¡±

    Logan, already agitated by Jared¡¯s ident, was now furious at Arthur¡¯s scheming for the Farrell family inheritance.

    Unable to contain his anger, he raised his cane to strike.

    Vivienne quickly intervened, pulling Logan back, ¡°Grandfather, please don¡¯t be angry. Jared is still in the operating room, he¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    Logan then calmed down a bit and sat back down, looking at Tina, ¡°Girl, you must be scared?¡±

    Tina shook her head, ¡°Not at all.¡±

    Scared?

    Indeed, when Jared was in trouble, her heart skipped a beat, fearing he might disappear from her world. She couldn¡¯t pinpoint when these thoughts began, perhaps long ago. Tina prided herself on her extraordinary medical skills, yet in the face of death, she wasn¡¯t always certain she could snatch lives back from the grim reaper. But what did it matter? The people and things Tina wanted, not even the King of Hell himself could stop her. So, was she afraid? Not at all.

    As Tina finished speaking, she slowly raised her eyes to meet Vivienne¡¯s gaze. A flicker of surprise passed through Vivienne¡¯s eyes, but she did not look away. Tina stared deeply at her. In the entire Farrell family, the only person who wanted Jared dead was her!

    Yet, Vivienne merely curved her lips slightly, her gaze steady and expectant, as if it were all perfectly natural, with a hint of schadenfreude. It was that unmistakable look of delight at an unexpected boon. Tina narrowed her eyes.

    Vivienne and Jared were only siblings on the surface. Now, with Jared¡¯s fate uncertain, her delight was not odd. But could she, Tina, really remain soposed?

    Just then, Orson rushed over, ¡°How is my brother?¡± His eyes red, his steps unsteady, he threw himself at Logan, ¡°Grandpa, where is my brother?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s still in surgery. Get up first,¡± Logan said, knowing well that among those present, only Orson truly cared about Jared.

    Orson wiped his tears, unable to restrain his emotions. Upon seeing Tina, he directed all his anger at her. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! If not for you, my brother wouldn¡¯t have had that car ident, you jinx!¡±

    Tina shifted her gaze from Vivienne to Orson and said coldly, ¡°Shut up.¡±

    ¡°You think telling me to shut up will make me? Tina, my brother¡¯s ident was your doing, get out of here now!¡±

    Orson had always felt that Tina was unworthy of Jared, and now he was even more convinced that Jared¡¯s ident happened because he was supposed to meet Tina. Tina¡¯s eyes shed with impatience, and with a flick of her hand, she sealed his voice.

    Orson found he could no longer speak and lunged at Tina in an attempt to drive her away. Logan forcefully pulled him back, ¡°Sit down. If you talk to your sister-inw like that again, don¡¯t me me for being merciless!¡±

    Orson sulkily sat down, now unable to speak or drive Tina away, he had no choice but to wait.

    Marie and Sophia arrivedst. They had nned to travel abroad to rx but rushed here upon hearing Jared was hospitalized. Seeing Tina, Sophia burst into tears and threw herself into her arms, ¡°Tina, I¡¯m so scared¡­¡±

    Tina¡¯s icy demeanor finally softened as she gently soothed Sophia¡¯s back, ¡°Your brother will be fine, trust me.¡±

    Hearing this from the skilled Tina, Sophia felt reassured. Marie¡¯s eyes were swollen from crying, and she was unable to speak. Tina silently took her hand and gently squeezed it. For some reason, that moment gave Marie some peace of mind.

    Finally, the doors to the operating room opened, and Tina was the first to approach. She knew Jared would be fine, her medicinal pills were sure to save his life, and she had treated him just before entering the OR. Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but worry.

    Every second Jared remained unconscious was an agony for her.

 Chapter 406: Tina Getting Married?

    After the surgery was over, Tina asked the assisting surgeon to step outside and exin the situation, while she stayed behind to suture. The assisting surgeonplied and opened the door of the operating room. The Reed family immediately gathered around.

    ¡°How did it go? My grandson is alright, isn¡¯t he?¡± Logan asked anxiously.

    The doctor removed his mask, ¡°Mr. Farrell is no longer in danger. He should wake up once the anesthesia wears off.¡±

    Marie and Sophia, mother and daughter, hugged each other and cried, while Logan and Orson also breathed a sigh of relief. As for the others, their thoughts varied.

    Jared was fine, and Nathan¡¯s leg was saved, although he needed rest. Lysander had minor injuries; all the ss shards in his back had been removed. All was well.

    After settling Jared, Tina went to Lysander¡¯s ward. Hawk had been guarding the door and quickly stood up when he saw Tina approaching, greeting her with, ¡°Young master.¡±

    Tina waved her hand, ¡°Has Lysander not woken up yet?¡±

    Hawk nodded, ¡°Yes, the doctor said the anesthesia was strong, and he would need to sleep for a while.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, how¡¯s the investigation into the car ident going?¡±

    She had instructed Jayden to investigate, but some information had to be gathered from among the various elite families, which might provide different clues.

    Hawk stepped forward and whispered, ¡°Mr. Farrell¡¯s car has been checked. The explosion was caused by a new type of bomb, not by the ident!¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed. Just as she thought! A mere car flip couldn¡¯t have caused such a severe explosion. With this clue about the new bomb, the Farrell family couldn¡¯t be ruled out. Only GTO, or perhaps someone in collusion with the Farrell family, could possess such a bomb. Maybe it was Jasper, or someone else, or even someone from the Farrell family.

    Hawk continued, ¡°After the new bomb exploded, no traces could be found. It¡¯s identical to the bomb used during the earlier baby rescue, so the police concluded that the ident was merely that-an ident.¡±

    Tina frowned, ¡°Keep investigating. We must find theb where this new bomb was developed!¡± Such bombs weren¡¯t even avable on the ck market. They were GTO¡¯stest secret weapons. After thest baby rescue, she and Jared had been continuously searching for the bomb¡¯s whereabouts, but to no avail. Now, it had appeared again.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Hawk responded.

    At that moment, Sophia ran over. Hawk maintained a safe distance from Tina, pretending they weren¡¯t very familiar.

    ¡°Tina, my brother has woken up!¡±

    Tina¡¯s heart tightened, and she hurried back to Jared¡¯s ward with Sophia.

    All members of the Farrell family were gathered around the bedside, with Marie crying uncontrobly by the bed. Tina walked in, saw Jared with his eyes open, and her heart slowly settled. She felt a sudden weakness and found herself unable to move forward.

    Jared stared at Tina, who stood at the doorway, his head bandaged and hisplexion still pale. After a long look, he parted his lips, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    His voice was hoarse and deep, with a uniquely masculine maic charm. Yet-everyone was stunned!

    Jared didn¡¯t recognize Tina? Had he lost his memory?

    Amidst the astonished stares of everyone, Orson was the happiest. Great! His brother had forgotten Tina! They could finally call off the engagement!

    Tina slowly approached Jared, a faint smile ying on her lips, and spoke calmly, ¡°I¡¯m Sophia¡¯s nanny. I came to resign-I¡¯m going back home to get married.¡±

    ¡°You dare!¡± Jared¡¯s expression darkened immediately.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°What a coincidence, I¡¯m quite daring. Want to try me?¡±

    ¡°Tina, stop it,¡± Jared immediately grasped Tina¡¯s hand and pulled her close, ¡°I was wrong.¡±

    Orson was dumbstruck.

    His brother was actually apologizing to Tina!

    He actually apologized!

    What kind of spell had this woman cast on him!

    Tina withdrew her hand, seriously stating, ¡°I¡¯m not joking, I really am going back home to get married!¡±

    Jared was speechless.

    Wasn¡¯t he just trying to cheer her up because she seemed a bit upset?

    Now, he had almost teased her into bing someone else¡¯s bride.

    That wouldn¡¯t do!

    He pulled Tina into his arms, whispering softly, ¡°Then I must go back with you, or who will you marry?¡±

    Seeing this, Logan pulled everyone away.

    The couple had just been through a life and death ordeal; it was not the time to disturb them.

    Marie red at her own son; she had been crying for so long without him showing any concern, thinking that he cared more for his wife than his mother!

    Orson was the first to leave, unable to stand seeing his brother so ¡°pathetic.¡±

    Then, one by one, the others left.

    The hospital room finally returned to quiet, Tinay on Jared¡¯s chest, holding him tightly.

    Jared gently patted Tina¡¯s back, soothing her unsettled emotions time and again.

    ¡°It was just a minor car ident, I¡¯m not that helpless.¡±

    As Jared spoke, he couldn¡¯t help feeling relieved, ¡°Luckily, you got out of the car early. You¡¯re my lucky star, Tina.¡±

    Tina lightly pped Jared, tears lingering in her eyes as she looked at him reproachfully, ¡°Are you teasing a child?¡±

    ¡°Yes, teasing my lucky star,¡± Jared yfully tweaked Tina¡¯s nose, his eyes still filled with relief.

    They held each other for a long time, until Tina spoke again, ¡°Uncle, there¡¯s a bomb in your car.¡±

    ¡°A new type of bomb, right?¡± Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed, his voice cold.

    A bomb that had been ced in his car so silently and had not been detected could only be a new type.

    And the person who could ce a bomb in his car was no ordinary individual.

    Tina sat up, ¡°Do you suspect someone?¡±

    Jared curved his lips, ¡°The Farrell family is highly suspect, but¡­ it¡¯s not them.¡±

    Everyone from the Farrell family was under his surveince.

    Tinaughed, ¡°Since the opponent has made a move, let¡¯s y along.¡±

    Elsewhere, in Lysander¡¯s hospital room.

    Lysander had awakened, and Hawk had gone to find a doctor, leaving only Edward and a few others keeping watch.

    Unexpectedly, instead of the doctor, Orson came in.

    ¡°Orson, what are you doing here?¡± Leon asked coldly.

    ¡°Mind your own business?¡± Orson sat down on a chair, coldly observing Lysander.

    He just wanted to see if the only person he considered a rival was dead or not.

    And perhaps, discuss some business.

    Lysander sighed, ¡°Captain, you guys go back first, I¡¯m alright.¡±

    He could tell from Orson¡¯s expression that he had something to say.

    It was that kind of telepathy between rivals.

    Edward and the others left, and Orson finally spoke, ¡°You didn¡¯t experience a car ident, so why are you hospitalized?¡±

    ¡°Mind your own business?¡± Lysander returned Orson¡¯s words, mimicking his tone exactly.

    Orson choked, wanting to explode in anger, but seeing Lysander wrapped in bandages, he held back.

    After all, he was the young master of the Farrell family; he wouldn¡¯t take advantage of someone in such a state.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk business, be serious,¡± Orson cleared his throat.

 Chapter 407: Someone Always Wants to Tear Apart Mr. Farrell and Tina

    Lysander looked on coldly.

    ¡°Spit it out.¡± He had no time for Orson¡¯s nonsense.

    Orson paused for a moment, then said, ¡°I heard that you did it to save Tina. My brother is now with Tina in the hospital, cooing over each other, they might have even kissed.¡±

    Lysander abruptly sat up, nearly reopening his wound, ¡°What did you say! How old is my Tina, has Jared no shame!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®my brother has no shame¡¯? It¡¯s your Tina who is all over him!¡± Orson¡¯s face darkened immediately.

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± Lysander cursed angrily.

    ¡°Not as much as you!¡± Orson coldly retorted.

    Lysander took a breath and said coldly, ¡°What exactly do you want to tell me?¡±

    Orson looked back at the closed door of the hospital room, made sure no one was there, and even leaned forward slightly, as if to whisper in Lysander¡¯s ear.

    Lysander disdainfully pushed him away, ¡°There¡¯s just the two of us here, just say it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want Tina to be with my brother, and neither do I. How about we work together?¡± Orson was no longer secretive; he had thought about this for a while.

    Lysander¡¯s willingness to risk his life for Tina clearly meant his feelings were serious.

    This was a perfect opportunity to drive Jared and Tina apart.

    Lysander eyed Orson, ¡°How would we cooperate?¡±

    Orson whispered to Lysander for a while, until Hawk entered with a doctor.

    Seeing Orson, Hawk¡¯s expression was as surprised as Edward¡¯s and others before him.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, you came to see Lysander? Thank you for your concern,¡± Hawk said warmly.

    With Hawk back, Orson could no longer stay, but he didn¡¯t want to leave awkwardly.

    He hooked Lysander¡¯s shoulder, ¡°No need to be so formal, uncle, we¡¯re all brothers here!¡±

    Lysander disdainfully pushed him away, ¡°Just go.¡±

    Orson withdrew his hand, giving Lysander several meaningful looks.

    Don¡¯t forget our n!

    Lysander heaved a deep sigh, suddenly wondering if cooperating with him was a bit too rash.

    ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll be going now,¡± Orson waved goodbye and left Lysander¡¯s hospital room.

    After he left, the doctor examined Lysander thoroughly and, finding nothing amiss, Hawk finally rxed.

    He sat beside the hospital bed, looking at his son with concern, ¡°Don¡¯t be so reckless in the future. What if something really happened?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what you said, our Emerson family must ensure Tina¡¯s safety; that¡¯s the priority.¡±

    Lysander was indifferent, seeing his rtionship with his father more as a means to an end.

    He was using him to be the heir to the Emerson family, gaining the resources needed topete with Jared.

    Hawk¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°It¡¯s not your ce to protect her anymore; no more dangerous stunts.¡±

    Lysander didn¡¯t argue further, knowing he would never heed Hawk¡¯s words.

    ¡°Next month, isn¡¯t it Logan¡¯s big birthday?¡± Lysander changed the subject.

    Hawk calmed down a bit, ¡°Yes, what about it?¡±

    ¡°Take me with you.¡± A subtle gleam flickered in Lysander¡¯s eyes.

    Hawk was taken aback, ¡°You want to go?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t always be stuck in school, you¡¯ve said connections are most important.¡± Lysander eyed Hawk, ¡°Or do you think my status as an illegitimate child isn¡¯t suitable to apany you to such an important event?¡±

    Logan¡¯s birthday was a grand annual affair for the Farrell family, an event many would vie to attend.

    But, the Farrell family only invited those from Ashbury who were notable and worthy of mention.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Hawk was always on the invitation list, and manypany deals werepleted at the longevity banquet.

    Lysander had never been interested before, but this time he took the initiative to attend, which surprised and pleased Hawk. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, Lysander. I¡¯m happy you want to go to the celebration.¡±

    After Lysander received Hawk¡¯s consent, he spoke no further and closed his eyes to rest.

    Hawk had wanted to have a good chat with Lysander, but seeing him like this, he also closed his mouth.

    He knew that his son was not going to forgive him easily.

    Elsewhere.

    Jared had only been in the hospital for two days before he was discharged. If it hadn¡¯t been for Tina¡¯s prohibition, he would have left the same day.

    Nathan still needed to recuperate. Although Tina had reattached his leg, a severe injury takes a hundred days to heal properly to avoid futureplications, so rest was essential.

    But his work couldn¡¯t stop, and the person who took over was naturally Hayden.

    ¡°I¡¯ll drive! I¡¯ll drive for you? Mr. Farrell, are you short of a driver?¡± Hayden exploded when he heard about this assignment.

    Jared nced at him indifferently, ¡°What? Haven¡¯t you driven enough before?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s different!¡± Hayden retorted furiously, ¡°Before, I didn¡¯t know you had taken Serena, now knowing she¡¯s Serena, you want me to every day¡­¡±

    He stopped abruptly.

    Sit in the car every day and watch them kiss?

    He wasn¡¯t so magnanimous!

    Not causing trouble like the other seniors was alreadymendable.

    And now he was being asked to drive!

    Moreover, ording to Nathan, the two kissed frequently in the car, seemingly every time they sat together.

    He wasn¡¯t masochistic!

    ¡°Oh.¡± Jared adjusted his cuffs nonchntly, ¡°Recently, a position opened up in Africa¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Hayden shivered, clenched his teeth, and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drive!¡±

    He was really grinding his teeth.

    Teeth ttering, yet he had no way to retaliate against Jared.

    So be it!

    Mr. Farrell wasn¡¯t important!

    What mattered was Serena; he would consider it protecting her.

    Jared: Thank you!

    Hayden took the car keys, smiling at Tina, ¡°Serena, where are we headed?¡±

    Tina rubbed her neck, ¡°Whispering Pines.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Hayden started the car and stopped at Whispering Pines.

    Jared looked at Hayden disdainfully.

    After stopping, Hayden realized, ¡°Serena, what made you think of returning to Whispering Pines?¡±

    ¡°Talkative,¡± Tina muttered disdainfully.

    Hayden quickly shut up, knowing well that if he didn¡¯t, Serena might silence him with silver needles.

    Tina got out of the car, and along with Jared, entered Whispering Pines, with Hayden following, twirling the car keys.

    Pushing open the door, Griffin and Juliet were watching the first episode of a variety show,ughing uncontrobly at a video clip of Vance and Ava, two sisters, fighting.

    ¡°Tina, you¡¯re back! Come watch, our variety show is airing!¡± Juliet said,ughing.

    Tina nced at her, lips pursed. ¡°Where¡¯s your dad?¡±

    Today, more hurt was inevitable!

    Seeing Tina¡¯s expression, Juliet and Griffin instantly lost their smiles.

    Such an expression wasst seen on the day of Annabelle¡¯s incident.

    Juliet stood up, ¡°My dad? He¡¯s still at the office, did something happen?¡±

 Chapter 408: There Is Still Another Person

    Juliet felt uneasy; she didn¡¯t want the Reed family to stir up any more news.

    It wasn¡¯t about her own career, she just didn¡¯t want to see the originally harmonious Reed family be fragmented.

    Tina lowered her eyes, then said after a moment, ¡°There¡¯s something.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s heart clenched immediately, ¡°Tina, it¡¯s not my dad, is it¡­¡±

    Her nervousness made her stutter.

    No!

    It couldn¡¯t be!

    Her father had always been kind and gentle, never the type to harm anyone.

    She thought this, but Juliet was still very nervous, her palms sweaty from the tension.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for him toe back,¡± Tina said as she sat down, pulling out her phone to call Garrett and summon him back.

    At that moment, Muff, supported by Luna, came out of the room.

    Juliet went up to help Muff down, her heart pounding.

    She didn¡¯t know what would happen next.

    All she knew was that whatever was about to ur would once again upend the Reed family.

    ¡°Tina, what do you want to say?¡± Muff looked at Tina, his aged eyes hiding a trace of guilt.

    Tina smiled, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for everyone to arrive.¡±

    Muff said no more, just clenching his cane, his hand breaking out in cold sweat.

    Soon, Garrett and Damian returned, and Audrey along with her brother Arthur and Esther entered.

    Everyone in the Reed family was present, all of them quietly watching Tina and Jared.

    Arthur kept looking towards Hayden, eager to know what was going on.

    Hayden shrugged; he didn¡¯t know what news Serena had to announce, he was just the driver!

    Muff sighed deeply, ¡°Tina, the family is all here, just say what you want to say.¡±

    Tina looked around, finally fixing her gaze on Jared, her clear eyes carrying a hint of feigned confusion, ¡°Uncle, am I bad at counting? It seems like not everyone is here?¡±

    Jared, amused by Tina¡¯s expression, pinched her face, ¡°Indeed, not everyone is here.¡±

    Audrey frowned, ¡°Tina, what exactly do you want? We¡¯re all very busy, we don¡¯t have time to watch you spread rumors!¡±

    Previously, her rtionship with Tina wasn¡¯t too close, but not as bad as with Amber.

    At least since Tina came back, she hadn¡¯t troubled Audrey, and they got along peacefully.

    But since the incident with their grandmother was leaked by Tina, Audrey had been annoyed with her.

    Tina always ced herself above others, seemingly looking down on them, which Audrey didn¡¯t appreciate.

    Tina lifted her gaze, focusing on Muff.

    Suddenly, she pointed towards the wardrobe behind Muff, ¡°Why do I feel like there¡¯s someone else there?¡±

    Muff straightened his back immediately, shocking a cold sweat out of him despite his age.

    He suppressed the fear in his heart and said calmly, ¡°That¡¯s just a liquor cab, how could someone be there?¡±

    Audrey also thought Tina was being absurd, ¡°Can you stop ying tricks? Can¡¯t you just talk normally?¡±

    Arthur quickly held his sister back, fearing that one more word might provoke Tina.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°Don¡¯t get angry, Audrey means can a liquor cab hide a person?¡± Arthur exined with a nervousugh.

    Tina ignored them and nced at Hayden.

    Hayden immediately understood, stepped forward, and dismantled the liquor cab swiftly.

    Muff tried to get up to stop him, but at this moment, Jared spoke lightly, ¡°36 Fifth Avenue, 5 Benjamin Road, 17 Seventh Avenue, 193 Rainbow Street, Mr. Garrett, are you aware of these properties?¡±

    Startled by Jared¡¯s sudden mention, Garrett was taken aback. He was even more clueless about the properties he mentioned. Garrett looked towards Damian, who also shook his head. Pausing briefly, he said, ¡°Almost all of the Reed family are in Whispering Pines, and even if we do own homes, they are all nearby. We are not aware of the properties you mentioned.¡± Jared chuckled, ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know, but Muff is very much aware.¡±

    While this conversation was ongoing, Hayden had already dismantled the fixed wine cab, eximing, ¡°Serena, there¡¯s a hole here!¡± The Reeds were startled-behind the wine cab was a wall; how could there possibly be a hole? Everyone crowded around, except for Muff, who remained as steady as a mountain.

    Hayden, sitting on the dismantled nks, called out, ¡°Serena, what should we do next?¡± Tina curved her lips slightly, gazing steadily at Muff. Then, with a slight smirk, she said to Hayden, ¡°You have something interesting in your pocket.¡± Hayden was confused. Interesting? What could it be? Unaware, he reached into his pocket and indeed found something-it was thetest model of a tear gas grenade! ¡°Typical Serena, always so well-prepared,¡± he thought. Weighing it in his hand, he threw it directly into the hole.

    Muff was toote to stop him. In the next instant, a person emerged from the hole, tears streaming down his face from the irritation. The sight shocked everyone. ¡°Big brother!¡± Esther cried out in astonishment, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jasper had been missing for over half a month, and despite Esther¡¯s efforts in searching for him outside, there had been no news. Unexpectedly, he was right here at home!

    Garrett was equally surprised, ¡°Big brother, why are you hiding here? What is this ce?¡± Damian hurriedly handed Jasper a tissue to wipe his tears; the smoke that had billowed from the hole made him tear up as well. ¡°Jasper, what is going on?¡± Damian looked up to him. He had always admired Jasper, and his mysterious disappearance had worried him for a long time. To think he had been at home all along!

    Jasper wiped away his tears, his eyes still red. He looked at Tina and said gravely, ¡°You found me after all.¡± Damian was stunned; he had never heard such a cold tone from Jasper before. He incredulously stepped back.

    Garrett pulled his son to his side and stood silently to one side. Griffin and Juliet looked towards Tina, unsure of what had transpired. Muff, sitting at the head of the table, sighed deeply and slowly stood up, ¡°Tina, Jared, I am responsible for all this, not Jasper.¡± Tina quietly watched Muff, a trace of sorrow shing in her eyes. Esther was perplexed; she sat next to Tina, taking her hand, ¡°Tina, auntie doesn¡¯t know what happened, but we are a family. It must be a misunderstanding. Let¡¯s listen to your grandfather¡¯s exnation, shall we?¡± Though she said this, Esther knew in her heart that this matter likely would not end well. But apart from Muff, no one else knew what had happened. Why was their family head hiding in a secret chamber in the house that no one knew about? Why was Muff apologizing to Tina? What was the reason for all this?

 Chapter 409: He is Not Muffâ€™s Biological Son

    Tina quietly withdrew her hand from Esther¡¯s and did not reply to her. Instead, she looked at Muff, ¡°Do you have any exnation?¡±

    Muff¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke, ¡°No exnation. The bomb in Mr. Farrell¡¯s car and the person who drove into you were both arranged by me.¡±

    The news of Jared¡¯s car ident was still being broadcast, and everyone knew about it.

    But they did not know that it was Muff who had done it!

    ¡°Dad, do you realize what you¡¯re saying!¡± Esther eximed in shock.

    How could she ept this?

    Her mother being a murderer was one thing, but now her father too? This¡­

    Garrett saw through Muff and, with tears in his eyes, said to Jasper, ¡°Brother, are you really nning to let Dad take the me for you!¡±

    Garrett¡¯s words made it even harder for the younger members of the Reed family to ept.

    In their hearts, Jasper was their gentlest brother; no matter what mistakes he made, he always seemed to escape punishment.

    Damian was the first to speak, still somewhat rational, ¡°Dad, do you know something?¡±

    Garrett did not respond but continued to look at Jasper, hoping to hear the truth from him.

    But all he got was silence.

    Muff remained firm, ¡°Tina, take me away, I will atone.¡±

    ¡°Dad!¡± Esther couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and began crying on the sofa.

    Tina curved her lips, knowing it woulde to this.

    She narrowed her eyes slightly and after a moment, turned to Garrett and slowly said, ¡°Garrett, you don¡¯t need to beg Mr. Reed for the truth, after all, he isn¡¯t your Reed family¡¯s biological son.¡±

    At this, everyone was stunned.

    Jasper wasn¡¯t a Reed family son?

    What was going on?

    How did Tina know this?

    Everyone turned their gaze toward Tina,pletely at a loss for words.

    They did not believe it.

    Jasper was Muff¡¯s first son, and even though there was no love between him and Annabelle, he cared deeply for his child.

    If Jasper wasn¡¯t Muff¡¯s son, he should have been the first to know.

    But looking at Muff¡¯s expression, it was clear he was unaware.

    At that moment, Muff waspletely dumbfounded, taking a while toprehend.

    When he finally did, he looked at Tina incredulously, ¡°What did you just say? Jasper is not my son?¡±

    Before Tina could speak, Muff said, ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible. How can he not be my son? I¡­¡±

    He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly remembering something, his whole body shuddering.

    Then, Tina handed him a paternity test report, ¡°This is his paternity test.¡±

    After saying this, she handed him another paper document, ¡°This is evidence of Annabelle bribing the doctor. Take a good look, your bedfellow has deceived you about more than just the murder.¡±

    Muff shakily took the documents, unable to believe that the child he had raised for so many years was not his own!

    If it hadn¡¯t been for this child, he would never have married Annabelle, and then Sydney might not have¡­ died.

    At this point, Jasper no longer pretended, pushing away Damian who was trying to support him, andughed, ¡°No need to look anymore, I indeed am not your biological son, Muff, thank you for all your kindness over the years.¡±

    This gratitude, however, was filled with endless resentment.

    Esther involuntarily shivered, clutching her hand tightly, ¡°Brother, are you still upset about what happened back then¡­¡±

    Jasper sneered, ¡°No, I don¡¯t hold a grudge. If it weren¡¯t for him selling me off back then, I wouldn¡¯t have discovered my true origins!¡±

    The younger generation was unaware of the events of those days.

    But Garrett and Esther knew.

    Juliet¡¯s mind was in turmoil as she approached Tina and said, ¡°Tina, you know everything, don¡¯t you? Can you just give us a straight answer, please?¡±

    Juliet held no hatred or resentment; she just wanted the knife to fall quicker.

    A dull knife makes for a painful death.

    One thing led to another, leaving her unsure of how to sort things out.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Tina looked at Muff indifferently, ¡°Muff, you tell them.¡±

    Muff took a breath, his eyes devoid of any spirit.

    ¡°Back then, the Reed family¡¯s business suffered a severe blow, and even Whispering Pines was at risk. The bank kept pressing for payments, and out of desperation, I took a shady route.¡±

    Garrett and Esther closed their eyes; though they were young at the time, they vividly remembered the terror when the bank came to seize their family property.

    Although there were no violent measures, it was still frightening.

    ¡°I found an organization simr to a loan shark and asked for their help for the Reed family. The condition was to have your Jasper as a hostage.¡±

    Juliet covered her mouth in shock.

    This was no loan shark.

    Using a child as a hostage was akin to human trafficking.

    Jasper seemed indifferent, as if these events were unrted to him.

    Muff continued, ¡°For the sake of the Reed family, I agreed. Afterwards, the organization provided a substantial sum of money that helped the Reed family recover. However, Jasper couldn¡¯t return until ten yearster, when he was eighteen and finally came back to the Reed family.¡±

    Esther sniffled, ¡°But the brother who came back was different from before.¡±

    Though still gentle, both she and Garrett knew their older brother had changed.

    They couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what had changed.

    ¡°He was different,¡± Muff wiped away tears, ¡°After he returned, he negotiated terms with me to hand over the Reed family to him. Initially, I disagreed, but he revealed that he was now the second inmand in that organization and he could take the Reed family to greater heights.¡±

    Garrett remembered that after their brother returned, he spent an entire afternoon talking with their father in the study.

    When he came out, their father announced that the Reed family would henceforth be led by him.

    As his younger siblings, they had no objections; in their hearts, their brother was still someone they admired and loved.

    Muff said this with a sorrowful expression, ¡°But who knew, dealing with a tiger would ultimately harm oneself.¡±

    Jasper burst intoughter, ¡°Muff, you should be grateful that you agreed to my terms from the start, otherwise you¡¯d be nothing but a ghost by now. How could you still be alive?¡±

    Muff, with his back to Jasper, could still feel the chilling aura emanating from him.

    ¡°Jasper, I know all the things you¡¯ve done using the Reed family over the years, but I owe you, so I turned a blind eye. Isn¡¯t that enough to offset your hatred towards the Reed family?¡±

    This also exined why he suddenly took back the position of family head from Jasper.

 Chapter 410: The Bomb Was Placed by Jasper

    He didn¡¯t know exactly what the organization did, but Jasper¡¯s position as second inmand proved his high status. Ever since Tina began to settle scores with the Reed family, he knew that Jasper¡¯s deeds would one daye to light. He hadn¡¯t interacted much with Tina. Though their bond wasn¡¯t deeply familial, he could tell that her outward demeanor didn¡¯t reflect her true self. Her involvement with the Reed family was partly due to Natalie¡¯s death and possibly due to the organization behind Jasper.

    Thus, he revoked Jasper¡¯s position as head of the family, hoping to divert Tina and Jared¡¯s attention while secretly aiding Jasper. All this was merely his way of making amends. Jasper¡¯s smile froze on his face, perhaps distorted by the side lighting, making his otherwise gentle features appear fierce and terrifying. ¡°Compensate? Ha, you¡¯re talking to me aboutpensation?¡± Jasper red intensely at Muff¡¯s retreating figure, a hint of hatred flickering in the depths of his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve been through; you don¡¯t deserve to speak of forgiveness!¡±

    Jasper would forever remember the poison injected into his body, theshes that scarred his flesh, the repeated oppression of his personality. He would never forget. The pain was so chilling that even now, it made him shiver. Tina, observing Jasper¡¯s expression, could imagine what he had endured. Some chose to perish or be reborn in the abyss, but others, like Jasper, only continued to drag more innocents into the depths. His experiences would inflict simr pain on others, satisfying him and affirming his existence.

    Muff, leaning on the back of the sofa, slowly stood and approached Jasper. ¡°Your hatred is not med, whether you¡¯re my biological son or not. I owe you, and if you wish to kill me, then do so.¡± ¡°Grandfather!¡± Griffin stepped in front of Muff, ¡°Jasper, if you must kill, kill me, but don¡¯t harm Grandfather, please!¡±

    Jasper harshly pushed Damian aside and embraced Muff. Looking over his shoulder deeply at Tina, he said, ¡°Tina, the new type of bomb in Jared¡¯s car was set by me, and I crafted it myself. I knew you came today for my life, so here it is.¡± Suddenly, he held a bomb remote, his thumb pressing hard on the red button. ¡°No!¡± Esther screamed, and inside Whispering Pines, all went silent. The expected explosion did not ur.

    Jasper pressed the button repeatedly, but still, no explosion ensued. Tinaughed out loud, herughter cutting through the quiet, sounding unusually crisp. ¡°Surprised?¡± Tina looked at Jasper with a faint smile. Jasper stared at her in shock. ¡°How could this be? What did you do?¡± Tina¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I overestimated your intelligence. You hid the bomb in Muff¡¯s cane, such a low intelligence move. How could Mr. White ever choose you as his stand-in?¡± Jasper looked at her as if seeing a monster. ¡°How did you know?¡± He had considered all the ways Tina could possibly discover it. He had avoided such risks, yet she had still found out. ¡°Your bomb wasn¡¯t strong enough to cause a significant explosion; it would have only killed you two,¡± Tina said as she walked forward and picked up Muff¡¯s cane.

    She nced indifferently at Jasper and said leisurely, ¡°Your mistake was using a remote-controlled device. If it had required manual detonation like before, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to alter the controller¡¯s program.¡±

    Jasper finally understood. Tina had discovered the new bomb long ago!

    He had lost.

    Suddenly, Jasper pushed Muff aside, drew a knife from his waist, and charged at Tina.

    Hayden was faster, darting forward to subdue him.

    ¡°Thought you could ambush Serena?¡± Hayden held Jasper, realizing Tina hadn¡¯t moved an inch.

    Not only that, Jared also sat upright.

    Something was amiss!

    Jasper cursed under his breath, already finding himself unable to move.

    Tina had drugged him!

    With hisst bit of strength, he raised his head to look at Jared. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill me?¡±

    Jared shrugged. ¡°The wife wouldn¡¯t allow it.¡±

    Jasper paused, then understanding dawned on him. He chuckled softly, a tear trickling down his cheek. ¡°Tina, you and your mother are convinced I could never truly intend to kill.¡±

    How could he possibly harm the daughter of the woman he loved most?

    Hearing this, Tina scoffed, ¡°Indeed, you never intended to really kill my mother, but your murderous intent wasn¡¯t fake either. Feigning deep affection? Are you worthy?¡±

    Jasper, his eyes narrowed, remained silent.

    He truly loved Natalie, enough to want a life together.

    He always felt Natalie was a ray of light in his life, bringing hope to his darkest secrets.

    Thus, even in the end, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to kill Natalie.

    Now, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to harm Tina either.

    She was Natalie¡¯s biological daughter, bearing the shadow of the woman he loved. How could he possibly bring himself to harm her?

    That gesture was just a ploy to have Jared kill him instead.

    To avoid arrest by Bureau X.

    But he hadn¡¯t expected Tina to see right through him.

    Tina coldly nced at Jasper. Her hatred for the man never waned.

    No matter how much he spared her, it was just self-delusion.

    Did he really think he could kill her once he set his mind to it?

    ¡°Take him away.¡± Jared finally stood, waving his hand in the air, signaling Hayden to take Jasper down.

    Hayden pulled out his belt, using it to bind Jasper¡¯s hands.

    Only Hayden would think to use a belt as handcuffs, grabbing Jasper with one hand and holding up his pants with the other.

    Turning around, they saw several Bureau X officers at the door, handcuffs in hand, looking at them speechlessly.

    ¡°Damn! You didn¡¯t say you had handcuffs!¡± Hayden cursed, handing Jasper over to the officers.

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Whose child is this thatcks a brain?

    Bureau X team member: This is your squad leader.

    Jared: No! I don¡¯t have such an embarrassing squad leader.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Tina: I don¡¯t have such an embarrassing brother!

    Jasper was arrested and taken away by Bureau X.

    After they took him, Tina also began packing to leave the Reed family.

    Her mother¡¯s death was rted to Jasper but not significantly.

    The mystery of whose call her mother took before choosing suicide still needed investigation.

    She believed that once she exposed the head of GTO, she would find the answers she sought.

 Chapter 411: Isnâ€™t It Better to Be Confused?

    Tina finished packing her luggage and looked back at Whispering Pines. From this point on, the Reed family had nothing to do with her. Just as Tina was about to leave, Muff couldn¡¯t hold back and called out to her, ¡°Tina¡­ what kind of punishment will he face?¡±

    Tina stopped in her tracks, her peach blossom eyes shimmering with a smile as she nced back at the now aged face. ¡°Thew will punish him for his deeds. As for the severity, it depends on the gravity of his crimes.¡± After speaking, Tina looked at Muff, her lips slightly curving up. ¡°No wonder the Reed family has stood strong for a century. Muff, your ability to feign ignorance has indeed captured its essence.¡±

    Muff narrowed his eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Tina lifted her delicate, fair finger, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, her smile bewitching. ¡°I¡¯m not Jasper¡¯s biological daughter, you¡¯ve known that for a long time, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Muff¡¯s pupils shook slightly, then slowly revealed his true self, mixed with a unique cunning. ¡°You are frighteningly clever. It¡¯s a pity you¡¯re not my biological granddaughter. If you were, I would have handed over the headship of the Reed family to you.¡±

    He believed that with Tina, the Reed family could continue to thrive for another century. Tina¡¯s smile became even more enchanting. ¡°It¡¯s a pity, your Reed family, I¡¯m not interested in it.¡±

    After a pause, she added, ¡°Muff, sometimes it¡¯s better to be a bit confused in life; otherwise, it¡¯s exhausting, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    It must be said that Muff had a broad range in his roles. He could y the formidable patriarch who intimidated the entire family, the deeply affectionate father, and even the carefree hermit. Even just now, all his deep affection for Jasper was an act.

    When was he not performing? Perhaps only when he mentioned Sydney would he show a moment of truth.

    Muff stared at Tina¡¯s face for a long time, then suddenlyughed. ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s better to be confused.¡±

    He had never truly loved his so-called eldest son, including his current children. They were all children born through various means Annabelle employed, like drugging or intoxicating him.

    How could he possibly have deep feelings? It was more about the guilt of not fulfilling his duties as a father.

    Years ago, when he was forced to send Jasper away andter realized that the person who returned was no longer the same child, he knew. Jasper held everyone¡¯s life in his hands, along with the foundation of the Reed family. If he hadn¡¯t agreed to hand over the leadership to him, he might have been killed by him already.

    There was no choice but to leave the leadership to him while retaining control of the Reed family¡¯s businesswork to safeguard its future.

    Over the years, he never questioned what Jasper did, just staying in the sanatorium. But he was aware of Jasper¡¯s actions, including his n to use Liliosa to kill Natalie. At that time, he could do nothing but buy Natalie some time at the engagement party.

    It was his way of fulfilling his duty as a father.

    The performance he gave today in front of Tina was also meant to ensure that she would not strike against the Reed family in the future.

    If he hadn¡¯t sold Jasper to that organization back then, perhaps Jasper and Natalie could have be the legendary couple people talked about.

    But he never expected that Tina was not rted to Jasper by blood. Indeed, he had known it for a long time. In the second month after Tina returned, someone had delivered a paternity test between her and Jasper.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    This document was entirely different from the one Jasper held in his hands. Jasper¡¯s confirmed a biological parent-child rtionship. However, the one he held showed no gic rtion. He didn¡¯t know who had sent him this paternity test, but being as astute as he was, he realized it was directed at Jasper and was secretly aiding Tina.

    Thus, when Tina faced troubles from the Reed family, he would step in to support her, even though she didn¡¯t need his backing. His actions were not only due to his appreciation of Tina¡¯s capabilities but also for Natalie, a woman graced with both beauty and talent, who hade to investigate Jasper but was still willing to help the Reed family in times of trouble.

    His support for Tina wasrgely to repay a favor. But what no one knew was that he had long been aware that Jasper was not his biological son. How long had he known? He couldn¡¯t remember.

    Tina nced at Garrett and Esther¡¯s family and said, ¡°If there¡¯s ever anything you need help with, just ask.¡± Out of respect for her mother, she would also protect the Reed family. After speaking, Tina linked arms with Jared and turned to leave.

    Upon leaving the Reed family, Tina received a text from Elsa. ¡°Tina, are you free? How about a shopping trip?¡± A smile yed on Tina¡¯s lips as her fingers swiftly moved across the screen.

    Jared watched the faint smile on her lips and unconsciously rubbed the corner of her mouth, ¡°What¡¯s making you smile?¡± Tina put away her phone, her bright eyes reflecting Jared¡¯s handsome face, ¡°Elsa asked me out shopping.¡± Jared nodded in understanding, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    Outside the mall, Elsa, wearing dark sunsses and a forest-green trench coat, looked tall and charming, inheriting all of Jennie¡¯s beauty. Seeing Tina approach, Elsa removed her sunsses and greeted her with a smile, ¡°Sorry for the sudden invite. Did I interrupt a date?¡±

    Tina nced at Jared following her and responded, ¡°It¡¯s fine, he¡¯s just carrying the bags.¡± Jared nodded in greeting and agreed.

    Elsa affectionately linked arms with Tina, and they entered the mall together. Tina wasn¡¯t looking to buy anything, and Elsa was primarily shopping for clothes for Jennie and Hugo. After a while, they decided to sit down at a buffet restaurant.

    ¡°I¡¯m hardly ever home and always feel like I¡¯m letting my parents down. Sometimes, it makes me feel guilty,¡± Elsa shared as she ate. Tina looked up, a ripple of emotion in her eyes, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you invite mom out today?¡±

    Elsa paused, a flicker of difort crossing her face before she regainedposure and smiled, ¡°They¡¯re both busy with thepany, either with perfume forms or studying business models. They hardly have time to go out with us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they are quite busy,¡± Tina replied softly, spooning some cream soup.

    Jared nced at them, then stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go get some more dishes.¡± After he left, Elsa put down her spoon, ¡°Tina, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss, if it¡¯s okay?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Tina said, putting down her utensils and sitting up to face Elsa.

    Elsa sighed, ¡°I know it might be too much, but I mean no harm. I think you could join mom and dad¡¯spany. That way, even if you marry into the Farrell family, you¡¯d have a strong standing. What do you think?¡±

 Chapter 412: The Enemy is Always Impatient, Not Fun

    Tina did not immediately respond, instead, she quietly watched her, waiting for her to continue.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Elsa felt nervous and exined further, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Tina. I¡¯m not saying Jared treats you poorly, just that with the Farrell family¡¯s vast wealth and deep connections, you wouldn¡¯t have to suffer any indignities if we were more confident ourselves.¡±

    Tina nodded slightly, ¡°You make sense.¡±

    Elsa breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°I¡¯m d you understand. I hope I didn¡¯t overstep.¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Tina sipped her water, ¡°I can also work at thepany and provide some new perfume forms to quickly build its reputation.¡±

    Elsa, feeling like her thoughts had been read, could only chuckle nervously and sip her water to hide her tension, ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s a win-win, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, a shadowy light hidden in her eyes.

    After dinner, it was gettingte, and Heath drove down to the mall to pick Elsa up to go home.

    ¡°Tina, let me take you both back,¡± Heath called out through the rolled-down window.

    ¡°No need, we drove here,¡± Tina declined calmly.

    ¡°Alright then, we¡¯ll be off. Take care,¡± Heath waved and left with Elsa.

    Tina watched their car disappear into the distance, her gaze slightly narrowed.

    Jared draped his coat over Tina¡¯s shoulders, gently tapping her cheek, ¡°Getting impatient?¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°More than I expected, it¡¯s boring.¡±

    Jared wrapped his arms around Tina¡¯s waist and led her to the car, ¡°Then let¡¯s take it slow, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°Great!¡±

    Meanwhile, Heath parked his car by the roadside.

    ¡°Did she agree?¡± he asked.

    Elsa nodded, ¡°Yes, she should join thepany soon. She was always Q, offering a few perfume forms is easy for her. Now we¡¯ll see how much she¡¯s willing to contribute.¡±

    Heath smiled satisfactorily, ¡°She¡¯s a genius. Using such talent can better serve our country.¡±

    Elsa looked at Heath, her eyes curving slightly, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    As Elsa had anticipated, Tina actively took a position at Hugo¡¯spany.

    This surprised Hugo, ¡°Tina, are you sure you want to start now? It¡¯s just the beginning, and it will be tough. Maybe wait until things stabilize a bit so it can be easier.¡±

    Tina countered, ¡°Dad, do you think I can¡¯t help stabilize thepany?¡±

    Hugo quickly shook his hands, ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t mean that. I just don¡¯t want you to overwork yourself. You¡¯re still young, ying should be your priority, not getting stuck in the office with no free time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll rest when I¡¯m tired, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Tina then moved back into Hugo¡¯s house.

    Hugo had always kept a room for her, and everything was arranged just as she liked it.

    Tina could finally get a good night¡¯s sleep.

    Hugo and Jennie were indeed as busy with thepany as Elsa had said, constantly discussing various test reports and barely managing to keep up.

    Sometimes, Zackary had to wait with a hungry stomach for his parents toe home.

    With Tina¡¯s arrival, their workload had eased significantly, especially with the perfume forms.

    Although Natalie¡¯s forms were sufficient to support thepany, Hugo still wanted to develop new ones to ensure continuous innovation.

    ¡°Tina¡¯s form is quite good; it has a fresh scent like the air after rain, rich and enduring. I like it,¡± Jennie said, marking a check on one of the form sheets she was holding.

    ¡°I think this one is also suitable; it feels more like natural wilderness,¡± Hugo picked another.

    The two had differing opinions. While both could beunched, the investment required to release two fragrances would be substantial-a tough feat for a startup.

    During their disagreement, Elsa walked over and picked up both form sheets.

    The numbers were detailed, and the ingredients precisely listed.

    Elsa scanned from top to bottom, her gaze deepening.

    ¡°Mom, Dad, both are good. Why don¡¯t we ask Tina which one she wants tounch first?¡± Elsa suggested, trying to mediate.

    Meanwhile, Tina was ying with Legos with Zackary. Hearing her name, she said, ¡°Bobby, draw lots.¡±

    Zackary excitedly pulled one of the two crumpled papers on the table.

    It was Jennie¡¯s choice. Smiling, she said, ¡°I won. Let¡¯s go with this one. I¡¯ll meet with the sales department now to discuss theunch.¡±

    With the fragrance decided, Hugo also prepared to discuss production schedules with the factory, ¡°Elsa, Tina, we¡¯re off to the office. Stay home and order some good food if you¡¯re hungry, don¡¯t settle for less!¡±

    While dressing, Hugo left some cash on the table.

    Elsa shook her head resignedly, ¡°These two, always working.¡±

    Tina just smiled without a word.

    Elsa patted Zackary¡¯s head, ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to read? Didn¡¯t kindergarten give you reading homework?¡±

    Zackary stuck out his tongue, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll study seriously.¡±

    Watching Zackary return to his room, their smiles gradually faded.

    Elsa picked up the form from the table, ¡°Tina, you¡¯re really a genius. This fragrance smells amazing; it¡¯s sure to be a hit.¡±

    ¡°As long as you like it,¡± Tina responded nonchntly.

    Elsa eyed the precise ratios on the form, marveling at the exquisite calctions beyond the ordinary.

    Tina continued to y with the Legos, seemingly oblivious to Elsa¡¯s actions.

    Eventually, Elsaughed, ¡°With your talent, you could make a significant impact in a national research institute.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how to get into a national-level research institute?¡± Tina replied casually.

    Elsa was startled and looked at Tina alertly.

    She found Tina¡¯s focus still on the mountain of Legos, not on her.

    Elsa rxed a bit, tidying up the table and storing the misceneous tasks left by Hugo and herself in a cab in the living room, where they kept unimportantpany documents.

    ¡°I¡¯m just an ordinary citizen; how would I know about those things?¡± Elsaughed, secretly slipping the fragrance form into her clothing, ¡°Tina, I¡¯m going out to buy some food. What would you like?¡±

    ¡°Anything is fine,¡± Tina finally looked up.

    Elsa nodded, changed her shoes, and left the house.

    Closing the door, Elsa nced at the fragrance form in her hand, a meaningful smile ying on her lips.

 Chapter 413: The Brookes Family Paternity Results

    Two dayster, Hugo¡¯spany had finalized the perfume product, giving Tina some free time to visit the hospital. Courtney had already returned to school, but Kiki and Mimi were still not discharged, though they had been moved from the ICU to a regr VIP room. Ian sat beside the baby crib, holding two small toys, and couldn¡¯t help but smile at his granddaughters¡¯ joyful faces.

    Tina knocked on the door. ¡°Old sir,¡± she called out.

    Ian responded excitedly, ¡°Little girl, you finally came. I thought you had forgotten about me.¡±

    ¡°How could I forget such a lovely old man?¡± Tina joked.

    It was the first time Ian heard someone describe him as ¡®cute¡¯, and it felt refreshing. ¡°Ah, you make my heart warm,¡± he said.

    Tina smiled. Just then, Jack and Scarlett entered the room. Ian immediately boasted, ¡°Tina just called me cute, huh! You kids always say I¡¯m strict, but Tina doesn¡¯t think so.¡±

    He then looked at Tina, ¡°May I call you Tina? It feels more personal.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Tina replied with a smile.

    Jack spoke out of frustration, ¡°Dr. Reed, my dad is only this happy when he talks to you. He¡¯s never this cute when talking to me.¡±

    ¡°Naughty boy, go get Tina¡¯s things now, instead of just making jokes,¡± Ian scolded Jack with a nce.

    Scarlett chimed in as she pulled out a red sandalwood box from a cab, its craftsmanship clearly masterful. ¡°Tina, this isn¡¯t anything expensive, just a token of the old man¡¯s gratitude. Please, don¡¯t refuse it.¡±

    Tina opened the box to find a set of jewelry crafted from Hope Blue diamonds, a piece known as ¡®Heart of Hope¡¯ that had sold for eighty million dors at an auction the year before. And the craftsmanship of the blue diamond was among the rarest in the world.

    This wasn¡¯t expensive?

    Even in her own collection room, she only had one such set.

    ¡°It¡¯s too valuable, I can¡¯t ept it,¡± Tina declined. She had rescued Kiki and Mimi because they had been kidnapped along with other babies, not for a reward.

    Seeing Tina¡¯s reluctance, Ian personally ced the box in her hands. ¡°You can¡¯t refuse an old man¡¯s gift; it would shorten my life.¡±

    ¡°Please ept it, Tina. Without you, we wouldn¡¯t even know how much suffering Kiki and Mimi would have endured. Words can¡¯t express our gratitude,¡± Scarlett added.

    ¡°Please take it, or my dad will insist on delivering it to your home,¡± Jack joked as he picked up his twin daughters.

    Ian hit him lightly on the leg with his cane, ¡°Who said you could hold my granddaughters? Put them down.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I even hold my daughters? Dad, that¡¯s too harsh,¡± Jack pleaded helplessly to Tina.

    Seeing their insistence, Tina finally epted the gift, then said to Jack, ¡°Mr. Brookes, they say you owe a favor to those whose gifts you ept, so I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    Laughter filled the room, and Tina¡¯s heart gradually settled down. Unknowingly, she hade to think of this hospital room as her sanctuary.

    It seemed as if here, she needed to do nothing. When Tina left the hospital, it was alreadyte. Jared was waiting downstairs and approached her as soon as she emerged. A cold breeze swept by, prompting Tina to wrap her coat tighter around herself. She asked him, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait in the car?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to see you sooner,¡± Jared replied, taking Tina¡¯s hand and noticing she was holding a bag. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    Looking at the bag, Tina smiled and said, ¡°Probably an apology gift.¡±

    Secretly collecting her own DNA, she had taken it to her hospital in Clearwater for a paternity test. The results were disappointing. Nevertheless, she prepared a gift of apology, presenting it under the guise of a thank-you gesture.

    Tina wasn¡¯t particrly offended; she understood the Brookes family¡¯s desire to find their biological daughter. Perhaps in some ways, she did resemble the daughter they remembered. But she truly wasn¡¯t the child of the Brookes family. Her mother was Natalie Whittaker, not Natalie Brookes. Although her mother was adopted, she never spoke of her birth family. Perhaps they hadn¡¯t treated her mother well, leading to her abandonment.

    At the hospital, Ian stared at the paternity test report, his eyes filled with profound regret. Tina felt so familiar, so much like his Alina. Yet, the test results showed no biological connection between them. How could this be?

    Jack sat down, taking the report from in front of Ian, ¡°Dad, stop looking at it.¡± Jack had also hoped greatly for the test. He had a feeling that Tina was his niece. But the results were clear, and they had to ept the truth.

    Ian¡¯s tears flowed freely as he thought of his daughter, his heart aching with grief. Yet, he was convinced Tina was rted to Alina. His feelings were too strong to be coincidental.

    ¡°Are the Farrells nning a birthday celebration?¡± Ian asked.

    Jack nodded, ¡°Yes, Dad, do you want to attend?¡±

    ¡°Yes, find a way to get the Farrells to invite us.¡± The Brookes family had significant influence in Clearwater but had never ventured into Ashbury, and their stay had been discreet.

    The Farrell family not inviting them to the celebration was expected. But with a little effort, getting an invitation wouldn¡¯t be difficult. ¡°Grandfather is having a birthday party, and this time, we can¡¯t let Jared steal the spotlight again. We must find a way, or there will be no turning back,¡± Walter said bitterly.

    Thinking of the ten billion dors given to Jared and Tina made him cringe. That was ten billion dors, enough to livevishly for a long time!

    Alexander gave his son a scornful look, ¡°If you werepetent, Tina wouldn¡¯t have had anything on you. Thankfully, she didn¡¯t tell your grandfather, or our whole family would be ruined. You¡¯re really good for nothing.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t me me for this. If only Vivienne hadn¡¯t agreed so readily without even bargaining,¡± Walter pushed all the me onto Vivienne.

    Vivienne sat silently to the side, merely observing the tablet in her hands. Walter felt like his punch had hit cotton, unsatisfying.

    ¡°You fool, say something!¡± Walter snatched the tablet from Vivienne and smashed it onto the table.

 Chapter 414: The Uncleâ€™s IQ Seems to Have Dropped

    A sh of fierceness passed through Vivienne¡¯s eyes, piercing through Walter¡¯s body like an invisible chill, utterly cold.

    Walter jumped, somewhat cowed, ¡°Isn¡¯t this just me asking for your advice?¡±

    ra quickly smoothed things over, ¡°Vivienne, your brother didn¡¯t mean it, don¡¯t be upset.¡±

    Vivienne picked up her tablet again, saying indifferently, ¡°I want tounch mytest design at Grandpa¡¯s birthday banquet.¡±

    Upon hearing this, everyone else was visibly impressed.

    Vivienne was in charge of thepany¡¯s jewelry department, mainly responsible for design and production.

    Logan valued her highly, and they had received quite a few privileges for it.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    It had been a long time since Vivienne hadunched a new design, causing sales to slip.

    Now, she nned to introduce a new product at the banquet, surely this would help fill their hundred-billion-dor shortfall!

    ¡°Very well, my dear daughter, take your time, don¡¯t work too hard, mom will go prepare some supper for you.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, have something to eat, don¡¯t overexert yourself, just tell dad what you want. Once it¡¯s sessful, that sports car you like, dad will buy it for you.¡±

    Alexander and ra couldn¡¯t be happier. Not just a sports car or supper, if Vivienne wanted the stars and the moon right now, they would fetch them for her.

    As long as she could make a good impression in front of Logan and get some revenge for the second branch!

    Vivienne was used to her parents¡¯ attitude; taking her tablet, she went into her room to continue her research.

    This design had taken all her effort, yet she still felt itcked somethingpared to Master Irene.

    Walter felt a bit jealous.

    It was just jewelry design, all learned from painting, as if no one else understood it?

    What was she putting on airs for?

    But since Vivienne wanted to stand out, he couldn¡¯t fall behind.

    He had to make Tina suffer a bit at the banquet, otherwise, Vivienne would steal all the limelight.

    Logan¡¯s birthday banquet was fast approaching.

    It was a major event for the Farrell family, and Jared was also busy with preparations.

    He personally took care of everything, even the menu for the banquet.

    Logan, however, was only looking forward to making an entrance with his granddaughter-inw.

    He thought it looked prestigious to appear together.

    In a stolen moment from his busy schedule, Jared went to see Tina, reluctantly telling her, ¡°Grandpa has designed several ways for us to make an entrance, he¡¯s even thinking about rehearsing with you.¡±

    Tina couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    ¡°The day after tomorrow I¡¯m going back to pick up my parents. Just wait for me at home, I¡¯ve also invited the Brookes family,¡± Jared said as he fed Tina a piece of cake.

    Tina was somewhat surprised about inviting the Brookes family.

    ¡°The mining business isn¡¯t that closely rted, why think of inviting the Brookes family?¡± she asked.

    Jared smiled, ¡°Mr. Brookes contacted me a few days ago, wanting to talk about the mining business¡¯s derivatives.¡±

    ¡°Jewelry?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow.

    Jared nodded, ¡°Yes, they are sincere, and naturally, I couldn¡¯t be impolite.¡±

    Who wouldin about having too much money?

    Besides, all his money was to be handed over to his wife.

    The more money in his wife¡¯s hands, the more secure his position.

    Otherwise, if the youngdy ran off, it would be a great loss.

    Who would let him have nine brothers-inw dreaming of breaking them up?

    No, there was also that Emerson family boy.

    ¡°The Brookes family is a worthwhile coboration, it won¡¯t be a loss.¡± Tina thoughtfully finished all the strawberry cake.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Strawberry cake is delicious.¡±

    ¡°But eating too much sugar isn¡¯t good either.¡±

    ¡°For Uncle¡¯s health, he shouldn¡¯t have too much sugar.¡±

    ¡°So, let her do the harmful stuff.¡±

    ¡°After all, she¡¯s ten years younger than Uncle; sacrificing a year or two of lifespan doesn¡¯t matter much.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s quite a considerate fiancee.¡±

    Jared: ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°You are considerate!¡±

    ¡°So considerate that you can¡¯t bear to give it to me!¡±

    Jared pulled away the cake and then brought over a cup of refreshing herbal tea. ¡°The Brookes family indeed makes a great partner, but their hostility towards me is quite deep, especially Mr. Brookes.¡±

    Tina was slightly startled, ¡°What hostility do they have?¡±

    ¡°Has her IQ dropped?¡±

    She hadn¡¯t noticed any hostility from Mr. Brookes towards Uncle.

    Jared chuckled, ¡°Maybe they think I¡¯m not good enough for you?¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Do they really think that?¡±

    ¡°Has Uncle spent too much time with Hayden, bing a bit delirious too?¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t continue on this topic, ¡°On the day of the longevity feast, things might not be peaceful for the Farrell family. You and your parents should be extra careful.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Tina nodded.

    She had been thinking too muchtely; now, she just wanted to ck off.

    So, she¡¯d leave the thinking to Uncle.

    Apparently, the food at the longevity feast was quite good.

    She had slimmed down recently; it was time to replenish!

    On the day of the feast.

    Jared personally drove to pick up Hugo¡¯s family.

    Thepany was doing well, and Hugo¡¯s family had also undergone a transformation, dressed in high-end couture.

    Zackary looked even more handsome when dressed up.

    Elsa was now in Ashbury and would naturally go with them.

    Early in the morning, she and Heath came over, waiting for Jared to pick them up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ride with Haocheng; you guys go ahead.¡± Elsa, wearing a luxurious red mermaid dress that entuated her figure beautifully, clung to Heath¡¯s arm, looking very matched.

    Tina nodded, giving her a meaningful nce, ¡°Okay!¡±

    Then, she took Hugo and his wife along with Zackary and left first.

    After they left, Elsa loosened her grip, a gleam in her eye, ¡°Perform well at the feast.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Heath smiled in response.

    The longevity feast was set in the Farrell family¡¯s own hall. Orson was already waiting at the door; seeing Lysander and Hawk getting out of the car, he hurried to greet them.

    ¡°Uncle Emerson.¡± Orson greeted Hawk.

    Knowing Orson was there for Lysander, Hawk responded and gave Lysander a few instructions before going to chat with familiar partners.

    Orson looked around and whispered, ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    Lysander looked disdainfully at Orson, ¡°What¡¯s there to prepare for?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a brilliant n! How can you not prepare properly!¡± Orson sighed with frustration, ¡°We¡¯vee this far; we have to ensure everything goes wlessly, or else we won¡¯t have such a good opportunity again!¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Lysander shrugged off Orson¡¯s hand and headed towards the hall.

    Orson followed closely. Before seeing Tina, he had to stay right beside Lysander to ensure the n proceeded correctly!

    Lysander, helpless but resigned, let Orson follow.

    Soon, Jared drove into the hall¡¯s parking lot.

    ¡°Here theye!¡± Orson excitedly tugged at Lysander¡¯s clothes.

    Lysander kicked him in frustration, ¡°I see them.¡±

    ¡°Then hurry up and go over there!¡± Orson urged Lysander.

 Chapter 415: The Birthday Banquet

    Lysander was about to walk over when he saw Tina holding Jared¡¯s arm, leading their family with Logan in another direction. Lysander was frustrated, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d separate them as soon as it started? What now?¡± Orson hadn¡¯t expected his grandfather toe out and take Tina away either. ¡°The first step of the n failed. What else can we do?¡± The two young men exchanged a look of mutual disdain before going their separate ways.

    From a distance, Tina noticed Lysander and was surprised to see him with Orson. ¡°Have they made up?¡± she asked. Jared, annoyed at the sight of Lysander, tried not to show it since Lysander was Tina¡¯s friend. ¡°I don¡¯t know, let them be,¡± he replied. Tina didn¡¯t ask further.

    Logan strictly followed the rehearsal, pulling Tina along to make an entrance that would ensure she received everyone¡¯s attention as his granddaughter-inw. Though resigned, Tinaplied, knowing the birthday celebrant had the final say.

    As they waited, Vivienne approached with a box in her hand containing hertest jewelry design. ¡°Grandfather, Tina,¡± she began, ¡°I was thinking that after your speech, Tina could wear this jewelry to promote it. What do you think?¡± Logan didn¡¯t speak but showed some displeasure in his eyes. He wanted Tina to simply make an appearance with him to highlight her status, not to be a promotional tool for thepany.

    Vivienne quickly exined, ¡°I just think this bright jewelry suits Tina well; I have no other intentions.¡± Her motive was for thepany¡¯s benefit, so Logan couldn¡¯t really me her. ¡°Tina will just make an appearance with me. You wear it yourself; it¡¯ll be more convenient. I¡¯ll give you a chance to speakter,¡± he said. Seeing Logan¡¯s refusal, Vivienne had no choice but to give up. She had hoped to leverage Tina¡¯s status to boost her jewelry line.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Tina nced at the jewelry in Vivienne¡¯s hand. It looked fresh at first nce butckedsting appeal and could easily be a decorative burden.

    ¡°Tina, let¡¯s go,¡± Logan said as he led her into the hall for his speech.

    Walter emerged from behind and mockingly looked at Vivienne. ¡°How did it go? Fell t on your face? Still need me.¡± Vivienne¡¯s eyes turned cold as she warned sternly, ¡°You better not mess things up and ruin my jewelryunch!¡± The birthday banquet was a perfect opportunity-a chance to kill Jared. But after the art exhibition, she sensed Jared had caught on to something. She could predict that if she acted during the banquet, it would end inplete failure!

    So, she hadn¡¯t nned on killing Jared this time. The priority now was to solidify her position in her grandfather¡¯s heart and reduce Jared¡¯s vignce.

    Walter scoffed coldly, ¡°With those lousy trinkets of yours? You think that¡¯ll make Grandfather value us? You¡¯re so obsessed with these things that you¡¯ve lost your mind. At this rate, Jared will take over the Farrell family. Will you still care about those trinkets then?¡±

    When Jared was considered a ¡®useless person,¡¯ Walter hadn¡¯t taken him seriously. In his view, what could a useless person do? So he focused all his energy on Nathaniel. After fighting Nathaniel for so long, both were left wounded. Although Nathaniel had been released now, he no longer had any say in front of their grandfather.

    Walter himself was being ckmailed by Jared over the art exhibition incident and had been swallowing his anger ever since. But seeing what had happened in the Farrell family recently made him realize something: Jared was no fool; he had been pretending all along to let them fight each other while he reaped the benefits.

    Hah! Did they really think he was an idiot? If he didn¡¯t act soon, the Farrell family would belong to Jared someday. Who knew what fate awaited them then? The birthday banquet was a good opportunity; he wouldn¡¯t miss it. He had to bring Jared down or at least make sure neither Jared nor Tina had an easy time.

    Vivienne shot him a cold nce filled with malice that quickly disappeared. ¡°I¡¯ll say this onest time: if you dare ruin my ns, I won¡¯t spare you!¡± With that, she turned and left.

    Walter spat at her departing figure, ¡°Acting all high and mighty? The Farrell family will never be yours anyway.¡± But Vivienne didn¡¯t hear this.

    Guests arrived one after another as the emcee gave an opening speech and invited Logan to speak. During Logan¡¯s speech, only Tina stood by his side-even Jared waited below-showing how much Logan valued Tina.

    After Logan¡¯s speech, Tina¡¯s status in Ashbury¡¯s upper society rose significantly. At least now every prominent family in this circle knew that Tina was Jared¡¯s fiancee and Logan¡¯s cherished granddaughter-inw. Anyone who crossed Tina would have to consider whether they could afford to go against the Farrell family!

    Hugo¡¯s family watched from below with great satisfaction; as long as the Farrell family treated Tina well, they were content.

    After finishing his speech, Logan mentioned Vivienne¡¯s design in passing. Vivienne then brought the box on stage amid gasps from thedies below.

    ¡°Such beautiful jewelry! This must be the set Farrell family teased earlier!¡±

    ¡°I knew Miss Farrell wouldn¡¯t disappoint us; I want to order a set!¡±

    ¡°I happen to need some new jewelry; I¡¯ll take a set too.¡±

    The enthusiastic response pleased Logan greatly; he felt confident letting Vivienne handle the jewelry department.

    Then Walter called out, ¡°Mrs. Reed, do you like this jewelry?¡± Everyone turned their gaze toward Jennie, who was momentarily stunned by being suddenly addressed.

    With everyone looking at her, Jennie had no choice but to respond awkwardly but earnestly: ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give us your thoughts?¡± Walter sneered at Jennie while actually targeting Tina-everyone knew Jennie was rted to Tina; embarrassing Jennie meant embarrassing Tina.

    Jennie bit her lip and nced at the jewelry before saying earnestly: ¡°It¡¯s very beautiful and brilliantly designed.¡± She wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about jewelry and could only offer such drypliments.

    Before she could finish speaking, Walterughed loudly: ¡°Mrs. Reed, can¡¯t you say something more substantial? If you don¡¯t understand jewelry, ask Tina for help! After all, you¡¯re part of our extended family now; surely you should have some basic knowledge.¡±

    He paused briefly before adding sarcastically: ¡°Oh right-sorry-I forgot you¡¯re not really Tina¡¯s mother; your family isn¡¯t truly rted to ours anyway.¡±

 Chapter 416: Walterâ€™s Recklessness

    On the surface, it seemed like they were criticizing Hugo¡¯s family for theirck of status, but in reality, they were mocking Tina for not having a proper background and being an unknown child from nowhere. Jennie¡¯s eyes turned red, and Hugo was also somewhat angry, but since this was the Farrell family¡¯s hall, he couldn¡¯t lose his temper and ruin the birthday banquet.

    Tina frowned. Anyone who dared to touch someone from the Reed family was stepping on herst nerve. But since it was Logan¡¯s birthday banquet, she decided to give Logan face and refrained from taking action against Walter.

    She stepped forward and linked arms with Jennie. ¡°Mom and Dad, as long as you still acknowledge me, I will always be your daughter. As for what others say, just ignore it.¡±

    Tina¡¯s voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for everyone to hear clearly.

    Walter shouted angrily, ¡°Tina, who are you calling a dog?¡±

    ¡°A dog responds,¡± Tina replied indifferently.

    ¡°Do you believe I¡¯ll p you?¡± Walter had never been so insulted and moved to strike Tina.

    Jared intended to intervene before Tina could respond, but unexpectedly, Logan¡¯s cane struck first.

    ¡°You little bastard! What nonsense are you spouting? You want to hit Tina? I¡¯ll beat you to death!¡± Logan raised his cane and chased after Walter.

    Vivienne cursed under her breath. She had thought he could do something useful, but it turned out this was his n. He wanted to provoke Tina into action, but instead, he lost his temper first. Both Jared and Grandpa cherished her; there was no way they would let her be humiliated! Even if it meant ruining the birthday banquet, they wouldn¡¯t let Tina be ridiculed! This useless fool was only making things worse!

    Despite her thoughts, Vivienne walked up gracefully and supported Logan. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t be angry. Walter didn¡¯t mean any harm; he just doesn¡¯t know how to talk properly. Walter, hurry up and apologize to Mrs. Reed and Tina.¡±

    Logan stood on the stage angrily and scolded Walter as well. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Tina is my most beloved granddaughter-inw. Her family is my family. Hurry up and apologize to them or I¡¯ll break your legs today!¡±

    Walter was unwilling; he never expected Logan would embarrass him in front of so many people. This wouldn¡¯t do!

    ¡°Tina, even if you acknowledge this cheap mother of yours, you still don¡¯t understand anything. Do you really think wearing high-end custom clothes makes you upper ss? Don¡¯t even get me started on jewelry; do you know anything about it?¡± Walter looked at Tina disdainfully.

    Vivienne frowned. Useless fool! Is this never going to end?

    ¡°Walter, Tina is just from a different field than us; you can¡¯t talk like that.¡± Vivienne pulled Walter aside and apologized to Tina. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tina. Maybe it¡¯s best if you take your uncle and aunt away for now.¡±

    Jared¡¯s cold face showed a hint of frostiness as he looked at Vivienne with deep eyes before suddenly smiling. ¡°Vivienne, did you just suggest that I ask my invited guests-my father-inw and mother-inw-to leave? Are you joking?¡±

    He smiled, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes.

    Vivienne¡¯s expression changed; she realized Jared was truly angry and tried to exin. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I just thought it wouldn¡¯t look good if this continued, so I suggested it. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Before she could finish speaking, Jared interrupted coldly, ¡°The ones who should leave are you all, not my inws. Don¡¯t you agree, cousin?¡±

    Jared¡¯s anger surged around him like an invisible frost.

    Especially when he called her ¡®cousin,¡¯ it made Vivienne feel a pang of panic!

    She wanted to exin further, but Walter spoke first. ¡°Tina is just a country bumpkin! Am I wrong? She can¡¯t even afford decent jewelry; what does she know about it?¡±

    Vivienne pped Walter across the face. ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!

    How could hee up with such a stupid idea?

    Did he really think that humiliating Tina among all these wealthy families would disgrace her?

    She had been trying hard to salvage the situation, but he kept fanning the mes!

    What an utterly useless fool!

    Walter looked at Vivienne in disbelief. ¡°You dare hit me?¡±

    However, before he could finish speaking, Jared grabbed him by the cor and threw him out of the hall.

    ¡°Crack!¡±

    The sound of bones breaking echoed.

    Jared¡¯s deep eyes looked coldly at Walter outside the hall; his gaze was like a knife.

    If today wasn¡¯t Grandpa¡¯s birthday banquet, he would definitely make Walter pay for offending Tina.

    ¡°Anyone who disrespects Tina or my inws in the future will have to answer to me!¡± Jared scanned the crowd coldly with a powerful presence that left everyone speechless.

    Alexander wanted to get angry but saw Vivienne shaking her head at him and had no choice but to hold back.

    They couldn¡¯t sacrifice the entire second branch of the family for Walter.

    Vivienne stepped forward to smooth things over. ¡°Jared, Tina, I apologize on behalf of my brother. I¡¯m sorry; it¡¯s our fault.¡±

    Tina said nothing butforted Jennie instead.

    Having someone stand up for her felt pretty good.

    In the crowd, Ian nodded silently. ¡°He¡¯s quite protective of the little girl; he¡¯s a man.¡±

    Jack chuckled as well. ¡°Yes, should we go over now?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a bit longer; that Farrell family¡¯s little girl isn¡¯t simple,¡± Ian said meaningfully while ncing at Vivienne.

    Meanwhile, Vivienne showed her sincerity by saying, ¡°Mrs. Reed, to express my apology, I would like to give you this set of jewelry.¡±

    ¡°This is Set No. 0 jewelry; it¡¯s highly collectible,¡± ra chimed in from the side since she was naturally upset about her son being thrown out.

    Vivienne clenched her fists in anger; none of them had any sense!

    Tina had been holding back because she didn¡¯t want to ruin the birthday banquet but continued provocation meant she wouldn¡¯t hold back anymore.

    She looked coldly at the so-called Set No. 0 jewelry. ¡°A wed set-how dare you suggest my mom should collect it?¡±

    Vivienne hadn¡¯t expected Tina to say that and felt embarrassed for a moment.

    This set of jewelry was one of her most cherished designs-her favorite and most satisfying work so far.

    When it wasunched, it received gasps of admiration from all thedies present.

    But in Tina¡¯s mouth, it became a wed set-how could she bear that?This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Taking a deep breath to calm herself down despite feeling aggrieved on the surface she said: ¡°Tina I understand today¡¯s events have made you angry It¡¯s normal for you to be upset with me or my family But this is ourpany¡¯stest product scheduled for next quarter¡¯s promotion Saying such things in front of everyone-isn¡¯t that inappropriate?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow slightly with a hint of anger in her eyes ¡°Is it your ce to teach me how to speak?¡±

    Vivienne clenched her fists tightly until her fingertips dug into her palms ¡°Tina this is Grandpa¡¯s birthday banquet What do you want in order for this matter to end If another apology from me will suffice then I can do that too¡±

 Chapter 417: Master Irene

    As soon as those words were spoken, others began to feel that Tina was being overly harsh. They started whispering among themselves.

    ¡°This Tina really is fearless with Mr. Farrell¡¯s favor.¡±

    ¡°What can you do? She¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Those who act unjustly will meet their end. She¡¯ll suffer eventually.¡±

    The murmurs of discontent grew, and Vivienne¡¯s eyes darkened. Tina chuckled lightly and said, ¡°Fine! For Mr. Farrell¡¯s sake, why don¡¯t you apologize?¡±

    ¡°Why should my daughter apologize? You were the one who insulted her design first. Just because you¡¯re marrying into the Farrell family, you think a country bumpkin can be a phoenix?¡± ra couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Her son had just been sent to the hospital, and now they wanted her daughter to be humiliated too? It was too much!

    Vivienne remained silent. Even if Logan and Jared sided with Tina, they couldn¡¯t silence the crowd. The people¡¯s sentiments were on her side now.

    Tina looked at ra with disdain. ¡°What? Your daughter¡¯s design can¡¯t be criticized? How big is your family¡¯s face that my mother should wear wed jewelry?¡±

    ra was about to speak when Tina coldly interrupted her. ¡°Or do you think I can¡¯t provide my mother with better jewelry than this set?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand! My daughter¡¯s design was personally approved by Master Irene!¡± ra blurted out in her anxiety.

    Vivienne¡¯s expression darkened but she didn¡¯t refute. The words were already out; what use was it to argue now?

    Unexpectedly, Logan spoke slowly, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Vivienne being recognized by Master Irene. Has anyone here seen Master Irene?¡±

    Vivienne¡¯s face turned red and then white. Her own grandfather had exposed her lie, leaving her no dignity.

    She had no choice but to step forward bravely, ¡°Grandfather, it¡¯s not something important, so I didn¡¯t mention it to you. I met Master Irene not long ago, and this set of jewelry was designed under his guidance.¡±

    The crowd gasped. Those who knew about jewelry understood that Master Irene was a legend in the design world. Years ago, he had created a set called ¡®Shinny Star¡¯ that stunned the world. It was auctioned off for a billion dors by a mysterious buyer and never seen again.

    Since then, Master Irene had be a legend. No one expected that Vivienne had met him and received his guidance.

    Vivienne¡¯s jewelry instantly rose to a divine level!

    Tina frowned slightly; Vivienne really knew how to seize an opportunity. With just one sentence, leveraging Master Irene¡¯s fame, she had defined the value of her jewelry.

    Tina smirked and slowly walked over to the No. 0 jewelry set. Everyone watched intently, wondering what she intended to do.

    Unexpectedly, she took out a silver needle and began dismantling the jewelry!

    ¡°Tina, what are you doing!¡± Vivienne angrily stepped forward to stop her.

    Jared extended his hand to block Vivienne, ¡°Why so anxious? It¡¯s just a set of jewelry. If it¡¯s damaged, I¡¯llpensate you.¡±

    Vivienne gritted her teeth but knew she couldn¡¯t win against Jared and had to stand still.

    In less than half a minute, Tina stopped what she was doing and turned around. The No. 0 jewelry set looked as good as new but slightly different upon closer inspection.

    ¡°Why did she dismantle it and then put it back together¡­ wait, she removed two diamonds and rearranged them; it looks more refined now!¡±

    ¡°Although I can¡¯t pinpoint the difference, I like it much more than before.¡±

    ¡°The original design was a bit cumbersome and stifling, but after this modification, it¡¯s perfect!¡±

    Vivienne was stunned; this was exactly how she wanted it! How could this be?

    A deep voice came from the crowd, ¡°It has the touch of Master Irene.¡±

    The crowd eximed again, ¡°Yes, thest time I was this amazed was with ¡®Shinny Star.''¡±

    ¡°This set isn¡¯t as breathtaking as ¡®Shinny Star,¡¯ mainly because its original form couldn¡¯tpare. If redesigned from scratch, it would be much better.¡±

    Tina nced at Vivienne, ¡°This is what it looks like after Master Irene¡¯s guidance. Unfortunately, it¡¯s another stain on my life.¡±

    Vivienne looked at Tina in disbelief. Did she mishear? Was Tina implying that she was Master Irene?Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could Tina be Master Irene? What a joke!

    Others also picked up on Tina¡¯s implication.

    ¡°Are you really Master Irene?¡±

    ¡°No way! How could Master Irene be such a young girl? And isn¡¯t she Waverly Underwood?¡±

    Tina had so many identities that it seemed unbelievable for one person to be so versatile-she wasn¡¯t a robot!

    Ian tapped his cane loudly in the silence and slowly walked up to Tina. ¡°What are the two letters on the back of the ¡®Shinny Star¡¯ ne?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes curved into a smile; it seemed fate had brought them together. She stepped forward and said with a smile, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s on the diamond in the middle of the bracelet-two letters: NW, my mother¡¯s initials.¡±

    She had designed that piece thinking of her mother¡¯s eyes and engraved Natalie¡¯s name on it.

    Anyone who hadn¡¯t seen ¡®Shinny Star¡¯ wouldn¡¯t know this detail. Besides the mysterious buyer from back then, only Master Irene would know!

    ¡°And the font?¡± Ian asked again.

    ¡°French script with a solid star at the end of W,¡± Tina replied unhurriedly.

    Ian nodded in acknowledgment as Jack brought out ¡®Shinny Star.¡¯

    ¡°Miss Reed is indeed Master Irene; this ¡®Shinny Star¡¯ proves it.¡±

    When the jewelry box opened, revealing the long-hidden ¡®Shinny Star,¡¯ Ian smiled.

    ¡°I originally nned to give it to you; now I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡±

    Tina nodded naturally, ¡°Of course not; I don¡¯t need you to return what¡¯s rightfully mine after taking your money.¡±

    Ianughed heartily; he liked Tina more and more now.

    Jack closed the box and said to Jared, ¡°Mr. Farrell, I¡¯m afraid our coboration must end. I don¡¯t want a designer full of lies handling our future jewelry products.¡±

    Vivienne stepped back numbly; only now did she realize that these two people in front of her were from Clearwater Brookes family who had reached an initial agreement with thepany!

    But what did he mean by that?

    Could it be¡­

    Jared nced at Vivienne coldly, ¡°Mr. Brookes, we also do not need such a designer.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s continue our coboration,¡± Jack said satisfactorily.

 Chapter 418: Ten Long-Legged Beauties

    Vivienne looked at Logan, panic appearing in her eyes for the first time. Logan gazed at Vivienne with disappointment. ¡°Vivienne, stay out of thepany¡¯s affairs.¡±

    ¡°Grandfather¡­¡± Vivienne couldn¡¯t believe it. In less than half an hour, the business she was so proud of, which had secured her position in the Farrell family, was gone.

    Logan ignored her and turned to resume the banquet. ¡°Mr. Brookes, let me introduce you to my family,¡± Tina said, leading Ian to meet Hugo¡¯s family and Logan.

    After a brief silence, the scene returned to normal. Vivienne was left standing alone, ignored by everyone. The jewelry set she was so proud of was taken away by a waiter on Jared¡¯s orders.

    Vivienne watched Tina sitting between Logan and Ian, chatting happily with them. She clenched her fists tightly. Tina, Jared, I will kill you both!

    Suddenly, someone bumped into her shoulder, leaving a note and a remote control device in her hand. Vivienne was stunned as she read the note: ¡°Close the door and beat the dog.¡± She looked around but couldn¡¯t identify who had given it to her.

    Although she didn¡¯t want to act at the banquet, she knew this was her chance. Blinded by anger, she didn¡¯t consider why Jared and Tina¡¯s attitude toward her had suddenly changed. They had always gotten along well before; Jared had respected her as his cousin and given her face.

    Not far away, Orson was fuming as he watched Tina and Jared holding hands. ¡°Lysander, can¡¯t you do something?¡±

    Lysander rolled his eyes. ¡°What reason do I have to take Tina away?¡±

    Grinding his teeth, Orson said, ¡°Follow me! I refuse to believe we can¡¯t separate them.¡± He handed Lysander a ss of wine.

    Reluctantly, Lysander followed him. ¡°Grandfather, my good friend Lysander is here to wish you a happy birthday,¡± Orson said, pulling Lysander forward and draping an arm around his shoulder for emphasis.

    Lysander was annoyed but couldn¡¯t push him away. He forced a smile. ¡°Mr. Farrell, I wish you happiness as vast as the East Sea and longevity like the South Mountain.¡±

    Logan smiled kindly. ¡°You must be the FPP champion from thepetition. You¡¯re quite handsome; teach my grandson some skills when you have time.¡±

    Orson blushed deeply. ¡°Grandfather, it¡¯s FMVP! And I don¡¯t need his teaching; I¡¯m much better than him!¡±

    Lysander pinched Orson hard and gave him a warning look not to forget their purpose.

    Orson cleared his throat. ¡°Brother, I need to talk to you about something;e with me.¡± Lysanderughed awkwardly at how stiff that sounded but followed along.

    ¡°Tina, I need to discuss something with you too,¡± he added.

    Tina and Jared exchanged nces, assuming it was about their team and got up to leave with them.

    Unexpectedly, Orson led Jared to a lounge where ten long-legged beauties were waiting.

    ¡°Hello Mr. Farrell,¡± they greeted in unison.

    Orson grinned like a brothel madam. ¡°Brother, they are all my fans¡­¡±

    Jared almost kicked Orson¡¯s leg off in anger. ¡°You¡¯re so young but already indulging in such vices? Do I need to teach you a lesson?¡± Without waiting for a response, he dragged Orson out by his ear.

    The long-legged beauties screamed in confusion as they were left behind in the lounge.

    Meanwhile, Lysander estimated that enough time had passed for Jared to be seated on the sofa but not too long since Orson had warned him that Jared wasn¡¯t interested in women and would leave if he stayed too long.

    ¡°Tina,e this way; Orson needs me,¡± Lysander said as he led Tina to the lounge.

    When they opened the door, they found the beauties drinking and eating with no sign of Jared.

    Lysander cursed under his breath wondering where Orson had gone.

    Tina looked at him with a teasing smile. ¡°Is this your hobby? ying with ten girls just after turning eighteen?¡±

    Lysander tried to exin but couldn¡¯t get a word out before Jared returned dragging a beaten-up Orson behind him.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared called out coldly as if an iceberg had descended upon them. ¡°Did they both bring you here?¡±

    Tina nodded. ¡°They need some discipline.¡±

    ¡°Not learning good things at such a young age,¡± she added sternly.

    ¡°It¡¯s not Tina¡¯s fault; it¡¯s Orson¡­¡± Lysander began but Tina cut him off.

    ¡°A hundred frog jumps! If you can¡¯t finish them don¡¯t call me coach again!¡±

    Jared threw Orson out too. ¡°The main culprit-two hundred jumps.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Then he took Tina¡¯s hand and pulled her close. ¡°Let¡¯s go back; Grandfather is waiting for us.¡±

    Tina leaned into him and nodded. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Watching them leave together made Lysander furious inside.

    Orson started doing frog jumps and nudged Lysander. ¡°Hurry up! Tina said if you don¡¯t finish you can¡¯t call her coach anymore.¡±

    Halfway through his jumps Orson suddenly knelt down.

    Lysander thought he had twisted his ankle and stopped to check on him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Orson grabbed Lysander¡¯s wrist tightly and asked wide-eyed, ¡°What did Tina say you can¡¯t call her?¡±

    Lysander sighed in frustration. ¡°She said if I don¡¯t finish I can¡¯t call her coach.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ what coach? Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s that mysterious coach who led your team to seven consecutive championships and won the world championship this time!¡± Orson felt like his world was copsing.

    Lysander looked at him like he was an idiot. ¡°Didn¡¯t your brother tell you? They even made a bet.¡±

    ¡°Damn!¡± Orson shouted feeling his worldview shatter knowing that Tina was his idol all along!

    As the banquet came to an end Tina and Jared saw off all the guests before personally escorting Ian and his son out.

    Ian had hit it off with Logan and they even nned to go hiking together the next day after exchanging pleasantries for quite some time before leaving.

    Jared intended to drive Hugo¡¯s family home so they all headed to the parking lot together when suddenly Elsa¡¯s car burst into mes followed by gunfire like rain!

    Tina and Jared reacted quickly pushing Hugo¡¯s family into their car for safety.

 Chapter 419: The Enemy Moved

    Jared¡¯s car was bulletproof, ensuring their safety. Tina and Jared crouched by the side of the car, looking for a chance to dash out. But Elsa and Heath had no cover and could only hide behind another car. That car was riddled with bullet holes and wouldn¡¯t hold up for long. Jennie cried anxiously inside the locked car, unable to get out.

    ¡°Elsa! Tina!¡± Hugo shouted through a half-open window. ¡°Tina, what¡¯s happening? Why are there gunshots?¡±

    Tina pushed Hugo¡¯s head back inside. ¡°Stay in!¡±

    Jared scanned the surroundings. They hade to attend a birthday banquet and had no weapons on them. Now, with the enemy hidden, they needed to leave quickly.

    ¡°Tina, get in the car and drive out.¡±

    The only protection they had was Jared¡¯s car, and everyone needed to get in if they wanted to leave safely. But Elsa and Heath were a bit far away, making it difficult to rescue them. Besides, how could they fit two more people in the car?

    Gunshots continued as the car Elsa and Heath hid behind started leaking fuel and would soon explode. Tina nced at the situation inside the car.

    ¡°Dad, let Bobby crouch under the front passenger seat. You hold Mom and sit further inside, quickly!¡± Hugoplied immediately. Luckily, Zackary was small enough to crawl through the middle gap.

    Once he was settled, Tina quickly opened the door and got into the driver¡¯s seat. Jared followed closely behind, holding Zackary protectively.

    Tina honked twice. Elsa looked up and drew a circle in the air with her finger, indicating the route for Tina to take.

    Tina started the car and circled around in the direction of the bullets, using the vehicle to shield against the barrage of gunfire. Elsa and Heath deftly dodged the remaining bullets.

    They reached a spot where Hugo forgot to open the door in his panic. Elsa jumped through the window, opened the door from inside, pulled Heath in, and quickly shut it again.

    In the rearview mirror, Tina saw several men in ck emerge from hiding with grenades in hand.

    ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Tina shouted as she turned the steering wheel sharply, reversing direction.

    She floored the gas pedal, heading straight for the men in ck. The grenadesnded where they had just been, exploding harmlessly behind them as Tina sped away.

    The men hadn¡¯t expected her to turn back; they scattered in panic as Tina swerved towards each one of them individually.

    One by one, they were hit by the speeding car, some even flipping through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Zackary screamed as he saw someonend on top of the car, burying his face into Jared¡¯s chest in fear.

    ¡°Tina, drift left,¡± Jared instructed while shielding Zackary¡¯s head as he spotted one man trying to escape to their left.

    The narrow alley prevented further driving. Tina blocked off that exit with the car. Jared jumped out with Zackary still in his arms, covering his eyes.

    The man raised his gun at Jared but was quickly overpowered by Jared¡¯s serpentine movements and knocked out with a single punch.

    Silence returned. Tina got out of the car too and threw off a half-conscious man lying on top of it before using silver needles to immobilize him and others simrly.

    Hugo and Jennie clung to each other, trembling uncontrobly; they had never experienced anything like this before. Elsa remained calm and helped Heath treat a bullet wound on his arm.

    Tina knocked on the window. ¡°Come down and help.¡±

    Heath and Elsa exchanged nces before stepping out to help Tina and Jared tie up their captives. Jared called Hayden for assistance.

    Hayden rushed over upon hearing what happened. ¡°Wow! Fast & Furious style! Serena, are you okay?¡±

    Tina rolled her eyes at him. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Take these guys away but leave the car.¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Hayden replied but then realized something was wrong. ¡°Wait, if I leave the car, how do I go?¡±

    ¡°Carry them,¡± Jared kicked him lightly. Hayden sighed but called for backup while eyeing Elsa curiously; she seemed much calmer than everyone else who looked terrified.

    Soon enough, Hayden¡¯s team arrived and cleaned up the scene efficiently before leaving with their prisoners.

    Jared handed out some water bottles. ¡°Dad, Mom, have some water; I¡¯ll take you home.¡±

    Hugo shakily took a bottle and opened it for Jennie who weakly waved it away; she still felt dizzy. Tina gave them each a calming pill; they¡¯d need psychological counselingter to preventsting trauma from this incident.

    ¡°Dad, take Mom and Bobby into Uncle¡¯s car; he¡¯ll drive you home,¡± Tina said softly.

    Hugo finally stood up on unsteady legs but looked worriedly at Tina. ¡°What about you? What if there are more of them?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right behind you with them,¡± Tina pointed at Elsa and Heath.

    Hugo nced at them withplicated emotions; even an idiot could tell their skills weren¡¯t ordinary after what they¡¯d just done under fire.

    Jennie sensed something unusual about her daughter too but didn¡¯t dwell on it; she tugged Hugo¡¯s sleeve gently. ¡°Let¡¯s get in.¡±

    Jared looked at Tina who nodded reassuringly before he escorted Hugo¡¯s family home safely.

    After they left, Tina got into Hayden¡¯s abandoned car and honked twice again for Elsa and Heath who slowly walked over and got inside without speaking initially until Elsa broke silence hesitantly after some moments passed by quietly between them all seated together within enclosed space moving forward steadily along road ahead¡­

    ¡°Tina¡­ Heath¡­ we actually work for National Security Bureau.¡±

    Tina stopped at an intersection staring intently through rearview mirror reflecting clear eyes back upon both upants seated behind¡­

    ¡°So today¡¯s attackers were targeting you?¡±

 Chapter 420: Inviting Tina to Join the Bureau

    Elsa nodded. ¡°Yes, I just checked their identities. They are agents, probably because they want to steal the biochemical weapon secrets. Heath and I are the heads of theboratory.¡±

    Tina lightly pressed her red lips together and looked back at Elsa with some guilt. ¡°Why are you telling me such an important thing?¡±

    Elsa nced at Heath, who sighed silently. ¡°Tell her, she has to know sooner orter.¡±

    Elsa agreed. ¡°Tina, we¡¯ve been observing you for a while and know that you are a medical genius.¡±

    ¡°The reason we¡¯ve been staying at home is that our organization gave us a task. They want you to join ourb to help the countryplete thetest biochemical weapon.¡±

    Tina looked at them with interest. ¡°Biochemical weapon?¡±

    ¡°Yes, although it¡¯s a time of peace, their organization is eyeing us, researching various viruses to disrupt world peace. We must be prepared. We¡¯ve been working on this biochemical weapon project for many years but have made little progress.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think my joining will make a difference?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow and looked meaningfully at Elsa.

    Elsa took a document from her bag-it was the perfume form Tina had given to Hugo!

    ¡°I took your perfume form to theb for research. The head of theb said that the data in it matched our biochemical weapon experiment very well. Because of your form, we made a small breakthrough, so I sincerely invite you to join us and contribute to the country¡¯s biochemical weapon efforts.¡±

    Tina flicked her earlobe and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    Elsa was taken aback by Tina¡¯s straightforward refusal, not even bothering to be polite.

    ¡°I know today¡¯s events made you worry about your safety, but rest assured, if you join us, we will ensure your safety in every way possible.¡±

    Tina sneered. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for us today, would you two still be alive to tell me this?¡±

    Elsa almost bit her tongue and looked at Tina with some difficulty. ¡°Sorry, I was careless today.¡±

    Heath also said, ¡°We¡¯ve recently shaken off many people trying to follow us. We didn¡¯t notice anyone tracking us these past few days and thought those agents wouldn¡¯t act again. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which, I find it strange that despite all themotion we caused, none of the Farrell family¡¯s bodyguards appeared until Mr. Farrell called someone over. Isn¡¯t this ce close to the hall? Could they not hear the explosion?¡± Elsa frowned, her face half-lit in the dim light as she pondered.

    Heath also frowned deeply. ¡°Tina, I suggest you avoid contact with the Farrell family for now. I¡¯m worried¡­¡±

    ¡°You should worry about how to exin this to my parents,¡± Tina turned away, unwilling to deal with their ¡°righteous¡± exnations.

    Mentioning her parents brought a sh of guilt to Elsa¡¯s face. ¡°Tina, Heath and I aren¡¯t actually a couple; we had to pretend for the mission. That¡¯s why we haven¡¯t married. But can you keep this secret? I don¡¯t want Mom to worry.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina nodded.

    When they arrived at Hugo¡¯s house, Tina and Elsa got out of the car together.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Jared emerged from the shadows.

    Elsa understood they had something to discuss and politely greeted Jared before helping Heath into the house.

    Jared and Tina got back into the car and removed a listening device from the back seat.

    With a snap, Tina crushed it.

    Inside the house, Elsa painfully removed a hidden earpiece from her ear and threw it on the table. ¡°We need to try harder; otherwise, she won¡¯t agree.¡±

    Heath nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±

    In the car, Tina disdainfully threw out the listening device. ¡°Uncle, I let them win this round because of you; next time I won¡¯t.¡±

    Jared rubbed Tina¡¯s cheek; her smooth skin felt like sugared milk under his fingertips. ¡°Okay, next time we¡¯ll do it your way.¡±

    At that moment, Hayden called. Jared activated the Bluetooth system. ¡°Speak.¡±

    On the other end of the line, Hayden¡¯s furious voice came through. ¡°These bastards are tough; I¡¯m requesting permission for enhanced interrogation!¡±

    Jared replied calmly, ¡°Treat prisoners well.¡±

    Hayden seemed to punch something in frustration. ¡°Damn it! They tried biting their tongues off! Did I agree? Captain, that¡¯s not enhanced interrogation.¡±

    ¡°Fine, good job. Keep pressing them,¡± Jared said.

    ¡°Got it,¡± Hayden hung up.

    Jared¡¯s eyes grew cold as he spoke again. ¡°These people might not know the truth; we need to find him.¡±

    Tina nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    At the Farrell family home.

    Jared opened the door to find Vivienne sitting beside Logan with red eyes.

    Seeing Jared enter, Vivienne turned away and wiped her tears.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    She only reacted after knowing Jared and Tina were safe.

    Outwardly they remained good siblings within the family.

    But Jared¡¯s attitude towards her today had shocked her.

    ¡°Jared,e here,¡± Logan called out.

    Jared unbuttoned his suit jacket and tossed it on the sofa. ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Vivienne has something to say,¡± Logan replied.

    Vivienne turned around reluctantly. ¡°Jared, I know we were wrong today; Walter shouldn¡¯t have insulted Tina¡¯s parents in front of everyone. But do I deserve death for that? Just because of one word from Brookes family, you won¡¯t let me go back to work? Isn¡¯t that too much?¡±

    Despite her failed n, she had to continue acting as Jared¡¯s loving cousin.

    Jared picked up a teacup from the table and sipped some tea. ¡°Securing cooperation with Brookes family will bring at least $300 million in annual profits for ourpany. Between profit and you, I choose profit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still part of Farrell family! I¡¯ve generated more than $300 million for thispany over the years! Are you going to disregard our family ties just because I offended Tina today?¡±

    Jared looked up slightly; his deep gaze fell on Vivienne¡¯s angry face. ¡°Yes, if you offend her again, I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t stay in Ashbury.¡±

    Vivienne stared coldly at Jared for a few seconds before speaking again. ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Vivienne,¡± Logan interrupted slowly as he took out a bank card from his pocket. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your vanity today, things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.¡± He handed her the card. ¡°Take this; do whatever you want with it-Grandpa will invest in you.¡±

 Chapter 421: Lily and Mr. White

    Logan had always been impartial towards the younger generation of the Farrell family. Right and wrong were clear in his heart. Today, Vivienne¡¯s offense wasn¡¯t merely against Tina; it was more significant. As the head of thepany¡¯s jewelry design department, she represented thepany¡¯s image. Being exposed for lying in front of so many people warranted dismissal to avoid a devastating blow to thepany, especially with important business partners present. Had Vivienne been humble enough to seek advice, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up this way. Seeing Logan¡¯s demeanor, Vivienne knew her fate was sealed. There was no returning to thepany for her.

    Vivienne pursed her lips and said, ¡°Grandfather, keep the money for yourself.¡± After speaking, she grabbed her bag and turned to leave. After she left, Jared remained seated in the living room, silent. Logan nced at him several times before finally striking his leg with his cane, ¡°You rascal, what exactly happened tonight?¡± Jared rubbed his leg, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Grandfather. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Despite his age, Logan still had strength.

    Blowing on his beard, Logan continued, ¡°When the incident urred, I had already left the hall with Si Yun. I heard a faint explosion and called Vivienne to handle it. She said it was a car ident.¡± Jared¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°It was indeed a car ident, but it¡¯s been resolved.¡± Hearing this, Logan didn¡¯t ask further and, leaning on his cane, returned to his room to sleep.

    Jared was also nning to rest but then saw Orson sneakily lying at the top of the stairs. ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough jumping?¡± Jared asked coldly. Orson shook his head repeatedly, ¡°Brother, that¡­ is Tina really Hawk¡¯s top trainer?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see her in the lounge earlier?¡± Jared raised an eyebrow. Orson felt as if his brain had exploded like it had been struck by lightning. His brother had admitted it; the matter was undoubtedly true! ¡°Save me! What have I done to my idol!¡± he thought. ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room,¡± he said, no longer wanting to speak to his beloved brother. Furious for not being told earlier, Orson trudged back to his room, extremely disappointed. Jared watched him go, considering for the first time to take his brother for a brain check.

    At the TCLb, Lily¡¯s experiment failed again. She mmed everything to the ground in frustration. Why couldn¡¯t she make a breakthrough? After so much time, all experiments had ended in failure; how long would it take to develop the virus? ¡°Director, are you alright?¡± researchers asked, knocking on the door. ¡°I¡¯m fine, you can leave,¡± Lily shouted back angrily, slowly closing her eyes. The noises outside the door gradually subsided until thest sound of a punch card, leaving Lily alone in theb. A fear slowly spread throughout her body.

    Jasper had already been captured; why was she still working for them? Suddenly, herb door opened. Lily picked up a dagger hidden on the table, holding it defensively in front of her. A figure in a ck coat and a masked hat entered, dressed exactly like Jasper used to. Lily stepped back, ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. White.¡± Mr. White walked in, flicked his finger, and effortlessly knocked the dagger from Lily¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t point such dangerous things at me,¡± came a voice, altered by a special device, tinged with a hint of chill.

    Lily swallowed, unconsciously stepping back.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Mr. White, however, paid her no mind, merely ncing at the shattered experimental apparatus on the floor and the scattered data on the table. He frowned, ¡°Had I known you were so useless, you might as well have died in prison.¡±

    Lily felt her breath catch, her legs giving way as she fell to her knees. ¡°I¡­ I will continue to strive and never disappoint you, sir. Please, spare me,¡± she begged.

    Mr. White looked over coldly, a trace of disdain shing in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more month. If you still haven¡¯t seeded by then, don¡¯t me me for being merciless.¡±

    With that, Mr. White disappeared like a gust of wind, as if he had never been there.

    Lily slumped to the floor, drained, as cold sweat imperceptibly soaked her entire body.

    At some point, her phone had fallen to the ground and suddenly lit up.

    On it was a news notification.

    ¡°Mr. Jared Farrell¡¯s fiancee Tina Reed turns out to be Master Irene! How many identities does Mrs. Farrell have¡­¡±

    Lily stared at Tina¡¯s name on the screen, her eyes growing fiercer.

    Tina!

    It was all because of Tina that she had ended up in this situation!

    If not for her, Jared would have been hers, and the position of Mrs. Farrell too!

    All because of that wretched woman!

    Lily picked up a dagger from the ground and viciously stabbed the phone screen.

    Again and again, each thrust filled with boundless hatred.

    Not until the phone was split in two did she stop.

    Raising her head again, Lily had regained herposure.

    She stood up, changed into her regr clothes, and left theb.

    The next day.

    Tina slept until the sun was high, exhausted from the past few days but grateful for the chance to catch up on sleep today.

    Upon opening her eyes, she saw a mass of messages on her phone.

    ¡®Tina, are you up?¡¯ ¡®Tina, what do you want to eat?¡¯ ¡®Tina, I miss you so much!!!¡¯ ¡®Tina¡­¡¯ Among the flood of messages, she finally spotted one from ¡®Serena¡¯.

    Tina clicked it to find a picture sent by Jayden.

    He had used a newly learned disguise technique to transform himself into Ember Saffron.

    ¡°Serena, I¡¯ve pretty much mastered the disguise skill, should we still keep them?¡±

    Tina considered. Callum Maguire and Snow Judd were quite skilled; keeping them at Mountain Veil Order seemed useful.

    So she replied, ¡°Mutual benefit, teach them some of our tricks, having extra hands isn¡¯t bad.¡±

    ¡°Alrighty, also, Serena, Fatty lost Wraith again.¡±

    Typical, even that could be lost.

    Tina texted back, ¡°Let him figure it out himself.¡±

    After replying, Tina sent a video to Jared.

    Meanwhile, the doorbell rang outside.

    She opened the door to find Jared ying with Zackary with LEGO.

    A sh of surprise crossed Tina¡¯s eyes, ¡°Uncle?¡±

    ¡°I took Bobby and your parents to see a psychologist, I was a bit worried,¡± Jared began, only to see Tina already indulging in the strawberry cake on the table.

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    So it wasn¡¯t for me.

    He sighed silently, ¡°We¡¯ll head over in a bit, just wait at home.¡±

    Tina nodded repeatedly, ¡°Okay, go ahead.¡±

    That¡¯s it!

    He had no time to pay her any more attention.

    As Jared left with Hugo¡¯s family, Elsa emerged from the bedroom.

 Chapter 422: The Fish Takes the Bait

    Elsa sat beside Tina, looking somewhat uneasy, seemingly still feeling guilty about the events of yesterday. Tina paid her no heed, ncing at Elsa with eyes as pink as strawberry cake before standing up. Elsa suddenly called out to her, ¡°Tina.¡±

    With a smile curving her red lips, Tina¡¯s bright eyes shed with disinterest, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Elsa stood up, walked over to her, and lifted her shirt. On her slender waist, there was a hideous ck scar-a knife wound, poisoned. Clenching her fists, Elsa exined, ¡°This is from when I fell into an enemy¡¯s trap during a mission. I still suffer from the pain, especially on rainy days when it bes unbearably sharp.¡±

    ¡°Tina, I¡¯m not trying to gain sympathy. I just want to tell you that we¡¯ve risked our lives for the organization to sessfully develop a defense against the enemy¡¯s biochemical weapons.¡±

    ¡°So, on behalf of the organization and the country, I invite you to join our fight!¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze lowered to the scar on Elsa¡¯s waist, clearly seeing its authenticity. She grasped Elsa¡¯s wrist, checking her pulse. The poison had been in her system for years, indeed causing much suffering.

    Tina casually took out a healing pill and ced it in Elsa¡¯s mouth, ¡°This poison isn¡¯t hard to cure. Come see me once a day.¡±

    After a pause, she added, ¡°I¡¯m quite interested in what you¡¯ve said. I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±

    Elsa, taken aback, looked at her in surprise, ¡°You mean-you agree!¡±

    Tina nodded slightly, ¡°Yes, but if your experiments don¡¯t meet my standards, I¡¯m out at any time.¡±

    ¡°Great. You¡¯ll definitely find our experiments interesting,¡± Elsa smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll notify the organization and see when they can take you to theb.¡±

    With that, Elsa entered the room. Tina watched her door, her lips curling into an almost imperceptible smile. She took out her phone and texted Jared, ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±

    ¡°Missed, what about you?¡±

    ¡°The fish has taken the bait.¡±

    Jared, reading these words, could almost picture Tina¡¯s sly expression, like a proud little fox.

    Meanwhile.

    ¡°Walter, don¡¯t move, the doctor said you can¡¯t get out of bed yet,¡± ra looked at her son with concern.

    Who would have thought Jared¡¯s throw could fracture someone¡¯s bones so easily? If not for the hospital, Walter might not have survived.

    Walter limped to the couch, ¡°I¡¯ve almost gone mad lying in bed all this time.¡±

    And lying down wasn¡¯t helping; the pain was unbearable, better to move around.

    Walter waved his hand impatiently, ¡°Leave me be for now. What¡¯s the deal with Vivienne? Why was she kicked out?¡±

    At this, ra was furious, ¡°What else could it be? That wretch Tina schemed it all, and Jared¡¯s no better. No matter how well Vivienne treated him, how could he drive her out of thepany?¡±

    ¡°I said from the start-let me join thepany instead of letting Vivienne take all the limelight. And now, what are we supposed to do? Wait to starve?¡±

    ra retorted, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it initially your refusal to join thepany, preferring your useless paintings instead?¡±

    Walter eximed, ¡°You really are my mother!¡±

    Alexander, sitting nearby, was also furious, yelling towards Vivienne¡¯s room upstairs, ¡°Vivienne, what are you doing hiding in your room all day? Think hiding there will get you back in thepany? Come out and figure out a way to get your grandfather to get you back in!¡±

    Vivienne was their financial pir; half their savings came from the profits she generated at thepany.

    Now things had really turned sour, as she was ousted from her position, losing at least half of her sustenance. Vivienne sat in her room, listening to her parents and Walter downstairs, airing their grievances about her. She put on her headphones, locked the door, and ignored them. Being kicked out of thepany wasn¡¯t what worried her most. What truly troubled her were the covert deals she had been involved in. Her business dealings extended far beyond the art gallery; they also involved leveraging herpany¡¯s resources and connections, even using thepany¡¯s transportation for shipments. This was her way of making money, the very foundation of her existence. Moreover, she had signed agreements with certain individuals, and failure to meet the obligations could be deadly.

    Vivienne unlocked her phone and dialed an unknown number. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±

    ¡°The person is still in our hands, slowly being moved as per your instructions.¡±

    ¡°Good, keep an eye on them. I¡¯ll find a chance to send her away.¡±

    After hanging up, Vivienne rubbed her fingertips, her usually cold face gradually losing its color. Then, she unexpectedly received another call. It was from an unfamiliar number. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she answered, ¡°Who is this?¡±

    A female voice came through, ¡°Miss Farrell, this is Lily.¡±

    Vivienne paused. Lily? She wasn¡¯t close to Lily, but being in the same circles, she had heard of her. Lily had once been considered a prodigy doctor, the adopted daughter of the original head of the Reed family. However, since Jasper was arrested, Lily seemed to have faded from the public eye. Why would she call now?

    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± Vivienne asked, her smile instantly dispelling the gloom.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Lily¡¯s voice brightened, ¡°Do you have some time? Maybe for a coffee?¡±

    ¡°Sure, see you in a bit.¡±

    Elsewhere, Jared had taken Hugo¡¯s family to see a psychologist and then picked up Tina. They drove Hugo and his family back home. On the way, Jared mentioned, ¡°The doctor said there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Bobby has grown up; he won¡¯t have nightmares anymore.¡±

    Zackary nodded vigorously, proudly looking at Tina, ¡°Yeah, sis, Hayden bro said this incident was just an experience in life, something to brag about over drinks years from now. I¡¯m not scared at all.¡±

    Tina ruffled Zackary¡¯s hair, ¡°You¡¯re really brave.¡±

    But what on earth was Hayden bro? Tina looked at Jared, who just shrugged. Who else but Hayden? On this journey, he¡¯d almost be sworn brothers with Zackary. They even insisted on calling him Hayden bro, which sounded mighty impressive.

    Hayden: Isn¡¯t it impressive?

    Tina helplessly said, ¡°Mom and Dad, you don¡¯t have to go to the office today. Take a good rest. I¡¯ve already asked for leave for Bobby at school.¡±

    Hugo nodded, still a bit shaken by the events of the previous day, indeed not in the mood for work. Then he looked worriedly at Tina, ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Dad, don¡¯t worry,¡± Jared said, wrapping an arm around Tina¡¯s waist reassuringly.

    Hugo didn¡¯t say more, feeling reassured with Jared by Tina¡¯s side.

    After dropping Hugo and his family off, Jared and Tina had to leave due to othermitments. After they left, Elsa¡¯s door cracked open slightly. Just then, her phone rang. ncing at the caller ID, she answered.

    Whatever was said on the other end, Elsa replied, ¡°Yes, agreed. I¡¯ll prepare everything, and I¡¯ll bring her over tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Elsa hung up, her eyes shadowed with unreadable thoughts.

 Chapter 423: Lily Visits the Farrell Family

    Downstairs, Tina got into the car and pulled out her phone.

    Another message.

    ¡°Transport, Elsa, with a third party involved.¡±

    Jared frowned slightly, ¡°Is it that mysterious person again?¡±

    Tina rubbed her temples, her eyes deepening, ¡°Yes, I still can¡¯t find any trace. Whenever I try to enter their domain, my system crashespletely!¡±

    The IP address for each message from this mysterious person was different, making it impossible to track; the attempts either resulted in system paralysis or theputer screen going ck.

    The hacker¡¯s skills were so advanced that even she was at a loss.

    Tina had been trying various methods to track them, but all to no avail.

    To this day, she couldn¡¯t determine whether this mysterious person was an insider or a smokescreen deployed by GTO.

    Jared looked at the message, ¡°His statement is quite broad, do you understand what it means?¡±

    Tina shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    She understood thest two sentences, but transport?

    Was GTO nning to use transportation to send something out?

    But their research hadn¡¯t seeded yet, what could they possibly be sending?

    She couldn¡¯t figure it out yet and decided to send the message to Mountain Veil Order for Jayden to investigate.

    ¡°Serena, where are we going now?¡± Hayden asked.

    Tina put away her phone, ¡°To the Farrell family.¡±

    ¡°To the Farrell family? Mr. Farrell, didn¡¯t you just leave? What, homesick now?¡± Hayden asked suspiciously.

    Tina pped the back of Hayden¡¯s head.

    Why was he bing more infuriating by the day?

    Jared: When can Nathane back? Hayden¡¯s driving me crazy every day.

    Nathan: No! I want to lie in bed for the rest of my life!

    After receiving the p from Tina, Hayden shut his mouth.

    Tina leaned on Jared¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Who¡¯s at home?¡±

    ¡°My mom and grandpa, Sophia went to school,¡± Jared replied naturally, wrapping his arm around Tina¡¯s shoulder and gently kissing her forehead.

    A sudden brake, and Hayden nearly threw them both out.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you drive! Competing with me on the road!¡± Hayden cursed, frustrated.

    This was a limited-edition car, and typically, no one darede close on the road.

    Unexpectedly, today there actually was a car brazen enough to approach.

    Jared nced out the car window, ¡°Can¡¯t you see there¡¯s a car there?¡±

    Suddenly, his expression froze.

    Jared watched the small delivery truck, his eyes gradually darkening.

    ¡°Tina.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡±

    Tina responded in a deep tone, a hint of amusement hidden in her eyes.

    She understood the meaning of the message now.

    At the Farrell family, Logan and Marie were picking out a wedding dress for Tina.

    Though the wedding date wasn¡¯t set yet, it was always good to prepare early.

    ¡°This one, this one looks good, Tina will definitely look beautiful in it,¡± Logan pointed out a wedding dress.

    Marie had different opinions; she pointed at several other dresses, ¡°Dad, I think this one looks good, and it suits Tina as well.¡±

    In a matter of minutes, the two had already selected over a dozen wedding dresses.

    Jared walked in with Tina, looking at the sofa full of wedding dress designs, and paused, ¡°Mom, are you and dad nning to have another wedding?¡±

    Marie red at him, pping his forehead, ¡°Can¡¯t you speak properly?¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Was everyone prone to violence or what?

    Why did they always resort to hitting?

    He wondered if anyone outside their family would dare touch him like this.

    Marie spoke irritably, ¡°I¡¯m too old to have another wedding, these are for Tina, move aside, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    She dismissively pushed Jared away, smiling warmly as she walked towards Tina, ¡°Tina, why didn¡¯t you tell me you wereing? I would have prepared something delicious for you. Is there anything you¡¯d like to eat? I¡¯ll have it made right now.¡±

    Jared pinched the bridge of his nose.

    He had intended to greet Logan but ended up watching his grandfather head straight toward Tina.

    He felt utterly invisible!

    Jared was speechless.

    Fine!

    He was certain he wasn¡¯t his real son.

    Tina was.

    Tina, along with Logan and Marie, exchanged polite greetings before she said to Logan, ¡°Grandpa, my dad said he was really sorry about yesterday¡¯s birthday party. He specifically asked me toe over to apologize to you.¡±

    ¡°Why all the formality? It¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s all Walter¡¯s doing. Really, that boy should be the one apologizing to your parents,¡± Logan replied, a look of regret on his face.

    He knew Tina wasn¡¯t one to seek the spotlight, but the pressure from the second house yesterday forced her to reveal her identity.

    Tina didn¡¯t me Logan; she vividly remembered how he defended her the previous day.

    It was some rotten characters who had ruined Grandpa¡¯s birthday party.

    Those people, she would deal with them sooner orter.

    After some small talk, Tina pulled a notebook from her bag.

    ¡°Grandpa, this is a bracelet I designed yesterday. Ourpany¡¯s urgent coboration with the Nan family should meet their standards.¡±

    Before Logan could respond, Marie eximed, ¡°Tina, is this yourtest design? Isn¡¯t this the concept bracelet youunched years ago? It¡¯s finally a finished product!¡±

    Though Marie was primarily a perfume enthusiast, her collection of jewelry was impressive.

    Including a cab full of perfumes, she also owned many world-ss jewels.

    She had been upset for a long time after missing out on a masterpiece by Irene called ¡°Shinny Star.¡±

    Now, Irene was her daughter-inw, and she could have as many of her collections as she wanted.

    Tina nodded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the one. I revised some details yesterday.¡±

    Marie¡¯s eyes sparkled, ¡°Dad, can I have the first one? It¡¯s a masterpiece by Irene, hertest after so many years. Dad, please let me have the first one.¡±

    Logan was well aware of his daughter-inw¡¯s persistence. If he didn¡¯t agree, who knew how long she¡¯d keep asking.

    ¡°Alright, alright, it¡¯s yours,¡± Logan said with a resigned smile.

    Marie¡¯s grin was so wide she could barely see.

    While they were stillughing, Vivienne pushed the door open.

    Jared¡¯s gaze darkened.

    Then he turned to look behind Vivienne.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    Following her was Lily.

    Marie¡¯s expression also darkened. She wasn¡¯t familiar with Lily, but she was aware of the drama with the Reed family.

    Especially Lily¡¯s obvious desire to marry her son.

    So, seeing Lily annoyed her.

    What kind of seductress thought she could entice her son?

    That would depend on whether she allowed it.

    Lily stepped forward, holding a box containing a very expensive medicinal herb.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, I took the day off toe see you with Vivienne. I couldn¡¯t make it to yesterday¡¯s birthday party, so here¡¯s my gift to you.¡±

    Vivienne sat next to Logan, ¡°Grandpa, Mingzhu picked this out especially for you. She¡¯s been regretting not being able toe yesterday to celebrate with you.¡±

    Logan looked unimpressed, ¡°Ha! Poor old man like me can¡¯t afford such expensive herbs. Better take it back.¡±

 Chapter 424: Entering the Laboratory

    Lily could imagine that the Farrell family wouldn¡¯t wee her, but she hadn¡¯t expected them to show no courtesy at all. It was all because of Tina!

    ¡°Grandpa, please keep it, don¡¯t disappoint Lily¡¯s good intentions,¡± Vivienne tried to smooth things over, making it less awkward.

    Marie scoffed coldly, ncing disdainfully at Lily, ¡°Miss Ward, my father has a Spectre bracelet that Tina gave him. We don¡¯t need yours right now.¡±

    Lily was taken aback.

    Spectre!

    How did Tina get something from Spectre?

    The entire medicalmunity knew that Spectre was elusive, leaving no trace wherever he went. How could he possibly leave behind anything of his?

    Where did Tina get it from?

    What infuriated Lily even more was that Tina had actually given away something from Spectre!

    That was something Lily had dreamt of obtaining but never could.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Seeing Lily¡¯s shocked expression, Marie¡¯sughter was even more disdainful.

    ¡°Tina, let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you out,¡± Marie said, leading Tina away.

    Tina did not refuse, allowing Marie to pull her along, only giving Vivienne a fleeting nce as she passed.

    Vivienne unconsciously tensed up, feeling a cold sweat as she looked into Tina¡¯s eyes.

    For some reason, she felt as if she had been seen through.

    Even after Tina and Marie had gone upstairs, the chill on Vivienne remained.

    She always felt like she had seen such a gaze somewhere before.

    Jared also stood up, ncing at the medicinal herbs in Lily¡¯s hands.

    Lily,ing back to her senses, was just about to greet Jared when he suddenly spoke, ¡°Mrs. Brown, from now on, check everything thates into the Farrell family properly. Don¡¯t let people bring in just anything.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the housemaid, having been with the Farrell family for many years, especially Mrs. Brown, who had been there for over forty years, understood the family¡¯s mindset well.

    They wore their disdain for Lily on their faces, and she was naturally supportive.

    Mrs. Brown said, taking the medicinal herbs from Lily¡¯s hand, ¡°Miss Ward, let me check these please.¡±

    Lily felt her face burning with embarrassment.

    But since it was requested, she could only offer a stiff smile, ¡°Of course, please do Mrs. Brown.¡±

    After saying this, she handed over the medicinal herbs to Mrs. Brown.

    Mrs. Brown, very efficiently, called the family doctor in front of Lily to check the herbs.

    Lily was so angry her face turned pale, but she endured it.

    Jared, uninterested in watching, followed Tina upstairs.

    Lily watched Jared¡¯s retreating back, her fists clenched tightly.

    It was all because of Tina!

    If not for her, she wouldn¡¯t have been so humiliated today.

    After the family doctor confirmed there was nothing wrong with the herbs, Mrs. Brown returned them to Lily.

    Vivienne, trying to ease the situation, sat next to Lily and ced the box of medicinal herbs in Logan¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Grandpa, this is Lily¡¯s heartfelt gesture for your birthday, surely you can¡¯t just turn it away. Please, take it.¡±

    ¡°Vivienne, even if you¡¯re not in thepany now, you shouldn¡¯t be idling and hanging out with bad influences every day. I¡¯m tired, you all go back,¡± Logan grunted, tossing the box casually onto the table.

    Vivienne, who had just been kicked out of thepany and was his granddaughter, thought Logan might show some leniency.

    But it was Lily who was involved, and he was not about to give any face to her.

    Vivienne hadn¡¯t expected Logan to be so adamant. After all, Lily hade in the name of being her friend, yet he showed no courtesy whatsoever.

    What kind of spell had Tina cast on the Farrell family?

    It must have been potent indeed!

    Seeing that Logan refused to engage with them, Vivienne and Lily had no choice but to leave.

    Vivienne dropped Lily off at the doorstep of the Farrell family.

    Lily pursed her lips and said, ¡°Vivienne, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble I¡¯ve caused you.¡±

    Vivienne¡¯s fingers gripped the box tightly, though her expression remained serene.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not your fault. It would have been better if we could havee earlier,¡± Vivienne said, her head half-bowed in a semnce of guilt.

    ¡°Don¡¯t me him, it¡¯s all that woman¡¯s fault. If it weren¡¯t for her, they surely wouldn¡¯t have treated us this way.¡±

    In just a few sentences, the me was squarely ced on Tina.

    It seemed as though they had reached a mutual understanding in some unseen way.

    At a secret research facility in Ashbury.

    Tina was blindfolded, led by Elsa to the center of theboratory.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Elsa removed the blindfold from Tina¡¯s eyes. ¡°This is ourb, and these are the researchers.¡±

    Tina looked around; each person wore a mask and a uniform whiteb coat, their expressions neutral as they observed her.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this is Tina, whom I¡¯ve mentioned before. The perfume form I brought back was written by her,¡± Elsa introduced.

    At this, the people reacted, ¡°You¡¯re the great Tina! Genius, can you give me some advice?¡±

    ¡°Me first, please help me! Genius, I¡¯ve been stuck on this for a while.¡±

    ¡°Look at mine, genius, it¡¯s urgent.¡±

    Tina was quickly pulled to ab bench, surrounded by various reagents and reports.

    Indeed, there had been no progress for a long time.

    She memorized every detail from the data, a hint of mockery lighting up her eyes.

    Then, she addressed the questions asked earlier and guided them in several areas.

    With her tips, it was as if a light had been turned on in their minds.

    Following her advice, they resumed their experiments and soon made new progress.

    A smile appeared simultaneously on everyone¡¯s faces.

    ¡°So, that¡¯s the principle! I can¡¯t believe I hadn¡¯t realized this issue for so long. Indeed, a genius is different.¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve been stuck on this part for a long time, unable to make a breakthrough. After seeing the genius¡¯s perfume form, it was an eye-opener. Now, being personally guided by the genius, I feel I canplete this experiment very soon.¡±

    Amidst thepliments, Tina remained indifferent.

    Elsa smiled, ¡°Tina, having you join us is a great enhancement for our team.¡±

    Tina nced at her, the corners of her lips slightly raised. ¡°Let¡¯s talk after theb tour is over.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Elsa then took Tina to see the rest of the experiments in theboratory.

    Though theb was small, it housed many experiments.

    After spending the entire day in theboratory, Tina and Elsa finally went home.

    ¡°How do you feel about today?¡± Elsa asked.

    Tina rested her hand on the car window, her slender fingers supporting her head, andzily replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine. The projects in theboratory are not too juvenile. They¡¯re eptable.¡±

 Chapter 425: Tinaâ€™s Online Debt Collection

    Elsa gave a dryugh.

    Childish?

    If the research material from theb were to be exposed, it would shock the world.

    And yet, in Tina¡¯s words, it was ¡°not that childish?¡±

    Elsa nced at her and asked, ¡°So, you agree to stay in theboratory?¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Elsa sighed with relief and smiled, ¡°Thank you, Tina. I really appreciate you agreeing to participate in this experiment. Our progress will surely be very rapid.¡±

    Tina did not respond, her gaze drifting out the car window, watching the falling lights as a smile slowly formed on her lips.

    Elsa dropped Tina off at the Reed family¡¯s ce but did not go upstairs, instead turning the car around.

    In the back seaty the experimental data Tina had modified that day.

    Upon returning home, Tina found Hugo and Jennie already asleep, and although the light was on in Zackary¡¯s room, he too was asleep.

    She turned off the light in Zackary¡¯s room and then entered her own.

    The moment she opened the door, her step faltered, and her eyes sharpened instantly.

    She coldly looked towards the window-wedged in the crack was a piece of paper.

    This was the twenty-third floor. If not an intrusion, then such a feat was extraordinary!

    She could confirm that now, apart from the Reed family, no one else was here.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Clearly, the sender was a master.

    She walked over and pulled out the paper.

    It consisted of a line of crooked letters cut from a newspaper.

    ¡°TCL Laboratory.¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze lowered as she clenched the paper tightly in her hand.

    She was certain the person who sent this letter was not the same as the mysterious texter.

    But who could it be?

    Suddenly, she smiled.

    That old man, having roamed enough outside, hade to assert his presence.

    What? Did he want to see if she had regressed?

    Her lips curled slightly, and she then pulled out her smartphone, opened her social media ount, and posted the only message: ¡°Pay back the money!¡±

    This social media ount was set up years ago by Cole, who said that it was what young people enjoyed these days.

    She needed to keep up with the trend.

    Not that she had agreed initially, but Cole¡¯s nagging almost drove her mad, so she had relented.

    Though she had registered, she never used it.

    Since she returned to the Ensford Reed family, she gradually began appearing in public, and her social media gained quite a few followers.

    After her various identities were exposed and she saved the students of ss 22D through a live broadcast, she attracted even more followers, now totaling about ten million.

    After she posted the message, her nine brothers were the first to receive the news.

    Others might not know, but they all did-there was only one person in the world who could owe Serena money: their master.

    A thousand dors, owed for several years and still not repaid.

    Especially since he had feigned death, making them cry for a long time.

    Now, Serena publicly demanding money indicated that the old man had shown up again to unt himself.

    So, helping Serena collect the debt, how could they not be involved?

    Thus, all nine posted on social media, sharing Tina¡¯s post: ¡°Pay back the money!¡±

    Tina¡¯s fans and those of her nine brothers were baffled, unable to understand who owed Tina money that required such a grand spectacle.

    A fan asked who owed Miss Reed money.

    The other eight brothers did not reply but simply shared the post and left it at that, except for Hayden, who solemnly and seriously responded: The one who owes Serena money is our master.

    He even used another ount to register a social media ount for Master Tam and tagged and called out to Master Tam: ¡°Master, a thousand dors, do you have the face to owe this? Pay up now!¡±

    As soon as the post hit social media, all the fans were speechless: ¡°What the heck?¡±

    Miss Reed¡¯s master was actually refusing to pay back $1, 000?

    Nowadays, any job could earn you $1, 000!

    So, Hayden and Tina¡¯s fans started sharing the post on social media and tagging Master Tam, demanding he pay back the money.

    Tina¡¯s other eight brothers were shocked when they saw Hayden¡¯s post.

    James was the first to message in the group: ¡°Holy crap! Serena, you¡¯re really going head-to-head with Master? Aren¡¯t you scared he¡¯lle settling scores with you?¡±

    Wesleymented: ¡°Not bad, not bad. Serena, you¡¯ve got guts. I just wonder if you¡¯d still talk like this if Master were here. I¡¯m rooting for you, keep it up!¡±

    Damian remarked: ¡°Tsk, I¡¯ll mourn for you in advance.¡±

    Philip added: ¡°What¡¯s there to fear? A man¡¯s gotta have some spirit! Just do it!¡±

    Hayden replied: ¡°Look at you guys, acting all scared! Hasn¡¯t Serena always been good to you? The old man owes her $1, 000 of hard-earned money. Can¡¯t we help her get it back?¡±

    Hayden continued: ¡°If you ask me, you¡¯re all talk. You say you love Serena, but when ites down to helping her with something important, you do nothing. If I were you, I¡¯d be sting social media right now, chasing the old man for the money!¡±

    Hayden added: ¡°Isn¡¯t Serena¡¯s happiness worth more than your little troubles? Besides, that old man has vanished somewhere enjoying himself. If we don¡¯t push him, when will he ever show up?¡±

    Dexter agreed: ¡°Makes sense!¡±

    Liam said: ¡°Serena used to be unreliable, but she got it right this time. We all stand with Serena and need to defend her.¡±

    Tristan dered: ¡°No more nonsense, I¡¯ve shared Serena¡¯s post.¡±

    Following this, the rest of Tina¡¯s eight brothers also started posting and tagging Master Tam, demanding the debt be paid!

    Tina¡¯s friends and Ember Saffron, a superstar, also shared the post. In no time, Tina¡¯s debt collection from Master Tam became a trending topic on social media!

    Tina saw her post at the top of the trending list and smiled slyly.

    Hmm! Social media really isn¡¯t half bad!

    She achieved the effect she wanted.

    She might consider using this tactic more often!

    Meanwhile, Hayden looked at the trending news on his phone, then at Jared sitting next to him, legs crossed, holding a ss of wine, and felt like cursing.

    He angrily turned off his phone and red at Jared, ¡°Mr. Farrell! Isn¡¯t this a bit too harsh? If Master finds out, he¡¯ll skin me alive!¡±

    The nine brothers knew Tina had joined social media and had followed her from the start.

    But since Tina never posted, they didn¡¯t pay much attention.

    Today, suddenly there was a notification sound, and when he checked, it was Serena¡¯s debt collection post.

    Then the eight brothers started sharing the post, and he was still hesitating whether to share it when Mr. Farrell grabbed his phone and shared it without discussion.

    That was not all; he even tricked the eight brothers into posting using his tone.

    He could already imagine their faces when they found out the truth.

    Even what would happen when Master returned.

    Jared nced at him indifferently, ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to offend Master, so I should?¡±

    Tina was collecting a debt, and naturally, as her fiance, he had to contribute.

    But-as someone who is extremely devoted and upholds male virtues, how could he be the one to offend Master?

    Of course, it had to be Hayden, the goofball!

    As for the other eight brothers-inw.

    Hmm!

    Tina said, the best way to deal with enemies is to find their weak spot.

    Master Tam was the perfect weak spot.

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    You old trickster.

 Chapter 426: Master Tam

    In a modest farmhouse, Master Tam browsed through trending topics on social media and clicked his tongue, ¡°That darn girl! It¡¯s just a bit of money owed; does she need to chase me this long?¡±

    Beside him sat a man dressed in sportswear, appearing around forty-five years old. ncing at his phone and then at Master Tam, he remarked, ¡°I told you not to wander around aimlessly! Did you really think she wouldn¡¯t find you?¡±

    Setting down his phone, Master Tam poured himself a ss of white liquor. After drinking it, he looked at the man, ¡°What does it matter? If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t bear being away from my beloved apprentice for so long. All these years away, and not a soul to ask how I¡¯ve been.¡±

    ¡°I even miss the medicinal meals she cooked, and of course, her cooking was delicious.¡±

    The man¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°¡­Are you sure what she made could be called food?¡±

    Master Tam red, ¡°Stop your snide remarks. My dear apprentice¡¯s cooking was delicious, only those who can¡¯t appreciate it would say otherwise.¡±

    The man shrugged, ¡°¡­Alright! As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±

    Master Tam hummed a few notes and poured another drink. After a moment of silence, he said, ¡°Tell me, how long are you going to keep this up? Don¡¯t oveplicate things! That girl has quite the temper! I deceived her once, and she went as far as digging up my grave. I tell you¡­¡±

    The man scoffed, ¡°Better mind yourself. They¡¯ve already tracked you down to Ashbury. You can dodge once, but not forever.¡±

    Master Tam snapped, ¡°¡­If you can¡¯t say something nice, don¡¯t say anything at all! You¡¯re such a downer!¡±

    The man simply shrugged and ignored him.

    At apany under the Farrell family¡¯s umbre.

    Vivienne returned to the office to collect her belongings. The design department greeted her warmly, expressing regret at her departure.

    ¡°After I leave, you all must continue to work hard andunch the new product soon,¡± Vivienne instructed the staff.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Vivienne, the new product has alreadyunched. It¡¯s atest masterpiece from Master Irene, brought in by Mr. Farrell,¡± they informed her.

    A flicker of jealousy crossed Vivienne¡¯s eyes, but she masked it well, so well that everyone thought she was pleasantly surprised.

    ¡°Vivienne loves Master Irene¡¯s work; meeting her in person must be thrilling for you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Vivienne, what does Master Irene look like? Can we have a meet-and-greet?¡±

    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s a celebrity? Just get me her autograph, Vivienne, can you do that?¡±

    The staff, unaware of Tina¡¯s real identity as Master Irene and the events at Logan¡¯s birthday party, continued their chatter. Jared had ensured everyone present at the event kept it a secret.

    Vivienne forced a smile, ¡°If it were so easy to meet Master Irene, she wouldn¡¯t be the master she is. Now that I¡¯m leaving thepany, I won¡¯t have the chance either. I¡¯m really sorry I can¡¯t help you.¡±

    The staff didn¡¯t press her, though they felt some regret.

    Now that Vivienne was leaving, and with her poprity at thepany, there were concerns about who would take over the design department. If the new boss wasn¡¯t as approachable, their good days might be over.

    After leaving thepany, Vivienne made a phone call, ¡°Make your move.¡±

    At the Reed family.

    Elsa and Tina stepped out together.

    ¡°Tina, have you discussed this with Jared? If you officially join theb, it might not be as casual as it is now,¡± Elsa expressed her concern.

    ¡°Right.¡± Tina closed her eyes, her arms crossed over her chest, a hint of weariness on her face. Seeing this, Elsa didn¡¯t continue. She escorted Tina into theboratory. ¡°Tina, I¡¯ll leave you to it then; I have other tasks to attend to,¡± Elsa said before leaving. Tina waved her off casually, pulling on a pair of white gloves that tightly enveloped her slender fingers, a mix of restraint and temptation.

    After Elsa left, Tina turned to the group behind her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    Meanwhile, at the Farrell family residence, Logan suddenly fell ill and copsed, unconscious. His personal doctor, unable to determine the cause, was followed by all the prominent doctors of Ashbury, whom Jared had summoned. None could help.

    ¡°Tina? Doesn¡¯t she know some medical techniques? Why not call her?¡± Alexander muttered, but seeing Jared¡¯s expression, he didn¡¯t dare speak too loudly.

    Jared, with a furrowed brow, replied, ¡°I can¡¯t reach Tina right now.¡±

    ¡°At a critical time like this, none of you are of any use; what good does it do my father to care for you?¡± Alexander scoffed, crying out towards Logan¡¯s room, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s just unfortunate that Walter isn¡¯t well, or he would have brought the best doctor.¡±

    Just then, Vivienne hurried over, ¡°Make way, let Lily have a look.¡± Lily emerged from behind Vivienne and said to Jared, ¡°Mr. Farrell, let me try.¡±

    Without waiting for Jared¡¯s response, ra pushed Lily into the room. ¡°Go on, Lily, my father can¡¯t wait. Surely we aren¡¯t going to wait for Master Irene toe and show him design drafts, are we?¡±

    Lily pursed her lips and entered the bedroom with her medical kit. Vivienne sighed, ¡°Jared, sorry, I was with Lily when I called her over. Grandfather¡¯s health is crucial.¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t reply, his gaze fixed on the tightly closed door of Logan¡¯s room, his eyes deep and mysterious.

    Soon after, Lily emerged from the room. ¡°Is the medicinal herb I brought a few days ago for grandfather still here?¡± she asked anxiously.

    ¡°It¡¯s still here,¡± Mrs. Brown responded promptly from the side, quickly retrieving the medicine.

    Lily sniffed the medicine. ¡°This is it. Make it into a decoction, and quickly.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Mrs. Brown nodded vigorously, taking the medicine away.

    While waiting for the medicine, Lily exined to everyone, ¡°Mr. Farrell¡¯s illness isn¡¯t sudden; it¡¯s been umting over days. Has grandfather recently acquired any new items, or eaten something unusual?¡±

    ¡°Grandfather¡¯s food is always carefully selected by Jared, there shouldn¡¯t be any mistakes. But if it¡¯s about an item, there¡¯s only¡­¡± Vivienne said meaningfully, looking towards Jared.

    The gifts Logan received were all ced in the gift room; normally, he wouldn¡¯t carry other items. The only thing he wore was a bracelet that Tina had given him.

    Everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards Jared.

    ra suddenly eximed, ¡°Could it be the bracelet?¡±

    Vivienne pressed her lips together, remaining silent.

    Lily opened her mouth, looking as though she wanted to say something but stopped herself.

    ra angrily burst out, ¡°Well! I knew that girl was up to no good, so it was all here! Jared, this is your fiancee? Your grandfather has been so good to her, and she wants to kill him?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 Chapter 427: Cousin, Be Careful on the Road

    Jared nced at ra, his slender fingers adjusting a slightly wrinkled cuff, his thin lips curled in a half-smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile. Seeing him silent, ra grew anxious, ¡°You could at least say something. Your grandfather is in this state, and you¡¯re still so calm? He really spoiled you for nothing.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and he spoke unhurriedly, ¡°Tina¡¯s bracelet is fine.¡±

    ra retorted angrily, ¡°Just because you say it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine? Miss Ward, please check this for us. Isn¡¯t this fake? I¡¯ve always felt that girl could never get her hands on something from Spectre!¡±

    Lily looked at Jared, who showed no reaction, and gently said, ¡°Mr. Farrell, I¡¯d feel better taking a look myself, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Miss Ward, don¡¯t mind him. Go check it, and if it¡¯s fake, throw it out immediately!¡± Alexander was somewhat anxious, seeing a rare opportunity. If they could use this chance to bring down Jared, it would be their turn to rise!

    The bracelet was quickly brought over. Lily held it in her hands, looked at it a few times, then sniffed it, her expression growing increasingly grim.

    ra urgently asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Miss Ward, please speak.¡±

    Lily sighed deeply, ¡°There¡¯s not much wrong with this bracelet itself, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Out with it, you¡¯re killing me here,¡± ra urged.

    Vivienne pulled ra back, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t rush her. Let Lily speak. Lily, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Lips pursed, Lily said, ¡°At first nce, it seems like Spectre¡¯s work, but upon closer inspection, it¡¯s all wrong. Moreover, the medicinal herbs within are just remnants, not only useless but harmful. They could worsen old ailments and various diseases in the elderly.¡±

    ra eximed, ¡°I knew it! That little wretch Tina is up to no good! To harm the old man with such defective goods is outrageous, it¡¯s practically murder!¡±

    ¡°Exactly, she must pay with her life, that little wretch. I¡¯m going to take her to the police station right now so she¡¯ll never see the light of day!¡± Alexander shouted indignantly, ready to storm off, his fierce demeanor suggesting Tina had wronged him personally.

    Vivienne held him back, ¡°Dad, maybe Tina was deceived too. Don¡¯t be hasty.¡±

    Alexander wouldn¡¯t listen and insisted on confronting Tina.

    Suddenly!

    Jared grabbed him, lifting him off his feet, and in the next second, Alexander was thrown down from the second floor.

    ¡°Ah!! Alexander,¡± ra screamed, rushing down to find Alexander. After checking him and finding no serious injuries, she red furiously at Jared, ¡°Your grandfather is still between life and death, and here you are, trying to kill us to usurp power, is that it?¡±

    Jared¡¯s icy gaze swept over them, sending a chill through ra and Alexander.

    After a moment, he took the bracelet from Lily¡¯s hands. ¡°The bracelet is problematic?¡± he asked, his eyes filled with a chilling depth.

    Lily hadn¡¯t expected Jared to throw Alexander down just because of that derogatory remark. Moreover, it was Tina¡¯s fault, how could he irrationally favor someone? Especially someone who harmed his own grandfather.

    Reluctantly, Lily said, ¡°Mr. Farrell, the bracelet caused the illness. I think you must bring Tina in to rify things.¡±

    Jared narrowed his eyes slightly, a meaningful smile curling at the edges of his thin lips, ¡°Then-let¡¯s make it clear.¡±

    As he finished speaking, the door to the Farrell family¡¯s house suddenly opened. Tina walked in, carrying a box of strawberry cake, ignoring Alexander¡¯s wails on the floor, and headed straight upstairs.

    ¡°Uncle, today I¡¯ll treat you to strawberry cake.¡± Tina seemed in high spirits, her eyes twinkling with joy.

    She handed the cake over to Jared, her gaze sweeping subtly towards Vivienne.

    Seeing the surprise on Vivienne¡¯s face, her smile deepened.

    Vivienne was stunned.

    Why was she here?

    Wasn¡¯t she¡­

    Suppressing the shock in her heart, Vivienne hurried downstairs. ¡°Jared, I¡¯ll leave the house matters to you; I need to take my dad to the hospital.¡±

    Leaning against the railing, Tina said to Vivienne, ¡°Cousin, be careful on the road. I heard there was an ident at the intersection on Fifth Avenue-a van collided with a Bentley; it was quite a scene.¡±

    Vivienne paused, ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said-be careful.¡± Tina¡¯s gaze was deep as she looked at Vivienne, her smile bright and striking.

    Vivienne, looking into Tina¡¯s enchanting eyes, felt an inexplicable panic.

    She averted her gaze, unable to meet Tina¡¯s eyes, ¡°I-I have to go.¡±

    With that, she ignored Alexander¡¯s pain and quickly dragged him out the door.

    Once outside, Vivienne handed Alexander over to ra and sped off in her car.

    On the road, she dialed a number.

    But after several attempts, no one answered the phone.

    She mmed her hand on the steering wheel, cursing, ¡°Answer the phone!¡±

    The car phone repeatedly returned a busy signal, and Vivienne cursed again, ¡°Idiot!¡±

    She activated the GPS and the navigation system.

    The screen showed a red dot near Fifth Avenue.

    She followed the navigation¡¯s directions.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    If there really was an ident, it wouldn¡¯t just be a matter ofpensation-it could be fatal!

    Vivienne thought for a moment and dialed another number.

    ¡°There¡¯s been an incident, the goods were discovered on Fifth Avenue!¡±

    A mechanical voice responded sharply, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to find time to move them? How could this happen?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s tooplicated to exin in a few words, hurry over, I can¡¯t reach the driver!¡± Vivienne said urgently.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    The call ended, and Vivienne gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes filled with urgency.

    Please, let there be no trouble!

    Farrell family.

    Lily stood in front of Logan¡¯s room, blocking the way. ¡°Tina, I will never allow you to approach Mr. Farrell; there¡¯s something wrong with your bracelet.¡±

    Tina seemed to hear a joke, ¡°You? Not letting me approach Mr. Farrell?¡±

    Lily fell silent, recognizing the mockery in Tina¡¯s eyes.

    She was being told she wasn¡¯t qualified.

    But¡­

    She clenched the door frame tightly, ¡°It¡¯s not okay, Jared, Tina is trouble, she really shouldn¡¯t get near grandfather, in case she¡­¡±

    Lily suddenly found herself unable to speak.

    Her eyes widened in fear as she stared at Tina.

    Tina took the bracelet from Jared¡¯s hand, her delicate fingertips brushing the symbols on it, and whispered into Lily¡¯s ear, ¡°You know about Spectre, haven¡¯t you heard that her gifts are not given lightly? Once given, they must be personally delivered!¡±

 Chapter 428: Uncle, Youâ€™re Too Rough

    Lily was stunned.

    In person?

    Tina is Spectre?

    How could that be?

    How could she possibly be Spectre?

    No way!

    It definitely couldn¡¯t be her!

    As she was still in shock, Tina¡¯s lips curled into a smile, ¡°Theb report from yesterday, I wanted you to see it.¡±

    Lily moved her lips slightly.

    Tina waved her hand and removed the silver needles from Lily¡¯s acupoints.

    ¡°You are Mr. White!¡± Lily eximed in disbelief.

    Tina heard the answer she wanted, ¡°Uncle, we can go now, they are almost here.¡±

    Lily grabbed Tina, ¡°No, you are not Mr. White, who are you really?¡±

    Tina pushed her away, her expression cold, ¡°You talk too much.¡±

    With that, Tina headed downstairs first.

    Lily hadn¡¯t even grasped what was happening when Jared, with a hand chop, knocked her out.

    He grabbed her by one leg and dragged her down the stairs.

    ¡°Uncle, why is it always throwing or chopping? Can¡¯t you change your method?¡± Tina clucked her tongue.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Walter had a fracture, Alexander wasn¡¯t much better off, and now Lily was being dragged by him.

    It was truly-simple and brutal.

    ¡°It¡¯s convenient, I don¡¯t use silver needles to seal the throat,¡± Jared said tly.

    It¡¯s all about silencing, as long as it works.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Will uncle be abusive in the future?

    She looked down at her own body.

    She wondered if her small frame could withstand a punch from uncle.

    Jared seemed to notice her thoughts, his lips twitched, he freed his other hand, patted her head, and said very seriously, ¡°I am a good man!¡±

    Not to say he would never hit Tina, but even if he did, he might not be able to beat her.

    He had seen Tina¡¯s skills.

    Besides, one silver needle from the girl, and he couldn¡¯t move, just at her mercy.

    What was she thinking about all day? She was always different from others.

    Tina blinked, her long eyshes fluttering twice, very lively. She propped her chin with one hand and spoke with a more serious expression than Jared, ¡°A jerk¡¯s face only writes ¡®I am a good man.''¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    That hurt!

    Wife!

    Tina¡¯s lips curved into a smile, then she hooked one hand around Jared¡¯s neck, looking like brothers, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, uncle, even if you really hit me, it¡¯s okay. My mom might just climb up from your bedside in the middle of the night to chat, have some tea, and also discuss life with you.¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Can we talk about something normal during the day?

    He felt a chilly sensation on his forehead.

    Could it be his mother-inw had really risen from the grave?

    Before he could speak, Tina said very seriously again, ¡°My nine brothers might also want to have a word with you, casually throwing a bomb at the Farrell family, uncle, don¡¯t worry, you have many properties, just buy another if one gets bombed.¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°But my master is not so easy to appease,¡± Tina clicked her tongue twice, ¡°That old man, although entric, is very protective. If he finds out his precious disciple was beaten, he might disrupt your household peace.¡±

    She paused, then added, ¡°Oh, and I forgot to tell you, my master is a renowned feng shui master. His fortune-telling skills are top-notch, especially in changing fates. If pushed too far, he might spend his cultivation and change your fate-perhaps to one of begging, the kind with eighty-one hardships.¡±

    Jared said nothing, but he understood.

    The prime instigator of trouble was none other than his own wife, Tina!

    He wrapped an arm around Tina, his thin lips approaching her ear, his voice seductive, ¡°Tina, can you bear to see me suffer like this?¡±

    His voice was maic, stirring Tina¡¯s heart. She raised an eyebrow, ¡°I can¡¯t bear it, so let¡¯s continue to get along harmoniously and lovingly.¡±

    Jared kissed her cheek, ¡°Come to my apartment tonight, and I¡¯ll show you what ¡®harmonious and loving¡¯ really means.¡±

    Tina blushed and said nothing.

    A dazed Lily, still being carried by Jared, eximed, ¡°Are you even human? Flirting and arguing while you¡¯re carrying me around, have you considered anyone else¡¯s feelings?¡±

    Jared and Tina replied in unison, ¡°No! You¡¯re not human, so we don¡¯t need to consider your feelings!¡±

    Lily retorted, ¡°You two are impossible.¡±

    Seeing Tina¡¯s silence, Jared pinched her earlobe with a smile, ¡°Tina, are you shy?¡±

    Tina coughed lightly, ¡°Cough! Let¡¯s focus on the matter at hand!¡±

    With that, she turned and walked away.

    Jared smiled, finding Tina¡¯s bashfulness quite appealing, but he knew this was not the time for flirtation. He followed her, still carrying Lily.

    Before leaving, he shouted towards Logan¡¯s bedroom, ¡°Grandpa, you can wake up now.¡±

    From upstairs, Logan¡¯s deep voice responded, ¡°No, I¡¯ll sleep a bit longer.¡±

    Jared muttered to himself about the addictiveness of pretending to be ill.

    At the door, Jared handed Lily over to Hayden.

    Hayden, lifting her like a sack of pork, asked, ¡°Where to?¡±

    Tina casually picked out a navigation system unseen on the market and said, ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°Alright then.¡±

    Following Serena¡¯s orders, Hayden dared not question further.

    On Fifth Avenue, Nathan, just out of the hospital, sat in a Bentley, apparently waiting for rescue but actually staring intently at a traffic jam ahead.

    Suddenly, Vivienne¡¯s car arrived from another direction, heading straight for the jammed cars with clear intent.

    Nathan smiled, clicking his earpiece, ¡°Close the!¡±

    Vivienne reached the car, saw her driver unharmed and listening to music, and realized the plot-but it was toote.

    Nathan and his team surrounded her, ¡°Miss, excuse us.¡±

    With a gesture, Nathan mimicked Jared¡¯s aloof demeanor perfectly.

    His men secured Vivienne and the driver, opening the trunk to reveal a woman inside.

    Meanwhile, Jared and Tina reached their destination.

    ¡°Serena, why have wee to this godforsaken ce?¡± Hayden parked the car to the side, hiding with Tina by the roadside.

    ¡°Into the pot,¡± Tina said, popping a lollipop into her mouth and handing one to Jared.

    Hayden looked on, ¡°What about me, Serena?¡±

    ¡°Go ask your wife for one,¡± Jared shot back.

    Hayden protested, ¡°Do I even have a wife? With all the life and death I share with you, when do I have time for love?¡±

    Jared teased, ¡°Pa White¡¯s affection gone to the dogs?¡±

    Hayden retorted, ¡°Stop talking. That shrew, I¡¯d never marry her!¡±

    As they spoke, a red car stopped a hundred meters ahead.

    Elsa stepped out, holding a bomb remote control!

 Chapter 429

    Elsa looked at theboratory before her; it was the entrance to the national secret research base she had once visited with Tina. A slight smile yed at her lips as she pressed the switch on the remote control. A gust of wind passed, but nothing happened. Elsa, in disbelief, pressed the button a few more times, her expression suddenly changing. Abruptly, she drew a gun from her waist and spun around. Tina, Jared, and a confused Hayden appeared behind her. Elsa was not panicked; instead, she possessed a hint ofposed indifference.

    ¡°Indeed, you¡¯re not someone who falls for tricks easily,¡± Elsa said, holding the gun in one hand and discarding the useless remote with the other. She looked at Tina with a momentary regret. ¡°If only you had sided with us, we would have seeded long ago.¡±

    Tina, with arched brows and a radiant smile, responded, ¡°Your disguise skills are too poor, Mr. White.¡±

    The exposed Mr. White shrugged indifferently, not bothering to remove the mask on his face. ¡°When did you realize it was me?¡±

    Tina pondered, ¡°Probably when I found out about Jasper?¡±

    With a snicker, she added, ¡°You were too foolish.¡±

    Mr. White frowned slightly. ¡°Impossible, I never met you when you exposed Jasper!¡±

    Tinaughed aloud. ¡°Just once, isn¡¯t that enough?¡±

    Mr. White¡¯s pupils contracted, still confused. Before impersonating Elsa to approach Tina, she had extensively researched Elsa¡¯s habits, supported foolishly by Heath. She knew everything about Elsa¡¯s lifestyle, from her catchphrases to her subtle facial expressions and minor movements ¨C details not even Jennie, her mother, noticed. How could Tina, who had only met Elsa once, have noticed?

    Seeing Mr. White¡¯s expression, Tina knew she still hadn¡¯t figured it out. She nced at Jared with a hint of exasperation. ¡°Uncle, I told you they aren¡¯t fun.¡±

    Jared tenderly rubbed Tina¡¯s head. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Tina.¡±

    Hayden chimed in, clearly annoyed, ¡°Can we be serious? Aren¡¯t we on a mission? What¡¯s with the lovey-dovey act!¡±

    Mr. White bit down hard on his mrs. ¡°Tina, that¡¯s enough from you.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and she swiftly threw a silver needle.

    Mr. White instantly lost control of his legs and fell to the ground, unable to move. ¡°When I¡¯m talking to Uncle, don¡¯t interrupt; it makes me unhappy,¡± Tina said, her eyes shing coldly, making her already enchanting face appear even more icy.

    Mr. White clenched the gun in her hand but knew better than to shoot. Neither Tina, Jared, nor Hayden could be easily defeated. In such an open space, a trained individual could easily dodge bullets, and even if hit, Mr. White knew the oue would not be favorable. Now with her legs incapacitated, escape was even less likely. The gun remained un-fired; she had to wait for the right moment.

    Jared, noticing her hesitation, smiled slightly. ¡°Mr. White, you didn¡¯t really think you¡¯d have a chance to pull the trigger, did you?¡±

    Mr. White paused, realizing her fingers felt nothing. ncing at Tina¡¯s smug face, she understood. She had been drugged,pletely unable to resist.

    Just then, Jared¡¯s phone beeped with a message from Nathan: ¡°Vital signs stable, no toxins, contact with organization established.¡±

    Jared pocketed his phone. ¡°Hayden, wrap it up.¡±

    Unable to contain himself any longer, Hayden stepped forward and pressed the defenseless Mr. White to the ground, pping handcuffs on her wrists. Since the incident with Jasper, he had learned his lesson.

    ¡°Bring the handcuffs with you!¡±

    ¡°Mr. White, Serena can read bones. No matter how you disguise yourself, you can¡¯t escape my eyes, Serena. Did you really think you were wless?¡±

    When Hayden mocked him, Mr. White froze.

    No wonder.

    He had thought his disguise was perfect; how could Tina have possibly spotted him so easily?

    He had forgotten that Tina was a disciple of Master Tam.

    Master Tam¡¯s greatest skill was face reading.

    But they had investigated Tina extensively; she did not read faces, nor had she ever done so for anyone.

    Why then could she see through him by reading his bones?

    He looked up at Tina and slowly smiled, ¡°It¡¯s tough to have yed along with me for so long. It seems we still need to improve our disguise techniques.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Tina shook her finger, ¡°No matter how good your technique, you can¡¯t fake the gentleness in Elsa¡¯s eyes. The face reflects the heart.¡±

    She could read faces, even surpassing her master in skill.

    Her master always said she was a rare genius, but unfortunately-her celestial eye was sealed.

    Until she turned twenty-five, she could not read faces for others without risking her life.

    Over the years, she heeded her master¡¯s advice and refrained from face reading.

    However, she could read bones, which was unrted to Taoist teachings and purely based on the shape of a person¡¯s bones.

    Due to some circumstances, she could not often read bones.

    So, when Callum Maguire and Snow Judd came along, she didn¡¯t use bone reading; their disguise was simply too poor, and she saw right through them.

    As for Mr. White-his disguise was indeed masterful, and at first nce, she did not recognize him as a fake.

    It was only when Mr. White made an unintentional gesture that she noticed and decided to read his bones.

    Mr. White narrowed his eyes and said no more.

    The agents from the agency surrounded him and escorted Mr. White to the police car.

    Hayden rubbed his wrist, ¡°Serena, you¡¯re truly amazing. How did you know she woulde here?¡±

    Tina looked at Hayden as if he were a fool, ¡°Vivienne is a partner of GTO. She would notify Mr. White immediately if there were any issues. Mr. White isn¡¯t foolish enough to walk into a trap like Vivienne. He came here to try and kill me and destroy all evidence.¡±

    This experimental base was temporarily requisitioned by GTO, but the materials inside were a mix of real and fake.

    They wanted to use her to develop a virus they desired, gradually probing using Elsa¡¯s connection.

    Unfortunately, they underestimated her sensitivity to numbers; those reports, no matter how exquisitely crafted, could not escape her scrutiny.

    And her understanding of Elsa.

    Though she had only met Elsa once, she always remembered the gentleness in Elsa¡¯s expression, reminiscent of Jennie¡¯s.

    This was something not even the most sophisticated disguise techniques could achieve.

    As she said, the face reflects the heart.

    ¡°Vivienne working with GTO is truly unexpected,¡± Hayden, who had always disliked Vivienne, always felt she hid too much.

    But he hadn¡¯t expected her to cooperate with GTO.

    She dared to touch anything.

    ¡°It¡¯s not surprising,¡± Tina smiled, ¡°She was behind the original Crimson Silk.¡±

    Hayden gasped, ¡°What! The poison on Sophia was administered by Vivienne?¡±

    Jared¡¯s narrow eyes squinted, ¡°Yes.¡±

    For many years, he had coexisted peacefully with Vivienne, maintaining a good sibling rtionship within the Farrell family.

    But in reality, it was just a superficial rtionship with not much interaction.

    Tina¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°She still has a sample of Crimson Silk, whereabouts unknown.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes sharpened, ¡°Let¡¯s go back first.¡±

 Chapter 430: Mr. White Has Fled

    Three people got into the car and quickly drove to the secret interrogation room of the X Bureau. Inside, Vivienne sat with her eyes drooping, lifeless. As the door opened, she faintly lifted her eyes, then quickly lowered them again. Jared sat down, his deep and mysterious eyes watching her without expression, remaining silent. Vivienne snorted withughter, ¡°Jared, you¡¯re formidable. I admit defeat.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared had no interest in small talk with Vivienne and directly asked, ¡°Where is Crimson Silk?¡± Vivienne paused, her whole body tensing up, ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t know!¡± Jared pulled out a video of Vivienne, ¡°You¡¯ve been sitting here for three days, still can¡¯t figure it out?¡± Vivienne clenched her fists tightly. Those were undoubtedly her most embarrassing three days. Regardless of any physiological reactions, she couldn¡¯t move, her clothes soaked with urine, and more¡­ Remembering this, Vivienne couldn¡¯t suppress her nausea. The disdainful and frightened looks from the people at the guild, she would never forget in her lifetime!

    ¡°How do you have this? Why¡­¡± Vivienne suddenly shut her mouth, realization shing in her eyes, ¡°It was Tina, right?¡± Jared did not deny it and continued to press, ¡°Where is Crimson Silk!¡± Vivienne lowered her eyelids again, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Seeing Jared¡¯s disbelief, she added, ¡°After buying Crimson Silk, I handed it over to Mr. White of GTO. You should ask her, not me.¡±

    Jared frowned and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he stood up to leave. As he was about to exit, Vivienne looked at his retreating figure and said, ¡°Jared, even without me, you won¡¯t be happy for long. I tell you, you¡¯ll never inherit the Farrell family!¡± Jared¡¯s steps briefly paused, a hint of a smile crossing his lips as he left.

    Tina was waiting in the car outside. Seeing Jarede out, she knew he hade up empty-handed. Besides the people from GTO, there were others behind Vivienne. Just like the text message had said. Vivienne was likely part of a third-party organization, not acting alone. Over the years, she had covertly used thepany group and Walter¡¯s art gallery for dark trades, smuggling artifacts and various famous paintings and such, earning more money than it seemed. However, Tina had yet to uncover this third party.

    Jared got into the car, his expression dark as a pot bottom, only rxing momentarily when he saw Tina. ¡°Anticipated results, no need to worry,¡± Tina said as she pressed her hand against Jared¡¯s temple, easing his tense nerves. Jared held Tina¡¯s hand in his, looking into her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Tina nodded, understanding Jared was contemting how to break the news to Logan. Vivienne was Logan¡¯s favorite granddaughter after Sophia, and he had high hopes for her. But things had not gone as hoped. Logan would likely be heartbroken for a while.

    Jared pulled Tina into his arms, his lips brushing her forehead, finally revealing a slight smile. Sitting in the front, Hayden pursed his lips. I mustn¡¯t get angry! Getting angry would make Serena even angrier! Jared, you sex maniac! Always insisting on kissing my Serena! Someday, I¡¯ll have to kill you! Of course, these thoughts Hayden dared only shout inside his head. Suddenly! Hayden saw the car detaining Mr. White parked ahead. ¡°How did they get here?¡± Hayden wondered, getting out of the car to find someone.

    Jared and Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed; Mr. White and Vivienne, having different statuses, would not be detained in the same location. The two exchanged nces and then got out of the car.

    ¡°Captain,¡± greeted the driver.

    Jared furrowed his brow, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    The driver seemed puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you order us toe here to interrogate Vivienne?¡±

    ¡°Who sent you that message!¡± Jared suddenly paused, then hurried to the prison van.

    Just as expected-empty!

    Jared barked angrily, ¡°Where are they!¡±

    ¡°Captain, didn¡¯t you instruct us to release the person at the intersection and switch vehicles? They¡¯ve long gone.¡±

    ¡°Where did you get that message!¡± Jared¡¯s face darkened, his presence chilling like an imposing iceberg.

    The subordinates shrank back, ¡°On the XScreen.¡±

    XScreen was themunication tool of Bureau X, normally used by Jared to issue missions under code names. Everyone could receive messages there.

    Jared and Hayden simultaneously opened their XScreens; sure enough, only they were missing the message.

    Jared clenched his fists tightly. XScreen was the highest secret of Bureau X, impervious even to top hackers. Only he and three top leaders had the authority to use his codename.

    Who had issued the order to transfer Mr. White!

    At that moment, Nathan sent Jared a message, ¡°Captain, the person is awake.¡±

    Jared put away his phone, adopting the gentlest tone possible for Tina, ¡°Tina, the person is awake.¡±

    Realizing the gravity of the situation-that Mr. White¡¯s escape was bad news for her too-Tina responded, ¡°I¡¯ll go myself,¡± giving Jared a knowing look.

    She understood all his thoughts.

    Hayden handed the car keys to Tina, then joined Jared in the team vehicle.

    Tina drove alone to the hospital, where Nathan was waiting outside. Seeing her arrive alone did not surprise him.

    The news of Mr. White¡¯s disappearance had likely spread throughout the bureau.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, your foster parents are inside, quite agitated,¡± Nathan advised.

    Tina nodded, ¡°Okay, you go ahead, I¡¯ll handle things here.¡±

    After Nathan hurried off, Tina stood at the door for a moment before entering.

    Inside, Jennie was crying, holding Elsa¡¯s hand, ¡°What exactly is your job? Weren¡¯t you on leave? How did it suddenlye to this? And Heath-he hasn¡¯t evene to see you, really¡­¡±

    The woman Nathan had rescued was Elsa.

    Jennie was distraught, heartbroken. Everything was fine in the morning, and by afternoon, Elsa was in the hospital, injured, worrying her sick.

    Elsa could only offer words offort, ¡°Mom, it was just an ident, don¡¯t cry, I¡¯m okay, look, Tina is here too.¡±

    Jennie wiped her tears, ¡°Tina, you came.¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Mom, you and dad should go back. The doctor said Elsa needs to rest and shouldn¡¯t get too tired. I¡¯ll stay here.¡±

    Elsa added, ¡°Yes, Mom, I won¡¯t recover if you worry like this. Please go back.¡±

    After much reassurance, Jennie and Hugo finally left the hospital.

    Inside the hospital room, Tina peeled an apple for Elsa, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about home, I¡¯m here.¡±

    Elsa bit her lip, tears streaming down as she heard Tina¡¯s words, ¡°Tina, thank you for everything during this time.¡±

 Chapter 431: Elsa

    Tina looked up at Elsa. It had to be said, Elsa was beautiful. She truly inherited all of Jennie¡¯s best traits. Tina smiled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal with me; we are family.¡± She had said this many times before, but this time, she meant it sincerely.

    Elsa was touched. In private, she had used her privileges to investigate Tina. After all, having reappeared after so many years and causing such turmoil within the Reed family, suspicions were inevitable. But she found nothing. Tina was like a puzzle, the more one delved into it, the deeper they got trapped. Thus, when Elsa first met Tina, she had her guards up.

    Later, when Tina went to Ashbury, the Reed family invited them to a family recognition banquet. Unexpectedly, during this time, Elsa received a confidential report from her organization. Heath was actually a spy for an enemy organization! Just as she was about to arrest Heath, a man named Mr. White appeared. He coborated with Heath to imprison her until now.

    Every day, she was injected with a drug that made her sleep for extended periods, keeping her unaware of the outside world. On the rare asions she was lucid, she found herself thrown in the back of a vehicle, unaware of her surroundings.

    Tina handed Elsa a peeled apple, ¡°During your disappearance, Mr. White impersonated you among us. But don¡¯t worry, he never got involved in the core of your work, nor did he allow Heath to steal any intelligence.¡±

    Indeed, Elsa was a national secret agent, which meant she couldn¡¯t stay with Jennie for long. Every leave request required approval and notification from higher-ups, each needing various signatures. But these were job secrets, so even Jennie didn¡¯t know what exactly Elsa did, only that the bosses were strict and reluctant to grant even a visitation leave.

    Initially, Heath knew Elsa was a national secret agent and deliberately got close to her, intending to steal national secrets. However, Elsa kept her work and personal life separate. In front of Heath, she wouldn¡¯t even mention anything work-rted, let alone discuss news events.

    As a result, Heath was unable to obtain the intelligence he wanted for a long time. Later, Mr. White approached Heath, and the two struck a deal. Heath allowed Mr. White to get close to Tina while he used the Elsa impersonated by Mr. White to steal national secrets. This plot was uncovered by Tina during her second encounter with Mr. White.

    Elsa¡¯s imprisonment was already secretlymunicated to her organization by Jared. This made Mr. White believe he hadn¡¯t exposed himself; he just hadn¡¯t been able to reach the core secrets. Moreover, Mr. White didn¡¯t care; he just wanted to get close to Tina to bring her to theb for GTO¡¯s virus research.

    Tina yed along with Mr. White while simultaneously investigating Elsa¡¯s whereabouts. However, Mr. White was not easy to handle. He didn¡¯t mobilize GTO¡¯s internal forces but chose to coborate with Vivienne instead.

    Vivienne had always been conducting various dark transactions to umte wealth, but she had never engaged in human trafficking before. It was only because Elsa was Tina¡¯s sister that she agreed. Vivienne also constantly used her position in thepany to transfer Elsa among various vehicles, the pattern erratic and difficult to trace.

    Such a method of concealment made it nearly impossible for anyone to easily find clues or track her down. Eventually, when Tina drove her out of thepany group, she couldn¡¯t use the transport vehicles to move Elsa and had to switch to private cars.

    The Mountain Veil Order had mapped out the general route, and Nathan had blocked the vehicle at a critical moment. Unable to identify the specific one and too cautious to make a spectacle lest they startle the snake and endanger Elsa¡¯s life, they resorted to Vivienne¡¯s act at the Farrell family¡¯s residence. Elsa breathed a sigh of relief. The work she was involved in was a national secret, which must not fall into enemy hands; she had been worried about this while imprisoned.

    Fortunately, Tina was smart. ¡°Tina, on a personal behalf, I thank you for your contribution to protecting national secrets. I will request the organization to award you a first-ss merit medal. Without you, the nation could have faced an unknown crisis,¡± Elsa said, her face pale but her eyes resolutely firm. Tinaughed, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for the country; I just wanted to save you. As for the first-ss merit, forget it, I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    Elsa was stunned. That was a first-ss merit medal-a rare honor, not just among their insiders but recognized by the general popce as well. Yet, Tina was uninterested! Tina just smiled slyly. She truly wasn¡¯t interested. Her mother had plenty, Jared too had his share, and she was genuinely tired of seeing those medals. Not everyone in the family needed one.

    Hayden chimed in, ¡°I want it! I can never have too many!¡± Tina retorted, ¡°Get lost, Husky!¡± Hayden retorted, ¡°Day by day, you only learn Mr. Farrell¡¯s bad habits!¡± Jared interjected, ¡°What did you say?¡± Hayden quickly apologized, ¡°I was wrong, Mr. Farrell!¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Checking the time, Tina said, ¡°It will take some time for you to recover fully; you can¡¯t leave the hospital. I¡¯ll exin everything to mom. Rest well, I have other matters to attend to.¡± Suddenly, Elsa grabbed her hand, ¡°Tina, what about Heath?¡± Tina knew Elsa would ask about him, ¡°He¡¯s been detained by the organization, don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t have a good fate.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Elsa said, lowering her gaze. Heath was her first love, and though they never discussed marriage, she had truly loved him. To think he was actually a spy for the enemy! Once she was discharged, she would make sure Heath paid dearly.

    After leaving the hospital, Tina went to find Jared. Jared had just returned from headquarters, his expression as grim as she imagined. After chasing GTO for so many years, they had finally captured their second-inmand, only for him to be transferred away so easily! Approaching him, Jared¡¯s face softened slightly upon hearing her. ¡°How is it?¡± Tina asked. Jared replied with a steely gaze, ¡°The response I got is to use Mr. White to locate GTO¡¯s headquarters; we must not act rashly.¡±

    Tina¡¯s fingers rested on Jared¡¯s shoulder, tapping lightly, a code that would be recognized by Courtney if she were there-it was a secret signal among the special squad of Bureau X. Now, only the two of them understood its meaning. Tina inquired through the code, ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means,¡± Jared replied in the same code, ¡°that my future actions must be approved by superiors, no more acting on my own.¡± His authority at Bureau X was significant, like in Elsa¡¯s case, where he could contact her organization directly without going through his superiors. But now, his actions were restricted!

    Jared wrapped an arm around Tina¡¯s waist, tapping his fingertips lightly. The two shared a smile, each understanding the other¡¯s thoughts perfectly.

 Chapter 432: A Bomb in the Laboratory

    In a secret surveince room somewhere, Lily was handcuffed, surrounded by white walls so seamless even the gaps between the doors and walls were white. She trembled, overwhelmed by fear. After Jared had knocked her unconscious, she awoke to find herself confined here, too terrified to resist. Could it be that the viruses she was researching had been discovered? Was she facing the death penalty? No, that couldn¡¯t be happening¡­

    As these thoughts raced through her mind, the sound of the door lock opening snapped her back to reality. She jerked her head up, eyes wide with tension, and watched the door. Soon after, a figure d in a ck trench coat entered. It was Mr. White, who coldly threw a key towards her-the key to her handcuffs.

    ¡°Mr. White, what exactly is happening? Where is this ce? Do I still need to return to theb?¡± Lily asked, just before Mr. White pped her across the face, knocking her from the chair to the floor, her mouth bleeding from the impact, nearly fainting.

    ¡°Fool, who told you to coborate with Vivienne on your own!¡± Mr. White barked.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.

    This time, there was no disguise in her voice. Her identity exposed, Lily could only operate under strict supervision from now on; disguises were unnecessary. Lily was stunned-Mr. White was a woman?

    Mr. White removed her hat, revealing Elsa¡¯s familiar face, which she hadn¡¯t had time to change. ¡°Tell me, where is Crimson Silk?¡±

    Lily, slowly regaining herposure, was shocked. ¡°You¡¯re Tina¡¯s sister!¡±

    Mr. White nced at her dismissively. ¡°Answer my question.¡±

    Lily swallowed hard, afraid to ask more. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. Vivienne didn¡¯t give me Crimson Silk. She said she would hand it to me at a critical moment to pass on to Tina, but she hasn¡¯t yet.¡±

    Mr. White ground her mrs in frustration. She had thought she would find Crimson Silk this time, but Vivienne had hidden it well. Their dealings weren¡¯t new; they often transferred goods required by GTO through Vivienne, who she had thought operated alone. Yet, behind Vivienne, there was an organization capable of acquiring Crimson Silk.

    Over the years, GTO had never fully developed Crimson Silk; the initial data collected by Natalie had been mostly destroyed, halting further research. Now that Crimson Silk had resurfaced, GTO was desperate to acquire it. She looked down at Lily and slowly extended her hand. Confused, Lily hesitated for a few seconds before cing her hand in hers.

    Mr. White abruptly pulled her, nearly dislocating Lily¡¯s arm, then gripped her throat. ¡°Lily, do you know why I spared your life?¡±

    Lily shuddered, staring into the gentle face that now instilled pure terror. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Mr. White¡¯s fingers tightened around Lily¡¯s neck. ¡°I value your medical expertise. If you cannot produce the Crimson Silk I need within a month, your life bes worthless!¡±

    Lily shivered profoundly, feeling as though she was bargaining with a tiger, a single misstep away from doom. ¡°I will figure it out, I must¡­¡±

    A nauseating smell wafted up; drip, drip, drip¡­ Mr. White, disgusted, threw Lily out.

    ¡°TCL, you can¡¯t go back now,¡± said Mr. White as he wiped his hands disdainfully and turned to leave. ¡°Someone from yourb will take you there. Remember, you only have one month.¡±

    Lily copsed alone in a puddle of charred liquid, shedding tears of regret.

    She couldn¡¯t even begin to describe how much she regretted her actions. Had she known Tina was Spectre, she never would have provoked her. Perhaps she wouldn¡¯t have ended up a prisoner under others.

    Now, she couldn¡¯t even return to the TCLb.

    TCLb.

    Jared brought Tina inside.

    ¡°Mr. Daryl,¡± said Timmy, the research assistant, approaching them. ¡°The director isn¡¯t here and won¡¯t let us into hisb.¡±

    Jared nodded. ¡°Carry on with your work.¡±

    Timmy didn¡¯t say any more, casting a surprised nce at the hat-wearing woman behind Jared.

    Such a beautiful woman!

    But no one dared to look twice at thepany Mr. Daryl brought.

    Timmy, valuing his life, averted his gaze.

    At Lily¡¯s office door, Jared found the lock had been changed. He pulled out a maic card, swiped it, and the door unlocked with a beep.

    ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re quite skilled,¡± Tina teased.

    Jared pocketed the card. ¡°Always be prepared when you¡¯re out.¡±

    Tina remarked, ¡°X agency¡¯s essential skills include slipping through doors and picking locks!¡±

    Hayden added, ¡°Of course, that includes brawling, eating, drinking¡­ having fun.¡±

    Nathan protested, ¡°No, we¡¯re a serious organization!¡±

    Jared pushed the door slightly ajar, suddenly noticing a thin fishing line under it. If not carefully observed, the door¡¯s opening would have triggered an explosion.

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Quick action.¡±

    It seemed they had just taken Lily away when the bomb was set.

    ¡°Timmy, evacuate allb personnel except for the vital documents. Leave everything else,¡± Jared ordered.

    In a crisis, Jared wasted no time.

    Timmy didn¡¯t ask questions, immediately leading all personnel out of theb.

    Mr. Daryl¡¯s orders were absolute; no dys were allowed.

    ¡°Tina, you go first. I¡¯ll handle the bomb,¡± Jared said, carefully controlling the doorknob.

    A slight movement could trigger the bomb if it was a bnce mechanism.

    Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°Uncle, are you sure you can defuse it now?¡±

    Jared took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll call Hayden.¡±

    ¡°Did you forget about me?¡± Tina pulled out scissors from theb, approaching Jared.

    Her small frame squeezed through the crack, close enough that her nose almost touched Jared¡¯s cheek.

    Suddenly, she smiled and nted a kiss on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t let this happen again.¡±

    Jared¡¯s breath hitched, nearly losing control.

    Inside the office, Tina followed the fishing line to the bomb.

    Just as Jared suspected, it was a bnce device. If the door opened even a centimeter more, it would detonate.

 Chapter 433: Congratulations on Passing the First Level

    This bomb was unlike the newer models previously encountered. It was more intricate, more sophisticated, and its arrangement was more deceptive, yet upon closer inspection, it appeared somewhat¡­ childish. Yes, childish. A verymon spherical pet toy rested on the bnce instrument, and any slight movement would trigger the explosion. Who would ce a pet toy on a bomb? Especially one that could make noise.

    ¡°Tina, how does it look inside?¡± Jared could only observe through the crack of the door, unable to see the full picture. Tina, holding scissors, noticed a familiar feeling amidst the intricate wiring. Jared, not hearing a response, grew worried and called out again, ¡°Tina.¡± Tina shook the scissors lightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She crouched down, scrutinized the differently colored wires, and confidently cut one. A ticking sound followed, and the toy fell from the bnce instrument, rolling around the floor until it stopped under a desk. ¡°Come in,¡± Tina said, cing the scissors on the table. The bomb was not difficult; it just looked bewildering. In reality, it was the basic red wire.

    Jared entered, unaware of the cold sweat on his back. He had been less nervous defusing a thirty-second countdown bomb during a past mission. It was only upon hearing Tina¡¯s voice that he realized how scared he had been. ¡°It¡¯s not a new type of bomb, just an ordinary one, but arranged in a fancy way. It looks tough, but it¡¯s all a smokescreen,¡± Tina said nonchntly, smiling at Jared. Seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she unwittingly grinned. She hooked her arm around Jared¡¯s neck, her enticing gaze like the first ray of sunshine in winter, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, old man?¡±

    Jared suddenly pulled Tina into his arms, holding her tightly. He buried his face in the nape of her neck, desperately inhaling her scent, the scent that reassured him. Tina knew her ¡®old man¡¯ was scared. ¡°It¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t been through worse.¡± The time Ss ckwood kidnapped the students of ss 22D had been more perilous. A chill shed in Jared¡¯s eyes, ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±

    ¡°It has nothing to do with you,¡± Tina gently patted Jared¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s the enemy¡¯s tactics, and I¡¯ve dismantled it. This little trick won¡¯t cost me my life.¡± Jared knew deep down that Tina was the smartest woman in the world. Besides, if someone wanted her life, they would have to get through him first. But even as he trusted her, he feared for her safety. This fear was instinctual, a fear of losing Tina.

    The two held each other tightly, their heartbeats drawing closer¡­ Tick-tock¡­ tick-tock¡­ The office was suddenly filled with several eerie sounds. Tina¡¯s gaze sharpened, and she immediately located the source of the noise. Jared also crouched down, looking at the spherical pet toy under the desk. It was now pressing down on the actual bomb switch! Just then, the previously deactivated bomb reactivated, starting a countdown that rapidly entered single-digit numbers!

    Even Tina and Jared, swift as they were, could hardly react in time!

    ¡°Tina, get out now!¡± Jared pushed her forcefully, quickly locking the heavy office door behind him.

    Tina banged on the door, shouting, ¡°Jared, open the door, open it!¡±

    In that instant, Tina guessed what Jared was nning.

    He intended to shield the bomb with his body to minimize the damage and buy her time to escape!

    ¡°Jared, open the door!¡± Tina kicked at the door lock with all her might.

    But the doors and locks of the TCL Laboratory were made of world-ss materials; mere human strength couldn¡¯t budge them.

    Jared took the bomb to the farthest corner of the office, wrapping himself tightly around it.

    Just a little more time for Tina was all he needed.

    Tina took a deep breath and kicked fiercely at the door separating her from Jared!

    Bang!

    A puff of smoke rose inside the office, and as a sound akin to a balloon popping filled the air, Tina had kicked the sturdy door lock into oblivion.

    Her strength was immense, and she rolled on the floor from the momentum, running through the white smoke towards Jared.

    ¡°Uncle!¡±

    Jared was covered in dust, his shirt torn at the chest, and his hair disheveled from the explosion.

    The usually aloof and distinguished Mr. Farrell had never looked soical.

    Yes,ical.

    Tina, drenched in a cold sweat, stared nkly at Jared.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    It took them a full ten seconds toprehend.

    This was no bomb!

    It was clearly just a joke smoke bomb!

    The ¡®bomb¡¯ Jared had shielded dropped a banner ¨C Congrattions, you¡¯ve passed the first test.

    Jared licked his lips, ¡°First test?¡±

    Tina clenched her fists tightly, dispersing the lingering smoke, and cursed loudly, ¡°Damn old man, just you wait!¡±

    Only her master, Master Tam, who was supposedly ¡°resting in peace,¡± could devise such a humorous bomb setup and include a banner.

    Jared also realized there was never any real danger; it was just a prank of love.

    Once the smoke cleared, Tina spotted something else revealed by the ¡®explosion¡¯.

    All of Lily¡¯s experimental data!

    This was the reason Tina and Jared hade here.

    With this data, they could deduce what kind of virus GTO was researching and how it rted to their drugs.

    Given Mr. White¡¯s sudden disappearance and Lily¡¯s unknown whereabouts, these experimental results were crucial. Without them, all their efforts would have been in vain.

    Fortunately, Master Tam had already found and copied this data, hiding it inside the bomb.

    Jared breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°All¡¯s well that ends well.¡±

    Tina gritted her teeth, ¡°Not so happy, the old man dared to y me, he better watch out.¡±

    As she spoke, she squatted down to inspect the exploded box.

    It had a fingerprint recognition system; had Jared not been the one holding the bomb, the oue would have been different.

    The old man, truly deserving of being the mentor to those pests, knew all the ways to torment someone.

    Tina packed away Lily¡¯s experimental data, ¡°When I find him, I need an extra thousand dors, or else, I¡¯ve wasted my time!¡±

    Jared chuckled involuntarily, his dear girl, how adorable she was!

 Chapter 434: They Want Vivienneâ€™s Shares

    The experimental data from TCL Laboratories had been recovered. Lily was absent, but the experiments had to continue. Yet, they could no longer remain there. GTO had discovered the location, and it was unclear what Lily might disclose to them; their only option was to destroy the ce. Consequently, the projects within theboratory had to be temporarily shelved.

    After leaving theb, Jared and Tina ensured that all research staff were relocated to a secure ce until they could find a suitable new location to resume their work. On the ride back, Tina leaned on Jared¡¯s shoulder, her gaze deep and thoughtful. Jared gently soothed her back without speaking. He knew that when Tina was deep in thought, the wisest choice was not to disturb her.

    Just then, Jared¡¯s work phone buzzed with a message. It was from thepany. ¡°Mr. Farrell, Mr. Alexander Farrell requests that all of Vivienne¡¯s shares be transferred to his name.¡± Tina narrowed her eyes, ¡°Alexander really can¡¯t seem to stay out of trouble.¡± Jared¡¯s lips curled into a cold smirk, ¡°A mere buffoon.¡±

    Nathan nced at the notification on the phone and said, ¡°Mr. Farrell, they have now gone home. Shall we return?¡± Jared gently pinched Tina¡¯s cheek, articting each word, ¡°Tina, what do you say?¡± A sly smile formed on Tina¡¯s lips, a cunning glint in her eyes, ¡°Of course, we should go back. We have something good to show them.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s return!¡± Jared grinned, a cold light shing through his narrowed eyes.

    At the Farrell Residence, Logan still sat in the principal seat, watching Alexander¡¯s family weep before him. ¡°Dad, now that Vivienne has been taken in by Jared without telling us why, you must stand up for us!¡± ra cried out, her tears real yet mixed with self-interest, diminishing their purity. Alexander, looking deeply wronged with bandages wrapped around him and limping, added, ¡°Yes, Dad, Vivienne has already been taken in, and we don¡¯t even know what will happen to her. You can¡¯t just ignore this.¡±

    Walter, also in poor health, had been brought here by Alexander and ra. He slumped on the sofa, wailing pitifully. ra suddenly howled, ¡°Dad, look at what Jared and Tina have done to our family! You can¡¯t keep indulging them; we need an exnation!¡± Logan responded coolly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it what you deserve?¡± Alexander looked at his father incredulously, ¡°Dad, how can you say it¡¯s what we deserve!¡±

    ¡°At my birthday banquet, you publicly humiliated Tina and screamed during my illness. If you don¡¯t get punished, who will?¡± Logan said, his tone matter-of-fact, his gaze revealing a hint of viewing them as fools.

    Alexander muttered aint under his breath. He knew his father would side with Jared, and whatever he said would be futile; practical measures were needed. Alexander, sitting on the sofa with a neck brace that looked somewhatical, conceded, ¡°Dad, since you don¡¯t want to punish Jared, let¡¯s not pursue it further. Just sign this, and we¡¯ll leave.¡±

    As soon as Logan saw it, he recognized the stock transfer agreement. These three were here for Vivienne¡¯s shares.

    ¡°Company matters are Jared¡¯s decision,¡± Logan said nonchntly, picking his ear.

    Just then, Jared walked in with Tina. ncing coldly at the trio, he dered, ¡°Forget about the shares. All of Vivienne¡¯s assets are frozen, and you won¡¯t get a penny.¡± With that, Jared tossed the agreement into the trash.

    ra red at Jared venomously but didn¡¯t dare confront him directly. Instead, she hid behind Alexander, using, ¡°Jared, don¡¯t push us too far. What are you nning to do by holding onto Vivienne¡¯s shares? Force us to beg?¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Jared responded indifferently.

    Meanwhile, Walter had been silent, quietly recording everything. After editing the footage, it took on apletely different form.

    Soon, a video that sparked intense debate hit the inte: ¡°Jared Farrell publicly insults his own uncle, forcing his family to beg!¡±

    In Ashbury, anything rted to the Farrell family quickly became big news, and Jared¡¯s image suffered greatly because of the video.

    ¡°This is what happens in wealthy families? So rich and yet unwilling to share even a little, disgusting.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®share¡¯? It was his uncle¡¯s money originally. It looks like Jared wants to take over the entire Farrell family fortune.¡±

    ¡°Appearances are deceiving. Poor Tina, to end up with someone who turns his back on his own family.¡±

    A flurry of onlinements ensued, creating quite a stir.

    Walter, satisfied with the uproar he incited, knew that even Jared had to be careful about his public image. A tarnished reputation could affect thepany¡¯s stock prices and potentially influence the grandfather¡¯s choice of heir.

    Just then, Logan¡¯s phone chimed with the rare sound of an email notification. His initially smiling face turned steely.

    Alexander, unaware of what had happened, continued to demand shares from Jared.

    Suddenly, Logan¡¯s cane came crashing down directly on Alexander¡¯s still-recovering arm.

    ¡°You deceitful scoundrel, daring to take kickbacks and embezzle so much from thepany. Did I bring you into thepany to nick petty advantages?¡±

    Startled, Alexander nced at his own inbox, which now contained all the evidence of his embezzlement and bribery.

    ¡°Dad, let me exin, it¡¯s not what it looks-¡±

    Before he could finish, agents from the National Tax Bureau were knocking at the Farrell family¡¯s door.

    ¡°Alexander Farrell? There¡¯s been a report of tax evasion. Pleasee with us.¡±

    ra waspletely bewildered, clueless about what had happened.

    Walter realized that the unedited video was also circting online. In it, Alexander and ra¡¯s greedy demeanors were fully exposed.

    Lifting his head, Walter saw Tina shaking her phone at him.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    It was a tit-for-tat situation indeed.

 Chapter 435: Alexander is Taken Away

    Walter, ever impatient, red up at the sight of Tina¡¯s provocation. He hurled his phone at her, shouting, ¡°Did you do all this?¡± Tina nced at the phone now lying on the ground, her delicate cheeks cold and emotionless, watching Walter silently. Jared stepped forward, crushing the phone underfoot, quickly reducing it to pieces. In the next moment, Walter found himself unable to move. His face paled. ¡°Tina, what have you done to me now?¡± he red at her, but only his eyes and mouth could move.

    Tina tucked a stray hair behind her ear with her slender fingers, her tone indifferent, ¡°Turnabout is fair y, any problem with that?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Walter began to retort, but Tina¡¯s finger flicked, and a silver needle flew from her tip, silencing him instantly.

    Seeing this, Alexander knew his options were exhausted and that pleading with Logan was his only path left. He fell to his knees before Logan, begging, ¡°Dad! I was wrong, please give me another chance! I won¡¯t do it again, I can¡¯t get caught!¡±

    ¡°It was a moment of folly, Dad, please, for all the years I¡¯ve dedicated to our family and thepany, let this one slide.¡±

    He was acutely aware of the gravity of his situation. The money he had embezzled over the years was enough to send him to prison! Logan set down his walking stick and slowly seated himself on the sofa, his aged face expressionless. ¡°From today, you are barred from thepany and the Farrell family; do note back!¡±

    Alexander felt as if struck by lightning. He was being expelled from the Farrell family! What about the IRS? Could he even get out of this?

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m your own son, Vivienne is still suffering, Walter¡¯s illness isn¡¯t cured, and our family has no other source of ie. You can¡¯t just throw me out, Dad!¡± Alexander clung to Logan¡¯s legs, crying out loud. Logan pushed him away, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for this mess, do you think you¡¯d still be here begging me? All of you, get out! I don¡¯t want to see any of you again!¡±

    ra was utterly stunned, her son copsed on the sofa, her husband being taken away, and her daughter still in jail-how were they to survive now? She looked up to see Tina sitting nearby, smiling faintly. With a fierce heart, ra grabbed a vase from the table and hurled it at Tina. ¡°You little wretch, it¡¯s all your fault! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Tina kicked her away. ra crashed into the vase behind her, which shattered, slicing a long gash across her face. Normally vain about her appearance, ra found the disfigurement more intolerable than death itself. Seeing the ring blood in her hands, she screamed, ¡°Ah! My face!¡±

    Tina furrowed her brows-so noisy! With a flick of her hand, another needle flew out, silencing ra¡¯s cries instantly. Tina then cleared her ears. Much better! Quiet was preferable indeed.

    Thus, a bizarre scene unfolded in the Farrell family: people were crying and bleeding, but eerily, no sounds came from their open mouths.

    Logan nced at ra briefly before shifting his gaze away and said to the tax authorities, ¡°Alexander has broken thew, and the Farrell family will not shelter criminals. Take him away!¡±

    The tax officials stepped forward and took Alexander away.

    ra wanted to intervene, but her face hurt and she couldn¡¯t speak, so she could only watch helplessly as Alexander was led away.

    After the tax officials left with Alexander, Jared gestured for the servants to escort ra and Walter out.

    Soon, ra and Walter were forcibly dragged out by the servants.

    Once the second branch of the Farrell family had left, peace finally returned to the household.

    Logan, furious, sat on the sofa with a flushed face, taking a long time to calm down.

    Tina stepped forward, pressed on the acupoints in Logan¡¯s hand, and helped him regain hisposure.

    ¡°Tina, I owe you a lot today; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have known how long that ungrateful son would have kept this from me!¡± Logan fumed again at the thought of Alexander¡¯s deeds.

    He had actually known that Alexander and Arthur, the brothers, had been skimming profits behind his back. He had investigated, and since the amounts were small, he had not pursued it further.

    Previously, Jared had been poisoned, Sophia had identally taken the hit, disfiguring her face. With Jared wanting to conceal his capabilities and being older, his thoughts couldn¡¯t keep up with the trends, so he left thepany management to his three sons.

    He trusted Asherpletely, with most of thepany¡¯s major powers handed over to him. As for Alexander and Arthur, he had not given them significant positions; small schemes didn¡¯t concern him.

    In a family, not everyone could be good.

    He knew exactly what kind of persons his two sons were and preferred to leave it at that.

    But he had never expected Alexander to embezzle such arge amount.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Tina pursed her lips, a trace of apology shing in her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s good that grandfather doesn¡¯t me me.¡±

    There weren¡¯t many people she didn¡¯t want to hurt, and Mr. Farrell was one of them.

    ¡°How could I me you? Not only do I not me you, but I also thank you for removing a cancer from thepany and the Farrell family,¡± Logan truly didn¡¯t me Tina.

    The money Alexander embezzled was enough to sustain a smallpany.

    Over the years, he had given them a lot of money, especially due to Vivienne, he had taken extra care of them.

    Now that a problem had arisen, it was their just deserts.

    Tina remained silent, not saying a word.

    ¡°Jared, clean up those bad debts, you handle it,¡± Logan said sternly, ¡°I¡¯m tired, I¡¯m going to rest.¡±

    Tina and Jared watched as Logan returned to his bedroom.

    Afterward, they left the Farrell family.

    On the road, Jared arranged for someone to deal with Alexander¡¯s bad debts.

    The embezzled money had already been spent. The hundred billion dors previously requested by Tina had already been given to him to cover this shortfall.

    That hundred billion dors, he didn¡¯t need it; he could have covered the gap without Tina¡¯s insistence, but since she insisted, he epted it.

    Alexander¡¯s ounts were easy to resolve, but Vivienne¡¯s were a bit more troublesome.

    Vivienne had been conducting dark trades in secret, turning thepany group into aplete underground business chain, ranging from thepany group to Walter¡¯s art gallery.

    Yet, Vivienne was stubborn and had never confessed.

    Seeing Jared¡¯s grim expression, Tina asked, ¡°Hard to resolve?¡±

    Jared put away his phone, his stern face showing no emotion, ¡°The organization behind her is only known as CK, nothing else has been found yet.¡±

    Tina thought for a moment, ¡°CK, I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±

 Chapter 436 I Want To Know Everything About CK

    As soon as Tina finished speaking, both Jared and the driver, Hayden, were momentarily stunned.

    Hayden quickly asked, ¡°Serena, what does this organization do?¡±

    He knew about those things concerning Vivienne but this was the first he¡¯d heard of this organization.

    ¡°It¡¯s simr to Ice me. They take on various tasks on behalf of their clients, like finding people or things,¡± she exined. ¡°Originally, Liliosa had asked CK to find her biological daughter, but CK declined the task.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°However, there¡¯s no line CK won¡¯t cross if the price is right. They even engage in human trafficking, like this time when Vivienne helped Mr. White hide Elsa. Vivienne said it was her first time, but it certainly wasn¡¯t CK¡¯s.¡±

    Hayden realized, ¡°So the baby trafficking cases before were also CK¡¯s doing.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina said, her expression darkening.

    CK had risen to prominence only in recent years, a few years after Ice me.

    But because they operated without any moral boundaries, they attracted those with sinister intentions who harmed others¡¯ families and lives for their own gain.

    Thus, CK became more popr in the underworld.

    Jared¡¯s deep eyes narrowed, his voice low, ¡°Vivienne imed she was the sole leader of CK, that she handled everything herself.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s contradictory,¡± Hayden clicked his tongue. ¡°She ims this was her first time involved in human trafficking, yet the fact that CK trafficked babies proves otherwise.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s lying,¡± Jared¡¯s long fingers tapped slowly on the car window.

    After a moment, he said softly, ¡°To the secret room.¡±

    Haydenplied, stepping on the elerator towards the secret room.

    Vivienne seemedfortable here, getting up regrly, spending her free time reading books, newspapers, and watching the news. Her conversations were repetitive and few.

    She imed to be the leader of CK, unaware of who Mr. White was, with all transactions done through corporate groups and Walter¡¯s art gallery.

    Jared entered as Vivienne was looking at a painting, previously done by Tina.

    Hearing Jared, she merely nced slightly, her reaction changing only when she saw Tina.

    ¡°Tina, could I ask you for a favor?¡± Vivienne asked.

    ¡°Speak,¡± Tina replied, hands in her pockets, nonchnt.

    Vivienne paused, then said, ¡°I¡¯d like to see all your previous design drafts.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°¡­¡±

    Vivienne had turned this ce into her own study room?

    Tina smirked, ¡°Sure, but you¡¯ll need to offer something in exchange.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Vivienne¡¯s eyes sparkled when Tina agreed.

    Tina¡¯s eyes twinkled, her smile deepening, ¡°There¡¯s a lot I want. Money? Strawberry cake? Precious herbs? Or¡­¡± She paused, looking up, ¡°Information on CK¡¯s leader, ck Dragon.¡±

    At the mention of ck Dragon, Vivienne faltered.

    ck Dragon was the code name for CK¡¯s true leader.

    No one had ever managed to uncover his information.

    Even Jared, despite having captured her and interrogated her for so long, couldn¡¯t find any details about the leader, despite her ims.

    Yet Tina somehow knew.

    Vivienne looked up at her, ¡°You found out?¡±

    Tina smiled brilliantly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it difficult to look into the leader of a shady organization?¡±

    Vivienne pressed her lips together, taking a moment before responding, ¡°Since you¡¯ve found out, there¡¯s no need to ask me. I won¡¯t tell you anyway.¡±

    Tina pulled up a chair and sat down, legs crossed, looking every bit the boss, ¡°I¡¯m not nning to ask you. You want my designs, so you need to offer something in exchange.¡±

    Vivienne was silent, then finally looked up, ¡°Let¡¯s change the terms of the exchange to something I can provide.¡±

    Tina rested her arm on her knee, supporting her chin as she thought, ¡°I don¡¯t reallyck anything.¡±

    Vivienne, ¡°¡­¡±

    Why the nonsense then?

    Tina turned her head, looking at Jared with a light smile, ¡°Uncle, what do you think I¡¯m missing?¡±

    Jared¡¯s lips twitched, his wife¡¯s knack for infuriating people was always active.

    At that moment, Hayden brought over a chair and sat next to Tina, his maic voice breaking the silence, ¡°My Tina is wealthy; shecks nothing!¡±

    Tina nodded in agreement, ¡°Not true! I still need to support Uncle; you¡¯re too expensive, I can¡¯t afford it.¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­I¡¯m easy to maintain, a bowl of noodles will do.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°That works.¡±

    Vivienne, ¡°¡­¡±

    Enough with the lovey-dovey act!

    It seemed Tina heard her thoughts, turning to look at her, ¡°Though, I really don¡¯t need anything. But my drafts are plentiful, you need them, Tiger doesn¡¯t. You¡¯re no use to me, but Tiger is. What should we do?¡±

    At this, Vivienne gasped in shock!

    Even her emotions couldn¡¯t stay hidden as she eximed, ¡°You even know about Tiger!¡±

    Tiger was a code name known to no one else but her, the real boss of CK.

    All tasks within CK were assigned by Tiger, handed down to others.

    And all important information tasks were managed by Tiger directly, given to ck Dragon to execute.

    So, within CK, nobody knew Tiger¡¯s real identity, not even their gender, or even that such a person existed.

    Many things were directly handled by ck Dragon.

    And ck Dragon was her code name.

    Vivienne bit her lip, the shock in her eyes undiminished.

    How powerful was Tina to have even found out about Tiger?

    Who exactly was she?

    Tina continued smiling radiantly, ¡°I know many things, like, five years ago, the person who poisoned my uncle, intended for Sophia, was named Vivienne. And since we came to Ashbury, the several assassination attempts on my uncle, one of them had Vivienne behind it, and more¡­¡±

    Before Tina could finish, Vivienne suddenly shouted, ¡°Enough!¡±

    Her fingers clenched tightly, her face contorted with emotion.

    She had never imagined that Tina would have dug up so much about her.

    If Tina knew, then Jared¡­

    She turned to look at Jared, noticing him casually ying with Tina¡¯s fingers, his expression unchanged as if he had known all along.

    Vivienne stared at Jared, then suddenlyughed.

    Ha!

    She had schemed for so long, done so much behind the scenes, and yet it was all part of his calctions.

    She had thought her disguise was wless!

    Indeed!

    Her cousin was not like the useless Walter.

    She had almost forgotten that Jared controlled arge financial empire, known to others as Mr. Daryl!

    No wonder everything had gone smoothly before, and this time it had failed so miserably!

    She looked at Tina and Jared for a long time, her clenched fingers slowly rxing, her expressionposed, ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

    She paused, then added, ¡°You can ask, but I might not answer.¡±

    Tina looked up at her, no longer wasting words, ¡°Is Crimson Silk in Tiger¡¯s possession?¡±

 Chapter 437: The Clue is Lost

    Vivienne hadn¡¯t responded for a long time, and Tina didn¡¯t urge her, simply waiting quietly. After a while, Vivienne finally showed a reaction. ¡°Yes,¡± Vivienne slightly curved her lips. ¡°Tina, this is all I can tell you. As for who Tiger is and where he is, I don¡¯t know. You¡¯ll have to find out for yourself.¡± With that, Vivienne closed her eyes.

    Tina knew that Vivienne would not disclose Tiger¡¯s whereabouts. She was just as stubborn as Jasper. Tina handed her own design drafts to Vivienne, ¡°Study these well. I look forward to you designing jewelry here that surpasses mine.¡±

    Vivienne opened her eyes, her gaze undisturbed. She looked down, smiling, ¡°For the sake of the design drafts, you might find something useful among my things.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow and took a deep look at Vivienne before leaving with Jared. Since Vivienne had been captured, Jared had taken control of all her possessions. They had searched everything she owned thoroughly and found nothing. ¡°Could you have missed something else?¡± Tina asked. Jared shook his head, ¡°No, I had already taken control of her belongings before she was captured, from ounts and stocks to bags and cars; everything is here.¡±

    Hayden had also searched from start to finish but couldn¡¯t find any clues, let alone Tiger¡¯s whereabouts. Tina stared at the pile of belongings for a long time before suddenly saying, ¡°Let¡¯s find Walter!¡± Almost at the same moment, Jared also said, ¡°Walter!¡± Then, they shared a smile.

    The trio then went directly to find Walter. At a certain bar, Walter had recovered quite a bit since Alexander was captured, and because of Vivienne¡¯s incident, the art gallery had naturally been sealed. Now without any source of ie, he had be reckless. He spent his days in the bar, squandering what little he had left.

    When Jared found him, Walter waspletely drunk. Tina administered an injection, and Walter immediately sobered up. ¡°What are you doing? I¡­ I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± Walter crouched on the ground, terrified of another injection from Tina.

    Jared picked him up and said sternly, ¡°Where are the things Vivienne gave you?¡± Walter was startled, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The things Vivienne bought for you, where are they?¡± Jared was losing patience. If they didn¡¯t find Tiger¡¯s whereabouts soon, there would be no news from Crimson Silk. Should Crimson Silk be exposed again, the dangers were unthinkable. Sophia had suffered so much because of Crimson Silk, and he wouldn¡¯t let those close to him suffer because of it again. Despite Tina¡¯s presence, the dangers of Crimson Silk could not be underestimated.

    Walter shivered, ¡°They¡¯re mine, are you trying to take them back?¡± Jared gripped Walter¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Not talking?¡± Walter, in pain, gasped, ¡°Sold, sold everything.¡± Jared narrowed his eyes, ¡°Sold to whom?¡± ¡°Just some friends I usually hang out with, and some buyers I met in art exhibitions,¡± Walter recounted everything he could remember to Jared, ¡°The rest is still at my house, take it yourself.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t afford to provoke these two any further. Jared, following the money trail from Vivienne¡¯s transactions, checked all records against sports cars, antiques, and the like.

    Jared surveyed the assortment of items in Walter¡¯s warehouse with an expressionless face. ¡°A calligraphy painting is missing.¡±

    Walter, still crouched on the ground and restrained by Hayden, nced at the antique wall. ¡°I gave that away.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so broke, and you still give things away? That painting could have supported your extravagance for half a year. Stop talking nonsense,¡± Hayden pped Walter on the head.

    Walter winced. ¡°I really gave it away. I met a woman at the bar who cheered me up, so I gave it to her. Is that a problem?¡±

    ¡°A woman?¡± Tina frowned. ¡°What does she look like?¡±

    Walter pulled out his phone and showed a video of the woman pole dancing.

    Her enticing demeanor was irresistible to any man, not to mention a simpleton like Walter.

    ¡°That day she made me very happy, so I took her home, and she took a liking to that painting. I just gave it to her.¡±

    Jared and Tina exchanged nces.

    It was Mr. White.

    It seemed Mr. White was also searching for the whereabouts of Crimson Silk.

    Such an important item, and Walter had carelessly given it away!

    Jared kicked Walter, who had barely recovered, breaking two of his ribs. Walter was furious.

    Jared and Tina were ruthless!

    Elsewhere, Mr. White uncovered the secret of the painting and made a phone call.

    ¡°Tiger? There¡¯s a deal. I wonder if you¡¯d be interested in coborating.¡±

    A deepugh came from the other end. ¡°Is that Mr. White? I¡¯ve heard about you from ck Dragon. Let¡¯s meet sometime.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Mr. White was somewhat surprised; he hadn¡¯t expected Tiger to agree, let alone suggest a meeting.

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s set a ce.¡±

    Tiger provided an address and added, ¡°Remember,e as your true self, or don¡¯te at all.¡±

    The call ended abruptly, and Mr. White, listening to the dial tone, smiled slightly.

    Indeed, the leader of CK was well-informed.

    However, he was determined to secure Crimson Silk for himself.

    Jared took the items Vivienne had bought for Walter to the agency for further investigation.

    After leaving Walter¡¯s ce, Tina returned home.

    Elsa was already at home recuperating, her health much improved, though her lungs were damaged from poisoning, and she still appeared weak.

    ¡°Tina, you¡¯re back,¡± Elsa coughed and sat on the sofa.

    Tina looked at Elsa. ¡°Hasn¡¯t your body recovered yet?¡±

    Elsa nodded. ¡°Just a bit of a cough, but it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Tina checked Elsa¡¯s pulse and pulled out a needle from her waist. ¡°Lie down.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Elsa was startled.

    ¡°Lie down.¡± Tina pressed Elsa onto the sofa and targeted her acupoints with the needle.

    A few drops of ck blood flowed from the acupoints, soon turning red.

    Elsa felt the chest tightness disappear instantly, and her breathing became much smoother.

    ¡°All done,¡± Tina removed the needle and patted Elsa¡¯s back. ¡°Get up.¡±

    Elsa sat up, took a couple of deep breaths, and felt no urge to cough.

    ¡°Tina, you¡¯re really amazing. The chest tightness is gone, and I don¡¯t feel like coughing anymore.¡±

 Chapter 438: TCL and YQ Labs Merge

    Tina chuckled, ¡°Just a minor issue. Drink more water and less soda in the future. Though the toxins are cleared, the effects can linger and should not be ignored. Keep drinking water to flush out the residues.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Tina,¡± Elsa replied, pouring a ss of water for Tina as well. ¡°I¡¯ll be going back to work in a few days, and I¡¯ll still need your help at home, it¡¯s toug¡­¡±

    ¡°No need to say more,¡± Tina cut her off.

    Elsa smiled, ¡°What can I do, you¡¯re just too likable. Even talking to you feelsforting.¡±

    Sometimes she thought that she must have saved the gxy in her past life to have met such a wonderful sister in this life.

    She couldn¡¯t properly honor her parents at home, nor take good care of Bobby. Without Tina, she didn¡¯t know what she would do.

    And this time, if it hadn¡¯t been for Tina, she might have¡­ already died.

    As an agent of the National Security Bureau, she knew well that people like her, if captured by enemy spies, would have no good end.

    If it wasn¡¯t for Mr. White needing her DNA to conceal her identity, and Heath wanting to extract national secrets from her, she might not have been left alive.

    Thest time they moved her, it was to permanently silence her. A few strands of hair and her eyes were enough for the DNA they needed.

    If not for Tina finding her in time, her end would have been not just death, but possibly an untraceable one.

    Tina tapped the back of her hand, ¡°If you feel embarrassed, why don¡¯t we take a backdoor approach?¡±

    Elsa paused, ¡°A backdoor?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina¡¯s peach blossom eyes twinkled mischievously.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°Tina, what are you nning?¡± Elsa asked, puzzled.

    Tina pulled out a document from her bag, an idea she had since leaving the TCL institute.

    She had not found the right ce to implement it until now.

    But with Elsa¡¯s connections, she could find the perfect spot.

    Elsa nced over the document and immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll report this to the leadership right now.¡±

    Elsa was quicker to act than Jennie; she didn¡¯t even wait for Tina to speak before she contacted her superiors.

    Tinaughed helplessly, understanding where Zackary got his slowness from-it was all Hugo.

    Clearly, Elsa took after Jennie.

    Elsa quickly brought back what Tina needed, ¡°Tina, our leaders agree, your idea is excellent, and the government will fully support it. We will provide the location for free, but all results must strictly adhere to national regtions and undergo the Security Bureau¡¯s review. Do you agree?¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Tina nodded.

    The research she was doing would ultimately be handed over to the government; she had no intention of keeping it for herself.

    Keeping it would be pointless anyway.

    Tina packed up her things, ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    Jared was waiting outside and ushered her into the car.

    Jared was in a good mood today, smiling as he handed Tina a box of strawberry cake.

    No matter how many times she saw strawberry cake, Tina¡¯s eyes would instantly light up.

    ¡°Uncle, I won¡¯t just take your strawberry cake for nothing. Here, I¡¯ll trade you this,¡± Tina handed over what she had in her hands.

    Jaredughed upon opening it, ¡°As expected, only Tina truly gets me.¡±

    He was just about to settle the TCLb when Tina had already found the perfect spot for it!

    Tina spoke as she ate, ¡°I think we should merge the TCL and YQbs. Since our research directions are the same, there¡¯s no need to maintain two separatebs.¡±

    Elsa was led to theb by their leader, where the state personally supervised the results. However, the honor still belonged to theb, as previously agreed. ¡°Take a look at the specific contract yourself, what do you think?¡± she said. She only wanted to fulfill her mother¡¯sst wish, toplete the research her mother hadn¡¯t had time to finish. As for everything else, she didn¡¯t care.

    Jared thought of his own mentor, and it left a bitter taste in his heart. After his mentor passed away, he had established TCL Laboratory to continue her research and ensure the legacy of these medical technologies. If TCL merged with YQ, the medical equipment would be even more powerful, and more resources would be avable. Most importantly, this would also secure national certification, ensuring no one could interfere with theb¡¯s affairs anymore. Jared wouldn¡¯t need to go through the higher-ups to keep theb running.

    ¡°Tina, that¡¯s a great idea,¡± Jared said, just as he was about to embrace Tina, only to see her turn away and quickly finish off a strawberry cake. Jared was speechless. ¡°Do I really look like I¡¯d steal your cake?¡± ¡°Yes, very much so,¡± Tina replied, swallowing. ¡°Uncle, this was our trade.¡±

    Jared exhaled silently, noticing the cream lingering on Tina¡¯s lips. He leaned in and gently kissed it away. The creamy fragrance mixed with the sweetness of strawberries was no match for Tina¡¯s unique vor. Jared gazed at Tina¡¯s bright cheeks, feeling an unusual stir within him, wondering how much effort it would take to restrain himself. ¡°She¡¯s still too young for such beastly behavior,¡± he thought.

    Hayden chimed in, ¡°And you call that not being a beast! Who else would be if not you! My Serena, our goddess, you¡¯ve ruined her!¡±

    Tina blinked and looked into Jared¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, she rushed forward, pinning him harshly against the car window. She leaned over, sped his head with both hands, and kissed him deeply. Hayden, sitting in front, quietly pulled down the shade. ¡°To my master and brothers: I never want to drive for Serena and Jared again! Never!¡±

    Hayden drove to Kongham University. Today was the day Kongham University began its summer vacation. Courtney was already waiting at the gate, dressed in simple jeans, a white short-sleeved shirt, and carrying a worn canvas bag. She wore ck-rimmed sses that, if not careful, would disappear into the crowd. ¡°Youngdy, did you call for a ride?¡± Hayden whistled through the open window. Courtney coldly replied, ¡°Can I file aint? Who drives a car with a Husky?¡± Tina also rolled down her window. ¡°Get in.¡±

    Courtney saw Tina and the chill on her face melted away. She walked around to the passenger side and got in. However, Tina¡¯s gaze lingered, noticing Lysander approaching from a distance. ¡°Tina,¡± Lysander said excitedly. Jared was silent. ¡°This kid is relentless!¡± ¡°Tina, what brings you here?¡± Lysander asked, bending over with a smile, his eyes seemingly fixed only on her. ¡°I came to see a friend,¡± Tina nced around and spotted the Reed family¡¯s car nearby-Damian and Hawk. As she looked toward Damian, Lysander exined, ¡°My dad said there¡¯s a banquet at the Reed family tonight and he came to pick me up to attend.¡±

 Chapter 439: Courtney Wants to Join the Lab

    Tina nodded. The affairs of the Reed family no longer concerned her. If one day they came to her for help, she wouldn¡¯t just stand by. If they didn¡¯te, then all would be peaceful. Damian seemed to notice Tina too; his expression briefly twisted but quickly returned to normal as he nodded at her in greeting. Hawk, still not familiar with Tina, showed no reaction.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Tina said, turning away and waving at Lysander.

    ¡°Tina, when you have time, let¡¯s go eat¡­¡± Lysander began, but before he could finish, Jared rolled up the car window and kicked the front seat, ¡°Drive.¡±

    Hayden jumped, confused by the sudden outburst, but dared not ask and simply drove on in silence.

    Tina, perplexed, asked, ¡°Uncle, do you have something against Lysander?¡±

    Jared, looking indifferent, replied, ¡°No, it was Hayden who closed the window.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Hayden eximed, seeing Jared¡¯s warning look in the rearview mirror and quickly nodding in agreement, ¡°Yes, yes, it was me. Serena, go ahead and hit me.¡±

    Might as well beat me so I don¡¯t have to drive! Where did that little rascal Nathan go? He¡¯s recovered from his illness; why isn¡¯t he back driving yet? He just started working again the other day!

    Nathan: Training a newbie, do not disturb.

    As the car moved further away, Lysander watched, his hopeful gaze slowly fading. He knew he wasn¡¯t yet worthy to stand by Tina¡¯s side. Everything had to wait.

    Hawk walked over with Damian and asked, ¡°Lysander, what¡¯s Miss Reed doing here?¡±

    ¡°Just meeting a friend,¡± Lysander replied, his gaze falling.

    ¡°Oh, I saw a young girl get into her car. Is she your ssmate?¡± Hawk looked thoughtfully in the direction where the car had disappeared.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know her, didn¡¯t see what she looked like,¡± Lysander said, adjusting his backpack. ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to be at some banquet?¡±

    He had actually seen Courtney; both were finance majors and knew each other. They hardly spoke at school, only interacting when grouped together by teachers, and had no contact after the group assignments ended. But Hawk¡¯s question seemed too bothersome to answer.

    However, Courtney knowing Tina was a surprise. He had thought Courtney always kept to herself without many friends. Seeing Lysander¡¯s impatience, Hawk didn¡¯t press further and left with Damian for Kongham University.

    In Tina¡¯s car, Courtney pulled out a certificate. It was issued by the Kongham University School of Medicine.

    ¡°You became a professional doctor?¡± Tina was surprised.

    She knew Courtney¡¯s mother, Kahleah, was Natalie¡¯s capable assistant and had her own medical expertise. But she didn¡¯t expect Courtney to follow in those footsteps as well.

    Hayden teased, ¡°Serena, you¡¯ve inherited all eighteen skills of your mother, and Courtney just one, is it that hard?¡±

    Tina remained silent.

    ¡°Yes, I used my spare time to earn this, but I¡¯m only a professional doctor now, not yet skilled enough to participate in experimental research,¡± Courtney said, removing her ck-framed sses to reveal her bright eyes.

    Tina smiled, ¡°Do you want to enter theb?¡±

    Courtney nodded, ¡°Yes, my mom once told me about the many research projects she worked on with Lark. I want to fulfill my mother¡¯s wish. Could you take me to theb to see? I¡¯d like to learn while doing.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tina handed the certificate back to Courtney, ¡°Not yet, at least.¡±

    Courtney was stunned. ¡°Why? Your Husky can drive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because he has a driver¡¯s license. You yourself said you are not yet capable of participating in experimental research. At the very least, you need topletely master the experimental techniques before I can let you into theb.¡±

    Ambition is good, but everything must be approached with care.

    One cannot run before learning to walk.

    Courtney pursed her lips, her eyes dimming as she spoke softly, ¡°But time waits for no one. If I go to school, I can¡¯t focus on my research. There¡¯s only so much vacation time, and I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±

    Afraid that before she qualifies, GTO might make their move.

    Jared held Tina¡¯s hand, rubbing the back gently, ¡°You could start by reporting to Bureau X¡¯s training camp. Once you pass our training, you can be assigned to the YQ Laboratory.¡±

    ¡°The YQ Laboratory? You¡¯ve restarted it!¡± Courtney¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Jared nodded, ¡°Yes. But inside theb, you will follow Tina¡¯s arrangements. She is the director of the YQ Laboratory.¡±

    Courtney thought for a moment. ¡°No problem, take me to the training camp right away!¡±

    She just wanted to enter theb as soon as possible, in any capacity, to pick up the reagents her mother once used and fulfill her dreams and wishes.

    Tina agreed too; if Courtney could pass the training at Bureau X, it proved she had the opportunity to intern in theb, and thus, she wouldn¡¯t need to stay cooped up at Kongham University doing her own research.

    Hayden reluctantly turned the car around, ¡°Captain, can I apply for the training camp too? I think I¡¯m much better than Nathan. The soldiers he trains, could they really be better than me?¡±

    It¡¯s mainly because he didn¡¯t want to drive anymore!

    Courtney, ¡°¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t want the Husky as a drill instructor.

    Jared nced at Hayden indifferently, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want you as an instructor.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask her, how would you know?¡± Hayden retorted, then asked Courtney, ¡°How about I be your instructor?¡±

    Courtney cleared her throat, ¡°I think driving suits you well.¡±

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    Everyone just picks on him!

    He hated that he didn¡¯t have more authority, being just a small squad leader, or else he would rebel!

    Meanwhile, Hayden drove to Bureau X¡¯s training camp for neers.

    Not far from the city, the camp looked like a in courtyard from the outside.

    Little did outsiders know, inside were various training fields for physical fitness, firearms, and even psychological skills.

    Each neer was a top student selected from across the country, some even having won first or second-ss honors, but here, they were just numbers, without past glories.

    Every phase eliminated some people; even if one was top in physical and firearms skills, failing the psychological tests meant elimination.

    And those eliminated could not disclose any information about the camp; doing so would lead to more than just a military court.

    Nathan had already received the news and was waiting at the gate.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, ma¡¯am,¡± Nathan greeted as the car stopped.

    ustomed to seeing Nathan in a suit, they were asionally stunned to see him inbat gear.

    Tina nodded, ¡°Nathan looks quite handsome in hisbat uniform.¡±

 Chapter 440: Assessment

    Nathan was shocked and quickly looked at Jared. ¡°Madam, you are really putting my life on the line here!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, please let me exin. This is a training ground. I must wearbat gear, as I am the chief instructor. I can¡¯t exactly stand here in a suit to train, can I?¡± Jared merely nced at Nathan¡¯sbat attire and said nothing, instead, he wrapped his arm around Tina and walked deeper into the training grounds.

    In a matter of seconds, Nathan felt as though he had passed through the gates of hell.

    Hayden patted Nathan on the shoulder with a smirk, ¡°Hmm, thebat gear looks sharp.¡±

    Nathan kicked at him and gave him a fierce re.

    He quickly followed Jared.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, the training is already halfway through. If you¡¯re thinking of adding new recruits, we might need to elerate her progress.¡±

    What Nathan implied was that Courtney needed to pass the prior assessment today in order to stay.

    Jared¡¯s stern face grew serious, ¡°Let¡¯s start now.¡±

    Neither Tina nor Courtney objected.

    It was only right.

    If Courtney could not pass the previous assessments, it simply meant she did not have the strength to stay.

    ¡°Captain.¡±

    From a distance, a man in an army-green short-sleeved shirt approached and saluted Jared.

    He was Jason, the physical training assessor.

    After greeting Jared, Jason looked at Tina and then his gaze fell on Courtney, ¡°So you¡¯re the girl who got in through the back door?¡±

    Jason¡¯s tone was unfriendly, and his look was disdainful.

    Nathan signaled to him with his eyes, ¡°Jason, watch your attitude.¡±

    Come on, man, this is thedy¡¯s person.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Besides, it¡¯s not like she wanted to enter through the back door. If she fails the assessment, even Mr. Farrell won¡¯t keep her. Don¡¯t be so confrontational, careful not to make Mr. Farrell angry!

    Jason, as if he hadn¡¯t seen the signal, continued, ¡°I am the physical training instructor. We start your assessment now. If you don¡¯t pass, get lost immediately. It doesn¡¯t matter who brought you here.¡±

    His words were clearly aimed at Tina.

    Hayden also noticed Jason targeting Tina and stepped forward, shouting, ¡°Jason, who the hell are you talking weird to?¡±

    Tina, however, held Hayden back, her cool gaze fixed on Jason, ¡°Captain Jason is right. Show your strength and don¡¯t waste my people¡¯s efforts.¡±

    Jason frowned, ¡°It¡¯s yet to be seen who¡¯s wasting efforts here!¡±

    A cold look crossed Jared¡¯s face, ¡°Captain Jason, it¡¯s not like you to talk tough.¡±

    Jason was the captain of the third squad of Bureau X¡¯s special forces, the most temperamental among the four captains, but also highly capable.

    His overall strength was greater than Hayden¡¯s, but he was also very stubborn.

    The only person he truly respected was Jared. He didn¡¯t care much for Nathan or Hayden.

    Hearing Jared speak, Jason¡¯s attitude softened a bit.

    ¡°Alright, follow me. Let your strength do the talking.¡± Jason gave Tina a challenging look, his face full of warning.

    That look, however,pletely piqued Tina¡¯s interest.

    It seems that the real person Captain Jason wanted to challenge was her.

    Interesting.

    Tina slightly curved her lips, showing no concern for Jason.

    Someone Jared couldn¡¯t beat wasn¡¯t worthy of being her opponent.

    Courtney threw her backpack on the ground, challenging Jason with her gaze, ¡°Don¡¯t make it so troublesome. Take me on as your opponent. If I win, I stay here to train; if I lose, I¡¯ll pack up and leave without bothering you.¡±

    Seeing Courtney wanting to fight him, a hint of surprise appeared in Jason¡¯s eyes. This teenager certainly didn¡¯tck guts.

    Courtney changed intofortable clothes and engaged in a one-on-one duel with Jason on the muddy grounds of the training field. Tina watched from the side, aware of Courtney¡¯s abilities, but Jason was notcking either. It was hard to predict who would win or lose.

    ¡°Uncle, want to make a bet?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°I bet a million dors on Courtney winning.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bet on Jason then,¡± Jared also showed a hint of interest.

    Many students gathered around, cheering on their instructors. Courtney, hearing the cheers, was not intimidated but instead filled with fighting spirit. The two quickly engaged in a fierce brawl, sttering mud everywhere, soon turning them both into mud figures.

    Jason struck with precision and ferocity, while Courtney dodged the attacks using her physical advantages. In the end, the match was too close to call. Jason had a grip on Courtney¡¯s vital point, and Courtney clutched Jason¡¯s artery. Neither could advance any further.

    Tina smirked and said to Jared, ¡°Looks like we both lose.¡±

    Nathan blew the whistle, stepped forward, and separated them, dering, ¡°It¡¯s a draw.¡±

    Hayden whistled at Jason, ¡°Jason, aren¡¯t you ashamed? To end up in a draw with a little girl?¡±

    Jason kicked at the mud, sshing it towards Hayden. Tina gently pulled Hayden back two centimeters, and the mudnded precisely at his toes. Then, with a flick of her toe, a pebble soared up and struck Jason on the knee.

    The movement was smooth and seamless, even Hayden standing beside them didn¡¯t notice. Jason felt a numbness in his left leg and looked at Tina in surprise. She raised an eyebrow at him.

    Thinking he could bully her brother in front of her? She would see about that.

    Jason was shocked. Tina had managed to attack him in a blink, and he hadn¡¯t even noticed! Had Tina not intentionally let him realize, he would never have known the pebble was from her.

    Jason gave Tina a long look. He had not joined the previous missions of Section X, only hearing colleagues say how inscrutable the team leader¡¯s wife was, and how she had the leader wrapped around her finger, which unsettled him.

    In Jason¡¯s mind, Jared was almost godlike, the only person he truly admired. And Tina was just an unknown little girl, how could she be his match? In his eyes, no one worthy of Jared truly existed.

    Seeing Tina today only increased his dissatisfaction. Only those who passed the preliminary assessment should enter the training camp, yet she was there merely through her connections, making the leadermit a mistake.

    Thus, Jason was even more discontent, seeing her as not only unhelpful but a hindrance. But now, Jason was beginning to see things differently. At least he could acknowledge that Tina was stronger than him.

    But whether she was worthy of the leader was another matter.

    Courtney brushed the mud off herself and shouted at Jason, ¡°Arrogant, did I pass my assessment?¡±

    Jason paused, then lowered his eyes, ¡°You passed, go change into your training gear and start training!¡±

    With that, Jason stormed off.

    Hayden was puzzled, ¡°What arrogant? Courtney, his name is Jason.¡±

    Courtney rotated her wrist, ¡°I know, it¡¯s his arrogance.¡±

 Chapter 441: Passing the Assessment

    She nced at Jason¡¯s retreating figure, aware that her recent draw was nothing more than a fluke. Jason was still nursing old wounds that had not yet fully healed. Jared approached formally and said to Courtney in a captain¡¯s tone, ¡°In one month, you¡¯ll face the final assessment. Once you pass, I¡¯ll arrange for you to intern and carry out missions in theboratory.¡±

    Courtney saluted, ¡°Yes, I will not let you and the madam down.¡±

    Tina smiled at her briefly, impressed by her quick learning.

    Jaredmented, ¡°The girl has potential; she¡¯ll definitely make captain someday!¡±

    Hayden interjected, ¡°Wait a minute, you didn¡¯t say that when I became captain!¡±

    Courtney responded, ¡°Am I supposed to be like a husky?¡±

    Courtney stayed at Bureau X¡¯s training camp for further training, while Hayden drove Tina and Jared back home.

    On the way, Hayden asked, ¡°Serena, do you think Courtney can make it? The training at Bureau X is not for the faint-hearted.¡±

    Despite Courtney¡¯s draw with Jason today, he was still worried.

    ¡°If you could pass, she can too,¡± Tina said nonchntly, leaning on Jared¡¯s shoulder.

    Jared nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, that makes sense.¡±

    ncing in the rearview mirror and seeing the couple¡¯s affectionate interaction, Hayden btedly asked, ¡°Wait, what do you mean ¡®if I could pass¡¯? I¡¯m much more capable than Courtney!¡±

    Tina raised her brows indifferently, ¡°She¡¯s neen, how old are you?¡±

    Hayden fell silent, realizing he had spoken out of turn.

    With a snap, the curtain fell. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

    One monthter.

    The official assessment at Bureau X began, with YQ Laboratory and TCL Laboratory having merged under the name of YQ Laboratory.

    Tina arrived at theboratory first, greeted by the familiar setup, identical to the one Natalie had established years ago. It was Jared who had painstakingly restored it over the past month.

    Approaching the familiar control panel, Tina could almost see her mother working there diligently.

    ¡°Madam.¡± Timmy emerged from inside, followed by a group ofboratory researchers.

    Now the head of YQ Laboratory, Timmy was familiarizing his team with theb¡¯s environment and its various functions.

    Tina nodded, noticing unfinished experiment reports on the table.

    Timmy approached, ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to restore the 3D biological printer, but we¡¯ve made no progress.¡±

    Theb had been busy conducting experimental theories since its establishment.

    Tina quickly circled a few errors on the report, ¡°These numbers are correct, but the directions are mixed up. Try again.¡±

    The researchers were enlightened by her insight.

    Admiring her acumen, the researchers, all of them devoted to their work, began to crowd around Tina with reports from their own fields.

    Tina briefly addressed them, asking, ¡°Who¡¯s handling the pharmaceuticals?¡±

    The crowd parted, revealing a young-looking man in the middle, holding a medical book. His hair was neatly trimmed, his nails clean, and he wore silver-rimmed sses with a somewhat confused yet amiable smile.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    ¡°Madam, I am researching the pharmaceutical aspect,¡± he said with a pleasant voice.

    Tina sized him up, a familiar sensation stirring as she observed the young man.

    Timmy thought Tina was questioning the boy¡¯s capabilities, so he rified, ¡°Madam, his name is Lockie, a recent recruit. Despite his young age, he¡¯s a prodigy in medicine and has unique insights into pharmaceuticals.¡±

    Tina¡¯s interest piqued. ¡°Show me your research report.¡±

    Lockie handed over his report; it was halfplete, with parts still unfilled. Yet, every word was substantial.

    Tina nodded in approval, recognizing his talent.

    ¡°I¡¯m confused about this part; I¡¯ll study it and report back to the director,¡± Lockie noted, drawing a line through a section and marking a question on the subsequent text.

    Tina nced at it and wrote down a series of numbers, ¡°Try this.¡±

    Lockie pondered the numbers for a few seconds, then his eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it, this might work!¡±

    Tina put down her pen and asked, ¡°When did you start handling pharmaceutical research?¡±

    ¡°Just this morning,¡± Lockie replied nonchntly, clutching the report as he walked to his workstation,pletely engrossed.

    Timmy added, ¡°Madam, he¡¯s obsessed with medicine; we¡¯re all used to it.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t mind. Lockie¡¯s demeanor always reminded her of someone. But that person wasn¡¯t as clean-cut.

    Just then, Jared entered and said to Tina, ¡°Courtney has arrived.¡±

    Tina turned around.

    After a month, Courtney looked tanned and much more robust, with several wounds visible on her exposed forearm.

    Courtney stepped forward and saluted, ¡°Special Squad Third Division member Courtney, reporting to the madam.¡±

    The Third Division? Wasn¡¯t that Jason¡¯s team?

    Tina looked at Jared, who exined, ¡°It was decided by drawing lots; she was just unlucky.¡±

    Tina patted Courtney¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s good that you passed.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t really worried about Courtney. From a young age, Courtney had been under Kahleah¡¯s tutge, acquiring skills essential for the Special Squad.

    In fact, Hayden might not even match Courtney¡¯s qualifications.

    Her goal was to enter theb, which posed certain risks.

    Thus, she had to pass the bureau¡¯s assessment.

    The Special Squad had a dedicated medical research team, but passing this team¡¯s assessment was merely a prerequisite for entering the YQ researchb.

    This also proved that Courtney was qualified for an internship in theb.

    Courtney could hardly hide her excitement; she was on the verge of fulfilling her mother¡¯sst wish.

    Over the past month, she had bnced her training with the medical institute¡¯s assessments and studies, enduring a more rigorous regimen than her peers.

    Fortunately, she had passed all the assessments and finally earned her qualifications.

    ¡°Madam, my first assignment is to provide close protection to you, so I¡¯ll be withdrawing from my dormitory at school to stay close to you, just as you once did,¡± Courtney dered.

    Tina was surprised and looked at Jared, ¡°Did you arrange this?¡±

    Jared coughed lightly, ¡°It was the senior leadership¡¯s decision. Since enemy states had previously targeted your research, they assigned a team member to protect you closely.¡±

    He was capable of the task too.

    But-Hugo wouldn¡¯t let him stay at the Reed family home, in the same room as Tina¡­

    Thus, this honorable yet challenging task fell to Courtney, the only female member.

    Jared thought, enviously, but kept silent.

 Chapter 442: With a Tail

    Tina understood it in her heart.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    It was good that Courtney was by her side; together they could fulfill their mothers¡¯st wishes.

    Tina took Courtney around theb, and Courtney¡¯s eyes grew brighter.

    Since her childhood, she had heard her mother discuss these matters, and she was quite familiar with many of the experiments, now augmented by her current medical knowledge, she was eager to try.

    At that moment, Lockie came out with a research report and headed straight for Tina, even pushing Courtney aside, ¡°I need to change the direction here, the procedure isn¡¯t right, what do you think?¡±

    Tina was surprised by Lockie¡¯s quick progress, having made significant advancements in just half an hour.

    ¡°Right.¡± Tina took Lockie¡¯s research report and discussed the next steps in their research with him.

    Their ideas coincided surprisingly in some areas.

    However, Lockie¡¯s focus was more towards developing the toxicity of drugs.

    Their discussion was heated, and Courtney could understand at first, but eventually, it all became tooplex for her.

    She decided not to interrupt any further and stepped back to wait for Tina.

    Courtney nced back at Jared, who was waiting on the side, and was surprised to see his indifferent expression.

    Jared saw a handsome man getting close to Tina and wasn¡¯t jealous?

    She remembered how Lysander had reacted before; Jared had been as dark as coal when he rolled up the car window.

    Jared was fiddling with Tina¡¯s phone and, feeling Courtney¡¯s gaze, casually looked up with an expression that seemed to say it was only natural.

    He wasn¡¯t the type to get jealous over everything.

    Tina was working on something serious.

    Her work was more important than jealousy.

    He wasn¡¯t a vinegar pot.

    Hayden: ¡°And you¡¯re not a vinegar pot? I¡¯d stand on my head and eat shit!¡±

    Nathan: ¡°Hard to disagree.¡±

    After Tina and Lockie finished their discussion, it was alreadyte.

    ¡°That¡¯s it for today.¡± Tina put down the research report.

    She then looked back at Courtney, ¡°Did you remember everything we talked about?¡±

    Courtney nodded, ¡°I remembered, and I¡¯ll organize what I didn¡¯t understand and give it to you.¡±

    Tina put away her pen, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Although Lockie was somewhat reluctant, he knew better than to stop Tina as she wanted to leave.

    He watched as Tina and the others left.

    Watching her figure, Lockie¡¯s eyes were dark and unreadable.

    He clenched the research report in his hand, his lips curving into a smile.

    He packed up his things and returned to the changing room to change into casual clothes before leaving theb.

    In the car, Tina looked at her phone, her lips twitching fiercely.

    Her phone¡¯s wallpaper, lock screen, social media background, chat interfaces, and more.

    All had been changed to various pictures of an uncle inbat attire during training and operations.

    In short, handsome.

    She had onlyplimented Nathan once, and the uncle had remembered for a month.

    No wonder he had been hovering around her phone all this time.

    Seeing her stare at the phone, Jared traced a smile with his lips, his voice very maic, ¡°Tina, I¡¯m the handsomest.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Who just said he wasn¡¯t a vinegar pot?

    Hayden drove the car, slowly turning the steering wheel, ¡°Serena, there¡¯s a tail.¡±

    Tina put away her phone, habitually leaned on Jared¡¯s shoulder, and closed those cunning peach blossom eyes, ¡°Hook it over.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Hayden said, turning the steering wheel and slowly closing the distance to the tail.

    Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, the tail they were following disappeared.

    Hayden cursed, ¡°Damn, the guy¡¯s a pro.¡±

    Courtney sighed lightly, ¡°Miss Reed, I told you Huskies can¡¯t drive.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Jared nced at Hayden with disapproval.

    It was embarrassing; they couldn¡¯t even keep a tail.

    Tina looked back and said calmly, ¡°The other party is indeed a veteran, very good at hiding.¡±

    ¡°See, I still have Serena on my side!¡± Hayden retorted excitedly.

    Indeed, Serena was the best there was.

    I was crazy for Serena, mad for Serena, banging my head for Serena¡­

    ¡°But your skills really do suck, embarrassing,¡± Tina added after ncing at Hayden.

    Hayden was speechless.

    So, does love disappear?

    ¡°Serena, the tail¡¯s gone, where do we go now?¡± Hayden slumped,pletely disheartened.

    Tina nced at the time, which was still sufficient, ¡°Let¡¯s go find Jasper.¡±

    Today was supposed to be the day they went to find Jasper, but they hadn¡¯t expected such a dy.

    Jasper was locked up in the secret prison of Bureau X, the only inmate, which was considered a privilege.

    Hayden and Courtney didn¡¯t go in but stayed outside the door.

    Jared and Tina entered; Jasper was sitting in a chair, daydreaming, wearing a heart rate monitor, lost in thought.

    He hadn¡¯t been interrogated all this time, seeing no one but his daily meal providers.

    Today, he was brought to the interrogation room for the first time.

    Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his deep eyes stirring slightly.

    Seeing Tina, he thought she was Natalie.

    He thought, if Natalie had really had a daughter with him, she would look like this.

    She resembled Natalie closely and inherited all her best traits.

    Under Jasper¡¯s gaze, Tina sat down and looked up at him.

    Both remained silent for a long while, but eventually, Jasper spoke first.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to interrogate me personally.¡± Jasper¡¯s dry lips twitched, cracking in the middle and showing a hint of blood.

    Despite everything, Jasper didn¡¯t have the face of a viin.

    Rather, he looked like a gentleman, gentle and refined.

    His eyes always carried a gentle warmth, like a ray of sunlight in winter.

    Now, his slightly haggard look made him seem somewhat pitiable, but that was just a facade.

    ¡°You want to know who the real Mr. White is, right? Sorry, but that¡¯s one thing I won¡¯t tell you. You¡¯ll have to find out on your own, I believe you can,¡± Jasper said, his eyes downcast, defiant.

    He had been locked up here, oblivious to the outside world.

    Tina couldn¡¯t help butugh, her eyes mocking, ¡°Always being underestimated can be annoying.¡±

    Jared patted Tina¡¯s head, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with fools.¡±

    Jasper was startled by their conversation, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    Jasper was silent for a few seconds, then eximed, ¡°You¡¯ve already found Mr. White!¡±

    Tina looked at him with a half-smile, remaining silent.

 Chapter 443: Thanks, Mr. Reed

    Jasper clenched his fist. Mr. White had been exposed; what did she n to do next? He gazed deeply at Tina, his expression gradually bing more wary.

    Tina had no interest in further pointless discussions with Jasper. She asked directly, ¡°Where is the research location for the new bomb?¡±

    Jared and she had been tracking this new type of bomb for a long time. However, whether it was Jared, the Mountain Veil Order, or me Ice, the information they could gather was scant. They had started their investigations from many angles, not even overlooking the car ident from before. Finally, they had a slender clue, but it was still uncertain.

    Jasper remained silent. The research base for the new bomb was one of the organization¡¯s key projects. If there were forces with the same military readiness as Agency X, the new bomb could not be destroyed. The organization was also continuously advancing the bomb¡¯s capabilities. Before Jasper was captured, there had been thetest developments.

    Tina was not in a hurry. She slowly said, ¡°The Reed family had a banquet a few days ago and nned to auction a piece ofnd. Thatnd has an abandoned factory, which you had decided to purchase back then but never utilized. Now Damian wants to sell thatnd to exchange for a plot in East Bay to build a hot spring za. Do you think thatnd can be sold?¡±

    Jasper abruptly sat upright, his heart rate monitor beeping rapidly, disying his current panic. Yet, he still clenched his teeth, refusing to speak.

    But that reaction was enough.

    Tina curved her lips, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Reed.¡±

    After speaking, Tina and Jared stood up to leave.

    The Mountain Veil Order had found three potential addresses for the new bomb research, all rted to the Reed family. This wasn¡¯t surprising. The ces for researching new bombs needed to be open and quiet. Naturally, while Jasper was still active, he would use the Reed family¡¯s influence to facilitate GTO.

    However, the clever rabbit has three burrows; Jasper had once bought three very simr pieces ofnd in one go but chose not to develop any.

    If they were to storm any of these three sites, it would require a significant amount of manpower and resources. If they chose to investigate all three at once, it would inevitably create vulnerabilities.

    If they stormed one based on a hunch and guessed correctly, it would be fine, but a wrong guess would alert the enemy and cause them to lose the hard-found clues.

    Therefore, Tina hade to Jasper today and deliberately mentioned this. In reality, the Reed family had no intention of selling thend.

    Leaving the interrogation room, Jared said to Hayden, ¡°Return to headquarters, request to storm East Bay!¡±

    Hayden paused, ¡°East Bay? But that¡¯s not Reed family¡¯snd, are we targeting the Reed family?¡±

    Courtney was also surprised but thought it through and understood the implication.

    The three plots owned by the Reed family definitely had issues, but the biggest problem was that these three sites all surrounded East Bay.

    The East Bay area was expansive, surrounded by many residential areas and had numerous transport lines, including passenger and freight vehicles, and even ports.

    If any of the three Reed family sites were stormed, East Bay could immediately receive the message and escape via the port and other transport routes.

    By the time they realized it, the new bomb would be long gone.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Given Jasper¡¯s cunning, East Bay was indeed the best base location. The three plots were merely a smokescreen he had released.

    Tina had looked at the map of these three plots initially and immediately focused on the direction of East Bay. Today, she hade to confirm it with Jasper.

    Indeed, he did not disappoint her expectations.

    Tina would not apany Jared to headquarters. She decided to release the Shadow Lotus Seal first; if the headquarters couldn¡¯t approve this mission, then the Mountain Veil Order would handle it themselves. If not for Jared¡¯s current restrictions, things wouldn¡¯t be soplicated. The team split into two groups; Tina also released the Shadow Lotus Seal, summoning all operatives in Ashbury to ambush near East Bay. Jared rushed to the headquarters as fast as he could.

    Nathan and Jason, fully equipped, were just waiting for Jared to produce the orders. Ten minutester, Jared emerged from his superior¡¯s office, empty-handed and with a grim expression. Hayden, having changed his clothes, joined Nathan and Jason, and approached him, asking, ¡°What¡¯s the n? Do we move out immediately?¡±

    Jared clenched his fist, looked up at the three men, and ordered, ¡°Dissolve squads two and three. Squad one, drop your arms and follow me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Jason eximed, ¡°Captain, it¡¯s a bomb research facility. You¡¯re taking just the first squad without arms; are you waiting to get blown up?¡±

    Hayden lost his temper too, ¡°East Bay is huge, and the first squad has so few people, are you insane?¡±

    Nathan was moreposed and questioned, ¡°Captain, what exactly is the higher-up¡¯s intention?¡±

    Jared took off his jacket, handed it to Nathan, and changed into abat suit designed for stealth during reconnaissance. ¡°The facility is surrounded by residential areas. To avoid causing panic, we need to first assess the situation before we can encircle it.¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Jason kicked a trash can, ¡°Jasper was arrested, and they¡¯re already on alert. What if something goes wrong and they spot you?¡±

    Jason was furious, and both Hayden and Nathan couldn¡¯tprehend why the higher-ups were so cautious. Yet, considering the local residents, their approach made some sense and was hard to argue against. Hayden tucked his gun at his back waist and angrily removed his bulletproof vest, muttering, ¡°This is damn frustrating.¡±

    Their frustration was understandable; recent operations felt like punching into cotton, utterlycking impact. Captured suspects escaped, located facilities were left unassailed, and they ended up just feeding the few minor crooks they had caught!

    Jared¡¯s reaction was less intense; he pulled out his phone and sent a text to Tina. ¡°Tina, make your move.¡±

    Tina, having received the message, was unsurprised. Ever since Lily was acquitted, Tina had harbored doubts about the leadership of Bureau X, though she had no evidence. Like Bureau X, a government agency, there are many factors to consider before acting, especially when surrounding a new bomb development facility.

    But Tina was different; she could ensure the absolute safety of the surrounding residential buildings while attacking theb. She didn¡¯t need to promise anyone else, just to herself. With Bureau X, she could coordinate from the outside; without them, she could still aplish the task.

    Tina sent a message to Jayden: ¡°Attack East Bay!¡±

    Half an hourter, Jayden called. ¡°Young master, we¡¯vee up empty.¡±

    Tina was stunned, her expression turning dark, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Jayden was very apologetic, bowing his head even over the phone, ¡°We were a step toote. By the time we arrived, the facility was already empty.¡±

 Chapter 444: Again, Because of the X Bureau

    Tina mmed the phone down with a snap, her brows furrowed with an icy sternness. Three minutester, Tina and Jared arrived simultaneously. The bomb research base was located beneath East Bay Square, covering half the square. From the scene, it was evident that the escape was hasty, as only crucial documents were taken.

    The personnel from Mountain Veil Order had already evacuated, and Hayden, leading the first squad, had thoroughly searched the base. ¡°Serena, Mr. Farrell, take a look at this,¡± Hayden approached, carrying a box. Jared opened the box to reveal a model of a new type of bomb, obviously left behind in the chaos. This further proved that the group had received a sudden message; otherwise, they would never have left something so significant behind.

    Tina took out the model. It was a one-to-one replica. Although not as straightforward as textual information, anyone well-versed in weapons research could decipher the bomb¡¯s structure. The new bomb¡¯s main feature was its undetectability by scanners, itspact size, ease of transport, and concebility. If one could figure out how it evaded detection, preventive measures could be taken.

    Tina secured the model, ¡°I¡¯m taking this with me.¡± Jared nodded, deciding not to report the new bomb model to his superiors. He still had that much authority. Jared only called Nathan to report the escape of the suspects and did not return to headquarters.

    Along the way, Hayden was fuming. ¡°Damn it, if they had controlled the area sooner, I don¡¯t believe these people could have escaped. Are the higher-ups brain-dead? If they were worried about civilian safety, they could have made up any excuse to evacuate them; I had already thought of several, like a fire drill or an earthquake drill. It¡¯s infuriating!¡±

    Courtney could hardly stand it anymore, ¡°Husky, can you shut up?¡± Already frustrated by their failure, Hayden¡¯s constant cursing only aggravated her further. ¡°I can¡¯t shut up. How many times has it been? This doesn¡¯t work, that doesn¡¯t work, I think surrendering directly would be best, just quit it.¡±

    Hayden¡¯s anger was not without reason, as he pointed out, even without a crackdown, merely controlling the surroundings would have prevented the situation of arriving at an empty building. ¡°Jared, can¡¯t you climb up higher?¡± Hayden, ovee with anger, called Jared by his full name, showing his intense frustration.

    Courtney massaged her forehead, realizing no one could save them now. Jared, sitting in the back, darkly said, ¡°Sure, what else would Master Hayden instruct?¡±

    Hayden abruptly stopped the car, breaking out in a cold sweat as he realized what he had just said. What a disaster! ¡°Serena, help!¡±

    Indeed, Tina seemed to have heard Hayden¡¯s heart¡¯s cry. She tugged at Jared¡¯s arm, the other hand pointing at the model in her hand, slowly saying, ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s time you climbed up.¡±

    Several operations had gone awry because of the X Bureau. The true cause of her mother¡¯s death had never been uncovered. Who was it that had called her mother, leading her to choose suicide? She had never focused her attention on the X Bureau before, a team and leadership her mother had trusted. She had trusted them too! But now¡­ Ha! If she found out that a failed mission of her mother¡¯s years ago was due to a mole from the X Bureau, she would make them realize that neither prison nor the grave was their best refuge.

    Jared¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, instantly grasping Tina¡¯s intent, ¡°Hmm, I think so too, Master Hayden, you¡¯ve worked hard today.¡±

    Hayden felt a chill rise from his feet, turning around with a gloomy face, ¡°Mr. Farrell, I was wrong!¡±

    Tina toyed with the new bomb model in her hands, her lips curved in a cunning smile, her cool eyes scheming against Hayden.

    Jared was even more amused, his typically serene eyes now curved inughter.

    Hayden, seeing their expressions, panicked immensely!

    He would have preferred Serena to p him twice, or for Mr. Farrell to kick him.

    But not to be smiled at like this!

    Did they know how sinister their smiles looked?

    Like the King of Hell to a mere ghost!

    Unable to bear it, Hayden sped his hands together, pleading with the two in the back seat, ¡°Serena, Mr. Farrell, I was wrong, truly wrong. Whatever you want me to do, I¡¯ll do it. I won¡¯t hesitate to ascend a mountain of swords or plunge into a sea of mes, even running naked on Mount Everest wouldn¡¯t bring me anyints!¡±

    Jared¡¯s slender fingers rested on the car seat, his neatly manicured fingertips gently tapping the leather, ¡°No need for Master Hayden to sacrifice himself like that, just help me contact someone.¡±

    Tina nodded, her fingers, pale as scallions, holding the new bomb model, her smile reaching her eyes, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want our little brother to brave a mountain of swords or run naked on Mount Everest.¡±

    Hayden thought to himself, am I still going to end up running naked¡­

    ¡°Do you two intend to find her?¡± Hayden stuttered out the question.

    An expert in weapons, capable of deducing the workings from a bomb model, and a trustworthy person.

    In this world, there was only one.

    Jared and Tina remained silent, their smiles ambiguous as they watched him.

    Hayden¡¯s expression was as if struck by lightning, he stumbled backwards, his head knocking heavily against the car window, stuttering, ¡°No way, I absolutely cannot call Pa White, absolutely not!¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Pa White, who was she?

    She was a clingy ster he had finally shaken off!

    A nightmare!

    A devil!

    The big bad wolf of Siberia!

    Jared oh-ed, even dragging out the sound, turning his head to Tina, gently pinching her face, ¡°Tina, I¡¯m short of a coal miner in Africa.¡±

    Tina shook her finger, ¡°No, I need a male model over there, he¡¯d be perfect.¡±

    Hayden, ¡°¡­¡±

    You two are heartless.

    But what could he do?

    Under the tyranny of Mr. Farrell and Serena, how could he notpromise?

    ¡°I¡¯ll call!¡± Hayden, tears near spilling, pulled out his phone and dialed his nightmare in front of Jared and Tina.

    The phone rang for almost half a minute before it waszily picked up, ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±

    Hayden paused, Pa White was someone who could recite his number by heart, even listed as his emergency contact.

    Even if she hadn¡¯t saved his number, she wouldn¡¯t need to ask who it was!

    ¡°It¡¯s Hayden, are you Pa White?¡± he asked, doubting his own existence.

    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s up?¡± Pa White¡¯s tone was indifferent, as if she was taking a call about a food delivery.

    Hayden nced at Tina, then said, ¡°Uh, Serena needs you, do you have time?¡±

    Pa White paused, her tone rising, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s your Serena, not you?¡±

    Hayden, slightly embarrassed, ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Pa White said, ¡°I¡¯m in the west district,e find me.¡±

    She then hung up.

 Chapter 445: Has Paula White Changed?

    Hayden stared in disbelief at the phone that had just been hung up on him. Pa White had actually hung up on him! This was not normal. Tina also felt surprised; she had a vivid memory of what Pa White was like before. This time, she had actedpletely out of character. Hayden let out a deep sigh and then went to the western district with Jared and Tina.

    Inside the viplex, Pa White was waiting at the door. Seeing Tina approaching, she greeted her warmly, ¡°Serena, long time no see.¡±

    ¡°Long time no see,¡± Tina greeted back.

    Pa White opened the door. ¡°Come in, it¡¯s just me at home.¡±

    Tina and Jared walked in side by side, with Courtney following closely behind. Just as Hayden was about to follow them inside, Pa White suddenly closed the door and said sternly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I¡¯m home alone, do you really think you can just barge into ady¡¯s room?¡±

    Hayden was nearly speechless, pointing incredulously at Jared, ¡°What about him then!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s Serena¡¯s fiance, practically a brother-inw, of course he can enter,¡± Pa White said matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow at Hayden, ¡°And you are?¡±

    With a bang, the door closed.

    Hayden was left alone, disheveled in the wind¡­

    Pa White¡¯s home was not like that of a typical girl; it was rather quaint with mahogany furniture everywhere, and in the center of the living room stood a tea table.

    The only out-of-ce item was a Husky figurine on the tea table.

    Tina sat down, not bothering with why Hayden was not allowed inside, and got straight to the point, ¡°Miss White, we came today because we need your help with something.¡±

    Pa White skillfully poured tea for everyone and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Jared took out a model of a new type of bomb, ¡°Can you analyze the principle and structure of this bomb and develop a detector that can detect it? Are you interested?¡±

    Pa White¡¯s eyes lit up.

    As a top-level weapons enthusiast and expert, she was naturally interested.

    ¡°Is this the new type of bomb that¡¯s hard toe by in the ck market?¡± Pa White asked.

    Tina nodded, ¡°Yes.¡±

    She looked at Pa White and added, ¡°You know about it?¡±

    Pa White took the model of the new bomb and examined it carefully, ¡°Of course, I know. This device, it stole my idea.¡±

    ¡°Your idea?¡± Tina was momentarily stunned.

    Pa White nodded and took out an unfinished paper, ¡°This was my idea three years ago. Once, myputer was hacked, and I found this paper had been copied, so I knew someone would giarize my idea.¡±

    Tina briefly scanned the paper; indeed, the content on it coincided with some features of the new bomb.

    ¡°How did you find out about this thing?¡± Tina asked calmly.

    Pa White smiled, ¡°I have my ways. Let¡¯s talk business, Serena, I agree to coborate with you on this, but I have one condition, a necessary one. As long as you agree, I will research it for you free of charge.¡±

    Tina¡¯s interest piqued, ¡°Does it have to do with Hayden?¡±

    Pa White didn¡¯t deny it, ¡°Yes, him.¡±

    Tina smiled coyly, ¡°I agree.¡±

    Pa White was taken aback, ¡°I haven¡¯t even said-¡±

    Before she could finish, Tina interrupted her, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡±

    Outside the door, Hayden thought: Serena, are you really selling me out like this?

    Pa White alsoughed, stated her condition, and then discussed the coboration with Tina and Jared.

    After sitting in Pa White¡¯s home for about ten minutes, the coboration was settled, and the new bomb was left with Pa White. Hayden had been sitting in the car, feeling uneasy about everything. He couldn¡¯t understand Pa White¡¯s attitude toward him that day. Nor could he figure out what had gotten into her. Why was she targeting him all of a sudden? Hadn¡¯t he already said that as long as her old man agreed, he would go and register their marriage? If the old man didn¡¯t agree, why take it out on him?

    While he was pondering this, Tina and two others opened the car door and got in. Hayden quickly turned around, ¡°Serena, did she agree?¡± Tina nced at him and simply said, ¡°Yeah.¡± Hayden was stunned; knowing Pa White, she wouldn¡¯t have agreed so easily. ¡°Did she set any harsh conditions? Did she make things difficult for you?¡± Hayden pursed his lips, a look of resigned determination on his face, ¡°Did she want me tomit myself to her? Serena, you didn¡¯t agree to that, did you!¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Before Tina could speak, Hayden hurriedly said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t do anything to her. It was just youthful foolishness when I kissed her once on the cheek. I didn¡¯t even know what marrying meant back then. Besides, our family¡¯s old man would never agree. Serena, I really want to work on that bomb, but I can¡¯tmit myself like that!¡±

    Hayden rambled on. Tina and Jared looked at him as if he were a fool. Courtney didn¡¯t even try to hide her disdain. Confused, Hayden scratched his head and turned to Courtney, ¡°Courtney, what exactly happened?¡± Courtney looked at Hayden deeply and slowly said, ¡°Miss White did indeed make a condition, and it is the only condition, and yes, it involves you.¡±

    ¡°I knew it, she wants to marry me? Impossible!¡± Hayden said earnestly. Courtney rubbed her temples, ¡°Miss White¡¯s requirement is that during the research period, you must not appear in front of her, not even to deliver a document. To put it precisely, you need to disappear from her sight.¡±

    Hayden almost bit his tongue. ¡°What did you say!¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. It was unreasonable! Totally unreasonable! This was so unlike Pa White! Tina and Jared casually nced up. Courtney sighed, ¡°Let¡¯s just drive properly, Mr. Self-centered Husky.¡±

    Hayden, now even more doubtful about life, left Pa White¡¯s house with Tina driving him and Courtney back to the Reed family, and himself dropping Jared back at the Farrell Residence. He went home alone, continuing to doubt his existence. In the middle of the night, he still couldn¡¯t understand. Had Pa White taken the wrong medication?

    Unable to sleep, Hayden picked up his phone and opened the group chat with his ten brothers. Hayden: ¡°Guys, Pa White wants to cut ties with me.¡± Dexter: ¡°??¡± Damian: ¡°Weren¡¯t you always annoyed that she was after you?¡± Philip: ¡°Youin when she chases you, you¡¯re confused when she doesn¡¯t. What¡¯s your brain made of?¡± Hayden: ¡°I just feel she¡¯s not acting normal, it shouldn¡¯t be like this. Is it because I told her to talk to the old man? It didn¡¯t hurt her, did it? Our old man doesn¡¯t agree to the marriage, but he still likes her a lot. It shouldn¡¯t have hurt her, so what¡¯s the reason?¡±

    Tina: ¡°Cheap.¡± The brothers: ¡°Serena, you¡¯re here!!!¡± Tina: ¡°Go to sleep, noisy.¡± *click click click*, the brothers went offline. Hayden was left alone, staring at the silent group chat. Well, with Serena speaking up, he had no one left to talk to.

 Chapter 446: Another Paternity Test

    In the Reed family, Tina took a screenshot of the group chat message and sent it to Pa White.

    Hand Hammer Husky: ¡°I just knew Velma¡¯s idea was right, woo woo woo, Serena I love you.¡±

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, somewhat speechless.

    This Pa White,ing up with such an idea, it was unclear whether she was tormenting herself or tormenting Hayden.

    During the day, Pa White had pulled her aside into a room, speaking very seriously, asserting that since Hayden had kissed her, marrying him was certain, but she didn¡¯t want to pursue him in this manner and asked for her help.

    Then she borated further.

    Something about, yes, she would marry, but it also depended on whether Hayden liked her.

    If he didn¡¯t, she wouldn¡¯t force it.

    She would marry only if he liked her.

    So, a test was necessary!

    Seeing how much Pa White had said, Tina asked her if she wanted to marry Hayden simply because he had kissed her, or if she truly liked him.

    Pa White assertively replied: ¡°Of course, because I like him. If I didn¡¯t, why would I let him kiss me? I¡¯m a miss of the White family; I have my pride, and not just anyone can marry me!¡±

    Tina: ¡­

    Love is soplicated. Why didn¡¯t she have such troubles with Uncle?

    At Ashbury Brookes Residence.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Ian looked at the childhood photos of his daughter, his eyes hiding shimmering tears.

    After so many years, he didn¡¯t know if his Alina was faring well.

    Jack knocked and entered, ¡°Dad, why haven¡¯t you rested yet?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± Ian put away the photo of his daughter, stood up, and walked with Jack to the yard, ¡°Something on your mind?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s about that youngdy from the White family.¡± Jack helped Ian sit in the rocking chair in the yard, saying, ¡°That youngdy is coborating with Tina to develop the new type of bomb we¡¯ve been investigating.¡±

    A flicker of surprise crossed Ian¡¯s eyes, followed by a deepugh, ¡°Those two working together, that¡¯s unusual. Alright, go ahead, young people have their own ways.¡±

    After a pause, Ian¡¯s gaze darkened, and he asked, ¡°How¡¯s the pursuit of that CK going?¡±

    Jack shook his head, ¡°All clues currently lead to Vivienne from the Farrell family. Since she was captured, the trail has gone cold.¡±

    Ian furrowed his brow, his voice grave, ¡°If the trail has gone cold, then find new leads. If we can¡¯t find the person, we¡¯ll never know Alina¡¯s whereabouts.¡±

    Over the years, the Brookes family had been searching for their missing daughter, Alina.

    It was only because Kiki and Mimi had been stolen that they finally found a simr clue.

    The kidnappers were not ordinary traffickers but a group known as CK.

    Though CK was a recently emerged underground dark organization, its predecessor was the infamous RST.

    RST had been involved in heinous acts too dark for ordinary people to fathom.

    Things like human trafficking, human experimentation, and organ sales,mitting all sorts of atrocious deeds.

    It was he who had personally led the operation to destroy the headquarters of the RST organization, regretfully letting their leader, codenamed Five Poisons, escape.

    It was during that operation that he was severely injured and hospitalized. When he awoke, his beloved youngest daughter had disappeared.

    He knew this must have been an act of revenge by Five Poisons.

    But for many years, there had been no clues.

    If not for CK targeting Kiki and Mimi this time, the Brookes family might still not have found any leads on CK and its connection to RST.

    Jack responded, ¡°Yes, I understand. Moreover, CK is more cunning than RST was in the past and is adept at legalizing its actions, making it a difficult foe to contend with.¡±

    Ian lowered his gaze slightly. ¡°This matter is up to you to handle. By the way, if Tina wants to study that new bomb, is there a ce for it?¡±

    Studying bombs was no small affair.

    A single mishap could lead to national disaster.

    Therefore, the location for the research had to be legal, logical, and appropriate.

    Legality and logic were not a concern, as all of Pa White¡¯s patents were owned by the state, and this would be no exception if developed.

    However, finding a suitable ce was challenging.

    Jack clearly understood his father¡¯s intentions. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad, everything is arranged at Scarlett¡¯s ce; her nephew will arrive in Ashbury tomorrow and will contact Tina directly.¡±

    Ian nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Good.¡±

    After a pause, he suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°I recall Tina mentioned that Jasper from the Reed family isn¡¯t her biological father, right?¡±

    Jack was momentarily puzzled by the mention of Jasper. ¡°Yes, she has no blood rtion to the Reed family. It seems her mother went to the Reed family for some reason.¡±

    They had investigated Tina¡¯s mother, Natalie, but found little.

    However, after Jasper¡¯s arrest, things became easier to investigate.

    While Natalie¡¯s identity remained unclear, they had uncovered something about her and Jasper.

    Ian looked up at the dark night sky, raising his hand to point at a star in the center. ¡°You see that star? It¡¯s getting closer to us.¡±

    Jack looked up, his expression changing, and eximed, ¡°Could it be Alina appearing in Ashbury?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ian shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t represent Alina.¡±

    Although he never believed that Alina was dead, he always felt he was drifting further from her.

    And that star didn¡¯t seem like one that would represent a biological father-daughter rtionship.

    Jack was somewhat confused. ¡°Then what does it mean?¡±

    Ian didn¡¯t answer him but continued, ¡°If Jasper isn¡¯t Tina¡¯s biological father, why did the ten paternity tests you conducted all confirm a biological rtionship?¡±

    They suspected Tina was Alina¡¯s daughter, so naturally, they investigated everyone rted to Tina.

    Those ten paternity tests had only recently been conducted.

    Jack was shocked. ¡°Right, why is there no blood rtion, yet the paternity tests confirm one?¡±

    Even he was puzzled at this moment.

    Ian smiled slightly. ¡°It means that Tina¡¯s DNA has been altered in the national database, indicating that the only person who could have a confirmed paternity rtionship with her is Jasper.¡±

    Jack was astonished. ¡°But thest paternity test was conducted in our own hospital. How powerful must someone be to alter DNA in our own hospital?¡±

    Ian¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°There are many powerful people in this world, like a hacker who can breach any hospital in the country.¡±

    Jack fell silent.

    After a moment, he looked up at Ian. ¡°Dad, are you saying we need to do another paternity test?¡±

    Before Ian could respond, he added, ¡°Why do you think Tina is Alina¡¯s child?¡±

    Ian sighed lightly and pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. ¡°Take a look at this.¡±

    Jack took the paper, his brow furrowing. ¡°Who gave this to you?¡±

 Chapter 447: The Mysterious Figure Appears in the Brookes Family

    The note had only three words: ¡°Identification, wrong!¡±

    It clearly told them that the result of the identification was incorrect.

    Many knew that they were searching for Alina, and almost every hidden family was aware, yet no one knew that they suspected Tina was Alina¡¯s child, and they had even conducted a paternity test with Tina.

    The person who left the note for the old man clearly knew their family affairs inside out.

    This was not a good sign.

    ¡°I found it on my pillow when I woke up two days ago,¡± Ian said, looking up at him with a sneer. ¡°Funny, isn¡¯t it? Someone entered my room right under your noses, and no one noticed!¡±

    Jack was now sweating profusely, ¡°Dad! Why didn¡¯t you say something about such a big issue earlier?¡±

    ¡°There was no malice intended.¡±

    If there had been, he probably wouldn¡¯t be alive now.

    ¡°Still, you should have told us, so we could have beefed up security,¡± Jack was now genuinely frightened.

    Fortunately, the old man was unharmed, or he would have been torn apart by his brothers at home.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because I¡¯ve been thinking about the uracy of this matter for the past few days, so I¡¯ve decided to do the paternity test again,¡± Ian¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone else, just the two of us know, and have Ang do it.¡±

    ¡°But Ang, she¡­¡±

    Before Jack could finish, Ian interrupted sharply, ¡°As long as she conducts this test, I will let her leave the Brookes family!¡±

    Jack opened his mouth but seeing Ian¡¯s stern face, he finally just sighed, ¡°I understand.¡±

    Ian nced at him and added, ¡°Go find Tina, get her blood, hair, saliva, anything that can be tested, get it all.¡±

    Jack¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Isn¡¯t that too offensive?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already offended herst time. Tina is so smart, she must have guessed we did the paternity test,¡± Ian said, ¡°Since we are doing it again, let¡¯s be thorough and tell her the truth rather than sneaking around.¡±

    The next day.

    Tina had just gotten out of bed and heard amotion outside in the living room, sounding like guests had arrived.

    Hugo had not been in Ashbury long and was unlikely to have friends visiting.

    Even business partners wouldn¡¯t visit early in the morning.

    And the voices sounded familiar.

    She changed her clothes and walked out.

    ¡°Serena! I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡±

    Before Tina could step out, James ran towards her with open arms.

    She stepped back immediately and mmed the door.

    With a bang, James¡¯s nose bled profusely.

    Jennie quickly handed him a tissue, ¡°Mr. Heart, quick, wipe it off, are you okay?¡±

    James waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine, please sit, I¡¯m okay.¡±

    Tina then came out of her room, walked to the living room, took a piece of fruit from the fruit te, and looking up, asked, ¡°Have you finished copying the code of conduct?¡±

    Hayden hade back early because his uncle had a task.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    The others had finished copying long ago.

    Only James had taken so long, not only had he not finished, but he had also run back to Ensford.

    She hadn¡¯t had time to deal with him recently, but this kid had actuallye looking for her.

    James wiped his nosebleed, sitting across from Tina, and chuckled sheepishly, ¡°I¡¯ve finished. I came here specifically to bring something for Serena to check.¡±

    Having finished speaking, he handed over the copied rules of engagement to Tina with a smirk that seemed rather sly. Tina, uninterested, nced over them briefly. The handwriting was mboyant but utterly hideous. Disdainfully, she set the document aside and looked at James. ¡°What brings you to Ashbury?¡±

    Seeing that Tina wasn¡¯t angry, James breathed a sigh of relief and exined, ¡°I¡¯m here to discuss a coboration with the Reed family, interested in a piece of theirnd.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow. ¡°The one in East Bay?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, has Serena also shown interest?¡± James asked.

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    James smiled. ¡°Great, Serena, I¡¯ll secure it for you.¡±

    Anything Serena liked, even if it were the stars and the moon, he would pluck them from the sky for her!

    Observing his smug face, Tina simply closed her eyes, preferring to remain silent.

    Hugo, unaware of their conversation, knew it was Tina¡¯s personal matter and chose not to interfere. ¡°Mr. Heart, let¡¯s have lunch together at noon. I owe you for your help before; without it, things wouldn¡¯t have gone so smoothly,¡± Hugo said, grateful regardless of James¡¯s reasons.

    James certainly wouldn¡¯t refuse-an invitation to lunch from his father-inw! However, catching Tina¡¯s sidelong nce, the ready eptance died on his lips. ¡°Not today, I¡¯ve got another engagement. Next time, for sure.¡±

    Hugo didn¡¯t press further.

    As the chairman of Mendara, havinge all the way to Ashbury, Hugo had important matters to attend to and couldn¡¯t dy his guest¡¯s schedule. ¡°Alright, let me know when you¡¯re free; I¡¯ll await your call.¡±

    James beamed. ¡°No problem.¡±

    The father-inw was the best!

    After spending some time with the Reed family, Tina, apanied by Courtney, left with James.

    In the car, James, unting his wealth, looked at Tina. ¡°Serena, what do you want thatnd for? If you¡¯re thinking of building, I¡¯ve plenty of other properties. That area¡¯s too barren, not suitable at all.¡±

    ¡°Researching bombs,¡± Tina stated tly.

    The suburbannd was more secluded and farther from residential areas, ensuring safety. Tina had her eye on it early on, but since it belonged to the Reed family, she couldn¡¯t approach them directly. Initially, she considered sending Hayden to negotiate, but now with James, it was perfect.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go talk to the Reed family. Wait for the good news, Serena!¡±

    Not just for researching bombs-were it even for cannons, James would dly offer thend.

    Arriving at the agreed location with Damian, James was about to get out of the car. Tina initially didn¡¯t want to show herself, but seeing Damian waiting outside, they made eye contact and she eventually stepped out. ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    Damian smiled awkwardly. ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    He was still somewhat unsure how to face Tina, and even more unclear about her rtionship with James.

    ¡°Mr. Reed, this is Serena, joining me today. Hope that¡¯s not an issue?¡± James knew about the messy affairs of the Reed family, and that Damian¡¯s rtions with Tina were fairly good.

    That was why he chose to buy thatnd from Damian.

    The Reed family had been significantly impacted by incidents involving Annabelle and Jasper. James¡¯s offer to buy thend came at a critical time for them.

    Damian smiled. ¡°Of course, no problem, as long as Tina doesn¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s go inside.¡± Tina smiled graciously and walked in with Courtney.

 Chapter 448: Acquisition

    Damian felt a bit embarrassed when he saw how forthright Tina was. The Reed family¡¯s troubles weren¡¯t Tina¡¯s fault; they were merely exposed through her. They really had no right toin. Instead, they should be thankful to Tina, for without her, who knows what would be of the Reed family. Still, it was hard to ept how the once thriving and harmonious family had changed so abruptly. Like Audrey, who still bitterly med Tina without mercy. After Jasper was arrested, Muff returned to the sanatorium, asionally arguing with Logan but mostly enjoying his tea and the scenery, leading a contented life.

    Garrett,cking a knack for business, had handed over most of thepany¡¯s operations to him. Now, he was practically the co-head of the Reed family. As the future bearer of the Reed family¡¯s responsibilities, he could not afford to be as capricious as Audrey. Now that Tina bore no grudges, he had stopped dwelling on it.

    ¡°Mr. Heart, please,¡± Damian gestured for James to go ahead. At the dinner table, Tina and Courtney ate without speaking. James, on the other hand, was continuously engaged in a lively negotiation with Damian over drinks, eventually sealing the deal for a parcel ofnd at a price of six hundred million dors.

    After a few rounds of drinks, Damian, a bit tipsy, inquired, ¡°Mr. Heart, what do you n to do with that parcel ofnd? If you¡¯re thinking about building a mall or residential area, how are the sales channels? I¡¯m quite interested.¡±

    Damian indeed had some smarts. By selling hisnd for others to develop and then investing in it himself, he not only got rid ofnd he couldn¡¯t develop, but also stood to make a profit-a no-lose deal.

    James nced at Tina and said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m giving it to my Serena.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Damian was stunned, surprised at Tina. To think that James bought a six hundred million dor piece ofnd only to give it away!

    Damian chuckled, ¡°Tina, do you have any ideas? Can I help in any way?¡±

    Tina paused for a moment, then said, ¡°I want to build a film and television base.¡±

    James almost choked on his drink, baffled at how it had turned into a film and television base.

    Damian nodded, indicating he would not be involved in the film and television base. Speaking of which, Tina recalled Juliet.

    ¡°How is Juliet doing? Has the movie she¡¯s starring in started filming?¡±

    Thest time they recorded a variety show, Jared had promised Juliet a major IP, but Damian had been too busy to follow up.

    ¡°It has started, but not without issues; there¡¯s some trouble with her agency,¡± Damian said, his words more numerous as the alcohol took effect. Juliet was his younger sister, and he felt both guilty and distressed for her.

    ¡°If I were more capable, she wouldn¡¯t be mistreated at thepany.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Tina asked.

    After the variety show aired, Juliet¡¯s career had picked up, and even Jasper¡¯s arrest hadn¡¯t impacted her much. What could have gone wrong?

    Damian took a sip of his drink and exined, ¡°Juliet¡¯s contract was about to expire, so she renewed it. Initially, thepany focused heavily on her, but then ¡­ someone cut in.¡±

    ¡°Someone cut in?¡± Tina frowned.

    ¡°Yes, the agency just signed a new actor who¡¯s well-connected with the top brass. Plus, with the ongoing issues of the Reed family, the agency worried Juliet might bring negative attention, so they¡¯re nning to sideline her. Juliet is disputing with them, but thepensation is too much¡­¡±

    Damian suddenly closed his mouth, realizing he had said too much and his words carried a hint of resentment towards Tina. He quickly exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tina, I didn¡¯t mean that. It¡¯s theirpany¡¯s inaction, using the Reed family¡¯s situation as an excuse. Juliet and I didn¡¯t think that way.¡±

    Tina didn¡¯t seem to care much, ¡°No need to exin, I understand.¡±

    After the dinner party.

    On the way back.

    Tina made a call to Ember Saffron.

    The call connected quickly. ¡°Boss, you finally remembered me! What¡¯s up?¡±

    There was a noisy background on Ember Saffron¡¯s end, clearly surrounded by a crowd of fans.

    ¡°Are you on set?¡± Tina asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ember Saffron found a quieter spot and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you. I¡¯m here on set. I¡¯m fine, but Juliet is having a tough time. Her scenes have been significantly cut, almost overshadowed by the secondary female lead.¡±

    Tina frowned, ¡°Can¡¯t you do something about it?¡±

    Ember Saffron replied, ¡°I can only ensure she¡¯s involved in my intimate scenes, but for other parts, we have to follow the director. I¡¯m primarily a singer, not so much an actor. Oh, and you know the secondary female lead, it¡¯s Vance, recently signed by Juliet¡¯s agency and currently being promoted.¡±

    Tina paused, ¡°Vance?¡±

    Who was that?

    Did she know them?

    Ember Saffron¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Boss, when did your memory get so bad? Vance is the one you and Juliet met on that variety show.¡±

    ¡°Oh, now I remember,¡± Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    Not someone she knew well, hardly memorable.

    Yet Vance, with all those scandals exposed, still appeared in public?

    Tina fell silent for a moment, then said, ¡°Take good care of her on set, don¡¯t let her be bullied.¡±

    ¡°Understood, boss. So, boss, can I get a raise¡­¡±

    Click.

    Tina hung up the phone.

    A raise? Impossible!

    Ember Saffron: You¡¯re so heartless, boss. My life is so hard.

    Tina: Shut up, or I¡¯ll fire you!

    After her call with Ember Saffron, Tina sent a text to Cole: ¡°Acquire Juliet¡¯s agency.¡±

    Cole replied quickly, ¡°Yes.¡±

    On set.

    Juliet was looking at the script, struggling with her significantly reduced lines.

    Meanwhile, Vance, in a coquettish manner, hovered around the director, ¡°Oh, director, I want to y it this way, can you add a line for me? I think I can handle it, and I have a chemistry line with the lead male, maybe add a little more?¡±

    Vance, supported by Ashbury¡¯s secondrgest agency, New Star Agent, and the director needing their high-level investment for the film, naturally couldn¡¯t afford to upset her. Coupled with Vance¡¯s charming ways, the director was easily persuaded.

    ¡°Alright, alright, all your wishes,¡± the director agreed to revise the script.

    Vance smirked at Juliet.

    Being the female lead, after all, still had to make way for her own scenes.

    In the end, overconfidence can lead to downfall.

 Chapter 449: Is Horizon Entertainment Tinaâ€™s?

    Juliet clenched her fists tightly, distressed by the additional scenes being given to others. If this went on, she feared she¡¯d be a titr lead with no substance. Unable to suppress her frustration, she confronted the director, ¡°If you¡¯re going to add more scenes, you might as well rece me with her as the lead.¡±

    The director found himself in a difficult position. Juliet was the lead actress specifically requested by the investors, and he couldn¡¯t afford to neglect her. However, since the investors hadn¡¯t followed up, he hadn¡¯t taken it too seriously. ¡°Juliet, it¡¯s just a small addition to enrich the story. Don¡¯t make a fuss over nothing,¡± he replied.

    Juliet, visibly upset, retorted, ¡°A small addition? ording to the schedule, I was supposed to shoot all day today, but I haven¡¯t even started. It¡¯s been Vance all along. Am I being unreasonable here?¡±

    The director¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Juliet, who is the director here, you or me? You should be grateful you¡¯re the lead. What more do you want?¡±

    ¡°If it were the old Juliet, she would have walked away by now,¡± she thought. But she couldn¡¯t. This role, secured by Tina, was her only way out. Quitting would not only let Tina down but also ruin her own career.

    Suddenly, the voice of Ember Saffron echoed nearby. Everyone turned to see him live streaming. With a cheerful demeanor, he spoke into his phone, ¡°Thank you, yes, you¡¯re right-it¡¯s just a filming site, no conflicts, just acting. Why would the director arbitrarily add scenes for the second lead? You¡¯re all fans with high expectations from this adaptation. If scenes were added haphazardly, wouldn¡¯t that ruin his reputation?¡±

    The camera was pointed at Juliet and two others. rmed, the director hurried over. Ember Saffron, ever so generous, turned the camera towards the director. ¡°Say hello to the viewers,¡± he prompted.

    The director chuckled nervously, his eyes darting to the barrage of supportive messages for Juliet and calls to resist Vance¡¯s undue influence. ¡°Director, have we given the second lead more scenes?¡± Ember asked with a smirk.

    ¡°Absolutely not, no way,¡± the director quickly responded.

    ¡°And does Juliet¡¯s role as the lead align with the original story?¡± Ember continued, his smile bordering on sarcasm.

    ¡°Yes, of course, it does. Our dear fan friends, rest assured, we follow the original closely!¡± the director replied, his expression slightly embarrassed.

    Ember Saffron nodded in satisfaction and before ending the stream, he added, ¡°Did you hear that, folks? If the final product doesn¡¯t match the original, I¡¯ll let you know on social media. If it¡¯s not right, you might as well not watch.¡±

    Ember, who wasn¡¯t short of acting offers and was in this project just to make his boss happy, knew his career wouldn¡¯t suffer regardless of the oue. It was the director¡¯s financial stakes that were in jeopardy now.

    With this, the director dared not add more scenes for Vance.

    Vance, fuming, confronted Juliet, ¡°Look at you, cozying up to Ember, you fox.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for thepliment, you little catfish,¡± Juliet retorted sharply, puzzled by Ember¡¯s sudden support.

    Vance stepped forward and pped Juliet, ¡°You little wretch, think I can¡¯t have you cklisted? Dare to defy me again!¡±

    Juliet pped him back without hesitation, ¡°I gave you face, did I? You think I¡¯m made of y? Push me too far, and I¡¯ll ruin you!¡±

    Despite her fall from a top actress to one struggling for roles, Juliet was not someone who would let others walk over her. Her tolerance was solely for the love of her acting career.

    She endured almost anything to act, as long as it didn¡¯t cross her bottom line. However, Vance¡¯s provocations were incessant, pushing her to the brink-she would not remain passive and lose herself to the role of Juliet!

    ¡°You just wait,¡± Vance grumbled, not expecting Juliet to retaliate. Her anger was palpable, yet she dared not strike back. Who knew if a provoked Juliet might truly ruin her?

    Fuming, Vance pulled out her phone and dialed her influential lover high up in the corporate hierarchy. ¡°Brother, I want Juliet frozen out, right now!¡±

    However, the voice on the other end of the line was fiercely stern. ¡°Vance, you¡¯ve been fired. Thepany has been bought out by Horizon Entertainment for a bargain price. You troublemaker, just you wait!¡±

    As Vance¡¯s call ended abruptly, Juliet¡¯s phone immediately rang. It was Vance¡¯s high-ranking lover. ¡°Juliet, could you please speak to the president of Horizon Entertainment? The acquisition is fine, but I can¡¯t go bankrupt. I admit my past mistakes; please, let bygones be bygones¡­¡±

    Juliet was stunned. Horizon Entertainment? That was Ember Saffron¡¯spany. How had it suddenly acquired New Star?

    Ember Saffron smiled at Juliet. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be colleagues now. I look forward to working together.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Juliet blinked, realizing her own manager¡¯s contract had also been merged into Horizon Entertainment. After hanging up, she faced Ember Saffron, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±

    Pausing a moment, she added, ¡°Is Jared the owner of yourpany?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, it¡¯s Tina. Didn¡¯t you know?¡±

    Juliet was taken aback. Tina? She knew Tina was formidable, rumored to wield considerable power despite her unassuming upbringing in a Taoist temple. Her wealth was evident from the ck card she carried; Tina was clearly not short of money.

    Yet, Juliet hadn¡¯t realized that Tina was the boss of Horizon Entertainment, easily manipting the fate of New Star¡¯s agents. Horizon was one of the top talent agencies in the country, financially robust and powerful, home to many celebrated actors and actresses. Moreover, Horizon treated its artists generously, unlike other agencies which bound them with unfair contracts.

    At Horizon, artists enjoyedplete freedom; thepany supported whatever paths they chose to pursue without imposing any conditions. Horizon never sidelined its artists; any conflicts or desires to terminate contracts were resolved immediately without penalties.

    If scandal arose, Horizon¡¯s PR team acted swiftly, not to shield every artist, but to investigate and, if necessary, sever ties with any artist found guilty of misconduct, all while providing evidence.

    In short, as long as artists focused on their careers and stayed out of trouble, thepany backed them fully.

    Juliet had always wanted to join Horizon, but her existing contract demanded a prohibitive penalty for breach-ten times the normal fee. While the Reed family¡¯s fortunes could have easily covered it, she had wanted to seed on her own merits, not relying on family wealth.

    Thus, she had resigned herself to staying put, but now, unexpectedly, she was part of Horizon, and Tina was its owner. Tina had helped her again.

    She felt a twinge of emotion. For so long, she had not reached out to Tina, yet Tina was still willing to help her.

 Chapter 450: The Tail Catches Up Again

    She felt guilty and took out her phone to find Tina¡¯s contact, but she didn¡¯t know what to say. She typed several messages, only to delete them all. The words ¡°thank you¡± seemed too insubstantial. She was still internally ming Tina, yet Tina had helped her unconditionally. She felt she had no right to say thank you. After hesitating for a long time, Juliet exited the chat and dialed the phone.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Tina¡¯s cool voice came through, and Juliet pursed her lips tightly. ¡°Tina, I¡­ thank you.¡±

    Tina chuckled lightly, ¡°Thank me for what? Aren¡¯t you my sister?¡±

    The matters of the Reed family had started because of her, but she truly considered Juliet¡¯s family as her own. Her own family was small, and she was willing to return the favor to those who genuinely cared for her. Moreover, the acquisition was a minor issue for her. Incredibly minor.

    Juliet paused, then suddenlyughed, ¡°Right, I am your sister, and you will always be my little sister.¡±

    What did it matter if they were not rted by blood? She and Tina could still be sisters, or even best friends.

    Tina smiled, ¡°Just don¡¯t make me lose money, sis. I¡¯m poor!¡±

    Juliet burst outughing, ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll definitely make back the money you spent on acquiring New Star. My business skills are no worse than Ember Saffron.¡±

    Tina¡¯s voice was cheerful, ¡°Good, I¡¯m waiting for your good news.¡±

    Another person to make money!

    Excellent!

    After hanging up, Tina put away her phone. Outside, Courtney knocked on the door, ¡°Miss Reed, we should be leaving now.¡±

    Tina came back to her senses and walked out the door. Courtney still wore her ck-rimmed sses and her hairzily scattered over her shoulders, dressed in inconspicuous clothes.

    Tina frowned, ¡°Can¡¯t you change your outfit?¡±

    Now that Courtney was to apany her constantly, there was no need for such disguises.

    Courtney scratched her hair somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡±

    Tina took off Courtney¡¯s sses, ¡°After theb, I¡¯ll take you shopping.¡±

    The money hadn¡¯t even arrived, and it was already being spent!

    Not at all economical!

    Courtney nodded.

    She would follow Miss Reed¡¯s arrangements; that was the first rule given to her by ¡°Wolf¡± when she epted the task.

    Inside theb, everyone was busily engaged in various experiments. Only Lockie, wearing his signature silver-rimmed sses, squatted on the floor looking at the dynamic simtion of the potion¡¯s dposition.

    He seemed out of ce.

    ¡°Why is it like this?¡±

    ¡°Why only threeponents separated?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s obviously a poison, how can it have a healing effect?¡±

    Lockie muttered to himself, unaware of Tina approaching him.

    Tina bent down, looking at the simtion with Lockie, ¡°Medicine is a poison in part; even good medicine can cause harm if misused, don¡¯t you understand?¡±

    Lockie still didn¡¯t look up, ¡°No, no, no, I mean, it shouldn¡¯t produce a healing effect, not with this dosage, these data, and it being a poison, what is it trying to heal?¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curved slightly.

    The potions left by her mother were highly toxic, a mere milliliter could kill a robust adult, even more lethal than Crimson Silk. Thus, she had been developing antidotes to these potions over the years. However, during the analysis, she discovered that under certain idental conditions, the potion could produce a healing effect. She had fused several viruses with the potion. The viruses were not dposed but were consumed by the potion, forming a new virus. Moreover, the toxicity was even more severe.

    Undeniably, while the healing aspect of the potion consumed and dissolved the virus, the new virus formed was far more vicious, failing to achieve any healing effect.

    Lockie had just asked the very question Tina had been seeking answers to for years. Tina turned her head to look at Lockie, ¡°Understanding what it truly aims to heal will take more time.¡±

    Lockie nodded, ¡°You make a good point.¡±

    As he turned back to face Tina, his eyes lit up, ¡°It¡¯s you! I knew you were the only one in the entireb who would understand what I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    Tina¡¯s smile deepened, her gaze meaningful, ¡°You¡¯re a genius.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what everyone says.¡± Lockie raised his eyebrows proudly, confident in his self-assessment.

    Tina stared at Lockie, then added, ¡°Never met your match, have you?¡±

    At this, Lockie¡¯s expression darkened.

    His eyes seemed to mix a hint of jealousy and anger, along with a touch of resentment.

    It was clear he was suppressing his anger, snuffing out all grievances within the palm of his hand, ¡°No, I have.¡±

    Tina narrowed her eyes, ¡°Then, good luck to you.¡±

    With that, Tina left the YQb with Courtney.

    In the car, Courtney studied the drug dposition simtion but couldn¡¯t make out any clues.

    ¡°I¡¯m still too green.¡± Courtney had to admit,pared to her mother back in her day, she was mere child¡¯s y.

    At least her mother had been a capable assistant to Lark, whereas she could only follow Tina and learn.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the path to being a genius isn¡¯t easy,¡± Tina said, asionally ncing at the rearview mirror as she held the steering wheel.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Courtney twitched the corners of her mouth, ¡°Are you being sarcastic?¡±

    Tina spun the steering wheel, executing a beautiful drift, ¡°No, I¡¯m just being realistic.¡±

    Courtney looked up and finally spotted the clue.

    She looked back, her eyes narrowing slightly, ¡°Tail caught up again?¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s y a game,¡± Tina pressed on the elerator, heading towards the central mall.

    Behind them, Lockie drove an unremarkable white sedan, keeping up with Tina.

    His lips always bore a faint smile, asionally hidden in shadows, adding a sinister touch.

    Tina leisurely drove to the mall¡¯s underground parking lot and took the elevator up with Courtney.

    As the elevator doors closed, she saw the nondescript white sedan also entering the parking lot.

    Courtney vigntly followed Tina, who patted her on the shoulder, ¡°Know how Hayden lost his tailst time?¡±

    Courtney shook her head.

    ¡°Because he was too nervous,¡± Tina¡¯s smile brightened, ¡°Rx, the show has just begun.¡±

    Courtney hadn¡¯t expected Tina to truly rx.

    She was led by Tina from one fitting room to another, and within an hour, her shopping bags were almost overflowing-all new clothes for Courtney.

    Meanwhile, Jared was in a video meeting.

    A stream of payment notifications popped up on his phone.

    Nathan and the others in the meeting: ¡°Mr. Farrell, are you sure your credit card hasn¡¯t been stolen?¡±

    Jared justughed.

    The youngdy was finally spending his money again.

    This was a good start!

    He muted his phone and sent Tina a message: ¡°Buy something for yourself too.¡±

    At the mall.

    Courtney swung her shopping bags, ¡°Miss Reed, I think I¡¯ve shopped back my entire eighteen years on the streets.¡±

    Tina handed Courtney a cup of milk tea.

    Courtney sighed silently, and the moment she took the milk tea, she noticed Tina¡¯s fingertips lightly tapping on the cup.

    Courtney¡¯s gaze sharpened.

    Poison!

    Tina had just bought sunsses and ced them on her face, ¡°Your turn.¡±

 Chapter 451: Still Think You Can Run?

    Courtney knew that Tina wanted her to cure the poison.

    It was indeed an unexpected test.

    After Tina spoke, she sat in the milk tea shop, idly fiddling with her phone.

    Courtney¡¯s lips gradually turned white, and red rashes appeared on her skin as her breathing became increasinglybored.

    Two minutester, Courtney¡¯s limbs began to spasm, and the skin on her arms started to peel off, revealingrge patches of rotting scars.

    The speed of the deterioration was something Courtney had never anticipated.

    She had thought she could at leastst an hour.

    But it happened so quickly!

    Tina, seeing Courtneypletely incapacitated, was not surprised.

    To control the poison within two minutes was no small feat.

    There were few in the world who could achieve such a thing.

    Tina handed her milk tea to Courtney, who took a sip.

    The rotting wounds visibly began to heal rapidly, the rashes quickly faded, the spasms ceased, and her lips regained their color.

    Courtney took a deep breath.

    For a moment, Courtney thought she was going to die.

    ¡°This poison is even more potent than GTO,¡± Courtney said solemnly.

    Tina finally put away her phone. ¡°GTO is child¡¯s y. Keep trying.¡±

    Courtney nodded, her gaze sweeping past Tina to a figure that quickly swept by and soon disappeared.

    Tina¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Perhaps, we can go back to theb and check.¡±

    Courtney had the same idea, clutching the half-cup of milk tea she had left.

    She wanted to use theb¡¯s equipment to analyze the deadly poison and discover what it was made of.

    In the mall¡¯s underground parking lot.

    Lockie quickly jumped into his car, starting it with a thunderous roar, and drove toward theb.

    Tina had cured his poison!

    How could this be? The only person who could cure his poison was that annoying Spectre.

    And now there was Tina!

    Could she be the detestable Spectre?

    Impossible!

    Was Spectre that good-looking?

    Lockie shook his head.

    It couldn¡¯t be. Spectre couldn¡¯t possibly be this young girl. There must be some mistake.

    He pressed the elerator harder as he spoke, rushing back to theb.

    Whether Tina was Spectre or not, he had no choice but to run.

    But before fleeing, he needed to obtain all the data on the potion.

    The potion was like Pandora¡¯s box to him, filled with boundless magic.

    He had never seen such a miraculous concoction.

    He had to use all his knowledge to develop it.

    He even wanted to make the potion more toxic.

    That way, he could certainly defeat Spectre.

    And that Crimson Silk!

    He would create a poison a hundred times stronger than Crimson Silk!

    That would surely put Spectre beneath him.

    Lockie grew more excited at the thought, speeding back to theb.

    After changing into his whiteb coat, he entered theb as usual, elegant and gentle.

    Methodically, he picked up the potion and all the data.

    Everyone was focused on their research, oblivious to someone nning to steal from theb.

    This undoubtedly provided the perfect opportunity for Lockie.

    After packing everything, a smile finally crossed his lips.

    Suddenly, he sensed someone approaching from behind.

    He swiftly turned around!

    There stood a plump man with a naive smile, holding a rolled-up long whip, waving it amiably.

    ¡°Hi, long time no see, my little darling!¡±

    ¡°Damn!¡±

    Lockie cursed and immediately turned to run.

    The man, rotund and with an honest smile, moved with surprising agility. His whip, as if seeing with its own eyes, snapped onto Lockie¡¯s legs in an instant. Lockie felt his legs give way, and he crashed to the ground with a thud. Despite the fall, the potion in his pocket remained intact.

    ¡°Fatty, you¡¯re like a bad penny!¡± Lockie gritted his teeth in anger.

    Fatty, wiping his nose with his left hand while continuously cracking his whip with the right, responded, ¡°Wraith, I still need to make money off you. Just let me catch you and you can escapeter. Let me earn my keep first.¡±

    ¡°To hell with you!¡± Lockie, who was indeed Wraith, had disguised himself to infiltrate the YQboratory. Protecting the potion, he ran relentlessly. Fatty pursued him doggedly, alternating between his whip and throwing knives.

    Theboratory echoed continuously with shouts of ¡°Don¡¯t run!¡± and ¡°Stop running, you fool!¡± and ¡°Stop right there!¡± to which Lockie countered, ¡°Chase me and see if I don¡¯t poison you!¡± Meanwhile, the sound ofb equipment crashing to the floor filled the air.

    Everyone in theb ceased their activities, and Timmy looked on distressed, ¡°Oh, be gentle, that machine cost thirty million! Be careful, that¡¯s mypleted reagent, oh my, there go my data!¡±

    But the longstanding feud between Wraith and Fatty wasn¡¯t something that could be resolved by merely trashing ab. The chase continued with glee.

    Outside, Courtney, hearing themotion, asked, ¡°Miss Reed, is everything alright?¡±

    Tina, pressing her temples, replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± She then kicked open theb door and grabbed Fatty, who was in the midst of using his whip. Caught off guard, Fatty cursed, ¡°Who the hell is stealing my money!¡±

    Turning around, he saw Tina¡¯s stern face, which made him shudder. His anger quickly dissolved into pleading, ¡°Serena, just give me two more minutes, I¡¯ll definitely catch him!¡±

    Tina kicked Fatty and pointed ahead, ¡°He¡¯s already down.¡±

    Fatty, ted, quickly tied up Wraith, who was too weak to resist. As Fatty secured him, Wraith regained hisposure. ¡°No wonder I was struggling to run; you had already poisoned me!¡± he said angrily, looking at Tina.

    By then, he fully believed that Tina was Spectre, the only one capable of poisoning him silently and forcing him to spend half an hour detoxifying.

    Tina nodded disinterestedly, ¡°Foolish.¡± She had poisoned him while they were both looking at the potion dposition simtion behind Lockie¡¯s back. After theirst encounter, she had been pondering over who could possess such intellect in medicine-a field she was well acquainted with. Her suspicions about Lockie had been confirmed when he drove off Hayden, attempting to poison him that same night.

    Lockie was her old friend, Wraith. Surprisingly, after searching for so long, he had walked right into her trap. Why not have a bit of fun with it? She had held back, curious to see just how capable Wraith was. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t disappoint, having produced the dposition diagram of the potion.

    If Wraith had stayed quietly in theb working on the potion, she wouldn¡¯t have informed Fatty. But Wraith, ever so mischievous, had to go and poison someone else. There was no choice but to let Fatty take care of him.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 452: I Have Met Mr. White

    Wraith snorted coldly, telling Tina, ¡°Just you wait, I will definitely create a poison far deadlier than yours, and you won¡¯t even know how you died!¡±

    Fatty pped Wraith on the head, ¡°How dare you speak to my Serena like that? Looking for a beating?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just hit me!¡± roared Wraith.

    Unperturbed, Fatty grabbed Wraith, pulling at his face from left to right, ¡°Your skin sure is thick.¡±

    Now, bound tightly, Wraith could not move or poison anyone; only his teeth were still sharp.

    He bit Fatty¡¯s finger when he wasn¡¯t looking, proiming, ¡°This is my real face!¡±

    Immediately, Fatty¡¯s finger began to swell and turn purple and red.

    Tina sprinkled some powder on Fatty¡¯s hand and looked sideways at Wraith, ¡°You¡¯re quite young.¡±

    It must be said, Wraith¡¯s skill in disguise was profound.

    Previously in the psychiatric hospital, she hadn¡¯t realized he was disguised.

    She had always thought the schrly loser¡¯s appearance was Wraith¡¯s true face.

    Tsk!

    She had underestimated her opponent.

    ¡°I take good care of myself!¡± Wraith sat down exhausted, ¡°Fatty, just untie me. I¡¯m not worth much, really, I have someone much more valuable for you.¡±

    Hearing this, Fatty, ignoring the poison, asked, ¡°What valuable person?¡±

    Wraith shifted, ¡°Just untie me first.¡±

    ¡°You first,¡± Fatty remained unmoved.

    Wraith sighed deeply, a tiger fallen prey to dogs!

    ¡°Ever heard of GTO? They have a second-inmand, called Mr. White. I¡¯ve seen her, and her bounty¡­¡±

    ¡°Is ten times yours!¡± Fatty¡¯s eyes might as well have turned into dor signs as he squatted down eagerly, ¡°Tell me, what does this Mr. White look like?¡±

    Tina also watched Wraith intently.

    She hadn¡¯t expected he had actually seen Mr. White¡¯s true face, something even the mountain eagles hadn¡¯t achieved.

    Wraith¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°She¡¯s a woman, five feet six, with chestnut long hair.¡±

    Fatty nodded repeatedly, ¡°And then?¡±

    Wraith snorted coldly, ¡°Then you untie me, and naturally, I¡¯ll tell you!¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Damn!¡± Fatty cursed, looking back at Tina whose confidence seemed to bolster him, ¡°Believe it or not, I¡¯ll have my Serena poison you to death!¡±

    Tina: You¡¯re proud of this?

    Fatty: Committing crimes with Serena, of course I¡¯m proud!

    Wraith was impervious to threats, indifferent like a pig not fearing boiling water, ¡°Go ahead, poison me. Then, not only will you lose out on Mr. White, you won¡¯t even get my bounty. Poison me,e on!¡±

    Fatty was truly at a loss now.

    But he was reluctant to just let Wraith go.

    That was a bounty ten times higher than Wraith¡¯s, a beautiful bounty, gone without a trace, truly heart-wrenching.

    In Fatty¡¯s eyes, looks didn¡¯t matter; a high bounty made one a beauty!

    Seeing Fatty¡¯s dilemma, Wraith was even more delighted, ¡°Just untie me, I keep my word.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Fatty obviously wasn¡¯t going to let anyone go.

    What kind of bounty hunter would he be if he weren¡¯t greedy for bounties?

    Tina, seeing Wraith had grasped Fatty¡¯s psyche, smiled as she approached and took out the concoction hidden on Wraith.

    Wraith looked painfully at his stolen concoction, ¡°That¡¯s mine.¡±

    ¡°I can give it to you, and I can also offer you a ce to continue your research on potions, or spare you from Fatty¡¯s pursuit,¡± Tina yed with the concoction in her hand, watching Wraith.

    Fatty stood by Tina¡¯s side, not daring to speak further.

    Serena had spoken, and he could no longer be greedy.

    Wraith looked at Tina with a face full of suspicion, ¡°Can you really be so kind-hearted?¡±

    ¡°Of course, just tell me what Mr. White looks like, and I can meet all the conditions needed for your experiments,¡± Tina replied calmly.

    Wraith was the only one who had seen Mr. White and could be persuaded to talk, much easier to handle than Jasper.

    She wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity.

    Wraith still didn¡¯t believe her, frowning at Tina.

    Tina crouched down, her eyes intense as she looked at Wraith, ¡°You are the most talented healer I have ever met. The poisons you¡¯ve developed are all in my collection, and only you can unlock the secrets of this potion I hold.¡±

    ¡°You excel at making poisons, but creating antidotes would be just as easy for you. I¡¯ve spent so long on this potion without finding an antidote, but you can.¡±

    ¡°I really admire you.¡±

    ¡°Are you¡­ serious?¡± Wraith could hardly believe his ears.

    This wasn¡¯t just any admiration; this was Spectre!

    He could hardly believe that his longtime adversary actually admired him!

    How could that be?

    Tina nodded, ¡°Yes, if you could help me find the antidote for this potion, I¡¯d admire you even more.¡±

    ¡°Deal! I¡¯ll find the antidote for you right now!¡± Finally, swayed by Tina¡¯s ttery, Wraith sumbed.

    All he could hear was Tina¡¯s statement of increased admiration.

    This was a rare chance to make Spectre concede, how could he miss it!

    Moreover, he was sure only he could develop the antidote for this potion!

    Seeing this, a smile flickered at the corner of Tina¡¯s eyes.

    She was good at persuasion.

    She returned the potion to Wraith, ¡°What does Mr. White look like?¡±

    ¡°A woman, 5¡¯6¡å, chestnut hair, 216 pounds, with a three-centimeter scar on her face, almond eyes, thin lips, I didn¡¯t see much else.¡±

    Wraith shrugged, ¡°Untie me, and I¡¯ll draw her for you.¡±

    Fatty was a bit uneasy, but Tina had already started untying Wraith.

    Wraith obediently began to sketch a rough portrait of Mr. White, ¡°I only nced at her that day; I couldn¡¯t see much else.¡±

    Tina nced at the drawing.

    Hmm¡­

    It was hard to describe.

    Fatty cursed, ¡°You call that a portrait!¡±

    ¡°Then you draw one,¡± Wraith retorted, looking defiantly at Fatty.

    Fatty took the pen and touched up the drawing, ¡°Like this?¡±

    ¡°Actually, that does feel right,¡± Wraith admitted, looking at Fatty¡¯s chubby hands, surprisingly skilled.

    Tina looked at the touched-up portrait; although it looked more like a person, finding her in a crowd would still be extremely difficult.

    Moreover, Mr. White was skilled at disguising herself.

    This made the noticeable scar a masked feature.

    Tina took a photo of the portrait and sent it to Jayden.

    ¡°National search, approach silently, handle it yourself.¡±

    The deputy head of GTO was extraordinarily vignt; if noticed, the target might flee before they arrived.

    This was why Tina chose not to issue the Shadow Lotus Seal.

    Moreover, Jayden had nearly mastered the art of disguise from Callum Maguire and Snow Judd, making him a standout in the Mountain Veil Order.

    Letting him handle the search would be safer.

    Jayden quickly replied to the message, ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 454: Immortality?

    Fatty packed away Mr. White¡¯s portrait, his goals now tenfold greater than Wraith¡¯s.

    Yet, the silver he had in hand had flown away, leaving him somewhat distressed.

    Meanwhile, Wraith was already poring over the dposition simtion diagram of the potion, oblivious to the surrounding ruins.

    His sole focus was to swiftly develop the antidote to make Spectre concede defeat.

    ¡°Serena, he¡¯s not faking it, is he?¡± Fatty asked, unsure.

    If Wraith were to run off again, finding him wouldn¡¯t be so easy.

    Tina¡¯s lips curved slightly, ¡°No, he won¡¯t.¡±

    Wraith was a medical fanatic; once he delved into something, it was hard to pull him out.

    His greatest adversary was her.

    Wraith had spent half his life trying to defeat her.

    Now that he had this chance and was rid of the nuisance of Fatty, why wouldn¡¯t he be pleased?

    Most importantly, staying here allowed him to concentrate on his research.

    Fatty sighed, ¡°Serena, what about my money then?¡±

    Tina nced at him, ¡°After this is over, I¡¯ll make sure you get Wraith¡¯s bounty.¡±

    Always talking about money!

    Why were those around her so obsessed with wealth?

    Upon hearing this, Fatty chuckled, ¡°Alright then, Serena, I¡¯ll be off¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Tina kicked him into theb, ¡°Clean up before you leave!¡±

    Fatty scratched his head.

    Well, he couldn¡¯t avoid it after all.

    Courtney, too, had figured out the milk tea using the limited equipment that Fatty and Wraith hadn¡¯t wrecked.

    ¡°Miss Reed, does my analysis look correct?¡± Courtney handed her report to Tina.

    Tina nced at it, ¡°Hmm, next time you encounter such a toxin, you¡¯ll know how to handle it.¡±

    Courtney breathed a sigh of relief, then, seeing Wraith still squatting and studying the dposition diagram,mented, ¡°I thought he was an old man, or at least a middle-aged one. I didn¡¯t expect him to be about the size of a Husky.¡±

    Tina grew curious; Wraith was nearly forty, how could he look so young?

    She walked over and sat beside Wraith, ¡°Have you also studied ways to maintain youth?¡±

    Wraith, too busy to look up, pen in mouth, replied, ¡°No, fifteen years ago I conducted an experiment, put too much of something, and it exploded in my face. When I woke up, I ended up like this.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°So you identally discovered immortality?¡±

    Suddenly, Wraith looked up, ¡°I¡¯ve got it, the previous dosage was too little. If I add a bit more, the potion won¡¯t be able to consume it!¡±

    Saying so, Wraith rushed into theb, cluttering around with various viral agents.

    From outside, Tina watched, eyeing the potion in Wraith¡¯s hand, a new idea shing through her mind.

    Courtney looked on bewildered, ¡°Miss Reed, what does he know now?¡±

    Tina shook her head, ¡°What he knows isn¡¯t important; what¡¯s important is that the test tube in his hand is about to explode again!¡±

    As she spoke, a loud bang came from theb.

    Followed by Wraith¡¯s curses, ¡°Damn, it failed again!¡±

    Such explosions were no longer unusual; one would always happen during the day.

    Tina wrote down a few forms on a notepad, left them at Wraith¡¯s desk, and then took Courtney with her to leave.

    On the way, Tina received a text from Jared.

    ¡°Tina, there¡¯s news from Pa White, missing you,e quickly.¡±

    Tina smiled, a tenderness in her eyes reserved only for Jared.

    She replied, ¡°I miss you too, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±

    Courtney, who had witnessed everything, half-covered her face.

    What a mess!

    Hayden: ¡°You¡¯ve barely started!¡±

    Nathan: ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s child¡¯s y.¡±

    Jared, Tina: ¡°You¡¯re just jealous, singletons!¡±

    At Pa White¡¯s home.

    Her desk was lined with rows of documents, all concerning a new type of bomb.

    Mixed in were her own academic papers.

    She had modified and refined her original concepts for the new bomb, making it even more dangerous than before.

    Jared and Tina arrived almost simultaneously.

    The door was wide open, so they walked in.

    Courtney and Hayden were left outside to keep watch.

    Pa White, with three different colored pens in her hair and dressed in home attire, didn¡¯t even look up as she said, ¡°Here¡¯s what I¡¯ve analyzed so far, take a look.¡±

    Tina took the documents and was not surprised by the expertise disyed; within a short time, she had sketched out the internal concept of the weapon.

    Pa White, holding a stack of documents, said sternly, ¡°I now need data on the explosions of the new bombs, the more detailed the better, including the power and range of the explosions. You guys from Agency X should have that, right?¡±

    Jared nodded, ¡°Yes, I can get that for you now. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all for today, just bring it to me,¡± Pa White said, then buried her head back in the documents.

    Tina and Jared exchanged nces; clearly, there was nothing left for them to do here.

    They left Pa White¡¯s house, and Hayden quickly approached them, ¡°How did it go?¡±

    Jared smirked, ¡°What exactly are you asking about?¡±

    Hayden stuttered, his gaze shifting, ¡°Of course, I mean the bomb, what else could I be asking about?¡±

    Tina red at Hayden, ¡°Pa White needs the data from those two explosions from your headquarters, go get it.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Just as Hayden was about to get into the car, he stopped, ¡°Serena, didn¡¯t she tell me not to bring her documents? Has she changed her mind and wants to torment me again?¡±

    Courtney felt that Hayden seemed rather eager.

    Tina shook her finger, ¡°Uncle can¡¯t go to headquarters, you¡¯re the right person for it, and after you bring the documents, Courtney will take them inside.¡±

    Hayden sighed, adopting a resigned expression, ¡°No worries, I can sacrifice once for Serena.¡±

    Tina pursed her lips, her expression saying it all as she watched Hayden.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared looked at him with the same expression.

    Tina leaned her head on Jared¡¯s shoulder, nearly half her body snuggling against him.

    Tall as she was, she seemed somewhat petite and cute at that moment.

    Tina sighed softly, ¡°Uncle, my other brothers aren¡¯t this narcissistic, you know?¡±

    Jared tenderly stroked Tina¡¯s hair, ¡°Having such a brother, you¡¯ve got it tough.¡±

    Hayden: Does anyone consider my feelings?

    Courtney: It¡¯s your own fault for making me witness this disy of affection.

    Hayden silently got into the car and sped off, disappearing from sight.

    Tina, with a smile in her eyes, said to Courtney, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Shouldn¡¯t I stay here to deliver the documents?¡± Courtney asked in surprise.

    ¡°No need.¡± Tina smacked her lips, ¡°Uncle, I think going home is fine.¡±

    Jared nodded, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s call Nathan and go have a feast.¡±

 Chapter 455: Is Hayden Falling For Her?

    As the four of them indulged in hotpot, Hayden brought over the documents from headquarters. Standing at the empty doorway, Hayden was hesitant to enter or stay out. He texted Courtney, ¡°Where are you? Where are you?¡±

    Courtney, who had not yet swallowed themb in her mouth, pressed the voice message button, ¡°On a mission. My task is to stick close to Miss Reed at all times.¡±

    Then Tina added, ¡°Just drop off the stuff and don¡¯t disturb them. If you mess up the coboration, I¡¯ll break your legs.¡±

    Following that, Jared chimed in, ¡°I¡¯ll dislocate your arm.¡±

    Nathan, however, kept it simple, ¡°You got this!¡±

    Hayden listened to the sounds of the hotpot, soda, and the toughmbing through the phone. Was this really a mission? It felt more like a brutal heartbreak. But he had no choice but to quickly deliver the documents because Pa White had already urged him in the ¡°Little Bomber¡± group chat, a group specifically created by Tina for convenience.

    Resigned, Hayden masked up and covered himselfpletely with a hat, stepping into Pa White¡¯s home. It was gettingte, and Pa White had only a tablemp on beside her, the main lights were off. Three different-colored pens were marking various documents in front of her.

    Hayden coughed lightly, but Pa White didn¡¯t respond. He approached closer and tapped her lightly on the head with the documents, ¡°Hey, the documents¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Thud!

    Hayden felt stars before his eyes and stumbled backward, falling over.

    When he opened his eyes again, or rather, his left eye, the lights in Pa White¡¯s house were fully on. Pa White was looking at the documents beside him, and seeing Hayden awake, she remarked nonchntly, ¡°Are you sick? Sneaking up behind someone in all ck and a mask?¡±

    Hayden, holding his right eye, retorted, ¡°You¡¯re the sick one! Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t want to see me? How else should I cover my face?¡±

    Pa White almostughed, ¡°Since when were you so obedient?¡±

    Hayden sighed deeply, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk too much, the stuff is delivered, I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave,¡± Pa White pointed outside, ¡°It¡¯s pouring rain, and your car has been towed by the traffic police.¡±

    Hayden, incredulous, ¡°What? Why tow my car!¡±

    ¡°You were blocking traffic,¡± Pa White said earnestly.

    Hayden clenched his fists, grinding his teeth, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you, just help, and move the car, to your, garage?¡±

    Pa Whiteughed, ¡°Sorry, my garage doesn¡¯t store Husky sleds.¡±

    Hayden, lost for words, could only slump on the couch.

    Pa White continued reviewing her documents, ignoring him as if he wasn¡¯t there. After a while, Hayden¡¯s stomach began to rumble. He tapped the table, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±

    Pa White, with her back to him, pointed to the fridge, ¡°Help yourself.¡±

    Hayden didn¡¯t say much, just went to the fridge to find it stocked with instant noodles and sandwiches, apanied by soda. He asked, puzzled, ¡°Is this what you usually eat?¡±

    Pa White hummed faintly, ¡°Just me, I make do.¡±

    Suddenly, Hayden felt a pang of sadness. For the first time, he noticed that Pa White seemed much thinner than he remembered. Naturally, eating like this, how could she not be thin?

    As Hayden opened two boxes of instant noodles, he said, ¡°You¡¯re just a young girl; can¡¯t you take better care of yourself, eat something healthy, stock some vegetables and meat at home, this¡­¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Pa White had already put on her headphones, no longer listening to him. A cluster of light fell down her back, casting a long shadow on the floor. Hayden licked his lips and silently ced thest sausage from the fridge into Pa¡¯s cup of instant noodles, then quietly set the cup on the table next to her. He himself sat on the sofa, wolfing down the nutritionless noodles.

    After eating, the rain still hadn¡¯t stopped. Pa continued studying the documents in her hand, while Hayden, out of boredom, unwittingly fell asleep on the sofa. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before he woke up. Only then did he realize that Pa had fallen asleep on the carpet beside the sofa, her hand still clutching a blue pen, with two more pens teetering in her hair. The cup of noodles on the table remained untouched.

    Hayden sighed, ¡°You¡¯re working too hard, aren¡¯t you?¡± He approached and crouched beside Pa, whose bruised right eye was now able to open. He just quietly watched Pa, lost in thought. Suddenly, her head drooped, and Hayden quickly supported it with his hand. Her cheek was warm, his hand even warmer. After a few minutes of silence, Hayden carried Pa to the sofa, covered her with his jacket, nced at the cup of noodles, tossed it away, and took Pa¡¯s car keys before leaving the house.

    As soon as Hayden left, Pa buried her face in the jacket and quietlyughed. She waited until she was sure Hayden hadpletely left her ce. Only then did she sit up from the sofa and look at the now inedible noodles on the table. Despite not having eaten all day, she felt no hunger. She had never been in a rtionship. Her eyes were only for Hayden.

    She always remembered the phrase: ¡°Once you¡¯ve kissed, it¡¯s agreed that you¡¯re to marryter.¡± It was because of this phrase that she had pursued him for fifteen full years. She chased, he fled, as if he had wings. It sounds somewhat amusing, but only she understood the bitterness within. What girl would relentlessly pursue a man for fifteen years without reservation? She was stubborn, chasing Hayden with the same tenacity she applied to her research on weapons.

    At first, she didn¡¯t know why she chased Hayden, only stubbornly thinking that since he had promised to marry her, he mustn¡¯t break his word. As she grew older and began to understand youthful love, she suddenly realized she chased Hayden because he was handsome. Later, as she matured and her life gradually filled with her hobbies and interests, she found that Hayden was also engaged in the same field as her. He was on the front lines; she was in research. Both were aimed at the same goal of world peace.

    That¡¯s when she truly understood that the boy she had always chased was truly exceptional. Everyone, including his grandfather himself, said his grandson was merely a foolish young man. But she felt that Hayden was the most outstanding man in the world. He bore theical code name of Husky, charging into battles and perfectlypleting missions time and again. How could such a man be foolish? So, she was certain that her affection for Hayden wasn¡¯t just because of a childhood jest or years of habit. It was because he truly was outstanding and truly worth loving.

 Chapter 456: Hayden is Anxious

    Pa White cradled a coat in her arms, never before feeling such sweetness. By the time Hayden returned, Pa White had truly fallen asleep. Clutching Hayden¡¯s coat to her chest, a smile typical of a little girl who had just received candy adorned her face.

    Hayden carried a plethora of items-both finished and semi-finished products-filling up Pa White¡¯s refrigerator to the brim. He also ced some takeout food in the microwave and tagged it with a note, reminding Pa White to eat it once she woke up. After arranging everything, he carried Pa White back to her bedroom and quietly left. The coat remained tightly clutched in Pa White¡¯s hands, impossible to retrieve now.

    The next day, Tina¡¯s phone was bombarded with messages, all from someone nicknamed ¡°Hand-torn Husky.¡±

    ¡°Serena, there¡¯s never been so much in our fridge before!¡±

    ¡°He carried me to bed yesterday, ahhh, does he care about me?¡±

    ¡°Serena, is this a secret crush or an obvious one? Am I tormenting myself?¡±

    Tina, reading the continuous stream of messages, rubbed her temples. Whether Pa White was secretly or openly in love, or if she was tormenting herself, Tina did not know. But one thing was clear-Pa White was definitely tormenting her!

    ¡°Shut up,¡± she texted back.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Hehe, Serena, you¡¯re awake! What do I do next? I don¡¯t know how to proceed. He hasn¡¯t said he likes me, but why does he care? I¡¯m worried I might be overthinking things; maybe he was just buying me stuff.¡±

    After a while, Tina fully woke up and swiftly typed on her phone, ¡°Meet at the Silver Bar tonight at eight.¡±

    She then called James. He picked up quickly, his cocky voiceing through, ¡°My dear Serena, missing me this early in the day?¡±

    ¡°Get lost.¡± Tina momentarily regretted making the call.

    Continuing, she said, ¡°Tonight at eight, bring Old Ten to the Silver Bar.¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± James paused, ¡°Serena, is Pa White alsoing?¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡± Tina was startled.

    James, with the expertise of a seasoned yer, chuckled, ¡°Little girl tricks, we all get it, except Old Ten is too dense to notice. He should have realized, ever since we were kids, the person he¡¯s talked about the most besides you is Pa White.¡±

    ¡°A few times, Pa White seemed to be busy with some patent and didn¡¯te around much. He was really anxious then. Don¡¯t worry, Serena, there¡¯s potential between them.¡±

    Reassured by James¡¯ words, Tina felt relieved. If there was potential, her efforts weren¡¯t wasted.

    After a thought, she felt something was off, ¡°You seem to know too much.¡±

    James choked, ¡°All thanks to Philip¡¯s teachings, Serena. Rest assured, my heart is devoted to¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Tina ruthlessly ended the call.

    James texted: ¡°Serena despises me.¡±

    Philip replied: ¡°Serves you right, ming me.¡±

    At eight in the evening, Tina and Pa White appeared at the Silver Bar, taking the most central booth. Pa White, a rare beauty, and Tina together immediately drew many eyes. Several people approached, offering drinks, striking up conversations, and asking for contact details. Despite their interest, the formidable aura around the two women was somewhat intimidating.

    Before long, Hayden and James entered together.

    ¡°Serena, he¡¯s here, he¡¯s here!¡± Pa White suddenly grabbed Tina, almost jumping with excitement.

    Tina held her back, ¡°Show some dignity.¡±

    While they were talking, Tina received a text message on her phone from Jared: ¡°Tina, everything is arranged, I¡¯m waiting outside for you.¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes sparkled with joy as she picked up her phone and replied with an ¡°Okay.¡±

    Pa White said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you just like me?¡±

    Tina replied, ¡°There¡¯s a fundamental difference between us-I¡¯m messaging my future husband!¡±

    Pa White admitted, ¡°I can¡¯t argue with that.¡±

    James, with Hayden in tow, took a seat not far from Tina and Pa, and with a wave of his hand, attracted a bevy of beauties to join them.

    Hayden nearly jumped up, rmed, ¡°Brother, if you want to indulge, don¡¯t drag me into this!¡±

    James clicked his tongue, ¡°This is all for you; you should also start dating. Are you really nning to stay celibate for Pa White?¡±

    Hayden kept his distance, ¡°I¡¯m not, I just¡­ just¡­¡±

    The thought of dating someone made Hayden anxious, fearing how Pa White would react.

    Moreover, the idea of someone else pursuing him for fifteen years was genuinely frightening!

    ¡°Forget it,e have a drink, rx with some romance, there are plenty of beauties here, don¡¯t be a spoil-sport,¡± James signaled to the women with a wink.

    The women flocked over, but Hayden stood up abruptly, his gaze fixed on a nearby booth.

    Rubbing his eyes, Hayden scrutinized carefully.

    It was indeed Tina and Pa White!

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± James approached knowingly.

    Hayden pointed ahead, ¡°Those two drinking with the men, are they Serena and Pa White?¡±

    James squinted, ¡°Indeed, they seem quite familiar with them.¡±

    ¡°Familiar my foot! Pa White has never been to a bar before, she knows fewer men than the fingers on both hands,¡± Hayden said as he started to run towards Pa White.

    James pulled him back, ¡°How do you know she doesn¡¯t know this as the eleventh man?¡±

    Hayden struggled to respond, ¡°Well¡­ she¡¯s always been chasing after me since we were kids, how could I not know how many men she knows?¡±

    ¡°Maybe she doesn¡¯t want to chase you anymore. Besides, you¡¯ve even brought up your old man to scare her off, isn¡¯t it good that she backed off? This way, you¡¯re free to date openly,¡± James said, handing Hayden a ss of wine, which Hayden didn¡¯t take but felt quite uneasy.

    Something didn¡¯t feel right.

    How could Pa White possibly know an eleventh man?

    He sat down but kept his eyes on the opposite side.

    Hayden saw Pa White exchanging contact information with the man, who also handed her a bottle of wine and clinked sses with her.

    Wait, that was too forward!

    Unable to restrain himself any longer, Hayden dashed over!

    The stranger was brushing a fallen hair from Pa White¡¯s shoulder when Hayden grabbed his hand.

    He nearly crushed the man¡¯s hand.

    Everyone around was startled, especially Pa White.

    ¡°Hayden, what are you doing?¡± Pa White shouted angrily.

    ¡°I should be asking you that! Who let youe here? Who is this guy, daring to touch you? Why didn¡¯t you move away? What are you thinking? Tell me, which bastard brought you here?¡±

 Chapter 456: Hayden Lacks a Brain

    Hayden turned around only to find Tina staring at him with a profound expression.

    He was taken aback. Why was Serena looking at him like that?

    Had he said something wrong?

    If he ever found out who the jerk was that brought Pa White to such a ce, he would break that person¡¯s legs!

    Pa White nced at him with an indescribable look and pointed at Tina, ¡°Serena brought me here. This person was introduced to me by Serena.¡±

    Hayden was speechless.

    Damn it!

    Was it still possible to run away?

    Pa White was going to die!

    Why hadn¡¯t Serena mentioned she brought her earlier?

    Now it was all over!

    He mechanically turned his head and then, in an ingratiating manner, looked at Tina, ¡°Serena, you¡¯re here? Is there enough drink? Tonight¡¯s expenses are on me, please enjoy yourself.¡±

    He paused, ¡°But I will take this man away. You, such a noble goddess, how can you drink with these despicable men?¡±

    Tina leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, with a smirk, ¡°What? This jerk decides who I drink with?¡±

    Thud!

    Hayden knelt down!

    He said tearfully, ¡°Serena, I was wrong, I didn¡¯t insult you!¡±

    Tina dug her ears and looked sideways at Pa White, ¡°Do I have a problem with my ears?¡±

    Pa White very seriously replied, ¡°No problem.¡±

    Tina turned to look at Hayden, silent.

    Hayden cursed silently.

    Pa White, whose side are you really on?

    Pa White said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m on Serena¡¯s side.¡±

    Hayden chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Ahem! My mouth ran away without me, Serena, please be generous and forgive me!¡±

    Tina remained silent.

    Hayden continued, ¡°I¡¯ve made quite a bit of money recently, shall I give it all to you?¡±

    Tina still said nothing.

    Hayden added, ¡°I¡¯ll cover your strawberry cakes for the next few months?¡±

    Tina was still silent.

    Hayden sighed.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    The mess he made, he had to clean up.

    He stood up, grabbed a wine bottle, and smashed it over his head, ¡°Bang!¡±

    Then he said earnestly, ¡°Serena, I was wrong!¡±

    Tina remained silent.

    Pa White remained silent.

    James, not far away, remained silent.

    The man next to Hayden remained silent.

    What is wrong with this kid!

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling like immediately kicking Hayden out of her circle.

    Was this guy missing a brain?

    Doing this in front of so many people?

    Did he want to say she, his senior sister, was brutal?

    Moreover!

    She was silent because she wanted to hear what else Hayden could offer, but then¡­

    This brainless guy had just cracked his own head open!

    Now, several pairs of eyes were on her, and she felt a fury she couldn¡¯t release.

    She casually picked up a pack of tissues from the table and threw them to Hayden, ¡°Clean yourself up, you¡¯re embarrassing.¡±

    Hayden chuckled twice, quickly wiped off the wine stains, and then approached Tina, grinning, ¡°Serena, are you calmed down now?¡±

    He often went on missions with Mr. Farrell; what dangers hadn¡¯t he faced?

    During training, they used bricks on their heads instead of wine bottles.

    This was child¡¯s y for him.

    The main thing was that Serena calmed down.

    Tina ignored him.

    Seeing Tina was not angry anymore, Hayden said, ¡°Not to say anything, Serena, but why bring Pa White to such a ce? Look at that man, he clearly has no good intentions.¡±

    Tina turned her head, smiling mischievously, and then grabbed Hayden by the shoulder, ¡°This is for Pa White¡¯s sake; she¡¯s met too few men, and having a boyfriend will keep her off your back.¡±

    Hayden looked at Tina incredulously, ¡°You never said that before!¡±

    Tina scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re my brother, why would I let you suffer? If you don¡¯t want to marry her, I won¡¯t force you. Go have fun, I¡¯ll take care of Pa White.¡±

    ¡°Serena¡­¡±

    ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Hayden quickly scurried away.

    At the booth, the man whose wrist Hayden had nearly crushed rubbed his wrist and said, ¡°Madam, is this the Husky, the captain of the first squad that the captain mentioned? I definitely don¡¯t want to be assigned to the first squad.¡±

    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Tina chuckled, raising her ss, ¡°Carry on, we must y the part fully.¡±

    Laughter and chatter filled their table, while the mood was less cheerful elsewhere.

    Hayden, watching them down one drink after another, held back for a long time before recording a video to send to Jared: ¡°Mr. Farrell, look, my Serena is actually taking Pa White to bars and picking up men!¡±

    Soon, Jared replied with three words: ¡°I know.¡±

    Hayden couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You know and you¡¯re not rushing over?¡±

    A few secondster, Jared sent several more messages.

    ¡°So what if she¡¯s picking up men? Once she¡¯s had her fun, she¡¯ll stille back to me, Tina.¡±

    ¡°Men should be magnanimous. This is normal social life for Tina, and I support it.¡±

    ¡°Remember, she¡¯s doing this to turn your Pa White into someone who¡¯s not yours, to save your life.¡±

    ¡°Remember to thank my Tinater!¡±

    Hayden felt devastated, especially by the phrase-turning your Pa White into someone who¡¯s not yours.

    He clenched his phone for a long time.

    No!

    Absolutely not!

    Hayden suddenly stood up, ready to head towards Pa White¡¯s table.

    But they were already gone!

    James, barely holding backughter, said, ¡°They left together a minute ago.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me!¡± Hayden yelled, dashing outside.

    Outside the bar.

    Jared was holding Tina in his embrace.

    Across from them, Pa White and the man were about to leave together.

    Hayden forcefully pulled Pa White aside, ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Pa White, slightly tipsy, blinked and said, ¡°The handsome guy is taking me home.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t men not allowed in your home!¡± Hayden bellowed.

    ¡°He¡¯s different,¡± Pa Whiteughed, conveniently burping.

    Hayden, teeth itching with rage, red fiercely at the man waiting to take Pa White home. ¡°Get lost!¡±

    Startled, the man nced at Jared.

    Jared nodded silently, and the man sprinted away.

    ¡°Serena, Mr. Farrell, I¡¯ll take her home,¡± Hayden dered, pulling Pa White into the car.

    James emerged from behind the bar door,ughing so hard his stomach hurt.

    ¡°Serena, I think we don¡¯t need to put in so much effort; this fool is just walking into the trap.¡±

    As James spoke, his gaze shifted to Tina, his smile freezing on his face, ¡°Jared, let go of her!¡±

    Daring to put his hand on my Serena¡¯s waist, he¡¯s asking for trouble!

    Jared smiled slightly and kissed Tina¡¯s cheek, ¡°Tina, I¡¯ll wait in the car for you.¡±

    Damn!

    James clenched his fist, ready to throw a punch at Jared, but a look from Tina stopped him.

    ¡°Serena, he¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be your brother-inw in the future.¡± Tina nced at him lightly, her tone shifting slightly, ¡°Is there something you wanted to tell me?¡±

    James reluctantly withdrew his fist, ¡°Yes, my aunt wants to invite you to dinner tomorrow, are you free?¡±

    Tina lowered her gaze, ¡°I am.¡±

    James immediately smiled, ¡°Great, I¡¯ll pick you up from your ce tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Tina waved her hand, ¡°Your brother-inw wille for me.¡±

    Your brother-inw.

    Brother-inw¡­

    James was going insane.

 Chapter 457: The Brookes Familyâ€™s Persistence

    In the car.

    Tina leaned against Jared, her thoughts shifting from Hayden and Pa White to the dinner nned for the next day.

    James¡¯s aunt.

    Tina chuckled, marveling at how small the world seemed, where a mere turn could bring an acquaintance into view.

    Jared carefully picked lint from Tina¡¯s hair. ¡°Tomorrow, let¡¯s bring a gift,¡± he suggested.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina smiled at Jared.

    As she looked up, she caught sight of Jared¡¯s sharply defined cheek, strikingly handsome.

    A sparkle lit up in Tina¡¯s eyes, and she instinctively straightened up and kissed the corner of Jared¡¯s mouth.

    Jared was momentarily taken aback, looking down at the brightly smiling young woman.

    Before he could react, Tina kissed him passionately.

    Perhaps influenced by the sweet nothings she had recently heard from Pa White, Tina felt a sweetness swelling in her heart.

    She wanted to devour her handsome unclepletely!

    Jared cradled Tina¡¯s head, pulling her closer.

    In the intimacy of their proximity, a sweet and ambiguous atmosphere filled the car.

    Nathan silently drew the curtain, ustomed to such scenes.

    However, Courtney, sitting in the passenger seat, was agape, speechless.

    What happened?

    Why suddenly this intimacy?

    Help!

    She just came of age!

    After dropping Tina off at her apartmentplex, Jared left.

    Tina and Courtney were about to enter when they noticed a familiar figure at the entrance.

    Tina paused, then approached, ¡°Mr. Brookes?¡±

    Was he waiting for her thiste?

    Jack greeted her with a smile, ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

    Without any formalities, and ncing at Courtney, he said, ¡°I need to speak with you alone.¡±

    Courtney tactfully interjected before Tina could respond, ¡°Miss Reed, I¡¯ll wait inside for you.¡±

    Tina nodded.

    Once Courtney was out of earshot, Tina asked, ¡°Mr. Brookes, what did you want to talk about?¡±

    Jack paused briefly, then said, ¡°Tina, I need some of your hair, saliva, and a few drops of blood.¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­ You¡¯re really persistent!¡±

    It was clear what these items were intended for.

    They had already conducted a paternity test proving she was not the Brookes family¡¯s granddaughter.

    Yet, they were not giving up.

    Jack looked somewhat embarrassed, ¡°My father always felt a strong connection with you. He still thinks you are his granddaughter, Tina. I know this is offensive, but please, consider his desperation.¡±

    Tina remained silent.

    After a moment, she slowly said, ¡°I can give you these things, but it won¡¯t mean much. You should try to persuade Mr. Brookes more.¡±

    She did not want to undergo paternity tests repeatedly.

    To this day, her father¡¯s identity remained a mystery.

    The mastermind behind GTO was still unidentified.

    With dangers all around her, giving away such samples could be harmful.

    She would not have given them to anyone else.

    But Mr. Brookes¡­

    She simply couldn¡¯t refuse him.

    ¡°I know, I¡¯ve been trying to persuade him,¡± Jack responded quietly, looking up at Tina. ¡°Actually, the reason my father wants another paternity test is that your DNA might have been tampered with in the gene database.¡±

    He paused, then added, ¡°There¡¯s another crucial reason. A few days ago, someone broke into my father¡¯s residence and left a note with three words: ¡®The test, wrong!''¡±

    He hadn¡¯t intended to share this with Tina.

    But he felt it necessary, given that someone who had ess to his father could have been in contact with her.

    He feared the other party might harm Tina.

    He also wanted to remind Tina to be cautious.

    ¡°Genes? A note?¡± Tina was taken aback.

    She had forgotten that her genes had been modified.

    She had always believed that her mother altered her genes just to establish a parental rtionship with Jasper.

    Now, it seemed her mother hadn¡¯t just altered genes; she had modified Tina¡¯s DNA in the national gene database.

    Thus, even if her biological father tested, the results would still be invalid.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    And Mr. Brookes mentioned that someone had sent a note.

    Was the person who sent the note the same one who had messaged her?

    Could it be that she really was a child of the Brookes family?

    ¡°Yes, someone sent a note, we don¡¯t know who it is, but Tina, you also be careful these days, and we will do a paternity test as soon as possible,¡± Jack said.

    Tina hummed in response, then pulled out a strand of hair and handed it to Jack.

    Jack took out several small bags and a cotton swab from his pocket.

    Without a word, Tina applied her saliva on the swab and handed it to him.

    Then, she took a small knife from her pocket, made a cut on her finger, let the blood drip into the bag, and cleaned the knife.

    When handing it to Jack, she identally cut him with the knife she was holding.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Tina said with some remorse.

    Jack waved his hand dismissively, ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll be going now.¡±

    Tina nodded.

    After Jack left, Tina watched his retreating figure thoughtfully.

    Soon after, she picked up the knife, staring at the blood on it.

    Courtney walked over and, seeing her focused on the knife, asked, ¡°Miss Reed, is there something wrong with the knife?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Tina put the knife away and told Courtney, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡±

    Courtney didn¡¯t ask further and entered the residential area with Tina.

    Upon entering, Tina sent a message to Cole: ¡°Come to my house.¡±

    After arriving home, Tina chatted briefly with Hugo and Jennie before retiring to her room.

    Courtney went to her own room as well.

    Tina approached the desk, took out the knife, and separated the blood on it into a new small bag.

    Then, she made another cut on her hand, collected her blood in another bag, andbeled it with her name.

    Shortly after, someone knocked on the window.

    It was Cole.

    Tina smiled, only Cole truly understood her at Serenity Ridge and the Mountain Veil Order.

    She had only sent the message ¡°Come to my house,¡± and Cole knew not toe through the front door.

    She walked over and opened the window; Cole climbed in, calling her ¡°Serena.¡±

    Tina handed Jack¡¯s blood to Cole, speaking very seriously, ¡°Take it to me Ice for testing, watch it closely, don¡¯t leave it for a second.¡±

    Cole instantly became serious, ¡°Serena, did you find your family?¡±

    Although Serena never mentioned it, he knew she deeply wanted to find her family.

    Hugo was kind and loved her as his own daughter.

    But one must return to one¡¯s roots, always needing to know who their biological father is.

    But Serena¡¯s biological father was like a stone sunk in the sea, without a trace.

    Not just Serena, he was anxious for her too.

    Tina shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s my mother¡¯s family, not sure yet, they have already done one test, but my DNA was altered, theirs wasn¡¯t real, just in case, we¡¯re doing one too.¡±

    Cole understood, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Serena, I¡¯ll keep my eyes open the whole time, I¡¯ll tell you the results immediately.¡±

    Tina hummed, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

 Chapter 458: Discussing Cooperation with the Brookes Family

    At the residence of the Brookes family, Jack returned and saw Scarlett pulling out several unopened bags from her wardrobe. Each one was a unique, limited edition handbag! ¡°This one would suit Tina; a little girl her age would look perfect with this color,¡± she remarked. ¡°This one is also nice, versatile, goes well with any outfit.¡± ¡°This one isn¡¯t for everyday use, but since Tina will someday marry Jared, she¡¯ll definitely need it for the dinners she¡¯ll attend. This clutch would be just right.¡±

    Jack watched his wife carefully select each item and smiled indulgently, ¡°That¡¯s enough for now, if not this time, then another.¡± They were nning to have dinner with Tina tomorrow, and it was very important to Scarlett. She had been choosing the perfect gifts for days. ¡°There will always be another time. We haven¡¯t seen Tina in so long, and just the other day, she even asked someone to deliver medicine to Kiki and Mimi. We¡¯re out of the hospital, and she still thinks of us; how can we not reciprocate?¡±

    Scarlett rolled her eyes at Jack, then turned to see couple outfits hanging in the closet. She had stumbled upon them while shopping and bought them on a whim, though she had never worn them with Jack. Perfect, she thought, these would be a gift for Tina and Jared.

    Ian, gripping his cane, frowned, ¡°I still think that Farrell boy isn¡¯t worthy of Tina.¡± Scarlettughed and sighed, ¡°Dad, why do you think he¡¯s not worthy? Jared is one of the rare capable and strategic young men at the precinct. If he weren¡¯t so young andcking in experience, he would have been promoted to oversee operations by now.¡±

    Ian snorted, ¡°Hmph, and Tina is any less? With her achievements at such a young age, which man is truly worthy of her?¡± Jack sighed softly, ¡°Dad, you think there¡¯s hardly anyone worthy of Tina, don¡¯t you?¡± Ian nodded with satisfaction, ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Scarlett shook her head in resignation, thankful that Tina wasn¡¯t their actual granddaughter; otherwise, the old man might have chased Jared away long ago. In her eyes, Jared and Tina were a perfect match, both in looks and capability. She had been silently supporting them on social media for a long time!

    After some casual conversation, Ian called Jack outside. Once the room door closed, Ian asked, ¡°How did it go?¡± Jack nodded, ¡°I got it.¡± These things could have been given at tomorrow¡¯s dinner, but there would be too many people. Just in case, he had asked Tina for them a day in advance. While it was expected, Ian was still somewhat surprised, ¡°Tina wasn¡¯t upset?¡± Jack smiled, ¡°No, she wasn¡¯t upset. She just told me to tell you that doing the paternity test over and over won¡¯t change much, and you shouldn¡¯t obsess over it.¡±

    Ian sighed, ¡°I¡¯m not obsessing, it¡¯s just that she feels too much like Alina used to be around me. Even though the results might not be what we hope, I still want to try.¡± Jack understood his father¡¯s feelings, ¡°I¡¯ll have the items sent back as soon as possible. Don¡¯t worry, Dad, I¡¯ll let you know the results immediately.¡±

    The next day, Scarlett arrived early at the restaurant they had booked. To her surprise, James was even earlier. ¡°Aunt, you finally came. You have to decide for me, Serena simply cannot marry Jared, no one in this world is worthy of marrying Serena!¡±

    James was Scarlett¡¯s only nephew, and they had shared a close bond since his childhood, discussing everything with her. Scarlett had often heard James speak glowingly about his Serena, almost to the point of exaggeration. Initially, Scarlett thought James was just seeing things through rose-colored sses and told him to tone it down. It was only when she found out he was talking about Tina that she realized James wasn¡¯t exaggerating.

    Now James intended to break up her idol, which was uneptable to Scarlett. ¡°What right do you have to meddle in Serena¡¯s affairs? Say one more word, and I¡¯ll have Serena silence you!¡± Scarlett red at James disdainfully.

    James, whose only greater fear than Tina was his aunt, closed his mouth at this.

    Soon after, Tina entered, supporting Ian, followed by Jack and Jared. Scarlett greeted them, ¡°Howe you all arrived together?¡±

    ¡°We met at the door,¡± Tina replied as she helped Ian to a chair and naturally took a seat beside him.

    Ian, beaming with joy, said, ¡°I always knew Tina and I were meant to be.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°Grandpa Brookes, weren¡¯t we just supposed to have dinner? How is this fate?¡± James, unaware of Alina¡¯s situation, didn¡¯t quite grasp the subtle and warm rtionship between Ian and Tina.

    Hisment drew a sharp look from both Tina and Ian. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±

    James muttered, ¡°Indeed, fate has its own voice.¡±

    Jared, sitting next to Tina, smiled lightly. ¡°Tina often says that she and Mr. Ian are fated, as if it were destined.¡±

    Ian felt a deep connection with Jared during the meal, appreciating his presence more than ever.

    James was annoyed, suspecting Jared of always using underhanded methods to charm those close to Serena. Jared retorted, ¡°Call it personal charm.¡±

    Throughout the dinner, they spent more time talking than eating. The conversation eventually turned to the piece ofnd James had bought from the Reed family.

    Ian¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Tina, the main reason I wanted to see you today was to discuss the development of a new type of bomb.¡±

    Tina was not surprised. The White and Brookes families, both hidden families, perhaps shared a closeness unknown to outsiders. Tina knew from Jared that some hidden family members worked for the state. Like Pa White, whose patents were all given to the nation without charge, and the new bomb would be no exception.

    Once developed, Pa White would surely hand it over to the state. Tina¡¯s role was to provide a secret development site for White, and incidentally, to undermine GTO¡¯s weapon manufacturing. She was a third party, an investor inmercial terms.

    The White family¡¯s actions were certainly known to the Brookes family. Regarding the bomb¡¯s development, the Brookes family also wanted a share, or rather, to ensure the patent remained firmly in national hands.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Tina asked with a smile.

    Ian was increasingly pleased with Tina, not just because of their natural rapport but also her intelligence. Conversing with her required no effort in rifying or exining; Tina understood his intentions immediately.

    This was something even Jack couldn¡¯t achieve. Tina was asforting and close as his Alina.

    Ian produced a contract. ¡°Take a look at the terms, and if there¡¯s anything unsatisfactory or needs changing, let me know and I¡¯ll have Jack make the adjustments.¡±

 Chapter 459 Couple Outfits

    Tina had reviewed the contract from start to finish, each use alone enough to shock the entire business world. ording to the contract, the Brookes family would unconditionally provide allponents and funding needed for the development of a new type of bomb, while Tina only needed to provide the location and handle security, insurance, and other cost-free items. However, the final use stated that the patent for the new bomb could not bear Tina¡¯s name. This requirement suited Tina just fine. The bomb was originally Pa White¡¯s idea, which Tina had acquired by a fortuitous coincidence, and she just happened to have the means toplete the project. Tina promptly signed her name on the contract. This marked her second official coboration with the government.

    ¡°Grandpa Brookes, I agree to all the terms here,¡± Tina handed the contract to Ian. Ian smiled, ¡°Girl, don¡¯t you want to ask anything more?¡± ¡°I just need to trust Grandpa Brookes, that¡¯s enough for me.¡± Tina had such confidence; she absolutely trusted the people she believed in. Ian felt a wave of relief and nodded continuously, ¡°Good, this old man definitely won¡¯t let you suffer, rest assured.¡±

    Tina nced at Jared, who also took out a contract. ¡°Ian, Mr. Brookes, please take a look at this contract,¡± Jared handed over the contract with both hands. This was also a gift from Jared and Tina to the Brookes family. Ian¡¯s expression paused, and Jack was somewhat incredulous, ¡°Tina, are you sure?¡± It wasn¡¯t that they were overly surprised; they just hadn¡¯t expected Tina to be willing to bring this matter forward. The contract was also a win-win agreement, and simrly, the Brookes family wouldn¡¯t need to invest much effort and time to maintain it. The content concerned the YQ Laboratory!

    The YQ Laboratory was an extremely private matter for Tina, involving research directly rted to Natalie. Jack had previously uncovered some information, though not in great detail. He only knew that Natalie had connections with Bureau X. But for him and the Brookes family, it was a different department, a different direction. Unexpectedly, Tina was even willing to reveal this.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Tina wanted the Brookes family to also participate and provide the greatest guarantee for the YQ Laboratory. Natalie was the previous captain of Bureau X¡¯s special squad but had failed a mission due to certain reasons, leading to the shutdown of the YQ Laboratory. Tina didn¡¯t believe it had happened without the involvement of Bureau X¡¯s internal leadership. Now that the YQ Laboratory was restarting, it would eventually reach the ears of Bureau X¡¯s internal leadership.

    Jared was now facing threats from both front and back, and his direct superior had been trying to suppress him. If the higher-ups strongly demanded that the YQ Laboratory be brought back under Bureau X¡¯s control, Jared wouldn¡¯tst long. Before Jared could get a promotion, they needed external support to suppress all the uncertainties. The Brookes family was the best choice.

    Although Tina and Jared were unclear about the full extent of the Brookes family¡¯s influence, it was enough to protect the YQ Laboratory. Ian nodded repeatedly, Tina¡¯s willingness to sign this contract also proved her sufficient trust in him and the Brookes family. He was deeply moved. He nodded at Jack, who also did not hesitate to sign his name. ¡°Tina, here¡¯s to a pleasant coboration,¡± Jack handed the contract back to Tina.

    Seeing that all official matters had been concluded, Scarlett finally found her chance to speak, ¡°Tina, it¡¯s been so long since we¡¯ve seen each other. Don¡¯t you want to give me a gift?¡± Just as Tina was about to bring out the gift she had brought, Scarlett smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve already chosen the gift, go change into the couple outfits, and let me take some pictures!¡± As the biggest fan of Jared and Tina, she needed to maintain their image. This was firsthand material, and she had to post it quickly.

    The fan group could hardly wait any longer.

    Tina was startled, ¡°What couple outfits?¡±

    ¡°Just this set, you two hurry and change!¡± Scarlett stuffed the outfits into Tina¡¯s hands and pushed the two into the adjoining private room.

    Tina and Jared changed into the outfits somewhat bewilderedly and when they came back out, James was already ready with the fill light, waiting for the two models to enter the scene.

    Scarlett¡¯s camera was eager, ¡°Stand properly, I won¡¯t shoot your faces, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Tina and Jared couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry; how had they never noticed Scarlett had this hobby before?

    Thus, under Scarlett¡¯s repeated directions, they took numerous couple photos, their faces either not shown or blurred if visible.

    James, holding the fill light, watched as Tina repeatedly got close to Jared right in front of him.

    His teeth trembled with rage!

    What was this all about?

    How was he supposed to exin this to his brothers?

    To say that he not only watched Jared kiss Tina right in front of him but also had to repeatedly watch them hug and embrace, while he had to hold the fill light?

    Hayden: Heh, what¡¯s this? They even kissed in front of me, more than once.

    Brothers: You might as well die as an apology!

    After the meal, Tina had finished taking photos of the past years.

    After saying goodbye to Ian and others, James was responsible for taking Tina and Jared back.

    On the way, James was still seething.

    Tina didn¡¯t pay him any mind but instead asked, ¡°The Campbell family, are they also a hidden family?¡±

    Hearing the words ¡°hidden family,¡± James returned to normal.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re just the ordinary richest family in Clearwater, just like that lovestruck old rascal next to you.¡±

    Tina nced at Jared.

    That wasn¡¯t a lovestruck face, but rather one irresistibly handsome.

    The irresistibly handsome, lovestruck old rascal raised his phone, aiming it at the rearview mirror.

    It showed the photos Scarlett had just taken.

    They looked almost like wedding pictures.

    ¡°Mr. Heart, do they look good? I¡¯ve had Mrs. Brookes send them to you, make sure to save them,¡± Jared said nonchntly.

    James ground his teeth hard, vowing to one day devour Jared whole!

    Tina patted the car seat, prompting James to return to the matter at hand, ¡°Serena, why do you ask this?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the hidden family not well-rted to various other families? Howe you could have a marriage alliance?¡±

    Hayden had previously mentioned that major families would not have any contact with the hidden family, even using this as a reason to reject Pa White.

    So, she had always been curious as to how the Campbell family could have a marriage alliance with the Brookes family.

    James nonchntly chuckled, ¡°My little aunt and uncle have been childhood sweethearts, ording to my dad, they¡¯ve been so close since they were little, they¡¯re practically inseparable. Besides, the Brookes family is already prominent, so what if they were a hidden family? As long as my uncle treats my aunt well, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    Tina nodded, it seemed that in the presence of the supremely powerful Campbell family, the hidden family wouldn¡¯t cause anyone to feel intimidated.

    The truly fearful and apprehensive are those families that are less powerful yet overly proud.

    But why would the Cohen family dislike Pa White, being from a hidden family?

    It seemed the path for Pa White wasn¡¯t fraught with many obstacles.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The biggest obstacle was probably Hayden¡¯s own reluctance.

    ¡°Tina, take a nap, I¡¯ll wake you when we arrive,¡± Jared draped his jacket over Tina, pulling her close to let her rest securely against him.

    Tina was indeed a bit tired, taking photos was more exhausting than she had anticipated.

    James, who had just managed to suppress his anger, felt it re up again because of Jared¡¯s gesture, almost spitting blood in fury.

    But Serena closed her eyes to rest, and he couldn¡¯t scream; he had to drive steadily to ensure Serena¡¯sfort.

    James: Jared, just you wait!

    Jared: Holding my own wife, trulyfortable.

 Chapter 460 Vivienne Applies for Medical Parole

    In an undergroundboratory of a certain city.

    Lily¡¯s experiment had failed again.

    She nearly copsed, sweeping everything onto the floor in frustration.

    Why couldn¡¯t she develop Crimson Silk?

    Why couldn¡¯t she ever surpass Tina?

    Why not? Her medical expertise was no less than Tina¡¯s.

    Why couldn¡¯t she just develop Crimson Silk?

    The door to theboratory swung open.

    Lily, as if electrocuted, stood up and stumbled backward, ¡°Mr. ¡­ Mr. White, I¡¯m still trying. I will figure it out as soon as possible, I won¡¯t cause you any trouble, ah!¡±

    Lily was seized by the hair by iron-strong hands and her head was brutally knocked against the corner of ab table.

    A gash opened on her forehead, blood gushing out.

    Mr. White, his face twisted with rage, yanked her head repeatedly, smashing it against the wall and the table.

    He vented his fury incessantly!

    Lily felt as though she was stepping through the gates of hell, barely clinging to life.

    Mr. White finally stopped, hurling Lily forcefully away.

    She was adept and measured, torturing Lily to the brink of death while ensuring she remained alive.

    Lily¡¯s vision was a curtain of blood, and through the blood-soaked blur, she faintly made out the scar on Mr. White¡¯s face.

    She knelt trembling on the ground, ¡°Mr. White, please give me another chance.¡±

    Mr. White, sitting casually, twisted open a bottle of water and poured it over Lily¡¯s head, then finished thest few drops himself.

    Lily¡¯s hair dripped with water, her hands and feet cold.

    Mr. White took a deep breath.

    Lately, a bounty hunter had been inquiring about him, limiting his movements.

    Fortunately, his location remained undisclosed, or he would have been targeted long ago!

    He paused, then turned to look at Lily, ¡°Do you know how much effort we¡¯ve put in to get you out? We¡¯ve rescued you twice, risking exposure, and yet you¡¯ve been of no use at all!¡±

    Lily shivered again, ¡°I¡¯m close to developing Crimson Silk, Mr. White, I¡¯m telling the truth, it¡¯s almost ready.¡±

    Mr. White disdainfully looked away.

    On hisst visit to the CK boss Tiger, he was yed for a fool, not only failing to learn anything about Crimson Silk but also nearly getting captured.

    Thankfully, he had been clever enough not to reveal his true identity.

    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape.

    Now, all his hopes rested on Lily and that man.

    Just then, Mr. White¡¯s phone rang.

    Seeing the caller ID, Mr. White quickly changed his expression.

    He walked to a secluded spot and answered, ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°How are things?¡±

    From the other end came azy voice, tinged with coolness.

    ¡°Useless,¡± Mr. White said, casting a fierce nce at Lily.

    Lily quickly lowered her head, fearing another outburst from Mr. White.

    ¡°As expected,¡± the person stretchedzily, ¡°CK has sent me a letter.¡±

    Mr. White paused, then asked, ¡°What did they say?¡±

    ¡°They want us to get Vivienne out. They say she¡¯s still useful, and the condition is, they¡¯ll give us Crimson Silk.¡±

    ¡°To exchange Crimson Silk for Vivienne, I didn¡¯t realize she was so important to CK,¡± Mr. White chuckled, ¡°Did you agree?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Vivienne herself isn¡¯t much of a criminal, releasing her is easy. The important thing is Crimson Silk; with that, things will be much easier for you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    Mr. White ended the call, a smirk ying on his lips. He turned his head to look at Lily. Slowly squatting down, he lifted Lily¡¯s chin with his hand, ¡°Take care of yourself. In a few days, I have important matters for you to handle.¡±

    Lily nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±

    Meanwhile, ra was pulling strings everywhere, trying to get her husband out of trouble. With her daughter gone, her husband away, and her son Walter being a drain on their resources, how much longer could their household hold on? Amid her urgency, she received a phone call.

    ¡°Is this Vivienne¡¯s family? She¡¯s fallen ill and is applying for medical parole.¡±

    Vivienne had suffered a sudden heart attack in prison. If not for the timely discovery by the prison guards, she might have been dead. Taken to the hospital, the doctors diagnosed her with severe organic cardiovascr disease, essentially acute heart disease, which could be life-threatening at any moment. Clearly, she was not fit for incarceration.

    Upon hearing the news, both Tina and Jared curved their lips into a smile.

    ¡°You find this amusing?¡± Hayden, red-faced with anger, burst out, ¡°Another one walks free? I¡¯ve known Vivienne for years and never knew her to have heart issues. Now she¡¯s suddenly on her deathbed? What a joke!¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled up slightly.

    Before Vivienne was incarcerated, to prevent any suicide attempts by poisoning, she had been thoroughly checked, even undergoing a physical exam.

    She was in excellent health, thriving and robust. And yet, after just over a month in jail, she supposedly developed a heart condition so severe it warranted medical parole? The irony made her scoff.

    Jared sat on the sofa, holding the fruit tea Tina had left behind, eyeing the name signed on Vivienne¡¯s medical parole application-his direct superior, Christopher Parr.

    Christopher Parr was a legendary figure who had once single-handedly infiltrated the enemy¡¯sir unarmed and unsupported, capturing the enemy leader but getting severely injured in the process. After handing over the enemy to his organization, he copsed andter woke up to find one of his legs amputated due to poisoning. Since then, he had stepped back from frontline missions.

    While Lark was still active, he and Christopher were not exactly partners, but their work was closely rted. It was Christopher who had provided backup during that failed mission. After the mission¡¯s failure and Lark¡¯s disappearance, Christopher climbed the ranks, leveraging his capacity and acute situational judgments.

    He had been Jared and Hayden¡¯s instructor when they joined Agency X. Jared respected him greatly. But now-Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a dangerous glint appearing.

    ¡°Look, Mr. Farrell, could you drop the cryptic boss act and just find out what¡¯s really going on here?¡± Hayden, too agitated to sit still, paced in circles.

    Vivienne was no ordinary criminal. She was the second-inmand of CK, the feared ck Dragon on the ck market. Releasing her could potentially lead to serious trouble.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Moreover, with Agency X¡¯s special squad¡¯s missions failing one after another, how could they maintain their reputation?

    Mr. White had fled, Lily had disappeared en route, and now Vivienne was getting medical parole. It seemed nobody wanted to keep working.

    For a special squad like theirs, repeated incidents like these could easily demoralize the troops. How would they lead in the future?

    After all, it seemed everyone was destined to be released.

 Chapter 463 Uncle Joshuaâ€™s Return

    Hayden, as the leader of the first squad, understood the logic well; how could Jared, the overall team leader, not understand it? Yet now, even his actions were restricted, let alone the entire special squad. Jared set down the application in his hands, his rounded fingertips tapping the signature, ¡°You go talk to the boss yourself.¡±

    Hayden¡¯s face, flushed with anger, cooled instantly.

    Dare he? To the man everyone called the boss, he was just a small fry, how could he possibly deliver himself into the shark¡¯s mouth.

    Hayden sat down, rubbing his hair in frustration.

    After a few seconds, he asked, ¡°The boss signed it without asking you, why didn¡¯t you ask him?¡±

    Jared sipped his fruit tea, a hint of sweetness lingering, ¡°He said Vivienne is my immediate rtive, if I signed it, it could be used against me. If something went wrong, no one would stand up for me, so he didn¡¯t notify me.¡±

    Hayden¡¯s mouth opened and closed several times without closing.

    Every word Christopher Parr spoke was in Jared¡¯s interest, how could anyone argue against that?

    Unable to sit still, Hayden cursed under his breath and stood to leave.

    With a m of the door, he left, not caring if he would be punished.

    It was just too suffocating.

    Jared picked up the application from the table, looking up at Tina with eyes that held a cold gleam, yet flickered with a light that could melt frost, ¡°Tina, shall we go have a look?¡±

    Tina stood, taking the fruit tea from Jared¡¯s hand and drinking it all through the straw, ¡°Mmm, let¡¯s go have a look.¡±

    Inside the Farrell family¡¯s private hospital.

    ra sat in the hospital room sobbing loudly, one might think Vivienne on the bed was already dead.

    ¡°My poor daughter, Dad, you see, Vivienne was fine when she went in, and now she¡¯s been through the ICU. How much suffering must she endure because of that Tina? Even if you¡¯re angry with your son, you can¡¯t just watch your granddaughter be tormented to death!¡±

    ra, tears and snot mingling, used Tina unrelentingly, pouring out her grievances to Logan.

    ¡°Dad, the things Alexander did, our Vivienne and Walter had no part in. I¡¯m an outsider and you ignore me, but the children I bore are all Farrells. If you don¡¯t care, then we three might as well die now, to be out of your sight!¡±

    Logan¡¯s forehead creased with irritation.

    He had disagreed with ra marrying Alexander from the start, knowing she wasn¡¯t a woman to settle down, but at the time she was pregnant and the matter escted, the Farrell family had to take responsibility.

    If he had known it woulde to this, he would have rather lost half of the Farrell wealth than let such a woman enter their lives!

    Vivienne, pale and weak on the bed, tugged at ra, ¡°Mom, please go out, I want to talk to Grandpa alone.¡±

    ra wiped her tears; though she made a scene, she knew when to stop, letting Vivienne fight her own battles was better than her own crying and fussing.

    Moreover, the more she made a fuss, the more it showed how sensible Vivienne was, which was her true intent all along.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Vivienne, if you keep letting things go like before, I won¡¯t have you as a daughter anymore,¡± ra said before mming the door shut as she left.

    Vivienne closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were frighteningly red. She turned to Logan, ¡°Grandpa, this is my fault, it has nothing to do with Jared or Tina.¡±

    Logan never meddled in the younger generation¡¯s affairs.

    Since Jared had taken over the Farrell family, he cared even less.

    He knew Jared had his own matters to attend to.

    And he never interfered or inquired.

    Vivienne¡¯s incarceration this time wouldn¡¯t just be a simple financial crime; there had to be more to it. Jared had his own code of conduct, and Vivienne was certainly not wronged.

    ¡°Vivienne, to hear you say that brings me great relief. Now that you¡¯re out, live your life well. I won¡¯t let you down. I¡¯ve kept my promise and the card for you; see what you want to do and go do it,¡± her grandfather said.

    Vivienne nodded. ¡°Grandfather, I want nothing. I can¡¯t face staying with the Farrell family. Once I¡¯m better, let me take my mom and brother and leave Ashbury. As for my dad¡­ Grandfather, can you spare him?¡±

    Logan didn¡¯t agree right away, nor could he bear to refuse on the spot.

    His own son Alexander was unforgivable.

    Yet, facing his granddaughter, he still harbored apassionate heart.

    After all, Vivienne was his first granddaughter. Before Sophia was born, he always cherished and protected her like a treasure.

    How could he not dote on her, the only girl among a houseful of boys?

    Vivienne herself wasmendable, never causing any worries from childhood and possessing a clear mind with a knack for business.

    While others schemed to seize the Farrell family¡¯s wealth and shed with Jared, she alone sought ways to improve herself and genuinely considered thepany¡¯s interests.

    If not for her recent crime, Logan would have surely allowed her back to thepany.

    Unfortunately¡­

    Logan sighed, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about your father¡¯s matters. You¡¯ve always been by my side, never left Ashbury, and other ces aren¡¯t good for your recovery. Stay put. In a while, your uncle will return, and you should see him. He has always adored you kids the most.¡±

    Vivienne paused, then a genuine smile spread across her face.

    Their Uncle Joshua, Logan¡¯s youngest son.

    Close in age, he used to be their y leader as children.

    He had left for studies abroad ten years ago when Jared and the others had just started college, and hadn¡¯t returned since.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Uncle Joshua say he was settling abroad? What made him decide toe back?¡± Vivienne was pleased inside.

    Joshua was the most non-confrontational member of the Farrell family, truly uninterested in conflicts.

    He loved flora; when he was around, he tended to the Farrell Residence¡¯s garden.

    He even switched his major from finance to biology without hesitation to study various nts, which nearly drove his grandfather to break his leg in fury.

    When Jasper and his father fought over thepany¡¯s profits, only Joshua would take the children out for a big meal to spare them from domestic trivialities.

    Thus, she, and even Jared, adored their Uncle Joshua the most.

    Logan lowered his eyes, ¡°Well, thepany is short of people, and he must return now.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Vivienne pursed her lips.

    Indeed, Joshua had toe back.

    The Farrell family was falling apart, and if Joshua didn¡¯t return, thepany truly would be left with no one.

    Moreover, Alexander had left a huge mess of bad debts before his capture.

    Although Jared had mostly dealt with it, how could he, as the heir, manage without anypetent subordinates?

    ¡°It¡¯s good that Uncle Joshua ising back. At least we kids can sit down together and have a proper meal,¡± Vivienne sighed, looking somewhat tired.

    Logan patted the back of his granddaughter¡¯s hand, ¡°Alright, you rest now. Getting better is what¡¯s most important. Sleep.¡±

    Vivienne closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.

 Chapter 462: Get Well Soon, Miss Farrell

    Outside the door, ra was pressed against it, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation inside, but to no avail due to the excellent soundproofing. Unaware of her presence, Logan opened the door, causing ra to stumble forward and kneel on the floor with a thud, her situation embarrassingly awkward.

    ¡°What are you doing! You¡¯re a disgrace!¡± Logan scolded sharply, banging his cane several times before striding away.

    He hadn¡¯t gone far when he saw Jared and Tina approaching.

    ¡°Grandfather,¡± Jared and Tina greeted him.

    Seeing them seemed to improve Logan¡¯s mood. ¡°What brings you here? Vivienne has gone to sleep; let¡¯s head back,¡± he suggested.

    Just then, ra charged at them. ¡°Tina, you little wretch, how dare you show your face at the hospital after what you¡¯ve done to my daughter¡­¡±

    Without hesitation, ra grabbed a trash bin from the hallway and hurled it at Tina, who didn¡¯t even bother to move, not even flicking an eyelid.

    Jared swiftly kicked the bin, sending it flying back toward ra. Caught off-guard, ra stood frozen as the bin hit her head, spilling its disgusting contents all over her-unfinished takeout, spit, unknown liquids, and tissues smeared with sticky substances. It was revolting.

    Despite her slight frame, ra had managed to lift the bin. With a loud crash, she was knocked unconscious by the impact, trash covering her from head to toe.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    A passing nurse attempted to help her up, recognizing her as Mrs. Farrell, but Logan roared, ¡°Let her be, until she wakes up on her own!¡± After hismand, Tina and Jared supported him as they left the hospital.

    ray there alone, her expensive, limited-edition velvet dress now marinated in filth. In the shadows, a woman with long, ck hair watched from a distance. After seeing Tina and Jared leave, she donned a mask and entered Vivienne¡¯s room.

    Vivienne, who had been asleep, opened her eyes with more vigor than she had shown in her conversation with Logan. ¡°Mr. White, in such a hurry?¡± she asked with a smile.

    The woman stood by Vivienne¡¯s bed and injected something into her IV bag. ¡°I thought you¡¯d thank me first for rescuing you,¡± she said.

    Vivienne watched the clear liquid mix with her medication, her expression dimming. ¡°You¡¯re just following orders. What do I have to thank you for?¡± She sat up, breathing heavily. This medicine was the very cause of her heart condition.

    Mr. White brushed back her hair and tucked away the empty syringe, ¡°You were foolish to fall for such an obvious trap. I wonder what your boss saw in you.¡±

    ¡°None of your business,¡± retorted Vivienne, holding her chest as she slowly regained herposure.

    Mr. White observed coldly until Vivienne¡¯s color returned. She then pulled out a box of pills. ¡°Take one every night for the first week, then one a week after that. Any more, and you might actually die. Good luck.¡±

    With that, Mr. White stood and slowly walked out of the room.

    Vivienne secured the pills, calling after him, ¡°The poison from Crimson Silk can be cured by Tina. It won¡¯t be so easy to kill Jared.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the tip. Get well soon, Miss Farrell,¡± Mr. White said, a smile ying at his lips as he departed.

    Vivienney back down, staring at the white ceiling above, trapped and at the mercy of others.

    Meanwhile, in Jared¡¯s car, Tina sat in the passenger seat, with Jared and Logan in the back.

    ¡°Tina, is there really no cure for Vivienne¡¯s illness?¡± Logan asked.

    Tina nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve reviewed her medical records. Cure is possible, but I doubt she¡¯s ready for it.¡±

    Logan understood Tina¡¯s implication.

    If Vivienne were to be cured, she would likely return to prison. Now, she could continue her treatment outside, enjoying some freedom.

    Moreover, her parents might not trust Tina; it was perhaps better not to stir up any trouble.

    He asked just to know whether Vivienne¡¯s illness was life-threatening.

    He didn¡¯t want to experience the grief of an elder burying a younger one.

    Since Tina had said so, it meant Vivienne would be fine; she just needed to rest well.

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good,¡± Logan said, looking at Tina. ¡°Tina, sorry for the inconvenience.¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°Mr. Farrell, it¡¯s no trouble at all.¡±

    She truly didn¡¯t feel inconvenienced. If CK¡¯s second-inmand went to jail without CK showing any reaction, then her opponent was far too weak.

    Jared, watching Tina¡¯s smiling reflection in the rearview mirror, knew she was plotting something.

    Tina lifted her head and winked at the mirror, her radiant face utterly charming.

    Jared chuckled softly, his expression returning to normal as he looked up.

    He remembered something and asked, ¡°Grandpa, is Uncle Joshuaing back next month?¡±

    Logan nodded, ¡°Yes, that rascal, never giving me peace. Still has the nerve toe back.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell Uncle Joshua not toe back yet, to avoid upsetting you,¡± Jared said, reaching for his phone to call Joshua.

    Logan chuckled, ¡°Tina, give him a poke for me!¡±

    ¡°Sure, Grandpa, where should I poke?¡± Tina yfully picked up a silver needle, grinning at Logan.

    Jared winced, looking aggrieved, ¡°My dear, please spare me.¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, is that okay?¡± Tina asked.

    Logan hummed softly, ¡°That¡¯s better, next time I¡¯ll really poke.¡±

    The mood in the car lightened considerably.

    After dropping Logan off at the Farrell family home, he went to his room to rest.

    Tina had nothing else to do; she had gone to the hospital just to check Vivienne¡¯s records, and knowing the situation was enough.

    Sitting on a swing in the Farrell family¡¯s backyard garden, Tina was surrounded by various fruits and small cakes, with a fat cat in herp, continuously stroking its head.

    ¡°Why have you never mentioned your Uncle Joshua before?¡± Tina asked while eating a sliced strawberry.

    Jared frowned slightly, ¡°My Uncle Joshua, he¡¯s quite handsome.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Tina paused, hearing Jared praise someone¡¯s looks for the first time.

    Jared rested his hand on Tina¡¯s shoulder, picking an orange slice to eat, ¡°Uncle Joshua is the most handsome man in our Farrell family. I¡¯ve admired him since I was a kid.¡±

    Tina¡¯s interest piqued, she grabbed Jared¡¯s hand excitedly, ¡°Photos? Show me.¡±

    A man even more handsome than an uncle!

    How handsome must that be?

    As someone who appreciated good looks, Tina couldn¡¯t miss this chance!

    Jared furrowed his brow, his eyes twinkling, ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡± Tina pulled on Jared¡¯s hand, ¡°Just a quick look.¡±

    ¡°Not even a peek, no.¡±

    ¡°Uncle~¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Tina bit her lip, ¡°Not showing?¡±

    Jared still shook his head, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡±

    Tina hopped off the swing, slipped on her shoes, and dashed toward the living room.

    Just then, Marie arrived with Sophia.

    ¡°Tina, you¡¯re home! Look, I bought some snacks, let¡¯s eat together,¡± Sophia said, running towards Tina with a bag of snacks.

    Tina scooped up Sophia, ¡°Sophia, do you have a photo of your Uncle Joshua? Show me.¡±

    ¡°Tina, why do you want to see Joshua¡¯s photo?¡± Marie set down her things, took out her phone, and found a photo of Joshua, ¡°Here, look at this.¡±

 Chapter 463: Uncle Joshua, Handsomer than Jared

    Tina nced at the photo. ¡°Damn, he¡¯s handsome!¡± The uncle was right; Joshua was stunningly attractive. He had the refined demeanor of a gentleman from a distinguished family, albeit with a hint of rebellion. Completely different from Jared. Yet-she still thought the uncle was the handsomest. But that didn¡¯t stop her from finding Joshua attractive too. ¡°He¡¯s good-looking,¡± Tina said, her eyes sparkling.

    Sophia, clutching Tina¡¯s neck, whispered with her little finger at her lips, ¡°Shush, brother can¡¯t hear you calling another man handsome, even though I also think Uncle Joshua is very good-looking.¡±

    Tina flipped to another photo, a selfie with Joshua holding the phone towards the camera and a girl leaning against his shoulder, her face hidden. Sophia nced at it and said, ¡°That¡¯s Uncle Joshua¡¯s girlfriend. I really like her hair; it¡¯s like a waterfall.¡±

    Tina nodded, about to add something, when Jared snatched the phone away. He quickly deleted Joshua¡¯s contact from Marie¡¯s phone. Marie shrieked and swatted at Jared, ¡°Hey, you little devil, why are you deleting your uncle¡¯s photo?¡±

    Jared unceremoniously scooped Sophia off Tina and grabbed a few snack packs from the bag, then carried Tina away. Sophia, looking at the half-empty snack bag, sighed like an adult, ¡°Wow, jealous men are really scary.¡±

    Marie red at Jared¡¯s retreating back, ¡°Just like your father!¡±

    Jared, having whisked Tina away, cradled her tenderly in his arms, her slim arms wrapped around his neck as he carried her back to the bedroom. As they entered, Jared intended to put her down on the sofa. Unexpectedly, Tina agilely flipped over him, shifting from being cradled to sitting astride him.

    Jared, holding Tina¡¯s waist and leveraging her momentum, sat down firmly on the sofa, looking up at the cunningly smiling girl above him, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing, his eyes betraying uncontroble emotions.

    Tina, sitting on Jared¡¯sp, yfully tapped his neck, saying deliberately, ¡°Uncle, your Uncle Joshua really is quite handsome.¡±

    Jared hugged Tina tightly, pressing her in front of him, ¡°Not as handsome as me.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tina leaned into Jared, her nose lightly touching his, her breath faintly brushing his face.

    Jared, overwhelmed, stood and pressed Tina onto the bed, his suit jacket covering her slender waist. His heavy breathing rose and fell on his muscr chest as Tina¡¯s legs hooked around his calves, her eyes a quiet sea. Her restless fingers gripped his protruding corbone. In the next moment, she forcefully flipped their positions, sitting firmly on his stomach.

    Leaning down, her lips tenderly moistened the parched ground beneath them. He restrained himself, holding back the youthful vigor transitioning from neen to twenty. She responded, affirming a lifetime¡¯s recognition.

    Then, the knocking at the door finally pierced the ambiguous atmosphere. Tina briskly stood up, sitting on the sofa and casually picking up a snack.

    Jared adjusted his suit, hiding the lipstick mark on his shirt cor. The knocker was Sophia, her little head peeking through, a knowing smile on her tender face, ¡°Tina, I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt you, but someone came looking for you, so I came over.¡±

    Tina stood, slightly embarrassed, ¡°Who¡¯s looking for us?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know, a beautiful older sister. Grandpa is downstairs chatting with her, oh, and there¡¯s an unfamiliar uncle too.¡±

    ¡°Okay, got it.¡± After speaking, Tina and Jared went downstairs.

    Downstairs, Logan was chatting with a man and a woman aboutpany matters, so Marie didn¡¯t stay to apany them.

    ¡°Mr. Chairman, this is the new head of our design department, Miss Jasmine White, a renowned designer from Amal Design Company. The hit productunched by Amalst year was her creation,¡± said the man, who was the head of the human resources department and a veteran employee of thepany.

    Since Vivienne had left the group, he had finally managed to recruit Jasmine, and today was specifically to report this to Logan and Jared.

    Since Jared was seldom at the office and hard to contact, he had no choice but toe to the house.

    Facing Logan, Jasmine bowed slightly, ¡°Mr. Chairman, now that I have joined, I will speak frankly, please don¡¯t mind.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Logan always appreciated directness. Although it was his first meeting with Jasmine, he quite liked her straightforward nature.

    Jasmine smiled, ¡°I heard that the new jewelry concept was provided by Master Irene. I wonder if I¡¯m lucky enough to meet Master Irene?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to meet Master Irene?¡± Suddenly, Jared¡¯s dark, husky voice came through.

    The three in the living room turned their heads in surprise.

    Jared, holding Tina¡¯s hand, wasing down the stairs.

    Jasmine was momentarily startled, a flush crossing her face as she looked at Jared.

    ¡°Miss White, this is Chairman Jared, and Chairman, this is the new head of our design department, Miss Jasmine White,¡± the HR head whispered to Jasmine.

    So bold to stare directly at the Chairman like that, fearless!

    Jasmine snapped back to reality, ¡°Hello, Mr. Chairman, I¡¯m Jasmine.¡±

    Tina looked Jasmine up and down without a word, a smirk ying at her lips, and sat across from Logan.

    Jared sat next to Tina, still holding her hand, his expression slightly cold, ¡°Answer my question.¡±

    Jasmine blinked and took a deep breath, ¡°I was hoping tounch some products next quarter based on Master Irene¡¯s series, focusing on simplicity and rity this year. But it¡¯s hard to surpass Master Irene¡¯s work, so I wanted to talk to her.¡±

    Logan, who was drinking water, nearly choked.

    Tina couldn¡¯t hold back either and touched her forehead.

    Whether it¡¯s Q, Waverly Underwood, or Irene, why did everyone think about surpassing themselves?

    Was she not worthy of standing at the peak of these fields?

    Jared squeezed Tina¡¯s palm, seeking her opinion.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Tina looked up and said to Jasmine, ¡°That¡¯s fine, continue with the series. First create your design sketches, then we can discuss the details.¡±

    Jasmine paused, confused by what the young girl beside Jared was saying.

    What was she talking about?

    Jared scratched his forehead with Tina¡¯s hand, ¡°Tina is Master Irene.¡±

    Jasmine was even more bewildered, eximing out of turn, ¡°How is that possible!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Tina is Master Irene. Just do as she said, bring the designs when they¡¯re ready,¡± Logan said with a smile.

    The HR head cleared his throat, ¡°Miss White, if there¡¯s nothing else, we should leave now, let¡¯s not disturb the Chairman and his wife.¡±

    Jasmine slowly regained herposure, ¡°Oh, alright, then we¡¯ll be going.¡±

    After the pair left, Tina and Jared had dinner and he drove her home.

    On the way, Tina suddenlyughed, ¡°Uncle, looks like more fun is on the way.¡±

    Jared and Tina intertwined their fingers, rubbing her fingertips gently, and responded softly, ¡°Yes, more fun is about to happen.¡±

 Chapter 464: Jaredâ€™s Inevitable Demise

    Jasmine truly proved herself as the high-quality talent that the HR department head had gone to great lengths to recruit. Just one weekter, she delivered the design drafts to Jared¡¯s office. Nathan, havingpleted his training camp, returned to Jared¡¯s side. ¡°Mr. Farrell, Jasmine from the design department is waiting outside,¡± he informed.

    Jared nced at the design drafts in his hand and handed them to Tina. ¡°Tina, take a look.¡±

    After flipping through a few pages, Tina nodded, ¡°Let her in.¡±

    With a nervous step, Jasmine entered, nced at Jared a few times, and quickly averted her eyes. ¡°Chairman, madam,¡± she greeted.

    Without looking up, Tina simply said, ¡°The design is nice.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, but it still falls shortpared to yours. I always feel something is slightly off, it doesn¡¯t quite match the original concept. Could you possibly offer some guidance?¡± Jasmine said, her gaze unconsciously drifting towards Jared.

    Tina made a few quick annotations on Jasmine¡¯s design drafts and handed them back to her.

    Jasmine received them with both hands, nodded at Tina, and then turned to Jared. ¡°Chairman, I¡¯m nning to hold aunch event next week. I intend to invite numerous celebrities and influentialdies from Ashbury to boost our product¡¯s profile. What do you think?¡±

    Jared, without looking up, murmured, ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Jasmine pursed her lips and quietly left Jared¡¯s office.

    As the door closed behind her, Jasmine lifted her gaze, the timid and cautious expression had vanished from her face.

    Inside the office, a smile curled on Tina¡¯s lips, as if she had stumbled upon something amusing.

    Jared waved Nathan away, who tactfully exited. Jared stood up and sat next to Tina. ¡°This happy?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Of course, the real show is about to start.¡±

    Several dayster.

    At theunch event.

    The venue was packed, with numerous media reporters invited to generate buzz for the new product line. Many hade voluntarily, eager to attend thepany¡¯s event-a significant honor that could bring considerable resources to their own firms.

    Jared and Tina waited backstage.

    Soon, Jasmine knocked on the door. ¡°Chairman, everything is ready. We can enter anytime.¡±

    Jared nodded, stood up, and adjusted his suit. ¡°Tina, wait here for me.¡±

    Tina acknowledged with a nce that briefly swept over Jasmine before quickly looking away.

    Jasmine¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Had Tina noticed something?

    Impossible. She had disguised it too well.

    With a suppressed smile, Jasmine followed Jared out.

    As they left, Tina received a call from Hugo. ¡°Tina, it¡¯s urgent. Zack suddenly developed dysentery at kindergarten and has been taken to the hospital. You shoulde quickly.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way,¡± Tina replied with a smile, evidently prepared for the situation.

    Tina left through the back as Jared finished his speech on stage.

    A hostess handed Jared a ss of red wine. Facing the media, he couldn¡¯t refuse and took a sip.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Jasmine watched from below, her smile deepening.

    The moment she had been waiting for!

    Jared, you¡¯ve finally died by my hand!

    Minutes after drinking the wine, Jared felt his vision blur and his breathing becamebored; his bones underwent strange transformations.

    Though outwardly unchanged, these subtle sensations were known only to him.

    Jared whispered a few words to Nathan, then silently retreated to the backstage resting room.

    Jasmine watched from a distance, and seeing that Jared had left, she quietly followed him.

    No one at the venue noticed that the two main characters of thepany¡¯s press conference had disappeared.

    Unbeknownst to Jasmine, as she stepped away, a plump waiter also silently followed.

    In the lounge.

    Jared opened the door and saw that Tina was not there.

    He sat on the sofa, his eyes closed.

    His wless handsome face bore a trace of restraint.

    Click!

    The door lock was gently picked.

    Entering was the dark barrel of a gun, inching closer to Jared.

    Jared¡¯s thin lips slowly curled into a smile, and he opened his eyes, ¡°Mr. White, nice to see you again.¡±

    Jasmine was not surprised.

    By now, Jared must have known he had been poisoned with Crimson Silk and guessed her identity, which was not surprising.

    ¡°Captain Farrell, nice to see you again,¡± Jasmine said arrogantly, looking at Jared with confidence, ¡°Perhaps my words are misced, given your condition, you are hardly well.¡±

    Jaredughed, ¡°How could Mr. White see this?¡±

    ¡°Ha, Tina is not here, who do you think can cure your poison?¡±

    Since infiltrating thepany, Jasmine had always wanted to administer Crimson Silk to Jared, but he was inseparable from Tina, leaving her no opportunity.

    This time, she had finally managed to send Tina away and poison Jared when he was unguarded.

    It had taken some effort.

    Jared¡¯s smile deepened as he spoke slowly towards the lounge, ¡°Tina, she said you weren¡¯t here.¡±

    Jasmine paused, her expression frozen, ¡°What did you say!¡±

    ¡°He said, you said I wasn¡¯t here.¡± A voice came from inside the lounge.

    Jasmine immediately aimed her gun at the lounge¡¯s screen, and Tina gracefully walked out from behind it, her eyes bright and smiling just like Jared¡¯s.

    ¡°How could you? You were supposed to have left!¡± Jasmine eximed.

    She wouldn¡¯t have poisoned Jared without confirming Tina hadpletely left; she wouldn¡¯t take a risk otherwise!

    Tina smiled, ¡°You¡¯re right, a Tina did leave, under your close watch, heading towards my home, only-¡±

    Tina grinned, ¡°That person was Snow Judd.¡±

    Jasmine cursed under her breath; no wonder she had never found Snow Judd and Callum Maguire, they had been in Tina¡¯s possession all along!

    Tina sighed, ¡°You can¡¯t even recognize your own people, and you¡¯re the second inmand of GTO!¡±

    Jasmine gritted her teeth, ¡°Tina, go to hell!¡±

    Her finger pulled the trigger, but the expected gunshot did not ur.

    Instead, Jasmine suddenly knelt on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

    She looked at Tina incredulously, ¡°You poisoned me!¡±

    How had Tina managed it?

    She had not noticed at all.

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s Crimson Silk,¡± Tina said, satisfied as she watched Jasmine.

    From the moment Jasmine had entered, the Crimson Silk had already been administered, just undetectable.

    Then, the lounge door opened again, and the plump waiter walked in.

    ¡°Boss, need a drink?¡±

    Jasmine¡¯s brow twitched, and with herst bit of strength, she pinned the waiter to the ground, pulling a dagger from her waist and pressing it against his major artery.

    ¡°Cure the poison, or he¡¯s a dead man!¡±

 Chapter 465: The Bossâ€™s Call

    Little did Tina and Jared seem to notice, acting as if Jasmine wasn¡¯t holding a human life in her hands, but an orange instead!

    Jasmine¡¯s knife dug deeper, ¡°Jared, you are the captain of the special squad at Bureau X, watching a hostage die before your eyes-are you ready to give up your future?¡±

    Jasmine was certain that Jared would not let the hostage be killed.

    That¡¯s how the people at Bureau X were, cherishing even a dog¡¯s life.

    Howughable.

    Because of this, they had missed many opportunities to encircle GTO.

    Thinking this, Jasmine¡¯s smile deepened.

    Tina yawned and sat next to Jared, leaning on his shoulder, ¡°Stop ying, let¡¯s wrap this up.¡±

    Jasmine frowned deeply. What did that mean?

    Just then, the plump waiter indignantly said, ¡°Hmph, I kindly came to bring you a drink, and this is how you treat me!¡±

    Before Jasmine could react, the waiter grabbed her ankle, lifted her into the air, and then mmed her heavily onto the ground.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Jasmine groaned.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Already poisoned, this fall fractured her in several ces.

    Tina frowned, ¡°Fatty, be gentle, if she dies, you¡¯ll pay with your life!¡±

    Jasmine was an important figure, the second inmand of GTO, and held many secrets. Her death would be a costly loss.

    Fatty removed his waiter¡¯s vest and took a soft whip from his waist, binding Jasmine tightly like tying a crab.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Serena, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    It was fresh money, after all, he wouldn¡¯t kill her.

    Dead crabs and fresh crabs, the price difference was substantial!

    Seeing the bounty nearly in his hands, Fatty¡¯s eyes nearly turned into coins.

    A bounty ten timesrger than Wraith¡¯s-how would he spend it!

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, you are the captain of Bureau X¡¯s special squad, isn¡¯t handing over the person enough? Should I collect the bounty from you?¡± Fatty pushed Jasmine along, happily looking at Jared.

    Jared gazed at Jasmine, his eyes deep as ancient wells, quietly drooping, ¡°No, give it to Serena.¡±

    Jasmine, already semi-conscious, heard Jared say this, and herst hope vanished.

    Fatty¡¯s hope vanished too.

    What a joke, hand it to Serena, wouldn¡¯t that mean he couldn¡¯t get the money?

    Serena was notoriously stingy, something known all over the inte, infamous for a dispute over a thousand dors with her master, now known worldwide!

    Their fans were constantly demanding payments!

    Fatty¡¯s face fell, ¡°Serena, you¡¯re really taking this person?¡±

    Meaning, you¡¯re really not paying him?

    Jared watched Tina with interest, curious to see if their own Tina was really that stingy!

    Tina: Yes, I am that stingy.

    But, she couldn¡¯t mistreat her own people.

    Tina stood up, struck Jasmine with a hand chop, knocking her outpletely, ¡°I¡¯ll take her, and the bounty-¡±

    She turned her head, her delicate finger pointing at her uncle, ¡°He¡¯ll pay.¡±

    Jared: ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have watched this spectacle!

    Tina: Feel free toe back next time!

    Upon hearing there was a bounty, Fatty¡¯s mournful face immediately turned to joy, ¡°Long live!¡±

    Jared sighed, pulling a card from his pocket that already had Jasmine¡¯s bounty loaded onto it, ¡°Take it, the PIN is Tina¡¯s birthday.¡±

    Fatty blinked, ¡°Captain Farrell, what did you say?¡±

    Jared¡¯s narrow eyes squinted, a faint smile shing across them, ¡°The password is Tina¡¯s birthday.¡±

    Fatty, ¡°¡­¡±

    Damn!

    Who the hell knows Serena¡¯s birthday!

    Even she doesn¡¯t know it, right?

    They¡¯re ying me!

    Of course, Fatty could only scream this in his heart.

    Jared patted Fatty on the shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t withdraw the money, I have another task for you. Once it¡¯s done, the reward will be doubled.¡±

    Fatty¡¯s eyes lit up, grinning, ¡°Captain Farrell, go on.¡±

    Jared¡¯s gaze darkened slightly, ¡°Continue using your bounty hunter identity to hunt down Mr. White.¡±

    Fatty paused, but didn¡¯t ask further.

    He was a smart man; he knew the score when Tina took over the Mr. White case.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do as you say,¡± Fatty handed Jasmine to Tina, ¡°Serena, I¡¯ll be leaving then.¡±

    Tina nodded.

    Fatty still didn¡¯t want to leave, ¡°Serena, I¡¯m really going now!¡±

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, somewhat speechless at this money-grubbing brother, ¡°Go ask Cole for some pocket money, and get out of here!¡±

    ¡°Got it!¡± Fatty disappeared in a sh, as if he¡¯d never been there.

    Tina also handed Mr. White over to Jayden, who was undercover among the journalists, to be taken back to Mountain Veil Order for detention.

    With everything taken care of and the press conference nearing its end, Jared went back on stage to speak briefly before concluding the event.

    After leaving the venue, Jared received a call from Christopher Parr.

    ¡°Boss,¡± Jared turned on the speakerphone.

    ¡°Can you talk?¡± Christopher Parr¡¯s voice sounded slightly muffled and a bit angry, though not overtly.

    Jared nced at Tina, ¡°Yes, I can talk.¡±

    Christopher Parr sighed, ¡°Your fiancee, is she called Tina?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jared unconsciously tightened his grip on Tina¡¯s hand, his brow furrowing slightly.

    ¡°Has she been working with Pa White on that new bombtely?¡± Christopher Parr inquired.

    Upon hearing this, a haze clouded Tina¡¯s eyes.

    As expected, the agency had indeed set their sights on the new bomb development.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jared didn¡¯t deny it, knowing that Christopher Parr wouldn¡¯t ask unless he already knew.

    Thest time Hayden went to headquarters to fetch documents, it required Christopher Parr¡¯s authorization; it was no surprise he knew.

    Christopher Parr exhaled sharply, his anger bing more evident, ¡°Why wasn¡¯t this reported to the agency! Jared, you¡¯re really getting bolder!¡±

    Jared¡¯s voice was cool, ¡°My fiancee isn¡¯t part of the agency; even if she were researching the moon, she wouldn¡¯t need to report to the agency.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a new bomb! It concerns the GTO, and your failure to report it is negligence.¡± Christopher Parr bellowed, then regained hisposure, ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t want to argue about this. Write up a self-criticism and submit it. I¡¯ll exin things there, but you need to take some concrete action to give me something to report!¡±

    Jared chuckled dryly, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®concrete action¡¯?¡±

    Christopher Parr tapped on the table as he spoke, ¡°Have your fiancee hand over the bomb research patent to the agency. She can profit from it, but the new bomb must be controlled by the agency, understood?¡±

    Jared and Tina exchanged nces, the corners of their lips slowly curling into a knowing smile, ¡°I¡¯ll discuss it with her.¡±

 Chapter 466: The Appraisal Result

    Jared hung up the phone. He tapped the seat in front of him, ¡°Write a self-critique.¡±

    Nathan nearly choked on his own saliva and silently nced at the rearview mirror, replying, ¡°Yes.¡±

    The saying ¡®a higher rank crushes the person below¡¯ finally made sense to him!

    Jared pulled Tina back into his embrace, his fingertips caressing the palm of her hand, ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I think I should go see Ian,¡± Tina said, her expression unchanged, revealing nothing.

    Jared thought the same, ¡°Nathan, drive to the Brookes family.¡±

    Soon, Nathan parked the car near the Brookes family residence.

    ¡°Do you really not need me toe with you?¡± Jared asked.

    Tina shook her head, ¡°No, I can go by myself.¡±

    Jared did not insist and watched as Tina walked towards the Brookes family residence, then instructed Nathan to drive away.

    As Tina walked, the air was filled with the faint scent of locust flowers.

    It had to be said that Ian had good taste. Although it was a residence bought on short notice, the location was excellent-quiet amidst the hustle and bustle, surrounded by natural locust trees.

    When the wind blew, the entire courtyard was fragrant.

    As she neared the Brookes family residence, Tina took out her phone.

    It disyed the report Cole sentst night-a paternity test report between her and Jack.

    The result indicated a 58. 99% probability of a parental rtionship, confirming a gic link.

    This percentage was enough to prove her rtion to the Brookes family, at least making Jack likely her uncle.

    But she could not bepletely sure.

    After all, the test was with Jack, not with Ian or Ian¡¯s mother.

    She had never heard her mother mention anything about the Brookes family; she always thought her mother was a child of the Whittaker family.

    The report made her feelingsplex.

    For now, she could not obtain her mother¡¯s DNA; otherwise, she would definitely seek further confirmation.

    Tina turned off her phone and stepped inside.

    She did not n to share this result with Ian.

    The Brookes family had also conducted a report between her and Ian; if the results matched, it would fully confirm her rtion to the Brookes family.

    If different¡­

    That would be interesting.

    Before she knew it, Tina had reached the front door of the Brookes family residence.

    She rang the doorbell, and before she could announce her name through the inte, the door had already opened.

    Scarlett emerged, holding a child, unclear whether it was Kiki or Mimi, ¡°I thought I was mistaken, but it really is Tina,e in!¡±

    Tina was warmly led into the yard by Scarlett.

    Observing the child in Scarlett¡¯s arms, who had a fresh scratch on her face making it look puffed up and adorable, Tina couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Scarlett couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°It¡¯s just the kids fighting; this is Kiki, the older sister who hasn¡¯t beaten her younger sister, sulking right now.¡±

    ¡°Fight back next time,¡± Tina couldn¡¯t help but pinch Kiki¡¯s little cheek, ¡°But, sisters should live in harmony and love.¡±

    She had no siblings and sometimes envied those with brothers and sisters.

    Kiki seemed to understand Tina¡¯s words, nodding approvingly, and took Tina¡¯s fingertip, kissing it repeatedly.

    Scarlett eximed in surprise, ¡°Oh, Kiki really likes you.¡±

    Tina smoothly picked up Kiki.

    At that moment, Kiki was no longer upset. She hugged Tina and rubbed her little face against her, clearly delighted.

    In the front yard.

    Ian wasforting another little granddaughter, ¡°Mimi, your sister didn¡¯t hit you, why are you crying? You should beforting your sister now, shouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    Mimi, crying, turned her head and saw Tina holding Kiki. Her little mouth pouted, and she pointed at Tina, kicking her legs in agitation.

    Ian looked up, a warm feeling washing over him.

    If only they were his granddaughters.

    ¡°Old man, long time no see.¡± Tina sat opposite Ian, also picking up Mimi effortlessly.

    Mimi calmed down, leaning on Tina¡¯s other side like Kiki, thoroughly enjoying the affection.

    The two sisters, who had just been fighting, now held hands together at Tina¡¯s urging, ¡°Are you two getting along now?¡±

    Kiki and Mimi seemed to understand and hugged each other,ughing and whispering, not knowing what they were chatting about.

    Tina felt warmth in her heart.

    If Jack were truly her uncle, these would indeed be her sisters.

    She grew fonder of them the more she looked.

    Scarlett knew Tina hade to speak with Ian, so she took the reconciled sisters away, ¡°Tina, you must stay for dinner.¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Yes, definitely.¡±

    After Scarlett took the children away, Ian spoke up, ¡°Tina, what brings you here?¡±

    Tina repeated the phone call from Christopher Parr to Ian, ¡°The X Bureau ns to intervene.¡±

    Ian waved it off with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tina, they won¡¯t stir up much trouble. Let that young man from the Farrell family tell that leader named Christopher Parr to report it up to his superiors. They¡¯ll respond.¡±

    Hearing this, Tina smiled.

    She was right; the power behind Ian was indeed capable of suppressing Jared¡¯s boss.

    Ian paused, then pondered, ¡°That young man from the Farrell family has earned quite a bit of recognition; he should have been promoted by now. Why hasn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Tina shook her head.

    She never interfered in Jared¡¯s affairs, although she was familiar with the X Bureau¡¯s system. Jared had made significant achievements, including the recent dismantling of a baby-trafficking ring, and should have been promoted at least half a rank, instead of still being manipted by others.

    But the internal workings were beyond Tina¡¯s assurance.

    Ian understood, ¡°That¡¯s the way it is with higher ranks. Tell him not to rush, to take it slow.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Tina smiled softly.

    The two fell silent for a few seconds.

    Ian suddenly sat upright, looking at Tina with a somewhat apologetic expression, ¡°Actually, if you hadn¡¯te to see me today, I was nning to look for you.¡±

    Tina tensed, sensing the seriousness of Ian¡¯s demeanor; it must be about the paternity test.

    It was time for the results.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Tina clenched her fists, feeling unusually nervous.

    Ian sighed deeply, ¡°Last time, I troubled you with a paternity test. The results are in.¡±

    Tina pursed her lips, listening quietly.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    ¡°The results show that we have no biological rtion, Tina. I apologize for the offense.¡±

    Tina was stunned, then her brows furrowed.

    No biological rtion?

    She shared fifty-eight percent of her genes with Jack, but with Jack¡¯s biological father, there was no connection at all.

    Ha!

    Just as she had suspected.

    The waters of the Brookes family ran deep!

 Chapter 467: Angela

    Ian was still immersed in his own guilt and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been treating you like a daughter all this time. I overstepped, and I hope you¡¯re not angry. I, an old man, have my selfish reasons for not wanting to lose contact with you.¡±

    Tina came back to her senses and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s okay. If you like, I can also consider you my grandfather.¡±

    Hearing Tina¡¯s words, Ian was moved to tears.

    How could he not be moved when Tina was willing to call him grandfather?

    Ian patted Tina¡¯s hand and it took him a while to speak, ¡°Good, good, good.¡±

    With those three affirmations, Tina¡¯s eyes also began to mist.

    Every time she saw Ian, she felt a very strange sensation.

    It was a feeling that she had to be close to Ian.

    Not out of duty, not out of necessity, but instinctively, naturally wanting to be close.

    When she received the paternity test results, her emotions were not calm.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    She was happy.

    Happy for herself, and for her mother.

    If her mother was Alina, then whatever the Whittaker family had done, she didn¡¯t need to care anymore.

    Because in this world, there were indeed true family members who cherished her, protected her, loved her.

    Tina and Ian talked for a long time,ughter and joy never ceasing.

    After dinner that evening, Tina left the Brookes family¡¯s home.

    She didn¡¯t call Jared to pick her up; instead, she walked alone, her expression solemn.

    Her paternity report could not be wrong.

    She must be rted to the Brookes family by blood!

    The mistake must be on the Brookes family¡¯s part!

    Who didn¡¯t want Ian to recognize her?

    Could the disappearance of her mother have another reason?

    Thinking this, Tina¡¯s lips slowly curved into a smile.

    The Brookes family, truly intriguing.

    Behind her, a discreet ck Bentley drove slowly, even slower than the electric bikes passing by.

    Inside the car, Jared sat in the back, silently watching Tina¡¯s figure.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, shouldn¡¯t we ask the madam to get in the car?¡±

    Jared shook his head, ¡°No, Tina is in a bad mood. She wants some time alone.¡±

    Nathan nodded, though he didn¡¯t understand how Mr. Farrell could tell her mood just from her silhouette.

    At the Brookes family residence.

    Ian was still sitting in the yard.

    ¡°Dad, Ang is leaving. She asked me to give this to you,¡± Jack handed over a bag.

    Ian looked inside and found all of Ang¡¯s savings and a few clothes.

    Ang was his bodyguard in Clearwater, raised by his side since childhood, treated like his own daughter.

    But Ang¡¯s background was somewhat special.

    She was a child he had picked up during a crackdown on RST, only four years old at the time, remembering only her name as Ang.

    She wore a bracelet engraved with the initials of the Five Poisons.

    He knew Ang was the daughter of the Five Poisons.

    But at that time, since the Five Poisons had fled and Ang was young and innocent, he took her in.

    Before Alina disappeared, Ang loved to follow her around, like real sisters.

    After Alina was abducted, Ang cried for a long time. After her tears, she told him she wanted to train in martial arts to protect him for Alina¡¯s sake.

    Over the years, he had never told Ang about her true identity.

    And Ang had always regarded him as her biological father.

    One day, Ang suddenly handed him the bracelet and asked, ¡°Is my biological father the same man who abducted Sister Alina back then?¡± From that day on, Ang knew her origins and was immersed in guilt. He tried many times to console her, but she was stubborn and wouldn¡¯t listen, insisting on leaving the Brookes family to find Alina herself. Naturally, he did not permit it. Ang had never left the Brookes family before, and going out alone, she could encounter any number of dangers. Despite her skills, her naive and stubborn nature made it easy for her to be led astray.

    But Ang persisted. She sold everything the Brookes family had given her over the years, converted it into cash, and returned it to him, then took up a job to save money, all to atone for her father¡¯s sins. Ian saw all of this and it pained him, for she was the child he had raised. Moreover, his youngest son still pined for Kiki and remained unmarried, preserving his chastity.

    Now that Ang wanted to leave, he could not stop her. He let her go willingly and arranged for someone to secretly protect her, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t fall into any traps. Ian secured the package, ¡°When that stubborn girl returns, give this to her.¡± Jack nodded, ¡°Dad, there¡¯s one more thing. Ang said during the paternity test, she left for ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°Left for ten minutes?¡± Ian frowned, ¡°Where did she go?¡±

    ¡°Rachel had a car ident. She called Ang. Since the blood samples had already started processing, Ang went to handle Rachel¡¯s situation first and returned after settling everything.¡± Ian¡¯s brow remained furrowed, ¡°How is Rachel?¡± Jack helped Ian to his feet and into the room, ¡°She¡¯s fine, just a minor scrape. She was just scared and called Ang in a panic.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Give her a call tofort her. She wanted toe to Ashbury with me earlier, and I didn¡¯t agree. She¡¯s probably a bit upset.¡± Jack merely responded and showed little reaction. Ian knew his son well, ¡°Even if she¡¯s not your real sister, she grew up with you. Show some concern. I remember she had a conflict with Scarlett before, and even Scarlett has forgiven her. Haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not petty, but it¡¯s hard to like her. I can be nice to Ang, but with Rachel¡­¡± Jack trailed off. Rachel, adopted by Ian when she was young, was never quite embraced by her brothers, even though Alina used to enjoy ying with her. It wasn¡¯t because of theck of blood rtion. Ang wasn¡¯t a Brookes child either and was actually from an enemy¡¯s family, yet the brothers liked her.

    But with Rachel, they could only maintain superficial niceties. Ian, observing Jack¡¯s demeanor, gave him a stern look, ¡°Regardless, she¡¯s your sister. Since we adopted her, you need to treat her properly.¡± Jack pursed his lips, ¡°Dad! She has no blood rtion to us and can¡¯t rece Alina. I can¡¯t treat her the way I treated Alina.¡± It wasn¡¯t just about blood rtions. Jack had tried topensate for what he owed Alina by being nice to Rachel, hoping others would do the same for their sisters. But with Rachel¡­ Ian nced at him, wanting to say something, but ultimately held back, ¡°Suit yourselves then!¡±

 Chapter 468: Uncle Joshua Returns

    In a basement on the outskirts of the capital, darkness enveloped everything so thoroughly that one could not see their own hand. Lily found herself inexplicably transported there. She sat timidly on the ground, surrounded by a faint, omnipresent sound of dripping water, each drop falling as though it struck directly at her heart, causing her to tremble uncontrobly.

    Mr. White¡¯s previous injuries had not yet fully healed, asionally causing him sharp pains.

    After what felt like an eternity, and having slept several times, Lily finally heard footsteps. She hastily knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly towards the sound, ¡°Mr. White, I¡¯vepleted the research on Crimson Silk, truly, it¡¯s exactly like the sample you provided. Please, I beg you, let me go!¡±

    Click. Light suddenly flooded the dark room, painfully stinging her eyes and forcing her to shut them, her heart filled with dread.

    ¡°I am not Mr. White, get up,¡± the voice said.

    Startled, Lily listened to the familiar mechanical tone, barely believing as she raised her head. Mr. White had used the same voice before he stopped disguising it.

    When she finally opened her eyespletely, she could see the neer clearly. He wore a coat identical to Mr. White¡¯s,plete with a top hat and a high cor that obscured his face.

    ¡°Are you truly not Mr. White?¡±

    ¡°I am her boss, you can call me ¡®boss,¡¯ though I don¡¯t like that title. I prefer ¡®Five Poisons.''¡±

    Five Poisons dusted off his coat, ¡°Oh, I see. You thought I was Jasmine because of this outfit, right?¡±

    Lily could hear the pleasure in Five Poisons¡¯ grating mechanical voice, but she was terrified, shaking like a leaf.

    Though Five Poisons was smiling, Lily could feel his murderous aura, as if with a mere flick of his finger, she could be obliterated-a presence Mr. White never possessed.

    ¡°Jasmine is Mr. White. I always said not to call her Mr. White; it¡¯s so ugly, not at all fitting for a girl. Jasmine is much nicer, don¡¯t you think, Dr. Ward?¡±

    Five Poisons crouched in front of Lily, seeming genuinely curious.

    Lily fell back to the floor, trembling as she spoke, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right¡­¡±

    Five Poisons nodded, ¡°That¡¯s better, now you sound like a little girl. Ah, it¡¯s tough, raising her just to lose her like this.¡±

    Lily was stunned, barely processing the news. Mr. White-gone?

    That exined her sudden transfer here.

    She swallowed hard, ¡°Mr. Five, what would you like me to do? I¡¯ll do anything you ask.¡±

    Lily understood that her survival depended on her usefulness.

    Five Poisons seemed pleased with her attitude, patting her head, ¡°Hmm, good girl. I indeed have something for you, but I wonder if you¡¯re willing.¡±

    ¡°I am willing, Mr. Five Poisons, whatever you ask, I¡¯ll do it!¡± Lily immediately agreed, not even needing to know what it was.

    As long as it kept her alive, she was willing to do anything.

    Five Poisons nodded, smiling slightly, ¡°Then brace yourself.¡±

    Before Lily could react, she was punched in the face by Five Poisons. She fell down in response, still conscious, and watched as Five Poisons continued to pummel her face¡­

    As he hit her, he said, ¡°No choice, that Tina can read bones. Disguise won¡¯t work, you need to restructure the bones.¡±

    Lily sadly experienced the beating, eventually passing out.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    The Farrell family was unusuallyplete.

    Aside from those in prison, even Vivienne, wheelchair-bound, was brought over by ra, and the elusive Orson had returned.

    Jared and Tina were thest to arrive, each carrying a gift.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell,¡± Tina said with a smile as she naturally sat next to Logan.

    ra was seething with jealousy. Throughout her years married into the Farrell family, she never dared to sit next to Logan right upon entering.

    But Tina, not even married into the family yet, had the audacity to do so!

    ¡°Tina¡¯s here, good, now that everyone¡¯s here, we¡¯ll start dinner when Uncle Joshua returns,¡± Logan said, beaming.

    His long-absent son was returning, how could he not be thrilled?

    Tina nodded, casually ncing at Orson.

    But Orson didn¡¯t re or ignore her as usual. Instead, he averted his gaze, appearing somewhat guilty.

    Tina paid him no mind and continued chatting with Logan.

    Soon, Mrs. Brown came running over joyfully, ¡°He¡¯s back, he¡¯s back, Young Master Joshua is back, and he¡¯s brought a girlfriend!¡±

    Logan stood up, with Tina assisting him in greeting them.

    From the taxi outside, a man and a woman stepped down, each carrying a suitcase.

    Tina¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Joshua was more handsome than in the photos!

    His skin was darkened, but it didn¡¯t matter.

    The tan made him look healthy.

    Suddenly, Tina felt a resentful gaze from beside her and calmly shifted her focus.

    A jealous man!

    ¡°Dad!¡± Joshua set down his suitcase and walked over to Logan, embracing his biological father, tears brimming in his eyes, held back from falling.

    Logan pped Joshua¡¯s back a few times, ¡°You rascal, you still know how toe back!¡±

    ¡°Dad, Abigail¡¯s still here, don¡¯t be like that,¡± Joshua said, wiping his eyes and pulling his girlfriend forward to introduce her, ¡°Dad, this is my girlfriend Abigail Knox, Abigail, this is my father.¡±

    ¡°Hello, uncle,¡± Abigail smiled sweetly but couldn¡¯t help looking at Tina.

    Tina sensed this and returned a faint smile.

    Joshua punched Jared yfully, ¡°You rascal, all grown up and even brought back a fiancee!¡±

    Jaredughed, ¡°This is Tina.¡±

    Abigail tugged at Joshua¡¯s wrist, and he affectionately ruffled her hair, ¡°Tina, Abigail knows you¡¯re Waverly Underwood, and that you¡¯re perfumer Q. She admires you a lot and wants your autograph.¡±

    Tina paused, realizing her future aunt-inw was a fan.

    Abigail stopped being coy, looking at Tina with admiration, ¡°Yes, master, please sign for me, I¡¯ve admired you for a long time, and seeing you in person today, you¡¯re also so beautiful.¡±

    Tinaughed at being called master, ¡°Just call me Tina.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Tina it is!¡± Abigail alsoughed.

    Marie called everyone in, ¡°Come on in, why stand outside? Joshua, you must give us a good introduction to Abigail.¡±

 Chapter 469: Uncle Joshuaâ€™s Girlfriend

    Everyone entered the house upon invitation, and Joshua was startled to see Vivienne in a wheelchair. ¡°Vivienne, what happened to you?¡± Logan had not informed Joshua about Vivienne¡¯s illness, merely mentioning that a lot had happened at home and he needed toe back to handle things. The sudden sight took Joshua by surprise. Joshua had always been particrly fond of his nephews, and with Vivienne as his only niece, he cherished her like a treasure.

    Vivienne smiled and shook her head, ¡°Uncle Joshua, I¡¯m alright, it¡¯s just a heart condition, I can¡¯t stand for too long.¡±

    ¡°How did you end up with a heart condition all of a sudden? What did the doctors say?¡± Joshua asked anxiously. ra snorted coldly, ¡°Joshua, for how she got sick, you might want to ask our dear Tina, she knows very well.¡± Tina looked up indifferently, a sneer escaping her, ¡°Vivienne knows better than I do, doesn¡¯t she?¡±

    Vivienne pursed her lips and stopped ra, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t me everything on Tina. Uncle Joshua has juste back, and the little aunt is here too, please don¡¯t do this.¡± Joshua nced at Tina with a hint of reproach but refrained from asking more. Abigail stayed close to Joshua, also choosing not to speak.

    ra, however, was relentless, ¡°Not letting me speak about what you did?¡± Marie was so angry she wanted to p someone, ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°ra, that¡¯s enough, how has Tina offended you? Do you want me to tell Dad all the things your family has done and see who ends up embarrassed?¡± The room was taken aback by this harsh rebuke,ing from none other than Orson, the youngest except for Sophia.

    Tina was also surprised. Orson had actually spoken up for her! Seeing everyone looking at him, Orson¡¯s face turned red. Ever since he learned that Tina was Lysander¡¯s coach, he didn¡¯t know how to face her, yet he now thought she was worthy of Jared.

    Hearing ra continuously picking on Tina, in a moment of urgency, he just blurted it out. It was Joshua who broke the silence, stepping forward with a smile to ruffle Orson¡¯s hair, ¡°Orson¡¯s grown so much? He was just this little when I left, and now he¡¯s so tall? I hear you¡¯ve be a popr esports yer.¡±

    Orson was a child Joshua had found. Initially, he had tried to find Orson¡¯s biological parents, but after a long search with no leads, he considered having one of his brothers adopt Orson. However, due to many family issues at that time, the matter was never resolved. Unmarried and feeling it unrealistic to adopt alone, he nned to send Orson to an orphanage. But the boy seemed to bond well with him and, seemingly aware of his impending departure, gave him a tearful look that melted his heart, prompting him to adopt him. Lacking experience with children, he mostly relied on his brothers to educate Orson. Over time, although legally his, Orson might as well have been ra¡¯s child.

    ¡°I was taught well by my brother,¡± Orson said, his head half-bowed and still a bit embarrassed. Joshua chuckled, ¡°You used to run after your brother¡¯s heels as a child, and you still do.¡± With a fewughs from everyone, ra¡¯s issue was sidetracked.

    Mrs. Brown then called everyone to dine. Logan walked over with the support of Tina and Abigail. Joshua and Jared followed behind. ncing at Jared, Joshua smiled and said, ¡°You have good taste, son; Tina is quite exceptional.¡±

    Jared responded nonchntly, ¡°How do you know our Tina is outstanding?¡±

    Joshua nced back and said, ¡°Your mom told me, and then Abigail saw her. Knowing Tina is Waverly Underwood and Q, she almost went crazy. She wanted toe back just for an autograph.¡±

    Jared just smirked and said no more.

    At the dinner table, everyone paid special attention to Abigail. Sophia, ever the cheeky one despite her small size, bluntly asked, ¡°Uncle Joshua, you¡¯re so old, how did you chase after her?¡±

    Joshua almost choked on his food, ¡°Little brat, just a few days ago you said I was better looking than your brother, and now I¡¯m old?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I hadn¡¯t seen Abigail. Abigail is so young and pretty, like Tina. Next to her, you do look old.¡±

    Sophia¡¯s words made everyone burst intoughter, leaving Joshua with noeback.

    After all, Abigail really was younger than him.

    ¡°True, Abigail is only twenty-five this year, fifteen years younger than me,¡± Joshua said fondly as he looked at Abigail. ¡°She¡¯s still in graduate school. We met back in college.¡±

    ¡°So, it was love at first sight for Uncle Joshua!¡± Sophia eximed excitedly looking at Abigail.

    Abigail blushed and smiled, ¡°Not really. Your Uncle Joshua was giving a lecture at our school, and many girls had a crush on him. I was the one who fell for him first.¡±

    Joshua held Abigail¡¯s hand tenderly and said, ¡°Out of all those girls, my eyes saw only you. To call it love at first sight wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration.¡±

    A sweet atmosphere lingered between them, with Logan smiling contentedly and Sophia covering her mouth to giggle, ¡°So cheesy, even cheesier than my brother and Tina!¡±

    Meanwhile, Jared, who was feeding Tina meat, looked at his sister indifferently, ¡°Tina and I are not cheesy.¡±

    Tina, eating the meat from Jared¡¯s hand, nodded in agreement.

    Jared casually wiped a spot of grease from Tina¡¯s mouth corner.

    Joshua clicked his tongue, ¡°Right, right, you two are definitely not cheesy at all.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jared affirmed as he offered another piece of meat to Tina.

    The dinner progressed with the two couples disying their affection openly!Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    After the meal, the family gathered to catch up. Vivienne, feeling unwell, went back home with ra.

    Sophia, tired, was taken upstairs to sleep by Marie.

    Orson, feeling awkward to stay longer, hurried back to his room.

    Logan then led Joshua and Jared to the study.

    On the ground floor, Tina and Abigail were discussing perfumes and fashion design.

    Abigail, studying fashion design, had many questions she wanted to explore with Tina.

    The atmosphere in the study was not as lively as before.

    ¡°Joshua, Garrett has let us down and I¡¯ve already dismissed him from thepany. Jared has told you about it, right?¡± Logan asked.

    Joshua nodded, ¡°He mentioned it, but I still want to know what¡¯s up with Vivienne?¡±

    Jared looked up slowly and said calmly, ¡°She broke thew!¡±

    His words were sinct.

    Joshua was momentarily stunned; that statement was enough.

    Jared had his own affairs; he had known about them for a long time, so he never pried, to avoid unnecessary trouble for his nephew.

    Logan continued, ¡°Joshua, Jared handling thepany alone can be overwhelming. The mess Garrett left behind, I¡¯m handing it to you. What do you say?¡±

    Joshua pursed his lips, pondering for a moment, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll join thepany, but after Jared fully takes over, I still want to pursue my own interests.¡±

 Chapter 470: Exposure

    Generations of grandparents and grandchildren had a long conversation in the study. When they came out, only Joshua looked somewhat gloomy. Tina and Abigail had also agreed to design a set of formal dresses together. As the three emerged, they were greeted by the others. ¡°Joshua,¡± Abigail affectionately took Joshua¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Joshua gave a wry smile and silently shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take Tina home first,¡± Jared said, holding Tina¡¯s hand and greeting everyone. It was gettingte, and Hugo had already sent a message asking about Tina, who indeed needed to head home. After saying goodbye to Logan and the others, Tina and Jared left together. Nathan and Courtney were already waiting outside, and they approached as the pair emerged.

    ¡°Miss Reed, ording to Jasmine¡¯s intelligence, we found the location where Lily was producing Crimson Silk, but by the time we got there, everyone had already left,¡± Courtney reported. Tina nodded in acknowledgment. She had anticipated this situation, so it was not surprising. Jasmine was the second-inmand of GTO, and if something happened to her, the first to notice would be the boss of GTO. Naturally, they would have moved Lily elsewhere, since she was the only one who controlled Crimson Silk.

    However, Tina had not figured out what other use the boss of GTO had for Crimson Silk besides using it to kill Jared. Although potent, Crimson Silk was not without antidote, at least for her; the poison was ineffective. Its only significant effect was that it had a long incubation period, which could disfigure a person. Other than that, it had no substantial utility. If it was about taking a life, she had several other poisons at her disposal, far more potent than Crimson Silk. Why then were they so intent on obtaining and manufacturing Crimson Silk?

    Thinking of this, Tina suddenly felt like digging a hole to bury herself. Initially, she had traded Crimson Silk with Vivienne to acquire some medicinal herbs. To her, the herbs were more crucial than Crimson Silk. Later, when she learned that Vivienne had obtained Crimson Silk, she wanted to see if Vivienne would use it against Jared. However, after a long wait and various incidents, she had forgotten about the Crimson Silk, not realizing it would lead to such trouble.

    Nathan opened the car door as Jared and Tina approached, ¡°Mr. Farrell, the boss wants to see you too.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Jared acknowledged. After dropping Tina off at her home, he headed to headquarters. Except for those on duty, only Christopher Parr¡¯s office was lit. Jared knocked on the door, ¡°Boss, you wanted to see me?¡±

    Christopher Parr, wearing ck-framed reading sses and standing by a solid wooden cane, had a few strands of silver amid his otherwise dark hair, reflecting a dignified aura not merely from wrinkles but from a naturallymanding presence. Underneath the agency, many joked that Jared would look just like him when he aged, though Jason adamantly disagreed, iming that their captain would never have wrinkles.

    Christopher Parr looked up, removed his sses, and pointed to the couch with the arm of the sses, ¡°Sit.¡± Jared did not hesitate and sat down, ¡°Workingte, is there overtime pay?¡± Christopher Parr gave him a nce, leaned on his cane to sit in front of him, and started pouring tea, ¡°Do you really need the overtime pay?¡± Jared curved his lips, took a sip of the tea, andplimented, ¡°Nice tea.¡±

    ¡°The tea is good, and so is the person who sent it,¡± Christopher Parr said, setting down the teapot and savoring the aroma of his own tea. ¡°Do you know who sent the tea?¡± Jared looked up, waiting for his response.

    Christopher Parr continued, ¡°It was my boss. He came to the agency today asking about Mr. White¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Jared¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°And then?¡± Christopher Parr snorted, ¡°Mr. White has always been under my surveince. Thest time he appeared before me was three days ago at the Farrell family¡¯s press conference in your hall. But after the conference ended, her signal was lost. Where is she?¡±

    Jared raised an eyebrow, ¡°I was about to ask the same thing. They entered mypany and no one informed me?¡±

    Christopher Parr choked briefly, ¡°It¡¯s a confidential matter, so I didn¡¯t notify you.¡±

    ¡°Confidential? Since joining the team, I¡¯ve been tracking GTO, and now you tell me my job is confidential? Should I be facing a military court?¡± Jared spoke in a t, even tone.

    Christopher Parr pursed his lips, ¡°I know you¡¯re upset, but I¡¯m just following orders from above, Jared. If you have Mr. White with you, hand him over to me, and I¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know, haven¡¯t found him, still looking,¡± Jared leaned back, his expression indifferent.

    Christopher Parr breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°You¡¯ve got that deadpan look, just like Hayden. Alright, get out.¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t hesitate to stand and leave, breezing past Christopher Parr like a gust of wind.

    Christopher Parr lowered his gaze to the teacup Jared had just used and after a moment, a scoff escaped his lips.

    After leaving headquarters, Jared sent a message to Tina.

    ¡°Blown cover, keep a strict watch.¡±

    At that time, Tina was lying in bed. Seeing Jared¡¯s message, the corners of her lips curved slightly.

    The first to notice was the mysterious boss of GTO, and the second was the X Bureau!

    It seemed this undercover agent was getting impatient.

    Tina squinted her eyes, looking at the three photos that came through on her phone.

    These people were all linked to a failed operation with her mother years ago.

    The first was Christopher Parr; the other two were just photos and code names, even their real names unknown.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    She had no leads to follow.

    She would have to wait for them to slip up.

    The next day.

    Jared received a warning letter personally issued by Christopher Parr.

    ¡°Special Squad Captain ¡®Wolf¡¯ mishandled the operation, key suspect lost, suspension warning!¡±

    The first to explode was Jason.

    ¡°Damn! Who acted? Who let the key suspect go? Don¡¯t those old men upstairs have a clue? Fuck, those old bastards, I¡¯m going to find them now!¡±

    After Jason had kicked over two trash cans and smashed three water sses and four flowerpots, Nathan and Hayden stopped him.

    ¡°Let me go, you bastards!¡±

    ¡°Can you calm down for a second? The captain¡¯s suspended, and if you get disciplined too, how are we supposed to work?¡± Nathan pushed Jason away, angered by the tear in his newly tailored suit.

    Hayden, unusually calm, sat panting, ¡°Jason, ask anyone in the team who isn¡¯t upset? A rank higher crushes the lower, you know that? Wait until Mr. Farrell speaks up, if he agrees, I¡¯ll smash the boss¡¯s office with you!¡±

    Meanwhile, Jared was lying at home, and the Farrell family¡¯s door had a steel knife plunged into it, unopened yet five centimeters deep into the door, showing the force behind it.

    Orson struggled half a day to pull it out, but the knife didn¡¯t budge.

    Jaredzily got up and pulled the knife from the door.

    ¡°Bro, what¡¯s this about?¡± Orson was stunned, having exerted immense effort.

    Jared ran a finger along the de of the knife, leaving a mark.

    He chuckled, casually throwing the knife onto the concrete floor, where it waspletely submerged.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just kids ying house.¡±

 Chapter 471: Lysander in Love?

    Orson swallowed and hurriedly followed Jared. ¡°Bro, what¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t our home security tight? How could someone leave this at our doorstep? Should I tell Grandpa¡­¡±

    Jared suddenly stopped, causing Orson to crash into his shoulder de. The impact made his nose sting and tears immediately flowed. Orson rubbed his nose, ¡°Bro, what was that for?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be at the youth training squad today?¡± Jared asked calmly.

    ¡°Oh shit!¡± Orson had almost forgotten, but Jared¡¯s reminder had him quickly changing clothes and grabbing his bag to run off.

    Finally, quiet enveloped Jared as he sat back down on his bed, looking at the beautiful weather outside. It seemed a waste not to go out. ¡°Tina, let¡¯s go out on a date!¡±

    Tina had just woken up. Seeing the message on her phone, she chuckled and replied, ¡°Suspended and you still want to go out?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a rare break.¡±

    Stretchingzily, Tina sat up and was about to agree when another message arrived. It was a top-secret code.

    Her fingers swiftly moved across the screen, unlocking it to reveal-indeed, it was from the eagle! It was the first time she had received a message while undercover at GTO.

    ¡°The boss is back, ordering an attack on the Emerson family!¡±

    Tina narrowed her eyes. GTO had targeted the Emerson family? Or did they think the Emersons were holding Jasmine? The Emerson family had always been supported by the Mountain Veil Order, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that GTO had noticed them. If they couldn¡¯t even find this much, they didn¡¯t deserve to survive all these years. But that was all they could find.

    ¡°Uncle, can¡¯t go on a date after all.¡±

    Jared sighed, ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s venture out.¡±

    Tina smiled, notifying Cole to contact a few brothers nearby, then to meet at Kongham University.

    Since GTO intended to use the Emerson family to find Jasmine, their first target would naturally be Lysander, the future heir of the Emerson family and a vital point for Hawk. Kidnapping Lysander would be the most effective and quickest method.

    At Kongham University, Courtney received Tina¡¯s message and found Lysander. ¡°Lysander, the tutor announced the team assignments today, let¡¯s team up,¡± said Courtney, wearing ck-rimmed sses and her hair neatly tied in a ponytail, jeans and a white shirt giving her a bit of Tina¡¯s vibe.

    Lysander paused, taking a moment to recognize Courtney, the most inconspicuous girl in ss, the one who had been in Tina¡¯s car before. Before he could speak, a few male ssmates started teasing, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard¡­ Courtney talk to someone, Lysander, you¡¯re lucky.¡±

    The male student meant to imply she was mute but thought better of it and changed what he said.

    Courtney nced at them indifferently, offering no exnation.

    Lysander red at the teasing ssmates, and because of Tina, he didn¡¯t refuse.

    He had always wanted to ask Courtney about her connection to Tina, but every time ss ended, Courtney disappeared as if she didn¡¯t exist. Over time, he¡¯d almost forgotten about her.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll team up with you. Let¡¯s talk at the book bar,¡± Lysander said, picking up his backpack and walking alongside Courtney.

    The two ignored the significant looks from the others behind them.

    The book bar at Kongham University was an open-style library, more suitable for discussing issues than a regr library.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Lysander ordered twottes. ¡°Is this okay?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Courtney took out her books. ¡°Just tell me your ideas, I¡¯ll listen to you and help youplete this group task.¡±

    Courtney¡¯s main task was to guard Lysander, a duty assigned by Tina. Lysander, smart as always, sat beside Courtney pretending to read but whispered, ¡°Did Tina send you to find me?¡± Under her dark-framed sses, Courtney¡¯s eyes asionally swept towards the window, alert like a leopard ready to pounce.

    Without denying or confirming, Courtney merely lowered her gaze. That was enough for Lysander. Excited, he asked, ¡°What does Tina want from me?¡± Since theirst meeting, he had only received terse and infrequent replies to his messages to Tina, with most disappearing into the void. He wanted to reach out but hesitated, not knowing how to approach Tina and fearing he might intrude on her life.

    Courtney nced down at the books on the table and said, ¡°She wants you to finish your studies!¡± Lysander, unable to contain his curiosity about Tina¡¯s instructions, started, ¡°I know Tina¡¯s identity, if there¡¯s a task for me, I¡­¡± Courtney clenched her fist and snapped, ¡°Shut up!¡± Realizing he had spoken too much, Lysander quickly silenced himself, though his emotions stirred due to the mention of Tina.

    After calming down under Courtney¡¯s slight anger, they discussed their group project for the day. Suddenly, they sensed a shadow over the window. Both looked up, and Courtney¡¯s pen was almostunched like an arrow. To their shock, Orson¡¯s face was pressed against the ss, staring intently at Lysander. Lysander cursed under his breath, ¡°Are you fucking sick?¡± Unheard through the ss, Orson walked in and casually sat next to him, asking, ¡°Lysander, are you dating someone?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Lysander snapped back, initially startled by the intrusion. Courtney rxed her guard and settled back into calmness. Orson, propping his chin with his hand, mentioned, ¡°Next week our junior teams arepeting at your Kongham University. I came to check it out.¡±

    Knowing about the event from Edward, Lysander ignored Orson, who then suggested out of boredom, ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go out to eat. I¡¯ll treat you, it¡¯s better than doing nothing.¡±

    ¡°No thanks,¡± Lysander declined. But Orson persisted, ¡°Come on! I¡¯m offering food and you¡¯re still fussing!¡± He pulled Lysander up by force. Orson was mainly curious about Tina¡¯s coaching, too embarrassed to ask directly.

    Unable to resist Orson¡¯s insistence, Lysander and Courtney, knowing who Orson was and that they couldn¡¯t just knock him out, reluctantly followed. Secretly, Courtney messaged Tina about their dining location. ¡°Any tails?¡± Tina asked. ¡°No, all quiet,¡± replied Courtney. Tina and Jared, initially on their way to Kongham University, turned their car towards the restaurant upon Courtney¡¯s message.

    Meanwhile, behind Orson¡¯s car, a motorcycle silently tailed them, unnoticed even by Courtney inside the vehicle. As Orson parked at the restaurant and was about to unbuckle, the front window shattered with a loud pop. ¡°Fuck!¡± Orson cursed, outraged, ¡°This is the new car my brother just got me, who the fuck smashed my car!¡± As he tried to get out, Courtney forcefully held him down, ¡°Drive!¡±

    ¡°How the fuck do I drive now?¡± Orson was stunned, surprised by Courtney¡¯s strength.

 Chapter 472: Traitor in the Mountain Veil Order

    Before Courtney could even speak, a motorcycle raced towards them from behind, its rider wielding a baseball bat. As it reached them, the rider swung fiercely at the rear window. Courtney blocked the blow with his arm and shouted, ¡°Drive, now!¡±

    Orson snapped to action, flooring the elerator and speeding ahead. They were in a top-tier sports car, yet the motorcycle clung to them desperately, repeatedly striking the window.

    Lysander, who had only basic training with Hawk and no realbat experience, shielded himself with his backpack and yelled at Orson, ¡°Can¡¯t you go any faster?¡±

    ¡°This is as fast as it gets!¡± Orson was more worried about the shattered ss flying towards them, threatening their looks.

    Courtney attempted to open the car door to fight back, but it was jammed out of shape and wouldn¡¯t budge. Instead, he kicked out the door¡¯s ss, grabbed the handrail, and leaned out agilely to kick the pursuing motorcyclist into the roadside greenery, sending both rider and bike tumbling out.

    Orson, stunned, said, ¡°You should¡¯ve told me to open the roof earlier; this is a convertible!¡±

    Courtney¡¯s mouth twitched in frustration, not understanding why their leader had such a foolish brother.

    Lysander cursed, ¡°Then open it already!¡±

    ¡°Stop it,¡± Courtney leaned forward, pushing Orson¡¯s head aside and grabbing the steering wheel, ¡°Step on it!¡±

    Orson reflexively pressed the elerator. Courtney executed a sharp right turn, drifting neatly around the corner. Just as they made the turn, they heard a crash from the bend they¡¯d just left; another motorcycle had collided there, and a ridery on the ground.

    ¡°Damn, how many more of them are there!¡± Orson didn¡¯t see another motorcycle following.

    Courtney, not bothering to reply, turned to Lysander, ¡°Send Miss Reed our location!¡±

    Lysander quickly took out his phone, called Tina, and ryed their current situation and location.

    The noise on the other end mirrored their own turmoil, ¡°Handle it yourselves; meet at the foot of the mountain in ten kilometers!¡± Tina hung up after speaking.

    The mountain ten kilometers away was a scenic spot in Ashbury, on the outskirts of the city. And Tina was already driving towards it.

    ¡°Tina, make a left and circle back for me,¡± Jared said as he opened the car door and jumped out deftly.

    Knowing what to do, Tina sharply turned the wheel, reversing directions, and stopped steadily beside Jared.

    At that moment, Jared had already knocked down two approaching motorcycles and jumped back into the car.

    The surroundings quieted for a few seconds, Jared gripped the handrail, his expression dark.

    No gun. It was ufortable.

    He had been suspended, his firearms confiscated, and faced with such a sudden situation, he couldn¡¯t notify the Bureau in time.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    In a moment of respite, he called Nathan, telling him to gather at the mountain base, and explicitly instructed him not to bring any team members.

    Tina nced at the scattered remains of several motorcycles behind them.

    Just ten minutes earlier, on their way to meet Courtney, seven or eight motorcycles had suddenly emerged, their riders armed with baseball bats, charging at them.

    This ambush had been nned in advance, not a mere tailing, or else she and Jared would have noticed.

    The real question was, even she had only known about the meeting spotst minute, so how could these ambushers have been informed?

    Tina¡¯s eyes shed fiercely with a cold light.

    There was a traitor within the Mountain Veil Order!

    The only people who knew her real-time whereabouts were Courtney and Cole, who she had been in contact with, and the brothers summoned from nearby.

    After thest empty raid in East Bay, she suspected there was a leak.

    Initially, she thought it was someone from Bureau X, but now it seemed like there was unrest within the Mountain Veil Order itself.

    She had founded the Mountain Veil Order herself and had never anticipated a betrayal!

    She trusted everyone in the Mountain Veil Orderpletely. Who could it be?

    Just then, Cole called. Upon answering, a loud explosion sounded from the other end, ¡°Serena, we¡¯ve been ambushed. Several brothers are injured. How are you?¡±

    ¡°Take care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve sent them to find you; I¡¯ll join you once I¡¯ve handled this mess.¡±

    Tina hung up and tossed the phone to Jared, ¡°Cole¡¯s run into trouble too.¡±

    Jared opened the phone to find the confidential contact for the Mountain Hawk.

    The Mountain Hawk replied quickly, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I was just following the real-time location.¡±

    Jared was certain there were no trackers on their car or on them, and their phones weren¡¯t tracked, so the leak must havee from Courtney¡¯s side.

    Immediately, Jared messaged Courtney, ¡°Shut down allmunication tools!¡±

    He sent a string of code that only Courtney could understand.

    After receiving the message, Courtney instructed Lysander and Orson to turn off their phones, then pulled up a location on the car¡¯s navigation system, ¡°Head here.¡±

    Orson waspletely baffled, ¡°Aren¡¯t we heading to the mountains?¡±

    Lysander and Courtney shouted simultaneously, ¡°Just go where you¡¯re told!¡±

    Orson rubbed his head and spoke no further.

    Throughout the journey, Courtney was relentlessly attacking the pursuers, and finally, they reached a quieter stretch of road.

    She slumped in the back seat, breathing heavily.

    It was then that Orson had a chance to speak, ¡°Who are these people? After you or me?¡±

    He was from the Farrell family and was no stranger to kidnappings and ambushes, but he had never seen anything on this scale; one might think they were filming a movie!

    Courtney tied her hair back up; her sses had fallen off at some point, revealing her bright eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Orson nced in the rearview mirror, his heart skipped a beat, almost causing him to lose control of the car!

    Lysander steadied the handle, ¡°Are you capable or not?¡±

    Orson turned away, ¡°Yes, of course I am capable!¡±

    A very capable Orson managed to drive to the designated location half an hourter.

    It was a barbecue street at the foot of the mountain.

    Tina and Jared had arrived twenty-five minutes earlier and had already eaten quite a few skewers.

    Courtney¡¯s expression was somewhat indescribable upon seeing this.

    She thought that even if Tina and Jared were not as disheveled as herself, they would at least be out of breath.

    But the two acted as if nothing had happened and were even eating!

    Seeing the three get out of the car, Tina generously handed over a skewer ofmb, ¡°You¡¯ve had a tough time, have some!¡±

 Chapter 473: Letâ€™s Go On A Date

    Courtney was indeed starving, having expended quite a bit of energy just before, and started eating themb skewers she had received. Lysander, feeling a bit overwhelmed, crouched to the side to catch his breath. Meanwhile, Orson, who had been impressive in the car, ended up embracing a tree and vomiting profusely once he got out. Drifting was cool, but one must face the consequences. After Orson finished, Hawk, Nathan, and others who received the messagest rushed over.

    ¡°Lysander, are you alright?¡± Hawk was the first to check on Lysander¡¯s condition, his eyes full of concern. Lysander, slightly impatient yet not wanting to embarrass Hawk in front of everyone, subtly withdrew his hand, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Seeing that Lysander was indeed alright, Hawk finally breathed a sigh of relief. Turning around and noticing Jared was also there, he refrained from calling him ¡®young master¡¯ and instead addressed Tina as Miss Reed, ¡°Miss Reed, thank you for informing me about Lysander.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Tina continued eating her skewer, her gaze sweeping over Hawk a few times before she looked away. Just then, Hawk received a call, his expression suddenly changing, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way now.¡±

    Lysander, catching the urgency in Hawk¡¯s voice, asked, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Several of our family¡¯s warehouses caught fire; I need to go check on them.¡± Hawk nced at Tina, who nodded silently in response. Hawk then left.

    Jared handed another skewer to Tina, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a faint smile. ¡°Delicious, just a bit charred though.¡± Tina, looking at the skewer in her hand, flicked it expertly, and it spun through the air like caught in a gust,nding in a nearby trash can. The best things, the most useful people-they¡¯re useless wed.

    Orson, drinking water, witnessed this and choked, spraying the mist of water across Lysander¡¯s face. ¡°Orson, are you sick?¡± Lysander eximed.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t on purpose,¡± Orson replied incredulously, wiping his mouth and staring at Tina.

    Tina, unbothered, stood up and dusted off her hands, ¡°Lysander, you and Courtney stick together these days. If anythinges up, give¡­¡±

    ¡°Call me. Tina¡¯s busy designing clothes these days, she doesn¡¯t have time,¡± Jared said, standing up and wrapping his arm around Tina¡¯s waist. Tina shot him a sideways nce. Jealous, are we?

    Jared: Jealous? Me? No, absolutely not!

    Lysander clenched his jaw but knew he wasn¡¯t in a position to argue, so he just clenched his fist tighter, silently cursing Jared¡¯s ancestors in his mind. ¡°Got it, Tina,¡± he responded.

    Tina didn¡¯t say much more; after all, Jared was currently unemployed, making him the perfect person to call. The group lingered for a while until Nathan arranged for two new cars from thepany, ¡°Mr. Farrell, I¡¯ll take you and your wife back.¡±

    Courtney also got into one of the cars, taking the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°I¡¯m going back to Kongham University with Lysander.¡±

    Orson quickly followed, ¡°I need to go back too; this is my family¡¯s car!¡±

    Courtney was speechless, having never intended to leave him behind.

    The three of them drove off first, Orson still puzzled about the purpose of their trip and who exactly was after them. It was all too mystical!

    In another car, Tina also received messages from Cole and the Golden Eagle. ¡°Serena, several of the Emerson family¡¯s warehouses were destroyed. These were the locations I had previously leaked as holding Jasmine, seemingly to force us to reveal the actual detention site.¡±

    ¡°The motorcycle isn¡¯t my person, and afterpleting the mission, I was tasked with tracking Lysander!¡± The two messages were enough for Tina to deduce the intentions of the GTO. They were forcing Hawk to provide them with information.

    Tina curled her lips, ¡°Uncle, how are you doing over there?¡± Jared nced at Nathan, who was driving with a sullen face, ¡°He¡¯s been suspended too.¡±

    ¡°That was quick,¡± Tina nodded, ¡°Your agency¡¯s efficiency is truly top-notch.¡± Nathan sighed, ¡°Madam, please don¡¯t tease.¡± The reason for Nathan¡¯s suspension was-leaving his post without permission to meet Jared with a firearm, posing a threat to public safety. It was all a nonsensical excuse for suspension, but he had no choice but to ept it.

    Now, Jared was not only restricted from acting on his own but also from contacting Hayden and Jason. The purpose of this from those above was to sideline Jared and force him to hand over Jasmine. Tina and Jared were being cornered from both ends. Tina yawned, still sleepy from the morning, andzily leaned on Jared, ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s just go on a date.¡±

    Jared nodded approvingly, ¡°Hmm, good idea.¡± Nathan helplessly looked at the rearview mirror. With everything at stake, these two still wanted to go on a date? Wasn¡¯t it crucial now to quickly relocate Jasmine and find a way to reinstate Jared?This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Otherwise, they would remain restrained, unable to do anything. However, the two who decided to date had already discussed more than a dozen options for what to have for dinner. Nathan silently sighed, alright, it was all his overthinking. At the agency, Christopher Parr called Hayden to his office. ¡°Is Tina Serena?¡± Christopher Parr asked. Hayden proudly eximed, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m Serena¡¯s most beloved brother, she treats me the best, gives me whatever I want, never loses her temper at me, boss, you don¡¯t know, Serena is just like a goddess¡­¡±

    Christopher Parr frowned, ¡°She is Natalie¡¯s daughter.¡± This statement seemed more like a warning to the chattering Hayden. Hayden pped his chest, ¡°Boss, I guarantee Serena is more badass than the previous captain, she¡¯s just too amazing, my Serena is really our goddess, you just haven¡¯t seen her, if you did, you¡¯d know¡­¡±

    ¡°Where is Jasmine?¡± Hayden finally shut up, took a long pause, ¡°Boss, my Serena goes by Tina!¡±

    ¡°I know, I¡¯m asking you, where is Jasmine?¡± Christopher Parr¡¯s frown deepened, speaking softly, ¡°For your Serena¡¯s sake, have her hand over the person.¡±

    Hayden scratched his head, looking utterly confused at Christopher Parr, ¡°Boss, what are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Hayden, do you also want to be suspended like Nathan?¡± Christopher Parr mmed the table, causing his cane to fall to the floor, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you can talk to Tina, even I couldn¡¯t save you, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know, even if you suspend me, I don¡¯t know who Jasmine is, aren¡¯t you being unreasonable?¡± Hayden pleaded, sitting in the chair, looking as aggrieved as possible. Christopher Parr took a breath, then added, ¡°If not Tina, then Pa White, you must have a way, right?¡± Hearing the name Pa White, Hayden immediately covered his chest, ¡°Boss, you can¡¯t ask me to sacrifice my charms!¡±

 Chapter 475: Ordinary Miss Reed

    Christopher Parr finally lost his patience and mmed a folder onto Hayden¡¯s head, eximing, ¡°I told you to deliver a message to her!¡±

    Rubbing his head, Hayden responded, ¡°Alright, what message?¡±

    ¡°Tell her that headquarters is interested in partnering with her on the new bomb project¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Hayden interrupted immediately, ¡°That¡¯s Serena¡¯s revenue stream. You might as well fire me. Serena loves money the most. If we take that away from her, I¡¯m as good as dead.¡±

    Christopher Parr looked at Hayden calmly and said, ¡°You¡¯re just the messenger. Whether she agrees or not is her decision. We can¡¯t find her right now; there¡¯s no way to contact her.¡±

    ¡°But that won¡¯t work either, boss, I¡¯m begging you, please don¡¯t make me deliver the message, I really can¡¯t do it. I¡¯d rather face any danger than cross Serena, please just let it be!¡±

    With hands sped together, Hayden pleaded desperately. Seeing his pitiful look, Christopher Parr didn¡¯t know what to say. He waved his hand dismissively, ¡°Get out.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Hayden left, relieved, his face breaking into a grin as he cheerfully closed the office door behind him. However, as soon as he stepped out, his smile vanished without a trace.

    Hayden took a deep look at the sign on Christopher Parr¡¯s office door, Deputy Director, his gaze growing darker. He pulled out a phone, one reserved for confidential use among his brothers, which even Jared had never contacted.

    He sent a message to Tina, ¡°Pa White, Jasmine.¡±

    Tina, who was gnawing on a roasted pig¡¯s trotter, nced at her smartwatch which disyed the message and chuckled softly. Clearly, their goal was not just Jasmine.

    Inside the office, Christopher Parr took out a brand-new phone, inserted a SIM card, and made a call. ¡°Hmm, no news, okay, understood.¡±

    After hanging up, he removed the SIM card and slipped it into his pocket. He sighed deeply, his eyes clouded with ambiguity.

    At the residence of the Farrell family, Joshua took away Orson¡¯s car keys upon learning about his ident. ¡°It¡¯s too unsafe, from now on, you¡¯re not driving yourself, I¡¯ll get you a driver.¡±

    Orson objected, ¡°It was an ident, and it wasn¡¯t even my fault; those people hit me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not eptable either.¡±

    ¡°Look at me, Uncle Joshua,¡± Orson turned to Abigail toin.

    Abigail, who was designing a dress on her tablet, looked up at Joshua with a reproachful expression, ¡°Joshua, Orson is already an adult. Moreover, the traffic authority stated that the motorcycle gang vited the traffic rules first, which caused the ident. Orson also needs to shuttle between the youth team and Kongham University; impounding his car is very inconvenient.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Joshua~¡± Orson mimicked Abigail¡¯s tone.

    Abigail¡¯s face flushed, ¡°Imitate me again, and I won¡¯t help you.¡±

    Joshua then gave the car keys back to Orson, ¡°Just be careful driving yourself, and go talk to your grandfather about this; he was frightened by the news.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Orson took his keys; having a driver would make his trips to Kongham University inconvenient.

    Joshua watched Orson¡¯s retreating figure and shook his head helplessly, ¡°This kid, nothing like Jared when he was young.¡±

    ¡°Jared isn¡¯t old now, either,¡± Abigail pinched Joshua¡¯s nose and tapped his face a few times, ¡°neither are you.¡±

    Joshua grabbed Abigail¡¯s hand and yfully pinched back, ¡°Trying to be mischievous again, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Abigail blushed and nestled shyly into Joshua¡¯s arms, looking at him with affection. This scene was just witnessed by Jared and Tina as they entered. They quickly separated, both somewhat embarrassed. Jared chuckled, ¡°Did we interrupt something?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Joshua, his face half flushed, stood up and approached Jared, ¡°Your aunt has something to discuss with Tina. Let¡¯s go to the study and talk about some business matters.¡± Tina naturally sat next to Abigail, focusing on the dresses she was designing.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Thepany owned a high-end dress brand-DAO. Joshua¡¯s return was mainly to take charge of this aspect, and Abigail was just the right person to assist. The designs she was working on were intended for next season¡¯s men¡¯s collection. ¡°Very good, the styles are straightforward, but pay attention to the choice of fabrics,¡± Tinamented while examining the designs. Abigail agreed with Tina¡¯s thoughts and suddenly remembered that the spokesperson for DAO in the Asia-Pacific region had terminated their contract. She asked, ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve just returned to the country and am not well-acquainted with the local celebrities. Your Uncle Joshua wants to find two male celebrities as the new spokespersons for the Asia-Pacific region. Do you follow any stars?¡±

    Tina, of course, did not follow celebrities; she was merely the boss of ordinary stars. ¡°Are there any specific requirements?¡± Tina inquired. Abigail looked at the prototype of the dress she had designed and replied, ¡°They should be quite well-known, with contrasting styles yet highpatibility. Ideally, they should have experience in modeling to better showcase the features of the dresses. Other than that, there¡¯s nothing much.¡± Tina nodded; Ember Saffron was a perfect fit, but finding someonepatible with him who also had modeling experience was challenging.

    Suddenly, Tina thought of a face that owed her a set of portraits from theirst meeting-the defector to Qingfeng Observatory, Arthur! His style indeed differed from Ember Saffron¡¯s. One was like a charming nobleman, the other a straightforward youth. Together, they might just spark something interesting. ¡°I have someone in mind. Can theye for an interview at thepany tomorrow?¡± Tina asked. Abigail nodded, ¡°There¡¯s no rush, shouldn¡¯t we call their agent or team first?¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Tina waved her hand, she could make that decision.

    That evening, Tina sent a message to both Ember Saffron and Arthur, informing them of the opportunity. The next morning, the popr star Ember Saffron arrived for the interview at thepany, closely followed by the up-anding young actor Arthur. Thepany had been informed that two male celebrities would being for interviews, but they hadn¡¯t expected them to be these two! Although thepany was influential, these were not celebrities who could be easily scheduled, typically requiring at least a three-day notice.

    Joshua nced at Jared, ¡°Your cousin Tina is quite capable.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jared nodded knowingly. Joshua couldn¡¯t tell if it was just his imagination, but he always seemed to detect a hint of mockery in his nephew¡¯s eyes-as if scoffing at hisck of worldly experience! Thepany quickly finalized Ember Saffron and Arthur, and they took their promotional photos that day. When officially announced, Arthur shot to fame. Although he didn¡¯t overshadow Ember Saffron, he was certainly among the top contenders.

 Chapter 476: Auntâ€™s Dinner Party

    Arthur¡¯s sudden rise to fame brought unexpected benefits to the Reed family. Horizon Entertainment seized the moment to sign Arthur under their agency, enhancing his and Ember Saffron¡¯s partnership as on-screen brothers. The PR team was also sharp, revealing Juliet¡¯s rtionship with Arthur and dispelling the rumors that had gued the Reed family online. This greatly benefited the Reed family business.

    Esther felt a heaviness in her heart upon hearing this news. Since Jasper had been arrested, no one from the Reed family had taken the initiative to contact Tina. Although Esther constantly thought about the child, she couldn¡¯t find a reason to meet her. In Esther¡¯s heart, Tina was Natalie¡¯s child, thus her own niece by extension. Esther and Natalie had been like sisters, and even though Tina was not rted by blood, she was still the daughter of her closest friend, and Esther could not bear to lose contact with her.

    Juliet had mentioned to Esther about Tina¡¯s discreet help to the Reed family. Esther knew Tina was not a cold-hearted child; she would return any kindness shown to her manifold. Esther¡¯s reason for not contacting Tina was different from others; it was out of guilt. Natalie had never been treated well by the Reed family, and her daughter was treated no better. How could she not feel guilty?

    Now, with Tina¡¯s help, her son had be an overnight sensation, and Esther could no longer hold back; she had to reach out to Tina. She gathered her children, including Juliet, who was shooting a film, and set up a video call to express her thoughts.

    ¡°I want to invite Tina for a meal, and all of you must attend, treating her as your own sister. Do you all understand?¡± Esther¡¯s intention was not just to have a meal with Tina but to foster closer ties between the younger generation and Tina, ensuring she was not neglected.

    If Tina suffered any wrongs at Jared¡¯s hands, the Reed family was to support her. Juliet and her siblings had no objections, and Arthur certainly didn¡¯t. He could not ignore someone who had once been close as Serena to him. He still had the parrot they had shared!

    It was a symbol of their close rtionship.

    Only Audrey was puzzled, ¡°Mom, after all Tina has done to our family, how can you still care about her? She¡¯s a jinx, getting close to her brings nothing but trouble to the Reed family!¡±

    ¡°Audrey!¡± Esther¡¯s eyebrows knit together in anger, ¡°Think about it, who really caused our family¡¯s downfall, Tina or the sins of the older generation?¡±

    Audrey opened her mouth to respond but said nothing. She knew deep down that it was Annabelle and Jasper whose crimes Tina had exposed. It wasn¡¯t Tina¡¯s fault that the Reed family was in its current state.

    But couldn¡¯t she have handled things more gently? Must she have made such a spectacle, putting every member of the Reed family through the wringer for her own satisfaction, and what about everyone else?

    Juliet was bullied in the industry because of this, and Arthur missed many opportunities to rise to stardom due to the family¡¯s scandals. Even Audrey couldn¡¯t hold her head high at school, like during thest school anniversary when she was reced by Qin Ruoxuan as the student speaker.

    All because of Tina!

    No matter what, she just couldn¡¯t forgive Tina.

    Seeing that no one else was speaking, Esther decisively announced, ¡°Griffin, your dad is away on business, and you must attend in his ce. You¡¯ll be representing both of your parents, understood?¡±

    Griffin nodded and nced at his watch. ¡°Auntie, if we¡¯re done, I¡¯ll head out first. There¡¯s still work to be done at thepany.¡±

    ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡±

    Griffin hurried out the door, and Juliet ended her video call while Arthur rushed off to an urgent appointment.

    Now only Griffin and Audrey were left in the living room with Esther.

    Esther, looking at her daughter¡¯s reluctant face, spoke earnestly, ¡°Audrey, you¡¯re still young and don¡¯t understand why Tina did what she did for the Reed family. When you grow up, you¡¯ll see that if it weren¡¯t for Tina, not just the Reed family but also the Woodwind family would¡¯ve been implicated.¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Esther¡¯s husband, the young master of the Woodwind family, Lin Rui, was always abroad, engaged in state secrets. Although Audrey didn¡¯t know exactly what her father was up to, she understood that he couldn¡¯t afford to be dragged into any trouble-otherwise, it would mean disaster for the family.

    Even knowing this, Audrey stubbornly refused to forgive Tina.

    Seeing Audrey sulking, Griffin offered, ¡°If you agree to go this time, I¡¯ll take you to our team¡¯s race next week, and you can be my co-pilot.¡±

    Audrey had always pleaded with Griffin to take her to the races, eager to experience the thrill, but Griffin had insisted she was too young to participate.

    Now that he had agreed, Audrey immediately cheered up. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go to that dinner if I must.¡±

    Esther sighed deeply, ¡°Just don¡¯t make a scene at the dinner!¡±

    With that, Esther stood up and returned to her room to call Tina.

    Tina was surprised to receive the call. ¡°Auntie, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Hearing Tina¡¯s voice, Esther couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions any longer and burst into tears.

    Tina paused, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Esther wiped her tears, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Tina. I just want us all to have a meal together. Are you and Mr. Farrell free?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re avable,¡± Tina agreed immediately.

    Arthur, who couldn¡¯t keep a secret, had already informed her about this after the family meeting had ended.

    ¡°Great, we¡¯ll see you the day after tomorrow then. I¡¯ll send you the address of the hotel. It¡¯s been a long time, and I¡¯ve missed you,¡± Esther said, her voice choking up.

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll be there on time.¡±

    After hanging up, Tina took a deep breath and a slight smile yed on her lips.

    Her heart felt warm, though she wondered how many others besides Esther were looking forward to seeing her.

    At the hotel, Esther and her family were seated early in a private room. Audrey was there too, though still reluctantly, ying with her phone and sitting beside Esther.

    Soon, Tina and Jared arrived, carrying gifts for everyone.

    ¡°What are you being formal for, child? I invited you to dinner, and you still brought gifts?¡± Esther affectionately took Tina¡¯s hand.

    Tina didn¡¯t refuse, ¡°Uncle bought them.¡±

    Jared chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s only right.¡±

    What was an otherwise joyous gathering took a turn when Audrey muttered under her breath, ¡°Hypocrite.¡±

 Chapter 477: I Donâ€™t Bother with Fools

    The atmosphere suddenly turned cold, and Esther¡¯s expression grew even darker as she red at her daughter. ¡°Audrey, what are you saying?¡±

    Audrey removed one earbud, her gaze challenging as she looked at Tina. ¡°I¡¯m ying a game. Besides, whatever I say, you wouldn¡¯t mind, right? You¡¯re so magnanimous, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Yes, I never stoop to argue with fools.¡±

    ¡°Who are you calling a fool?¡± Audrey mmed her earbuds down, ring angrily at Tina.

    Jared wrapped his arms around Tina, staring solemnly at Audrey. ¡°Whoever responds, Tina is referring to them. Miss Woodwind, any objections?¡±

    Despite her reluctance, Audrey pursed her lips and, with a cold huff, sat down.

    Esther quickly tried tofort Tina. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, Tina; Audrey is just spoiled by me.¡±

    Tina shook her head, willing to endure for Esther¡¯s sake.

    Jared handed out gifts to everyone, and when he gave one to Griffin, he eximed, ¡°Is this thetest racing helmet? I had it on order for six months and couldn¡¯t get it, and you managed to buy two!¡±

    Though not particrly expensive, for a professional racer, it couldn¡¯t be more perfect.

    Hayden: Not expensive? I spent three million dors on a helmet for my collection, and you say it¡¯s not expensive?This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared: Three million dors, that much?

    Hayden: That¡¯s half a month¡¯s allowance for me; even my father warned me! Serena, help!

    Tina: Do not disturb.

    ¡°If you like it, that¡¯s what matters.¡± Jared smiled and sat beside Tina.

    Tina then presented a set of jewelry to Esther, a masterpiece final work by Master Irene, priceless and unavable on the market.

    Esther gasped, ¡°Tina, such an expensive gift, I can¡¯t ept it!¡±

    Tina¡¯s affiliation with Master Irene wasn¡¯t fully public, and Esther was not fully aware of it or that Tina was indeed Irene herself.

    However, Master Irene¡¯s final work had been all over the inte, and Esther was aware of it.

    ¡°It¡¯s not overly expensive, please ept it,¡± Tina insisted.

    It was just one of the sets from her own storage, not particrly significant to her.

    Esther held it lovingly but hesitated to ept, knowing well that earning money was not easy for Tina.

    She whispered to Tina, ¡°Such a fine gift should go to Mr. Farrell¡¯s mother; I remember she likes such things. It¡¯s toovish for me.¡±

    Tina knew Esther was hinting at improving rtions with Jared¡¯s mother.

    But it really wasn¡¯t necessary; a bottle of perfume would suffice.

    ¡°It¡¯s not wasteful; it¡¯s for my aunt.¡±

    ¡°Just take it, Mom. Future Mrs. Farrell is giving you a gift and you refuse it? Isn¡¯t that a p to her face? Besides, didn¡¯t she take less from our Reed family in the past? The set that grandma gave her was just as valuable.¡±

    Audrey added sourly, still envious of the bracelets Annabelle had given to Tina.

    But in the end, such valuable bracelets didn¡¯t prevent Tina from bringing her grandmother to ruin!

    The atmosphere chilled once again, until Juliet couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°Audrey, either stay here quietly or get out. No one cares for your presence!¡±

    Arthur also pulled his sister back, whispering sternly, ¡°Keep quiet. If Tina wanted, she could ruin you in a minute. Don¡¯t be foolish!¡±

    Audrey saw her own brother defending Tina and felt even more ufortable. She forcefully pushed him away, eximing, ¡°Both of you are like the grass on top of the wall, swaying in any direction that suits you! When she treats you well, you speak in her favor. Who was it thatined about Tina being heartless behind her back if not you two?¡±

    Juliet, hearing this, felt too embarrassed to retort. After all, she had indeed said such things before.

    Arthur didn¡¯t dare to speak either; he had only made a slight remark, without any real intention ofining about Tina.

    Seeing that everyone was silent, Audrey continued, ¡°Now look at you, suddenly grateful and loyal because she helped you turn things around. I¡¯m telling you, I will never forgive Tina in my lifetime. It¡¯s all because of her that the Reed family is in shambles!¡±

    With that, Audrey grabbed the jewelry from Esther¡¯s hands and threw it on the ground, along with Griffin¡¯s helmet, before running out.

    Esther cursed softly, ¡°What a thoughtless child! Tina, please don¡¯t be upset, she¡¯s just speaking out of anger.¡±

    Damian quickly added, ¡°Yes, Tina, don¡¯t take it to heart. I¡¯ll handle Audrey.¡±

    Before Tina could respond, they heard Audrey shouting outside.

    Then, a voice very familiar to Tina sounded, ¡°Audrey, are you blind? You almost killed me!¡±

    The Reed family members rushed outside to see what had happened to Audrey.

    Tina and Jared exchanged nces and followed them out.

    ¡°Audrey, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s blind!¡± shouted Tina and Jared as they emerged, hearing Audrey cursing while clutching her head.

    Facing Audrey were Velma and Pa White.

    Velma, about to retort, saw Tina approaching and rushed over in ecstatic joy, hugging her tightly, ¡°Tina, I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡±

    Tina was speechless. Could she not hug her like that?

    Jared promptly pulled Velma away from Tina, possessively dering, ¡°Only I get to hug my Tina!¡±

    Velma rolled her eyes, ¡°Oh, how petty!¡±

    Tina caught Velma, ¡°What brings you here?¡±

    Previously, Velma had been tutoring Zackary, who had been recovering well emotionally and growing bolder.

    As the Reed family faced numerous issues, Tina had told Velma she needn¡¯te anymore.

    She had been incredibly busytely, and although Velma had called several times wanting to meet for dinner, Tina had always declined.

    She hadn¡¯t expected to encounter her here today.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just me,¡± Velma continued cheerfully. ¡°Shonna came too, but she couldn¡¯t get off work today. Had she known she¡¯d meet you, she would have skipped ss!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it all from Shonna; you are that obstinate jerk, her fiance¡¯s Serena. I never imagined we¡¯d have such a connection!¡±

    Tina was speechless. Couldn¡¯t she speak more straightforwardly? When did she pick up this habit?

    Pa White massaged her temples, ¡°Don¡¯t describe it like that; it almost sounds like you¡¯re insulting Serena.¡±

    ¡°How could I ever insult Tina? That would be like betraying my mentor,¡± Velma giggled, hugging Tina tightly. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go have fun, just the three of us. We¡¯ll invite Shonna next time. I¡¯ve missed her so much!¡±

    Tina held Velma back, ¡°Not today, I have ns to dine with my aunt.¡±

    At this moment, Audrey, catching on, pointed at Velma and used, ¡°I knew it! How could you rece me? It¡¯s all Tina¡¯s doing behind the scenes. Tina, how dare you im you genuinely care for our Reed family!¡±

 Chapter 478: Trouble for Griffin and Audrey

    Audrey¡¯s outcry truly baffled Tina.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®rece¡¯?¡±

    Velma rolled up her sleeves, swatted Audrey¡¯s hand away, and stood with her hands on her hips, confronting her, ¡°Who are you talking about? Tina plotting behind the back? Who do you think you are? I represent the whole student body in speeches because I was first in every subject, and you are nothing!¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Tina¡¯s help, could you rece me? Dream on!¡± Audrey retorted, unconvinced.

    Velma did not argue back, admitting, ¡°You¡¯re right, without Tina, I wouldn¡¯t even pass the entrance exam for the National Defense Academy.¡±

    After saying this, Velma nced at Audrey, ¡°Tina, who is she to you?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my aunt¡¯s daughter,¡± Tina appraised Audrey briefly.

    ¡°I see.¡± Velma noticed the clueless Reed family members behind them and pped her hands, ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb your family dinner. Be sure to contact me when you have time, and I¡¯ll inform Shonna as soon as I get back, okay?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Tina nodded.

    Pa White also took Velma away, winking at Tina as if she had much to say.

    The two left arm in arm, and Velma remarked, ¡°Men should not be spoiled!¡±

    Tina smirked, realizing that Velma was the strategist for Pa White.

    Tsk!

    Her little brother was in for it.

    Audrey still looked indignantly at Tina, as if Tina was a historic sinner.

    Tina nced at herzily and, uninterested in exining, turned to Esther, ¡°Aunt, about this meal¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s continue,¡± Esther, also upset with her daughter, said, ¡°Audrey, if you¡¯re not eating, then leave. I¡¯ve raised you for so many years, yet you¡¯re so unreasonable!¡±

    After speaking, Esther took Tina back to the private room.

    Jared was entirely supportive of Waverly Underwood, showing no displeasure as long as Tina was willing.

    Juliet also cast a reproachful look at Audrey before turning back.

    Only Arthur remained, he straightened his sister¡¯s messy hair, speaking earnestly, ¡°Audrey¡­ Tina hasn¡¯t done anything wrong to you. They¡¯ve just met, and your resentment is baseless-you think she caused our grandparents and uncle harm, but think about it, weren¡¯t they responsible for their own demise?¡±

    Knowing his sister¡¯s temper well, Arthur rubbed her head, ¡°I know it¡¯s because of jealousy. Once I start earning, I¡¯ll buy you all the best things in the world. You¡¯ll be cherished, sweetheart.¡±

    Audrey wiped her tears and turned to leave.

    Arthur didn¡¯t insist and returned to the dining room to continue the meal with everyone.

    After the meal, Griffin invited Tina to watch the next day¡¯s race.

    Tina nodded.

    It had been a long time since shest attended.

    Velma was on vacation these days, so she invited her too.

    On the day of the race.

    Pa White also came along, and Velma wore a dashing racing outfit with a ponytail that added to her heroic look.

    Like one of the racers themselves.

    Tinaughed, ¡°You really look the part.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I even brought a pack of snacks to set the mood!¡± Velma said with augh.

    They settled in VIP seats arranged by Griffin, with a prime view of the racers starting and finishing, and therge screen above providing a clear view of the race progress.

    Griffin waved to Tina from a distance, with the still indignant Audrey by his side. Velma clicked her tongue, ¡°She¡¯s like a bad penny, always turning up.¡± Tina, however, was indifferent; Audrey¡¯s attitude towards her did not affect how she treated the Woodwind family. Griffin signaled a few times before getting into the race car, and Audrey also put on the helmet that Jared had given Griffin the day before. Jared chuckled quietly. Audrey might not like Tina, but she had no qualms about using her things.

    The race was about to begin. Griffin¡¯s car was positioned third on the outer track. As the g dropped, seven race cars took off simultaneously. Amidst the buzzing sound, the scene elicited a wave of gasps. Tina furrowed her brows, a trace of unease visible on her face. While Velma and Pa White werepletely immersed in the race, screaming excitedly, only Jared noticed Tina¡¯s distress. He took her hand and asked, ¡°Tina, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Tina pursed her lips, ¡°Just now, one of those seven cars sounded off, I wonder if it was Griffin¡¯s car.¡±

    ¡°Something sounded off?¡± Jared¡¯s expression darkened as he looked towards the race cars, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Hmm,¡± Tina¡¯s brows remained tightly knit as she watched the screen above, her expression growing increasingly troubled.

    Tina kept a close watch on Griffin¡¯s car on the screen. His driving had improved significantly. Although he started from the back, he quickly caught up. It was toote to stop the race now; Tina could only observe discreetly. Thankfully, along the route, there were maintenance staff checking the cars at designated points for safety reasons.

    When passing the first maintenance point, Griffin was still firmly in the lead. After a brief check, he elerated away from the checkpoint. However, at the second checkpoint, Griffin unexpectedly sped past without stopping. Stopping at the maintenance point was basic for a race driver, especially on a mountainous circr track like this, and there was no reason for him to skip it, especially in first ce.

    Feeling something was amiss, Tina pushed Velma down, ¡°You stay here and keep an eye on car number three in real-time, reporting its position at each checkpoint, got it?¡± Although Velma didn¡¯t know what was happening, she saw the seriousness in Tina¡¯s expression and nodded briskly.

    Tina and Jared left the venue to find the organizingmittee, who knew Tina and also noticed Griffin¡¯s irregr behavior. They handed over a rescue vehicle to Tina. On the track, Griffin furiously pressed the brake, but it failed to respond. Audrey panicked, ¡°What¡¯s happening? Wasn¡¯t everything fine just a moment ago?¡±

    ¡°How the hell would I know!¡± Griffin had intended to stop at the maintenance point, but he simply couldn¡¯t slow down! Audrey looked ahead, saw the mountain looming close, closed her eyes, and screamed, ¡°Ah! Help!¡±

 Chapter 479: Rescuing Griffin and Audrey

    Griffin¡¯s car, number three, failed to turn at the bend and instead crashed directly into the mountain. The front of the car mmed into the guardrail on the mountain, then the wheels lifted off the ground, causing the car to roll backward and tumble down the cliff!

    In the VIP seats, Velma, holding her phone, shouted to Tina, ¡°It¡¯s terrible! Car three has gone over at section two, point three!¡±

    Tina¡¯s brows furrowed-trouble indeed!

    Everyone was eximing, wondering how Griffin could have had an ident, while the emergency team hurriedly set out to search.

    However, this ce was a cliff, and a car that had fallen was not easy to locate. Even if it were found, the upants surely couldn¡¯t have survived.

    Tina drove the rescue vehicle, speeding past the otherpetitors.

    Those still engrossed in the race had no idea that Griffin¡¯s car had rolled off, nor did they know who this person, driving the rescue vehicle at such high speed, was.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    The rescue vehicle, less powerful than the race cars, was nheless driven with great speed!

    In the vehicle, Jared gripped the handlebar, checking the location points along the way.

    ¡°Tina, ahead!¡± he called out.

    Tina quickly stopped the vehicle in a spot that wouldn¡¯t block the traffic behind them and got out with Jared.

    The spot where Griffin had gone off was a steep mountain covered with weeds and rocks. Looking down from above, it was impossible to see exactly where the car had ended up, except for the dent in the guardrail. There wasn¡¯t a single piece of debris from the car.

    Before the emergency team could arrive, Jared took off his coat and Tina¡¯s, tying them together, one sleeve secured around the guardrail. He held Tina¡¯s waist, ¡°Tina, hold on.¡±

    Tina responded and clung to Jared¡¯s waist. Together, they leapt down, using the makeshift rope that wasn¡¯t very long.

    The spectators stood up.

    These two were risking their lives!

    It was a cliff, and who knew what was below? Yet, they jumped!

    Tina and Jared disappeared from the public¡¯s view. In the VIP area, Pa White was frantic, quickly calling Hayden to report the situation.

    Hayden eximed, ¡°What! Serena and Mr. Farrell jumped off a cliff! They wouldn¡¯t be doing something as drastic as a lovers¡¯ suicide, would they?¡±

    Pa White, furious, nearly cursed, shouting, ¡°Lovers¡¯ suicide my foot, it¡¯s an ident, just get over here!¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on my way, don¡¯t be scared, they¡¯re going to be alright,¡± Hayden said before hanging up.

    Meanwhile, Tina and Jared had safelynded on the mountain.

    Surrounded by steep rocks and weeds, they still managed to find a path.

    Jared, still holding Tina¡¯s coat, untied it from the sleeve and said, ¡°Let¡¯s head west. Their car rolled down the hill, and theck of debris means it hasn¡¯t broken apart on impact. ording to the inertia of falling bodies, it should be in the west.¡±

    Tina agreed, having made simr calctions on the way down.

    Jared draped Tina¡¯s coat over her shoulders, supporting her as they walked west.

    Sure enough, they hadn¡¯t gone far before they spotted fragments from car number three.

    Tina observed it was a part of the hood; the body of the car seemed not to have suffered much damage.

    The two continued forward, finding more fragments and ss along the way, and soon discovered the car that had rolled down to the bottom of the cliff.

    Griffin and Audrey had already passed out, with blood flowing from their helmets. The race car waspletely overturned, with Griffin cradling Audrey¡¯s head in his arms, and Audrey herself wedged into the vehicle in an extremely awkward position. Tina immediately realized that her bones were broken.

    Jared manually flipped the car back over and lifted both Griffin and Audrey out. ¡°Help¡­ help¡­¡± Audrey, still conscious, weakly waved her hand in the air, her intense desire to live keeping her eyes wide open. Tina took her hand and assured, ¡°With me here, you won¡¯t die.¡± Audrey seemed to understand Tina¡¯s words and quickly passed out.

    Jared removed their helmets, which were scratched but had not harmed their heads. Thanks to Griffin shielding her, Audrey¡¯s upper body was free from serious internal injuries, suffering only bruises though her legs were fractured and twisted. Griffin¡¯s condition was more severe; as the carnded, a rock pierced his spine, causing multiple fractures and serious internal injuries.

    Tina administered a healing pill to each, stopping the internal bleeding and straightening Audrey¡¯s twisted legs. Jared raised an eyebrow. ¡°This works?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± replied Tina, who was well-versed in medicine, and setting bones right was a minor task for her.

    Tina also inserted a few needles into Griffin¡¯s spine. Fortunately, the rock had not prated deeply enough to affect his nerves or future mobility. It was lucky the car had flipped mid-air, and Jared¡¯s helmet provided protection, or they would have died on the spot!

    Tina¡¯s expression darkened as she finished administering first aid and then examined the race car. Indeed, someone had tampered with it. ¡°The brakes and steering failed sequentially; someone was out to kill Griffin!¡± Anger shed across Tina¡¯s face, dismissing the connection to the Reed family, as Griffin was also her protege. The audacity to attempt murder right in front of her was unforgivable!

    Just then, the emergency team arrived, fortunate that Tina and Jared had left a signal, or they would have been searching longer. ¡°How are we going to get them up this steep mountain road?¡± the team leader wondered aloud.

    Jared pointed upwards. ¡°You have help.¡± Everyone looked up to see Hayden in a helicopter, one foot on thending gear and half out of the cockpit, waving energetically at Tina and Jared. ¡°Serena, Mr. Farrell, I¡¯m here!¡± Hayden boasted, ¡°Smart, right? I knew you¡¯d need a helicopter!¡±

    The helicopter hovered ten centimeters above the ground as Hayden jumped down. ¡°Serena, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Get these two to the hospital, then help me investigate something,¡± Tina instructed, pointing to the injured pair.

    After loading them onto the helicopter, Hayden approached Tina. ¡°Serena, your orders?¡± Tina, with a cold look, eyed the towed-away race car and grabbed Hayden by the cor. ¡°Everyone close to Griffin and the engineers at the first checkpoint, I want their backgrounds thoroughly checked!¡± She was determined to uncover the identity of the person who wanted Griffin dead.

 Chapter 480: Vivienneâ€™s Personal Physician

    Inside the hospital, Griffin was still in surgery, and Audrey, who had sustained lighter injuries, was the first to wake up. The entire Reed family rushed to the hospital and sighed in relief upon seeing Audrey awake. Esther was inconsble, crying, ¡°You foolish girl, you scared me to death! If something had happened to you, how could I ever exin it to your father?¡±

    Audrey, unable to speak, looked around and did not see Tina. Arthur seemed to understand Audrey¡¯s concern and leaned down to say, ¡°Audrey, Tina is still operating on Griffin; she¡¯lle over once she¡¯s done.¡± Relieved, Audrey then turned to her mother, her eyes moistening. Juliet hurriedly said, ¡°Audrey, don¡¯t cry now. Tina mentioned you have abrasions on your face; crying could hinder the healing and cause scars, so please, listen to her advice.¡±

    Damian also tried to console Esther, ¡°Auntie, please don¡¯t cry. Tina said neither Audrey nor Griffin are in life-threatening danger. They¡¯ll be up and lively after a few days in the hospital. If you keep crying, they¡¯ll end up taking care of you once they¡¯re better.¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stop crying,¡± Esther said as she wiped her eyes. She held her daughter¡¯s hand, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Tina, you and Griffin would be gone. Your friend Velma said that to save you two, Tina and Jared jumped off a cliff. It was terrifying.¡±

    Audrey pursed her lips, wanting to say something but found herself unable to speak. Soon, her strength waned, and she fell asleep again. When she next awoke, most of the equipment had been removed, though her legs stillcked sensation and were immobilized for recovery; Tina had made sure she wouldn¡¯t move around. By then, Griffin had also emerged from surgery and was awaiting full consciousness.

    ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Tina?¡± Audrey asked. She remembered, in thest moment before she closed her eyes, it was Tina who had grasped her hand, telling her-¡°With me here, you won¡¯t die.¡±

    As soon as she said this, Tina walked in, ¡°Awake? You¡¯ll need to stay in bed for a month, followed by physical therapy. Your leg is saved, but the injuries are severe, and it will take some time to train and recover.¡±

    Tina¡¯s tone was neither cold nor warm, as if she was dealing with a regr patient. Audrey bit her lower lip, gazing deeply at Tina for a long while before she managed to speak, ¡°After everything I¡¯ve done to you, why did you still save me? Shouldn¡¯t you have been happy to see me suffer?¡±

    Tina simply responded, ¡°To enjoy your misfortune, you need to be alive.¡±

    Hearing this, Audrey burst outughing, then quickly pursed her lips and looked at Tina seriously, ¡°I was wrong before, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have suspected the innocent. My mom was right; you were never a malicious person. What you did was always justified.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t expect your forgiveness, I just want you to know, I don¡¯t me you anymore. I was jealous because everyone at home treated you so well. Now, I understand-it¡¯s because you deserve it.¡±

    After saying so much, Audrey was physically drained and took a long breath to ease her difort.

    Tina simply nodded, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±

    Audrey was not a bad person; she was merely prone to jealousy, which was harmless.

    ¡°Aunt, I have something else to attend to, I¡¯ll be heading back first,¡± Tina said to Esther.

    Esther responded, ¡°Thank you, Tina, for dealing with Mr. Farrell again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all in the family.¡± Tina squeezed Esther¡¯s hand, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then left the hospital room.

    Jared was waiting outside; seeing her emerge, he took her hand and walked out of the hospital with her.

    Unexpectedly, they encountered Vivienne at the entrance, sitting in her wheelchair, apanied by a strange woman.

    ¡°What a coincidence to meet you here,¡± Vivienne said with a faint smile, her tone neither cold nor warm.

    Jared, with a cool gaze, replied, ¡°It¡¯s no coincidence; this is my hospital.¡±

    Vivienne suddenly realized, ¡°Oh right, how could I forget, now the entire Farrell family belongs to you.¡±

    Then, turning to the woman behind her, Vivienne said, ¡°Xiang Xiang, this is Jared I told you about. Make sure to greet them properly when you see them.¡±

    The woman identified as Xiang Xiang, somewhat embarrassed, looked at Jared and Tina, ¡°I am Miss Farrell¡¯s personal physician, Victoria Sharp. Nice to meet you.¡±

    Victoria extended her hand to them.

    Out of politeness, Jared shook her hand, and Tina did the same, acknowledging the greeting.

    However, during the handshake with Victoria, Tina felt something strange on her skin.

    Victoria quickly withdrew her hand, ¡°I must take Miss Farrell for a follow-up, goodbye.¡±

    Tina smiled slightly, ¡°Goodbye.¡±

    Victoria pushed Vivienne onto the elevator while Jared and Tina got into their car.

    Tina looked at her fingers, particrly the fingerprint on her index finger, ¡°Uncle, guess what will happen next?¡±

    Jared¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°Just clowns, not worth mentioning.¡±

    Tinaughed, ¡°Yes, you are right!¡±

    Inside the hospital elevator, Vivienne rubbed her forehead, ¡°Did you get it?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± Victoria peeled off a skin-like adhesive tape from her palm, clearly showing Tina¡¯s fingerprint.

    Vivienne nodded in satisfaction, ¡°I thought seeing Jared would excite you, Miss Ward.¡±

    Victoria, or more urately, Lily after stic surgery and bone shaving, half-pouted her lips, her eyes shining with a mix of hatred and jealousy, ¡°I will never want to marry Jared again.¡±

    Vivienne looked at her with interest, ¡°Oh, then what do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°I want to kill them!¡±

    Lily gripped the handles of Vivienne¡¯s wheelchair tightly, her fingertips turning white with the force, biting down on her teeth.

    She remembered the pain of her bones being shattered by punches, the torture of being injected with drugs for a quick recovery.

    All because of Tina and Jared!

    Without them, she would not have ended up in such a tragic state!Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Vivienne secretly smiled, holding Tina¡¯s fingerprint carefully, examining it closely.

    Tina, oh Tina, just you wait for your death.

    In the car, Tina received a message from Hayden.

    ¡°Serena, I¡¯ve checked everyone around Griffin, all clear, except for that engineer. A few days ago, his wife¡¯s aunt¡¯s cousin¡¯s young lover received arge sum of money. The ount source was CK!¡±

    Tina frowned, wondering why CK would want to kill Griffin.

    They were hardly connected¡­

 Chapter 481: Tattoo

    Griffin had not yet awakened. Although the car ident did not damage his nerves, it had plunged him into a deepa. Tina had undergone surgery and had to wait until the anesthesia wore off before she could wake up. For now, all they could do was wait to find out what exactly had happened to Griffin.

    Jared received a call from Logan, urging them to hurry home. The incident of Tina and Jared jumping off the mountain at the racetrack had been captured in various videos and uploaded online. Although Jared quickly ordered them to be deleted, Logan had already found out. The pair soon arrived at the Farrell family home, where Marie greeted them first, grabbing Tina¡¯s hand, ¡°Tina, are you alright?¡±

    Marie circled Tina several times, checking for injuries. Only when she was certain Tina was unharmed did she rx. Tina hadn¡¯t even begun to speak when Marie pped Jared on the shoulder. ¡°You foolish boy, engaging in such dangerous antics! Go inside and exin yourself to your grandfather! Tina, let¡¯s go.¡± With that, Marie led Tina into the house.

    Jared stood puzzled. What was he supposed to exin? Inside, Logan, like Marie before, circled Tina and, reassured, turned his attention to Jared. Logan¡¯s beard bristled as he approached with his cane, striking Jared several times while berating him, ¡°Foolish boy, if you want to jump, jump alone. Why involve our Tina?¡±

    Jared realized he was supposed to exin this. So, it seemed he could die, but not the precious granddaughter-inw of the Farrell family. That stung. ¡°With me there, Tina was never in danger,¡± Jared finally said. If hecked even that capability, how could he be worthy of Tina?

    ¡°Hmph, it¡¯s because of Tina that you were safe, don¡¯t tter yourself!¡± Logan scoffed, then took Tina aside to check on her warmly. Jared, left with no rebuttal, just massaged his forehead resignedly. Tina, sitting nearby, raised an eyebrow at Jared.

    Jared sat in a corner of the sofa, contentedly watching the scene unfold. It wasn¡¯t long before Joshua arrived with Abigail, fresh from the office. Upon entering, Joshua saw Jared leisurely eating fruit on the sofa. His brows furrowed, ¡°I¡¯m swamped with work at the office, and here you are, the chairman, so rxed. Tomorrow, I¡¯m noting in; I¡¯m taking Abigail out.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    ¡°Sure, you¡¯re on leave,¡± Jared responded.

    ¡°You rascal.¡± Joshua quickly approached and yfully tousled Jared¡¯s hair. Apart from Tina, probably only Joshua could behave like this with Jared. It was clear that Jared and Joshua shared a genuinely close bond. Tina watched silently, her cool gaze deeply etching the scene of the two men, half her face shrouded in shadow under the light, her thoughts inscrutable.

    Abigail sat down next to Tina, her face beaming with a sweet, tender smile, ¡°It¡¯s truly wonderful to have family.¡±

    Tina turned her gaze to Abigail, whose dossier Cole had delivered to her hands long ago.

    Every person who appeared around her, she and Jared would investigate.

    Abigail was an orphan, her parents lost their lives in an ident, and rtives shunned her as a burden, growing up in an orphanage with a somewhat gloomy and secluded personality, so she was never adopted.

    Later, through her own efforts, she earned a full schrship to study abroad, which improved her personality.

    After confirming her rtionship with Joshua, she became even more cheerful, appearing as she does now.

    But-Tina withdrew her gaze from Abigail, leaning on the sofa, casually twirling the exclusive ring of the Mountain Veil Order¡¯s young master in her hand, a subtle smile ying at the corners of her mouth.

    Logan, seeing everyone gathered, simply called Vivienne and Orson back as well, to have dinner together.

    Being his grandchildren, as long as they didn¡¯t go too far or cross Logan¡¯s boundaries, he treated them all equally.

    When Vivienne returned, Lily, disguised as Victoria, came along too, holding Vivienne¡¯s medical report in her hand.

    ¡°Vivienne, what did the doctor say?¡± Joshua asked with concern.

    Vivienne smiled, ¡°Nothing serious, Uncle Joshua, I just need to take my medication and have regr check-ups.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, you have to take care of yourself, don¡¯t worry your grandfather.¡± Joshua rubbed Vivienne¡¯s head, his touch much gentler than when he ¡®fought¡¯ with Jared, clearly very fond of his niece.

    Vivienne nodded, her gaze asionally drifting towards Tina.

    Tina sat beside Logan, locking eyes with her.

    Neither made any further gesture, merely holding each other¡¯s gaze for three seconds before breaking away.

    At the family dinner, Lily seemed a bit tense, constantly tending to Vivienne, and identally spilling soup all over her dress.

    ¡°Victoria, the third room on the left on the second floor was my old room, there are some clothes in there, you can go change,¡± Vivienne suggested.

    ¡°Okay, sorry everyone, I¡¯ll be back shortly,¡± Lily stood up, apologizing to everyone before going to change.

    This small incident did not dampen the dining atmosphere, and it was not until Lily returned, her fair shoulder slightly exposed, that a tattoo could vaguely be seen.

    Tina narrowed her eyes; though only a small part was visible, she could guess the entire pattern.

    It was a tiger¡¯s head.

    It was interesting that someone with a tiger tattoo appeared around Vivienne.

    Lily pulled her shoulder clothing up a bit, deliberately covering it with her jacket, ¡°Miss Farrell¡¯s clothes are a bit big.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too thin, eat more,¡± Vivienne handed Lily a te of cut steak.

    Lily smiled quietly and began to eat without a word.

    Tina and Jared exchanged nces, neither saying much.

    But the looks they exchanged were teasing.

 Chapter 482: Almost Over

    At the Brookes family residence, Ian walked in carrying a box of strawberry cake. Kiki and Mimi, with their eyes gleaming, dashed towards Ian. Meanwhile, Scarlett was watching a video to learn how to make strawberry cake. ¡°Dad, weren¡¯t you supposed to be ying chess with Logan? Howe you¡¯re back so early?¡± Scarlett asked as she set aside the unevenly spread cream to greet him. Ian opened the cake box and handed slices to the eagerly watching Kiki and Mimi, then waved his hand, chuckling, ¡°That old man heard that Tina and his grandson jumped off a cliff, so he rushed back home.¡±

    Scarlett gasped, shocked, ¡°Jumped off a cliff? What happened?¡± She had been busy all day with the cake and hadn¡¯t caught the news. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just went to save someone. Tina and Jared are quite capable,¡± Ian exined with a smile. He had known about Tina and Jared¡¯s cliff-jumping rescue at the racetrack sincest night and had already asked Jack to look into it. Even the engineer¡¯s lead was discreetly passed to Hayden by Jack.

    Thus, Ian had moved past his initial worry. Relieved, Scarlett eximed, ¡°That¡¯s terrifying! Next time I see Tina, I need to tell her not to do such dangerous things. How scary.¡± Ian nced at the messy cream and eggs in the yard, even on Kiki and Mimi, sighed, and said, ¡°Scarlett, maybe you should do fewer dangerous things yourself.¡± Scarlett rubbed her nose, ¡°It¡¯s okay, what I¡¯m doing isn¡¯t dangerous. The oven hasn¡¯t exploded yet.¡±

    Ian didn¡¯t try to stop her anymore; his daughter-inw was always impulsive. Last time, she was obsessed with braiding Kiki and Mimi¡¯s hair and almost ended up shaving their heads. He wondered how long she would stick with making strawberry cake. Just then, Jack returned home, also carrying strawberry cake, and began cleaning off the eggshells from their daughters. ¡°Scarlett, let Mrs. Smith wash them up, look at their little faces,¡± he said.

    Putting down what she was holding, Scarlett knew Jack had business to discuss with Ian. She quickly ate the small cakes in the kids¡¯ hands and took them for a bath. In the yard, Ian turned off the oven Scarlett had forgotten about and asked, ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡±

    ¡°CK¡¯s people have indeed appeared in Ashbury, but it¡¯s not confirmed if they¡¯re the old Five Poisons. I¡¯m also checking on that engineer, aside from that CK ount, there¡¯s not much,¡± Jack reported, helping Ian to a wicker chair. ¡°There¡¯s something else. Jared and his assistant have been suspended, and Hayden has been sent to the periphery, not involved in internal work. Apparently, Vivienne submitted a statement implicating them in some secrets, but there¡¯s little evidence.¡±

    Ian nodded, ¡°Go handle it, we can¡¯t let others seed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± Jack replied, about to leave, but Ian stopped him with his cane. Pointing at the messy front yard, he said, ¡°Clean this up, can¡¯t you make a nice baking spot for your wife?¡± Jack sighed silently, ¡°Scarlett baking? She¡¯d be lucky to separate the yolks from the whites properly.¡± Watching a bowl of unsessfully separated eggs, Jack anticipated that they would be eating a variety of egg dishes for the next few days. In the Brookes family, nothing went to waste!

    After returning from the Farrell family, Tina and Courtney, who had just finished school, were in the living room; Courtney was watching Zackary do his homework. Her coaching style waspletely different from Velma¡¯s-utterly indifferent, yet doubly efficient, unlike Velma, who would often stop tutoring to y with Zackary.

    ¡°Miss Reed, you¡¯re back,¡± Courtney said, ruffling Zackary¡¯s head and handing him the PSP. ¡°Time to y.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Zackary replied, finishing hisst stroke and happily taking the PSP to his room to y advanced Sudoku.

    The two entered Tina¡¯s bedroom, and Courtney closed the door tightly. ¡°Miss Reed, I¡¯m not sure about the headquarters, but Jason sent me a secret message advising me not to return for check-ins recently. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening.¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Okay, got it.¡±

    ¡°I always feel like the headquarters is intentionally sidelining our captain. Husky has been sent to the outskirts for dispersal, Captain Lehman is suspended, Jason is on standby without knowing the mission details, and the members of the third squad have been dispersed everywhere. Jason has very few people left now.¡±

    Courtney looked worriedly at Tina. ¡°You don¡¯t think something bad will happen, do you?¡±

    Tinazilyy on the bed, ¡°How¡¯s Lysander?¡±

    ¡°I make sure to wait until Hawk personallyes to pick him up before I leave. Those tails sent by Vulture have been taken care of.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost time to wrap things up. Just a few more days as a bodyguard and it¡¯ll be over,¡± Tina stretchednguidly, feeling sleepy from the heavy dinner.

    Courtney looked somewhat embarrassed at Tina. ¡°Miss Reed, how many days until it ends?¡±

    Tina paused, theny on her side facing Courtney, propping her head up with one hand, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Courtney bit her lip, her expression troubled, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Orson, he¡¯s a bit annoying.¡±

    Oh?

    Tina perked up.

    Unexpected gossip?

    Seeing Tina eager for the gossip, Courtney¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing much, just that Orson keeps running to Kongham University, always hanging around us, making it difficult to do anything. And he also¡­¡±

    ¡°What else?¡± Tina sat up, clutching a pillow, eyes wide on Courtney.

    Courtney sighed deeply, ¡°He also brings a bunch of roses every day, drawing too much attention. It¡¯s so annoying.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Courtney had always been able to hide her identity, initially even Tina hadn¡¯t noticed her.

    Whether previously in Ensford or now at Kongham University, she was inconspicuous. Even when she proactively joined the popr Lysander¡¯s team, not many noticed.

    Now, however, Orson was mboyantly following them around with roses.

    Everyone at Kongham University knew Courtney was being pursued by the new esports sensation Orson.

    Rumors of a love triangle between Orson, Courtney, and Lysander had spread, with people even writing fan fiction on campus forums like ¡°The Esports Champion Who Loved Me¡± and ¡°Caught in the Pursuit of a Popr King.¡±

    She was fed up!

    Orson was also Jared¡¯s brother, she couldn¡¯t just get rid of him!

    Moreover, with Vulture¡¯s spies still around, though Vulture was no longer a problem, the public eye made things difficult. Courtney had to tolerate Orson, unable to act freely.

    After hearing this, Tina paused for a few seconds, then couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Reaching out, she yfully hooked Courtney¡¯s chin with her finger, her expression mischievous, ¡°Girl, your spring hase.¡±

    Courtney¡¯s face turned so red it could have dripped blood, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! I¡¯m not interested in Orson!¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°Sort it out yourselves. As for the mission, it¡¯ll be over soon.¡±

    It really would be soon.

    All the necessary clean-ups were about to be done.

    Just then, Tina¡¯s phone rang. It was Jared.

    Courtney didn¡¯t interrupt their conversation and turned to leave.

    Tina answered the call, ¡°Uncle!¡±

    ¡°Vivienne left home half an hour ago and was rushed to the hospital. She¡¯s in critical condition, doctors say it¡¯s rapid organ failure.¡±

 Chapter 483: How does it feel, Miss Ward?

    Tina was stunned.

    This was unexpected.

    Everything seemed fine when she left the Farrell family.

    Vivienne¡¯s cheeks were rosy then, showing no signs of organ failure.

    ¡°Someone will probably call you,¡± Jared¡¯s voice came through the phone, apanied by some crying sounds, apparently from ra.

    Tina was confident, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Jared acknowledged, and they ended the call.

    Tinay in bed, and soon her phone rang.

    It was Joshua.

    ¡°Tina, this is Joshua. I¡¯m sorry to bother you sote, but could you pleasee to the hospital? Vivienne¡­ she¡¯s not going to make it.¡±

    Tina raised her eyebrows slightly and smirked,zily resting one hand on her temple, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Vivienne¡¯s failing, all her organs. I heard from my family that you saved my father once. Could you please save Vivienne too? Put all our grievances on me, just save her life, can you?¡±

    Listening to Joshua¡¯s sobbing, Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°Okay! I¡¯m on my way.¡±

    Joshua breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank you, Tina, thank you so much.¡±

    Tina smiled, ¡°You¡¯re wee, you are my uncle¡¯s most respected Joshua Uncle.¡±

    Joshua fell silent on the phone for a few seconds.

    Tina¡¯s words seemed to carry a deeper meaning.

    But he said nothing more and hung up.

    Twenty minutester.

    Tina rushed to the hospital, where Jared waited at the entrance.

    Seeing Tina without even a coat, he draped his windbreaker over her shoulders, ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡±

    ¡°Uncle Joshua called me, how could I not hurry?¡± Tina smiled softly and went with Jared to the surgical floor where Vivienne was.

    ra was still kneeling on the ground, crying incessantly, cursing Tina as a curse.

    Seeing Tina arrive, she charged over, ¡°You little wretch, what are you here for? Want to gloat over my daughter¡¯s misery? I tell you, if anything happens to my daughter, I won¡¯t let you off, even as a ghost I won¡¯t let you be!¡±

    Tina looked down at ra, her smile deepening but not reaching her eyes, ¡°How about I turn you into a ghost right now?¡±

    ra instinctively fell to the ground, not sure if it was her illusion, but for a moment when Tina spoke, she seemed to actually see the spirits gathering around her.

    She shivered on the ground, trembling fingertips, ¡°What¡­ what do you really want?¡±

    At that moment, Joshua came over with theb results, seeing ra still making a scene, he was furious and dragged her away, ¡°ra, you¡¯re done meddling with Vivienne¡¯s matters from now on!¡±

    ra was nothing but trouble here.

    With that, Joshua turned to Tina, ¡°Tina, don¡¯t mind her, ra is a bit out of her mind, the hospital has already agreed to let you into the OR, and Victoria, the attending physician, will assist you.¡±

    Tina handed the windbreaker back to Jared, took theb results from Joshua, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Then, she entered the operating room.

    Marie stayed by Logan¡¯s side, although she no longer cared much for Vivienne, she was still worried as she had watched her grow up.

    Jared sat quietly beside his grandfather and mother, waiting for Tina toe out.

    Joshua was restless, and Abigail didn¡¯t know how tofort him, so she just stayed quietly by his side.

    ra was still trembling in the corner, haunted by the eerie illusion that Tina had be a ghostly presence. Meanwhile, in the operating room, Tina had changed into surgical attire and walked in. Including Lily, there were five doctors present.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, you finally arrived. Miss Farrell is in critical condition; it¡¯s almost toote,¡± Lily handed Tina a scalpel, ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    Taking the scalpel, Tina turned her back to Lily and started operating on Vivienne. She focused intently, her eyes shifting only between the monitor and Vivienne, seemingly oblivious to the five people surrounding her.

    Lily stood behind Tina, scalpel in hand, watching her back with sinister intent. She signaled to two individuals beside her, who each took hold of a rope¡¯s end, circled behind Tina, and positioned themselves in front of her. With a sudden pull intended to restrain Tina, the rope unexpectedly snapped, causing them to fall heavily to the floor due to their excessive force.

    As tension peaked, the others rushed towards Tina with their scalpels drawn. Tina slightly bowed her head, but her grip on her scalpel remained firm as she excised the toxin-infected part of Vivienne¡¯s kidney.

    In the next second, the two closest individuals copsed, spitting blood.

    Tina, without looking up, switched to another surgical tool and turned her attention to Vivienne¡¯s heart.

    The first two who had fallen rose and, drawing knives from their waists, charged at Tina. With a swift kick, Tina knocked over a nearby stand.

    With two thuds, they fell, their knife-wielding hands pinned under the stand, any movement threatening to tear off their arms.

    Lily, taken aback by how effortlessly Tina neutralized four skilled attackers, clenched her scalpel. Now standing behind Tina, she still saw a chance¡­

    ¡°Miss Sharp, how do you find the experience of bone shaving surgery?¡± Tina asked slowly while continuing the operation. After a pause, she smiled slightly, ¡°Or perhaps I should call you Miss Ward, which sounds more affectionate.¡±

    During the conversation, Tina also cut away half of Vivienne¡¯s heart and tossed it into the trash.

    Stunned, Lily had not expected Tina to recognize her! With her guise no longer necessary, she charged at Tina, ¡°I must kill you, Tina.¡±

    Tina sidestepped, and Lily¡¯s knife stabbed deeply into Vivienne¡¯s thigh.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Vivienne, previously unconscious, suddenly spat out blood and watched the scene unfold with eyes full of despair.

    Tina smiled radiantly, ¡°Sorry, I just stopped your anesthesia.¡±

    Unable to speak, Vivienne¡¯s acute awareness in her half-severed heart and opened abdomen was terrifying.

    Lily pulled out the knife and swung at Tina again, who merely stepped back lightly. Unaware of her surroundings, Lily tripped over the two blood-spitting individuals.

    Her scalpel, following her gaze, plunged straight into her brain.

    Lily screamed.

    Tina, as if offering a candy, ced a healing pill into Lily¡¯s mouth, then gestured towards Vivienne, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll sew her up first.¡±

 Chapter 484: The True Purpose of the Medicine, What Is It?

    Vivienne watched helplessly as Tina methodically removed her decaying organs and then sutured her abdomen closed. The machines that signaled her life was nearing its end were slowly springing back to life. Mute, she could only stare dumbly at Tina, mouth agape. When Tina finished the final stitch, she looked at Vivienne¡¯s stomach, furrowed her brow in distress, and said, ¡°This looks terrible, let¡¯s do it again.¡± With that, she began to remove the stitches.

    Vivienne heard the sound of the cosmetic thread cutting through flesh, feeling no pain. Yet, the phantom pains and visual torment she experienced were unbearable. Tina repeated the stitching process three times until she was finally satisfied.

    ¡°Vivienne, is risking your life for Tiger truly worth it?¡± Tina covered Vivienne, picking up Lily-who still had a scalpel embedded in her eye-and ced her in a chair beside her. Vivienne, unable to move her head, could only look on sideways.

    ¡°When will your little games end? They¡¯re hardly exciting,¡± Tina sighed, pulling the scalpel from Lily¡¯s eye, with blood following the de and sshing onto Vivienne¡¯s face. Lily screamed in agony, her fingers trembling uncontrobly as she tried and failed to faint. One eye was bloody and hollow, the other full of pleas for mercy, ignored by all.

    Tina flicked out Lily¡¯s now-useless eyeball as if discarding trash and tossed it into a bin. Only one eyeball remained in Lily¡¯s face. ¡°Treating someone who doesn¡¯t want to live is much easier,¡± she remarked. Lily, numbed, knelt on the floor, begging repeatedly, ¡°Tina, please spare me, I won¡¯t dare anymore.¡±

    Tina was more fearsome than someone known as Five Poisons. Lily had thought the severe bone fractures inflicted by Five Poisons were the worst torture possible, but Tina¡¯s torment was iparable. Ignoring Lily¡¯s pleas, Tina picked her up again and sprinkled some powder over her hollow eye. ¡°This will save your life,¡± Tina said thoughtfully.

    ¡°A single healing pill costs five million, this powder is even more expensive at ten million, plus the treatment,¡± Tina shook her head. ¡°You owe me a lot of money. How will you pay it back?¡±

    Lily, bereft of any capacity for thought, epted whatever Tina said. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡±

    ¡°Good, then go to Lockie. He needs a capable assistant,¡± Tina nodded. Recently, Wraith from the YQb had sent her a message. He needed someone for human experimentation and had assured her repeatedly there would be no life-threatening danger. Initially, she had refused, but looking at Lily now, she seemed a fitting candidate. As a prominent figure in the medical field, Lily couldmunicate effectively with Wraith in the experiments.

    Shivering, Lily faced an uncertain future. Meanwhile, Vivienne could feel the changes within her body; she knew her organs were being repaired yet also felt them continuously deteriorating. The machine connected to her sounded off, and Tina observed, ¡°Not bad, the recovery is going well.¡±

    Tina removed various tubes from Vivienne. ¡°However¡­ how will you repay me your debt?¡± Vivienne shuddered internally, for her body was still immobile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just hand you over to the uncle,¡± Tina covered Vivienne, ¡°I forgot to tell you, from now on, you¡¯ll never leave this bed.¡±

    To put it urately, Vivienne would endure the agony of her diseased organs day after day, no matter where she was.

    And she couldn¡¯t even take her own life.

    She could only lie on that bed, living a life worse than death.

    Tina pushed Vivienne out and took Lily away secretly.

    Everyone thought Vivienne was better, just speechless due to the aftermath.

    ra finally shed a genuine tear.

    It was unclear whether she was crying for herself or for her daughter.

    From now on, no one would be around to provide her with a prosperous life.

    Joshua and Logan took turns caring for Vivienne, while Tina and Jared exchanged greetings before leaving the hospital.

    She still had important matters to attend to.

    Otherwise, Wraith¡¯s messages would just be spam.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    After Jared helped Tina and Lily, who was stuffed into a trash bag, into the car, Courtney was instructed to take them away. Jared also received a call.

    It was andline number, with a prefix indicating the headquarters.

    ¡°I¡¯m on my way now.¡±

    After hanging up, Jared looked back at the busy Farrell family, the closest people he had known all his life.

    Tina arrived at the YQb early the next morning.

    She had sleptfortably in the car, and the fatigue from the night had dissipated.

    Upon getting out, she opened the trunk and unfolded the trash bag that had bunched up overnight.

    Lily opened her eyes, now more blurred with only one left.

    She tumbled out of the trunk, her body aching as if it had fallen apart, ¡°What¡­ what ce is this?¡±

    Courtney picked her up, silently following behind Tina.

    It had been over half a month since theirst visit, and theb hadn¡¯t changed at all, except that the 3D biological printer was now halfway done, a considerable achievement.

    Timmy greeted Tina as she arrived, ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you here looking for Lockie?¡±

    Tina nodded, and Timmy pointed to the innermostb, ¡°Right there, you can go ahead.¡±

    The otherb personnel rarely dared approach Wraith¡¯sb; thest time Timmy rushed in urgently, he almost got consumed by toxic gas and only survived by taking Lockie¡¯s pills.

    Since then, no one dared go near it again.

    Tina gave Courtney and Lily each a gas mask and pushed open the door to Wraith¡¯sb.

    ¡°Damn it, failed again! It¡¯s killing me! Tina, you bastard!¡± Wraith hadn¡¯t noticed Tina enter.

    He always cursed like that to vent his frustration whenever an experiment failed.

    Tina frowned, ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Wraith paused, then looked up to see Tina, his eyes lighting up, ¡°You¡¯vee at the right time, take a look at this potion. I feel like it¡¯s not meant to poison anyone, but has some other purpose, yet I can¡¯t figure it out.¡±

    Wraith seemed to have forgotten his earlier curse.

    Tina looked over, and the potion had separated into many types of cells, constantly rbining and showing increasingly obvious healing effects.

    She had always wanted to develop an antidote for the potion, but unexpectedly, the potion itself had separated out healing cells.

    It was strange.

    At that moment, Wraith noticed Lily, who was missing an eye, and examined her, ¡°Is this my test subject?¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Satisfied?¡±

    ¡°Very satisfied,e here and try this injection first.¡±

    Wraith administered an injection to Lily, who immediately convulsed.

    Tina paid no mind, her eyes fixed on the cellr structures emerging from the potion.

    Mother!

    What really is the true nature of this potion?

 Chapter 485: Tina, You Are Arrested

    Tina stared intently for a full thirty minutes before she finally withdrew her gaze. At that moment, Lily had just narrowly escaped death, with one foot still lingering at death¡¯s doorstep. ¡°Be gentle, I just gouged out her eyeballs yesterday,¡± Tina said, frowning at Wraith. Wraith nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± As they spoke, the poison afflicting Lily was neutralized.

    Tina didn¡¯t linger any longer, taking Courtney with her as they left. Just as she closed the door, Wraith yelled from inside, ¡°Tina, you¡¯re such a bastard!¡± Courtney nced through the ss to see Wraith with his hands and feet on the ground and his head stretched upwards, resembling a turtle emerging from a bath¡­ ¡°Miss Reed, you really take your revenge seriously,¡± Courtneymented, giving a thumbs up silently.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Tina flicked her hair, not one to take an insult lying down. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, hooking Courtney¡¯s neck as they exited theb together. Just as they were about to get into the car, they both tensed up and swiftly rolled to either side. Two tranquilizer darts struck the car seats exactly where Tina and Courtney had just been standing.

    Tina stood at the rear of the car, her face grim as she looked in the direction from which the darts hade. Courtney, standing at the front, looked in the opposite direction, equally alert. Suddenly, agents dressed in the special squad uniforms of Bureau X surrounded them, led by Jason. Jason, inbat gear and goggles, looked surprised. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± he eximed.

    Tina¡¯s expression remained cold and unyielding. From Jason¡¯s reaction, it was clear he hadn¡¯t known the identity of his target until that moment. Ha! So much for Bureau X, the protector of national and public safety.

    Tina remained silent. After a moment, Jason turned to Courtney, ¡°Courtney, rejoin the squad!¡± He didn¡¯t understand why he was arresting Tina, but now that she was a suspect, and Courtney, being an Bureau X member, had toply.

    Courtney red back, ¡°I rejoin your grandpa!¡± Tina twitched a smile, looking at Courtney, ¡°Spend less time with Hayden from now on!¡± The once sweet girl had changed after just a few days with Hayden, now full of crude retorts. Hayden swore, ¡°I swear, she didn¡¯t get that from me!¡± Lysander added, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s all from Orson.¡± Orson tly denied it.

    ¡°I order you as the captain of the third squad, return to the team immediately!¡± Jason shouted.

    Courtney stepped behind Tina, ¡°My orders are from General Jared himself, to protect Tina at all costs, no matter who the opponent is!¡± Jason sighed without further argument. He nced at the XScreen for instructions, then aimed his gun at Tina, ¡°Tina, you are under arrest, surrender your weapons immediately.¡±

    Tina half-bowed her head, ¡°And the reason for my arrest?¡± Jason pursed his lips, ¡°Evidence indicates that you are CK¡¯s mastermind, Tiger.¡±

    Tina nearly burst intoughter, ¡°What evidence?¡± At that moment, a man emerged from behind the Bureau Xbatants, limping with a cane. Tina had never met him, but she had memorized his face since she was five. Christopher Parr, her mother¡¯s partner.

    Christopher Parr approached within two hundred meters of Tina and smiled, ¡°You really do look like Natalie.¡± ¡°Thanks, I hear that a lot,¡± Tina replied with a forced smile, her eyes not mirroring the sentiment. ¡°Captain Parr, you¡¯re not here for a reunion, so let¡¯s not talk about my mother,¡± she added. Christopher Parr agreed, ¡°You¡¯re right, we shouldn¡¯t. Let¡¯s get to the point.¡± He then produced a confession. ¡°This is from CK¡¯s second-inmand, ck Dragon, also known as Vivienne, who confessed three days ago to extend her medical parole. She admitted to everything you had her do, including records of unauthorized transactions using Jared¡¯s influence.¡±

    Tina nodded slightly, ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Christopher Parr turned another page. ¡°This is when you handed over Crimson Silk to Vivienne. Here¡¯s the guild¡¯s surveince proof, and the transfer ount you used to pay the engineer who killed Griffin. This requires your fingerprint for ess. You can¡¯t deny it now, can you?¡±

    Tina nodded again, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    Christopher Parr handed the confession and evidence to Jason, then looked at Tina, ¡°Next, we are going to seal off thisb and the film base near East Bay, as well as all properties registered in your name. We¡¯ll monitor everyone close to you, including Hugo¡¯s family, the Reed family of Ashbury, your associate Courtney, and Jared¡¯s family.¡±

    Tina finallyughed out loud, ¡°So, are you nning to monitor these people, or use them to threaten me?¡±

    Christopher Parr¡¯s eyes flickered but he did not respond.

    Silence meant consent.

    Tina stretched her neck and looked around, ¡°Just the few of you won¡¯t be able to beat us.¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯re skilled with drugs. The healing pills you made earlier have been distributed to the brothers here by Jared. They should counteract your poison, right?¡± Christopher Parr said with a sly smile.

    Tina clicked her tongue, ¡°Bound by my own healing pills, that¡¯s unexpected. But since you¡¯ve taken them, remember to pay up-five million dors each. For my uncle¡¯s sake, I¡¯ll give you a 20% discount.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they free?¡± Christopher Parr raised his hand.

    Tina twisted her wrist, ¡°Free for my uncle. You and I-are not close!¡±

    Christopher Parr chuckled, his raised hand falling back to his side.

    Apart from Jason, the other team members advanced.

    Jason hesitated for a few seconds, then also moved forward.

    Courtney was ready to fight, aiming directly at Jason. Capturing him would deter the rest.

    In contrast, Tina acted as if nothing was bothering her, leaning casually against the trunk of a car, then gracefully jumping up to sit on it.

    She spread her hand in front of her, blocking the ring sun, and looked off into the distance.

    Christopher Parr sensed something amiss. Just then, a series of empty gunshots rang out behind him.

    Jason was the first to turn around and head towards the source of the gunfire.

    He froze on the spot.

    The other team members were also unsure how to handle the situation now.

    Courtney rxed her stance and turned to Tina, ¡°Miss Reed, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Tina feigned contemtion, ¡°Probably, a hero saving the beauty.¡±

    Courtney choked up, indeed a hero saving the beauty.

    Christopher Parr also turned around, seeing Jared approaching, fully armed.

    Jared removed his goggles, his eyes gleaming with nobility and a chill in the sunlight.

    Following him were Hayden and Nathan.

    Christopher Parr approached calmly, smiling slightly, ¡°Should I address you now as Captain Farrell, or Chief Farrell?¡±

    ¡°Thetter.¡± Jared patted the medal on his shoulder, now adorned with a star.

    Christopher Parr pursed his lips, ¡°Orders came through?¡±

    ¡°Just did, should have been delivered to your office by now. But I¡¯m still serving as the special forces captain, so we¡¯ll need to cooperate,¡± Jared said as he presented another document, ¡°Furthermore, all evidence Vivienne had against our Tina is invalid. Here are the relevant documents.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes crinkled, ¡°Take a look! Chief Parr!¡±

 Chapter 486: Return Her to Me

    Christopher Parr meticulously inspected all the documents Jared had brought. They clearly outlined the evidence of Tina being framed, including Vivienne¡¯s own confession of the false usation, and Lily¡¯s testimony on how she stole Tina¡¯s fingerprints and attempted to murder someone in the operating room. In conclusion, Tina was innocent.

    Indifferently, Christopher Parr handed the documents back to Jared, his somewhat wrinkled red lips forming a slight curve. ¡°Well done.¡±

    Jared gazed at Christopher Parr, his guide in Bureau X, second only to Natalie. A smirk yed on his lips. ¡°I think so too-I did well!¡±

    Christopher Parr looked up to meet Jared¡¯s eyes, and both men stared at each other, neither speaking. The atmosphere turned somewhat solemn.

    Beside them, Hayden, Nathan, and Jason, who stood off to the side, all watched Christopher Parr intently. Throughout this period, Christopher Parr had targeted Jared, thwarted their actions, and sidelined everyone in Bureau X.

    He had kept Jason, who was not convinced of Tina¡¯s innocence, close but had not disclosed the true purpose of this operation. Those who made it into Bureau X were no fools. Christopher Parr¡¯s actions surely had a motive. Now, they could only specte why he targeted Tina and Jared-whether it was of his own volition or someone else¡¯s bidding.

    After a long look at Jared, Christopher Parr suddenly smiled. ¡°Since the order hase down from above, Tina is to be released without charges.¡±

    He paused, then added, ¡°However, whether she¡¯ll be this lucky next time is uncertain. It¡¯s best if Tina stays clear of CK; otherwise, I won¡¯t ignore thew out of respect for you.¡±

    Jared chuckled. ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time. If Tina really breaks thew, Chief Parr won¡¯t need to intervene-I¡¯ll arrest her myself.¡±

    How he would do that was his decision alone.

    Christopher Parr narrowed his eyes, his voice colder, ¡°I hope so.¡±

    Previously, Jared had always called him boss, but now, even that title was gone; he simply called him Chief Parr. It seemed the young wolf had grown up and was out of control.

    Jared put his goggles back on, said nothing more, and waved to his brothers gathered around, ¡°Pack up, Chief Parr is treating us to dinner tonight.¡±

    Now, Jared was a deputy director at the same level as Christopher Parr and the direct leader of the special squad. Naturally, everyone responded promptly, except for a few who still looked to Christopher Parr for approval.

    Christopher Parr was silent for a few seconds, thenposed himself. ¡°Alright, dinner is on me tonight.¡±

    At this announcement, cheers erupted from the crowd.

    Everyone understood that going forward, the Ashbury X Bureau was under new management.

    Christopher Parr was the first to head back to headquarters by car, leaving Jason at the scene.

    ¡°Captain, I apologize for earlier,¡± Jason said, though he didn¡¯t regard Tina as a criminal unless she actually broke thew. He had been shocked when the target of their mission turned out to be Tina.

    As the captain of the third squad of Bureau X¡¯s special team, he couldn¡¯t back down under those circumstances. It didn¡¯t matter if the person was Tina or even his own mother; he would have proceeded with the arrest.

    Jared nced at him, his tone indifferent. ¡°You were just doing your job. Why exin?¡±

    Jason pursed his lips, unsure what to say.

    Tina looked Jason up and down. Compared to thest time she saw him, his overall capabilities had improved significantly, likely because his old injuries had healed. If Jason and Courtney were to fight now, it was hard to say who would win.

    After a few seconds of silence, Jason led the third squad to pack up. Before leaving, he nced at Courtney, ¡°Return to the squad tomorrow.¡±

    Courtney saluted, ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±

    Jason looked deeply into her eyes.

    Only now she decided to call him captain, after all she had said before?

    After the special squad disbanded, Tina and Jared also returned to the vehicle and drove back to the city.

    In the car.

    Courtney still couldn¡¯t understand, how had Jared be the Deputy Director of the Bureau?

    As she thought this, she asked aloud.

    Hayden was driving, and since it was just them, secrets couldn¡¯t be hidden.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell directly reported the capture of Jasmine to the headquarters, skipping several levels, which normally isn¡¯t protocol. Surprisingly, someone assisted, saying although our captain is young, his qualifications are sufficient, and over the years, his numerous achievements and top-notch education meant that not promoting him would demoralize the grassroots. So, he got promoted,¡± Hayden exined.

    Lost in Hayden¡¯s informal exnation, Courtney finally grasped a key point, ¡°Who helped from the inside?¡±

    Jared and Tina exchanged nces, smiled at each other, but did not respond.

    Hayden paused, ¡°Yeah, who did help? That¡¯s some influence!¡±

    He was so happy about Jared¡¯s promotion that he hadn¡¯t considered who the influential backer was.

    Prompted by Courtney, he too started wondering-who was it?

    Given their current positions, climbing higher was incredibly challenging.

    Like himself, unless he made significant achievements, he could only hope for a promotion if Jared was transferred, giving him a chance to move up to squad leader, with Nathan and Jason as hispetitors.

    It was extremely difficult.

    And Jared was still under disciplinary action, yet here he was, returning as the Deputy Director!

    Hayden kept asking, but Jared kept silent, frustrating Hayden to the point of nearly being unable to continue driving.

    Tired of the questioning, Tina pped the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°Pa White!¡±

    Pa White had been involved.

    But more so, it was the Brookes family.

    This time, Jared could report Jasmine¡¯s capture directly to the headquarters because the Brookes family had assisted him, bypassing Christopher Parr and two others, further confirming that the traitor was among those three.

    Christopher Parr, Blue, and Roamer.

    Even Jared had never met Blue and Roamer in person.

    Only those at the deputy director level or higher could.

    But soon, Jared would have the opportunity to meet the other two and identify the traitor among them.

    Upon hearing it was Pa White, Hayden immediately shut his mouth; he knew Pa White was influential but not majorly so.

    However, he dared not ask further.

    Since Past called him and then never responded to his messages, not even allowing him into her house, he was frustrated.

    Just hearing Pa White¡¯s name made him behave.

    The car finally quieted down.

    Jared was supposed to take Tina home but unexpectedly received a call from Logan halfway.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Jared,e back, there¡¯s trouble at home.¡±

    Immediately, Jared turned around and headed back to the Farrell family.

    Upon arrival, Tina and Jared got out, while Hayden and Courtney stayed outside.

    As they entered, they heard Abigail crying.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Jared asked.

    Sophia ran into Jared¡¯s arms, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m so scared, please check on Uncle Joshua.¡±

    Joshua was sitting on the couch,forting Abigail, with no visible injuries.

    However, on the table, there was a dagger identical to the one previously stuck at the Farrell family¡¯s front door.

    Attached to it was a note-¡®Give her back to me!¡¯

 Chapter 487: Where Jasmine is Detained

    Jared¡¯s face darkened.

    Tina picked up the note, her cold eyes narrowing slightly, ¡°Where did you find this?¡±

    Joshua sighed, ¡°When I woke up this morning, it was right on my bedside table. Abigail and I saw it as soon as we opened our eyes.¡±

    Marie was also terrified, ¡°Our home security system is so robust, and there were no signs of anyone enteringst night. How could someone have ced a knife at the bedside without being detected? It really scared me to death.¡±

    After speaking, Marie hesitated and then looked at Abigail, ¡°Abigail, I mean no offense, just asking-was your ex-boyfriend from Ashbury?¡±

    Abigail wiped her tears, ¡°Marie, Joshua is my first love. I¡¯ve never had a boyfriend before, and not many boys have pursued me. Even if there are any, they¡¯re all abroad now. I don¡¯t even know who the person mentioned on the note is.¡±

    Joshua held Abigail in his arms, constantly soothing her back, ¡°I know it wasn¡¯t you. Don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Marie felt somewhat guilty and handed over a tissue,forting her together with Joshua.

    Tina handed the note to Jared.

    They knew that the ¡°her¡± mentioned in the note referred to Jasmine.

    It seems someone is bing impatient.

    Jasmine must be harboring many secrets.

    During this time, Tina had kept Jasmine in a ce no one would think of, yet she hadn¡¯t rushed to question her.

    After all, those who needed to know, already knew.

    Except for the GTO¡¯s boss!

    But she wasn¡¯t in a hurry; when it was time for someone to slip, they would inevitably do so.

    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this,¡± Jared said as he put away the note and soothed Sophia in his arms.

    The little one was also terrified, her small face turning somewhat pale.

    Jared upgraded the Farrell family¡¯s security system to the highest level, changed the locks in every room, and fortified the windows and any other possible entry points.

    Nowadays, even a fly would find it difficult to enter.

    After calming Abigail, Joshua left her with Marie and Tina, and went to the study with Logan and Jared.

    The matter of the knife ced at the bedside was too significant to overlook.

    Having just returned to the country, Joshua would not have offended anyone; it must be one of the Farrell family¡¯s other enemies.

    ¡°Jared, is everything okay on your end?¡± Logan asked.

    Jared replied, ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Dad, could it be apetitor from thepany?¡± Joshua inquired.

    ¡°No, the note mentioned returning someone. Our Farrell family hasn¡¯t hidden anyone. Over the years, only old Muff has ever asked me for someone, and even he hasn¡¯t seeded,¡± Logan snorted coldly, his voice growing stern, ¡°It seems someone has set their sights on our Farrell family. You all need to be extra careful, especially you.¡±

    Logan tapped the ground in front of Jared¡¯s toes with his cane.

    Logan knew all too well that Jared was the only one who could stir up such trouble.

    Although he never interfered with Jared¡¯s activities, he knew they were fraught with danger, beyond what ordinary people could endure.

    He had known something dangerous was afoot when someone stabbed a knife into the Farrell family¡¯s front gate.

    But he hadn¡¯t expected that now, such a knife would end up in Joshua¡¯s bedroom.

    Jared nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa.¡±

    Logan didn¡¯t ask any further.

    In the living room.

    Abigail was still wiping her tears, truly frightened.

    It was no wonder she was so scared.

    Anyone who wakes up to find a knife in front of them would be terrified out of their wits.

    Especially someone as timid as Abigail.

    Tina ced her hand on Abigail¡¯s shoulder, who instinctively shrank back, then realized and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tina, I¡¯m just too nervous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll help you rx,¡± Tina said, not minding at all.

    Abigail nodded, gathering her waterfall-like long hair to one side, allowing Tina to ease her shoulders and neck.

    Tina used her internal energy, pressing on both sides of Abigail¡¯s nape.

    Indeed, Abigail rxed considerably, the fear pent up in her heart gradually dissipating. ¡°Tina, you¡¯re really amazing.¡±

    Tina smiled, her gaze lingering on Abigail¡¯s cascade of ck hair. ¡°Your hair is quite nice.¡±

    Hearing this, Abigail shyly lowered her head. ¡°It¡¯s all Joshua¡¯s doing. I hardly ever manage it myself. After each wash, he lovingly applies conditioner, even teaching me how to blow-dry it properly. It works really well.¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Seeing the mood lighten, Marie chuckled, ¡°No wonder you cherish your hair so much. Sophia says every time she sees you, you¡¯re always brushing it, taking such good care of it, and it doesn¡¯t even fall out.¡±

    ¡°It still does fall out, just not noticeably because I brush it so often,¡± Abigail replied, touching her hair before looking at Tina. ¡°That knife¡­ it¡¯s not really a problem, right? Could it be that Joshua offended someone outside, without being aware, and now we are facing the repercussions?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a prank,¡± Tina reassured her with a smile, suddenly noticing a tattoo on Abigail¡¯s arm.

    Abigail, catching Tina¡¯s gaze, openly disyed her arm. ¡°Are you looking at this tattoo? I got it abroad during an experience, and Joshua chose the design for me. Although the tiger is a bit scary, it looks pretty good, so I went for it.¡±

    Tina stared intensely for a moment.

    The tattoo¡¯s design was identical to the one on Lily¡¯s body.

    After calming Abigail, Jared and Tina left the Farrell family.

    They drove to the Reed family¡¯s home. Courtney and Hayden entered alert mode but managed to conceal their presence well.

    Tina and Jared turned on the lights; Hugo and Jennie were still out, and Zackary was at school attending an event, not home.

    The pair entered Tina¡¯s bedroom and approached the bed.

    Jared sighed, ¡°Such a nice bed, what a pity.¡±

    Tina bent down and pressed a seemingly inconspicuous spot at the foot of the bed.

    To their surprise, the bed moved forward, slowly revealing a hidden entrance!

    Tina turned on her shlight, leading the way into the opening, saying, ¡°If you like, you can have my bed.¡±

    Jared replied, ¡°I was not talking about the bed! It¡¯s about this opportune moment!¡±

    Tina responded, puzzled, ¡°Oh? I don¡¯t understand!¡±

    Hayden interjected from outside, ¡°Can you stop flirting? I¡¯m still out here getting eaten by mosquitoes!¡±

    Jared followed closely behind Tina into the dark staircase, eventually reaching level ground.

    ¡°Turn on the lights,¡± Tinamanded, and the previously dark room instantly brightened.

    Jared shielded his eyes briefly before reopening them to clearly see their surroundings.

    ¡°Tina, you¡¯ve opened my eyes once again.¡±

    The secret base, though small, was fully equipped with a refrigerator, television, oven, microwave, and even smart home controls.

    The only thing that shouldn¡¯t be here was Jasmine, now bound to a chair with chains.

    No one could have imagined that Jasmine was hidden under Tina¡¯s bed!

    Tina smiled, fetching a Coke from the fridge for Jared, then sat across from Jasmine. ¡°Mr. White, we meet again.¡±

    Jasmine slowly opened her eyes, her lips cracked, voice hoarse, and her face marked with a gruesome scar.

    ¡°Tina, just kill me, I won¡¯t say anything.¡±

 Chapter 488: The Same Fingerprint

    Tina was not in a hurry as she flipped through her phone to show a photo, then handed it to Jasmine. She spoke calmly, ¡°Is this Tiger¡¯s mark?¡±

    Jasmine looked up and scoffed, ¡°So what if it is? Even if you found this mark, you couldn¡¯t catch him.¡±

    Tina sneered back, ¡°You¡¯ve never even met him. How can you make such bold ims without shame?¡±

    Jasmine was stunned. Tina knew even this!

    Tiger had not chosen to work with her but had instead coborated with the real boss of GTO, Five Poisons. In other words, Tiger had not even considered her, despite her being the second-inmand at GTO.

    Tina drank her soda too quickly and burped without regard for her image, causing Jared to smile slightly and gently pat her on the back.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    ¡°Drink slower, no one ispeting with you.¡±

    Tina gave Jared a meaningful look and smiled sweetly at him.

    Jasmine, sitting across them, cursed, ¡°You two are shameless.¡±

    Tina confidently leaned on Jared¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Tell me, where is your mom?¡±

    Jasmine¡¯s eyes widened in horror at Tina, as if she had heard something she shouldn¡¯t have. It took her a moment to respond.

    What Tina had said was indeed, ¡°Where is your mom?¡±

    After a while, Jasmine barely managed to reply, ¡°What are you bbering about?¡±

    Tina looked at Jared, who then pulled out a document, ¡°This was found in your GTOb. It confirms that you and your boss are mother and daughter.¡±

    Jasmine was shocked that Tina had managed to obtain even this document.

    No one in GTO knew about her rtionship with Five Poisons.

    It was a blood analysis report, with her name and Five Poisons¡¯,beled as mother and daughter.

    Tina took the document, ¡°Oh, not biological, so Five Poisons must have adopted you. Out of gratitude for raising you, you serve her.¡±

    Jasmine spat out, ¡°What do you know? The kindness my mom showed me, you¡¯ll never understand. Stop acting all high and mighty, thinking I¡¯d tell you where she is. Dream on!¡±

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°So, for your mom¡¯s kindness, you killed my mom!¡±

    With that, Tina dashed towards Jasmine like a gust of wind and fiercely grasped her throat.

    With just a bit more pressure, Jasmine¡¯s neck could be snapped instantly!

    In theb provided by Lily, Tina had not only found proof that Jasmine was Five Poison¡¯s adopted daughter but also discovered a mobile phone.

    Thest call made from that phone was to her mother, on the very day shemitted suicide!

    The phone, carrying only Jasmine¡¯s fingerprint, had been stored in an evidence bag in the GTOb.

    Ten years had passed, yet the phone still retained some battery life!

    The gadgets used were all leftovers from her mother¡¯s time.

    The people of GTO really were addicted to imitation!

    Jasmine, choked by Tina, was nearly unable to speak, her eyes bulging and her face turning red from suffocation.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t¡­ not me¡­ I never¡­ never met¡­ Natalie!¡±

    Jared stepped forward, stopping Tina, ¡°Tina, she was only fifteen ten years ago, it couldn¡¯t have been her.¡±

    Tina¡¯s gaze hardened, and she reluctantly released her grip.

    Indeed, it wasn¡¯t Jasmine.

    A twenty-five-year-old Jasmine posed no threat to her, let alone a fifteen-year-old Jasmine who couldn¡¯t have been the murderer of her mother.

    But she knew, thest person to call her mother was definitely using this phone.

    It wasn¡¯t Jasmine; it had to be Five Poisons.

    But there was nothing on the phone except Jasmine¡¯s fingerprint.

    There was only one possibility left.

    Five Poisons and Jasmine shared the same fingerprint!

    Just like Lily had once used her fingerprint, Five Poisons had always used her adopted daughter¡¯s identity to conceal her own.

    They had found so many pieces of evidence of Jasmine¡¯s crimes, likely mingled with traces of the Five Poisons.

    The real boss of GTO.

    Tina gradually calmed down and sat back on the sofa. ¡°Jasmine, over the next three days, people wille to interrogate you. You¡¯d better confess all your crimes clearly. If not, it doesn¡¯t matter; they will make you wish you were dead.¡±

    As soon as Tina finished speaking, two figures emerged from the dimness.

    It was Callum Maguire and Snow Judd!

    Jasmine red at them, ¡°Traitors, aren¡¯t you afraid that the Five Poisons will find you and tear you apart to feed the dogs?¡±

    Snow Judd rolled up his sleeves, holding a syringe in his hand, and chuckled, ¡°Tear us apart to feed the dogs? I¡¯ll feed you to the dogs first!¡±

    With that, Snow Judd plunged the syringe into Jasmine¡¯s neck, injecting the entire contents.

    Jasmine couldn¡¯t even speak as she began to convulse. Soon, her limbs stiffened, and the only thing she could move was her mouth.

    Callum Maguireughed, turned respectfully to Tina, and said, ¡°Young master, leave this to us. We¡¯ll make sure Mr. White¡­ Jasmine tells nothing but the truth.¡±

    Tina nodded. She was somewhat aware of GTO¡¯s ruthless interrogation methods.

    What Jasmine never imagined was that one day these methods would be used on her, executed by her former subordinates.

    Tina and Jared left the basement.

    Just as he crawled out from under the bed, Jared suddenly remembered something and turned to Tina, ¡°Young master?¡±

    Was that how Callum Maguire addressed Tina?

    When had she be some young master?

    Which young master?

    Tina paused, then asked, ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°Should I know?¡± Jared countered.

    Tina twitched her mouth, ¡°Did no one tell you that I¡¯m the young master of Mountain Veil Order?¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    No, they hadn¡¯t.

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, somewhat speechless, ¡°I thought you knew.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to tell Uncle about her identity in the Mountain Veil Order; she genuinely thought he knew.

    She had sent Jayden on many missions, especially entrusting him to Callum Maguire and Snow Judd.

    Since Uncle never asked, she truly believed he knew.

    Jared coughed lightly, ¡°Madam, your thighs are too thick, can I still carry you?¡±

    Tinaughed, ¡°Of course you can! Sister¡¯s got you covered!¡±

    Jared alsoughed, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll be a kept man from now on.¡±

    Seems like being a kept man isn¡¯t too bad!

    He was getting older, his teeth not as good!

    Can¡¯t eat things that are too hard!

    Soft rice is just right!

    As they talked, they heard the sound of Hugo¡¯s family entering.

    ¡°Zackary, did you have fun today?¡±

    It was Jennie¡¯s voice.

    Zackary sighed, ¡°It was okay, just a bit unhappy being by myself since mom and dad weren¡¯t there, and other kids hadpany.¡±

    Hugo and Jennie felt guilty, ¡°Sorry Zackary, it¡¯s mom and dad¡¯s fault for not making time this time. We promise to join you for the parent-child activities next time, okay?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I know mom and dad are busy, and I¡¯ve decided to ask sister and brother-inw next time. Sophia¡¯s little sister said they¡¯re always together and have lots of time.¡±

    Hugo sat next to Zackary, ¡°Zackary, your sister and brother-inw are also very busy, try not to bother them too much, okay? Sometimes they can¡¯t evene home¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, the door to Tina¡¯s bedroom opened, and Tina and Jared stood together in the doorway.

    ¡°Tina! When did you guys get back? Why didn¡¯t you turn on the lights?¡± Hugo hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he saw Tina and Jared, his emotions instantly bing excited.

 Chapter 489: Sudden Assignment

    In the middle of the night, two people were in the bedroom without the lights on.

    ¡°Jared! What have you done to my daughter?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s still underage!¡±

    Tina: ¡°I¡¯m almost twenty.¡±

    Hugo: ¡°To me, you¡¯re underage even if you were eighty!¡±

    Tina: ¡°¡­¡±

    Jared, faced with Hugo¡¯s nearly fiery eyes, felt helpless. ¡°We were just talking.¡±

    ¡°Why talk in the dark? Brother-inw, is it true what Sophia said, that you were kissing in the room?¡± Zackary chuckled, covering his mouth.

    Sophia had indeed told Zackary everything, including the time she heard Tina and Jared kissing in the bedroom!

    Hugo¡¯s eyes widened even further.

    Jared: ¡°It¡¯s not what it seems, father-inw, please let me exin!¡±

    Sophia: ¡°I only knocked on the door after I heard them kissing.¡±

    Jennie blushed and pulled Zackary away, ¡°Zackary, don¡¯t talk nonsense. Your sister and brother-inw were in the room¡­ doing homework, right, you should do your homework now.¡±

    Zackaryughed mischievously and went into the bedroom hugging his schoolbag.

    Jared deliberately avoided Hugo¡¯s gaze, cleared his throat, ¡°Mom, Dad, I should head back now.¡±

    After saying that, Jared ran off as if his feet were greased.

    It seemed like nothing, but the more Zackary talked, the guiltier they felt!

    What was Hayden doing instead of keeping watch?

    Hayden and Courtney were indeed standing guard diligently.

    Seeing Jarede out the door, they dropped their guard and approached him, ¡°Mr. Farrell, is everything resolved?¡±

    Jared kicked Hayden in the rear, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see someone going up?¡±

    Courtney and Hayden looked puzzled and nodded together.

    ¡°We saw, we even texted you.¡±

    Especially Hayden, rubbing his backside with a hurt expression, he had sent the information to Jared as soon as he saw Hugo¡¯s family still ten meters away.

    Jared checked his phone, and indeed there was a message¡­

    He just hadn¡¯t noticed it while with Tina.

    Jared cleared his throat and pointed at Courtney, ¡°Continue with the mission.¡±

    Then looked at Hayden, ¡°You, take me home.¡±

    Hayden caught on, ¡°Oh, I get it. Did you do something to Serena that our father-inw saw?¡±

    Jared nced at him, ¡°After you drop me home, go do five hundred push-ups and six hundred sit-ups outside Pa White¡¯s house. Don¡¯t return until you¡¯re done!¡±

    Hayden was stunned, as if struck by lightning. Doing push-ups and sit-ups was fine, but why in front of Pa White¡¯s house?

    As they were about to split up, everyone¡¯s XScreen rang simultaneously.

    It was a direct mission from the headquarters to the X Bureau special squad, requiring full alert.

    ¡°Tiger spotted in West City. Wolf Squad, deploy immediately!¡±

    The joking expressions vanished from their faces instantly. Courtney was about to speak when Jared said, ¡°Continue with the mission, stay with Tina!¡±

    Courtney saluted, ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    Jared and Hayden immediately set off.

    Jared¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed, his expression grave.

    Tiger¡¯s trace in West City?

    That area was a mining district with several illegal coal mines. Although previously targeted and now abandoned, it was far and outside the urban nning area, so it had been neglected.

    Why would Tiger appear there?

    Courtney returned home and informed Tina about the sudden mission, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but Miss Reed, something feels off.¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°It is off.¡±

    Not to mention why Tiger would appear in West City, but the mission itself had many irregrities.

    The X Bureau usually arranged all positioning points before issuing a mission, including overallmand, snipers, etc., and sent maps and other information to each team leader¡¯s XScreen, deciding who would lead and who would follow.

    Even in urgent missions, they would notify the leaders in advance, discuss the n within half an hour, and then execute it via XScreen.

    After all, every mission at X Bureau involved life-threatening stakes; therefore, the team never acted hastily to ensure the safety of its members.

    CK was an organization that X Bureau had long pursued internally, and Tiger, the leader of CK, had a bounty rating of five stars.

    Was it really possible to attempt to capture such an important fugitive without organized preparation?

    Tina frowned, ¡°Courtney,e with me to see Pa White.¡±

    Without asking further, Courtney dressed and armed himself with a pistol before following Tina out the door.

    At X Bureau, Jared, Hayden, and others had changed intobat gear and boarded the vehicle headed for West City. It was only on the vehicle that the team received a basic map of the terrain, which did not specifically mark any dangerous areas.

    ¡°The satellite map hasn¡¯te through yet; familiarize yourselves with the basic terrain first,¡± Jared instructed from the front of the vehicle.

    The operation was directly overseen by the headquarters through satellite, with Christopher Parr in the onsitemand vehicle and Jared participating as the head of the squad.

    Hayden¡¯s team, the vanguard, was responsible for scouting the terrain. Nathan¡¯s team provided peripheral cover, while Jason and Jared went deep into enemy territory.

    Jason lost his temper on the vehicle, not because he was entering enemy territory, but because he was doing so alongside Jared.

    ¡°Captain, you are our leader, how can we allow you to charge into battle personally?¡± Jared was supposed tomand from the rear, ensuring the safety of all team members.

    Having the squad leader, who was also the deputy director, prate deep into enemy lines was indeed unprecedented.

    At that moment, their headsets were connected to the onsitemand vehicle, and Christopher Parr heard everything clearly.

    Jason, unafraid that Christopher would hear, asserted, ¡°This isn¡¯t following protocol; someone is clearly targeting Jared!¡±

    And now, the only person Jared had managed to offend was Christopher Parr.

    Over the headset, Christopher Parr spoke calmly, ¡°Why all the chatter?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all the chatter I have!¡± Frustrated, Jason ripped off his headset.

    Jared shot him a re, ¡°Put it on!¡±

    Jason, though resentful, reluctantly put the headset back on, simmering quietly to the side.

    Jared stood up, moved to the center, and after issuingmands to all the team members, his gaze turned to Jason, ¡°Follow orders and obeymands, do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I understand!¡±

    Jared kicked Jason, ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°I understand!¡± Jason shouted back, no longer disying the demeanor of a beleaguered wife.

    As dawn broke, the X Bureau¡¯s special squad arrived at their destination. They disembarked in an orderly fashion and moved to their designated locations.

    Hayden and Nathan, followed by Jared, disembarkedst, with Jason trailing behind.

    ¡°Still no satellite map; what good is just a basic map?¡± Hayden, though more patient than Jason, was also frustrated.

    Now that they had reached their destination and the satellite map was still not avable, the uing operation would be severely handicapped.

    Jared, his left arm around Hayden¡¯s shoulder and his right hooked around Jason, nodded to Nathan, who leaned in close.

    The four formed a circle.

    Jared used the tip of his boot to write several letters on the ground.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Connected together, the letters meant that upon hearing the word ¡°run¡± over the headset, they should immediately retreat.

    These letters were a form of shorthand used internally at X Bureau, akin to Morse code.

    The other three understood, and Jared believed something was off about this mission.

    They nodded together, erased the letters from the ground, and headed to their respective operational locations.

    ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Christopher Parr¡¯s voice came through the headset.

    Jared tapped his headset and replied with a smile, ¡°Just a ritual before heading out on a mission.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit, get moving. I¡¯m about to connect to the headquartersmand system,¡± Christopher Parr cursed, and then activated themand system of the headquarters.

 Chapter 490: Jared in Danger

    Jared, following a map, went with Jason to a nearby abandoned mine. At the edge of the mine, they discovered hidden marks of ¡°Tiger¡± and several important documents belonging to CK.

    ¡°Report, there¡¯s a mark,¡± Jason shouted into his headset.

    The response came not from Christopher Parr, but from the headquarters¡¯mander, ¡°Received, go down into the mine.¡±

    Jared and Jason exchanged nces, put on oxygen masks, and descended into the mine together.

    Every few steps within the mine, another Tiger mark appeared, faint but traceable.

    As they reached the deeper parts, the air thinned noticeably, and a faint smell of blood wafted from within.

    Suddenly, a clod of earth fell from right above Jared.

    Jared¡¯s eyes fixed, ¡°Run!¡±

    Jason reacted swiftly, signaling to the team behind them, and the neatly organized Third Squad quickly ran towards the exit.

    At that moment, Jason heard a thunderous copse behind him.

    ¡°Captain!¡±

    ¡°You go first.¡±

    Jared¡¯s voice came through the headset, and Jason could only glimpse Jared¡¯s figure through the crevices.

    ¡°Captain, I¡¯ll get you out,¡± Jason and a few team members halted.

    Jaredmanded coldly, ¡°Get out, that¡¯s an order! After you¡¯re out, go find Tina!¡±

    Hayden and Nathan, sensing trouble, asked, ¡°Commander, what¡¯s happening there?¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Mine¡­ copsing¡­ leave¡­¡±

    Jared¡¯s voice faded away in the headset.

    Ignoring their own safety, Hayden and Nathan led their people toward Jared¡¯s location in the mine.

    Before they got close, a helicopter appeared overhead, raining bullets down like a spring shower, indiscriminately strafing the area.

    Hayden and Nathan fought while retreating to themand center, but due to unfamiliarity with the terrain, the vanguard squad often ran into copsed parts of the mine and fell in.

    Nathan quickly regrouped with Hayden, and as their firepower increased, they managed to rescue the injured members.

    Inside themand center, Christopher Parr shouted into the microphone, ¡°Wolf, unidentified firepower overhead, retreat immediately!¡±

    Inside the mine, Jared discarded his useless headset and yelled to Jason, who was still struggling outside, ¡°My headset¡¯s down; there¡¯s something jamming the signal here, go support Husky.¡±

    Jason heard the sounds of battle outside; the mine continued to copse, and his signal was breaking.

    Staying would mean total annihtion.

    The only option was to get out quickly and then bring reinforcements for Jared!

    Jason wiped away tears, ¡°Captain, wait for my return!¡±

    After escaping the mine with a few remaining team members, despite their vignce, many suffered broken arms and legs.

    Jason, protecting his teammates, suffered a severe head injury.

    Just as they got out, Jason¡¯s headset signal returned, and he heard Christopher Parr ordering Wolf to retreat.

    Bearing the pain, Jason said, ¡°Command base, Wolf¡¯s signal is down, send the location of the overhead firepower immediately!¡±

    There was no time to consider the consequences; they had to shoot down the helicopter to stop the iing fire and minimize damage.

    Christopher Parr cursed under his breath and immediately transmitted the location of the firepower to the XScreen.

    Three squads quickly ended the battle, shooting down two helicopters, with a third disappearing.

    After repelling the overhead threat, the squads regrouped at the starting point.

    There were casualties, but fortunately, they were not severe.

    Though it was hard to call it fortunate.

    Jason applied a quick bandage to himself and informed Hayden of the mine¡¯s location, ¡°The captain is still inside.¡±

    ¡°Darn it!¡± Hayden took two machine guns from a team member and strapped them on, ¡°First Squad, if you can move, follow me.¡±

    Nathan did the same, ¡°Second Squad, follow me.¡±

    Jason turned to follow but nearly passed out from the blood loss from the wound on his head.

    Nathan grabbed the man, ¡°Go back and report, get treated, or the captain will scold you when he returns.¡±

    Jason¡¯s tears, which had just stopped, almost started flowing again.

    Jared was in critical condition, and the hearts of the entire special squad were gripped with anxiety.

    At that moment, Christopher Parr, leaning on a crutch, walked over quickly, nearly falling over. He stormed up, shouting, ¡°Everyone get back now!¡±

    ¡°Boss, our captain is in there!¡± Hayden shouted back defiantly.

    Besides being their captain, Jared was also the brother Hayden had grown up with; Hayden couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch him buried under a mine.

    ¡°I know, but look at your brothers around you. Aren¡¯t their lives also important? Don¡¯t you all have wounds? Get back now, I am your fieldmander, follow orders!¡±

    Christopher Parr forcefully pushed Hayden back, then handed Jason over to Nathan, ¡°Take him back for treatment, and afterwards, write down everything about the mine and report to me!¡±

    At that moment, amunications officer from themand vehicle approached with a walkie-talkie, ¡°Deputy Director, it¡¯s themander from the headquarters.¡±

    Christopher Parr took it, ¡°This is Christopher Parr.¡±

    ¡°Who authorized you to act rashly? Did I order you to enter the mine? Stand by, don¡¯t you understand? Running around without satellite maps!¡±

    The voice from the walkie-talkie was loud, allowing Jason and others to hear it clearly.

    ¡°We only entered the mine following instructions from the headquarters, when were we ordered to stand by?¡± Jason retorted.

    The other side hesitated, then shouted, ¡°Bullshit, I¡¯ve been yelling until my throat is hoarse, telling you to evacuate from the mine!¡±

    Christopher Parr quickly responded, shouting into the walkie-talkie and to themunications officer, ¡°Check themunications equipment immediately for viruses!¡±

    The other side also realized the urgency and yelled to check swiftly.

    Indeed, both the headquarters and the fieldmand vehicle had been infected with a virus.

    ¡°Damn it.¡± Christopher Parr kicked the truck in frustration.

    It was the first time that both the headquarters and they themselves had been yed like this by someone.

    This Tiger, quite a yer indeed.

    Christopher Parr quickly organized the remaining personnel, selecting some to transport the injured to the hospital. Before Jason was carried onto the stretcher, he pulled Hayden aside, ¡°The captain said to inform Tina once I got out.¡±

    ¡°I got it.¡± Hayden nodded and immediately dialed Tina on his phone.

    Tina answered quickly, her first words were, ¡°Send me your location.¡±

    Hayden paused, ¡°Serena, where are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on my way to the west side of the city, send me your exact location, I¡¯ll be there in five minutes.¡±

    Hayden was stunned; Tina had anticipated the emergency and was already en route without needing to be informed!

    ¡°Yes.¡± Hayden nced at Christopher Parr, decided not to report, and sent the current location of X Bureau to Tina.

    Disciplinary actions were a secondary concern now; Jared¡¯s life was paramount!

    Five minutester, Tina pulled up not far from themand vehicle.

    Courtney and Pa White got out of the car with her, each carrying a box.

    Christopher Parr saw Tina approaching, paused for a few seconds, then quickly reacted, cutting off Hayden who was about to greet her.

    Hayden pretended not to see and calmly went to meet her.

    ¡°Serena, Mr. Farrell is trapped at the bottom of the mine, and currently, it¡¯s impossible to know the situation inside,¡± Hayden briefly exined the predicament.

    Tina frowned slightly, as expected, he was buried in the mine.

    ¡°Send me the coordinates.¡± Tina said while opening herptop, her fingers swiftly moving across the keyboard. The satellite map of the west city appeared on the big screen directly.

    Just as Hayden was about to speak, Christopher Parr hit his leg with the crutch to stop him.

    ¡°Tina, are you sure you can safely rescue Jared?¡±

    At that moment, the voice from the walkie-talkie spoke again, ¡°Christopher Parr, no external personnel may intervene in this operation, those are the rules!¡±

 Chapter 491: Tina, I Love You

    Tina didn¡¯t respond, her cold eyes fixed intensely on Christopher Parr across from her, her gaze sharp and captivating.

    Christopher Parr fell silent for a few seconds, then turned off the inte.

    The voice calling out his name abruptly ceased.

    ¡°Do you have a secure n to rescue Jared?¡± he asked.

    In that moment, Christopher Parr seemed to embody the daunting presence of a soul forged in the heat of battle.

    Nathan and Hayden were taken aback.

    Christopher Parr had been their instructor years ago. Since bing deputy director, his imposing aura had seemingly faded.

    They had assumed that Christopher Parr was past his prime, just an old man confined to an office.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    However, they were wrong. He had merely concealed his fierceness, letting it simmer beneath a facade of kindness cultivated over the years.

    Tina¡¯s eyes, dark and uncontroble, remained on Christopher Parr. ¡°Jared is my love.¡±

    That single statement was more tangible than any promise.

    ¡°My love, how could I possibly let him be in danger?¡±

    Hearing Tina¡¯s resolute and unyielding words, Christopher Parr turned to his side. ¡°Hayden, take Tina to the coordinates. Nathan, hurry to Jason and have him report the situation inside the mine in real time!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not thatplicated,¡± Tina said as she opened up a satellite map, which disyed the interior of the mine.

    Inside the mine, a faint red dot indicated Jared¡¯s location.

    Nathan followed Tina, ¡°Ma¡¯am, the air is thin inside, and we don¡¯t know how much oxygen the captain has left, nor can we reach him.¡±

    ¡°Is he wearing his headset?¡± Tina asked.

    ¡°He is, but we¡¯ve lost contact. It seems there¡¯s a signal jammer inside, not sure how long it willst,¡± Hayden quickly added.

    ¡°That will do.¡± Tina took a device resembling a Bluetooth speaker from Pa White¡¯s box and connected it to theputer screen.

    As it activated, the X Bureau agents still present, including Hayden, lost allmunication.

    Even themand vehicle where Christopher Parr was seated lost all signals.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Another virus?¡± Christopher Parr asked, surprised.

    ¡°No.¡± Tina typed a series of codes, and a prompt appeared on theputer screen. ¡°Hayden, what¡¯s the XScreen code for the boss?¡±

    ¡°0001.¡±

    Tina entered the code, and soon faint breathing sounds emerged from the speaker.

    Everyone was shocked, and Christopher Parr looked at Tina incredulously, unsure of what had happened.

    Tina put on the headset. ¡°Boss, can you hear me?¡±

    A few seconds passed, then a voice responded, ¡°Tina?¡±

    ¡°Holy smokes, it¡¯s Mr. Farrell!¡± Hayden eximed. ¡°Serena, you¡¯re a genius!¡±

    Christopher Parr now understood the principle behind Tina¡¯s currentmunication with Jared.

    She had redirected allmunication signals to Jared¡¯s and her own devices, with the Bluetooth speaker serving as a designated signal transmitter.

    By entering Jared¡¯s code, all signals were funneled into the disconnected XScreen.

    Christopher Parr¡¯s look of admiration deepened as he watched Tina.

    She had indeed surpassed her teacher.

    ¡°Boss, tell me your exact location and the surroundings; I need precise numbers,¡± Tina demanded, staring at theputer screen. The satellite map wasn¡¯t very clear, so she needed exact details to devise a n.

    Jared reported his coordinates, ¡°I¡¯m in a temporary stop room within the mine. There¡¯s some air left here, and a cave that offers some shelter, but I¡¯m not sure how long it will hold. There¡¯s about thirty percent oxygen left in the tank.¡±

    Tina locked onto his location using the coordinates Jared provided. It was about a kilometer from the entrance of the mine, not an ideal area. The thinness of the air was unimaginable. The condition of the copse from his position to the entrance was unknown; they could only st through bit by bit to rescue him. If they sted from above Jared¡¯s location, it could easily cause a secondary copse, endangering his life.

    Tina furrowed her brow, ¡°Uncle, can you hold on for two days?¡± To ensure a safe rescue, she had to keep the operation within two days. Jared chuckled, ¡°Wait for me outside, I can hold on for twenty days.¡± How could he die here when he hadn¡¯t yet married his beloved Tina?

    Hayden couldn¡¯t help himself and shouted at the speaker, ¡°Conserve your strength, Mr. Farrell, we areing to save you.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Tina¡¯s expression darkened slightly, ¡°Uncle, do not speak unless absolutely necessary.¡±

    ¡°Just onest thing,¡± Jared seemed to move, causing some static through the speaker that quickly settled, ¡°Tina, I love you.¡±

    Tina bit her lower lip slightly, her nose tingling as she responded through the headset, word by word, ¡°Jared, I love you too.¡± The X Bureau¡¯s special team quickly arranged explosives at the mine entrance. To safely dig out a passage, they needed to st the rocks and earth blocking the entrance. It was a risky act. sting a mine already at risk of copse was like dancing at death¡¯s door.

    This was a new type of bomb developed by Pa White, smaller and more portable than thetest bombs, simr in size to a grenade but more powerful. What was special was that these bombs, through precise arrangement calctions, controlled the st radius. Like Chinese medicine, where elements counteract orplement each other, ten bombs could produce the effect of half a bomb or possibly ten bombs could produce the effect of a hundred.

    It all depended on their arrangement. The bombs were still in the development stage and had not been tested in practice, making Pa White uneasy, ¡°Serena, I must remind you again, the ¡®Morning Glory¡¯ has not been tested; this is its first detonation.¡± ¡®Morning Glory¡¯ was the name Pa White had given to this bomb.

    Tina, seeing the results of meticulous calctions, didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment, ¡°Detonate.¡± A second¡¯s hesitation meant a second more of danger for Jared, and once decided, Tina would not waver! Pa White looked at Hayden, whose heart was also in his throat, but if Tina said it was okay, it was okay for him. Hayden nodded firmly, cing all his hope on the ¡®Morning Glory¡¯.

    Pa White, seeing this, pressed the detonation switch. Ten explosions sounded in session, dust billowing into the air like fireworks, then falling like a barrage of bullets. Everyone covered their noses and mouths with their arms, waiting until all the dust had settled. Hayden went to check the entrance.

    Nathan and the others held their breath, waiting for the oue. Hayden thenughed, ¡°Serena, we¡¯ve sted a hole one and a half meters in diameter, ten meters deep!¡±

 Chapter 492: I Am Here, Missing You

    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Unlike other mines, using heavy machinery like excavators here could easily cause a copse, especially since the mining area in the west was already heavily excavated. Now with the ¡°Trumpet Flower,¡± they could ensure that the mine would not copse again and could easily break open the blocked entrance, facilitating digging and significantly reducing the time needed.

    Nathan held a military shovel and said, ¡°Brothers, follow me.¡± Many members of the X Bureau¡¯s special squad, like Nathan, took up military shovels to clear the mine entrance. Hayden led another team to transport the excavated dirt out. Tina and Pa White began their next set of calctions.

    Christopher Parr watched from a distance, his eyes crinkling with a slow smile. ¡°Natalie, your daughter is truly exceptional.¡± He leaned on his cane, entered themand vehicle, and made a phone call to the Ashbury headquarters to ensure logistical support. With a two-day rescue operation ahead, everyone would eventually tire. It was crucial to ensure logistical support to maintain an orderly rescue effort.

    ¡°Deputy Director, a call from headquarters,¡± said amunications soldier, holding Christopher Parr¡¯s ringing phone. Christopher nced at it and said, ¡°Turn it off.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

    The Farrell family was in disarray. Jared was missing, Tina was unreachable, and even Nathan¡¯s whereabouts were unknown. ¡°Joshua, Jared couldn¡¯t have had an ident, right? We just received those threatening knives recently, and now we can¡¯t contact Jared or Tina. What do we do?¡± Abigail was frightened again.

    Joshua¡¯splexion was also poor. ¡°No, Jared must be busy with his own things,¡± he said, though he was visibly anxious. The main issue was that tomorrow Jared was to make his first appearance as the heir to the Farrell family, meeting all the shareholders and the media. It was crucial for Jared to be present, a key moment for thepany¡¯s leadership. Now, with no contact and no idea of his whereabouts, what were they to do?

    Logan thought for a moment and said, ¡°Joshua, you should act as the proxy director to minimize the impact and block any spection about Jared and Tina. If necessary, just im they have gone abroad for a trip.¡±

    Joshua bit his lip. ¡°Dad, is that appropriate? Tomorrow¡¯s announcement is critical. If I go up there¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than no one appearing. Just go. Jared can make an announcement when he returns. No more discussion.¡±

    Abigail looked at Logan worriedly. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m afraid Jared might take it the wrong way.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t. Jared isn¡¯t petty. Prepare yourself, Joshua,¡± Logan said sternly, rising and heading back to his room with his cane.

    Abigail was still uneasy. ¡°Joshua, it feels a bit like taking advantage of someone¡¯s absence. Isn¡¯t that wrong?¡±

    Joshua was unsure, hesitant, and conflicted. Asher, sitting nearby, reassured him. ¡°Joshua, I know my son. He wouldn¡¯t disappear without reason during such a crucial time. There must be something more important holding him back. Go ahead confidently; he won¡¯t misunderstand.¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Marie nodded. ¡°Yes, Joshua, and besides, you¡¯ve been handling thepany¡¯s matterstely. It¡¯s normal for you to step in. Jared will handle the rest when he returns. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Hearing his parents¡¯ reassurance, Joshua finally let go of his doubts. ¡°Alright, I understand.¡±

    At this moment, Jared was still trapped in the mine, using his oxygen supply very carefully, though only about fifteen percent remained. He listened to Tina¡¯s voice intermittently through his earpiece, staring at his smartphone screen. It disyed a photo of Tina captured by millions of viewers during a live broadcast-a photo only he had saved. His fingertips repeatedly brushed across Tina¡¯s features on the screen, as if this gesture could fortify his will to keep persevering.

    ¡°Uncle, make a sound.¡± Tina checked on Jared¡¯s safety once again. To conserve oxygen, Jared tapped intermittently on his microphone. *I¡¯m here, missing you.* Tina smiled slightly, ¡°Hmm, I miss you too, only seven hundred meters to go.¡±

    The further they dug, the less depth the bombs needed to destroy, since the conditions behind the copse were unknown and required utmost caution. Each of Tina¡¯s calctions had to be more precise, validated at least three times before she dared issue an order. With Jared¡¯s life at stake, she could not afford to rush or take risks.

    Nathan and Hayden had copsed on the ground, unable to straighten their backs, both watching Tina and Pa White¡¯s rapid calctions with a touch of envy. ¡°To be a mental worker, must be nice,¡± Hayden said, pouring most of a bottle of water over his head. Nathan caught his breath, ¡°The pressure they¡¯re under is beyond our imagination.¡± Hayden sat up, patted Nathan on the head, ¡°True, let¡¯s not lie around, keep going.¡±

    Inside thepany. Arge meeting was set. Joshua, dressed in a bespoke dark suit and gold-rimmed sses, looked both gentle and regally authoritative from afar. Abigail watched from a distance, her heart swelling with joy. After Joshua and his secretary finalized all the procedures, the meeting was ready to start.

    As the shareholders and all the media saw Joshua emerge from behind, they were momentarily taken aback. Joshua, looking unruffled with his characteristic smile, confidently walked up to the podium, ¡°Hello everyone, I am the acting director, Joshua.¡± The media¡¯s shbulbs flickered like waves, and photos of Joshua swiftly spread across allworks. The financial channels broadcasted news that no longer referred to him as the acting director but as the Chairman of the Board, Joshua, attending the conference!

    Joshua quickly took control of all thepany¡¯s channel resources and finances of the subsidiaries. Yet, once back home, he was still the uncle worried about his missing nephew. Upon entering, he asked, ¡°Any news of Jared yet?¡± Logan shook his head, ¡°Everyone possible has been sent out, and there¡¯s no news from the police either. Not just Jared and Tina, even the young master of the Cohen family is missing, no idea where he went.¡±

    Joshua sat on the sofa, his hands sped and thumbs rubbing together as if trying to spark a fire. After a long moment, he said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m worried someone is targeting our Farrell family. First Orson¡¯s car ident, nearly fatal, then a knife ced at my bed-it¡¯s time we took precautions.¡± Logan nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right, we can¡¯t take it lightly anymore.¡±

 Chapter 493: Heâ€™s Safe

    At that moment, Asher and Marie returned with Sophia, who had just been picked up from school. ¡°We had just picked up Sophia from school when a car ident urred at the entrance of the kindergarten. Amidst the chaos, there was a robbery attempt. If it weren¡¯t for the bodyguard Joshua arranged for us, Sophia could have been kidnapped,¡± Marie exined, her face pale as she sat on the sofa, still visibly shaken.

    Sophia didn¡¯t speak; she nestled into Asher¡¯s arms, her cheeks still streaked with tears.

    Joshua was rmed. ¡°Did any of you get hurt?¡±

    Asher shook his head. ¡°No injuries, but the bodyguard you sent intervened. Sophia was terrified, though. The robber took her bracelet and nearly kidnapped her.¡±

    ¡°This is all wrong,¡± Joshua stated, rising to pace the living room anxiously. ¡°They were clearly targeting Sophia!¡±

    At Joshua¡¯s words, Sophia shrank back, and Marie gasped, ¡°Joshua, what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Jared and Tina haven¡¯t returned yet, and considering what happened before¡­¡± Joshua paused, then turned to Logan. ¡°Dad, I think I should send you abroad. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as there¡¯s any news of Jared and Tina.¡±

    Logan frowned deeply, looking intently at his younger son.

    Asherforted his daughter briefly. ¡°Joshua, are you suggesting we go abroad to hide?¡±

    Joshua nodded. ¡°Yes. Our family has faced one mishap after another. I¡¯m truly uneasy. Take Dad and Sophia and go first. I¡¯ll settle things here at thepany and then join you with Abigail and Orson. In the meantime, I¡¯ll also try to find out where Jared and Tina are.¡±

    After a moment, Joshua added, ¡°Dad, what do you think?¡±

    Logan was silent for a few seconds before responding, ¡°Let¡¯s do as Joshua says.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone book the tickets right now. You¡¯ll leave tonight,¡± Joshua said as Logan agreed, and he immediately took out his phone to instruct his secretary to book the flights.

    The tickets were quickly booked, and the family packed only essentials to rush to the airport.

    At the airport, Abigail tearfully bid farewell to Marie. ¡°We¡¯ll find Jared soon. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Be careful back home,¡± Marie instructed, her voiceden with concern. ¡°Things have been unstabletely, and I can¡¯t help but worry.¡±

    Joshua helped Logan adjust his coat. ¡°Dad, wait for me there. I¡¯ll bring Jared and Tina over.¡±

    Logan nodded silently and boarded the ne with Asher¡¯s assistance.

    Joshua watched the ne take off, his gaze lingering in the sky long after it had disappeared. He then turned to Abigail. ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± he said, ruffling her hair.

    In West City.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Pa White repeatedly pressed the detonator, and the mine finally sted open thest three meters. Beyond this point, they couldn¡¯t use explosives anymore.

    Tina snatched a military shovel from Hayden and began digging furiously. Her speed and strength astonished all the members of the X Bureau. The team captain¡¯s wife, having not eaten, drunk, or slept for two days, still possessed incredible energy!

    Jason, who had been bandaged up at the hospital, ignored the doctor¡¯s advice and rushed to the scene. Seeing Tina¡¯s fingers bleeding from the rapid movement of the shovel, he was deeply moved. He had thought Tina was merely infatuated with Jared¡¯s good looks, like many others, but he realized there was much more to it¡­

    ¡°Stop staring, and help monitor the maps,¡± Hayden instructed Jason, pushing him towards aputer to take over from Tina.

    Tina didn¡¯t know how long she had been digging, but Jared¡¯s voice hadn¡¯te through the earpiece again.

    She dug frantically, yelling into her headset, ¡°Uncle, respond to me!¡± Her fingers were bloody and raw, her voice hoarse from shouting, but Jared gave no response. Courtney and Pa White joined the desperate digging, their anxiety mounting. It had been nearly an hour without any sign from Jared. If they couldn¡¯t locate themand center soon, the consequences would be dire. Jason stared at the flickering red dot on hisputer screen-it represented Jared¡¯s vital signs. Guided by the real-time satellite map, he shouted to Hayden and the others, ¡°Nine o¡¯clock direction, hurry!¡±

    By the time they reached something solid, their shovels were dulled, but they finally hit a metal sheet. Finding the metal was like finding themand center¡¯s door. But the door was jammed shut by mud, impossible to open. ¡°Damn it, what do we do now?¡± Hayden cursed, panic edging his voice. Just then, a loud ng rang out, and a cloud of dust billowed at the entrance of the mine, making Hayden cough violently.

    Tina retracted her leg, having kicked open the door, and dove into themand center. Secondster, she emerged, carrying the unconscious Jared from the dusty room. ¡°Serena, Mr. Farrell!¡± ¡°Miss Reed, Captain!¡± ¡°Captain! Lady!¡± Voices mixed with concern, but Jared remained unresponsive, lying limply on Tina¡¯s back.

    Pa White, nearly in tears, grabbed Hayden, ¡°What do we do now?¡± Christopher Parr quickly fetched a doctor. Meanwhile, Tinaid Jared on the ground silently, pulled a clean silver needle from her pocket, and plunged it into his forehead. Suddenly, Jared spat out a mouthful of ck blood, his breath following in a rush. The crowd quieted for a few seconds, then erupted into cheers. Jared was awake, his life saved. Though his eyes were still closed, they knew he was out of danger.

    Tina tapped his face lightly, ¡°Uncle, open your eyes.¡± ¡°Serena, be gentle, he¡¯s just gotten a bit better,¡± Hayden interjected softly. But Tina didn¡¯t stop tapping Jared¡¯s face. Secondster, Jared weakly gripped Tina¡¯s hand, murmuring, ¡°My face, it¡¯s going to swell.¡± Tina yfully punched his shoulder and then suddenly hugged him tightly around the neck. ¡°You scared me.¡±

    Tears mixed with mud fell on Jared¡¯s shoulder as Tina cried. She had never been afraid of much, only the thought of losing those closest to her-her mother back then, and now Jared. At the brink of life and death, she had truly been frightened. Jaredy on the ground, holding her close, smiling, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, I¡¯m alright, not dead yet.¡± Seeing his smile, Tina felt a wave of relief.

    Christopher Parr then spoke up, ¡°Let¡¯s get him on an ambnce!¡± Jared was loaded onto the ambnce, though it wasn¡¯t urgent-Tina¡¯s needle had already done its job. But for safety, a thorough check at the hospital was necessary. As he was being taken away, Jared gripped Hayden¡¯s shirt, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, do five hundred push-ups and six hundred sit-ups at Pa White¡¯s doorstep!¡± Hayden eximed, ¡°At a moment like this, that¡¯s what you remember?¡± Jared replied, ¡°No, back then, I only remembered Tina.¡±

 Chapter 494: No Chance Left, Tiger

    After undergoing a full body examination, Jared was discharged from the hospital. Even the doctors were astonished. How could someone who had been buried in a mine for two days emerge without a scratch? What kind of constitution did he have? Hayden and Nathan, who had been part of the rescue team outside, werepletely exhausted and had to be admitted to the hospital themselves. Hayden repeatedly begged Tina to give him an injection, for she rejuvenated with just one. However, Tina refused. Her injections were expensive, and Hayden couldn¡¯t afford them.

    Hayden eximed, ¡°Serena, are you putting beauty before your brothers?¡±

    Tina replied, ¡°Well, what can you do about it?¡±

    Once they left the hospital, Tina and Jared began their journey back to the Farrell family. In the car, Jared tenderly changed the dressing on Tina¡¯s fingertips. ¡°Don¡¯t be so foolish next time. I told you, as long as you¡¯re out there, I can hold on.¡± Tina looked at her injured fingertips, which could easily be healed, yet she let them heal naturally so that her uncle could tend to them. How thoughtful of her. Tina curled her finger, watching Jared apply the ointment to her side profile, ¡°Don¡¯t ever make me worry like that again.¡±

    Jared pulled Tina into his arms, ¡°I won¡¯t, ever again.¡±

    At the Farrell family estate, just as Joshua had signed a document, Jared pushed open the front door. Sunlight streamed through the entrance, casting a square of bright light on the floor. Joshua approached, standing on the edge of the light, looking worriedly at Jared, ¡°Jared, where have you been these past few days? Do you know how worried everyone has been? Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°Uncle Joshua, you don¡¯t know where I went?¡± Jared replied with a smile, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

    Joshua, momentarily stunned, thenughed, ¡°How would I know where you went? I¡¯ve been frantic looking for you. A lot has happened at home, let me fill you in.¡±

    Tina and Jared, standing at the doorway of the Farrell family home, took over the conversation, ¡°We already know about the car ident and robbery in front of Sophia¡¯s kindergarten.¡±

    Joshua¡¯s smile froze on his face, and he silently stepped back, half his body retreating into the shadow. ¡°Since you both already know, then there¡¯s no need for me to borate.¡±

    As he spoke, footsteps could be heard behind him. Two figures appeared, holding Abigail and Orson hostage, with bombs strapped to them and guns pointed at their heads. Abigail¡¯s face was streaked with tears, incredulous at the situation. She had never imagined facing such a circumstance. Orson was in disbelief; as Asher¡¯s adopted child, even though he hadn¡¯t been by his side over the years, Joshua was still his father in his heart. Why would he have a gun pointed at him?

    Jared and Tina, apparently having anticipated this scenario, showed no surprise. ¡°Jared, I must admit, you¡¯re very clever. You¡¯re already tough to deal with, and now you¡¯ve chosen an even tougher fiancee. Uncle Joshua must be really troubled,¡± one of them remarked.

    Joshua removed his sses, pulling out a cloth from his pocket to meticulously clean them. Jared chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s Uncle Joshua who brought the w to my attention, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed.¡±

    ¡°Really? When did I do that? I thought I was being careful,¡± Joshua said with a slight curve of his lips, putting his sses back on and smiling at Jared and Tina. ¡°It was when you were sitting in the living room chatting with Miss Wang, squeezing her palm. It wasn¡¯t flirting; you were indicating-¡®you¡¯re about to die.''¡±

    Joshua, realizing the implication, remembered the yful moment in the living room with Abigail, when he whimsically pinched her palm a few times.

    Although he appeared to be flirting on the surface, inside he was filled with disgust. If it weren¡¯t for the need to conceal his identity, he wouldn¡¯t bother to make a young girl happy. Unintentionally, he revealed a code, and to his surprise, Jared noticed it in an instant.

    Joshua smirked, ¡°I was careless this time; I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡±

    Jared raised his gun, aiming at Joshua, his uncle whom he had respected all his life, the ever-peaceful Uncle Joshua. ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time, Tiger!¡±

    Joshua was Vivienne¡¯s boss and the founder of the entire CK organization. It was he who, sensing Vivienne¡¯s murderous intent, had drawn her in to be his substitute.

    Over the years, everything Vivienne had done was for Joshua. On the surface, it seemed Vivienne wanted him dead, but the real person wanting to kill him was Joshua!

    Joshua was not at all intimidated by Jared¡¯s gun. ¡°Captain Bo, I hold the lives of two people in my hands; are you sure you want to gamble with me?¡±

    Tina suddenlyughed. She nodded towards the back with her chin, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look behind?¡±

    Joshua paused, then turned around.

    The two who had been holding hostages now showed their true faces-Jayden and Cole!

    The bombs on Abigail and Orson were fake, and they were now under the protection of Jayden and Cole.

    Joshua licked his lips, nodded with a smile, but a sinister sh crossed his eyes, ¡°To think I¡¯d be pecked by a chick.¡±

    Then the smile on Joshua¡¯s face faded as he pulled out his phone and yed a video. There, Logan and others appeared.

    ¡°Jared, you think I only have these few hostages!¡± Jared looked calmly at Joshua, ¡°That¡¯s your biological father.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    ¡°Heh, nicely put, ¡®biological father?¡¯ Have you ever seen a biological father who, disregarding his son¡¯s life, insists on handing over the Farrell family to a wet-behind-the-ears grandson!¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, like a beast ready to erupt, his gaze filled with vicious hatred.

    ¡°Jared, when you were still a minor, my biological father, your grandfather, had already nned to hand over the Farrell family to you. He even told me to assist you well, guide you, so that you could take over the Farrell family swiftly when you came of age. But he just couldn¡¯t see that I was the rightful heir!¡±

    All talk of light breezes and botanists aside, what he wanted most was the inheritance of the Farrell family!

    Jared, observing the limitless hatred in Joshua¡¯s eyes, sighed silently, ¡°Grandfather, now you know Uncle Joshua¡¯s hatred.¡±

    Joshua frowned, ncing at his phone. Logan was being bound; what was Jared talking about?

    Suddenly, a deep, slightly hoarse voice rang out from outside, ¡°I know.¡±

    Logan, supported by Asher, slowly appeared at the door, his eyes tearful as he looked at his youngest son dearly loved.

    ¡°Joshua, if you wanted to inherit the Farrell family, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    The footage on Joshua¡¯s phone changed-all fake.

    He realized then that Jared had known his intentions all along, knew everything he had done.

    Joshua did not answer Logan¡¯s question but turned to Jared, ¡°Knowing I wanted to kill you, why did you still go down into the mine?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the only thing I didn¡¯t expect.¡±

    Jared and Tina had made all the preparations, only not expecting Joshua to be able to control the headquarters. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have taken so many days.

 Chapter 495: If Thereâ€™s A Next Life, Remember to Strike Me First

    Joshua mmed his phone to the ground and stomped on it several times.

    ¡°I¡¯ve lost; you can arrest me now,¡± Joshua saidzily, raising his hands and tilting his head to look at Jared.

    The next second, he moved his lips and viciously bit down on the poison capsule in his teeth.

    He had always known this day woulde.

    Even in suicide, he would never let Jared arrest him!

    Joshua spat out a mouthful of blood and knelt on the ground, the light fading from his eyes beneath his gold-rimmed sses, ¡°Jared, you¡¯ll never find out who the real boss of GTO is in this lifetime.¡±

    He chuckled, hisughter sounding like that of a ghost from hell, echoing in the dark alley, sending chills down one¡¯s spine.

    However, the expected agony did note.

    This was the lethal poison given to him by Five Poisons, meant to kill upon contact-how could this be¡­

    Joshua looked up and saw the dumbfounded expression on Tina¡¯s face, and he understood.

    It was her, Spectre.

    Tina walked up to him, looking down from above with an air of royalty, ¡°Wanted to die?¡±

    Joshua red at her fiercely, ¡°You and I have no grievances; my death brings you no harm!¡±

    Tina smiled, her smile as radiant as a blooming flower, then her expression sobered, and a murderous aura enveloped her, ¡°Whether you die or not doesn¡¯t really matter to me. You wanted to kill Uncle, and I did want you dead, but-¡±

    She suddenly smiled again, ¡°Since you wish to die, I won¡¯t grant your wish.¡±

    Joshua narrowed his eyes, looking at Tina with resentment, ¡°If I want to die, there are plenty of ways.¡±

    Tina brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her captivating eyes slightly lifting as she spoke calmly, ¡°The poison I administered is called Mandrake. It controls your neural functions; if you attempt suicide, it will take over your body. Besides that¡­¡±

    She paused, then continued, ¡°It will torment you, attacking your internal organs for two hours every day, yet it won¡¯t cause any physical damage. Enjoy the rest of your days!¡±

    Joshua¡¯s pupils shook.

    Had it been before, he wouldn¡¯t have believed Tina¡¯s words.

    But knowing she was Spectre, he believed she had the capability to concoct such a tormenting poison.

    Death, he did not fear!

    What he feared was the daily mental and physical torture, and being unable to die despite wanting to.

    Tina saw the fear on his face and was quite pleased. She squatted down to meet Joshua¡¯s gaze at eye level, her voice clear yet piercingly cold, ¡°To mess with me is to die, but to mess with those I care for is worse than death, Tiger. If there¡¯s a next life, remember to strike me first; you might die a bit quicker!¡±

    Her voice steady, it reached every ear present. Looking up at her, the sunlight perfectly illuminated her stunning features, a mix of cold pride and dominance.

    At that moment, everyone decided never to provoke the person Tina cared most about, for a fate worse than death was truly agonizing.

    Jared¡¯s heart pounded fiercely, overwhelmed by the love of such a woman.

    Tina gave him all her love, and for the rest of his life, he was determined to be worthy of Tina.

    Tina no longer spoke much with Joshua, standing up and walking over to Jared.

    Jared naturally took her hand, and with his other hand, he signaled to the members of the X Bureau waiting outside. Following his signal, the X Bureau agents rushed in and subdued Joshua.

    Logan looked at Joshua, pursed his lips, and despite his reluctance, asked again, ¡°Joshua, why on earth would you do this?¡±

    Is the allure of being the heir to the Farrell family so great?

    His sons, each one of them, coveted that position.

    The Farrell family was indeed the foremost wealthy family in Ashbury, but not the most elite in the country.

    The truly powerful families were those hidden ones.

    The Farrell family could at most boast of its wealth, and if there was any real power, aside from Jared being the captain of the X Bureau¡­ now the deputy director, the Farrell family had no significant influence.

    Moreover, Jared was always fair and never bent thew for personal gain. It could be said that the Farrell family had no connections even in the government.

    He couldn¡¯t understand why his sons were so desperate to fight over it to the point of destruction.

    Joshua, now handcuffed, bent slightly and looked up at his father, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡±

    With that, he was escorted away.

    Logan took a deep breath and resigned himself to the situation, thinking he was getting old.

    Jared also holstered his gun, his stern face showing no emotion.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Until today, he had never believed that Joshua could indeed be Tiger.

    For the first time, he doubted his own decisions.

    It wasn¡¯t someone else; it was Joshua, his most trusted family member!

    He had doubted many, but never Uncle Joshua.

    If it weren¡¯t for Uncle Joshua¡¯s return revealing too many inconsistencies, he would never have suspected him.

    He had never imagined that the person who cared for him the most also wanted to kill him the most.

    At that moment, Joshua, now in the detention vehicle, shouted, ¡°Jared, do you really think I only had the hostage n? Listen carefully, the countdown has started.¡±

    The door was shut, and Joshua¡¯s miserableughter was cut off.

    Tina and Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    Instantly, Tina said, ¡°Orson, take Grandpa and leave, there¡¯s a bomb here!¡±

    Orson panicked for a moment, and before he could react, Abigail grabbed him and began running, shouting to Asher, ¡°Asher, hurry and take Father away!¡±

    Asher also reacted quickly, hurrying Logan away.

    After they left, Tina, Jared, and a few members of the special forces team searched the Farrell Residence.

    Bombs were found in various boxes ced in the living room corner, under the sofa, and in the middle of the liquor cab, among other locations.

    No one could determine how many bombs Joshua had ced in the Farrell Residence, and the detectors couldn¡¯t pinpoint them, so they searched aimlessly.

    Abigail ran in and shouted to Tina, ¡°Tina, I know where the bombs are, he ced them with me.¡±

    Tina looked at Abigail, who opened the stairway door and took out a box, saying, ¡°We have a tradition of surprising each other. Yesterday, to calm me down, he said we should y a game of hiding gifts, and he had me ce boxes all around the house.¡±

    Everyone followed Abigail and found all the bombs, locating all thirty just as the countdown reached thest ten seconds.

    ¡°Thirty in total, he wanted to blow up everything within a hundred miles,¡± Cole wiped his sweat, realizing the gravity of the situation if Joshua hadn¡¯t spoken up.

 Chapter 496: Five Poisons

    Tina¡¯s expression was grim.

    It seemed urgent to elerate the development of a new type of bomb detector; another incident like this could have unimaginable consequences.

    However, Abigail¡¯s face showed no relief. Tina noticed and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Abigail shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not right, there should be thirty-one, he found one yesterday¡­¡±

    As she spoke, Abigail touched the hairband on her head.

    It was a gift from the person she loved most, cherished immensely and worn on her head to adorn the hair she treasured.

    Just yesterday, her lover had said to her with deep affection, ¡°I love your hair the most, and with this, you look even more beautiful.¡±

    Tick-tock, tick-tock, three seconds left.

    Her eyes reddened, and she dashed out of the Farrell family home.

    Tina and Jared had no time to say anything before hearing a loud bang.

    After a cloud of smoke, only a broken ne remained on the ground.

    It was a gift from Logan to Abigail, a symbol of her eptance as the daughter-inw of the Farrell family.

    The explosion had vaporized Abigail¡¯s body instantly.

    Like a ne crashing from the sky, the rapid explosion was enough to destroy everything.

    Tina and Jared were stunned; had Abigail not reacted, they would have been vaporized as well.

    From a car not far away, Sophia burst into tears, watching helplessly as her beloved aunt disappeared, her waterfall-like ck hair vanished without a trace.

    Marie nestled into her husband¡¯s arms.

    Among the sinsmitted by Joshua, only Abigail was truly pitiful.

    A girl who was already alone in the world, vanished from the earth under the schemes of the person she loved most, without even leaving ast word, vanished without a trace.

    It was as if she had never existed in this world.

    Tina stepped outside; the air still carried a hint of gunpowder. She picked up the unrecognizable ne and wiped it in her hand.

    Logan got out of the car and said to Jared, ¡°Give the child a proper burial; we owe her that.¡±

    Jared nodded, pulling Tina into his arms tofort her gently.

    Members of the X Bureau¡¯s special squad cleaned up the Farrell family¡¯s scene and went to Joshua¡¯s room to take all his belongings.

    Tina, havingposed herself, entered Joshua¡¯s bedroom.

    A photo of Abigail and Joshua still stood on the bedside table, everything appearing so natural.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The bed was neatly made, not a speck of dust, with two sets of clean pajamas folded at the head.

    Tina walked over and suddenly noticed a strand of hair wrapped around a button on Joshua¡¯s pajamas.

    It must have been scraped off Abigail identally.

    She untangled the hair and held it in her hand.

    Suddenly, Tina¡¯s expression froze.

    She carefully felt the strand of hair in her hand, growing more certain something was amiss.

    ¡°Tina, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jared approached, surprised by the uneasy expression on Tina¡¯s face.

    Tina pulled out one of her own hairs and ced both strands in Jared¡¯s hand, ¡°Feel these, see if something¡¯s off.¡±

    Jared frowned, feeling the strands, then suddenly realized something strange.

    The hair wrapped around Joshua¡¯s button was actually synthetic fiber from a wig!

    Somewhere in Ashbury.

    Five Poisons returned to the headquarters of the GTO, moved her neck, and started the helicopter.

    Joshua had already been captured, and it seemed that staying in Ashbury was no longer an option for him.

    ¡°Tina, Jared, we shall meet another day.¡±

    If Tina and Jared were here, they would certainly recognize her as Abigail, who was supposed to be dead.

    Elsewhere.

    Abigail¡¯s body was missing.

    Tina had intended to issue the Shadow Lotus Seal to put a bounty on the already deceased Abigail.

    However, she had not yet exposed the traitor within the Mountain Veil Order.

    She called Jayden and Cole to her side, ¡°You two, search for any clues about Abigail¡¯s whereabouts in secret. Report back to me at once if you find anything unusual!¡±

    Cole was stunned, ¡°Serena, isn¡¯t Abigail already¡­¡±

    He hesitated, then seeing Tina¡¯s stern expression, he closed his mouth and epted the task.

    Tina¡¯s brows were tightly knitted.

    Abigail must still be alive!

    But for now, her true identity within GTO and her connection to the Five Poisons remained unknown.

    Yet, she must be someone even more important than Jasmine!

    Abigail, you¡¯ve hidden yourself well.

    Outside, Jared finally discovered the secret of Abigail¡¯s feigned death.

    The person who appeared before them was indeed real, and so was the bomb. But the explosion they witnessed was merely an illusion!

    Jared found a very sophisticated projector on the door of the Farrell family home, and the shattered ne was the remote control for the projector.

    When Abigail ran out of the Farrell family home, she had already escaped, and the explosion scene was a pre-made live projectionbined with the smoke from the explosion, creating a temporary visual blind spot for everyone present.

    Abigail had taken advantage of this blind spot to escape under everyone¡¯s watch.

    Jared held the projector in his hand. It wasn¡¯t the kind avablemercially but a high-tech device capable of blurring the lines between reality and illusion.

    This was Natalie¡¯s masterpiece.

    Initially proposed by Natalie, this technology was intended to create illusions during missions and for training X Bureau agents among other applications.

    But after Natalie¡¯s death, the technology was not yet developed and was sealed away with her demise.

    Like the YQboratory of the past, it would not have been restarted without Tina.

    Indeed, not everyone had the capability.

    Now, this technology, supposed to be sealed within the headquarters, was sessfully developed and utilized by GTO.

    This was a massive insult to Natalie and the entire X Bureau!

    A chilling coldness gathered between Jared¡¯s brows, his face as forbidding as an approaching iceberg, making others instinctively keep their distance.

    Many had ess to this technology, but definitely not at the Ashbury headquarters!

    That meant neither he nor Christopher Parr could have been responsible.

    Who then, was this person?

    As Tina stepped out of the Farrell family home and saw the projector in Jared¡¯s hands, she instantly understood what had happened.

    A cold glint shed in her eyes.

    No matter who this person was, she would not let them go.

    At that moment, Tina¡¯s phone rang with the exclusive signal of the Mountain Veil Order.

    ¡°Chief, the Emerson family stronghold has been attacked, our brothers have suffered heavy casualties, we need backup!¡±

    To ensure the capture of Tiger today, Tina had gathered all reliable members of the Mountain Veil Order, leaving few at the stronghold.

    Unexpectedly, they had been attacked at this very moment.

 Chapter 497: The Traitor

    Tina¡¯s eyes narrowed as she and Jared rushed to the attacked stronghold.

    ¡°Abigail¡¯s good strategy,¡± Jared¡¯s eyes deepened.

    In order to prevent Tina from diverting her energies to pursue her, Abigail had preemptively attacked the Emerson family¡¯s stronghold to create a chance for her escape.

    Tina turned the steering wheel, the tires carving deep tracks on the asphalt.

    Her face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, filled with rage.

    Tina quickly parked at the Emerson family¡¯s stronghold.

    It was an ancient mansion, which also served as the Emerson family¡¯s base within the Mountain Veil Order.

    Hawk was among the first she had supported; this ce was essentially a base for the brothers of the Mountain Veil Order in Ashbury.

    Sometimes, when Jayden was on missions, he would stay here.

    There had never been any mistakes.

    This time, however, it had been attacked so severely!

    The bronze door was blown halfway off, and thick ck smoke billowed from inside the building, where firefighters and police were still present.

    Lysander wasmunicating with them, inquiring in detail about how the fire had started.

    Upon examination, it was found to be a gas leak explosion.

    But only those within the Mountain Veil Order knew that it was actually a bomb nted at the base that had caused the destruction and sent many brothers to the hospital.

    After dismissing the firefighters and police, Lysander approached Tina.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Tina,¡± Lysander appeared to have just received the news, his forehead sweaty.

    Tina nodded, ¡°Just you? Where¡¯s your father?¡±

    Lysander pursed his lips, ¡°He was here at the time, he¡¯s been taken to the hospital. Tina, can you¡­ save him?¡±

    Lysander had no emotional attachment to Hawk, but he was still his biological father.

    He had never thought about letting him die.

    Tina squinted slightly, a dark, indistinct light leaking from the corner of her eyes, ¡°Hmm, I understand. Courtney will handle things here for you.¡±

    Lysander did not respond, but stared deeply at Tina.

    He knew his own strength was far from sufficient.

    Just like today, when he suddenly received a call about the explosion at home, he was scared into a panic.

    Such a man was not worthy of Tina.

    Tina, seeing the guilt and unwillingness in Lysander¡¯s eyes, patted his shoulder, ¡°The future of the Emerson family will depend on you.¡±

    Lysander was slightly stunned, not quite understanding why Tina would say this.

    But Tina never exined; once things unfolded before Lysander, he would understand.

    Tina and Jared got back in the car and drove to the hospital.

    Inside the hospital, most of the brothers from the Mountain Veil Order had been treated, only a few who were close to the explosion were still in surgery.

    Hawk was the closest to the explosion site and the most severely injured.

    Tina stood outside the operating room, already dressed in surgical attire.

    She had rescued the other brothers as soon as she arrived at the hospital.

    Now, only Hawk remained.

    Tina put on her gloves, looked back at Jared.

    Jared slightly curved his lips, ¡°Everything¡¯s ready, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Tina responded and then entered the operating room.

    Although Hawk¡¯s injuries were severe, they were not life-threatening, especially with Tina¡¯s skilled hands. After leaving the operating room, all he needed was to wake up.

    Inside the ward, Hawk slowly opened his eyes, moving his fingers and toes by consciousness, all normal.

    Hawk sighed in relief. When his eyes fully opened, he saw Tina sitting by his side.

    ¡°Young master¡­¡±

    ¡°How do you feel now?¡± Tina held a syringe, gently expelling the air before inserting it into Hawk¡¯s IV.

    Hawk swallowed, ¡°Nothing special, just feel a bit heavy in my head.¡±

    Tina injected the entire contents of the syringe into Hawk¡¯s IV, speaking indifferently, ¡°With so many worries, it¡¯s normal to feel heavy.¡±

    Hawk¡¯s heart tightened as he licked his lips, ¡°The young master is right, it was not easy to bring Lysander back, and with so many conflicts between us, indeed, my heart is somewhat uneasy.¡±

    Tina tossed the now empty syringe into the trash can, ¡°If you truly cared for him, you shouldn¡¯t have done these things, ck Tea.¡±

    Hawk¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Tina, his face shing withyers of panic, unsure how to respond.

    ck Tea was Hawk¡¯s codename within GTO.

    It was a top secret known only to the boss of GTO, Five Poisons, and Mr. White.

    Even Jasper was unaware that his peaceful brother-inw was actually his colleague!

    Hawk gazed deeply at Tina, wanting to flee but finding himselfpletely drained, having lost all control over his body.

    By now, there was no need to pretend in front of Tina.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, young master, I have betrayed the organization, but none of this involves Lysander. He is innocent, please let him go, can you?¡±

    Tina leaned back in her chair, her slender legs crossed and tapping the floor, ¡°Lysander is my apprentice, unlike you.¡±

    Hearing this from Tina, Hawk felt relieved.

    He knew Tina was always fair and had a clear sense of right and wrong.

    Hawk swallowed hard and began to recount his betrayal of the Mountain Veil Order.

    ¡°They found me eighteen years ago when Lysander was just born, and his mother had¡­ they helped me retrieve my son. Although I never acknowledged him, I have been watching over him all these years.¡±

    Tina chuckled, realizing that Hawk had been with GTO even before he joined the Mountain Veil Order.

    He had hidden it well for many years.

    ¡°Young master, I wasn¡¯t manipted by anyone in GTO to join Mountain Veil Order. They just wanted me to stay undercover and not reveal my identity. Over the years, I did nothing but protect the Emerson family. It was only after you arrived in Ashbury that GTO contacted me,¡± Hawk took a breath and continued, ¡°But they never assigned me any specific tasks, not even when Jasper was captured. They didn¡¯t ask me to help until Mr. White was captured by you, and then they finally gave me a mission to locate where Mr. White was being held.¡±

    ¡°So, you disregarded Lysander¡¯s safety and let CK¡¯s people attack him, just to force me to hand over Jasmine to you?¡± Tina looked coldly at Hawk.

    He kept apologizing to Lysander, professing his love for his only son.

    Yet all the danger was bestowed by his own father!

    Lysander¡¯s martial arts skills were negligible, even Orson could manage a draw against him, and now he was being targeted by GTO¡¯s top fighters.

    No one inside GTO knew Hawk¡¯s real identity.

    What if they really went through with harming Lysander?

    Could it be that Hawk never considered this?

    No, he had considered all the consequences.

    But to fulfill the mission GTO entrusted to him, he was willing to push his own son to the brink of danger.

    Seeing her unmoved, and staging such a self-sacrificing act to cover for Abigail and simultaneously plead for her to reveal Jasmine¡¯s identity, killing two birds with one stone.

    Hawk just never imagined that she had already suspected his identity.

    Secretly, Vulture was sent to breach GTO¡¯s internal data, and after breaking through numerous firewalls, they located ck Tea¡¯s whereabouts.

    Listening to Tina¡¯s words, Hawk bowed his head in shame, ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping a close eye, Lysander should be fine, I am certain.¡±

    Tina scoffed, ¡°Should be?¡±

 Chapter 498: Thrown into the Dog Pen

    Hawk knew his fate was sealed. Having betrayed the Mountain Veil Order and harmed so many brothers, he had no way out. Now, his only option was to reveal everything he knew about the GTO to save his own life.

    ¡°Young master, mytest assignment was to shift our focus to Clearwater, to find someone named Abigail and await further instructions. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve been told, young master. Can you spare my life?¡±

    Tina squinted her eyes-so Abigail had fled to Clearwater.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Clearwater, the stronghold of the Brookes family.

    Hawk continued to plead with Tina to spare his life, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes.

    Tina ignored the old man¡¯s insincere tears and pressed on, ¡°How will you locate Abigail once you¡¯re in Clearwater?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics, but our base there is at a virus research facility. They haven¡¯t told me more.¡±

    At this, Hawk seemed to find a way to salvage his situation. He hurriedly said, ¡°Young master, I am willing to redeem myself. I will personally go to Clearwater, locate the virus research facility, and bring that woman Abigail to you. I swear I willplete the mission.¡±

    Hawk spoke in haste, his voice interrupted by bouts of coughing.

    After several coughs, blood spurted from his mouth, and his heart felt as if it were being pricked by a million needles, the pain suffocating him.

    Tina stood up, dusted herself off, and spoke nonchntly, ¡°I poisoned Joshua with something that causes excruciating pain, but your poison is a hundred times stronger. You will spend every moment in agony.¡±

    Hawk copsed to the ground, his face ashen.

    No one understood better than him the severity of the young master¡¯s poisons.

    His pleas were hopeless.

    Just as he thought this was the worst of his punishment, Tina slowly said, ¡°Did you think this punishment was sufficient?¡±

    Hawk shuddered.

    Could there be an even harsher punishment awaiting him?

    Tina, with hands in her pockets and looking down at him, said, ¡°I¡¯ve always said since the day you joined the Mountain Veil Order, death is not the best oue. For a traitor-wishing for death is but a luxury.¡±

    With that, Tina opened the hospital room door. Jayden walked in. ¡°Young master!¡±

    Tina picked up a document from the table, pressed Hawk¡¯s thumb onto it for a fingerprint, then turned and walked out of the room. As she left, she said, ¡°Throw him into the dog pen!¡±

    Hawk, terrified, knelt and repeatedly kowtowed, begging for mercy. ¡°Young master, I was wrong, I won¡¯t dare again. Please, just kill me, don¡¯t throw me into the dog pen.¡±

    Even Jayden was shocked by Tina¡¯s decision.

    Tina had a private dog pen, infamous for housing ferocious dogs, specifically used to punish traitors. For many years, no one had been thrown into it.

    Everyone knew of its existence and knew what kind of person Tina was; no one dared to cross her.

    Tina had once hoped she would never need to use the dog pen. Yet, the day hade.

    Considering what Hawk had done, it was clear why she was so furious.

    At this thought, Jayden felt a twinge of sympathy for Hawk.

    If it had been just the betrayal of the Mountain Veil Order, perhaps Tina would have simply poisoned him. But Hawk had not only betrayed them; he had joined GTO, the organization that had killed her mother-an organization Tina was determined to destroy at all costs.

    GTO had done many things, and Tina had dealt with many of them, but none had suffered a fate worse than Hawk¡¯s.

    Because those weren¡¯t the main culprits behind her mother¡¯s death, because they weren¡¯t the leaders of GTO, because she had never felt any affection for them, so as long as they didn¡¯t provoke the young master, she might have ended their lives swiftly.

    But Hawk, the young master trusted him.

    And to every member of the Mountain Veil Order, the young master had an emotional connection.

    Being betrayed by someone he trusted, he too would have wanted to throw that traitor to the dogs.

    As Tina reached the doorway, she heard Hawk¡¯s words, paused, andughed-augh as toxic as a poisonous flower, ¡°I am aw-abiding citizen; why would Imit murder? Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t die. Every day someone will tend to your wounds, day after day, year after year, unless I die, perhaps then you will be freed.¡±

    Hawk¡¯sst sliver of hope shattered with Tina¡¯s words. He copsed to the ground, mouth agape, unable to utter another word.

    Tina exited the hospital room, finding Lysander waiting outside.

    He had heard everything said inside the room, clear as day.

    So, it turned out Hawk was the one who had betrayed Tina.

    And he, too, could never forgive.

    This biological father had been like no father at all, and now, he was truly gone.

    Tina handed over a document to Lysander, ¡°From today, you are the head of the Emerson family. Everything belonging to the Emerson family is now yours.¡±

    It was Hawk¡¯s will.

    The will stated that upon Hawk¡¯s death, everything would go to Lysander alone.

    Lysander knew whether Hawk was truly dead no longer mattered.

    What mattered was this will.

    But whether he could fully control the Emerson family still depended on him.

    ¡°Tina, I will not disappoint you, I promise. There will never again be a traitor in the Emerson family!¡±

    Lysander swore to Tina, each word filled with the unique resolve of youth.

    Tina patted Lysander¡¯s shoulder once more, still confident in him.

    ¡°Right, I¡¯ll have Cole and Jayden assist you in secret.¡±

    With a smile, Tina left.

    Lysander opened his mouth to say something but then saw Jared approaching, taking Tina¡¯s hand, and walking away together.

    Lysander bit his lower lip unwillingly.

    He gazed deeply at Tina¡¯s retreating figure, an image already etched in his heart, impossible to erase.

    Yet, he was powerless to express his feelings to Tina now.

    He would have to wait until the day he became strong enough.

    Tina and Jared exited the hospital where Courtney and Nathan were waiting in the car.

    As Nathan handed Tina a document inside the car, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ve found the source of the bomb that attacked the Emerson family, please take a look.¡±

    Tina noticed Nathan¡¯s paleplexion and felt a certainty in her heart.

    Upon opening the document, indeed, the bomb came from Christopher Parr.

    The bomb that had destroyed the Emerson family stronghold was ¡®Morning Glory¡¯, the same used to rescue Jared from the mine.

    After Jared¡¯s incident, ¡®Morning Glory¡¯ had passed its test and was ready for official use, though not yet mass-produced.

    After all, precise calctions were needed to maximize the bomb¡¯s effectiveness.

    Pa White had submitted some standard algorithms to the government, and the X Bureau headquarters had received these algorithms and stockpiled the bombs.

    This time, they had all been deployed at the Mountain Veil Order¡¯s stronghold.

    No wonder the explosion was so extensive; aside from the stronghold, not even the leaves on the trees nearby had fallen.

    Tina had known all along that Hawk didn¡¯t have the means for such arge-scale operation; someone must have helped him secretly.

    She just hadn¡¯t expected Christopher Parr to be so tantly exposed.

 Chapter 499: It Wasnâ€™t Him

    Tina closed the file and tossed it aside. Nathan was driving when Courtney, looking somewhat uneasy, turned and asked, ¡°Miss Reed, what do you think about the content of this file?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes shed coldly, ¡°What do you think?¡± Courtney was momentarily stunned, feeling as if Tina was angry.

    Jared, ever so considerate, wrapped his arms around Tina, gently soothing her by stroking her hair, ¡°There, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Tina did not respond, her gaze lowered, lost in thought. The reach of GTO had extended too far. And the real mole was hidden deeply, beyond their reach. This person was a threat not only to public safety but even to national security.

    She had a nagging feeling that her mother¡¯s death was not solely linked to the head of GTO; perhaps, the final blow that killed her mother was orchestrated by the X Bureau.

    Seeing her silent, Jared¡¯s voice softened indulgently, ¡°How about I take you out for a big meal, okay?¡± Tina¡¯s thoughts were pulled back to the present by his voice, and she pursed her lips, pondering seriously before agreeing, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±

    After the meal, Jared drove Tina home. Watching her enter the house, Jared got back into the car and said, ¡°To headquarters.¡± Nathan had no objections; it was indeed time to head back to headquarters to sort things out.

    Back in her room, Tina also switched on her phone. It disyed a message from a mysterious person-¡°It was not him.¡±

    At headquarters, Hayden and Jason stood by the deputy director¡¯s office door, dispatching all the team members out. Only these two captains were left on duty at the headquarters, their faces showing no sign of rxation.

    Soon after, Jared entered the headquarters, now dressed in the X Bureau uniform, and waved at Hayden and Jason. The two exchanged a nce and withdrew, joining Nathan to guard the main entrance, allowing no one else to enter.

    Jared stood in front of the office for a while before knocking on the door. Inside, Christopher Parr took off his reading sses and called out, ¡°Come in.¡± Jared entered and approached Christopher Parr, his expression stern and unreadable as he looked at him silently.

    Christopher Parr nced up and said indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting,¡± Jared replied in a deep, muffled voice, the air around him thick with tension. Christopher Parr chuckled, ¡°You¡¯ve grown bold, even daring to detain me now.¡± Jared then sat across from him, his lips parting slightly, ¡°It¡¯s surveince.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, ask whatever you want to ask,¡± Christopher Parr said leisurely, sipping his tea. Jared leaned back in his chair, his long legs crossed and his hand tapping slowly on his knee, ¡°What are you investigating?¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Christopher Parr¡¯s fingers paused, his eyes, obscured by the steam, showing a hint of surprise. Jared¡¯s tapping stopped, his deep eyes fixed on Christopher Parr, ¡°You brought me into X Bureau, handed me over to my master, watched me rise through the ranks-do you really distrust me that much, boss?¡±

    Christopher Parr was silent, his heart stirred. Jared looked at him, admiration in his eyes simr to before. Though his face remained cold, it wasn¡¯t because of Christopher Parr but because of the real traitor.

    Initially, both he and Tina had suspected Christopher Parr, since he was their direct superior and the person who could most easily alter the oue of their operations. Butter, Jared realized that Christopher Parr seemed to be doing this intentionally and had always been trying tomunicate with his superiors.

    This had changed his view of Christopher Parr. The moment he and Tina truly believed in Christopher Parr was when Jared had been trapped in a mine. If Christopher Parr had hesitated or obstructed in any way, they wouldn¡¯t have rescued him so swiftly.

    Christopher Parrughed out loud, setting down his teacup and nodding in satisfaction. ¡°Okay, all those times I took the me for you were not in vain.¡±

    Many times, Jared had undertaken risky missions, disobeyed orders, and more, and it was always Christopher who had covered for him, at most making Jared write a self-criticism report.

    A rare smile finally appeared on Jared¡¯s stern face as he handed a document to Christopher Parr. ¡°Morning Glory has leaked, and the authorized person is you.¡±

    Christopher Parr was stunned. ¡°I have never signed this document.¡±

    As he spoke, Christopher Parr remembered thatst night he had received a confidential document. It wasn¡¯t particrly important; it merely required his signature.

    Unexpectedly, it had turned out to be the document transferring ¡®Morning Glory¡¯.

    The document had originated from headquarters, and neither he nor Jared had the authority to check who had sent it.

    ¡°It seems someone wants me to take the me. I¡¯m almost bing a professional scapegoat,¡± Christopher Parr said with a nonchntugh.

    He had anticipated such a day mighte and knew all too well that the waters at headquarters were deeper than one might imagine.

    Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed, a chill spreading across his face.

    Had he not taken timely action to control Christopher Parr, making the headquarters believe they had already summoned Christopher Parr, he might have been sent to a military court with no chance to defend himself.

    Christopher Parr looked at Jared¡¯s stern face. ¡°You did the right thing this time by taking control of me. It will make the higher-ups lower their guard.¡±

    Jared looked up. ¡°Tell me the truth.¡±

    Christopher Parr sighed deeply, touching his leg. ¡°All these years, there¡¯s only been one thing I¡¯ve been investigating-the true cause of your master, my partner Lark¡¯s death.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°You also believe my master¡¯s death was no ident!¡±

    Christopher Parr nodded. ¡°Right, Lark was too strong and formidable tomit suicide. I¡¯ll never believe that. The only possibility is that she was framed.¡±

    ¡°Our headquarters, someone there wanted your master dead,¡± Jared said, clenching his fists, his eyes shing with a dark ferocity.

    ¡°Yes, and this person holds a high position, not someone we can easily uncover. It¡¯s been ten years, and I¡¯ve only uncovered a fraction of the truth. Just when I thought I could investigate further, I found myself framed.¡±

    Christopher Parr gave a bitterugh. After Natalie died, he had continually reported to his superiors, requesting a thorough investigation into the reasons behind Natalie¡¯s death and the failure of that mission.

    But all those applications were fruitless, repeatedly rejected due to insufficient evidence.

    From then on, Christopher Parr knew that if he wanted to uncover the truth, he had to touch the center of power.

    So, over thest ten years, he had been climbing the ranks. His injuries prevented him from frontline missions, making his promotion even harder than Jared¡¯s.

    But, fortunately, fate had allowed him to rise to the position of deputy director.

    The chief was often out on missions and not in the office, leaving Christopher Parr in charge of the Ashbury headquarters.

    Even so, he had still been unable to achieve the desired results.

    The headquarters was too corrupt and deep.

    Fortunately, now with Jared and Natalie¡¯s daughter, their future prospects were bound to be much better than his own solitary struggle.

    The first time he saw Tina, he felt as if Natalie had left a treasure in this world.

    This treasure would one day expose the darkness of the headquarters and clear her name.

    Christopher Parr took out a document from his drawer. ¡°Jared, this appeared mysteriously in my office the day you were rescued from the mine. Take a look.¡±

 Chapter 500: Journey to Clearwater

    Jared took the document handed to him, a mission briefing issued by headquarters, yet its origin was not disclosed.

    The objective-A virus research facility established by GTO in Clearwater!

    This document required Jared to proceed secretly, with Christopher Parr overseeing operations from Ashbury headquarters covertly, and the captains of three small squads on standby.

    Such an arrangement was utterly unexpected at this time of year.

    Jared rubbed his fingers together, ¡°Is someone inside the headquarters helping us?¡±

    Christopher Parr denied it, ¡°I called headquarters this morning. They are still upset about allowing Tina into thebat zone and your casual disclosure of thebat area with Husky. They would never issue such a document.¡±

    Jared narrowed his eyes.

    If headquarters didn¡¯t issue the order, then where did this missione from?

    Christopher Parr tapped the desk with his finger, ¡°What is our first rule upon joining the team?¡±

    Jared raised an eyebrow, ¡°Absolute obedience to superior orders!¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Since we have the document, and it¡¯s a top-secret one that doesn¡¯t require reporting to the director or others, we should just carry out the mission.¡±

    Jared and Christopher Parr exchanged a knowing smile; real or fake, the document was now of absolute assistance to them.

    After all, the main office of the X Bureau was in Clearwater!

    Jared handed allmand responsibilities of the X Bureau to Christopher Parr, quietly informed Nathan to follow, instructed Hayden to strictly guard Pa White¡¯s bomb base, and kept Jason on standby, ready to support Clearwater.

    The next morning, without waiting for Jared to pick her up, Tina had already gone to the Farrell family early.

    The day before, Tina had arranged everything and told Hugo she would be leaving Ashbury for a while.

    Hugo did not ask much; no one could stop Tina from doing what she wanted.

    At the Farrell family,

    Jared also told Logan and the others, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m going to Clearwater with Tina. Grandma called mom a while ago, asking me to visit when I have the time.¡±

    Logan sighed heavily, reluctant at the thought of Jared¡¯s grandmother¡¯s house.

    Marie seemed even more hesitant, watching Jared with an unspoken disapproval of their trip to Clearwater.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    After a long deliberation, Marie finally spoke, ¡°Jared, it¡¯s okay not to go. There¡¯s nothing important at your grandmother¡¯s house, just needlessints. Why bother going there to be disliked?¡±

    Tina found it odd, ¡°Why does Marie disdain her own family so much?¡±

    Asher also disagreed, ¡°There¡¯s nothing good at your grandmother¡¯s ce, especially since you¡¯re taking Tina. What if she gets mistreated?¡±

    Logan slowly added, ¡°Indeed, we have not interacted with your grandmother¡¯s family for many years. There¡¯s no good reason for them to call you now.¡±

    Holding Tina¡¯s hand, Jared reassured everyone, ¡°With me, Tina will not be mistreated. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°I still can¡¯t be at ease,¡± Marieined, ¡°Your grandmother is not an easy person. I still remember how she tormented your father back in the day.¡±

    At this, Marie¡¯s eyes teared up, clearly aggrieved.

    Asher quickly embraced her, ¡°It¡¯s been so many years; why cry when ites up?¡±

    ¡°How can I not cry? Both daughters, yet I can¡¯t understand how she could be so biased. It¡¯s as if I was not her own!¡±

    Marie had even conducted several paternity tests with her own mother, never truly believing she was her family¡¯s biological child.

    How else could she be so disliked?

    Jared silently sighed, sat beside Marie, and ced Sophia on hisp, ¡°Mom, I promise you, I will not let Tina suffer any injustice, nor will I give grandma any chance to intervene. They need to understand that my fiancee is already chosen.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. No wonder the whole family was worried about her feeling aggrieved; it turned out someone was vying for her uncle. This made her even more curious to see who this person was who dared topete with her for a man!

    Asher, soothing Marie, actually agreed with his son¡¯s reasoning-it was important to show these people how exemry his daughter-inw was. ¡°Jared is right,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s take her to meet my mother and show them that our daughter-inw is the best in the world, right?¡±

    Logan nodded repeatedly, ¡°In that case, you all should go. If you need anything, call me and I¡¯ll personally deal with that olddy!¡±

    Asher quickly tugged at his own father, ¡°Let it be, Dad. Just wait at home for the good news.¡± He remembered the chaos his father had caused at the Lyon family¡¯s ce years ago and guessed they were probably still cursing about it!

    Marie wiped her tears, seeing her father-inw and husband in agreement, and chose not to say more. She looked up at Tina and said, ¡°Tina,e with me to the room, I have something to tell you.¡±

    This was the first time Tina saw a serious expression on Marie¡¯s face. She followed Marie to the bedroom. Upon entering, Tina saw the perfume she had developed disyed on the vanity, the bottle shining brightly. Marie sat at the vanity and opened the lowest drawer, pulling out a locked box. She took off her ne, which surprisingly served as a delicate key, and unlocked the box.

    ¡°Come sit here,¡± Marie beckoned to the chair in front of her.

    Tina sat down and saw a ring inside the box. It was of an ancient design but still sparkled brightly, obviously very valuable. Marie took the ring out and, with a look of reluctance, ced it on Tina¡¯s hand. It wasn¡¯t that she minded giving it to Tina, but because the ring was extremely important to her, more so than life itself.

    ¡°This was left to me by my grandmother, who was the kindest person to me in the entire Lyon family,¡± Marie choked up, wiping away a tear.

    Tina moved her lips, about to refuse such a significant gift, but Marie grasped her hand firmly. ¡°This ring is a Lyon family heirloom and a token of the head of the Lyon family. For many years, Jared¡¯s grandmother has been searching for it, though I never brought it out.¡±

    ¡°The ring for me?¡± Tina had no interest in the position of head of the Lyon family.

    Marie pursed her lips and said, ¡°My grandmother gave it to me, but I knew I couldn¡¯t convince the Lyon family with my capabilities, especially since I married into the Ashbury family and preferred not to meddle in Clearwater affairs. Originally, I nned to save this ring for Jared¡¯s future wife, but now that you are here, it naturally belongs to you.¡±

    ¡°I intended to give it to you at a formal asion, like your wedding, but since you are heading to Clearwater and to the Lyon family, I had to bring it out now.¡±

    Then, Marie took out a notebook and began writing down several names from top to bottom.

 Chapter 501: Arrival at the Lyon Family

    Upon arriving at the Lyon family estate, Jared¡¯s expression gradually turned solemn. He didn¡¯t recall visiting the Lyon family many times, but whenever he did, Marie would invariably leave in tears. Back then, he was too young to understand why the Lyon family targeted his mother, but as he grew older, heprehended the reasons and ceased visiting.

    As Tina looked through the car window, she noted that the Lyon family¡¯s residence was even more majestic than the Reed family¡¯s, resembling a manor, which Jack had mentioned disdainfully as being suffocating.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, ma¡¯am, we have arrived,¡± Nathan announced as he turned off the car and stepped out to open the door.

    Jared helped Tina out of the car, and they stood in front of the grand entrance of the Lyon family home for a few seconds, his eyes as deep as the ocean, unfathomable. He stepped forward and rang the doorbell.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± a voice inquired through the video call.

    Jared frowned subtly and responded, ¡°Jared Farrell.¡±

    There seemed to be a moment of hesitation on the other side before the door was opened.

    The ck iron gates slowly parted, yet no one came out to greet them. Jared¡¯s brow furrowed deeper, a thinyer of anger enveloping him. Tina gently patted his hand and smiled at him slightly. Instantly, the anger surrounding Jared dissipated, and he smiled back, taking Tina¡¯s hand and walking side by side into the estate.

    At the entrance, two servants stood on each side, and a man in a casual suit, the butler of Lyon Manor, greeted them. ¡°Mr. Farrell, pleasee in. Mrs. Lyon has been waiting for you for quite some time.¡±

    Jared did not respond but proceeded to enter with Tina. Unexpectedly, the butler stepped in their way.

    Had it not been for Tina holding his hand, Jared would have likely struck the butler, rendering his arm useless.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, you must change your shoes and go through a disinfection bath before you can meet Mrs. Lyon. You haven¡¯t forgotten this rule, have you?¡± the butler inquired.

    Both Jared and Tina¡¯s expressions darkened. Changing shoes was normal, but a disinfection bath? Was the Lyon family hiding a pce? Did entering require sterilization?

    Tina stepped forward and grasped the butler¡¯s arm with her ring-adorned hand, gently squeezing until a cracking sound was heard. Sweat beads formed instantly on the butler¡¯s forehead from the pain, and he was about to curse when he saw the ring on Tina¡¯s hand.

    Wasn¡¯t that the Lyon family heirloom ring? How did it end up on this youngdy¡¯s hand?

    Realizing the butler¡¯s shock, Tina¡¯s lips curved slightly. ¡°The rule requiring one to kneel to greet the head of the family, you haven¡¯t forgotten that, have you?¡±

    The butler, dragging his injured arm, knelt in panic, ¡°Master.¡±

    The Lyon family had many rules, as did many other families, but over time and with changing eras, these rules were gradually forgotten, especially by the younger generation who would not truly make someone kneel in greeting. However, these rules, though unspoken of, still existed and were not to be defied if invoked by the family head.

    Looking down at the butler on the ground, Tina spoke sternly, ¡°Is there no one else in the Lyon family?¡±

    The butler understood, quickly got up, and bowed, ¡°Master, please wait, I will fetch Mrs. Lyon at once.¡±

    With Tina¡¯s permission, the butler hurried into the courtyard, his injured arm numb.

    ¡°This is bad, Mrs. Lyon!¡±

    Grandma Lyon was watching the financial news when the butler rushed in, panic-stricken, adding more wrinkles to her already furrowed face, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Are you on fire? Isn¡¯t it just Jared bringing some country tramp here? Didn¡¯t I tell you to take them to the disinfection room?¡±

    Grandma Lyon wore gold-rimmed reading sses, exuding an air of dignified grace, yet her face was marked by sharp and bitter expressions. Out of breath, the butler stammered, ¡°No, it¡¯s that lowly-no, it¡¯s that woman¡¯s hand, wearing the long-lost master¡¯s ring!¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Even as calm as Grandma Lyon usually was, the mention of the master¡¯s ring startled her. She had searched for this ring for thirty years without a trace. She had long known that her own mother had hidden the ring and given it to Marie, the family¡¯s loss-maker. In her youth, her mother and her mother-inw had been close friends. Her marriage into the Lyon family wasrgely thanks to her own mother. After marrying into the Lyon family, her mother-inw had handed the ring over to her mother to decide when it would be passed on. Unexpectedly, her mother had given the important ring to Marie, her least favorite daughter, which infuriated her so much that she didn¡¯t even attend her mother¡¯s funeral.

    Later, she tried to retrieve the ring from Marie, but no matter how she asked, Marie imed she hadn¡¯t seen it, and shecked the ability to search the Farrell family thoroughly, ultimately forcing her to give up. As a result, the Lyon family had been unable to open that mysterious business channel. To her dismay, the ring had ended up with a country girl brought in by Marie?N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    Grandma Lyon was aware of Jared¡¯s engagement, but she had no intention of attending the engagement party of a grandson she barely knew. If not for the Hancock family girl setting her sights solely on Jared, she would never have met Marie and her children.

    Steadying her nerves and adjusting her facial expression, Grandma Lyon reseated herself on the sofa and put on her reading sses. ¡°Let them in,¡± shemanded, ¡°I want to see what kind of taste Marie has, daring to give my ring to some country bumpkin!¡±

    The butler looked at Grandma Lyon with difficulty, ¡°Mrs. Lyon, she¡­ she¡¯s asking you toe to the front door.¡± Grandma Lyon¡¯s face wrinkled with rage. ¡°Anna, you wretched girl, how dare you ask me toe and greet you? You¡¯ve really got some nerve!¡± Grandma Lyon¡¯s lips trembled with anger.

    The butler stepped forward to soothe her, ¡°Mrs. Lyon, her name is Tina.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what her name is! Have her leave at once; I don¡¯t want to see her!¡±

    Pinching the base of Mrs. Lyon¡¯s thumb to help ease her anger, the butler reasoned, ¡°Please calm down, Mrs. Lyon. Think of the Hancock family. We need to endure this for now, especially since Tina has the Lyon family heirloom ring. Think about it, now we have more options.¡±

    Indeed, her agreement to Jared¡¯s marriage to the Hancock girl from the Hancock family was precisely to unlock the Lyon family¡¯s mysterious business chain. Now that the heirloom ring had surfaced, if she could just trick the ring away from Tina, there would be no need to grovel to the Hancock family.

    With this thought, Grandma Lyon¡¯s mood slightly improved, resting her wrist on the butler¡¯s partially disabled arm, ¡°Take me to her.¡± The butler clenched his teeth and braced himself, supporting Grandma Lyon as they went to meet Tina.

 Chapter 502: Is the Lyon Family This Disrespectful?

    In front of the Lyon family¡¯s grand entrance, Grandma Lyon approached and immediately noticed the ring on Tina¡¯s hand. She cursed under her breath, ¡°This little wench!¡± Yet, her face maintained a faint smile. ¡°Jared, why are you still standing outside? Don¡¯t be shy at your grandmother¡¯s house,e in.¡±

    Jared nced at Grandma Lyon. If it weren¡¯t for his mission to remain undercover, he would have severed all ties with the Lyon family long ago. They disgusted him. ¡°We haven¡¯t disinfected and bathed yet; we dare not enter,¡± he replied coldly.

    Grandma Lyon felt even more repulsed by Jared than by his grandfather. She despised that he wouldn¡¯t take the out she offered, thinking all the Farrells had the same annoying habits. But, for the sake of the mysterious businesswork, she had to amodate.

    With a swing of her solid wooden cane, Grandma Lyon struck the butler¡¯s shin, causing him to fall unexpectedly to the ground. ¡°You overstep your bounds! Is Jared a stranger? I only ordered those unknown bastards to disinfect and bathe, did I mean Jared? Fool, you¡¯ve lost this month¡¯s bonus.¡±

    Tina smirked from the side. Unknown bastards? Were they referring to her? Probably.

    After scolding the butler, Grandma Lyon turned back to Jared with a forced smile. ¡°Jared, it¡¯s just the servants being foolish. Come in, don¡¯t just stand there.¡±

    Jared, as if he hadn¡¯t heard her, turned to look at Tina. Tina smiled slightly. ¡°I heard that in the Lyon family, one must bathe and disinfect before meeting the family head, is that right?¡±

    Grandma Lyon¡¯s smile froze, and after a few seconds, she responded, ¡°We have no such rule in the Lyon family.¡±

    ¡°Now we do,¡± Tina said, twirling her ring and walking in with Jared without changing their shoes, stepping onto the expensive wool carpet.

    Grandma Lyon cherished that carpet, always insisting it be cleaned meticulously by hand. Now, with four muddy footprints on it, it felt like her heart was going to explode with anger.

    Tina sat down, crossed her legs on the coffee table, and looked at Grandma Lyon. ¡°After you¡¯ve disinfected and bathed, thene see me.¡±

    Clutching her cane tightly, Grandma Lyon wished she could smash it on Tina¡¯s head, but she dared not approach. This young girl, only neen, exuded an intimidating presence that even made the seasoned elder feel a twinge of fear.

    Silently, Grandma Lyon went to the disinfection room prepared for Jared and Tina to shower and change. Half an hourter, she emerged, genuinely bathed, her offensive old smell somewhat masked by the fragrance of the shower gel.

    Sitting down and taking a sip of tea, Grandma Lyon remarked, ¡°Jared, your uncle and aunt have gone out to work. We¡¯ll eat when they return.¡±

    Tina checked the time; it was already 7:30 PM. Were they still out working? The Lyon family indeed was diligent.

    Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a sneer. After all these years, his grandmother had not developed any new tricks.

    It was always like this. When Jared and Marie were children, every time they returned home, only Grandma Lyon was there, always using the same excuse: they would eat when their uncle and aunt came home. But when they did, they would im they had already eaten, leaving Marie hungry.

    Jared leaned back, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll wait for them toe home, then we¡¯ll eat together.¡±

    Grandma Lyon pursed her lips. As a child, Jared was just a pretty face without much else to offer. But now, he seemed to carry an aura of ruthlessness, as if he had returned from a battlefield. It was truly chilling.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The girl beside him was no better,cking even the appearance of a youngdy. The room fell into an awkward silence, with not even the most basic pleasantries exchanged. Grandma Lyon used to scold Marie, throwing cold taunts her way. But now, in the presence of Jared and Tina, she found herself unable to utter a single word of reproach.

    Soon, the Lyon family members returned home. Warren Lyon entered first with his wife Megan, followed by their children. Before anyone could speak, the limping butler intercepted them, ¡°Young master, please proceed to the disinfection room to bathe and change, as instructed by the head of the household.¡±

    Warren, who had lived in the Lyon family for over forty years, was unfamiliar with any head of the household, nor the requirement to disinfect upon entering his own home. Angered, he pped the butler across the face, ¡°You dog, who are you speaking to!¡±

    Following him were his brother Oliver with his wife Leah, and their sister Sonia with the younger family members. Confusion spread among them upon hearing about this bathing requirement. The butler, covering his face, helplessly exined, ¡°It¡¯s all ordered by the head of the household. Mrs. Lyon has already bathed, please everyone, go one by one.¡±

    Warren cursed, ¡°I want to see what kind of person dares to make me disinfect.¡±

    He shoved the butler aside and stormed into the living room. Seeing Tina sitting there, he started angrily, ¡°Which bastard is making me disinfect¡­¡±

    Before he could finish, Warren choked, coughing violently and copsing, unable to speak. Megan gasped, ¡°Dear, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Their son Connor pointed at Tina, ¡°Mom, it must be this bitch!¡±

    In a sh, Jared was in front of Connor. With a snap, Connor¡¯s screams filled the air!

    The Lyon family was terrified, unable to see how Jared moved so quickly or how he had broken Connor¡¯s fingers.

    Grandma Lyon, distressed for her son and grandson, yelled at Tina, ¡°What have you done!¡±

    Tina crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Grandma Lyon, ¡°Is this how you speak to the head of the household?¡±

    ¡°How dare you¡­¡± Grandma Lyon took a breath, subdued for the sake of her family, ¡°Head of the household, what have you done?¡±

    It was then that the Lyon family realized that the young woman Jared had brought was actually the head of the Lyon family. Tina nodded, satisfied, ¡°Didn¡¯t I say? You must bathe and change before meeting the head of the household.¡±

    Andrew was the first to recover, helping his brother and father, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the disinfection room.¡±

    Tina looked deeply at Andrew, thinking, ¡°At least the reaction is quick.¡±

 Chapter 503: The New Rule of the Lyon Familyâ€”No Leftovers

    The Lyon family hurried into the disinfection room for a shower and change of clothes, with only Connor¡¯s howls continuing incessantly. Their brother and cousins watched silently, waiting until they emerged. Seeing that Warren had genuinely returned to normal, they then entered the disinfection room themselves. They certainly didn¡¯t want to endure such an ordeal-it was just a matter of taking a bath and changing clothes, after all.

    Before entering the disinfection room, Oliver¡¯s daughter Stephanie smiled warmly at Jared. ¡°Brother, wait for me, let¡¯s catch up properlyter.¡± Jared¡¯s expression finally eased a bit, and he nodded silently at her. Tina wasn¡¯t surprised; on the way there, Jared had mentioned that Stephanie was the only one still in contact with Marie. Mainly because their rtionship had grown closer when they attended school in Ashbury. Stephanie, always fond of following Jared, had admired him since they were children. When Sophia was born, Stephanie had even sent a gift-a small gold bracelet.

    Stephanie was the only rtive Jared acknowledged in the Lyon family. After everyone else hade out, Sonia also went in to disinfect and shower. Throughout, she had not expressed any opinion.

    Finally, all members of the Lyon family gathered. Stephanie immediately hugged Jared. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s been so long, I¡¯ve missed you terribly. You never reply to my messages.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± Jared said, subtly distancing himself from Stephanie while giving Tina a look that seemed full of exnations.

    Tina raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d arrive tomorrow. Had I known, I would havee back tonight to dine with you,¡± Stephanie said cheerily, clearly the happiest person in the Lyon family.

    Jared raised an eyebrow. ¡°We were waiting for you all toe back for dinner.¡±

    Stephanie looked at Grandma Lyon and sighed helplessly. The grandmother had resorted to her old tricks again, with no new schemes at all.

    Warren cleared his throat, making sure he could speak, then said, ¡°We¡¯ve already eaten outside. The Lyon family doesn¡¯t have a custom of servingte-night snacks. Jared, you two can just eat together tomorrow.¡±

    His wife Megan added, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s sote already. Mom, let me help you back to rest.¡±

    Grandma Lyon stood up, going along with the suggestion. ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s go back. Jared, your rooms are under the staircase on the first floor. You¡¯ve been on a ne all day; get some sleep early. The rest of you, go back to your rooms too.¡±

    Stephanie frowned at Grandma Lyon¡¯s deliberate provocation. ¡°Grandma, that¡¯s where the maids live. How can you let my brother stay there?¡±

    Before Grandma Lyon could respond, Connor intervened sharply, ¡°Then why don¡¯t you give your room to your dear brother, Miss Busybody?¡±

    ¡°Connor, nobody would think you¡¯re mute if you didn¡¯t speak,¡± Stephanie retorted coldly.

    ¡°Enough, you two kids, why are you arguing here? Don¡¯t you know Grandma needs to sleep? Hurry back,¡± Warren scolded, about to head upstairs.

    Oliver¡¯s family and Sonia also stood up but didn¡¯t move. They felt something was amiss.

    Sure enough, their intuition was confirmed when they heard Tina¡¯s soft call, ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡±

    Grandma Lyon and Warren¡¯s family seemed as if nailed to the floor, unable to move, with cold sweat drenching them.

    Tina shifted her neck. ¡°The head of the household hasn¡¯t eaten yet, and you want to rest? Are we forgetting the rules of the Lyon family?¡±

    She really didn¡¯t want to use the title of family head to bully others.

    Yet, there always seemed to be those who tried to dance on her head.

    Not to mention, the title of family head was quite useful and saved a lot of trouble.

    A fierce look shed in Grandma Lyon¡¯s eyes, which she quickly suppressed, ¡°That¡¯s not what we mean, it¡¯s just that I am indeed getting old¡­¡±

    Before she could finish, Tina stood up, looked around, and turned to Stephanie, ¡°Where¡¯s the dining room?¡±

    Stephanie pointed to the left, ¡°Over there, but¡­ it¡¯s sote, and we don¡¯t have much food at home, how can we eat?¡±

    Tina pursed her lips, ¡°These days you can order takeout. Doesn¡¯t the Lyon family, such arge n, know this?¡±

    The Lyon family members were speechless.

    This was Tina¡¯s indirect way of calling them unsophisticated and inexperienced.

    Tina looked up, her gaze sweeping over them indifferently, ¡°Join us for dinner.¡±

    Saying this, Tina, arm in arm with Jared, swaggered to the main seat of the dining room.

    The Lyon family members initially wanted to retort, but seeing Tina¡¯s regal demeanor, especially after that scene, they could only swallow theirints, no matter how great.

    However, seeing Tina take the main seat, the Lyon family looked at each other in dismay. Where were they supposed to sit now?

    At that moment, Grandma Lyon and Warren¡¯s family, like puppets on strings, followed Tina and sat down in the dining room.

    With Grandma Lyon and Warren setting an example, Oliver and Sonia had no choice but to join.

    Soon after, the battered butler came in carrying arge bag of hot pot ingredients.

    Tina actually wanted to have hot pot at the Lyon family¡¯s!

    And it was to be spicy.

    The butlerid out the ingredients, which included not only hot pot but also barbecued meats.

    Grandma Lyon, being elderly, couldn¡¯t eat such greasy foods, and coupled with her usual healthy diet, she seldom even ate things like steak or foie gras.

    Suddenly smelling the hot pot, she almost vomited.

    The others were too full to eat any more.

    Yet, Tina, holding her chopsticks, smiled as she watched everyone, ¡°Not eating?¡±

    Her smile was cold.

    Warren¡¯s hand, as if uncontroble, kept delivering the cooked meat and vegetables to his mouth, and so did the rest of his family.

    Even Grandma Lyon kept eating bite by bite.

    Seeing this, the others had no choice but to follow suit.

    But the food seemed endless. As soon as one te of meat was cleared, another appeared.

    Later, it got even worse. Boiled, roasted, fried ¨C all kinds of dishes came, and each person had a full bowl of white rice and noodles in front of them.

    Tina¡¯s bright eyes swept over everyone, ¡°The new rule of your family head: no leftovers at the table.¡±

    She and Jared had been hungry all day, and this amount of food was nothing to them.

    But for the Lyon family, who were already full, it was pure torture.

    During the meal, Sonia and Oliver¡¯s wife Leah vomited from overeating, ran to the restroom, and then came back to continue eating.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    They wanted to seek help from Grandma Lyon, but she was continuously eating, so they couldn¡¯t refuse.

    They barely managed to finish everything on the table, and then Tina handed each person a super-sized cup of milk tea.

    The sweet, creamy milk tea,bined with their already bursting stomachs, was nearly deadly.

    Tina, holding her milk tea, smiled, ¡°We can¡¯t waste food.¡±

 Chapter 504: What Sinister Tricks Has Tina Learned?

    Grandma Lyon was the first to pick up the milk tea and start drinking; seeing this, the others had no choice but to follow suit. It wasn¡¯t until the milk tea cups were empty that Tina stood up, flicked her fingers lightly, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. Rest well, everyone. See you tomorrow.¡± After that, Tina and Jared left the Lyon family and returned to the house Jack had prepared for them to sleep.

    No sooner had they left than Grandma Lyon, not even bothering to grab her walking stick, ran to the bathroom and began to vomit. The rest of the Lyon family did the same, causing the servants to cover their noses and mouths in disgust. It was nauseating. So many people vomiting at once was a sight, and Connor even threw up on Grandma Lyon¡¯s favorite wool carpet.

    The whole Lyon family was already filled with a strange smell from the hotpot and barbecue, and now with so many people vomiting up what they had just eaten, the stench was overwhelming. They vomited for over half an hour before they could finally settle back on the couches. The fine wool carpet was thrown into the trash, much to Grandma Lyon¡¯s dismay.

    Warren leaned his head against his wife¡¯s shoulder and retched a few more times. Megan, disgusted, pushed him away, ¡°Get away from me, you reek of decay. It¡¯s disgusting.¡± Warren pped Megan weakly, not from reluctance but sheer exhaustion, ¡°You whore, you think you don¡¯t smell?¡±

    ¡°How dare you hit me! Do you believe I¡¯ll divorce you?¡± Megan yelled, her voice so loud she nearly passed out. Everyone was too dehydrated from vomiting to have the energy to chastise anyone else.

    Grandma Lyon leaned on the couch, took a sip of water handed to her by a servant, and said weakly, ¡°Stop quarreling.¡± Oliver finally spoke up, ¡°Mom, if you hadn¡¯t eaten, we wouldn¡¯t have eaten so much. Why did you just go along with it?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Grandma. You saw how much we were eating, and yet you just kept eating, forcing us to follow suit,¡± Ericined as well. Grandma Lyon sighed, ¡°Do you really think I wanted to eat?¡±

    Everyone was stunned. Sonia looked at her mother, confused, ¡°Mom, what do you mean?¡± Oliver added, ¡°It¡¯s the same for me. It wasn¡¯t my intention to eat, but my hand moved on its own, grabbing food and putting it in my mouth.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t even speak,¡± Andrew choked out, ¡°Dad, could we be cursed?¡± Megan and Connor felt the same. Megan said, ¡°I feel that way too. It was like being possessed. When Tina said stand, I stood; when she sat, I sat and kept eating, even though I was aware of what was happening.¡±

    Stephanie shrank closer to Oliver, a bit scared, ¡°Don¡¯t frighten me, not thiste at night.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget who that Tina is,¡± Grandma Lyon said calmly. Before Jared and Tina arrived in Clearwater, Grandma Lyon had thoroughly checked Tina¡¯s background. Or at least, she thought she had. What they could find was only what Tina allowed to be seen.

    Sonia realized, ¡°Before Tina came to Ashbury, she spent ten years in a mountain in Ensford. She might have learned some sinister tricks there to harm us.¡±

    Stephanie eximed, ¡°I said my brother is such an outstanding man, how could he fall for a country girl? She must have cast some kind of spell on him. What are we going to do?¡±

    ¡°What else can we do? We can¡¯t handle a little country girl? Just remember, this is Ensford, not Ashbury. Even Jared has to think twice before acting here.¡±

    Connor cursed, filled with hatred as he recalled how sick he had felt just moments ago.

    Oliver, however, sensed something amiss, ¡°She¡¯s just a young girl, even if she learned something, it couldn¡¯t be that powerful. The real masters out there are at least fifty years old. There must be another exnation.¡±

    ¡°No matter what, that Tina is a disaster. We cannot let her stay by my brother¡¯s side, or who knows what trouble she¡¯ll cause,¡± Stephanie pursed her lips. ¡°Besides, Grace is a much better match for my brother, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    Stephanie¡¯s words met no opposition from the rest of the Lyon family.

    Their purpose in bringing Jared to Clearwater was to have him marry Grace, thereby cementing a partnership between the Lyon and Hancock families.

    Regardless of how far Jared¡¯s rtionship with Tina had progressed, only Grace would end up marrying Jared!

    On the other side, Tina and Jared had returned to their vi.

    Jared was curious about what exactly Tina had done to make Grandma Lyon sopliant.

    Tina giggled, ¡°Just a little gadget from Wraith that can control someone for half an hour, making them do whatever they want. I just enhanced it a bit tost an hour.¡±N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.

    ¡°Smart,¡± Jared said as he ruffled Tina¡¯s hair, his eyes filled with pride.

    The two of themughed and entered the vi, where the servants had already prepared everything and led them to the bedroom.

    ¡°Miss, this is the bedroom. It has everything you need. If there¡¯s anything missing, just press the button next to the bed. We¡¯ll be waiting downstairs, so we¡¯ll leave you two alone to rest early,¡± said the servant with a meaningful look at Jared and Tina, even hurrying off as if not to dy them any further.

    Tina and Jared were puzzled. Why did she run?

    Tina opened the door and instantly understood the meaning behind the servant¡¯s words and why she had run¡­

    They saw arge circr waterbed in the room, a rack on one side filled with an array of risque garments of all styles.

    There were small boxes on the bed that looked like chewing gum, alongside some rather explicit tools.

    Only two sets of normal pajamas hung on another rack.

    Moreover, the floor was covered with rose petals leading to the bed, and the bathroom emitted the fragrance of essential oils.

    Tina thought she had walked onto the set of some adult-themed y!

    Jared hadn¡¯t expected such a shocking scene, his usually stoic face turning a shade of red.

    Though he very much wanted to be intimate with Tina, it wasn¡¯t like this!

    This was too¡­ too tant.

    Jared nced at a particrly sexy nightgown and unconsciously looked at Tina.

    If Tina were to lie next to him wearing that nightgown¡­

    At that moment, he dared not continue that thought.

    His natural instincts were forcefully suppressed by his rationality.

 Chapter 505: He Wanted to Peek at the Uncle Bathing

    Tina held her forehead, never imagining Jack could be so¡­ so considerate.

    It was a testament to his thoughtfulness!

    Grinding her teeth slightly, she snapped a photo with her phone and sent it directly to old Mr. Brookes.

    ¡°Grandpa Brookes, please thank Jack for me!¡±

    On this quiet night, Jack, leisurely soaking in the bath at home and gazing at his beloved Ang¡¯s photo, suddenly felt an unprecedented chill.

    The next second, his phone rang; it was his own father.

    Jack spent the entire night enduring Ian¡¯s tirades, not hearing a single repeated word!

    Tina instructed the servants to restore the bedroom to normal, ¡°Take Mr. Farrell to his room.¡±

    The servants hesitated, looking at Tina, ¡°Miss, we¡¯ve only prepared one bedroom; the other rooms haven¡¯t been cleaned, and they don¡¯t even have beds or bedding.¡±

    Tina was silent.

    A mansion thisrge, and only one room?

    You¡¯re joking, right?

    Seeing Tina¡¯s expression, the servant slowly exined, ¡°Miss, Master Jack notified us toote; we didn¡¯t have time to prepare, and usually, it¡¯s just us here looking after the ce, not readying it for the master¡¯s family.¡±

    Indeed, since Jack had informed the servants to prepare the house, they had been setting up a pink surprise, never expecting the two to stay in separate rooms.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Fortunately, the servants were thoughtful, having prepared an extra set of clean linens.

    But even they hadn¡¯t anticipated that Tina and Jared would sleep separately.

    Now, there was only one room avable.

    The servant smiled apologetically, ¡°We certainly can¡¯t have Mr. Farrell stay in the servants¡¯ quarters.¡±

    Tina held her forehead; indeed, it wasn¡¯t proper to have Jared stay in a servant¡¯s room, and besides, where would that leave the servants?

    Jared sighed deeply, ¡°Let it be, I¡¯ll stay in the same room with Tina. Let¡¯s rest.¡±

    With that, Jared pulled Tina into the room and quickly shut the door.

    The servant looked at the closed door, a meaningful smile on their face.

    Everyone understands; they¡¯ve all been there.

    Inside the room, Jared pressed Tina against the wall and kissed her deeply.

    His kiss was sudden, pouring out long-suppressed emotions as if wanting to meld her into his very bones to carry with him always.

    With one hand, Jared sped Tina¡¯s delicate wrists, and with the other, he held her waist tightly, their embrace both passionate and restrained.

    Tina responded quietly, her tenderness and adoration fully disyed in this moment.

    She could almost hear the fervent beating of Jared¡¯s heart, feeling it and intensely reciprocating that unique warmth.

    They clung to each other, intimately, yet did not cross that forbidden line.

    Until atst, they fell asleep, hands entwined.

    Early morning.

    Tina turned over, only to find the warmth beside her gone.

    Yawning, she sat up and heard the sound of water from the bathroom.

    Jared was showering.

    Instantly alert, Tina¡¯s heart began to race as if a deer were bounding within.

    The uncle was showering.

    Hmm.

    She wanted to look.

    Tina suddenly felt shy about her thought, covering her head with the nket and giggling like a little girl.

    Even Tina herself had forgotten that she was just a neen-year-old girl.

    The sound of water gradually ceased, and Tina slowly returned to normal. She sat on the bed, watching Jared emerge from the bathroom.

    ¡°Good morning, Uncle,¡± she greeted.

    Jared was neatly dressed, not in his usual suit and leather shoes but in casual attire, clearly ready for an outing. For a moment, Tina felt a slight disappointment. She had hoped to see him in a bathrobe!

    Jared sat down and ruffled Tina¡¯s hair. ¡°What are you thinking about in that little head of yours?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to Jared, her bright eyes shimmering. ¡°I was wondering, Uncle, what were you thinking about while you were showering?¡±

    A blush swept across Jared¡¯s refined features. Before he knew it, Tina had darted to the bathroom door, poking her head out with a mischievousugh. ¡°I¡¯ll go freshen up first.¡±

    As the bathroom door closed again, Jared finally reacted. He had been teased again, that cheeky girl. With a smile curving his lips, he walked to the bathroom door and knocked. ¡°Tina, when I was showering just now, I was thinking about you.¡±

    A crash sounded as a toothbrush cup hit the floor. Jared¡¯s smile deepened, and he left the room, satisfied with the yful banter.

    After Tina freshened up, the servant had prepared breakfast, and Jared was waiting at the dining table for her.

    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re awake. Mr. Farrell just instructed us to make you a soft-boiled egg, saying you like them runny. It¡¯s just ready; eat it before it gets cold,¡± the servant said with a smile, guiding Tina to the table.

    Tina nodded in acknowledgment and smeared tomato sauce on her soft-boiled egg. The nearby servant chuckled. ¡°Miss, you really remind me of Miss Alina back in the day. She liked her eggs the same way, and when she was younger, she even used to draw smiley faces on them.¡±

    Thisment made both Jared and Tina pause. This habit was something Natalie had introduced to Tina. When Natalie used to coax young Tina, she would draw smiley faces on soft-boiled eggs with tomato sauce. Even when Jared was injured on a mission, his mentor Natalie had amused her young protege in the same way.

    Tina¡¯s nose tingled with emotion, but she quicklyposed herself. She took a bite of her egg and turned to the servant. ¡°How many years have you been with the Brookes family?¡±

    ¡°Let me think, almost forty years now. I started working for the Brookes family when I was just under twenty, and I¡¯m nearly sixty now. Just the other day, Master Jack was talking about arranging my pension.¡±

    The servant, known to everyone as Mrs. Smith, had been with the Brookes family for a long time, serving at the Brookes Manor. This time, she had been transferred here to look after Tina, as someone familiar and trustworthy was needed.

    Tina nodded and smiled. ¡°Besides Ian, Nn, and Jack, who else is there in the Brookes family? I haven¡¯t gotten to know everyone yet.¡±

    Mrs. Smith, aware of Tina¡¯s standing in front of Grandpa Brookes, held nothing back. Seeing the reflection of Miss Alina in Tina, she felt even more affectionate and disclosed everything.

    ¡°Our master¡¯s eldest son is Isaac, and his wife is Emily. Young Master Isaac has a brother, Gavin, whose wife is Mnie. Besides them, there¡¯s Miss Rachel, who is an adopted daughter of the Brookes family, and Miss Ang, who grew up in the Brookes family. The master treats her as his own daughter, but Miss Ang¡­ she has some issues and left Clearwater recently, her whereabouts unknown.¡±

 Chapter 506: Grace

    Tina finished the soft-boiled egg on her te.

    After listening to Mrs. Smith, she understood.

    Isaac, Gavin, and their two younger brothers, Brandon and Jack, along with Scarlett,prised the entire Brookes family.

    But who had the power to manipte the paternity test results?

    Among them, who wouldn¡¯t want to be recognized as part of the Brookes family?

    And then there was Ang¡­

    Last night, Jayden had sent a message saying that the GTOb in Ashbury had been blown up by someone named Ang.

    It must have been Ang Brookes.

    It seemed the depths of the Brookes family were not ordinary, and the matters needing investigation were not going to be resolved in a day or two.

    ¡°Miss, take your time eating, I¡¯ll go get busy,¡± Mrs. Smith said briefly after outlining the Brookes family situation, then she went about her own tasks.

    She indeed wouldn¡¯t say more.

    Tina knew that Mrs. Smith, having been with the Brookes family for many years, understood what could and couldn¡¯t be said.

    At that moment, Jared¡¯s phone rang; it was Stephanie.

    ¡°Jared, are you and Tina up yet?¡±

    ¡°We are, what¡¯s up?¡± Jared asked.

    Stephanie chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m inviting you guys to swim, my friend¡¯s swimming pool just opened!¡±

    Jared put the phone on speaker and asked Tina what she thought.

    Tina nodded.

    She was fine going anywhere.

    ¡°Great, send me the address,¡± Jared said, seeing Tina¡¯s agreement.

    ¡°Mmm, I¡¯ll send it right now, see youter then!¡± Stephanie excitedly ended the call.

    Jared¡¯s expression, however, was not as light as before, subtly shadowed by a chill.

    Tina moved the soft-boiled egg covered in ketchup from his te to hers, ¡°Uncle, what are you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°I was wondering why you took my soft-boiled egg,¡± Jared teased, yfully flicking Tina¡¯s nose, his eyes full of indulgence, and the earlier gloom instantly vanished.

    Tina quickly finished the egg, ¡°It¡¯s quality protein, and we¡¯re going swimming soon. Can¡¯t waste energy.¡±

    Jared nodded, fully approving, ¡°Indeed, that is quite an energy-consuming activity.¡±

    They shared a smile, understanding each other without words.

    An hourter, Jared and Tina arrived in front of the swimming pool.

    Stephanie was waiting alone at the entrance, greeting them warmly, ¡°Jared, Tina.¡±

    As soon as she arrived, Stephanie squeezed between Tina and Jared, affectionately linking arms with Tina, ¡°Tina, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here, I didn¡¯t properly introduce myself yesterday. I¡¯m Stephanie, nice to meet you.¡±

    Tina looked at the enthusiastic Stephanie, her face only showing a faint smile, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Tina.¡±

    ¡°I know, my aunt told me all about you, that you¡¯re not only perfumer Q but also Evan Sanders. I was so surprised, I kept asking for your number, but my aunt wouldn¡¯t give it to me, she said when we meet I should ask you myself.¡±

    Stephanie looked at Tina with admiration, her eyes almost shining.

    Unfortunately, she was facing Tina.

    The Tina who could see right through people.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tina maintained her shallow smile.

    The group entered the swimming hall, and Stephanie and Tina headed to thedies¡¯ changing room, while Jared changed and went to wait by the pool.

    Though the swimming hall had just opened, it was already quite crowded; in the children¡¯s pool area, there were in-house instructors teaching swimming.

    Jared held a VIP swimming card, which came with an exclusive resting seat and a table filled with various fruits and snacks.

    The VIP swimming area was not separated from the regr one, merely divided by a pool wall to prevent the general public from crossing over. Yet, everyone could still see each other. After all, even VIPs seek lively atmospheres; private, secluded swimming pools were avable in another building.

    Jared waited on the left and right but still saw no sign of Tina and Stephanie. He was in no rush, calmly waiting with a juice in hand. Suddenly, a whistle sounded from the pool, and gasps of astonishment erupted intermittently from the crowd. A stunningly voluptuous woman emerged from the women¡¯s changing room. She wore a white bikini covered partially with a sheer veil, delicately concealing her fair, alluring skin. Her ck hair was meticulously tied up, exposing her graceful, swan-like neck. Her long, pale legs shimmered as she walked past, her delicate feet imprinting the ground with each step. The moment she appeared, she captured the attention of everyone present. Even the children waiting to swim couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°Wow, she¡¯s really beautiful.¡±

    Jared, however, remained engrossed in his phone, focused solely on the person in his chat background-his own goddess. As the crowd watched, the woman took graceful steps toward the VIP seats and sat next to Jared. Both men and women¡¯s hearts shattered at that moment. Indeed, goddesses belong to gods. s, ordinary people stood no chance.

    Hearing someone sit beside him, Jared finally looked up. He frowned slightly, his voice cool, ¡°This seat is taken.¡±

    The woman, surprised, looked at Jared with tender, slightly pleading eyes. ¡°Mr. Farrell, don¡¯t you remember me? I¡¯m Grace, Stephanie¡¯s best friend. You met me when you came to pick up Stephanie at the design institute.¡±

    Jared studied her for a long time, unable to recall ever meeting her. However, he was familiar with the name Grace-the heiress of the Hancock family and the woman Grandma Lyon insisted he marry. She was also the owner of this swimmingplex.

    Jared averted his gaze, his demeanor detached, ¡°I don¡¯t remember you.¡±

    Grace bit her lower lip slightly, her head bowed in a pitiful manner. ¡°Mr. Farrell, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t remember me. We can get to know each other again. My name is Grace.¡±

    Jared nced at the hand Grace extended toward him and then looked up, ¡°You have lipstick on your teeth.¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    A burst ofughter echoed from nearby. No one expected Jared to be so blunt. Even if he had to point it out, he could have done so more discreetly-no need to embarrass thedy publicly. What¡¯s more surprising was that Grace wore makeup to swim. Even the best waterproof makeup wouldn¡¯t stand a chance in the water.

    Grace, embarrassed, quickly grabbed a mirror to check. There was no trace of lipstick; Jared had clearly made it up. She set down the mirror, looking up at him with a forced smile. ¡°Mr. Farrell, why make such a joke?¡±

    Jared looked at her emotionlessly, ¡°You saw wrong because your mouth is too big.¡±

    Theughter intensified, and the onlookers couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. They moved to swim, knowing well that if they stayed, they would end upughing themselves out.

 Chapter 507: The Hancock Family Also Appeared at Their Home

    Grace bit her lower lip hard, taking quite some time to recover her strength.

    She had long heard that Jared was indifferent to women, which suggested he was somewhat straightforward; she didn¡¯t mind it.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s swim a fewps,¡± Grace said as she stood up and walked over to Jared¡¯s side.

    Jared didn¡¯t even need to look up to see the two long, pale legs in front of him.

    Standing up, Jared, already tall, now made the 5¡¯5¡å Grace look even more petite and adorable.

    Grace took a few deep breaths, looked at Jared so close to her, and shyly said, ¡°Mr. Farrell, let¡¯s go together.¡±

    In the changing room, Tina watched Stephanie beside her, mesmerized by her phone¡¯s disy showing famous paintings she wanted to ask about.

    Tina raised an eyebrow, a subtle smile ying on her lips.

    Checking the time, Tina stood up and covered Stephanie¡¯s phone with her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s head to the pool.¡±

    Stephanie felt it was about time too and nodded, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Hah, Tina, just wait until you see Grace swimming with my brother, don¡¯t die of jealousy!

    As they left the changing room, a loud noise came from the VIP swimming pool!

    A woman had fallen into the pool, her glittering light shawl fluttering in the air.

    Stephanie was startled; that was Grace¡¯s shawl!

    What on earth happened?

    Tina chuckled softly beside Stephanie¡¯s ear, whispering, ¡°Are you pleased?¡±

    With that, she walked towards Jared.

    Stephanie, standing still, suddenly shivered; the horrific scene at the Lyon family¡¯s yesterday shed through her mind, filling her with dread.

    This Tina, she really had something eerie about her¡­

    It was terrifying.

    Lifeguards pulled Grace out of the pool, her exquisite makeup smeared from struggling in the water.

    Her face was streaked with ck lines, and her eyeliner smudged into panda eyes.

    Her delicately styled hair was wet and messy on her shoulders, looking utterly disheveled.

    Curious children ran over and seeing Grace in this state, burst intoughter.

    ¡°The prettydy turned into a panda auntie!¡±

    Children¡¯s words were brutally honest; the other adults in the swimming hall began tough too, theughter spreading uncontrobly.

    Grace had never been so embarrassed; she coughed and stood up, wanting to ask Jared why he had pushed her, causing her to lose her bnce and slip into the pool.

    She had dressed up for three hours just to show Jared her best self, but it had all gone wrong¡­

    As Grace regained herposure, she realized Jared had already walked towards Tina in the distance.

    The rest of the people in the swimming hall also followed Jared¡¯s gaze.

    Heavens!

    This woman was truly a goddess!

    What was that earlier even about!

    Tina, dressed in a simple,mon swimsuit, her hair neatly tied back, exuded an aristocratic aura that was iparable.

    For a moment, everyone present even forgot to breathe.

    They finally understood why Jared had ignored Grace.

    With such a person by his side, who else could cast a shadow?

    The child who had just mocked Grace cried out, ¡°This is the beautiful sister, so pretty! Can you wait for me to grow up and then marry me? I promise to treat you well for a lifetime!¡±

    Jared grabbed Tina¡¯s hand and turned to re warningly at the little boy, ¡°Dream on!¡±

    The boy was stunned, then began to sob pitifully, ¡°Wah, Mommy, the viin has stolen my bride!¡±

    ¡°This is my wife!¡± Jared dered in warning once again.

    Tina sighed in resignation, ¡°Sir, he¡¯s just a kid under ten years old.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Jared wrapped his arm around Tina¡¯s shoulder and draped his towel over her.

    This is my Tina, look away!

    Jared, with Tina in tow, approached Stephanie and said coldly, ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, I will no longer acknowledge you as my sister!¡±

    After that, Jared left with Tina.

    Agreeing toe swimming was his biggest regret.

    There were too many perverts here!

    Stephanie had never heard Jared talk to her so harshly before. Panicked, she was about to exin when she saw Jared and Tina leaving the pool.

    She bit her lip, her resentment towards Tina growing.

    Tina must have cast a love spell on her brother; otherwise, why would he now disown his own family?

    Tina, just wait, I will drive you away from my brother¡¯s side, and I won¡¯t let you ruin the Lyon family¡¯s ns or my brother¡¯s lifelong happiness!

    Stephanie took a deep breath and jogged over to Grace, ¡°Grace, are you alright?¡±

    Grace bit her lip, her expression one of deep sorrow.

    How could she be alright? She was nearly crying herself dehydrated.

    ¡°Stephanie, what did I do wrong? Why does he treat me this way? I¡¯m really upset, we were already engaged, why does it have to be like this?¡±

    Stephanie hugged Grace sympathetically, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Grace. It¡¯s all Tina¡¯s fault. My brother is just deceived by her. Don¡¯t worry, our Lyon family is with you, and we won¡¯t let that country girl seed!¡±

    Grace nodded silently, ¡°Yes, I knew you and Grandma Lyon care about me the most.¡±

    Stephanie held Grace¡¯s hand, ¡°Silly Grace, after you marry my brother, we¡¯ll all be family.¡±

    Grace smiled shyly, ¡°We still need to deal with that Tina first, otherwise your brother is going to be taken away.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t be smug for long!¡± Stephanie squinted towards the pool exit.

    As Jared and Tina left the swimming center and got into the car, Nathan drove them to a safe ce and handed over a document.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, everything is clear now. There are thirty biotechpanies in Clearwater, ten of which are owned by the Lyon family, and the remaining twenty by the Hancock family. The Hancock family also owns numerous research bases here.¡±

    Jared¡¯s mission in Clearwater was to identify the GTO virus research institutes.

    The local biotechpanies in Clearwater would be his first target.

    GTO would surely utilize suchpanies to achieve their goals.

 Chapter 508: The Calculations of the Lyon Family

    Tina narrowed her eyes. On the day her mothermitted suicide, several families had visited their home, including the Hancock family. At that time, she found information about the Ashbury Hancock family. After going to Ashbury, she thoroughly investigated but found nothing amiss. However, she had not yet checked into the Clearwater Hancock family. The Woodham family and Ward family, who had also appeared at their home, were investigated and found to have no issues. Only this Hancock family¡­ Tina¡¯s lips curled up slightly. They had hidden for so long and only now surfaced. Things were getting interesting.

    Tina drew her gaze back, recalling something, and asked, ¡°Was the Brookes family not involved?¡± Nathan shook his head, ¡°No, or perhaps they are, but we haven¡¯t been able to find out yet. The Brookes family is deeply entrenched, and many of their dealings aren¡¯t overt, not easily traceable.¡± Tina nodded. If the Brookes family also had a research facility, it would be much more convenient for her in Clearwater.

    Jared reviewed the information Nathan had gathered, paying particr attention to the dealings of these biotechpanies. It seemed that the Lyon family had only recently established contact with the Hancock family, and some aspects of the business were not as straightforward as they appeared. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll need to deal more with the Hancock family,¡± Jared said, his brow furrowed deeply with disgust. Dealing with the Hancock family meant entangling with that Grace, which was a repulsive thought. Even the brief touch of pushing Grace away with a towel made him feel unclean. He would need a thorough shower tonight!

    Nathan, noticing Jared growing more agitated, looked puzzledly at Tina. He blinked: ¡°Madam, what¡¯s wrong with Mr. Farrell? I didn¡¯t provoke him!¡± Tina replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just feeling a bit irritated, no worries.¡± Jared mmed the files shut, ¡°Let¡¯s find a ce to eat, and after that, continue our investigation.¡± Nathan quickly agreed, knowing that obeying Jared¡¯s orders, even if it meant driving into a river, was far preferable to bearing the brunt of his anger.

    After dinner, Jared received a call from Grandma Lyon. ¡°Jared, you¡¯re out of line, treating the Hancock family¡¯s daughter that way. Do you realize how much trouble you could invite if you offend her? You are too thoughtless,e back home immediately!¡± Before Jared could respond, Grandma Lyon hung up in a huff. Jared pocketed his phone, his expression darkening, ¡°Nathan, take Tina back first.¡± ¡°No need, I am the head of the Lyon family. How can I not show up when there¡¯s trouble at home?¡± Tina said with a slight smile, curious to see what Grandma Lyon would attempt next.

    At the Lyon family home, Stephanie was crying her heart out. ¡°I finally managed to get Grace to meet today, hoping she could have a good talk with my brother, at least get to know each other. But who knew what Tina would do, Grandma, Grace was so wronged today, you must help her.¡± Grandma Lyon nodded repeatedly, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Grace is the granddaughter-inw I have chosen, I will naturally help her. Tina has gone too far.¡±

    Sonia poured Grandma Lyon a cup of tea and sat beside her, ¡°Mom, Tina has the Lyon family¡¯s head ring, what can we do?¡± Grandma Lyon snorted, ¡°What of it? If she still wants to be my granddaughter-inw, she must kneel before me. If she insists on being our family head, she can¡¯t me Jared for not having a future with her.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Sonia massaged Grandma Lyon¡¯s shoulders, still scheming. No matter what, she needed to change Jared¡¯s opinion of her first, to find out the status of the rtionship between Asher and Marie. If it was already beyond repair, it would be perfect timing for Jared¡¯s visit, using his name to get closer to the Farrell family.

    If they were still as annoying as before, it didn¡¯t matter, as long as Jared knew what kind of person his mother was. Warren¡¯s family sat across from Grandma Lyon, with Connor¡¯s fingers wrapped in gauze, the bones Jared had broken still throbbing with pain.

    ¡°Hmph, I told Stephanie to introduce me to that Grace, but she wouldn¡¯t, and now look what happened! If you had introduced her to me, Grandma, your great-grandson might already be here, and we wouldn¡¯t be struggling to deal with the little Hancock family!¡±

    Stephanie was the first to object, ¡°You think you can chase Grace? Have you even looked in the mirror? Are you half as good as my brother? Shameless!¡±

    ¡°Stephanie, at least I¡¯m your brother, keep your mouth clean for me!¡±

    ¡°Pah, what are you!¡±

    ¡°Stephanie, am I giving you too much face?¡±

    Connor then stood up, pointing at Stephanie with his injured fingers, his face menacing.

    Leah naturally defended her daughter, ¡°Connor, what are you trying to do?¡±

    Seeing this, Warren also pulled his son back, ¡°Calm down, that¡¯s your sister. We need to be united against outsiders, can we afford internal conflicts?¡±

    Megan quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡°Exactly, our biggest threat is Tina.¡±

    The atmosphere eased a bit, and Megan continued, ¡°Mom, I actually have an idea, want to hear it?¡±

    ¡°Speak,¡± Grandma Lyon responded.

    ¡°Jared is already bewitched by Tina,pletely devoted to her. We might as well prepare a backup n. If Connor could also get to know Grace, maybe they¡¯ll take a liking to each other, right? After all, we just want to connect with the Hancock family. If Grace marries Connor, our families would be even closer, better than letting the Farrell family take advantage.¡±

    Megan¡¯s words weren¡¯t new to Grandma Lyon.

    Jared, after all, was Marie¡¯s son and ultimately an outsider to the Lyon family. Unfortunately, the moment Grace saw Jared in Ashbury, she fell deeply in love with him and wanted to marry him.

    Connor didn¡¯t really stand a chance.

    Megan, knowing what Grandma Lyon was thinking, continued, ¡°Mom, I know it¡¯s difficult, but it¡¯s better than putting all our eggs in one basket, right?¡±

    After Megan finished, she signaled to Sonia with her eyes.

    Sonia silently nodded, ¡°Megan is right, Mom, having a backup n is better than relying solely on Jared.¡±

    Hearing this from her beloved daughter, Grandma Lyon finally nodded, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s give Connor a chance to get to know Grace, starting as friends wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    Stephanie nced at her father, Oliver, who shook his head, signaling her to remain silent.

    The Lyon family, although appearing united, each harbored their own agendas.

    There was only one position for the heir, and now Warren and Oliver were equally matched, each with a son and a daughter, both favored by Grandma Lyon.

    It was just a matter of who could satisfy Grandma Lyon first.

    What Grandma Lyon most wanted now was an alliance with the Hancock family to explore that mysterious business chain.

    So, Stephanie had early on be best friends with Grace, ensuring she would not marry Warren¡¯s son, keeping Grace on Oliver¡¯s side.

    The Hancock family¡¯s business chain would then remain in Oliver and his family¡¯s hands.

    Everyone had their own motives, yet outwardly they maintained harmony.

    Soon, the butler walked in, his body also wrapped in bandages, ¡°Mrs. Lyon, the guests have arrived.¡±

    As he finished speaking, Tina and Jared walked in hand in hand.

 Chapter 509: She Always Has Her Ways

    The sofa was packed with people, leaving no room for Tina and Jared. Of course, no one was willing to get up. Tina scanned the room and grabbed the butler, ¡°Forgot the lesson I gave you yesterday?¡± The butler shivered involuntarily; he could never forgetst night¡¯s torment. He looked towards Grandma Lyon, who was seated in the master seat of the Lyon family.

    Grandma Lyon coughed and stood up with Sonia¡¯s help, ¡°Tina, are you here today as the head of the Lyon family, or as Jared¡¯s fiancee?¡± Tina smiled slightly, ¡°Is there a difference?¡± ¡°Of course, if you are here as the head of the Lyon family, you may sit at the head of the table and listen to our discussions today, but you may not interject. Even if you are the head, I am still the one managing the Lyon Group, and you have no right to interfere in my affairs. However, you must also not presume the role of the fiancee; it¡¯s against the Lyon family rules!¡±

    Tina responded, ¡°And if I am here as Jared¡¯s fiancee?¡± Grandma Lyon scoffed, ¡°If you are here as Jared¡¯s fiancee, you stand here, holding tea, and listen quietly to our reprimands. Everyone here is your elder; you must not be presumptuous!¡± Tina, pulling Jared along, smiled and sat in the master seat, crossing her legs and looking sideways at Grandma Lyon, ¡°Fortunately, I am both the head of the Lyon family and Jared¡¯s fiancee.¡±

    Grandma Lyon snorted coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t be too greedy. I don¡¯t recognize your engagement with Jared, but since you are the head of the Lyon family, I will still give you some respect. If you want to be the head, then you must step back from Jared¡¯s life.¡± Jared¡¯s eyes narrowed, a chill emanating from him as he was about to speak when Tina suddenly interjected, ¡°Our engagement was arranged by my mother and Grandpa Farrell. What right do you have to deny it?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Grandma Lyon was infuriated but found no words to retort. Indeed, she was just a grandmother; what right did she have to deny Jared and Tina¡¯s engagement? Yet, why should Tina get away with running wild in their house? Tina¡¯s eyes lifted slightly, sweeping over everyone slowly and deliberately, ¡°These past few years, I have been learning some unconventional skills. It¡¯s fine if you target me, but if youy a hand on my uncle¡­¡±

    Sheughed, augh so radiant yet chilling. Grandma Lyon and the others narrowed their eyes; Tina clearly knew some underhanded tactics. Still, as much as they thought this, no one dared to speak. Without understanding exactly what was going on with Tina, they could not act rashly. The events of yesterday were still fresh, and they truly feared Tina might take action against them.

    Tina pointed at the butler, ¡°Go prepare some tea for Mrs. Lyon to hold; this is the rule she just established.¡± Grandma Lyon was startled, ¡°What rule?¡± Tina raised an eyebrow, a sly sparkle in her eye, ¡°The person standing and replying must hold tea. Serve me a cup, do you object?¡± So, she had been waiting for this!

    Grandma Lyon cursed inwardly, that despicable woman, daring to demand she serve tea, utterly oblivious to her ce! ¡°Tina, don¡¯t be too excessive!¡± Grandma Lyon scolded sharply. Tina leaned backzily in her chair, her gaze lifting indifferently, ¡°Even if you call your family head this way, hmm?¡± Her even-tempered voice shook Grandma Lyon. She might not regard Tina highly, but she could not disregard the head of the Lyon family.

    In a tense atmosphere, the butler brought a cup of tea to Grandma Lyon, ¡°Mrs. Lyon, please hold this.¡±

    If they angered the new master of the house, losing limbs was not worth it!

    Left with no choice, Grandma Lyon held the tea, biding her time until Jared and Grace¡¯s affair solidified, after which she nned to discipline the young hussy!

    With trembling hands, Grandma Lyon received the teacup and held it to her chest, ¡°Jared, I have important matters to discuss with you.¡±

    Jared looked at his grandmother, furrowing his brow, ¡°Grandma, when offering tea to the head of the family, one should bow to show respect. At your age, surely you haven¡¯t forgotten such basic etiquette.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Uncle is right; he is truly the man I chose,¡± Tina teased, flicking Jared¡¯s chin.

    As Tina withdrew her hand, Jared caught it and yfully bit her mischievous fingertips.

    Their intimate disy was too much for the elders to watch.

    It was a disgrace to the family!

    With no choice left, Grandma Lyon obediently bent her old back, ¡°Jared! Put that down, behaving like this in front of so many, what sort of example are you setting?¡±

    Far from stopping, Jared interlocked their fingers, ¡°I¡¯m expressing love to my fiancee, do you have a problem with that?¡±

    Grandma Lyon nearly spat blood, staying with that vile Tina had corrupted Jared¡¯s manners.

    Just as she was about to erupt in anger, Sonia pulled her aside.

    ¡°Mother, focus on the important matters.¡±

    Realizing she had almost forgotten the real issue amidst themotion, Grandma Lyonposed herself and spoke, ¡°Today, you embarrassed the daughter of the Hancock family. Tomorrow, you must soothe things over properly, since they are our partners and she is devoted to you. Even if you dislike her, you shouldn¡¯t insult her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already had Stephanie book Grace¡¯s favorite restaurant for tomorrow. Just go there, have a meal with her, and make a sincere apology, understood?¡±

    Jared didn¡¯t respond, absorbed in examining Tina¡¯s fingers.

    ¡°Jared, I¡¯m speaking to you!¡± Grandma Lyon snapped.

    Distracted by his nail filing, Jared then realized, ¡°Was just grooming our master¡¯s nails, didn¡¯t hear you, repeat that.¡±

    Furious yet constrained by the bigger picture, Grandma Lyon repeated herself.

    This time, Jared was busy fixing Tina¡¯s hair!This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    After several repeated conversations, Grandma Lyon¡¯s hands started to tremble and her back ached as if it might break.

    Only when she could no longer stand it did Jared nod in agreement, ¡°I will make things right with Miss Hancock.¡±

    Jared, standing up with Tina, smiled at Grandma Lyon, ¡°For such small matters, a phone call will suffice next time; no need for parental supervision.¡±

    With that, the two left side by side.

    Unable to hold back, Stephanie shouted, ¡°Tina, you and my brother aren¡¯t married yet, where do you think you¡¯re taking him!¡±

    Tina paused, turning to Stephanie, ¡°Oh, your brother is to serve in my chambers tonight.¡±

    Jared: ¡°Really? Okay, let¡¯s go now!¡±

    Tina: ¡°Calm down, I was just saying¡­¡±

    As the words hung in the air, the Lyon family stood baffled by such boldness from a young girl.

    But before they could grasp the situation, Tina and Jared had already left the Lyon family.

    The teacup in Grandma Lyon¡¯s hand suddenly dropped to the floor, and Sonia quickly helped her mother to the sofa, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll find a doctor for you; just rest for now!¡±

 Chapter 510: Grandma Lyon Injured Her Back

    After settling Grandma Lyon, Sonia rushed out.

    ¡°Jared, wait a moment!¡±

    Jared was about to get into the car when he heard someone calling him from behind. Turning around, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Sonia tucked a stray hair behind her ear. ¡°Jared, I haven¡¯t had the chance to have a proper chat with you. Can we talk the day after tomorrow night?¡±

    Jared narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you want to talk about, Mrs. Johnson?¡±

    He called her Mrs. Johnson because she had previously been married to a man named Johnson.

    Sonia paused for a few seconds, unustomed to being called Mrs. Johnson after so long. It took her a moment to recover.

    She chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Silly boy, just call me Sonia. I just want to talk about your mother, my only sister.¡±

    Jared gazed deeply at Sonia, his eyes unreadable in the dim light.

    After a moment, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°See you the day after tomorrow.¡±

    Sonia then pulled something out of her pocket and handed it to Jared without exnation, before heading back to the Lyon family.

    In the car, Tina sniffed the item.

    It was an antidote to a love potion!

    ¡°Why did she give you this?¡± Tina was puzzled.

    Could it be that Sonia, as a member of the Lyon family, didn¡¯t want Grace to marry Jared?

    Jared chuckled. ¡°Probably, she wants to owe me a favor.¡±

    Tina nodded in understanding. ¡°So, will you ept this favor?¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jared pulled Tina into his arms, rubbing her shoulder. ¡°It would be less fun not to, especially since I need to keep ties with the Lyon family during this time.¡±

    Jared hade to Clearwater on a mission, involving the Lyon family to disguise his true purpose.

    It was necessary to entangle himself with the Lyon family to better mask his actions.

    Now with the enemy in the dark and himself exposed, he had to tread carefully.

    This was also why Jared had agreed to have dinner with Grace, arranged by Grandma Lyon, as part of his mission.

    Grace was a key figure in his assignment and needed to be utilized effectively.

    Tina half-reclined in Jared¡¯s arms, watching his expression change.

    Indeed, his face was full of cunning.

    ¡°Uncle, what are you thinking about?¡±

    Jared snapped back to reality, pinched Tina¡¯s cheek gently, and said deliberately, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about how to serve you tonight to your satisfaction.¡±

    Suddenly, Nathan braked hard, nearly throwing himself out of the driver¡¯s seat!

    ¡°Sorry, Mr. Farrell, there was a cat crossing the road just now.¡±

    My goodness, are Mr. Farrell and his wife discussing such spicy topics now?

    Is this a mission or a honeymoon?

    Hayden, I want to switch tasks with you. I¡¯m willing to guard Pa White¡¯s bomb base, even if it kills me!

    Hayden: Busy, do not disturb.

    Nathan quietly started the car, silently lowering the partition in the middle.

    Perhaps, he thought, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea for Brandon to arrange another driver for his wife.

    Tina¡¯s earlobes turned red; she had only been teasing, poking fun at Stephanie.

    Who would have thought he would actually take her seriously?

    Jared looked at the blushing face on hisp, moved, he leaned down and kissed her flushed cheeks.

    Brookes family.

    ¡°You mean that Tina person hase to Clearwater?¡± Rachel was having dinner when she heard a servant discussing Mrs. Smith being transferred.

    The servant nodded. ¡°Yes, Miss Reed has arrived. Master Brandon said she¡¯s quite busy and might not visit, so we shouldn¡¯t prepare or disturb her.¡±

    Rachel gripped her chopsticks tightly. After so many years in the Brookes family, she hardly felt valued by her brothers.

    She was actually held in high regard by so many people! Yesterday, when she called Grandpa Brookes to greet him, she was all he talked about. It was truly annoying! Rachel nearly crushed her chopsticks in frustration, pausing for a moment before regaining herposure and smiling, ¡°Since Tina is here, I definitely need to visit her. When you have time, ask Brandon where she is staying.¡±

    Early the next morning, Jared received a call from Stephanie. ¡°Jared, it¡¯s terrible, grandma hurt her back because of the tea incident yesterday, and now she can¡¯t get out of bed. What should we do?¡± Stephanie cried breathlessly, making it sound like Grandma Lyon was about to be cremated to those unaware of the real situation. Jared turned over in bed, missing the immediate embrace of his beloved Tina from yesterday, which only added to his gloom.

    Mrs. Smith was efficient in everything, having managed to tidy up her room in just one day. He didn¡¯t mind sharing therge two-meter-eight bed with Tina. Tina: No, thank you! Jared: No, you can¡¯t bear it!

    Seeing that Jared had remained silent, Stephanie grew even more anxious, ¡°Brother, are you listening to me? I¡¯m really worried. The doctor said grandma might end up paralyzed in bed, and it¡¯s all Tina¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Stephanie Lyon, Tina is not for you to call,¡± Jared responded, using her full name, which left Stephanie momentarily stunned. They had always been close, and it was the first time he addressed her so formally and sternly, all because of Tina!

    This made Stephanie even more frustrated. Oliver then took the phone, ¡°Jared, this is Oliver. Grandma¡¯s condition is indeed because of Tina. We all know she¡¯s the head of the household, but still, she¡¯s an elder, and you can¡¯t treat an old person like this, right? She¡¯s a well-known figure, and if word gets out, it won¡¯t sound good. What do you think?¡±

    Jared sat up from the bed, ¡°So, are you threatening me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. You don¡¯t have to visit since you have more important things to handle. The Hancock family¡¯s daughter has already made arrangements; it wouldn¡¯t be right to stand her up. Just make sure Tina takes care of it. I heard she has a Spectre bracelet and even gave one to your grandfather. I was wondering if there¡¯s another one for your grandmother to use, so outsiders can¡¯t talk.¡±

    Jared smiled faintly; the Lyon family really was interesting. Was this their way of keeping Tina from causing trouble at the restaurant by giving her an excuse to stay put? Jared got up from the bed and knocked on Tina¡¯s door, then pushed it open. Tina was still lying in bed. Hearing the noise, she sleepily sat up and kissed Jared on the lips. The sound clearly transmitted to all the Lyon family members through the speaker.

    Oliver frowned, ¡°Jared, make sure Tina gets my message. If she doesn¡¯te, I can¡¯t guarantee what might happen.¡± With that, Oliver hung up the phone. Tina leaned on Jared¡¯s shoulder, rubbing her sleepy eyes, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jared slowly stroked her hair as he repeated Oliver¡¯s words. Tina perked up immediately, a sly smile forming on her lips, ¡°I love taking care of patients.¡±

    Seeing Tina¡¯s expression, Jared could only imagine what interesting events would unfold in the Lyon family today. He gently tickled her nose, ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re the best at taking care of patients.¡±

 Chapter 511: This Time She Truly Couldnâ€™t Get Up

    After breakfast, the two went their separate ways. Tina rode her motorcycle alone to the Lyon family estate. Meanwhile, at the Lyon family home, Grandma Lyon was indeed unable to get out of bed. She had twisted her back while serving tea the previous day, andst night, a sudden turn almost broke her elderly bones. This morning, she found herselfpletely immobilized in bed.

    Sonia was very concerned. ¡°Mom, do you really want Tina to take care of you? Isn¡¯t this like amb walking into a tiger¡¯s den?¡±

    Grandma Lyon pointed to the corner of the room. ¡°Take a good look, what is that?¡±

    Following the direction of Grandma Lyon¡¯s finger, Sonia instantly understood. A hidden pinhole camera had been installed in the corner, disguised to look just like the ster, almost indistinguishable unless examined closely. Someone unfamiliar with the Lyon family, like Tina, would never notice its secrecy.

    If Tina simply cared for the patient without fuss, all would be well. It was merely to keep her confined here, away from causing trouble at the restaurant. But if she attempted to harm Grandma Lyon, she would only have herself to me for her downfall. Names like Waverly Underwood, the perfumer Q, and master Irene would all be ruined!

    Reassured, Sonia said, ¡°Mom, take good care of yourself then. My brother, sister-inw, and I are heading to the office.¡±

    ¡°Alright, go on.¡±

    Soon after, Tina arrived at the Lyon family home. Apart from the butler and a few servants, only the bedridden Grandma Lyon was there. Tina, dressed in her motorcycle gear, entered and Grandma Lyon, with a cold huff, said, ¡°Head of the family, forgive me, I can¡¯t get up to greet you.¡±

    Ignoring Grandma Lyon¡¯s sarcastic tone, Tina sat beside the bed. ¡°I heard you were injured, and it really pains me. How are you feeling now?¡±

    Looking at the smile on Tina¡¯s face made Grandma Lyon frown unconsciously. ¡°Hmph, if you truly cared about me, you wouldn¡¯t have treated me like thatst night. As my granddaughter-inw, you show no initiative, not even knowing I hadn¡¯t eaten.¡±

    Realizing the oversight, Tina responded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go make you some food!¡±

    With that, Tina headed to the kitchen to start preparing soup. Grandma Lyon was puzzled by Tina¡¯spliance today.

    Before long, Tina brought the food she had prepared. ¡°Come, let me feed you.¡±

    As Tina helped Grandma Lyon sit up, her fingertips quietly pinched Grandma Lyon¡¯s waist with a needle. Leaning against the headboard, Grandma Lyon remarked, ¡°You have some conscience, making pumpkin porridge?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s egg yolk porridge,¡± Tina spooned it into Grandma Lyon¡¯s mouth.

    Immediately, Grandma Lyon spat it out. The egg yolk waspletely raw, and there were even egg shells in it! Tina was clearly trying to harm her!

    Grandma Lyon overturned the porridge andshed out at Tina, thinking to teach her a lesson. She grabbed a nearby cane and swung it at Tina. ¡°You must wish I were dead!¡±

    Tina stepped back to the doorway, eyeing Grandma Lyon up and down. ¡°Your back, it¡¯s better?¡±

    Only then did Grandma Lyon realize she was standing. Her back pain had indeed vanished.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    With a secretive smile, Tina said, ¡°Since you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±

    After a meaningful nce at the corner of the room, Tina turned and left.

    Grandma Lyon had not expected her back to heal so quickly and knew she could not let Tina leave at that moment, so she stepped forward to stop her. However, she intentionally fell to the ground, making it seem at first nce as if Tina had pushed her. This fall paralyzed her already fragile back.

    ¡°You wretched Tina, how dare you push me, you heartless woman!¡± Grandma Lyon¡¯s cry of rm brought the butler and others running. The butler helped her up, scolding Tina, ¡°Madam, how could you do this? Even as the head of the family, you can¡¯t just take Mrs. Lyon¡¯s life!¡±

    Tina stood with her arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe, silently observing the scene. Grandma Lyon had really gone to great lengths to frame her. If she had stayed still, the injection she had received would have worked. But now, she was confined to a wheelchair.

    ¡°Tina, I am still your elder, how dare you treat me this way? You will face retribution!¡± Grandma Lyon shouted as the butler ced her in the wheelchair, only to find she couldn¡¯t move at all. Despite her fake fall, she knew deep down she hadn¡¯t hurt herself, so why couldn¡¯t she move?

    Tina chuckled, ¡°We should take her to the hospital; there might still be hope.¡± Grandma Lyon pointed at Tina, ¡°There, it must be your doing, oh¡­¡±

    Grandma Lyon cried out, holding her back and shouting to the butler, ¡°Hurry up and take me to the hospital.¡± It was only then that the butler realized Grandma Lyon had indeed fallen for real! He had been watching the surveince and knew she had faked the fall, but she had actually injured herself this time. He quickly made calls to send her to the hospital and informed Warren and others toe immediately.

    The Lyon family was in disarray, and Tina took the opportunity to search the Lyon family home undetected. Nathan had discovered several suspicious business dealings between the Lyon and Hancock families. She had hacked into the Lyon familypany¡¯sputer system overnight, finding that those transactions were not recorded in thepany¡¯s files. However, when she tried to break into the Hancock family¡¯s system, she was blocked. Their firewall had been designed by her own mother!

    Tina¡¯s hacking skills came from Natalie¡¯s teachings, though Natalie had not passed on all her knowledge before her suicide. Now, aside from Natalie¡¯s firewalls, there were no systems Tina couldn¡¯t breach. She was surprised to find that the Hancock family had connections with her mother. After her mother¡¯s death ten years ago, the Hancock family had moved to Clearwater, leaving only some rtives to oversee their business in Ensford, with their headquarters now in Clearwater. What were the Hancock family originally looking for?

    Unable to breach the Hancock family¡¯s firewall, Tina focused on the Lyon family first. She found her way to Grandma Lyon¡¯s study and discovered a safe with abination lock. After cracking it open, she retrieved a document detailing business dealings with the Hancock family. The document was vague, written in a codednguage that was difficult to trante without a key. Tina noted everything down and left the document exactly as she had found it.

    At the hospital, members of the Lyon family arrived one after another. Warren was the first to shout, ¡°Where is that wretched Tina? She pushed my mother and she¡¯s not even showing her face. Does she think our Lyon family has no one left!¡±

 Chapter 512: The Lyon Familyâ€™s Miscalculation

    Oliver stood silently on the side, casting disdainful nces at his elder brother. Tina wasn¡¯t here now, and only in her absence would he dare to speak out like this; if she were here, he wouldn¡¯t even dare to fart. Just likest night, when Tina had Grandma Lyon serve tea, who stepped forward to stop it? After Warren had shouted enough, he began to feign concern for Grandma Lyon¡¯s safety. ¡°What if something happens to Mom? Don¡¯t worry, Mom, I will manage thepany well and ensure it suffers no losses whatsoever!¡±

    Leah couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°Warren, Mom hasn¡¯t even shown any signs of illness yet, and you¡¯re already eager to take over thepany? Besides, Oliver is still here. Isn¡¯t it too early to talk about this now?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Megan became displeased. ¡°Leah, Warren is the eldest son of the family. It has always been the rule for the eldest son to inherit the family business. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t even understand that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that,¡± Leah retorted. ¡°Just because he¡¯s the eldest doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯spetent!¡±

    ¡°How can you speak like that?¡±

    Sonia, overhearing their squabbling, became so infuriated that she kicked over a flower pot. ¡°Will you ever stop? Mom is still in surgery! And here you are, already discussing how to divide her assets? I¡¯m telling you, keep this up, and you¡¯ll get nothing!¡±

    Sonia had always been Grandma Lyon¡¯s favorite since she was a child. Warren and Oliver had spent years trying to please her. Everyone knew that Sonia was the real power behind Grandma Lyon, holding the family seal. Winning her favor was tantamount to winning Grandma Lyon¡¯s.

    Megan and Sonia were particrly close, whereas Leah never liked her younger sister-inw, managing only a superficial rtionship. Thankfully, Stephanie was wise and got along very well with her aunt. Seeing Sonia upset, she quickly came over tofort her, her eyes brimming with tears, ¡°Aunt Sonia, please don¡¯t be angry. Grandma is still in the operating room, and we all rely on you now.¡±

    Sonia patted Stephanie¡¯s head. ¡°I know you¡¯re the kindest, Auntie isn¡¯t angry anymore.¡±

    Ultimately, appearances had to be maintained.

    Finally, calm was restored in front of the operating room, and Sonia remembered the surveince cameras Grandma Lyon had installed in the room. She went to find the butler. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss, I¡¯ve already taken care of everything. The video has been edited, and it was all Tina¡¯s doing. It will be posted online in five minutes.¡±

    Sonia nodded, ¡°Good job. Once Mom wakes up, she will give you the reward you deserve.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, miss.¡±

    The video was uploaded that evening, showing Tina¡¯s face clearly.

    Tina, who already had a vast following online due to her beauty and multiple identities, attracted countless fans. She had always maintained a clean public image.

    Once the video was released, the inte exploded.

    ¡°It¡¯s true what they say, you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover!¡±

    ¡°How could this be? Is another idol going to fall?¡±

    ¡°No way, I adore her looks, how could she be such a person?¡±

    ¡°To treat an elderly person like that is just wicked!¡±

    The search for ¡®Tina mistreating an elderly person¡¯ instantly topped the trending list.

    Many flooded Tina¡¯s social media to hurl abuse, though manyments were from trolls paid by the Lyon family.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    However, five minutester, Ember Saffron, who had millions of followers, along with the rising star Arthur Woodwind, and Juliet, whose career was revitalized by a movie Tina invested in, each released a video. This video was the unedited version of the surveince,plete with sound.

    They had even slowed down the footage of Grandma Lyon¡¯s fake fall by twenty times, making it clear that Tina hadn¡¯t even touched her! Following this, Tina¡¯s brothers quickly shared the video, and Marie, who was browsing social media, saw it and felt even more disgusted with her mother¡¯s actions. She immediately re-shared Ember Saffron¡¯s post, adding thement, ¡°Mom, after all these years, how can you still behave like this?¡±

    Marie, the wife of Asher Farrell, who was managing the Bo family¡¯s business, was often in the public eye. Now that she had personally shared and endorsed the post about her mother, it sparked public outrage. Within just three minutes, the Lyon familypany¡¯s official website crashed, andizens dug up many other scandals rted to workce bullying by the Lyon family. Thepany¡¯s PR team was overwhelmed and received a massive bacsh online.

    Tina, satisfied with the social media metrics, sent a message to Ember Saffron, Arthur Woodwind, and Juliet. ¡°This month, you¡¯ll get a bonus!¡± The three of them cheered, ¡°Long live the boss!¡± Pleased, Tina put away her phone and parked her motorcycle in front of a restaurant.

    Inside the restaurant, Grace was dressed to the nines, wearing a flowing gown that showcased her delicate corbones, sitting across from Jared. With her slender, fair fingers holding a knife and fork, she gazed affectionately at Jared, ¡°Remember our first meeting? It was also in a Western restaurant. Such fate.¡±

    Jared was meticulously cutting his steak into small pieces, but he hadn¡¯t eaten any of it. Moved, Grace wondered, ¡°Is Jared cutting the steak for me?¡± He really must have listened to Stephanie and followed Grandma Lyon¡¯s arrangements, deciding to ditch Tina and get engaged to her instead! Grace eagerly set down her utensils, waiting for Jared to bring the te over. ¡°I never expected Mr. Farrell to be so attentive,¡± she said, her eyes twinkling shyly.

    Jared responded, ¡°It¡¯s what a fiance should do.¡± Grace was thrilled inside, as Jared was now referring to himself as her fiance! Without Tina, Jared would never treat her as he had at the swimming pool. She knew that many in Clearwater desired to be at her feet, and Jared was no exception. Confident in her beauty and figure, Grace believed that any noble man would relentlessly pursue her.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, where do you think we should hold the engagement party?¡± Grace asked with a smile, already picturing their engagement scene. She envisioned herself in a white dress, arm-in-arm with Jared, exchanging rings amid the blessings of their guests.

    Jared stopped his actions and shook his head, ¡°No need for an engagement party; we can go straight to the wedding.¡± ¡°Really? Isn¡¯t that too soon? I thought we might need some time to adjust,¡± Grace blushed. Jared¡¯s wish to marry directly was a surprise to her. ¡°Not too soon,¡± Jared smiled slightly, his expression noble and captivating. Grace was almost swept away by his charming smile. This was the man worthy of her-elegant, distinguished, with a cool demeanor yet uniquely charming. Compared to the usual sycophants, Jared was in a different league!

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll follow your lead, Mr. Farrell. I¡¯ll discuss it with my father tonight. I think we should have a wedding in Clearwater, then go to Ashbury. What do you think¡­¡±

 Chapter 513: Miss Hancock, Beware of Fire Hazards

    Before Grace could finish speaking, Jared had already stood up and waved to someone in the distance, ¡°Tina, I¡¯m here.¡±

    Grace was stunned. Tina? Why was she here?

    Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be taking care of the olddy at the Lyon family?

    Grace turned around to see Tina in a biker suit, her dark hair cascading down her shoulders, holding a helmet in one hand. She looked both cool and fierce!

    Tina walked over, set the helmet on the table, and kissed Jared on the lips in front of Grace.

    ¡°I¡¯mte.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re just in time,¡± Jared said, taking Tina¡¯s hand and pulling her into a seat next to him. He pushed a te with freshly cut steak towards her. ¡°Just cut, eat up.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, uncle,¡± Tina replied with a smile, happily digging into the steak.

    Jared ruffled Tina¡¯s hair, then turned to Grace, ¡°What were you saying?¡±

    Grace clenched the tablecloth under the table tightly, her fingertips turning pale from the force, her veins bulging.

    Yet, to maintain her image, she forced a smile.

    ¡°I was saying, shouldn¡¯t we have a wedding ceremony in Clearwater before heading back to Ashbury to have another?¡±

    Grace couldn¡¯t believe it; she had made her point clear, yet Tina seemed oblivious. She was the one recognized as the future granddaughter-inw of the Lyon family!Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared smirked, ¡°Tina and I only want to have it in Ashbury, since we don¡¯t have many rtives in Clearwater.¡±

    Grace nearly bit her lip through, ¡°Mr. Farrell, are you mistaken about something? We¡¯re sitting here because it was arranged by our families.¡±

    Jared gave a cold smile, ¡°The reason we¡¯re sitting here isn¡¯t that it was arranged by our families, but because I wanted to tell you that Tina is my fiancee. I didn¡¯t introduce her properlyst time, but now, do you understand?¡±

    Tears welled up in Grace¡¯s eyes; she couldn¡¯t believe Jared could be so heartless.

    What was so good about that Tina?

    Just a perfumer, a clothes designer, an artist?

    Simply put, she was just a worker for their noble kind, a country bumpkin who thought a little skill could turn her into a phoenix?

    Nothing but a clown!

    Why on earth did Jared want to be with Tina?

    She was a daughter of the Hancock family, one of the top families in Clearwater, even the esteemed Lyon family had to curry favor with them.

    How could a country bumpkinpare?

    Whether by birth or by beauty, Grace believed she was in no way inferior to Tina!

    Had Jared gone blind?

    After finishing her meal, Tina pulled out a napkin to wipe her mouth and noticed Grace¡¯s untouched steak, kindly reminding, ¡°Miss Hancock, the steak will not taste good once it¡¯s cold.¡±

    ¡°No need to worry, Miss Reed!¡± A tear fell from Grace¡¯s eye as she red at Tina.

    She wished she could tear Tina to pieces right then!

    Tina shrugged, ¡°Then take your time.¡±

    Jared also stood up, taking Tina¡¯s helmet and tenderly wrapping an arm around her slim waist, not looking back as they left.

    Tina, with her back to Grace, said lightly, ¡°Miss Hancock, you should head home early, beware of fires!¡±

    Grace stared fiercely at their departing figures, her palms nearly bleeding from the grip.

    Tina, you wait!

    The resentment in Grace¡¯s heart spilled into reality as she violently pulled on the tablecloth.

    Stephanie had specially arranged a candlelit dinner for her and Jared, and the candles on the table were knocked over by the cloth.

    Wine spilled over Grace along with the tes.

    The candle fire, fueled by the spilled wine, caught on Grace¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Ah! Help!¡±

    Grace was wearing a short, mmable dress made of light material, which caught fire from a candle! Fortunately, a quick-reacting waiter sprayed her with a fire extinguisher, preventing any harm to her skin. However, the dress was badly burned, exposing more than intended, including her sexy ckce thong. Who would have thought that such an outwardly pure woman would wear something so provocative underneath?

    Grace tried to cover up with her purse, but it was too small to hide everything. Thankfully, the waiter kindly offered his jacket to her. Without a word of thanks, she wrapped herself in the jacket and rushed out.

    Once home, Grace locked herself in her room and cried. She felt she had faced all her most embarrassing moments in just these past two days! Hearing his daughter¡¯s sobs, her father Max, knocked on her door worriedly, ¡°Grace, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Opening the door, Grace cried inconsbly in her father¡¯s arms. ¡°Dad, Tina has gone too far. You need to teach her a lesson, get her away from Mr. Farrell!¡± Max frowned, ¡°Tina¡­ Could it be that Tina?¡±

    As her father seemed distracted, Grace cried out, ¡°Dad, are you even listening? I¡¯ve been humiliated today, and you seem not to care!¡± Coming to his senses, Max asked, ¡°Grace, who is this Tina?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just a country bumpkin, Mr. Farrell¡¯s fiancee, an orphan no less, and she dares topete with me for a man. Dad, you have to deal with her. I want to marry Mr. Farrell, I will marry him!¡± Grace was being stubborn.

    She had always been the pampered princess of the family, her every whim catered to by Max. Back when the Hancock family was a minor name in Ensford, Max worked tirelessly for his business, even to the detriment of his health which led to a car ident costing him his fertility. It was only because of his elder brother that they weed Grace, a child born before Mrs. Hancock passed away from illness.

    Raised single-handedly by Max, Grace grew up spoiled and cherished. Later, the Hancock family moved to Clearwater, prospered through inherited technology, and became one of its most influential families. Even the Lyon family sought their favor, leading Max to demand that Grace marry Jared Lyon as part of a business deal.

    Hearing Grace¡¯s demands, Max felt reassured. He remembered Tina had a father, Hugo Reed, although he wasn¡¯t aware of the significant changes in the Reed family and believed Hugo was not Tina¡¯s biological father, thinking it was merely a coincidence of names.

    Patting his daughter¡¯s head, he reassured her, ¡°There, there, you¡¯re a Hancock, what can¡¯t you have? It¡¯s just a Tina. Daddy will handle it. Now, go wash your face and have a good sleep.¡± Comforted by her father¡¯s promise, Grace finally felt at ease, knowing her father would never fail to fulfill a promise.

 Chapter 514: Jared Absolutely Behaves

    After appeasing Grace, Max returned to his study to call the Lyon family. Grandma Lyon had juste out of the operating room and was not yet awake; Sonia answered the phone.

    ¡°Mr. Hancock, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Sonia asked warmly.

    Max¡¯s tone was very cold, ¡°Miss Lyon, my daughter came home crying today, and you still have the audacity to ask what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Sonia was taken aback. All members of the Lyon family were at the hospital, and with the current focus on managing online public opinion, they had no time to attend to Grace¡¯s date with Jared, let alone keep track of Tina¡¯s whereabouts.

    Hearing Max speak like this, Sonia realized there had been a serious issue.

    ¡°Mr. Hancock, I am terribly sorry. The girl Jared brought along today had a conflict with my mother. We are all at the hospital now and don¡¯t know what happened. We haven¡¯t been able to contact Jared either. Did that wretched Tina bully Grace again?¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Sonia repeatedly called Tina names, aiming to cate Max and shift all me onto Tina.

    ¡°Who exactly is this Tina?¡± Max asked.

    Despite Grace¡¯s exnation, he still wanted to verify the facts for reassurance.

    Sonia chuckled, ¡°She¡¯s just a country girl who knows nothing, eyeing Jared¡¯s money. If it weren¡¯t for her looks, Jared wouldn¡¯t have noticed her. Don¡¯t worry, she is not even close to matching Grace.¡±

    Even Sonia spoke thus, allowing Max to feel reassured.

    It seemed to be a case of mistaken identity.

    If it were indeed that Tina, she wouldn¡¯t be after Jared¡¯s money.

    Speaking of money, the inheritance left by his elder brother was enough for Jared for several lifetimes.

    ¡°Hmph, you can¡¯t handle a country girl, and you expect me to trust you with my daughter?¡± Maxined.

    Sonia quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡°Mr. Hancock, we are all one family, don¡¯t you trust us? Rest assured, my mother has everything arranged. Once she is discharged, we will organize an engagement party for Jared and Grace and invite all the notable people of Clearwater to celebrate. How does that sound?¡±

    Max squinted, ¡°Are you sure Jared will listen and agree to the engagement?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we have our ways, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Hearing Sonia¡¯s promise, Max did not pursue further. After all, the ultimate goal was to have the two families engaged.

    As long as the objective was achieved, the means were not important.

    ¡°If you mess this up, you¡¯ll see!¡± Max warned before hanging up.

    Sonia listened to the dial tone with a heavy sigh.

    Beside her, Stephanie was worried, ¡°Aunt Sonia, you agreed just like that, but Grandma isn¡¯t even awake yet. Where will we hold the engagement party? And I¡¯m sure my brother won¡¯t agree.¡±

    Sonia clenched her phone tightly. She had to deal with Grandma Lyon¡¯s issues and handle public rtions online all night, and now Max was causing further problems.

    It was exasperating.

    Marie, it¡¯s all because of your wonderful son and daughter-inw! You useless thing, never contacting us and always causing trouble.

    If I had married into the Farrell family back then, I wouldn¡¯t have had all these problems.

    Sonia cursed her sister in her mind, but outwardly she calmlyforted Stephanie.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a n. You¡¯ll help me when the timees, okay?¡±

    Stephanie didn¡¯t ask further, nodding heavily, ¡°Of course, Aunt Sonia, just tell me what you need me to do, and I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    Five dayster, Jared received a call from Sonia.

    ¡°Jared, your grandmother has been discharged from the hospital. Do you want toe and see her?¡± Sonia asked.

    Jared, who was shopping with Tina, responded coldly, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯te, but there¡¯s a business banquet tonight. Your grandmother can¡¯t attend, and the other business partners know you¡¯re in town; they insist on meeting you. Can you attend on her behalf? Some of them are associated with yourpany, and it would be awkward for me to refuse them. What do you think?¡±

    Jared curved his lips slightly and handed the ne, the jewel of the store, to the clerk to wrap it up, ¡°Alright, I¡¯lle tonight.¡±

    ¡°Good. Remember the thing I gave you a few days ago? Bring that, and don¡¯t bring Tina along. It would be better if your uncles don¡¯t see her and get upset,¡± Sonia advised before hanging up.

    Jared pocketed his phone and the ne, then went to find Tina who was choosing a restaurant upstairs.

    Tired from shopping, Tina was very hungry. Seeing Jared finish his call, she pointed to a restaurant above, ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s eat fish.¡±

    Jared nodded, ¡°Alright, eat a lot. We won¡¯t have dinner untilte tonight.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s eat a lot.¡±

    Eat a lot, then y well into the night.

    That evening.

    The Lyon family had arranged the dinner at thergest hotel in Clearwater-Grand Metropolis.

    Thest time a banquet was held here was for the first birthday of Jack and Scarlett¡¯s twin daughters.

    Stephanie and Audrey stood at the entrance to greet the guests.

    Audrey was reluctant, ¡°Why do we have to stand here? It¡¯s so annoying.¡±

    Stephanie, who was of the same age as Audrey but older by birthday, and the sisters had never gotten along, sometimes not even maintaining a superficial rtionship.

    ¡°Just stand there and stopining,¡± Stephanie scolded her with a re.

    Audrey scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re just Jared¡¯sckey. If he knew the truth about tonight, he wouldn¡¯t speak to you ever again.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. At least Jared acknowledges me as his sister, unlike you, who can¡¯t even catch his eye.¡±

    ¡°You!¡±

    Just as they were about to argue further, Sonia approached, ¡°Both of you shut up. Do you want to embarrass us? Keep a close eye and make sure Tina doesn¡¯t sneak in. If you mess up tonight¡¯s engagement dinner, you¡¯ll have me to answer to!¡±

    Neither dared to argue further and stood silently at the door waiting.

    Soon, Max and Grace arrived.

    Grace was dressed in a white strapless mermaid gown, her elegant swan neck entuated beautifully, and her delicate princess hairstyle lovely as ever.

    Stephanie rushed to greet her, ¡°Grace, you look so beautiful today. Truly, the bride-to-be is the most beautiful woman in the world.¡±

    Grace blushed and smiled shyly, ¡°Stephanie, you¡¯re just teasing me.¡±

    ¡°Not at all, I¡¯m really envious,¡± Stephanie said as they entered the banquet hall together, leaving Audrey alone outside, fuming and feeding the mosquitoes.

    Audrey, gritting her teeth in irritation, regretted not recognizing Grace¡¯s importance earlier; she wouldn¡¯t have let Stephanie be her best friend. Truly irritating.

    Sonia also entered the banquet hall with Max, no longer paying attention to Audrey.

    ¡°Hmph, go ahead with your engagement. Once my brother and Grace are irreversibly together, we¡¯ll see how you manage your engagement!¡± Audrey cursed under her breath, casually instructing a passing waiter to watch the door, then sneaked off to ck elsewhere.

 Chapter 515: Where Did the Bride Go?

    When Jared arrived, the sight of the banquet hall¡¯s borate decoration slowly darkened his expression. As he entered, a crowd quickly surrounded him.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, I didn¡¯t expect you to actuallye to Clearwater. Why didn¡¯t you tell me? I would have shown you around the city.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, you¡¯re at fault here. We had such a pleasant cooperationst time. How could youe to Clearwater and not say anything? I could have arranged something!¡±

    ¡°It should be me arranging things first, Mr. Farrell. Are you free tomorrow?¡±

    Everyone crowding around him had previously cooperated with the Farrell familypany and were leaders in various industries in Clearwater. After addressing each one, Oliver approached.

    ¡°Excuse me, gentlemen, I need to take Jared away for a bit. Once we¡¯re done here, we¡¯ll find some time to meet, and I¡¯ll host, alright?¡±

    Knowing Jared was the main figure of the evening, naturally, no one objected. Besides, with Jared there, who would dare to interrupt?

    Oliver led Jared to the back into a resting room. There, Grandma Lyon sat in a wheelchair, having missed her best treatment window. She could no longer stand and was resigned to spending the rest of her life in the chair.

    ¡°Jared, I assume you know what¡¯s going on tonight. If you cooperate and proceed with marrying Grace, all will be well. If not, don¡¯t me me for what happens!¡±

    Hearing Grandma Lyon¡¯s threat, Jaredughed, ¡°What do you want to happen?¡±

    Grandma Lyon nced at Jared and waved her hand. Warren then pulled out a tablet disying scandalous photos of Marie and Tina!

    Jared¡¯s deep, cold eyes narrowed, exuding a murderous aura. ¡°Threatening me?¡±

    Had it been too long since these hands had seen blood? Did the Lyon family really think they could use doctored photos of Tina and his mother to threaten him?

    Grandma Lyon chuckled, ¡°I know my daughter well, every mole on her body. Even if the photos are edited, what of it? I have many ways to prove this person is Marie. As for Tina, no one has seen her body. Just having a face is enough. Even if it¡¯s cleared upter, the damage will have already been done. Are you sure you want to gamble the reputations of your mother and Tina?¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared¡¯s gaze lifted slightly, indifferent. After a moment, his gaze lowered as he casually adjusted his cuffs. His expression was stern, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

    ¡°Jared, have you thought it through?¡± asked Grandma Lyon, seeing his silence.

    Jared stopped adjusting his cuff, hands in his pockets. His expensive suit entuated his tall figure. His lips parted slowly, ¡°I will attend the engagement party.¡±

    After a pause, his tone slower than before, ¡°I hope you can withstand it!¡±

    With that, he walked out of the room.

    Watching Jared¡¯s departing figure, Grandma Lyon felt an inexplicable panic within.

    The others didn¡¯t think much of it, simply impressed by how Grandma Lyon had coerced Jared intopliance.

    Oliver sighed in relief, ¡°Mom, that move was too¡­ ruthless.¡±

    Doctoring photos of one¡¯s own daughter and a twenty-year-old girl was something he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do.

    Grandma Lyon scoffed indifferently, ¡°What of it? Once Jared and Grace are engaged, the Hancock family will enter into their first phase of coboration with us. And that Tina, seeing her fiance be someone else¡¯s, what face does she have left to stay here?¡±

    ¡°What is she without Jared? She¡¯ll just be at my mercy then!¡± As she grew older, Tina found herself paralyzed in a wheelchair, a situation she could not swallow easily. Megan muttered quietly, ¡°Grace knew Jared was engaged and still threw herself at him. It would¡¯ve been better to just let Connor be with Grace.¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Grandma Lyon scolded Megan harshly, throwing a p in her direction. Leah watched the drama unfold with a smirk, thoroughly pleased with herself.

    In the makeup room, Grace had just finished touching up her makeup. She affectionately held Stephanie¡¯s hand, ¡°Stephanie, he¡¯s definitely going to propose tonight, right? I really don¡¯t want any more chaos; this is what I¡¯ve been looking forward to the most.¡± Stephanieforted Grace, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything has been arranged with Grandma. After tonight, we¡¯ll be family, Grace. I¡¯m so happy.¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    Outside the banquet hall, Tina, listening through her earphones to the excited voices, gradually smiled. Yes, she was thrilled too. Ecstatic! Dressed simply in a formal gown, she handed an invitation to the doorman. Unfamiliar with Tina, the doorman let her in once he saw the invitation.

    After having her fun, Audrey returned, dismissing the doorman and resuming her post. Otherwise, if they discovered she wasn¡¯t there, she would be scolded. Tina casually took a seat in the banquet hall, her lips curling up as she watched Jared and Grace¡¯s photo disyed on the screen. The engagement party officially began on time.

    Sonia first wheeled Grandma Lyon onto the stage, offering sanctimonious blessings and words of gratitude before announcing the entrance of the main characters. To prevent Jared from causing trouble, they strategically separated him and Grace, positioning them on opposite sides of the stage to avoid suspicion. The white spotlight shone at the entrance, and the background music yed melodiously as the door slowly opened. Jared, guided by the light, elegantly stepped forward. Dressed in a suit, he looked as if all the world¡¯s praises were meant for him. His sculpted profile resembled Apollo, mysteriously descending in radiant glory. Many girls in the audience secretlymented such a handsome man marrying so young.

    Unbeknownst to everyone, due to Jared¡¯s exceptional presence, they had forgotten that the female lead, Grace, had not appeared. When Jared stood alone on the stage, the audience realized. Grandma Lyon had never expected the issue to be with Grace. She nced at Max, who was also surprised. Grace had been resting in the makeup room, waiting to go on stage, and now she was nowhere to be seen. Sonia tried to smooth things over, ¡°Maybe our Grace is shy? Come out now, don¡¯t keep your fiance waiting.¡± Yet, Grace still did not appear, and Stephanie was also missing. The crowd grew puzzled; could it be that Grace had fled the wedding?

    At that moment, Jared took the microphone from Sonia and called out to the audience, ¡°My fiancee, stop being naughty.¡± His voice, maic and enchanting, swept through the hall, captivating the hearts of many women.

 Chapter 516: Miss Hancock Really Enjoys Herself

    Down below, a woman slowly stood up, dressed in a white strapless gown, her head slightly bowed as she walked step by step toward the stage. The lights in the venue were not fully on yet, with only the brightest beam shining on the stage, making it difficult for the audience to see clearly who was ascending. Seeing the white strapless gown, everyone assumed it was Grace. The Lyons and Max breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Grace had decided to add a twist on her own. It wasn¡¯t until the figure reached the stage and the lights enveloped her like a thin veil that they could see her face. It was Tina!

    This unexpected change nearly made Grandma Lyon roll off her wheelchair. What was going on? Hadn¡¯t they made sure Tina was kept out at the door? How did she get in? On stage, Jared pulled out a ne he had bought that afternoon and ced it around Tina¡¯s neck. As soon as the ne settled, Tina¡¯s gown burst into color like fireworks, and in the blink of an eye, the pure white transformed into the green of mountain bamboo. The green dress made Tina look more dignified and striking, adding a touch of resilience to her usual delicate appearance, yet she retained the tenderness unique to her interactions with Jared.

    The audience was also surprised to find that the venue¡¯srge screens were now disying photographs of Jared and Tina together, many of which Scarlett had taken and shared. Some of the angles in these photos were surprising, but with their wless faces, these were no issue at all. Jared, holding a microphone in one hand and cradling Tina¡¯s face in the other with a tenderness he himself might not have realized, said, ¡°Tina, will you marry me?¡± Tina looked back at him, the man she had chosen for life, her lips slowly curving into a smile as she replied, ¡°I will.¡± It seemed even more joyful than thest engagement party. They really had Grandma Lyon to thank for her generous support.

    Grandma Lyon, on stage, was livid, pushing Warren and Oliver, ¡°What are you waiting for? Go find Grace, where has she gone?¡± As soon as she spoke, Max was too embarrassed to interject. To be precise, he didn¡¯t have the time to. Tina on stage looked too much like his boss¡­ Meanwhile, in the makeup room, Grace and Stephanie were nearly breaking their hands pounding on the door, their voices hoarse from shouting, but the door wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Is anyone there? We can¡¯t open the door, help!¡± Five minutes earlier, they had tried to leave for the stage but found the makeup room door jammed. They tried to call for help, but there was no cell signal.

    Outside, Nathan had thrown the key in the trash, along with all the secrets! When Warren and Oliver arrived, they hurriedly asked the staff to look for the key. However, it turned out the hotel didn¡¯t have a spare. They had no choice but to break the door down. On stage, the lights were now fully on, Tina and Jared standing hand in hand in front of everyone. ¡°Thank you all for attending mine and Tina¡¯s engagement party,¡± Jared said into the microphone, his voice calm andposed as usual.

    Grandma Lyon, with a dark look, said, ¡°Jared, you forced my hand!¡± She took out a remote control, turned on therge screen on the stage, and, grabbing a spare microphone, announced to everyone, ¡°Our Lyon family will never ept such a daughter-inw!¡±

    As the screen lit up, a collective gasp rippled through the audience.

    The images disyed were simply unbearable!

    Many in the crowd showed their disdain.

    ¡°At least she is a distinguisheddy; how could she do such a thing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a disgrace to her family! It wouldn¡¯t just be the Lyons; even our family would not ept her.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too chaotic, how can she sit and y this game with so many men?¡±

    Grandma Lyon watched Jared and Tina with a smug look.

    They wanted to publicly embarrass both the Lyon and Hancock families, but it remained to be seen if they were capable.

    However, Jared and Tina turned around and looked meaningfully at the video ying on the screen.

    ¡°Miss Hancock seems to be really enjoying herself,¡± Tina whispered, her voice clearly heard through the microphone.

    Grandma Lyon was momentarily stunned, then turned to look.

    This was not the scandalous photo she had prepared; it was a video of Grace ying a game of passing notes with her mouth in a bar, kissing numerous men!

    Max¡¯s face turned iron blue as he red at Grandma Lyon. ¡°You Lyons are really full of surprises!¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    At that moment, Grace ran out of the dressing room, tripped over her dress in her haste, and fell on the stage.

    She got up, looked at the screen showing her ying games with her admirers, and nearly fainted.

    Wasn¡¯t this a private video from her phone?

    How did it end up here?

    Grace had always been seen as a noble socialite, well-mannered and beautiful, never having had a boyfriend.

    Even Stephanie had no idea how wildly Grace had been ying.

    Jared looked sideways at Grace, ¡°Miss Hancock, your boyfriends are all waiting for you below the stage.¡±

    And indeed, the men below were those from the video!

    ¡°Grace, you said you only liked me. Who are these men in the video? Who are they?¡±

    ¡°You were talking on the phone with mest night, epted my gift, and said you¡¯d give me a chance. Who are they? What¡¯s this video all about?¡±

    ¡°Baby, you said you were sick and went to bed earlyst night. What¡¯s really going on? Aren¡¯t you my girlfriend?¡±

    Grace¡¯s numerous boyfriends demanded answers, incredulous.

    The boys below, without exception, came from well-established families in Clearwater, all around Grace¡¯s age.

    They had mostly met her at various business evenings.

    After confirming their rtionships with Grace, at her insistence, they kept it a secret, not to let their families find out.

    Initially, when their parents mentioned attending the Hancock family¡¯s engagement party, they didn¡¯t believe it, each confirming with Grace.

    She had told them it was not an engagement but merely a formality arranged by her family.

    Now, it seemed that was not the case!

    As Grace was pressed for answers, the boys¡¯ parents also realized they had been deceived.

    And all by the same woman!

    Some parents had already approached Max for exnations, those who dared not offend simply took their sons away.

    But these young men, full of vigor, were not so easilypromised.

    After several arguments, a fight broke out.

 Chapter 517: Tina is His Bossâ€™s Daughter

    The scene was chaotic. Grace was dragged away by someone, and Max was surrounded by a group of parents demanding exnations. Even members of the Lyon family were not spared; numerous irrational boys questioned why their girlfriends were getting engaged here.

    Tina and Jared exchanged a nce and burst intoughter. Tina turned her head to Jared and chuckled, ¡°Uncle, is our engagement party not meant to be peaceful?¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Jared took Tina¡¯s hand and they walked down the stage together, ¡°It seems heaven is telling us we should get married soon.¡±

    Tina leaned her head on Jared¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Is the dowry ready?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already give fifty million?¡± Jared said with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s different,¡± Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°That fifty million was for my dad, and now I want a lifetime¡¯s worth.¡±

    Jared lightly tapped on Tina¡¯s nose, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am all yours, money included!¡±

    Max fought through the crowd to rescue Grace from the irrational men and, with the help of bodyguards, safely escorted her to the parking lot to leave. Despite being safe, Grace¡¯s face bore several p marks, her meticulously styled princess hair was a mess like a bird¡¯s nest, and her dress was marred by shoe prints from being kicked several times.

    Grace had never anticipated such a situation. Although she had many men around her, none were her boyfriend, and their affections were merely casual remarks. She had managed them well and feared their parents might join them today, so she had made excuses to prevent them froming.

    How could they all end uping together? And that video, how did it get out? She was merely ying games at a bar table with some handsome guys; how could this happen!

    ¡°It must be that Tina¡¯s doing, Dad, I want her dead, I absolutely must kill her!¡± Grace shouted loudly.

    Max looked at his daughter and pped her across the face, his eyes sharp as a hawk¡¯s.

    ¡°Dad¡­ you, you hit me?¡± Grace looked at Max incredulously.

    She had never been hit by Max before, not even a fingerid on her, let alone a p.

    ¡°I did hit you!¡± Max, face flushed with anger, demanded, ¡°Who exactly is this Tina?¡±

    They looked too alike. When he saw what Tina looked like, he momentarily thought he saw his boss.

    Grace was even more shocked that her father¡¯s first concern was who Tina actually was.

    ¡°Dad, she¡¯s just a nobody, why care who she is, just kill her off, I can¡¯t stand seeing her again!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Max massaged his temples, ¡°Do you even realize who you¡¯re dealing with? If she really is his daughter, our Hancock family is done for.¡±

    Of course, Grace didn¡¯t understand what her father was talking about, ¡°Whose daughter? Why are you afraid of her? Even the Lyon family doesn¡¯t scare you!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get it, just go back home, stop thinking about Jared, and if you dare touch Tina again, it¡¯s over between us!¡± Max said and then got out of the car, instructing the driver to take Grace home.

    Meanwhile, Max switched cars and went directly to Tina¡¯s vi.

    Tina hadn¡¯t made any effort to hide her residence, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that Max could find it.

    Max waited outside the vi for four hours before seeing Tina and Jared, hand in hand, carrying arge bag of snacks as they returned.

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, a hint of coldness passing through her charming eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go in first,¡± Jared said, draping his coat over Tina¡¯s shoulders, knowing that this was not the time to disturb.

    After Jared left, Max knelt on the ground, ¡°Miss.¡±

    Tina looked down at the kneeling figure, her gaze indifferent, ¡°Mr. Hancock, you got it wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! The boss once instructed that if he was no longer around, we should follow all your orders. My daughter doesn¡¯t understand, please forgive her, I am willing to take responsibility for all the mistakes.¡±

    Tina, hands in her pockets, looked down at Max. ¡°Is that so?¡± She had never met Max before. In fact, she had never met anyone rted to her mother except for her master and Hugo¡¯s family before she descended from the mountain. Naturally, they hadn¡¯t seen her either. It took Uncle ten years to find her, and both the Ward and Woodham families didn¡¯t recognize her either. Only Max had recognized her immediately, which was unexpected from the Hancock family.

    Max pursed his lips and said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the boss, there would be no Hancock family today. Not just us, but the Ward and Woodham families within Ashbury also worked for the boss. But after the boss died, we never saw each other again.¡±

    Tina remained silent. The Ward and Woodham families were her mother¡¯s people, and she only learned of their existence after Cole discovered that four families had visited after her mother¡¯s death, during her time in Ensford.

    Ethan Ward had told her that after her mother¡¯s death, he had wanted to find and protect her only daughter. However, by then, her master had already taken her away. Ethan had missed her, butter, after she descended from the mountain, she saved Ethan Ward¡¯s life and he became her disciple. At that time, she did not know that Ethan Ward had known her mother. It was onlyter, in Ensford, that she found out through Cole¡¯s investigations.

    As for Shonna, Tina had saved her not just at Grandma Lehman¡¯s request, but also to find out what the Woodham family was really after. Shonna¡¯s father and Ethan Ward shared the same goal  to find her and protect her. The Hancock family was the only one she had not yet made contact with.

    Tina raised her eyes and gave Max a deep, scrutinizing look, a trace of unnoticeable light flickering through her eyes. ¡°What brings you to me?¡± Tina asked neutrally, withdrawing her gaze.

    Max pursed his lips again, ¡°I am here to apologize and to ask for your continued support for the Hancock family. We are willing to go through any trial for you, no matter how difficult!¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curled slightly, ¡°You¡¯re quite straightforward about your intentions.¡±

    ¡°The Hancock family has survived on the technology left by the boss. My own abilities are limited, and we have been stagnant. Seeing you, Miss, is like seeing hope. I dare not hide anything from you.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°What deal are you making with the Lyon family?¡±

    Max¡¯s legs were numb, but he dared not move. ¡°It¡¯s about bionic organisms.¡±

    Bionic organisms were also one of the projects Natalie had worked on. After a failed mission, Natalie secretly established YQ Labs, known only to Jared, Kahleah, andter Courtney. The research included many projects, like 3D biological printers, which were a continuation of the bionic organism research. Natalie hoped to use bionic organisms to rece human bodies on the front lines, simr to the mechs in science fiction movies, which could be remotely controlled and imnt the controller¡¯s thoughts. This could effectively reduce casualties and preservebat capability. However, such technology, once developed, would be a monumental achievement, shocking the entire scientific world but also posed certain risks. There were fears that someone might use this technology for their own ends. Thus, Natalie kept it secret, under her control alone. Unexpectedly, the Hancock family was also involved.

    ¡°How did this technology end up in your hands?¡± Tina frowned.

    ¡°The boss entrusted the unfinished technology to me to safeguard and to develop some products to establish the foundation of the Hancock family and for clinical trials, but after the boss died, there was no further development.¡±

    Tina red at Max and asked further, ¡°How did the Lyon familye to know of it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Max admitted, looking up at Tina briefly before quickly averting his gaze. ¡°One day, Mrs. Lyon approached me, bringing up the bionic organism technology. I was afraid of causingplications, so I agreed to it, leading to the so-called engagement party and everything that followed.¡±

    ¡°I just want to understand how the Lyon family came to know of it, not to really cooperate with them. I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±

 Chapter 518: An Unsettled Account with the Lyon Family

    Tina was not interested in hearing Max¡¯s exnations; knowing the intentions of the Lyon family towards Max was enough for her. She extended her hand towards Max, ¡°Give me the tranted version of the agreement you have set.¡± Max paused, bewildered, ¡°What tranted version?¡±

    ¡°The encrypted contract of your agreement!¡± Tina replied, growing impatient. Max appeared even more confused, ¡°I don¡¯t know of any encrypted document; our agreements are standard and in my car. Let me fetch it for you.¡± Saying this, Max hurried to his car to retrieve the contract and handed it to Tina, ¡°Please have a look, Miss.¡±

    Tina took the contract, and indeed, it was the agreement between the Hancock and Lyon families. However, both the format and the text differed from the contract Tina had seen in the Lyon family¡¯s safe. Although Tina was unaware of the specific nature of the contract in the safe, she was certain these two documents were not the same. It seemed Max had not lied about this. ¡°You may go now,¡± Tina said, handing the contract back to Max. This contract had no substantial content, merely detailing routine business transactions. The Hancock family, a leader in biotechnology in Clearwater, also owned shipping routes, making their coboration with the Lyon family quite beneficial. Yet, the contract did not cover the advanced biotechnology of bionic organisms.

    Max took the document, hesitated as if wanting to say more, then looked at Tina. She nced coldly at him, expressionless, ¡°As long as Grace doesn¡¯t bother me, it¡¯s safe!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Miss,¡± Max said as he watched Tina enter the vi before he got back into his car. As soon as the car door closed, his sycophantic expression turned severe. He gave the vi¡¯s gate onest deep look before patting the car seat, signaling the driver to depart.

    Inside the vi, Tina watched through the window sheer as Max¡¯s car disappeared, a smile ying at her lips. Everyone misjudges sometimes. Like Tina, who had initially misjudged Hawk. Like Natalie, who had also misjudged Max. Jared brought over a cup of hot milk, ¡°Try this, I heated it up.¡± Tina let the sheer fall and took the milk, nodding seriously after a sip, ¡°Not bad, better than the in water you boil.¡± Jared¡¯s mouth twitched, ¡°Can¡¯t a man in your eyes even heat milk properly?¡± It seemed Tina always thought his survival skills were nil. Had she forgotten thatpared to her disastrous cooking, his meals were quite decent?

    Tina chuckled, ¡°I think your hands should be earning more money for me, Uncle.¡± Money was indeed sweeter than milk. Jared pinched her delicate cheek affectionately, ¡°You money-grubber!¡± Tina clicked her tongue twice, ¡°Who would everin about having too much money?¡± Jared stroked her head softly, ¡°It¡¯s rare for me to have this trait, mydy. Rest assured, I will earn more money. Enough tost us this lifetime and the next.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Tina smiled, her grin as bright and dazzling as the sunlight. After finishing her milk, she leaned on Jared¡¯s shoulder to rest.

    Suddenly recalling something, Tina looked up and asked, ¡°Uncle, did my mother ever mention bionic organisms to you?¡± Jared shook his head, ¡°No, the master knew I never had much talent for medicine and never discussed her research with me.¡± Tina shifted to a morefortable position, ¡°My mom did mention it to me once. She said every technology has its pros and cons, like a bomb. In the hands of the wrong person, it¡¯s a dangerous weapon, but in the right hands, it can protect oneself and one¡¯s family. Bionic organisms are the same. If created to rece human bodies, once widespread, viins wouldn¡¯t need to show themselves tomit evil acts, posing a severe threat to society and public safety.¡±

    Jared embraced Tina, saying, ¡°But if it were used for preliminary reconnaissance, like thest time I was trapped in the mine, many dangers could be avoided and somebat strength preserved.¡±

    Tina yawned, looking somewhat tired, ¡°It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t know how far along my mom has gotten with her research¡­¡±

    As she spoke, Tina nestled into Jared¡¯sp and fell asleep.

    Her breathing was even, as if she was still contemting the matter of bionic organisms in her sleep.

    Jared¡¯s fingers gently smoothed her brow until Tina was deeply asleep, then he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

    ¡°Good night, Tina.¡±

    Jared bent down and kissed her forehead, turned off the bedsidemp, and was about to leave when Tina, in her sleep, suddenly grabbed his hand tightly.

    In the dark, she murmured softly with infinite longing, ¡°Mom¡­¡±

    Jared sighed lightly but did not pull his hand away. Instead, he slowly sat on the floor, quietly watching Tina as she slept.

    He stayed there until dawn when Tina opened her eyes to find Jared had sat on the floor all night. He was now dozing off at the bedside.

    A wave of warmth surged through Tina¡¯s heart, and she leaned over to kiss Jared on the lips.

    ¡°Good morning, Uncle.¡±

    Jared¡¯s eyes snapped open, a smile spreading across his face, ¡°Awake?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tina said as she got out of bed and began to change her clothes. ¡°Uncle, let¡¯s get ready and go to the Lyon family.¡±

    Jared grunted in agreement, ¡°Good, there¡¯s still a score to settle with them.¡±

    At the Lyon family, Grandma Lyon sat in her wheelchair, looking at her legs which had lost sensation, ¡°Grace, that little wretch, seems so pure but ys around so much behind the scenes; her boyfriend could line up all the way from Clearwater to Ashbury, it¡¯s disgraceful.¡±

    Yesterday¡¯s embarrassment had be known all across Clearwater.

    The Lyon family had never faced such disgrace in years.

    It enraged her so much that she had a sleepless night.

    Early in the morning, she had called her sons, daughters-inw, and grandchildren to discuss a n.

    Megan, filing her nails arrogantly, said, ¡°Hmph, to think she looked down on our Connor, I would have to think twice even if she came begging.¡±

    ¡°She can only marry Jared now, our Lyon family can¡¯t afford to lose that much face,¡± Grandma Lyon agreed with Megan¡¯s words.

    Megan was suddenly anxious, having intended to demean Grace to marry her and acquire the Hancock family¡¯s business, but now it was outright denied-how could this be?Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Mom, with all this noise, what can the Farrell family do? Better marry her off now while no one in Clearwater wants her, secure a favor from the Hancock family, and once we get the business, we can send her away. The Hancock family¡¯s clients are prime meat; we can¡¯t let the Farrell family snatch them away.¡±

    Stephanie, who despised Megan¡¯s demeanor, retorted while looking down on others, yet coveting their status.

    ¡°Even if Grace¡¯s reputation is ruined, there would still be many who¡¯d want to marry her, Aunt Megan, you better check if your own son is capable first.¡±

    ¡°You little brat, when adults are talking, where¡¯s your ce to speak? I see you¡¯re no better, hanging around with Grace so much, not doing any less of those disgusting deeds behind the scenes!¡±

    Leah, hearing Megan speak so about her daughter, was outraged, ¡°Megan, mind yournguage, think about your own household¡¯s mess, letting her guard the door, what good did that do? If it weren¡¯t for her negligence, Tina wouldn¡¯t have gotten in, and all this trouble wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±

 Chapter 519: Wolf Attack

    As the two families were about to sh again, Grandma Lyon, growing impatient, tapped the ground with her cane. ¡°Marrying you two was trouble enough; Grace will never enter the Lyon family¡¯s doors. Give up on that hope!¡± she dered.

    Upon hearing this, Leah¡¯s anger subsided considerably. As long as Stephanie and Grace remained close friends, she was not worried about the Hancock family losing out.

    Megan, too distracted to quarrel with Leah, asked, ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t you worried about the Farrell family stepping in?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t have the capability,¡± Grandma Lyon scoffed at Megan, eyeing her sharply. ¡°Sonia has already settled things with Max; no need to worry.¡±Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    With a wave of her hand, Grandma Lyon dismissed everyone to their rooms. They all retreated without further word.

    Just then, the butler rushed in, panicked. ¡°Madam, Tina and Jared have arrived!¡±

    Grandma Lyon frowned, her expression darkening. ¡°So what? Are they going to eat you?¡±

    Trembling, the butler stammered, ¡°Wolves! Wolves!¡±

    ¡°What wolves?¡± Grandma Lyon¡¯s mood worsened. ¡°You can¡¯t even speak properly. What use are you?¡±

    Finally calming his nerves, the butler hurriedly exined, ¡°They brought many wolves. As soon as they entered the yard, the wolves were let loose, tearing through everything. They¡¯ve eaten all your precious flowers and even Mr. Warren¡¯s dog. Right now, they¡¯ve¡­¡±

    He nced nervously at Grandma Lyon, his voice shaking, ¡°Some have even jumped upstairs, into your room. The servants are too scared toe out.¡±

    The Lyon family¡¯s servants were usually busy and stayed out of the main hall during the day.

    With Tina and Jared bringing wolves, the entire household was terrified. One servant even fainted.

    ¡°What?¡± Grandma Lyon eximed in disbelief. ¡°Where did these wolvese from?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± the butler was near tears, his legs shaking. ¡°Madam, what should we do? The doors to the main hall on the ground floor are locked, so the wolves can¡¯t get in there, but they¡¯ve already jumped to the second floor and will be down soon.¡±

    As he spoke, a scream echoed from upstairs, followed by numerous others.

    Warren and Oliver cried out in rm, ¡°Wolves? How could there be wolves? Someone help, please!¡±

    Soon, panicked footsteps thundered from upstairs as people rushed down.

    Megan, protecting Audrey, ran to Grandma Lyon¡¯s side, frantic. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s happening? Why are there so many wolves all of a sudden? It¡¯s terrifying!¡±

    Leah, gripping Stephanie, was equally distressed. ¡°I was just in the upstairs restroom when a wolf smashed through the ss and rushed in. I almost passed out from fright, Mom, please do something to drive them away! This is life-threatening!¡±

    Stephanie and Audrey, usually not on good terms, were now huddled together in fear.

    Grandma Lyon was also panicking. She was about to instruct the butler to call the police when several wolves charged down from upstairs, heading straight for her with clear intent.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Confined to her wheelchair, Grandma Lyon was powerless as the wolves knocked her to the ground. She grabbed her cane and swung at them, but the more she hit, the more vicious they became, wing at her clothes.

    In moments, Grandma Lyon¡¯s clothes were shredded by the wolves, her undergarments torn away as well.

    Everyone was stunned; no one had expected this turn of events.

    The wolves had not bitten anyone; instead, they had ripped the clothes off their grandmother.

    What was going on?

    At this moment, nobody was thinking about the past. Grandma Lyon¡¯s sons and grandsons saw her naked and were both angry and ashamed! But no one dared toe forward to help. Joking aside, those were wolves! Who would dare to wrestle with wolves barehanded? The butler turned away early, unable to bear the sight of Grandma Lyon¡¯s plight. As everyone froze, more and more wolves rushed down from the upstairs, attacking anyone they saw. Everyone panicked, trying to hide, but before they could run, they were pinned down by the wolves, who ferociously tore at their clothes. Soon, except for the butler, who was already scared out of his wits, everyone from the Lyon family, from Grandma Lyon down to her sons and grandsons, had their clothespletely ripped off by the wolves. The butler stood by, unable to leave, frozen in ce.

    At this critical moment, all the servants were busy in the yard, also scared and hiding from the wolves outside; there was no one in the hall to help. Even the butler didn¡¯t dare to step forward. The wolves, surrounding Grandma Lyon and her family, seemed to only tear their clothes without further action, yet they didn¡¯t leave and kept staring directly at the Lyon family members. The critical issue was¡­ The wolves were drooling, seemingly viewing the Lyon family as their next meal, ready to be devoured at any moment. The Lyon family members, already petrified, didn¡¯t even care about their state of undress, huddling together in fear.

    Grandma Lyon¡¯s granddaughters and daughters-inw cried and screamed, ¡°Help! Save us.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die! Grandma, I don¡¯t want to die! Save me!¡± Grandma Lyon, experienced in many things, had never seen anything like this. Now, being shaken violently by her daughters-inw and grandchildren, she fainted. Warren and Oliver were slightly better off, not copsing like their wives and children, but they were just as tense, staring at the hungry wolves, fearing they would be eaten.

    Just as the Lyon family members were about to break down, the front door opened. Jared and Tina walked in. Upon seeing the scene, Jared¡¯s handsome face instantly turned grim; he did not hesitate, pulling Tina around and walking out, while covering her eyes with his hand. Tina was getting worse. On the way here, she had told him not to worry about this matter, that she would handle it; he had agreed, trusting her, not expecting to walk into such a scene. Had he known Tina would use such a method to collect debts, he would have never agreed. He had plenty of ways to deal with the Lyon family, how could he let Tina sully her eyes? His Tina was still underage, yet had to witness such hideous sights? The Lyon family was doomed!

    ¡°Uncle!¡± Tina said helplessly, ¡°I haven¡¯t even settled ounts yet!¡± Jared flicked Tina on the head, ¡°You don¡¯t need to, I¡¯ll have someone else do it!¡± He wouldn¡¯t let Tina dirty her eyes, and he certainly wouldn¡¯t either. Tina twitched her mouth, then looked at Jared seriously, ¡°Uncle, if this debt isn¡¯t collected, I will be unhappy, and if I¡¯m unhappy, then my brothers will be unhappy, and if they¡¯re unhappy, you probably won¡¯t be happy either.¡± Jared, ¡°¡­¡± Tina continued earnestly, ¡°For the sake of our future harmonious life, and for the love between you and my brothers, you still need to make me happy, right?¡± Jared, ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± Tina smiled, hooking her arm around Jared¡¯s neck, looking like buddies, ¡°You wait outside for me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Jared retorted, wrapping his arm around Tina¡¯s waist, ¡°If we have to watch, we¡¯ll watch it together; I¡¯ll just pretend I¡¯m looking at a pile of crap!¡± Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    ¡°Can we not talk about such disgusting things under the bright sun!¡±

 Chapter 520: â€œYour hands are well-maintained; shall I chop them off for you?â€

    Jared raised his hand, summoning several servants hiding not far away. Although they dared not approach at first, fear of Jaredpelled them to obediently advance.

    ¡°Get some people inside, separate the men from the women,¡± Jared ordered, turning Tina around who tried to peek, and then instructed the servants.

    ¡°This¡­¡± the servants hesitated, not daring to move forward.

    Though unaware of what was happening inside, the courtyard full of wolves instilled fear in them.

    Jared nced at them indifferently, ¡°The wolves won¡¯t bite you.¡±

    Despite his words, the servants remained fearful and did not go.

    Jared¡¯s eyebrows arched slightly, his tone leisurely yet firm, ¡°Not going?¡±

    His words were light, but the servants shuddered-not because Jared was particrly frightening at that moment, but at the sight of wolves behind him, drooling as they watched them.

    Terrified, the servants hurried into the main hall.

    Upon seeing the scene inside, the servants were astonished!

    Why were they all-naked?

    Moreover, it seemed the wolves truly hadn¡¯t bitten anyone!

    A few servants approached thepletely dumbfounded butler and whispered, ¡°The master has asked us to separate the men and women.¡±

    Pulled back to reality, the butler could no longer concern himself with much else and urgently ordered, ¡°Hurry up!¡±

    In that moment, he realized the wolves did not bite. Most likely, the wolves were controlled by Jared and Tina.

    Though he did not know why Jared and Tina had orchestrated this, he could not let the Lyon family members remain undressed. If word got out, it would disgrace the Lyon family.

    A disgrace to the Lyon family meant no peace for him.

    With the butler¡¯s instructions, the servants quickly led the women upstairs.

    The Lyon family, already driven mad by fear, no longer cared about anything else and hastily followed the servants upstairs.

    Soon after, Jared and Tina entered.

    Seeing the main hall filled only with men, Jared¡¯s face turned green.

    He was about to cover Tina¡¯s eyes when he caught her disdainfully ncing at the Lyon family men, ¡°Tsk! So small!¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    His niece was too lustful, what to do?

    Tina, sensing he was about to cover her eyes, spoke slowly, ¡°Uncle, no need to cover them, there¡¯s nothing worth seeing here, I¡¯m heading upstairs.¡±

    She then walked upstairs, shaking her head in a rather regretful manner.

    Jared pinched the bridge of his nose, quite helplessly.

    Upstairs, Grandma Lyon was still unconscious.

    Megan and Leah were protecting their daughters, attempting to get dressed when the door was pushed open.

    Tina strolled in leisurely, her captivating eyes scanning the room, then walked to the center, hands crossed over her chest, looking at them with interest.

    ¡°Tina! You wretch, did you orchestrate this? What grudge does our Lyon family hold against you to deserve such mockery?¡± Megan exploded in rage upon seeing Tina.

    They had been terrified by the wolves, their minds unable to process the situation.

    Now seeing Tina enter unharmed, what was there not to understand?

    Clearly, the wolves were brought by Tina and Jared.

    Leah, Stephanie, and Audrey also raged, ¡°You ruthless creature, we are Jared¡¯s aunts, and you his fiancee, how dare you treat us so? Are you not afraid Marie will be angry?¡±

    ¡°Tina, you venomous person, you¡¯re not worthy of my brother!¡±

    Tina stood there silently, merely watching them. After they had exhausted their insults, Tina merely curled her lips and ignored them, walking straight up to Grandma Lyon. She pulled out a silver needle and jabbed it in. Soon after, Grandma Lyon awoke.

    Upon seeing Tina, Grandma Lyon, furious, raised her hand to strike her, yelling, ¡°You wretched creature! You dare set wolves on us! I¡¯ll kill you, you little wretch today!¡±

    She had no strength left to ponder how Tina could control so many wolves.

    All she could think about was the humiliation of having her clothes torn off by wolves in front of her son, grandson, and butler. It was all Tina¡¯s fault!

    Grandma Lyon¡¯s hand, swinging towards Tina, hadn¡¯t even touched her when Tina caught it, quickly twisting it back with a snap-Grandma Lyon¡¯s hand broke.

    ¡°Ah! My hand!¡± Grandma Lyon screamed in agony.

    Tina squatted down, lifting Grandma Lyon¡¯s broken hand, examined it leisurely, and said, ¡°The hand is well-maintained, just not well-used. Since you can¡¯t use it properly, shall I chop it off for you?¡±

    ¡°You dare!¡± Grandma Lyon gritted her teeth.

    She couldn¡¯t believe that in aw-abiding society, Tina would actually do such a thing.

    Tinaughed, ¡°There are many things I dare to do-burying people, poisoning, breaking hands and feet, throwing someone to the dogs, or feeding them to wolves.¡±

    Tina supported her chin with her other hand, her smile growing more radiant, ¡°Chopping off a hand is just the easiest thing I dare to do.¡±

    Grandma Lyon involuntarily shrank back, looking at Tina as if she were a malevolent ghost.

    Although Tina was smiling, Grandma Lyon felt a chill colder than the depths of hell.

    She didn¡¯t believe Tina would actually chop off her hand, but seeing Tina¡¯s sinister smile, she panicked.

    ¡°You, how can you, I am Jared¡¯s grandmother, when you marry him, I¡¯ll be your grandmother too!¡± Grandma Lyon dared not oppose Tina any further!

    All she could think about was preserving her hand.

    She couldn¡¯t even stand up, let alone afford to lose her hand as well.

    Tinaughed again, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t recognize me as your granddaughter-inw? What now? Changed your mind?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Grandma Lyon began, only to be interrupted by Tina, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wondered-why is your face so big?¡±

    Grandma Lyon didn¡¯t understand what she meant and didn¡¯t dare to respond.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Uncle is the grandson of the Farrell family, and our marriage is decided by Logan and his parents. You, who hasn¡¯t contacted us for years, on what grounds do you oppose our marriage?¡± Tina spoke slowly, clearly.

    ¡°I am his grandmother, I naturally have a say in his marriage,¡± Grandma Lyon asserted.

    ¡°Hah!¡± Tina nced at her dismissively, ¡°Given a little respect, you really think you¡¯re something?¡±

    Grandma Lyon had never been so humiliated by a younger person and was quite angry, ¡°Tina, what exactly do you want?¡±

    Though furious, she dared not curse carelessly.

    Her hand was still in Tina¡¯s grip.

    If Tina really did chop it off carelessly, she¡¯d wish she were dead.

    Tina curled her lip, her gaze returning to Grandma Lyon¡¯s ruined hand, ¡°My cooking isn¡¯t bad. This hand, maintained at great expense, must make delicious soup!¡±-

    She nced at the other three people, who had been scared stiff since she broke Grandma Lyon¡¯s hand, her smile deepening, ¡°Let¡¯s make soup for them to drink!¡±

 Chapter 521: Grandma Lyonâ€™s Hand Was Chopped Off

    Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked, and Stephanie couldn¡¯t help but cry out, ¡°How could you be so cruel?¡±

    ¡°Are you just realizing this now?¡± Tina turned her head slightly, casting a ghostly nce at Stephanie.

    Frightened by that look, Stephanie involuntarily stepped back and identally knocked over a water ss on the table behind her. Wearing no clothes, she felt a chill prate her skin.

    With Stephanie¡¯smotion, all eyes turned to her, but unexpectedly, Grandma Lyon suddenly let out a terrible scream!

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Megan and Leah looked over, their faces turning ashen.

    Then, they quickly retreated, pointing at Tina while their voices trembled, ¡°You, you¡­ you really dared!¡±

    They never imagined that Tina would actually go through with chopping off Grandma Lyon¡¯s hand.

    And she did it without any warning, so swiftly that they couldn¡¯t even react in time!

    What¡¯s more, Tina¡¯s method was cunning; the blood sprayed all over them.

    Tina nced at them indifferently, tossed Grandma Lyon¡¯s severed hand over, and her smile faded as she spoke in a t voice, ¡°If you like to Photoshop, keep this hand and Photoshop as much as you like.¡±

    Grandma Lyon, with her other hand clutching the severed wrist, was in so much pain she almost fainted. She red at Tina, her face twisted in rage, ¡°Tina, I will not let this go!¡±

    Tina¡¯s lips curved into a faint smile, her tone neither cold nor warm, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting! Remember, next timee directly at me, and you might die quicker. If youy a hand on Marie and Uncle, those wolves outside will be your final resting ce.¡±

    With that, Tina turned and left.

    When she reached the ground floor, only Jared was there.

    Seeing Tinae down, Jared stood up and approached, wrapping his arms around her waist, his voice gentle, ¡°All taken care of?¡±

    Tina nodded, then looked up at Jared, ¡°Took a hand from the olddy, Uncle, does that upset you?¡±

    Jared gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, speaking softly, ¡°One hand is too cheap. I would take both her hands!¡±

    They dared to Photoshop his niece¡¯s nude photos; how could one hand settle his anguish?

    Marie: You only remember your niece? Have youpletely forgotten about your mother?

    Jared: The niece avenged for you, took an extra hand!

    Marie: ¡­ left speechless!

    Tinaughed, ¡°She¡¯s old, left her a hand to eat with!¡±

    Jared pinched her nose, ¡°My Tina is really kind!¡±

    Lyon family members: Seriously, do you have no conscience?

    Tina¡¯sughter grew brighter, ¡°Uncle, you have great taste!¡±

    Jared chuckled, he loved his niece¡¯s cheeky demeanor when she got a bargain.

    After a few jokes between them, Tina said, ¡°Shall we go?¡±

    Jared nodded, wrapping his arm around Tina¡¯s waist as they left.

    Walking to the yard, Tina saw none of the Lyon family men and asked, ¡°Where did they go?¡±

    ¡°I had them runningps around the manor!¡±

    Tina, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re really bad! But¡­ I like it!¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Jared whispered in her ear, ¡°Men need to be bad for women to love them! And I can be even badder, want to try?¡±

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    This man, always teasing her!

    In the car.

    Jared buckled Tina¡¯s seatbelt and asked, ¡°Heading back?¡±

    Tina shook her head, ¡°Take me to Uncle Brandon¡¯s!¡±

    Half an hourter, Jared dropped Tina off at the cafe entrance, waiting outside.

    Inside the cafe, Brandon sat by the window, his luxurious, dandy attire drawing countless gazes. Although nearly forty, his charming, dashing appearance lost nothing to the younger men of today. Grandpa Brookes often said that Brandon was the only profligate of the Brookes family-glittering on the outside but rotten on the inside! Of course, Brandon disagreed; he considered himself pure gold inside and out.

    ¡°Tina, I¡¯m here!¡±

    Upon entering, Tina saw Brandon stand and wave. She walked over, eyeing him up and down. Only her Uncle Brandon could pull off such a ring outfit.

    Brandon flicked his hair, ¡°What did you need? Are you out of money? Take this.¡± He handed over a credit card from his wallet. ¡°The old man has stopped my supplementary card, so this is all I can give you now.¡±

    Tina nced at the credit card on the table, a gold card from Clearwater Bank, something even the Lyons and the Hancocks couldn¡¯t obtain. ¡°I have enough money. I came to ask you to look at this.¡± Tina pushed the card back and took out a notebook.

    Written in it was the entire content of a contract she had seen at the Lyons¡¯. Despite theplexnguage, Tina, with her excellent memory, had noted down every word and showed it to Brandon.

    Brandon paused, ¡°Where did you find this contract?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t formatted as a contract, yet Brandon instantly recognized it as one, clearly familiar with the text.

    ¡°The Lyons.¡±

    Brandon scoffed, ¡°They¡¯re still hung up on this?¡±

    ¡°Uncle Brandon, what is this?¡± Tina asked.

    Brandon dropped his frivolous demeanor and pressed the notebook to the table. ¡°Tina, you know about the hidden families, right?¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve heard a bit, never really delved into it.¡±

    ¡°The Lyons were once among the hidden families,¡± Brandon revealed.

    This surprised Tina. She only knew of the Whites and the Brookes as hidden families, never imagining the seemingly insignificant Lyons were part of them. No wonder they had a so-called heirloom ring to prove the head of the family¡¯s identity.

    Marie hadn¡¯t told her much about the Lyons or the ring; Tina only knew it was supposed to make the Lyons obedient, though they weren¡¯t verypliant.

    ¡°The Lyons left the hidden families?¡± Tina inquired.

    Brandon shook his finger, ¡°More precisely, they were expelled by the hidden families for choosing to flee alone over a certain incident, betraying the group. They were stripped of all privileges and kicked out. But unexpectedly, they took the concept of biorobotics with them.¡±

    Tina frowned. Biorobotics existed among the hidden families long ago?

    Brandon continued, ¡°You know the young girl from the White family; they specialize in weaponry, and she¡¯s a weapon genius. Each family has their own specialty. Biorobotics was proposed by the Brookes, but the conditions back then didn¡¯t allow for its realization, and the Lyons certainly didn¡¯t have the capability. So, there¡¯s been no progress over the years.¡±

    ¡°After being expelled, the then head of the Lyons died within a year, and with the next generation¡¯s inaction, the Lyons gradually declined to their current state. Surprisingly, they¡¯re still pursuing biorobotics.¡±

 Chapter 522: I am Five Poisons

    Brandon spoke with a hint of mockery. It was not surprising that he looked down on the Lyon family; after all, the items originally belonging to the Brookes family had been stolen by them, and there had been no progress for so many years. Now, they were still fixated on those very items, which had be their legacy. Tina could understand; after all, things passed down from ancestors are often considered by descendants as their rightful property. However, given that the Lyon family already possessed the technology for bionic organisms and had the contract in hand, why would they go out of their way to seek cooperation with the Hancock family? Or was it that the people of the Lyon family could not even understand the text on the contract themselves?

    ¡°Uncle, this contract, who is it between the Lyon family and?¡± Tina asked. Brandon looked down, and after a moment, he spoke solemnly, ¡°This was actually drafted by the Brookes family, including an overview of all the technical concepts rted to bionic organisms. Therefore, after it was stolen by the Lyon family, the Brookes family did not draft another to seek cooperation but started researching on their own. To be precise, this project was shelved.¡±

    Brandon did not disclose who the other party in the cooperation was, but Tina understood. A few hidden families work for the government, and it seemed that the government was the partner in question. She did not ask further, knowing the content of the contract was enough.

    The overview of bionic organism technology from back then was no longer a secret, as Tina had known about it since she was young. Her mother had told her about the bionic organism technology, but did not disclose much nor involve Tina. Instead, some confidential content was given to the Hancock family for development. After her mother¡¯s death, Tina had stayed in the mountains and had never touched upon the matter of bionic organisms. Now, Tina was sure that the reason the Lyon family wanted to cooperate with the Hancock family was to reim this technology.

    ¡°I understand, Uncle Brandon, thanks,¡± Tina said as she put away the notebook. Brandon, dropping his uncharacteristic seriousness, showed a slight smile. ¡°Hungry for anything? It¡¯s on me.¡± Tina shook her head, ¡°Never mind, you should think about how to calm Ian down and get your card back first.¡±

    ¡°You snitch, it was because you told your grandfather that he stopped my card,¡± Brandon sighed, feeling his good intentions had been wasted. Tina blushed, recalling the pink memories of that night, and she put on sunsses, ¡°My uncle is waiting for me for lunch, I should go.¡±

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re a grown girl now, go on then,¡± Brandon waved his hand, indicating that Tina could leave. However, he did not stand up. Tina smiled and got up to leave. As she walked out, a slender woman approached, dressed in a way that spoke of wealth. As they passed each other, Tina smelled a faint fragrance on the woman-it was ¡°Old Dream,¡± a perfume Tina had once formted. After itsunch, it had been bought by a mysterious seller, who Tinater found out was the Brookes family!

    The woman also nced at Tina but quickly looked away without lingering. Tina slowed her steps and then heard the woman¡¯s voice from behind-¡°Brandon, it really is you. I saw you from outside, why are you sitting here? On a date?¡±

    ¡°Who would I be on a date with if not Ang? What are you doing here?¡± Tina left the cafe, now aware of the identity of the recent woman. The daughter of the Brookes family, Rachel. Rachel sat across from Brandon, nced at the departing Tina, and smiled, ¡°Brandon, was that child the new granddaughter your father found, Tina?¡± Brandon drank his coffee like it was in water and said gravely, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    Rachel felt aggrieved. ¡°Brandon, I just want to contribute, however modestly. Why must you push me away? I just want to visit Tina; after all, we are family.¡±

    ¡°Rachel, Tina doesn¡¯t like being disturbed. You¡¯d better stay at home, take care of your beauty, and go shopping,¡± Brandon said as he put on his sunsses, preparing to leave.

    ¡°Brandon.¡± Rachel stood up and blocked his way, ¡°When can I join thepany? I¡¯m old enough. Why must I stay at home? Even dad said I could join to gain some experience, and Issac is also inclined to let me. Why don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Through his sunsses, Brandon looked deeply at Rachel and finally said in a deep voice, ¡°If I remember correctly, you¡¯re thirty-five this year, right? You better find someone to marry and settle down to put dad at ease. Since you grew up in our Brookes family, naturally, you¡¯ll have your share in the future. You don¡¯t need to join thepany to im your inheritance.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean¡­¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s not what you mean, then why have you been asking around about the contents of dad¡¯s will?¡±

    Brandon interrupted Rachel sharply, his coldness piercing through his sunsses right into Rachel¡¯s slightly frightened eyes.

    Feeling exposed, Rachel was somewhat guilty and slightly humiliated. ¡°I just¡­¡±

    Clearly out of patience, Brandon dered, ¡°Whatever your reasons, Rachel, I won¡¯t pursue it this time. But if there¡¯s a next time, I won¡¯t let you off easily.¡±

    Rachel had no reply; she could only step aside to let Brandon leave.

    She watched as Brandon left the cafe, her eyes gradually filling with resentment.

    In the entire Brookes family, only she and Ang weren¡¯t truly from the Brookes family. Yet Ang was liked by everyone, while she was treated as if she were invisible!

    And Ang, she was even the child of their enemies!

    Why? Just because Brandon liked her?

    And then there was Tina, who hadn¡¯t even returned to the Brookes family yet was already beloved by them. Issac¡¯s wife had even prepared the best room in the house for Tina to stay in, decorated more thoughtfully than her own son¡¯s room.

    She had even tampered with the DNA test!

    Rachel clenched her fists tightly. When she obtained the DNA test from the hospital, she already knew that Tina was the daughter of Alina, who had disappeared from the Brookes family for thirty years.

    Why did they have to reappear after thirty years?

    Rachel couldn¡¯t stand it. Having Ang was torment enough; the return of a biological granddaughter put her position in the Brookes family at even greater risk.

    So, she altered the report to ensure Tina could never rejoin the Brookes family. Yet, Tina had still made her way into the Brookes family.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Why was everything so unfair? She took great care of the Brookes family; why didn¡¯t anyone like her?

    Just then, a voice sounded behind Rachel, ¡°Miss Brookes, looking any longer won¡¯t make him turn around.¡±

    Startled, Rachel turned to see a voluptuous and sexy woman with cascading long hair covering her shoulders, sitting where Brandon had just been.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Rachel asked warily.

    The woman gave a seductive smile and tapped the table, ¡°Sit down, let¡¯s talk slowly.¡±

    Rachel looked around, saw nothing unusual, and sat down, still on guard, ¡°What do you want to say?¡±

    The woman ordered an Americano, took a sip, and licked her lips with apparent relish, ¡°Let me introduce myself, I¡¯m called Five Poisons.¡±

    Rachel was shocked!

    This woman was Five Poisons.

    But wasn¡¯t Five Poisons supposed to be a man?

 Chapter 523: Spectre Might Cure Grandma Lyonâ€™s Hand

    After Tina left, chaos enveloped the Lyon family. Grandma Lyon fainted outright, leaving Megan and Leah, the mother-daughter pairs, terrified and clueless about what to do next. The servants reacted first, calling the doctor and gathering clothes for everyone. When Warren and Oliver returned and witnessed the scene, they were furious. No one had anticipated that Tina, a girl from the countryside, would be so ruthless as to set wolves on them, not to mention sever their mother¡¯s hand. How had she managed to acquire the wolves? And how could she control them? Their mother was right-Tina resorted to dark and twisted methods!

    By the time Warren and the others had dressed, the doctor had finished examining Grandma Lyon. They rushed to meet him. ¡°Doctor Johnson, how is my mother?¡± Warren asked. Doctor Johnson, their family physician, was called in quietly due to the nature of the incident. ¡°The olddy was treated in time; there¡¯s no danger to her life. She just needs plenty of rest,¡± Doctor Johnson replied.

    ¡°And her hand¡­ can it be treated?¡± Warren asked again. Doctor Johnson paused thoughtfully before responding, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t be of much help with that. In fact, no major hospital in the country can mend bones in such a situation. However¡­¡± He paused again, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Spectre possesses the skill to mend bones. There was a person paralyzed for ten years who managed to stand up after a few of his treatments. But Spectre is elusive, making it extremely difficult to even meet him.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Oliver said, ¡°I¡¯ve also heard of Spectre¡¯s reputation. It¡¯s said he¡¯s over a hundred years old and extremely skilled in medicine. He can mend bones and is even rumored to bring the dead back to life. If we could get him to help, not only would it save Mom, it would also benefit our Lyon family.¡±

    Doctor Johnson shook his head, ¡°Spectre is very peculiar; he doesn¡¯t treat just any patient.¡± Megan scoffed, ¡°What you say makes it sound like he¡¯s too peculiar to care about money. If we offer a high enough price, wouldn¡¯t he be tempted?¡± Grandma Lyon didn¡¯t care if her hand could be reattached; after all, she was old and didn¡¯t have many years left. However, the Lyon family still depended on her. Many projects were under her control, and without her, the Lyon family¡¯s status in Clearwater would significantly decline-a scenario she did not want to see. If people outside learned that her own granddaughter-inw had severed her hand, not only Tina but also the Lyon family would be negatively impacted.

    Doctor Johnson nced at Megan as if looking at a fool, ¡°Spectre¡¯s medical skills are so renowned that even when royal families and numerous wealthy families from our city offered billions to treat their ailments, he declined unless he felt inclined. Do you think hecks money?¡± Spectre was his idol. How could he allow others to look down on him? Megan was taken aback, feeling somewhat annoyed, ¡°He¡¯s just a doctor, after all. A billion dors, as if he¡¯s a god? If he doesn¡¯t want toe, then let him not. The Lyon family doesn¡¯t absolutely need him!¡±

    Doctor Johnson¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°The olddy is out of danger now, so I will take my leave. By the way, starting tomorrow, I will resign from my position as your family doctor. You¡¯ll need to find someone else.¡± Warren¡¯s expression changed, ¡°Doctor Johnson, why resign all of a sudden? My mom still needs your care. You¡¯ve been with us for so long, and we¡¯ve never mistreated you. It¡¯s not right to just leave like this.¡±

    Dr. Johnson paused, then said, ¡°Mr. Lyon, I rmended Spectre to you as a favor. I didn¡¯t expect your wife to disrespect him like that. Since you look down on us doctors, I no longer wish to stay in your employ.¡±

    With that, Dr. Johnson made to leave.

    ¡°Go then! Are we unable to find another doctor?¡± Megan, still shaken from earlier events, was furious to hear a doctor speak to her this way. ¡°Get out! You¡¯re not resigning; you¡¯re fired! And I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t work in this field as long as the Lyon family has any say in it!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Warren shouted.

    ¡°Did I say something wrong? What is he to talk to me like that? If it¡¯s about medical care, then provide it without the chatter. What use do we have for someone like that in our home?¡± Megan retorted.

    Dr. Johnson scoffed coldly and left without another word.

    Warren was so angry he wanted to strike Megan, but Oliver intervened. ¡°Warren, this is not the time to be angry with Megan. We need to figure out what to do.¡±

    Leah, who had been silent, spoke up. ¡°What else can we do but call the police? Tina has caused us so much harm; it would be letting her off too easy if we didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Oliver cursed. ¡°If calling the police was an option, do you think we would have waited until now?¡±

    Tina was too cunning. From the moment she appeared as the head of the family to the day she chopped off the olddy¡¯s hand, she acted without fear of the Lyon family involving the police.

    The Lyons had maintained their standing in Clearwater through not entirely clean means. They still hadn¡¯t figured out Tina¡¯s full story. Reporting to the police could lead to Tina revealing something that could destroy the Lyon family-an uneptable risk.

    Leah realized this too, feeling frustrated. ¡°That wretched girl has caused us so much pain, and we can¡¯t even touch her.¡±

    ¡°I have ways to deal with her; the real issue now is what to do about mom¡¯s hand,¡± Warren said gravely.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    They had kept the incident under wraps; the outside world was still unaware of the crisis within the Lyon family. If word got out that the matriarch¡¯s hand was lost, it would invite unwanted scrutiny.

    ¡°What can we do now? It¡¯s already chopped off,¡± Leah said irritably. ¡°Are we really going to spend a fortune trying to fix it?¡±

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    As Leah finished speaking, Grandma Lyon, using her unharmed hand, grabbed a cup from beside her bed and hurled it at Leah, shouting, ¡°You fool! I¡¯m not dead yet, and you¡¯re already suggesting I give up on treatment? Would you smother me if I were gravely ill?¡±

    Leah¡¯s face changed, and she quickly replied, ¡°Mom, that¡¯s not what I meant. Dr. Johnson said that only Spectre could reattach your hand, and his whereabouts are uncertain. We might not be able to find him!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find him even if it seems impossible!¡± Grandma Lyonmanded coldly. ¡°Spectre is known for his skill in bone-setting. I¡¯ve heard of an organization called me Ice that takes on tough tasks. ce an order with them to ensure they find Spectre.¡±

    With the matriarch¡¯s directive, her sons naturally agreed, ¡°Yes, mom, we¡¯ll find Spectre.¡±

    Only Megan and Leah looked uneasy, their thoughts unknown.

    ¡°As for Tina!¡± A sharp gleam crossed Grandma Lyon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Once my hand is healed, I will not let her off!¡±

 Chapter 524: Asking Price Eight Hundred Billion

    Elsewhere.

    At the vi.

    Tina received a call from Ashbury.

    It was Pa White.

    ¡°Serena, a few days ago I provided another batch of ¡®Morning Glory¡¯ to the X Bureau, which has now been dispatched, but this time, it was directly supplied to the headquarters without going through Captain Parr.¡±

    Tina understood, ¡°Hmm, how¡¯s the development of the detector going?¡±

    Pa White seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, ¡°The prototype is ready, but we can¡¯t experiment yet. After all, I¡¯ve only made this new bomb based on the model. We still need to find the bombs that GTO has already nted to ensure it can actually detect their locations.¡±

    Initially, only the model of the new bomb was found in East Bay. Although Pa White could replicate it, she was unsure if it matched the new bomb developed by GTO.

    Only on-site testing would reveal the truth.

    The results from the base¡¯s tests so far were not conclusive.

    Tina hummed in response, ¡°First develop the prototype, better safe than sorry. Ideally, it should be a universal machine that can detect yourtest ¡®Morning Glory¡¯.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Serena, I¡¯ve got this. The characteristics of ¡®Morning Glory¡¯ have already been programmed into the detector model, and it has passed the tests.¡±

    Hearing this from Pa White, Tina felt reassured, ¡°Anything else from the base?¡±

    Pa White caught the implication in Tina¡¯s tone, ¡°No more issues. I¡¯ve already booked the tickets; we¡¯ll bending in Clearwater in three days.¡±

    ¡°We?¡± Tina was intrigued.

    Velma was currently in school, deeply engaged in intensive training, and had no time toe out.

    Pa White had few friends from childhood.

    This trip to Clearwater was suddenly a ¡°we¡±!

    On the other end of the phone, Pa White sounded a bit embarrassed, lowering her voice, ¡°It¡¯s that Husky, insisting oning along, saying it was the leader¡¯s arrangement to ensure the safety of the special agents, and so forth.¡±

    Tina understood and teased, ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you could request a change.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ Serena, you¡¯re teasing me again!¡±

    Listening to Pa White¡¯s voice change with shyness, Tina stopped teasing, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pick you up in three days. Just the two of you?¡±

    ¡°And Courtney.¡±

    Pa White handed the phone to Courtney, who sighed deeply, ¡°Miss Reed, I was coerced.¡±

    ¡°Understood, see you in three days.¡± Tina chuckled, then hung up the phone.

    Jared approached, ¡°Hayden¡¯sing?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, did he report to you?¡± Tina shook her head helplessly, ¡°He insisted oning with Pa White.¡±

    Jared touched his nose, ¡°Not really, I have a mission.¡±

    Tina nced at him, ¡°Found anything?¡±

    Jared shook his head, ¡°Just a hint. Nathan¡¯s short on people, wanted to deploy Jason, but Hayden volunteered.¡±

    ¡°Tsk, he¡¯s bing ambitious.¡±

    After Tina spoke, several messages popped up on her phone.

    Jayden: ¡°Young master, I¡¯ve already settled in Clearwater, gathered all the brothers of the Mountain Veil Order, ready for yourmand.¡±

    Cole: ¡°Serena, the Lyon family has ced an order with me Ice to find Spectre for bone setting and a waist injury! Price is no object.¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow, price no object?

    Jared saw the message and immediately said, ¡°Decline.¡±

    Tina rested her chin on her hand, a glint shing in her eyes, ¡°Why decline?¡±

    Jared, ¡°??¡±

    You just chopped off their hand, and now you want to put it back?

    Are you kidding?

    Jared pursed his lips, ¡°Tina, I remember you¡¯re no saint!¡±

    Tina said, ¡°Of course I¡¯m not! But who has a grudge against money?¡±

    After her words fell, she directly replied to Cole¡¯s message: ¡°Five hundred billion for bone setting, eight hundred billion for treating a back injury.¡±

    Jared was speechless.

    Indeed!

    Money was invincible in Tina¡¯s heart!

    After sending the message, Tina smiled at Jared and continued to browse through her messages.

    The next message was from Warren of the Lyon family on behalf of Grandma Lyon.

    He invited her to attend a ferry dinner in three days as the head of the Lyon family, along with Jared, including the address of the dinner.

    The host was Max.

    Tina raised her eyebrows again.

    She just lost her hand and she wanted to attend the dinner?

    Grandma Lyon was old with a generous heart.

    Tina turned off her phone, looked at Jared with a smile, and asked, ¡°Uncle, do you think you can use the item Sonia gave you in three days?¡±

    Jared frowned deeply, ¡°Tina, if you keep looking at me like that, I might have to use it right now.¡±

    Tina stretched out her slender fingers, sliding them down from the cor of Jared¡¯s shirt, slowly saying, ¡°Then why not use it and let me see?¡±

    The ambiguous atmosphere surged like waves crashing against the rocks, endlessly ebbing and flowing between the shore and the vast sea, carrying boundless yearning.

    Jared grabbed Tina¡¯s delicate wrist, the touch of her fingertips electrifying, reaching straight to his heart.

    They gazed at each other, their deep eyes reflecting only each other¡¯s figures.

    Admiration sparked between them, transmitting unguarded like lightning.

    They had suppressed their feelings for too long, remained silent for too long, and restrained themselves through too many dangers.

    So much so that a casual jest could trigger andslide and tsunami.

    Jared pulled Tina into his arms, his passionate kiss seemingly intent on consuming her entirely.

    Tina, as always, responded to his embrace without any reservations.

    Their entwined fingers spread infinite tenderness and passion.

    ¡°Miss, we¡¯re having boiled fish for dinner tonight¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Mrs. Smith closed the wide-open door and hurriedly left her ¡°crime scene.¡±

    Tina buried her face in Jared¡¯s shoulder, her fair cheeks flushed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you, lock the door?¡±

    Jared also buried half his face in Tina¡¯s hair, lowering his voice, ¡°I forgot¡­¡±

    The two embraced for a long time, finally unable to help butugh out loud.

    Such awkwardness, they had experienced plenty.

    Lyon family.

    Warren, looking at the message from me Ice, was so shocked his eyes nearly popped out.

    It took him a long time to regain hisposure, ¡°Has Spectre gone mad? Five hundred billion for bone setting? Eight hundred billion for treating a back injury? Does he think money grows on trees?¡±

    Grandma Lyon hadn¡¯t expected the asking price to be so outrageous, surely counting on the Lyon family¡¯s funds.

    The Lyon family, at most, had eight hundred billion in liquid assets.

    If all were given to Spectre, how could the Lyon family continue to operate?

    If they didn¡¯t treat the injuries, she would end up in a wheelchair with one useless hand, a life she did not wish to lead.

    Oliver was also shocked by the exorbitant demand, at a loss for how to react.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Leah immediately bristled upon hearing it, ¡°Eight hundred billion? Are they crazy? Who spends eight hundred billion on medical treatment? With that kind of money on treatment, you might as well¡­¡±

    Die!

    Before they could finish, they caught Grandma Lyon¡¯s icy re and immediately held their tongues.

 Chapter 525: The Cruise Banquet

    Megan had wanted to speak up, but seeing the olddy¡¯s grim expression, she remained silent. Yet, she strongly disagreed. This was about 800 billion dors, not just 8000; though she wished the olddy¡¯s hand could be healed to better the Lyon family, spending so much money on it seemed imprudent. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to split the money between their families?Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What do we do now, Mom?¡± Warren, regaining hisposure, turned to Grandma Lyon. If it had been a few hundred or even a few million dors, he would have agreed without hesitation. But 800 billion dors was too much, and he was reluctant to spend such an amount on the olddy¡¯s hand. If the treatment failed, wouldn¡¯t it all be wasted? Moreover, treating her was meant to benefit the Lyon family, not drag them down because of a hand.

    Grandma Lyon hesitated too. She really didn¡¯t know what to do. Just then, Sonia rushed in. As soon as she entered, she went to examine Grandma Lyon¡¯s hand and cursed, ¡°That damn Tina, how dare she do this to you? It¡¯s despicable.¡± She had been out handling some business yesterday and wasn¡¯t at the Lyon family¡¯s. She had received a call from Grandma Lyon this morning exining the situation and had hurried over without a second thought.

    ¡°You¡¯ve arrived just in time; there¡¯s something I can¡¯t decide on, and I need your advice,¡± Grandma Lyon said, giving Sonia a meaningful look.

    Sonia paused, then heard Grandma Lyon continue, ¡°Spectre can fix my hand and treat my back, but he¡¯s asking for 800 billion dors. I don¡¯t know whether to go ahead with it.¡±

    Sonia was shocked. So much money for a treatment? Of course, she couldn¡¯t agree! Yet, seeing the look in the olddy¡¯s eyes, she hesitated. The olddy clearly wanted to be healed, but her sons would surely disagree, and she couldn¡¯t express this openly, so she had Sonia speak for her. But Sonia didn¡¯t want to agree either.

    After a long pause, Sonia finally said, ¡°Heal! No matter the cost, go ahead and heal!¡± With the olddy around, her future would be more secure. If something happened to the olddy, her brothers-inw would surely neglect her. It was better to support the olddy now.

    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Leah was the first to object. ¡°All that money, and you just want to give it away? Do you think money grows on trees? I disagree!¡±

    Megan also spoke out, ¡°I support treating mom, but that¡¯s too much money.¡±

    Then, the olddy¡¯s grandchildren joined in opposition. Except for Warren and Oliver, who remained silent, the rest argued heatedly, their faces flushed with fervor.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go outside and talk; don¡¯t disturb Mom¡¯s rest,¡± Sonia said coldly, heading straight for the living room.

    Half an hourter, no one knew how Sonia had persuaded everyone, but they all agreed.

    Three dayster.

    The Hancock family¡¯s annual cruise banquetmenced as scheduled. It was a tradition meant for gathering but also for expandingworks and solidifying resources. Despite the recent incident with Grace, many people still attended. Everyone was well aware that the Hancock family controlled the most profitable projects in Clearwater and even across the country.

    Who wouldn¡¯t want a piece of that?

    The cruise was crowded, every face smiling, subtly assessing Grace, who stayed close to Max. Grace also used this opportunity to showcase her talents and suppress her previous reputation. Her maniptive rhetoric still worked, as many were still devotedly eager to be with her, proposing a ¡°fairpetition.¡±

    Grace knew that as long as her value remained intact, she would never be reduced to mud. If she could only regain her former glory tonight, she could hold her head high in front of Tina and gain Jared¡¯s respect! She was determined to redeem her past humiliations, marry Jared, and leave Tina with nowhere to bury her remains!

    Max, apanying Grace, chatted with a group of old friends who all paid their respects, praising Grace for her excellence. Essentially, this was all to maintain rtions with the Hancock family. It was an unspoken understanding among them.

    As the evening progressed, Jared and Tina entered, holding hands tightly. A sh of jealousy crossed Grace¡¯s eyes. Max whispered a stern warning, ¡°Remember what I said, no more designs on Jared, at least not now.¡±

    ¡°I know, you¡¯ve been saying it for days. You just want me to apologize to Tina, right? I¡¯m going now.¡± Grace bit her lip, her eyes brimming with reluctance. But despite her feelings, she knew she had to apologize today. There would be other days!

    Taking a deep breath, Grace approached Jared and Tina with a wine ss in hand. ¡°Mr. Farrell, Miss Reed,¡± she greeted them with a faint smile, ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    This was the Hancock family¡¯s venue, and with Jared and Tina present, they couldn¡¯t just dismiss her. ¡°What is it?¡± Tina asked.

    ¡°Miss Reed, I came to apologize to you and Mr. Farrell. I was immature before, please forgive me. From now on, I truly regard Mr. Farrell as nothing more than a brother and will have no improper thoughts. I will also not disturb you both again.¡±

    Grace bowed her head slightly, her face full of remorse. To onlookers, she appeared utterly sincere.

    Jared narrowed his eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t need another sister.¡±

    After his remark, Jared prepared to leave with Tina. ¡°Mr. Farrell, are you still ming me?¡± Grace¡¯s voice grew louder, causing people around them to turn their heads. If Jared didn¡¯t respond now, it would be a public slight against the Hancock family.

    But what of it? Jared didn¡¯t speak and simply walked away with Tina, not even pretending to give Grace face. She felt like a fool left hanging, mocked by others.

    Grace watched Jared¡¯s retreating figure, her affection souring into something else. Her desire to marry Jared was no longer just about their initial spark; now, it was about making him fall at her feet, just like the sycophants around her!

    She wanted to see how long Jared couldst. ¡°Miss Hancock, stop looking. A man who doesn¡¯t appreciate you doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s missing,¡± Connor said, suddenly beside her.

    Grace turned to see Connor, Stephanie¡¯s brother, who had once pursued her. At the time, she had better options and hadn¡¯t paid him much attention. Hurt by Jared, she found herself needing constion and started chatting with Connor.

    ¡°Connor, you always understood me best,¡± Grace murmured, her eyes downcast, the picture of wounded vulnerability.

    ¡°Grace, don¡¯t be sad. With me, you¡¯ll always be the most important,¡± Connor reassured her.

    The two sat in a corner, each holding a ss of wine, deep in conversation. Tina, noticing Grace being led away by Connor, slowly smiled. It seemed the evening¡¯s entertainment was far from over.

    Jared, with a tiny earpiece, tapped his finger, ¡°Husky, report position.¡±

    ¡°Approaching the target,¡± Hayden whistled softly, a signal to Nathan nearby, querying if he should advance.

    Nathan signaled back-wait in position.

 Chapter 526: Brother, Please Save Grace

    Jared knew what was happening and stopped asking questions, opting instead to mingle with various guests alongside Tina. Before long, Max approached, ¡°Mr. Farrell, congrattions.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for formalities, Mr. Hancock,¡± Jared replied coolly.

    It seemed neither remembered that the engagement party was originally nned for Jared and Grace.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    After some mutual business ttery, Max pointed towards the deck, ¡°Mr. Farrell, since it¡¯s your first time here, why not take yourdy to see the view from the deck? I can¡¯t speak for much, but the view is definitely first-rate.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hancock,¡± Jared epted.

    Max smiled, nodded discreetly to Tina, and then went off to attend to other guests.

    Tina looked towards the deck and tapped her earpiece, ¡°Husky girl, report your position.¡±

    ¡°Serena, I¡¯m not the Husky girl, I¡¯m the Samoyed, the Samoyed!¡± Pa White emphasized several times.

    Samoyed was the code name she had chosen for herself, also known as the Smiling Angel. She felt it was necessary to have a code name to fit in.

    ¡°Idiots of the sled, there are two of you, hurry up and report your positions.¡±

    Pa White grunted, ¡°Starboard side at nine o¡¯clock, stern at three o¡¯clock, one ¡®Morning Glory¡¯ at each spot, no other anomalies detected, no new bombs identified, please be cautious.¡±

    Tina understood and exchanged a nce with Jared; they then discreetly disappeared into the crowd.

    In the lounge area, Connor was still chatting with Grace.

    Connor¡¯s eyes, gleaming with intensity, roamed over Grace, his desire gradually bing evident.

    ¡°Grace, when grandma wanted you to get engaged to Jared, I thought it was unsuitable. How could someone with such an icy demeanor ever match up to you?¡±

    Grace avoided Connor¡¯s intense gaze, her demeanor slightly shy yet teasing, ¡°It¡¯s also my fault, overestimating myself. I don¡¯t know why, but I always seem to give people the wrong impression. Those people that day were just good friends, I never expected¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand,¡± Connor stepped closer to her, ¡°Those people are even less worthy to be with you.¡±

    Grace internally scoffed, thinking he was far less suitable, but her words came out coyly, ¡°Connor, do you really think so?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re perfect in my eyes.¡±

    Grace was about to say something else when suddenly she received a message on her phone from Stephanie.

    Stephanie was asking her to meet at the stern of the ship.

    Stephanie hadn¡¯te today; how could she suddenly be on the ship?

    Though puzzled, Grace found an excuse and left.

    After she left, Connor took a drug from his pocket and quietly sprinkled it into her drink.

    ¡°Hmph, such a flirt, pretending to be pure. Let¡¯s see how long you can keep it up!¡±

    Grace reached the stern, where Stephanie, dressed as a server, quickly pulled her aside.

    ¡°Stephanie, what are you doing?¡±

    Stephanie didn¡¯t have time to exin and asked urgently, ¡°Were you with Connor?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he came to chat, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Grace asked, confused.

    Stephanie sighed, ¡°I knew that good-for-nothing was up to no good. He¡¯s plotting to take advantage of you¡­ to get you pregnant with a Lyon family child, so you¡¯d have to marry him no matter what.¡±

    Grace gasped in shock, ¡°How could he¡­?¡±

    ¡°I heard it with my own ears, so I sneaked in, Grace, you must not go with him.¡±

    Grace paused for a moment, a n forming in her mind. She grabbed Stephanie¡¯s hand. ¡°Stephanie, do you still want me to marry Jared? Even after seeing what you saw, would you still want that?¡±

    Stephanie certainly did not want that, but there was no other option now; letting Grace marry Jared was the only way to achieve their goals.

    Just as Megan had said, they could always get rid of herter, but for now, they needed to secure the Hancock family¡¯s assets.

    ¡°Of course, I do. You are my best sister.¡±

    Grace smiled with relief. ¡°Then, Stephanie, I have a n. Help me, and after tonight, I will definitely be able to marry Mr. Farrell!¡±

    Stephanie looked puzzled. ¡°What n?¡±

    ¡°Just follow me quietlyter, and when you see Connor take me away, you¡­¡±

    On the stern of the boat, Tina, who was hanging from the railing, overheard their entire n.

    She nodded appreciatively; Grace was quick-witted, a talent wasted if not for scriptwriting.

    ¡°Uncle, did you hear everything? I think it¡¯s a brilliant n, catching a turtle in a jar!¡±

    At that moment, Tina¡¯s words were heard clearly by everyone on the same earpiece channel.

    Hayden was the first tough. ¡°Captain Wolf, seems like Serena is calling you a turtle.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, after this mission, you¡¯re transferred to the Arctic,¡± Jared responded lightly, his mood seemingly buoyant as he clinked sses with someone.

    ¡°No, no, no, my mistake, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Hayden quickly admitted his fault.

    The Arctic? That¡¯s no ce for dogs.

    Pa White: ¡°Aren¡¯t you just a husky?¡±

    Hayden: Speechless¡­

    Tina pulled on the rope and jumped down a few more steps. ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t embarrass me tonight, you¡¯ve got lucky charms.¡±

    Jared sighed, ¡°Stop it, be safe.¡±

    Tinaughed, ¡°You too.¡±

    The earpiece then returned to silence. Jared mingled among the crowd, his gaze sharp as a wolf in the night, hunting under the moonlight.

    Soon, a person dressed as a waiter rushed towards Jared. ¡°Jared, it¡¯s Stephanie, something terrible has happened, you need toe with me, Connor is harassing Grace!¡±

    Without hesitation, Stephanie pulled Jared toward the guest rooms.

    ¡°Jared, Grace messaged me saying she felt dizzy and disoriented after chatting with Connor and soon lost contact. Thankfully, she sent me the room location before she went silent. We must hurry and save her!¡±

    Stephanie, fraught with urgency, led Jared to the guest rooms. ¡°This is it, Jared, should you knock?¡±

    Jared stood before the door, hearing faint cries from inside, his expression dark. ¡°Why should I knock?¡±

    Startled, Stephanie realized Jared was questioning her, questioning why she hadn¡¯t knocked herself.

    She tugged timidly at Jared¡¯s sleeve, her voice tinged with tears, ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±

    Inside the room.

    Grace was pinned down on the bed by Connor.

    Connor¡¯s hands, filled with lust, had already left bruises on her legs.

    ¡°What¡¯s the act? As if you haven¡¯t been slept with by countless men, what¡¯s one more night?¡± he sneered.

    As he spoke, Connor tore at Grace¡¯s dress strap, biting her tender shoulder, leaving a trail of teeth marks.

 Chapter 527: Miss Hancock Bullied

    Grace struggled desperately, screaming in her heart.

    ¡°Stephanie, you idiot, if you don¡¯te soon, Connor will really spoil me.¡±

    Where on earth had Stephanie taken Jared?

    If they didn¡¯t arrive soon, once the incense burned down to the drugs, even she wouldn¡¯t be able to control herself!

    ¡°Connor, let go of me, my dad is right outside, aren¡¯t you afraid of being discovered?¡± Grace clutched desperately at a crucial part of her body.

    Connor, blinded by lust, hardly cared about such an empty threat.

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s perfect that your dad is here, let him see just how promiscuous his daughter is. With so many guests outside, you¡¯ll have no choice but to marry me even if you don¡¯t want to!¡±

    While saying this, Connor pinned Grace¡¯s hands to the bed, roaming over her body to satisfy his vile desires.

    Originally, when he pursued Grace, he was not only humiliated but has been mocked by his friends to this day.

    Even the Lyon family, in trying to arrange Grace¡¯s marriage to Jared, got into trouble with Tina, leading to them being stripped, and his grandmother even had her hand chopped off, which hasn¡¯t been reattached yet!

    What¡¯s more, to afford his grandmother¡¯s hand surgery and treat her back, they needed to spend eight hundred billion!

    He felt the people of the Lyon family were insane; why spend so much on an old person nearing death?

    But his words had no weight; he could only follow his family¡¯s decisions.

    Yet, all of this was because of Grace, and today, he was determined to have her subdued under him!

    At this moment, Grace could hardly care about anything else; if Connor seeded, she would truly be without hope!

    ¡°Help, is there no one to save me? Help!¡±

    Her cries seemed to excite Connor even more, making his actions even more vigorous.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Finally, the calls for help clearly reached outside the door, but Jared still stood unmoved, as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything.

    Stephanie knew she couldn¡¯t let Connor seed, or all their ns would be ruined.

    She rushed to knock on the door, ¡°Open up, Connor, open the door, my brother is here, you beast, let go of Grace!¡±

    Inside, Grace heard Stephanie¡¯s voice and finally breathed a sigh of relief, barely holding on.

    Stephanie knocked repeatedly, while Jared remained as immovable as a mountain, casually leaning against the wall, his fingertips tapping on his earphones.

    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s not gentlemanly to just stand and watch.¡± Tina secured the rope, holding tools, looking at the ¡°Morning Glory¡± glued to the ferry.

    This arrangement wouldn¡¯t blow up the entire ship, just destroy the stern.

    But that was enough to cause the ferry to malfunction, and with the ¡°Morning Glory¡± on the bow deck, once detonated, it would cause the ferry to lose direction and damage the hull.

    Eventually, it would end in a romantic and heroic sacrifice like the Titanic.

    In Tina¡¯s mind, the beautiful line ¡°You jump, I jump¡± popped up.

    She imagined herself and Jared spreading their wings at the prow of the ship and chuckled.

    Jared tapped his earphones again with a code-Tina, focus, be careful.

    ¡°These bombs, not enough for even five minutes,¡± Tina pushed the imagery from her mind.

    If she and Uncle had been on that ship then, they wouldn¡¯t have let this story end with a tragic yet beautifully poignant finale.

    Tina finished securing thest set of ¡°Morning Glory,¡± untied the rope¡¯s fastener, and made her way back to the ship on the other end. Courtney alsopleted her disassembly task and sessfully stood on the deck.

    ¡°Captain Wolf, the mission isplete, no traces of new bombs were detected.¡±

    Jared tapped his earpiece, suddenly hearing a faint vibration from the detector in his pocket. He paused, looked again, and the detector fell silent. Jared looked around; the most likely ce now seemed to be Grace¡¯s cabin. His eyes darkened as he kicked open Grace¡¯s door, knocking down Connor, who was just about to open the door and curse at him.

    Connor spat out blood, got up, and swung at Jared, ¡°Damn it, who told you to ruin my good time!¡± Jared had no time to argue with Connor, striking him in the philtrum, knocking him out immediately.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, you finally came. If you had dyed any longer, I would have¡­¡± Grace sat on the bed, covering herself with the bedspread, looking alluringly vulnerable. Jared didn¡¯t spare her a nce as he searched the room thoroughly. Both Stephanie and Grace were puzzled, not knowing what Jared was looking for.

    Grace signaled Stephanie with her eyes, hinting her to drag the unconscious Connor out. Stephanie nodded, grabbed Connor by one leg, dragged him out, and closed the door behind her. Jared¡¯s kick had already broken the lock; next time someone came, they wouldn¡¯t need to kick the door in. The scene would be more straightforward.

    Stephanie kicked Connor in disgust, ¡°Looks like a dead monkey, yet as heavy as a pig!¡± The original n was for Stephanie to throw Connor out when Jared stormed in, themotion surely drawing many to the guest room. Everyone would then witness the scandalous scene between Jared and Grace. This way, dragging Connor out could also buy some time.

    Inside the room, Grace knelt on the bed, her once-covering dress now gone, revealing long legs bruised in blues and purples, pitifully exposed. Yet subtly, there was a mysterious hint, igniting a primal desire in any other man. ¡°Mr. Farrell, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t know what to do,¡± Grace¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, her bedspread trembling.

    Jared¡¯s gaze deepened as he looked under the bed. It was the only ce he hadn¡¯t searched. He stepped forward, lifting the nket. Grace¡¯s heart leapt with joy, releasing the nket and copsing onto the bed, filling the air with an irresistible fragrance. The heat made Grace¡¯s face even more flushed.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell¡­¡±

    At that moment, Stephanie had already thrown Connor in the banquet hall, shouting towards the front, ¡°Mr. Hancock, it¡¯s terrible, Grace has been mistreated, she was almost¡­¡±

    Max, stunned for a moment and despite his anger, was still concerned for his beloved daughter and hurried to the guest room department. The crowd surged like a tide towards the guest room.

    Just as Max arrived, he saw a figure flying out and hitting the wall heavily. It was Grace! ¡°Grace!¡± Max rushed over immediately.

 Chapter 528: You Could Be a Good Actor

    At this moment, Grace had somewhat lost her senses, the strong scent of the medicinal aromatherapy overwhelming her, triggering an endless tsunami with just a whiff. She kicked off the nket wrapped around her, tugging at Max¡¯s clothing in a haze, ¡°It¡¯s hot, so very hot.¡± Her stunning figure was unmistakably on disy before everyone.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    In the distance, Tina and Courtney stood together, observing from afar. ¡°Tsk, she really has a great figure,¡± Tina remarked, then turned her gaze to Courtney¡¯s more modest form, sighing, ¡°Oh.¡± Courtney¡¯s face flushed, ¡°Miss Reed, please behave!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, why are you blushing?¡± Tina teased, yfully lifting Courtney¡¯s chin. Courtney stepped back, quickly connecting with Jared on the headset, ¡°Captain Wolf, where are you?¡±

    Jared snipped thest yellow wire, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead, ¡°Come over, we¡¯ve found the new bomb.¡± Tina and Courtney¡¯s expressions darkened, the earlier jesting vanishing instantly as they rushed through the crowd and burst into the guest room.

    By then, Max had already knocked Grace unconscious and rewrapped her in the nket. He had no idea what had happened! Stephanie was also perplexed, unsure of what was going on. How had Grace ended up thrown out, and what were Tina and that waiter-costumed person doing inside? Wasn¡¯t Grace supposed to be drugged with Jared by now¡­?

    Inside the guest room, Jared held the now ineffective new bomb in his hand. Tina approached, her expression somewhat rxed. ¡°We found the bomb that didn¡¯t explode, saving us a lot of effort and money!¡± Developing new bombs and detectors had been like pouring money down the drain. Even with the support from the Brookes family, it wasn¡¯t possible to spend nothing. But now, with this new bomb, there was no need to continue deconstructing its structure; inputting the program into the detector was sufficient.

    ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Tina handed the new bomb to Courtney and then threw herself into Jared¡¯s arms, nting several firm kisses on his face. ¡°Oh, all that lovely pink money!¡± Jared, buoyed by borrowed light, finally cracked a smile. He ruffled Tina¡¯s hair, chuckling, ¡°This reward isn¡¯t enough.¡±

    Tina jumped onto Jared, her long legs crossing around his waist. She leaned in, her forehead against his, and smirked mischievously, ¡°Is this reward enough?¡± Jared gripped Tina¡¯s legs, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing. These past few days, the young woman had indeed been too bold. If this continued, he might not be able to hold back any longer.

    Courtney wished she could find a crack to disappear into. Were these two really starting to unt their affection without caring about their surroundings? Couldn¡¯t they consider her and the group of bewildered onlookers just outside the door?

    Courtney silently packed away the new bomb, cleared her throat, ¡°Miss Reed, Mr. Farrell¡­¡± Jared, pretending not to hear, swallowed and said deeply, ¡°Tina, it¡¯s not the time yet.¡± Tina continued to gaze deeply into Jared¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°I¡¯m just asking you to carry me out like this, Uncle. How is it not the time yet?¡±

    Jared grumbled, ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve been teased again!¡±

    Tina suppressed a smile, finding her Uncle Jared¡¯s flush of embarrassment increasingly adorable.

    Courtney interjected with a tired voice, ¡°Enough already¡­¡±

    ¡°Miss Reed, Mr. Farrell, that¡¯s enough,¡± Courtney spoke again, her voice hoarse as she reminded them once more.

    It was then that Tina gracefully hopped off Jared and stood firmly by his side.

    Only upon turning around did she realize just how many people were present.

    Max was at the forefront, his expression far beyond mere shock-it was downright horror.

    Tina, linking her arm through Jared¡¯s, stared down Max with a fierce glint in her deep eyes, ¡°Mr. Hancock, are you here to enjoy the show?¡±

    Regaining hisposure, Max frowned and stepped forward, surveying the chaos in the room, imagining the ordeal his daughter must have endured.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, Miss Lyon mentioned you saved Grace, but what exactly happened between you two? Miss Lyon said my daughter hadn¡¯t been undressed yet!¡±

    Max questioned Jared, his tone devoid of any emotion but concern for his daughter.

    He wasn¡¯t concerned about Tina¡¯s presence.

    Jared, his gaze icy, faced an incensed Max, ¡°If you want to know what happened, ask your daughter!¡±

    ¡°Jared, I respect you as a guest, but at the end of the day, I am your elder. My daughter was thrown out of the room naked and incoherent. How am I supposed to ask her?¡± Max argued, his voice tight with anger.

    The spectators felt Jared had crossed a line, initially believing he had rescued Grace.

    But Jared¡¯s demeanor suggested otherwise; it seemed more like he was shaming her.

    Tina yawned, her tone light, ¡°Is Miss Hancock dead? Mr. Hancock, can¡¯t you wait for her to wake up?¡±

    Max¡¯s face stiffened, his retort stifled by Tina¡¯s carefree attitude.

    Grace, supported by Stephanie, became the focus of everyone¡¯s gaze. Stephanie hurriedly exined, ¡°Connor drugged her, even if she wakes up, we won¡¯t get anything out of her. Besides, she¡¯s still unconscious. Jared, we should really get Grace to the hospital soon.¡±

    Courtney chuckled, ¡°Miss, her own father is right here, who are you talking to?¡±

    Stephanie red at Courtney fiercely, ¡°Mr. Hancock still needs to attend to the guests. Since Grace ended up with my brother, the first person she¡¯ll want to see when she wakes up is definitely him. Besides, you¡¯re just a waitress, what right do you have to speak?¡±

    Tinaughed along, ¡°Aren¡¯t you a waitress?¡±

    Stumped, Stephanie faltered, puzzled by Tina¡¯s implication.

    Max intervened, ¡°Mr. Farrell, no matter what, Grace wasst with you. She¡¯s fainted now, and you can¡¯t leave. I must know what happened to her.¡±

    ¡°No need!¡± Jared signaled Courtney with a look.

    Understanding his cue, Courtney flexed her wrist, revealing a silver needle.

    She approached the unconscious Grace and swiftly ced a palm on her back.

 Chapter 529: Reversal

    Grace screamed, jolting awake and gasping for air as she knelt on the ground.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, Mr. Farrell¡­¡±

    Max hurriedly helped his daughter up. ¡°Grace, are you alright?¡±

    Grace looked around at the group of people, clueless about what had happened. Herst memory was of lying in bed, wrapped in a nket by Jared.

    Quick to react, she burst into tears on Max¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Dad, Mr. Farrell and I, we have already¡­ already¡­¡±

    Her words left everyone with a clear understanding of the situation.

    Apletely naked, beautiful woman appeared before them-what man could resist?

    Poor Connor, others nt the trees, yet he enjoys the shade!

    A sh of anger crossed Max¡¯s eyes as he pointed at Jared and shouted, ¡°Jared, what do you have to say for yourself? You beast!¡±

    Stephanie quickly interjected, ¡°Mr. Hancock, it was the drug. My brother and Grace didn¡¯t do it on purpose; it was all because of the drug¡¯s influence. Think about Grace¡¯s condition just now!¡±

    Grace also held Max¡¯s hand. ¡°Dad, I vaguely remember what happened. Mr. Farrell rescued me from Connor¡¯s hands. We were trying to leave, but¡­ then I smelled this strange fragrance. Even though my mind was clear, our bodies were out of control¡­¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t Mr. Farrell¡¯s fault; it¡¯s all Connor¡¯s doing, really.¡±

    By now, Grace was a sobbing mess, clutching the nket around her. ¡°Dad, I can¡¯t face anyone anymore.¡±

    Stephanie also cried as she looked at Jared. ¡°Jared, it was Grace¡¯s first time. You can¡¯t just ignore her.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Max was at a loss about whom to me, only able to hold his daughter tenderly and look at Jared. ¡°Mr. Farrell, now that it hase to this, if you don¡¯t take responsibility, Grace really won¡¯t have a way out.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Jared, we can¡¯t just walk away from this.¡±

    This drama was so intense that even Ember Saffron and Juliet would have to apud the mastery.

    It was a performance worthy of the best actors.

    Tina smirked, ¡°Miss Hancock, have you heard of Max Entertainment? Named after your dad, that talent agency. If you¡¯re interested in signing, I can have someone contact you.¡±

    A promising talent in acting-cry on cue, engage deeply in the role, how could anyone not be intrigued?

    A moneymaker isn¡¯t a derogatory term if they bring in cash!

    Jared: ¡°Tina, how badly do you need money?¡±

    Tina: ¡°Extremely, utterly, and especially badly!¡±

    Hayden: ¡°You should ask me how much Serena loves money!¡±

    Tina: ¡°Extremely, utterly, and especially loves money!¡±

    Grace wiped her tears. ¡°Miss Reed, what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Are you young and hard of hearing? Or should I inject you again?¡± Tina curled her lips, eyeing her with interest.

    Grace¡¯s eyes shed with anger. ¡°Tina! I know you¡¯re upset because of what happened between Mr. Farrell and me, but I would never tarnish my reputation with lies. I remember what I remember, there¡¯s no need to frame Mr. Farrell and ruin your rtionship!¡±

    Tina nodded, then turned to Stephanie. ¡°Miss Lyon, are you sure everything Miss Hancock said is true?¡±

    Stephanie appeared uneasy but had no choice but to stick to her story. ¡°Yes, I believe Grace, and indeed, only my brother was present just now. Now that Grace is awake, she surely wouldn¡¯t lie.¡±

    Tina nodded again. ¡°Is that so! Well, I have something interesting here, would you like to see?¡±

    With that, Tina extended her hand, and Courtney handed her a tabletputer.

    Courtney, always by Tina¡¯s side, carried various tools for her; this tablet was a model not seen on the market, capable of folding down to the size of a phone.

    It was so sudden that no one saw exactly where Courtney had pulled the tablet from!

    Tina clicked a few times on the screen, and soon, a video began to y clearly. ¡°¡­then you¡¯ll take Connor away, and I will have already ced the hallucinogens in the room. Once things go well with Mr. Farrell, we can pin it on Connor. You just need to bring my dad and the others over, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll help you. If you can get rid of that useless Tina and sessfully marry my brother, it¡¯ll all be worth it, Grace. You must be careful!¡± The videopletely captured the conspiracy between Grace and Stephanie, even thoughtfully filtering out the background noise of the wind on the deck to make every word they said more audible.

    Grace and Stephanie never expected that their conversation would be recorded, and so clearly at that! Max could have confronted Jared with authority, but now, he felt too ashamed even to breathe. His own daughter, drugging someone to offer herself up? To speak of it would be to disgrace the Hancock family for generations!

    In the crowd, Megan and Warren breathed a sigh of relief. From the moment Connor was implicated, they had been there, always hiding, fearing Max might cause trouble. Unexpectedly, the tables had turned, and now they could even bite back at Grace. After all, no one had seen whether Connor had actually drugged Grace; they could easily use Grace and Stephanie of tarnishing Connor¡¯s reputation.

    As for Jared and Tina, it seemed they wouldn¡¯t get their revenge today; that would have to wait for another time. For now, they needed to protect Connor. Megan rolled up her sleeves and pushed through the crowd. ¡°Oh, you two little wretches, daring to frame my son! I always wondered how he could just pass out. It turns out you were afraid of being exposed and knocked my son out. I¡¯ll kill you!¡± she eximed as she grabbed Grace and Stephanie by the hair.

    The two women were still dazed, and the sudden pain jolted them awake-it was already toote. Megan, strong as she was, knocked them both to the ground. Especially Grace, who was already in apromising position, was now pinned down, naked, and pped repeatedly. Max wanted to intervene but found himself unable to move. He looked towards Tina in horror. He knew this was all a trap set by Tina!

    Tina also approached him, whispering so only the two of them could hear, ¡°I told you, if Grace stops bothering me, I won¡¯t go after her.¡± Resigned, Max closed his eyes. Like his boss, once Tina made a move, she left no chance for survival. He could only silently pray that Grace would be okay, otherwise¡­

    Grace and Stephanie were still being pinned down by Megan, their faces swollen and red. Megan knew her limits; Stephanie was Oliver¡¯s daughter, and she couldn¡¯t harm her too seriously. But Grace was different. If she didn¡¯t ruin Grace¡¯s reputation tonight, she wouldn¡¯t be able to control the Hancock family in the future. She had to ensure that no one would want to marry Grace after tonight.

    ¡°Miss, it was all the Hancock family¡¯s fault today, could you perhaps consider my boss¡¯s position¡­¡± Max tried to plead. But before he could finish, Tina interrupted him. ¡°If not for my mother¡¯s sake, do you think your daughter would still be alive?¡± Tina¡¯s eyes were calm, but beneath that calm was a tumult of deadly undercurrents, threatening to engulf anyone who dared approach. No longer interested in watching Grace get beaten, Tina beckoned Max with a finger, ¡°Come with me, I have something more important to ask you.¡±

 Chapter 530: Tina is Even More Reckless Than the Boss

    Max¡¯s limbs were still uncontroble as he slowly followed Tina¡¯s steps away. Behind him, Grace was screaming for her father heartbreakingly, but he was utterly unable to respond. It wasn¡¯t until they reached a secret cabin on the ship that Max felt he could control his body again. However, with Jared and Courtney guarding the door, there was no chance for him to escape.

    ¡°Kneel,¡± Tinamanded calmly from her seat of authority.

    Max thudded to his knees, not because he couldn¡¯t control himself, but out of the sheer awe Tina inspired in him, a subconscious reaction. His legs tingled, and his knees felt as though a thousand needles were pricking him. Sweat beaded on his forehead, dripping down his temples and eventually disappearing on his shoulders.

    Tina sat with her legs crossed, her slender neck held high in arrogance, a trace of disdain at the corner of her eyes. The moment Max knelt, Tina even doubted what her mother had seen in him years ago. Such a spineless man, deserving to inherit the important technology of bionic organisms?

    Tina looked down at the man before her and slowly took out a small device named ¡°Morning Glory¡± from her pocket, throwing it directly at Max. He caught it instinctively, his forehead vein bulging with fright, copsing to the ground. He had thought Tina had thrown a knife at him!

    ¡°Miss, what is this?¡±

    Tina raised an eyebrow and slowly said, ¡°A miniature bomb.¡±

    Max¡¯s expression turned into one of shock, and he scrambled behind a couch. He had thought it was a knife, not a bomb. How could Tina be even more reckless than his own boss? What normal person would toss around a bomb like that?

    Seeing Max¡¯s reaction, Tina concluded that he had nothing to do with the bomb that evening. ¡°Found it on your ship,¡± she stated, shifting her legs and recliningzily on the sofa back as she watched Max.

    Max, stunned for a few moments, crawled back towards Tina, ¡°Miss, I swear I didn¡¯t know about this. I wouldn¡¯t risk it, not with both my daughter and I onboard, let alone you. This has nothing to do with me.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Tina said, her brow furrowing slightly.

    Max sighed in relief and slowly straightened up, ¡°Is this bomb connected to the Lyon family?¡±

    Tina looked up, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over Max, ¡°You know?¡±

    ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t know. It just seems strange. After the engagement party incident, I should have had no further dealings with the Lyon family. But because of the bionic technology, I couldn¡¯tpletely sever ties. I thought about sending an invitation, but before I could send it, those two brothers came to me.¡±

    ¡°They said they wanted to apologize on behalf of the olddy, who couldn¡¯t make it, and asked to attend in her ce, which I epted. Yesterday, during the preparation, my men told me Mr. Lyon hade to deliver a flower basket. I didn¡¯t think much of it at the time, but now it seems very suspicious. I usually dealt with Sonia, not them.¡±

    Tina nodded, a signal beeped in her earpiece, sent by Hayden.

    The goods have arrived.

    At the same time, Max¡¯s phone beeped with a message. He wanted to check it but felt awkward pulling out his phone in front of Tina, so he just knelt silently.

    Tina slightly curved her lips, yawned, and closed her eyes, saying, ¡°Let me think.¡±

    With that, she stopped responding. Max didn¡¯t dare move; he knew Tina wasn¡¯t sleeping but was deep in thought.

    In other words, it was a stark warning to him. The bomb incident had clearly crossed Tina¡¯s red line, and his pale exnations coupled with baseless suspicions held little persuasive power. Max¡¯s phone kept ringing in his pocket, but he couldn¡¯t even look at it, feeling increasingly anxious. ¡°Once the goods arrive, just move them down. Do you really have to send a message?!¡±

    Meanwhile, Jared and Courtney, who were supposed to be guarding the door, had already left the cabin and appeared at the port of Clearwater. Hayden and Nathan had taken control of the docks, sealing off all the arriving cargo. The dock¡¯s management and workers were all detained.

    ¡°Mr. Farrell, we found it-it¡¯s Old Kris,¡± Nathan said, handing a bag of flour to Jared. Old Kris, a new drug prevalent in the ck market, looked exactly like wheat flour and was often sold mixed with grain near food markets.

    Jared¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°How much did you find?¡±

    Nathan and Hayden exchanged nces before revealing a shocking number. ¡°Three tons.¡±

    Courtney gasped in surprise, ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°Three tons,¡± Nathan repeated.

    Three tons of Old Kris could be profitable enough to buy a government. Jared had anticipated a significant haul this time, but he hadn¡¯t imagined it would be this big. ¡°But other than Old Kris, no other situations were discovered,¡± Nathan added.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Jared hade to Clearwater to locate GTO¡¯s virus research base, following leads that tonight, the Hancock family¡¯s port would receive a batch of specimens for virus research. This was a breakthrough to ess the base, so Hayden and Nathan hade early to watch over it.

    Jared and Tina were also in the cabin, watching Max¡¯s movements. Unexpectedly, instead of securing the specimens, they had seized three tons of Old Kris. They hadn¡¯t expected Max to be involved in drug trafficking, much less as a major drug lord.

    Now, with no leads on the research specimens, the three tons of drugs were significant enough that they had to call in the local Drug Enforcement Agency. ¡°Pack up the gear and hand it over to the DEA agents, and do not alert headquarters!¡± Jared took the bag of Old Kris and left.

    Courtney and Hayden followed him, while Nathan, posing as a dock worker, reported drugs on the ship, erasing any trace of the X Bureau. In the cabin, Tina, receiving the signal, opened her eyes and looked at Max, her lips curling into a meaningful smile.

    ¡°Do you have anything else you want to say to me?¡± Tina asked.

    Max shuddered, his knees numb as he knelt on the floor. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ve said all there is to say. I will definitely investigate this bomb incident, and if it¡¯s the Lyon family¡¯s doing, I will not tolerate it!¡±

    Listening to his emphatic words, Tina found itughable. Well, it wasn¡¯t time yet.

    Tina stood up, picked up the bomb in front of Max, and said, ¡°Just take care of your daughter, that¡¯s enough.¡± With that, she walked towards the door.

    Max breathed a slight sigh of relief, but before he could rxpletely, he heard Tina say from behind-¡°My mother¡¯s grace ends today.¡±

    Max still didn¡¯t understand the meaning of Tina¡¯s words as she had already disappeared. He slowly sat on the sofa, wiping the sweat from his forehead. Not dwelling on Tina¡¯s cryptic remark, he urgently took out his phone to call his own port.

    ¡°Why all these calls? Once the goods arrive, send them straight over; this shipment is very important and must not be mishandled!¡±

    Max cursed, leaning back on the sofa to rest for a moment. On the other end of the phone, the foreman responsible for unloading at the dock spoke, ¡°¡­ Mr. Hancock, it¡¯s bad, the DEA has seized our goods, turning our shipment into three tons of drugs!¡±

    Max almost passed out, ¡°What did you say!¡±

    Three tons of drugs, eight hundred heads wouldn¡¯t be enough!

 Chapter 531: Linden Woodwind

    Tina stepped out of the cabin, the guests had already left the ship, and she was greeted by the quiet sea breeze. Soon, a helicopter hovered overhead. Jared leaned out, extended his hand, and smiled, ¡°Tina, let¡¯s go home.¡±

    Shortly after a few of them returned to the vi, Nathan and Pa White also came back from outside. Hayden stared at Nathan, ¡°I told you to call the police, why did youe back with her?¡± Nathan casually twisted open a bottle of drink, ¡°I picked her up on the way, what¡¯s the problem?¡± Hayden, showing his teeth in frustration, insisted, ¡°What way did you take? Don¡¯t think you know the roads better just because you arrived in Clearwater a few days before me. I lived in Clearwater as a kid, even stayed with the White family, you¡¯re definitely not on the way!¡±

    Hayden red at Nathan, determined to get an answer about why he came back with Pa White. Nathan felt like punching him. Why are people in love so annoying? Courtneymented, ¡°He¡¯s not even in a rtionship yet.¡± Nathan replied, ¡°If he¡¯s this annoying now, imagine how much worse it¡¯d be if he was?¡±

    Meanwhile, Pa White had no time to bother with this, once she switched into work mode, a dozen Haydens around her wouldn¡¯t make a difference. ¡°Serena, I found it. These are from thetest batch of ¡®Morning Glory¡¯ I released. Only I have the authority over ¡®Morning Glory¡¯ now, and all the bombs from my hands are numbered. This one is from thetest batch.¡±

    After secretly disembarking with the disassembled ¡®Morning Glory¡¯, Pa went straight to the White family¡¯s weapons research institute in Clearwater. After testing and matching the numbers, it was confirmed that this was indeed the bomb ¡®Morning Glory¡¯ recently signed over to the X Bureau headquarters. Tina had expected this, but was shocked that an internal traitor would dare to take such a risk, not fearing being exposed. Or was it that the monopolization of Ashbury X Bureau headquarters by Captain Kampwerth and Jared had finally crossed his line?

    ¡°Whom did you authorize to distribute these bombs?¡± Jared asked. Pa pursed her lips, ¡°The second inmand at Clearwater X Bureau, Linden Woodwind.¡± Tina and Jared were familiar with the name.

    Linden, the deputy head of Clearwater X Bureau, had been transferred from Ashbury to Clearwater eight years ago but had never appeared publicly, always out on missions. He had secretly returned to Clearwater earlier this year. The operation in the western district was directed by Linden as the overallmander of Clearwater. Interestingly, he was also Arthur Woodwind and Audrey¡¯s father, Esther¡¯s husband who was often abroad on business.

    Tina hadn¡¯t expected Linden to be part of X Bureau. Clearly, Jared hadn¡¯t either. Linden was several ranks above Christopher, a senior leader whom Jared had no clearance to check on. ¡°What¡¯s Linden¡¯s code name in X Bureau?¡± Tina asked. Pa shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know; I wouldn¡¯t have known the name Linden if it hadn¡¯t been for requiring a direct superior¡¯s signature. But Serena, I¡¯ve heard some rumors about Linden, that he and Captain Parr were alwayspeting for a chance to enter headquarters. Ultimately, with his family¡¯s support, Linden seeded first, especially after Captain Parr¡¯s mission failure, so he remained absorbed in Ashbury.¡±

    Jared was familiar with the rumor. ¡°The boss indeed wanted to get into headquarters, but at that time, we didn¡¯t know who ourpetitor was.¡± The mission had failed, Natalie had disappeared, and for Christopher to clear the truth, he needed a promotion and entry into headquarters was the most effective way. Otherwise, he would remain constrained within Ashbury. Unfortunately, Christopher didn¡¯t seed.

    As for Linden, who had been out on missions after entering the headquarters, he reappeared muchter, already in a high position, reflecting his notable achievements over the years. Tina issued the Shadow Lotus Seal, gathering all possible data on Linden¡¯s life trajectories over the years, down to his waking times.

    Linden had once supplied Pa White with so much ¡°Morning Glory¡± that it was unclear how much was still missing. If they didn¡¯t investigate promptly, it could be dangerous. There was also the new type of bomb on the ship today. Tina had set up her team around the cruise ship early in the morning, yet someone had managed to get the ¡°Morning Glory¡± and the new bomb on board. This showed just how cautious the other party was.

    ¡°This is the new type of bomb recovered at the scene; you can study it yourself,¡± Tina handed the seized bomb to Pa White. Pa could hardly wait. The issue with the new bomb was a constant sore spot for her; her own hard work had been stolen, and now she had to spend effort studying it, which was frustrating. Now that she finally had the item in her hands, she could add her own new ideas to it. With this thought, Pa happily walked away with the bomb.

    Hayden had intended to follow her, but before he could speak, Jared stopped him. ¡°Any issues with the dock cargo before it arrived?¡± Jared asked. Hayden watched Pa drive away, then slumped down on the sofa, ¡°No, the goods arrived on time, and the ship¡¯s number matched the records, which the dock workers confirmed.¡±

    ¡°So, the goods were swapped during loading,¡± Tina concluded, lying on Jared¡¯s legs and casually opening a bag of chips. ¡°It seems Max has been abandoned.¡± Jared took a chip from Tina¡¯s hand with his mouth, ¡°Not necessarily, it might just be a dying tactic.¡±

    ¡°Any news from Eagle Flies?¡± Tina asked, looking at Jared and eating the half-eaten chip he had left. Jared tightened his grip on Tina¡¯s waist, ¡°Not yet, we need to wait.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to sleep, I¡¯m so tired.¡± Tina rested her chin on Jared¡¯s chest, her eyes already heavy with sleep. Without another word, Jared carried Tina back to the bedroom.

    In the living room, three people were baffled. Hayden scratched his head, ¡°Aren¡¯t we supposed to have a meeting?¡± Nathan was also speechless; he always said that people in love were really annoying. Of course, he only dared say this to himself. Courtney stood up, grabbing her backpack, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep too, I have a mission tomorrow.¡± Nathan followed her, but Hayden stopped him, ¡°Wait, which way are you going today?¡± It was a very quiet night in the vi, except for Nathan, who was not so quiet.

    In the Lyon family, Connor had just woken up. ¡°Damn Jared, I have to kill him for daring to kick me! And that little bitch Grace, still scheming against me, the bitch!¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°You had iting, who told you to not keep it in your pants?¡± Stephanie, beaten ck and blue, also lost her temper and vented her anger on Connor. Megan naturally defended her son, ¡°I haven¡¯t even said anything, and you¡¯re already losing your temper. Why didn¡¯t I kill you today?¡±

    ¡°Try hitting me again!¡± Leah also cursed.

    Grandma Lyon, now paralyzed and wheelchair-bound, was furious, and the constant bickering of her daughters-inw was driving her to the brink. ¡°I told you to find Spectre, what have you done? A bunch of useless people,¡± Grandma Lyon scolded them one by one. Having calmed down a bit, Grandma Lyon then asked, ¡°How is the preparation for the eight hundred billion going?¡± The previously quarreling daughters-inw were now united in their response, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not just eight hundred dors, it¡¯s not so easy to prepare.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, Oliver is still busy outside, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re all preparing.¡± Knowing their excuses, Grandma Lyon didn¡¯t ask any further. Having lived so long, she naturally had her own ways.

 Chapter 532: Eight Hundred Billion Credited

    In the evening, Sonia entered Grandma Lyon¡¯s room.

    ¡°Mom, why haven¡¯t you gone to sleep yet?¡± Sonia sat beside Grandma Lyon, adopting the demeanor of a devoted daughter.

    Grandma Lyon truly cherished this daughter, having protected her dearly since childhood.

    Now, in her current state, Sonia was the only person she truly trusted.

    ¡°Sonia, given my condition, it¡¯s hard to say what they are thinking. We, mother and daughter, must not let them control us. Your brothers are useless, only thinking about money.¡±

    Sonia nestled close to Grandma Lyon, chuckling softly, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. Our Lyon family will never be controlled by them. No one else will take what¡¯s ours.¡±

    Grandma Lyon nodded, ¡°I knew I could count on you, Sonia. Rest assured, I¡¯ve remembered your concerns all these years and have already prepared everything for you. This time Jared¡¯s visit is for you to meet the Farrell family. You understand, right?¡±

    Hearing this, Sonia felt relieved.

    As long as she could see Asher again, she was willing to do anything.

    ¡°Mmm, I know you always look out for me the best,¡± Sonia said, leaning on Grandma Lyon¡¯s shoulder and ncing at her amputated hand, she averted her gaze with distaste.

    Grandma Lyon¡¯s hand, already skeletal, looked somewhat terrifying with the raw stump exposed.

    ¡°Mom, what do you n to do about the Spectre matter?¡± Sonia asked.

    Grandma Lyon scoffed, ¡°They are just afraid of losing money, right? I have plenty of it, though it might be difficult to ess eight hundred billion all at once, but it¡¯s not impossible.¡±

    Sonia looked at Grandma Lyon skeptically.

    She has plenty of money?

    What a joke.

    As the CFO of Lyon Group, didn¡¯t she know exactly how much money the Lyon family had?

    Eight hundred billion was out of the question, even managing eight billion required careful consideration.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Where did her mother get the confidence to im she was very wealthy?

    Seeing Sonia¡¯s doubt, Grandma Lyon chuckled, ¡°Have you forgotten? We still have an ace up our sleeve.¡±

    ¡°An ace?¡± Sonia frowned.

    Grandma Lyon picked up the remote and turned on the news channel, which was broadcasting the arrest of Max.

    The news did not reveal the specific reason, only that Max had been arrested and taken into custody, and it showed Grace surrounded by reporters.

    Sonia instantly understood.

    Grandma Lyon intended to take over the Hancock family and turn it into her own vault.

    Indeed, with the Hancock family¡¯s resources, eight hundred billion was well within reach.

    ¡°Mom, how did you know Max would turn to us?¡± Sonia asked.

    Grandma Lyon appeared confident, ¡°The Hancock family is now a hot potato, who would dare deal with them? Plus, with Grace¡¯s tarnished reputation, a faded beauty, who would want her?¡±

    ¡°But if you just give her a call, and shees to us on her own, transferring all of Hancock family¡¯s business to us, then naturally, the money will follow.¡±

    This time, Grandma Lyon was seizing an opportunity from a crisis.

    With Max in trouble, and as the only daughter of the Hancock family, Grace would certainly seek help everywhere to save her father.

    But no one is a fool; they all knew the gravity of Max¡¯s offenses, and they wouldn¡¯t help.

    If only the Lyon family stepped in, whether Grace liked it or not, she would agree.

    Thus, the Hancock family¡¯s business would also fall into their hands, and the mysterious businesswork of the Lyon family would unfold.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make the call now,¡± Soniaughed.

    If they could snatch all of Hancock family¡¯s business, it would be worth far more than eight hundred billion.

    This matter must absolutely be kept from Warren and Oliver; otherwise, they would undoubtedly want a piece of the action. Sonia had to control everything herself, which would give her the leverage to negotiate a partnership with the Farrell family. It would also bring her closer to Asher. Bing Mrs. Asher Farrell was only a matter of time. ¡°Marie, your good days are almost over.¡± At this moment, Grace had not yet recovered from the shock of Max being arrested when she started receiving countless debt collection calls. Maintaining such argepany and numerous projects meant that bank loans were inevitable. Now that he was arrested, the banks would surely start calling in the debts immediately.

    Terrified, Grace tossed all the phones aside, at a loss for what to do next. The brothers who once surrounded her had vanished without a trace. Now, she waspletely alone.

    Just then, the doorbell of the Hancock family rang, and the servant, upon opening the door, found Sonia there. Grace eyed Sonia warily, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Sonia smiled, ¡°Grace, I came to see how you are. I¡¯ve been close with your father, and I¡¯ve watched you grow up. With such a crisis in your family, of course, I can¡¯t just stand by.¡±

    This was the mostforting thing Grace had heard, and tears immediately welled up. ¡°Aunt Sonia,¡± Grace ran over and embraced Sonia, beginning to cry. She and Stephanie were close friends and both affectionately called Sonia ¡®Aunt.¡¯

    Sonia smiled faintly, herfort seeming perfunctory as she sat down with Grace. ¡°Grace, with things as they are, I can only think of one way to help you, but it requires your agreement.¡±

    ¡°Aunt Sonia, just say it. I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Grace, overwhelmed by the business affairs, now felt relieved to have someone willing to help. Sonia, smiling, pulled out a contract, ¡°It¡¯s not too difficult. You are now the sole heir to the Hancock Group. After your father¡¯s incident, you are the chairperson. Just sign the Hancock family¡¯s contract over to Lyon Group, and it will solve some of the bank¡¯s debt issues. Once thepany is stabilized, we can think of ways to get your father out.¡±

    Grace was confused, ¡°Aunt Hancock, I don¡¯t understand much about thepany¡­¡±

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t understand, just sign. Don¡¯t worry, the Hancock Group will still be the Hancock Group, just under Lyon Group as a subsidiary. It will definitely not disadvantage you, this is to alleviate the bank¡¯s debts, right?¡± Sonia persuaded gently, all her words seemingly in Grace¡¯s best interest. She even mentioned how marrying Jared would make them family, how the Hancock and Lyon families would eventually unite, and the future support from the Farrell family.

    After her words, Grace felt as though she had already married Jared. She immediately agreed and signed her name on the contract. Meanwhile, the ount of the me Ice organization received a staggering eight hundred billion dors. Tina, looking at the zeros after the eight, excitedly pped Jared on the shoulder, ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re treating to Wagyu hotpot tonight!¡± Jared closed his tablet, ncing at Tina¡¯s phone. ¡°Eight hundred billion, and just for a Wagyu hotpot?¡±

    ¡°Wives being too thrifty, what to do?¡± Tina guarded her phone cautiously, full of wariness, ¡°Yes, just one meal, are you eating or not!¡±

    ¡°Eating!¡± Jared replied without hesitation. It was rare for Tina to treat; not to ept would be a waste of her kindness. Meanwhile, Sonia had everything arranged, waiting for everyone. Oliver pondered and asked, ¡°Sonia, are you sure Spectre agreed to treat mom for free?¡± Sonia responded, ¡°I gave him my shares; of course, he agreed to the free treatment.¡±

 Chapter 533: Is She Spectre?

    Oliver wanted to ask more, but Leah stopped him. ¡°Sonia, Mom was right to adore you. Giving away your own shares, we truly admire that. Rest assured, as long as our family has food to eat, you will never be left out. You are in our hearts.¡± Leah was eager for Sonia to transfer all her shares to get Grandma Lyon¡¯s illness treated.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    It didn¡¯t matter if it wasn¡¯t cured, as long as it didn¡¯t cost her money.

    Oliver had never been the center of attention; with Warren taking on most responsibilities and Sonia winning the olddy¡¯s favor, he was even less so since Marie, who at least drew some attention before she was married, left and never came back.

    Now that the olddy was in trouble, Leah didn¡¯t want Oliver to spend money; it was better saved for her own children. Sonia just smiled. She knew Leah¡¯s intentions well, but it didn¡¯t matter. Now, with all the Hancock family¡¯s money in her control, once Mom was cured by that Spectre, and the Lyon family¡¯s shares were hers, Warren and Oliver would have to listen to her anyway. Moreover, her ultimate goal was to use the Lyon and Hancock family resources to secure the Farrell Group.

    Grandma Lyon was wheeled out by the butler, and the Lyon family members gathered on the sofas, waiting for Spectre¡¯s arrival. However, two hours passed and Spectre still didn¡¯t show. Warren grew impatient, ¡°Sonia, is this reliable? Maybe they haven¡¯t received your shares, so they¡¯re unwilling toe?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Sonia frowned, doubts rising in her heart. She had transferred eight hundred billion; there was no reason for Spectre not toe as agreed with the me Ice organization.

    ¡°Sonia, let me see the share transfer document, maybe you¡¯ve been deceived,¡± Megan eyed Sonia suspiciously. She knew what kind of person her sister-inw was and doubted she would really part with her shares. Sonia cleared her throat, ¡°Megan, Spectre is known for keeping promises; perhaps he¡¯s just dyed because of his old age. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just afraid¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough, you weren¡¯t so concerned when taking the money. Sonia isn¡¯t a fool, everyone shut up,¡± Grandma Lyon snapped, silencing Megan.

    Finally, the Lyon family¡¯s door was opened, and the butler hurried to greet the guest. The Lyon family members sighed in relief. Spectre had finally arrived. However, when they saw who it was, their expressions turned from surprise to disappointment. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Sonia eximed in surprise. Tina, arm in arm with Jared and carrying a bag, smirked, ¡°It wasn¡¯t you who invited me.¡±

    Stephanie was still angry about Tina¡¯s actions on the boat and scowled at her still swollen face, which hurt even more from Tina¡¯s expression. ¡°Tina, don¡¯t overestimate yourself. We would never invite you. You¡¯re a jinx-my grandmother broke her hand because of you! Get out!¡± Connor, still resentful from being beaten, also yelled at Jared, ¡°Jared, you¡¯re not wee here, get out.¡±

    Grandma Lyon naturally had no patience for these two, ¡°Jared, the Lyon family has important matters today. You should leave. As for the future, we¡¯ll discuss itter. I¡¯ll have a word with your mother.¡± Tina raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you sure you want me to leave?¡± Sonia, wanting to make a good impression in front of Jared, intervened, ¡°Jared, please take Miss Reed and leave quickly. We really have important matters at home today, and it doesn¡¯t look good to air our trivial issues in front of esteemed guests.¡± Jared, wrapping his arm around Tina, tapped gently on her, his touch lingering yet brief. ¡°Tina, it seems my grandmother doesn¡¯t need Spectre¡¯s help,¡± Jared said.

    Sonia and the rest of the Lyon family were momentarily stunned. Cure an illness? How did Jared know that they had hired Spectre to treat Grandma Lyon tonight? Even Warren and Oliver had only found out this evening.

    Tina watched everyone¡¯s reaction with a growing smile, set her bag down on her shoulder, and spoke earnestly, ¡°You paid a hefty sum for my medical services, and I must inform you, there are no refunds if you choose to discontinue treatment.¡±

    This statement only added to the Lyon family¡¯s confusion, until Eric was the first to catch on. ¡°Are you Spectre?¡± he asked.

    Tina raised an eyebrow, surprised that Eric, usually so quiet, could be so sharp at such a crucial moment. The Lyon family then erupted intoughter.

    What nonsense was Tina speaking?

    Audreyughed so hard she clutched her stomach. ¡°You, Spectre? Ha! You should have your head examined! If you are Spectre, then I must be the king!¡±

    Tina opened her bag, revealing a collection of medical tools. With a casual gesture, Audrey began coughing violently. ¡°What are you doing¡­ wait, my voice¡­ Ah, my hair!¡±

    Audrey was no longer looking like her usual self, but rather like an old man!

    Tina chuckled, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were the king? I¡¯m just helping you fulfill your dream!¡±

    Now, the Lyons stoppedughing and stared at Tina in horror.

    Could it be that she was actually Spectre?

    Sonia quickly grabbed her phone and dialed the head of the me Ice organization. ¡°Hello, I would like to ask, has Spectre arrived?¡±

    ¡°Yes, her name is Tina Reed, Miss Lyon. You should have known each other already.¡±

    The call was on speakerphone, and the faces of those who heard it turned ashen.

    They could hardly believe that Tina was Spectre!

    How could it be her? Wasn¡¯t she raised in the countryside, learning to make perfumes, design jewelry and clothes, and even hacking? How could she also master such renowned medical skills?

    Grandma Lyon looked at Tina in terror, her hand shaking. ¡°You¡­ how could you possibly perform surgery on me? Are you trying to kill me?¡±

    Tina took out her tools, preparing to set Grandma Lyon¡¯s bone. ¡°I am a professional. You paid me eight hundred billion dors; naturally, I will treat your hand.¡±

    Grandma Lyon was speechless.

    She wanted to run, but how could she in her wheelchair?

    None of Sonia¡¯s family dared approach. After all, this was Tina, capable of chopping off Grandma Lyon¡¯s hand herself!

    Tina took Grandma Lyon¡¯s hand, and within half an hour, it was reattached to her wrist.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lift anything heavy for three days, ande see me in five days to remove the stitches.¡±

    Tina packed up her tools. Reattaching the hand was too easy.

    That eight hundred billion dors was well-earned.

    Sonia swallowed hard. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s properly attached?¡±

    Tina nodded. ¡°Otherwise?¡±

    This finally snapped Megan and the others back to reality.

    ¡°Sonia, where did you get eight hundred billion dors? Didn¡¯t you say you only gave your shares to Spectre?¡±

    At that moment, Jared casually added, ¡°Did you know? All of the Hancock family¡¯s assets now belong to the Lyon family.¡±

    Sonia turned pale. She was about to exin when Megan pped her to the ground. ¡°So, you were being generous with your mother¡¯s treatment because you swallowed the Hancock family¡¯s assets, spew that money out, you little vixen!¡±

    Now, nobody cared that Tina had taken eight hundred billion dors and hadn¡¯t treated the olddy¡¯s back yet; everyone was focused on Sonia.

    Leah also bypassed Grandma Lyon, demanding the shares. ¡°Why should your daughter get everything? Why? Hand over the money, you old witch!¡±

    In the midst of the struggle, the sound of Grandma Lyon¡¯s freshly reattached hand breaking echoed once more¡­

 Chapter 534: Max is Released on Bail

    Grandma Lyon¡¯s withered hand was trampled underfoot by her own son and daughter-inw, tossed back and forth as if in a game of kickball. She was dragged from her wheelchair to the floor by Leah, like a dying, desated old dog, her high heels jabbing at her.

    Tina, ¡°¡­¡±

    Jared, ¡°¡­¡±

    Grandma Lyon¡¯s descendants-truly-were filial!

    ¡°You old hag, I¡¯ve tolerated you for a long time. My Oliver did the most work, and yet he ended up with nothing. You favor your daughter to such an extent, and now you still try to deceive us with a bit of equity to buy our favor, bah!¡±

    Sonia wasn¡¯t having an easy time either. Megan had always been the one most covetous of the Hancock family¡¯s assets, and now everything had gone to Sonia, which only unbnced her more.

    The more she thought about her efforts and her son¡¯s, the angrier she got, and her attacks became increasingly harsher.

    ¡°You little vixen, I knew you weren¡¯t so kind as to offer your shares genuinely. You¡¯re trying to deceive us, but you don¡¯t even have the ability. If you don¡¯t cough up the Hancock family¡¯s funds today, I will kill you!¡±

    Once the human heart gets mixed with profit, it can no longer be called a heart.

    Tina was ustomed to the sight of families scheming over minor inheritances, as had been the case with the Reed family andter the Farrell family.

    For the sake of so-called money, they would forsake principles and disregard kinship.

    The Lyon family was no different, now fighting over eight hundred billion dors, kicking their elderly mother¡¯s hand around like trash.

    Sharp high heels and hands full of rings had be weapons in the struggle for wealth.

    Such families, even without the eight hundred billion, would soon be victims of their own greed.

    Jared draped his coat over Tina¡¯s shoulders, embraced her, and they left the Lyon family.

    The Lyon family¡¯s retribution was still toe.

    After leaving the Lyon family, Tina received a text from Cole.

    ¡°Serena, Max has been released on bail.¡±

    Tina put away her phone. ¡°Grandma Lyon still has that kind of pull?¡±

    Jared scoffed, ¡°The Lyon family certainly doesn¡¯t.¡±

    The Lyon family still relied on the Hancock family to expand their business. Now that Max had gotten into such trouble, it would be good enough if the Lyon family could save themselves, let alone bail Max out.

    What a joke.

    Tina also curved her lips in a smile, her eyes brimming with amusement. She nodded, neither approving nor otherwise, ¡°He must have some skills to have been chosen by my mother.¡±

    At that moment, Max, now in fresh clothes and clean, stepped into his home.

    Grace was terrified and rushed towards her father, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re finally back, you scared me to death, I thought you weren¡¯ting back.¡±

    Max ruffled his daughter¡¯s hair, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I would be inside for a while but woulde out soon. With my daughter here, how could anything happen?¡±

    ¡°Yep, my dad¡¯s the best.¡± Grace pulled Max to sit on the sofa. ¡°Dad, I did everything you told me to. How did you know the Lyon family woulde to us for a contract?¡±

    Grace might not be the brightest, only wanting to be the idol of the wealthy boys in Clearwater, a star in the limelight, but she wasn¡¯t foolish-how else could she have confused and deeply devoted those rich boys?

    Those words from Sonia were just her leftovers.

    How could she not see that the contract was Sonia¡¯s attempt to monopolize the Hancock family¡¯s business?

    They wanted to reap where they hadn¡¯t sown. Wishful thinking.

    But Max had instructed before the cruise banquet, if the Hancock family ran into trouble, let the Lyon family take advantage if they wanted to-Grace just had to ept everything handed to her.

    So when Sonia approached her, Grace only pretended to panic and signed the contract under her guidance. Max chuckled, ¡°The Lyon family, those greedy dogs, will never pass up a chance to gnaw on a bone, but they should really check if their teeth are up to it. Grace, once dad swallows up the Lyon family¡¯s business, I¡¯ll make contact with the Farrell family to ensure you can smoothly marry that Jared, alright?¡± Grace nestled against Max¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I knew dad always has my best interest at heart; I¡¯ll always listen to you and won¡¯t make foolish mistakes anymore.¡±

    ¡°Dad only has one daughter, and I absolutely won¡¯t let you suffer. Remember, don¡¯t make decisions on your own. Marrying Jared won¡¯t be so easy; you must strategize carefully.¡± Max¡¯s gaze grew deeper, his murky eyes held a bizarre light, pondering something unknown. Grace was lost in her own blissful blueprint,pletely unaware of Max¡¯s abnormality. The news of Max¡¯s exoneration spread rapidly, and he held a press conference that very day to rify the allegations. ¡°I was indeed approached by the authorities for a discussion, not because Hancock Group or I did anything illegal, but because somepetitors, desperate to take down Hancock Group, framed me in hopes of seizing thepany during the turmoil. Now the government has cleared my name and lifted all restrictions on me. I assure all my friends who care about me that you have nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°I also swear once again that neither I nor Hancock Group will engage in any illegal activities. We shall remainw-abiding citizens. Thank you all.¡± Max¡¯s impassioned speech quickly spread across the inte via live media, effectively dissociating him from the three-ton Old Kris incident. After the conference, Max left the stage and went to the backstage lounge. No sooner had he closed the door than a person dressed as a journalist entered, carrying neither a camera nor a microphone. Max sat on the sofa, loosened his tie, and was not surprised by the visitor. ¡°Mr. Hancock, your recent speech was truly stirring,¡± the journalist said, sitting opposite Max with a smirk. Max squinted at the journalist and chuckled, ¡°Did Five Poisons send you?¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    ¡°Yes,¡± the journalist narrowed his eyes and pulled off his press ID, tossing it casually onto the table, ¡°Mr. Hancock, you can call me Eagle Flies.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re quite a pretty youngdy; why such a name?¡± Max straightened up, ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point. What does the boss of Five Poisons want?¡±

    ¡°The boss wants you to quickly take over the Lyon family¡¯s business chain, especially that contract. Only by securing that contract can we truly develop bionic biotechnology. Also, the Old Kris route is no longer viable; we need to find an alternative soon. If such an incident happens again, no one can save you,¡± Eagle Flies spoke softly, like a very agreeable young girl. To Max, however, her words felt like an iceberg passing by, involuntarily straightening his shoulders. Max cleared his throat, ¡°Yes, I understand. I didn¡¯t expect Jared to reallye after me this time; it won¡¯t happen again. But about the bomb on the ship, why wasn¡¯t I informed beforehand? My daughter was on board, what if¡­¡±

    ¡°Mr. Hancock, if your daughter hadn¡¯t interfered, Jared Farrell might already be dead,¡± Eagle Flies said, narrowing her eyes coldly at Max.

 Chapter 535: Waiting to Net

    Max was stunned into silence by the young girl before him.

    Eagle Flies said no more, picking up the pass from the table and standing to leave.

    Max adjusted his tie and took a deep breath.

    Dealing with the tiger, he always had to endure something.

    After leaving Max¡¯s press conference, Eagle Flies took a small path and emerged in a different guise.

    Dressed in a tank top and overalls, wearing a cap, and carrying a canvas bag, she looked every bit the student.

    She stood at the crossroads, and soon a ck Volkswagen car stopped in front of her.

    ¡°Is this the Uber?¡± Eagle Flies asked.

    The driver, sunsses on, stuck his head out, ¡°Yes, hop in, youngdy.¡±

    Eagle Flies smiled, opened the car door, and quickly, the unassuming Volkswagen disappeared into the traffic.

    ¡°Captain Wolf, can¡¯t you get me a different car next time? This one really doesn¡¯t suit my style,¡± Haydenined softly, one hand on the handle, the other on the car door.

    In the passenger seat, Jared turned his head, ignoring Hayden¡¯s grumble.

    In the backseat, Eagle Flies took off her hat and greeted Tina, ¡°Long time no see.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, you¡¯ve grown taller,¡± Tina smiled.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The two didn¡¯t exchange pleasantries for long and quickly got to the point.

    ¡°Since the mission to assassinate Hawk ended, I¡¯ve been left without assignments, lingering in Ashbury. After the research base was destroyed by someone named Ang, I wasn¡¯t given any orders until yesterday when I was suddenly notified to meet Max and give him a mission.¡±

    Tina nodded, ¡°Have you met your boss?¡±

    ¡°No, I only know our boss is called Five Poisons. Missions are assigned through online messages. I¡¯ve tried to trace them, but there are no clues.¡± Eagle Flies took out her phone, showing a forum where Five Poisons posted the missions.

    Tina logged onto a miniputer to try and trace it, but also found no leads.

    ¡°They¡¯re using an enhanced localwork left by our master; we can¡¯t trace it with our capabilities,¡± Jared said, turning around.

    Natalie had once created a hacking tool, but over the years GTO had strengthened their systems, and any sub-versions left by Natalie were now locked at X Bureau¡¯s headquarters, likely already stolen by traitors.

    Breaking into GTO¡¯s internalwork was now impossible.

    Tina sighed, exasperated by her mother¡¯s intelligence!

    Eagle Flies put her phone away, ¡°As for the bomb on the ship, I wasn¡¯t aware. It was another team from Five Poisons.¡±

    ¡°Another team?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Eagle Flies nodded. ¡°Since Mr. White was captured, I thought Five Poisons would activate us subordinates, but it hasn¡¯t happened. The organization still operates smoothly, so I suspect Mr. White wasn¡¯t really the second inmand, or there are others at his level still active.¡±

    ¡°So you mean to say, there¡¯s more than one deputy under Five Poisons?¡± Hayden asked.

    ¡°Yes, like this recent bombing was arranged by another deputy in Clearwater, but I still need to investigate who exactly it is.¡±

    Eagle Flies had his suspicions about Tina before. For instance, if it hadn¡¯t been for this trip to Clearwater, where he discovered the biotech issue, Tina would never have suspected Max.

    Therefore, Jasmine is likely not the second inmand at GTO, but rather the person in charge of the Ashbury area.

    Who, then, is in charge of Clearwater?

    And are the Five Poisons really here?

    ¡°Captain, that¡¯s all I know for now. I¡¯m leaving, but I¡¯ll inform you if there¡¯s any follow-up,¡± Eagle Flies said as he put his hat back on.

    Hayden parked the car at a certain location, and Eagle Flies got out.

    After she left, Jared moved to the back seat. ¡°What should we do about Max?¡±

    Tina narrowed her eyes. ¡°The experimental base in Clearwater is near the Hancock family¡¯s factory. We¡¯ll wait for him to slip up.¡±

    Jared agreed, ¡°Yeah, the Lyon family will soon be swallowed up by Max too. Once someone gets too arrogant, they¡¯re bound to make a mistake.¡±

    The two exchanged a smile, anticipating the final roundup.

    Meanwhile, Warren and Oliver, for the first time in years, agreed on a course of action.

    Theypletely sidelined Grandma Lyon and Sonia, seizing full control of the Lyon Group.

    ¡°Where is the Hancock family contract? Speak clearly, you old fool!¡± Megan mmed her hand on the table, loudly demanding answers.

    Grandma Lyon, having been beaten by Leah a few days ago, could hardly speak.

    ¡°Ah, ah, ah¡­ uh¡­ uh¡­¡±

    Megan, growing impatient, kicked Grandma Lyon¡¯s wheelchair away and grabbed Sonia by the hair. ¡°You little wretch, where is the contract?¡±

    Unable to fight back, Sonia endured the pain and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ll tell you this-Warren is the eldest son. Even if he shares the inheritance with Oliver, you have no part in it, you little widow. Hurry up and produce the contract with the Hancock family, and add your brothers¡¯ names to it, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡±

    Warren and Oliver, as if they saw nothing, sat quietly by, letting their wives control the Lyon family.

    After all, the Lyon family¡¯s fortune would ultimately flow to them, sparing them the hassle.

    Their children and grandchildren remained detached and unconcerned.

    Now, Grandma Lyon was nothing but a useless invalid, and their aunt had only been fierce because of their grandmother¡¯s backing.

    A useless person in charge of another made for little concern.

    Under pressure from Megan and Leah, Sonia had no choice but to produce the contract with the Hancock family and amend it to include Warren and Oliver¡¯s names.

    It wasn¡¯t toote; Leah immediately produced a stock transfer document, instructing Sonia to divide her own shares equally among her four children.

    After signing a series of documents, Sonia was discarded to the side, severing all ties with the Lyon family fortune.

    Leah nced at the table, spotting a document from the safe that was indecipherable. ¡°Sonia, what is this?¡±

    Sonia lowered her gaze. ¡°I heard from dad that it seems to be a debt contract, but I¡¯m not sure about the details. Mom wanted to leave it to Marie, so I never asked.¡±

    Leah and Megan exchanged looks, assuming it was worthless and disdainfully tossed it aside.

    ¡°From now on, if you stay in this house, you¡¯ll owe us rent for each day, or don¡¯t me us for kicking you out,¡± Megan snorted coldly, pulling Leah aside to discuss how to divide the Lyon family¡¯s assets.

 Chapter 536: The Fall of the Lyon Family

    Sonia gathered the document from the table and nced at her mother, who was no longer coherent. Aside from Grandma Lyon, she was the only person aware of the document¡¯s importance. With it, not only could they dismiss the Hancock family¡¯s offerings, but even the Farrell family was no challenge. All they needed was to get the family head¡¯s ring, decode the inscription, and they would have a continuous flow of money. Leah and Megan, those fools, really thought they got a bargain? They believed the Hancock family had stooped to coborate with the Lyon family just for this document!

    Sonia secretly returned to her room to secure the document. Meanwhile, officials from the bank and the tax bureau stormed into the Lyon family¡¯s residence, demanding, ¡°Who is in charge of the Lyon Group?¡± Warren and Oliver stood up, ¡°Both of us are, what¡¯s the issue?¡± ¡°You¡¯re suspected of tax evasion and stealing government assets. Take them away!¡± This sudden cmity baffled everyone in the Lyon family. They had just seized control of all the Lyon family¡¯s assets and had not yet had the chance to distribute the loot. How had it turned into stealing government property?

    Warren and Oliver were handcuffed, still clueless about their actual offenses. Megan stopped the officials, ¡°Is there some mistake? We just took over the Lyon Group.¡± ¡°We are here for the legal representative of the Lyon Group, no mistake. Let go, or if you keep obstructing us, you¡¯ll be taken away too!¡± the officials impatiently shoved Megan aside. Leah quickly dragged Sonia out from her room, ¡°You got it wrong; she is the legal representative of the Lyon Group!¡±

    Sonia had overheard everything from upstairs and knew the Lyon Group had definitely fallen into a trap. She brushed Leah off, ¡°I don¡¯t own any shares anymore; you took everything. What does this have to do with me?¡± At that moment, Max walked in, witnessing the chaos in the Lyon family, a mocking smile forming on his lips. Even the dim-witted Leah and Megan realized that today¡¯s predicament was a setup by Max.

    They were dying of regret. If they hadn¡¯t been so greedy, perhaps Sonia and that old crone would be the ones facing charges. ¡°Mr. Hancock, this is all a misunderstanding. It was all Sonia, she deceived Grace into signing that contract. It has nothing to do with us. Please, have them take Sonia away,¡± Megan and Leah pleaded desperately.

    Max ignored them, pushing the two aside, ¡°One of you tried to use my daughter to ckmail me, and the other wanted her daughter to get close to our family. Did you really think we wouldn¡¯t notice your schemes? Instead of begging me, you might want to think about how to get your husbands out of prison.¡± Oliver and Warren were taken away, their fortunes plummeting overnight. The grandchildren were too preupied to care for anything else, rushing to gather information or protect their own little treasures from their father¡¯s downfall.

    What was once a chaotic Lyon family was now eerily quiet. Max sat in the main seat, looking at Sonia, who despite her bruises, still retained her beauty. The blue and purple marks on her face almost made her appear pitiable. ¡°Mr. Hancock, I¡¯m so relieved you¡¯re okay. I¡¯ve been worried, wanting to bring Grace home, but as you can see, I¡¯m really not in a position to help,¡± Sonia choked up, moving closer to Max.

    Max did not refuse. When Sonia was younger, she had been a renowned socialite in Clearwater, only to have her prospects dyed by a desire to marry Asher, andter, by a marriage to a man who died young, leading to her current predicament. But even as a woman no longer in her youth, she retained her allure. Max lifted Sonia¡¯s chin, his fingertips gently massaging her face, ¡°Sonia, I remember when I first moved to Clearwater, I asked you out, but you were too preupied to notice me.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Sonia pressed herself against him immediately, ¡°Mr. Hancock, at that time, I was being harassed by my ex-husband and had no idea you sought me out. Had I known, I would have never refused.¡±

    Sonia was well aware that all of Lyon family¡¯s businesses must now be in Max¡¯s hands. If she wanted to rise again, she needed to first ingratiate herself with Max, then find Tina to get the family ring, and then she could go directly to Ashbury!

    Max squinted his eyes, his grip suddenly tightening as he forcefully pushed Sonia away. In an instant, he grabbed her throat, his voice ferocious, ¡°Sonia, the eight hundred billion dors you transferred from the Hancock Group-do you think you should return it as well?¡±

    Sonia, caught off guard by Max¡¯s sudden hostility, desperately resisted, ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know¡­¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Say that again!¡±

    ¡°I will, I will!¡± Sonia repeatedly pped the back of Max¡¯s hand, struggling for breath. Finally, Max loosened his grip, pulling at Sonia¡¯s cor, ¡°I¡¯ve heard your family has a secret document that needs tranting, right?¡±

    Caught off guard again, Sonia could only feign ignorance, ¡°Mr. Hancock, cough, indeed there is such a thing, but it¡¯s not with me, it¡¯s with our family head.¡±

    ¡°Family head?¡± Max frowned, not aware of the hidden families¡¯ past, nor of the so-called family head.

    Sonia nodded, ¡°Yes, we have a family heirloom ring, where the location of that secret document is stored, but now that ring is with Tina. My mother has always wanted to steal it back but never seeded.¡±

    Tina again! How Tina was involved with the Lyon family¡¯s master ring was troublesome. If only she had gone with the old boss when he died!

    Internally cursing, Max scrutinized Sonia, ¡°You, go find Tina and bring back both the ring and the contract, or else, you¡¯ll pay back those eight hundred billion dors by turning to prostitution! If that¡¯s not enough, you¡¯ll have to sell your organs, understand?¡±

    Sonia shivered, nodding repeatedly. Max ced a bug on Sonia and silently left the Lyon family premises.

    Sonia sat on the ground for a long time, only reminded of another presence when Grandma Lyon started making noises. Irritated, Sonia moved forward, lifting Grandma Lyon off the ground and into a wheelchair.

    Grandma Lyon, her broken hand waving in the air, Sonia leaned down, squinting as she asked, ¡°Mom, do you want me to bring Tina back to treat you, right?¡±

    Grandma Lyon nodded vigorously, looking expectantly at her favorite daughter.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Sonia smirked, slowly saying: ¡°You really think highly of yourself, still believing you¡¯re themanding chairman from before? Megan was right, you really are an old fool.¡±

 Chapter 537: Go Die

    Grandma Lyon was stunned, never expecting Sonia to utter those words. Sonia grabbed a cushion from the sofa and pressed it against Grandma Lyon''s face. As she forcefully held it down, she said, "Let me tell you, all the gifts you''ve received over the decades were actually bought by Marie. I was merely the one who brought them in. All the mistakes were mine too, but since she was unlucky and soft-hearted, she ended up being my scapegoat. Oh, and your most despised eldest daughter left you some money before youst kicked her out of the house, but I happily took it."

    "Mom, so just go die. Once you''re gone, I''ll have an excuse to get close to the Farrell family, to get close to Asher. Marie is so soft-hearted, she will surely take me in, right?"

    "Your existence is just a burden to me. It''s better if you die, so I can gain thest bit of benefit. Rest assured, I will take the family ring and ensure our Lyon family rises again."

    Grandma Lyon struggled under the cushion for a few moments before quickly bing still. She finally died at the hands of her own beloved youngest daughter. Sonia took a deep breath, moved Grandma Lyon into the bedroom, covered her with a sheet, and obscured half of her face, creating the appearance of an idental death.

    She then took out her phone and called Tina. On the other end, Tina answered the phone, her eyes still fixed on herputer screen. The sly expression on Sonia''s face was clearly visible. "Miss Reed, this is Sonia."

    Tina leaned back on the sofa,zily stretching her legs onto the coffee table, "Mrs. Smith, what do you want?"

    Sonia detested being called Mrs. Smith, a title she considered an insult. Had she married Asher, she would never have ended up like this. She was a hundred times better than Marie, yet Asher only had eyes for that fool! So, for years, she had been resentful, always dreaming of the day she would rece Marie and marry Asher!

    Sonia paused, "Miss Reed, I know you have misunderstandings with the Lyon family, but now the Lyon family has also met with misfortune, which is their karma. I''m here today for another matter, you don''t need to mock me." Tinaughed lightly, "So, what do you want?"

    Sonia was silent for a moment, then said, "My two brothers were just taken away by the authorities, and my mother, overwhelmed by sudden grief, didn''t make it through..."

    Her voice broke into a sob, "Is Jared there? Could you have him inform my sister toe back for mom''s funeral?"

    Sonia fell to her knees, performing convincingly even without an audience, "I have no mother now, I have no mother now..."

    Just then, Jared walked by with a ss of milk, witnessing Sonia''s heart-wrenching performance, his lips curled slightly. Truly, a masterful actress. It seemed all the acting talent in their family had gone to Sonia alone. Jared took over the phone, "I will represent the Farrell family at the funeral."

    Enjoying the book? Don''t forget to visit 000005s.org for the full experience. You won''t find the next chapter anywhere else. Happy reading!

    After hanging up, he remarked, the sobbing was really ruining Tina''s enjoyment of her milk.

    Sonia, hearing the dial tone, gradually stopped crying, anger shing in her eyes. They really didn''t want to inform Marie? That was Marie''s own mother! How could she not attend? Sonia resolved to make sure Marie would attend the funeral, as it would be her chance to see Asher. Since Jared didn''t pass the message, she decided to send it herself.

    Soon after, Tina''s phone received another message-a death notice sent by Sonia.

    She tapped her phone a few times, replying with Marie''s tone, assuring her she would be there. Sonia waspletely unaware that her phone had been intercepted by Tina, and her every move was under Tina''s surveince. Receiving the affirmative reply, Sonia began to prepare for the funeral.

    On the day of the funeral, almost all the notable figures of Clearwater were present, except for the Lyon family. Despite the Lyon family''s current misfortunes, they still maintained their dignity. Sonia, dressed in ck, stood at the door to greet the guests, eagerly anticipating Asher''s arrival. She had not seen Asher for over twenty years and wondered what he looked like now, having not seen any photos; he must be even more remarkable in person. It was just like thirty years ago, unforgettable.

    As the funeral attendees slowly gathered, Sonia did not see the figure she hoped to see. Instead, Tina and Jared, dressed in red, slowly descended from a red sports car. The crowd murmured amongst themselves. After all, this was Jared''s grandmother''s funeral; how could they be so thoughtless? Sonia looked on, not feeling slighted or angry, but rather, quite pleased. The more outrageous Tina and Jared''s behavior, the better it was for her.

    Moreover, the priority was to retrieve the Lyon family head''s ring and find a way to approach Asher. Marie had already messaged back saying she would bring Asher to the funeral. It was a chance to kill two birds with one stone. Sonia wiped away a tear, stepped forward, and offered three incense sticks, "Jared, offer these to your grandmother. She won''t me you."

    Jared took the incense and performed a perfunctory ritual with Tina. It was clear there was no sincerity. Some in the crowd couldn''t stand it; no matter what, respect was due to the deceased. Coming in red was one thing, but to be so disrespectful during the incense offering?C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    "Jared, no matter what, she was your grandmother. How can you act like this?" Someone spoke up, and naturally, others joined in. "Exactly, respect the dead. Can''t you even pretend?"

    "You''re going too far, you don''t deserve to be human!"

    Hearing these usations, Jared nced towards the crowd, and the indignant voices quieted once again. Sonia seized the moment to smooth things over. "Jared, everyone is just concerned about your attire today. I know in your heart you me your grandmother just like your sister does, but no matter what, she truly had your best interests at heart. Let''s put past misunderstandings behind us, shall we?"

    That reminder made everyone realize that Marie hadn''te to her own mother''s funeral! No wonder Jared was acting so disrespectfully; it was all because his mother hadn''t taken action.

    Tina coldly observed Sonia. She really was stupid, even more so than Amber had been years ago. So far, Sonia was the stupidest person she had ever met. "Mrs. Smith, you mentioned misunderstandings. What misunderstandings?" Tina asked. Sonia caught a glimpse of the ring on Tina''s finger, a dark gleam shing in her eyes, "Miss Reed, I''m no longer part of the Smith family. If you truly are engaged to Jared, please, call me Aunt Sonia."

    "This is my mother''s funeral. I initially didn''t want to cause a scene, but you keep challenging my boundaries. Do you really want me to reveal the true cause of my mother''s death in front of all these people?" Tina folded her arms across her chest, her interest piqued as she watched Sonia, "But go ahead, speak freely."

 Chapter 538: Sonia is Arrested

    Sonia narrowed her eyes, then suddenly burst into tears, revealing everything Tina had done within the Lyon family. From her first day, demanding that the entire household dress and kneel to wee her, to the moment she chopped off Grandma Lyon''s hand, she detailed every incident clearly. Everyone was in disbelief; how could such a young girlmit such extreme acts?

    Sonia then produced video evidence. "This is from our home surveince. Everything she did is true; I am not lying!" The video was undeniable, and the viewers gasped, especially at the segment where Tina chopped off the hand, which was profoundly disturbing.

    Tina did not deny her actions. Looking at Sonia, she said calmly, "Indeed, I did these things."

    "Tina, if you hadn''t done these things, how could my mother have died peacefully? It''s all because of you. You better return the Lyon family''s ring; it belongs to them, not you!"

    Sonia''s usations, supported by the video, filled everyone with righteous indignation. Tina, seeing Sonia''s tear-streaked face, smiled and said, "Your video isn''t over. Why don''t we continue watching?"

    Sonia paused; she thought the footage of the chopping had already yed. The screen then showed Tina attaching Grandma Lyon''s hand back on, followed by the Lyon family members pinning her down and beating her. Next, the video shockingly disyed Sonia smothering someone with a pillow until they died!

    Sonia stepped back in disbelief. She had deleted that part of the video and even destroyed the hard drive; how could it still exist? The room was stunned.

    "That''s Sonia, she killed her own mother!"

    "My God, her own mother!"

    "This is horrifying, call the police!"

    As they spoke, a police car stopped in front of the funeral home, and out stepped Marie and Asher. Tina approached, removed the Lyon family ring from her finger, and handed it to Marie. Sonia finally got what she wanted.

    She saw Tina hand over the ring and also saw Asher, whom she hadn''t met in over twenty years. But while Marie received the ring, Asher hade with the police to arrest her.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    "He''s Sonia, the main culprit who killed my wife''s mother. Please handle it," Asher said, keeping Marie close, his gaze never straying to Sonia.

    Sonia couldn''t hear what others were saying; her eyes were only on Asher. She wanted to approach him, to ask why he didn''t care for her. But it was toote.

    The police pinned Sonia to the ground, handcuffed her, and pulled her into the police car. Suddenly, Sonia spat out blood, shook violently, and then burst intoughter.

    "I was going to marry Asher. You can''t do this to me; I''m Mrs. Farrell. That Marie is nothing; I''ve already killed her..."

    Jared shielded Tina''s eyes and asked softly, "Tina, did you do this?"

    Tina shook her head. "No, it wasn''t me. She couldn''t handle it and went mad."

    Sonia had thought she''d secure the ring at the funeral, get closer to Asher, and gradually drive Marie out of the Farrell family. Little did she know, it was all her own delusion. Whether thirty years ago or now, Asher only had eyes for Marie. Marie nestled into Asher''s arms, feeling a slight sting around her eyes. She had thought that dying estranged from her family would be her ultimate fate, but events had unfolded unexpectedly. Asher stroked Marie''s hair, reassuring her, "Marie, it''s all right now." ncing at her mother''s portrait, the shrill voice of Sonia also faded from her ears. With this, the Lyon family had truly dissolved into nothingness.

    Grandma Lyon''s funeral had stirred all of Clearwater, the magnitude of the news sparking widespread discussion. Tina had brought Marie and Asher to her vi. To their surprise, Brandon was already there waiting. "Hello, I''m Tina''s Uncle Brandon. Just call me Brandon," he introduced himself, his familiarity slightly unsettling Marie and Asher.

    Asher shook Brandon''s hand, "Mr. Brookes, I''ve heard much about you." Brandon pped him on the shoulder, "We''re all family here, no need for formalities. Mrs. Farrell, please take a seat. I''m aware of your family issues, rest assured, you won''t have to worry about anything. No one in Clearwater can trouble the Brookes family. I''ll handle everything here; you two just enjoy your stay."

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    Asher, faced with Brandon''s overwhelming presence, was at a loss for words. Marie, too, was unsure how to interact with him, leading to an awkward atmosphere. Tina stepped in to help, "Uncle, let Mr. and Mrs. Farrell rest." "Right, Mr. and Mrs. Farrell, go ahead for now, we can n tomorrow''s activitiester," Brandon said nonchntly, waving them off.

    Asher nodded, taking his wife back to their room. They had heard of the Brookes family''sposure, but Brandon seemed quite intimidating. Tina shook her head resignedly, "Uncle, you''ve scared them." "How could I? I''m too handsome to scare anyone, don''t worry about it!" Jared rubbed his forehead in resignation, hoping Hayden wouldn''t be like this in the future.

    "Alright, let''s get to business," Brandon said, crossing his long legs and spreading his arms. "Tina, did you get that document?" Tina nodded, having retrieved the document from the Lyon family before the funeral started, intending to ask Brandon for help in tranting it. She took out the document, "Uncle, I might need your help..."

    "Hey, we''re family, no trouble at all, you couldn''t bother me if you tried," Brandon snapped his fingers, cutting her off. Tina raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?" Brandon chuckled, "Where''s the Lyon family head''s ring?" "Right here," Jared took out the ring, which he had been safeguarding since the day had been too chaotic. Marie had given it to him for safekeeping.

    Brandon ced the ring on a word in the document. Under the reflection of the gemstone, the mysterious script, resembling oracle bone inscriptions, transformed into readable text! No wonder Sonia had been so desperate for the ring-it could trante the document!

    "Tina, this document was originally drafted by the Brookes family, detailing advanced biotechnology that surpasses even the current Hancock family''s systems," Brandon flipped to the biotechnology section. "Take a look at this yourself. Decide who you want to develop it with, this document is now entirely yours to y with."

 Chapter 539: A Traitor Meets a Traitors Fate

    Tina was momentarily stunned.

    Did Brandon mean for her to carry through with this contract?

    "Exactly as you think," Brandon pushed the contract towards Tina, "The Brookes family is no longer focusing on bionic biology. They have their own matters to handle, and I know that thesting sess of the Hancock family over the years is also because of this."

    At this point, Brandon paused, his gaze deepening. After a moment, he continued, "The person who let the Hancock family take over was your mother, Natalie, right?"

    Tina nodded slightly but didn''t say much.

    The waters of the Brookes family were still murky, and she didn''t want to stir up trouble.

    "Tina, only the Brookes and Lyon families know about this bionic biology technology. Your mother managed to realize this concept, and it''s nearly identical to what the Brookes family had envisioned. I... I think she must have seen the concept outline proposed by the Brookes family. I''m not saying she giarized or stole it, I''m just saying..."

    "Uncle Brandon, I understand what you mean," Tina said, smiling at Brandon.

    She knew that Brandon had begun to suspect her identity.

    Her mother''s ability to propose this concept, matching the Brookes family''s, could only prove she had been with the Brookes.

    If that was true, then could it prove she was Alina?

    Brandon dared not say it out loud, fearing it might be another false hope.

    Tina tucked the contract away, "Thank you, Uncle, I will continue to research this technology."

    Brandon nodded, "Yes, I believe in you."

    I also believe that you must be my niece, my sister''s daughter.

    But before we can settle this, a paternity test is necessary!

    At the Hancock family...

    Sonia''s arrest was sudden, disrupting many of Max''s ns.

    Currently the only survivor of the Lyon family, Max had hoped to consolidate control over the Lyon family''s old shareholders with Sonia, which would save a lot of trouble.

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    And she could also retrieve the Lyon family head''s ring from Tina; the contract was also in her possession...

    Now under control, her murderous actions were even circting online, causing too much public impact for anyone to save her.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Max, pale with anger, thought he had an ace, but it turned out to be a dud.

    "Dad, you''re making me dizzy walking back and forth. What exactly happened? Did Sonia really kill Grandma Lyon?" Grace had seen Max pacing early in the morning and was clueless about the situation. Right now, all she could think about was her impending marriage to Jared.

    Max sat down, "Grace, has Stephanie called you recently?"

    "No. With such a big scandal in their family, they aren''t in the mood to contact me, and I don''t care to deal with her. Jared has already cut ties with them, and she''s of no use to me now," Grace said dismissively, sneering at her once close friend. Useless people, why bother?

    She was using Stephanie, and Stephanie was using her; it was a mutual arrangement.

    Max frowned, "Grace, call Stephanie. Tell her to find a way to get close to Tina and retrieve the ring and the contract left by Grandma Lyon. Tell her you can help her turn things around."

    Grace was puzzled, "Dad, you still want to get involved with them? A family of suspects?"

    "Just do it. These two items are crucial for our family. If sessful, we won''t be at Tina''s mercy. Hurry, before Tina discovers this."

    Grace wanted to ask more questions, but seeing Max''s terrified expression, she swallowed her words. She had never seen Max look so scared before. Following Max''s instructions, Grace called Stephanie, who readily agreed to help for the sake of the Lyon family''s wealth. Unbeknownst to them, Tina had heard their entire conversation clearly. Tina took off her headphones, looked at the documents she had tranted on the table, and chuckled. "Max has been able to live peacefully all these years thanks to the GTO," Tina shook her head, thinking him foolish. Even now, he wasn''t thinking of his own safety but was still concerned about the contract.

    Jared was staring at theputer screen, where three small red dots were progressively moving on the satellite image, tightening into a circle around a factory in the center. "If he were wise, he would know that being loyal to my master is the wisest choice," Jared said evenly. Tina curved her lips, "A traitor always meets a traitor''s end."

    Ten minutester, Jared received a call from Stephanie. "Jared, it''s Stephanie." She started crying as she spoke, still unable to grasp what had happened. How had the Lyon familye to such a state? Jared turned on the speakerphone. "What is it?"

    "I don''t know what to do, with all that''s happened at home. Can Ie to see you? I want to apologize to Tina, I..."

    "Go to the Hancock family, tell Grace I will bring what she wants," Jared said, then hung up. He no longer had the patience to continue ying games with these fools.

    Tina looked up at Jared, surprised, "What happened?" He suddenly stopped ying. Jared showed her the public screen, disying an urgent notice marked in red-Christopher, the Deputy Director of Ashbury headquarters, had been suspended for negligence and unauthorized task delegation, among other breaches of department rules. Tina frowned. They had finally noticed Jared''s real purpose in Clearwater. Initially, Jared hade to Clearwater under the guise of visiting the Lyon family, but privately, he was investigating a virus research base.

    This mission was a top-secret document ced on Christopher''s desk by a mysterious person, not dispatched through the headquarters. Thus, Clearwater''s headquarters was unaware of Jared''s activities, including his investigation of the docks. Now, their focus had shifted onto him. "The boss got suspended, probably took all the me to protect me," Jared took a deep breath and continued, "We should be heading back soon. Once back, I''ll officially take the deputy''s position." Tina nodded.

    The position of Ashbury''s headquarters'' director had always been vacant, with the director constantly on missions. Not even neers, nor Jared himself, had ever seen this mysterious director. Thus, the deputy directorship at Ashbury headquarters was a position of equal power. With Christopher''s suspension, Jared would officially take over at Ashbury headquarters. The more power he was granted, the closer he got to the center of power-and to the traitor''s position.

 Chapter 540: The Net Closes

    Indeed, right after Jared finished speaking, he received a confidential letter from the senior leadership. He was ordered to immediately return to Ashbury and take control of the headquarters there. Tina stretchedzily, "It seems it''s time to wrap things up."

    That evening, Stephanie sat in the Hancock family''s living room, visibly anxious and uneasy. "Grace, I''m still worried. What did my brother mean by what he said? I hadn''t said anything, and he already mentioned he would bring what you wanted, this..."

    Grace handed Stephanie a cup of hot cocoa. "Oh, don''t worry. Since Jared said so, we just have to wait. My dad said that as long as you have the contract and the ring, you can inherit the Lyon family. Trust me."

    Grace had never taken the contract or the ring seriously; in her eyes, they were trivial. She couldn''t even understand why Max was so fixated on these two items. That evening, she had only called Max to inform him that Stephanie had already brought the items, without going into details.

    Before long, Jared arrived at the Hancock family''s door with Tina. Grace quickly tidied her hair and happily went to open the door. However, as soon as she opened it, numerous armed individuals burst in, surrounding the entire Hancock family. Grace looked at Jared incredulously, "Mr. Farrell, what is this about?"

    "Max Hancock is suspected of drug trafficking. We are here to search," Jared dered, shing a search warrant. Agents from the X Bureau began to search the Hancock residence.

    "You must be mistaken. My father is being framed..." Grace stepped back, only to see someone in her room pull out a ster doll. It was a birthday gift from Max for her eighteenth birthday.

    With a crack, the ster doll shattered on the floor. Out of it fell a packet of Old Kris!

    Tina stepped forward, opened the packet, and sniffed, "It''s the Old Kris we''ve been searching for, consistent with what was seized at the docks."

    Then, the sound of a car door closing and a subsequent scream were heard outside. "Captain Wolf, confirm it''s Max himself. The subject is secured; we can wrap up now!"Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Max was brought through the door, his face draining of color as he saw the pieces of the ster doll on the ground. "Miss, this really has nothing to do with me. I don''t know why this would be in my house, I..."

    "Mr. Hancock, or should I say, Old Kris, right?" Tina swayed the packet of Old Kris from side to side. "My mother never realized your potential, did she? To think you could also make drugs."

    Hearing this, a guilty look shed in Max''s eyes. Old Kris, like ck Tea, was one of Max''s codenames in GTO. He knelt down, defeated, knowing that his end hade. "How... how did you know?"

    Since Natalie''s death ten years ago, Max had been working under GTO''s name, essentially serving as GTO''s regional head in Clearwater. Unlike Jasper and Jasmine, who were devoted to finding the form Natalie had left behind, he had been responsible for managing GTO''s finances.

    He had been making and trafficking drugs to gather wealth and provide biotechnological tech to GTO. Over these ten years, he had amassed a fortune, bing increasingly brazen in his illicit financial dealings.

    Tinaughed lightly, "If you don''t want anyone to know, don''t do it yourself." Initially, Tina hadn''t paid much attention to Max, but his ambition was too great; he was determined to swallow up the Lyon family''s mysterious business chain. The Lyon family''s contract was supposed to be a secret, yet Max set a trap, aiming to take over the Lyon family and uncover the contract. This inevitably raised Tina''s suspicions.

    After the dock incident, Jared and Tina didn''t stop their investigation. Following the lead of Old Kris, they naturally found the factory that produced Old Kris. And this factory was where Max was conducting his research on bionic biotechnology! On the surface, he was engaged in bionic biotechnology research, but in reality, it was all to manufacture drugs, which he then sold through bionic biotechnology channels to make a profit.

    Courtney and Hayden also arrived at this time. "Captain Wolf, the factory has been seized, and there were five tons of finished products inside. This old guy is even bigger than international drug lords," Hayden pped Max''s head, "Damn, I thought I''d make a significant bust, but the Drug Enforcement Administration got there first."

    Tina looked up, and from Hayden''s words, she knew that the factory was merely for drug production and not a GTO virus research base. Another dead end. However, this was expected. Jared''s true purpose in Clearwater was already known to the Clearwater headquarters; naturally, the GTO virus research base wouldn''t be discovered so easily.

    "Take him away." Jared waved his hand, ordering Max to be taken away and the entire Hancock family''s assets to be seized. Grace and Stephanie witnessed everything but couldn''tprehend what was happening. How could their father be involved in drug trafficking? Who exactly were Jared and Tina, and why could they arrest her father? What was going on? She didn''t understand why things had changed so suddenly; all she knew was that she was finished. After the seizure of the Hancock family, Jared and Tina left, paying no mind to the Hancock family''s daughter. After all, she was none of their concern.

    The Hancock family returned to silence, and Stephanie finally snapped back to reality, swallowing hard before whispering, "Grace, with so much going on in your family, I should leave now." She dared not stay any longer; what if she became implicated? Grace slowly turned around, noticing Stephanie''s evasive look, and chuckled, "Stephanie, are you also watching my downfall?" Stephanie shook her head, "Of course not. It''s just gettingte, and with the Hancock family seized, if you have nowhere to go, I can offer you-"

    Before Stephanie could finish, Grace picked up a piece of a ster doll from the ground and slid it across her face. Watching the blood continuously stream down Stephanie''s face, Grace burst outughing. She stepped forward, pinning Stephanie to the ground and choking her fiercely, "You wretch, it must be you, you and your Jared setting us up, it has to be, otherwise how could they have found this ce, you wretch, I will kill you, kill you!" Stephanie felt as though Grace had gone mad, struggling desperately, no longer caring about the pain in her face, tearing at Grace''s grasp, "You''re crazy, let me go, let me go!"

 Chapter 541: Something Seems Overlooked

    Grace not only refused to let go, but she tightened her grip even more. Just a moment ago, she had been thinking about inviting Jared to her home, hoping to coborate with the Farrell family following her father''s takeover of the Lyon family. But in the next moment, her father was arrested, the Hancock family was investigated, and her own family was bankrupt? She couldn''t ept this blow, she just couldn''t!

    Unable to get her way with Jared and Tina, she directed all her resentment towards Stephanie. Just as Stephanie was about to be strangled to death, agents from the Narcotics Bureau finally arrived and subdued Grace. Though Stephanie was saved, her face was irreparably damaged. The porcin doll bearing Old Kris''s marks caused a severe infection through her wounds, and there was no saving it.

    "Grace was arrested for assault with intent to injure, and Stephanie''s disfigurement has left her devastated. Megan has divorced Warren and taken the children abroad. Leah has absconded with all of Oliver Lyon''s money, taking her children away from Clearwater. The others are all serving time in prison," Miss Reed concluded. "There''s nothing else."

    Courtney ryed the downfall of both the Lyon and Hancock families to Tina. Such an oue had been expected, hardly a surprise. However, Grace''s meltdown was somewhat unexpected to Tina. "I understand," Tina said as she ced the tranted contract into her bag and put on a cap before getting into her car, "Tell Uncle to wait here for me, I''ll be back soon."

    Courtney nodded and watched as Tina drove away, already nning how to exin the situation to Jared. Miss Reed had an appointment!

    Tina drove to the front of a restaurant, stepping out with her bag. Inside, the restaurant was reserved for two familiar faces: Janson Woodham, head of the Woodham family, and Ethan Ward, head of the Ward family. "Miss," Janson stood up first, his eyes slightly moist. Ethan Ward, on the other hand, wasposed; after all, Tina was his mentor, though he had never expected that his mentor would turn out to be the daughter of the boss he had been searching for so long. Tina nodded, signaling for them to sit. "Why didn''t you tell me the truth from the beginning?" she asked directly.

    Janson and Ethan exchanged a look. Janson sighed, "Miss, to be honest, we didn''t know you were the boss''s daughter, nor that the boss''s daughter was named Tina. When I met you in Ensford, you seemed familiar, but I had no idea... Had I known, I would have protected you right away."

    He paused, realizing that perhaps Tina did not need his protection.

    "You didn''t know my name? Then how did Max recognize me immediately?" Tina wondered, thinking her mother might have told them her name.

    Ethan scoffed, "Max, that cunning scoundrel! He took the boss''s tech report from us, then lied that it had gone missing. If we hadn''t lost touch over the years, he wouldn''t have been strutting around Clearwater."

    After Natalie''s death, the three families she had supported searched her home for the biotech research reports. Max was the first to reach them and took the reports, falsely iming they had been destroyed but secretly keeping them and colluding with GTO.

    By the time the Woodham and Ward families arrived, the ce was empty, cleaned out. After Natalie''s death, the three families had secretly met and agreed not to contact each other to avoid detection of their association with Natalie. They all suspected foul y in Natalie''s death and agreed to protect the legacy she left behind by adhering to their pact.

    For ten years, they tacitly avoided disturbing each other, apart from Max, both the Song and Yuan families were searching for the whereabouts of Natalie''s daughter, aiming to protect her. However, beyond knowing she was a girl, they knew nothing else. Unexpectedly, Tina had grown capable enough to protect them instead.

    "Thinking back, the boss didn''t tell us anything. He must have sensed a traitor among us, that''s why he didn''t reveal more," Ethan Ward said gravely, a fierce look shing across his eyes.

    Janson also despised this fact, mming his fist on the table, "Had I known Max was the traitor, I would have used all my family''s strength to prevent him from being free for so many years, and almost harming you." Janson and Ethan Ward were aware of the incident where Tina attended a cruise banquet hosted by the Hancock family and a bomb was ced on board. Now recalling it, both shuddered with fear.

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    Tina, for her part, was indifferent; she had always known Max was up to no good, and the bomb was not his doing. Nor could it have been the work of the Lyon family. As for who was actually behind it, that was still under investigation. "Let''s not dwell on the past, I called you here today because there''s another matter you need to take over," Tina said as she took out a file from her bag that she had already tranted and handed it to Ethan Ward and Janson. The Woodham family had always relied on their own strength to maintain their rise and fall, never activating anything of Natalie''s. First, because they knew their abilities were limited and could not utilize the boss''s legacy effectively. Second, they were aware that casually using these things would have a huge impact; if someone followed the trail to the boss''s daughter, it would be over.

    Ethan Ward had been devoted to medicine andter even became Tina''s student. Both were surprised as they looked at the document.

    They exchanged looks and simultaneously took out another document from their bags. "Master, you understand these things better. Take a look, is the content the same as what''s in your document?" Ethan Ward handed the paper over. Tina skimmed through it and suddenlyughed. It turned out that Natalie had divided the biotechnology into three parts before her death, each given to their two families and thest left in the vige for Max to find. This indicated that Natalie must have known that Max was the traitor beside her.

    But then...C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Tina clenched the document in her hand.

    Her mother knew everything, so why did she choose suicide?

    Tina struggled to understand; her mother had set this trap for Max but hadn''t instructed her on anything before choosing to leave this world.

    This was illogical.

    Could she have overlooked something?

    "Master?" Seeing Tina''s increasingly solemn expression, Ethan Ward called out to her.

    Tina snapped back to reality and ced the document on the table, "Yes, it''s the same, when did my mom give you these?"

    These documents together made up the entire content outline of the Lyon family contract. That is to say, Natalie had already developed the biotechnology research but had divided it into three parts, true and false. Brandon was also correct; Natalie must have seen the initial biotechnology outline proposed by the Brookes family.

    Natalie remembered everything.

    Did she know that she was the long-lost biological daughter of the Brookes family?

 Chapter 542: Finally Won the Strawberry Cake

    Ethan Ward paused and said, "It was about half a month before the bossmitted suicide. She sent it to me over the LAN, meant to be read and then auto-deleted, only leaving this file for me to keep safe, saying it would be usefulter. After that, she disappeared without a trace."

    "I was told the same, the boss made it very clear not to bring these things out," Janson added.

    Tina''s brows were tightly furrowed, it would be usefulter.

    Useful for what?

    She''s dead, what use could it possibly have now?Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    "Master, is this, perhaps, about bionic biotechnology?" Ethan Ward asked.

    Tina nodded, "Yes, what I am handing over to you is this. I have already merged all the resources of the Hancock family with the Lyon family, and theboratories are all set up. I just don''t have the time to manage them. I wonder if it''s convenient for you to take over."

    "Convenient, of course, we''ve been waiting for the day to bring these things back into the light," Ethan Ward said excitedly, "Master, aside from traditional medicine, I have been relying on this file from the boss to research the direction of bionic biology. I always felt something was missing, but today, with what you brought, I understand now."

    Janson nodded, "Yes, I''ve always wondered what the boss meant by it being usefulter. It turns out she was waiting for you toe to us."

    Tina''s lips curved slightly.

    Waiting for her to find them? Did her mother also have the same abilities as her master, even knowing the future?

    How could her mother be so sure she woulde looking?

    Many questions shed through Tina''s mind, and an idea slowly took shape.

    "You handle the matters with Ensford and Ashbury yourselves. Max has not been inactive these years; he has managed the bionic biotechnology well but never quite grasped it. Continue his direction of research, and you will soon see results." After giving her instructions, Tina stood up, "If there''s anything unclear, ask me anytime."

    With that, Tina left without looking back.

    Handing over the bionic biotechnology to the two families, Tina felt reassured.

    After arranging this matter, Tina went to the underground prison where Max was held.

    After a stint with the Narcotics Control Bureau, Max had been secretly transferred here by Jared.

    Max, soaked in a water cell, was tortured beyond recognition.

    Tina sat opposite him, looking at his pale, swollen face, unable to muster any sympathy.

    He betrayed her mother, manufactured and trafficked drugs, stole her mother''s research for profit, and colluded with GTO...

    Each act was a transgression against Tina''s deepest grievances.

    Hearing the noise, Max struggled weakly and said, "Miss, I know I was wrong, please let me go."

    Tina narrowed her eyes and asked in a cold voice, "Where is Five Poisons?"

    Max swallowed, the chains binding him clinking, "I don''t know, I''ve never seen him, we''ve alwaysmunicated online."

    "You''ve never seen Five Poisons, yet you chose to betray my mother?"

    Hearing Tina''s icy tone, Max shrank back, "Initially, GTO approached me, promising a lot of money if I followed them. I was really in need of money, I-"

    Before Max could finish, Tina''s hand, unable to control herself, tightly clenched his throat.

    Max could clearly feel Tina''s rage as he struggled desperately, sshing water around.

    "I was wrong... Miss... I was wrong, please let me go, I know I was wrong."

    Tina''s grip tightened around Max''s neck, almost wishing she could twist it off.

    She only released her hold when she saw his eyes bloodshot.

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    Max gasped for air, at one point thinking he was truly about to die.

    "Cough, Miss, I swear, it''s all true, I really haven''t met the Five Poisons, but I did see one of their girls, the only person I''ve ever met from GTO," Max quickly pledged his loyalty. Though his loyalty was hardly of any value now.

    Tina narrowed her eyes, "Did the Five Poisons ever ask you for the biomimetic technology?"

    Max choked, hardly daring to meet Tina''s gaze, and muttered, "Yes... they did."

    "But the technology is far from mature, it only works for ten seconds in front of people before it fails, it''s useless, Miss, that doesn''t affect anything, right?" Max''s deepest ties were actually with Old Kris.

    After all, such pure drugs were extremely profitable, sustaining GTO''s finances over the years.

    Tina knocked Max out with a chop of her hand; his head dipped, bubbles gurgling out in the water.

    She emerged from the water cell and sat in the car, no wonder she had felt something was amiss.

    When Abigail had escaped, even with the help of a projector, she couldn''t have just vanished without a trace right under her and Jared''s watch.

    The person who had exploded into nothingness right before them wasn''t a human at all, but a synthetic replica made using Max''s biomimetic technology. Ten seconds was enough.

    But everyone''s attention had been on finding the bomb, not noticing anything odd about Abigail.

    In retrospect, her every move had seemed logical, but her expressions were somewhat stiff,cking the fear of someone facing death.

    Tina hadn''t expected a synthetic human could be made so realistically.

    Lost in the world of this story? Make sure you''re on ?e5s.org to catch every twist and turn. The next chapter awaits, exclusively on our site. Dive in now! This also exined why the hair Abigail left at the scene was made of synthetic fibers.

    Using a projector to cover up the biomimetic technology, the Five Poisons were indeed clever.

    Well, only a clever person could have battled with Natalie, Jared, and others for so many years. Knock, knock, knock.

    Hearing someone tapping on the car window, Tina turned to see Jared standing in front of the car, holding a box of strawberry cake.

    Tina got out of the car, not taking the strawberry cake, but instead buried her head in Jared''s chest, hugging him tightly.

    A flicker of surprise crossed Jared''s eyes.

    This was the first time Tina had resisted the temptation of strawberry cake!

    Indeed, time was the best proof.

    He had finally won over the strawberry cake!

    Tina took a few deep breaths, reaching for the strawberry cake.

    Jared held it up high.

    Despite Tina''s height of nearly 1. 7 meters, with Jared''s height and his arms raised, she still couldn''t reach her desired strawberry cake. "Uncle!" Tinained, her voice whiny.

    Jared pinned her against the car, still holding the strawberry cake out of reach, but lowered his head, staring into her bright eyes, "Kiss me." Tina, "?"

    "Kiss me, and you get the strawberry cake," Jared hinted, pointing at his lips, his gaze meaningful.

 Chapter 543: Is Eagle Flies in Danger?

    Tina blinked and, without any hesitation, pressed her lips against the full red ones before her. She thought a few kisses would be nice. After all, wasn''t it wonderful to be able to kiss Uncle and eat strawberry cake at the same time? It was certainly a double advantage!

    Jared: "Wait a minute, shouldn''t I be the one taking advantage here?"

    Tina: "If I take advantage, it means you do too, Uncle. You''re making a profit!"

    Jared: "Is that really how it works?"

    The two got back into the car, where their personal driver, Hayden, and bodyguard, Courtney, had taken their usual seats, appearing out of nowhere.

    Tina blissfully ate her strawberry cake, and Jared blissfully watched her eat.

    The atmosphere was harmonious.

    Hayden nced in the rearview mirror and promptly lowered the window curtain.

    Out of sight, out of mind!

    After finishing her cake, Tina peered through a gap in the curtain at Courtney and asked, "What''s up with the Husky again?"

    "Samoyed isn''t answering his phone," Courtney replied indifferently, leaning against the window.

    Being caught between two couples every day was truly exhausting!

    She should have followed Nathan to deal with the Hancock family factory.

    Pa: "You''re using the wrong word. It''s just one couple."

    Hayden: "So annoying!"

    Tina knew all too well that ever since Pa had acquired the new bomb, she had disappeared, immersing herself in herboratory.

    Once work mode was activated, there was no time to think about love.

    Pa clearly delineated work and romance.

    "Are we heading back to Ashbury now? Does Pa know?" Jared asked.

    Hayden pulled the car over immediately, opened the curtain, and said solemnly, "Mr. Farrell, I think you''re right. We should inform her immediately. Let''s go!"

    Courtney casually added, "Nathan said Pa asked us to go back first. She''lle find us after she''s done with her research. Oh, and he said he''d go back with Pa."

    Although the matter with the Hancock family factory had been resolved, the GTO virus research base in Clearwater was still pending.

    Jared had asked Nathan to stay in Clearwater to guard the new bomb and continue the secret investigation.

    He would handle the headquarters affairs in Ashbury.

    A silence fell in the car, and Jared closed the curtain himself, wrapping his arm around Tina as they headed off spiritedly.

    Courtney turned her head silently, gazing out at the scenery.

    Hmm, very nice.

    Hayden clenched his teeth hard.

    What was going on?

    It was Nathan again!

    Nathan had been secretlymunicating with Pa behind his back.

    What a traitor!

    Just you wait!

    Hayden pressed down hard on the elerator, as if imagining Nathan''s head under his foot.

    Tina couldn''t hold back; she hadn''t realized how close Nathan and Pa had be.

    She looked up at Jared.

    Jared nodded and whispered, "We should give our scientists some perks."

    Tina knew it!

    Jared had a hand in this.

    But this was good; without a sense of crisis, Hayden would never learn to appreciate what he had.

    At that moment, Tina''s phone received a map via air transfer, marked with a single location.

    Tina knew this was a GTO base in Clearwater sent by Eagle Flies.

    She was somewhat worried about Eagle Flies'' situation.

    Eagle Flies had just made contact with Max, and Max''s identity had been exposed. Could the Five Poisons suspect her involvement? Tina forwarded the map to Nathan, instructing him to assist Eagle Flies if necessary.

    Unexpectedly, another image came through, not from Eagle Flies, but just two words-"Stay out."

    Tina frowned. Was it that mysterious person again?

    Somewhere in Clearwater, Eagle Fliesy on the ground, covered in blood and barely breathing.

    The door opened, and a pair of red high heels walked in, sitting opposite Eagle Flies with legs crossed like a model, tapping the floor.

    "Eagle Flies, who disclosed the location of the Max factory? Have you found out?"

    Eagle Flies took a few breaths, raised her head, but couldn''t make out the true face of the person in front of her.

    She struggled to sit up, the blur in front of her eyes preventing her from opening them fully.

    "I don''t know..." Eagle Flies gasped, "All I found was that Jared has been tracking Grace''s whereabouts."

    After a long while, Eagle Flies finally opened her eyes and saw clearly the person before her.

    It was Tina!

    "You... why is it you?" Eagle Flies incredulously stepped back.

    No, this person shouldn''t be Tina, Tina wouldn''t be here.

    Immediately, Eagle Flies pulled out the gun holstered at her waist and pointed it at Tina in front of her, "Why are you here? Aren''t you Jared''s fianc¨¦e?"

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    "Tina"ughed, "Jane, why so agitated? Didn''t I find this ce after receiving your message?"

    Eagle Flies gripped the gun tightly, without hesitation, she pulled the trigger.

    A gunshot rang out, and a sharp pain surged through Eagle Flies'' hand, the gun dropping to the ground as an electric current ran from her fingertips to her feet.

    The current was excruciating.

    "What are you talking about? Don''t think I can trust you just because you know my name, tell me, who are you really!" Eagle Flies, still forcing herself to stand, remained wary of Tina before her. "Tina" deepened her smirk, a triumphant smile curling at her lips, "Who I am, don''t you know?"

    Eagle Flies stared at Tina, her pupils dting, "You, could you be Five Poisons? Impossible, you''ve been by Jared so long, he would have noticed. If you aren''t Five Poisons, how would you know this ce?" "Tina" had enough, she stood up and tore off the mask on her face.

    "When Jasmine told me you were talented, I didn''t believe her, but it seems I was right all along; you never noticed my face had been changed."

    Eagle Flies internally sighed in relief, indeed it was a disguise technique.

    She knew that even after sending that picture to Tina, Tina could never appear here.

    "Who are you really?" Eagle Flies looked at the woman before her, her hair cascading down her shoulders, unnaturally beautiful.

    The woman sat back down, "I am your boss, Five Poisons."

    Five Poisons'' face was shrouded in a halo, making it impossible for Eagle Flies to discern her true appearance.

    Eagle Flies took a moment, leaning against the wall and sitting down, she too pulled off her own face disguise, "All this time, you also didn''t notice I had changed my appearance, boss."

    This indeed surprised Five Poisons, who hadn''t expected Eagle Flies, wounded as she was, still had the strength for a disguise and had even deceived her.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    "I take back what I said, you are talented." Five Poisons propped her elbow on her knee, leaned forward, and moved closer to Eagle Flies. "Yes, this time it''s real."

    Five Poisons seemed even more intrigued, pinching Eagle Flies'' cheek as if coaxing a child, "I do love little girls, especially clever ones."

 Chapter 544: The Mysterious Figure Reappears

    Eagle Flies dodged, but with a wall behind her, there was nowhere left to hide. She was at the mercy of Five Poisons'' capricious whims. "Boss, how many faces are you hiding under yours?" Five Poisons leaned in close, able to see clearly. The face Five Poisons wore now was that of Grace. Patting her own cheek, Five Poisons remarked, "Doesn''t matter, as long as it looks good." Then, pulling a pill from her pocket, she ced it into Eagle Flies'' mouth, "Healing pill, five million dors each, you''re getting a bargain." After swallowing the pill, Eagle Flies felt the heaviness in her body vanish-it was a genuine healing pill.

    "Boss, I''m sorry. I failed to protect Max''s factory, giving those from the X Bureau their chance," she confessed sincerely. "It''s true what I said earlier-Jared indeed found Max''s factory by tracking Grace. Max, to be cautious, always sent Grace to collect the samples. Grace was unaware, thinking she was just helping with her father''s documents, so we remained undetected until now."

    "This time, when Jared turned his attention to Grace, everything was exposed. I originally nned to steal Old Kris''s form, but that Nathan had set up bombs in advance."

    Five Poisons waved her hand dismissively, "I know, it''s not your fault. Take care of yourself. We can''t lose the Clearwater connection. I''lle find you once you''re healed." Eagle Flies nodded, watching as Five Poisons left.

    Turning back with a smile that gleamed a bit too brightly, Five Poisons said, "If you hadn''t fired just now, the bomb you were leaning against would have already exploded. Congrattions, you''ve lived another day." With that, Five Poisons closed the door and left the hideout.

    Eagle Flies broke out in a cold sweat. Five Poisons truly spared no detail, not overlooking any suspicion, however slight. She didn''t even realize that the gun she wore had been rigged with a bomb! Eagle Flies found the bomb, its countdown already halted. The trigger was the remote control for the bomb! Wiping her sweat, she had indeed hesitated before firing, especially since Tina had appeared suddenly and she was in a dazed state, easily falling for the trap. Fortunately, she believed Tina wouldn''tplicate things. For now, she had survived Five Poisons'' test.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    In Ashbury, Hayden had just dropped Tina off at her home, then drove Jared to the Farrell family estate. He reluctantly turned off the engine in front of the Farrell house. "Pick me up at seven in the morning," Jared said, patting the car seat before getting out. Hayden rolled down the window and called out, "Mr. Farrell, when is Nathaning back? I can''t keep being your driver, can I?"

    Jared turned around, casually replying, "He said he''sing back with Pa." It wasn''t toote yet. Jared patted Hayden''s shoulder, "Congrattions, you''re finally free from Pa." Hayden was inwardly tormented. Free from Pa? Had he ever said that? No, he hadn''t! Jared walked away coolly, leaving Hayden alone in the car, screaming in frustration. "Nathan, I''m going to fight you!"

    After a shower, Jared checked his phone and messaged Tina. She quickly responded with a picture. It was a note. "Beware of Linden." Jared wiped his hair, his fingers swiftly moving across the screen, "Is it that mysterious person again?" "Yes, but this time they didn''t just send a message-they came right into my house," Tina replied with augh, adding, "It seems this mysterious person really does know my movements well."

    "Be careful with Linden; this person seems quite familiar with Linden. Could they be someone from inside the X Bureau?" Jared had always felt that this mysterious person bore no ill will, but his exact whereabouts were unclear, and Jared had never been able to track him down. Who was this person, really? Tina turned over in bed, "No, but they must be connected to the X Bureau in some way."

    "Be careful." Tina turned off her phone, looking out the window at the bright moon. Thest time it was her master who had broken into their home, and now this mysterious person-should she consider beefing up the Reed family''s defenses? These people were getting too close forfort, almost as if entering her own backyard. Somewhere in Ashbury. Master Tam poured tea for the person sitting across from him, "Still thinking about cleaning her house after all these years?" "I haven''t looked after her for so many years; just a sudden impulse," the person replied, taking a sip of tea with a smile. Master Tam nced at him, a smile ying at the corners of his mouth, "You''ve endured for so many years, what''s a little longer?" The man raised his eyes indifferently and nced at him, "Do you have a problem with that?"

    "Me? I have no objections," Master Tam sipped his tea leisurely, "Just a reminder, don''t backfire. My disciple''s temperament... if she discovers the truth, whether she recognizes you is another matter." The man''s fingers tightened around the tea cup slightly, his expression changing subtly, and after a long pause, he exhaled softly, "She will understand me."

    "Hard to say," Master Tam added. His disciple had been pursuing him for a thousand dors for so many years, her mind was smaller than a pinhole. Forgiving such a big matter would be surprising! Abruptly, the man ced his tea cup on the table with a cold expression, "You better manage yourself! Don''t forget, it was I who cleaned up your mess a few days ago." Master Tam was left speechless. The conversation could not continue!

    Early morning.

    Hayden woke up early and drove to Jared''s house. "Why are your dark circles so severe?" Jared noticed Hayden''s haggard face, marked by a night of exhaustion, as soon as he got into the car. Clearly, he had been up all night. Hayden yawned, "I was on the phone with Nathan, that rascal, untiltest night, it drove me crazy." Jared opened the car door and pushed Hayden to the passenger seat, "Driving while fatigued, you know it''s against thew, do you want to die?" "Don''t make it sound so serious, you''re trying to kill me," Hayden yawned again and sat in the passenger seat to catch up on sleep. Nathan had just called Jared to update him on some matters. Listening to his voice, he didn''t seem tired at all. "You''re quite spirited for someone who was on the phone all night with a Husky," Jared nced at Hayden, who was sleeping like a log beside him.

    Nathan sighed helplessly, "He was crazy, insisting on keeping the video call going while watching me sleep, Mr. Farrell, I suggest we get him some psychiatric help." He seriously doubted Hayden''s mental state. Jared was puzzled. Hayden had spent the night on a video call, watching Nathan sleep. Was he that worried about Pa being with Nathan? Alright then! Truly, among dogs a Husky, among men, Hayden!

 Chapter 545: Linden Takes Office

    Jared drove to the X Bureau Ashbury headquarters, where Jason, Courtney, and others were waiting, all dressed in X Bureau uniforms. Today was the day Jared officially assumed his role as Deputy Director. Every member of the X Bureau in Ashbury was neatly dressed for the ceremony. With the Director absent, the Deputy Director was in charge, making this day no different from Jared officially taking over the Ashbury headquarters.

    "Captain, why are you driving?" Jason approached as Jared stepped out of the driver''s seat, while Hayden, seated in the passenger seat, slept like a log, infuriating Jason to the point of grinding his teeth. How could this Husky, Hayden, allow the captain to drive himself? Moreover, with Jared now as Deputy Director, and all the headquarters staff present, how could he maintain his dignity?

    It was well-known that Jason was Jared''s top fanboy, never allowing anything that could threaten or tarnish Jared''s reputation. Christopher had once said that if Jared dered the X Bureau shouldn''t exist, Jason would dismantle the entire national organization. Like this ceremony, Jason was even more excited than Jared himself, having stayed up all night in anticipation.

    Jared tossed the car keys to Jason and took the uniform handed to him by Courtney, "Pick up that Husky pig." Without a second thought, Jason lifted Hayden, nearly crushing his shoulder des.

    After changing into his uniform, Jared headed to the auditorium. The whole agency was present, and when Jared appeared, the room erupted in apuse. Jason''s was the loudest voice, nearly deafening Hayden sitting beside him. Courtney, sitting behind Jason, rolled her eyes at him disdainfully. She was convinced that if Jason were a woman, he would be Tina''s fiercest rival.

    Jared took his seat among the leaders, right in the center. "The Director is absent, I brought my own insignia, meeting adjourned." The audience was stunned; Jared was the Deputy Director, and to hold such arge meeting without saying much?

    A leader beside him whispered, "Deputy Director, please say a few words. Everyone''s spirits have been lowtely, a few inspiring words would help."

    Jared frowned subtly. Low spirits? Tense? He grabbed the microphone, stood up, and walked slowly to the front, his face stern andmanding. "I heard you''ve been feeling lowtely. From now on, five kilometers of loaded running after work every day. You think you can afford to be moody at work? Want a short life?"

    All tasks carried out by the X Bureau were crucial; ack of morale meant negligence in duty, which could lead to death in ways unimaginable, or rotting away unnoticed as a skeleton. To Jared, needing motivation was akin to courting death. Everyone straightened their backs upon hearing Jared''s words. Who would dare admit to low spirits now? Their morale was certainly high, absurdly high!

    Jared scanned the room once more, then prepared to put the microphone back. He wasn''t one for empty pleasantries at meetings; getting the job done was enough-no need for motivational speeches. Money would be more practical. Just as he turned to leave, the doors of the auditorium burst open. Jared paused, sensing the chill from the neer even without turning around.

    Everyone was present, and Christopher was once again closing the doors when someone new entered. Who could it be? As he turned back around, his eyes slightly narrowed, suppressing a hint of menace at the sight of the neer. "Chief Farrell makes a good point," the neer began, speaking loudly enough to be heard clearly across the room without the need for a microphone as he agilely jumped onto the stage. "Working at the X Bureau is like strapping your brain to your belt. If your spirits aren''t high, you''re basically sending yourself to the King of Hell. Ponder over such matters in your bed at night, not during a mission, or it could cost you your head, and no one will be able to save you." Impressive, thought Jared, observing the man''s agile movements and decisive actions. This was Linden, the second inmand at the Clearwater headquarters! Linden approached Jared and reached out his hand. "Chief Farrell, hello, I''m Linden."

    Jared shook Linden''s hand, feeling the calluses, a clear sign of someone scarcely separated from their firearm. "Jared," he introduced himself with a deep look.

    Linden, unfazed and smiling lightly, took the microphone from Jared and introduced himself to everyone. "I am Linden, currently appointed at the Clearwater headquarters. I''ve just been informed that my previous undercover assignment has ended. While continuing at Clearwater, I will also resume my role as the director of X Bureau headquarters. Please, everyone, I look forward to your support."

    Jared frowned. Linden was continuing as director? Could it be that the long-serving director of X Bureau, handling missions abroad, was actually Linden? Not only was he the deputy at Clearwater, but he also led Ashbury.

    As everyone looked on in surprise, Linden continued, "I was supposed to be promoted afterpleting my assignment, but since your boss suddenly ran into trouble, I must return for now. When he returns, then I can be promoted. This is a secret; keep it tight, or if the leaders don''t promote me, I''ll dock your bonuses."

    Though clearly a joke, no one in the roomughed.

    This was supposed to be Jared''smissioning ceremony. What was Linden doing appearing suddenly like this? Was this the director giving his deputy a hard time?

    Just a heads up:  is the only ce to read theplete version of this book for free. Don''t miss out on the next chapter-visit us now and continue your journey! Seeing noughter, Linden clicked his tongue. "What, no sense of humor?"Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Jared nced at him, then smiled slightly. "Wee back, Chief Linden."

    At Jared''s words, the room finally erupted in apuse. Linden waved his hand, dismissing the gathering. "Okay, everyone, disperse. The five kilometers that Chief Farrell just ordered are waived. Make a mistake next time, and it starts at ten kilometers."

    Linden had managed to both steal Jared''s thunder and cancel his disciplinary action. A ssic power move.

    The meeting concluded, and several key leaders took Linden to his office to get limated. Even though Linden had been the director before, X Bureau had changed significantly over the years, and he needed to familiarize himself with the changes.

    Meanwhile, Jared headed to what used to be Christopher''s office, now bearing his own name as the person in charge. Courtney stood guard outside, while Hayden and Jason followed him in. "Damn, that director is clearly here just to show you up. What a jerk, it''s infuriating!"

 Chapter 546: Hes Not Easy to Deal With

    Jason was truly furious. He had already spent a restless night without sleep, and now his face was red with anger, almost ready to start a fight. Hayden pulled Jason aside, "Good heavens, can you keep your voice down? Are you worried the director can''t hear your dissatisfaction? Have you lost your mind offending the leadership?"

    "You let the deputy director drive for you, and you still control me? Get lost!" Jason pushed Hayden away. "No, I have to ask him where he came from."C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    As soon as he finished speaking, the office door was pushed open. Courtney frowned, "No need to ask... the director is here."

    Linden entered the room with his hands behind his back, smiling at Jason, "Jason, you were assigned to headquarters as the second top scorer in the final test, currently the captain of the third special squad, and you just received a third-ss merit not long ago."

    Jason didn''t expect Linden to know so much about him. Looking at Linden''s smiling face, he was so nervous that he couldn''t speak.

    At that moment, Jared stood up, "You two can leave now. Close the door behind you."

    "Wait a moment," Linden said as he pulled out his phone. A few secondster, he lifted it to show Jason, "I came here by ne, in first ss, but I won''t ask for reimbursement."

    Jason, who had been quite arrogant just before, was now utterly defeated by Linden''s sincerity and couldn''t find his words.

    Hayden quickly chuckled, "The leader is really generous. Perhaps the meals for us at the grassroots level will improve from now on."

    Lindenughed, "From now on, the meals will be ording to the Xiao Group''s cafeteria recipes. Would it trouble young master Xiao to send the recipes daily?"

    "No, no, our cafeteria food is too greasy as it is; it''s fine now. Please don''t trouble the leaders any further, goodbye." With that, Hayden quickly pulled Jason and hurried off.

    It was terrifying. Linden was a smiling tiger who had understood everyone in less than half an hour. With the director a smiling tiger and the deputy director a cold-faced wolf, how could they continue to live like this! "Boss, you need toe back; we can''t take it anymore!"

    Hayden closed the office door, pulling Jason and Courtney.

    "I told you to watch the door, why did you let someone in!"

    Courtney sighed heavily, rolling her eyes at Jason, "The sound of my knocking code was drowned out by your yelling. Your cursing was loud enough for the whole bureau and even the passing dogs to hear, and you me me!" Hayden spat at Jason, "You bring bad luck, couldn''t you have waited to talk about this privately? Now wait for the director to make your life difficult."

    Jason shrugged off Hayden, "Maybe saying even dogs despise me is right. Third squad, assemble, five kilometers with full gear!"

    After saying that, Jason stormed off.

    He knew well that Linden''s presence was asmanding as Jared''s.

    He was not an easy man to deal with.

    Courtney followed quickly, and Hayden called out, "Where are you going?"

    Courtney looked back disdainfully, "I''m on his team!"

    What else could she do?

    Carry out the deputy director''s orders, five kilometers with full gear!

    What bad luck!

    Inside the office, Jared walked out from his desk, "I''ve heard from people at Farrell Group that the cafeteria meals at Shaw Industries overseas are the best. Why doesn''t the director get us the same from Shaw Industries?"

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    Linden sat down, smiling, and pointed to the sofa next to him, "Let''s sit and talk about it."

    Jared sat down. "What does the director need from me?"

    "I''m here to deliver a personnel appointment, although it''s from ten years ago, but I am indeed the director. The electronic version will be transmitted from the headquarters by the end of the workday." Linden actually produced a personnel appointment document.

    This was a confidential document, inessible without the iris scans of the individual and the director general, and both were indispensable.

    It was true that Linden had been appointed director ten years ago, and there was no deception in that fact.

    "Ten years ago, just after I received a verbal directive from my boss, I traced the whereabouts of an international human trafficking ring I had been following. To destroy this ring, I went undercover. Little did I expect that this would turn into a ten-year mission, with one criminal organization after another being dismantled, and I finallypleted my task. Throughout this journey, I kept rising, but the appointment as director never changed."

    Linden offered a brief exnation, providing Jared with an ount.

    "I came over suddenly today indeed because I received ast-minute notice. Since everyone is here, I thought I''d show my face and steal your thunder, sorry."

    Jaredughed, "Not at all, director. There must be more than just this matter you came for. Let''s speak inly, everyone is busy."

    Linden nodded, "Indeed, I also need to return to a meeting at Shaw Industries'' branch in Ashbury. To cut a long story short, I n to reshuffle the headquarters'' personnel appointments. I suggest Nathan for the position of chief of the general squad, incorporating the second squad''s members into the first and third squads, with Hayden and Jason swapping roles. Additionally, Hayden will focus on protecting Pa to ensure the supply of weapons to both the headquarters and the general directorate."

    Jared frowned slightly, sensing that Linden intended to decentralize Hayden''s power.

    Although the leaders of the three squads were nominally equal, the first squad was at the forefront, giving Hayden rtively more authority.

    Now Linden wanted Hayden to step back?

    Reading Jared''s dissatisfaction, Linden continued, "I know Hayden is your confidante and the brother you''ve grown up with, but his situation is special. It can''t be that all three key positions in the directorate are held by people of a mercantile background, especially not in a ce as influential as Ashbury."

    "And why don''t you step down?" Jared''s tone carried a hint of chill.

    Linden smiled, "I would like to, but I''m waiting for Christopher to return. Deputy, I know you''re not entirely pleased with this arrangement, but adjustments must be made. Pa is indeed someone Hayden can contact and is familiar with, which will facilitate good cooperation. With so many responsibilities in the first squad, Hayden just doesn''t have the capacity."

    Jared, not wanting to hear any more excuses, cut straight to the point, "What exactly is your purpose in having Hayden contact Pa?"

    Linden was silent for a few seconds before saying, "I''m having Hayden infiltrate the White family to investigate some secrets, which I can''t disclose to you."

    Even without being told, Jared could guess the general idea.

    The White family had always been involved in weapon forging and was one of the hidden families.

    Pa was the youngdy of the White family, a weapons genius, and the sole heir.

    The matters Linden wanted to investigate were definitely rted to weapons!

    But as the director involved in confidential matters, Jared could not intervene.

    "Deputy, if there are no other objections, the personnel appointments will be announced tomorrow morning, how about that?" Linden asked. Jared narrowed his eyes slightly, "Fine."

 Chapter 547: Who Sent the Strawberry Cake?

    "Damn it!" Hayden was shocked for a full half hour upon seeing the notification for the personnel appointment. He had beenforting Jason, cautioning him about the new director possibly giving them a hard time, but ultimately, it was Hayden himself who ended up in trouble! It turned out he was the fool, and he had beenpletely oblivious to it. Courtney patted Hayden on the shoulder, her expression one of sympathy, "Captain, please take good care of us from now on."

    Jason walked over, ced the third squad''s emblem into his drawer, and addressed Courtney, "Don''t call me captain just yet. We''ll all redraw lots to decide which group we''ll be in." Courtney blinked, skeptical that she could end up in Jason''s team through a simple choice between two options! When the entire bureau began the redraw, Courtney opened her lot; seeing the number "1" appear, she felt as if the sky had fallen.

    Jason nced at her and patted her shoulder, "Teammate, please take good care of us from now on." Teammate, my ass, she thought, it was more like a cursed fate. Courtney ruffled her hair, her greatest worry not about who the captain was. Instead, it was whether she would continue on her original missions amidst this massive reshuffle at the X Bureau. Her concerns were not unfounded. "Starting now, Squad One is under martialw. All missions are temporarily halted, no unauthorized exits," Linden announced at the morning meeting.

    As a member of Squad One, Courtney naturally had to stay within the X Bureau, ready to receive orders at any time. After the meeting, Jared returned to his office. Looking at the new distribution of team members, he furrowed his brows slightly. What exactly was Linden trying to aplish with such a grand reshuffle within the X Bureau? Squad One was now directly under Linden''smand, the reason given being that the chief, Nathan, was out.

    Jason and Hayden entered together, Hayden speaking up, "Mr. Farrell, this reshuffle might be fine, but having Squad One directly under the director-doesn''t that seem problematic?" Jared leaned back in his chair, his fingers inteced, gently touching each fingertip, "Has the director spoken to you?"

    "No, why would he? To apologize to me!" Hayden retorted bitterly. Suddenly losing power was ufortable for anyone. Although Hayden never cared much about the extent of his authority-having joined the X Bureau mainly to follow Jared-he couldn''t just overlook being targeted for no reason. Everyone knew he was Jared''s man, and the Cohen family and the Farrell family had been close for generations. Wasn''t this clearly an attempt to strip Jared of his power and sideline the deputy director?Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    "Just wait until he contacts you," Jared replied, not borating further. Linden had mentioned yesterday about assigning Hayden a secret mission, but since it hadn''t been issued yet, he couldn''t say more. Jason couldn''t help but speak up, "Captain, now that Squad One is directly under the director, isn''t this just a power grab? When the special squad was established, it was stated that the chief would have fullmand, not the director." Everyone could see Linden''s intention of diluting Jared''s power and isting him.

    As they were discussing, Jared''s office phone, which had a ringtone exclusive to the director''s office, rang. Jared gestured for silence with a "shush" and answered the call. "Chief Farrell,e to my office. I need to discuss a personal matter with you."

    Linden explicitly stated it was a personal matter, which surprised Jared. He straightened his clothes and headed to the chief''s office.

    "What do you need me for?" Jared asked.

    Linden pulled out two invitations from the Reed family. "My spouse wants you and Miss Reed to attend a dinner tonight. They tried calling Miss Reed but couldn''t get through, so they asked me to deliver this to you." This indeed surprised Jared.

    He took the invitations and saw they indeed came from the Reed family. The asion was simply a family dinner.

    The formality was actually to wee Linden''s return. Linden had been undercover for many years, known to the people of the Reed and Shaw families as a businessman. His identity as the head of the Shaw family served as excellent cover. His return was a joyous asion for the Reed family, especially given the recent events. They hoped to use this celebratory atmosphere to attract more business resources.

    The dinner would host many of Ashbury''s upper-ss, though all somehow rted to the Reed family.

    Given the connection to the Reed family and Tina, Jared didn''t immediately ept nor decline. He pocketed the invitations and said, "I''ll ask Tina. If she agrees, we will attend tonight."

    "Good, it''s tough, but I''m also curious to meet this legendary niece and see what has our deputy so captivated," Linden said with a light tone, his words tinged with jest. Jared gave a symbolic smile, stood up, and left.

    Linden went to the window, watching Jared drive away, the smile slowly tightening on his lips and then fading altogether.

    In the Reed family home, Tina sat in the living room, staring at a strawberry cake on the table.

    The cake was poorly made, the strawberries ced haphazardly, and the cream unevenly spread.

    Clearly, Jared hadn''t made it.

    Hugo and Jennie were away on business, Zackary was at a summer camp, and Courtney was stuck at the X Bureau.

    Tina was certain she had been alone in the housest night.

    If not Jared, then who?

    Suddenly, Tina remembered the strong, familiar scent fromst night. She had tried to open her eyes but couldn''t. Upon waking, she had thought it was just a dream. But seeing the cake made her believe thatst night''s experience was real.

    Tina normally woke up immediately at any sign of disturbance, butst night, she felt trapped in a looping intersection, akin to sleep paralysis.

    Her eyes narrowed, a fierce anger building within her.

    Just then, the door sounded. "It''s unlocked," Tina called out.

    Jared entered, holding a freshly bought strawberry cake.

    "Why did you buy one yourself?" Jared felt slighted, as he usually provided the strawberry cakes. How could he be a good boyfriend if Tina had to buy one herself? As he approached, he noticed the poor quality of the cake.

    "Where did thise from?" he asked, sitting beside Tina.

    Tina shook her head, "I don''t know, it was here when I woke up."

 Chapter 548: Linden Hosts a Banquet, Invites Tina and Jared

    Jared reached out, scraped some cream with his finger, and popped it into his mouth. A secondter, his face contorted in agony, an expression of pain like none had ever graced his features before. Tina, rmed, asked, "Could it be poisoned?" Jared waved his hand dismissively, leaning on Tina''s leg, "It''s just very bitter." Tina was speechless. "Is it really that bitter?" she questioned, tasting it herself, nearly allowing her fondness for strawberry cake to plummet. It was supposed to be cream, yet how could it be so bitter! Suddenly, Tina remarked, "It''s like something my mother would make." As the words left her mouth, both she and Jared paused abruptly. They slowly lifted their eyes, their gazes meeting. The cake, indeed, bore an uncanny resemnce to Natalie''s handiwork. They sat in silence, each hardly believing their own thoughts, though all signs ofte seemed to point in one direction.

    After a while, Tina shook her head, "I''ve never tasted a strawberry cake this awful." Jared unwrapped a piece of strawberry cake he had brought along and fed it to Tina, "Eat this one, it''s sweet." Tina chuckled, her eyes ncing unintentionally at the bitterly disappointing cake. After finishing the sweet cake, Tina leaned back on the sofa, patting her stomach, "Uncle, didn''t you say you needed to see me about something?"

    Jared produced two invitations andid them before Tina, "Take a look." Tina picked them up, flipping through them with a smile, "The director wants to meet me, could have just said so, why all the fuss?" Although Linden was hosting the banquet under the guise of the Reed family''s name and had invited both Tina and Jared, they were no fools to Linden''s true intentions. The banquet was clearly orchestrated for Linden to meet Tina.

    "So, are we going?" Jared asked, observing Tina''s expression which already hinted at her thoughts. Tinaughed, "Of course, we''ll go. If we didn''t, think of all the drama we''d miss." That evening, Tina and Jared dressed up and attended the event. Esther, with Audrey, greeted the guests at the door, their faces brightening upon seeing Tina. "Tina, you finally made it, I''ve missed you. Tried calling but couldn''t get through," Esther approached warmly, taking Tina''s hand. Esther seemed particrly cheerful, her husband''s return evidently uplifting her spirits, her smile deeper than before. "I was off to Clearwater recently, had my phone off," Tina exined with a smile, then turned to Audrey, "Have you fully recovered?" After the ident, Tina had saved the person and hadn''t followed up, since there was no longer any danger to their life. Audrey nodded, "Yes, I''mpletely healed, but my cousin..."

    "What happened to Griffin?" Tina inquired.

    Audrey''s eyes welled with tears, feeling guilty about Griffin''s condition. If she hadn''t been so reckless as to throw away her helmet, and had not been shielded by Griffin, he might have been alright. Esther sighed, "Griffin had woken up, but his condition worsened suddenly that night. After emergency treatment, his life was saved, but the doctors say he suffered brain damage and might remain vegetative." Tina was momentarily stunned, having performed the surgery herself, she was confident there had been no errors.

    What on earth was going on?

    "Why didn''t you inform me? Where is Griffin now?" Tina demanded in a deep voice.

    The person she had saved was having a rpse?

    And the Reed family, why hadn''t they informed her immediately? Otherwise, Griffin would never have ended up in a vegetative state. Esther tried to soothe Tina, "We did want to inform you, but... we couldn''t keep bothering you, you have so much on your te."

    "Are we not family? Is that also a bother?"

    Hearing this, Tina grew even more infuriated, yet felt somewhat helpless.

    After all, her rtionship with the Reed family could never be as open and straightforward as it was with Hugo.

    The Reed family felt the same, each harboring feelings of guilt.

    "Tina, we all know your heart, but we just couldn''t faceing to you again," Esther said, wiping away tears, the guilt weighing heavily on her again.

    Tina softened her tone, no longer reproaching, "Alright, Aunt, where is Griffin now?"

    "Griffin has been sent abroad for treatment by Damian. They say it''s a good ce for recovery for vegetative patients."

    Hearing that Griffin had been sent away, Tina sighed deeply. With so much going on in Ashbury, she couldn''t possibly go after him; she''d have to let Griffin rest a while longer. "Let''s go inside. I''ll introduce you to your uncle," Esther said, drying her tears and leading Tina inside.

    Linden was adeptly conversing with various individuals, managing his social connections effortlessly.

    From a distance, upon seeing Jared and Tina approach, he walked over with a ss in hand.

    "So, you''re Tina. I''ve heard so much about you from your aunt, and truly, the reputation is well-deserved. You look like a fairy," Linden greeted her with a smile. With such a polite introduction, Tina couldn''t very well respond coldly.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    "Mr. Shaw, I''ve long admired your reputation, and I''m d to finally meet you," Tina said with a smile, her face gentle, yet her eyes concealedyers of coldness. Linden seemed not to notice, pretending ignorance, "And this must be Mr. Farrell. Pleased to meet you."

    Linden extended his hand in a gesture of politeness, as if meeting Jared for the first time.

    Jared, reciprocating the gesture as if it were their first meeting, shook his hand, "Just call me Jared, Uncle."

    After a round of polite exchanges, the party officially began.

    There wasn''t much to do except eat and chat.

    Tina and Jared, not fond of bustling scenes, soon settled into a corner sofa.

    Soon after, Linden came over with a fruit tter, setting it on the table.

    "Since when did the Director also start moonlighting as a waiter?" Tina joked, her gaze fixed on Linden, like a dangerous poppy flower.

    Linden sat down casually, "Over the years, I''ve had my share of part-time jobs - waiter, courier, food delivery, meter reader, collecting electricity bills; I''ve been through quite a bit." Tina actually enjoyed Linden''s humor, the danger in her expression lessening as sheughed heartily.

    Jared picked a strawberry from the fruit tter and held it to Tina''s lips, "Strawberries are rare this season."

    "They''re still avable; my niece likes them, so I always make sure to find some," Linden pushed the fruit tter slightly towards Tina.

    Just a remark revealed how well Linden understood Tina, his expression seemingly revealing more than one might expect.

 Chapter 549: It Was Me Who Made That Call Back Then

    As the conversation reached this point, the topic naturally could not be taken lightly.

    "Chief Linden, no need to beat around the bush," Tina said as she bit into the flesh of a strawberry, which was indeed top-notch, its vor delightfully fresh and sweet.

    Linden sipped his wine, his gaze sweeping between Tina and Jared a few times.

    "Tina, how much do you know about my deputy here?" he asked.

    Tina turned to look at Jared, sizing him up, "Inside and out."

    Jared almost choked on the white wine in his ss.

    Why on earth had she jumped into this all of a sudden?

    Wasn''t this supposed to be a formal discussion?Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Linden was clearly taken aback, having not expected such a response from Tina.

    Tina hadn''t expected it either; it was just that seeing Jared''s serious and abstinent demeanor, she couldn''t help herself.

    The world of faces, outsiders wouldn''t understand.

    Linden paused, then smiled, "Since that''s the case, you surely understand his work. I wonder if you''d be interested in working with him?"

    Jared coughed a few times, looking up at Linden.

    Was he trying to recruit Tina into the X Bureau?

    Tina picked up another piece of strawberry and popped it into her mouth, the juice enveloping her taste buds, quite satisfying. "Chief Linden, are you sure you can afford me?" she asked.

    Tina''s words made Linden slightly ufortable. He forced a smile and looked at her, "Perhaps, the X Bureau has the budget."

    "Really? Do you know who I am?" Tina leaned back against the sofa, her face disying a unique allure.

    Linden''s smile froze, and he sat up straight, his gaze piercing through to Tina, word by word he said, "Spectre, that''s an identity the higher-ups are interested in, but I''m only interested in one thing." Tina did not reply, her eyes slightly downcast.

    "Natalie''s daughter."

    Hearing her mother''s name, a fierce glint shed through Tina''s eyes, and the nonchnce on her face vanished, reced by an inscrutable anger.

    "My mother and you, we are not exactly acquaintances," Tina said evenly, yet with an enigmatic undertone.

    As far as she knew, her mother''s best partner during her time at X Bureau was only Christopher.

    Her mother was a loner by nature, rarely making the effort to befriend others, so the only person she could call a friend was him.

    In her mother''s stories, Tina had never heard any other name but Christopher''s.

    Even Jared, her mother''s favorite apprentice, Tina had only met him briefly in her childhood and hardly remembered his name.

    This Linden, using her mother''s name to try and recruit her into the X Bureau?

    What a delusional thought.

    Linden put down his wine ss and said to Tina, "Indeed, I can''t say I was close to Everett; on the contrary, we were adversaries."

    This admission, tinged with a bit of Linden''s sincerity, actually made Tina more interested to hear more.

    nning your weekend reading? Ensure you''re on 000005s.org for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively avable on our site. Happy reading!

    "When Everett joined the team, we were opposed. She was a stubborn person, as am I. We often had disputes over various issues, the fiercest during a field exercise after joining the team. I, Everett, and Pigeon were grouped together, and we had to rescue a hostage."

    "But the circumstances at the time did not allow for the hostage to be extracted unharmed. I could only deploy a tranquilizer gun, but Everett wouldn''t allow it. She had to ensure the hostage was not harmed in any way. We argued, but in the end, Pigeon sided with her, and Iplied. Everett, risking her own injury, sessfully rescued the hostage."

    Tina had heard this story from Natalie before. Pigeon was Christopher. The main reason Natalie told Tina this story was to make sure that no matter the circumstances, she should never act in a way that harms herself significantly just to hurt the enemy. When Tina asked if getting hurt herself didn''t count as self-damage, Natalie exined that while it''s crucial to protect one''s own safety, between the safety of the hostage and oneself, a member of the X Bureau special forces must always choose the hostage.

    Tina, with only a half-understanding, responded to Natalie, "If I go to save someone, I will make sure not to get hurt myself. I will make the enemy willingly hand the person over to me-that''s the best method." Tina remembered Natalieughing happily after she had said this, her eyes filled with relief.

    Linden, rubbing his cheeks, recalled those days, "Back then, I was young and hotheaded, not understanding the significance of Everett''s actions. I always thought that if a special forces member can''t even ensure their own safety, what do they have to protect the public and the nation?"

    "Later, when I went undercover myself, I finally understood that your mother''s actions were exactly what a special forces member should embody."

    Tina still stared at Linden, "So, what does this have to do with me?" Linden lowered his head, then lifted it again, "Tina, I know your mother passed all her knowledge to you, so I hope you will join the X Bureau, carry on your mother''s legacy, and let me take good care of you on her behalf, to make up for my shorings."

    Tina raised an eyebrow. Shorings? "Thest phone call your mother received was from me," Linden said slowly after a pause. Tina was shocked for several seconds, and even Jared found it unbelievable. Natalie''sst call had been from Linden! Tina suddenly stood up, fiercely grabbing Linden''s cor, her eyes burning with rage that extinguished the odd looks around them.

    A security guard nearby thought to intervene, but Linden gestured for him to back off. Esther and her two children watched from a distance, terrified. They didn''t know the details of Linden''s work outside, but at the end of the day, he was still family, and they could only guess a little. Now, with Tina so angry, they knew it was not their ce to interfere.

    "Speak, what exactly did you say to my mom!" Tina clenched her teeth tightly, squeezing the words out through her teeth, her eyes nearly bursting with rage, like a lioness ready to pounce, as if she could snap the neck of her prey with one strong effort. Jared didn''t stop her; if Tina didn''t make a move, he probably would have.

    Linden sat calmly, looking back at Tina with a serene gaze, his lips curving into a smile, "I told your mother that all the operational data had been destroyed by headquarters, Kahleah had been sacrificed the day before yesterday, died dismembered. Natalie, Everett! Do you still want to keep hiding?" Linden used the same tone as back then-me, anger, reproach, none of which could truly exin his feelings at the time. Listening to this, Tina slowly released her grip.

 Chapter 550: Griffin and Shonnas Surprising Engagement

    Perhaps, when Natalie heard those words years ago, she already knew there were traitors within the headquarters! But why did her mother, fully aware of such a grim truth, choose the most useless and cowardly way to end it all? Could it be that Linden was still hiding details of the phone call?

    Tina sat back down on the sofa, staring at Linden''s face-which bore a striking resemnce to Arthur Woodwind-"I will not serve the X Bureau. You do not deserve it."

    A ce that harbored the killer of her own mother, a ce that had made no progress with GTO in ten years, could not contain her, Tina!

    Linden seemed to have anticipated Tina''s response and did not insist. He pulled out his business card from his pocket and ced it in front of Tina.

    "This has my number. If you change your mind, you can contact me anytime. Of course, if you need any help, feel free to ask. At the moment, I seem to have more authority than your fianc¨¦, and I could make things easier for you." After saying this, Linden straightened his jacket, which Tina had wrinkled, and stood up to leave.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Esther approached, looking worriedly at Linden.

    Linden ruffled her hair, "It''s just a minor issue, don''t worry."

    Esther nodded, "Then you go greet the guests, I''ll check on Tina."

    Linden did not stop her and returned to the social scene with a ss of wine.

    Esther walked over; Tina had alreadyposed herself, and the business card on the table had been put away without a trace left behind.

    "Tina, did your uncle say something wrong that upset you?" Esther asked cautiously.

    Tina shook her head, "Aunt, it''s nothing, just a minor issue. Where''s Damian? He texted me saying he needed to see me."

    Esther didn''t press further and pointed to Damian, who was talking with someone in the distance, "Over there, I''ll call him."

    "No need, I''ll go myself." Tina nced at the people around Damian and smiled slightly.

    "Uncle Woodham, if we could reach a cooperation, it would indeed be a splendid addition for both our families," Damian said, raising his ss to Janson.

    Tina left Jared aside and approached just in time to hear Damian''s words.

    What is the rtionship between the Woodham family and the Reed family?

    Tina walked over, and Janson noticed her first, quickly setting down his ss, "Miss, you''ve arrived."

    Damian turned, surprised, and smiled joyfully, "Tina, when did you get here?"

    "I arrived before you, was resting over there," Tina replied with a light smile.

    nning your weekend reading? Ensure you''re on 05s.org for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively avable on our site. Happy reading!

    "You''vee at the right time; I was just discussing a potential coboration with Uncle Woodham, but he mentioned we should consult you first."

    The three of them found a quiet ce to sit.

    Janson said, "Miss, regarding the project you entrusted to us, we''re thinking of moving it to Ashbury. Both of us are based there, which makes it convenient, and very few people in Ashbury know about this project, so there won''t be any interference."

    Tina nodded in agreement, now that she was also back in Ashbury, she could keep an eye on the development of bionic organisms that Janson and Ethan Ward were working on.

    "Are you considering partnering with the Reed family?" Tina asked.

    Janson nodded, "Yes, the Reed family has been seeking new business resources to ensure they can continue to thrive, and we also need a strong supporter. Since the Reed family are your... rtives, we thought of partnering with them." Although Tina was not a child of the Reed family, it was clear to discerning eyes that she still protected them. There were not many who could earn Tina''s protection, but those who did held a special ce in her heart. Thus, Janson''s im that the Reeds were Tina''s kin was not unwarranted.

    Damian added, "When Uncle Woodham first told me about this project, I thought it was a fantasy. But knowing you handed it to them, I was certain it could be done. Tina, do you think the Reed family is now capable of handling this project?" Tinaughed, "What do you think, cousin?"

    Damian took a deep breath and looked at Tina firmly, "I think the Reed family can handle it. Despite many challenges, they definitely have the confidence to take on this project."

    "In that case..." Tina raised her ss, "Here''s to a sessful partnership."

    Excitement shed in Damian''s eyes, and Janson''s anxious heart settled as they clinked sses with Tina.

    The partnership among the three families to develop defensive biotechnology was thus confirmed.

    Tina sipped her drink, then suddenly asked, "Cousin, do you know Mr. Woodham?"

    Janson smiled, "Miss, you might not know, but Shonna and Griffin are engaged to be married."

    Tina was startled. She had no idea! How small the world was-Shonna and Griffin were engaged! She recalled that Griffin and Shonna seemed to have no ovep. One was a race car driver, the other a goody-two-shoes, and yet they were betrothed!

    "Yes, it was arranged years ago when Shonna and Griffin were young and got along well, so it was agreed upon early. Later, when Shonna had an ident, Uncle Woodham intended to dissolve the engagement, but Griffin disagreed, saying it wasn''t right to break it just because she was in trouble. Now, Griffin has also had an ident," Damian sighed sadly, "Shonna, like Griffin before, refuses to end the engagement, insisting on waiting for Griffin to wake up. Tina, Uncle Woodham told me Shonna was once your student. If you have time, please talk to her, tell her not to waste her life."

    Griffin nowy in a hospital bed, his vegetative state uncertain in duration. It couldn''t be that a young girl''s life should be ruined over an agreement made by their elders. Shonna was now in college, where she could meet someone better; she must not be dyed because of Griffin.

    Janson sighed, "Shonna has her own ideas, and neither her mother nor I can persuade her. For now, let her wait; she can decide after finishing her studies. Damian, don''t feel burdened."

    Tina set down her ss and asked, "When I left, Griffin was already waking up. He would have been fine had he awakened, so how did it suddenly be so severe that he''s a vegetative?"

    "The exact details are unclear to me," Janson replied, "The doctor mentioned that there was a hematoma in the brain. Griffin hit his head after waking up, causing the hematoma to spread and affect his neural functions, leading to his current condition."

 Chapter 551: Master, Where Are You Exactly?

    Listening to Damian''s words, Tina felt her intelligence insulted. Did Griffin have a cerebral contusion? And it got scattered from an impact? How could she not know if there was a contusion! Tina drained her ss, "Give me the address of Griffin''s sanatorium. I''ll visit him once I''m free from this busy period; we can''t let Shonna be a widow."

    Damian looked at Tina, "Tina, I really hate to bother you further, making you travel so far..."

    "Cut the crap, give it to me." Tina was already getting angry. She had thought Griffin became vegetative due to some critical matter, only to find out it was because he had hit his head. And a contusion? The surgeries she had performed, how could there possibly be a contusion left in Griffin''s brain?

    Seeing that Tina was genuinely angry, Damian sent her the address of Griffin''s sanatorium, "Griffin''s condition is very stable now, and he''s well cared for; you can rest assured."

    "Okay, you guys carry on, I''m leaving." Tina felt tired, greeted them, and went to find Jared to head home together. Arthur Woodwind and Audrey apanied the two out.

    "My mom said she and my dad are entertaining guests, so they can''t see you off. She asked me to give you this, said you hadn''t eaten much tonight, go home and fill your stomach." Arthur Woodwind no longer called Tina ''Serena''. Thinking that since he had left Serenity Ridge, it was natural not to use that nickname anymore.

    Arthur handed Tina a bag of food meticulously prepared by Esther. "Thank my aunt for me," Tina took the bag. Arthur then handed her an invitation, "But boss, it looks like you owe a gift."

    Tina looked at the invitation curiously, "You''re getting married? Did you notify thepany? Who is the bride? Does thetest contract stipte you must remain single? If you make me lose a dime, I''ll twist your head off!" Arthur Woodwind, now the second biggest star of Horizon Entertainment besides Ember Saffron, his sudden marriage would indeed cause a stir. Tina didn''t oppose the marriage, but she wouldn''t lose money over it!

    Arthur felt a chill down his neck, "Boss, maybe look at it first." Audreyughed, "Exactly, even if my brother wanted to get married, there would have to be a willing bride."

    Tina opened the invitation and found it was actually a celebration for a new drama series breaking one billion views. The show had already premiered! "Ember Saffron and my sister walked the red carpet today, or else they''d have delivered this personally. They''re really putting their lives into promoting it, a lot of fans have fallen for the characters, boosting ourpany''s KPIs. Boss, you think you should give something?"

    Tina nodded, "A week from now, right? Okay, tell Juliet I''ll definitely be there." It was an opportunity to make money, of course she would go!

    On the way back, Tina sent Griffin''s address to Jayden. "Check his attending doctor and the medical condition." Jayden quickly responded, and Tina just turned off her phone. The events of the day had really dampened her spirits. It was the first day that started with strawberry cake, and it wasn''t so wonderful.

    Tina leaned her head against the car seat, turning to look at Jared. Under the dim light, Jared''s face was half-illuminated, half-shrouded in darkness.

    A halo cast its light on the tip of his nose, spreading along his delicate lips, as if draping his face with a thin veil shimmering with gold.

    His hands, pale and slender, turned the steering wheel-a simple motion, yet he executed it with ir.

    As the car signaled left, a beam of light shed from Jared''s side, revealing his godly profile, stunningly captivating.

    Tina leaned over, her hand gently tracing his finely chiseled jawline.

    Jared tilted his head, trapping Tina''s fingers on his shoulder before quickly letting go.

    "Stop it, I''m driving."

    Tinaughed, her fingers mischievously reaching for Jared''s ear, "Uncle, I''ve missed you so much."

    Jared mmed on the brakes and pulled over, taking several deep breaths before restarting the car.

    This girl was bing increasingly restless.

    At this rate, his master would rise from his grave in desperation.

    "Tina, stop it," Jared said, avoiding looking at her face, focusing solely on driving.

    Seeing this, Tina stopped teasing, withdrawing her hand and quietly watching Jared.

    Somehow, only when looking at Jared could Tina calm her heartpletely.

    Only by Jared''s side did she truly feel alive.

    Unaware, Tina closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

    Jared parked the car beneath the Reed family''s building. Seeing Tina asleep, he didn''t rush to wake her.

    He watched her in silence, just as she had done, feeling as if all the world''s beauty was encapsted in this moment.

    His fingers gently caressed Tina''s cheek, yfully pinching her puffed-up face from deep sleep.

    "Tired, aren''t you, Tina?" Jared murmured softly, so quietly only he could hear.

    After a while, he covered her with his jacket, got out of the car, and carefully carried her from the passenger seat, protecting her head as he brought her home. Jaredid Tina on the bed and was about to leave when the sleeping figure tightly grasped his wrist.

    "Uncle, stay with me."

    Tina half-opened her eyes, teary.

    Jared''s heart melted, softening into a pool of spring water, thawing the icy peaks.

    He sat by the bed, closed her eyes with his hand, and whispered, "Okay, I''ll stay with you."

    Tina fell asleep again, and Jaredy down, pulling the petite Tina into his arms.

    He softly sang a luby near her ear.

    This was what Natalie had taught him.

    Back when Tina was just three, Natalie had left her with Jared, warning, "Don''t think of calling me master until you''ve lulled my daughter to sleep." Young Tina wasn''t as calm as she was now, quite troublesome, nearly impossible to settle.

    He kept singing lubies until Tina fell asleep.

    At that time, Jared was only about twelve or thirteen. Later, he realized that Natalie was training his patience.

    To enter the X Bureau, patience was essential.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Some tasks couldn''t be rushed, some enemies had to be infiltrated slowly.

    Jared held Tina a little tighter, looking out the window at the moonlight filtering through.

    Master, where are you really?

 Chapter 552: The Parrot

    A weekter, they celebrated the billion-dor sess of their new series. Tina, the hidden owner of Horizon Entertainment, chose to attend the celebration behind the scenes. Generously, she handed out thirty million dors as a celebratory bonus for breaking the billion-dor mark.

    "Boss, this is a billion-dor breakthrough, and Horizon Entertainment, being the main investor, made a fortune. And you''re giving out just thirty million in bonuses?" Arthur Woodwind, holding a parrot he had sneaked out from the dojo, teasingly chided Tina.

    Tina, having not seen this silly bird for a while, actually missed it a bit and reached out to shake it. However, Arthur had fattened up the parrot considerably and it had grown quite haughty, deftly avoiding Tina''s hand. Tina raised an eyebrow, "The thirty million wille out of Arthur Woodwind''s bonus. Your foolish bird can wait to eat!"

    Upon hearing this, the parrot protested, "Stinky girl! Stinky girl!" These were the words the parrot used when it first met Tina, and when it saw Master Tam, it would call him "stinky old man." Hayden and a few others often plucked its feathers for this.

    Tina pped the parrot''s head, "You recognize me and still pretend you don''t see, you''re asking for it."

    "Boss, it''s not me who''s asking for it, you can''t deduct this from my bonus! I''ve already bragged to my mother, swearing off living expenses, if I lose the bonus, I''ll starve to death!" Arthur Woodwind pleaded desperately, but Tina, as if she didn''t hear, didn''t respond at all.

    Serves you right for your cheek.

    "Did you upset our boss again?" Juliet, dressed in the couple''s costume from the series along with Ember Saffron, walked over. The celebration was to be live-streamed, attracting many fans, especially the fervent followers of the series, who wouldn''t miss the leads appearing together.

    Arthur Woodwind indeed knew these two marketed with their lives, never missing any opportunity to be seen by fans.

    "Sis, please put in a good word for me, I don''t want my bonus deducted!" Arthur handed the parrot to Juliet, "If you help me, I''ll give you this little bird."

    Juliet rolled her eyes, "Keep your stupid bird, can''t you give it a better name?"

    Arthur Woodwind was terrible at naming; the parrot was called Little Bird, the border collie was Little Dog, the American Shorthair was Little Cat-simply naming animals exactly what they were, getting back to basics.

    Arthur then looked hopefully at Ember Saffron, who shrugged helplessly, "Brother, I''m powerless when ites to the boss."

    Juliet, deciding to ignore the situation, took Tina''s arm and walked off to chat. "Thepany has handed me a few scripts recently, I n to choose carefully. It''s been hard to make aeback, and after this series, Ember and I will split up, so I want to y a solo role next time. What do you think?"

    Tina never involved herself in her employees'' careers; as long as it made money, that was fine by her.

    Unfortunately, her boss''s eyes only saw money!

    "Whatever works, discuss it with your agent, as long as it brings in money, I support it," Tina blinked, not hiding her mercantile nature.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Just then, a shout came from afar.

    "Oh my God, it''s Mr. Farrell, he actually came too, and he donated fifty million, how handsome!"

    Tina looked over, this wasteful Uncle, always splurging.

    Although, half of this bonus money would end up in Tina''s pocket eventually.

    Still, it''s like taking wool from the sheep, tsk tsk, she needed to give a good lesson sometime.

    Just as Tina was about to rise and greet him, she heard Arthur Woodwind''s bird shrieking like mad, "Stinky old man, stinky old man!"

    Tina paused upon hearing this nickname.

    "Stinky old man" was the phrase the parrot would shout whenever it saw Master Tam.

    Master Tam had previously mentioned that this parrot was the most spirited, remembering scents so well that no matter how someone disguised themselves, they would be exposed in front of the parrot. Tina turned around and saw everyone curiously watching the parrot, except for one person who was heading in the opposite direction.

    Tina clenched her fist and said to Jared, who was approaching, "Catch him!"

    Jared, unaware of what had happened, hastened after hearing Tina.

    However, the parrot continued its incessant cries of "stinky old man."

    Arthur Woodwind, annoyed, pressed the parrot''s beak saying, "You silly bird, shut up. There are no old men here! It''s all dear sister Jared, don''t offend anyone."

    The parrot, far from obedient, shouted even louder, "Stinky old man! Stinky old man!"

    Meanwhile, Jared had caught someone, but it was just a crew member. Then, more people dressed like the crew member started dispersing in all directions.

    Jared took off his coat, saying, "I''ll bring the person back to you."

    Tina stopped him, "No need, we have the bird."

    "Huh?" Jared nced at the parrot in Arthur Woodwind''s hands.

    Tina smiled and nodded, "Yes, it!"

    Tina walked over to Arthur Woodwind, grabbed the parrot by the neck, and whispered something to it.

    The parrot then flew directly into the crowd, startling everyone as they dodged.

    The well-fed parrot, raised by Arthur Woodwind, pped its wings vigorously, its feathers fluttering down.

    Arthur Woodwind, slightly embarrassed, was aware of the live cameras. It was obvious, the top trending news would soon be-Arthur Woodwind''s bird freaks out and attacks guests at the event! "Boss, what did you say to this stupid bird? Why did it suddenly go crazy?" Arthur Woodwind, having raised it for many years, had never seen the bird act like this.

    Tina sat calmly on the sofa, holding a ss of wine, "You don''t need to worry about it."

    Hearing this, Arthur Woodwind could do nothing but stand by and watch the excitement.

    Then, the parrot swiftly targeted one individual in the crowd, moving as fast as a cat upon seeing a mouse, andnded squarely on the person''s head.

    It pecked vigorously at the man''s head while loudly shouting, "Stinky old man! Stinky old man!"

    The man, who had been dignifiedly watching themotion with a ss in hand, now frantically tried to dodge.

    Tina watched his movements, recognizing the unique mincing steps taught only by Master Tam.

    Among many, she was the only one who had learned it.

    Yet, she had never used it before, as these steps were designed for escaping fights by Master Tam back in his days. Tina had never had to run away.

    "Uncle, bring him to me," Tina said, twisting her wrist with a sh of cold intent in her eyes.

 Chapter 553: Discussing Tinas Acting Skills

    Without a word, Jared stepped forward and pulled over the man who was being pecked by a little bird. The man, unable to refuse Jared due to the bird''s actions, let himself be led to the lounge. "You old fart! You old fart!"

    As they approached Tina, the bird finally ceased pecking and perched proudly atop the man''s head, looking down at Tina with a smug satisfaction.

    The little head was raised in pride, as if to say: Praise me, praise me.

    Furious, the man grabbed the bird from his head and hissed angrily while clutching its neck, "You stupid bird, I should have wrung your neck back then, you heartless creature, why have you betrayed me again!" The bird pped its wings a few times and escaped from the man''s grasp,nding on Arthur''s shoulder.

    "Chicken breast, chicken breast!"

    Chicken breast was the bird''s favorite food, and Arthur had stocked up on it at home, filling half the refrigerator with the bird''s preferred chicken breasts.

    The man punched his fist into his hand and growled, "It''s because of the chicken breast again, Arthur, couldn''t you have fed it something better over the years!"

    The ungrateful stupid bird had betrayed him for some pieces of chicken breast, just like that wretched girl!

    Still bewildered, Arthur asked, "Sir, do we know each other?"

    Without hesitation, Jared stepped up and ripped off the man''s fake face.

    Upon seeing the man''s true face, Arthur nearly copsed to the ground.

    This man was Master Tam, the very creditor Tina had been chasing!

    "Holy crap! Master! It''s you?"

    Although Arthur was only a peripheral disciple and had left after a few days, he still addressed him respectfully as Master.

    Master Tam, taken aback by Jared''s sudden action, quickly covered his face with his elbow, shouting, "You''ve got the wrong person, you''ve mistaken me for someone else!" Tina ground her teeth furiously, "Master! Put your hand down!"

    Everyone present, including Jared and Master Tam, was startled.

    Those familiar with Tina knew she was truly angry.

    Seeing his little disciple angered, Master Tam quickly put on an ingratiating smile and looked at Tina, "You silly girl, it was just a joke from your master, why are you upset?"

    "A joke! You faked your death for so long, and you tell me it was a joke!" Tina stood up, her eyes welling with tears as she faced Master Tam.

    Master Tam, who adored Tina, felt uneasy seeing her cry and quickly approached to console her, "Look at you, shedding tears like golden beans, your master is fine, don''t cry, let me show you, this stupid bird pecked me, it really hurts." Tina sobbed, stood up to check Master Tam''s head, but then suddenly burst into heavy sobs.

    "You lied to me again, you weren''t hurt at all!"

    Master Tam became flustered, pulling out tissues and wiping tears while apologizing, "Master was wrong, master was wrong, oh dear, howe you''ve be so tearful after not seeing each other for a while, please don''t cry, listen to me." Arthur was so shocked he didn''t know what to say.

    Tina was crying, wailing loudly?

    Serena, known for her ruthlessness, was now in a flood of tears?

    Wasn''t this against her character?

    Jared, however, was gracefully seated on the couch, slowly pulling out a piece of paper, writing a few lines, and silently cing it in front of Tina. Master Tam, busy consoling his disciple, paid no attention to Jared''s actions.

    Unexpectedly, Tina, who had been crying profusely, suddenly grabbed his hand, sliced his finger with her fingernail, and pressed it hard against the paper.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The speed was so fast that Master Tam couldn''t even react. Tina, who had stopped crying by then, kissed the paper she held and casually wiped away the few tears that had squeezed out. "Master, you owe me this. Remember to pay me back!" Master Tam was momentarily stunned, taking a closer look. It was a promissory note for eighty million dors! "You... I don''t know you! You''ve conspired with outsiders to swindle your master''s money!"

    Tina put away the promissory note, her face showing no trace of wanting to cry; instead, she wore a sly, triumphant smile. "Master, you''re in the wrong here. Uncle is my fianc¨¦, how can he be an outsider? Besides, you''ve owed me a thousand dors for so many years, shouldn''t there be some interest?"

    Master Tam pointed at Tina repeatedly, incredulous. "A thousand dors, just a thousand dors and you''ve held it against me for so long! And with interest, the interest has multiplied so much, oh my, are you running a usury business?!"

    If you''re loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! "Oh heavens, why haven''t you taken me yet, allowing her to treat me so! How miserable is my life!"

    Unmoved, Tina even found time to pour Master Tam a ss of water to ease his dry throat from shouting. Jared watched from the side, seeing in this moment a reflection of his own grandfather. Are all the elders now ying the role of mischievous old men?

    "You dare conspire with this wretched girl to cheat me of my money, you will never enter my house again! I will not approve of your marriage!" Master Tam suddenly turned to Jared, berating him loudly.

    Jared was momentarily stunned but quicklyposed himself. He gently pushed Master Tam''s hand down, smiling, "Eighty million, I''ll cover it for the master."

    "My good son-inw, I knew I was not mistaken about you. Look at this face, a truly distinguished man among thousands, a real gem! If this wretched girl ever bullies you, just tell your master, I will support you!" Master Tam''s quick change of face could have earned apuse from Arthur, even with his experience in the performing arts.

    It seemed his time spent in the mountains wasn''t wasted at all; he had mastered the art of acting. From his master down to Tina, all were actors of the highest caliber.

    Jared smiled at Master Tam, finally understanding where Tina''s mercenary nature came from. Tina waved at Arthur, "Go tell Juliet I had to leave early for something."

    Arthur understood that Tina had something to discuss alone with her master. No longer considering himself a disciple of Serenity Ridge, he found it inappropriate to stay. Carrying a bag filled with thoughts of chicken breast, Arthur left, thoughtfully closing the door to the rest area tightly behind him.

    Now only Tina, Jared, and Master Tam remained in the room. Tina''s expression grew serious, "Master, don''t you think you owe us brothers an exnation?"

    The year Master Tam had suddenly and supposedly died, his brothers had wept as if their own lives were ending. Tina, though not as devastated as her nine brothers, had cried too. It was onlyter, upon discovering that someone had tampered with Master Tam''s grave and the coffin inside was empty, that she doubted his death.

    "Ah, there''s a reason for everything," Master Tam said, sipping his tea; his throat was indeed dry after all the shouting. "What exactly is the cause that necessitated your faked death? If you don''t make things clear, that eighty million might just turn into eighty billion, believe it or not."

 Chapter 554: You Must Live with Me

    Tina looked at Master Tam; to say she held no resentment would be a lie. The death of her master had always been a sore spot for Tina, as she felt it was her inadequate medical skills that failed to save him. For a long time, Tina had been mired in self-doubt, ming herself for her master''s death. Besides Natalie, her master was the most important person to her, and his death had dealt her a significant blow.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Master Tam immediatelypromised, thinking that eighty million dors was already a lot; if it turned into eighty billion, wouldn''t that truly be the end of him? "Girl, I was being hunted and had no choice but to fake my death to escape. I didn''t want to drag you all into this, so I resorted to thisst resort," Master Tam said as he rolled up his sleeve. A long scar was visible on his right arm. The scar was ck around the edges and extremely deep, as deep as half a coin. Such a scar was clearly inflicted by a special kind of de, and the de was poisoned!

    A sh of surprise crossed Tina''s eyes as she quickly took Master Tam''s hand, looking at the scar with distress, "You were poisoned, why didn''t you ever tell me! Do you... do you have someone by your side who can cure this poison?" After examining the scar closely, Tina noticed that though it was gruesome, it was healing, and the ckness was residual poison that was no longer life-threatening.

    Master Tam withdrew his arm and nodded, "Yes, there''s a master friend of mine, I''ll introduce you when the timees."

    Tina furrowed her brows. She was a medical genius, known as Spectre. But she knew that this poison was beyond her ability to cure. Were there really people in this country with medical skills superior to hers? It wasn''t that Tina thought herself the best in the world, but such a skilled person was someone she had never heard of before. It was truly strange.

    Over the years, as far as she knew, her master had no friends. The only person her master had ever called a friend was her mother. Even before her mother died, she had never met the master, which indicated that even if he had many friends in the past, he chose not to keep any connections with them.

    Her master, who would boast about an exceptionally intelligent bird for half a month, how could he keep such a skilled friend a secret?

    Master Tam, noticing Tina''s scrutinizing gaze, picked up his teacup and took a sip, "You little rascal, why are you staring at me like that?"

    Tina snatched the teacup from Master Tam''s hands and asked, "Who exactly is this master friend of yours? And who are the people hunting you down, forcing you to fake your own death? There can''t be many in this world who could push you to such an extent."

    Master Tam smacked his lips, "Look at you, still so impatient. Listen to me, I''ll exin slowly."

    Taking a deep breath, Master Tam continued, "The people hunting me, you might have heard of them, are from the hidden families."

    Tina and Jared were both startled, "People from the hidden families?"

    As far as they knew, aside from the White and Brookes families, there were no others.

    "Master, is it the White family or the Brookes family hunting you?" Tina asked.

    Master Tam waved his hand dismissively, "Neither, the hidden families are numerous, but only the White and Brookes families are known today. My feud isn''t rted to those two, so don''t worry about it. Especially the Brookes family, they''re quite nice. Don''t resist them; get along well."

    Tina narrowed her eyes, "You''ve really been by my side all along!"

    Master Tam, realizing he had slipped up, quickly changed the subject, "Girl, you mustn''t tell anyone you''ve seen me. Though the people after me aren''t from the White or Brookes families, they are still hidden families, and theymunicate with each other. If they find out, all my efforts to hide will have been in vain."

    "I know," Tina exhaled slowly, her mind filling with even more doubts about the hidden families.

    Hayden had mentioned that the hidden families were extremely secretive; one family that crossed them had vanished overnight.

    Yet, looking at the Brookes and White families, they didn''t seem like the type topletely annihte others.

    Could it be that there are different factions within the hidden families?

    Who exactly was after Master Tam?

    But what Tina really wanted to ask about was the mysterious expert who had been treating Master Tam''s injuries.

    Master Tam nced at Tina, seeing the suspicion on her face and kept dodging her questions, fearful she would continue to probe.

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    But how could Tina let it go so easily? She mmed a promissory note down on the table, "Tell me, who is treating your injuries?"

    "You impudent girl, I told you I''d introduce him when the time is right. Stop asking; you''ll be told when you need to know." Master Tam took another sip of water, trying to mask his unease.

    Tina grabbed the teacup to prevent Master Tam from drinking more, "Fine, don''t tell me. Where are you living now? I''ll move in with you."

    "That''s not appropriate; you''re grown up, and it''s not proper for us to live together," Master Tam said, waving his hands in refusal.

    Tina''s eyes narrowed slightly; it seemed the mysterious expert was living with Master Tam.

    "You''re getting old, I need to take care of you. If your house doesn''t have enough room, I have plenty of space. You can move in with me," Tina insisted, gripping Master Tam''s wrist, her bright eyes locking onto his. Master Tam struggled to free his arm, "Go live with your fianc¨¦; I''m not moving in."

    "No way, you must move in, or Uncle''s promise of the $80 million doesn''t count!" Master Tam looked at Jared, who simply shrugged, "In our house, Tina makes the rules."

    "You wretch, how can you be so henpecked as a man!" Master Tam scolded Jared, who seemed pleased with himself.

    This is an honorable title, being henpecked.

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    Unable to resist Tina, Master Tam finally agreed, "Alright, alright, I''ll move in with you. But I can''t stay at Hugo''s. It wouldn''t be right; he''s not your real father."

    Tina raised an eyebrow, "You know my real father?"

    "Who knows that guy, I don''t, I don''t. Are we going now? Old folks need to rest early to avoid osteoporosis."

    Tina stood up, "Let''s go, right now."

    After leaving the lounge, Jared led them directly to a vacant vi owned by the Farrell family.

    Master Tam nodded in approval, "Hmm, which one is my room?"

    Jared opened a south-facing room, "This one, do you like it?"

    Master Tam walked around and inspected it, "I like it, I like it. Eh? It''s a suite?"

    Jared smiled, "I''m staying with you."

    Master Tam clicked his tongue, "What do you mean you''re staying with me? I want to change rooms!"

    Saying this, Master Tam walked out and opened another room door.

 Chapter 555: All Eight Brothers Arrive, Master, Dont Think of Escaping

    As soon as the door opened, there sat Dexter on the sofa, contract in hand and headphones over his ears, smiling warmly at Master Tam. "Master, long time no see." Master Tam mmed the door shut, then quickly opened another bedroom door. To his surprise, Philip was there, fiddling with a fruit knife, grinning, "Hi Master, missed me?"

    By now, Master Tam grasped the situation. Standing at the door, he took several deep breaths and yelled, "You ungrateful wretches, all of you get out here!" One by one, the doors opened, and all his disciples, except for Hayden, stood before him, smiles on their faces, yet their eyes full of schemes.

    James, furious, demanded, "Do you know how much I spent on your funeral? Pay me back!" Dexter, confused, added, "Master, why pretend to be dead? You''re breaking our hearts." Wesley, raising his fists, shouted, "I threw away so much stuff to rush back for the mourning, nearly died on the road!" Damian, counting on his fingers sinisterly, said, "I almost blew up in theb trying to investigate your cause of death, and here you are, living carefree!"

    Tristan, clenching his teeth, followed up, "Is faking your death fun? Do you know how long it took us to move on from your death?" Liam, frowning, pointed outside to a tied-up wolfdog, "Master, you owe us an exnation." Philip, clenching his fists threateningly, said, "If you don''t rify things, I''ll let the dog destroy all the seedlings at Serenity Ridge."

    Gavin, hearing about the seedlings, grew even more enraged, "Speaking of seedlings, I''m even angrier. I nted them under the scorching sun at 34 degrees!" The eight disciples, like debt collectors, cornered Master Tam, whose head spun with the unexpected reunion. Fortunately, Hayden was not there; his wailing would have driven Master Tam to wish for death!

    Meanwhile, Tina was happily seated downstairs, savoring red wine and watching the drama unfold. She wasn''t foolish; Master Tam had agreed too readily to stay with her, surely nning an escape. With just her and Jared watching, it was challenging, but with so many disciples now, they might manage to keep him in sight.

    Jared quietly came down and sat next to Tina,ying a hand on her shoulder. Unbeknownst to them, the eight brothers upstairs, as if having eyes on their backs, red at Jared, "Take your hand off her!" Master Tam, raising his fist, cheered, "Yes, good children, go take your Tina back!"

    "Master, you better start exining yourself first," they retorted.

    Master Tam''s raised fist sank once more. Jared''s hand not only remained on Tina''s shoulder but even tightened its grip slightly. "Where''s your family member Hayden?" Jared asked. Tina, leaning on Jared''s shoulder, replied solemnly, "He said Linden was looking for him." Jared furrowed his brows slightly, recalling the mission Linden mentioned before. Today''s events with Master Tam made Jared suspect the waters run deep with the hidden families. Now, with Linden sending Hayden to get close to the hidden families, what was his true intent?

    Tina put down her wine ss, yawned, and said, "Tonight, you guys keep a close watch on Master. I''m going to sleep first." "Okay, I promise toplete the mission," Jared said, ruffling Tina''s hair and, unable to resist, he kissed her lips again. "Jared, keep your lips to yourself!" eight brothers shouted in unison from downstairs.

    Jared shrugged, "Be careful, guys, the master is about to escape."

    Master Tam had only walked two meters when Jared''s words exposed his attempt to flee, prompting the eight brothers to chase after him immediately.

    They shouted, demanding an exnation from Master Tam.

    Master Tam, despondently covering his ears,mented the consequences of his youthful actions. "Why did I take on so many disciples?" Especially Tina! That mischievous girl had brought all her brothers here-purely to torment him! It was so annoying.

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    He couldn''t even poison his own disciples-truly frustrating!

    The eight brothers surrounded Master Tam, nagging him until well past midnight. They started by demanding debt repayments and exnations, then shared their hardships over the years, and finally insisted that Master Tam quickly drive Jared away from Tina, or they would never forgive him.

    Eventually, tired and cried out, they copsed onto the beds in various positions, each grabbing a part of Master Tam''s clothing and falling into a deep sleep. Unnoticed, a faint exotic fragrance lingered in the air, deepening their slumber.

    Late at night, Jared suddenly opened his eyes and covered his mouth and nose. Being a light sleeper, he became alert as soon as he sensed something odd.

    He moved silently to Tina''s room and saw she was sound asleep. "Tina, wake up," he shook her, but she was unresponsive.

    Jared frowned, checked her breathing, which was steady-she was just asleep and not in any danger.

    Reassured, he quietly went to check on Master Tam and the eight brothers. Opening the door, he found them sprawled on the beds and couches, sleeping like logs, and even therge guard dog outside was sleeping belly up.

    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! Looking around, he noticed Master Tam''s figure was missing!

    At that moment, a noise came from a window downstairs. Jared swiftly vaulted over the railing,nding smoothly on the ground floor.

    As expected, the tightly locked window was now wide open, and the high-security system had been maliciously disabled. This was a top-tier security system, difficult to breach. Master Tam really had some tricks up his sleeve.

    Jared picked up a coat from the couch; it was chilly in the deep night. After putting it on, he calmly followed the trail outside.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Just as he stepped out, he saw Master Tam standing on the garden wall, waving at him. "Kid, you need a few more years of practice to catch me," Master Tam taunted before leaping down.

    Jared immediately chased after him, but his foot unexpectedly sank into arge pit. Luckily, with quick reflexes, he jumped out using the momentum of his other leg.

    However, just as hended, he felt a tingling sensation at his toes-it was a high-voltage wire! Jared was furious.

    Was Master Tam ying him to death with bombs and traps the first and second times?

 Chapter 556: Congratulations on Passing the Second Level

    Jared casually plucked a branch and flicked away the wire. Luckily, this was in the garden, otherwise he might have gotten an electric shock. But how could Master Tam''s test end so easily? Before Jared could throw the branch away, a snake hissing with its tongue shot towards him along the branch. At this, Jared truly became enraged. He grabbed the snake and mmed it to the ground. With the impact, Jared sensed something was off. Why was the snake so light? He furrowed his brows, turned his head to look back at the pit he had passed and the wire he had flung aside.

    Deciding to ignore whatever he might touch next, he closed his eyes. Thirty secondster, Jared felt the garden''s fence. With a strong kick, the fence fell over. Only then did he open his eyes again, turning back to see neither pit nor snake, but rather a projector''s image! Master Tam had the high-end projector that Natalie had once developed! Jared''s gaze tightened, his suspicions deepening, though he had no evidence yet.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Exiting through the garden fence, he moved towards the vi''s main gate. Master Tam had long since disappeared. Jared sighed; when Tina woke up, she would be furious. He needed to think of a way to appease her. Just as he was about to head back, he heard a loud noise behind him. Turning around, it was Tina!

    "Tina, you''re awake." Jared ran over excitedly. With Tina awake, it was those eight who couldn''t wake up who would be scolded. Tina nodded, "Such a small trick and they thought they could deceive me. Did you catch up to him?" "No, Master ran too fast, I couldn''t catch him."

    "That old man, if I catch him again, he''ll owe me eight hundred billion dors!" Tina said bitterly, then looped her arm through Jared''s, "Uncle, let''s go back."

    Jared looked Tina up and down, "Alright." They then returned the way they came. Once inside, Tina sank into the sofa, half her body buried. "All this trouble and I can''t sleep. Uncle, let''s have a drink."

    Jared, standing in front, his gaze steady, replied, "Alright." Tina picked Jared''s favorite drink from the liquor cab, poured it into a ss, her eyes yfully watching Jared who hadn''t yet sat down. She extended her right leg, hooking Jared''s, her lips glistening with the wine''s red sheen under the dim light.

    "Uncle, do you want me to sit in yourp as we drink?"

    Jared adjusted his tie, revealing his appealing Adam''s apple, crisply rolling up his cuffs, he said in a deep voice, "Or, maybe lie down to drink?"

    Tina blinked, but in the next second, Jared kicked her leg aside, his elbow heavily striking her shoulder de. The ss fell to the floor, and Jared forcefully pinned Tina beneath him. There was no flirtation, only threat and vignce. "Speak, who are you really!" Tina blinked, her eyes quickly dulling, losing their original luster. Like a light suddenly turned off. Jared was stunned as he lifted the person beneath him only to discover-this was a robot! Jared was immensely shocked. How could there be a robot that looked so much like a real person, even mimicking the tone of voice so perfectly?

    At that moment, the robot''s mouth opened, and a scroll fell out-congrattions, you have passed the second level, here is your gift. Jared clenched the scroll in his palm, momentarily speechless.

    Was this also a test left by Master Tam?

    Could it be a test of his resistance to seduction?

    But this was Tina, and naturally, he was drawn to her beauty. If even Tina couldn''t evoke a primal urge in him, what would that say?

    Jared carried the fake Tina into Tina''s bedroom, only to find her still deeply asleep.

    The sleeping potion from Master Tam was indeed potent enough to affect even Tina.

    It seemed he had not been affected, thanks to this so-called test.

    Jared simply sat in Tina''s room, leaning against the fake Tina and fell asleep for a while.

    Somewhere in the Ashbury estate, Master Tamy on a lounge chair, his sleeves rolled up, allowing a man beside him to apply ointment to his hands.

    "This kid is not bad, good eyesight and strong will, seems he realized even before entering the room that number one was not Tina," Master Tam said, nodding in approval, very satisfied with Jared''s passage of the second level. It was time to think about the third level.

    The man curved his lips in a silent smile, evidently fully aware ofst night''s events.

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    Master Tam nced at a nearby room disying a bionic robot still without facial features, "Aren''t you worried about sending this thing out, afraid the impudent girl might find out?"

    The man shook his head, "She''s already prepared in her mind. It''s better to send this thing out early than let her be deceivedter."

    "That''s true, our girl is not foolish, justcking evidence," Master Tam said with a proudugh, "But you''ll need to prepare eighty million; if I run off, the impudent girl definitely won''t let Jared pay me." "Alright," the man wrapped up Master Tam''s arm, "Medical fees are a hundred million, remember to transfer the money."

    After speaking, the man picked up his medical kit and left.

    Master Tam scoffed, "True to the family!"

    The next morning, Tina slowly sat up in bed.

    She rubbed her forehead; had she slept too deeplyst night?

    Looking up, she saw Jared lying on her thigh.

    Tina, "..."

    Where did this second ''her''e from?

    Had she had an out-of-body experience?

    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! After a moment of confusion, she realized it was a robot.

    Tina jumped out of bed and tapped the robot''s head.

    The craftsmanship was identical to the real thing.

    Awakened by the noise, Jared asked, "Awake? Got a headache?"

    "No, where did this thinge from? Did the old man run away?" Seeing the fake, Tina had already guessed much of what had happenedst night.

    "Yes, he even set up a second level test for me, though I''m not sure what the test was."

    Jared recounted the previous night''s events, patting Tina on the shoulder, "This thing, it must be bionic biotechnology."

    Tina nodded, quickly dismantling the robot and looking at the 5000-volt current hidden inside, said, "Yes, if you had been fooledst night, you probably wouldn''t have been able to be a man for the rest of your life." Jared''s abdomen involuntarily tightened.

    Master Tam really was ruthless!

    Tina called Janson. The bionic robot left by Master Tam was more precise and advanced than those found in the Hancock and Lyon families, suitable for significant research and improvement.

 Chapter 557: Trouble for Grandpa Brookes

    After the phone call, Tina headed to Master Tam''s room and kicked awake the eight brothers who were sleeping like logs. James was the first to stir, drowsily tugging at Dexter beside him, "Get up quick, we still need to settle ounts with Master."

    One by one, the eight of them got up, looked around, and quieted down for a few seconds...

    "Where''s Master?"

    Tina casually grabbed a magazine from the table and smacked each of them on the head. "By the time you notice, Master has already vanished without a trace!" James rubbed his head and pointed at Jared, "Serena, why don''t you hit him?"

    Tina immediately rewarded him with another smack, "He''s my man, can youpare with that?"

    Jared looked at them smugly, his expression practically asking for a beating.

    What could they do? After all, he was Tina''s man!

    The brothers collectively thought: Do you know the sound of a heart breaking? If you don''t, let us tell you, it echoes-can youpare with that?

    After a round of scolding, Tina pointed to the garden outside, "Go fix the fence for me and frog jump around the vi ten times. No dinner until you''re done!" "Serena, can we make it fiveps?" Gavin looked at Tina with puppy eyes.

    Tina nced sideways, "You, fifteenps!"

    Hearing that, the other brothers ran off like smoke-fifteenps was no joke!

    Tina sighed deeply, "What''s the use of having so many brothers if you can''t even keep an eye on an old man."

    Jared took Tina''s hand, "Let''s go. Since Master has already shown himself, he won''t hide anymore. We''ll have plenty of timeter."

    "Right."

    Halfway there, Jared turned his head to look at Tina and pursed his lips, asking, "Didn''t you notice anything when Master drugged you yesterday?"

    At that, Tina lifted her eyes, a barely noticeable gleam shing through, "No."

    She truly hadn''t noticed.

    Jared raised an eyebrow, "Master Tam really lives up to his reputation."

    He hadn''t really looked into Master Tam''s skills.

    But to have taken in Tina and those eight disciples, his skills must be significant.

    Tina''s eyes narrowed slightly, calmly stating, "The person who drugged yesterday wasn''t him."

    Jared was taken aback, "You mean?"

    Tina''s lips curled slightly, a mysterious light shining in her enchanting eyes, "If there''s someone in this world who can drug me unconscious, there wouldn''t be a second person capable of that." It wasn''t arrogance; it was confidence!

    In the realm of medicine, she might not be the best, but she was certainly notcking!

    Especially with poisons!

    Just as they got into the car, Jack''s call came through.

    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away!

    Tina was a bit puzzled; Jack had never contacted her early in the morning before. Had something happened?

    She paused for a moment, then answered the call, "Uncle."

    "Tina, are you busy? Can youe to my house? My dad-he''s had an ident!"

    A shock ran through Tina, a sense of panic rising within her that she had never felt before, "Okay, I''ll be right there!" Hanging up, Jared didn''t dare dy, stomping on the elerator and driving straight to the Brookes family manor.

    Tina rushed out of the car and hurried inside, where Jack and Scarlett were waiting to greet her.

    "What happened?" Tina asked in a low voice.

    Scarlett was already in tears, but Jack was rtivelyposed, "This morning, Dad was fine, walking Kiki and Mimi, but before we could even eat, he suddenly copsed without any apparent reason. The doctors are inside, but they can''t find any cause at all."

    Grandpa Brookes had old wounds that had troubled him before during his time in Clearwater. He had suffered a rpse there once, but had been stable since then. Previously, there were always signs before he fell ill, but this time he fainted without any warning.

    "What kind of injury did Grandpa suffer from before?" Tina asked as they walked.

    Jack bit his lip hard, deciding not to hide the truth anymore. "Your grandfather received news that someone had spotted Alina. But when he got there, all he found were several skeletons. The shock was too much for him; he fainted and ever since, his heart has been severely affected."

    Tina paused in her steps. This illness, indeed, came without any forewarning. She had a gut feeling that this illness was not as straightforward as it seemed.

    As they reached Grandpa Brookes'' bedroom, the family doctor was inside providing treatment. Tina recognized this person. It was the internationally renowned cardiac surgeon, Professor Amanda Quinn, whose research Tina had studied in school.

    Tina entered and asked, "Professor Quinn, how is he?"

    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! Professor Quinn looked up at Tina. "It''s not good. There''s something quite strange, though. His breathing is very steady, but his heartbeat is erratic, often even stopping abruptly. It''s really unusual." "I''ll take a look." Tina stepped forward and took hold of Grandpa Brookes'' pulse.

    Professor Quinn didn''t underestimate her due to her youth; instead, she stepped back to give Tina room.

    As Tina felt Grandpa Brookes'' pulse, her frown deepened. Just as Amanda Quinn had described, his pulse was barely perceptible, yet his breathing was unusually steady, as if he were simply asleep. This was impossible. Observing Grandpa Brookes''plexion, which was pale yet lustrous and had normal lip color, Tina wrote a prescription and handed it to Professor Quinn. "Professor Quinn, could you prepare this for me, please? Thank you." Scarlett moved forward to take it, but Professor Quinn waved her off. "I need to do this myself. Timing is critical, and even a second''s difference is not permissible. Youngdy, you really are impressive." Receiving praise from Amanda Quinn was a rare honor worldwide.

    Tina nodded in acknowledgment. She then took out the gold needles she always carried with her and sealed Grandpa Brookes'' senses. The acupuncture points she was about to target would cause immense pain. Tina did not want to proceed this way, but she had no choice; Grandpa Brookes'' symptoms were too peculiar, and risky measures were necessary.

    One by one, as Tina inserted the needles, Grandpa Brookes'' breathing becamebored, and he appeared to be in pain.

    Scarlett looked worried. Jack held her hand and silently shook his head. "Tina is a Spectre. She has her reasons for doing this," he exined.

    Tina''s identity as a Spectre had already been disclosed in the Lyon family, discovered by Jack, which was no surprise.

    Meanwhile, as Tina was about to administer the final needle, she was suddenly propelled back by a strong force.

    Jared caught her, concerned by her suddenly pale face. "You look unwell; what happened?"

    Tina took a moment to catch her breath and steadied herself. Her gaze was icy as she stared intently at Grandpa Brookes and said firmly, "I also want to know exactly what is happening!"C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

 Chapter 558: Time to Emerge

    Tina steadied herself and gently pushed Jared''s hand away. She approached Grandpa Brookes once again, listening to his somewhat anxious breathing, her expression growing increasingly solemn. Tina paused, then raised the needle in her hand and thrust it towards Grandpa Brookes'' acupoint.

    Bang!

    Tina was suddenly flung backward, her speed so great that even Jared couldn''t catch her in time; he only managed to grab her hand.

    "Tina!" Jared knelt on the ground, lifting the fallen Tina into his arms, allowing her to lean against his legs.

    Tina suddenly coughed up a mouthful of ck blood, herplexion turning deathly pale instantly.

    Jack hurried forward, pressing down forcefully on the pressure point in Tina''s hand.

    "Tina, are you feeling better?" Jack asked worriedly.

    Tina nodded, supported herself using Jared''s hand, and stood up, disbelief shing in her eyes. She was unable to perform the acupuncture? Why was this happening?

    What on earth was hidden inside Grandpa Brookes?

    "I''ll try again." Tina refused to believe it, confident in her skills, she was determined to seed this time.

    Jared, Jack, and Scarlett all tried to stop her, deeply concerned for Tina''s safety, "Tina, don''t try again."

    "Indeed, Tina, I''ll find a solution. If it happens again, your meridians could shatter."

    "Tina, sit down and rest, drink this. It will help regte your meridians," Scarlett said, handing over a cup filled with blue liquid.

    Tina took the cup, knowing it was a specially brewed blue tea, rare in the world. She tilted her head back and drank it. "Don''t worry, I will take care of myself. Grandpa is what matters."

    Saying this, Tina stepped forward again. Jack tried to stop her, but Jared extended his hand, shaking his head at Jack. "Let Tina decide, no one should interfere."

    As he spoke, Jared stood behind Tina, his arms open in a protective stance. If Tina were to be thrown back again, he would be there to lessen the impact.

    Tina focused intently on the final acupoint, channeling all her internal energy into the golden needle at her fingertips and stabbed down fiercely.

    An invisible barrier blocked the needle in Tina''s hand; despite exerting all her strength, she still couldn''t perform the acupuncture.

    Seeing this, Jack ced his hand on Tina''s wrist, adding his strength to hers. The barrier seemed to grow stronger against theirbined force. Sweat beaded on Tina''s forehead, and even Jack began to falter. Tina exhaled deeply, releasing all her tension.

    Another loud bang.

    Both Tina and Jack were thrown backward, Jack kneeling on the ground, his hand on Tina''s wrist throbbing with excruciating pain, as if thousands of needles were stabbing into it.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Tina, like before, was propelled forward, but thankfully Jared was there to catch her, and the effects of the blue tea helped prevent her meridians from shattering.

    She almost passed out.

    The golden needle in her hand broke into several pieces, falling to the ground.

    Even Jared, who had shared the shock, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, feeling as if his internal organs had shifted.

    Scarlett helped them up, each drinking a cup of blue tea, which slightly alleviated their condition.

    "What''s happening? What went wrong? Tina, are you alright?" Scarlett''s eyes were red with worry.

    As Grandpa Brookes'' breathing grew morebored and Tina and herpanions were in such a state, Scarlett felt helpless apart from crying.

    Tina knew Scarlett was anxious, she squeezed her hand, "I''m fine, I''ll heal my uncle''s hand soon, don''t worry. Could you brew another pot of blue tea? Grandpa might need itter." Scarlett nodded repeatedly, wiping away her tears, "Tina, don''t move anymore, I''ll go make some blue tea right now."

    Scarlett hurried to the kitchen, and the rxed expression on Tina''s face immediately vanished.

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    "How are you, uncle?" Tina asked.

    Jack held his right arm, "I can hold on, it''s nothing."

    "Uncle?"

    "All is well." Jared pressed his chest, easing his breathing.

    Tina wiped the sweat from her forehead, trying to stand but finding herselfpletely without strength, so she remained seated, taking out her phone to call Master Tam.

    Master Tam''s number hadn''t changed; now that his feigned death had been fully exposed, he no longer turned off his phone or ignored Tina''s calls.

    Master Tam quickly answered, his first words about dodging debt, "Girl, we agreed your fianc¨¦ would give me that 80 million, you can''t-"

    Tina coughed a few times, clutching the fresh blood in her palm, "I am with the Brookes family."

    Hearing Tina''sbored breathing, Master Tam stood up seriously, his tone more solemn, "What''s going on?"

    "My grandfather has fainted, but I can''t administer acupuncture to his heart, something is blocking me."

    Previously, Tina had encountered such situations, but had always resolved them easily; however, this time, even the golden needles were broken! This was the first time since Tina had mastered her medical skills that she encountered a situation where she couldn''t perform acupuncture. Master Tam looked at the man opposite him, "Alright, we''reing right away."

    After hanging up, Master Tam said to the man, "It seems you muste out of retirement."

    The man nodded; if Tina couldn''t handle it, he was the only choice.

    Ten minutester, Master Tam and the man arrived at the Brookes family''s vi.

    Tina, looking at the man following Master Tam, felt an inexplicable familiarity, though she had never seen him before.

    She clutched her chest, her eyes reddening.

    Why did her heart ache so?

    The man walked up to her, stuffed a pill into her mouth, and patted her neck with the palm of his hand, "Sit down, circte your energy for ten minutes." Tina had no questions; as soon as the pill entered her mouth, she knew this man was more formidable than herself.

    The man then nced at Jared and flicked his forehead as simply as flicking a finger.

    Jared felt a powerful force directly tighten inside him from his forehead, clearing all his meridians, more effective than drinking ten pots of blue tea. "Next time, don''t act tough."

    Jared pressed the tail of his eye.

    The reproachful tone, the indifferent action, and the familiar aura of this man-how could they be so familiar?

    The man then turned to look at Jack. Upon seeing him, his step slightly paused, then he approached and inserted a needle into Jack''s right arm. "After ten minutes, let... let the youngdy take it out for you, she knows what to do."

    Jack thanked him, "Sir, about my father..."

    "With me here, there''s no problem." The man smiled at Jack and carried his medical bag into the room.

    Master Tam stood at the door, "He doesn''t like to be watched while he works, please wait a moment."

 Chapter 559: Master Tams Friend

    Ten minutester, Tina opened her eyes. The difort around her heart had dissipated, and she rose to inspect Jack''s right hand. Seeing the spot where the needle had been inserted, Tina momentarily lost focus. "Girl, when did I ever teach you to be distracted while treating someone?" Master Tam chided, bringing Tina back to her senses. Clutching the needle, Tina twisted it gently at Jack''s acupoint before slowly removing it. She then fed Jack a healing pill, restoring his hand to normal.

    "Tina, I feel much better," Jack said, moving his hand and looking towards Master Tam. "Are you Tina''s master, Master Tam?" Master Tam nodded his head slightly, "Yes." Jack bowed in respect, "Forgive myck of hospitality, please rest a while. After the gentleman insidees out, I will express my thanks."C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    "We''re all family here, no need for formalities," Master Tam replied, taking a seat where Tina had been sitting, his eyes on the blue tea on the table.

    The Brookes family was indeed generous. This rare blue tea cost billions per piece, yet the Brookes family brewed it as casually as in water. Tina, seeing the look on Master Tam''s face, knew what he was thinking. She approached and lifted his arm, noticing that the wound there had healed significantly, easing her mind.

    Tina turned her head towards the firmly closed door of Grandpa Brookes'' bedroom. "The person who just came, is he the expert friend you mentioned?" she asked. Master Tam nodded, "Of course, my friend is quite handsome, more so than your fianc¨¦." Ignoring Master Tam''s frivolous demeanor, Tina continued, "Has he been to Serenity Ridge before?"

    "No, we are friends of old age, all met after my supposed death, which you haven''t seen," Master Tam exined with a wave of his hand.

    Across from them, Jack almost choked on his blue tea, staring at Master Tam in shock. "What do you mean by ''met after death''?" Tina, with a resigned touch to her forehead, exined, "Uncle, my master faked his death before and has only ''revived'' recently." Jack burst outughing, "Master, your life is indeed... colorful."

    "Ordinary, ordinary. It could be more carefree if this girl wasn''t so pressing," Master Tam waved dismissively, somewhat proudly.

    Jack set down his tea cup, "The gentleman who just entered, I also feel he seems familiar, can''t quite ce it though. Have we met before?" Both Tina and Jared were startled. Jack felt it too? Who could this man be? Master Tam secretly rubbed his fingers together, "My friend has amon face, the kind everyone finds familiar." Tina slowly said, "He couldn''t possibly be handsomer than my Uncle."

    "Hey girl, how did you be such a flirt?" Master Tam chuckled, "Sit properly, be careful or you''ll internalize these injuries."

    Tina touched her chest, "No worries, my injuries have all healed." Then, she turned her gaze back to the bedroom door, "Master, your friend''s medical skills are several times superior to mine." This statement surprised everyone. Tina was known as a Spectre, a legendary figure who could heal the dead and mend bones, how could anyone surpass her medical skills? Master Tam offered no further exnation, just a sheepish grin, "There are always people better than us. But don''t lose heart, girl. You''re only neen. By the time you''re his age, you''ll be the number one divine physician in the world."

    "I''m not discouraged, I''m just curious. Who is this person? I''ve never heard of him before. He never stood out, yet now you''ve encountered him?" Tina asked.

    "Isn''t that the case? You haven''t stood out in all these years either, yet you''ve be a part of Spectre!"

    Her words left Tina with no ground for rebuttal.

    Half an hourter, the bedroom door finally opened and a man emerged, his forehead covered with sweat and his shirt stained with traces of blood.

    Tina approached him, "Are you alright?"

    The man caught his breath, "I''m fine. Did you have someone prepare the medicine? Bring it here, let Grandpa Brookes drink it." Tina nced at her watch; it was about time.

    At that moment, Amanda Quinn came over with a bowl of medicine, a pot full of medicinal herbs reduced to just a small cup.

    The man fed the medicine to Grandpa Brookes. "He will wake up soon. I need to rest now."

    Just as Tina was about to support the man, Master Tam stepped forward first, "Here, your blue tea is ready. Drink up."

    Tina clenched her fist in the air but said nothing.

    The man sat down and took a sip of the blue tea on the table, finally catching his breath.

    "Mr. Brookes, your father''s old injury acted up. It''s now been alleviated. Remember, on rainy days, do not let him go outside."

    Jack nodded, "I haven''t had the chance to ask for your name."

    Hey there! Just a friendly reminder that if you''re not reading this book on nel5s.org, you might be missing out on theplete story. Head over there to dive into the next chapter-it''s all free!

    "Warren Pace."

    A flicker of surprise crossed Jack''s eyes.

    The name Pace was notmon in the country.

    And he happened to know someone with the same name.

    But that person had not been seen for many years, and this one...

    Thinking this, Jack dismissed the thought.

    The Pace he knew had no medical skills; this one did, so they couldn''t be the same person.

    Or could it be? Perhaps the other Pace had taken up medicine as a pastime, given his profound abilities.

    Jared also recognized the name.

    And he knew someone by the same name too, though not Warren Pace.

    That person was his idol.

    Aside from Natalie, the person he admired the most!

    Hey there! Just a friendly reminder that if you''re not reading this book on nel5s.org, you might be missing out on theplete story. Head over there to dive into the next chapter-it''s all free! But like Jack, he thought the same; that person had not appeared for a long time.

    Tina, however, had never heard the name. She had spent most of her earlier years in Serenity Ridge and hadn''t encountered anyone with that name aftering down from the mountains. But she was more concerned about something else.

    "Mr. Pace, why couldn''t I insert the needle earlier? What exactly is inside my grandfather''s body?" She was confident in her medical skills, but also epted her limitations.

    Since she did not know the reason she couldn''t use the needle, she naturally sought advice humbly.

    However, as she asked, Tina''s gaze remained fixed on Mr. Pace''s face.

    She was checking to see if Warren Pace had disguised himself.

    Unfortunately, she found no evidence of Warren Pace having altered his appearance.

    Even his facial bone structure showed no changes.

    Tina''s eyebrows, sharp like willow leaves, twisted ever so slightly. No disguise, no change in bone structure - why did she feel this man was so familiar?

    The closer she got, the stronger the sense of familiarity.

    "It''s hard to say what it is exactly, but I''ve found why you couldn''t insert the needle. It''s because you forced that thing into a corner, but it won''t vanish easily. The stronger the opposition, the stronger it resists. If you had withdrawn a single needle at that moment, letting it breathe, there would have been no issue," Warren Pace exined with a smile.

 Chapter 560: Grandpa Brookes Awakens

    Tina nodded thoughtfully, realizing that the entity within Grandpa Brookes was indeed conscious. Warren Pace set down his teacup and continued, "On rainy days, remember to visit your grandfather and monitor each pulse. Record everything and discern the patterns. If you want topletely rid him of this entity, it will take a considerable amount of time."

    "I understand, thank you for your guidance, sir," Tina replied, bowing slightly, though her eyes could not hide the swirling shadows within.

    Jared approached, holding his phone, "Mr. Pace, may I have your contact information in case there''s an issue with Grandpa Brookes, so we can reach you promptly?"

    "Not possible," Warren Pace tly refused, his demeanor as cold as it was when he first met Tina.

    Jared, undeterred, simply stated, "I just want to be able to contact you in case of an emergency."

    "Your fianc¨¦e is sufficient," Warren Pace pointed at Tina, a trace of approval in his eyes.

    Tina was taken aback, "Sir, you know me?"

    "Of course, all of us in the medical field know of Spectre."

    "Compared to you, it''s truly insignificant. Please, could you leave a contact method?" Tina did not want to miss this opportunity.

    Warren Pace remained firm, "My consultation fee is very expensive, Mr. Brookes. Remember to transfer the money to my ount," he said, handing over his ount details. Jack took them with both hands, "Naturally."

    Tina and Jared exchanged looks, both aware that Warren Pace did not want to leave any trace.

    Tina checked the bank ount again; aside from Warren Pace''s name, there were no other clues.

    This Warren Pace was no ordinary man.

    As they were talking, Kiki and Mimi returned from kindergarten and ran straight to Tina.

    "Tina!"

    The children surrounded her, drawing a spontaneous smile from Warren Pace.

    Attracted by hisughter, Kiki and Mimi released Tina and walked side by side to Warren Pace, who crouched to their level. "What are you looking at, little ones?" he asked.

    Kiki nced at Jared, then back at Warren Pace, "I used to think Jared was the handsomest man, but you are even more handsome."

    Mimi nodded in agreement, "Yes, Jared is now second!"

    Warren Pace chuckled, wounding Jared a bit.

    Jared looked directly at Tina, his eyes seemingly asking, "Who''s handsomer?"

    Tina returned his gaze with an affirmation: You''re the handsomest!

    With that, Jared no longer cared about Kiki and Mimi''s opinion.

    Jack squatted down in front of his daughters, "Babies, where do I rank?"

    "Fourth!" Kiki and Mimi shouted in unison.

    Jack reiterated, "Babies, it''s a ranking of looks, not of how I stand in the family."

    "Right, still fourth," Kiki nodded again.

    Mimi added, "Yeah, third is Brandon. He used to be second, but now there''s a handsome uncle."

    "I can''t even beat Brandon!" Jack''s heart broke.

    Kiki and Mimi nodded, "Yeah, Brandon said men depreciate after marriage, just like Isaac and Gavin. It''s a pity."

    Jack, "..."

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    Brandon, stay away from my babies from now on!

    Brandon, who was bathing in Clearwater, sneezed loudly and then increased the temperature of the water by two degrees.

    Watching the two little ones act so adorably, Tina grew even fonder of them.

    Warren Pace clearly adored the children as well, pulling out two pairs of small shoes from his bag.

    These shoes were delicately crafted, handmade with gold threadcing the edges, looking neither tacky nor old-fashioned, but rather had a taste of national trend.

    Tina could tell that these shoes were stitched with high-quality medicinal herbs to ensure that Kiki and Mimi would not suffer from mosquito bites or contract flu and othermon childhood diseases. "Do you like these shoes, Kiki and Mimi?" Warren Pace asked.

    "I like them, the flowers on them are really pretty, prettier than the ones my mom draws. Can you teach my mom? She''s good at learning, she can learn anything," Kiki said excitedly while looking at the shoes. Mimi nodded along, "Yeah, I really like them too, teach my mom, please."

    Scarlett, standing aside, blushed slightly, "Kiki and Mimi, don''t be rude."

    Warren Pace smiled and personally put the shoes on Kiki and Mimi. They fit perfectly as if they were tailor-made for them.

    "I''m giving these to you as a thank you for your highestpliments to me."

    Jack and Scarlett hurriedly responded, "Mr. Pace, we couldn''t possibly ept."

    "This is a promise between the kids and me, Mr. Brookes, you shouldn''t interfere," Warren Pace said as he affectionately ruffled Kiki and Mimi''s hair.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Jack and Scarlett did not say anything more.

    However, Tina''s eyes narrowed slightly.

    Were these shoes prepared by Warren Pace in advance, or was it just a coincidence?

    How could it be such a coincidence that the shoes were the correct size, in a style for girls, and importantly, there were exactly two pairs?

    Just then, Amanda Quinn came out of Grandpa Brookes'' bedroom, "He''s awake."

    Everyone rushed in but sensibly left a spot for Warren Pace.

    Holding the children, Warren Pace approached the bed to set them down.

    Grandpa Brookes, half-opening his eyes, mistook Warren Pace for Jack, "Jack, why didn''t you send Kiki and Mimi to school."

    Standing at the foot of the bed, Jack was momentarily stunned, then stepped forward, "Dad, I''m here, you''ve been asleep for a day. Kiki and Mimi are back."

    Only then did Grandpa Brookes slowly open his eyes, realizing the man beside him was not his son, and chuckled, "I really am getting senile, mistaking people like that."

    Warren Pace checked Grandpa Brookes'' pulse, smiling, "You''re far from senile."

    Grandpa Brookes looked at Warren Pace, tears involuntarily streaming down, "Yes, I still haven''t found my Alina."

    Warren Pace''s hand paused, his fingertips slightly curled, a flicker of emotion crossing his eyes before quickly returning to normal.

    Though fleeting, Tina caught this moment.

    Her gaze at Warren Pace deepened with inquiry.

    After checking on Grandpa Brookes, Warren Pace let Tina and the others know, "He''s alright now, I''ll stay here for half an hour. If all is well after that, then in the future, Spectre can check on the old man." Jack and the others sighed in relief, "Thank you, Mr. Pace."

 Chapter 561: Mr. Paceâ€™s Silent Departure

    Everyone gathered around Grandpa Brookes, who reached out to Tina.

    "Tina, were you frightened?"

    Tina shifted her gaze away from Warren Pace and replied softly, "Yes, quite frightened."

    Grandpa Brookes hummed, softly patting Tina''s hand, "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine. I''ll take our Tina home to see Kiki and Mimi grow up and wait for Alina to return. I won''t break my promise." He then looked over at Jared and smiled, "And to see our Tina get married and have children, right?"

    Tina blushed slightly, "Shall Ie to check your pulse every month, Grandpa?"

    Though Tina still had some unanswered questions, particrly about what was truly going on inside Grandpa Brookes, now was not the time for such inquiries as he was still weak.

    "Alright, we''ll do as you say," Grandpa Brookes chuckled, catching sight of Warren Pace standing not far away. The more he looked, the more he liked him.

    "This gentleman, you look a lot like my sons."

    Warren Pace looked up, his eyesplex, and then he smiled slightly, "Is that so? I must be quite handsome then."

    Grandpa Brookesughed out loud, "Yes, you are indeed spirited, just like I was when I was young."

    Jack joked, "Dad, are you praising yourself now?"

    "I was handsome," Grandpa Brookes, holding Tina''s hand, stood up, "Our Tina''s children will definitely be even more beautiful."

    "Dad, let Tina have a few children first, eh?" Scarlett suggested.

    Grandpa Brookes pondered, "That young Farrell, how many do you want?"

    Caught off-guard by the sudden question, Jared cleared his throat, "It''s up to Tina."

    "You, just stay safe off the field, and don''t have an incident likest time," Grandpa Brookes bluntly added a few more words.

    Jared nodded in agreement, feeling no difort.

    Tina then looked directly at Warren Pace, "Mr. Pace, how many children do you have at home?"

    "One daughter, who''s quite the handful," Warren Pace chuckled, "Mr. Farrell will have even more on his hands soon, better take good care of yourself, especially with four sons and three daughters-that''s a lot to handle." Jared wrapped his arm around Tina''s waist, "Alright, then we''ll have seven."

    Tina pinched Jared''s waist.

    What now?

    How did they end up nning for seven?

    At this rate, they might as well have a ser team.

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    Grandpa Brookes, however, was delighted, "Seven children, good, the more the merrier, though it''s the father who''ll have his hands full. Farrell, you better be prepared."

    As the group joked among themselves, no one noticed that Warren Pace, who had been standing at the foot of the bed, had vanished without a trace.

    By the time Tina realized, not only Warren Pace but also Master Tam had disappeared.

    Tina wanted to go after them, but Jared stopped her, "Tina, don''t bother. We can''t catch up."

    Jack also came over, "Indeed, Mr. Pace''s skills are beyond ours."

    Though everyone''s attention had been on Grandpa Brookes, they were all martial artists, always alert to their surroundings.

    How could two people just disappear without anyone noticing?

    The only exnation was that Warren Pace''s skills were superior to everyone else''s.

    Tina lowered her gaze, feeling that she would meet Warren Pace again, but that it would be a long timeing.

    Just then, Tina sent out a message mobilizing the Mountain Veil Order and the me Ice organization to search for Warren Pace, though it was uncertain whether they would find him. Grandpa Brookes, recently recovered from a serious illness, quickly fell asleep due to his weak condition.

    Tina and Jared then left the Brookes family home.

    After Tina left, Jack turned and entered the house. Suddenly, he felt a gust of wind by his ear. Jack''s form halted, and in the next second, as the sound of the wind whisked past his ear, he saw a disposable chopstick stuck in the door, with a piece of paper attached to it. Jack pulled out the chopstick and unfolded the note, which read: "Be careful of those around you." Jack scanned the surroundings but couldn''t spot anyone, not even the guards stationed nearby had noticed the danger.

    It was no wonder the guards hadn''t seen anything; even Jack wouldn''t have noticed if he had not been standing right there to see the chopstick stuck in the door, silently delivered to the Brookes family. Jack looked at the note again. It was a word of caution, not a threat. But who could it be? Was it the same person who had left a note in Grandpa Brookes'' bedroomst time?

    Jack pocketed the note, choosing not to cause rm, as he didn''t want Scarlett to worry as well. He gestured to a guard in the distance who then appeared quietly. "Increase the security near our home," Jack instructed, pausing before continuing, "And add more guards around Tina too, but make sure she doesn''t notice, so it won''t affect her normal life." "Yes, sir!"

    Two kilometers away from the Brookes family, at a dumpling stall. Master Tam broke another chopstick and blew on the soup in his bowl, "Couldn''t even snag a meal, but I hear the Brookes family''s servants make very tasty food." Warren Pace sipped the dumpling soup, "This tastes quite good, have some more, Master."

    "Aren''t you going to say something?" Master Tam popped a dumpling into his mouth, searing his tongue. Warren Pace ate his dumplings methodically, picking out the small shrimps, "The waters of the Brookes family run deep." Master Tam didn''t say much, just that one sentence, but he understood what Warren Pace meant.

    Meanwhile, Tina leaned back in her chair, pondering over all the details of the day. What exactly was amiss? Was it Warren Pace''s two pairs of shoes, or his silent departure? Suddenly, Tina sat up straight, "Uncle, when Master Warren Pace and my master came, we never mentioned where Grandpa''s bedroom was, right?"

    Jared, spinning the steering wheel, also let a hint of realization fall from his eyes, "That''s right, we never did."

    At the Brookes family, Tina''s mind had been preupied with Grandpa Brookes, and with Warren Pace''s sudden appearance, her thoughts had been even more scattered, missing the crucial point. How could Warren Pace, on his first visit to the Brookes family, navigate directly to Grandpa Brookes'' bedroom? Even Tina herself had been led there by Scarlett and Jack.

    And with the two pairs of small shoes he had prepared... Tina was certain that Warren Pace must be secretly monitoring every move of the Brookes family, which was why he was so familiar with the people there! But why was he doing this? Jared parked the car by the roadside and rubbed Tina''s head, "Tina, I actually think that Warren Pace means no harm; his identity is just very suspicious, perhaps somewhat rted to the Brookes family."Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    "Don''t you think he''s very familiar?" Tina''s eyes were slightly clouded, clearly preupied with thoughts of Warren Pace. "Indeed he is familiar, but Tina, it''s veryte now, you need to rest," Jared kissed her forehead, "Shall I pick you up tomorrow to go to the Brookes family?" Tina nodded, not pondering further, returned a kiss to Jared, and went upstairs.

 Chapter 562: Rachel Arrives

    Jared watched Tina enter the building before he started his car and drove away. On the road, he called Nathan. "Check on the Brookes family, leave no stone unturned, not even a dog, especially those who are dead or missing," he instructed. Nathan didn''t ask further, simply acknowledged, and hung up the phone. Jaredforted Tina outwardly but harbored doubts within himself. Since it involved the Brookes family, Tina was deeply connected. After all, the person who altered Tina''s paternity test had not yet been found.

    The next day, Jared was waiting downstairs at Tina''s house early in the morning, and she came out promptly, unusually not oversleeping. "My mom made you breakfast, try it." As Tina got into the car, Jared handed her a food box. Inside, the so-called breakfast was a cream bun stuffed with butter-fried egg, apanied by a few slices of tomato. Tina took a bite; the taste was surprisingly good. "Did Marie make this herself?" she asked while eating. Jared sighed silently, "Sort of. The cream buns were cut by her hand, but the eggs were fried by my dad, since my mom turned all the eggs in the fridge to carbon."

    Tina could picture that scene; in fact, she often did the same! Eventually, Jennie couldn''t stand it anymore and banned her from the kitchen. Soon after, they arrived at the Brookes family home. Before they even entered, they heard crying from inside. But, it wasn''t Kiki or Mimi, nor Scarlett. The two walked in and immediately understood upon seeing the sports car parked in the yard. Brandon had arrived. And he wasn''t alone, as the crying was from a woman; Brandon himself couldn''t cry.

    Scarlett was outside studying a strawberry cake, having finally mastered the art of separating egg whites from yolks. Seeing Tina, she hurried over. "What''s going on?" Tina asked. Scarlett touched her nose, "Wait a bit before going in, it''s quite messy inside, she''s been crying all morning." Clearly, Scarlett was quite annoyed by the crying. Scarlett was usually easy-going, never showing displeasure or coldness towards anyone. It was rare for someone to annoy her to this extent. Tina didn''t insist and sat in the yard, watching Scarlett continue her experiment with the cream ratio.

    Before long, a shout came from outside the gate. "Is that my dear niece arriving? Uncle Brandon saw your car!" Scarlett looked up, "Your Uncle Brandon''s here; he''s been fussing about wanting to see you. I told him you''d be here today, and that finally calmed him down. Really annoying." Although Scarlett spoke with annoyance, her face still wore a smile, starkly contrasting the crying from inside the house. Brand approached Tina, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and various pastries in the other, "Niece, long time no see, missed your uncle?"

    "Yes, I missed you," Tina smiled, just as she was about to take the flowers from Brandon, Jared intercepted them. What a joke, how could he just watch Tina take flowers from another man! Even if it was her uncle. Brandon looked at Jared appreciatively, "Hmm, you''ve got my style! A jealous man is a good man!"

    Jack had had enough. "Brandon, that''s enough. Go inside and take a look around before people start thinking something''s wrong with our family."

    Scarlett nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Brandon, stop fooling around and do something useful."

    Brandon sighed. "Scarlett, you''ll never get this cake right!"

    Scarlett almost threw the unwhipped cream all over Brandon!

    Fortunately, he ran fast.

    Tinaughed out loud. Uncle Brandon really had no clue.

    A minute after Brandon went inside, the crying stopped.

    He came out pushing Grandpa Brookes in a wheelchair, with a woman beside him. Grandpa Brookes, seeing Tina, smiled even more broadly. "Tina,e here, let me introduce you."

    Tina walked over, and Grandpa Brookes introduced the woman behind him. "This is Rachel, my adopted daughter, four years younger than Alina. Rachel, this is Tina I''ve told you about."

    Rachel stepped forward and hugged Tina warmly. "Tina, I''m your aunt. I mentioned visiting you when you werest in Clearwater, but your Uncle Brandon said you were busy, so I didn''te. I''m d we finally meet." Tina frowned slightly; she disliked being hugged by a stranger.

    However, in front of Grandpa Brookes, she restrained herself.

    "Hello," Tina greeted.

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    She noticed Rachel''s red eyes and knew she had been crying a lot.

    Rachel held Tina''s hand warmly, as if looking at her own niece. "Tina has grown up to be so beautiful, really looks a lot like Alina."

    Brandon walked over and pulled Tina away. "Rachel, you were only six when Alina was still here. Do you really remember what she looked like?"

    "I was six, of course, I remember. Besides, the house is full of Alina''s photos. How could I forget?" Rachelined, sitting down next to Grandpa Brookes. "Dad, look at him, always teasing me." Grandpa Brookes tapped Brandon with his cane. "Don''t always bully your sister."

    Brandon said nothing, handing Tina back to Jared, andmented, "Take care of your own wife; how can you let just anyone touch her?"

    Rachel''s face showed embarrassment, especially since Brandon''sment was quite pointed.

    Jared chuckled, keeping Tina close to his side.

    He didn''t dislike Rachel but knew Tina disliked strangers getting too close, and Rachel''s overly enthusiastic hugs and hand-holding made Tina ufortable.

    Grandpa Brookes shook his head at his son''s attitude toward Rachel; his sons'' behavior toward her hadn''t changed over the years, no matter how much he advised.

    He sighed, unsure what was wrong with Rachel.

    "Hey, Tina, I brought you a gift. See if you like it," Brandon said, retrieving a gift box from his car.

    Inside was a jade hairpin, exquisitely made, with high-quality gemstones.

    Tina smiled knowingly. "I like it."

    She picked up the hairpin, noting its weight. Upon closer inspection, it concealed a hidden weapon!

    "Carry it with you. It''s thetest style, and it will definitely look good on you," Brandon said with a smile.

    Jack had informed Brandon about Warren Pace and the mysterious note, prompting Brandon to prepare this item for Tina''s self-defense.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

 Chapter 563: Suspicions About the Paternity Test

    Sitting beside Grandpa Brookes, Rachel bit her lip in frustration. Was Brandon being too obvious? It was as if he was telling everyone that he didn''t value her at all. It was too much, truly excessive! Rachel took a few deep breaths and, with a smile to Tina, said, "Tina, I came in such a hurry that I didn''t bring you any gifts. Why don''t we go shoppingter, and you can pick out whatever you like-I''ll buy it for you."

    "No need, I don''tck anything," Tina replied, not wanting to get too involved with Rachel for some reason. She always felt that Rachel was different from other members of the Brookes family, and it wasn''t just because Rachel was adopted; Tina simply felt ufortable around her. It was probably what they call ipatible auras.

    Rachel stepped forward, eagerly grabbing Tina''s hand again, "Tina, don''t be shy with me. Even if you have everything, one more won''t hurt. We girls need to spoil ourselves, right, Scarlett?" Scarlett looked up, "Yes, the more the merrier. I''lle along; my closet could do with more."

    Jack coughed, ncing at the pile of unopened clothes near Scarlett. Indeed, the more the merrier.

    Rachel forced augh, but since Scarlett had spoken up, she couldn''t very well refuse. "Alright, let''s all go together." Though she appeared eager, Rachel felt quite stifled inside.

    What was Scarlett implying? Did she feel it unsafe for Tina to go out alone with her? How ridiculous, she, a daughter-inw, was really acting as if she were a true member of the Brookes family! Seeing that Scarlett had also spoken, Tina no longer refused.

    Jared picked up the car keys, "Happy to serve thedies today; I''ll be the driver."

    "Thanks," Rachel said with a smile.

    After Tina finished checking on Grandpa Brookes, they set out for shopping.

    Brandon stood in the yard, turning off the oven, "Jack, you better watch your wife; she''s likely to blow up our house."

    "If it blows up, we''ll just buy another," Jack muttered as he also turned off the whipped cream machine.

    Grandpa Brookes looked at his sons, "You two, be nicer to Rachel. You made her very ufortable just now. You''re her brothers; don''t be so harsh."

    Brandon tugged at his ear, "Dad, speaking of Rachel, there''s something I need to tell you."

    "Go on."

    "She''s been secretly investigating your will, and also, when Ang had the paternity test done, someone tampered with it. Only Rachel had contacted Ang at that time. I suspect it was her doing, but we just don''t have the evidence yet." Grandpa Brookes furrowed his brow slightly, leaning forward with a sh of shock in his eyes. However, what shocked him was not so much that Rachel might have tampered with the will, but that the paternity test might have been falsified! Grandpa Brookes grew agitated and began to cough. Jack quickly came tofort him, "Dad, don''t get too worked up. Brandon also said we don''t have proof it was Rachel; we''re still investigating." Grandpa Brookes grasped Jack''s hand, calming down, "Does that mean, Tina might actually be my biological granddaughter?"

    Brandon knelt down, looking up at his father, "Yes, I felt it the moment I saw Tina; she must be my niece. Dad, it''s not just you who feels this way, so I''m even more suspicious of the paternity test."

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    Jack nodded, "Right, Dad, do you think we should redo the paternity test?"Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Grandpa Brookes pondered for a moment, "Yes, redo it, but not through the family. Do it quietly in Ashbury, and don''t even tell Scarlett." Since there were issues within the family, it might be better not to go through them.

    Jack responded, "Alright, I''ll go now."

    Brandon stayed with Grandpa Brookes at home, yet his mind was uneasy.

    They had grown up with Rachel, and though they weren''t particrly fond of their sister, he knew well what she was capable of.

    Brandon always felt that someone else must be helping Rachel behind the scenes. Soon after, Jack returned in his car, having rushed a paternity test, now holding a sample from Tina. However, when the results came out, they were disappointing.

    "Dad, the results are the same," Jack handed the report to Grandpa Brookes, his eyes shing with regret. Brandon was shocked, "Impossible, Rachel clearly tampered with it..."

    "Scarlett, I watched over it myself in theb this time, from the start of the test to the results, I never left, and nobody tampered with anything," Jack emphasized.

    Grandpa Brookes visibly disappointed, took a deep breath. "Let it be, if it''s not meant to be, then don''t force it," Grandpa Brookes said, turning his wheelchair, "You two scamps go y, I need to rest."

    Both Jack and Brandon knew Grandpa Brookes''s heart was once again shattered. "Brandon, are you sure about the truth you uncovered? Did Rachel really tamper with it?" Jack couldn''t help questioning Brandon.

    Brandon pped Jack on the head, "When have I ever been wrong? I''m telling you, there''s something wrong here." Jack didn''t argue further and followed Brandon.

    Jack felt sorry that Tina was not his biological niece, but he had already embraced her as his own family. The so-called paternity test didn''t really matter. Whether biologically rted or not, it didn''t interfere with their rtionship with Tina. Whether as amitment or through love for the family, Jack and the Brookes family would truly care for Tina.

    Brandon burned the paternity test certificate that showed no biological rtionship, staring intently at it. He didn''t believe it. Tina had to be his biological niece. Alina, before she disappeared, had been closest to Brandon. So when Tina appeared, Brandon was certain she was his sister''s child! But where did it go wrong? Why were the paternity tests not true?

    At the mall, Tina didn''t hesitate to pick up things she liked, and Rachel, there to show goodwill, naturally paid for them. By the end, Jared could hardly carry all the packages. Rachel, though wealthy, wasn''t exactly happy to spend so freely on Tina.

    Scarlett, too, did nothing but help load Tina with items; in her eyes, there was nothing Tina didn''t need! "It''s noon, let''s go grab something to eat," Rachel suggested.

    Tina, feeling a bit hungry, didn''t refuse. They went to a restaurant in the mall. While Scarlett headed to the restroom and Jared stepped outside to take a call, Rachel finally had the chance to be alone with Tina.

    "Tina, see if there''s anything else you''d like to eat," Rachel said, wiping the te, smiling at Tina. "This is enough," Tina smiled back, somewhat distantly.

    Rachel took a sip of tea, pondered a moment, and then said, "Tina, don''t be reserved around me. I understand how you feel; after all, I too was adopted by the Brookes family. Being non-biological is different, but it doesn''t matter, my dad has always been good to me, treating me as his own daughter. He never mentions his concern for Alina in front of me, and I am very touched by that."

    "My dad often says that I am the only daughter in the Brookes family, and must be well-cared for. Tina, you are the same, just rx."

 Chapter 564: Telling Brandon the Truth

    Tina held her teacup, the rising steam obscuring half of her eyes. Rachel''s message was clear: Tina should remember her ce as merely an adopted granddaughter, not even a true granddaughter, and not overstep her bounds. Moreover, she emphasized that she alone was the true heiress of the Brookes family, and Tina should keep her distance. "Who''s really trying to make their presence felt?" Tinaughed, "I''m always at ease around Grandpa, Aunt Rachel needn''t worry." Rachel forced augh, sipping her tea to mask her unease. Tina was indeed unapologetic! Scarlett and Jared also returned, and at the dinner table, Scarlett and Tina chatted merrily. Rachel, trying to join the conversation, found herself unable to get a word in and could only offer an awkward smile. She ended up eating quietly.

    When it came time to pay, Jared had already settled the bill, insisting that as the only gentleman at the table, he couldn''t let thedies pay. "I said it was my treat, don''t let it happen again," Rachel said, satisfied with herself. Scarlett rolled her eyes secretly, disdaining Rachel''s pettiness. How much could one meal cost? Yet Rachel was still counting pennies.

    It was gettingte, so Scarlett and Rachel said their goodbyes to Tina and Jared. On the way home, Jared mentioned, "Hayden has gone to Clearwater to rece Nathan, he''s already left." Tina simply acknowledged, "As expected." Jared, hands on the steering wheel, still puzzled over Linden''s intentions. What was he really up to? Since it was a matter involving the mission, Hayden wouldn''t disclose details, nor would Jared inquire.

    Tina shifted to a morefortable position, "Linden sent Hayden to assist Pa, could it be rted to the hidden families?"

    "Perhaps," Jared replied. Tina looked out the window, contemting theplexities of her recent encounters, all seemingly tied to the hidden families. How deep did the waters of this mysterious and vast organization run?

    As Jared pulled up to Tina''s building, headlights shed across from them. Surprisingly, it was Brandon. Tina and Jared exchanged looks, neither expecting him there. Tina got out of the car and approached, "Uncle Brandon, what are you doing here?" Brandon opened his car door, "Get in, I need to talk to you." Jared, seeing this, didn''t ask further and left after watching Tina and Brandon drive away.

    Brandon drove to a high-end vi area, unfamiliar with the ce, and took some time to find the location. "Uncle Brandon, what is this ce?" Tina asked. "A house I bought before, I forgot the way; your grandfather didn''t want to live in such a ce, so it''s been abandoned. Luckily, I remember the house number and password," Brandon said, unlocking the door. The house was clearly long unupied, with furniture covered in white sheets to ward off dust.

    "Find somewhere to sit, the property is only maintained asionally, and there''s nothing in the fridge. Ah, should have brought a case of soda," Brandon sighed with disappointment and regret. Tina was unfazed, "Uncle Brandon, what did you need to talk to me about?" Brandon finally settled down, "Tina, you must be aware of the paternity test you and your grandfather took together?" Tina paused, "Yes, I know. The results showed we have no biological rtion." Brandon rubbed his palms together, "There''s a problem with the paternity test, it''s been tampered with, but I haven''t found any evidence yet. So today, your Uncle Jack took your samples for another test." Tina lifted her eyes, "What were the results?"

    "There''s still no paternal rtionship; otherwise, we wouldn''t be here right now," Brandon said, his brows furrowed, clearly not epting the oue.

    Tina nodded, her expression unchanged.

    Her genes had been altered long ago. Apart from the person whost conducted the paternity test for the Brookes family, her genes matched only with Jasper''s at all the national testing centers. Even if she were Grandpa Brookes'' biological granddaughter, they still wouldn''t be able to detect it.

    "But Tina, I don''t ept this result. I''ve had someone investigate the paternity testing center and the doctor involved that your Uncle Jack used. There must be something wrong," Brandon stated. Hearing this, Tina asked, "Why are you so sure that there must be something wrong with the paternity test?"Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Brandon looked at her with unwavering certainty in his eyes, "It''s not that I''m sure the paternity test is wed; I believe that you are definitely my niece, my sister''s daughter."

    Tina was moved. She hadn''t expected Brandon to believe so firmly that she was indeed a part of the Brookes family.

    "Thank you."

    It was one of the rare moments Tina felt the strong, fearless support of a family member.

    "Why thank you? I''m your uncle," Brandon blew a strand of hair from his forehead. "So, Tina, I''ve decided to take you to another city. We''ll do the test ourselves. I can''t believe it would still be wrong." Tina smiled, "No need, Uncle, the results are already out."

    Brandon paused, puzzled.

    Tina took out her phone and pulled up the paternity test she had done herself, "You really are my uncle."

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    Brandon took the phone, staring intently at the result for a long time, so long that Tina''s phone screen turned off several times.

    Although Brandon had always believed Tina was his niece, the reality, now physically in front of him, still seemed incredible.

    "Uncle Brandon, you''re not seeing things. This paternity test is real," Tina said, visibly moved.

    She hadn''t wanted to reveal the paternity test too soon, as she still didn''t fully understand the Brookes family or know who was behind the tampering.

    But with Grandpa Brookes'' illness yesterday and Brandon''s firmness today, she didn''t want to hide it anymore.

    Now, it seemed clear who had altered the paternity test in the Brookes family.

    Holding Tina''s phone in one hand and covering his eyes with the other, Brandon emitted a few choked sobs.

    Tears welled up in Tina''s eyes, rolling down her cheeks.

    After a while, Brandon wiped away his tears, "Tina, don''t show this paternity test to your grandfather yet, and don''t let this news out. I''m afraid someone in the Brookes family might harm you."

 Chapter 565: Identity Kept Secret

    Brandon had pondered long and hard.

    Since they had managed to alter the identification results right under Jack''s watchful eyes, the opposition must be formidable and well-prepared. If they now rashly revealed Tina''s paternity test, it would undoubtedly cause a major uproar.

    For Tina''s safety and to swiftly expose the mastermind behind the scenes, he absolutely could not allow Tina''s identity to be exposed prematurely. Everyone knew how much Alina meant to Grandpa Brookes.

    Now that Alina''s daughter had appeared, she was bound to be the jewel of the Brookes family. Frankly, the entire Brookes family might end up belonging to Tina. This would inevitably make her a target for those lurking in the shadows. Thus, Tina''s safety could not be guaranteed. Therefore, Tina''s identity must remain a secret for now!

    Tina nodded in agreement, "Okay, I''ll listen to Uncle Brandon."

    Brandon covered his eyes again. Hearing Tina call him ''Uncle Brandon'' so many times, only this time it was particrly heart-wrenching. He couldn''t control his tears, crying while saying, "Tina, you mustn''t tell anyone about Uncle Brandon crying in front of you, especially not your Uncle Jack, or else even Kiki and Mimi''s kindergarten will know."

    Tina couldn''t help butugh and cry at the same time, Brandon really was a character. "I understand," she said.

    Brandon took a moment topose himself, finally stabilizing his emotions. He handed Tina her phone back, licked his lips, and tightly sped his hands together. "Tina, how exactly did Alina die? Who is your father? What has your mother gone through all these years?" Brandon struggled to ask.

    Tina''s details had long been known to the Brookes family, the first being that she was motherless and fatherless. Now, recognizing Tina, Brandon had to ept the painful truth that his beloved little sister Alina was no longer alive. Mentioning her mother, Tina pursed her lips and recounted how Natalie hadmitted suicide, including the GTO, X Bureau, and other details Tina knew.

    Facing her closest kin, Tina held nothing back. In that moment, Tina felt she was no longer fighting alone in this world. Though Jared had always given her a sense of stability, love and familial affection were ultimately different. Tina could feel a part of her heart quietly being filled.

    Brandon was immensely shocked upon hearing this. He could imagine his sister being a genius, but he hadn''t expected her to be such a prodigy. She truly was the pride of the Brookes family! "Alina was actually Everett, who once shocked the entire X Bureau. My sister was so close to me, yet I had no clue," Brandon said, both shocked and self-reproachful. Although the Brookes family wasn''t deeply connected with the X Bureau, they were closely linked.

    His own sister had been the captain of the special squad at X Bureau, and he, who constantly mingled with the X Bureau, had been oblivious. It was unforgivable!

    "Jared, he was the apprentice my mother was most proud of. After my mother''s suicide, he took over as the captain of the X Bureau special squad. Afterwards, I hid my identity and stayed secluded in the mountains, rarelying down," Tina shared, wishing she could hand Brandon a piece of paper, but there was nothing to write on here. She hadn''t expected Brandon to be such a crybaby.

    "I always said that the person who could develop bionic biotechnology had to be our Alina," Brandon said, his sleeve nearly wringing wet. Speaking of bionic beings, Tina suddenly remembered the bionic robot that Master Tam had left behind to test Jared. Whether in terms of material, execution, or effective duration, it was iparable to what the Hancock family had achieved over the years. Master Tam likely didn''t possess such convenient talents.

    "Uncle Brandon, did you tell Uncle Jack about the bionic creature?" Tina asked.

    Brandon shook his head, "No, I haven''t said anything. Moreover, your grandfather wanted me to manage the bionic creature back then; it''s practically my own affair. I can handle it as I wish without interference from your grandfather, so there''s no need to mention it. What''s wrong?"

    Tina ryed to Brandon the matter about the bionic creature that Master Tam had brought up. "My master is a good friend of my mom, so it''s not hard for him to know about this technology, but I''m just surprised that he could actually develop it."

    Brandon was silent for a few seconds, pondering Tina''s words, a thought slowly forming in his mind.

    "You mean..."

    "I''m not sure yet, Uncle Brandon, so I want you to investigate what my master has been up to all these years, especially the man named Warren Pace who''s always around him. Something feels off."

    Tina knew all too well Master Tam''s capabilities; it wouldn''t work on him.

    And Jared, if Master Tam could feign death silently for so long, then Jared certainly wouldn''t uncover anything.

    Master Tam would surely be cautious.

    But if Brandon were to investigate, using the influence of the Brookes family and his own skills, Master Tam might not detect it so quickly. Finding even a small clue would be valuable.

    Brandon nodded in agreement, "Don''t worry, I can find out everything about your master, down to what time he goes to the restroom." Tina smiled, "That won''t be necessary, but Uncle Brandon, there''s something else I need to ask you."

    Brandon took out his phone to order some takeout, choosing some food and Coke, wisely opting not to drink beer with his niece.

    "Go ahead, tonight is just between the two of us, a chance to clear the air about many things."C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    "Alright." Since Brandon had put it that way, Tina wouldn''t miss this opportunity.

    She sat up straight, "What exactly are the hidden families?"

    Brandon had guessed Tina would ask this. "Now that you''re also home, there''s no harm in telling you. Simply put, the hidden families are just as the name implies; families with unique skills passed down from ancient times. However, as generations change and evolve, more and more hidden families are moving towards modern technology, and many skills are only passed down to one person in the family. We siblings don''t get to learn them."

    Tina was curious, "Unique skills? What kind of skills does our family have?"

    Brandon blinked, held his breath, and suddenly stretched out his hand, pointing his fingertip towards a trash bin not far away.

    Tina looked, but nothing happened.

    "...Uncle Brandon, what''s going on?"

    Brandon pulled back his hand,ughing off, "Well, I can''t do it. Back then, five of us drew lots, and only your Uncle Gavin got it. He can, our family''s unique skill is something like telekinesis, controlling objects with the mind. At home, I always had to ask your Uncle Gavin for help with anything, and that''s how he won over his wife. I was so jealous."

    "I should have pleaded with your grandfather to learn this skill back then. Maybe I would have won Ang over by now."

 Chapter 566: The Secrets of the Hidden Families

    Tina felt that things were not as simple as they seemed. The notion of telekinesis and other such supernatural abilities, typically found only in novels, utterly astonished her. Yet, her shock did notst long; she believed the world was full of wonders and never viewed it through a narrow lens. "So, that''s how it is. Quite interesting," she remarked.

    As they spoke, their takeout arrived, and they ate while continuing their conversation. "I''ve heard that the hidden families are secretive ns. Why has the White family gone public with us? And the Lyon family, why were they expelled from the hidden families?" Tina asked while eating.

    Chewing on a duck neck, Brandon replied, "A major reason the Lyon family was expelled was their restlessness. They were too greedy, attempting to monopolize the market using the rights and reputation of the hidden families, aiming to control the national economy. They even persecuted the White family, trying to seize their weapons authority. When we discovered this, we decided to expel them and cripple their unique skills to prevent further harm."

    "As for why our family and the White family went public..." Brandon burped, "that''s a long story. You might have heard about the incident where someone offended the hidden families and vanished overnight." Tina nodded, "I''ve heard about it. Did it have anything to do with the Brookes family or the White family?"

    "Nothing at all. Our family is very amiable," Brandon took a sip of Coke. "The family that was annihted was also a part of the hidden families, just on the fringe. They were the Solomon family."

    Tina''s fingers tightened suddenly. The Solomon family! The only person she knew from that family was Master Tam, whose real name was Feng Chi. She had never known that her master was also a member of the hidden families. "The Solomon family''s unique skill was fortune-telling," Brandon gestured in the air.

    Tina was now sure that Master Tam was the descendant of the now-extinct Solomon family, as her master''s capabilities were clear only to her.

    Brandon drank more Coke. "Though the Solomon family was marginal within the hidden families, they were highly respected. Your grandfather was one of those who respected them greatly. He was close friends with the youngest son of the Solomon family, but that was back when your grandfather was young."

    Tina paused, then asked, "Why were the Solomon family pursued and annihted by the other hidden families, while the Lyon family was just expelled?"

    "I''m not entirely sure," Brandon admitted. "Even your grandfather doesn''t know why they were hunted down overnight, vanishing without a trace. Some say it was divine retribution; others believe the Solomon family made a grave miscalction leading to their disaster, but there are no definite conclusions."

    "Since then, rifts have appeared among the hidden families. They are not enemies, but they are no longer as united as before." Brandon grabbed a duck foot and gnawed on it. "Our family was the first to go public after your grandfather became the family head." Tina was contemtive. She asked, "Why? Was it because of the Solomon family?"

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    Brandon thought for a moment. "Your grandfather never said, but I feel it was because of that incident. After the Solomon family disappeared without a trace, and nobody mentioned them, your grandfather, who values loyalty deeply, couldn''t just let it go while others didn''t understand."

    "My grandfather didn''t stop him either, and there are many rules among the hidden families. Your grandfather was naturally rebellious, and it was more convenient to be open about it," Brandon said, noticing Tina''s somber expression. He couldn''t help asking, "Tina, what are you thinking?"

    Tina shook her head. "What''s the difference between being open and not? Aren''t we all just serving those above us, and still retaining the title of hidden families? Why, apart from the Brookes and White families, has everyone else chosen to stay hidden?"

    Brandon chuckled, pondering for a moment before slowly saying, "Tina, do you know why gods in the heavens never descend to earth?"

    Tina paused, but quickly grasped the meaning behind Brandon''s words. To the world, the hidden families were as mysterious as gods in a temple, known only by name and never seen.

    This instilled a sense of awe towards the term ''hidden families.'' But if they were to be revealed, they would appear no different from ordinary people, which would inevitably lead to their assimtion by other major families, no longer cing them above the rest.

    No matter how great their power or wealth, they would not enjoy the same treatment as the hidden families. Who doesn''t like to be adored?

    It seems that some members of the hidden families havee to see themselves as gods above all. Such long-standing privileges have made them feel superior, an untouchable presence.

    No wonder they could easily obliterate an entire family. "When your grandfather made that decision, did he also face ostracism from other families?" Tina asked.

    Brandon waved his hand. "Don''t let your grandfather''s kind appearance fool you. When he was young, he was quite fierce. My grandfather used to tell me that back then, when our family decided to go public, the others threatened, saying if our family went public, it would cost the Brookes family their privileges and so on. Your grandfather beat up several family heads one by one, challenging them to try and annihte the Brookes family like they did the Solomon family, to see who could oust whom."

    Tinaughed, finally understanding where her uncle''s temperament came from. "Grandpa really is formidable."

    "Indeed, otherwise why would he always scold us forcking spirit, saying we deserve a beating. Oh, don''t remind me, the one who most resembles your grandfather''s temperament is still Alina." Brandon thought of his sister, chuckling, "When your mom was a child, she was surrounded by kids from other hidden families and knocked down a whole group by herself."

    "I thought we were rushing there to help, but it turned out we were there to break up the fight."

    Remembering the past brought a gentle smile to Brandon''s face. However, mentioning Alina also brought a sense of loss. Brandon fiercely squeezed the can in his hand. "The person who acted behind the scenes, I definitely won''t let them off! I''ll surely find out who kidnapped Alina!"

    Tina hummed in agreement, inevitably asking, "Uncle Brandon, do you know who wouldn''t want me to recognize my grandfather?"

    "Who else but Rachel? And I''ve always suspected that Alina''s disappearance and Ang''s leaving home are definitely connected to her."

 Chapter 567: Two Five Poisons?

    When Brandon mentioned Rachel, he made no effort to hide the disdain in his eyes. Tina was slightly taken aback, "Wasn''t she only six years old at the time? How could my mother''s disappearance be rted to her?" Jack leaned against the sofa, his eyebrows furrowed, "Don''t be fooled by her being only six; she was very smart. At such a young age, she knew how topete with Alina for affection in front of your grandfather. I saw her looking at Alina with hatred many times. On the day Alina disappeared, there was no one else at home, just Alina and Rachel. When we came back, she was asleep in the garden, holding Alina''s shoes in her hand."

    "She imed that Alina had given them to her to wear, but Alina was already ten years old; how could Rachel possibly fit into her shoes? I''ve always felt she must have seen the person who took Alina, but she denies it. And why would they kidnap Alina and not Rachel? They are all from the Brookes family; it wouldn''t make sense to just take Alina."

    Brandon''s fist clenched tighter as he spoke, "Then there''s Ang, also a child adopted by our family, about your mother''s age. Everything was fine at first, but unexpectedly, she suddenly found out she was a child of the Five Poisons. I didn''t even know before she did."

    "Rachel and Ang were always close. I''ve always suspected it was Rachel who told Ang, but Ang denied it and insisted on running away from home. She left just like that, without even agreeing to date me."

    Ang is a child of the Five Poisons? "Uncle Brandon, I''ve met the Five Poisons, and it''s a woman, younger than you by a few years. How could she be Aunt Ang''s mother?" Tina asked, puzzled. Brandon shook his head, "Tina, the Five Poisons I''m talking about is a man, and if he''s still alive, he''d be older than your grandfather. The person you''re talking about must be someone else."

    "Could it be that the title of Five Poisons can be passed down? The Five Poisons I''ve encountered now and the one who kidnapped my mother aren''t the same person?"

    "It''s possible. RST itself has already split into two organizations, one CK and one GTO. We always thought Five Poisons would stay within CK since CK has been quiet for years, but now it seems he can''t leave those disgusting virus studies behind."

    A sh of surprise crossed Tina''s eyes, no wonder Joshua could coborate with GTO; they were originally one and the same. I''ve underestimated Joshua. "Where did the original Five Poisons go? Does Joshua know?" Joshua, being the boss of CK and able to coborate with the current Five Poisons, must surely know where the original Five Poisons went.

    Brandon shook his head again, "Joshua only said that Five Poisons was his master, he didn''t say anything else. He''s very stubborn, like a lunatic. No wonder he calls Five Poisons master; they are all lunatics." After saying this, Brandon quickly corrected himself, "I''m not saying Jared is a lunatic, but those associated with Five Poisons, except for Ang, of course."

    Tina''s mood that night was like a rollercoaster. After a pause, she asked, "Uncle Brandon, could you arrange for me to meet Joshua?" Since Joshua was the disciple of Five Poisons, he might also know the truth about Natalie''s abduction. If she could get a few words of truth from him, she wouldn''t have to go through so much trouble investigating Rachel.

    "I can arrange for you to meet him, but be careful; I always feel that Joshua is psychologically disturbed, unlike other members of the Farrell family. The others are just foolish or greedy, but he is different."

    "Sure, I''ll be careful, Uncle Brandon, and you should be too. If Rachel really is involved, then she must have someone backing her, and this person is definitely not simple," Tina said, her intuition telling her that Rachel''s involvement might be connected to the GTO. If Rachel was involved, then the bomb on the Hancock family''s cruise ship might also be linked to her!

    Brandon sighed deeply, "Tina, there''s something I need to ask of you, and you must help me!"

    "Tell me what it is. If I can help, I will; if not, let Jared handle it. Don''t be like this," Tina said, almost feeling as if Brandon was about to bow down to her.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Brandon, with a serious and heartfelt tone, looked at Tina, "Tina, could you please help me find Ang? I can''t find any trace of her, she''s not contacting me, and I''m out of options."

    Tina almost choked.

    Ah.

    Love really does make a man foolish.

    Just like her Uncle.

    Jared: No, I''m not lovesick.

    Hayden: If you''re not lovesick, I''ll eat my hat!

    "Alright, I''ll help. Just give me Ang''s information, and I''ll see what I can do."

    "It''s not about seeing what you can do; you have to find her. Ang is out there, possibly not getting enough to eat or wear, and I''m really worried," Brandon said, his voice heavy with concern, feeling increasingly uneasy. Tina shook her head, somewhat reluctantly intrigued by this Ang.

    What kind of woman could make a yboy like Brandon so concerned?

    But finding Ang might not be so straightforward.

    She had grown up in the Brookes family, likely learned many skills, and was top-notch in anti-tracking abilities.

    Brandon might have to wait a while.

    At the Brookes family vi, Rachel quietly left during the night, driving away.

    Following the navigation, she parked her car at a vi in the suburbs.

    She looked around, turned off all the car lights, turned on her shlight, and knocked on a door.

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    "I''m Rachel, open up," she announced impatiently.

    The door opened promptly, revealing a brightly lit interior.

    "Why did you have to call me over sote? If someone finds out, do you want my life?" Rachelined as she entered.

    Inside, a woman sat with her back to Rachel, a bottle of decanted red wine on the table.

    Hearing Rachel''s words, sheughed, "If I wanted your life, would I have waited till now, Miss Brookes? Why so angry?"

    Rachel closed her mouth and sat down on the sofa, her attitude noticeably softer, "What did you want to see me for?"

    The woman turned around, and it was Grace!

    "Of course, it''s something important." Grace walked over, set down her ss of red wine, took out a paternity test report from a drawer, and ced it in front of Rachel, "Take a look for yourself." Tina''s genes had been altered, and indeed, anyone who checked would find that, apart from Jasper, there was no biological rtion to anyone else.

    But for her, this was not a difficult issue.

 Chapter 568: The Truth Behind Alinas Disappearance

    Rachel opened the report; it was dated today!

    "What''s going on here?" Rachel asked in surprise.

    How could this be?

    Why hadn''t Jack given up on the paternity test with Tina?

    Hadn''t she already altered the results of the paternity test when she was in Clearwater?

    Grace shrugged, "How would I know? If it weren''t for my vignce, Tina''s identity would have been exposed long ago. Miss Brookes, it seems your position in the Brookes family is quite precarious."

    "I don''t need you to remind me, Five Poisons!" Rachel retorted sharply, her eyes filled with deep resentment.

    And the woman in the vi, she was indeed wearing Grace''s face as Five Poisons.

    Looking in the mirror, Five Poisons seemed quite pleased with her current face, unfazed by Rachel''s animosity, even enjoying it.

    "Miss Brookes, getting angry leads to wrinkles, you know. You''re so young; you should take care of your appearance," Five Poisons said, patting her face.

    Rachel tore the paternity report into shreds and threw it forcefully into the trash can.

    She sat down, her gaze heavy and cold, "What do you care about appearances, when you don''t even live off your own face?"

    Five Poisons didn''t shy away, "Of course, my skin is very good, even with a fake face. I won''t let my skin be damaged. As a woman, you shouldn''t live so roughly."

    While speaking, Five Poisons sat down opposite Rachel and picked up the ss of red wine she had just poured. "Miss Brookes, I''ve done you such a big favor. Shouldn''t you show me some sincerity now?"

    Rachel took a deep breath, "I''ve just arrived in Ashbury, taking advantage of my father''s illness toe here. Otherwise, the Brookes family wouldn''t want me here, afraid that I''d charm my father into giving me all of the Brookes family''s wealth."

    "You''re here now, aren''t you? When will you fulfill your promise?"

    Five Poisons spoke lightly, as ifmenting on the quality of the wine.

    But Rachel instinctively straightened up, a tingling sensation running through her heart.

    She was afraid.

    Rachel swallowed hard, forcefully steadying her hand to stop it from trembling, "I''ll do it as soon as possible, don''t worry. I keep our agreement close to my heart."

    Five Poisons swirled the wine ss, the wine flowing smoothly over her red lips. Her calm eyes revealed a hint of danger.

    Rachel bowed her head, unable to meet Five Poisons'' eyes.

    "Then, Miss Brookes, I wish us a pleasant coboration. Don''t disappoint me," Five Poisons smiled, standing to pour another ss of wine.

    Rachel quietly breathed a sigh of relief, "Take your time; I''ll be going now."

    "Take care," said Five Poisons, her back to Rachel, her tone light.

    Rachel walked out of the vi, hurriedly returning to her car, taking a long while to calm the tremors in her palms.

    She leaned on the steering wheel, her mind echoing with a scene from the past.

    That year, she was six.

    In the Brookes family''s back garden, she witnessed a man climbing in, approaching her and Alina, who were ying in the garden.

    Alina was very alert, shielding Rachel behind her, staring intently at the man and demanding, "Who are you? Why are you here in my home?"

    The man, wearing a half-mask that only revealed his red lips and slight stubble on his face, smiled, crouched down, and answered Alina''s question, "You must be Alina, right? About the same age as my daughter. I am called Five Poisons. This is our first meeting, and I didn''t bring a gift. You don''t mind, do you?"

    Alina remained vignt as she eyed the man. "What do you want? Stay away from us!"

    "I''m going to take you away, so your father will lose you forever. That''s my pleasure, Alina, let''s go." Five Poisons reached out to Alina, still smiling like a gentle breeze. Rachel had been hiding behind Alina all this time, unsure of what to do.

    But when she heard that her father would lose her forever, something fierce stirred within her.

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    She looked up at Alina, who was protecting her, and silently stepped back.

    At this moment, Alina had prepared herself for battle, and with her current martial arts skills, she could still hold her own.

    However, Rachel picked up a stone from the ground and fiercely smashed it onto Alina''s head.

    Alina turned around in disbelief, her eyes full of shock.

    The next second, she copsed into unconsciousness.

    Rachel handed the stone to Five Poisons, timidly saying, "You said it, you would make her leave her father forever."

    Rachel''s arm pressed down on the steering wheel, and the sound of the car horn snapped her back to reality.

    She sat up straight, took a deep breath, and realized that sweat had already formed on her forehead.

    Rachel started the car, her gaze hardening as she pressed the elerator.

    "Alina, I will make sure your daughter never returns to the Brookes family. It took a lot to get rid of you thirty years ago, and I will not let your daughter be an obstacle again!" Ashbury Secret Prison.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Tina pushed the door open.

    Joshua was curled up on the ground in pain, clutching at his cor, breathing heavily yet unevenly.

    It felt as though ants were crawling all over his nerves, painful and itchy, but there was no stopping it.

    Tina satfortably on a stool, a lollipop hanging from her mouth, her face bearing a mocking smile.

    "Uncle Joshua, you seem to be in a lot of pain," Tina said as she shifted the direction of her lollipop, her smirk deepening.

    Joshua was Jared''s favorite person in the Farrell family, a significant figure to him throughout his life.

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    In Jared''s heart, Joshua''s status was no less than Logan''s.

    But what had Joshua done?

    He exploited Jared''s trust, step by step leading him to doom, repeatedly trapping him in whirlpools.

    At thest moment, he even tried to use everyone in the Farrell family to control Jared.

    And the purpose? Merely to vie for the inheritance.

    It was ridiculous. Jared would have willingly given up his position as heir if Joshua had simply asked, especially since Joshua imed he did not want to inherit the Farrell family. Jared didn''t care much about the heir position.

    But the empire Logan had built needed a reliable person to inherit and carry on.

    Jared had originally nned to hand over the heir position to Joshua once things stabilized.

    But unexpectedly...

    This matter had always been a pain in Jared''s heart.

    He never spoke of it, but Tina knew.

    Joshua, curled up, pressed his hands against his stomach, his eyes fiercely ring at Tina.

    "Where is the antidote!"

    Joshua roared, but no matter how loudly he shouted, it could not change the fact that he was merely a caged lion, his former glory long dissipated.

    Tina nced at her watch, "Congrattions, you''ve once again survived the toxin''s torment."

 Chapter 569: Who is Helping Angela?

    Joshua took a deep breath.

    Indeed, the torment inside him was slowly subsiding.

    He sat up straight, looking quietly at Tina. "You came to see me, what else do you want to ask?"

    Tina pulled out a lollipop and casually threw it into the trash can. "Let''s see what you want to say."

    "I have nothing to say to you." Joshua leaned against the bed, closing his eyes, clearly unwilling to talk further.

    Tina wasn''t in a hurry, shifting to a morefortable position. "Is Five Poisons your master? Is he dead?"

    Joshua''s eyes flickered slightly, but he gave no response.

    "You aren''t still waiting for Five Poisons to save you, are you? You''re too naive, Uncle Joshua!"

    Tina stood up. "Indeed, she could save you, but whether I let her, that depends on my mood."

    With that, Tina made to leave.

    Finally, Joshua showed some reaction; he called out to Tina, "You came today to ask about your mom, about the details of when Alina was kidnapped years ago." Tina stopped in her tracks, a fierce gaze bursting from her eyes.

    Those gazes pierced deep into Joshua like knives.

    Suddenly, Joshua felt as if a fierce fire was burning inside him, threatening to consume himpletely.

    "Tina, I''m the only person in this world who knows what happened to your mom after she was kidnapped. If you want to know the truth, cure my poison!" Tina''s gaze softened, and Joshua felt a significant relief.

    Joshua struggled to stand and walked over to the railing. "Have someone from the Brookes familye to see me."

    Tina, with a frown, did not reply.

    Joshua smiled, his look profound. "There are many things in this world that can''t be described with a specific term. Those that can be understood are just ordinary affairs."

    Tina looked deeply at Joshua, then stood up and left.

    She exited the oppressive prison, exhaling deeply.

    Brandon opened the car door, weing Tina inside.

    "How did it go?" Brandon asked.

    Tina shook her head. "He didn''t say anything."

    "Damn." Brandon pped the steering wheel. "That Joshua really is sly."

    "Uncle Brandon, let''s go back," Tina said, massaging her temples, feeling irritable.

    Joshua knew all the details of Natalie''s kidnapping.

    Could Five Poisons really trust him that much?

    "Alright, Tina, what else did he say?" Brandon asked as he drove.

    "He said he wants to see someone from the Brookes family, but he didn''t specify who."

    Brandon''s expression darkened, he said angrily, "The old man has seen him, Jack has seen him; does he want to see Kiki and Mimi too?"

    Tina looked up. "Uncle Brandon, why don''t you think he might want to see you or Rachel?"

    "How could he know that Rachel and I came to Ashbury while he''s locked up?" Brandon scoffed. "Perhaps he wants both of us toe over, just to torment us."

    "Joshua said, ''There are many things in this world that can''t be described with a specific term. Those that can be understood are just ordinary affairs."" Tina frowned. "What does he mean by that?" Brandon shook his head. "Don''t know, a madman has now turned philosopher."

    Tina smiled faintly, saying no more.

    Brandon dropped Tina at the Reed family home, then drove off.

    Tina returned home, soaking quietly in the bathtub, thinking about Joshua.

    He wanted to see someone from the Brookes family, but who did he most want to see?

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    Tina ran through all the members of the Brookes family in her mind.

    Suddenly, she opened her eyes.

    Ang.

    Joshua was Five Poisons'' disciple, and Ang was Five Poisons'' daughter; he certainly would want to meet this only daughter, who shared a blood rtion with his master. Tina touched her face, then casually grabbed a towel to dry her hair.

    She pulled out her phone and dialed Jayden.

    "How''s the search for Warren Pace going?" Tina asked.

    "Serena, this Warren Pace is too elusive; we simply can''t pin him down, and the guys are being yed by him," Jaydenined as soon as he heard Warren Pace''s name. Having been with Mountain Veil Order for so long, this was the first time Jayden felt such frustration.

    Despite tracking people over two meters away, not a trace of other news, let alone where Warren Pace actually lived, had surfaced after so many days. Jayden was overwhelmed.

    This situation was somewhat expected by Tina.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Tracking someone like Warren Pace was never going to be easy.

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose. "If he can''t be tracked, then stop chasing him. What about the other person I asked you to find? Any leads?"

    There was silence on the other end before Jayden spoke, "Serena, speaking of Ang, it''s a bit strange."

    "How so?" Tina was slightly taken aback.

    It was rare for Jayden to describe someone as strange.

    "I''ve stumbled upon some clues about her, but every time I get close, all traces of her vanish without a trace. At first, I thought it was the Brookes family''s doing, but Iter realized they had been thrown off by Ang long ago." Tina looked up, dressed quickly, and opened the misty bathroom door. "Who is secretly helping Ang?"

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    "That''s exactly what I find strange," Jayden whispered. "Behind Ang, there seems to be a mysterious force, an untraceable power. I''m sorry, Serena, it appears we are not capable enough." Failing twice in a row was humiliating for Jayden in front of Tina.

    Throughout the years since the establishment of Mountain Veil Order, they had never failed a mission, but now they had hit two dead ends in a row, which Jayden found uneptable. However, Tina didn''t me him; after all, the people they were instructed to investigate this time were unlike any before, and running into dead ends was expected. Moreover, Tina knew thatpleting this mission depended not so much on Jayden''s abilities as on how much those they investigated chose to reveal.

    "It''s okay, keep tracking. As soon as you detect anything unusual, report the location immediately, and I will personally handle it."

    "Alright."

    After hanging up the phone, Tina walked to the window, picked up her specially made chrysanthemum tea, and quietly looked out. Who was behind Ang helping her? Was it someone from GTO or one of her own?

    In the suburbs.

    Ang looked at the note in her hand, her brow furrowed tightly.

    These days, she could feel someone tracing her movements, but she hadn''t expected them toe on so strong, making it difficult to evade.

    Each time, she narrowly managed to escape, avoiding letting anyone track her route.

    But as the pursuer pressed harder, there were many times she wanted to confront them directly.

    However, each time, Ang would receive a mysterious note guiding her to safety, sessfully evading the tracking eyes.

    Ang didn''t know who ced the note, nor did she know who the person was, but they always managed to precisely locate her and leave the note where she could find it. Ang knew that both the tracker and the person leaving notes were more capable than her; otherwise, they wouldn''t have been able to find her so easily.

    Ang crumpled the note into a ball and threw it in the trash can.

    Then she stepped on her car''s elerator and drove off.

 Chapter 570: Linden Wants to Collaborate with Tina

    At the headquarters of the X Bureau in Ashbury.

    Jared pushed open the door to the Director''s office. "Chief Linden, you asked for me?" Linden gestured to the chair opposite him. "Take a seat."

    Jared squinted his eyes and sat down across from Linden.

    "What has Tina been up totely?" Linden asked, flipping through the files on his desk.

    Jaredzily lifted his eyes, his tone light. "Chief Linden, should I suspect you''re interested in my fianc¨¦e?"

    Linden nced at him and chuckled. "There''s no need to think so badly of me; my spouse and I are very much in love."

    Jared didn''t take much to the joke, his face barely holding a smile.

    Linden closed the folder in his hand, looked up at Jared, and got straight to the point. "Could you ask Tina toe to the headquarters? I have a very important matter and would like to discuss a coboration with her." Jared''s eyes flickered. "What kind of coboration?"

    Linden kept his smile. "I think that''s something I don''t need to tell you."

    The directness of Linden''s attitude made it clear that he preferred not to go through Jared, even though Jared was Tina''s fianc¨¦.

    Jared curved his lips into a smile. "Alright."

    With that, Jared got up and left.

    Linden watched him leave the office, the smile slowly fading from his face.

    In the Deputy Director''s office, Jared dialed Tina''s number.

    "Tina, he wants to coborate with you but didn''t specify how."

    Tinaughed. "Linden always loves his mysteries, doesn''t he? What good does telling you do? I''ll find out soon enough."

    Jared grinned. "This time seems different from thest; are youing?"

    "Yes, I''ll head over now. I also want to ask him where he sent my little brother, not even his newly resurrected master could catch a glimpse of him."

    "Alright, I''lle pick you up."

    Suddenly, a motorcycle engine roared over the phone. Jared was startled. "You''re here?"

    Tina sounded slightly regretful. "Yes, just outside. I was going to pick you up after work, but it looks like you''ll be workingte too."

    Jaredughed heartily and went out to greet her.

    Everyone still at the X Bureau watched the scene in shock.

    What''s up with the Deputy?

    Why do I suddenly feel a chill passing by?

    Only Courtney quietly lifted her eyes, then indifferently looked away.

    This was a side of Jared they rarely saw.

    Amidst their astonished looks, Jared took Tina by the hand and walked toward the Director''s office.

    "Come in," Linden responded to the knock.

    He looked up to see Jared, who had just left, now entering with Tina, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

    "You always manage to surprise me, Jared," Linden said with a smile, standing to wee them both to the sofa.

    Tina took a seat across from Linden, her smile ambiguous. "When Chief Linden calls, I make it a priority."

    "There are no outsiders here, rx," Linden said as he handed them cups of tea.

    Tina took the cup and sniffed it. "Good tea, Chief Linden. You bring out such good tea to wee me, this coboration must be no small matter." Linden raised an eyebrow helplessly at Tina''s persistent formality. "Yes, this coboration is indeed very important."

    He paused, then continued: "The me Ice organization, notorious in the ck market, that''s yours, isn''t it?"

    Tina did not deny it; after all, Linden was the deputy head of the Clearwater X Bureau headquarters, and it was not surprising that he knew this information.

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    "Yes, Chief Linden, whatever you want to inquire about, paying will do."

    Linden smiled, "I want to investigate a cold case. You name the price."

    Tina paused for a moment, a cold case?

    She lowered her gaze andughed, "Is there a case the X Bureau can''t solve?"

    Linden stood up, walked over to a locked cab, and pulled out a file.

    The file folder looked old, indicating the documents inside had been piling up for quite some time.

    "The X Bureau maintains government security, and not every case can be uncovered, especially this one involving the hidden families," Linden exined as he handed Tina the file. Tina''s eyes flickered slightly.

    Lately, the name ''hidden families'' had been heard a bit too often.

    She opened the file, and the title that caught her eye made her look even more solemn.

    "Solomon Family Disappearance Case"

    The Solomon family-her master!

    Tina continued through the file.

    The information was scant, just listing the family members and some details.

    At the bottom, a red mark highlighted one name:

    Tam Solomon, twenty years old, male.

    No other information was avable.

    And Tam Solomon was Master Tam, her teacher.

    "Chief Linden, are you asking me to investigate the clues of this old case or the person named Tam Solomon?" Tina set the file down, her bright eyes looking at Linden, her thoughts unreadable.

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    Linden chuckled, watching her, "You are indeed clever; yes, I want you to investigate Tam Solomon."

    Tina leaned back against the sofa, her gaze growing more intense, "A person who disappeared seventy years ago, perhaps already dead once, what is there left to investigate?"

    "You are unaware," Linden began, "the Solomon family, as members of the hidden families, were originally known for a skill rted to longevity."

    Tina was indeed unaware.

    Her master was a fortune teller, wasn''t he? How did longevitye into y?

    But then again, considering Master Tam was over ny but as fit as a middle-aged man, the im of longevity wasn''t so far-fetched.

    "Chief Linden, we value science," Tina looked at him as if he were telling fairy tales.

    But deep down, she knew Linden''s words were not false.

    The so-called longevity wasn''t like the mythical immortality of living a thousand years but was about extending life through medicine!

    However, the idea of eternal youth was utterly impossible!

    No medicine currently existed that could achieve eternal youth.

    Tam Solomon''s body had aged over time, now appearing elderly, but still healthier than his peers, partly due to his martial arts practice, hence the idea of longevity.

    Tam Solomon had once said, the length of a person''s life is predetermined, and those blessed might live longer, but that doesn''t mean they won''t die.

    Many have lived a century, but the most one might live is up to two hundred years.

    Back then, Tina didn''t believe it; she was trained in medicine and knew how organs deteriorate over time, gradually losing function until death. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the fundamental cycles everyone must follow.

    It was impossible for anyone to live up to two hundred years.

    But now, considering the hidden families possessed unique skills, living to two hundred years was not entirely out of the question.

    Tam Solomon was a prime example.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    But even if the hidden families'' members could live longer, the idea of eternal life was still impossible!

 Chapter 571: He Wants to Investigate the Solomon Family

    Linden took a deep breath. "Tina, the two of you should know some of the secrets of the hidden families. Nothing is impossible. There are always things happening in this world that overturn people''s understanding. It''s not unscientific; it merely touches upon areas of human ignorance." Listening to Linden''s grand theories, Tina couldn''t help butugh.

    Who doesn''t understand grand theories?

    Still, what was Linden''s true purpose?

    As the director of the X Bureau, why was he investigating the hidden families?

    "If you want to cooperate with me, you need to show some sincerity," Tina said, leaning back in her chair with a smile watching Linden.

    Linden crossed his arms and clenched his fists nervously. After a moment of thought, he decided to tell Tina everything.

    "There is some connection between me and the hidden families," Linden lifted his head to look at Tina. "Just like the Brookes family is rted by marriage to the Campbell family, a member of the Shaw family, who was my aunt, married into one of the hidden families. However, this family was implicated in the extermination of the Solomon family."

    Linden continued, "After the Solomon family disappeared, the Shaw family gained some benefits, which led to what the Shaw family is today. However, the Shaw family hasn''t had peace since, always facing disturbances. I believe this has a lot to do with Tam Solomon."

    "Tam Solomon disappeared, right? What does he have to do with it?" Tina asked.

    "Actually, when the Solomon family incident urred, Tam Solomon wasn''t at home, and his whereabouts have never been found. So, he was dered missing. This time, finding me Ice is to investigate where exactly Tam Solomon is. I don''t believe he''s dead."

    Tina''s eyes narrowed, a hint of danger lurking within. "Chief Linden, this is a personal mission for you, not the X Bureau, correct?" Linden nodded. "Yes, it''s a personal matter. The cost doesn''t matter; as long as I can find him, I''m willing to pay a hefty reward." Tina looked deeply at Linden for a few moments. "Alright, I''ll take the job."Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    After leaving the X Bureau, Jared nced at Tina. "Don''t you suspect Linden could be the one who went after your master back then?"

    Master Tam had been evading the pursuit of the hidden families for many years. Given Linden''s high position within the X Bureau and his connections within the hidden families, he could easily find a person.

    The person who pursued Master Tam back then could very well have been sent by Linden.

    Tina nodded. "Of course I suspect it, but I suspect more that Linden might have other motives."

    Jared hummed in agreement. "Indeed, he has other motives."

    Master Tam''s only friend was Tina''s mother, Natalie!

    These matters were interconnected inplicated ways.

    Master Tam had been presumed dead for many years, so why was Linden suddenly looking for him now? And why approach Tina?

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    Such strange behavior was indeed suspicious.

    Jared maneuvered the steering wheel. "You make sense. Where to next? Want to grab some barbecue?" There was a new barbecue restaurant with good reviews that Jared had wanted to take Tina to for a while.

    Tina pulled out her phone and dialed Master Tam. "Master, we''re treating you to barbecue, are youing?" Master Tam would surely attend.

    His favorite was grilled brisket!

    Jared''s lips curved slightly. Tina was setting another trap for Master Tam.

    Soon, the three of them met at the barbecue restaurant.

    "You little rascal, why the sudden generosity? Is there another bad idea waiting for me?" Master Tam knew his disciple too well; she wouldn''t treat him to a meal without an ulterior motive. Tina ced the brisket on the grill. "Master Tam Solomon, do you know Linden?"

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    Tina had never addressed Master Tam as Master Tam Solomon, which startled him since it had been a long time since hest heard his full name. He paused for a moment before remembering that it was indeed his name. "You impudent girl!" Master Tam chided, tapping open the tongs Tina was using on the brisket with his chopsticks, infusing a bit of his inner strength into the motion, causing Tina to feel a numbness in her limbs.

    Yet Tina did not let go, demanding, "Tell me, do you know Linden Shaw?" Master Tam pursed his lips, enduring for the sake of the brisket. "I don''t know any Linden Shaw, but I knew his grandfather. The Shaw family are nothing butckeys. Are you happy now? The meat will overcook!"

    Only then did Tina release her grip, and Master Tam quickly snatched away the brisket, fearing she might change her mind. "Today, Linden came to me with all the files regarding the Solomon family''s disappearance," Tina stated calmly. Master Tam was taken aback, his eating slowing down.

    Jared silently handed him a ss of carrot juice, which Tina had specifically requested. Master Tam had a habit of drinking carrot juice when he felt overwhelmed or burdened. He would say it was to replenish his vitamins. When Master Tam had faked his own death, he had almost chewed on raw carrots.

    He quickly finished the brisket and downed the carrot juice Jared offered. "What does he want with me? To have his fortune told?" Master Tam''s attempt at levity did not escape Tina, who knew well the pain in her master''s heart. His family had vanished overnight, leaving no trace, as if evaporated from this world, and he had only been twenty at the time, justing of age. How could he ept that? Meanwhile, the culprits lived freely, prospering ever more, even some distant rtives bing wealthy magnates in Ashbury.

    "What about the Solomon family? Forgotten by everyone," Tina mused as she ced another piece of brisket on the grill. "Master, I want to understand what really happened back then, so I can know what to do. And Linden, there''s something very wrong with him. I suspect he might be the one who drove my mother to suicide."

    Master Tam pressed his lips together, "Didn''t you talk a lot with your Uncle Brandon recently? Didn''t he mention anything about my past?"

    "That''s exactly why I want to know more about what happened," Tina replied, her gaze steadfast on Master Tam. He sighed, "I knew you wouldn''t let it go. But honestly, I don''t know exactly what happened either."

    After swallowing another piece of brisket, Master Tam set down his chopsticks. "When the incident urred, I wasn''t home."

    "All I know is that my father had received amission from several prominent family heads among the hidden families, asking him to predict the future developments of their ns. It was just to set their minds at ease."

    "Suchmissions weremon, as our family dealt in such matters, and the more flourishing the family, the more they believed in it. My father epted themission."

    "But that one fortune-telling session turned out unfavorably. My father foresaw that the hidden families would face a great cmity if things continued as they were. It could potentially endanger future generations and harm the family''s fortune. He spoke the truth and offered his advice, suggesting theye out of hiding and no longer seclude themselves in their own world."

 Chapter 572: Master Tam is Trapped by His Disciple Again

    Master Tam''s expression grew serious as he spoke.

    "Unexpectedly, those family heads acted like they were insane, using my father of spouting nonsense and sensationalizing, saying that it was all because my father was too greedy and so on. The following week, our family suffered an unprecedented attack. Finally, one night, every member of my family disappeared without a trace."

    Master Tam paused, the pain of that past evident on his face, though it quickly vanished.

    Perhaps the years had slowly dissolved his original pain, but suddenly mentioning it again still caused him immense heartache.

    After about a minute, Master Tam continued, "That night, I wasn''t home. I was out drinking with Ian, your grandfather. When I returned, the house reeked of blood, but there was no sign of their bodies, or even my newborn baby sister. Something felt wrong, so I hid."

    "Sure enough, by the next day, all traces of the Solomon family had been wiped clean. No one but your grandfather sought me out, but I couldn''t show myself. This matter was extraordinary, and I couldn''t involve your grandfather. Not long after, the ancient lineage of our family was divided amongst those family heads who had consulted my father. Since then, no one has mentioned the Solomon family again."

    Having finished, Master Tam drank the rest of his carrot juice and handed the empty cup to Jared, "Refill."

    Jared took the cup as instructed, refilled it with carrot juice, and handed it back, remaining silent throughout.

    After pouring the juice, he focused on grilling meat, serving some to Tina and Master Tam.

    "Girl, Linden is a descendant of one of those families'' external rtives from back then, you should know this. The Shaw family also prospered because of our family''s ancient lineage, making them beneficiaries of the events back then. Now, if they are seeking me, they must have another purpose, but don''t worry, girl, he isn''t one of those who pursued me back then."

    Hearing this, Tina felt relieved.

    Since Linden wasn''t one of those who had chased Master Tam back then, his search for Master Tam must have a different purpose. "Master, will you meet with him?" Tina asked.

    Master Tam waved his hand, "There are still many things I need to investigate. I can''t meet him now. You go ahead and handle the finances, and when the timees, I will naturally meet him. It won''t dy your chance to make money." Master Tam''s expression lightened as he joyfully ate the grilled meat.

    He knew his disciple all too well.

    Such a little money-grubber.

    Tina nodded and swiftly grabbed thest piece of beef, "Among the many things you mentioned, was one of them that phone call Linden made to my mom?"

    Master Tam choked on a mouthful of carrot juice, bent over coughing for a long while before he caught his breath.

    "You sneaky girl, knowing everything yet still asking me, you and your mother... Where did you go!"

    Master Tam straightened up only to find that Tina and Jared had already vanished!

    At that moment, a waiter approached with the bill, "Sir, your table''s total is thirty-eight thousand eight hundred. Will you be paying by card or cash?"

    Master Tam looked at the waiter incredulously, "Just a few tes of meat, and it''s thirty-eight thousand eight hundred?"

    The waiter smiled warmly at Master Tam, "The gentleman anddy who were dining with you just now took a bottle of expensive wine when they left, valued at $38, 000." Damn!

    Master Tam, who hadn''t sworn in a long time, mentally cursed Tina and Jared''s ancestors for generations.

    He knew that the girl had no good intentions in inviting him for barbecue!

    $38, 800!

    That was all hard-earned cash, crisp bills!

    With tears in his eyes, Master Tam swiped his card and packed the remaining meat and vegetables to give to Warren Pace, "Pay up $40, 000, or no dinner for you." Warren Pace silently opened a hot pot on the side, "Eat at your own pace, I prefer hot pot."

    Meanwhile, the sneaky Jared and Tina were already sitting in a hot pot restaurant, happily starting their meal.

    "Truly, hot pot is my favorite," Tina said contentedly as she ate a slice of hand-cutmb.

    Jared wiped the sauce from the corner of Tina''s mouth, "Tina, there''s something odd about what the master said." Tina took a sip of Coke, "Yeah, it is strange."

    Both belonging to hidden families, would they really resort to murder over a mere fortune-telling?

    The hidden families, after all, serve the government; it''s unthinkable they would easily annihte an entire family. And still, the pursuit to kill Master Tam continues.

    Such actions couldn''t possibly stem from just a simple fortune-telling.

    There must be unknown reasons behind this.

    Tina chuckled to herself, her interest in the hidden families growing deeper.

    Jared continued to serve Tina hand-cutmb, making sure she was fully satisfied.

    Finally setting down her chopsticks, she said to Jared, "Uncle, Linden''s objective is aimed at the hidden families."

    Jared nodded in agreement, "Exactly, he sent you to investigate the Solomon family''s annihtion and had Hayden infiltrate the now public White family among the hidden families, the purpose is quite clear." Tina wiped her mouth, "Let''s go find Hayden, I want to see what kind of mission he is really on."

    "He probably won''t tell you," Jared said as he paid the bill and they walked hand in hand out of the restaurant, "He might be unreliable, but he has his principles."

    Hayden was from the X Bureau, naturally adhering to his own codes.

    When it came to his missions, not even his own father could extract a reason out of him.

    The X Bureau''s final assessment was exactly this, and Hayden had persisted to the end, even when Jared personally set traps to extract his mission objectives, he staunchly refused to divulge anything. Thus, Jared had great confidence in Hayden''s discretion.

    Tina flexed her neck, "Knowing where he is is enough."

    Tina had her own ways of dealing with Hayden.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Although Hayden wouldn''t disclose anything, a brief conversation with him was usually enough for her to guess his ultimate goals.

    Jared shrugged and they got into the car, "He''s in Clearwater now, we won''t make it in time, let''s call him."

    Tina agreed and pulled out her phone to call Hayden.

    But, no one answered.

    Tina tried several more times, but still, no response.

    She frowned, took Jared''s phone, and tried calling again, still no answer.

    Hayden could ignore anyone''s call, but he would never ignore hers or Jared''s.

    Something must have happened to Hayden!

 Chapter 573: Trouble for Hayden

    Jared immediately contacted Nathan, "Go to Clearwater, something has happened to Hayden."

    Nathan was in the midst of routine training at the X Bureau when he received Jared''s call. He paused, visibly stunned, "Hayden checked in remotely this morning and even responded to my routine roll call on the public screen ten minutes ago. It''s impossible that something has happened to him."

    The X Bureau, for ease of management, conducted routine roll calls through the public screen, except for special undercover assignments like Linden''s. The timing was irregr, but it ensured that everyone was ounted for. Jared''s brow furrowed slightly.

    It had been ten minutes since Tina made the first call.

    If Hayden was responding to the roll call at that time, he couldn''t have missed Tina''s call!

    What was going on?

    Tina also sensed that something was amiss, a situation unprecedented for Hayden.

    At that moment, Velma, who hadn''t been in touch for a long time, called Tina.

    "Something terrible has happened to Pa," Velma said anxiously.

    "What happened?" Tina asked with a stern face.

    Hayden had been assigned to infiltrate the White family. If Pa was also in trouble, there had to be a connection between the two.

    Velma swallowed hard, "Pa has been imprisoned by her family. They won''t let her contact anyone. If she hadn''t found an old phone to reach me, I wouldn''t have known anything was wrong." Pa imprisoned?

    Tina frowned, "Why would the White family imprison Pa? What happened?"

    "Because of that bastard she''s secretly in love with-Hayden," Velma exined. "Hayden has stolen biochemical weapon secrets from the White family and got caught. Now, he''s being held in a military prison in Clearwater, awaiting sentencing!" "What?" Tina gripped Jared''s wrist, who then promptly pulled the car over to the side of the road, still connected to Nathan via phone.

    Tina switched to speakerphone so Jared and Nathan could hear.

    "How could Hayden steal the White family''s biochemical weapon secrets?" Tina demanded.

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    Velma stamped her foot in frustration, "I don''t know, and neither does Pa. She doesn''t believe Hayden would do such a thing. She wants to testify for Hayden in court, which is why she was imprisoned. She called me to ask for your help." "Pa said the biochemical weapons researched by the White family are a government secret. If Hayden doesn''t exin himself, he could face the death penalty. Moreover, this time, people from the hidden families are directly involved, and even Hayden''s superior can''t intervene."

    A chill appeared on Jared''s stern face, clearly indicating his reluctance to be sidelined.

    "How long has Hayden been captured?" Jared asked.

    Velma hesitated, then realized, "Mr. Farrell, Hayden has been imprisoned for nearly half a month now. Pa is beside herself with worry."

    The chill on Jared''s face deepened, "Nathan, how has Hayden''s check-in been over this half month?"

    "Timely and without any discrepancies. He''s always responsive," Nathan''s voice cooled as well.

    From the other end came Jason''s voice, "Mr. Farrell, something is wrong."C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    "Miss Reed, for this half month, Husky has also been talking daily in our group, not only that but Pa has been responding too, though she has been less talkative than usual. Thest time she spoke was three days ago," Courtney added.

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    The small group she mentioned was originally established by Tina to research a new type of bomb. Once the bomb detector was sessfully developed, the group turned into a chat group. Tina and Jared seldom checked the group; usually, only Courtney and Nathan interacted with Hayden.

    Over the past half month, Hayden had been checking in regrly, and the group had been chatting. This indicated that someone was controlling all of Hayden''s means ofmunication with the outside world! Ayer of frost formed on Tina''s face.

    "Velma, tell Pa not to worry. I''ll figure out a way to rescue Hayden first. He will be alright," Tina said, her eyes darkening with a hint of menace. Those who dared to mess with her were courting death! Only she had the right to bully her brother! Velma nodded repeatedly, "Okay, I don''t get to contact Pa often, but I''ll tell her. Tina, Mr. Farrell, you must help them." Tina acknowledged with a ''good'' and then hung up the phone.

    Jared also instructed, "Just continue to send messages to Hayden as usual, use the public channel."

    "Understood," Nathan replied, hanging up the phone. Jared put away his phone. "Tina, track Hayden''s public channel and phone, check the locations." Tina nodded and immediately turned on her portableputer to locate all of Hayden''smunication devices. Secondster, Tina''s expression darkened. "It''s at the X Bureau headquarters in Ashbury!" Tina closed herputer. "It''s Linden again."

    Then, Tina called Jayden, "Notify everyone in the Mountain Veil Order, the target is Clearwater Military Prison, break him out!" Tina was truly furious. If Hayden had reallymitted an offense, she would personally have sent him there, not the X Bureau! But now that he had been set up and was about to be judged immediately, she couldn''t tolerate it! Jared held Tina back, "Tina, give me some time, we can''t break into the prison just yet." The full details of the situation were still unclear, and if Tina really attempted a prison break, the consequences would be unimaginable.

    Tina stared at Jared, her eyes filled with anger, "Hayden''s trial is tomorrow, I don''t have time!"

    "I know, if I haven''t figured out what''s going on by midnight tonight, then you can make your move, Tina. But think it through-if we really break him out, Hayden will never be able to return to the X Bureau." Jared tightly grasped Tina''s hand. He understood her urgency. Hayden had grown up with him as a close brother andter as arade-in-arms facing life and death.

    Now that Hayden was in trouble, Jared was anxious too. But Jared knew well that Hayden''s lifelong goal was to retire from the X Bureau, aiming to earn more medals of honor than anyone else. How could he be foolish enough to steal government secrets? Such an incident was impossible among anyone in the X Bureau. There was only one possibility: this was a mission assigned from above!

    But without clear details, Tina must not actually attempt the prison break, or the crime would indeed be confirmed, and Hayden''s dreams would never be realized. Tina regained herposure, her face wrapped in ayer of frost, yet she calmed down, calling Jayden, "Stand by at Clearwater Military Prison, wait for mymand!"

    "Yes," Jayden immediately contacted all the brothers in the Mountain Veil Order, heading to Clearwater!

 Chapter 574: Jareds Fury, A Rescue Mission

    Inside the car, Jared and Tina were silent for a few seconds. Jared held Tina''s hand tightly, "We should split up-I''ll head to the X Bureau to find Linden. He can''t be uninvolved in this theft of secrets. You go to your grandfather''s house; this matter involves the hidden families again, and perhaps your grandfather could help."

    Only then did Tina remember that Hayden''s imprisonment was due to pressure from someone within the hidden families, which is why the X Bureau couldn''t intervene. The Brookes family might have a way to help. With this thought, Tina''s eyes narrowed imperceptibly. She had spent ten years training at Serenity Ridge, taking time each year to establish her own influence. She founded the Mountain Veil Order, strengthening Serenity Ridge, believing she was strong enough to protect those she cared about.

    Yet, when it came to the hidden families, her strength was nothingpared to theirs. Her Mountain Veil Order was like an ant in front of the hidden families, vulnerable to being crushed at any moment. And she had thought she controlled the GTO, yet it had slipped from her grasp. It seemed she needed to take action.

    "Alright, I''m on my way," Tina nodded in agreement, squeezing Jared''s hand back, "Hurry, we can''t let anything happen to Hayden." "Right, how can our husky be plucked by others?" The two parted ways then and there, with Jared driving straight to the X Bureau.

    Nathan, Courtney, and Jason were waiting in the deputy director''s office, trying to contact Hayden. Upon seeing Jared return, they greeted him, "Deputy Director!"

    "Where''s Linden?" Jared asked in a deep voice.

    Nathan and the others immediately understood the situation. "He''s in his office. Jason has been keeping an eye on him and hasn''t left."

    They were the elite of the X Bureau, and none were fools; they clearly understood Linden''s likely involvement. With a department insider implicated, the director couldn''t possibly be unaware. They had managed to keep this concealed even from Jared, the deputy director, as Hayden''s trial approached-an impossible feat without the director''s involvement. Thus, upon receiving the news, Nathan and the others had been closely monitoring every move Linden made. Jared removed his watch, threw his jacket on the sofa, and stormed out. Jason started to follow but was pushed back by Jared with a firm, "Stand by here!"

    With no other option, Jason waited in the deputy director''s office.

    Jared didn''t even knock, barging directly into Linden''s office just as a message notification sounded. It was Hayden''s phone. The distinctive tone was one Jared had previously mocked.

    Seeing Jared enter, Linden silently put the phone away, "What brings you here sote?"

    "Sote, yet you''re not home. Here, holding Hayden''s phone, replying to Nathan-having fun?" Jared walked over and unceremoniously opened Linden''s drawer. Sure enough, there were Hayden''s phone and the public screen, right inside! "Don''t you know how to mute it?" Jared grabbed Linden by the cor and mmed him against the cab, as if he might strangle him at any moment.

    Linden didn''t resist, bearing all of Jared''s fury, "I was wondering why Jason and Courtney were staring at my office all day. Jared, sit down and let me exin slowly."Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Jared punched Linden in the face, "Listen to your nonsense?"

    Jared rarely swore or resorted to violence, especially against a superior, regardless of whether they deserved respect. But this time, he couldn''t hold back.

    How could Linden have expected such a casual tone, inviting him to sit down and exin things slowly?

    The noise from the Director''s office quickly drew everyone in the bureau. Jared adjusted his tie and yelled, "Everyone get out!"

    Naturally, no one dared to stay; they all hurried out, including the other bureau leaders who didn''t dare to intervene.

    At that moment, Jared resembled a fierce lion, a demon born from hell, forbidding anyone from approaching.

    Jason and Nathan stood guard at the door. Though they were also angry, they hadn''t expected Jared to be so furious that he would actually strike the Director!

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    Courtney tried to contact Tina on the side, but couldn''t reach her.

    Little did she know, Tina would be even more terrifying than Jared if she were to see Linden now.

    Jared mmed the door of the Director''s office and lifted Linden off the floor, "Speak, what happened!"

    Linden wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, "Hayden was sent to steal secrets from the White family, and indeed, it was I who assigned him the task."

    Jared''s face darkened as he held back from throwing another punch.

    Linden continued, "However, Hayden''s current predicament is entirely his own doing. His whereabouts were discovered by the White family because he deliberately exposed himself!"

    Jared couldn''t hold back his second punch and it came crashing down.

    "As the Director, did you never consider the consequences of assigning such tasks to your subordinates to steal government secrets?" Jared coldly looked down at Linden on the floor, wishing he could tear him apart right there. Jared finally understood why Hayden had gone to prison.

    It was because Hayden, when faced with stealing government secrets or securing his future, chose to protect the government''s property.

    The iron rule of the X Bureau was to obeymands, which he hadn''t vited.

    However, he also refused to steal secrets and betray Pa.

    This vited his code as a special forces member of the X Bureau and his devotion to his loved one.

    He would rather be tried than actuallymit theft.

    This idiot, such a task shouldn''t have been epted. If only he had been told earlier, he would never have let things reach this state. Linden sat on the floor, leaning against the sofa, "I was also following orders from above, Jared, don''t forget the X Bureau''s first rule."

    Jared was too weary to strike again, he questioned, "You are the one giving orders, so why are you unscathed?"

    Linden took a breath, "Because, my leader protected me. As for Hayden, I was powerless to help."

    Jared clenched his fists, "Are you fit to be the Director?"

    Linden didn''t deny it, knowing Jared''s words weren''t without merit.

    He couldn''t save his own subordinate and with all the secrecy, he naturally couldn''t convince anyone.

    Still sitting on the floor, Linden looked up at Jared, "I know you are angry now, but you can''t intervene in this matter. Even if Christopheres back, he can''t interfere. As the Deputy Director of the X Bureau, what you need to do now is to calm your subordinates and stop them from specting."

    "I don''t need you to tell me how to be the Deputy Director!" Jared immediately walked to Linden''s desk and picked up the phone to call the headquarters in Clearwater.

 Chapter 575: They Managed to Change the Trial Time

    The phone connected quickly. Jared spoke in a cold voice, "This is Jared, Deputy Director of the Ashbury X Bureau Headquarters. My third squad leader, Hayden, is currently detained in the military prison and is scheduled for trial tomorrow morning. We request a dy in the trial time. Our director, Linden Shaw, still has issues to address. I repeat, we request a dy in Hayden''s trial as Director Linden still has unresolved issues!" After speaking, Jared hung up the phone and took out a public screen to directly contact the Clearwater headquarters.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    If Hayden was still to be tried tomorrow, he wouldn''t hesitate to storm the military prison himself. This message was visible to everyone in the X Bureau. Everyone was furious. Hayden was merely carrying out a task assigned by senior leadership, and now they were trying to make him take the fall alone-how could this be possible? If this continued, who would still be willing to give their all for the X Bureau?

    The uproar triggered an emergency response; the people at the X Bureau headquarters had not anticipated this and had to urgently reschedule Hayden''s trial. They silenced the public screens of all team members to prevent the situation from escting. But now that the matter had spread, it had reached an uncontroble point; both the headquarters and Linden had to give an exnation!

    "Jared, doing this could ruin your future. Is it worth it?" Linden asked. Jared, with a stern face, put away the public screen, "I''ve never cared about my future." Saying this, he sat down, took out his phone, and sent a message to Tina, informing her of Hayden''s situation. Then, looking at Linden, he continued, "I have plenty of time to wear you down, Chief Linden. Aren''t you going to tell the truth?"

    Linden also stood up from the floor and sat on the sofa, easing himself a bit as a twitch of pain crossed his lips, but he endured it. "Before I took office, I was given a task. My superiors wanted me to obtain the biochemical weapon data that the White family was researching so that the X Bureau could develop it themselves. You''ve been in the bureau long enough to know that the X Bureau is divided into two factions. One faction belongs to the hidden families, and you became deputy director with the help of the Brookes family."

    "One faction is the X Bureau itself. The two factionsplement each other, but with different responsibilities. Now, we want to integrate the hidden families with the X Bureau itself. Do you understand now?"

    Jared couldn''t help but let out a coldugh, "Since when did the X Bureau be thieves?" Linden, hearing the sarcasm in Jared''s words, shrugged helplessly, "I know it''s wrong, but there''s no choice. The task is the task, everything is decided by the upper leadership, and we just execute."

    Jared fastened his cufflinks, "Which leader? I want to meet him." Linden looked at Jared bluntly, "You''re not qualified yet. I can''t decide on this matter, Jared. If you want to save Hayden, you still need to find the hidden families. I''m powerless." Jared narrowed his eyes, "Initially stealing Pa''s new bomb, ''Morning Glory,'' caused weapons to flood the market, and now you want to steal secrets. You seem quite adept at this sort of thing." Linden paused, "I admit that when we took ''Morning Glory'' from Pa, it was for this mission, but how did it end up on the market?" Jared narrowed his eyes; Linden''s expression didn''t seem feigned.

    Didn''t he know that the "Morning Glory" was ced on the Hancock family yacht? Linden''s expression was also very grave, "Make yourself clear, where exactly has the ''Morning Glory'' gone? Does it have anything to do with GTO?" "Aren''t you working for the leader? Ask them yourself." Jared ignored him and walked out of the office. Since Linden wouldn''t disclose who this so-called leader was, he decided to find out himself.

    The Brookes family. Tina had just arrived. Brandon and Jack were sparring in the yard. Seeing Tina, Brandon smiled, "My niece, you''vee just at the right time. You can referee for us-whoever loses takes out the trash tomorrow morning!" Grandpa Brookes, watching from the side, noticed Tina''s pale face, "Scarlett, Rachel, take Kiki and Mimi away." Scarlett, too, noticed Tina''s distress and quickly picked up Kiki, while Rachel reluctantly led Mimi away. As she left, she looked back at Tina, worried about her reason foring.

    The yard quieted down, and the sparring between Brandon and Jack came to an abrupt end. "Tina, what happened?"

    "Grandpa, it''s my brother; he''s suspected of stealing biochemical weapon secrets from the White family and is now detained in the Clearwater military prison. I could get him out, but I don''t want to go down that road, so I''m here for your help," Tina said, biting her lip. She could save Hayden regardless of the consequences, but that wasn''t what Hayden would want. He wanted to stay at the X Bureau; she could only do her best.

    Grandpa Brookes frowned, "Girl, this is no small matter. How can you be sure your brother is innocent?" Tina showed Grandpa Brookes the message from Jared, "Jared has already confronted Linden; it was all his doing." Grandpa Brookes nodded, "Your little brother is taking the fall for someone."

    Meanwhile, Brandon had called the X Bureau to check the situation and then came over. "Tina, your brother is not just taking the fall for someone; all of this, including Jared''s involvement, has nothing to do with the central office; it''s all Linden''s orders. Someone inside the X Bureau has given Linden a carte nche, and it seems to be targeting the hidden families."

    Tina was stunned, then realized, "Linden wants to steal the White family''s secrets to break into the hidden families?" Brandon nodded, "Yes. Although Linden has been working undercover outside, he never stopped investigating the hidden families. He wants to undermine their strength. His years of effort have not been in vain. Now, they are also investigating the youngdy from the White family to see if she colluded with Hayden."

    No wonder Pa was detained; it seems the White family wanted to protect their child and thus didn''t pursue further. As long as Hayden was tried, all the me could be pinned on him, and everyone else would be safe. Tina shattered the stone table in the yard with a m of her palm, "Linden dared to use my brother as a scapegoat, he''s really asking for trouble!"

    Grandpa Brookes understood Tina''s anger and signaled Jack to bring some ointment for her, "Girl, don''t worry, I''m here for your brother. He won''t have any trouble and will be restored to his position." Tina nodded, her task now was to figure out what exactly Linden was up to and the identity behind that carte nche.

 Chapter 576: The Mysterious Leader, Romer

    A call came through from the headquarters of the X Bureau in Clearwater.

    "Jared, do you realize the consequences of your actions? What if it affects the morale of the entire bureau? Can you handle that responsibility?"

    The one questioning Jared was Harry Jackson, the director of the X Bureau and Linden''s direct superior.

    Jared responded indifferently, his tone cold. "Does having my subordinates shot for no reason not affect morale?"

    Harry Jackson sighed heavily. "If you haveints, you should bring them up within the bureau. How can you take matters into your own hands? We have our own judgment regarding Hayden''s matter."

    "Who is Linden''s direct superior? He arranged this mission; shouldn''t he give us an exnation?" Jared was tired of wasting words with Harry Jackson.

    It was always the same few phrases, solving nothing.

    Since Harry Jackson had personally made the call, it indicated that this matter did not concern him.

    The person behind it all was someone even Harry Jackson had to show deference to-a figure of significant importance.

    "I know you have grievances with Linden. Although Linden assigned the mission to Hayden, someone has protected him. The bureau issued a severe warning and has cut off his path back to headquarters, effectively ruining his career. You are still young; think carefully before you act."

    Seeing Harry Jackson deliberately avoiding his questions, Jared coldly said, "If you don''t give me an exnation, I will go to the headquarters myself."

    "You..." Harry Jackson sighed again, continuing to evade, "No matter who it is, it''s not something someone at your level should know. Focus on assisting Linden with the affairs in Ashbury and keep an eye on GTO; it''s been quiet theretely. That''s all for now."

    With that, Harry Jackson hung up.

    Jared clenched the receiver, his eyes deep with resolve.

    One day, he would expose the person behind this.

    Jared had a strong intuition that this person was connected to a traitor within X Bureau.

    At that moment, Tina called. Jared answered.

    Tina quickly said, "Linden''s target are the hidden families. I''m on my way."

    Jared furrowed his brow but before he could respond, Tina had already hung up.

    Soon after, Tina arrived.

    The two went straight to Linden.

    Linden was on the phone with Harry Jackson but had to hang up when he saw Tina and Jared approaching.

    "Seems like we''ve been meeting quite often recently," Linden said as he stood up and led them to sit on the sofa, appearing calm and collected as if nothing had happened. "Romer, your leader, right?" Tina sat down, her curved eyebrows expressing a chill.

    Linden''s brow furrowed slightly. "What do you mean?"

    Although he maintained hisposure, he was profoundly shocked inside. Tina had managed to find out about the codename Romer!

    Even Jared, who was within X Bureau, could not ess all the information regarding this codename.

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    Tina''s capabilities were evidently not to be underestimated.

    Tina smirked slightly. "Romer isn''t listed as active in headquarters or any other branch. He must be retired by now, yet such a person can still grant you a pardon. I underestimated him." Linden''s eyes hardened as he stared at Tina, as if ready to stop her from continuing. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

    Jared partially shielded Tina, his hand already on the gun at his waist, ring at Linden, "Put your hands back."

    Tina pushed Jared down, unafraid of Linden''s threat, "You want me Ice to investigate Tam Solomon, then secretly have Hayden sabotage the White family, and next you n to use me to get close to the Brookes family, step by step approaching the hidden families!"

    Seeing his intentions exposed, Linden no longer pretended. "Yes, I am indeed trying to get close to the hidden families." He rxedpletely, leaning against the sofa, "Tina, Tam Solomon is your mentor, Master Tam, right?" Tina did not answer, which was as good as confirming it.

    Linden continued, "The reason I want to find him is that the Shaw family can no longer bear the disasters brought on by that legacy. The massacre of the Solomon family had nothing to do with us, yet why should the Shaw family bear all the consequences?"

    Linden, agitated, clenched his fists without realizing.

    Tina watched quietly, pondering whether Linden''s probing into the hidden families had anything to do with the call he made to Natalie.

    "You must have investigated the background of the Shaw family. If you look, you''ll see that none of the Shaw family ends well," Linden said, eyes downcast. "Including my parents who died in extreme pain, with top doctors unable to find any cause. All of this is connected to the legacy of the Solomon family!"Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Tina raised her eyes; she had indeed investigated the Shaw family.

    Linden''s parents had died of illness, as he said, with no apparent reason. They suddenly deteriorated, and at the time of death, their lower bodies werepletely decayed.

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    That''s why Linden had always kept Arthur and Audrey away from any business rted to the Shaw family.

    Even Esther didn''t know what Shaw Industries really did.

    "What does this have to do with the White family and the other hidden families?" Tina asked.

    "Heh, the hidden families are just a bunch of pitiful creatures who control all benefits, lofty and imperious, yet dirtier than anyone. Shaw Industries is implicated because of the legacy, and I am restricted everywhere by the hidden families at the X Bureau. They shouldn''t even exist!"

    Linden grew more agitated, his eyes even reddening, "The people of the hidden families, with their little abilities,mit evils everywhere. Why shouldn''t I overthrow them!"

    Tina watched Linden quietly, his hatred for the hidden families seemingly beyond her imagination.

    If Linden was indeed a traitor of the X Bureau, then was the call he made to Natalie because he knew Natalie was Alina?

    Tina looked at Linden and asked, "What do the hidden families have to do with my mother? What was the meaning of that call you made to her?"

    Linden paused, looking at Tina suspiciously, "What are you talking about? How did it get to Everett?"

    "Do you dare say you''ve hidden nothing from my mother, that you arepletely innocent?" Tina asked coldly.

    Linden licked his lips, his frown deepening, "I''m not your dad, why would I hide anything from your mom? What''s there to be guilty about?"

    After saying this, Linden paused, then realized.

    Suddenly furious, he pointed at Tina''s nose and demanded, "Tina, are you suggesting that because of that call I made, your mom killed herself? You suspect that I killed your mom!"

 Chapter 577: The Mysterious Figure Again

    Tina lightly raised her hand, her fingertip tapping on Linden''s finger.

    Instantly, Linden felt a numbness at his fingertip, the pain causing him to fall back onto the couch, yet he kept his gaze fixed on Tina. "I indeed have disagreements with Everett and Pigeon, but our disputes are strictly professional. I have no reason to kill her. Please, show some respect!"

    Linden''s outburst was unexpected to Tina.

    He was very concerned about what Tina had said.

    Still holding his wrist, Linden stared at Tina, "Neither you nor Christopher have any reason to suspect me. It''s true, I bear grudges against the hidden families and often use my work to investigate them, but as a member of the X Bureau''s special forces, and now as its director, I have been true to every mission I''ve undertaken and to the badge I carry on my shoulders!"

    "Tina, Jared, you can use me of negligence in my duties as director, of not caring about the future and safety of my subordinates, but you can never doubt my original intentions as a member of the X Bureau''s special forces!" In Jared''s eyes, Linden was far from a qualified director, not even deserving of the title.

    He had sacrificed his subordinates for his personal gains, sending them to military prison as if nothing had happened.

    He watched as his subordinates died because of this.

    Such a person did not deserve Jared''s respect!

    Yet, he agreed with Linden''s words.

    Everyone was silent for a few minutes, no one spoke.

    A few minutester, Linden had calmed down, "Mymission with the me Ice organization continues. Next time you visit, I hope you bring news of your master."

    Linden clearly issued a dismissal, his tone somewhat unfriendly.

    Tina looked back at Linden.

    Linden seemed to be locked in his obsessions.

    An obsession with the hidden families, with the Solomon family.

    Tina had once seen the medical records of Linden''s parents before their deaths. It wasn''t about any karmic retribution, but due to chronic lead poisoning. This lead, unlike ordinary lead, was mixed with many unknown toxins and substances, lingering in the body and gradually rpsing, eventually causing death by explosion.

    Linden was right to keep Arthur and Audrey out of Shaw Industries'' affairs.

    Perhaps, the lead in his parents'' bodies was due to the mine inherited by their family.

    In the early days of Shaw Industries, Linden''s parents often returned to the mine, and frequently facedwsuits due to illnesses or deaths among the workers.

    It was only after Shaw Industries purchased substantial medical insurance for the workers that the matter was settled.

    Clearly, there was something wrong with that mine.

    But it was not due to any karmic retribution, just the nature of the Solomon family''s business that lent a mysterious air to the matter.

    Truly, Linden was pitiable.

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    "Next time I see you, I hope you can tell me more about Romer, or else, you''ll never find my master in this lifetime!"

    Romer was Tina''s final target.

    Yet this person was extremely mysterious, his photographs blurry, and no clues could be found within the entire X Bureau.

    If it hadn''t been for his stepping forward to save Linden, which Grandpa Brookes noticed, Tina would not have found any traces of him.

    Linden sharply interrupted Tina, "What exactly do you want to know about Romer? Tina, your mother''s death was a suicide, it had nothing to do with anyone in the X Bureau, and definitely nothing to do with Romer. He''s the one who was most upset by your mother''s death. Stop being so suspicious all the time!"

    Tina did not respond, but Jared stepped in front of Linden, blocking his view. "Don''t drag anyone from the X Bureau into your feud with the hidden families. I won''t let this go so easily either." Having said that, Jared left with Tina.

    Tina did not refuse; she walked out with Jared. Jared started the car, his expression calm under the night sky. "Tina, the matter with your master shouldn''t involve Linden."

    "Why do you say that?" Tina asked.

    Jared handed his phone to Tina. "The mysterious person sent the information to me this time."

    Tina took the phone, and indeed, it was from that mysterious person. _''Linden''s only target is the hidden families.''_

    Tina frowned. "Last time she warned me to be careful around Linden, and now it''s no issue? Is she ying me?"

    Tina already had some suspicions about this mysterious person, and naturally, her resentment grew deeper. She had been deceived for so many years and this person had always been around her!

    Jared ruffled Tina''s hair. "She has her reasons for doing this."

    Tina sighed and quietly looked out the window, observing the bustling street and scanning the faces of passersby. There was not a single familiar face that would make her rush over and confront them fiercely. Why is this happening?_ After calming down, Tina gradually came to her senses. "Let''s go to my master."

    Jared nodded and turned the car around toward the house prepared for Master Tam. Tina called Master Tam over, and sensing the urgency in her voice, he hurried over without dy, dropping his chopsticks.

    He once againmented, _What''s the use of having a disciple! _

    "Girl, what''s wrong now? Did Jared bully you? Do you want me to take off one of his legs for you to y with?" Master Tam entered, holding a strawberry cake and trying to cheer up his disciple.

    Tina nodded toward the sofa with her chin, signaling Master Tam to sit. Master Tam handed the cake to Jared, who silently sat on the sofa and cut the cake into small pieces for Tina to eat easily. "What''s the deal with your family''s mine? Is it toxic?" Tina asked.

    Master Tam was momentarily puzzled before he recalled what Tina was referring to. "Oh, that mine? Definitely toxic. Even digging up an ancient tomb would expose you to noxious gases; that mine is an inheritance from our ancestors, how could it not be toxic?"

    Tina narrowed her eyes. The so-called toxicity referred to the mineral substances produced by the mine, which contained excessive levels of lead and various unknown substances that might umte in the body during the mining process. But with proper protection, there should be no problem.

    The people at Shaw Industries Group were not fools; how could they not think of this?

    Tina continued to gaze at Master Tam, who reluctantly rubbed his face and continued, "The substances in that mine are indeed toxic, and ordinary protection won''t suffice. It requires a specific medication to treat." "What medication?" Tina asked.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Master Tam pulled a small porcin bottle from his pocket and ced it on the table. "This one."

 Chapter 578: Master, This is a Gift for You

    Tina opened the porcin bottle and sniffed it close to her nose; it was not any ordinary medicine. Her eyes faintly lifted, locking onto Master Tam. "Yes, yes, yes, it''s our family''s secret recipe, known only to our family," Master Tam said excitedly. Tina looked at him twice. Given her master''s nature, even if he wanted to ignore the Shaw family and let them fend for themselves, he wouldn''t ignore the innocent workers. He would never knowingly have an antidote and watch them die.

    Master Tam knew what Tina wanted to ask and took the initiative to exin, "I once gave the form to someone from the Shaw family, specifically to Linden''s grandfather, but they didn''t take it seriously. Later, when I was being hunted and had to hide in Serenity Ridge, I didn''t inquire further about the Shaw family, and it just faded away."

    Back then, Master Tam, who was also known as Tam Solomon, had to flee after a family tragedy. During his flight, he learned that the Shaw family had acquired the mining rights. Knowing the dangers of the mine, he gave the antidote form to Linden''s grandfather. But this act exposed his whereabouts, leading to his pursuit by other hidden families.

    Master Tam thought Linden''s grandfather would take it seriously, but it turned out to be ineffective. Over the years, Master Tam kept evading the hidden families, and it was only after faking his death that he found out Linden''s parents had already died due to the mining. By then, he learned the Shaw family had not taken the antidote seriously. It was toote; he couldn''t find Linden or save the workers by traditional means.

    Tina nodded, "So, the Shaw family brought destruction upon themselves. But, master, did you use your real name to coborate with Shaw Industries Group to sell protective masks to save those miners?" Master Tam choked. How had this girl found that out? He had avoided all of Tina''s connections! Wait! There was someone else. Master Tam''s gaze gradually shifted to Jared, who was cutting a cake. Feeling the intense stares, Jared looked up and smiled back. Master Tam cursed Jared in his heart. He knew it-this damn kid!

    The Farrell Group held a significant position in the business world, so it was not surprising they could dig up something as minor as the protective masks. Tina tapped the table, "Master, don''t forget you still owe me eighty million dors. Are you trying to default on your debt?" Looking at Tina''s "sly" smiling face, Master Tam knew he could no longer hide. "Alright, alright, I''ll pay you, okay? Just make sure you return my IOU of eighty million, and don''t take over mypany or try to swindle me of another eighty million!"

    Tina extended her hand, "First, give me the controlling stake of thepany." Master Tam ground his teeth and reluctantly took out his phone to make a call. Ten minutester, Tina''s phone showed that she now owned another pharmaceuticalpany. "Now, can you give me the IOU?" Master Tam sat back down and asked.

    However, Tina across from him just smiled silently, and even Jared, who had finished cutting the cake, looked on calmly. Master Tam blinked, then realizing something, he threw a punch at each of them, actually hitting two robots in front of him. Both robots opened their mouths and, like a previous bionic robot, spat out two vertical scrolls.

    "Master, this is a gift for you."

    "As for the IOU, I''ll give it back to you when I gather eighty million dors!"

    Master Tam took several deep breaths, thought for a moment, and then burst outughing. "This cheeky girl,ing up with more and more cunning ideas." He sat down, dipped his finger into the cream on the cake, and popped it into his mouth. "Bah! Why is it so spicy?!"

    Upon closer inspection, it wasn''t the cake he had picked up at all, but a fake cake!

    "Tina! You wait for me! You cheeky girl!"

    Fuming, Master Tam carried two humanoid robots back home and threw them in front of Warren Pace.

    "Just look at this!"

    Warren Pace was reading a book and couldn''t help but smile upon seeing the two robots.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    "The girl has some skills," he said, clearly pleased with the robots.

    Unexpectedly, as soon as he threw one out, Tina had brought back two, truly surpassing the master.

    Master Tam sighed. "What now? Is it just me getting hurt in this world?"

    "You could say that," Warren Pace chuckled, pinching "Tina''s" cheek, but his expression suddenly changed. Master Tam was stillmenting about hispany when he saw Warren Pace quickly covering his tracks. "What''s wrong?" Master Tam asked, puzzled.

    Warren Pace frowned. "You''ve been tricked by your apprentice. These two robots have trackers on them!" With that, Warren Pace hurriedly fled.

    At that moment, Tina was sitting in a car, blissfully eating a strawberry cake.

    Hmm, not as good as Uncle''s, but still tasty.

    Indeed, strawberry cake is the best food in the world.

    Jared looked at Tina''s smiling face and couldn''t help but remark, "Money really does work wonders."

    Indeed, she was a little money-monger.

    While eating, Tina nced at her watch. "They stopped for three minutes, and now they''re moving again?"

    Her watch was a miniatureputer that looked like a regr watch but could switch toputer mode when needed.

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    The tracker on the bodyguard robot started moving, but not by much, just under a kilometer from where they had stopped.

    Jared followed the tracker, but Tina shook her head. "No, that''s the old man''s smoke bomb!"

    Tina sent the tracker''s current location to Cole, and soon Cole called back. "Serena, I''ve been chasing this truck for three kilometers! I''m exhausted!"

    As expected, the old man really thought they would follow the tracker.

    "Alright, you''re done," Tina hung up the phone and knocked on the door in front of her with Jared.

    The door was opened by a robot, whose face hadn''t been set up properly.

    Upon seeing Tina, it sounded an rm, "Alert, alert, cheeky girl iing, cheeky girl iing!"

    Jared secretly chuckled, but seeing Tina''s increasingly grim expression, he swallowed hisughter.

    Tina broke the robot''s head with her bare hands, and after the robot uttered a "Ya, I''m dead," itpletely "stopped breathing."

    Master Tam hurried over, seemingly surprised to see Tina. "My goodness, how did you find this ce?"

    "Don''t y dumb with me, where''s Warren Pace?" Tina demanded.

    Master Tam shrugged. "How should I know? But if you''re looking for him, I can set up a meeting."

 Chapter 579: My Name is Now Natalie

    Tina had no interest in wasting words with Master Tam. She searched every nook and cranny of the vi, finding nothing but a bunch of unused robots, a dog, and two cats. There wasn''t a trace of anything else. Cursing under her breath, she realized she had been fooled again.

    Master Tam stood aside, chiding, "You rascal, you need to tidy up after making such a mess!"

    "Just let your robots clean it up!" Tina snorted coldly, and as she left, she snatched the apple that Master Tam was about to bite into. Master Tam watched Tina leave. Once he confirmed there was no "danger" around, he took out his phone to message Warren Pace. "Where did you go?"

    "Ang." Warren Pace put away his phone, nowpletely transformed in appearance.

    He had be she.

    In the mirror, soft, dark hair cascaded from her shoulders, her formerly stern facial features gradually softened. She hadn''t undergone a disguise, merely adjusted some bones in her face. It was painful, so she didn''t often revert back. However, the person she was meeting now would not be appropriate to meet as a man.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    She adjusted her hair and changed intofortable clothes, then knocked on the neighboring door.

    Ang, hearing the knock, opened the door with a puzzled look. She stared at the stunning woman before her, taken aback, "Who are you?"

    The woman smiled, "Ang, long time no see."

    Ang gazed deeply at the woman, an answer forming in her heart, yet she dared not speak it aloud. She stared for a long while, involuntarily stepping back.

    The woman pursed her lips, flicked Ang''s forehead, then yfully scraped her nose, "Don''t recognize me, do you? I almost didn''t recognize you either."

    Tears instantly welled up in Ang''s eyes.

    That gesture...

    Ang choked up, rushing into the woman''s arms and holding her tightly.

    "Alina!"

    Only Alina would treat Ang like this.

    When they were children, whenever Ang made a mistake, Alina would "punish" her this way and take all the me in front of Grandpa Brookes.

    "The name Alina sounds a bit strange to me now, I go by Natalie," said Natalie, gently patting Ang on the back andforting her.

    Fortunately, she remembered a bit, otherwise, she wouldn''t know how to reconcile with Ang.

    Ang cried for a while; if Brandon were here, he would be shocked.

    He had never seen Ang cry before!

    Natalie quietly stayed by her side until Ang had cried enough to talk properly.

    "Alina, what did you mean by those words? Why does the name Alina sound strange to you? Where have you been all these years? Why didn''t you return to the Brookes family? Dad is now in Ashbury, and so is Jack, why don''t youe back? Dad misses you a lot."

    Ang rambled on, her grip on Natalie''s hand tightening unconsciously, almost afraid to let go, lest Alina disappear again.

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    Natalie didn''t pull away, allowing Ang to hold her hand.

    "I''ve already seen Dad," Natalie smiled, "and them, Kiki and Mimi, too, don''t worry."

    Ang knew she had seen them, but Alina hadn''t revealed her identity.

    "Why didn''t you reveal yourself? Is there some hardship? Is it rted to the Five Poisons?"

    Natalie neither nodded nor denied, "I haven''t fully regained my memory, so I say, the name Alina feels unfamiliar to me. I can only confirm now that I am Alina, but why I was abducted and how I ended up with the Whittaker family as Natalie, I have no recollection, nor do I know who was responsible for my abduction." Ang''s eyes narrowed, "Are you saying you have amnesia?"

    Natalie nodded, "Yes, I can only vaguely remember some things, like when we used to ruin Grandpa''s vegetable garden as kids, or secretly chop up mom''s lipstick for experiments, but many details elude me. I''m slowly recovering; it''s just a matter of time."

    Natalie knew she had sustained a severe head injury, which had gone unnoticed for years until Tina was taken by Jack for a paternity test.

    It was then that she secretly matched her own samples with Jack''s and discovered she was Alina.

    It was also upon seeing the paternity test results that she vaguely remembered something about the Brookes family.

    She realized she had lost many memories, and those of her childhood had been forcefully hypnotized into her mind.

    No wonder she felt no connection to anything from before she was ten-it was like listening to someone else''s story.

    Time had stretched too long, and treatment wasplicated.

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    Rapid exposure to hypnosis could easily affect the brain, causing irreversible damage.

    Natalie thus opted for conservative treatment, recovering while investigating the Brookes family affairs.

    The Brookes family had been tightly secured; it would have been impossible for someone to abduct her without inside help.

    Ang, sharp as ever, realized from Natalie''s words that her abduction was no simple affair.

    "Do you have any suspects?" Ang asked.

    Natalie looked at Ang and countered, "What about you? Do you have any suspects?" Ang nodded, "Rachel."

    "Me too," Natalie smiled. "I remember it was summer when I was abducted. You were sick, and Dad took you to the hospital, Jared was at school, and it was just Rachel and me at home. After that, I don''t know. So, she''s the prime suspect." "Exactly, and this time, my leaving home also involves Rachel," Ang stood up, walked to a drawer, and pulled out a document to hand to Natalie.

    Natalie flipped through it, her gaze growing deeper.

    The document detailed Ang''s origins-meticulouslypiled by someone intent on revealing how Ang came to be with the Brookes family, who her biological parents were, and the despicable acts they hadmitted. "This document was given to me by Rachel," Ang frowned. "At the time, I was solely focused on getting you back, paying back the sinsmitted by the Five Poisons, without thinking too much about it. But now, it feels off." "When Rachel gave me this document, she told me she found it in an email, asking me to see what it was. When I opened it, it was about my origins, and I was instantly devastated, especially since all the signatures were from my father. I thought he no longer wanted me to stay with the Brookes family."

 Chapter 580: Hayden Returns to X Bureau

    Natalie''s expression gradually turned solemn, and a hint of anger gathered in her eyes. "Given your personality, even if you got your hands on this document, you wouldn''t show it to Dad and your brothers. So, you wouldn''t really ask whether Dadpiled this information or not."

    "Yes, Rachel knows me well; we grew up together. She knows I would never reveal this matter, so clearly, she prepared this document intentionally for me!" Natalie agreed with Ang''s thoughts, "Dad and the brothers, including myself, all know your true identity. Compiling this document is utterly pointless. They''ve hidden it from you for so long, why would they suddenly make it just for you to find?"

    "But there''s still no evidence. It seems Rachel''s problem isn''t small." Ang bit her lower lip slightly. "There''s also Tina''s paternity test report, showing no biological rtionship. Alina, Tina is your biological daughter, right?" Natalie nodded, "Yes, she''s my only precious daughter."

    Seeing this, Ang chuckled, "I''ve seen the photos; the child looks a lot like you, a very beautiful girl." Natalie, somewhat helpless, yet unable to hide her proud smile, replied, "She''s very smart, smart enough to have driven me to seek refuge with you."

    Her daughter was indeed remarkable, able to track down her whereabouts as long as she suspected she was still alive. At that moment, Ang suddenly remembered, "Alina, those notes that told me to hide, were they from you?" Natalie nodded, "Yes, it was me. Tina is looking for you, but I fear it''s too dangerous for you to return to the Brookes family now, so it''s better to stay hidden for the time being."

    Ang agreed with Natalie''s idea. Rachel was currently in Ashbury, and her underlying motives were still unclear. Returning recklessly was not only dangerous for herself but might also endanger Tina. Rachel surely knew that Tina was the Brookes family''s granddaughter and would definitely try to prevent her from returning to the Brookes family.

    Regardless of whether it was mere spection, they couldn''t proceed rashly. "Alina, let''s investigate the truth about the past together. I also want to find Five Poisons and bring him to justice!" Ang said determinedly to Natalie. Even though she was the biological daughter of Five Poisons, this did not mean she condoned her father''s actions. Ang would never ept those heinous deeds! Mentioning Five Poisons, Natalie''s eyes darkened slightly, "It''s still unknown whether he is alive or not. The new Five Poisons is a woman, which is also curious to me."Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Natalie knew well from her undercover days in GTO that the boss was a man. But now, why had it changed to a woman?

    Ten dayster.

    Hayden returned to X Bureau, still serving as the captain of the third squad. Nathan punched him hard, "You dead dog, I thought I''d never see you again." Jason also came up and threw a couple of punches, "Stinky dog, you scared us to death." Courtney, expressionless, set off a smoke bomb, indifferently saying, "Wee back, Husky!"

    Hayden nced at the scattered firework debris, "Courtney, you might as well have written ''reluctant'' on your face!" Jared also came over, and everyone promptly lined up. Hayden stepped forward and saluted Jared, "Deputy Director, Third Squad Captain Hayden, codename Husky, officially reporting back!"

    Jared looked at Hayden and then swung a punch at his shoulder, saying, "Serena told me to give you a scare and fulfill one of your wishes. So, what do you want?"

    Hayden burst intoughter, "Can I change my nickname? Even a German Shepherd would be cooler than a Husky."

    "You''d want to be called a Border Collie, but you don''t have the brains for it," Nathanmented weakly.

    Hayden snickered, "Who cares! This is the wish Serena promised me, and the deputy director has to fulfill it."

    Jared scratched his head, "Tina was just joking. Alright, regroup and prepare. We have a team training this afternoon. Husky, you''re going to make up for a month''s worth of training intensity!" "What? That''s... not very sportsmanlike!" Hayden shouted at Jared''s retreating figure.

    All members of the X Bureau burst intoughter, confirming that only Jared could handle Huskies so well.

    Just then, the door to Linden''s office opened, and all the team members instantly shut their mouths and busied themselves as if the previousughter had never happened.

    Hayden''s rxed expression instantly froze.

    He had nearly lost his life, and Linden was undoubtedly the main culprit.

    Linden approached Hayden, "You''re back. Rest well at home these days; I''m giving you some time off."

    "No need for your concerns, Director," Hayden replied coldly, showing no smile to his nemesis.

    Linden knew Hayden wouldn''t show him any warmth. He intended to pat Hayden''s shoulder but Hayden dodged, leaving Linden to awkwardly rub his hands in the air, "It was the Brookes family who rescued you. Take advantage of the holiday to visit them and express your thanks."

    "I know," Hayden said before turning to leave.

    Nathan, Jason, and Courtney ignored Linden as well.

    No one would be loyal to a leader who could betray his own men.

    In a ce like the X Bureau, where it was literally a matter of life and death, this was especially true.

    Jared coldly watched everything from the deputy director''s office, hisputer screen disying an email that had been returned.

    It was one of many requests Jared had made to investigate Linden strictly.

    Jared had sent out no less than ten requests, but each was returned without reason.

    It seemed that the people protecting Linden behind the scenes were exceptionally powerful.

    Jared closed the blinds.

    If he wanted topletely eliminate the traitor within the X Bureau, his current position was simply not sufficient!

    That evening, Nathan drove Jared and Hayden to the Brookes family''s vi.

    Hayden had bought many gifts for Grandpa Brookes, as this time it was not only his own life that had been saved, but the man was also Serena''s grandfather; naturally, he intended to show generous gratitude. "This Brookes family is really something, buying such a huge vi," Hayden couldn''t help but remark.

    Nathan nced at him sideways, "As if your family''s vis are any fewer." Hayden chuckled, "This driver, stop showing your disdain for the wealthy."

    Saying this, Hayden got out of the car with the gifts, followed by Jared.

    Nathan muttered a curse under his breath and parked the car, following them inside.

    Tina was already by Grandpa Brookes''s side and introduced them as they approached, "Grandpa, the serious-looking one is Nathan, Uncle''s assistant, and the less serious one, that''s my little brother." Grandpa Brookes chuckled a few times, "Hmm, he really does remind me a bit of your Uncle Brandon."

    At this, Hayden knelt down abruptly, "Grandpa, thank you for saving my life."

 Chapter 581: Liliosas Lost Child Found

    The action startled Scarlett, who was still examining the cake. "Ouch, that really hurts on the cobblestone, how tough is James''s little brother?" she eximed. Grandpa Brookes couldn''t help butugh, "Alright, alright, no need to fuss over such pranks, get up now." Hayden stood up with a smile, shaking the gift box in his hand, "There''s real stuff too, Grandpa. I bought all the things our old man regrly uses, not sure if you like them."

    "I do like them, you are quite the character," Grandpa Brookes chuckled, "No wonder the little girl from the White family likes you. Come out, girl."

    Hearing this, Hayden froze as if his feet were filled with lead, unable to move. He felt as if his veins had turned to ice, rendering him immobile. Tina and Jared exchanged nces, seemingly asking-didn''t you tell him? Jared shrugged, implying that if he had been informed, he might not havee at all. Nathanmented, "Tough, but Mr. Farrell is tougher."

    Scarlett put down what she was holding and went inside to bring Pa out. "Why are you hiding? It''s not like you were crying and screaming to go with him." Pa, led out by Scarlett, stood at the door, head down, unable to move forward. Both harbored unspeakable thoughts and mutual guilt. Suddenly facing each other, neither dared to take the first step.

    Tina walked up and kicked Hayden, "What are you daydreaming about?" The kick sent Hayden stumbling in front of Pa, whose eyes were slightly red, unsure of what to say. Scarlett chuckled, remembering to turn off the oven before quietly leaving with Kiki and Mimi. Jared and Tina wheeled Grandpa Brookes to the backyard, leaving the silent pair alone. A chill evening breeze caused Pa to shiver involuntarily.

    Hayden, without a word, took off his jacket and draped it over Pa, finally breaking the silence, "When did youe back?" Pa looked down, "Yesterday. After my dad heard you were alright, he let mee."Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    "Hmm, you..." Suddenly, Pa hugged Hayden tightly, crying into his shoulder. Hayden stood frozen, unsure of how to react. Pa cried until she was out of strength, then slowly stood up, "Hayden, don''t you know how tofort me?" Hayden had never seen Pa cry before. He remembered her either fiercely demanding to marry him or coolly chasing him on a motorcycle, her special whip making the thugs scream. Seeing her tearful now, he was genuinely at a loss. He blinked, "You can cry?" Pa took a deep breath and kicked Hayden in the shin. "Ouch!" Hayden cried out, grimacing as he rubbed his leg. Pa was still a bit angry, but seeing Hayden''sical stance on one leg, she couldn''t help butugh out loud. Hayden looked up and saw the smile on Pa''s face, her tears glistening like broken diamonds at the corners of her eyes.

    Suddenly, Hayden decided that he never wanted to see this girl cry again in his lifetime. He stood up straight and involuntarily took Pa''s hand. "From now on, smile more, it suits you," he said.

    Pa was momentarily stunned, gazing deeply at the person before her, feeling the intense warmth from his hand unsettling her heart. From beginning to end, she never believed that Hayden could do anything detrimental to the White family. Throughout it all, she had steadfastly stood by Hayden''s side.

    At this moment, Pa felt immensely grateful, thankful that her trust had not been betrayed. She hugged Hayden again, burying her cheek in his corbone, "Hayden, it''s so good that you''re okay."

    Hayden raised his hand but hesitated, unsure whether to continue the embrace as his handsome face was already flushed. His hands remained suspended in mid-air, never quite settling. Pa turned her back, sping Hayden''s hand onto her body, and wrapped her arms around his waist once more.

    In a shadowed corner, Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, "This clueless one!" Even Kiki and Mimi couldn''t help but sigh, "Really clueless, my dad always initiates hugs with mom." "Exactly, especially at night when they won''t let my sister and me sleep in the middle..."

    Scarlett quickly covered her daughters'' mouths, worried about what they might say next. Tina chuckled, and Grandpa Brookes also broke into a heartyugh. "Tina,e for a walk with me outside, staying at home all the time, I need some fresh air," Grandpa Brookes said as he rose from his wheelchair, and Tina hurried to support him. Rachel also reached out her hand, but Tina was quicker.

    Watching Tina apany Grandpa Brookes, Rachel clenched her fists tightly. This Tina was always in the way! Before Tina''s arrival, it had always been Rachel who apanied Grandpa Brookes to rx.

    She knew it; Tina was her biggest obstacle in the Brookes family. Scarlett lifted the two children, "Jared, let''s go too, Jack and the others will be back soon." Jared nodded. Knowing that Grandpa Brookes had taken Tina aside to talk privately, he naturally wouldn''t intrude. Kiki and Mimi, seeing Jared stay put, struggled to jump onto him. What girl doesn''t like a handsome guy? Scarlett smiled helplessly and followed them out. Throughout it all, no one had asked Rachel even a single question. Rachel clenched her fists tightly. Tina, I will not let you have your way!

    Tina walked with Grandpa Brookes in the backyard garden. "Tina, I heard from Brandon that you visited Joshua recently," Grandpa Brookes inquired. Tina nodded, "Yes, I heard he''s a disciple of the Five Poisons, and I have many questions for him." Grandpa Brookesughed, "Joshua is not like the people from the Farrell family. Not all of them are as noble as Jared, but to be as sinister as Joshua is indeed strange." Tina looked puzzled, "Grandpa, what has Joshua done?" "These years, the crime syndicates involved in human trafficking, organ trading, and the Hancock family''s ''Old Kris'' sales are all tied to CK. Do you remember the Reed family''s eldest daughter''s lost child?" Tina thought for a while before recalling that the Reed family''s eldest daughter was Liliosa. "Remember, did they find that child?"

 Chapter 582: Grandpa Always Knew

    Originally, Tina had taken Liliosa to meet Amber, telling her that Amber was her daughter. In fact, she wasn''t. Liliosa''s actual daughter''s whereabouts were unclear to her, and she preferred it that way. It was merely to make Liliosa believe she had reunited with her daughter so that the two could share their sufferings together.

    Grandpa Brookes grunted, "Yes, she was found, but sadly, she was no longer recognizable. When she was found, both her kidneys were gone and she died shortly after."

    Tina remembered that the Reed family had once asked CK to find Liliosa''s daughter. Unexpectedly, CK was the real culprit behind everything.

    "Joshua has been using his status as a botanist all these years, searching for targets in foreign universities to amass wealth for CK, while Vivienne managed things domestically. Both exploited the Farrell family''s identity to cover up many criminal acts." After handing Joshua over to the Brookes family, Tina never interfered again, mainly not wanting to reopen Jared''s old wounds.

    Tina didn''t want to inquire further into Joshua''s actions, which turned out to be more heinous than she could have imagined. After all, what good coulde from a disciple of the Five Poisons?

    Grandpa Brookes chuckled, "Tina, did he ever mention wanting to meet someone from the Brookes family?"

    "Yes, he probably wants to meet the daughter of the Five Poisons," Tina shared her thoughts with Grandpa Brookes.

    Grandpa Brookes agreed, "Unfortunately, he won''t be able to meet Ang, but he can meet the other members of the Brookes family. How about we all go see him tomorrow?"

    Tina looked at Grandpa Brookes, her eyes narrowing slightly. Suddenly, she felt that Grandpa Brookes seemed to know everything.

    Grandpa Brookes smiled at Tina and gently tapped her head, "Tina, Grandpa knows, the bond between us cannot be severed."

    A sudden sharpness hit Tina''s nose. She wasn''t wrong. Grandpa knew everything. But for her safety, he kept his feelings to himself and chose not to acknowledge their rtionship. Tina choked up, nodding heavily, "Yes, the bond between me and Grandpa can never be broken."

    Grandpa Brookes'' smile deepened, his eyes clearing somewhat, as he continued walking through the garden with Tina''s hand in his.

    The next day, all members of the Brookes family went to a secret prison.

    Tina stayed by Grandpa Brookes'' side, with everyone following behind. The poison inside Joshua was recurring, tormenting his body and mind.

    All members of the Brookes family watched from outside, none showing any sympathy. This was the punishment he deserved.

    Joshua writhed on the ground, his forehead dripping with sweat, howling like a wild beast.

    Rachel could barely watch, her head half-lowered, feeling nauseated.

    After half an hour, Joshua''s howls gradually subsided. Hey on the ground for a long time before casually sitting up, scanning everyone present, and let out a heavyugh. "Tina, you''re quite capable, bringing everyone here?"

    Tina, lifting her gaze disdainfully, her lips curving, replied, "Watching a monkey show has its own charm."

    A sh of anger crossed Joshua''s face as he banged heavily on the iron bars before him.

    Regardless of how he vented his anger, it did not affect Tina in the slightest.

    "Tina, your mom is already dead, and soon it will be your turn!"

    Tina yawned indifferently, "Hmm, I''m waiting."

    Brandon, upon hearing the conversation, stepped forward and turned off the electricity to the iron bars.

    Joshua''s hands were tightly gripping the bars when suddenly the electricity was cut, causing him to convulse violently.

    "Shut your damn mouth," Brandon muttered, nearly bursting with the urge to rush in and punch Joshua.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    However, Joshua, seemingly insane,y on the groundughing uproariously. "You must be Brandon, right? Falling for your enemy''s daughter, what a thought, haha! Old man, your son likes Ang, and you''re not stopping it?"

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    Before Brandon couldsh out, Grandpa Brookes intervened. "Ang is like a daughter to me; I''ve raised her well. She respects me greatly. If she reciprocates Brandon''s feelings, I''m prepared to offer her a generous dowry. Joshua, what would your master think if he knew his daughter would someday call his enemy ''father''?"

    Tina burst outughing; Grandpa Brookes really knew how to hit where it hurt.

    It was clear Joshua was desperate to see Ang, indicative of how much Five Poisons valued his daughter.

    By saying this, Grandpa Brookes was deliberately provoking Five Poisons, effectively stabbing at his devoted disciple''s heart.

    Furious, Joshua stood up. "Shut up! Let Ange to see me!"

    Grandpa Brookes replied calmly, "Ang won''te to see you. When she left, she said if Five Poisons died, she would dig up his ashes to atone for her sins."

    "It''s all because of you!" Joshua screamed, his body wracked with agony as the toxins within him were stirred once again.

    Jack, tired of his ranting, pressed a button, and water sprayed from an opening above Joshua''s cell, drenching him.

    Tina administered a sedative to calm him, for it was difficult to interrogate him in his frenzied state.

    "Joshua, tell us how your master kidnapped Alina back then!" Jack demanded.

    Rachel, standing behind the group, felt as though her insides were being twisted in knots. She stared at Joshua, at a loss for what to do next.

    If he really knew, what would she do? She was the major reason Alina had been kidnapped!

    No, it couldn''t be. Five Poisons wouldn''t bother telling Joshua such things.

    He must be bluffing!

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    After a moment, Joshua, lying on the ground, chuckled hoarsely, "Deathes swiftly, eradicate the root. Old man, your daughter has been turned into a specimen. She didn''t even close her eyes in death, a beautiful sight. Want to know where she is?"

    Grandpa Brookes looked down, "Let''s go."

    Tina had no desire to stay any longer.

    It was clear Joshua was spouting nonsense.

    Without Ang, he wouldn''t tell the truth.

    Rachel also breathed a sigh of relief then, confident now that Joshua was merely bluffing.

    She was the first to leave, but suddenly Joshua called out to her, "You''re the Brookes family''s adopted daughter, right? Quite beautiful, with a bright future, hahaha."

    Rachel''s legs went weak.

    Joshua truly knew everything!

    Back then, after Rachel had knocked Alina unconscious, Five Poisons had said the very same thing!

    Rachel had thought with Five Poisons gone, no one else knew about her involvement in Alina''s kidnapping.

    Yet, there was still Joshua!

    Scarlett supported her, "It''s okay, he can''t get out. Let''s go."

 Chapter 583: Tina is Doomed This Time

    Rachel was soaked in cold sweat, leaning on Scarlett for support as they walked out. Her mind was inplete disarray. What should she do? What if Joshua, that madman, decided one day in a good mood to spill everything to the Brookes family? By then, she would truly have nothing left! Yes, she had to find Five Poisons. That woman must have a way to help her!

    The members of the Brookes family got into the car. Grandpa Brookes, tired, left first with Rachel and Scarlett; Jack was driving. Tina naturally ended up with Brandon. Brandon mmed the steering wheel hard, cursing, "Damn it, I really want to give that lunatic a couple of punches. What nonsense is he spouting in front of the old man?"

    Tina, however, wasn''t as angry. She had thought Joshua had no weaknesses, but that seemed not to be the case. Ang was Joshua''s greatest weakness. Tina couldn''t understand-Joshua didn''t even care about his own father, so why would he care about his master''s daughter? Could it be that Ang held some secret? Ang had grown up in the Brookes family; what secrets could she have? Moreover, her character seemed different from that of her parents. So why did Joshua insist on seeing Ang?

    After returning from prison, Rachel, iming she was too tired, went straight to her room to rest and locked the door. Grandpa Brookes was still worried. "Scarlett, is Rachel alright?"

    Scarlett shook her head. "She''s just scared, dad. Don''t worry, I''ve already saved her dinner. Let her rest well first."

    "That''s good, thank you," he said. Scarlett chuckled a few times, looking towards Rachel''s room with an obscure look in her eyes. Although she was not very close to Rachel, she knew Rachel was not such a timid person. How could a single sentence scare her so much?

    That night, Rachel jumped out of the back window. As an adopted daughter of the Brookes family, she naturally had some martial arts skills. Since most of the Brookes family members weren''t paying much attention to her already resting, no one noticed that she had left.

    Five Poisons had moved to a new house. Rachel followed the navigation to find it. "What''s actually going on with Joshua? Isn''t he a former disciple of the previous Five Poisons? Why does he know about Alina being kidnapped? Tell me what''s really happening!" Rachel demanded as soon as she entered.

    Five Poisons was cultivating her spirit through painting when she heard Rachel. She put down her brush. "Have you met Joshua?" she asked. Rachel, anxious, rushed forward, identally knocking over Five Poisons'' paintbrush. "Yes, I have seen him. Now tell me what''s going on!"

    Five Poisons frowned, looking at her disced brush with a darkened expression. "Pick it up."

    Rachel paused, confused. "What did you say? I''ve met Joshua as you asked, and you never mentioned he knew about Alina. You-"

    Before Rachel could finish, Five Poisons grabbed her by the throat, hissing fiercely, "Pick it up." Struggling to breathe, Rachel nodded. Five Poisons then released her, throwing her to the ground. Rachel obediently gathered the brushes and stepped back. "Now, can we talk properly?"

    "Miss Brookes, please, sit," Five Poisons said, curling her lips and taking a leisurely seat on the sofa with a ss of red wine. Rachel calmed herself and sat down alongside Five Poisons.

    Five Poisons sipped her wine and asked, "Miss Brookes, what exactly did Joshua say? May I hear it?"

    After Rachel repeated Joshua''s words, Five Poisons burst intoughter. Once she hadughed enough, she said, "It seems I guessed right, Miss Brookes. I can help you deal with Tina."

    Rachel was taken aback. "What did you say?"

    Five Poisons smiled, eyes twinkling. "I said, I can help you deal with Tina now. Do you still want to see her recognize your father as hers?"

    "Of course not!" Rachel frowned. "But why have you suddenly agreed? Could it be that as long as I see Joshua is still alive, you will help me?"

    Five Poisons nodded. "Of course, and your father probably knows by now that Tina is his biological granddaughter. If we don''t kill her now, it''ll be toote."

    "How can that be? Haven''t you already helped me tamper with the paternity test?" Rachel eximed.

    "Your father wasn''t raised on a vegetarian diet; he has his ways. Besides, there''s a difference between biological and adopted, a kind of telepathy between them. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be so urgent to deal with Tina, right?" Five Poisons''s words struck a chord with Rachel. "How will you help me?"

    Five Poisons pulled out a packet of powder from a drawer. "Just make Tina ingest this, and she will surely die."

    Rachel scoffed. "Don''t forget, Tina is a Spectre, capable of bringing the dead to life. How could a little poison work?"Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Five Poisons smiled. "She won''t be able to detect this powder."

    "Are you so sure?" Rachel asked.

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    "Sure, as sure as I am that Joshua will never reveal the truth about Alina being kidnapped. Are you reassured now?"

    Rachel stared at Five Poisons''s face, unable to discern her real intentions beneath the false facade.

    But having chosen to deal with the devil, Rachel had to endure all elements of unease.

    It didn''t matter, as long as Tina was dead, nothing else mattered.

    Rachel grabbed the medicine and stood up to leave.

    Five Poisons, holding a ss of red wine, turned to look at her unfinished painting.

    After such a long time, she had almost forgotten what she looked like.

    She stood up, walked to the painting, and poured the red wine all over the canvas.

    Lately, Tina had been frequently visiting Grandpa Brookes at the Brookes family, tending to his health while also spending quality time with her grandfather.

    "Grandpa, my master said Mr. Pace wille over for your check-upter today," Tina reassured Grandpa Brookes.

    "All right, that''s good. It''s also a chance to see your master again. He sure ran fastst time," Grandpa Brookes replied.

    Tina smiled.

    Master Tam''s affairs, even Linden could investigate, and so could the Brookes family.

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    This time, he wouldn''t let Master Tam escape so easily.

    Rachel came out holding a ss of juice and a cup of tea, handing the juice to Tina and the tea to Grandpa Brookes.

    "Dad, have some water. Tina, here''s your juice."

    "Thank you," Tina epted.

    "You shouldn''t be so formal with your aunt, go on, drink up, it''s freshly squeezed," Rachel said, setting down the juice and then sitting beside Grandpa Brookes to chat. Tina, feeling a bit thirsty, drank half of the juice.

    But the juice tasted somewhat sour and bitter, making Tina feel something was off.

    Rachel, feeling guilty, said, "Tina, is it too sour? I think I might have put in too little sugar."

    "It''s fine." Tina set down the juice, carefully savoring the taste in her mouth, but couldn''t pinpoint what was wrong.

    Seeing that Tina truly hadn''t noticed anything about the powder, Rachel finally felt relieved.

    Heh, Tina, this medicine will cause you to die in your sleep.

    The next time we meet, it will be your corpse.

    Go reunite with your mother underground!

 Chapter 584: Warren Pace Comes to Tinas Rescue

    At that moment, Brandon approached.

    "Dad, Master Tam and Mr. Pace have arrived!"

    Upon hearing this, Tina stood up, a trace of urgency in her eyes.

    Warren Pace, atst, I see you again!

    Taking advantage of the moment, Rachel hurriedly cleaned up the remaining juice, tossing the cup into the dishwasher topletely destroy the evidence.

    Grandpa Brookes also stood up, leaning on his cane as he went to meet them.

    However, upon exiting, he saw only Warren Pace.

    "Where the hell is that old bastard Tam Solomon!" Grandpa Brookes shouted from the yard.

    Warren Pace chuckled, "He''s hiding."

    Despite his words, his gaze drifted towards the old banyan tree in the yard.

    Understanding the hint, Grandpa Brookes picked up a stone and hurled it at the tree.

    Master Tam yelped, poking his head out, "Ian! Are you trying to kill me!"

    "You''ve already died twice, what''s one more time!" With that, Grandpa Brookes threw another stone.

    Master Tam, not to be outdone, plucked a leaf and threw it back at Grandpa Brookes.

    The two old men were merciless, each blow harder than thest.

    Brandon and Jack, meanwhile, were busy trying to calm the situation, adding to themotion.

    Warren Pace quietly observed Grandpa Brookes, finally feeling reassured.

    It seemed that the thing inside him was now stable.

    He smiled to himself, suddenly feeling a pair of intense gazes burning into him.

    The looks were filled with resentment, anger, and longing.

    Warren Pace dared not respond, nor even look in that direction.

    He knew his daughter all too well.

    Tina clenched her fists tightly, refusing to look at her own father?

    Fine, don''t look then!

    With that, Tina stormed over, determined to confront the face that now seemed so unfamiliar.

    As Tina drew closer, every cell in Warren Pace''s body tensed.

    He was ready to flee at any moment.

    Now was not the time for a reunion with Tina.

    Suddenly, Warren Pace detected a strange scent in the air, tracing its origin to Tina.

    His expression tightened as he looked up at her.

    Tina paused, surprised by his sudden change of demeanor.

    Suddenly, Warren Pace struck her chest with swift speed, too fast for Tina to react.

    The old gentlemen ceased their fighting and gathered around, unsure of what had urred.

    Following this, Warren Pace swiftly inserted several silver needles into Tina''s head.

    Unable to withstand the force, Tina expelled all the juice she had just drunk.

    Warren Pace then breathed a sigh of relief.

    "You were smart not to drink all the juice," he quickly collected the silver needles.

    Tina had sealed her pressure points the moment she sensed something was off with the juice, nning to expel it once she left the Brookes family.

    "What is this?" Tina asked.

    Before Warren Pace could answer, Rachel rushed over and pushed him aside.

    Unprepared and aware of Rachel''s skills, Warren Pace was easily pushed away.

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    "What are you doing? What has Tina done to you?" Rachel demanded angrily.

    In reality, she was destroying the evidence of the juice Tina had spit out, her foot covered with a substance that could neutralize the poison.

    Warren Pace''s eyes narrowed; Rachel was indeed up to something!

    Tina stepped in front of Warren Pace, "The juice you just gave me was poisoned!"

    Everyone was startled upon hearing this, and even Grandpa Brookes was somewhat incredulous, "Rachel, what in the world is going on?"

    "I... I don''t know either, how could the juice be poisoned? Tina, you can''t use me like this." Rachel''s eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at Tina in distress.

    Tina nced at the juice she had spat out, her eyes narrowing.

    The evidence had been destroyed.

    She had indeed underestimated this woman!

    "Tina, are you sure the juice just now was poisoned?" Brandon stood silently in front of Rachel, ready to restrain her if Tina confirmed it.

    Tina nodded, "Yes, I''m sure!"

    Brandon immediately restrained Rachel, "Rachel, why would you do this? Tell me!"

    Rachel was overpowered by Brandon; her martial skills were no match for his, and she couldn''t even struggle.

    "Brandon, I know you all care about Tina, but why don''t you ask why I would poison her? Don''t say I like Tina too, even if I didn''t, I wouldn''t kill her!" Rachel eximed through tears.

    Brandon gripped Rachel firmly, "The juice was from you, how do you exin that?"

    "If you don''t believe me, no exnation will suffice." Rachel choked up, looking up at Grandpa Brookes, "Dad, Tina is Spectre, who would try to kill her with poison? Besides, I don''t even know what happened. Since you all say the juice is poisoned, there''s still some on the floor here, why not test it?"

    Brandon signaled Jack with his eyes, and Jack went to get the tools.

    Tina then spoke, "No need to bother, the poison has been neutralized, and since she says she doesn''t know, I believe her."

    "Tina!"

    "Uncle Brandon, let her go, we''re all family, no need for this." Tina shook her head at Brandon.

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    Brandon reluctantly released his hold, understanding from Tina''s response that even if they tested the juice now, they wouldn''t find anything.

    Rachel, wiping away tears, said earnestly, "Tina, I''m not sure if the juice was poisoned, but please believe me, I would never hurt you."

    Tina looked at Rachel''s pitiful face, her expression of agony, and couldn''t help but sneer inwardly.

    It was a pity not to have signed her into thepany.

    Tina chuckled, "As long as your conscience is clear, you don''t need to assure me."

    Grandpa Brookes frowned, "Rachel, since there''s nothing wrong, you should go rest."

    Rachel''s pupils shook, Grandpa Brookes still didn''t believe her!

    Indeed, there was a difference between biological and adopted children!

    Rachel pursed her lips, "Dad, I''ll go back to my room then."

    After speaking, Rachel also gave Warren Pace a fleeting look.

    Unexpectedly, there was another nuisance. The poison that even Tina couldn''t detect had been exposed by him.

    Who exactly was he?

    Warren Pace also looked up, staring quietly at Rachel.

    Daring to poison my daughter, you must have a death wish!

    But how did Rachele by this poison?

    This packet of poison, Warren Pace knew well.

    It was something she had identally developed while undercover at GTO, unique in the world because it was colorless, tasteless, and hard to detect, so she never produced more.

    In the chaos of fleeing GTO, she hadn''t had time to destroy what she left behind.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Little did she know, the very thing she''d created could have taken her own daughter''s life!

    Warren Pace lowered his gaze, realizing that Rachel might still be closely tied to GTO!

 Chapter 585: Jared Resigns

    Rachel met Warren Pace''s gaze, her heart tightened, and she guiltily lowered her head before hurrying back to her room. Only after regaining herposure did she realize she had broken out in a cold sweat. She soon felt an unbearable itching all over her body; she scratched incessantly, but the itching wouldn''t stop. It felt as though countless insects were crawling all over her. Then, she felt an intense cold seeping into her bones, as if she had fallen into an ice cave. In the courtyard, Tina withdrew her hand, her face expressionless. The reason she hadn''t fatally poisoned Rachel was that something odd had caught her attention. In this world, there was only one type of poison undetectable to her-Natalie''s poison. Yet, Rachel had somehow managed to procure it! Warren Pace also quietly withdrew his hand. Although he couldn''t kill her yet, as he still needed her to investigate GTO, making her suffer was still feasible. Experiencing the sensation of being enveloped by fire after falling into an ice cave wasn''t too bad.

    "Tina, I will definitely get to the bottom of this. You''ve been wronged," Grandpa Brookes said sternly to Tina. Even though he believed Rachel wouldn''t do such a thing, it didn''t mean the juice was poison-free. Tina would never lie, nor would Warren Pace help her expel the juice without good reason.

    "Grandpa, don''t worry about it, I''m fine," Tina said with a smile, not wanting Grandpa Brookes to worry. She would handle this matter herself.

    "Dad, let me help you back, Mr. Pace still has to give you... Hey, where is Mr. Pace?" Jack was startled and looked around, but Warren Pace was nowhere to be seen.

    Tina turned around, and indeed, he had silently slipped away again! Last time, Tina hadn''t been on alert, but this time she had been vignt. Yet, he had managed to escape! Grandpa Brookes also just remembered that it had been a long time since he had heard Master Tam''s voice. Looking back, except for a big smiling face hanging on the old banyan tree, there was no one around!

    "That old bastard, I''ll sort him out someday!" Master Tam cursed.

    "It''s okay, Grandpa, I''ll catch him!" Tina reassured, then chased after him. She had installed a tracker on Warren Pace earlier. Now, the tracker was moving in a certain direction. However, when Tina reached the crossroads, she found the tracker scattering in different directions towards different exits.

    Tina squinted her eyes and looked carefully at those locations. Together, they formed a sentence! "Tina, you''re still green!"

    Tina, furious, punched a nearby wall, causing it to crack. But she also knew that her current strength was not even half that of her mother''s. She needed much more training. One day, she would definitely catch up with Natalie.

    In the shadows, Master Tam took a sharp breath and said to Warren Pace, "You''re done for. With your daughter this angry, you''re not going to have any good days."

    Warren Pace curved his lips into a smile, looking at Master Tam, "No worries, the one without good days will be you."

    Master Tam then realized that although Tina couldn''t find Natalie, she could certainly find him! "Neither of you mother and daughter are good!" Master Tam cursed.

    Natalie''s smile deepened, "Old master, I learned from the best, goodbye." With that, Natalie swiftly ran off. She had important matters to attend to.

    Rachel had managed to make contact with GTO, and the purpose behind it was definitely not simple.

    Elsewhere, in the X Bureau. Jared typed thest word on his keyboard and printed the document. The bold four-word title shed before Jared''s eyes.

    In those calm, dark eyes, deep reluctance was reflected. He sat in his chair, taking a moment before rising and heading to the director''s office. When Linden saw the documents in Jared''s hands, his face filled with surprise. "Jared, are you sure you want to do this?" Linden furrowed his brows, puzzled, trying to discern any hint of jest in Jared''s eyes. However, there was none.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Jared coldly met Linden''s gaze, stating emphatically, "Yes, I want to resign."

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    Linden pped the resignation letter on the desk and paced furiously around the office. "Jared, do you realize what you are doing? I know you don''t agree with me, and you hold a grudge over Hayden''s matter, but this shouldn''t lead to resignation. Are you out of your mind?"

    He was truly angry. Jared was a rare talent in the X Bureau, outstanding both in strategy andbat, the youngest deputy director with an unlimited future. Even after a recent incident that almost tarnished the bureau''s reputation, he had been merely warned, not penalized-such was his value.

    But now, Jared was choosing to resign voluntarily. It was madness!

    Jared''s expression remained calm, his resolve firm, "I''ve thought this through."

    Linden''s hands trembled in the air; had Jared been his own disciple, he would have pped him already. "What about Everett''s case? You''re abandoning GTO? And now with Christopher still under investigation, you just walk away? Jared, is resigning over this issue really worth it?"

    Jared looked at Linden, his expression asposed as ever, impervious to the turmoil around him. "I will handle the master''s situation and GTO in my own way. As for the boss, that''s the next matter I need to discuss with you." Linden paused, eyeing Jared suspiciously, unable to grasp what Jared was truly nning. After a long moment, he finally spoke, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

    Jared sat down, his demeanor that of someone ustomed to authority, each movement exuding nobility. Facing Linden, he was different than before. Previously, no matter how angry, he had interacted with Linden as a deputy director. But now, he seemed more like a high-ranking negotiator. This meeting had transformed into a negotiation with Jared''s shift in stance.

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    "You don''t need to know the reasons for my resignation. Just know that even if I leave X Bureau, I will not cease the investigation into GTO."

    Linden understood that if Jared left the X Bureau, it might actually be more convenient for his actions. He no longer needed to consider as many factors.

    "Go on," Linden said, settling back into his chair. As the head of Shaw Industries Group, he was adept at negotiations.

    Jared narrowed his eyes slightly, "I want Christopher reinstated."

    "He has been my rival for a long time. Only if you meet certain conditions, can I agree," Linden replied.

    Jared pulled a business card from his pocket, disying just a name and a phone number.

    Linden took it, his eyes slightly widening, "You are Mr. Daryl!"

    Mr. Daryl, the enigmatic head of a mysterious syndicate, his true identity and whereabouts unknown to anyone. Even X Bureau had not managed to unravel his secrets. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be Jared!

 Chapter 586: Mr. Farrell Becomes a Homeless Man

    "Is this condition sufficient?" Jared asked with a slight smile. "You want to investigate the hidden families, and I will be your greatest ally."

    Linden ced the business card on the table, his fingertip resting on Mr. Daryl''s name, and asked in a deep voice, "You no longer suspect me?" Linden had always been troubled by Tina and Jared''s suspicion that he had betrayed the X Bureau.

    His intentions were indeed impure, butmitting the filthy act of betraying the X Bureau was something he could never entertain.

    Jared curved his lips slightly, "Your only target is the hidden families."

    Linden fell silent, taking a long time to respond.

    He was contemting.

    If he could coborate with Jared, it would certainly be possible to thoroughly investigate the hidden families.

    However, Jared''s distrust made their cooperation fraught with dangers.

    But now, Linden had no way to return to the headquarters, nor could he ess the secrets of the hidden families.

    External help was indispensable.

    "Why do you want to help me?" Linden asked.

    Jared lowered his eyelids, then looked up, "Your obsession with the hidden families is deep. To prevent others from exploiting you in the future, I''d rather help you myself." These words struck Linden as a profound insult!

    "So, in the end, you and Tina still suspect that I would betray the X Bureau!"

    Jared did not deny it, "In my eyes, you were never a good man."

    Linden choked on his words, unable to refute.

    Indeed, in his suspicion of the hidden families, he had indeed lost some of his original intentions.

    Conscience, such a thing, had slowly dissipated over time.

    "And you still choose to work with me, aren''t you afraid that I''ll betray you?" Linden said.

    Jaredughed, "You left a way out for Hayden, that''s the second reason I chose to work with you."

    Linden had let Hayden take the me, but had long arranged to save him from the death penalty, while also secretly proving Pa''s innocence.

    He wasn''tpletely inhumane.

    Linden sighed deeply, "Alright, since you''ve made up your mind, I will submit your resignation."

    "Before next week, I want to see my boss back, or our cooperation is void," Jared said, then stood up and left.

    Just as he reached the door, he heard Linden say from behind, "Jared, no matter where you are or what you do, I hope you never forget, you were once an outstanding X Bureau special forces member!" Jared''s brow twitched, and a deep sadness welled up in his eyes.

    Once he walked out this door, he would no longer be a special forces member of the X Bureau.

    Secondster, he left, closing the door behind him without looking back.

    Jared''s resignation stirred a storm of blood and fury within the Ashbury X Bureau headquarters.

    Everyone was shocked that their deputy head would resign so abruptly.

    Especially Jason, who was almost questioning his own life, grabbing Hayden relentlessly for answers.

    "Weren''t you the deputy''s good brother? You grew up together, don''t you know why he resigned!" Jason''s eyes were red, still in disbelief.

    Hayden was equally stunned by the news, unable to believe that Jared would leave the ce he had aspired to since his teenage years.

    "I told you I don''t know, will you stop it!" Hayden punched Jason away.

    Jason, eager to vent his anger, immediately started fighting back against Hayden.

    Nathan and Courtney quickly pulled them apart.

    "Enough is enough!" Nathan shouted.

    Jason then turned his anger on Nathan, "I haven''t asked you yet, you''re the assistant, you should know!"

    Nathan was also holding back his frustration, "How the hell would I know? I heard the news at the same time as you!"

    Courtney kicked each of the three, "Will you stop it? As team captain and head captain, don''t you know you should be calming your men now! Have you forgotten what the deputy said?" The three finally calmed down, with Nathan being the first to stand up and send a message on the public screen, calling everyone to gather.

    Hayden and Jason also regained theirposure and attended to their respective duties.

    Jared, having left the X Bureau, drove leisurely to Tina''s apartment building.

    Tina was already waiting downstairs, and upon seeing Jared''s car, she honked the horn of her motorcycle.

    "Get on, vagabond, I''ll take you for a ride!"

    The night breeze gently tousled their hair and stirred their emotions.

    Jared stepped out of his car, unbuttoned his suit jacket one by one, and threw it over the front of the car like a piece of discarded paper.

    He approached Tina, grabbed her waist with one hand, exerting a slight force.

    In the next second, Tina, who should have been in the driver''s seat, was now seated behind him.

    ncing again, Jared had already put on a spare helmet.

    The shiny ck helmetplemented his vest shirt, looking surprisingly harmonious at first nce, and even more stylish on closer inspection.

    "Tina, hold on tight," Jared revved the motorcycle''s throttle, eyes fixed ahead.

    Tina clung tightly to his robust waist, resting her head on his shoulder, "Uncle, let''s go!"

    From that moment, they truly rode side by side!

    Jared rode aimlessly on the motorcycle, cruising along the road.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Gradually, the sound of the wind grew louder, and the rear lights of the vehicles in front became fewer.

    The moon hung high, and the evening breeze exhausted itself.

    Eventually, Jared parked the bike on a deserted beach.

    Here, under a sky full of stars, the beauty was breathtaking.

    Jared, with one foot on the ground, took off his helmet and hung it on the handlebar.

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    They walked to the rocks, gazing out at the endless, dark sea.

    The roaring sea, along with the crashing waves apanied by the shrill wind, expressed its unique discontent.

    "This is where my master took us camping by the sea when I joined the X Bureau," Jared said, gazing at the ocean, his grip tightening.

    "The master told us that the X Bureau is like this sea; beneath its calm waves, there always lurk hidden reefs, ready to devour everything if you''re not careful."

    Back then, Jared thought these reefs were enemies whose depths were unseen.

    Little did he know that what would ultimately cause their shipwreck was the sea they relied on for survival.

    Jared sighed deeply and pointed to a nearby rock, "It should be that one. Hayden got stranded there during high tide, and we teased him for a long time." Jared then shared many stories about the X Bureau.

    He recounted each word carefully, and Tina listened to each word attentively.

    The past years of struggle, the battles fought, the scars left on their bodies by each de and bullet.

    Jared remembered every detail, not forgetting a single moment.

    Tina knew he couldn''t bear to let go.

    He couldn''t bear to leave the battlefield where he had fought for over a decade, therades with whom he had faced life and death, and so much more. Untilte into the night, Jared slowly leaned on Tina''s shoulder and began to snore softly.

    Tina took out a medicated patch from her pocket and applied it to both their foreheads.

    Otherwise, the night sea breeze would surely give them colds by morning.

    That night, they only had each other.

    And after that, they would always have each other.

 Chapter 587: Visiting the Pace Family

    As dawn broke, Jared opened his eyes and dialed Nathan''s number on his phone. Soon after, Nathan drove over and picked them up from their night by the sea.

    "Mr. Farrell, where are we headed?" Nathan asked, focusing on his duties as usual, without questioning why.

    Jared twirled a strand of Tina''s hair, "To the office."

    Tina yawned, "I''m going back to sleep."

    After dropping Tina off, Nathan drove to the office. Inside the chairman''s office, someone had already been silently waiting.

    Jared opened the door and greeted, "Boss."

    The person in the chair turned around, a specially made cane in hand, "Mr. Chairman, long time no see."

    Jared curved his lips into a smile and led Christopher to the couch, pouring him a tea personally, "How have you been?"

    Christopher skipped the pleasantries, engaging in casual conversation with Jared, "Pretty good. These days, all I do is eat and sleep. I''ve gotten sozy I hardly bother exercising anymore. My legs aren''t what they used to be." Jared chuckled, responding briefly before asking, "Who is Romer?"

    Christopher''s hand paused with the teacup, a shadow of ambiguity crossing his eyes, "Why do you ask?"

    "Just curious," Jared said lightly.

    Christopher hesitated, then set down his cup, "Jared, I know you don''t trust anyone in the bureau right now, but I can assure you, there''s absolutely no issue with Romer. He is someone I, and your master, including Linden, deeply respect." Jared''s brow subtly furrowed. If Christopher spoke so highly of him, then Linden hadn''t lied. Romer was a deeply entrenched figure.

    "Who is he?" Jared inquired.

    Christopher rubbed his injured leg, "This leg owes its life to two people, your master Everett and Romer. They carried me from the battlefield, saved my life and my leg. But Romer is a top secret of the agency; beyond his code name, that''s all I can tell you."

    This was a domain Jared, even in his role within the X Bureau, could not ess.

    Jared didn''t press further on who Romer really was. He''d find out eventually.

    He smiled, his expression shifting in a blink, "When are you returning to your post? I''ve left a gift for you in your office."Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Christopher chuckled, "What could you, a cheeky kid, possibly leave for me?"

    "At least I''m the chairman of Farrell Group," Jaredughed, continuing their casual conversation.

    Thest time they had chatted so unguardedly and naturally was when Jared had just enlisted.

    After a long conversation, the two finally wrapped up. Christopher, leaning on his cane, stood up, "Alright, I''m heading back to work today. Retirement will have to wait a few more years." "Congrattions," Jared escorted Christopher to the door.

    Resignedly, Christopher shook his head, halting Jared at the door with his cane, and looked deep into his eyes, "Jared, from now on, you fight alone, the path ahead is perilous, take care."

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    Jared nodded solemnly, recalling Christopher''s words when he had joined the team-''From now on, we fight together, no matter the hardship, I am here.''

    The days of fighting side by side were no more.

    Christopher patted Jared''s shoulder, "When you have time, go see Mr. Pace. He was the one who promoted you back in the day. Now that you''re parting ways, it''s time to visit him." "Understood."

    Jared respected Christopher''s decision and did not leave. Instead, he stood in the office, watching Christopher descend in the elevator until the doors closed. He then shut the office door, sat down in his chair, and after a few seconds, he pulled out his phone to call Tina.

    "Hello, Uncle..." Tina''s sleepy voice came through the phone.

    "Still asleep?"

    "Mm, still a bit sleepy, but if you''re treating me to a beef hotpot, I''ll wake up right away."

    Jaredughed heartily. "A meal of beef, a meal ofmb, but before that, I think you''ll be more interested in what I have to say."

    Tina paused, then a rustling sound came from the phone. "What is it?"

    Jared''s eyes sparkled. "The Pace family!"

    Tina sat up abruptly. The Pace family! Warren Pace! She knew that the name Warren Pace was just a fabrication by her mother on a whim. Her previous names were chosen randomly to facilitate her travels in the underworld. However, her mother Natalie never chose surnames from prominent families in Ashbury to avoidplications that could arise from bearing the same surname as influential figures.

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    But this time, she had casually mentioned Warren Pace. Everyone knew about the uniqueness of the Pace surname in Ashbury. The Pace family was not like the Farrell family involved inmerce, nor like the Brookes family, which was either publicly known or secretly influential. The Pace family was an ancient military lineage, bing more discreet over generations to the point that they were not even recalled when the four major families of Ashbury were listed. Yet, the presence of a Pace family member always attracted attention. Nobody knew what the Pace family was really up to, but the respect theymanded was unmatched. Natalie, being who she was, would certainly be aware of the Pace family''s distinctiveness. The fact that she could mention them casually meant the Pace family was no ordinary matter to her!

    "Do you know someone from the Pace family?" Tina asked as she changed her clothes.

    Jared responded, "Mr. Pace is a person I deeply respect, the former director of the X Bureau."

    Tina paused, recalling Natalie had mentioned a beloved elder by that name when she was younger, now retired and not easily essible. Could Natalie have mentioned this name because of that elder? But with the Pace family''s vast influence, wouldn''t Natalie find it troublesome?

    "I''m on my way!" Tina zipped up her jacket. For some reason, she felt an immense curiosity about the Pace family.

    Jared nodded. "Good, I''lle to pick you up."

    Soon, Tina was in Jared''s car, looking at the driver and couldn''t help but smile. "Uncle, have you descended from heaven? You''ve been driving more often."

    Jared nced at Tina, who was teasing him. "Nathan is busy."

    Nathan was now the chief of the squad. Aside from acting as an assistant to the chairman of the Farrell Group as a cover, he had many other responsibilities. With the situation within the X Bureau growing more urgent, he no longer had time to drive.

    Before long, Jared turned into a secluded estate, guarded by two uniformed men at the gate.

    "Hello, please show your identification," one of them said coldly to Jared.

 Chapter 588: Boris Pace

    Jared presented his credentials, prompting a flicker of surprise and then respect mixed with confusion in the man''s eyes. "Director, pleasee in," the man said as he opened the grand doors, ushering Jared inside.

    Tina nced back, not expecting the gatekeeper to be so closely tied to the X Bureau or to know Jared''s identity. Once inside the estate, Jared drove for over ten minutes before stopping the car.

    As Tina stepped out with Jared, two individuals approached, holding ck cloth bags and brand-new detectors-devices Tina recognized as Pa''stest invention, not yet officially released. The Pace family''s security already had one each. "Sorry, but you need to leave all electronic devices, like phones and cameras, here," they were informed. Jared tossed his phone, wallet, and even his watch into the bag and spread his arms for the security to scan him with the detector. Tina did the same, discarding her watch too.

    After the check, a security guard led Jared and Tina through the real gates of the Pace family home. They passed through several corridors until Tina saw a tall set of steps leading to the Pace family''s living quarters. She sighed silently; the security was as thorough as going through an airport.

    Jared gently squeezed Tina''s hand, whispering just loud enough for her to hear, "Mr. Pace''s rules may be many, but he''s a good man. Don''t worry, he''s not some weirdo."

    Tina chuckled. "Good to know, or we''d have too many oddballs around us."

    They smiled at each other and walked through the doors of the Pace family home. To Tina''s surprise, the person who greeted them was Rachel.

    "Tina, it''s you!"

    Tina looked Rachel up and down, astonished to find her here.

    Behind Rachel, a man said, "Boris, let me introduce you. This is my grandfather''s granddaughter Tina, and her fianc¨¦, Jared. Tina and I were college friends with Boris. We''re here to visit Mr. Pace today; your grandfather specifically asked me to spend time with Mr. Pace."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Rachel''s statement was loaded with implications. College friends, a special request-could Grandpa Brookes be aiming for an alliance with the Pace family through Rachel? It was clear that Grandpa Brookes and Mr. Pace were old acquaintances. Boris came forward and shook Jared''s hand. "You must be Jared. My dad mentions you often."

    Tina lowered her eyes, wondering if it was just her impression, but Boris seemed to deliberately ignore her. Even after Rachel introduced her, courtesy would dictate some acknowledgment from Boris.

    Yet, he bypassed her to greet Jared. Tina couldn''t help but sigh inwardly at gaining another adversary.

    "Today I''m just apanying Tina. Is Mr. Pace avable?" Jared replied, his tone respectful yet emphasizing Tina''s importance.

    It was evident Jared deeply respected Mr. Pace and by extension, treated his family with great care.

    "He is, but it''s not a good time right now. My dad''s not feeling well," Boris replied apologetically.

    Jared furrowed his brows, clearly worried. "What''s wrong with Mr. Pace?"

    "It''s his old ailment acting up, and he''s not been well since catching a cold a few days ago," Boris exined as he led Jared toward the hall, his gaze never falling on Tina.

    Rachel walked beside him, and though they did not speak, their actions were in sync, subtly hinting at a certain intimacy.

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    "How did the doctors assess Mr. Pace''s condition?" Jared inquired.

    Boris shook his head. "They didn''t say much, but the implication was that my father might end up bedridden. The injuries from his youth have caught up with him."

    A flicker of concern crossed Jared''s face, a worry not unlike what he had felt when Logan was ill.

    Tina, initially reluctant to get involved, saw Jared''s distress and feltpelled to offer some relief. "Mr. Pace, I have some medical knowledge. If it''s alright, maybe I could examine him. There might be a way to help." Tina maintained a gentle and respectful demeanor, but Boris scrutinized her with a steady gaze. "You? Spectre? Such a young girl, and yet you dare to speak so boldly."

    Tina had spoken up for Jared''s sake, and Boris''s response caused her eyes to darken. If Mr. Pace were not a man Jared and Natalie respected, she wouldn''t have bothered to speak even if he were dying in front of her. Her offer to help was met with such an attitude?

    Her gaze hardened as she looked at Boris, her body radiating a chill. But then, she furrowed her brow. Boris had mentioned ''Spectre.''

    This was her first meeting with the Pace family, and she hadn''t introduced herself, yet Boris had known her identity.

    Tina nced at Rachel, realizing she must have talked about her to Boris.

    "If Tina can''t cure the illness, no one under heaven could," Jared said darkly, his prior respect evaporated. "Since Mr. Pace isn''t avable today, we''lle back another time."

    His politeness towards Boris had stemmed from his respect for Mr. Pace. Now, seeing Boris''s dismissive attitude, Jared felt no need to maintain that respect.

    Noticing the tension, Rachel quickly stepped forward to mediate. "Jared, Boris is just very straightforward, especially because of Mr. Pace''s illness. Please don''t be upset."

    Tinaughed at her response, which seemed more fitting for thedy of the house. Despite her peacemaking, her words implied that the visitors were tactless for meddling in the host''s affairs.

    "We''re not upset. I''m more concerned about your eyesight right now," Tina said, her gaze drifting towards the security monitors at the front of the Pace family home.

    Therge, ring screens monitored everything from the estate''s exterior to the front door. Rachel''s surprise at seeing Tina suggested her talent for pretense.

    Rachel knew Tina was mocking her but could only respond with a nervousugh. "It''s okay, you''re here, aren''t you? I''m not worried."

    "I don''t have the time," Tina replied.

    Just then, an rm sounded from a south-facing room on the second floor of the Pace family home. Several individuals dressed as doctors rushed out, shouting at Boris, "It''s bad! Your father''s blood pressure has spiked, and there are signs of bleeding in his brain. We need to operate immediately, or else..."

 Chapter 589: Mr. Paces Condition Worsens, One Must Ask for Help with the Right Attitude

    Upon hearing this, Boris couldn''t care about the situation and hurriedly ran upstairs.

    "What are you thinking? Why haven''t you operated on my dad yet?"

    The doctor looked at Boris helplessly, "We can''t do much about your father''s condition; his blood pressure is too high, and we dare not operate rashly. One wrong move and your father might..." Tina, just listening to the doctors describe those conditions, knew that if there was even the slightest mistake in the surgery, Mr. Pace might never wake up again.

    Boris was both angry and anxious, "Then what do you suggest we do now? Are we just going to let my dad wait like this? Hurry up and find someone who can operate, no matter the cost, just cure my dad!" The doctors didn''t know what to do and thought for a long time, "Mr. Pace, I just heard you mention someone named Spectre; is he here? If he is, there must be hope for Mr. Pace!"

    Others who heard this also echoed, "Yes, yes, Spectre can definitely do it, Mr. Pace, is he here?"

    Boris paused and nced downstairs. Tina was talking to Jared about something and wasn''t paying attention to the current situation.

    The doctor followed Boris''s gaze, mistook Jared for Spectre, and hurriedly said to him, "Are you Mr. Spectre? Please hurry and save Mr. Pace, his condition is really critical." Jared, holding Tina, replied, "I am Spectre''s husband, and this is my fianc¨¦e. We are aware of the urgency, but we must take our leave now."

    The doctor paused, looking at Tina beside Jared, somewhat surprised but also somewhat admiring.

    Who would have thought that Spectre was such a young woman?

    "I know my request is somewhat excessive, but no matter how pressing your matters, please stay and lead the surgery yourself; Mr. Pace''s situation is truly critical." Jared''s fingers tensed slightly, and he looked down worriedly.

    Tina tapped him a few times on the waist, signaling, ''I''m here, don''t worry.''

    With that, Jared''s anxious expression slowly eased.

    Tina smiled at the doctor, "Sir, are you also a son of the Pace family?"

    The doctor was startled and quickly exined, "I''m not Mr. Pace''s son; I''m just his family doctor..."Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    After a moment, the doctor understood Tina''s intent and turned to Boris, "Mr. Pace, she is Spectre, who can bring the dead back to life, a miracle in the medical world. Please make a decision quickly."

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    Boris clenched his fists and could only say to Tina, "Tina, please perform the surgery on my dad, no matter the cost."

    Tina yawned, "I''m not avable."

    Boris narrowed his eyes, "Tina, as a doctor, are you really going to watch a patient die in front of you?"

    Tina''s lips curved into a slight smile, her eyes twinkling, "Whether I watch a patient die in front of me depends on whether this person is my patient. The decision to treat or not is mine to make." Boris had never been treated like this before and his disdain for Tina grew.

    "Mr. Pace, please adopt the right attitude when asking for help; your father''s life is at stake!" The doctor didn''t know what had transpired between Tina and Boris, but he could tell that Tina was angered. Time was life, and his father couldn''t wait for Tina to cool off!

    Boris had no choice; he couldn''t let his own pride cause his father to miss the best opportunity for treatment. He descended the stairs, his demeanor softening, and said to Tina, "Spectre, please save my father. No matter the cost, I will triple it." Tina nced at Jared, weighing her options internally. The face of an uncle, priceless. That would do.

    "I don''t need money, but since you''re asking for my help, you need to show the right attitude," Tina said, her eyes half-closed, calmly observing Boris. Boris clenched his teeth tightly but could only bow deeply to Tina. "Miss Tina, please save my father." Finally, Tina relented, "Prepare the operating room!"

    The doctors, their hearts heavy with worry, had the operating room ready within minutes. Three hourster, the doors of the operating room finally opened. Tina removed her mask as she exited, and Boris and Rachel approached her eagerly, "How is my dad?"

    "In an hour," Tina exhaled slowly.

    "What happens in an hour? Tina, if anything happens to my dad, I will make you pay!" Boris yelled at Tina. Tina frowned and silenced Boris''s voice with a gesture, "In one hour, Mr. Pace will wake up." Boris, his voice choked, red at Tina. "As for you," Tina''s eyes emitted a chill, "we''ll talk after an hour."

    Rachel was startled; she couldn''t believe how formidable Tina was. After entering the Pace family, despite the extensive security checks, Tina had effortlessly silenced Boris. This Tina was indeed a tough adversary!

    Jared led Tina to a sofa to sit; they would naturally wait there for the next hour. Boris paced silently for over an hour. The Pace family''s servants did not understand what had happened, and Rachel couldn''t tell them that Tina had performed the surgery, so she just sat quietly.

    Eventually, the servants realized Tina was Spectre and that she had saved Mr. Pace, so they treated her with great respect and provided her with plenty of food and drink. Tina, who had been craving beef hotpot and had justpleted a long surgery, was famished. The fruit tter was quickly emptied. Boris could only watch, unable to speak.

    Finally, after an hour, as Boris regained the ability to speak, the attending doctor emerged from the ward, "He''s awake, Mr. Pace is awake." Boris had no intention of confronting Tina; just as he was about to approach, he saw Tina and Jared had already moved ahead of him. He looked back in surprise, confirming he wasn''t mistaken.

    Boris, usually a trained individual, felt insignificant next to Jared and Tina. Otherwise, how could he not have noticed them passing by?

    Inside the ward, Mr. Pace had fully awakened, his head and body still bandaged, but he looked much better. "Dad, you''re finally awake. Do you feel difort anywhere?" Boris entered with Rachel, asking with concern. Mr. Pace shook his head, "I''m fine now, you go ahead, I need to talk to Jared."

 Chapter 590: Mr. Pace

    Boris hesitated, but ultimately he had to obey his father''s words. Rachel, without uttering a word of concern, was led out by Boris. Mr. Pace nced at Jared and then at Tina beside him, his gaze softening with affection, "Youngdy, how old

    are you this year?"

    "Twenty," Tina replied.

    She had already celebrated her twentieth birthday. Previously, she never celebrated her birthdays because they reminded her of her mother. When Uncle suggested celebrating, she had refused. But from now on, she decided she would celebrate. Remembering all the years she missed having strawberry cake on her birthday because her mother had faked her death infuriated her. From now on, she vowed to eat strawberry cake until she could eat no more on every birthday! Although she felt some aversion towards Boris, Tina liked Mr. Pace very much.

    He reminded her of the first time she met Mr. Brookes-so warm and weing.

    Mr. Pace clicked his tongue, "Dating this brat must be tough on you."

    Tinaughed, "Not at all, Uncle is good to me."

    "A face as cold as ice, how good can he be? Girl, if this brat ever bullies you, just tell me. I won''t let him off easily," Mr. Pace said, his smile deepening as his fondness for Tina grew.

    Jared could only sigh quietly on the side. No matter who was around, if Tina was there, he always seemed to fade into the background.

    Well, it was his choice to be willingly sidelined.

    "Thank you, Grandpa Pace, but Uncle wouldn''t dare to bully me, he can''t beat me," Tina said, not realizing that she was bing chattier with Mr. Pace.

    After a brief exchange, Mr. Pace finally turned his attention back to Jared.

    He sighed deeply, "I thought the next time I saw you, you would be visiting me as the Director-General of the X Bureau."

    The title of Director-General revealed the high hopes Mr. Pace had for Jared.

    Clearly, he saw Jared as his sessor.

    Jared bowed his head slightly, "I''m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Pace."

    Mr. Pace waved his hand dismissively, "It''s not about being disappointed or not. You young people have your own ideas, and I understand that. The incident some days ago hurt you."

    Jared didn''t respond, merely offering a faint smile.

    The room fell silent for a moment before Mr. Pace continued, "I''ve been away from the X Bureau for a long time, don''t know many people there anymore, can''t help you much. But from now on, your path should be much easier. If you need anything, just ask. For the youngdy''s sake, I won''t refuse to help you."

    Jared chuckled, "It seems Tina holds more sway than I do."

    "Of course, I took to her the moment we met; you can''tpare," Mr. Pace said, gazing deeply at Tina again, his eyes twinkling with an elusive light, "Youngdy, what do your parents do?"

    Tina smiled and answered, "You might have met my mother, she''s Everett from the special squad. As for my father, I''ve never met him."

    Mr. Pace stiffened, sitting up straight, "You''re Everett''s daughter? Everett had a child!"

    "Yes, that''s me." Tina knew that the person Natalie had mentioned before was indeed the Mr. Pace before her!

    Mr. Pace looked Tina over carefully, then nodded affirmatively, "Yes, you resemble her. I always liked you at first sight. Turns out you''re Everett''s child. Back then, I wanted to marry her into our family. And now she has a child who has turned out so well. That''s really wonderful. I envy your father."

    Tina could tell that Mr. Pace was truly envious. Yet, Tina didn''t even know who her own father was, so there wasn''t much reason for envy. After some idle chatter with Mr. Pace, Tina found a moment to ask, "Mr. Pace, I''m trying to find someone. Have you ever heard of him?"

    "Go ahead," he replied.

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    "Do you know a Warren Pace, or anyone with Warren in their name?" Tina inquired.

    Mr. Pace shook his head. "No one in the Pace family goes by that name, girl. That name might have another meaning."

    Tina paused, taken aback.

    That was true; Tina had thought that the name Natalie might have been inspired by someone''s name. But there was no one with such a name in the Pace family. Warren Pace, Warren Pace, what was Natalie trying to say? Or was she implying something else?

    "Thank you, Mr. Pace, I understand now."

    Tina and Jared stayed a little longer with Mr. Pace before saying their goodbyes. Just before leaving, Tina checked Mr. Pace''s pulse and noticed a mole on his wrist. She smiled to herself, not because the mole was unusual, but because she had an identical mole on her wrist, in the exact same spot.

    After Tina and Jared left, Boris and Rachel came in to visit. Boris seemed a bit unhappy, but Rachel was cheerful, eagerly greeting Mr. Pace.

    "You take care. Tell your dad not to worry; I''m still up for a few more years of chess with him," Mr. Pace said with a smile.

    His words subtly hinted they should leave. Rachel, picking up on this, exchanged a few pleasantries and then stood to leave.

    After she left, the smile slowly faded from Mr. Pace''s face.

    "Dad, Rachel waited here for a long time. Why did you send her away like that?" Boris was clearly upset.

    Mr. Pace squinted, "Boris, you should limit your interactions with Rachel. You can''t trust herpletely."

    "She''s not asking to be taken in. Uncle Brookes really likes Rachel. You shouldn''t judge her just because she''s adopted," Boris retorted, displeased.

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    Mr. Pace didn''t say much more, justy back down and said solemnly, "Your Uncle Brookes and I both disagree with the marriage, and Rachel herself isn''t keen, but you''re head over heels." "Dad, Rachel she..."

    "I''m tired," Mr. Pace closed his eyes, dismissing Boris.

    Boris had no choice but to close his mouth and awkwardly leave.

    Meanwhile, Rachel didn''t return to the Brookes family but took the mountain road in the opposite direction. Arriving at a bungalow, she got out of the car, pushed open the door, and entered. "Are you a rabbit? So many burrows," Rachelined.

    Five Poisons shook his head, "I''m not."

    Rachel sighed a few times before sitting down, "What about that Warren Pace, did you find anything?"

    Five Poisons put down his book and removed his silver-rimmed sses, "Nothing."Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    "What?" Rachel eximed, "Not a single clue?"

    "Yes," Five Poisons leaned back in the sofa, curiously watching Rachel, "Why are you looking into this Warren Pace?"

    "What else? If it weren''t for this Warren Pace, even if Tina hadn''t died, she would have been badly hurt, all because he got in the way," Rachel cursed bitterly. "I went to the Pace family today, but couldn''t find anything out. There''s no one named Warren Pace in the Pace family at all."

 Chapter 591: Your Alina Might Be Coming Back

    Five Poisons narrowed her eyes and asked in a serious tone, "What do you mean? Did this Warren Pace save Tina, or did he prevent you from poisoning her?"

    Rachel, surprised by the rare expression on Five Poisons'' face, replied, "Yes, it was Warren Pace who saved Tina."

    She began to ry the details of how Tina was rescued by Warren Pace to Five Poisons. Previously, she had wanted to speak about it, but Five Poisons had seemed uninterested in listening. However, after hearing the story, Five Poisons looked at Rachel very seriously, as if facing a great threat, "Are you sure that Warren Pace saved Tina after she drank the juice?"

    "Yes, what''s the matter?" Rachel looked puzzled at Five Poisons.

    Usually, no matter what was said or done, Five Poisons rarely showed any emotion, as if everything were merely fleeting clouds to her.

    Whether it involved murder or simply eating hot pot.

    But this time, Rachel could clearly see that Five Poisons was deeply concerned.

    After a moment, Five Poisons chuckled darkly, her ck eyes lifting to gaze deeply at Rachel, "Go see Joshua again."

    Rachel looked at Five Poisons in astonishment, "But we agreed only once, and I don''t have many reasons to visit him again."

    "No matter what reason you use, you must see him, Rachel. If you want to live well with the Brookes family, you must go!" Five Poisons stood up, a dangerous aura enveloping her. Rachel swallowed hard, "Can you tell me why?"

    Five Poisons'' lips curved slightly, a hint of a smile ying at her mouth, "Your Alina might being back."

    Rachel shot up, "What are you saying! How is that possible? You told me she was dead!"

    The solemnity on Five Poisons'' face had vanished, reced by a mocking tone, "Dead doesn''t mean she can''te back to life. Your Alina is a clever woman; you should be thankful she doesn''t remember anything." "What should I do? One Tina is troublesome enough, and now there''s an Alina too. No, she can''te back, she absolutely must not return!"

    Rachel paced frantically in front of Five Poisons, "Right, I must see Joshua. Joshua is Five Poisons'' disciple, he must know the details of Alina''s disappearance over the years and how to deal with her." With that, Rachel grabbed her bag and left.

    Five Poisons watched Rachel''s panicked retreat,ughing quietly to herself.

    After returning home, Rachel thought of many excuses, but she knew that suggesting a meeting with Joshua would arouse suspicion among the other members of the Brookes family.

    Especially Brandon, whose hostility towards her had deepened since Ang left.

    It seemed she would have to seek Boris'' help again.

    Though the Pace family was not linked to CK, they still had connections with GTO. And years ago, Mr. Pace had campaigned alongside Grandpa Brookes in RST.

    If Boris asked about Five Poisons under Mr. Pace''s name, it wouldn''t raise suspicion. With this thought, Rachel dialed Boris'' number.

    "Rachel, what''s up sote?" Boris sounded pleasantly surprised.

    Rachel responded softly, "Boris, haven''t you slept yet? Were you waiting for my call?" Boris, already fond of Rachel, felt even more delighted upon hearing her say this.

    "Yes, I was still waiting for your call. I''ve been waiting for twenty years."

    Rachelughed shyly, "I need a favor, do you think you can help?"

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    "Your matters are my matters," Boris said without hesitation.

    Rachel felt relieved and reiterated her request.

    Boris didn''t agree immediately. "Rachel, why do you need to meet Joshua? And why must it be through me?"This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    "Not to hide anything from you, I feelrgely responsible for Alina''s disappearance. If I hadn''t fallen asleep then, things might have ended differently. Since he says he knows where Alina is, I want to ask him about it." Rachel paused, then added, "But as you know, my brothers don''t really trust me, so I don''t want to rm them."

    Boris felt a pang of sympathy. "You shouldn''t me yourself. It wasn''t your fault; you were just a child then. Don''t worry, I''ll help you with this."

    "Boris, thank you," Rachel said, her voice choked with emotion.

    True to his word, the next day Boris arrived at the Brookes family''s door with a gift, asking Grandpa Brookes for the privilege to meet Joshua.

    His argument was logical, and Grandpa Brookes did not refuse; he allowed him to go.

    "Dad, why is Boris suddenly involved in these matters? He''s usually busy taking care of Mr. Pace at home. What''s got him interested all of a sudden?" Jack was puzzled.

    Boris was the second son in the family, with one older brother and a younger brother and sister.

    The other children were pirs of themunity, especially his older brother, whom Jack held in great esteem.

    Only Boris was considered underachieving within the entire Pace family.

    Grandpa Brookes shook his head, "Who knows, but Jack, keep an eye on Rachel. Don''t let her get too close to Boris. She never wanted to marry into that family, and now she''s still entangled with them. And I don''t like that boy; neither I nor his father approved, yet they keep growing closer."

    Brandonughed on the side. "Dad, you just don''t understand, do you? It''s called ying hard to get. Who knows what your precious daughter is really thinking?"

    Enjoying the book? Don''t forget to visit 00005s.org for the full experience. You won''t find the next chapter anywhere else. Happy reading! Grandpa Brookes frowned and threw a handful of birdseed at Brandon. "ying hard to get? You should talk, Ang doesn''t even like you!" "Dad, why do you have to hit where it hurts!" Brandon dodged and shouted, "Stop throwing things; how can you waste so much as you get older!"

    Jack watched his father and brother helplessly shake his head; he had no interest in their quarrels.

    His two precious daughters'' birthdays were approaching, and although they were keeping the celebrations simple this year, he still had to prepare early and invite many guests.

    The invitations had already been sent out; it was time to select gifts.

    Tina and Jared were also choosing gifts. "How about this pendant?" Tina showed Jared the tablet, disying a design she made especially for Kiki and Mimi.

    Jared nodded, "Not bad."

    But Tina wasn''t satisfied, "No, it''s not good enoughpared to those two pairs of shoes. Let''s think some more."

    Jared couldn''t help butugh at her determination.

    He continued to browse his phone, checking thetest research data.

    Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

    Boris wants to meet Joshua?

    Mr. Pace had long stopped meddling in X Bureau affairs. What was Boris nning by meeting Joshua?

    Jared tapped his phone a few times, and immediately a video popped up.

 Chapter 592: Kiki and Mimis Birthday

    The video showed Boris and Rachel''s visit to the secret prison to see Joshua-it was surveince footage!

    "Joshua, stop beating around the bush. Where are the Five Poisons? And what really happened with Alina that year?" Boris red at Joshua, his face full of anger, so much so that one might think it was his own sister who had been kidnapped! Joshua looked back at Rachel and Boris with a calm expression, his cold eyes faintly radiating a mocking light. "Are you from the Pace family?" Joshua asked coldly.

    Boris snorted, "Good that you know. You better cooperate fully, or you won''t have good days ahead!"

    Joshua suddenlyughed, "You must be the Pace family''s good-for-nothing, Boris, right? I was wondering what kind of failure Mr. Pace could produce. Seeing you today, the rumors are indeed true. Are you really his biological son?" "What do you mean by that!" Boris loathed beingpared to the other children of the Pace family.

    Everyone knew the Pace family did not harbor freeloaders.

    Yet, unfortunately, that''s exactly what he had be.

    From a young age, Boris''s talents paled inparison to his siblings, and eventually, even his younger sister surpassed him. Left with no other option, Mr. Pace had to keep him by his side.

    Now, while other members of the Pace family were shining in their respective fields, he was still lingering around his father, a ssic case of a freeloader.

    Joshua, sitting in the chair, boredly picked at his ear, "You two really match each other well-a failure and an adopted daughter, both not favored."

    A sh of anger crossed Rachel''s eyes, knowing well that Joshua himself was trapped in this small ce, tormented daily by illness.

    Yet he dared to mock her.

    "Stop trying to stir trouble. I''m asking you, did you send someone to poison Tina? A few days ago, Tina drank some juice I freshly squeezed and got poisoned. Luckily, someone noticed in time and saved her. Was it your doing?" Upon hearing Rachel''s words, Joshua momentarily faltered, but quickly regained hisposure.

    He smiled at Rachel and slowly said, "I''m locked up in here, waiting for your schedules to align just to see you. Why would I frame you? Or is it you who wanted to kill Tina and failed? Truly, a failure of an adopted daughter."

    "Joshua!" Rachel was almost ready to burst in and hit him.

    Fortunately, reason took over, and she restrained herself.

    She knew well that with her meager skills, even with Joshua restrained hand and foot, she couldn''t touch him.

    Boris protected Rachel, "Where are the Five Poisons? Are they dead or alive? What did you all do to Alina originally!"

    Joshua yawned, "Is anyone there? Show them out!"

    "Are you sure you won''t say anything?" Rachel red deeply at Joshua.

    She knew that each visit to see Joshua was a chance to pass messages between him and the Five Poisons, even if it was all in codes she didn''t understand.

    Yet this time, Joshua chose to remain silent.

    Joshua lowered his gaze, "Show them out!"

    Frustrated, Rachel stormed out, and Boris naturally followed her.

    Jared turned off the video, his deep eyes flickering with confusion.

    Was Rachel trying to clear her name?

    Tina adjusted the style of her pendant and put down her pen, "Uncle, I think it''s best to wait and see."

    Jared snapped back to reality and gently caressed Tina''s cheek, "Hmm, you''re right."

    Tina said nothing more, simply pointing to the adjusted pendant style and asking Jared, "Would this look good?"

    Jared nodded, "Hmm, it''s much better than those shoes."

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    Tinaughed and sent the pendant to Jayden, asking him to finish it before Kiki and Mimi''s birthday.

    On the day of the birthday, Tina already had two jade pendants in the gift box, both made of fine jade.

    The Brookes family didn''t have many rtives in Ashbury and were reluctant to invite mere business acquaintances, so there weren''t many guests.

    But those who came were all influential figures.

    Logan arrived early, having not seen Grandpa Brookes in a long time and eager to match wits in chess, especially since the Brookes family had also prepared a generous gift at thest celebratory banquet. Marie and Scarlett sat together, chatting. Neither was particrly knowledgeable about cooking, yet both were seriously discussing how to bake a cake.

    Asher, Jack, Brandon, and others were discussing the stock market, a topic that nevercked interest.

    When Tina and Jared arrived, they just happened to meet Boris and Rachel getting out of their car.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Rachel greeted Tina warmly, taking her arm, "Tina, what a coincidence, let''s go in together."

    Tina merely nced at her coolly before turning and walking inside.

    Boris followed Jared, neither of them speaking to the other.

    "Look, Dad, I brought Tina," Rachel said, feigning closeness with Tina as if to prove that she was uninvolved in the previous incident.

    Tina saw through her little trick, merely curling her lip, saying nothing.

    "Grandpa, Logan," Tina greeted, naturally withdrawing her hand from Rachel''s grip, "Grandpa, has my master arrived yet?"

    Grandpa Brookes snorted, "That old fool dared toe? He already delivered his gift this morning, sneaking it onto Kiki and Mimi''s bedside table without showing his face." Tina chuckled, "He''s afraid to see you."

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    "He could never beat me before, hey! Why are you still cheating!" Grandpa Brookes tapped Logan''s hand.

    Logan, ten years younger than Grandpa Brookes, still seemed young in his presence.

    It had been a long time since anyone had called Logan a youngster, and he muttered discontentedly, "I''m old enough, what youngster? I might say you''re taking advantage of your age!" "Taking advantage of age is still better than your cheating!"

    "It''s shameful to take advantage of age!"

    The two old men began to argue again, their third squabble of the day, acting like children.

    Tina didn''t bother to intervene, knowing it would soon pass, and went off to find Kiki and Mimi with the gifts.

    Rachel stood aside, ignored by everyone.

    Watching Tina chat easily with Kiki and Mimi, Rachel felt even more resentful.

    Since their birth, Rachel had taken care of Kiki and Mimi, yet no matter what, the children never warmed to her.

    Sometimes they would even cry when left alone with her, moments Rachel could never exin.

    Even the usually aloof Ang received a warm reception from Kiki and Mimi, who would follow her around, giggling. In contrast, they never showed such affection to Rachel.

    Seeing Tina''s closeness with the children, Rachel felt even more jealous.

    "Rachel, what are you looking at?" Boris approached, naturally draping an arm around her shoulders.

    Rachel didn''t pull away but instead started to sob softly, "I''m fine, Boris, let''s go over there."

 Chapter 593: Seriously, Mr. Pace, Do You Have the Nerve?

    Rachel looked so wronged that nobody would believe she was alright. Boris followed Rachel''s gaze to Tina. "Is she stealing your thunder again? Don''t worry, I''ll get revenge for you soon. No one can bully you while I''m here," Boris said coldly. Soon after, nearly all the guests had arrived. Jack, holding Kiki and Mimi, made some formal remarks before beginning the gift-giving segment.

    Sophia, on behalf of the Farrell family, presented two longevity locks, which were quite special. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that these were antiques bought at a high price over a decade ago, supposedly a gift from ancient twin princesses. Everyone was impressed; the Farrell family always had a unique touch.

    Tina waited until almost everyone had finished their presentations before stepping forward. "Happy birthday, Kiki and Mimi." Upon opening the gift box, two exquisite pendants sparkled, making Kiki and Mimi''s eyes light up instantly. Indeed, no matter the age, women couldn''t control themselves in front of jewelry. "Thank you, Tina."

    "I really love it!" Tina ruffled the two kids'' hair. These pendants, along with the shoes Natalie had given earlier, would ensure Kiki and Mimi stayed healthy for at least three years.

    Everyone was admiring Tina''s generous gift, as such pendants were nowhere to be found on the market. Then, a snicker came from the crowd, "I was wondering what kind of gift Miss Reed would bring, just a pair of pendants, how uninspired. I heard Grandpa Brookes once gave you a ''Heart of Hope''; you could''ve easily picked something from your warehouse without much effort, but instead, you deceive children."

    Everyone looked toward the source of the voice-it was Boris. The Brookes family members looked downcast, and the Farrells were hardly pleased. Publicly mocking their daughter-inw was something the Farrells couldn''t tolerate! Tina, holding Jared''s arm, stepped forward. "I wonder what you have brought, Mr. Pace? It might be enlightening for this master of deception." Boris snorted and presented his gift, an old wooden box. Opening it, a burst of colorful light nearly blinded the attendees.

    Everyone gasped upon closer inspection. It was a multicolored ze stone! Such stones were rare, seen once in a hundred years, and could be made into any piece of jewelry or art, priceless and irreceable. And this was not something money could buy. Thest time it had surfaced was five years ago, shown by a mysterious collector-who turned out to be Boris.

    When ites to the world''s top aristocrats, the Pace family was unparalleled. To casually gift such precious multicolored ze stones was extraordinary-two of them, no less! Marie, a collector herself, was dazzled by the sight of the ze stones, though she despised Boris and muttered, "Showing off, what for? My son will have some too one day."

    Jared chuckled, stepping forward and wrapping his arm around Tina''s waist. "Mr. Pace, these are multicolored ze stones?"

    "Of course, though very precious, they''re worth it for Kiki and Mimi," Boris replied gentlemanly, bending down to present the stones to Kiki and Mimi. "My two princesses, do you like these gifts?"

    Although Kiki and Mimi were fond of the gift, their enthusiasm waned when they recalled Boris''s recent demeanor toward Tina. Seeing that the children were silent, Rachel crouched down to smooth things over. "Kiki and Mimi, this is a special gift selected by Uncle Pace just for you two. Say thank you."

    Boris, keen to please Rachel, chimed in, "It was Aunt Rachel who mentioned you like shiny things, so here it is."

    "Mr. Pace, could I take a look at your multicolored ss stone?" Jared asked.

    Boris, disdainfully raising his head and noticing Jared protectively holding Tina close, looked down on him even more. He had once thought Jared to be a hero worthy of respect, only to find him disappointingly devoted to a woman. Unbeknownst to Boris, wasn''t he himself caught in the same orbit around Rachel?

    Boris handed the box over, "Mr. Farrell, please have a look."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Jared took the multicolored ss stone from the box, tossing it up and down as if it were a mere iron ball.

    This frightened Boris, who eximed, "Jared, what are you doing?"

    Tina, with a slight smile, said, "This ss stone can''t be shattered, only cut with special tools. What are you afraid of?"

    Boris frowned, "I''m not afraid, Mr. Farrell, but isn''t it impolite to mistreat someone else''s gift like this?"

    Jared, holding two pieces of the ss stone, suddenly threw them to the ground! To everyone''s astonishment, the supposedly unbreakable stones shattered with a crisp sound, leaving no fragments on the pebbled path. The crowd was stunned, unsure of what to do next.

    It shattered? Wasn''t it unbreakable?

    Brandon was the first to burst intoughter, nearly choking himself with mirth. Hisughter triggered Marie, and soon everyone joined in.

    Boris''s face turned red and then white, as if the shattered stones themselves were splintering across his visage. Even Rachel could not maintain herposure.

    This was from the Pace family. They had given a gift, meant for children, and it turned out to be fake. Wasn''t this just deceiving the kids?

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    Tina coughed lightly, suppressing a smile, "Mr. Pace, don''t me yourself. These multicolored ss stones are rare; it''s normal not to recognize them." Boris, already unable to save face, felt an intense sting of embarrassment as he pointed at Tina and used, "Don''t act as if you''ve seen them before!" Tina shrugged, "Interestingly, I have."

    Then, turning to the kids, she asked, "Kiki and Mimi, could you please bring me the pendants I gave you?"

    Obediently, Kiki and Mimi removed the pendants and handed them to Tina, who deliberately or not, failed to catch them, letting them fall to the ground.

    These were made of jade, and falling would surely break them.

    Regardless, Scarlett would never allow such waste. She was about to catch them when she noticed Tina was unmoved.

    Upon closer inspection, the pendants not only survived the fall without a scratch but also emitted a bizarre glow under the sunlight, revealing a spectrum of colors far purer than the supposed multicolored ss stone. "This is the real multicolored ss stone!"

 Chapter 594: Tinas Triumph

    A gasp arose from the crowd, snapping everyone to attention. Tina had fashioned the five-colored ze stones into two pendants! Scarlett gasped, "Tina, this... this is such a waste!" The precious stones, now crafted into pendants, had consumed even more materials, enough to make one''s blood boil. Even Scarlett, who usually cared little about money, felt the pinch.

    But Tina was unfazed. After all, she had plenty of these stones in her warehouse, all gifts from Uncle. "If you like them," Tina chuckled, "I''ll have another set made for you tomorrow. There are so many colors in these stones, I just turned them all into jade ornaments. They look more impressive this way."

    Jared kept his gaze fixed on Tina''s waist. "Hmm, anything Tina gives is designed by her personally, unique and unmatched in the market." It was then that everyone realized: not only were the pendants made of five-colored ze, but they were also thetest masterpieces of the renowned Irene. Previously, Irene''s designed jewelry was fervently sought after online; acquiring one was considered a stroke of ancestral fortune. Since that incident with the Farrell family, she had ceased designing anything-until now.

    Thebination of material and designer rendered these two pairs of pendants priceless! Kiki and Mimi, who had put the pendants back on, cherished them greatly. They clung to Tina''s neck, almost ingratiatingly, "Tina, can all our future jewelrye from you?"

    "Make sure to make two of each, Tina, and in exchange, I''ll treat you to a strawberry cake!"

    Hearing about the strawberry cake, Tina nodded vigorously, "Deal! But I want two cakes each time!" The crowd joked, "Just two strawberry cakes to secure a masterpiece from Irene!"

    Boris had never imagined that Tina could produce so much of the five-colored ze stone, and to think that what he had struggled so hard to obtain turned out to be a counterfeit! This put the Pace family in an embarrassing position, making it hard for Boris to face the crowd. Rachel was equally mortified; she had earlier spoken up for Boris to assert her status, but now everyone knew they had offered a fake!

    Humiliated, Boris quietly slipped away while others were distracted. Sharp-eyed Sophia shouted, "Uncle Pace, are you leaving?" Now all eyes turned to Boris. Boris red at Sophia, this detestable little girl, just like her brother. Brandon lifted Sophia up, "Sophia, let Uncle Pace go. The Brookes family won''t wee him anymore, especially after he insulted your sister-inw." Brandon''s message was clear: their grievance with Boris wasn''t just about the fake stones but his public insult of Tina.

    "Mr. Pace, no need for farewells," Jack joined in with a stern look at Boris. Boris clenched his fists, stunned by theck of respect from the Brookes family, despite the long-standing ties between their families.

    Logan approached Boris, "Before you leave, apologize to my granddaughter-inw, or I''ll have to speak with your family head about how our Farrell family has offended the Pace family." Grandpa Brookes remained silent but his look was enough: apologize or don''t leave.

    Cornered by the two elders, Boris had little choice. He couldn''t just do nothing, lest the incident reach his grandfather and earn him a scolding.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Boris had no choice but to apologize to Tina in front of everyone, "I''m sorry, Miss Reed, my ignorance is to me. I apologize and will make sure to visit you soon to express my regret." Tina''s lips curved slightly as she articted each word clearly, "It''s, okay."

    It was far from okay!

    After her remark, Tina flicked her fingertip gently, and Boris instantly felt an incredible stiffness in his limbs, although it wasn''t visible externally. He turned to leave, his limbs awkwardly moving as if he were a robot, elicitingughter from everyone present.

    Brandon, always ready to stir trouble, addressed Rachel, "Rachel, aren''t you going to quickly escort your good friend out?" He clearly hadn''t forgotten Rachel''s smug expression earlier. Was she only around for the good times and hid during the embarrassing moments? Impossible!

    Tina had intended to give Rachel some face, considering she was still a member of the Brookes family, but Brandon clearly didn''t care about that. Rachel had no choice but to drag the robotically moving Boris away quickly.

    Grandpa Brookes didn''t intervene; after all, Rachel was the child he had raised. He could see through her little schemes. Furthermore, with the unresolved issue of the previous poisoning incident, Grandpa Brookes was still angry. Rachel was nearly in tears as they left the Brookes family estate. Once outside, the stiffness in Boris''s body disappeared without a trace. Seeing Rachel crying so pitifully, Boris felt even more guilty. "I''m sorry, Rachel. I didn''t know that item was fake. I was in a hurry and bought it from those jewelers without proper verification."

    Rachel was close to hating Boris. If not for him, she wouldn''t have faced such humiliation. Yet, despite her anger, she still relied on Boris. After today''s events, the old man would surely me her even more. If she could sessfully marry him, perhaps there was still a chance for redemption.

    "It''s not your fault; it''s all Tina''s doing. If it weren''t for her, we wouldn''t be in this situation..." Rachel wiped her tears, her tearful eyes masking the disdain in her gaze.

    Boris, relieved that Rachel wasn''t really angry, took her hand and said as they walked, "You''re right. Tina takes advantage of Grandpa Brookes''s affection and acts recklessly, acting like a real member of the Brookes family when she''s nothing but a fake."

    Rachel paused, and Boris realized his mistake. "Rachel, I didn''t mean that. I meant she doesn''t deserve it, not like you. You grew up beside Grandpa Brookes; she can''tpare to you!"

    "I know," Rachel responded with a forced smile, cursing Boris in her heart.

    Boris soothed Rachel with many words, and the atmosphere between them finally eased.

    However, unbeknownst to them, a silent set of footsteps was slowly closing in behind them.

    After spending a day enjoying themselves, Boris and Rachel returned to the Pace family home before nightfall. Mr. Pace had already retired, and Boris quietly returned to his room. On a hilltop outside the Pace family home, Natalie was observing through a telescope, which was so powerful she could even see if the Pace family''s dog had double eyelids. Yet, all of the Pace family''s security systems failed to track her.

    Natalie wasn''t really looking at the dog''s eyelids but at the only family portrait above the firece at the Pace family home. Everyone in the portrait wore a faint smile.

    But Natalie''s gaze was fixed on the face behind Mr. Pace, staring for a long, long time.

    It was him...

 Chapter 595: Does Five Poisons Want to Kill Angela?

    After separating from Boris, Rachel once again sought out Five Poisons. This time, the meeting ce was easy to find, located in an apartment within the city center-a significant improvement over their previous remote rendezvous. "Joshua only said so much; he didn''t mention anything else," Rachel said reluctantly. "When will you finally take care of Tina? If she doesn''t die soon, our cooperation ends!"

    Five Poisons responded nonchntly, "Miss Brookes, who are you getting angry with?" Rachel closed her mouth, the frustration still simmering inside, making her extremely ufortable.

    Suddenly, Five Poisons'' eyes narrowed, her gaze turning fierce. She moved like lightning, grabbing Rachel by the neck, "You brought a tail?" "What tail? I don''t know what you''re talking about!" Rachel gasped, her eyes wide with panic. Five Poisons squinted, tapped her earpiece, andmanded, "Eagle Flies, no mercy!" "Understood," came the grave reply over the earpiece.

    Upon receiving the order, Eagle Flies checked her phone for the location and headed towards it, eventually spotting Ang, who was about to leave. Disguised as a child, Eagle Flies brushed past Ang. In her hand was a poison potent enough to kill Ang instantly.

    Ang, expressionless, passed by the child, but having grown up in the Brookes family, she was always alert to danger. As she brushed past Eagle Flies, her right hand swiftly struck out like a de towards Eagle Flies. The poison was not released, and Eagle Flies, to save herself, had to change direction. But upon seeing Ang''s face clearly, she hesitated with her counterattack. Ang also noticed the young girl''s restraint and did not strike a lethal blow.

    "Who are you?" Ang asked. Eagle Flies lowered her voice, "Pretend to be dead!" Ang frowned, thoughts shing through her mind. Unsure whether to trust the young girl, but sensing no malice from her, she decided to feign death to avoid other assassins. Besides, Ang had a specific antidote from Alina, rendering the poison ineffective. Thus, Ang agreed to Eagle Flies'' n. She feigned a strike on Eagle Flies, who then spat out blood and pretended to faint from poisoning.

    Eagle Flies had taken the blow, ensuring their deception wasn''t discovered. After Ang feigned death, Eagle Flies reconnected her earpiece. "Boss, she''s dead," she coughed out and took a photo of the unconscious Ang with a ring, which doubled as a hidden camera.

    Five Poisons confirmed the kill and cut the connection, unaware of Rachel''s shocked expression upon seeing the photo. Rachel realized the person she had ordered killed was Ang! "Good thing she''s already dead," she thought, worried that her secret dealings with Five Poisons might leak if Ang had survived.

    Five Poisons looked up, noticing Rachel''s face turning from red to pale, and asked, "Miss Brookes, what are you thinking about?" "I''m wondering if the Brookes family suspects me, so they had someone follow me," Rachel clenched her hands, her nervousness not entirely feigned.

    Five Poisons chuckled, "Don''t worry, Miss Brookes. It''s always people from Mountain Veil Order tailing you each time you visit. Only this time, they followed a bit too closely; a promising recruit, that''s all." Rachel breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that Five Poisons didn''t know the person she had just targeted was the former Five Poisons'' biological daughter, Ang. "Well, that''s good. I should be going; it''s gettingte." Rachel left, thinking about the birthday banquet at the Brookes family, which was probably drawing to a close.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    After Rachel departed, two of Five Poisons'' subordinates emerged. "Boss, should we follow Rachel and cut her tail?" Five Poisons picked up a ss of red wine, swirling it in her hand, the wine spinning in the goblet like a deep whirlpool. "No need, those tails are still useful."

    Meanwhile, Eagle Flies, having shaken off any surveince, took Ang to a safe ce. When Ang woke up, she unexpectedly grabbed Eagle Flies by the neck, her face cold, "Speak, who are you exactly!" Eagle Flies was caught off guard by Ang''s skill; if they had actually fought, she wouldn''t havested ten moves. She gently patted Ang''s hand, struggling to speak, "Ti... Tina, Jared!" Ang paused, surprised the young girl knew Tina and Jared.

    Ang, still holding Eagle Flies, looked more scrutinizing. Eagle Flies had no choice but to show her phone with the message from Tina-Find Ang!-including a photo of Ang. Recognizing the code from X Bureau, Ang finally let go. Now knowing Eagle Flies was one of her own, Ang''s demeanor remained cold but slightly more approachable. "You''re with Mountain Veil Order, on Tina''s orders, toplete a mission," Eagle Flies exined, sitting down, "But I''m also Tina''s undercover agent within GTO, tasked with rying inside information. Five Poisons ordered your death after discovering your whereabouts."

    Ang''s expression hardened, a flicker of murderous intent in her eyes, "Five Poisons was nearby!" Eagle Flies, startled by Ang''s intense gaze, momentarily felt as if she had stepped into hell''s gates. "I''m not sure; even though she''s my boss, I''m unaware of her exact location. I found you by following the location she sent me."

    Eagle Flies had been recalled to Ashbury from Clearwater by Five Poisons half a month ago and had been under deep cover ever since, receiving no tasks until now, her first mission since her return.

 Chapter 596: The Brookes Familys Birthday Surprise for Tina

    Ang furrowed her brow, her fists clenched tightly. "Cunning as a rabbit, utterly despicable!" she muttered under her breath. What angered her even more was Rachel''s secret collusion with the Five Poisons. "Traitor!" she thought. Meanwhile, Eagle Flies stealthily sent a message to Tina. Knowing she was no match for Ang, she could only silently summon Tina for help. But before her joy could be expressed, Ang grabbed her by the shoulder.

    "Little one, why won''t you listen?" Ang said with a smile, though her smile was more painful than knives stabbing into Eagle Flies. Trying to resist, Eagle Flies realized she was powerless. Ang effortlessly took her phone and tied her up in a chair, even drawing a little peach heart on her forehead. As she tapped on the phone, Ang spoke, "I can''t meet Tina now. Two hours after I leave, she wille to rescue you." Having said that, Ang left the phone beside Eagle Flies and departed. Eagle Flies could only watch helplessly; the message was sent, but it would only reach Tina two hourster. "Such misfortune!"

    Rachel had just reached the gate when she heardughtering from inside. She pursed her lips, knowing Grandpa Brookes was angry with her over today''s incident. Yet, the next moment, she heard Tina''s voice! "How is she still here?" In the Brookes'' yard, Tina was joyously looking at a strawberry cake in front of her, bearing not only the names Kiki and Mimi but also her own. Scarlett, somewhat embarrassed, said to Tina, "I haven''t perfected my frosting skills, you''ll just have to bear with it." Jack, with his arm around Scarlett, added with a smile, "Aunt Scarlett knew you liked strawberry cake. You never told us your birthday, so we thought we''d celebrate it with Kiki and Mimi''s!"

    Tina had kept silent about her birthday, uncertain if her mother was still alive and not wanting to share it with others. Now that she knew her mother was alive, she had not yet had the chance to tell everyone. Though today was not her birthday, it felt heartwarmingly right. "I was just thinking about gorging myself on strawberry cake on my next birthday, and here it is today. No wonder every time I saw Scarlett, she was either studying how to make strawberry cakes or actually making them. I thought it was just a passing interest."

    The cake, though far from perfect, with uneven strawberries and smeared cream, was in Tina''s eyes the most delicious and perfect strawberry cake ever. "Thank you," she managed, unable to articte her profound gratitude. Brandon yfully smeared some cream on Tina''s nose. "Happy birthday, crybaby!" cheered Kiki and Mimi. Tina, wiping away tears, smiled as she stooped to blow out the candles with Kiki and Mimi. Grandpa Brookes watched with a tender, peaceful smile, a rarity for him to show such tranquility and contentment.

    Rachel, standing at the gate, observed this scene of a loving family with a burning hatred in her eyes, especially towards Tina. She fantasized about tearing Tina''s face off, trampling and burning it, much like she had once unhesitatingly thrown a rock at Alina, pushing Tina into an abyss of despair. "She should have nevere back," Rachel thought bitterly, her mother already dead, what was the granddaughter doing here? "They should all die!"Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Tina felt a strong gaze from behind and turned around to see Rachel. "Ah, it''s Rachel. Thest person who looked at me with such hatred was what''s-her-name, Lily, I think. Forget it, can''t remember." As everyone followed Tina''s gaze towards Rachel, their expressions varied, but none seemed pleased to see her at this moment. Grandpa Brookes stepped forward, "Rachel, go to the study and wait for me. I need to talk to you." Rachel snapped out of her reverie and nodded silently. As Tina received Eagle Flies'' distress message, she tucked away her phone. "No need, Uncle, we have something else to do," she said, as Brandon teasingly inquired about their ns, hinting at a romantic date. Before he could finish, Grandpa Brookes, unable to restrain himself, chased Brandon with his cane, shouting about respect for elders.

    As Tina and Jared left, Scarlett, leaning on Jack, handed Jared a packet of gold cards for various local attractions. "Have fun on your date!" she called out cheerily. Tina chuckled, "I''lle see you again soon." After Tina''s departure, Grandpa Brookes, having scolded Brandon enough, finally entered the study to deal with other matters.

 Chapter 597: Grandpa Brookes Talks to Rachel

    Inside the study, Rachel had already prepared tea for Grandpa Brookes and quietly waited for him to enter. As soon as Grandpa Brookes walked in, he noticed Rachel''s reddened eyes, clearly feeling guilty about something that had happened earlier in the day. Grandpa Brookes was often harsh towards the boys in the house, not hesitating to strike them with his cane, but he seldom spoke harshly to the girls. It wasn''t because Alina had disappeared that he favored them; he simply believed that girls should be pampered.

    Even when Kiki and Mimi mischievously almost shaved off his eyebrows with Brandon''s razor, he justughed it off, giving each granddaughter a gentle tap on the head. He had neverid a finger on Rachel. But today, Grandpa Brookes was truly angry. He knew Rachel like the back of his hand; how could he not see what she was thinking? He was aware that Rachel did not wee Tina and that she was not fond of Kiki and Mimi.

    "Dad," Rachel began, crying, and as she spoke, her tears became uncontroble. Normally, Grandpa Brookes would have handed her a tissue or jested, "Why is my little girl crying again?" But this time, he said nothing and just sat down heavily. Rachel cried for a while, then quietly bowed her head. Grandpa Brookes sighed deeply and said with a heavy heart, "Rachel, you really went too far today."

    "Dad, I truly didn''t know that Boris had bought a fake; I was deceived too, I''m really sorry," Rachel hurriedly exined. "The Pace family wouldn''t gift a fake item when they have many better gifts than a mere stone. What upset me was your disparaging Tina in front of Boris!"

    Grandpa Brookes''s words shook Rachel. "Dad, how could I disparage Tina, I-"

    "Boris and Tina don''t even know each other, how could he possibly have such animosity towards her?" Grandpa Brookes tapped his cane, his eyes gathering anger. Rachel bit her lip and revealed the incident of Tina saving Boris''s father, "That day, it was Tina who made Boris lose face, so today-"

    "You might as well say that you were the one who told him about Tina!" Grandpa Brookes looked at Rachel disappointedly, his tone filled with me. "Rachel, Boris is a fool; how would he know Tina is Spectre? Do you really think I''m senile?" Rachel was at a loss for words; she knew well that Mr. Pace had certainly discussed everything with Grandpa Brookes. They had yed together when they were young and remained close in their old age, naturally sharing everything. A man like Mr. Pace would definitely be aware of Tina''s identity. And nothing that happened in the Pace family could escape Mr. Pace''s eyes, including the bad things she had said about Tina in front of Boris.

    She had thought that Mr. Pace was ill that day and speaking wouldn''t matter, but he had found out nheless. Boris had openly revealed Tina''s identity that day, which seemed very intentional. He didn''t even know Tina, nor had he any reason to investigate her identity. The moment he spoke, Rachel knew it was a mistake. But once Boris had spoken, there was no stopping him. Grandpa Brookes paused, then deeply sighed, "Rachel, I know Tina''s arrival makes you feel threatened, afraid that your ce in my heart and the Brookes family might suddenly decrease, afraid you might be driven out."

    Rachel was silent; Grandpa Brookes had made his point, and she had no denials to offer. Denying would only seem false.

    Grandpa Brookes continued, "You silly child, if I didn''t truly consider you my own daughter, why would I have raised you all these years? Don''t always think of yourself as a substitute for Alina. You are Rachel, my daughter, whom I''ve raised from a child, and you are the treasure of my palm!"

    Rachel pursed her lips, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Grandpa Brookes.

    Grandpa Brookes sighed again, his tone softening, "You, Alina, Ang, I''ve never differentiated between you. Indeed, my thoughts have always been upied with finding Alina, but I''ve never neglected you. I''ve already prepared your dowry; just tell me whom you want to marry, and I''ll arrange the wedding immediately. As for my will..."

    A flicker of anxiety passed through Rachel''s eyes, "Dad, I..."

    Grandpa Brookes waved his hand, "It''s alright. You''ve inquired, and that''s that. But don''t do it again. I''ll repeat myself, I treat all my children equally."

    Rachel nodded, "I understand, Dad."

    "Alright, it''s gettingte. You should go back and rest. Let''s not have such incidents again. As for Brandon, I will handle him."

    Rachel acknowledged and left the study.

    She stood at the door, pondering for a long time. The pity in her eyes gradually settled. Indeed, in Grandpa Brookes'' heart, Tina was now the most important. Otherwise, he would never have said so much to her. Previously, no matter what mistakes Rachel made, Grandpa Brookes would never react this way.

    If Tina returned, what status would she have left?

    Tina and Brandon were of the same ilk; once they banded together, who would care about her fate?

    A sinister glint crossed Rachel''s eyes; Tina, you must die!

    Elsewhere.

    Following the information sent by Eagle Flies, Tina found her, bound tightly.

    Seeing her in such a sorry state, Tinaughed mercilessly, "You didn''t even manage a single move against them, did you?"

    Although Tina didn''t know who had bound Eagle Flies like this, it was clear that Eagle Flies had been powerless to resist!

    Eagle Flies looked helpless, "Can you two help me untie this first?"

    Whileughing, Tina untied Eagle Flies'' ropes, looking at the small heart on her forehead, "It suits you."

    Eagle Flies disdainfully wiped off the heart from her forehead, "It was Ang."

    Tina''s smile froze, "Ang?"

    "Yes, and the one who issued the kill order on me was Five Poisons, probably because Ang almost found her hiding ce," Eagle Flies recounted the night''s events. "Did you manage to install a tracker on her?" Tina asked.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Eagle Flies nodded, then pointed at a nearby trash can, "But she took it off before she left. Also, she said that she can''t meet you yet."

 Chapter 598: Tina Blushed

    Tina''s gaze hardened. Ang must have recognized Natalie! Otherwise, she would never have uttered those words. No wonder Ang had managed to elude the Mountain Veil Order''s pursuit time and again-it seemed Natalie had been aiding her from behind the scenes! With this realization, a chill spread through Tina, her already cold cheeks coated with an extrayer of frost. Ang could recognize her and yet she chose not to reveal herself to Tina? Very well! Jared sensed the resentment emanating from Tina and gently rubbed her shoulders. Tina took a deep breath, "What else did she say?"

    "She didn''t say much, and from her appearance, she didn''t seem aware that the Five Poisons were nearby. In fact, it was the Five Poisons who discovered her first."

    Listening to Eagle Flies'' words, Tina could roughly infer why Ang was here today. She must have followed someone here. And the only person not within Tina''s sight today was Rachel.

    Jayden had also sent news that the people from the Mountain Veil Order had lost track of Ang near where Rachel had been. It appeared Rachel truly knew the whereabouts of the Five Poisons! Since Ang was here with Rachel, it indicated that Natalie had suspicions about Rachel as well. But what would she do?

    Meanwhile, Ang returned home to find Natalie staring nkly at a pot of overcooked instant noodles. "Ang, you''re finally back. I''ve missed you," Natalie said, her eyes glued to Ang.

    Ang''s lips twitched, "Alina, maybe you shouldn''t cook next time."

    Was this why she wanted to cook? Within a week, three pots had been ruined and five bowls broken, not to mention a whole box of instant noodles destroyed!

    Natalieughed awkwardly, "Did you find out anything today?"

    "I almost got caught by your daughter''s people, but it was her undercover agent in the GTO."

    Natalie nodded, "A young girl, right? It seems the Five Poisons have discovered your whereabouts. Be careful next time you follow Rachel."

    With just a simple sentence, Natalie had guessed the events of Ang''s night. Ang efficiently prepared a bowl of noodles and ced it in front of Natalie, "Alina, what are you nning to do about Rachel?" Natalie blew on the steaming noodles and slowly said, "It will be soon."

    Soon, the matter with Rachel woulde to an end.

    Ang said no more, knowing Natalie had everything under control.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    On the way home, Jared received a call from Pa. "Jared, my dad wants to meet you tomorrow. Are you avable?"

    Jared smiled, "Yes, I''ll see him tomorrow."

    After hanging up, Tina knowingly looked at Jared, "It seems Mr. Farrell''s n is already halfway there."

    "Thanks to your brilliant idea, Mrs. Farrell," Jared said as he slowly parked the car in front of the Reed family home, his gaze lingering on Tina with a curious sparkle. Tina blinked, and in the next second, a hand lifted her cheek. Jared''s handsome face gradually loomed closer until it was nearly touching hers, "Tina, happy birthday." Tina smiled faintly, "You know, today isn''t my birthday."

    "I mean," Jared''s fingertips grazed Tina''s lips, his voice tender andden with emotion, "when your real birthdayes, could you be the real Mrs. Farrell?"

    Tina couldn''t recall how she had managed to ''escape'' from Jared''s fingers and flee back to her own bed. All she knew was that her heart seemed about to leap from her chest, throbbing violently as if amidst shes of lightning and peals of thunder.

    That sort of thing...

    Tina didn''t resist it, especially since it involved Jared.

    But whenever she thought about it in detail, her heart would race uncontrobly.

    She couldn''t imagine that kind of fervor, the intense, explosive passion of entwined bodies, like lightning striking earth.

    Despite her asional yful teasing of Jared, when faced with reality, she became shy.

    After all, she had never experienced such things!

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    Despite her thorough knowledge of the male anatomy, capable of pinpointing every part with her eyes closed.

    She had seen her fair share of romantic films, all pretty much the same.

    Yet, she couldn''t picture Jared in that context.

    He seemed, indeed, quite imposing!

    "Ah!"

    Tina buried her face in her pillow, letting out a shy sound for the first time like a teenage girl fantasizing about the body of someone she liked. Zackary, who was in the bathroom, jumped at the sound, knocking on the door in confusion, "Tina, are you having a nightmare?"

    Tina snapped back to reality, "No, just go back to sleep!"

    Yawning, Zackary replied, "I was already sleeping. You should sleep too, good night."

    "Good night!" Tina patted her cheeks.

    They were hot, and she knew without a mirror that they were probably frighteningly red.

    Tina recited a calming chant in her mind ten times before she could rx.

    Luckily, no one was there; otherwise, as the young leader of the Mountain Veil Order, she would have lost all her dignity!

    The next morning, Tina woke up groggily and smelled something delicious from the living room.

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    Upon opening her door, she saw Jared already sitting at the dining table, having breakfast with Hugo''s family.

    "Tina, you''re up? Wash your hands ande eat," Jennie said, serving Tina some food from the pot.

    Tina nodded, hardly daring to meet Jared''s eyes.

    After all, she had dreamt of him all night!

    Jared, noticing Tina''s evasive eyes, touched his face.

    Was he really that unwee now?

    He must have really scared the poor girlst night!

    After breakfast, Jared and Tina drove off to meet with Pa''s father, Simons, the chairman of White Tech.

    In the face of business, they managed to behave normally.

    "This man''s information is scarce, and he never attends any aristocratic parties. Only lower-level leaders from the White family appear publicly. Securing a real coboration with the White family is extremely difficult; ordinary terms won''t persuade him."

    Tina reviewed Simons'' information, simr to her previous investigation of the Brookes family, filled mostly with data about the White Group.

    Tina understood, after all, the White family produced weapons for the government and seldom needed partnerships.

    This time, Jared proposed coborating with the White family because of an issue with Hayden that had exposed a w, and because Linden intended to suppress the hidden families, which would involve the White Group. Clearly, the White family was not receiving the protection it imagined and had to seek alternatives.

    Jared nodded, "If not for the issue with Hayden, we probably wouldn''t even have the chance to meet Simons."

 Chapter 599: Paulaâ€™s Father

    As they spoke, the two arrived at the agreed-upon location. Pa was waiting outside, and she greeted them warmly as they approached. Being a daughter of the White family, her loyalties naturallyy outward. She hadplete trust in Tina and Jared; otherwise, she would never have coborated with Tina on developing a new type of bomb detector. It wasrgely thanks to Pa that Simons had agreed to meet this time.

    "Serena, my dad came alone, without bringing thepany''s legal team. You guys need to do your best," Pa said, making a cheering gesture. Tina understood that Simons not bringing his legal team meant he wasn''t nning to finalize anything today.

    Simons himself knew that relying on the X Bureau would, sooner orter, bring trouble to the White family. Though the Whites were a public family, theycked the venerable elders that the Brookes family had; it was only Simons holding the fort, along with Pa, a rare talent in weaponry. This was what kept the White family''s status secure. However, the recent events, which had nearly cost them Pa, indicated that some were aiming at the White family. If no changes were made, the road ahead would be difficult!

    Inside the teahouse, Simons sat at the table, not dressed as sharply in business attire as Tina had imagined, like Jack, but rather in casual wear, which gave him aid-back appearance. Yet, there was a natural authority about him thatmanded respect without being overt.

    Pa let go of Tina''s hand and walked ahead to introduce them. "Dad, this is Serena and Jared that I''ve told you about." Simons stood up with a warm smile and extended his hand, "Mr. Farrell, Miss Reed, it''s nice to meet you." Jared shook his hand, "Mr. White, hello."

    After exchanging greetings, everyone sat down. Pa tactfully remained silent, not joining the conversation, and quietly prepared tea for everyone.

    Simons spoke first, "I''ve always heard from Pa how Miss Reed has taken good care of her. I''m sorry for not thanking you in person sooner." Tina smiled, "If apologies are needed, it should be me apologizing to Mr. White. My brother did something wrong by the White family, and I failed to supervise him properly."

    Simons waved his hand, "Hayden has been like a son to me; I know what kind of person he is. He''s a bit carefree but a good kid. I don''t me him for this incident." Despite his rare public appearances, Simons had managed to send Pa out and even establish contact with the Cohen family, clearly knowing their background well enough. Saying he watched Hayden grow up was no exaggeration, especially since his daughter had been chasing Hayden for years. Tina could tell that Simons thought highly of Hayden. She hadn''t expected Hayden to earn his potential father-inw''s approval so soon. Her little brother indeed!

    After some more casual conversation, they gradually steered the topic towards business matters. "Mr. White, about the coboration between the Farrell Group and yourpany, what are your thoughts?" Jared asked. Simons crossed his hands, rubbing his thumbs against each other, "Mr. Farrell, you should know what the White family does. As a former deputy director of the X Bureau, seeking to coborate with the White family, what exactly is your intention?" Jared was prepared for Simons to be direct, but he hadn''t expected him to be quite this straightforward.

    He smiled, "Money."

    Upon hearing Jared''s words, Simons burst intoughter. "Mr. Farrell, we both understand each other, let''s be honest."

    Jared nodded, pulled a business card from his pocket, and handed it to Simons.

    "The true entity wanting to coborate with White Group is thispany."

    Simons'' pupils dted in disbelief as he stared at Jared. "You''re actually Mr. Daryl!"

    Pa, who was pouring tea, also paused abruptly.

    She looked up at Jared, unable to believe that the man before her was the legendary Mr. Daryl!

    Back then, the White family had separated from the hidden families, and their situation was not good; they couldn''t even update their weapons, which put a lot of pressure on them.

    As time went on, internal fractures inevitably appeared.

    Further pressured by the hidden families, by the time Pa was fifteen, Simons'' stress had peaked.

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    The White family was nearlypletely ruined.

    Fortunately, a man named Mr. Daryl extended a helping hand. Although he had his motives, it was well worth it.

    He only asked the White family to develop a batch ofpact firearms with extended range, and then he supported them with a significant amount of money, helping them through their difficulties.

    With this funding, the White family managed to evade the pressures from the hidden families and regained the trust of their superiors.

    Simons had investigated this Mr. Daryl, but he was very secretive and impossible to trace.

    And now, it turned out to be Jared!

    Jared smiled slightly, "Mr. White, my intention is simple: to help you develop thetest biochemical weapons, and I can assure you that the ownership of these weapons will not be taken by the X Bureau. If anyone wants to use the White family for their purposes without my consent, they will not seed."

    Simons looked at Jared intently, a hint of doubt shing in his eyes.

    There was no denying Jared had been benevolent to him and the entire White family.

    However, the matter of biochemical weapons was of great significance, especially given their inherent danger-they could destroy a city in mere seconds!

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    Simons ced Mr. Daryl''s business card on the table, his fingertips lightly touching the card''s edge: "Mr. Farrell, what do you want biochemical weapons for?"

    Jared exhaled silently andughed, "This time Linden wasn''t punished by the organization, and I believe, Mr. White, you must be very puzzled. In the X Bureau, besides Linden, who else wants to doom the White family?" Simons squinted his eyes.

    Indeed, Linden''s theft of the biochemical weapon secrets was a major breach,pletely justifying his capture as a spy.

    Even if he was spared his life, he wouldn''t be allowed to continue in the X Bureau.

    But he was unharmed, and the so-called punishment was merely ayer of protection.

    The person behind this truly wanted to seize the White family''s biochemical weapons!

    Jared continued, "I am looking for this person."

    "Mr. White, you should be aware that once the White familypletes the development of this weapon, it will definitely be handed over, and once handed over, you won''t control it. If the person behind this wants to take the biochemical weapons for themselves, you will bepletely powerless, just like when Pa''s new bomb, ''Morning Glory,'' continuously leaked into the market. You must have noticed these events."

 Chapter 601: Asher Vance

    The "Destruction n" was a mission led by Natalie years ago with the X Bureau''s special squad, which ended in failure. After the mission failed, Everett left the team, Christopher went into hiding for many years, and Linden undertook an undercover assignment. A few yearster, Deputy Commander Kahleah died mysteriously, and Everett ended his life by suicide. Almost the entire special squad was wiped out.

    Due to the devastating consequences of the mission, the "Destruction n" was kept as a top secret by the headquarters, never to be mentioned again.

    Over the years, Jared had always wanted to understand the causes and consequences, but his clearance was never high enough to ess the records. However, now things were easier since he was no longer with the X Bureau. Linden, furrowing his brow, said in a deep voice, "You should know that even at my level, there''s no way to ess those files."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    "You only need to tell me the code of the ''Destruction n''. I know you remember it better than anyone," Jared insisted.

    The events of that year cast a long shadow over everyone involved who was still alive. Linden had previously risen to the position of second inmand at the Clearwater X Bureau headquarters. He must have seen the detailed case files from that time, and those sequence of numbers must have been unforgettable!

    Linden hesitated for a moment, "You''re asking me to make a mistake."

    "You''ve done it before, Chief Linden, and this is very important to me."

    After a long silence on the phone, Linden finally spoke slowly, "245214216589."

    Jared hung up the phone after Linden finished speaking. Having obtained the answer he wanted, Jared promptly entered the code into hisputer. Within seconds, the printer connected to theputer began to print out the details of the "Destruction n."

    Tina picked up the report and flipped through each page, memorizing every word printed on it. Over the years, she had hacked into the X Bureau''s security system more than once to find the case file of the "Destruction n," but she always got stuck on the final code. No question about it, it was Natalie''s doing.

    No matter how skilled a hacker tried to ess the X Bureau system, without the file''s corresponding code, they could not view a single word. If the wrong code was entered, the system would immediately initiate a counter-trace, locking onto the location within a second.

    Thus, Tina had never seeded over the years. Jared came over and handed Tina a ss of juice, "How is it?"

    "A bit strange." Tina handed the documents to Jared and then quickly typed a password into her miniputer. Jared''s printer started again.

    Jared stood up and took the documents,paring two sets of data. One was the operational trajectory of the "Destruction n" from that year. The other was the only document left by Natalie after her "suicide," clearly recording GTO''s movements during the "Destruction n."

    Comparing the two, the routes matched exactly! However, after analyzing the timing, this ovep was not because the X Bureau was chasing GTO, but rather, GTO was chasing the X Bureau''s special squad in a guerri warfare! This proved that the locked location of GTO provided in the "Destruction n" was fake! This n was clearly a nned and rapid extermination of the X Bureau''s special squad, orchestrated by an internal traitor in coboration with GTO. Jared, his face as cold as ice, understood why Everett never returned to the X Bureau after the mission''s failure.

    She had sensed it back then; there must have been a GTO mole within the X Bureau. Tina turned another page, her fingertip resting on a red line indicating the route of the "Destruction n" operation. "This route was the escape path my mother took with the first squad," she said. Jared''s fingers gripped the document tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. "It was because of this route that most of the first squad''s lives were saved, though they eventually walked into an ambush. Still, it was a better ouepared to theplete loss of the second and third squads."

    "It was also because of my mother''s decision that the X Bureau started to suspect her, leading to a relentless pursuit," she continued, pointing at a picture of a uniform on the "Destruction n" document. "The people chasing us wore this uniform. I remember."

    Jared''s heart tightened at her words. He remembered. Back then, Natalie only trusted him and Christopher within the X Bureau. She trusted no one else. While Natalie was being hunted by many, she never revealed to Jared who exactly was pursuing her. Now, he realized that if Natalie had told him the truth, it would have caused a bloody turmoil within the X Bureau, and it was uncertain if he would have survived. At that time, neither of them was strong enough to reveal the truth amidst their dire circumstances.

    Jared never imagined that there were people within the X Bureau who were also after Natalie! The two sat in silence for a while. Although they were well aware of the mole within the Bureau and had confirmed it, facing the truth directly was still unbearable, even with all their preparations. Betrayal by those they trusted most was something no one could immediately ept.

    After a while, Jared turned to thest page. It detailed a meticulousbat n. Everett was to lead the raid, Pigeon was in charge of readiness, and Blue handled themand. The n was borate, pre-scouted by several reconnaissance personnel, and GTO''s base had been pinpointed. The X Bureau had deployed nearly all its special forces, confident in their operation and determined to seed in one strike.

    Jared''s gaze shifted to thest signature on the document. Asher Vance. Tina saw the name too. Warren Pace, Asher Vance. Whether it was a coincidence or not, Tina was particrly concerned about the name Asher Vance. Jared squinted his eyes, "Tina, I need to see Linden."

    "Okay, see you tomorrow," Tina stood up, kissed Jared on the cheek, and left with a smile. Jared watched her leave and then arranged to meet Linden at a teahouse owned by the Farrell Group.

    "What did you want to see me about?" Linden asked. Jared ced the signature of Asher Vance in front of Linden. "When the X Bureau was being chased by GTO, didn''t you take any measures?" Linden hadn''t expected Jared to notice the name Asher Vance. After all, throughout the document, Asher Vance had only one signature, while he, as themander, had made all the final decisions. "The initial operations went smoothly, but then Everett noticed something was amiss. We held an emergency meeting, changed the n on the fly, and got approval from the leadership. But in the end, it still failed. Jared, what exactly are you trying to do?"

 Chapter 602: Asher Vance? Romer?

    Linden was clearly impatient and seemed unwilling to continue the discussion. "The leader of the organization is Asher Vance, also known as Romer, your so-called top secret," he stated. Jared''s tone was firm and beyond question. Linden, thinking Jared was certain, admitted, "Yes, Asher Vance is Romer. Back then, I was themander-in-chief, but had to defer to the leadership when the n changed." Jared chuckled, "Figures."

    Only then did Linden realize he had been tricked and sighed, "Jared, it doesn''t matter whether you doubt me or Christopher, but there''s no need to doubt Asher Vance."

    "Just because he''s your mentor?" Jared raised an eyebrow, his gaze steady on Linden.

    Linden nodded, "Yes, Asher Vance is our mentor. He gathered the three of us and led us to where we are now. He''s been the most outstandingmander in the history of the X Bureau and your mentor''s most admired person, Jared. I guarantee his integrity. Moreover, he wasn''t involved in the operation back then!"

    "But he was the one who signed off on the operation, Chief Linden. I can''t believe you''ve never doubted him," Jared''s tone grew colder.

    Linden fell silent, struggling to speak. Indeed, after the mission''s failure, not only Natalie but also Christopher and Linden began to harbor deep mistrust towards each other. Unlike Natalie and Christopher, who were emotionally driven and extremely trusting, Linden was more ruthless; he even doubted Asher Vance, the mentor who had introduced him to the field.

    Linden had conducted investigations, but Asher Vance was just that-Asher Vance, with no anomalies found. Eventually, Linden shifted his suspicions towards Christopher. This shift was the main reason the rift between Christopher and Linden deepened over time.

    These suspicions were temporarily put on hold when Linden went on an undercover mission. He shared all the details of his past investigations into Asher Vance with Jared, "Yes, I doubted him, but my mentor is innocent, Jared. You''re wasting your effort."

    Jared watched Linden in silence, his eyes shimmering with a strange light. After a while, he took all the documents and left.

    Linden did not stop him, only silently watching as Jared left, then received a call from Asher Vance. "Yes, Master, don''t worry, everything is fine," Linden said with a smile, seemingly calmed by his mentor''s voice.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    On the other end of the phone, Asher Vance said something that made Linden purse his lips and nod, "Yes, I''ve told him, yes, to cooperate with honesty as the basis, otherwise how could he be of help?" After hanging up, Linden''s smile gradually faded, and he stood up solemnly, leaving the teahouse.

    After leaving the teahouse, Jared used all his connections to conduct a thorough investigation of Asher Vance. Despite Jared''s aggressive methods, the information he could gather was still limited. However, it was enough to deepen his understanding of Asher Vance.

    After the "Destruction n" failed, he retired, but waster rehired by the X Bureau to serve as the chief instructor, training new agents and influencing various systems within the bureau. He had fought alongside Mr. Pace many times, being the most in-sync partner and arade in arms through life and death.

    His emotions wereparable to those between Jared and Hayden. Among them, his most outstanding disciples were Natalie, Christopher, and Linden. Looking around, the only person who could rival Asher Vance was Mr. Pace. Although Asher Vance had never held powerful positions such as director or deputy director, his rank could not be represented merely by the badge on his shoulder.

    Jared furrowed his brows as he reviewed the records, and even he could not help but admire them, especially the major cases Asher had handled, which Jared himself had yet to match. Time and again, through battles of life and death, and miraculous escapes, no one would doubt such a seasoned leader.

    "No wonder," Jared muttered as he set down the documents and looked up at Tina, pulling her into his embrace while his fingers yed with the tips of her hair. He sighed slowly, as if dering war or lost in thought, "Tina, we have a tough battle ahead."

    Tina looked ahead, her gaze not fixed on any point, as if it stretched indefinitely along the horizon. "Moreover, we need some help now."

    Jared''s lips curved slightly, his chin resting on Tina''s head as he gently nuzzled her.

    In a park in Ashbury, Five Poisons was leisurely sunbathing. Wearing sunsses and a pure white dress, her seaweed-like long hair cascaded down her back. A specific ringtone sounded, and Five Poisons tugged at the corner of her mouth, answering the call.

    "Hello, it''s me."

    Just a heads up:  is the only ce to read theplete version of this book for free. Don''t miss out on the next chapter-visit us now and continue your journey! Whatever the person on the other end said, a sly gleam passed under Five Poisons'' sunsses. "Don''t worry, you won''t be exposed. Keep reporting your location."

    After hanging up, Five Poisons watched two children running around the park, a slow smile spreading across her lips. She propped her chin on her hands resting on her knees, murmuring, "Things are getting more and more interesting." At the Brookes family, apart from Grandpa Brookes, no one else showed Rachel any kindness, including the young Kiki and Mimi. They were still upset about how Rachel''s friend had humiliated Tina at their birthday party. Who said children are quick to forgive?

    Rachel had been trying her best to appease Kiki and Mimi in the past few days, hoping to alleviate her awkward situation through the children. Unfortunately, she would never seed. Kiki and Mimi always deliberately avoided her, even if Rachel was the only one free at home, they would not y with her.

    Rachel''s resentment grew as her feelings of injustice deepened day by day. Her hatred for Tina only intensified. Grandpa Brookes saw everything but while Jack and Scarlett might listen to him for a while, Brandon bluntly stated that he would never feel brotherly affection for Rachel in this lifetime.

    Grandpa Brookes knew Rachel had gone too far this time. Luckily, Brandon wouldn''t be too harsh, merely ignoring her, and the rest, out of respect for Grandpa Brookes, did not make excessive demands. Scarlett knew that with many children at home, Grandpa Brookes inevitably tried to treat everyone equally, especially since Rachel was adopted and a girl, making him more protective to prevent her from overthinking.

 Chapter 603: Dont Worry, Ill Replace You Eventually

    Seeing Grandpa Brookes distressed, Scarlett couldn''t help but console him, "Dad, I know it''s hard when both your children are dear to you, just like Kiki and Mimi. I always try to be fair, but respect between people must be earned. Rachel has never apologized to Tina, instead she feels wronged-how can we not hold a grudge?"

    "Besides, over the years, you''ve treated Rachel no worse than anyone else. What others have, she has too; what they don''t, she eventually gets. It''s just her own dissatisfaction."

    Grandpa Brookes knew in his heart that Scarlett wasn''t one to stir up trouble. Raised in the affluent Campbell family, she was not likely to be petty or suspicious.

    Now, expressing these frustrations, he truly felt angry and disappointed with Rachel.

    "s, Rachel''s temperament isn''t as easygoing as Jack and the others. From a young age, she only yed with Ang, who is also quite reserved. If Alina were here, Rachel might not have be so isted..." Grandpa Brookes found an excuse, flimsy as it was, but it sufficed.

    Scarlett just smiled, saying nothing. Knowing a father''s love for his daughter, she understood this all too well.

    Just then, Kiki and Mimi ran in from outside,ughing, "Grandpa, Tina''s here!"

    Upon hearing that Tina had arrived, Grandpa Brookes quickly got up from his recliner and went to greet her.

    Scarlett couldn''t help but feel helpless, "Dad, slow down, Tina always tells you to take it easy."

    Grandpa Brookes usually took Tina''s words as gospel, but now, eager to meet her, he couldn''t care less.

    "Tina, have you eaten yet? You weren''t supposed toe until tomorrow. I haven''t prepared anything," Grandpa Brookes chatted affectionately with Tina.

    Tina spent the whole day with Grandpa Brookes, almost from dawn to dusk, even staying for all three meals.

    This delighted the Brookes family immensely, as Tina usually left after just one meal. Today, it really felt like she was home!

    After dinner, Tina joined Grandpa Brookes for a game of chess in the courtyard.

    "Grandpa, have you heard of Asher Vance?" Tina asked.

    Grandpa Brookes paused, "Asher Vance? Isn''t he Leo Pace''s partner?"

    Tina nodded, "Yes, do you know him?"

    "Not really, just had a few dealings. He''s a bit entric; we don''t mesh well-no, I mean, we can''t work together." Grandpa Brookes''s expression changed rapidly, trying hard to maintain his image in front of Tina. Tinaughed out loud, "It''s just a game, Grandpa, I know you too well."

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    "How is he entric? I heard many in the X Bureau are his students, his temperament can''t be that odd," Tina remarked.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Grandpa Brookes nodded, "Speaking of him, he truly deserves respect. While Leo was advancing his career, he never sought power. Often, when the bureau wanted to promote him, he would decline, preferring to stay on the front lines. That''s admirable. However, he seems very interested in the hidden families, which makes me ufortable."

    Tina looked up, a hint of doubt in her eyes, "He''s interested in the hidden families?"

    "Yes, he has always wanted to merge the hidden families with the internal divisions of the X Bureau."

    Tina realized, "So that''s why he fiercely protected Linden, because their goals align!"

    "No," Grandpa Brookes chuckled, shaking his head slightly, "He wants the hidden families to take power, not to kick them out of the X Bureau like Linden does."

    Tina was momentarily taken aback. Asher Vance wasn''t a member of the hidden families, so why should he want the hidden families to take power? Grandpa Brookes, noticing Tina''s confusion, chuckled, "That''s why I found it strange. After Leo got promoted, I lost touch with him. All I know is that he stayed on the front lines, waster rehired, and all his records are ssified by the X Bureau, so I can''t know much."

    In the X Bureau, there were always two departments. One was led by the hidden families, mainly focused on rear defense, with the White family being the most prominent, supplying weapons and more to the X Bureau. The other was led by the X Bureau''s special forces squad, like Linden and Christopher, also providing financial support to the rear defense teams. Both departments hadplemented each other for years, mutually restraining and influencing each other, and both held significant sway in major decisions.

    However, there was not much interaction between the two departments; each did their own thing, although they were somewhat mixed. This was why Grandpa Brookes could decide Jared''s position, and Hayden could effortlessly enter the White family''s techpany.

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    "Tina, what made you suddenly ask about him?" Grandpa Brookes asked. Tina shook her head and made a move on the board, "Nothing, Grandpa, you''ve lost this game." It was then that Grandpa Brookes realized he had been distracted by his own talking while Tina hadn''t been swayed at all.

    He looked down at the chessboard, his fingertips slightly moving in the shadows. His chess pieces in the bowl seemed to squirm. Seeing this, Tina firmly covered the bowl, "Grandpa, no cheating! You promised me, go to sleep now. Which other man your age stays upte watching TV!"

    Grandpa Brookes''s face turned red, and he nced back at Jack, who was ying with a child, and magically lifted a water bowl, throwing it at Jack''s head. That''ll teach you to tattle!

    Jack rubbed his head, regretting not drawing his own lot earlier; perhaps then he could have disrupted the old man''s game. After putting Grandpa Brookes to bed, Tina prepared to leave the Brookes family. Just then, she ran into Rachel. Tina gave Rachel a long, mocking look and burst intoughter, "Aunt Rachel, you once said that although you were an adopted daughter of the Brookes family, Grandpa treated you like his own. Now I see, it''s just as I thought." "Tina, you..." Tina raised her hand, signaling silence, "Don''t worry, I''ll rece you sooner orter." Rachel stared in disbelief. Before she could react, Tina had already walked away,ughing scornfully.

    Rachel clenched her fists. "I thought you were always just a little bunny, but it turns out you''ve been a fox all along, Tina. Don''t be too pleased; your time won''tst long!"

    "What are you muttering about in the middle of the night? You scared me; I just heard you mention Tina. What about her?" Rachel jumped, turning to see it was Brandon. "Brandon, I don''t know why, but Tina just told me she''ll rece me soon. It''s a bit strange," Rachel said, her smile tinged with sadness.

 Chapter 604: Tina Deliberately Provokes Rachel

    Brandon frowned. "Did Tina really say that?"

    Rachel, sensing an opportunity, replied eagerly, "Yes, she really said that, Brandon. What do you think she means?"

    Finally, she saw a chance to stop Brandon from always defending Tina!

    However, Brandon responded, "This child, what nonsense is she talking about? She doesn''t need to rece you; she''s always been in a higher position than you."

    With that, Brandon shook his head and walked away, muttering about how Tina was prone to overthinking.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    In that moment, Rachel felt as if she had been struck by lightning, her nails digging into her palms, yet she felt no pain.

    Brandon had actually said that she could neverpare to Tina!

    After all, she had been with the Brookes family for nearly thirty years, from infancy.

    And Tina was just an outsider whose status hadn''t even been confirmed yet.

    Brandon could actually say such a thing!

    Rachel was indignant. She was determined to get rid of Tina-now, immediately, at once!

    After leaving the Brookes family, Tina received a call from Brandon. "Tina, I did everything you said, but it''s odd. Why provoke her with those words? She takes things to heart; she must be furious by now." Tinaughed after hearing this. "It''s okay, as long as it was said."

    Brandon didn''t press further. "Alright, I''ve done my part. Be careful, and let me know if you need anything."

    "Uncle Brandon, actually, I do need something," Tina chuckled. "Tomorrow, take everyone out, except for Rachel and maybe another person, an aunt or someone."

    Brandon paused. "What for?"

    "It''s useful."

    "Okay, I''ll do as you say," Brandonughed, then hung up the phone.

    He never asked too much about Tina''s ns or tried to stop her.

    He just cooperated!

    After all, he was the best uncle in the world, better even than Jack!

    Hanging up, Tina stretchedzily in the car and clicked her tongue.

    Jared nced at her, smiling. "What''s up?"

    "It''s been a long time since I kissed you in the car, ever since you started driving yourself!"

    Jared nearly mmed on the brakes hard enough to throw himself out!

    Tina really didn''t choose her moments!

    But, he liked it.

    The next day, Brandon took the family out early, iming it was for a medical check-up.

    However, Scarlett was too sleepy to get up and refused to go.

    Rachel also made an excuse and stayed behind, so Brandon left with the rest of the family magnificently.

    Scarlett yawned and went back to her room to sleep.

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    Unexpectedly, before she could reach her room, she felt dizzy and fainted.

    Behind her, Rachel smirked sinisterly, watching Scarlett copse with utter coldness in her eyes.

    "Scarlett, you''ll be my shield for the day. If you identally die, don''t me me!" Rachel chuckled and pped her hands.

    Then, two people emerged from Rachel''s room, tied up the unconscious Scarlett, and took her away from the Brookes family.

    Rachel went back to sleep. When she woke up and got out of bed leisurely, she picked up her phone.

    Already, there was a video of Scarlett being kidnapped.

    "Let me go! I warn you, if you dare touch me, neither the Campbell family nor the Brookes family will let you off!" With a p, the kidnapper struck Scarlett''s face.

    "ying tough, huh? Tell your husband to bring the money, or prepare to collect your corpse!" he threatened.

    Rachel watched the video, tears squeezing from her eyes, and then, crying, she called Tina.

    "It''s terrible, Tina! Something''s happened to Scarlett. I can''t reach my dad or Jared. What should I do?"

    Over the phone, Rachel''s voice was choked with tears, the urgency palpable.

    Tina yawned, seemingly unclear, "What did you say? Say it again!"

    "Scarlett''s been kidnapped. The kidnappers are demanding a ransom, but I can''t get hold of my dad or Jared. What do we do, Tina? Please,e quickly. Scarlett is really in danger!" "Okay, I''ll be right there." Tina hung up and soon appeared at the Brookes family home.

    Rachel showed Tina the kidnapping video. "Tina, I still have enough money. Since they can''t be contacted, let''s go and pay the ransom. I''m worried if we''rete, something bad will happen to Scarlett!" Tina nodded, "Alright, let''s get going."

    Rachel watched anxiously as Tina rushed to start the car, a secret smirk crossing her face. She knew Tina woulde to rescue Scarlett, who always treated her like her own daughter. To secure her position within the Brookes family, she would brave any challenge.

    On the way, Rachel kept trying to contact the kidnapper, but to no avail. When they arrived at the designated location, they received a message to go elsewhere. After several changes of location, Tina realized they were at the base of a deserted mountain.

    The kidnapper then instructed them to bring the money up the mountain. With no other choice, theyplied.

    Rachel and Tina, carrying bags of cash, finally reached the mountaintop. From a distance, they saw Scarlett bound to a tree, nked by two menacing kidnappers.

    Tina stepped forward first, tossing the bag of money on the ground. "Here''s the money you wanted. Now let my aunt go!"

    One of the kidnappers walked over, checked the bag, but showed no greed for the money. "Boss, the Brookes family really is rich. This girl, unable to contact her grandfather, casually pulls out three million dors like it''s nothing," heughed, uninterested in the amount.

    Tina narrowed her eyes. "Who are you, exactly?"

    Suddenly, Tina felt a heavy blow to her head. Turning slowly, she saw Rachel holding arge rock, smiling radiantly at her.

    "Tina, your mother was abducted just like this years ago. Seems like history is repeating itself, don''t you think?"

    Tina was speechless, her eyes unwillingly closing as she lost consciousness.

    When she next opened her eyes, Scarlett was tied up beside her, and the two kidnappers stood-one next to Rachel, and the other next to Grace.

    Tina looked quietly at the people in front of her. "You''re Five Poisons!"

    Five Poisonsughed. "I didn''t expect you to recognize me. But I prefer you call me ''Aunt Rachel'', Tina."

    Tina tried to break free from her bonds but realized she was too weak, evidently poisoned.

    Five Poisons smiled again. "Stop struggling. This poison was developed by your mother. You can''t neutralize it!"

 Chapter 605: Today, Ill Show You How Tina Died

    Tina took a deep breath, knowing she had no way to counteract the poison, and turned to look at Scarlett. Fortunately, Scarlett was neither poisoned nor unconscious. She stared at Tina with big, watery eyes, full of sympathy. "Tina, it''s all my fault. Does your head hurt? Are you feeling dizzy?" Scarlett asked anxiously.

    Tina shook her head, only to find herself feeling even dizzier. "I''m fine. Are you hurt?"

    "I''m not," Scarlett replied, her voice heavy. She then turned to Rachel. "Rachel, you heartless creature, how could you coborate with GTO? You know that''s Dad''s biggest grievance!"

    "So what?" Rachel stepped forward and pped Scarlett hard, her eyes filled with resentment. "Scarlett, who do you think you are to criticize me?"

    Rachel then grabbed Scarlett by the throat. "Do you know how much I''ve hated you since you married into the family? Only you and Brandon have always treated me with such duplicity. I''ve wanted to kick you out of the Brookes family for a long time!"

    Scarlett couldn''t speak, but her eyes showed no submission.

    Seeing this look in her eyes, Rachel grew even more resentful. "Scarlett, aren''t you always doting on Tina, always trying to please her? Well, today I''m going to let you see exactly how Tina dies!"

    Tina turned to face Rachel. "Die? Rachel, do you really think you''re capable of that?"

    Rachel, already full of hatred towards Tina, clenched her fist in rage upon hearing such provocation.

    She punched Tina hard in the stomach. Being skilled in martial arts, the punch was strong enough to kill a man.

    Imagine then, the force Tina, already weakened by poison and unable to defend herself, had to endure.

    Blood trickled from the corner of Tina''s mouth, yet her gaze remained icy as she stared at Rachel.

    "You''ll always be living in the shadow of my mother. It was you who caused my mother to be kidnapped; you will spend your life atoning for that!"

    Rachel threw another punch, even harder than the first. Tina nearly passed out from the blow.

    It had been a long time since she had endured such physical pain, and she was unustomed to it.

    Rachel gripped Tina''s chin, her fingernails digging into her flesh, her voice filled with hatred. "Listen well, Tina. I drove Alina away from the Brookes family without a shred of guilt, even feeling pleased about it!"

    Scarlett, hearing this, finally reacted. She yelled at Rachel, "What did you just say? Does Alina''s abduction have something to do with you?"

    Rachelughed, then turned to Scarlett with a mocking tone. "How slow can you be? I thought you''d ask that the moment I knocked Tina unconscious!"

    "Rachel, what is going on?" Scarlett roared.

    Scarlett and Jack had been childhood sweethearts, and she had watched Alina grow up, always adoring her younger sister.

    Rachel leisurely sat back down, holding a ss of red wine as if she were on a camping trip. "Tina, you must also want to know how your mother was kidnapped from the Brookes family. Listen closely."

    "It was me. During a confrontation with Five Poisons, I knocked Alina unconscious using the same method I used on you. I watched as Five Poisons took her away. Before they left, I hit her wound again, hard. The blood stained my favorite skirt, but at the time, no one cared why my skirt was bloodied."

    Tina looked at Rachel, feeling increasingly powerless.

    Scarlett, on the other hand, had the energy to berate Rachel vehemently, unleashing every insult she had ever heard in her life.

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    "Rachel, do you not realize how good Alina has been to you? She always protected you, favoring you as her beloved little sister, and yet you treat her this way! Have you no conscience? You were so young, yet so cruel!"Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    Rachel took it all in without a care, "So what if she was good to me? No matter how kind, I would always be overshadowed by her, never able to surpass her! Scarlett, you were pampered from a young age, and always had Jack by your side as a childhood friend, what would you understand?"

    "How could you, living like a caged canary, possibly understand the pain of living at another''s mercy?"

    Scarlett couldn''t believe that Rachel would use the phrase ''living at another''s mercy.''

    Who, when living at another''s mercy, gets treated like a little princess by the head of the household! She was simply insatiable!

    Rachel raised an eyebrow and said, "Scarlett, first it was Alina, then Ang, next it will be you and Tina, and after that, your two precious daughters. I will drive each of them out of the Brookes family, do you understand?"

    Hearing her daughters mentioned, Scarlett couldn''t hold back, "Rachel, Kiki and Mimi are just children, what more do you want to do? You beast, you have no conscience, why don''t you just die! I tell you, even without Alina, you will never rece her in our father''s heart, you will always be a fake!"

    Rachel smashed a wine ss directly onto Scarlett''s head, wishing she could scar her face.

    Five Poisons finally spoke up, "Miss Brookes, why so angry? This person is still useful to me; she cannot die yet!"

    This was the daughter of the Campbell family, and through her, one could infiltrate the Campbell family and connect with the Brookes family seamlessly.

    By then, Tina would no longer be alive, and no one would detect any traces.

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    It was a delightfully perfect n.

    Five Poisons stood up, handing a gun to Rachel, "You wanted to personally deal with Tina, right? Here you go."

    Rachel took the gun and aimed it at Tina, "Tina, at this point, is there anything you want to ask?"

    Tina lowered her eyes, ncing at Five Poisons behind Rachel, "Five Poisons, are you the new generation of Five Poisons, or are you merely using his title?"

    Five Poisons was taken aback, surprised that Tina''s curiosity at the brink of death was focused on him.

    Heughed, "How should I put it? We are one and the same!"

    Tina frowned in thought, ''One and the same?''

    Rachel clearly was running out of patience and smiled at Tina, "Tina, your mother is already dead. Go down and keep herpany. As for performing filial duties, I will take over." Tina chuckled after hearing this, a faint sneer forming at the corner of her mouth. Rachel was momentarily taken aback, then her eyes filled with even deeper hatred. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, Tina suddenly shouted- "Mom! Save me!"

 Chapter 606: Natalie Takes Action, Mother and Daughter Reunite

    With a loud bang, Rachel''s gun fired, but the bullet merely grazed Tina''s ear without disturbing even a hair on her head. Rachel stared in horror at the person before her, her wrist throbbing in pain as if mped in iron shackles. "You... you''re Alina!"

    Natalie''s gaze was heavy as she looked at Rachel, a mix of unfamiliarity and recognition in her eyes. She had never imagined that her own abduction years ago had such a story behind it. Clenching her fist, Natalie delivered a fierce punch to Rachel''s stomach. "How dare you harm my daughter, you''re asking for death!"

    Rachel''s punch could kill a grown man; Natalie''s could kill a strong ox. The difference in their strength was not just in words. Rachel felt her organs shift, every nerve and muscle filled with intense pain, as if she was about to be torn apart. Following up, Natalie pped Rachel across the face repeatedly. Rachel''s delicate face swelled up like a pig''s head. Trying to stabilize herself and take another look at Natalie, Rachel found her eyes squeezed shut by the swelling, unable to open them.

    Natalie lifted Rachel up, her fingers swiftly throwing several needles that pricked Rachel''s head. Rachel knelt on the ground, screaming in agony. The pain was unbearable; she rolled on the ground, banging her head against rocks, as if that could lessen the pain she felt.

    Even as Rachel bled, Natalie''s fury was unquenched. Meanwhile, Tina had already untied herself and had countered the poison on her instantly uponnding. Tina then went to untie Scarlett, cing her beside a tree before returning to support Natalie. They were now facing Five Poisons.

    Five Poisons, standing still, watched the unfolding scene with a smirk, holding a ss of red wine as if at a social gathering rather than a battlefield. "You two look so much alike, I wonder if all daughters resemble their mothers," she taunted. Natalie narrowed her eyes, her silver needles ready. Tina was equally alert, determined not to let Five Poisons escape again. "You''re Five Poisons?" Natalie asked softly, her voice calm, "You seem younger than I expected." Five Poisonsughed, touching her own cheek softly, then suddenly ripped off her facial skin, throwing it at Tina. It transformed into a sharp de in mid-air, aiming straight for Tina.

    "Tina!" Natalie shouted. Tina narrowly dodged the skin de, kicking up stones from the ground. Natalie used the airborne stones to enhance her speed, catching one and hurling it at Five Poisons. The stone struck Five Poisons'' thigh, prating through and hitting the ground, creating a small crater.

    Five Poisons coughed up blood, and Natalie''s breathing became uneven. Just as Tina was about to use poison, Natalie stopped her. The air was filled with invisible particles that could explode upon contact with the poison.

    "Five Poisons, there''s no escape for you!" Natalie dered as she and Tina stood shoulder to shoulder. Five Poisons, clutching her wounded thigh, threw a smoke bomb. As the smoke cleared, she was holding Scarlett at the cliff''s edge, threatening their lives.

    A helicopter''s des were heard overhead. Tina smirked, "Five Poisons, do you want to go to heaven or hell? I can satisfy either." On the helicopter, Jared aimed his machine gun, surprisingly at Scarlett.

    Five Poisons stepped back, pebbles tumbling into the deep abyss below the cliff. "You can''t win against us together," Natalie stated sternly, shielding Tina slightly.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Five Poisons scoffed, "I can''t? I heard that decades ago. Were there not more people back then?" Natalie frowned, suspecting a connection to the "Destruction n" years ago.

    Suddenly, Five Poisons twisted Scarlett''s neck. However, instead of copsing, Scarlett''s body became rigid-a biomechanical robot. Realizing her mistake, Five Poisons attempted to jump off the cliff but was stopped by a gunshot. The robot''s head exploded, revealing numerous tentacles that seized Five Poisons tightly.

    "What''s happening!" Five Poisons struggled in vain.

    Tina scoffed, "Thought you were the only one who could use biomechanical robots?" Natalie gave Tina a thumbs-up, "Well done, your research is progressing quickly."

    "You taught well," Tina signaled Jared in the helicopter.

 Chapter 607: Another Bionic Robot

    The helicopter slowly descended. Jared jumped down from the aircraft, not rushing towards Tina as he usually would, but instead, he paused to deeply gaze at his mentor standing before him. Suddenly, the area was swarmed by the special forces of the X Bureau.

    Five Poisons, bound by the robot, struggled briefly, her face void of emotion. "What, a family reunion? You really think this is the end?" she spat out bitterly.

    Jared quickly shielded Tina and Natalie behind him, his face etched with vignce as he stared at Five Poisons. Herughter rang out, causing Tina and Natalie''s expressions to darken simultaneously.

    "Get down!" Jared shouted.

    As his words fell, explosions erupted around them, igniting a massive fire. "Mr. Farrell! Ma''am, Captain, are you all okay?" Nathan yelled amidst the mes.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    At that moment, Jared was shielding Tina and Natalie beneath him, his back scorched by the fire. "Put out the fire first!" he yelled. Nathan hurriedly organized a firefighting effort. Thankfully, they were on a mountaintop with mild winds, and the fire was quickly contained without spreading further.

    Hayden, leading the third squad, rushed to the scene, first evacuating the injured. He then frantically searched for his own, Serena. "Serena! Are you okay? You must be okay, or they''ll kill me! Serena!" he cried out desperately. Tina, sitting nearby, heard Hayden''s wailing and, annoyed, threw a rock at him. "Stop yelling!" she snapped.

    Hayden felt his leg where the rock hit and ran towards the voice, relieved to find Tina with only minor cuts. "Serena, you scared me to death! Thank goodness you''re fine, otherwise I''d have no face to face the master or the brothers!" he eximed, moving to embrace her.

    Jared kicked him aside. "You think you''re hugging my Tina? Dream on!"

    Tina smirked, "Good thing you kicked him in time, or I''d have turned him into a eunuch with a needle!"

    Hayden blinked, looking at the woman sitting before him and rubbing his eyes hard.

    Natalie watched Hayden''s antics, pinched his cheek, and said, "After all these years, you haven''t changed a bit, always deserving a good beating!"

    Hayden choked up, then burst into tears. "Captain! My dear captain, my beautiful captain! You''re still alive! That''s wonderful!"

    "Captain, you have no idea how Jared has been bullying me these years!"

    "Oh, it''s so good you''re back, I finally have someone to rely on!" he wailed.

    Nathan, standing aside, covered his eyes, unwilling to witness Hayden''s disgrace.

    Jason, who arrived muchter and wasn''t familiar with Natalie, still couldn''t help but clench his fists at the sight of Hayden''s behavior.

    Courtney was the first to run out of patience, grabbing Hayden by the cor and tossing him aside. She then stood before Natalie, examining her closely. She had seen a photo of Natalie with her own mother, Kahleah, both in X Bureau uniforms, their hair tied in neat ponytails, standing shoulder to shoulder with the X Bureau g waving behind them.

    Natalie lifted Courtney''s chin and smiled, "You must be Courtney. I''m your Aunt Natalie."

    Courtney''s eyes welled up with tears, feeling the warmth of Natalie''s touch on her nose, and she sobbed.

    "Aunt Natalie."

    Natalie held Courtney''s hand, gently caressing her fingers. "I was the one who named you. Your mother would be so proud to see how beautiful you''ve be," she said softly.

    Kahleah had been Natalie''s most reliable deputy. They had survived deadly situations together and were forced to part ways. Natalie only reappeared when Kahleah was inbor, extracting Courtney from the womb and caring for her for three days before they hastily parted again.

    Courtney wiped her tears and saluted, "Ashbury X Bureau Headquarters Special Squad Third Team, Courtney!"

    Natalie''s lips curved into a smile, remembering how Kahleah had looked when she first joined the team. "She looks just like you did back then!"

    "Alright, let''s catch up more when we get back, and you can report to your captain about the situation," Natalie said, patting Courtney''s shoulder tenderly.

    Courtney nodded and began updating Nathan on the situation. "Captain, we''vepleted the survey. Five Poisons is missing, and the remains left at the scene are fake!"

    Nathan furrowed his brows, ncing inadvertently at Jared.

    Jared, who was busy applying medicine to Tina''s fingers injured in the chaos, hadn''t heard Courtney. The injury was an idental scrape against a rock when he pushed Tina down to protect her.

    Nathan pursed his lips, "Mr. Farrell, I..."

    "We should leave now; no need for farewells," Jared said as he got up, pulling Tina with him. "Oh, and Captain, we''ll take this dead pig with us," he added, nodding towards the unconscious Rachel on the ground.

    His words left Nathan speechless, a reminder from Jared that he was now the true captain of the X Bureau special squad.

    Natalie chuckled softly and whispered to Nathan, "The cause of the explosion, the limbs, the escape route."

    Nathan nodded in realization, "Yes, thank you, Captain!"

    Jared frowned subtly, whispering back to Natalie, "Master, aren''t you worrying too much?"

    Natalie yfully smacked Jared on the head. "Didn''t you also need my hints to figure things out back in the day?"

    Jared had no reply, merely wrapping an arm around Tina''s waist and helping Natalie down the mountain.

    Behind them, Nathan and others were stunned. That was Jared''s head, and how many could im the courage to strike him? Logan: Me!

    Grandpa Brookes: And me!

    Mr. Pace: To tell you the truth, I dare too!

    Nathan: Gentlemen, please be quiet!

    After a while, Courtney sighed deeply, "Mr. Farrell was bullied by his master as a child, and now by his wife as an adult. He can''t escape the fate of this family."

    Nathan, Hayden, and Jason looked at Courtney with affirmation. Indeed, she had hit the nail on the head!

    Down the mountain, Jared escorted Tina and Natalie to the car, not hurrying to join them but arranging for Rachel instead.

    Leaving space for the long-separated mother and daughter, Tina sat in the car, staring at Natalie next to her. For a moment, it all seemed surreal.

    She couldn''t believe that her mother, whom she hadn''t seen for over a decade, was truly in front of her again.

    All the previous resentment, the irritation of being teased, and the feelings of being manipted vanished.

    What remained was an overwhelming longing for her mother.

    Natalie opened her arms, her head tilted with a smile, "Tina, let Mom hug you!"

 Chapter 608: Tina Cries

    Tina suddenly clutched Natalie tightly, her arms wrapping around her body as tears burst forth like a fountain. She sobbed uncontrobly, disregarding her appearancepletely.

    This time was different from when she had deceived Master Tam out of eighty million; this was genuine, childlike weeping. In front of her own mother, she was always just a child. Tina didn''t know how long she cried, but it left her drained of strength before she finally stopped.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

    She then remembered she had to confront her mother. "Mom, you..." Tina got up only to see Natalie asleep against the car window! What kind of unreliable mother was this! She was crying her heart out! Natalie, awakened by Tina''s call, quickly opened her eyes and wiped her mouth, "Oh, it''s been a long time since I heard you cry; it''s still so hypnotic."

    Tina was speechless, staring deeply at Natalie. She hadn''t been like this when she first saw Courtney. "Mom!" Natalie quickly embraced Tina, "Sweet Tina, I''m hungry, can we go have some beef hot pot first?"

    Jared, who was outside, couldn''t stand it anymore and decided to get in the car. He had thought to give Tina and Natalie a warm reunion moment, but all Natalie could think about was beef hot pot! It was clear who Tina took after! "Master, are you always this focused on eating?" Jaredined as soon as he got in the car, despite Tina''s long crying session going unsoothed. Natalie raised her hand and gave Jared a p, "Shut up, drive!"

    "Mom, don''t do that to my Uncle," Tina said, tenderly rubbing the back of Jared''s head. Jared chuckled softly, grateful for Tina''s gentleness.

    Natalie scoffed, "It''s not like when you peed on him as a baby!" Tina blushed deeply, barely remembering such an incident. Jared was about to retort when Natalie added, "It''s not like when you cried holding her diaper either!" Jared knew better than to argue; Natalie was always more ruthless.

    Obediently, Jared took them to Ashbury''s finest beef hot pot restaurant, booking the entire ce so the mother-daughter duo could eat their fill. Satisfied after the meal, Natalie finally remembered they had a serious matter to discuss. "The Five Poisons at the scene were bio-robots," Natalie leaned back in her chair, unabashedly rubbing her belly. Tina sipped her Coke and belched, "Throwing that stone was to check if she was a bio-robot, turns out we were fooled." Jared, watching the pair without a care for appearances, silently offered a wet wipe, "It just shows, the bio-robots inside GTO are evolving with us." The bio-robots Tina had handed over to Janson and Ethan Ward, thanks to the involvement of the Reed family and the sample Natalie had left, were now the most advanced model. "Scarlett" today was one of these top-tier experimental models, capable of connecting and acting on human thoughts.

    This bio-robot had been delivered to Tina by Janson justst month. GTO had made no advancements for many years, yet now they had a model that matched their highest version?

    Tina frowned slightly, "It seems we''ve got a traitor among us!" She had been so focused on finding Natalie that she hadn''t checked in with Janson and Ethan Ward, or the cooperating Reed family. She had assumed all was well, but clearly, there was a leak.

    Natalie neatly folded the used wet wipe and ced it on the table, "There must be an issue internally, but a traitor among the Reeds is unlikely. Jasper is gone, and the others have no ties with GTO. His father has retired from public life. We need to see if there might be some other connection they''ve made."

    Tina nodded, "Indeed, after Jasper''s departure, the Reeds have been under my surveince and unlikely to cause issues, and the Woodham and Ward families even less so." Natalie continued, "And the explosion wasn''t caused by anything we did. The air particles would have ignited even without Jared''s gunshot."

    Jared, having just paid and returned, caught the tail end of Natalie''s exnation and sat down, "Gun barrels."

    "Yes, when the X Bureau came today, I felt something was off. Their gunshots sounded much more muffled than before."

    "I thought it was because they changed their guns, could it be Linden?" Natalie pondered, tapping her cheek thoughtfully as she stared into the distance.

    Jared turned to see Tina mirroring Natalie''s thoughtful pose, her brow furrowed even deeper. He sighed, "Master, Tina, maybe we should go home and think this through?" At the mention of home, Natalie appeared momentarily lost. The Brookes family would surely be in chaos now. Natalie hadn''t been ready to meet Grandpa Brookes just yet, not if it weren''t for the recent urgency caused by Tina pushing Rachel to her limits, forcing Natalie to reveal herself. Tina noticed Natalie''s hesitation and reached out to hold her hand, "Mom, let''s go home." Natalie had always been ambivalent, even resistant, to the notion of ''family.''

    No matter how strong a person was, everyone had an untouchable scar deep within. Before knowing her own origins, Natalie had been deeply wounded by the Whittaker family, leading her to a prolonged state of istion.

    Now, informed that she had real rtives who had sincerely sought her for over thirty years, she was even more reluctant to approach them. "Mom, Grandpa is waiting for us." Tina''s hand was warm,forting like a mother''s loving embrace. Over the past decade, Natalie had hidden in the shadows, watching Tina build the Mountain Veil Order from scratch, growing from a young girl into a graceful young woman.

    Yet, Natalie had never really felt her daughter had grown up until this moment. Her precious daughter had truly matured, capable of standing on her own, and now, leading her home. Natalie nodded, "Alright, let''s go home." Jared dropped them off at the Brookes family''s home without entering, respecting their need for privacy during such a moment.

    Natalie stood at the doorstep, familiar with every detail of the Brookes household from her visits as Warren Pace. Yet now, standing here, hearing the domestic sounds from within, she hesitated to step forward. Tina affectionately linked arms with Natalie, "Mom, today, I''m alsoing home for the first time." For the first time, as a granddaughter returning home.

 Chapter 609: Mother and Daughter Officially Return to the Brookes Family

    Natalie chuckled and tightened her grip on Tina''s hand as she opened the grand door of the Brookes family home. As the mahogany door swung open, Natalie saw an old man, leaning on a cane and dressed in a suit, standing at the entrance with tears in his eyes.

    On seeing the door open, he staggered forward two steps, then stopped, trembling. He couldn''t bring himself to move forward, nor could he believe this was all real. After more than thirty years, his precious daughter, who had been just over a meter tall when he lost her, was now a mother herself.

    Natalie approached, stopping a meter away from Grandpa Brookes, not daring to step closer. The gap of thirty years was not a barrier but a profound regret. Thankfully, now everything was as it should be. "Dad, it''s me, Alina, I''m back," she said.

    Unable to hold back any longer, Grandpa Brookes hurried forward, his cane ttering to the side. He bent his stooped back and lifted his daughter up gently. Slowly, he reached out his wrinkled hands and caressed Natalie''s face, tracing the lines of her features gently, fearful of hurting his beloved daughter.

    "Alina, my Alina, my dear Alina..." he sobbed, holding Natalie tightly, "My precious daughter."

    Scarlett was already nestled in Jack''s arms, crying breathlessly, while even the usually flippant Brandon was crouched on the ground, wiping away tears. Tina stood at the doorway, reluctant to intrude on the poignant reunion. The father and daughter embraced for a long time, gradually regaining theirposure. Natalie soothed Grandpa Brookes, "Dad, let''s go inside. Remember, no going out tomorrow."

    Realization dawned on Grandpa Brookes; the Warren Pace who hade to save him was Alina! "You girl, why didn''t you reveal yourself sooner? Do you know how worried I was when I saw the explosion on the cliff?" The Brookes family had watched everything through "Scarlett''s" bionic robot in real-time. When Rachel had thrown a rock at Tina, Grandpa Brookes had almost charged over himself, restrained only by Brandon and Jack. Fortunately, Jared had sent a signal in time to reassure Grandpa Brookes. Tina followed quietly behind, trying to make no sound. But Grandpa Brookes wasn''t about to let her escape notice.

    "And you, neither your mother nor you are any less worrisome! Always making your grandpa worry!" he chided.

    Tina smiled slightly, "Grandpa, me my mom for faking her death all these years. If it weren''t for my trick today, she''d still be hiding!" "Naughty girl, no wonder your master always speaks ill of you!" Natalie said, casting an eye at Tina, though her gaze held no real reproach.

    When Master Tam was mentioned, Grandpa Brookes recalled, "Alina, how did you end up with that crazy old man?"

    Natalie helped Master Tam to a chair and began recounting her adventures. "I don''t remember exactly what happened initially. By the time I had memories, I was with the Whittaker family, met my master during school who said I had a unique talent and wanted to take me as his disciple. I followed him partly in jest, never formally became his disciple, and somehow got involved with the X Bureau and bionic biotechnology."

    Master Tam nodded, "No wonder you sent Tina to Serenity Ridge, to keep your masterpany."

    Natalie waved a hand dismissively, "Not really, he wanted a pot of wine as tuition, and I couldn''t part with it, so I promised him my child instead!"

    Tina finally understood why Master Tam often said she was a bonus item, a loss-making deal. She had been traded for a pot of wine!

    Brandonughed incessantly, "My little niece, you''re worth less than a pot of wine, better stay by my side, your mom''s unreliable!"Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Tina didn''t take offense, instead, she teased, "Uncle Brandon, my mom was with Aunt Ang, you know."

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    Brandon''sughter stopped abruptly, almost biting his tongue in shock.

    He quickly approached Natalie, his eyes still moist, "Alina, you''re really with Ang? How is she? Is she eating well? Has she lost weight? Does she sleep well? Is she warm enough? Has she been hurt?" Natalie was stunned by Brandon''s barrage of questions. She had been with Ang all along but Ang had never mentioned Brandon.

    As Natalie looked towards Tina, Tina nodded silently.

    Yes, Mom, it''s exactly what you think, Brandon is hopelessly in love!

    Brandon felt a sudden chill, turning to Tina, "It''s true love!"

    Jack pushed Brandon away, disgusted, and leaned towards Natalie, "Alina, Brandon has been in love with Ang for over a decade, he''s hopeless."

    Natalie clicked her tongue, "Brandon, did Ang run away from home because of you?"

    Grandpa Brookes nodded sagely, "I think that''s exactly it."

    Brandon immediately objected, "How could that be! It was clearly Rachel who..."

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    He stopped short, knowing the family avoided mentioning Rachel since the incident. They all knew Grandpa Brookes had treated Rachel like his own daughter, cing great hopes on her. Even if the entire Brookes family held animosity towards Rachel, Grandpa Brookes protected her, ensuring she suffered no slight.

    Before discovering Rachel might have tampered with Tina''s paternity test, Brandon had not looked down on her either. Whenever Rachel was bullied, her brothers protected her.

    But who could have expected she would turn out so ungrateful?

    The room fell silent, Jack shooting Brandon a reproachful look for his indiscretion.

    At that moment, Tina spoke up, "I''m hungry."

    Hearing Tina''s words, Grandpa Brookes immediately brightened, "Prepare the meal quickly. It''s Alina and Tina''s first official return home; we can''t have them go hungry."

    "The food is already ready," Jack smiled. "We mayck many things, but food is not one of them. Alina and Tina won''t starve."

    Tina smiled, "Then I''ll be relying on my grandpa and uncles to feed me from now on."

    "Ha ha! Of course!" Grandpa Brookes looked at Tina and Natalie, his mood significantly brightened. The topic of Rachel was smoothly glossed over, leaving only joy and warmth behind.

 Chapter 610: Who is Tinas Father?

    Not far away, Ang sat on the wall, watching a heartwarming scene unfold in the Brookes family''s yard. The guilt that had been weighing on her heart was finally starting to dissipate. Seeing Grandpa Brookes'' smile, a smile unwittingly appeared on her own lips too.

    Like Rachel, Ang had known from a young age that she was adopted. She had once wanted to call Grandpa Brookes "Dad" just like Rachel did, but for some reason she never could. She knew in her heart that the only person who could be her father was Ian. Only when she discovered her true origins did she understand her reticence.

    At that moment, Ang decided that she needed to bring Alina back to make Grandpa Brookes genuinely happy for once. Now, her wish was finally fulfilled.

    Gradually, Ang''s gaze shifted to Brandon, who was yfully holding his head. Sheughed involuntarily; this man truly never changed, no matter what happened!

    Ang continued to sit on the wall for a while before slowly getting up to leave. Suddenly, she caught Natalie''s meaningful gaze from afar. Though they were at a distance, Ang knew Natalie was looking her way. With a helpless shake of her head, Ang realized Alina had discovered her presence.

    She took out her phone and texted Natalie, "I''m waiting at home. Spend some quality time with the old man first."

    Grandpa Brookes and Natalie talked at length, mostly about what had happened in Natalie''s life over the past thirty years - too much to cover in one sitting. Natalie glossed over her time with the Whittaker family, mentioning only that her foster parents had passed away, without delving into further details.

    Eventually, Grandpa Brookes, looking at Tina ying with Kiki and Mimi, asked, "Natalie, who is Tina''s father, after all?"

    Natalie knew this question woulde up sooner orter. She didn''t shut down the conversation but was reluctant to reveal too much. "Dad, all I can say is he''s the bravest, greatest man in the world, my true love. Our separation was due to our careers, not a faltering of feelings. He is no deserter."

    Listening to Natalie speak, Grandpa Brookes felt a bittersweet sensation. It seemed his little girl''s heart had been stolen by another. "Is he really as good as you say?" he asked skeptically.

    Natalie raised an eyebrow proudly, "Yes, not just anyone can win over your daughter and make me willingly have his children."

    Hearing Natalie''s affirmation, Grandpa Brookes felt reassured. "Well, that''s good. He better at least be like that Farrell boy for me to be satisfied."

    "He''s even better than him!" Natalie assured.

    Just then, Tina called out, "Mom, no talking behind our family Uncle''s back!"

    Natalie clicked her tongue and helped Grandpa Brookes up, "See? A daughter''s hard to keep at home. Dad, let''s get you to bed, it''ste."

    Though Grandpa Brookes was reluctant to sleep, his tiredness prevailed after a long chat, and he slowly drifted off.

    After leaving the bedroom, where Kiki and Mimi had already settled down, only the adults remained in the yard. Brandon, seeing his sistere out, tossed her a can of beer.

    Natalie caught it with one hand and sat next to Scarlett, with Tina by her side. Brandon cracked open a beer, "Alina, you owe me this drink, remember?"

    Natalie had actually forgotten, but Brandon''s reminder sparked a vague memory. It was from a New Year''s celebration when Natalie was nine and Brandon had just turned sixteen, eager to mimic the adults by drinking alcohol. Natalie had threatened to join him, resulting in a scolding from Grandpa Brookes. "Brandon, let''s drink to that time!" she recalled.

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    The group clinked their cans together, beer spilling over but unable to dampen their joy and excitement.

    After a gulp, Jack looked at his sister with concern, "Alina, do you really not remember anything from our childhood? What''s the reason? Was it because of what Rachel did?"

    Natalie shook her head, "No, there is indeed a scar on my head, but it wasn''t lethal. I could treat it myself and it has mostly healed. That''s not what''s blocking my memory. There must be some other reason I haven''t uncovered yet." Tina leaned on Natalie''s shoulder, "Could it have been some drug GTO gave you that damaged your nerves, making you forget?"

    "Possibly, but what kind of drug could do that, and neither you nor I can figure it out?"

    It was indeed a conundrum that stumped both Natalie and Tina.

    "Alina, do you know who GTO was before?" Jack asked.

    Natalie nodded, "Yes, GTO and Joshua''s CK were both originally part of a criminal group called RST. Years ago, dad and Mr. Pace led a team that wiped RST out. Their leader, Five Poisons, left his daughter Ang and disappeared. I was kidnapped by him three years after he vanished."

    "Right, I remember the case files said Five Poisons was involved in human trafficking to conduct experiments, perhaps to develop a virus. Could you have been a part of those experiments?"

    Tina sat up straight, "But GTO''s experiments didn''t involve memory loss. Instead, it was the drug my mother researched that they''ve been seeking all these years. Mom, what exactly is that drug?"Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Natalie''s eyes darkened, "It''s called ST-1, developed when I was infiltrated in GTO. It wasn''t just a virus; it contained many curative agents. But when my cover was blown, I had to flee with all the ST-1 samples before they could be fully analyzed."

    Tina was surprised; she had always thought those were poisons Natalie herself had concocted!

    "In a way, I did develop it," Natalie continued, taking another sip of beer. "I was just continuing their experiments. No one told us what the drug was for, I just went with my gut. It turned out well, and GTO valued it highly. If not for Jasper uncovering my identity, I might have ended their whole operation."

    Natalie''s tone was slightly regretful. Scarlett chuckled, "You haven''t changed a bit since you were a kid."

    "Neither have you, Scarlett, always sticking close to Jack!" Natalie teased.

    Scarlett blushed, "You''re supposed to forget these things, howe you remember enough to tease me?" "Brandon told me!"

    "Yes, I can vouch for that, it was all Uncle Brandon''s doing!" Tina added.

    Brandonughed, "Why does this alwayse back to me?"

    Jack shrugged, "Can''t help it, Isaac isn''t here to take the me!"

 Chapter 611: Natalie Cracks the Signal Source

    Among the children of the Brookes family, Isaac was known to be the most naive, often med by his siblings for any mishaps. In his absence, the me shifted to Brandon. However, it wasn''t urate to say Brandon took the me, as he was usually at the forefront of any trouble.

    During this discussion, Jack said, "Isaac, Gavin has already brought his family to Ashbury. Alina, dad wants to throw a party to announce your return to everyone. What do you think?"

    Natalie pursed her lips, "Now is not the time." Though she had been away from X Bureau for many years, she wasn''t ready to reveal herself publicly, fearing it might attract unnecessary trouble.

    At that moment, Brandon also resumed his serious demeanor. "I agree, I''m worried about that too. Jared mentioned he''s onto a suspect and is currently investigating. It''s better not to go public yet."

    Natalie, who hadn''t heard from Jared or Tina about this, couldn''t help but ask, "Tina, who are you suspecting?" Tina hesitated and then chose not to tell Natalie, "We''re still investigating. I''ll tell you once we have something."

    Natalie knew her daughter well enough to understand the importance of the person being investigated; otherwise, Tina wouldn''t choose to conceal it.

    Clutching a beer bottle, Natalie''s eyes gleamed with a strange light. Just then, Jared called. "Tina, is master there?"

    "Yes, what''s up?" Tina switched her phone to speaker mode, "Go ahead!"

    "Master, we found a signal source in the remnants left at Five Poisons, and we can''t crack it," Jared''s voice was grave, signaling the importance of this matter.

    Natalie, gripping Tina''s wrist, booted up her miniputer, "Connect it to Tina''sputer."

    "Okay." Jared didn''t hang up and connected the signal source to Tina''sputer.

    Minutester, Natalie, looking at a red dot on the satellite map, eximed, "It''s at Linden''s ce, in an apartment he boughtst month!"

    Jared was taken aback, "Master, are you sure it''s Linden?"

    "Absolutely." Natalie had checked all transaction records for the apartment, though Linden had used many aliases to secure the purchase.

    Jared sighed deeply, "Okay, got it." Just as he was about to hang up, Tina, unwilling to be left out, questioned, "Uncle, why involve master for such a trivial issue and not me?"

    After swallowing hard, Jared replied softly, "Tina, I don''t want you to overstrain yourself!"

    In fact, Jared and Tina were equally skilled hackers, both trained by Natalie. If Jared couldn''t crack it, Tina might not have any better luck.

    With the situation urgent, Jared had directly approached Natalie. Tina, somewhat satisfied with the response, quickly hung up before Natalie could scold her.

    Natalie, draping an arm around Tina''s shoulders, said teasingly, "Everyone forgets their mother when they find a wife, seems like you''re forgetting your mom after getting married!"

    Tina, looking sternly at Natalie, countered, "No, it''s Uncle who forgets his master after finding a wife."

    Mother and daughter shared augh. Meanwhile, Jared, having hung up, immediately set off for the apartment where the signal originated. He informed no one inside X Bureau, not due to mistrust but because he was headed to confront the head of X Bureau, and it wouldn''t be appropriate to involve anyone internally.

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    Near the apartment, Jared had all the exits and intersections secured. He then rang the apartment''s doorbell. A light was on inside, and a shadow moved slowly towards the door. With a click, the lock was undone, but the door didn''t swing open. Jared, with a slight smirk, kicked the door open.

    Inside, Linden was holding a gun, pressing it directly against Jared''s forehead, while Jared firmly grasped Linden''s neck. Linden, surprised at seeing Jared, shed a look of astonishment. "Why is it you?" he asked.

    "Why can''t it be me?" Jared replied, curious.

    Linden put away his gun and stepped aside, allowing Jared inside. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

    "Looking for someone," Jared said, frowning as he scanned the area to confirm that Linden was alone.

    Linden fetched a bottle of mineral water from the fridge. "You could have just called me if you wanted to find me, why go to all this effort?"

    Jared slowly twisted the cap off; the bottle was too full, and some water spilled as he opened it. "Chief Linden, you should know why I''m here."

    Linden tried to appear calm, but his facade finally copsed. He looked up at Jared, his bottle now half empty. "Did you find something at the kidnapping scene today?"Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Jared looked back, his dark eyes deep and inscrutable, filled with hidden dangers. He mockingly countered, "Do you think I found something, Chief Linden?"

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    Linden''s hands trembled slightly as he set the water down, trying to muster calm. "It''s nothing."

    "This apartment, you bought it for Asher Vance, right?" Jared leaned back, rxed andposed.

    Linden sped his hands tightly. "Can I handle this matter? I''ll exin everything about the explosion..."

    "You know about the explosion, how many of our brothers are still in the hospital, how many can''t stand up because of this mission, how many haven''t woken up yet!" Jared''s tone was fierce, ring at Linden. If it weren''t for needing evidence from Linden, he would have struck him already.

    Jared hated sacrificing his subordinates for personal gain, and Linden had repeatedly provoked Jared''s most sensitive issues.

    As a chief, Linden must have known, yet he still couldn''t believe what he was seeing.

    Jared said no more, sitting silently across from Linden, waiting for him to speak.

    Linden clenched his fists, his knuckles whitening, his lower lip bleeding, tasting of iron as he swallowed.

    After a long silence, Linden finally deted, leaned back, and admitted, "Yes, the apartment-I bought it for Asher Vance. I installed a pinhole camera on the door." He handed a USB drive to Jared. "Everything you''re looking for is on here. Take a look for yourself."

 Chapter 612: The True Undercover

    Jared connected the USB drive to the tablet and, a moment after seeing the video, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. The video disyed the very scene where Jared was currently sitting, and the person who had been sitting there was a shameless woman! Her build was identical to that of Five Poisons!

    She wore a wireless earpiece and spoke into the tablet, uttering the exact words she had used earlier on the cliffside. It was confirmed-she was Five Poisons! The video continued until the bionic robot exploded, and the tablet in Five Poisons'' hands smoked and quickly shattered. She then swiftly fled the scene, vanishing without a trace. Throughout, there was no sign of Asher Vance.

    After Jared finished watching the video, Linden spoke slowly, "This apartment, I only told Asher Vance about it, telling him you discovered my extensive apartment purchases and knew all my secrets." Jared put the tablet down. So, Asher Vance nned to use this information to ultimately extricate himself-either Linden would be the fall guy or all the me would be thrown on him!

    Elsewhere, Five Poisons put on a new mask and looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes heavy with suppressed anger. "Boss, Natalie actually didn''t die, what''s going on here?" Five Poisonsshed out with a p, "You''re asking me? Who should I ask? After all these years of nurturing you, costing us so many bases, and you couldn''t even handle one little girl!"

    Asher Vance suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. His already aged body couldn''t withstand the force of the p. He struggled to his feet slowly from the ground, "I was wrong. I personally confirmed Natalie was dead. I never imagined she was faking her death, just like that Tam Solomon, using the same tricks."

    "You useless thing! The biotech secrets are out, we can''t let that damned mother and daughter find any clues!" Five Poisons scolded sharply, her eyes filled with intense rage before she let out a deep, mockingugh. "It''s really interesting. Natalie is interesting, and her daughter even more so. Alright, I''ll y along with them. I want to see what skills a child raised by the Whittaker family really has!"

    Asher Vance half-raised his brows, looking at the sinister eyes in the mirror and couldn''t help but bow his head. No matter how much time passed, those eyes still sent a shiver through his heart.

    Asher Vance returned to his residence, his mind increasingly uneasy. He calcted that he had joined the X Bureau at twenty, surviving countless perils with Leo Pace up till now, retired yet rehired, almost sixty years in total. He never thought he couldst this long.

    Asher Vance furrowed his brows, looking at two photos on the coffee table. One was a photo with Leo, and the other showed his three apprentices gathered around him, with a medal of special merit on his chest.

    Asher Vance stared deeply at Natalie''s face in the photo. Her lips were upturned, her eyes bright. He heard her voice saying, "Master, I''ll be your daughter from now on, your personal little cotton-padded jacket!" Asher Vance closed his eyes and mmed the photo down on the table. "Natalie, if you were truly considerate, why didn''t you just die for real!"

    In a pub in Ashbury, Linden summoned Christopher to a private room. "What do you want?" Christopher asked impatiently, sitting across from Linden. Linden, with half-closed eyes, said in a deep voice, "I know we''ve always been at odds. When Natalie was alive, you joined her against me, and after her death, you were utterly merciless. If not for our master''s sake, we probably would have broken off long ago."

    "Have you been diagnosed with cancer and your days are numbered?" Christopher asked with a furrowed brow.

    Linden exhaled silently. "In the entire X Bureau, the only people I trust more than you are Natalie."

    Christopher looked at Linden as if he had never truly known him. "At your age, can you stop saying such disgusting things?"

    "Christopher, I''m serious!" Linden banged the table. "Can you let me finish speaking?"

    "Go ahead," Christopher said, finally easing up.

    Linden paused, "About the cliff explosion case a few days ago, I have a suspect, and we need to investigate this ourselves."

    Christopher finally sat up straight. "I''ve read the report Nathan submitted on that day''s explosion. Rachel kidnapped Tina and Scarlett, an argument ensued, and then the explosion urred, with traces of the Five Poisons at the scene. What else did you find?"

    "Asher Vance."

    Christopher paused, "What did you say?"

    "I suspect Asher Vance is an undercover agent for GTO. The explosion urred because the X Bureau''s firearms contained explosive particles, causing the scene to get out of control. And all those firearms were approved by Asher Vance." "Bullshit!" Christopher mmed his hand on the table''s edge. "Have you gone mad with your desire for glory, suspecting your own master?"

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    Linden met Christopher''s furious gaze with calm and firmness. "I swear on my integrity, my suspicion is well-founded. Christopher, there''s something off about Asher Vance."

    "Go to hell, do you even have any integrity?" Christopher overturned his chair and stormed out, furious.

    Just as he reached the door, he saw someone standing there.

    When he recognized the person, he incredulously stepped back.

    "You... you are... you''re Everett!"

    Natalie walked in, closing the door of the booth behind her, a graceful smile ying on her lips. "Christopher, long time no see."

    Linden hadn''t expected to see his long-deceasedrade here; he thought Jared would havee.

    Natalie turned her gaze to Linden, sizing him up. "Chief Linden, even in high office, you can''t shed your sleazy aura."

    Back in their younger days, Natalie often mocked Linden''s sleaziness, her biting words leaving him speechless.

    Each time, it was Asher Vance who stepped in to mediate, putting an end to it.

    Hearing such words again, Linden felt somewhat nostalgic.

    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! Christopher rubbed his eyes, unable to believe that Natalie was still alive.

    "Stop rubbing, are your legs and eyes both failing you?" Natalie said disdainfully.

    Unable to contain himself any longer, Christopher rushed forward and embraced her, not out of love, but out of sheer excitement.

    He clutched Natalie''s shoulders, looking her over and over. "Boss, is it really you? Are you really back? You didn''t die!"

    Natalie nodded. "Yes, I didn''t die."

    In their youth, Natalie and Christopher had fought a big battle in the recruit camp. Despite his Taekwondo championship, Christopher gotpletely outssed by Natalie, and from then on, he became her loyal follower, always treating her as the leader.

    Linden also came over and pinched Christopher''s cheek.

    "Damn!" Christopher cursed. "Are you sick?"

    "It''s really true, Everett, you really aren''t dead!" Linden said, still in disbelief, ignoring Christopher''s curse.

    Natalieughed. "Let''s talk business. I was there during the explosion a few days ago."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 613: Waiting for His Move

    When the bombing case was mentioned, a silence fell among the three of them. It was clear without saying that Natalie already knew what Linden had just mentioned. Natalie sat down and, looking up at Linden, said, "I agree with your idea." They had been conducting a secret investigation for so many years; even if Tina intended to hide something, how could she truly keep it from Natalie? Over the years, Natalie had investigated everyone involved in the "Destruction n," even including her own subordinate, Christopher.

    Whether friends or foes, all suspects had been cleared of suspicion. As the investigation drew to a close, the least likely person became a possibility again.

    Christopher came over, trying to change Natalie''s mind: "Boss, he is our master, our mentor!"

    "I know," Natalie replied, looking at Christopher and his expression of disbelief, word by word she said: "All these years, I abandoned my daughter, gave up on myrades, and lived under an alias, not to doubt my own master at thest minute!"

    Christopher''s expression was stricken; knowing Natalie had said such things, he realized there was no turning back.

    Next door, Tina watched the monitors with a heavy expression. Seeing the fleeting pain on Natalie''s face, her heart clenched tightly. Jared put his arm around Tina''s shoulders and gently squeezed, "We can''t hide it from the master forever; she would find out sooner orter." Tina nodded, "Yeah, my mom will be alright, but Christopher, he probably won''t ept it so soon."

    Jared smirked, "He''lle to terms with it. The master''s little apprentice is not that fragile." Jared and Tina exchanged a look and smiled, continuing to watch the surveince in the room.

    Christopher sat in the chair for a long time before he slowly recovered, "Boss, what do we do next?" Natalie smiled slightly, "We don''t have concrete evidence yet; what we need is for him to make a move."

    Linden nodded, "Exactly, he''s been entrenched in the X Bureau for so many years, he won''t easily make a move. If we confront him rashly, it will only backfire, Christopher, I need your help."

    "You are in the light, I am in the shadow, and with Jared, he will definitely slip up," Natalie said.

    Seeing this, Christopher nodded heavily, "Okay, what clues do we have now?" Natalie looked up at the monitors and gestured with her finger.

    Next door, Tina sighed and pped a folder onto Jared, "Take this to your master." Jared, seeing Tina''s helpless look, couldn''t help but pinch her face. The only person who could make Tina feel so helpless was probably only Natalie. Jared knocked on the door and handed the documents to Natalie.

    "Master, Tina asked me to give this to you," Jared handed over the documents to Natalie, nced at Christopher, and quietly left. He preferred to be by his wife''s side.

    Natalie opened the documents andid them out on the table in front of Linden and Christopher. The two of them looked at the detailed information, their frowns deepening.

    "This is the case that earned Asher Vance a top honor, three first-ss merits, and two second-ss merits. It''s also what started our unraveling of GTO," Natalie exined.

    This was originally a case of human trafficking. The X Bureau, led by Mr. Pace with Asher Vance as his deputy, was on the mission. During the operation, Mr. Pace was injured, and Asher Vance was suddenly tasked with leading the team to continue the pursuit. When they located the traffickers, they identally uncovered the true face of the trafficking organization-it was a virus researchboratory!

    Thisboratory was the first experimental base established by the X Bureau under the project GTO. From then on, the X Bureau embarked on a thirty-year-long battle with GTO. Over these three decades, Asher Vance''s reputation soared as he sessively thwarted multiple GTO conspiracies, solidifying his current status.

    Linden and Christopher, after reviewing all the case files, had expressions that were hard to read. "I remember, when we first joined the X Bureau, Mr. Pace told us about this case," Linden said, putting down the documents with a frown.

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    "Yes, at that time Mr. Pace told us that the master alone rescued twelve children and personally contacted their families to send them home," Christopher said through clenched teeth. "But why does this document state that only ten children were kidnapped by GTO?"

    Natalie tapped her finger on the table and said, "This document was sent by my daughter, who infiltrated GTO as an undercover agent. Back then, they kept this record to easily track each child''s reactions."

    "So, who were the other two children among the twelve reported by the master?" Christopher asked.

    Linden''s eyes narrowed as he seemed to understand something. "I remember Mr. Pace saying that GTO, to test the drug''s effects, included children ranging from three to neen years old, from kindergarten to university. If someone disguised as a university student was among them, it would be impossible to detect."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Natalie nodded, "Exactly, Five Poisons must be among them. Linden, you try to find the photos left from the old case files. Christopher, the White family will soon deliver a new type of bomb detector to the X Bureau, and it will pass through his hands-pay close attention and try to draw out Five Poisons. We must capture them in one fell swoop."

    "Okay, boss, what about you?" Christopher asked.

    Natalie smiled, "As long as I''m alive and our ns have been exposed, they won''t let me go. They will try to find my whereabouts, and when the timees, he will naturallye knocking."

    "Isn''t that very dangerous? I should send someone to protect you..."

    "No need, just take good care of yourselves. This time, Nathan''s report didn''t mention me, and he will definitely use this opportunity to control the actions of the X Bureau''s special squad. Everyone, be careful."

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    The three stood up and exchanged nces.

    Natalie and Christopher reached out their hands, palms together, while Linden raised his hand, wanting to give a high-five...

    Natalie showed a hint of disdain, "After all these years, you still don''t sync with us."

    Linden sheepishly touched his nose, "To our sess."

    With that, he left the restaurant with the documents.

    Christopher didn''t stay long either; every next step was crucial.

    If Asher Vance was really an undercover agent, he would surely fall into their trap!

    Tina watched the trio''sck of coordination, sighed deeply, and took out her phone to call Eagle Flies.

    "Be ready, it''s time to act!"

 Chapter 614: The Boss Asked Me to See You Off

    At the X Bureau, the department led by the White family suddenly initiated a self-cleansing operation. Each department began to dredge up old cases. As the X Bureau''s number one enemy, GTO naturally had many cases that needed to be sorted out.

    Linden was sent to the Clearwater headquarters for training, while Christopher started investigating dormant cases with the Ashbury headquarters'' team. The headquarters sent an investigative team specifically responsible for various files in Ashbury. Such activities urred every few years, and the veterans at X Bureau were used to it.

    Nathan had recently been appointed as the chief captain. In the absence of the director, he had no choice but to follow the deputy director and act as his second inmand. The investigative team revisited multiple cases, and when they reached thetest explosion case, their expressions became unpredictably somber.

    "Captain Nathan, are you sure that only the individuals reported were present at the scene?" Nathan nodded, "I''m certain. Apart from our people from X Bureau, only Jared and Tina were present; there was no one else."

    "What about this woman then?" The investigative team suddenly produced a photo. Though blurry, it clearly showed an additional person at the scene.

    "I don''t know," Nathan stubbornly denied any knowledge.

    This attitude undoubtedly infuriated the investigative team. Nathan and the two squad leaders who were present were taken away for questioning, leaving everyone at X Bureau feeling threatened.

    With Christopher now effectivelymanding alone, the White family delivered a new type of bomb detector that remained unfiled, forcing them to ask for help from headquarters. Due to the chaos from the operation, these detectors were eventually handed over to Asher Vance.

    "Master, please help me. That idiot Linden is still detained by headquarters, and if we can''t get the detectors down soon, it''s going to be a problem," Christopher pleaded over the phone.

    Asher Vance chuckled, "You two have been at it for years, always one-upping each other. Don''t worry, I''ll make sure the detectors are sent to Ashbury on time."

    "Great, thank you, Master. Next time I''m in Clearwater, I''ll treat you to a drink." After hanging up, Christopher''s smile instantly froze. "Master, next time we meet, I hope to still share a drink with you."

    Asher Vance, looking at the quantity of detectors, reduced the number from three hundred to two hundred before signing his name.

    Elsewhere, Eagle Flies received a notification from Five Poisons to go to Clearwater to collect weapons to be handed over to his weapons research team to improve the new bombs.

    Three dayster, Linden returned from Clearwater. The moment hended, he received a call from Asher Vance.

    "Linden, I heard about your trip to headquarters, that you went to the archives and pulled out an old human trafficking case?"

    Linden didn''t deny it, chuckling, "Yes, Master, I wanted to tell the younger folks at the bureau how we discovered GTO, and also share your heroic deeds, lest they forget who you are!" "I''m old now, I don''t care about vanity anymore. What made you think of this all of a sudden?" Asher Vance asked.

    Lindenughed again, "I had an argument with Christopher a few days ago and it came to mind. Master, I also found a photo; I didn''t expect it to still exist after all these years." "What photo?" Asher Vance''s tone suddenly became serious.

    "The group photo you took with those twelve kids. I was thinking of trying to locate them after all these years, maybe do a follow-up to see if they can recall anything."

    "Where is the photo?" Asher Vance''s voice grew tense.

    He clearly remembered destroying that photo; he had even burned the film to leave no trace. How could it possibly still exist?

    Linden unconsciously tightened his grip on his phone. "It''s in my hands, master. What''s wrong?"

    Asher Vance paused, feigning ease. "Nothing serious. I remember the archive room caught fire once, destroying half the case files and all the photographs and negatives. I heard you found them, which is quite strange."

    "Oh, I wanted to understand more, so I found the old guard from back then. He said he feltpelled to take a photo of you all because you looked so gant, and thankfully, that''s how it was saved. I never expected your wife to be in there too, master. Shall I send it to you to see?" Linden said.

    "Alright, send it to me," Asher Vance replied, his voice tense as he hung up.

    Soon after, Linden sent the photograph to Asher Vance and said, "I''ve already contacted those survivors, master. I''ll be hosting a nostalgia gathering the day after tomorrow at headquarters. You shoulde too." Asher Vance looked at the photograph, profoundly shaken.

    It really was the photograph from back then!

    Asher Vance felt uneasy. If this photo were to leak, the consequences would be unimaginable.

    The children from that time were all still alive. If even one of them remembered the details, the secret of ten children bing twelve would be exposed!

    If it got out, it would surely bring disaster.

    Yet now, killing all ten was out of the question!

    Not to mention whether it would attract Linden''s attention, having all rted individuals die would itself be highly suspicious.

    Asher Vance took out a phone he hadn''t used in a long time, designated for contacting the Five Poisons.

    "What''s wrong?" a somber voice emanated from the phone.

    Asher Vance exined the situation. "Boss, something feels off. I request to return to the organization!"

    "Idiot! I told you before to kill them all, but you insisted on sparing them. Now you''re panicking!" Five Poisons scolded.

    "At the time, the agency was extremely focused on this matter. It was impossible to kill them then. Boss, Linden will bring them back the day after tomorrow. My role in the agency is now minimal; let me leave!" Hearing Asher Vance''s tone, Five Poisons softened, "Alright, we''ll meet at our usual ce first thing the day after tomorrow!"

    After hanging up, a murderous intent flickered in Five Poisons'' eyes.

    She stared at her reflection in the mirror, clenched her fist tightly, and pulled out a phone from the drawer.

    She dialed the only number saved in it.

    "Hello, it''s me."

    On the day of the so-called nostalgia gathering initiated by Linden, everyone was unable to contact the once-heroic instructor, Asher Vance.

    At that time, Asher Vance, having taken all his money, dressed in light clothing, and drove to the seaside.

    This was the ce where Natalie had once brought Jared, Hayden, and others camping.

    Likewise, it was where Asher Vance had camped with Natalie, Christopher, and Linden to celebrate joining the X Bureau.

    Here, Asher Vance had once told his disciples, "The X Bureau is like this sea; beneath its calm waves, treacherous reefs always lie hidden, ready to devour anyone unsuspecting." This saying, like this ce, had been passed down through generations.

    Now, standing here again, Asher Vance only found it ironic.

    Who would have thought that he himself was the hidden reef beneath this calm sea?

    "Romer."

    Hearing someone call his code name, Asher Vance turned around and saw a teenage girl.

    He focused his gaze, realizing, "You must be Eagle Flies? The boss has mentioned you."Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Eagle Flies smiled, "Yes, it''s me. I''ve long heard that there''s a mole from us in the X Bureau. I never thought I''d meet the person himself today. Romer, the boss sent me to see you off." Asher Vance smiled, "Romer, after all these years, I''ve indeed been wandering outside. Today, it finallyes to an end."

 Chapter 615: The Death of Asher Vance

    Asher Vance joined RST at the age of seventeen and at neen, RST was annihted by Ian, leading to its split into GTO and CK. By twenty, he was sent by Five Poisons to infiltrate the X Bureau as an undercover agent.

    He thought that by helping CK stay hidden and using GTO to distract the X Bureau, he could eventually return to his organization. Unexpectedly, this stay turned into nearly sixty years. He had invested his entire life into it. "You''ve been undercover in the X Bureau for so many years, what benefits did GTO provide you? I''m curious, as I have never even seen the boss''s face. Have you?" Eagle Flies asked. Asher Vance frowned subtly, "You talk too much. When is my shiping?"

    Eagle Flies stepped back, "Sorry, your ship can''te." Asher Vance was stunned and instinctively turned around, only to see a dark gun barrel pointed at him. "Master, you can''t escape," Linden said sadly, holding the gun. Asher Vance instinctively stepped back, his head now also backed by the gun barrel.

    A familiar voice sounded behind him, "Master, you know I have trouble with my legs." Asher Vance sighed deeply, "Is there still one missing?" As he finished speaking, Natalie stepped out from beside Asher Vance, gun in hand, pointing at the man she once regarded as a father. "Master, long time no see."

    Asher Vance looked at Natalie, seeing the face he hadn''t seen in years suddenly before him, he truly felt bewildered for a moment. For over ten years, his little disciple had not changed at all. "I remember back then, it was only you and Kahleah, two girls who frustrated a bunch of boys. Those were good times indeed."

    Behind Asher Vance, Courtney''s cold voice rang out, "My mom couldn''te, so I came to see you instead!" Asher Vance looked around and finally settled his gaze on Natalie, "Natalie, is there anything else you want to ask? Your master will tell you."

    Natalie clenched her handgun, her breathing somewhat halted. "Master, when you personally killed Kahleah back then, did you ever consider our master-disciple rtionship?" After hearing this, Asher Vance was stunned for a few seconds, then let out a deep, mockingugh. "Listen well, I have never truly considered any of you as my own. In my eyes, you were just stepping stones for my rise to power!"

    Christopher''s eyes reddened as he watched Asher Vance''s profile. Until Asher Vance showed up here, he still couldn''t believe that his own master was a traitor.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Years ago, when he was wounded on the battlefield, it was his master who risked the bombardment to carry him to safety. Throughout his years in the X Bureau, Asher Vance was present at every significant moment of his life. After Natalie faked her death, Christopher was the first to find Asher Vance and shared his suspicions of an undercover presence within the X Bureau. He never imagined that the undercover agent would be him! No wonder he had made no progress over the years, even being stuck as the deputy director of the Ashbury headquarters. He had suspected everyone, except him!

    Linden looked at Asher Vance in disbelief. Orphaned early, he had few friends and often kept to himself, his environment shaping him into a rather cold character, even willing to harm those around him to achieve his goals. Asher Vance was the first person who had ever shown him care. After the "Destruction n" failed, he had doubted Asher Vance, but investigations revealed it was just his own baseless suspicions.

    Until now, Natalie harbored a sense of guilt towards Asher Vance. Little did she know that this guilt would be exploited by him over the years! The sea breeze blew through their clothes, but Natalie felt no chill.

    No one knew how important Asher Vance was to her heart. To Mr. Pace, Natalie showed respect. To Tam Solomon, she was a friend despite the age difference. But to Asher Vance, she sincerely regarded him as a father. Initially, when Natalie was drugged by the Whittaker family and left in a stranger''s bed, it was Asher Vance who helped her emerge from that shadow, giving her the strength of a father, enabling her to be reborn. Now, to hear him speak such words...

    Asher Vance knew he could not escape and chose not to resist any further. He simply sat down on the ground and nced at his watch.

    "You brought me here to see the Five Poisons, didn''t you? I''m sorry to disappoint you, but even if you turn this youngdy against me, she knows nothing of the true whereabouts of the Five Poisons."

    Natalie looked at Asher Vance and smiled. "Master, you taught us to surprise our enemies."

    Asher Vance frowned slightly, then heard Linden say, "The photo I sent you contained a tracking virus. As soon as you opened it, your phone was infected. From then on, anymunication device near your phone was tracked to Natalie''sputer, whether calls or codes."

    Asher Vanceughed out loud, "You really are my good disciples. Christopher, what role did you y in this game?" Christopher stared at Asher Vance and said, "The White family''s detector, which we imnted with an invisible tracker. Nathan has already led teams to dismantle GTO strongholds in various cities. You have nowhere to run."

    Hey there! Just a friendly reminder that if you''re not reading this book on nel5s.org, you might be missing out on theplete story. Head over there to dive into the next chapter-it''s all free! Asher Vance scratched his head, "I wondered why the detector took so long to get approved, and then suddenly it was all set up, waiting for me. We were too hasty."

    "Master, there''s no need to stall for time here; no one ising to save you," Natalie said firmly, holding a gun. "The time bomb on your waist has already been disabled."

    Asher Vance gasped and quickly pressed a button on his ring, the switch of the time bomb. Originally, he wanted to take his three good disciples with him from this world. It seems he miscalcted again.

    Asher Vance got up from the ground, removed the ineffective bomb from his waist, and threw it on the ground. "Natalie, the GTO is not as simple as you think. You think tracking me down or capturing the Five Poisons ends this? Let''s make a deal. You let me go, and I''ll tell you..."

    Asher Vance''s gaze suddenly froze, and blood began to flow from all his orifices. He turned his head mechanically, but his eyes focused on nothing in particr. Then, he copsed heavily!

    Natalie and the others rushed forward to check on him. Asher Vance was dead. He had not died from poisoning but had all his meridians destroyed in an instant.

    "Eagle Flies!" Courtney shouted. Eagle Flies was also kneeling on one knee, ck blood flowing from his orifices, just like Asher Vance. Natalie quickly checked all of Eagle Flies'' meridians and sealed them. Eagle Flies was young, and Natalie knew some medical techniques. Although the situation was critical, it was not life-threatening. Natalie urgentlymanded Courtney to take him to the hospital.

 Chapter 616: Is There Someone Behind Five Poisons?

    Linden and Christopher scoured the area but found no trace of anyone. Asher Vance died suddenly, as if his life had abruptly reached its end.

    "Natalie, have you ever seen someone die like this?" Linden asked.

    Natalie shook her head, "It''s not poison, not a hidden weapon, not a sudden death, I''ve never heard of such a death!"

    "What in the world is going on?" Christopher was also puzzled.

    At that moment, Natalie received a call from Tina.

    "Mom, Five Poisons has escaped!"

    An hour earlier, Tina and the members of the Mountain Veil Order had arrived at the hideout of Five Poisons. She had spread deadly toxins all around, ensuring not even a fly could escape. However, when everyone surrounded the residence of Five Poisons, they found no one inside.

    Aside from a pile of human face masks of various appearances and some clothes and bags for disguise, there were no clues about Five Poisons.

    This time, unlike before, Five Poisons had left in a hurry, even failing to clean up her own traces.

    It was like when Tina was tracking a new type of bomb, and GTO hurriedly left behind a model of the new bomb.

    Tina sighed, "Someone tipped her off!"

    At the border town between Clearwater and Ashbury, Five Poisons, dressed in a pure white dress and bearing Grace''s face with exquisite makeup, walked along a path full of flowers. A man in a suit with a very calm demeanor followed her.

    "This time, thank you for saving me," Five Poisons turned around, her face bright with a radiant smile, like a girl in love, sincere and adorable.

    The man, however, was unmoved, his eyes even shing a hint of disdain.

    "You''re too stupid!"

    Five Poisons, unfazed by the man''s anger, casually picked a flower, smelled it, and then tucked it into her hair.

    "Don''t worry, Asher Vance won''t say anything. If I want them dead, they won''t live. Otherwise, why do you think I dared let these people operate alone? By the way, I owe this all to you, or else I wouldn''t have been able to develop something so effective."

    "This is our family''s secret technique. If you''re interested, after you develop what I want, I can let you try it."

    Five Poisons waved her hand, "No thanks, I''m not interested in your hidden families'' stuff."

    With that, Five Poisons changed her tone, "Do you think this flower looks good on me?"

    The man stopped, seemingly disgusted with Five Poisons''s childish behavior.

    "Be careful on your own. I won''t contact you for a long time."

    With those words, the man turned and walked away, his somber silhouette blending into the deep darkness.

    Five Poisons pouted, took the flower from her hair, and crushed it in her hand, muttering, "Such an unromantic man. Still, he understands everything about me. Too bad, it''ll be a long time before I see him again." Five Poisons threw the flower on the ground and stomped it into the mud.

    Five Poisons vanished, and the X Bureau underwent a major shake-up internally.

    Nobody expected that Asher Vance, long regarded as a hero of the X Bureau, was actually an undercover agent for GTO! With this revtion, the upper echelons of the X Bureau and the hidden families gathered to thoroughly purge the X Bureau. Those who had been close to Asher Vance were each scrutinized to confirm they had no ties to GTO before being released.

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    Linden and Christopher were the first to be investigated, even though they had personally arrested Asher Vance, as they were his closest disciples.

    Who knew if they were just sacrificing pawns to save the king? The interrogation system at Bureau X was exceedingly strict and meticulous; even young, robust men would emerge stripped of ayer of their skin. Linden and Christopher underwent questioning for a full ten days before they were safely released. Both men had lost a considerable amount of weight, looking like mere skin and bones, now truly resembling old men. Nathan, Hayden, Jason, and others waited outside. Upon seeing Christopher emerge, they all crowded around him.

    "Are you okay?"

    "How could I be okay? They tortured me beyond recognition!"

    "Let''s get you back, the car is warmed up."

    The group helped Christopher into the vehicle, paying no attention to Linden who followed behind. Linden didn''t expect any concern from these young colleagues; after all, he had never sincerely cared for them either. What he didn''t expect was theirplete disregard.

    Linden sighed, hunching his back as he walked forward. He wasn''t without his own transport!

    Beep beep!

    Startled, Linden turned around to find Arthur!

    "Dad!" Arthur hurried over, "I''vee to take you home, mom''s waiting."

    Linden, surprised by his son''s appearance, asked, "Who told you I was here?"Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    "My boss, Tina''s cousin. She said..." Arthur smacked his lips, "She said you looked like a pitiful old man returning from a trip with no one to pick you up, so she gave me time off toe get you." Linden chuckled. He knew Tina wasn''t that soft-hearted; there must be a reason she arranged this.

    Hey there! Just a friendly reminder that if you''re not reading this book on nel5s.org, you might be missing out on theplete story. Head over there to dive into the next chapter-it''s all free! Sure enough, just as Arthur was about to drive away, his phone rang. It was Esther.

    "Arthur, have you picked up your father? Come back now, Aunt Natalie is back," Esther said, her voice filled with excitement and a hint of tears.

    Arthur responded and drove to the Brookes family home. There, Linden changed his clothes and stepped out of the car with Arthur. The Brookes family vi was filled with people. Natalie and Tina stood beside Grandpa Brookes, Esther next to them, her eyes red.

    Upon seeing Linden and Arthur enter, she quickly pulled them over, "Natalie, this is Linden. I''ve always wanted to introduce him to you but never had the chance. Today, you finally get to meet him."

    The Reed and Shaw families were unaware of Linden''s true identity. By day, he handled official duties at Shaw Industries, and by night, he dealt with Bureau X under the guise of social engagements. Natalie, who had once been undercover in the Reed family, was close to Esther then, but pretended not to recognize Linden when his name came up.

    So, in Esther''s mind, Natalie and Linden had never met.

    "Mr. Linden, I finally see your true face. Hello, I am Natalie," Natalie extended her hand. To outsiders, this was their first meeting.

    Linden shook her hand, "Hello, Linden. I often hear Esther mention you. Wee back."

    "Wee back," indeed had a double meaning.

    Natalie smirked, acknowledging this old adversary''s sentiment.

    Despite the years, Natalie still disagreed with some of Linden''s methods, but they remainedrades-in-arms.

    That was something unchangeable.

    "Natalie, seeing you again, I really... So much has happened at home, I didn''t know who to talk to. Now that you''re back, I finally have someone," she confided.

 Chapter 617: The Fault of the Shaw Family

    like a little one."

    Esther had wept for an entire Wednesday when she first heard of Natalie''s death, and even now, the memory could still bring her to tears. Natalie reached out to wipe Esther''s eyes, saying, "Come on, the child is all grown up now, still crying Tina handed her a tissue, urging, "Dry your tears."

    Esther looked up at Tina, then turned to Natalie, "Natalie, Tina has suffered a lot at the Reed family''s hands. Today, with both you and Mr. Brookes here, I represent the Reed family and offer you and Tina an apology." With those words, Esther bowed deeply.

    Tina helped her up, saying, "Aunt Esther, you don''t need to do this."

    "Really, if you keep this up, I''ll get angry," Natalie added, patting Esther on the back. "Everyone''s here now, isn''t it much better?"

    Esther nodded repeatedly, "Yes, you''re right, it is good now."

    Linden, standing aside, knew well the suffering endured over the years by both Natalie and Tina, due to Jasper and his organization. He knew that merely an apology or a bow could not make up for it all. Yet, these matters were unrted to his beloved.

    Linden put his hand on Esther''s shoulder, gentlyforting her, "Esther, it''s rare for you to meet Natalie, let''s not talk about these unhappy things. Let''s talk about something cheerful."

    "Alright, Natalie, let''s go chat over there," Esther affectionately linked arms with Natalie, and they went off to join Scarlett in conversation.

    Linden, Tina, and the always silent Grandpa Brookes tacitly moved to Grandpa Brookes'' study.

    Linden knew that Tina''s invitation to the Brookes family was not simply for a banquet.

    Inside the study, Jared personally poured several cups of tea, already waiting there. Linden was surprised; he hadn''t expected Jared to be there already.

    "Chief Linden, you''ve been wronged this time," Grandpa Brookes began as soon as they entered the study.

    Linden bowed slightly, "That''s very kind of you, Mr. Brookes. I didn''t expect Everett to be your daughter; no wonder she''s so outstanding."

    Grandpa Brookes chuckled, "Let''s dispense with the formalities. I''ve heard from Jared that you''re quite interested in the hidden families."

    Linden nced at Jared, who was busy pouring tea for Tina and wasn''t looking at him. Linden''s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly before heposed himself, "Yes, you must know, our Shaw family is a branch of the hidden families. After the Solomon family was destroyed, we acquired their mines. But since then, peace has eluded the Shaw family."

    Grandpa Brookesughed again; he was well aware of the situation.

    After the fall of the Solomon family, the Brookes family had considered keeping the mines until they could return them to Tam Solomon. But they were toote, and the Shaw family had taken them first.

    Over the years, the Brookes family had merely observed the situation of the Shaw family, knowing that the deaths of the head of the Shaw family and Linden''s parents were due to retaliation. Their upation of another family''s property had resulted in the entire family''s demise, and they felt it was a justified retribution.

    Grandpa Brookes was no saint and felt no remorse.

    What Grandpa Brookes hadn''t expected was that Linden would turn out to be an agent of the X Bureau and had rapidly risen to be the deputy director of the agency.

    Initially, he wondered why Linden was advancing so quickly, only to realize that he intended to confront the hidden families.

    "Have you ever considered that the troubles facing the Shaw family today are the result of your own actions?" Grandpa Brookes asked.

    A flicker of realization crossed Linden''s eyes, "From what you''re saying, you also know about my grandfather and my parents'' deaths due to the Solomon family''s curse, don''t you? What exactly is in that mine!" Linden was visibly agitated, his hands unconsciously clenching.

    The couple sweetly engaged in conversation finally seemed to have an effect.

    Tina tapped on the desk, "Chief Linden, calm down. Everything that has happened to the Shaw family has nothing to do with the Solomon family. On the contrary, you should consider whether it''s the Shaw family''s fault." Linden furrowed his brows, "What do you mean by that?"

    Jared pulled out a document from a briefcase at his side; it was a contract signed by Shaw Industries and a pharmaceuticalpany.

    "What now? Mr. Daryl wants to manage whom Shaw Industries cooperates with?" Linden scoffed.

    Whenever the hidden families and the Solomon family were mentioned, Linden could hardly contain his excitement.

    Jared flipped through the contract, pointing at the name of the party B, "Aren''t you going to look at the name of this chairman?"

    Linden was taken aback, and upon closer inspection, he realized the chairman was Tina!

    Holding a teacup, Tina took a sip of tea and smiled, "When thepany changed its chairman, we re-signed the cooperation agreement with yourpany. Didn''t you know?"

    At that time, Linden was busy setting up a trap for the White family and had no time to bother with minor details like re-signing cooperation agreements, naturally overlooking who the new chairman of the pharmaceuticalpany was. After all, what Shaw Industries needed was the pharmaceuticalpany''s provision of protective masks to stop the sacrifice of workers and to preserve the reputation of Shaw Industries. Linden was no fool, "Who was the chairman before this?"

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    "My master, Tam Solomon," Tina said, arms crossed, her eyes fixed on Linden.

    Linden was shocked; the very Tam Solomon he had been desperately seeking had been hiding right under his nose all along!

    Watching Linden''s expression, Tina couldn''t help but smile, revealing that Master Tam had once handed over a medical form to Linden''s grandfather, who had disregarded it as worthless.

    "All of this is the doing of your own Shaw family, because at that time the cost of producing the medicine was too high. Shaw Industries didn''t want to administer it to the workers and didn''t take the poisonous gases seriously, which led to the workers'' sudden deaths. Moreover, your grandfather didn''t publicize this issue, causing your parents to be unaware of the poisonous gas, leading to their unfortunate demise."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    "Who do you think should be med for this tragedy?"

    Linden''s expression could no longer be described as merely shocked.

    He felt foolish.

    Yes, how foolish! If only his grandfather, the head of the Shaw family at that time, had taken it seriously, he wouldn''t have died so suddenly, leaving things unexined. And his parents wouldn''t have had to suffer the same fate!

    All these years, Linden had been harboring resentment towards his grandfather''s foolishness!

    He was momentarily unable to ept it.

    He couldn''t understand why his grandfather would discard the form just because of the cost. Didn''t he consider his own health?

    But now, there was no one left who could answer Linden''s questions.

    Linden picked up the contract, "So, the pharmaceuticalpany thatter approached Shaw Industries did so not for money, but to save the lives of Shaw Industries'' workers."

 Chapter 618: Cooperation Established

    Tina pondered for a moment, "It''s not exactly like that. My master was also one to light up at the sight of money. Of course, now I am motivated by money as well, so Chief Linden, would you please sign a new contract with me? As you know, my Uncle is currently unemployed, and I need to support my family."

    As she spoke, Tina took out a new contract that was fifty percent more expensive than the previous one and ced it in front of Linden.

    Linden did not hesitate; he immediately signed his name on the contract. The contract was a lifesaver, and he didn''t care about the cost.

    After closing the contract, Linden''s expression returned to calm, "Is this what you called me here for today, Mr. Brookes?"

    Grandpa Brookes shook his head, "Of course not, this is something my granddaughter needed to discuss with you. I am here for another matter."

    Linden straightened up, "What do you need from me, Mr. Brookes?"

    "Hidden families."

    Linden was taken aback, disbelief flickering in his eyes.

    The Brookes family was one of those hidden families, holding a high status within the X Bureau. He could hardly believe that they would openly discuss the hidden families with him.

    He knew all too well that he had always intended to oust the hidden families from the X Bureau.

    "Surprised?" Grandpa Brookes chuckled, "I know you hold a grudge against the hidden families. You think we old men leverage our family''s power to restrict your special squad''s operations, preventing many missions from proceeding smoothly."

    Linden frowned, ncing at Jared and Tina.

    There they were, caught up in their romance again.

    One steeping tea, the other holding the pot, utterly content.

    Linden had to look away, "Mr. Brookes, please, just speak inly."

    At that moment, Jared poured a cup of tea for Linden, "Chief Linden, in regards to the cooperation Mr. Brookes also wants a share. Do you agree?"

    Linden pursed his lips slightly, "Mr. Brookes, the cooperation between Mr. Daryl and myself aims to kick the hidden families out of the X Bureau. What exactly do you want a share of?"

    Grandpa Brookes stood up and slowly walked to the desk, "I understand your desire to oust the hidden families from the X Bureau. Over time, the power of the hidden families has grown significantly, sometimes even forcing families like the Brookes and the White to step back."

    "I know you''re not acting out of revenge against the hidden families, but rather seeking to restore peace to the X Bureau."

    Linden silently watched Grandpa Brookes, unsure of his intentions.

    Grandpa Brookes continued, "But after Asher Vance''s incident, haven''t you felt something was off?"

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    "What could be off? GTO managed to hide an undercover agent in the X Bureau for nearly sixty years, this..." Linden suddenly paused, realizing Grandpa Brookes'' implication.

    Indeed, how could Asher Vance have peacefully stayed in the X Bureau for sixty years without any hints of his true identity?

    Like the case with the ten children, he had added two more, and no one noticed?

    Were there ten children on that mission or twelve? Could no one tell the difference?

    Those who enter the X Bureau are no fools. Without help, even if the GTO cut off its own ties to make Asher Vance lookmendable, he couldn''t havested so smoothly in the X Bureau.

    Mr. Pace, usually soposed, had never noticed any signs from his partner! Moreover, Asher Vance had dedicated years to empowering hidden families, yet he himself was not from one, nor did he have any hidden family members close to him. Why then, did he seem so intent on pleasing them? Linden realized it then. It all had to be the work of the hidden families!

    Asher Vance was an undercover agent for GTO; did this mean that someone within the hidden families also had deep ties with GTO? The thought was chilling and made Linden sweat unconsciously!

    Tina poured Linden some tea, "My master faked her death years ago because she was being hunted by people from the hidden families. Undoubtedly, there must be many necessary links there." Linden sighed deeply, "You''re right. When I first tried to locate Serenity Ridge, I also sensed someone was secretly trying to kill me, but we couldn''t find out who it was. The enemy was highly skilled."Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Over the years, Linden suspected that after the Solomon family was destroyed, Tam Solomon had not died but disappeared-hidden by his own doing. So he had been secretly investigating, using his position at the X Bureau to his advantage.

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    It was only when he finally located Serenity Ridge that he realized someone was after Master Tam. Knowing his own strength was insufficient to oppose them, and unclear of their identities, he could only avoid them for the time being. But, to his dismay, by the time he returned, Master Tam had already passed away, leaving only a grave behind. Since then, there had been no more news of Master Tam.

    Now, reflecting on the past, the destruction of the Solomon family was undoubtedly linked to the hidden families. If he could sense that Tam Solomon was not dead, then those in the hidden families were even more aware. The assassins had to be from the hidden families!

    Since they were all from hidden families, those secretly aiding Asher Vance and those who chased Master Tam could very well be the same group. "What do you want me to do?" Linden asked.

    Jared spoke again, "Chief Linden, your wish for the hidden families to leave the X Bureau is clearly unrealistic. The X Bureau''s internals are deeply intertwined with the hidden families. The weapons from the White family, the financial resources from the Brookes family, these are just the basics. If we actually kick out the hidden families, it might significantly impact the entire X Bureau."

    "Instead, we could coborate with Grandpa Brookes to identify and remove the cancerous elements within the X Bureau. Any financial losses incurred due to these malignancies will bepensated by me. This way, the X Bureau won''t lose itsbat capabilities and can return to its original state of tranquility." Linden pondered Jared''s words carefully.

    Indeed, as Jared had pointed out, the hidden families had be a crucial pir within the X Bureau, already deeply integrated, inseparable by blood.

    Moreover, just with himself and Jared, they couldn''t infiltrate the hidden families from within. With the help of the Brookes family, there might be a chance. By removing the malignancies, the X Bureau might not continue to be controlled by the hidden families.

    And still, the greatest enemy was the elusive Five Poisons!

    "Alright, I agree, Mr. Brookes, Mr. Daryl, I have only one goal-to turn the X Bureau into a true force for the people!" Linden stood up, taking the initiative. Jared also stood up, holding his hot tea.

    Grandpa Brookes came over, lifting his tea cup. The three of them toasted with tea instead of wine, sealing the agreement.

    Seeing this, Tina smiled slightly.

 Chapter 619: Are They Working for Natalie?

    Outside the door, Kiki and Mimi gently knocked and then poked their little heads in.

    "Grandpa, Uncle Isaac and Uncle Gavin have arrived and they''re in the yard crying."

    "They''re crying so pitifully. I think Aunt Alina is about to be smothered by their hugs. Oh, and they''re looking for Sister Tina."

    Tina touched her neck, thinking sometimes that overly enthusiastic affection could indeed be suffocating!

    They left the study and saw the yard resembling a scene from an opera with the crying waxing and waning.

    Isaac was heard crying out, "Alina, my Alina, you''ve grown up so much! You''ve finallye back, Alina!"

    Then Gavin joined in, "Alina, Alina! I finally get to see you. You have no idea how much I''ve missed you! You were so little when you left, and I haven''t had a good night''s sleep since!" Natalie, with one on each side, looked helplessly at Brandon and Jack.

    "Come on, save me!"

    Brandon said, "I see nothing, I see nothing!"

    Jack said, "Hang in there, Alina, there''s nothing I can do!"

    "Isaac, Gavin, I understand how you feel, with all these guests watching. Maybe you could get up first?" Natalie suggested, patting their shoulders.

    Isaac and Gavin shook their heads in unison, "No, it''s been so many years since I''ve seen my sister, I can''t leave now."

    "Just let me have a good look at you, my sister has finallye home."

    Natalie, feeling both helpless and amused, reassured them, "I won''t be going anywhere in the future, don''t worry. You can see me as long as you like from now on!" Isaac''s wife Emily spoke up, "Isaac, that''s enough, move aside!"

    Gavin''s wife Mnie, though gentle, spoke sharply, "Gavin, will you get up now, please? If you don''t, I might just twist your arm off!"

    Isaac and Gavin finally moved aside, giving space around Natalie to their wives.

    It was only then that Tina realized Isaac and Gavin were identical twins.

    No wonder they had such simr temperaments.

    Brandon and Jack couldn''t help butugh, mimicking their sisters-inw, earning themselves a stern look from each.

    Natalie looked at the two women in front of her, her eyes slowly lighting up.

    So it was them!

    Emily and Mnie walked up side by side, not as excited as Scarlett had been before, but both bent down and said, "Boss, you''re back!" Everyone was slightly startled. What was going on?

    Isaac and Gavin exchanged nces, blinking in confusion.

    Grandpa Brookes quietly asked Tina, "Are these two aunts working for your mom?"

    Tina nodded, "Sort of, my mom is very capable, having some younger brothers and sisters around isn''t strange."

    Linden looked deeply at Natalie and then at Tina.

    What kind of creatures were these two?

    Onemanded the Mountain Veil Order; the other made daughters of the Ward and Woodham families call her boss.

    Natalie helped them up, "You can''t call me boss anymore, we''re family now."

    Emily''s eyes reddened, and she shook her head, "No, you''ll always be our boss."

    Enjoying the book? Don''t forget to visit 00005s.org for the full experience. You won''t find the next chapter anywhere else. Happy reading!

    Mnie nodded in agreement, "Yes, that''s something no one can change!"

    Emily was Ethan Ward''s sister, and Mnie was Janson''s sister.

    Initially, the Ward and Woodham families were almost bankrupt, and if it hadn''t been for Natalie''s secret support, they wouldn''t boast such high status in the capital today. Survival itself would have been questionable.

    Back then, Emily and Mnie were bullied due to their family''s decline, and it was Natalie who protected them.

    Some rtionships seem predestined from the start.

    When Natalie first helped the Woodham and Ward families, she never imagined they would marry her brothers.

    Nor did she foresee that her daughter would eventually be inextricably linked with these two families.

    At that moment, Ethan Ward and Janson walked in, followed by Shonna.

    Shonna was not there for Natalie, but for Tina.

    "Miss Reed!" Shonna ran directly to Tina, moreposed than Velma, not tumbling her over.

    Her approach finally made Isaac and Gavin notice their niece they had never met.

    Both ran over together, shouting, "Tina, let your uncles have a good look at you!"

    Tina instinctively wanted to run away-such enthusiasm was overwhelming!

    Fortunately, she had the world''s best grandfather, who blocked Isaac and Gavin with his cane, "Enough already! What if you scare my granddaughter?" Tinaughed, half-hidden behind Grandpa Brookes, "Uncle Isaac, Uncle Gavin, hello."

    "Ah, yes, yes, indeed, she is my niece, so beautiful, just like me!"

    "Big brother, what are you talking about? She clearly looks more like me. People used to say I and Alina were the twins, Tina clearly resembles me!"

    Tina: "Aren''t you two twins? Is this argument necessary?"

    The debate was endless, and Brandon and Jack joined the fray, each iming to resemble Tina the most.

    Eventually, Brandon turned the tide and imed victory.

    "The one who looks most like you is your own child, so Tina looks most like me! After all, I don''t have children!"

    The other three were left speechless, as that argument was indeed hard to refute.

    Gavin, always sharp-tongued, clicked his tongue, "Isn''t it because you have no children? Not even a wife, and I heard Ang hasn''t even noticed you? Tsk, tsk, tsk, how pitiful." Jack nodded in agreement, "Yeah, we have wives and children, and you have to eat alone."Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Isaac was the more straightforward one, only saying thoughtfully, "Brandon, when will you catch up with Ang?"

    Brandon felt as if something deep inside him cracked into pieces, scattering with the wind...

    "You all stop right there, we must settle this today, I alone against the three of you!"

    The other three, energized by the challenge, dragged Brandon to the backyard.

    Grandpa Brookes, rubbing his temples in resignation, turned to Jared and said, "In the future, don''t you and Tina have so many sons, it''s too noisy, ah."

    Jaredughed, "If they were my sons, one punch per son, to let them know who the real boss is."

 Chapter 620: Pressuring to Marry

    Her uncles had made a decision, and her aunts had already surrounded Tina when she arrived.

    "Tina, we heard you wereing back but rushed over without preparing much. Please take these few houses for now; they are all in good locations. If you don''t like them, we can always exchange," one aunt said.

    Could they be bad? Located in the centers of major cities, Tina would never worry about having nowhere to stay!

    "Tina, Emily gave you houses, so how about I give you cars? I heard you like motorcycles, sports cars, off-road vehicles. I''ve bought them all and parked them in the garage. You can choose, and if you dislike any, we''ll buy others," another chimed in.

    All were limited editions, thest time she saw such aplete collection of limited edition cars was in Jared''s garage.

    "Tina, I still prefer buying you dresses. I''ve bought many, along with matching jewelry, all ced in the wardrobes of those houses. Not too many, we can buy more when we go shopping!"

    Not many? Scarlett had bought so many dresses for Tina that she could change every hour and still not wear them all!

    Natalie smiled and handed Tina a bracelet.

    "This is hand-carved by your Aunt Ang, she asked me to give it to you," Natalie said as she put it on Tina''s wrist.

    Ever since Ang found out Tina was Natalie''s daughter, she had started making this bracelet, carving each bead patiently-a task for someone typically impatient.

    "Thank you all, Mom, and please thank Aunt Ang for me," Tina said, deeply moved, feeling the void in her heart slowly filling up.

    From then on, she was no longer alone in this world.

    She had her mother, her grandfather, and her loving uncles and aunts.

    And, of course, her beloved Uncle!

    Tina looked towards Jared, her eyes brimming with joy.

    From the first moment Jared saw her, he was captivated by her bright eyes.

    Now, he finally saw those eyes shimmering with happiness.

    A happiness he, as a lover, could not provide.

    Jared felt fortunate to witness Tina''s happiest moments.

    Fortunate that he was there to apany her on her joyful days.

    "Ian!"

    An old yet excited voice called from outside, and Jared went to meet them.

    It was his grandfather!

    "Grandfather," Jared greeted, helping Logan inside, followed closely by Asher and Marie carrying various packages.

    Marie immediately recognized Natalie as Tina''s mother. She walked over, excitedly taking Natalie''s hand, "I am Jared''s mother, and today I finally meet you. Thank you for raising such a wonderful daughter." Natalie, of course, knew Marie, having met her when she used to mentor Jared.

    It was just that Marie was unaware.

    "Thank you for looking after Tina in my absence. It means a lot," Natalie responded.

    Marie, holding Natalie''s hand, added, "There are others who want to meet you too, just that they are too shy toe in."

    Natalie knew it was Hugo''s family.

    "Tina, bring your mom and dad in."

    Tina nodded, and outside, Hugo and Jennie, upon hearing Natalie''s invitation, were incredibly touched.

    Hugo led Jennie inside, their hearts pounding with excitement at seeing Natalie after so many years.

    For Hugo, Natalie was a benefactor and a dear friend, their connection beyond romantic love.

    Back then, their union was merely a product of circumstances.

    Their rtionship didn''t require the measurement of love.

    "Hugo, Jennie, long time no see," Natalie said, spreading her arms to embrace them both.

    It was Jennie''s first time meeting Natalie, but not the other way around.

    Yet, upon this meeting, they seemed like long-lost friends.

    "It''s been a while."

    Hugo and Jennie, tears brimming in their eyes, had prepared so much to say but found themselves speechless in the moment. Hugo looked at Natalie, opened his mouth, but then left everything unsaid.

    The party was lively, and even Esther and Linden felt perfectly at ease.

    Everyone seated here was family.

    Little did Tina know, she and Jared would end up being the main focus of the party.

    Grandpa Brookes and Logan sat sternly on either side, watching Tina and Jared intently.

    Tina found herself in a dilemma with the strawberry cake in front of her-neither eating nor leaving it seemed right.

    After all, who could stand being stared at by two such imposing figures!

    Jared stepped slightly in front of Tina. "If you have something to say, just say it. Don''t stare at Tina like that; she''s timid."

    The ten brothers of Serenity Ridge: Timid? Are you sure you understand what that means?

    The people of Mountain Veil Order: It''s news to us that our young master is timid. That''s an eye-opener.

    Logan snorted coldly, "Now you protect Tina. You''ve been together so long without giving her a proper status. How did our Farrell family raise such an ingrate!" Grandpa Brookes added, "What are you thinking, Jared? Do you think our granddaughter isn''t good enough, which is why you hesitate to marry Tina?"

    "That''s not it. If Tina agrees, I''ll go and make it official right now," Jared said, holding Tina''s hand firmly.

    About getting married, he was the most eager person in the world!

    Finally, Grandpa Brookes and Logan smiled. "Well, Tina, what do you think?"

    Tina finally took a bite of her strawberry cake and slowly said, "Grandpa, Granddad, I''m not in a hurry."

    Upon hearing this, Logan quickly asked, "Tina, is this boy not treating you well? Don''t worry, I''ll teach him a lesson for you!"

    Grandpa Brookes, however, didn''t think Jared was the issue, having observed Jared and Tina''s rtionship closely over the past year.Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    "Yes, Tina, why don''t you want to get married? It''s been two or three years."

    Old people always hope their descendants settle down early for peace of mind.

    Tina shook her head. "Uncle is very good, and he is the man I am determined to spend my life with, the partner I am willing to walk side by side with. In my heart, no man can rece Uncle. I want to marry him, have children with him, and grow old together."

    Tina looked deeply into Jared''s eyes, her bright pupils reflecting the face of the man she loved for a lifetime.

    Jared''s eyes curved in a smile, never having imagined that it would be in such a setting that he would hear Tina say such unforgettable words so calmly.

    "However, we can''t get married yet, as many things are still unsettled. I want our wedding to be peaceful and serene, not fraught with crises like now."

 Chapter 621: Still Missing One for the Wedding

    The Five Poisons were still atrge, shrouded in imprable conspiracies. Now was not the time for them to hold their own wedding. Jared understood what Tina meant. Though the weapon factories and virus research bases of GTO had been destroyed, Jared knew that the matter was far from over. As long as the Five Poisons roamed free, they could not rest easy.

    "Trust me, I will give Tina the most romantic, grandest wedding in the world!" Jared proimed, leaving the listening parties without a word to say. The couple fell silent for a moment before turning to look at Natalie, who was sitting beside them. As Tina''s mother, Natalie naturally had a say in her daughter''s wedding matters.

    Natalie, who had been busy eating, suddenly noticed her father''s gaze and quickly swallowed her food. "I think what Tina and he are saying is right. Besides, we''re still missing one person for the wedding now."

    Everyone was puzzled. Scarlett asked, "Alina, who are we missing? Isn''t Ang with you?" Scarlett thought Natalie was referring to Ang. But Natalie shook her head and pointed with her chin at Tina. "Her dad!"

    Everyone suddenly realized that they had never asked Natalie where Tina''s biological father was. Even Esther, curious as she was, hadn''t dared to ask. Everyone assumed that Tina''s real father was dead, fearing that asking might bring up painful memories for Natalie.

    Unexpectedly, Natalie brought it up herself. Scarlett, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, "Alina, where is Tina''s dad, after all?" Natalie smiled, "I don''t know yet. I''ll have to find him and ask."

    This response baffled everyone, but seeing Natalie''s happily smiling face, they refrained from asking further.

    That evening, Tina and Nataliey in bed, having not yet had a chance to really talk heart-to-heart since reuniting. The day''s events had weighed on Tina. In fact, she too wanted to know who her real father was. From Hugo to Jasper, none were her biological father.

    Natalie teased Tina''s nose, "Are you wondering where your real dad is?" Tina nodded, moving closer to Natalie. "Mom, you didn''t get abandoned by my dad, did you?"

    Natalie pped Tina''s forehead lightly, "If anyone was going to do the abandoning, it would be me abandoning him! He doesn''t have the guts to leave me!" Tina rubbed her head and continued, "Why did you guys split up? You used to say I was too young to understand, but I''m old enough now."

    Natalie pursed her lips, a hint of joy leaking from the corner of her eyes. Her expression alone indicated that the memories she was recalling were too beautiful for words.

    After a moment, Natalie slowly said, "Tina, if one day Jared has to leave you because he has an important mission toplete, would you be angry? Would you feel like you are not the most important person in his heart?" Tina thought for a moment. "I wouldn''t."

    Carrying his mission and fulfilling his duty as a special forces member was the Jared I loved. If he abandoned his mission and responsibilities for love, one day, he too might abandon me. That isn''t the man I love," she said.

    Natalie nodded, "I feel the same. The man I love is like your father, who adhered to his own sense of honor. He''s not the type to abandon me, and he never will."Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    "Even though we are currently apart, we are both striving towards the same goal. Once the world is at peace, we will naturallye together again."

    Tina understood that everyone has their own mission.

    Doctors save lives and help the injured; soldiers protect and defend their homnd. Even ordinary people fight for their families.

    Her parents, too, had their own honors to uphold and their own battles to fight.

    Natalie brushed a stray lock of hair from Tina''s forehead and gently caressed her daughter''s cheek, "Don''t worry, Tina, your dad will be back soon."

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    Tina acknowledged her mother''s words and decided not to bring up the father she had never met again.

    "Mom, did you see that old photo of Asher Vance?" Tina asked.

    Natalie''s gentle gaze darkened, a hint of severity flickering through, "Yes, I was in it."

    "Do you remember anything about it?"

    "No, I don''t recall ever meeting Asher Vance when I was little, nor do I remember that photo."

    The photo showed Natalie at about ten years old. The timing of Asher Vance''s crackdown on human trafficking was close to when Natalie was abducted. What puzzled Natalie was that the Brookes family was desperate to find her at that time, and the X Bureau should have been the first to know.

    Yet, when Natalie was brought to the X Bureau by Asher Vance, no one informed the Brookes family.

    Perhaps, that information was deliberately suppressed.

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    Tina''s eyes narrowed, "Mom, there''s another person in the photo."

    Natalie looked up, and under the dim light, her eyes, identical to Tina''s, shed an obscure light, "Jasper!"

    "Does that mean the Five Poisons weren''t there?"

    Of the twelve children, aside from Natalie and Jasper, the rest were ounted for. Five Poisons wouldn''t be among them.

    Natalie shook her head, "Not necessarily. Maybe from the beginning, Five Poisons intended to hide among those ten children."

    Five Poisons, cunning and deceitful, were closely pursued by the Brookes family and the X Bureau. Hiding among the victims, a ssic case of the changeling, was not out of the question.

    "Back then, Five Poisons was a man, right? Pretending to be a child at that age?" Tina asked.

    "It was just a disguise. Back then, Five Poisons had already mastered that skill well enough to infiltrate easily and take me away from the Brookes family," Natalie turned over, gently patting Tina, "Sleep now. Tomorrow I''ll meet Jasper, and perhaps we''ll discover something new."

    Tina nodded and then closed her eyes.

 Chapter 622: Reunion

    Ashbury Secret Prison housed prisoners unlike those known to the outside world. These were not ordinary criminals; even murderers did not qualify for incarceration here. Currently, only three prisoners were detained: Joshua, Jasper, and Vivienne.

    Vivienne was no longer formidable. Her body was decaying, yet she was not close to dying, and her senses were even sharper than those of a healthy, robust man. Consequently, the pain she could feel was more than tenfold that of an ordinary person.

    Joshua also endured excruciating pain daily, living a life of torment. Like Prometheus pecked by an eagle, his organs were damaged daily, only to regenerate anew the next day. This was the punishment Tina had devised for him.

    Inparison, Jasper, who was confined alongside them, had it rtively easy. He did not suffer from physical ailments but was instead endlessly tasked with printing exam papers. Jasper epted his fate quite well, even identifying errors on the papers and discussing corrections with the guards from the X Bureau. Many said that Jasper was the quietest among the three.

    When Tina and Natalie arrived, Jason and Courtney were waiting at the door. "Miss Reed, Aunt Natalie," Courtney greeted them, cing bracelets on Tina and Natalie''s wrists. Previously, as Jared''s subordinate, Tina had not needed such devices. But now, things were different.

    Jason collected all devices that could connect to the outside world, asionally casting curious nces at Natalie. Natalie, smiling, handed everything over to Jason, "It''s rude to keep staring."

    "Sorry, Captain," Jason quickly averted his gaze, still curious about what made Natalie so revered by Jared that he willingly called her his master.

    "No need to call me Captain; I''m not nning to return to the X Bureau," Natalie said with a smile, then walked inside. Tina knew well that Natalie had no intention of returning to the X Bureau. Given the current extensive changes within, and the many restrictions that Natalie, who was ustomed to freedom, would find unbearable.

    "Mom, this way," Tina pointed to the cell on the right.

    However, Natalie''s gaze was drawn to the cell on the left, secured with a high-grade lock. "Joshua is inside there, the leader of CK known as White Tiger," Tina exined.

    Natalie nodded, but for some reason, she felt an unusual ambivalence about this cell, as if she was reluctant yetpelled to approach.

    Seeing Natalie''splexion change, Tina asked, "Mom, do you want to go in?"

    Natalie snapped out of her reverie, "No, let''s move on."

    They reached Jasper''s cell, where he was exercising in a ten-square-meter room. He had also requested cleaning supplies and had kept the small room spotless, even the toilet was free of any odor.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    "You seem to be enjoying yourself," Natalie remarked neutrally.

    If Jasper hadn''t been the second-inmand of GTO, Jasmine''s double, perhaps Natalie could have be good friends with him, much like she was with Christopher. Jasper''s thoughts often coincided with Natalie''s, their understanding seeming not forced but genuinely intuitive.

    While exercising, Jasper''s body visibly stiffened, his back tensing. He didn''t dare turn around, the shock of hearing a familiar voice rendering him speechless.

    Jasper wanted to look back to see if he had misheard.

    But he didn''t dare.

    The possibility of turning and finding nothing, realizing he had indeed misheard, would be suffocating.

    Tina nced at Natalie, said nothing, and quietly stepped out.

    She could tell how much Jasper liked Natalie; otherwise, he wouldn''t have repeatedly let himself be disadvantaged. Yet, his so-called deep affection was something Natalie neither cared for nor appreciated. Tina decided to step away, feeling it was impolite to stay since Jasper was, after all, an old me of Natalie''s.

    Natalie protested, "He''s not my old me! I only love your father!"

    Tina replied, "Sure, sure, you and my dad, whom I''ve never met, are perfectly in sync."

    After Tina left, Natalie grabbed a chair and sat down. "Old friend, long time no see."

    Hearing her voice, Jasper couldn''t hold back anymore. He spun around abruptly. When he saw who it was, he walked forward in disbelief, his hands gripping the fence that blocked his path. The weak electric current from the fence made his hands go numb and his nerves ache, but he didn''t let go.

    It was her, really her! She hadn''t died; she truly hadn''t died! What a relief!

    A tear fell from Jasper''s eye as he slowly reached out, wishing to touch his beloved''s face as he had done in the past. But now, the rail with its flickering weak current reminded him. Between themy insurmountable distances. Jasper''s hand paused mid-air, then sadly dropped.

    Natalie maintained her usual smile. "I didn''t expect that the first three things said upon our reunion would all be from me."

    Jasper let go, the electric current suddenly ceasing, giving him a momentary feeling of suffocation. "How have you been all these years?"

    His voice was hoarse, and despite his efforts to conceal it, his tone trembled, revealing his vulnerability.

    Natalie nodded, "I''ve been well, thank you for your concern."

    Jasper looked down, chuckling, unsure of what to say next. Millions of words clogged his throat, yet he couldn''t bring himself to speak them.

    After a moment of silence, Natalie spoke again. "I didn''te here to reminisce today. I came to ask you, do you know Asher Vance?"

    Jasper snapped back to reality. "Asher Vance? Sounds familiar. When I was sold to GTO by the Reed family, someone from the X Bureau took me and eleven others from the base. I think his name was Asher Vance. What about him?" "Don''t you remember me?" Natalie furrowed her brow.

    Jasper looked bewildered. "What does that have to do with you?"

    Natalie pulled out a photograph. "There''s a photo from back then, you and I are both in it."

    Jasper leaned in to look at the photo, a flicker of recognition in his eyes.

    "You really are in it!" Even though Natalie was only ten at the time, she had grown proportionally, making it easy for Jasper to recognize her in the photo.

    "My memories of that period are very vague," Jasper admitted. "I only remember being injected with drugs daily and having blood drawn for medication. I definitely don''t have much of an impression of you. What about you? Do you remember me?"

    Natalie shook her head. "I didn''t even realize I had taken this photo back then."

    Jasper''s eyes widened, then he understood.

    "It seems that Five Poisons injected us all with amnesia-inducing drugs. No wonder, Five Poisons must have been right there, finding other ways to keep from being exposed."

    "How can you be so sure Five Poisons was there at the time?"

    Jasper smiled. "GTO was just growing step by step back then; there weren''t many people, and Five Poisons had to get involved personally."

    "I was bought by GTO as a child, like the other kids, to be used for human experiments," he continued. "I remember suffering from various drugs until I was sixteen, when a woman said my physique wasn''t suited for the experiments and instead trained me as an intelligence agent. Later, at eighteen, I made a deal with Jasmine to help them use the Reed family and finally managed to return to the Reed family."

 Chapter 623: The Child of Those Years

    Natalie had once been an undercover agent inside GTO. Although she never reached the core, she had ess to internal documents. The experiments conducted within GTO were numerous and exceedingly cruel.

    For children like Jasper, who had been sold into this environment from a young age, the experiments they endured were more horrific than one could imagine. His survival, let alone his role as Jasmine''s substitute, was as much a testament to his intelligence as it was to his luck. Otherwise, with those experiments, he would have met an untimely death.

    "Did you just say a woman told you that your physique wasn''t suitable for drug trials? Was that woman Five Poisons?" Natalie asked.

    Jasper smiled. "How could that be? Although my memories from that time are sparse, I remember that the leader of GTO, Five Poisons, was a man, and an older one at that, not much different in age from Muff at that time. He disappearedter, and I have no recollection of him."

    "Did he disappear after you were rescued by Asher Vance?"

    Jasper thought carefully, "It seems so. I remember following Asher Vance from the X Bureau back, and then I was taken to what became the new base. After that, I never saw him again. If you hadn''t mentioned it, I wouldn''t have even remembered."

    For Jasper at that time, merely being alive was enough. He hardly cared whether the people tormenting him daily were the same or not.

    Natalie then realized that Five Poisons must have taken the opportunity to disappear during the rescue, assuming a new identity as a victim and escaping, leaving GTO in the hands of the current female Five Poisons. But then she thought, the current female Five Poisons also seemed not very old. Even if she was in exceptional physical condition, she should be in her fifties or sixties by now.

    Could it be that Five Poisons had already moved on to a third generation? Was the woman Jasper saw back then the same person Jasmine calls mother?

    "Do you remember what that woman looked like?" Natalie asked.

    "I don''t know," Jasper replied. "She always wore a mask. I have no idea what she really looks like. I don''t even know who Jasmine really is. The control among GTO''s high ranks is very strict, and I couldn''t reach that level."

    Natalie knew this well; she had exerted much effort to gain trust during her time undercover. It was only because Asher Vance knew she was an undercover agent that her cover was blown, whichter led Jasper to consider setting up his own demise.

    "I understand," Natalie said, then got ready to leave.

    Having learned all she needed to know, there was no reason for her to stay any longer.

    Jasper watched Natalie''s departing figure, the same way she had left the Reed family. Both times, her departure was decisive, without any hint of reluctance.

    "Natalie."

    Jasper suddenly called out to her.

    Natalie paused, half-turning to look at Jasper.

    Jasper approached, his hands gripping the electrified rail, his expression filled with deep affection, reluctance, and pleading.

    "If there''s a next time, could we just sit together, just to reminisce?" he asked.

    Natalie''s lips moved slightly as she looked deeply into Jasper''s eyes-eyes that, like moonlight invading, held no emotion.

    "No, because there might be nothing left between us."

    With that, Natalie got up and left, her exit as graceful and nonchnt as ever.

    Natalie had always admitted to herself that she admired Jasper-for his resilience and cunning, and for his deeply ingrained yet exquisitely disyed sophistication.

    Such a person, if seen as a peer, would be respected for their mutual understanding.

    If Natalie considered him an enemy, she would choose his death first.

    Tina watched Natalie emerge and clicked her tongue, "You two used to be close, and yet you give him no face at all."

    Natalie blinked, "I just remembered, your master and I arranged a marriage between you and James once."

    "Then your daughter might elope with Uncle," Tina retorted, unfazed by Natalie''s provocation.

    Just then, Jared entered and caught the mention of eloping with Uncle. His eyes lit up involuntarily.

    In that brief moment, Jared had already imagined a dozen ces where they could elope to.

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    Natalie, smiling, pointed at Tina, "She says you won''t give her a title, so she has to elope!"

    Jared snapped back to reality, "Master, do you realize how old you are?"

    "You''re the old one!"

    Tina and Natalie retorted in unison, then hand in hand, the mother and daughter happily walked out.

    Jared opened his mouth to speak but resigned himself; having chosen his wife and mother-inw, he had to endure.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    But who could me him for finding joy in this?

    After leaving the secret prison, Jared handed all the information about the people in the photograph to Tina.

    "Except for that baby from years ago, I''ve got details on everyone here. Except for Asher Vance''s wife, the rest, including their families, are staying at hotels owned by the Farrell Group. And the oldest one from back then now has cancer and is in the ICU."

    There were twelve people in total, excluding Jasper, Natalie, the baby, Asher Vance''s wife, and the ICU patient, leaving seven.

    Tina took a deep breath, "Looks like we have seven home visits to make."

    Jared, smiling, ruffled Tina''s hair, "No worries, I''lle with you."

    "Ah, Uncle is the best." Tina kissed Jared on the cheek.

    Nathan, who was driving, nced at Natalie, who was watching the affectionate couple in the backseat with a contented face.

    She showed no sign of mother-inw awareness at all!

    Nathan sighed deeply, recognizing who Tina took after.

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    Of course, Jared was also Natalie''s disciple.

    After all, they were all family!

    Tina and Jared visited six families within a week, thankfully, Linden had gathered these individuals in Ashbury for a supposed reunion to honor the past lifesaving grace.

    The first six families showed no anomalies; everyone was ounted for, and DNA tests matched the internal records from GTO.

    Now, only one was left.

    This family''s child had been abducted in high school and was now not young anymore.

    And he was a boy.

    His match with the historical Five Poisons was remarkably high.

    However, when Jared knocked on the door, an elderly couple greeted them.

    "Hello, you must be Mr. Farrell we''ve been waiting for," the woman said, inviting Jared and Tina inside.

    Tina nced at the photo in her hand and then at the man in front of her.

    It wasn''t the same person!

    The man chuckled, instructing his wife to serve tea, "Youngdy, you''re not mistaken. The person who was abducted wasn''t me; it was my son." "Your son?"

    "Yes, my son disappeared while he was in high school, almost costing our whole family our lives. Thankfully, he waster found." The man sighed, the old fear still evident in his voice.

 Chapter 624: Five Poisons and Joshua

    "Sir, could you please tell us more in detail?" Tina asked.

    The man nodded, "Yes, I remember that year vividly. Jake was the hope of our entire family. Even our rtives had high expectations for him, especially since it was quite an achievement for a poor family like ours to have a child in high school at that time."

    "However, Jake''s grades were mediocre and he was rather unknown at school, without many friends. ording to the elderly, he was a loner."

    "But after he was kidnapped and returned, he seemed like a changed person; he became much more cheerful. At that time, he even had a girlfriend at school, which caused me to scold him, but honestly, I think he was much better after returning. A young man should not be a loner."

    Tina and Jared exchanged looks.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    It''s already the best oue if someonees out of such a tragic memory without falling into depression or developing psychological shadows.

    How could this person named Jake turn into someone with such a cheerful personality?

    The man continued, "Later, Jake indeed didn''t disappoint us. He was epted into Norther University, and after graduating from there, he went abroad to study."

    The woman, who had been quiet all along, snorted and tears streamed down her face.

    Tina quietly passed a tissue to her, "Did something happen?"

    The man sighed heavily, his expression turning grave, "We originally disagreed with him going abroad, but Jake insisted and managed his expenses through part-time jobs without needing our financial support. Reluctantly, his mother and I agreed, but once he left, he never returned."

    The woman beside him started crying loudly, "If I had known that my son would never return, I would never have let him go abroad to study!"

    "What happened to Jake abroad?" Jared asked.

    The man wiped his tears, "Jake did well abroad, both in his studies and his part-time jobs, and received schrships every year. However, he seldom contacted us due to the inconvenience of internationalmunication. We couldn''t visit him abroad, but thankfully, he sent us photos so we could see him more often."

    "Later, after Jake graduated, he managed to stay on at the university. We knew then that he would not return. We were thinking about going abroad to be with him, but then... a shooting urred at his school. Many students and teachers died, and Jake was among them!"

    The woman''s emotions became uncontroble as she sobbed on the table, "My poor son, I didn''t even get to see him onest time. It''s a tragedy for a parent to send off their child!"

    Tina could only express her condolences for the woman''s plight.

    Perhaps she didn''t know that her son had actually died when he was kidnapped years ago.

    The child they had raised afterward was their enemy!

    After the woman had calmed down a bit, Jared asked, "Could we trouble you to see Jake''s photos, especially those he sent from abroad?"

    "Sure, most of his photos are from his childhood. After he was kidnapped, there were even fewer, and over the years abroad, there were not even ten in total. They are all here." The man handed the album to Jared. Jared flipped through it, finding photos of Jake in his graduation gown, on casual outings, and working in a restaurant.

    From these photos, one could see that his life was quite simple, mostly spent at school.

    "What did Jake study abroad?" Tina asked.

    "He studied medicine, which is why he went abroad for further studies," the man replied.

    Jared''s hand paused as he flipped through the photo album, aplex light shing in his eyes. Tina noticed and leaned over to take a look, her surprise evident. In one of Jake''s photos, in the corner, there was Joshua! The truth seemed painfully clear now.

    This man, Jake, had been the hidden Five Poisons all along, using disguise techniques to live in Jake''s ce, continuing his malicious deeds abroad under the guise of a student. During his studies, he met Joshua and passed on his dreadful skills to him.

    Jared closed the album. "Thank you, we''ve got what we need. Someone will take you to the airport shortly."

    "Don''t mention it. We haven''t talked about Jake in a long time, and we appreciate that you remember our son," the man said to Tina and Jared, bowing deeply with tears in his eyes.

    Jared and Tina smiled and then left. Soon after, a photocopy of the photo arrived in Jared''s hands. Gazing at Joshua''s face, Jared felt his fingertips tense slightly.

    Nathan noticed Jared''s expression and asked, "Mr. Farrell, should I go ask him?"

    "No need. Even if you do, he won''t reveal anything. We should rather figure out how Five Poisons managed to disguise himself as a high school student!"

    Tina frowned. "Five Poisons should have been middle-aged by then. Even if he looked young, he couldn''t possibly resemble a high school student that closely, let alone blend in and then go abroad for college."

    Tina had a hunch that the secrets of Five Poisons were linked to the final virus experiment GTO wanted to conduct.

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    Just then, Tina''s phone rang. It was Natalie. "Come to the hospital, your undercover little sister has woken up."

    It was Eagle Flies! Since being severely injured in the ambush on Asher Vance, she had beenatose in the hospital. Natalie had treated her, barely saving her life. Now, she was finally awake.

    Tina and Jared quickly headed to the hospital. Eagle Flies'' brother, Ray, was already there, his eyes reddening as he looked at his sister. Now known by her real name, Jane, she hadpletely severed ties with the GTO organization. The code name ''Eagle Flies'' no longer represented her.

    Jane looked frail on the hospital bed, her appearance now somewhat like the girl next door.

    "Deputy Director," Ray greeted Jared as he entered, bowing out of habit.

    Jared waved a hand, "No need for that anymore, or just call me what Nathan calls me."

    "Yes, Mr. Farrell. Ma''am, thank you for saving my sister," Ray said, bowing deeply to Jared, Tina, and Natalie.

    "You''re very wee. Jane has helped us a lot," Tina replied as she sat down. Looking at Jane''s face, she said, though it was harsh, "Jane, we found a chip in both you and Asher Vance. This chip is likely the reason for your injury."

    The chip had integrated so well into Jane''s body that no one would have noticed if she hadn''t been injured. Tina had wondered how GTO controlled their operatives, never suspecting a chip.

    "Has the chip been removed yet?" Jane asked.

    Tina shook her head. "That''s what I need to discuss with you. The chip must be removed while you are awake, without even anesthesia. If it''s not removed now, Five Poisons might trigger it again, and then no doctor in the world could help you."

 Chapter 625: The Chip

    Jane chuckled after hearing the options, "I''d definitely choose to be awake to have the chip removed."

    No matter the pain, she did not want to entrust her life to someone else''s control!

    "The chip is currently lodged in your brain. My mom and I will perform the surgery together. We''ll keep talking to you during the procedure, and you''ll even be able to hear and feel us working inside your brain. You need to be mentally prepared."

    These words sounded simple, but only those who had truly experienced it knew the unbearable ordeal involved.

    It was like Amber, who still suffered from psychological scars after Wraith and Tina had imnted and then removed a bomb inside her.

    Of course, she likely had no time to heal.

    After hearing Tina''s words, Jane simply nodded, "Okay, that would be great."

    There was no time to dy; the chip was moving through Jane''s bloodstream.

    Originally, Asher Vance had died because the chip had moved near his heart. Jane was luckier; initially, the chip was near her stomach, and Natalie''s timely intervention had saved her life.

    But now the chip had moved to her brain, and if Five Poisons struck again, it would be toote.

    Jane was quickly taken to the operating room, where Natalie and Tina began the surgery.

    Throughout, Jane kept her eyes open, feeling the drill and other medical tools stirring in her brain, each nerve echoing the sound of the drill, her pineal nd constantly vibrating. The sensation was indescribable.

    If she had to choose a word, it would be ''horrifying''!

    "When was this chip imnted? Can it track our location?" Jane asked.

    "I don''t know, but it must have been after Jasmine was captured. Because Jasmine, Jasper, Callum, and Snow don''t have this chip, or they would have been dead by now," Tina said, not taking her eyes off the screen disying Jane''s brain. Natalie, manipting the scalpel, added, "The chip can track and explode within your body without detection, even with thetest scanners. Think about when you might have lost consciousness and had the chip inserted."

    Jane thought for a moment, "I really can''t remember. Maybe we ingested it with food or drink."

    "That''s a good direction to think about. Since the chip can move inside the body, it''s quite possible it was ingested," Natalie agreed with a nod.

    "Could a chip really be ingested without notice?" Tina blinked.

    "Of course," Natalie finally opened the other side of the skull and switched to a more suitable tool, continuing to dig deeper, "This chip melts upon entry, perhaps only assembling its particles slowly inside the body before forming." Natalie paused, "It''s a good direction. We should also create one; then your little brother''s dog won''t get lost again."

    "Right, with the pet market booming, who could resist the ability to track a pet''s location at any time? We could even develop a linkage where the chip connects to the pet''s retina, allowing us to see the world from the pet''s perspective," Tina mused, seemingly hearing the sound of money hitting her pocket.

    Jane hadn''t expected that a casual question would spark such a lucrative idea from the mother-daughter duo.

    Well, true to form as mother and daughter, and true money-lovers!

    "Mom! I see it!" Tina suddenly changed her tone.

    Three hourster, Natalie and Tina finally managed to remove the chip from Jane''s brain.

    After the surgery, Jane fell into aa.

    "Madam, is my sister okay?" Ray asked.

    Tina shook her head, "She''s fine, she''ll be okay after a sleep. My mom also made her forget everything that happened during the surgery, so it won''t leave her with any psychological scars, rest assured."

    "Thank you, madam, thank you, captain, thank you all!" Ray kept bowing deeply.

    He only had Jane left as family. After so many years apart, if it weren''t for Tina and her team, they might never have seen each other again.

    Tina waved her hand dismissively, "If you really want to thank us, go and do something meaningful."

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    Ray wiped his tears, "Anything youmand, madam, just say the word."

    Meanwhile, Natalie had imnted the chip into Tina''s micrputer. Her fingertips flew over the keyboard, and soon, a satellite map appeared on the screen. The map was covered with numerous little red dots, marking the location of each individual.

    Tina printed out the satellite map and handed it to Ray, "Go find your general, and take down GTO''s stronghold!"

    Only then did Ray realize that these red dots marked the locations of all GTO members!

    "Yes, I''m on it!"

    This wasn''t just doing something meaningful; it was clearly an opportunity to distinguish himself!

    At the moment Nathan received the map, he, along with Hayden and Jason, led their squads to arrest all the individuals marked on it. They also used a jamming device developed by Tina and Natalie to block the chip''s external transmission signal.

    That meant, even if Five Poisons wanted to kill everyone now, they had no way to do it!

    Although they hadn''t captured Five Poisons, all GTO members were apprehended. This was X Bureau''s first major victory since the "Destruction n"!

    Nathan, Hayden, and Jason each received a top-ss medal of honor, and even Courtney received a first-ss honor!

    Courtney ced her medal on Kahleah''s grave. After so many years, she was finally able to erect a real tombstone for her mother!

    Everyone was overjoyed, except Jared and Tina, who couldn''t quite manage a smile.

    Five Poisons was still atrge, and though it seemed like the internal crisis at X Bureau was resolved, a new danger was quietly approaching.

    As long as Five Poisons remained free, there would be no peace in the world!Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Jane had woken up, and Tina visited her with a basket of fruit.

    "What are your ns for the future? I heard your brother wants you to join X Bureau and work with him," Tina asked.

    Jane picked up an apple but didn''t dare to eat it directly. She had to cut it into small pieces with a knife due to the extensive invasiveness of her brain surgery. "You''re already here, and now you want to push me towards X Bureau?"

    Jane knew well that Tina''s visit was meant to recruit her into her ranks.

    Tina snapped her fingers, "A million dors a month, are you in?"

    Of course, Jane was in!

    That was a monthly sry, that was a million dors!

    It was more money than Ray could ever earn in a lifetime at X Bureau!

    Miss Reed was indeed generous!

    "Boss, from now on, I''m yours in life and death, ready to serve you at all costs, with only one condition-no docking my pay!"

    Tina nodded approvingly. Indeed, a money-minded subordinate must also be a money-lover!

    "Deal, think of a code name for yourself, something to make mingling in the underworld easier," Tina casually picked up an apple and started eating. Jane thought for a moment, "Manidae!"

    Tina almost choked on her apple. Jane really couldn''te up with a nice-sounding code name!

    After being discharged, Jane was sent to the Mountain Veil Order, handed over to Jayden. Meanwhile, Tina went somewhere else.

 Chapter 626: No Regrets

    Tina pushed open the heavy iron door and rubbed her arms. Despite the sunny day, the ce felt ominously cold and terrifying. "Mom, Grandpa, are you sure you don''t need me to apany you?" Tina asked.

    Grandpa Brookes shook his head. "No need. Just wait outside for us. Alina and I can handle this feud alone."

    Tina nodded and watched as Natalie and Grandpa Brookes entered. She then sat in the car and started eating a strawberry cake.

    As Natalie pushed open the door, a nauseating stench of filth hit her. The person sitting in the room slowly turned her head at the sound. Her hair was messy and draped over her shoulders, clearly unwashed for days. Her clothes were stained, and her bare feet were caked with mud. The foul smell emanated from her.

    Seeing such a scene, Grandpa Brookes sighed deeply. "Rachel..."

    Rachel had been confined here since surviving an explosion at a cliff and being treated in the hospital. The ce looked like a detached vi but was essentially a prison cell with fully furnished, albeit ck, furniture that never saw the light of day. Therge yard felt like a haunted house. There were no lights, no windows, and even the walls were ck.

    Rachel, living in this perpetual darkness, suffered a fate worse than death. Although food was delivered daily just to keep her alive, she lost all sense of time and ce, unable to hear anything and only finding food when hungerpelled her to fumble in the dark.

    Suddenly exposed to light, Rachel struggled to adjust. After a long while, she managed to see who was before her. She slowly stood up, her mouth agape but no sounding out. She stared nkly at Natalie and Grandpa Brookes. After what seemed an eternity, she suddenly ran towards them, shouting, "I am the only true daughter of the Brookes family, I am the only true daughter..."

    Natalie struck her, pushing her back and shielding her father.

    Grandpa Brookes shook his head, realizing the depth of Rachel''s obsession. "Rachel, there''s nothing left to say. I raised you all these years, and now our ties are severed. I will never forgive you. Stay here and fend for yourself." With that, Grandpa Brookes patted Natalie''s hand, signaling it was time to leave.

    Natalie had no desire to speak further with the madwoman. Today''s visit was merely to help Grandpa Brookes make a final break.

    He had sincerely raised Rachel as his own daughter, never mistreating her. But their father-daughter rtionship had to end.

    As they turned to leave, Rachel''s eerieughter echoed in the darkness, her face twisted and grotesque. She resembled a character from a horror movie, lying on the ground.

    "Fate? Ha, you talk to me about fate?"

    "What is our fate? Was it when someone suggested adopting a child would bring prosperity to the Brookes family? Or was it that I, as an adopted daughter, could bring blessings to your daughter?"

    "Ian, spare me your righteous indignation! You''re nothing but a hypocrite. Adopting me was never about love!"

    Her words were a raw exposure of her deep-seated bitterness and disillusionment with the man she once considered her father.

    "Alina, I only regret that I didn''t hit you harder back then. If I had managed to kill you, there would be no Tina, nor would I have ended up like this!" Grandpa Brookes turned around, gave Rachel a deep look, but ultimately said nothing before Natalie quietly left.

    After the two of them came out, Grandpa Brookes slowly said, "The things Rachel said, she must have heard many baseless rumors. Many people don''t understand why I adopted Rachel and Ang, given that there were already many children in the family, and I never exined it. Over time, these rumors started, and I thought that with her higher education, she wouldn''t believe them, but..."

    Natalie was somewhat curious: "Dad, why did you adopt her in the first ce?"

    Grandpa Brookes stopped, turned to look at Natalie: "Actually, Rachel was the child of one of my subordinates. Her parents died in duty, and I originally nned to send her to an orphanage and sponsor her until she was grown. But you said you wanted a sister, not wanting her to be without family. Alina, do you regret it now?"

    Natalie smiled after hearing this, realizing that karma hade back around to her.

    "Well, I picked up an ungrateful creature."

    Natalieughed: "I don''t remember how I felt back then, but if you ask if I regret it, probably not."

    The word ''regret'' never existed in Natalie''s world; even picking up an ungrateful creature was no big deal.

    She had raised wolves before.

    Jared: "Master, is it possible that I want to be human?"

    Tina: "Uncle Wolf!"

    Ian nced at his daughter, "Tina really takes after you!"

    Natalie wrapped her arm around Grandpa Brookes'', "Hmm, I take after you too!"

    Father and daughter shared a smile; there''s not much to regret in this world.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Those who regret are those who can''t withstand the so-called consequences.

    Ian, Natalie, and Tina were not ones toment their fate.

    They always took matters into their own hands, no matter the consequences, they wouldn''t be brought down. So, naturally, there was no talk of regret.

    After Tina finished her strawberry cake, Natalie and Grandpa Brookes also walked out of the vi.

    The mother and daughter drove Grandpa Brookes back to the Brookes family, then headed to theboratory.

    Natalie stood outside the door, feeling sentimental, "My daughter really is capable, restoring my research institute just like it was."

    Tina pouted, "Mom, are you praising yourself?"

    "Of course, you''re my daughter, if you''re capable, isn''t it because I am?" Natalie was unabashedly proud!

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    In theb, aside from Wraith, everyone stood tensely by the door.

    Tina walked in, surprised, "What are you all doing?"

    John looked serious at Tina, "Ma''am, Wraith is experimenting again, it''s blown up three times this week!"

    Three times!

    If I remember correctly, today is only Thursday?

    Tina was about to rush in.

    Wraith, the profligate, was supposed to be working on an antidote, not wasting money!

    Natalie stopped her, "Don''t go in yet, it''s going to blow."

    Just as she finished speaking, a loud "bang" came from theb.

    The tightly closedb door blew open, emitting billowing ck smoke.

    Tina cursed under her breath, put on a gas mask, and rushed in to drag the semi-conscious Wraith out.

    Looking at the stedboratory, Tina kicked Wraith hard in the thigh.

    "Damn! Who the hell wants to destroy me! This stuff is irreceable!"

    Wraith screamed, fully awakening, and upon seeing Tina''s face, promptly yed dead.

    This wasn''t just anyone, this was the harbinger of doom!

 Chapter 627: The Lesser and Greater Plague Gods

    In that instant, Wraith thought of countless ways to escape, his feet slick as if ready to bolt. Unfortunately, caught in Tina''s grasp, he had no chance to flee. "You knew to blow up myb, didn''t you? Have you been toofortable these days?" Tina griped, holding Wraith by the shoulder and smacking his head.

    Wraith red at Tina and retorted, "Spectre! It was all for the sake of experimentation!"

    "Losing your temper, are you?" Tina raised her hand to strike again.

    A great man can bend and stretch! Wraith raised his hands to his ears, shouting, "Okay, I was wrong!" Tina then stopped.

    Natalie chuckled nearby, "You''re Wraith, right?" Annoyed, Wraith looked at her, "Yes, and who are you? Have we met...?" He found Natalie somehow familiar, and upon closer inspection, his eyes widened, "It''s you! You''re Reba!" Tina was taken aback, not expecting Wraith to know her own mother. Natalie, still smiling, walked up to Wraith and gently touched his shoulder, "Still so rude. Don''t you know to greet your master?"

    At her words, Wraith suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, sending him staggering. Tina was even more surprised. When had her own mother be Wraith''s master? But Wraith, ever adaptable, wailed, "Master, master! I was wrong!" "You were wrong? Stealing my research reports, takingb secrets, can a simple apology make up for that?" Natalie red harshly at Wraith, her grip tightening.

    Wraith, half-copsed, had no strength to resist,pletely at Natalie''s mercy like a chick ready for ughter. "Mom, how did he be your disciple?" Tina asked with interest.

    Wraith, still howling, was shocked, "Mom? She''s your mother! No wonder I couldn''t just beat you!"

    Natalie snorted withughter, "He''s very talented. We met by chance during a mission, and with my guidance, he was able to develop many sophisticated theories. It''s just that this kid has impure motives, always thinking of crooked paths!" "No wonder. I was wondering where he got all his skills from, some ideas always matching mine. It turns out it was your guidance," Tina remarked, enjoying the scene, with no intention to intervene.

    Desperate, Wraith pleaded, "Tina, I have something to tell you, can your mom... my dear master, let go of me?" Only then did Tina slowly speak, "Mom, let him go. I still have tasks for him."

    Natalie finally released him, having no real intention to harm him. Wraith stood up, rubbing his shoulder, "Now I see why thisb looked so familiar, and why I couldn''t beat you. Turns out you two are mother and daughter; I''ve truly fallen into your hands this lifetime!"

    Had he not met Natalie here, Wraith might never have remembered that before bing Wraith, he had interned in such ab. Back then, Natalie, known as Reba, was conducting her research while serving as a team captain at X Bureau. She had appreciated Wraith''s talent and had given him a few pointers.

    Little did he know, this highly talented kid would steal herb secrets and run away! Wraith also hadn''t expected that, yearster, he would encounter the daughter of the gue god, the little gue god!

    "How''s the task I gave you?" Tina inquired. Wraith caught his breath, "Why don''t you ask your mom? It''s about the stuff she used to research."

    Wraith was interested in Tina''s potion because he had previously encountered it in Natalie''sboratory and had been unable to unlock its secrets at that time. The trio entered anotherboratory, a room specifically designated for Wraith to study the potion. He was smart to keep the potion separate from other experiments to prevent any idents.

    "Our previous research direction was indeed effective, but now it seems this thing has a mind of its own. Every time we make a little progress, it changes direction. It continuously devours the original cells and generates new ones, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, never exhausting-a very peculiar phenomenon," Wraith exined.

    Tina and Natalie squatted in front of the potion''s culture, observing the phenomenon Wraith described. Tina had originally thought it merely had healing effects, but now it seemed that these were merely a precursor to the cells'' rebirth, more akin to a self-healing process.

    Natalie frowned. "This thing really does surprise me every time."

    Previously, Natalie had discovered the potion''s healing effects, which were already quite strange, and now this new reaction emerged. "What kind of virus is GTO researching that it reacts like this?" Tina wondered deeply.

    Every poison or medicine has two sides: it can save or kill, depending on the intent of the user and the dosage. Some poisons, when mixed in the right proportions, be curative medicines. Conversely, some medicines can be deadly poisons with the addition of certain elements!

    But the series of reactions like healing, self-healing, regeneration, and extension that this potion exhibited was unprecedented. "GTO''s ambitions might be deeper than we imagined," Natalie said with a furrowed brow. Tina shared the same thought. Perhaps creating a virus akin to a biochemical weapon was not GTO''s ultimate goal. What Five Poisons wanted was even more shocking!

    Tina took thetest experimental report from Wraith''s hands, looking over the data and the timing and characteristics of each cellr extension. A new idea suddenly popped into her mind. "What if we stop its cell regeneration? Will it produce other reactions?"

    Wraith was taken aback. "What if the potion loses its activity and bes stagnant water?"

    Losing its activity meant the potion would lose its value, negating the need for further research. This would be a devastating blow for Wraith, who was keen to decode the potion.

    Just a heads up:  is the only ce to read theplete version of this book for free. Don''t miss out on the next chapter-visit us now and continue your journey!Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Natalie, however, shook her head. "No, and if the potion loses its activity, it just proves that it has a natural enemy, which is no different from having an antidote."

    Wraith scratched his head. "You two really dare to think and act. But how can we research how the potion was formed then?"

    "With an antidote, won''t researching the poison be possible?" Tina looked at Wraith with a puzzled face.

    Natalie agreed. This was like having the answer right in front of them; how could they not figure out the problem?

    Wraith was speechless. Even if there was only one answer, there could be countless possible problems, right? He was about to retort, but seeing the mother and daughter looking at him as if he were foolish, he swallowed his words. Fine, a pair of monsters. He would just stay silent then!

    Tina and Natalie spent nearly a day in theboratory with Wraith, finally determining the next direction for the potion''s research. Although Wraith verbally resisted, his actions werepliant!

    Tina felt a premonition that the day the truth would be unveiled was not far off.

 Chapter 628: I Finally See You

    In the Farrell household, Marie had just picked up Sophia from school and was preparing to enjoy some afternoon snacks and anime together. However, the incessant ringing of the doorbell interrupted their ns. "Mrs. Brown, who is it?" Marie called out.

    Mrs. Brown stammered, "Madam, perhaps you shoulde and see for yourself, this..."

    Hearing Mrs. Brown''s hesitation, Marie hesitated for a moment before setting down the snacks and rising from the sofa.

    As she approached the door, she asked, "Who is it really? Why all the secrecy?" But as she reached the door, her steps halted and her expression froze, words caught in her throat, unsure of what to say. The reason was the shocking sight before her, leaving her at a loss for words.

    Sophia rushed over. "Mom, what''s wrong? Hey, is this person a beggar?"

    Sophia looked at the disheveled figure standing at the door, with hair as messy as a lion''s mane, a face grimy and indistinct, and clothes emitting a foul odor-it was indeed the appearance of a beggar. More terrifying was the fierce and fearsome scar across the person''s face.

    Hearing Sophia''s words, the person at the door suddenly knelt down, crying out, "Auntie, I finally see you!"

    Startled, Sophia instinctively clung tightly to Marie.

    Marie quickly regained herposure, handed Sophia over to Mrs. Brown, and approached the beggar. She knelt down and gently brushed the person''s hair, "Stephanie, how did you end up like this?" The beggar was none other than Stephanie, the daughter of the Lyon family, Marie''s niece!

    Stephanie sobbed breathlessly, tears streaking down her face, making her look somewhatical.

    "Auntie, I finally found you, I finally found you!" Stephanie repeated, nearly copsing to the ground in despair.

    Marie didn''t ask further questions and quickly asked Mrs. Brown to prepare a bath and fresh clothes.

    After cleaning up, Stephanie''s original appearance became discernible. However, the scar on her face, untreated and still raw, was turned outwards at the edges, both ck and red. Even now, cleaned up as she was, Sophia was still frightened.

    Not just Sophia-Marie too found it hard to ept.

    Stephanie''s eyes were still red, but she had stopped crying.

    Mrs. Brown brought over a bowl of hot noodle soup. "Miss Lyon, eat something."

    Stephanie nodded, clearly famished, and began to devour the food voraciously, almost choking herself.

    Marie handed her a ss of fresh juice, gently patting her back. "Eat slowly, there''s no need to rush."

    Stunned, Stephanie''s tears began to fall again. "Auntie, I thought I''d never see you again."

    Overwhelmed with emotion, she couldn''t continue eating.

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    Marie had been disappointed with the Lyon family, especially Stephanie, whom she had thought was different-not as cold-hearted and detestable as the others.

    Yet, it seemed she had been mistaken.

    Now, seeing Stephanie in such a pitiable state, Marie couldn''t help but feel sympathy-they shared the same blood, after all. She was Stephanie''s aunt, and that fact was unchangeable. "Stephanie, weren''t you supposed to go abroad with your mother? What happened to you?"Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    After a crisis, the Lyon family''s daughters-inw had left with their children and the family''s wealth. The Lyon family had substantial assets; even divided, they should have provided a luxurious life for them.

    Marie thought she would never see anyone from the Lyon family again in her life. Yet, she never expected Stephanie to appear in such a way. Wiping away her tears, Stephanie choked up, "We really did go abroad, and my brother and I found universities to start over, but I never expected..." She paused, "I never expected that my mom would fall for a con artist. He freeloaded off us, almost... almost raped me!"

    Marie, taken aback, asked, "What about your mother?"

    "My mom waspletely charmed by that scammer, she wouldn''t believe he was plotting against me. She even told me that no man would like me the way I look now, saying that if any man did want to sleep with me, it would just be because I was being cheap!"

    Marie was shocked. Leah had never been like this; how could she say such things to her own daughter? In Marie''s memory, Leah had always favored her children. How could she have changed so much...

    Stephanie wiped her tears and continued, "Eventually, I couldn''t stand it anymore and moved into the university dorms. I never went back home. But then one day, I got a call from Eric. He said the con artist had swindled all our money and had vanished after beating up my mom."

    Marie sighed, "That''s karma. Then what happened?"

    "Then, since we couldn''t pay our tuition, Eric and I were expelled. We thought about selling our house abroad to get some cash toe back to our country, at least to have some security. But it turned out, the house had already been mortgaged by that gambler. It was only then we realized he was a gambling addict, always taking my mom out to gamble."

    "Later, debt collectors took over the house, and my mom ended up in jail abroad for gambling. Eric and I used thest of our money to buy ne tickets back home, but during ayover, I got separated from Eric. All our luggage was with him, and my phone got stolen. I... I had to beg all the way here, surviving only because of the kindness of strangers. I''m just d I could see you, Aunt Marie!"

    Marie was astounded by how Stephanie''s life had turned out. She tenderly touched Stephanie''s hair, "Poor child, you rest here for now. I''ll have a doctore and check on you, okay?"

    Stephanie nodded, "Yes, thank you, Aunt Marie, thank you for taking me in. It was all my fault before, I was foolish. It was all my doing."

    "We''ll talk about thatter, just settle down for now," Marie sighed.

    She could feel sympathy for Stephanie because of their blood ties, but as for Jared and Tina...

    Marie knew the mistakes Stephanie had made before were numerous, and getting Jared and Tina to ept her would be impossible.

    The family doctor arrived quickly, examining Stephanie thoroughly. Aside from malnutrition and some gastrointestinal damage, she was otherwise fine.

    After the check-up, Stephanie rested in the guest room and soon fell into a deep sleep. Seeing her sleep so soundly, Marie could imagine how rough her journey had been.

    A young girl, from a wealthy heiress to a beggar, surely could not sleep well.

    After settling Stephanie, Marie took out her phone and called Jared.

    "Jared,e over with Tina. Mom needs to discuss something with you."

    Jared had never heard Marie use such a tone and was somewhat surprised, but he did not ask further and brought Tina back to the Farrell family.

    As soon as they entered, Sophia eagerly told Tina, "Stephanie is here."

 Chapter 629: Resembling a Mushroom

    Tina paused, "Stephanie? Who is that?"Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    In Tina''s mind, the name Stephanie had long been flushed down the drain like toilet water.

    It wasn''t just Stephanie, the entire Lyon family seemed to have vanished from the world of Tina and Jared.

    Originally, the Lyon family had as much to do with them as fish with bicycles-nothing at all!

    Sophia nodded emphatically, "Yes, Stephanie, your mother''s niece, you''ve met her."

    Tina still looked confused, while Jared on the other hand recalled, "Lyon family."

    "Huh?" Tina blinked, confused.

    Jared couldn''t help but chuckle, flicking Tina''s forehead gently, "The one you thought had a nose like a mushroom."

    "Ah~" Tina suddenly realized, "Didn''t she go abroad? Howe she''s back?"

    What Tina didn''t voice was, how could she have the face to return?

    But Sophia was present, and it was not suitable for children to hear swear words.

    The two went inside with Sophia, finding Marie already seated in the living room, looking somewhat apologetic.

    "Mom, why is she here? Did something happen?" Jared asked.

    He knew his mother well; although asionally scatterbrained, she was clear-headed about major issues.

    The Lyon family had been terrible, and Stephanie had once even tried to break him and Tina up; Marie would certainly not forgive her.

    If Stephanie had settled into the Farrell family, it must be due to some difficult circumstances that Marie found hard to ept, softening her heart.

    Marie recounted Stephanie''s ordeal, "I never expected things to turn out this way. I thought we had parted ways for good, but then this happened." Marie nced at Tina guiltily as she spoke, feeling ashamed.

    She felt she had no face to face Tina.

    For Tina, Stephanie was not a significant figure, and whether Marie showedpassion was of no concern to Tina.

    The issues between aunt and niece were not Tina''s to meddle in.

    "Marie, make your own decision, don''t worry about my opinion," Tina said with a gentle smile, looking at Marie.

    Marie bit her lip, "Tina, Auntie also..."

    "Marie, Stephanie is still your niece, the only kin from your parental home, and she has been close to you over the years. Whatever you choose, I will not object. Follow your heart."

    Hearing Tina''s words, Marie''s eyes filled with tears, "Tina, rest assured, I won''t let Stephanie bother you again. If she causes you any trouble, I will definitely teach her a lesson! Thank you, Tina." "There''s no need to thank me."

    This matter really had nothing to do with me.

    Thest phrase, Tina said silently in her heart, considering Marie''s dignity.

    Having expressed her stance, Jared naturally had no objections, but he grimly added, "She can stay, but she''s not allowed to live here. She must not show her face where Tina is, it''s bad luck." Allowing Stephanie some assistance was already Jared''s biggest concession.

    "I know, I''ve already had someone look for a house outside, why are you so harsh on your mom! Harsh man."

    Marie was less negotiable with Jared, originally wanting to keep Tinafortable, what did it have to do with him!

    Jared: "Mom, am I not a member of your family?"

    Marie: "No, you''re not!"

    Upstairs in the guest room, Stephanie quietly stood by the door, clenching her fists as she listened to the conversation below. Those who knew understood that this was the Farrell family home, and Marie was truly thedy of the house.

    To outsiders, it might seem like Tina was the true head of the Reed family.

    Stephanie hadn''t expected that even her decision to stay would depend on Tina''s mood.

    Tina slowly lifted her head, her gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the slightly ajar door of the upstairs guest room.

    Startled, Stephanie quickly shut the door tightly.

    She wasn''t sure if it was her imagination, but for a moment, it seemed as if she had made eye contact with Tina, causing her fingertips to tremble.

    Tina curved her lips into a smirk, a hint of mockery in her eyes.

    "By the way, Jared, when you have time, could you have someone look for Eric? I heard from Stephanie that they got separated during ayover. Check if Eric is still there, it''s quite worrying," Marie sighed.

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    Jared nodded in agreement, finding Eric would be good, it would relieve the Farrell family of having to deal with Stephanie.

    Soon, Marie had found a ce for Stephanie to stay; the Farrell family had plenty of houses to choose from.

    "Stephanie, this ce is close to the university. You can continue your graduate studies here. I will arrange a nanny to take care of your daily needs. Take this credit card, the PIN is your birthday. I''ll visit you once a week. Call me if you have any problems, okay?"

    After arranging everything for Stephanie, including a new phone and new clothes, Marie was ready.

    Holding the credit card, Stephanie choked up, "Aunt Marie, is it that Jared and... Tina still can''t forgive me? Is mying to you causing you trouble?"

    Marie took a deep breath, gently touched Stephanie''s hair, and said, "Stephanie, you know what happened before. Some things aren''t easily forgiven. Since we''ve made mistakes, we truly repent and believe that one day your cousin and Tina will forgive you. Just focus on your studies and don''t neglect them like before, okay?"

    "I understand, thank you, Aunt Marie." Stephanie nodded, her fingers brushing her cheek, a trace of insecurity in her eyes, "My face, can I still go to school?"

    "What are you afraid of? I will arrange for the best stic surgeons to see you. The doctors say you can''t have surgery now, but after some recuperation, we''ll proceed slowly, okay?"

    Marie knew that a girl''s appearance was of utmost importance.

    Especially Stephanie, who had always been meticulous about her appearance, undergoing various cosmetic procedures.

    Now, unable to ept her current state, Stephanie pressed her lips together, "Aunt Marie, that... will Tina help?"

    Marie paused, her gaze turning slightly cold, "Stephanie, you know it''s not easy for Tina to intervene. It''s not just you; even a stranger wouldn''t easily get her help. Spectre isn''t someone who heals just because she''s asked, and besides, your injury isn''t life-threatening. Just bear with it a little longer."

    "Okay, I understand, thank you, Aunt Marie." Stephanie didn''t ask further, her eyes downcast, suppressing the resentment within.

    Marie sighed softly, stroked Stephanie''s hair, "Alright, you rest well now. You have to report to school tomorrow. You know the ce well, so I won''t take you."

    "Okay, goodbye." Stephanie smiled as she saw off Marie, and her smile slowly faded as Marie''s car disappeared.

    She touched the scar on her face, the hatred in her eyes deepening.

 Chapter 630: Tit for Tat

    In the evening, a light rain drizzled outside. Stephanie sat in the living room, having dismissed the nanny, with a ss of red wine on the table, quietly staring at the ceiling. Suddenly, the door swung open, but Stephanie showed no reaction. A gust of cold air swept in, causing her to frown slightly. "Don''t you know how to close the door?" she snapped.

    "You''re still as nagging as ever," came a voice.

    At the door, a woman set down her umbre, her high heels clicking as she stepped inside. The sound of her heels only increased Stephanie''s irritation, her frown deepening. "You''re still as rude as ever."

    The woman sat down, her exquisite face contrasting sharply with Stephanie''s reddened scars. Gazing at the woman''s wless cheeks, Stephanie''s eyes hardened with hatred, wishing she could smash the red wine ss and sh the woman''s face with its shards. "To awaken the expensive wine with her blood!"

    "Grace, haven''t I told you to cover that disgusting face of yours every time you see me?" This woman was Grace, imprisoned for intentional injury!

    Grace scoffed, crossing her long legs, her gaze mocking. "Compared to yours, your face is the uglier one, isn''t it?"

    "You!" Stephanie stood abruptly, ring venomously at Grace. For a moment, she truly wanted to strangle her.

    Grace, unfazed, coolly gestured with her fingertips, mockingly signaling Stephanie to sit. "Sit down and listen to me carefully, or you''ll regret it."

    Begrudgingly, Stephanie sat down, sneering soon after. "We are both nothing but underdogs, Grace. Do you think you''re any better than me? You think you''re still the little princess adored by all? Let me tell you, you''re nothing now, so stop acting so high and mighty, you wretch."

    "Watch your mouth!" Grace snapped back. "What do you think you are?"

    "I''m not anything special, and neither are you."

    Their confrontation was intense, neither yielding to the other, until a p of thunder outside calmed them down, stopping their bickering.

    After a moment, Grace pulled out two photographs from her bag. "This is Lysander, a senior at Kongham University, preparing to apply for a master''s in finance, and the head of the Emerson family."

    Stephanie nced at Grace, picking up Lysander''s photo. "This guy, the gaming prodigy from before, right?"

    Grace, not to be outdone, red back at Stephanie. "Yes,st year''s champion. He''s also Tina''s apprentice. It seems he has a crush on Tina, often collecting information about her. This time, you should try to drive a wedge between him and Tina."

    Stephanieughed scornfully. "Shouldn''t you be the one to do this? Seduction is more your thing, especially since you want to marry Jared. You two are a perfect match."

    "Stephanie, I''m discussing serious matters. Don''t forget what the boss said!"

    At the mention of their boss, Stephanie involuntarily shivered, her tone bing more serious. "Anything else?"

    Grace snorted quietly. "For now, that''s it. Oh, and Orson from the Farrell family is also at Kongham University, apparently in contact with Courtney from the X Bureau. Courtney''s a problem too. Orson and Lysander are close; perhaps you can kill two birds with one stone."

    "Got it. Now leave, I don''t want to see you anymore." Stephanie downed the ss of red wine and coldly dismissed her guest.

    Grace was equally unwilling to stay longer. She had befriended Stephanie long ago merely because she was a child of the Lyon family, which had some standing, and because she was Jared''s sister.

    There was never much sisterly affection to speak of.

    "Take care of yourself."

    With that, Grace left.

    Outside, the rain grew heavier, and Stephaniey in the dark, her eyes wide open, her hatred intensifying.

    She clutched Lysander''s photo in her hand, grinding her mrs fiercely.

    "Tina, just you wait!"

    After the rain, Kongham University was suffused with the scent of cherry blossoms, and the post-spring shower weather was increasingly clear.

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    However, Lysander''s expression was quite gloomy.

    He had bought an apartment conveniently located between his school and the office, though he hadn''t given up his single dorm room at the university, which remained unupied. But ever since Orson hade to study, his dorm had never been quiet.

    Today, as he went to pick up some things from school, he entered to find a freshly showered Orson wandering around naked.

    He nearly screamed, mistaking him for a pervert about to call security!

    "Don''t you know it just rained? It''s pretty cold, close the door!" Orson grabbed a Coke from the fridge and took a big swig. Lysander flung the door wide open. "You know it''s cold and yet you drink a cold Coke, why don''t you just freeze to death?"

    Since it was a school dormitory, the corridor was bustling with people who caught a glimpse of Orson''s bare body,ughing out loud. "Have you no shame? Don''t you know to close the door?" Orson hurried over and shut it.

    Lysander intended to sit on the bed, but seeing the scattered underwear and clothes, he disdainfully chose a small sofa instead.

    "You talk of shame? Don''t you know this is my dorm?"

    Orson, leaning against the bed, retorted, "We''re all so familiar, what''s wrong with me staying here?"

    "Who''s familiar with you?" Lysander frowned. "Can''t you put on some clothes?"

    "I just took a shower; I''m airing out." Orson was unconcerned. "Besides, you''re a man, what''s there to be shy about?"

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    Lysander shouted in frustration, "Don''t sit on the bed without drying off! This is my dorm, my bed, if you want to air out, go home!"

    Orson''s expression fell, and he hung his head without a word.

    Lysander knew he had touched on Orson''s sore spot and sighed heavily, tidying the messy heap of things on the sofa into a cab. "I don''t know why you''re acting up. Even if he was your biological father, you weren''t raised by him. Why put on this act of a tortured, beautiful young man?"

    Since Joshua''s incident, Orson had not returned to the Farrell family, staying at the school instead.

    He asionally called Logan to check in.

    Logan, knowing Orson''s temperament and personality, didn''t push him to return and let hime to terms on his own.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Whatever Joshua had done, it was no fault of Orson''s.

    Orson silently got dressed, without a word.

    He didn''t even know why he was acting up; he just felt guilty toward the Farrell family.

    They had raised him, and yet the person who had taken him in harbored such thoughts.

    In the end, he had even turned a knife on the family he loved, though not rted by blood. Afterward, Orson had been unable to recover.

    Lysander found what he came for, ncing at Orson. "I have ss today, what about you?"

    "I don''t have sses, I''lle with you." Orson, bored and not wanting to stay cooped up, followed.

    Knowing he could not stop him, Lysander simply grabbed his books and left.

    Orson followed behind, shedding his sorrowful demeanor and chattering nonstop to Lysander.

 Chapter 631: The Mean Jared

    Inside the ssroom, Lysander found a spot to sit down, and Orson naturally joined him, idly flipping through his book. Before long, they heard whispers and snickers from nearby. Turning their heads together, they saw a girl sitting behind them, her face marked by a deep scar. Lysander turned his head back emotionlessly; there was nothing there to pique his curiosity.

    Orson, however, kept staring incessantly. "She looks familiar, doesn''t she?" Lysander twisted his head back around, "Can you stop staring at the girl endlessly?" Orson forcibly turned his head away, "I just think this woman looks familiar, like I''ve seen her somewhere before... Hey! Aren''t you Stephanie?"

    Orson, having been raised by Marie, naturally knew Stephanie, though they weren''t very close. Previously, Stephanie had looked down on Orson for being adopted and mimicked Jared''s haughty demeanor shamelessly. Orson, for his part, disdained Stephanie''s affected manners, finding her sickening as she constantly hovered behind Jared. Although the two never confronted each other directly, they ignored each other, maintaining a surface-level harmony while secretly despising one another. When no adults were present, they managed to avoid rolling their eyes at each other.

    Stephanie looked up, surprised at seeing Orson, and quickly covered her face, "Orson? What are you doing here?" "Shouldn''t I be asking you that? What happened to your face?" Orson had not been home for a while and waspletely unaware of the upheaval within the Lyon family.

    Stephanie looked down, "It''s not important. Are you also studying here?" Orson, who had never heard Stephanie speak so gently before, was curious. The princess-like airs she used to carry were gone. "Yes, did you transfer here too? Does Marie know?" "Yes, she knows. I''m here for graduate studies. My advisor said I had wasted a lot of time with the transfer and suggested I start attending sses to get acquainted."

    Orson, though annoyed by Stephanie, did not ignore her as before but instead introduced her to Lysander, draping an arm over his shoulder, "This is my brother, Lysander, say hello." Lysander, disdainfully ncing at Orson, was also unaware of the Lyon family affairs, and such trivial matters were not disclosed to him at Clearwater within the Mountain Veil Order. He nodded politely at Stephanie, "It''s time for ss." His tone clearly showed hisck of interest in further conversation. Stephanie, sensing the mood, said to Orson, "We can talk moreter." Orson nodded and whispered teasingly to Lysander, who responded by stomping on his foot under the table. After ss, Orson, who had fallen asleep on the desk, was kicked by Lysander, "Are we going?" "Oh, let''s go. Stephanie, it''s noon, let''s have lunch together." Orson got up, wiping drool from his mouth, and called out to Stephanie.

    Being new and scarred, Stephanie had few friends and followed them. In the cafeteria, Orson finally asked her straightforwardly. Stephanie briefly exined her situation, omitting her misdeeds and portraying herself as a pitiable figure. "It''s my fault. I shouldn''t have listened to Grace, causing Tina such distress. It''s only right that I ended up this way, but thankfully Tina holds no grudges, allowing me to start anew."

    Orson nodded. "You should really thank me, Tina. It wouldn''t be too much even if you knelt down. I knew they were being mistreated in Clearwater, and I would have rushed over no matter what. Thinking of making my Tina sad? Shameless!" Orson kept repeating Tina''s name, much to Lysander''s annoyance, who couldn''t even eat his meal. "You used to call her a country bumpkin, and now you''re so happy to call her Tina. Did Tina agree?"

    "Mind your own business." Orson snatched the meat from Lysander''s bowl, continuing toin about Stephanie.

    Lysander remained silent but observed Stephanie covertly.

    Later, Orson kindly took Stephanie around the school to familiarize her with the environment. Kongham University had constructed many new buildings, making it quite different from Stephanie''s time there. Lysander followed behind, quietly calling Tina.

    After hearing him out, Tinaughed and said, "I know, you don''t need to worry about her, just focus on your studies."

    "Tina, don''t you need me to teach her a lesson?" Lysander was eager to show his loyalty.

    Since Tina had handed over the Emerson family to Lysander, he hadn''t seen her. He barely received replies to his messages. Knowing about Tina''s situation in Clearwater, he understood that Stephanie''s stories were likely understated.

    He wanted to defend Tina''s honor, but Tina''s voice cooled, reprimanding him, "Lysander, you are the head of the Emerson family and the leader of the Mountain Veil Order. I gave you this position and power to enrich yourself, not to squabble with trifles!"

    Lysander shuddered, realizing his mistake. How could Tina care about such a minor character as Stephanie?

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    He had been too eager, forgetting his role.

    "I''m sorry, Tina."

    Tina sighed, "Look further ahead. First, manage the Emerson family''spany well. Thepany''s performance is declining, and there''s instability among the staff. With internal threats looming, you need to keep order at home to focus on your responsibilities."

    "Yes, I understand, Tina," Lysander replied.

    Tina then ended the call.

    Jared, noticing Tina''s serious expression, couldn''t help but ask, "What trouble has that little rabbit caused you now?"

    "What little rabbit?"

    "Little bunny."

    Jared smirked slightly, "When ites to Lysander''s issues, you always get so petty."

    It''s no wonder Marie said he was mean!

    Jared didn''t mind being called harsh. He knew Lysander had eyes for his wife for years, yet he couldn''t do much but spare him for her sake.

    Could he be anything but harsh?

    Regarding Tina''s issues, he admitted to being petty. What else could he do?

    "Stephanie had lunch with Lysander and Orson today. It''s her first day at school and she''s already fitting in," Tina said, half-lying on the sofa, resting her head on Jared''s leg. "Her social skills are quite good."

    Jared was browsing through a tablet, looking at Pa''stest research report on a chip. There was little progress, but it was somewhat sessful.

    "However she wants to be, it''s not our concern."

    Tinaughed, "Try not to be too harsh, especially since Marie is still around. Give her some face."

    Jared paused, put down his tablet, and yfully kissed Tina twice.

    "If you call me harsh again, I''ll just kiss you."

    Tina blinked, amused by the proposition.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

 Chapter 632: Stephanies Suicide Attempt

    Jared looked into Tina''s glittering eyes and realized he might have said something wrong.

    The girl was clearly looking forward to it.

    Tinaughed, stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around Jared''s neck, kissing him on the lips intermittently while making sharp remarks. Not one kiss more than necessary! Tina was a true businesswoman, adhering strictly to contract terms and practicing integrity to the utmost. She was known as a conscientious merchant!

    Jared, with one hand around Tina''s waist, pushed her down onto the couch.

    The majestic aura of the man filled the office; his broad palm gripped Tina''s slender waist, while his other hand supported him on the couch, his face drawing ever closer. Tina, still embracing Jared''s neck with intertwined fingers, arched her back.

    She curved her lips, her cunning gaze lingering for a few seconds on Jared''s hormone-fueled face.

    Suddenly, she pressed her hands forcefully against the back of Jared''s head, pushing him down.

    Forey seemed unnecessary.

    Their lips entwined, the rising tension cascading down like a waterfall, weaving into streams scattered across a starry sea.

    Jared''s hand on the couch slightly bent, his fingers straining to control the desires stirring within.

    This was the office.

    Outside were many employees.

    He must not act impulsively.

    He must not act impulsively!

    The restraint resulted in Jared''s lips, honeyed and irresistible, unable to leave those floral fields.

    A sudden ringtone from the phone went unnoticed by them, still entangled with each other.

    Once, twice, the persistent ringing finally annoyed the frustrated Mr. Farrell.

    Without looking, Jared grabbed the phone and growled, "Speak!"

    The person on the other end paused, then started crying, sounding somewhat aggrieved, "Jared, why are you angry? Did I upset you?"

    It was then Jared nced at the caller ID; it was Sophia.

    His tone softened, "No, I didn''t see the caller ID. Sorry, Sophia. You''ve called several times; is something the matter?"

    Tina also sat up; the office was very quiet, and Sophia''s crying was quite loud, so she heard clearly.

    Jared soothed Sophia for a long while until her emotions gradually stabilized, and she slowly revealed the purpose of her call.

    "Jared, Mom found a doctor for Stephanie, but the doctor said her face can''t be restored. Stephanie is now hiding in her room crying. Mom looks very worried."

    Marie had found the best stic surgeon, but the scars on Stephanie''s face were mixed with Old Kris''s poison and had be infected over time, leaving no hope for recovery. Several doctors had said the same.

    This dealt a huge blow to Stephanie, who had recently been the center of attention at school.

    At Kongham University, the students had even started a humorous student ranking, and Stephanie, living up to expectations, topped the list!

    Now, knowing her face couldn''t be healed, she had locked herself in her room all day; Marie had stayed up all night without seeing here out.

    Now she was frantically calling for Stephanie to open the door.

    Jared frowned; he knew Stephanie wouldn''t settle down easily.

    "Tell Mom to let her be," he said.

    Sophia sighed like an adult, "Mom gets soft-hearted even watching videos of stray puppies online, let alone Stephanie. How can she possibly just let her be?"

    As they were talking, Marie suddenly screamed over the phone, "Help! Help!"

    Jared''s eyes narrowed. "Sophia, what happened?"

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    Sophia shrieked, "Oh my God, there''s so much blood, it looks like Stephanie has tried to kill herself!"

    Jared cursed under his breath. Stephanie could do whatever she wanted as long as she didn''t scare his mother and sister!

    "I''ming over now."

    Jared hung up the phone and rushed to the scene, with Tina following him.

    "Tina, I''ll take you home, you don''t need toe."

    It was clear as day that Stephanie''s actions were aimed at Tina.

    A suicide attempt, how ridiculous.

    She had begged her way to Ashbury, enduring humiliation all along the way without killing herself, and the scars on her face weren''t new.

    A suicide attempt now?

    She just wanted to make Marie swallow her pride and ask Tina for help.

    Tina was well aware of this, "It''s okay, I don''t want Marie to be sad."

    "I don''t want you topromise yourself," Jared said seriously to Tina.

    He would never allow Tina to indulge others out ofpassion, giving them a chance to cling to her.

    Even if it was his own family member!

    He would never let her do anything she disliked.

    Tina smiled nonchntly, "Uncle, I''m not at allpromised, in fact, I find it quite amusing."

    Jared sighed deeply, instantly understanding Tina''s attitude.

    He yfully tapped Tina''s nose, his tone filled with boundless fondness, "Always ying."

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    Tina blinked and yfully tugged at Jared''s chin, "If not for fun, what should one like? For beauty, perhaps?"

    Jared held Tina''s hand, seriously responding, "Yes, liking beauty is fine. I am the most beautiful."

    Tina burst outughing.

    She hadn''t realized before how narcissistic Jared could be!

    But she liked it.

    At the hospital.

    Stephanie was rushed to the emergency room with a five-millimeter deep gash on her wrist from a vase.

    The shard had cut a blood vessel, and she had also swallowed sleeping pills. When Jared and Tina arrived, she was still being resuscitated.

    Marie, anxious, waited outside the door, surprised to see Tina, "Tina, why did youe?"

    "I was worried about you," Tina said, helping Marie to sit down. "Marie, I checked the medical records when I arrived. She should be out soon."

    True enough, two minutester, the doors of the emergency room opened, and Stephanie, still unconscious, was wheeled out.

    "Doctor, my niece is all right, isn''t she?" Marie asked.

    The doctor shook his head, "She''s fine, her stomach''s been pumped, and she''ll be okay once she wakes up, but be careful, her stomach was already weak and is now even more fragile, prone to disease." Marie was deeply worried. It had taken so much effort to nurse Stephanie back to health, and now this had happened.

    In the hospital room, Stephanie had not yet awakened, and Marie sat by her side, a look of worry etched on her face.

    She was considering finding a psychologist for Stephanie, slowly treating the facial scars. There had to be a way, but the thought of suicide must not reappear.

    Tina looked over Stephanie''s medical record, noting the whole bottle of sleeping pills she had consumed.

    She had thought there might be some vitamins mixed in, but Stephanie had truly been ruthless.Original from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 633: Uncles Status Drops to Third

    An hourter, Stephanie finally woke up, her face deathly pale and her voice weak and breathless. She had never felt so terrible in her life. It was like she was dying! What Grace had given her turned out to be a bottle of sleeping pills-she had thought they were vitamins. Had she known, she wouldn''t have taken any!

    "Stephanie, you''re awake," Marie said with relief as she saw Stephaniee around, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from her heart. To emphasize her frailty, Stephanie intentionally coughed twice, almost causing her stomach to cramp up from the effort.

    "Aunt Marie, what happened to me?" Stephanie asked, her eyes brimming with tears-not from pretense, but from genuine pain.

    Marie sat beside her on the hospital bed, wiping her tears away, "You silly child, dare you ask what happened? You almost never got to see me again."

    Stephanie feigned surprise, lifting her wrist and a look of realization crossing her face, "I... I''m sorry, Aunt Marie. I wasn''t thinking straight."

    "You really are..." Marie grasped Stephanie''s hand, her heart full of words she couldn''t express.

    Meanwhile, Jared sat on a sofa with a grim expression, his dark eyes like storm clouds without an end in sight. Tina, on the other hand, looked amused. Such potential, truly. It seemed Stephanie wasn''t far behind Grace in her antics. If she were properly groomed within thepany, she might even surpass Juliet.

    Juliet: Impossible, absolutely impossible!

    Tina, supporting her chin with one hand, was already plotting eagerly.

    After a few words with Stephanie, Marie looked up at Jared, "Jared, you take Sophia back. Everything''s settled here; I''ll stay."

    Stephanie slowly sat up, her eyes filled with guilt as she looked at Jared and then at Tina, "Jared... Tina."

    Tina stood up, looping her arm through Jared''s, and smiled warmly at Stephanie, "Long time no see." The warmth was such that even Tina herself would have been surprised by it. She really wanted to make money. Money was her lifeblood, Uncle was just a bonus!

    Jared: Now I rank lower not only than strawberry cake but also money!

    Tina: Oh right, there''s the strawberry cake. You''re only third ce now, a mere substitute!

    Jared: No way!!

    Stephanie hadn''t expected Tina to actually greet her proactively, and she couldn''t be med for taking advantage of that! Stephanie removed the IV needle from her hand and slowly got off the bed, then knelt on the floor with a thud. "Tina, I was wrong about before, please forgive me. I was misled by Grace and Grandma, I didn''t expect things to turn out this way. It was all my fault, please don''t be angry anymore. I know I was wrong."

    Stephanie knelt on the floor, her head hitting the ground hard. It wasn''t her intention to be so dramatic; she thought that being sick, Jared, if not Sophia, would stop her, or at least Marie would.

    But acting required a bit of realism, and she had used too much strength.

    Unexpectedly, no one came forward to stop her.

    Tina almostughed out loud, but her excellent self-control kept herposed.

    For a moment, the entire hospital room was silent, filled with an awkward stillness.

    Stephanie could only raise her head, looking timidly and pitifully at Tina. "Tina, would you forgive me?"

    Tina smiled back at Stephanie, mimicking her tone, "What are you doing? I have never med you."

    Jared nced at Tina, observing her barely contained expression, curved his lips, and gently stroked Tina''s hair, "Yeah, our Tina is the most forgiving, truly kind-hearted."

    "That''s right, Tina has the kindest heart, she hardly ever holds grudges against anyone. Stephanie, don''t pull this kind of stunt again. It was your fault to begin with. Knowing your mistake and making amends is good. Forgiving you means you are sincerely remorseful, and not forgiving you is also understandable. Who asked you to go so far? Kneeling and bowing like this, making it hard for people not to forgive you, isn''t it disgusting?" Sophia snorted from the side.

    Being scolded so harshly by a child just in elementary school, Stephanie naturally couldn''t hold her face.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Marie took a breath, "Stephanie, Sophia is right, get up, what''s the need for kneeling and bowing like this?"

    It was all for an apology! Stephanie screamed internally, though reluctantly, she couldn''t show it on her face.

    "I was just anxious, Aunt Marie, I didn''t want Tina to misunderstand me." Stephanie got up from the ground, not sure if it was intentional, but as she did, she felt a pain in her face.

    She half-supported herself on the edge of the bed, one hand covering her face, "Ah, it hurts!"

    It was then that Marie came over to help Stephanie, "Rest for now."

    "Aunt Marie, will I ever be able to recover?" Stephanie persisted, gripping Marie''s hand tightly, a trace of vulnerability in her eyes.

    Like a delicate flower that falls at the slightest breeze.

    Marie sighed gently, "With today''s technology, what can''t be healed? Just keep a calm mind, and we''ll take it slow."

    A very standardforting tone.

    Stephanie suddenly burst into tears, crying pitifully, "I knew it, I don''t deserve to have a whole face. If Tina won''t forgive me, my face won''t heal either, Aunt Marie, I... I..." Stephanie cried breathlessly, making it seem as if something serious had happened in the hospital room.

    Jared had had enough and was about to leave with Tina.

    Seeing this, Stephanie quickly stepped forward and grabbed Tina''s wrist, "Tina, won''t you really forgive me?"

    Tina looked at the person in front of her, her face tear-streaked, pitiful.

    "I said I forgive you."

    Stephanie pushed further, "Then... could you help heal my face? You are a Spectre, such a small injury is nothing for you, right? Tina, please, help me!"

    Tina slightly curved her lips, not pulling her wrist away, she had intentionally let Stephanie stop her.

    Otherwise, she wouldn''t even let her touch a hair on her head.

    "Okay." Tina calmly looked at Stephanie, nodding indifferently.

    Stephanie was momentarily stunned. So easy?

    She wouldn''t ask me for eight hundred billion again, would she?

    Now, let alone eight hundred billion, even eighty dors she would have to beg from Marie.

 Chapter 634: I Have My Rules

    "Do you really agree?" Stephanie asked incredulously as she looked at Tina.

    Tina nodded, "Yes, I agree."

    "But you... you..." Stephanie was at a loss for words for a moment.

    Marie was also surprised by Tina''s agreement. "Tina, are you really willing to help Stephanie?"

    Tina affirmed, "Yes, but I have my rules, as you know I don''t lend a hand for nothing."

    Stephanie knew it; Tina was not so kind-hearted to help her for nothing.

    "I know, but I don''t have any money now. Can I write you an IOU and pay you back when I have the money?" Stephanie asked. Tina smiled, her red lips curving up beautifully, "I don''t want money."

    Stephanie''s heart trembled as she stared at Tina''s smile, suddenly feeling as if she had fallen into a bottomless trap.

    A trap that could doom her forever!

    After leaving the hospital, Jared drove Sophia back home.

    Sophia seized every opportunity to stick close to Tina. "Tina, what was the condition you just agreed on with Stephanie?" Tina held Sophia in her arms, meticulously parting her hair to create a sweet little hairstyle.

    "I''ll tell you when you''re older."

    Sophia sat steadily, leaning back against Tina, her small shoulders pressed against her chest.

    After a while, Sophia slowly said, "Tina, your chest is so big."

    Jared nearly choked on his own saliva.

    Tina remainedposed; Jared''s face, however, turned a bright red, as if he had mixed a new shade on a painter''s palette. "Children shouldn''t speak like that," Jared cleared his throat.

    Sophia scoffed, "Jared, how can you be so conservative? I just think Tina has a nice figure, why can''t I say that? It is big."

    Jared abruptly pulled over to the side of the road, forcefully moving Sophia to the passenger seat.

    "Say one more word, and I''ll send you to boarding school tomorrow!"

    Sophia muttered under her breath.

    Soon after, Jared dropped Sophia off at home where Asher was waiting.

    As Sophia stepped out of the car, she whispered to Jared, "Jared, you can''t possibly not have noticed how good Tina looks."

    "Sophia! You''re going to boarding school tomorrow!"

    Having vented her feelings, Sophia ran into Asher''s arms, urging him to hurry and take her home.

    Asher, observing his son''s anger and his daughter''s triumph, was utterly baffled.

    What was going on?

    After Sophia left, Tina couldn''t hold back any longer,ughing in the backseat.

    Jared''s face grew even redder. "Tina, stopughing."

    "Hahaha."

    She couldn''t help it!

    Tina had never expected Jared to be shy about such a topic.

    And to blush like that!

    Listening to theughter from the backseat, Jared felt for the first time that his masculinity was being challenged.

    He pulled at his tie and then stepped out of the driver''s seat, opening the rear door.

    Decisively, he moved to stop the brightughter.

    Inside the car, things were heated, while outside...

    Asher awkwardly shuffled his feet, holding the soup Mrs. Brown had prepared for Tina, unsure of how to begin.

    "Ahem... um... excuse me, could you stop for a moment?"

    Jared paused sharply, lifting his head and bumping it hard on the car ceiling. Without pausing to rub it, he hurried out of the car.

    "Dad," Jared said, trying to appear calm as he faced Asher.

    Asher nodded slightly in acknowledgment, handing over the insted box to Jared with a meaningful expression, "The soup has just been made; don''t rush to sip it, no hurry at all." What a pun!

    After saying this, Asher turned and entered his house, leaving Jared standing awkwardly alone.

    He could never return to that ce again!

    Brookes family.

    Natalie was tending to Ian''s health.

    "Dad, did you stay uptest night again?" Natalie asked, checking his pulse while frowning slightly.

    Ian shook his head firmly, "No, no, how could I possibly stay up? You saw me go to my room to sleep!"

    Natalie let out a sigh of relief, "You only went to sleep between 3:40 and 3:45 AM. Spent all night readingics, didn''t you?"

    Ian smacked his lips, amazed at how traditional medicine could even reveal the exact time he fell asleep.

    "Alina, are you hungry? Dad''s stomach is upset; I''d like something to eat," Ian said, holding his stomach.

    Natalie understood and pointed to some snacks, "You just had two pieces."

    As soon as Tina entered, she saw Ian being yful and whiny with Natalie, while Brandon was pping and enjoying the spectacle.

    "Is this how you team up to bully a defenseless old man?" Tina walked in, handing Ian a bag.

    Brandonmented, "Defenseless? Which defenseless old man can bend a steel bar with his bare hands? He even used it to teach me a lesson!"

    Ian finally found his savior, "Exactly, you guys are annoying. Only my granddaughter is nice to me."

    "Grandpa, here''s thetestic book for you," Tina said, standing protectively beside Ian.

    The grandfather and granddaughter enjoyed their time together, exclusive to all others.

    Just then, Jack returned, picking up Kiki and Mimi, and brought back an invitation, handing it to Tina.

    "What''s this?" Tina took the invitation, a look of surprise shing in her eyes.

    It was an invitation from the Pace family.

    "Today at the office, I ran into Boris. He mentioned that Leo wants to invite you and Alina to have a casual meal with the Pace family," Jack exined, puzzled by the sudden invitation. Tina raised her eyebrows, "Perhaps because I saved him earlier? Mom, shall we go?"

    She casually passed the invitation to Natalie.

    Natalie looked at the invitation intently, then said solemnly, "Go, where there''s a meal, how can we not?"

    Tinaughed, "Alright."

    Pace family.

    Boris was busily setting up for tonight''s dinner.

    Though busy, he was essentially just bustling about needlessly.

    He didn''t need to cook or wash dishes, so he busied himself by directing the servants in arranging the tes.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    He listened to theughtering from the study, a steady elderly voice mingling with the crisp, bell-likeughter, sounding somewhat mismatched but not entirely inappropriate. Boris pursed his lips, to the uninformed it might seem like his father was having a fling with a grandchild.

    Soon after, Tina and Natalie arrived. Despite holding an invitation personally written by Leo, they underwent a series of checks before finally entering the Pace family home. Boris was waiting at the door, "Ms. Brookes, Miss Reed, right this way."

    Natalie scrutinized Boris, trying to find a hint of familiarity in him, but found none.

    "Mr. Pace," Natalie greeted.

 Chapter 635: Grace Surprisingly Appears at the Pace Family

    Tina merely gave a symbolic smile, as the past grievances had yet to be resolved. "My father is currently with guests, he will be out soon. Please wait a moment, dinner will also be ready shortly," Boris exined before attending to his tasks. Tina sipped her tea, "Is this meant to intimidate us?" Natalie was unimpressed, "If Leo wanted to intimidate me, he wouldn''t resort to such low-end tactics." It was clear that Boris wanted to intimidate them personally. Tinaughed softly without responding.

    After about an hour, Tina and Natalie were still being ignored. Boris was busy with something, and Leo had not left his study. Only when the servants had prepared the meal and called everyone to the table did Leo finally emerge. Boris hurried over, helping Leo along with a woman by his side. "Everett, when did you arrive?" Leo, visibly surprised to see Natalie, greeted her. Natalie slightly curled her lips, ncing inadvertently at Boris, "I''ve been here a while. Mr. Pace told me not to disturb you, so I didn''te over." Tina, meanwhile, looked meaningfully at the woman beside Leo and smiled.

    Leo nced at Boris, his words tinged with reproach, "Boris, didn''t I say to bring Everett and Tina to the study after they arrived?" Boris, head bowed, replied, "Dad, I just got distracted." Tina smirked, "Mr. Pace, weren''t you just standing in the kitchen the whole time? Supervising?" Borisughed awkwardly, his intention clear. Tina, on the other hand, showed no regard for guest etiquette-did she not know that more words could mean more mistakes?

    Leo looked deeply at Boris, but with everyone present, it was not the ce to speak further, "Everett, Tina,e sit by me, let me introduce you." He looked affectionately at the woman on his right. As they took their seats, Tina spoke up first, "Grandpa Pace, no need for introductions, I know Miss Hancock." The woman was Grace! Tina had considered that meeting Stephanie might eventually lead to encountering Grace. She hadn''t expected Grace to appear here, a former convict dining at the table of a former bureau chief of the X Bureau, truly remarkable.

    Grace raised her ss, the brandy reflecting her half-smiling face, although the reflection in the ss and alcohol made her smile seem somewhat sinister. "Miss Reed, I didn''t expect to meet you here today. I offer you a toast as an apology. I was foolish before, please forgive me." Grace''s method of apology was evidently more polished than Stephanie''s, leaving no room for criticism. This was in front of Leo, whom Natalie respected deeply and Tina was quite fond of. Tina responded indifferently, "It''s not like you scarred my face, no need to apologize to me."

    Grace, faced with her own misdeeds being publicly discussed, struggled to maintain herposure, but managed to keep from revealing more. She bowed her head, genuinely remorseful, "I was very upset at the time, and Stephanie said some things that provoked me. I couldn''t help it... I was wrong, I was too impulsive." Boris quickly interjected, "Given the circumstances, it was indeed difficult for you to stay rational, and you have already faced punishment. People should not be branded as viins for life after one mistake, Miss Hancock, don''t mind it."

    After speaking, he nced at Tina again, his eyes mocking. It was as if he was saying, "What does it matter to you what someone else is like? Why are you interfering?" Natalie shot Boris a look; this man really kept pushing her limits. Was he now openly bullying Tina in front of her?

    "You should care about what needs to be cared about. If Miss Hancock doesn''t take this lesson as a warning bell, there will be even greater punishments waiting for you in the future, Mr. Pace, wouldn''t you agree?" Natalie warned Boris, her gaze clearly indicating-if you dare bully my daughter again, don''t expect me to spare your father''s face!

    Boris chuckled dryly, offering no response. It was then that Leo slowly began to speak, "Grace is now a secretary at the X Bureau''s secretariat, handling my affairs, a very meticulous girl." Tina raised an eyebrow. A secretary at the X Bureau''s secretariat? Grace''s capabilities were much greater than she had imagined.

    Grace looked at Tina and exined, "Stephanie hasn''t sued me. Afterpensating her mother, I was released from the detention center and was actually preparing to apply for the X Bureau." Tina''s smile grew more pronounced. Wasn''t it clear how much Grace knew? She wanted to apply for the X Bureau? Tina guessed she didn''t even know what the X Bureau was before.Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    But this made Tina even more curious. How did Grace get connected with the Five Poisons? When she had encountered the Five Poisons, she was posing as Grace. If they had no connection, how could it be Grace? Moreover, without the help of the Five Poisons, Grace wouldn''t have been able to get into the X Bureau, even if she cracked her head open. Although the secretariat of the X Bureau didn''t require physical strength, only a clear mind and efficient handling of affairs, how could a pampered princess like Grace possess such skills? If she truly had them, she wouldn''t have caused so much trouble at Clearwater.

    "Grace is this year''s top candidate, and the agency has therefore rxed the conditions. She really is a fine youngdy, and I think you two can be good friends," Leo said, looking at Tina with a thick smile. His eyes, clouded from years of authority, were obscured by a fog that made it impossible to discern his intentions.

    Tina narrowed her pupils and nodded silently, "Mm, I understand." Seeing Tina nod, Leo then discussed with Natalie the events of recent years, although he was well aware of them, he still wanted to inquire personally. After all, before Jared, Leo had favored Natalie as his sessor.

    After dinner, Natalie and Tina apanied Leo for a walk in the back garden. Boris and Grace waited ahead. "This mother and daughter aren''t easy to deal with, each more troublesome than the other," Boris cursed, his eyes showing a hint of fierceness. Grace, however, showed no surprise at Boris''s demeanor, instead she smiled and said, "Yes, otherwise our Hancock family wouldn''t have been ruined, and Rachel wouldn''t have been locked in that dark house, out of the sunlight." Mentioning Rachel, a flicker of pain crossed Boris''s eyes, "I don''t know how Rachel is doing? I''m really worried about her." Grace looked at Boris''s sentimentality with disgust, though she kept her expression neutral. "Mr. Pace, I understand your feelings. Tina and her mother are no saints. If we let them continue like this, the next ones to be locked up will be you and me."

 Chapter 636: Someone Always Wants to Harm Tina

    Finally, Boris turned his attention to Grace. Three days earlier, Grace had visited Leo on behalf of the X Bureau, marking her first encounter with Boris. During their casual conversation, they discussed Jared and the recent situation of the Brookes family. It was then that Boris learned of Grace''s animosity toward Tina. Upon understanding the depth of their vendetta, he realized it was no less significant than his own. The two foundmon ground in their desire to target Tina. Boris took a breath and said, "Tell me, how do you want me to cooperate with you? The condition is that it must not harm the interests of the Pace family." Boris was no fool; unlike the other children in his family, he alone needed to uphold the Pace family''s interests or else he would be utterly lost.

    "If my revenge against Rachel harms the Pace family, it wouldn''t be worth it," he thought.

    Grace curved her lips into a smile, "I need to get into the Ashbury X Bureau headquarters."

    "Why would you leave Clearwater to go to Ashbury? That ce is full of Jared''s people!" Boris eximed in surprise.

    Grace''s smile deepened, a fierce glint crossing her face, "Of course I know it''s full of Jared''s men. But how else am I to get close to Jared?"

    Boris eyed Grace. She was attractive and well-formed. However,pared to Tina, she wascking. In the eyes of any man choosing between the two, Grace would never be the choice. Naturally, Boris wouldn''t voice this opinion in front of Grace.

    "Alright, I''ll get you into the Ashbury headquarters."

    In the back garden, Leo took Natalie and Tina to a herb garden. Natalie had been there before, but it was Tina''s first visit.

    "Go ahead and take whatever herbs interest you; I have plenty," Leo said, smiling unconsciously as he watched Tina''s cheerful face.

    "Thank you, Grandpa Pace," Tina thanked him and then proceeded into the herb garden. She hadn''t managed herst herb garden on Serenity Ridge well-leaving it in the hands of her unreliable younger brothers who had all perished! Since then, Tina had little time for such interests, and that garden had fallen into neglect.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    It was surprising that the Pace family still maintained such an extensive herb garden. Observing the familiar garden, Natalie''s eyes gradually filled with a gentle warmth.

    Leo sighed in relief, "Everett, who is Tina''s father?"

    Natalie snapped back to reality, her lips pressing together slightly before she replied, "It''s a secret."

    "You''re still keeping secrets from me? At first, I thought you and that boy Christopher had a thing, but instead, you were sneaking around," Leo chuckled.

    Initially, Natalie was highly popr at the X Bureau, but her exceptional abilities intimidated many. Apart from Linden, who was clueless and focused solely on work, only Christopher followed Natalie closely. "Christopher didn''t feel that way about me," Natalie deflected, avoiding the direct question.

    But Leo wouldn''t be sidetracked, "Where exactly is Tina''s father? I''d like to see what kind of scoundrel stole our Everett away, fathered a child, and then abandoned them." Natalieughed, "What would you do if you met Tina''s dad? How would you take revenge for me?"

    "I''d kick him twice, then drag him to the interrogation room to find out where he''s been all these years. If I don''t strip ayer off him, my name isn''t Zhan!" Leo dered. Natalieughed, "Alright, I''ll remember that. When I bring him to you one day, you''ll have to strip ayer off him!"

    Leo knew Natalie was reluctant to say more and didn''t press further.

    "You, always so righteous in your decisions, it''s a good thing too, otherwise after the ''Destruction n'' back then, it would have been a total wipeout," he said.

    The mission''s failure that year was not only a lingering concern for Natalie and Christopher, but also for Leo, who was the director at the time.

    "It''s all thanks to your good teaching."

    Leo alsoughed along with Natalie, "I and your father are inseparably linked in this life. Who would have thought my favorite subordinate would be his daughter? Little Everett, do you only have Tina''s father in your heart?" Natalie nodded, "Yes, he''s the only one in my heart, and I''ve been waiting for him to return."

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    "Ah, that''s my good-for-nothing eldest son for you. I even thought about setting you two up, but no chance now."

    Natalie''s eyes flickered slightly, "You''ve never mentioned your children before. Meeting Mr. Pace today, he doesn''t seem much like you. What about your other children?"

    Leo was silent for a few seconds, "Boris really isn''t much spirited, just wants to stay safely by my side. As for the one who is most like me, it''s our eldest son. I''ll introduce you sometime; that stubborn mule, just like I was when I was young." "Where is he?" Natalie asked.

    Leo stood up and walked over to Tina who was approaching, "He''s on his own battlefield."

    Natalie didn''t ask further.

    It was clear, the location of that stubborn mule was absolutely secret.

    Leo looked at what Tina was holding andughed, "This is good stuff, helps with sleep. I had trouble sleeping for a few years and this stuff really helped me sleep well."

    Tina smiled, "Indeed, this herb is difficult to cultivate, a rare good thing. I''ll make some tea for grandpa tonight."

    This was a sleeping herb, hard to grow, and now they had managed to gather a small basket of it.

    The Pace family was indeed extraordinary, with extraordinary things at home.

    Leoughed heartily, "Haha, your grandpa is really fortunate to have such a dutiful granddaughter. Since you like it, take some more back for him to make tea, save him from alwaysing to me for things." "Okay!" Tina smiled in agreement.

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    The mother and daughter spent a little more time talking with Leo before saying goodbye and leaving.

    Grace was thest to leave. When she left, Leo was already resting, and Boris escorted her out.

    "Don''t worry, I''ve already made a call over there; you''ll be transferred soon," Boris said.

    Grace nodded in response, "And the Reed family, I''ll leave that to you, Mr. Pace."

    "Alright."

    Grace got into the car, looked out the window at Boris onest time, and left.

    In the car, a deep voice came from the driver''s seat.

    "You really take it easy, making me your driver."

    Grace closed her eyes to rest, "It''s just to make it easier for us to meet. Do you think we''re safe now? I met with Tina today, she''ll definitely suspect us." Stephanie sped up the car, "Grace, do you really want me dead? Do you know I nearly died in the ER!"

    Grace snapped to, gripping the armrest, "What are you trying to do?"

    "I want you to taste what it''s like to be on the brink of death!"

    With that, Stephanie floored the elerator, heading straight for the mountain road.

 Chapter 637: Divergent Thoughts of Stephanie and Grace

    Grace screamed in terror, "Are you insane? You''re still in the car, Stephanie!"

    Desperate, Grace almost jumped out of the car, but shecked the courage.

    As the car neared the end of the mountain road, Grace curled up in the back seat in fear.

    With a screech, the tires grated against the asphalt. Grace''s head mmed into the seat, her forehead quickly turning purple.

    Stephanie sighed deeply, turning back to mock Grace, "Now you''re scared, huh?"

    "Just go die on your own, don''t drag me into it!" Grace yelled, hurling her purse at Stephanie, striking her in the face.

    Stephanie, now more protective of her face, immediately grabbed Grace''s hair, "You dare harm my face? Maybe you don''t want yours either!" Grace screamed.

    The two women fought in the car, exchanging blows and pulling hair.

    It was quite the spectacle.

    The fight only ended when they were both too exhausted to continue, both panting and covered in bruises, neither having gained the upper hand.

    Grace touched up her makeup in the mirror, "If you had swallowed vitamins, Tina would have noticed. She''s Spectre, and now with a do-it-all mom, those two are sharper than anyone. You''d be the first to die if it got out." "And you couldn''t tell me before? I swallowed a whole bottle! You must really want me dead!" Stephanie retorted bitterly.

    Grace, tired of arguing, said, "I''ll be transferring to Ashbury soon. Remember, you''ll need to y along with me in a few more scenes."

    Stephanie snorted and started the car to leave.

    If not for revenge, she would never continue to entangle with Grace.

    Once the revenge wasplete, she vowed to be the first to throw this wretch and Tina into the sea!

    Grace, ncing at Stephanie driving, harbored simr murderous thoughts.

    Both harbored deadly intentions towards each other.

    After returning from the Pace family, Tina had dropped Natalie back at the Brookes family and then went to Kongham University.

    sses at Kongham University had just ended, and the campus was bustling with vibrant college students-some exercising, others in romantic conversations.

    Only Lysander was left in his dorm, bombarding Orson withints.

    "When are you leaving? Don''t you have your own ce to live? If you''re staying tonight, where should I go?"

    Lysander was fed up. His dorm was seldom his own anymore; Orson was almost a permanent guest.

    Orson, watching thetest sports season on his tablet, paid no heed to Lysander''s ranting.

    "Come on, hit him! My god, what an idiot to even be in thepetition!"

    Lysander was about to explode when his phone rang; it was Tina.

    Seeing Tina''s name instantly dissolved his anger.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    He was staying at school today specifically because Tina mentioned she woulde to visit.

    "Tina, have you arrived?" He picked up the call, grabbed a cake from the fridge, and dashed out, giving Orson no chance to respond.

    Orson sat up in bed, pondering Lysander''s words, then quickly dialed Jared.

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    Downstairs at Kongham University.

    Tina sat on the steps by the yground, observing the bustling youths.

    When Tina attended Kongham University at sixteen, her ssmates thought she was too young and kept their distance, and she had always preferred to be alone.

    Looking back now, college life really was mundane.

    "Tina!" Lysander ran over, carrying a strawberry cake. Sweat beads covered his forehead, and although the cake remained intact, a strawberry had fallen off. "Here''s your strawberry cake."

    Tina took the cake and nced at the fallen strawberry. "Howe your skills haven''t improved? You can''t even run a short distance without dropping a strawberry?"

    Hearing the tone in Tina''s voice, Lysander grew nervous. "Sorry, Tina, I''ll be more careful next time."

    "It''s not about being careful; you need to realize that the enemies you''ll face in the future are the elite of the elite. A slight mistake could be fatal. If you continue half-heartedly like this, you''ll eventually fall by an enemy''s de!" Tina chastised Lysander. It wasn''t that she was too harsh, but after Lysander became the head of the Emerson family, he had be a thorn in the side of the GTO.

    In recent times, the Mountain Veil Order had expended considerable effort to eliminate the risks left by Hawk.

    If Lysander couldn''t take control of the Emerson family soon, he would eventually be swallowed by the family''s turmoil.

    He had always relied on the Mountain Veil Order''s support, making him nothing more than a puppet emperor, unfit for great responsibility.

    Lysander bowed his head, a sh of guilt in his eyes. "Sorry, I know I was wrong."

    Tina sighed. "Forget it, you''re still young. I''ll have Jayden intensify your training. If I see you like this again, don''t bothering to see me."

    "No, the next time I see you, Tina, I will have surpassed Jared," Lysander blurted out in his anxiety.

    If you''re loving the book, nel5s.org is where the adventure continues. Join us for theplete experience-all for free. The next chapter is eagerly waiting for you! Tina paused for a few seconds, then burst outughing. "You want to surpass Uncle?" "Yes, I will surpass him."

    Lysander''s gaze was resolute, more serious about surpassing Jared than anything else. Tina did not dampen his enthusiasm. "Keep it up, our Uncle is not so easy to surpass." Our family, Uncle.

    Lysander pursed his lips, a hint of resentment on his face.

    He had known Tina for quite some time but had never heard her im such authority over another man.

    It was the first time she had said, "our family''s."

    Lysander clenched his fist. "Tina, he''s already so old, he really..."

    "I came here today because there''s something I need to assign to you. Take your time with this task, infiltrate slowly, don''t rouse suspicion," Tina said, sitting back on the stairs, not quite catching Lysander''s words. Lysander had no choice but to close his mouth and listen to Tina''s instructions.

    "Tina, you want me to do this?"

    Tina set the strawberry cake on the stairs and looked up. "Use the Emerson family''spany to get close to the Reed family. They are coborating with the Ward and Woodham families to develop bionic robots, a very cutting-edge technology. Your family''s expertise in lenses can be used to enhance the eyes of the bionic robots. Afterward, find out which of these three families might leak the secrets of the bionic robots."

    "Okay, I understand, Tina, don''t worry," Lysander quickly agreed, then suddenly remembered the lenses. "But Tina, we''ve already developed thetest technology for lenses. It might take some time to make them more convenient."

 Chapter 638: Sowing Discord

    Tina could easily imagine the scenario as she pulled out a document from her bag and handed it to Lysander. "I want to see the finished product in three days. Handle it yourself."

    Lysander took the document, which turned out to be a more advanced camera device, made of transparent crystal material. If installed as the eyes in a bionic robot, there would be no discernible difference from human eyes! "I assure you, I willplete this task," he dered.

    This was Lysander''s first mission since joining the Mountain Veil Order, and he dared not ck off. He had toplete it wlessly, to impress Tina and prove that he was her most capable assistant, not Jared!

    "Hmm." Tina watched Lysander''s confident demeanor and nodded silently.

    She saw this as an opportunity for him to prove himself, regardless of whether he couldplete the task or not, she would eventually expose the traitor. The reason she had Lysander approach people was to train him, lest the boy be unaware of the perils within the Mountain Veil Order, mistaking it for a mere adventure game.

    After giving her instructions, Tina was about to leave when Lysander was about to speak, but then a deep, maic voice came from ahead, "Tina, I''m here."This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Both Tina and Lysander looked up, their expressions changing simultaneously. However, Tina was pleased, whereas Lysander was annoyed.

    "Uncle! Did you bring me a strawberry cake?" Tina ran towards Jared like a little girl, diving into his arms with eyes sparkling at the thought of strawberry cake.

    Jared yfully ruffled Tina''s hair. "Why don''t you look at me first instead of your strawberry cake?"

    "Uncle''s homemade strawberry cake is delicious, give it to me now!"

    The little glutton couldn''t wait to taste her strawberry cake, and the big bad wolf could only silently open the package, holding the cake so she could easily enjoy it. The two strolled off the field bathed in the glow of the setting sun.

    Behind them, Lysander watched Tina''s side profile, watching her bite into the strawberry cake that wasn''t the one he bought. He had waited in line for half an hour to buy the freshest strawberry cake, which now sat quietly on the steps. As the sun set, thest rays of light fell on the cake box before finally disappearing. That glow cast a bitter look on Lysander''s face.

    Even the wind seemed to mock Lysander. How ridiculous, his painstakingly bought cake couldn''tpete with that man''s mere presence.

    Stephanie watched all this silently, a slow smile spreading across her face. Lysander, feeling dejected, sat down on the steps, slowly eating the strawberry cake piece by piece. The overly sweet taste made him almost nauseous. Stephanie timely offered him a cup of tea. "It really is you, I heard that one of the two most handsome boys at our school was sitting on the field, so I came to see."

    Lysander took the cool tea. Although he hadn''t interacted much with Stephanietely, they were familiar due to Orson''s intermediation, and they were friends by association.

    "Thanks, but what''s this about two of the most handsome boys?" Lysander asked, puzzled.

    Stephanie casually sat next to the strawberry cake, picking up a strawberry and popping it into her mouth. "You and Orson, huh? The eSports master, the future star of the financial world, the ideal boyfriend inheriting a trillion-dor fortune, plus you two always stick together-many people are shipping you two as a couple."

    Lysander frowned. "What nonsense?"

    "You clearly don''t frequent the school''s campus forum. I knew this from my first day here, and the top-liked post on the campuswork is about you and Orson ying basketball at the sports field."

    While Stephanie was speaking, she pulled up the campuswork on her phone and showed it to Lysander, "There are quite a few girls here who would confess to you if they didn''t think you were already taken."

    Choking on his iced tea, Lysander managed to sputter out, "There''s nothing between us. If anything, he''s my rival, has been in the past and still is now."

    Seeing Lysander''s flushed face, Stephanie couldn''t help butugh. "I know, both of you are straight as arrows. We''re just intrigued, and many still harbor crushes on you."

    The word ''crush'' seemed to dete Lysander''s spirit instantly. Crushes, those were painful. No amount of strawberry cake could cure that kind of heartache.

    Stephanie clearly understood Lysander''s feelings; she had been observing everything very closely. Tina, that high-level green tea bitch, was just like Grace, a peacock fluttering her feathers everywhere.

    "What''s the matter? Got something on your mind? If you like, I can be your confidant," Stephanie said with a gentle smile to Lysander.

    At that moment, Lysander, deeply troubled, desperately needed someone to talk to, regardless of who it was. "I''ve been in love with a girl for many years. She''s been my whole youth, but she doesn''t love me back, and she already has a fianc¨¦." Lysander hung his head in despair, "I don''t know how to make her notice me. It feels like she''s no longer mine."

    She was never yours, Stephanie thought to herself, scoffing internally at Lysander''s self-cast role as the lovelorn second male lead.

    You''re great, but Jared is better.

    Though Stephanie mocked him internally, she maintained her role as a supportive sister on the outside. "Actually, all this is just what you think. You''ve never confessed to her, have you? If you did, who knows whose favor she might return. Women like to keep men guessing. If you don''t act seriously, you''ll really lose her."

    Lysander looked puzzled. "I don''t understand. Are you saying she knows I like her and is just waiting for me to say something? But she already has a fianc¨¦."

    "So what? If she didn''t like you, would she meet with you? A fianc¨¦ is just abel, nothing is final until marriage. You''re not breaking up a rtionship, just finding your true love."

    Listening to Stephanie, Lysander sat up, "How did you know we met?"

    "You, a big guy, carrying around strawberry cake? And you ate it so fervently; obviously, it was for a girl. Really, who is she? Is she from our school? Do you need help?"

    Lysander waved his hand, "No need, I''ll handle it myself."

    "Alright then, I''m seeing Tina tomorrow about treating my face, so I probably won''t have time to help you," Stephanie shrugged.

    "Tina?"

    "Yes, Tina. She agreed to treat me. I''m really grateful, and it would be even better if she could forgive my past actions. Lysander, I heard you''re Tina''s apprentice. Can you help me? I just want her to let go of our past grievances, for Aunt Marie''s sake too."

    Lysander thought for a moment, "Alright, where are you getting treated tomorrow? I''lle by."

    "Really! Thank you," Stephanie feigned excitement, but a dark glint shed across her eyes.

 Chapter 639: The Jealousy Spills Again

    Elsewhere, Tina finished the strawberry cake Jared had brought with her, contentedly in the car. After satisfying her hunger and thirst, she finally remembered the business at hand. "Didn''t you say you had an important video conference tonight? Howe you suddenly showed up?" Tina leaned in closer to Jared, who was driving.

    Without changing his expression, Jared cleared his throat, "The meeting isn''t as important as you."

    "I didn''t tell you where I was going today," Tina said with a mischievous smile, although her smile seemed somewhat sinister to Jared.

    Jared took a deep breath, "Orson called me and told me you were here, so I came to check on you."

    Tina pinched the bridge of her nose, somewhat helplessly, "Lysander is just a child, why can''t you get along with him?"

    As Jared slowly parked the car in front of the hot pot restaurant, he turned to look at Tina, "I simply don''t like any man who covets you around you, even if that man is just a child."

    Tina looked at Jared in front of her. She had heard that jealous men are the most handsome; she never expected it to be true to this extent! Could it be because it''s Jared that he looks so handsome? He''s so handsome, and she''s so in love! Jared yfully tapped Tina''s nose, "Let''s go down and eat hot pot, your favorite beef hot pot."

    Tina sped her hands around Jared''s neck and kissed his lips deeply, then got out of the car, delighted. The kiss left Jared breathless, indicating he wanted another.

    Tina thought to herself, "An opportunity missed is an opportunity lost!"

    As the bubbling hot pot cooked, Tina ate voraciously, savoring the aroma.

    "Uncle, I''ll go to Stephanie''s house tomorrow for her treatment. Wait for my signal," Tina said as she gulped down a piece of tripe.

    Jared casually wiped her mouth with a napkin, "Understood."

    Tina smirked, eager to see what was really going on.

    The next morning, Tina knocked on Stephanie''s apartment door, only to find Lysander opening it!

    "What are you doing here?" Tina frowned.

    Lysander smiled, "Tina, I came to fix herputer."

    "Is that Tina? Come in, I''m just taking a shower," came a voice from inside.

    Tina raised an eyebrow, a shower this early?

    Lysander''s face turned red, "Tina, it''s not what you think, really!"

    Stephanie then emerged, wrapped in a towel. If you ignored the scar on her face, she looked quite like a goddess fresh from the waters.

    "Tina, we identally spilled soy milk while eating, so I went to wash up. Please don''t misunderstand," Stephanie exined with a smile.

    Tina pushed past Lysander and walked straight to Stephanie, "Did you touch your face while showering?"

    Stephanie, seeing the dark look on Tina''s face, chuckled inwardly, guessing correctly that Tina was indeed involved with Lysander but was just putting on airs.

    She winked at Lysander, then said to Tina, "No, I heeded your advice."

    "Alright, shall we start here, or in the bedroom?" Tina asked coldly.

    Lysander, standing behind, felt the chill emanating from Tina and grew uneasy.

    Each time Tina was angry in front of him, he felt at a loss.

    "In the bedroom, please. Andy, wait here for me, thank you," Stephanie adjusted her towel and sweetly smiled at Lysander.

    Lysander awkwardly nodded, avoiding Tina''s gaze.

    Hearing the name "Andy," the chill in Tina''s eyes grew even colder.

    Holding her medical kit, she went to Stephanie''s bedroom. Seeing this, Lysander hurried to exin but was stopped by Stephanie, "I''m going to change in the bedroom, what are you doing?" Lysander''s ears turned red, "I... I''m not doing anything." Stephanieughed, "Then let''s go ahead."

    Inside the bedroom.

    After changing her clothes, Stephanie sat on the bed, "Tina, are you angry?" Tina nced at Stephanie, her eyelids drooping, "Why would I be angry?"

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    "I thought you and Andy were close, and hearing me call him that, I thought you would be upset." Tina lifted her gaze slightly, a faint smile ying at the corners of her mouth, a long-missed hint of green tea.

    Previously, she had only thought Stephanie was foolish, never realizing she had this potential. She applied silicone on Stephanie''s face. "Did you drink a pot of tea before taking a bath?"

    "Huh?" Stephanie was startled. Tina then imnted a chip ion into Stephanie''s scar, "The entire forest behind the school depends on you to glow and turn green, right?"N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

    "What are you talking about? What forest?" Stephanie looked puzzled at Tina.

    Tina pricked Stephanie''s face a few times, causing her to scream in pain, "What is this? It hurts!" Tina slowly packed up her things, "If you want to be beautiful, you''ll have to endure it."

    Stephanie took a long time to recover, feeling the skin on her face healing bit by bit. This healing felt like forcibly kneading two pieces of dry y together, excruciatingly painful. Stephanie felt as if thousands of needles were continuously pricking her face, causing a relentless stinging pain, while countless ants crawled over it, both painful and itchy.

    "What... what exactly did you do to my face? I agreed to let you experiment on my face, but you can''t take my life!" Stephanie rolled in agony on the bed, helpless.

    Tina sat to one side waiting for Stephanie''s reaction, ying Tetris on her phone. She split the screen, sending a message to Jared. "Ready for the test." Jared quickly replied, "Good." About an hourter, Tina had stacked Tetris blocks to the top for the tenth time. As several vertical bars fell, the screen cleared. Stephanie''s facial pain finally subsided. She was drenched in sweat from the pain, her voice hoarse. "Is it over now?" Stephanie asked. Tina looked at her screen, where she had broken a new record, and smiled satisfactorily. She stood up to check Stephanie''s wounds. Good, they had healed by three millimeters.

    In fact, Tina could restore Stephanie''s face to its original state in just two minutes, an extremely simple task. However, she would not let Stephanie feelfortable, especially since she had experiments to conduct on her. Tina''s phone rang, a message from Jared.

    "The chip is responding." Tina was pleased. Good. This indicated that their research direction was correct. She had agreed to treat Stephanie''s wounds precisely to use her body for experiments. The experiment with the chip. Her mother had already analyzed the chip removed from Jane''s body,pleting everything except for how it controlled human death.

 Chapter 640: Analysis of Particle Entanglement Experiment â€” Do You Understand?

    The experiment Tina was about to conduct involved determining whether chips could merge with ions within the human body, eventually forming a permanent chip that would move with the flow of blood.

    Tina had been worried about not having a suitable subject for her experiment and had even considered secretly extracting Vivienne from a guarded prison. However, Stephanie came to her voluntarily, which was like being offered a pillow as soon as she wanted to sleep.

    Initially, to get Tina to agree to treat her, Stephanie had agreed to any condition, even if it meant being part of an experiment, fearless of the consequences. Given this, Tina was not about to hold back.

    Even if she didn''t conduct this experiment on Stephanie, the people behind Stephanie would not let her go either. It made sense for Tina to take advantage of the situation herself.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    "Don''t let your facial wounds touch water today, and I cane back to see you in a week," Tina said as she picked up her bag to leave. Stephanie hurriedly stopped her, "Wait a moment, I just want to know what kind of experiment you did on me. Can you tell me?"

    Tina paused, "It''s a study involving particle entanglement and GPS phenomenon analysis among other biotechnological systems. Do you understand?"

    Stephanie blinked; she obviously didn''t understand. She had barely gotten through school, squeaking into Kongham University. The concept of analyzing particle entanglement phenomena sounded like aplete fantasy to her. "Forget it, I don''t understand," Stephanie exhaled in relief, thinking that as long as she ryed Tina''s words to Grace, it would be enough. This would spare her Grace''s incessant queries about what experiment Tina was nning to perform. Tina smiled slightly, picked up her bag, and left.

    Downstairs.

    Lysander saw Tina approaching and hurriedly greeted her. "Tina, are you done?"

    Tina nodded coldly, her steps faltering, "Lysander, I hope you know what you should and shouldn''t do." Lysander looked startled, "Tina, I can exin."

    "No need," Tina waved her hand dismissively, "Handle your own affairs."

    With that, Tina turned and left. She didn''t have time to listen to Lysander''s exnations; she needed to rush back to work on the next ion chip. Lysander''s romantic entanglements were his own business.

    Tina didn''t mind as long as Stephanie didn''t endanger herself. Her anger was more about Lysander''s poor judgment. Just a few days with Stephanie and he was already distracted, showing none of the awareness expected of the head of the Emerson family.

    Tina knew that Jayden''s training should have brought Lysander further than this. Clearly, he had been too distracted!

    Watching Tina''s departing figure, Lysander didn''t know what to do, seeing her this angry for the first time. He slumped onto a sofa, his face full of regret.

    Stephanie walked down from upstairs and saw Lysander despondently sitting on the sofa, a smile ying on her lips. He was such a na?ve young man.

    "Lysander, are you alright?" Stephanie approached, holding a bottle of c - Tina''s favorite drink.

    Lysander''s eyes darkened as he pped Stephanie''s hand away, his voice harsh: "Why did you call me ''Andy''?"

    Stephanie feigned confusion, a glint of realization in her eyes, "Lysander, is it really Tina you like?"

    A guilty look shed in Lysander''s eyes as he stammered, unable to respond.

    Stephanie smiled understandingly, "It''s perfectly normal for you to like her; she''s so exceptional. In my eyes, she''s like a fairy descended to earth. It wouldn''t be odd if all the men in the world liked her."

    Like a caring elder sister, Stephanie pulled Lysander back down to sit on the couch, "Liking someone isn''t something you should feel embarrassed about."

    As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.org is your destination for theplete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away!

    "But Tina, she..." Lysander hesitated.

    "Actually, not considering Jared, I think you are the one who truly matches her best."

    Lysander''s eyes sparkled as he looked at Stephanie. "Are you serious?"

    "Of course, you and Tina are of simr age, and ording to Orson, you''ve known each other for many years. You met her first, and you were the first to like her. Jared only took advantage of the fact that you were in different ces." Stephanie''s words struck a chord with Lysander. He had always felt that he met and liked Tina first, and it seemed unjust that Jared got there before him. Jared was ten years older than Tina-literally old enough to be her uncle! Lysander had always felt this injustice, but no one around him seemed to understand. Over time, even he began to see himself as an unwee third wheel.

    Cole, Jayden, Pa: "No, you''re not even close to being a third wheel."

    Tina''s nine brothers: "We barely tolerate Jared, you? Just stay where you cool your heels."

    Stephanie patted his shoulder, "Lysander, I actually think Tina has feelings for you too. She just hasn''t seen her own heart clearly, and with Jared around, she''s lost her true self. Just now, because I called you ''Andy,'' she threw quite a tantrum upstairs." "Are you telling the truth?" Lysander was incredulous.

    "Of course, why would I lie to you? Honestly, I don''t think Jared is right for Tina either. If it''s possible, lovers ending up together is the real deal."

    "You mean, you''re willing to help me?"

    Stephanie nodded, "Yes, I am."

    Internally, Stephanie smirked. She had taken the bait. It seemed stirring trouble between Lysander and Tina was going to be easier than she thought. Meanwhile, Tina was at the YQb.

    Jared stood by the chip machine, watching a model chip slowly take shape. When Tina arrived and "injected the soul" into the chip, they could take it out a weekter, transform it, and imnt it into Stephanie''s body. "How''s it going?" Tina approached, now d in a whiteb coat, her hair pinned up at the back.

    Turning around, Jared caught sight of her efficient manner.

    Something struck deep inside him, like an electric current shooting straight to his brain.

    Unaware of Jared''s intense gaze, Tina walked straight to the machine. "The synthesis is not bad, I''ll give you a bonus."

    After a long wait, receiving no response from Jared, Tina paused and turned around. Jared was staring at her, utterly infatuated.

    That gaze, as if it hadnded directly on her eyeballs, was intense.

    Tina smiled, walked over, and wrapped her arms around Jared''s neck. Her body clung tightly to his like a green snake, "Uncle, what are you looking at?"

 Chapter 641: Caught by Her Mother-in-Law

    Jared held Tina tighter, resting his forehead just above her eyebrows, whispering softly, "Look at my Tina." My Tina.

    There were no words in the world that could be more heart-stirring than these.

    Tina felt as though she had fallen into a pool of spring water, thoroughly soaked with moisture.

    They gazed into each other''s eyes, neither stepping forward.

    Their eyes held only each other, deeply imprinting the other''s face.

    They tugged at each other, looking into each other''s eyes.

    Creak...

    The door to theboratory opened, and Natalie walked in, tugging at Wraith''s ear, her faceyered with embarrassment.

    Natalie was the first to recover, "You continue, I''m going to teach this disciple who doesn''t want to progress. Only today did I find out he has turned into something called Wraith!"

    Tina watched as Natalie dragged Wraith aside and kicked him.

    She was still in Jared''s embrace, not even their fingertips parting.

    "Boss, your daughter is still dating, aren''t you going to do anything? She''s underage and being lured away by an older man, and you''re here lecturing me!"

    Wraith yelled, only to be silenced by Natalie with a swift injection.

    "If you don''t exin the toxins you''ve developed over the years today, you''ll never speak again."

    Natalie couldn''t stand her subordinates causing trouble.

    Had she known Wraith was Lockie, she would have ended his existence with one slice!

    Tina pursed her lips, conceding that in terms of mental toughness, her mother was truly formidable.

    "Old man, aren''t you going to let go? Do you really want to make a scene?" Tina pushed away his hands, winking slyly.

    Jared then let go, touched his nose, and silently stepped forward, handing Natalie an electric baton, "Master, this tool is quite handy."

    The baton, developed by Wraith, could release a voltage of thousands of volts at the press of a button and also emit a st of air, making one feel momentarily powerless as if hit by a typhoon. Natalie flipped the baton in her hand, "Not bad at all!"

    Wraith watched Jared in despair.

    Fine, he understood.

    It''s true what they say, a family that ys together, stays together!

    Natalie, disrespectful of her age, Jared, dark and cunning, and Tina, cunning and ruthless-none were good people!

    Jared, always vindictive, felt satisfied and left with Tina.

    On the way.

    Tina ryed to Jared what had happened at Stephanie''s house, "It seems they are targeting the Emerson family again, trying to use them to disrupt the internal affairs of the Mountain Veil Order." Tina said a lot, but Jared only heard: ... Lysander saw me today...

    "Alright, I got it."

    Tina paused, "You got what?"

    Jared curved his lips, cleverly changing the subject, "Nathan called me today, saying Grace has already reported to headquarters."

    "That fast? What position?" Tina asked.

    "Equal to Linden, she''s been appointed Secretary-General by the central office. Officially, she''s here to learn, but in reality, she''s a spy imnted by the central office in Ashbury."

    Ever since Jared left, Ashbury''s X Bureau had be a thorn in Clearwater''s side.Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Everyone knew that the people in Ashbury''s X Bureau were Jared''s people, and even though Jared had left, their loyalties had departed with him.

    To prevent Ashbury frompletely bing Jared''s territory, naturally, someone had to be sent to manage it.

    Of all people, they sent Grace, who had a grudge against Jared.

    Harry Jackson''s purpose was to tell Jared that Ashbury was not his alone tomand.

    After hearing this, Tinaughed, "A spy? They should at least find someone as smart as Hayden, that''s the bare minimum intelligence level, and yet they still sent her?" Hayden: "I feel like someone is praising me, and yet, not really..."

    Nathan: "Don''t doubt it, they are indeed praising you."

    Jared chuckled, "Who knows what the headquarters really means."

    At the X Bureau, Linden called Nathan, who looked disgusted, into his office.

    "Miss Hancock has just arrived here, unfamiliar with everything. As the chief captain of the headquarters, you should take care of her."

    Nathan was almost annoyed; he had never seen a former suspect turn into his boss.

    Linden smiled knowingly at Nathan, understanding his thoughts.

    "The headquarters has already investigated; she''s clear. Just do your job and show her around the training grounds."

    Reluctantly, Nathan responded, "Yes."

    Linden waved his hand, signaling Nathan to leave.

    He sighed deeply, looking over Grace''s files.

    Leo had personally rmended her; Grace had quite the background.

    However, it seemed impossible to separate her from the hidden family.

    The Hancock family had always been eyeing some assets of the once-hidden Lyon family. Now with Max still serving time inside, Grace managed to get a job at the X Bureau and was assigned to Ashbury. If they said she had no connections to the hidden family, he wouldn''t believe it.

    But who was behind all this?

    Someone who had protected Asher Vance for so many years and had safely brought Grace over.

    This person''s influence must be no less than the Brookes family.

    Just as Nathan stepped outside, he bumped into Grace, who hade to deliver some documents.

    "Captain Lehman, long time no see." Grace smiled at Nathan without any difort.

    Nathan coldly nced at Grace, "Hmm, thest time I saw Miss Hancock was on the way to Clearwater Prison. Didn''t expect to see you again so soon."

    Grace''s smile froze, and a hint of awkward difort shed in her eyes.

    Nathan''s words were far from polite; they bordered on insulting.

    Especially since he spoke so loudly, with so many people around, everyone heard him clearly.

    Grace struggled to maintain herposure but could only endure, "Yes, I was innocent, just that at that time..."

    "I''m not interested in what happened then. You have three minutes to join me at the training grounds, or I''m leaving without you."

    Nathan checked his watch, his expression stern as he shouted to everyone present, "Three minutes, assemble!"

    The entire X Bureau was on high alert, more serious than when they were on a mission.

    Nathan rarely used such a tone, but whenever he did, blood was expected at today''s training ground!

    Grace was still reeling from the shock; the noisy crowd had already suited up and was ready to move.

    And there she was, still in a skirt and high heels, unable to keep up with their pace.

    "Wait for me!" Grace hurriedly put down her documents and ran to the changing room.

    When she finally arrived, Nathan was already counting down thest ten seconds.

    Grace ran and stumbled onto the vehicle, only to be told, "I''m sorry Miss Hancock, this seat is for the captain."

    "Then where should I sit?" Grace asked in surprise.

    The driver pointed to the back, "If you want to experience a day at the training grounds, naturally, you sit in the back."

    Just as he finished speaking, Hayden walked over and yanked Grace out, "Who''s this mutt daring to take the captain''s seat! Oops, Miss Hancock, sorry about that, I didn''t see clearly!"

 Chapter 642: Miss Hancock, Watch Out for the Two Big Wolves Behind You

    Grace gripped her palms tightly.

    It was a lie to say she hadn''t seen; in the entire X Bureau, she was the only one with curly, loose hair-how could she be mistaken?

    "Why is the second squad still dawdling? If we don''t set off now, it''s a ten-kilometer weighted march!"

    Nathan shouted, and as Hayden climbed aboard, he pped the canopy, "Hurry up, if we lose to that bastard Jason today, I''ll have your heads!"

    Grace watched helplessly as the vehicle drove away from her. Just as she turned to get into Nathan''s car, she saw that Nathan was already seated and had started the engine.

    "Nathan, wait for me!" Grace stood and yelled, but Nathan, as if deaf, drove off without her.

    There were strict protocols for deploying vehicles at the X Bureau; advance applications were necessary, and Grace couldn''t drive her own car onto the training field. She had no choice but to chase after them. Upstairs.

    Christopher was sipping tea, watching the scene unfold, a smirk curling his lips.

    That boy Nathan, truly inheriting Jared''s craft.

    Over the phone, Christopher ryed Nathan''s antics to Jared.

    Jared chuckled after hearing it, "Let them be."

    "Jared, you must be cautious of Grace, backed by Leo, she''s no simple matter," Christopher warned.

    "Don''t worry, she won''t stir up much trouble."

    Hearing Jared''s confident tone, Christopher snorted withughter, "What does your master say?"

    Jared was silent for a few seconds, "After all these years, why do you still depend so much on my master? Don''t you have your own opinions?"

    "Jared! You-"

    The dial tone beeped abruptly, and Christopher hung up the phone furiously.

    "The little bastard!"

    Jared rubbed his nose and tossed his phone aside.

    Tina nced at Jared and asked, "Aren''t you afraid your boss won''t let people go?"

    "What''s there to fear, we still have Chief Linden?"

    Tina raised her eyebrows, "Right, you''re correct."

    Soon, Courtney, who was training in the field, received a call.

    "Yes, I''ming back now."

    Jason had just changed into new clothes and saw Courtney heading out, he quickly asked, "Where are you going? I still want to fight you."

    "No time." Courtney didn''t look back, waving at Jason, "Next time, I''ll make sure you''re crying snot."

    Haydenughed loudly from the side, "Courtney, I support you!"

    Jason fastened his wrist strap and shouted at Hayden, "Today, I''m going to make you cry snot first!" After changing, Courtney walked off the training field and bumped into a panting Grace hurrying over. She looked so frail, nearly falling apart.

    Seeing Courtney, she quickly waved, "You... what are you doing? Why aren''t you on the training field?" Courtney was genuinely worried Grace would just melt into a puddle and evaporate under the sun.

    "I have a mission, do I need to report that, Miss Hancock?"

    Grace caught her breath and straightened up, trying to seem more imposing, "I''m responsible for the daily oversight of each team member, shouldn''t I ask?"

    Courtney slightly curved her lips, "Miss Hancock, you might want to think about how to handle those two big wolves behind you."

    Grace was startled, "What big wolves?"

    As soon as the words left her mouth, Grace heard barking behind her, growing louder and closer, heading straight for her.

    These were two wolf-dogs Jared had raised to train the team, known for cleverly adjusting their difficulty-gentler with the new recruits, but relentlessly chasing after seasoned members like Hayden and Nathan, showing no mercy. Today, Grace found herself pursued around the training ground in the manner of training fresh recruits, chased by tworge wolfhounds. Nathan watched Grace''s every move but showed no signs of stopping. Dream on if you think you can get a handle on the training field! Grace ran across the field, and any slip could turn her into lunch for the two wolfhounds trailing behind her.

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    "Isn''t anyone going to do something? Help!" Grace shouted as she ran, but no one around her paid any attention. Everyone stood to the side, pping and cheering as if watching a movie. "Miss Hancock is impressive! You''d be the champion with that 5-kilometer weight!"

    "The potential of a woman is indeed limitless, go Miss Hancock!"

    "Run faster, Darkie and Darkie Jr are speeding up!" Darkie and Darkie Jr were the names of the dogs.

    Grace ran around the athletic track of the training ground and, having no other option, jumped into a mud pit. Darkie and Darkie Jr, being the clean freaks they were, stood at the edge of the mud pit, howling in dissatisfaction at Grace before disdainfully leaving. Grace had lived for over twenty years and this was the first time she had been snubbed by two dogs.

    "Ah!" Grace yelled in frustration, her hands mming down into the mud, wishing she could hurl the mud at the dogs like knives.

    Nathan soon blew the whistle for assembly, and all the team members lined up in an orderly fashion. "Today''s training went well, we''ll wrap up early and head home for dinner!"

    The crowd cheered in approval and then boarded the vehicles to leave. Grace struggled in the mud pit, watching everyone leave with her eyes wide open, "Where are you going? Wait for me!"

    Grace, who had been pampered all her life, found herself stuck in a mud pit specially prepared for the X Bureau''s special squad, deep enough to trap her calves. It would take some skill to climb out without help.

    Yet, no one heeded Grace''s cries, and she could only watch helplessly as the squad''s vehicles drove away. It took Grace half an hour to climb out of the mud pit. Her borately styled curly hair from the morning, her meticulously applied high- end makeup, and the haute couture she wore beneath her training gear were all tortured into a state resembling rotting swill at a garbage dump.

    Never having faced such humiliation, Grace broke down and cried loudly in the middle of the training ground. The guard of the training ground approached with Darkie and Darkie Jr, "Hey, are you leaving or not? If you''re not, I''m locking up, and you can stay here with Darkie and Darkie Jr."

    Darkie and Darkie Jr growled at Grace again. Terrified, Grace scrambled to her feet and limped out of the training ground.

    "Mommy, is that person a beggar? She looks so dirty." Grace yelled at a bluntly speaking child by the roadside: "Where did you spawn from, you little brat! Get lost! Do you believe I could kill you?" The child''s parents quickly took their child away. It''s a principle not to converse with the deranged.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

    Grace clenched her fists tightly, determined to reim, with interest, the indignities she suffered today. She would make Nathan, no, the entire X Bureau pay dearly on behalf of the Hancock family, turning Jared and Tina into the mud beneath her feet!

    Meanwhile, Courtney had already driven to the Brookes family home. "Courtney''s here,e in,e in," Scarlett warmly weed Courtney into their home.

 Chapter 643: Stephanies Calculation

    Courtney blinked, feeling an unusual warmth from Scarlett today.

    She looked towards Tina with a pleading gaze, to which Tina gave her a knowing look. "Girl, my aunt wants you to be her niece-inw."

    Courtney nearly choked on her drink.

    How had she, at such a young age, be a ve to matchmaking?

    No, absolutely not!

    Seeing Courtney''s desperate eyes, Tina kindly whisked her away, breaking the siege.

    Scarlett, aware that Tina had serious matters to discuss, did not pry further, waiting for them to finish.

    "Actually, my brother isn''t bad either, why don''t you meet him?" Tina teased, yfully hooking Courtney''s chin.

    Courtney''s face flushed deeply. "Miss Reed, when did you start being so informal?"

    "I learned it from our Uncle."

    Just then, Jared entered and paused upon hearing this.

    Huh? Was he informal?

    Seeing Jared''s return, Courtney quickly changed the subject, "Mr. Farrell, Christopher said you were looking for me, what''s the matter?"

    Jared came over, sitting beside Tina, "You''re about to graduate from Kongham University, right? nning on graduate studies?"

    Courtney nodded, "Yes, but I haven''t had time for the exams, the training tasks have been quite heavytely."

    "Go for the graduate program, and stay close to Lysander."

    It took a moment for Courtney to recall who Lysander was. "Stay close to him and do what?"

    Tina then spoke, "Lysander has been dealing with the Reed family recently, investigating the Five Poisons'' biotech on bionic organisms. You help him out. There''s also a Stephanie around him with impure motives; just investigate her quietly, don''t blow your cover."

    Courtney understood but still felt uneasy. "Miss Reed, Asher Vance is with GTO, and they must know I am with the X Bureau. Grace saw me at the training field today; won''t this raise their suspicion?"

    Tina smiled, "It will, and they''ll also wonder if you''re investigating Lysander or Stephanie. Either way, you''re a person of interest now, so be careful."

    Upon hearing this, Courtney burst outughing.

    This kind of game was what she loved most.

    "I''ll make sure toplete the mission."

    At Stephanie''s house.

    She was looking in the mirror, wondering if it was her imagination, but the scars on her face seemed less severe than before.

    Just then, the door burst open.

    A mud-covered Grace walked in.

    Stephanie jumped, retreating with a pillow in hand, "You... why are you in such a mess? Stay away, don''t dirty my clothes!"

    Grace lunged forward, pinning Stephanie to the ground and repeatedly striking her face.

    "I told you to keep a close eye on Tina, have you managed that? Have you treated my words as nothing but air?"

    Stephanie, dazed from the beating, responded, "What are you talking about? I''ve told you everything, and Tina ising over tomorrow, what are you doing?"

    Stephanie pushed Grace off and wiped her face disdainfully, "What are you going crazy about?"

    Grace caught her breath, regaining some sanity, "I need to see results tomorrow, you must have Lysanderpletely under control, got it?"

    Stephanie felt today''s Grace was particrly deranged, but nodded repeatedly, "I understand."

    Early the next day, Tina arrived at Stephanie''s house as promised.

    Stephanie greeted her warmly, "Tina, you''re here! I''ve prepared some fruit tea, please have some."

    Tina eyed the drink, noting it was indeed just fruit tea, no extra ingredients.

    Tina took a sip and asked softly, "Bedroom or living room?"

    "Let''s go to the bedroom," Stephanie said with a forcedugh when Tina remained silent, and they both entered the bedroom together. When the expected pain arrived, Stephanie rolled around on the bed in agony, reacting even more violently than before, running around the room and smashing things.

    Tina sat quietly on the side, watching Stephanie''s performance. The pain wasn''t as bad asst time. What was Stephanie trying to achieve with this act?

    Suddenly, a voice came from outside the door, "Stephanie, are you alright?"

    Tina raised an eyebrow; it was Lysander. Why had hee again?

    At that moment, Stephanie opened the door, and Lysander, taking the opportunity, stepped inside. Seeing the chaos in the room and the sweat on Stephanie''s face, he was at a loss. Lysander supported Stephanie, looking at Tina in disbelief, "What''s going on? Tina, is she alright?"

    Tina, leaning back in her chair with her legs crossed, smiled and said, "She''s fine."

    Suddenly, Stephanie forcefully pushed Lysander away, sending him stumbling into the bedroom, and then ran out. The door, as if by ident, closed behind her. Click. The door locked.

    Lysander paused, then hurriedly tried to open the door, only to find it wouldn''t budge.

    "Tina, what...?" Lysander looked at Tina, unsure what to do next.

    Tina was calm. "If we can''t leave, we might as well stay. It''s not a big deal. She''ll be over it in an hour."

    She was curious to see what new tricks Stephanie would try.

    Lysander pressed his lips together, ncing at Tina with half-lowered eyelids. No matter when he saw her, she always seemed like an untouchable goddess, like Venus.

    Lysander sat down; there was only a small sofa in Stephanie''s room, so he settled on the bed.

    Outside, Stephanie caught her breath. This time the pain wasn''t as bad as before, within her tolerance.

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    She touched her cheek, nced at the tightly shut door, and thought, "Just you wait, Tina. After this, you won''t be able to distance yourself from Lysander!"

    Inside, Lysander sat in silence, about to discuss his dealings with the Reed family with Tina, when he began to feel increasingly hot.

    He took off his jacket and threw it aside but still felt suffocated.

    It felt like a fire was burning inside him, trying to burst out.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Lysander grew restless, fanning himself with his shirt, his face flushed red.

    Tina observed Lysander''s condition and asked, "What''s wrong?"

    Lysander shook his head, "I... I don''t know, Tina, I feel awful."

    Tina approached and took his hand gently to check on him.

    Suddenly, Lysander, as if losing his senses, tightly grasped Tina''s hand. "Tina, I feel terrible, I want to hold you..."

    Bang! The bedroom door was suddenly smashed open, and the air instantly filled with the smell of a fire extinguisher. "There''s a fire! Tina, I''ming to save you now!"

    Tina shielded her eyes and in the next second, moved to a safe spot.

    Once the smoke cleared, Tina opened her eyes.

    Orson, still holding the fire extinguisher, was pinned down by Lysander, unable to move as Lysander clutched him tightly. Their legs were tangled up in an undignified manner.

    Lysandery quietly on top of Orson, a small bump forming on his head, matching a dent on the fire extinguisher. Tina just stared, "..."

 Chapter 644: Brother, Youre Sitting on My...

    Tina looked at the scene before her with disbelief and then quietly exited the room. Courtney was standing at the door, holding Stephanie who was pretending to faint. "Miss Reed, what should we do with her?" "Leave her be," Tina waved her hand dismissively. "When Lysander wakes up, give this to him." Courtney nodded, "Okay, I got it."

    After speaking, Tina gave Stephanie a smirk and then left. Meanwhile, inside the bedroom, Orson struggled and shouted, "Won''t anyonee to rescue me? Isn''t there anyone?"

    Courtney nced indifferently and carried the "unconscious" Stephanie downstairs. Enduring the pain, Stephanie seethed with resentment. Couldn''t this person properly carry her down the stairs instead of dragging her? Her legs were surely bruised all over. And why was Orson here, anyway?

    Stephanie had nned to lock Tina and Lysander together. Later, she would bring Jared over, and even if nothing happened, the misunderstanding would be enough. Without Jared, Tina would misunderstand things with Lysander, and her mission would be aplished. But it was Orson who showed up! He ruined everything! What a waste!

    It wasn''t until nightfall that Lysander finally opened his eyes on top of Orson. He awoke with a headache, not knowing what had happened, just feeling an unbearable thirst. "Brother, you''re sitting on my little brother." Lysander was stunned, then looked down at the person beneath him. "Damn!" Lysander had never jumped so high; he backed up more than ten steps until he hit a cab, finallying to his senses. "You... why are you here? Wait, where is this? What were you doing just now?"

    Orson sat up on the bed, clutching a fire extinguisher like a precious item, "I should be asking you! You''ve been lying on top of me all day; I couldn''t even push your head away. Look what you''ve done to me, you must be a cat!" Orson lifted his shirt to reveal red marks on his chest. Just then, Courtney, who had been waiting, came over to check on them and saw Orson lifting his shirt and Lysander blushing. She blinked, "Sorry to interrupt." She quickly went downstairs, her timing impable.

    Orson hurried to follow her but was stopped by Lysander. "What exactly happened!" All he remembered was being locked in a room with Tina, who seemed to have been taking his pulse; after that, he remembered nothing.

    As for Orson''s involvement and why Courtney was there, he had no recollection. Orson sighed, "I wanted to ask you the same. What are you doing here? And what were you doing pulling on me? I rushed in to save my Tina from your harassment, and you ended up pulling me down and trying to strip me. If I hadn''t knocked you out with the fire extinguisher, my virtue would have beenpromised!"

    Lysander frowned, "You came here with a fire extinguisher?" Orson licked his lips, a hint of guilt flickering in his eyes. Actually, he had received a text from Jared saying Courtney wasing to discuss a graduate course with Lysander today, and he had brought the fire extinguisher to settle scores. But he hadn''t expected to find Lysander and Tina together in the bedroom, so he took matters into his own hands.

    Courtney: "Why do I feel like Orson got tricked?"

    Jared: "Really? I didn''t notice."

    "You worry about what I bring, but what about you? Why do you keep holding Tina''s hand? What are you plotting?" Orson confronted him as soon as he arrived.

    Lysander was at a loss for words; he couldn''t remember what he had done at all.

    Seeing that Lysander wasn''t pursuing the matter of the fire extinguisher, Orson hooked his arm around his shoulder and walked out. "Alright, stop thinking about it, let''s head back to school." Meanwhile, Tina nodded in satisfaction as she looked at the chip synthesis prompt on the screen.

    Jared was wiping Tina''s wrist with a disinfectant wipe, one after the other.

    "That''s enough." Tina withdrew her hand disdainfully. "The chip has already integrated with Stephanie, three more times and it will beplete."

    Jared smiled slightly, "Hmm, Tina, you''re really amazing."

    Tina nced sideways at him. "Not as amazing as you. How did you know something was off with Lysander today?"

    Tina, skilled in medicine, could often tell at a nce whether someone was poisoned or ill.

    Yet today, when she saw Lysander, he didn''t seem unusual.

    Also, at Stephanie''s home, whether it was fruit tea or anything else, there was nothing out of the ordinary.

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    She hadn''t noticed anything, so how could Jared be so sure?

    Jared pinched Tina''s palm, "I have a third eye."

    Tina: "...Uncle, that''s not funny."

    Jared raised an eyebrow, "Actually, the medicine Stephanie bought privately was sold by Hayden."

    Tina chuckled, "So, you knew from the start that Stephanie wanted to drug me and Lysander. You switched my medicine but not Lysander''s? Aren''t you afraid it could really cause harm?" "Of course not." Jared held Tina close. "Because you wouldn''t let that happen."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Tina narrowed her eyes at Jared.

    The medicineing from his hands must be potent, and Lysander would certainly be in unbearable pain.

    It was unexpected for Uncle to be so devious.

    He not only sold them the medicine but also subtly punished Lysander and even manipted Orson.

    Truly, such a childish game!

    This was a trap Jared had set specifically for Lysander.

    Jared didn''t deny it, childish as it was, improper as it might be.

    He didn''t care.

    He treated anyone who liked Tina or harbored intentions towards her equally.

    But getting close to his Tina wasn''t going to be easy.

    Lysander couldn''t be hit or scolded, as he was Tina''s friend, disciple, and n leader-the one Tina ced great hopes on.

    Punishing him could only be subtle.

    Tina found it both speechless and amusing.

    A man in his thirties, yet insisting on bickering like a child.

    But this was good, as it served as a lesson for Lysander.

    To fall into such a simple trap and nearly lose his life.

    If he didn''t reflect on this incident, he wouldn''t be able to secure his position as head of the Emerson family.

    "Tina, Stephanie is now only secretly in contact with Grace, who seems to be her superior. There''s no need to keep an eye on Stephanie anymore, just leave it to Courtney. The focus should be on Grace," Jared said, resting his head on Tina''s shoulder and stealing a kiss on her exquisite profile.

    Tina smiled back, "Yes, Grace is the key. Lately, she''s been meddling in the affairs of the X Bureau quite a bit, Hayden has scolded her many times."

 Chapter 645: Foolish Lysander

    Grace was quietly taking control of all matters within the X Bureau. Since she was at the same level as Linden, others hesitated to speak out, especially since she was appointed from above. They just had to bear it. The incidents at the training ground only deepened Grace''s grudge. She was constantly targeting Nathan, trying to strip him of his captaincy.

    The momentum was strong and could not be ignored.

    Moreover, the Five Poisons might very well be lurking behind her.

    That faceless face could appear in any guise, perhaps even recing Grace.

    If that were indeed the case, the consequences would be unthinkable.

    Inside the apartment, Grace walked in.

    Looking at Stephanie''s bedroom door, now shattered, she disdainfully remarked, "Such a simple task, and you couldn''t handle it."

    "Why don''t you do it yourself!" Stephanie was applying medicine to herself.

    That Courtney really didn''t consider her own injuries at all.

    Grace nced at her coldly, "You handle Lysander''s issues. Now there''s another problem; Courtney has been sent back to Kongham University on some mission. Keep an eye on her."

    Hearing Courtney''s name, Stephanie snapped a cotton swab in frustration, "What''s there to watch with her?"

    "The master said Courtney is Tina''s confidant. This trip could target either you or Lysander. We also need to sway the Emerson family, which could be extremely detrimental to us. Just be careful," Grace said patiently. "One moment you ask me to provoke Lysander, the next to watch Courtney. Why don''t you just use me as a tool?"

    Anger tinted Grace''s expression, "Why ask so many questions? If you want revenge, just keep quiet. Report back to me if Courtney shows any slight deviation. Also, we shouldn''t meet for a while. I don''t have time to deal with you. Quickly turn Lysander to our side and don''t let Courtney notice."

    "What you did today probably already made Lysander suspicious. Be more careful in the future."

    With that, Grace left.

    Stephanie cursed under her breath and continued applying her medicine.

    She would definitely not let Courtney off the hook!

    At Kongham University, Lysander waited grimly in front of the graduate teaching building.

    People passing by kept their distance.

    After all, Lysander was a notable figure at Kongham University, recognized by everyone.

    Usually seen only by those in the finance department, his rare appearance today naturally aroused curiosity.

    Stephanie walked out alone and smiled as she approached Lysander.

    "Lysander, what are you doing here? Waiting for me?"

    Suddenly, Lysander pulled her away, quickening his pace.

    "Hey, Lysander, what are you doing? Go easy, you''re hurting me!"

    Lysander dragged Stephanie to a secluded area, then abruptly let go of her hand.

    Stephanie''s wrist was bright red, and she looked at Lysander with tearful eyes, "What are you doing?"

    "What am I doing? Stephanie, I want to ask you, what exactly happened yesterday!"

    Lysander was no fool; he wouldn''t lose consciousness for no reason.

    Yesterday, he had arranged to meet with Tina while she treated Stephanie''s injuries.

    But unexpectedly, he found himself locked in his bedroom, having lost consciousness.

    If it wasn''t rted to Stephanie, only a fool would believe that!

    Rubbing her wrist, Stephanie replied, "I haven''t even asked you about yesterday. I decided to help you meet with Tina, but why did you bring Orson? Were you trying to let my brother find out about our agreement and then get kicked out of Ashbury?"

    "Orson wasn''t brought by me!" Lysander roared.

    "Why are you shouting? If I hadn''t passed out from pain yesterday, Orson and that Courtney would have killed me. Look at the wounds on my body, and yet you me me."

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    Stephanie lifted her skirt, "I was trying to help you, and this is how you treat me?" Lysander looked at the wounds on Stephanie''s legs, "How did you get hurt like this?"Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    "How would I know!" Stephanie said petntly, sitting down on a roadside chair, "You say Orson wasn''t called by you, then who did? He came with Courtney, could it be Courtney who brought him?" "Possibly." Lysander knew of Orson''s feelings for Courtney.

    The twoing together wasn''t out of the realm of possibility, but why would Courtney bring him?

    Stephanie, observing the change in Lysander''s expression, smirked inwardly before saying, "Back in Clearwater, Courtney was quite close to Jared. Could it be she suspected something?" Lysander narrowed his eyes. Indeed, Courtney had been seeking him out frequently ofte.

    She imed it was for her graduate studies, but there seemed to be a hint of surveince.

    Could it be that Jared sent her?

    Lysander wasn''t aware of the full extent of Courtney''s connection with Tina, but he knew Courtney was a member of the X Bureau.

    In his eyes, Courtney''s rtionship with Jared seemed closer.

    He felt somewhat reluctant to ept it.

    So, Jared had ced a spy by his side?

    He wanted to stir trouble between him and Tina!

    Seeing Lysander''s expression, Stephanie knew he had fallen for it.

    This was good.

    "I understand how you feel, but please trust me. I said I would help you, and I mean it. If you don''t need me, I can leave anytime. I hope in the future, you won''t misunderstand me." With that, Stephanie limped away.

    Hey there! Just a friendly reminder that if you''re not reading this book on nel5s.org, you might be missing out on theplete story. Head over there to dive into the next chapter-it''s all free! Lysander watched her retreating figure, his gaze growing deeper.

    Meanwhile, Tina suddenly received a call from Damian.

    "Tina, are you free? Can we meet, just the two of us?"

    Damian rarely called Tina, and even less likely to meet her alone, usually involving the Reed family.

    This time his tone was very serious, and his request unusual.

    Tina nodded, "Okay, send me the address."

    Arriving early at the location, Damian was already waiting. As Tina approached, he greeted her.

    "Tina, I''m here."

    Tina sat down and asked, "What happened?"

    Damian looked around and then pulled out a document from his briefcase.

    "Tina, something doesn''t feel right. The bionic project is progressing very smoothly, yet I saw someone selling bionic technology cameras on the ck market. These are patents that haven''t been released to the market, recently brought to us by Lysander for coboration, but now, they appear on the ck market."

    Tina frowned. The covert cameras had already spread?

    So quickly?

    She flipped through the documents. The covert cameras sold on the ck market were the ones she had handed over to Lysander.

    "How long have you known about this?" Tina asked.

    "I found out this morning and called you right away, Tina. Besides this camera, there''s another thing that feels off. Do you know the Pace family?"

    Tina nodded, "Boris? What about him?"

 Chapter 646: Boris Stirs Trouble Again

    "Yes, it''s him," Damian furrowed his brow, "He approached me wanting to coborate on developing bionic biotechnology. He knew the details quite well, which worries me-could it be that the bionic project has beenpromised? You said it was supposed to be absolutely confidential, so I''ve declined him for now, until today when I saw those cameras being sold on the ck market."

    The three families were highly trusted by Tina, hence they were coborating on the bionic project.

    It was not surprising that Boris knew about it, considering he''s from the Pace family.

    However, his proactive approach to coborate with the Reed family was somewhat intriguing. The Pace family was not short of business, holding onto many more valuable projects.

    Yet, Boris had set his sights on bionic biotechnology, going out of his way for it.

    More importantly, after his failure, covert cameras started appearing on the ck market.

    "Leave this matter to me; you don''t have to worry about it," Tina said as she gathered the documents. Damian nodded, "Alright, I understand. I''ll let you know if there are any more issues."

    After they parted, Tina immediately called Cole.

    Cole was now in charge of everything at me Ice, which included overseeing the ck market.

    "Check where these goods came from, and who the merchants got them from. Remember, don''t alert them."

    Cole, having not been assigned tasks for a while and having been training his subordinates to the point of boredom, eagerly epted.

    The once stale Cole was revitalized, and in just half a day, he had everything figured out.

    "Serena, I''ve found it. The buyer is an old man on the ck market everyone calls Old Rat. His supplier is the Reed family, but I haven''t found who he sells to yet."

    Tina frowned, "When is the next transaction?"

    "Tonight, under an overpass in the suburbs. I''ve already sent people to ambush. Do you want him alive or dead?" Cole, eager for action, asked.

    "Alive," Tina sighed, "And don''t hurt him."

    "Got it!" Cole responded promptly.

    That evening, at the suburban overpass.

    Old Rat stood under the bridge, smoking a cigarette and keeping a watchful eye around.

    Suddenly, a car in the distance turned on its headlights, shing three times before turning off.

    Old Rat also took out a shlight, shing it three times towards the sky, then quickly turning it off. Shortly after, a man fully armed approached, holding a box.

    "Old Rat?"

    "Mr. Thompson."

    The man called Mr. Thompson smiled and opened the box, revealing four cameras under the dim light.

    Just as Old Rat was about to take it, Mr. Thompson closed the box abruptly.

    "Where''s the money?"

    Old Rat chuckled, "Mr. Thompson, you might as well ask your buddy behind you for the money!"

    Mr. Thompson started, then was suddenly subdued, not even seeing who attacked him before he was knocked unconscious.

    Old Rat put away his shlight and rubbed his hands together, "Mr. Lyon, you''ve worked hard. Why did youe yourself?"

    Cole pulled out an envelope from his coat, containing a bank card.

    "The pin is the same, go withdraw it yourself."

    Old Rat took it with both hands, "Ah, thanks, Mr. Lyon. Just call on me if you need anything in the future, thanks again, Mr. Lyon!"

    Just as Cole was about to let Old Rat leave, a vast array of lights suddenly illuminated, surrounding thempletely.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Cole hesitated for a moment, then quickly pulled out a pistol and pressed it against Old Rat.

    "You dare set an ambush?"

    Old Rat fell to his knees with a thud.

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    "Mr. Lyon, I didn''t know anything about this. How could I dare do such a thing to you? I have no idea what''s going on!"

    Just then, two people emerged from the light, guns in hand, aimed at both Cole and Old Rat.

    "National Intelligence Agency, both of you, stay where you are!"

    Cole was momentarily stunned. Why did the voice sound so familiar? Standing on the fainted Mr. Thompson, he raised his hands to his ears. "Miss, have we met before? My name is Cole Lyon, and you are?"

    "Cole Lyon? You''re Tina''s brother!"

    Now ustomed to the brightness of the lights, Cole could finally see the person in front of him clearly. Indeed, it was an old acquaintance. "Elsa, it really is you!"

    The person was Elsa. Previously, Elsa had been held captive by Jasmine, and afterwards, all matters were handled by Cole, making the two naturally acquainted. It was just that Elsa had returned to the intelligence agency, and Cole had been training his subordinates at me Ice, hence they hadn''t met for a while. Meeting again under such circumstances was unexpected.

    With a gentle gesture, Elsa signaled her subordinates to lower their weapons, and she holstered her own pistol. She nced at Mr. Thompson under Cole''s foot and asked, "What are you doing here?" Cole kicked Mr. Thompson''s foot.

    "I needed to see him about something, Sister Elsa. Are you on a mission?"

    Elsa chuckled, knowing that since Cole was involved, it must have been arranged by Tina. It seemed they had crossed paths on their missions again.

    "Is Tina around? I''d prefer to speak with her."

    Knowing Elsa''s role, Cole did not interfere. He reported the situation to Tina and escorted Elsa to where Tina was.

    "Tina, we meet again," Elsa greeted with a smile before getting straight to the point.

    "You were looking for Mr. Thompson. What for?"

    Tina did not hide the truth.

    "He''s suspected of trafficking confidentialponents from ourpany."

    Hey there! Just a friendly reminder that if you''re not reading this book on nel5s.org, you might be missing out on theplete story. Head over there to dive into the next chapter-it''s all free! Elsa nodded in understanding.

    "No wonder you had Cole handle it personally, Tina. Do you know this man has another identity?"

    Tina furrowed her brows.

    "Since you''re here, could it be that he''s a spy?"

    Elsa knew Tina was sharp-witted and didn''t need much exnation.

    "This Cliff Thompson is a transnational spy, previously under Heath Garrison. We''ve been tracking him for a long time, and finally caught up with him during tonight''s deal. It''s surprising that he ran into you." Tina was slightly surprised.

    "Heath Garrison''s subordinate? He was dealing in covert cameras today, not exactly state secrets. Why were you monitoring him?"

    "We''ve been watching him for a while, aware that he was nning to flee. Tonight''s trade was to make money before leaving, so we had to capture him first. Moreover, we''ve uncovered a more significant secret." Elsa''s expression grew serious.

    "Tina, Heath Garrison''s involvement with Jasmine wasn''t just a simple coboration."

    "What do you mean?" Tina asked.

    "They were originally part of the same organization!"

    Tina was taken aback.

    "Heath Garrison was with GTO?"

    "No, it''s them. They belong to the same spy organization, named GTO."

    This revtion somewhat startled Tina. She had thought GTO was only involved in virus research, but it turned out their scope was quite broad, extending even to spy operations! "Do you have solid evidence?" Tina inquired.

 Chapter 647: Tina and Elsa Collaborate Again

    Elsa nodded, "Yes, Heath Garrison has admitted it. We found a virus on him. ording to Garrison, this virus is called st-0. It''s injected into every member of the spy organization. The virus alters human genes, enabling them to easily evade searches."

    It was no wonder that Elsa, during her rtionship with Heath Garrison, had never discovered his real identity.

    It was the altered genes all along.

    st-0, as the name suggests, is a precursor to st-1.

    It''s all about human gics!

    Elsa continued, "Tina, it looks like we''re going to work together again."

    Tina also smiled, "Yeah, time to coborate again. It''s time to put an end to this spy organization!"

    "And Cliff Thompson..."

    "Leave Cliff Thompson to me. I''ll get the answers I want from him, then hand him over to you first thing tomorrow morning. Someone else will contact you after that." Elsa understood, "Alright, I''ll wait for your news."

    In the interrogation room of Mountain Veil Order.

    Cliff Thompson gradually woke up, his entire body suspended from the ceiling, his feet dangling above a boiling cauldron.

    Cliff Thompson was startled and quickly retracted his feet, shouting, "This is torture! I must tell you, even though I''ve been captured, I have basic human rights!"

    Cole walked in, hearing Cliff Thompson''s cries, "What? A spy expecting human rights?"

    Cliff Thompson, knowing his cover was already blown, no longer hid his identity, "Aren''t you supposed to treat prisoners well? This way, you''ll regret it!"

    Coleshed him with a whip, "You really think this is a ce that treats prisoners well? You don''t know who you''re dealing with! Speak, who directed you to traffic the cameras?"

    Cliff Thompson, struck by the whip, nearly lost his soul, instantly realizing that this was not the intelligence agency.

    He had been double-crossed by the underworld''s Old Rat!

    "I''ll talk, I''ll tell everything."

    Facing interrogation by the intelligence bureau, Cliff Thompson could still put on airs; however, in such a shady workshop, he had to speak fast or he wouldn''t even know how he might die.

    "It was Boris Pace. He had me steal and sell the Reed family''s cameras to spread bionic biotechnology and profit from it. He gave me arge sum of money, and I was nning to flee with it, but I got caught. I''m telling the truth!" Cole, unable to bear pulling a secondsh, felt uneasy.

    This man had no spine.

    Surrendering after just onesh, Cole wondered how the GTO trained its people.

    If it were him, he''d whip them to death rather than let them confess!

    "Do you have any evidence to prove what you''re saying is true?" Cole sat down, somewhat deted.

    Cliff Thompson continued, "Yes, yes, yes, every time we met, I brought a camera to record our meetings. I have videos as proof."

    Cole sighed, ordering his men to let Cliff Thompson down.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Cliff Thompson thought he was being rescued, endlessly thanking, "Big brother, thank you so much. Can I go now?"

    Cole nodded, "Hmm, someone''s already here to pick you up. Go ahead."

    Cliff Thompson was stunned, then saw Elsa entering with her team, smiling, "Mr. Thompson, please."

    Cliff Thompson, sitting on the ground, realized he hadn''t escaped the intelligence bureau after all.

    After taking Cliff Thompson away, Elsa conducted an overnight thorough interrogation. He spilled everything he knew, including his dealings with Boris and previous safe houses.

    As the night grew longer and dreams more abundant, if GTO discovered Cliff Thompson was captured, they might evacuate. Elsa immediately led her team to the location and sent a message to Tina. On the road, Elsa received a call from Linden.

    "We''ve been ordered; the X Bureau will assist you in apprehending the GTO spy organization," Linden said.

    "Good, thank you."

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    Elsa and Linden quickly agreed on a cooperative intention, and the entire X Bureau was mobilized.

    The mission was so sudden that even before departure, no one knew exactly what the task entailed.

    Even Grace was unaware of why the entire X Bureau was suddenly dispatched.

    She approached Linden, who was discussing tactics with Christopher and Nathan.

    "What exactly are you doing?"

    Nathan was the first to lose patience.

    "Miss Hancock, this is not within your responsibility."

    "But I must report all matters concerning the X Bureau to my superiors. I hope you remember that everything within the X Bureau must go through me!" Linden immediately threw the documents on the table.

    "Miss Hancock, do you also need to take over my position as director?"

    Grace was startled.

    "That''s not what I meant, but Chief Linden, I must apany you on this mission, and you can''t refuse, can you?"

    Linden cursed under his breath, those old heads at headquarters always caused trouble.

    "Fine, you cane along, but remember, if anything goes wrong, I will hold you ountable!"

    Nathan was about to object, but seeing Christopher shake his head, he remained silent.

    Grace, being from headquarters, had to be included in the mission; it was an order they couldn''t refuse!

    Grace got her wish to stay by Linden''s side, although she was still unclear about the exact nature of the mission.

    She had no choice but to silently follow along.

    Soon, the X Bureau and the Intelligence Bureau surrounded a location provided by Cliff Thompson.

    Infrared cameras revealed bombs hidden inside the site, with characteristics remarkably simr to those of "Morning Glory."

    Nathan immediately gave the order, "First squad, send a vanguard to scout the bombyout. Second squad, provide cover. If necessary, reinforce with firepower. We must capture them alive!" Jason and Hayden led their respective teams out.

    On the perimeter, Tina, holding binocrs, monitored every move.

    The Mountain Veil Order members were all in position, vignt against any that might slip through.

    Courtney, the vanguard team leader, led ten people quietly around the site, using a detector to roughly locate the "Morning Glory."

    She gestured to her team to spread out and begin dismantling the bombs.

    Inside themand vehicle, Grace looked at therge screen and asked, "What exactly are you doing?"

    "Shut up," Nathan snapped, then pressed his earpiece.

    "Courtney, you have thirty seconds, hurry up!"

    Courtney acknowledged Nathan''s instruction.

    The site resembled a resort vi, with extremely high outer walls, simr to the red walls of the Forbidden City, very well concealed.

    The main gate was builtvishly, but at this time, deep into the night, it was securely locked. A small pavilion by the gate had a little window, but no light reflected out, and it was unclear if anyone was on guard. ording to Cliff Thompson, there was a secret passage known only to insiders.

    Courtney led her team slowly into the secret passage. Inside, it was dim, and the mission was highly sensitive, requiring absolute silence.

    The advance team couldn''t even turn on their lights.

    They had to rely on touch and advance slowly.

    Their only guide was the previously viewed infrared simtion map; relying on memory, they found the direction of the bombs and proceeded to dismantle them.

 Chapter 648: Grace Causes Catastrophe for X BUREAU Team Members

    Tina had been on the perimeter, watching Courtney''s direction through a thermal imager. Jared was beside her, tapping rapidly on theputer. Three secondster, he announced, "Tina, it''s connected."

    Tina pressed her earpiece, "Vanguard team, can you hear me?" All members, including Courtney, were momentarily startled. Courtney tapped in Morse code through her earpiece-Miss Reed?

    "It''s me. Advance ording to mymand. There are more bombs here than the previous infrared scan detected. Proceed with caution." Everyone in X Bureau knew that Tina was Jared''s fianc¨¦e and naturally followed hermands, aware that Jared was surely by her side. This reassurance inexplicably calmed the advancing vanguard team.

    "Number one and number two, move to the left; three and four, follow half a meter behind them. Courtney, you lead the rest from the nine o''clock direction, and be careful not to touch the walls. There are electrifieds on the walls that could alert those inside."

    The vanguard team followed Tina''s directions, sessfully avoiding many triggers and getting closer to the buried bombs. In themand vehicle, Nathan, watching the images from the thermal imager, instantly understood. Jared and Tina must be nearby; this method of operation was Tina''s style. Careful and lethal. Nathan, who had been with Jared and Tina for years, knew this well.

    Moreover, Tina''s equipment was more advanced than that of X Bureau, capable of detecting traps they could not. This would allow Courtney toplete the mission more swiftly. Elsa, leading the national intelligence bureau, was also ready. They were not experts at defusing bombs, but provided ample support from the perimeter.

    Under Tina''smand, Courtney quickly dismantled the first bomb site. She tapped a few times on her earpiece-point A sessful. Tina nodded in satisfaction. Elsa''s team also received the signal and moved in.

    In themand vehicle, Grace was diligently recording everything, yet she felt something was amiss with this operation. The involvement of both the national intelligence bureau and X Bureau suggested they might be targeting GTO. This was uneptable-if GTO waspromised, she would surely face punishment, an experience she never wanted to repeat. Regardless of whether this was about GTO, she couldn''t take that risk.

    Meanwhile, Nathan had rejoined Christopher and Linden to discuss further tactics, none noticing Grace. Silently, Grace approached themand console and quietly turned on the external loudspeaker.

    Nathan returned, unaware that the loudspeaker had been activated-a device usually untouched unless they werepletely surrounding a target to intimidate criminals. For a covert mission like this, activating it was unthinkable. Nathan picked up the microphone and began, "Second squad, encircle from the rear..." His words left everyone stunned, including Tina and Jared on the perimeter, and Courtney and Elsa, who were in the midst of the bomb dismantling. Suddenly, the calm resort erupted with a massive explosion starting from a secret passage. In just two seconds, the entire resort was reduced to rubble. Even themand vehicle shook violently, its special bulletproof ss shattering from the intense vibrations.

    Countless ss shards flew through the air, embedding into the bodies of X Bureau''s special squad members.

    Hayden and Jason had sustained various injuries, their bodies riddled with countless shards of ss. On the outskirts, Tina and Jared also experienced ringing in their ears, temporarily deafened by the noise. Inside themand vehicle, people copsed, with Grace striking a machine and losing consciousness. Everything happened in an instant, almost within milliseconds.

    Jared, supporting Tina, was the first to snap out of it. He quickly connected to themand vehicle and shouted, "Nathan, go catch them!" Nathan, his ears buzzing, heard Jared''s voice as if it were a message from beyond, echoing in his mind.

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    "Nathan, go catch them!" Jared yelled again, urgency in his voice. The spy base had already detected the pursuit and, having managed to detonate explosives, had surely nned escape routes.

    At this point, catching even one was crucial; they couldn''t let anyone get away! Finally regaining his senses, Nathan personally grabbed a gun and descended from themand vehicle.

    "Hayden, Jason, are you still alive?" Hayden rose from the rubble, bleeding from ss cuts on his legs, abdomen, and shoulders among other areas.

    "Alive, I''ll go catch them!" Jason also stood up, more severely injured than Hayden, with his abdomen pierced, yet he still managed to rise.

    "Can''t die now," he said, and headed towards a hidden passage.

    His teammates were still inside.

    "Captain, you go catch them; I''ll look for the others." Nathan responded, "Hurry, we must find all of our people." There were ten in the vanguard, and none could be missing. By now, Tina had also recovered. She holstered a pistol on her leg and donned a bulletproof vest, "Uncle, you take the Mountain Veil Order to catch them, I''ll go find Courtney and Elsa."

    "Okay, be careful," Jared kissed Tina on the forehead as they split up.Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Jason had reached the passage, which had copsed in ces, some directly vaporized by the explosion. Enduring the pain, he lifted debris and pressed forward, "Courtney, where are you?" Courtney was unconscious, buried under bricks and dishes, her head wounded. When Jason found her, she was deeplyatose, breathing more in than out.

    "Courtney, Courtney!" Jason pped her face but, getting no response, he hoisted her onto his back.

    The others were found as well, but few were alive, and even fewer unharmed. Jason, tears welling in his eyes, ordered, "Collect the limbs of our brothers, hurry back to avoid a second explosion!" Tina, meanwhile, found Elsa unconscious with a fractured leg grotesquely twisted and a wooden stake piercing her chest, just millimeters from her heart. Tina administered a healing pill to Elsa; the stake in her chest couldn''t be removed without risking her life.

    By then, Jason was carrying Courtney out. Seeing Tina, his face brightened. Tina distributed the few healing pills she had, "I didn''t bring many, just the essentials; the rest need to be rushed to the hospital. Uncle has already alerted the doctors to be on standby, the severely injured go first, my mother is already at the hospital waiting."

    "Yes," Jason took the healing pill, distributing them, and was left with just one.

 Chapter 649: The Necessity of the X Bureaus Existence

    Without a second thought, Jason fed Courtney and ced her on the stretcher. Meanwhile, Jared and Hayden apprehended every suspicious individual they could find, disregarding their protests of innocence.

    It was better to err on the side of caution than to let someone slip through. Those trained at the spy base were highly alert and adept at acting. If they disguised themselves as ordinary citizens, even the keen eyes of the Monkey King would struggle to discern their true nature.

    In no time, two vehicles were filled with detainees. Hayden, unable to hold on any longer, leaned on Jared and knelt on one knee.

    "Hayden, hold on, I''m taking you to the hospital," Jared said, supporting Hayden with one hand to prevent him from passing out.

    At that moment, Nathan led a major sweep of the area with arge force, and reinforcements from the National Intelligence Bureau arrived. The situation was finally under control, the risk of a secondary explosion was eliminated, and all injured parties, including Grace, were rushed to the ICU.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

    When Jason was transported to the hospital, he was unconscious, with shards of ss deeply embedded in his abdomen, his condition critical. Natalie, taking over Jason''s care, was shaken by the severity of his injuries.

    "Tina, didn''t you give him the healing pills?" she asked, knowing Tina always carried them for emergencies, especially for missions like this. With Jason''s grave injuries, Tina surely would have administered them.

    Tina frowned, "I did, but he must have shared them with his team. Mom, he''s in your hands now, I''m going to check on Courtney and Elsa."

    "Okay," Natalie responded, not probing further as dys were life-threatening.

    After two nights and a day, Natalie and Tina managed to stabilize all the wounded. In the X Bureau, members who had been disabled by the explosion had their limbs reattached if recoverable. However, those that could not be found left them helpless.

    This mission resulted in the capture of twenty-three individuals, one of whom was confirmed to be an innocent bystander and was released with substantialpensation by Jared. The remaining twenty-two were found with st-0 on their persons, confirming their identities as spies.

    The X Bureau suffered over a hundred injuries, and the team led by Elsa from the National Intelligence Bureau was entirely wounded. The economic loss amounted to fifty million dors. Fortunately, there were no residential areas nearby, sparing ordinary citizens from harm.

    Following the incident, the Ashbury headquarters issued a critique throughout the agency, starting with Linden, revoking a specialmendation and issuing a severe reprimand. The director of the Clearwater headquarters personally called, "I''m telling you, Linden, find the person responsible, or go back to being the chairman of the Linden family!"

    Finding the culprit was straightforward for Linden; it was either Nathan or Grace. Linden and Christopher had been away from themand console, discussing strategies at a side table, and other technicians were upied at their stations and could not leave. The only ones who could have essed the console were Nathan and Grace.

    Nathan was the most likely suspect, as he was in charge of the microphone. However, Linden knew it couldn''t be Nathan. Having worked closely with Jared for years, Nathan would not make such a fundamental mistake; Jared would never keep him as his personal assistant if he were capable of such an error.

    Among the three team leaders, only Nathan was the most rational and meticulous. Otherwise, Linden would not have chosen him to rece Jared as the chief team leader. That left only Grace. But as of now, there was no evidence; the surveince tape in themand vehicle was damaged due to an explosion, and the previously recorded information had not yet been recovered.

    In the hospital, Grace gradually came to. She had hit the back of her head on a machine, and despite surgery, she could still feel a piercing pain. A young nurse stationed in her room saw her awaken and quickly summoned a doctor to examine her.

    "Your injuries are manageable, just rest quietly at home. Try not to get too emotional to avoid inducing headaches and dizziness," the doctor advised after the examination, prescribing some medication for Grace and discharging her. After all, the hospital was overwhelmed; the ICU was full, not to mention the regr wards. Grace''s injuries, not being very severe, did not justify her upying a bed.

    "Doctor, my head hurts terribly. What if there areplications after I leave? I can''t be discharged."

    "The headache is just a post-operative reaction. If it bes unbearable, have a nurse give you a painkiller injection, but you must be discharged. There are no beds avable, and others are waiting. Please pack up and leave by this afternoon. Thank you."

    The doctor had been on continuous shifts, and with patientsing in non-stop, he had already lost his patience. Grace continued to be unreasonable, but the doctor did not engage further and simply turned away.

    Meanwhile, Tina was still by the ICU, where Courtney and Elsa''s conditions had not improved, and Jason and Hayden had not yet awakened. Outside the ward, Hugo''s family and Pa waited, with Jennie''s eyes swollen from crying. Elsa had not been home for over a year due to her job, rarely even calling, and now her first return was to the hospital with severe injuries.

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    Natalie gave Jennie a reassurance pill, "Don''t worry, Elsa will be fine. With me and Tina here, nothing will go wrong." Hugo could only repeatedly offerfort, pretending to be calm. As the main support of the family, he could not falter. Jared continued to lead the Mountain Veil Order in the pursuit of a fleeing spy. ording to the confessions of the captured, at least five others were still atrge. Importantly, they had all had some contact with the Five Poisons. Although they had never seen their faces, they could at least track the movements of the Five Poisons.

    Three dayster, Courtney and Elsa finally stabilized, and Hayden woke up; Jason was still in aa but was no longer in critical condition. Tina was finally able to leave the ICU. With the patients stable, it was time to seek out the mastermind. Tina rushed to the X Bureau demanding the surveince from that day. Christopher intercepted her, "Tina, the surveince data hasn''t been recovered yet. We don''t know the specifics, please wait a couple of days."

    "I can''t wait," Tina pulled a technician from his chair, "Such a simple task and you can''t manage it, what''s the point of the X Bureau''s existence?"

    Christopher was left speechless, previously, because of Jared and Natalie, Tina had some filter when it came to the X Bureau. But now, she was utterly merciless. Yet, no one could argue, for to Tina, this really was a minor issue.

 Chapter 650: Tinas Fury

    Three minutester, the destroyed surveince footage was fully restored. The monitor showed that while Nathan had stepped away to discuss tactics, Grace approached themand console.

    However, because she was facing away from the camera, and her entire body blocked the view of the console, it was unclear what she was actually doing. The entire incidentsted only three seconds. Tina''s eyes immediately filled with boundless rage, and she stood up and walked outside. Linden arrived at that moment, along with Christopher, trying to stop her.

    "Tina, this is a matter for the X Bureau. Let us handle it," they said.

    "Go back for now. The footage didn''t show Grace touching the console. Let us investigate properly," they continued.

    Grace was an agent sent from headquarters. If there was to be any ountability, it could onlye from there. Furthermore, with people already injured, they couldn''t afford to be too harsh. Linden and Christopher were angry as well, but as the directors of the Ashbury X Bureau, they couldn''t act impulsively.

    But Tina, furious as she was, was beyond their control. Even though these two were once ranked second and third within the X Bureau.

    With one swift move, Tina grabbed each by the wrist and twisted. With a crack, both Christopher and Linden''s arms were dislocated. They cried out in pain and stood frozen in ce, coincidentally right under a surveince camera. "See? It''s not that we didn''t stop her; we couldn''t stop her," they seemed to say.

    Meanwhile, Grace was sitting in the secretarial department with a bandage on her head, portraying the image of a diligent worker battling through illness. Her injury was not serious; it was more of a pretense than anything else.

    At the moment, her biggest worry was that the technicians had restored the surveince. The situation had been urgent, and she hadn''t had time to prepare better, so she had used her body to block the view. She wondered if she had given herself away.

    Fortunately, even if the surveince was restored, it had to go through the secretarial department, and even if it captured her, she had ways to handle it. Thinking this, she took out her lipstick to touch up. She chose a subdued bean paste color to appear more pitiful.

    Suddenly, the door to the secretarial department was kicked open, mming to the ground, startling everyone. Grace''s hand shook, smearing lipstick across her face. Before she could react, she felt her neck grabbed and the next second, she was mmed onto the desk. The lipstick crushed against her face, and truth be told, it looked quite convincingly like bean paste was smeared across her face. Grace cried out in pain, "Who is it?"

    Looking up, she met Tina''s furiously angry face. A p came, spinning Grace around 360 degrees, staggering a few steps before she steadied herself against the desk.

    "Tina, what are you doing?" Grace eximed.

    "Beating you!" Tina replied, and with another kick, Grace felt as though she had beenunched into the air, crashing against the wall like a hapless chick.

    That wasn''t the end. Tina grabbed a nearby decorative bamboo nt, nearly as tall as a person, and hurled it at Grace. Grace was terrified; the pot was so heavy it required two special agents to carry it into the building. Tina lifted it with one hand!

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    Another object hurled towards her-was this an attempt on her life? At that moment, Grace tapped into the fullest extent of human potential, scrambling away in a mix of rolling and crawling. Despite her efforts, she was struck on the ankle. Tears streamed down Grace''s face as she cried out, "Tina, have you lost your mind? Do you realize this is illegal? Are you trying to kill me?"

    Tina cracked her knuckles loudly, each pop resonating from her fingers.

    "Killing you would be letting you off easy." With that, Tina lunged forward in a swift motion, pinning Grace beneath her weight. The sound of ps echoed through the secretarial office like hail, silencing the onlookers and reverberating throughout the building. Never had Tina resorted to such crude methods of discipline. But this time, her fury was genuine. Only such measures could slightly quench her wrath.

    Due to Grace''s actions, over a hundred people were in peril. Hayden, Courtney, Elsa, and Jason were still in the ICU. To Tina, allowing her people to suffer such grievous injuries was no different from a premature death for Grace. Swollen from the blows, Grace could barely speak, her cheeks puffed up, forcing her eyes into mere slits.

    After Tina had finished, she stood, grabbing Grace''s leg and dragging her from the office all the way to where Linden stood. Every table, threshold, and step marked the path with Grace''s battered body. The extent of the injuries was such that even Stephanie couldn''t empathize. Feeling like her body was falling apart, Grace barely noticed when they stopped, only feeling the intense pain of her seemingly crushed ankle.

    As her ankle was thrown down, Grace scrambled aside, pointing at a nearby pir, stammering, "You-you-don''t touch me, I''m calling the police, I''m going to have you arrested!"

    Tina stood to her right, casting a disdainful nce. Linden and Christopher, no longer feeling the pain, stood to witness the scene, now looking at what seemed a disfigured face. "Is this... the chubby guy from Tech?"

    "No, no, it looks like Mrs. Smith from Secretarial!"

    "We''re right here!" they protested.

    Tina casually pulled up a chair and sat.

    "This is Grace." Linden winced, "Can''t bear to look at what you''ve done to her." Christopher sighed, "Really, she''s unrecognizable."

    Tina, legs crossed on the table, addressed the two directors, "About the footage of Grace near the control desk, what are you going to do about it?"

    "You''ve already handled it, haven''t you?" said Linden.

    "My niece, well done! You have your mother''s ir!" Christopher thought, though he knew they had to maintain appearances.

    "Miss Hancock, perhaps you''d like to exin?" Linden asked. Grace knew her actions had been exposed, but also knew theycked concrete evidence. It seemed her body had shielded her well. "What are you talking about? I don''t know? I hit my head on the machinery, and this wretch beat me up so badly, I can''t remember anything. What is there to exin?"Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Chapter 651: Miss Hancocks Condition Worsens, Unfit for Work

    Grace huddled to one side, feigning pity with two chairs as her audience.

    Behind her, Linden and Christopher stood silently shaking their heads before moving around to face her.

    "Miss Hancock, we''ve seen everything on the surveince. I''ve already reported you as the primary person responsible. Exin yourself when the headquarters'' staff arrive."

    Grace held her face, bewildered, "I don''t know what you''re talking about! Moreover, I can''t see this surveince you mention. How can I confirm you''re not framing me? Also, I''m going to sue Tina; she attacked me, and I won''t let her get away with this!"

    Tina snorted withughter and pulled a face mask from her bag, tossing it onto Grace''s face.

    The moment the mask touched Grace, she screamed as if being ughtered.

    Miraculously, her face returned to normal, not even a trace of a p mark remained.

    Tina pushed the surveince footage in front of her, "This, is you, right?"

    Grace nodded, "It is me, but I was just checking the screens at the control desk. I needed to record something. Is that not allowed?"

    With a p, Tina swung at Grace, unable to resist as her palm itched.

    Grace''s cheek swelled up again instantly, evenrger than before.

    "Exin that yourself!" Tina, disgusted, stood up and handed the tablet to Christopher, "I''m waiting for the oue."

    After speaking, Tina turned and left.

    Grace scrambled towards the door but was identally tripped over her already fractured ankle by Christopher''s cane.

    "Ahh!" Grace cried out in pain and fainted.

    When she awoke, she was in a hospital room.

    This time, she truly was a severely injured patient, and the doctors would not send her away.

    After being treated, Grace could finally see clearly.

    "Director, I really don''t remember what happened. I hit my head on the machinery and now I keep forgetting things. It wasn''t me."

    Grace sobbed profusely, insisting on her innocence.

    Linden nodded repeatedly, "You''re right. You''re new and don''t understand much. A mistake now and then is normal. My daughter is even younger and always making mistakes. I understand." Hearing Linden''s words, Graceughed, "Director, so you believe me?"

    Linden continued nodding, "I certainly believe you, Miss Hancock. You are a treasure of the X Bureau. Who would I trust if not you?"

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    Grace quickly wiped her tears, "Director, I knew you would believe me. Ah, my head is spinning."

    To emphasize her sincerity, Grace pretended to faint.

    Linden sighed, "Alright, Miss Hancock, I know about your condition. From now on, all your responsibilities will be handled by Mrs. Smith. Don''t worry about them."

    Grace was startled. What did Linden mean by this? Was he stripping her of her duties?

    She was an agent sent from headquarters. Did Linden even have the authority to do that?

    "Director, I..."

    "Enough, rest well. The headquarters have already sent an investigation team. Just cooperate with the investigation. Rest assured, the director believes you, we all believe in you!" Linden''s earnest gaze at Grace was more trusting than her own father''s.

    However, Grace''s chances of wielding influence at the Ashbury X Bureau were now virtually non-existent.

    Grace looked at Linden leaving with a shocked expression. How much had she sacrificed to get into the Ashbury X Bureau? And Linden dismissed her with just a few words? As soon as Linden left, the investigation team from Clearwater headquarters came in and took Grace away for questioning.

    The situation was serious, and she might be detained for a while. What would happen next was anyone''s guess. After all, how could the daughter of a major drug lord, a criminal herself, manage to get into the X Bureau and be a secretary dispatched from headquarters? Anything seemed possible.

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    Tina watched from outside the hospital as Grace was taken away, still unable to calm her frustration. If Grace didn''t return this time, it would be one thing, but if she came back to the Ashbury X Bureau, Tina vowed to make it herst. "Tina, Boris has been found," Jared approached her. The spy base matter was now handed over to the International Intelligence Bureau, and while Grace was being interrogated, there was still one person who needed to be dealt with. That person was Boris, the mastermind behind Cliff Thompson''s illegal camera trade, clearly aimed at bionic biotechnology. The Five Poisons had previously showcased bionic robots, which could well be connected to Boris. "Let me go! Do you know who I am? Do you know who my father is? If you dare do anything to me, believe me, I''ll make sure you regret it. I''m warning you, let me go now, or I''ll tten you!" Boris was trapped in a dimly lit basement, powerless except to shout.

    He had known since the day Cliff Thompson was caught that his own exposure was inevitable, and had fled on a night flight. He thought toy low for a while. But just as he disembarked and boarded the reception vehicle, someone put a ck cloth over his head and stunned him with a stun gun, knocking him out. When he woke up, he was tied up here.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

    Suddenly, the previously pitch-dark basement lit up with numerous lights, blinding Boris. It took him a long while before he dared to open his eyes, only to see a thousand-watt incandescentmp in front of him, nearly blinding him. "Who are you? Who exactly are you!" Boris shouted helplessly. Then, a thin, ghostly male voice came from beside him, "Boris, who told you to direct Mr. Thompson to sell those cameras from Reed Corporate?"

    Boris was startled, toppling over with his chair, "Ah! Who are you! Who is it!" The voice persisted, pressing on Boris''s head, asking again as Boris saw nothing but ck and now white, making it impossible for him to see clearly. In extreme fear, Boris screamed, "It was Grace! We disliked Tina and wanted to sabotage her bionic biotechnology. Grace wanted to take back the patents, and I used my father''s influence to ce Grace in the Ashbury X Bureau.

    That''s all, now get off me! Get off!" After Boris confessed, the voice disappeared, and the lights gradually returned to normal. Boris waited a full ten minutes before daring to open his eyes again. But then, he saw his own father sitting in front of him, looking at him with fury. Boris squirmed on the floor like a maggot, "Dad, help me, please help me!"

 Chapter 652: Trouble for Jason and Courtney?

    Leo squinted his eyes, amazed that his most well-behaved son had been causing such turmoil behind his back. He had even ventured into the ck market, exploiting his own power!

    Truly, Leo had underestimated this problematic offspring. With a swift kick to Boris''s chin, Leo nearly shattered his jawbone.

    "You beast, shut your mouth! You''re useless!" Boris was in so much pain he couldn''t speak.

    Disinterested in further engagement, Leo settled back into his chair.

    "Jared,e in." Jared entered, his gaze coolly sweeping over the vermin on the floor. "Leo."

    "This time, it''s my fault for not supervising properly. I''ll take responsibility for all the losses the Reed family has suffered. Go back and tell Tina not to worry about the biotech issue; I''ll investigate it quietly. The Five Poisons are out of sight for now; we can only wait."

    Jared agreed, "Alright, I understand."

    Leo exhaled deeply and pulled out a contract.

    "This shouldpensate Tina and the Reed family for their losses, which will be calcted separately." Jared looked at the document-it was an international business contract that could thirty billion dors in just one year. Without hesitation, he epted the contract, knowing it would certainly appease Tina, the little miser.

    "Leo, I''ll be off then." Jared chuckled; dealing with Boris required no effort from him. Boris, still reeling from Leo''s rebuke, and Grace, taken away for interrogation, indicated some peace for the time being.

    Cole, holding the contract, couldn''t hide his tion. Thirty billion dors-that was equivalent to three years of his sry! Now, he could surely request a bonus from Serena.

    Jared watched Cole''s greedy expression and shook his head. No wonder he resembled Tina so closely, and Hayden''s penny-pinching ways were clearly a tradition of Serenity Ridge.

    "Achoo!" Hayden, just waking up, nearly tore a wound with his sneeze.

    Pa quickly restrained him.

    "Didn''t I tell you to avoid sudden movements? Do you have any idea how many injuries you have?" Pa had been by his side in the hospital, sleepless, her eyes nearly swollen from crying by the time Hayden woke up.

    "I''m fine, it must be Jared cursing me behind my back, or else I wouldn''t have sneezed!" Hayden, propped against the headboard and bandaged all over, could only move his eyes.

    "Pa, you didn''t tell my family, did you?"

    Pa shook her head.

    "No, I heard from my father recently that grandpa isn''t well; I didn''t want to worry him."

    Relieved, Hayden responded, "Good, otherwise they''d be worried. Oh, I''m hungry-has Jason woken up yet?"

    Pa, holding a thermal food container, fed Hayden.

    "Jason hasn''t woken up yet. Courtney is with him, so don''t worry. Serena said it''s just the anesthesia, he''ll wake upter."

    As Hayden nodded and ate, he said, "Yeah, with Serena and the boss handling it, there''s nothing to worry about, I know, I''m not worried at all." Despite his words, Hayden''s eyes were anxiously fixed on the door. Pa, sighing, set down the food container and fetched a wheelchair to help Hayden to Jason''s room.

    "Usually, you two aren''t that close. Can''t you wait?" Pa felt pity for Hayden, worried he might hurt his own wounds.

    Hayden was stubborn.

    "I''m just out for some fresh air," he retorted.

    As they spoke, they arrived outside Jason''s hospital room.

    Natalie and Tina were sitting outside chatting. Seeing Hayden, Tina frowned.

    "Who let you out?"

    "Serena. I just came for a stroll. How''s Jason? Still not awake? This is just great," Hayden grumbled.

    Tina knew Hayden too well; she rolled her eyes at him.

    "Courtney''s inside. Just take a look from here."

    Hayden was confused.

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    "What''s the problem with Courtney being there? I''ll just check on her too."

    As Hayden attempted to wheel himself in, Pa quickly grabbed the wheelchair.

    "If Serena isn''t going inside, why should you? Just look from here!"

    Hayden looked puzzled at Tina and Natalie. Indeed, why not go in?

    Peering through the window, Hayden saw Courtney in a wheelchair, gently wiping Jason''s face with a towel. Her movements were careful, her gaze seemingly tender. Hayden gasped in surprise.

    "What the hell? When did this happen?"

    "Weren''t they always at odds? How did they end up together? And, is that really Courtney? It really is Courtney!"

    Pa, on the other hand, wore a knowing smile.

    "Courtney and Jason go well together. They might seem cold on the surface, but deep down, they''re both gentler than anyone."

    "Gentle?" Hayden looked up, astonished.

    "There has to be a reason. Did Jason save Courtney''s life or something?"

    Natalie nodded.

    "Sort of. I heard from the team that Jason gave thest healing pill to Courtney, and she found out."

    Hayden finally felt relieved.

    "I knew it. And I was still supporting that kid Orson. How could I let Jason get the upper hand!"

    Speaking of Orson, he appeared at that moment.

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    He was holding flowers and various supplements, standing behind the group, watching Courtney tenderly caring for Jason through the ss.

    "Tina, give these to Courtney when shees out. I have to go now. Tell her to rest, and I''lle back tomorrow."

    Orson had been visiting daily, but Courtney had been unconscious and unaware of the flowers he had sent.

    Today, she woke up and immediately went to Jason''s room after learning about the healing pill, oblivious to the flowers in her own room. Tina was at a loss for words, only managing to express her sentiment-my little girl is growing up!Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Who to choose?

    Orson had a good family background, was handsome, Jared''s brother, a well-known eSports yer, capable and wealthy. Not bad.

    Jason, though orphaned, was self-made and highly regarded by Jared, a core member of the X Bureau. Also not bad.

    Ah, a tough choice.

    Natalie saw her daughter''s dilemma and gently tapped her head.

    "Don''t worry about it, but remember to convey Orson''s feelings to Courtney,"

    Tina nodded.

    "Understood."

    "Serena, make sure to tell Courtney about Orson. That boy has been pursuing her for a long time. Don''t let that old rascal Jason take advantage, and don''t follow in your old footsteps!" As she spoke, Hayden felt a chill run down his spine.

    He didn''t dare look back, clutching Pa''s hand.

    "Run, run, Jared''sing. Run!"

 Chapter 653: Angela Goes Abroad

    Pa, worried that Jared might actually break Hayden apart, quickly wheeled him away. Jared nced in the direction where the two were escaping.

    "Fine, I''ll have to show them what an old thug can do!" he muttered.

    "Uncle, have you seen Orson?"

    Tina asked as she walked over. Suddenly, Jared had the idea to create a new fragrance, dubbed "Old Man''s Brother" - "Old Thug!" Jared nodded, "Yes, he''s quite heartbroken, not even watching where he''s going."

    "Being young is truly wonderful," Natalie chuckled. After discussing Boris and Grace''s situation outside the hospital room, they were just about to go eat when Natalie''s phone rang. It was Ang. Ang hadn''t been seen since Natalie returned to the Brookes family. Natalie had tried to find her several times, but Ang''s obsession was deep; she only wanted to find the Five Poisons before returning to the Brookes family. Natalie couldn''t force her; Ang had her own choices.

    Natalie was quite surprised to receive this message. Ang had sent a picture of the entrance to a university abroad. This university was where Joshua had studied overseas, and it was also a ce where the Five Poisons had once stayed. Natalie sighed, "Ang has gone to investigate the Five Poisons. Hopefully, she can uncover some clues."

    ---

    Ang stared at the university gate and walked straight through. The campus was suffused with the spirit of youth. Both male and female students wore smiles as if nourished by honey.

    Dressed in a ck leather jacket, Ang walked across the sports field, slightly out of ce among the shorts and t-shirts. Fortunately, the university campus was a ce of free expression, and her attire didn''t attract much attention. Only a few boys, interested in Ang, whistled, seemingly deterred from approaching by her cool demeanor.

    Ang walked on, blocking out all surrounding signals, directly approaching a monument. Itmemorated a shooting battle from years past, bearing many names from various countries around the world. Even today, fresh flowersy at the base of the monument in remembrance.

    Looking up, Ang''s gaze quickly found a familiar yet strange name.

    Jake Glover (Five Poisons).

    It was astonishingly direct. It was as if he had nearly written ''Five Poisons'' on his forehead. Such a tant, provocative name had been hidden here for so long, mourned and memorialized by others. Shameless!

    Ang stared intently at the name, her eyes betraying a mix of scorn, anger, and aplex, subtle emotion. She couldn''t understand how someone so devoid of humanity could father a child. Who was her mother? What was his purpose in having her? A monster devoid of any conscience, could he truly love his wife and child?

    Ang couldn''tprehend. What was the meaning of her existence in this world? Other children were legacies, treasures, proofs of a family''s continuation. What about her? Her legacy seemed to be darkness, sorrow, and guilt towards everything in the world, if it could be said she shared anything with other children. It was merely continuation. The continuation of the creator''s evil, darkness.

    Ang clenched her fists, staring venomously at the name. The sun warmed her leather jacket, but it was no match for the heat in her gaze.

    "Do you have any rtives here?"N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

    A cheerful male voice sounded from behind.

    Ang snapped back to reality and turned around to see a man dressed as a gardener with graying hair, an elderly figure. Ang replied, "No, none."

    "Oh, that''s fortunate. Seeing you so sad, I thought you were missing your family. Since that''s not the case, it''s for the best."

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    The old man with white hair tidied up the fresh flowers and took out a cloth to wipe the dust off the monument.

    It was unclear whether he was talking to himself or to Ang when he said, "When the shooting happened, I was here cleaning, right in this spot. I was so scared I wet my pants. If it weren''t for Mr. Glover, my name would be on this monument now." Ang paused, Mr. Glover?

    She pointed to the name Jake Glover, "Him?"

    The old man looked up, saw Jake Glover''s name, and smiled, "Yes, that''s him. A very refined man, my hero."

    Ang frowned, He saved someone?

    How could that be?

    "Excuse me, could you tell me more about what happened back then? I''m very curious."

    The old man stopped his work and nodded, "I''d be delighted to."

    Inside the cafeteria, Ang sat opposite the old man, listening to him talk about the Five Poisons and their activities abroad.

    "Mr. Glover didn''t like us calling him that; he preferred to be known as Five Poisons. He said it spurred him on. Mybor quarters were close to his student dormitory, and he often asked me to leave the door unlocked for him. Over time, we became familiar."

    "Later, after he graduated and stayed on at the school, our dorms were even closer. Oh yes, he also had a good friend, a very handsome man obsessed with nts, adored by many at the school."

    Ang knew he was talking about Joshua.

    The old man continued, "The two were inseparable, sometimes drinking and chatting together, asionally inviting me along. I''m just a janitor, I couldn''t understand their technical jargon, so I just joined them for drinks. Then the shooting happened, it was so sudden, the whole school was thrown into panic."

    "That day, many died-students and teachers alike. I was in the garden, and when I heard about the shooting, a bullet whizzed past my calf. I was petrified, too scared to move, I even wet my pants."

    "But at that moment, I didn''t think to run or scream, I just knew I might die. Just when I thought I was going to meet God, he appeared."

    "He grabbed my hand and we ran. The criminal was chasing us from behind. Eventually, we were cornered, and he stood in front of me."

    The white-haired old man''s tears fell as he said, "His blood sttered on me as he fell in front of me."

    "We were so close, the police arrived just momentster. If we had held on a bit longer, we would have been saved."

    The old man was visibly moved, clearly regretful about the events of that day.

    Yet Ang always felt that the man the old man spoke of wasn''t Five Poisons.

    He was more likely to shoot someone than to save them.

    It really was like a dream.

 Chapter 654: Understanding the Past of Five Poisons

    Ang handed a piece of paper to the white-haired old man, "What about Josh... the man who was extremely obsessed with nts?"

    The old man steadied himself, "Since then, he has rarelye to see me. He hasn''t been as cheerful as before, and his death took a heavy toll on him. Later, he chose to stay at the school and even got a very pretty girlfriend. With her help, he gradually recovered. He went back to his country a while ago and even visited me before leaving, to thank me for my care." "Then, no more news."

    Later, he was imprisoned, tormented daily, never to be released!

    Ang''s gaze hardened as she asked, "Over the years, every time you missed him, did you visit the monument?"

    The old man nodded and then shook his head, "Not really. Since his death, I''ve moved into his dorm room. I''ve kept all his belongings, thinking I could take them back to his parents, but some things couldn''t be moved, so I left them untouched."

    Ang''s eyes lit up, "Could you take me to see it?"

    It seemed the old man hadn''t spoken of such memories in a long time, and he agreed readily, "Sure, let''s go."

    The dorm was a two-bedroom apartment with the old man living in the right room. The left room, facing the sun, belonged to Five Poisons.

    Ang pushed the door open and entered; the room was tidy, everything arranged in a style from many years ago.

    It was clear the old man held this ce dear.

    "May I stay alone for a while?"

    Ang asked.

    The old man nodded, "Of course, but may I ask, who was he to you?"

    Ang pursed her lips, "He was, in a way, my father."

    The old man paused, "I felt there was something of him about you; I didn''t guess wrong. Child, take your time to remember your father."

    Ang thanked him and then closed the door.

    Remember?

    Impossible.

    Ang walked around the room, which wasn''trge but feltfortable due to good organization.

    She approached the bed and patted the quilt.

    The sunlight was good here; even the quilt, which hadn''t been aired, felt warm andfortable to touch.

    Ang took a deep breath andy down on the bed.

    This was probably the first time since she had memories that she was this close to her biological father.

    As a child, Ang had envied Alina bouncing on Ian''s bed, calling him to wake up.

    But then, fearful of upsetting her foster father by overstepping, she could only watch secretly, andter Rachel joined in with Alina.

    She still watched from the sidelines.

    Ang had always known she was adopted, so she never acted beyond her station.

    Even though the Brookes family treated her very well, as if she were their own, she knew her ce and that she couldn''t take their kindness for granted.

    She was determined to repay her foster family to the best of her ability.

    Now, lying on Five Poisons'' bed, her heart felt no different.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

    It didn''t feel joyful like Alina or Rachel.

    Ang sighed, stood up, and walked to Five Poisons'' wardrobe, opening it.

    A few very simple, outdated clothes and pants revealed nothing out of the ordinary.

    Looking down, there was a box containing rather intimate clothing, but nothing else was found.

    After closing the cupboard, Ang sat back down at the Five Poisons'' desk and opened a drawer, which contained several textbooks.

    The notebooks were all filled with lesson ns, with no other information.

    It seemed very clean.

    Ang reviewed all the records from Five Poisons, many of which contained professional jargon she did not understand, so she took photos to show to Alina after returning to her country. Suddenly, she noticed a gap between the desk and the wall. Moving the desk, she felt something stuck behind it.

    Bending over, Ang discovered a dusty notebook.

    Upon opening it, the first line took her by surprise: "st-0 Upgrade Notes."

    The pages were densely packed with content Ang could notprehend.

    However, she knew this could be the precursor to st-1.

    Ang photographed all the recorded data and sent it to Natalie.

    Then, she packed the notebook and took it with her.

    After bidding farewell to the old man with white hair, Ang began her journey back home.

    Over the phone, Natalie asked, "Ang, did you find anything else, like syringes or reagents?"

    "Nothing. So many years have passed, that old man cleans daily. Even fingerprints have vanished, and whether it''s lesson ns or anything else, there''s no record rted to st-0. If I hadn''t found the gap above the desk and discovered the notebook, I wouldn''t have found anything."

    "Okay, I understand. Come back first."

    After hanging up, Natalie printed out everything Ang had sent.

    Holding the printed papers, Tina said, "Mom, I feel like Five Poisons wasn''t just trying to upgrade st-0. It seems like he was also recording the changes from injecting st-0."

    Natalie nodded, "Right, I think so too. But back then, Five Poisons only had Joshua around him. Could he have been using Joshua for experiments?"

    Tina, looking over the data, shook her head, "Not necessarily. There are two sets of data; another could very well be himself, judging by his records. He seems dependent on this substance. Mom, when you developed st-1, did you find any addictive substances in it?"

    Natalie furrowed her brow, "No, I''ve also been in contact with st-0. This poison doesn''t act like drugs; it doesn''t contain addictive elements. Plus, if it was addictive, Joshua would have probably died of withdrawal in prison by now." "So, was Five Poisons experimenting on his own body? But what could he gain from that?"

    Tina put down the data, having memorized it after one nce, no longer needing to ponder it in her hands.

    Natalie frowned, "Could the drug change a person''s conscience after injection?"

    Tina nearly choked on her spit, "Mom, conscience is innate."

    "Then why would he save people?"

    Natalie''s question left Tina speechless.

    Indeed, why would a psychopath like Five Poisons save someone?

    Inconceivable!

    Tina halfy on the couch, resting her head on Natalie''s legs, her bright eyes deeply thoughtful, "Mom, could he be faking his death?"

    "Even if he faked his death, after so many years, he''d be an old man like your grandfather. Even if he still had the capability to act and control GTO, his strength would not be what it once was. Running such arge organization as GTO, where could he hide?"

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